Sylvaneth renew contract with Idoneth Deepkin

With ten years of service now completed it was time for Alarielle to renew her contract with Carpathia. Wary of their “allies” mercurial nature the Syvaneth had insisted that there be provision within the contract for it to be renewed without the risk of having to compete with rival offers from the other factions on Permenia. Such caution was wise but the smooth rolling-over of the contract was complicated by a dispute over payment caused by an ambiguous semi-colon in the 76th paragraph.

Unable to reach an agreement over the exact meaning of the wording the nobles leading Carpathia's expeditionary force consulted their codex of contract law and determined that such a dispute could be best settled in a trial by combat. The value of the disputed payment would be split into six portions and scattered in equal spacing about the field of battle. The two sides would compete to capture the treasure hordes with each side getting to keep what was captured.

As battle broke out the Idoneth were initially baffled by the rapid growth of shrubbery about the treasure cashes but since there was no prohibition on this within the codex the trial was allowed to continue. The Idoneth launched themselves into the trees and acquitted themselves with honour, proving the martial strength of Carpathia's legions to their paymasters. Despite this much of the disputed treasure simply vanished into the trees whilst the fighting was going on and the matter was eventually settled decisively in the Sylvaneth's favour. 

The Idoneth were frustrated but respected the outcome of the trial by combat and their contract with the Alarielle was renewed for a further ten years.

Battle of the Sallowash

Nighthaunt defeat Seraphon for control of the Sallowash river valley

Idoneth defeat Slaanesh in Yarpin

Since the beginning of their service as part of the so called “Blood Coast Alliance” Carpathia's expeditionary forces on Permenia had been relegated mostly to defending and patrolling Alarielle's steadily growing territory. The Sylvaneth were fully aware that their allies were fighting for coin rather than principle and seemed reluctant trust them in open combat. Although their mundane duties were seen as an insult by Carpathia's proud Akhelian nobility the situation met with little protest, after all they were making a tidy profit and sustaining only minimal casualties. If the Sylvaneth were content to see such a poor return for their investment it was fine with Carpathia's legions.

The Idoneth were shaken from their routine when patrols operating out of Yarpin's newly established fortifications located a host of Slaaneshi daemons trespassing into Aelven territory. Without bothering to consult with or warn their Sylvaneth allies Prince Leonidas ordered the legions to assemble and sally forth. This chance to hunt his race's most hated foes would be the perfect antidote for his boredom and he was determined that the Sylvaneth would not steal this opportunity from him as they had so many others.

Riding forth the Idoneth confronted the daemon host amidst the florishing woodlands of Yarpin amidst the base of an Aelven watchtower. Knowing the speed of his foe Leonidas thought little of callously throwing his Namarti to the front as bait to be ridden down in the initial charge. As the minions of Slaanesh butchered the hapless Namarti Leonidas unleashed the vengeful knights of Carpathia. Crashing into the daemons as they  danced and capered amidst the corpses the Namarti the  whooping Akhelians rode them down in turn before flowing onwards to surround the greater daemon that led them. Momentarily stupefied by is mesmerising musk the knights faltered for a moment but Leonidas barred the abomination's path, fending off its attacks in a dazzling display of skill. Overcoming their momentary hesitation the knights rushed to the aid of their prince and cut down the mighty daemon. With their living paragon banished the remaining daemons faded.

Their spirits lifted by the joy of combat the Idoneth returned back to their fortress and word of this disturbing new foe was finally sent to Alarielle.

Battle of Fermia desert

By year 11 of the permenia Calendar, New Quemara had developed into a country of over two hundred thousand. The most populous region remained the hinterlands of Vinduhr to the south of the Collines du Nord, but the northern and eastern territories were rapidly propsering thanks to continued immigration. Much of the influx of settlers from outside of Permenia was based on the contracts gained by the Kharadron Overlords, who began performing convoy escorts and transportation services for the nobles of other realms keen to exploit the new sub Realm of Quemara. One major family involved in this expedition was the Alptraum family, a dynasty who claimed lineage of their line to the age of Myth and beyond.

