Opelenean Nights IV

SESSION FIFTY-FIVE
Around dawn, on the 23rd of Genelen, the Dragons of the Desert met with Prefect Ionicus and his lieutenants under the flag of parley. The Dragon’s terms were simple: Ionicus was to leave the battlefield with his troops and march eastward, yielding Jubai and its domains to them. Though outnumbered, the war mage Ionicus refused. “The Auran Empire has commanded me to defend its prefecture of Jubai, and I will do my duty. You are honorable men and women. Why do you not join me to end this insurrection and restore Auran rule over this realm?”
“Does not your duty to the Empire demand you march to Aura to protect the Senate from men like the Butcher?” countered Bellona, radiating magical charisma. “If the Senate ordered me to Aura, I would march there at once. But they have not. My orders leave me here, in Jubai. And here I shall stay, unless by force of arms I am compelled to depart.”
Bellona persisted. “We have you outnumbered. Our troops are undefeated, while yours are mostly raw militia. You cannot hope to win.”
“That may be so,” said Ionicus. “But no prefect in Auran history has surrendered to a rebellion, and I will not be the first to do so. I will not besmirch my family’s honor by retreating in the face of rebellion. If, under the Light of Ammonar, I win, then my family shall reap the glory. If I lose, then I will die having done my duty, and the Ionicus name shall not be besmirched.”
“Then we must fight,” said Bellona. “May Ammonar grant victory to the righteous,” said the Prefect.
The Battle of Jubai was fought on 23rd Genelen. The battlefield was a lush oasis punctuated by three palm-lined pools spread in an arc left-to-right.
Ionicus deployed his army in five battalions. Each battalion had a company of heavy infantry, two companies of light infantry, and a company of militia. The battalions on the left and right flanks were reinforced with a company of light cavalry, while the three center battalions had an extra company of militia. Ionicus took command of the right (easternmost) battalion, with his henchmen Drakima (a bladedancer) and Jannion (a fighter) in his retinue. Various legates of the empire commanded the remaining battalions.
The Dragons of the Desert deployed their army in six battalions. From left (east) to right (west), the battalions were: Mahmud, with a company of horse archers, three companies of camel lancers, and two companies of camel archers; Senef, with three companies of light infantry and one company of composite bowmen; Ethlyn, with one company of heavy infantry, two companies of veteran light infantry and mamelukes, two companies of composite bowmen, and one company of camel archers; Zoya, with four companies of light infantry, two companies of composite bowmen; Bey Abbas, with three companies of light infantry and one company of composite bowmen; and Bey Kamal, with three companies of light infantry, one company of composite bowmen, and one company of camel archers.
In total there were 33 companies under the Dragons, arrayed against 25 companies under Ionicus. The Dragons of the Desert had 4:1 advantage in cavalry, but Ionicus had five times as many heavy infantry.
Mahmud opened the battle by advancing his camelry in a wide flanking march around the easternmost oasis towards Ionicus’ right flank. This brought him into line of sight of Ionicus and Drakima. The battle-hardened casters placed a wall of stone to channelize the camelry, then unleashed fireballs and insect plagues on the advancing troops. Mahmud’s lieutenant Umar was melted by the blazing fire, and his camelry routed. The flank attack was stalled.
On the Dragon’s right flank, Abbas and Kamal advanced slowly. Kamal’s battalion was heavily engaged by skirmishing tactics by the light cavalry and javelineers they confronted. It was clear the battle would not be won here.
In the center, Ethlyn, Senef, and Zoya’s battalions were gaining ground, but it was tough going. Each of Ionicus’ battalions had a tough heavy infantry company at its core, buttressed by light infantry skirmishing with javelins, and the Dragons’ lighter troops found it tough going. The mamelukes took the brunt of the casualties.
However, Suad and Shikra, scouting overhead invisibly from the flying carpet, had been able to locate Ionicus after he began casting spells. Here was a chance to cut the head off the serpent! The mage and warlock positioned themselves above and to the rear of Ionicus’s unit. Suad unleashed a fireball onto Ionicus and Drakima, but a globe of invulnerability dissipated its effects. Shikra then used a scroll of flesh-to-stone to petrify the war mage, but he resisted the spell. The Dragon’s two casters were now painfully exposed, and they paid the price. Ionicus unleashed a lightning bolt, and Drakima a flame strike. The mages were incapacitated, and the flying carpet crashed to earth, smoking.
Mahmud now rallied his camelry battalion and led a charge against Ionicus’s battalion. This attack swept away several companies of the enemy. Around the same time, Ethlyn, Senef, and Zoya brought up their reserves and smashed through Ionicus’s center. Ionicus’ left was still holding, but the morale of the Auran army was fast beginning to collapse.
Ionicus and Drakima fell back to the smoking remains of Suad and Shikra, perhaps hoping that the bodies of the heroes (or their magic items) would be useful bargaining chip after the battle. They needed just a few moments of time to gather the fallen and fly away. They didn’t get them. Mahmud, Ethlyn, Zoya, and Senef advanced unremittingly, and the Auran position was swept away. Ionicus and the rest of the Auran leadership escaped, but they had been decisively defeated.
After a heated pursuit, the total casualties were:
Ionicus: 750 killed, 750 captured
Dragons of the Desert: 350 killed, 140 missing
As the day ended, the air was filled with the cries of the wounded and the scents of dead men and camels. Even as the vultures fed, the Dragons planned their next steps.

