®

®
™

RETRIBUTION IS AT HAND!
Hidden behind their impenetrable borders, a sect within the
®
long-secluded nation of Ios is preparing for war. Once outlawed
as dangerous and radical, the Retribution of Scyrah has come
from the shadows to offer the elves of Ios a chance at salvation.
The Retribution is convinced that by ending the rampant spread
of mankind’s magic they can stop the slow death of their god
Scyrah and save their race. Armed with the power of arcanika
and backed by mighty myrmidon warjacks, the armies of the
Retribution of Scyrah are prepared to hunt down and eradicate

®
every last human magic user in western Immoren.

award-winning miniatures game WARMACHINE, Forces of

WARMACHINE: Retribution of Scyrah features:

Retribution of Scyrah in WARMACHINE Mk II, including 5

new warcasters.
• An in-depth look at the history of the ancient and reclusive
nation of Ios.
• A painting guide to help get your forces ready for battle.
• An all-new Theme Forces section, which allows players
to create armies based on various specialized forces in the
WARMACHINE world.

UNLEASH THE POWER OF

ELVEN VENGEANCE!

™
Play WARMACHINE against

®
™
PIP 1019

ISBN: 978-1-933362-48-9 PIP 1019 $34.99

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1
 CREDITS
Creators of the Iron President
Kingdoms & Layout Sherry Yeary Daryl Roberts
Brian Snoddy Kris Aubin
Matt Wilson Kim Goddard
Chare Kerzman Jeremy Galeone
Josh Manderville
Chief Creative Peter Gaublomme
Stuart Spengler Marketing
Coordinator Brian Putnam
Matt Wilson Gilles Reynaud
William Shick
Ron Kruzie John Simon
Bryan Cutler Donald Sullivan
Adam Johnson
Brian Dugas
Adam Poirier
Matt Wilson David Carl
Werner Klocke Convention
Ben Misenar Coordinator
Jason Soles Dave Dauterive Greg Anecito
Neil Roberts
Kris Aubin
Steve Saunders Events Coordinator
Alex Badion
Kris Aubin Kevin Clark
Resin Caster Ed Bourelle
Lead Writer Sean Bullough Dan Brandt
Douglas Seacat Coordinator David Carl
Miniature Painting
Dan Brandt Kevin Clark
Painting Guide Matt DiPietro
Writer NQM EIC Jack Coleman
Terrain Dave Dauterive
Matt DiPietro Eric Cagle
Rob Hawkins Michael Faciane
Continuity
Joel Falkenhagen
Jason Soles Manager
Kris Aubin Rob Hawkins
Brent Waldher
Editing Matt DiPietro Adam Poirier
Darla Kennerud Rob Hawkins Brian Putnam
Mark Christensen Douglas Seacat
Andrea Uderzo William Shick
Arthur Braune
Kelly Yeager Jason Soles
Chippy
Rob Stoddard
Emrah Elmasli Chris Walton
Jeremy Jarvis Manager Doug Colton
Erik-Jason Yaple
Torstein Nordstrand Erik-Jason Yaple
Karl Richardson Proofreading
Trey Alley
Neil Roberts Ed Bourelle
David Carl Max Barsana
Brian Snoddy Alex Chobot
Michael Faciane Simon Berman
Andrea Uderzo David Carl
Alex Chobot
Chris Walton Hobby Manager David Dauterive
Jack Coleman
Matt Wilson Rob Hawkins Darla Kennerud
Joel Falkenhagen
Douglas Seacat
Joe Lee
Coordinator Jason Soles
Chris Walton Mike McIntosh
Rob Stoddard Rob Stoddard
Matt Wilson Jacob Stanley
Ben Tracy
Ed Bourelle Clint Whiteside

2
RETRIBUTION DAWNING
FACTION BACKGROUND PLAYING THE RETRIBUTION
The nation of Ios has long isolated itself from the nations of
the Iron Kingdoms. Among the few willing to venture outside combine quick strikes from mage hunters with the hard-hitting
its borders were members of the Retribution of Scyrah, a power of Dawnguard, or you can focus on building a theme
zealous and outlawed splinter sect devoted to stopping the force of your favorite element. An entire army of Dawnguard
proliferation of human magic. Recently, however, news that is both striking to see and fun to play.
the Iosan god Nyssor is held captive in Khador stoked the
Myrmidons also have exceptional versatility and can shift
their roles as needed. They can use their focus to regenerate
nations of man. Now those who support the Retribution’s
cause hold power in Ios, and their collected armies march
forth to war.
are supported by plentiful ’jack marshals and mechanics and
Members of numerous Iosan houses have banded together at work in impressive coordination with the warriors of the
Retribution.
their nation, and their entire race. This great army relies upon
Armed with the might of the Retribution—the elusive Mage
millennia of military tradition, the tactical acumen of their
Hunters, the indomitable Dawnguard, the mystical Battle
commanders, and the knowledge that should they fail there
Mages, and the magic-fueled Myrmidons—you will soon see
will be no tomorrow.
your enemies fall before the vengeful wrath of the Retribution
Myrmidons, the warjacks of Ios, are an enigma to the nations of Scyrah. Show no mercy and take no surrender. After all . . .
of the Iron Kingdoms. These sleek machines utilize technology
They were warned.
far beyond the ken of man and march to war protected by

soldiers quickly learn that the same energy that shields the

TABLE OF CONTENTS
PRELUDE TO WAR . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 RETRIBUTION RULES . . . . . . . . . 52
THE LONG FALL: MODEL ENTRIES . . . . . . . . . . . . .56
HISTORY OF IOS . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
PAINTING GUIDE . . . . . . . . . . . 102
MILITARY OF IOS
AND THE RETRIBUTION MODEL GALLERY . . . . . . . . . . . 110
OF SCYRAH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

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within the work or by written permission from Privateer Press, is strictly prohibited. In the event that permissions are
granted, such duplications shall be intended solely for personal, noncommercial use and must maintain all copyrights,
trademarks, or other notices contained therein or preserve all marks associated thereof. Product information is subject to

already? Have you read their history yet? It’s tragic! (Somehow even moreso digitally!)
First digital edition: April 2013.

Forces of WARMACHINE: Retribution of Scyrah (digital version) . . . . . ISBN: 978-1-939480-13-2. . . . . PIP 1019e

3
 PRELUDE TO WAR

BLOOD TOLL was resting. He looked down in surprise at a quivering

crossbow bolt lodged in the rail. His hand was already on
NoRtHEASt oF CHERoV-oN-DRoN, KHADoR
The two Khadoran sentries stood their post in companionable “Sirov—” his warning was cut short as another bolt took
silence. They stared out from the wooden watchtower, him in the throat. He staggered back with a wet, gasping
bundled in heavy coats against the bitter cold. Spring was
a meaningless season this far north of the Bitterrock River.
Sirov’s mouth dropped open and his eyes widened in
The mood in the tower was worsened by the indistinct
horror. He turned and reached toward the long horn
sounds of revelry from the barracks behind and below the
hanging on a strap from a hook at one corner of the tower. If
tower. The 3rd Force had returned from Porsk bringing
he had simply hunkered down below the rail he might have
several bottles of a locally distilled uiske. While the sentries
lived longer, but his sense of duty compelled him to try to
watched the frozen darkness, the others enjoyed a warm
raise the alarm. A bolt sank into his shoulder even as he
room, drinks, and laughter.
took the horn. Another bolt hit just below and to the left of
The barracks adjoined a cluster of other buildings within
a low perimeter wall, serving collectively as a regional beneath to pierce his lung. He slid down against the wall,
Khadoran kommand post. None of the soldiers knew still struggling to bring the horn to his lips. When he tried to
much of the business conducted in these guarded military

and frequent visits by anxious and tight-lipped couriers.

essential but tedious tasks such as calculating military Several silhouettes emerged from the darkness to converge
on the closed gate. One scrambled rapidly up and over the
wall, a cloak covering his head and features, to open the
“Nigolev . . .” The younger of the two sentries broke the
gate for the rest from the other side. From within the nearby
silence. “Do you ever regret being sent here rather than
barracks the sounds of carousing continued, the volume of
the front?”
drunken mirth rising and falling like a tide.
The older Winter Guardsman shrugged. “Safer here. Better
bored than dead, I say. Those stuck in the Thornwood
with smooth and professional economy as they took stock of
would envy us.”
their surroundings. Those fanning out ahead to the left and
“Maybe,” he answered wistfully. “Nothing ever happens right communicated by sharp gestures and then dissolved
here. What is the point of having us here, in the middle of into the darkness to stand ready. Several had pulled back
nowhere?” their hoods to improve their vision, and their long and
pointed ears revealed them to be Iosans. They were clad in
“It is not our place to decide where we serve. Some soldiers
heavy, dark leathers and were armed with blades at their
hips in addition to crossbows in hand.
kommand posts and sleep in comfortable beds. Your young
wife is happy you are here, yes?” He leered. Their leader wore elaborately plated armor enameled in
creamy white covering his upper torso and arms. Green-
The younger man sighed. “I don’t know. Sometimes I think
blue rune lines glowed at the joins of the large pauldron
she would rather I were not underfoot. Maybe she’d like
covering his left shoulder, and on his back a sleek exhaust
it better with me hundreds of miles away, writing letters.”
vent protruded from a compact arcanik engine. He held a
“Bah! If you were far away she would be weeping every pair of elegant but unusual pistols, the grips of which were
night, worrying. ‘Where is Sirov?’ she would cry. I would engineered with wicked backward-swept curved blades,
have to comfort her. Trust me, it is better this way.” each almost three feet in length. His hair was white and
his face was gaunt and lined, suggesting his years had not
Nigolev chuckled at the glare he received until he heard a
been kind.
dull thump and felt a tremor in the wood where his arm

4
 PRELUDE TO WAR

One of the nearby hunters fell back to him. This was a “Nayl, enter the back as I take the front. Leave no one alive
seasoned Iosan; his left cheek was puckered by thick scar inside.”

Nayl’s expression was blank, his only sign of assent lifting

old injuries. He spoke in a low tone. “Sentries are down,
his blade to ready position before heading to the rear of the
Garryth. We believe the target is in that building.” He jerked
barracks as instructed. Garryth sometimes felt alone in his
his head over his shoulder to indicate the one building in
appreciation for the way soulless could undertake any task
the compound that resembled a traditional Khadoran
without asking tedious questions. He turned back to the
townhouse. The windows were shuttered, but light
commander. “Give me a 15 count, then follow.”
glimmered from at least one of the lower rooms. It was the
only other structure in the compound that showed signs of After waiting just long enough for Nayl to get into position,
occupation. “What about the garrison?” Garryth kicked open the front door and stepped inside.
The drunken commotion did not immediately quiet, but
“They can’t be left at our backs.” He spoke softly, his
many of the soldiers at the table nearest the door turned
expression unyielding. “We can’t risk an interruption
during the interrogation.” Garryth was not in the habit of
warcaster armor holding bladed pistols in hand. It was a
explaining his actions to subordinates, but he had sympathy
long barracks hall, although occupied only to half capacity,
for Commander Jarsyn, who had been operating out of a
with bunks lining each wall and tables down the center.
remote cell near Cherov-on-Dron for decades with little
Several guardsmen were in their bunks trying to sleep
support. These men were accustomed to focusing more on
despite the noise, while most of the rest were clustered
covering their tracks than dealing substantial damage to the
around the tables drinking and talking. Their short-hafted
enemy. That was about to change.
axes and blunderbusses were stowed close to hand in racks
Signaling to the mage hunters farther ahead, Garryth evenly spaced along the bunk rows.

Garryth did not give them the chance to think. He took

then at the townhouse. They nodded and moved ahead,
several long strides into the room to reach the nearest
positioning themselves to keep watch on that building. The
table. As the shocked Khadorans lumbered to their feet he
warcaster turned and signaled to another Iosan lingering
swept his bladed pistols in silver-glinting arcs, opening
near the shadowed barracks wall. The heavily tattooed elf
horrendous gaping wounds and sending men sprawling to
approached, his head cocked strangely to the side as he
awaited instruction. He was close enough that his entirely
and with a downward slashing motion pinned two others
black eyes were obvious, the mark of a soulless. Jarsyn’s lip
to the wood near their spilled clay steins before jerking the
weapons loose.
stepped closer to him. Garryth showed no discomfort.

IOSAN FIREARMS

HOUSEGUARD LONG RIFLE

DAWNGUARD SWORD CANNON

Ios has possessed the alchemy of blasting powder for thousands of years, although they utilize a single explosive powder rather than the
binary system used by the humans of the Iron Kingdoms. These rifles fire heavier projectiles at somewhat slower velocities than similar human
firearms, but their overall effectiveness in battle is roughly equivalent.

5
 PRELUDE TO WAR

At the far sides of the table two others managed to gather tongue, having learned the simple languages of their
their wits enough to reach for nearby axes. Garryth impaled enemies as a necessity of their work.
one of them before he could pull a weapon free and nimbly
Garryth spat his response as if the Khadoran words left
stepped to the side to evade the awkward swing of the
a bad taste in his mouth. “I am not here to torture you,
second. He cut that man’s throat with an almost casual
although there are those among us who could force you to
backhanded slash as he moved to the second table. The
speak. I am sure you would hold out for a time. Perhaps you
Winter Guard seated there were in full panic, knocking
would enjoy the pain. No. I will also not promise to spare
one another aside in an attempt to get away from him. One
your life. Koldun Vorezko Makovich is a dead man.”
particularly drunk man fell to his knees with his hands
spread open and begged for his life. Garryth dispatched The Greylord’s eyes widened as he stared at the Iosan,

at his face. fabricated to obscure his identity. “How—”

“Yes, I know you. You report to Fedor Rachlavsky, the head

“THIS IS THE ONLY PROMISE of your Prikaz Chancellery. You investigate irregularities
in the funding of Greylord Covenant operations. Your wife
I WILL MAKE: IF YOU DO
is named Senya, and she recently gave birth to your third
NOT ANSWER MY QUESTIONS,
child, a son. Do you want me to describe the house in Porsk
EVERYONE YOU LOVE WILL DIE.” where you thought they were safe?”

The blood in the koldun’s face drained away, leaving

him pale and shaking. Garryth smiled maliciously. The
With their attention on the bloodthirsty warcaster, the
Khadoran stuttered, “No . . . You cannot . . .”
besotted soldiers failed to notice Nayl slip in the door at
the back and move swiftly up behind those to the rear. “She is unharmed—for now.” He paused, watching hope
His sword began to take its own toll. Several guardsmen rekindle in the Khadoran’s eyes. “This is the only promise
managed to seize their blunderbusses, but it availed them I will make: If you do not answer my questions, everyone
you love will die. If you answer, they will be spared. I will
forgive for now the taint of sorcery polluting their veins.
it to their axes fared marginally better but met the same end. Try to keep my attention elsewhere, Makovich.” His eyes
By the time the other hunters entered the hall there were bored into the Greylord’s, who shuddered and looked
only a few Winter Guard left living. There was a certain away, gasping.
gleam of grim amusement and satisfaction in Garryth’s
“What do you want to know?” Now he slumped, as if his
eyes as he nodded approval to his team. He left the carnage
vitality had been stolen away.
behind him to advance on the townhouse.
“You are investigating a woman of your order, Koldun
Kommander Aleksandra Zerkova. She has placed a burden
on your carefully balanced budgets. Tell me where she has
The Greylord sat lashed to the chair in his lower laboratory, been spending this coin. Satisfy me and you die in peace. I
looking from one Iosan face to the next. Despite his evident will forget about your wife and children.”

Words spilled from the prisoner in a torrent. A man of his

his hands clenched the ropes behind his back. He was
word, Garryth rewarded him with a quick and relatively
merciful end.
defeat. His freezing magic had taken the life of one of the
junior hunters, whose body others had hauled away to be As the Iosan wiped his blade clean, he saw Nayl approach
properly disposed of later.
dead koldun. Garryth had seen this before. If left to his own
The room was littered with books and arcane paraphernalia,
devices, Nayl would crudely dissect the man and extract his
including a small but expensive private alchemy laboratory
organs to examine them with impartial curiosity. “Stop,” he
in the far corner and what looked to be a costly inlaid-silver
ordered. The soulless paused and turned to him, his head
tilted like an inquisitive hound’s. The warcaster asked,
in front of the captive and Nayl behind him, the soulless’
“Why do you do that?”
face lost to shadow.

“Why should I tell you anything?” the Khadoran snarled.

He spewed a gobbet of blood that missed Garryth to spatter
Garryth seemed amused. “What have you found?”

6
 PRELUDE TO WAR

The soulless shook his head. “Nothing. They seem almost in rest. Sometimes she would turn in her sleep to face toward
identical to us, anatomically.” him, and his world would freeze as he beheld the sublime
perfection of her features. He felt compelled at such times to
Garryth laughed in morbid humor. “We have no time for
avert his gaze, once he could gather the wits to do so.
such foolishness. You’ll have another chance soon enough.”
He turned to Commander Jarsyn. “I will return to Ios while This night even the Presence could not ease his inner
you prepare your teams here. I have what we need.” He turmoil. It would be his last vigil. Increasingly his mind
glanced around at the piles of carefully organized books and returned to the decision he had made, wondering if he
papers. After waving the others out of the room, he knocked had chosen rightly. But how could he stay here watching
while her life slipped invisibly away? If they did not act

expression conveyed the absolute peace of a man who had to him. All of Ios would crumble to ruin and be forgotten,
delivered righteous vengeance in the name of his goddess. unless Scyrah could be saved. He must hold onto the hope
that something could avert the fate that the fane priests
THE GODDESS STIRS accepted as inevitable.

INNER FANE, SHyRR, IoS It felt a blasphemy to speak, but he could not restrain

The bustle of preparations elsewhere, the mustering of

he had to ask. His heart beating rapidly in his chest, he
soldiers gearing up for march, the deep thrum of myrmidons
whispered, “Have I chosen well? Is war the right solution?”

none of these intruded on the quiet sanctity of the inner He did not expect anything resembling a response. His
chamber below the fane in Shyrr. In this place there was only breath caught as Scyrah turned in her slumber and the soft
meditative peace and tranquility. A living stillness permeated
the calm of the divine bedchamber it was.
of Telmirr. Her eyes remained closed, but her lips moved as
In many aspects the room resembled a tomb. All its surfaces
if in speech and he took a step closer, straining to hear. Even
were stone, with rising columns inscribed in gleaming metal
sigils supporting the ceiling. Even the elevated platform
words, but he thought he heard, “. . . some leaves must fall.”
where the goddess rested seemed more a bier than a bed,
with its simple stone slab lacking even the simple creature It was a frozen moment of timeless wonder until spots
comforts of cushions or blankets. Lying sheathed on the before Skeryth’s eyes reminded him to breathe. He realized
highest step beside this platform rested Telmirr, the holy the indecorum of having stepped closer and quickly drew
sword whose name meant “Winter’s End.” An occasional back while his heart beat painfully. He heard footsteps
behind him and turned to see the robed form of Auricant
its hilt, and its oval pommel. Avross Larisar in the doorway. The older priest spoke
softly. “It is time.”
The armored knight kneeling in vigil before the platform
Skeryth Issyen forced his legs to obey and turned away
was the highest honor of his order: the opportunity to from the goddess, knowing he would likely never behold
personally protect the goddess and thereby stand in the her again. This grief was tempered by the fresh exultation
Presence. The room’s stark simplicity had startled him. of having received an undeniable sign. He remained lost
It had seemed a cruelty to let the ailing goddess languish in thought and almost forgot the priest until they reached
on cold stone adorned only in her gossamer gown. The the outer entrance to the inner fane, at which point Avross
attending priests insisted this was how the gods had always stopped and said, “I wish you well, Skeryth Issyen. I will
rested, even when they had been eight in number and active not try again to dissuade you. I know your mind is decided.
participants in their communities. Stone was no discomfort I only hope this does not prove to be a mistake.”

The fane knight bowed deeply. “I appreciate your concerns,

for granted by even the poorest of Ios’ citizens.
Auricant. As promised, I will keep you apprised as to what
In the last two years Fane Knight Skeryth Issyen had become transpires while I am abroad.”
increasingly fond of the chamber, until now it was the one
“Please do.” He paused a moment and added, “You should
know that, of all of them, you can put your trust in Ravyn.
warmth that seemed to radiate from Scyrah herself. If he
Her heart and faith are true. She awaits you now, outside.
stood still and completely quiet, he could hear the soft and
I will pray for both of you.” The priest withdrew and the
regular exhalations of the goddess’ breath. The lighting in the
massive doors closed silently, leaving no visible seam.
room was subdued, but he could clearly see her slender form

7
 PRELUDE TO WAR

Skeryth pondered those words as he walked away, passing

through several long and cool corridors and guarded of our forces are ready to march. I told them I would rejoin
archways until he reached the stairs ascending to the them as soon as I had collected you.”
surface. Despite the rumors that Auricant Avross harbored
Skeryth had not intended to speak on the topic, but
Retribution sympathies, for a man in his position to speak
the words emerged of their own accord. “Ravyn, I just
so highly of a former outcast like Ravyn was telling. She had
received a sign from the goddess.” His voice carried the
not been welcome in the Fane of Scyrah since abandoning
urgency he felt in his blood. “She endorses this action.
her vows. Her presence now on fane grounds was a sign of
Our mission. I am certain of it.” Even saying this much
how much things had changed in just a few months.
was technically a violation of his vows, but Skeryth could
He spotted her as he exited the main doors of the great fane. not restrain his enthusiasm.
She stood just down the path within the perfectly ordered
garden that surrounded the colossal stones of the central
the Goddess!” She knew better than to ask for additional
worship structure. Seeing his approach, Ravyn greeted him
details. What transpired during the vigil of a Fane Knight
with a smile, but her expression was strained. She had at
was sacrosanct. She mused under her breath, “All the pieces
one time been his superior among the Fane Knights before
she had felt compelled by her conscience to leave and join
“While you were at your vigil we received news of Nyssor’s
the Retribution. Her hair was as black as her namesake, with
likely location. Winter’s Hammer is in motion. That is why
a single long streak of solid white, which gave her slender
I am here. I need you to prepare your steed and meet me at
features a commanding air despite her youth. Not that she
the Horned Arch. We will hurry to catch up with the others.
was as young as she appeared to be, Skeryth reminded
We muster at the Gate of Mists.”
himself; he was several decades her junior.
He asked, “Why did you wait for me? You could have sent
word.”
position of leadership within the Retribution of Scyrah. The
Nine Voices, its ruling council, called Ravyn the “Eternal She smiled. “I knew it would be harder for you to change
Light.” This appellation was a sign of their faith in her, your mind if I was here in person.” She ignored his indignant
but it also represented a burden of responsibility. She was expression and admonished more seriously, “Know this.
entrusted to represent them abroad, leading their forces to
Whatever the priests instructed you, we do not need an
choice that would forever change his life. ‘observer.’ When the battle begins, I expect your support.”

respectful bow and took his leave. He made his way to

“WE RECEIVED NEWS OF the path to the stables, ignoring numerous glares from
NYSSOR’S LIKELY LOCATION. others wearing Scyrah’s symbol. Confused by his decision
WINTER’S HAMMER IS IN to march alongside Ravyn and the Retribution, his peers
MOTION.” no longer considered him a brother. For once this did not
trouble him. His choice was made.

It was notable that she not only wore her warcaster armor
but also carried Hellebore, her halberd-cannon, strapped to
her back. A few months ago she might have been arrested “You are late.” Adeptis Rahn Shyeel’s voice was sardonic
for stepping on fane grounds even as a humble supplicant, but not actually angry. There were chairs around the map-
yet here she was armed for battle. Skeryth did see several strewn table at the center of the room but both he and the
members of his order watching tensely from a discreet other occupant of the room were standing. The senior-most
distance. It would take more than a pronouncement of battle mage of House Shyeel was only partially attired in
amnesty from the Consulate Court before many people his war gear, wearing only a few pieces of his formidable
would trust known members of the Retribution, even those armor.
as famous and widely regarded as Ravyn.

“How many years has it been since I stood here?” Ravyn nods to both the adeptis and Dawnlord Vyros Nyarr. The
said as he drew close. She immediately shook her head, as latter was leaning over the table scowling at the maps before
if annoyed at her own sentimental urges. “Never mind. It him. He also was not yet geared for battle, although both men
doesn’t matter now.” She turned to face him more squarely, conveyed the impression they could be ready at a moment’s
and her voice adopted a more commanding tone. “I hope notice. Even lacking the full regalia of his Dawnguard

8
 PRELUDE TO WAR

armor, Vyros Nyarr was an imposing man whose stern glare

could silence even members of the Consulate Court. Ravyn
knew she would be working closely alongside the dawnlord IOSAN HALBERD
and refused to let his reputation intimidate her. Her nod to
him was that of one equal to another. “It looks like your
preparations are well in hand. The speed with which you
have mobilized is impressive.”

Dawnlord Vyros’ slight smile conveyed his sense of

months. All we needed was a target.” His red-tailed hawk

screeched from its post behind him in the corner, where her
talons clutched the wood. She was unhooded and shook her
wings as if eager to hunt.

Ravyn had ridden hard from Shyrr to reach the Gate of

Mists in just seven days. On her arrival she witnessed
ordered regiments of thousands of eager soldiers alongside
dozens of House Shyeel myrmidons. These forces had
taken over the fortress’ reserve barracks, requiring unusual
accommodations from House Rhyslyrr, the Great House
controlling this vital gate. She had seen the naked hostility
with which Homeguard Coalition soldiers treated their
Retribution counterparts.

Arranging this force so quickly had been a logistical

impressive precision. Everyone knew the stakes, both for

their mission and for the Retribution itself. This would be
the hour to prove they could function as a cohesive army. It

Iosan houses.

Adeptis Rahn turned to Ravyn with evident curiosity,

crossing his arms and looking her up and down as if
assessing a novice of his house. Until recently they had
experienced very little direct interaction. “Were you
delayed by coddling that knight from House Issyen? He
is just one man.”

Only her narrowed eyebrows conveyed her irritation. “He

will be an important symbol. His joining us will create
many ripples, Adeptis.”

“So you say.” His eyes were unyielding. The adeptis

managed to convey a sense of weight with even the smallest
of gestures or expressions. It was as if he were always
restraining impulses to unleash his mental powers and
crush whomever he was addressing.

Ravyn tore her eyes away to continue, “My people are ready
for their part. Garryth will join your task force directly,
Adeptis. His teams will assist you in whatever capacity
your plans require.”

“My plans will likely change the moment we encounter

the enemy,” Rahn insisted. Despite his petulant tone the

Ravyn had hoped. Garryth’s long record of accomplishment

9
 PRELUDE TO WAR

was well known to all of them, and she had anticipated that
the adeptis and the Blade of Retribution might form an saw other men hauling heavier ordinance into position,

see the silhouettes of several lumbering Khadoran heavy

“Attend me.” Dawnlord Vyros’ deep voice commanded
warjacks moving up to support the entrenched positions.
their attention as he pointed to the map. “We must prepare
additional contingencies in case the Khadorans do not
precaution against unexpected attacks.
react as predicted to Barbed Thorn.” Ravyn came closer to
examine the complicated marks on the map in front of him.

Shyeel Battle Mage Magister Nyven and Thane Lyvenne,

Vyros: I will give them no choice. They will give chase.”

stood with her soldiers lined up along the ridge in good

THEIR MASSIVE GRENADE-

archers wore goggles designed to enhance vision in low-
TIPPED ARROWS SOARED IN light conditions. Such devices were inferior to natural
A HIGH ARC ACROSS THE daylight but provided them an advantage over the nearly
INTERVENING DARKNESS TO blind Khadorans.
IMPACT AND EXPLODE INTO A
Rahn wore no goggles, but the darkness did not bother him.
WALL OF FIRE He had other means to extend his senses. In addition to the
enhanced perspective of seeing through the eyes of multiple
myrmidons, he could sense the play of raw forces around

PRODDING THE BEAR to his arcane vision, while each projectile sent a rippling
EASt oF LAEDRy, oCCuPIED LLAEL wake of kinetic force. The air in front of him was bright and
Adeptis Rahn Shyeel let his arm fall, and the line of Stormfall alive with the traces of these violent patterns.

Their massive grenade-tipped arrows soared in a high arc something that will. Thane Lyvenne, prepare for full
across the intervening darkness to impact and explode into assault.” She blinked in surprise at this departure from their
plan of action but quickly conveyed his order down the line.
garrisoned force east of Laedry. Garryth had been as good
as his word, and no sentry or perimeter patrol had survived By mental command Rahn sent his myrmidons forward,
to forewarn them of the imminent attack.
Chimeras. A number of others waited not far from their
Khadorans came pouring out of the burning buildings into position, held back as a reserve. Rahn did not expect he
the din of shouted orders and queries. Soldiers rushed would need them, not tonight.
frantically in every direction, while commanding sergeants
Even in the darkness the three heavy myrmidons shimmered
midst dropped a number of them, but the chaos settled with
surprising speed. surrounding them. The Hydras glowed brightly against

The Khadoran response proved to be more cool-headed

than the Shyeel adeptis had hoped for. Perhaps it was to circular crystalline nodule at the center of their armored
be expected, given that these men had experience dealing
with an unruly populace and outbreaks of violence. The
soldiers quickly hunkered down into the trenchworks and that pulsed outward toward the distant enemy. Raw energy

bones where they struck.

suppress whatever enemy attacked them on this miserably
overcast night. Even the moons were hidden this evening, The Phoenix’s attack sequence was even more dramatic, as

The Khadorans’ shots were nowhere near the mark, but the like a shrieking bird of prey to explode into the midst of
the Winter Guard. Several were killed on impact, while the
remained commendable.
nearby soldiers, who ran and fell screaming.

