However, in that cold November of 4E2018, when this tale begins, it was a time of crisis.
Calendar of
The Iron Tower
~
Some Events of the Second Era
~
In the final days of the Second Era, the Great War of the Ban was fought. On the High Plane, Adon prevailed over the Great Evil, Gyphon; on the Middle Plane, by unexpected Stroke the Grand alliance won, and vile Modru was defeated upon Mithgar. During the War, the ways between the Planes were sundered, though all Folk could return to their own Plane, but never leave it again. Adon set His Ban upon the creatures of the Untargarda who aided Gyphon in the War: they were forever banished from the light of Mithgar’s Sun, and those who would defy the Ban suffer the Withering Death. Gyphon, swearing vengeance, was exiled beyond the Spheres. Thus did the Second Era end and the Third Era begin . . . and so matters stood for some four thousand years, until 4E2018.
~
Some Events of the Fourth Era
~
4E1992: Patrel Rushlock born near Midwood, Eastdell, the Boskydells.
4E1995: Tuckerby Underbank born in Woody Hollow, Eastdell, the Boskydells.
4E1996: Danner Bramblethorn born in Woody Hollow, Eastdell, the Boskydells.
4E1999: Merrilee Holt born in Woody Hollow, Eastdell, the Boskydells.
4E2013: Comet Dragon Star flashes through the heavens of Mithgar, nearly striking the world. Great flaming gouting chunks score the night skies, some pieces hurtling to earth. Many see this hairy star as a harbinger of doom.
~
The Winter War
4E2018
(Even though the Mithgarian months and days are in many different foreign tongues I have translated them into familiar names for ease of reading)
~
August: A cold month. Wolves sighted in Northdell, the Boskydells. Gammer Alderbuc begins organizing the Thornwalker Wolf Patrols. Some days of frost in late August.
September: Gammer Alderbuc appoints Captain Alver as head of the Thornwalkers. Snow falls on the seventh of the month. Old Barlo begins archery Classes in Woody Hollow, training a group of Thornwalker recruits; Tuck and Danner are students. Rumors come to the Boskydells of some dark evil up North, reputed to be Modru.
October: Several Boskydell families disappear; none can say where. Cold grips the Land. Snow.
November 2: Old Barlo’s archery class graduates. As Thornwalker recruits, Tuck, Danner, Hob Banderel, and Tarpy Wiggins are to join the Eastdell Fourth, Guarding Spindle Ford.
November 9: With Patrel as their guide, Tuck, Danner, Hob, and Tarpy set out for Spindle Ford.
November 10: The five Warrows stop at the Huggs’ farm, but the owners have disappeared. The Warrows discover evidence of evil, Wolf-like Vulgs, who apparently have slain the Huggs.
November 11: Vulgs attack the Warrows at Rooks’ Roost. Hob is slain.
November 13 - December 5: Tuck, Danner, and Tarpy take up their Thornwalker duties in Patrel’s company, standing Beyonder Guard at the Ford and riding Wolf Patrol. On December 3, a waggon train of refugees passes through bearing news that High King Aurion prepares for War at Challerain Keep. On December 4, a Kingsman arrives calling for the muster at Challerain Keep. A Vulg attack upon the herald results in the drowning of the Man, the horse, and Tarpy. Rescued by Danner, Tuck survives. On December 5, Tuck, Danner, Patrel, and forty other Warows volunteer to answer the King’s call.
December 6 - 13: The Warrows travel to Challerain Keep. On December 13, Tuck, Danner, and Patrel meet Prince Igon, Princess Laurelin, Elf Lord Gildor, Kingsgeneral Vidron, and High King Aurion. The Warrows learn of the Dimmendark, a spectral Shadowlight to the north where the Sun shines not and Adon’s Ban does not rule, hence vile creatures roam free.
December 14 - 20: Warrows take up duties as members of the Castle-ward. Tuck becomes friends with Princess Laurelin, learning that she is betrothed to Prince Galen, who even now rides with a company of Men within the Dimmendark, scouting for evidence that Modru is gathering his evil Hordes of old.
Tuck, Danner, and Patrel attend the Princess’s birthday eve feast, and as the celebration rises to its height, a wounded warrior comes bearing news that the dreadful pall of the Dimmendark has started moving south. The Winter War has begun.