As the 24th of Genelen dawned, the Dragons of the Desert knew they had to seize Jubai quickly, before Gundus Ionicus could occupy it. Leaving Senef and Abbas’ divisions to slowly march the prisoners-of-war, the Dragons of the Desert raced southward. Their forces arrived around noon. The gates of the great city were closed, and no flag flew over its walls.
Mahmud advanced forward with his honor guard of Mamelukes. From the walls, a hook nosed-man with bulbous lips on a thin face called down in a high-pitched voice. “Hail, Mahmud, Lion of the Desert. I am Nasser, vizier of Jubai. There is no need for violence this day. We will open the city gates to you, if you promise not to sack the city.” “I cannot promise this,” called Mahmud. “I have sworn to my men that for their loyal service, the city is theirs to sack.” There was a murmur of fear on the city walls. Nasser called down, “then you will condemn thousands of women and children to death!” “It is not I who have condemned them. Blame your Prefect.” Mahmud whirled and left.
Despite Mahmud’s stern words, Jubai presented a formidable obstacle. It was a walled city, with an older walled casbah, Old Jubai, within. Two citadels protected the city. The Dragons began to encircle the city but their numbers were insufficient to form a blockade. With no artillery or siege equipment, the only way to capture the city would be a brutal assault. Through crystal balls and magic carpet, the Dragons of the Desert were able to determine that there were about 1,500 defenders, but they were ill-equipped and poorly-trained conscripts – literally any man who could fight. Still, even militia would be formidable when defending their walled city.
As the day progressed, deserters from Ionicus’ army began to trickle in. Mahmud rode out to disperse them, but they sought enlistment. “We are tired of fighting for butchers and losers. You are undefeated on the battlefield. You shower your soldiers in the spoils of war. How do we sign up?” Mahmud made provision for them to join the camp.
By nightfall, Senef had arrived with the prisoners-of-war. Ethlyn gave a rousing speech inviting the prisoners to join the army. Those who would not join were to exiled to the desert. Such was her charisma that all were recruited – all save the 15 prisoners of Ionicus’ elite guard. These men marched into the desert, heads held high.
The Dragons now convened a war council. Mahmud rose to speak, and the beys and aghas praised Mahmud for his glorious camelry charge in the preceding day’s battle. He thanked them for the kind words and explained the situation. “Tomorrow we can assault the city. It will be a formidable fight. Should we win, the city will be yours to sack. Or we can accept their surrender and enter peaceably. In this case, we will pay you for the value of the pillage from the city’s treasury. Which do you choose?” Heated debate ensued, but in the end only Bey Abbas wanted to risk death to sack the city. “We shall accept the city’s surrender and enter peaceably then,” said Mahmud.
It was now around midnight. The Dragons decided there was no better time to demand Jubai’s surrender. Mahmud and his guards arrived at the walls and demanded to speak to Nasser. After a few minutes, the vizier appeared. “It is customary to begin a night-time assault by surprise, grand mufti,” said the sleepy-eyed Nasser. “We have come to accept your surrender. Open the gates and we shall not sack your city,” said Mahmud. “I will need a few hours to inform the city fathers. At present everyone is making preparations for their imminent demise. Might you give me a few hours?” “I shall return at dawn,” agreed the paladin.
After the vizier vanished, Zoya climbed the walls. Hidden by her elven apparel, she slinked through the darkened city, slowly making her way towards the palace. The city was in chaos, with messengers running in various directions, nervous militia set at guard posts, and citizens had at work barricading their homes. As she approached the palace, the clever-fingered thief borrowed an officer’s badge from a passing lieutenant and used her new “rank” to enter. The palace interior was as chaotic as the city. After some minutes of searching, she found the treasure vault. The great bronze door was locked, and four militia men were arguing about how to get it open. Zoya revealed herself and commanded the militia to return to their posts. One of the conscripts shouted “An officer! I bet she has the key to the treasure!” and they drew their weapons. Calling on Nightbringer’s power, Zoya extinguished the light in the hallway and murdered the conscripts in the darkness. She was unable to get the treasure vault’s lock opened, however, so she fell back to pursue another agenda: Subversion. Telling a different story to every militia patrol she encountered, Zoya soon had half the city in a state of panic.
Meanwhile, Mahmud and Ethlyn were summoned to the picket lines. The sentries had caught a man sneaking out of a sewer-pipe. His hand-cart was laden with platinum coins and silver jewelry – almost 100,000gp worth. The man identified himself as Yosef. “I am bringing an offering to the Great Mufti! The treacherous Nasser the Eunuch – who cannot be trusted – planned to steal the treasures of Jubai. But I discovered his plot, and took these treasures instead. I gift them to you!” Even without magic, Mahmud sensed this was a bald-faced lie. But Suad’s telepathic powers confirmed it as utter falsehood. The man was a thief, and his thoughts were “I hope he believes me! Maybe he’ll give me a reward even bigger than what Nasser promised…”
“I am told you are a liar and a traitor,” said Mahmud. “Who would slander me so?” said Yosef. “I would,” said Suad, revealing himself. At the sight of the sinister mage, the thief wet himself and fell on his knees. “Please, Great Mufti! I am but a humble thief, one who has climbed from the depths of being a mine slave to make something of himself. I know your comrade Zoya employs such as me! I will serve her loyally.” “You have already shown you are willing to betray your master, Nasser. Why would I take one such as you into my service?” said the grim-faced holy warrior. Suad smiled evilly. “Allow me to summon a hydra and we shall tear him into five pieces.” “No,” said Mahmud. “I must handle this myself.” His face an implacable mask of justice, Mahmud seized the thief, bodily carried him into the center of the camp, and beheaded him. Yosef died still begging.
The party realized that if Yosef had fled with such a great treasure, it was likely that Nasser had as well. Sadly, Suad’s scrying was unable to find the eunuch… all he saw were patches of sandy desert.
At dawn on the 25th, the gates of Jubai were opened, though not by Nasser. A council of elders was in loose control, and all too happy to surrender to an armed force that had sworn mercy and could re-exert order. It took until the 1st of Juselen for the city to be fully pacified. After considerable debate, the Dragons decided that Mahmud would rule as the Vali of Jubai, while Ethlyn remained as Pasha of Khaibar and Bellona took over as Pasha of Old Jubai.
The conquest of Jubai was a heady time for the Dragons. Henchmen, mercenaries and followers flocked to the city to take service with the great conquerors. A band of holy warriors, leading two platoons of light cavalry, swore undying loyalty to Mahmud. Another two platoons of light cavalry pledged themselves to Ethlyn. Suad hired a magical scholar named Majid and a Kushtu witch-doctor named Isingoma to his service. Rakh was able to hire Thrassians from the local arena, recruiting Atrekh the Beast Fighter, Sitahitan the Prize Fighter, and Ubakhi the Manhunter to his service.
While these machinations were accomplished, Zoya began to receive missives from her spies in Alakyrum. Cainan reported “The Council of Wisdom denied requests by Ber-Gathy and Hissar to be placed in charge of the Vilayet of Jubai. The emissaries were sent away.” Jafar reported, “Ambassadors from the rebellious cities of Ummal, Tariq, Jayyan, and Byblos have arrived with peace offerings at Alakyrum. Fareed reported, “The city of Nuvië was devastated by a tsunami. The Council of Wisdom claims this proves Imran supports our righteous cause.” Zoya quickly surmised that it was no coincidence that Nuvië had been destroyed just as four rebellious cities were suing for peace. Perhaps Imran did favor the Opelenean cause!
With Alakyrum apparently supporting the Dragon’s claim on Jubai, and winning the revolutionary war, the Dragons turned their attention back to other threats: Ionicus and Amur-Sin. Senef consulted with the spirits. “Is Prefect Ionicus staying in Opelenea?” No. “Is Amur-Sin a month or less from completing his ritual?” Yes. “If we left tomorrow, could our army reach Amur-Sin in time to stop the ritual?” Yes.
Based on this tidings, it was clear Amur-Sin had to be the top priority. The next day, 2nd of Juselen, the Dragons of the Desert began to march their army towards the Howling Emptiness. The mages stay behind to conduct spell research, while Ethlyn and Bellona led the army. Mahmud raced ahead to Khaibar on the flying carpet. His plan was send couriers to Hissar and Ber-Gathy to demand troops for the fighting in the west.
To his surprise, Mahmud found a battalion of troops camped outside of Khaibar. A Kemeshi pennant, showing a black lion on a golden field, hung over the camp. The troops within were Mamelukes, and they were waiting for Mahmud. When the paladin approached he was greeted by a dark-skinned titan of a man who saluted proudly. “We are the Pride of the Black Lions,” said the Mameluke. “Once slaves, now free, we seek gold and glory in battle. We are told that you are invincible in battle. We offer you our arms.” “Your offer is accepted,” said Mahmud.

