It was Tavirin, the oldest of the three Forgelords who moved through the Holy Lands under the cover of night, and the conjured darkness of the Orcs, into the nation of New Engelica. They had only travelled for a few hours before their small party, nothing more than the Forgelord and a personal bodyguard of ten Hammerbearers was greeted by a party of quick-footed Elf rangers. Tavirin explained to them that they intended to meet with the leaders of New Engelica, and after some hushed discussion, the rangers led them through the rolling hills and valleys. Finally coming to a towering stone building that radiated magic and set Tavirin’s hairs on end, the small party from the Broken Empire was led inside. As the Dwarves walked out into the main square, whispers echoed all around them as young elves and humans emerged from corridors all around them to see the visitors for themselves. Tavirin allowed himself a smile and stood taller as he strode towards the keep of the castle. With a flourish, two figures burst forth from the keep even as the Forgelord moved towards it. The first was wearing an extravagant emerald dress, gold chain around her neck and fiery hair splayed around her face. Wielding a flashy silver staff sporting an elaborate golden dragon coiled around its top, she radiated mystic power. But it was the man behind this woman that caught Tavirin’s attention. Wearing simple black robes, and carrying nothing but a simple wooden staff, his very presence set the Dwarf on edge. This train of thought however was interrupted by the woman all but shouting across the square. [i][b]"You! Tell me of your business with New Engelica."[/b][/i] Tavirin Blackstone allowed himself a slight smile; he’d been negotiating before either of these two leaders’ parents had even been born. [i][b]“Not the most courteous way to greet guests from a foreign land m’lady. Perhaps we can be civil, one leader to another. The Dwarf you see before you is Forgelord Tavirin Blackstone, Member of the Broken Council, son of Bron Blackstone and at the moment, an emissary from the Broken Empire. You, I assume, are Leana Broadwalk, and may I say you are as beautiful as the stories say. And you, my lord, must be Alec Bredain, the Ruin King himself, although you do not decorate yourself as many foolish kings across this land do.”[/b][/i] Striding across the courtyard he now stood in, leaving the small party of Dwarves to form into ranks behind him, Tavirin stopped a few metres away from the two leaders and glanced at the golden dragon coiled around the top of the sorceresses’ staff and smiled slightly. [i][b]“Have you ever seen a dragon m’lady? I doubt it; after all, they’ve been extinct from these lands for centuries. All the stories you hear about them, their hordes of treasures and the brave knights that killed them, they’re just stories. I’ve never seen a dragon with a horde, and I certainly wasn’t a gallant knight last time I separated one from its head.”[/b][/i] Straightening up again, the Forgelord looked up into their faces. Years around the Orcs had gotten Tavirin used to looking up at others when he spoke, not that his neck liked it. [i][b]“But I’m rambling. Excuse an old dwarf. You asked me of my business, well it’s really rather simple. The Holy Lands to your East are a volatile and aggressive people. As we speak, my nation’s armies are already marching to war against them. I come to you with a request of alliance against them, or at the very least your promise not to get involved in the coming war. So what do you say?”[/b][/i] It was the Ruin King himself that replied to the Dwarf, stepping forward. [i][b]"You sweeten your words well, my lord. However, maybe we could do the diplomatic talk inside. Before a warm fire with a nice wine - I mean ale."[/b][/i] Tavirin smiled at the Mage-Kings words and set off after him towards the doors of the castle proper, paying no heed to the icy look from the sorceress. Following the pair into a parlour, warmed by a roaring fire, the Dwarf lifted a flagon of ale from the table to his side and took a healthy swig. It was sweet, not as good as Dwarven brewed, but a fine brew and a welcome drink after his party’s journey to new Engelica. Thirst slightly sated, the human king across the table from him spoke. [i][b]"We heard rumors of the dangerously...fanatic people on our eastern border. You were so honest to state that your own armies are marching inwards. Thus I will admit that our armies will soon do the same. I promise you that they will not march into the same province as your army. Torn between 2 marching foes, I doubt that the Holy Lands stand much of a chance. The real question is, what will we do with the central province? If your armies march south and mine march north, they are bound to clash in that area."[/b][/i] Listening to the carefully chosen words of the ruler carefully and nodding in agreement, Tavirin leant forward towards the map unrolled on the table and spoke himself. [i][b]“We can take the central Province together, using our combined strength to break apart the Holy Lands last resistance. From there, we can strike out at the lands of Limgar, another aggressive nation to the North that is hungry to expand its borders. We’re willing to allow you to claim the central Province of the Holy Lands, with your promise to aid us against Limgar. From there, I see no reason why our two nations can’t continue to work together.”