December 21: First Yule: Year’s Long Night: Princess Laurelin departs Challerain Keep on the last waggon train of refugees, escorted by Prince Igon, who is sent to hasten the King’s Host from Pellar to Challerain Keep.
December 22: Second Yule: The Dimmendark sweeps over the Keep and beyond. The spectral Shadowlight baffles eyesight: Men see at most two miles over open plains, and much less in forests and hill country, where the Shadowlight seems to pool; Elves see perhaps twice as far as Men; Warrows, as if seeing by a new color, see farthest of all, as much as five miles.
December 23: Third Yule: The Warrow company is disbanded, and the buccen are posted among the King’s Companies to use their Warrow eyes to see for the Men.
On this day, the Horde, thirty thousand strong, lay siege to the Keep.
December 24: Fourth Yule: In the distance north of the Keep, Galen’s Men set fire to a siege tower, yet other siege engines arrive to be used by the Horde. Catapults fling fire over the walls, and the city burns.
December 25: Fifth Yule: Challerain Keep continues to burn.
Laurelin’s waggon train is attacked by Ghûls; Prince Igon is felled; Princess Laurelin, her arm broken, is taken captive; all others are slain.
December 26: Sixth Yule: The Horde attacks. The first and second walls of Challerain Keep fall.
Prince Igon, sorely wounded, takes up pursuit of Laurelin’s captors.
December 27: Seventh Yule: The third and fourth walls of Challerain Keep fall.
The Battle of Weiunwood begins. Here, in this shaggy forest, the Weiunwood Alliance of Men, Warrows, and Elves (and Hidden Ones, unmentioned, but nevertheless present) fends off another of Modru’s Hordes.
December 28: Eighth Yule: Challerain Keep is abandoned. The King’s forces attempt to break free of the Horde. King Aurion is slain. Separated from the others, Tuck flees, taking refuge in an ancient tomb, where he discovers the Red Quarrel and the Atalar Blade. By happenstance, Prince Galen comes to the same tomb. Together they flee southward, riding for a rendezvous in Stonehill with any others who might have survived.
Danner and Patrel, also cut off from the others, begin their own trek for Stonehill.
General Vidron and Lord Gildor, along with the pitiful remnants of the Kingsmen, break free and ride east toward the Signal Mountains.
The Battle of Weiunwood enters its second ’Day.
December 29: Ninth Yule: The Battle of Weiunwood enters its third ’Day. The Horde breaks off and marches east and south, skirting the borders of the shaggy forest.
December 30: Tenth Yule: Year’s End Eve: Tuck and Galen discover the slaughtered waggon train and begin the long pursuit of Laurelin’s captors.
December 31: Eleventh Yule: Year’s End Day: Danner and Patrel come upon the slaughtered waggon train. Knowing ponies are too slow to overtake the Ghûls, the pair decides to continue on to Stonehill and the rendezvous.
~
4E2019
~
January 1: Twelfth Yule: Last Yule: Year’s Start Day: Snow covers the track of Laurelin’s captors. Tuck and Galen arrive at the Weiunwood; they are given food and a place to sleep and are warded by members of the Weiunwood Alliance.
January 2 - 3: Seeking information about Laurelin’s captors, Tuck and Galen travel through the Weiunwood to meet the Alliance leaders: Arbagon Fenner (Warrow), Bockleman Brewster (Man), and Lord Inarion (Elf). Galen is told that the Ghûls passed by, heading eastward, perhaps riding for the Drearwood. Tuck and Galen strike out for that dire forest.
Vidron and Gildor and the remnants of the Kingsmen of Challerain Keep come to the Weiunwood. Gildor turns aside to confer with his kith, while Vidron continues on toward Stonehill. Gildor learns t
hat Galen passed through the Weiunwood, and the Elf sets out in pursuit, one day behind.
January 4: The captive Princess Laurelin is borne through Grûwen Pass and down into Gron. She knows now that she is bound for the Iron Tower, Modru’s mighty fortress upon Claw Moor.
In her wake, Prince Igon, suffering dreadfully from his wound, collapses in the snow. He is discovered by a patrol of Elves who bear him to the Hidden Refuge of Arden Vale, where he is tended.
January 5 - 7: Tuck and Galen continue the long pursuit, crossing Drear Ford and picking up the track of Laurelin’s captors as it runs through Drearwood.