SESSION FIFTY-SEVEN
The Dragons of the Desert were on the march with an army of 4,500. Opting to keep the army in formation rather than leave behind the slower-moving heavy infantry, the Dragons reached the oasis of Khabel on 8th Juselen. From there, they headed south-west into the Desert of Desolation.
The events that occurred next have already become legend among the troops. A pride of lions was spotted feasting on slain camels directly in the path of the army. Curiously, the beasts could not be scared away by outriders, but they did not seem hostile either. Mahmud and Ethlyn rode forward, and the lions revealed themselves to shapechangers – lycanthropes with golden hair and eyes. “Word of your glorious deeds hallows even these desert sands. We have heard that you are lions among men. We offer you a gift. We can make this true.” Suad suddenly appeared. “Do it! A were-lion is a powerful creature. Your power will be awesome.” Mahmud raised his eyes to the holy sun of Imran, and then declined. “I must follow the path I am on,” he said.
Ethlyn smiled and opened her arms. “I would welcome your gift.” The were-lions roared exultantly and had the bard kneel before them. She felt the flesh of her neck being torn, and then blackness. She awoke in the baggage-train, being tended by Senef. The shaman gazed down at her judgmentally. “Now we’ll see what happens to you on the full moon.”
The moon waxed full on the 13th Juselen, as the army was encamped not far from the sunken city of Pazar. The change came to Ethlyn – her hair grew to a luxuriant golden coat and mane, a tail erupted from her spine, feet and hands became paws… She roared as the beast form took her. When dawn came, she seemed relaxed, and everyone politely ignored the camel gore spattered near her tent.
On the 16th of Juselen, the army reached Oued Taal. From there it advanced northwest to Khaibar. There it was joined by a congregation of Imranic chaplains, come to minister to the needs of the Faithful. Morale soared among the army. Rakh joined them in their proselytizing, and soon began to be called “The Rock of Faith,” managing to convert Atrekh, the Thrassian henchman, to his faith. On the 22nd, the Dragons had arrived at the oasis of Bab al-Djebel. From here they would strike westward across the Al-Baki Hills and into the Howling Emptiness.
While this was afoot, Shikra, Senef, Suad, and Suad’s assistant Majid and Isingoma were busy researching in Jubai. Diligent study of the Talisman of Al-Sindor by Majid, Senef, and Suad revealed that it could cure diseases and remove curses, while the Cup could bless those who drank holy water from it. Shikra and Isingoma were brewing potions of curing and necromantic potency.
In addition to research, Senef was also communing with the spirits each week to gather intelligence. On the 9th of Juselen, Senef asked “Does Amur-Sin have over 1,000 troops”? No. “Does Amur-Sin’s ritual relate to the Awakening?” No. “Is Amur-Sin south of the two oases on our map of the Howling Emptiness?” Yes.
On the 16th, he asked: “Is Amur-Sin west of the westernmost oasis on our map of the Howling Emptiness?” No. “Is Amur-Sin within 12 miles of the southern badlands marked on our map of the Howling Emptiness?” No. “Is Amur-Sin located at a spot we have a treasure map to?” No.
On the 23rd, Senef asked: “Will Amur-Sin finish his ritual this week?” No. Surprised at this, he asked “Has Amur-Sin already finished his ritual?” Yes. Alarmed, he asked “Does Amur-Sin now have an army of over 1,000 troops?” Yes…. There was no time delay. Senef realized the Dragons ought to have moved faster, perhaps striking at Amur-Sin as soon as his commune revealed he had few troops. With Shikra along to provide for invisibility, Senef set off on the flying carpet immediately to try to warn the army.
Unfortunately, on the 23rd of Juselen, the Dragons had already begun their westward march. The day become quite unfortuitously: Bey Abbas fell off his camel and broke his neck, dying instantly. The party was suspicious of foul play but witnesses all claimed that Abbas had simply had an accident, and Zoya could find no evidence of foul play. Without Senef the party had no way to restore Abbas to life, but they kept his corpse secure in the baggage-train. Ethlyn gave a moving speech praising Abbas for his lifetime of service to Opelenea. Nevertheless, it soured the mood of the troops.
The mood got much worse when the army’s outriders returned that night. An army of many thousands of skeletons and zombies had been spotted marching north in a valley about twenty-five miles west. “We’re too late,” said Bellona. “He’s completed his ritual and raised an army of the dead.”
Grief-stricken, Mahmud gave the order to fall back the next dawn. The army would retreat to Khaibar. Riders were sent to warn Bir-Muktar, Bou-Farfa, and Sidi-Hakeim to evacuate. On the 25th, the Dragons reached Khaibar, where they were met by Shikra and Senef. “I bear grave tidings!” said Senef. “We know…” said Mahmud. With her knowledge of the occult, Shikra was able to give a more detailed estimate of what they might be facing. She feared that Amur-Sin had cast undead legion, a powerful ritual that might have brought him as many as 5,000 or more skeleton troops.
On the 26th, Shikra departed soon after to gather the party’s other spellcasters from Khaibar. Riders arrived later that day with word from Pasha Abaddon of Ber-Gathy – “We have called our vassals to arms, but they will not be ready until the 2nd of Froelen. I pray it is soon enough.” In a hurried war council, the Dragons decided that if Amur-Sin’s army advanced north, they would march to Ber-Gathy to defend it.
The next morning, the 27th, Senef summoned the bustards, kites, and vultures of the desert and commanded them to find the enemy army and report back on what they learned. This proved a valuable reconnaissance tool, revealing that Amur-Sin’s army had advanced north and was now pillaging an oasis south-west of Ber-Gathy. Mahmud ordered the army to set off north.
Amur-Sin’s army continued to move north in the following days, as did the Dragons’ army. The Dragons reached Sidi-Hakeim on the 28th, and Ber-Gathy on the 1st of Froelen. They were met with relief by Pasha Abaddon al-Hamza. “I welcome you to Ber-Gathy as my sovereign lords, and praise Imran that you have come to offer us your protection,” said Abaddon. His servants then produced numerous chests, each filled with precious coin, offered in tribute to the Dragons.
Camel outriders and Senef’s avian scouts reported that Amur-Sin’s army had reached the oasis of Tuat. Tuat was a vassal domain of Ber-Gathy, and only a day’s march from the city. “My forces will be ready to fight tomorrow,” said Abaddon. “What should do?”
“Let us attack in the name of Imran, and die for him!” said Rakh, with more fervor than wisdom. His boldness swayed no one. The war council felt that Amur-Sin was likely to either march on Ber-Gathy or advance to Hissar, a fortress to the north. The Dragons decided that if Amur-Sin marched on Hissar, they would attack him in his rear. If he marched on Ber-Gathy, they would stand siege against him until Hissar’s forces could arrive.
Senef called on the spirits for guidance. “Is Amur-Sin personally leading his army?” Yes. “Is Amur-Sin planning to come to Ber-Gathy?” Yes. “Do the Cup and Talisman of Al-Sindor have any special power to destroy Amur-Sin?” No. Senef cursed…it had seemed so timely to find the Cup and Talisman, it was as if from the stories of old! But sometimes war is not a story book.
All through the 2nd of Froelen, Mahmud, Bellona, and Ethlyn marshalled the forces of Ber-Gathy and assimilated them into the army. Zoya spent the day reconnoitering the city and seeking out weak points and hidden ways in. Senef summoned weather and brought early springs rains, transforming the earth around Ber-Gathy into a morass of mud and soft sand.
The preparations continued through the 3rd of Froelen. The day was growing long when the cries rang up from the tower watch. “Enemy in sight!” The army of Amur-Sin had arrived.

