An aMAZEing story

[Bjorn]

You use these 58 troops from your Province #16 :
°° 50 Armies, °° 7 Archers, °° 1 Creature : White Golem [+0.2]
°° Your starting Attack Power (PATT) is 19.029

The enemy has these 36 troops for Defense :
°° 24 Armies, °° 12 Archers
°° Your enemy has a starting Defense Power (PDEF) of 20.845

Chapter 4 - Part 2 - "Disaster at Wisun"

As they passed through the Great Wall, they found a road leading to the East. The scouts raced forward and to both flanks, seeking the enemy. The road began to widen as they moved further from the Great Wall. Lord Fredo was developing the province well and it was becoming more obvious by the mile that military preparations were underway. This was more than a road for trade and served the purposes of the invading army well.

The advance went forward for two days, driving back enemy outposts along the way. There was not a great deal of population around, which led to the conclusion that there may be a trap ahead. The wooded terrain would make that possible, but to attempt to trap this host would be a risky endeavor indeed.

On the evening of the second day the scouts reported that the enemy army had been located. They had formed a strong defensive position at a crossroad that ran north to south. This was also a main road and it was likely that reinforcements would be arriving soon. Bjorn consulted with his council and all agreed that an attack at dawn was in order.

With the fearsome Golem in the center, the Sej and Wyr assembled on the right, while the Kabobs and Nyr assembled on the left. The wooded terrain was no problem for the Sej, but the others had a difficult time organizing their attack. The defense was well done, as the archers were well protected by both the fortifications and their skillful use of the forest. They took a fearful toll of Bjorns fine troops before the close action could begin. Even then, the Kabobs and Nyr found the defenders to be more than they could handle. However, as long as the Golem was there to make a path through the forest for them and crush the defenses he encountered, Bjorn's army pressed forward.

Unknown to Bjorn, the terrain took a fearful toll on the Golem. He was a creature of Stone origin and the forest weakened him. The more he tore through the trees, the weaker he became. It was mid afternoon when he eventually did pound a huge hole in the defensive works and the forces of the alliance poured in to slay the defenders. The Golem, however, was immediately set upon by enemy engineers who brought him down. His magic expended, the Golem disappeared into a cloud of dust.

The loss of morale was immediate, most of the army was now inside the first line of defenses, but there was a strong keep that supported the outer works. From here and other positions along the wall, the enemy archers poured a fearsome fire upon the army. There was little to do but kill what enemy units they could, as there was no way into the keep without the Golem to lead them.

The slaughter was fearful. Bjorn led the attack as long as he could, hoping to meet this foe called Fredo. Given the ferocity of the defense, he was sure the Kaomarian was present, but he did not encounter him. As night fell his escort, or what was left of it, urged him to fall back and rally the remaining troops. By the time this was done, there was no stopping the retreat. Most of the army was slaughtered either breaching the wall or between the outer wall and the keep. There was no rallying those few that escaped the slaughter. It was two days back to the opening in the Great Wall and into the Great Plain. Once through the opening Bjorn assembled the defenders and those that had made their way back and prepared to repel the expected attack by the enemy.

** Your Province #16 is under attack from Lord Fredo
He uses these 10 troops - °° 7 Armies, °° 3 Archers.

There was a brief skirmish, then the forces of Fredo quickly returned back through the opening the Wall.

[Bjorn]

>> Lord Fredo casts #Spell CROPBLITZ [1-40 CROP]
>> Lord Fredo casts #Spell POPBLITZ [1-40 POP]

Chapter 4 - Part 3 - "These are the times that try mens souls"

Bjorn hastened to train a new army for the coming battles. New recruits arrived from the home lands with stories of hard times on the fields. People were dying from some unknown illness and the crops virtually withered in the fields. Many were beginning to believe they were being cursed by the Gods of the Ancients for daring to breach the Great Wall.

A general despair began to overtake the army. The early victories had come too easily. They were not accustomed to the rigors of a long campaign against the better led armies of a Kaomarian. Bjorn knew that what had passed was but the first battle of what he expected would be many. He must defeat the enemy at hand in preparation for the next, perhaps more powerful foes to come.

The Queen of Diamonds arrived and was granted an audience with Bjorn. This was not an easy thing to do, as the training of a new army was paramount and consumed most of his time. However, the Mistress Mage brought news that was of some merit. She had evidence that the troubles in the land were not the acts of an angry God, but the work of the enemy Lord Fredo. Bjorn had not expected his foe to use powerful magic against him. He was reminded that his mages did not have a monopoly on magic on the Island of Amazement and the weapons at his disposal are also at the disposal of his foes. It was a lesson to be remembered and one he would have to take into account in the future.

The Queen of Diamonds had brought some magic of her own with which to punish those that would support Lord Fredo's cause. Bjorn let it be known that at this time he could not support using magic against the population of his foe. He may need their support in the future. Rather, he instructed her to use her magic against the military might of the enemy. He suggested some possible military targets to her that his spies in the land of Fredo had uncovered.

Bjorn asked the Queen if she would present her evidence to the army, but she declined. The evidence might convince her, but it was all "magic and mystery" to the assembled mob being shaped into a new army. While the evidence may not be convincing, it was enough to start a rumor that the forces of Vayuna had unleashed more mayhem upon the land. In time, it had the desired affect. The armies were assembled, the training and recruiting went on and all began to see the importance of eliminating the threat of Lord Fredo from the Island.

The time passed. Battle preparations were made. Bjorn managed to keep the army together, but the threat from the land to the East cast a pall over the lands and their armies.

[Bjorn]

Chapter 5 - Part 1 - "The Gathering Storm"

++ You cast the Spell #56-WOKBLITZ [1-40] on Province #21
++ You destroy 40 Workers in the Target.

The Queen of Diamonds made one last visit to Bjorn before returning to Erstwind. "My Lord, I have done as you instructed. We found at least one source of the missiles that deliver the rain of terror and have damaged their ability to deliver more. But my senses tell me that is already too late. You must expect to witness this rain of terror soon. I return to the citadel to recruit new mages and gather the gems needed for more powerful spells. Until my return you must make do with what you have. Perhaps I will be able to offer some aid from the citadel. I give you one more potion to aid you in your quest. Distribute it to your men with their next meal and it will accelerate their training."

++ You cast the Spell #90-PUSHER [0.3 LEV] on Province #16

It was three days before the Queen's premonition came to pass. The Sej heard them first. At least, they were the first to know what the sound meant as they had already experienced it. It could easily be mistaken for the wind, a menacing wind. But then came what could pass for hail, but a hail storm like nothing even those from the plains had before witnessed.

Lord Fredo launches GCAs on your Province #16
The Attack comes out of Province #21 and is short-range.
10 GCAs are used in the Attack.
11 GCAs are used in the Attack.

It was like no hail storm Bjorn had ever seen. It was localized and specific, clearly a targeted weapon. The hail sought out the defensive works the alliance had created to hold back the forces of Fredo. The hail did it's deadly work very effectively. The horses of the knights were beyond control in the hail storm and many took their riders to their doom.

When the storm had passed, Bjorn surveyed the damage. His simple defenses had been no match for the hail and they were all but destroyed. Half of his knights had lost their mounts or been killed in the onslaught. But the bulk of his army was intact. They called out "Lead us against the forces or Fredo! Better we die fighting a foe we can see than be slaughtered where we stand on the plains of Wyrstend!"

