Twenty-Year War

"Do you know what it's like? To see an entire city burn, right there in front of you? Well, it's not that bad. I mean, it is bad... but... of the fires, I remember very little. Vague shapes, colors. It doesn't stand tall in my mind. What I remember is... to see, right in front of you, a mother crying over the burnt-up corpse of her... I don't... Nothing should ever happen like that again. But the very worst thing about it all is that I know, I know that it will." - Arturo Raventhorn, Makovai Soldier

The Twenty-Year War was an era-defining conflict in Beurum that pitted western and eastern peoples on many parts of the continent against each other. In the west, Makovai, Sverden, and other mountain and highland-dwelling peoples, predominantly dwarves, united to invade the lands of the Alois Confederacy and the High Kingdom of Beurum. In the east, Trebai and Alois defended their land with help from the Rowen and financial help from the Daphnea.
The conflict was largely a result of unresolved tensions between dwarven and human peoples, who, under efforts by the High Kingdom of Beurum, gradually settled on what was traditionally dwarven land. In addition, some efforts by Daphnea corporations such as the Sunlit Isles Trading Company exacerbated these tensions, as many of their financial projects encouraged settlement and displacement. There were rumors in Beurum that the SITC in particular assassinated key dwarven leaders to create disorder and sow the seeds for war.
The conflict was long and catastrophic for both sides, dramatically reshaping the geography of both sides. Having lost the war, Makovai and Sverden peoples returned to the Makovai Mountains and endured decades of revolution and disorder as they tried to reorganize themselves. In the east, the High Kingdom of Beurum became the Trebai Ascendancy, and engulfed Alois and Rowen territory.

Prelude

The Twenty-Year War was not the first conflict between a predominantly dwarven group and a predominantly human group in Beurum. In particular, the Third Era saw a major war of this type when, under the leadership of the Proudcaller Family, a group of mostly Taran dwarves invaded and occupied the city of Praedek. This conflict opened much of the continent to the following Kantaran Invasion, reducing the power of both groups and forcing them to work together to defeat the invaders in what would become known as the Imperial War.
Kantaran forces were later defeated and forced out of Beurum, beginning the Fourth Era. Upon this exodus, the Seven Makovai Kingdoms, the dominant dwarven political entity at the time, began to establish settlements in the Boundary Hills, which had been largely vacated by the Trebai and Alois as they migrated to more central regions in their lands, their populations decimated.
During the Fourth Era, disputes arose as to who had the right to the Boundary Hills, which were found to be a rich source of natural resources. As the Trebai population in particular expanded at a faster rate than their dwarven neighbors (thanks to their reduced lifespans), they began to push Makovai settlers out of the highlands in which they had established themselves.
Near the end of the Fourth Era, anti-dwarf sentiment was popular among the Trebai and Alois. Meanwhile, ancient cities in the Makovai Mountains suffered from economic slumps, primarily from broken-down infrastructure and overpopulation of dwarves that had been forced out of their homes by Trebai settlers. As their population became closer together, the Makovai and Sverden experienced political unification, and their many small, independent, warring factions largely ceased to exist. In the late Fourth Era, the Four Kingdoms of the Makovai and the Sverden Dominion were established as centralized states to try and counter the problems they faced. Meanwhile, the Trebai experienced the opposite political trends, with the High Kingdom of Beurum concerned more with a very small territory around Obsidian Bay, allowing independent provinces more power.
The final straw that created war was agreed by scholars to be a period of significant instability in both the Four Kingdoms of the Makovai and the Sverden Dominion. During this period, dwarves across the Makovai Mountains experienced inflation, unemployment, and the assassination of several popular political leaders. Funding toward the military of each country increased considerably, prompting fears from the High Kingdom of Beurum. Makovai and Sverden troops were recruited en masse and sent to the Boundary Hills, where they were ordered to fiercely protect the few remaining dwarven settlements in the region. In response, the High Kingdom of Beurum sent the Paladins of Sheadar, who normally served the current ruler, to reinforce the militia of Kalitze, which occupied much of the region.
Only days after their arrival, the militia attacked a group of Makovai soldiers. Following this, the Paladins of Sheadar went along the River Stribna, burning several Makovai farms in the region. These events became known as Sheadar's Affair to the Trebai, and the Kalitze Massacre to the Makovai and Sverden.

