I lost a couple of spearmen and some longdead on my assault on the wraith and its minions. Of my original contingent of spearmen, I have only four left with my army. Two more are guarding the citadel and I shall send these veterans with Manvale when I meet him. They deserve that much, especially after standing up to the wraith without flinching.
The battlefield was just as rich in pickings as I thought:
There is a strong presence of the dead here, which allows me to substantially increase the size of my army. Right then...
I feel a little shaken after reanimating these minions and I must at all costs avoid the need to have to do so again. However, now my forces are significantly bolstered and I can eradicate the annoying nuisances that have made administering my holdings and trying to get anywhere an exercise in frustration.
And very soon now I will have enough hands of glory to summon a powerful ally, which should make things much easier.
However, everything is not well, at all. Pantariste is dead.
A barbarian horde has invaded her lands from the south or southeast and what remains of her holdings are meager indeed. What with the brigands, hostile wildlife and constant harassment by Bakemono and the dwarven allies of the late Commius the Druid, she had no resources to stave off another well organized enemy.
Pantariste herself fell guarding the stone tower she had captured from an unaligned lord, though she did manage to slay all but one of the barbarian attackers. Small comfort, since that force comprised only a third of the invading horde. I only got the news later. Pantariste's apprentice Andromedeia is the only leader the Androphags have left and her troops are few.
The other troops my ally has left are concentrated to the defense of her forest tower.
The barbarians are lead by the chief who gathered the horde in the first place, Jordanes, a battle scarred veteran of many a vicious skirmish. One could almost call him crippled...
This force is moving on Andromedeia and when they catch her, she will die. Were she a full Witch and knew the right kind of spells, she could at least hurt them severely, but as things stand, her fate is already sealed.
And if Jordanes and his warriors are not enough, his second in command, leader of the barbarian horse, is on the move with more troops.
Huml and his men are moving to assault the forest tower. I fear I am soon to lose my ally while facing one intact alliance and the survivors of two more. If I do not manage to gather more powerful forces quickly, my prospects are bleak indeed.