Bjorn knew what would come next. He reformed the army into 5 groups, four led by his noble knights and the last by himself and his retinue. He did not have to wait long for the enemy to come to him.

[Bjorn]

Chapter 5 - Part 2 - "Redemption"

The scouts came in from the East with the expected news. Bjorn read the reports with more than a little consternation.

It was too late to retreat to better defensive positions and the current defensive works were all but ruined. His army had been trained to fight in the open and that is where he would fight.

You have these 46 troops for Defense : °° 42 Armies, °° 4 Knights
Your Fight Level is = 1.790

The battle plan was simple. Two army groups would lead the assault, each with an army group to support them. As the lead groups grew weary they would retire behind the support groups to rest and regroup. Bjorn would lead the 5th group as the reserve to react to any unexpected event. His experience told him that he could probably hold back an enemy force of raw recruits over twice his size. His spies had given him some inkling of what to expect. He could only hope that there were no surprises. He ordered the army to advance toward the Great Wall.

** Your Province #16 is under attack from Lord Fredo
He uses these 84 troops: °° 82 Armies, °° 2 Archers
His Fight Level is = 1.151

The sheer size of the enemy force gave pause to the alliance, but their training had it's effect. Kabob, Sej, Nyr and Wyr all advanced together. If they were to die, it would be with their weapons at the necks of their tormentors, not by the Rain of Terror. The plains were blackened to the horizon with their foes, but by meeting them nearer to the Great Wall it did not permit the enemy to overlap his flanks right away. Even if they did, the reserve would cover the rear of the army and fight to the end.

Some of his guard were concerned by the sheer size of the enemy, but after looking out through his spyglass Bjorn's mood brightened considerably. "They are but rabble with a few good regiments. I feared they may have a champion to lead them into the battle, one that would raise their bloodlust to fever pitch. I see none. But we have our knights to rally around and lead us into battle. Rally to the banners, remember your training and with the blessing of the Ancients we will triumph!"

Bjorn's forces deployed and received the initial impact of the enemy. In time the front army groups retired behind the support groups, while Bjorn sent armies from the reserve to fill spots where the forces of Fredo looked to be breaking through. The Vayuna forces were fanatical, but the better training of Bjorn's forces took a fearful toll of the enemy. With no regard for life or limb, they threw themselves at the defensive wall of men again and again. While Bjorn could not see him, he felt the guiding hand of Fredo behind the enemy actions. How could these enemy forces continue to advance over their dead? The bodies of the fallen, both friend and foe, began to form another defensive wall before the alliance. The enemy had to climb over the corpses to attack, yet still they came.

After several hours the defense collapsed into a circle, with the enemy all around. Most of his knights were now lost or so badly wounded they could not continue. The magnificant army did not falter, did not waver. To his knowledge no man, on either side, fled from the field. No quarter was asked, none was given. It was a battle of extermination.

As darkness fell, the attack subsided. For a moment Bjorn believe the enemy may have withdrawn. But then, from the darkness, came an almost inhuman sound. The Forces of Fredo had gathered for one last mad rush upon the wall. From all sided the enemy host emerged from the darkness, crawling over the carnage that had been the field of battle and made a final effort to over power the defense.

It would be foolish to ask how many men Bjorn's Axe felled on that day. In truth, he does not remember. All concept of numbers was lost in the numbness of the battle. All that any of them could remember was the killing.

The final wave was repulsed. The survivors were now gathered in a circle no more than 1/4 mile across. They waited for the next wave, but it did not come. With the bloodlust up, none could sleep. As dawn drew near they could see the carnage in all directions, but no organized force. Only the dead.

++ You have won the battle - 5 Units remain.

At first light some reinforcements arrived. Bjorn ordered them to look for any survivors or wounded and tend to them. After that they were to form details to burn the bodies, with due respect to both friend and foe. The enemy had fought bravely and deserved at least that.

Then Bjorn and his survivors collapsed and slept.

[Bjorn]

Chapter 6 - Part 1 - "Things that go 'bump' in the night"

Even with the enemy at hand, Bjorn knew he had to rest. The battle had sapped the energy from most of his army and he knew that time was needed to mend the many wounds of the survivors and train the new recruits. He had to believe that Lord Fredo's forces were equally exhausted and in need of rest and recuperation. He sent the Jack of Hearts and some of the reinforcements he brought toward the opening to Fredo's lands with orders to keep watch, alert him to any incursion and delay the enemy for as long as practical. Then Bjorn and his retinue set out to build a new army.

The Mistress Mage had given the Jack a few additional spells before he left to aid Bjorn. The Jack had revealed the familiar one to Bjorn, which he used to give a quick boost to his troops.

++ You cast the Spell #90-PUSHER [0.3 LEV] on Province #16


The Jack was a poor choice to send on such a mission. As leader of the Sej he was commited to the immediate defeat of the enemy who sponsored the "Rain of Terror". In addition, he knew from the earlier campaign that a great forest lay on the other side of the Great Wall here and he knew his Sej would be a formidable opponent there.

Unknown to Bjorn, the Mistress Mage had presented the Jack with a couple of new spells to use in the battle. Since the major fighting was over before the Jack and his forces had arrived, he withheld these spells for later use. The mages had told him that one of them was quite powerful. He seized the opportunity to plan his own assault on Lord Fredo.

With his small force of archers he approached the Great Wall and sent out his scouts. There was no sign of the enemy on this side of the wall. The Jack advanced with his Nyr recruits with the Sej archers to follow.

One of the scouts returned from the wall with an alarming report. It was believe more of the dreaded missiles were about to be launced. The Jack sent for his Sej archers, but in his haste he miswrote the orders and they instead returned to the camp. In the belief that the archers arrival was imminent, he unleashed his two spells to see their effect.

++ You cast the Spell #78-NO FINGERS [0-50 GCA] on Province #21
++ You destroy 6 GCAs in the Target.

To the amazement of all, the spell sought out all the missiles before they could be launched. He then took the more powerful spell to see what wonders it might bring.

++ You use the Potion and #4- Green Dragon [+0.5] ...appears in Province #16 !

All present were thunderstruck at the sight of the mighty dragon. It immediately sensed the forest on the other side of the Great Wall and rushed toward it. The armies with the Jack, beliveing the archers were soon to arrive, rushed to follow the creature through the opening in the Great Wall.

++ You are attacking Province#21 from Lord Fredo
You use these 8 troops - °° 7 Armies, °° 1 Creature : Green Dragon [+0.5]
°° Your starting Attack Power (PATT) is 21.196

The armies rallied to the Jack and raced after the Dragon. The were no sooner through the opening in the Wall when they came upon the fresh recruits of Fredo.

The enemy has these 15 troops for Defense : °° 15 Armies
°° Your enemy has a starting Defense Power (PDEF) of 14.256

There was no rhyme or reason to the battle. The Nyr troops had some training and the presence of the creature raised their blood lust to the boil. The Dragon was fierce in it's attack upon the defenders. It instictively understood the difference between friend and foe and lashed out with a fury that only urged the men forward.

