After the gravestone was discovered in the Dirge Swamp near Onsallas Outpost, the coalition of factions moved to destroy it. Distracted by an attack led by the Order of Arnath’s Fist on the lich itself, the group was able to destroy the gravestone.
With the stone destroyed, the lich fled and moved southwest along the coast. Moving past Watchwolf territory, it destroyed several small ulven settlements and villages and converted the slain into zombies. Closely following it were the combined forces of the Order of Arnath’s Fist, the new Vandregon soldiers, and Ulven from several packs such as Clan Nightriver, Pack Longfang, and the Watchwolves Clan. Wherever the lich spread the undead plague it was rooted out and destroyed by the clerics of the Order and the Ulven Daughters of Gaia. With the lich pushing deeper into Clan Grimward territory, the coalition forces had to move quickly before Clan Grimward responded to the trespass and moved to stop them. They would have one last chance to close in on the lich and finish it before being cut off in enemy territory and the lich disappearing.
Joining the coalition during the final attack were the Phoenix Syndar, a nomadic group that has lived on an island south the continent. The Phoenix added healer and magic support to the group’s already potent magical presence of the Order Clerics and Daughters of Gaia. The veteran members of the Phoenix and the Order would conduct a complicated ritual, May’Kar in origin, to channel the recently discovered Paladin blade. The ritual, if successful, would allow someone to wield it and channel their life force into the blade and create a powerful divine weapon. This weapon would be strong enough to finish the lich but would take all of the life force of the wielder… destroying the lich would sacrifice the life of the one who destroyed it.
As the large group set off to pursue, a group of Ulven of the Watchwolves and the Longfangs broke off to push deeper into Grimward territory. Clan Grimward responded to the trespass into their territory by sending a hunting party of warriors to attack the group. The group, led by Raskolf of the Watchwolves, left to delay or stop the attack.
The lich had to be contained or cornered so that the ritual could be conducted. The group pursued the lich, fighting it as it fled. After combing through the last few villages, the lich was cornered in a large abandoned lumberyard. The coalition split their group and trapped it with members of the Ulven packs and the soldiers of Vandregon taking the brunt of the fighting against the lich. Meanwhile, a few clerics and the Phoenix Syndar secured the other entrance and began the ritual. The time needed to complete the ritual was paid for in the blood of Vandregon and Ulven warriors, several falling to the foul lich magic. Several other Ulven and humans were bitten and infected.
Venator Oathkeeper, one of the last surviving members of Clan Dreadfang, volunteered to be the wielder of the May’Kar Paladin blade. The ritual was completed by a combined effort of Ulven, Human, and Syndar magic while the warriors kept the lich and his zombies at bay. Knowing what the outcome was, Venator never hesitated when taking the charged blade, giving into the power of the weapon and channeling his rage and essence into the weapon. Venator lead the final charge against the lich, chanting the final incantation of the ritual. Members of the Phoenix, Order, Vandregon and their Ulven allies charged with Venator to give him the time he needed to fight the lich. As the blade landed struck the lich’s body, the power channeled through it and obliterated the lich. With a thunder clap that stunned all around it and withered the zombies nearby to lifeless corpses, the battle fell silent. An eerie calm fell across the battlefield…. the only sound that of the wounded and dying.
The wounded were gathered quickly and moved back towards a small camp established by the Phoenix Syndar. Some of the worst wounds were treated but the healer’s resources were quickly depleted. Some of the infected were treated as well, but the rest of the spell casters with divine magic ran out of energy quickly. With no way to heal or purify some of the infected, a Vandregon soldier and an Order cleric were put to death and burned on the spot by the survivors. The camp was quickly picked up and the survivors moved northeast towards Watchwolf territory. The menace of the lich on Mardrun has been ended for good.