Salt lions
The Strategy of Salt and Stone
During the Summer Solstice, Imperial heroes clashed with Grendel raiders over the Saltbound Stone, a Skouran relic of the distant past. A partial Autumn magic ritual text concealed within a hidden regio that promised a potent strategic advantage to whichever side managed to retrieve it. The Stone was denied to the barbarians, secured by the Empire, its secrets awaiting the careful attention of Imperial magicians. Custody of the relic brings with it political headaches of course - the treaty between the Empire and the Skouran Consolidation requires that the Empire "return, at reasonable costs, any cultural and historical artefacts of the Skouran people". Yet that is a matter for ambassadors and diplomats; more important is that the Grendel were denied their prize and the Empire profited.
In the days following the battle at the Ruins of Sinat, as the Rivers of Life continued to flow sluggishly over the hot, dry territory, the Empire withdrew all the armies previously stationed in Mareave save the Wolves of War. They did not abandon the territory; far from it. Five fresh armies took the place of those returning to the heartlands of the Empire. The Winter Sun and the Seventh Wave, the Granite Pillar and the Eastern Sky took Curstag's Way down the pass from Apulian, swiftly reinforcing the Wolves in Clisearn. With the Eastern Sky come a great host of Imperial warband lead by captains from every nation save Navarr.
The generals of the Empire continue to favour a strategy that served them well enough last season. While the Eastern Sky and the Granite Pillar go on the offensive, the Sun, and the Pillar, and the Wave take defensive positions, setting themselves as a wall of steel and virtue against Grendel attempts to complete their conquest of Clisearn. Even as they are moving into position, another army arrives down the Apulian Way. The Fire of the South do nothing by halves; previously garrisoned in Madruga to defend their homeland they have torn a burning path all along the northern coast of the Bay of Catazar to join the Imperial assault in Mareave. They arrive tired and dusty... and immediately throw themselves into the fray in southern Mareave barely pausing to quench their thirst and set their camps before battle is joined.
Every Imperial army in Mareave bears the mark of Day magic. Each has been enchanted with the Clarity of the Master Strategist, allowing them not only to coordinate their efforts with expert skill but also ensuring every soldier knows their role. Every flaw in the Grendel strategy is identified and exploited - every overreach, every failure to effectively defend a supply cache, every inconsistency created by squabbling commanders. For those on the offensive, it means they are ideally positioned to probe and test the defences of the Grendel; for those protecting the Unshackled from the orcs of the Broken Shore it means they are able to predict where the barbarians will strike with an uncanny exactitude bordering on prescience.
The Imperials don't fight alone, either. Potent sigils still burn all along the walls of the Bastion of Rucraic's Redoubt. Bronze giants drawn from the City of Fire and Stone continue to fight alongside the orc garrison, who continue to support the armies in the south. Three magical citadels loom over Mareave. From Icarion and in Nadir, mighty warriors from the court of the Queen of Ice and Darkness march to join the Empire's armies. In Clisearn itself, the grey stone fortification rises on the borderland between Imperial-held territory and that claimed by the barbarians, serving both as a base camp for the Empire's soldiers to strike against Grendel positions and for the defenders to hold the line against their assault.
There is also aid unlooked for. A dozen Polemarchs in service to the Master Strategist of the Endless Sea and the Fathomless Sky arrive shortly after the Fire of the South joins the battle. They observe, offer support, help smooth lines of communication between attacking forces and those defending Mareave. They are adept at supporting those drawing on the supernatural Clarity created with Day magic - and looking for opportunities to counter Grendel plots. When their presence is questioned, they seem surprised. Their master promised the Archmage of Day that he would offer aid to the Empire, and so they are here. Plus, the decision to embrace the power of clear strategy on such a scale, in such a place, cannot help but attract the attention of the Tidehunter. The Polemarchs do not go where they are not wanted, and they do not push their opinions or observations, but their ability to communicate with one another over great distances in particular proves valuable in the days following their appearance. They noticeably avoid both the warriors of the Summer realm and the Iron Labyrinth, however.
Solid Stand on Shifting Sand
The Empire's successfully executed two-pronged strategy falters slightly when it rubs up against the plans of the Grendel however. Unlike previous seasons, the orcs of the Broken Shore are not on the offensive. They have dug in, securing the land they have claimed, focusing their efforts purely on the defensive. For the Imperial Orcs and Highborn armies, this means three months of relatively excitement-free patrols. With the Grendel remaining resolutely on "their side" of the border that splits Clisearn - without even light raiding - they have nothing to do but bolster the Imperial positions in the northern quarter of the region.
The Wolves, the Sun, and the Fire however have a much more perilous time of it. Three armies - albeit three armies supported by innumerable supernatural allies - face the entire Grendel force in Mareave. Fortunately, the supernatural allies and courageous warbands help to even the odds but those three armies are engaging a force of more than forty thousand barbarians, with their magic, and their own allies. Both Asavean battleships and mercenary forces are active in Mareave this season, although the impact of the former is thankfully reduced by the fact the bulk of the fighting is taking place inland rather than along the coast.