But, the absence of his archers would be telling. The Dragon drew a fearful fire from the defenders and with no archers to offer long range support, the dragon was eventually overwhelmed. The moment the dragon fell, the armies lost their will to continue and returned to the gap.

<+< Your troops retreat !!

The enemy was still too stunned to pursue. There was a minor skirmish once the Jack had regrouped his forces on the other side of the wall.

** Your Province #16 is under attack from Lord Fredo
He uses these 1 troops from Province #21 : °° 1 Armies

The intruder was quickly dispatched. The Jack swore the few survivors to secrecy so that none should know of this treachery. He knew the absence of his archers probably cost him a surprise victory and the loss of the powerful creature. He wanted few to know until he found a chance to redeem himself.

[Bjorn]

Chapter 6 - Part 2 - "The Vision Thing"

The Mistress Mage returned to the citadel of Erstwind to gather the mages for a conclave. Most of the mages were unable to travel, having lived in the mountains all their long lives without any interest in areas outside the Great Wall that surrounded Erstwind. The Queen of Hearts was the main link between Bjorn with the field army and the Royal house of Erstwind. The mages counted on her to keep them informed of the constantly changing situation beyond the home province.

There was one noteable exception to this general rule. There was an Elder Mage who had always spoken of his visions. He claimed to see things beyond the Great Wall, even though he had never traveled more than 10 miles from the citadel. Most of his time was spent deep in the mines. It was there that he often had his visions of events beyond the Great Wall. There was no way to know if what he saw was real or just his imagination. Even if they were real, there was no way to know if he was speaking of current events, events long past or things that may come to pass in the future. Some of the things he spoke of made sense, as if the lands beyond the Great Wall (should there actually be any) were very similar to Erstwind. Other times he was at a loss for words to adequetly describe what he saw.

If he had a name, it was long lost in the history of ErstWind. As long as anyone alive could remember he had been called George. George and his "Vision Thing".

In her travels, the Queen of Hearts had witnessed several things that George had attempted to describe but lacked the words. He was able to draw pictures, some of them very vivid. She had carried several of these drawings with her in her ride to visit Bjorn and on more than one occasion had been able to match a drawing to an actual location. The Great Nyrwotch Plains and the Sejwotch Forest were two such locations drawn by George. Now that she had seen these things with her own eyes she was anxious to meet with George to see what other "Visions" he might be able to speak of. Her hope was to get him outside of Erstwind to see if his "Visions" might improve.

Always a very sociable character, although others tended to avoid him as he did have a nasty habit of being 'blunt' in his conversation, George was at the conclave. He did not usually offer many opinions, as visions of things beyond the Great Wall had previously been of no value. Now all were here to hear what he had to say. He did have a lot to say.

His visions were coming more often and they were now clearer. He had deduced that he could see, dimly, through the portions of the Great Wall that were magical, without the massive stones found at the strongest points in the Great Wall. Whatever the event that had weakened this magic, it now allowed him to see further and clearer. To prove his point, he produced a drawing showing Bjorn and his army advancing through the Great Wall and into the lands of Fredo. The Queen and her escort were able to confirm that the drawing was quite accurate.

In the World according to George, the magic responsible for holding most of the Great Wall had fractured, causing what he called 'rifts' to appear. These 'rifts' are where passage through the Great Wall was possible. He believed that whatever the event that caused the openings in the Great Wall to occur, it was now over and no further openings could be expected.

But he could now see much farther than before. He could see into the lands of Fredo and was able to allow magic from the other mages to be delivered very effectively. He could see into other lands as well, places that Bjorn and the army had yet to visit. He knew that there were other powers growing in the land and sought the aide of his fellow mages in developing new spells to counter their advance. More than military might would be required to deal with the growing menace. The military would need the best magic the mages had to offer if they were to contend with the forces he saw in his visions.

And the magic they had to deliver was growing in power.

[Bjorn]

Chapter 7 - Part 1 - "Once more, into the breach!"

Bjorn looked at his new ragtag army and just shook his head. His early recruits had been the best and bravest of the lot. These latest additions to his army were proving much more difficult to train. The Queens magic was pretty much exhausted and he was being encouraged by his senior advisors to wait for more troops and more training.

A malaise was falling over his troops. While it was true that he had lost some of his best instructors in the last battle with the Forces of Fredo, his retinue and better students should be able to get the troops in better shape than they did. Little did he suspect the hand that the enemy mages were playing in this.

>> Lord Fredo casts #Spell FEAR [EFF 0-10%]**

Bjorn himself had two spells remaining. One was known to him and would be of value. The second was new to him and he was more than a bit curious as to its value. The mages had told him that it would have a frightful effect on his opponents.

Finally coming to the conclusion that experience is the best teacher, Bjorn called his officers together and ordered the army forward. The Knights would remain in the province to defend the workers there while the rest of them marched on Fredo. There was some protest, but with the help of his Spy Chief he was able to convince them that the enemy must also be weak. The sheer number of losses inflicted on the enemy in their earlier attack led him to believe that the enemy was also weak. It was always possible that he had held back better units and champions, but to deny this sort of support to the bulk of his armies would be unthinkable.

The army arrived at the 'rift' in the Great Wall that passed into Fredo's lands. He unleashed his two spells.

++ You use the Potion and #22- White Spirit [+0.2] ...appears in Province #16 !

This new Champion looked to be more at home on the plains than the Golem that they had seen before, but it would lead them into battle to the forest any way. Most of the new recruits had only heard the stories of the feared Golem and were quite impressed with this new magic. (Most of the Sej, on the other hand, had already seen a much more fearful creature and were unimpressed).

++ You cast the Spell #77-DROPPER [0-1 LEV] on Province #21
++ You destroy 0.014 Level in the Target.

With the second spell, a cloud appered and raced through the opening the Great Wall. Bjorn was unsure how effective this might be, but he believed the very sight of the cloud might reduce the effectiveness of his opponent. As it happened, he learned later that the spell is much more effective against better trained troops than raw recruits. Rabble is rabble and no spell will make them any worse in battle.

Without encouragement of any sort, the White Spirit passed through the Great Wall and ill trained masses of Bjorn's new army followed. This time, it would be to the death!

[Bjorn]

Chapter 7 - Part 2 - "Return to Wisun"

Even as his army began to make its way through the wall, they once again heard the sound from the sky that was by now so familiar. The only question now, as ever, was what would the "Rain of Terror" be looking for. This time, rather by chance or by design, it fell upon the Sej forces.

++ Lord Fredo launches GCAs on your Province #16
6 GCAs are used in the Attack. >> He is aiming at your 14 Archers

Most of the incoming missles fell harmlessly. There was no way to know if the enemy was losing their effectiveness or if the fates had been kind. The Sej were quite familiar with this by now, so they recovered quickly while the Kabobs, Nyr and Wyr were largely unaffected. The alliance pressed forward, led by the Spirit Champion.

++ You are attacking Province#21 from Lord Fredo
You use these 47 troops:
°° 33 Armies, °° 13 Archers, °° 1 Creature : White Spirit [+0.2]

The land they found on the other side was much changed since their first visit. Preparations for war were everywhere. A Great road led deep into the forest, a road already traveled by Bjorn and the few survivors of the earlier battle there. Knowing the way and following the road made the discovery of the enemy forces a simple matter. The Sej, familiar with the forest, were able to scout ahead and to both sides. They found the enemy at the same crossroads of Wisun where they had met them last time. This time the enemy had a Champion of their own.

