THE FIRST KERNAIL CRUSADE

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October 1995 saw the largest mobilisation of forces in the history of Quest Game 9. The Evil Moody Celts alliance had taken hold of a number of Kharne's fair cities, two of which had already been liberated by advancing Restitutor forces. However, the heart of the Moody Celts' empire was the fair city of Kernail (15). If Moody Celt domination of the world was to end, Kernail must fall. The Restitutor High Council called for an attack on the city, and the response was good. What seemed like all the Restitutors converged on the city; there were many battles between the two alliances, Wrath of Kharne leading the attack. The Restitutors fought bravely, but the turning point was the arrival of several groups from the ancient and venerable Nameless Ones alliance.

The forces of good had travelled from every corner of Kharne to gather upon the field of glory that day. The minions of evil were crushed, their lifeless bodies churned into the mud on the plains beyond the wall.

As the war drew to a close, the Celts' fearsome leader Orcantus sat upon his throne deep beneath the temple of Ythcal in the city, burying his head in his hands and weeping aloud, despair etched across his face as he realised that the end was near. His dreams of conquest lay in tatters, his followers lay slaughtered on the plains of Kernail. He struggled for breath, trying not to panic as smoke began to fill the passageways. Far above him the good citizens of Kernail were rolling barrels of oil down the stairwell, while others hurled flaming torches into the darkness. On the outside, the populace took their revenge on the servants of Ythcal and Fleyshur, who had commanded them for so long. Black-robed figures hung from every lamp-post around the city square, children laughed and played as they swung from the legs of the twitching corpses.

Orcantus hid away, escaping the fumes, fire and the citizens' vengeance. In the dead of night, he and six other members of the Claws of Conversion escaped from Kernail to the city of Duquentin, scene of the very first Moody Celt occupation. They became known as the Betrayers, and are still at large.

The last of the fighting died down just before sunrise. Returning to the city, the Restitutors knelt as one before the high priests of Kernail, joined by many other groups, and pledged themselves to the extermination of Orcantus and his evil followers. As the assembled crowds gave a cheer, the sun rose and its rays shone down upon the kneeling heroes. Kernail was free.

A new day had begun, a new dawn which at last brought hope to the people of Kharne.

Kernail remains free to this day, and will always be under the protection of the Restitutor Alliance. Never again will the people suffer the oppression and cruelty they experienced for so long.

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This article has been compiled from individual accounts and essays of the events pertaining to the First Kernail Crusade. Credit goes to the Betrayers, the Wrath of Kharne and Brother Konigi Sum (retired).