Elven War of 302 AC

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Elven War of 302 AC
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Historical Event
Event Name Elven War of 302 AC
Dates and Times June 8th - 29th 302 AC
Location Daendroc
People Involved Regalian Empire, Northern Elven States, Eronidas Baros Tribes

The Elven War of 302 AC, which pitted the full might of the Regalian Empire against the significantly smaller Nelfin kingdoms in northern Daendroc was a one-sided conflict that heralded Regalia’s return to warfare after a lull of several years. This war began when Alexander I, then the newly-ascended Crown Prince of Regalia, sought to raise the morale of the Empire by pummeling an easy to conquer foe, as well as expand the resource base of lumber that was available for Regalian shipbuilding. The Elven War was one of the fastest and effortless wars fought by Regalia; the aristocratic retinues suffered minimal casualties, and the actual conflict lasted less than a month. In spite of it being overlooked by many in recent years, the Elven War is important as it granted Regalia greater regional control which would prove useful later on, as well as won the people’s confidence in future Emperor Alexander I.

Background Information

The roots of the Elven War run all the way back to the Ranger Crisis, where the end result in this conflict was an uneasy alliance between the Avanthar, Altalar in northern Daendroc and Regalia. Regalia would supply the Avanthar war effort against the Eronidas in return for the ability to harvest the plentiful lumber in Daendroc. Regalia, however, supplied little aid to the Avanthar as shipments of weapons were almost never delivered on time and when they were, they were of very low quality. At the end of the Ranger Crisis, Moriarty Kade, the Arch-Chancellor of Regalia at the time, signed a contract with a number of the Eronidas Polons. As soon as Alexander Kade, Moriarty's heir as head of House Kade, ascended to the throne of the Regalian Empire, he declared war on the Northern Elven Kingdoms, citing that they had leached off of Regalian protection and did not fulfill their end of the deal. This declaration included a set of terms demanding that the Nelfin give Regalia everything from their land to their slave property. While this may seem like greed on Alexander’s part, more politically apt individuals would soon come to realize that material gain was not the only goal; the war was forced by Alexander to improve Regalian morale. Though many smaller princes and cities submitted to these terms, the large state of Thellassia held firm and prepared for war, joined by a small coalition of allies.

History

The Muds of Taure Tinechor

The first battle of the Elven War was fought at Taure Tinechor on the 8th of June, a heavily fortified town in the Altalar state of Medlem Talar. Regalia’s army of around five thousand levies was led by the Crown Prince’s younger brother, Thomas Kade, and was accompanied by roughly five hundred Baros Eronidas led by Thrugg Borlak, the leader of a Baros tribe known as Dark Iron. The town was defended by the renowned and famous Nelfin general, Neylad Nefterin, and his army of two thousand archers, some Altalar soldiers, and others members of the elite “Gwae Sul” cavalry; Avanthar mercenaries from the Hortutor Tribelands.

As the battle began, the Eronidas charged right into the Nelfin lines, resulting in most of the Eronidas war party being decimated while at the same time scattering the Nelfin lines. The Regalian armies took grim advantage of this, brutally using the Eronidas as a meat shield to push forward. When the Eron charge was thwarted, a brand new line of Regalian troops were right behind them to continue the fight. At the moment one would least expect a sudden assault, Neylad Nefterin sprang into action, leading a Gwae Sul cavalry charge horizontally at the Regalian lines. The surprised and battered Regalian right flank could not muster a defense in time, resulting in it becoming mostly destroyed. Perhaps this would have impacted the Regalian middle and left flanks, who were storming the outskirts of Taure Tinechor, were it not for one Regalia-aligned Sihndar who challenged Nefterin to a duel. This unknown warrior single-handedly knocked Neylad Nefterin off his horse and into the mud, before slaying him with his Khoptar.

Almost immediately, the defenders of the city retreated into the forest. The Nelfin lost around a total of one thousand men, while the rest disappeared into the dense foliage of the surrounding jungles. The Regalians lost around fourteen hundred soldiers, most of which were part of the collapse of the right flank. There were very few Eronidas survivors. Despite these losses, the Regalians had won the battle, and consequently renamed Taure Tinechor to Schlammburg, a reference to the town’s muddy terrain, as well as a jest towards a lone member of House Pileran, who fell and spent most of the battle stuck in the mud. Regalia’s first step towards its inevitable victory had begun.

The Three Battles

The Battle of Perfwenn

Early on the 12th of June, a joint army from the Lordship of Dragenthal, converged on the small city of Perfwenn. Whereas the other armies were mostly homogenous and uniformed, the so-called “Red Army,” named in historic reference to the various rebellions and revolts in the Dragenthal region, was a combination of armies. Various Counts and Dukes, including the Navas and Pilerans, had signed their banners off to the Red Army from all parts of the Regalian Archipelago. Additionally, the Red Army was different in that it actually brought many noble families whose retinues were fighting in the conflict to watch the battle from afar in a big tent. Just before the battle, the unexpected happened: A Countess from one of the noble families seized power over the army from the presiding Duchess without dispute and led a largely successful attack. The army of eighteen hundred Regalian soldiers crashed through the Nelfin barricades with relative ease, decimating the army of a thousand Altalar defenders with only sixty-seven Ailor deaths.

