The Fisher's War

The shaping of greater powers in the eastern realms began with The Fisher's War in 331 I.R. when the cities of Estwich and Riverton came to blows over disputed fishing waters. Threats, blustering, and demands finally escalated when a volley of arrows was fired upon fishing boats from Estwich by a Riverton military vessel patrolling the disputed waters.
Estwich turned to their neighbor to the west, Malavas, for aid. While Malavas had its own successful fisheries, it saw Riverton pushing Estwich to the west as something that could lead to a similar conflict between the two neighbors. Malavas agreed to help Estwich, and together they sent an army overland towards Riverton. Riverton likewise called from aid, from their eastern trade partner of Brisburgh, and a war was waged for almost two years upon the mostly uninhabited strip of land between Riverton and Estwich. The forces of Riverton and her allies prevailed in the end, but by a narrow margin.

The Malavian Confederation

After the war, the town council of Estwich was fearful of reprisals from Riverton. Malavas, too, saw this new partnership between Riverton and Brisburgh as a threat. Never before in the region had two major city-states allied together in a time of war. While Estwich did not boast a large number of fighting men, it could serve as an important buffer between the eastern alliance and the city of Malavas itself. The two settlements allied, officially signing an agreement in 335 I.R. that gave Estwich the promise of military protection from Malavas in return for regular tithes, military land and water access, and the promise to contribute soldiers to any other conflicts Malavas might find itself embroiled in. Thus was born the Malavian Confederation.

The Riverton Alliance

Following this, the lords of the eastern city-states recognized the growing threat from the west and determined to band together into their own alliance to present a unified front against it. Brisburgh and Riverton entered into a formal alliance called The Riverton Alliance, joined by the towns of Dornsbury, Kallenston, and several smaller settlements in the region in 338 I.R.

The Aftermath

The two great powers would never again see armed conflict with each other, instead setting their ambitions for expansion away from the once-contested border. Eventually the Malavian Confederation would grow to become the Principality of Remaria, and the Riverton Alliance would eventually become the Kingdom of Brisland.