Part 3

I intend this to be a two part entry, I'm up to mission six in the campaign now, and have screenshots for 3, 4, and 5, so I'll place update 4 shortly after this one.

Well students, we have a lot of ground to cover today. Let us delve right into the third battle, the battle for the island of Waterdream Warm

WaterDream Warm

A region of pointless frolicking and endless pleasure. No one here understands the true meaning of suffering and RANDOM SHOCKING VIOLENCE METED OUT ARBITRARILY.





This was not a rich land, as can be seen by the overview layn before you, but it was not entirely worthless, the layout of the cavern was enough to give suspect to pre-existing structures. As quickly proved the case when we set to exploring, meanwhile, we would have to be frugal.



Our spying had revealed a curious 'entrance' in the midst of some impenetrable rock, and so we expanded north for the gold, and west to explore. And to our benefit, we discovered a pre-existing training room, held by two curious inhabitants.





Skeletons are both strong and weak creatures. They are strong in attack, yet weak in defense, being skeletons, they are brittle, and easily destroyed, but they are devoid of emotion, they have no desire to eat food, and will train relentlessly. Indeed, their only joy seems to be from combat, with which they seem to take to with reckless abandon.



Their lairs are constructed from their fellows who where not lucky to be brought back to life. Unique amongst your creatures, the skeletons cannot be recruited from portals, their only method of entry into your world, is with the death of creatures in a prison.



With two out of three gold veins tapped, we quickly moved to secure the third by building a fortification around it, this provided us ample time to begin our recruitment proper, and to ensure that the heroes of this land where unable to tap its resources.

Pleased by our cunning, and pleased by our speed, the dark gods gifted us again, this time with the ability to construct a Library, through which we could recruit warlocks to research spells and buildings for us.





No sooner than our library had been constructed, than a warlock stepped through, young, eager, and devoted to their research..



Warlocks are frail creatures, whos only love in this dark unlife is the pursuit of knowledge. Once they where Wizards, of the human sort, but their love of the arcane eventually drew their eyes to forbidden research, and when the Wizards of the human world discovered their brethren engaged in research of the darkest sort, it caused a catastrophic battle, and the then Wizard's guild, which itself had been powerful enough to stand against any keeper, crumpled. These days there are very few Wizards left, and the enmity between the two types of caster is palpable, even when both are within your domain, fighting against your enemies, they will often turn against each other.



Warlocks conjure their lairs from the darkest depths of the Stygian pits, what looks like a harmless mushroom, is in fact a deadly mushroom, whos spores will kill any fool enough to sleep upon it, save its master.

Not pictured is the fruits of our warlock minions research, quickly researched was the 'Speed Creature' spell, for a variable price of gold, dependent on the length of the spell, a creature would gain the haste ability, which would cause it to perform all of its tasks at a much faster rate of speed. But now, with nothing else to do, our warlocks where fast looking to make the exit from our dungeon. We instead, set them to train.



Shortly after creature payday, intruders made their way into our base.



Those poor gnomes didn't stand a chance, yet they where only the scouting party for a slightly larger party behind it.





Using the ranged power of our Warlock companions, we placed them in between the squire, and the Dwarf. Neither even had a chance to recoil before they dropped. But they did not come alone...



You see before you the Archer. Whilst weak in melee combat, he is adept at destroying foes from range, indeed, the denizens of the underdark have no counter to his ranged assault, other than to close the distance and fight him one on one, for at range, a minion is naught but target practice to his trained arrows.



It appears as though the humans of this land have constructed a small fortress. Nothing too impressive though, and quickly defouled.





A curious symbol marred the fortress, possibly a sign of their higher realmed god, indeed at the head of the symbol stood a glimmering light.



Through many encounters with this type of light, we have ascertained that it is a conduit to the higher planes, much akin to the portals that we posesss. It is uncapturable, and unclosable however, and instead of Minions, it brings forth heroes.

It appears that whatever deity that watched the desecration of its temple was not impressed, as it sent forth the lord of the land, and a strong party of adventurers, who where quickly divided, as their lords lack of training meant that he was not able to keep his companions together, where they stood the better chance.







And so the land of Waterdream Warm was renamed Withersdread in honour of the victory won this day.

Withersdread

This place now has a proper name because of what you did here, there is a healthy disrespect for life, and you'll be amused to hear that cannibalism has gained a strong foothold amongst the ragged inhabitants.



We shall take a short break for now, children, for you to absorb the lessons here.