The forces of the Zekartaal, led by the brutal enemy hero known as Sister Oak, would press yet again into the heart of The Tribelands. The once-conqueror of Abqala would set her vicious gaze upon the spires of Obregon, and she would seek to bring them low. Flanked by her Eagles and an army thousands strong and more savage than ever, the city and its prized School of Gifts would grow ever nearer as she marched. Oak had known defeat once, drowned beneath a River of Blood, and she would seek to create one in kind.
But she would not march unhindered. So long as the Andashi drew breath, they would not allow it. By order of General Nemaia El Ankashi, The Desert Whisperers would set out in force to defend The Tribelands against this hated foe, and they would not plan to do so alone. Yet time would tell whether support would truly come, as once more the promises of Concordian Heroes are tested against the blood of Andash.
A Debt Paid in Blood
It is likely, according to the soldiery of The Desert Whisperers, that the only reason the defences could go up so quickly was due to the lack of lengthy travel needed to set them up. One of many small and important instances of luck during the campaign in The Tribelands.
The Andashi army of Janissaries were quick to mark important strategic routes and locales north of the appraised site of New Kodiri, and quicker still to build and man them. Time was of the essence, with Oak’s army getting closer each day, and not a single soul would be willing to risk a stand-up fight against the enemy across the arid desert of Tanebar South. Key locations, making good use of standing ruins and rolling dunes, saw temporary barricades and pickets raised to assist in the battles to come.
There was a nervous energy amongst The Whisperers. They had their orders, and they would follow them to the best of their training and expertise, but they could not help but feel vastly alone amidst the empty sands of Tanebar South. The last time Sister Oak invaded, she was fended off by the power of The Spheres and Bordevarian arms. Now, some could not help but feel that they were expected to do so alone. Such fears were quieted quickly by commanding officers, some choosing to do so with bravado befitting a Shesti, while others reminding of the promises of independent Heroic military forces that were expected any day now.
Their support would be greatly needed. Rumours said that near two-thousand strong were promised, a tremendous boon to the defensive lines and perhaps even necessary should they wish to do more than weather the coming storm. Once again, the lives of many rested in the hands and promises of few, and that was enough to make even the most steely of minds nervous.
The fighting would begin with no Heroic forces to be seen.
The overall line was spread wide, but well-reinforced. A total of four particularly vital locations saw the greatest effort put into their defences, and, unsurprisingly, saw the greatest of the conflicts. The first battle of the campaign, one that could rival any in its sheer brutality and recklessness by the enemy, was not one of subtlety. Oak clearly cared little for stealth, and barely at all for tactics. Her order, so far as The Whisperer’s could tell, consisted of one simple word - “Charge.” Perhaps she had lost her tactical acumen in the defeat years prior, perhaps her confidence had soared to new heights, or perhaps her patience had all but turned to dust. No matter the reason, no matter the cause, the result was shockingly straightforward.
The clash of weaponry lasted for four hours, and the screams of warriors and Janissaries alike lasted for many more. The first assault had been repelled, and news across the defensive line echoed the same. The Zekartaal force seemed to spread itself evenly, if not aggressively, against the defenders of Andash. Another such instance of important luck, perhaps.
Each day for the next two weeks would be marked by a Zekartaal assault. Each as vicious as the last, and each with the same zealous, fearless energy that Oak’s fighters carried about them. On some days, certain focal points would even face two assaults. The tempo of fighting was rigorous, and it truly tested The Desert Whisperers until breaking point. One such, seemingly monotonous assault, nearly did break the Andashi army, as Sister Oak herself led a charge up a dune carved by feet and muddied in blood. She was repelled, barely, thanks to the courageous sacrifice of a small unit of veteran Janissaries, led by a certain Ramit El-Nazafeza. Their blood saved countless others, and their memories were to be carried on should the rest live to remember it.
As the second week of vicious and savage fighting neared its end, The Desert Whisperers knew that their positions were untenable. It would not be possible to survive another week of onslaughts, and while the Zekartaal were certainly taking losses themselves, they showed no signs of letting up under the harsh whip of Oak’s frenzied goals.
To make matters worse, it was during this time that idleness began to strike. A Divine plague, a curse of indolence. The Principality of Aprivano, or perhaps something within its borders, had unleashed the power of The Spheres upon Tanebar South, and it could not have come at a worse time. Zekartaal and Concordian fighters alike suffered. The assaults against the Andashi line lost their initial rage and fervour, but nonetheless they came. The brave Andashi defenders struggled to swing their blades and lift their arms. Some even just walked away and never came back.
The thought of a loss loomed over the Andashi present, and their morale nearly plummeted.
As all hope began to wane, and the next assault of green and yellow began across the defensive line, the final and most important instance of luck would occur. Though the front line could barely believe it, one by one they would be reinforced by warriors clad in golden cloth and shining so bright they were initially mistaken to be beings of Panoply. Heroic reinforcements had arrived, and just in time.
Shrouded in the Golden Raiment of Panoply, Heroic military forces bolstered the troops of The Whisperers in their time of need. They shone bright, and fought with a vigour and strength that belied the reality of their number. They fought with the strength of two thousand, when in reality they likely numbered half that, and not all of the reinforcements wore the garb of Panoply’s power. Still, it was enough.
