Chapter Summaries

After Dath'Remar's adjutant broke from Daren Theron's defensive strategy and pursued the Forest Trolls, Kaostin's plan drew the Highborne into an ambush by three allied Troll clans. The adjutant ordered his troops to form a defensive formation as the Trolls charged.

• Dath'Remar's adjutant took most of his troops from the defense line and launched an attack, despite Daren Theron's plan to hold position.
• Kaostin learned that the Shadow Hunter had completed his mission to provoke the elven generals, and scouts reported that an elven pursuit force was following the Trolls.
• Kaostin ordered wounded volunteers and other soldiers to feign retreat and keep the Highborne on their trail.
• Dath'Remar's adjutant hurried after the Trolls, fought through their rearguard, and ordered his mages to attack when they spotted Kaostin's main force.
• Kaostin withdrew as the Smolderthorn chieftain Ennoka and the allied Troll forces emerged from the forest and attacked the Highborne.
• Dath'Remar's adjutant ordered his warriors to the outside and his mages and archers to the inside, preparing to survive the ambush.

Dath'Remar's adjutant pursued the Forest Trolls into an ambush, where the Highborne fought against the three tribes' forces. As their attacks stalled against the elves' defenses, Krongsai called on Nalorakk's high priest, who transformed and charged the Highborne line.

• Dath'Remar's adjutant led the Highborne pursuit force into the Forest Trolls' ambush, and Ennoka and Zakas attacked while Krongsai's archers fired from the rear.
• Dath'Remar's adjutant battled Ennoka, kicked him down, and pressed his attack, but Ennoka blinded him with dirt and escaped.
• Dath'Remar's adjutant ordered the Highborne mages to unleash spells, and Ennoka charged him again as the battle intensified.
• Zakas ordered the Trolls to break through the Highborne defenses, but the elves' mages and archers stopped their advance.
• Krongsai asked Nalorakk's high priest to intervene, and the priest transformed into a bear-man and charged the Highborne defenses.

A priest empowered by Wild Bear Loa Nalorakk transformed into a bear-man and tore through the Highborne forces while Forest Trolls attacked with poisoned arrows. Zakas joined Ennoka against Dath'Remar's adjutant, and the battle ended with victory swinging decisively toward the Forest Trolls.

• Zakas withdrew his Forest Troll soldiers as the bear-man charged into the Highborne line, smashing soldiers aside and killing those caught by his claws.
• Forest Troll archers fired poison-soaked arrows at the Highborne, while their mages struck the bear-man with magic and forced him back.
• Dath'Remar's adjutant wounded Ennoka and tried to escape, but Zakas struck him with a flying axe and joined Ennoka in attacking him.
• The wounded Dath'Remar's adjutant was forced onto the defensive as Zakas and Ennoka pressed their attack together.
• The bear-man roared, broke through the Highborne mages' weakened shield, and fought deep into their formation, killing and scattering them.

The forest Trolls defeated Dath'Remar's Highborne force, and Ennoka killed the adjutant after he lost both hands. After the battle, Kaostin congratulated the three chieftains on their spoils and asked whether they wanted to get more.

• Krongsai ordered the forest Trolls to unleash their remaining poisoned arrows, helping finish off the Highborne troops.
• Ennoka and Zakas overwhelmed Dath'Remar's adjutant; after Zakas severed his other hand, Ennoka killed him.
• Krongsai ordered the Trolls to clear the battlefield and kill any surviving elves, while the Wild Bear Loa's priest released Nalorakk's power and went to rest.
• Kaostin reviewed the clans' casualties and fighting, noting that Krongsai's archers had suffered almost none while Ennoka's clan had taken the heaviest losses.
• Kaostin congratulated Zakas, Ennoka, and Krongsai on their spoils, then asked if they wanted to get more.

Kaostin persuaded the Forest Troll chiefs to join an attack on the elves by promising them supplies and help from the Amani Loa priests. As the allied forces advanced, Snyder returned to the Highborne camp with the Hand of the Bright Moon, and Bandersson’s force began preparing after seeing fires in the distance.

• Kaostin explained how he had provoked the elven troops and promised that Amani Loa priests would aid the next attack.
• Krongsai and Zakas agreed to join Kaostin’s plan, and Ennoka reluctantly agreed for his clan as well.
• Kaostin ordered the Forest Trolls to cut off the fallen elves’ heads and distribute them to carry into the elves’ defensive line.
• The allied Forest Troll forces rested and then set out according to Kaostin’s plan, while wild beasts devoured the bodies left behind.
• Snyder returned to the Highborne camp with the Hand of the Bright Moon, and Shadow Hunters arrived at Bandersson’s force.
• Bandersson’s Forest Troll allies saw flames rising from the distant Highborne and began preparing to carry out their plan.

