• 712 DR [Year of the Lost Lance]

  • Alturiak 11 Tower's Falling (Weeping War: Campaign #3)
    A.K.A.: The Out-Mages' Stand
    Attacks on the lone towers and outlying schools beyond the mythal signaled the 12-day ongoing series of skirmishes now called the Towers Falling Battle. Significant as the first true meeting between the Akh'Velahr and Akh'Faer and the Army of Darkness, this battle's primary defenders and forces were the besieged mages and adventurers who lived outside the mythal. In all, the First Legion destroyed numerous mages and schools and towers, and pressed onward toward Myth Drannor almost undeterred.

    Still, while the armies of Cormanthyr were pushed back, they gained a pyrhic victory in the cost the Army of Darkness paid in lives: The dying mages often took hundreds of orcs and gnolls and even mezzoloths with them in death, as they or their towers exploded in arcane fury upon their deaths.

    This event lasts until Alturiak 21, 712. »

  • Alturiak 17 The Northdark Skirmishes (Weeping War: Campaign #3)
    A.K.A.: The Icewars
    The Army of Darkness leisurely sent its troops on harassment maneuvers that allowed them to slowly wrap lines west and south along the mythal's perimeter. The eight days of battle occurred during great ice storms magically enhanced by the elves. Despite this advantage against the mezzoloth-led giants, ogres, and orcs of the Third Legion, the elves failed to consolidate their forces to their best advantages and lost the final battle (though most of the minor skirmishes among smaller units and allied advantages fell to the elves).

    This event last until Alturiak 24, 712. »

  • Alturiak 26 War's Awakening (Weeping War: Campaign #3)
    A.K.A.: The Mist Melees; the Fog War, the "Deads' Vengeance"
    The forays by Malimshaer and his Second Legion carried this third of the Army of Darkness around the eastern side of the mythal territories. With the heaviest concentration of yugoloths in this legion, the mythal's corruption began strongest here. As the legion spread itself south and west to surmount Myth Drannor, it and the summoning areas became cloaked in arcane fog that proved impossible to dispel. There were large numbers of orcs and ogres among this (and the Third) Legion, yet the mythal eventually allowed them passage on the third day of battle. Previous to this, the only forces in play were mezzoloths and gnolls. This alone was a strong sign that told the nycoloths and the elves both that the mythal was weakening under the onslaught.

    As the elves and allies began to fully realize the dangers posed by the Army of Darkness, they started pulling together their forces and conscripting the able into allied service. Those unable to be of service among the armies were given leave either to defend their homes or to evacuate the outer mythal lands and even Myth Drannor itself. The deep tunnels beneath the city dug 30 years ago by Clan Tarynstone now came into use close to the end of Alturiak as the three Legions closed on the city and laid siege to it. While the battle of War's Awakening was more an internal process for the elves to pull together rather than remain unstable and ineffective, the many skirmishes and smaller battles led to the first sieges of Myth Drannor, as the campaign name says. Still, the elves and allies came together and slowed the Army's advance enough to allow over half of Myth Drannor's noncombatant population to escape to relative safety south of the city. Later, after the furor of the war died down, a number of volunteer adventurers and wizards were honored as heroes for their actions as guardians and defenders of the refugees during the First Sieges, Woodsheart Wars, and Dawn Fronts Crusade.

    This event lasts until Chess 1, 712 DR »

  • Ches 2 The Templestar's Rise (Weeping War: Campaign #3)
    A.K.A.: The Three Fronts of Myth Drannor, the Mauling, Advance of the Three Battalions, Gaulguth's Bath, the River's Reprisal, the Elemental Strikes, the Drowning
    Considered one battle, this seven-pronged attack by the Army of Darkness on the city of Myth Drannor marked its first invasion by external enemy troops in over 600 years! The Army of Darkness, while holding more than two-thirds of its forces back either at their nerve center in Olorill or in encampments surrounding the mythal, sent three battalions - the Agonists (first Legion), the Chaoslayers (first legion), and the Merciless (third legion) - and Gaulguth the Reaver into Myth Drannor.

    The three battalions spread out into their respective regiments, though they remained under the commands of Generals Khitax, Vroyxax, and Ollyq. The First Regiment of Agonists, under the direct command of Gaulguth and Colonel Szelmsevv, spearheaded the charge on Castle Cormanthor, while others concentrated attacks on all areas of Cormanthor, Kerrandunath, and Sheshyrinnam. For reasons unknown, none of the initial attackers approached the city from the east or disturbed the city east of the stream (leaving elves to later mutter and suspect that some N'Tel'Quess in Dlabraddath was responsible for the whole Fall of Myth Drannor). Even though the elves were nearly outnumbered two-to-one, they held on and destroyed over nine regiments (three of General Ollyq's Merciless, two of General Khitax's Agonists, and nearly the entire Chaoslayer battalion) in 19 solid hours of combat and spellbattles!