Danner and Patrel come to Stonehill; the town is deserted. They decide to wait two days, and, if no one else comes, they will go west to the Boskydells and gather more Warrows and then fare south to Pellar to join the Host and be their eyes in the Dimmendark.
January 8: Tuck and Galen enter Arden Vale, where they meet Lord Talarin and Lady Rael, Elven leaders of the Hidden Refuge. Lord Talarin takes them to see the wounded Man the Elves found lying in the snow. It is Prince Igon, abed and delirious from his wound. At last Galen Confirms that Laurelin is indeed a captive. Lord Gildor finally catches up to Galen and informs him that King Aurion is slain and that Galen is now High King. Galen must choose between love and duty: to pursue the captive Princess, or to rally the Host to War.
Danner and Patrel leave Stonehill. Just as they ride out through the west gate, General Vidron and his force ride in through the east gate; they do not see one another.
January 9: Galen finds he has no choice; he must ride south and rally the Host to fight the enemy. With heavy hearts, he, Tuck, and Lord Gildor begin the long journey toward Pellar.
Vanidor, Gildor’s twin brother, with three comrades—Varion, Duorn, and Flandrena—sets off north into Gron to spy out Modru’s strength, and, if Fortune favors them, to rescue the Princess.
An ex-soldier comes to Stonehill and tells Vidron that Gûnarring Gap, the key pass to the south, is held by the foe. Vidron decides to ride west to Wellen and muster troops to break the grasp of the enemy upon the Gap.
January 10: Danner and Patrel enter the Boskydells and discover that Modru’s Reavers have laid waste to the village of Greenfields. During the night, General Vidron and his company gallop through Greenfields on their way to Wellen. Again, the two Warrows just miss encountering Vidron.
January 11: Princess Laurelin arrives at last at the Iron Tower. Modru imprisons her in a lightless, filthy cell.
January 12: Danner and Patrel arrive at Woody Hollow; Ghûls have set the hamlet aflame. Merrilee Holt saves Danner and Patrel from a reaver. Danner and Patrel learn that Tuck’s parents were slain by the raiding Ghûls.
January 13: Warrow archers meet at Whitby’s barn to make plans to strike back at the Ghûls.
January 14: Tuck, Galen, and Gildor, riding south along the Grimwall Mountains come upon Brega, Dwarf warrior, the only survivor of a great battle between a Dwarven company and the vanguard of a Rûcken Horde. Brega joins the trio and south they ride.
January 15: Battle of Budgens: Warrows ambush Ghûl reavers in Budgens, Eastdell, the Boskydells.
January 16: Fleeing before Ghûls, Tuck, Galen, Gildor, and Brega are forced to the Dusk-Door of Drimmen-deeve. There they are attacked by the Krakenward and flee into the dark, Gargon-ruled halls of that ancient Dwarven Realm.
Laurelin is taken from her cell and led to a high tower, where she finds Vanidor captive. Modru gloats over the Myrkenstone, a chunk of the Dragon Star used to create the Dimmendark. Laurelin is forcer to witness Vanidor’s murder. By an unknown Elven power, in the moment of his death, Vanidor thrusts a Death Rede upon his twin, who is far to the south at the Dusk-Door.
In the Boskydells, Budgens is burned.
January 17 - 18: Tuck, Galen, Gildor, and Brega trek through Drimmen-deeve, heading for the Dawn-Gate and freedom. The Gargon, a fear caster, discovers that they are in the caverns and pursues them, aided in the hunt by a Horde of maggot-folk. The four Heroes manage to slay the Gargon and escape.
January 19 - 20: Travelling south, Tuck, Galen, Gildor, and Brega at last win free of the Dimmendark.
In the Boskydells, the Company of Whitby’s Barn joins with the Eastwood Company, and on the twentieth they ambush a great gang of Ghûls in the Battle of Brackenboro. Danner, Patrel, and Merrilee are rescued by Vidron and warriors from Wellen who are on their way to free Gûnarring Gap from the Lakh of Hyree.
January 21: Tuck, Galen, Gildor, and Brega come to Darda Galion, Land of the Silverlarks.
Danner, Patrel, Merrilee, and seven more Warrows join Vidron to act as eyes for the Men as they set off for Gûnarring Gap.
