War of the Rainbow Crow

The **War of the Rainbow Crow** was a two hour long fight between the miners of the Em-Zaraku mine and the duke of Al-Roc which accidentally resulted in the independence of Em-Zaraku after the Al-Rocian victory.

## History

### The Prelude

In the year 760 AD, on the third day of the season of the Effigy, a most peculiar incident happened at the mine of Em-Zaraku. The day started as any other day, and the Sun Elven miners went about their business as usual, but then a small crow in the colours of the rainbow landed on a pickaxe at the entrance of the mine. Now this was very special, for the rainbow crow is a creature most rare and its appearance symbolises the divine gift of lordship. The man informed their foreman, who at first scuffed at them and thought that they took the piss with him. But his man kept insisting it to be true, and he decided to humour them by walked out to the pickaxe. There the rainbow crow was perched, and as the foreman approached the bird it began to sing a song most beautiful. His man kowtowed before him, and he, in his folly declared himself the independent baron of Em-Zaraku.

### The Battle

A letter was sent to the duke of Al-Roc, a mighty and highly respected man. Once this duke received the letter he did nothing but laugh at its absurdity. Then he went to his general to dispatch the troops and get rid of these silly rebels. His troops, 5.000 strong, marched on Em-Zaraku. The rainbow crow was flying over when he spotted the troops, and warned the three hundred miners of the incoming danger. The man discussed what to do, and decided that if they allowed the troops to slaughter a small force of them the rest might be able to escape their wraith. So twenty man stayed outside to fight while the remaining hundred and eighty locked themselves up inside the mine.

Then the duke's troops arrived, thirsting for a fight, and the twenty remaining man sure gave them one. But they were outnumbered 250 to 1, and in 20 minutes all the defenders were dead. The blood lust of the troops was satisfied and seeing no other man, they declared themselves the victors without making the foreman sign any formal peace treaty. Then the marched home in glee, and were exalted as triumphant heroes, and that night they got as drunk as only ecstatic man can be drunk. Meanwhile, at the mines the survivors crawled out of their hiding spot, and buried the fallen under the pickaxe, thankful for them that they sacrificed themselves for their lives and their freedom. The people of Em-Zaraku then sent a shipment of ores to Al-Roc as a gift, which was accepted as tribute, and the two settlements never bothered each other again.

### Aftermath

The baron's family is still in charge of the barony of Em-Zaraku to this day, which has now grown to a thriving town under their administration. In the centre of this town, just in front of the baron's mountain castle stands a grand monument existing out of a stone slab with a pickaxe on top which are covered in a layer of molten gold, dedicated to the twenty man who gave their lives for Em-Zaraku. And legends say that once every year, on the third day of the season of the Effigy, a beautiful grey crow can be seen perched on top of this monument, cawing a silly song.