The Greystone Pass War Campaign Log

Nachexen 13, 2526 I.C. - The New Moon

Spring is fast approaching, and in the Grey Mountains more has occurred over the winter than most would like.  The Hold of Khazid Grimaz lies in ruin, the mountain split in half by the volcanic upheaval beneath.  In the passes, the dwarfs watch towers and carefully guarded mountain trails are unmanned as the Throng recoils in horror at the tragedy that has befallen them.  However, their land shall know no respite.  A great evil has gathered in force in the passes where the dwarf rangers once guarded against the forces of destruction.

The Lady of Woe and her army of black ark warriors have marched en masse from their magical towers.  They are looking for something...perhaps the dark elf sorceress' plot has not come to fruition?  Whatever the case may be, dark elf warriors are hidden everywhere in the passes, wreaking havoc on anyone who approaches.  They are intent on securing the whole pass for some nefarious reason.  Given their activities of late, the outcome cannot be wholesome.

Yet all is not lost.  Though the Storm of Chaos abates in the north, the shadow of war falls now upon the south.  For years the Bloo Moonz orcs have threatened the land around the Grey Mountains, but they have moved their horde further north since the ominous earthquakes and fire upon the mountain.  As they move north, they threaten to enter Bretonnia.  The Duke of Beziers, Brique Zigler, will not allow that to happen and even now is moving troops from Long du Riviere to Greystone Pass.  However, the Duke will find that orcs a hundred miles away are the least of his issues.

To add insult to injury, the Deathmaw Ogres have decided to run rampant and pillage all around the mountain.  Camp Deathmaw is now a target on the Empire's list, but once troops are mustered the Deathmaw will be long gone.  Now they smell blood, and have made their way to Greystone Pass.  However, rumors tell that perhaps the Deathmaw weren't doing random violence, but were hired by an as yet unknown benefactor to wage war on dwarf and man.

Yet these ominous tidings aren't the only factors in play.  The Elemental Seal under the mountain is the prize, and a detachment of high elves have arrived in the mountains seeking their lost kin.  The Dawn Brigade has disbanded, and it is under a new prince that they march to war.  The dark elves are their prey, and the kin-strife of ages is about to come to the Grey Mountains.

From below, monstrous creatures erupt from the mountain.  The forests of Wissenland are strewn with beastmen.  All of the tribes are rising up, all chanting the name of their dread master - Fekul-Hoof.  The herdstones begin to glow alight with the balefires of chaos, and the beastmen know that the eyes of their gods are upon them.  Now they storm the pass, flocking toward the fiery mountain and it's wyrdstone mines. They say even stranger creatures, reptilian in nature, guard the entrances to the lower holds with vicious military coordination.

Not even the dead do not rest here.  From far away Khemri, the agents of the Pharoah Atekh Ra-Amon continue their search for power in the mountains, though now they know the true power is the Seal of the Old Ones. He has resolved to find this, and understand it's power, for he believes a doom stands over his kingdom unless he can find a way to stop it.  The Pharoah can sense a terrible burning power here, and has spent considerable resources in moving more of his assets to the mountain.   Their sandy breath haunts the dreams of those who sleep in the pass, and they remain hidden in the deeps below.

For now, Wissenland and the dwarfs recoil from the battle erupting in the mountains.  The men of the Empire's regiments are far too busy tending refugees and protecting the border (and interior) of their country.  Small bands of dwarfs and men, adventurers, enter the Grey Mountains to find survivors still coming out of the holds.  The way is dangerous, but the need is great - and there are always a few bold souls who will go always go where danger dwells.

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The snows at Greystone Pass begin to melt, and the armies begin to march.

The Greystone Pass War is the Wargate's first six-month campaign, and it's a got a few new features that incorporate a lot of the ideas we've been mulling around and developing in other campaigns.  In the new six-month model, the scope of the campaign is widened, and the amount of players is not limited.  The campaign structure is a lot more open-ended in what can happen, and we've brought back a few older ideas as well.

The specifics of fighting a campaign game, including battle size and terrain involved, are included on the battle sheets at the Wargate.  These are available for download here, and additionally the basics are as follows:

1. Any number of players can join the campaign, even in progress.
2. Players can play any number of games against any other player, provided they don't play the same person twice in a row.
3. Campaign Points are earned for playing in campaign games as follows: 3 for each win, 2 for each draw and 1 for each loss.  Campaign Points can also be earned during play, as detailed on the battle sheet.
4. Influence Score is equal to the player's Win percentage.  The players' Campaign Score is equal to (Campaign Points x Influence).
5. Battle Magnitude is the highest total number of games so far among each player.  All players receive a -5% Influence penalty for each game they are behind the Battle Magnitude.
6. Units gain Experience Levels from participating in the campaign.  Units with levels are kept track of in the unit directory.  Units keep their levels until they are destroyed in a game or declared destroyed by a Defeat result.

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Campaign Updates

1. (7.1.12)  The campaign has begun!
2. (7.1.12) 7 Armies have gathered!
3. (8.23.12) The battle has been so intense we haven't even posted anything!  The battle magnitude is 10 at the time the dust settles for the first brief respite of the campaign, and the Tower of Iron Woe is dominating the pass, and it's agents have punished the High Elves for their interference.
4. (1.1.13) Though the Tomb Kings have fought mightily for the magical power beneath the Firecrag, the Tower of Iron Woe is victorious!

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Jandor Bloodbane set the gory point of this massive magical blade into the ground and surveyed the battlefield.  His armor radiated dark energy, and Jandor was exultant as it soaked up the blood of the few of hated high elves they had managed to find.  It was always better to kill the living than destroy the dead, yet for the past several months only the dead rose to face them.

He didn't know why the dead rose to oppose them so.  The Sorceress herself had said these spirits were the damned of Khemri, far from their home.  To Jandor, none of that mattered...they were just another foe to be destroyed.  As he looked to the distant volcano, now called the Firecrag by those that once lived in Khazid Grimaz...he remembered why he had come this far.

Jandor strode to the edge of the cliff and looked down.  There, far below in the valley - the throng of Khazid Grimaz made a camp that approached a city in size.  Refugees of all types - men, dwarfs and elves - made the tent city their home now.  Since the eruption of the volcano beneath their city, the dwarfs of the Khazid struggled to find purchase on the slippery slope to destruction.  From this valley, they had hoped to arrest their decline and reclaim their home, after a fashion.  

Jandor Bloodbane had another purpose in mind for what he saw as hundreds of pathetic refugees.

"Tell the Sorceress we are ready."  He said to a trusted aide nearby.  "Greystone Pass belongs to the Tower."

Jandor Bloodbane smiled a horrific smile that belied his bloodlust.  Today, they would kill and kill and kill until all the killing was done.  No man or dwarf would stand in the pass by nightfall, he vowed as he heard the marching feet of his spearmen approaching the pass.