shadesandspirits

The SHades and the Spirits

The Master of Sylvania and the Oakheart Ancient

Though claimed by the Empire, Sylvania is a land shunned by most; inhabited by outcasts and criminals who wish to be forgotten by the world, and concealing the remains of monsters that the world wishes to forget. While some features of this land's peculiar character may be natural to the region, much of what it is today was brought here by one man: Vlad von Carstein, the first Vampire Count and claimant to the Imperial Throne. Sylvania has seen many lords come and go since Vlad's demise, some mortal, others seemingly mortal, and yet others openly claiming the von Carstein heritage and bringing war to the Empire once more. None have measured up to the sire of the von Carstein line.

Now, Vlad von Carstein has returned to Sylvania and is beginning to reestablish his former hold over the land. Binding the living and the dead to his will, the Master of Sylvania must begin to extend his dominance over the region's nobility, ignorant Sigmarites and rival vampire lords alike. As an ancient practitioner of the dark arts, Vlad can extend his will over unprecedented hordes of thralls and undead, but this power pulls upon the winds of Shyish, and power this great exerts a proportionally great pull. As this influence disturbs the natural order, it draws the attention of others attuned to the winds.

In distant Athel Loren, the imbalance of the winds threatens the plans of a being even more ancient than Vlad von Carstein. Here Durthu the Oakheart seeks to restore the order of the Forest beyond its current curtailed borders, to the form it once had beyond the memory of almost all other beings, and the Oak of Ages is central to this long effort. Empowering the Oak of Ages are the spellweavers and the winds of magic, but the wind of Shyish can no longer be controlled: sometimes drying up completely, and other times raging with power. Wandering servants of the Oakheart have discovered the source of their troubles, and the spellweavers of Athel Loren have established safeguards to prevent Vlad von Carstein from harnessing the power he needs to reach his true potential.

The aims of these two immortal beings now stand in direct conflict and a confrontation between the orders of life and death seems inevitable.

The Wood Elves

- Council of the Forest -
The Gathering of Ancients and the Elven Council allow the lords of the Forest to strengthen the realm.

- Worldroots -
The armies of the Forest can use secret routes to pass though any terrain with ease.

- The Pact of Athel Loren -
Access to a variety of hard-hitting monstrous forest spirits and evasive far-ranged elven guardians.

The Vampire Counts

- Raise Dead -
Quickly replace fallen minions by raising the local dead, with quality and quantity improved at the sites of large battles.

- Vampiric Corruption -
Spread the taint of Undeath within enemy territory to deteriorate public order and pave the way for conquest.

- Horrors of the Night -
Access to expendable undead troops and powerful flying monsters.

Vlad the Master of Sylvania
(Weston)

- Master of Sylvania -
+1 Blood Kiss
+30 Diplomatic Relations with disciples of Nagash
+10% Campaign movement range
(Faction-wide)

- Consuming Thirst -
Vanguard Deployment for all units
(Lord's army)

- Undying Love -
Siege Attacker
+15 Melee Attack and Defense when reinforced by Isabella
(Lord)

Durthu the Oakheart Ancient
(Brian)

- Protector of the Forest -
-50% Recruitment Cost for Branchwraiths
+10 Melee Attack in battles on forest terrain
Additional Amber costs for Elite elven units
(Faction-wide)

- Deep Roots -
Immunity to all attrition
(Lord's army)

- Eldest of Ancients -
-30% Upkeep for Forest Spirit units
+10 charge bonus for Dryads, Tree Kin, and Treemen units
(Lord's army)

Victory Conditions
Sylvania captures the Oak of Ages
of
Wood Elves lose control of the Waterfall Palace

Victory Condition
Argwylon captures Schwartzhafen
or
Vampire Counts lose control of Drakenhof