The New War (957 AGC)

In 957, a new war erupted between the Empire and the League. By that time, the Empire had seized the secret of astral travel and devoted all its resources to building an astral fleet. Powerful Imperial ships, equipped with the latest science and technology, launched an attack on League territories.

The League's astral fleet, defended by squads of mages, resisted fiercely – but was ultimately doomed. The battered League ships were forced to retreat, and the coastal allods of the League were left defenseless. However, the victorious Imperial ships could only ensure an unopposed landing. Once away from the astral, the Imperials were forced to fight using old, "grandfather’s methods." What had begun as a “victorious” campaign for the Empire turned into a prolonged war.

Still, one objective was achieved – the League's allods were blockaded. The League's mages had to reopen their portals to maintain communication. To break the blockade, it was necessary to discover the secret behind the power of the Imperial astral vessels.

However, not a single Imperial ship had yet been captured – each was programmed to self-destruct if there was any risk of falling into enemy hands.

Serving aboard one of the League’s ships was Voisvet Belov – a paladin and veteran of the 909 war. His ship managed to survive a clash with the enemy. Voisvet himself led the raid that succeeded in capturing an Imperial ship intact. The mission was a success, and Voisvet became a national hero of both the League and Kania.

Thus, the technology of astral energy became available to the League. Slowly but surely, the League began to reclaim control over its seized shores, and by 962, the blockade was fully broken, with the war transitioning into a sluggish, stagnant phase.