SESSION FIFTY-EIGHT
Slowly wading through the mud, Amur-Sin’s undead army encircled Ber-Gathy from the west in an arc that extended from the middle of the city’s north wall to the middle of the city’s southern wall. The army halted outside of bow shot, their cadaverous masses dimly visible through the rain. Terrible chanting filled the air, and ten black wyrms rose above the army – dragons summoned to the service of the Thrassian sorcerer-priests. Then the very walls of the city began to shake as the earth itself moved beneath the foundations, insects swarmed the gates, and lightning began to crash down upon the troops on the walls, forcing them from the walls. Hidden in the rain, the enemy was using powerful magic.
The Dragons of the Desert and the magicians and priests of Ber-Gathy responded as best they could, resulting in a magical duel that lasted an hour and a half. 70% of the available spell power of the city’s forces were expended dispelling the enemy’s enchantments. Almost one hundred lightning bolts crashed down on Ber-Gathy. Senef began to call down lightning onto the enemy dragons, and succeeded in destroying one, and possibly its rider. The enemy responded by flying out of sight, then unleashing another swarms of insects, and opening up passwalls through the gates.
As Ber-Gathy’s defenders worked to dispel the passwalls, Amur-Sin’s army began its inexorable advance. The dragons remained out of bowshot, an ominous but as yet unused weapon. The defenders rushed back to man the walls and unleash arrows on the approaching skeletons and zombies. As the undead came closer, the defenders could see they were equipped with bone ladders, graven with ruins… magical siege ladders forged by Amur-Sin’s magic. The undead came closer, inexorable beneath pelting archery fire.
As the skeletal ladders touched the walls, the dragons attacked. The soaring charge of nigh a dozen dragons was a sight no man living had ever seen. Dragon-fear gripped the hearts of men, and the bravest of soldiers abandoned his posts and fled. For a moment, it looked as if the undead might take the walls of Ber-Gathy unopposed.
Then Ethlyn sounded the Trumpet of War. Its clarion echoed through the downpour, drowning out the fear and filling all who heard it with the courage of the kings of old. The defenders rallied. They would fight to the last. But as the sounds died, Ethlyn gurgled up blood from her lungs – to blow the Trumpet in battle was to court death. She had barely survived. But this deed would be recorded in the annals, for it had saved a city!
As the troops raced back to the walls, the city’s spellcasters dealt with the dragons. Suad, Zerika, and Senef quickly dispelled three wyrms. With a word of power, Shikra crushed the spine of a fourth, and Suad managed to paralyze a fifth, sending it crashing down onto the spears and rubble below. Bellona and Shikra slew a sixth with magic missiles, while Suad summoned a chimera that slew the seventh. Waves of defensive archery fire killed the eighth dragon, and a lonely band of light infantry managed to catch the ninth dragon coming through the south gate and dispatched it. Shikra petrified the last and cackled evilly as its stony form plummeted from the skies.
The dragons had served their purpose, however; many of the defenders had been brutalized by their toxic breath, and by the time the tenth fell the undead were already fighting at the walls. Melee was joined!
At the western gate, Mahmud and Rakh led the elite Mamelukes from the front, cutting down skeletons like scythes during harvest team. Responding to the threat, the Thrassian mummy lord commanding the unit charged to counter-attack. The defenders watched in horror as Rakh was torn apart by the cadaverous claws and fangs of the undead lizard-tyrant. Mahmud held off the mummy lord while Senef rushed forward, and used his shamanic powers to dispel the mummy lord.
Meanwhile, at the southern gate, Ethlyn had transformed herself into a lion and was hotly battling an impressively powerful mummy lord, called Shemush, vizier of Amur-Sin. Ethlyn and Shemush fought tooth and nail, claw on claw. Then the tide turned as a sinister human mage appeared to assist Shemush. Even as he unleashed magic at Ethlyn, the bard recognized him as Mustafa, a sorcerer once in the employ of the bandit chieftain Yasir al-Achmed that they had fought two years before! Yasir al-Achmed’s bandit band must have been enslaved by the vile Thrassians…

