Liberation of Borovia

Originally published in the Seagate Times Issue 126 - Autumn 825.

A last alliance of elves and men… and women, and dwarves, some halflings, a few Guild beasts, and a resurrected dragon…

In early summer a combined force of elves from Alfheim, dwarves of the Superstition Mountains and Axe Alliance, troops of House Taijin and Yokosama from Kinlu, Borovian Exile soldiers, along with a guild party and some other forces wrested control of Borovia from the remaining drow invaders.

Speaking to the Times on behalf of the Borovian Exiles, Lady Alexandra Anestasiovna, daughter of the countess, thanked the many allies who aided and supported the exiles over the last decade and more since the drow invasion of 813.

“We are so very grateful to all those who aided in our escape during the invasion, who resettled us and helped feed and shelter our people, who trained us and supplied us with arms, and who fought alongside us to reclaim our homeland.

“Our thanks go to the leaders and people of the Superstition Mountain dwarves who have been our neighbours and staunchest supporters since the exile, and to the Courts of Alfheim and Kinlu who have been so generous of their resources and military aid.

“I would also extend a special thanks to the Seagate Guild of Adventurers whose many actions during the drow war and after weakened that dread people’s hold on my home and provided this solid foundation from which we were able to launch our final act of liberation.

Lady Alexandra explained to the Times that Alliance information had indicated the drow having significant supply issues to the Elven Isles, which in conjunction with the failure in autumn 821 of the drow to achieve their ritual ambitions in Borovia, thanks to the actions of an heroic Guild party, had led to an ongoing drawdown of military forces, with many of the high-ranking drow identified by previous parties having already departed the mainland, leaving it in the hands of a much reduced military force.

The drow supply problems appear to have begun with the release of Lord Azzur from drow mind bondage in winter 818, and his subsequent Black Fleet blockade of supply to the Isles from Western Alusia, with the situation becoming increasingly dire in the winter of 821 when the ancient elven portal between the Isles and Terranova began to experience delays in its operation, its once reliable 24-hour cycle getting ever longer.

The surprise attack on the morning of Duesday 8 Meadow 825 involved Alfheim forces coming through the old north-west pass and in Beltan flying ships to engage the Dozar City Regional Guard regiment in Vallaki, while a combined dwarven and Kinlu force used portals to muster at the ruined keep of the recently revived Knights of the Silver Dragon.

From there Kinlu forces headed south to engage the Caleen Walkers mercenary regiment, while the dwarves made use of the drow’s inclement weather effects to form an ice road along the Mondfluss to Borovia Town where they were joined by Borovian forces arriving through the East Gate.

An unexpected addition to the Alliance forces was the restored dragon Elektros and the shades of former Knights of the Silver Dragon who fell during the reign of the vampire in years past.

As Captain Ulf Firebeard of the Superstition Mountain put it:

“A ruddy great dragon and a host of spectral knights, all glowing like the forge, flew off to the castle with trees bursting out around them like it was spring as they went. You don't see that every day”.

After a fierce but short battle in the ruins of Borovia town against the well-trained and equipped Golden Desert Wolves regiment, an action that saw the Guild party eliminate a stubborn command post helping the dwarves turn the left flank, the drow forces there were routed.

Most of the regiment escaped through the portal that had for the last decade led to the Elven Isles, but which due to actions of the party was no longer under drow control. The whereabouts of the retreating drow are not known at this time.

The senior command staff of the Golden Desert Wolves who were resident at Ravenloft castle are understood to have escaped through a portal belonging to Count Kree and are thought to now be loose on one to the “Earths” with which the Guild is familiar.

With the town secure specialized dwarven units entered the toxic desolation of the drow’s open-cast mine, eliminating the reduced garrison overseeing the slave labour force and freeing several hundred captives. A bloody skirmish against a handful of fire giants, involved in dismantling esoteric forge equipment, led to the heaviest dwarven casualties of the day.

Reports from the other actions around the county saw success with few Alliance losses, and human remnants of the drow regiments were taken into custody. As the drow weather control faded and the blizzard ended, the Borovian Exiles were able to survey what little remained of their home.

Lady Alexandra commented:

“These creatures have caused untold damage and suffering, and while they are now gone their callous legacy of pain and destruction will take much longer to erase. But we have friends and allies, the sun is shining, and we can rebuild. This is not the end, but a new beginning”.

Battle Details

Map Key

(Bow) Elven Forces

(Flower) Kinlu forces

(Dragon) Elektros and spectral knights

(Hammer) Dwarven forces

(SAG) Guild party accompanying dwarves

(Ship) Borovian Navy carrying Exile troops

Borovia in Summer 825

Weather in the area centred on Borovia Town and radiating out almost to Vallaki is appalling. This is a reduction in area from before; while defences are being kept in place the number of mages available to maintain them has been significantly reduced.

The protected area, including the air above up to several thousand feet, is in perpetual gloom, with thick cloud almost down to the ground level. The air is constantly filled with sleet whipped up by fierce and chaotic winds, making flying within the area dangerous to suicidal. The ground under this environment is near freezing slushy mud and almost all plants and animal are weak or dead. Pools of icy cold water and sheets of frozen icy ground prevail, making travel hard and hazardous.

Many of the buildings in what remains of the town of Borovia are ruined while those few that are still usable are home to the Golden Desert Wolves.

North-east of Borovia Town open cast mining has ruined the land and forges and fires polluted the environment to the extent there is still ash on much of the ground. The sulphurous and poisoned air has mostly cleared in the past years. Mining mostly ceased post-821 however and levels of silt and pollution flowing down the Ruv have decreased over the past few years. Fire giants are engaged in dismantling specialist equipment.

