Desperate Times

Mellvellon’s war with the Skaven for control of Mellthu was a costly drain on resources. Supporting the communties of the Sein-Craban colony and maintaining the supply lines of the armies in the field proved difficult. Even after the cleansing of the Vale of Endwe the land still remained ravaged by war; agriculture had recovered little, certainly not enough to feed the Elven armies and the populous of Sein-Craban. Furthermore, the roads were dangerous to travel, with merchants and traders often set-upon by agents of the Skaven in the continual guerrilla fighting that plagued the vale.

The cumulative result was a dire situation where the Elven economy, drained by a century of attrition, teetered on the brink of catastrophe. Without the incomes of the previously bountiful agriculture of the south, The Dragon Lords were forced to give the Elven Privateers free reign at sea in the hope that “acquired” goods and materials might help support the war effort.

But the privateers were to have mixed fortunes. Running a course too close to the coast of Aranur, the elves incurred the ire of the Iron Fleet of Karak-a-Varr. Diplomatic relations between the Dwarfs and the Elves had long fluctuated from alliance to armistice to outright war. At sea, there was little regard for diplomacy ar all and conflict was common- especially where privateers were concerned.

The Dwarf fleet surged forward to bring the sleek, swift ships of the Elves into range. The iron-skinned leviathans easily weathered the Elven shots as they tried to skirt out of range of the Dwarfs. The Elven captains therefore changed tack, and altered their course in order to quickly close the gap, hoping to sweep past the Dwarf ships and attack them from the rear.

It was to prove a costly move for both sides. The lead Dwarf cruiser Sealion opened up with full broadside, her captain having ordered the gunners to load with high explosive rounds. In their haste a team of gunners spilt their crate of volatile ammunition across the gun deck. All it took was a rogue spark from the first gun fired, and the Sealion went up like a powder-keg. The resultant explosion sank not only Sealion, but also blasted and buckled her sister ship Iron Trident to the extent that she could not hope to continue the battle. The Elves suffered equally, with their attacking cruisers reduced to splintered wrecks.

The privateers’ capital ship was now alone and at the mercy of the Dwarf Admiral’s battleship Steeltide. With all gunners working frantically, she poured shot after shot into the privateer ship. Within a matter of moments the Elves were utterly defeated, their ship lost with all hands, and all that was left was for Steeltide to chase off the few frigates that remained

When back ashore, the Dwarf Admiral and his crews celebrated their victory, with Dwarf pride truly satisfied. Yet they were unaware of the full repercussions of the defeat of the Elven privateers. Every setback caused the Elves to suffer, and allowed the stranglehold of the Skaven over the colonists of Sein-Craban to tighten. The iron claw of Typhus continued to close around lands of Mellthu.