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Battle of Broken Fang (Valley of Sighs)
Steel Realms Timeline Event; recorded knowledge.
The Crossing The battle of the Valley of Sighs nearly drove the ancestors of the Grollen extinct
The battle of the Valley of Sighs nearly drove the ancestors of the Grollen extinct. At that time, the Grollen were the Gnolls of old, from the same world the Blood of Saemon was, coming through the gate to do battle with those they pursued in the name of their dark gods they were in service to – The Unholy Trio. Their origins were said to be demonic, their souls bound to the dark depths of the abyss and an Ur-Gnoll, a progenitor demon lord from whose loins their species sprang. The tale is told by the followers of Ezrilus mostly, and it is part of the common vernacular of the realms’ history… the History of the Grollen has a more complete perspective on the matter. A great God Storm ravaged the area during one phase of the battle.
Breaking on the Elven Lines
The gnolls split the elven line. Or so it seemed. The war shamans had spent a day working the gnolls into a murderous frenzy that they had never achieved before. Females, young, wounded, even some of the dead shambled forth. The gnolls fed upon Elven bodies. Such was their bloodlust that at first it powered the doom of the Elven forces of the east, but it overcame them and they began their feeding. The elves were able to survive total annihilation. Drenched in the blood of their kin, the archers of the Elves, (the only ones that survived) reigned down a forest of arrows on the gnoll swarm that had stopped moving to feed. Gaia came to aid the elves; The land under them rose up to give them view, and the wind fed the punch of their arrows. White lances of light tore into the gnolls – too busy feeding to defend themselves. Ikribu turned from the front lines to obliterate the remainder of the gnolls. The gnoll war shamans cried for aid, but their dark masters chose to press the advantage of the front lines. What was left of the gnolls was still frenzying, and they were still flogged forward by their war shamans. Well known for their ferocity to withstand even death for the reward of more killing, driven by blood magic, the shaggy horde was flying across the field, getting cut down like wheat by a scythe.
Facing down the Sun
Eventually, massive, old war leader Grak’nha Silver Muzzle had enough. The carnage he saw unfolding broke his legendary calm. He surged in anger as he had not done in years, the war shamans had their entrails ripped out. The war leader moved with swiftness and efficiency as his rage flowed. The last war shaman he spared, in order to break the call on his people. The war shaman protested that they would not hear, he told him to sound the note. Timidly the war shaman howled, until Grak’nha slowly tore open his entrails, holding him up with one hand as his howl grew louder and louder. Pain and hate flowed until the note rang out across the battlefield and broke the bloodlust. The war leader tore the war shaman apart, wearing the guts and pelt and let out a mighty howl. He turned, blood rage still in his eyes. He and Ikribu faced off on the field of slaughter. The frenzy was upon Grak’nha as he ran at the god of light. Each blast of power was dodged or shrugged off. Fur smoldering, lungs operating like bellows, they stood face to face. The great one that day stood, ready to die for his people without thought. Even Ikribu, faced off against him, trembled slightly for he had never seen such hate and violence in a being. Seeing the hesitating twitch of the god, Grak’nha looked about and made sure the few of his people left were able to crawl off. Then, god and beast, seeming to agree to mutually leave the field, slowly backed up, blood streaming from both.
Tears of Ezrilus
Ezrilus had witnessed the confrontation and asked why the sun god Ikribu had hesitated. “Because when I saw the pits of hell burning in his eyes, I also saw the greatest willingness to sacrifice himself for his people. It was love, he loved his people. Perhaps that is how he has lived so long.” Ezrilus drew upon this knowledge that love was buried deep in his heart to seek him out and make the bargain with him that would free his people from the chains of the dark gods and evil forces that had driven them before.