The Pharidae War

Pharid was a necromantic magocracy situated in the deserts of Frael. Led by one of the last sinister wizard kings from The Time Of Mage Blight, they sparked a conflict that engulfed the world. War on this scale had not been seen in centuries, and whole realms were lost or left forever-scarred.

Note: This war was fought on many fronts, across all the realms. Not all details have been recorded. Many tales persist within individual villages, of deeds both noble and nefarious. Here we present merely key moments in the conflict that has shaped so much of modern Scy'kadia. Please enjoy.

## Timeline Of The War

#### 474MR

The Pharidae, having spent several hundred years in isolation, have secretly drawn many of Frael's tribal communities into servitude. Those who could not be swayed, or who chose to unite against Pharid, have been turned into mindless undead by sorcery or Scarab Rot. The Pharidae have also experimented, creating new forms of undead, and devising ways to preserve the intellect of their undying rulers. In 474MR Tomb Prince Kalomesch, a figure seen advising the Pharid throne throughout history, reveals himself as a wizard-king-turned-lich. Kalomesch usurps the reigning pharoah, claiming dominion over Pharid. He then threatens Maphotepsis with undeath if they do not support his crusade against the living. Unable to stand against such power, even with support from their vassal cities, Maphotepsis swears fealty. The Pharidae Union is formed. Armies of both living and undead conscripts march west.

#### 475MR

Thaedian garrisons in The Crosslands are taken utterly by surprise, as undead swarm their defenses. Legion assets engaged with Arkhos are withdrawn to bolster the garrisons... yet the Pharidae have planned for this. Additional undead forces rush to secure the borderlands left by The Legion, driving a wedge between Arkhos and Thaedia.

#### 476MR

Recieving word of the rotting hordes pressing into Thaedia, the Great Houses of Arkhos declare the issue none of their concern. They turn their attention to local matters, and are thus slow to react as undead creep into their southern-most fiefdoms.

#### 479MR

Jindris boldly refuses to aid Pharid. Their realm is swiftly surrounded and overrun. The leaders of Jindris are all turned into undead, while the common folk are enslaved as vanguard soldiers or living shields.

#### 480MR

The Pharidae claim multiple Yenrady forts, abandoned by their vanished owners. They also construct defenses of their own along the south-western border of The Weft. They use these structures as staging points, from which to send hunting parties into The Weft to capture and train monsters.

#### 483MR

Despite ferocious attempts to stem the tide, most of Thaedia's eastern cities are besieged or destroyed. Refugees flock to Solaria. Facing similar problems, with the disappearance of whole towns, Arkhos is forced to acknowledge the threat on their doorstep.

#### 486MR

An exodus of small folk arrives by boat in Mureth, Lo'Quai, and Vylkland. Through these new arrivals, the three realms gain insight into the growing war.

#### 489MR

Spellswords and other Murethi agents start infiltrating contested regions; seeking to preserve (most historians prefer to say steal) relics and lore that would otherwise be lost to the conflict.

#### 493MR

Scores of Arkhosian mages, accused of spying for the Pharidae, are put to the torch. It remains unclear how many, if any, of the arcanists were actually guilty.

#### 510MR

Without warning, elves of Green Fang Forest cut a swath through the undead in Arkhos. Simultaneously, as if by unspoken agreement, an army of Rhuu emerges to clear the lands around their home. Swift to grasp the advantage, knights surge southward, even as their unlikely allies melt away once more. In Thaedia, the Collegia Philosophicae proposes creation of temporary indebted-levies to bolster The Legion. Promised freedom for lengthy service, indebted flock to join the fight. Thaedia begins to recapture her lost cities.

#### 512MR

The Pharidae withdraw to their Weft and Crossland bases, allowing Arkhos and Thaedia to force open a path. Envoys from House Tyberon ride to Solaria, where a pact is struck. The two realms form The Alliance Of The Living, agreeing to set aside all disputes until the Pharidae are wiped out.

#### 513MR

Protracted sieges and counter-sieges rend the very center of Scy'kadia, as the alliance takes the fight to their foe. Neither side budges nor relents. Pockets of leaderless, witless undead continue to threaten Arkhos, Thaedia, and surrounding regions, released from their masters' will during Pharid's retreat. Some shamble back into Frael, or as far as Lo'Quai, preying on any mortals not behind city walls or dragged to the front lines.

