The Battle of the Beard was fought on 12/4 Year 33AP between the army of Three Hammers and the Royal Thalassian Army. It was a fierce and bloody affair but the elves were able to envelop the dwarven host from both sides of their column and draw the battle to a full route. The Battle of the Beard was fought in two stages:
Early in the morning, six battalions rode to the northern flank of the Dwarven Army and brought battle against them.
Commanders Azriah Thelryn, Lirelle Dawnbrook, Sederis Emberheart, Thanidiel Highdawn, Veleth Ashcaster, and Tassandria Dor’wynn engaged five battalions of alliance forces. Able to use superior mobility, the Sunguard was able to drive the dwarves into indefensible positions and destroy them. Even the famed Sir Erik Townsend left the field knowing the battle was lost. His knights later linked up with Alliance forces pressing into the Dawnspire.
Later that afternoon, the Sunguard prepared its ambush against the Army of Three Hammers led by Thane Fergus Mountainbeard. Though the Dwarven army was impressive, it was not able to fully materialize its offensive capabilities with its artillery. Striking hard and true, the Sunguard was able to destroy the dwarven cannons and encircle their forces on the field. Hours of bloody fighting later, the Sunguard was able to isolate their commanders and kill them. Thane Fergus was taken captive after losing a duel with Siildore Frostlotus and soon after the dwarven lines began to route.
With one fell swoop, the Alliance has come to Quel’Thalas and in their fury, they have dispatched an entire fleet of Thalassian Warships, taken a province of the Ghostlands, nearly taken Sunstrider Isle, besieged the Sunwell, and locked Quel’Thalas in a barrier of magical nullification. Armies from Stormwind, Kalimdor, Gilneas, Kul Tiras, and even reclaimers of high elves and void elves have landed to bring Quel’Thalas into submission.
Just as the ink was signed for the Sunguard to become a fully fledged regiment within the Royal Thalassian Army was the battle called. An army of Three Hammers moves onto Silvermoon City and the Sunguard moved to intervene. Thane Fergus Mountainbeard and regiments of dwarves position themselves to fight head-on with the elven host. The Sunguard, moving to the fields south of Silvermoon make into battle array for a pitched battle while Gilnean forces close in on their rear and ready to reave into the Dawnspire.
As I continue to work out the mechanical structure of the campaign, I keep thinking back to how we have used reputation as a narrative device but overall it did not dramatically change the story we were telling. In the Phoenix Wars, I’m looking to do something else.
Reputation will have dynamic effects. Reputations include how the Sunguard is perceived by the Thalassian People and then by the Thalassian Nobility. High reputation in both will inspire the people of Quel’Thalas to fight harder against Alliance invaders.
High reputation with the people of Quel’Thalas may make them more resistant to Alliance aggressors by spawning weaker militias to join alongside the Sunguard. While not professional armies, they will certainly add to the momentum of a successful army.
High reputation with nobility will encourage Lords/Ladies to join the war with their personal armies. These will be more professional and higher hit points. (Average NPC army in the campaign will have 2-3 hit points). These will have different soldier types and be able to do more things.
An example of the Sunguard using reputation to their advantage and then employing different event types would be something like this:
A Thalassian city is captured by the Alliance and its garrison is thrown into the dungeons of the castle. The Sunguard sneaks several pathfinders into the city to meet with the village elders in a diplomacy event. The Sunguard attempts to convince the elders to get into the castle and release the garrison from their cells making the liberation of the town be easier. If the Sunguard has a high reputation with the commoners, the villagers will trust in the Sunguard’s plan and take the risk, making their attempt to carry out the strategy have a higher success modifier. Adversely, if the Sunguard constantly fails and has a low reputation with the common people, then they will not trust in the Sunguard and outright refuse them, making taking the city to be a far more costly and dangerous affair.
