Reclaiming Cinderwatch

**Reclaiming Cinderwatch** was the first task the Knights of Ashfall undertook in their mission to reclaim the Duchy of Ashfall for the Kingdom of Stormwind. During their stay in the border checkpoint, the Knights reinforced Cinderwatch, scouted the territory, and discovered threats both known and unexpected.

The conflict ended in the Battle of Cinderwatch, an all-out assault by the Flintfang Tribe of gnolls, which was repelled, and laid the foundation for future events and troubles.

## History

   Cinderwatch is a village on the border between what is known as the Redridge Mountains and Ashfall. Historically, it was the gateway between the two regions, a thriving town that embraced and served a trade route. As of January 25, 38 L.C., it was reduced to only a small camp that held shut a possible invasion route into the parts of Stormwind that were not forgotten.

To this point, Cinderwatch had been no more than an outpost, built upon the boundary between the duchy and Redridge Mountains. It was manned primarily by regular Army personnel--those who had had disciplinary actions and were relegated to the post to warehouse them. As a result, the ranking sergeant, Morgan Standish, was a habitual drunkard who regularly left his post to go drinking in Lakeshire.

## Caught Inn the Middle (event)

The Order of Ashfall set out in the morning of January 25 from Stormwind City. After a long day's travel through Elwynn Forest and the Redridge Mountains, they arrived at Cinderwatch.

Sgt. Standish was not in evidence when Lord Auromere and his forces arrived. As Auromere went about establishing himself in authority and coordinating with Corporal Alten, he sent a group of handpicked personnel to retrieve the sergeant and bring him in to report.

The sergeant was found in the inn, drinking with two privates and two adventurers. Though the group managed to persuade Standish to return peacefully, one of the adventurers began a brawl, during which all of the drunkards had to be subdued.

The group returned to Cinderwatch with Standish and his men in tow. Auromere ordered the soldiers to sleep it off, and then made an inaugural speech to inspire the assembled.

"This banner," he said of the Ashfall battle standard, "shall only advance!"

## Scouting (event)

The intervening days were spent in organizing the rather lackadaisical camp. Even though there had been little movement beyond the fortified camp, Cinderwatch bustled within. More ruined houses were marked for patching up. The palisade, once just a row of pointed stakes, was reinforced with sandbags, and a wooden sally gate installed. The troops began a regimen of training, both with weapons and on horseback.

Despite his rank, Lord Jeremaias worked alongside his men-at-arms. He dug trenches, filled bags, sharpened stakes, moved timbers--in between the planning and paperwork. And he insisted that the troops be trained and prepared.

They were about to stir the pot, as Jeremaias said, so they must be ready for whatever would come calling.

On the night of the 29th, a patrol ranged north through western Redgold, to the county line shared with County Emberwind. On the ride northward, no hostiles were encountered. The party did, however, discover a structure on the northern limit of the county: a fortress consistent with the architecture of the Iron Horde. Dark-iron spires jutted upward around the round keep, like sharp-clawed fingers grasping toward the sun. The walls came at the cost of the forest that once grew before them; ragged stumps peppered the field before it.

Though all signs indicated that the fortress was not occupied, nor had been for some time, Lord Auromere made the determination to establish a surveillance team rather than proceeding into the structure with only four men. The scouting party then turned back.

On the return ride, the party was ambushed by a half-dozen gnolls, led by a shaman. The gnolls were easily defeated, though the shaman's body was later unaccounted for. The party discovered that this was the site of a hunting camp rather than a raiding party.

The scouting party returned to Cinderwatch safely, and patrols were beefed up.

## Building Bridges (event)

Over the two days, scouting parties continued throughout the region. The surveillance teams watching the orc outpost sent back word of no movement. Lord Auromere began referring to that outpost as Ironwall.

A team of engineers arrived in Cinderwatch to begin planning the expansion of the camp. Their advice was requested regarding a bridge spanning the Snowborn River, to determine if it would be safe to use as a route into the rest of Redgold. The engineers agreed to provide this information.