10
 PRELUDE TO WAR

few could manage against someone as sensitive as the

adeptis, who could normally perceive other warcasters at
familiar enemies. Adeptis Rahn took delight in the naked a considerable distance. No matter how alert Rahn believed
fear on the faces illuminated by the blaze. himself to be, Garryth always found a way to approach him
unawares, perhaps as some sort of private sport. Garryth’s
The Khadoran heavies ran forward. There was a dull thump
voice carried a hint of dry humor as he observed, “This does
as a bombard sent its shell toward the attackers. A chorus
not look like a withdrawal.”

as the rain of mortar shells began to fall. Rahn saw these “On evaluating our plan I came to the conclusion that
incoming projectiles with his force-sensitive vision and
credible threat.” For a man of Rahn’s ability, maintaining
letting them fall well short of his forward line. His Hydras control over so many advancing myrmidons while carrying

As he spoke, the Hydra on the far left converged on the

as it shook the hull with punishing blows. The Khadoran

battle mages sent rippling waves of concentrated force to
armor was thick and weathered this onslaught well,
tear apart the Khadoran soldiers.
but the machine was forced to stagger backward with
“Nicely done.” said a voice to Rahn’s left. He did not each impact. When the Destroyer started to falter on its
visibly startle, but Garryth’s proximity unnerved him for
a moment. Mage hunter warcasters learned to dampen it backward into the nearest wall, which exploded into a
outward manifestations of their power, but it was a knack cloud of brick and dust.

11
 PRELUDE TO WAR

Rahn continued without pause, “For our gambit to work

they must feel endangered. We will raze this barracks and
hold until reinforcements arrive.” Rahn’s gauntlet hummed IOSAN METALLURGY
and began to vibrate and glow with bright green-blue
light. The very stones around his feet rose and gleamed
as gravity was negated by ripples of concentrated force,
which he then released with a sudden thrust of his hand
toward the farthest Chimera. Its arc node vents blazed as

into a mortar emplacement, tearing it apart with a metallic

protest. A secondary explosion of chaotic torque tore several

behind the mortar team. When Rahn spoke again, the light
tone in his voice contrasted with the violence. “This is, after
all, only one of six major reserves near Laedry. When they
commit against us, we will pull back to the mountains.”

Garryth grinned coldly at the adeptis. “I like the way you

think.” He raised his bladed pistols and broke away toward
the Khadorans on his left, his myrmidons mirroring his

closed while several groups of mage hunters followed suit,

HOUSEGUARD
SHIELD

COLD STORAGE Iosan metallurgy reached an advanced state in the Empire of

NEAR FoRt BRuNzIg, KHADoR Lyoss, but some of this lore was lost in the Cataclysm. Several
houses have worked to restore mastery of high-grade steel alloys,
Kommander Alexandra Zerkova stood silently in the
allowing for both armor and myrmidon plating well suited to the
freezing underground chamber. Her senior aid stood by her modern battlefield. After generations of such work, Ios’ alloyed
side, reading aloud the day’s dispatches, but she did not steel is nearly the equal of Rhul’s, albeit sacrificing some degree of
seem to be listening. She stared with her one good eye at the durability in favor of weight reduction for added mobility.
rune-laden stone vault in front of her as if she could force
it to divulge its secrets through sheer force of will. Elevated
upon a small stand near the vault and held in place by wall did not much diminish the unnatural cold of the
several black metal clamps was the Torch of Lord Khazarak. chamber, but its constant heat was the only reason they
It was the artifact the eldritch Goreshade had employed could function in the chamber at all. The temperatures
during his attack in the Korsk cathedral to melt the solid were low enough to put even bundled Greylords skilled in
block of ice within the vault. It had resisted all Zerkova’s
frozen to death during his shift, after which Zerkova had
imposed a strict schedule rotation. No one except Zerkova
Heavy lines beneath Zerkova’s eyes suggested she had not
herself was allowed to work on the project for more than
been sleeping. There was a strained silence between her
three hours at a time, and never alone.
and the other Greylords working in the room. All attempts
to breach the icy vault had failed. A variety of conductive
uncomfortably in silence, waiting for a reaction. After
around and connected to the object of their study. The one
task they had succeeded at was harnessing the tremendous with a frown. “Did you say Iosan attacks in Llael? Has this
supernatural cold pouring from this object. Zerkova was
convinced she was on the threshold of a greater discovery
“Yes, Kommander, this report is genuine.” He looked
down at the dispatches. “Reliable witnesses independently
the interior.

The large room was choked with a bewildering array of warjacks and warcasters were allegedly involved, most
mechanikal and occult apparatus as well as cruder tools notably at an attack near Laedry. Several reserve garrisons
such as massive hammers, chisels, and a large steam- are being ordered to join occupation forces in Llael. We
driven drill. The forge taking up the entirety of the north may be next.”

12
 PRELUDE TO WAR

Zerkova took the papers from him, and her brow encouragement. Even the normally insular Dawnguard
were not immune. An awareness of the scope of their task
prone to conspiratorial thinking, but the described list of served as a catalyst for bonds to form between the varied
attacks made little sense from any conventional strategic members of the Winter’s Hammer task force.
perspective. After so long in isolation, why would Ios
Mage hunters served as unseen guardians by keeping
emerge to attack seemingly random targets and withdraw?
pace beyond the fringes of the marching army. They did
Khadoran battalions were currently in pursuit, hoping to
not speak of how many they killed to preserve the secrecy
retaliate for their losses. To Zerkova this suggested they
of their mission, but the lack of a general alarm or the
had been manipulated. The question remained: what did
appearance of an opposing army suggested both they and
Ios hope to gain? The attacks were too remote to suggest
the Barbed Thorn task force led by Adeptis Rahn were
any connection to her work, but she felt apprehensive.
succeeding at their respective tasks. They had done the
That their timing was so close to the surprise attack on
unimaginable by smuggling an entire army deep into the
Khadoran heartland.
certain alarms in her mind. That man’s death had been
The path they had taken was deliberately circuitous,
circumstances were still peculiar. There was no evidence both to evade detection and to allow for periodic stops at
that Iosans had been behind that attack, but Zerkova Retribution strongholds previously established abroad.
sensed certain tenuous threads connecting these events. Of these, just the mustering point nearest their target was
Unexplained Greylord deaths were on the rise, and a large enough to shelter the entire army, and they managed
conspiracy did not seem implausible. it there only by enduring barely livable accommodations.

Although Zerkova did not feel inclined to voice such The stronghold was an extensive network of underground
thoughts to her subordinate, she saw no harm in prudence. caves and tunnels originally excavated for a mining
“Tell the men to stay at high alert and to double all patrols.” project. The mine had been exhausted and then abandoned
He nodded and left to do as bid, clearly eager to return to and forgotten by the Khadorans long ago. It suited the
the warmer environs of the surface bunker. Retribution’s needs quite well, being both hidden and
extensive enough to hide soldiers and myrmidons. The Nine
Zerkova looked again at the frozen vault, considering that
Voices and their secret backers had invested considerable

contingency into place. Those arrangements had become a

high priority when she had learned of Koldun Makovich’s

limited their time here. Still, even this brief rest provided
a much-needed respite for their exhausted soldiers and
time from the enigma of the Nyss vault, she decided to
allowed their myrmidons to recharge power reserves to full.
handle this personally. The fewer people involved, the
better. Her time in the Covenant had taught her not to Kaelyssa felt great relief at two luxurious days standing
rely on the loyalty of others when self-preservation was at relatively still in a single location, even if it did feel like they
stake. She had risked much to secure this vault, keeping its
particulars secret even from her own order. She would not complex meant she was able to give most members of her
chance its security. teams a break from their vigils, although a small number
took turns keeping watch outside.
STRENGTH FOR
STRENGTH THEY HAD DONE THE
NEAR FoRt BRuNzIg, KHADoR UNIMAGINABLE BY SMUGGLING
The Retribution army led by Dawnlord Vyros Nyarr was AN ENTIRE ARMY DEEP INTO
given only a brief chance to rest after more than a month of THE KHADORAN HEARTLAND.
grueling travel. They had been marching as far as possible
both night and day with only short breaks. Exhaustion had
added to the tension of the constant fear of discovery and At the moment she was enjoying a short interval of
attack once they had violated Khador’s border. camaraderie with several of her strike team sergeants in

had become an impromptu gathering spot. The room had

on foreign soil in Iosan history. Yet excitement lingered an uncomfortably low ceiling and was too small to be
even in times of exhaustion, ready to ignite at the slightest a sleeping chamber. Seated on a variety of empty supply

13
 PRELUDE TO WAR

people are asking the same thing. I’m not convinced we

need them.”
previous missions. It was an attempt to clear their minds on
Ravyn brushed her hair behind her ear as she sat down
the eve of battle.
next to the younger warcaster. Kaelyssa was surprised at
The sergeants went suddenly silent and Kaelyssa saw them this friendly gesture and listened quietly as Ravyn stated
looking over her shoulder. She turned to see Ravyn entering her case. “I’ve examined the maps a dozen times. This will
the room. “Welcome, Ravyn.” Kaelyssa’s tongue felt a bit
insist the Greylords have this bunker sealed and mystically
warded. Its alarms are connected directly to Fort Brunzig,
As expected, her superior smiled but declined. The sergeants
whose garrison was recently reinforced. Khadoran soldiers
quickly found excuses to take their leave, mumbling polite
formalities before slipping away. Ravyn possessed an
rotated to the front lines. More troops can be brought in by
undeniable mystique among the mage hunters, who revered
rail on short notice.”
her to the point they were uncomfortable in her presence.
“Fast in, fast out, then,” Kaelyssa insisted, although she did
of the underground base. Because of this, more often than not sound as certain.
not Ravyn was left to her own company.
Ravyn shook her head. “If we go in with a small group,
“I did not mean to disrupt your time with your men,”
The only way for this plan to work is to strike hard and
before the battle.” seize the facility while the bulk of our forces are waiting
to intercept the reinforcements we know will be sent from
Kaelyssa took another swallow of wine and smiled, feeling
more at ease with this woman than she might have if she
be risky. Dawnlord Vyros and his men will take the brunt of
had not been drinking. “I’ve been meaning to ask you
something. Do you really think this entire production is
necessary? How much of what we are doing here is part of Kaelyssa pondered this explanation. “Fine. I’ll take your
some political game between Nyarr and Shyeel?” word. But if those Nyarr prigs aren’t where we need them
when our back is against the wall, so help me . . . I am
Ravyn blinked and seemed set back by the abrupt question.
not above shooting Vyros’ precious bird and cooking it
“What do you mean? Surely you do not doubt the
for dinner.”
importance of recovering Nyssor . . . ?”
This ridiculous image was enough to provoke startled
Kaelyssa waved her hand in negation. “No, no. But why
laughter from the normally taciturn Ravyn. “On second
can’t we do things our way? A few strike forces at night, in
thought, I will have some of that wine.” She reached for
secret. A handful of myrmidons. Give me a few Chimeras
and a Manticore. We break into the bunker, kill those who
she gave Kaelyssa a serious look. “I will be supporting
need killing, and free Nyssor. If he’s even there. Why ready
the Dawnguard tomorrow. You will lead the strike on the
for open war? Seems like an excuse to let Vyros and his
bunker. They will make you bleed at every step. Do your
Dawnguard posture for glory. The fact that Garryth isn’t even
best, but above all I expect you to come out of this alive.”
here is ridiculous—” She realized the wine had loosened her
tongue too much when she saw the red rise in Ravyn’s cheeks
and her eyebrows narrowed into an angry scowl. ready.”

The senior warcaster retorted, “First of all, we might not Ravyn stood and put a hand on the other warcaster’s
shoulder. “I know. May Scyrah watch over you, Kaelyssa,
elsewhere. Second, it is Dawnlord Vyros. I suggest you Night’s Whisper.” She took her leave, and Kaelyssa looked
speak his name with respect, particularly if you ever after her with a puzzled expression, feeling inexplicably
expect to lead his men in battle.” Ravyn abruptly stopped, comforted, as if she had in fact been blessed.
perhaps realizing she was lecturing. She sighed and
continued with less heat. “I understand your concerns,
but this battle plan is necessary. It is no political show. I
would never waste the lives of those entrusted to my care Kaelyssa watched tensely from the nighttime darkness
on empty symbolic gestures.”

Kaelyssa felt slightly abashed. “I trust you, Ravyn. I do. But

patrolled, but her people had become well accustomed to
explain to me why the Dawnguard are here. A lot of our
the guards’ movements.

14
 PRELUDE TO WAR

This bunker had been just a dot of potential interest on Kaelyssa gestured to her senior commander who nodded
Retribution maps before Garryth’s mission, an oversight and quickly passed the signal. The hunter force swept
their local agents had spent the last month attempting to forward as if of one mind, using blades to take down the
rectify. Gathering intelligence on the facility had been soldiers and drivers quickly and then turning loaded
crossbows toward the thick-walled observation post. The
her tracks well. Fortunately active surveillance had served men within were barely visible by the silhouettes of their
where other methods had failed. heads through the viewing slits. Before they could react to
the sudden appearance of intruders multiple crossbows
There was a likely second route into the bunker via a
short rail line that went underground just north of here
and possibly extended to the underside of the facility. Its

chamber as the phantom seekers found their marks.

and unused, as surveillance had sighted no activity there
in the last month. Two mage hunter teams kept watch just
in case, but it was deemed the less useful point of ingress. She immediately sped down the stairs, raising her runebolt
This smaller surface entrance chosen for their mission
was protected by an armored door and the adjoining man, wearing the robes of a Greylord, managed to reach a
thick-walled upper bunker. This included an observation
chamber where several men could peer out through narrow He yanked it down just as her runebolt took him in the side.
slits at the only approaching path. The steel-reinforced He slumped down against the wall, but the damage was
done. Kaelyssa heard the sound of alarm horns below and
particularly as the bulk of the facility was below ground. was certain similar alarms were sounding at Fort Brunzig.
Breaching this entrance by force would not have been easily She gritted her teeth. There was nothing to do but press on.
or quickly accomplished.

The timing of their mission depended on information only

Dawnlord Vyros Nyarr paused during a brief lull in the

as time stretched on. It would be dawn soon. Already the sky
battle to savor the warmth of the rising sun. So far they
was brightening in the east. At last they heard the approach
had been successful. The sloping hillside was littered with
of horses and a wagon on the trail, and soon the anticipated
the corpses of Khadoran dead. The ambush could not have
small resupply wagon passed their position. One of the
gone more smoothly, and Vyros’ estimate on the range of
horses caught their scent and whinnied in alarm, but the
Fort Brunzig’s cannons had proven to be accurate. Those
drivers ignored the beast and pushed on. Surveillance had
powerful guns had sounded only once, their shells falling
shown that this wagon brought fresh food and drink to the
well short of his position. The enemy clearly expected
bunker every week. It was late.

that eventuality.
using its shape to obscure themselves from any watching
from inside the bunker. A patrol of two men on foot
approached the wagon from the left, but in the blink of an THE HUNTER FORCE SWEPT
eye they were gone, caught by mage hunters who dropped FORWARD AS IF OF ONE
cloaks over their faces to pull them back and neatly slit MIND, USING BLADES TO TAKE
their throats. The men driving the wagon saw nothing and DOWN THE SOLDIERS AND
DRIVERS QUICKLY
before the entrance.

The gas lanterns lighting the immediate entry left ample

shadows, and the hunters moved like phantoms in the The second wave was advancing now. Lines of troops in
dimness. Those watching from the dome-like observation heavier armor were marching down the slope toward their
point saw only the wagon halted as usual in the pooled light
before the entrance. From the metal door rasped the sound from the heights of the next sloping hill. The Khadoran
of securing rods being withdrawn, and it swung open to kommanders seemed determined not to underestimate the
reveal a well-lit corridor extending down into the ground. enemy again. The Khadorans did not know who they were
A single soldier came forth to greet the wagon drivers and or what they were capable of doing. Vyros had hoped this
light a cigar. Two others climbed up from the bunker and would make them somewhat slow to react, but thus far the
Khadorans had shown no evidence of such apprehension,

15
 PRELUDE TO WAR

and their numbers were greater than in his grimmest The battle raging inside the underground chambers of the
projections. bunker threatened to turn into utter chaos as teams broke

Lines of Dawnguard stood ready, with invictors and their

dark storage chamber, Kaelyssa doubled back, passing the

and joined by several groups of destors on the extremes of
bodies of several Greylords bleeding out onto the corridor

as did several teams of mage hunters. Myrmidons were

through the halls, and the iron smell of spilled blood mixed
scattered among them, unmoving but conveying readiness
with the char of blasting powder in the air. Kaelyssa moved
to those who stood near to them by the vibration of their
through the complex with caution and predatory grace as
she sought her target. The passageways were too small for
Several copses of woods along the hill and numerous her myrmidons, but she wished she had a Chimera at her
back. Amid these tunnels and sharply angled corridors,
the Dawnguard some cover, but the heavy infantry headed ambush was a constant danger.
in their direction looked formidable. Men-O-War formed
Kaelyssa tapped her arcane talents to project her senses
the hard center, with several Khadoran warjacks to the rear,
through the walls around her. Her senses provided her
primarily Destroyers armed with long-ranged bombards.
with an undeniable edge even with the chaos of motion
Long lines of Iron Fang pikemen in their plated armor
throughout the bunker. Despite the confusion, she could
and heavy shields advanced in disciplined formation
still call upon her magic to send runebolts through interior
alongside and behind the steam-powered vanguard. It
walls as if they were not there.
was an altogether fearsome-looking force, the true might
of the enemy, and Vyros was ready to meet it strength for Above her she felt an explosion of ice magic and sensed its
strength. He relished the opportunity. The fact that they destructive power freezing several mage hunters to death.
outnumbered him only increased his desire to defeat them Momentarily distracted, she almost overlooked a group of
on their own ground. Khadorans lying in ambush in a room just to her right. She
felt a twinge of warning as she neared the open doorway
Vyros moved his myrmidons into position and marched
and immediately rolled forward into a tumble as metal
behind the main line issuing commands to his subordinates.
shot tore holes in the stone where she had passed. She
heard footsteps behind her and saw her third team round
forward, crouched as they were with their halberds extended
the corner, trying to catch up with her. She held up a palm,
and shields set before them. He saw Ravyn with her forces at
and they skidded to a stop. Reaching her senses through the
one of the more sheltered but steeper sections of the incline,
intervening wall she picked up three vague forms, likely
and with a gesture she indicated they were ready. Mounted
two Winter Guard and a Greylord. This sense was only
on his steed next to Ravyn was the fane knight Skeryth
tangentially like sight, but it was as if she could perceive the
Issyen. The sight of the man irritated Vyros. The scion of
individuals as vague patterns of light and motion. Those
House Issyen had avoided speaking to the dawnlord or any
who could wield magic, like a Greylord, were marked by an
inner illumination representing gathered power.
considered a cowardly display of disrespect for a man of
his birth and station. The breach in etiquette galled him, but
he had decided to overlook it for the present. Ravyn could
have her hound, so long as he proved useful in the battle. intervening wall and sink into her targets one by one. The
smoky after-image of their presence faded to her heightened
The dawnlord felt a tingling awareness at the back of his
perception along with their lives. Kaelyssa waved her team
to follow once again as she turned to descend deeper into
proximity. The sensation grew stronger, and he looked up
the complex.
the slope toward the Khadoran warjacks, raising an eyebrow
as he realized at least one human warcaster must be among The silence in which her people operated gave the violence
in the bunker an eerie one-sided din limited to the shouts

command Vyros sent his hawk Jyren to wing, telling her to Kaelyssa’s concern for the success of the mission increased.
She ruefully remembered her naive words to Ravyn during
their last meeting. Nothing could ever be simple.

Just below she sensed a far stronger presence that shone

brightly with power. It must be the warcaster, Aleksandra

16
 PRELUDE TO WAR

to their planned withdrawal.

Their forces would be able to
IOSAN KNIFE reach safety only if he broke
this Khadoran attack.

The time had come for him to

lend his own blade to the fray.
“Scyir Lenfaren, with me!”
Vyros commanded to one
of his nearest subordinates
as he advanced alongside
his myrmidons toward the
section of his line where the
Dawnguard had been spread
Zerkova. There was also a strangely heavy blankness,
thin. The Men-O-War pressed down hard upon them, led by
something large that even her senses could not penetrate.
axe-wielding men with shields and backed by those laying
Could this be Nyssor? Was he truly here? She felt her pulse
to with massive double-handed hammers.
race at the possibility, but knew she must stay focused.
That enigma would have to wait until she had eliminated On Vyros’ signal the scyir barked orders to his subordinate
Zerkova and secured the bunker. She wished she knew how thanes, and squads of sentinels fell into line, marching
things fared with Ravyn and the dawnlord, but she could quickly to keep pace with their lord. Above their heads
not presume she had the luxury of time. the hawk Jyren gave a piercing cry. Vyros was as mentally
connected to the bird of prey as to his myrmidons, and
through her eyes he was able to look down from above

Khadoran warjacks moving rapidly toward their position.

as a solid barrage into the advancing Khadoran lines, but A thick-bodied Khadoran in warcaster armor and wearing a
the hefty armor held up to the punishment. The Stormfall gas mask was impelling the ’jacks forward while loading a
archers rained down explosive arrows, while the ghost
snipers delivered their deadly shots to key targets of
opportunity. Still the enemy closed, unfazed by their the forward wall of Men-O-War.
losses. They had a clear and obvious numerical superiority
and seemed intent on crushing the Iosans by sheer weight
myrmidons advancing toward the enemy at the left and
if need be.
right extremes of the dawnlord’s control range. The one
to the right crouched slightly with its shield and halberd
and bottom with massive chopping blades for when battle readied and then leapt forward, its legs pumping with
closed. It soon became clear they would be forced to deal increasing momentum as it churned across the ground. Its
with the Khadorans hand-to-hand. One line of invictors
of rocks, momentarily negating the weight of its armored
advanced to stand ready behind them. Energy blasts from
Manticores and Phoenixes blazed into the enemy, killing a a similarly enhanced rush, and both small myrmidons
few more, but then the lines met and clashed. The Khadorans weaved adroitly through invictors and sentinels to crash
had the advantage of higher ground. At Vyros’ command into the steam-armored Khadorans precisely where Vyros
the sentinels surged forward to support the invictors as the needed them to be.
battle was joined in full.
Dawnlord Vyros followed behind them, crying “Nyarr!”
The dawnlord’s tactics had served to preserve his strength as he swept the massive blade of Justicar with both hands
along the line despite the brutal assault, accumulating an straight through the nearest Man-O-War. Driven by the
impressive tally of kills. Nonetheless, he loathed this sort momentum of his charge and augmented by his warcaster
of defensive engagement, where the initiative belonged to armor, the blade plunged through the man’s shield and the
the enemy. He had to remind himself that his objective was armor below his left armpit and sliced upward to exit near
purely to endure. They had already bought time for the strike his right shoulder, nearly cutting him in twain. Vyros did
teams at the bunker. That the Khadorans were present in far not pause to observe the resulting fountain of blood and
greater strength than expected added a major complication gore but turned to drive the blade down into the helmet of
the next Khadoran in line.

17
 PRELUDE TO WAR

18
 PRELUDE TO WAR

He was in the thick of it, with no room for thought but engage it, swinging its force-charged gauntlets against the
the sweep of his blade to parry and destroy. The nearest Juggernaut’s ice axe.

On the other side a Marauder lunged forward and took a

corresponding with its master’s. The Dawnguard sentinels
clashed moments later after fanning out to engage the Iron
Fangs with their massive blades. Meanwhile Vyros’ heavy
There was a loud clang of metal as the piston rams sent the
myrmidons made their way up a steeper incline toward the
Phoenix tumbling downslope along the boulder-strewn
hillside. It took with it several Dawnguard caught in its
path. Impelled by Vyros’ will, it quickly pulled itself back to
leading Phoenix and one of the Manticores. The Khadoran
its feet while Vyros directed the nearest Manticore to engage
warcaster was close enough to bring his weapon to bear and
the new threat.
dropped several invictors with deadly accurate shots while
From the hawk’s vantage he could see Ravyn was almost
in position and the Khadoran heavy ’jacks had nearly been
Vyros smiled. His gambit seemed to have worked, though
at a cost. The Khadoran warcaster had moved close enough
warcaster had kept a Juggernaut near him, and he was also
to be imperiled alongside his ’jacks, but this meant Vyros’
shielded by a sizable contingent of the masked soldiers,
own force was also at risk since a large formation of Iron
Fangs rushed to intercept them. The Iron Fangs spread out
gas grenades.
as they advanced and encircled the sentinels to engage
them pike-to-blade. Before they entirely closed the distance,
his hawk’s eyes to focus on his immediate surroundings. A
gas masks launched over the heads of the front line. These number of hammer-wielding Men-O-War came to beset him.
grenades belched yellow smoke wherever they landed, and Each time one fell to his blade another arrived in its place. He
the Iosans were overcome by painful, choking fumes that was forced to preserve his arcane strength so he could keep
invaded their lungs and burned their eyes.
His plan had drawn the Khadoran warcaster forward, but
Vyros cut a swath through the Iron Fangs, but it was clearly
not enough to unnerve Fort Brunzig’s veterans. Meanwhile,
The dawnlord saw motion out of the corner of his eye
its shield, crippled its legs, and speared it repeatedly like and felt satisfaction at Ravyn’s arrival. She drove straight
a downed boar. At Vyros’ thought, Jyren plunged straight toward the Khadoran warcaster with a surge of violent
down and then turned sharply to streak in front of Ravyn— grace that was a wonder to behold. Hellebore was a blur
their prearranged signal to strike. in her hands as she swept into the warcaster’s bodyguards
like an apparition of death. Her assault sliced through
breastplates, knocked aside shields, and severed weapons.
moved unerringly toward Vyros’ position, carving through
any Khadorans unfortunate enough to stand in their path.
At their fore was a wing of Dawnlord Destors with Fane
bloody arrival unnerved the nearest Khadorans in a manner
Knight Skeryth Issyen. This wedge of cavalry smashed into
Vyros and his sentinels had failed to do.
the Iron Fang Pikemen from an unexpected angle even as
they tried to adjust their formation. The booming report of Almost too late the Khadoran warcaster realized his peril. As
destor cannons resounded, and several pikemen dropped the nearest soldiers collapsed under the weight of Ravyn’s
before their lances hit home.
Additional myrmidons were closing on his position.
Vyros’s Phoenix was surrounded by pikemen, and he

compelled to pull back, seeing he faced not one but two

unknown warcasters. With a thrust of his hand the Khadoran
the length of its blade as it marched past the burning
warcaster sent a surge of violent arcane force toward the
and screaming men to close on the nearest Destroyer. Its
mage hunters while runes of power circled his arm.

the enemy ’jack ablaze, and tore deeply into its heavily The ground exploded just to Ravyn’s left. Her power
armored upper chassis. Under this punishing onslaught,

One of Ravyn’s Hydras launched a blaze of energy into a Juggernaut he had kept in reserve stepped forward to block
Juggernaut on the right side and then sprang forward to a Gorgon’s energy blast. As the enemy warcaster moved

19
 PRELUDE TO WAR

Vyros passed orders to his subordinates, preparing for

Vyros could see that Ravyn was determined to reach the their departure. As much as he would have enjoyed a more
decisive victory against the Khadorans, he knew that was
almost desperate haste. not their purpose. He took some satisfaction in imagining
how the Khadorans would react when the Iosans vanished.
“Ravyn, wait!” Vyros called out in a booming cry, having
If Ravyn managed their withdrawal as planned, this sense
of vulnerability should undermine the enemy’s morale more

pursuit, but she reluctantly heeded his call.

would never know the feeling of safety and security again.
The Khadorans began to pull back in something akin to
a panic, leaving wounded behind as they scrambled up
the slope. Sentinels and invictors harried their withdrawal
until Vyros called his men to stand down. Ravyn came
alongside him with a questioning look. He explained, “We her deep in the bowels of the facility, but the witch refused
are too far upslope.” He pointed the fortress. “He hopes to to stand her ground. Koldun Kommander Aleksandra
bait us into range.” Her eyes widened as she looked back

down upon them. for their lives. The mage hunter warcaster was willing
to oblige, periodically reloading her runebolt cannon.

WITH A SCREAMING OF enemy, but unfortunately the opportunity for a clean kill
INCOMING SHELLS THE AIR WAS had yet to present itself.
SOON THICK WITH EXPLOSIONS She stepped past the twitching hand of another dead
AND CHOKING SMOKE. magziev and rounded a sharp turn of the deep corridor to
walk straight into a blast of malignant and gripping cold.

burns across her skin as the joins in her warcaster armor

screaming of incoming shells the air was soon thick with momentarily locked with solid ice. Zerkova did not linger
explosions and choking smoke. Vyros was close enough to strike again but kept moving.
to be momentarily deafened, and for a moment the world
reeled with punishing blasts. As the air began to clear and
a spray of frozen particles. She lifted her runebolt cannon
the ringing in his ears faded, he heard a spontaneous shout
of relief from the Dawnguard as they realized they had
cleared the range of the Khadoran guns. The entire hillside
the woman’s left thigh. Kaelyssa felt a surge of power as
just yards from their forward position was shredded and
some of Zerkova’s strength was mystically siphoned away
pocked with craters.
through the runebolt. Zerkova grunted in pain but limped
Ravyn looked toward the retreating Khadoran force with forward to smash open a heavy metal door at the terminus
a rueful expression at having come so close to eliminating of the corridor. The cannon’s reloading mechanism slotted
one of the enemy’s vital warcasters. She leaned heavily on
Hellebore and wiped dirt, blood, and mud from her face
with her other hand. “Do you think they will attack again?” she managed to duck into the next chamber and narrowly
avoid the bolt, which skittered instead along the nearest
Vyros considered and shook his head. “No, not now. They
wall in a spray of sparks.
will pull back to the fortress and await our next move. Likely
they expect us to besiege Brunzig. We must disappoint The unnatural cold inhibiting Kaelyssa persisted for only
them. I will withdraw my men slowly, so they do not fully a few seconds, and she continued the chase. On reaching
realize what we intend. Go ahead to the bunker and check the open door she was hit by a sudden gust of fast-moving
on your people.” air, thick with the smell of coal smoke. She could hear

Ravyn nodded and without another word left with her

tumbled through the door, coming upright with her weapon
soldiers. The Dawnguard who watched them go observed
at the ready. She saw she was in a large, natural cave, lit
the mage hunters with a measure of respect, a marked
well enough by gas lanterns to reveal a Khadoran steam
contrast to the barely restrained derision of only a few
locomotive. It was already starting to lurch forward as its
months ago.