The enemy has these 21 troops for Defense :
°° 20 Armies °° 1 Creature : White Dragon [+0.2]

The defenses were formidable, but the troops defending them were in some confusion. The earlier spell had done it's work, as these defenders were just raw recruits. Only their strong defence and the presence of their Champion gave them hope.

Bjorn set out a new battle plan this time. With about equal numbers of each member of the alliance, he put the Kabobs in the center with the Nyr to the right and the Wyr to the left. The Sej archers were distributed all along the line to lead the attack. This time, the plan worked well.

The early assault by the archers inflicted many losses on the enemy. When their Champion came forward to met the White Spirit it was clear the enemy Dragon was in his favored terrain, but the incessant rain of arrows from the archers offered good protection for the Spirit. The Dragon was the first to fall, but the Spirit was so weakened by the battle that he soon fell as well.

The Kabob engineers were ready this time and had the tools to bridge the enemy defenses. Once through the wall the Nyr and Wyr followed while the Kabob engineers went after the fortified keep that had been their downfall in the earlier battle. The defenses were strong, but once the enemy dragon had been despatched the resolve of the enemy began to fade. By nightfall there was no enemy resistance, as all the survivors had been captured or fled.

++ You have won the battle !! 23 Units invade the Province.

[Bjorn]

Chapter 7 - Part 3 - "Fall of the House of Fredo"

While the bulk of the army rested and tended the wounded, small forces were sent out to scout the rest of the enemy territory to locate any additional forces. The wide military highways that had been constructed made it easy to find the openings in the Great Wall that led to the remaining lands of Fredo.

Moving south, the Kabobs were delighted to find that the enemy citadel was in mountain terrain quite similar to their old home land. There were no enemy forces about, just a few mages. Some put up minor resistance, but were quickly taken care of. Others swore allegience to Bjorn and were spared. A few workers were found working the mines and others further north working the farms. The advancing force soon reached the Great Sea and could go no further. There was very little population about, as just about everyone had been recruited into the army or the work force. The alliance set about recolonizing the newly won lands.

A larger force, led by the Sej, moved south and deeper into the forest. Here they found a people that were a kindred spirit to the Sej and they quickly made friends with them. The alliance had now discovered most of the common threads in the various languages they encounterd as they progressed through the wall and specialists traveled with each army group to quickly communicate with the locals. These people they now met called themselves the Nell of the Great Wisun Forest. The Nell would join with the Sej to form a powerful addition to the alliance.

But what of Fredo and his advisors? Of them, no trace could be found. Most believed they were buried in the ruins of Wisun, but Bjorn was not so sure. If indeed Fredo was a Kaomarian, as Bjorn knew himself to be, then he would have known when the battle was lost and sought to regroup and rebuild to fight another day. With all of the resources available in this world used up, he had probably sought other lands and their resources to resume the battle. There were probably ways through the Great Wall that had yet to be discovered, or perhaps he had taken to ship to seek out other worlds to continue the battle. There was no way to know and no sense in thinking about it any more.

As the people of the alliance began to settle this area and erase all reminders of the Vayuna, Bjorn began to plan for future operations in lands yet visited by his armies. The Brotherhood had been expelled from this land, but Bjorn had come to believe that there are other worlds than this.

But for now he must focus on the rest of this world. While he could not see them or hear them, he felt the movements of mighty forces on the island. He would have to seek out these forces.

[Bjorn]

Chapter 8 - Part 1 - "The Calm before the Storm"

With the threat to the East neutralized, Bjorn set about to once again assemble the troops necessary to resume the exploration of this aMAZEing island. To the East of the lands of Fredo he had discovered the Great Sea once again. The great forest of their new allies, the Nell, produced some more wonderful material for making the weapons of war. It was rumored that much of the remaining magic on the Island was still in the trees of these great forest. The weapons from such wood should be quite powerful indeed.

This was a golden age in the art of weaponry. As fast as the new recruits could be trained, they were outfitted with an array of weapons and trained in their use. New methods of iron working and wood working were producing some of the finest weapons and fighters Bjorn had yet seen. He knew well that this was a two edged sword. Even as his troops increased in quality he could be sure that others on the island were doing the same. As fine as this army was, he knew he had to continue improving it every day. While glorious in what came to be known as the Great Vayunan War, there were sure to be further chances for glory.

In this calm period, Bjorn's scouts resumed their quest for more openings in the Great Wall. After a couple of months another opening 'rift' was found that led to another great plain. It took some time and effort on the part of the cartographers to confirm it, but it appeared that this area was a further continuation of the Great Plains of the Nyr. Was it possible that this great plain extended all the way to the South end of the island? It was the quest to seek answers to such questions that brought new recruits and adventures to the campaign.

This period of rest gave Bjorn time to consider how best to proceed. What he really needed now was information about areas beyond the Great Wall that he had yet to visit. The first few years it was not all that important, as he was sure any other Kaomarian on the island knew little more than he did about the lay of the land. Now that the rifts had appeared, he suspected that spys from everywhere were revealing the secrets of his lands. It was important that he keep a constant eye out for those who would reveal his secrets and that he find out what he could about the way through the MAZE.

It was time to meet with George. Time to make use of 'The Vision Thing".

[Bjorn]

Chapter 8 - Part 2 - "Planning a second front"

The Mistress Mage was anxious for George to meet with Bjorn, but he had never ventured far from Erstwind. Travel, by any method other than walking, was not something he tolerated well. He had also never been out of the mountains. No one was sure how well he might handle travel into lands outside the home mountains.

Bjorn did not want to be far from the troops and the training grounds. While he knew of no immediate threat, he was leery of putting too many miles between himself and the gathering horde. He would need to resume offensive operations soon, just to keep the host moving into new lands and maintaining their enthusiasm for the campaign.

Arrangements were made for the two of them to meet in the highlands of Elrex. It was hoped that the mountains there would afford George some comfort and perhaps improve some of his visions. It would not be a pleasant journey for him, but if he arrived before Bjorn, perhaps he would be able to acclimate to the environment prior to their meeting. As with most endeavors with unknown risk factors, things did not work out quite as well as the mages or Bjorn had hoped.

The mages had their own dialect of the Erstwind language that Bjorn was never very good at comprehending. He preferred the simple terms used between the Kabobs and the Sej to the complex terms used by the mages. Simple concepts for a mage perhaps, but a virtual foreign language to the warriors.

The journey to Elrex had caused George more psychological discomfort than actual physical pain. He was still quite disoriented even after a week in Elrex. Some of this may have been due to the travel, but the Queen of Diamonds was of the opinion that the new location was playing tricks with his talent for visions. From the stable frame of reference of the citadel of Erstwind his visions had a certain known perspective. It allowed George to put them into words or create drawings to show what he was seeing. From this new place they were more confused. Perhaps, as he moved closer to the center of this aMAZEing island, he was seeing things that he had not seen before and was becoming confused.

Still, with the help of the Queen and some of the other mages that traveled with them, they were able to get some general idea of what he was seeing behind the walls that had yet to be penetrated.

