Great War

The Great War was a devastating conflict fought between the newly formed human nations, in an attempt to exert hegemony over one another.

## Overview

Tyr's departure revealed the powder keg that lay beneath humanity's surface. Two major powers rose to the forefront of human politics: Meraedon and Rasonia. These two nations jockeyed against one other to curry the favor of the other four city-states. It wasn't long before the rumbles of war soon began.

Rasonia was quickly becoming a military powerhouse. Every piece of Rasonain culture was sculpted to produce powerful warriors and skilled statesmen. Its abundance of natural barriers meant the nation was in prime position to exert hegemony over the rest of the human nations. Rasonia turned to its southern neighbor of Aaranost, whose heartland terrain gifted them a large population. The two nations signed a non-aggression treaty, much to the ire of Meraedon. Fearing a military invasion, Meraedon sought out allies from their northern neighbors of Mydras and Eldre'thas.

As the power blocs began to form, all that remained was to sway the populations of Hilgarde and Elusin Kol to one side or the other. Meraedon's turning to the high elves for support angered the Rasonians. They signed a military treaty with Aaranost, naming themselves the Liberty Freeholds in response to perceived political meddling in human affairs by the high elves. Meraedon in response called the leaders of Mydras and Eldre'thas to political conference, and quickly signed a defensive pact known as the Eastern Alliance.

The Liberty Freeholds quickly secured the allegiance of Hilgarde by opening up new trade routes into the region, and establishing several borderposts to reinforce against troll and gnoll raiders. As tension heightened, the Eastern Alliance began a gradual build up of forces along their western border. Tensions peaked when a group of deserters flying the colors of Rasonia attacked and killed a Daramaar caravan. In response King Cinderguard ordered a regiment of 1,000 elven shield-bearers to reinforce the border of Daramaar.

The Liberty Freeholds launched a pre-emptive strike against what they perceived was a break in the neutrality agreement of Daramaar. They laid siege to the city for three straight nights. The wardstones protected the city from most of the damage long enough for a relief force from Meraedon to arrive and break the siege. War had officially broke out between the two groups.

The Great War, as it later came to be called, was devastating. Nearly a million people lost their lives, millions more lost their homes and became refugees. It saw to the collapse of Aaranost as a nation, and the isolation of the Rasonian people from the continent at large. By war's end Hilgarde had been completely occupied, its ruling family imprisoned in Meraedon for perpetuating a devastating war.

#### Post-War

But not all was bad. The sheer destruction suffered at the hands of one another led many to ask themselves what it was all for. In the aftermath of the war many of the people involved directly in the fighting suffered tremendously, whether collaterally or otherwise. It was during this time that the scattered philosophers of humanity would come together, and work for the betterment of all beings. The Church of the Divine Light was formed from these philosophers, providing meaning in a world where there seemed to be little.

To prevent such a terrible conflict from occurring again, the Eastern Alliance reorganized itself into the League of Arnen. Its intended goal was to unite the peoples of Arnen under a banner of friendship and prosperity. Both dwarven clans, who had previously served as mercenaries during the war, were invited to join.

Meraedon had established itself as the premiere human power, and began to exert hegemony over the rest of the human nations. With Aaranost's collapse, the overland trade routes were re-opened by enterprising merchants. For the first time in human history, trade between Meraedon and the kingdom of Orrash flourished. The humans established formal relations with the Oakbeard dwarves, and quickly turned to lands beyond Arnen.