The Kwarvian War
The concept is foreign to all who live in the modern times of Totania. A day when Dwarven arms spilled blood on Udaian soil. But the legends of the Kwarvian War tell of a distant conflict, where once the divided Dwarven armies united together to invade Udai and dismantle a Kingdom of Korvians. It is best remembered from the Modaslied, an epic poem about the war.
But those were all, for the most part, defensive wars on or around their own soil. What led a coalition of Dwarven monarchs to bring their armies to a continent they had never fought in before?
Helle, as the representation of Envy, desired victory so that she would not be forced to envy what she believed to be an "inferior" goddess. Selene, as Goddess of Love, believed there was no chance for her to lose. Ishtar is not often associated with love, but rather lust, which still could have granted her favor in the contest. But Mayowa was the Goddess responsible for the natural beauty of the world, and is said to rule over all beauty. The Korvian could not help but recognize this, and for that, was promised greatness by Mayowa.
She bestowed a name upon the Korvian, something not customary for Korvians, but she knew that names can give great power both magically and politically. Mayowa called her "Cerys" and asked Cerys what else she wanted. Cerys said that she desired a Korvian nation of her own, a kingdom that would live longer than the short Korvian lifespan would otherwise allow, as Korvians only lived to their twenties, and a kingdom founded by one could fall a generation later if that were so. Ishtar, ambivalent to the outcome, passed on a prophecy from the Goddess Sia, calling a favor from her to aid Cerys, giving a vision and prophecy in Cerys' dreams.
Cerys was not the ruler of Paro, but instead handed leadership over to her sister, who she trusted to lead better than she could. Mayowa named her sister, the new Queen, Esme, and together promised the sisters prosperity for their kingdom if, again, they could do as the prophecy said.
King Mehldar ruled over Ironforge and the surrounding mountains and valleys. He was happy to hear of a budding nation, and as he worshiped Hadur, God of Creation and Community, he believed it was part of his faith to guide them as an ally to the Dwarven people. Of course, there was plenty he was not willing to do, but he would offer advice and some scarce resources. He even offered to help build Paro, and some of the greatest Dwarven craftsmen were sent over, building impenetrable walls to keep the Korvians safe.
Throughout all of this, Cerys dined on Mehldar's food and began to get to know his family, including his newly born son, Prince Ragmor. She was only a few years Ragmor's senior, as Korvians mature at the age of 3 due to their short lifespans, so she was able to better understand the young Prince. Mehldar thought it uncanny, but didn't see the looming threat. He did not know of the prophecy.
While Mehldar was overseeing the final construction of the Paro walls, Prince Ragmor was supposedly kidnapped by Cerys.
It is said that the ship of Mehldar passed the ship of Cerys as Mehldar completed construction and headed home, and as Cerys headed home with Mehldar's son on her vessel. Some even argue that there is a chance that Ragmor went of his own free will, something only Cerys would know as the only one capable of really communicating with the young Dwarf, but others insist he was stolen away from home by the Korvian.
A War of Obligation
The Dwarven people were not united under one crown at the time of the Kwarvian War, though they had united in wars previously, mostly against any invading Elven forces.Mayowa by Jarhed
The Divine Competition
Many answers can be found, and these will all be dealt with. The most famous origin point is a competition between deities. Selene, Helle, Mayowa, and Ishtar approached a nameless Korvian woman with a request. They asked her to judge the goddesses in various categories, determining who was the most superior among all the Heavens. It was a suggestion of Mayowa, who wished to stop the bickering between the jealous Selene and the envy-fueled Helle. Ishtar was only included because she heard of Mayowa's plan and intruded at the last moment. It was an even match. Selene and Helle each won competition after competition, gloating to the other with each victory. Interspersed throughout their wins was an occasional victory for Mayowa, and for that, neither were able to gloat, and so they paid little attention. Ishtar, uncaring about the competition's result, was only there to offset the powers of the two jealous goddesses, and so by the end, she had only won one point, while Helle, Selene, and Mayowa were all tied. And finally, there came the last contest: a beauty contest.Selene by Jarhed
"Doom is found in Orcish lands,Mayowa used her divine magic to help Cerys gather many Korvians, conquering the Modan Peninsula and settling great cities, most of all that city known as Paro. The Modan Peninsula had been home to Orcs, but after the slaughters of the Beastman Genocide and the Korvian Orchestra's failed conquest previously, the Orcs were more sparsely populated on the peninsula, and were easier to conquer. The Korvians feared what they could do, and with the help of magic and abilities granted by Mayowa, they subjugated the Orcs with ease.
But, free from viridiscent hands,
The test of time, your nation stands. Upon their land, you'll find no peace,
But life endures until the conflicts cease.
Be glad that there, tensions don't decrease. Approaching ends you can avoid,
Upon the whispers of the void,
Where these few tactics are employed: Subdue the foe you fear the most,
Keep eyes forever on the host,
Stay aware of powers kept in the lingering ghost, Beware, take heed of fate's deadly blaze,
And if a Dwarf is raised in Korvian ways,
The Kingdom will see many days."
Cerys by Jarhed
A Dangerous Envoy
Cerys was the one to travel as a diplomatic envoy to the Dwarves. She asked around, for a chance to visit one of the castles, and was finally hosted in the largest city in the Dwarven nations: Ironforge. They had not united yet into one nation, and while they had all sworn oaths to Ironforge, the first city built by Dwarves that had migrated from the mountains where they were first created, they rarely thought of them, and had no loyalty to the monarch of Ironforge.King Mehldar by Jarhed
The Call to Arms
Mehldar was furious when he discovered what had occured in his house while he was not there. His own son, stolen by a guest who he had feasted in his home, who he housed even while he was away. It was an insult to Dwarven culture of community and family, and slap in the face to the man who helped build her city. He nearly traveled by ship that very day with only the soldiers he had in Ironforge, but was convinced by his cousin, King Dulthran of Koningwald (the two called each other brother, as was traditional for warriors and cousins in early Dwarven culture) to hold off from declaring war just yet.The Warriors of the Kwarvian War
The Kwarvian War has produced thousands of tales of heroics, with numerous heroes on either side. Many on the Korvian side did not have names, as is Korvian custom, so their legends often describe them rather than name them. The Dwarves, on the other hand, have countless heroes from this war. Below will be, for the most part, a list of the heroic Dwarves, as well as the few named Korvians that are known, and some third parties as well.Korvians
- Queen Esme- Queen of Paro and leader of the Korvian forces.
- Cerys- Judge of the Goddess's competition and sister of Queen Esme, responsible for kidnapping the Dwarven prince and beginning the war.
- Prince Ragmor- The captured Dwarven Prince, known also as Ragmor of Paro, responsible for the outbreak of the war.
- Dewi- A powerful Korvian warrior born around the middle of the war, he was the greatest thorn in the Dwarven army's side, even though he had a short lifespan not extended by the Gods like the rulers.
- Dafydd- Technically three different Korvians, one at the start of the war, and then two later on. Dafydd of Kne, Dafydd of Paro, and Dafydd of Ruzrugh.