#### 515MR - The Charge Of Unnumbered Beasts

The Pharidae empty their dungeons and holding pens, unleashing hundreds of monsters. Open battle proves bloody, yet worse by far, scores of arcane beasts break through the lines. Whole encampments are lost before the defenders can react. The alliance are forced to waste valuable resources while hunting down the deadly, slippery creatures.

#### 516MR - The Battle Of Rotting Scales

Collegia Arcana mages unravel a series of necromantic traps, that had prevented The Legion from ousting Pharidae in The Crosslands. Rather than flee, the necromancers raise the skeletal corpse of Quargorlaax, draconic once-ruler of Sogdul. A savage battle ensues between the mages and the undead dragon. Though casualties are high, with the help of Legion artillery the mages finally bring Quargorlaax down. A handful of garrison forts are recaptured for Thaedia, but the undead remain tauntingly entrenched.

#### 520MR

Cadaverous raiding parties emerge from waterways in Arkhos and Thaedia, having submerged to sneak past the main battle lines. The villages they raid are caught unaware. Those warriors not already face to face with the Pharidae (retired, wounded, young) step up in defense of their homes.

#### 522MR

Trouble behind the Pharidae line turns out to be an enclave of desert-dwelling high elves. The elves cause mayhem, but are eventually tracked to their canyon refuge, and cornered. Those who survive are sent to Maphotepsis, and for the first time elven slaves are seen in markets across the Fraelite coast.

#### 526MR

Orc chieftess Drugha Corpse-Crusher marches her horde from The Thunder Peaks, right through The Heart Of Weft, gathering like-minded brutes for every follower lost along the way. She crashes into the northernmost Pharidae fortifications, before revealing her secret weapon... demons. Lots of demons. Somehow during the journey, she has summoned hundreds of ruinous predators. Her horde is finally defeated by the direct intervention of Kalomesch and his finest necromancers, who neutralize the demons via devastating rituals. The orc survivors (including Drugha herself) scatter, yet continue to harass unsupported Pharidae patrols.

#### 529MR

Dwarves in The Thunder Peaks find undead in their tunnels. The Pharidae have sent scouting parties to retrace Drugha's march, in an attempt to outflank the alliance and steal further outposts. Outraged, dwarves begin to supply the alliance with superior metals and metallurgical lore.

#### 531MR

Engaged on multiple fronts, and wary of further surprises, Kalomesch retasks his two most powerful generals. Brōd, a zombie giant, is sent to bolster the Thunder Peaks invasion. His brute strength and unrelenting rage help the undead to demolish a few dwarf holds. Talat'mun, a wight warrior, is sent back to Maphotepsis to commandeer their famed navy. Undead soon ply the seas, harassing Lo'Quai, Mureth, and Vylkland; and recruiting pirates unlucky enough to cross their path.

#### 535MR - Duádlin's Stand

Brōd, having knit his scouts into a full-fledged army, lays siege to Broken Stone. King Duádlin Ironsoul, father to Kuargar Ironsoul, leads the defense. He faces Brōd in single combat along the edge of a mining chasm. Those who witness the duel claim that Fundun himself speaks through Duádlin, empowering the dwarf king to destroy the giant... though Duádlin later succumbs to his wounds. Kuargar takes his place as king and commander.

#### 536MR - The Battle Of Glimmering Grief

Tiring of stalemate, the Pharidae retreat to The Bone Dust Desert. In an act of abject cruelty, they compel their living-Jindrisi rearguard to veer south. Legionnaires are quick to pursue, oblivious to the ploy. They fall upon the doomed decoys, giving Kalomesch time to withdraw. The indebted-levies prove hesitant to cut down fellow humans, especially folk so obviously bewitched. Legion discipline prevails however, and the last Jindrisi are slain within sight of their shattered kingdom, giving birth to The Dunes Of Blood And Gold.

#### 537MR

The alliance start their pursuit into The Bone Dust Desert, but soon find themselves at-a-loss to deal with the ever-shifting terrain. Solid fortifications prove unfeasible, horses struggle with thirst and heat-sickness. Conversely, the Pharidae can lie in ambush, skeletal soldiers buried neath the sands. A new stalemate ensues, with the alliance struggling forward, hunting for stable ground, only to have it torn out from under them, as ghastly hosts emerge from each blinding sandstorm.

