The Gerarian Rustvan Holy War

1.1 - Introduction and Origins 
The Rustvan Holy was a series of engagements of varied sized between the forces of the Gerarian Imperium with accompanying commonwealth, and the forces of several Skulk Cults of unknown size and magnitude. The origins of the conflict can traced back to the first days of recorded time in Abexilas. The many miners, explorers, and scavengers of Ratham and beyond found themselves in the deep dark caves far beneath the surface of their brave new world. It didn't take a day for rumors and reports to begun flowing into nations and peoples across Abexilas about monstrous creatures and strange complexes of ancient decrepit nature sprawling all across the interconnected caverns and tunnels of the deep dark.
The lands settled by the Gerarian Imperium contained several of these "ancient cities" which were readily explored, mapped, and stripped of any value they possessed. It was during these efforts, that pioneer teams and researchers came face to face with what the rumors spoke of. Their commonly known name was that of a "Warden", a biomechanical, fungal amalgamation which patrolled and protected the ancient cities from any would be threats. Later research would indicate that the wardens are not "one size fits all", rather each is its own unique form of killing machine with some possessing blades which can pierce straight through the toughest or armor, others wielding weapons which mere men could comprehend the power of.
It was during one of these raids that a join expedition of Gerarian and Commonwealth soldiers eliminated two-dozen juvenile and weakened wardens whilst sustaining casualties several times that of those killed. To the concern of many in Geraria, soldiers claimed to have received disturbing dreams after the operation, these reports were hidden from public eye.
1.2 The Free Trade Zone and the First Battle of the Rustvan Mesa
During the execution of the Deep Dark Raids, a series of caravans and teams were sent to the now named Rustvan Mesa to set up a series of mining camps, culminating in the construction of the Free Trade Zone, a trading post and bastion of Gerarian influence and excellency in the region. Under the leadership of 
Walker Rustovania Asellus Reddington, gold streamed into the Gerarian Imperium as the excess capital was quickly put to use in the construction of the Gerarian industrial center deep within their new homeland's mountain ranges. Other than a few concerning reports of strange sightings of hooded observers stalking the night which had also been reported after the completion of the Deep Dark Raids, and the study of a fossil found in the Rustvan mesa which mimicked the anatomy of the wardens, all was well within the mesa. 
Slowly, more reports came in. Pioneer scouts send to prospect the caves had found that under the mesa's highest mountain, Mount Razunim a minor skulk presence had turned into a full blown infestation which threatened the structural stability of the many mines under it. Clearance teams were sent to burn the skulk, which led to mass intoxication by their noxious fumes which caused several casualties due to their hallucinogenic effects and further exacerbated the already increasing amount of disturbing dreams and in some extreme cases, visions. It was decided instead, that these teams would utilize the many tools and fragmented texts recovered from the ancient cities to cull the skulk. This worked to great effect, and even aided in the uncovering of several rich or veins.
It was on the night of celebration that the first arrows fell on the city. The dry wood structures went up in flame quickly burning many citizens alive. The water reserves which were needed to survive until the next caravan were used in a last ditch effort to prevent the worst of the damage, but by the time the fires were either out, or the water gone, the cultists were through the numerous breached in the city's gates and wooden walls. 
The few soldiers who were dispatched to the city for caravan protection were quickly dispatched by the cultists who seemed to know no pain, even in the face of the most egregious of wounds. One by one they fell, and with each corpse sprouted yet another spore of skulk. The Cultists took few prisoners, killing men and women, saving only those too young to be of threat, Walker himself, and an unknown citizen. The cultists spared one survivor to send a message to the Emperor of Geraria; this was their land now, and if they didn't want to meet the same fate as their compatriots, they would best leave the deep dark, and the mesa to those who understood its true power.
