[h2][center]The fortress of Norsal.[/center][/h2]

The feast lasted long into the night, the rain of blood soon turning into a heavy cloud layer of dark sooty thickness. Casting the fortress of Norsal into a blinding darkness, only lit by the still burning granaries, torches and makeshift braziers.
The Bloodied feasted upon the dead, drank stolen wine, ale, water and blood.... so much blood.
All over the pit fires grilling large hunks of meat was seen, cattle, ratmen, goblins, minotaurs. Every corpse would turn up as food, everything remotely edible was prepared in some way. Large bags, rucksacks or simply things tied together were filled with food. Grilled legs, roasted smoked and boiled ribs.

This had been a good haul, sure he had lost roughly four to five thousand soldiers, about five hundred of which were in the vanguard while slaying barely even half that number. But the effort had been worth it.
Standing on the plaza, Kraam had assembled all his forces, sure, only the vanguard itself fit on the plaza itself, standing in strangely orderly neat fashion for minotaurs, other nations would even refer to them as being drilled and standing at attention.
On a raised platform, usually used for public displays, Kraam stood and looked upon his arrayed army with pride and glee.
Such a force it was.
Clad in the pelt of Shansera, the gnoll matriarch who perished on the wall. He had skinned the matriarch with the logic it was the largest unionist he could find, so it was probably the fortress leader, seeing the entire enemy army had routed as she fell.
In his hand, he held her heart, then spoke.

-"Bloodied host, we stand in victory, we hold the hearts of our enemies. Now we celebrate with the bloodied toast!" Finishing the sentence he held the heart aloft, as many as possible in the vanguard held a heart aloft, be it from friend or foe, soldier civilian or livestock.
-"Drink for the blood lord, drink for ME!" His voice boomed out, the hearts were squeezed and emptied into the mouths of those who held them, after which they happily ate the rest.
Those who didn't hold hearts just roared with delight, drank whatever other beverage they could get hold of or just joined the cacophony of roars that followed the bloodied toast.

Streaks of theurgia flowed over the vanguards forms, shamans began to walk among them and gather it, using it to reinforce gear, enchant new weapons or simply storing it.

-"Now, it's time to reinforce the vanguard! STEP FORTH CHOSEN!!" Kraam's voice echoed over the plaza, the fortress and rumbled in the deep.
Stepping forth was many minotaurs, chosen by the complex method of Kraam saw them do something impressive in the battle, so he sought them up afterwards and told them they would be chosen.
They were ritually given the gear of the vanguard that had been slain, they were cursed by the shamen and made to take the oath of the vanguard.
Never falter, never flee, never surrender. They are the core of the Bloodied, and they will damn act like it.

The rest of the night was spent with feasting, eating, making food and sleeping.
During the evening a satyx javelineer approached Kraam laying upon a makeshift masters bed from pelts and pillows with two female minotaurs beside him with another female satyx waving a makeshift fan of goblin skin towards him.
-"Foe-hammer, may i ask you somethin'?" Without even looking at him, Kraam caressed the mane of one of the females and answered.
-"Speak."
-"My lord, i earlier saw strange activity by winged creatures, unlike other carrion, they did not land and then disappeared towards the principality." The Satyx said while kneeling.
-"So?" The voice of the god-eater betrayed that he was sorely bothered and bit into a plump juicy fruit of some kind, dipped in meat sauce.
-"So... it is probably griffon knights, you know the dangerous flying cavalry?" Getting a bit worried, the satyx began to tremble.
-"Soo... they know we're here. They usually do. My plan still stands." Kraam now looked at the trembling satyx, before continuing.
-"We move out in the morning, set fire to the rest of the fortress. Then we move into Evernyx and move west, looting everything along the way." He finished off the sentence with a grinning smile.
-"NOW BEGONE! I order you to feast!" Kraam angrily motioned with his hand towards the satyx, whom jerked, bowed and ran off.

The army of the principality may come, the army of the union is doubtlessly already on their way though.

The following morning the clouds would have been normal if it wasn't for the fact that the upper city of Norsal now burned and caked the sky with soot and smoke.
The Bloodied host entered Evernyx, the farmsteads would stand little chance in front of their advance. They marched west along the mountain wall, the wind-pined white mountain tops setting the backdrop for the rumbling march of the host.