The Sentinel War

Dear stranger,
If you are reading this it means you have found my notes on the events that led to The Pulse. You are now facing a life changing choice. To read or not to read. Once you have gained the knowledge hidden within these pages there is no going back. You will know the truth that has been so carefully hidden by those who seek to kill me. A truth whi

— The letter ends abruptly. You stare at the bundle of pages underneath it.

The Conflict

Prelude

The earliest records mentioning the Sentinel War predate The Pulse for nearly forty years. They mention a sapient species our ancestors called Dryandae. An entire species which has been wiped from history for there is no mention of them in literature, academic or otherwise, after The Pulse. These same records mention as well a vast woodland spanning a large portion of West Eghea called Mistwood. The Dryandae made it their home, protected by the Sentinels. The initial conflict seems to have been about the various resources found in Mistwood. The most important one being wood, which was scarse in the coastal regions our ancestors called home. I found mention of trees the size of a tower. No wonder the humans of old harvested it from Mistwood. The DRyandae were not pleased with this however. For years there were skirmishes between the two species on the borders of Mistwood. It was not until the Sentinels came in to play that it became a full on war.

Battlefield

Most of the war was fought on the borders of Mistwood. But as the war progressed both sides did venture into each others territories. I found several reports about Dryandae sneaking into villages and cities at night. It seems they caused something called the Green Rot. A horrible disease that spread quickly through human settlements. The mortality rate amongst children was enormous. As retaliation our ancestors started sending field armies deep into Mistwood where they slaughtered any Dryandae they could find. Especially the young ones. A child for a child.

Conditions

It is difficult to imagine the claustrophobic nature of the war as the battlefields moved deeper into Mistwood. It became impossible to get supplies to the field armies, so they had to be self reliant. It was also easy to get lost. Many soldiers disappeared without a trace, although it was not always clear if they simply wandered too far from their camp or if they were taken by the Dryandae.

The Engagement

About twelve years before the abrupt ending of the war the first Sentinels appeared. Little fact is known about them. But they were able to drive back human forces time and time again. The tales mentioning these Sentinels seem to be mostly based on fiction. They were depicted as gigantic monstrous creatures, and for a long time I was convinced they had caused The Pulse. I found notes about Sentinels wielding Mistwood itself as a weapon. Surely those are the words of men whose minds had been broken by the horrors of war.

Outcome

Our ancestors fought against the Dryandae and their Sentinels for many years. Until one man changed the course of history. I could find little about him. Only that he did the unspeakable. Whatever that may be. Sometimes he is referred to as Witchmaster. Although perhaps it is merely an error of translation on my part. Fact remains that this man must have had a weapon which he took to the most sacred sanctuary of Mistwood. It seems he was send under the disguise of an emissary send for peace talks. How he got the weapon past the Sentinels remains a mystery to me. At the peace talks he managed to unleash this weapon. The results were cataclysmic. West Eghea was almost completely destroyed, together with everyone and everything within it's borders.

Aftermath

There are very few written records from the first years after the cataclysm which we now call The Pulse. We know the ashes of Mistwood polluted and darkened the sky. An era called Never Summer brought abnormally cold weather worldwide. This resulted in crop failures and a devastating famine. The survivors were further tormented by an extremely high rate of birth defects. Approximately 75% of Ealdwyll's population died during The Pulse or in the years afterward. The Dryandae were wiped out, together with several animal species which were native to Mistwood. Immediately after the cataclysm the first Inflicted appeared in West Eghea. Creatures which seem to have mutated from animals. They posses a strength and viciousness unseen before their onset. They make the Eghean continent an inhospitable place. In West Eghea people live in huge walled cities. Most never venture outside their walls. East Eghea seems somewhat safer. Still, travelers are advised to never go out after dark.

Historical Significance

Technological Advancement

There are those who work very hard to keep the truth about The Pulse hidden for all. I do not know who they are, but the many attempts to end my life prematurely keep me convinced they are out there. I can think of but one reason for this. The Witchmaster's weapon was not destroyed by the blast. It is still out there. Most likely in the hands of those who want to stop me. Is it an artefact from the Forgotten? Surely they have proven capable of producing devices of unimaginable power. Why not a weapon which could potentially destroy our world.

Conflict Type

War

Battlefield Type

Land

Start Date

38 BP

Ending Date

1 BP

Conflict Result

The Pulse

Location

West Eghea

Belligerents

Dryandae

Humans

Strength

3 million

10 million on West Eghea.

Casualties

None survived.

Less than 1% survived.

Objectives

Saving the Sentinels and the Mistwood.

Primary goal: gaining resources from Mistwood. Secondary goal: destroying the Sentinels protecting Mistwood.

Tucked in between two pages you find a note:

An entire species, much like us, was erased from existence. Not only that, they were erased from history. Why? It is as if some higher power took command and forbid any mention of them. But who would want that? What did they gain from keeping this truth hidden? There must be something more that they want to keep a secret. Is it the weapon that caused the Pulse? Or is it something else entirely?