The Last Council of West Mar - Song 1

[INTRO] [NARRATOR] Westmar Keep… northern shield of Valorn. Its roads crowded with refugees. Its towers lined with exhausted soldiers. Its granaries strained beneath the weight of war. And inside the great war chamber… Duke Harridan gathered the surviving lords of the north. [NARRATOR] Maps covered the ancient oak table. Northpoint. Gone. Iceflow. Silent. Brackenford burning. Frostmere surrounded. Highfelt cut off. The Githyanki advance spread farther every day. [DUKE HARRIDAN] This enemy does not raid. It conquers. Every strike planned. Every assault precise. They move faster than any army I have fought in forty years. [DUKE HARRIDAN] Northpoint should have held for months. Frostmere was built to survive giants. Yet these invaders carve through fortresses like hunters through prey. [NOBLE LORD] Then we call every banner in Westmar! [GENERAL] Westmar alone cannot stop this. Not anymore. [NARRATOR] Silence filled the chamber. Outside… the bells of Westmar rang through freezing rain. [DUKE HARRIDAN] How many survived Northpoint? [SCOUT CAPTAIN] Very few. Variss Sunspear slaughtered surrendered guards before their families. The survivors brought terror south with them. [NARRATOR] Several nobles lowered their heads. One priest quietly began praying. Another stared silently at the map of Frostmere… already fearing it lost. [DUKE HARRIDAN] Then the stories are true… Spider Riders on the walls… ships burning in the harbor… entire patrols erased overnight… Entire villages gone before sunrise… [XAR’THUL ECHO] YOUR WALLS FAIL YOU. [NARRATOR] The Duke closed his eyes. He had heard enough survivor stories to know this war had changed. [DUKE HARRIDAN] If Frostmere falls… the northern roads open. If the roads open… the invasion spreads south. Allenmoor will be forced to hold the frontier alone. Then Southshore. Then Greycliff. Then the Crownlands themselves. [NARRATOR] Old Marshal Corven stepped forward. Scarred from decades of war. One arm wrapped in bloodstained cloth. A veteran of the Giant Wars and the Demon Campaigns. [MARSHAL CORVEN] Then we stop fighting alone. Send riders south. To Queen Mayre Anne. To Duke Allen. To Redwater. To Marrowfield. To Greycliff. To every duchy still standing. Warn them what comes. [NOBLE LORD] The roads crawl with Githyanki scouts! No messenger force survives that journey! [MARSHAL CORVEN] Then do not send messengers. Send warriors. [NARRATOR] The old Marshal pointed toward the war map. Northpoint. Brackenford. Highfelt. Iceflow. Frostmere. [MARSHAL CORVEN] Gather the finest survivors from every fallen battle. Those who escaped the massacres. Those who still know how to fight. Send them south together. [DUKE HARRIDAN] Six riders… [MARSHAL CORVEN] Six heroes. Fast enough to outrun the invasion. Strong enough to survive it. Wise enough to know what is truly coming. [NARRATOR] For several moments… only thunder answered. Then Duke Harridan slowly rose from his chair. [NARRATOR] The Duke turned toward the storm beyond the fortress windows. For the first time that night… fear entered his voice. Not fear for himself. Fear for Valorn. [DUKE HARRIDAN] Queen Mayre Anne must know the truth. The Githyanki are not raiders. They are conquerors. If the duchies stand divided… the north dies alone. But if Valorn unites… if Allenmoor rises… if Southshore rides… if the banners of Greycliff march… if Troy Veilleux brings his war host north… then perhaps this kingdom still has hope. [MASSIVE CHORUS] RIDE FOR WESTMAR RIDE THROUGH THE STORM CARRY THE WARNING THE WAR HAS COME THROUGH FIRE AND DARKNESS THROUGH BLOOD AND PAIN RIDE FOR VALORN OR WATCH IT BURN [NARRATOR] One by one… sealed letters were placed upon the table. Names written beside them. Heroes. Survivors. The riders chosen to cross a kingdom at war. Outside… stable doors opened. Warhorses screamed against the storm. [DUKE HARRIDAN] Find them. Before the enemy does. [FINAL CHORUS] RIDE FOR WESTMAR RIDE THROUGH THE NIGHT PAST FALLEN VILLAGES AND BURNING LIGHT WHEN DARKNESS COMES AND HEROES STAND THE LAST HOPE RIDES TO SAVE THE LAND [OUTRO] [NARRATOR] And across the storm-ravaged north… six riders prepared to answer the call.