Wild Beast Hunting Cohort Three of the First Safeguard Army of City of Anvilgard, in command of Dreadlord Rinos Wildbringer, riding Qidir the Loud, a Black Dragon
While Rinos and his cohort were usually patrolling and hunting in the nearby jungle areas of Anvilgard, it was not unheard of them to sail ships and campaign elsewhere as well. This time their destination was Flamescar Plateau and they were not hunting primarily wild beasts, but knowledge and secrets long forgotten. However, the beasts would not be forgotten, since a large number of different beasts travelled the seas with the army, as mounts to the valiant knights.
Their black ships with red sails arrived at Searing Sea and disembarked army looked anxiously to move forward to inland, area very much different to their home jungle.
Rinos led his army quickly towards West, where he had heard the strange Seraphon and twisted Hammerhal army had fought. His plan was to move faster than expected and then spring a trap against the enemy. While they were on Tears of Fate, they saw the Hammerhal column marching East in the increasing fog. It was time to set the trap and ambush the enemy. One part of his army took the southern flank and made the enemy aware of them. Hammerhal elves quickly fortified the ruins only to be attacked by Rinos himself on his black dragon from north. More of his forces charged from all directions and enemy was confused where to fight and who.
Rinos, Qidir and Stormcast Eternals quickly slaughtered the elves inside the ruins and then started to hunt the survivors. They were killed to a single warrior, enemy general. He was badly wounded and while everything was lost, he desperately charged Rinos hoping for a glamorous, honorable and quick death in the claws of the dragon. He was denied. Rinos slammed him to the ground and sent him running. He would need to bow his head and go back to his masters, dishonoured, badly wounded and without an army, tell about the Rinos and his mighty force.
“There is no point of killing everyone, then no one will know of my power”, Rinos said and thought how much fear and respect he would gather during this campaign.
After successfully beaten the Hammerhal army Rinos headed towards West again, hoping to find the Seraphon army. In SporeHollows he found them, waiting for powerful comets to crash in to the ground and to be buried deep inside the caves.
Seraphon army seemed unprepared and slow, just like Rinos expected them to be, so he ordered a quick charge. It was glorious for a while, but even though the lizards were slow moving, they were durable. And the big lizard in the back, Slann, was doing all kind of magics to move his forces around the area. Some new lizards seemed to appear from nowhere to help their kin in battle. The battle was fierce and both sides counted heavy losses. In the end Rinos was forced to retreat back to the Tears of Fate and leave the comets to the Seraphon.
Next time he would be better prepared.
This time he was better prepared. Hammerhal forces were beaten back and now the scouts reported, that they were coming back with a bigger force. Rinos knew they were angry. Angry opponent was a good opponent, something that could be easily trapped and destroyed. They had a stronger force this time, but it wouldn’t help them. Rinos had sailed and marched quickly from Anvilgard, but his enemy was unaware of older Anvilgard expeditions – he would get help from some old friends near Caverns of Fulminax. He closed his eyes and could see the battle flow, noble Anvilgard knights charging the surprised Hammerhal peasants. Again.
It all started very well, Rinos and his forces charging the Hammerhal camp on a small hill. The treacherous landscape was a surprise as well as an enemy witch, Lord Rinos soon found out that he was alone among the Hammerhal elfs with just Qidir. He had flew too fast, his knights and the valiant Palladors couldn’t keep up with his flying dragons. His dispossessed friends were caught by a surprise as well and these mountain dwellers arrived too late as well. His units were desperately trying to catch up with him, but climbing up the hill side while the arrows and magic were flying was too much for them. They got separated and defenders could easily slaughter unit by unit before they could engage the combat and do harm. They managed to do some damage to Hammerhal forces, but it was too late. In the end he had to retreat as well as all what was left of his force.
He had planned a trap, but the scarred landscape managed to trap him, his forces were not familiar with this kind of terrain, they were used to move in the dense jungles. Flamescar Plateau was not known of jungles, so he had to figure out something new. His forces were now thin and the losses started to eat the morale. And then there were the witches, in both of the losses his forces had encountered enemy witches, which he had really no tools to work with. Anvilgard was not known for great wizards, but he had to do something to this threat.
