DRAGONFLIGHTS ATTACK FREE REALMS
The Dedites have sent out Dragonflights of chromatic dragons of various breeds and sub-breeds together with their spawn. It is estimated they can menace anywhere in the Free Realms within three days and can strike at Haranlarche, the Wild Lands and the Savage Coast at once.
DRAGONSTRIKE ATTACKS:
EASTERN EMPIRE
Empire City is attacked by a dragonflight of seventeen blue dragons, including two dragon sorcerers. Extensive damage is done to the outlying rural areas and to the port and shipyards. In addition there was heavy damage to the arena which was hosting gladiatorial games at the time. All of the dragons are killed in the first ten minutes of battle but not before causing massive casualties.
Casualties: 3,289 injured; 10,980 dead; 5,678 missing.
ROCKPORT
Rockport is hit by a dragonflight of red dragons. Fourteen of the creatures sweep across the Dreadsea. The Rockport Legion and the surrounding surface and air navies of the Free Realms kill 6 of them, before the others sweep overhead.
Casualties: 6,281 injured; 2,134 dead. Truce Palace damaged, already being repaired. No major damage to any Rockport buildings. The rest of the Red Dragons are then slain. While the Rockport Legion is a veteran force, well led by a powerful spell-caster, they are small in number and had little firepower to match the initial dragon onslaught.
HARANLARCHE
Haranlarche is attacked by a dragonflight of six black dragons. All of the dragons are defeated and captured by the Silver Knot. The dragons are now being sent back to their race's home island by the Mistress of the Mystic Arts, Blackfoot.
IENOS
Ienos City is attacked by a dragonflight of 8 green dragons. 7 of them are killed by wishes used by the Captains Council, but one is critically injured and suicides by slamming into the Imperial Palace. This kills all members of the Captains Council and their retainers and starts a poisonous fire in the centre of the Ienos City.
Casualties: 1,112 injured; 7,890 killed.
SKY FEDERATION
SFV 79 Windsong Interpreter alerts Floating Ar and takes massive damage in the process. Due to the warning the Aerial Dreadnought SFV 3009 Waterstone's Shard is ready and shoots down the whole dragonflight of 34 White Dragons. There were no survivors from amongst the evil dragons or their kindred.
OPERATION SHELF
Reports are emerging about a major secret battle between the largest skyships in the Sky Federation fleet and the massed forces of a Dedite army at the southern border of the legendary Floating Forest. All four of the townships outside the forest are currently held by Sky Federation forces. Through some magical means it seems that a major military airborne operation has been executed with blinding speed. The neighbouring Cyclopes of the Ponderstone Duchy have now rebelled against the Dedites. Sky Federation vessels of smaller size have been seen over and around Highport in Haranlarche.
AFTERMATH
The Sky Federation Wind Dhow SFV-18 Reliant arrived at Rockport bearing news of the amazing blitzkrieg victory over the Dedites in the Forest Kingdom. The Sky Federation has liberated the Sammuria region of the Dedite-held Forest Kingdoms and also the Floating Forest, a two and a half mile high expanse of floatwood trees drifting in the skies anchored by gigantic aerial routes.
The Reliant is a trading vessel like all Sky Federation ships of the line, but her graceful dhow lines are marred by a devil's blister - a keel-mounted turret directly under the hull. The captain of the vessel is Dezira Joirr, a Desert Nomad human woman dressed like an arabesque swashbuckler. Dezira had her ship stock up with medicines before making the hazardous journey through the teeth of the storm to Rockport. En route they engaged and destroyed one of the enemy dragons. The medicine is 114 doses of healing potion prepared by doctors in Haranlarche. This is enough to directly save the lives of 228 people of Rockport. Lord Rock has expressed his gratitude to the Sky Federation and to Haranlarche for their aid and to Captain Joirr for her skill & bravery.
Prince Diego of Korenzia, loyal friend and ally to Rockport, has also sent over a thousand bottles of healing potion to help ease Rockport’s medical demand. Already Rockport is making preparations for another attack readying defensive bunkers for the population and upgrading the emergency services of the island realm. Personnel from the Church of Rockport and from the medical studies centre of Rockport’s Lyceum worked tirelessly in seeing to the injured. Lord Rock spent the time immediately after the dragon flight attack forgoing rest to wander amongst his people to comfort them with words and with magic. Lord Rock expressed grief and anger at the terrible attack, openly weeping and embracing families of victims. The dominant emotion amongst the new nation's people is one of desire for revenge. Lord Rock is expected to speak to the Free Realms regarding the attacks.
