(TFT) (repost)Drannish History - the tomb of Moldy Ben.

[jds <strytelr@home.com>]

This story line is original. It is set in the Southern Elyntia. All names 
listed in this story that come from the map in 'IN THE LABYRINTH' are the 
property of Metagaming. All other names and story line is my own property 
and creation and bear no resemblance to anything in my recollection.
The tomb of Moldyben (c) 2000 Joel Siragher jodasi@hotmail.com all rights 
reserved. Please email me for permission to repost.
The story is set at the time of the human colonization of Southern Elyntia.

When the east was still young, a few crafty men found their way to the top 
of the heap. It was a time when great leaders drew borders and other 
leaders drew steel. Benjin Mouldeau was such a man. He was a wealthy patron 
and logger in the duchy of Dran.
He was commissioned by Duke Lefluer of Dran to deforest and build the 
villages of Bendwyn, fort Bendwyn, Enkarr, Horst, Fettle, Dill and Fort 
Bright River at Ater,. Lumber was a big business. HE also sold it to the 
duchy of Kel and Bolors and some over seas. Port Podliforki and the city of 
Tro were built as trade cities for Dran. The beautiful and mysterious 
Huldre forest went from the parallel formed by the southern tip of the 
Gargoyle Mountains and lake Akars to the southern tip of the Tanander.
It was about the time that Dill was built that the orcs, dark elves, 
goblins and some of the less known and lesser savory races of the Huldre 
met and decided to stop the logging. Toward the end of the meeting The 
Epilord of the Huldre, (some say part dragon/part giant,) and guaranteed 
his aid in case they decided on War. And so it was. The races formed 
decided to put aside their minor differences and form themselves into an 
alliance called The Blackfist Empire. The druid priests of Huldre offered 
their services aimed at capturing the Duke of Dran's palatial hunting house 
in the Huldre. The orcs aided the priests in capturing the house, and made 
it the capital of Huldre. Later at the end of the second war it was dubbed 
LandMaster hall, (another longer story).
During the first year Dran lost the villages of Dill, Bendwyn, Fort Bendwyn 
and Horst to the orcish host. Podliforki was taken by the goblins as was 
Enkarr and fettle. The dark elves fought hard to keep the Bright River 
cluttered with Drannish shipwrecks. These were barges and short oared ships 
that foolishly ordered to patrol the Bright River. All that remained of 
Dran were towns and villages north of Fettle. Having secured their borders 
The Blackfist Empire sent a halfling envoy to Dranning to deliver a 
declaration of peace. Dran turned them down.
About a year into the war the dwarves of the Gargoyle Mountains entered the 
fray. They took back Bendwyn. The orcs didn't offer much resistance and 
merely fell back to the fort at Bendwyn and Dill, digging in for the long 
haul. The partners of the newly formed Dwarven/Drannish alliance decided to 
accept the peace agreement. Winter set in and parties took a few months to 
secure things and assess their casualties.
Came spring Moldeau sunk some of his fortune into courting the other 
provinces. It was his goal to see the Bright River free of the Blackfist 
raiding parties. He successfully petitioned the duke of Kell and the Dike 
of Deseret into lending skilled artisans to build new warships. Shipyards 
were built in Canigli, Tro, Kel, and Bordre. Smiterins, Duke and Warlord of 
Bolors, himself of orcish lineage took exception to this aggressive new 
position and laid siege on Canigli. Leanderleh, Princess of Elfwood sent 
some of her elite elven archers to defend the city. They did so 
successfully until Smiterins had an received undead reinforcements by the 
Epilord's Necromancers. They raised the army at the Ruins on the Upper 
Trassy. The humans and elves quickly vacated back to Fork and Osley. At a 
meeting at Revoreesh the Fairy Lords, Pixies, and the Gargoyles signed on 
with the elves to defend the Fork and Osley. They called themselves the 
Elvish League.
Having a foot hold on the northeast, Smiterins allied with the Blackfist on 
Tro. Smiterins attacked from the north and the Blackfist army from the 
south. Tro miraculously held them off. This commenced the second full war 
with The Blackfist Empire. But this time the Blackfist's had to deal with 
the humans of Kel, Dran, Deseret, the dwarves army, and the Elvish league.
The second war was bloodier than the first. Dran recaptured Bendwyn and ran 
plague barges down from Bendwyn to Podliforki. Moldeaus home was sabotaged 
with plague rats at this point and he and his family died. Battles 
continually raged along the northern edge of the Huldre, and from 
podliforki up to the shore to the upper Trassy.
Close to the end of the Second War a company of wraiths and a large 
battalion of orcs fought their way up the king Atar river and devasted 
enkarr and Trews and met the dwarvish army at the Battle of Littlehill. It 
was glorious.
Finally the host of the Tanander revealed himself. He was called the 
Burning King of Tanander. He and his host of 5 thousand horrors emerged 
from the Huldre and marched on the southern plains of Dran. They were met 
by the Drannish army, the kelish army and for some unknown reason The duke 
of Bolors stopped his seige on Tro and turned his forces to aid Dran 
against the Burning King Himself!
The battle raged for 3 long fall months, night and day until the Drannish 
fields where cleansed of the horrors that Tanader sired. Those that did not 
die were chased back into the southern depths of the Tanander. It was the 
end of the Blackfist empire and time to rebuild.
Landmaster hall is the tomb of Moldeau family. He and his family were laid 
to rest there by the mysterious Druids of Huldre. Dran permanently 
suspended logging in the Huldre, and in return, the plague rats 
disappeared. Bolors won a peace treaty with the other duchys, and a 
long-standing alliance was enjoyed by all untill...
Next time. :)

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