War of Two

The war of two started in 571 AD when the elves of the Altmeri Confederacy invaded Colovia a town of Eastmarch, this caused the members of the Ebonheart to declare war against the Altmer in order to defend each other. The nations of southern men against the elves fought on for twelve years, resulting in heavy losses and the deaths of great people. But during this time of chaos great men arose from the ashes and found a way to victory. Skirmishes were carried out in all fronts of the war and few forgotten tales now are uncovered as historians study this past event.

### The Call of War

The sound of drums woke the towns men of Colovia a border town between one of the states and the Altmer, the town sprang to life as the soldiers hurried to their posts and garrisoned the walls. There as the sun rose an army of elves stretched farther than the eye could see and were headed to wards them the gold and green colours glistened as the sun shone on them. The garrison was made of around a thousand men and their enemy were about ten times their number, they watched as great siege engines were hauled across and over the hills and as the infantry fanned out to surround the town, it was truly a time of need and soon they were sending every man they could spare to warn the bordering lords and to get help from Solitude.

Sitting in his chamber Talos Septim watched a weary courier drop to the floor, he helped him up and asked

"What happened? Where did you come from?"

"Colovia sir, the elves they attacked us, ten thousand of them and they're getting ready for a siege, it already been a day and they killed most of the couriers we must warn everyone." He said as he collapsed to the floor exhausted and tired from the long march he had made.

King John listened as the courier told his story and was in shock after hearing of what happened.

"We must assemble the men, for war is coming and our allies need us, we shall march at dawn to the Pale and meet with our forces on the way, let us show these elves who are truly superior." He said as he trotted of.

They were marching with an army of fifth-teen thousand including cavalry, they were ready for the fight and eager to meet the elves that they heard of, those long eared bastards that insulted them and attacked them, this was the time to show who was really the dominant one.

### Siege of Colovia

Elves marched disciplined and ready, their gleaming spears and golden shields shone bright under the sun. The garrison at Colovia was a mere handful of fighting men, mixed with veterans and new recruits.

"We have come to parley." One of the elves shouted out, he was Aylen Farshot the renowned archer and commander of the elven armies.

"We are listening, but I must ask, why do you come to us as if to start a war?" Answered Gilian master of Colovia.

"Because we are ready to bring it, but there can be no need for blood shed as long as you surrender the city." Replied Aylen.

"We are free people, and this is our home, we shall not give it so easily."

"I am trying to be reasonable, your garrison is barley a tenth of my army and your walls have been long neglected. Surrender now and give us the City." Aylen demanded again.

"We do not surrender without a fight. We might not hold long against your mighty army but we will fight you none the less!" Shouted back Gilian.

"For the sake of your people, and their lives surrender the city."

"BEGONE WITH YOU!!!" Yelled Gilian as he shooed away the elf.

The next morn his sentries had alerted him and told him about what the elves were doing, on the horizon siege towers and catapults were being made the elves safely stood out of range. Gilian knew that he would not hold and he had already sent for aid but he had one last thing to do. Fortify the city. Every able bodied man helped set up barricades and road blocks, they were each trained to use the sword and soon the armoury was emptied and everyone expected a fight. In the courtyard men trained as women gathered food and stored them in the inner city. Women and children were moved to stay out of harm.

Then a loud boom, the horns of war were sounded and arrows blocked out the sky. All that was in its way was hit, quickly men hurried to their posts on the walls and bellow. Gilian himself had taken up arms and fortified the gate. A boulder was hurdled at the city, damaging a building but most importantly it broke apart of the wall exposing it. Archers from both sides shot at one another but the elves were far superior marksman and brought down those on the wall. Soon elves began flooding in from siege towers and the hole in the wall. Leading the charge Gilian charged with his men meeting the elves at the wall fighting them off until being pushed back.

Gilian for the last time looked back at his men, they were loosing and their was no chance of winning, but a chance of help if they could mount another defense. So he ordered his men to retreat into the inner city where barricades had been set up then turning to face the elves alone he charged taking a spear to the chest while taking down to with him, then snapping the spear he swung again killing another elf, and when all looked bleak five of his men charged up and knocked the elf to the floor before killing him and began to fight. Gilian seeing this joined them and met his end.

As the armies of Eastmarch, The Rift, Mournhold, and Solitude marched together with their numbers towering to fifty thousand including many other houses and banners that joined them. When they marched towards the small town they saw not ten thousand but twenty that would easily be beaten if they fought and so they charged with their cavalry with infantry following behind as support, their blades flashed in the air like a sea of metal, they looked as if they were golden as the sun shone on them, with the truth behind their backs they charged, and they fought to the very last. Every elf being slaughtered, in the commotion and surprise the garrison defenders had time to set up a new defensive perimeter and evacuate more people to the center of the town.

