Fort Grimfang, a formidable stone structure perched on the precipice of the Blackwood Pass, served as a crucial bulwark against incursions from the blighted lands of Morrathiel. Its garrison comprised a sturdy mix of Vaelorin sentinels, Ulvaren berserkers, and Draventhall siege engineers, all under the command of the seasoned Vaelen commander, Lord Valerius (a different Valerius than the Bloodfang lord). They had held the pass for generations, a silent vigil against the shadows, but the relentless tide of the Skarnwraiths presented a challenge unlike any they had faced before.
The siege began not with a thunderous assault, but with an unnerving silence. A thick, black mist, far denser and more oppressive than any they had encountered, rolled in from the south, swallowing the landscape and muffling all sound. Then, from the swirling darkness, they emerged – hundreds of Skarnwraiths, their skeletal forms gliding with an eerie fluidity, their pinpricks of malevolent green light like a legion of death-stars in the gloom.
Lord Valerius, a veteran of countless border skirmishes, barked orders, his voice ringing across the battlements. "Archers, prepare fire arrows! Draventhall engineers, prime the rockfall mechanisms! Ulv, stand ready to meet them at the gate!"
The Vaelorin archers loosed volleys of flaming arrows into the mist. The fire illuminated the advancing Skarnwraiths, their bone structures stark against the flickering light, but the flames seemed to lick harmlessly around their mist-wreathed forms, offering no lasting damage. The Draventhall engineers triggered the rockfall mechanisms, sending tons of jagged stone crashing down the narrow pass. The impact shattered dozens of Skarnwraiths, scattering bone fragments, but within moments, the black mist swirled and reformed, knitting the skeletal remains back together with horrifying speed.
The main assault focused on the fortress gates – massive iron-bound timbers reinforced with silver. The Skarnwraiths, with their unnatural strength, clawed and pounded at the gates, the mournful wails of their legion echoing through the fortress walls, a chilling testament to their relentless nature. Ulvaren berserkers, their battle fury unleashed, charged the gate, their axes and spears hacking at the skeletal attackers. Bone splintered and cracked, but the Skarnwraiths pressed on, their life-draining touch felling even the most hardened Ulv warriors.
Captain Brek Ironjaw, having arrived with a contingent of Draventhall warriors and several prototypes of their "bone-breaker" devices, directed their deployment from the ramparts. The bulky weapons roared to life, discharging concussive blasts of blessed iron shrapnel and alchemical compounds. The impact tore through the Skarnwraiths, scattering their bone fragments more effectively than brute force alone, and the alchemical mixture seemed to briefly disrupt the black mist, causing the creatures to shriek with an unnatural agony. However, the devices were slow to reload and had a limited range, and the sheer number of attackers was overwhelming.
Queen Lyra and her Tir Vareth healers moved through the besieged fortress, tending to the wounded, their moonpetal poultices offering some respite from the Skarnwraiths' life-draining touch, but unable to fully counteract its effects. The air grew heavy with the scent of blood, burnt wood, and the cloying sweetness of the blighted mist.
The siege raged for hours, an unrelenting assault against the desperate defenders. The Skarnwraiths showed no fear, no fatigue, their numbers seemingly endless. They clawed their way over the fallen, their skeletal forms piling against the fortress walls. The defenders fought with grim determination, their initial shock replaced by a desperate resolve to hold the line.
Lord Valerius, his silver sword stained black with the ichor of shattered Skarnwraiths, rallied his remaining forces. "They are relentless, but so are we! We will not yield this pass! For Vaelorin! For the Concord!"
But even his inspiring words could not fully mask the grim reality. The Skarnwraiths were breaching the outer defenses, their skeletal forms pouring through the shattered gates and scaling the walls. The close-quarters fighting became brutal, a desperate struggle for survival against an enemy that seemed to defy death itself.
Captain Brek's "bone-breakers" roared again and again, creating temporary breaches in the Skarnwraith ranks, but the gaps were quickly filled. Ulvaren berserkers fought with savage fury, tearing apart the skeletal creatures with their bare hands when their weapons were lost, but their life force was slowly being drained. Vaelorin sentinels fought with disciplined precision, their silvered swords finding purchase in the gaps between bone, but each fallen comrade added to the growing despair.
As the first rays of the blighted dawn touched the besieged fortress, the situation grew critical. The inner courtyard was swarming with Skarnwraiths, their mournful wails echoing their relentless advance. Lord Valerius, Captain Brek, and Queen Lyra fought side-by-side, a desperate trio holding the last line of defense.
The siege of Fort Grimfang was a brutal testament to the Skarnwraiths' terrifying nature. They were an enemy that did not tire, did not fear, and seemed capable of endless regeneration. The combined forces of the Concord fought with courage and ingenuity, but the sheer relentlessness of the undead horde threatened to overwhelm them. The battle for the Blackwood Pass was far from over, but the cost of holding the line against this unholy tide was proving to be devastatingly high, a stark reminder of the immense challenge the Concord now faced. The relentless siege underscored the urgent need for a more effective way to combat these terrifying creatures of bone and mist.