The Shatterwar

Note: Dates of events were given on Discord - can be found on timeline.The Shatterwar was a war between the Orcs of Urruk and the combined forces of the Elves, Eladrin and Humans. The most notable long-term effect of the war was the death of King Kelvoras of the Eladrin, which as well as depriving said Eladrin of their immortal ruler, also led to the curse on the Orcs which reduced Urruk to a desert. It is unclear why Gruel was not desertified; it is possible that that the Gruel Orcs were not involved in the war.
== Background ==
Note to self/other editors: when you write this section, remember to copy across the relevant details to the Delvash article.
== The first moves ==
The Shatterwar began as a series of Orcish raids on Elven, Dwarver, Korstraadi and Vistrian commerce. While these raids were not in and of themselves unusual, it was strange that rather than fight until they lost a numbers advantage and then flee, these Orcs would retreat at the first sign of response, luring their pursuers into deadly ambushes.
Eventually, while keeping the other "civilised" nations distracted with these raids, the Orcs invaded Vistria, overwhelming their border forts and seizing control of the province of Angor.
== The Battle of QueenScar ==
Following the seizure of Angor, Queen Jasmine von Smith led a 6000-stong army (including 1200 mounted troops, of whom 400 were heavy knights) to counterattack, backed by the queen's half-sister Charlie and her Archtide Dragoons. They found a 20,000-strong horde of Orcs, each wearing an iron chain over one shoulder like a sash. When the Humans charged, they found that the chains also had another purpose, as the Orcs pulling on them released a horde of scorpions, throwing the assault into disarray. Although Gordar Dustbeard cleared the path of the royal party with bolts of lightning, the smaller group was no match for the Varharran, who in a single blow of his blade Kil-Tod-Jar shattered Giantsbane, the ancestral sword of Vistria, and slew Queen Jasmine. This battle claimed the lives of 3,000 Humans and 4500 Orcs. An unknown number of Dragoons also died, although Charlie, Gordar and at least one other survived.
== The Battle of Drem's Error ==
During this battle, one thousand knights are completely routed by Orcs. Bloodied, the Kingdoms need years to recover their strength for another try.
== The Destructuion of Egregor and Zarafheim ==
15 years into the Shatterwar, the Orcs breached the Dwarfholds of Egregor and Zarafhaim. The few survivors claim they were assaulted first by demonic creatures from the depths of the earth, and only as their forces were drawn away from the entrances did the orcs lay seige. Even then, it seems impossible that the raiders could have broken the Doors of Adamant, for it was told that: "Only a God could break them".
== The Invasion of Telaras ==
Four years after the seizure of the Dwarfholds, the Orcish hordes used their stolen mithril and adamantine to overcome the Elven guardposts in the Gruel-Telaras border and invaded Telaras proper. The Elves sent requests for aid to their allies in Korstraad, but King Monoril VI refused, stating that if, as they claim, his kingdom is next in the path of the orcs, he must concentrate his forces in defence, rather than "leave [his] lands open".
== Disagreement in Korstraad ==
== The Battle of Red Rock ==
In this battle King Kelvoras of the Eladrin is slain by Jamargar, leading to Dialiah's famous curse that "for a thousand years, nothing will survive your footsteps".
== The Final Battle ==
In the Final Battle of The Shatterwar, Prince Kelvoras of the Eladrin avenged his father by slaying Varharan, shattering the orcish warbands and their excessively top-down power structure. However, this battle was sufficient to distract the alliance's champions, allowing Monoril VI to be cut down in battle by the orcs and mysteriously appearing zombies.