War of the Woods - Turn 4 Aftermath

A foul stench surrounds the once green city of Avelorn. The choking smell has wilted the nearby fauna, reducing the place to put a husk of its former self. The city was surrounded by a great rising wall of bramble, the Crown of Thorns. This was enough to deter any fighting army. but the dead have no care for such defenses. The alliance members evacuated and retreated as many as they could into its thorned walls, in hopes of staving off the invasion of death.
Some of the farmlands and villages that occupy the woodlands surrounding Avelorn had already felt a chilled touch as legions of undead horrors crept across, stealing the lives and souls of those that could not get away quick enough. The alliance held off to evacuate these people as best they could, but were eventually overrun. Straszyc the Hunter had wandered here in hopes of finding his quarry and would send his haunts tearing through the city if he had to.
The dead reached the thorny walls quickly and begin assailing the besieged city. Bridged chokepoints became desperate battlegrounds as the defenders attempted diminish the advantage of numbers. Duardin defenders shouted out loudly as their shields met with armoured bone, "Strike Shank, Strike Shank!" They push the gaunt skeletons off the bridge and into the rivers below, but as each fell, several more would rush to take its place. The rumble of stamping feet heralded the entrance of voluntary halfling militia forces, using whatever instruments the could find to combat the creeping masses of death. While looking not combat ready, they prove themselves at least helpful in bolstering the numbers of the defending forces. Those more armed, took up vantage points to fire pellets down on the siegers and holding a banner high up to raise the morale of those around them.
The hordes of dead soon clamber over the thorned walls of the city, hundreds of skeletons and zombies impale themselves to create a gore drenched flesh and bone bridge for others to climb and walk over. But as they enter the city itself, they are trampled and fired upon by blazing pistoliers. As the swarms of undead fall ceaselessly, a warband of chaos warriors march over the fallen corpses, lead by a bounding daemon prince who jumps into the city and begins cutting down defenders as they scatter before him.
To meet such formidable foes, a party of stormcast rush to meet them in glorious melee. But as the battle ensues, the twisted delusion surrounding them begins to fade away. Praetors with their shining halberds and brilliant sigmarite armour, give way to snarling fangs and leathery hides.
Ellania and Ellathor move together in syncronous steps, weaving and swinging, parrying and dodging, and with each maneuver that they do, several more of the undead horde falls. Yet despite their nearly seemingly effortless grace, the enemy numbers never seem to dwindle. The alliance army musters together every man they can spare, even enlisting the aid of a khornate warband. But even with the might of these berserk killers, the odds seem insurmountable.
Resting high upon the corpses of hundreds, the vampire lords watch in cold satisfaction as their mindless servants swarm across the city; a sea of screams piercing the stark night air. But rushing through a the field of death, a Knight Questor cuts deep with his small hunting party of loyal gryph hounds, "face me fiends and know honorable death at the end of my blade!" His battle cry and challenge falls on deaf ears as the vampire lords see past his delusion, the insane belief of a crazed ghoul king.
One of the vampire lords move to meet this foe, amused by his derangement, but before the bout even begins, a barrage of silver tipped bolts tears through the undead commanders, sending them reeling. Ohrorha Benedicta and Cadmael Quinn launch their sneak attack from a nearby building. Holy stakes are launched at high velocity, impaling another vampire where he stands and burning through him with purifying holy power.
The remaining nightstalkers close in on the mortals, dodging past bolts and stakes with uncanny skill. Blades lock against gun stocks and crossbow and it looked as if the brave vampire hunters would be overwhelmed. But between parrying vampiric blades, Cadmael pulls out something from his satchel; a large flask with nearly mercurial liquid that shimmered in the pale moon light. He smashes it upon the ground and a purifying wave pushed out as if the voice of Sigmar became manifest.
The surrounding vampires felt their souls burn as if held aloft and rebuked by the brightest of Hyshian suns. Their strength sapped from them, the vampire hunters were quick to give their coup de grace; a silvered stake hammered through the heart with vengeful force. As the last of the vampire lords fell, the undead hordes slowed in their advances. Freed from their servitude, they became aimless and lethargic. Cadmael smiled briefly but his grim demeanor returned quickly; the night was still young, and there was still many more undead to slay before dawnbreak.
Alliance and Warherd Victory; Avelorn safe.
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The night air was heavy with the smell of death, yet warm like a fresh breath of new life. The crystalline enigma floating aloft in the Valencourt courtyard pulsed with a magic that seemed unnatural even the the supernatural vampires. It exuded death magic like a native material from Shyish, yet it pulsed with life like a great beast from Ghyran or Ghurr. Whatever this power was, it was abhorrent to the vampires, perhaps because they too teetered on the edge of living and dead.
Natalya, hailing from the Kingdom of Camlaan has spent days in preparation for the ritual ahead. Her servants had marked out the territories held by Lady Valencourt and the necessary magic circles had been made for miles around. All that was left was to harness the power of the relic and wait. Her ability to manipulate both life and death magic has helped to stabilize the artefact, but with the final incantations nearing, she could feel the trembling of the ground announcing the approach of the enemy forces.
Tharlog Will Speaker holds his banner high to lead the march of the warherds and the allied forces of Avelorn. He had every intent to lead the great herd mother's forces to victory against the treacherous vampires. Other shamans and beast lords had joined the cause, rallied by the great mother's calling or by their own ambitious will. The artefact radiated with a strong aura of magic, and it had attracted many who would seek to control it, especially those under the service of Tzeentch.