    This battle's title comes from its most prominent military (and spiritual) victory at the height of the fray. Under the moon's light and the constant press of enemies, the elves and other defenders of the realm suffered miserable losses for much of the early hours of the battle. By highmoon, more than half the western city was dominated and controlled by the Army of Darkness. Of the three Merciless regiments invading the peaceful temple ward of Sheshyrinnam, two were focused on military tactics and control of conquered territory, while the third took to desecrating and destroying the temple they everwhelmed.

    The aging priest Artox Frayhammer, with his lusty war cries and the compelling battle songs of his clergy of Moradin, turned the tide of battle for all Myth Drannor as he saw another, smaller temple fall. Leading the charge and rallying other temples' faithful behind him and his dwarves, Artox met and slew five mezzoloth officers - four majors and General Ollyq himslef - within mere minutes, as the Merciless expected resistence as feeble as they had encountered before. Soon, the army of the Templestars took rough shape as the temple defenders of Moradin, Garl Glittergold, Labelas Enoreth, Selune, and Mielikki united and destroyed all invaders with Sheshyrinnam. These victories in turn fired the hope of the other allies, and the tide turned in favor of Myth Drannor!

    The final note of the battle that ended this conflict (and quickly ignited the next) was a major summoning by Symruster, four baelnorn, and the fledgling Elementalists' Guild (until recently a minor part of the Guild of Wizards, Conjurers, and Enchanters). As the Army battalions were forced back to the stream by victorious elf troops in the western city, the stream Oacenth and Glyrryl's Pool erupted with gargantuan water elementals which literally leapt over the banks to wash away the surviving enemy regiments of the Merciless and Chaoslayer battalions. Even Gaulguth was forced to teleport to safety as three elementals tried to drown him in the depths of the pool!

    By dawn of the third day of Ches, the Army of Darkness was forced east of the stream and Glyrryl's Pool, where many of thier number drowned before the elementals were dispersed. In all, the invading Army of Darkness suffered the loss of 12 regiments - over 35,000 gnolls, hobgoblins, ogres, and orcs - before their retreat and fight, rather than one over which victory is assured.

    Among the deaths of this battle included:
    [Myth Drannor]
    Kovimal Honedaxe (Councilor and clan chief), Aesar "Moonwing" (Court Mage)
    [Army of Darkness]
    General Ollyq of the Merciless, General Vroyxax of the Chaoslayers

    This battle lasted until Ches 3, 712 DR »

  • Ches 3 The Siege of Dlabraddath (Weeping War: Campaign #3)
    A.K.A.: The Clash Under Four Moons (when considered in conjunction with Templestar's Rise), Battle of Selune's Tears/The Darkness Undone
    A more balanced battle than the preceding one, Dlabbradath's Siege is notable for only in its length and the amount of destruction. In the morning after being forced east of Oacenth's Stream, the Army of Darkness fought defensively and was slowly being surrounded on their southern flank in one of their own tactics. With the properties of the mythal disrupted due to their mezzoloth commanders, the fleeing regiments were all able to set fire to the northern quadrant of Myth Drannor to cover their retreat. For that day and much of the next, the elves either shored up the city's defenses and put out the fires or patrolled the perimeter of the city, slaying and stray enemy parties.

    Many foolishly thought the war was won, and the hot-headed Spell-Captain Paeris Haladar heedlessly led four companies of Akh'Velhr and Akh'Faer (all acting against orders from their superiors) into the forest north of Myth Drannor to "end the threat of the Army of Darkness forever". He and his soldiers walked into a trap, since the Second Legion's Icepikes and Five Blades battalions arrived from the east to reinforce the ragged forces remaining from the Templestar's Rise. The Captain's Dark Charge, a now-ignominious footnote in the Weeping War, showed the elves they had no room for stupid, arrogant, reckless moves such as this, as all but four young camp runners died in their less-than-strategic attack on the Army, believing their foe to be fewer and far more demoralized than they proved. Though all within the Charge were later given honors as war heroes, few raise Haladar's name any longer as a good commander, and nearly all have forgotten this once-lauded tactical spellcasting.

    Despite this poor strategy and the unexpected reinforcements of the Army of Darkness, the allies still won the day tactically, as they broke the grip the invaders had on Myth Drannor and drove them out of the city by battle's end. Strategically and emotionally, the Army of Darkness won this battle simply by setting fire to the elves' trees and homes and unsettling their normally unshakable resolve.

