Prince Caeldan looked up from his desk as an attendant entered the room. “Pardon me sir, an audience is requested by…” He stropped abruptly as he was shoved aside by a tall elf who strode into the room. “Lord Asarnil of Caledor”, the newcomer announced himself loudly. “I have a business proposal for you.”
Caeladan nodded at the forlorn-looking attendant, who withdrew from the room. “A pleasure Lord Asarnil, please have a seat.” he said to the guest. Asarnil was an elf prince of Caledor, who had infamously been banished from his homeland by the Phoenix King for disobeying orders during a military campaign. He had made something of a name for himself in the Old World as a mercenary but was regarded by most elves as a maverick. Caeladan had little trust in any Caledorian officers, who always seemed to be looking out for themselves and considered all the other elf realms beneath them. Asarnil was at best unreliable, and a visit from him was more than likely to be an ill-fated omen.
The Dragonlord seated himself in the largest armchair in the room, his booming voice filling the office. He regaled Caeladan with a tale of lost treasure in the Southlands. Supposedly a ruined city of gold existed in the jungle continent, and Asarnil seemed to think it was worth an expedition to recover it. Having no army of his own to call on, and no possibility of raising one in Ulthuan since his exile, he had come to Caeladan hoping that the Lothern trading company might be persuaded to finance an expedition with their own forces.
It wasn’t so much that Caeldan believed Asarnil – the tale sounded pretty fanciful. But Asarnil obviously believed it. The prince of Caledor was no fool, and he wouldn’t have come all this way just to make an idiot out of himself. More importantly, if Caeladan refused then the possibility existed that Asarnil might get together a mercenary force of humans and go after the treasure himself, and if he proved successful then Caeladan would have to explain to the shareholders board in Lothern why’d he’d passed up the opportunity, and the fickle shareholders might just consider replacing him with the Prince of Caledor.
Weighing up the odds quickly, Caeladan decided it was worth the chance. “Very well Lord Asarnil,” he said to the Dragonlord, “we shall leave in two weeks!”
…
Four days the army had marched down the coast of the jungle continent. They had disembarked their ships at the closest safe anchorage and continued on foot along the shoreline. Asarnil had assured Caeladan that they were getting close, the ancient ruins not too much further.
The army had performed well thus far. Elvish troops are never want to complain on campaign, but Caeladan knew that the heat, humidity and the constant buzzing and biting insects were taking a toll on elvish morale.
The sun was just coming up over the steep hills to the east, when suddenly he heard a cry from his scouts. “In the water!” Clarions sounded, swords were drawn – it was an ambush!
As the High Elf army marches down the coast, the Lizardmen spring their ambush from the sea!
The High Elf army, led by Prince Caeladan.
The Lizardmen emerge from the water
The Slann mage priest leads his troops overland to block the elves’ advance.
The lizardmen advance to surround the elves. The Slann attempts to attack with some magic but miscasts.
The elves break out of their march column, with the eagles attempting to slow down the kroxigors’ attack from the water.
“If you want to fight this army, you’ll have to get through me!” The eagles hold up the kroxigor, while the elves shoot the reptiles to bits with arrows and bolt throwers.
Finally, a use for the Aquatic special rule!
The kroxigor charge the elves, who fall back. Meanwhile, skinks and terradons advance to harass the elf cavalry.
Run away! The light troops of the elf army fall back from the kroxigor charge, leaving the Swordmasters to handle the attackers.
Charge! The elf cavalry has nowhere to go but straight through the lizards.
The Swordmasters prepare to hold back the reptilian advance.
Terror test anyone?? Asarnil swoops into the thick of the lizardman army.
Having dispatched the skinks, Prince Caeladan and his knights find themselves facing a countercharge from saurus knights.
The kroxigor take their revenge on the bolt thrower that has been reaping havoc on them.
The swordmasters cut down the kroxigor in front of them, but come under fire from skinks and salamanders.
The stegadon charges a high elf chariot, which flees in terror, allowing the giant lizard to storm into the flank of dragon princes.
The saurus cavalry charge Prince Caeladan’s knights and a viscious combat ensues, but the elf knights are victorious!
The high elf spearmen chase the kroxigor back into the sea. Meanwhile, the swordmasters suffer major casualties from the salamanders still hiding in the water. The combined magical attacks from the Slann mage and his skink disciples manage to knock Asarnil off his dragon.
The saurus lord goes on the offensive, cutting down a multitude of spearmen.
The dragon princes finally defeat the stegadon, and join the fight to finish off the saurus warriors.
Face off! The last kroxigor hides in the water from the spearmen while the salamanders pursue the swordmasters.
You’ll never take me alive!
Finally the elves get into a position to attack the saurus lord in superior numbers.
Having run out of swordmasters to kill with their flaming breath, the salamanders eat the last of their skink handlers!
Why is it so hard to control wild animals?
The spearmen just manage to hold on long enough for help to arrive, as the knights put the saurus lord to the sword.
As the lizards retreated back into the jungle, Prince Caeladan surveyed the battlefield. It had been a bloody affair. Asarnil had been wounded and his dragon had fled the battlefield. Although they had slain a great many lizards, casualties among the elves were high.
With so many wounded, it was impossible to continue the march if there was further risk of attack. Caeladan ordered the army to prepare to return to their ships. The treasure would remain lost!