January 23: Tuck, Galen, Gildor, and Brega speak with Coron Eiron in Wood’s-Heart, Darda Galion. Plans are made to fare by boat to the Argon Ferry where, if the ferry is in friendly hands, they can find aid to lead them to the Host.
Vidron’s Legion leaves the Boskydells, riding for Gûnarring Gap.
The vanguard of the Horde from Challerain Keep enters the Boskydells by the old abandoned Northwood Tunnel.
January 24: Tuck, Galen, Gildor, and Brega set out by Elven boat for the Argon Ferry.
The main body of the Horde from Challerain Keep enters the Boskydells.
January 25: While speaking of an eclipse, Gildor at last remembers Vanidor’s Death Rede: “The Darkest Day, The Greatest Evil . . .” Gildor surmises that during the coming eclipse of February 22, Modru will attempt to bring Gyphon to Mithgar from Beyond the Spheres.
January 28: Tuck, Galen, Gildor, and Brega arrive at the Argon Ferry.
January 29-31: Tuck, Galen, Gildor, and Brega, accompanied by Reachmarshal Ubrik, ride for Gûnarring Gap.
At the Gap itself, a great battle rages between the Harlingar of Valon and the Lakh of Hyree. After three days, the Harlingar prevail.
February 1: Tuck, Galen, Gildor, Brega, and Ubrik arrive at Gûnarring Gap. King Arnor of Valon commits five thousand Vanadurin warriors to ride north with High King Galen to the Iron Tower to attempt to disrupt Modru’s plans on the Darkest Day, the ’Day of the eclipse.
Vidron at last comes to the Gap, and, believing it to be enemy-held, plans to attack.
February 2: Vidron, not realizing that the Gap is in friendly hands, unknowingly launches an attack upon the Vanadurin. In the last moment, both sides see that neither is the foe of the other, and each sheer off their charges.
Vidron’s Legion joins High King Galen’s quest.
Tuck is reunited with Merrilee, Danner, and Patrel.
At the pace of a Valanreach long-ride, the Host starts north for Gron in a race to arrive at the Iron Tower ere the coming of the Darkest Day.
February 5: Galen’s Host comes to Gûnar Slot.
February 7: Galen’s Host comes to the edge of the Dimmendark.
February 8: Galen’s Host passes Ragad Vale.
The Horde attacking the Weiunwood breaks off the assault and starts east from Stonehill to intercept Galen’s Host.
February 9: The Host passes the road to Quadran Pass.
The Horde is at Beacontor.
February 10: The Host crosses Rhone Ford. The horses of Vidron’s Legion are weary, for they have come all the way from Wellen to the Gap and then north with Galen’s Host, and they begin to have difficulty maintaining the hard pace.
The Horde continues east at a forced march.
Elf Lord Inarion sets out from Beacontor to warn Lord Talarin in Arden Vale of the Horde’s eastward march.
February 11: The Host camps south of Drearwood. The horses of Vidron’s Legion continue to flag.
The Horde nears the Wilderness Hills.
February 12: The Host comes to the Crossland Road near Arden Ford.
The Horde comes to the Stone-arches Bridge.
Lord Inarion arrives in Arden Vale.
February 13: The Host Camps alongside Arden Bluff. Prince Igon, Elf Lord Talarin, and Elf Flandrena come to High King Galen’s camp. Inarion speaks of the H
orde. Flandrena, the only survivor of Vanidor’s ill-fated mission into Gron, tells of the strength of the Iron Tower. Galen asks Vidron and the Wellenen to delay the Horde at Grûwen Pass. Talarin and the Elves of Arden Vale join Vidron’s force of Wellenen. Prince Igon, recovered from his wound, joins Galen on his mission to the Iron Tower.
February 14: The Host travels through Grûwen Pass to come into Gron.
Vidron’s Legion and the Elves of Arden take up positions to defend Grûwen Pass.
The Horde comes to Arden Ford.
February 15: The Host continues north.
The cast is removed from Princess Laurelin’s arm, now healed. Laurelin continues to seek a means of escape.
February 17: The Host comes to the south edge of the Gwasp.
The Horde arrives at Grûwen Pass.
February 18: The Host comes to the north edge of the Gwasp.
The Iron Tower Omnibus Page 71
