The Battle of Battles

The Battle of Battles was the final battle of The Third Sentrian War. It was a battle of epic proportions, consisting of many armies, cultures and races. There are numerous accounts of the battle by notable Loremasters, but the most commonly accepted one to be fact is found in Alfrat Loremaker's Segarar Guþaan; in the chapter 'An Account of Hylðar Hylðas'. Guþaan is what Men commonly called The Third Sentrian War before its name was standardised. It means 'Great War'.
 * Mannish: Hylðar Hylðas
 * Common Faronaf: Gwed Gwidath
 * Dhraki: Bardûg an Bardag

Alfrat Loremaker's Account
Here is the translated account of Alfrat, who observed first-hand the battle. His numbers are taken from the commanders themselves and personal estimation, coupled with estimates from others there. It should be noted that Alfrat uses 'Darkling' and 'Icebourne' to refer to the enemy in general, however the Darklings and Icebourne were different armies, fighting on the same side - they were not interchangable. Alfrat is notable because his style of writing can sometimes take on a more personal or fictional, story-telling feel. The account below is not the original. On request of Niklas; Alfrat changed the account so Nikin died. This is because Niklas did not want anyone knowing he had adopted The Northern King's Grandson, and his Great Grandson.

"The Battle

''On the 298th day of the siege of Izmázar a great alliance stood in position, ready do battle. At dawn 30,000 Mannish Cavalry stood upon the Plain of Udzak, now called Graanar Daem – meaning Plain of Death. To the north stood 40,000 Mannish Infantry. They faced an army of 200,000 Darklings. The Darklings consisted of battalions of corrupted Elves, Men and Dwarves, along with a large number of fell mutated creatures. The Darklings were clad in armour of pure ice, but ice that was strong as steel – bewitched by the Ice Queen. They had a vast array of weapons, and also a large number of Elves learned in witchcraft.''

''To the south, in the Pass of Belicaan, stood 50,000 Dwarves of Grundinor, clad in thick steel and wielding great axes and warhammers. On their faces they wore iron masks that struck terror into all who looked upon them. With them stood 10,000 Dwarves of Forgeria, armour enchanted with potent runes, and axes with powerful and ancient spells upon them. However of these 60,000 Dwarves the Icebourne knew nothing, as they were hidden in the pass.''

''As the sun rose King Niklas Wulf-Kin rode out infront of his cavalry and rallied them to his sword, at the same time Yernswiþ – Niklas’ lieutenant roused the 40,000 Infantry. Then without warning King’s army jumped forth across the plain, and the ground thundered and shook beneath them. Their armour gleamed and shone, and the sound of 30,000 drawings of blades was a sound to behold. Many Darklingas then questioned their might, as they looked upon the Charge of Man with awe and terror.''

''As the King’s forces drew closer to the Icebourne a multitude of spells were released upon them, sending many horses into maddened frenzies, and causing them to throw off their riders. Enchanted arrows reigned down on the charging cavalry, setting soldiers alight and entombing them in ice.''

''As the cavalry were about to impact the Darklings, Yernswiþ and his army charged in from the left, taking the enemy by surprise. The impact was unified, and many hundreds of Icebourne perished beneath the thundering hooves and slashing blades of the Men. However after a lengthy fight the Men suffered heavy losses to the magic and enchantments of the Icebourne, for they were in the vicinity of the Ice Witch.''

''Seeing this, King Niklas mustered all the Mannish forces to his standard and beat a fighting retreat out of the Darkling ranks. At this, Yernswiþ blew on the Horn of the South. In answer, a great rubmling note sounded from the Pass of Belicaan. The rythmic clanck of steel upon steel commenced, as 60,000 Dwarves thundered forth, with King Ironhelm at their head, his mount a great armoured hog. Their masks were indeed frightening, and many Darklings fled, even terror found its place in some men who witnessed it. As the Dwarves ran forward, the two kings rallied to each other in a second charge on the enemy. This time the Icebourne were wearied, and the Dwarves and Men cut through them like butter, causing many casualties – though they too took many. But on that charge the Ice Witch herself emerged from the ranks of Darklings, and wreaked havoc amoungst the allied ranks, maming and killing with evil spells. Many valient Men and Dwarves were struck down in that fight, notably Hjak the Dwarf, who died fighting over the massed bodies of his kin, smiting down the Darklings with ever swing of his war hammer, with each blow shouting ‘Nikhûr Medh Ez!’ – meaning down with ice. On the 173rd stroke he was smitten with a bolt of flame, and lay down, surrounded by his kinsfolk.''

