The Human Elf War - Month of November, 38 C.E.

Military: War

The War continues its slow burn, as both the Alliance and the Union gather members. The First Union Army remains at Wissenstross, while the Shining Army moves into Hammerfell and the Midlands proper. Brutal conflicts in the far north cost the Midlanders and Silver Eagles dearly. At sea, the Elemental Islanders are paralyzed with indecision over how to address Elven aggression, while the Imperial Navy continues to suffer in the war at sea. Winter looms, preparing to put a pause on major engagements.

The First Union army remains at Castle Wissenstross for the month of November, spending a great deal of time securing logistics and supply trains. Numerous forts and armed camps are established to facilitate transfer of supplies from Rottlinger's territories through the eastern Midlands. While the army drills in the fields of the Castle the army, previously bivouacked, sets up semi-permanent encampment to provide shelter for the winter. Negotiations with the Baron of Strassic yielded results, with the Baron formally joining the Union and committing a token few companies to the army. The month of November costs the people of Amberfalls and Geldenhaup dearly. The outer districts of Geldenhaup's capital are sacked, with countless loss of life and a disturbing number of women and a handful of men taken as prisoners by a massive Orcish army. Despite the concentration of Orcs striking at Geldenhaup, there were plenty of independent, albeit smaller bands, that kept the Silver Eagles and Amberfalls soldiers occupied in the eastern portion of the far north. Casualties continue to mount among the defenders, and several more villages burned as the Orcs continue to close in on Amberfalls proper.   News from Dwarven lands is slow in coming, but what news that arrives in November is disturbing. The Upper City of Skyforge has fallen to Orc assaults, with much of the ancient and beautiful stone work smashed to ruins by Orc stone-throwers. The stout defenders of the city, however, have stalled the Orc advance at the gates of the Forge itself, and though the siege remains the Orcish horde diminishes little by little as their members peel off to raid down into the Steel Hills. Fighting throughout the hills and valleys of the northern and even central Dwarven lands is now commonplace, as bands ranging in size from a few dozen to the low hundreds raid haphazardly. Most of the butchery has at least superficial purpose, as supplies, wealth, and prisoners are carried off back to the north. Occasionally, however, rumors of slaughter for sport or targeting of refugees fleeing the fighting are heard.   The Shining Army achieves the strategic victory of an alliance with Hammerfell in November, and pushes past the shadow of Castle Elfguard into the Midlands. The handful of Imperial Musketeers, Baselstadt guards, and Sussenlander cavalry are pushed back, retreating to Fort Algers northwest of Baselhall. The fort has been reinforced with supplies from the Empire and Baselstadt, and Elven cavalry and mounted infantry avoid direct confrontation while they secure the less defensible manor houses and farmland in the northwestern portion of the Barony. Winter weather, particularly the occasionally freezing rain, limits operational mobility in the region for the Principality's forces.   Castle Bludvin endures while the countryside around it burns. A few unsuccessful sorties yield little, and the besieging forces raid the countryside for supplies. A more permanent encampment of Orcs outside the castle takes form. The Baron Wittergrahm formally petitions the Elves for an alliance, though the Shining Army's leaders delay their response, worrying about binding themselves to fighting on two fronts.   The invasion of the Tempest Island has provoked a strong reaction from the Elemental Islanders. With their food supply suddenly threatened and controlled by the Principalities, and trade with the Empire uncertain, the immediate call for defiance has been muted by more practical voices within the leadership of the Islands. The King of Soorto capitulated immediately to Elven demands to close all ports to Imperial trade. Freeport, with its large population and particularly large demographic of Dragonborn, are defiant. The Governor of Velafal is in discussions with his council, and has asked for more time. Koro Rutopi has not given a unified answer, though perhaps more due to its extremely decentralized 'democratic' method of decision making than a desire for violence. For the moment, however, the Elven denial of food shipments has not caused large-scale disruptions - ships already at sea before the invasion are still arriving.   At sea the Elven Clipper fleet continues to patrol open waters, disrupting trade to and from the Elemental Isles and delaying (though not entirely denying) efforts to supply Baselstadt. The Imperial frigates continue to win engagements in the northern waters, but with so few asail and so much area to cover the Principality's clippers simply disengage and avoid when possible, striking at more vulnerable prey. The coastal forts and their long guns allow for movement of supplies along the shoreline, but Elven ships sail a mere dozen miles off the coast, hoping to prey on Imperial or Midland ships that stray too far from their protective shore cover or who enter an area where forts are not yet built. The tail end of the hurricane season, as is typical, brings two storms which blow in south of the Elemental Isles. They batter the southern coast of Elo'Andri, a seasonal phenomenon with little impact.   The Grand Union Army begins to drill in the relatively mild winter in Assancia, preparing for a spring march north. The attitude in the east is that come spring, the Empire will be able to leverage its massively superior numbers, as well as its technological advantages, to crush the Elven forces in battle. Unspoken is the reality that the army of Anhellenor, the most elite and accomplished force in the Principalities, will likely be too absorbed in their conflict with the Orcs to assist. Indeed, there seems to be little thought or discussion of the Orcish threat at all in the Empire.   The Towers of Wizardry reconstruct their leadership, following the loss of so many of their senior mages and so much of their resources. Greater security is the focus now, with layered wards and carefully constructed barriers to prevent future incursions being the focus. For the moment, the utility of these Towers appears to be nullified. In contrast, the Tower of Artificers is spinning out wildly ambitious apprentices at an unprecedented rate. Where the Towers used to take care to only graduate fully capable wizards with mastery over advanced sorceries, a process often taking years, the Tower of Artificers sends students to the Imperial Docks, factories, or foundries to engage in "hands on" learning after barely six months of education. These apprentices are quickly demonstrating their ability to speed along industry. The once seemingly impossible task of producing adequate munitions and matériel for the burgeoning army may eventually be achieved with this new help.   The Congress of Heavenly Guidance continues deliberations. Representatives of the Seldarine make numerous attempts to have certain types of weapons deemed "unholy", particularly large artillery pieces and field cannons, but these efforts all fail. Efforts by the priesthood of Guresh to have the Church view the Orc as abominations, akin to other monstrous species created by the Second Born, gain ground; this sets the stage for Church-sanctioned slaughter of this species. The gathering has also opened up several unsettled areas of Church law for discussion, including the role of warlocks who pledge to entities not inherently tied with Second Born or powers deemed anathema.