Mithril and rope - Revision history

GuiltyConscience: /* Katabat */

2026-07-14T12:01:03Z

Katabat

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:01, 14 July 2026
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	Not so the Katabat. ''This'' navy is composed entirely of custom-made warships rather than being drawn from the vessels of the Grendel families. They share a common design, combining the practicality and speed of Grendel ships with the smooth lines and slightly archaic look of Asavean battleships. Each ship is clearly well armoured, manoeuvrable, and crewed by disciplined mariners. This would be cause for concern even if not for the ''other'' features they have in common.		Not so the Katabat. ''This'' navy is composed entirely of custom-made warships rather than being drawn from the vessels of the Grendel families. They share a common design, combining the practicality and speed of Grendel ships with the smooth lines and slightly archaic look of Asavean battleships. Each ship is clearly well armoured, manoeuvrable, and crewed by disciplined mariners. This would be cause for concern even if not for the ''other'' features they have in common.

	The sails of every ship in the Katabat is embroidered with designs that show the unmistakable sheen of mithril. It isn't uncommon for Grendel ships to have decorated sails of course, but it is the nature of the designs that causes some scouts - Urizeni in particular - to take note. Normally Grendel iconography is inspired by the sea and its creatures, but in this case the sails each bear the image of one of the [[constellations]] familiar to Imperial astronomancers. Most common are [[the Oak]], [[the Great Wyrm]], and [[the Stork]] but all the others are represented, with the notable exception of the red eye of [[the Wanderer]]. Each warship also bears ~~has~~ a figurehead carved in the image of a sea serpent or perhaps a dragon, in the jaws of which burns a large polished [[Technology#Lightstones\|lightstone]] of obvious purity. An Urizeni lightstone.		The sails of every ship in the Katabat is embroidered with designs that show the unmistakable sheen of mithril. It isn't uncommon for Grendel ships to have decorated sails of course, but it is the nature of the designs that causes some scouts - Urizeni in particular - to take note. Normally Grendel iconography is inspired by the sea and its creatures, but in this case the sails each bear the image of one of the [[constellations]] familiar to Imperial astronomancers. Most common are [[the Oak]], [[the Great Wyrm]], and [[the Stork]] but all the others are represented, with the notable exception of the red eye of [[the Wanderer]]. Each warship also bears a figurehead carved in the image of a sea serpent or perhaps a dragon, in the jaws of which burns a large polished [[Technology#Lightstones\|lightstone]] of obvious purity. An Urizeni lightstone.

	It is too early to guess at the exact capabilities of the Katabat, but it seems clear that this represents something new. Not just in the cooperation between the Grendel and the Asaveans, either. It is too early to be sure, but there is a great deal of concern that this new navy has in some way drawn inspiration - and power - from the magical resources [[Blood-red_blooms#Grendel_Opportunities\|stolen from Redoubt]] during the recent invasion.		It is too early to guess at the exact capabilities of the Katabat, but it seems clear that this represents something new. Not just in the cooperation between the Grendel and the Asaveans, either. It is too early to be sure, but there is a great deal of concern that this new navy has in some way drawn inspiration - and power - from the magical resources [[Blood-red_blooms#Grendel_Opportunities\|stolen from Redoubt]] during the recent invasion.

GuiltyConscience: /* Ebb and Flow */

2026-07-14T11:50:31Z

Ebb and Flow

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:50, 14 July 2026
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	At the same time the Autumn heralds of the [[Argent Sword]] and the [[Wolves of War]] go on the offensive. Both armies seek to [[Army_qualities#Foraging\|steal back]] the wealth of Mareave from the Grendel, and perhaps supplement their gains with a few treasures of the Broken Shore in the process. The Argent Sword need no additional impetus to focus on relieving their enemies of their possessions, and the Wolves have bolstered their number with hard-bitten mercenaries more enthusiastic about the opportunity for further profit than for high-minded ideals of protecting the Empire.		At the same time the Autumn heralds of the [[Argent Sword]] and the [[Wolves of War]] go on the offensive. Both armies seek to [[Army_qualities#Foraging\|steal back]] the wealth of Mareave from the Grendel, and perhaps supplement their gains with a few treasures of the Broken Shore in the process. The Argent Sword need no additional impetus to focus on relieving their enemies of their possessions, and the Wolves have bolstered their number with hard-bitten mercenaries more enthusiastic about the opportunity for further profit than for high-minded ideals of protecting the Empire.
	{{CaptionedImage\|file=shark.png\|align=right\|width=400\|}}		{{CaptionedImage\|file=shark.png\|align=right\|width=400\|}}
	The Broken Shore assault has lost none of its momentum. They continue to build on their successes last season, keeping up the pressure on the Imperial defence. All the magical warriors in Mareave are not enough to do more than blunt their attack, to slow their advance. Last season it was the Black Eels and the Brine Turtles in the vanguard; this season they have fallen back a little an a new force leads the way forward. The ''Storm Sharks'' were mustered in the wake of the [[382YE_Spring_Equinox_winds_of_war#Leviathan_Wakes_(Spiral)\|disastrous loss]] at ''Solen's Doubt''. Their banners bear the image of the shark-and-thunderbolt, and their mien is very different to that of the typical Grendel army. They are violent, aggressive, savage, and concerned only with crushing their enemies. Time and again they assault Imperial positions, seeking to break them through sheer force of will and an unflagging resolve to kill as many of their opponents as possible. They pay in blood for their reckless audacity, but they also win as often as they lose and with their strength at the fore, the rest of the Grendel attackers follow suit.		The Broken Shore assault has lost none of its momentum. They continue to build on their successes last season, keeping up the pressure on the Imperial defence. All the magical warriors in Mareave are not enough to do more than blunt their attack, to slow their advance. Last season it was the Black Eels and the Brine Turtles in the vanguard; this season they have fallen back a little and a new force leads the way forward. The ''Storm Sharks'' were mustered in the wake of the [[382YE_Spring_Equinox_winds_of_war#Leviathan_Wakes_(Spiral)\|disastrous loss]] at ''Solen's Doubt''. Their banners bear the image of the shark-and-thunderbolt, and their mien is very different to that of the typical Grendel army. They are violent, aggressive, savage, and concerned only with crushing their enemies. Time and again they assault Imperial positions, seeking to break them through sheer force of will and an unflagging resolve to kill as many of their opponents as possible. They pay in blood for their reckless audacity, but they also win as often as they lose and with their strength at the fore, the rest of the Grendel attackers follow suit.

