Lux Tenebris Bellum Extended
Refer to the timeline for the beginning.
The military forces that The Holy Council had prepared for war were weaker than they should have been, mostly due to the underestimation of the Blackguard due to its reputation as the “Motley Military”. The Knothic side of the war was quiet, not once did Fraon hear from the Accursed Council, nor the Witch Queen that ruled over the dark lands. The rest of the world heard the news of the war, and after some time, the sides of the war formed. There were two sides in particular, the dark, and the light. On the light side were Fraon, Metaric, and Kelruhm, and on the dark side were Knothic, Kogeki, Salt Cove, and Celia. There was a third party in this war, however, a dark horse so to speak. No one expected the Orcs to care about politics, or war within the modern world, but at the same time, no one expected Knothic to hire them. Out of left field, The Holy Council received reports that the Orcs had crossed both the Woods of Winter and the Matron River. This was theoretically impossible until they heard the report that the orcs were being led in both places by a blackguard division. According to firsthand recounts, The Woods of Winter had a path split through it by the Captain of Division 3, dubbed the Ice Queen, and the Matron River opened its torrential rapids due to some arcane magic performed by the Captain of Division 7, Frederick Von Jekris.
The Holy Council may have thought this was the worst of it, but no, for from the South arrived massive warships filled to the brim with warriors from Kogeki, Salt Cove, and Celia. Leading this massive group of reinforcements was the current King of the Plains, a title given to the strongest warrior in Celia. The King of the Plains at this time was a man named Farok, a barbarian born in the Badlands, but was adopted by a magic tower master in Relnes. He eventually traveled to Celia where he competed in the King of Plains tournament and became the Hero and strongest asset of the country. Farok Hardhorn led the Knothic Allied forces through the southern coast of Fraon, demolishing whatever hope they had of retrieving reinforcements from Metaric. Kelruhm however could send reinforcements to Fraon, and these reinforcements clashed with the badlands mercenaries at the Eastern border of Fraon. Relnes was passive in this war, for it had peace treaties with both countries and could not afford to break either of them. The Knothic Allied forces at the coast were met with minimal resistance from Fraon, but were eventually met by the Inquisition of Metaric from the water. Although the ships of Salt Cove were superior, and the pirates were far more experienced in naval combat, the Inquisition was a more mineral-rich land and could afford to reinforce their ships with far more durable materials.
At the Battle of Hawthorn, the King of the Plains, a Shaman named Kailo from Kogeki, and a Merchant named Miguel Pastor led their men into a battle against the Chapter Master of the Inquisition. The factions both effectively killed each other, and the last remaining person in the naval battle was Farok. With his last breath, he told the spirit companion of Kailo Rimest, named Hawthorn, to tell the military advisors back home of their victory. The spirit companion was described as a salamander-like creature, covered in a green gem-like carapace. The creature Hawthorn would eventually reach the fleet of ships at the back of the Knothic-Allied Forces and relay the message. The Captain of the ship that commanded the fleet was Sir Hornshoof, a Minotaur who was knighted after his service as a mercenary for a Celian noble. Sir Hornshoof had many connections with the Salt Cover upper brass, and they saw fit to give him a leading position based on prior experience. Sir Hornshoof had received the message that the Inquisition was slain, and so he ordered a full charge, telling the soldiers to honor the deaths of the fallen brethren by storming the coast.
And so Fraon was once again surrounded. God’s Shield was being worn thin for they had to spread themselves out in order to stop orc forces that managed to squeeze past the Kelruhm reinforcements. And when they thought they were prepared, a battalion of Blackguard breached through the Forest of Whispers and approached Drolk. Within 1 day Drolk had fallen and was turned into a military fort called Codardi Benvenuti. A large building within Drolk was called the Hall of the Crypt, a place where storytellers gathered, and during the seizing of Drolk, the storytellers were allowed to live. In exchange, they created tales of bravery, and songs of legend to spread to the men of Knothic in order to instill bravery and encourage enlistment into the military. One of those songs was called “The Shadow of Tyranny”.