Riots in Empire City
The damage is ongoing in Empire City as well because they have no real disaster relief infrastructure other than the legions, and almost one whole legion was put out of action. Now the city has become prey to looting, riots and street crime. No doubt Wren Dairin will take over emergency services for the Free Realms at this time of crisis and pull everyone together.
IENOS WILL NOT BE COWED!
Tamargh of Ienos, interim Councillor and Dux Bellorum:
"We will survive. We will rebuild. Alternates and successors are already sailing for home, and the Sky Federation Cruiser "Ark Federal" is transporting the Ienian captains who were visiting Floating Ar directly back home. As for the rebuilding, we will have to completely rethink how we build and where we build. I also think it is totally wrong that the Host Mages who have benefited from their close association with the surrounding islands did nothing in the battle with the Dragons. We have used up all our kingdom's wishes on this and now we are really in trouble economically and still those damned wizards have done nothing. They must now join the realm or LEAVE."
DEDITE TERROR ATTACKS CONTINUE
The Dedites have continued to send out Dragon squadrons with supporting humanoid and dragonspawn troopers carried in dragon howdahs. The latest strikes have been on Stormshell City, Freeport, O-Kai-Lia, Hsia-Ch'in, Dawnisle, Lyndorea and the Eastern Empire. O-Kai-Lia is still fighting a firestorm that has consumed a third of the capital. The houses and temples of O-Kai-Lia are constructed of wood and enchanted paper, which has made the fire attacks of the dragons much worse than they would otherwise have been. The metahuman superhero team known as The Rising Sun are doing everything in their power to help put out the colossal fire.
Contact has been lost with the imperial capital and the northern regions of the Eastern Empire all the way to the western border with the Highlands and Korenzean protectorate regions. The northern provinces are in a state of open rebellion. Gnesius, a Consul from the northern province of Theng, has proclaimed himself Emperor of the North, and is occupying the still-being-constructed city of Novatis. With the onset of winter it will be impossible for the Empress to dislodge him before Threemonth of 1102, if she still lives. Braejr has already acknowledged Gnesius as Emperor of the East, and with the support of this neighbouring magic-user realm he has a powerful base. How this will affect the future of the Free Realms is not yet known.
Lord Rock has addressed the Free Realms Assembly on the Dedite Dragon attacks. Address to Free Realms Assembly.
SKY FEDERATION VS DEDITE DRAGONS!
A flight of red and vermilion dragons swept low over the Shallow Sea after firestorming Stormshell City, which has taken heavy damage. As the dragons rose to take a long parabolic flight home they were attacked by Sky Federation Wind Dhows SFV-19 "Beauty of the Nahmeh", SFV-39 "Pearl Princess", SFV-70 "Concord" and SFV-64 "Chlorodar Conveyor" supported by the Heavy Wind Dhows SFV-987 "Avenger" and SFV-941 "Raptor". With the loss of the Raptor to dragonfire and the heavy damage of the other Federation skyships, all of the dragons in the squadron were destroyed. The Sky Federation vessels have now limped to Ienos for repairs where they will soon be joined by the floating smithyship SFV-777 "Endurance". Casualties amongst the sky corsair crews are the heaviest that the young realm has yet experienced. It is understood that one of the Sky Federation's 36th ranked wizards was in command of the Raptor and is amongst the dead.
Admiral Fesshenski of the Avenger said,
"We will keep fighting. And we will win. The skies belong to the Federation, not the Dedites. FOR HONOUR AND LADY DAMMA, QUEEN OF THE SKIES!"
It was announced in Skyreach, official capital of the Sky Federation, that a new Raptor will be commissioned to replace the destroyed vessel. It will be registered as the SFV-941a "Raptor II". First opportunity of command of the new vessel will be given to the best qualified of the next of kin of the fallen captain in accordance with the Uhainu ("Clan Law") of the Sky Federation guild-nation.
Damma herself is returning from a high-level diplomatic mission in the recently-liberated Floating Forest, a huge forest of magical trees that float in the air, anchored to the ground by massive aerial roots. This whole region has now joined the Sky Federation along with its dominant race, the Shaggies. These ape-men live in the floating forest and are natural ace pilots.