The Great War

The Great War

The Great War was a conflict between the lands of Dwar Fell and the Luminated Alliance over control of a magical resource known as kinfire. The war raged on for nearly a thousand years until the return of the Starless Nights brought it to an abrupt end.

The Spark

In the centuries leading up to the war, a religion known as the Temple of Ziva was taking hold throughout the mostly-elven lands north of the Great Sea. According to the church's doctrine, kinfire was a gift from the goddess Ziva that was to be kept holy and undefiled. Using kinfire for anything other than religious ceremony and worship was declared a desecration.

At the same time, human scholars in the city of Dwar Fell had begun to experiment with kinfire. It had proven to be a source of great magical energy and was responsible for a number of technological developments. A process of actually ingesting kinfire was shown to produce beneficial physiological effects. This process, known as Communion, gained popularity in Dwar Fell and over the course of several generations, many of the humans here evolved unique physical differences. These kinfire-touched humans became known as dwarves.

As religious fervor among followers of Ziva grew, so did their animosity towards the people of Dwar Fell for their desecration of kinfire. A number of city-states in the region united together in their fight against this desecration, the fight to reclaim kinfire. These city-states became known as the Luminated Alliance.

The Alliance, whose leaders were almost exclusively elven, proclaimed that Ziva had given kinfire to the elves and that it therefore belonged to them. They demanded that the neighboring lands return all kinfire to its rightful home. Most of the neighboring leaders relented, fearing retribution from the Alliance. But Dwar Fell refused, claiming that kinfire belong to all people.

In response, the Alliance formed a network of spies specially trained in concealment magic. These spies were instructed to reclaim any kinfire remaining in Dwar Fell and transport it back to the Luminated Alliance. For the most part, they succeeded, but once the leaders of Dwar Fell discovered this plot, war was declared on the Alliance and the Great War began.

THE ONGOING WAR

In the early years of the war, Dwar Fell was outmatched by the expansive and powerful Luminated Alliance. The lands of the Alliance stretched far to the west and to the north and controlled an extensive spy network, while Dwar Fell was a relatively small region with far fewer numbers.

Skirmishes along the border and attacks on kinfire lighthouses were frequent, but the battles were small in scale. Long periods of inactivity from either side did nothing to calm tensions, feeling instead like a held breath before a scream.

The leaders of Dwar Fell knew that their only hope was to lean on the one advantage they did possess: technology. The top scholars in Dwar Fell put aside their research and worked on developing new armaments that could give them a leg up in the ongoing fight.

THE TURNING POINT

Dwar Fell's advancements in military technology (including catapults, magical weaponry, and advanced armor) led to a shift in strategy. A large-scale campaign was waged against Velinoth, an Alliance city-state near the border. Though the siege lasted far longer than anticipated, Dwar Fell eventually breached the city walls and overtook the city in their first major victory.

The success at Velinoth gave Dwar Fell the confidence they needed to accelerate their plans and broaden their scope. They now believed it was possible to not only acquire new sources of kinfire, but also take control of the entire Luminated Alliance.

PROPAGANDA

As is common in most large-scale conflicts, both sides of the Great War utilized targeted propaganda to increase support and morale. In the Luminated Alliance, leaders took advantage of the unfamiliar physiology of dwarves by proclaiming them to be corrupt and malevolent creatures sent by enemies of their goddess, Ziva. The Alliance also portrayed the people of Dwar Fell as selfish, greedy thieves who wanted to steal kinfire away from them.

In Dwar Fell, the elves of the Luminated Alliance were seen as zealots attempting to force their religious beliefs on the rest of Atios. The leaders frequently repeated stories of how Dwar Fell had used kinfire to help their people (through healing, technology, and other advancements) before the Luminated Alliance came and stole it away.

ANNEXATION

As the armies of Dwar Fell pushed further into the territories of the Luminated Alliance, they overtook a number of city-states. These cities now fell under Dwar Fell's control. Some of the residents successfully evacuated, fleeing to other Alliance cities, but others remained, unable to leave.

Governing these annexed cities was difficult. In most cases, Dwar Fell took any resources they could from them, set up a garrison for their soldiers to be stationed, and then left the city to care for itself. Riots were common and Dwar Fell was forced to abandon their hold on some cities just to avoid sacrificing resources in the constant quelling of revolt.

THE RETURN OF THE DARKNESS

After nearly a thousand years of war, Dwar Fell was finally on the brink of victory. Only two city-states still remained within control of the Luminated Alliance: Aes'Tos and Din'Lux. Dwar Fell split their forces, planning a siege on both cities. On the night the Darkness returned, their armies were mid-attack. In Aes'Tos, the kinfire lighthouse had already fallen, extinguishing the flame and leaving only embers.

But in Din'Lux, Dwar Fell was unable to breach the city walls. When that first Starless Night fell, the Great Lighthouse still burned. Its protective glow spread across the battlefield, keeping the Starless Night, a strange mystical storm, at bay.

Dwar Fell's forces outside the walls of Dwar Fell were filled with fear. They could see the swirling mass of Darkness beyond the reach of the lighthouse. It swallowed the land, transforming it into something else. The general in charge of the siege, a dwarf named Sigra the Sickly, ordered that every catapult be aimed directly at the Great Lighthouse.

An emissary was sent to the city gates to give Din'Lux an ultimatum: Either let us into your city, or the lighthouse will be destroyed. The leader of Din'Lux, Hierophant Selen, agreed to their demands and ordered the gates to be opened.

And in this way, with the enemy flooding in through the gates of Din'Lux, the Great War was finally at an end.

Nations involved:
The Luminated Alliance and Dwar Fell

Leaders:
Hierophant Selen
Sigra the Sickly

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Din'Lux: The City of Light