3rd Flaurmont 1015AC


OVER 12,000 KILLED ON THE BATTLEFIELDS OF EKIDDU

Plains of blood in Ekiddu

In the month of Vatermont, forces made up of the Vilaverdan, Texeiran and Eshu armies struck the coastal province of Ekiddu, in the Kingdom of Nimmur. To transport the fifty companies in the attack, no fewer than thirty large warships of the Vilaverdan and Texeiran navies amassed in Puerto Maldicao late in Nuwmont. The Nimmurian troops knew enough to stay clear of the shore, and this preponderance of naval might did little to influence the actual fighting, beyond their role as transport. The heroes Gloriana de Rondalla and Miles Killian O'Kayne were present, fighting on the side of the Verdan barons, and the High Priestess of Valerias, Girder on of Weapons, also made an appearance, blessing the Verdans in Her name. Priest-King Gildesh II himself, believed to be an avatar of Ixion by the enduks, was present in the Eshu army, which was led by the famous enduk warrior, Malekesh the Mighty.
Upon landing in Ekiddu, there was a short delay before the might of Nimmur, including forces from Apsur, made an appearance to turn back the Verdan and Enduk throng. The manscorpions attacked under cover of the late winter darkness, although the humans and enduks had expected such a tactic and were not surprised. The manscorpion horde was even larger than the Verdan army, and was led by Talamarax the Great, while King Anupalassar and his court mage, "Wind of Death", were also present. Believing their smokepowder weapons to be superior at range, Baron Bartolomeu ordered the Verdans to keep their distance from the manscorpions, fearing their poison, but the storm of arrows from the Nimmurian ranks rapidly cut down the Verdan musketeers, while the human muskets merely countered the fact that the manscorpions had the advantage of size and strength. Seeing this, a desperate charge was ordered, and under covering fire from accurate musketry the Verdan infantry charged the huge manscorpion horde as over two thousand enduks dived onto the manscorpions from above.
Engaged in melee, the humans and enduks acquitted themselves well, but under superior numbers and the poison of the manscorpions their numbers were slowly thinned. Only the presence of Gloriana and Miles saved the allied armies from complete destruction, and with hundreds of Verdan soldiers routing in the face of the slaughter it was soon evident that the battle was turning against them. The enduks stayed to fight to the death, with Gildesh in the heaviest of the fighting, being protected from the surrounding manscorpions by the bodies of his fellows.
While the Verdans returned to their ships, a dozen enduks escaped the wrath of the Nimmurian armies, led by Malakesh the Mighty, and carried the grievously wounded body of Gildesh. Malekesh himself fell as he approached the beaches, but the presence of the Verdan navies deterred the manscorpions from following onto the shore, and Gildesh himself was rescued by Gloriana and Miles, to be healed by the Vilaverdan priests.

Jibaru and Wallara clash in Highlands

Queen Barana-Ui led two thousand phanatons from the Nimmurian capital of Er into the Forbidden Highlands to do battle with the wallaras who recently interfered with her territorial claims. The phanatons were ambushed by boomerang wielding wallaras, but retaliated with hails of darts and sharpened mango fruit. Many lost their lives in the fighting, but the phanatons eventually gave the field to the wallaras, retreating into the nearby jungles of western Jibaru.

All Quiet for Some

Aeryl and Herath enjoyed a peaceable time, unlike all others on the Orcs Head Peninsula this spring. King Enerin of Aeryl devoted his time bringing rule of law to the town of Um-Shedu, which in the wake of the manscorpion occupation had become a lawless hive of thieves and cutthroats. Wizard-King Yahav IV has not been seen for some months, and is rumoured to be spending most of his time researching new magicks. Apparently he is content to allow the Shadow Lord to conduct the day to day affairs of running the Kingdom.

Vermillion Empire strikes down Bellaynish forces at K'Klett

It appears Queen Catherine's fears were not unfounded. Halfway through the season fire and lightning reigned down upon the province of K'klett. Though many structures and a few civilians in the province were scorched most of the damage wrought was upon the units of the Bellaynish military stationed there. In a single night over half a score of units perished to the arcane forces unleashed in what was a literal rain of death. As the survivors tried to regroup themselves and sent messengers back to Queen Catherine rumors raced along the countryside of armies forming in the Shazak provinces of Snaat, Ahroog, and T'lak. A scant two weeks later forces of the Vermillion Empire rolled over the border lead by the formidable Emperor Pyre himself. Beneath Pyre marched several thousand soldiers consisting of units of cayma, shazak, and a large contingent of terrifying undead which shambled along beneath the great wyrm as he circled above. Obviously outmatched the remnants of Bellayne's force in the province fled back toward Wyndham leaving the province to Pyre. With his army encircling the area the draconian emperor landed his great bulk directly upon the building of the Might of Belbion temple crushing most of those inside instantly. He then moved on to the other holdings of Bellayne's regents smashing the structures and eating as many of the fleeing occupants as possible. After seeming to satisfy himself that Bellayne's influence within the city had been removed he advanced upon the small fortification still manned by its garrison. Seeming to ignore their weapons the wyrm used his fiery breath and great claws to rip the castle apart like an anthill. After eating or incinerating all the defenders Pyre turned the area over to King Shaz and moved outside of the town with his undead force.