It was then that Amur-Sin revealed himself. The terrible Thrassian tyrant seeming erupted onto the battlefield to a towering height of over 20’, charging at Mahmud. “My awakener! Welcome to oblivion!,” gloated the monster.
Bellona, rushing to Mahmud’s aid, unleashed her obsidian blade at Amur-Sin. She blanched as her spell bounced harmlessly off Amur-Sin’s powerful protections. “We’ve got to dispel his defenses!” shouted the spellsword…but there were no magical resources remaining to do so.
Senef blasted Amur-Sin with dispel evil, but the creature’s implacable will resisted the spell. It turned its baleful attention onto Senef. “I admire your courage, shaman. You will serve me well as an undead.” Soon the shaman was being rended by Amur-Sin’s savage claws. He went down in a heap of blood. “For Imran!” shouted Mahmud as he charged the terrible Thrassian mummy. True Death carved past Amur-Sin’s armor and cleaved deep into his cadaverous breast. For a moment, victory seemed possible. Then Amur-Sin’s shattering blows crushed both of Mahmud’s legs, and the general went down! Bellona grabbed Mahmud’s body and fell back, even as the last of the Mamelukes died to Amur-Sin’s Thrassian zombies.
With Mahmud down, Ethlyn would have to assume command. At that very moment, the bard was hard-pressed at the south gate. Covered with wounds, she had disengaged from Shemush. Dornethan had covered her retreat with a volley of arrows, but the assassin was now reeling backward, his head soaked with blood from where his ears had been torn off. Things might have collapsed had Suad not swooped in on his flying carpet and paralyzed Mustafa with a blast from his wand, forcing Shemush to dispel him.
Even so, Shemush was unchecked, the dragons had lost Mahmud, Rakh, and Senef, Ethlyn was cripplingly injured, and Amur-Sin was in the city…

