The Battle of the Frozen Temple
Half-Legend, Half-Truth. Figuring out exactly what happened in the frozen north in the winter of 752 has proven extremely difficult for historians and scholars.
Some details are generally agreed upon though. The conflict was between two sides. On one side was the now infamous Half-Orc Warlock and his odd mixture of Mercenary forces from Ibrim and Gir'An raiders. On the other side was an equally confounding alliance of forces from The Northern Tribes, Lyath'Or, Eir-Bron, the Torva'Ne, and even Draconfall.
These two forces faced off near an old temple put up by unknown creators, and ultimately the forces of the alliance prevailed.
The legends only spin out of control from there however. From dragons participating in the battle, to The Mantle itself getting involved.
The most accepted and known version of events comes from the Dragonborn bard Duncan "Adonis" Norixious during a performance in Lyath'Or, though many scholars doubt the authenticity of his account, but without much more information it is the one most have learned to accept. In this telling the alliance was formed the fight the Half-Orc Warlock to stop him from putting out the sun, for he was the one responsible for the Sunless Day in 751, and the Half-Orc Warlock was working for dark creatures unknown to mortals. The details of this telling generally line up with what is known as fact, though some details seem outlandish.
The Conflict
Prelude
Following mere days after The Battle of Lyath'Or, the Battle of the Frozen Temple came to be after Sorra Norixious, Gareth Pancem, and Tutiro Cam escaped from Lyath'Or during the early stages of the battle. Details are scant on how they so quickly traveled from Lyath'Or to the Northern Tribes, but tales also say the stopped in Eir-Bron where Gareth dueled a fierce Gir'An Warrior and/or Giant and earned Atrul Shattershield's favor. Sorra, Gareth, and Tutiro were resting in a Northern Tribe until Xune, Baralas Oakenhollow, and Atrul's sister, Kirri, arrived in force. Arriving at the same time was a group of Dragonborn from Draconfall, supposedly looking for Sorra. They also brought with them Karen's Apostles, a subfaction of Rohila's Crusaders. Around the same time the Half-Orc Warlock pierced through defensive lines in Holriad that usually defended The Northern Tribes from The Gir'An. A decision was made to march this rag-tag band of Drow, Dwarves, Crusaders, and Norsemen towards a nearby temple (That scholars have not been able to yet rediscover) to stop the Half-Orc from performing some arcane ritual to blot out the sun again.
Deployment
According to Duncan, the armies arrayed themselves on two sides of a bowl-like series of hills around the temple before Sorra led the charge of forces to dislodge the Gir'An and Mercenaries.
Battlefield
The Temple was supposedly in a large depression, itself inside a bowl-like formation of hills around the depression.
The Engagement
The Alliance's forces charged down the hill at the Half-Orc's forces. Before the lines clashed Sorra summoned forth a massive tsunami seemingly out of thin-air and used it to blunt the Gir'An front line. Shortly after Tutrio summoned forth a lightning storm that further weakened the front line as the Alliance forces smashed headfirst into the lines of the Gir'An.
At this point Sorra, Gareth, Tutiro, Karen, and Duncan rushed into the temple to kill the Half-Orc. While they did so Xune and Baralas took control of the army and pulled them out of the chaotic situation. The Gir'An Leader, a blood shaman, was killed by Sorra, Gareth, Tutiro, Karen, and Duncan as they entered the temple, allowing Xune and Baralas to sow confusion in the enemy lines.
With their forces reassembled the Alliance army formed a defensive perimeter around the Tower, stopping anyone from following the group inside. Drow spear-walls and Dwarven explosives held the main battle line while Crusader support and Norse bear cavalry stopped any flanking actions dead in their tracks.
Eventually the enemy army broke, the Gir'An leader dead and the Half-Orc presumed dead. Shortly after they began to retreat Sorra, Gareth, Tutiro, Karen, and Duncan emerged from the temple with the Half-Orc's head in tow and Duncan having landed the killing blow after Sorra seriously wounded the Half-Orc.
The Alliance was victorious.
Outcome
The Gir'An and mercenary group retreated from the battlefield in short order. They quickly ran into bear cavalry from Holriad and other local tribes who showed up to help, and were quickly overwhelmed and destroyed completely.
Aftermath
The battle is still being understood by scholars, but some trends appeared quickly afterwards. The Drow of Lyath'Or, seemingly randomly, began diplomatic overtures to Atresa, an oddity for the Drow. Additionally, Gareth Pancem was spotted in Eir-Bron talking to the Hold's king, Atrul Shattershield. Karen Norixious was spotted near Balmoth engaged in some sort of conflict with his fellow Rohila's Crusaders. These appearances and changes give credence to the frankly outlandish tale that Duncan told the court of Lyath'Or.
In addition there have been increasing sightings of Shamans, Druids, and even nature loving Paladins in civilized territory. They often times refer to themselves as "Followers of the Wind and Wood."
Historical Significance
Legacy
The battle has captured the imaginations of bards, scholars, playwright, and commoners alike. Though truth is hard to tell from fiction at this point, the battle has been on almost everyone's lips at least once in the past years.
Conflict Type
Battle
Battlefield Type
Land
Start Date
Winter of 752 2A
Ending Date
Winter of 752 2A
Conflict Result
Alliance Victory
Belligerents
The Half-Orc Warlock's Forces
The Unpredicted Alliance
- Atresa
- Draconfall
- Guild Hyperios
- Idiomar's Reformers
- Lyath'Or
- The Dwarven Confederacy
- The Mantle
- The Northern Tribes
- Torva'Ne
- Tribe of the Blot'a Valdr
- Tribe of the Sterkr Veiði
Led by
Strength
~600 Mercenaries
~15000 Gir'An Raiders
~300 Dark Beasts (Allegedly)
~4 War Mammoths (Allegedly)
~3 Airships
~600 Drow Dark Guard
~2500 Dwarven Soldiers
~300 Crusaders
~200 Norsemen
~50 Werewolves (Allegedly)
~1 Dragon (Allegedly)
Casualties
All forces were either killed or captured during the battle itself, or in the aftermath.
~500 combined military casualties
Objectives
Unclear.
Kill the Half-Orc Warlock