	At first it seems the Grendel, led by the Storm Shark assault, will push the defenders back but they have reckoned without quite so many heralds of Summer and Autumn. The [[Clarity of the Master Strategist\|supernatural clarity]] helps the Imperial commanders to coordinate the disparate groups of defenders, to deploy them where their strengths will be most apparent and their weaknesses protected. The headlong rush to battle of the Storm Sharks is blunted by savvy tactics. While the Anvil of the Summer Storm and the Towerjacks contains the Grendel advance, the opportunistic aggression of the Argent Sword and the Wolves of War begins to turn the invasion back.		At first it seems the Grendel, led by the Storm Shark assault, will push the defenders back but they have reckoned without quite so many heralds of Summer and Autumn. The [[Clarity of the Master Strategist\|supernatural clarity]] helps the Imperial commanders to coordinate the disparate groups of defenders, to deploy them where their strengths will be most apparent and their weaknesses protected. The headlong rush to battle of the Storm Sharks is blunted by savvy tactics. While the Anvil of the Summer Storm and the Towerjacks contains the Grendel advance, the opportunistic aggression of the Argent Sword and the Wolves of War begins to turn the invasion back.
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	<quote by="Jaimtar Gat, General of the Bone Nautilus">The Salt Lords give license to take as we will. We must not squander it. Fundindelve is the prize, but never forget that any Imperial soldier can be a valuable prize. Loot or ransom, what is theirs will be ours!</quote>		<quote by="Jaimtar Gat, General of the Bone Nautilus">The Salt Lords give license to take as we will. We must not squander it. Fundindelve is the prize, but never forget that any Imperial soldier can be a valuable prize. Loot or ransom, what is theirs will be ours!</quote>
	</div>		</div>

	==The Great Fundindelve Heist==		==The Great Fundindelve Heist==
	As invaders and defenders clash across central Clisearn, the Black Eels and the Bone Nautilus make their move. While perhaps half the warriors of the two septs aid their fellows in the fight against the Empire, their leaders take advantage of the "distraction" to put into operation plans of their own (and it would perhaps be news to the Salt Lords that this vital struggle is seen as a "distraction" by two of their septs). A sizable cohort made up of the canniest warriors from the two armies skirts the eastern mountains along the edge of Skoura, avoiding the main engagement, moving as quickly and stealthily as some four thousand warriors can manage. The Black Eels and the Bone Nautilus are composed of warriors from the inland septs, so they are no strangers to the wild and rugged terrain of the Broken Shore. Nor are they alone; alongside them come around three thousand Hamsin, an army with a very different tenor to the rough warriors of the Eels and the Nautilus. This is a ''Grendel'' army, one that bucks the traditions of that powerful sept by choosing to fight on land rather than at sea. Youthful, ambitious, and audacious they have used their influence to recruit talented raiders, orcs and humans experienced at stealing the treasures of the Empire, and scouts familiar with southern Mareave. Together, they plan to raid the Fundindelve.		As invaders and defenders clash across central Clisearn, the Black Eels and the Bone Nautilus make their move. While perhaps half the warriors of the two septs aid their fellows in the fight against the Empire, their leaders take advantage of the "distraction" to put into operation plans of their own (and it would perhaps be news to the Salt Lords that this vital struggle is seen as a "distraction" by two of their septs). A sizable cohort made up of the canniest warriors from the two armies skirts the eastern mountains along the edge of Skoura, avoiding the main engagement, moving as quickly and stealthily as some four thousand warriors can manage. The Black Eels and the Bone Nautilus are composed of warriors from the inland septs, so they are no strangers to the wild and rugged terrain of the Broken Shore. Nor are they alone; alongside them come around three thousand Hamsin, an army with a very different tenor to the rough warriors of the Eels and the Nautilus. This is a ''Grendel'' army, one that bucks the traditions of that powerful sept by choosing to fight on land rather than at sea. Youthful, ambitious, and audacious they have used their influence to recruit talented raiders, orcs and humans experienced at stealing the treasures of the Empire, and scouts familiar with southern Mareave. Together, they plan to raid the Fundindelve.