https://www.worldanvil.com/w/mugen-cashew4226/a/shadow-of-tyranny-myth
The new battalion of Blackguard soldiers that pushed past Dolk was called the Daggerspine Offensive, assassins trained within the military for espionage purposes. Leading the Daggerspine division was the Division 1 Captain of the Blackguard, Jack Penndragon. Jack Penndragon was an adventurer during the end of the Era of Discovery, one who founded the guild called Equilibrium. Penndragon was considered by the people of Knothic to be a hero, and even more strangely, the people of Fraon considered him one as well. Near the end of The Era of Discovery, around 595 AW, during the month of December, the dragon known as Rimecrest fled from the mountains of Kelruhm after it was hunted by a group hired by King Iammaroth. Rimecrest was an elderly White Dragon that had lived atop the Kelruhm Range for 100’s of years, and now he was roaming the plains. Inevitably he began to destroy places around him, in search of gold to recreate his horde, and in search of food to sate his endless hunger. The town that was named Jople, a town that no longer exists, was discovered by Rimecrest and made into a camp full of slave workers. Jople used to trade with Knothic, and due to that, the town was imperative for Knothic, so Jack Penndragon was sent to slay the dragon, and he did so. On December 17th 595 AW in the middle of the night, Jack Penndragon and his Vice-Guild Master Selena Snakebane slayed the dragon Rimecrest, and in turn, saved the remaining survivors from the town of Jople. The people of Jople migrated and created the city we now know as Trowood, the city of rebels. So from all of that, we can see why there is a conflict here. A man who was believed by the Fraonic people to be a hero was killing their soldiers, and invading their land. Even more importantly, the land that the Daggerspine Offensive moved towards was Trowood, for if Trowood was taken, it would serve as an indomitable fortress against any attack that the Holy Knights could perform.
At this point in time, the territory that Knothic had taken was Olkwell, Drolk, and Acord. Acord was taken around the river by the army of orcs led by Frederick Von Jekris. It was a large city, but it did not have a superior military might and was more economy heavy. This foothold, however, was used to funnel reinforcements to fight against the Kelruhm dwarves that were protecting against the invasion from the Woods of Winter. In the battle of Kromwell, the Dwarven mercenary group called Obsidian Splinter fought against the Ice Queen and her army of Orcs in the woods of winter. Leading the mercenary group was Gromheld Kromwell, a man who would be knighted after winning this battle, and slaying the Ice Queen. Frederick Von Jekris and his division would chase down Obsidian Splinter however they escaped to Dankuldir.
Eventually, Jack Penndragon and the Daggerspine Offensive would reach Trowood in the battle of Betrayal. Leading the defense of Trowood was a young man named Michael Krouse, a man who was saved by Jack Penndragon during the fight against Rimecrest. Michael Krouse would write the following in a public letter to the people of Trowood; Tomorrow I fight against my hero, the man I have looked up to my whole life, and a man who I do not believe that I can defeat. But no matter the cost, I will protect all of you, for even if he is my hero, I shall never allow anyone to attack my home and the people that I love; Michael Krouse would lead the defense the following morning and face Penndragon and his assassins. In the battle, Krouse and the Trowood defense division would be decimated, and within less than an hour, the Battle of Betrayal would end with a silent whisper. Penndragon and his assassins would subjugate the city, leaving all civilians alive, but controlling the city and filling it with Blackguard soldiers.
God’s Shield would fall back further towards Tusdon and the Capital, in fear of allowing any more land to be taken. At this time a man named Klaus Flitsen was the Head Inventor of the Holy Armory, and he had created an invention that may change the tides of war. After discovering an ancient relic from Aureum Mundus, the inventor reverse-engineered the first Flying Ship, named The Sonnenfalke. The Sonnenfalke was outfitted with two ballista that were manned by the Arcane Enchanters Dorian Urfus and Willow Macbeth. They would enchant two massive, pure iron ballista bolts that each weighed 4 tons (8000 pounds). The enchantments would activate different effects, commonly known in two types. The first type was Gifthimmel, which emanated a large poisonous field, driving enemies out of any hiding place. The second type was Höllefällt, which was covered in flames and would create a massive fiery blast upon impact. The Sonnenfalke would push toward the Coast and dispatch large amounts of ships due to their inability to combat flying vessels.
