War of Purification

The second half of the Second Century was defined by bloody warfare that many feared might undo the work of the great hero Amertus. For almost fifty years, Imperial forces were locked in battle with a hegemony of Tiefling cults that were hell-bent on sowing death and destruction across Estemor.

The Conflict

Prelude

By 130 AS, a highly contagious and deadly disease dubbed Yellow Pox had taken grip throughout Estemor. Even the most accomplished healers could do nothing to stop the spread. It was assumed to have come from migrating elves from Tuatha, leading to paranoia and prejudice that was only amplified when even the Imperial Royal Family succumbed to the illness. The Amertus family line would come to an end and nobles argued over who should assume control of the Empire. Alexios Marovus, the Queen Mother's eldest brother, was able to assert his claim as Regent and began to form a council of healers that could devise a magical method of curing Yellow Pox. Within a decade, spells capable of healing the afflicted and even destroying the miasma itself had been developed and mages were slowly dispatched across Estemor to properly heal the people. This miracle gave Marovus the backing he needed to properly assume the Imperial throne in 144 AS.
Investigations into the origins of Yellow Pox continued in the years that followed. Much of the Empire was left fragmented by the years of death and famine, particularly in northwestern woodlands of Torvast. The few settlements that had held strong against the plague had united under an banner known as the Crimson Compact. While the Compact reaffirmed its loyalty to the new Emperor, this proved to be a hollow oath. The people of Torvast steadily turned away from the Imperial credo and invoked the worship of Rogue Deities long thought gone. Even worse, influential nobles across Estemor took to these faiths when their own prayers to the Saints went unanswered. It was when the leaders of the Crimson Compact seceded from the Empire that war broke that a horrifying discovery was made. The Yellow Pox was created by a cult of Tieflings that had used the chaos to discreetly take power within the Empire, ruling from the shadows for years. But with their initial plans foiled, this cult had only been devising new methods of suppressing the Empire, leading to the Crimson Compact's declaration of war.

The Engagement

The Crimson Compact had indoctrinated and corrupted a vast number of Imperial citizens, providing them with ample supporters, but also sacrifices. Dark rituals were enacted by the cult's faithful to gain the power of forbidden magic as well as demonic soldiers. The very nature of the Torvast forest was twisted and turned against the Empire.
Though the Saints' had long ascended to a higher place, they had many mortal disciples who could invoke their power. This unexpectedly proved to be lacking in the face of evil gods. As their worship and powers grew, the Imperial Army's waned. This combined with the lingering effects of the Yellow Pox and several traitorous uprisings from within Imperial territory all led to the war dragging on. The boundaries would shift, but the threat of the Crimson Compact was largely kept contained to the north of Estemor.
After nearly fifty years of conflict, the tides began to turn in no small part due to the emergence of the Monastic Orders, divisions of the army who specialized in holy warfare. The Crimson Compact threw what remained of their forces in a desperate final battle at the City of Death, but the light prevailed. Thus began the long efforts to reconstruct the region.

Conflict Type

War

Start Date

146 AS

Ending Date

192 AS

Conflict Result

Decisive Imperial victory