- The King of the West- The Korvian City also had a King, who was not named like the others. During the first half of the war, the Korvian City lent their forces to Paro, not wishing for their people to fall.
Dwarves
- King Mehldar- King of Ironforge, whose son was kidnapped to begin the war.
- King Dulthran- King of Koningwald, relative of Mehldar and the skilled commander responsible for leading much of the war effort in Mehldar's place.
- King Admus- King of Caves, Admus is known for his strategies and tricks, and is one of the most famous warriors in the Dwarven forces.
- King Tyrigg- King of Gansernfeld, an old ruler who had seen hundreds of years worth of combat, he joined the war thinking it would last only half a century or so.
- King Barnom- King of Ebreichzell, the greatest warrior king in Dwarven history.
- King Urmgrim- King of the Northern Mountains, who led his mountainfolk to Udai only to abandon the war for a large portion of time.
- Hurdren- The Waterfall Warrior, from Lengenmolde, said to have fallen from Heaven through the waterfall of Claurode. He was nearly invulnerable, and many claim the war was an excuse for him to see great combat against a non-Elven enemy.
- Dardal- The close companion of Hurdren, and master of stealth, who wielded a Mightem of Helle, Greed's Glove.
- Grammar- A masterful archer, one of the greatest in the world, Grammar learned archery from Elves while in captivity, and was the only one to understand the plight of the captive prince, questioning the validity of the war.
- Tormond- A half-Dwarf, half-Giant, who was most famous for being the physically strongest warrior in the army.
- Raggram- Known for his skill in sieging, Raggram was not present for most of the war, as he was abandoned in the Ethereal Bay on the way to Udai. He was only present for the final weeks of the war, and is responsible for much of the winning strategy.
Other
- Leraje- A powerful Devil archer who aided the Korvians, infecting wounds shot by his arrows.
- Prince Sandip- Prince of a neighboring, growing city on the Modan Peninsula, the city-state of Ruzrugh, Sandip was the heir the the throne of Mammen during a portion of the war. His life was extended, but it did not save him from his fate. He allied with the Korvians.
- Droup- A Goblin warrior known for switching sides as he pleased, aided by the God of War in battle, he was unstoppable no matter what side he was on.
- Oyvind- King of the New Giant Kingdom out west, aided the Dwarves for a short period.
- Shovokk Bronze Killer- The Orc responsible for breaking down the walls of Paro and leading Orcish forces against the Korvians at the end of the war.
King Dulthran by Jarhed
"My brothers, it is not an attack on a single child that brings us together. It is an attack on the familial unit of the Dwarven people, the royal blood that sits every throne within the mountains. It is your blood, cousin, and it is mine as well. It was not Mehldar's son that was stolen, but yours, Tyrigg, and yours, Admus. It was not one boy, but all our boys, in spirit if not in flesh. We are not a divided people, even if we all rule different lands and command different cities. We are a community. We are a table, and around that table every Dwarf sits, his head pointed ever up to its head, where Hadur the father sits. Would Hadur not come to your aid? Why deny giving what he, too, would readily give to each and every one of us? Help Mehldar, and you will gain the blessing of Hadur, who honors oaths between brothers with eternal feasts in the great halls of heaven's room of rest. For there was an oath once, when Vonron led your grandfathers out of those frost covered mountains where every Dwarf before him believed they would die. When Vonron guided your grandfathers to the warmth of Ironforge's valley, beside the hearth of our beloved volcano, he asked for each of them to swear an oath of brotherhood. To protect Ironforge is to protect the Dwarven people, for Ironforge is not a city as Camor is, some bustling metropolis of selfish nobodies who couldn't care for the man walking right beside them. No, every day in Ironforge is a reunion with a brother you never knew you knew. Ironforge is where families thrive, and it is where our culture, our people, are strongest. It was not you, brothers, that swore the oath to Vonron. But neither Mehldar or I are King Vonron of Ironforge. We are merely men descended from the family of Hadur, as each and every one of you are. So I ask you... will you uphold your oaths until you greet the great father in heaven? Or will you send your soul to the fires of hell's deepest forge, to turn your heart into an infernal weapon set to carve apart the family we Dwarves cherish so dearly? What will it be? Heaven... or the flames?"Dulthran's speech was political, but it was littered with phrases signifying how Dulthran did not see the other Kings as enemies or rivals, but as brothers. Not only did this give many of them hope of having connection to Ironforge, but it appealed to their faith in Hadur as the God of Family, and the central role of family in Dwarven culture. Besides, he had reminded them, with all of this language as an added bonus, that they were bound by an oath they ought not break. Some still tried to avoid the oath. Dulthran knew that the clever King Admus would find a way out of his obligation, and so laid the first trap by mentioning the very same ruler in his speech. This way, he would be on the minds of every soldier now ready for war, waiting for the King to help lead them into battle. He also spoke in advance to a great ally of Admus, the Goddess Athena. Admus was one of the few Dwarves who did not primarily worship Hadur, and so was not so bound to the oath as the others were.
King Admus by Jarhed
Necessary Sacrifice
All belief of Dulthran as a good, selfless man was thrown away when the ships were pushed back around Narn Buldar. The river seemed to stop flowing, interference from Papatūānuku, Goddess of the Sea, who at the time disliked intercontinental travel a great deal. Mehldar nearly gave up after ten attempts to sail, but Dulthran insisted that they had to sail ahead. This war needed to continue, no matter what it took.
Papatūānuku by Jarhed
The Gods Choose a Side
The Gods were called together by the King of the Gods, Izanagi, when the Dwarven ships launched from the shores of Elone. Time does not pass as quickly in Heaven as it does on Totania, and so they were able to discuss thoroughly what would happen. Izanagi asked for the Gods to limit their powers enough that they would not destroy their precious world, or kill the armies. He wished for them to only fight seriously against each other, and otherwise to step onto the battlefield and bestow blessings onto mortal warriors. While the conflict was started by Gods, this was a primarily mortal war, and the fighting should be done by them first and foremost. A line was drawn between the Gods, as there were the four from the competition who had already chosen who to support, and more decided while gathered with Izanagi. Those that did not choose either remained mostly neutral or intervened on both sides at different points.Korvian-Aligned Gods
The Korvians had much help throughout the war, not the least of which being the very fact that they had natural magical abilities unique to each and every one of them, granting them an advantage that was only matched by Dwarven blades. But below, you will find the Gods that stuck by the side of the Korvians throughout the war.- Mayowa- Having won the competition that began the war, Mayowa is most responsible for the fighting, and therefore had the largest role to play in the battles. She shielded combatants, extended lifespans, and built the very nation that eventually fell at the end of the war. This is, at times, called "Mayowa's War" because of her involvement, and even hundreds of years later she says her only regret is that fate was against her beloved Cerys and the Korvian people around her.
- Ishtar- Not particularly caring about the cause of the war, Ishtar continued siding with the Korvians because she believed it was the key to eventual peace between many warring forces in Heaven. Eventually, after a hundred or so years of fighting, she began to believe in the Korvians, and grieved more than every other God when the war ended.