To the West there was a brooding silence. There were visions of turmoil and some anarchy, but no visions of large battles such as those he had seen with the Vayuna power to the East. Fiendish things were underfoot, but most was hidden from his view. George often referred to "Those Fiends" and the actions of a "First Family", but these concepts were of little meaning or interest to Bjorn. He would have to press forward in this direction a bit and consulted with the Queen of Diamonds to see if she could find a way to better reveal what George was seeing.

To the South, a far more ominous picture was revealed. As George had moved farther south to Elrex he had seen a great darkness. When looking in this direction there was one phrase that he repeated like a Mantra. "The Disciples". Lord Fredo had been called "A Brother" by his followers, now he learned that a Kamarian known as "A Disciple" was on the island. The use of the plural was of much concern to Bjorn. Was there more than one? The Legends were of no use now, but Bjorn had to consider the possibility that there was a very serious threat coming from the South.

George also spoke of another presence to the South. There was a force opposed to these Disciples and fierce battles were being fought. George had seen the signs, but he did not fully understand them. They were led by a mighty warrior called "The Duke of the Guard". This Duke and his army was under great pressure from the Disciples. While Bjorn knew little of this Duke and the Disciples opposed to him, he did know that the decline of one would lead to the ascendency of the other. This was the direction he had to go, for immediate action was required if he was to have a say in the future of the island.

[Bjorn]

Chapter 9 - Part 1 - "New Lands"

Following his meeting with George, Bjorn and his escort scouted along the Great Wall on their way back to the main army. They had become quite adept at detecting the marks that might indicate a rift in the Great Wall. He was anxious to explore the lands to the West and he needed to find a way through the wall in that direction. No way West could be found, but another opening to the South presented itself. While some members of the guard rode on to bring up the army, Bjorn explored the new land.

The terrain was unlike anything he had previously beheld. Many people lived here, but how they made a living on this sparse land was a mystery. The terrain was not friendly to growing crops and grew very few trees. The people there called themselves the Sol. They eked out a living as best they could from the largely barren land. They were a sturdy lot. Life in such surroundings had made them such. The weak would surely perish in such a forbidden land. They would probably make fine soldiers.

After the great plains, mountains and forests they had thus far encountered, was this what they had to look forward to as they moved further south? Such terrain would not support a great army, which was strangely encouraging to Bjorn. If much of the land to the South was like this it was unlikely that a great military force could exist there. Bjorn had the engineers see if there might be some valuable minerals in the ground. Such a forbidden terrain might offer some unusual gems.

George had seen a great darkness to the South. This darkness was blamed on those he called "The Disciples". This could be the result of a Great War that despoiled the land and left the people desperate. It may also be that natural events had conspired against the population. Perhaps a plague of some sort befell the lands to the South. If so, then the people there would almost certainly look for a way out. A way to the fertile Northeast lands that Bjorn had secured with much bloodshed. One thing appeared certain. It was well that Bjorn was taking the time to train his army before any additional advance was considered. More fighting was sure to come and his men may have to learn to live on reduced rations.

As Bjorn continued his quest for a road to the West, one of his premontions came to pass. There were others advancing through the walls as well and one of them found an opening his scouts had not yet located.

[Bjorn]

Chapter 9 - Part 2 - "The Skankerad"

They appeared in the forest of the Nell without warning. The scouts had been quite sure that there were no rifts in the Great Wall in this area, but as it happened there was a space hidden from view by the Great Forest that had not been properly inspected. While not visible from the woods, it was clear that someone had discovered a rift from the other side. Bjorn was about to be introduced to the Disciple known as Skanerad.

** Your Province #22 is under attack from Skankerad
He uses these 45 troops: °° 45 Armies

To call it an army would be an exaggeration. To even refer to the mass of men that came through the wall as a military force would be a bit much. They were an angry mob of raw recruits looking to loot and pillage. Unfortunately, all of the militia in the area had been called away to join the army so there was no organized force to meet them. Like a swarm of locusts they advanced through the forest all the way to the Sea. They then turned North and pressed forward to the mountains of Nixx and the Fortress of Fredo. From the battlements of this great fortress, they would be difficult to dislodge.

News of the disaster reached Bjorn days later. Not many knew where the army had gone or where the new rift was located. By the time news reached him it was too late to respond. He knew that something had to be done, but the proper plan of action was not clear. One thing was clear. He must forsake his quest to discover the lands to the West and turn his attention to this new threat. Since he did not have any knowledge of how to move forward and attempt to take the enemy in the flank, he would have to counter march with the bulk of his army to engage this new threat. Plans were set into motion to train the new recruits of the Tundra while the better parts of his army marched back to the same lands they had fought so bitterly over earlier in the year.

The markings on the banners of the invading army were unknown to anyone who had fled the areas. What was known was that those who made up the bulk of this army referred to thier leader as Skankerad. Bjorn was anxious to determine if this Skanerad was the Disciple that George had warned him about, but that would have to wait. More important than the name of their leader and the symbols on the banners was their fighting ability. Bjorn led his army out of camp and off to test the mettle of this new foe.

[Bjorn]

Chapter 10 - Part 1 - "The Veterans"

While Bjorn began the march with the main army, the Jack of Hearts was just outside the forest of the Nell, training an army for future operations. The assault of the Disciples had taken him by surprise and found him out of position to contest the attack. Knowing that time was of the essence, he collected what troops he could and prepared to counter-attack. Many of these solders were raw recruits from the new province, but there was also a strong concentration of veterans from the earlier campaigns.

Some mages had arrived in the camp with more spells from the Fortress of Nixx. These mages had made good their escape as the Disciples were approaching and they found the army in the Plains. While the army prepared to march to meet the disciples these mages used their magic to allow the new recruits to quickly absorb the knowledge of the veterans.

++ You cast the Spell #90-PUSHER [0.3 LEV] on Province #27
++ You cast the Spell #90-PUSHER [0.3 LEV] on Province #27

The Jack of Hearts was quite pleased with this development and the entire army marched with new confidence as it went to meet the raw recruits the disciples had so far committed to the battle. Their confidence would soon be tested as the foe they encountered was not what they expected. Before they could reach the rift and return to the forest, they were assailed by a force their spies had failed to detect.

** Your Province #27 is under attack from Skankerad
He uses these 38 troops: °° 38 Armies
His Basic Level is.... 2.060!

These were no raw recruits. Their tattered standards and damaged armor spoke silently of much experience gained in battle. Their ranks were solid and marched into battle with the confidence of those who were familiar with the job that must be done. The Jack of Hearts quickly organized his defense, taking advantage of the fine defensive works his army had taken and restored.

You have these 43 troops for Defense :
°° 19 Armies, °° 10 Pikemen, °° 3 Archers, °° 10 Knights, °° 1 Red Spirit [+0.4]

The Red Champion was in his favorite terrain, which gave a great deal of encouragement to the defenders. The early part of the battle did not go as well as he had hoped. Even with the mighty Spirit leading the defense, losses were about equal on both sides. With his army not fighting well, the Jack shuddered to think what the result may have been without the Red Spirit to lead the defense.

The defense was poorly organized. Over half of the knights had been deployed to support the Spirit. The attackers focused their attack on the Red Spirit and lost exactly 1/2 of their attacking army before the Creature expired along with the knights and armies that were supporting it. With losses about equal to the enemy and the sudden drop in effectiveness it entailed, the Jack feared for the outcome of the battle.