GuiltyConscience: /* After Spring */

2026-07-14T11:43:23Z

After Spring

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:43, 14 July 2026
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	<div style="float:left; width: 500px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage\|file=Grendel and Warbeast.jpg\|caption=The Salt Lords continue to pursue their ambition of regaining control of Mareave.\|align=left\|width=500}}</div>		<div style="float:left; width: 500px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage\|file=Grendel and Warbeast.jpg\|caption=The Salt Lords continue to pursue their ambition of regaining control of Mareave.\|align=left\|width=500}}</div>
	==After Spring==		==After Spring==
	In the days following the Spring Equinox, [[Frozen Citadel of Cathan Canae\|fortifications]] bloom across Mareave like flowers after the rain. In [[Mareave#Icarion\|Icarion]], a tower of white marble and blue ice garrisoned by pale-eyed elfin warriors in chain and silk. Over [[Mareave#Nadir\|Nadir]], a keep of ice with six cruel iron minarets from which squat hirsute archers scan the hills. Yet both are dwarfed by the citadel that rises in southern [[Mareave#Clisearn\|Clisearn]]. ''Iskander's Donjon'', a boon granted by the [[Cathan Canae\|Queen of Ice and Darkness]] and [[Wide_azure_skies#Objective:_Summon_Iskanders_Donjon\|called forth]] from the [[regio]] at the ''Ohwinn Scour'' on the battlefields of Mareave. The Donjon is a massive monolithic castle of adamant, with a grand gatehouse from which the [[inhabitants of the realms#heralds\|heralds]] of the ''Breath of Winter'' issue forth to aid the defence of the Unshackled territory. These mighty warriors, sheathed in heavy armour that conceals their features from the Imperial soldiers they fight alongside bear massive iron tower-shields marked with a sigil of blue flame. When they battle the invading Grendel, the runes worked into their armour ignite surrounding them in a flickering aura of blue-white fire that cows their enemies and adds weight to their dreadful blows. All told, the three magical fortresses bring with them nearly two entire armies of supernatural warriors drawn from the frigid realm of the ''Immovable One'', to fight alongside the Imperial Orcs defend their lands against the Grendel.		In the days following the Spring Equinox, [[Frozen Citadel of Cathan Canae\|fortifications]] bloom across Mareave like flowers after the rain. In [[Mareave#Icarion\|Icarion]], a tower of white marble and blue ice garrisoned by pale-eyed elfin warriors in chain and silk. Over [[Mareave#Nadir\|Nadir]], a keep of ice with six cruel iron minarets from which squat hirsute archers scan the hills. Yet both are dwarfed by the citadel that rises in southern [[Mareave#Clisearn\|Clisearn]]. ''Iskander's Donjon'', a boon granted by the [[Cathan Canae\|Queen of Ice and Darkness]] and [[Wide_azure_skies#Objective:_Summon_Iskanders_Donjon\|called forth]] from the [[regio]] at the ''Ohwinn Scour'' on the battlefields of Mareave. The Donjon is a massive monolithic castle of adamant, with a grand gatehouse from which the [[inhabitants of the realms#heralds\|heralds]] of the ''Breath of Winter'' issue forth to aid the defence of the Unshackled territory. These mighty warriors, sheathed in heavy armour that conceals their features from the Imperial soldiers they fight alongside bear massive iron tower-shields marked with a sigil of blue flame. When they battle the invading Grendel, the runes worked into their armour ignite surrounding them in a flickering aura of blue-white fire that cows their enemies and adds weight to their dreadful blows. All told, the three magical fortresses bring with them nearly two entire armies of supernatural warriors drawn from the frigid realm of the ''Immovable One'', to fight alongside the Imperial Orcs and defend their lands against the Grendel.
	<div style="float:right; width: 250px; clear: right;">[[file:CathCane002.webp\|align=right\|width=250]]</div>		<div style="float:right; width: 250px; clear: right;">[[file:CathCane002.webp\|align=right\|width=250]]</div>
	And fight they do. The [[Winter Sun]] may have withdrawn to [[Zenith]] along with the [[Seventh Wave]], but in their place come the [[Summer Storm]]. The presence of an Unshackled army is paramount; without it the promise given to the eternal of the [[Realms#Summer\|Summer realm]] at Ohwinn Scour would be broken, and her aid forfeit. The Summer Storm do not march alone, though. Down through madness-haunted [[Spiral]] alongside them come the [[Towerjacks]], the [[Wolves of War]], and the [[Argent Sword]]. [[The League]] and [[Urizen]] have their own reasons, perhaps, for ensuring the Grendel attention remains focused in southern Mareave and not in [[Spiral]] or [[Redoubt]].		And fight they do. The [[Winter Sun]] may have withdrawn to [[Zenith]] along with the [[Seventh Wave]], but in their place come the [[Summer Storm]]. The presence of an Unshackled army is paramount; without it the promise given to the eternal of the [[Realms#Summer\|Summer realm]] at Ohwinn Scour would be broken, and her aid forfeit. The Summer Storm do not march alone, though. Down through madness-haunted [[Spiral]] alongside them come the [[Towerjacks]], the [[Wolves of War]], and the [[Argent Sword]]. [[The League]] and [[Urizen]] have their own reasons, perhaps, for ensuring the Grendel attention remains focused in southern Mareave and not in [[Spiral]] or [[Redoubt]].

GuiltyConscience: /* After Spring */

2026-07-14T11:42:26Z

After Spring

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:42, 14 July 2026
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	<div style="float:left; width: 500px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage\|file=Grendel and Warbeast.jpg\|caption=The Salt Lords continue to pursue their ambition of regaining control of Mareave.\|align=left\|width=500}}</div>		<div style="float:left; width: 500px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage\|file=Grendel and Warbeast.jpg\|caption=The Salt Lords continue to pursue their ambition of regaining control of Mareave.\|align=left\|width=500}}</div>
	==After Spring==		==After Spring==
	In the days following the Spring Equinox, [[Frozen Citadel of Cathan Canae\|fortifications]] bloom across Mareave like flowers after the rain. In [[Mareave#Icarion\|Icarion]], a tower of white marble and blue ice garrisoned by pale-eyed elfin warriors in chain and silk. Over [[Mareave#Nadir\|Nadir]], a keep of ice with six cruel iron minarets from which squat hirsute archers scan the hills. Yet both are dwarfed by the citadel that rises in southern [[Mareave#Clisearn\|Clisearn]]. ''Iskander's Donjon'', a boon granted by the [[Cathan Canae\|Queen of Ice and Darkness]] and [[Wide_azure_skies#Objective:_Summon_Iskanders_Donjon\|called forth]] from the [[regio]] at the ''Ohwinn Scour''. on the battlefields of Mareave. The Donjon is a massive monolithic castle of adamant, with a grand gatehouse from which the [[inhabitants of the realms#heralds\|heralds]] of the ''Breath of Winter'' issue forth to aid the defence of the Unshackled territory. These mighty warriors, sheathed in heavy armour that conceals their features from the Imperial soldiers they fight alongside bear massive iron tower-shields marked with a sigil of blue flame. When they battle the invading Grendel, the runes worked into their armour ignite surrounding them in a flickering aura of blue-white fire that cows their enemies and adds weight to their dreadful blows. All told, the three magical fortresses bring with them nearly two entire armies of supernatural warriors drawn from the frigid realm of the ''Immovable One'', to fight alongside the Imperial Orcs defend their lands against the Grendel.		In the days following the Spring Equinox, [[Frozen Citadel of Cathan Canae\|fortifications]] bloom across Mareave like flowers after the rain. In [[Mareave#Icarion\|Icarion]], a tower of white marble and blue ice garrisoned by pale-eyed elfin warriors in chain and silk. Over [[Mareave#Nadir\|Nadir]], a keep of ice with six cruel iron minarets from which squat hirsute archers scan the hills. Yet both are dwarfed by the citadel that rises in southern [[Mareave#Clisearn\|Clisearn]]. ''Iskander's Donjon'', a boon granted by the [[Cathan Canae\|Queen of Ice and Darkness]] and [[Wide_azure_skies#Objective:_Summon_Iskanders_Donjon\|called forth]] from the [[regio]] at the ''Ohwinn Scour'' on the battlefields of Mareave. The Donjon is a massive monolithic castle of adamant, with a grand gatehouse from which the [[inhabitants of the realms#heralds\|heralds]] of the ''Breath of Winter'' issue forth to aid the defence of the Unshackled territory. These mighty warriors, sheathed in heavy armour that conceals their features from the Imperial soldiers they fight alongside bear massive iron tower-shields marked with a sigil of blue flame. When they battle the invading Grendel, the runes worked into their armour ignite surrounding them in a flickering aura of blue-white fire that cows their enemies and adds weight to their dreadful blows. All told, the three magical fortresses bring with them nearly two entire armies of supernatural warriors drawn from the frigid realm of the ''Immovable One'', to fight alongside the Imperial Orcs defend their lands against the Grendel.
	<div style="float:right; width: 250px; clear: right;">[[file:CathCane002.webp\|align=right\|width=250]]</div>		<div style="float:right; width: 250px; clear: right;">[[file:CathCane002.webp\|align=right\|width=250]]</div>
	And fight they do. The [[Winter Sun]] may have withdrawn to [[Zenith]] along with the [[Seventh Wave]], but in their place come the [[Summer Storm]]. The presence of an Unshackled army is paramount; without it the promise given to the eternal of the [[Realms#Summer\|Summer realm]] at Ohwinn Scour would be broken, and her aid forfeit. The Summer Storm do not march alone, though. Down through madness-haunted [[Spiral]] alongside them come the [[Towerjacks]], the [[Wolves of War]], and the [[Argent Sword]]. [[The League]] and [[Urizen]] have their own reasons, perhaps, for ensuring the Grendel attention remains focused in southern Mareave and not in [[Spiral]] or [[Redoubt]].		And fight they do. The [[Winter Sun]] may have withdrawn to [[Zenith]] along with the [[Seventh Wave]], but in their place come the [[Summer Storm]]. The presence of an Unshackled army is paramount; without it the promise given to the eternal of the [[Realms#Summer\|Summer realm]] at Ohwinn Scour would be broken, and her aid forfeit. The Summer Storm do not march alone, though. Down through madness-haunted [[Spiral]] alongside them come the [[Towerjacks]], the [[Wolves of War]], and the [[Argent Sword]]. [[The League]] and [[Urizen]] have their own reasons, perhaps, for ensuring the Grendel attention remains focused in southern Mareave and not in [[Spiral]] or [[Redoubt]].

