The Battle of White Wolf Valley (SC'19)
By the numbers, Winterhaven should have lost and been erased from the map.
By the numbers, Overwatch should have been able to continue their expansion across Ellara.
King Zannon Carter did not account for a group of adventurers that he long feared might return, and who did, to build so solid an army that they reversed the very history he was writing.
The city of Overwatch (formerly and again currently Overdale) had been planning for years to rid the west coast of Ellara of all non-human "heathen" races. What stood in their way was the city of Winterhaven, where all were welcome and many gathered for safety.
During the last decade King Carter saw to the development of an army of Warforged soldiers who combined with the human army vastly outnumbered any they thought would stand against them.
On the 28th day of Dulin, 1263, Overwatch's last troops moved into place at the gates of Winterhaven. What they did not expect however, was the assembled army who had been gathered from across the continent. Winterhaven was being protected by the Dwarves, the Elves of the Evergreen, the Dragonborn, the Drow, the Minotaur along with clerics from Aubrey, the White Ravens and the sentient Warforged who remained.
Lastly, The forces from the south did not expect a device would exist that would destroy nearly all of the Warforged from both sides, the Diara Si’eye that Malchus Grimnas had been given and used during that battle.
4 days later on the 3rd of Amada, 1263 the assembled army of Ellara would meet the remaining forces of Overwatch in White Wolf Valley within sight of Castle Overwatch.
The tables had been turned and Overwatch was now being marched upon. However, they had the field to prepare, the walls guarded with ballista and trebuchet as well as war mammoths and other surprises.
The battle was still going poorly for the attackers as wave after wave of defenses were brought against them. As a last ditch effort, the Dragonborn leader Karrik blew a horn he carried, summoning the great ancient red dragon Straad to aid them!
Straad, having been passive to most of the continent due to his deal with the Dragonborn was now unleashed. Fire rained upon the field devastating friend and foe, setting a portion of The Evergreen alight and heavily damaging the city. The fire and smoke could be seen as far away as Esterholt and further. Straad's attack lasted less than 30 minutes but thousands died and more fled the field before he was finally driven off by the heavy defenses.
Later that night, the city gates would be breached. King Carter would be soundly defeated, his body thrown from a broken window of his high tower. The invaders would set much of the city on fire in retribution but in the mayhem, Diana Astaroth would speak to the citizens and armies alike begging them to drop their weapons and begin a new time of peace for the region. Luckily for most, this worked and the violence ceased.
Several days later a new leader would be chosen. From the leaders of the assembled army, almost unanimously voted for Liara Bryos of the White Ravens to become Queen. She resisted at first but soon gave in. One of her first acts was to rename the city again, Overdale. Too much damage had been done under its former name to allow it to stand.
For nearly 3 years, Liara has worked diligently with Winterhaven and those who live in the surrounding areas to keep the peace, make amends and continue to improve life on Ellara.
