"No one has been able to conquer these mountains. There are just too many Castles. But one tactic hasn't been tried. A true Horde - an army so massive that it would break the back of the world! "
—Tarnum
The Wallpeaks is the name given to the vast mountain range that separates Krewlod and Bracaduun.
These mountains were known for their strategic importance, and they were strongly fortified by Wizards, fortresses and garrisons guarding every pass. The presence of many soldiers also attracted rogues and bandits. Dwelling in secret plateaus, this scourge would attack supply wagons or even small, lonely groups of men-at-arms.
Many armies attempted to conquer the Wallpeaks and wipe out the Wizard defense, but none succeeded - except Tarnum.
Siege of the Wallpeaks[]
The Wallpeaks saw a bloody clash between the Barbarians and the Wizards during Tarnum's campaign against the Empire of Bracaduun, which took place somewhere between 100-200 AS (the exact year is unknown). At that time, the mountains separated the Barbarian Steppes from the Empire, and Tarnum, having recently freed the Barbarian people from the Wizard-Kings' oppression, wanted to cross them in order to wipe out the Empire, feeling his kin will never be safe until the Wizard menace is completely annihilated.
Tarnum's decision meet the disapproval of many of his captains. They were tired of the months of endless clashes with the Wizards, and they were satisfied with the first outcome of the war. The simple thought of passing the mountains seemed madness, as not even Jarg the Conqueror, legendary hero of the Barbarians, was incapable of accomplishing the feat. To makes matters worse, a shaman prophesies that the invasion will fail and Tarnum will be slain in 'yonder mountains'; the only way to obtain victory and escape the fate is to assemble an artifact called the Titan's Thunder.
Luckily, one of the King's bards knows the locations of the Thunder's four components: the site of an ancient battle fought between a great clan and an army of Titans. The clan was very probably part of Jarg's army when he unsuccessfully tried to conquer the Wallpeaks.
Sending the enslaved Mudlanders in the first lines, Tarnum conquers the first Wizard military base and enter the mountain range. Once the position secured, the Barbarians scavenge the pass where the ancient battle took place, managing to find the Titan's Thunder. With the aid of the relic, Tarnum razes several other Wizard bases with ease.
The losses determine the Wizards to try a different approach to the war, and they send Titans to intercept and attack the Barbarian's supply wagons in an attempt to make them starve. The ambushes are so well-planned that the Barbarians are incapable of preventing or even seeing the attackers.
A rebellion of the captains becomes imminent. An orc captain named Ungrod accuses Tarnum of putting his blood quest ahead of the interests of the clan, and it is swiftly slain by the King. Tarnum replaces Ungrod with Tordac, the son of his second-in-command, Hardac.
Tordac prepares a trap for the titans; he loads the wagons with soldiers in disguise, and release the rumor that half of the Barbarian gold is in the wagons. The Titans fall to the lure, and the trap is a success, but at a high price. The Titans are slain but so is Tordac.
With the supply lines reopened, the barbarians quickly raze the last wizard fortresses. The Wizards, in a desperate attempt to stop the Barbarians, summon an avalanche that destroys half of Tarnum's army. The King escapes with a little part of his army, seeing himself on the other side of the Wallpeaks. Most of his troops were either killed or trapped, but the Wallpeaks were conquered for the first time in their history.