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It is the first day of autumn. The summons for aid could not be discussed forever, and though the debate and arguments ran long and hot, the decision was, truly, inevitable: War Forged would be supporting Aodh in their war against the Serorans.

Nothing was to be gained from snubbing their most beneficial ally, even if the cause was… less than noble. But hopefully, with the Forged throwing in their strength, the Serorans would see themselves outmatched and quickly surrender. Eventually, a squadron of Raiders were picked to travel to Eithne, before marching on Sedo. Little has been seen of the War Lord since her birth of the twins, and rumors thread the mountain like pernicious vines. As the days grow shorter and the nights colder, the Forged being their preparation for winter- and war.

Plot 401: Iron and Stone

Participants:  Hira, Anika, Grigori, Nott, Brigid, Hawke, Mai, Edmond

With the looming war on one side, and the nasty revelation that the Bloody Flanks were alive and thriving on the other, it was clear that the Forged needed more abled bodied warriors and defenders than ever. Acting on the advice of her Shield Alistair, Hira and a small group of herd members set out to recruit a former comrade of Alistair’s, and any other warriors that might be living with him in the lowlands as well.

A relatively uneventful journey (for everyone other than Anika and Grigori, at least) culminated in Mai stumbling into a farmer’s potato crop, and promptly being threatened by said farmer, complete with a pitchfork. Initial conversation was tense as the farmer was revealed to be the former Raider the group had set out to fine, and Sif indeed refused Hira’s first request… until she learned the reason. Bloody Flanks made the summons personal, and Sif promised to report to Skeldr Town with recruits in tow.
Plot 402: Cathedral

Participants:  Alvaro, Luana, Ezmeralda, Chirin, Evokar, Isa, Pele, Gulliver

Early in the morning, aftershocks of what could only have been a distant, massive earthquake rock the fertile farmlands, rending the earth and felling trees. As the various farmers and herders in the area- as well as any other unfortunate soul caught in the tremor- pick themselves back up, they are greeted with an absolutely astonishing site: a distant and massive ring of trees is revealed, where before there had been none. The trees are dozens of strides wide, and hundreds tall, and are of a pale, almost luminous bark with tapered, pale green needles.

The tremors captured the attention (and ire) of many disparate equines, and like flowers drawn to the sun, the individuals slowly coalesced into a group as they approached the ring of trees. More surprising to many of the equines was that a Kirin numbered among them. But faced with the stares of the Forged and the shadows of Kaia’s trees, Pele the kirin was nonetheless as bold as the rest in striding into the trees, and the group found out they were not the first to reach the cathedral. A unicorn stallion was moving among the trees, in apparent shock and wonder. He named himself Hemlock, and relayed old mare’s tales of these trees appearing in the past, supposedly as guardians of Onea in times of strife. Unsettled with not only the legends made truth, but the implications as well, Hemlock vowed to report the day’s findings to the War Lord.
Plot 403: Veils

Participants: Amber, Otama, Jade, Liam, Clarke, Khala, Anna, Icabod

In these uneasy, tumultuous times, several of the War Forged have decided to undergo the treacherous journey to the summit of their home mountain, in order to pay homage to and seek guidance from Kaia (and Alya’s) most sacred shrines. Recognizing safety in numbers, several of you band together. It’s been a multi-day journey, and you’re deep in the snowline now, but you’ve made it farther than many, and as morning dawns bright and cold, you might just be able to summit today if all goes well.

Well, all didn’t go well. A minor rockslide was more or less evaded by the group with only minimal injuries, and it revealed a clearly equine-made tunnel, lit from within and with a glowing sigil of Kaia etched into the stone entrance. Liam volunteered as the voice of reason and suggested reporting the tunnel; the rest of the group cheerfully squashed the voice of reason, threw it out the window, and proceeded into the unknown tunnel with typical War Forged abandon. The tunnel carried the group down, deep into the mountain, ending in a massive cavern, complete with a set of glowing weapons mounted on the wall. Mounted, until they suddenly flared with bright green light and attacked the group. Liam was the fastest to react, diving towards Khala in an effort to protect her. He succeeded, at the cost of his own life, his lifeblood seeping away into the ancient stones. And though he saved Khala’s life, his sacrifice did not save her leg, and she too fell. It was only when Otama and Khala used their Earth Blessing in a last desperate attempt to protect themselves, that the weapons suddenly froze. They pulsed with a softer, somehow friendlier shade of green, and lay themselves quietly at Otama and Khala’s hooves. The only remaining scout, Clarke left the group, returning with aid, and the weapons were brought to the War Lord’s fortress for study.. And containment.