- Nyx- Night itself was a shield during the war, as Nyx would often shorten the days to save Korvian forces. The Korvians only had so many years to live, but if days where shortened, they would experience more days, and little fighting could happen in the dark, so forces retreated. Often, Nyx would cloak armies in night to stop a battle, and would work together with Ishtar to grant dreams in the dead of night to aid the Korvians.
- Tsukuyomi- A firm ally to Nyx, Tsukuyomi was part of the trio of Ishtar, Nyx, and himself that would aid the Korvians at night and power them up when day would come. This counteracted any power that Selene, Goddess of the Moon, could hope to use against them. He often provoked Izanagi, attempting to get his brother into the war so he could fight him, but Izanagi only did so once, beating Tsukuyomi and returning to Heaven.
- Satanael- Still holding a grudge against the Orcs for the Holy Rebellion, Satanael happily aided in subjugating them, only to eventually be defeated once again by Orcs. He was a figure that spent more time in the back of the war, giving advice and strategy, and still he ended up humiliated worse than most of the other losing Gods.
- Phrixus- Entering the war to stop his twin sister Helle, Phrixus was responsible for blessing the walls of Paro to make sure they could not be penetrated. His defensive blessings and tactics were most responsible for the length of the war, and the safety of the Korvian people up until the end.
- Papatūānuku- Having seen the barbarity that allowed the Dwarves to set sail from Elone, Papatūānuku refused to let them go without paying for their actions. She also believed that the victory of Dwarven industry would prove disastrous, and refused to let that happen.
Tsukuyomi by Jarhed
Dwarven-Aligned Gods
The Dwarven coalition of Gods was a scattered coalition of Gods that did not get along, much like the mortal Dwarves in the coalition itself. They were united against the other Gods or the Korvian people, and simply ended up on the same side because of this.- Hadur- Ever supportive of the Dwarven people, the God of Dwarves helped make weapons for the Dwarves and always fought by their side as long as he was allowed to. He clashed often with Selene, who was the first God to join his coalition despite their longstanding rivalry.
- Selene- Scorned by Cerys, Selene wanted war more than anyone else. She detested how few Dwarves used her signature weapon of bows, and for this blessed the Dwarven archer Grammar as often as she could. It is said that through training and blessings, Cerys was at times equal to Selene in archery prowess, and even may have dueled the Goddess once.
- Helle- Like Selene, Helle hated Cerys and the Korvians for losing the competition. She did not get along with Selene, but put aside her differences and often kept to the other side of battle in order to aid the Dwarves in their battle. She is even said to have summoned her Dragon children to help in the war for small parts, though she was cautioned not to allow too many and that they ought not to stay long. It was Helle that convinced the Dwarves to burn Paro and eliminate all remnants of the nation Cerys built.
- Athena- Despite having reason to side with the newly built Korvian nation, the Goddess of Civilization did not support the unlawful interference of Mayowa in the natural order, and also was too closely alligned with Dwarves like King Admus, therefore siding almost immediately with the Dwarven forces. She regretted not being able to save the Korvian nation, as she hoped the war would end quickly with the surrender of the child, and did not expect Helle and Nergal to prevail in destroying Paro.
- Tartarus- The God of Prisons, Tartarus could not stand to side with the Korvians, wrongfully imprisoning an infant, and demanded the boy's freedom. He was one of the few true believers in the actual cause of the war, and despite his frail frame, he was often found around the battlefield aiding where he could.
- Fortuna- As luck would have it, the Goddess of Luck decided by chance to join the winning side, having flipped a coin and ended up where fate favored, as she so often did. She made sure that in circumstances where luck was involved, the Dwarves would have a better chance of victory than the Korvians did.
- Nergal- The Orcish God of Destruction, Nergal has a deep hatred for Satanael, and could not pass up an opportunity to rally warriors against him once more, and even to personally strike the Devilish God one more time. While it was Helle's suggestion, it was Nergal's own hands, through his Orcs, that actually tore down Paro and the surrounding cities.
Hadur by Jarhed
Neutral Gods
It is not right to call these Gods neutral, rather they were known to have intervened on both sides of the battle at different times.- Morrigan- Morrigan was a leading figure of the war, despite being mostly inactive, as she was the very center of the conflict, even without being an inciting force. She was the creator Goddess of the Korvians, and the primary deity they worshiped. However, she had been scorned by Cerys, who had started spreading faith in Mayowa instead, and Morrigan also knew that fate would not smile upon her people. She had no desire to aid them, and instead watched on for most of the war. However, she was eventually convinced to help her people, and at the very end it was her that led the Dwarves to victory as well, guiding fate down its correct path.
- Leigong- As the God of Battle, Leigong was present to oversee the combat around Paro and the Modan Peninsula, but he firmly believes that strength must be saved for a time when it is necessary to use. He only stepped foot on the battlefield once, and it led to what many consider the greatest battle in history: the Clash of Coastal Curbron.
- Tohil- The God of War, Tohil was there only to fuel the flames of war and keep it going, as it fed worship of him and was what he did best. Warriors would on occasion, get a boost from Tohil blessing them for a short period of time. He had some specific champions, and even brought over foreign warriors to gain glory in Modan.
- Izanagi- One would have expected the King of the Gods to intervene more prominently, or to stop the other Gods from fighting so catastrophically for so long, but Izanagi took a very neutral stance in the war. He only truly intervened when things grew dire, when he saw a God get too injured, or when Morrigan informed him that fate was getting set off course. Other than that, he saw this as a necessary step for the Gods to let out what they had until then held in, and hopefully for some to reconcile with each other.
- Mimir- A tricky god intent on revealing all the secrets of the war and stopping all progress, he would leak plans of each side and intervene in battles at the last moment to sway the tide all the time. No side welcomed him, but he appeared nevertheless.
- Sia- Often intervened only when Mimir did, only to counteract whatever he decided to do to help either side by giving an equal boon to the other side of the war. When Mimir revealed battle plans, she gave prophecies or visions to aid in making sure the plans succeeded. It is because of Sia that Mimir was only a minor player in the Kwarvian War, as she made him give up on most of his plans.
- Janus- A neutral party in most situations, Janus would offer choices to both sides, showing crossroads that could change the very fate of the world all throughout the war. He more favored the Korvians, both because of how fate was stacked against them and also because of Ishtar's favor over them and his love for the Goddess of Dreams.
- Ninatta- Ninatta is said to have played music during battles, and during the night she would sit in one camp or another, disguised as a traveling bard, singing songs and learning of the heroes so she may recount their tales for future generations.
- Erra- Meals prepared by Erra appeared in the camps of both armies at a constant rate. He is said to have spent every moment of the war cooking a meal to replenish the stomachs and hearts of the warriors, as he was requested to do by Izanagi and Leigong.
- Kadakalan- Soldiers on both sides prayed to Kadaklan for survival, and often he spoke to them in words of denial, but on some chance occasions, he broke his old oaths to the Gods and saved warriors he was particularly favoring, or ones he was asked by the Gods to save.
- Irkalla- A mourner said to appear during funeral rites on both sides, Irkalla remained faceless to most soldiers, but was said to stand beside grieving warriors when they fought for their deceased friends, as Hurdren did in his final battle.
