Once Unluthio fell, the demonic hoards took little rest before beginning to lay seige to Tharkas. Although, they were in for more than they expected against this militaristic nation. Quickly the Easulan Checkpoint became a military stronghold, as it was the only structure that traversed the river. The dormant Iron Crag was soon repopulated with White Cloud, as well, and there were several army camps lining the Western shores of the Easulan. There was only one unprotected area, but no one thought that the enemy would attack that way. It was across a marshy delta, and that area had always been covered in dark mists. The little bits of solid land available amid the delta made up a port city. It was one of the first endeavors of the Elves when they came across into Avalon. However, it quickly fell to corruption and the wild. It's said to be cursed with the spirits of those who died there, and they will protect that port with ferocity and vigor for all eternity. It didn't seem likely that the enemy would march those lands alive. Furthermore, there wasn't a single division of the White Cloud Army brave enough to patrol those shores, much less make camp there for several nights on end.
The defenses were drawn, now Tharkas only had to hope that they could hold out until their messengers brought back help. Just a short two days after the fall of Unluthio, while the Iron Crag was still being stocked and remanned, and troops were taking positions and setting up camps along the Southern portion of the Easulan, the Checkpoint was assaulted. Three hundred Orcs and about half that in Goblins surged forward from the mists on the Vieth Plains, between the Checkpoint and Unluthio. None fully recall the chaos of the battle, but it is said that the Orcs pushed as far as the middle of the Checkpoint before it was retaken by the White Cloud. Casualties were high, most of the troops stationed there had never fought before, but the Checkpoint held up.
By the fourth day there were camps all along the Southern shores of the Easulan, and the Checkpoint troops were bolstered after their battle. The Iron Crag was yet to be fully manned, however, and those first few days of the "war" were very nervracking for Archer, the King of Tharkas. If the Iron Crag was attacked before it had been restaffed and stocked, it could fall to the enemy, if the attack force was large enough.
By the end of the first week, one messenger returned with dreadful news: Gallioth, home of the Dwarves, was not going to aid Tharkas in holding off the Demons. This message was relayed from the Council of Gallioth to their chancelor in Region-Au-Ruteer, behind the Western Wall. The other messenger sent to the Elves of Lientha had yet to return, and the same went for the messengers headed for Rionoliathnu and Fornilingoth.*
Finally, after ten days of stockpiling and shifting troops around, the Iron Crag was at full force once again, and now Tharkas was confident that nothing would pass its Northern borders. Things were still stressful after that, though, the Checkpoint had been attacked six times by now, and each time there were many casualties for both sides and Archer feared the day when they had no replacements, or when the enemy wised up and forged their own path over the river. No word had come back from Fornilingoth, Riono, or Lientha yet.
* At certain places in the notes and in other locations on this site, Fornilingoth may be referenced as Furlinithen, or something similar. That is incorrect. My original map and my notes disagree with one another. However, since I made the map before anything else, it would be my original vision - and thus the name is Fornilingoth. (For-nil-ing-goth)
