Camaerithian Concord

Huge thanks to Astri Lohne for the cover art!

Created in 888 AT by the members of the Camaerithian Circle and King Usur Theussau III of the Theussaun Protectorate, the Camaerithian Concord was, at first, a defensive pact of near-unrivaled military power and simplistic drive. Created in response to the founding of Orakgra, a city of orcs and other "monster races," the Camaerithian Concord sought to purge their perceived incursion and restore total dominion of eastern Iotura to the constituents of the pact; however, after an eleven year war of attrition, the War Against Orakgra ended and the Concord had to adjust.

A Troubled History and an Uncertain Future

The Camaerithian Concord was created as a military alliance between Camaerith and the Theussaun Protectorate. For much of its infancy, the Concord has existed solely to wipe out the "Orakgran" threat. And for a long time, that simple drive worked to galvanize the Concord's constituents and push them forward.
But, as with many things, this simple goal's short-term benefits had many long-term harms. The ideals of the Concord were, in all truth, racist at best and genocidal at worst. It was founded to ensure overwhelming and complete military superiority against the "monstrous" peoples of Orakgra, a goal that unified the two factions of the Concord in nationalistic zeal. A common enemy is a powerful unifier, but in the wake of an attempted coup in Camaerith and the ending of the War Against Orakgra, the Concord has much to reckon with in its past and its future.
Some don't know if -- and some don't want -- the Concord to stay standing after the War Against Orakgra officially ends. And, if it does stay standing, what does the Concord look like after peace is forged? Do they just prep for the next conflict, arming for an even more deadly engagement, or shift to a peaceful trade alliance? And what of their former enemies in Orakgra itself? Further, what of the enemies that have been revealed and defeated within Camaerith and Theussau -- and those still hidden in the shadows?

Provocation and Response

While some of the ideas of the Camaerithian Concord may have been racist and extreme, this isn't to say that their aggression to Orakgra was entirely unprovoked. Orakgra wasn't entirely blameless in the beginnings of the war. The people of Orakgra had no respect for the forest's sanctity, especially relative to the Camaerithian people. Cashiph Zitih Ironheart believes it is her people's right to claim a home and at last settle down, and will not have some "haughty, racist elves" stop them.
Now, however, the war has ended. Perhaps Orakgra could join the Concord in the future, truly unifying Eastern Iotura in peace and shared purpose. That potential is far off, if at all possible, for there is much to heal between Orakgra, Camaerith, and Theussau, and much to fix within each of the three factions as well.

Constituents

Camaerith

Camaerith is the oldest elven city in Emaxus, nestled high in the branches of the Wild Heart and secluded from the outside world for centuries. Here, some of the greatest studies of magic in the Age of Extant have taken place, and ancient traditions from the Age of Rebirth are maintained; however, this sense of ancient mystery has led to an amplified haughtiness, xenophobia, and even out-right racism to all outsiders (even other, non-Camaerithian elves). Their army, the Arms of Mithril, is a group of some one thousand elite elven rangers and guerrilla fighters, armed in full mithril mail with mithril blades.

More on Camaerith, its history, and its leaders, the Camaerithian Circle, can be found in the Camaerith article below.

The Theussaun Protectorate

Composed of dozens of settlements united under the banner of the capital, Theussau, the Theussaun Protectorate is the closest thing to a true "empire" remaining in Emaxus following the Collapse of the Imperium in Aitreas. Founded by devout followers of the Silver Dawn, the Protectorate is a semi-theocratic monarchy leading a conglomeration of entities bound by treaty and mutual benefits.
The Theussaun military is massive, composed of some forty-five thousand troops (dubbed "Theussaun Fists"), organized into Divisions of thirty-five hundred to four thousand Fists each. While fifteen thousand Fists are bound to the First Line to hold back infernal incursions, the rest could be committed to the Concord, if deemed absolutely necessary.
More on the Protectorate, its inner workings, and its leadership, can be found in the Theussaun Protectorate article.

