Admiral Norneiros Swordhand returns from the Sea of Ghosts a haunted and changed man. Having seen many men die at the Crimson Ramparts he brings news of the recent defeat to the Crown Prince of Vailindor. When he arrives at court he finds that the Prince has locked himself in the high tower, enveloped in the pleasures of his court, and avoiding the responsibilities of his office. Since the recent string of defeats the Prince has declared that he wants no further news of the war until there is good news and to that end, he cares not what actions his servants take, so long as he is secure in his palace.
Refugees from around the southern lands have choked the streets and the walled gates have been closed and all the knights pulled in to defend the capitol, effectively leaving the surrounding countryside to conquest. The admiral sneers at the Prince's advisers and heads to the royal treasury, taking a large sum with his men and loading it onto his ships. He takes the bravest knights from the surrounding lands and flight of griffons, along with the best stone and woodshaping mages in the kingdom, and sets sail for Zembar. When they arrive at his homeland, the admiral begins construction of a spartan, practical fortress along the cliffs overlooking the Zemish Strand.
On the peninsula ruled by the Iron Circle, the disparate forces of Vailin's southern kingdoms re-align themselves after the fall of the Duchy of Solandir. Choosing hit and run, guerrilla tactics they strike toward the weaker heart of the Circle's territories, rather than a full confrontation with Worg Oswe's powerful army. The Emerald Blade Baronies army moves west into Tithnia, their long-time rival, crushing the garrison left behind in the Circle's advance to the Duchy. Xanlomin Goblinsfoe the Gnome, leads his small band of rangers into the Blackstone Desert. The goblins there are taken by surprise as he sends an enormous carrion crawler (the unseen river monster from the Massacre at Thorndeep) up the side of the mountain pass to consume their archers, while the rest of his force scales the opposing cliff to gain higher ground and rain down arrows on the fleeing survivors.
The Isle of the Druids sends their Storm Elemental to Rana Moor, where their hippogriff riding soldiers are drawn up into the great magic vortex and burned and blacked by the lightning in its heart. The Prince's advisers send word to him in his great tower of ivory and gold, but they find him intoxicated in bed smoking strange spices from the lands across the the great eastern mountains. They resume their plans to restore their kingdoms glory and honor.
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