Scene 1: Sunset in the West

Added to the phalanx of forces poised to strike came a new force: the hitherto unremarked humanoid rabble of the Pomarj. United under a half-orc leader of greater strength than had been seen before, one Turrosh Mak, they strove to reclaim the “birthright” their new tyrant stressed to them: their old homes in the Lortmils. Striking into lands poorly defended as the southern armies moved northward, Turrosh‘s armies annexed the eastern half of the Principality of Ulek (now unaided by any neighbor) and the southern lands of the Wild Coast with their squabbling cities. They were stopped at the Pass of Celene by brave dwarves, gnomes, humans, and a handful of elves furious at the unwillingness of Queen Yolande of Celene to help the main cause of good. But Turrosh was satisfied; his fief had swollen in size, and while stymied in further territorial ambitions, there was none to threaten him with retaliation.

To the north, Ket raiders beset Bissel, and the Ulek forces crucial to its defense dithered between defending that small state and protecting Furyondy against Iuz. Bissel was eventually forced to surrender by the fierce horsemen of Ket. This could have been avoided but for another fell stroke worse than the eruption of humanoids from the Pomarj. From the Crystalmist Mountains, great forces of giants and humanoids swept down into the Grand Duchy of Geoff, Sterich, and into the Yeomanry. In the latter, they were repulsed by peasant levies as worthy in battle as many seasoned veterans. Geoff and Sterich fell, the Keolandish armies too distant to oppose the invaders.

The giant troubles, as they were called, have been ascribed to all manner of evil schemings. Some sages say that the tanar’ri power Zuggtmoy, freed from her prison in the Temple of Elemental Evil bv the meddling Lord Robilar. allied with Iuz and drew forth the giants via agents in the Underdark. Some say Lolth had her own schemes and her drow organized the giants. Still others see the hand of the Scarlet Brotherhood in this, as in so many things. The truth is obscured from our view. In this matter, Istus spun her web impenetrably. But the effect was to present the Keoland-Furyondy axis and its allies with threats from the west when they were beset in the north. It destroyed all possibility of sweeping back the forces of Iuz.

But Iuz was well defeated by Belvor of Furyondy, acting with the elves and rangers of the Vesve Forest, to prevent his drive into Furyondy from gaining any further lands, and Chendl was secured. The forces of Veluna held off Kettite incursions aimed at Mitrik. If good could not win, it held evil at bay.