The campaign had just started, nothing was lost – yet. The garrison on the Tears of Fate was a grim and dark place now, troopers were recovering, getting healed and trained, equipments were repaired and new tactics were planned. Rinos was eager to fight, but he knew that he had to give time for his forces to recover. And wait for supplies, reinforcements and the right moment.
Instead of regrouping the Tears of Fate, Rinos decided to gather his forces in Vitriolic Swamps, place very similar to the jungles of Anvilgard. He was also waiting for some magic users from Anvilgard to cancel the unexpectedly powerful magic of his enemies. He wasn’t fully prepared for a fight, when his scouts reported a large Hammerhal army marching nearby.
Once again Rinos decided to count on surprise, immediately when the first Hammerhal forces marched forth from the jungle swamp to an open area he charged with Qidir and the Vanguard-Palladors charged with him. Eager bowmen in the first line were quickly in fire and in pieces, swordmasters were smashed by Stormcasts. At the same time his forces were flanking the Hammerhal forces on both sides, Drakespawn knights and Hydra on the left and duardin warriors and Illuth Steelsoul, warrior priest(ess), on the right. Illuth was also keen to cancel the enemy spells, but the winds of magic were strong today – but wicked at the same time. Illuth saw several spells being successfully cast with unnatural force, but to burn the hands of the enemy mages, too.
Opponent wasn’t toothless, the swordmasters had flaming swords and there was all kind of wicked magic in the air, not even mentioning the hazardous environment where they were fighting, warriors on both side injuring themselves by going too close to plants and vegetation. Stormcasts were beaten to lightnings and swordmasters charged Rinos. It wasn’t easy, Rinos got badly wounded, but he knew he had to make the right moves to sprung the trap.
Rinos was flying backwards, Qidir breathing fire, and enraged swordmasters were following him. That left the back of the Hammerhal army vulnerable, knights charged the mages, duarding charged the war machine and it was chaos everywhere. Swordmasters had followed the prey too far and were now unable to defend their kin. Rinos pulled Qidir even higher and flew back, leaving the scattered enemy fight the swamps.
It was not a glorious victory, but it was a victory and it was a huge loss for Hammerhal, several mages were killed and their march to North-East was halted.
It was a victory, but Wild Beast Hunting Cohort Three of the First Safeguard Army of City of Anvilgard got some losses as well. And Seraphon army had managed to use their strange powers and were now approaching Infinity Gears in the far East. Rinos knew, that Hammerhal should not fortify that area, but he wasn’t happy about Seraphon doing that either, so he gathered what he got and marched East to fight Seraphon.
Seraphon army was vast and while they moved very slowly, they were able to change places in a heartbeat through strong magics of their witches. There were two important locations nearby each other on Infinity Gears and it would be important to hold them both. Unfortunately Rinos knew that holding those locations was not for weak minded, that meant that only he, Illuth the warrior priest or the stone headed duardin were fit for that purpose. Seraphon, on the other hand, had no difficulties there – they had strong heroes and reptilian forces with cold blood.
Timing was everything and once again Rinos ordered his forces to charge. He was successful, but the duarding and Illuth on foot were not fast enough. Both forces controlled one location and even though he saw, that he should be in the battle, Rinos was not able to leave his place, where he was binding the powers of Infinity Gears. Seraphon heroes were doing the same thing. And between them there was a huge fight. It was looking rather good, but Rinos was feeling unease, the magic of Seraphon was strong, even though Illuth was canceling one spell every now and then.
Finally the Seraphon high lord moved himself and a group of saurus warriors near Rinos in order to claim the sacred location. They were no match to him – it seemed… Qidir and Rinos attacked the mage priest, apparently cutting him in to pieces, but even then it was able to strike Rinos before exploding in a cloud of smoke. Rinos was surprised, he staggered too far of the sacred place, the binding ritual was broken and he was forced to call his forces back to fight another day. Seraphon were tricksters, next time he had to be more careful…
Vain Vader 