Shattered Empire

'Shattered Empire' was the series of events followed the Coming Storm campaign (see 2. Quest for Power), which ended with the Forces of Evil emerging victorious. It was also a direct continuation of said campaign, although this time the warring sides were fighting over control of Imperial lands instead of artifacts.

Act I: New Beginnings

Starchild, Awaken!

The Imperial forces have lost many great generals and genious minds, including Karl von Bragstein, one of the figureheads of the Engineer Guild. Unbeknownst to the inhabitants of Medivo, Karl was just one of the many clones of the prime von Bragstein, that were scattered around the universe and served as sleeper agents, gathering data and technology for their master. Seeing that his original copy has been destroyed and subsequently reassembled into the abomination known as Ezra von Bragstein, a second clone, Ferdinand was dispatched. His mission was to continue the work of Karl with the Imperials, and also to dispatch of his failed predecessor. Luckily, his arrival coincided with a celestial event predicted by Imperial scholars, which helped him greatly to blend in.

Assault on Dawnport

The Forces of Evil took no rest after their victory, and kept attacking Imperial settlements such as the coastal town of Dawnport. Dawnport at the time was visited by Liana Crowclaw, daughter of Niol and squire of the runic order, to inspect the town's defenses. Liana, with the aid of a local adventurer Guillaume, a Norse warrior called Bjarn, and the town guard manage to defend Dawnport from not only the invading orkish raiders, but also from an opportunistic gang of pirates, led by Captain Illustrious.

Battle near Drakhelm

Even though Liana and her allies emerged victorious, Dawnport's defenses significantly weakened after that assault. With Imperial troops spread thin already, Liana had no choice but to contact the Drakhirri and enlist some of their mercenaries. The Drakhirri were despised since they have sided with the Forces of Evil in the ultimate battle for the artefacts, but they were still masterful fighters. The party found the Drakhirri lord locked in a conflict between undead and imperial forces: he offered that if they could help him reach safely to their territories, he would offer some of his warriors in exchange, free of charge. Liana and her allies managed to escort the lord while aiding the Imperials in holding back the undead: they have once again emerged victorius, although barely.

Return to Dawnport - Rise of the Destroyer

The party's actions turned out to be in vain though: by the time they have returned to Dawnport, the town was razed and its citizens have been slaughtered, much to the horror of Guillaume. A dying town guard told Liana that the townsfolk turned against them, followed by an explosion and the appearance of a mysterious individual referring to himself as 'The Destroyer'. As the sole surviving member of the guard, the guardsman tried to defend against him, only to be mortally wounded so that he could tell the tale Destroyer's arrival with his dying breath. After a brief but futile search for survivors, the party was approached by a small Imperial regiment, sent by Ursar Nikodim to reinforce Dawnport. Liana briefly explained what happened, then they all returned to Ursa Hold to inform Nikodim.

Act II: The Heart of Darkness

Even though many great heroes have fallen, some still survived the onslaught of Warhead: Apollyon, Arthel and Blaze successfully escaped the jaws of death, only to be stranded deep behind enemy territory. After much hiding, they have managed to secure an orkish transport vehicle, with which they could safely get back to the Empire. However, they have also found a map that lead to an orkish slave camp. Being the noble heroes they were, instead of opting for the easy way out, they chose to visit this camp first, which led to:

Outbreak!

The orks did not expect a sudden ambush, which allowed the heroes to successfully free the imperial prisoners inside the camp, and then leave before they would have been overwhelmed by reinforcements.

Uneasy Alliances

The heroes' victory was short-lived however, as they were soon facing a force they considered their friends: the elves of Evergreen Woods. A small strike team, led by Valeera Silverleaf, was dispatched to track down Apollyon. Apollyon was found and mended by the elves when he sacrificed himself to defeat an undead army in a previous battle. He also got appointed to be their military leader, the Gawain, by the vision of the Fey Enchantress. However, as Gawain Apollyon had sworn to protect the Enchantress with his very own life; an oath he had failed to keep since the Enchantress was killed by Warhead. The elves were naturally upset about Apollyon and wished to take him away so that he could face trial for his sins. Apollyon, to avoid conflict between the elves and the ragtag prisoners they have rescued, surrendered and left with the elves as their captive, much to the dismay of Arthel and Blaze.

Meanwhile, in the Fortress of Evil, the Warlock sensed an immensely powerful entity roaming the lands. Using his powers he summoned him to his court, who turned out to be the enigmatic being called 'The Destroyer'. After a brief interrogation, the Warlock realized that the being's and his ambitions are the same, thus he negotiated that they should work together. The Destroyer accepted the Warlock's offer, albeit somewhat reluctantly. With a new and powerful ally by his side, the Warlock ordered Ezra to gather forces, and make a major push by attacking Ursa Hold.