Drow Forces Summer 825

By Summer 825 drow forces in Borovia are a pale shadow of a few years earlier. The ritual failure has led to a feeling among many that Borovia is increasingly irrelevant.

While others are loathe to surrender any conquests the on-going supply problems at the Elven Isles, both from the misbehaving Terranova portal and the blockade of Alusian supplies, have led to an inevitable reduction of forces in both areas.

Additionally, the loss of Dilxae Baenath (The Fae Fallen Fawn) in 821 reduced drow portal knowledge and options.

Leaders

Named Leaders

Lady Dunmer Moriquendi, leader of the Golden Desert Wolves.
Master Blackbone Moriquendi
Mr Moriquendi

These remaining leaders along with several of the officers of the Golden Desert Wolves are using Rabenschloß as their headquarters. Certainly more comfortable than billeting in the freezing conditions of Borovia town though it does reduce their ability to react quickly to changes there.

Troops

Golden Desert Wolves

1,200 troops A grade to elite troops
Stationed in the remains of Borovia Town
Charged with guarding Torii portal / supply line.

Half a dozen frost giants

Stationed near Borovia town as extra muscle.

Dozar City Regional Guard

Led by Sub Commander Wayfair Prev.
1,100 troops of average & poor quality, generally looked down on by the Drow.
Based in the town of Vallaki and (unenthusiastically) patrol the northern parts of Borovia.

The Caleen Walkers: A capable human mercenary group

Led by Sub Commander Dan Mich (Human commander)
A total force of around 1,200 A grade troops (drawn down from 1800 previously).
Based in the Southern and South-Eastern parts of Borovia and patrol forested extensively.

Half a dozen fire giants

Stationed at mine, involved in dismantling specialized forge equipment (mystical machines used for some odd refinery) for transport elsewhere.

Dinossz city regular troops

200 average quality
Stationed in mining accommodations overseeing ~1,000 remaining slaves.

Alliance Forces Summer 825

Not all of the available Alliance forces ended up deployed into combat with reserves being held in case of unexpected reinforcements or attempts to escape over the Borovian borders.

Elven

Leaders

Sir Celladoor Bladekind, appointed by the Alfheim Court to lead the expedition. He has the support of the Beltan and Elvandar elves.
Lady Quillian Warthold, leading Elvandar troops.
Captain Willowhelm, commanding the Beltan elves from the bridge of her flag ship Bluesky Fire Plague.

Troops

1,200 elven Royal Guards made up of warriors and mages.
Nearly 1,000 elven scouts and rangers out of Elvandar. Mostly deployed in blocking positions to catch fleeing troops and other stragglers.
6 Beltan flying ships – unable to be used near Borovia Town while current weather conditions continue.

Objectives

North and Western areas.
Vallaki

Kinlu

Leaders

Nobutomo-dono, Commander of the Taijin forces.
Yukitaka-gozen, “Allied” Commander (of the definitely-not-mercenary forces fighting beside Taijin).
Takatoshi-dono, House Amdijin leader.

Troops

2 Sonae (~1200) Tajin house troops, spear, bow. (Blue/Silver/Eagle feather)
3 Sonae (~1600) Yokosama mercenary troops, spear, bow, cavalry. (Black/Gold/Interlocking rings)
Cadre of Amdijin portal mages. (Red/Gold/Wheel). Portable portals.

Objectives

Secure initial invasion point at Burgsilber. Bring through Kinlu and Dwarven troops.
Moving out south and west. Better suited for open field / forest operations.
Charged with pushing the Caleen Walkers south against the border forts.

Dwarven

Leaders

Kragview Lomhead - Leader of the Superstition Mountain forces.
Dagna Hammerstrong, daughter of Clan Chief Dunbait Hammerstrong III.
Captain Doundock Dustjaw, Darkhorn Dwarven leader.

Troops

~1,600 well trained and equipped Superstition Mountain troops.
- Mostly dwarven with ~200 human and halfling auxiliaries.
~1,500 Axe Alliance warriors & priests (additional in reserve).
24 steam powered rock throwers, half converted to light missiles: spears, arrows, stones, intended to provide some surface to air capability against potential flyers from the castle.

Extras

One Guild Party - accompanying the dwarves.

Objectives

Given the bad weather and icy conditions, the dwarves decided that making it colder was the easiest option.
Dwarves created an ice road from Burgsilber to Borovia Town to facilitate fast match east.
Ice traversal on some troops, others on ice skates.
Stone throwers on sleds pushed by their dwarven crew with orders to demolish any buildings being used by the defending troops.

Borovian Exiles

Leaders

Lady Alexandra Anestasiova. Captain of the (restored) Order of the Silver Dragon,
Laszlo Radanavich, “Crow” Assassin, Order of the Ebon Wing
Valentina Belasco, “Raven” Ranger, Order of the Ebon Wing

Troops

~50 fully equipped Knights of the Silver Dragon
~250 Ebon Wing rangers and assassins
~600 Borovian Guards - superbly trained and well-equipped soldiers drawn from the exiles. Almost exclusively human.
Borovian Fleet commanded by Silverfoam.

Objective

Enter Borovia from the East - Silverfoam's ships able to travel over land.
Pass through the (destroyed) East Gate and engage the defenders in Borovia Town once they are focused on the main dwarven attack.

Spectral Host

The (former, deceased) Knights of the Silver Dragon.
Elektros the Silver Dragon - restored by the party.

Obective

Take the Castle