Our next campaign will feature a Grand Campaign map of Quel’Thalas and the Alliance’s attempt to subdue the elven nation. The campaign is set to begin after the introduction of all allied races into each faction. Having been bolstered by new allies, the Alliance turns to Quel’Thalas, the final Horde power base in the Eastern Kingdoms.
Quel’Thalas, being a magical and seafaring land, will find itself at the prey to a massive blockade, making it difficult to travel both to and from the nation. The Thalassian Pass is captured and alliance forces are pouring into southern Quel’Thalas, while transport ships launch troops into Quel’Danas, Eversong, and beyond. Void Elves and High Elves have begun to infiltrate Quel’Thalas and the combined pressure has caused many cities in the nation to surrender or turn traitor. Under assault, Lor’themar has called on the Sunguard to rally the nation under an unified banner, putting the Sunguard in a position of leading the Thalassian Military for the first time. Doing so, the Sunguard calls on all available sons and daughters of Quel’Thalas to take arms, thus leading to the first major feature of the Phoenix Wars.
Players who are of a certain rank and with enough renown can apply to become battle commanders on the field. Doing so means that their homelands, holdings, will now appear on the map. Players who opt to become commanders consent to engaging in Hardcore Mode playstyle, and while character death is not enforced, having your character’s entire homeland/livelihood destroyed is. Characters may choose to return to their homeland for a turn to restore their army strength, but if their homeland is captured or destroyed, they will no longer be able to do so.
Commanders can be nobles, leaders of mercenary companies, captains of ships, etc. They need to really be able to rally 200-400 soldiers to their side to qualify. Characters may choose one of the following army types to command, meaning when they attach themselves to an army, they will be accompanied by 3-4 NPC units representing their company.
Infantry
Cavalry
Rangers
Magisters
Marines
Healers
Characters with lore based p-classes will find themselves accompanied by soldiers of their associated p-class.
Player armies will be dispatched each turn to separate locations around the map and can attach their armies onto a major battle and appear on the battle map with their soldiers, or they can engage enemy armies on the campaign map using a dueling mechanic. Each army will have three health points, should they lose all health points then their army is defeated and that character is removed permanently from the campaign. This is usually justified with a grievous injury sustained to the player.
The Phoenix Wars will feature a dynamic map and use the turn system, each turn will feature movement of armies both for the Horde and Alliance. Reputation will play a huge factor. As the Sunguard defends Quel’Thalas and engages in certain dilemmas, they will gain reputation with both the nobility and the people. Additional armies will be raised to fight alongside the Sunguard if reputation gains are high enough. The more territory the Alliance conquerors from the Horde, the worse the reputation the Sunguard will have with Quel’Thalas. Low reputation will mean that cities will be more likely to surrender to the Alliance and if reputation will get critically low, the Sunguard will be declared enemies of the state.
As I develop narrative, I will be sure to reach out to interested parties. This campaign is set to be a fairly ambitious project and may require some scaling back, but that is just a fact of life.
I hope this post has made you excited! More to come!
This is a minor balancing update, please read the change notes to note if your character may be impacted and of course update your sheets.
As always there is a 1 week grace period to change your sheet with new changes if something about your character is impacted.
Virtues/Vices:
Manipulator no longer replaces plead rolls and instead adds in the social option of Lie, which is influenced by the Manipulator Virtue.
Addict has been changed to do straight damage to the character at the start of their turn versus consuming a potion/poison.
Stinky now only impacts Seduction rolls.
Hideous now only impacts Charm rolls.
Commander Mode:
Penetrating Assault on Blood Knight Lancers now has a 1d3 check to allow additional movement after you charge through an enemy unit. 1 is considered to be successful.
Item Creation:
Spirit Leech will only add to your spell shield when you attack a magical enemy with an existing spell shield.
Potions/Poisons:
A character can only drink one Windfury Potion per event.