20
 PRELUDE TO WAR

from its middle car as she darted behind a stack of nearby control her emotions. She reported the facts as plainly as
crates for cover. possible and without embellishment. “He was here, but

A Khadoran warjack at the top of a loading ramp stepped

full responsibility.”
back after pushing a massive stone object into the open
doors of the last car even as the train began to move forward. “Enough.” Ravyn stopped her, shaking her head. She
A trail of blood up the ramp suggested Zerkova had ducked did not reprimand her subordinate, as Kaelyssa was
inside. Kaelyssa was unable to sense the interior of that clearly expecting. “Sometimes circumstances are outside
car, which indicated that its walled panels were warded.

the Winter Guard escorts. one we will follow.” Ravyn looked up and saw the other
mage hunters had started to gather closer. She waved them
That threat eliminated, Kaelyssa stepped out in time to see
forward and spoke loudly enough for everyone to hear.
the Khadoran ’jack turn to face her. It was a battered, old,
“We do not have much time, as the Khadoran reinforcements
its hands and stepped toward her even as the steam train will arrive soon. We must withdraw. But I want you to
began to pick up speed with a churning sound, pouring know I am tremendously proud of what we have done
smoke into the vaulted ceiling of the chamber. Kaelyssa
could sense Zerkova’s will in the malevolent stare of the war will not be won in a single day.
Juggernaut’s glowing eyes. It lunged to seize her with
unnatural alacrity, its massive, articulated metal hands regroup and prepare to strike again. Soon the enemy will
guided by the other woman. Kaelyssa narrowly evaded it know the full extent of our determination. Do not dwell
by leaping to the side. on what could have been. Consider instead all we have
done today.” Her hand swept toward the open door of the
Kaelyssa gestured and sent a surge of rending magic straight
into the Khadoran ’jack. She heard the satisfying sound of
bodies of their enemies littered the ground.
metal shredding as its armor puckered and internal pistons
and gears seized. She raced past the machine even as the “We have marched unhindered deep into our enemy’s
short Khadoran train gained speed at an alarming rate, lands. We have destroyed a base of their occultists, killing
lightly burdened as it was by only three nearly empty cars. many who would harm Scyrah with unclean magic. We

Seeing a shadowed face peering out at her from the last car
that their borders mean nothing to us. Already they begin
to fear us—as they should, for ours is a righteous cause. We
her hate and frustration into the shot. She felt grim satisfaction
will give them much more to fear in the days ahead.”
as the runebolt hit, striking Zerkova in the shoulder and
hurling her back into the darkness of the warded car. Conviction shone in Ravyn’s voice like sharpened steel,
Unfortunately she could sense the warcaster cling stubbornly and as she spoke she watched the hunters’ disappointment
to life as the train shattered through the closed gate at the transform into resolve and belief. In time they would
mouth of the cave tunnel and burst into the open. come to appreciate the scope of their accomplishment, but
for now it was enough that they draw strength from the
The mage hunter teams watching that entrance added their
righteousness of their purpose.

Without another look at the carnage they had wrought, Ravyn

lungs, Kaelyssa reached the cave opening at a full run. She led them from the hill to rejoin the marching Dawnguard.
felt certain Nyssor was on board that train. In one last, Already she had begun to think and plan, considering what
desperate attempt to stop it, she hurled a blast of arcane next steps they should take to advance their purpose. Their
power ahead of the engine, but it was already too far away. forces were committed now, and the enemy blooded. From
The blast fell short and exploded the earth and wooden ties this day forward the battles would change, but the stakes
well behind the swiftly retreating train. remained the same: victory or extinction.

When Ravyn rejoined the mage hunters gathering to

withdraw outside the bunker she listened to Kaelyssa’s
rushed summary of the failed mission in patient silence.
The junior warcaster’s voice trembled with anger and

21
 THE LONG FALL
HISTORY OF IOS

—Ryvoas Vyre, Theologian and Historian of House Vyre

We stand at a pivotal point in history with nothing less the four gods of our seasons: Scyrah, Nis-Issyr of Spring
than the very survival of our people at stake. I am honored and Healer of the Divine Court; Lurynsar, Issyr of Summer,
that the Retribution of Scyrah has asked me to author this Arms Master of Lyoss, and Chief of Scouts; Lyliss, Nis-Scyir
summation of our history. I hope it will unite us in a shared of Autumn, Court Assassin, and Mistress of Poisons; and
understanding of our origins. We cannot look forward until lastly Nyssor, the Scyir of Winter and Grand Crafter.
we fully understand what has come to pass.

Our ancient days have become a mystery to us—ironic, given observed mortal souls spilling into the distant wilds of the
the copious records we know our ancestors maintained in afterlife. On hearing of this discovery, Lacyr followed the
the annals of the old empire. Those documents are forever path of these souls back to Caen and witnessed the barbarity
lost to us, destroyed in the Cataclysm. The further we of their existence. Despite the cruel and unclean habits of
venture into the past, the more uncertain the ground we these creatures, the gods saw the potential buried within
them. These human souls multiplied as their tribes spread,
best analysis, as a scholar who has devoted his life to the providing a bounty for their creator.
study of these matters.
Lacyr was inspired to create her own people, but one more

THE GODS AND to inherit and subjugate the world. Lacyr became Potentate
OUR ORIGINS of the Living by giving life to our people while the goddess
Throughout our existence, we have been closely bound to Scyrah served as midwife to soothe her birth pains. The
our gods. Whether guiding our people from across the Veld Divine Court watched from beyond the mortal divide and

our triumphs and tragedies through countless generations. agriculture, writing, and construction as well as the subtle
By their guidance the Empire of Lyoss experienced an age of arts of magic and the necessary arts of war.
prosperity lasting almost six thousand years.
To us the gods brought the coherent concepts of the present
The genesis of the gods lies outside the scope of our and the past, the ordered passage of the hours, and the
understanding, as my research has discovered no document division of the seasons as Caen followed its path around
in their words describing their inception. The tales our priests the sun. It was they who demonstrated how the cycles of
relate of the gods arising from a union of the moons and the
embodied the natural process of life and death. Life begins
their origin, long before our creation eight gods dwelled in a in spring with Scyrah, governor of birth and growth, before
palace called Lyoss and ruled a domain called the Veld. passing into Issyr’s summer heat. Life wanes in autumn
with Lyliss before the quiet cold of winter shrouds Nyssor
Lacyr was the unquestioned ruler, the Narcissar of Ages. At
holding court, preparing the land for rebirth in spring.
her side was the Incissar of Hours, Ossyris. We know the
gods waged war because Ossyris is named the Sovereign Nyrro watched the day, and the sun represents our living
years, while his counterpart Ayisla supervised night and
the nature of their wars, but artists have depicted legions the passage into death in her role as Suzerain of the Fallen.
of ephemeral spirits marching at Ossyris’ behest to patrol Our souls were borrowed from the gods, who regulated
the Veld’s borders. The gods described the Veld as an oasis their cycle in the afterlife. When a soul passed on, it traveled
surrounded by enemies. Any peace the gods enjoyed was to the afterlife and met Ayisla at the gates of the Veld to be
earned through constant vigilance. appraised. Those judged worthy she allowed to pass into
the domain of the gods, there to experience an eternity of
Beneath Lacyr and Ossyris were Ayisla and Nyrro. She was
grace. Others, judged unready, she sent back to be reborn. It
Nis-Arsyr of Night and Watcher of the Gates of Lyoss, and
is a sacred process now lost, perhaps beyond recovery.
he was Arsyr of Day, Seneschal, and Lorekeeper. Last came

22
 HISTORY OF IOS

The gods bestowed upon Our golden era was long, but sadly we know little about
SYMBOLS OF us tremendous gifts. it. Thousands of years of history are gone like a half-
IOSAN GODS Blessed by the insight of
the divine, our people
advanced rapidly in is nothing but desert and desolation. Our capital, Nyshyl,
natural science and other sat at the heart of what is now a great rift dividing the
continent. Nyrro’s sun never shines on the ruins of Nyshyl,
knowledge. Mathematics, which were shattered to dust and are now cloaked in storm
engineering, architecture, and punished by ceaseless lightning.
Lacyr Ossyris and arcane formulae
I have journeyed across the desert sands to the east to see the
came to us easily and
ruins of Osslarys, the closest of the known Lyossan ruins. At
swiftly. The seasonal
the height of the empire, Osslarys was nothing but a small
cycle renewed our bodies
and inconsequential outpost noted only for the productivity
even as they renewed
of its mines. Yet upon seeing the broken buildings I was
the land, bestowing a
overwhelmed with the majesty and splendor of what our
life span longer than any
ancestors had wrought. I can only imagine the wonders of
Ayisla Nyrro other creature walking
ancient Nyshyl, a city stretching across the glorious River
Caen. Time was our ally.
Hyless and boasting over two million souls. Every man and
woman currently in Ios could have dwelled comfortably in
THE Nyshyl with room for twice that number again.
GOLDEN We know precious few details of ancient Lyoss. Its rulership
ERA was shared by the collective eight great fanes of the gods.
Scyrah Lurynsar AND THE The central fanes in the capital administered the empire,
EMPIRE while subordinate fanes supervised outlying regions. Lyoss
was no utopia. Certainly it had its teeming poor, but the
OF LYOSS empire’s wealth and agriculture were ample to feed all.
The early years of our
Periodic upheaval and strife was put down by heavy-
people were not all bliss
handed applications of force, and peace would once again
and prosperity. There
dominate for a time.
were numerous bloody
Lyliss Nyssor
wars between competing In their wisdom the gods allowed our people considerable
oversight of the organization and direction of daily life, but
They disagreed, and the fundamental guiding precepts came from their higher
disagreements begat violence. In time, at the urging of the authority. It was only natural that our gods take part in
gods, a single voice of unity began to gather our people into governing our empire with their priests serving as their
what would become the Empire of Lyoss. The empire took proxies or instruments as needed.
the name of the palace of the gods as a sign of their approval
The only lingering dissatisfaction the people felt was an
and continued involvement.
awareness of separation from our divine patrons. Five
Our ancestors honed the arts of war during the struggle for thousand years ago the eldest priests met at the Council of
Anifaryl and resolved to address this distance. Why could
threats thereafter. They beat back human and skorne we not share our lives as well as our afterlives with our
savages lurking at the fringes of the empire’s borders. gods? When they drew up plans for the Bridge of Worlds,
Eventually our ancestors made contact with the dwarves of Lacyr herself blessed its inception with approving omens.
Rhul, the only dim light of civilization outside Lyoss, albeit
sequestered in a remote mountainous region far to the west. THE BRIDGE
Lyoss saw them neither as a threat nor as competition.
OF WORLDS
Had events gone otherwise, in time the dominion of Lyoss No Iosan today can speak of the Bridge of Worlds without
would have stretched from the great waters of the east to anger and regret, yet the bridge represented hope incarnate
those of the west. Eventually our reach would have extended
even past the shores of Immoren to embrace continents four hecyion to transform a potentially impossible idea into
beyond. The Orgoth would have stood no chance against reality. So great a project had never been attempted in the
our great empire. history of Caen and likely never will be again. Mortal and
divine minds joined to create a tangible conduit from the
world of the gods to the earth where mortals toiled.

23
 HISTORY OF IOS

The Bridge of Worlds was not metaphorical. It was a massive

physical structure soaring into the sky above the capital. The IOSAN CALENDAR AND DATES
architectural and mystical techniques developed during its
creation became cornerstones of the engineering we still
utilize today and were employed in the construction of our
cities and great fane structures. T he Iosan calendar is a complex timekeeping system rooted
in astronomical observations. Arcane and religious scholars
apply mystical significance to its cycles. The “long calendar,” or
The most likely portrayal of the Bridge of Worlds depicts hecyion, details the passage of time in 64-year increments. Most
a soaring stone arch reaching into the sky to terminate at Iosan citizens prefer the cyion or “short calendar,” based on an
its apex as if it were one half of a bridge intended to cross 8-year cycle. A hecyion comprises eight cyion.
a mountain ravine. The missing half existed as spirit in the
Iosans emphasize seasons rather than months as the primary yearly
Veld, built by the gods and designed for perfect mystical division. Months remain a significant time interval by which the
alignment with its material counterpart. A linked series seasons are divided, of a length equal to the cycle of Caen’s largest
of hundreds of massive arcane generators were built into moon. Iosans do not divide months into weeks but refer to “half-
the cyclopean foundation, and a lattice of metal sigils was months” and “quarter-months.” Iosan astronomers utilize more
inlaid across the streets of the capital, extending for miles esoteric terms for longer celestial cycles.
into the surrounding lands. The numbering of years in Ios is based on a division separating
the time before and after the Cataclysm. The ^ symbol designates
The Bridge of Worlds was intended to be a permanent road
the Cataclysm and is placed before or after the date to show the
the gods could traverse at will. A vast variety of blessings relationship between the two. For example, the Empire of Lyoss
and advancements were expected to result from the close was unified 6,147 years before the Cataclysm, in the year 6147^.
proximity of the gods and the more immediate access To reconcile this numbering system with human date numbering
to their counsel and wisdom. The bridge’s construction it must be considered that the Cataclysm was 3,966 years before
the zero date on the human calendar which represents the initial
declaration of rebellion against the Orgoth. If the current year by
human reckoning is 608 AR, the Iosan equivalent is ^^ 4574.
have persisted as the greatest wonder of the world.
Some scholars prefer using cyion or hecyion rather than decades
Something went terribly wrong the moment the bridge or centuries. The date ^^ 4574 can be written as 7^ 1hy3cy6 in this
was put to use. The hour of glory upon them, our ancestors nomenclature (71 hecyions + 3 cyions + 6 years = 4574).
activated the Bridge of Worlds and watched as the gods
stepped from the Veld. In gatherings across Lyoss millions
of our people congregated to celebrate the arrival of the
divine. This did in fact begin a new age, but one born in burned like cordwood. Weather patterns across Immoren
unimaginable catastrophe and devastation rather than changed irrevocably, and what was once a small desert
golden glory. We call this event the Cataclysm. far to the southwest of Nyshyl would become a vast and
nearly impassible waste. Along the Abyss, freakish energies
THE CATACLYSM combined with seismic upheaval to birth the Stormlands,
As the gods stepped onto Caen, the Bridge of Worlds a region of lightning and unrelenting rain and wind that
exploded in a torrent of wild arcane power. Only the persists even today.
repercussions hint at the scope of the event, and they
Only one word can describe the impact of this terrible
were of the utmost extremity. Survivors even hundreds of
event on Lyoss: annihilation. Our empire and most of our
people were simply gone. Tens of millions died instantly,
destruction upon them. Closer to the blast, waves of raw
and millions more perished in the aftermath of unnatural
heat instantly consumed everyone near the explosion—
starved or were set upon by predators. Were it not for our
perhaps a blessing in some respects.
gods, I am convinced our people would have been no more.
The explosive force was so great Immoren itself was
Fortunately our creators were unwilling to relinquish what
sundered. Along what was once the vibrant River Hyless
they had shaped. The gods had survived the explosion and
opened The Abyss, a chasm so deep it reaches the hot arteries
stood among the people, where they could expend their
divine strength to shelter as many as possible from the
our great and glorious capital, was obliterated. Where it
devastation. Over the next decade, the gods marched the
stood, nothing remains except a gaping hole in the world.
survivors west away from the horrors consuming the east.

During their passage the people were beset by countless

terrors and were too many for the gods to protect fully. At
fuel and could not be extinguished. The very stones

24
 HISTORY OF IOS

a crucial juncture in the journey, a host of brave warriors the Dawnguard and swore themselves oath-brothers as

safety of thousands of others. These were the Dawnguard, Our ancestors feared fresh horrors might follow them across
an ancient order then devoted to Nyrro. The Dawnguard the wastes, so Aeryth Dawnguard stood vigil. The Gate of
moved to the rear of the long procession of evacuees to Storms soon stood ready in the case Rhul decided to test
battle the relentless aggressors. Most of these courageous our resolve.
knights, the surviving remnants from the ancient House
Next came the Gate of Mists. Over time, the size and the
Nyarr, died amid the sands of the expanding desert so that
scope of this great fortress have increased greatly from their
the people could escape. Indeed, some believe all who bore
humble origins. In the early centuries humanity was not a
the name Nyarr perished in the crossing, but nobles of that
concern to us, being a motley collection of barbaric tribes.
house insist the bloodline survived.
It would be thousands of years before we would look at
humanity again with fresh eyes.
THE FOUNDING OF IOS
Our people settled into the lands of Ios on the advice of the At last the survivors of the Cataclysm had a place to rest
gods, who saw in this place the potential for us to recover and heal, both as individuals and as a people. The loss of
and thrive. The Mistbough and Archenbough Forests were Lyoss was horrible, and yet the gods walked among us.
lush and vibrant, with fertile farmland to the north and The comforting presence of the Divine Court inspired our
the entire region sheltered between towering walls of
imposing mountains. would stand even mightier than Lyoss had. With the gods
present, anything was possible.
Tentative contact was renewed with Rhul, as that long-
standing nation had always been cordial to Lyoss. Our
ancestors told Rhul no more than was necessary but opened
a channel for future communication and trade.

It is no coincidence that Aeryth Dawnguard and the Gate

served both as a fortress watching to the east and as a

monument to the Dawnguard lost in the crossing. Many
liegemen from houses torn apart in the Cataclysm joined

CITY OF IRYSS

25
 HISTORY OF IOS

A long period of construction followed the initial settlement.

Every surviving citizen contributed. Our ancestors worked Incissar of Hours and General of Lyoss, this fane was
quarries and mines and then laid the foundation of new second in grandeur only to Shyrr. The gleaming Eversael
was the city devoted to Nyrro, Arsyr of Day. This was our
elements of civilization. The old arts were put to use as
much as possible, but much knowledge had already been southeast of Aeryth Dawnguard. I will speak further of
lost. Sadly, we will never know the scope of that gap. this place anon. South of the Gate of Storms was Shaelvas,
also called the City of Wind, devoted to Lyliss, Nis-Scyir
The eight original cities of Ios were each dedicated to one
of Autumn. Lastly, the almost mythical city of Darsael. Its
member of the Divine Court, and at the heart of each city
existence was nearly expunged from the written record over
they constructed a great temple to serve as that god’s
a thousand years ago, but this small city was once devoted
dwelling place. These fanes were true homes of the gods,
to Nyssor, Scyir of Winter. Perhaps we will soon have the
not mere houses of worship. Our ancestors knew they must
power to begin its restoration.

Considerable esteem was attached to the major surviving

in comparison to the sublime palace in the Veld crafted by noble houses of the old empire. The leaders of these houses
Nyssor’s hands. took initiative in the rebuilding of our culture and earned
their places in the new Consulate Court that arose as the
Given this, it is no wonder that such tremendous construction
governing body. These became the 15 hallytyr, or “high
projects were undertaken even in these desperate early
houses,” standing above an echelon of hundreds of lesser
years. Monuments of towering stone they erected and
noble houses.
blessed with sacred runes. The gods had crossed the Bridge
of Worlds to be with us, and the fanes were one small way We look back on those days in envy but it is worth
remembering that even then the gods did not often walk
among the people. They preferred to isolate themselves
It is beyond tragic that most of those original cities no longer
inside their fanes to focus on higher matters. Each of the gods
stand. We have not been adequate stewards of the gifts left
periodically emerged to grace the people or to travel to Shyrr
us by our forebears. Our capital is the only great city we
to speak in private council with Lacyr. They joined seasonal
have retained in pristine condition. Shyrr is a city promised
celebrations and gatherings but otherwise maintained their
eternally to the devotion of Narcissar Lacyr, creator of our
privacy. While no one was willing to intrude upon the gods
people. This city became the center of our civilization, and
to question them, many wondered whether they yearned for
the Veld even as they watched over Ios.
raised above a maze of tunnels and chambers that would
later serve as the center of Iosan government and provide a
meeting place for all the priesthoods and the gods themselves. THE GREAT MALAISE
It was centuries before our people could perceive that an
Iryss is our second largest surviving city, and it shows far
greater signs of the toll of unkind years. Those dwelling onset of old age and the consumptive impact of diseases
there have done what they can to maintain it, as this was
the former home of Scyrah, then the Nis-Issyr of Spring. health we had previously enjoyed as a people, this was a
Her fane is kept as if the goddess were in residence, even terrifying development.
though she chose eventually to inhabit Shyrr. The last
remaining of the old cities is Lynshynal, created as the
home of Lurynsar, Issyr of Summer and Lord of the East
Forest. Sheltered under the branches of the Archenbough, generation in Ios such rapid aging was unprecedented.
in recent years the city has become increasingly industrial Death from violence was familiar, but being consumed from
and is now dominated by forges and workshops. Lynshynal within was not. Several persistent epidemics tore through
remains untouched by the harsh bite of winter, some insist
as a blessing of its former master, but it is certainly not the
beauteous city it once was.

countless others.
Issyrah to the west is the most recently ruined, fallen to the
rapacious appetite of a dragon just two hundred years ago. It would be some time before our forebears recognized other
It was created in devotion to Ayisla, the Nis-Arsyr of Night. aspects of this decline, such as a tremendous reduction in
Once its boulevards were lit as bright as day at midnight births. Given the spaced occurrence and private nature
to accommodate the nocturnal habits of its populace. In

26
 HISTORY OF IOS

solution was for the gods to reclaim the Veld and resume
scholars concluded that despite apparent prosperity, oversight of their domains. Unfortunately, any attempts to
population numbers were in alarming recession. return met a seemingly impenetrable barrier between the
spiritual and material worlds.
Our ancestors begged the gods for a solution but received
no answer. Resentment of the gods grew, with inhabitants
of each city blaming the patron of another. Some found egress, only that we would never see them again. Their
it suspicious that Scyrah had no solution, as her domain eventual success would restore the proper balance of life
had always included fertility and birth. But by far the most and death. After this proclamation, the gods gathered at the
popular targets were Lyliss and Nyssor, the gods of autumn
and winter, given the qualities of those seasons in the cycle the place in Ios where the gods had last convened, this fane
of life. These accusations led even to occasional bloodshed thereafter was considered sacred and entry forbidden. The
high priest of Ossyris invoked a powerful bane there, stating
of their patron god. The strong stigma associated with that none would walk its halls until their god returned. To
Darsael in particular has its roots in this era, eventually our knowledge this bane has never been violated.
prompting a division of our people we have only recently
Despite whatever sorrows our ancestors felt at the departure
learned to regret.
of the gods, their exodus nonetheless brought hope. The
The gods attempted intervention, and for a time births gods had taken action and embarked upon a pilgrimage
surged and the people rejoiced in an era of prosperity. This for our mutual salvation. For decades faith and industry
hope was to prove short-lived. Ios entered a recurring cycle rallied across Ios as citizens endeavored to make ready for
of false hopes and disillusionment that would last three our renewal.
thousand years. Twice more, after centuries of decline the
It was at this time that Nyssor’s people, those living in
gods tried to correct the problem with public demonstrations
Darsael, abandoned their homes and began a lengthy
of divine power. Each time this provided only a brief respite
migration out of Ios. The historians of the time preferred to
before the problem returned worse than before.
let this event pass almost unremarked, and in later centuries
Our people entered a widespread malaise and spent
this era avoiding the facts before their eyes. Some say the degree that its existence has almost been forgotten. What
our citizens suffer from this same malady today. Our few records we have indicate the populace was shepherded
ancestors turned inward, isolated themselves, and by a prophet named Aeric. Shortly after the departure of
sought distraction by idle entertainments and frivolous the gods, he claimed to have received a vision from Nyssor
diversion. The inheritors of the survivors of Lyoss lost instructing him to lead his people away.
their sense of unity. The cities became disconnected, and
The people of Darsael were few in number and had long
roads succumbed to decay. The priesthoods no longer
been shunned by the other Iosan communities, as devotion
communicated between the fanes as they once had,
to Nyssor was unpopular. This god symbolized the end
instead focusing solely on the needs of their resident
of life. The departure of his people may even have been
gods. Secrets and suspicion propagated and led to bursts
of violent feuds between noble houses. The Consulate
ancestors were desperate for “winter’s end.” We know now
Court became powerless as a reflection of our people.
that the people of Darsael would become the Nyss, but Ios
had little contact with these cousins for a thousand years.
EXODUS OF THE GODS
I believe our gods early suspected that saving our people
would require them to leave us. They studied the issue for centuries many more followed. The priests of each fane
many years trying to shape reality by divine providence continued their holy duties, but the outlying cities withered
in order to remain. At last in the year ^3126 they made an as inhabitants gave up family homes and moved inward.
announcement to the entire populace: they would leave
our world. This event at last united our isolated cities in a wilds, and even the once-glorious Eversael became little
shared sense of alarm. more than the ceremonial grounds used to induct recruits
into the ranks of the Dawnguard.

strength waned. The longer they were away from the Veld,
the weaker their powers became. Their arrival had begun a

for them to perform their divine functions. Our vitality is

inextricably linked to the strength of our gods. The only

27
 HISTORY OF IOS

THE CULT OF NYRRO We still do not entirely understand what led to the
Three hundred years after the exodus of the gods, the corruption of these once-holy men. Perhaps it was
Fane of Nyrro in Eversael made an announcement
that animated people across Ios. Nyrro had lost after Eversael was abandoned. It is possible
returned, they claimed, and brought with him the instigators initially believed they were acting
glad tidings! Eversael became the center of in the interests of the people by restoring hope.
Clearly these priests fell to the darker whispers
from every corner of Ios travelled there hoping of their souls.
to catch a glimpse of the god and hear his word. The Dawnguard were infuriated at this betrayal.
Tremendous festivals and feasts were held in Nyrro had long been their patron god, and their
the streets as the city experienced a rebirth. The
priesthood encouraged these festivals with fresh for millennia. In their eyes, these acts disgraced
revelations, much to the unease of the other fanes. their order and therefore justice fell to them. The
For years this new cult to Nyrro multiplied, but not entire Dawnguard assembled to march from its
all fell under its spell. Those wise enough to be skeptical fortress and descend on Eversael. Bound, dragged
contended it was peculiar that the priests continued to from their fane, and shamed into confession in view of their
prevaricate in revealing the god’s full message, and stories shocked followers, these priests admitted to a long litany of
of his sightings grew increasingly fantastic. Dark rumors blasphemies. Dawnlord Chrylos Nyarr executed the leaders
began to circulate outside of Eversael: the priesthood with his own blade and left his soldiers to deal with the rest.
was said to be involved in unseemly rites within hidden
chambers beneath their fane. Some who traveled to Eversael abandoned once more.
were never heard from again. Eversael has since been avoided. Rumors persist that the
Then a survivor who had escaped the dungeons of the city unhallowed fane is haunted and cursed; there is even
evidence to suggest that some members of the priesthood
murdered any who sought to reveal their secrets. His story avoided execution and transformed themselves into
was corroborated when he led Dawnlord Chrylos Nyarr to eldritch, unholy creatures that feed on life to evade death.
a mass grave site. After this incident the Dawnguard divorced itself from any

CORRUPT PRIESTS OF NYRRO EVADED

MORTALITY BY BECOMING ELDRITCH.

28
 HISTORY OF IOS

connection to Nyrro. A strong undercurrent of respect for No one has been able to reconstruct precisely what
the god lingers among pious members of the order, but they transpired in Shaeross. Ossyris’ priests had long ago left
prefer to keep these sentiments private. their god’s fane, which had become known as the Forbidden
Temple. For centuries they had maintained residence at
the city’s central garrison where they assumed leadership.
a warning to forestall other attempts to exploit the absence
Such service to both the military and the god had long been
an accepted tradition for the priests of the Sovereign of
reduced, and the spiritual belief of Ios never recovered.
Soon this faith was to receive an even more grievous injury.
was contagious in Shaeross. One small comfort was that
the death toll might have been far higher had thousands of
THE RIVENING citizens not left before the massacre. Still, the city became
Fears that something terrible might have happened to the another proof of the slow doom of our people, and it was
never again inhabited.

the great fanes screaming and ranting. Thus began the Some stricken priests recovered from their madness
Rivening, a calamity with as profound an impact on our thanks to the ministrations of Scyrah’s clergy. Asked
people as the Cataclysm. what had happened, they haltingly described an abrupt
and severe mental shock followed by a complete sense
The most detailed, if confused, accounts of this period are of isolation from the gods. Subsequently all Iosan priests
from witnesses at the heart of Shyrr. It was as if a wave of except those belonging to the Fane of Scyrah found they
insanity consumed the minds of every priest. One high could no longer channel the divine through prayer. It was
priest walked into the Consulate Court and calmly slit the this that gave rise to the term “Rivening” to describe the
throat of the House Syllrynal consul before being subdued. violent severance of the connection between the gods and
Several priests steeped themselves in oil, lit themselves on their clergies. Afterward many deduced that perhaps most
of the gods were lost, even destroyed. Those priests sane
murderous frenzies, stalking the streets for victims even as enough to reach this conclusion fell into despair, and many
they wept and prayed. Most survivors were convinced they took their own lives.