But then, in one of those unusual turn of events that so often happen in battle, the local commanders rallied around the remaining four knights and charged the enemy! The enemy was disorganized after their fierce fight with the Spirit and taken by surprise. In what should have been an even fight, the attacking force killed almost twice as many defenders as they lost in the attack. The enemy defenders formed a circular defensive ring, which was attacked by the Pikemen and knights into the night. Cut off from the rift where they had entered the province, every intruder was slain.

The Jack took two days to have his army bury the dead and tend to the wounded. Leaving a small garrison to tend to those too badly wounded to move out, he advanced with the remnants of his once mighty army in an attempt to retake the forest of the Nell.

[Bjorn]

Chapter 10 - Part 2 - "The Fall of the Jack of Hearts"

As expected, the Jack and his army found no disciples in the Forest of the Nell. The raw recruits that had passed through the area had left it largely untouched. The mages had informed him that the Army of the Disciples had continued North and were probably already at the shores of the Great Sea. All knew that there was little in the way of military forces in the area to contest their advance.

The Jack knew that Bjorn would be approaching with the main army from another direction. Having slain so many Disciples in his recent battles and not finding any in the forest, he decided to take the army out and find the source of the enemy troops. He would be marching into unfamiliar lands, but his army, now small, was well trained and he felt he could deal with any garrisons he might encounter with ease. It would be a fateful decision.

Discovering the way to the rift at the South end of the Nell Forest was no problem. The invading Disciples left a ready road to show the way. While they had not taken the time to make it into a great roadway, it was suitable for advancing with a large army that could forage. It appeared these Disciples were not big on logistics, preferring to live off the land as they marched. The Jack of Hearts knew that this would mean an army that ravaged the land, taking what it needed and moving on. Perhaps he would find the material he needed while on the march, so he left a few troops behind and traveled with the best trained part of his army with only a weeks rations. It turned out a weeks rations were all they would ever need.

++ You are attacking Province#26 from Skankerad
You use these 9 troops: °° 3 Armies, °° 4 Pikemen, °° 2 Knights
Your Fight Level is = 2.263

No survivors returned from this campaign. The story of their fate can only be told long after the battle when the historians set out to determine what happened.

The hand of fate dealt the Jack of Hearts and his intrepid band a cruel blow. The terrain they encountered was unlike anything any of them had come across before. A parched and barren land, it seemed unlikely that it could support a military force at all. But the people who lived there knew better and were well acclamated to the climate.

The army was marching at night, as they had decided that the heat of the day was too brutal for campaigning. Unaware of the lay of the land, they were inside an area of recruitment centers and training camps of the Disciples. Their scouts had failed them and the oversight would be deadly.

The young recruits they encountered were certainly raw, but by no means cowards.

The enemy has these 45 troops for Defense : °° 45 Armies
The Basic Level of the enemy is... 1.000.

Outnumbered 5 to 1, the Jack retreated with his army into a box canyon where he was protected on three sides. His small army formed well, but there would be no escape. By sheer weight of numbers, the fanatics known as Disciples overwhelmed the small army and turned the canyon into a lake of blood. This lake was soon absorbed by the sand of the desert, leaving only the bleached bones of those who fell there to eventually tell their tale.

** You have lost the battle. 30 enemy Units remain.

[Bjorn]

Chapter 11 - Part 1 - "A time for Mages"

After George returned to the citadel of Erstwind, he spent the next couple of weeks resting and regaining the use of his visions. They were clouded and confusing, even to him. As the forces of Skankerad approached, he began to see them clearer and offer advice to the mage council on how they might assist in the great battles to be fought.

The Mage Guild had come a long way in the years since the rifts appeared in the Great Wall. Their magic was growing stronger and their ability to project it as well. What they needed was the strength of George's vision to improve enough to allow them to cast some of their magic into the realm of their opponent. While they had learned a great deal about defending the realm from magic and using it against opposing forces they could see, they needed to learn how to attack the war making ability of the opponent.

They had been working with George to project magic in a controlled way into the enemy home. While the Disciples were still a mystery to them, they took their first shot at damaging their foe.

++ You cast the Spell #56-WOKBLITZ [1-40] on Province #65
>> There are only 19 Workers left in Province #65
++ You destroy 19 Workers in the Target.

While the total effect of the spell was unknown, George assured them that some damage had been done. They would have to repeat this a few times for it to be effective.

Meanwhile a young mage named Alrec from the fortress of Nixx, was organizing some survivors of the initial onslaught of the Disciples into a fighting force. Using some of the magic that he had learned from the Erstwind mages, he summoned for a Champion to rally around and lead his small army.

++ You use the Potion and #11- Green Golem [+0.5]...appears in Province #21 !

The Golem immediately sensed that mountains, his preferred terrain, was near and he started in that direction. Unsure of the opponents strength, but knowing that time was of the essence, his small army passed through the rift and followed the golem as it made it's way to the fortress.

++ You are attacking Province#20 from Skankerad
The Terrain you attack is a MOUNTAIN [+Catapults,+Golems,+0.4 DFS]
++ The enemy has no Troops for Defense !

Much to Alrec's surprise, the Disciples had moved on to the Great Sea and left no one to defend the fortress! With the Golem to lead the defense, the small army occupied the fortress and began to prepare defenses and recruit additional troops. The Great Wall loomed to the South and the path taken by the Disciples on their way North was clear. All knew that the Disciples must return by the same way and prepared to meet the assault. Alrec, leaving military matters to his advisors, retired to the Mages Tower with his book of spells and many gems. He would help the defense in ways he knew well.

[Bjorn]

Chapter 11 - Part 2 - "The hole in the Dike"

While the Mages Guild looked for ways to damage the Disciples from long range and Alrec organized the resistance to the earlier invaders, the never ending river of Disciples continued to pour into the Eastern Lands of the now struggling empire. The Jack had left a few experienced troops and some young trainees in the forest of the Nell to build an army to reinforce him or to fall back upon. Once the Jack's army passed through the rift, the troops left behind lost contact with them. They waited for word from him in vain.

In the dark of night, while still organizing and building thier strength, a terrible sound came from the sky. It was a sound by now familiar to the experienced troopers in the camp.

Skankerad launches GCAs on your Province #22
5 GCAs are used in the Attack.
Skankerad launches GCAs on your Province #22
6 GCAs are used in the Attack.

A few armies were lost, but the damage was not serious. Their defenses had been crushed in an earlier attack, but confident that the attackers were only a small force that was probably fleeing from the Jack, they moved to repel the enemy and hold him near the Great Wall. They got much more than they bargained for.

** Your Province #22 is under attack from Skankerad
He uses these 60 troops: °° 46 Armies, °° 14 Knights.

You have these 13 troops for Defense : °° 12 Armies, °° 1 Archers

Where did they come from, this never ending torrent of Disciples? Neither army was well trained, but outnumbered 3:1 the Nell recruits in the forest could not withstand the attack. Led by their knights, the Disciples again showed no finesse as they rushed head long into Bjorn's recruits. The fighting was brutal, but the end was never in doubt. The only thing that saved any of the defenders was that the knights were not well suited to pursuit in the forest. A few of the recruits and their leaders fled North to Wisun to seek refuge, but most fell to the swords of the Disciples.

