Battle of the Demons' Blood Marshes
The Battle of the Demons' Blood Marshes was the ending battle of The Great War in the Third Age. It was a sea and land battle on the northern coast of Tarteria between the demon and bestial forces under Esturk, The World's End, and the gathered armies of Azimuth.
The battle would become one of the largest military engagements in the history of Azimuth. The results of the battle were hugely influential for the course of Azimuth's history, and the landscape of the battlefield was forever changed as a result, becoming known as the Demons' Blood Marshes.
Due to the nature and volume of the destruction leveraged against the nations of the time, many records regarding the battle were lost or destroyed. From the few surviving records, like The History of the Third Age, it is believed the battle started on 19 Adroth 3A 2092. However, information of the direct events and minutiae of the battle have been lost to time.
Background
The Great War
The Great War lasted for a century, and is considered the single most destructive series of events in the history of Azimuth. Esturk and his forces nearly destroyed the world. The war resulted in widespread destruction and uncountable deaths. As the war raged on and the light of the world threatened to extinguish at the brink, Zenthai, The Dragon King, chose the six Zenethian Champions. With their strength to aid his own, Zenthai and his Champions brought the fight to Esturk’s forces. Slowly, they began driving the demons and beasts back. For a century they pushed back against the encroachment of demons and beasts and won back their territories with blade and spell and blood.Known Events
Approach By Sea
The Gathered Armies of Azimuth
At last, after conflict brought death to many and shook the world to the edge of the precipice, an opportunity arose. A titanic battle force unseen of in any previous age sailed out towards the last bastion of Esturk’s influence, the continent of Tarteria, bringing every warrior each race had to bear.The Radags
As this grand allied army sailed across the Leviathan Sea, dark sorcerers aligned with Esturk’s evil called forth great gouts of the earth. These burst forth from the sea in attempt to destroy the combined fleet before they made landfall. These rock formations would become known as the Radags. Though many ships were sunk, so grand was the fleet that many made landfall, and so began the greatest battle of the age.Tarterian Coast
Days of Battle
Demons in their thousands met them on the beaches of the wildlands and from their ships the dwarves, elves, humans, and orcs fought for the life of the world for days at the Battle of the Demons' Blood Marshes. The Zenethian Dragon ripped apart the sky and joined the battle himself, spewing gouts of holy fire and crystalline death upon the enemy. Many heroes, known warriors, and unnamed defenders gave their lives in this battle as sacrifices so that the Zenethian Champions could have the chance to push through.The Zenethian Champions
Far to the west, through the battalions of the enemy, the Zenethian Dragon carried his chosen to bring battle to Esturk himself, even as the fighting continued on behind them. Little is known of this battle between Zenthai and Esturk, for only the Zenethian Champions were there to witness it. But when the final blow was struck, all those who remained across the world knew in an instant what had transpired. The demons were banished and the skies cleared. Esturk was set to slumber beneath Tarteria, and the Great War was won.Aftermath
Demons' Blood Marshes
That battlefield became soaked with the blood of uncountable warriors and demons, and it would be forever changed into a ruddy and oily marshland, sodden with demon blood. Small natural gas fires burn pockets of the ichor throughout the region and the wails of long-lost warriors can be heard on full moon nights. Even in the Fifth Age, artifacts from the battle can be found buried in the marshes. Several have been recovered by archaeologists and historians, such as Romulus.Gimoruk
An encampment was founded to begin the long process of recovery and accounting for all those lost in the battle. Acolytes of Nerull, The Scythe-Bearer, would take many years to tend to the passing of those lost in the black waters of the marsh. To honor the sacrifices of the human armies, the settlement was named Gimoruk in honor of one such unknown warrior: a swordsman of the Kingdom of Gimora who was found among the slain, dissolving bodies of a half dozen Glabrezu.Legacy
- The marshland at the delta of the Rexun River was forever changed, becoming known as the corrupted Demons' Blood Marshes.
- The History of the Third Age tells the story of the Zenethian Champions and the aftereffects of the Great War.
- The holiday Champion's Conquest celebrates the victory of the Battle of the Demons' Blood Marshes.
Conflict Type
Battle
Start Date
19 Adroth 3A 2092
The Great War
Location
Demons' Blood Marshes
Outcome
- The battle ended with the deafeat of Esturk, The World's End, causing the dissolution of the demon armies present in Azimuth.
- The landscape of the Rexun River delta were forever changed into the Demons' Blood Marshes.
Major Combatants
Azimuth Forces
Zenthai, The Dragon King
Zenethian Champions
High King Faldrick Oathenhammer
Azimuth armies
Zenthai, The Dragon King
Zenethian Champions
High King Faldrick Oathenhammer
Azimuth armies