Such news was impossible to silence, although some

Had this madness been isolated to Shyrr it would have been attempts were made to keep the scope of the Rivening
terrible enough, but similar incidents occurred throughout a secret. Word spread more quickly than expected and
prompted panic and chaos. The Consulate Court was
capital, as several of its priests tore out their own eyes in largely powerless to bring order. They summoned
the open market and prompted frantic riots and subsequent soldiers from the interior garrisons to quell several riots,
acts of arson and looting. A large portion of western Issyrah but that only exacerbated the situation and resulted in
additional loss of life. In the weeks and months following
point forward the Fane of Ayisla in the city was shunned as the initial uproar it was Scyrah’s priests who eventually
a cursed place. calmed the people. Their presence provided at least some
small spark of spiritual reassurance, for their powers had
not been sundered.
considerably milder variation of the dementia overtaking One of the most profoundly disturbing manifestations of
their brethren in other fanes. Many wandered the streets the Rivening was the onset of Iosan infants born without
dazedly spouting gibberish, but they were less inclined souls. Before this time there is no record of complications of
to violence. These priests recollected their wits relatively this nature. Every expectant parent in Ios has come to dread
this possibility. The soulless are born with black, empty
whereas many priests of the other fanes never recovered. eyes. They never cry at birth and only stare blankly up at
The most chilling example of the madness beset Shaeross,
the city of Ossyris. Having heard no word from the city in
the weeks following the riots, Shyrr dispatched messengers have slowly increased with each passing hecyion. The most
likely cause of this phenomenon is the vanishing of the
and no guards in attendance. When they forced their way goddess Ayisla. As the Watcher of the Gates and Suzerain
inside they were confronted with the horror of streets of the Fallen, this goddess was responsible for the natural
piled with citizens murdered and soldiers fallen on their processes of reincarnation and passage into the afterlife.
own blades. With her gone, it may be that souls slated for reincarnation

29
 HISTORY OF IOS

are incapable of returning from the Veld to Caen. If this is a word, she walked the central avenue toward the city’s
the case, soulless represent empty vessels forever awaiting heart, gathering a steadily increasing throng of astonished
the arrival of missing pieces of themselves. onlookers as word spread that perhaps the divine Scyrah
had returned. With dazed memories, all who described
Without the bulwark of the Fane of Scyrah, Ios might have
this scene after the fact noted its dreamlike quality
collapsed into anarchy and self-destruction during the dark
overwhelming their senses.
decades to come. Even with their aid this was a time of grief
and sorrow as the people came to grips with the likelihood
that most of the gods had been destroyed. We had shattered the goddess of spring had always been depicted as an
our empire and borne the deaths of untold millions to bring eternally youthful, vibrant maiden, but the woman they
the gods to Caen, and now they were gone. saw before them seemed older and weary. She was still
beautiful, but her expression suggested sorrow and
Collectively the Divine Court began to be referred to as the
loss. The complexity of emotion and meaning in her
Vanished. The fanes continued to honor all gods in their
reappearance gave us one of our most frequently depicted
scenes in art. Her presence was a welcome relief, and yet her
reinforced their sense of loss. Ios began to shift from the
worship of eight gods to focus on the one they dared hope
tidings, no reassurances. The gods had departed saying
had endured.
they would never return; their passage to the Veld was the
only hope of our people. What could Scyrah’s return mean
except proof of failure or defeat?
ONSET OF THE SOULLESS Scyrah’s priesthood awaited her at the central fane in Shyrr,
originally devoted to Narcissar Lacyr. The goddess walked
into their midst and was not seen outside again. The rest of
T he soulless are distinctly different from other Iosans. In addition
to their black eyes, the soulless evidence few emotional
responses. Their minds are as keen as other Iosans’, but they
It would be long centuries before the Fane of Scyrah
interpret instructions literally and have little sense of ambition,
self, or motivation. They lack empathy and demonstrate no sign of
admitted she had not spoken to them upon her return. The
conscience, even when instructed in the concept of morality.
empty reassurances and asking for prayer and patience in
Most citizens, and particularly the Fane of Scyrah, deem such
equal measure. The fane’s standing as the one surviving
children anathema. It is considered a necessary mercy to kill them
at birth. This policy arose after several isolated instances where
adult soulless committed atrocities with no apparent remorse or arrival of the goddess. This served for a time to preserve
awareness that they had done wrong. There is no sign that these the faith of the people, however thin. Yet its ongoing silence
inclinations are common, but the Fane of Scyrah decreed such on vital questions divided the clergy from the people. In
beings were unnatural and must not be allowed to live. the period immediately after the Rivening, the Fane of
Those who have spent time with soulless insist they are not Scyrah had helped heal the community, but at this time they
completely devoid of emotions but rather experience a muted echo turned inward with no energy to spare for anything beyond
of natural feelings. They appear capable of becoming attached attending to the goddess.
to certain individuals from whom they more readily accept
instruction. It is common for parents of such offspring to try to As a sympathetic and pious historian I can grant these
preserve their lives. Similarly, midwives within the Fane of Scyrah priests some forbearance. Doubtless they feared shattering
often balk at killing the infants. Over time a conspiracy has arisen what small hope had been restored by the goddess’ return.
within the profession whereby many practitioners defy fane law What we know now that the citizens of the time did not was
by rescuing soulless children to deliver them to the Retribution of that Scyrah collapsed soon after entering the Fane of Lacyr.
Scyrah, where they will at least be given shelter and be raised to She has been in a state akin to slumber ever since, though
fulfill a purpose.
her mind is active and the priests feel her connection to
them. The Auricant Velahn insists Scyrah imparts wisdom
and instructions by subtle portents and the occasional
SCYRAH RETURNS whispered word. All her will and little strength are focused
It was almost a century after the Rivening that fragile hope on maintaining our people.

Most frightening of all about Scyrah’s malady was its ability

witnesses atop the outer walls of Shyrr saw an approaching
Many have theorized it was this wellspring that preserved
after pushing open the great sealed gates with no more her while the other gods succumbed. Others suggest Lacyr

30
 HISTORY OF IOS

of spring could hope to preserve Ios. Scyrah has provided The Consulate Court realized they must implement more
no discernable clues as to what actually happened to her or covert means to keep apprised of events beyond our
the other gods.
powers in hopes of better understanding humanity in
My sympathies for the initial dilemma of Scyrah’s
priesthood are undone by the inexcusable act of concealing
the extent of her malady for centuries. Those are years upon
threat to our people.
years lost to us forever. It was not until ^4296 that the fane
announced Scyrah was not recovering as many had hoped Among the most surprising information gathered by these
but was actually dying, her once-fervid vitality draining
away. They predicted she would perish in less than six humanity, distributed in a strangely systematic pattern.
hecyion. As I write this, we now stand at fewer than eighty Before this time it was generally believed humans lacked
years from this prophesied doom. The last fragile leaves of any insight into this art. The Orgoth had been rumored to
our people barely cling to the branch. invoke dire sorceries, which our scholars presumed to be the
gifts of their loathsome gods. What puzzled agents abroad
ROOTS OF THE was evidence that an increasingly organized resistance
against the Orgoth was utilizing arcane power that did not
RETRIBUTION appear to be derived from either their erstwhile conquerors
Shortly after the Rivening a number of theologians and occult
or their own gods.
scholars began a systematic examination of the cosmological
dilemma. This was a bold endeavor given the scope of the This budding arcane lore proved instrumental in casting
issue, the turmoil of the period, and the tendency of most aside Orgoth dominion, albeit requiring long years of
citizens toward despair. I am proud to say a number of my
own ancestors, Adeptis Hylesh Vyre among them, were innovated arcane principles was both staggering and
ominous. Further investigation led to the discovery that
systematic attempts to document and understand the exact the onset of these powers coincided almost exactly with the

of Ios, both during life and after death. was only three years after that fateful day when our priests
went mad. The connection is, I believe, undeniable.

had been largely ignoring the outside world. Nevertheless

a few emissaries and ambassadors had been sent abroad as
a measure to protect our people from unexpected threats.
Such tasks were risky even in the best of times, as humanity
was fractured into a thousand crude city-states, each with
its own customs, but our emissaries had learned enough
to communicate with such people. That changed when a
hostile human power called the Orgoth landed on the shores
of Immoren to begin a long campaign of conquest. Our
ambassadors were killed on any contact with this invading
empire. The Orgoth eventually attempted to invade Rhul’s

driven back. Our forces were kept at the ready should they
attempt the same violence against us.

SCYRAH IN THE INNER

FANE BELOW SHYRR

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 HISTORY OF IOS

Decades of subsequent investigation unearthed evidence By contrast the Retribution of Scyrah was founded on
even more damning. Human occultists believe their most far more pragmatic principles. There is a strong religious
nefarious goddess, named Thamar, gave arcane power foundation to the Retribution maintained by its dedicated
as a “gift” to her followers as a weapon to wield against priests and embodied by the pious mage hunters, yet at
the Orgoth. Even human priests insist this mysterious its core this organization is based on information gathered
transaction left a taint on human souls. Research by arcanists, through research and reconnaissance. The Retribution has
including those of House Vyre, further discovered tenuous realized our only hope of restoring Scyrah is through the
clues that human magic exacerbates the fundamental elimination of human magic and its practitioners. They have
established hidden bases throughout the human kingdoms
gods. While the evidence is more suggestive than absolute, for use in the planning and execution of surgical strikes
it seems increasingly likely the escalation of human arcane chosen to help slacken the noose around Scyrah’s neck.
practices has increased the occurrence of soullessness, as
one example. Additionally, similar studies conclude this
of Scyrah, the sect was outlawed and its membership
declared unlawful. Similar sanctions fell on the Seekers, as
mechanika as well as those who directly invoke magic.
Awareness of this troubling pattern was the most important
the weakness of Ios and thereby invite invasion. Both the
goad to prompt the movement that would eventually
hallytyr and the Fane of Scyrah clearly hoped to quash
become the Retribution of Scyrah.
these sects before they could take root, but numerous
citizens had heard their call and devoted themselves to their
RISE OF THE causes. Sadly, a great portion of Ios’ citizens were content to
SPLINTER SECTS pretend that life would continue as it always had. As in the
time of the Great Malaise, they distracted themselves with
announcement of Scyrah’s plight, the Retribution of Scyrah petty internal politics and inconsequential diversions.
and the Seekers. The basic purpose of these sects was the
same: take action where the Fane of Scyrah had stood
paralyzed. For both groups the dire situation of our people
THE FALL OF ISSYRAH
on the nature of that response.

While I do not deny my fundamental disagreements with

Seeker philosophy, I admire their spirit. The group was W hile other Iosan cities were lost to abandonment or the
Rivening, the last to fall was Issyrah, destroyed by the dragon
Ethrunbal in the year ^^ 4356. Later reconstruction of events suggests
founded with the intent of saving Scyrah from her doom.
Ethrunbal may have been hiding beneath the city for decades for its
Much of their work is based on principles laid down two
own enigmatic purposes.
hundred and seventy years ago by a brilliant young diviner,
Vyrillis Yryas. The Seekers have undeniably succeeded in The first sign of the dragon was when an abhorrent creature
collecting a wealth of historical and arcane lore, including shambled out of the abandoned Fane of Ayisla to murder nearby
citizens on the streets. Examination of its corpse revealed it had
tomes the Fane of Scyrah has declared forbidden that
once been an Iosan and had been horrendously disfigured by
predate the Cataclysm. Yryas’ heavy reliance on ancient
blighted growths. This suggested the proximity of a dragon, which
texts and questionable prophecies, however, has led the the Iosans knew from their contact with Rhul were tremendously
Seekers to countless futile investigations and dead ends. destructive creatures.
Furthermore, they stubbornly reject the idea that human
Despite a prompt response from military forces gathered from the
magic and the Rivening are linked.
Gates of Mists and Storms, the Iosans entirely underestimated
Members of this organization cling to the hope that most the scope of the threat. Rather than evacuate the city, the
of the Vanished still exist and are waiting to be found. The soldiery ventured into the tunnels below the fane to confront the
dragon directly. Soon Ethrunbal erupted from beneath the earth
Seekers have made it their life’s work to search beyond Ios
to begin wholesale carnage. The creature laid waste to Issyrah
for information pertinent to the recovery of the Vanished. A and slaughtered thousands of its inhabitants. Eventually massed
fundamental Seeker prophecy interprets a statement made military forces put the dragon down, but only after suffering
by Lacyr to imply that Ios will someday require the help of horrendous losses. Of the houses represented in the battle, House
outsiders to survive. Though they have achieved no notable Rhyslyrr felt the death toll most keenly, losing almost an entire
gains in the last three centuries, the discovery of Nyssor has generation of soldiers to the dragon.

Iosan sages knew enough to extract the dragon’s athanc, which

several Vanished awaiting recovery. they delivered far from their lands. Unknown to them, its chosen
hiding place would be the undoing of their distant relatives the
Nyss: Ethrunbal escaped his prison in ^^4570 and spawned the
Legion of Everblight.

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 HISTORY OF IOS

RISE OF LORD opponents found his strength of will compelling. He was

a leader who inspired hope at a time when inspiration was
GHYRRSHYLD
The human kingdoms rising to power after the Orgoth
proved to be more amenable to our ambassadors and This was not enough for Lord Ghyrrshyld. He intended to
willing to conduct trade than their predecessors. During become a true narcissar, not just of house Vyre but of all Ios.
this period our mercantile houses were eager to broaden “Emperor” is the literal meaning of the title, and it was his
access to resources abroad. Their enthusiasm had to be dream to embody that ideal. Lord Ghyrrshyld intended to
kept in check by the Five Great Military Houses, who were force the people to confront our looming destruction. He
prudently wary. Despite their objections some outsiders knew the answer to our dilemma was not to be found inside
were even allowed to traverse our lands, but most trade our nation.
was conducted at the Gate of Mists. Only a select few
Ghyrrshyld possessed considerable occult knowledge and
individuals were allowed to venture as far as Iryss.
unsurpassed arcane skill. He had spent long years delving
The exiled sects continued their secret work, and Scyrah into the ancient archives of our learned house as well as
continued to weaken. For every human wizard or warcaster tomes liberated from the libraries of House Shyeel. He
the mage hunters killed, three more emerged. In this time was rumored to possess writings of the depraved cult of
the Retribution of Scyrah began to speak of the Consulate Nyrro and even lore purloined from Rhul as well as from
Court with open disdain, and such opinions were echoed the human wizards of Ceryl and Caspia. Without question
even in the halls of power. To many it seemed as if the his library included forbidden texts: stolen documents from
government had become a morass of fruitless bickering and Skell and Blackwater, a copy of the black pages of Thamar’s
that nothing would change our predestined doom. Enkheiridion, and transcripts of tablets from the vanished
kingdom humans call Morrdh. He disdained no knowledge,
Even among the hallytyr some believed only great and
regardless of its source.
decisive action would rouse the Iosan citizens from apathetic
torpor. This was the stage set by ^4546 when a single leader Whatever desperation impelled him, it sprang from a
stepped forward to challenge the status quo and eventually desire to restore our future. It was his belief Ios required
provoke civil war. This was Lord Ghyrrshyld, who rose a single unquestioned ruler like himself in order to find
to dominate House Vyre. His keen mind and forceful the path to salvation. This would lead to his growing
personality swept aside any opposition. He disbanded conviction that our people’s survival necessitated
the incissar council ruling the house and declared himself marshalling the might of Ios to expunge humanity
Narcissar and High Consul of House Vyre. Even his entirely. Some have called him insane, but his madness
reflected the dire plight of our people.

ETHRUNBAL RAZES ISSYRAH Many of the hallytyr maintained house soldiers, yet
the degree to which High Consul Ghyrrshyld
armed his kinsmen was unprecedented. Many
Vyre nobles happily presumed Ghyrrshyld
intended to transform our house into the sixth
Great Military House. Others were less
comfortable with apparent ascendancy, as
we had always been a hallytyr of lore and
arcane wisdom and reserved our soldiers
for defense.

Steadily, dissenting voices among our

nobles quieted and those in support became
more vocal as Ghyrrshyld consolidated
his absolute hold on the house. Many of
our arcanists and technicians were eager
to follow his lead, as it allowed them to
practice uncommon arcane techniques and
to strengthen our arsenal of myrmidons.
The construction of these machines of war
was an esteemed specialty, but House Vyre
had traditionally been overshadowed by
our Shyeel rivals.

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 HISTORY OF IOS

Ghyrrshyld tested the forces at his disposal in battle warrant for Narcissar Ghyrrshyld Vyre and demanded he
return to the capital and submit to their authority. When
his preference for spilling blood by his own hand. Several agents made these demands at the gates of the Vyre demesne
surviving letters and journals contain descriptions of him they were warned they had but one chance to depart. When
returning to his army encampments drenched in gore, as they insisted Lord Ghyrrshyld be surrendered, the Vyre

escaped his blade, but he targeted primitive trollkin

inhabiting the region south of Mount Shyleth Breen THE WAR OF
particularly. I have no strong sympathy for these brutes— THE HOUSES
they are a warlike and bloodthirsty species—but certainly
they had done nothing to invite such assailment. into wider hostilities. House Vyre quickly succeeded in
It is no surprise that in the aftermath of these attacks a rallying the nobles of Iryss against the apparent tyranny of
sizable number of trollkin tribes banded together to seek the Consulate Court. The other hallytyr did not understand
vengeance. It was a foolish and ill-conceived notion, but in the depth of Ghyrrshyld’s absolute control over his house
their ignorance they did not know what they faced. Lord and certainly did not expect the extent of his alliances with
Ghyrrshyld met them at the fore of his army. The resulting numerous lesser houses, each eager to change their fortunes
slaughter did much to feed the dark rumors surrounding the by this sudden opportunity. The degree to which House Vyre
narcissar of House Vyre. had prepared and armed itself for this eventuality took his
enemies completely unaware. Arrogance was partially at
Away from battle he was an eloquent orator, seeming to fault, as the Five Great Military Houses could not imagine
possess that rare balance of wisdom and fervor that kindles anyone—much less a lone house—with the strength to
empathy in the hardest heart. I heard his stirring speeches confront them. After the defeat of a dragon at Issyrah, the
military might of a single hallytyr seemed trivial.
subordinates were all devoted. It seemed little matter to them
that he was cruel in war, for what is war but cruelty itself? Before anyone realized the severity of the threat, Lord
Ghyrrshyld and his army brazenly marched to Shyrr.
and passionate leader. Ghyrrshyld’s intimate knowledge of the city and its defenses

Events took a far darker turn in ^4547. Lysevyn, wife of no foreign invader could have hoped to replicate. The
Ghyrrshyld’s cousin and much beloved within the house,
gave birth to a soulless child in Shyrr. Much hope had been also unexpected, and it remains unclear how and where
placed on the birth, as few children of the direct lineage of these were manufactured. It seems inescapable there was
Vyre had been born in several decades. It is said that when collaboration from within Shyrr by those enamored of
he heard the ill tidings Ghyrrshyld rushed into the birthing Ghyrrshyd’s peculiar genius.

wept and screamed at him, he tore the babe from her breast The most audacious move in the initial attack was the manner
and stormed away. The infant made no noise, as the soulless in which Ghyrrshyld tied up the forces of House Silowuyr,
are silent at birth, but stared up at its kinsman blankly. the sworn defenders of the capital. A sizable contingent of

Without pause High Consul Ghyrrshyld Vyre barged into the

chamber of the Consulate Court where a partial assembly elsewhere in the city to rally and converge in an attempt to
break the siege. Meanwhile Ghyrrshyld and a company of
eyes Ghyrrshyld held the soulless child aloft as he decried heavily armored escorts marched directly to the Consulariat.
the failings of the court in the face of certain doom. He The consuls of the hallytyr stood paralyzed as the self-
challenged them to ignore the facts in front of their eyes. declared Narcissar of Ios took them hostage.
Without warning, he dashed the skull of the child on the

as he demanded they heed his call to march to war, to set and concentric defenses were designed to grant a smaller
loose their blades to avenge the goddess even unto their last force of defenders the advantage against a larger invading
breath. Eventually his own retinue pulled the narcissar from force. Because of this, once entrenched the army of House
the chamber, erupting the Consulate Court into chaos. Vyre was able to hold the center of Shyrr for weeks. Within
the consulariat itself, despite their captivity the heads of the
So shocking was this display that it took some time for the hallytyr resolutely refused to acknowledge Ghyrrshyld as
ambivalent consuls to take action. Ghyrrshyld and most of their master. The Vyre High Consul was determined to force
House Vyre retreated to Iryss and sealed our ancestral gates, their submission and for that reason alone kept them alive
refusing all inquiries. The other consuls issued an arrest through the ordeal, although their treatment at his hands was
far from gentle.
34
 HISTORY OF IOS

House Silowuyr proved tenacious, its garrison enduring siege against House Vyre to act with greater urgency. In the opening
with few casualties, but it could not break loose. This occupied months of the next year, the allied houses committed to a full
a substantial portion of Vyre’s army and gave Houses Nyarr assault on Iryss led by the Dawnguard and myrmidons of
and Ellowuyr the chance to muster their forces from the House Shyeel. The hallytyr had previously avoided such a
Aeryth Dawnguard and Aeryth Ellowuyr, respectively. battle in the hopes of sparing that sacred city any substantial
House Shyeel contributed its support and sent its own forces, destruction. All involved were sensitive to the relevance of
including several dozens of formidable myrmidons, to march this city to Scyrah. Even as the assault drove forward, the
alongside the Dawnguard.
Scyrah and other holy sites.
The ensuing clash in southern Shyrr was bloody but relatively
brief, as the Vyre army quickly realized its untenable position.
It seems likely Lord Ghyrrshyld would have executed all Retribution to lend its assistance, a fact largely overlooked
the consuls if not for a bold attack by a handpicked team until now. All nearby forces the Retribution could muster
assembled by House Silowuyr. These courageous soldiers joined an assault against the heart of House Vyre. I was
among those who aided in this attack, putting aside my
chamber that drew the defenders into pitched battle so the house loyalties to help Retribution mage hunters penetrate
consuls could be rescued and taken to safety. With additional
forces threatening their position, Vyre’s generals persuaded mage blasts tore asunder ancient stones laid down by the

forces led by the Dawnguard picked apart the once-mighty

additional houses until the war touched every corner of Ios. army of House Vyre.
By its end several substantial houses had been obliterated and
The attackers triumphed, but Ghyrrshyld denied them the
countless lives ruined, each death an avoidable tragedy.
satisfaction of his capture or death. Dawnlord Vyros Nyarr
Two of our Five Great Military Houses stood conspicuously confronted the narcissar in the chambers below the estates.
Neither of them emerged unscathed from the ensuing duel.
in the fall of Issyrah and their soldiers were entrusted with Vyros mortally injured Ghyrrshyld, but the narcissar’s
the Gate of Mists. It is understandable that they could not put bodyguard interceded and bought enough time for the
aside their southern vigil to quell internal strife. There has former high consul to escape through hidden and extensively
never been an entirely satisfactory explanation, however, for trapped passages. With Ghyrrshyld driven away and dying
the absence of House Issyen. Some suggest Issyen collaborated of his wounds, the rest of the Vyre army surrendered. The
war was over.

which I do not consider unjust. All those discovered to have

unite Ios and to cure our people, yet during those two years knowingly collaborated in Ghyrrshyld’s deeper depravities
he and his soldiers secretly gathered hundreds of infants to were executed. For a time the complete disintegration of the
subject them to cruel testing and experiments, all on the excuse house was considered; it was a drastic step, but many leaders
of seeking a solution to the soulless dilemma. The number of felt it to be the one response that could be made in the face

and must be admitted as subject to exaggeration—but it seems senior scholars and nobles convinced the Consulate Court
likely upward of a thousand were slain. Our people are still that service over millennia should not be forgotten by the
coming to grips with the horrors instigated at this time, as the misdeeds of so few, however grave.
wanton murder of innocent children is all the more atrocious
I believe it is from guilt over this period that many members
in a time when such births are so infrequent.
of House Vyre have taken up the Seekers’ cause or devoted
The Retribution of Scyrah was not directly involved until
answered the call of the Retribution.
organization was outlawed within Ios. Many of its best
It would be years before any of us would learn of
Ghyrrshyld’s fate, and we still do not know most of the
soil. Among the populace, ignorance sometimes confused
Ghyrrshyld’s rhetoric with the Retribution’s cause, and the
battle with Dawnlord Vyros, Ghyrrshyld became an
sect’s leadership worried about being tainted by this mistaken
unliving abomination. Clearly he possessed the lore to
association.
transform himself into an eldritch, those most unholy
creatures connected to the corrupt priests of Nyrro. Perhaps
Ghyrrshyld’s atrocities in late ^4548, impelling the alliance he resorted to this to escape death by his injuries, or perhaps

35
 HISTORY OF IOS

he chose it more willingly; we will never know for certain. Aeric and march into the far northern mountains. From what
We do know he took refuge where the dead are welcomed, little I understand of their culture, I can say it bears almost
in the Nightmare Empire of Cryx. Even after the identity of no resemblance to ours. Living hand-to-mouth as hunters
the eldritch serving Cryx was discerned by agents abroad and nomads regressed their ways in some respects, and
decades later, it is doubtful anyone expected this creature they lost the literacy of our tongue to adopt a simpler and
might yet have a part to play in the fate of our people. cruder language. Even their bodies no longer seem the same;
generations in the forsaken and frozen peaks have made them
alien to us.
REFUSAL OF Were it not for the intelligence gathered by members of the
THE NYSS EMISSARIES Retribution of Scyrah and Seekers working outside Ios, it is
entirely possible no one in Ios would even have known the

O ne significant event in the history of Ios has gone largely

unrecognized and undiscussed. Shortly after the return of
Scyrah, several Nyss elders arrived at the Gate of Mists requesting
descendants of Darsael still existed, so small was their impact.
Even after becoming aware of the Nyss, we disregarded them

ingress and claiming they had vital information for the Fane of voluntarily abandoned the safety of our borders and our
Scyrah. These Nyss had travelled very far and endured hardships
civilization alike. Recent events have changed everything.
to reach their destination but were greeted with rude disregard.
The guardians of the gates were in a state of high alert, their vigil Only now, when it may be too late, have we started to grasp
taken to almost paranoid heights by the recent return of the divine
presence. The arrival of those who represented the long-absent and never have lost touch with these people or disregarded their
self-exiled sect of the god of winter was not welcomed. claims that they were chosen by the Scyir of Winter.
Unbeknownst to anyone in Ios these emissaries had been sent on
the orders of Nyssor himself and bore information for the Fane of With no warning their communities were beset by hostile
Scyrah related to the plight of the goddess. The god of winter had
conveyed these instructions before his own ailment forced him to
encase himself in ice for self-preservation. After repeated attempts
the fall of Issyrah. The tribes fought as they could but were
at admittance, the Nyss emissaries reluctantly turned away and
repeated the trek back to the Shard Spires. From this point forward only recently begun to speak with refugees of this attack,
the Nyss considered themselves irrevocably sundered from their working as we can to overcome language and cultural
Iosan cousins. The exact contents of Nyssor’s message were barriers. The stories are disoriented and fragmentary, yet
subsequently lost. Only a few among the Seekers sect have even the it seems increasingly likely the force attacking them must
slightest clues related to this missed opportunity.
have been sent and led by Ethrunbal. The dragon that
annihilated Issyrah and which we thought sealed and
forgotten has arisen again.

LEGACY OF DARSAEL this tragedy, and what they perceived would forever change
At the outset of the War of the Houses, all Iosan ambassadors
the future of our people. It was Eiryss, Angel of Retribution,
had been recalled and the gates sealed against outsiders. An
who discovered a secret the Nyss must have been maintaining
already cautious policy toward other nations became absolute
for centuries. At some point after the Rivening, Nyssor had
isolation. Ios was closed. These measures prevented the
apparently returned to his chosen people just as Scyrah had
human nations from learning of the civil strife and the general
degradation of Iosan cities and security, but a closed Ios does
carried the god concealed among them, hoping to keep his
nothing to improve hope for Scyrah’s recovery.
divinity safe from those who followed after.

Eiryss learned the ailing Nyssor had sheathed himself in ice

thirty years since the War of the Houses, which is perhaps
as a means to slow his degeneration. The Nyss had sought
the greatest tragedy of Ghyrrshyld’s legacy. Soulless children
to protect his frozen body further by encasing it in stone
continued to be born and quietly killed or sometimes
inscribed with holy sigils. They had conveyed this vault with
smuggled into Retribution hands. The message Ghyrrshyld
them into the heart of Khador. In an attempt to conceal the
had gone to such lengths to deliver was forgotten—until
god from the forces that had largely destroyed their people,
contact with forgotten relations brought a rude awakening.
Nyssor’s priests secreted this vault below Korsk’s greatest
holy structure and there attended him night and day. The
has been spent examining the lives of our distant cousins,
the Nyss. It has been over 22 hecyion since the former
inhabitants of Darsael heeded the call to follow the prophet sanctuary to the Nyss priests and their enigmatic burden.

36
 HISTORY OF IOS

It is a particular tragedy that these refugees did not WHAT TOMORROW BRINGS
immediately come to Ios for protection but rather sought
shelter among those who would later betray them. Perhaps awakening them like plunging into an icy river. At last
to a people so long sundered from civilization Korsk seemed the words of the Retribution of Scyrah have reached ears
well protected and secure from threat. Had Ios maintained formerly closed to them. No one can ignore the very real peril
closer relations with the Nyss, perhaps they would have human wizardry represents to our gods. With this news, the
chosen to return home. Alas, that event did not come to pass. Retribution has at last been able to step from the shadows.
Our agents have been instrumental in returning the Nyss to
Ios. Reuniting with our lost cousins has been a great boon, as
This at last was evidence of the survival of one of the Vanished!
we have dire need of the secrets they hold.
If the news was true, it meant Nyssor might be returned to
Ios and could assist with Scyrah’s divine burden. Wishing to Houses Nyarr and Shyeel have once again proven their
verify the claim with her own eyes, Eiryss made her way to commitment, stepping forward immediately to support the
the human cathedral. Retribution and placing their own reputations at stake. They
have brought with them tremendous military assets by which
It is impossible not to conclude the close timing of this
we have a chance to recover Nyssor from the hands of our
mission involved divine providence. As Eiryss arrived
at the outer door of the cathedral, she found its guards
are outnumbered many hundreds to one. But this is not a time
slaughtered. Within its depths she eventually stumbled
for hesitation or caution. Scyrah lies dying in Shyrr; Nyssor is
upon Nyssor’s shattered stone vault. There she witnessed
captive of human wizards; and the eldritch Goreshade plots
the Scyir of Winter, partially thawed from his frozen rest,
to instigate the swift annihilation of our few remaining gods.
being attacked by a nightmare creature. This was none
other than the eldritch Goreshade, who had once been Lord
Ghyrrshyld of House Vyre. This unholy creature had stolen Nyssor, we must seize it now. The next few years will be
Nyssor’s sword Voass and profaned it with his touch. His vital in determining whether we will endure to bring another
unholy hands proved too feeble to slay a god with a single generation into this world. For the sake of our children—
blow, and the sound of approaching defenders prompted indeed, of our very souls!—we must march to war. It is not
hatred that motivates us, but hope. Let the knowledge of the
cost of failure lend a wild and savage strength to our cause so
Eiryss pursued the eldritch from the cathedral in hopes of
that we may rise again as a proud and valiant people worthy
of our legacy.
successful than Dawnlord Vyros had been three decades
earlier. Goreshade dealt Eiryss a crippling injury but withheld
the deathblow, allowing her to live to pass on word of his
deeds. By her testimony it would seem this creature retains
the mad belief that he holds the secret of our salvation,
toward which he is willing to commit any blasphemy. His
incomprehensible plan will lead to the extinction of our
people as well as our remaining gods.

