There was a fire burning in his eyes...

p.richard

p.richard

Specialist
Your dreams are filled with the presence of Thousand Bones, who has been silent over the winter. A grave look on his face. "Bones has seen things that fill his veins with rage. Bones' eyes burn like ferocious fires that cannot be quenched..." the orc closes his eyes and reveals his memories to all that see.

A great war camp sprawls out before you. Trolls, Ogres, and Orc stand in front of the Unkillable One. The great Ogre gives a speech, but the forces of the Howling Woods have lost their fighting spirit. They are bloodied and beaten. Their morale is low. Thousand Bones feels his heart sink. 'How can the Unkillable allow this to happen to his people? What kind of leader would push for war like this?'

Dry Rot, the High Orc shaman of the Bleeding Eye, pulls the bodies back from the front line. His healing magic pulses in the air. Bones looks on to see hundreds of Dwarven warriors slash and rip apart the savage warriors of the Woods. One by one they are slain on the battlefield. One by one, Bones grows more furious.

Night comes, and the Dwarven Leaders meet with Dargok. This is the chance for peace, surely! The Howling Woods can return home and rebuild. But the announcement that war will come once again spreads through the camp. Bones hangs his head low. Leadership is not won by striking the whip. It is by paving the way...

The next morning, Bones is surprised to see that the goblins and hobgoblins of the Woods have finally arrived. And in great numbers. They join the front lines, and they stand side by side with the rest of the forces. Yet something seems wrong. The air is filled with dark magic, and the sounds of rhythmic chanting can be heard within the ranks of the army.

The front lines push forward, and Thousand Bones stares in horror as the Dwarven forces are assaulted by magic. Once proud and strong Dwarven Warriors, shrink away as the curse of weakness takes hold. Spellcasters stare dumbfounded as the curse of silence washes over them. Military leaders become frozen with paraylsis, watching in horror as their men are ripped apart by the savage horde of the Woods. A howling laughter comes from within the ranks of Dargok's forces.

Rage begins to burn inside Thousand Bones as he sees Sark the Defiler standing beside the Unkillable. The words spoken still burn inside the High Orcs ears. "You're welcome, Dargok"

Thousand Bones' eyes narrow to slits.
 
Thousand Bones,
It's evident from the curses thrown that Dargok's forces are utilizing earth casters. But you mention dark magic in the air, I'd just like to confirm that necromancy was being used against the Dwarven forces.

~Percy of the Woods
 
Thousand Bones,
You have not been paying attention. The dwarves brought this senseless fight to our woods. We fight to defend what is left of our lands. They have invaded the Howling Woods, so talk not to me about striking whips. My whole life I have watched as the forces of Acarthia and their allies have taken and taken and taken that which is ours, including the Annex in recent times. Learn our history and the wrongs committed to us then speak to me again of leadership and whips. Pushing for war only happens when everything has been taken from you and you have no choice but to fight.
Percy, I assure you, I would never stand with a necromancer. Sark has used no such magic.

Dargok
 
War is just that, "leader of the howling woods."

A whip to be cracked over the backs of those that follow the person that leads them. And that you dont see it is what concerns this high orc the most! You allow a beast of a hobgoblin to manipulate you... to control you! And you watch your people suffer for it. You are no leader. You are a poison that seeps into the very blood of the Howling Woods. And the more you let Sark control you, the deeper the grave you make yourself.

Bones has seen it so many times. A leader with good intensions comes to the front with high hopes, but allows himself to be controlled by dark magic or by evil influence because they didnt believe themselves strong enough. And because of this, his people suffer. We are of honorable blood lines, and our pride tends to over shadow our more rational thought. But at the hands of all of our able bodied men? If there was any wish that Bones could make right now... it would be for Dargok, in a rational mind, go speak to all the wives, mothers, grandmothers and loved ones of the men you let die in battle and tell them what you did. What you could have done!

The more Bones lives with the soft skins... the pink skins, and pointed ears, and so on... the more Bones understands the value of life. The value of diplomacy. The value of swallowing your pride. The past is the past! Be the leader that sees the future. Pay for your crimes and be the leader you think you are.

But... No... Dargok... you are indeed a powerful being. Bones will admit to that. But being powerful and being a leader are not the same thing. You have allied yourself with Sark, the defiler. I have seen him consort with necromancy. I have seen him manipulate the area with his dark wishes. I have seen his havok and chaos first hand. If you have fallen in with his ilk... then you are no leader.

That you so desperately seek enemies in the arcathians instead of looking for allies and friends... that you cannot forgive, and constantly let the past boil inside you... it makes you weak. And Thousand Bones does not follow leaders that are weak.
 
Dargok,

The dwarves brought this war to your lands for one purpose. Vengeance. Perhaps you have forgotten, but you brought the war to our lands when your forces attacked the Brighstone town of Merium. We were not part of your war with the kingdom of Acarthia until you brought us into it. Then your assassins infiltrated our capital city of Critwall and murdered our queen Gora "Earthcaller" Gravelcracker. You managed to escape Acarthian justice, but as you have discovered, it is not so easy to escape dwarven vengeance.

We do not want your lands. We do not want to conquer your people. We want only one thing, your blood. I have been on the front lines battling your forces, but I have not seen you there. You hide behind your troops letting them die while you live. In fact, the only time I have ever seen you at the front line is when you were protected by your necromantic form with your spirit stored safely out of reach, or when the Acarthian nobility stands at your side, ready to protect you against underwhelming foes.

And most recently against the dwarves, when it became apparent that your forces were outmatched and your reckoning had come, you shirked. Rather than face us yourself, you once again turned to an evil even greater than yourself, that you did not understand, in order to save your own hide. Before it was Doomwing. Now it is Sark.