Following the destruction that was the Invasion of the Dawnspire: Legionfall, and the crisis that gripped Silvermoon City, the Sunguard was tasked to deal with several brigands in the woods near Autumnvale. Upon arrival, they soon discovered that that recently been raided and several villagers were killed. The local Knight Sir Reval, informed the Sunguard that after all the wars, morale was low among the people of the Dawnspire and many flocked to a rebel banner known as the Broken Men.
Using a daring tactic to lure the bandits from their hiding, the Sunguard hid in several merchant wagons where the rebels attacked thinking they may get easy loot. After dealing with the bandits, the Sunguard learned of their lair and advanced. There they discovered a disgraced nobleman named Bladelord Dreden had ordered his Broken Men to capture the Lady Vella, leader of Autumnvale. More myseriously was the pale man with a pallid complexion.
Using a tactical approach, the Sunguard was able to extract the wounded Lady Vella and escape before they could suffer any further injury. Bladelord Dresden and his rebels however live on.
Tonight’s event was a fun time to introduce several new players to our roll20 system while furthering the story of the Sunguard. With our major campaigns completed, our focus is on the fall out of the many wars the order has faced and those who are impacted.
Sent to Reynllin, a elegant and simple necklace. Packed away carefully and wrapped in cloth they smelled of polish and the incense Tyleril burned at his forges.
Reynllin,
Don’t ever go again, throw me in front of you if you have to but don’t ever go again. It tore the world apart to lose you and Rai’thas and I couldn’t stand losing you again. I made this in my forges and prayed to the Light- it answered me and I got Windsong to help and enchant the item. There’s very little more charming than you when your lips curve up and you look at me under your eyes.
All my love,
Tyleril
A Dragon’s Charm- Heroic Forged Jewelry
“Few were immune to the charms of the Whelpling Caretaker, this necklace was blessed to give the dragon an edge in combat.”
The explosion in the air of the colliding Legion crafted ships was just as mesmerizing as it was awe inspiring. The sounds all around suggested things were done; they had won. On swift footsteps Razail had ran into the Dawnspire, bumped into one very familiar face and couldn’t help himself.
His arms had wrapped around Lazarus so quick it may have surprised him. He pulled his own mask down and had given Lazarus a quick kiss on the cheek, fearing to have done more. The mask had returned to his face and he ran off again as quick as he always had been.
Another face, one he grew to know more recently as a relative, an Uncle, and he came up to the demon hunter with a small, hopeful smile on his face. Monax could recognize him easily now, and offered a brief smile on return as he felt relieved the rogue was okay. It had gone away quickly though, that smile of his that sat under a blood stained cloth blindfold, and he reaches out to hug Razail. “Your not gonna like it kid, but Tyleril, Alex and Rai are in that infirmary. Alex and I.. We couldn’t get Rai’s heart to beat.”
Razail had started to shake, and his smile had been ripped downwards as his his heart started to hurt. He have Monax the quickest of hugs and was let go. The illidari walked towards the battlefield as he said one last thing, “I’m really glad you’re okay, kid.”
Razail ran as tears had started to trickle down his face. Though once he got to the infirmary, once he speed Tyleril trying to heal in his obviously wounded state, and the sight of his twin cousins a dark corner. It was almost to much. Only one other thing had set him over the edge.
He heard the Greenseer had died.
He swallowed hard before he ran off and away from it all. Sobbing that had been silenced from his inability to speak could be seen and felt through the shadows that trailed behind and rippled outward.
He ran.
He ran to find Samiel. To let him at least know someone was coming home, even if it was to just hold the young elf and cry.
Razail wanted his family so desperately, and now he had lost some of them.
“Y-you’ll be fine?” It had been a decade since she had fought in battle. A real battle and the worry for her health was already etched on the tall mender’s face.
“Me?” She let her lips pull upwards into a confident smirk. “Tyleril, please. When was the last time I told you I would die?”
