Tides of Darkness

The Tides of Darkness refers to the one of the most recent acts of large-scale military conquest in the history of Dragon Court. Having sailed from the east, crossing the Great Sea, the Army of Shangala hoped to conquer the mainland in an effort to colonize and control the world. In striking down the protectors of Titan, and then Titan itself, the remainder of Dragon Court would be forced to submit to Shangala's rule.

Their aims were ultimately expansionist in nature, but also an attempt to fulfill the dream of uniting all of the world's territories under the rule of the military leader of Shangala, the Shōgun.

The Order of the Shining Star was hard pressed to retaliate. Suffering heavy losses and casualties it looked as if this heroic band of warriors would not be able to hold on their own, for the first time in history. Relief and aid from Titan was a turning point in the war.

Combined, the two factions pushed back the Armies of Shangala, and ensured their control of the mainland.

Background

Upon his rise to Royal Emperor of Shangala, the Lord Toronaga set out to become the military ruler of all of Dragon Court, uniting both the eastern isles, and the mainland under his hand, as Shōgun.

In the early spring of 465 QY, he launched the beginnings of the campaign that would be known as the Tides of Darkness. His reasons - to bring pride to the nation, while securing land and resources for an expansionist Shangala

The Invasion

The armies first landed in the Northern Territories, destroying the harbor’s northern defense tower, and capturing Great Griffon Isle and Family Castle. From the south, land troops managed to capture and fortify the southern defense tower. Unable to capture Proudwater Naval Base by land, the Imperial Army of Shangala was forced to hold them under a blockade. Titan’s naval forces were greatly reduced, but managed to deal the Imperial Fleet enough damage to hold them back, for a brief while.

Having seen visions of the looming events, Azrael Nightstar stationed himself at Azure Mountain, preparing for a skirmish that would soon arrive at his doorstep. The necessity of haste forced him to pass command of the Order of the Shining Star to Tordek Nightbringer. From Azure Mountain he notified both Tordek, as well as Curulan Angelicos of the events that were transpiring.

An attack was made upon Azure Mountain, but the Shōgun’s army was routed. The arcane powers that dwell within the mountain were no match for Toronoga or his armies. Forced to move southward, the armies turned south – only slightly hindered. Meanwhile, Azrael had too few men and supplies to press another attack.

Moving quickly down the coast, the Imperial Army had split. Neither Azrael nor Tordek knew this however. Tordek issued a prompt command for the majority of the Order’s forces to ride to Châteaux Lexingrad, and there, make their first stand. As this was the northern most military installment, it seemed the next place that the Imperial Army would strike. Ekehart, Titan’s Colonel of Military Strategy, had suggested such, while he would remain at Nightstar Keep to oversee logistics and communications. He anticipated that it was in the nature of the Shangalese to weaken their enemy before attacking their major objective. He had expected that Lexingrad was their first target to demonstrate their power. If they proved successful, they would then most likely move in on Lighthaven before dealing the crushing blow by taking Nightstar Keep. This move would also bring them close to Titan’s heartland.

The Order’s forces were sent promptly to Lexingrad, and Lighthaven. The call to arms was made, leaving Dune in temporary command of Lighthaven Keep, and Sargeant Major Provost as temporary overseer of Nightstar Keep.

The Order’s Defeat at Lexingrad

Garrisoning a fourth of the Shangalese Army around Nightstar Keep, the rest pushed south on towards Lexingrad. When the Imperial Army struck, they were more ferocious and battle ready than any had expected. They had travelled hundreds of miles, but had no signs of weariness or fatigue. They moved massive amounts of supplies, and small siege engines with them. The sight of them marching in unison, their colours and banners displayed in such regal was something astonishing at first to many. Pouring over the hills, their ranks extended as far as they eye could see.

The main body consisted of gunners, followed by lines of blind men and some women who followed massive panda bears. These were the mages of Shangala, providing both healing and support to the gunners in front as well as a host of heavy offensive capacities. Trolls captured and enslaved from the nearby Misty Mountains wheeled in massive trebuchets and siege engines. The Shōgun’s prized Daimyo, Hiro Otah, personally watched over these attacks.

While preparations and fortifications were established, the Order was unable to hold either the châteaux or the town. Hundreds of thousands of men descended upon the isolated village and small fortress.

Siege engines, augmented by the arcane power of the mages quickly broke down the walls of the châteaux while gunners provided heavy firepower against the settlement. Tordek sent word to Curulan formally requesting his aide and reinforcements from Titan, explaining the direness of the situation.

For three days the position was under siege, and on the morning of the third day, the Order’s cavalry met them with a valiant and brave charge, but were decimated within a few hours. The same morning however, Tordek had issued a secret order to Frenzie, the Order’s Guardian of the Forest. He was to seek out the metallic dragons who had allied with Titan, decades before. He was to gain their aide in this time of desperation. Unable to hold their ground, Tordek gave the order to retreat.

Shangala managed to establish an axis of control through the western NOD. Turning now north, they pushed to Nightstar. At the behest of Toronoga though, Otah, sent several battalions to garrison themselves ten miles north of Titan Palace. Coordinated by a number of Shangala’s elite samurai, they managed to destroy the northern barracks and route the Salamander Guard. The attack made the Titan Palace a likely target next, but the Imperial Army marched north, now set on conquering Nightstar Keep, a move that would decapitate the Order of the Shining Star.