    This battle saw the death of High Captain Paeris Haladar, and High Court Mage Khyssoun Ammath.
    This event lasts until Ches 5, 712 »

  • Tarsakh 11 Silvergate (Weeping War: Campaign #4)
    A.K.A.: The Second Siege of Myth Drannor, the Nameless Sacrifice, the Chosen's Choice
    The battle at Silvergate is one of the most storied and heroic tales of the entire Weeping War. The Army of Darkness was driven east, and its northern and southern factions merged and punched through the elf defenders on the western front as they pressed, allowing them a second charge on Myth Drannor. The bulk of this battle occurred among the streets of the old city Cormanthor, and its climax centered on the Silvergate, the magical gate to Silverymoon Pass.

    While the military fought bravely on all fronts, this battle was primarily one of magic and thus spearheaded by Spell-Major Josidiah Starym, Elminster, Symrustar Auglamyr, and the Nameless Chosen. With many elf forces exhausted from the previous battles, only the cavalry and two-thirds of the available Akh'Faer froces were in the city for its defense until the arrival after battle's start of the Wing cavalry, some gold, silver, and electrum dragon allies, and the three Chosen.

    The spellcasters and military worked together to isolate and destroy the reduced and tired battalions (the Cruelty, the Colossus, the Grievous, Battalion Arcane) of the Army of Darkness. In all, the Army of Darkness suffered the loss of a battalion's worth of troops, losing 11 marches and 4 regiments in the melee. Among them, four entire tribes of gnolls were totally destroyed as was the most powerful march in the Army, Cvor's all mezzoloth March of the Second Cruelty Regiment.

    Cvor's March ("the Whipmaster's March") laid siege to the Silvergate at highsun on the second day of battle. The Namelss Chosen became enraged by the destruction of his native city and the abrupt slaying of a trio of young bronze dragons that had emerged through the gate to lend aid requested a tenday ago. The Nameless One lost his temper and his patience.

    The Namelss exploded through the roof of one of the Six Tyrl Towers, his body glowing and his hair and robes ablaze in silver flames! He dove headlong into the amassed forces of the besieging Army, driving a wedge through the forces, he converged on the Silvergate, where Colonel Cvor and his mezzoloths stood. Fully aflame now, the Nameless reached out with his silver wings and flung the nycoloths into the gate, which opened at his merest word. Spelltraps lying in wait activated at his will, causing explosions that claimed more evil lives as he walked unharmed within them. Over 600 mezzoloths , goblins, and other creatures fell before the fury of the Nameless, and Myth Drannor's defenders rallied once more. With a large wedge driven into the Army's forces, the Akh'Faer and the cavalry had openings they could exploit and drive the Army before them.

    The razor-studded whip of Cvor wrapped about the throat of the Nameless One, and the two fell into the Silvergate. Flying to his aid, Elminster entered the Silvergate and shut the gate behind him to isolate Cvor's march. Back to back with the elder Elminster, he fought hundreds of mezzoloths within the rocky Silverymoon Pass, and the glow of his silvery form drew attention from Silverymoon.

    Colonel Cvor then used a captured elf artifact (the Harness of the Giant-Slayer Alayris) to grow to a giant's size and seize the flaming mage by hand and foot. Cvor brutally pulled the Nameless Chosen nearly in half by sheer strength! The explosion of magical power and fire utterly consumed Cvor and over 200 nearby mezzoloths. The Nameless One lay dying, his torso laid-open. The High Mage of Silverymoon, Ecamane Truesilver and his supporting wizard forces protected the body of the fallen Chosen from the remaining mezzoloths. Together, while the Nameless One was sent magically to Silverymoon for healing, Elminster and the elderly and frail Ecamane destroyed the gate to Myth Drannor, detonating it from within and at its exit. The explosions slew the remnants of the Fourth Regiment surrounding it at Myth Drannor as well as clearing Silverymoon Pass of its remaining brethren.

    As a result of this battle, Myth Drannor's forces won the day, but unknowingly paid a high price. Elminster was lost among the planes for a time, due to his task of destroying the gate from within, while Ecamane Truesilver died due to the strain of breaking the gate from its exit point at Silverymoon Pass. The Nameless Chosen lay like one dead for more than the next year. His elf nurse, gave him the name Akhellbhen; upon his awakening, the Nameless Chosen, once called Arun's Son is introduced to the new High Mage Aglanthol as Khelben Arunsun. His body healed but forever scarred across his chest and back where he was nearly torn in twain, he banishes his vanity and keeps the wedge of silver-white hair and beard to remind him of the silver flames dancing within it and how it does not make him invincible. It also signifies his debts, as it reminds him of Silverymoon and what he owes its people as well.

