User:Sebestyen/Crusade

Crusade Against the Spire

I write these descriptions of the time when the Dragon Priests began to rise again in the lands and my reaction to it. I was honored to accompany a Holy Crusade against the Spire and thus I tell my tale here.

Prologue

Since my last writings, I had moved northward to Therengia. There I became associated with the Order of the Dragon Shield in Riverhaven, and began my service in that province. Therengia, like most other places, was in need of defenders and I threw myself into that role, enjoying the job of a common soldier.

Around 384 there was news from Forfedhdar land of the Dwarves. The Dragon Priests were on the rise and they had sent a delegation to Crossing requesting aid, opening the province to all. From this point, the Dragon Priests marshaled their forces sending forays to all the lands and we were kept busy from time to time fending these off.

These Dragon Priests had a new Empress, Hhrsaraa, supposed daughter of Dzree. Shaarl was her General and led these raids. After ravaging all the lands, there was finally a decisive response.

Call for Crusade

Attached is the announcement tacked up in Riverhaven by Urwinn Rippentrop to all Therengians:

 GENTLE CITIZENS:
 NEWS OF ZOLUREN!

 A most GLORIOUS, UPLIFTING, and CULTURALLY SENSITIVE meeting of the minds of various
 GUILD REPRESENTATIVES, ESTEEMED PRIESTS, and general citizenry has taken place within
 the temple of THE CROSSING. Amidst a great deal of conversation containing what I'm
 sure must have been INSIGHTFUL ECCLESIASTIC DEBATE, it was decided that the continual
 position of the so-called DRAGON PRIESTS within the five provinces, from which they
 have waged AGGRESSIVE IF LARGELY INEFFECTUAL WAR against great swaths of the largely
 innocent ELANTHIAN POPULACE, could no longer be tolerated. We are now JUBILANTLY
 near to the SIEGE and DESTRUCTION of the INFERNAL TOWER that the ABOMINABLE CREATURES
 maintain within the province of ILITHI.

 We are now ENTHUSIASTICALLY COMPELLED to undertake the hearty and spirited PROSECUTION
 of HOLY WAR against the infidel forces of DIZREE, ZERRASITH, SHARL, and OTHER ASSORTED
 SERPENTINE CULTISTS, GENERALS, LIEUTENANTS, OTHERWISE UNREMARKABLE SOLDIERY,
 HARE-BRAINED THEOLOGIANS, DUBIOUSLY TRAINED PHILOSOPHERS, and AMATEUR POLITICAL
 THEORISTS.

 All BRAVE and TRUE THERENGIANS are called to assist in the CELEBRATED TRADITION of 
 OVERRUNNING AN ILITHIC FORTIFICATION.<br>

 PRYDAENS, RAKASH, and OTHER LARGELY HERETICAL DEMOGRAPHICS are EXPRESSLY INVITED to
 partake in the IMPENDING SLAUGHTER of the DRAGON PRIEST MENACE, as whatever DOCTRINAL
 AGITATIONS you may be typically branded with by the usual CONSORTIUM of the
 SPIRITUALLY APPROVED-OF have been deemed irrelevant for, at MINIMUM, so long as they
 are AS INCONVENIENT AS PRESENTLY SO.

 BY HODIERNA'S DREADED SWORD AND THE GILDED HARP OF EVERILD,
 U. RIPPENTROPP
 AMBASSADOR

A true patriot in that one. I would have liked to meet with such a kindred soul, but alas, his early passing prevented such.