The winter of 598-599 was an important time for Stonegate.  The Horde, stalled on three fronts, attempted to attack the Dyllarian forces throughout the Green Mountains through the winter.  The our allies in Oakwood, aided by a small contingent of Stonegate troops, prevented the Horde from opening a fourth front.  This provided the time needed to regroup our forces.   It was also at this time that the King Pylariaus and the Erlunn Nation came out of the woods and entered the war.

After a year and a half of defensive warfare, Lord High Marshall Shannodin, Rage Scenarious, head of the Stone Guard, Prince Thrall, Head of the Royal Army of Dyllaria, and Lord General Flentus Levenik, Head of the Erlunn Army.  Mythamber refused to send a representative.  After much debate, the following battle plan was devised.  The Royal Army of Dyllaria, comprised of dwarven forces, Alipostos elves, the forces of Helmwood and Galavast, and a few regiments of Stonegate troops, would liberate Helmwood and increase pressure on the Southern Front.  On the Eastern Front, the plan called for a two pronged attack.  The first attack would comprise 15 regiments of Stonegate troops led by High Marshall Dorin Bloodreaver would make a diversionary attack on Torrent.  At the same time, the Erlunn army would capture the northern pass of The Devil's Gate and prevent reinforcements from reaching Stonegate Keep.

On the Western Front, the primary attack would occur.  Fifty regiments, led by Lord High Marshall Shannodin, would assault the front lines of the Horde army.  At the same time, sixteen regiments of mounted troops, including the Stone Guard, led by High Marshall Biss Farren would cross Mirror Lake, go up the Snake River, and advance toward Stonegate Keep, destroying any enemy unit they find.  this maneuver was called the "Mirrored Spear".  Rumors were spread that the next main offensive would be in Helmwood to distract the Horde and make the attack easier.

In late August, the Army of Stonegate, on the Western front, start to counter attack the Horde.  They slowly advanced until the end of September when the Horde starting falling back due to the effect of the "Mirrored Spear".  Operation "Mirrored Spear" was a bold plan to transport over ten thousand horses and men from the shores of Mirror Lake, across the lake, and up the Snake River to the Ivory Plains.  The horse soldiers would conduct hit and run attacks on all Horde forces destroying or capturing supplies while freeing captured and enslaved citizens.  The biggest problem was getting the ships to transport all the troops.

After gathering most of the surviving fisherman to help, the operation is still short of ships.  Adroni Shannodin, cousin to the Lord High Marshall, comes up with the idea of recruiting La Feyletta De Kerr and his band of pirates to transport and aid the Stonegate force in return for amnesty, coin, and land.  For four months, Adroni negotiates with the pirate leader.  Finally, De Kerr agrees to help, because if the Horde wins, he and his people would be destroyed.  Led by De Kerr, the fleet made its way across the lake and up the Snake River.  After a unopposed landing, the army advanced toward its first objective, the small farming village of Maris.  Before the war, it was home to about thirty people.  The town and its well would provide a base for the army.  It was here that the men first learned the fate of those who were unable to retreat the Horde advance.  After defeating the small force guarding the town, the men entered the town to find thirty skeletons on the ground, left where they died.  The horseman started their campaign the next day.  Using hit and run tactics, they start ripping apart the Horde forces like a sharp knife gutting a rabbit.  After a month, the Horde is forced to retreat to Stonegate Keep.  There the troops of the "Mirrored Spear" and Lord High Marshall Shannodin's troops link up and place the Keep under siege.

On the Eastern Front, the Army of Stonegate successfully distracted the Horde and allowed the Erlunn army to capture and hold the Devil's Gate pass, though it cost the Erlunn nation many of its number.  The eastern Stonegate Army retakes Torrent destroying a Horde stronghold.  At Torrent, over 400 skeletons of the dead are discovered, including those of the Laktu tribe of Mystic Wood Elves.  After the Keep was put under siege, the Eastern Army cleared the Stonegate Plateau of any Horde stragglers and reinforced the Erlunn army at the Devil's Gate Pass.

On November 29, a large group of Horde reinforcements advance up the Devil's Gate Pass, among their number is two adult red dragons.   They meet the combined Dyllerian forces and battle for a week.  Only when King Pylerius himself used the Heart of the Nation, a powerful Elven Artifact, was the battle won and the entire Horde force was destroyed.  Unfortunately, it cost the King his final death.  With the destruction of its relief force destroyed, the Horde forces within Stonegate Keep tries to break out.  These attempts are soundly defeated. 

On November 25, the forces of Stonegate advanced on the city.  In vicious and terrible street fighting, the city was slowly recaptured.  During the first week, the Stone Guard, led by High Protector Rage Scenarous, recaptures the Keep itself and held off counter-attacks for over a month.

A pivotal moment in the retaking of the city was during the second week when several regiment where bogged down along the river and were ready to fall back.  When on one of the battlement, the banner of Stonegate was raised by members of the Rockcrusher Brigade, rallying the troops and allowing our forces to break through and hold a major portion of the South Quarter and Divide the city and our enemy in half and we could destroy the enemy bit by bit.  Over the next month and a half, the remains of the Horde are destroyed.  As the first snows started to fall, Stonegate Keep was once again free.

Note: This description is of how we defeated the undefeatable.  I have left out the details of what kind of creature we fought, because what we fought is unimportant.   The important thing is that people know what happened and why good people like Prince Threll, The Elven Royal Family, and Sir Jarvis Longshadow suffered their final death.  They died to help create a better place where sacrifices like theirs will not be needed.  Let others concern themselves with the exact details of a defeated enemy.  I prefer to honor those who fought and died for the cause.

To those people, I dedicate this story.

Count Artemus Silvertree