The Dark Wars
Chapter 1
Within the monastery of the Brotherhood of the Word a young monk scanned through the texts that lay before him. This part of the library had not seen visitors for many years. The young monk, named Altimos, began to look for interesting texts to read when his eyes fell upon an ancient and worn book, a book so old that the gilt lettering on its spine was faded from view. Young Altimos took the book from its place, "I wonder what stories this book holds" he thought to himself. "I bet it's a story of the Order!" excited now, he went to the nearest table and opened the tome. "The Chronicle of the Dark Wars" this is the title that Altimos saw, "A history of the Dark Wars!" he exclaimed "No one knows what really happened during the Wars!" His excitement was now high as he began to read of a dark chapter in his world's history.
Year of Golden Flame
Day 239
595 A.F.
This is the account of Captain Talis, leader of the Northern Flight and knight of the Order of the Flame. Thus far the troops of the Dark Union has been steadily pushing us back, even as I write this entry the enemy draws ever closer. I fear that the Order may not survive this conflict so I have taken it upon myself to write a history of our fall.
It all started back some twelve years back, when Navaros returned from who knows where to wreak havoc on us, his brothers. Apparently the Dark Union had corrupted many of our greatest warriors and mages, many of our Bonded too were swayed by the curs. With the Destruction of the supreme Order council in Drakan City, the troops of the Dark Union surged out of the wild lands in the east. The great and wondrous city of Drakan, laid to waste by Wartocks and other creatures serving the Union.
The forces of the surrounding cities and local garrisons were immediately summoned to fight, and fight they did! Our troops kept the evil creatures at bay for nearly a week, then enemy reinforcements arrived and our forces were forced o withdraw or be overrun. Thus was how the war has gone, the enemy throws vast numbers of troops against us; we fight and spill our blood to defend our position, and are beaten back.
The war would have been lost except for the Bonded that remained loyal to the Order, of my flight not a single Bonded pair was swayed by the Dark Union! The great dragon flights have kept some of the enemy at bay, but not all. And then there are the enemy dragon flights, some are even from the elite Flame Wing! The most elite of the Bonded pairs, and some of them war against us!
I fear that I can not write further, the horn is blowing signaling the arrival of a messenger from the council. May the news be good, for my sake and the sake of us all let it be good news.
Year of Golden Flame
Day 242
595 A.F.
The news was good; the enemy was defeated at Broken Horn Vale! But we can not rest, not while the enemy here is still alive and determined to crush us. I have been ordered to sortie against the enemy position near the Golden Hills, the enemy encampment is said to be poorly organized and lightly defended, and we should cause great damage to the enemy if we can burn their main camp.
Year of Golden Flame
Day 244
595 A.F.
The sortie was successful; the enemy force along our front has been beaten back. We even caught some of the enemy Bonded on the ground and unawares! They were all put to the flame, though I do not enjoy killing those who were once our brothers. Damn the Dark Union, and damn Navaros! May that wretch meet his end at the gibbet, not a battlefield!
I do not know how long the troops can hold out; the War has been going badly, though we have won several victories I do not think that we can hold out for much longer. I fear the Order, the beacon in the darkness is fading and there is nothing any of us here can do to stop it. But, I will continue to fight the enemy even if I am doomed, I will still fight. Besides, Karokh will not let me quit, no matter what I say. He's a good companion, and a fearless warrior, if we only had a hundred more like him in our ranks, than the Dark Union would be in real trouble.
Year of Golden Flame
Day 246
595 A.F.
We are retreating again, though it is by the order of Command that we give up this blood soaked piece of ground. There is a rumor going around the camp, the rumor is that the army of the Order is rallying for a major offensive against the Union. There might be some truth to this rumor, many of the dragon flights have been ordered to scout and provide cover to the ground troops, nothing unusual about that, it's the reconnaissance against enemy held points that are unusual as the territory has only outposts, no garrisons.
Perhaps there is a plan to aid in a future offensive by burning the supplies and laying waste to the supply lines of the enemy, but this is only speculation, nothing more.
Year of Golden Flame
Day 251
595 A.F.
We have arrived at the new position; we are near the Cloud Seeker Mountains and the great mountain of Tibor itself. We have just received word of our mission, a magic sword called the Runeblade has bee forged to use against Navaros, and our army is to make its stand here, here at the foot of mount Tibor we will make the enemy bleed. Our other forces in the North will have to fend for themselves if we fall here, may the Gods show them mercy.
Year of Golden Flame
Day 278
595 A.F.
The battle is not going well, the enemy is pressing us from all sides and no matter how many we slay more continue to appear. We have received word the Navaros himself is coming to personally lead the Union to victory, now the plan will put into place, the warrior Heron and his Bonded dragon Arokh have been selected to pierce the withered heart of the that fiend.
Year of Golden Flame
Day 279
595 A.F.
Navaros has been seen! We are now preparing to for the battle of our lives, to just Heron and Arokh there chance to slay that abomination! This journal will be sent to a special place near Surdana should the battle go ill, may this book serve as a witness to the honor and bravery of the Order and its followers.
Year of Shadow
Day 149
605 A.F.
Captain Talis and his dragon flight have not been heard from in ten years, all attempt to reach the Southern continent has failed, it would appear that Captain Talis and the armies of both the Order and the Dark Union have been destroyed there. Here in Surdana we have been cut off from both the Southern and Northern Lands, we stand alone against the tides of darkness. The Wartoks and the other beasts of the Dark Union still remain, but they have fallen to fighting amongst themselves, it is my sincerest hope that they destroy one another in the process, though this is a thin hope at best. As per the final orders of Captain Talis, I am taking this journal to a monastery in the East, in the Black Stone Mountains; maybe the monks there will keep the memory of the war within their halls. May the valor of those who have died in the War never be forgotten by the next generation, and those who come after.
notes A.F. is the measurement of time during the age of the Order, it stands for After Founding.
The term of Northern Flight means that it is a unit of mounted dragon knights, or Bonded as they are now referred as. More than likely this unit came either from Surdana, or the North Lands, from some long forgotten province of the Order.