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[Grignag]

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((I was writing up the backstory for Grig'nag (long time coming I know), when I realized that some of the key events/battles of his life remain undocumented. Therefore, after reviewing old notes and screen shots, I have decided to finally retell the story of the 2nd Yew War. I will warn, it is QUITE long, as it was not a mild event. Quite a bit actually went into it. I will probably edit and add a simple time line at a later date.))

Background:
With the rise of the half-ogre Arlin to a position of prominence within the defunct felucca Yew Town Council, along with his mate Arcana, a thing that the humans of Yew hadn't seen in a long time began to emerge. A human military force. Since the victory of the Stormreaver Orc clan over the humans in the previous war, the Yew Town Council had survived in little more than a nominal existence. However, with the ascension of Arlin and his Yew Army of the Frontier began to turn heads. Most notably, those of the Orcs. Having long possessed everything from the Abbey to the Court of Truth, the fiercely territorial Orcs were not about to allow and upstart half-breed claim their rightful land. The Nobs (Orcish lords) immediately sent riders to Kain, the elected leader of the Yew Town Council with orders for them to submit. If they did so and paid tribute in a timely fashion, they would be allowed to run around as they pleased.

The Yew Town Council, emboldened by their new leadership, decided that negotiations were better suited at the time, as they weren't the pushovers they had been a few months earlier. The Stormreavers took this response as an unacceptable show of arrogance and spite and responded by posting Orcish guards at all future town council meetings. Relations spiraled downwards from there, and ultimately culminated in a kidnapping of Arlin's mate, Arcana. An unsuccessful rescue attempt was made, in which the Orcs forced Arlin to accept terms of non-aggression in any future conflicts. However, the act succeeded only in infuriating the half-Ogre. In a secret town meeting, away from the eyes of prying Orcs and Dark Order spies, the town council prepared for war.

Prelude:
The days following the kidnapping were immensely tense between the Orcs and the Yew members. Where the interactions had once been little more than posturing and flinging of insults, the new atmosphere was cold and only stares of hatred were shared.
One evening, an Orcish detachment under the command of an Orc by the name of Gron'teg ventured deep into Yew territory, seeking to break up a meeting his spies had informed him of. But instead of finding a bunch of simpering bureaucrats and politicians, he found the rallied armies of the newly formed Yew alliance. At this key moment, when simply withdrawing might have prevented hostilities (though they were essentially inevitable at this time), Gron'teg chose to push his unit against the combined enemy camp. While the Orcs were pushed back with minimal losses on both sides, the clash of steel would continue to resound through the forests for months to come.

The Second Yew War had begun.

Initial Conflict:
The first fights were minimal in scale and disastrous for the Yew Town Council. Although their numbers were swelling; recruits, volunteers from Lightbringer guilds and even mercenaries, their inexperience in Feluccian warfare put them at a severe tactical disadvantage. Years of killing murderers and interlopers into their territory had made the Orcs frighteningly skilled in the art of warfare. The skirmishes took place mostly at the southern border of the city of Yew. Orcs would charge across the no-mans lands that separated the Orcish Stronghold and Yew, slaughter a hapless patrol or forward attack unit and then return triumphantly with the spoils of the slaughter. The first real battle finally occurred around the southern sheep pens within Yew proper. Arlin himself lead his army against an Orcish raiding party and forced it back. However, Orcish reinforcements were quick in coming. Converging from both the south and west, the Army of the Frontier were shoved back into the actual township of Yew, before the Orcs finally disengaged.

With this victory under their belts, the Orcs decided it was finally the time to shove into Yew and crush the human rebellion once and for all.

The 2nd Yew Battle - Battle for Central Yew:
The Orcs made no attempt to hide their upcoming strike against Yew, giving the town council all the reason it needed to draw up as many alliances as it could and quickly. In the space of a few weeks, multiple guilds had pledged their support to the Yew Town Council and its cause.

The sudden expansion of the Yew ranks gave the Orcs a moments pause. They had been prepared to take on all of Yew, not the world...yet. With the day of battle drawing ever closer the Orcs finally accepted the entreaties of Tarothin Armunn, the leader of the Dark Order. Additionally, the necromancers of the Trinsic Fens, old allies of the Stormreavers, responded to the call. When the day of battle finally arrived the forces of the Orcs were outnumbered, but well prepared.

The opposing armies lined up on their respective sides of the field. The Yew Liberation Armies took up position in the North Eastern portions of the city, while the Dark Armies approached steadily from the South West. Tarothin's Dark Order troops were the first to make contact. However, surprisingly, the armies of Yew broke instantly and charged haphazardly into the Orcish lines. The Orcs stayed their ground and prepared for the onslaught. After several moments of frenzied melee, the outcome was beyond clear. The battle-hardend armies of the Dark Army utterly smashed the Yew alliance. Suffering minimal losses, the Dark Army drove the scattered and disorganized remains of the Yew army out of the city. The victory had been absolute. The Orcs were confident that the war would be over in no time. But they were not about to rest on their good fortune. The Feast of the Darkmoon was fast approaching. And the Orcs had set their eyes on a new prize.

