The horn of the Northrend campaign drew ever closer, but before the allied forces could make a move, the Lich King acted first.
Acherus, the floating fortress hidden high in the skies over the easternmost reaches of the Eastern Plaguelands, suddenly descended into visible low-altitude airspace. Then, the Death Knights of the Knights of the Ebon Blade, who had been waiting within the fortress for a long time, made their move.
They launched a surprise attack on the Crimson Vanguard's coastal town, slaughtering large numbers of Scarlet soldiers and civilians.
The town of Crimson Vanguard County had gradually expanded outward from the fortress of Tirion's Hand. After General Bridget Abendis discovered that Tirion's Hand could no longer accommodate the ever-growing ranks, she rebuilt the section of wall facing the coast. Civilians passed through the newly opened gates to the easternmost coastal region of the Eastern Plaguelands and established a new satellite town.
The Death Knights' sudden attack caught the Crimson Vanguard off guard, but only briefly. Years of warfare experience allowed the Crimson Vanguard to react quickly and organize a counterattack.
However, by the time the Scarlet soldiers had established an effective defensive line, at least a third of Crimson County had fallen. The undead army rampaged through the shattered town, continuously raising more Ghouls and skeletons.
After receiving the news, the neighboring Silver Dawn immediately dispatched troops to reinforce them. The two sides were currently engaged in brutal street fighting throughout Crimson County.
Bridget was furious. Those damned Death Knights could have come sooner or later, but they had chosen to attack only after her satellite town was complete.
What angered her most was that the Crimson Vanguard's eastern coastal docks had also been cut off and encircled by the undead army.
To reinforce the docks, they had to