Turn 2

The first page opens the story, the second establishes it. So too does a battle only truly begin when the second sword falls...

While war is a time of ruin and death, for some, it is a time of opportunity and profit. This apparent contradiction requires a great deal of insight in the laws of economy, and few can rival the men and women of Marienburg in this regard. The mercenary known as Atlas, while known for his ruthlessness in combat, showed a nurturing streak in overseeing the rebuilding of Gronti Mingol. By his order several jetties were added to the docks, and the ancient, ruined walls of the dwarves protecting the harbor from attacks by land were repaired where needed, and heightened where possible. While the settlement was still a far cry from self-sufficiency, the foundations for creating a profitable city here were laid.

Across the Black Gulf, Anya of house Whiteangel did much the same for Monte Castello. In contrast to Gronti Mingol, the Tilean city was already vibrant, yet the people certainly did not complain when the city's coffers were lined with Anya's gold, and a three-day long feast was held in honour of the Dragonback Expansion Effort's noble lady.

Yet as generous as the Expansion Effort showed itself in these regions, so vicious was it at the site known as Thragazi Zagazal. Kaspar van Gelding led his men here with a single purpose in mind- to strengthen Marienburg's position at the southwestern outskirts of the Dragonback mountains. Thragazi Zagazal has been a place of worship for the dwarven Slayers bound for the Dragonbacks, but no regard was shown for these dour warriors. The abandoned camp of tents, left behind by those who had died in battle against Ekrund's horrors, were trampled. It is said that the forces of the mercenary Todt took great effort in defacing the great stone pillar in which the names of redeemed Slayers had been etched, first with chisels, then with hammers. A number of Slayers who had taken refuge within the tent camp were found and killed, their quest finally at an end.

Blissfully unaware of this sacrilege, the dwarves of the Dalazidrungak Drekaz marched ever onward. While the manlings in the south were content to sit outside the mountains, the Dawi ventured ever deeper, their lord Durak Ironhelm at their head, his thane Rakam Ironhammer beside him. The mysterious dwarf who had aided them previously in capturing the hall of bones, Khaz Vithang, now led them ever deeper into the halls of Ekrund. What they found at the end of their path filled the hearts of the dwarves with pride.

Ankor Drakk, first city of Ekrund, where the Garudak lords had long reigned in the king's name, lay before them. The ancient gates provided entry to halls unseen by Dawi eyes for four thousand years- the first halls to have been hewn from the stone of the Dragonbacks. So much history was to be found here- the first arrival, the defiant stand against the grobi of the mountains, the courts of Ordorin and Grimbalki, the betrayal of the first Garudak and its successful repayment... All of it taken by the urk and grobi, and all of it reclaimed this day. The greenskins under the mountain fought long and hard in defense of the homes they had stolen for themselves, and to their credit they still hold on to some of the darkest halls and most derelict of tunnels. Yet at the end of the day, Ankor Drakk was undeniably in Dawi hands.

Further north, lord Freyr Fairhair fought bravely in reclaiming the dragon's gate from grobi, spiders and trolls , but for now Bar Drakk remained unclaimed. The dwarves showed great skill at arms in the shadow of the mighty statue depicting their ancestor's victory over a dragon, but unlike the dragons, the pests that currently infested the nooks and crannies of the gate were simply too numerous. Still, great progress was made in ridding the mountains of these threats, and no doubt the gate would be secured with a little more effort.

While warlord Borag and his "trusted" advisor, Skirgit, doubled back to secure Bar Bolg, the orc warboss Durlarg Spinesnappa Ironnose emerged from the hordes stationed at the First Delve. Leading his orcs in a particularly brutal attack, he rooted out the few remaining Dragonback goblins not loyal to Waaagh! Borag. Meanwhile Borag himself, as well as Skirgit, laid waste to Bar Bolg, perhaps in an attempt to secure a way out- for caution and is always on the minds of the most successful of goblins. Unfortunately, they were less than successful, taking great strides in claiming the gate but eventually failing. The fact that some greenskins were apparently not happy with moving away from the mountain was perhaps part of this, although few such reports among the greenskins can be considered trustworthy.

The greatest success came in the east, where Kaptain Blacksquig claimed the Bitterstone mines and its vast iron deposits for the Waaagh!. The fact that the Waaagh! was supposedly aided by a scarred dwarf, gibbering in the tongue of the greenskins, was vehemently denied by the old orc warboss, in that anyone who asked received a gunshot to the face for their troubles...