War for the World

> "*It must be dark before you can see the stars.*"
> ― Nesarian Proverb
>
>

Nesarian Empire establishes dominance across the continent leading to eventual formal annexation

### Defenders

Grand Coalition (Nesarian Empire, Sevaliara, Avamorica, Epsilucia, Draconica, Cisenila)
The Flame-Bearer
Ferikanya and her Forest
Warpath of Warmaster Gorehound
Adwani Empire
Calparnian States
Miscellaneous Volunteers

### Attacker Strength

Unknown, estimated 5,000,000 - 10,000,000 at peak

### Defender Strength

Grand Coalition: 1,500,000 at peak2 Titans (Flame-Bearer and Ferikanya)
Other numbers unknown, presumably at least a million

### Defender Losses

At least 2,000,000Approx. 10,000 Dragons
1 Flame-Bearer

### Civilian Casualties

Disputed; see Casualties section

The War for the World, also known as the Cosmovore War and the War Against the Cosmovores, was the invasion of Inecuria by the Cosmovore Swarm. Although the War for the World is often only spoken of in terms of the Cosmovores against the international coalition organised by Emperor Athdus III, the war encompassed many theatres across the continent. The war was the bloodiest and most devastating in the history of Inecuria, and in relative terms one of the most destructive wars in history, directly or indirectly leading to the death of somewhere between 40% and 60% (depending on the source) of the entire continent's population. The worst affected population was the Dragons, who lost up to 80% of their numbers. The population of Inecuria would not be restored to pre-war levels for approximately four centuries.

The War for the World left a permanent mark upon the Inecurians. The sheer devastation of the war would never be forgotten, but neither would the spirit of unity, brotherhood and grim determination against impossible odds which led the coalition to victory. For his role in essentially saving the world, Emperor Athdus III became venerated as an Elvetan saint after his death (and later a Christian one), and all those who fought and died in the war would be proclaimed as saints by the Elvetans a year later. The efforts of the Inecurians are considered by their descendants to be the ultimate expression of "victory or death", providing eternal inspiration to Inecurians throughout time to see whatever task they pursue through to the bitter end.

The War for the World is also renowned for it being the last instance of Titans fighting in war, and the last documented instance of any besides the Old Tree being alive. The Flame-Bearer, master of the Dragons, was summoned from his slumber under the waves to call Draconica to war and fight in the final battle against the Cosmovore Queen. He suffered fatal wounds in this battle and lay down in the steppe of Asmocaria to die, where his bones remain to this day. The other Titan, Ferikanya, drove the Cosmovores out of Avamorica and ensured they would not return to the south of the continent, but afterwards she retreated back into her forest and provided no further assistance. It is unknown whether this was because Ferikanya was mortally wounded in her battles, or whether she simply did not see any cause to fight further. It is also unknown whether Ferikanya still lives.

## Casualties

The question of casualties from the war is debated to this day. There is no question that casualties were extreme, with even the lowest estimates putting the death toll of the entire continent at 40%, and upwards of 70% in some specific areas. Whilst the proportion of deaths is generally agreed upon to lie somewhere between 40% and 60%, the exact number is controversial, due to the population figures of Inecuria in the 1st century AD being controversial. Estimates of the population wildly range from 80 million to 200 million, meaning the death toll may be anywhere between 32 million (40% of 80 mil.) and 120 million (60% of 200 mil.). The median death toll, 70 million (50% of 140 mil.), is the one most often cited by western historians, but Inecurian historians generally place the death toll at approximately 100 million.

Whilst many of these people were killed directly by the Cosmovores, either in battle or in the huge massacres of occupied land, many also starved to death from famine caused by the war, as many important bread-baskets of the continent were severely depopulated. The Cosmovore Queen appeared to partly base her invasion strategy on seizing productive farmland, knowing that it would weaken her enemies down the line. Her invasion of Onshi, one of the bloodiest, also meant that trade between the east and west effectively ceased to exist, cutting off not only the flow of food but severely impacting the general livelihoods of all those who depended on trade for their economy.

***Nothing below this point should be considered strictly canonical.***

## Course of the War

### First Phase; The Retreat

The Cosmovore invasion came from the north, breaking through a weak point in the Great Shield and first attacking Qaateen in June of 83. The news of this attack convinced the Nesarian and Indissian Empires to immediately call a ceasefire in their ongoing war, and Emperor Athdus hastily retreated back to Onshi to prevent himself being cut off in foreign hostile lands.

