The Fall of the Grey Tower

Military action

The Grey Tower fell to an attack by forces from the Republic Guard, aided by the Black Blade and the blue dragon Tarkus.

After being surrounded by Republic Guard airships for two days, the Grey Mages had prepared to mount a rigorous defense. However, the Mages had not counted on the Black Watch's support for the attack, which began in the mid-afternoon of the 14th, or the appearance of the ancient blue dragon, Tarkus, under the command of the Black Blade. The Knights of the Tower were able to hold the perimeter and the Great Hall for a time, and the Guardian of the Tower, Arim, engaged Tarkus in apocalyptic aerial combat amid the firing airships; however, unknown to them, the Black Blade had managed to infiltrate the Tower, and pursued Archmage Makaria Therum and Scribe Belloth Telor, just returned from the Sacking of Tarys down the Tower, until the Archmage was able to teleport Telor's party out. However, the Black Blade then caught up to the distracted Archmage, and executed her on the spot.   Collapsing under the assault on two fronts, and Arim barely able to defeat Tarkus, who was frozen solid and shattered upon impacting the ground from 200 feet, Councilor Adisa Indu gave the command to evacuate the remaining defenders from the Tower after locking everything that couldn't be removed. By early evening, the Tower was under the control of the Republic of Argos.