GuiltyConscience: /* After Spring */

2026-07-14T11:42:00Z

After Spring

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:42, 14 July 2026
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	<div style="float:left; width: 500px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage\|file=Grendel and Warbeast.jpg\|caption=The Salt Lords continue to pursue their ambition of regaining control of Mareave.\|align=left\|width=500}}</div>		<div style="float:left; width: 500px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage\|file=Grendel and Warbeast.jpg\|caption=The Salt Lords continue to pursue their ambition of regaining control of Mareave.\|align=left\|width=500}}</div>
	==After Spring==		==After Spring==
	In the days following the Spring Equinox, [[Frozen Citadel of Cathan Canae\|fortifications]] bloom across Mareave like flowers after the rain. In [[Mareave#Icarion\|Icarion]] a tower of white marble and blue ice garrisoned by pale-eyed elfin warriors in chain and silk. Over [[Mareave#Nadir\|Nadir]], a keep of ice with six cruel iron minarets from which squat hirsute archers scan the hills. Yet both are dwarfed by the citadel that rises in southern [[Mareave#Clisearn\|Clisearn]]. ''~~Ikander~~'s Donjon'', a boon granted by the [[Cathan Canae\|Queen of Ice and Darkness]] and [[Wide_azure_skies#Objective:_Summon_Iskanders_Donjon\|called forth]] from the [[regio]] at the ''Ohwinn Scour''. on the battlefields of Mareave. The Donjon is a massive monolithic castle of adamant, with a grand gatehouse from which the [[inhabitants of the realms#heralds\|heralds]] of the ''Breath of Winter'' issue forth to aid the defence of the Unshackled territory. These mighty warriors, sheathed in heavy armour that conceals their features from the Imperial soldiers they fight alongside bear massive iron tower-shields marked with a sigil of blue flame. When they battle the invading Grendel, the runes worked into their armour ignite surrounding them in a flickering aura of blue-white fire that cows their enemies and adds weight to their dreadful blows. All told, the three magical fortresses bring with them nearly two entire armies of supernatural warriors drawn from the frigid realm of the ''Immovable One'', to fight alongside the Imperial Orcs defend their lands against the Grendel.		In the days following the Spring Equinox, [[Frozen Citadel of Cathan Canae\|fortifications]] bloom across Mareave like flowers after the rain. In [[Mareave#Icarion\|Icarion]], a tower of white marble and blue ice garrisoned by pale-eyed elfin warriors in chain and silk. Over [[Mareave#Nadir\|Nadir]], a keep of ice with six cruel iron minarets from which squat hirsute archers scan the hills. Yet both are dwarfed by the citadel that rises in southern [[Mareave#Clisearn\|Clisearn]]. ''Iskander's Donjon'', a boon granted by the [[Cathan Canae\|Queen of Ice and Darkness]] and [[Wide_azure_skies#Objective:_Summon_Iskanders_Donjon\|called forth]] from the [[regio]] at the ''Ohwinn Scour''. on the battlefields of Mareave. The Donjon is a massive monolithic castle of adamant, with a grand gatehouse from which the [[inhabitants of the realms#heralds\|heralds]] of the ''Breath of Winter'' issue forth to aid the defence of the Unshackled territory. These mighty warriors, sheathed in heavy armour that conceals their features from the Imperial soldiers they fight alongside bear massive iron tower-shields marked with a sigil of blue flame. When they battle the invading Grendel, the runes worked into their armour ignite surrounding them in a flickering aura of blue-white fire that cows their enemies and adds weight to their dreadful blows. All told, the three magical fortresses bring with them nearly two entire armies of supernatural warriors drawn from the frigid realm of the ''Immovable One'', to fight alongside the Imperial Orcs defend their lands against the Grendel.
	<div style="float:right; width: 250px; clear: right;">[[file:CathCane002.webp\|align=right\|width=250]]</div>		<div style="float:right; width: 250px; clear: right;">[[file:CathCane002.webp\|align=right\|width=250]]</div>
	And fight they do. The [[Winter Sun]] may have withdrawn to [[Zenith]] along with the [[Seventh Wave]], but in their place come the [[Summer Storm]]. The presence of an Unshackled army is paramount; without it the promise given to the eternal of the [[Realms#Summer\|Summer realm]] at Ohwinn Scour would be broken, and her aid forfeit. The Summer Storm do not march alone, though. Down through madness-haunted [[Spiral]] alongside them come the [[Towerjacks]], the [[Wolves of War]], and the [[Argent Sword]]. [[The League]] and [[Urizen]] have their own reasons, perhaps, for ensuring the Grendel attention remains focused in southern Mareave and not in [[Spiral]] or [[Redoubt]].		And fight they do. The [[Winter Sun]] may have withdrawn to [[Zenith]] along with the [[Seventh Wave]], but in their place come the [[Summer Storm]]. The presence of an Unshackled army is paramount; without it the promise given to the eternal of the [[Realms#Summer\|Summer realm]] at Ohwinn Scour would be broken, and her aid forfeit. The Summer Storm do not march alone, though. Down through madness-haunted [[Spiral]] alongside them come the [[Towerjacks]], the [[Wolves of War]], and the [[Argent Sword]]. [[The League]] and [[Urizen]] have their own reasons, perhaps, for ensuring the Grendel attention remains focused in southern Mareave and not in [[Spiral]] or [[Redoubt]].
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	There is no shortage of warriors in Mareave this season, but the Grendel may miss the aid of their missing naval forces. The fighting balances on a knife-edge and any factor might tip it one way or another.		There is no shortage of warriors in Mareave this season, but the Grendel may miss the aid of their missing naval forces. The fighting balances on a knife-edge and any factor might tip it one way or another.