(And at least some of the mercenaries are fighting elsewhere this season. Their arrangement with the Grendel Maistir Brothaig resolved, the Ilium Jackals of Sarcophan received a surprising offer on the battlefields of Sinat and are now under contract to the Wolves of War. Can the professional treachery of the dedicated mercenary be made any clearer than this? How the City of Locks must smile to see these fair-weather warriors skip from one side of the line to the other!)
There is nothing especially subtle about the Grendel strategy this season. The armies simply hold their ground with the support of their navies. At the forefront of the defence are the bitter Brine Turtles and the youthful Hamsin, along with the siege-engineers of the Iron Gulls and the barely-leashed Storm Sharks. The latter are the only ones who seem to actively relish the chance to fight the Imperial opposition. The others demonstrate the discipline the Grendel are known for, refusing to be drawn out, resisting any attempt to pull them into northern Mareave where the rest of the Empire's forces would make short work of them. It becomes clear early on that these four armies are leading the defence of Grendel-held Mareave in part because they are each enchanted with the same kind of magic as the Empire's armies. They react to threats with supernatural speed and acuity, the insight granted by Day magic guiding them to counter attempts to circumvent their positions or catch them in a pincer movement.
There is no single, key conflict during the months between the Summer Solstice and the Autumn Equinox. Rather there are a series of skirmishes and probing strikes from the Empire which are met with a wall of barbarian iron. The border between Imperial and barbarian held territory frays a little - Imperial troops press forward in one place and make temporary gains before the Grendel regroup and reclaim the land they have lost. The Empire is largely able to dictate where each battle takes place, but the commanders of the Broken Shore - bolstered as they are with supernatural clarity - are quick to respond to every attempt to gain ground.
When the four armies at the forefront respond to an Imperial incursion, their maneuvers are given a great deal of additional weight by the rest of the Grendel forces who have for the most part made camp in Fleisardh. The fighting is bitter, brutal work. Thousands die on both sides - the Empire loses more than two thousand soldiers between the three armies and the garrison of Rucraic's Redoubt. The Grendel pay a higher price - primarily due to the presence of so many independent warbands on the Imperial side. Their defensive position, however, and the fact that they simply need to hold against the Empire means that even there their casualties are reduced noticeably from what they might have been. The Empire struggles to recover its wounded, while the Grendel can ensure that as long as they do not retreat their injured soldiers can return to the fray the next day.
The fact that a large potion of the Grendel forces are at sea, rather than in the shape of boots on the ground, is a blessing for the Empire. It also helps that the Golden Winds seem to have entirely withdrawn from Mareave - likely due to the grim boon offered to the Silver Chalice by the Centipede General. Plentiful fresh water is rare in Mareave, and it seems that poisoning the wells the Grendel rely on has caused enough death and suffering that the admiral felt the need to flee back to the safety of the western Broken Shore to recuperate.
Even so the support of the remaining Grendel navies strengthens their armies. They transport large amounts of supplies from elsewhere along the Shore, avoiding the desiccating trek through the Petrified Forest, and removing the threat of having their food and drink poisoned by opportunistic wizards. For the most part though the sailors themselves, even those trained in war, do not engage the Empire directly. This also reduces the impact of the Asavean warships sent by the Plenum. While there are a few mercenaries fighting alongside the armies - especially the Hamsin - they seem unenthused by the defensive strategy the Salt Lords have decreed.
If these sea-borne forces had been involved - if the fighting had taken place in Fleisardh for example - then there's no doubt that a great many more League, Dawnish, and Freeborn lives would have been lost. Perhaps something to bear in mind in the future? The Grendel strength has always lain with their navies, rather than their armies, after all.
Their navies... and their cunning.
The Crab Has Two Hands
At the same time that the League, Dawn, and the Brass Coast are pressing the defences of the Grendel, the Highborn are about a different task. The Granite Pillar lead a disciplined defence, and that leaves parts of the Seventh Wave free to employ different tactics. With some support from the canny guerillas of the Winter Sun, and a little assistance from two of the Polemarchs, they send out scouts and spies to seek out both any sign of a Grendel spy network, and any threat of espionage from the Broken Shore. With no enemy forces attacking the Empire, they are free to focus their efforts on Imperial-held territory (and to a slightly lesser degree, on the city-state of Beoraidh).
Just as well they do. While everyone's attention is in the south, only the most vigilant eyes are watching in the north, and that almost leads to disaster. While the Katabat and Shamal are busy supporting the armies, the Tempest and Simoom have split their attention. Along with what seems to be a significant number of independent vessels controlled by Grendel captains, they are busy below the cliffs of Icarion in a location not too far from where the old Urizen lighthouse once stood.