    Other major deaths of this battle includes Wollys Silvershield (high priest of Sehanine).

    This battle lasts until Tarsakh 13, 712 DR. »

  • Midsummer The Forest's Fangs (Weeping War: Campaign #4)
    A.K.A.: The Slingwar; Pipeweed's Mettle
    This battle, while hardly considered a major conflict by the elves or the war in general, is of interest as the sole conflict where no allies were lost but the Army of Darkness suffered setbacks. The allies were four groups of halfling scouts, armed merely with slings, spears, and trip wires. Attacking from under cover, they managed to harass and slay over four entire squadrons of ogres and orcs and another march of mezzoloths and flinds! Even more amazing than their lack of casualties was the fact that the Army of Darkness never once uncovered their enemy, which excelled at fighting from among the branches and from underbrush!

    This event lasts until Elesias 2, 712. »

  • Marpenoth 17 Clash at the Duelist's Arena (Weeping War: Campaign #5)
    A.K.A.: The Missing Missiles War
    This battle marked the official start of the Spiders' Truce among the drow froces of House Dhuurniv and the mixed forces of elves and adventurers at Elven Court. Much to the distaste of the elf commanders, the senior officer of the elf forces, the Arfaern Aolis Ildacer (and also the secret commander of the N'Vaelahr) suppoerted this alliance and held his offended officers in check by force of will after the loss of an entire sphere of Akh'Faer to the Battalion Infernal due to conflicting commands that fought the drow as well. After a strategic retreat through a monsters unleashed upon them from the labyrinths beneath the arena, including a young deep dragon controlled magically by mezzoloth General Mraochad, it did delay them long enough for the allies to entrench and hold the Battalion Infernal within the Duelists' Areana. »

  • Nightal 12 Battle of Temples' Blight (Weeping War: Campaign #5)
    A.K.A.: Crusaders' Cry
    From the elves' point of view, this was the most successful of the battles of the Elven Crusade, as it drove the enemy right where they wanted - into the Creator's House! Once there, the mezzoloths, orcs, and hobgoblins had to destroy the drow-crafted web-gate at great cost for their own survival, a task the elves had never been able to accomplish across the years. While the Lady Dhuurniv suspected Arfaern Ildacer of treachery with the shift in the tide of battle, she could not prove that he had planned this, as the nighttime battle shifted this far east in the city and around the temples due to the late mobilization of her own right flank. Despite a desire to preserve the gate on the drows' part and an equal desire by the elves to reserve the temple, they managed through spellcraft and siege weaponry to destroy the Creator's House, collapsing it in upon the trapped marches of the Infernal!

    This event lasts until Nightal 14, 712 DR. »

  • Nightal 23 The Four-Front War (Weeping War: Campaign #5)
    A.K.A.: Crusaders' Triumph
    The Allies of Cormanthyr see in this battle.

    Major deaths include:
    Ilmra R'diiln, Tasima Maelloer (two major drow commanders who helped hold the Truce together with Lady Dhuurniv);
    Shaalth Aeson Haerigent, Arfaern Khiiral M'Haaren, Nikerym Volar "Ironfist" Honedaxe.
    Captain Kroen, Major Colonel Pulyk, Colonel R'Fvull, Colonel Ilghimm (all mezzoloth commanders).

    This event lasts until Nightal 24, 712 DR. »

  • 713 DR [Year of the Firedrake]

  • Greengrass Shadusk Glade (Weeping War: Campaign #6)
    A.K.A.: Detebte at Shadusk, Gaulguth's Cost, Symruster's Mirthless Laugh
    This was the battle that formed the near-legendary Line of Light against the Army of Darkness: the first front of elves and N'Tel'Quess truely unified among soldiers, commanders, and all allies. This line held against seven times their own number to hold the Army of darkness away from Semberholme. In fact, they even pushed the front a bit farther east of Myth Drannor and held this position of strength until the Waning Wars!

    The Battle at Shadusk Glade has many songs and accounts that help explain their successes, especially in terms of the magical support. With two mythaleashes flanking the main battle site, Captain Selorn's tactics forced many ogres and mezzoloths through the extended mythal, and the elves' strength therein caused them to panic and teleport randomly away from the battle. Most significantly, both Malimshaer and Gaulguth the nycoloths were on hand for this battle, and both suffered grievouly at the hands of the enraged and powerful elf Chosen of Mystra, Symruster Auglamyr and a battery of wizard-allies whose names are still mysteriously hidden. Using her silver fire and their mastery of spells, they managed to wound Gaulguth and cost him both his left arm and left eye!