Soon enough, Frederick Von Jekris would meet with Jack Penndragon, and the motley crew of assassins, blackguard soldiers, orc mercenaries, and adventurers form the Spearhead Offensive Mk. 2. The new Spearhead Offensive began to march from Trowood to Glona, straight towards the line in the sand that God’s Shield drew. Fulson Kormick was resolute in his decision, he would no matter what, fight against the Spearhead Offensive, and defeat Jack Penndragon. Joining the side of Fulson Kormick was a man who had recently arrived via teleportation circle, and horse ride from the capital, his name was William Quifus (Kwy-fis). William Quifus was the man dubbed the Champion of Phearin, Hope Incarnate, and The Light that Pierces the Darkness. Winter was coming, as the war drew on, it became December and the fight between these two factions was drawing ever closer. On December 12th, a messenger from the Spearhead Offensive delivered a message to Kormick. The message, written by Sir Jekris, asked The Shield of God to surrender, or face assured defeat. The letter was supposedly burned, and Kormick sent back an empty letter, a symbol of war, and a message declaring his want for them to clash. On December 24th, the day before Christmas, the first blood of the Penultimate battle of the war was shed. The battle was called The Clash of Shield and Spear, and this battle is still studied today by both military intelligence and soldiers. This is due to the advanced military tactics used by both sides, including new and modern formations. This battle was waged for 3 days, and by the end, the Spearhead Offensive won the fight. All of the Shield of God was slain, alongside William Quifus, however, his body was never recovered. The only remaining soldiers within the Spearhead Offensive were Jack Penndragon, Frederick Von Jekris, and 15 Orc Soldiers that were called the Beasts of Equilibrium, due to the fact that after the war, they joined Jack Penndragon’s guild and became an adventuring party.
The only remaining line of defense left in Fraon was the military in the capital and the Sonnenfalke. The Sonnenfalke returned to the capital as a meeting was conducted. Fraon hosted the Last Bastion Meeting in which delegates from Kelruhm and Metaric discussed how to ensure that Knothic would either give up or be sent back from whence they came. The List of major attendees of the meeting is as follows. The Holy Council, Kelruhm Delegation, Metaric Delegation, Inquisitor Arch-Judicar Ramheer Windfell, Head Priestess of the White Star Church Phiona Dourin, The Sonnenfalke Crew, The Divine Librarian Jill Hrothjoar, Order of Gold Advisor Magistrate: Trenikus Wrimsail, Guardian of the Council Jacques Wristaeus (Jock Wrist-o), and the news reporter from Snappy News, Kristen Jackson. It is believed Kristen served as a head of war propaganda within Fraon. The meeting came to one final conclusion, they could stop the remaining might of Knothic, but to push them back will take an act of God, and so the clerics began to pray.
The Spearhead Offensive gained reinforcements from Knothic in the form of Arkanus Inshram, the owner of the Black Mage Tower, and self-proclaimed greatest wizard of Knothic. While the forces of Knothic gathered in Glona, the foothill they won from the battle against The Shield of God, the Sonnenfalke attacked. The Sonnenfalke bombarded the city, killing most of the reinforcements, critically wounding Frederick Von Jekris, and sending the Beasts of Equilibrium retreating from Glona. Glona became abandoned, for no faction could or wanted to take the risk of capturing it again. For the first time, Knothic would send an offer of peace to Fraon, and Fraon would accept, under the condition that all land taken should be returned to them. Knothic obviously disagrees and demands that if all land should be given back, they should be compensated in some way. Fraon hesitates in their decision, and the final battle ensues.
