The Ironboot Report

IRONFORGE ARCHIVES 15.252938. BCD612 COL ANGST N IRONBOOT DG HILLSBRAD FOR EYES ONLY

*you are looking at a large heap of papers, all with Mountaineers' Third Brigade stamps on them, tied into a red folder*

Introduction
This report has been written in order to inform the honorable Alliance Council on the full timeline and events that happened during the Duskwood Operation, as well as forward our hypothesises on the reason of the current state of the region.

Due to a shocking number of the undead encountered the operation was called Operation Undertaker.

Plan and preparations
The operation started on 12th November, as agreed by the Alliance Council. According to the plan devised by Colonel Angst Ironboot, the task force was to deploy at three strategic points of the region - the town of Darkshire, the crossing of the road to Stranglethorn, and the abandoned town of Raven Hill. Patrols between the posts were to be held on hourly basis.

The Taskforce, sanctioned by the Council, included Mountaineers, members of Redemptio Coronae, Silver Sun, State of Stormwind, Starlight and Stormwind Academy, as well as a number of non-affiliated indivudiuals. However, we do feel obliged to note that the level of participation of other groups was lowering with every day to leave the Mountaineers alone at their posts on the last day of the operation.

12th of November
On 12th November the taskforce deployed around Duskwood region. The agenda of the first day was to secure the previously arranged posts, make notes of the civilian population to be evacuated and find out the approximate number of the undead opposition.

It soon became clear that the situation was far worse than previously expected. A patrol around the region showed almost total absense of any civilian population. Only two farms of Duskwood, not counting the Darkshire ones, were found to be inhabited. The scales of the undead infestation were catastrophic. During the day, two armed people, a human and an elf, were arrested, checked thoroughly and evacuated with their weapons confiscated.

The Stormwind Academy members - sir Loxley and lady Belgarde attempted to re-sanctify the Tranquil Gardens Cemetery. The measures taken against the undead, however were only temporary - there were just way too many corpses to rise from the graves.

The Roland's Doom Mine was attacked by the Taskforce as well, resulting in a successful explosion of a Seaforium charge, which blocked the entrance. Unfortunately, the worgen occupying the region soon got the upper hand and made the Taskforce members retreat back to the Darkshire Post.

Two attacks by unknown bandits have been suffered, one resulting in a death of Mountaineer second Kzhom Steelgrab. Six Taskforce members have been lightly injured and received proper medical attention right away.

13th of November
On 13th November, the agenda remained the same: to evacuate all the civilians and explore the region. The Taskforce evacuated six farmers from the manor found on 12th of November. One goblin was evacuated from Raven Hill, his alchemical reagents siezed. Later in the evening, one of the patrols arrested two humans for trespassing despite being warned otherwise and moved them to Raven Hill, to Viscount Ebonhart's manor, which was used as a temporary headquarters of Western Taskforce Section. Around seven o'clock in the evening, the house was attacked by two cloaked figures, one of gnomish height, and another identified as Ashana Nightwind, the Embraced. Following a prolonged struggle, the Embraced freed the arrested, inflicting serious injuries to Captain Eitri Flareaxe of the Mountaineers Third and Nouala Ravenwind of Redemptio Coronae, as well as damaging the house with explosives beyond any possibilities of repair. Quick investigation did not show any results.

14th of November
The next day started rather well, with joint forces of Mountaineers and the State of Stormwind clearing out the road to Stranglethorn from the ogres' encroachment. Two more civilians have been evacuated.

Around five o'clock in the evening, an explosive device went off at the river separating Duskwood from Westfall, which killed one Night Watch vigilante and injured three.

The Mountaineers arrived at the place in an hour, led by Colonel Ironboot carrying a The DeepDive MK suit (Mountaineers' Third Engineering Department product, an armored underwater suit on elemental fire drive).

Leading the investigation himself, the Colonel made three hour-long dives, which were interrupted by the attack of an uknown warlock, presumably Forsaken. The warlock found good use of Ironboot being the only person in the water and, sending a shadowbolt in his direction, quickly left.

Colonel Angst Ironboot, being seriously injured (according to Professor Berdrin Stormspanner, the whole right side of the body from head to hip was burnt and several ribs were broken by the twisted metal of the armor suit), was brought to Raven Hill, where Professor Berdrin operated him. The life of Colonel Ironboot is currently not in danger anymore, however the overall weakness of his opened the question of the Taskforce leadership pending. In his absense, Lt.Col Bellis Monroe took charge.

15th of November
On 15th November, two squads of the Taskforce were sent to explore the borders with Westfall at the west and Deadwind Pass at the east.

