A Resurgence of Power

Tim (Vampire Counts) vs Gill (Tempestrians)

The Vampire flank of the Undead Nation was in turmoil. Fortress Malefic was lost to them in the south and the Tempestrians continued to exert pressure from the north. Unless a series of critical reversals could take place then all was lost to them. The Barrow Kings were establishing a powerful foothold in the west but if the Vampires quite literally crumbled then it would not be long before their position collapsed as well.

With the breakthrough at Still Water, the undead were marching as fast as their withered limbs could carry them toward their former home to wrest control of it back. In the centre of the map, Nagash himself was preparing to assault Spikehole, the Skaven capital. The third arena of conflict was equally vital. The Knights of Tempest Falls were pushing south. They had to be pushed back. Now!

Battlelines drew up but Rebecca, the cold-hearted vampire countess leading the undead, smiled a fang-tooth smile. There was no Methuselah atop his hippogriff here. There was no Rachel d’Astatic conjuring magical power beyond measuring. The force of knights and archers was led only by two Chosen of the Lady: a Damsel and a Prophetess. She gave a steely nod to her two lieutenants, a pair of beguiling women, both beautiful and exceptionally powerful in the ways of sorcery.

The knights sounded the charge but before they could close, all three vampire women conjured the power of the dark art. Rebecca fixed her gaze on the Tempestrian Prophetess across the field, muttering Khemrian syllables taught to her by her lord and master, Nagash. The Prophetess whimpered quietly and fell from her horse, a barren hollow husk. Tahlia and Lahmia combined their power, pointing to the ground before the oncoming knights and over forty zombies sprung up to greet them. Then Rebecca summoned her power once more, tinkling her fingers at her thigh, her eyes gently closed, smiling again and throughout the Tempestrian battle line, in fully half of their units, men fell inexplicably as a frightening wind passed through them. Rebecca raised her closed fist, drawing the spirits of the screaming dead into it then pointed. On that spot the spirits of the Tempestrians manifested under her domination and glided menacingly toward their own ranks.

Against such a powerful opening attack the Tempestrians faltered momentarily, but their resolve was like the steel of their lance tips. They rode on, charging into the undead. The flanking Questing Knights smashed the newly-created zombies far faster than they had been resurrected, weakening that end of the undead line but a trap had been set for the Knights of the Realm approaching the centre of the line and the trap closed upon them as man and horse were dragged to the ground.

Sarah, the Damsel of the Lady, threw forth mystical spears impaling her undying spirit comrades, hoping to prevent them locking her own people in needless battle but it wasn’t enough. They needed something more and she let go her tension, lolling her head back. In the midst of battle she allowed herself to stand completely defenceless as she called upon her blessed protector for help.

The call was answered.

The Golden Knight materialised in the woods near to the vampire Rebecca’s skeleton bodyguard, his mighty charger rearing, preparing to charge. Rebecca had been manoeuvring to support her troops but she saw the Golden Knight and realised she had only one recourse. She cried for her skeletons to run with her and she charged at him before he could set his horse to gallop.

This was the critical moment on which the entire battle pivoted. If Rebecca fell, her army would fall with her. The Golden Knight called out a challenge but Rachel sneered. Her skeleton champion declined the challenge on her behalf, allowing his compatriots to continue charging past him. This left Rebecca and all the skeletons free to do their worst. And do it they did.

Rebecca was second only to Nagash in her ability to wield dark magic, but she was still a vampire countess, more powerful than any human, more powerful even than this ethereal knight. And she bore the Sylvanian Runefang, the sword lost to the von Drak family for dozens of generations. She plunged the Dwarf-forged blade deep into the Golden Knights chest and the press and thrust of her skeletons did the rest. The Golden Knight could not maintain his form. He was banished.

And all across the battlefield the knights were in disarray. As the winds of undeath that Rebecca conjured tore through them once again they realised the battle was lost and they withdrew.

The field was held by the Vampire Counts. The first stage in their diabolical plan to reassert their power in the east was complete. The Tempestrians had been rebuffed. The Undead Nation would soon once more be on the ascendency.