Izanagi by Jarhed
Sia by Jarhed
Before the Fighting
Cerys and Prince Ragmor were welcomed with a parade in Paro, as cheering groups of Korvians prepared living quarters for the infant Dwarf. Many believed that, with the prophecy, this meant prosperity for their people. After all, the Korvians had another Kingdom further west, around the Korvian City, but it had been on a decline around the time, and so Paro and the kingdom ruled by Esme were seen as the only hope for the Korvian people. However, Esme was not as excited as others were, and she is often cited as saying to a close confidant, as she watched the parade:"Our doom approaches the city met with cheers,Esme confronted her sister, asking why she stole the Prince when it could have been any Dwarf raised in Korvian ways. Cerys refuted her sister's claim, insisting it had to be a Prince for the sake of their legitimacy. If it were any old Dwarf, then it would be meaningless. A Prince would prove to the Gods and all the world just what the Korvians could do. Papatūānuku was the first God to arrive in Paro from the conference, appearing to Esme in the foliage of a tree grown in the palace. She warned the Queen of the coming Dwarven forces, and asked what her next course of action would be.
When he is nothing but our greatest fears
Made manifest in mortal flesh.
Let us see how well both love and rot can mesh."
"I will call all the forces I can to stand,On the way to Udai, upon the ship of Admus, the siegemaster Raggram had been struck with a strange curse. As they stopped on the coast of Elone, at the city of Alzirgos to stock up on supplies, Raggram was cursed by the Curse Mage, or perhaps by the Goddess Irkalla herself. His presence started making everyone uncomfortable no matter where he went, the air getting thick and causing anger in everyone around him. For this, Admus gave Raggram a small raft and asked him to sail into the Ethereal Bay to fetch something for him. Admus knew that Raggram's ship would be destroyed in the bay. He did not expect Raggram to survive, but he did know that there was no chance for Raggram to make it out. Raggram was stranded, and for that, the Dwarves lost a master strategist and the only man who knew how to truly siege Paro. The Dwarves landed on the shores of Udai, with the warrior of Lengenmold, Hurdren, being the first one to set foot on the soil. Hurdren was the greatest Dwarven warrior at the time, some say the greatest to ever live. He was a Demigod child of a Minor Goddess of the Dwarven familial pantheon, Ostara, meaning that he was directly blood related to Hadur himself.
But I will not let warmonger be the name they brand
Upon my feathers. A chance for peace,
I'll offer that to get these war talks to cease.
The King of Dwarves' demands I can meet,
But will my sister find his terms so sweet?"
Hurdren by Jarhed
- It was where the river began, and thus where the ships could launch from to make it a journey from the heart of Dwarven Territory to Udai.
- The gathered army could help him convince Hurdren to join and gain glory in their ranks.
The War Begins
It is said that Leigong, God of Storms, sent a storm throughout the heavens to signify the beginning of the war, and that people across the whole of Totania could see it. This war would happen only in a small region of the world, but it would effect everyone and everywhere. Of this, the Gods were certain. King Urmgrim of the Mountains, who had been a strange addition to the coalition, ran away the moment the fighting began. He had no allegiance to them, and while some thought he was just a coward, others believed he came to Udai for different reasons, and that the war was just an excuse to get a him a boat. The war was largely not made of its individual moments, in the same way that the build-up to it, and the eventual end of it, were.
Queen Esme by Jarhed
Outside Interference
There were, however, a few major hiccups throughout the war. The greatest of these were the outside interferences from various parties, which began with the other great Korvian ruler at the time, the nameless King of the Korvian City who has been immortalized as the King of the West. His ability was said to be nearly as powerful as those of Cerys and Esme, but its name has been lost, if it ever had one to begin with. He did not. He came to help Paro because he did not wish for the Korvian people to fall to a foreign army. Eventually, his people left after his death and after it was discovered that Cerys founded Paro because she had no faith in the Korvian City and believed it would fall, and instead of asking for help for the Korvian people in their homeland, she asked to conquer a new land and build a separate nation. There was then the Mamman Prince, Sandip of Ruzrugh. His lifespan was extended after he brought over the Mammen army to aid the Korvians, and he was present for a good portion of the war before he was eventually killed in battle. His nephew, who had at that point taken the throne, retreated from battle instead of continuing to help the Korvians. Droup, a Goblin warrior from the city of Retrypes who was the Champion of Tohil, God of War, interfered throughout the war, aiding whichever side he was asked to fight against, switching allegiances at the drop of a hat.
Tohil by Jarhed
In the Height of Combat
The Dwarves tried, at many points, to recruit the Orcs to their side. Even subjugated, these were the greatest warriors in the world, with the potential to be stronger than Giants. The Orcish morale, however, was broken. They could not bring themselves to pick up weapons for anything other than fighting each other, having been turned against each other by Mayowa, Satanael, and Ishtar's tricks and illusions. The Dwarves could not get a word in to convince the Orcs to help them, and the Orcs would not listen when told that it was the Korvian's fault for their infighting.Infiltration of Paro
The first Dwarf to enter Paro was not a diplomatic envoy, or even a military operation. Admus decided to scout out the city, and devised a plan alongside a Dwarf named Dardal, the beloved companion and right-hand man of Hurdren. Dardal was not often on the battlefield, as he often remained with Hurdren when he decided to watch the battles for the day instead. But he was incredibly skilled in combat, and was also known for his infiltration talents as well. For this reason, Admus planned around Dardal, and used his skills to get the two of them into Paro. Here, disguised as Korvians (as Dwarves and Korvians are of, generally, similar heights), the two observed Korvian cultures, ate at a Korvian restaurant, and are said to have even met a now grown Prince Ragmor. It took only a glimpse for the Prince to see through their disguises, but while it is unclear whose side he was on at that point, and what his thoughts were on the war, he kept secret the identities of the two Dwarves. He was silent, and allowed them to come and go. Admus underwent this mission because a Mightem of Helle had been stolen, and Helle refused to aid the Dwarves until it was returned to her. The Greedy Goddess often gets her way, and without her support, the Dwarves would have been unable to hold out.