** You have lost the battle - 48 Units invade the Province.

While Bjorn's young recruits reorganized in Wisun, the Disciples Knights led their army off to the westward field. Knowing this was a dead end, scouts were sent to find Bjorn with requests that he hurry forward with the main army to trap this force in the canyon.

But time was not on their side. The Disciples now had two large army groups in the lands to the East and more were surely forming in the lands to the south. In any war of attrition, the side with the greater resources would always win out. Bjorn needed a way to strike at the heart, the source, of these armies of Disciples. Couriers were sent to the citadel. The Mage Guild would have to step up their efforts while Bjorn attempted to plug the hole in the dike and deal with the forces that had already poured through it.

[Bjorn]

Chapter 12 - Part 1 - "The Southern Lights"

Like so many other things in this new age, it was a sight previously unseen by anyone who witnessed it. It was early evening when it began. It started as a faint glow behind the mountains to the south. It moved to the North as evening progressed, towering above the citadel of Erstwind and faded off to the North. The evening sky, beneath the full moon, was alive with dancing lights of all colors. It appeared as if a protective dome was above the citadel and the lights provided a show for those who lived in the lands below. From the southern boundry of the empire, to the Great Sea in the North, the sky was afire with what came to be known as the Southern Lights. The Kabobs had no experience and no explanation for this and those who lived in Erstwind came to the citadel to ask the mages what this sign meant.

>> Massielita casts #Spell BAGBURNER [ALL IN BAG]**
>> He destroys 290 Points of your Magic resistance. The spell fizzled !

The Queen of Diamond knew well what it meant. She knew from her frequent meetings with George that the power to cast mighty spells into the vastness of the land was held by more than just the mages of Erstwind. What goes around, comes around. George had foreseen just such a spell being cast and long hours had been spent preparing to defend the citadel from just such an event. She was overjoyed to see that the spell cast directly at the Mage Guild of Erstwind had failed to do any real damage, other than frighten some of the animals. She would explain to the Kabobs that this just another aspect of the openings appearing in the Great Wall. They could expect to see them again, but when and why she could not explain just yet.

The magical shield the mages had constructed to shield the empire had taken much damage, this she knew. She was unsure how many more such blasts it would absorb before the impact of the enemy spells broke through. She was also convinced that this was the work of the mages of Skankerad, but George disagreed. His visions now gave him a very good picture of the lands of Skanerad and this magic did not appear to come from his mages. The source was farther West. While it was possible that the forces of Skankerad covered more land than they could imaging, there was still that premonition that there was more than one Disciple at work here. While Bjorn's mighty army might deal with the armies of Skankerad, the mages would have another foe to deal with.

Meanwhile, the young mage from Nixx, descended from his laboratory with spells of his own. His small army now occupied the fortifications of Nixx and he awaited the army of Skanerad from the North. He journeyed forward, to the rift in the Northern Wall and cast his spell into the rift to seek the enemy army. If he had done his homework properly and fully understood how the spell worked, the enemy army would lose much effectiveness as it moved through the rift.

++ You cast the Spell #77-DROPPER [0-1 LEV] on Province #19
++ You destroy 0.324 Level in the Target.

Alrec returned to the fortress to await the arrival of the enemy. He had recruited most of the local militias into his army and had been provided with proper weapons by a supply train from the land of the Nyr. He did not have long to wait to see how well his army would fight.

** Your Province #20 is under attack from Skankerad
He uses these 32 troops: °° 32 Armies

Passing through the spell in the rift, the enemy army lost much of its cohesion. Starved and tired of being so far from home, realizing they were cut off from their homeland, the enemy army hurled itself upon Alrec and his well emplaced defenders.

You have these 26 troops for Defense :
°° 12 Armies, °° 13 Catapults, °° 1 Creature : Green Golem [+0.5].

It was no contest. Tired and confused, with no retreat except back to that barren land, the enemy attacked the fortress with a diversionary force while the bulk of the army attempted to move through the mountains to reach the forest of the Nell and the way home. The mighty golem, very much at home in the mountains, detected their presence and led the mobile reserve to set a trap. In the end, none of the enemy survived, while Alrec's losses were minimal.

++ You have won the battle - 20 Units remain.

The defeat of the enemy was a time of rejoicing in the fortress of Nixx. They had known only fighting for the last three years, with three different Kaomarians as their liege. With the weapons provided by Bjorn's armorers, wielded by their own men, led by their own Alrec, they knew that they would be a powerful force with the alliance. A great celebration was ordered as all expected a time of peace to reign.

It was fortunate for them that were unaware of what was going on to their south. Their rejoicing would be short lived.

[Bjorn]

Chapter 12 - Part 2 - "The Jack avenged"

Bjorn had done his very best to conceal the transfer of most of his field army from the Western border to the Eastern lands. The Nixx had retaken their fortress and he had sent them weapons suitable for the defense in the mountains. If there was one thing a Kabob warrior understood well it was the proper weapons for the defense of the mountains. A few advisors from his retinue had been sent to assist the Nixx, while Bjorn turned his attention to the South. He called for a council of war.

The Nell told him of a mighty army in a valley to the West. His scouts confirmed the report, but added that this army would not be able to move for some time. In their company were many knights in fine armor and to attack them in their valley would be a bloody affair. While a great victory might be won there, it was not a vital source of manpower to the forces of Skankerad. He would surely be recruiting there, but this was a small province.

The Jack of Hearts had not returned through the rift, while the enemy army to the West had come through in the other direction. They did not like to think about it, but they had to make plans with the assumption that he was not coming back. The source of these armies that Skanerad kept fielding had to be to the south. That is where Bjorn would march. He must see what was in that direction and act to stem the endless flow of reinforcements the enemy appeared to have at his disposal.

Just as his army reached the rift and prepared to return to the Southern half of the Forest of the Nell, the sky was again alive with the sound of the deadly rain.

Skankerad launches GCAs on your Province #21: 20 GCAs are used in the Attack.
Skankerad launches GCAs on your Province #21: 10 GCAs are used in the Attack.

A few of the archers were felled by this onslaught, but most of the enemy missiles landed without effect.

His scouts had once again kept him well informed. When they passed through the rift, there were no enemy forces in the Southern half of the forest. He left a small force to keep an eye on the enemy force to the West and plunged through the rift where the Jack of Hearts had gone before him. The enemy was waiting.

++ You are attacking Province#26 from Skankerad
You use these 49 troops: °° 19 Pikemen, °° 9 Archers, °° 5 Knights, °° 15 Catapults, °° 1 Creature : Grey Dragon
Your Basic Level is... 1.939

The Dragon was none to happy to be leaving the forest, but knew that the threat to the Nell came from the other side of the rift. The Dragon was the first through the rift, the knights second. Each of the five knights led what Bjorn came to call a "Battle". This organization consisted of the knight at the core, four pikemen and 3 catapults. Bjorn remained with the archers to offer long range support to each of these "Battles". The force advanced in three lines with three battles in the first line, two battles in reserve in the second line and Bjorn with the archers as a final reserve.

They soon discovered what the Jack had discovered before them. A massive marshalling ground for the armies of Skankerad. There were not raw recruits. When the alarm was spread at the approach of Bjorn's army, they quickly assembled and advanced through the desert to offer battle.