Left bleeding in the streets of Korsk, Eiryss gathered her

waning strength to return to Nyssor to try to ameliorate
the damage Goreshade’s blasphemy had done. There she
witnessed another equally terrible profanity. Khadoran
soldiers had assembled at the cathedral with members of the
Greylords Covenant, the wizards of that nation. They had
secured the god’s vault and were preparing it for transport.

Knowing others must be told what she had seen, the injured
Eiryss risked her life hastening back to Ios. The gravity of her
news stunned the Consulate Court and the Fane of Scyrah
both: One of our gods has been found. All evidence suggests
Nyssor is captive, held by a most hated enemy. Furthermore,
Eiryss’ description of Goreshade’s words had made it clear
our gods are not safe from humanity, nor the Nightmare
Empire, nor the dragon Ethrunbal. Swift action is required
lest Nyssor’s fate be sealed and he is lost to us forever.

37
 MILITARY OF IOS
AND THE RETRIBUTION OF SCYRAH

The organization of the armed forces committed to the unknown to the outside world have additionally helped
Retribution of Scyrah is evolving as its leaders guide the sect
through a massive transition. Not long ago the Retribution its borders in 581 AR was to conceal the onset of a brutal
was an outlawed fringe organization of zealous and violent and bloody civil war. This War of the Houses left a lasting
fanatics. Their goal has always been the eradication of
human wizards and sorcerers, whom they hold responsible
The resolve of Iosan soldiers is strengthened by the
for the ills of their species. Until recently they have had to
work in secrecy from numerous cells within neighboring
They intend to strike against enemies thought to have
human kingdoms. Now things have changed. Their
played a hand in the extinction of their gods. At their core
message has found a voice inside Ios and they have won
new allies to their cause. They are no longer forced to hide
organization that now has access to a powerful and

capable of waging open warfare. Though the Retribution

war against humanity.
represents a minority in Ios, it is growing rapidly—and
recent events promise to bring even more converts. The
A MILITARY DIVIDED
secrecy at home and to become a recognized political,
religious, and military power. military and the forces serving the Iosan government. The
rise of the Retribution has divided and placed additional
strains on the Homeguard Coalition, the collective army
of the armed might of the nation, including hundreds of sworn to defend the borders of Ios. Furthermore, there
myrmidons and the Dawnguard legions of House Nyarr,
who are among Ios’ most formidable warriors. While their Retribution itself: its soldiers are not all of one mind or
size and the scope of their military capability has increased purpose, nor do they recognize the same chain of command.
nearly a hundredfold from what it was, their army remains
relatively small compared to the nations against which they THE HOMEGUARD COALITION
plan to strike. They are also competing for resources inside For centuries Ios’ unassailable borders have been
Ios with the force assigned to defend the nation’s borders, hallytyr, or “high houses.” These
collectively referred to as the Homeguard Coalition. are the Five Great Military Houses of Ios: Ellowuyr, Issyen,
This has prompted the Retribution to adopt unconventional Nyarr, Rhyslyrr, and Silowuyr. Each is responsible for
strategies, including a unique doctrine of engagement. They overseeing a key Iosan fortress as well as contributing
wield their forces like a spear set against the weakest point in to border patrols and interior garrisons. A complex
the armor of their enemies. Comprehensive reconnaissance arrangement of rotating personnel has become a regular
combined with rapid redeployment is the key to Retribution part of Iosan military custom as soldiers periodically
strategy. Their forces are uniquely equipped to wage this relocate to posts around the realm. Each house has its own
type of warfare and thereby represent a threat far greater practices and specialties, but these forces as a whole are
than numbers alone may suggest. called the Homeguard Coalition. Led by the Five Great
Military Houses, the Homeguard also includes soldiers
Working to the Retribution’s advantage is the fact that the drawn from the ranks of dozens of lesser houses who
human kingdoms know little about them while their own collectively share responsibility for the defense of Ios.

In theory the Iosan army practices voluntary enlistment,

history, largely due to its prolonged policy of isolationism but in practice many individuals succumb to pressure to
and its fearsome reputation for protecting its borders. Some enlist in order to meet their social obligations or increase
might expect this means Iosan soldiers are inexperienced
at waging war, but the military has enforced extensive within the Homeguard Coalition are considered lucrative
training and discipline to keep the nation at constant martial and socially advantageous careers, and such a background
readiness throughout its existence. Several internal clashes is essential for Iosans seeking higher station. Military
service is divided into 10-year increments. It is common

38
 MILITARY OF IOS AND THE RETRIBUTION OF SCYRAH

for young elves from any background to enlist for at least

a single term. A smaller number enlist repeatedly, possibly
becoming career soldiers. Military Houses, however, are among the nation’s best
trained and dedicated, as their standing in their houses is
Enlistment is widespread at both extremes of the social inextricably tied to their records of service. The guiding
hands of these professionals has served to maintain the
or daughters to enlist because it removes them as a strain on overall quality of the Coalition despite the inadequacies of
family resources and allows them to improve their family some of their peers.
standing. Some may return a portion of their military wages
While each of the Five Great Military Houses has a well-
Five Great Military Houses, are expected to serve several rounded military force, they all have notable specialties
terms of service to learn skills considered essential to their as well. For example, House Nyarr is known for its heavy
leadership roles. Many noble sons and daughters not being
groomed as heirs become career soldiers regardless of other House Ellowuyr boasts Ios’ most renowned and tactically
skills or talents. The lesser houses beholden to the hallytyr aggressive swordsmen. House Issyen takes pride in its
famed cavalry, intended to be able to move rapidly to any
of political and social pressures can be brought to bear on threatened region of the border. House Rhyslyrr is known
them to ensure this. It is not uncommon for family pressures
to require a soldier to serve at least one or two terms before Silowuyr’s pious and ritualistic soldiers are oath-sworn to
being released to pursue outside avocations. protect the Iosan capital of Shyrr to the last.

The largest standing border garrison guards the Gate of

but it also means its soldiers are not equally diligent or Mists, the great southwestern fortress serving as the entry
point to Ios proper. A sizable secondary garrison keeps
watch to the north at the Gate of Storms which faces the

but has kept this fortress heavily manned regardless. While

MILITARY RANKS the placement of the Aeryth Dawnguard has made its
defenses less relevant to western threats, it was originally
built to guard Ios’ eastern border against any enemies that
might follow across the wastes. Given recent increases in
skorne activity, this fortress stands at constant alert. Even
while the majority of the Dawnguard have marched to join
the Retribution, a strong reserve garrison remains here.
Lieutenant Captain Thane The largest interior garrison is Aeryth Ellowuyr, a massive
training fortress that helps forge houseguard from assorted
backgrounds into cohesive companies. There is also a
sizable garrison directly protecting Shyrr; House Silowuyr
leads this force, which also includes a select honor guard
with members from each of the Five Great Military Houses.
Smaller barracks exist throughout Ios, including in the cities
of Iryss and Lynshynal. Over the last two decades, the ruling
council authorized the construction of a chain of smaller
Scyir Issyr Arsyr border fortresses that now connect the major garrisons and
These symbols designate the ranks used within Dawnguard and support patrols.
houseguard military forces.
Myrmidons accompany border patrols primarily composed
Mage hunters do not use visible insignia to designate rank and of infantry and cavalry. Bolstering the patrols are the
follow a less formal hierarchy. “Commander” is the main designation
for a veteran mage hunter entrusted to supervise larger groups. The Homeguard Coalition who watch the nation’s borders.
highest-ranking leaders earn unique descriptive titles intended to
These diviners employ a variety of arcanik scrying devices
represent their contributions to the cause. Authority among these
titles is based on seniority and reputation.
violate the Iosan border without drawing immediate notice
and brutal reprisal.

The Homeguard Coalition has changed in the wake of the

39
 MILITARY OF IOS AND THE RETRIBUTION OF SCYRAH

fears an overt attack by a foreign power could exploit this

POLITICS AND RELIGION IN IOS
to guarantee such an eventuality never comes to pass, but
their assurances seem hollow. House Shyeel has turned a

R eligion is an unavoidable fact of Iosan politics, as it has been

since the inception of the nation. When Ios was created, the
eight gods of the Divine Court walked among the citizens; it was
deaf ear to entreaties to institute an equitable division of
military resources.

natural they would be integrated into the government of the new In addition to the impact of the withdrawal of these
nation. The Divine Court is the highest authority in the land, above two hallytyr, Retribution recruitment has taken its toll
the Consulate Court. Although the gods left governance to mortals on the force strength of the homeguard. The remaining
and rarely invoked this privilege even when they were still present,
four military houses have expressed concern that the
the laws investing that authority remain.
Retribution’s rising popularity could reduce their numbers
After the departure of the gods these laws were expanded to apply to unacceptable levels. For now the border remains secure,
to Iosan clergy. The ranking priests of the fanes were invited to but it has yet to be seriously tested. With the Retribution
represent the Divine Court in the Consulate Court where they
escalating hostilities abroad it seems inevitable its enemies
exercised considerable influence. When the Rivening toppled the
other fanes, this function fell exclusively to the Fane of Scyrah.
Members of the Auricyl Velahn, Scyrah’s leading priests, freely attend of the Consulate Court might be realized. Despite this,
the Consulate Court, and their words still hold considerable sway. the human nations and Rhul have always considered Ios’
borders impregnable, and this reputation may serve where
With the Retribution’s recent rise to prominence, its priests have
strength of arms alone would not.
been petitioning for identical recognition. Oracle Relvinor Luynmyr
has demanded the right to participate as a representative of Scyrah
on the Consulate Court. The Fane of Scyrah has vehemently objected, AN ARMY NOT OF THE STATE
but the matter is undecided. This concession seems a matter of time. For now the Retribution of Scyrah exists amid considerable
Should it come to pass it would further legitimize the entire sect in the political tension and unrest. Relations with the government
mind of the average Iosan citizen. and the Homeguard Coalition are far from comfortable.
Bolstered by the support of House Nyarr and House Shyeel,
the Retribution recently seized the initiative and forced the
The fact that one of the Five Great Military Houses has Consulate Court to recognize its standing. The government
openly embraced the Retribution cause has roused great felt compelled to acknowledge the Retribution as a lawful
turmoil in political circles but has had less immediate organization, but none of the other hallytyr are pleased
impact on border defenses. Aeryth Dawnguard, House with the outcome.
Nyarr’s primary fortress, has always been geographically
remote; its elite Dawnguard was never a major part of
southern border patrols, so their recent absence has had HOUSE LEADERSHIP
little real impact. Consul Caelcyr Nyarr has vowed that a
small force of his soldiers will still help guard Shyrr and
that House Nyarr will maintain other major garrisons, but
fully two-thirds of its active soldiers now march openly in H istorically when a single leader led a house he or she assumed
the title “Narcissar” in homage to Narcissar Lacyr. After the
recent civil war, that title fell out of favor as it was associated with
the service of the Retribution.
Narcissar Ghyrrshyld of House Vyre. Whether they lead alone or
Of graver concern to the other military houses is the fact as part of a council, most house leaders today utilize the slightly
that House Shyeel has pledged its support—and more humbler “Incissar” title. This derives from the god Ossyris, the
Incissar of Hours, Sovereign of Conflict, and General of Lyoss,
importantly, its myrmidon reserves and future production—
and has the additional advantage of representing a top military
to the Retribution. Although House Shyeel is not technically
rank. This is appropriate as incissars are the top-ranking leaders
a military house, it is the foremost producer of Iosan of their house armies, whether or not they spend time in uniform
warjacks. The house has a virtual monopoly on the most directing the soldiers.
advanced myrmidon arcanika and has a particularly strong
“Consul” is a special title afforded to a leading representative of each
hold on manufacturing. In addition to providing support
hallytyr appointed to attend the Consulate Court and speak for the
personnel, Shyeel has dispatched several warcasters to house in matters of state. Most consuls have also been narcissars
serve the Retribution cause. or incissars. The leaders of a hallytyr can freely nominate any of
their peers to sit on the Consulate Court, including senior advisors
The house’s largest rival in this industry is House Vyre,
or politically adept relations. Most enjoy the authority they wield
as consuls, however, and are unwilling to surrender the post to
contracts abandoned by Shyeel. This will take time, though, anyone else unless compelled by other duties, age, or illness.
as House Vyre’s production facilities are considerably
smaller than those of House Shyeel. The Consulate Court

40
 MILITARY OF IOS AND THE RETRIBUTION OF SCYRAH
IOSAN GOVERNMENT
AND THE RETRIBUTION MILITARY
Major Iosan Religious Sects
DIVINE COURT
Scyrah, Regent Narcissar • Nis-Issyr of Spring
VACANT SEATS FANE OF SCYRAH
Lacyr, Narcissar of Ages Ossyris, Incissar of Hours Led by the Eight Auricants RETRIBUTION THE SEEKERS
Ayisla, Nis-Arsyr of Night Nyrro, Arsyr of Day of the Auricyl Velahn PRIESTHOOD Master Diviner Vyrillis Yryas
Lurynsar, Issyr of Summer Lyliss, Nis-Scyir of Autumn Majority Faith Led by Oracle Relvinor Luynmyr Opener of Seals Myasuyrin
Nyssor, Scyir of Winter (Disreputable Sect) (Disreputable Sect)

CONSULATE COURT
Comprising the 15 Hallytyr High Houses
10 ADMINISTRATIVE AND GOVERNING HALLYTYR
AIESYN EYVREYN LYS RYVRESE SHYEEL
Construction Lore, History Physickers, Funerary Rites Trade, Crafts Myrmidons, Arcanika
Consul Klyvahn Aiesyn Consul Darshyld Eyvreyn Consul Mylita Lys Consul Callis Ryvrese Consul Hyselle Shyeel
SYLLRYNAL UITHUYR VYRE WYSHANALYRR YRRYEL
Agriculture Education, Theology Occult, Arcane Lore Philosophy, Mathematics Trade, Commerce
Consul Ashlor Syllrynal Consul Darshyld Eyvreyn Consul Alyssa Vyre Consul Gehes Wyshanalyrr Consul Maevryn Yrryel
THE FIVE GREAT MILITARY HOUSES
ELLOWUYR ISSYEN NYARR RHYSLYRR SILOWUYR
Aeryth Ellowuyr Gate of Storms Aeryth Dawnguard Gate of Mists Protects Shyrr
Consul Brysor Ellowuyr Consul Jylvan Issyen Consul Caelcyr Nyarr Consul Iolas Rhyslyrr Consul Garlryo Silowuyr

IOSAN HOMEGUARD COALITION

Led by the Five Great Military Houses
60,000 Soldiers (+ reserves)
Garrisons in each city, border fortress,
and military house stronghold
NINE VOICES OF THE RETRIBUTION
Consul Caelcyr Nyarr, Military Consul
Consul Hyselle Shyeel, Arcane Consul
Glyssor Syviis, Retribution Coordinator, Shyrr
Jarmyr of Eyvreyn, Annals Keeper
Kelsyr Yrryel, Espionage Liaison
Nyr Voshan, Retribution Quaestor
Oracle Relvinor Luynmyr, Ranking Retribution Priest Military Operational Oversight
Orator Lysenne Bylvesh, First Aide to Relvinor
Keldeacon Synvas Uithuyr, Recruitment Coordinator DAWNGUARD
House Nyarr’s
standing army SHYEEL FORCES HOUSEGUARD
Dawnguard: 4~ ,000 Battle Mages: 3~ 00 Numerous houses
Dawnlord Vyross Nyarr Arcanists/Support: \ Soldiers: 20,000
1,000 (and rising)
EXTERNAL CELLS SYVASH STRONGHOLD Myrmidons: Support: 4,000+
Bases outside Ios for Training and reserve Variable, 200+ Houseguard Arsyr Norcyl
recon and resupply facility in Iryss Adeptis Rahn Shyeel Various ranking officers
Mage Hunters: 9~ 00 Reserves: 400+
Other: 2~ 00 (priests, Staff: 50
soulless, support, etc.) Keldeacon Synvas Uithuyr
Ravyn, Eternal Light

CELL OPERATIONAL REGIONS — HQ PRIMARY STRIKE ARMY SECONDARY STRIKE ARMY ANCILLARY STRIKE TEAMS
Caspia & Southern Cygnar — Mirror Armory “Talons of Dawn” “Scyrah’s Blade” “The Unseen Spear”
Korsk & Central Khador — Lynvass Hold Primary ready army Secondary ready army Supplemental to primary
Ord — Myshen Enclave Strength: Varies (first priority) Strength: Varies and secondary armies
Occupied Llael — Nylen Retreat Current Theater: Khador Current Theater: Strength: Varies
Ceryl & Western Cygnar — Ossian Armory Goal: Recover Nyssor Eastern Llael Current Theater: Varies
Northern Cygnar — Scylith Enclave Dawnlord Vyross Nyarr Goal: Expand Iosan border Goal: Varies
Southern Khador — Hylyssin Fasthold Ravyn, Eternal Light Dawnlord Cyrsyll Nyarr Dawnguard Issyr Rylavos Nyarr
Northern Khador — Jascyr Bunker Adeptis Rahn Shyeel Kaelyssa, Night’s Whisper

PRIMARY VAN PRIMARY LINE PRIMARY SPECIAL SCYRAH’S BLADE VAN SCYRAH’S BLADE LINE SCYRAH’S BLADE
Dawnguard: Veteran houseguard OPERATIONS Dawnguard: Veteran houseguard SPECIAL OPERATIONS
up to 3,000 Houseguard: 10,000 Mage Hunters: 400 up to 800 Houseguard: 8,000 Mage Hunters: 300
Battle Mages: Myrmidons: 6~ 0 (light) Myrmidons: 1~ 0-20 Battle Mages: Myrmidons: 6~ 0 (light) Myrmidons: 5~ -10
up to 150 Houseguard Issyr Falwyn Lys Ravyn, Eternal Light up to 80 Houseguard Issyr Aerin Mashyl Garryth, Blade of Retribution
Myrmidons: 5~ 0 (heavy) Myrmidons: 2~ 0 (heavy)
Dawnguard Issyr Dawnguard Issyr Lascyra Nyarr
Osrhyar Nyarr

VAN COMPANIES LINE COMPANIES STRIKE FORCES (5-20) MIXED COMPANIES (10)
Infantry Companies: 15 Infantry Companies: 25 Leadership varies Infantry per: 50-150
Infantry per: 150 Soldiers per: 300 Cavalry per: 0-50
Cavalry Companies: 6 Cavalry Companies: 10 Myrmidons per: 0-3
Cavalry per: 50 Cavalry per: 50 Captains, Thanes, or Scyir
Dawnguard Captains or Thanes Houseguard Captains or Thanes

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 MILITARY OF IOS AND THE RETRIBUTION OF SCYRAH

Most consuls gave their grudging acceptance after realizing likely see no distinction between the two and is expected to
that behind the Retribution’s lofty rhetoric about Scyrah’s hold the nation responsible for any of the organization’s acts
fate lurked the threat of violence. Memories of the recent of violence. This has led to considerable anxiety in the minds
civil war are still fresh, and the consuls had no desire to see of the more conservative Iosans.
Ios torn apart again by internal strife. Lacking the will to
The Retribution leaders, called the Nine Voices, have seized
oppose the Retribution with force, the consuls had no choice
upon the weakness they see in the Consulate Court and
but to accept it as a valid political and military entity—one
leveraged it to further their cause. They were willing to push
they agreed could act with minimal Consulate oversight.
Technically the consuls of House Nyarr and House Shyeel
their political adversaries quickly caved in to their demands.
are held responsible for the actions of the Retribution, but
They continue to press for support from any houses they
given their political views it is only an illusion of restraint.
perceive as even remotely sympathetic, pointing to the
The Consulate Court may have been forced to accept the rising public support for the Retribution and its additional
existence of the Retribution, but it does not endorse or support momentum since the news of Nyssor reached Ios. Politically,
the organization; the Retribution is not a state-sponsored force. other hallytyr cannot vehemently oppose the Retribution
Such an army, like those of Ios’ neighboring kingdoms, would without giving the impression they do not support preserving
serve as a direct extension of the will of its sovereign. Although the elven gods. Relations between the consuls and the Nine
the Retribution does not act for Ios as a whole, humanity will Voices are tense and uncomfortable. There is a mood in the
capital of a government being held hostage by radicals.

WINTER’S HAMMER
TALONS OF DAWN TASK FORCE

Drawn from the ranks of the Talons of Dawn, this huge task force and While the operation will rely heavily on the Dawnguard, with a
others fighting in support of its goals represent a bold move on moderate wing of heavy cavalry support, the core of the force is
the part of the Retribution. The mission of this force is nothing its myrmidons. Vyros’ soldiers have been drilling for months
less than the recovery of the god Nyssor, believed held deep using a regimen created specifically to prepare them for
within Khador’s interior by the Greylords Covenant. The Khadoran tactics. The operation’s secondary priority is
task force aims to accomplish its objective quickly and to exact a heavy toll on the Greylords Covenant without
efficiently but is prepared to conduct longer operations compromising the recovery of Nyssor’s frozen vault.
should they prove necessary. This goal represents
the first priority of the Retribution, and there will be The Winter’s Hammer task force contains a van and
no compromises in terms of military assets sent to special operations segment drawn from the Talons of
ensure its success. Dawn strike army.

Dawnlord Vyros Nyarr has personally assumed Van Leadership

leadership of Winter’s Hammer and intends to prove Dawnlord Vyros Nyarr, warcaster
the strength of the Dawnguard by relying almost
exclusively on his house’s army for the main assault. Van Composition
He has hand-picked subordinate officers from among 1,050 Dawnguard Invictors Assault Infantry
the most capable officers of his house, several closely 750 Dawnguard Sentinels Heavy Infantry
related by blood. Ravyn, Eternal Light, is leading the 200 Dawnguard Destors Heavy Cavalry
special operations companies in support of Vyros’ forces, 150 House Shyeel Battle Mages
using her mage hunters to ensure the strike proceeds as 20 Ghost Snipers
planned. Vyros has eschewed houseguard for the initial Warjack Support
strike, reserving that honor for the Dawnguard.
20 Heavy, 30 Light
Vyros has made plans, however, for houseguard companies to aid in Special Operations Leadership
covering the force’s return to secure territory once the mission has been
Ravyn, warcaster
executed. He intends to make use of a variety of feints and ambushes
Eiryss, Angel of the Retribution
during the retreat out of Khador to hamper pursuit. As the senior mage
hunter warcaster, Ravyn is responsible for organizing these efforts as Special Operations Composition
well as coordinating strike forces during the assault phase. The mission is 200 Mage Hunters
of such high importance that other task forces from Scyrah’s Blade will be (including various specialties)
involved in diversionary attacks inside occupied Llael that should attract 80 Stormfall Archers
Khadoran forces and divert patrols.
Warjack Support
2 Heavy, 5 Light

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 MILITARY OF IOS AND THE RETRIBUTION OF SCYRAH

HOUSES NYARR AND SHYEEL

Despite lingering tensions, those suggesting violently RETRIBUTION
quashing the Retribution have been overruled. Such a HALLYTYR PATRONS
Homeguard Coalition outnumbers the Retribution, the
extremists’ numbers are deceptive. Iosan military experts
agree the Retribution’s forces are disproportionately
powerful, due primarily to the involvement of House
Shyeel and House Nyarr who bring with them a vast
armory of myrmidons and other arcanik weapons in
addition to the Dawnguard. Nyarr Shyeel
Houses Nyarr and Shyeel have for years made little

Minor sympathies for Ios’ fringe religious sects are not

uncommon in political circles—many high-ranking nobles operational control of the Retribution’s military on every level.
have such leanings. Most houses would draw the line, While the old guard among the mage hunters appreciates
however, at agreeing to an open and full alliance with such military expertise, reliance on strict discipline and
the Retribution, which is exactly what Houses Nyarr and chain of command is not always immediately embraced.
Shyeel have recently done. They have even gone so far as The Retribution is led by the Nine Voices who order its army
to take the unprecedented step of allocating the majority divisions. These divisions are in turn led by the top ranking
of their military assets to Retribution service.

The truth is that these two hallytyr have been more tightly
linked to the Retribution than their peers ever realized.

and military assistance to the organization. These houses mage hunters.

decided long ago that true change in Ios would require
extreme measures.

As the political creatures they are, the respective leaders RETRIBUTION

of these houses have kept their motives to themselves. OPERATIONAL REGIONS
These men are not given to zealotry or religious fervor; it is
generally accepted that House Nyarr and House Shyeel back
the Retribution for pragmatic rather than religious reasons.
It is not that their leaders are thought to dismiss Scyrah’s
T he Retribution has divided western Immoren into a variety of
operational regions where Retribution cells establish a variety
of safe houses and bases. Most of these bases are small and isolated,
condition or ignore the gravity of the status of the vanished either hidden in the wilderness or concealed in cities among those
gods, but pursuing such lofty mysteries is clearly not their few exiled Iosans living alongside humanity.
primary motive for pushing the Retribution agenda. The scale and resources of the bases vary considerably, but most
are kept small to avoid detection. The Retribution has had to take
Those who succeed in leading the cause of salvation will reap particular care in placing these sites to escape discovery by area
great rewards. The political clout brought by the unquestioning inhabitants such as blackclads or various trollkin kriels. Proximity has
support of the people could facilitate the transformation of led to violent conflict on occasion, and the Retribution has had to
Iosan society and even the dissolution of the Consulate Court. erase a number of remote trollkin villages and blackclad stone circles
This is a gamble to which House Nyarr and House Shyeel to protect their secrets.
have committed all their considerable resources. Should the The largest Retribution bases outside Ios include an armory secreted
Retribution cause continue to spread among the population, in the forest northwest of Caspia; a cave complex off a sheltered cove
the other hallytyr may feel forced to follow their example or northwest of Ceryl; an underground bunker northeast of Shattered
be left powerless in the expected new order. Shield Lake, across the lake from Korsk; and a hidden observation
garrison in the Llaelese mountains between Rynyr and Laedry.
Dozens of other safe houses, stashes, and secured mustering points
RETRIBUTION pepper western Immoren, any of which might be expanded in the
HIERARCHY years ahead as the Retribution escalates its operations. Efforts are
Growing beyond a loose association of mage hunters has underway to prepare many of these bases to house and service
battle-ready myrmidons.
required massive shifts in the Retribution’s organization
and hierarchy. The organization is still undergoing these

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 MILITARY OF IOS AND THE RETRIBUTION OF SCYRAH

The partnership between the veteran mage hunters and

abandoned such pretenses, he maintains a number of foreign
contacts who know nothing of his true agenda.
authority at every level in the chain of command. In turn, the
Consul Caelcyr Nyarr and Consul Hyselle Shyeel were until
Nine Voices insist ranking mage hunters be present to “advise”
recently the most secret members of the Nine Voices, but that
their Dawnguard counterparts, creating leadership pairings.
changed when they openly declared their house loyalties. They
For example, Dawnlord Vyros Nyarr is the most proactive and
are two of the Retribution’s most important decision makers
prominent military leader of his house and generally assumes
due to the vital nature of their respective house assets. Regular
the mantle of overall military commander. His counterpart
political duties prevent them from attending all meetings, but
Ravyn, called “the Eternal Light,” is the highest-ranking mage
the consuls send trusted proxies when necessary
hunter commander and warcaster. The two enjoy roughly
comparable statuses within the Retribution, but their areas of

Nyr Voshan was once a major underworld leader in Shyrr who

Resentment is common on both sides and can interfere
oversaw a lucrative smuggling operation with its own small
with operations if left unchecked. Mage hunters do not
army of vicious thugs. Now he keeps track of Retribution
assets and supplies, a critical task with the onset of major
Dawnguard and dislike having orders barked at them. In
military operations. Keldeacon Synvas Uithuyr is a former
turn, the Dawnguard consider mage hunters to be lacking
in proper military discipline, respect, and organization. The
the Syvash Stronghold where he has become the undisputed
master of induction and training. He is responsible for
bridge and are likely to remain a point of contention as the
accelerating Retribution recruitment and also seeks to identify
Retribution moves forward.
new warcaster talent. The ancient Jarmyr of Eyvreyn is a
man whose name still causes ripples in Iosan arcane circles,
LEADERS OF THE
a controversial master of the occult whose techniques are in
RETRIBUTION
disfavor by his conservative peers. No one in the organization
Historically, veteran agents inside Ios coordinated the
better understands the threat posed by human magic,
Retribution’s operations abroad. They formed the Nine Voices
warcasters in particular, and he bends all his vast intellect to
of the Retribution as a governing council. Only the most senior
their destruction.
Retribution agents have direct contact with any of the Nine
Voices, and information about them has been shrouded in
secrecy. As the Retribution has become more active this has
begun to change, but most Retribution soldiers still do not WHAT’S IN A NAME?
have a clear or complete awareness of the identities of their
highest-ranking leaders. What they do know is that once the
Nine Voices decide on a course, they expect nothing less than
unquestioning obedience.
E very soldier in the Dawnguard is a member of House Nyarr, in
oath if not by blood. Not every person included in this house
uses Nyarr as a surname; only those with a direct blood tie to the
While technically the Nine Voices are equal, in truth some original Nyarr lineage can claim that privilege. The house includes
voices are stronger than others. Four leaders in particular hundreds of lesser families with no direct blood ties. Over the
centuries these families have been adopted into House Nyarr
prioritize Retribution objectives and prepare the military to
as they were invited to join the ranks of the Dawnguard. While
execute its goals based on gathered intelligence. The most
these soldiers may informally speak of themselves as “brothers”
or “cousins,” most of them are not blood-related. Arranged
who led countless assassination and espionage missions in marriages between these families can complicate matters even
his prime. His deeds are legendary within the organization, further. A similar situation exists in each of the hallytyr, such as
and he is the one member of this council whose inclusion is House Shyeel, as well as the lesser noble houses. Each consists of
widely assumed. dozens of allied families led by the direct blood inheritors of the
house name and leadership.
Espionage Liaison Kelsyr Yrryel is another respected old-
guard Retribution leader. He is a toughened Iosan of venerable
years who helped shape the organization into what it is today. Leading priest Oracle Relvinor Luynmyr strives to ensure the
Kelsyr served as an Iosan ambassador for over half a century, goddess Scyrah is not forgotten during deliberations. Relvinor
spending time in the capitals of Cygnar, Khador, Llael, and is arguably the most fanatic and charismatic of the Nine
Ord. He returned to Ios permanently at the outset of the civil
war when the nation severed all diplomatic contact with the righteousness of his holy cause. His clergy works to spread
the human nations. During his career as ambassador his the organization’s religious message both in political circles

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 MILITARY OF IOS AND THE RETRIBUTION OF SCYRAH

and among the population. His top aide, Orator Lysenne

Bylvesh, was a member of the conservative Fane of Scyrah
before Relvinor converted her, and she has done much to
MYRMIDON INVENTION
drive a wedge into her former priesthood and bring additional
converts to the Retribution.