''It was clear to the two kings that the battle was not going well, so the Men and Dwarves rallied to their flags, and fled to the Pass of Belicaan with a mighty blow of the Stonehorn. There the Dwarves formed a wall of impenetrable iron shields, and the pass was locked. Behind the wall the allies recovered and tended to their wounds, and all the while Isilund was amassing more of its forces and renewing its numbers, ever did ice-clad beasts flow out of Izmázar.''

''On the second day a great trumpet sounded from behind the Men and Dwarves, further down the Pass of Belicaan, and it was not like anything heard in thousands of years. Into view rode 20,000 Elves clad in golden armour, with great curved swords at their sides. They struck wonder into the hearts of the Men and Dwarves, for not in 8,000 years had the Elves come to war. From their ranks strode the Elvenking Tosuri, and his armour shone with the light of Valo, and his face was indeed fair. He met with Thorim and Niklas, a meeting of 3 Kings, and made a deal for the salvation of a free Sentres, a new pact between Men and Elves – who had been separated longer than any mortal could remember.''

''So as dawn approached on the 3rd day of Hylðar Hylðas the Great Alliance was in final formation. 15,000 Elves armed with fine blades hid on a hill now known as Dunar Vuldor, their presence still unknown to the enemy. The other 5000 Elves hid behind the formation of Men and Dwarves in the Pass of Belicaan.''

''Then from the mists of the morning issued a great note, with the horns of Men and Dwarves joined by those of Elves, and the standards of 3 Races flew alongside eachother, for the first time in all the spinning of the Themes of Masdar. A cloud of arrows flew fast from the Pass of Belicaan, and it slew many Darklings, for they were not prepared.''

''The Horn of the Faromi sounded, and down did the Elves leap from the hills, charging forth like a hurricane, and the sight was beyond anything ever beheld on this world. The drawing of their blades was like the blazing of a thousand suns, and the enemy were blinded by a huge light from the sky. As the Elves charged they shouted: ‘Bwentathul Ithilime!’, and unleashed a brilliant magic upon the darklings.''

At this the Men burst through the wall of iron and charged with the Elves and Dwarves to their doom, for it was deemed that all would die to defeat the Icebourne, but none showed remorse or sorrow in what was to be a final charge of freedom.

''The numbers of the Great Alliance were 80,000; but the numbers of Darklings were now in excess of 400,000. To many it was hopeless, but glorious.''

''However as the allies charged through the ranks of Darklings, the sound of an alien horn was heard, which stopped the battle with its piercing note. With a deafening yet eerie rumble, rank upon rank of R’kir swelled up over the hills. Their numbers were uncountable, as the whole of the Riad had been mustered to the cause of good. In their numbers were Riad Dwarves, Peliolings, Erameans, and wondrous creatures of the far south, beyond all but myth to those in the north. The armours and weapons of the R’kir were a sight to behold for all present, and even the Elvenking gazed in awe.''

''Then, from the endless lines of desert soldiers strode two magnificent figures – Rehu II and Orlu XVI. Rehu was twice the hight of an elf and clad from head to toe in a dull golden metal, the only openings were two small slits in the face. In each hand he held 4 foot long swords of Riad Iron – one of the strongest materials known. On his piece of armour was a glorious red cape, which blew with the winds of battle.''

''Orlu stood 7 feet in height, and was clad in a fine mail and strong cloth, the type which most swords could not pierce. He wore no helmet, but his long black hair billowed around him. He wielded a long staff with a silver crystal at the end which pulsed with life.''

At the sight of the R’kir the Darklings turned and faced them, putting in front iced trolls and other snowy beats, and behind witches learned in the skills of ice – all in an effort to cool the fire of the desert.

''The R’kir had many different armours and weapons, and the armies of The Riad were divided by specific skill and use. More about the armies of The Riad on that day can be read elsewhere. Rehu and Orlu strode up and down their forces and roused the R’kir into a thunderous uproar, which was petrifying to hear, and with a long blow on a desert horn the millions started to move. Down from the ridge they marched, the ground shook and the skies roared, and so did The Riad do battle upon Graanar Daem, for the sake of Sentres. The ground quaked so much that many Darklings fell to their knees in pure terror, defenceless as their armies were swept away by the armies of the sands.''

