| Shadows of Ashenvale | |||
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| Previous: Blood Maul Conflict | |||
| Conflict: Post-Legion Alliance-Horde Engagements | |||
| Date: June 3rd - June 9th, 38 L.C. | |||
| Place: Ashenvale Forest | |||
Outcome: Overall stalemate, resolved in white peace.
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Heavy. |
Heavy. |
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The Shadows of Ashenvale Conflict was a series of engagements taking place in Ashenvale Forest. Sparked by the death of Highmountain emissary Halian Shlavahawk amongst other border tensions, the Horde entered the forest seeking justice for the fallen Tauren.
June 3rd - Negotiations[]
With tensions on the rise, the Alliance rallied to Astranaar to protect Kaldorei interests while the Horde reported to the Warsong Lumber Camp in order to establish a perimeter. Two delegations met in the designated neutral meeting area of the Howling Vale to discuss a non-violent resolution. Despite attempts by both sides to reach a peaceful conclusion, the only condition deemed acceptable by the Horde was the surrender of the sentinel who slew the Highmountain emissary, and tensions rose as both sides began to draw their weapons.
Before conflict could erupt in the Vale, both sides returned to their bases to assess the situation, with the Horde giving the Alliance twenty-four hours to turn over the sentinel to them, lest they enter the forest to find the sentinel themselves.
June 4th - Silverwind Refuge[]
Just an hour short of the deadline to turn in the killer of Halian Shlavahawk, a clash between Silverwing Sentinels and Warsong clansmen took place, with the instigator unclear. The Alliance report states that a scouting group was ambushed by the Warsong for refusing to surrender the killer, while the Horde report states that the Sentinels opened fire first. Despite the unverifiability of the instigator, the conflict, along with the fact that the deadline was reached without the Sentinel being surrendered to the Horde resulted in conflict sparking across the forest, starting at the Silverwind Refuge.
By the end of the night, the Horde managed to barely claim victory against the Alliance vanguard forces, though a secondary Alliance force had managed to successfully free a large amount of feral furbolgs, letting them loose into Silverwind Refuge. While the Horde retained control of the base, the rampancy of Furbolgs meant that they couldn't launch a counter-offensive.
June 5th - Raynewood and Splintertree[]
In the aftermath of the incident at Silverwind Refuge, conflict became inevitable. The tensions had grown too high to talk the Warsong or the Silverwing Sentinels down from fighting one another; and they came to blows within the passes that lie between Splintertree Post and Raynewood Retreat.
The Alliance flank, attempting to head off the Horde under Commander Kerdic Lothinil was counter-struck by Captain Thanidiel Highdawn. In this bout, the Horde were able to repel off the Alliance, forcing them into a retreat and taking several captives.
Meanwhile, the Splintertree Raid under General Berenal Grayblade clashed with Archon Telchis Truefeather's forces, where the Alliance was able to secure victory and raid the town and its outward posts, forcing the Horde to fall back from the area.
Ultimately, however, as neither side's counter offensive was successful, it was a stalemate in terms of movement of territory.
The assault on Raynewood was successfully repelled, though damage was done to the outpost. Forces under Sentinel-Lieutenant Wisp Ivymoon and Marshal Maxen Montclair were able to prevent the post from being overrun by the Horde.
June 6th - Armistice[]
On the night of the battles in Raynewood and Splintertree, numerous prisoners were taken on both sides. In order to facilitate negotiations for the safe transferal of each side's prisoners, an armistice was arranged the following day, declared to last from the striking of the agreement to the following day, at 3:30 PM precisely. With the Cenarion Circle acting as mediators, they escorted Alliance and Horde forces to gather their fallen across the forest and inspect both encampments to ensure that no body or pieces of bodies were hidden away.
June 7th - Satyrnaar[]
The demon settlement of Satyrnaar was a key strategic point for both faction. For the Alliance, it is a road to sever the connecting route to Splintertree and the Warsong Camp, for the Horde, it is a key point of expansion to dominate over Eastern Ashenvale entirely; to eventually snuff out Forest Song. Both factions converged on the area to gain an advantageous position on the eastern roads, though the Satyrs themselves defended their holding with demonic ferocity.
The purification group was able to rout a large amount of the Bleakheart Tribe of Satyrs, though purification could not be completed. Rather, the city was mostly destroyed by way of the Alliance's actions, leaving a large crater that some theorize is deep enough to sprout Azerite, cleansed of the powerful fel corruption that once tainted the area, plantlife already beginning to regain hold. Meanwhile, the Alliance's rear guard was heartily routed, and while the remaining Horde were fairly injured, their numbers were still great enough to continue into the ruins of Satyrnaar.