Interlude - The shackling of Justice:
While the Orcs were clearly winning the war, some insecurity as to their position still remained. Their warriors were strong, but not plentiful. While the humans had been pathetic foes in the previous battle, they would not remain so forever. The Stormreavers needed to tip the odds even further in their favor. To this end, the Orcs looked to a human warrior that had proved promising. The leader of the Legion of Justice, Vaen Swiftar.

The Feast of the Darkmoon was a time when the power of the "Bludgod" manifested itself most powerfully in the land of Britannia. It was during this time that the Orcs, usually meager in their magical potency, could wield some truly terrifying powers. It was at this time that even the minds of strong-willed humans could be bent to the purposes of the Bludgod. The problem was bringing their prey close enough to strike.
A recent attack had landed the Orcs with an interesting hostage. Arcana had once again fallen into Orcish paws, but this time she would serve a purpose besides enraging the half-breed, Arlin. The Stormreavers allowed a message to "escape" to the roost of Vaen Swiftars message handlers, requesting rescue. The bold Legate of the Legion of Justice responded fearlessly to the call for help, unaware of the plans the Stormreavers had in mind.
Vaen threw himself at the Orcish captors, realizing too late that they seemed to intent on his presence, rather than their prisoner. Under the blows of dozens of Orcs, Vaen finally succumbed to their attacks, but not before successfully releasing Arcana. The others of the rescue party withdrew, unaware that one amongst their number had not returned.

Dragged before the altar of the Bludgod, the unconscious human warrior was placed upon a pentagram with a single, rune-engraved urn placed against his temple. Within the urn sat a strange concoction known as the "Essence of the Bludgod". With a single line of the concoction over his brow the incantations began. The Orcs could not simply possess Vaen, as that would strip him of the very qualities the clan needed out of him. Instead his mind would be shifted and changed. No longer would he see himself as a human, but rather as a particularly strange looking Orc. Upon the finishing of the incantation, the human rose from his daze. Not as Vaen Swiftar, but as "Vaenorc".

The Stormreavers weapon was ready. Now it was time to use it.

The 3rd Yew Battle - Unleashing the Beast:
The forces of Yew recovered from their defeat with surprising rapidity and prepared a counter attack. Within a few weeks of the 2nd battle they were on the march. The sudden attack caught the Orcs off guard and with few of their allies present. Their numbers limited, the Orcs turned to their new weapon, releasing Vaenorc onto the battlefield. His skill proved crucial on the battlefield, allowing the beleaguered and overextended Orcs the time they needed to rally together and force back the armies of Yew. While the Yew Alliance launched multiple waves, every attack was checked and then repulsed, in turn. Vaenorc had proven to be a wise investment of time and energy. The cost of the battle would prevent the Yew alliance from making any attacks into Orcish occupied territory for quite sometime.

In the wake of the battle came a series of raids against Yew outposts around the periphery of the city. Vaenorc was ordered to lead this attacks, as the impact of a human lead raiding party was certain to affect Yew alliance. However, the mindset instilled within Vaen began to take on a life of its own. During a round of duels held within the Orc Stronghold, Vaen proved himself the superior combatant repeatedly. Upon seeing his own prowess, Vaen did as any Orc would do, and challenged the Orcish Chieftain, Grishnak, for the right of leadership. There had been more then a few grumbles against the human before, but the idea of a mere human, Orcish mindset or not, leading the Orcs was intolerable. Taking the urn which had been used to possess Vaen in hand, Grishnak smashed it on the ground, ending the Bludgod's thrall over the hapless human. As his senses returned to him Vaen Swiftar found himself in a very dangerous situation and fled from the presence of the Orcs.

Interlude - Turning the Tide:
With victory imminent in the Yew war, the Order of the Ebon Skull offered the Stormreavers an alliance of convenience, offering troops and mages for the final push against the Yew Alliance, in exchange for some room in which they could carry out their necromantic experiments. The Orcs agreed.
But alliances were not only shifting on the Dark Army's side. The mistakes of the past had been learned by the Yew Liberation Army and a new ally had stepped onto the stage. Kain, the leader of the Yew Town Council, had requested the Legion of Justice's assistance earlier in the war, but Vaen had declined for a number of reasons. However, his recent enslavement had given Vaen new incite into the depravity of the Dark Army, and he could no longer afford to stand aside. Vaen brought with him not only his army but the desperately needed training and tactics that the Yew Alliance had lacked. While mild skirmishes continued throughout the coming weeks, the Yew alliance bided their time in preparation for the right moment.