Fortuna by Jarhed
Champions and Gods
The Gods themselves fought in the war. Helle brought young Dragons, and often fought in her very own Dragon form against the Korvians. Selene would remain at a distance, firing arrows to support Nergal as he fought. She struggled throughout the war with actually standing side-by-side with the Dwarves, and particularly Hadur himself. Hadur would aid in battle, but always keeping a distance from the commanding King Dulthran. He did not particularly like the King of Koningwald. On the Korvian side, the trio of Nyx, Tsukuyomi, and Ishtar would cover the field in darkness and illusions, making it difficult to fight for anyone but themselves and those they blessed. Mayowa, meanwhile, continued giving magical blessings to the Korvian warriors, powerful abilities and longevity of life. Phrixus remained to protect the city of Paro and shield those who most needed protection. Satanael spent more time tormenting the Orcs to keep them away, but he would arrive to the battlefield on occasion. But the major role of the Gods was through their Champions, most notably Admus, Champion of Athena, and Cerys, Champion of Mayowa. But there was also Droup, Champion of Tohil, Leraje, Champion of Satanael, and Barnom, Champion of Nergal. These Champions could channel the power of the Gods directly, either by summoning their God, speaking directly to their God for advice, or using Holy Might given to them by the Gods. Even while holding back for fear of destroying everything, the Gods caused mass death and destruction. If not for Phrixus, the Modan Peninsula likely would have sunk into the sea. It was unprecedented, likely because there had been no conflict on such a grand scale in a long time, some say since the age when Giants and Dragons ruled Totania. A time that was distant even in the Ancient Era.The Duel
It was King Mehldar who first offered an option to end the war. After all, it was Dulthran who wanted this to be a full-scale war. Mehldar was only here for his son, and to get vengeance on the one who had stolen him away. So Mehldar offered the Korvians an option, to end this war before it got too out of hand. It had been around a hundred years of fighting, at this point, and the Korvians had been struggling greatly. Generation upon generation of people born in Paro and surrounding lands, all sent to war only years after they were born. Korvians who knew only war... and the Dwarves were no better. A people who were so often focused only on family had now been separated from their loved ones for a century of conflict. Mehldar wanted to see his son, and his soldiers wanted to see their families as well. He just had to pray that the Korvians wanted this to end too. His offer was simple: a duel between the two responsible for this war. Himself and Cerys. The winner took the Prince and ended the war there. Mehldar was willing to accept either outcome, be it that he won, taking out the treacherous thief who had betrayed his hospitality and bringing his son back home or, on the chance he lost, dying here if that was what the Gods had chosen. But he knew that was not what fate had in store for him. He trusted the Gods to favor the right man. Esme cautioned Cerys against this, fearing for her sister's safety, but she also could not deny that ending the war sounded like it would ease her own burden a great deal. She had been dealing with a great deal of trouble as Queen of Paro, having had her own children, grand children, and now even great-grand children sent out to war and dying for the sake of her selfish sister. Every day, Korvians asked for her to end this, but she knew not how. Not until now. Cerys was happy to prove herself, certain she could win. She readily agreed, and Esme allowed her to go. Mehldar had been keeping a close eye on Dance of the Knights. Cerys was, otherwise, an archer who fought at a range, but Dance of the Knights would make any melee attacks difficult to land. So he had practiced choreography, and when the time came, was able to dodge around the ability and knock Cerys down. Luck was on his side, a blessing from the Goddess Fortuna. He would have killed Cerys then and there if she was not saved by Satanael, who snuck through the crowd and whisked her away, back to Paro. Dulthran demanded the Korvians give in to the agreed terms, but Esme, reeling from watching her sister nearly die, refused. They still had a chance, she believed. They could still fight. They could still win. Mehldar was lucky enough to win, but luck had been with Cerys, enough to ensure her survival at the very least.
Dewi by Jarhed
A New Warrior
The legends go that the moment Cerys was carried through the gates of Paro by Satanael, a Korvian was born in a home right on the edge of the city. A Korvian whose name echoes in legends alongside warriors like Hurdren and Admus. The greatest warrior the Korvians have ever produced: Dewi. Paro needed a savior, and Dewi answered their calls. When his ability manifested, the powers of this boy who had, from his very first moments, witnessed the horrors and glory of war... it was unrivaled. Heightening his martial prowess and senses to such a fine point that he was said to be the only person alive capable of keeping up with the immortal Hurdren in single combat. It was a gift from Mayowa, as was the agelessness he was given. A gift to make up for the fact that he was not fated to live forever. A longer life than most Korvians, but a life unfittingly short for a hero of his calliber.Giant Issues
Dewi's first battle was one of mythic proportions. One that had the potential to destroy Paro, more potential than anyone but the Gods themselves had. One of the Dwarven soldiers, the physically strongest Dwarf known as Tormond, was only Half-Dwarven. The other half was Giant, and he knew that after the destruction of the Giant Kingdom, many Giants had ended up in Udai. Quite a few had ended up without a home, without an education, and so ended up as roaming, uninformed warriors. If he could sway them, and he had a good chance of it, then they could destroy Paro with the force of a lost empire risen from its ashes once more. The story goes that Tormond traveled, alongside Grammar, a Dwarven archer and his half-brother, out west, and traveled for two years, visiting different locations where Giants were supposedly spotted. The brothers roamed all around Udai, eventually visiting floating islands where they found colonies of Giants living. A theoretical new Giant Kingdom was being built, and Tormond was welcomed in with open arms. But Grammar reminded him what they were there for. Tormond asked the leader of the Giants, Oyvind, to lend the support of the Giants. Oyvind agreed, and went with a large portion of his army to the Modan Peninsula. It was a blood bath. The Korvians had been managing to hold out against the Dwarves, but with the Giants, they were outmatched.
Athena by Jarhed
Leigong wielding Yùzhào by Jarhed
"You need not interfere in the affairs of mortals yet, my King. You must save the strength of the Heavens... I will teach the mortals and Gods alike to fear the divine word."The arrival of the God of Storms was heralded by lightning crackling throughout the skies across the world. It is one of the few battles in the war that can be pinpointed to a specific day, as historians from Zephys to Kochi to the Korvian City all wrote that it could signify divine judgement and the end times. But it was perhaps worse for the Gods alligned with the Dwarves and Giants. It meant a singular divine judgement was coming. Legend says that Leigong could fight every single God alive, and that the only ones who could pose a threat to his full power are Izanagi and Chernobog, the King of Gods and the Demon intent on destroying the Gods. This battle supports this, as Leigong's presence caused every Dwarf and Korvian on the battlefield to fall to their knees, and every God's bodies told them to run. But Tohil, Nergal, and Athena refused to flee. Together, the three Gods of War thought they could take him, and so they attacked, alongside a legion of Giants. This was ill-advised. The Giants accompanying them were wiped out, and after an explosive clash, the three War Gods were wounded so severely that it is said they could not truly fight again for another hundred years. They were out of the fight, and the other Dwarf-aligned Gods fled. Leigong wished to keep fighting, to finish the job, but he realized what was happening. He was unleashing so much power that, soon, Paro would be destroyed, and all the Dwarves, Giants, and Korvians with it. And so, he retreated back to Heaven, holding back his power once more until the time came, if it ever came again, for him to use it again. And Oyvind himself was slain, but not by a God. No, it was a singular Korvian who took down the ruler of the New Giants. The Korvian who had only recently been given a blade to wield: Dewi. Dewi rallied the Korvian soldiers, driving the Giants into a place where the Gods could more easily strike them down. The Giants refused to flee, and were killed for their folly. And Dewi was promoted, blessed by Mayowa, and placed in command of a majority of the Korvian army. He had proven himself a capable enough warrior.