For three more months, the fighting in Tanebar South would continue, but it would not be a stagnant war. The Desert Whisperers would slowly but surely extend their battle-line with each victory, and the Zekartaal would be repelled again and again. Eventually, and thankfully close to the border to Villacres, the Zekartaal would break entirely, retreating across the border as the assaults finally came to an end. The Concord would claim victory in The Tribelands, saving it once more.
And yet, a mystery remained. Despite her near oppressive presence at the beginning of the conflicts, Oak was not seen again along the frontlines. In fact, she was not seen at all. The cynical few prepared themselves for a strike at Obregon by Oak herself supported by Eagles, but the realistic many reminded them that there would be no possible way that could have gotten through the pickets without someone knowing.
It was simply assumed that the beast of the forests had once again fled the sands of Andash.
Game Information
With the support of ten individual Heroic military investments, many of which were empowered by Priests of Panoply, The Desert Whisperers successfully held The Tribelands against the might of Sister Oak and the sudden Plague of Idleness presumed to have come from Aprivano. Though the fighting was tough and relentless, with near daily conflict lasting for three months, The Zekartaal would eventually be routed and forced to retreat into Villacres.
Those Heroes whose Investments were under the effect of Clad in Golden Raiment are heavily encouraged to continue the roleplay prompt from the Ceremony into the coming Summit. The prompt has been copied below for ease of reference;
“Your soldiers are outfitted in golden cloth and shine brilliantly in combat - surely you, too, should be flattered, recognized for your greatness, and given great approval by the masses.”
Despite the victory, damage and losses were unavoidable. Though New Kodiri was well protected thanks to the forethinking and tactics of General Nemaia, other ruins and many sandy dunes now bear the scars of yet another war. When the dust clears, the Desert Whisperers report a strength of 4200 going into the Summer campaigning season. Scouts report that the retreating forces of Sister Oak number approximately 5000.
They would not be the only ones to suffer such scars, as the Investments of the following Heroes are damaged during the fighting by well-aimed Carrionwood arrows;
- Fawz Cobra Al-Al’afaei
- Daud El'Priado Del'Anarch Al'Sabre
- Bevedes Al Bevan
Additionally, the following Character’s Investments are damaged by the powers of Clad in Golden Raiment;
- Ali Al-Safir
- Eshaan Al’Mai
- Anastis Gelt
- Escanor Lionhart
Behind Wooden Masks
The people of The Tribelands find themselves able to breathe a sigh of relief as The Zekarataal fail to conquer Tanebar South. Despite the furious assaults, and the devastating ruin Oak had wrought in her wake, her inability to defeat The Desert Whisperers once more would fill the people of Andash with hope. This was not the first time such a military victory would lift the spirits of the people, and Spheres’ willing it would not be the last.
Still, General Nemaia proved herself no fool. While particular scouting actions would be beyond the ability of The Whisperers, a careful eye was kept pointed towards Villacres and the movements of the retreating enemy force. Sister Oak, her whereabouts still unknown, or perhaps one of her trusted allies, had ordered the army far from the sandy vistas of Andash and all the way back to Verlorenherz. According to allied watchers from The Greenweald, the warriors of Oak had returned to the forests, and traded places with another.
Brother Ash, so it seemed, would take Oak’s place in Villacres. With ritualists and leashed monsters in tow, the eastern edges of Villacres would be reinforced by an enemy with a far different approach to the war against the sands. So strange would be his actions that tacticians in The Whisperer’s would be baffled by his decision to leave Tanebar Heart and Tanebar Wastes completely undefended.
He, and his forces, had been sighted there over the few remaining months in the Season, but at its end they had left it unguarded. The territory was still, by all rights, held by The Zekartaal, but they would not defend it with an army. Rumours spread through the scouting few that the forest foes had pulled back from even some of their northern territories, creating a great space between themselves and the Principality to their west. A ploy? A response to the actions of Majiid?
There would be few who knew the truth.
Regardless, the pieces on the board had moved, and more questions raised than answered. For some, it mattered little. Who cares if the enemy holds Alkharab and Sirunar? What are the chances of The Concord taking those territories anyways? For others, it spoke of opportunity. Is this finally a chance to push into Villacres? To retake the lands of Andash? There would be opinions vast and unique, visions of futures containing treachery and victory alike clashing against one another as people speak their minds.
One truth remained, and for most, it was the only truth that mattered. The Tribelands was safe once more from the threat to its north. Now, careful attention must be paid to its west.
Game Information
The armies of Sister Oak and Brother Ash have traded places, though their reasoning and actions remain mysterious and even strange. Oak, presumably at the head of her army but still largely unaccounted for since the start of the conflict months ago, has moved firmly back within Verlorenherz and assumed to have a burning rage at her failure. Ash, ever wily, has moved leaving a territorial space between the forests held by The Zekartaal and the West.
While Ash’s purpose remains to be seen, there seems to be no initial aggressive manoeuvres. It is believed that he will be taking defensive actions this Season, primarily within the mountainous terrain of Alkharab.