According to eyewitness testimony, from the diary of a Black Magic Tower assistant named Gregory Holland, the following events took place on the 3rd of February in the year 614. Master Inshram drew the ritual circle, and activated the arcane sigils, summoning it. Jack Penndragon stood at his side, and beside him was Frederick Von Jekris, sitting in a ramshackle wheelchair. Emerging from the rippling earth of the blood-red circle, was a golem in size unimaginable. It cast a shadow over our small force and loomed over us like a mountain. It was long and rough, made of stone and large chunks of ore and minerals. It had two large gem eyes, that would glow in the darkness of the night, too bright to stare into. It had a long snout and a large gaping maw, filled with jagged rows of teeth, serrated and sharpened. It stood up from the ground, and its body began to light up, as a flame bellowed up from within, searing our skin just by standing nearby. I looked at my allies around me, on their knees from the pressure of this entity's arrival, then I saw him walking forward. That man, Sir Penndragon walked towards the draconic creature as if it were a dog. He placed his hand upon its chest, and the dragon began to speak. My ears burst and began to bleed, but I held myself up, eager to see what would happen. I read their lips but could not understand the language they spoke, and it seemed as though Jack spoke and understood it as well. The draconic being lowered its head, and Jack Penndragon kneeled. Arkanus approached them and exchanged some words, then the dragon jumped into the sky and disappeared into the clouds.
The Dragon, dubbed Vesuvius, was summoned by Arkanus and was believed to be a Dragon revived from a time before the Heavenly War. Regardless, it began the skirmish between the Sonnenfalke and Vesuvius, the battle of Talon and Claw. While the Sonnenfalke was distracted, the Spearhead Offensive swiftly pushed toward the capital and was eventually ambushed in a small ravine to the North of Grexson called Trent’s Crag. The battle was waged by a force comprised of, The Judicars of Fraon, The Guardian of the Council, and the Priestess of the White Star Church. The battle was called Servatoris Ruina, and in the end, Fraon was victorious. Jack Pendragon and Arkanus were slain. The Sonnenfalke was destroyed, but the dragon Vesuvius no longer had a master and went into hiding. The Priestess was defeated, and almost the entire Holy Knight’s army was slain, however, Fraon had survived this battle.
Fraon and Knothic continued the fight slowly, on a newly founded border just barely to the north of Wristin. Years of constant conflict with no budging from either side passed, yet on July 16th 642 AW, a treaty called the Treaty of Whispers was created, and the war officially reached a close. Fraon returned all of the lands they previously had, and Knothic was given the rights to trade with and through Fraon, as well as the ability to establish various fisheries, mines, and other resource harvesting operations within the Fraon borders. The tension would remain high between the two countries until the end of the era, but peace had been created, and Fraon had learned to never underestimate the might of the blackguard, and the people of Knothic.
The Holy Council may have thought this was the worst of it, but no, for from the South arrived massive warships filled to the brim with warriors from Kogeki, Salt Cove, and Celia. Leading this massive group of reinforcements was the current King of the Plains, a title given to the strongest warrior in Celia. The King of the Plains at this time was a man named Farok, a barbarian born in the Badlands, but was adopted by a magic tower master in Relnes. He eventually traveled to Celia where he competed in the King of Plains tournament and became the Hero and strongest asset of the country. Farok Hardhorn led the Knothic Allied forces through the southern coast of Fraon, demolishing whatever hope they had of retrieving reinforcements from Metaric. Kelruhm however could send reinforcements to Fraon, and these reinforcements clashed with the badlands mercenaries at the Eastern border of Fraon. Relnes was passive in this war, for it had peace treaties with both countries and could not afford to break either of them. The Knothic Allied forces at the coast were met with minimal resistance from Fraon, but were eventually met by the Inquisition of Metaric from the water. Although the ships of Salt Cove were superior, and the pirates were far more experienced in naval combat, the Inquisition was a more mineral-rich land and could afford to reinforce their ships with far more durable materials.