Morrigan by Jarhed
A Calculated Strategy
King Admus had planned around this. He knew the Giant gambit was not a guaranteed victory, and so he went with Dulthran, Mehldar, Hurdren, and a good contingent of their forces to the other Korvian settlements around the Modan Peninsula, while the Giants and Gods distracted Esme and her forces. By the time Leigong retreated, Paro was the only Korvian city in the region. Hurdren had wiped out the other armies with ease, as no Gods were present to stop him. Admus's plan worked perfectly.The Goddess of Death
There are a few central figures in this war who has, up until now, remained rather unmentioned. King Tyrigg of Gansernfeld and Barnom of Ebreichzell were two of them, but the third is one far less active, but far more important. The Goddess of Death and creator deity of the Korvians, Morrigan. It was believed that she would side with her people and, thus, be a devastating force on the battlefield against the Dwarves. However, it was the elderly king of Gansernfeld, Tyrigg, who assuaged Dwarven fears on this."Morrigan has tried to wipe the Korvian people out before. It is why they believe so strongly in her, because she spared a portion of them from death. She would not aid them in cheating death. If she helps anyone, it will be those that deal death to her people, so that the few survivors may stand again, stronger believers than they ever had been before."Tyriggs words were what allowed the Dwarves to set sail without fear, though he was not certain himself if it would be true. Throughout the war, while he often kept off the battlefield due to his old age, making him better as a commander, strategist, and advisor than a warrior, the truth was it wasn't his only reason... he was afraid. He feared Morrigan coming for him. He had lived so long, and did not want to finally face the death the Korvians worshiped. However, despite his fears, he was right. Morrigan did not set foot on the battlefields, and her only presence in the war was her Head Priest, Reaper, who would appear only to those dying, taking their souls to the afterlife. But in Heaven, the Goddess of Death was dealing with a great dilemma. What was she to do through all of this? She would watch over the man with no fear, King Barnom of Ebreichzell, regularly. They were well acquainted from his previous wars, as he was the most prolific warrior there and had lived more years fighting than he had ever lived in peace. She enjoyed how much death he always caused. He was a close friend of hers, but she had mixed feelings seeing him kill her children. She wondered, at times, if she should intervene, but every time she almost did, she stopped herself. She decided to promise herself to never set foot on the battlefield, and any interference she could do would have to be either through Reaper or outside of the fighting. Finally, a time came where a soldier did not die on the battlefield. King Tyrigg died of old age in his tent in the Dwarven camp, and it is said that Morrigan was spotted entering and escorting the old king to Heaven herself. This is a story told by Barnom, who claims to have been present and heard as Morrigan said:
"You were right, old man. I may hate to see fate come for my dear creations, but I am lady of it. It would be wrong for me to try and stop it. But I do not aid your people either. I do not stop my creations, be it death or Korvians. I merely introduce hurdles that allow them both to be challenged. Korvians are challenged by the death I create, and death is challenged by those few Korvians with the ability to subvert it. I do not deny your skill or wisdom. You fought well for some time. Fate is on the side of the Dwarven people... but we will see which side makes the largest mark in the world. We will see if a trace of either of you can linger in this world beyond the battlefield. Fate comes for all, even the victors."Barnom claims he asked Morrigan to help him, to finish the war, but she denied the offer, saying that things would end soon enough, and that his role was only to continue the fighting.
"You have never known peace... why ask for it now?"
The End of the War
A great many things went into the war's eventual end, after 200 years of fighting. The events of the end began twenty years before the fighting actually stopped. An argument erupted between Hurdren and the Kings. There are many accounts of what caused this argument, but the most famous is that Dulthran refused to allow Hurdren a gift he had looted from a powerful Korvian warrior, one of Esme's great-great-great grandsons. Hurdren, demanding the respect and glory he deserved for everything he had done in the war, decided to leave, letting the Dwarves see how far they could get without him. King Tyrigg had, at that point, passed away, and while Barnom and Mehldar both wished to convince Hurdren to join them again, Dulthran stopped them from saying a word to him."Let him have his childish fit,Admus had no desire to fix things between himself and the demigod, and instead had been reminded by Athena of a warrior who could end the war, who he had left behind. She tasked him with returning Raggram, the siegemaster, to the Dwarven army. So, while Admus was securing magical items that could suppress Raggram's curse, the rest of the army was left with Hurdren's tantrum.
Let him cry and moan and try to quit,
We will prove the falseness in his words
When we, not him, o'ertake this army of birds."
Ostara by Jarhed
"Fight for me in the foolish war,Dardal took the weapons of Hurdren and, with the help of Ostara, made it to shore. He rallied the troops and pushed back the Korvian forces from the camp, being welcomed with open arms by Mehldar, though still Dulthran was not happy to see him. Dardal could have left then, but instead, he decided to deliver one more reminder. He used Greed's Glove, Helle's Mightem, to steal the weapons of Dewi, intending to bring back to Hurdren both his own arms, but also those of Dewi. Dewi refused to allow him to do this, grabbing the weapons of a nearby ally and rushing towards Dardal as the Dwarf attempted to go back to the boat of Hurdren. Dewi tackled Dardal, cornering him so there was no escape. The two fought, and Dardal, outmatched, was slain by the Korvian warrior, who stole back his own weapons and took those of Hurdren as well.
Enough to show the burden I bore.
You are my closest equal, my heart,
This will be, for us, the start
Of a grand return to form,
Victory, and the calming of that divine storm.
Go, my friend, time runs low,
Come back once you deliver that reminding blow."