The Cosmovore swarm then split into three prongs; one heading westward into the Western Desert, one heading south towards Onshi, and one (starting its journey from the Hive, which had been established north of the Qaateeni Mountains) heading south-east into Estemoria. The Nesarians fought the Cosmovores at the shores of Osdaka, but were forced to retreat to Kimato and then into Estemoria to avoid becoming trapped in Onshi. Onshi was eventually overrun in 84, the Cosmovores staying in the city for another year to slaughter the population and turn their corpses into more Cosmovores. The bulk of the swarm would leave in late 85, but some remained who continued to attack the intrepid survivors until the final defeat of the Cosmovores.

Emperor Athdus was unable to mount an effective defence in Estemoria, being pushed back into Nesaria by late 85. He attempted to block off the Great Ramp, building a fortified and heavily manned wall, but the sheer numbers of the swarm overpowered it. The defence then relocated to Ascaria, manning the Great Wall, after suffering a defeat in the Battle of Wallshire. Ascaria itself was then overrun, and Athdus was forced to retreat with the army, taking as many civilians with him as he could but ultimately failing to save the vast majority of the population.

### Second Phase; The Coalition

Athdus moved southward with what remained of his army and his gaggle of refugees, being joined by large numbers of Estemorians who were fleeing the Cosmovore invasion of their own land. When they reached the border of Avamorica, they were initially turned away by the border patrols, but the story goes that upon looking out at the (now fairly huge) camp of people who had entrusted their lives to him, Athdus became determined to fight to save them or die trying. He demanded an audience with the Avamorican Senate at sword-point, and there he berated them for their cowardice and convinced them to join the coalition, later travelling to Sevaliara (with only his wife Avemiri for company) and doing essentially the same thing there. The independent Avamoric states soon joined the coalition after the Cosmovores were sighted by their scouts.

Athdus then went to Draconia to receive the support of the Dragons, but they were fierce in their rejection of him, adamant that nothing could assail them within the impenetrable walls of High Draconia. Only two Dragons wanted to help, so they joined Athdus and, along with a group of Elvish scholars led by Colados Yavesa, they managed to summon the Flame-Bearer who proceeded to furiously denounce and berate the Dragons for abandoning the world and called the Grand Flame Host.

By this point, in mid-87, the Cosmovores had begun attacking Avamorica, and so the coalition met them in the field and - to their own amazement - beat the Cosmovores, forcing them to retreat northwards. It is likely that the Cosmovore Queen recognised her forces were over-extended after meeting this newfound resistance, and retreated to consolidate the swarm. The coalition managed to develop a strategy of encircling and massacring small pockets of Cosmovores, which helped them push further northwards, eventually coming so close to Nesaria (in 89) that the Queen was forced to pull out of the country to avoid having a large portion of her swarm cut off.

### Third Phase; The Last Stand

Fighting continued in this region for another year, until the coalition was pushed southwards again by a renewed Cosmovore assault, which used its numbers to pull off the same strategy the coalition had been using against them - creating huge battle-lines which wrapped around coalition forces and surrounded them, slaughtering them to a man with no room for escape.

In October of 91, the coalition army was the largest it had ever been. Even Emperor Athdus and his fellow officers at the time did not know the true scale of their army, as its sheer size made counting it difficult, but estimates place it at around a million soldiers - the largest army to ever take the field prior to the First World War. With the Cosmovore coming back in renewed force, the coalition decided to make their final stand in Baeruthia, clashing with the Cosmovores in November of 91 in the Battle of Millions. In this battle, the coalition force was steadily being destroyed by the Cosmovore swarm until the Flame-Bearer killed the Cosmovore Queen, taking fatal wounds himself which would later kill him. The Cosmovores immediately lost their vigour and began a cacophony of agonised screeching, fleeing the field. The war was won.

## Aftermath

The Cosmovores continued to persist for some time, but their behaviour was disorganised and animalistic, being more of a pest than the murderous menace they were before. Many of them were hunted down and killed, but the majority of them starved to death, and their Hive collapsed without the Queen, preventing the species from reproducing. The last recorded sighting of a live Cosmovore was in the year 102, and it was promptly killed.

Many of the coalition members expanded their oaths of loyalty, placing themselves under the rulership of Emperor Athdus III. Each had their own reasons for doing so, but on the whole it was a combination of several things: a strong admiration and respect for Athdus, the idea that they were in Athdus' debt and needed to repay it, wanting to achieve permanent peace and unity, and the simple pragmatic desire to find someone who would be able to effectively organise and bankroll the reconstruction effort.