    Seeing the battle falter, Malimshaer put the legions in retreat, but he managed to capture Symruster as the retreat began. Disdainfully treating her as a toy to one his size, he held her tight in his hands, intending her as a hostage and believing her powerless without the chance to move her hands. Symruster merely looked into his eyees, smiled, chuckled hollowly, and erupted into flames, stabbing beams of fire from her eyes into Malimshaer's and incinerating his claws with silver fire as well. Malimshaer's attempts to drop her and flee only took the battle high above the forest, where they soon vanished from sight, only the silver flames visible as they exploded for hundreds of yards. Malimshaer's seared skull and ribcage fell at Captain Selorn's feet, and other remains dropped onto the battlefield, though no remains of Symruster were ever reported (though the Caption found in his hand at the end of the battle Symruster's Choker, which she vowed would leave her only at her death). »

  • 714 DR [Year of Doom]

  • Hammer 5 The Flaming Towers (Weeping War: Campaign #9)
    A.K.A.: Iearbytr's Revenge, "Smoke over Sorrow"
    This vengeful squadrons of mezzoloths sought to avenge their fallen commander, Gaulguth, and they did manage to surprise and overtake a few scout groups. Once their presence was discovered closer to the Elven Court ruins, they were surrounded, though not disarmed. Calling an Honor Battle, the mezzoloths faced the angry axes of Clan Narlgold alone, and they all fell by dusk, despite their superior magical weaponry and tactics. This battle started the phrase among Cormanthoans: "There is no more fearsome a sight than the eyes of a dwarf that you've robbed of his heir. Death alone stares back at ye". »

  • Alturiak The Tanglewars (Weeping War: Campaign #10)
    A.K.A.: "the Vale Wars"; the Southwoods War
    Most of the battles and skirmishes in this campaign involved a return to old tactics with the constant harassement of orc, mezzoloth, and ogre Army patrols (the exact tactics applied to the Allies by the Army of Darkness). The main drive behind these tactics was to keep the main enemy troops away from the restored Elven Court and the other refugee encampments and the bivouacs of the Allies of Cormanthyr.

    The massive losses of the previous campaign finally forced Aulmpiter personally into battle and out of his relatively safe bunker at Olorill. Rallying himself and the Imperious (his personal guard battalion), the nycaloth Grand Commander hit a forced march out of the northeastern forest. By the end of this campaign, the Imperious and their leader merged with the tattered (yet still numerous) remnants of the Army of Darkness at the Second Stand at Dysrisa and began the overwhelming charge that led to the Waning Wars and the Light's Last Stand at Myth Drannor.

    This event lasts until Tarsakh 714 (56days) »

  • Alturiak 1 Faloncourt (Weeping War: Campaign #9)
    A.K.A.: Elven Court's Clearing, the Cleansing Conflict, the Darkwoods Purge, the Spearshattering
    Yet again another two marches of the Army of Darkness (having fallen back from the main group to arc around the southern end of Elven Court) surged into the Darkwoods and Elven Court. After nearly faltering due to their unpreparedness for battle (with more than half the allied forces involved with rebuilding and resettling the city), the elves surged back with more anger than ever witnessed in battle since the Crown Wars and slew most of the mezzoloths within the first few hours of battle. This turned the orcs' and ogres' fearsome charge into a panicked rout out of Elven Court and into the eastern woods. The now-broken troops of the Army of Darkness in this part of the forest either pulled together much farther north of simply slipped away to become raiders along the Moonsea and the Dragon Reach. Still, many elves spent the next months ensuring that no other forces lay within the area.

    This event lasts until Ches 27, 714.

    Among the deaths in this battle included General Epyv, Colonel Agos "Charnelblade" and Major Russ "the Chain-Bearer". »

  • Ches 25 Hanging Tree Grove (Weeping War: Campaign #10)
    A.K.A.: Strike of the Strongleweed, the Druids' Due
    Hanging Tree Grove was (and still remains) an area tended by sylvan elf druids and rangers who all knew them relatively docile and camouflaged at all times, though when a gnoll and mezzoloth patrol wandered into its confines, the elves in hiding unleashed missile weapons on the patrol. In their panic and search for cover, the made swift work of the isolated scout parties. »

  • Kythorn The Final Fall of Myth Drannor (Weeping War: Campaign #12)
    A.K.A.: The Light's Last Stand
    Despite the fact that Aulpiter had always been a slow, methodical, almost elflike commander and strategist, the Final Fall was a cacophonous rampage fueled more by anger and hatred than any plan, unless that scheme limited itself to destruction of all in its path. In all, there were more than 20 battles that shook the city of Myth Drannor to its very roots, though many have never been reported; the details on subterranean battles of baelnorns and the like in their crypts against the Army of Darkness are not for us to glean. In little over a month, the proud City of Love (for such it was, even in its war-torn state) become a rubble-strewn, lifeless ruin.