Rehu and Orlu charged into the thick of the battle, slaying hundreds of Darklings, and in the centre of the plain they met with the other rulers of Sentres, and so they formed a circle of Kings, of Niklas; Thorim; Tosuri; Rehu and Orlu, all fighting alongside one another.

''As the armies of Isilund dwindled, the anger of Izmázar became apparent, as a blinding beacon shone from the tower, and The Ice Witch herself rode out on a stag of pure white snow, but she was not fair as the Elves, but sharp like a blade. From herself issued shards of ice, throwing down many heroic warriors, until she was smitten down by the blades and hammers of good.''

''The remaining Darklings fell or fled, but were aprehended and detained – though many did get away. The tower of Izmázar was thrown down by the magic of R’kir, Runesmiths and Elves, and all those fell enchantments were dismissed.''

''The dead were uncountable, and the sorrow immesurable, but evil had been overthrown, and the throne of terror demolished. With but a few words the R’kir piled their dead and burned them, then left quickly as they had come, for relations between R’kir and Dwarves are not to be questioned.''

That night the alliance made camp and planned the future of the world.

After The Battle

''That night, while Niklas was sitting by a fire, a derranged and ragged looking man stumbled up to him, with a bundle of cloth in his arms. It was quickly explained to the shock of Niklas that this man, called Forlaan was the assassin he had sent into Izmázar to kill The Ice Queen over 9 months before. The bundle of cloth in the Man’s hands hands was, in fact, The Ice Witch and Forlaan’s child. Instead of killing her, the man had slept with her, and in fact her giving birth may delayed her reaction to the breaking of the Siege of Izmázar.''

''Niklas was so surprised he did not know how to respond, but realised immediately this child must be kept a secret. He gave Forlaan no small amount of gold so he would tell no one, then hid the child in his tent.''

Niklas did not know however that The Northern King, who was the father of The Ice Witch, knew about his grandson already, and that he was intent on killing his illegitimate heir.

''The next night - while Niklas, Thorim and Tosuri were walking in the hills above camp – they noticed 5 riders galloping towards the camp at high speed. At once Niklas exclaimed ‘Ðeri Galovingas!’. The riders of The North had come, and Niklas knew what for. Minutes later, when the three Kings had arrived at Niklas’ tent, they found 7 guards dead – including Forlaan. The child in question was also dead, but there was no time to grieve for the dead. Niklas turned and saw 5 shapes quickly disapearing into the distance, and made no hesitation in making chase – with Thorim and Tosuri behind him.''

''For over a week did the three Kings chase The Galovingas across Sentres, but they did not tire, for Niklas and Thorim were Naril, and Tosuri was an Elf. However their quarry did not tire either, because they were spurred on by the beckoning north. On the 9th day the three Kings were deep in The North, and there they pulled up at the gates of a towering palace, of Ice and Wood, which they took to be the home of the legendary Northern King. Not one of them knew what to expect, for none alive had seen him.''

''At once the gates of the palace were thrown open with the sound of a clap of thunder, and forth strode The Northern King. He was 8 foot tall, and wore many furs, and upon his head was a crown of ice. Behind him walked The Galovingas, faces covered as always, resplendant in blue, translucent armour.''

The Northern King questioned the presence of ‘two mortal Kings and a Prince from over the sea’, at which point Thorim and Niklas pointed out they were not in fact mortal.

''The quick-eyed may have seen a flash of pure rage across The Northern King’s face, but it was bearly noticable. The Northern King replied: ‘Very well. Leave now, and take these gifts as a token in repayment for the deaths of your soldiers. We will be meeting again very soon’.''

With this he swept back through the gates, and they slammed shut behind him.

''The Northern King had given a chainmail of blue ice to Thorim, an ice arrow to Tosuri, and a large icicle to Niklas – formed into a sword. The ice of these gifts was enchanted so it was harder than steel, a similar bewitchment to what The Ice Queen had used on her weapons, but far more potent.''

With this the three Kings rode back to the camp at Graanar Daem, contemplating those final words."