The Veils March

The Veils March is a battled waged by the Grilashi Empire in a last ditch attempt to gain a proper footing to expand their empire once more. They had set their eyes on the Lonely Marshes in the hopes of trampling over the Swamp Elves living there. However, they did not anticipate the level of resistance that the people of Eneb Tireloica would put up for them.

Sqash them all like the big bugs they are! Leave none of these pesky elves standing and offer the gnomes their true freedom by becoming part of the empire! To arm, bretheren, let us show the might of the Grilashi Empire!

— General of the Grilashi Forces

Miscalculation

The Grilashi Empire was hoping they could crush their enemy with sheer numbers alone. They had an enormous army ranging into the thousands of soldiers. Every single one was armed to the teeth with spears, axes, swords, or a combination of them. With their heavy plated armour, they thought it would be a definitive victory. Especially considering that the people of the swamp were just a mere couple hundred, maybe a thousand, strong with next to no weapons and armour at all.
However, the Grilashi Empire had forgotten to take the terrain into account. Previously, they had fought in mountainous or flat grassland terrain where their armour and weapons were of no hinderance. Somehow, the generals found it unnecessary to do any proper recon beforehand on the terrain, which would prove to be a fatal mistake. Furthermore, it was the hometurf of these elves and gnomes, so they had the advantage. They were also much better equipped for traversing soggy wetlands and had their Swamp Floaters to cross seeming shallow rivers.

The Grilashi Empire is at our doorstep! They want to drive us away from our homeland and claim it as their own. We are not going to let that happen to our sacred ground, are we?! They may have the armour and the weapons, but we have the swamp. Stay strong, my friends and family, lure the enemy as deep into the swamp as you can and afterwards we shall feast!

— Kali Genro

The trump card of the swamp people is something no one at the empire could have foreseen. Kali Genro was leading the resistance and had first hand experience with the way the Empire operated in battle. Knowing the tactics they would likely deploy, Kali could anticipate on their movements and devise a plan that would ultimately lead them into the maws of her trap.

Conflict Type

Battle

Battlefield Type

Land

Conflict Result

The Grilashi Empire was (nearly) wiped out

Location

Lonely Marshes

Belligerents

Grilashi Empire

Eneb Tireloica

Led by

• Kali Genro

Strength

Great strength in numbers and large formations.

Very few in numbers

Casualties

Nearly fully wiped out.

A handful

Objectives

Take over the Lonely Marshes to gain more ground and a new foothold to expand their empire.

Defending their home, Lonely Marshes, from the invading empire.

Maps

• 

  Eshil of Illtresi

Traversing The Swamp

On the second day before the full moon will rise over the Lonely Marshes, the Grilashi Empire began their advance. With gnomemade bridges, they crossed the river and set foot in the wetlands.
Quickly, they realised that they couldn't manouver through the swamp in large groups of troops. It forced the army to continue their march in much smaller units of twenty rather than twohundred soldier at a time. It slowed the pace of their advance immensely. Their heavy armour and weapons also made it difficult to get through the terrain. The moss sagged under the weight of the soldiers. Some would get stuck in the mud of the puddles. A few would simply drown as they sunk in the rivers or ponds that they thought were shallow.
It frustrated the Grilashi soldiers, that they began to dump their armour and weapons in order to continue the advance. In their rage, they set the Puddlets they would come across on fire, destroying the homes of elves and gnome alike. Some began lighting up the trees which, to their surprise, was very ineffective.
However, they were making ground as the elves and gnomes of the Eneb Tireloica tribes kept retreating deeper into the swamp. During the twilight of the third day, the end of the swamp was in sight. The elves and gnomes were standing with their backs against the edge of their home. Both the Grilashi Empire and the resistance had suffered some losses, but nothing too major. Confidence radiated from the soldiers as their general stepped forward to make an offer.

There is nothing more you can do to drive us away from your home. We will offer the gnomes among you a place among our ranks, as you are our kin. Those elves, however... you will have to go away or die by my blade.

— Grilashi General

Into The Veil

Kali Genro stepped up. As she did, a large group of elves and gnomes of The Keepers Order showed themselves. The curtain of clouds swept away and the moon shone bright over the swamp. The group of elves and gnomes, including Kali, surrendered. With their hands in the air they got on their knees.
The Grilashi soldiers rejoiced. They had won! Soldiers cheered and hugged one another. The general simply smirked and appointed a few soldiers to take those who surrendered. As they approached the group, Kali asked the soldiers if they were allowed to do one final prayer to the swamp before they leave their home. Seeing no harm in a prayer, the general ordered the soldiers to stand by and let them.
While everyone paid attention to the swamp people, the fog began to creep up around them. Glinstering in the moonlight, it thickens and closes in on the group. In the distance, behind the praying elves and gnomes, the first panthoms appear. The soldiers quickly quiet down as they notice these ghostlike figures coming towards them. Confused, they look around until one soldier spots himself among the shades passing by. A shriek comes from another soldier who also saw himself as a near translucent person walking at him. One by one, the Grilashi gnomes scream in fear.
The soldiers turned around and ran away, but it was all for naught. There was only one path left to follow, as no one dared going through the thick fog. With the generals in tow, the army ran as fast as they could following the path that had been layed out for them. The majority of them ran straight into the veil, never to return home again.

Into the Veil by Raluca Enea