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The approach to Nomingburg is where resistance to Kruk-Ma-Kali’s invasion truly began. The Halflings of Nomingburg organized an alliance while the hobgoblins were busy along the Black River. Elvish mages from Valor Forest came south. The Humans of Jipangu sent their best. The Dominarie Dwarves also joined the defense of their neighbor. Leading the combined forces was Princess Alfeita of Dominarie. Queen Shortrastor was too old to stand in battle, so she sent her daughter in her place.

The combined force seemed ideal for countering the hobgoblin invasion. Even with all their advantages, they fell before Kruk-Ma-Kali’s strategic genius. Flanks, feints, and counterattacks, with lightning speed and skill Kruk-Ma-Kali’s army always had the upper hand against the allied army. Every battle was a victory for the hobgoblin king and every battle brought him closer to Nomingburg.

Nomingburg itself was well prepared for an assault. A dry moat lined with stakes surrounded the city walls. The dirt from the moat was used to create a further earthen rampart surrounding the moat itself. Archers, ballistae, and catapults topped the walls, ready to fire on anyone or anything that approached. Tons of food were stockpiled inside for a lengthy siege. Kruk-Ma-Kali ordered the town encircled by siege walls and began to starve the city out.

As the siege continued the elvish mages used teleportation magic to take halfling riders behind the goblinoid lines. The riders harried Kruk-Ma-Kali’s supply lines and teleported back to safety before they could be intercepted. The hobgoblin king countered by using his seers to predict the location of the next attack. He set an ambush and slaughtered the halfling riders and the elvish mages before they could retreat. Confident that the supply harassment was halted, Kruk-Ma-Kali strategized a way to use teleportation magic against Nomingburg.

Kruk-Ma-Kali devised a plan to flood Nomingburg. The city relied on wells for water, with no large water source nearby. Kruk-Ma-Kali set his men to dig an empty canal slopping away from his siege walls towards the dry moat surrounding Nomingburg. The final distance was accomplished using earth magic to keep a protective layer of dirt over the diggers heads as missiles rained down on them from the city walls. Kruk-Ma-Kali sent elvish mages he’d captured at Valor Forest back to Bradel Fields. They, along with another set of captive mages, created a temporary wormhole between the Black River and the canal cut between the siege wall and Nomingburg. Water poured through the dimensional hole and slammed against the walls of Nomingburg, toppling the section initially impacted. The moat rapidly filled with water and then the earthen rampart directed the rest of the flow in to the city itself. Kruk-Ma-Kali succeeded in flooding Nomingburg.

The water ruined food supplies and raised up all the natural waste in various dumping spots within Nomingburg. Famine and disease afflicted the city. The stress of quartering their foreign allies along with the siege and the flood began to crack the alliance. The elves had teleportation magic to assist anyone who wanted to leave. Slowly the defenders trickled away. Within a few months the walls of Nomingburg were all but empty. Kruk-Ma-Kali led his army forward and pillaged another city. Princess Alfeita refused to retreat and died with the city.

Kruk-Ma-Kali had originally planned on occupying the city but water damage and disease made that a disagreeable option. He didn’t even bother to raze the town. The people of Nomingburg could rebuild in the foul mud if they wished. Kruk-Ma-Kali led his army south to punish the people of Jipangu who had stood against him during the Nomingburg campaign.

Next: The Days of Kruk-Ma-Kali Part 9