Lastwall

Lastwall exists, as one would gather from its name, to serve as the last line of defence against the sudden appearance of the Strifescar. Built by some of the finest minds from the Hanzer Colleges, and warded by the fell Cyphers of deep Naggaryn, this bastion would prove insurmountable to nearly any mortal force that dared step against it. Unfortunately, it is no mere army of flesh and blood that seeks its destruction.   Guarding specifically against The Tarot's Wound, Lastwall has yet to be put to the test, for upon its creation the ravening hordes of The Harlequin's Court merely vanished. Perhaps they were deterred by this latest fortification, perhaps they were unsure as to how to proceed, or perhaps they were merely uncertain of their own mind as ever must they be. As such, despite its resolute nature, none know just how effective Lastwall will prove to be.

Lastwall is primarily constructed of stone mined from the nearby quarries and rubble left behind by the emergence of the Strifescar. Though suspect in nature, there appear to be strange qualities to this material that are still being studied by the arcanists within the empire. Reinforcements to the basic structure are forged from Hanzer Steel, in such an amount that nearly the entire annual supply was utilized and many weapons and spare armaments were melted to ensure the quantity matched what was needed. Lastly, much of the timber used in the remaining construction comes from the distant Cinderwood, its peculiar relationship with flame proving effective in countering the love of destruction brought by The Harlequin.   Built as it was by the engineers of Hanzig, it retains a familiar structure for many Jaegers, consisting of angled walls designed to deflect the force of artillery and provide easy kill-zones for the soldiers firing through the balistraria. The lower sections are heavily sloped, both to deter those seeking to scale the structure and to further reinforce the building against artillery while allowing easy use of burning pitch and other such defences against the attackers. Lastly, chambers are typically spacious and decorated sparsely, to minimize the risk of shrapnel on those working within.

Lastwall itself is a formidable obstacle built against an artificial slope constructed down to the edge of Tarot's Wound. Consisting of three large walls, the outer level is guarded by a vast moat that can be blown remotely to flood the contents down the cliff-edge leading deeper into the Strifescar. Tunnels are built into the side of the Strifescar to allow passage from the back lines to the front without crossing the killing fields carefully designed and seperating the various walls from one another.   The second wall stands before a heavily mined parcel of land stretching nearly three-hundred metres, with the angles of the structure and the tunnels above designed to provide maximum coverage to defending forces as they fire down below. Lastly, the primary structure is a vast wall nearly six-hundred metres in height, overlooking a stretch of land designed to be turned into a killing field at a moment's notice.   Mortar batteries are contained behind the second and primary wall, the height of these structures carefully calculated to ensure easy firing arcs for the marksmen operating the devices. Larger artillery is found behind the primary bastion, capable of reaching the frontline with ease and precision. Most of the walls are designed with balistraria, and other defences such as burning pitch, caltrops, and targeted explosives. Lastly, a garrison of five-thousand soldiers is stationed from a variety of nations who each bring with them a plethora of unusual tactics and strange skills.

Lastwall is a recent construction, designed and brought to life in 54/47/04 following the wake of the Strifescar's arrival. Though the ground upon which it is built is rich in blood and violence, it itself has seen little combat. As it was finally finished, the last sortie from the depths of madness ended, and since then it has become a political problem, a foreign policy issue debated hotly by the member-nations who fund and supply its existence.   As a result, it has served primarily as a foray point for the patrols that risk their lives entering the rift. Expensive and considered unnecessary by the short-sighted governments that pay for it, the future of this grand edifice is in doubt. There are none within the wall who doubt that the first war was but the start of something else, yet they can provide no evidence for their fears. Instead, day by day, the unity that inspired its creation frays further.