The Horde secured Satyrnaar; intending on setting up operation to see if there is indeed Azerite in the colossal crater left behind in the Alliance's wake, while others believe the crater should simply be sealed up with shamanistic magic and left be. Regardless, the region is under Horde watch; effectively closing Forest Song off as an Alliance contact and securing the Warsong Lumber Camp's safety.
Despite the Horde's overwhelming victory, the Alliance attempted a risky gambit: a war party rode back to Satyrnaar, distracting the Horde forces present while a fake order signed and sealed by General Fernfeather detailing the movement of the Sentinel who killed Halian Shlavahawk was planted on one of the bodies of the fallen.
June 8th - Mor'shan[]
The Alliance's gambit worked, having handily defeated the Horde's forces in an overwhelming victory and allowing a checkpoint to be established and strangle the Horde supply line; forcing them to rely solely on the river from Orgrimmar, which has to paddle supplies up stream. This resulted in the Warsong Camp suffering in terms of supply and ability to maintain their fortification with such strength.
The Alliance also managed to raid the Silverwind Refuge while the Horde was occupied defending the Ramparts, stealing and destroying several palettes of supplies, worsening the situation for the Horde.
The Horde managed to narrowly defeat the Alliance's rear guard, though, their forces were beleaguered heavily. By the time they arrived to reinforce the Horde position, with what few soldiers they had able to, the Alliance had already established their hold, and they were forced to retreat. As a result, the Alliance was successful in strangling the eastern supply line.
With this, the Horde and Alliance were locked in a bitter stalemate. The events of the campaign in total have reeked havoc across the forest, and both forces had suffered many casualties. The Alliance had succeeded in reinforcing their position in the forest, though with heavy casualties and the Warsong still remain. Meanwhile, the Horde has succeeded in re-establishing the Warsong in the forest, but their supply line is scarce and Halian goes unavenged.
At this point, both forces were left to skirmishes, hoping only to achieve whatever bitter victories they could scrounge out until the conflict came to an end with the re-establishment of forces on both sides at the closing of the week.
June 9th - Final Skirmishes[]
On the final day of the conflict, the Alliance and Horde clashed across Ashenvale, the skirmishes ultimately serving to gain minor goals throughout the forest.
The Horde attempted a final strike against Astranaar, covertly heading around to the Zoram Strand. From their base at Zoram'gar, they attempted to blitz Maestra's Post to strike the Alliance from its most defenseless position. The intention was twofold, as this also served as a distraction to split the alliance forces from being able to concentrate on the east. Ultimately, however, timely action prevented The Horde from reaching the town, though both sides were blooded.
Meanwhile, both Horde and Alliance forces returned to Satyrnaar, seeking to capitalize on the Azerite that had begun to surface in the aftermath of the failed attempt to cleanse the city. Both forces battled it out, with the Horde ultimately claiming victory and securing a very small cache of Azurite, before sealing the wound that had caused it to surface to begin with. In particular, Celandoril Emberlight has been commended for plucking the Horde from the jaws of defeat.
Lastly, the Alliance patrolled along the new checkpoint established just north of the Mor'shan Rampart. After engaging Horde scout forces and successfully defeating them, the Alliance captured two blood elf Kirin Tor members. Mending their injuries, they sent the two blood elves back to Dalaran, as they had no place in the conflict.
Ultimately, the back and forth between the Horde and Alliance ended with both sides taking major victories over one another, forcing a white peace as the Sentinels returned to Ashenvale. Though battered and bloodied, Alliance forces were able to withdraw from the forest with their head held high. While the Horde may still remain with in Ashenvale, the Alliance had succeeded in preventing the forest from being overrun in the Sentinels' absence. Whispers on the wind speak of the large Horde Army finalizing its creation, headed south for Feralas. In response, the Sentinel Army has prepared to send its fleet to counter the Horde. Despite having lost the opportunity to see the Highmountain avenged, Horde forces remain in the forest on orders of the Warchief, with detailed reports of Alliance defenses being sent back to Horde High Command alongside the recalling of the Crimson Vanguard. Though Halian's killer escaped, the Vanguard was commended for it's valuable service to The Horde, without much explanation being given as to what was actually achieved; almost as if the effort had been subverted to test the defenses of Ashenvale...
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