HOTT Battle: The Second Part of the Grand Duke’ s War; or The Downfall of the Grand Duke.

This is a battle report from the old Warbard. The first part of the report is in The Duke of Erehwon’ s War with the Dwarves post. – Corey

Greatly angered, the Duke did muster the remaining warriors of Erewhon, mighty Knights and many stalwart swordsmen. He further did compel the greatest wizard of the Duchy, one Simarian the Piebald, to march with the army, and such was the anger of the Duke that even Simarian agreed to march.

Avoiding the River Flueve, and instead marching toward the Dwaerrowpass, the Grand Duke did encounter a Dwarven muster, lead by the great warleader Rastaz the Bearrider.

Through the wooded land the Grand Duke sent his forces. Half his knights he sent around, by devious routes, in hopes of catching the Dwarven border tower unawares, whilst the other half remained in reserve, behind the stalwart footmen of Erewhon, whom the Grand Duke lead personally.

The knights on the flank did fall upon and scatter a unit of the hated crossbowdwarves, and did press on to attack the borderpost, although pressed by Dwarven axers and ultimately unsuccessful in their attack on the stone tower. Forward, Rastaz sent the remainder of his crossbowers around the flanks, whilst his axers and he moved forward to destroy the invading humans.

The attack of the crossbowdwarves upon the flanks of the footmen did scatter and split their line, allowing the axedwarves to advance, bellowing terrible Dwarven warsongs as they attacked.

Rastaz and the Grand Duke met in single combat, and epic and mighty was the clash. For the Duke was the most skilled swordsman in his realm, and Rastaz was also greatly skilled with the sword, and was aided by his terrible warbear, before which men cowered.

At length, the rashness of the Grand Duke was proved upon his body, as Rastaz hew the ducal head from his body. Seeing their great leader fall, the remaining humans despaired, and fled or surrendered to the Dwarves.

With the might of Erewhon thus shattered upon the Dwarven anvil, the hosts of the Dwarven realm moved into the Duchy, intent on punishing the humans for warmongering. After eating many horses and burning down part of the capital town to get the attention of the humans, the Dwarven lord did install a new Duke, and a great treaty was made for him to sign. Thus forbidden to wage war upon the Dwarves, deprived of lands around the River Flueve, and stripped of the title ‘Grand’, the new Duke of Erewhon was proclaimed.

The body of the old Grand Duke was buried under a great stone which read, in dwarfrunes and human script, “Thus perish all Enemies of Dwarves”. The Dwarves ate his horse.
The Duke's Burial Stone

Please Leave a Comment! (Please note that most comments are held for moderation - please be patient!)