The First Three Years

Within a day of hearing of the massacre, the Sverden Dominion voluntarily became a subservient state to the Four Kingdoms of the Makovai, which renamed itself to the Five Dwarven Kingdoms. The following day, the Five Dwarven Kingdoms declared war on the High Kingdom of Beurum, who matched their declaration. While an array of Ikkatha tribes allied themselves with the dwarves, the Trebai were joined by the Alois Confederacy and the Rowen. Citing no grievances with the dwarves, the Eripe remained neutral for the duration of the war. The Daphnea made a similar claim, but would be a key supplier of weapons to the Trebai and their allies, eventually drawing them into the war. The Red Makovai joined the neighboring Ren Berig in neutrality, though they would both provide aid to both sides in the war, via trading, passage through their land, and individual mercenaries.
Owing to their centralized political organization, the Five Dwarven Kingdoms were able to quickly gather and expand their military forces, and divide it into three armies: the First, Second, and Third Spears, which would march toward the Trebai cities of Praedek, Redoran, and White Harbor.
The response of the High Kingdom of Beurum and their allies was less organized. Still divided into several provinces, which were often further divided into independent vassal states, the Trebai were unable to mount a nation-wide defense and instead each regional ruler was in charge of defending their own territory. Several Rowen warriors were sent to the farthest outlying Trebai territories in the Boundary Hills, while Alois cattle ranches took war into their own hands.
Because of their organization, the Five Dwarven Kingdoms enjoye immense success as the war started. Kalitze, despite being heavily fortified with warriors from several parts of Beurum, fell within two weeks. Remaining forces were chased by the First Spear Army down out of the Boundary Hills and into the Western Commons, where the provinces of Zlatsna, Brodicca, Rychov, and Von Platen were conquered by the dwarves in two months. Weiderau, considered to be a fortress kingdom within the Western Commons, fell a month later after a short siege of its capital, Vienrich Hill.
Meanwhile, the Second and Third Spear Army made swift advances as well, though their marches were hampered by inclement weather and more organized resistance by localities in the north. Traveling along the River Halvoy, the Second Spear encountered both Alois cavalry and large Trebai forces, which entrenched them in several months of warfare in Kassel Wood. Ikkatha warriors joined up with the Third Spear, composed largely of Sverden, and together they headed north to White Harbor. More Alois, as well as elite orders of knights from Redoran, rushed to meet them. The High Kingdom hoped they could cut off this army entirely, and thus be able to flank their enemy. This strategy was unsuccessful, and the Third Spear pushed northwards.
In these first few years, each Spear army split off several times, though command of all dwarven forces remained centralized. As the war went on, the invading dwarves began to seem like an unstoppable wave to the struggling Trebai. Sensing the need for more unification among them, the High Kingdom of Beurum created Eastern High Command, which would coordinate Trebai, Alois, and Rowen strategy more effectively. They also ordered remaining provincial forces to retreat so that a larger, centralized army could be formed. However, this process took time, during which the First Spear was able to lay siege to Praedek, only a year and a half after the start of the war. Within the next six months, Praedek was captured completely.
Following this victory, the Second and Third Spears halted their their advance and entrenched themselves to gather supplies, be joined by more warriors, and regain strength. Eastern High Command took this time to establish a small naval force, a rarely-used strategy by the Trebai, with Daphnean vessels. The navy found success traveling up the River Halvoy and bombarding Second Spear positions, even pushing them back. However, they were not able to pierce the thick walls of Praedek, where dwarven engineers were creating the Makovai Provisional Fleet. Trebai forces tried repeatedly to retake the city on foot without success.

The Period of Sieges

Working quickly and improving their design each time, Makovai forces in Praedek launched several of their own naval vessels in the first weeks of 8029. This took the Trebai by surprise, and they lost several of their coastal settlements to Makovai bombardment and invasion, losing a large swath of territory between Praedek and Redoran. In response, the Trebai reinforced their own navy, and blockaded Obsidian Bay to secure Redoran. Unable to move past their blockade, dwarven engineers began work on a canal that would connect the River Praedek to the River Halvoy in the north, so that they could stop the Trebai fleet from locking down the Second Spear.
Eastern High Command effectively took over most of the High Kingdom of Beurum's authority during this period, organizing their armed forces slowly but steadily. Despite having to move at a slower pace, the Second and Third Spear enjoyed continuous victories until they encountered a number of fortress cities-- settlements such as Miradel, Veillmont, and Fewolfen that had become heavily fortified and stocked with plenty of soldiers, weapons, and supplies. Since these cities were necessary for the dwarves to advance, several sieges began to capture them during 8030 and 8031, bringing most of the land war to a standstill. Some sieges lasted all the way into 8035.
Meanwhile, the war on the water picked up at a faster pace than ever. Both sides poured funds into building their navies, becoming convinced that this would be the way to win. Control of different ports and rivers changed hands several times, but neither side gained the upper hand until the dwarves finished construction of their secret canal. Sending several battleships down the River Halvoy, the Makovai Provisional Navy was able to take the Trebai completely by surprise and destroy almost half of their fleet. They then bombarded Redoran, but did not have the forces to capture it, and pulled back. This moment would later be agreed upon to be the most triumphant of the war for the Five Dwarven Kingdoms.

