The Hellmarches

A history of the Hellmarches.

### **The First Hellmarch - Hell Opens**

An unknown  **Dwarven** miner, no doubt with the help of the divine, created a pickaxe that would rend the stone and enter the nether realm. This golden pickaxe was dubbed 'Heaven And Earth'.

In a strange turn of events, it came to be in the possession of the Humans and, due to being on good terms with the Dwarves at the time, they were allowed to keep it.

The rulers of **Southbridge** intended for the pickaxe to be used to help gather much-needed resources for the flourishing alchemy trade within their city walls, but to also end the demonic problems plaguing the realm. The Southbridge Legion assembled and marched to **Noruzim Thakom**, asking for help and reinforcements before the pickaxe was used and also promising a share of the wealth to all who would help.

The **Elves** sent what few warriors they had, for the great sleep had taken its toll on their population. One or two **Kobolds** tagged along, although this was probably just to bolster their piles of wealth. The Dwarves however, having interest in both the pickaxe and the potential riches, arrived in force; their adamant-clad host almost matching the Legion in terms of numbers.

The pickaxe tore a hole through reality and into the hellish realm. The combined Legions entered and, after a long and bloody battle, they eventually destroyed the ruling demon that was causing the incursions into the material world.

Many alliances were made that day, some between those who had fought side-by-side, others between the races themselves.

Unfortunately, the battle was not without casualties. Frank Dovino; the Lord of Southbridge, passed and leadership was transferred to Cephrain; now the Lord Commander.

Heaven and Earth was allowed to be kept by the humans, for safe-keeping.

### **The Second Hellmarch - Terrors Of The Abyss**

When an Imperial Legion arrived in Southbridge, they took the Ozma Citadel as their temporary home. Moving in swiftly, the townsfolk of Southbridge heard little from them in the coming days.

Eventually, the doors opened and the Legion emerged; injured, bloodied and with most of them dead or dying.

According to them, a foul cult had tunneled into the Citadel and ambushed the Legion. The Legate; Moritz Azubaike, gathers the Southbridge Legion, along with others, including the future king of Haven; Koroth Na.

Travelling into the Citadel and through the caves mined out by the cult, battling beast and cultist alike, they were to discover a giant chamber with a portal leading to the nether realm. Thus began the second of the Hellmarches.

Entering the portal, the group quickly discovered a monstrous, tentacled horror and were swiftly devoured. However, due to the size of the eldritch beast, this was not their unmaking.

Making their way through the digestive system of the monster, they discovered the cultists lived within it and also worshipped it as a God; Tentaclease. Slowly travelling through the beast, they found a large room; with a single cultist holding a single **page**.

Killing the cultist, one of the legionnaires took hold of the page and immediately became paralysed. **Koroth Na**, grasping the page out of the legionnaires hand, felt no ill effects and so took it for safe-keeping.

The group managed to exit the beast, finding a portal back to the material world. **Markus Ironshell**, armed with a pack of TNT, hurled it at Tentaclease, albeit a bit foolishly. The resulting explosion closed the portal, but badly injured the Knight; severing a leg, a hand and leaving him horribly burnt.