At the Battle of Hawthorn, the King of the Plains, a Shaman named Kailo from Kogeki, and a Merchant named Miguel Pastor led their men into a battle against the Chapter Master of the Inquisition. The factions both effectively killed each other, and the last remaining person in the naval battle was Farok. With his last breath, he told the spirit companion of Kailo Rimest, named Hawthorn, to tell the military advisors back home of their victory. The spirit companion was described as a salamander-like creature, covered in a green gem-like carapace. The creature Hawthorn would eventually reach the fleet of ships at the back of the Knothic-Allied Forces and relay the message. The Captain of the ship that commanded the fleet was Sir Hornshoof, a Minotaur who was knighted after his service as a mercenary for a Celian noble. Sir Hornshoof had many connections with the Salt Cover upper brass, and they saw fit to give him a leading position based on prior experience. Sir Hornshoof had received the message that the Inquisition was slain, and so he ordered a full charge, telling the soldiers to honor the deaths of the fallen brethren by storming the coast.
And so Fraon was once again surrounded. God’s Shield was being worn thin for they had to spread themselves out in order to stop orc forces that managed to squeeze past the Kelruhm reinforcements. And when they thought they were prepared, a battalion of Blackguard breached through the Forest of Whispers and approached Drolk. Within 1 day Drolk had fallen and was turned into a military fort called Codardi Benvenuti. A large building within Drolk was called the Hall of the Crypt, a place where storytellers gathered, and during the seizing of Drolk, the storytellers were allowed to live. In exchange, they created tales of bravery, and songs of legend to spread to the men of Knothic in order to instill bravery and encourage enlistment into the military. One of those songs was called “The Shadow of Tyranny”.
https://www.worldanvil.com/w/mugen-cashew4226/a/shadow-of-tyranny-myth
The new battalion of Blackguard soldiers that pushed past Dolk was called the Daggerspine Offensive, assassins trained within the military for espionage purposes. Leading the Daggerspine division was the Division 1 Captain of the Blackguard, Jack Penndragon. Jack Penndragon was an adventurer during the end of the Era of Discovery, one who founded the guild called Equilibrium. Penndragon was considered by the people of Knothic to be a hero, and even more strangely, the people of Fraon considered him one as well. Near the end of The Era of Discovery, around 595 AW, during the month of December, the dragon known as Rimecrest fled from the mountains of Kelruhm after it was hunted by a group hired by King Iammaroth. Rimecrest was an elderly White Dragon that had lived atop the Kelruhm Range for 100’s of years, and now he was roaming the plains. Inevitably he began to destroy places around him, in search of gold to recreate his horde, and in search of food to sate his endless hunger. The town that was named Jople, a town that no longer exists, was discovered by Rimecrest and made into a camp full of slave workers. Jople used to trade with Knothic, and due to that, the town was imperative for Knothic, so Jack Penndragon was sent to slay the dragon, and he did so. On December 17th 595 AW in the middle of the night, Jack Penndragon and his Vice-Guild Master Selena Snakebane slayed the dragon Rimecrest, and in turn, saved the remaining survivors from the town of Jople. The people of Jople migrated and created the city we now know as Trowood, the city of rebels. So from all of that, we can see why there is a conflict here. A man who was believed by the Fraonic people to be a hero was killing their soldiers, and invading their land. Even more importantly, the land that the Daggerspine Offensive moved towards was Trowood, for if Trowood was taken, it would serve as an indomitable fortress against any attack that the Holy Knights could perform.
At this point in time, the territory that Knothic had taken was Olkwell, Drolk, and Acord. Acord was taken around the river by the army of orcs led by Frederick Von Jekris. It was a large city, but it did not have a superior military might and was more economy heavy. This foothold, however, was used to funnel reinforcements to fight against the Kelruhm dwarves that were protecting against the invasion from the Woods of Winter. In the battle of Kromwell, the Dwarven mercenary group called Obsidian Splinter fought against the Ice Queen and her army of Orcs in the woods of winter. Leading the mercenary group was Gromheld Kromwell, a man who would be knighted after winning this battle, and slaying the Ice Queen. Frederick Von Jekris and his division would chase down Obsidian Splinter however they escaped to Dankuldir.
