Crucible of Nations: Frostmourne's Ascent

What follows is Frostmourne’s War Minister’s perspective of the running of Crucible of Nations in Dallas, TX on 6/22/24.

Pregame

The Empire of Man has fallen and a power vacuum has consumed the land. The time of Man is over. The time of the Dwarf is now.

Turn 1

As the dust settles from the human civil war to the south and east and a new Woodland Federation rises directly south of Frostmourne’s most valuable ore and gold mines, the drums of war beat once again in the dwarven holds. I array the mightiest host assembled in the north since the dwarven schism along the southern border in preparation for an all-out war against those pesky High Elves.

Suddenly, a keen eyed scout spots a group of Sylvans and Riverfolk under a banner of peace. Unfortunately, our trading partners the Sylvans sided with the High Elves to form the Federation. By Log’aan, I will not stand for the injustice.

I meet the Ministers from the Federation and they express interest in a peace treaty and a handshake agreement for potential aggression against the dirt of Arnoth. While still skeptical of the Federation, our Diplomats sign an eternal treaty of peace. Frostmourne’s word is iron and by iron the treaty is set.

While the ink from the treaty is still wet, I command troops on our eastern border to destroy a group of pirates that had been terrorizing the Gallum Ice Fields.

The Grand Sage recounts the heroic tale of this victory and the heroics of Frostmourne's forces in one breath and he tells of Arnoth throwing shade in the next. By Log'aan, heroics will always beat gossip.

Turn 2

While I move troops to a more defensive position on the eastern border, I get word from our Federation allies of an Aurelian invasion. Something about ‘retaking what's rightfully theirs’. As a show of friendship and support, a division of Frostmourne's finest catapults are sent towards the conflict.

Our Minister of the Interior makes an announcement through the Grand Sage, the bellies of Frostmourne’s populace will no longer go empty. We can now squeeze every ounce of nutrients out of the very rocks we mine. By Log’aan’s hammer, we are blessed!

Rumors abound that Arnoth, Cassiarn and the People of the Mist are conspiring against us. Our shields are strong, our hammers are mighty, our Frost Giants are cold, Frostmourne will not fall.

Turn 3

Aurelian soldiers have spilled Federation blood in Federation territory. They will soon know their folly as an allied force of Frostmourne, Federation and Kingdom of Laptul’s dragons descend on the invaders. They will pay for what they've done.

Someone is spreading lies that our closest allies are trying to kill dwarven leaders. I barge into a conference with their Minister of War with my hammer held high to get a confession. He assures me that even a High Elf isn't dumb enough to break a treaty with a Frostmourne dwarf. I laugh heartily and trust our allies.

By Log’aan, the Minister of the Interior does it again! His engineers have discovered a technology that lets our forces move at twice the speed with half the effort!

It's good to be a dwarf.

Turn 4

Battle commence! Hefty stones, sharp arrows, dragon fire. Dead Aurelians. They stood no chance against the combined might of the western forces. Sure, the Aurelians claim they laid down their weapons and were defenseless when they were slain to the last man. All I know is that the Grand Sage talked of an epic battle and that's what the history books will say.

The Grand Sage pulls me aside and warns of a growing fear of the Laptul dragon riders and a hope that someone will step up to stop them. As I watch them fly back home quicker than any ship on the sea, I think of our homeland and the safety of those I've sworn to protect. Laptul can and will be a great ally.

Turn 5

As the morning dawns, I receive a vision from Log'aan imploring our allies to become monarchies and to receive his blessing. I urge my partners in the Woodland Federation to make the change.

Additionally, our Woodland Federation allies have pushed the Aurelians off the West Coast! We are truly blessed by Log’aan!

Or so we thought.

As the mutual celebration starts, a giant tunnel opens beneath a city deep in the heart of Frostmourne and out pours a host of Arnoth troops and Siege Tanks. An invasion.

Thanks to the hard work of Frostmourne's engineers, the entire eastern defense force is mobilized with the majority coming to defense while a small counter attack force invades the vile Arnothy. And I hear our Frost Giants are now bigger, stronger AND colder?