The enemy has these 57 troops for Defense :
°° 29 Armies, °° 28 Knights, The Basic Level of the enemy is... 1.420

As the enemy army advanced, each of the front line battles deployed the pikemen to the fore. The catapults and archers engaged the infantry, while the pikemen greeting the enemy knights on their pikes. Bjorn was never more thankful for his fine pikemen than on that day. They proved vastly superior to the enemy footmen and cavalry and offered valuable service. The Dragon flew about the scene and blasted any grouping of enemy infantry with a fireball. The 'elan of this champion inspired all.

As the enemy engaged the first three battles, they began to infiltrate between the groups. Their surprise was great when they found themselves set upon by the two battles in reserve. With the archers guarding the flanks of the formation, the enemy could find no weakness. Bjorn's battle hardened veterans were never more dominant than they were on that day.

By nightfall, it was over. What enemy forces survived escaped in many directions, but by morning there was no resistance in sight.

++ You have won the battle !! 21 Units invade the Province.

Bjorn's army was too exhausted to pursue the enemy the following morning. He sent his scouts out to determine where the enemy might be while he organized the trains that would return the wounded to safer places. He knew there was a strong enemy force behind him still. He had to get his wounded back through the rift and to safety before that enemy force sortied from the valley.

His scouts returned with grim news. There were indications that a large enemy force had moved off to the East, while there were also great roads that led to the West and South. This province was a great crossroad that lead in all directions. The consequence of which was that the forces of Skanerad now lay in all directions. But from whence did the enemy draw this vast pool of manpower? That remained a mystery.

Bjorn called another council of war. He had lost over 1/2 of his effective force in the battle and did not feel confident he could survive another such conflict. Still he wished to do as much damage to the enemy war effort as possible. He devised a plan that might allow him to eat his cake and have it too. Since George had told him that the Disciple threat came from the south, he would dispatch a force in that direction with orders to lay waste to any and all war material they might find. People were to be spared, but workers and anything useful for war must be destroyed.

He would travel with the wounded back to the training camp in Nyr with the bulk of his instructors and start to build a new army. The combatants with him now would learn more on the march than his instructors could teach them.

Two of the Knights of Nyr, Eldad and Medad by name, volunteered to lead a raiding party South, all the way to the end of the island. They would destroy all that they could not carry away or secure for the alliance. They hoped to befriend the people that lived there and perhaps win them over to Bjorn's cause. When they asked for volunteers to go with them, virtually all of the army stepped forward. All wished to be a part of this great adventure. Bjorn was pleased with their ardent support for the alliance, but also a bit concerned for their fate. They would march off into unknown lands where they were more likely to meet death than glory.

They parted the next morning. Bjorn and his retinue escorted the ambulance train to the North, while Eldad and Medad led the army south to an uncertain fate.

[Bjorn]

Chapter 13 - Part 1 - "March to the Sea"

Eldad prepared for the march south into the unknown. He was not sure how far it was to the Southern shore, but from the sheer number of troops Skankerad was deploying he assumed he would find many resources. His orders were simple. Win over those who embrace our cause and enlist them into the army. Put to the sword all who oppose the alliance.

As they marched South, the skies to the Northwest came alive with the Southern Lights a second time. Once again the dome appeared to protect them from these lights, but the lights were brighter this time. Neither Eldad nor any member of the army knew the meaning of these lights, nor their source. Since they grew brighter as they moved south, they were either drawing closer to the source or some sort of protective wall was growing weaker. They knew not of the efforts of the mages of Erstwind to counter what was happening.

>> Massielita casts #Spell WOKHELL [1-50 WOK]**
>> He destroys 184 Points of your Magic resistance. The spell fizzled !

The road south through the openings in the Great Wall was well marked. As other residents of the Island of AMAZEment had discovered the openings they had built great roads that emanated from them. There were trading posts at most of these sites that offered intelligence about the way forward. Eldad and his army met little resistance as the pressed south. As they advanced, they recruited all those who embraced their cause, armed them with what extra weapons and armor they had captured from their defeated foes and sent them to the crossroads in the Woget Desert to prepare the defenses. Eldad was pleased with the terrain they found, as it was mostly plains, ground similar to the Nyr homeland that he called home.

Part of the defense in the desert was led by mages sent from Erstwind to assist in this task. They knew the enemy could lie either to the East or to the West, probably both. There were refugees in the desert that spoke of a great battle that had occured through the Great Wall to the East. Knowing that the Great Sea was close by in that direction and that any enemy army there would have no way out except through them, the mages acted to counter any threat an army there might present.

++ You cast the Spell #77-DROPPER [0-1 LEV] on Province #23
++ You destroy 0.570 Level in the Target.

While the effect of the spell was not completely unknown, later drifters who arrived through the great wall told of a mysterious malady that seemed to affect the invading forces there which greatly affected their ability to continue fighting. In addition, the workers in the area had produced some weapons for Skankarad which were now set loose upon the enemy forces there. The defenders in the desert prepared for what might happen next.

++ You use 8 GCAs in the attack on Province #23
++ You are targeting the Armies in the Province.

As the army continued moving south, they came to a mountain area with a great fortification. It was called the fortress of Eloon, an ancient city but with ruined defenses. The defenders of the city, such as they were, fired a few of their projectiles into the army with the unfortunate effect of killing the dragon that had been their steady champion.

>> Skankerad launches GCAs on your Province #67
>> 7 GCAs are used in the Attack. [+HIT] - He destroys 1 Creature.

Unsure of what may be going on behind them, Eldad left Medad and the knights in the plains and rushed through the rift in the wall to take the fortress of Eloon. Enraged, the army put the garrison there to the sword. The people who lived there were either put to work or enlisted into the army. There was no organized resistance.

++ You are attacking Province#66 from Skankerad
You use these 15 troops: °° 7 Pikemen, °° 4 Archers, °° 4 Catapults
++ The enemy has no Troops for Defense !

He found many people here who told him of an earlier Kaomarian known as Raw the Scholar, liege to many who had been born and raised here. His empire had fallen before the advance of the Disciple Skankerad and Eldad found many recruits, ready to join his ranks. Before this could happen they would have to be armed and trained.

Leaving a large force to defend this new fortress and train new recruits, Eldad continued south with some archers to scout ahead. He encountered no enemy forces as he passed through three more areas of great plains. It was no wonder that Skanerad could field such a large army. These fields would produce ample food for a very large army.

Finally, after almost six months on the march, Eldad and his small army arrived at the fortress of Elsanix, home to Skanerad the Disciple. Without hesitation he lead the scouting force into the fortress and siezed it before the garrison could be organized. Much to his disappointment, he did not find Skankerad there. He did find ample evidence that Skankerad was not the only Disciple in the land and sent couriers back to Eldad with much captured information from the fortress. While this new information was being sent to Bjorn, Eldad recruited those who were friendly to the cause and prepared to defend the fortress against any attempt to retake it.

The first part of his quest was complete. From the parapet of the citadel of Elsanix he could see the Great Sea to the south. The alliance now spread from one end of the Island to the Other, from the Great Sej Forest in the North to the citadel of Elsanix in the South. It would be up to Eldad to hold the southern half of the Empire. He would have to return North to see what force the enemy might throw in his direction. He would not have to wait long.