	==Ebb and Flow==		==Ebb and Flow==
	The Salt Lords still seem to be committed to claiming Clisearn and especially the [[Fundindelve]]. The Empire remains equally resolute that they will not achieve that goal, and will press no further into Mareave. The Summer Storm and the Towerjacks, along with soldiers from Rucraic's Redoubt and the forces of the [[Realms#Summer\|Summer realm]], see to the defence of Clisearn. ''Iskander's Donjon'' provides a fine base of operations from which to plan the best way to hold the hills against the Broken Shore.		The Salt Lords still seem to be committed to claiming Clisearn and especially the [[Fundindelve]]. The Empire remains equally resolute that they will not achieve that goal, and will press no further into Mareave. The Summer Storm and the Towerjacks, along with soldiers from Rucraic's Redoubt and the forces of the [[Realms#Summer\|Summer realm]], see to the defence of Clisearn. ''Iskander's Donjon'' provides a fine base of operations from which to plan the best way to hold the hills against the Broken Shore.

Dre at 11:31, 14 July 2026

2026-07-14T11:31:39Z

Rafferty at 11:30, 14 July 2026

2026-07-14T11:30:24Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:30, 14 July 2026
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	[[Category:Winds of War]][[Category:388YE ~~Spring~~]][[Category:~~Appraisal~~]]		[[Category:Winds of War]][[Category:388YE Summer]][[Category:Military Council]]
	<div style="float:left; width: 500px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage\|file=Grendel and Warbeast.jpg\|caption=The Salt Lords continue to pursue their ambition of regaining control of Mareave.\|align=left\|width=500}}</div>		<div style="float:left; width: 500px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage\|file=Grendel and Warbeast.jpg\|caption=The Salt Lords continue to pursue their ambition of regaining control of Mareave.\|align=left\|width=500}}</div>
	==After Spring==		==After Spring==

Dre at 11:30, 14 July 2026

2026-07-14T11:30:08Z

Show changes

Rafferty at 11:29, 14 July 2026

2026-07-14T11:29:39Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:29, 14 July 2026
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	This disconnection of purpose is made abundantly clear halfway through the season when three Grendel armies launch an audacious raid deep into Imperial-held territory.		This disconnection of purpose is made abundantly clear halfway through the season when three Grendel armies launch an audacious raid deep into Imperial-held territory.
	<div ~~style="~~float~~:right; width: 600px; clear: left;"~~>		<div {{float}}>
	<quote by="Clytemnestra of the House of the Wanderer, General of the Argent Sword">Heralds of Autumn, we have unfinished business. The coward slavers have run from redoubt - but that's alright, autumn loves to Travel! This season I get to fulfil my ambition to defend Impierail Territory outside of Urizen. This season I renew my bonds of loyalty to my Imperial siblings. The Grendel are a plague in Mareave - taking the land and property of the Imperial Orcs - This season we take it back. We plunder the riches of the Grendel and we reclaim the property of the Imperial Orcs. Our focues is precise, our work is professional - the Grendel and the Grendel only are our target. Together with the Wolves of War, this season the Grendel will pay not only dearly, they will pay with everything they have. No coin left untaken, no wain left unclaimed, their property is ours - they hust haven't realised it yet.</quote>		<quote by="Clytemnestra of the House of the Wanderer, General of the Argent Sword">Heralds of Autumn, we have unfinished business. The coward slavers have run from redoubt - but that's alright, autumn loves to Travel! This season I get to fulfil my ambition to defend Impierail Territory outside of Urizen. This season I renew my bonds of loyalty to my Imperial siblings. The Grendel are a plague in Mareave - taking the land and property of the Imperial Orcs - This season we take it back. We plunder the riches of the Grendel and we reclaim the property of the Imperial Orcs. Our focues is precise, our work is professional - the Grendel and the Grendel only are our target. Together with the Wolves of War, this season the Grendel will pay not only dearly, they will pay with everything they have. No coin left untaken, no wain left unclaimed, their property is ours - they hust haven't realised it yet.</quote>
	<quote by="Jean d'Apulian, General of the Wolves of War">There are free companies that are easier to march with. But no one will remember them. Empty your packs for the spoils to come. Earn our prosperous shares with steel and toil aplenty. Iron bites, while loyalty binds us to the citizens of Mareave. Tear into the baggage, make their supply ours. Bring me the means to take the fight to the vultures of the Broken Shore.</quote>		<quote by="Jean d'Apulian, General of the Wolves of War">There are free companies that are easier to march with. But no one will remember them. Empty your packs for the spoils to come. Earn our prosperous shares with steel and toil aplenty. Iron bites, while loyalty binds us to the citizens of Mareave. Tear into the baggage, make their supply ours. Bring me the means to take the fight to the vultures of the Broken Shore.</quote>
	<quote by="Beagh Seosam, General of the Black Eels">Mithril! The promise of wealth, the promise of fine spears and finer armour! Right now it is lying in great piles in the mountains of Clisearn, and not where it should be. In our hands! And when we are done with Fundindelve, there is plenty more easy wealth scattered across southern Mareave for us to claim.</quote>		<quote by="Beagh Seosam, General of the Black Eels">Mithril! The promise of wealth, the promise of fine spears and finer armour! Right now it is lying in great piles in the mountains of Clisearn, and not where it should be. In our hands! And when we are done with Fundindelve, there is plenty more easy wealth scattered across southern Mareave for us to claim.</quote>
	<quote by="Neeve, General of the Hamsin">None know the bounty of Fundindelve better than we! Foolish Eshan has let it slip through his fingers, which makes it fair game for anyone audacious enough to take it from under Imperial noses!</quote~~></div~~>		<quote by="Neeve, General of the Hamsin">None know the bounty of Fundindelve better than we! Foolish Eshan has let it slip through his fingers, which makes it fair game for anyone audacious enough to take it from under Imperial noses!</quote>
	<quote by="Jaimtar Gat, General of the Bone Nautilus">The Salt Lords give license to take as we will. We must not squander it. Fundindelve is the prize, but never forget that any Imperial soldier can be a valuable prize. Loot or ransom, what is theirs will be ours!</quote>		<quote by="Jaimtar Gat, General of the Bone Nautilus">The Salt Lords give license to take as we will. We must not squander it. Fundindelve is the prize, but never forget that any Imperial soldier can be a valuable prize. Loot or ransom, what is theirs will be ours!</quote>
	</div>		</div>

