First War of the Reaches

The end of the Hastur Rebellions was a time of great celebration throughout the Reaches - the reign of terror by the sons of Hastur had ended. However, the men and women of the Reaches were hesitant and confused by the arrival of heroes missing for the last fifty years. Had they exchanged one set of despots for another? The orcs to the north and the Sandalese to the south were on the warpath. The defenses of the Reaches were tenuous at best - and, in some areas, in shambles. Who was to be trusted? Would the madness ever end?

The Events of 886 TA

The peoples of the Eastern and Western Reaches faced a long rebuilding after the rebellion and a long, harsh winter. Using some of the gold recovered from the retaking of Teufeldorf, King Fleetwood and King Goodfellow provided generous donations to the populace in the form of food, shelter, and clothing - while eliminating the repressive taxes of the previous decades.

Meanwhile, sensing the need for swift and overwhelming military action, the Crown mobilized the armies for a two-front war. The campaign season was dubbed Dwarven Thunder.

Orc Nation

Dwarves coming from the western slopes of the Shadowyarn Mountains swept north towards the Pass of Lar dispatching the defending orcs in early April 886 TA. In May 886 TA, they pushed through the pass and into the mostly-undefended western plains of the Orc Nation sacking the castle at Broken Wood. While a small orc army led by General Truk remained in the east, the dwarves were able to push through to the orcish capital of Dourmoor - successfully sieging it on the mid-summer solstice. As the dwarves headed south at the end of the campaign season, the orcish strongholds at Stonefist and Tanglewood were also sacked.

In August and September 886 TA, Middlefield was sieged and sacked by an army of goblins, black orcs, and carrion birds led by General Truk. In late September 886 TA, an army of elves, dwarves, and giant eagles led by William Markinghamshire routed the exhausted orcs in the Battle of Middlefield.

Southern Reaches

With advanced warning that the Tomb Kingdom and Sandal were marching on the city of Freeport, the knights of the Western Reaches moved south. These two armies met east of the Crossgate Castle in an epic battle with heavy casualties on both sides. The forces of evil retreated, and the knights pushed further south successfully sieging Whitehall Castle. An emergency mustering of undead carrion and Sandalese marauders finally stopped the southern advance of the knights.

The Events of 887 TA

The popularity of the Three Kings - which soared in 886 TA - turned into hardened respect in 887 TA. The First War of the Reaches was going well, but the financial strain on the coffers of the Crown required heavy taxes to be levied across the nations in 887 TA. Bolstered by the recovery of 240,000 gold pieces from a mysterious temple in the Loftwood by the Crown, a massive mustering of forces - including the first recorded mustering of the gnomes - marked the beginning of the miliary season - aptly named Dwarven Lightning. The trust of the people required a victorious campaign.

Middle Baronies

According to intercepted orcish reports, the focus of the southern attacks by the Tomb Kingdom forces led by Nightshade was the middle barony castle of Admunfort. From there, the attack would continue northeast to Dwarrowdelf.

An overwhelming army of elves and humans was mustered near Admunfort in response. Nightshade and the skeleton army sacked Lechlade Keep and Crossgate Castle on their way to Admunfort - handing King Fleetwood two devastating losses. After sacking the small village of Peppercorn, Nightshade's Army was ambushed by the superior forces of the elves and humans led by Lady Laura in the First Battle of Peppercorn. The battle was an overwhelming victory for the Army of the Reaches.

Overconfident, the Army of the Reaches split into two forces. One assigned to sack Whitehall in Sandal failed. The other, pursuing what they thought were the remnants of Nightshade's Army, were ambushed just south of in the Second Battle of Peppercorn. An overwhelming victory for the Tomb Kingdom. Both armies broken, the southern flank of the attack ended without further incident.

Orc Nation

In the west, the orc offensive failed to siege Rivershaw Castle in the early spring, and the army fell quickly to an advancing force of dwarves and elves marshaled from the south. Retreating, the orcs lost Broken Wood eventually retreating to Dourwood to hole up against an unsuccessful dwarven siege.

In the east, after some skirmishes with black orcs, the elves engaged the bulk of the orc and goblin army in the northern Haggelthorn Forest. In the decisive Battle of Hagglethorn Forest, the elves routed the orc army.

A plague in the Orc Nation was the final straw that pushed the nation into revolt. It is estimated that over 50% of able-bodied orc warriors were lost in 887 TA. The long-time ruler of the orcs, Gruumsh, was dethroned; the orc warbands disbanded their alliance; and the threat from the north ended.

The Events of 888 TA

Assassination plot against Vincent by Jillian Blackrose.

The Events of 889 TA

Sandalese army south from a teleport in the northern Loftwood. Oblivion freezing the Elven Soul Pool- keep from melting Teufeldorf burned while party in oblivion

The Events of 890 TA

summoning circles - peasents out, orcs in Baron's castle floating above T-Dorf