Wraith War

*"Torch the wicked, light the world" - The Manticores' Motto*

## Strength

Union

Zealots

Wraiths

## Commanders and leaders

Union* Nariah Greenfort
* Jhene Krass
* Lukas Israfel
* Lucarius Hayde
* Von Qerreth
* Lumino

Zealots

Wraiths* Silas
* Akhala
* Amu

## Casualties and losses

Union
Military dead:

Over 160,000,000

Civilian Dead:

Over 340,000,000

Total dead:

Over 500,000,000

Zealots

Wraiths

The **Wraith War**, also known as the **Great Freezing** or the **Beheading**, was a global war that last for sixty rings. The majority of the world's nations were involved and made up two of the three factions: Wraiths, Zealots and the Union. The Wrath War was, broadly speaking, the Mages against the Wraiths and is the greatest bloodbath in Bara's history, ending in a pyrrhic victory with millions of deaths.

## Names

The most widespread title, '*the Wraith War*', was coined from the eldritch creatures themselves. This is usually the standard name that is spoken across the tongues of the world. There have been thousands of monikers used to describe the conflict, some of which garnered popularity. These include: '*The Great Freezing*', '*The Beheading*' and the '*Springtime War*'.

Many northern cultures called it the 'Great Freezing' as the Wraiths built their stronghold at the Summit of the World, widening the Deep North to cover much of the northern hemisphere in snow. This resulted in the Great Migration, the rush of Aanish civilians south to warmer lands.

Many cultures and historical tomes called it 'The Beheading', because of the rampant terror that swept across the world, the palpable sense of dread, as if the world had lost its head in the opening invasions.

Adulthood - and the benefits that follow - is reached at thirty years, and the time before is called the Spring Season of a mage's life. However, to supply soldiers for the Wraith War, many kingdoms lowered the ceremony to twenty years, allowing child-soldiers to be drafted into the army. This proved an infamous decision, resulting in the name ***'**Springtime War*'.

## Background

*"Gone as a Golg." - Common idiom.*

Phantoms, unlike mages, do not have a genetic requirement to reproduce sexually to expand their species, as the birth of phantoms is a natural process on any world with magic and wildlife (both flora and fauna). So, to continue their species, all Phantoms feel some biological urge to grow plants, protect animals and be stewards of the world, so their species can thrive and have a beautiful place to call home. An uneasiness has been growing between the mages and Phantoms for some time, with how their societies have become more industrious. The theft of the natural world to mine, build housing, forge weapons and make food has built over the ages, and its left and sourer taste in the Phantoms' mouths.

A stronger dislike, perhaps even hatred, between Phantoms and Mages had been building for some time. The greatest catalyst of this was the '*Misthunts*' by the Golg tribes. In Aan el, the Golg tribes began to see Phantoms with a certain exotic mystique. For mythological and cultural reasons, they developed the idea that Phantom-hunting was the greatest glory as a warrior (Similar to Dragon and Drake-hunting in other cultures). This, over time, built into nigh-genocidal proportions, at which point the Wraiths united and eradicated them utterly. Although this happened centuries before the Wraith War, due to their keen memories and immortality, the Phantoms never forgot it.

## Prelude

### Third Dynastic War

Further south than the Golg tribes, an ancient kingdom named Kaia once reigned. Usually ruled by a single royal, Golden Dynasty however another broke away and underhandedly vied for power, named the Silver Dynasty. With the help of charismatic leaders, the breakaway dynasty began to gather allies swiftly, and soon the kingdom of Kaia split in two. One side allied to the pure-blooded Golden lord, and the other with the rising Silver King.

After a dozen or so pitched battles, the Silver Dynasty outsmarted the Golden one. Dismissing the older ways of the Golden Dynasty as primitive and backward, their supporters morale and finally deposed the Golden lord, executing him in the streets of the opulent capital.

### Karez War

Shortly after the Third Dynastic war, but worlds apart, the Calistri desert was divided into two kingdoms. The Kerez kingdom led by Shiba, Queen of Queens, their sharpest and most ambitious leader in an age, set about expanding her empire. Although Calistri and Kerez had clashed in hundreds of skirmishes through the ages, this was Shiba's attempt to crush them for good. The motives for invading Calistri were enormous, (healing oases, galleries, museums, gold, wizardly technology) but prior Kings had shied away from it, too protective of their opulent palaces and gilded treasuries.

This time, though, Shiba had a far more daring plan. As long as she took the kingdom in a single week, she would plunder enough technology to repel all outsiders. Calistri's navy and runic defences were second-to-none, she just needed to snatch them up before anybody else could interfere. Shiba, under the council of her advisors, had sold crates full of gold, pearls and emeralds to get the very thing she needed - a working Astra.

Astras were god-like weapons from a forgotten age - crafted by the once-global Paleon Empire thousands of years ago. Colossal power suits hewn from adamant turquoise, they were nigh-indestructible and hosted weaponry unlike anything produced by mage-kind. Their runic circuitry could leave the wisest scholars in a daze, and their weaponry could unleash arcs of light that atomise anything in their path. At this point, the world knew of six Astras, in Miranth, Aegon, Aan' el, Skania and Eradon and Erigea, this marked the seventh.

Without the slightest hint of aggression beforehand, Karez fell on Calistri like an almighty hammer. Her plan was progressing brilliantly, carving out land and mowing down armies, but just as her goal was within her reach, allies from across the globe came to their aid. Far quicker than she had anticipated, Shiba was dealing with a war against a dozen kings with a dozen armies.