Rafferty: Created page with "Category:Winds of WarCategory:388YE SpringCategory:Appraisal
{{CaptionedImage|file=Grendel and Warbeast.jpg|caption=The Salt Lords continue to pursue their ambition of regaining control of Mareave.|align=left|width=500}}
==After Spring== In the days following the Spring Equinox, fortifications bloom across Mareave like flowers after the rain. In Mareave#Icarion|Ica..."

2026-07-14T11:23:08Z

Created page with "Category:Winds of War Category:388YE Spring Category:Appraisal <div style="float:left; width: 500px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Grendel and Warbeast.jpg|caption=The Salt Lords continue to pursue their ambition of regaining control of Mareave.|align=left|width=500}}</div> ==After Spring== In the days following the Spring Equinox, fortifications bloom across Mareave like flowers after the rain. In Mareave#Icarion|Ica..."

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← Older revision		Revision as of 11:31, 14 July 2026
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	And fight they do. The [[Winter Sun]] may have withdrawn to [[Zenith]] along with the [[Seventh Wave]], but in their place come the [[Summer Storm]]. The presence of an Unshackled army is paramount; without it the promise given to the eternal of the [[Realms#Summer\|Summer realm]] at Ohwinn Scour would be broken, and her aid forfeit. The Summer Storm do not march alone, though. Down through madness-haunted [[Spiral]] alongside them come the [[Towerjacks]], the [[Wolves of War]], and the [[Argent Sword]]. [[The League]] and [[Urizen]] have their own reasons, perhaps, for ensuring the Grendel attention remains focused in southern Mareave and not in [[Spiral]] or [[Redoubt]].		And fight they do. The [[Winter Sun]] may have withdrawn to [[Zenith]] along with the [[Seventh Wave]], but in their place come the [[Summer Storm]]. The presence of an Unshackled army is paramount; without it the promise given to the eternal of the [[Realms#Summer\|Summer realm]] at Ohwinn Scour would be broken, and her aid forfeit. The Summer Storm do not march alone, though. Down through madness-haunted [[Spiral]] alongside them come the [[Towerjacks]], the [[Wolves of War]], and the [[Argent Sword]]. [[The League]] and [[Urizen]] have their own reasons, perhaps, for ensuring the Grendel attention remains focused in southern Mareave and not in [[Spiral]] or [[Redoubt]].

	As they pass through [[Mareave#Eoradal\|Eoradal]], the Summer Storm are joined by the orc soldiers of [[Mareave#Rucraic%27s_Redoubt\|Rucraic's Redoubt]]. The bastion bears an [[enchantment]] that makes it easily the equal of ''Iskander's Donjon'', and the walls are aglow with the [[Ramparts of Ashlar]]. The garrison is bolstered by towering constructs of bronze wielding devastating mattocks, maintained by engineers from the [[Estavus\|City of Fire and Stone]]. Recent months have also seen a notable increase in the number of northern Mareave orcs signing up for a tour of duty at the Redoubt. Even the notoriously cynical ''Uthni'' family have been heard encouraging support for the Redoubt; perhaps they have finally begun to believe the Unshackled when they say they will not abandon the arid southern territory.		As they pass through [[Mareave#Eoradal\|Eoradal]], the Summer Storm are joined by the orc soldiers of [[Mareave#Rucraic%27s_Redoubt\|Rucraic's Redoubt]]. The bastion bears an [[enchantment]] that makes it easily the equal of ''Iskander's Donjon'', and the walls are aglow with the [[Ramparts of Ashlar]]. The garrison is bolstered by towering constructs of bronze wielding devastating mattocks, maintained by engineers from the [[Estavus\|City of Fire and Stone]]. Recent months have also seen a notable increase in the number of northern Mareave orcs signing up for a tour of duty at the Redoubt. Even the notoriously cynical ''Uthni'' family have been heard encouraging support for the Redoubt; perhaps they have finally begun to believe the Unshackled when they say they will not abandon the arid southern territory.

	As the equinox passes, however, even the traditionally dry north of Mareave enjoys unseasonal rain that brings life to the scrubby grasslands. The [[Rivers of Life]] have risen in Mareave, bringing with them the life-giving essence of the [[Realms#Spring\|Spring realm]]. All potable water in the territory serves to bolster the health of those who live and fight here. Wounds sustained in battle heal overnight, provided they are not mortal in the moment. The work of the [[Surgical skills#Physick\|physick]] and the battlefield [[heal\|healer]] are made so much easier by the [[Spring magic]] flowing through the territory.		As the equinox passes, however, even the traditionally dry north of Mareave enjoys unseasonal rain that brings life to the scrubby grasslands. The [[Rivers of Life]] have risen in Mareave, bringing with them the life-giving essence of the [[Realms#Spring\|Spring realm]]. All potable water in the territory serves to bolster the health of those who live and fight here. Wounds sustained in battle heal overnight, provided they are not mortal in the moment. The work of the [[Surgical skills#Physick\|physick]] and the battlefield [[heal\|healer]] are made so much easier by the [[Spring magic]] flowing through the territory.
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	At first it seems the Grendel, led by the Storm Shark assault, will push the defenders back but they have reckoned without quite so many heralds of Summer and Autumn. The [[Clarity of the Master Strategist\|supernatural clarity]] helps the Imperial commanders to coordinate the disparate groups of defenders, to deploy them where their strengths will be most apparent and their weaknesses protected. The headlong rush to battle of the Storm Sharks is blunted by savvy tactics. While the Anvil of the Summer Storm and the Towerjacks contains the Grendel advance, the opportunistic aggression of the Argent Sword and the Wolves of War begins to turn the invasion back.		At first it seems the Grendel, led by the Storm Shark assault, will push the defenders back but they have reckoned without quite so many heralds of Summer and Autumn. The [[Clarity of the Master Strategist\|supernatural clarity]] helps the Imperial commanders to coordinate the disparate groups of defenders, to deploy them where their strengths will be most apparent and their weaknesses protected. The headlong rush to battle of the Storm Sharks is blunted by savvy tactics. While the Anvil of the Summer Storm and the Towerjacks contains the Grendel advance, the opportunistic aggression of the Argent Sword and the Wolves of War begins to turn the invasion back.