#### 538MR

A conglomeration of pirates, naval deserters, and ne'er-do-wells flees west. They arrive in The Kraken Reach Isles and, after much trial and error, discover ways to navigate the treacherous shoals. With a base to retreat to, the first Krakiid survive by stalking supply vessels on both sides of the conflict.

#### 539MR

Talat'mun lands part of his fleet in Vylkland. He starts by invading small villages, moving on to larger settlements as his numbers swell. He soon earns the moniker "Ghoul Of Rime." Though individual Vylk warbands fight back, lack of communication between rivals prevents a coordinated defense.

#### 540MR

The first Murethi air galleons take to the skies. Not only are spellswords better-able to deploy on their "preservation missions," but Mureth is better-able to identify and react to seaborne undead.

#### 545MR

Emperor Gwaihé, worried that Pharid might target Lo'Quai with more than coastal raids, gathers a preemptive invasion army. Before their departure to Frael however, elementals across the realm begin to act... strangely; elementari are affected too, losing control of themselves, succumbing to outbursts of violence and destructive sorcery. Unable to identify the cause (or Pharidae involvement), the emperor orders Grand General Ichika "The Scarlet Lily" to spread her troops through every affected village, apprehending the crazed beings; and in some regrettable cases, putting them down...

#### 552MR - The Oasis Sieges

Through sheer bloody-minded determination, the alliance manage to erect stable forts around several oases. Some sit in depressions to protect them from devastating sandstorms, some rely on barricades and redoubts, still others are sheltered by spellcraft. A full season passes without battle... yet the defenders' respite is cut short. Suddenly, and in near-perfect synchronicity, undead charge the forts. It is now the alliance's turn to weather unremitting sieges.

#### 559MR - The Battle Of Booming Waves

A Krakiid fleet bites off more than it can chew; their Murethi targets put down several sky galleons, cutting off the pirates' retreat. A daring naval engagement ensues, stretching on for days... until both sides find themselves surrounded by Pharidae ships. Krakiid Grand-Corsair Lancúr Hess and Murethi Admiral Jilien Ga'lista agree to a hasty plan. The slowest vessels of their fleets are loaded with flash powder, as are a handful of their fastest. Feigning blind panic, they sail en masse towards a single point of the undead cordon. Behind them, the Pharidae swarm towards the dawdling ships... which explode, taking multiple Pharid frigates with them. Instants later, the lead vessels explode, clearing a path for retreat. Though many lives are saved, and Pharid's sea power is crippled, Mureth and the Krakiid lose substantial naval strength, forcing both realms onto a defensive footing.

#### 564MR - The Ghoul Slayer Gathering

Talat'mun moves smugly through several deserted villages, only to find his army surrounded by vengeful Vylks, who have braved the snowy wilds to set an ambush. The Vylklanders are led by four jarls who, until this moment, have notoriously hated each other: Einrolt The Grim, Lottö Vych-Eye (a rumored mage), Hangar Hamcleaver, and Ødri Owlfriend. Talat'mun beats a fighting retreat northward. His host is whittled down to a nub, then Hangar forces Talat'mun into a duel. Hangar loses a hand, but lops off Talat'mun's head. A few undead leaders escape to The Bitter North. The four jarls set up camp to await retaliation... nothing returns.

#### 566MR - The Great Sweep

With a majority of their oasis-forts overrun, the alliance grow desperate. Their luck turns when an Arkhosian patrol stumbles upon Fraelite cameleers that have eluded Pharid's grasp. The tribesmen guide hundreds of knights south and east, skirting The Jungle Of Claws, risking battle with undead and reptilian monsters. At last, they ride into Maphotepsis. The city populace, though unhappy to host warlike foreigners, don't prevent their entry. Nor do they lend their martial strength, fearing that to do so will prompt Pharid to harm their conscripted kin. The alliance gains a base of operations in Frael.

#### 571MR - The Battle Of Glass

More and more coastal cities follow Maphotepsis' lead, playing host to alliance forces. Enraged, the Pharidae scry the location of a draconic burial ground. Necromancers gather on the sandy barrow, planning to resurrect a dozen skeletal monsters and unleash them on the rebellious cities. Two living dragons intervene, laying waste to the casters and their hundreds-strong honor guard. The sand for a mile in every direction is turned to glass by the heat of the battle.