Many of the great heroes and 'Princes of War' got their start in the Karez War: Lucarius, Jhene Krass, Lumino, Nariah Greenfort, Lukas Israfel and others.

### Theft of the Ethereal Tree

After the war had concluded, the Silver King expanded his borders now he had a consolidated single kingdom. Venturing north, he eagerly sought after Yavhara, the Ethereal Tree, one of the 'nine wonders of the ancient world'. A rare example of a plant with a soul, the tree was colossal, known for its glittering beauty and soothing aura.

At this time, the Phantoms were scattered in pockets across the planet, but particularly in the wastes of Aan' el. Leaders were rare, but easily the most prominent Phantom at the time was Silas, an ancient, squid-like serpent. He gained prominence from his towering shape and surprising compassion, leading his kin through respect, not fear. As the Phantom's language was undeciphered, nobody could have known that Silas had fallen in love with the spirit of Yavhara. They both communed spiritually and had a bond as strong as the firmament.

Still embittered by Golg tribes' genocides, Silas was fiercely territorial of his kin and land, terrorising anyone who dared cross them. The Silver King, however, had no knowledge of this and considered Silas to be little more than a malevolent demon.

To add a mystique to his kingdom and attract pilgrims, The Silver King planned to transport Yavhara to be the centrepiece of his kingdom. With pioneering cranes, trains and sledges, he set about the enormous task of hoisting the tree to the capital of Kaia. Silas, meanwhile tended to his great gardens in the north, as was common among Phantom-kind.

When he returned to the site of his beloved, he found a crater of with sprawling caverns where roots once were. Grief-stricken, Silas soon became furious; he was convinced the Mages' industriousness had led them to cut down the tree, no doubt build some foundry or village. However, although he took it for selfish means, the Silver King greatly revered the tree, ensuring to handle it as delicately as possible.

#### Creation of 'Terror'

In abject fury, Silas wanted to build a weapon for himself. Never letting his mind stray to violence, this had snapped his patience. With a severed tentacle and boiling rage, Silas forged a wraith made to kill and obey mindlessly. Her original name is lost, now only known by her Nomen of '*Terror*'. Terror was a great sweeping scythe, as a farmer Silas couldnt think of a more apt tool for murder. When not in her reaping form, she took the appearance of a great gangly insect, hand-crafted to unnerve.

Silas and Terror sought out the kingdom of Kaia, at which point the tree of Yavhara was firmly planted in the centre of the capital. Silas saw her from afar, and Yavhara's spirit silently wept in joy to see her beloved, as too did he. Silas saw the pilgrims wreaths as chains and restraints, the torches and lanterns became preperations to burn down his love. He had to act now.

## Course of the War

### The Carving

The opening conquests of the Wraith War are loosely called the 'Carving', because of how utterly the Wraiths decimated any resistence in their path. Silas had seen enough of Kaia, so he returned with a host of his kindred, emerging from the fog on a score of different stomping, scuttling and writing forms. The phantoms slaughtered the people of Kaia indiscriminately, flanking the settlement on all sides and leaving no room for escape. The Silver King was then slain and rendered unrecognizable. To wash away any remains, the Wraiths shunted great rocks and altered the course of a river, flooding the ruins of Kaia.

Now reunited, Silas and Yavhara sang to one another blissfully. Their song echoed through the forests and mountains and called other Phantoms to it. Then Silas sang of how the Silver King had snatched away his love, to inflict untold horror upon her. More and more wraiths, embittered by countless past sleights, joined Silas and his cause.

The Wraiths continued to slaughter the peoples of ten more cities afterward, eliminating the Kaia Kingdom and all its vassals utterly. Wherever they struck, they planted crops and flowers. The word of these bloodbath spread throughout the continent and a tactile sense of dread and confusion came with it. The surrounding cultures had no idea about what brought this bloodshed or how to stop it. For the Wraiths, the Theft of Yavhara typified the kind of god-like arrogance they despised, the mages' belief that the natural world was their to take, exploit and drain for all time. Kaia was a husk of what it used to be, but they certainly weren't finished there.

War was as natural as farming or animal husbandry, so the peoples of the north prepared thoroughly. They manned their walls, drilled their troops and prepared for battle. Scouts had seen word of a black cloud growing in the north, descending down upon Drakonhal, an Aanish metropolis and military stronghold. Its defences were as immaculate as the training of its military, a trading capital and jewel of architecture. The morning of the invasion, the Royal Oracle made a prediction, the entirety of it has been transcribed.

"Ink will bleed on the sky

our kin will lead us to die."

Many defeats first, before the invention of the Manticore warriors

Helen of Troy-like battle over the 'most beautiful woman in the world' for mages at some point

Jhene Krass invents the Demon-Slayer order and pioneers the first mage-made soul weapons

Astras are found in an underwater vault, turning the tide of the war

Aan El uncovers the volcanoes that are frozen by the wraiths., The result of which makes a volcanic winter

Finale battle in Skania over their greatest fortress to finally destroy the Zealots. Nariah and Lucarius are present.

## Order of Battle Wraiths

Wraiths riding on Ughora cavalry with necromancer footsoldiers, built from the soul-infused bones of mages and wildlife. Necromancers are a kind of sentient crop, grown from planting soul bones into the ground.