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Siege of Mahrak

Siege of Mahrak
Conflict War against Nagash
Date -1744 IC to -1740 IC
Location Mahrak
Outcome Victory for united armies of Nehekhara
Combatants
Lahmia, Lybaras, Mahrak, Rasetra Khemri, Numas, Zandri
Commanders
Rakh-amn-hotep Nagash
Strength
Losses/Survivors


After the 2nd Battle at the Springs of Eternal Life, the victorious Nagash followed the remnants of the armies of Lybaras and Rasetra to Mahrak, but were delayed by vicious sandstorms created by the Hieretic Council of that city. When the battered armies continued to retreat towards their homes, Nagash instead turned his attention on the city of the gods. He ordered the cavalry from Numas to screen the army and confirm the retreat of the eastern cities armies whilst a camp was set up. [1a]

The Siege

The first attack took place at dawn the next day, the vast horde of walking corpses being deployed in a three mile long crescent and the spearmen positioned around and to protect the catapults. Archers and cavalry filled the void in-between. The army then advanced in formation, with Shepsu-hur estimating it would likely take an hour or less to take the city. [1a]

Screaming skulls were unleashed on the walls as the army moved slowly forward, Nagash using the power of the Black Pyramid to conjure a dark shroud that advanced above the dead. As it reached the defensive wards of the city, he commanded Neferem to cast down the divine defences - she obeyed with a cry of despair and now eight Bone Giants joined the attack. [1a]

However, to the shock of Nagash, the wards did not break and sunlight still beat down upon the dead - worse was to come as a vast storm suddenly built above them all and began raining down fiery meteors, carving huge holes in the regiments of the spearmen. The skulls flung by the catapults were burst apart so they fell upon the dead and again Nagash commanded Neferem to break the wards - but she could not. [1a]

The Immortals and cavalry charged across the wards but then ran into a bilowing wall of dust from which half a undead horse was flung, shattering a giant. Several Sphinx then emerged from the dust and tore the remaining giants apart - As Nagash saw his remaining infantry continue to suffer under the meteor bombardment and the Sphinxes awaiting them, he was forced to order a retreat. [1a]

For the next four years, Nagash used all his mundane resources and magic to try and breach the city but fails whilst the energies of the Black Pyramid drop very low and the tombs of Khemri, Numas and Zandri are emptied of the dead. Not a single Sphinx is slain and it is only in -1740 IC that one is even injured by a swarm of Tomb Scorpions which its companions then tear apart! [1b]

In -1740 IC King Lamashizzar arrives with a large army to meet with Nagash. Shortly after his arrival, Nebunefer travels to the siege camp and demands that Nagash surrender, telling him that as long as the covenant exists, the city will not fall - Nagash kills him as news comes that the armies of Lybaras and Rasetra were approaching. [1c]

As the vanguard of the eastern armies were about to attack the Numasi cavalry, the Kings of Numas offered to parlay telling Ekhreb that the living would swap sides if they would have them. Meanwhile, realising that she was the Covenant made flesh, Nagash ordered Neferem to open the gates of the city, following behind with a horde of the dead. As she crossed the wards boundary, magical energies boiled all around her but could not destroy her and even the Spinxes fled before her. Finally, a lightning bolt incinerated her, turning her into dust on the wind but also shattering both the covenant and the defensive wards. [1c]

Following the final destruction of Neferem and the Covenant with the Gods Nagash advanced into Mahrak, slaying the Ushabti through weight of numbers. The armies of Lybaras and Rasetra fought on, driving deep into the undead facing them but began to be overwhelmed. It was then that the kings of Numas and their veteran cavalry charged into the ranks of the dead, aiming for the 30 Immortals that led them, hacking down most of them. [1c]

Nagash was alerted to the betrayal of the Numasi as he approached final victory in the city - his forces scattered throughout Mahrak, he called upon the power of the Black Pyramid to begin to raise the dead within Mahrak. Amn-nasir, having previously reached an accord with Lamashizzar now attacked Nagash's artillery and camp as the Lahmian army moved towards Mahrak itself. [1c]

The formidable power of 2000 Dragon-men were now unleashed against the dead, destroying whole companies and even striking down Nagash himself. The Siege was over. [1c]

Order of Battle

Initial Forces

Later Arrivals

Sources

  • 1: Rise of Nagash (anthology) by Mike Lee
    • 1a: Chapter Twenty Eight: The City of the Gods, pg. 323-333
    • 1b: Chapter Twenty Nine: The Lord of the Dead Lands, pg. 335-344
    • 1c: Chapter Thirty: The End of all Things, pg. 347-368
Tomb Kings
Units Asp Bone Construct - Bone Giant - Carrion - Casket of Souls - Dust Goblin - Hierotitan - Icon Bearer - Khemric Titan - Liche High Priest - Liche Priest - Necropolis Knight - Necrosphinx - Necrotect - Screaming Skull Catapult - Sepulchral Stalker - Skeleton Archer - Skeleton Chariot - Skeleton Horsemen - Skeleton Warrior - Tomb Guard - Tomb Herald - Tomb King - Tomb Prince - Tomb Scorpion - Tomb Swarm - Ushabti - Warsphinx
Characters Ahtaf I - Ahtaf II - Aiyah - Aldrhamar - Akhmen-Hotep - Alcadizaar - Alkharad - Alkhazzar I - Alkhazzar II - Amanhotep - Amenemhetum - Amn-nasir - Amonkhaf - Amunet - Ankhat - Antarhak - Apophas - Arkhan - Behedesh - Behedesh II - Cavetta - Dhekhesh - Dread King - Hapusneb - Hassep - Hatsushepra - Hekesh - Hekhmenukep - Imrathepis - Kaseph - Khalida Neferher - Kharnut - Khatep - Khenteka - Khenti - Khepra - Khesek - Khetep - Khuftah - Khutef - Lahkashaz - Lahmizzar - Lahmizzash - Lakhashar - Lamasheptra - Lamashizzar - Memnet - Nagash - Nebunefer - Neferem - Neferata - Nehek - Nekhef I - Nekaph - Nekhesh - Nemuhareb - Pakh-amn - Phar - Pharakh - Ptar - Raamket - Rahmohtep - Rakaph I - Rakaph II - Rakaph III - Rakh-amn-hotep - Rakhash - Rakphlotok - Ramhotep - Rasut - Sehenesmet - Sekhef - Setep - Settra - Settuneb - Shahid ben Alcazzar - Shepret - Sofer - Suseb -Tephret - Tharruk - Thutep - Tutankhanut - Ubaid - Utep - Wakhaf - Zakash
Cities Bhagar - Ka-Sabar - Khemri - Lahmia - Lybaras - Mahrak - Numas - Quatar - Rasetra - Zandri
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