Hrolf too marched towards the castle, though not nearly as quickly as he did previously given the injury he had sustained. Many had suggested that he rest and heal up, but a chance to settle his personal score proved more than enough motivation to keep the hot headed duardin moving. Inigo's incarcerants moved alongside him, lead by Istarian Havard. The battle mage has had his fair share of encounters with the undead and he could not let them proceed with whatever this magical conjuring was.
As the attackers drew close, they began to pick up their pace but were quickly slowed down again as threats emerg from all around them. Skeletons began to rise from the ground and pour from hidden mausoleums, summoned by their vampiric masters high within the castle. Several of the castle gates open to let loose black knights and blood knights onto the battlefield, ready to trample any foolish mortal underfoot. But they are met not by mortal fighters but with shrieking gheists and haunts. From across the Strangleweed sea, the Templars of the Umberspire Inquisition arrive by fleets of ghost ships wailing alongside the crashing sea waves.
An explosion crumbles a section of the castle wall, exposing an entry point for the mortal attackers. Siegfried Von Uerksdale directed the aethertank opening volley and the alliance forces soon began a massed sprint towards the castle until great shadows overhead gave them pause. A gout of purple shyishian flame consumes several retinues of soldiers as a zombie dragon swoops down to devour several more. King Arcturus cut down the foes around him as a great daemon prince crashes to the ground to also begin a merciless rampage. The daemon's wings buffet the enemy forces with such strength that soldiers and horses are pushed back. With these two great foes, the entire assault was ground to a halt. It was then that the alliance forces unleashed the warhydra that they had bought from the corsair slavers, hoping that the monstrous creature would turn the tide of battle.
-----
Within the courtyard, Natalya's ritual was nearing completion and she let out a sigh of relief. A great skeletal knight stood watch over her, his vigilance unwavering. "Thank you Sir Steiger for staying with me, I feel very safe with you near," she announced, as if trying to draw conversation from the silent wight king. Steiger could feel the rumble of combat near but would not stray from his duty. He quickly extends his kite shield to deflect an unseen strike, using his skeletal mount to block the assailant and the little necromancer.
High Bailiff Kemlek fades into view, his rusted blade still reverberating from the deflection. His hollow hood seemed to call out a familiar name in a whisper but Steiger ignored it all the same as he pushed his mount forwards to force the haunt away. A flaming bolt darts out towards Natalya but she disspells it with a quick gesture before returning to her ritual. Istarian emerges from a fiery blink-rift, seeing the need to bypass the fighting outside he risks his own life to enter alone. Several skeletons erupt from the ground to bar his path but he rebukes them with a blast of magical force as Xavier Valencourt emerges from the shadow. Moving with vampiric celerity, he closes in on the battlemage only to be pushed back by the arcing scythe of Hrolf. "Did you think you could do this on your own Havard? Let's finish what I started, ja?"
The courtyard quickly became a dueling ground between combatants. Steiger urged his mount forwards to charge at the whirling Bailliff, while sparks flash between Hrolf and Xavier. A barrage of spells are flung between the necromancer and battlemage, with quick disspells and counter spells to keep each other in check. But with each passing moment, the magic energies in the air begin to flux more and more intensely as the ritual nears completion. "Oh this is very exciting!" Natalya announces, "you'll all be able to feel the final result and come with us!"
A necrotic bolt of energy launches from her hands towards Istarian and with a split second decision, the mage marks a casting circle beneath him as the death magic strikes him, tearing his life force from his body. He stamps his staff onto the ground as the runes begin to glow. Natalya prepares to counter the spell aimed at her but none materialize. However, a low rumble shakes the ground as the crystal is engulfed in a rising wall of flames just as the ritual reaches its pinnacle.
A devouring darkness emits from the crystal and reality splits for a brief moment as everything is pulled within. Earth, air and even light are consumed within this one point and as if swallowed by a god, the castle and everything surrounding it ceases to exist.
-----
Hrolf vomited violently upon the beach, a familiar but still unpleasant sensation wracking his tired and injured body. Istarian too felt sick to his stomach, but held his composure, mostly because his body was too weak to vomit. The necromantic energies had sapped away at his life, leaving him weakened not only in body but in his soul. Breccan Niallson, the Last Truthsayer of Albion had his back towards the pair, looking on to where the castle once stood; where reality was breached. High Bailliff Kemlek drifted towards the strange anomaly. A gaping void lies in place of the castle with a floating black orb in the distance like a dark unblinking eye. "Err uh, does this mean we've won?" Hrolf manages to ask between gasping breaths, as a great cheer roars from behind them. The last of the vampiric forces in the field were being dispatched, retreating or flying away and with no castle in sight, it truly felt that the threat of the Coalition of Blood was finally vanquished.
------
Xavier tore off his helm to vomit blood upon the ground. A great roar of disgust echoed from another part of the castle; it was likely that Lady Valencourt (and possibly many others) were also feeling the same way. Steiger sat upon his mount silently as ever, perhaps even thankful that he lacked a digestive system, but his mind was more puzzled by what had transpired. "Oh Lord Xavier, I hope you are alright. Void travel is a bit harsh the first few times, it happens to the best of us," Natalya tries to comfort the incapacitated vampire lord but having no consideration for his pride. Above them, the dark moon hovers in the night sky almost oppressively close to the ground; bathing the lands in an ever present dusk. "Take some time to compose yourself, we're safe here in the Kingdom of Camlaan."