	Unfortunately, the invaders have their own magics. The armies of the Broken Shore swiftly counter the advantages provided by the clarity of [[Day magic\|Day]] with preternatural strategic acumen of their own. A dizzying ~~squence~~ of attack and counterattack, thrust and parry, plays out across the front with cohorts of warriors as the swords and careful positioning as the shields. It looks as if the Grendel, with their sheer force of numbers and their effective naval support, will win the day.		Unfortunately, the invaders have their own magics. The armies of the Broken Shore swiftly counter the advantages provided by the clarity of [[Day magic\|Day]] with preternatural strategic acumen of their own. A dizzying sequence of attack and counterattack, thrust and parry, plays out across the front with cohorts of warriors as the swords and careful positioning as the shields. It looks as if the Grendel, with their sheer force of numbers and their effective naval support, will win the day.

	Yet Clisearn is defended by Iskander's Donjon. Unlike the usual citadels raised by the Empire, the Donjon is one of Cathan Canae's larger fortifications, and its garrison is composed of mighty warriors and guardians who have fought countless battles over the centuries. The lords of the Broken Shore are purely mortal, and unprepared to directly beat against the might of the Summer realm itself. They pay dearly for every step they make across the rich lands of Clisearn, and with their advance slowing, the Wolves and Sword can focus more of their efforts on driving them out.		Yet Clisearn is defended by Iskander's Donjon. Unlike the usual citadels raised by the Empire, the Donjon is one of Cathan Canae's larger fortifications, and its garrison is composed of mighty warriors and guardians who have fought countless battles over the centuries. The lords of the Broken Shore are purely mortal, and unprepared to directly beat against the might of the Summer realm itself. They pay dearly for every step they make across the rich lands of Clisearn, and with their advance slowing, the Wolves and Sword can focus more of their efforts on driving them out.
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	This disconnection of purpose is made abundantly clear halfway through the season when three Grendel armies launch an audacious raid deep into Imperial-held territory.		This disconnection of purpose is made abundantly clear halfway through the season when three Grendel armies launch an audacious raid deep into Imperial-held territory.
	<div {{float}}>		<div {{float}}>
	<quote by="Clytemnestra of the House of the Wanderer, General of the Argent Sword">Heralds of Autumn, we have unfinished business. The coward slavers have run from redoubt - but that's alright, autumn loves to Travel! This season I get to fulfil my ambition to defend ~~Impierail~~ Territory outside of Urizen. This season I renew my bonds of loyalty to my Imperial siblings. The Grendel are a plague in Mareave - taking the land and property of the Imperial Orcs - This season we take it back. We plunder the riches of the Grendel and we reclaim the property of the Imperial Orcs. Our ~~focues~~ is precise, our work is professional - the Grendel and the Grendel only are our target. Together with the Wolves of War, this season the Grendel will pay not only dearly, they will pay with everything they have. No coin left untaken, no wain left unclaimed, their property is ours - they ~~hust~~ haven't realised it yet.</quote>		<quote by="Clytemnestra of the House of the Wanderer, General of the Argent Sword">Heralds of Autumn, we have unfinished business. The coward slavers have run from redoubt - but that's alright, autumn loves to Travel! This season I get to fulfil my ambition to defend Imperial Territory outside of Urizen. This season I renew my bonds of loyalty to my Imperial siblings. The Grendel are a plague in Mareave - taking the land and property of the Imperial Orcs - This season we take it back. We plunder the riches of the Grendel and we reclaim the property of the Imperial Orcs. Our focus is precise, our work is professional - the Grendel and the Grendel only are our target. Together with the Wolves of War, this season the Grendel will pay not only dearly, they will pay with everything they have. No coin left untaken, no wain left unclaimed, their property is ours - they just haven't realised it yet.</quote>
	<quote by="Jean d'Apulian, General of the Wolves of War">There are free companies that are easier to march with. But no one will remember them. Empty your packs for the spoils to come. Earn our prosperous shares with steel and toil aplenty. Iron bites, while loyalty binds us to the citizens of Mareave. Tear into the baggage, make their supply ours. Bring me the means to take the fight to the vultures of the Broken Shore.</quote>		<quote by="Jean d'Apulian, General of the Wolves of War">There are free companies that are easier to march with. But no one will remember them. Empty your packs for the spoils to come. Earn our prosperous shares with steel and toil aplenty. Iron bites, while loyalty binds us to the citizens of Mareave. Tear into the baggage, make their supply ours. Bring me the means to take the fight to the vultures of the Broken Shore.</quote>
	<quote by="Beagh Seosam, General of the Black Eels">Mithril! The promise of wealth, the promise of fine spears and finer armour! Right now it is lying in great piles in the mountains of Clisearn, and not where it should be. In our hands! And when we are done with Fundindelve, there is plenty more easy wealth scattered across southern Mareave for us to claim.</quote>		<quote by="Beagh Seosam, General of the Black Eels">Mithril! The promise of wealth, the promise of fine spears and finer armour! Right now it is lying in great piles in the mountains of Clisearn, and not where it should be. In our hands! And when we are done with Fundindelve, there is plenty more easy wealth scattered across southern Mareave for us to claim.</quote>
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	</div>		</div>
	==The Great Fundindelve Heist==		==The Great Fundindelve Heist==
	As invaders and defenders clash across central Clisearn, the Black Eels and the Bone Nautilus make their move. While perhaps half the warriors of the two septs aid their fellows in the fight against the Empire, their leaders take advantage of the "distraction" to put into operation ~~plas~~ of their own (and it would perhaps be news to the Salt Lords that this vital struggle is seen as a "distraction" by two of their septs). A sizable cohort made up of the canniest warriors from the two armies skirts the eastern mountains along the edge of Skoura, avoiding the main engagement, moving as quickly and stealthily as some four thousand warriors can manage. The Black Eels and the Bone Nautilus are composed of warriors from the inland septs, so they are no strangers to the wild and rugged terrain of the Broken Shore. Nor are they alone; alongside them come around three thousand Hamsin, an army with a very different tenor to the rough warriors of the Eels and the Nautilus. This is a ''Grendel'' army, one that bucks the traditions of that powerful sept by choosing to fight on land rather than at sea. Youthful, ambitious, and audacious they have used their influence to recruit talented raiders, orcs and humans experienced at stealing the treasures of the Empire, and scouts familiar with southern Mareave. Together, they plan to raid the Fundindelve.		As invaders and defenders clash across central Clisearn, the Black Eels and the Bone Nautilus make their move. While perhaps half the warriors of the two septs aid their fellows in the fight against the Empire, their leaders take advantage of the "distraction" to put into operation plans of their own (and it would perhaps be news to the Salt Lords that this vital struggle is seen as a "distraction" by two of their septs). A sizable cohort made up of the canniest warriors from the two armies skirts the eastern mountains along the edge of Skoura, avoiding the main engagement, moving as quickly and stealthily as some four thousand warriors can manage. The Black Eels and the Bone Nautilus are composed of warriors from the inland septs, so they are no strangers to the wild and rugged terrain of the Broken Shore. Nor are they alone; alongside them come around three thousand Hamsin, an army with a very different tenor to the rough warriors of the Eels and the Nautilus. This is a ''Grendel'' army, one that bucks the traditions of that powerful sept by choosing to fight on land rather than at sea. Youthful, ambitious, and audacious they have used their influence to recruit talented raiders, orcs and humans experienced at stealing the treasures of the Empire, and scouts familiar with southern Mareave. Together, they plan to raid the Fundindelve.