    Despite his anger and the minles zeal of his troops, Grand Commander Aulmpiter spent much of his march on Myth Drannor summoning as much help as possible to reinforce his Army. No longer worrying over political difficulties, he summoned a full complement of yugoloths over the days between the Crimson Glade battle and conscripted all of them into his service with promises that they would be given their own reigns after the city's fall. By the time of Aulmpiter's entrance to the city during the Battle of Lightnings' Kin, his army's newest officers included 135 more mezzoloths due to his summonings and their own upon entry into the Prime Material Plane.

    As expected, the re-entry of the yugoloths into the mythal corrupted and disrupted some of its integrity, and these degradations led to a number of crushing defeats for the elves. Aside from those commanders who chose to remain at Aulmpiter's side (including Generals Khitax, Nyzhink, and Qyndrv), the Army of Darkness' discipline dissolved into horde tactics soon after the initial penetration of the mythal, a day before entering the city. Left to their own devices and ways of leading troops, individual commanders spread out from the two spearhead formations Aulmpiter had established to wrap around the city and hit it from all sides (as the nycoloth anticipated). Seeking only loot or revenge, the attacks were disorganized and random, and had the Allies been in less haggard condition or in greater numbers, even this final campaign might have worked in their favor. Still, with well over 10,000 gnolls, orcs, and hobgoblins swarming about like flies, Aulmpiter's central forces of the Colossus, War Hunger, Imperious, and Vindakkar battalions still acted as one and struck only at key installations where he sought strategic placement or magical plunder. Had he and his mezzoloths struck to this plan, they might yet rule the ruins of Myth Drannor.

    Similar to the insults Aulmpiter endured when he was trapped and bound millennia ago, Fflar injured his pride with threats and taunts that drew him and his general elites out to battle in the Bane Duels. Of course, this battle ended in his unexpected death, and the primary threat against the Realms was removed, leaving only rubble and rabble behind after the Fall.

    The Flights
    Each of the key battles labeled "Flights" are both battles against the Army of Darkness and strategic retreats. With each flight, over 100 elves and other citizens of Myth Drannor escaped, protected by the military or whoever could be found to protect them. All but the Final Flight were organized by Arms-Captain Hachaam Selorn and later by Captain Fflar Starbrow, and these bands of refugees spent the next few tendays living in terror. While everyone might be armed or capable of magic, only 25 to 40 were actual adventurers or military personnel capable of fighting any wandering monsters or Army troops. These brave souls often protected from 100 to nearly 1,000 near-helpless merchants and nobles and others who simply wanted to reach safety at Semberholme or the new Elven Court.
    Note: This evacuation was one of the primary activities of many adventurers toward the end, as the military admitted that the capital couldn't be held and wanted to evacuate citizens as safely as possible. Thus, the most adaptable troops-the adventurers used to thinking quickly-were all conscripted into Flight duty as guardians and escorts. Of course, the difficulties lay in keeping order among those protected, and many of them were nobles wishing to assert their authority (or magic or coin) for preferential treatment, rather than focusing on the survival of all.

    The Tavern Wars
    As many tales were spun in the long years after the Fall, the last days of Kythorn saw more skirmishes and local heroes among the many taverns and inns of Myth Drannor. While none of the skirmishes and raids escalated into major battles (or, if part of a major battle, did not overshadow the main events), they collectively became famous by the bard Oslarelar's Tales of the Tavern Wars" ballad, a long-winded ballad that celebrates many individual feats among all the races of the allied city.

    As the ballad is still among bards' repertoires today, many still hear of the Tankardswar at the Blue Lute (where four bards atop the bar held off three parties of orcs using only their feet, magic, and thrown tankards), the Seven Candles of Shamblin's Towers lone (where a septet of hobgoblin lesser officers was destroyed by a half-elf who doused them with casks of wine and set them afire), and the Silvershield's Tablesturning (where a dozen trapped halflings and other patrons held off a squadron of mezzoloths and destroyed nearly two parties of orcs by manipulating the floating cookfires and cutlery that normally drifted placidly about the taprooms).

