Devastation 1105

The campaign season of 1105 was started in an area of Norsca that was suffering badly from attacks by the Blood Queen's new allies, the Swarm, a bunch of large, as in roughly man-sized, rats. The mercenaries and independents were sharing a camp with the Vipers and Lions a short distance from everyone else. Effectively the two camps were on either side of the ritual circle. Our position against the side of the ritual circle's clearing, while somewhat risky, came in useful on numerous occasions given the number of attacks centred on the circle.

We were bodyguards to Donald of the college once more in another raid into the Blood Queen's Soul Prison alongside the Vipers, Lions and Fir Cruthen. The order came through as we went in - no stopping, no retreat, no going back to pick up casualties, keep pushing until we succeed. It was an exceptionally hard fight with heavy losses all round. The Fir Cruthen were decimated very early on in the attack and had to pull out while there were still a few of them alive.

Unlike the raids at Renewal this one was successful, though at a frightful cost in lives lost. The tactics worked. Johannes of the Vipers managed to grab the metal that was needed in a last-gasp dash through the enemy lines that was supported by Donald and the Lion Azure. There were many Viper and Lion nobles amongst the fallen, including most of their senior commanders. We lost Jan at the very end, protecting Donald's back while trying to keep the exits free, our friend Felix of FATCO fell there too.

The Draken, Kobolds and others used the metal in a ritual to prepare a sword to attack the Blood Queen, it cost the life of Sir Giles, a Lion noble, to prepare though he gladly volunteered. The Blood Queen and her friends tried to spoil the ritual but were fought off.

The following day the remaining factions used the sword to good effect and defeated the Blood Queen with it, though at great cost especially to the Wolves. Finally her blight of blood has been removed from the land. Unfortunately with the rise of the Swarm there are still threats out there, but at least she's no longer around to work alongside them.

That night a group of Nomads performed a ritual to discover the fate of the souls of those that died fighting the Blood Queen - they're all safely in the hands of their gods where they belong.

The following morning the Jhereg attacked the Fir Cruthen camp and captured their queen. Shortly thereafter the combined forces of the Vipers and Lions went to 'visit' the Jhereg to discuss this diplomatic incident which lead to large numbers of troops facing off in the sun while their leaders discussed the situation. Eventually the queen was freed and they all agreed to sort things out one way or another at Fayre. While this was happening a group of the troops discovered a tiny ritual circle near the camp.

In the Algaia camp Lady Squirrel was eventually tried on charges of disobeying orders, the case for murder having fallen flat when it came out that the victim was a demon and most definitely wasn't dead. She was found guilty and banished form Algaian lands for a year.

Devastation 1105 Piccies

There's only a few photos this time but there's also a panorama, a map of the camp, and the special page for the tiny ritual circle.


New Lion Archer Unit	Massed Troops on the Monday	Leaders Deliberating

Luckily the Kobold water truck was on hand		While some troops took the opportunity to socialise