The Innagos War
The creation of a new domain known as The Desert of Mystery created a new power dynamic in the Innagos Desert. They considered the Labyrinth an existential threat to the world itself and vowed to exterminate the domain -- citing their destruction of the Hall of Heroes and frequent raids against the Hegemony as proof of their cruelty.
The Conflict
Prelude
Establishment of the Desert of Mystery
Most early members of the Desert of Mystery were the military veterans and hardened survivors of both the Hall of Heroes and Kakariko Village. The majority had considerable combat experience. The Desert of Mystery managed to tame wyverns to use as battle mounts, and subsequently defeated numerous bandit clans in the Taj-Nar Mountains. Their population grew quickly as they subjugated bandits and redeemed them, recruited from regional villages, and hired Gerudo mercenaries to bolster their army.Vow of Enmity
By the year 400, the Desert had become even more populous and arguably more powerful than the Hall of Heroes had been. Until this time they had focused on guarding the Innagos Desert to prevent foreign invasions. Labyrinth raids in eastern Unidiel were viewed with intense suspicion. Skirmishes broke out between Labyrinth warbands and Desert defenders. With their founding members having escaped the collapse of the Hall of Heroes, there was already a deep cultural resentment toward the Labyrinth, and hostilities flared up quickly. The Desert's top commanders all considered the Labyrinth a threat to the very world, citing their numerous raids and attacks on cities as causes for alarm. The Desert of Mystery swore to destroy the Labyrinth by any means necessary in order to bring peace to southern Verden. They began to prepare and train their army for a full-scale war.Tensions With the Gerudo Tribes
Another factor was in play. Gerudo elders were very mixed on the presence of the Desert of Mystery. "Voe" had been seen more frequently on trading runs to Gerudo settlements, and many Gerudo were choosing to leave their tribal territories to start families in Ikana Canyon -- with no intent to permanently return as tradition demanded. Other Gerudo chieftains felt that the Desert of Mystery was seizing territory that was not rightfully theirs, as the deep desert had long been considered Gerudo land. Likewise, the Gerudo traded extensively with Goron settlements in the Taj-Nar Mountains, and many of them were under the Labyrinth's protection. For this reason, the normally unified Gerudo Tribes split down the center, with the situation dissolving into what was effectively a Gerudo civil war. The older and more traditional tribes sided with the Labyrinth. The younger and more open-minded tribes sided with the Desert Defenders, who they were happy to share land with.Deployment
The Desert Defenders mobilized quickly by using wyverns, sand seal carriages, and desert horses to cross vast distances. Scouts had located several tunnels leading into the Labyrinth. In the first month of the war, Desert troops managed to infiltrate the upper levels of the Labyrinth and the fortress of Dysteris, though Labyrinth troops rallied and drove them back.
Labyrinth forces primarily deployed at night via protected tunnels to launch strikes on Desert war camps and villages. Labyrinth warbands are almost entirely infantry -- a mix of light skirmishers and heavy infantry -- and so their mobility was limited in the open sands. They struck hard, but in limited locations, and then retreated.
Outcome
The war began as a series of quick strikes, but ultimately turned into a century-long war of attrition. Held territory shifted wildly from year to year, with one side making considerable gains that could not be permanently held due to resource strain in the open desert. The Gerudo defaulted to their traditional style of warfare amongst each other, which was to challenge each other to honor duels and raid relics from a rival tribe.
The Desert attempted to flood the Labyrinth by detonating underground aquifers, but the complicated geography of the Underdark meant that these attempts were not successful as water flooded empty lava tubes and Labyrinth-allied engineers -- mostly duergar craftsmen -- created safety mechanisms to divert water away from critical tunnels.
The Labyrinth's forces established a foothold 20 miles from Ikana Canyon during the year 502, but were unable to maintain the position as they lacked the logistics to supply a large army so far from home.
Aftermath
During this time, a wyvern-rider called the Desert Shadow established himself as a highly skilled general of the Desert of Mystery's army and cemented a permanent leadership position after the war's end.
Likewise, Selena Nadir went from warband commander during the time of Kakariko to the general of the Labyrinth's entire military, leading all external military operations while Chikara Nadir protected the Labyrinth interior.
The war quickly began to slow as smaller Gerudo tribes (such as the Temerrak or Zantari) withdrew due to resource strain. Larger tribes and the two rival domains soon followed, ending hostilities.
The Gerudo reunified and began aggressive negotiations with each other at the Spirit Temple. The Urborran tribe cemented a reputation for having the most skilled warriors during this era, supplanting the Naboris as the most powerful Gerudo tribe. Since the end of the war, an Urborran chief has held the position of High Chieftain more frequently than any other tribe. The cultural divide in the Gerudo still remains, especially with the more open-minded Urborran tribe holding considerable influence.
Conflict Type
War
Start Date
400
Ending Date
538
Conflict Result
White Peace
Location
Belligerents
Strength
- Labyrinth
- Goron City
- Agharra Tribe
- Ganari Tribe
- Kotarai Tribe
- Koumai Tribe
- Zantari Tribe
- Desert of Mystery
- Naboris Tribe
- Urborran Tribe
- Temarrak Tribe
- Midanis Tribe
- Averris Tribe
Casualties
Objectives
Destroy the Desert of Mystery
Destroy the Labyrinth
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