Eventually, Jack Penndragon and the Daggerspine Offensive would reach Trowood in the battle of Betrayal. Leading the defense of Trowood was a young man named Michael Krouse, a man who was saved by Jack Penndragon during the fight against Rimecrest. Michael Krouse would write the following in a public letter to the people of Trowood; Tomorrow I fight against my hero, the man I have looked up to my whole life, and a man who I do not believe that I can defeat. But no matter the cost, I will protect all of you, for even if he is my hero, I shall never allow anyone to attack my home and the people that I love; Michael Krouse would lead the defense the following morning and face Penndragon and his assassins. In the battle, Krouse and the Trowood defense division would be decimated, and within less than an hour, the Battle of Betrayal would end with a silent whisper. Penndragon and his assassins would subjugate the city, leaving all civilians alive, but controlling the city and filling it with Blackguard soldiers.
God’s Shield would fall back further towards Tusdon and the Capital, in fear of allowing any more land to be taken. At this time a man named Klaus Flitsen was the Head Inventor of the Holy Armory, and he had created an invention that may change the tides of war. After discovering an ancient relic from Aureum Mundus, the inventor reverse-engineered the first Flying Ship, named The Sonnenfalke. The Sonnenfalke was outfitted with two ballista that were manned by the Arcane Enchanters Dorian Urfus and Willow Macbeth. They would enchant two massive, pure iron ballista bolts that each weighed 4 tons (8000 pounds). The enchantments would activate different effects, commonly known in two types. The first type was Gifthimmel, which emanated a large poisonous field, driving enemies out of any hiding place. The second type was Höllefällt, which was covered in flames and would create a massive fiery blast upon impact. The Sonnenfalke would push toward the Coast and dispatch large amounts of ships due to their inability to combat flying vessels.
Soon enough, Frederick Von Jekris would meet with Jack Penndragon, and the motley crew of assassins, blackguard soldiers, orc mercenaries, and adventurers form the Spearhead Offensive Mk. 2. The new Spearhead Offensive began to march from Trowood to Glona, straight towards the line in the sand that God’s Shield drew. Fulson Kormick was resolute in his decision, he would no matter what, fight against the Spearhead Offensive, and defeat Jack Penndragon. Joining the side of Fulson Kormick was a man who had recently arrived via teleportation circle, and horse ride from the capital, his name was William Quifus (Kwy-fis). William Quifus was the man dubbed the Champion of Phearin, Hope Incarnate, and The Light that Pierces the Darkness. Winter was coming, as the war drew on, it became December and the fight between these two factions was drawing ever closer. On December 12th, a messenger from the Spearhead Offensive delivered a message to Kormick. The message, written by Sir Jekris, asked The Shield of God to surrender, or face assured defeat. The letter was supposedly burned, and Kormick sent back an empty letter, a symbol of war, and a message declaring his want for them to clash. On December 24th, the day before Christmas, the first blood of the Penultimate battle of the war was shed. The battle was called The Clash of Shield and Spear, and this battle is still studied today by both military intelligence and soldiers. This is due to the advanced military tactics used by both sides, including new and modern formations. This battle was waged for 3 days, and by the end, the Spearhead Offensive won the fight. All of the Shield of God was slain, alongside William Quifus, however, his body was never recovered. The only remaining soldiers within the Spearhead Offensive were Jack Penndragon, Frederick Von Jekris, and 15 Orc Soldiers that were called the Beasts of Equilibrium, due to the fact that after the war, they joined Jack Penndragon’s guild and became an adventuring party.
The only remaining line of defense left in Fraon was the military in the capital and the Sonnenfalke. The Sonnenfalke returned to the capital as a meeting was conducted. Fraon hosted the Last Bastion Meeting in which delegates from Kelruhm and Metaric discussed how to ensure that Knothic would either give up or be sent back from whence they came. The List of major attendees of the meeting is as follows. The Holy Council, Kelruhm Delegation, Metaric Delegation, Inquisitor Arch-Judicar Ramheer Windfell, Head Priestess of the White Star Church Phiona Dourin, The Sonnenfalke Crew, The Divine Librarian Jill Hrothjoar, Order of Gold Advisor Magistrate: Trenikus Wrimsail, Guardian of the Council Jacques Wristaeus (Jock Wrist-o), and the news reporter from Snappy News, Kristen Jackson. It is believed Kristen served as a head of war propaganda within Fraon. The meeting came to one final conclusion, they could stop the remaining might of Knothic, but to push them back will take an act of God, and so the clerics began to pray.
