At the same time, General Faladusa had been directed by the sacred God-King to lead a large army deep into Maniria and put an end to the barbarian raids that had been plaguing western Esrolia.
This bold two-prong campaign had been planned and assembled with the blessings of the eternal God-King of Kethaela - Belintar, Lord of the Six Directions. For three centuries the God-King blessed Kethaela with unity, peace, and prosperity. He appointed governors and their deputies, generals and dukes. His wisdom ensured justice and his magical rituals ensured fertility and prosperity.
As had happened 21 times previously, the mortal body of Belintar expired in Fire Season of 1616. The next day select individuals throughout the Holy County discovered or otherwise realized that they were part of the Masters of Luck and Death. They acquired the proper accoutrements, and commenced the rites to prove they were worthy of eternal bliss.
The rites of the Masters of Luck and Death did not produce an immediate winner. This was not a matter of great concern since this often occured with the Masters of Luck of Death - indeed, once the rites took nearly a full year to complete. The claims by some of the early losers that they had been defeated by unknown red-clad intruders caused little worry outside of those who always prophecize doom.
Despite the ongoing Masters of Luck and Death tournament, General Faladusa and Admiral Chizokar were determined to carry out their campaigns that season. Belintar's blessings and divine protection would certainly not be necessary to defeat barbarians like the Wolf Pirates or the Ditali.
Such is the hubris of our time! The army of General Faladusa chased down and punished the Ditali, only to discover too late that her real foe was the Solanthi warriors of the Warlord Greymane. Without the divine protection of Belintar, her army was ambushed as it crossed the Azure River and its blue waters turned red with the blood spilled during the Lion King's Feast. General Faladusa was killed and her noble companions taken hostage. Savage Solanthi warriors pursued and slaughtered our fleeing soldiers. Thousands more were taken as slaves. Nothing would now stop Greymane and his barbaric host from pillaging and plundering Esrolia at will.
Worse was yet to occur! The grand fleet of Admiral Chizokar passed through the Troll Gate and into the Solkathi Sea. Off the Poison Shore, came word that the Wolf Pirates could be seen but then a cold sea storm came out of nowhere. Without the blessings of Belintar, the galleys had great difficulty managing such bad weather. However, Admiral Chizokar dared not beach the fleet - since the jagged cliffs, dangerous surf and isolated beaches would likely destroy much of the fleet.
Such weather was a delight to the Wolf Pirates, whose longships were built for rough seas. The sea was too rough for our galleys to ram the Wolf Pirates, and the deck too unsteady for our archers. However, the seas were not too rough for the Wolf Pirates to row up to our ships and board. Fierce hand-to-hand fighting commenced as the Wolf Pirates climbed aboard our galleys with sword and shield. Our marines fought bravely, but they were too few and the Wolf Pirates too many!
In the center of the battle, Admiral Chizokar lashed his ships side to side, with his own, the the Immortal, in the middle of the line, where her bows projected beyond the others. There he gathered his best fighters, included his fearsome band of Humakti bodyguards.
However, it was no mere man that the Immortal faced, but the all-consuming wrath of the White Bear - Harrek the Beserk - whose destructive rage would bring countless grief upon the nations of the world. As Haradrogarsi Mead-Tongue said:
"Battle raged when the feeder of the wolves, he who brings grief to nations, advanced with claw and fang. Bringer of spear-storms, his enemies sink beneath the White Bear's fangs."
Amidst the storm and the turbulent sea, Harrek leapt aboard the Immortal and there he killed the Admiral's men by the score. Even the blades of the Humakti holy men could not bite the White Bear. The strongest men were cut down twelve at a time by the White Bear's terrible Fang. Harrek cut a deep path through to Admiral Chizokar and, after cutting off the High Sea Lord's head, he ordered that no prisoners would be taken. Out of the entire fleet, only 12 galleys escaped death.
After destroying the Kethaelan Fleet, Harrek led his Wolf Pirates into the Rightarm Island, where they sacked, pillaged, plundered, raped, and murdered the local populace. It was the worst disaster to strike the Islanders since the Closing. So many slaves were taken by the Wolf Pirates that entire villages were emptied.
In one season of campaigning, the Holy Country had lost some 30,000 men - greater than the population of any city other than Great Nochet itself of course. People placed all their hopes and prayers with the Masters of Luck and Death, but the each of the candidates failed after being by red-clad intruders. The few that nearly completed the ritual reported encountering a Living Goddess - beautiful, terrible, garbed in red, with harp and jeweled sword - who blocked every path to Belintar. The Masters of Luck and Death had failed, the Good God was gone and the Grief of Kethaela began.
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