The Great Aurian War ( 3E215 - 3E227 ) was a large scale conflict fought on almost all fronts of the continent of Aurial over 12 years. It was primarily fought between two sides, the "Jakunists" coalition of the Great Kingdom of Terros, Crimson Empire, and the Imperium Aeternum, and the "Dragoncoast Alliance / DCA" coalition of the Kingdom of Førland, Queendom of Fioska, Kingdom of Nûzabad, as well as the rebelling Crimson Cinderan Provinces that would create the Lunar Collective. That side of the conflict is often separately called the Lunar Revolution.

The Great War was the largest conflict seen on Abmarah since the Omniborn Crisis back in the first era, and saw the birth of the Warforged race and the great powers of the third era. This war was also the reason for the mass migration of Orcs into Aurial, many of their hordes brought to the continent to fight in the war. The Kosmosi Mountains served as the battleground and border of much of the war, forming a natural barrier through the center of the continent.

The Jakunists were named after their shared religion of Jakunism, while the DCA was named after the old Dragoncoast Trade Alliance. There were many key figures during the war on both sides:

Before the War

Over the first two centuries of the third era, the Great Kingdom of Terros had expanded its territories considerably, now containing both the Kingdom of Zietaria as well as the Magocracy of Zaubarovia. Zaubarovia had a lot of border tensions with the neighboring Kingdom of Fyrstland, while Zietaria had tensions with the dwarven Kingdom of Nûzabad. It was the rivalry between Zaubarovia and Frystland that was truly the spark on the northern front, as multiple territorial clashes between over the city of Brill and the island of Iss were causing more resentment to build up.

Meanwhile, the Crimsons had expanded widely, and came to control many of the small kingdoms of the Cinder Steppe, such as the Kingdom of Kalki-Rtutia and the Kingdom of Vandia, as well as smaller city-kingdoms. These kingdoms were conquered in small scale wars through 3E135 through 3E140 and beyond.

In fact, the only independent Cinderan kingdom that resisted Crimson occupation was the Kingdom of Titania, although they were attacked many times. The common folk of the steppe were increasingly industrializing, and were suffering under the vastly magic-centric Crimson control. The Crimsons had cultural, religious, and societal differences that people were having a hard time getting over. At the same time, the old royal families of the steppe were brewing thoughts of independence.

The Early Years (3E215 - 3E220)

The first few years of the war were slow, with only a few battles happening on a few fronts. The larger battle in these initial years was one of ideology and religion, setting the stage for the destruction to come.

During the war, the Blackreyne Brotherhood's neutrality was under a lot of question. During this period, it was being led by Archhunter Daerron Blackreyne. His family ties were from the Cinder Steppe, which was in active rebellion. However, he had inherited the leadership from Archhuntress Sypha Darkmere, who was a lifelong friend of Emperor Sombra. This put the political allegiances of the brotherhood into a lot of tension, with their Hunters being met by hostility wherever they tried to go.

The Lunar Revolution (3E215)

The former rulers of the Cinder Steppe, such as House Merkuriyev and House Vanadiyin, came together in a secret alliance. They were not satisfied as Crimson governors, and wanted their old independence back. These strongest royal families looked to the The Ballista for guidance, who were slowly becoming the religious heads of the land. Patriarch Kol-Han of the Golden Church would unite the wishes of the ruling families with the sentiments of the masses, by declaring the Golden Triad to be the one and only religion in the land. The Jakunist Crimson forces were in the minority on this side of the continent, after all.

The Lunar Revolution began on the basis of freedom, equality for all men, and an escape from feudalism, crimson ideals, and jakunist thought. The commoners and workers were united behind a masked revolutionary figure. Their signature crossbow gave them the name Arbal, and they were later given sainthood by the Golden Church.