SESSION FIFTY-NINE
The situation was dire. The enemy was everywhere on the walls, and though their ranks had been savagely thinned by the defender’s determined resistance, retreat seemed the wisest option. Bellona, Shikra, and Suad began to evacuate the fallen. Mahmud’s body was carried back to Ber-Gathy’s citadel on the flying carpet, while Bellona invisibly moved to where Senef and Rakh had been dispatched.
Ethlyn was preparing to sound the general retreat when Shemush’s zombies charged her formation. Her men were overrun and the bard found herself isolated. Mustafa and Shemush unleashed arcane blasts that struck her head on, and she fell, her face a gory ruin of its former beauty. She might have been captured had Androcles and Umar not just been arriving with reinforcements to the south gate. Umar pulled Ethlyn’s fallen body to safety while Androcles charged at Mustafa and Shemush. The centurion quickly cut down the malevolent mage, but Shemush’s riposte in turn felled Androcles. Umar quickly entered the fight to assist his friend, and with great courage actually struck a blow against the tyrant! “How dare you injure me,” raged the mummy lord, as he felled Umar, too.
While these dark events were underway, Bellona had managed to bring Rakh and Senef back to the care of Suad and Shikra. The shaman and gladiator were alive, though barely; Suad stuffed them into his portable hole over their feeble protests.
With Mahmud and Ethlyn both incapacitated, command of the increasingly-desperate defenders now fell to Pasha Abaddon al-Hamza, pasha of Ber-Gathy. “You’ve got to sound the retreat,” urged Bellona. “We can’t win this!” “I will never abandon my city to these undead monsters,” said the pasha. “I would die first.”
And he did. In the first rank of his elite camel lancers, Abaddon led a charge across Ber-Gathy’s plaza and into the advancing ranks of Amur-Sin’s Thrassian zombies. Sharp lances carved through the ranks of the dead, thundering animals trampled the fallen. And then Amur-Sin crushed Abaddon’s skull like an egg.
Much to her surprise, the thief Zoya now found herself in command of an army. She was going to order a surrender when Bellona and Shikra suddenly announced they had a plan to destroy Amur-Sin. Taking up Mahmud’s blade True Death, Bellona enchanted herself with haste and invisibility. She then drank a potion of polymorph and assumed the form of a mighty storm giant.
As the invisible, gigantic, hasted, undead-slaying spellsword approached Amur-Sin, Shikra shape changed into a bat and flew overhead. And then the warlock transformed herself into a leviathan and dropped on the mummy’s head. As 30,000 pounds of flesh smashed downward, sending Amur-Sin careening, Bellona charged! Her blade bit deeply into Amur-Sin, hewn forward by her gigantic size and strength. The lizard-king might have died had Bellona’s next blow hit, but it did not. With preternatural power, the lizard-king recovered himself and then … vanished.
Thinking that Amur-Sin had turned invisible, Bellona began to search for the mummy lord. Instead, she found herself surrounded by hideous oozes and slimes, summoned by Shemush. The gigantic elf crushed several homes and dozens of innocents in a mad scramble to evade the oozes. She had almost made good her escape when Amur-Sin revealed himself – above Bellona, having teleported up and taken flight. The vile lizard-king sent a fireball hurling downward, and Bellona fell, instantly slain by the incinerating flame.
Suad had meanwhile gathered up the bodies of Ethlyn, Androcles, and Umar into the portable hole, and taken them back to the city’s keep. There the local imam, Farouk al-Raziel, was doing what he could for the fallen. Zoya had managed to rally the remaining defenders and thrown them back into the fight against the undead. While fearless and implacable, the undead forces were by now greatly thinned. If Amur-Sin couldn’t be killed, perhaps he could be made fearful enough to retreat? Perhaps by slaying his right-hand minion? Perhaps one last push? She sounded the attack!
The enemy seemed to similarly have decided the path to victory lay in killing the enemy leadership. Thrassian mummy lords took flight from their units and began to advance towards the citadel at the center of the city. The party needed to strike hard! In bat form, Shikra few over the Thrassian Shemush’s head, and shapechanged back into a leviathan. Her obscenely bulky form fell from 60’ up onto the mummy lord and pinned him down.
A moment later, the airborne Amur-Sin incinerated Shikra with another fireball, allowing Shemush to rise. Dornethan and Zoya charged into the fight. The assassin and thief both hit, leaving Shemush staggering. The enraged mummy lord struck out at Dornethan, and the assassin went down.
With Thrassian tyrants about to enter Ber-Gathy’s citadel, Suad had relocated to the northern wall. That stretch of the battlefield was under assault by human zombies under the command of none other than Yasir al-Achmed. The enslaved bandit chieftain was hacking his way up the walls as Suad arrived. The mage had planned to fight Yasir, but the fighting against Shemush was going so badly he knew he had to make that his priority. Suad, now unleashed a spell he had researched in secret: fist of stone. A massive blow of elemental stone smashed into Shemush.
The mummy lord was staggeringly damaged and took wing to flee. Suad showed now mercy and hurled another fist of stone. The Thrassian tyrant fell, destroyed. Suad exulted in his victory. Once the lowly utility mage, brought along to detect magic and open doors, now he was the slayer of a millennium-old mummy lord. “I’m the one who knocks!” he shouted triumphantly, as he raced away on his magic carpet, tossing a contemptuous shoe at Yasir al-Achmed for good measure. Zoya waved him off and then hurriedly looted the body.
Shemush’s destruction seemed to unnerve Amur-Sin. He hurled a fireball in Suad’s vicinity, but the mage was long out of range. “They have slain Shemush and revealed themselves to have an archmage with heretofore unseen magicks,” the lizard-king muttered to himself. Rather than expose himself to continued fighting, he instead moved to where Mustafa had fallen, and collected the mage’s body. He was content to let his troops continue the battle while he supervised from behind the lines.
The Thrassian tyrants had by now reached the citadel of Ber-Gathy. Farouk al-Raziel, aged imam of the city, died fending them off to give time for the rest of the party to flee. Majid, Suad’s apprentice, used the moment to hastily cast magic carpet on a stolen rug and fly away. The palace wizard, Jafar the Resplendent, attempted to jump on board but missed and was last heard shouting oaths and obscenities. “How dare you leave me behind you miserable cur! I am Jafar the RESPLENDENT, by Imran!” Majid was not being selfish in abandon Jafar, however, for he swooped downward and seized Dornethan’s body before racing off.

