The Battle of the Chill Bones

Intro

In the time of our grandfather’s grandfathers, they came. From the haunted Snowdowns—long associated with the undead and the subversion of our Queen’s will—they came. Led by their own dark lord, the demon Githraxus, summoned by the cultists of the evil priest Jarrun Croll, known as the Bonecaller. From cairns and crypts, thousands of dead were raised. The frontier stirred.

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The Frosty Morn

The Battle of the Rocks

The Queen’s forces sallied forth—some 800 souls—led by Syr Eldas Horn, oathbearer and paladin.
They met the enemy at the Battle of the Frosty Morn, fought at the ford of Essen. After three days of brutal fighting, the frontierfolk were routed, fleeing south toward Ravenhold.

They made a stand on a rocky prominence known as Beggintor. That contest is now called the Battle of the Rocks. Reinforcements from Westerguard arrived in time, smashing the undead lines and gaining the tor. The fighting continued for two more days, until the horde mysteriously withdrew.

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Restless Hope

A period of restless hope followed. Syr Edmas repaired to Ravenkeep to plan, reprovision, and seek allies. Westerguard returned to its garrisons, refusing further aid. Chourdulay committed 300 soldiers and 100 cavalry, led by knights of the realm. Marlahn sent 50 temple-knights—elite warriors trained to combat the undead.

Syr Edmas also gathered local replacements, returning his ranks to 600. One rider was sent north to the Arn-law, bearing a bag of dwarven silver quills—the ancient coin of contract. It was a gamble. The Arns answer only to coin and cause, not a foreign crown.

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The Queen’s Peace

Word came: an undead horde had crossed the Copper River at Essenford. Syr Edmas marched to meet the threat. The temple-knights had yet to arrive, but there was no time to wait.

The Battle of the Queen's Peace

At Dornby, the battle raged for two days. Then a courier arrived: the undead were pouring out of the Queen’s Peace at Ravenhold. Graveyards throughout the northern frontier are called the Queen's Peace. Through vile enchantment, they had tunneled beneath the graveyard and animated its dead. The temple-knights had arrived and were holding the line, but time was short.

Syr Edmas led his cavalry south with all haste, leaving foot soldiers to conclude the battle at Dornby.
They crashed into the undead lines, pinning them against Ravenkeep and the temple-knights. The Battle of the Queen’s Peace was costly. There were eleven knights killed, and another seven too wounded to fight.

Syr Edmas returned to Dornby to find the village secured. The horde had vanished northward, presumably back across the river and into the Chill Bones.

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The Shrine in the Hills

A ranger named Lawrill Black came forward, claiming knowledge of a dark shrine hidden in the Chill Bones. He agreed to lead Syr Edmas’ force.

Two days later, the army crossed the Essenford and pressed into the chalky hills. By mid-afternoon, they had surrounded the shrine. At dusk, the undead attacked. The fighting lasted through the night. The men held the perimeter, knowing the Bonecaller was among them.

As dawn broke, the line faltered. The Bonecaller seemed poised to escape. But then, war horns sounded. A force of Arnhic mercenaries arrived, having marched through the night.

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The Midnight Oath

The undead ogre

The Arns turned the tide. Syr Edmas caught Jarrun Croll in the open, guarded by the animated corpse of
an ogre. He crossed steel with the beast, while his squire, Lisandra Torris, engaged the Bonecaller. The fight was punishing, but Syr Edmas prevailed. Lisandra struck down the priest, though she was grievously wounded.

Syr Edmas exhorted the Veiled Queen to spare her. She granted his petition. A shrine was erected on the site. In later years, Syr Edmas Horn became Saint Edmas Horn, and the shrine was rededicated to him. A replica stands within the walls of Ravenkeep.

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Legacy

The undead horde was broken. The Copper March entered a season of uneasy peace. Yet Jarrun Croll’s body was never found. Lady Lisandra swore she struck him down, but the Bonecaller’s remains vanished—whether stolen, scattered, or spirited away, none can say.

Many Arnhic mercenaries chose to remain. With sanction, they claimed homesteads, married into frontier families, and became part of the land they helped save. Their descendants still bear the sigil of that night—the horn crest, the midnight oath.

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Closing
This is how legends are forged in Aranor. Not by prophecy, but by vow and blood. The Midnight Oath lives on—in the names we speak, the shrines we tend, and the peace we fight to keep.

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