#### 573MR - The Battle Of Vengeful Harbor

What remains of the Pharidae fleet rallies to attack Maphotepsis' harbor. Indiscriminate in their slaughter, the undead provoke violent outrage; the populace throw themselves at their oppressors. A red-tinged mist drifts in from the sea, shrouding all, as mysterious fallen elf ships glide like sharks among the Pharid craft. When the mist finally clears, the elves are gone, the undead left scattered.

#### 578MR

The seas are officially reclaimed for the living. Reinforcements arrive from Arkhos and Thaedia via the coastal cities. With alliance forces to either side, the Pharidae go-to-ground within their realm. The alliance advances, tasting victory... as Pharid unleashes the dreaded Scarab Rot once again. The first wave of living troops are decimated by illness. The resulting ring of mindless zombies proves a hazardous (and infectious) barrier against the second wave. Deserters, both living and dead, converge on alliance lines, having run the gauntlet to flee Pharid. Many do not make it, joining the shambling moat. Of those who survive, the living tribesmen and Maphitahn soldiers are welcomed for their intel; the undead however, free willed anomalies who hid in plain sight among the hosts, are not treated kindly. Most are destroyed... yet some escape, eventually discovering a safe haven, away from prying eyes.

#### 581MR

With help from Fraelite alchemists and physikers, alliance troops cut through the infectious blockade. As they enter Pharid, Kalomesch performs a ritual that draws Nether close to the material plane. Daylight turns dim between the monoliths, and ghosts of those slain by Pharidae blades come to defend the realm. The living tremble before dead friends and relatives, their weapons harmless against the bound phantoms. They withdraw and dig in, unsure how to proceed.

#### 582MR - Kree's Judgement

As the year draws to a close, devotees of Kree migrate to the front lines; their hands and faces daubed in the ashes of slain heroes... they start to chant. Sensing imminent doom, the undead surge toward the devotees, prompting alliance forces to intercept. The outskirts of Pharid descend into chaos; animated corpses stream around pockets of resistance, fighters struggle back-to-back, prayers ring from the core of each defensive ring. Hours pass... until at last, a chill whisper rolls across the desert. The largest Pharid monolith falls apart, invulnerable stones cracking and crumbling as though withered by aeons. Kalomesch's arcane hold on Nether is broken. Brightness returns to the realm, the ghosts fade away, and the undead tide rolls back... to prepare for the final act of the war.

#### 583MR - The Breaking Of Pharid

A century of rage is vented upon Pharid. Arkhos and Thaedia let loose their fullest might. Mages exhaust their power to counteract the necromantic curses of their foe. Phalanxes and mounted wedges storm barricades and tear down palaces. Assassins, well-versed in hunting undead, stalk Pharidae champions, as artillery rains down around them. The battle rages for weeks... but on the 50th day of Goldyn, Kalomesch is cornered on the ruins of the god-smote monolith. Centurion Cassius Lergor steps forth. With much of his power tied to that monolith, Kalomesch is greatly weakened... yet still deadly. Their duel lasts three minutes. With classic Legion efficiency, Cassius takes the lich apart. As his sword cleaves Kalomesch's skull, huge swathes of the undead army collapse, inert, defeated.

**The war is won.**

## Aftermath

In the days and years that follow, alliance forces return home. They have lost so much in their crusade that, for now, peace and recovery is all they want. They do not attempt to claim lands they have bled to cross. They do not lash out at realms who suffered less. Arkhos and Thaedia, giants who bore the brunt of undead horror, enter a period of dormancy. Yet all have witnessed their undeniable power.

The people of Frael regain their freedom with gusto. They tear down Pharid's remaining cities, though the surviving monoliths prove indestructible to mortals. Bonehunters, faithful of Kree fixed to prevent another undead realm, construct the temple-city of Hakam Almawt where Kalomesch fell. Maphotepsis' vassal cities declare their independence. Maphotepsis acquiesces, yet remains the focal point of trade in Frael. The Maphotepsans work to rebuild their navy and make their home splendid.

For the smaller realms, opportunity dawns. With undead cleared from the seas, trade and travel resume. Raiders and pirates find their war-weary foes sluggish and disinclined to retaliate. Treasure seekers need no-longer fear armies or undead hordes clogging up old ruins. Diplomatic espionage becomes easier. All of this allows for consolidation of power, particularly for Mureth and Lo'Quai. Nevertheless, these realms tread softly, unwilling to reignite the wrath of their giant neighbors.