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The Long Elven War was a two-year-long military campaign waged between the Regalian Empire and various Elven states across the lands of Altaleï and Westwynd. While in actuality it was a combination of two conflicts, the Altaleï-Regalian War and the Dread War, the name Long Elven War is often used when comparing this conflict to the earlier L'Elvellen War, which is called the Short Elven War given its shocking brevity. Caused by the geopolitical alliances across Aloria, and plagued by political intrigue throughout its duration, the war is ultimately seen as a turning point in the Regalian Empire’s history. For both the military and diplomats, the conflict highlighted notable flaws in the functions of leadership at the time, and many continue to study it in detail to discover what could’ve happened if things proceeded differently.
| Long Elven War | |
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| Historical Event | |
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| Dates and Times | July 26th, 305 AC - November 9th, 307 AC |
| Location | Altaleï and Westwynd |
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Background Information
After the conclusion of the Ranger Crisis in 295 AC, the western regions of Aloria became a focus for the Regalian Empire’s interests. While initially aligned with a number of Elven states, the Regalians would eventually renege on the Ranger’s Treaty, culminating in the L'Elvellen War. Over the span of a month, the Regalian Empire would successfully defeat their enemy in battle, seize the ancient crown of the old Allorn Empresses and annex several Elven states into the Empire’s territory. For a while, after the conclusion of this war, consolidation would occur in the west and conflicts were fought elsewhere, but attention eventually returned to the region.
Following the Bone Horror Crisis, the various nations and states in Aloria were in a weakened state, with only the fallout of the Cataclysm itself being more severe. In the aftermath of this global conflict, it was predicted that new alliances would be forged in order for these nations to check their rivals in the world. The chief architect of this hypothesis was the 4th Baron of Guidand, Bonace Tylleronde, who began to court various states in the Regalian Empire. In Hadar, the Allar were pulled into a formal alliance with the Regalian Empire, alongside the Asha and Qadir Ailor. This bloc of power would become the Crown Alliance, a large new faction of power within Aloria.
Elsewhere, many Elven states in Altaleï and Westwynd aligned with the Songaskian Masaya to form the Magic Covenant, united in their rivalry with the Regalians. The non-Westafar Maquixtl and allied Yanar formed the Wild Union to firmly set themselves apart from these other powers. With various coalitions created, it would only be a matter of time before war broke out. The Regalian Empire and their Crown Alliance would be the first to initiate conflict. In the east, the Second Songaskian War would be fought in an attempt to divide the Magic Covenant in two. Near the end of this war in Farahdeen, the Wirtem Chancellor of the Regalian Empire led a hostile military expedition against Elven regions in Altaleï. Unfortunately, the Regalian army was surrounded and destroyed by both overwhelming odds and new weaponry. As news reached the Crown Isle of the defeat, the Long Elven War began.
History
The Altaleï-Regalian War
The first chapter of the Long Elven War saw several Regalian armies deploy against regional enemy states, with a wave of atrocities committed in retribution for the brutal destruction of the Regalian force. The conflict took on a religious dimension as well, with Unionist religious figures preaching the evils of the Elves and making martyrs out of the troops and leaders who had died, even if the now-dead Chancellor had not been well liked among most quarters of government and nobility. As a result, genocide was enacted on the enemy populous while sites of Estelley faith were violently purged of their religious attendants and supplicants, with their treasures taken as war bounty back to the Regalian Empire. Shocked at such intense violence from the Regalian Empire, the regional Elves violently retaliated, with Teledden Mages, Fin’ullen soldiers, mercenaries and conscripted soldiers working to combat the Regalian Empire in the coming months with an enormous vigor. While this happened, the first cracks in the Empire’s military capabilities appeared. Politics back in Corontium and family feuds saw generals and admirals routinely shuffled, dismissed, or drawn back into service, while logistics proved equally tough to maintain. Defeats crept into the conflict, but a cyclical situation gradually developed. The Regalians would win hard fought victories, pushing out, only to be stopped and forced to retreat due to issues behind the lines either in logistics, command squabbles, or conflicts back at home.