The Spearhead Offensive gained reinforcements from Knothic in the form of Arkanus Inshram, the owner of the Black Mage Tower, and self-proclaimed greatest wizard of Knothic. While the forces of Knothic gathered in Glona, the foothill they won from the battle against The Shield of God, the Sonnenfalke attacked. The Sonnenfalke bombarded the city, killing most of the reinforcements, critically wounding Frederick Von Jekris, and sending the Beasts of Equilibrium retreating from Glona. Glona became abandoned, for no faction could or wanted to take the risk of capturing it again. For the first time, Knothic would send an offer of peace to Fraon, and Fraon would accept, under the condition that all land taken should be returned to them. Knothic obviously disagrees and demands that if all land should be given back, they should be compensated in some way. Fraon hesitates in their decision, and the final battle ensues.
According to eyewitness testimony, from the diary of a Black Magic Tower assistant named Gregory Holland, the following events took place on the 3rd of February in the year 614. Master Inshram drew the ritual circle, and activated the arcane sigils, summoning it. Jack Penndragon stood at his side, and beside him was Frederick Von Jekris, sitting in a ramshackle wheelchair. Emerging from the rippling earth of the blood-red circle, was a golem in size unimaginable. It cast a shadow over our small force and loomed over us like a mountain. It was long and rough, made of stone and large chunks of ore and minerals. It had two large gem eyes, that would glow in the darkness of the night, too bright to stare into. It had a long snout and a large gaping maw, filled with jagged rows of teeth, serrated and sharpened. It stood up from the ground, and its body began to light up, as a flame bellowed up from within, searing our skin just by standing nearby. I looked at my allies around me, on their knees from the pressure of this entity's arrival, then I saw him walking forward. That man, Sir Penndragon walked towards the draconic creature as if it were a dog. He placed his hand upon its chest, and the dragon began to speak. My ears burst and began to bleed, but I held myself up, eager to see what would happen. I read their lips but could not understand the language they spoke, and it seemed as though Jack spoke and understood it as well. The draconic being lowered its head, and Jack Penndragon kneeled. Arkanus approached them and exchanged some words, then the dragon jumped into the sky and disappeared into the clouds.
The Dragon, dubbed Vesuvius, was summoned by Arkanus and was believed to be a Dragon revived from a time before the Heavenly War. Regardless, it began the skirmish between the Sonnenfalke and Vesuvius, the battle of Talon and Claw. While the Sonnenfalke was distracted, the Spearhead Offensive swiftly pushed toward the capital and was eventually ambushed in a small ravine to the North of Grexson called Trent’s Crag. The battle was waged by a force comprised of, The Judicars of Fraon, The Guardian of the Council, and the Priestess of the White Star Church. The battle was called Servatoris Ruina, and in the end, Fraon was victorious. Jack Pendragon and Arkanus were slain. The Sonnenfalke was destroyed, but the dragon Vesuvius no longer had a master and went into hiding. The Priestess was defeated, and almost the entire Holy Knight’s army was slain, however, Fraon had survived this battle.
Fraon and Knothic continued the fight slowly, on a newly founded border just barely to the north of Wristin. Years of constant conflict with no budging from either side passed, yet on July 16th 642 AW, a treaty called the Treaty of Whispers was created, and the war officially reached a close. Fraon returned all of the lands they previously had, and Knothic was given the rights to trade with and through Fraon, as well as the ability to establish various fisheries, mines, and other resource harvesting operations within the Fraon borders. The tension would remain high between the two countries until the end of the era, but peace had been created, and Fraon had learned to never underestimate the might of the blackguard, and the people of Knothic.
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