    This event lasts until Flamerule 714 DR (31 days) »

  • Kythorn 11 Clochir's Ridge (Weeping War: Campaign # 11)
    A.K.A.: The Last Charge of the Wing and Horn, Last Run of the Moonherds, Final Fall at Clochiir
    As the cavalry reunited for its first time in months with the return of the Wing cavalry, it might have won this ground battle had it not last its greatest aerial conflich high above. Aulmpiter had enslaved Naxorlytaslsxar the Terror Tenebrous, a mature adult black dragon, as a "pet". This, and other wyverns and other creatures were controlled by the magical Staff of the Windrider. In the hands of the mezzoloth General Nyzhink of the Imperious. The Jhyrennstar-made staff and its carrier wove a flying web of death about the surviving flights of cavalry when they didn't harass the ground forces, pulling wyverns, Naxor the black dragon, and two wandering green dragons against the pegasi and griffons and dragons.

    Until the Lady Ahskahala Durothil and her gold dragon companion Garlokantha snatched the staff from Nyzhink's hold, the Wing and Claw lost more than two-thirds of their members. Once the charm of the Windrider's Staff was broken on Naxor and the other flying attackers, many of them scattered, their natures not suited to open warfare or risky situations. The black wyrm, however, was far more offended and vengeful, and turned on the creatures that dared enslave her. The mezzoloth general was swallowed in two bites, as Naxor severed its head to ensure its death. Still, her attacks on Aulmpiter only ended a battle that had long since become a rout of the Allies. To this day, the strangely honorable black wyrm awaits a chance to repay the favor she owes to Garlokantha the gold dragon, though she isn't going out of her way to do so.

    The aftermath of battle revealed the worst. All the airborne cavalry and their riders were either sorely wounded or dead; of the dragonrider leaders, but three remained alive with five dragons among them. Despite grave misgivings, Captain Selorn allowed Lady Ahskahala Durothil to sithdraw the cavalry from the war and retreat into their mountain lairs closer to Semberholme. Both strategists knew the end was near, and they knew that keeping the cavalry active would mean their deaths and leave Elven Court (or other realms) unprotected in the future. With heavy hearts, the dragons and riders of the Wing and Horn flew weakly to the west, never to see the wonders of living Myth Drannor again.

    This event lasts until Kythorn 13, 714 DR. »

  • Kythorn 21 The Honorsgate War (Weeping War: Campaign #12)
    A.K.A.: Evaelathil's Triumph, Charge of the Halfling's Blade Brigade, Broken Spears at Wolves' Bane Meadow
    This is the famous Last Stand of the Eternal Srinnala, as the elite spellcasting corps finally realized their patron was not to arrive. Uniting with a brave platoon of halfling snipers and human warriors, the Srinnala battled heroically to allow as many good folk as possible to escape via the Honorsgate before destroying it to keep others from harm. Major Guir, a hulking mezzoloth nearly twice Lady Ildacer's size, felled her; she disappeared in a golden diamond-shaped field of magic as she lay dying. Despite the futility of the battle, many legends were made this day as a mere 100 defenders saved the lives of three times their number and destroyed more than twice that in gnolls and orcs!

    This event lasts until Kythorn 22, 714 DR.

    Major deaths in this battle include the following:
    Scout Commander Ellidor Snowtoes; the Guard's March of the Fourth Regiment Imperious; the gate leading to the Forest of Mir near the ruins of Myth Unnohyr. »

  • Kythorn 23 Fallen Flight (Weeping War: Campaign #12)
    A.K.A.: Overmantle's Bane, Final Fate of Nezras
    This disheartening battle is notable for the corruption and loss of the primary power of the mythal: the elven overmantle that allowed them basic defenses and flight! While the early parts of the battle showed tactical advantages for the elves in troop placement and battle magics, the unexpected loss of mobility and flight by the elves led to a rout, especially after the initial loss saw many elves plummet from the sky directly onto mezzoloth-held spears. The only heartening note of the battle was the death of Nezras the Traitor at the hands of the Akh'Faern mage Juppar, a young moon elf whose unrequited passion for Captain Iliathorr lent him the rage and fervor to destroy a whole party of orcs to reach Nezras and engolf him in no fewer than three fireballs, leaving nothing but smoking bones as testament of his passing.

    SECRET: Nezras used some lost magic to exchange places with another traitor human mage before dying from Juppar's spell strikes, and his fate is unknown; No word ever reached Cormanthyr that he survived, since he has slain every elf he has met since this time. However, three centuries after the Fall, some Harpers discover that he survives as a lich and has various lairs about Faerun, including one in the mountains north of the Vilhon Reach. The strangest, unconfirmed rumor about Nezras was that the wild magic of the Time of Troubles restored his youth and life, and he is now an ancient mage in a youth's body.
    Among the deaths of this battle include the Spell-Captain Phyrra Iliathorr, Nezras the Traitor. »

  • Kythorn 25 The Battle of Stars Shining (Weeping War: Campaign #12)
    This is the final battle of both the bladesinger Spell-Major Josidiah Starym and the last of the Akh'Faer. Rather than allow Aulmpiter (or any other marauder) to claim the prize of the Speculum (the guild hall of the Wizards, Conjurers, and Enchanters), Josidiah and 17 mages stood atop the ramparts or at the front colonnade and slung spells of devastating effect against the invaders, while others worked frantically inside either to remove or destroy the guild's great magical-items cache.

