== Event Story ==
The chill of winter has well and truly settled across Mardrun. Short days and long nights have brought many areas on the war fronts to slow crawls, while the crushing weight of Clan Stonetooth feels like they have been minimally slowed after capturing so much of Clan Goldenfield’s food stores and burning their homes. After finding Grimward’s ‘great army’ in The Pass to be a ruse, Clan Nightriver now begins moving reinforcements to immediately aid Clan Goldenfield, but are at great risk of straining their already limited winter supply. Far to the south, news passes of Grimward’s great raider fleet having made a push for the Yurnai river, colliding head on with the combined naval forces of Newhope, Nightriver, and Stormjarl. Rumors come that neither side truly came out ahead, but Grimward did not reach the mouth of the river to attack the bridge. Clan Grimward has lost territory on the river and Stormjarl borders, but few would believe they have lost the war as the fighting seems to have stalled for both sides with winter arriving in full last month.
News of heightened but expected Mordok activity at Clan Whiteoak’s Shield of Mardrun outposts has spread, along with a call for help from the clan which is not expected. The Mordok threat may typically be no problem for a formidable Clan like Whiteoak who has fought them for generations, but a dangerous threat within their own walls has their leadership on edge– The Nightmare Plague has returned, this time in Pack Briarthorn and their outpost on The Shield. While Whiteoak scrambles warriors to ward off the Mordok, healers to quarantine and heal the sick, and sending supply runners to both places, fears are rising that the Plague could spread through the clan, rapidly depleting their winter supplies and taking more warriors off The Shield, where many have already fallen ill.
After hearing of the successful treatment of the Nightmare Plague in Clan Nightriver, Clan Whiteoak has decided to call for aid. Thanks to the clan’s neutrality, any brave healers– but especially those with knowledge of The Nightmare Plague– any warriors who can cut down the Mordok, any tradespeople to move or make supplies– all are called to aid the effort to save the Ulven of Pack Briarthorn before Mordok find and exploit their weakness, or worse, the plague takes them. Time is not on Whiteoak’s side, as the plague can be quick to spread and each night brings new dead.
= Post Event Summary =
The start of the day started like any other day with the Nightmare plague in Pack Briarthorn, more dead to bring out to burn after a patrol brought some in which appeared to have passed away a few days ago. However, the dreadfully normal chore turned deadly as the dead began to move and attack the healers in the quarantine area. Thanks to the quick actions of the volunteers, they were laid back to rest, but the damage was done and there were those that needed healing from two different types of plague. The bites were quickly healed and cleansed before they could become lethal, and those once hurt were able to assist once more.
With ingredients scarce for cures in the immediate area, some patrols were sent out to gather reagents and keep the Mordok from attacking the outpost while the healers were working. Frequently the Mordok would attack the patrols which would lure undead into the middle of the patrols, and then attack in the chaos. However, skill, determination and pure grit of the volunteers would overcome these obstacles, and the teams were able to successfully gather enough reagents to help supply the healers and stop the Mordok from endangering the outpost full of the sick people of Clan Whiteoak. This came at a cost though, as many patrols returned with wounds, broken gear, and bear traps attached to their legs.
While the chaos was going on with Patrols, many worked in the quarantine area. Tensions were high with the arrival of Clans Stonetooth and Grimward, but a greater enemy and neutral clan brought opposing sides in the war together. A “Hearthsworn” from Clan Stonetooth worked with those from enemy forces, without open hostility, to achieve the goal of healing and curing the Nightmare Plague as fast as possible. Alchemists from all walks of life worked in tandem to make potions upon potions to keep the healers supplied with what they needed. Bard’s worked hard to keep up spirits and energy for those working in such a grim environment. Tavern keeps and blacksmiths worked to keep the patrols geared, fed, and invigorated to continue their forays into the dangerous dirge to continue their harvesting.
As the bitterly cold day dragged on, auras that protected against the plague were eventually placed on all volunteers assisting Pack Briarthorn. The fear of the plague, while weighing on everyone’s minds, did not deter them but rather embolden their actions to work harder and more efficiently. By the end of the day, the majority of Pack Briarthorn’s outpost was cured of the plague, and the honorable Chieftain of the pack who was delaying any treatment till others were cured, finally acquiesced to being treated. The plague spread has been slowed and should now start to fade with the coming spring.