A party, composed of Ashfall and Stormwindian Army soldiers, ensured that the engineers were safely positioned to assess the bridge. The misting rain obscured the distance, but for a moment, the party saw, outlined against the cloudy sky, a set of crumbling towers to the south. This concurred with maps indicating that Bel Lonn, a port city, was located at the mouth of the river. Lord Auromere determined to get a closer look, and Daevanne Giltcastle accompanied him.

On the ride south, the two discovered the ruins of a murloc settlement, which had apparently been attacked. During this time, a party of gnolls attacked those who remained at the bridge.

Lord Auromere and Mr. Giltcastle returned to discover the battle, and aided Ragnar Blackburn and the soldiers in defeating the gnolls. The last surviving gnoll attempted to flee, but Mr. Blackburn tossed it into the river to prevent its escape. The gnoll was captured and taken back to Cinderwatch for questioning, and the survey was completed.

## The Gnoll Speaks

The gnoll identified himself as "Scuff", but refused to give any information at first. Lord Auromere used a paladin technique to induce a state of contemplation and repentance, and Scuff then became a great deal more tractable.

The dominant tribe in County Redgold was revealed to be the Flintfang Tribe, led by Chief No-Tail and High Shaman Hark. They dwelt in the hills east of the Snowborn River, but ranged west to hunt during the winter. Around the time beginning of 38 L.C., they began to encounter murlocs, and had been engaged in a turf war.

However, the arrival of Ashfall forces changed their priorities, and the gnolls turned their attention to the humans. It was revealed that the shaman they encountered at the hunting camp was, in fact, Hark himself--who resurrected himself after the scouting group left and fled to share the news.

Scuff indicated that life was typical for gnolls among the Flintfangs: hardship, dominance by brute force, and the continuing killing or exile of gnolls who do not, for whatever reason, conform to expectations. Scuff proved to be one of the more intelligent gnolls, however; even during his interrogation, his Common improved markedly.

## Buffering... (event)

Patrols encountered increasing numbers of gnolls. At first, the gnolls were aggressive, simply ambushing and attacking the patrols, and being cut down for their efforts. But in the twenty-four hours prior to the Battle of Cinderwatch, they seldom attacked; when spotted, they melted back into the woods or tall grasses.

Cinderwatch was prepared. The sally gate was reinforced, and along the only passage in, additional stakes were hammered into the ground, creating a chokepoint through which only a handful of gnolls could come at once. Three sharpshooters were posted in the watchtower, eyes on the glacis beyond.

The gnolls arrived in force: twenty common gnolls with a variety of poor-quality weapons and armor, three shaman, and an alpha. They arrayed themselves before the palisade in a very basic formation, and began the process of "working themselves up" for the attack.

The forces of Ashfall met them without hesitation, firing from behind fortifications. During this time, the watchtower was set on fire. Efforts immediately were spent to douse the fire.

The gnolls were duly defeated, and Chief No-Tail was shot down by Nuexus Brewer. Upon his death, the remainder of the gnolls retreated, taking his body with them.

## Outcome

The Flintfang gnolls suffered a shattering defeat. Scuff confirmed that the alpha was Chief No-Tail, and one of the dead shaman was High Shaman Hark. This left a vacuum of power in their tribe that was filled by Yipyowl, an apprentice shaman. Yipyowl later attempted to resurrect the chief and other fallen warriors via processes he had been taught by Blackrock orcs--necromancy. This would eventually lead to the demise of the Flintfang Tribe as a whole.

When it was made clear to Scuff that life would be markedly better for him among the Order of Ashfall, he begged to be allowed to stay, and offered to help in exchange for food, shelter, and safety. This plea was granted.

## The Heroes of Cinderwatch

* Sir Tolath Barthalomew
* Sir Iales Hightower
* Almedra Annenmay
* Baelthane Anvilmar
* Ragnar Blackburn
* Nuexus Brewer
* Daevanne Giltcastle
* Harinton Jones
* Durvann Steelbraid