[A copy of an incident report is delivered to the Council of Twelve written on an orange paper with fine black ink.]
A strategy was formed by Commander Keline prior to the defense, involving only the Dolmen which we believed was the primary target of the Black Tribe Warlord. This strategy involved a set up of summons in the field with invisible support of soldiers, knights, and wizards. This stategy was never implemented, as on the day of the battle, new information lead us to believe there were two other targets - the Dead Tree, and Cracked Runestone. This new information rendered all prior battle planning inert, so much so that House Misrim advocated we not deploy.
I had given an oath to defend the Dolmen no matter the odds. Dawnknight Aritian and Awakened Kora supported us on this. I slept against the Dolmen prior to the day of battle after spending some time warding the place with Sacred Dawn markings.
12/18/2020 22:00 hrs, Pre Battle Movements:
The Arabellan Warhorns began at precisely 22:00hrs. I began patrolling the greater Redwood area at this time, alone. Aritian and Kora were known to be preparing the troops of Eveningstar and assisting villiagers with moving into the House of the Morning for protection. A report I received later stated they then moved to Arabel to rally troops.
Several Trees sprung to life cracking down old dead trees, and spreading them like barricades. Shrubberies rose from the ground spreading thorn-walls along the barricades and forming massive funnels of spikes and thorns for the onslaught of orcs to die upon.
The forest was building barricades in one direction, and this direction lead us to know where the Orcs would come from.
At 22:30hrs, Senior Retainer of House Misrim Aric Polk arrived on scene with several druids, woodland rangers, and elves in tow. The druids began raising massive guardians near the Dead Tree, Runestone, and Dolmen.
At 23:00hrs, A large contingent of Arabellan troops arrived on scene. They were lead by Commander Keline. Dawnknight Aritian and Awakened Kora were with them, as well as a contingent of Free People mercenaries, House Misirm Retainers, Elven Embassy warriors, more folk than I know the names of. I spoke to one - a mercenary named Sybil, and commanded that she stay at my side if she wishes to earn Lathanders favor. For the following battle she did just that, and proved herself worthy of praise.
The Battle of Redwood:
At 23:15hrs, We received our first assault of Black Tribe warriors-orcs, shaman, and spellslingers. They were far stronger than the previous reports indicated, and nearly annihilated our vanguard of Druids, Elves, and Guardians (NPCs). They broke through, slew Great Druid Nanthleenee immediately, and scattered our forward line.
At 23:54hrs, Aritian, Kora, myself, and Sybil, along with the Embassy elves, were trapped across the bridge surrounded by orcs. Keline called to hold the bridge, from the other side. This was a good call by any commander, as any attempt to reach us would have seen our second line shattered, something we could not recover from. Aritian and I carved our way to the bridge, we were slammed against our own barricades - again, from the wrong side. I watched in horror as a great axe carved into Awakened Koras very fist - yet by Lathanders Light - she caught it, and broke the beasts neck. Dawnknight Aritian - fighting like Lathander himself, took on six orcs at a time. Bashing them with shield, broadsword, and the will of a hundred men. We somehow fought our way back to the second line, and then across the bridge. the elven warrior Felaern stood shield to shield with Aritian holding it against all- everything.
At 3:00hrs, A small contigent of orcs were seen breaking through the fringes of the second line.. It was then that I realized to my horror - not one adventurer, not a single soldier, knight, or warrior, not even myself were at the Dolmen, or the Runestone. We were distracted.. Completely focused on the forward assault. It was here that I broke rank, and with Retainer Aric Polk, and another druid assisting me, we ran to check the Dolmen and cracked Runestone.
To my horror, we found a contigent of orcs exiting the Runestone, having alread corrupted it. Yet we stopped them in time to save the Dolmen. I commanded Retainer Polk and the druid to run back for re-inforcements... Polk, up to his shoulders in orcish corpses, attempted to break off, however when he turned a greataxe caught his shoulder, and he was slain instantly. The Druid, however, heeded my command, and ran for reinforcements.