	Nearly seven thousand troops cannot hope to avoid detection for long, but their care buys them precious hours before the Empire become aware of them. As soon as they realise the jig is up, they drop all pretence of stealth and move arrow-swift towards their target. There have been raids across Clisearn - by both sides - throughout the war, but this is a concerted attack planned with precision. The attackers breach the defences of the mithril mine before anyone realises what is happening, overwhelming the protectors with sheer force of numbers. The defenders of Mareave are stretched too thin and even with the aid of Summer heralds from Iskander's Donjon, the miners can't hope to hold back the tide of raiders. After a short, bloody, battle, the mine falls. Yet there is no attempt made to hold the Fundindelve; the raiders know that the only way that can happen is if the Imperial defenders are driven out of Clisearn. This attack is not about land, but about ''money''.		Nearly seven thousand troops cannot hope to avoid detection for long, but their care buys them precious hours before the Empire become aware of them. As soon as they realise the jig is up, they drop all pretence of stealth and move arrow-swift towards their target. There have been raids across Clisearn - by both sides - throughout the war, but this is a concerted attack planned with precision. The attackers breach the defences of the mithril mine before anyone realises what is happening, overwhelming the protectors with sheer force of numbers. The defenders of Mareave are stretched too thin and even with the aid of Summer heralds from Iskander's Donjon, the miners can't hope to hold back the tide of raiders. After a short, bloody, battle, the mine falls. Yet there is no attempt made to hold the Fundindelve; the raiders know that the only way that can happen is if the Imperial defenders are driven out of Clisearn. This attack is not about land, but about ''money''.
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	The scouts have been reporting on unexpected troop movements along the coast of Fleisardh for some weeks, but it is in the aftermath of the attack of Fundindelve that it becomes apparent just how serious the situation is. Unidentified warships had been [[Wide_azure_skies#Uncertain_Victory\|sighted last season]], but no further details had been uncovered. Now, though, they are in Mareave and their presence begins to tip the balance in the favour of the attackers.		The scouts have been reporting on unexpected troop movements along the coast of Fleisardh for some weeks, but it is in the aftermath of the attack of Fundindelve that it becomes apparent just how serious the situation is. Unidentified warships had been [[Wide_azure_skies#Uncertain_Victory\|sighted last season]], but no further details had been uncovered. Now, though, they are in Mareave and their presence begins to tip the balance in the favour of the attackers.

	There's no avoiding the truth; the Grendel have completed raising a fifth navy on the Bay of Catazar. It is clear, though, that this is a navy of a very different character to the Golden Sails, the Tempest, the Simoon, or the Shamal. The warships of the violet-sailed ''Katabat'' have a uniformity to them that is not common in the other Grendel navies. Most Grendel vessels reflect the idiosyncrasies or tastes of their captains; many such vessels are heirlooms that belong to one wealthy family or another, handed down like one of the Unshackled may pass on an item of [[worth]]. A Grendel navy can easily present the appearance of a number of individual warships that just "happen" to be sailing together, their only common feature being the colour of their sails.		There's no avoiding the truth; the Grendel have completed raising a fifth navy on the Bay of Catazar. It is clear, though, that this is a navy of a very different character to the Golden Sails, the Tempest, the Simoon, or the Shamal. The warships of the violet-sailed ''Katabat'' have a uniformity to them that is not common in the other Grendel navies. Most Grendel vessels reflect the idiosyncrasies or tastes of their captains; many such vessels are heirlooms that belong to one wealthy family or another, handed down like one of the Unshackled may pass on an item of [[worth]]. A Grendel navy can easily present the appearance of a number of individual warships that just "happen" to be sailing together, their only common feature being the colour of their sails.

	Not so the Katabat. ''This'' navy is composed entirely of custom-made warships rather than being drawn from the vessels of the Grendel families. They share a common design, combining the practicality and speed of Grendel ships with the smooth lines and slightly archaic look of Asavean battleships. Each ship is clearly well armoured, manoeuvrable, and crewed by disciplined mariners. This would be cause for concern even if not for the ''other'' features they have in common.		Not so the Katabat. ''This'' navy is composed entirely of custom-made warships rather than being drawn from the vessels of the Grendel families. They share a common design, combining the practicality and speed of Grendel ships with the smooth lines and slightly archaic look of Asavean battleships. Each ship is clearly well armoured, manoeuvrable, and crewed by disciplined mariners. This would be cause for concern even if not for the ''other'' features they have in common.