 

Claims of lineage aside, the resulting influx of the Alptraum's and those people they feudally dominated rapidly expanded the settlements on the borders of Quemara. Not trusting the lords of Vinduhr to provide them with military support, the Alptraums raised their own forces to protect the Eastern Marches, and the army was headed by Duke Gabriel Alptraum from his noble seat at Dietenburen. The Alptraum army's first test came in the eleventh year, when from the north and from the dark forests of Aglia, a horde of beastmen was reported heading south over the Fermia Desert. This relatively small desert existed due to the realm's strange magical flows, and no rain fell here, but it was easily crossable in just a few days. Duke Gabriel realised the army posed a threat to his lands of East Quemara, and raised his banners to face the beasts in Fermia before they could head south. The Aelves simply watched from their towers and halls.

 

The army of men set up on the scorched plain of the desert, their greatswords on the left flank and their swordsmen on the right. in the centre the might of the Alptraum artillery was protected by units of freeguild, and behind, near the Duke himself, Knights of Order prepared to breakthrough any weakness in the enemy battleline. Facing the human host a tide of beasts rolled across the horizon, with gors and ogors and even a mighty Ghorgon causing the ground to rumble as the beast herd approached.

 

The Free people of Quemara struck the first blow, killing the Ghorgon outright with well placed cannon and rocket volleys, and the bullgors suffered as well to the artillery. On the left flank the gors were reluctant to face the greatswords of the Alptraums, but on the Duke's right wing the bestigors managed to outflank the Quemaran position and get into combat with the swordsmen, who were soon in trouble. Spooting an opportunity, Gabriel ordered his Knights to charge the dragon ogors in the centre of the beast herd's line, but the charge did not hit home with enough power. Unable to wound the beasts with their lances, the ogors and shaggoth wiped out the knights and started advancing on the human centre.

 

On the left flank the free people did well, with the standoff with the gors finally ending when the beasts reluctantly charged. No match for the greatswords, the gors were cut down. The duke meanwhile had to deal with the appearance of a cockatrice, but this distraction delayed the general's intervention on events on his right flank. Here the bestigors had defeated the free swordsmen of Dietenburen, and were working inexorably towards the artillery. The artillery itself had prooved less than effective after its initial shooting, as the nervous gunners often missed their intended targets. By nightfall on the first day the beast herd had wiped out the defending free company around the artillery pieces, and the crew fled. Now only the greatswords remained battleworthy, and they conducted a retreat from the Fermian deserts, hoping the beast herd would not follow them over the hills into New Quemara.

Skaven dominate Blightport

D&G vs. D&G @1000 - win to D&G!

• more squabbling. 

Seraphon establish eastern border of Quemara

The loss of the Kharadron presence in the Eastern Marches of the Realm of New Quemara brought an ever increasing encroachment of the tree-kin to the villagers of men that dwelt in the valleys south of the Vallee Liontaine. At first, the trees simply grew unnaturally quickly, but gradually, the force of nature itself seemed to turn against the settlers in the region, bringing failed harvests and shortages. The Lords of Vinduhr offered aid, and began to help the inhabitants cut back the encroaching forests.

At first this policy worked well, but as Year 10 of the Permenia calendar drew to a close, the aelves and spirits of the woods took action, raising many small villages in the Eastern Marches and marching on the town of Clerton. Clearly the alliance of the east had decided to expand their empire, as the enmity between aelves and men had not diminished since the incident at the Silverrush. The Lords of Quemara and the Kharadrons of Karak Findar were petitioned for help in throeing back the invaders, but the sky dwarves had no fleet to spare, since they were prospecting in the north. The city of Vinduhr stayed silent, unable in truth to raise an army, and dissent in the Eastern Marches grew.

Eventually, as the population began to risk turning to other paths to save their lands, the Slaan intervened. Seen as a mysterious other-worldly figure as he strode through the ranks of men defending Clerton, at first he was regarded with suspicion, but as the aelves drew up for battle, the might of the Slaan drew to him a vast host of Seraphon that materialised between the defenders of the town and the invading dryads and tree-kin.

In the battle that followed, the Seraphon overcame the aelvish host, driving the tree kin away from the Eastern Marches, although the Slaan was wounded in the process. He refused all aid however, and simply disappeared once more, a mysterious protector of the people of Quemara, some of whom began to even worship as a god. Five times the Seraphon had now come to the aid of the Quemarans, and twice against the Blood Coast Alliance, a fact which concerned the aelf lords of Bael Fierste. For some reason the legendary mystics of Azyr were helping the humans and dwarf empires above their own, and in the eleventh year, the Alliance sent an emissary to Vinduhr, agreeing peace between the two nations and recognising the Silverrush as the border between their lands.