The year of 13PC saw the rulers of the Marrowcraw Court leading crusades on three fronts. In the North, the Beasts of the Barrowgorge Fray continued to raid across the Splintervale. To the south, the Quemaran belligerents remained a considerable military presence. But by far the most pressing threat to the Dominion of Death lay to the east, where the forces of the Bloodcoast Alliance maintained constant aggression along the expansive border between the rival nations. The most recent attacks saw their Carpathian mercenary companies beginning to encroach upon ruined outskirts of Shivermere, the largest city in the eastern regions of the Dominion of Death, as they sought to seize control of the arcane conduit waystones that channel the flow of death magic across the Dominion’s borders.
With their armies already stretched thin, and with a vast border to defend, the Marrowcraw princes unleashed an ancient and terrible power to bolster the defences of their kingdom. Drawn forth from the crypts of Shivermere, summoned from aeons-long slumber by malign rituals, hosts of fell spectres surged from the netherworld. Led by their dread monarch, Varros the Ever-Damned, the revenant army unleashed from Shivermere swept eastward to intercept the Carpathians.
The Carpathians were swift to form-up into battle order in the face of Varros’ attack, intent on driving back the spectral host. The Namarti foot soldiers of the Hollow Legion formed the vanguard, their Reaver archers raining fire down upon the oncoming ghasts. But the horror of spectral onslaught proved overwhelming for the Hollow Legion and the Namarti fled in terror.
The fierce cavalry of the Akhelian corps were not so easily daunted, surging into the fray astride gnashing Fangmora mounts. Though outnumbered by the massing revenant host, the Akhelian warriors’ counter-attack blunted the advance of Varros’ swarming ghosts. As the aether tides began to swell, the Shivermere spirits seemed to lose their form and cohesion. While the Akhelians held fast in the centre, a mighty Eidolon of Mathlann, borne upon a aetheric tidal wave, came crashing down upon the flanks of Varros’ black knights even as they advanced to encircle the Carpathians. With the arrival of the Aspect of the Storm, bringing in its wake reinforcements from the Hollow Legion, it seemed as if the forces of death would be swept aside. Overwhelmed by the fury of the mighty Eidolon, the revenants began to dissipate and fade back into the mists, and their grim sorcerers were put to flight.
But the malice that drove the Ever-Damned was unbridled. In life, Varros had been a despot. In death, his malevolence was all-consuming. With the ghosts of Shivermere shackled to his will, Varros dragged the spirits of Shivermere back across the mortal veil. The ghastly forces began to coalesce once more, as if untouched by the trials of battle. By contrast, the Akhelian mercenaries were beleaguered and fatigued, now finding themselves surrounded by Varros’ re-formed army. The remaining Carpathians tried to break free and escape, riding the receding aether-tides to safety. Furious Fangmoras thrashed and writhed past their spiteful attackers, some were cut down by swirling blades and others dragged from their saddles by grave-cold grasping claws.
The ghosts of Shivermere had driven the Carpathians out of the city and back across the borders into the Aelvish lands from whence they came. Varros the Ever-Damned had delivered the Marrowcraw Court a victory. But would the dread tyrant of Shivermere be satisfied to retire back to his tomb in the wake of his victory?
With their armies already stretched thin, and with a vast border to defend, the Marrowcraw princes unleashed an ancient and terrible power to bolster the defences of their kingdom. Drawn forth from the crypts of Shivermere, summoned from aeons-long slumber by malign rituals, hosts of fell spectres surged from the netherworld. Led by their dread monarch, Varros the Ever-Damned, the revenant army unleashed from Shivermere swept eastward to intercept the Carpathians.
The Carpathians were swift to form-up into battle order in the face of Varros’ attack, intent on driving back the spectral host. The Namarti foot soldiers of the Hollow Legion formed the vanguard, their Reaver archers raining fire down upon the oncoming ghasts. But the horror of spectral onslaught proved overwhelming for the Hollow Legion and the Namarti fled in terror.
The fierce cavalry of the Akhelian corps were not so easily daunted, surging into the fray astride gnashing Fangmora mounts. Though outnumbered by the massing revenant host, the Akhelian warriors’ counter-attack blunted the advance of Varros’ swarming ghosts. As the aether tides began to swell, the Shivermere spirits seemed to lose their form and cohesion. While the Akhelians held fast in the centre, a mighty Eidolon of Mathlann, borne upon a aetheric tidal wave, came crashing down upon the flanks of Varros’ black knights even as they advanced to encircle the Carpathians. With the arrival of the Aspect of the Storm, bringing in its wake reinforcements from the Hollow Legion, it seemed as if the forces of death would be swept aside. Overwhelmed by the fury of the mighty Eidolon, the revenants began to dissipate and fade back into the mists, and their grim sorcerers were put to flight.
But the malice that drove the Ever-Damned was unbridled. In life, Varros had been a despot. In death, his malevolence was all-consuming. With the ghosts of Shivermere shackled to his will, Varros dragged the spirits of Shivermere back across the mortal veil. The ghastly forces began to coalesce once more, as if untouched by the trials of battle. By contrast, the Akhelian mercenaries were beleaguered and fatigued, now finding themselves surrounded by Varros’ re-formed army. The remaining Carpathians tried to break free and escape, riding the receding aether-tides to safety. Furious Fangmoras thrashed and writhed past their spiteful attackers, some were cut down by swirling blades and others dragged from their saddles by grave-cold grasping claws.
The ghosts of Shivermere had driven the Carpathians out of the city and back across the borders into the Aelvish lands from whence they came. Varros the Ever-Damned had delivered the Marrowcraw Court a victory. But would the dread tyrant of Shivermere be satisfied to retire back to his tomb in the wake of his victory?