Bandersson prepared to harass the Highborne after learning Kaostin’s mission had destroyed their supplies, while Snyder tested how much the black energy controlled Dath'Remar. Dath'Remar agreed to evacuate the Highborne camp, but Forest Trolls attacked before they could finish preparing to move.

• Bandersson learned the Shadow Hunters had completed Kaostin’s mission and sent the survivors to rest.
• Bandersson went to meet the other three Troll chieftains as the smaller clans sought the Amani Clan’s protection.
• Snyder visited the unconscious Dath'Remar, who pretended to be weak under the black energy’s control.
• Snyder told Dath'Remar to take charge and prepare to move the camp, and Dath'Remar agreed after Snyder warned that civilians were at risk.
• A messenger reported that Dath'Remar’s adjutant had pursued the Forest Trolls, leaving the front short of soldiers, and the Trolls’ battle cries sounded outside the camp.

Bandersson negotiated how the Forest Troll clans would harass the Highborne camp, balancing the demands of the great clans against the survival of the smaller ones. The clans agreed to place the smaller clans’ soldiers under Amani command, and Bandersson led the assembled force toward the camp.

• Bandersson gathered the chieftains and proposed sending soldiers in shifts to harass the elves and slow their relocation.
• Rikro Skullcrusher urged the great clans to make the smaller clans handle the harassment, but Bandersson argued that their losses could destroy them.
• Lothar Witherbark and Rikro supported sacrificing the smaller clans, while Azashi Ripper said he only cared whether the elves tasted good.
• Bandersson proposed incorporating the smaller clans’ soldiers into the Amani Clan and dividing the remaining troops among the small clans; the chieftains agreed.
• The clans assembled a combined force and approached the Highborne camp with Bandersson as its commander.

Bandersson’s Forest Troll scouts reached the Highborne camp and watched the elves prepare to leave after their supplies had been destroyed. The scouts completed a rough map and began retreating, while a Highborne Sentinel captain spotted them and let them go for the moment.

• Bandersson sent a scouting party led by an Amani Troll warrior to find the Highborne camp, and the group struggled with tensions between the large and small clans.
• The scouts found the damaged camp, saw silver-armored elves helping the Highborne relocate, and sent a Witherbark Clan warrior back to report to Bandersson.
• The Amani Troll warrior hid the group when Highborne Sentinels approached, while a small-clan warrior drew a rough map of the camp.
• The Sentinel captain spotted the hidden Trolls but held back, and sent a warrior to report their presence.
• After the map was finished, the Amani Troll warrior ordered the scouts to retreat, and the Sentinel captain realized they were getting away.

An Amani Clan warrior led Forest Trolls in a skirmish against a Highborne sentinel squad, then received orders from Bandersson to probe the elf camp. After sending a map to Bandersson, he led a small force in a surprise attack on the camp, alerting its guards.

• Forest Troll scouts were spotted by a Highborne sentinel squad, and the Amani Clan warrior fought their captain while the Trolls battled the other sentinels.
• The Amani Clan warrior wounded the captain with a feint, and a Forest Troll's thrown axe helped him finish the captain off as reinforcements arrived and defeated the remaining Highborne.
• A returning Forest Troll reported that Bandersson was bringing the main force and had ordered a probing attack, with the three chieftains to advance when they received his message.
• The Amani Clan warrior sent the scout who had drawn the camp map to deliver it to Bandersson under escort, then organized the few hundred reinforcements for a probing attack.
• The Forest Trolls stealthily took down Highborne sentries with poisoned darts, then the Amani Clan warrior shot a guard near the camp and his troops showered the camp with arrows, drawing the guards' attention.

Snyder helped the Highborne defeat the attacking Forest Trolls while Daren Theron organized the camp’s relocation. A surviving Forest Troll warned Bandersson about the elves’ strength, but Bandersson found the camp empty and turned to a second plan.

• Dath'Remar urged the Highborne to eliminate the attacking Forest Trolls, while Snyder arranged for Dath'Remar to relocate with the main force.
• Snyder joined the battle and killed the Forest Trolls with Chain Lightning, leaving one gravely wounded survivor hidden on the battlefield.
• Daren Theron took command of the civilians’ relocation, and Snyder returned to keep watch over Dath'Remar.
• The surviving Forest Troll reached Bandersson and reported that a powerful elven spellcaster had killed the warriors, then died.
• Bandersson’s force arrived after the Highborne had left, and he announced that he had a second plan as a Loa priest stepped forward.

