Myth Journals

“Leave it for the torches, lads, and make haste for Gonen!”

Crüniac’s words soon spread through the entire camp, and men began hurrying in all directions. Moments before, the runner sent to warn Tallow had returned, only to tell us that Tallow, along with every other village and town along the northern border of Forest Heart, had been ravaged by the undead. Even worse, the enemy is amassing a huge army less than a day’s march from here. Crüniac believes they are coming to recapture the keep.

The commander has sent me and a group of Dwarves ahead of our main force to “stuff Gonen like a turkey.” I was unsure of his meaning until we reached Gonen’s Bridge and the Dwarves began to load the bridge with satchel charges. Apparently he plans to destroy the bridge behind us once we are all across, to make pursuit more difficult.

Crüniac and some other men stayed behind to put the keep to the torch, thus preventing it from falling back into the hands of the enemy. As we began our ascent into the foothills of the Cloudspine, I turned back and saw the blaze well under way. And that is when I noticed movement around the keep.

I thought I knew what fear was, or that I had known fear. I was wrong. This night I have experienced true fear. The army of the Dark is upon us and it has no end. They march toward us, shoulder to shoulder, for as far as the eye can see. The very earth must be crying out at the damnable weight of them.

1. Crüniac: An officer of the Legion. His father is the mayor of Shoal. He has political aspirations, and joined the Legion to distinguish himself. ↩
2. Forest Heart: An ancient and majestic forest east of the Cloudspine. Home to the peaceful but powerful Forest Giants. Forest Heart was the site of many battles during the Great War. ↩
3. Keep Kildaer: A stronghold near Brayle. Unoccupied since the Great War, it was thought that every member of the Kildaer family had been slain when the Fallen Lords crossed over the Cloudspine, destroying everything in their path. ↩
4. Dwarves: A diminutive race of sturdy craftsmen. The Dwarves delight in the elements of Fire and Stone, and are unrivaled masters of both. They share a deep hatred and countless years of war with the Ghôls. Driven from their homelands in Myrgard and Stoneheim, they returned to reclaim them following the defeat of the Dark at the end of the Great War. ↩
5. Cloudspine Mountains: A mountain range spanning the continent,running north to south across its center. An almost impassable barrier, the Cloudspine has only three passes—Bagrada, Seven Gates, and The Stair of Grief. Even these are only passable during the summer months. ↩

«“Leave it for the torches, lads, and make haste for Gonen!”»

«... Tallow, along with every other village and town along the northern border of Forest Heart, had been ravaged by the undead.»

«The commander has sent me and a group of Dwarves ahead of our main force to “stuff Gonen like a turkey.”»

«... the Dwarves began to load the bridge with satchel charges.»

«As we began our ascent into the foothills of the Cloudspine, I turned back and saw the blaze well under way.»

Dialogue

Garrick

There’s nothing you can do for him?

Journeyman

He’s dead, Garrick.

Dwarf

If we don't get moving that horde is gonna be on top of us.