“When minstrels and sages speak of the Battle of Scandshar, they usually speak of the battle and its aftermath: the tactics, the casualties, the social and legal reforms that followed. But few, if any, discuss the cost. You can consider the hypotheticals, but one wonders about the alternate version of that fight, the one that took place far away from us, deep underground. We now know the Shields of the Sorrowfell tried to stop the dark elves, but their efforts were curtailed because they were forced into hiding. Many of us lost people that day. Certainly the Shields did, some of them quite dearly. So we have to ask: was it worth it?” — Morarig Grunlinson, War College, Morgrave University

Months of drow plotting led to the Battle of Scandshar, a full-scale dark elf invasion of the surface, beginning with Scandshar on Godsday, Needfest 4, 553 CY. Led by drow forces with an incarnate Kiaransalee, the dark elves rampaged across Scandshar, killing townsfolk with ruthless efficiency. They were initially opposed by the Scandshar Watch, led by Captain Evell Bole, as well as assistance from Darstina Tallcrippler and the Platinum Claws.

When he became aware of the threat, Headmaster Ebenezer Jepson contacted two strike teams to assist with repelling the invasion. The first, the Shields of the Sorrowfell, comprised Bezaldooz, Bosabrieln, Peren, and Torinn. The second such team comprised Gloomblight Spellweaver, Moridal Delhig, Vianibrar Solisar, and six members of the Khuragzar guard recruited for the mission.

Vianibrar’s strike team arrived in Scandshar first, and began moving through the city to try to find the main drow force, led by Kiaransalee. They made contact with the drow vanguard, but Vianibrar and the Khuragzar dwarven defenders were killed just before the Shields of the Sorrowfell, accompanied by Torugar, arrived on the scene. The Shields’ snailstone summoned historical figure Ashurta to assist with the battle, and as they engaged the enemy, visiting planar wizard Barnabus Sleet also arrived on the scene.

After the goddess and her cohorts were defeated, the combined strike team set to pacifying the remaining drow threat in the city.

Among those lost during the Battle of Scandshar include Bezaldooz’s familiar Bonatos, Captain Evell Bole, Count Finlay Brissot, Darstina Tallcrippler, Vianibrar Solisar, and Blank, Cliff, and Sariel of The Platinum Claws.