Zoya, last commander on the battlefield, gazed around at the ruin and realized there were no remaining undead formations… all had been destroyed or dispersed in her force’s last attack! But Amur-Sin and the Thrassian tyrants were still in the air, and it was not clear how they could be dealt with, given there were no more heroes to fight them. Zoya sounded the retreat, then crept away hidden by her elven cloak.
The battle was over. It was hard to know who had won. Amur-Sin’s undead army had been destroyed. The Dragons and their army had slain Shemush, 10 summoned dragons, 210 Thrassian zombies, 616 zombies, and 5760 skeletons. The Thrassian tyrants could ravage the city, but without an army they could hardly hold it. Yet the Dragon’s own casualties were a staggering 2,919 dead out of 6,090. The heroic leadership of Mahmud, Ethlyn, and Zoya, along with the desperate situation and the incredible power of the Trumpet of War, had kept their army fighting lost past the point when any normal fighting force would have broken.
Moreover, their personal situation was bleak. When they rallied at the oasis north-east of Ber-Gathy, the only full members of the party still standing were Suad and Zoya. Mahmud had been restored to life, but would be exhausted for two weeks. Senef had a broken hip. Ethlyn was incapacitated with pain and gruesomely scarred by a lightning bolt. Rakh was only dimly conscious, having suffered a cracked skull from the melee, and was seemingly brain damaged. Shikra’s left arm had been burned off by a fireball. Dornethan and Umar were likely dead, and Bellona certainly was, a grisly ruin.
Rarely had the crows feasted so well.

Wow! Seems like a fairly solid test of D@W. Great stuff!

It was about as extreme a test of D@W as I can imagine! It was a Battalion-scaled assault on a walled city with about 12 heroes on each side, featuring undead units, flyers, and more. Madness!

Of the best kind!

I think my brain would be leaking out of my nose a little trying to manage that kind of scenario.

The sane thing to do would have been to run it using the Campaign rules with heroic forays. But I wanted to try the insane!

SESSION SIXTY
What remained of the Dragon’s army retired from Ber-Gathy in good order, encamping for the night in an oasis a few miles distant. Red plumes of flame and black, billowing clouds of smoke were visible through the night as the Thrassian tyrants savaged the remainder of the city.
Come the morning, Senef had recovered enough to work his healing magic on the party’s dead and wounded. Bellona and Ethlyn were restored with no immediate ill effects, but it would be weeks until they could fight; Mahmud, Rakh, and Suad also would need weeks of rest. Shikra’s restoration was even more ill-fated; so battered was her frame that she could not even be made fully human, and she emerged from the spell with vestigial bat parts. Androcles was too far gone for restoration to have effect at all, and Senef was forced to reincarnate him. Androcles returned as a fit Celdorean male, but the new Androcles wanted no part of the life of the old. “Whatever burdens of duty lay upon me in my prior life are lifted. I am a new man, and I will pursue a new destiny,” he said, departing for Hissar.
The party was aggrieved at Androcles’ departure, but they could not spare much time to persuade him. A divination by Senef had announced, “a city is on its knees, lacking a ruler’s decrees.” The Dragons interpreted this to mean that Ber-Gathy needed their leadership, and marched directly there. Arriving at sunset on the 4th of Froelen, the party found Ber-Gathy still intact, the flames extinguished. Zoya snuck forward to reconnoiter. She learned that only about 10% of the city had been destroyed, with the Tower of Knowledge having been utterly pillaged. There were still about 1,000 people in the city; but the dead outnumbered the living by three to one. The citizenry were working to deal with the corpse-strewn rubble but no one seemed to be in charge.
The Dragons entered at the head of their army and seized control. Senef was appointed the new pasha of Ber-Gathy. Behrouz, the Dragon-Slayer, head of the heroic light infantry that had slain a dragon, was made new Agha of Bab al-Djebel. The young hero was overcome with honor: “Never did I expect Imran’s blessing to be so great, to receive such a gift from such a gift,” he murmured to his new pasha, Ethlyn.
On the 5th, scouts reported back with sad tidings from the west. “Hundreds of prisoners are being herded to the southwest, into the Howling Emptiness!” These could only be survivors of Ber-Gathy, being taken back to Amur-Sin’s lair for his sinister rituals. The Dragons were desperate for vengeance, but to attack Amur-Sin in their weakened state would be certain doom. Instead, they put a call for aid: “The Shields of the South are looking for mercenaries, henchmen, and marshals!” Over 100,000gp flooded the guildhalls, caravanserai, and ports of Southern Opelenea sending word of their need.
While Senef devoted himself to rulership, Zoya began to receive word from her spies. Bartini wrote in, “As you know, I keep close tabs on the palace through friends in the scullery. The Council of Wisdom has been in session non-stop for days. It must be very pressing business because they aren’t even letting the kitchen staff leave the palace!” Karim wrote, “I saw a military map in a merchant’s guild hall. There were two army tokens near Pyros, but one of the tokens had been knocked over as if it had been defeated.”
Reports from army scouts continued to trickle in over the following days. The enemy’s prisoners-of-war were last sighted between the Al-Baki Hills and the Blasted Hills, heading south-west into the Howling Emptiness. On the 8th of Froelen, Senef decided it was time to commune. “Will Amur-Sin have a new army?” No. “Does Amur-Sin have a phylactery?” No. “Is the Council of Wisdom currently planning to betray us?” No.
On the 15th of Froelen, word arrived from Besherab nomads that the Thrassian slave caravan had been spotted near the southern oases of the Howling Emptiness. This prompted further communion from Senef. “Is Amur-Sin’s lair within 18 miles of the south-western oasis on our map?” Yes. “Is Amur-Sin raising another undead army within the month?” No. “Does Amur-Sin have other minions we haven’t seen?” Yes.
With these insights, the Shields of the South decided that they would attack Amur-Sin when their strength was regained. They would use the intervening weeks to finish spell research and continue to explore the powers of the Cup and Talisman.