The Battle of Heller Tellarna

On the 13th of June, Duke William Howlester of Gallovia and Duke Tristan Lampero of Vultaro, combined their forces and led a united front of around two thousand men called the “Mountain Army” against the town of Heller Tellarna, a fortified Nelfin position manned by roughly five hundred Altalar soldiers. The two Dukes led the charge but were ambushed as Nelfin guerilla fighters burst from the jungles and overpowered them. Though the officers began signalling for retreat, Joshua Kade, who was also present, rallied the soldiers to push forward, eliminate the Nelfin army, and free the commanders. Though the battle was won, the Mountain Army suffered large casualties; nearly nine hundred Regalians lay dead, compared to the four hundred Nelfin that were killed.

The Battle of H’rellen

Following the Battle of Taure Tinechor, the Kade Host army abandoned Schlammburg and linked up with the Army of Calemberg and the Fong Fleet. This joint force, now known as the “Grand Host,” made their way towards H’rellen, a small and unassuming coastal town with a large temple some ways inland. The attack, which took place on the 13th of June, was fought both on land and on the sea. Ulric Typhonus, with help from Kade, Sangiovese, and von Liebrecht retinues numbering around two thousand in all made landfall and easily fought their way up the coast against around two thousand Nelfin defenders. Meanwhile, the Fong fleet was ambushed by several Altalar warships, all equipped with Bronze cannons traded with from the Qadir. The Altalar fleet was dispatched by use of Magic; the Lord Fong ordered his Mages, situated at the gun ports where cannons would normally stick out, to cast in unison. The collective of mages summoned forth an enormous wave of fire, which flew towards the Altalar ships and swallowed them up in great balls of flame, effectively destroying the vessels.

Meanwhile, the Grand Host seemingly won the battle of H’rellen. All of the remaining Altalar defenders retreated inside the great temple that lay beyond the town as if there were something more important to attend to inside. A few men followed closely, ultimately catching a glimpse of the Imperial Crown of the Allorn Empire, the Crown of the World. As the Regalians strode forward across a great open room to retrieve this famed object, they soon realized their mistake. Nelfin Mages stepped out of the shadows, casting a violent torrent of wind storms within the closed walls of the temple, slapping Regalian soldiers against the walls with ease. The soldiers quickly retreated, with the Mages close behind. Though the Nelfin were unable to pursue their routed enemy, they were content to force a full Regalian retreat with their cyclonic might. The Regalians lost around three hundred men, while the city lost around two thousand (five hundred at sea, and fifteen hundred during the siege of the town).

The Second Battle of H’rellen

The Second Battle of H’rellen was not to be the colossal failure for Regalia that the first was; the Crown Prince himself, Alexander Kade, sailed to the town with a small army of Azure Order operatives in order to ensure victory. The Regalians had around three thousand soldiers, while the Nelfin defenders were limited to five hundred or so Mages holed up in the temple safeguarding the Crown of the World. The battle began on the 15th of June, and for the first time in Regalian history, Azure Mages marched among Tenpenny soldiers in a war against an external force. Each Azure Mage was assigned to a small group of soldiers and interrupted the Magic of the Nelfin as it was being cast. With their Magic rendered ineffective, the Nelfin were unable to put up any sort of fight against the Regalian armies. The Crown of the World was recovered and presented to Alexander Kade, who locked it aboard his personal flagship, the Laridae. It was transported to the Kade Vaults in Regalia, where it presumably still lies under the highest security available to Aloria. The city itself was viciously sacked, resulting in defacement of several of the Temple’s walls and the entire guard of this sanctuary being executed. Despite some minor interest from the Scholar’s Court, all information about the strange Magic used by the Altalar was destroyed.

Madar Tellarna

The Battle of Madar Tellarina was the largest battle fought in the war thus far, and brought forth a face new to the scene; that of Cedric Kade, the then unknown future Emperor of Regalia. The morning of the 24th of June was marked by the sound of cannons blasting away at the walls of Madar Tellarna by the Grand Regalian Host of 6,200 troops. Unfortunately, the siege weapons had no effect on the great walls of the Alatalar city and acted more so as cover for the archers than an actual offence. It wasn’t until a commander of the Red Army ordered for the cannons to attack the city itelf beyond the walls did any real breakthrough come about. As the citizens and buildings were wrecked by the attacking siege weapons, the garrison finally broke as the Nelfin rushed to the aid of their city, giving the Regalian host easy access to the walls as their ladders began to prop up by the dozen. It was only a matter of time before the defense of the city truly faltered, allowing the Regalian army to swarm it. The surrender saw the execution of what few defenders remained, the exodus of the citizens, and procuring of all available food; effectively leaving the Nelfin to starve as they fled their now ruined city. The many defeats of Thellassia's allies allowed for the Regalians to move in on their final target: the capital of Thellasia, Lenna Bas.