Terrosi Invasion (3E215 - 3E216)

High King Ellenhardt III von Callas of Terros saw the Crimsons engage in southern fighting, and formally made a military pact with the Crimson Empire as well as the Imperium Aeternum. Zietaria launched a full invasion of Nûzabad, while Zaubarovian forces started to encroach on Fyrstland's territory. During the invasion, High King Ellenhardt III's heir, Wernhardt II, was killed. His young grandson become his new heir.

The Queendom of Fioska formally gave up rights to the Cinderan city of Promev, as a sign of goodwill and alliance to the Lunar revolutionaries. Promev was always culturally closer to the other Lunar cities, and Fioska needed all the help it could get. The ruling Kopprska family was also related to the Lunar House Koporev via blood, and that only helped this union.

By the end of 3E216, the continent was officially divided into the two coalitions of the Jakunists and the DCA.

The Great Orc Migration (3E217)

With much of the fighting taking place in open grasslands and mountains, High King Ellenhardt III had the idea to bring in the orc hordes of Eteru to fight for them. He imagined this to be more like temporary mercenary contracts, only expecting a minority of the orcs to settle down in Aurial. The Elves of the Imperium Aeternum controlled a lot of Orc slaves from their colonies on Eteru, and between those and mercenary contracts with the Khans, the policy of orc migration was put into place. Hundreds of ships would carry hordes of Orcs and horses alike across Aurza's Chalice. Most of the orcs landed on the Zietarian east coast, by Khazlight. Their landing created a new town, now known as Rayaren.

Most Eterian orcs settled in the northern and southeastern territories. Most of the orcs that ended up fighting for the Crimsons in the Cinder Steppe were actually Dune Orcs hired from Eqos, with only a minority of Eterian Orcs being shipped to the west coast.

The border city of Brill would fall into Zaubarovian control in 3E218 after a successful siege led by Duke Eadwulf I Rosenburg of Velmont.

The Destruction (3E220 - 3E223)

The stalemates and tides of the war began to finally shift after the first five years of conflicts and small scale battles were over, as the Lunar revolutionaries began to mass produce new blackpowder weapons such as pistols and muskets that could equalize the playing field against Crimson magic.

However, the DCA would suffer considerable losses on the northern front during this period, with most of their victories occurring on the southern front. During these years especially, the refugees escaping Aurial and heading into Eqos practically doubled. Most of them settled down in the Edeni Expanse and especially the Vyzum Wastes, although many of those refugees would be tragically drafted into the armies of the local Edeni rulers to fight against Kasaaqi oppression. Meanwhile, Mahatarani Raktii Zaaba of the Kasaaqi Dynasty would continue to help the DCA with food trade, something that immensely helped their war efforts.

Warforged Conquest (3E220)

The Jakunists by now had incurred many losses, even with the added manpower of the orc clans. The Elves of Aeteria then started to create a new fighting force through magic and metal- the Warforged. Pontiffess Circyra II of the Imperium Aeternum sanctioned the creation of a holy army that could give aid to High King Callas and Emperor Sombra. Dr. Volnax Blackwood I helped in the design and the mass-production of Warforged units. Thousands of Warforged were created, led by the first warforged, Ultros. This would earn Pontiffess Circyra II the title of 'the Warsmith'. Volnax truly rose to prominence as he also helped developed many blackpowder weapons and industries for the Jakunists to oppose the Lunar artificers.

It was these warforged though that shifted the war to Terros' favor, as the automaton battalions help push past dwarven blockades. In the second half of 3E220, Zietarian forces finally broke through their siege of Vogh Vulfrhûn, and forced a surrender of the Kingdom of Nûzabad. The Pontifess crowned a new title onto High King Ellenhardt III, "Kaiser", as he became emperor over three kingdoms. However, not long after his crowning, Kaiser Ellenhardt III fell into a deep coma through his wounds and advanced age. His grandson and heir was only ten by then, so his marshall Count Eryk Seahope took over as acting regent. After the conquest of Vogh Vulfrhûn, Ultros ascended to become the new god of balanced creation. However, instead of the Jakunists gaining a god on their side, Ultros immediately rejected the war and refused to help further.

