Mythodea / Crusade of the Elements Bleed for Small Victories

The Crusade of the Elements embarked on its quest for the Elements starting the end of winter this year.   Zweiwasser and Gorasia had been in talks months before their final gathering in Drachebrück where East Blackwood, Thoringaard, the Southern Seal and Hohenwacht agreed to support as well.  Since then, bloody battle after bloody battle has been fought, supply lines have been established and the field hospitals are full.

Establishing the North

As the Crusade of the Elements began, two fleets of ships said around the southern shores of Kahl'hatra in Mythodea meeting at the mouth of the Mother River before sailing up it to start the liberation. In the North, East Blackwood and the East Blackwood Company, with Thoringaard, established a supply base for the Crusade and Validar on an island at the confluence of river tributaries. These tributaries feed the Mother River whose waters merge into the wide flow that exits into the sea between Mythodea and the Southern Continent. This supply base has been aptly named, Fort Confluence.

A nearby Märkischer Bund Supply Camp as well as support from the Münzquell directly up river supplement Fort Confluence. The fort's defenses are continuously improving under the leadership of Master Djako Kaevh of the East Blackwood Company, and Captain Varn Delany of the Embassy Guard. By diplomatic agreement with the Realm of Roses, after the conclusion of the Crusade in Kahl'Hatra, the fort, and likely the small island, will be handed over to the Realm of Roses.

Meanwhile, Lord Sir Dagger of East Blackwood and Commander Anthem De'vigil, with the support of Tawar of the Thoringaard, maintain overall command of northern operations. To that effect, a military expedition was launched comprised of three unites of Embassy Guard and Mercenaries with one unit of Thoringaard to a village held by the Black Dynasty. The Crusaders were able to isolate a Black Dynasty unit at a river crossing destroying it while minimizing losses before moving up hill to a once abandoned Razash'Dai village.

Two units of Black Dynasty held the village. This gave the Crusaders an almost two to one advantage in numbers but the fight was uphill and the Black Ice knew the Settlers were coming. The flight was bloodier than expected. Two of the four Crusader unites were heavily damaged including several losses but by the end of the day, the village belonged to the Elements once again.

Painting by: @Hagen Tronje Gruetzmacher

Camp C at the Hill of Firs

Far enough north, the Hill of Firs, as the soldiers called it, was the only forward camp established that had unites from the majority of the major parties involved in the Crusade of the Elements. The initial garrison was a little over fifty men and women, most of them combatants. Early on scouts learned that there were Black Ice patrols in the region. As each scouting mission went out it seemed as though the Black Dynasty patrols were getting closer to Camp C at the Hill of Firs. In an effort to hide the location of Camp C from a potentially superior-enemy-fighting force, some of the Black Ice scouting parties were destroyed.

Slowly, however, Camp C was encircled after the defeat one of the counter scout parties. Distress messages were sent to up and down river asking for help at first and then begging for it as casualties mounted. Eventually, uncertain if reinforcements would arrive on time, the remaining leadership at Camp C, Embassy Guard Captains Varn Delany and Lordas Palatinus ordered a breakout mission. The breakout attempt was stopped on a pass through the dying forest of Firs by two units of Black Ice. The arrival of Kaela the Storm of the Feste, the Feste der Vielfalt, the Southern Seal and others from the North, West and beyond arrived a Camp C in time to save the struggling garrison remnant. The rescue mission was a success but the added to the casualty count.

A Skargen warband was also in the region escorting a treasonous Ice Witch. The Ice Witch had made a pact with the Black Ice and was using its power for personal gain. She appeared to have a strong hatred for everything Ignis and worked to find something called the Flower of the Moring which she later acquired. The Crusaders and Settlers were not able to prevent the Ice Witch from acquiring the Flower of the Morning but they were able to stop the Black Dynasty from further destroying the land. 

After two-day long struggle between the Crusaders, Settlers and the Black Dynasty control of the lines of power were in the hands of the Elements and the land could begin to heal. After, further reinforcements arrived from Lords Dagger and Varek, the emergency aid returned to other campaigns and the South to Benedikt's landing leaving the Duchy of Validar to regarrison Camp C and continue its fortification. The location appears to be a hub for energy within the region and thus should be protected.

Paintings by: @Hagen Tronje Gruetzmacher

The Beachhead

A few days south of Camp C at the Hill of Firs, Zweiwasser and Gorasia fought a bloody and long battle to secure a beachhead. Under the combined command of Lord Varek and Lord Tarin, with guidance from Sir Balor, victory was claimed. The brutality of conflicts at the Beachhead was second to only that of Camp C. Victory may have been earned but at great costs. These wounds will take time to heal. Many souls were lost in the heavy fighting. Many of the injured had to be sent to the Märkischer Bund field hospital across the Mother River due to the field hospitals within that region of Kahl'hatra being overcapacity. In spite of the high casualty count, Lord Varek managed to muster a unit of Drachengarde and head north to Camp C to help with its reinforcement.

Images by: @Hagen Tronje Gruetzmacher

Benedikt's Landing

The first force of the Crusade of the Elements to land in strength within Kahl'Hatra, was Hohenwacht led by Ser Benedikt.  Ser Benedikt established a forward camp while East Blackwood established the supply base just north of Kahl'Hatra.  The region would later be reinforced by the Southern Seal led by Archon Erestus of the South.

The State of the War

At present, the initial hard fought victories have gained a foothold within eastern Kahl'hatra. Fort Confluence is firmly established and being supported by the Münzquell and Märkischer Bund. East Blackwood is currently restoring the abandoned Razash'Dai village in the north for use as a forward supply base. Camp C is once again garrisoned while both the Beachhead and Benedikt's Landing are being turned into permanent camps. The focus is currently on securing the areas currently held by the Crusade.