The first squad found a number of undead drones at the tower on the other bank of the Westfall river, and having received permission to storm the tower, quickly gained control of it. Suspicious alchemic reagents were found in the laboratory at the top floor of the tower, as well as an unidentified corpse of a gnome wearing both a Defias mask and the tabard of the Alliance Army. The corpse couldn't have been evacuated due to it being smashed in the floor.

The second squad found two undead suspects at the tower to the east, at the start of the Deadwind Pass. One of them was shot, whether the other escaped into the shadows. The undead was identified as a member of the Undercity alchemist, which clearly showed his allegiance with the Forsaken. Scrolls with scribblings in an uknown language were found and destroyed at the spot.

The 16th of November
The destruction of the captured tower in Westfall, ordered by Colonel Ironboot failed due to the quartermaster of the operation, trader Brendo Fizwidget going missing. Thus, the taskforce was ordered to search for any traces of the caravan. Unfortunately, nothing was found. In addition, Defias bandits were spotted in one of the farms on the outskirts of the region. During a short confrontation, three Defias were killed, one unaffiliated member of the Taskforce dying in the crossfire.

The 17th of November
Operation continued as arranged, with a patrol exploring the region in search of the missing quartermaster. About noon, the Westfall tower had to be abandonded under the pressing of the Defias. Increased worgen activity was found on the hills overlooking Raven Hill, and on the Rotting Orchard. One trespasser was arrested and forcibly evacuated.

The 18th of November
On Sunday, the search for the caravan finally gave results: a broken cart was found near the road to Raven Hill Cemetery. Close inspection of the cart showed heavy damage to it, as well as absense of Mr.Fizwidget and the cargo. The expedition of four Mountaineers was sent beyond the tower post to Deadwind Pass. During the counter-attack on the worgen camps in the hills, two members of the Taskforce went missing.

The 19th of November
The search for the supplier continued with Mountaineer detachment using a Madmagmak 3000 device to scan the earth around the found cart. The analysis showed extraordinary large hollow in the earth, which started somewhere around the cript. The Mountaineers Third group infiltrated the crypt and found it desecrated and reconstructed. Entering one particularly large hall, the taskforce members were ambushed by a band of ghouls, a couple of undead warlocks (Forsaken, due to the symbols of Sylvanas found on the robes) and Dark Embrace Cultists. Mountaineers had to retreat from the crypt after having lost three soldiers to the shadowbolts, and ended up being surrounded in the Raven Hill tavern. Giving a last stand there, they managed to wipe out the cultists, and free the crypt in a successful counter-attack. Heavily injured trader Fizwidget was found there. After all the injured and the corpses of the fallen were brought up, the crypt was detonated. Colonel Angst Ironboot ordered the end of the operation.

The results
Having analysed all the aquired evidence, the comission of the Mountaineers Third came to such conclusions:

1) The situation in Duskwood region is grave and critical. The current defence is only organised by the Magistrate of Darkshire (Night Watch). Watchmen number few and hardly posess any combat skills. Fearing they will suffer terrible casualties, the Taskforce leadership ordered the Night Watchmen to switch to auxillary jobs during the Operation. Several Watchmen considered this an insult and refused. Additional forces must be sent to Duskwood immediately . There is a strong risk of the region falling to the hands of undead, worgen, ogres, or Defias scum.

2) The undead infestation of the land seems to be a result of cooperation between the Lordaeron Forsaken, The Dark Embrace, and local warlocks and cultists. The large amount of evidence proves this fact: the borders of the region were ingeniusly locked off by the towers, whether the damage to trees, according to the Taskforce druids, resembles the Lordaeron Plague to a large extent. We also include the possibility of Defias bandits working along with the cultists - the captured farms and the presence of Defias at the western, Westfall tower speak for themselves.

3) We are also proud to state that the multi-group effort of the Alliance Council worked perfectly. There were no cases of conflict recorded within the teams, and the members were relocated to the teams that needed their skills most. Thus, we consider the future cooperation of the military groups of Alliance Council possible and necessary. On the other hand, we were concerned with the absense of the members of other groups in the closing days of the operation. Would more members participate, there would be less casualties and the aims of the Operation could have been achieved better.

We would like to express our gratitute to the Alliance Council for giving us the honorable task of organising and leading the effort and to all the people who have helped Duskwood during the operation. The population of Duskwood will not forget the generosity of the Alliance Council and its members.

*signed* Colonel Angst Ironboot Lt.Colonel Bellis Monroe Captain Eitri Flareaxe Captain Ulgarf Splinterhawk Captain Brink Firebloom Captain Thrid Copperforge

Of Mountaineers Third Brigade 20th November, Dun Garok, Hillsbrad Foothills.