THE AVENIC CONFLICT

**The** **Avenic Conflict** was a series of political and military contests between multiple factions over the region of Avengard from the years 6224 to 6237. This conflict served as the main cause for the fall of both the Donrimian Empire and the elven race, as well as the rise of the Einhart Empire.

### **PRECURSORS**

#### **The Sheovarii Colonization of Caradon**

During the War of Vengeance, Vulker's armies swept through Hal'hamoth, ravaging the lands and its people. Seeing no possible outcome of victory, a sect of Ventarii elves departed from Hal'hamoth, setting sail for the west. After three weeks at sea, the elves landed on the icy shores of Askorun. Finding the land safe from Vulker's reach, they settled there and, over a period of many years, evolved into snow elves. Known as the Sheovarii, they developed a unique culture, mastering stonework and even etching out magnificent pieces of art in underground caverns.

Centuries passed and in Yevernin, Aldaros and the free peoples of Hal'hamoth drove Vulker's minions out of Anim, leaving no prisoners. Aldaros, however, was put to death by his own people and Malakor, the foremost servant of Vulker, was able to flee Yevernin and land in Askorun with a small host of ornoks, trolls, and giants. Malakor, seeking to establish a base in order to maintain his wicked schemes, invaded the Sheovarii civilization and forced their leave of Askorun. During his conquest, he destroyed their cities and dismantled their art, leaving very little trace of their existence. The Sheovarii, meanwhile, fled to the region of Avengard, finding refuge there.

#### **The Jordic Settling of Avengard**

A little under three centuries later, a fearsome dragon named Kjorak waged war with the Jords, who had provoked him by stealing his only egg. Kjorak's path of terror across Jordland caused many to flee southwest and find safety in the region of Avengard. Upon settling the land, they built numerous settlements and eagerly continued their worship of Skaard the Grievous, whom they interpreted to be the savior of mankind.

The Sheovarii, seeking to find strong allies, welcomed their presence and sought to co-exist in peace. The Jords, however, did not return their sentiments, for the elves did not believe in Ankor nor see Skaard the Grievous as worthy of any veneration. Many devout Avenic Jords saw this as reason for the two races being unfit to live in harmony, which resulted in years of tension between the Sheovarii and Jords, though no direct conflict arose for a time.

#### **The Elven Diaspora**

At the outset of the Gondol Invasions, a number of elves dispersed from Hal'hamoth, migrating to different lands as the Sheovarii had done. A group sailed north and settled the Vanulus Isles, where many elves already dwelt - some half-bloods were even established practitioners of magic after discovering ancient maarda texts. Others voyaged west and settled small areas of Caradon, later becoming citizens of the United Kingdom. The elves that remained in Hal'hamoth, however, turned to staunch militarism to defend themselves against the Gondols. They constructed fortresses and organized their military, for they stood alone to defend their beloved home. After beating back the invasion, they held to a elven-supremacist worldview, believing mankind to be an inferior, savage race as a result of the barbaric Gondol horde. The elves of Eldorim called themselves sojourner elves and those who remained in Hal'hamoth called themselves high elves.

### **OPENING CONFLICTS**

#### **The Avengard Massacre**

The Jords tolerated the Sheovarii and their disbelief in Ankor for roughly 800 years, but tension grew stronger when a militant racist named Ragnalf Roriksson rose to prominence. He believed Avengard belonged to the Jords and not the Sheovarii, whom he viewed as inferior for their fewer numbers and weak disposition. Eventually, he concluded that the only way of achieving his vision would be to drive out the Sheovarii from Avengard.

During one fateful night, a band of zealous Jords rounded up thousands of snow elves and put them to death, hoping that in doing so, the Sheovarii population would flee Avengard in search for new lands. When they refused to leave, the Jords began enslaving them. News of their malicious deeds began to spread, however, and eventually reached the ears of the high elves of Yevernin. When they learned of what had happened, they gathered their forces and prepared to war with the Avenic Jords, despising mankind more than ever before. Nevertheless, the high elves remained a divided people and it would take them several years until they set out under one banner.

#### **The Imperial Invasion of Avengard**

With the Jords in near-complete control over Avengard, the Donrimian Empire, which had consolidated power over much of Eldorim, sought to suppress them. The leaders of Donrim saw little difference between the Avenic Jords and the Jornic raiders of the past, and began fearing for the safety of commerce with their Paragonian trade allies. Thus, with the high elves still working towards unification, the Donrimian Empire landed on the icy shores of Avengard and occupied the entire region within a year. Upon victory, the imperial soldiers set the Sheovarii free from slavery and outlawed any racist practices against them. Furthermore, they banned all worship of Skaard the Griveous, imposing Aldarosian doctrine upon the entire population. The Jords hated these reforms and sought constantly to overthrow their new rulers.

#### **The Rise of the Adamarian Confederacy**

Some years later, the high elves of Hal'hamoth achieved unification through the formation of an alliance, including the Aquilari elves of the Vanulus Isles in their pact. Named after the city in which it was founded, the Adamarian Confederacy made its intentions very clear: to drive out mankind from Avengard and liberate the Sheovarii, expand elvish influence across Anim, and exert dominance over mankind. The confederacy, to test its military might, conquered much of the Vanulus Isles, expanded its lands south near the Balaak Mountains, landed an expeditionary force in Paragon, and conquered several Jordic islands off the coast of Askorun. The War of Adamarian Expansion, as it became known, lasted for 39 years (6183-6222), and through it the confederacy grew in strength and influence.

Two years after the war's conclusion, the Adamarian Confederacy landed troops on Avengard, launching assaults on every major Jordic city. The Donrimian Empire, unable to sustain such a war economically (for many sojourner elves began disrupting trade), withdrew much of its garrison, leaving Avengard to the defense of the Jords. The elves also seized control over Paragonian ports, cutting off all commerce. Desperately seeking peace, the Donrimian Empire offered a truce with the Adamarian Confederacy. The high elves were sly diplomats and realized the hatred between the Jords and imperials, offering a peace treaty designed to capitalize on this tension. In it were these terms: the empire would remain as the lone sovereign state over Avengard, the Sheovarii would be allowed to live in Avengard as its foremost citizens, any Jords who mistreated them would be executed, all worship of both Skaard and Aldaros would be outlawed, and a cohort of high elves would remain in Avengard to serve as enforcers of the new laws. Known as the Avenic Accord, this treaty worsened relations between the Jords and imperials, all according to the high elves' plan.