A Mournful Last Stand
Hurdren did not watch. He was confident in Dardal's skill, but when he found Tormond and Grammar on his ship instead of Dardal, he wondered what they wanted from him. Tormond, a close comrade of Hurdren, broke the news, and Hurdren wanted to stand and fight immediately. To get revenge before he mourned. But Ostara cautioned him to wait, as he would need weapons to fight with. She knew of a prophecy, that said his greatest battle would be his final one, and so she wanted to keep him off of the battlefield as long as she could. Ostara traveled to Heaven, seeking out her brother, Saxnôt, Minor God of Weaponry, to forge a divine shield and spear for her son. He obliged, and meanwhile Hurdren waited, holding back his grief until it could sharpen the holy spear to kill all who stood in his way. Meanwhile, Admus had managed to steer his ship into the Ethereal Bay with the aid of Goblins from Alzirgos. Athena guided them to an island, where Raggram had been shipwrecked, and with the enchanted items Admus found on his way there, he was able to suppress the effects of Raggram's curse. But it was much harder to convince the siegemaster to actually go with him. It took the Goblins urging Raggram to go back for one last fight for him to finally agree to leave. Hurdren, with his new weapons in hand, finally took to the battlefield. Many Gods came, including Izanagi himself, to take part in this grand battle. Supposedly, Izanagi decided to fight Hurdren himself, to test out the limits of this warrior, and Hurdren matched his power (or rather, the power of the King of Gods when he was holding back). The weapons made by Saxnôt were incredible, and they complimented Hurdren's strengths as he slaughtered Korvians left and right. He was nearly slain by Dafydd of Ruzrugh, but Admus and Raggram arrived just in time to stop the Korvian from harming Hurdren. Hurdren cornered Dewi, and all the armies and Gods kept away from them both. Dewi tried to use Greed's Glove to steal the weapons forged by the Gods, but Hurdren called them back, as the enchantments on them prevented them from remaining in anyone's hands but the one who owned them. Dewi fought honorably, but Hurdren came out on top, slaying the Korvian and demanding more. Some say he knew, others say he did not, that he would die before he stepped off that battlefield. Perhaps it was grief, perhaps it was rage, or perhaps spite that kept him there, but he never set foot off of the battlefield for another eighteen years, even when no one was there to fight, he kept on running, fighting, or training until the fighting picked up once more. He insisted the Dwarves start up a funeral procession around him for Dardal as he did so, and they did. He protected the corpse and the funeral rites as Korvians tried to interrupt it, and he kept fighting until finally, eighteen years after the death of Dewi, a prayer finally got through to Morrigan. The prayer of Prince Ragmor. He prayed for her to come and put the poor Dwarven warrior, who had been roaming in grief for nearly two decades, out of his misery. Morrigan obliged this one promise, knowing the war could not last much longer, and set foot on the edge of the battlefield, on Paro's walls. She stood behind Cerys, and blessed the arrows of Cerys to strike Hurdren in his one vulnerable spot. The one place where he had not been blessed with invulnerability at infancy by Hadur: his left index finger. Hurdren began to bleed out, and no healing done to him would fix this wound. No potion, no spell... this was his one point of vulnerability, and it was too late. He was dead.The Honorable End of Tormond
Tormond took over as the soldier the Dwarves threw their support behind after the death of Hurdren. However, Selene was still not pleased at him for what he had done with the Giants, and so she convinced the Dwarves with her illusions that he was not looking out for their best interests. As the Dwarves began to turn on him, Tormond was driven to madness by Selene and nearly killed Dulthran as he slept. Tartarus prevented this, imprisoning Tormond until he regained his right state of mind. Grammar tried to speak sense into his brother, but Tormond could not reconcile with what he had nearly done in his madness, nor the ridicule he had received from the other Dwarves. He had been dishonored, and therefore believed the only way he could gain honor again was to take to the battlefield one final time. Tartarus freed him, and as he faced down the Korvian warriors, Tormond cut down three before taking his spear and impaling himself upon it. Honor and glory in one final attack before the end came. No man but Tormond could fell the great Half-Dwarf.The Paro Cornucopia
Raggram and Admus had been working on strategies all this time, and finally, they had formualted a plan. They needed it, as many of their greatest warriors had fallen in battle. Raggram knew they would not be able to convince the Orcs to help them. The Orcs needed to fight of their own volition, and so he suggested tricking them into going to Paro on their own. It was a distant generation of Orcs who had witnessed the construction of Paro, and so they were not aware of the city as anything more than a place they were not meant to go to. If Admus and Raggram could convince them they were going somewhere else... well, the Orcs may wander their way into the city by complete accident. Admus asked a favor of the God Erra: a meal for the Orcs. The culinary deity happily obliged, and Admus snuck a sedative potion into the mix. When the Orcs graciously ate the Dwarven meal, they fell asleep, and Admus asked his men to prepare the structure and costumes. Raggram had built a cornucopia, and Admus's men dressed the sedated Orcs as fruits and foods within it. Admus then gave the cornucopia to Dulthran, and asked for him to wheel it over as a gift of surrender. Dulthran agreed, and brought to the walls of Paro the giant cornucopia, a symbol of the Korvian holiday meant to represent their graciousness for surviving great hardships, the festival of Giving Thanks. Dulthran called out to the walls, and soon was met by Esme and Cerys."O sisters, I beg of youCerys didn't understand Dulthran's strange and sudden change of heart, but Esme understood. The Dwarves had lost Hurdren, their greatest warrior, as well as the next best in Tormond, Barnom, Dardal, and even Tyrigg. Admus had fled, and so it left only Dulthran, Mehldar, Grammar, and an unimpressive slew of soldiers whose names the Korvians had not thought worthy of learning. And besides, Esme wished to put this all behind her, and she thought of no better day than the festival. Thanks could be given for centuries to come, for the peace that she made with Dulthran that day, if she only disregarded her sister's worries and accepted Dulthran's gift. There was not a lie in Dulthran's speech, though there was a single half-truth. Admus had fled the land, and hoped to flee again to not return, but he had connected the two thoughts as if they were one, giving the false since that the clever King of the Caves was no longer in Udai. Instead, Admus had simply hidden in the camp, waiting for his plan to spring into action. When the cornucopia was brought into Paro, Esme brought it to the center of the city, and a feast was held beside it. Esme herself was not present at the feast, as she decided to have a smaller dinner by the graves of the fallen soldiers. Cerys, too, had skipped out on the festivities, deciding to man the wall one final time before the Dwarves left Udai. Her distrust was too strong to celebrate, and she had little to be thankful for. It was the remainder of the royal family, and many of the great warriors of the Korvian military, who were present at the Paro Cornucopia when the plan went off. The Orcs woke up, at scattered times. It is said that the first to wake up was Shovokk Bronze Killer, and that in the time it took for him to adjust to his surroundings, some others began to wake. He let out a scream, growing louder as he stood. The attention of the feast, which had been a celebration until then, turned entirely to the Cornucopia, wondering if it was some enchantment or surprise to add to the festivities. Esme had not informed so many people that it was a gift from the Dwarves. Even her own family, her great-great-great-great-great grandchildren, believed it was her gift. Shovokk Bronze Killer's scream sounded out throughout the whole city. In the graveyard, Esme picked up her head. On the wall, Cerys turned to the inside of the city, her eyes leaving the plains where Dwarves now began to gather. And the festival-goers all gathered around, excited to see the show. Around Shovokk, the other Orcs began to wake, standing and screaming with him. But his voice was clearer than the rest, and it was he who first ran forward, to the heir of Paro. He had not a weapon, but didn't need it. The Orc laid his hands on the neck of the Korvian Prince, who still believed this to be a show, a gift from his mother... and Shovokk Bronze Killer snapped his neck.
To hear my pleas, as I sift through
What demands I have to end this war for good.
Allow my people leave to take ship, if you would,
Without a stray arrow from your bow,
As slayed the hero of the water's flow. I know it is a day of thanks,
So on the North Sea's Banks
My greatest men, what few remain,
Built this to try and, if we can, regain
The honor lost in treachery and tricks
Sprung by Admus, who in vain attempts to fix
His shattered reputation, fled this land
To not return again. So now, we stand
Offering this to you: a gift.
Intent to heal, between us, this great rift. We, who tried so long to enter Paro
Will hand over this and cross the narrow
Stretch of waves, to reach home once more,
Greet what family remains behind mountain's door.
As we are, now, prepared to yield,
I swear to you, we will not, from this field,
Launch another arrow, swing another blade,
Nor e'er again will fierce exchange from ground to wall be made.
As long as Paro's walls tower high,
Let death in battle not greet you nor I.
Peace between each Dwarf and Korvian,
For all the eternity you had been promised in this region. Take this, our labor of love and prayer for forgiveness, and bid us farewell,
We shall, in two days, time, embark on the journey back to homeward hell."