The 4th Yew Battle - Setting the Stage on the Sea:
The final push against the armies of Yew was close at hand and the Orcs needed to position themselves to deliver the fatal blow. The Orcs had spent weeks training their skills handing boats and launched their navy onto the water. Spies of the Army of the Frontier discovered this development and informed the town council. A navy was hastily constructed and sailors were recruited. On a cold morning in the Yew bay, the Dark Army's armada attacked the Yew Alliance. The battle was fierce and the Yew Alliance showed a greater sense of unity than before.
However, this time the Orcs and their allies carried a definite numerical advantage. The Yew Alliance fought viciously, but was eventually overwhelmed and pushed onto the rocks.

The Orcs were triumphant yet again, but this victory had proven much less decisive than their previous ones. The humans were wising up and if they were allowed to stand much longer, then the Orcs might face an adversary that they could not beat.

The 5th Yew Battle - Holding Ground
With the sea theirs and a straight path to the Yew Town Council's headquarters open, the Orcs marched their allies against the Empath Abbey and Yew Banking District. However, the Yew Alliance did not give the Orcs the close quarters combat they desired, but rather perched themselves on the 2nd floor overlooking the abbey. They had finally learned their lessons and the training of the Legion of Justice had taken firm. From their spots overlooking the entrance, they were able to severely weaken the attacking forces of the Orcs, Dark Order and OES. By the time the Dark Army had breached to the second floor, they were too exhausted to push the offensive any further. The Yew Army, however, was primed and ready for combat. Counterattacking they efficiently drove the Dark Army back out of Empath Abbey before refortifying their positions.
After several additional attempts it was apparent that the Dark Army would be unable to dislodged the Yew Alliance. Their armies tired and battered, the Orcs retreated from the Empath Abbey, leaving the humans within a chance to celebrate their glorious victory and the beginning of the end.

The 6th Yew Battle - The Final Blow:
With firm control of the abbey in the Yew Militia's hands, the Orcs needed to rethink their strategy. Assaulting the emplacements there would be suicidal, and although the Orcs treasured a chance to die in battle, such a meaniless death would be a waste.
The Empath Abbey received supplies through a tunnel that lead through the Court of Truth. If the Stormreavers could seize this point, they could literally starve out the Yew Town Council and its allies. And when the weakened humans sallied forth, the Orcish armies would be waiting to murder them. With their control over the ocean, the Orcs could rapidly deploy their armies at a key point in the supply route and end the war in no time.
Little did the Orcs realize, they had played right into the machinations of Vaen Swiftar. Since before the Legion of Justices involvement of the war, Vaen had surveyed the Yew region and determined the perfect strategy to defeat any enemy, if only he could get them to attack one of the supply towers. The battle at Empath Abbey had merely been his set up for his true plan. Dispatching his own forces to the edges of the supply route, Vaen prepared to spring a trap that would devastate the Dark Army.
When the Dark Army assaulted the supply route, they found it poorly protected and easily captured. With the tower under their control the Dark Army need only inform the Yew Town Council of their impending doom. But something was terribly wrong. Scouts had not returned from any direction they had been sent, and the Dark Army itself was cut off from its original point of entrance. Several stealth Orcs were sent out to check out the area. The news they returned with spelled the end of the Dark Army.
On both sides of the tower lay two heavily armed and extremely well organized armies, completely cutting off the Dark Army from their route of retreat. Panic immediately began to set in amongst the Dark Army as conflicting orders from different leaders began to set in. The very problem the Yew Alliance had run into in the 2nd battle now affected the Dark Army. Moments later, pounding could be heard at the two entrances to the tower. It was then that the Stormreavers realized how truly dire the situation was. They weren't going to try to starve the Dark Army. They had them squeezed in a pincer. And now, isolated, surrounded and heavily outnumbered the Dark Army had no further role to play, except to die.
And die they did. The Yew Alliance was upon them in an instant. Vaen's scheme had worked perfectly and the armies of the Stormreavers were shattered.
When news arrived of the utter and horrific defeat of the expedionary force, the Orc leadership, despite their bravado, knew it was over. Collecting up their forces, the Orcs dismissed their allies and retreated from their siege around Empath Abbey. Disappearing into the mists that rolled over the mountains, the Orcs would not reappear in force for sometime.

The Aftermath:
With the victory of the Yew Alliance at the Court of Truth, the Orcs were simply too weakened to carry on the war. The final battle had proven the old axiom that it is quite possible to "Win the battle, but lose the war." The Orcs had carried the high tide throughout the war, but in the final two battles lost the better part of their armies. Exhausted and depleted, the Orcs pulled back from Yew, rather than allow themselves to be overextended by trying to maintain their holdings. Their warriors had been powerful, but too few in number. There simply weren't enough Orcs left to continue the war.
In the wake of their victory, the Yew Town Council's scouts reported the Orcs retreat from Yew. The celebrations went on for weeks. Although the city was ravaged by battle and the southern edges never truly secure, the Yew Town Council had won. As quiet settled over Yew once more, the allies of each side withdrew to their respective homelands, leaving the sylvan grove to its peace once more.
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Femmies?! HOWAH!

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