The Conflict
Prelude
A large proportion of the population of the Weldic, Bolmor, and Tetra had fled the Empty Invasion in 1AE, and crossed into the Alderi Dominion. They were millions strong, and the Alderi had neither the capacity nor desire to oppose them, at the beginning.
However, the Alderi lands were not fertile enough - it was feared - to host several million people of every species, as well as the native Alderi population. The refugees did what the could - settling into the mountains both for defence, and to minimise their impact on existing Alderi communities. Large swathes of the fertile valley at the base of the Alderi tundra were brought under the plow, and exile communities began to settle down.
At the same time, each nation remained in a state of war - preparing constantly to defend against the Empty and (it was hoped) defeat them. Each community kept largely to themselves, under the command either of the Weldic War-King, the Western Merchant Princes, the Council of War of the Bolmor tribes, or the Warmasters of the fractured Tetran Empire. These 'governments in exile' exerted some continuing control within the new lands, alongside the largely decentralised Alderi Dominion.
Inevitably, tensions arose. By 40AE, the exiled powers were bickering in an attempt to form a united group against the Empty - potentially forcibly co-opting the Alderi into this alliance. The Alderi, for their part, sought increasing reassurance that the Exiles did intend to leave their land at some point, and were not occupiers. While each political power affirmed this, there was growing feeling among the settling population (some of whom had worked Alderi soil for their whole lives), that they might as well make use of this land - and not seek to recover what was lost. This despair horrified both the Alderi, and the exiled leadership.
These tensions never developed truly into open warfare, thanks only to the cunning and skill of Conrad. Then nephew to the Weldic King, Markus IV, his father (and Markus' son) had died in one of the frequent Weldic skirmishes against the Empty horde.
Markus had been leading efforts to united the exiled armies, but he tended towards a hostile view of the Alderi - being prepared to subjugate them or massacre them if necessary to ensure the peace and strength of the alliance he was building. Markus thus led the 'war' - inciting incidents meant to separate the Alderi from the exiles, and build a persecuted common identity among the exiled people. Riots, killings, assassinations and infrequent border conflicts were arranged and - once begun - mutual hostility saw that they continued for 8 years between 42AE and 50AE.
Throughout this time, Conrad was involved with the (public) efforts to form an alliance, as the heir to Markus. He sought to mitigate the march to war whenever negotiating with the other exiles - though could make no comment on Markus' involvement in the inciting incidents. Finally, in 48AE, he confronted Markus directly - arguing against the policy of incitement, and suggesting that there was already good ground for an alliance without mutual hatred of the Alderi. Markus - assuming this was a political ploy from as disaffected heir, agreed readily and offer Conrad what he thought he wanted - a public anointing as his heir. He added to this that he would use the anointing to swear the other leaders to an alliance, and then have them elect Conrad the first Commander of the Allied Armies.
Conrad agreed, and preparations were made. A week before the event - with the exiled hosts nearing the agreed venue - Markus undertook a sortie into one of the valley passes controlled by the Empty. The sortie was a success, and an additional hillfort was added to the Weldic 'realm' - but Markus fell, mortally wounded in the fight. Conrad immediately used this to his advantage, and took control of the situation. The Welds were happy to accept him as their king without his anointing as heir - and he announced to the other leaders that the alliance would still be formed - over the funeral pyre of his glorious predecessor. Similarly, his anointing would become his coronation.
The alliance was duly formed - though anti-Alderi factions in each camp still assumed that Conrad shared Markus' antipathy, and planned to create a disturbance as the Alderi guests were leaving. Instead, Conrad brought the war to its informal conclusion by offering his hand in marriage to the Alderi Morgene - beginning the process of the Reconquest, and silencing the anti-Alderi faction.
Historical Significance
The war has been all but forgotten now, in the Western (Bolmor, Tetran, Weldic) tellings of the Exile - it is remembered that Conrad came to power after some display of leadership, but not how close the Allied Armies came to mutual slaughter and destruction.
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