The front lines were devastated and the remainder of the elven force were disorganized and in bad formation, moral for the elves were low but could not be higher for men, especially those who charged down to fight. Hacking and slashing, sabers and short swords flared as blood from both sides was spilled. They were in a route with a pursuing force, the cavalry cutting down the slow ones while the men burnt their siege towers to the ground. Truly a victory for the day.

### 572 AD

Now that every lord has raised their levies and every king their soldiers, it was time for war, Battle after battle man fought elf and there was no end, in some the elves would win and others they would loose but the winner was not decided. For every gain there was also a loss and every loss a gain. There were great battles fought but none that would change the tide of the war. Routed armies returned from both sides and moral changed as the year passed. This was a great year for the Elves as they were able to gain some victories to make up for their defeat in Colovia, though their victories were minor it allowed them to halt the human offensive and slow their progress.

### 573-574 AD

These were the years worst for man, as the armies of the Ebonheart marched on they were met with elves, more and more, and farther they marched into elven territory the more losses they had. Soon they were lost in the forests of Bosmer pass taking the province of Valenwood. There wood elves hampered them fighting unconventional warfare firing arrows at the soldiers then disappearing into the trees the ambushes disrupted supply lines and caused massive attrition between the ranks of men. Every year until the army finally found its way back home and into friendly territory.

But all this time the elves had not sat idle, the elven kings gathered together to rally their forces and were ready to march and cut through the the land and take solitude, this plan was not at the most secret and rumors of it spread and once it was heard of every able bodied man was conscripted and was sent to train and prepare a defense. During this time the elves won most of their glorious battles and famous battles and last stands such as, theBattle of Vvardenfell and the siege of Kvatch occurred and served as the turning point of the war.

### Battle of Valenwood

In late 574 the armies of the Ebonheart marched into Valenwood meeting with the woodelf army. Their leaders met with one another. Jason the Brave and Pendor Oakleaf met and they parleyed for a day, but all was in vain for neither side could agree to anything and so, they left back to their camps preparing to fight the next day. Not only did Valenwood have its' high walls but it also had some of the best archers in the land of which Belariand was one, and he lead the archers and their efforts in repelling the attackers.

"Remember the Slaughter, Remember Gilian!!!" All of them remembered what happened at Colovia and it gave them so much more anger and it drove them on. Not only for vengeance but for justice they had to right the wrongs that were committed. Day after day the perimeter grew smaller with great casualties on the elven side gathering. Then came that day the day when they surrendered. Once more victorious they stood in Valenwood once more they would rejoice.

Volley after volley of arrows came hurdling down at them, never ending. But the siege engines of man were far superior. A clank then a row of fireballs were hurdled towards the city walls, tearing them down and clearing the way for the vanguard who were made up of the Knights of Ithil. As they fought their way through elves came with their golden shields and keen blades to meet the silver armoured and two-handed Knights. A breakthrough was made as the knights charged in, but a hail of arrows stopped them in their tracks claiming the lives of a handful, taking cover, the spear guard infantry marched in, shields high and spears keen they charged with the woodland arrows failing to pierce their shields. Historians believe that this was what lead to the use of shields by the Knights of Ithil.

The woodelf infantry mixed with Altmer soldiers who survived previous battles put up a valiant fight. They were well matched but the sight of Jason the Brave and the Knights charging at the elven lines was enough to bring back the morale of the soldiers, not only this but it crushed the morale that of the elves and shortly after they began to break. Pendor's guard fought valiantly beside him and they put up a last stand so that the surviving elves could leave and regroup with the other routed armies. Pendor and his 150 held their ground for one day before finally succumbing to the might men, Pendor had died in single combat with Jason and this helped to further rally support under him.

Blood of both sides were spilled but the grit and force of man was too much for the elves that were routed. The broken armies of Valenwood and its garrison fled as the city was set alight,

### 577-583 AD

This was the turning point of the war, now with Jason the Brave in command of the Ebonheart armies they were destined to win, marching towards the Altmer capital of Auridon after cutting through Summerset, home of the High Elves. They marched through the woods retaking Valenwood and then taking the province of Fangorn, before marching upon High Elf land. The Bosmer or wood elves were no longer a problem as Dark elves form Deshaan came to fight with them against the wood elves. The provinces of Greenshade and Calambar before setting foot in their capital.The seasons were long and slow but overall great for the Ebonheart as they cut through enemy land and took control of foreign cities and towns.

In the end the Altmer were forced to cede land to the Ebonheart and this eventually created the Ebonheart Imperium and the Blades. After loosing most of their land and the wood elves as an ally the Altmer was in no condition to fight anymore and so stopped. The lands given to the newly formed imperium were ruled over with a strong grip that suppressed any rebellion or even chance of rebellion from the elves.