The Equity Wars

## OVERVIEW

The Equity Wars--a name coined by a Verdan City media outlet--raged between the year 12E 1136 and 12E 1154. It was the culmination of generations of tension and conflict between humans--broken into Traditionalists and Equitists--and non-humans. Rather than an organized conflict, it was more a scattered series of isolated and interconnecting conflicts that ranged across the world. Few principalities maintained neutrality, and Verdan City--long a haven for non-humans fleeing human aggression--only managed to due to its advanced and essential industrial production and development coupled with the joint armed forces of the Verdan City government and corporations. Through its neutrality, Verdan City saw great economic uplifts, as well as cultural and philosophical shifts among its citizenry.

Many atrocities occurred during the war from all sides, and the world still has not fully recovered. Ghost towns and cities are not uncommon, and many economies have yet to be able to rebuild after the conflicts. Verdan City became a key distributor of relief aid once the conflict ended, but such an event only transpired after the mutual nuclear obliteration of Gweydinsald, one of the great elfish cities, and Holisfastad, a mighty human port city many miles south of Verdan City.

With the Council of Gweyd-Holis and the resulting Equity Accords, all signing nations agreed to extend free and open rights of citizenship to humans and non-humans alike, and agreements to form a new international body of delegates designed to ensure peace and cooperation throughout the world. Not all nations were forced to sign, and some did not. Hostilities almost broke down the conference multiple times throughout the discussions, and would have if not for the legendary mediation efforts of #banks-emerson-randolph of Verdan City, who brought reason and compromise to the council that was sorely needed.

## FOUNDATIONS

Historians are still somewhat unsure of what, specifically, sparked the Equity Wars, but one thing is universally agreed upon; it found its roots in a great breakdown of species relations that occurred as far back as 6E 1782. Records from so far in the past are scant, but it is clear that the species of the world lived in a great peace, with interbreeding common. It is commonly held that during this period, the Homogenization of Species occurred. Though we cannot be certain of exact dates, the International Historian Alliance marks 6E 1799 as the end of the sixth great epoch and 6E 1800 as 7E 1 with an intense conflict between the humans and dwarves. What such a conflict could have been can only be hypothesized.

More evident, however, is that this event sparked a rapid increase in inter-species tension and hostility and led to a physical separation of species. The world settled into species-centric nations, and for a time most conflicts were only between the different cities and principalities of each species. However, as time and technology advanced, the populations grew and it was only a matter of time before species began to interact once more. Extreme nationalism and prejudice formed, and the borders were common battle grounds as the species attempted to grow into each other's territories.

Still, trade and commerce formed between the various nations, despite the hostilities, and an unfriendly cooperation drove technology and society forward. It became more common to see different species migrating to other lands, though they often only found the lives of downtrodden, lower class citizens. The only recorded example of widespread inter-species cooperation came when the human emberist nation of Rekkoth began subjugating in 9E, spurring the #ember-extinctionary-crusade. After the crusade ended, relations returned to the status quo until roughly 12E 1097.

## SPARKS OF WAR

In the 12E 1090's, it had long been common practice for the great cities and nations of each species to protest the treatment of their kin in the lands of other species. Embassies were common, and concessions were made back and forth to maintain an unsteady peace. That all changed around 12E 1097, when the Independent Principality of Holisfastad forcibly ejected the elvish embassy from its borders and decreed humans to be the superior, mother species and all others to be subject to their rule and whim. Long a hotbed for species hostilities, the humans banded behind this decree and the ensuing chaos and mayhem, brought with it atrocities too great to detail in this record.

With the eventual loss of Holisfastad, it's difficult to pinpoint the exact motives for their decree, as most of their records were destroyed. However, species divides came to the head with the rape and brutal murder of a human at the hands of an elf. The exact details were conflicting, confusing, and unclear in the media in and out of Holisfastad, but the ensuing riots from both the human and elvish communities spurred on the already strong pro-human ideologies that gripped the humans of Holisfastad.

Relations with the elves had long been strained in that region, and other surrounding human settlements joined in the decree Holisfastad announced. Meanwhile, the elves of Gweydinsald, enraged at the expulsion of their embassy and the ensuing atrocities inflicted upon their kin, riled up anti-human sentiments in their city and the surrounding non-human nations. The region of the world became a ticking time bomb.

## THE SHOT THAT BROKE THE WORLD

Historians agree with the history of the Equity Wars up to this point. Holisfastad's decree clearly sparked the flames of war. Opinion divides from there as to the war's first conflict. Before hearing the three likely culprits, it is important to note Holisfastad lies in a region of human lands that borders the elfish, goblin, and dwarvish nations.

