Battle of five ridges
Account by Hitomi, Lady Cathartic's scribe
Days after the party defeated Ïátu, Maecas willed the assembled forces to war: a score of infantry flags spent nearly a week invading the cracks and crevices of the southern end of the Skyrend Mountains. The initial onslaught was split by the battle mages and their aerial mounts, with Cathartic at the prow of the Blaquïngle, Sven at its helm. They decimated the troops on the mountainsides with powerful spells cast aloft from the near-invisible ship, while Sîpanna tore apart their siege engines and war machines. Maecas has invaded the cave entrances on the mountainsides, while the combined navies of the Northmen and The Greybark Forest staged a frontal assault on the sea cave entrance of the Sargaf Forges. Eventually the day was won, the enemy destroyed or routed, the spider infestations burned or driven into the sea, the remaining gnomes and dwarves rescued and evacuated to Vesuva for rehabilitation in the Spear’s infirmaries, their dungeons raided and wealth reclaimed for the Dwarven Empire, and the drow who were promised the lands of the south Skyrend chain slain and their caves collapsed. The portal discovered there was fully operational, and glowed with a purple-green light, a swirl of mists visible in it, but no matter could appear to pass through. No objects appeared nearby capable of controlling it, so it was left alone for your party to deal with. The entrance to that cave system is now barred shut and the portal caves are guarded to prevent intrusion. We have sustained heavy losses, more than half our forces have not made the fortnight; but we were victorious. Even now, the Black Plume dissipates into the sky, its once-ominous obfuscation now but a light fog lingering in the sky. Cathartic returns to Vesuva with her cadre, to administer healing and stabilization on the way, and to plan the recovery of the last remaining dwarves and gnomes enslaved. I will send this with Kevin when Nissa advises us that you have been sent to the Eastern Kingdom, with the hopes it finds you there.
