The Great War

In the dawning of the Light week, an ominous figure known as "the Necromancer" emerged from the enshrouding balemist, unleashing his relentless army upon the land, forever altering the course of history.
The Battle of the Cloven Helm: The Battle of the Cloven Helm, an unforgettable clash, unfolded as the Necromancer seized Witherhelm Keep —a resolute fortress that had defiantly stood for a millennium—within a single day. As word of this assault spread, it became known as "The Battle of the Cloven Helm."
The Fields of the Fallen: In response, the King of the time rallied his forces, summoning the noble houses to muster their troops and ride forth to confront the horde commanded by the Necromancer. An unparalleled assemblage took shape, an army numbering over 50,000 valiant soldiers and a multitude of horses. Alas, fortune did not favor the living that fateful day. The king, intent on intercepting the undead army before it reached further settlements, compelled his men to march forcefully to engage them on open ground.
As fate would have it, the confrontation unfolded during the dark week, granting the Necromancer a grievous advantage. Nevertheless, the king's strategists assured him that this advantage would be nullified by their deployment of heavy cavalry, which would be most effective in such terrain. Acting upon their counsel, the king ordered an immediate assault, and with each strike, the Necromancer's army grew in number. The outcome proved catastrophic—the living were mercilessly slaughtered, and even the king met a grisly demise. In a cruel display, the Necromancer dispatched the animated head of the former king, still adorned with its floating ioun crown, as a macabre message to Nexus.
The Council of the Living: The Council of the Living convened as pockets of preexisting undead coalesced into organized factions across the realm, launching assaults on ships, settlements, towns, and even cities, while the Necromancer's relentless army lumbered southward. Responding to this mounting crisis, people from all corners gravitated toward Nexus, converging upon the heart of the realm. A momentous council ensued, with the The Fellhammer Clan, Elven Enclave, and House Hune (representing the noble houses of the Kingdom of Man). Prior to the deliberations, a call arose at the north gates—demanding a seat at the council, the orcs of The Wardancer Clan arrived. Despite the protests of the Dwarf-king, the orcish warchief was admitted to the court. A multitude of matters were discussed, with long-standing animosities momentarily set aside in the face of survival.
The dwarves pledged their cunning war machines and formidable military might, while the elves vowed that the trees and animals of the realm would rise up against the lifeless hordes. The orcs, in their distinctive manner, swore to engage in "the dance of death," and the men pledged to vanquish the encroaching darkness through the enduring radiance bestowed by their gods in the form of The Great Lighthouse.
The Interlude: During the ensuing interlude, the slow advance of the Necromancer's army afforded Nexus the precious time required to mobilize its forces and fortify its defenses. With the majority of knightly orders decimated, mercenaries and common folk were drafted into military service—anyone capable of wielding a spear was armed and instructed to fight to the death. The flying ship known as the The Morning Star, capable of traversing the entire realm in a single day, proved invaluable in gathering intelligence, rescuing besieged cities, and aiding beleaguered towns. Throughout these months, the smallfolk greeted the triumphant return of the Morning Star with cheers, for the vessel became a symbol of resistance, and its chivalrous crew, known as the Order of the Aster, were revered as heroes. Yet, the painful truth lay hidden—for every life saved by the Morning Star's crew, ten were left behind.
Amidst this period of preparation, the Necromancer consolidated his strength, uniting with his various lieutenants who had commanded their own armies across the realm. Finally, he stood poised to launch a final assault upon Nexus itself.
The Battle of Nexus: The Battle of Nexus ensued, pitting the living—shrub and tree, man and beast, orc and dwarf, even two storm giants—against the lifeless hordes, comprising ghost and ghoul, zombie and skeleton, vampire and lich. As the relentless throng approached the city gates, it faced a barrage from siege engines, obliterating wave after wave of undead. Yet, the onslaught persisted. Days of ceaseless zombie hordes exhausted the defenders' black powder and munitions, prompting Snipers, Mages, and Elven archers to unleash their attacks upon the horde when it finally reached the walls. Alas, even this proved futile, and just as the dead neared the brink of breaching the city gates, a vast expanse of ground beneath their feet crumbled away, crushing many amidst the crumbling ruins. During the interlude, the Dwarves had clandestinely excavated and prepared the anticipated battleground, ensuring its collapse. Nevertheless, this setback merely vexed the Necromancer, as the dead still outnumbered the living more than a hundredfold. Weakened by a week of relentless assaults and depleted of tricks, the living retreated to the three keeps of the Steel Streets district. Amidst the chaos, the vampire lord Kane engaged and slew the head of House Von Griswold. Meanwhile, a potent lich, a lieutenant of the Necromancer, cast mighty disjunction magic upon the Morning Star, causing the vessel to plummet from the sky and crash down upon the city. Another adversary confronted the two storm giants, managing to kill one and subsequently resurrect it as an undead minion. The lifeless surged forward, gaining ground, and hope waned—until a disparate group, comprised of Valas Hune, King Emerus Fellhammer, Miriel Redblossom, the Archmage Diviner, and the Iron Judge, launched an audacious strike against the Necromancer himself. Recognizing that the defeat of the Necromancer alone held the promise of salvation for the living, this resolute band exploited hidden subterranean passages to evade the enemy's watchful gaze and embarked upon their perilous quest. Guided by the signs and portents of the Archmage Diviner, they braved the war's tumult above them, until eventually, they found a path that would allow them to infiltrate the enemy's rear lines, positioned to strike at the heart of the serpent. An epic battle ensued, its grandeur unmatched—yet, only the five heroes who took part bore witness to its glory, and their accounts remain unspoken, shrouded in silence.
Victory: In the wake of the Necromancer's defeat, countless animated dead crumpled to the earth, liberated from the dark magic that had sustained their unholy existence. The remaining undead fled the field of battle or were eradicated by the resplendent light emanating from the Great Lighthouse. The orcs of Clan Wardancer, once a contentious force, embraced a peace agreement and forged a trade alliance with the Kingdom of Calradia, securing lands "both within and without Nexus" and establishing a recognized kingdom of their own. However, this accord greatly incensed Clan Fellhammer, leading the dwarves to recall their diplomats and refuse to engage in negotiations with the Kingdom of Man as long as it maintained relations with the orcs.
The realm suffered severe losses during the cataclysmic conflict. Numerous plant and animal species neared extinction, ravaged by the relentless advance of the undead. Yet, the most devastating loss was that of the horses. Slowly but surely, the people began the arduous task of rebuilding and repopulating their cities and towns, yet vast stretches of land remained untamed and unclaimed—its effects still lingering, even after four decades had passed.