First, the Assault on Kinmoor, where Gweydinsald invaded the small city of Kinmoor on the border of elf lands, which had rounded up any non-humans in the vicinity and imprisoned them in a brutal concentration and work camp. Gweydinsald, of course, responded by turning the entirety of Kinmoor into its own labor camp, where horrors were returned upon them and generations of suppressed hatred was expressed. The larger part of historians believe this was the first act of warfare in the Equity Wars, but other smaller conflicts may have drawn Holisfastad too far to intervene with the invasion.

One such conflict centered around the dwarves and the trading contracts they had with Holisfastad. The most recent edition of those contracts heavily favored Holisfastad, who refused efforts to renegotiate a fair contract, and the dwarves levied their armies and impounded all transports from the orc lands that Holisfastad desperately needed to maintain its shipwright industry, and that it had already paid for. Before or after the Assault on Kinmoor, Holisfaston armies attacked the dwarvish garrison of Gertain and reclaimed their resources with a short but bloody conflict.

Finally, the dwarves had diminished forces at Gertain at the time, for they were engaged in a joint action with the goblins to invade the human town of Hester in retaliation for the ruthless slaughter of goblin smugglers. The combined force leveled Hester and slew everyone, including Holisfaston forces sent to reinforce. Regardless of your opinion, these three conflicts were the first military actions of the Equity Wars.

## THE WAR IN BRIEF

Too many conflicts arose to adequately relate in this brief recounting, but later entries might be made to fill out the history. From Holisfastad and the surrounding lands, war spread like a wildfire as suppressed tensions came to a boil and side were picked. Death, destruction, and monstrous actions of all sorts became common in parts of the world. Neutral territories either fought to stave off the weariness of such a brutal world, or else succumbed and joined in the madness.

Verdan City even began to see increases in species related crimes as refugees fled in from anywhere they could make it from. Over the years, even the vast resources of the city began to stretch thin. The slums were overflowing. Refugees snatched up any job they could find, and war crept ever closer to their borders. Humans turned on elves. Elves turned on dwarves. Dwarves turned on goblins. Everyone began to lose their wits as panic slowly crept into the city. Verdan City laws were interpreted to favor humans and discriminate against non-humans, who, technically, by law could not be citizens of Verdan City.

City officials responded by increasing patrols, cutting other budgets to funnel into the police force and increased humanitarian efforts, and finally to pass the #tolerance-acts. Many humans joined with the non-humans in cheering the legislation, believing that by legally bringing the non-humans to the same social status tensions should decrease. To a point, they were right, but the worst was yet to come with #jacob-cutter and the Massacre at Vine.

While this all went on, nations warred. It is truly a marvel that enough shells, bullets, knives, and bombs could be found to supply such a massive effort. When one conflict resolved, another just rose up in another part of the world. With no centralized warring factions, it seemed impossible to find a true and lasting peace.

## VERDAN CITY EVOLVES

While dealing with its own problems, Verdan City nevertheless continued to profit off the war, in large part to fuel the expense of caring for so many new citizens, but otherwise adamantly maintained a neutral stance on the wars. The Massacre at Vine changed everything. To have such a violent and destructive act occur on its soil was an insult, and a travesty. #jacob-cutter's followers were punished severely, even as the #cutters distanced themselves from their founder. The affront to the sense of any decent being awoke the city, and cries for justice and equality began to ring through the streets.

As Verdan City went about correcting itself, its voice in the international sphere began to change. It applied more and more pressure on warring nations to seek peace. Embargoes and tariffs were levied against nations engaged in war. Diplomats were sent out. As the #cutters evolved over these few short years, they volunteered their services to the city to keep peace, particularly focused on protecting the non-human populations from what remained of Cutter and his fanatics, as well as any who agreed with them, thus freeing up police and military forces to see to the defense of the city from exterior threats.

All of these efforts helped to slow the Equity Wars, but they were not enough to bring peace to the world. Still, Verdan City sought any way to attempt to calm the waters and bring about a time of restoration. Other neutral parties joined their efforts, as well as some of the former warring nations. It became clear, however, that so long as Gweydinsald and Holisfastad warred, there was unlikely to be peace. Neither were open to diplomats and negotiations, and the delegation sent to Holisfastad from Verdan City never returned.

## THE RECKONING

In the early months of 12E 1154, many nations sought to bring peace with their neighbors, but fierce war still raged in choice parts of the world. Late in the evening of the seventh day of the fourth month, three nuclear devices--a hitherto untried technology--collided with strategic points of Gweydinsald. Six minutes later, their own four nuclear devices collided with Holisfastad. Nuclear reactions combined with the #emberfrag tech in the warheads, and the devastation was unimaginable. The explosion tore through the emberweave as the explosion disintegrated buildings, people, vehicles, or anything that got in its ways. Scientists would later realize that everything in the radius of the blasts was burned from the inside and out.

