The Animal War

The Animal War was a large scale conflict that dominated the Realms during Nature's reign. Following the Animal War, the Realms faced mass political transformation, including a shift in global powers. It is the most influential event to date since the founding of the nations themselves.

## Causes

Half a century before the War took place, the Nature Realm's sole leader, Nature, fell into a deep coma. The sudden decline of health put incredible stress on the country politically, and Nature's partner, Lilac Forest, was forced to take up leadership in their absence. This gave her little to no time to tend to their only child, TBN FOX PRINCESS, who grew up apart from both her parents as a result.

This led to a period of national weakness and an overall decline, which nurtured dangerous individuals. One of those individuals was **FOX PRIMCESS NAME** themselves. Having experienced turmoil and instability both inside the home and outside, the young fox princess developed extremist ideologies concerning how a nation should be governed. She came to see the inability of her parents to successfully govern the realm as a sign that those who avoided conflict could never be decisive leaders. She began to despise pacifism as a form of weakness. However, her perspective was commonly rejected among those around her who saw her ideas as shocking for someone her age.

# Background

## Rise of the Animal Empire

Her opportunity came when she was about 15 years old (to the human perspective). Within the Nature Realm was a single state known as Animal Kingdom. Traditionally, governance for the state was usually granted to a royal or noble that met certain requirements. However, **FOX PRINCWSS NAME**, despite not meeting these requirements (such as minimal age), was able to take advantage of the her overwhelmed mother to win herself this title. She immediately set to work unfolding what she planned to be the most powerful nation on the planet. She sought guidance from **SCIENTIST NAME**, an older friend and the only person she felt understood her---however, in reality, **SCIENTIST NAME** had been seeking to take advantage of her power for her own means. She agreed to help her garner support in exchange for her own labs to run (unethical) experiments. **FOX PRINCESS NAME** agreed.

**FOX PRINCESS NAME'**s first order of business was to direct a coup against her mother and seize the entirety of the island under Animal Kingdom territory, declaring the new nation as the Animal Empire. This action disturbed many but intrigued others, leading to a secret alliance between the Ice Realm and later the Deep Ocean Realm, who were both seeking greater territorial gain. Finally, the Fox Princess turned her sights abroad. She decided to begin her conquest by challenging the closest and most influential nation at the time, Elemental Planet, who immediately sought support from its closest ally, the Elf Realm. The duo eventually also signed a treaty with the Ocean Realm, a nation that had been warring against the Deep Ocean Realm for centuries. Thus, both the **ALLIANCE 1** and **ALLIANCE 2** were formed.

## Experiments

With new directive, **SCIENTIST NAME** conducted many underground experiments beginning shortly before and disbanding sometime after the war. Of these included the Maya Project and the Gentrifi Project (Gen for short).

## Course of the War

The climax of the war took place in the heart of the Animal Empire itself. The **ALLIANCE 2** had finally backed the **ALLIANCE 1** into a corner and both sides were pouring their final measures into the frontlines. The Fox Princess herself was present in the battle.

# Impact

## Power Shifts

The Animal War fundamentally changed how the nations interacted with each other. Following the end of the war, Elemental Planet and the Nature Realm fell from significance on the world stage. The power vacuum in the subsequent era would come to be dominated by Empires and political instability.

## End of the Nature Realm

The Nature Realm and Animal Kingdom became uninhabitable under Nature's strict supervision, leading to many migrating out of the nation and into other countries, a diaspora that took the two country off the map.

## Rise of the Ocean Empire

The war destabilized the Ocean Realm and caused conflict among the ocean kingdoms. After a power struggle between two prominent provinces resulting in the death of King **NAME** and Queen **NAME**---as well as their successive daughter, Queen Esmerelda---Queen Catty sought to end the violence with a marriage truce. The two kingdoms would eventually be combined under the rule of opposing house's King Titan. However, after Queen Catty is killed, Princess Kitty, Catty and Esmerelda's youngest sister, overthrows King Titan and takes the title of Queen. Immediately, she seeks an alliance with the Deep Ocean Realm and weds King Bonefinder. Together, they lead their conquest into a majority of the Ocean Realm, coming to be known as the Ocean Empire.

### The Elf Realm Isolates

The war also bred infighting in the Elf Realm. Revolutionaries, discontent from the war, sought to overthrow the monarchy. They eventually assassinated Queen **NAME** and kidnapped her daughter to raise her into their leader. The new council's first course of action was to then declare a policy of Isolationism and retreat completely internationally, even breaking off ties with Elemental Planet, who'd been their closest ally for centuries.

# Aftermath

## Domestic Conflict in the Ice Realm

Ice Realm's King Julius met opposition when his (alleged) distant cousin, **King Brutus**, and his people arrived seeking conquest. For centuries, Brutus' people had been thought to be legend, believed dead after a destructive ice storm. As the current Ice Giants were somewhat bred with the Elves, Brutus claims racial superiority and challenges Julius to the throne. Julius loses the duel. However, he's saved by **WIFE NAME** and escapes to the Mainland while Brutus rules.

## Desert Empire

The previously scattered Sand Realm was taken over by a outlaw tribe who previously dominated territorial beaches. As the Ocean Empire consolidated their rule, they migrated.