Senef soon learned that the Cup could pour cure wounds with a drop of holy water, and also that if the Talisman was immersed in a Cup full of holy water, it could create a miraculous potion. Bellona learned dispel magic. Suad made little progress in his own research, but Bellona managed to learn the valuable dispel magic.
On the 22nd, a flight of eagles was spied circling above the citadel of Ber-Gathy. This was a good omen, for eagles are sacred to Imran. This same day, word reached Ethlyn that her long-sought dire lion was being imported from Alakyrum and would arrive at Khaibar at month’s end. Suad took another opportunity to commune with the spirits. “Can Amur-Sin innately see invisible?” No. “Is Amur-Sin aware of our portable hole?” No. “Is Amur-Sin making specific preparations against our shapechange trick?
By the 26th, the Shields of the South were ready to depart. Mounted on camels, they set off. After a day of riding, they reached the oasis of Tuat…the ruins of it. The casbah was a pillaged ruin and the lush oasis was scorched and burned. Senef blessed the land before the party departed.
That night, Rakh and his minion Ubakhi got into a argument over the merits of eating Mahmud. Rakh was still chastening his minion when a strange figure shrouded in dark robes stumbled into their camp, seeking to join in the feast on man-flesh. Mahmud quickly slew the creature, which turned out to be a white-skinned troll. Shikra insisted they allow the troll to regenerate so she could interrogate it. “Why is your skin so weird?” asked the weird hybrid bat-witch. “Cursed by the gods at birth,” the sad creature said. “Ah…an albino,” said Shikra. “That’s all I needed to know.” At a signal, Mahmud beheaded and burned the thing, leaving some of its rubbery white flesh as reagents for the warlock.
On the 27th, the party reached an unnamed oasis near the Howling Oasis. Wide white curtains were visible hanging between the palm trees. Zoya quickly scouted ahead. “giant spider webs,” she reported. “Burn them.” Bellona was eager to oblige and a nest of giant spiders was soon roasted from afar.
Later that day, the party neared the path to Krak al-Shidda, their one-time base. On that path the party espied seven desert nomads, in dark brown robes, mounted on dark brown camels, standing near a sandy berm. The nomads were eerily motionless, even as Mahmud, Umar, and Wazir hailed them. At 20 yards, Senef suddenly remembered – a gorgon had lived near Krak al-Shidda. Mahmud, Umar, and Wazir barely retreated in time as the gorgon charged from behind the berm. A moment later, the monster was dead to Senef’s finger of death.
The next day, 28th Froelen, the party reached the Howling Emptiness. No marker or signpost marked the border of that dread region; but as they camped for the night, a strange and terrible howling filled the air…

Looks like a typo…what was the answer to, “Is Amur-Sin making specific preparations against our shapechange trick?"

…not that I’m rapt, or anything…

Sorry, that was a typo! The answer is “no”.

This is a really lovely campaign journal. Thanks for sharing it, Alex.

Is there any way you could post an “allegiance tree” or something showing who the main characters, who their henchmen are, and so on. It would be interesting to see how large an organization your players have right now.

Also, when you play, who primarily roleplays henchmen? The player of their master, or you?

SESSION 61-63

The Dragons of the Desert confronted Amur-Sin in his great pyramid in the Howling Emptiness and were defeated. Mahmud died holding off 5 Thrassian Tyrants and his body was left to Amur-Sin’s necromantic arts. Rakh was ensorcelled by Amur-Sin and enslaved. The rest of the party were slain or fled, and even with magic most came back unable to continue adventuring.

The Council of Wisdom awarded them for their heroic effort with grants of land throughout Opelenea. For unknown reasons, Amur-Sin did not attack Opelenea again. There are some who believe he was slain by Navana. Others believe he bides his time in the bleak desert, readying an army to destroy all mankind. Whatever the case… it will not be the Dragons of the Desert who decide the fate of Opelenea. Their story is ended.

Since the campaign ended (painfully!) I won’t post an allegiance tree - too much time to invest.

The players control the henchmen of their PC in most situations. During circumstances of failed morale, I control the henchmen. The player also roleplays the henchmen of their PC, except when the henchmen is interacting with the PC himself.

That is an epic ending to an awesome campaign, to be sure. Sometimes, defeat makes great stories.

Yikes! What an abrupt ending to an amazing story!

I’ll chalk it up to a finale too painful to recount. :wink:

Thanks for spinning the yarn Alex it was a fun read.

Oof. A postscript sounding as told by a character who was there, and doesn’t yet have the heart to share the full story.

Sounds like you’re already back in the saddle on a new horse, though. Always the journey, not the destination.

Alex, I’m curious.

When you wrote up the final encounter, knowing the party’s capabilities, what percentage chance of victory did you give them?

Was the party reaching a bit too far in attempting to take down Amur-Sin at their power level, or was it a fair fight and the dice just didn’t go their way?