THE MAGE HUNTERS

T hough the citizens of the old Empire of Lyoss were versed
in advanced arcanika, myrmidons are a relatively recent
innovation. The power systems and intricate mechanical elements
Though the Retribution has greatly increased in size and scope, are based on considerably older and well-established arcane
technologies, but the idea of using those techniques to create
the core of the original organization remains. Its membership,
battle-ready automatons arose as a result of seeing the effective
the mage hunters, embody the fundamental convictions of
use of such machines by humanity. Elven agents observed how
the colossals repulsed the Orgoth and how effective the smaller
centuries, divided into clandestine cells conducting operations warjacks proved in later wars.
within the human kingdoms.
Arcanika specialist houses such as Shyeel and Vyre were confident
The primary purpose of these cells is to execute strikes they could replicate the warjack chassis and even greatly improve
against human wizards and warcasters. They conduct upon them. The most vital missing element was the fabrication
process for a central controlling device that would enable the
missions to gather information, to sabotage arcane research
machines to operate semi-autonomously. While these hallytyr do
and mechanikal production facilities, and to assassinate
not openly acknowledge the fact, fabrication of myrmidon cortexes
was made possible by the theft and deconstruction of those of
the most pervasive and powerful organizations of human human warjacks. The Iosan versions were considerably redesigned
wizards, particularly those serving military interests such and bear no resemblance to their human-made counterparts. It is
as Khador’s Greylords Covenant or Cygnar’s Militant likely no one in the Retribution aside from House Shyeel artificers
Order of the Arcane Tempest. They have additionally struck has any idea of the role played by human cortexes in the invention
against private organizations like the Fraternal Order of of these devices. Given mage hunter attitudes toward human
mechanika, this is probably for the best.
Wizardry and the Order of the Golden Crucible. The pace
and execution of these attacks is carefully calculated to
avoid compromising their secrecy. Mage hunters believe human magic is a blight on Scyrah
Mage hunters comprise the espionage and assassination arm and therefore every eliminated human wizard or sorcerer
of the Retribution, supported by sleeper agents throughout
the Iron Kingdoms. Several mage hunters have manifested human mechanika as similarly tainted and its proliferation
warcaster talent. Having undergone additional training to a contributor to Scyrah’s incapacitation. By escalating to

strike leaders. These warcasters are not permanently tied to permanently and thereby restore the goddess to her former
health. No measure is too extreme given the stakes. If
operational regions as ordered by the Nine Voices. the Retribution must annihilate every human warcaster,
wizard, and warjack to achieve their goal, so be it. Some
Mage hunter talents at obfuscation and deception serve conduct this task coldly, simply as a pragmatic necessity,
them well in strikes against human military targets. Their while others enjoy their bloody work and nurse a deep and
preexisting network of secret bases across western Immoren abiding hatred of humanity.
provides the Retribution with far greater mobility and reach
than outsiders might expect. These resources and operatives Finding and training skilled mage hunters remains as
make it possible to conduct very deep strikes within the
interior of human kingdoms. Retribution membership has been among the houseguard
soldiery, not the mage hunters. It takes a special
A small but fanatical priesthood encourages and actively combination of zeal, ruthlessness, and raw combat prowess
supports the mage hunters. These priests are dedicated to to become a mage hunter. Senior agents are always looking
a radical interpretation of Scyrah’s faith that predates the for good prospects to send to the Syvash Stronghold to be
Retribution. They describe the goddess as a battle-ready
maiden, not the peaceful avatar of spring traditionally depicted.
Human deities, they believe, worked together to strike her return for additional specialized training according to their
down alongside the other members of the Divine Court as individual aptitudes. A broad range of specialties reinforces
part of some nefarious scheme to bestow arcane lore on the the mage hunter ranks, including wilderness trackers,
unworthy human species. The priesthood strives to ensure expert bladesmen, marksmen, mechanikal disruptors, and
mage hunters never waver in their convictions. Their preaching experts of intrusion and espionage.
encourages mage hunters to remember the imminent doom of
their people—a doom only their acts can forestall.

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 MILITARY OF IOS AND THE RETRIBUTION OF SCYRAH

46
 MILITARY OF IOS AND THE RETRIBUTION OF SCYRAH

Among the houseguard are experienced career soldiers

like Eiryss, the most renowned mage hunter of Ios, or Garryth, belonging to companies that joined the Retribution at
Blade of Retribution. All junior mage hunters aspire to reach the behest of a noble to whom they have sworn loyalty.
such heights, and they are more than willing to climb a A number of middle-tier nobles agreed to help the
mountain of human corpses to do it.
a demonstration of solidarity. While such soldiers may
THE DAWNGUARD lack the fervor of volunteer recruits, they bring years of
AND THE HOUSEGUARD experience. Their pragmatic approach is an appreciated
Commanded by House Nyarr, the Dawnguard is a martial balance to the zealotry of enthusiastic youth.
order with roots stretching back to the ancient Lyoss Empire.
Houseguard provide the bulk of the Retribution’s numbers,

capable of conducting extensive military operations with little

of the Retribution army, and its basic role is to leverage its

of infantry and cavalry as well as more focused specialists,

Houseguard forces are used to hold ground, occupy enemy
and its soldiers are armed with the most advanced Iosan
weapons and armor. Dawnguard are implacable warriors,
Engagements unfold with houseguard forces tying up the
drilled to coordinate their actions and conditioned to be
enemy while mage hunters advance past the lines to strike
absolutely loyal to House Nyarr. They serve the Retribution
at the head, such as a commanding warcaster. In other
because their house leaders have ordered them to do so, not
engagements the line is tasked to pin the enemy in place
from any personal commitment to the cause.

The Dawnguard is divided into three branches: the Sentinels, angle of attack.
the Invictors, and the Destors. The Sentinels and Invictors
Though houseguard soldiers do not receive the same
together comprise the elite infantry of the Retribution
acclaim as Dawnguard or mage hunters, they can expect
military. The Destors are the heavy cavalry of the force.
to endure heavy casualties during massed battle. The

combination of blood ties and service performance. Many them deep respect from the more specialized elements

House Nyarr, including its current dawnlords, though in the companies will distinguish themselves and earn
reputations for valor in battle. Others may be destroyed
from outside the noble family rising to this esteemed rank. to the last man and be forgotten by all but their mourning
While technically all dawnlords are equal and subordinate to kinsmen. Such is life in the line.
Consul Caelcyr Nyarr, the warcaster Dawnlord Vyros Nyarr
ARMY DIVISIONS
AND TASK FORCES
The houseguard is not nearly as cohesive or simply structured.
The Retribution currently has partitioned its major military
These loose companies are populated with soldiers who
assets into three army divisions. Two of the divisions serve
either volunteered to join the Retribution or were dispatched
as standing strike armies. These larger armies include
the bulk of the Dawnguard and houseguard companies,
line of the Retribution military and includes both commoners
along with substantial mage hunter support. Mage
and noble-born soldiers.
hunters dominate the third division, using their favored
The men and women of the houseguard may seem identical organization and methods of operation with its heavy use
to their counterparts in the direct service of Ios, but there of covert operations and small surgical strikes.

The primary strike army, referred to as the “Talons of

who serve the Homeguard Coalition have chosen the safer

Led by Dawnlord Vyros Nyarr himself, this standing army

Those who volunteered to join the Retribution have done
represents the greatest concentration of Retribution military
so despite the censure of disapproving families and have
might and therefore tackles the highest priority objectives.
chosen a path of certain peril. Many have volunteered
It was this army, for instance, that was dispatched into
from a strong belief in the Retribution cause, inspired by
Khador to recover the god Nyssor.
recent events and the rhetoric of Retribution recruiters and
priests. Some of the lesser houses that provide houseguard The secondary strike army, called “Scyrah’s Blade,” stands
companies hope to secure alliances with Nyarr and Shyeel ready to support the primary army or to attack other
and perhaps one day share in their fortunes. priority targets simultaneously. Dawnlord Cyrsyll Nyarr

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 MILITARY OF IOS AND THE RETRIBUTION OF SCYRAH

commands this division; she is a respected senior member Mage hunters are quite comfortable within the framework
of her house and a blood cousin of Dawnlord Vyros. This of these unconventional military practices, but the
force has several priorities but has been given the long-term Dawnguard and houseguard forces still struggle to
task of expanding Ios’ borders while laying the foundation accept the methodology fully. The Dawnguard ranks have
for strikes abroad.
grumbling, but its upper echelons remain protective of
The enigmatic third division is called the “Unseen Spear”
and is composed of the Retribution’s Ancillary Strike Teams.
insist they must vet any order concerning the disposition
This force exists to allow the Retribution to conduct smaller
of units under their command even when it comes through
strikes and operations unrelated to the actions of the main
the most senior of mage hunter agents. In turn, the mage
hunters jealously guard their operational freedom against
their adaptability and initiative. Dawnguard Issyr Rylavos
supervises the Unseen Spear, but the division sometimes
of the actions of their subordinate units. Cooperation
receives priority orders directly from the Nine Voices. The
is not always easy. There is considerable tension in any
senior Retribution warcaster commanding this army is
mixed force, yet when battle ensues, each side knows its
Kaelyssa, known as “Night’s Whisper.” She is a strike team
place and functions even as the two continue to learn to
leader with an exemplary performance record and proven
work together toward shared objectives.
loyalty to the Retribution.

Unseen Spear teams may be sent deep into enemy territory, UNUSUAL ALLIES
going where columns of soldiers could not. They work The Retribution has attracted assistance from several
unexpected quarters. Given the weight of public sentiment
regions and make use of hidden bunkers, weapons stashes, it appears to be too late to forestall the organization’s
and armories. They are often out of contact with leadership violent policies. Groups opposing them have had to face
this reality, and some have decided to try subtler means to
leeway in executing their orders. The lack of direct oversight steer the radicals from a path they fear will culminate in
for these groups has been a point of contention between Ios’ destruction.
Dawnguard and mage hunter leaders. Senior Issyr Rylavos
can rarely claim to know precisely what the teams under his
dispatched agents to “observe and advise” the Retribution.
command are doing.
The conservative fane knows it has lost considerable clout
in the present political arena, as the common people see its
of the Retribution are rarely sent to war in their entirety. members as indolent and timid. Its reputation is worsened
by the knowledge that its priests have had the privilege
of such magnitude, the Retribution instead commits its of the greatest direct contact with the ailing goddess and
military in smaller operational groups, known as task forces, yet have done little to aid her. The fane knows it must
understand the Retribution if it is to come to grips with the
the elements of a single army. When task forces from two growing unrest of the people.
or more armies take part in the same operation, the ranking
Retribution’s more extreme religious views seem
Task force composition varies greatly, as each draws irreconcilable. In particular, the fane believes any spiritual
from the full complement of an army according to its magic invoked by their priests drains Scyrah. This has
operational requirements. Some operations involve a single been the primary reason for their unwillingness to commit
strike to eliminate a key target while others are intricate to extreme action: traditional priests believe Retribution
clergy are causing irreversible harm to the goddess. The
to rescue Nyssor from Khador, for example, comprise an Retribution clergy, though, believe they have established
extremely complex series of coordinated operations by ways to invoke this sort of power without doing harm to the
multiple task forces. A task force may include personnel goddess. Furthermore, they insist that any energy expended
from the Dawnguard, mage hunters, houseguard, battle
mages, myrmidons, and a variety of support and specialist damage dealt to Scyrah every day by thousands of human
arcanists. When it comes to waging war against the enemies
of the goddess, they maintain they must use every weapon
at their disposal.

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 MILITARY OF IOS AND THE RETRIBUTION OF SCYRAH

BARBED THORN
SCYRAH’S BLADE TASK FORCE

The task force called “Barbed Thorn,” led by Adeptis Rahn, has Retribution leaders expect this operation to endure heavy
been sent by Scyrah’s Blade in support of Vyros Nyarr’s main casualties, most of which will be suffered by the houseguard
assault. Barbed Thorn’s mission is to disrupt Khadoran companies. After they have succeeded in their own tasks,
patrols along a heavily traveled corridor in western elements of Scyrah’s Blade and the Unseen Spear will
Llael, enabling Winter’s Hammer to slip into the make every effort to extricate the survivors. Those
Khadoran interior. Rahn is joined by Garryth, Blade of remnants will be reincorporated into the main army
Retribution, and the mage hunter strike forces under and then tasked with expanding a region of control
his command. Other task forces will be engaged near Ios’ southern border.
with related troop movements and diversionary
attacks inside occupied Llael and elsewhere, but Leadership
this operation is the most crucial. Adeptis Rahn Shyeel, warcaster
Garryth, Blade of Retribution, warcaster
Adeptis Rahn plans to utilize the houseguard to
provoke several sizable Khadoran garrisons near Composition
Laedry and bait them into pursuit into the northern 1,200 Houseguard Halberdiers Infantry
mountains. By occupying secure ground and taking 2,500 Houseguard Riflemen Infantry
advantage of elevation, cover, and choke points, 150 Dawnguard Invictors
the adeptis is confident he can keep his forces safe 70 Dawnguard Sentinels
indefinitely even if Khador mounts a sizable pursuit 80 Mage Hunters
force. The more enemy attention and reinforcements
60 Stormfall Archers
hurled in their direction, the better. These strikes are
being coordinated with the movements of Dawnlord Vyros
50 House Shyeel Battle Mages
and his heavy assault force, which will bypass this region 20 Ghost Snipers
to continue west. Similar efforts will be undertaken when the Warjack Support
dawnlord retreats, hopefully with Nyssor safely in his protection. 4 Heavy, 12 Light

Despite this stance, a thread of sympathy for the Retribution Retribution leaders are not blind to the subversive goals of
cause persists within the Fane of Scyrah priesthood that their supposed allies and know some have joined only to spy
reaches even to the top ranks. Auricant Avross Larisar on their activities. Nonetheless, so long as they prove useful
and Glyssor Syviis periodically meet in secret to discuss the Retribution is content to let such individuals remain. It
the plight of the goddess. Such secret supporters loathe is to their advantage to be inclusive in their membership,
the Retribution’s methods even while envying the sect’s thereby spreading their message as far as possible. Given
decisiveness. In addition, several members of the Fane time and the proper persuasion, some of the spies might
Knights have decided to accompany the Retribution armies even become true converts to the cause.
into foreign lands. Having sworn fealty to Scyrah, these
knights seek to test Retribution claims that war against RETRIBUTION
human magic is their best hope to restore her.
WARCASTERS AND
In addition to the Fane of Scyrah, a variety of less prominent MYRMIDONS
groups have also taken notice of the Retribution’s Having only recently devoted their energy to open war, the
popularity. These include the Seekers, a more moderate Retribution does not have the same experience identifying and
training warcasters as the human armies. Fortunately House
hoping to encourage the Retribution to focus on the search
for a solution to Scyrah’s dilemma rather than persisting training such individuals. The techniques they employ have
in widespread systematic violence. The arcanists of these been passed to the Syvash Stronghold, the Retribution’s
two sects cooperate as necessary, but always with an main training base in Iryss. The Retribution considers it a top
undercurrent of suspicion, dislike, and distrust. priority to expand its warcaster assets as quickly as possible.

the Retribution than in human armies. A warcaster may not

always have complete control over a given force although

49
 MILITARY OF IOS AND THE RETRIBUTION OF SCYRAH

of Retribution, or Kaelyssa, Night’s Whisper. These warcasters

The importance of a warcaster’s battle magic and control of can expect obedience from mage hunter forces but rarely lead
precious myrmidons means they always have a central role large composite task forces.
in any given battle. The most common source of tension
In the past, myrmidons were rarely utilized in attacks on
human targets since their capture or discovery would have
the commands of mage hunter warcasters. If the allocation
undermined the covert nature of their missions. There have
been several notable exceptions where Retribution warcasters
several battles such interpersonal issues tend to be resolved,
unleashed their power to erase a human arcane workshop or
one way or another.
lodge completely. The destruction left by these attacks was
This is never a problem with those warcasters who occupy blamed on other causes—rival human governments or freak
clear positions of authority. Dawnguard Vyros Nyarr and supernatural occurrences, for example—and no one except
Adeptis Rahn Shyeel are widely recognized battle leaders of possibly the victims knew they were the targets of carefully
their houses. Additionally, the Nine Voices have made it clear orchestrated Iosan assaults.
that Ravyn, the Eternal Light, speaks with the full authority
The Retribution has been so successful with these measures
of the ruling council. The proper chain of command becomes
that most humans are unaware of myrmidons’ very existence,
less clear when applied to strike leaders like Garryth, the Blade
let alone their strengths and weaknesses. This will change as
Retribution actions abroad become more common, but for now
widespread ignorance of Retribution capabilities provides a
THE SOULLESS

O ne of the most controversial aspects of the Retribution is its

use of soulless warriors. For centuries the organization has
accepted soulless children from parents who could not bear the
how they are maintained, supplied, and deployed. Handling
these tasks is a priority for the support segment of the
thought of having them killed at birth. This remains a taboo topic
Retribution military. The Retribution must be able to cross
in Ios—and another area where the Retribution is at odds with the
great distances quickly and covertly, obliterate their targets,
Fane of Scyrah.
and return to Ios rapidly. Because of the remote nature of
The Retribution insists they are doing the soulless a service by these missions, Retribution task forces cannot let themselves
allowing them to contribute to the holy cause. Mage hunters know be pinned down by human armies. Their strategy is one of
they make exemplary assassins when trained properly. While
overwhelming attack followed by swift withdrawal.
soulless lack empathy and most emotions, they follow orders
without hesitation. They suffer none of the moral qualms of Due to their arcanik power sources, myrmidons are greatly
normal soldiers and can become efficient killers. A special branch liberated from the limitations of conventional supply
of the Syvash Stronghold handles their upbringing and training,
indoctrinating them with a special code of behavior intended to
substitute for a missing conscience. myrmidons still require occasional replacement parts and
Retribution soldiers still require food and ammunition, so
The Retribution has discovered supernatural side effects of supply lines are not altogether unimportant. Nonetheless,
employing soulless. These individuals have an unusual impact on
freedom from the need for constant resupply of fuel gives
magic in their vicinity, which can be used as both a weapon and
a defense. The Retribution has only an imperfect understanding
myrmidons greater speed and range of redeployment
of these manifestations and is working to be able to manipulate compared to their steam-powered counterparts in other
them more effectively. For the time being, it is not uncommon armies. Furthermore, Retribution forces stockpile other
that soulless accompany units assigned to important tasks in needed supplies in operational regions when possible to
order to help divert hostile magic by sacrificing themselves. avoid the complications of continually shipping gear across
Soulless work most closely with mage hunters, so the majority of long distances.
rank-and-file soldiers have limited experience with them. Soulless
Though they draw their own power from their environs,
are not afforded the same stature as regular mage hunters or
other soldiers. Because they have no ambition, family obligation,
or leadership ability, they are also not afforded normal ranks or Myrmidons operating at peak capacity will deplete their
honors. They are treated as expendable weapons rather than energy cells after a few hours and require time to recharge
as individuals and rarely interact with others outside of what is by sitting idle. This places an even higher importance on
required during combat. Even the names they are given are short Retribution planning and logistics. In an ideal Retribution
and simple with no connections to family or Iosan history. Senior engagement, the battle is over long before energy cells
mage hunters are pragmatic regarding the soulless, knowing that are depleted. If a Retribution battlegroup is attacked
if they had not been given over to fight for the cause each of them
would have been killed at birth. Every day they live to fight for the
Retribution is considered a mercy and a gift.

50
 MILITARY OF IOS AND THE RETRIBUTION OF SCYRAH

objective. Ideally, myrmidons become fully charged before

committing to battle.
MYRMIDON POWER SOURCE
The importance of planning and reconnaissance for the
Retribution cannot be overstated. Arriving at a remote

O ne of the fundamental differences between human or Rhulic

mechanika and Iosan arcanika relates to power source.
Unlike other types of warjacks, myrmidons do not utilize a fuel-
for even a modestly sized task force. Strategically placed
supply caches and accurate information on the locations of
fed steam boiler as an external combustion engine. They rely
instead on a more arcane and self-sustaining power plant that enemy patrols and garrisons are vital. When these elements
requires neither the burning of coal or other fuel nor periodic combine correctly and the Retribution can strike on their
water resupply. Instead of creating energy from an exothermic terms, they have unparalleled strength. When they are
reaction, it uses an arcane condenser to siphon latent energy caught by surprise or forced into a protracted engagement,
from the surroundings, augmented and regulated by subtle on the other hand, the weaknesses of their systems make
geomantic and celestial alignments. After being condensed, them far more vulnerable.
power is accumulated into storage cells. Energy can subsequently
be released to drive motors powering a myrmidon’s limbs or Myrmidons are a limited and precious resource, and
diverted into a myrmidon’s energy field. This system bears sometimes a warcaster must make do with what
superficial similarity to the storm chambers developed by Cygnar, is available. Requests by warcasters for additional
but the underlying functionality is radically different.

To human mechanikal understanding it appears as if these engines ever-changing priorities. All else being equal, warcasters
create power from nothing, but the truth is both less miraculous
and considerably more complicated. It is technically possible to
deprive a myrmidon of power by insulating it entirely from its
and then to the Unseen Spear. Myrmidon allocations can
surroundings, but in practice this rarely happens.
be tricky; such decisions are the province of House Shyeel,
The arcane power source allows several related technologies, which manufactures and maintains the ’jacks. This house
including the use of strong protective fields that can deflect sometimes exercises its political clout through these
incoming attacks as well as power energy-based ranged weapons.
allocations. For example, Adeptis Rahn Shyeel can expect
Accordingly most myrmidons do not require ammunition but are
to receive any myrmidons he requests regardless of where
also unable to fire when these systems are severely damaged.
he is stationed, even in preference over Dawnlord Vyros.

importance of treating members of House Shyeel with due

unexpectedly it may be caught with drained and useless
respect if they wish to keep their myrmidons in proper
myrmidons. It is vital to keep this potential weakness secret

way to exploit it.

Unlike their human enemies, Retribution forces do not need

to haul their ’jacks into position on trains or wagons. The

allow myrmidons continuous movement at a moderate

typically kept inactive and its arms and weapons systems

are unpowered. Switching to full battle readiness can

and reallocated. Myrmidons ambushed in this state can

easily be destroyed before they retaliate. This situation is
exacerbated if the myrmidons have been pushed to travel
more rapidly, which gradually drains energy reserves even
outside of battle.

The established procedure for battlegroups on the move is

to march as quickly as possible from one point of safety to

myrmidons are kept idle long enough to recharge before the

force pushes on to a mustering point near the operational

51
 RETRIBUTION
RULES

THEME FORCES
A Theme Force can include only one warcaster. If you are of every tier for which your army meets the requirements.
playing a game with two or more warcasters in each army,
If a Theme Force can include a given unit, you can add any
you cannot use these rules.
attachments to that unit that are available to it.
Theme Forces are broken into tiers. Each tier has a set of
The following Theme Forces are available to Retribution
requirements that restricts your army composition. If your
warcasters.

ADEPTIS RAHN
CHARGE OF THE BATTLE MAGES

tIER 1 tIER 3
Requirements: Adeptis Requirements: In addition to meeting all the
Rahn is the warcaster. In requirements listed for Tier 2, the army includes three or
addition, the army includes more House Shyeel Magister solos.
only models/units that are
House Shyeel Battle Mage units and House
non-character Retribution
Shyeel Battle Mage Magister solos in the army gain
warjacks, Houseguard units,
Advance Move. Models with Advance Move can make a
House Shyeel Battle Mage
full advance after both players have deployed but before
units, Arcanist solos, or House
Shyeel Battle Mage Magister solos.

House Shyeel Battle Mage units in the army tIER 4

become FA U. Additionally, the FA of House Shyeel Requirements: In addition to meeting all the
Magister solos in the army increases by +1 for each requirements listed for Tier 3, the army includes four or
Battle Mage unit included. more House Shyeel Battle Mage units.

tIER 2 Friendly models/units can begin the game

Requirements: In addition to meeting all the

targets must be declared before either player sets up
requirements listed for Tier 1, the army includes two or
models. Rahn does not pay focus to upkeep these spells
more heavy warjacks.

Add one Arcanist solo to the army free of cost.

This model does not count toward FA restrictions.

52
 RETRIBUTION RULES

DAWNLORD VYROS
LEGIONS OF THE DAWN

tIER 1 Add a unit attachment to one Dawnguard Sentinel

unit in the army free of cost. This unit attachment ignores
Requirements: Dawnlord Vyros
FA restrictions.
is the warcaster. In addition,
the army includes only tIER 3
models/units that are non-
character Retribution warjacks, Requirements: In addition to meeting all the requirements
Dawnguard units, Stormfall listed for Tier 2, the army includes one Dawnguard Destor
Archer units, Arcanist solos, or unit and one or more Dawnguard Destor Thane solos.
Dawnguard solos. You gain +1 on your starting game roll.
Dawnguard Invictor and Dawnguard Sentinel
tIER 4
units in the army become FA U. Additionally, the FA of
Dawnguard Scyir solos in the army increases by +1 for Requirements: In addition to meeting all the requirements
each Dawnguard Sentinel or Dawnguard Invictor unit listed for Tier 3, Vyros’ battlegroup includes two or more
included. heavy warjacks.

tIER 2
Requirements: In addition to meeting all the
requirements listed for Tier 1, the army includes two or
more Dawnguard Sentinel units.

KAELYSSA, NIGHT’S WHISPER

SHADOWS OF RETRIBUTION

tIER 1 tIER 3
Requirements: Kaelyssa, Night’s Requirements: In addition to meeting all the requirements
Whisper, is the warcaster. In listed for Tier 2, the army includes four or more Mage
addition, the army includes Hunter solos.
only models/units that are
You can redeploy any one Mage Hunter model/unit
non-character Retribution
warjacks, Mage Hunter units,
Arcanist solos, Ghost Sniper
in a location they could have been deployed initially.
solos, or Mage Hunter solos.

Mage Hunter Strike Force units in the army tIER 4

become FA U. Requirements: In addition to meeting all the requirements
listed for Tier 3, Kaelyssa’s battlegroup includes three or
tIER 2
more warjacks.
Requirements: In addition to meeting all the
requirements listed for Tier 1, the army also includes two
or more Mage Hunter Strike Force units.

Add a unit attachment to one Mage Hunter Strike

Force unit in the army free of cost. This unit attachment
does not count toward FA restrictions.

53
 RETRIBUTION RULES

GARRYTH, BLADE OF RETRIBUTION

ASSASSINS

tIER 1 tIER 3
Requirements: Garryth, Requirements: In addition to meeting all the requirements
Blade of Retribution, is the listed for Tier 2, the army also includes three Mage Hunter
warcaster. In addition, the Strike Force units each with a Soulless Escort weapon
army includes only models/ attachment.
units that are non-character
Add Nayl to the army free of cost.
Retribution warjacks, Mage
Hunter units, Mage Hunter tIER 4
Assassin solos, or Nayl.
Requirements: In addition to meeting all the
Mage Hunter Strike Force units in the army requirements listed for Tier 3, Garryth’s battlegroup
become FA U. Additionally, the FA of Mage Hunter includes only light warjacks.
Assassin solos in this army increases by +1 for each
Mage Hunter Strike Force unit included. Models in Garryth’s battlegroup gain Advance
Deployment.
tIER 2
Requirements: In addition to meeting all the
requirements listed for Tier 1, the army also includes
three or more Mage Hunter Assassin solos.

You gain +1 on your starting game roll.

RAVYN, ETERNAL LIGHT

WILL OF THE NINE VOICES

tIER 1 Add one Mage Hunter solo to the army free of

cost. This model is subject to FA restrictions.
Requirements: Ravyn,
Eternal Light, is the tIER 3
warcaster. In addition,
the army includes only Requirements: In addition to meeting all the requirements
models/units that are listed for Tier 2, the army includes Fane Knight Skyreth
non-character Retribution Issyen and Narn.
warjacks, Dawnguard Invictor You gain +1 on your starting game roll.
units, Mage Hunter units,
Stormfall Archer units, Mage Hunter solos, or the Fane tIER 4
Knight Skyreth Issyen.
Requirements: In addition to meeting all the
Mage Hunter Strike Force units and Mage requirements listed for Tier 3, Ravyn’s battlegroup
Hunter Strike Force unit attachments in the army includes two or more Phoenix warjacks.
become FA U.
Each warjack in Ravyn’s battlegroup is
tIER 2 automatically allocated 1 focus point at the start of your

Requirements: In addition to meeting all the points Ravyn allocates.

requirements listed for Tier 1, the army also includes
three or more Mage Hunter Strike Force units.

54
 RETRIBUTION RULES

MYRMIDONS
Myrmidons are warjacks. In addition to the standard warjack
rules (see WARMACHINE: Prime Mk II, “Warjacks”) myrmidons
have the following rule:

MYRMIDON ARCANTRIK FIELD

Myrmidons have two damage tracks: a set of boxes representing

boxes of a myrmidon’s damage grid represent its Field Generator.

Once per turn during its activation, a myrmidon can spend 1

track unless its Field Generator is crippled.

