Battle of Talatol

The Battle of Talatol was one of the turning points in the Nether War of the Second Age. At this time the Elves and men were working together in tandem with the Dwarves and Trents. The Elves were holding off a huge invading force of Pigmen in the desert awaiting the Grand Army of Men to attack from the south. This army was led by the coward Prince Castion. When the moment came to attack he Pigmen from the rear, he delayed leading to the near defeat of the Elves under the Elf Mage and King Itylra Evioro. King Evioro, seeing his forces being defeated, and seeing no help from men, summoned an ancient forbidden spell. The sheer power of the forbidden spell, Cursed Blight destroyed not only the invading army, but the city of Talatol, the remaining Elves and himself.

Destroying the Pigmen army set the Nether forces back years in rebuilding their forces. When word spread of the inaction of the Human Prince Castion, the Elves, Dwarves and Trents abandoned men to their fate. What happened to all these former allies is not known to men still to this day.

The Battle of Talatol was one of the turning points in the Nether War of the Second Age. At this time the Elves and men were working together in tandem with the Dwarves and Trents. The Elves were holding off a huge invading force of Pigmen in the desert awaiting the Grand Army of Men to attack from the south. This army was led by the coward Prince Castion. When the moment came to attack he Pigmen from the rear, he delayed leading to the near defeat of the Elves under the Elf Mage and King Itylra Evioro. King Evioro, seeing his forces being defeated, and seeing no help from men, summoned an ancient forbidden spell. The sheer power of the forbidden spell, Cursed Blight destroyed not only the invading army, but the city of Talatol, the remaining Elves and himself.

Destroying the Pigmen army set the Nether forces back years in rebuilding their forces. When word spread of the inaction of the Human Prince Castion, the Elves, Dwarves and Trents abandoned men to their fate. What happened to all these former allies is not known to men still to this day.

(In the year 1976 of the Second Age, word spread quickly of an enormous nether portal opening near the Elven City of Talatol. Calling on the treaty signed by Dwarves, Elves and Men at Anthillia, the three leaders summoned their armies and set up a final defense of the Elven City. The plan was to allow the Pigmen to attack the city head on, while the humans came around their rear from the Savana to the west.

The Red Elves and Brightstone Dwarves were holding off the full army of invading Pigmen, awaiting the Grand Army of Men to attack. This army was led by the coward Prince Castion. When the moment came to attack the Pigmen from the rear, he delayed. The combined forces of Elves and Dwarves were overwhelmed.

The Elf Mage King Itylra Evioro, seeing his forces being defeated, and seeing no help from men, summoned an ancient forbidden spell. The sheer power of the forbidden spell, Cursed Blight destroyed not only the invading army, but the city of Talatol, the remaining Elves, Dwarves, and himself.

Destroying the Pigmen army set the Nether forces back years in rebuilding their forces. When word spread of the inaction of the coward Human Prince Castion, the Elves, Dwarves and Trents abandoned men to their fate. What happened to all these former allies is not known to men still to this day.

Forbidden magic, unlike normal spells, never goes away. Once cast, the Cursed Blight still hovers over the crater of Talatol, and is contained by 3 End Pilons. Were these to fail, the forbidden magic would begin its expansion again, devouring everything in its path.)

(600 Years ago, the Red Elf city of Talatol sat peacefully nestled between the Boiling Sea and the Brightstone Dwarves. Although a skirmish or small raid might occasionally breakout between these elves and dwarves, thanks to Aldonn’s Treaty, peace largely ruled this land. Although the Nether War had been raging for ages, the people of Talatol had never seen it first hand, until, suddenly, with no warning, the Ancient Elven War Horns sounded.

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In the dead of night, a portal had opened just to the south of Talatol. Rallying their armies, the Dwarves, Elves and Men made ready for the impending attack. Meeting in the halls of Anthillia, Red Elf Mage King Itylra Evioro, King of the Brightstone Stock, Girrik Brightstone, and the Human Prince Castion met to plan their defense. The plan was for the Brightstones to hold the line, while the Elven archers to attack from the rooftops of the city. The Pigmen would be allowed to enter the narrow streets of Talatol and when bottlenecked and slowed, the humans would attack from the Savana to the west, swallowing up their leaders from the rear and crushing them between the 3 armies.

The battle was going just as expected, and when the time came for the Humans to attack, the Coward Prince did nothing. He told his army to wait and returned to his tent. The Dwarves were overwhelmed, the archers taken out by the Pigmen and Blazes and just as the city was about to be completely destroyed, King Evioro casts the Forbidden Blight, wiping out the Nether Forces, but in the process killing everyone in range of the blast.)

(It was a dark and foggy dawn the day after the Pigmen came. The sun's light began to seep through the branches of the mighty spruce trees that covered the forest floor. As the birds began to sing their songs the silence faded away. The squirrels woke from their slumber and deer rose from their beds of matted grass.

Like the crack of the thunder, a twig snapped. The birds raced to the sky, the deer charged for cover. Stumbling from the fog was a figure drenched in sweat, his sword drawn and covered with blood. The elf tumbled forward. Gamir had walked though the night, away from the ruins of Talatol. Men had not come to their rescue. The elves and dwarves had been betrayed. When the battle was clearly lost, and Talatol was about to fall, Elf Mage Itylra Evioro sent him away on the fastest horse in the city. His only instructions were to tell of man's betrayal. Man's failure to attack, as they had promised. Gamir was the only survivor and the only one alive who knew.

A screech filled the air. The squirrels raced back to their nests as the warrior looked to the sky, sword at the ready. And from the heights of the sky swooped the beast, the elf dove to the ground while swinging his sword at the creature. A scream told him his blade had cut true. The winged beast was filled with rage. It swooped back for another attack. This time, he didn't react quickly enough. The creature struck him in the back, yelling in pain as the beast stabbed him with its barbed tail and rushed back to the skies.

Gamir collapsed to the forest floor. Again the beast screamed as it began another attack. The warrior rolled onto his back to see the venomous tail of the beast closing in again.With the last of his energy he lifted his sword, pointed it at the beast. Gamir thought he could see the monster's fear as it attempted to pull out of it's dive, but it was to late. Red blood covering the elf's blonde matted hair, the creature gave one last shriek before it's writhing body died. The warrior moaned and let his sword fall beside him, monster still thrust through. Exhausted, the warrior closed his eyes. The night's journey was long and still, there were miles to the Tree Elves' city. With a heavy sigh, Gamir rolled to his feet and took a step. The world must know of Man's Betrayal. The forest, once a battle field, again became silent.)