Before news even reached the rest of the world, a wave of heat tore across the emberweave, felt by everyone as a heating in their cores as much as the air around them. Six minutes later, a second wave rolled across the world. It was enough to give pause to anyone, as the phenomena was clearly shared by all in the vicinity. Then, as reports came in of the bombings, the world stopped. Wars ceased, if only long enough for people to find a screen to gape at as early drone footage began to come in. A somber moment settled over the entire world, and the moment became a day. Then two. Verdan City's Congressional Mayor stood before the world and gave a speech, the leaders of other neutral nations at her side, begging for a cease fire so that peace talks could begin. There must be a better way than this.

A few holdouts disregarded such a call, but most nations came to assemble at what would become known as the Council of Gweyd-Holis. Even with the somber, reverential attitude that the delegates universally shared, everyone knew that the talks were unlikely to bear fruit. Still, the attempt had to be made, and all agreed Verdan City would host. While preparations commenced, the bombings became known as the Reckoning.

## THE COUNCIL OF GWEYD-HOLIS

As silence shook the world, the Council of Gweyd-Holis met to discuss avenues to peace, to include the limitation of nuclear armaments. Held in Verdan City's Congressional Tower, the delegates were kept in the guest rooms available there and sequestered from the world for the duration of the peace talks. They did not begin well, as blame and accusations flew back and forth as delegates sought to work through the near infinite number of grievances their nations had with each other. The only agreed upon point was that the extremist views of Gweydinsald and Holisfastad was a key contributor, and that peace would have been unlikely if their militant voices still tore across the dataweave. Still, the lost nations were given respectful reverence even as the delegates sought to ensure their nation was not seen a an ideological brother of either city.

It was clear peace was not an option as the first week concluded, and the Verdan City moderator appointed, one #leopald-hester, was unfit to the task of reigning in the delegations. Any hope for success was obliterated in the beginning of the second week when one delegate brought to light some personal communications Leopald had had with his sister that suggested his emphatic support of the Massacre on Vine years ago. As the Council degraded further, Congressional Mayor #judileen-mccassiar stripped Leopald of his position and appointed #banks-emerson-randolph to moderate the talks. Though a little known politician of the day, Banks was known to be an emphatic equitist, though he always kept a level head and gave an ear to the traditionalists who might argue with him. What delegates did not know of him, soon grew to respect his object, sincere mediation skills by the end of the third week.

## THE FIRST COMPROMISE

Even for Banks Randolph, the first week was a challenge. Too many voices demanded too many disparate agendas, and compromise appeared impossible. However, fortune smiled upon Banks as he became aware of a request by the dwarves of Hokkust for the human city of Festian to renew trade relations. It was a small issue, one of little consequence next to many of the issues on the table, but Banks devoted his attention to it and from those efforts a compromise was reached. Setting a precedence for rational thought and cooperation, Banks leverage the gains and good will that had begun to form between the two city-states to draw larger compromises into discussion.

After two months, the Equity Accords were drafted, and two months later they were ratified by ninety-seven percent of each member state. While the lasting impact of the agreements of the accord cannot be understated, the lengthy Council served one other vital purpose. Each member state had sworn to peace while talks were ongoing. The quiet left months open to collect the dead, clean battlefields, and reflect upon the loss and destruction of the wars. This weariness proved vital in tipping some resistant nations to give into the pressure to sign the Accords, and bring a lasting peace to the world.

The Equity Accords were applauded by all nations and peoples across the world, and with their signing, restoration could begin in earnest. Even as some choice few nations continued their hostilities, the bonds formed by the Accords created a network of military alliances that ensured those warmongers kept to their own lanes and left the general peace alone.

## AFTERMATH

36 years later, the world is far from recovered. Battlefields are still hazardous, as unexploded ordinance and damaged mecha pose extreme risks to those unprepared. Fields, factories, mines, and many other economic necessities lie in ruin, and obtaining the funds and resources to recover them has been a long and painful process. Many local economies have not recovered, and the corporations of the world have taken advantage of the extreme poverty to turn a hefty profit for themselves. The scars of war are everywhere, but so too are the signs of rebirth.

A general sense of hope and promise rules the average being, and an era of cooperation is visible as people try to build a normal, stable life for themselves and their neighbors. Still, old hatreds and wounds die hard, and not all is cheery and sunny in even the least effected nations, such as Verdan City. Even given the equal rights granted to non-humans the world over, bigotry and prejudice fester in secret places of the heart, fueled by the not-yet-forgotten scars of the Equity Wars.

As the corps have flourished in this landscape, so too have the criminal organizations. Atrocities great and small are committed daily in the name of greed, and police forces the world over are stretched too thin to try and put a stop to it. Even in Verdan City, there are neighborhoods decent folk don't set foot in for fear of never returning, and even the quaint, safe districts cannot guarantee protection from a particularly enterprising thief or kidnapper.

Still, with the support of the government, corps, and, somewhat surprisingly, the Cutters, Verdan City is finding a period of growth and promise despite the darkness that creeps around the center of its heart. Only time can tell which path the city will ultimately follow.