Eruption of Mt. Glørim (3E221)

Midwar, Mount Glørim on the northwestern coast exploded violently in a catastrophic eruption that destroyed much of Aldrigvinter and ruined Frystland's advantage against Zaubarovia. The royal family of Aldrigvinter, House Fyrst, all perished in the disaster. The military commander, Henryk Aldriglød, took over the nation. Fyrstland reformed to become the Kingdom of Førland under him.

However, this marked the turn of the tide as Zaubarovia took over much of the remains of the nation, finally forcing Førland's surrender in 3E223 after the Siege of Aldrigvinter led by General Benedikt von Gothwyn. The kingdom was formally assimilated into Terros like the dwarven kingdom before it. Most scholars agree that the war could've gone on for much longer had the eruption not occurred, and many Jakunists still believe that the god Magmus blessed them and the orcs that day.

While not directly a part of the Great Aurian War, thousands of Aurian refugees were killed in Eqos as they were drafted into Edeni armies fighting against Kasaaqi oppression. One of the bloodiest battles here occurred in 2E222, when the Kasaaqi Sena met the forces of High Chieftain Idris Tokalu IV of Ghasarii in a field of grass southeast of Kasaaq. Nearly half of the nine-thousand strong Ghasaran forces were made up of Aurian refugees, and the Kasaaqi Sena cut them down all the same. Of the nine-thousand men, only a little more than a thousand survived the battle. The brutality of Mahatarani Raktii’s forces caused a black mark on her reign beyond what was already done, but she doubled down by constructing a fort at the battle site named Fort ‘Bloodgrass’.

Battle of Titanigrad (3E223)

The defining moment of the southern front was the battle fought in Titanigrad in 3E223. Emperor Sombra himself was present during this battle, and so was St. Arbal. The battle was catastrophic for both sides, and led to the near complete ruin of the city of Titanigrad. Near the end of the battle, St. Arbal grievously wounded Emperor Sombra, leading into a Crimson retreat.

This event, on the 12th of Freki, is said to be the birth of the Lunar Collective and is celebrated as their independence day. The 12 remaining lunar noble houses, alongisde St. Arbal and the other revolutionary figures, wrote a new Lunar constitution into law over the next month. All nobility besides the twelve remaining houses was disbanded. Many of these former nobles would assimilate as regular citizens, and many would flee elsewhere with their riches.

The Final Years (3E223 - 3E227)

Following the Lunar independence, the only forces left on the DCA side were Fioska and the newly founded Lunar Collective. Meanwhile on the Jakunists' side, the toll and attrition was only increasing. Terros had grown to include two new nations, and their resources were overstretched. The Crimsons had lost a lot of territory to the Lunars, but were considerably better off.

Arbal, the Lunar war leader, lost more and more of themselves through the years of the war. House Zhalizoskyy replaced their body and limbs with metal and prosthetics, and eventually, they even wore a helmet. Arbal looked more like the warforged they fought than one of the lunars, and people began to think that they were a rebirth or avatar of Arryestria herself, mirroring her journey.

In 3E225, the monastery at Oly's Keep was taken over by the Crimson Army. The monks were told to relocate, and the keep was transformed into a prison to hold Lunar prisoners. Right around this time, Archhunter Daerron Blackreyne of the Blackreyne Brotherhood disappeared during a mission.

Battle of Bækti (3E225)

Terrosi forces met Fioskan forces for the first time in battle, but the crossing of the river proved deadly for the Terrosi forces. Fioska had not actually fought in the war up until this moment, only sending support and manpower to the war effort of the DCA upto now. The battle proved to be a decisive Fioskan victory, and the greatest loss on the Terrosi side was of their marshall and regent, Count Eryk Seahope. After Eryk's death, the Kaiser's grandson and heir Axel von Callas, now 15, took over as regent despite being a minor.