Lenna Bas

Following what would be known as “The Red Massacre”, the battle that ravaged Madar Tellarna, the defenders of Lenna Bas moved to force the coming battle outside of their walls to avoid the same destruction, as they had been warned of the coming Regalian host. Their mountainous city offered a sprawling forest and cleared field upon which to fight; and fight they would, as Alexander I arrived on June 29th with a Regalian Army of 11,300 troops. The Nelfin forces of 10,000 troops were dispersed along the forest and fields near the city walls, opposite the Regalian horde which had been set up with a center force and two flanks along either side as they readied to march on the city, the same formation following behind. The battle began with cannon fire, the Regalians sticking with what had worked prior, that made quick work of the treeline - and in the process, quick work of the Nelfin defenders hiding in the flora. Pushing their advantage, the right flank charged into the thicket of trees with the support of calvary. A savage melee began in the wooded area outside Lenna Bas as the Nelfin rained arrows upon the Regalian forces while their Mages worked together to create nightmarish illusions and beasts to attack the incoming Ailor, Yanar-commanded Neefaar also aiding in this combat. Eventually, the Mages and their forces began to fall as the Nelfin defenses were pressed further and further by the Regalians. Not all was lost for the Nelfin, as the Regalian cavalry was slowly being bested by their superior horse lords. These poorly prepared men soon fell to the blades of Altalar horsemen who slew or unseated nearly all of the commanding officers of the Regalian cavalry.

Hope had almost been lost until a unit of Baros Eronidas appeared, seemingly rescuing the remaining Regalian forces from what could have been a stinging defeat. Using fireworks and explosives, the Eronidas simply scared the Nelfin horses or blew them and the battleground to smithereens. With the Ero-born distraction, the remaining Regalian flank charged the Nelfin forces. While it was a bloody and costly move for the Ailor, they ultimately succeeded and completely annihilated their foes. Their forces wiped out and fearing the destruction of their prized city, the Nelfin King surrendered himself to the Regalian forces and was taken prisoner by the Ailor army. Victory seemingly at hand, the Imperial Court, and the Crown Prince hosted a dinner at the Regalian camp to celebrate. Peace was had, but only for a moment, as an elite unit of Nelfin Mages attacked. They rushed the party, and as the Imperial Guards moved in place to defend their royal charge, a Mage set himself alight. A massive explosion followed, and while none died directly from the suicide bomber, the force of the explosion caused a shockwave to tear through the camp. The Imperial Court and Guards were sent sprawling to the ground, helpless as ancient stone pillars began to crumble from the shockwave. The large tent the pillars had been supporting crashed down upon its host; the future Emperor Alexander I. The wooden beams cracked upon his head as he too fell to the ground. The Regalians may have won the war, their Nelfin enemies finally defeated, but it was a lost Empire; their leader now clinging to life in a deep coma.

Effects

Following the war, Regalia should have been celebrating but political unrest stirred in the city as Alexander I was now in a coma unable to wake. The same unrest could be said for Daen as the Ailor overseeing the Nelfin states created L'Elvellen and the Minaal Protectorate, provinces crafted out of the territory Regalia seized. With these new border state secured, a bulwark against the Avanthar, Ailor overlords pushed Unionism and needing defenders for this new border, allowed a large number of Eronidas into the area. Unsurprisingly, this caused the Avanthar and Cielothar to worry as their ancient foes were now around them on three sides. Compared to recent conflicts, the war may seem small but has had long-lasting effects that would soon give rise to greater issues, and lead to the formation of the Wild Union of the Cielothar, Avanthar, and their allied Yanar to stand agains what they saw as their end. As for the Altalar, the total defeat of their northern brothers and sisters galvinized discussions within the other Altalar nations. While it would take several years, first the Magic Covenant and then, the reborn Allorn Empire, would emrged from these talks.

Trivia

  • It is still a mystery to many as to what the Crown was doing at the Temple and while the Azure Order secretly aided the Black Order to torture what few captured temple guards there were, they never gave up their secret, endlessly reciting in various Nelfin tongues “We protect the Crown in Her name.” All ultimately died in captivity, their secrets safe in the ether of death.
  • This conflict occurred at the same time of the Regalian Civil Strife in the Regalian Archipelago which is why the Regalian Armies of this period can be seen to be so small when compared to those of later wars.
  • Neylad Nefterin was renowned for many things, one of them being his full suit of Nightsilver armor. Unfortunately, it vanished from his corpse in the cleanup to the battlefield by Regalia and none of the commanders really cared to investigate the matter further.

Accreditation
Writers HydraLana
Processors SupremeCripple
Last Editor HydraLana on 12/1/2021.

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