Bandersson used Dragonhawk eggs and the power of Jan'alai's priest to send Dragonhawks scouting after the relocating Highborne. After the Dragonhawks located the elves, Bandersson marched his Forest Trolls toward them, and the growing flock descended on the Highborne.

• Bandersson learned the elves had left the battlefield, then joined forces with the Dragonhawk Loa's priest and nearly a hundred Forest Trolls carrying Dragonhawk eggs.
• The priest used Jan'alai's power to hatch several eggs, and the newborn Dragonhawks flew out to search for the Highborne.
• A Dragonhawk found the Highborne rear guard, then returned to report that the elves were moving slowly with their civilians.
• Bandersson ordered his Forest Trolls to pursue the Highborne and persuaded the priest to hatch all the remaining eggs.
• The Forest Trolls advanced as a large flock of Dragonhawks flew toward the Highborne, whose soldiers watched the creatures circle overhead before more Dragonhawks swooped toward them.

The newly hatched Dragonhawks attacked the Highborne rearguard, but the soldiers killed or wounded the flock and reported the incident to Daren Theron. The Dragonhawk Loa priest realized Jan'alai's offspring had all been killed, while Bandersson learned that the Loa was angry.

• The Dragonhawks launched a fiery dive at the Highborne rearguard, whose archers and mages killed or wounded the flock after some soldiers were injured.
• The rearguard captain sent messengers to Daren Theron, reporting the attack and suspecting the beasts had acted under someone’s orders.
• Daren Theron sent troops to assist the rearguard and told the captain to bring the wounded to the center for treatment.
• The Dragonhawk Loa priest told Bandersson that Lord Jan'alai's offspring had all been killed, and his trembling revealed the Loa's anger.

The Dragonhawk Loa and Bandersson pursued the Highborne, planning to harass them until reinforcements arrived, while Shadra and Kaostin prepared a larger encirclement. Bandersson’s raiders frightened the Highborne civilians with fire, smoke, and war cries, but Snyder dispersed the smoke, and Dath'Remar concluded the attack was meant to slow their advance.

• The Dragonhawk Loa ordered Bandersson to speed up, and the Forest Trolls followed the Highborne after collecting Dragonhawk corpses.
• After the Highborne rear guard rejoined the main force, the Dragonhawk Loa told Bandersson to harass them and wait for the three clan chiefs’ reinforcements.
• The Highborne vanguard stopped to rest and maintain contact with the main force, unaware that Shadra’s twenty thousand Amani Clan warriors and Kaostin’s ambush force were closing in.
• The Highborne civilians helped doctors treat the wounded soldiers, but Bandersson’s raiders set fires, released smoke, and sounded war cries to provoke panic.
• Daren Theron organized the Highborne’s defense, and Snyder summoned a wind elemental that cleared the smoke and revealed the small raiding party.
• Snyder told Dath'Remar the Forest Trolls did not seem to be attacking, and Dath'Remar said they were trying to frighten the civilians and slow the Highborne’s advance.

The Dragonhawk Loa priest attacked the highborne rear guard with Jan'alai's fire, forcing Dath'Remar to send Snyder and the Hand of the Bright Moon to reinforce it. The priest trapped the highborne in a ring of fire and exploding fire bombs, until a splash of water sounded beyond the flames.

• Dath'Remar ordered the highborne to ignore the Forest Trolls and continue relocating while protecting their civilians.
• After learning the three chieftains' reinforcements had arrived, the Dragonhawk Loa priest went alone to harass the highborne army.
• The Dragonhawk Loa priest charged the rear guard, endured the mages' spells, and killed several highborne with a beam of fire.
• Dath'Remar prepared to go to the rear, but Snyder stopped him and took Hand of the Bright Moon troops to reinforce the guard.
• The Dragonhawk Loa priest trapped the highborne in a ring of fire and detonated fire bombs, badly injuring and killing soldiers.
• A splash of water sounded beyond the ring of fire.

Snyder arrived with the Hand of the Bright Moon and battled the Dragonhawk Loa priest, countering his fire and physical attacks with elemental powers. The chapter ended with their fire spells colliding, the surrounding trees withering from the heat.

• Snyder used a ball of water to extinguish the Dragonhawk Loa priest's ring of fire while the Hand of the Bright Moon evacuated wounded Highborne soldiers.
• The Dragonhawk Loa priest charged Snyder, but Snyder struck him with a giant stone fist and caused his fire attack to explode in his mouth.
• Snyder sent stone spikes after the airborne priest, then attacked him with lightning-enhanced punches when the priest evaded the stones.
• The Dragonhawk Loa priest suppressed the electricity with Jan'alai's divine power and fired a ray of fire at Snyder.
• Snyder countered with Lava Burst, and the two fire attacks collided with enough heat to shrivel the nearby trees.

