The First Host
The initial Host incursion was the most devastating of them all due to there being no precedent for it and how sudden it was. This brutal, desperate defense is referred to as the First Host.
As it was lumbering towards the border of the Black Forest, it was imperative the beast was stopped as soon as possible. To this end, the Circle rallied most of its patrols to intercept the creature, but even this was not enough to deter its advance and the fellowship suffered notable losses trying to stop it. The other fellowships were contacted for aid, and soon there were seekers from the Penitent Guard and Pilgrim's Watch joining the efforts to stop the hulking monster.
When these efforts were insufficient as well, the then Lord-Protector, Eleanora Ashford, announced a crusade and issued a call to all the forces the fellowships could afford to send. The defenders massed at the border of the forest and not long after, a sea of flesh and snapping jaws spilled forth, crashing against the defensive line as its revolting patriarch barreled through the treeline.
Its spawn, relentless and numerous, swarmed the defenders, threatening to overwhelm them with sheer numbers. The air was thick with the acrid stench of burning flesh as the defenders resorted to setting the ground ablaze to halt the waves of smaller hatelings. Yet, the fire did little more than delay the inevitable. The fellowships fought with everything at their disposal: sword and shield, flame and magic, faith and sheer will. Siege engines of the Telothian Legion were dragged to the forest’s edge to rain destruction upon the advancing hordes, and Arachnithan alchemists concocted volatile mixtures of their venom and other reagents to throw into the fray.
Even with these efforts, the creature's advance was inexorable, its bulk crushing seekers, legionnaires and Arachnitha alike as it bellowed its hideous cries that shook the morale of even the most stalwart defenders.
It was beginning to push into the Mourning Plateau, and the first of the warning fires were lit. Thankfully, the grotesque colossus seemed to be running out of steam and the rate at which it was birthing its vile progeny was slowing down.
Capitalizing on this, the lord-commander ordered the defenders to form a defensive blockade around the creature, finally halting its advance, though it yet lived.
A squire, overly excited by the prospect of victory, rushed in headlong to stab at the beast. One of its lashing appendages wrapped around the boy's waist, hoisting him in the air where the massive abomination intended to tear him apart. Eleanora was not about to let this happen and broke ranks to try and save the squire, and she did indeed manage to make the writhing tentacle of flesh relinquish its hold on the boy by hacking into it, but in doing so she was sprayed by the black, tar-like blood of the hateling.
The virulent ichor caused the stalwart woman to wail in utter agony as it cauterized her skin on contact and wormed its way into her veins. A group comprised of seekers from all four fellowships dragged the lord-commander back behind the defensive perimeter and left post-haste to deliver the gravely wounded Eleanora to the Everlasting Edifice. She would later perish before reaching this destination.
Having witnessed the horrific maiming of their beloved commander, the seekers flew into an indignant frenzy, their hatred burning twice as bright. Following the lead of the enraged knights, the legionnaires and clutchguards fell onto the exhausted goliath with fury unmatched, carving into its flesh and setting it alight. As it burned, it screeched pitifully, the last sounds the thrice-damned monster would ever produce.
The First Host had been repelled, at a cost far too great for celebration. It took the fellowships several years to recoup their losses, and they increased their recruitment efforts to be ready if the Black Forest would blight the land with more Hosts.
Onset
During routine patrols, seekers from all fellowships began to report encounters with small, fleshy hatelings that traveled in large packs. These encounters increased both in frequency and in scale, up to the point where a single patrol could barely handle a pack of these roaming monsters. At the height of this activity, a patrol of seekers from the Circle of Dawn encountered a massive hateling that was shedding these smaller creatures from its considerable mass.As it was lumbering towards the border of the Black Forest, it was imperative the beast was stopped as soon as possible. To this end, the Circle rallied most of its patrols to intercept the creature, but even this was not enough to deter its advance and the fellowship suffered notable losses trying to stop it. The other fellowships were contacted for aid, and soon there were seekers from the Penitent Guard and Pilgrim's Watch joining the efforts to stop the hulking monster.
