The Winter War - February 3

Day: February 3

Weather: 7 (Fair - no impediments to visibility or movement)

Initiative Order for the week:

1. Armies of Immianthe
2. Men of Hambley
3. Principality of Oraving
4. Wood Elves of Arbelladon
5. The Beastman Hordes

Troop Movements

Lizardmen Light Infantry move from 028,011 to 026,012, joining the Wolf Riders in the Siege of Fort Arbelving.

Heavy Infantry move from Fort Hambley (030,005) to the Nora-To Temple (033,005), further garrisoning it against assault.

The Hambley Light Cavalry move from 033,005 to the outskirts of Annalysorian (032,008). 

Having finished clearing out the ruins near Oraving, a company of the Red Legion move from 027,021 to 027,018.

The Crusader militia in 027,017 and The White Legion (Heavy Infantry), 1 company of the Red Legion (Heavy Infantry), and 1 company of Heavy Cataphracts (Cataphract Cavalry) in 026,016 converge upon the Beastmen lodged in the necropolis. A battle is fought.

The Hand of Law (Heavy Infantry) disembark at the Abbey of Igolb. Together with the half-company of nuns from the Abbey, they march upon the slave pits of the goblins, finding them undefended. The few Beastmen left are put to the sword, burning pitch is poured down their boltholes, and the entrances to the slave pits are collapsed and filled with concrete where possible. The Goblin Slave Pits are no longer a viable settlement for the Beastmen Hordes.

Elven ships are seen continuing their voyage up the lake.

Reinforcements: A company of 120 goblin bowmen appear in Ironburg, reinforcements sent from the Underlords below.

Battle Outcomes

The Battle of the Necropolis (027,016)

Force 1: 4 companies of 120 Crusader Militia/each (Untrained Light Infantry), led by Sir Bruno and the Companions of the Rose.

• BR: 2
• Commander: Sir Bruno Fae-cursed, Level 7 Knight - STR 12 INT 11 WIS 5 DEX 10 CON 13 CHA 10 - LA 5 SA 1 MM +1

Force 2: The White Legion (Heavy Infantry), 1 company of the Red Legion (Heavy Infantry), and 1 company of Heavy Cataphracts (Cataphract Cavalry)

• BR: 11.5
• Commander: Level 7 Human Fighter - STR: 14 INT: 13 WIS: 11  DEX: 5 CON: 7 CHA: 11 - LA 5 SA 1 MM +1

Vs. 

Force 3: 1 company of 60 Orc Boar Riders (spear, scimitar, shield, scale, giant boar), led by a 5 HD chieftain, 2 companies of Hobgoblin Light Infantry/each (spear, sword, shield, leather), each led by a 5 HD Chieftain, 1 company of Gnoll Longbowmen (long bow, battle axe, scale), led by a 6 HD Chieftain, 6 Spectres, controlled by Gnoll shamans

BR: 31

Commander: The Fang of Vassuryn (Sentient Sword): LA 7 SA 2 MM +2

Surprise Round: The Beastmen attempt to hide in bolt holes in the ruins, ambushing the main force of men (Force 2). They succeed, but are in turn surprised by the sudden onslaught of the Crusader Militia led by Sir Bruno and the Companions of the Rose. Force 1 will get a surprise round.

Heroic Foray: Sir Bruno leads the Companions of the Rose on a charge against 24 Hobgoblin scouts (.5 BR) led by a Hobgoblin lieutenant. The combined might of the spellcasters (Ariana and Tuesday) magically enchants and puts to sleep three squads of the Hobgoblins, while Sir Bruno charges and defeats the lieutenant in battle, cutting the brute down. The remaining 6 hobgoblins flee the field. It is a glorious victory, though only a skirmish, and it deprives the enemy commanders of .5 BR.

The crusader militia flood into the ruins, but despite the element of surprise, they are unable to draw most of the beastmen out of their hidey-holes, and the beastmen manage to mount an effective defense.

Round 1: A strange mist fills the Necropolis before being blown away by the wind as briefly as it had come, and the fog moves rapidly Southeast, towards the Citadel of the Eye. 

Heroic Foray: The Companions of the Rose do not make a Heroic Foray this round, having expended most of their sorcery in the ambush earlier. They fight in the ranks.

The heavy troops of the Men of Oraving attack from the west while the Crusaders surge in from the south, the latter attempting to draw off the Orc Boar-riders. Strangely, there are no Orc Boar-riders to be seen, but they are successful in drawing the Beastmen out of their hidey-holes. Something has gone horribly wrong, though -- not only are the Beastmen stronger than the Men or Oraving had any reason to expect, but they have used necromantic magics located in the ruins to raise powerful allies! Foul spectres, terrible lords of the undead, rise under the control of Gnoll shamans, draining the life of the attacking Men of Oraving and raising them as undead legions! The companies of crusading militia under Sir Bruno are broken and scattered, and for many of them, death is only the beginning of their woes. The crack White and Red legions are shattered by the Beastmen and Spectres, fleeing broken away from the ruins. Only the Heavy Cataphracts of Oraving manage to hold together, losing 2 BR worth of troops (15 out of 60). Seeing no chance of recovering the field, the remaining Cataphracts withdraw from the battle.

In the aftermath, as the heroes do what they can to gather together the survivors as their former compatriots are raised as skeletons and zombies among the ruins of the Necropolis, smoke begins to rise from the Citadel of Law: Using the powers of the Fang of Vassuryn, Orc Boar Riders were magically transported to the undefended Citadel, and have unleashed fire and rapine upon it, as is their wont. 

Outcome: Crushing defeat for the Men of Oraving. Casualties: 60 White Legion, 60 Red Legion, 120 Crusader Militia, 8 Heavy Cataphratcts killed. 60 White Legion, 60 Red legion, 120 Crusader Militia, 7 Heavy Cataphracts captured as slaves. One half of the slain Men of Oraving are raised as a company of 120 Skeletons, under the control of the Gnoll Shamans, and half of the slaves are converted into a single company of 120 Slave Light Infantry. 84 Hobgoblins killed, 60 Hobgoblins wounded or scattered.

Total forces now occupying the Necropolis:

.5 companies of Hobgoblin Light Infantry (spear, sword, shield, leather), led by a 5 HD Chieftain, 

1 company of Gnoll Longbowmen (long bow, battle axe, scale), led by a 6 HD Chieftain, 

6 Spectres, controlled by Gnoll shamans

1 company of 120 skeletons, controlled by Gnoll shamans

1 company of 120 Slave Light Infantry