Powering the Mandis Crystal through Sacrifice (6/13/2003)

Hobb the Gnome had been sharing reports behind enemy lines within the Jantalarian Encampments including a Luukosian Monastary where a ritual had been prepared to charge the Mandis Crystal. Hobb had suspected it would require mortal sacrifices and he would not prove to be wrong. Hochstib was either confident or he wanted to bolster the morale of his troops, but he would broadcast the sacrifice to Wehnimer's Landing over the amulets. Kriztian would report on the specifics:

[Amu-Faint : Lerep] "Rejoice, inhabitants of Wehnimer's Landing, your misguided attempt at aping civilization will soon end and your enlightened existence as a useful and cultured part of my Northern Kingdom will soon begin."

[Amu-Faint : Lerep] "I have two devoted people who have volunteered to give their lives unselfishly to help shorten the age of darkness that enshrouds you."

[Amu-Faint : Wunther] "My name is Wunther Kolson, I was a wizard in Jantalar before I realized the uselessness and waste of my vocation. I have since answered Baron Hochstib's call for a volunteer to die atop the mana disruption crystal in order to bring it more fully to life. I die so that fewer soldiers on both sides need perish in a prolonged struggle."

[Amu-Faint : Abshona] "My name is Abshona Sarta, I am a warrior in the glorious army of Jantalar. I have volunteered to die awakening the mana disruption crystal so that fewer of my comrades need perish fighting the misguided fools who stand against their own betterment."

[Amu-Faint : Lerep] "On the morrow we begin our task of hauling the crystal once more towards its final destination and with it we bring your fate...an unwarranted and generous elevation from the squalor and mental ineptitude that you are unable to even realize within yourselves."

[Amu-Faint : Lerep] "Soon even the least human among you will recognize the error of your past ignorance and will embrace the bright and shining existence that will become yours."

~Kriztian. Member, Silver Gryphons. Captain, Protectors of the Citadel.

Hochstib's Vanguard (6/15/2003)

The Mandis Crystal was then marched north again to the Elven Village. He sent his forces enmass against the Wehnimer's Defense accompanied by archers. His assault was large enough that we were unable to flank him and had to fight his Vanguard directly in order to push them back.

There were also two large siege engines that fired catapults full of flaming pitch into the area beyond the gap. These siege engines were protected by several Jantalarian footknights, but eventually, many of our warriors managed to bash them to pieces. After things quieted down and the Jants were thrown back, it was discovered that they had erected a steel barrier inside the Elven Settlement, just south of the area that begins the trail to the Elven Nations. The barrier still stands this morning, and is impassable by any means. A very long night indeed, and it seems Lerep's true assault on the Landing has begun.

We were able to push them back to the Elven settlement within the village where a strong defensive perimeter was setup comprised of Knight-Champions. A strong steel barrier had been built and archers were well positioned to defend it. Any attempts to probe beyond the barricades failed and reports began to stream in about their defenses. Instead of draining mana as the Crystal had done before it now striped spells, drained mana, your spirit, and within close proximity your life. Good luck to all.

A gold-chased deep crimson arrow flies from the shadows and strikes you! More would follow if you didn't withdraw quickly. If you were able to survive or evade those the Sentries dispatched you next and they did not miss. A particular gruesome killing was witnessed:

A Jantalarian sentry swings a massive steel claidhmore at you!
AS: +725 vs DS: +432 with AvD: +37 + d100 roll: +88 = +418
... and hits for 64 points of damage!
Slash to head destroys your right eye!
Doesn't do your brain any good either.

From this lodgement the Jantalarian forces would continue to send out large force contingents against us. Catthief Chessun was instrumental in garnering reports from the front for us as we defended the city. On the 16th day of Koaratos Hochstib put his plan into action.

Wehnimer's Landing Cut Off! (6/16/2003)

Hochstib launched another attack on the area around the Elven Settlement several hours past sun down. With heavy troop advancement the Jantalarians very quickly erected another steel barrier about halfway down the tree spirit trail, and afterwards, yet another was erected blocking the northwest trail from the tree trunk leading to Danjirland. I managed to get around the barrier by taking the trail through the grey orc area, but this route was also quickly blocked off. Now, the only way to get to Danjirland is to take the long backroad way through Luinne Bheinn. While these barriers were going up, many contingents of the younger Jantalarian warriors were crawling all over the glacier. It was difficult at first to discern whether they were trying to make a run at Icemule, but we soon learned the true nature of their actions. While dragging a body away from an area in the glacier, I noticed a fresh steel barrier that had been erected directly below the chasm, effectively blocking all travel to and from Icemule. This barrier was later monitored by Jantalarian snipers who will shoot at anyone who comes close similar to the others.

Danjirland is now completely blocked off barring a small route through the mountains and volcano. The Landing has been cut off from Icemule and the Elven Nations, in turn leaving Icemule and Pinefar quite separated from all the other towns as well. We are being boxed in.

We managed to send word to Icemule and the Elven Nations before the roads were blocked to us, but afterwards a few could occasionally slip past, but no aid from those cities was coming for us and Vornavis could not send troops either so all we could do was sit and wait and hope we could break the Jantalarians before they overran us.

The defense towers are all manned. Tilania has been organizing much of the defense tower system, and we have some excellent archers that man the towers. During the invasions as well, we have supplies in most towers, which include herbs, armor, weaponry of high quality vultite, as well as routinely fletched arrows during lulls in the attacks. The Ballista were also in heavy use during this and the reserves and young were encouraged to reinforce these positions and assist with triage.

Triage was dynamic as necassary beyond the normal locations we used West Tower, Waysides Inn, and even Hearthstone when Jantalarian forces would swarm over our defenses. Reserves also helped substantially here with herb assistance and mana resources when the Mandis Crystal was out of range.

Even with all of this preparation we had been unable to stop the barriers and thus, we prepared for a siege as we wer cut off, but our resolve would never be broken.