Moringaard / Fall of Mor'tazz

Early in the year, Sir Dagger, the Ambassador of Blackwood, and Don Anthem DeVigil attended a noble wedding as honored guests. Among the guests was a soldier who had been fighting a long and tiring campaign in lands of Moringaard. Sir Dagger listened to the man as he spoke at length about his torment and failings in the war in Moringaard. He claimed that they were not winning and could not win. Dagger, always one to disagree with the idea of finality, decided he would take what he learned and see for himself when the next chance arose. That chance came when returned from the royal Blackwood wedding.

The Ambassador Sir Dagger, members of the Embassy Guard and the East Blackwood Company entered first the Bahianische Reich and moved east to the contested lands of Moringaard. The group moved steadily toward the frontline war camps near Hohen Furth while avoiding soulless and Legio Mortis were able until they came upon the Camp of the Light which held the war council. Once there, the Ambassador and East Blackwood Company observed and asked questions about the state of the war and its leadership.

The leadership of the Living (Lager des Lichtes), non-orc, forces of the Bahianische Reich:

• Graf Paulus von Wasserstein and his entourage:  The group has been with the campaign in Moringaard for many years already with the Count leading the main war camp from time to time.
  
• Lord Protector Magister Trevor Bjormolfson:  Lord Protector Trevor is the Head of the Dependency Guild of Alchemists and is the liaison for all matters of alchemy, field research and for the description of ancient Moringaardic scriptures.  Lord Trevor has been with the campaign since its conception five years ago. 
  
• The Elves, especially the Dragon Prince Skaleandris, Hathurion, and the Priestess Curoniel. Curoniel was not there this time
• Magister Eisenhut:  Eisenhut is a mechanic and the liaison for all matters concerning machines. 
• The fighters of the Valinar Order.  Members of the Valinar Order wear a white cross on a black field.
  
• Azadon and Eisenwölfe, Fianna, Ostarische Marine, Ordo Cru Rach (die Echsen) are also important groups among the Camp of the Light.

Orcs in Moringaard:

The Scût mor bashrak clan also made its presence known yet their goals where unclear.  When the subject of orcs was brought up, one soldier of the Bahianisch forces spoke of them with disdain.  The orcs had fought both the dead and the Bahianisch army.  The problem was in finding a reason as to why they did this.  When the question was asked the answer was simply, "they are orcs. What do you expect?“

In another conversation with the Count of Wasserstein, Wasserstein added that orcs do what orcs do. „fight and plunder.  There are some that want to fight alongside the orcs against the dead but the orcs keep attacking the fighters of the light."

The forces of the Dead:

Legio Mortis:  The Legio Mortis is an ever-present fighting force that seems to make up the bulk of the dead armies.  The Legio march as strong and disciplined forces without remorse.  They take the field, called from the plain of the dead, in red and black and march in often tight ranks.  With various commands in a language unknown to most, they carry out the will of their masters.  

The Legio soldier, like the other soldiers of the plane of the dead, is not mindless.  They are intelligent and they speak when the mood strikes them.  Generally one will hear them scream Mortis with a stern stoicism before they appear and or attack.  When a Legio Mortis soldier falls its body disappears only to be returned to the plain of the living by the various dead Nekrologen who call them forth once again.  It was this story of undying legions that brought the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Blackwood to Moringaard.

Eysenburg:  Eysenburg is a faction within the lands of the dead.  The Eysenburg forces are made up of a knightly order clad in gold.  They followed Lazar before his fall at the hands of the living.  Still, they appeared loyal to him and reportedly fought alongside the Legio Mortis after Lazar had been put to rest.  

The Eysenburg force was led by Sir Vawn, the knight who fought in the last tournament where Lazar and his knights last competed.  Sir Vawn had defeated the Bahianisch champions only to lose to his master in the end.  The Eysenburg force on the field seemed to be a small point of curiosity among the soldiers of the war camps but their focus was primarily on the Fall of Mortis. 

Verderber:  The Verderber are different than that of the Legio Mortis or the Eysenburg Knights. They wear purple as their livery.  It is believed that they perhaps follow the witch king Zul Mata as opposed to Mor'tazz.  Little else is known by „The Ambassador“ staff at this point about this third group of the dead.

Epidemiker:  The fourth force of the dead are the Epidemiker.  Little was learned about the Epidemiker from those the staff of "The Ambassador" questioned.  They wear green in their heraldry and are known to mettle with disease and corruption. 

Witch Kings

The witch kings reportedly rule over various regions of the plane of the dead.  Sometimes they are allied and sometimes they are rivals.  

Fall of Mor'tazz

Sir Dagger, the Ambassador of Blackwood and leader of the East Blackwood Company, met with Graf Paulus von Wasserstein as well as the elves during the campaign to discuss the state of the war.  The general consensus was positive.  The fighters of the light had destroyed Mor’tass with machines, one of which shot at Mor’tass for at least a day over and over.  

The forces of the dead fought hard against cries of "Light back to Moringaard“ in an attempt to stop the living from succeeding.  Two companies of Legio Mortas assaulted the front lines of the Light while a company of Eisenburg attacked them from the rear.  The attacks to the rear were complicated by the additions of the orcs who fought dead and living alike.  

In the end, however, the forces of the dead failed to stop the Fighters of the Light from destroying Mor’tazz.  As Mor’tazz fell, Lazar’s wife, Vitalia thanked the living for their aid.  As her speech came to an end the ominous voice of a young girl rank out over the field.  It was the voice of Lazara, Lazar’s daughter.  Shortly after Lazara spoke she inherited the throne of Lazar and his position claiming to be the destiny of Moringaard.  Time will tell how factual her claim was. 

Possible assistance to the Moringaard Front

During the East Blackwood Company’s visit to Moringaard, aid was requested of the Kingdom of Blackwood by various warriors and leaders of the Camp of the Light.  Sir Dagger collected what information he needed to judge the possibility and value of assisting the Bahianische Reich considering how thinly spread the East Blackwood Company was already.  Sir Dagger agreed to inform his king of the situation in Moringaard and to seek permission to aid.  Perhaps in the following year the E.B.Co will appear once again in Moringaard with fresh supplies.