The Stand at Nightstar

While having suffered a large defeat, the Order was not out of hope. Ebon-Ashe and Aman had infiltrated into the Shōgun’s ranks. Risking their lives, they established a communications line, giving intelligence to the Order. Tordek learned that the next strike would be at Nightstar. Upon reaching Nightstar, Tordek sent word to Curulan, yet again, requesting Titan’s aid. Previously this had never been necessary, but it was clear that the Order could not hold against such a powerful foe in such great numbers.

Otah planned to take Nightstar without fail, demonstrating his personal aptitude to Lord Toronaga, as well as the might of the Imperial Army of Shangala to all of Dragon Court.

Ebon-Ashe had provided the majority of intelligence on the attack, and also had poisoned Tordek, having crept into his chambers, the eve of the attack. This was to ensure the Order’s defeat. Otah believed that once Nightstar Keep had fallen, the legendary Order would be defeated, and Titan, the mightiest force in Dragon Court would see that it had no hope of defeating Shangala.

Intelligence had failed to warn the Order of the capturing of Naztugul, the Arch Destroyer. The greater black dragon had been captured by a large number of the Kohai Iron Fists. They were an elite division of monks, excelling in unarmed and mental combat. Enslaving the dragon’s mind, they were able to reduce the Arch Destroyer to a submissive state. The dragon would now obey any of his dominator’s whims. With Naztugul’s help, and the sheer number of the Imperial Army, a crushing blow was dealt to the Order’s knights in the field.

After days of intense battle and slaughter, the Order’s numbers began to dwell. News had reached Nightstar that Lighthaven Keep was now under siege by bombardment by the Imperial Fleet. The coastal fortress was well armed, and was holding well against the reduced fleet, but without aide though, their defeat looked certain. The Order’s naval facilities there had already been reduced to rubble.

By mid-day on the fifth day of battle, the Keep’s outer walls had been breached. In defending the outer walls, Tordek had fallen to injury, clinging to life. The first to enter past the outer defenses was a battle hardened master, an eternal warrior known as Yoshi Tokuma. Champion of Shangala, he commanded the samurai upon the field. Alone, he cleared a path for troops to enter, taking on numerous foes at once, slaughtering them with ease.

The Arrival of Curulan Angelicos and the Unified Armies of Titan

When Otah’s victory looked nearly complete, General Curulan Angelicos arrived with heavy numbers. It is not known whether Otah had expected this, or if he was indifferent to the fact. It is certain though that Curulan’s arrival was a turning point for the Order and also Titan.

While the siege pressed on, Titan’s cavalry met their foe on the field, followed by the infantry.

Tokuma meanwhile took to the skies upon Natzugul. The dragon continued the siege upon the keep, blasting down upon both the fortress and then swooped down over Titan’s soldiers. Curulan met Shangala’s champion in the sky, turning into his greater form as a dragon, and met the Arch Destroyer and his rider blow for blow while the land forces continued their combat.

By night’s fall, Titan and the Order had managed to defend Nightstar Keep. While many lives had been lost, the heart of the Order of the Shining Star still beat. From Cartes and the surrounding area, reinforcements were being mustered, as Curulan was forced to depart without the Army’s full strength.

The Final Stand

Having pushed the Imperial Army back, the threat was not yet over. Otah, shamed by defeat was forced now to either succeed, or surrender his life. Moving towards Lighthaven, he hoped his army could secure their claim on the region while the fleet still bombarded the fortress. It was only a matter of time before the city would fall.

Azrael was now able to commanded the Brotherhood of Mages. Having himself been forced into battle with a powerful demon Ug’tlec deep in the heart of Azure Mountain, he fought for several weeks, and thus was unable to muster his forces. Casting down lightning and stormhammers from the sky, the Brotherhood took down the blockade around Proudwater, allowing the remainder of Titan’s navy to open fire and escape the harbor.

Sailing swiftly down the coast, the ships met with the remainder of the Imperial Fleet. A fierce naval battle ensued in the harbor. On the coasts of the Great Sea, a day’s ride from Lighthaven the Imperial Army made its last stand. Pushing from the north came Curulan and a now recovered Tordek. From the south came the Brotherhood of Mages and the remainder of the Curulan’s forces. From Lighthaven and the eastern NOD came the remainder of the Order’s knights.

The Imperial Army of Shangala was now surrounded on all sides. Frenzie had not failed in his mission. Dealing death from the sky, he rode atop a gold dragon, with three others of copper, silver, and steel close behind. Upon his arm, he bore the Shield of <something> the symbol of the great alliance between Titan and the legendary dragons. Natzugul could not survive long against this united power.

The Arch Destroyer’s lifeless corpse crashed to the ground. Realizing the battle was over; Otah laid down his sword amidst the battle. His legion of samurai warriors followed him. Surrounded by chaos, they gathered in a block facing him, and in unison committed seppuku, the ritual suicide of the defeated warrior.

Unwilling to give their lives without a fight, the Army’s main body continued in a rash and brutal effort to fight, despite having seen their commander’s death. The fight was over, though grim at times, Titan and the Order of the Shining Star had defended the mainland against their foreign invader.

After the Tides of Darkness

The creation of the Brotherhood of Rangers, an elite division of the Unified Army of Titan was inspired by the actions of Frenzie, and Ebon-Ashe. Trained to be rugged fighters capable of special and unarmed combat, infiltration, espionage, and use of covert tactics, they are a close knit group of battle hardened warriors from all classes.

Ekehart’s insight and tremendous understanding of the enemy’s strategy and ethos, gave birth to the Tactics and Strategies Corps. Designed to provide intelligence and insight in future battles that would prove as decisive in nature as seen in the defense of Lexingrad and Nightstar Keep, the division’s creation was spearheaded by Ekehart.