They are not attacking - they are doing their best not to attract attention at all - and it is initially not clear what they are up to. It seems that the ships are transporting large amounts of rubble and sand from somewhere in the Broken Shore and simply dumping it over the side at several key locations along the cliffs of Icarion. At first the Highborn are at a loss to explain what is going on - partly because the crumbling cliffs present a treacherous obstacle to getting close enough to see what they are doing. Yet with the help of spyglass and not a little luck the shape of the Grendel scheme becomes horribly apparent.
It seems that in some parts of Icarion there are tunnels in the rock that reach up to sites previously occupied by some Urizeni and Grendel ruins. Smugglers' tunnels perhaps - or more likely the remnants of an Urizeni strategy to allow vessels from Spiral to dock at the base of the cliffs and transport travellers and goods up to Mareave proper. The hunger of the Bay has washed away any sign of such docks... but the Grendel are looking to recreate them albeit temporarily. If they are successful, it will mean that Icarion is accessible from the sea, at least for a time. The precise locations of the tunnels is not clear - thanks to the recent chaos caused by Spring magic gone awry the ruins themselves are collapsed and overgrown with scrubby grass and orange flowers.
The Grendel however clearly know where the lower levels of the tunnels come out. They are seeking to create a literal "beach head" at the base of the cliffs, one that will likely not be permanent but represents a significant short-term threat to Mareave. With access from the sea to the clifftops, they would be able to bring their full force to bear on Icarion, both the navies themselves and the armies they transport. And if they can use that force to capture Icarion, they would control the southern entrance to the Apulian Way, Disrupting the narrow umbilical that connects Mareave to the rest of the Empire. Such a strategy would not only cut Mareave off from the rest of the Empire, but there is a serious risk it would see Imperial armies caught in the jaws of the Grendel, unable to retreat...
Game Information
Mareave
- No land has changed hands in Mareave this season
- Beoraidh remains neutral in the conflict between Grendel and Imperial forces
The Empire continues to hold Clisearn, but three-quarters of the region remains in Grendel hands. The Grendel have defended their conquered land, and no headway has been made in pushing them back. On the other hand, there have been no successful attacks into Imperial parts of the region this season, and no repeat of the daring raid against Fundindelve last season.
The Seventh Wave have undertaken a scouting order in Mareave this season, and in addition to uncovering the schemes of the Salt Lords in Icarion they will receive a report at the Muster on Friday night detailing any foreign spy network operating in the territory, and including any strategic or tactical opportunities related to defending the territory from outside forces. They won't receive any details of enemy campaign armies however because none were taking attacking orders. One thing of note is that the Polemarchs of Zakalwe have been active in supporting the Highborn army, and are believed to have an opportunity for the General to pursue involving gaining up-to-date information on Grendel military capabilities.
Finally, the city state of Beoraidh remains neutral in the fighting between the Grendel and the Empire. The Palace of Chains - the fortification in Beoraidh city - has aided neither side.
Participation : Unshackled in Mareave
- Any Imperial Orc whose personal resource is in Mareave may have received a boon from Cathan Canae
- The boon is treated as an enchantment on the character and is removed in the usual way
The heralds of Cathan Canae are once again active in Mareave. While many of them fight the Grendel alongside the Empire's attacking forces, they also protect every part of Mareave. Massive castles drawn from the Summer Realm tower over Icarion, Nadir, and Clisearn and there are plenty of warriors and giants who look to the defence of the orcs who live there. The influence of Cathan Canae is felt in every part of the territory controlled by the Unshackled, not only at the warfront in the south.
Any Imperial Orc character whose personal resource is in Mareave may choose to have had a significant encounter with one of the servants of the Lady of the Frost and received a boon from them. You gain one additional hit, as if you were under the effect of the Strength of the Bull enchantment. You also experience a potent roleplaying effect: You find it hard to back down, even if you might be in the wrong. Your natural stubbornness is greatly enhanced, and it feels satisfying to refuse to change your position. It is easy to see anyone who tries to convince or force you to modify your beliefs as a rival or enemy, and it is hard not to respond to such perceptions with force.
In addition, while under the influence of this roleplaying effect, it is easier for an orc to hear the voices of ancestors who encourage them to stick to their beliefs, to resist anyone who tries to tell them what to do, or who encourages direct action against rivals or enemies. This particularly includes the bold Rucraic and ruthless Dubhtraig if you feel a connection to those two Grendel ancestors.
All of these effects are lost if you receive a different personal enchantment during the summit - as with any enchantment you can only have one such effect at a time. Otherwise it persists until shortly before the start of the Winter Solstice 388YE.
Battle Opportunity : Jaws of the Leomarid
- An opportunity exists to disrupt a Grendel plan to establish naval access to the region of Icarion
Civil service prognosticators have identified a major conjunction of the Sentinel Gate that will allow Imperial heroes to reach Icarion during the Autumn Equinox, and potentially disrupt Grendel plans to enact an opportunity to allow their naval forces to access northern Mareave.