These conflicts, however, only grew in significance with time. First was the Dragon Crisis, when Dragons openly returned to Regalia when the mysterious Dragon known as Renita arrived in the Regalian capital with an army of mentally controlled Archon. She soon enthralled common citizens into her service, and the chaos this prompted was only resolved when Emperor Cedromar I transformed into a Dragon himself, later dubbed the Imperial Dragon. A number of Arken also arrived at a similar time, causing trouble and disturbing city life with their plots and deals. The eventual collapse of Renita’s new order sent her fleeing, though to where is a matter of debate. After a Regalian surge on the battlefields of the west, full of zeal and yet more religious rhetoric, the Anglian Misery came. A mysterious event, it saw an explosion of magical mist that covered much of Anglia, freezing time across the Empire’s breadbasket. Many government officials, notable Imperial Family members, and nobles were also trapped in the cloud, having been in attendance at a political summit on the future of the Empire. This last crisis proved too much, and combined with the invasion of the Dread Empire, whose probes were now pushing far into Altaleï and harassing Regalian possessions in Westwynd, a truce between the Regalians and their enemies was signed so that both could turn inward, and deal with their mutual threats and problems.
- For more information about the Altaleï-Regalian War, click HERE
The Dread War
The invasion of the Sileran Kathar proved devastating for the lands of Altaleï to suffer under. Many great cities were taken or destroyed, with dark towers raised to spread the corruption of the Void across the land. The Altaleïn Elves could not hold the line alone and they sought a temporary alliance with their former enemies, at the same time the occupying Regalian armies called for aid. Regalia, meanwhile, finally had its act together with the return of the former Emperor, [[Alexander I], filling a year-long gap of Imperial leadership. They accepted the offer of alliance, and launched missions to help their new allies. Regalian fighting had many fronts, with supplements of troops across the lands of Altaleï, but the largest deployment–and the only one directly controlled by Regalian generals, and not Elven princes–was along a stretch of southern Altaleïn coastline. In a series of battles, victories were had with a few setbacks mixed in. Tactics during the conflict were a mix of conventional warfare and innovation. The most notable example was the use of Arkenborn to infiltrate a Kathar-occupied city to stir up a revolt among the city’s population. As the Altaleïn Elves and Regalian forces reclaimed more land from the Dread Empire, the war entered its final battle, one of the largest in recent history. With almost a dozen army formations facing off against each other, the encounter would culminate in a duel between the Dread Dragon, a strange Void-altered Dragon, and Imperial Dragon. Surprisingly, the Dragons suddenly departed the field of battle together, devastating the morale of the Kathar who retreated back to their pre-war borders, bringing about a close to the Long Elven War.
- For more information on the Dread War, click HERE
Effects
The Long Elven War brought notable change across the differing regions of Aloria. For the Kathar, their defeat during the Dread War saw the regicide of the Dread Empress by her sister, who took the throne for herself. For the Regalian Military, the status quo of the old guard was put into question as several women, afflicted individuals, and youthful commanders proved to be just as effective, if not better, than their mundane, senior male counterparts. For the Elves and the Regalians, the Long Elven War prompted a brief spark of positive relations between the two groups, to the point where the Elves were willing to join the Regalian Empire. Unfortunately, a delay by the Regalian Arch Chancellor would see Altaleïn interest wane, and the resurgence of the Allorn Empire a few years later ended any prospects of integration. The Long Elven War highlighted the consequences of political intrigue between the noble factions; controversial decisions led to heightened hostilities internally and the loss of thousands of soldiers which might have otherwise been spared. While few took much note of these actions at the time, the conclusion of the Regalian-Sendrassian War (not to be confused with the Sendrassian civil war, pre-Cataclsym) saw scholars reference the actions of the Long Elven War as additional proof of an institutional decay in the capabilities of the Regalian Empire, prompting many to look for ways to adapt to the changing times.
Trivia
- During the Long Elven War, the Regalian Empire saw the conclusion of Cedromar’s reign as Emperor, two Corontium crises, and several changes to the head of government. This volatility of central leadership is often seen as a contributing factor to the chaos on the front lines.
- While the Allorn Empire’s resurgence saw the hopes for integrating regional Elven states into the Regalian Empire thwarted, some optimistic scholars hypothesize that if the integration did go through as expected, the resurgence would’ve seen the Empire plagued by a civil war, or at least an immediate conflict with the Allorn Empire aggressively attacking the Empire to reclaim their old heartland.
- The Unionist zealtry during both phases of the war saw extreme elements of the faith lose power for a time, though there was a resurgence in Purist sentiments in 311 AC thanks to the efforts of the Lothar Order, who marched on the capital city, demanding change.
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