The Conflict

Outcome

With the vampiric threat seemingly gone, the Warherds and Alliance begin to part ways, mostly. Though some animosity still remained, their make shift alliance had strengthened in the face of the vampiric threat. They fought bravely alongside and even aided each other in their time of need. They saw no further need for conflict at the present time; both sides had suffered greatly and to continue the war would only mean their own demise.

Aftermath

Doomshank Port had become the solidifying ground of their bond. The warherds took back many areas of the settlement, raising their great tents, totems and encampments once more. While most of the alliance left the port, some stayed behind to rebuild, finding new roots and allies here where many fought valiantly and died bravely. As Mara and her aelves left for Avelorn, Sgt Baltus remained behind to oversee the reconstruction of parts of the port and also to maintain communcations with the beastmen, having gained respect from both sides of the war through his diplomatic ability and battle experience.
Avelorn was damaged extensively in the siege but as Mara and her followers returned repairs went underway quickly and with renewed sense of pride. Perhaps this wasn't the doom that Mara had envisioned previously, but she guided her people through it nonetheless.
The great mother retreated back into her forest of eyes, her followers guarding her vigilantly. The herds had taken a great toll in this prolonged war and it was time to recuperate for now until her visions stir once more with the instinct to call her children together once again.
The vampires of Valencourt and Lord Konrad find themselves within new territories with new threats looming. Having accepted a seat at the round table court of King Arcturus, they look towards expanding their hold in the future, already eyeing a rising threat on their borders.

Included under Conflict

War of the Woods Campaign Overview

Conflict Type

Military Campaign

Battlefield Type

Land

Maps

• 

  War of the Woods

Belligerents

Coalition of Blood

• Carpe Noctem
• Family of Valencourt

Led by

• Arcturus Feldragon - Vampire Lord, King of Camlaan
• Emmanuelle Valencourt - Lady of the Coven Throne
• Katalina Valencourt - Vengorian Lord, Lady of Terror
• Konrad Ashe - Vampire Lord, Castellan of Riverwatch
• Natalya - Necromancer, Forgemaster of Camlaan
• Persephone Valencourt - Vampire Lord, The Fatal Beauty
• Steiger - Wight King, The Silent Knight
• Straszyc - Knight of Shrouds
• Xavier Valencourt - Vampire Lord, The Demounted

Strength

5034 Zombies
2024 Skeletons
245 Dire wolves
134 Vargheists
340 Blood Knights
43 Vampire Lords

Casualties

5034 Zombies
2024 Skeletons
213 Dire Wolves
110 Vargheists
115 Blood Knights
15 Vampire Lords

Objectives

Destruction of Avelorn
Defence of Valencourt Castle

Avelorn Alliance

• Aelves and Sylvaneth of Avelorn
• The Stormcast of Harmonia

Led by

• Alinar of Taer Ghyran - Nomad Prince
• Feinour - Nomad Prince, Avelorn's Sorrow
• Hjrolf Strike-Shank - Hero of Riverwatch, The Disruptor
• Kade Stormfury - Lord Celestant, The Tempest of Ruin
• Mara - Spellweaver, Oracle of Avelorn
• Vanna - Lord of Khorne, The Lord Hunter

Strength

2468 Aelfs
1165 Duardin
1508 Humans
245 Stormcast Eternals
45 "Stormcast Eternals"

Casualties

575 Aelfs
243 Duardin
457 Humans
87 Stormcast Eternals
28 "Stormcast Eternals"

Objectives

Defence of Avelorn
Destruction of Valencourt Castle

The Warherds

• The Inquisition of Umberspire

Led by

• Gharatroz - Beastlord, the Beholder
• Inquisitor Sinestor - Knight of Shrouds
• Keeper Zindimir - Guardian of Souls
• Sheraka - Brayshaman, The All Seeing Mother

Strength

1408 Beastmen
345 Orruks
235 Ogors
263 Humans

Casualties

1109 Beastmen
184 Orruks
87 Ogors
125 Humans

Objectives

Destruction of Valencourt Castle