Death of St. Arbal in Kalkipol (3E226)

At the Battle of Kalkipol, Arbal was leading the Lunars against the Crimson army. However, the Crimson fleet arrived into the port at Kalkipol, and the Lunars were effectively surrounded. It's said that Arbal and their men were killed by a hail of cannonfire, the only thing able to pierce Arbal's armor. Sources claim that Arbal barely survived the cannonfire, and that their arcane armor was malfunctioning. When hundreds of Crimson soldiers rushed to kill them, Arbal caused a violent arcane explosion centered on themselves, killing themselves and hundreds of Faithkeepers.

The Lunar fleet would eventually come and retake the city only a day later, but the entire Collective mourned the death of their war leader. Arbal became a martyr, and Patriarch Kol-Han waited no moments to proclaim Arbal as a saint. Arbal was set to be the ruler of the country, and some speculate that the Golden Church purposefully sent Arbal into a suicide mission, as they didn't appreciate how much control and sway Arbal had over the masses.

The Last Battles (3E227)

The last battles of the war were the ongoing siege of Bækti and a naval battle between the Crimsons and the Lunars off the coast of Taltigo. These battles ended in decisive victories, as the Terrosi finally broke through Fioskan defenses and forced a surrender of House Kopprska. Meanwhile, the Lunar fleet overcame the Crimson offense, cementing their control over the island of Nosia.

All sides thoroughly weakened and lacking in manpower, a peace treaty called the 'Lunar Treaty' was formalized in the city of Dobuka. Peace was negotiated by the neutral peacekeepers of the Department of Dungeons. Archhuntress Cîrhel of the Blackreyne Brotherhood also helped in the final border negotiations between the great powers, placing the cornerpoint of the three nations near Night's End.

Later that year, Kaiser Ellenhardt III finally passed away, and his son regent ascended the Terrosi throne at age 17 to become Kaiser Axel I von Callas, ruler of five kingdoms. Not long after that, Pontiffess Circyra II passed away as well. Some say that she was murdered for her role in the war, perhaps killed by Ultros. However, elven historians generally believe that she died of old age and stress.

Aftermath

The war changed the demographics of the continent permanently, as well as creating new nations, cultures, and ideas. The war began with the continent divided into 5-9 nations, and ended with the continent divided into only 3 halves. The wounds of the war would remain in the psyche of the population for a long time, especially the longer-lived races.

The war not only changed the demographics of Aurial but the rest of Abmarah as well. Many people of the west coast would flee the war entirely, heading into Eqos and settling down as colonists, immigrants, and refugees. The largest of these migrations was into the Vyzum Wastes.

The Battle of Titanigrad saw the city practically destroyed. The Lunar Collective spent a lot of their resources repairing and rebuilding the city after the war, renaming it to Ashbowl. The city of Giranigrad, often said to be the birthplace of St. Arbal, was renamed to St. Arbalsburg in their honor. The city of Brill was officially handed back to Førland.

After the war, the Warforged were set free and given equal rights by the Lunar Treaty. Their freedom was somewhat traumatic for the warforged who were accustomed to having a single purpose with orders and instructions. In the Crimson Empire, the warforged became indentured servants instructed to repair the damage of war whilst in Terros, The Collective, and other nations the warforged became idle after losing their only purpose in life. The idle warforged stood still in fields for days, hoping they'd receive orders but it wasn't until after a few weeks that they learned that the orders would never come. Instead, warforged began to band together to seek out new purposes whilst others searched for leaders within their own race to give them meaning.

Similarly, the sentiments of the population towards the Orcs changed drastically. While they were citizens, people would still consider them to be invaders and barbaric. It's said that the Kaisers still regret their decision to bring in orc hordes to this day. Only a minority of the Orcs went back to their homeland, and the ones who stayed started to develop a culture of their own separate from their Eterian and Eqosi origins.