The Battle of Redoran

Desperate not to lose, Eastern High Command poured nearly all of their resources into defending Redoran while dwarven leaders pressured them to surrender. White Harbor was evacuated by boat, and the soldiers and civilians there were sent down to Obsidian Bay. Before they left, they burned the city completely, under orders from Trebai general Zeredeus Zeno. Zeno also sent Alois raiders to harass the Third Spear so that they would have difficulty in joining up with the Second Spear.
Fortunately for the High Kingdom of Beurum, they had fortified Redoran the most out of any of their holdings during the war. Regardless, General Honno Meudaeris Poull, along with General Zeno, organized a coup against the last ruler of the High Kingdom of Beurum and reorganized it into the Trebai Ascendancy. The Ascendancy took complete control of the Alois Confederacy and the Rowen people, finally giving the Trebai the centralization they needed to rival the Five Dwarven Kingdoms.
Once the Second and Third Spear joined with each other, they renamed themselves to the Grand Mountain Army and launched an all-out assault on Redoran while each side's navy waged war in the River Halvoy and Obsidian Bay. Several of the trading towns immediately surrounding Redoran endured sieges and/or were destroyed completely. The Grand Mountain Army was nearly able to pierce the walls of Redoran several times, but was always repelled. As the battle drew on for two years, the dwarves began to be routed by new, experimental technology pioneered by General Poull, such as fire wagons and miniature cannons. The war became far more violent and destructive than ever for both sides, and in 8037, ten years after the conflict's beginning, the Grand Mountain Army organized a retreat.

The Period of Withdrawal and the Defeat of the Five Dwarven Kingdoms

Following their defeat at the Battle of Redoran, dwarven leaders pursued a strategy of entrenching themselves in key Trebai cities to weaken the Trebai Ascendancy. However, this strategy all too often fell through, as most of these cities had been devastated by their own advances. Moreover, the Five Dwarven Kingdoms found themselves struggling to keep up with the new technology used by their enemies, which was provided almost entirely by the Daphnea. They increased production of some of their own war material, such as groundwreckers, but this proved to be insufficient.
In 8042, the Makovai Provisional Fleet began an incursion into the Sunlit Isles to try and destroy the manufacturing centers of Daphnea technology. The Daphnea, however, were ready for this, and heavily experienced with naval warfare. The ensuing Battles of Kallimonia, Ampelidon, and Zitelios were all decisive defeats for the Five Kingdoms. The few remaining ships of the Makovai Provisional Fleet retreated to Praedek to fortify their most important port.
Having decidedly lost the advantage and most of their morale, the Grand Mountain Army continued to retreat out of the Western Commons and into the Boundary Hills. In 8044, dwarven forces at Praedek surrendered the city after a short siege. In 8045, peace talks began between the Trebai Ascendancy and the Five Dwarven Kingdoms, and the fighting was officially ended in 8046. Small dwarven holdouts in certain settlements continued fighting into early 8047, until their defeat, giving the Twenty Year War its name.

The Conflict

Outcome

Immediately following the war, a power struggle ensued in the Trebai Ascendancy. Trebai Chief Admiral Ivona of Vell defeated General Poull, known now as Reymond I, and ruled the Trebai Ascendancy as Ivona I. 
Nearly everyone, other than those in neutral factions, was affected by the war in some way. Families returned to find burnt-out farms and towns, while others endured the loss of their loved ones.

Aftermath

Though the Trebai Ascendancy aimed to be more centralized than its predecessor, it struggled to police much of its territory, especially holdings in the Western Commons. The Ren Berig were able to reclaim territory that they had not held in centuries. The Daphnea increased their influence across much of Beurum, especially in terms of the continental economy.
The Five Dwarven Kingdoms quickly fell apart. They endured a long period of political revolution and post-war chaos as they struggled to rebuild their pre-war society.
The conflict dramatically changed warfare with its introduction of new technology and uses of magic.

Conflict Type

War

Start Date

8027

Ending Date

8047

Belligerents

Five Dwarven Kingdoms

High Kingdom of Beurum (later Trebai Ascendancy)

• Alois Confederacy

Led by

• Ivona I
• Reymond I
• Zeredeus Zeno

Strength

Casualties

Objectives