Note: This my first story that I've written based on my campaign. All the events that take place here are of what happened before and during a Sylvanian threat on on of my Ostland castles during my campaign. At that time I decided to take some warrior priests that I was recently awarded to be at the head of an army to fight up in Nordland that was being threatened by Chaos, (especially since during a siege of a chaos held settlement, the general there rebelled and took the army with him). Instead their attention was turned to a large Sylvanian army that appear north of Castle Lankster. The battle was epic, it had everything, a one on one duel, large battle, but I couldn't save a replay, so an AAR was as close as I could get. Enjoy.

Luthor's Peak



Part I – The Call
The Emperor’s work is never done. Once again, my brothers and I have been called upon to defend his sovereign, and once again we are obligated to lend our lives to his majesty. Our journey began from the Reikland as nearly one hundred of us marched through the vast fields and rolling hills of the Empire, our sights set on the Principality of Ostland, which was just beyond the river before us. Within only a couple weeks we reached the heart of our destination, and made camp just north of Wolfenburg, until we received further orders.
Our being there was originally to address a Tzeentch threat in Nordland, and that my men and I would be put in the forefront of a vast army. The general originally put in charge of the forces in the Nordland betrayed the trust of the Empire and turned our army against us. The rebel was utterly vanquished by surrounding forces and the plans of the Emperor was once again set in motion. As promised, the troops began to flow into the vicinity, making camp around us, looked to us as their command. We stayed there, slowly accumulating men until we were set to march.
***
It did not take long for plans to go astray. The men of the Nordland held their ground on the Tzeentch beachhead but a new threat lurked in the mountains north of Castle Lenkster. We received a messenger from the captain in charge of the garrison at Lenkster, comprised of only a few hundred men, who relayed to us his disturbing news. An army of the undead, made up of over two thousand soldiers loomed over the fortress. They were in no position to defend, and only with Sigmar’s blessing would they find victory. Once again, we obliged.

Part II – Escalation
It took us no more than that of a week to march to Lenkster. The castle was in the best shape it could ever be in, but poorly defended. Few men toured the walls and there were no marksmen of any kind in sight. We could not have any room to speak, we had not any either. With our men, our force totaled to about one thousand five hundred men – a formidable force yet vulnerable. We sent Free Company patrols out into the mountains and barred as many of the passes as possible to halt their advance. We train as many in archery as possible in hopes that it would close the gap in numbers. In the end, we succeeded in raising five hundred more men. Outnumbered by a few hundred, but formidable.
***
The enemy had not moved for a long time, yet they still stood there, watching. I argued, debated and prayed for an advance into the mountains, to destroy the threat once and for all. The captain was resistant and continued to cite the possibility of a loss and the castle being left unguarded. Some days, I question the faith of men like him. Months passed without any movement, and I feared the worst for their plans. In one final clash of wills, I convinced the captain to trust my judgment, but warned that this would either be a victory or a loss for everything.
And so we marched into the cold mountains, our scouts grouped together and waited at the base as the men from the castle reached another pass on the Eastern slope of the mountains. It was a treacherous journey, the cold bit at our skin and wind battered our morale. Fatigue was already so much as a plague among the men, and that is when they were sighted. At last the battle was drawing near, adrenaline was high, yet we had so far to climb. The men clawed at rocks and stamped into any foothold they could find as they trudged to the top of the rock. Exhausted but eager, we finally reached a snowy plateau at the summit, where the enemy could be seen mobilizing, preparing; their bony figures stringing their bows and their pale arms brandishing their swords.
“This begins and ends, right here.”

Part III – Confrontation
We gave the men a rest, but we could not afford to waste too much time. The archers and crossbowmen dashed forward and proceeded to shower the enemy with a hailstorm of arrows, with limited success. Around me, I could see men praying, pinning purity seals to their shields and armor, preparing themselves for the coming struggle. I could feel the movement of thousands ahead, running towards our direction. There was one more slope for our men to climb before reaching the very top where the plateau was, and with one finally lurch found ourselves facing a horde of the undead, our archers desperately emptying their ammunition in their direction. The men formed as one thick line of sword, spear and faith with warrior priests forming in the center.
The archers began to pull back, at the sight of the thundering hooves of the mounted Black Knights and a shower of enemy arrows. The men of the Empire stood their ground, and the forces of Sylvania clashed with us in a matter of seconds later. Chaos: the only word to describe what was witnessed there. Clawing, stabbing, slashing, gnashing, tearing apart of friend and foe alike. Truly, fighting tooth and nail for each inch of ground my warrior priests fought valiantly against the dismounted Blood Knights who descended upon them. With each slam of the hammer against their scarlet armor hope flashed before me, I perceived victory. The left flank began to crumble, however, as the Grave Guard trampled soldiers holding the area. This was my chance to secure victory, and already I could see the men beginning to back up towards the slope.
“No! Not a step back!” I cried as spurred my horse forward, hundreds of troops followed my lead and crashed into the fray. We took back ground from the Grave Guard as hundreds slashed their way into the deepest parts of their ranks. I led my guard to the right of the battle, facing down the ghouls and Black Knights holding their own there. It was only a matter of time until my counter attack was matched by the charge of the Sylvanian general . Finally, delivered to me by providence itself. I rallied as many troops as I could and raising my hammer high slammed with all my might into the head of the nearest Black Knight, and charged forward toward the pale faced heretic. Immediately our weapons met, but my horse galloped forwards and separated me from my target, in a new cluster of men. Hacking my way through them I made my way towards his guard once more. There were only eight men left in my guard at this time and nearly all of his bodyguard was slain on the battlefield. He knew that he could not survive in the middle of this. Even if the battle was not mine to win, I would have his head when this day was out, and with that I spurred my horse forward once more as he pulled from the main body of his troops behind into a clearing. I chased him and his five knights with my eight men, and in that clearing we met him. I never took my eyes from him has I swung my bloody hammer towards him, yet he parried the blow and jabbed with his sword that failed to reach my person. Only one knight of his was left standing at his point and only three of mine remained, but the casualties be damned, this fight was mine.
“Show me what passes for a fight among your misbegotten kind.” I jested, just as the last of his guard fell. He only smirked, his eyes focused on the group of reapers wielding scythes gliding towards me and my three knights. I swung twice more at him in fury at the cost of the rest of my men. With his help close on my tail he started for the flank of my line and I pursued, far from the reach of the undead that took my men with them. We found ourselves alone between the battle and what was left of the archers and crossbowmen. I charged, this was a duel to the death. We met once more, as he and I cut away at each other’s flesh and armor. He tried to escape once again, but I grabbed him by his cape and yanked him beside me. It was at that point I proceeded to bash my hammer into him, mercilessly, without pause, blow upon blow against him. I felt the blood splatter my face before I saw the damage I caused. He and his horse sunk to the ground, his face battered in and his arm crippled.
There was no glory in this, only fury inside of me. I turned my horse and galloped to the behind the archers. “This battle is over.” I muttered to them as I trotted by.
And so it was. What was left of his army was destroyed along with him, and the castle was made safe. In all, we lost only half of our men, but no cost is too great for the glory and favor of Sigmar.