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It started when the Orcs from the Orc Hold reserve portion of the Skull Trees, whom had been living peacfully on the reservation for nearly a hundred years, crossed the Trickle River in an unprovoked, yet precision attack on Fort Solstice. Fort Solstice was not only a fort, but also a prestigeous training academy for nobleborn recruits. An entire well equipped, well managed fortress, full of noble academy recruits and seasoned cavalry soldiers were whipped out without a hitch. It wasn't until two weeks later that a message got through with news of its fall. With Fort Sostice being the only bastion standing between the Orcs and civilized society, by the time news reached the capital city of Talismonde, Orcs had already spread throughout the Western region of Arduin pillaging, ransacking villages, and disrupting major trade routes from the West.
Immediate conscriptures were sent out to allied nations of Arduin, but assembling a force big enough to deal with the Orcs would take at least another week. During this time the Goblins of Goblin Ridge to the Southcentral, near the Quarries, had begun a massive flaming inccursion on the Southern lands along the border of the Green Hell Jungle. It was apparent that this was no random act of rebellion, indeed the country was under a well coordinated attack. What little troops could be gathered were immediately posted to reinforce the defense of the major cities. The Aerial Elite Guardsmen in Service, aka the Aegis(Griffin Riders) lead by Sr. Captain Baron Maldrado Starhammer (heir to the House of the Burning Rose), as well as Arduin's Naval Guard, were sent to patrol the Misty Sea in order to prevent the most active remaining trade routes between the major cities from falling to similar attacks. The country was in chaos and the War Council was powerless to save it. Their downfall was a combination lack of readied troops, inability to recieve proper supplies due to disrupted trade routes, and lack of intel on the enemy, though it was believed that no Orc or Goblin chieftan could have orchestrated such precision attacks.
It was during this time of panic that Aaron, the Black Jade Wizard interveined. As head of the Red Grove Adventurers' Guild, he was able to summon many available adventurers and retired veterans by offering payment in amounts not usually found under common employment. He sent his guild with an inflamed sense of patriotism to the front lines of battle against the Orcs that had now spread towards the Northwestern area. He made an alliance with a tribe of Wimici Barbarians from the Plains of Paranon who agreed to confront the Goblins on his behalf in this time of crisis. A group of valiant adventurers, which is now known as the Red Grove Special Ops, were able to recapture Fort Solstice, a critical strategic point, as well as shed some light on how it fell in the first place. The clues found by the Red Grove Special Ops shed light as to the culprit, which was ultimately determined to be a corrupted Spellcaster. Though Fort Solstice had be retaken, a new crucial matter arose. It turns out that during the initial attack, a large portion of the nobleborn recruits, previously thought slain, had been taken hostage and brought back to the Orc Hold Reservation. Once again the Red Grove Special Ops executed a cunning attack that saved the surviving hostages. It was only a matter of time before the situation started to seem brighter.
Unfortunately tragedy struck again with the loss of the brothers Kherwyn and Rahm Korohnel of the House of the Golden Lion, commanders of Fort Soltice. Kherwyn was a Sr. Captain in the border guard; Rahm was a Sr. Captain in the Aerial Guard. They were killed when the Orcs made one last ditch siege to retake a weakened Fort Solstice. The only known surviving heir to the family title was Michael Jameson, nephew of Baroness Sorinda Gottradung; a close relative(1st cousin) of the Korohnel brothers. This in itself led to political intrigue amungst the nobles in the days to come.
Though the Orcs were finally defeated and forced back to the decimated reservation of Orc Hold, the fires of the Goblins to the South were blazing. The primary concern was for the safety of Nythaarna (one of the 4 major cities). With the Goblins held at bay by the Wimici Barbarians, the Orcs defeated, and a moderate amount of the conscripts assembled and well equipped with Dwarven armory(thanks to Spellforger Foundry) it seemed soon all would return to normal if not a little more cautiously this time. Alas, panic broke out yet again as news of an army of Giants and Gnolls assembling under the banner of an unknown Wizard to the Northeast had their sights set directly on Melkalund (it's along the Northeastern coast of the Misty sea and another one of the 4 Major cities of Arduin).
At this point there was no doubt that this manical Wizard had to be stopped, yet the most pressing concern at hand was the stability of the area around Melkalund. Melkalund is virtually between the Misty Sea and the Great Burn (Home of the Volcanic Orcs, Fire Drakes, and the terrible denizens of The Great Wurm Road). It was a major concern that these horrible creatures might also be roused for the attack on Melkalund.
So far the Aegis has been dispatched along with an army of ~2,500 Dwarven equipped conscripts. The situation looks grim and fear of the Giants has caused many to whisper of desertion. Only speculation exists about how this maniacal Wizard was able to persuade such denizens of Arduin to rise up or what the motives could be behind such an attack. This is suppossed to be the begining of a Golden Era of peace and prosperity for Arduin, but will this Golden age disintegrate at the mercy of fire and flame?
Aside from everything the Royal Military can muster, Aaron has also sent what's left of his troops from the newly recognized regiment, The Ragged Red, to assist in the defense of Melkalund and indeed the Country of Arduin.
For his initiative and awe inspiring partiotism (along with brownie points from saving a number noble/aristocratic recruits from Orc Hold), not only were his troops honored in recognition as a new regiment, Aaron has also been made a member of the council of Mages. He has taken it upon himself to ally himself with other like-minded patriotic Wizards and formed the Council of War Mages(CoW Mages? o.O; ). His military command status remains unofficial and thus possess no rank, yet no one could question the loyalty of his guild members nor the prowess of his Red Grove Special Ops.
Aaron is a staunch patriot and a King's Supporter(political faction). He, along with his Red Grove Special Ops, have become overnight celebrities and heros of the people... even amungst the Nobles. The newly declared Duke Michael Jameson has stirred things up quite a bit by changing his family from the Crown Royalist political faction to King's Supporters. He also has the pulse of gossip at his heels as rumors of a courtship between him and Baroness Tara Starhammer lends joy in these frightening times to the lower classes (what do peasants love better than a celebrity wedding?). The idea that a family founded by a siege lord (House of the Golden Lion) and one of the most respected Elven Noble Houses (House of the Burning Rose) has also stirred up controversy amungst the nobility.
The battle of Fort Solstice has been won, but the War has only begun. What fate awaits Melkalund and indeed Arduin? Wll you heed the call of the military? Perhaps the patriotic call of the Red Grove Guild? Or perhaps a sinister calling by allying with the Gnolls and Giants under the direction of this mysteriously unknown, and maniacal, Wizard? History... rests in the hands of the players.
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