The Last Stand of Ember Shoals

From atop the ruined keep of Heron Hall, the Faedwyr lord looked out upon the plain before the castle. Gathering there, in the rear of his troops was another army. He gazed upon the many varied banners - the Wardens, the Bilgewater Brigade, and even our neighbors from Kage and from the Barony of Crest Haven.

"Where did this army come from?" he wondered.

In his haste to raze Heron Hall, he had left pockets of defenders in his army's wake. One of these was I, Brother Rufus, commander of the Wardens. I had been on patrol, hunting monsters in the forest known as the Hundred Needles, in the north of Ember Shoals. When I received word of the return of the Faedwyr, my patrol immediately rushed back to our home. On the way, we encountered scattered remnants of the populace of Ember Shoals. Warned of the invasion, volunteers arrived from Kage and Crest Haven. We joined forces and marched in unison toward Heron Hall.

Now we stood at the foot of my stronghold. Tears streaked down my face, for we were too late. It was clear that the castle had fallen. Very well, we would inflict vengeance upon our defeated comrades. The charge was sounded and we fell upon the Faedwyr baggage camp and siege train. We hacked down the enemy until blood ran in torrents.

The Faedwyr lord could not overlook our challenge. Instead of setting up a defensive position in the castle, he launched a counterattack upon our position on the plain. The horde rushed upon us, smashing into us and forcing us back. Dark magics lashed out and bedeviled our troops. We retreated to a hilltop, determined to make our stand. We cut down any enemy that tried to rush up the hill, but there were too many. One by one, the defenders were cut down.

I knew we were doomed but I was determined to fight to the bitter end. Then one of my lieutenants grabbed my arm and yelled in my ear. "It's hopeless, commander! We need to retreat!"

"Never!" I cried but he persisted.

"We will never free Ember Shoals if we are all dead. Live to fight another day!"

I saw sense in his words. Reluctantly, I sounded the retreat. The survivors fled into the wilds of Ember Shoals.

Ember Shoals has fallen to the Faedwyr. But we the survivors are determined that it will not be our last stand.