Post by Dia on Dec 1, 2009 16:43:55 GMT -5
The Fall of the Northern Alliance of the Moonsea
A harsh wind swept over the Moonsea as dusk neared. The streets of Fenix quickly grew quiet as families drew into their homes for supper one last time. The merchants of Arcadian Falls closed shop for the night as the sky rapidly grew dark, not wishing to be caught in the storm. In New Haven, children played in the wild fields as a troupe of bards performed for the village’s adults. The farmlands of Silverton were still alive with the families there making their last rounds about the crops. The soldiers of Fort Hilya were returning from their last patrols of the day, and fortifying defenses in the event that Drow might raid the fort in the darkness of the night.
Only in Namor’s Cove did business-as-usual come to a halt at the sign of the harsh wind. Valkur’s shrine, overlooking the sea as it always had, began to crack right before the eyes of the guards stationed there. As it crumbled to pieces, seagulls flew in from the sea, passing over the port-city and heading into the mainland, as if being chased away by some predator. Superstitious sailors began to flee the docks and their ships, all save for one man who strode forward to the end of the dock to peer out to sea. Rear Admiral Arcturus Lyons held a hand on the pommel of his blade as he narrowed his eyes to see what could have frightened away the birds. Nothing was in the sky but a gathering storm. As Lyons began to turn away to head up to the site of Valkur’s desecrated shrine, he stopped. Something caught the corner of his eye, and as he turned back and witnessed the break of the clouds, the veteran’s eyes widened with terror.
Lord Ein Oniryukain stood in Fenix, gathering local adventurers to travel north on a mission to aid the Crimson Phoenix, when the bell tower atop The Foehammer Sanctum, Tempus’ temple, began to sound. When questioned on the meaning of the bell, the seasoned leader of the Crimson Phoenix answered only “War.” The breaking of the storm clouds in the distance revealed a blood red sky, a dimensional rift to another place or plane, and from it a beast began to emerge. Massive and lumber, the ancient black dragon and Chosen of Tiamat, Stniymyira began to emerge. In its wake followed a legion of dragons, their numbers beyond count, and their colors ranging every prismatic under Tiamat. All guards of Fenix prepared for combat, readying arms and siege weapons. But there was no time to prepare a proper defense, not for an assault of this magnitude. The dragons swept down into the streets of Fenix, devouring, crushing, unleashing their magic upon, and breathing their deathly breaths against the citizens and guard force of Fenix alike. Fenix grew quickly overwhelmed. Guards began gathering as many as they could into the Crimson Phoenix Hold to escape, while adventurers moved to the Hold’s roof to hold off the attackers from above. Ein Oniryukain, a contingent of guardsmen, and what adventurers could not make it to the Hold’s roof fought in the streets, battling the dragons as they landed, reaping their destruction upon the desert city.
In Namor’s Cove artillery was being prepared to fire upon the dragons, under orders from Arcturus Lyons. But the dragons never came within range, as if knowing the port city was not worth their time. The battle raging to the north had distracted the city’s defenders from the sea to the south. Just the distraction the Zhentarim fleet had been awaiting. Zhentarim ships moved in on the port city, and began to open fire upon it with both spell and ship weaponry. They targeted guard stations and warships, taking the majority out of the city’s defenses before they could even be turned south to fight back. Arcturus Lyons ordered his crew to the Godslayer, one of the few warships still afloat, to attempt a defense against the Zhentarim fleet. But one ship, and the few guard stations remaining was not enough to prevent the Zhentarim ground force from landing. They quickly seized the entire city, even as the Godslayer mounted a defense while pushing its way out of the port.
The fall of New Haven came swiftly and without mercy from the dragons. They struck the village’s portal before any could escape through it. Some managed to escape into the woods, and others into the Oniryukain Manor. Of the very few who did escape, the majority were cut down in their escape into the woods. A handful survived the collapse of the Oniryukain Manor and made it to the portal there to escape to the Crimson Phoenix Hold, only to find that Fenix was in total disarray as well.
Arcadian Falls was next to fall. Its meager guard force of twenty five were incapable of putting up a defense as red and black dragons swarmed the sky above the budding city, and rained fire down upon it. The attack on Fenix occurring first gave the Crysan Clan of Arcadian Falls times to retreat into the Eastern Plains before the coming of the dragons. The city’s leaders, Azar and Sarada Vrass, mounted a powerful defense with their magic. Undead sprung forth from the ground, and magical energies were flung into many of the dragons that came nearest to the Vrass Manor. But in the end, only a few dragons were felled before the entire city was engulfed in fire; fires that no man could survive.
Silverton lasted no longer than New Haven or Arcadian Falls had managed. The farmlands were quickly engulfed in fires and death. Those who were able fled to the temple of Lathander, seeking refuge in the Morninglord’s house from the destruction. But the sun would not rise in time for Silverton’s salvation.
Only Fort Hilya was prepared for what came. In their preparation for the possibility of a Drow attack, the soldiers of Fort Hilya had more than adequate defenses to take on those dragons that traveled far enough north to threaten them. Minimal losses were taken at the fort, as few dragons survived long enough to get close enough to attack. But in the end, morale was shattered as Hilya forces attempted to cross their portal to the Crimson Phoenix Hold, to reinforce Fenix, only to find that the other side was inactive.
Fenix had grown dark with smoke, even as fires rages throughout the ruins of the city. The screams of survivors were silenced, and only the few defenders left in the streets remained. Much to their horror, another dimensional rift opened. But from this rift came not dragons, but men; Men in ragged clothing, with crude weaponry. They laughed like jackals, and charged into the smoke and debris-ridden streets. Maniacs and psychopaths with no sense of self preservation, the Moonscar Raiders as they were soon named proved to be vicious combatants. Those guards remaining in Fenix’s ruins were forced to retreat or die at the feet of the incoming horde.
The Crimson Phoenix established a refugee camp as quickly as they could manage in the Moonscar East. The few hundred that could escape through the Crimson Phoenix’s tunnels populated it without question, as defenses were set up to keep any remaining dragons away. The battle was not over for the Crimson Phoenix, though. A single Black Arrow unit, Dragon-slayers, managed to pursue Stniymyira as the Chosen flew over The Scar of the Moonscar Desert. They took with them a powerful ballista, designed to rend dragon scale, and an ancient and powerful Elven power source, with which to empower the Black Arrow to destroy the Chosen once and for all.
The plan of action was sound. The Chosen should have been destroyed. But fate was not on the side of good that day. Dawn had come just as the Black Arrow team deployed their weapon, and opened fire upon the Chosen. At the last moment, before the projectile that might have slain the Chosen could strike, a beam of light flooded out from the Stinger Canyon, and struck the Chosen. A flash of light illuminated all of the northern Moonsea. The battle against the dragons was over. But not won.