If the intended effect of this threat was to dissuade the Gerarian state, their faith in words was gravely misplaced as the Gerarian Emperor quickly assembled an expeditionary force to be led by Deangun to reclaim the Free Trade Zone, and to eliminate all those who would seek their people harm. During the days between the cultist attack and the marshaling of Gerarian forces, skulk from the corpses of the dozens of civilians and soldiers began to spread across the arid landscape. The children and other survivors were locked in the few remaining buildings and starved, being only given the bare minimum for survival. Walker fell into a skulk-induced coma after having spores rubbed into his eyes and several cuts he had sustained. 
When the Gerarian Expeditionary Force did arrive, it did so in force, with a full battalion of two-hundred fighting men and their supporting elements. Seeking to prevent further bloodshed, Deangun who was leading the Gerarian forces offered the cultists a way out, but after the execution of yet another civilian before his very eyes, there was no hope for a diplomatic solution. 
With the cultists defending the walls, the Gerarian forces advanced taking plunging fire all the while. From the rotting corpses of days dead bodies came life undead. These shambling corpses were no match for the Gerarian elites, but their psychological effect and slowing of the expeditionary force's advance allowed for the defending cultists to plug the gaps in their lines. 
Several soldiers recount seeing as many as twenty arrows in a given cultist with no sign of pain, or decrease in combat effectiveness. "They fought like men possessed.. for all we know they were", said one soldier during the debriefing. After sustaining heavy casualties, the Gerarians broke through and slowly eliminated the cultists by singling them off and utilizing superior numbers to whittle them down. The cultist leader, using his dying breaths summoned from a mass grave a warden unlike any previously seen. It's very arms became blades, it's eyes, red with rage as it cut formations of polearms and warriors asunder. 
It was only through the join efforts of Flamingpanda and Deangun that the beast was slain.
Excerpt from a A-nat after the events described above: 
As Deangun pulled his heirloom blade out of the warden, he hear a laughter never meant to be heard by mortal men. He saw it all, the ancients, their cities, their peoples and ideals. He saw the mesa in its former glory, rich in farmland and beauty. Then he saw war; great creatures of war and death striding across bloodied fields as men clashed and died in the thousands. He felt his body tense and pulsate, his hairs standing on end.
"Dean... are you okay?", asked @flyingpanda 
Deangun was silent for a moment "Yes", came the reply. 
The Infested Skulk Cultists have been eliminated, with their death has come a power vacuum in the Rustvan Mesa. However, they are not gone, no cult with the power to summon Wardens and raise the death has only ten members. There are more, and they will come. 
1.3 Post Battle and Current Events-
After the recapturing of the Free Trade Zone, the Gerarian state declared total war on the skulk cultists, sending additional raiding parties down into the deep dark to kill or capture any cultists or wardens they could find, and cull the spread of skulk. 
Deangun and Walker would both suffer from night terrors and visions in both waking and sleeping as the voice of the cultist leader echoed in their minds. 
Associated Documents and Links:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/11eWgCN8To0qajKRxOuU9whQYSi5BBwERo-T1MTK2wYg/edit?usp=sharing
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QJbc5rJjC10WNvE_1_q1-Q8EqhbnVRM9mNm3AuO8IXo/edit?usp=sharing
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1J5G-KcepJ1U1CLl0mFMrcXeav-oKkFDarZjNe7uMwNY/edit?usp=sharing
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nzwrucTpBuaWLSk9VY3FycRQLxq4xXeEA66hQppdVP8/edit?usp=sharing
https://docs.google.com/document/d/19D_Q7aYY_TpvD-bApKFfTVEjtZ6BJtqQblpigyMxQw4/edit?usp=sharing
https://docs.google.com/document/d/10Bd-O3aLt5oqVOhAyEhDkImkAyHvWTVfD03PzOV-SEk/edit?usp=sharing
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Pdaf8auiN-u2mmMNAcXRR5kLGgs6AwESGzuqRnfRv0w/edit?usp=sharing
https://discord.com/channels/750726239723061338/1222961171372576838/1236329834289037473
https://discord.com/channels/750726239723061338/1222961171372576838/1233491332824301599
https://discord.com/channels/750726239723061338/1222961171372576838/1234915652335308921