New Celest and Conquering Angkrag
As the month of Klangiary began, the sounds of warfare arose near the village of Rockholm. Shouts rose up as Queen Ethilwen’s guards rushed to defend their homeland, easily repelling the invading skeletons and undead. As she shouted for Rockholm to recognize her as Queen and come to her aid, a separate force of skeletons soon attacked that village as well. Shouting back at Ethilwen, Thoril claimed they should be the recipients of her aid, and cursed the name of New Celest and their undead servants in the newly occupied village of Angkrag.
Xena McCloud?, Queen of the Holy Kingdom of New Celest came into Angkrag in an attempt to sue for peace, though Nasir n’Rotri was not one for cordiality. Still sore that the village had been taken by force and coercion, the undead leader of Angkrag hissed in fury and refused. Finally he relented, demanding half the force of the dwarven miners of Southgard in exchange for relenting in his attacks. Queen Ethilwen the Ready, crowned ruler of Southgard and the remnants of the dwarven kingdom, outright refused. It was Signus Urvir, her blind advisor and seer, who shuffled into the Throne of the Dwarven Kings, whispering to his queen and then Thoril Falgirn, Thane of the Dwarves, who had come to discuss the next move of the dwarven villages, united against the threat of Angkrag.
Agreeing to some whispered plot, Queen Ethilwen sent Thoril away, suggesting he take Signus with him as her representative. Reluctant but finally agreeing, the Thane of Rockholm marched out of the chamber, taking the blind seer by hand. To where they went Ethilwen the Ready, Queen of the Dwarves would not say.
It was the young aquamancer Yaffi who first suspected where they might have went, and as the Grandmaster of Humility, Ryboi D’Varden soon verified with the aquamancer Francesco Eli’Silar, Thoril Falgirn, Thane of Rockholm and Signus Urvir were found in the Chancel of the Clangoran Mysteries. As New Celest swore to help bless the Forge of Klangratch that the Chancel’s clergy might lend their aid to the dwarven villages, Thoril and Signus returned to Southgard, where soon Nasir’s skeletons began their attacks anew.
While Yaffi, Laxinova, Queen Xena and others of New Celest ardently defended the village, the Archmage of the Aquamancers, Telperion Eli’Silar, worked with one of his mages, Francesco, to bless the forge. As the undead were pushed back, Xena joined them within the depths of the Chancel of Clangoran Mysteries, and together they blessed the fiery Forge of Klangratch, opened the fiery portal to the dark King Azbir’s prison, and then purged him and his dark entourage of living armours. Pushing the remnants of the cursed armour into the divine Forge, Queen Xena of New Celest summoned forth the Flame Warriors of the Chancel.
Locking the forge, Thorgan Urrak, Keeper of the Forge struck a deal with New Celest. With their permission his warriors would retake the village, his settlers occupy and mine it, and tithe a portion of their proceeds to New Celest. Indeed, he agreed, the settlers would swear their loyalty to New Celest, as the new owners of Angkrag.
As Xena McCloud?, Queen of New Celest gave the order, the flame warriors poured into Angkrag, overwhelming Nasir’s skeleton guards and the orc slaves. Rounding up the undead, the flame warriors dispatched them true to form, and the settlers quickly moved in. Setting to work, their miners entered the mines, while members of the clergy made friendly with the orc inhabitants.
Cheering the move, New Celest began celebrations, for in Klangiary of 341, they and the fractured Kingdom of the Dwarves saw themselves rise triumphant in a great victory both parties hailed as a great campaign in the name of the Light and the memory of Klangratch.
Still, the clergy of the Chancel were not naive. The warriors kept their axes close, even in celebration – for the undead were notoriously difficult to kill, and they had no doubt the furious lich would be out for revenge.
