Years of planning had finally come to fruition, and the city of Caspia was abuzz over the preparations. If Borak could be released by the landwalkers, then the Cult would be one step closer to unseating the imposter and that is one step closer to the rebirth of the rightful King of the Oceans.

Untold swathes of the populous had been committed to the fanatics who propagated the plague, cycles of infection tested upon their own before the sargassum were deemed complete and suitable for the task. These great carpets of virulence were then transported beneath the shroud of liquid night, across war lines and past land to be secured in the far depths of various oceans.

It began with the interception of a raiding party returning home. Buoyant in victory, the members of the Umbrinite skiff could not have prepared for the living death that broached their vessel as intended by the tritons. Three survived, as intended, and returned to their island fortress. The bravest amongst them attempted to explain, but no traction for horror stories was found amidst the order of the Umbrinite military. Passed off as the ravings of an undisciplined soldier, the tale was soon forgotten. When the raiders eventually succumbed to the plague, their bodies were given to the sea.

Strategic positioning and base curiosity saw the infection spread across the lands; the harbours of Sapience either closed or were hubs for the debilitating disease, and few ships that braved the oceans escaped this time with no losses. Obtaining the cure required ships manned by the already sick, or the infection of fresh crews, each appearance of the sargassum was a blessed nightmare for all afloat.

Until they ceased rising.

Silent seas lasted for months, the curative candles stored soon dwindled, and quiet discussions were had about putting the torch to the harbours en masse. These conditions were deemed perfect by the strategist Agiads- the heathen forces were near breaking now. It was not another sargassum which next broke the cold quiescence of the waters, but the call to arms of a warhorn. The undead laid seige to the land.

~ ~ ~

Ceaselessly, and for months, did the animated cadaver army of Caspia throw itself upon the shores. The sodden grip of the dead hundreds as Achaeans fought against every step on the sun-baked sands. Captain Maelstrom of Tasur'ke offered rewards for those who risked their lives to protect the land of Sapience, and a great number heeded the call.

~ ~ ~

Another warhorn's bellow originating from far offshore signalled a termination of the attack and preceded the swift arrival of two Caspiite war citadels. Held in position off the eastern shoreline, those who ran to the coast to observe could just make out a tiny figure wearing a horned bronze helm standing behind the nose-cap of one of the whales.

The Agiad made the demands of Caspia known: "We give you one day, landwalkers. Return the bite to the northern ocean before we return."

Reiterating their centuries-old demand, the Caspiites sought to ransom their foothold upon the land to secure the release of Borak, Caspeid Guardian of the Northern Sea.

With no response made by the landwalkers, the day passed, and a great angered bellow was heard from the furthest reaches of the Eusian Ocean. Moving in an escort formation, two Caspiite war citadels were soon seen upon the eastern horizon, flanking the towering form of an oceanic cyclops. The bravest of Sapience's seafarers quickly boarded their ships to offer an appropriate greeting.

As the dreadful goliath approached the Tasur'ke shore, a great battle struck up, with the ships of countless factions engaging the would-be invaders, working to repulse the incursion. Masterfully handling their fearsome war citadels, the tritons played their role well, and despite the withering barrage laid down by the sailors of Sapience, the cyclops gained the beach.

Gravely injured by the combined might and valour of sailors from Mhaldor, Cyrene, Ashtan, Hashan, and Targossas the cyclops nonetheless roared with renewed vigour, and prepared to wreak havoc upon the insignificant settlements of the coast. Even so the goliath swatted at the awaiting force as if they were no more than insects. But if they were insects, it was a swarm, and the weakened cyclops, this weapon of Caspia, soon fell to the ground with a thud.

As the towering form of the cyclops collapsed in defeat, the citadels briskly turned towards the Cnidian Gates, and fled, thoroughly routed. Pursued by numerous vessels, chief among them the windcutter Eslofe, the tritons did not evade retribution, as one of their citadels capsized, its shell shattered and ruined under the relentless bombardment. The other finally limped into the maze of the Cnidian gates, eluding the pursuit
of the vengeful seafarers.

In the battle's wake, a derelict tangle of hemic sargassum, now devoid of its virulent cargo, ran aground upon the Tasur'ke beach.

~ ~ ~

Some months have passed since the battle upon sea and sand. Curative weed has been harvested from the beached tangle and no sign of Caspiite or sargassum has been forthcoming. All that remains now is to purge the infection from Umbrin, releasing the military isle from its quarantine.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Summary:
After creating a virulent sickness designed to unleash droves of undead upon the beaches of the continent, Caspiites attempted to hold the land at ransom for the release of Borak. As the undead horde was eventually overpowered by the hunters of Sapience, they launched a final assault spearheaded by a goliath cyclops, but were ignominiously defeated.