Liberation of Borovia
Originally published in the Seagate Times Issue 126 - Autumn 825.
A last alliance of elves and men… and women, and dwarves, some halflings, a few Guild beasts, and a resurrected dragon…
In early summer a combined force of elves from Alfheim, dwarves of the Superstition Mountains and Axe Alliance, troops of House Taijin and Yokosama from Kinlu, Borovian Exile soldiers, along with a guild party and some other forces wrested control of Borovia from the remaining drow invaders.
Speaking to the Times on behalf of the Borovian Exiles, Lady Alexandra Anestasiovna, daughter of the countess, thanked the many allies who aided and supported the exiles over the last decade and more since the drow invasion of 813.
- “We are so very grateful to all those who aided in our escape during the invasion, who resettled us and helped feed and shelter our people, who trained us and supplied us with arms, and who fought alongside us to reclaim our homeland.
- “Our thanks go to the leaders and people of the Superstition Mountain dwarves who have been our neighbours and staunchest supporters since the exile, and to the Courts of Alfheim and Kinlu who have been so generous of their resources and military aid.
- “I would also extend a special thanks to the Seagate Guild of Adventurers whose many actions during the drow war and after weakened that dread people’s hold on my home and provided this solid foundation from which we were able to launch our final act of liberation.
Lady Alexandra explained to the Times that Alliance information had indicated the drow having significant supply issues to the Elven Isles, which in conjunction with the failure in autumn 821 of the drow to achieve their ritual ambitions in Borovia, thanks to the actions of an heroic Guild party, had led to an ongoing drawdown of military forces, with many of the high-ranking drow identified by previous parties having already departed the mainland, leaving it in the hands of a much reduced military force.
The drow supply problems appear to have begun with the release of Lord Azzur from drow mind bondage in winter 818, and his subsequent Black Fleet blockade of supply to the Isles from Western Alusia, with the situation becoming increasingly dire in the winter of 821 when the ancient elven portal between the Isles and Terranova began to experience delays in its operation, its once reliable 24-hour cycle getting ever longer.
Map Key
- (Bow) Elven Forces
- (Flower) Kinlu forces
- (Dragon) Elektros and spectral knights
- (Hammer) Dwarven forces
- (SAG) Guild party accompanying dwarves
- (Ship) Borovian Navy carrying Exile troops
The surprise attack on the morning of Duesday 8 Meadow 825 involved Alfheim forces coming through the old north-west pass and in Beltan flying ships to engage the Dozar City Regional Guard regiment in Vallaki, while a combined dwarven and Kinlu force used portals to muster at the ruined keep of the recently revived Knights of the Silver Dragon. From there Kinlu forces headed south to engage the Caleen Walkers mercenary regiment, while the dwarves made use of the drow’s inclement weather effects to form an ice road along the Mondfluss to Borovia Town where they were joined by Borovian forces arriving through the East Gate.
An unexpected addition to the Alliance forces was the restored dragon Elektros and the shades of former Knights of the Silver Dragon who fell during the reign of the vampire in years past.
As Captain Ulf Firebeard of the Superstition Mountain put it:
“A ruddy great dragon and a host of spectral knights, all glowing like the forge, flew off to the castle with trees bursting out around them like it was spring as they went. You don't see that every day”.
After a fierce but short battle in the ruins of Borovia town against the well-trained and equipped Golden Desert Wolves regiment, an action that saw the Guild party eliminate a stubborn command post helping the dwarves turn the left flank, the drow forces there were routed.
Most of the regiment escaped through the portal that had for the last decade led to the Elven Isles, but which due to actions of the party was no longer under drow control. The whereabouts of the retreating drow are not known at this time.
The senior command staff of the Golden Desert Wolves who were resident at Ravenloft castle are understood to have escaped through a portal belonging to Count Kree and are thought to now be loose on one to the “Earths” with which the Guild is familiar.
With the town secure specialized dwarven units entered the toxic desolation of the drow’s open-cast mine, eliminating the reduced garrison overseeing the slave labour force and freeing several hundred captives. A bloody skirmish against a handful of fire giants, involved in dismantling esoteric forge equipment, led to the heaviest dwarven casualties of the day.
Reports from the other actions around the county saw success with few Alliance losses, and human remnants of the drow regiments were taken into custody. As the drow weather control faded and the blizzard ended, the Borovian Exiles were able to survey what little remained of their home.
Lady Alexandra commented:
- “These creatures have caused untold damage and suffering, and while they are now gone their callous legacy of pain and destruction will take much longer to erase. But we have friends and allies, the sun is shining, and we can rebuild. This is not the end, but a new beginning”.
