War of the Ancients

In those days, even the gods bled
The War of the Ancients was a conflict that reshaped the face of Toriel, marking the first great alliance of mortals, gods, and dragons against a common enemy. Sparked by the accidental breach into the Abyss by Corellon Loth in 4956 BD, the war unleashed legions of demons upon the material plane. Cities fell, alliances were forged in desperation, and entire regions were consumed by corruption. Mortal champions like Achille Orrin rose to prominence, and the mighty Dragon gods joined the fray—only to be betrayed by Neltharion, who sought dominion over all with the creation of the Dragon soul. For over two decades, the world was engulfed in battle, as fortresses changed hands, sieges unfolded, and the very heavens were scarred by treachery.  

War of the Ancients


Basic Information

Location
Material Plane (Toriel)
 

History

Outcome
Blessing of longevity the elves
Ascension of Corellon to Godhood
Ascension of Achille to Godhood
Destruction of the Dragon Soul (Artifact)
 

Combatants

Dragon,
Mortals
Demons

 

Commanders

Alexstrasza ,
Malygos,
Ysera,
Achille,
Corellon
/

 

Casualties

Corellon,
Achille,
countless mortals
countless demons

Start Date
4956 BD
Ending Date
4921 BD

History

Prelude

Elven Mistake

4956 BD   Breaching into various planes, Corellon spent years hoping from planes to planes. But his action were not without consequences, and when he hopped into the Abyss, not knowing what it was, he had to fight for his life. Escaping the legion of demons, he ran away, and out of the planes, but it was already too late, and the Demon started to rip and tear the breach to the material plane, pouring into Toriel, this marked the beginning of the war of the ancients.  

War

Battle of Kenabres

4955 BD This battle marks the first major conflict of the War of the Ancients and serves as a significant moment in the war. Kenabres, a Human city just outside the Abyssal Rift, is attacked by the forces of the Demonlord Batara. The city is heavily damaged, and the city's defenses are overwhelmed by a demon army.   Corellon Loth is caught in the middle of the attack, and the city is soon lost to the demon, the local Jarl son, Achille Orrin, leading the survivors despite his young age, as Corellon help him.  

Elven Allies

late 4955 BD   Corellon finally managed to open a portal to the Feywild for his kind to get in Toriel, telling them about his mistake. And thus, the first elves became warriors against the legion of demons, fighting alongside the humans and the young Jarl Achille.  

Draconic Allies

late 4955 BD through 4946 BD   The demons, in their endless quest for conquest and battle, were pouring onto Toriel with an unstoppable bloodlust. the elves and humans uniting with other mortals such as dwarves and goblins. It was also the first Time the mortal started to fight together against a common threat, knowing they stand little to no chance against the abyssal horde, they fought for their survival anyway.   But the regions corrupted by the demon grew with each passing months, forcing the dragons to join the battle.   With the corrupted regions growing, the Dragon God congregated at the lair of Alexstrasza to discuss the coming invasion and what part they should play in defending the world. Neltharion proposed that to end the invasion of demons, the dragon gods should create a weapon with which they could eradicate the demon armies.   Neltharion then convinced Malygos to help him with the other Dragon Gods. All the dragon god contributed a bit of their power in creating the Dragon soul with the exception of Neltharion. Through the disk, Neltharion was able to magically take control of all other dragons, including the other four dragon gods.   Using the disk, the dragon gods strength shifted the war, and a large effort to push the demon back into the abyss started.  

Battle of the Ironfang

late 4946 BD   This battle occurs as part of the larger effort to push into the heart of the Abyssal rift. The dragons launched an offensive to strike at the demon’s strategic strongholds along the rift’s borders. The Battle of the Ironfang is marked by brutal skirmishes and fierce confrontations against elite demon troops.   During the battle, Nymue Loth, commanding a vast elven host, performed a devastating ritual. She channeled the life force of her soldiers through her own body, unleashing their combined power to annihilate the demonic horde. The ritual drained the soldiers completely—leaving their lifeless bodies scattered across the battlefield.   In that moment, Nymue understood a grim truth: sacrifice was the only path to true victory. The others, she realized, were too blinded by sentiment to see what must be done. To her, their reluctance was folly. She alone had the will to act.   With the help of the dragon gods, the mortal armies took over the stronghold while the dragons battled the demons, marking an important victory for the inhabitants of the material plane as they gain ground near the abyssal rift.  

Battle of Vexinoth

4945 BD   After the capture of the Ironfang stronghold, Neltharion saw the opportunity to complete his Dragon Soul. He first captured demons and added their powers to the Dragon Soul.   As a retaliation for their attack on Ironfang, the demon launched an assault on the draconic city of Vexinoth. The dragon gods and their dragon kind flew toward the demon armies to defend the draconic city, awaiting Neltharion's first attack as had the dragon soul. Channeling the dragon soul destructive power, thousands of demons died with one swing of radiant Magic.   The dragon gods watched in horror as Neltharion also killed some of their kind and other allies along with the demons. Neltharion revealed the depths of his betrayal at last. Now, with the disc at his command, he wanted all races and the demons to see his power and to bow to him.   The dragon gods tried to stop Neltharion. Silver dragons surrounded Neltharion in an attempt to take the Dragon Soul from him. With a single command, they were engulfed by the magic of the Dragon Soul and were pulverized. Malygos was also terribly injured, both mentally and physically.   A swing of the Dragon Soul paralyzed all dragons and the dragon gods in mid-air, rendering them unable to move or speak. Neltharion then struck out at the dragon gods, scattering them far across the land. With the help of this power, he captured Alexstrasza.   With the gods scattered and both armies annihilated, demons swarmed in the ruin of the draconic cities, claiming it as their stronghold, a humiliation for the dragons and their allies.  

