Sea of Swords

A Song of Clashing Blades by Gregorius Volff of Erengrad

v1.7.4b

Though the leaders of the Empire had known the Chaos assault would strike in the east, they did not expect the exact location and sheer magnitude of the Raven Hosts legions. Try as they may, the Bright Wizards could not constantly track the movements of the Raven Host as they were clouded by powerful spells cast by Tchar’zanek’s magi. Tzeentch had promised Tchar’zanek a new host to lead the Raven Host to victory, but only if he could display his prowess as a Champion of Tzeentch. And so the Chaos legions marched south along the eastern side of the World’s Edge Mountains, ready to strike at the weakened frontier of the Empire.

Traversing across the World’s Edge Mountains via hidden underground tunnels, compliments of the Red Eye Night Goblins of Karak Ungor, the Raven Host emerged in Kislevite territory on the northern bank of the Upper Talabec. With their eyes turned south they faced the dreary province of Ostermark, scarcely populated and thinly defended. With no true way to defend itself against a widespread invasion, the League of Ostermark depended on rapid communications with their frontier towers to deploy their soldiers where they were needed. When the Raven Host appeared on the horizon the frontier watch-towers immediately began to light their beacons to signal Bechafen, Kislev, and hopefully Altdorf. The Celestial Wizards claim that nothing travels faster than light, and true to their word the alarm of invasion reached Bechafen within minutes, and by the time the Raven Host had fully assembled on the northern bank of the Upper Talabec Altdorf was thrown into chaos as generals ran with haste to gather their marching orders from Karl Franz. Reinforcements would not arrive in Ostermark for weeks; the people of that province would have to disappear into the fens and fight a guerrilla war buying time for the main body of the Empire’s army to arrive.

Among the first peculiarities noticed by the watchmen of Ostermark were the massive men leading the companies of the Raven Host. These giants-among-men hailing from the high jagged mountains of Norsca were Tzeentch’s gift to his champion, Tchar’zanek. Known as the Harbingers of Tzeentch, these fierce warriors were once solitary sheep-herds whose minds were susceptible to the winds of Change. With but a touch of the wind of Change they were transformed into deadly warriors .

Karl Franz, sensing the shift in the winds, had accordingly rallied his soldiers to face the new threat. Sailing earlier directly up the River Talabec were the legendary Greatswords of Carroburg. Karl Franz stationed them centrally within the Empire at Talabheim knowing that from that location they could better respond to any threat. When the news of invasion reached the Imperial Court, the Greatswords were immediately shipped north along the Talabec into Ostermark. First into battle against the Raven Host, they would bear the brunt of the assault. Sailing up the Talabec in their open barges, the Raven Host was about to witness the arrival of a sea of swords.

Order players who obtained the Imperial Call to Arms in the Dawn of Destruction Live Event have two weeks early access to the Greatsword. Destruction players who obtained the Icon of the Lord of Change in the Dawn of Destruction Live Event have two weeks early access to the Harbinger of Tzeentch.

Dawn of Destruction – Corruption from Within

It was well past the witching hour when Alexander Schwarzmord arrived at the decrepit fortress that served as a reserve seat for the local garrisons. This night, however, its purpose was to contain a heretic so powerful that even when downed, all of Praag’s brightest and strongest warriors couldn’t devise a means to permanently kill it. Such were the grave tidings brought to the attention of the Lord Inquisitor Schwarzmord two nights ago. He had made all haste to resolve this matter with all his zeal and fury.

Two lone guards were patrolling the bulwarks of the fortress; having noticed his approach, sigils of the Inquisition displayed, they had immediately signaled the gatekeeper. By the time Schwarzmord had made the outer courtyard, a squire bearing a lantern and a knight in plate armor with a broad, heavily feathered hat, were awaiting him.

“Evening, my lord. I am Kalyan Mavro, captain of the battalion stationed here. We were expecting you with great anxiety.”

The inquisitor motioned for the squire to take away his steed and greeted the captain with a wordless nod. He avoided Kalyan’s attempt at a handshake and glided past him not even bothering to look him in the eye.

Dawn of Destruction Guide

1.7.4a consists of the Dawn of Destruction live event. This live event has 11 tasks for players to complete while participating in the Dawn of Destruction. Empire forces have begun to apprehend strange warriors of Chaos, creatures of deadly strength and unseen power. With the incursion of the Night Goblins from Karak Ungor to the east and the recent south-eastern thrust of the Raven Host, Karl Franz is anticipating a full-scale attack on the weakened frontier provinces of the Empire, but without further information he is unsure how to deploy his troops. One thing is for certain, a new host will be necessary to counter the powerful warriors of Chaos that have emerged. Can the forces of Order track the movements of the Raven Host and prepare for their assault, or will the forces of Destruction succeed in weaving a web of disinformation and stall the Order of the Griffon’s mobilization?

Dawn of Destruction – Beacons of the Frontier

“Your duty begins today. You guard not only the frontier of the Empire, but you guard your land, your home. your family. Mark these words well and carry them in your heart as you take on the mantle of the frontier watchman. Keep an ever vigilant eye to the mist beyond, see that which comes unannounced. Keep an ever vigilant ear to the land around, hear that which moves unseen. Keep a vigilant hand on the ground, feel that which comes with undue haste. Nature is an unforgiving mistress, but over the years you will sharpen your senses and learn to feel the land. Protect the land, and it will protect you.”