When these efforts were insufficient as well, the then Lord-Protector, Eleanora Ashford, announced a crusade and issued a call to all the forces the fellowships could afford to send. The defenders massed at the border of the forest and not long after, a sea of flesh and snapping jaws spilled forth, crashing against the defensive line as its revolting patriarch barreled through the treeline.
Protracted Defense
What followed this initial wave was a grueling battle in which the seekers pushed back the great beast and were pushed back in turn, a see-saw struggle that lasted for over a month. The massive hateling demonstrated an uncanny resilience and an ability to regenerate at an alarming rate.Its spawn, relentless and numerous, swarmed the defenders, threatening to overwhelm them with sheer numbers. The air was thick with the acrid stench of burning flesh as the defenders resorted to setting the ground ablaze to halt the waves of smaller hatelings. Yet, the fire did little more than delay the inevitable. The fellowships fought with everything at their disposal: sword and shield, flame and magic, faith and sheer will. Siege engines of the Telothian Legion were dragged to the forest’s edge to rain destruction upon the advancing hordes, and Arachnithan alchemists concocted volatile mixtures of their venom and other reagents to throw into the fray.
Even with these efforts, the creature's advance was inexorable, its bulk crushing seekers, legionnaires and Arachnitha alike as it bellowed its hideous cries that shook the morale of even the most stalwart defenders.
It was beginning to push into the Mourning Plateau, and the first of the warning fires were lit. Thankfully, the grotesque colossus seemed to be running out of steam and the rate at which it was birthing its vile progeny was slowing down.
Capitalizing on this, the lord-commander ordered the defenders to form a defensive blockade around the creature, finally halting its advance, though it yet lived.
Upset and Victory
Having surrounded the monstrous hateling, the defenders received a boost in morale as it seemed like they were about to kill it through sheer attrition.A squire, overly excited by the prospect of victory, rushed in headlong to stab at the beast. One of its lashing appendages wrapped around the boy's waist, hoisting him in the air where the massive abomination intended to tear him apart. Eleanora was not about to let this happen and broke ranks to try and save the squire, and she did indeed manage to make the writhing tentacle of flesh relinquish its hold on the boy by hacking into it, but in doing so she was sprayed by the black, tar-like blood of the hateling.
The virulent ichor caused the stalwart woman to wail in utter agony as it cauterized her skin on contact and wormed its way into her veins. A group comprised of seekers from all four fellowships dragged the lord-commander back behind the defensive perimeter and left post-haste to deliver the gravely wounded Eleanora to the Everlasting Edifice. She would later perish before reaching this destination.
Having witnessed the horrific maiming of their beloved commander, the seekers flew into an indignant frenzy, their hatred burning twice as bright. Following the lead of the enraged knights, the legionnaires and clutchguards fell onto the exhausted goliath with fury unmatched, carving into its flesh and setting it alight. As it burned, it screeched pitifully, the last sounds the thrice-damned monster would ever produce.
The First Host had been repelled, at a cost far too great for celebration. It took the fellowships several years to recoup their losses, and they increased their recruitment efforts to be ready if the Black Forest would blight the land with more Hosts.
Direct hit! No effect on target!–Telothian siege-master after a volley of ballista bolts shattered upon the hide of the creature
Reload the ballistae!
Conflict Type
Battle
Battlefield Type
Land
Start Date
37 RE, 5th day of 2nd Rotation
Ending Date
37 RE, seventeenth day of 3rd Rotation
Conflict Result
Narrow defensive success
Location
Belligerents
Hatelings
Strength
5000+ seekers, with additional forces from the Telothian Legion and Arachnithan warriors from the Burrow-Home of Yng'zheb
One locus entity accompanied by an innumerable horde of spawn
Casualties
Approximately 1400 Seekers, an entire platoon of legionnaires, several Arachnithan Clutchguard units and Lord-Commander Eleanora Ashford
All deployed forces
Objectives
Defense of Nascindor
Breaching out of the Black Forest
by Midjourney
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