Godless war

4945 BD through 4931 BD   Neltharion's betrayal struck a great blow to the Gods, and their fear of being destroyed or captured like Alexstrasza. In desperation, the Dragon Gods shielded themselves and hid to become undetected even by each other. Alexstrasza endured years of captivity under Neltharion's tyrannical rule, serving as his unwilling slave.  

Siege of Vexinoth

4939 BD through 4936 BD   The Siege of Vexinoth is one of the most important military campaigns in the war of the Ancients. Vexinoth is a former draconic city turned into a demonic stronghold after it was captured and mostly leveled during the battle of Vexinoth.   Corellon Loth and Achille gathered like-minded mortals and led an assault to reclaim the city, facing a protracted siege by demonic forces, demonic general under the orders of Batara defending the city for years.   After a long and bloody siege, Corellon Loth and Achille manage to retake the city, although the victory comes at a great cost for the mortals  

Siege of the Abyssal Gate

4933 BD through 4930 BD   After the crusade forces reclaim Vexinoth, and bolstered by their success, they attempt to attack demon controlled territories near the abyssal rift, especially as recent information suggest demons are opening more rift to allow more reinforcements.   This siege occurs at a major demon-held fortress located on the edge of the abyssal rift. The fortress, known as the Abyssal Gate, serves as a key portal for demonic forces to enter the material plane. Corellon Loth and Achille lead an assault to close the gate and sever the flow of demonic reinforcements.   A small legion of dragons, who refused to hide, unlike their gods, use this opportunity to launch an assault directly into the abyss. Talonixa leads her small legion into the abyss, but he and her troops are never heard of again after this day.  

Alexstrasza's liberation

4931 BD   The demons succeeded in stealing the dragon soul from Neltharion's hoard. In a desperate bid to distract the demons and reclaim the artifact, Neltharion devised a plan to relocate Alexstrasza, intending to subject her to further torment once the artifact was recovered.   Fortunately, intervention from the other dragon gods led to Alexstrasza's liberation. Additionally, the dragon soul was wrested from both the demons and Neltharion by Nozdormu.  

The Battle of the Blackened Sky

late 4931 BD through 4930 BD   The Battle of the Blackened Sky is a large-scale aerial confrontation as the forces of the Crusade (mostly elves and humans combined) face off against flying demon armies. After Alexstraza liberation, numerous dragons join the battle, able to counter the aerial strategies of the demons, and the crusade prevails.   However, due to the late participation of the dragons, the battlefield is littered with the remains of both demonic and crusade forces.  

Siege of Mendev’s Capital

4927 BD through late 4922 BD   The successful operation of the crusade during the battle of the blackened sky triggers a retaliatory strike by the demonlord Batara. Enraged by the crusade's success, he launched a counter-offensive against the capital of the crusading forces—Mendev, the heart of the region’s resistance. The Siege of Mendev is one of the most desperate battles of the war, as the city’s walls and defenses are pushed to their limits.   The crusade, with the dragons' support, successfully defended Mendev, but at a great cost. The siege further strains the Crusade's forces, forcing the crusade to make difficult sacrifices in order to continue the fight.  

The Final Battle

4921 BD   Exhausted by years of fighting against restless demons, and by numerous sacrifices, the crusade decide to push forth with an ultimate offensive to wipe out the demonic forces, Nozdormu agreeing to use the dragon soul, but not as a weapon of war, as a tool to close the rift.   The final battle of the War of the Ancients campaign takes place at the very center of the Abyssal Rift, where the rift to the Abyss is most potent. A large scale assault starts on the stronghold of the demonlord Batara, with the intention of ending the war once and for all.   The battle pits the generals of Batara against the crusade, who ultimately conquer the stronghold, allowing Nozdormu to intervene, closing the rift between the planes and putting an end to the war.  

Aftermath

Allies Blessing

4921 BD Nozdormu placed an enchantment upon the elves, who were the most remarkable of mortal troops during the war. The elves would now age incredibly slowly.   Similarly, Alexstrasza, goddess of Life, took notice of the humanoid who fight alongside the dragon, believing the weak mortal should be educated, Some of her fellow dragon began to argue believing that these new people were dangerous and should be destroyed, while others of Alexstrasza's ilk felt they should be educated to teach them right from wrong.   Achille later unites mankind after the war, founding the Orrin Empire.

Comments

Author's Notes

Inspired by the war of the ancients from World of Warcraft


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