Plot 404: Gilded Memories

Participants: Mia, Killiah, Kiger, Laurent, Soriano, Marea, Yakira, Cosmos

With the Stone Hooves war and the resulting unification of the Onean clans 50 years ago, much knowledge was gained- but some was lost, too. Many hard, lean years followed Garok’s rule, and as a result only the most useful and necessary skills were plied. Eventually the herd settled into its new way of life, and life became easier, but the pivot from aesthetic and specialized trades to more spartan, necessary jobs seemed permanent. Life on the mountain is not easy, after all. But some of the former artisans, the shipbuilders, the book binders, the weavers- they remembered the trades their clans were known for, the beautiful guild halls of old. Artists who transcended mere function, and turned their work into art.

And now, with more food and goods pouring in from the farmlands and Aodh than ever, it seems the War Lord has finally listened, and turned her eyes to the past. She set a group of merchants (accompanied by a scout of course) to seek out the ruins of a former guild hall. The massive group of explorers found the Guild Hall more or less intact, though in a state of disrepair. Very much not in disrepair was the elaborate and almost gleeful set of boobytraps left behind in the hall, the last defiant gesture left by the Hall’s former occupants before the war swept them and their creation into uncaring oblivion. A series of wicked traps were triggered, and few of the group escaped the endeavor unscathed. But they were also successful, and made it through the traps into the main hall to find many papers, books, and other notes thought long lost. The information was gathered, and the weary, wary group managed the journey out of the guild with rather greater success than the way in.Plot 406:Unearthing the Truth

Participants: Fox, Greer, Noelle, Ritan, Vitali, Thrynn, Alyshia, Addeva

Word of mysterious deaths in a coastal village brought a search party to the Farmlands at the Warlord’s behest. There, in the small town of Holmsa, the remnants of unspeakable horror awaited discovery. The entire village --every stallion, mare and child-- had been sunk halfway into the earth as if it were water, leaving a field of bodies planted like saplings in the visibly undisturbed ground. Without a soul left alive to tell the story, the scouts searched for clues.

Among the wreckage was a lost Vagabond child, whom the scouts shielded from the horrors waiting at Holmsa. Morbid clues were found in the form of a discarded battalion of ancient bones in the woods, and, worst of all, the decapitated body of a Stone Circle member. The insult to the Warlord was made complete by the gruesome display of the severed head on a pike, complete with a crimson banner -- it was the grim calling card of the Bloody Flanks, returned from exile and announcing their malicious intent to all of Onea.
Plot 407:Road to Freedom

Participants: Dinah, Q, Eshana, Jimmu, Freya, Mateo, Lorencio, Bates, Marshal, Cyrus

Since being barred from Eithne, the Vindicators have had to be cunning in order to continue their fight against slavery. Though they may not be able to enter New Valore, they can cut off the capital city’s primary source of new slaves: Onea. Countless hours of careful planning have culminated in a well-timed barricade of the War Lord’s Road, to block the passage of a shipment of enslaved Oneans heading south.

The Warlord has sent some of her finest raiders south to deliver a shipment of chained future slaves, and to escort the War-Forged ambassador Mateo and her son back to New Valore. The routine trip takes an unexpected turn when a bend in the road reveals a high wall of fallen trees, manned by furious Vindicators.

With the element of surprise and their greater numbers, the Vindicators largely succeeded in their mission. Several Vagabond and WF-culls were freed from their chains, and much of the supplies (most of which was intended to aid in Aodh’s war) was damaged or stolen. The Raiders fiercely defended their wares, and quick thinking kept them from losing all of the slaves, though Marshal was wounded by the Paladin herself. He got his revenge as the Vindicator’s fled, sinking a crossbow bolt into her haunches and ensuring that she would be leading no more raids for some time. The Raiders and Ambassador continued to Valore with their diminished pack-load, and then the Raiders returned to Onea to report.