History

Founding

On Uldreyin 15, Neldreth, 888 AT, King Usur Theussau III and his delegation met with the members of the Camaerithian Circle to discuss the perceived threat of Orakgra. Their discussions lasted for three long weeks, before they signed the Camaerithian Concord, birthing the alliance of the same name. Under the original strictures, the Protectorate would commit to aiding Camaerith militarily and economically in the defense of the Arakhor Tathra and the defeat of Orakgra for the betterment of all eastern Iotura, on the grounds that Camaerith would open the secrets of their city and the Arcanul Ordinate to the priests and mages of the Protectorate.
And so, a massive military power was born. But the issue now came: how does one move thousands of troops to fight those defiling the forest without damaging the forest themselves?

The Battle of Broken Limb

This question had to be answered rapidly, as within two months of the Concord's founding, on Traeliorn 4, Latharal, 888 AT, word was received that a force was coming out of Orakgra to establish a lumber outpost past the borders of the already cleared forest. Camaerith called for action immediately, somewhat doubting that the Protectorate would honor the Concord (racism has a way of making one perceive others in false ways). To their pleasant surprise, Theussau upheld the bargain and sent the Fifth Division to be stationed in Camaerith.
Within a week, some four thousand Fists, alongside a thousand auxiliary and supply troops, arrived in Camaerith to be garrisoned there until the war's end. From there five hundred Fists alongside five hundred Arms of Mithril, under the command of Lt. General Neiven Townsend of the Protectorate, mobilized on the location of the outpost being founded. On Taeral 16, Latharal, 888 AT, one thousand Concord troops swept down on two hundred lumberjacks guarded by a garrison of fifty and slaughtered them all.
A bloody, decisive start to a long, drawn-out war.

The Massacre of Mizozagh

Following the success of the Battle of Broken Limb, Lt. General Townsend received orders to continue pushing and secure the settlement of Mizozagh a day to the southeast. Marching out of the dense forest and into the open hills that Orakgra had largely deforested, Townsend's forces arrived upon the town the morning of Shenarah 18, Latharal, 888 AT, the day of Deep Solace. That day, some two thousand citizens were butchered, protected only by a garrison of some two hundred warriors, at the cost of less than one hundred Concord forces.
With Mizozagh "secured," Townsend and his forces bunkered down to await more troops to finish the push to Orakgra and rapidly end the war. Over the next week, an additional one thousand Fists alongside another five hundred Arms of Mithril came to join Lt. General Townsend's offensive. Many would never return home.

The Disaster at Bleeding Hill

On Miirphys 1, Engarthiel, 888 AT, Lt. General Townsend began his march from the ruins of Mizozagh towards Orakgra, which a day and a half further south. Halfway there, the Concord's army made camp atop a hill, which allowed them vision of the surrounding area and thus defense. From atop the hill, Townsend and his troops could see the lights of Orakgra on the edge of the horizon, and soon, they would be home with glory, honor, and safety for their people.
That night, Cashiph Zitih Ironheart herself led a force of a thousand goblins on a stealth mission. In the dark of the night, the force encircled the Concord camp, and picked off the watch. Over the course of the night, some fifteen hundred Fists and four hundred Arms of Mithril were butchered. Just over one thousand men returned home from an army of three thousand, fleeing for their lives as Cashiph Ironheart proclaimed "Now, this Bleeding Hill will forever be a reminder of the weakness of your 'Concord,' and the wrath of those wronged!"
When Townsend returned, he was relinquished of his rank. Over the next few months, Orakgra began probing the borders of the forest once more as the Fifth Division's ranks were replenished from the north and the Concord planned their next step forward.

The Years of Strife

Following the Disaster at Bleeding Hill, the Concord decided that a strike at Orakgra would not be possible. With the varied strengths of the "monsters" they faced, any multi-day march would be doomed to fail, either being wiped out before reaching the city or whittled down then butchered. And so began the Years of Strife. The Concord and Orakgra committed to tactics of guerrilla warfare and strategic strikes, and a war of attrition was initiated. No battle has been as bloody as the first three the Concord took part in, but the body count has slowly been adding up. Luckily, on a homefront perspective, the Concord has been making great strides.

