A Land Far Away

Herein lies the tale of the Delimbyr War as told by the historian Wilimac Riverstone, of the village of Shining Falls. I hope to reserve these texts to remind all of the power of good and the power of evil in this world. All things have their times, though the human spirit is something that not many can overcome.

CHAPTER ONE – THE COMING OF THE STORM

It began like any other war - tales of darkness from the east, a swelling of the bestial tribes. Stories spread quickly from the Black Road that a great horde of humanoids was marching across the Great Desert toward the Greypeak Mountains. The Black Road was closed and the Zhentarim slowly readied themselves for the inevitable. Tendays passed with no sign until a dark cloud could be seen on the horizon. The cloud grew darker and bolder and slowly crept across the azure sky as the storm of conflict reached its dark arm into the Bleached Bone Pass.

Fighting was quickly upon the Zhents as wave after wave of humanoid poured from the passes from Anauroch. Minotaurs, hobgoblins, orc, and bugbears; all united under the dark banner of the Horde. Rumors quickly spread of a dark presence that was calling these beasts to it from all corners of the region. What this presence was, none were certain. Some claimed it roosted in the Bleached Bone Pass. Others swore that it followed behind the Horde itself, emanating from somewhere deep in the vast desert. Regardless of its source, this force was undeniable. The Horde advanced slowly, pushing before it the retreating Zhentarim army.

The Zhents fought their slow retreat through the Greypeaks, their lines growing thin as they were forced back. As the Horde passed the ruins of Dekanter a great and horrible sound was heard from deep beneath the earth. A battlecry of a thousand twisted abominations rising to join their brethren in mortal combat. From deep within the mines, goblins of hideous shape came forth against the Zhentarim. Lead by illithids, these slaves of the mind flayers fought ruthlessly and killed without mercy. The Zhentarim, in desperation, turned to their allies in Llorkh for assistance, knowing that without a hold they would surely be defeated. Their cries fell on deaf ears.

For such treachery against their own, the Zhents began to move siege engines ahead of them on a fighting retreat toward the city of Llorkh. Within weeks, the city of Llorkh was under siege as the Banites held back the Horde hoping to take the city before they were crushed upon its walls.

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Loudwater was not without its problems, however. The great City of Grottos watched from afar as the dark cloud passed into the region and the humanoid tribes rose to action. The black cloud gave courage to the tribes of bugbears west of the city and Zelbross, a small farming community, was sacked. The Delimbyr Route was no longer safe and as the Banites moved on Llorkh, the Starmark hoped this would not become a war on two fronts.

CHAPTER TWO – THE FALL OF LLORKH

As the long siege held upon Llorkh, the Horde slowly advanced through the Greypeaks against their Banite foes. Their forces worn thin, the Banites barraged Llorkh with catapults and other engines of war, battering the buildings and killing many. Under cover of darkness, the broken city collected its final forces and fled through underground tunnels, leaving none alive save for a small force of slave-warriors to keep the Banites at bay long enough to save those who fled. The forces of Llorkh retreated to the town of Orlbar where a temporary encampment was established and fortified to hold until such a time that they could move against their foes.

When day broke on the city of Llorkh, the Banites found themselves victors and quickly dealt with the rabble that was left to defend the city. Quickly, they sent for the forces that were still engaged with the Horde and within the tenday Llorkh was refortified and prepared to stand against the combined forces of the humanoid threat. There they waited as the dark cloud grew. Within a month, the skies had darkened to pitch and the walls of Llorkh were again berated. The Banites held fast against the Horde, the combined darkness of their souls meshing with the pit that is Llorkh giving them fell strength.

Meanwhile, the exiled Llorkhim began marching their forces west along the Delimbyr Valley toward Loudwater, and the Starmark answered en force. A contingent of soldiers was sent to meet the Purple Cloaks and defeat them with prejudice. The two great armies collided in the Greyvale as Loudwater defended its honor and land against the exiled Llorkhim usurpers. Many battles are fought as the lands of the Greyvale are won and lost in the shifting turmoil. The fertile soil turned to bile as the blood of the fallen mixed with the churned earth. No plants grew and where once songbirds welcomed the morn only crows awaited the dusk. Loudwater sought to push the Llorkhim into a retreat, but Llorkh fought against its own force from behind. Their own lost city lay behind them full of vengeful Banites, and beyond lay the vast Horde and the death that surely waited within.

The Starmark lead their forces in valiance and begin to push back, but after many months of hard fighting a stalemate was reached and soon the deaths began to mount and certain minds turned away from convention in desperation. Spies and hidden scouts lurked around every bend and bush and dark dealings were made between those in power…