Plot 405: An Expected Journey & Plot 408:A Brief Respite

Participants: Alvane, Ales, Cassiopeia, Rose, Alcippe, Vidalia, Faraji, Elaphaea, Aubrey, Sigyn, Rhuarc (NPC), Snilf and Trilf (NPCs)

The trials of an transoceanic voyage would have been enough hardship for the new passengers of the Trespasser, but they have already endured so much more. After watching their captain unleash unforeseeable carnage on Holmsa, the nausea permeating the Bloody Flanks has as much to do with dismay as it does seasickness.  At the behest of the medics, some of the crew and passengers have come ashore in Onea’s remote forests to gain their bearings and search for fresh healing herbs. A day’s march inland, they have made camp and are able to take a deep breath away from their unstable captain, who has been furious and unpredictable since his recovery. Memories of the violence linger as they gather around the fire.

Meanwhile, With many of the Raiders leaving Onea to assist in the southern war, it is vital that all able bodied members of the War-Forged are trained and reaching their full potential, the Scouts and Valkyries in particular, as it is they who are to pick up the Raider’s slack. Accordingly, two senior Scouts are sent on a low-risk circuit, to further the training of one of the youngest in their number.

The two parties encounter one another in the woods, and the tension of deceit strains conversation. As the young members of both parties play together, the warriors of both sides size up their potential opponents. The conflict comes to a head as the Bloody Flanks' identity is discovered, and the Flanks set fire to the dry underbrush before bolting back toward the Trespasser. The scouts are left with the troubling realization that the Bloody Flanks, the truest enemies of the War-Forged, are back on Onean soil.

Plot 409: Trading with Traitors

Participants: Ansgar, Iskalder, Lorian, Killian, Muiris, Uther. Dante, Alet, Sindri

The Trespasser was gone , and gone with it were the supplies that would have ensured the Bloody Flank clan’s survival through the long winter. Desperate to save their clan, Flank raiders boarded the Abaddon and set sail for Sunken Hoof Bay to meet Killian, a merchant whose clandestine alliance with the Bloody Flanks is grounds for treason. They arrange a rendezvous in a quiet tavern to negotiate for food and supplies. Unfortunately for them, the survival of the Bloody Flanks was no longer a secret in Onea, and the establishment, however seedy, was patronized by loyal War-Forged who wouldn’t tolerate betrayal. Some Vagabonds had the misfortune of passing through when faithful Forged encountered their sworn enemies, and were caught in the middle when battle breaks out.

The Bloody Flank raiders suffered injuries at the hooves of their Onean counterparts, but escaped empty-handed back to their crumbling home. Killian, their single ally, now a known traitor, vanished as easily as he'd first appeared. While the Flanks could hope for future dealings, they may have lost their chance. That knowledge was a small victory for the Oneans --and the vagabonds sucked into their battle-- who pursued them. The Bloody Flanks had a face, a name. While Ansgar and his raiders may have slipped through the Raiders' grasp fingers for now, they were tangible, and marked.

Plot 410: Examining Exodus

Participants: Faust, Calder, Odina, Ualda, Cormac, Synn, Eydis, Gidal (NPC)

With the marina demolished, the fleet damaged, and the winter’s supplies vanished over the horizon, the mood throughout the Bloody Flank clan was grim. The ground trembled with the aftershocks of the lindworm’s destructive visit. In the village’s main hall, a concerned crowd gathered as their uncertainty grew -- they’d spent decades building that harbor, those ships, and the harsh life they had been able to make here. Without the strength of the fleet, and the rations from the south, Ghosthold was in jeopardy.

Gidal tried to assure the clan that they’ve survived worse winters, debate raged -- was Ghosthold worth the fight? Or should the Bloody Flanks, now stronger than they have been since their exile, risk a return to Onea for their own survival? A wrathful argument in the Ghosthall almost let the rumbling of the ground go unnoticed. As Gidal shouted down his own family, an earthquake brought the building to the ground, trapping the clan inside.

The valiant efforts of the survivors pulled all the living from the wreckage of Ghosthall, but there was little time to celebrate. The clan was without shelter, without supplies, without ships. Their leader Gidal was paralyzed in the collapse, and winter loomed on the horizon. In the gloom of sunset, the Bloody Flanks bury what dead they can and prepare themselves for a second exile. They must leave Ghosthold.

Thank you to everyone who participated in War-Forged Chapter 4: Tipping Point!!