    As the afternoon fracas lengthened into a night battle, two bold moves by the elves turned the tide of battle such that, while the ground is lost, the moral victory became Cormanthyr's. One Prannith Springheels, a halfling scribe of the guild (whose dream of wielding magic was never quite realized), saw his master die just a few feet from him, and he seized a staff of the magi before it could be claimed by the yugoloth. Drawing a number of mezzoloths about him with taunts and shouts, Prannith leapt off the highest surviving tower of the Speculum and wielded great magic for once in his life. He broke the staff as he fell into the horde of mezzoloths unleashing a retributive strike that broke their ranks and killed more than a quarter of their number.

    Spell-Major Josidiah was soon the last Ally standing in defense of the Speculum. As the fell creatures strained to break his magical barriers and overwhelm his position, a beam of light from the night sky wrapped about him. The Artblade hung high aloft, and Josidiah wields the divine empowered (by Mystra and Sehanine it is said) sword and drop the final standing tower, killing all the invaders inside. Josidiah then rides a mighty lightning bolt down in the midst of a mass of enemies, the blast slaying a few and scattering many. With one last two-handed swing of the blade, he stabbed the blade deep into the flagstones of the courtyard, and white flames and magic burned all that remained of the Speculum, including Josidiah himself and his Artblade. »

  • Kythorn 26 The Crownfrost Capture
    The Crownfrost Cacture was Aulpiter's establishment of his base within the city at the wizards' school of Crownfrost Tower. One of the swiftest and bloodiest battles of the Final Fall, Aulmpiter's organized battalions swarmed over the tower and managed to hold off all attempts at aiding the wizards until Aulmpiter had arrived and gained entrance to the tower. Within the captured three dozen mages of various levels of expertise including eight teachers and senior founder and wizard Klaern Kadelaryn. Aulmpiter gave most of them immediate deaths, though some of the more powerful he kept around to allow him access to the school's secrets (after slaying Klaern). Judging some of these wizards correctly, they would not be as self-sacrificing as those of the Speculum since most wizards are loathe to destroy what they took decades to create.

    Outside, the battle raged on, and the primary Allied army laid into the mezzoloths and others of Aulmpiter's forces. Had Arms-Major Olortynnal and Arms-Captain Selorn been more familiar with the fighting techniques of the Blood War, they might have been able to defend against the tactic that killed them. All they knew was the mezzoloths, gnolls, and all the forces kept rushing their position on all sides fell easily to their attacks. They realized too late that the dozens that fell about them soon hampered their movements so much that they could not avoid the later attacks by more powerful foes. Soon, the hundreds of dead among the Army of Darkness began to be matched among the allies, as their lack of maneuverability among their own slain enemies cut them off from retreat or even regrouping among their own forces.

    The battle, which began before dawn with the overrunning of the tower, continued past highsun and into late dusk. By that time, the exhausted elves began falling from sheer fatigue as well as their wounds. The only elves to actually penetrate the hordes to reach the tower itself - Captain Major, and a small group of a dozen bladesingers - found themselves trapped there with no hope of penetrating the magical or martial defenses Aulmpiter established. They tried to break through the closed ranks of the army and escape to no avail; with no other options, the 14 elves settled into grim resolve. Their last, heroic charge cost the Army of Darkness at least two of its generals and more than 1,000 orcs and yugoloths.

    The "Fall of the Arms-Leaders" ballad describes Hachaam Selorn's and Kelvhan Olortynnal's deaths as fates suffered gladly by two comrades fighting back to back and singing the battle hymns to Corellon Larethian that would speed their way to heroic afterlives as Reverend Ones of their god's celestial armies. Whether the ballad speaks true, even the mezzoloths and ogres were impressed by the battle-prowess of these two elves whose spirits never faltered as they were overpowered by more than 20 times their number.

    As other officers battled on in isolated pockets among the hordes encircling the Crownfrost Tower, many saw the Arms-Major and his Arms-Captain fall atop the steps of the tower. One enraged officer broke through the ranks to retrieve both their corpses and weapons, his taking up of the Arms-Major's blade Faervian with no difficulty showed the elf troops that not all was lost. The Arms-Major lived on in that soldier, the brave Captain Fflar Starbrow! Their spirits renewed, the new commander Fflar led a retreat from the tower that saved the last 400 soldiers out of the allied forces of 1,200 troops. »