Feasting of Surilia

The Feasting of Surilia was the infamous bloody aftermath of the Siege of Suriles in 992 INC (508BC), a military engagement in the Mortian War where the combined forces of the Vampire Bloodhomes of Avilora and Cisuria, alongside their ally of Mortana, laid siege to the city of Suriles, the local capital of Surilia, a vassal of Idavia. Although it may not have been the bloodiest of the Vampire massacres, it is easily the most well-known. The Feasting of Surilia became known across Nesaria within weeks of it taking place, and it received widespread condemnation - most strongly from other Vampires, who knew that the event could (and indeed *would*) be used against them.

Although Mortana was in command of the Siege of Suriles, it was seemingly understood by all forces present that this command was merely nominal. In reality, the siege was commanded by the "Two Sanisas" (*Des Sanise*) - that is, High Lady Sanisa Vexarion of Avilora (who held overall command), and High Lady Sanisa Ravelias of Cisuria (second in command). The two Sanisas shared much in common besides their name; they were close friends since childhood, and according to some accounts they were lovers. However, more importantly for the siege, they additionally shared a particularly cruel streak and a burning hatred for Surilia.

Surilia had long been an object of loathing for Cisuria and Avilora ever since 986 INC (514BC); both Bloodhomes experienced a serious shortage of food (that is, flesh and blood) during that year, and so sent delegations to their neighbours inquiring whether they could supply any food, offering generous payment in return. One such delegation travelled to Surilia, but - Derion, the lord of Surilia, a particularly harsh man with a revulsion of Vampires - responded by arresting the delegation and burning them at the stake as "abominations", scattering their ashes so that they might never be recovered. Avilora and Cisuria had been prevented from retaliating by their overlord of Mortana, since the Mortanis had a truce with Idavia - the realm that ruled over Surilia - which had to be honoured. However, when war began anew between Mortana and Idavia, the two Bloodhomes were free to have their vengeance.

The Siege of Suriles was difficult for the attackers, as Suriles was well-fortified and the defenders generally shared their lord's distaste for Vampires. However, the city did eventually fall when the Vampires used their magic to undermine and destroy a weakly defended section of the walls. The chief written source for the event, the history of Davos vi Tira, states outright that the Mortani commander, Yotan Kazuran, knew exactly what the Vampires planned and struck a deal with the two Sanisas; the Vampires would hold and delay their vengeance until the Mortani forces had plundered the city and left, so that Yotan would not be present for what was about to occur and would not suffer political ramifications at home for failing to prevent it. However, given that there is no way that Davos vi Tira could have possibly known about the interactions between Yotan and the Sanisas, most modern historians doubt his account, and instead believe that Yotan genuinely did not know that the Vampires planned to take bloody revenge upon the entire city.

Once the Mortanis had left the scene, the Vampires began their systematic extermination and consumption of the territory of Surilia, beginning with the city of Suriles itself. Although many were eaten immediately after being slain on impulse - by this point, the majority of the Vampires were particularly hungry - the majority of the corpses were stockpiled in the great hall of Suriles for a series of great banquets. The two Sanisas reportedly made a point of drinking the blood of Lord Derion out of his own skull, as an accompaniment to his roasted flesh, and shared between them his brain and heart - the two organs which Elvetans believe to house the soul.

Historians disagree on the extent to which the genocide of Surilia was actually accomplished. Whereas both written and archaeological evidence makes it safe to assume that few survived the massacre of Suriles itself, most modern historians doubt that the countryside of Surilia was badly affected; the account of Eshérian historian Jarion Temiora, written merely twenty years later, still refers to Surilia as a "prosperous land known for its fine wine". Modern historiography typically regards the narrative of the event being intended as a total genocide of Surilia as being an exaggeration, exploited by the Ascarians for propaganda purposes; it is far more likely that the violence of the two Sanisas was only supposed to be directed at Suriles itself.

Sanisa of Avilora escaped retribution for the massacre, dying a peaceful death of natural causes, but Sanisa of Cisuria was not so fortunate. In later Ascarian military operations in the region, the Raven Guard of Saverati succeeding in capturing her, and they decapitated her and devoured her body - but made sure to send her heart and brain back to her home for burial. Although this action went some way in redeeming the Vampire race in the eyes of their neighbours, the Feasting of Surilia nonetheless had a lasting negative impact on relations between Vampires and the other peoples of Nesaria, especially Vampire-Human relations.