[/b][/i] Alec was silent for a moment, staring down at the map, before he spoke, leaning back as he did so. [i][b]"We thank you for your offer. But I see no reason why I should sacrifice brave men and women from New Engelica for a foreign power's conquest merely so we can claim a single extra province from the Holy lands."[/b][/i] Tavirin already had his mouth open to reply before Leana Broadwalk cut across him, her voice softer now that they were inside. [i][b]"If I may, what if we did support you in your conquest of Limgar. But in return, we also take the most western province of Limgar. So your Broken Empire gets 1 province from the Holy Lands and 2 from Limgar. While we take 2 provinces from the Holy Lands and one from Limgar."[/b][/i] Alec, obviously trusting the sorceress, nodded in agreement and added his own voice to the offer. [i][b]"Such conquest could lay the foundations of a longer lasting peace indeed. What do you say, Forgelord?"[/b][/i] The Forgelord smiled, glad that he had successfully won the support of New Engelica [i][b] "You're as savvy as they say, and I'll take your agreement." [/b][/i] Tavirin refilled his flagon before raising it towards the ceiling. [i][b]"To peace and war"[/b][/i] The two rulers raised their own glasses of wine, Leana with white and Alec with red, and joined his toast. [i][b]“To peace and war”[/b][/i] [u][b]Garrison[/b][/u] [hider][b]Province 61 [/b] -4 Heavy Infantry Units -8 Artillery Units -35 Mechanical Warriors Units -5 Mechanical Walkers Units -41 War-Magi Units [b]Province 51[/b] -5 Heavy Infantry Units -5 Artillery Units -10 Mechanical Warriors Units -5 Mechanical Walkers Units -11 War-Magi Units [b]Province 48[/b] -5 Heavy Infantry Units -5 Artillery Units -5 Mechanical Warriors Units -6 Mechanical Walkers Units -10 War-Magi Units [b]Province 47[/b] -5 Heavy Infantry Units -5 Artillery Units -5 Mechanical Warriors Units -5 Mechanical Walkers Units -11 War-Magi Units[/hider] [u][b]Actions[/b][/u] [hider]Mylori Firehammer roared aloud as his Great Axe sliced across the chest of yet another Elf. Leaving the warrior to desperately try and staunch the gush of blood from his fatal wounds, and pray to the gods who had so hopelessly abandoned the Holy Lands. Bursting out into somewhat of a clearing in the battle, Mylori took a second to look around. To either side of him, the iron warriors of the Broken Empire were cutting a bloody path through the Holy Land’s armies. Arrows simply glanced off, and swords did nothing but dent their frames as they butchered Elf and Human alike with no mercy and no soul. Mylori was at the head of a small group of Hammerbearers, leading the Mechanical Warriors and Walkers of the Broken Empire, and even as he watched, one of those towering monstrosities thudded beside him, flame spewing from its sides as it shrugged off any blow intended to kill it. Across on the other flank, Mylori could make out the black armoured Lichguard, formed up around Warlock Thro'Gan, easily cutting their way through any who thought to reach their precious charge. Even as the Forgelord watched, the Warlock turned towards him, seeming to sense the Dwarf’s eyes on him, simply nodding in respect before turning back to his work, hands moving before him as the undead legions marched to war. Even as the soldiers of the Holy Empire fell to the ground, they rose up once more, turning on those who had called them friends just seconds before. It was a gruesome and horrifying sight, but it was brutally effective. The battle lasted less than an hour, what remained of the Holy Lands defence in the province breaking and scattering, abandoning their home in the face of the Broken Empire’s invasion. Mylori was waiting for the Warlock, sitting in the carved throne of the province’s old leader, the same leader that had turned and fled during the night. When Thro'Gan finally burst into the throne room, Lichguard flanking him as always, Mylori allowed himself a smile, rising to his feet. [i][b]“An impressive victory Warlock, it seems that the borders of the Broken Empire have spread, and the ranks of your undead have swelled. A good day, the first of many I hope.”[/b][/i] The expression of the Orc did not change, black eyes staring back at the dwarf, face emotionless. The rasping whisper cut across the room. [i][b]“The souls of those I bring back from the dead are returned when my use for them is gone”[/b][/i] Mylori almost lost a step; he had always assumed that the Orcs damned the souls of those they abused. Shaking his head clear, the Dwarf spoke again. [i][b]“You know of our plans, we are to leave a skeleton garrison and then push on into the Holy Lands once more when spring comes. This will be the hammer blow that breaks the Holy Lands back. Prepare your men for war once more.”[/b][/i] Without saying a word the Warlock turned and strode from the room, leaving Mylori and his Hammerbearers alone for a second, the stench of death still hanging in the room. [i][b]1 Heavy Infantry Units, 4 Artillery Units, 25 Mechanical Warriors Units, 5 Mechanical Walkers Units and 31 War-Magi Units move from Province 61 into Province 53 3 Heavy Infantry Units, 2 Artillery Units, 5 Mechanical Warriors Units, 5 Mechanical Walkers Units and 4 War-Magi Units move from Province 51 into Province 53[/b][/i][/hider] [u][b] Recruitment[/b][/u] [hider][b]Province 61[/b] 1 War-Magi Units [b]Province 51[/b] 1 Mechanical Walkers Units [b]Province 48[/b] 1 War-Magi Units [b]Province 47 [/b] 1 War-Magi Unit[/hider] [u][b]Research[/b][/u] [i]Mithril Armour (Turn 2) [/i]