We will defend what is rightfully ours!

Turn 6

Siege Tanks are strong. Arnoth steel is sharp. Arnoth Stone Golems are tough.

But Frostmourne's forces are stronger, tougher, faster. Better. Colder.

Opposing dwarven battle cries are drowned out by the roar of Frost Giants as the Arnoth invasion is defeated to the last dwarf and the pitiful Arnoth defense force on the eastern border stumbles and falls. Not only is the eastern force victorious, our soldiers watch and laugh as the last remaining Stone Golem punches itself to death. It's a good day for Frostmourne.

I'm personally invited by the Grand Sage to talk to the assembled masses. I retell the tale of staring down the barrel of a siege tank and refusing to blink. Fighting alongside the mighty Throkdril the Icehearted and crippling the entire nation of Arnoth.

The Arnoth sign a peace treaty and agree to give payments for their unjust invasion.

The Woodland Federation and Kingdom of Laptul see our victory and follow Frostmourne into a monarchy. It is a great day to be a dwarf!

Turn 8

A United Nations of the West is formed against Aurelia. Their aggression cannot be permitted and we will stop them.

As the celebration of unity is about to begin, terrible news spreads. The Grand Sage is dead.

The people begin to panic. The greatest warrior of our time was assassinated by the People of the Mists. Why? How?

Just then, a council of elders, lesser Sages and mystics appears at Frostmourne's borders. They have voted on a new Grand Sage and it was unanimously decided that I will take up the mantle.

The destruction of the Gallum Pirates, the Defense of the Federation and, most importantly, the valiant destruction of Arnoth’s invasion. Log'aan be praised, I shall now be Grand Sage Greg.

With the news slowly spreading of the assassination, I draft a bodyguard from my former troops. I may be the great hero of our time but that only makes the target on my back larger.

Elsewhere, Laptul announces a Draconian Space Force, Cassiarn speaks of the idea of democracy (whatever that is) and both the Cassiarn and Aurelians talk down to the Halflings of Darrow. The Halflings don't really have a defense as their Minister of War talks about their opponents burning their own homes so the Halflings could take over. Not a good look.

The great war has begun as an Aurelia/Cassiarn alliance clashes with a Halflings legion and a force of Frostmourne's finest use Arnothy tunnels to emerge in the middle of the former empire.

Turn 9

War. Chaos.

The Halflings fight like giants but fall to the combined force of Aurelia and Cassiarn, the first battle between Frostmourne’s expeditionary force and Aurelia ends in mutual destruction.

The voice of Log'aan drifts into my head.

The people of the United Nations of the West love you. If they praise you as their God King, you can ascend and join me in the heavens.

As was rages across the realm, I assemble the United Nations of the West and they unanimously vote to name me God-King-Grand-Sage Greg.

I fought with the United Nations of the West, I helped forge the alliances that transformed into this great movement. Together, and with me as their figure head and God-King-Grand-Sage, we will rid this world of the evils of Aurelia and their lapdog Cassiarn.

Post game

What a game that was! I was pretty hesitant going into this game because ticket sales were less than expected, so I didn't know what role I was going to be until the day of. (I bought a sage ticket but it was cut to make even 3-person teams and the lone sage was a Control member)

However, this game was a blast. It's a mechanically dense Megagame with a ton of awesome lore to really help the roleplay blossom.

My personal storyline was pretty epic; pushing for an alliance with the Woodland Federation, earning a couple minor victories, having control ask us about why we aren't pushing our allies to be monarchies only for them to be open to it when I asked, winning a defensive war in absolutely dramatic fashion, bringing up an offhand comment from the pregame briefing and having it turn into me being named Grand Sage, and, finally, having control ask if I would either ‘truly reunite Aurelia and Cassiarn’ or ‘be named God King’ by the end of the game in six minutes and then managing to do just that. The power of “just ask’!

Such a fun game and I can't wait to play it again!