On Her Majesty's Secret Service

The Parliament has not been idle in attending to the defence of the Kingdom. As soon as lizard-kin forces crossed into K'Klett, Bellaynish agents started an undercover campaign calculated to weaken the most warlike of Pyre's allies, Ator. The emissaries of Queen Ator were harried and killed wherever they trod in the Ator capital, while priests of Goron were attacked by gurrash recruited with Parliamentary gold, and congregations devoted to the lizard queen of death were disrupted. Parliamentary efforts to swing public opinion against Queen Ator were also very successful, but several small uprisings were quickly crushed by soldiers loyal to Queen Ator and the High Priest of Goron.

A Nation Unites

Queen Catherine chose not to immediately counterattack Pyre's forces in K'Klett, but the appearance of this deadly adversary has meant that the nation has fallen in behind her lead. The Queen has spent much time in discussion with her Prime Minister and the heads of the Bellaynish temples, while she is said to be pressing a somewhat reluctant Sir Mewsbury for financial backing.

Khorhepsha of the Tomb destroyed

King Edwix of Robrenn, with Gloriana and Miles (just back from Nimmur) braved the pyramid in Tortle Country once more, intent on killing the Oltec mummy, Khorhepsha. With his legions already dispersed by the efforts of the Robrenn army, they managed to corner him in the depths of the pyramid, where he was eventually slain in combat by King Edwix. The creature's demise hopefully brings peace to Tortle Country at last.

Ator Keeps On Raiding

While Shazaks's armies were forcing the rakasta out of K'Klett, their "allies" continued to repeatedly raid western Shazak. Snaat took the brunt of it, and was defenceless while King Shaz's armies were diverted. The gurrash have long be known to be beasts only capable of raiding and killing, and perhaps it is true!

Forked Tongue Strike Again

The Forked Tongue again caused trouble in Shazak this turn. Shazak partisans struck at the province os Ss'ikk, killing King Shaz' constables there, and melting away into the forests before the echo faded. The Company of the Sun was contacted by the Forked Tongue afterwards, as they wished to make a statement. "We of the Forked Tongue, saviours of the shazaks, wish the world to know that wherever there is a tyrant, there will be a Resistance. We will fight Pyre and his lackey, King Shaz, with all our strength. Nowhere in Shazak will be safe for the oppressors while the Forked Tongue exists!".

Mysterious Deaths in Guadalante

The Torreoner mercenaries, hired by King Edwix, suffered from some dread ailment last month. A sickness swept the garrison, killing half of the Torreoners, while the other half were unfit for duty. Apothecaries and priests on the scene believed the cause ot be of food poisoning. The poison used is as yet unknown, but is believed to be some sort of plant toxin. Hulean involvement is suspected.

Where Chaos Reigns

Fighting continues throughout the southern Savage Baronies. Undead conjured by Black Jack fought with Saragoner forces, and were wiped out while inflicting some casualties, in Chiriquis Land. Meanwhile a huge force of gnollish raiders hired by Black Jack successfully occupied and pillaged Whitestone, nearby, despite the presence of Cimmaron horse artillery, which retreated east after inflicting some casualties upon the enemy. New weapons were used by the gnolls in Cactus Eaters land, which was attacked by gnoll infantry led by a gnollish priest of Ixion named Abolar. The defenders - mainly shieldmaidens of the Judge - were dispersed in part by the gnollish forces, and in part by the magic of Abolar.
Only Almarron was silent, strangely enough, with Don Esteban officially set up a government in Paso Dorado, and Baron Max trying to regain control of Ciudad Tejillas in the face of public disorder.

Traitor!

The Verdan fleets, attempting to enter the port of Puerto Morillos to pick up warriors to help in the crusade against Nimmur, were surprised when the fortress at Puerto Morillos opened fire and forced the Verdan ships away, after inflicting minor damage. Reports are confused as to why it happened, but apparently a Narvaezan Inquisitor, no friend of the Verdans, took matters into his own hands and ordered the garrison to fire.

Trade Dispute in Gargona

Baronesa Esperanza of Gargona closed down the Hojan trade route in Ciudad Real in the month of Nuwmont, this year. The reason for this is unclear, but it seems that Hojan promises made earlier to Gargona of opening their markets to Gargonan trade have not materialised. Relations between Gargona and Hojah are doubtless going to suffer as a result.

Peace in the City States

Margrave Derdren Zvornik and Margrave Munte Zagora met in the tiny hamlet of Ullovo to hammer out a treaty - which has since been signed by both parties. For now, at least, there will be peace between the two City States after over a year of fighting. However, Traldar peace treaties have rarely lasted in the past, and some say that it is Halav's will that the City States continually fight among themselves, to better their skills at the art of war.
Indeed, Slagovich was massing armies just by the border with Budve, so perhaps the treaty merely heralds a new bout of fighting!


Other News and Rumours

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