Each day, long range scouting parties returned to the Fell Bastion of Ebon Scar with further news of the lands beyond the mountain rim of the Vale of Embers. Slipping through the crack between the realm of the mighty Ogryns and the hellish Valley of the Skulls, they had spied another realm; this one ruled by humans: the triumphant Knights of Tempest Falls in the queendom of Tempestria.
Felix Wulf, knightly captain within Ebon Scar, received the news calmly, but did not send out envoys to broker alliance. Nor, however, did he seem to plan immediately for war. The Ogryns, Daemons and fey folk of the Bloodroot Forest were enemies enough for now and closer to hand; but he barked orders anew.
From the wreckage of their arrival on this world, some of his knights yet worked on the esoteric mechanical steeds they had brought with them: miraculous beasts without heads that roared still in rage when coaxed to action. But many of these beasts it seemed, had died in the great meteor's impact and Wulf ordered their riders to go now; to seek out new mounts from the terrible lizards of the Vale of Embers, such that, when the time came, they could meet these knights of Tempestria on their own terms.
The riders caught and captured smaller reptilian beasts, that elsewhere in the world were known as Cold Ones. These were sleek and vicious killers, every one, and the magical artifacts pressed into their skulls by the sorcerers of the Men of Stone did little to quell their aggression; though much to enhance their frenzy.
Taking up great shields and halberds and helmed in great plumed helmets, these Raptor Riders rode forth, quickly mastering these terrible beasts and becoming cavalry unsurpassed either near or far.
Their mechanical steeds were faster; but they had no jaws and no claws with which to rake flesh, and in these qualities, the raptors excelled.
The days were coming closer and closer now to war, as preparations reached fruition. Little remained now to be done before the outer world would learn of the terrible wrath of the Sky Gods.
Of the Knights of Ebon Scar.
Of the Men of Stone.
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