Snyder defeated the Dragonhawk Loa priest in a duel but let him return to the Forest Trolls, where Bandersson planned to use poisoned smaller clans to strengthen the Amani Clan and advance Lord Shadra’s followers. Snyder rejoined the Highborne troops and resumed the march, while Darkened Dath'Remar was angered that he had not killed the priest.

• Snyder overpowered the Dragonhawk Loa priest’s flame ray, blasted him away, and let him fly back to the Forest Trolls after the priest vowed their power would prevail.
• Bandersson told the wounded priest to wait until the elves joined their vanguard, then planned to gather the Forest Trolls and destroy them; he privately considered using poison and sorcery to control allied smaller clans for Lord Shadra.
• Snyder returned to the Highborne troops, accepted the rear guard captain’s thanks, and told Darkened Dath'Remar that he had driven off the priest rather than killed him.
• Darkened Dath'Remar regretted that Snyder had spared the priest, then ordered the Highborne troops to advance again.

The Highborne force regrouped and stopped to rest as Bandersson’s Forest Trolls completed their preparations to encircle them. Shadra launched the Amani war bear cavalry’s attack, leaving the resting Highborne force aware that danger was approaching.

• A Highborne scout captain found the vanguard waiting short of its destination and told Dath'Remar, who ordered the force to speed up and join it.
• After the Highborne force reunited with its vanguard, Dath'Remar ordered everyone to stop and rest.
• Bandersson sent messengers to contact Shadra’s main force and Kaostin’s ambush force, and Kaostin waited for Shadra’s signal.
• Shadra learned that Bandersson and Kaostin were ready, ordered his warriors to prepare, and sent the Amani war bear cavalry charging toward the Highborne force.
• The charging war bears shook the forest, alerting the resting Highborne force that something was wrong.

The Forest Trolls ambushed the Highborne as they traveled toward their new home, surrounding them and launching attacks from several directions. Dath'Remar divided his forces to defend the civilians, while the vanguard struggled against the Amani Clan war bear cavalry until Snyder and the Hand of the Bright Moon joined the battle.

• Kaostin and Bandersson led Forest Troll forces in attacks on the surrounded Highborne.
• Dath'Remar assigned Snyder to the front, sent Daren Theron to defend the rear, and took charge of the central battlefield.
• Amani Clan war bear riders smashed through the Highborne vanguard's magic shield after the exhausted mages could not raise another.
• The Highborne vanguard retreated under the war bear cavalry's assault, suffering heavy pressure as its warriors tried to hold the line.
• Snyder and the Hand of the Bright Moon reinforced the Highborne and halted their retreat; Snyder used earth magic to separate the opposing forces.

Snyder joined the Highborne battle and took command after the Amani Clan's attack overwhelmed their defenses. He fought the transformed Eagle Loa and Lynx Loa priests, and the chapter ended as the Lynx Loa priest launched a surprise attack through the smoke.

• Snyder and the Hand of the Bright Moon arrived, and Snyder used an earth elemental spell to split the forces and stop the Forest Troll advance.
• Shadra sent the Eagle Loa and Lynx Loa priests into battle after their bodies transformed with the Loa's power.
• Snyder took command, ordered wounded soldiers and exhausted mages to retreat, and led the remaining Highborne forces against the Forest Trolls.
• Snyder struck the Eagle Loa priest from the sky with a Lightning Bolt, but the priest survived and joined the Lynx Loa priest in attacking him.
• The Eagle Loa priest's Static Disruption collided with Snyder's Thunderstorm, which overwhelmed it and exploded against the priest's wings.
• The Lynx Loa priest used the smoke to launch his waiting attack, and Snyder reinforced his right arm with earth elemental power to block it.

Snyder fought the Eagle Loa and Lynx Loa priests while the Highborne and the Hand of the Bright Moon battled the Forest Troll army. The alliance trapped and killed part of the war bear cavalry, but Shadra broke into its lines, and Dath'Remar found the Wild Bear Loa priest rampaging among the Highborne.

• Snyder's reinforced arm withstood the Lynx Loa priest's claws as the Eagle Loa priest recovered and attacked again.
• The Hand of the Bright Moon captain ordered the elves to lure Amani Clan war bear riders into an encirclement, where mages and Shamans killed them with spells.
• Shadra charged through the elven defenses, and the Hand of the Bright Moon captain met him in a duel.
• Daren Theron struggled against Bandersson and the Dragonhawk Loa priest while lacking supplies for powerful spells.
• Dath'Remar went to the center after hearing of a monster, where he found the Wild Bear Loa priest rampaging against the Highborne.