| Battle of the Ring of Trials | |||
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| Previous: Battle of Kil'Sorrow | |||
| Next: Battle of Sunspring Post | |||
| Conflict: The Quest for Turalyon | |||
| Date: Wednesday June 5, 623 K.C. | |||
| Place: The Ring of Trials, Nagrand | |||
| Outcome: Decisive Alliance Victory | |||
| Belligerents: | |||
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The Sin'dorei of Quel'Thalas |
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| Commanders and Leaders: | |||
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Grand Knight Gottfried Helheim |
Sovereign Volanaro Ael'aran |
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| Strength: | |||
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18 Crusaders |
28 Sin'dorei and Auxiliaries |
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| Casualties and Losses: | |||
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Light |
Heavy |
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Also known as the Battle of the Ring, the battle took place at the famed Ring of Trials located in the eastern reach of Nagrand. The first major engagement between the Alliance forces of the Congregation of the Silver Hand and the New Horde in the Quest for Turalyon, the battle ultimately resulted in a decisive victory for the forces of the Alliance, thus securing the eastern supply routes from Shattrath to the victors.
Preface[]
After the daring rescue of a number of captured draenei forces at the Battle of Kil'Sorrow for the Alliance and the destruction of a large cache of threatening fel araments by the Sin'dorei forces, the two armies began maneauvering against one another. The first and most immediately important location for both forces was the legendary Ring of Trials, an arena famed for its bloodshed and sport. The Ring, in addition to sitting favorably inbetween the two primary routes into Nagrand from Shattrath boasts substantial fortifications making it can easy base of operations from which either faction could raid and assert control over the eastern supply routes.
With the leadership of the Congregation and New Horde realizing the strategic value of the Ring early on, a battle for the location was short in coming.
Battle[]
The Congregation and Horde clash in the initial assault to claim the Ring.
Late in the evening the Congregation and Horde forces clashed as both sides attempted to assault the arena turned fortress simultaneously. Commander Cartres Portiave, appointed by Grand Knight Gottfried Helheim to lead the Alliance forces in the battle, managed to guide the Congregation forces to an initial victory over the Horde, allowing the allied armies of the League of Lordaeron, the Clergy of the Holy Light, the Kingdom of Lordaeron Restored, and numerous other allied contingents, to fortify their position in the structure.
Initially Sovereign Volanara Ael'aran of the Dominion of the Sun and Blood Commander Telchis Truefeather of the The Sunguard rallied their forces over three counter attacks, all of which were repulsed by the crusaders of the Congregation. At the end of the forth assault, Commander Portiave raised the flags of truce and meet the Horde leaders under the banner of neutrality in order to offer them the chance to surrender. After a heated exchange of words between the commanders, the Sin'dorei refused Portiave's offer and renewed their assaults upon the crusaders with even greater tenacity.
Commander Cartres Portiave meets with Sovereign Volanaro Ael'aran and Blood Commander Telchis Truefeather in order to demand their surrender.
Four more charges would follow the failed attempt at negotiation, with the Sin'dorei forces relentlessly pounding the Alliance contingent within the ring. Group after group hit the defenders in rapid succession from both avenues of approach into the Ring, the fighting spirit of the blood elves growing more fierce with every charge. Despite their efforts, however, the assaults on the Ring continued to fail and break, resulting in staggeringly high casualties for the Horde and little for the Alliance.
Although suffering under heavy casualities, the leaders of the Sin'dorei contingent eventually came to the decision to throw the entirety of their forces into the battle in a final desperate assault upon the fortified position. The last assault was ultimately successful in breaking the Alliance defensive line but the total casualties suffered by the New Horde in the attack were so unbearable that continued defense of the position was considered untenable. As a result, Horde forces retreated to their base in Garador, leaving the Ring of Trials, and the field of battle, to Congregation forces.
Outcome[]
Initially outnumbered by the Sin'dorei forces, the troops under the command of Sir Cartres Portiave managed a valiant defense of the Ring of Trials. The soldiers of the Dominion of the Sun and The Sunguard, while brave and skilled fighters, were simply unable to surmount the formidable earthworks of the Ring in either a timely or cost-efficient manner. Thus the Congregation was able to take to the fullest advantage the fortifications present at the Ring, subsequently the crusaders were able to inflict devastating casualties upon the Sin'dorei war host and prolong any capture of the Ring.
With the Ring of Trials in Alliance hands, the eastern roads to Shattrath have come under their control. With the eastern supply routes sealed off to the Horde and secured for the Alliance, the Congregation has managed to firmly entrench itself in the area and place itself in a solid position upon which to attempt an assault on Sunspring Village. If the Horde is to have a secure line of supply and have a strategically sound position in the final assault on Halaa, the capture of Sunspring will prove paramount.