End of the War

In the early months of 899 AT, an attempted coup took place in Camaerith. Organized by a group known as the Order of the Forgotten Blood, xenophobic ultranationalists with powerful, extraplanar allies nearly took control of the city. After being stopped by the Five of Swords, Camaerith was shaken to its core -- and nearly half of its leaders were slain or imprisoned. In the wake of that failed coup, peace talks with Orakgra began immediately.
Though they took nearly six months, the War Against Orakgra officially came to a close. Though there are still factions in the Concord who wish to wipe out Orakgra, the Concord has officially put down its weapons. Now, the question stands: will the Concord stand, and if it does, will peace stand as well?

The Protectorate has been receiving many rare and exotic goods from Camaerith, and Theussaun mages have begun studying at the arcane colleges of Camaerith. Both parties have learned much of one another's cultures, and their priests and druids have begun mingling and strengthening the bonds between the Children of Yamma they worship. And the Camaerithian Circle has begun more in-depth trade and military talks with King Usur, seeking to perhaps make the Concord more permanent.

"The Orcish Threat"

The Camaerithian Concord was founded to combat Orakgra, a new city of orcs (and other rapidly growing "monster" populations) that was founded on the southeastern shores of the Arakhor Tathra several decades ago. While the idea of the "orcish threat" wasn't entirely unfounded, it was heavily rooted in racist ideals that have long prevailed in Emaxus. The Theussaun Protectorate was eager to join Camaerith in this conflict, seeing Orakgra as a potential long-term threat, and the conflict being an opportunity to flex their military might.
Some outsiders, and even some residents of the Protectorate/Camaerith, realized that the people of Orakgra are simply looking for a home in a world that hates them. But, the Camaerithians were also driven to conflict by the mass deforestation Orakgra has been perpetrating to support its rapid growth. Thankfully, reason has since prevailed and peace has been made. How long the peace will last, however, is anyone's guess.

Military Might

The Camaerithian Concord, as it was signed, can benefit from up to the full might of both its constituent parties: Camaerith and the Theussaun Protectorate. This includes up to thirty-five thousand Theussaun Fists (all of the Protectorate's military save the legions serving on the First Line), as well as the some one thousand Camaerithians who make up the Arms of Mithril, the city's elite army. This isn't even considering the powerful mages of the Arcanul Ordinate, or the many zealous followers of the Silver Dawn within the Protectorate; however, the chances of this mobilization even being remotely necessary is close to none.
Instead, the Camaerithian Concord is more a defensive pact of deterrence. Especially following the Collapse of the Imperium in Aitreas, there isn't a military power on Emaxus that could face the Concord alone, and there would have to be many unlikely alliances to strike at them wholeheartedly. And with the end of the War Against Orakgra, which was the impetus of the Concord in the first place, all eyes are on Camaerith and Theussau to see where they move next.

Type

Alliance, Generic

Unlikely Alliance -- The Circumstances that Birthed the Concord

As they say: strange times make for strange bedfellows. Considering the harshly xenophobic traditions of the ancient elves of Camaerith, who sought nothing more than to protect the Arakhor Tathra and the Wild Heart they call home, it surprised many when they reached out to the predominantly human Theussaun Protectorate to the north for an alliance. But, for native Camaerithians, or those who understand the current geopolitical situation of eastern Iotura (which is to say, not many) the situation was clear: in a prolonged conflict against the orcish settlers of Orakgra, there are few situations where the elves come out on top.
For one, they are limited to guerrilla warfare due to their own strictures and religious policies related to their proclaimed duty as the defenders of the forest. Second, they may be ancient, which allows for even elves to eventually grow in number, but they're still elves. Compared to the growth and reproduction rate of the numerous constituent races of Orakgra, every one ranger that falls is of equal value to twenty Orakgran warriors. Third, Orakgra is more than just orcs. As they grow in power and size, monstrous races of all kinds are flocking to this new safe haven. Goblinoids, kobolds, and even minotaurs and lycanthropes are helping to swell the population of the city, and with it, their diversity in combat grows.
So, Camaerith had two options: employ powerful magics from the Arcanul Ordinate and wipe the orcs off the map, while potentially doing irrevocable damage to their home and ward, or call in help from the diverse peoples of the Theussaun Protectorate to the north. Generally, most Camaerithians would rather fling themselves from the highest branch of the Wild Heart's canopy than see their own people hurt the forest. And thus, the Camaerithian Concord was born.