First World War of Tellos

The First World War of Tellos, or the Empire War, was a continental war that took place during the Fifth Day. All nations, kingdoms, and empires formed two military alliances: one under the rule of the Dawn Empire, and the other in opposition to the expansion and violence of the Dawn Empire. The Empire War was the deadliest conflict in human history.

The war concluded with the of the invasion of Highdawn, the capture of the Dawn Palace by the forces led by Rayaten Leusa, and the destruction of the Emperor's flagship, in which Daylen Namaran was believed to have been, going down with his ship.

## **History**

In the years preceding the First World War of Tellos, the Dawn Empire had won several smaller wars which concluded with the defeats and absorption of three neighboring kingdoms, Sunsen, Lumas, and Daymark. These kingdoms had gone to war against the new Dawn Empire, seeking to claim its resources under the pretense of liberating its people from the clutches of a usurper. Daymony would go to war with the empire next.

Within the empire, the Guilds were secretly circumventing the laws and restrictions against their trades in order to increase their own profits, which put them at odds with Emperor Namaran. The most prominent Guild member to oppose the emperor was Rayaten Leusa, who rose to become the Master of the Artistry Guild. Leusa worked in the shadows, never openly opposing the emperor's rule, and his secrecy kept his identity safe during the Guild Wars.

Once the conquest of Daymony (now renamed the Daymon Republic) was finished, the Emperor went to war against Delavie, using the ancestrally contested lands between the latter and Daymony as a pretext for this invasion. At the time there was a treaty between Hamahra and Frey, stating that were one to go to war with Delavie, the other would come to their aid. This declaration of war with Delavie was considered unjust by Frey, so they broke their oaths with Hamahra and withdrew from the treaty. This put Frey on the Emperor's list of enemies.

In spite of the Lourane Empire honoring its treaties with the Dawn Empire and supplying its own forces to back up its ally during its constant wars, the Emperor considered it a threat to his rule. He betrayed his allies in an engagement during a large battle at the Great Rift, which would become known as the Great Betrayal. In response, both Zantium and Tuerase declared war on the Dawn Empire. Unexpectedly, Lee'on'ta made peace with its long-time enemy the Lourane Empire and joined the other three nations in the war against the Dawn Empire.

The few remaining nations not at war chose sides in the conflict, choosing to join war rather than be dragged into it regardless. Azbanadar and half of the National States of Ma'queh joined forces with the Empire. Endra, Orden, and the other half of Ma'queh joined Zantium, Tuerase, Toulsen, Lourane, and Lee'on'ta against the Empire.

This began the First World War of Tellos between the Dawn Empire and the Allied Empires.

## **The War**

The Dawn Empire struck at Tuerase, using the proximity of Azbanadar above as its staging grounds. Despite the crippling of its main fleets, Lourane had time to recover when Dawn forces withdrew to defend against its new enemies. Fighting on six different fronts simultaneously, the Empire kept the war going for several years. It required all of its conquered states and their resources to constantly supply it for the war effort.

Resources were of great importance to maintain the Dawn Empire's army during the war. So when Daybreak, one of the largest Hamahran cities, rebelled, the resulting disruption in the supply chain led to a major defeat for the Dawn Empire, costing thousands of soldiers' lives. In retribution, the Emperor personally withdrew 4 annihilators from the front lines to confront Daybreak for its insurrection. Namaran ordered his ships to level the entire city and kill everyone, no matter their innocence, killing over a million in an act of mass slaughter that would be named the Daybreak Massacre.

Unbeknownst to the Emperor, Rayaten Leusa's family lived in Daybreak, his order leading directly to their deaths. Their loss changed Leusa from a subtle opponent into a revenge-consumed zealot bent on Namaran's defeat. The subversion of supply lines within the Dawn Empire were all traced back to Leusa, leading the rebellion against the Empire. In his attempts at finding and thwarting Rayaten, every soldier or bounty hunter the Emperor sent to stop him turned up dead.

The Arch Order of Light had constantly petitioned the Emperor since earlier in the war to stop the fighting, sending an Archon to personally accompany him wherever he went. But upon his order to destroy Daybreak, this Archknight attacked but was defeated by Namaran after a fierce fight. In spite of the rebellion, every enemy of the Empire had been conquered except for Lourane and Orden. Due to his actions, the Arch Order of Light deemed him an enemy to mankind and, in an unprecedented act of intervention, declared war on the Dawn Empire. Until then, the Order had never taken sides in any disputes between nations.

With the formidable Archknights joining Allied Empires, the tides of the war shifted in their favor. The Emperor witnessed a single Archon take out an entire fleet with his powers. With the Archknights siding against the Empire, conquered Frey and even Hamahra itself rebelled against their ruler. Azbanadar withdrew its support, though it never actively fought against the Dawn Empire. With rebels closing in, Namaran withdrew his forces to Highdawn for a last stand.

With a body double on his flagship, the Emperor oversaw the Battle of Highdawn from his palace. When his ship was destroyed, his enemies assumed Namaran to be killed, and stormed the palace to capture the last holdouts of his regime, while he escaped to go into hiding. After capturing the palace, Rayaten Leusa personally executed the Emperor's officers and strongest supporters, thus the secret of his survival was lost along with their lives.

The Dawn Empire was defeated, the First World War of Tellos was ended.