~ Tul Waalen, Captain of the Frontier Watch

Far to the north-east of the Empire lays the desolate province of Ostermark. Here people eke out an existence on the rugged land, forging a race of people as unforgiving as the land they live on. The people of this harsh land receive little thanks for the burden they carry, but carry it with as much pride and honor as they can muster. It is here along the harsh north-eastern frontier of the Empire that the watchmen keep an eye to the north. Across the Upper Talabec lays the realm of Kislev, frequently ravaged by the hordes of Chaos. Sparsely populated the defense of the League of Ostermark and of the Empire lays in the speed of warning. In this land where swamps, mires, and forests dominate the landscape, travel by foot has no place. No, the quickest form of warning is by smoke and fire. Lining the border of Ostermark are scores of towers rising from water-logged swamps and above gloomy forests; towers made of stone, wood, and clay. With an ever vigilant eye on the frontiers of the province, the watchmen guard against undead hosts, greenskin hordes, and Chaos legions, and when those who threaten the Empire appear the Beacons of Ostermark are lit.

The Beacons of the Frontier is a king-of-the-hill scenario as players from both factions converge on one of the beacons that marks the frontier between the Empire and Kislev. The forces of Destruction assault the lone outpost from the north, but advanced warnings from other beacons have alerted the forces of Order who march south. Now both factions fight over this beacon in an attempt to control it and the message of invasion it carries.

Dawn of Destruction – Streets of the Damned

“That city reeks of chaos and corruption. Burn it to the ground I say! Take it apart stone by stone and ground the stones into a dust to be carried off by the wind! Nothing good can come from that foul cesspool. It was by Sigmar’s comet that the town was destroyed, and it must be by our hands that it is removed from the face of the world! I tell you, everyday we let that city stand, corruption will foster within its bowls and rise up to taint the Empire!”

~ Horus Fierdorff, Inquisitor of Averheim

In the desolate eastern fringes of the Empire lays the dreaded city of Mordheim. Destroyed by a comet from the heavens, now the living dare not tread on its cursed grounds; instead the undead claim it as their own. With skaven tunneling under they city trying to recover fragments of the coment and the undead thirsting for living flesh outside, none can even bare to speak of this place, let alone go there. However, in the abandoned and tainted ruins of Mordheim the forces of the Raven Host seek power. Any taint of chaos is sufficient to plant a seed of corruption, and Mordheim is ripe ground for the spread of contagion throughout the Empire. It is here that Tchar’Zanek will send his forces to unearth the corrosive powers of the fallen comet and lure the forces of the Empire into the streets ruled by the dead. Here the realm of Order will fight to suppress the rise of more dreadful taints of Chaos.

The Streets of the Damned scenario is a murderball scenario as players vie over control of the lethal shards of the comet that destroyed Mordheim. While the shards increase the power of players, they also wear them down leading to their death, for none can dare to handle this stone and not suffer the consequences. However, at all times players must interact with the shards and attempt to control them, for if none control the shards then the undead shall rise and seek to claim them for their own… should this happen then woe unto the living!

Dawn of Destruction

As dawn encroaches on Ulthuan and night settles on the World’s Edge Mountains, a grim dusk is born in the realm of Chaos. Foul forces stir in the northern rim of the world as the winds of Chaos blow south to the realm of men.  The campaign against the Empire stalls as men put up an unexpected resistance, and the inclusion of the realm of Kislev only serves to frustrate the Raven Host more. Tzeentch breathes the wind of change and he will not stop until the realm of men is twisted to his vision. While Tzeentch offers Tchar’zanek a new host to aid in the struggle against the kingdoms of men, Tchar’zanek bows to his lord’s will and increases aggressions against the Empire’s weaker provinces. The eastern provinces, ravaged both by war and by nature, offer little resistance to the Lord of Change, and it is here where the realm of men will rally to defend their race.

Dawn of Destruction Teaser

“My lord, I have reason to believe the vile northern barbarians are stirring to the east. Several of my scouts in Ostermark haven’t reported in weeks. I fear a grim fate has befallen them. The few that did report all mention that corruption is enveloping the land. One says he could even taste the taint of Chaos in the air around the blasted tomb city of Mordheim. I have decided to personally investigate this matter. Sigmar protect you if you don’t hear from me in a two weeks after receiving this letter, you should assume me dead; and whatever wretched horror is happening in Mordheim – a severe threat to the Empire! I trust you will bring swift and terrible justice upon barbarian and heretic alike should the worst transpire. By the gods, I hope I’m wrong!

Yours faithfully,
Herzl Kupfer”

Alexander Schwarzmord beheld the ominous letter he had received from his division’s master scout and minutely pondered on it. Two more dawns and it would have been two weeks since he’d received it. He would have to give orders later for a regiment to be mobilized and sent to the dead city. They would purge out all traces of corruption or die trying. He had little regard for the lives of his subordinates- he had found that executing cowards in the field of battle to be an exceptionally potent stimulus for his remaining men to fight that much harder. By doing so he’d tuned the tide during a skaven incursion in Volksgrad during the first years of his ascention in office. The Inquisitor Lord, however, had much more urgent matters than the possibility of invasion from the east occupying his immediate attention. A second letter he had received just hours ago presented summons for him to investigate a recently apprehended heretic, currently held in a prison in Praag. The writing was scribbly and rushed- spatters of ink tinting the text, making sections nearly illegible. Whoever had written this had done so with little regard for the customary pompousness of correspondence with someone of similar office. A measly heretic did not warrant such urgency. Especially considering he should have been executed on sight. There was a reason for him to still live. The Inquisitor rose from his desk, gathering both letters and putting them away in his coat. He came out of his study signaling to his quire waiting patiently by the door.

“M’lord?”

“Prepare my mount. I ride for Praag beofre daybreak.”

He paused for a bit.

“Also make arrangements for a regiment to be mobilized and ready to travel to Ostermark in three days.”