Dargok the Unkillable, I call you a coward and I challenge you. I do so not as an official representative for the Barony of Warchester, nor the dwarven kingdom of Bel Demarr. I challenge you as a warrior, who is tired of watching others die so that you may continue to live. I challenge you to a duel, to the resurrection. No magic, no artifacts, no outside aid or assistance, just steel vs steel.

- Thorgrim Gravelcracker "the Unquenched"
 
I see you know me not and you are confused. I have been on the front line this entire time. It is difficult to lead from behind. I have defended the Howling Woods with honor in every battle of every day. We have allowed the dwarves to collect their fallen, unlooted and undisturbed. At daybreak, we did assemble every day, our numbers thinned out just a bit more. And every day did I lead our forces back into the fray; commanding all those who would stand with me to not use necromancy and if we die, we do so with honor.
Outmatched? I think you mean outnumbered. Since your attack, your forces have brought all of the dwarven clans against us. Hardly fair, but we are used to unfair, just like the war with Acarthia.
I only turned to my ally Sark so that we had an even chance against an entire nation as numerable as the dwarves of Bel Demarr.

Again Sark is called evil yet no proof has been brought before me. True we are your enemy, but "evil" is such a relative term.

No matter. I am a being of honor and I accept your challenge. See you when I am able to in the spring.

I leave you with this thought : Will this challenge change the war? Will you lean on your leaders to cease this meaningless fight if you or I win?

Dargok
 
Dargok,

This challenge I present to you is of my own choosing, and not on behalf of my dwarven kin nor the nobility of New Acarthia. I cannot say that either my blood, or yours will pay for the blood of our queen, nor is it my place to say so. I will say this, if you face me, and fight honorably, regardless of the outcome, I will tell the dwarves that Dargok the Unkillable is not without honor, and I will recommend that they at least enter talks to resolve the conflict.

-Thorgrim Gravelcracker "the Unquenched"
 
Thorgrim Gravelcracker,

I regret that my duties hold me sufficiently at bay such that I will be unable to join the long line of those asking for the honor to stand as your Second in this challenge. I salute your honor and bravery in making it, however.

May the shades of Queen Gora Gravelcracker, and Duke Jonathan Tiberion smile upon your fight!

Best wishes,
Dame Katherine Albright
First Knight
Rivervale
 
Dargok,

You have asked for proof of Sark's villainy; as this has not yet been provided, I am glad to do so.

Sark and the Vilker tribe have captured Acarthian citizens and held them prisoner in Vilker lands; a group of our people risked life and limb to rescue these prisoners directly prior to the winter. As part of our extended rescue efforts, several of the adventuring populace of New Acarthia and travelers from beyond the mists have been captured by the Vilker and magically enslaved by the dark powers Sark controls.

Furthermore, in November of last year, Sark forced the death knight Anarchy to attack the estate of New Acarthia, killing a significant number of the gathered adventurers. He may not have called upon the powers of chaos to do so, but by controlling the undead and setting them to attack a group of people who have been working toward peace with you, he has made his ill intent clear.

I am disappointed to hear that you continue to paint the nobility of Acarthia in broad, negative strokes. Yes, the misguided nobility of years past began the War of 1000 Skirmishes, but the nobles and commonfolk of the here and now extended the hand of peace to you and as many of the tribes of the Howling Woods as possible. Did we fight against our allies the dwarves to aid you? No, nor did we aid them against your forces given our newly-forged alliance; instead, we attempted to convince both sides to discuss peace and restitution, albeit unsuccessfully. And yet, still you speak only of our aggression, not of our efforts for peace.

Did Acarthia take the Annex from the tribes of the Howling Woods in recent years? Absolutely. A small group of dryads and wylderkin were alerted to the presence of necromancers around the Land Bond Stone and subsequently reported it to the rest of the nobility. As our forces arrived, Anarchy made his presence known, hoping to claim the Stone for his master; had the forces of New Acarthia not been present to occupy the stone, it would have been controlled and corrupted by Dreadrot, increasing the use of necromancy in the Howling Woods.

As I am certain you well remember, when concerns were raised as to the true ownership of the land, we were more than willing to return the Annex to your people with the exception of the Stone itself, which remains bonded to Her Grace to this day.

My first knight's comments reflect the pain that has been felt by our people as a result of this continued war; I am well aware that yours have also suffered greatly. However, if we continue this cycle of vengeance and hatred – exacerbated by villains such as Sark who would enslave the tribes of the Howling Woods and the citizens of Acarthia alike – continued pain and suffering will be the only result. We have the option to choose another path; I am prepared to do so, are you?

- Baron Darius Rivervale
 
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Baron Darius,

I have been prepared since the night that Baron Egil showed me clarity. I have been prepared since Baron Morningtide and Sir Brom have treated me fairly and made bold promises that spoke of peace and understanding. I have been prepared since I agreed to help find a way to destroy my sword.
And now, my brother has died permanently, the dwarves attack us nonstop and relentlessly with our extinction in their minds, and a member of the baronial court of Warchester has challenged me to resurrection.

Difficult is the road ahead.

I did not know all of this about Sark. I will seek clarity among the embers and ask guidance of my ancestors.

May your winter be warm and safe,

Dargok
 
I am Kordash of The Chosen. I will stand as witness when Dargok the Unkillable meets Thorgrim Gravelcracker the Unquenched in honorable combat to the death.

Thorgrim Gravelcracker the Unquenched, the duel will meet at 2 bells on next Saturday afternoon outside your tavern. Dargok will meet you then.
 
Goodman Thorgrim,

I just want to wish you good fortunes in your duel. This isn't an easy thing, and you're standing up for more than you know stand behind you.

Lord Samuel Dymas
Ducal Court
 
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