The Battle of Tyr's Light Temple

The Battle of Tyr's Light Temple was a conflict which took place between the Order of the Silver Hand and the Death Knights of the Horde during the latter half of the Second War.

Prelude
The Warlocks and Necromancers of the Horde had used Tyr's Light Temple as their base of operations all throughout the early stages of the Second War as the Death Knights of the Horde experimented with their newfound powers. Tyr's Light Temple was a fortress as much as a sanctuary, built in ancient times when war was rife, and required a light-imbued keystone to gain entry.

Knowing this the Death Knights secreted the Keystone away, effectively locking themselves within with an army of cadavers, though the Keystone was found elsewhere in Irenor and brought to the temple by the Knights of the Silver Hand.

Conflict
The Paladins, in truth, were horrified with what they saw, numerous corpses lay rotting upon the floors and tables and a foul black mist permeated the place. With the light to guide them they advanced slowly and reached the first antechamber, where they were able to place the Keystone, unlocking the doors to the rest of the complex.

With the temple open the Knights of the Silver Hand were joined by more volunteers, including Duke Sternguard, Irenor's Ruler. As the gathering proceeded further they found themselves in the outer Prayer Hall, guarded by the corrupted souls of many of Irenor's fallen, under the control of Orruk Felsoul.

It did not take long before Felfoul was slain, his ghostly protectors banished by the power of the light as he himself was set upon by a trio of Stromic Knights. With this affront passed the gathering proceeded further, vanquishing several more Shades which patrolled the many halls.

Soon after the gathering found themselves within the Grand Library and were shocked to see it defaced. Many of the ancient tomes burned, black soot covering the walls. With rage kindled in their hearts they set upon the undead ranks, cleaving their way through Spirit and Ghoul as they dragged the Warlock from his hole.

Three of the Stromic soldiers accompanying the party were injured as the Warlock Voidborn fought back, though his cries fell silent as his head was parted from his shoulders, and fell upon the floor. With the monster dead the party gathered to tend to the wounded, and gather what tomes had been spared from total destruction.

The group soon gathered upon the Temple Balcony overlooking the wilds, where they found a number of undead sent to halt their efforts. With the help of the Wildhammer Clan and their Gryphon Riders, these obstacles were soon driven back, and the injured were taken to safety before the paladins proceeded further into the Halls.

The final obstacle came from Forkas Nightsoul and his ranks of undead which filled the Gathering Hall and the connecting chambers. The infestation was much more dense than in previous chambers, though with the Dwarves and their magical Stormhammers the waves of undead were driven back with cracks of lightning and thunder.

Nightsoul waited the group in the uppermost of the connecting chambers, and while the Dwarves and their allies were injured by the undead that lashed them, they were not found wanting. Forkas joined those he had enslaved in the peaceful embrace of death, run through by Duke Sternguard as an act of defiance to the Horde.

The way to the Inner Prayer Chamber was open, but before they could act the Dwarven vanguard fell at the shadowy onslaught of the death knight Malkath Lightbane, their life energies pulled from their bodies. From this energy Malkath called forth his legion, two score corpses which rose to defend their master.

The forces of light and darkness clashed in the once great temple as the legions of the dead and the Stromic troops clashed. Every corpse that was raised fell before the onslaught, but this was not without cost; seeing an opportunity, Malkath called out to the darkness and drew forth a spell to rid the life from the human warriors.

Duke Sternguard rose to the fore and charged the Death Knight to break the foul magic, though it was not soon enough. Taking the magic into himself the noble warrior was destroyed in an explosion of glowing white ash, but this provided the paladins a much needed opening.

With the Death Knight distracted Sir Idrik took up the Hammer of one of the fallen Dwarves and hurled it towards the monster. The throw was true, as the corpse's form caved in a crash of lightning and thunder, soon to be set upon by the Paladins of the Silver Hand.

Aftermath
The sacrifices made at the temple ultimately led to its restoration by the Church of the Holy Light, the bodies of the brave soldiers forced to fight their own purified and interred. It took many years, but eventually travellers began to return to the temple. Irenor was left without a leader, but in time it was restored.