Witch-Pack War

Lasting five decades, the Witch-Pack War was a period of hostilities between the two major antagonists of the Northern Hordelands. In the west, centered on the ancient city of Incubus were the Theegans of the Witch Horde. From the east, a federation of Gnoll tribes centered on the five-hundred-year old walls of Broken Teeth. The events that led up to the war were something that had been repeated a dozen times. Those that lived and hunted near the plains of Tadab-Hal had two views of the plain's great herds. The Theegans, some of the best horse breakers and breeders of the realm, placed great value on the wild horses. The gnolls on the other hand, their bestial ways, saw everything wild as game; and not above eating the flesh of their own. They taunted the Theegans with their horse hunting. In 1190, for the Theegans, it was time to prune an enemy that had tried and failed to become a civilized people, regressing to their bestial demon-worshiping ways.

If not for the appearance of a Jara Horde, the two sides might have been able to settle the affair with a few skirmishes and a few hundred dead; sating their honor. The bestial centaur horde that came down from the north was the Rampager Horde. Ally to neither, friend to none, this was a horde of Jara numbering fifteen-thousand. Overwhelmed by the initial onslaught, the nomadic Theegan of Tadab-Hal fled south, and some east. Those that went east, were in lands of the Garormuk Federation. Thinking these to be the forward elements of an invasion, the gnolls rallied their tribes. While they skirmished, each side was quick to take advantage of opportunities created by a horde of Jara running amok across the Northern Hordelands.

Jara Rite of Strength

In 1192, the Witch Commander Zenarân asked the Jara's leader for a Rite of Strength. Normally something done to choose a new Jara leader, Chieftain Rampager, a typical arrogant Jara Khan met his prey on the grassy plains of Tadab-Hal. The deal was that if Zenarân won, the Jara would turn-about, head east for the rest of their rampage. The Theegans prepared for the Jara's typical truce breaking, setting-up in squares of pikes and the box held by javelin throwers, heavy infantry and archers. The expected attack never came. Shocked at how quickly their khan fell by one wielding both Blizzard and Firestorm, the Rampager Horde scattered, back to their windy northern steppes.

With the Jara problem gone, Zenarân took her cavalry legions east, driving the gnolls across the river Anassúmë where they prepared defenses against a dozen pontoon bridges and a fleet of barges and river transport. Others retreated south into the Canines, and to the ancient demon fortifications of Kennel.

The False Drungods

In 1195, the gnoll federation was on the defensive, hiding in caves or in the deeps below, or holed up in their mountain valley redoubts. On 9 War March, the morale of the Garormuk Federation was lifted by the resurfacing of one of legendary bloodline, a Drugnod. This gnoll chieftain, drinking from the Pool of a Thousand Dead, gave proof that he was indeed a Drugnod. Named Khro'gaz Drugnod, he was the host of a soul lost many centuries ago, a pawn of the Widows of Modrerthim and their demon prince. Khro'gaz won many victories. At the second sacking of Briltarn, Khro'gaz was taken out by an upstart guild of assassins working for the Witch Horde. The work of these Sanguine Whispers assassins continued through-out the war, three times killing a "false" Drugnod. When the last went down on 1230, the Witch Horde went on the offensive.

In 1235, the city of Kugirmuk, member of the Garormuk Federation fell to the Witch Horde.

In 1240, war weary, the belligerents signed the Witch-Pack Peace Agreement.