The Tides of War

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Red indicates the forces of Xem’zund, cyan indicates the defenders of Raiaera, and yellow indicates neutral parties.
Circles are cities and settlements, proportionate to size; squares show the location of large armies.
Double circles represent sieges, with the attacking army depicted as the outer ring.
Settlements that are blacked out on the map have been destroyed and are in ruin.

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Chapter Four of the Featured Quest starts with High Elven and undead forces in uneasy stalemate. The majority of the former realm of Raiaera lies under the control of the forces of Xem’zund, including Narenhad, Trenyce, the southern (Lindequalme) and northeastern (Timbrethinil) forests, and the vast majority of the central plains. Many are the settlements that have been sacked and destroyed by the rampant armies of undead.

The Raiaeran defenders cling to the settlements that remain to them by the skin of their teeth – New Aurient, Galonan, and Anebrilith are all under siege and are near capitulation from starvation and attrition, whilst Eluriand is a ruined shadow of its former self in which a mere handful of survivors shelter under the last of the protective wards of Istien University. The Great Forest to the northwest has been sanctified against undead advance, but even so the Forgotten One’s magicks seek to pervade it like a corrupting cloud.

The centre of the Elven resistance is the hidden fortress of Eluceliniel, where Nalith Celiniel, Lady General and High Bladesinger, carefully musters her forces right under the nose of Xem’zund in Narenhad. Should the location of Eluceliniel be revealed to the undead, it will only be a matter of time until all resistance in western Raiaera is crushed… but the Lady General herself has other ideas.

In the meantime, the island colony of Tor Elythis forms the bastion of resistance in the east, facing off against the undead forces corrupting Timbrethinil Forest and surrounding the cities of Anebrilith and Galonan. A splinter force from the colony, combined with the volunteer levies of the Legion of Light, has just managed to wrest control of Nenaebreth from the forces of Xem’zund… the first true sign of hope for the beleaguered defenders since the war began.

The defenders of Raiaera remain vastly outnumbered and overpowered. Numbers, however, do not tell the whole story… for Xem’zund’s hordes are beginning to suffer from a distinct lack of capable lieutenants, putting more and more strain upon the Forgotten One himself. And though losses are almost equally grievous on the side of the High Elves, it is perhaps here in which their greatest opportunity lies…