Brief entries on the Tenth Hold war

Druadach Pass has become impassable via blockade, fox traps and clever rune work, Býrnar lost his leg to a rune-mine. Dismantling has proven unsuccessful, any progress made is undone while we sleep. Tomorrow the wizards and geámannr will begin the mining and pass-walling of two new paths.

Bad news; the pass walls have a 'rampant looping magickal effect' on them, which I think is wizard talk for a curse. The shafts spewed black fog and while the wizards suffered only one casualty, over 20 miners were lost. The elfadled were sent away to die where we couldn't see them.

It's day 6 now, Isobu and Hjuri, two of the wizards, were sent to fly over the pass. Isobu was 'eaten mid flight by a murder of red crows', Hjuri made it back though, covered in locusts' bites. Hjuri suggests we take the treacherous Dead Crone Pass through Markarth Side. Jarl Torbald refused.

Day 7. Hjuri entered Hell in his sleep, his brother Gothrad has demanded we request aid from the College of Tungs, Jarl Torbald has acquiesced.

Day 9. GODS BE PRAISED! The College has not only heard our pleas but the Thoomsha herself has personally accepted our request! She arrives in 2 days and Torbald's thanes have near had a stroke trying to get the front into presentable shape. Gothrad and his nephew Snorri have left to grieve but will return to see the Queen of Tongues in action.

Day 12. The Thoomsha blew down the pass with a single word, a word that announced our breach to everyone in the West Reach. Already our camp has come under attack by hill tribes, easy to repel though 3 good men fell to their rotting breath. With Thoomsha's aid we have taken Hwitchester, the place is full of hushwalls, seems they expected our use of Tungs, just not Thoomsha.

Day 15. We have reported Thoomsha's condition to the College, they cry out for blood, even this distance away the din carries. Thane Bergur has rounded up the hill tribes, they are to be executed at dawn. Torbald and the wizards are planning a burning of the woods, 'we can't allow any more insurgency' they say.

Day 16. The woods are full of crucifixes. Bird headed and leaf maned crucifixes. I haven't the slightest what they're supposed to be but I just feel wrong looking at them. The wizards think they might be charms or border markers to tribe land. The Tungs oncoming has quieted but now if you listen you can hear the skies inhale, it twists my beard.

Day 17. 6 wizards are now 6 smears on the ground. Apparently Torbald forgot to not only appease the foreign gods but the crucifixes were symbols of one of them, the forest IS on fire though, not sure if that's progress. With the arrival of the Tungs what few wizards are left are leaving, and charging Torbald exorbitantly. We've taken Parsley township between Jehanna and Farrun, there's rumors of alliances on the enemy side and the men grow anxious.

Day 18. The Tungs are bearskirted! Torbald has tried to reason with them but they are dead set on flattening Jehanna! Gothrad and Snorri are back, they bring 3 of the miners who have seemingly not died of illness. Torbald had them open a shiftgate to Winterhold, seems we'll be leaderless for the rest of the day.

Day 19. The east Jehanna has fallen, quite literally, the castle and half the market plummeted down the mountain- killed a goat. We don't dare advance for fear of the Tungs. The Reach-god 'Crowhead' as the men are calling it, has taken to flattening the Tungs in turn, already 16 of 42 have been crushed. No sight of Torbald and the men grow uneasy, the thanes are giving away their own food and trying to bribe the men to stay.

Day 20. 13 more Tungs are smears, Crowhead came upon them in their sleep with his club but they did manage to repel him. Torbald has returned, he's brought with him 2 Skjeggormanni who carry a shorstone and a funerary boat. This CANNOT end well.

Day 21. Volunteers from Farrun have come running down the road, one of which took a sea knife to Ercanbald Thane of Torbald. Only 5 Tungs remain, seems Crowhead has connections as Old Knocker his thrice-damned self showed up to fight the Tungs. Jehannish craftsmanship rears its head, the wall's almost back up. The Skjeggormanni have begun cremating the dead, none are happy with this.

Day 22. The men made themselves useful for once, we've taken the ports at the bottom of the mountain. The three remaining Tungs have joined us, the others having died of knife to her throat and falling and konking his head. Thankfully the Skjeggormanni have appeased the local gods, and are almost done with their cremations. The stink makes my skin itch.

Day 23. The Jehannish color guard, of all things, have begun to assault the ports. The enemy footmen are throwing silver lined spears at us, Gúdh tried to grab one and was struck by lightning for his greed. Stupid striped outfits aside, our foe is insidious. The funerary boat has been filled with the ashes of our men.

Day 24. May I never see Hell, I've abandoned the fight with what remains of my company. In the wee hours the Jehannish holy men took to the field. Wyrd magick abounded; some of their chests burst and flocks of blood eagles came to eat away our men. Others vomited up and bled a swarm of bugs. One sang in un-thu'um and drove the Tungs upon each other.

But I blame the Skjeggormanni for my flight. Those sick bastards flung our ashen dead over Jehanna's walls and reanimated them with the shorstone. They became a flood of wanton ash, drowning and crushing all those near, friend or foe. But the worst part is that it Screamed, it screamed in Their voices. May Shor and kin forsake these heathens like we have.

Day 30? We've received word that the Jehannish have surrendered, they offered peace after Torbald 'died of a spider bite'. Jehanna will be joining Skyrim as the Tenth Hold. A coup occured in Farrun and it is now a suzerain of the Tenth Hold, it is my understanding they wanted to avoid the ash monsters. The bearded heathens flew back off to Winterhold in their boat.

I think it's time to retire, the men agree, none of this was worth it.

Company Commander Tembrix - 28th of Rain's Hand 3E 397