Border Princes: Turn 8 Moves and Resolution

24^th Nachgeheim

Having already secured the southern stretches of Black Fire Pass, the Ogres seem to be pushing south and west rather than upwards into the Empire.  I am assuming, dear colleagues, that Imperial coin (and generous quantities of Averland beef!) has bought the Ogre mercenaries off invading the Southern Empire… would it not have been possible to find a little extra gold and victuals to keep them off our backs down here in the Border Princes?

Herr Gavius Klugge, Shadow Wizard

26^th Nachgeheim, 2516 IC

Frustrating tidings from our commanders to the Southwest, dear colleagues.  The Nehekharan force which was beaten back from our Blood River Bastion (at the cost of Grandmaster Reichardt’s life and many other worthies no less!) has evaded the pursuit and vengeance of two Imperial divisions sent to destroy them.  What fell ancient magics must we contend with!  Not only do the dead continue to rise even as we strike them down, their ancient commanders are cunning beyond measure and difficult to corner!

30^th Nachgeheim, 2516 IC

A force of Ogre mercenaries has marched into the Blood River Bogs where they have been welcomed by their allies, the Nehekharans.  This development could bode ill for our own conflict with the ancient dead of Nehekhara.

2^nd Erntzeit 2516 IC

Victory this day for the Empire, Karl Franz and Sigmar, for our Imperial forces have successfully defended the small hamlet of Franzburg from Nehekharan invaders.  The Neherakhans were apparently commanded by Num’keb the Erratic himself, and so furious was their assault that the local Shrine of Sigmar was destroyed.  However, backed by the Franzburg garrison and local militiamen and hunters, an Imperial force under the command of the Lector Albrecht the Righteous saved the remainder of the hamlet and thus secured the vital South Road which links our Blood River Bastion with our Bretonnian allies to the North. 

5^th Ernzeit 2516 IC

Word from the West is that our a host of our Bretonnian allies has set out into the mountains to the North of their castle fastness.

7^th Ernzeit 2516 IC

The poor citizens of Malko were briefly given the false hope of salvation these past days as the howls of wolves and shrieks of death fell silent in the woods to the west, while the orcs and goblins encamped along the Silk Road struck camp and marched – not towards Malko’s gates but North and into the dimness of the woods.  The fool lord of Malko suggested that the Greenskins had deemed Malko’s walls impregnable and taken flight.  Can you believe the people I have to work with?

The relief and joy of Malko’s citizens was soon squelched when a further throng of orcs and goblins emerged from the western woods and set up camp around the fire pits of their fellows, bearing aloft before them the grisly trophies of the woodsfolk they had been hunting.  When word reached the hungry, wretched citizens of Malko who were just celebrating their victory, the riots were almost predictable, and I have had to be many places at once to prevent the worst of the bloodshed in the streets turning into total anarchy.  Fortunately, dear colleagues, being in many places at once is something an old Grey Wizard like myself still knows how to do!

-Gavius Klugge

9^th Ernzeit 2516 IC

It seems conflict has erupted between our enemies!  A horde of Greenskins have reclaimed the East bank of the Thunder River from their erstwhile Ogre allies, slaughtering the skeleton force of ogres left their to defend it in what has been described as a brief but spectacularly bloody massacre.  Whether this is a sign of lasting hostilities between the Orcs and Ogres or merely a symptom of frustration at minimal bloodshed remains to be seen, dear colleagues.  For now at least, however, the Ogre-Greenskin alliance is in tatters. 

Will this turn of events deliver us from our fate here in Malko?  I am not so sure.  It may be that it is just a question of whether these poor folk end up in the goblins’ cookpot or the ogres!

11^th Ernzeit 2516 IC

Who would have thought to hear such good tidings in such a dark age!  With the death… er… again… or at least ‘corporeal demise’ of Num’keb the Erratic, the legions of Nehekharan undead across the Border Princes seem to be disintegrating into naught more than bone, bronze and lapis, before blowing away to the south on a strange dry wind.  It seems, dear colleagues, that the ancient magics binding this force from the depths of time has withered with the will of its commander, and all across the Border Princes those who survived the Tomb Kings’ enslavement are shaking off their chains!

14^th Erntzeit 2516 IC

More bad news for the citizens of Malko, for a crusading force of Bretonnians which attacked the Greenskins encamped along the Silk Road has been dealt a crushing defeat.  Commanded by the warlike Baron Odo, uncle to Young Henri and a seasoned and bloody warrior from numerous campaigns in Araby, the Bretonnians outnumbered their foes and enjoyed some initial successes.  However, arrogance got the better of the Bretonnians, and after a reckless charge their glittering knights were torn asunder by the furious assault of the savage orcs and devoured by the gaping maws of horrific squigs… less than one third of the proud Bretonnians under Odo’s command are said to have escaped the slaughter.  It is said that the Baron himself had to be ordered to withdraw from the field by one of those meddling damsels, and that his shame and fury at this defeat are beyond measure.

This Baron Odo’s besmirched honour is little to the folk of Malko, however.  His defeat may well be the death warrant of all within these walls. 

-GK

27^th Erntzeit 2516 IC

The host of Lord Tybalt du Boix de Balzac, the current liege of the most prominent émigré Bretonnian family in the Border Princes, has attempted to drive a greenskin force from the woods north of Malko but been driven back.  Tybalt was apparently striking at the lost Bretonnian abbey of La Maisonvert, which has long been reclaimed by the woods but is still of strategic significance for those trying to hold these untamed lands.  More cautious than his brother-in-law Odo, Tybalt managed to restrain his vassals from a headlong charge against the orcs, instead attempting to draw them out of their positions for a more timely assault, but the Greenskin gods themselves (some reports say Gork, others Mork) apparently foiled his plans in spectacularly bloody fashion.  Come nightfall, the Greenskin defense had still not broken and Tybalt was forced to leave the field to the orcs.

-Gavius Klugge  

Faction	Normal Territories	Special Territories	Total Territories	Razed Territories	Victory Points	Banners	Allies
Bretonnians	11	1	12	0	16	5	Empire
Empire	13	1	14	0	18	5	Bretonnia
Ogre Kingdoms	16	0	16	0	16	6	Tomb Kings
Orcs and Goblins	12	1	13	0	17	4*	Tomb Kings
Tomb Kings**	12	0	12	0	12	5	Ogre Kingdoms, Orcs and Goblins,
*Note that while Orcs & Goblins are entitled to 5 banners, they cannot form their new banner until they recapture their HQ. **Note that the Tomb Kings player withdrew from the campaign at the end of this turn.