He shook his head and she could smell the incense he was so fond of burning. It clung to his clothes as much as the smell of armor polish and smithy smoke. “You haven’t yet. But I-” Windsong waved her hand, dismissing his words before he could finish. “You’re going to the main gate aren’t you? Better get going. I have demons to kill.” Windsong didn’t believe in the Light, she didn’t care for it. But she stood still as Tyleril prayed a blessing over her anyway. “Stop caring so much- you’ll hurt yourself dumbass.”
But Tyleril didn’t respond and Windsong let her smile drop as the mender walked away. The urge to see whether he would manage to survive the battle was strong- but she dismissed it. If the Light really gave a damn then it would take the time to help Tyleril survive.
They were all gears in a machine. Running off to save one person would affect every other cog. She ran her tongue over her lips, tasting the lipstick. It drew a grin from her as she strode towards where her army was. “Let’s see if I manage to make it.”
‘FOR QUEL’THALAS’
Despite the care her hair had fallen free of the ties that bound it and had been soaked in sweat. It ran down her face, making her eyes and the bleeding cuts sting like tiny rattlesnake bites. All around her was nothing but a whirlwind of color and motion, the countless infinite possibilities of what they could, would, maybe and might-do. She saw so much, so many possibilities. Such precious short time to react, even shorter with the magisters that were under her command, forcing her to snap out orders. To many were going to die- she would at least try to keep her own safe.
With every pant that escaped her lips, she could taste smoke from the air that mixed with the bitter taste of her own blood. The deafening sound of her own heartbeat and blood rushing in her ears beat out a stubborn refusal to die. It wasn’t loud enough to drown out her allies, their cries of ‘Lok’tar ogar’ and Quel’thalas!’ intermixed with the sound of injured beasts screaming in pain, and the loud cracking thunder of magic from those beneath her command.
Pain from strained muscles and bleeding cuts barely registered, drowned out by the consuming throbbing ache from over use of her divining spell. The countless moving images she saw everywhere threatened to overwhelm her when she looked at others for to long. The magisters under her command spat out fire and ice, burnt flesh filling her nostrils as frozen blood clung to her clothes.The scent of blood mixed with the smell of smoke, bile, and fear, carried between the clashing bodies of the Sunguard’s army. Scarlet liquid bled from foe and ally alike, soaking the earth.
Death came from the sky on swift wings, praetorian lances, and the dangerous fel hounds. But through the countless possibilities that assaulted her eyes and mind she clung onto one. Victory. Even as physical and magical exhaustion took its toll, blurring the lines between reality and possibility she held onto that image.
‘Going Home’
Victory came.
It came long after her knees has first met the muddy ground and her remaining Magister was carried in her arms to the closest help. They would suffer through their broken leg and his face as Windsong carried him was stoic, head held high as she set him by the tent.
Limping she turned to look up at the Dawnspire, every breath burning her throat. The thickly embroidered cloth was soaked with mud and blood that had dried, clinging to her skin. When she swallowed she could taste the blood in the air, mixed with sorrow. Rather than look back at the Dawnspire or the remaining magister from her group she turned to stare in the direction of Silvermoon.
Exhaustion dulled the pain of sprained muscles and shallow cuts, helped her ignore the bone dry rasp that escaped her throat. The – Dawnspire, was it the Dawnspire? It was hard to see how much damage had been done. Somehow she was stuck inside of herself, viewing the world from somewhere deep inside. Her movements were so slow compared to everyone else.
The sounds of orders being snapped, boots on marble, and worried chatter were distant in her ears. Her allies moved around her as if their speed was enchaned by magic while she moved through cold mud. A portal came into sight as she rounded a corner, bright and inviting in her sight.
Thallus.
The vivid scowl in her mind was all that her body seemed to need to move. Thallus would be asleep by now. or would be be awake? Her head spun as her hands began to move, scraping deep inside of her whatever mana she couldn’t afford to spare, it made her soul tear and bleed as the world spun and disappeared in white light.
Tyleril Silversword 
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