Keline, Aritian, the Embassy elves, and the remaining Free People arrived on scene rescuing me from several orcs attempting to reach the Dolmen. There was a narrow passage - the same passage Commander Keline and Nanthleenee discussed holding before a last stand effort... This was where we planned to make our last stand.
At 05:00hrs, For two grueling hours we fought here. The battle was thick, orc and adventurers each covered in gore, leaves, and sheered hatred for one another stood shoulder to shield pushing back and forth. Aritian, our center and strongest shieldman, as struck in the head and unconscious for a short time. To our relief, the orc which put him down was also the final orc of a long wave. However it was here that the Free People began to lose hope. Nanthleenee, Aritian, Falaern, Polk, and many others I cannot name lay down or worse. We needed to make a decision. Keline, the commander of the Free People, needed to make a decision. All eyes were on her for direction.. Though Aritian, Kora and I had made our choice the day we made our oaths to Lathander. We were here to see the Dolmen kept safe, at any cost...
Nanthleenee was laid down as we awaited the decision of Commander Keline. The grass she laid beneath immediately began to grow.. and indeed revived her, as if the Redwood itself refused to surrender against our enemy, the Black Tribe.
A warhorn sung out in the distance. The adventurers looked to one another and felt the kiss of Cyric closer than ever before.
At 0600hrs, A New Dawn: Aritian, Kora, and myself knew the battle was won the moment the hour struck Lathanders Dawn, 6:00AM. We had won, we merely needed to hold on to hope. We needed to pull together. Nanthleenee had been revived by the will of Chauntea, and the Light of Lathander was breaking through the darkness which orcish shamans cast upon the land. All we needed was to hold for one more hour and the day would be hours.
We fell back to the Dolmen itself, Nanthleenee merged with - what I can only assume was the Redwoods heart, and large plantile fortifications surrounded us. What little remained of our defenses stuck shoulder to shoulder - and became enriched by Light and Wood. Chauntea herself - along with her lover Lathander, would not abandon us. The battle was thick - harder than ever before. Orcs rushed us from all sides and the darkness clouded them. They began climbing the barricades of plant matter and dead orcs. Yes, orcs climbing over the corpses of their fallen companions - diving down from utop the barricades attempting to reach Nanthleenee, or the Dolmen. We knew not at this point.
Then suddenly, like a... A ... A bright light.. Perhaps the fire of the sun.. perhaps an ocean of heat... Fire made water.. Light made flesh.. it fell from the heavens and cracked open the horde of Black Tribe orcs. Earth rose from the ground encompassing everything - us included - though I recevied no bodily harm I could hear through the rock and dirt orcs screaming in agony. The Fire rose higher and higher, eating away at the darkness - the sky itself. I was released - all of us free people were.. Hundreds of dead orcs lay everywhere. Crushed, burned, drowned, suffocated, torn to shreds..
Yet still - through the trees.. More came. Chauntea had broken the hordes body.. Now it was up to the Light to break their spirit.
Dozens poured from the trees, the looked on in horror as their brothers and comrades fell into ruin. We slew as many as we could - and indeed, we saw their Black Tribe warchief himself, sneak from the shadows and attempt to make contact with the Dolmen. I commanded Kora to take him down. Awakened Kora performed a feat of grace I did not think possible by mortal men. She lept to the top of the barricade - and ran from shoulder to shoulder -atop- the orcs. She dove for the Warchief himself, striking him in the face. The craven then enspelled himself with invisibility, and ran,
At 0700hrs, We found ourselves looking up at a new day. The Light of Lathander shining brighter than I had seen him in many days. A fine rain fell upon our armor, and the clinking of steel, the squealing of orcs, had ceased. We won a great victory.
Commander Keline informed us much later that the strength of Arabel was sent against a flank of the Black Tribe supply lines, this contributed to why we only received -half- their number. The Legionnaires are commended for their efforts in this.
-Dawnknight Nicholas Alwin Appleberry
