The Ice Wrought Doom

== 2420-2448 The Ice Wrought Doom ==
For the past century, the winters in the northwestern lands had become worse.  Whether by some magic or changes in the world itself, during the winters, the shelves of Icereach were reaching further and further south, reaching around the Aarland Cliffs to the northernmost West Isles, and deep into both of the Dunns.   The people of these climes were used to the harsh winters and what they normally brought, but these years would bring hardship and ultimately war.
=== 2420-2430 The Giant Invasion of the Dunns ===
The Icereach and the plains in the northern Shadows of Kazden are the lands of the giants.  The cold had an effect on the Ice and Night Giants, but it was only to strengthen and awake them.  Agdorg, Lord of the Night Giants, called out and led the Night Giants on to the ice where he mustered Borntor, Lord of the Ice Giants, and his people.  In the winter of 2316, the giants followed the ice south as it penetrated the Dunns and the western seas, providing a bridge for the invasion.
The small towns long the frozen Bolsîo Sea were literally crushed by the onslaught of the giants, having their bone and sinew mashed into stews and snacks for the grave, hate-filled, ever-hungry Night Giants.   Any survivors fled south ahead of the Giants for the walled cities of the Dunns in hope of some level of defense. 
Frostmark, itself, is home to many giant clans that live in peace with the humans, dwarves and drow of the region.  These Frost and Hill giants had brittle relations with the Ice Giants, but had nothing but contempt for the ever-violent and destructive Night Giants.  The push from the Night Giants was descending primarily in the East Dunns, and the Frost Giants there recommended that all should just leave rather than try to salvage any defense against the Night Giants, as the attack appeared to be the entirety of the Night and Ice Giant clans.  So the East Dunns was evacuated, a great exodus of peoples heading into northern Glenhome to the city of Farran.  Many were still lost when the Night Giants broke and leveled Batch Moor and Mainore, but not as many as there could have been.
In the west, however, the Ice Giants would meet with a force in the Dunns between the Macfortach and Baile Moors.  The western Frost and Hill Giants, the Dunn Dwarven clans and troops from Garland and Black Dunn joined and awaited Borntor in unison.  The Battle of the Moors resulted in a draw, but it would save the people of the Dunns from destruction.[1]  After Borntor retreated from battle, he turned west, heading out in the West Dunns and out on the ice shelf towards the West Isles, feeding off of hill giants, dwarves, orcas, or anything they could consume.
=== 2430-2438 Scourge of Glenhome ===
The Night Giants continued to raze and destroy as they headed south, their black fires sapping the lands of all life in their mien.  At Farran, the combined forces of the East Dunns and Farran were joined by forces from Caer Ddaden, as the Night Giants were truly an existential threat to the people of the area, no less of a danger than any Ûr Lord of centuries past.
Agdorg was not a fool and was more interested in expanding his destruction than meeting it.  While the ice and dark expanded south with his horde, he would set upon the world to consume it.  The Night Giants ignored Farran and headed south through the Ceoltoireacht Hills to Glen Ár, assaulting it with the bulk of his force before any relief could come from Cellen Wood or Farran.  The trees of the moor and city were turned to black ash, and the souls of the defenders lost to the evil giant army.
Agdorg did not stay long at Glen Ár, heading his army directly southwest towards Calandoriel through the dale and into the Milis Wood.   The rest of Glenhome was struck by the destruction of Glen Ár, and quickly moved to defend the great city of Calandoriel.  Elves of all types, ents, and other peoples of Glenhome would await the Night Giants along the edge of the Misniuil Hills north of the great city.
The Battle of Calandoriel Field was devastating to both sides.  The Night Giants created Shadow Trees from the dead ents scattered on the fields, the corpses of high elf, drow and wood elf were piled high, and the Night Giants appeared to be winning.  Until at last the relieving force from Farran containing giant, dwarf and troops from Caer Ddaden attacked Adgorg on his flank.  Adgorg was repulsed and started to make his long journey north, scourging the soil of the dales and hills as he went. [2]
=== 2428-2436 Defense of the West Isles ===
In the west, the Ice Giants were crossing to the West Isles.  The small villages they found on the Isle of Tirpaigh were a snack for the army as they spread the ice further and further south.   The towns on Argalorn Island called for help from Almo and Gelden, but it would be difficult to get there in time.  Borntor continued to savage the islands moving south, straight towards Taliden.
Lord Cairwn of Taliden knew they would be crushed and called for the evacuation of the city.  The lords of Ornffais did the same, transporting those not capable of fighting south to the Dharin Isle.   The remainder of the troops from the cities pulled back into the Taliden Peaks to attempt a solid defense there.
Borntor found his empty cities and sought where the feeble West Islander armies might have gone.   When he found the trail of their retreat into the mountains, Borntor took the bait and headed into the passes to seek them out.  The Battle of Taliden Pass would change the fate of the Ice Giant invasion.  The smaller and less numerous defenders of the West Isles were able to hold off the Ice Giants, taking horrible losses as they did, but fortunately, help from Almo and Gelden had arrived earlier and they charged in, shutting the Ice Giants in the passes, being attacked from both sides.  Savage cold and ice devastated the defending armies, but they would prevail, taking the head of Borntor as the Ice Giants retreated north from whence they came.[3]
=== 2436-2448 Liberation and Reconstruction ===
The main forces of the giants were both retreating, but they did so slowly, still ravaging the lands as they returned to the north.   The giant forces spread out in their retreat and consumed as much of the land as they could.  The southern armies hunted the Ice and Night Giants and pushed them back, the ice and night retreating as they did.
It took years until the last night and ice giant left the Dunns, and what they had left was horrible destruction, particularly in the East Dunns.   The dwarven clans, giants and builders from Caer Ddaden all joined to help rebuild Garland, Mainore and Batch Moor.  The effort was great, but the results were to produce much more defensible cities than before.  Walls and gates that a Frost Giant could not budge were made on all of the Dunn cities to provide hope that next time they Dunns could stand alone.
== Links ==
Chronology of Eirethune
Previous, War Across the Bryan
Next, Second Age: Age of Nation States
== Notes ==
[1] The Hammer of Dwrdin was a hammer wielded by Lord Dwrdin at the Battle of the Moors. The hammer projected warmth around it - melting snow and ice within a 30' radius. It also could smash through cold or undead creatures like soft butter, making Dwrdin a power against the darkness. Unfortunately, Lord Dwrdin died in a battle with a Night Giant along the banks of Amareach Doimhin Moor, losing the hammer forever.
[2] The ent, Thunaninar, fought bravely in the Battle of Calendoriel Field, and it was said that he had a magical garland that allowed him to pound the Night Giants with a blinding light. Alas, however, the Garland of Thunaninar was lost when Calandoriel was scourged by the Balmoriens.
[3] Lord Cairwn had a great two-handed sword, which he named The Lifesaver. The Lifesaver was said to be able to share the damage incurred among allies, allowing Lord Cairwn and his stalwart troops to defend the passes as long as they could against the Ice Giant onslaught. Lord Cairwn was lost with his sword at the Battle of Green and Black, near where the South Sasta Plains meet the High Peaks of Mor.Category:Eirethune
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