55
 GARRYTH, BLADE OF RETRIBUTION
By my blades I promise our enemies will soon have ample company in the afterlife.

Feat: Vortex Lock sPeLLs cost rNG aoe Po UP oFF

GARRYTH Though it takes a great toll on
SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
his mind and body, Garryth When a friendly Faction model misses target enemy model/unit with an
7 6 8 6 16 14 8
can unleash a dark vortex of
PISTOLS disruptive power that siphons
RNG ROF AOE POW and absorbs all arcane power
12 1 — 12 in his surroundings. It leaves
BLADES the air itself depleted, barren,
POW P+S and incapable of sustaining
5 11 the magic of his enemies.
While they despair, the Blade
FOCUS 6 of Retribution strikes.
DAMAGE 16
For one round, while in
FIELD ALLOWANCE C
Garryth’s control area
WARJACK POINTS +5 When an enemy model casts a spell or uses an animus while in this
enemy models cannot
SMALL BASE cast spells, channel spells,
spend focus points, or be

GarrYtH tacticaL tiPs

When making attacks, ignore focus points

commanders from the shadows when battle began, ending

PistoLs
Although capable of leading others, the Blade of Retribution
BLades
is a mind never at rest, torn between disciplined dedication
to the mission at hand and a wild desire to unleash his hatred
When a model is hit by this weapon,
for one round it loses Tough, cannot heal or be healed, and

pious is without question, but his conception of the goddess

is radical even among his brethren: in his mind Scyrah is a
wounded warrior-maiden with blazing eyes who stokes the
anger in his heart with demands to slake her unquenchable

Unlike most warcasters currently enlisted by the Retribution,

his pistols and their razor-sharp blades serve as his prayers

of the few Retribution warcasters with extensive experience

pitting myrmidons against human adversaries; his only
Garryth was discovered and recruited from the criminal
underworld of Shyrr as a natural killer who could strike
To these displaced assassins Ios is an abstract dream, not a

potential, his mentors introduced him to an ancient Lyossan

anticipated the day the shackles would be removed and he

marched to war alongside regular soldiers and stalked enemy

56
GarrythBladeofRetribution
57
 KAELYSSA, NIGHT'S WHISPER
Do not mistake irreverence for a lack of faith. She proves her commitment by actions, not words.

Feat: tHe sPeLLs cost rNG aoe Po UP oFF

KAELYSSA
SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD VaNisHiNG
6 6 6 7 16 14 8 With a single whispered word,
Kaelyssa brings the curtain
RUNEBOLT CANNON of night down around her. It
RNG ROF AOE POW model misses a model with Whiplash with a magic attack, the attacking
drapes her allies in enveloping
12 3 — 10 shadows and hides them from
VENGEANCE enemy eyes.
POW P+S
For one round, while in
6 12
When target enemy warjack that is part of a battlegroup is damaged, its
FOCUS 7 friendly Faction models
DAMAGE 16 gain Stealth and cannot be
FIELD ALLOWANCE C
WARJACK POINTS +7 kaeLYssa
SMALL BASE
This model

When one or more models in this model’s

battlegroup in its control area are hit by an enemy magic
attack, immediately after the attack is resolved one model in
this model’s battlegroup in its control area can make a full
tacticaL tiPs
rUNeBoLt caNNoN Models that cannot be charged cannot be

When this attack hits an enemy model with

VeNGeaNce
around her put themselves in danger for their convictions
When this attack hits an enemy model with
and the mage hunter way of life are as much a part of her as

This drew the attention of Shyeel arcanists aiding the

leadership that fosters genuine bonds with her subordinates

wizards caught in her sights are left defenseless as their

Her sergeants claim she can hear the heartbeats of the

The Retribution’s regard for ability over seniority has

straight through solid walls to kill her prey before vanishing
She has had considerable success leading more than a
dozen carefully orchestrated assaults abroad and eagerly
anticipates the more ambitious operations planned for the
personality seems oddly informal and relaxed among so
side of the Unseen Spear, home to the bulk of the sect’s

parents were sworn to the Retribution, and she was raised

58
KaelyssaNightsWhisper
No one doubts her potential; it only remains to be seen how
she will handle greater responsibilities and whether she can

59
 ADEPTIS RAHN

Feat: arcaNe sPeLLs cost rNG aoe Po UP oFF

ADEPTIS RAHN
SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD aLiGNmeNt
Adeptis Rahn of House Shyeel After determining the point of impact for this attack, roll deviation for an
5 6 6 4 14 16 9
is an expert controller of
BALANCE arcane force able to perceive
POW
6
P+S
12
energy as visible currents. In *
an ultimate demonstration
FOCUS 8 of his supreme will, he seizes
DAMAGE 16
their energies to deliver an
FIELD ALLOWANCE C
earth-sundering torrent of raw
WARJACK POINTS +6 arcane power.
SMALL BASE in this model’s control area, after the deviation distance is rolled you
While in Rahn’s control
area, friendly Faction
models gain +2 RNG to their non-channeled spells, and their

adePtis raHN
This model gains +2 DEF against ranged Target friendly model/unit cannot be targeted by a charge made by a

BaLaNce *

Immediately after a normal attack with this

weapon is resolved during this model’s combat action, the

tacticaL tiPs
The attacking model can advance even if the enemy

Remember, the slammed model is moved only

half the distance rolled if it has a larger base than the slamming

Remember, if a model cannot charge a target,

Among the most powerful arcanists born in a generation,
Adeptis Rahn Shyeel is a master of force manipulation and

and with but a thought he can generate storms of kinetic

wave of his hand men and machines alike are swatted aside

The consul may stand among the Nine Voices, but it is the

backs down to no one, no matter their rank, when it comes It falls to him to demonstrate House Shyeel is an equal
partner in the Retribution, sharing its risks and glories and

Adeptis Rahn is a living embodiment of the battle mage

Although not an artificer, the adeptis nonetheless has
of specialty, he has risen to a position of undisputed great sway over the design and final shape of his house’s

on his personality as well: Rahn Shyeel has an imperious frequently toured Ios’ fortresses to test the effectiveness of

AdeptisRahn
close ties to House Nyarr in listening to the needs of its
scope of his remaining years, so why trouble himself about

Scyrah’s condition and the peril represented by her Adeptis Rahn’s arcane expertise goes hand in hand with
eventual loss, he is not a true believer in the Retribution’s
an unpleasant but unavoidable reality, Rahn is ever eager
mechanism for societal change, and a lever to raise himself

His philosophy is to control absolutely what is within his

 RAVYN, ETERNAL LIGHT

Feat: Fire storm sPeLLs cost rNG aoe Po UP oFF

RAVYN Ravyn the Eternal Light
SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
can call on the blessings of
6 6 7 7 15 16 9
Scyrah to instill her allies
HELLEBORE
RNG ROF AOE POW
with singular devotion.
Putting aside all distractions
LocomotioN *
12 1 — 12 to annihilate the enemy, her
BLADE forces advance forward as a
POW P+S storm of vengeance that will
7 13 not be denied.

FOCUS 6 While in Ravyn’s control

area this turn, friendly
DAMAGE 16
Faction models gain
FIELD ALLOWANCE C
boosted ranged attack rolls
WARJACK POINTS +6 obstructions and other models if they have enough movement to move
SMALL BASE
Vortex oF destrUctioN
Damage rolls against enemy models in this model’s melee range are
raVYN

When this model destroys one or more

enemy models with a melee attack during its combat action,
tacticaL tiPs
immediately after that attack is resolved this model can make

When this model destroys an enemy model

sequence of slashes and thrusts, each maneuver striking a
with a normal ranged attack, immediately after the attack is

This model can make melee and ranged attacks

restored, she plans to embrace peace as readily as she now

HeLLeBore Ravyn spent most of her adult years in service to the Fane

When this model makes an attack with this weapon,

forefront in a string of major battles and is credited with

BLade

through the barricade and carved her way through a sea of

This model makes one melee attack

surviving army surrendered, and in the following weeks

Ravyn stands as a beacon of hope within a sect consumed

admired both for her dedication to the goddess and for her
Five years ago Ravyn shocked her peers by leaving the

her record of service, this decision was a serious blow

When this seasoned soldier enters the fray she holds back this decision was not made hastily but came only after
long deliberation prompted by several secret meetings

command among the Retribution’s clergy and one of the

62
RavynTheEternalLight
that the Retribution had ample evidence their war against name is synonymous with service to Scyrah and Ios, thus
humanity could restore Scyrah and that her energies were

The Nine Voices bestowed on Ravyn the title of Eternal Light

 DAWNLORD VYROS

Feat: PerFect sPeLLs cost rNG aoe Po UP oFF

DAWNLORD VYROS
SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD execUtioN
5 7 8 4 15 17 10 To Dawnlord Vyros there is
nothing more joyous than a
JUSTICAR precisely executed plan. With
POW P+S When an enemy attack destroys or removes from play one or more
each enemy his forces destroy,
7 14 Vyros imbues his myrmidons
FOCUS 6 with escalating power until he
DAMAGE 18 sends them as a wall of metal
FIELD ALLOWANCE C
resolve.
WARJACK POINTS +6
SMALL BASE While in Vyros’ control area
Models in this model’s battlegroup currently in its control area gain +2
this turn, when a friendly
Faction model destroys
A model damaged by Stranglehold forfeits either its movement or its

While in this model’s control area, models

tacticaL tiPs
A warjack cannot exceed normal focus

When this model makes a melee Fleeing models immediately rally when
attack against an enemy model within the melee range of
a friendly model of the listed type, this model gains +2 to

The dawnlord came to widespread attention for his pivotal

JUsticar
role at the end of the War of the Houses, when he faced

his eye, but even that grievous injury could not stop him

Dawnlord Vyros is the heir presumptive of House Nyarr and

he is also a warcaster backed by the entire Dawnguard gives

the full extent of his ambitions, but his current actions are

For now Vyros directs his energy toward consolidating his

allies stand ready to support him, including Adeptis Rahn

Dawnguard, and his authority extends to the volunteered

The dawnlord has a reputation as a bold and forthright

aging consul has never explicitly addressed his succession,

men are proud to serve under his charge, as he embodies

expressed disinterest in the seat, but those who know him
the principles he expects the Dawnguard to uphold, never
best realize there is no limit to his political ambitions and

trivial pursuits such as the noble sport of falconry Vyros

DawnlordVyros
mind to his hawk Jyren’s, giving him the tactical advantage restoring Scyrah may be the goals of the Retribution, but
for him these are only the opening acts in a larger drama he
hopes will result in the founding of a new and stronger elven

commander, and he has worked to keep his larger ambitions

65
 CHIMERA
retriBUtioN LiGHt mYrmidoN
If the essence of the initiative is unpredictability and surprise, then the Chimera is a most perfect weapon of war.

cHimera
CHIMERA relatively limited production although the chassis is in
SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
high demand among the Retribution’s few warcasters
6 8 6 5 12 16 — During
GLAIVE this model anywhere
POW P+S
L 4 12
GLAIVE combat doctrine long ingrained in Iosan arcanists whereby
POW P+S While
R 4 12 its Field Generator system
It was only natural that myrmidons would be put to such
is crippled, this model
DAMAGE loses the Apparition and
1 2 3 4 5 6
This
tacticaL tiPs
against ranged and magic
attack rolls for each focus
G G
L A A R GLaiVe
L L M C R R
M M C C
Instead of making a normal
FIELD DAMAGE 6
FIELD ALLOWANCE U the damage roll is equal to
POINT COST 6 this model’s STR plus twice
MEDIUM BASE

HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 9´1 /2.4 TONS

ARMAMENT: GLAIVES (BOTH), PHANTASMAL FIELD (FIELD), APPARITION PROJECTOR
GENERATOR (FIELD), ARC NODE
PEAK OPERATIONAL DURATION: 2 HRS COMBAT
ARTIFICER: HOUSE SHYEEL

unsettling impact on the enemies of

the Retribution, for its active power

sometimes appearing to be several

Even at rest these generators give the

myrmidon an impression of shifting

becomes a delivery device for its warcaster’s

most powerful arcane powers channeled

and kill with its scything arm-mounted glaives

then vanish as nearby soldiers turn desperately

66
 GORGON
retriBUtioN LiGHt mYrmidoN

GorGoN
While
GORGON
SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
its Field Generator system 6 8 6 5 12 16 —
Its integral force cannon unleashes blasts of raw energy is crippled, this model
loses the Force Lock ability POLARITY CANNON
capable of forestalling an enemy’s forward momentum, RNG ROF AOE POW
and cannot make Polarity
— 10 1 — 10

Enemy
GLAIVE
close proximity, and the Gorgon will rush forward to seize POW P+S
models in this model’s
L 4 12
hold of even larger and more powerful ’jacks or myrmidons melee range cannot
advance except to change GLAIVE
POW P+S
R 4 12
extract itself, the Gorgon deals punishing blows with its PoLaritY
arm-mounted glaives, capable of tearing apart even the caNNoN DAMAGE
1 2 3 4 5 6
When a
model is hit by this attack,
it cannot charge this model

GLaiVe L G G R
L L M C R R
M M C C
Instead of making a
normal damage roll, the FIELD DAMAGE 6
FIELD ALLOWANCE U
equal to this model’s STR POINT COST 5
MEDIUM BASE

HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 9´/2.25 TONS

ARMAMENT: GLAIVES (BOTH), POLARITY CANNON (FIELD), FORCE LOCK GENERATOR (FIELD)
PEAK OPERATIONAL DURATION: 2.25 HRS COMBAT
ARTIFICER: HOUSE SHYEEL

Perfecting these force manipulation

technologies required several decades

This required certain sophisticated power

required a particularly high-yield energy generator for

during the development of the Gorgon would later

be applied to other chassis, greatly increasing power

tacticaL tiPs
Remember that if a model cannot charge, it also

67
 GRIFFON
retriBUtioN LiGHt mYrmidoN

GriFFoN
GRIFFON time make it a desirable asset, and its relatively simple
SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
6 8 6 5 12 16 — While
its Field Generator system It represents a small enough resource investment that it is
SHIELD
POW P+S is crippled, this model
L 1 9 Shyeel produces them in great numbers to supply this wide
HALBERD
POW P+S At the start of this
R 5 13 model’s activation, it can

provides invaluable support and striking power to the

DAMAGE
1 2 3 4 5 6
sHieLd

HaLBerd

L G G R This
model gains +2 to charge
L L M C R R attack rolls with this
M M C C

FIELD DAMAGE 6
FIELD ALLOWANCE U
POINT COST 4
MEDIUM BASE

HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 9´/2.6 TONS

ARMAMENT: HALBERD (RIGHT), SHIELD (LEFT), KINETIC CONVERSION DRIVE (FIELD)
PEAK OPERATIONAL DURATION: 3 HRS COMBAT
ARTIFICER: HOUSE SHYEEL

fast myrmidon designed for

to become near-weightless for short

intervals, allowinging for long, loping strides with

terrain, dense undergrowth, or other obstacles that would

enemy entrenchments to assault them from the rear or to

rushing ahead of the main line to intercept an enemy in

68
 HYDRA
retriBUtioN HeaVY mYrmidoN
That which does not cut us down fuels our resolve.

HYdra
convert raw kinetic energy from the force of incoming HYDRA
While SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
its Field Generator system 6 10 6 5 12 18 —
is crippled, this model
FORCE CANNON
Hydra can unleash a torrent of crushing blows before RNG ROF AOE POW
ability and cannot attack
— 12 1 — 12
energy is stored in a series of arcane batteries that greatly FORCE FIST
During POW P+S
the Maintenance Phase, do 4 14
L
not remove unspent focus
FORCE FIST
last until expended, making it a favorite myrmidon in Focus points remaining on POW P+S
this model at the start of R 4 14
fortunate enough to control Hydras in battle make it a top DAMAGE
toward its focus allocation
priority to ensure the machines are fully powered at the 1 2 3 4 5 6
When
often needs little more than mental guidance from its this model is hit by an
controlling warcaster, for its vitality is continually restored enemy melee or ranged
attack, after the attack is
resolved this model gains
L G G R
Force caNNoN L L M C R R
M M C C
For each
focus point on this model FIELD DAMAGE 10
when it declares an attack FIELD ALLOWANCE U
with this weapon, the POINT COST 9
LARGE BASE

Force Fist

If this model hits

the same model with both its initial attacks with
this weapon, after resolving the attacks it can
immediately make a double-hand throw, head-
butt, head/weapon/arm lock, push, or throw

HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 12´2 /5.25 TONS

ARMAMENT: FORCE FISTS (BOTH), FORCE CANNON (FIELD), KINETIC
CAPACITOR (FIELD), FOCUS BATTERY
PEAK OPERATIONAL DURATION: 2.5 HRS COMBAT
ARTIFICER: HOUSE SHYEEL

tacticaL tiPs
an attack is declared with this weapon, before attack or damage

69
 MANTICORE
retriBUtioN HeaVY mYrmidoN
In battle, there are not more than two methods of attack—the direct and the indirect—yet these two in combination

cannon, a force weapon fueled by the same generator

maNticore
MANTICORE
SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
While
its Field Generator system Manticore tremendous versatility in tactics, and it has
6 10 6 5 12 18 —
is crippled, this model
CYCLONE CANNON loses the Force Generator
RNG ROF AOE POW ability, cannot attack with
— 12 3 — 12

SABER FIST support advances or be concentrated into volleys to tear apart

POW P+S
L 5 15 At
SABER FIST the start of this model’s
POW P+S
R 5 15 focus point once to gain +3

DAMAGE
1 2 3 4 5 6
cYcLoNe caNNoN tacticaL tiPs

completely within this

L G G R must be in this model’s

L L M C R R
M M C C or ending its activation in

FIELD DAMAGE 10
FIELD ALLOWANCE U
POINT COST 8
LARGE BASE for one round or until
this model is destroyed or

saBer Fist

the damage roll is equal to this model’s STR

HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 12´2 /5.3 TONS

ARMAMENT: SABER FISTS (BOTH), CYCLONE CANNON (FIELD), FORCE
GENERATOR (FIELD)
PEAK OPERATIONAL DURATION: 3 HRS COMBAT
ARTIFICER: HOUSE SHYEEL

the Manticore is among the most physically

every thunderous blow is transformed

Bolstering its formidable physical

strength is the myrmidon’s cyclone
 PHOENIX
retriBUtioN HeaVY mYrmidoN

In battle the Phoenix becomes a blazing embodiment of

PHoeNix
PHOENIX
SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
6 10 6 5 12 18 —
HALO CANNON
weapon of war, in particular one that would be worthy of RNG ROF AOE POW
the Dawnguard and stand as a clearly visible embodiment — 10 1 3 14

model can make additional OPEN FIST

larger Retribution military and has earned a reputation as a melee attacks after making POW P+S
L 3 13

The Phoenix was designed to deliver its arc node directly While THERMAL BLADE
its Field Generator system POW P+S
is crippled, this model R 7 17
loses the Phoenix Field
ability and cannot attack DAMAGE
1 2 3 4 5 6
The Phoenix has the durability and power to advance at
Remove
d6 damage points from
retaliation on any enemy foolish enough to try to intercept
after resolving continuous G G
of combat and can send a surge of energy to ignite the
L A A R
House Shyeel has created a formidable and elegantly HaLo caNNoN L L M C R R
M M C C
FIELD DAMAGE 10
FIELD ALLOWANCE U
oPeN Fist POINT COST 10
LARGE BASE
tHermaL BLade

HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 13´4 /6.5 TONS

ARMAMENT: THERMAL BLADE (RIGHT ARM), HALO CANNON (FIELD),
PHOENIX FIELD (FIELD), ARC NODE
PEAK OPERATIONAL DURATION: 2.25 HRS COMBAT
ARTIFICER: HOUSE SHYEEL

tacticaL tiPs
 DAWNGUARD INVICTORS
retriBUtioN UNit

of every major engagement where the Dawnguard are

LEADER & GRUNTS
SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
5 6 7 6 12 15 9
SWORD CANNON While
RNG ROF AOE POW this model is B2B with one
10 1 — 12 or more models in its unit, Invictors drill endlessly alongside the myrmidons, mastering
BLADE
POW P+S
4 10 commanders are sometimes awarded their own myrmidons
When this model makes
FIELD ALLOWANCE 2 a melee attack against an
enemy model within the
LEADER AND 5 GRUNTS 6
melee range of a friendly
LEADER AND 9 GRUNTS 10 model of the listed type,
SMALL BASE this model gains +2 to
attack rolls and gains an

Invictors make up the bulk of House Nyarr’s Dawnguard

When supported by the formidable Iosan myrmidons,

weapons as they close, invictors are ever ready to charge

into the ranks of the enemy and cut them down with the

Founded in the days of ancient Lyoss as an auxiliary

for the Dawnguard Sentinels and Destors, the
Invictors have slowly grown to become

weaponry and tactics evolved

over the centuries,
their role gradually

remain the premiere

shock troopers of
the Dawnguard,
but because invictors
are as deadly at range as

garrisoned exclusively by Invictor

72
DAWNGUARD INVICTOR OFFICER & STANDARD
retriBUtioN UNit attacHmeNt

who have endured long years of service under equally This OFFICER
attachment can be added SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
5 6 8 7 12 15 10
SWORD CANNON
oFFicer RNG ROF AOE POW
has sworn to live and die with his weapon at the ready and 10 1 — 12
has vowed that the successful completion of his orders will BLADE
While POW P+S
this model is B2B with one 4 10
These leaders measure success by the performance of or more models in its unit, STANDARD BEARER
their companies as a whole and care less about individual SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
5 6 7 6 12 15 9
game while in formation, OFFICER’S DAMAGE 5
applies both in success as well as failure, so the failures of this model can use FIELD ALLOWANCE 1
Extended Fire during its
POINT COST 2
glory while endangering their peers are shamed in the same SMALL BASE
activation, models in this

When this model makes a melee

attack against an enemy model within the melee range of
a friendly model of the listed type, this model gains +2 to

tacticaL tiPs
While this model is in play,

staNdard Bearer

While this model is B2B with one or more

All invictors are extensively drilled and trained to

take part in complex coordinated actions, and this is
particularly true of the veterans chosen to accompany

instinctively following every order passed down to

 DAWNGUARD SENTINELS
retriBUtioN UNit
Let our watch stand unbroken.

died to save the Lyossan refugees during the desert crossing

LEADER & GRUNTS
SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
with these heavily armored infantry who are chosen from the
5 6 7 4 12 15 9 While
GREAT SWORD this model is B2B with one
POW P+S or more models in its unit, They are trained and disciplined for decades to serve in battle
6 12
FIELD ALLOWANCE 2 have a keen sense of destiny and obligation to family and
LEADER AND 5 GRUNTS 6
LEADER AND 9 GRUNTS 9
SMALL BASE
themselves guardians of the ideals of the Dawnguard, and

Dawnguard Sentinels charge into the enemy as an the Sentinels of being obsessed with rituals and ceremony
when compared with the Invictors, but they consider
armored knights use their great swords expertly to carve
doctrine insists the safety of Ios requires readiness to march
Sentinels are resolute even in the face of overwhelming
Sentinels do not wait atop battlements for the enemy to

Dawnguard Sentinels view themselves as the timeless

ancient legacy dating back to their revered predecessors who

DAWNGUARD SENTINEL OFFICER & STANDARD
retriBUtioN UNit attacHmeNt
My soldiers are my blood. Every drop spilled shall be answered tenfold.

Sentinel captains are among the most disciplined and

dedicated of the Dawnguard, and they will commit any This OFFICER
attachment can be added SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
action that will bring honor and glory to the order and
5 6 8 4 12 15 10

most often chosen by heirs of House Nyarr’s bloodline, oFFicer GREAT SWORD
POW P+S
for it ensures that warriors of noble birth exemplify 6 12
While
STANDARD BEARER
this model is B2B with one SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
Educated from an early age, noble youths are steeped in or more models in its unit, 5 6 7 4 12 15 9

This
OFFICER’S DAMAGE 5
model can attempt to FIELD ALLOWANCE 1
lives become a constant repetition of practice, conditioning,
Drive each warjack POINT COST 2
under its control in its SMALL BASE

soldiery as an essential way of life, and from birth they are a warjack, this model must make a command check at any

While this model is in play, models in

one or more models in a unit with Vengeance were destroyed

or removed from play by enemy attacks during your

staNdard Bearer

While this model is B2B with one or more

tacticaL tiPs

Unshakable loyalty and devotion to core Dawnguard

aloft in imperishable metal the oaths by which they live as a

75
 DAWNGUARD DESTORS
retriBUtioN caVaLrY UNit

Destors are the elite cavalry of the Dawnguard and now of

LEADER & GRUNTS
SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
8 6 7 6 13 17 9 When this
model forfeits its movement they have penetrated the enemy line, the Destors wheel
LANCE CANNON
RNG ROF AOE POW to gain the aiming bonus
10 2 — 12 it can also make one
additional ranged attack
LANCE
POW P+S
7 13 While
engaging an enemy model,
MOUNT
POW
10 LaNce
This weapon can infantry, and the Destors have always been far fewer in
DAMAGE (EACH) 5
be used only to make
FIELD ALLOWANCE 1
LEADER AND 2 GRUNTS 7 model charges, this weapon
LEADER AND 4 GRUNTS 11 gains reach until the charge this life embrace their standing and work tirelessly to prove
LARGE BASE

tacticaL tiPs abilities, Destors are sent to cripple and destroy hard
targets among the enemy or to shatter crucial elements of

This is how the model gets to take the second shot

76
HOUSE SHYEEL BATTLE MAGES
retriBUtioN UNit
Force is not an abstract principle but a manifestation of our will.

While battle mages may arise from other houses, only House
LEADER & GRUNTS
GrUNts SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
assembled numerous squads of arcanists trained to wield – This model 6 7 6 4 13 12 9
gains +2 DEF against
ranged attack rolls and does
POWER GAUNTLETS
esoteric research into inconsequential magic theory in order POW P+S
4 11
are often as stern and direct as the magic they employ, and FIELD ALLOWANCE 2
– LEADER AND 5 GRUNTS 5
SMALL BASE
Battle mages practice a hybrid of the arcane and martial
enemy model hit by this
attack may be pushed d3 inches directly toward or away from

closing with the enemy, for they enter battle equipped with
massive arcanika-charged gauntlets that lend supernatural

– Immediately after a normal attack with this

weapon is resolved during this model’s combat action, the

House Shyeel has strategically deployed

these mages throughout the armies of
the Retribution to involve the house in

not content to wait in Ios while sending

mages represent Shyeel on the front lines where

they earn their share of glory and preserve house

toward House Shyeel becoming a Great Military

opened by public support for the Retribution

and the alliance with House Nyarr, these
battle mages may succeed and usher in a

tacticaL tiPs
The attacking model can advance even if the enemy

77
 HOUSEGUARD HALBERDIERS
retriBUtioN UNit

Houseguard forces have served in the defense of Ios since

LEADER & GRUNTS its foundation, and halberdiers in particular maintain an
SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
6 5 6 4 13 14 8 Friendly
Faction models can the hands of a fresh recruit, the halberd is a deadly weapon;
HALBERD the majority of the houseguard are career soldiers who
POW P+S ignore this model when
5 10
For
FIELD ALLOWANCE 3
halberdiers form a tide of rising and falling steel that can cut
LEADER AND 5 GRUNTS 4
LEADER AND 9 GRUNTS 7 bonus while B2B with
SMALL BASE
Because their numbers are drawn from disparate lesser
Iosan households, there are noticeable variances in the
uniforms and armor among the halberdiers, but their basic
armament remains consistent and is based on ancient
HaLBerd
the Retribution to engage in battle against the armies of
This model gains +2 to charge attack damage

companies, the army’s lifeblood, will endure heavy losses

charge, slam power attack, and impact attack rolls against

78
HOUSEGUARD HALBERDIER OFFICER & STANDARD
retriBUtioN UNit attacHmeNt
would annihilate our future.

This OFFICER
attachment can be added SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
who lead these companies see themselves as consummate
6 5 7 4 13 14 9

oFFicer HALBERD
POW P+S
5 10
have replaced safe routine with the uncertainties of war
STANDARD BEARER
While SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
is the chance to serve as they always intended, putting to this model is in play, after 6 5 6 4 13 14 8
all models in its unit have
completed their actions, OFFICER’S DAMAGE 5
is the incentive of playing a part in a cause they consider FIELD ALLOWANCE 1
POINT COST 2
Friendly
SMALL BASE
The companies brought into the Retribution military have Faction models can
ignore this model when

activation, models in this unit gain +2 to attack and damage

rolls when making a melee attack targeting an enemy model

tacticaL tiPs
staNdard Bearer
Remember this model can issue the Shield Wall order

HaLBerd

This model gains +2 to charge attack

charge, slam power attack, and impact attack rolls against

some companies remain tight-knit

groups with close kinship ties,
others comprise volunteers gathered
across several houses and placed
under a single strong and competent

will emerge for others to rise through the

forge their men into disciplined groups acting as

remembered as lasting heroes while others will

fall, their banners will faithfully be picked up

79
 HOUSEGUARD RIFLEMEN
retriBUtioN UNit
dozens of yards short of their positions.

number and are expected to serve as the long-reaching

LEADER & GRUNTS
SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
6 4 5 5 13 13 8 Friendly
LONG RIFLE Faction models can
RNG ROF AOE POW ignore this model when
14 1 — 10
the remaining soldiers being troops less costly to maintain,
SWORD
POW P+S
3 7 The collective defense companies is a considerable expense but one considered
of Ios has been a burden
FIELD ALLOWANCE 3
shouldered not solely by
LEADER AND 5 GRUNTS 5
LEADER AND 9 GRUNTS 8 the Five Great Military
SMALL BASE Houses but by every

element of this common

HOUSEGUARD RIFLEMAN OFFICER & STANDARD
RETRIBUTION UNIT ATTACHMENT
The key to victory is discipline and coordination. We must support each other as a single body,

Attachment [Houseguard
This OFFICER
attachment can be added SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
than the individual training of the men. Victory or defeat
to a unit of the type listed. 6 4 6 6 13 13 9
may rest on the smallest judgment calls, like the choice of
LONG RIFLE
a good piece of land upon which to situate the men. These OFFICER RNG ROF AOE POW
captains must be able to gauge the strength of the enemy Combined Ranged Attack 14 1 — 10
SWORD
most. They must be sure their actions work smoothly with POW P+S
the convoluted plans of mage hunters and the Dawnguard. While this model is in 3 7
play, models in its unit can STANDARD BEARER
make combined ranged SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
hunter bolts strike home on unsuspecting targets.
attacks targeting models 6 4 5 5 13 13 8
He keeps the impatience and the fears of in melee.
his men in check and their focus on OFFICER’S DAMAGE 5
Friendly FIELD ALLOWANCE 1
their targets so they will operate Faction models can POINT COST 2
like a well-oiled watch. ignore this model when
SMALL BASE
determining LOS.
This
activation, models in this unit gain an additional die on ranged

STANDARD BEARER
Standard Bearer
Friendly Faction models can ignore this
model when determining LOS.

