Sistan Crusades

The **Sistan Crusades** (60 B-AN - 7 B-AN), known as the **Dalgniei Pirae** ("**Crusades of Pira**") in Classical Sistan, and known outside of the Luscus Estasteras as **Lucus' Genocide**, were a series of crusades targeted against nearly all non-human races by the Sistan Empire primarily as a reaction to previous atrocities committed by various non-human species, such as the elves of Ts'ilvka, when they were first encountered by the expanding Luscus Estasteras, as well as having a religious component due to Sistans being overwhelmingly against said non-humans' 'barbaric' religious practices.

The person whom the crusades are popularly known under, Lucus Aemuus, was not present, nor even born, during most of this period - the addition of his name was added to discredit and dismiss his rule due to his involvement as a military general in the twilight years of the campaign.

The results of the Sistan Crusades were ultimately inconclusive, but had far-reaching consequences that persist to the present day.

## Decline of Support

There was already a sharp decline of support for the Sistan Crusades by the Second Sistan Crusade, but the following Third and Fourth Crusades further exacerbated the negative public opinion of the Crusades. With the announcement of proposing the Fourth Crusade to become an official conflict especially, the populace of the Empire State of Luscus had quickly turned against the formerly-popular holy wars. One of the largest-scaled examples of this was the Familial or Sweetheart Letter, a letter which detailed the legal issues and proposals within the Empire State of Luscus, usually sent by the family or partner of the recipient, and would often lead to the desertion of large swathes of soldiers, intentionally or otherwise.

## Aftermath

The Sistan Crusades had immediate and long-lasting consequences for many residents of Akilos that continue to plague the modern era. Although some have not persisted into the present day, many others have created or fueled modern-day issues.

### Anti-Human and Anti-Piquit Sentiment

Anti-human and anti-piquit sentiment has always been an issue for many other races, but the Sistan Crusades created a much larger gap and general contempt for humans. The Sistan Crusades are the most common examples used to illustrate the cruelty of human institution by other races, and, therefore, breeds contempt and splinter-groups against humans, but also piquits, due to their participation in the Crusades. Alongside this, the proliferation of humans after this period both bridged and destroyed cultures, as humans populated new lands that other races previously called home.

### Anti-Magicks and Magicker Sentiment

Anti-Magicks and magicker sentiment, such as those of anti-human and anti-piquit sentiment, have always been a heated topic amongst the races, but it can be argued that the Sistan Crusades, especially the Third and Fourth Sistan Crusades, contributed heavily to the modern-day practice of persecution of Magicks.

## Logistical Factors

Several logistical factors affected the Luscus Estasteras' forces and eventually led to the fracturing of the Empire (although this was not the only direct cause).