TACTICAL TIPS
Do not ignore the target’s DEF bonus
when shooting into melee.

it does not replace a grunt in its unit. Instead the unit leader
becomes the unit commander.

career soldiers know better than anyone the

pressure they can bring to bear with a few

steady in the face of incoming enemies,

waiting until the last moment and thereby
increasing the deadly impact of every
shot.

81
 MAGE HUNTER STRIKE FORCE
retriBUtioN UNit
We will do what must be done, whatever the price.

LEADER & GRUNTS

SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
6 5 6 6 14 11 9
as much as knowledge passed down from their predecessors,
CROSSBOW
RNG ROF AOE POW
these strike teams learn to disable mechanikal systems with
– When
12 1 — 10
making attacks, ignore
SABER focus points overboosting Initial training and drills at the Syvash Stronghold only
POW P+S the target’s Power Field
4 9 take aspiring recruits so far, and they are not counted as full
hunters until they go forth to join strike teams in one of the
FIELD ALLOWANCE 2
LEADER AND 5 GRUNTS 5 – This model
gains an additional die to its unforgiving environment their skills are put to the test on
LEADER AND 9 GRUNTS 8
SMALL BASE melee and ranged damage
never last long while those who remain are hardened by

Mage hunters constitute the traditional core of the

does failure bring personal shame, but it also represents

proper mix of dedication, raw talent, and hunter’s instinct to

hunters are expected to function in circumstances regular

soldiers rarely have to face, such as surviving hand-to-
mouth deep in enemy territory while isolated from friendly

scavenge and improvise, and to kill without a moment’s

82
MAGE HUNTER STRIKE FORCE COMMANDER
retriBUtioN UNit attacHmeNt

Senior operatives in the organization watch the performance

This COMMANDER
attachment can be added SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
6 5 7 7 14 11 9
CROSSBOW
Though all mage hunters are prized as deadly killers, those commaNder RNG ROF AOE POW
with the instincts for leadership prove most valuable in the 12 1 — 10
SABER
with the lives of dozens of mage hunters or given oversight POW P+S
4 9
DAMAGE 5
Veteran teams led by these senior commanders are well When
making attacks, ignore FIELD ALLOWANCE 1
focus points overboosting POINT COST 2
They plan every operation down to the last detail, SMALL BASE
the target’s Power Field
utilizing surveillance and espionage to evaluate the enemy

This model gains an additional die to its

in the aftermath of such attacks are often bewildered Models in this unit gain

Models in this unit gain Phantom

alongside other soldiers in the Retribution military, these
teams apply similar methods to erase vital targets before

tacticaL tiPs

By necessity commanders operating outside Ios cannot

frequently contact Retribution leadership and must be ready
to act autonomously in carrying forward the goals of

subordinates, including the inevitable necessity

of weighing the priorities of the mission against
 STORMFALL ARCHERS
retriBUtioN UNit

Stormfall archers are walking artillery batteries that can

LEADER & GRUNTS
SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
– Each time
5 4 5 5 13 13 8 this model makes a normal
ranged attack, choose one
GREAT BOW of the following abilities:
RNG ROF AOE POW
12 1 3 12 – Gain an
additional die on the
SWORD damage roll against a
POW P+S
3 7
– This attack gains
FIELD ALLOWANCE 2
LEADER AND 3 GRUNTS 5 The Stormfall archers originated with House Rhyslyrr,
SMALL BASE – This attack but their techniques quickly spread and were adopted

on a direct hit models in

have joined other elements of the houseguard to march

to be overheard discussing angles of projected descent and

tacticaL tiPs calculating the best attack vector rather than debating the
plight of Scyrah, but this does not mean many of them lack
 SOULLESS ESCORT

This ESCORT
attachment can be added SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
6 6 5 3 13 12 10
endeavor to train these unfortunates as soldiers, not every
SWORD
escort POW P+S
another function since their unique state allows them to 3 9
Enemy upkeep spells on
this model and/or its unit FIELD ALLOWANCE 3
1 ESCORT 1
UP TO 2 ADDITIONAL ESCORTS 1EA
Heart and lungs burst from the hostile energy pouring into When this SMALL BASE
model makes a melee
attack against an enemy model within the melee range of
Making use of soulless in this fashion is a relatively new and a friendly model of the listed type, this model gains +2 to

midwives and priests from the Fane of Scyrah have smuggled While this model is in formation, enemy magic

youths are then raised and trained at a sealed enclave on the This model does not generate a soul token when it
outskirts of Iryss where they learn to handle weapons and
This model does not gain the abilities of the unit
motivation makes many of them lackluster warriors

tacticaL tiPs
Tactics is one of the unit abilities this model

the favored uses of these individuals is

to exploit their ability to interfere with

almost as lightning rods to preserve the

lives of others in the Retribution from

The units to whom these escorts are

attached do not take well to a soulless

Some are treated like pack animals and

85
 ARCANIST
retriBUtioN soLo

producing myrmidons has its own techniques, standards,

arcaNist
ARCANIST
SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
6 5 5 4 13 12 8
Every arcanist is answerable to his mentor or another
MULTI TOOL the warjack is in range, it
POW P+S
gains +2 on melee damage
3 8
FIELD ALLOWANCE 2 far removed from house politics, and they are rarely
POINT COST 1
SMALL BASE
target warjack is in range

This model can attempt repairs on any

model must be B2B with the damaged warjack and make a

tacticaL tiPs

Even the most masterfully crafted myrmidon requires

repair and support, particularly after the rigors of

rugged pieces of military hardware, but direct hits

seasoned mechanics with a broad working

knowledge of arcanika that allows them to piece
together shattered and broken hardware to get

Their expertise allows them to lend subtle arcane

Arcanists require a degree of bravery and grit to

maintain their focus in the chaos of battle while
myrmidons under their charge are hammered with

have a more intimate working knowledge of how

pry open a dented access panel and replace a shattered

Most arcanists in the employ of the Retribution are

86
DAWNGUARD DESTOR THANE
retriBUtioN caVaLrY soLo
Once we commit to this action there can be no hesitation or withdrawal. We will crush
the enemy under our hooves or we will fall.

Each destor thane is a stalwart veteran of the Dawnguard

tHaNe
THANE
SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
entrusted to oversee the perfect execution of battle
8 7 8 7 13 17 10
plans involving multiple captains and their respective
While LANCE CANNON
engaging an enemy model, RNG ROF AOE POW
10 1 — 12

This model can LANCE

make melee and ranged POW P+S
or charge to obliterate their enemies with the weight of attacks during the same 7 14
MOUNT
model makes its initial POW
In the civil war against House Vyre these expert cavalry attacks, it can make both 10
its initial ranged and
DAMAGE 10
outside Iryss, and many of those veterans have gone on FIELD ALLOWANCE 2
LaNce caNNoN
POINT COST 4
Warcasters rely heavily upon the thanes not only for their LARGE BASE
Make an attack with this
martial prowess but also for their proven leadership and
resolving the attack this model can immediately make one
additional attack with this weapon targeting the last model

LaNce
This weapon can be used only to make charge

Many officers among the destors believe

the true potential of heavy cavalry has

support infantry offensives, these officers

await the chance to prove their value on

For years the only true threat to an Iosan

opportunity for innovative officers to

prove their mettle against unpredictable

embrace the opportunities for battle

afforded them by the Retribution, and
they are eager to test their theories against

tacticaL tiPs
Additional attacks against targets beyond this weapon’s range

87
 DAWNGUARD SCYIR
retriBUtioN soLo
would be happier without the added burden.

scYir
SCYIR
SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
only are they personally formidable, but scyirs must also
6 6 8 4 13 15 10
simultaneously direct both myrmidons and all branches of
GREAT SWORD This
POW P+S model and myrmidons it
6 12 controls can ignore friendly
DAMAGE 5 Dawnguard models when the recent past scyirs enjoyed unquestioned authority and
FIELD ALLOWANCE 2
advance through friendly
POINT COST 2 Dawnguard models if they That role has shifted since House Nyarr joined the
SMALL BASE have enough movement to
move completely past the

This model can attempt to Drive each warjack

scyirs who will succeed in the Retribution will be those
this model must make a command check at any time during who can earn the genuine respect of their peers rather than

When this model makes a melee

attack against an enemy model within the melee range of
a friendly model of the listed type, this model gains +2 to

While B2B with a friendly Faction warjack, this

military tradition, those at the highest echelons who

be worthy of this stature, scyirs must prove

above captains and thanes, scyirs may

be tasked to lead task forces of mixed

than politics there is no

need to aspire to higher

represent the pinnacle

of Dawnguard martial
coordination and are
allowed to focus all
their energy on these
tasks and avoid the petty
distractions of logistics
and politics that occupy

88
 HOUSE SHYEEL MAGISTER
retriBUtioN BattLe maGe soLo

Battle mage magisters demonstrate even greater control over

maGister
the evocation of raw force than their subordinates as they This model
MAGISTER
SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
gains +2 DEF against 6 7 7 4 13 12 9
a simple exertion of mental strength they manipulate invisible ranged attack rolls and does
POWER GAUNTLET
energies to tear an enemy limb from limb or to haul massive POW P+S
4 11
to close to engage them directly are often surprised to discover •
DAMAGE 5
that the massive arcanika gauntlets they wear serve not only FIELD ALLOWANCE 2
as conduits for their powers but also as formidable weapons POINT COST 2
An enemy model hit by
this attack can be pushed SMALL BASE

Magisters are unforgiving of failure and impatient with

their allies they are treated like forces of nature that must
be appeased and entreated and are capable of unleashing

Immediately after a normal attack with this

weapon is resolved during this model’s combat action, the

instead of making a normal damage roll, the target model

Magisters often convey secret instructions and

contingencies from house leaders, and thus

a personal visit from these formidable mages

tacticaL tiPs
The attacking model can advance even if the enemy

Remember, the slammed model is moved only

half the distance rolled if it has a larger base than the slamming

89
 MAGE HUNTER ASSASSIN
retriBUtioN soLo
who are eminently skilled in this task.

This cult vanished along with the city of Shaelvas, but its
assassiN
ASSASSIN practices were carried on by a few, and they eventually
SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
joined the Retribution and dedicated their lives to avenging
7 5 7 4 15 12 9
CHAIN BLADE of the mage hunters who maintain their unique martial
POW P+S
– When
4 9
making attacks, ignore
DAMAGE 5 focus points overboosting
the target’s Power Field slow, for their chain blades are tricky to master and require
FIELDS ALLOWANCE 2
POINT COST 2
SMALL BASE

cHaiN BLade

This attack ignores the Buckler and

Damage exceeding the ARM of the

Mage hunter assassins are practiced killers with

unfortunate enough to be selected as their

can bring down even the mighty warcasters

hunter assassin successful closes with her enemy,

The Retribution seems to be a cohesive sect, but it

is really the amalgam of several ancient cults brought

these groups was a cult of warrior-monks who mastered

klyvenesh
This cult served as secretive guardians of the Fane of

made infrequent use of these assassins to eliminate

 GHOST SNIPER
retriBUtioN soLo

Ghost snipers are specialized and secretive hunter-killers

GHost sNiPer
employed ostensibly to help patrol the borders by bringing GHOST SNIPER
SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
6 4 4 7 14 11 8
This model ARCANE CANNON
gains an additional +2 RNG ROF AOE POW
cold killers are sometimes engaged to eliminate Iosans who 14 1 — 10
SWORD
When POW P+S
this model destroys an 3 7
enemy model with a DAMAGE 5
Ghosts do not function as a single cohesive organization but normal ranged attack, FIELD ALLOWANCE 2
rather as a group of individuals focused on the same skills immediately after the
POINT COST 2
attack is resolved it can
SMALL BASE

arcaNe caNNoN
Instead of rolling damage, a model

tacticaL tiPs
If a model ignores concealment or cover, it also

never been openly discussed, any of these nobles can call on

ghosts for escort protection and have limited rights to assign

to supplement regular military

protection, sometimes without

the soldiers being aware of their

When Houses Nyarr and Shyeel allied with the

Retribution and began mustering the houseguard, a number

already sympathetic to the Retribution while others simply

Whatever their reasons, these killers have chosen to sight

 EIRYSS, MAGE HUNTER OF IOS
merceNarY cHaracter soLo

EIRYSS
This model tacticaL tiPs
SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD Just as with Disruption, Disruptor Bolt does
7 4 6 9 16 12 9
CROSSBOW eirYss
RNG ROF AOE POW
12 1 — 10
BAYONET If a model ignores concealment or cover, it also
POW P+S
2 6
SABER Each time
POW P+S
this model makes a normal
3 7
ranged attack, choose one He saw in her not only formidable martial prowess, but
DAMAGE 5 of the following abilities:
FIELD ALLOWANCE C – Instead of of this assessment when she was sent to join a covert cell
POINT COST 3 rolling damage, a model
SMALL BASE
When damaging a warjack members of her team, achieving mission objectives alone
or warbeast, choose which
attention of Narn, who took her under his charge and

to be a worthy disciple and went on to belong among the

with the Focus Manipulation special rule does not replenish

After several years at such work Eiryss found the limits of

had gained a comprehensive awareness of the broad

capabilities of the human kingdom militaries, they had
– When included in a Retribution army,
limited access to information regarding the allocation of

– When this model ends its

learn from the outside, and as Iosans they could never

Eiryss is unusual not for the kills she has accumulated,

to intelligence gathering, developing her signature
although there are many, nor for her skill, which is
methodology of hiring her services to the enemy in order

Most Retribution operatives could never stomach even

brief interactions with their enemy outside of what might
Voices of the Retribution have been amazed at her ongoing
success, as Eiryss has proven her genius by accomplishing
adopted the guise of a mercenary, selling her services to

winning trust and betraying her employers has prompted

selling her services to one army after another in order to
both respect and incomprehension from her peers within
gain the chance to kill enemy wizards as well as to learn

although Eiryss has remained in contact with Retribution

cells abroad, through which she provides information

92
The vital intelligence she has sent via these channels to Eiryss has helped unearth a wealth of information on
Retribution commanders operating in Ios and abroad
has allowed them to conduct operations that would
comprehensive portrait of the armies of their enemies, and
carefully managed her activities to divert suspicion of her
former employers even as they were struck down by the Meanwhile Eiryss still moves freely among her enemy, a

accustomed to dealing fast and loose with mercenaries and

often neglect detailed records of such arrangements, a fact
 EIRYSS, ANGEL OF RETRIBUTION
merceNarY ePic maGe HUNter cHaracter soLo
We are the blades of retribution. The time has come to mete punishments so terrible

This model
EIRYSS
tacticaL tiPs
SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD If a model ignores concealment or cover, it also
7 4 6 9 16 12 9
CROSSBOW
RNG ROF AOE POW
eirYss
up in events that culminated in a direct confrontation with
12 1 — 10
Goreshade, the eldritch who had once been Ghyrrshyld,
SABER
POW P+S
3 7

BAYONET
POW P+S
When this model hits creature had felt compelled to explain his actions in a vain
2 6 another model with an
DAMAGE 5 attack, upkeep spells and
animi on the model hit doing so he had revealed his deranged plan to murder not
FIELD ALLOWANCE C
expire and it loses the just Nyssor but Scyrah as well, as part of a mad scheme to
POINT COST 3
SMALL BASE this model hits a warjack
with an attack, that warjack Eiryss ignored her wounds to return to the scene of
Goreshade’s blasphemy and witnessed Nyssor’s frozen vault
focus points and cannot be allocated focus or channel spells

the pursuit, she proved her worth by returning to Ios to relate

This model gains an additional +2 DEF when
a tale that would shock and electrify citizens across the elven
When included in a Retribution army,
Eiryss sees herself as simply another soldier in the cause
When damaging a warjack or warbeast with a
pragmatic attitude, she has served as a rallying point for

in a combined ranged attack loses Sniper until the attack is idealistic recruits, the legend of Eiryss has assumed almost

model, non-myrmidon warjacks cannot channel spells or be Eiryss ignores this adoration to focus on her ongoing

When an enemy model misses this model with a

magic attack, the attacking model becomes the target and is The intricate dance she conducts of hiring her services to

The Retribution’s march to war only escalates her risk, and

pushes her to work harder to pave the way for the success
For years Eiryss has swallowed her hatred of humanity and
hunted spellcasters on the battlegrounds of mankind, and the death of the Iosan gods, so long as human wizards

entirely embraced by her peers, her fellow mage hunters urged by Retribution leaders to resume her work and even
nonetheless see Eiryss as an anointed angel of wrath who to increase her contact with warcasters serving in the human

She became something more after the pivotal events in impossible to replicate by other means and should give the
95
 FANE KNIGHT SKERYTH ISSYEN
retriBUtioN draGooN cHaracter soLo

as he learned of the deeper depravities conducted by High

skerYtH issYeN
SKERYTH ISSYEN While mounted,
SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
this model has base SPD 8 out against his house, perhaps from some small, retained
8/6 7 8 4 13 17/15 9
sense of family obligation, but he immediately sought
NEEDLE OF LACYR dismounted, it has base membership with the knighthood sworn to serve the Fane
POW P+S
6 13
This model
MOUNT can make one additional
POW melee attack each combat Skeryth found a new home among his brothers and sisters
10

MOUNTED DAMAGE 10 When

DISMOUNTED DAMAGE 5 one or more friendly
FIELD ALLOWANCE C Faction warrior models
POINT COST 5 are destroyed by an enemy vigil over the goddess in her chambers, the highest honor a
LARGE BASE MOUNTED attack while in this model’s
command range, this
SMALL BASE DISMOUNTED
model gains +2 STR and The longer Skeryth spent in the Presence, the deeper grew

NeedLe oF LacYr

receptive when Ravyn, the Eternal Light of the Retribution,

– When making an attack with this weapon, ignore

Not willing to abandon his order entirely, Skeryth remains

They have vowed to protect both the fane and the goddess believed his presence near Retribution forces would be an
advantage to the fane in days to come, and he convinced his
presence of Scyrah, Skeryth Issyen looked upon her perfect superiors to allow him to march alongside the Retribution
divine beauty with his own eyes and each day felt agony
surrender such a precious and privileged post to choose this

Though he is a blood noble of one of the Five Great Military

Houses of Ios, Skeryth forsook all family ties to join the battle and increasingly rests his hopes on the Retribution’s

Issyen are not widely known but are rooted in secrets dating
at fault for Scyrah’s woes, Skeryth at last has a tangible

his house were involved in reprehensible agreements and

Skeryth knows he may never see Scyrah again but accepts

that guaranteed House Issyen its position regardless of the

intends to exact a terrible vengeance on those responsible

96
While Skeryth’s life has been spent preparing for battle, he be a trial for the fane knight, challenging both his piety and

be capable of true ruthlessness against the Retribution’s a dark path away from the solemn grace of the goddess for

97
 NAYL
retriBUtioN maGe HUNter soULLess cHaracter soLo

The aspects of a soulless that make them useful can also

NaYL
NAYL
SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
example, but this literal adherence to instruction imposes
7 7 7 3 13 12 10
TWO-HANDED SWORD Retribution commanders have struggled with this dilemma
POW P+S
6 13
When this model is
DAMAGE 5 destroyed by an enemy
FIELD ALLOWANCE C has demonstrated an ability to learn and adapt that is often
POINT COST 2 of it lose their focus and
SMALL BASE fury points and cannot cast
spells, channel, or use their
Standing at rest Nayl seems blank and empty, yet a blade
in his hand moves almost with a will of its own, as though
This model does not generate a soul token when it

Nayl has been honed to be a living weapon from the time his

in his work and kills as instructed without registering any

tacticaL tiPs He spends hours in silent practice and constantly seeks out
This model is shielded from friendly and enemy sparring partners among mage hunters who inevitably tire

Exploiting qualities in the soulless that interfere with

Nayl is a walking paradox, an Iosan who might have been
killed at birth and who lives only by the intervention of
extensive mental conditioning to ensure that his death in
apart from his people, an uncomfortable reminder of the
It was generally expected he would have served this role
will be expended without regret and none will mourn his and perished years ago, and it is a testament to his skills

now intend to make considerable use of him as a killing

nothing about his birth parents, and his only family has

The legendary mage hunter and warcaster Garryth, Blade

of Retribution, has frequently utilized Nayl in operations

coolly with unmistakable black eyes, his voice devoid of

normal facial expressions, it is more unsettling than

he obeys the complex codes of behavior instilled in him since

He demonstrates cunning, a certain curiosity about the childhood by the Retribution of Scyrah, codes by which he

These combine to create the shadow of a personality, albeit fellow Iosans and ends the lives of their enemies, showing no
recognizable as such only to those who have had lengthy

98
99
 NARN, MAGE HUNTER OF IOS
retriBUtioN cHaracter soLo

NarN
NARN choice of operations and favors serving as a lone assassin
SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
7 7 8 6 15 13 9
commanding others, he prefers to plan his own operations
CROSSBOW
RNG ROF AOE POW
12 1 — 10
This model
SABER can advance through
POW P+S When Narn chooses to participate in broader Retribution
other models if it has
4 11 operations it is often a sign of the dire importance of the
enough movement to
DAMAGE 5 move completely past
FIELD ALLOWANCE C where he is most needed, often transforming what would
POINT COST 3 cannot be targeted by free
SMALL BASE
intervening models when

When making attacks, ignore focus points

have met their end by his blades in recent months, as have

At the end of this model’s activation, if it destroyed

one or more enemy models with melee attacks this activation an interest in the goals of Winter’s Hammer and has been

saBer Even those who have apprenticed under him describe

and prefers to communicate by accenting his few words

While his name is largely unknown outside the Retribution,

within their ranks Narn is held in legendary esteem for his have dulled with the weight of age, only he is capable of

full attack from a resting position with no warning, wielding

active mage hunters, he has single-handedly eliminated his blades with such skill that he gives his enemy no chance
more targets than any other agent except possibly Eiryss,

Eiryss is one of the few individuals with whom Narn shares

lasting testament to Narn’s life’s work is the fact that for a
any of his thoughts, and she has never been one to divulge
hundred years he has had a hand in training many of the

sometimes seen working together in comfortable mutual

He does not consider himself an instructor, and he has

become a mentor to those mage hunters who have already

assassins reach the limit of their capabilities Narn steps in

to shatter any habits he considers detrimental and to mold
them, sometimes by ruthlessly harsh methods, into more
 RETRIBUTION OF SCYRAH
PAINTING GUIDE

IOSAN FLESH

1 2 3
Basecoat the flesh with an equal Shade the lines and recesses of the Mix Battledress Green with some
mixture of Ryn Flesh and Menoth face by adding Sanguine Highlight more of the base color and some
White Base. and a dot of Mixing Medium to the Mixing Medium. Apply another thin
base color and applying thin coats shade using this color.
of shadow.

4 5 6
Refine the expression by applying Highlight by adding Menoth White Finally, apply Menoth White
thin lines of Sanguine Highlight Highlight to the base mixture and Highlight to the tips of the ears,
mixed with Battledress Green to applying it to the raised areas of nose, and brow and to the top of
key parts of the face. the face. bald heads.

102
 PAINTING GUIDE

WHITE ARMOR

1 2 3 4
Basecoat the armor in Add Cryx Bane Highlight and Mix small amounts of Thin Morrow White with
Morrow White mixed a drop of Mixing Medium to Greatcoat Grey, Exile Blue, Mixing Medium and water
with a couple of drops of the base color and apply it and Thamar Black to the and apply it to the armor
Underbelly Blue. as shading. previous color and apply it plates as a highlight.
as the final shading.

AQUA GLOW

103
 PAINTING GUIDE

KHAKI DRAB

1 2 3 4 5
Basecoat the area For your first layer of Mix equal parts Begin highlighting with Add Underbelly Blue
using Battledress shadows, mix Sanguine Sanguine Base and a mix of Battledress to the mixture from
Green. A few thin Base with the base Umbral Umber for the Green and Rucksack the previous step
coats should produce color. The continued final shading. Tan. and apply it as a final
solid coverage. use of Sanguine Base highlight.
unifies the color
palette.

OLIVE DRAB

1 2 3 4 5
Basecoat the pouch Mix equal parts Mix Battlefield Brown Return to your Mix Frostbite with
with an equal mixture Cryx Bane Base and with Coal Black and base color and add the previous highlight
of Ordic Olive and Battlefield Brown apply it in a series Rucksack Tan to the mixture and apply it as
Cryx Bane Base. for the first layer of of lines to shade and mixture. Use this the final highlight.
shading. define the pouch. color to highlight the
pouches.

104
 PAINTING GUIDE

MILITARY GREEN

1 2 3
The basecoat color for this military Add Cryx Bane Base to the base For the next shade layer add
green is an equal mixture of color for the first layer of shading. Sanguine Base to the paint mixture
Traitor Green and Trollblood Base. from the previous step. Aim for a
A couple of thin layers should give color that is slightly more red than
you solid coverage. green.

4 5
The first highlight stage uses a For the final highlights, add
mixture of the base color and Underbelly Blue to the mixture from
Midlund Flesh. The warmth of the previous step. Apply this mixture
the flesh tone contributes to an to the raised folds and trim of the
interesting and unique green. clothing.

105
 PAINTING GUIDE

SHINY TURQUOISE METAL

1
For the basecoat use three drops of Radiant Platinum mixed 4
with one drop of Blue Ink, one drop of Turquoise Ink, and To smooth the transition of color, mix a glaze of three parts
three drops of Armor Wash. Turquoise Ink, one part Blue Ink, one part Armor Wash,
and eight parts water and apply it to the surface.

2
Use a mixture of Blue Ink, Turquoise Ink, and Armor Wash
for the shading.

3 5
Apply highlights by reclaiming areas covered by the shading Apply Quick Silver to the edges of the blade to give the
with Radiant Platinum. impression of light glinting off polished metal.

DARK PURPLE METAL

1 2 3
Start with a basecoat mixture of three Shade the metal with a mix of two Apply Cold Steel as a highlight to the
drops of Pig Iron, two drops of Red drops of Blue Ink, one drop of Red Ink, edges and raised areas.
Ink, and one drop of Blue Ink. three drops of Armor Wash, and a small
amount of Thamar Black.

106
 PAINTING GUIDE

GREY LEATHER

1 2 3
Start with a basecoat of Greatcoat Add Sanguine Base and Umbral Use a mixture of Sanguine Base,
Grey. Umber to the basecoat and apply Umbral Umber, and Coal Black for
some thin shadow layers. the crevices between bands and
deep shadows.

4 5
Use Greatcoat Grey mixed with Add Frostbite to the previous mix
Cryx Bane Highlight for the first and use the resulting color to
highlight stage. define the final highlights.

107
 PAINTING GUIDE

PLATINUM BLONDE HAIR

1 2 3 4
Apply a solid basecoat of Add some Turquoise Ink to the Apply a second shade of Bastion Lastly, apply highlights to
Menoth White Base mixed with basecoat mixture and apply it Grey to separate the strands of the ridges of the hair using a
Trollblood Highlight to achieve as a shade to the hair. hair and add depth. mixture of the basecoat color
a yellowish grey. and Menoth White Highlight.

BROWN-PURPLE FADE

1 2 3 4
Apply a simple basecoat of Gun Apply a mixture of Beaten Use a mixture of Beaten Purple Lastly mix together equal parts
Corps Brown. Purple and Bootstrap Leather and Coal Black as the second Gun Corps Brown, Rucksack
to the recesses of the hair for shade on the tips of the hair. Tan, and Ember Orange. Use the
the first shade. resulting color to highlight the
roots of the hair.

108
 PAINTING GUIDE

ELECTRIC BLUE HAIR

1 2 3 4
Mix Menoth White Base with Next apply Turquoise Ink to Deepen the shadows and accent Darken the hair tips with a
Sulfuric Yellow and apply a the recesses of the hair so the the shape of the hairstyle by glaze mixture of Thamar Black,
solid basecoat to the entire strands visually separate from adding a second shade with Turquoise Ink, Blue Ink, Mixing
head of hair. one another. Blue Ink. Medium, and water.

GREY-MAGENTA FADE

1 2 3 4
The basecoat for this color Shade the recesses of the Shade the tips of the hair using Apply highlights using a mixture
fade is a mixture of Trollblood hair with a mixture of equal a mixture of Greatcoat Grey of equal parts Trollblood
Highlight and Carnal Pink. parts Beast Hide, Murderous and Murderous Magenta. Highlight, Menoth White
Magenta, and Bastion Grey. Highlight, and Moldy Ochre.

109
 RETRIBUTION
GALLERY

DAWNLORD VYROS
Warcaster

KAELYSSA, NIGHT'S WHISPER

Warcaster

ADEPTIS RAHN
Warcaster

110
 GALLERY

RAVYN, ETERNAL LIGHT

Warcaster

GARRYTH, BLADE OF RETRIBUTION

Warcaster

111
 GALLERY

CHIMERA NAYL
Light Myrmidon Solo

112
 GALLERY

ARCANIST HYDRA
Solo Heavy Myrmidon

DAWNGUARD INVICTORS
Unit

SOULLESS ESCORT MANTICORE

Unit Attachment Heavy Myrmidon

113
 GALLERY

DAWNGUARD SENTINELS
Unit

GRIFFON MAGE HUNTER COMMANDER

Light Myrmidon Unit Attachment

MAGE HUNTER STRIKE FORCE

Unit

114
 GALLERY

GORGON MAGE HUNTER ASSASSIN

Light Myrmidon Solo

EIRYSS, EIRYSS,
MAGE HUNTER OF IOS ANGEL OF RETRIBUTION
Solo Epic Solo

PHOENIX
Heavy Myrmidon

115
 GALLERY

HOUSE SHYEEL BATTLE MAGES

Unit

NARN, GHOST SNIPER HOUSE SHYEEL

MAGE HUNTER OF IOS Solo MAGISTER
Solo Solo

116