Satanael by Jarhed
- Breaking free from the cage they had found themselves in
- Killing those they saw as responsible for this
The Final Blow
There were two Korvian warriors who were a great thorn in the side of the Dwarves, who had coincidentally given the same names. Dafydd of Paro and Dafydd of Ruzrugh. It is unclear where Dafydd of Paro was when his home city was torn down, and many stories seek to answer this, but Dafydd of Ruzrugh tried to burn the Cornucopia, at least to destroy what symbol there was of the Dwarves in the city of Korvians, hoping there would still be a city left. He was confronted by the architect of the Cornucopia, Raggram the Siegemaster. The two dueled, and it is said neither survived, as the flame Dafydd set in the Cornucopia killed them both. Others say it was Shovokk Bronze Killer, earning him the name as he shattered the weapons of both warriors, killing them without the need of those bronze tools. In the graveyard, Queen Esme had frozen up. She heard the battle cry of the Orcs, and the screams of her people. She didn't know what she could do to help, as Orcs ran around the graveyard killing and trying to escape. They didn't set foot near the graves... they knew better than to incur the wrath of Irkalla, Goddess of Grief. It was not an Orc that came for Esme. It was two Kings: Dulthran and Admus. They kept close enough, planning around Esme's ability, but she did not use it. She could not fight anymore, as her people died. Instead, she begged for mercy."Upon the name of each and every GodDulthran did not want to give any mercy, but Admus said it would make them no better than the Korvians if they struck down royalty so freely and mercilessly. She had been smart, invoking the Gods at the start of her plea, as now every God was watching for Admus and Dulthran's decision. Admus spared her, and decided instead that he would take her back with him, as there was nothing left for her here, and he could not risk her seeking vengeance after fleeing elsewhere.
In Heaven, before you sail abroad
Once more, I beg of you to leave
Me here to live and grieve
With those few women and men
Who haven't fallen before the mighty Dulthran. Spare me, O savagages from eastern shores,
Interrupting peaceful festivities for your lust of wars.
Allow me to live, and I will pray to all above,
With every fragment of my heart I once called love,
That you will be blessed, where'er you can be,
To take what was stolen from us, prosperity,
And make it then your own. I ask, my hands to the sky,
Knowing in my broken soul that it is yours to deny.
I beg. I can only beg. The rest is in your hands."
Prince Ragmor by Jarhed
Prince of Dwarves and Korvians
The focus of the war had long since fallen from its cause. Dulthran's ambition, Hurdren's might, Admus's tricks, and Esme's skill had set so many people's minds on the battlefield itself that few remembered, when in the heat of combat, why they had set foot on the battlefield in the first place. The Dwarven Prince Ragmor. It is said the baby's cry had woken up every Dwarf alive when he was stolen, and so he was known as the "Stolen Voice of a Nation." Many warriors fought hoping that, if he were rescued, the Dwarves could be united in peace, not just in war. That when he ascended to the throne, perhaps, there would be hope for a singular Dwarven Kingdom again. But Cerys made sure he was not raised with those ideals. He was not raised as a Dwarf at all. He was not taught the Dwarvish language, and didn't pick up the common tongue very easily either, as happens with some Korvians. Korvian culture is not very focused on speech, as it has no name for anything, and therefore verbal communication is not altogether very important. Ragmor could not speak, or if he could he chose not to around most people. He would watch battles from the walls, or the palace, but he never had any desire to fight for the city, nor did he ever try to run away. He would sit and observe, seemingly uncaring about the outcome. They fought for him... he was never in any danger. Some Korvians would try to provoke him, saying that they were dying while he sat around and did nothing, and that it was an insult to them, but he never let it get to him. Ragmor would not answer their provocations with anything but a nod, as Cerys was always certain to take care of these assailants and bullies. Cerys took great care of Ragmor, or so it is said. Many say that she was horrible for stealing him away, but Ragmor never seemed to have an opinion on it. He had no opinion, on whether Cerys or Mehldar was more suited to be his parent, or whether he'd rather be with one or the other. He had only been around Mehldar when he was not fully conscious, and had known Cerys the rest of his life. Did he still have some affections for the father he never truly had? Certainly. But he didn't despise his mother any more than an adoptive child would hate their foster parents. He had no concept of being a stolen prize. He was merely her son. When the walls of Paro fell, Cerys survived the landing, but didn't think to seek out those responsible. She didn't look for her sister, or for the warriors of Paro. She picked up her bow, called upon the Gods for aid, and ran through the crowd, killing any Orcs or Dwarves she came across. She went to find her son. Finally, after she was covered in the blood of her enemies and the dust of the wall, as her legs were twisted from falling so far, she found Prince Ragmor. She found him as a group of Orcs had picked up weapons from Korvian corpses and, seeing Ragmor as nothing more than the Korvian he was raised to be, the very same people the Orcs blamed for their capture, the Orcs took their weapons and stabbed them into Ragmor. Ten spears impaled the Prince, who could no longer be called young, and couldn't with any confidence be called a Dwarf. Cerys picked up her bow, and with the final bits of strength she had, she shot down the Orcs that stabbed her son. She tried to comfort Ragmor, but it was too late. As she mourned, someone found her. Mehldar. He saw only Cerys, and prepared himself for battle against the one he had waited to kill all this time. He spoke out a threat to her, asking for her to face him and fight one last time. But when she turned, he laid eyes for the first time in two hundred years on his son... only to find it was too late. Ragmor was dead, and he had come to Udai for nothing. Cerys responded only with:"You came for nothing? I beg of you,Mehldar had dropped his spears, and could not pick them up again. He instead reached out, stepping towards Cerys and kneeling with her, holding his son. Together they grieved, those two whose hatred had led to the longest war in history. They grieved until an arrow pierced the throat of Cerys, and she joined her son in the afterlife. Grammar, the Dwarven Archer, stood, and said only:
Do not say such a thing to me, so cruel
For I was promised a Kingdom,
Prosperous and long-lived, yet from
The very start the Gods had known
It was a temporary throne. They swore a Dwarf raised in Korvian ways
Would be enough to change fate, to sway
The tides of time, but now I see
It was but a delay on what would have to be
The way of the world. We are all to die,
I merely allowed myself a life engulfed in lies
To distract from the inevitability of who I was. Kill me now... I understand your cause.
I stole your son from royal life
To cause our people, both, such never-ending strife.
The one I thought would save us
Has been the cause of our undoing, all this fuss.
How many Dwarves would populate your lands today
If not for me? How many Korvians would celebrate
The thankful festival had I accepted your gifts
And left it as it was? I cannot linger in these ifs... Finish me. Pick up that blade, you've wielded all these years,
And seal your son's honor as you cry your final tears.
"My King, I do not mean to say you cannot grieve,The archer helped Mehldar to his feet, and the two rejoined the other survivors, watching as the Orcs fled. What few Korvians remained in the ruins were gathered up, and the Dwarves agreed that they should not be allowed to roam free. Korvians had proven themselves, with far fewer number than the Dwarves, too powerful to let fester. So these Korvians with a grudge needed to be quelled. It was Dulthran who suggested execution, but Mehldar refused. He had no desire for any more death, he could not stomach it. Admus, then, suggested slavery. The Korvians could use their abilities to serve the households of the Dwarves who had conquered their Kingdom. For his role in the Cornucopia plot, Admus claimed Esme. The others took Korvians whose names have since been lost. And thus, the Kwarvian War ended, with an interrupted festival, a joint mourning, and a slave auction. But the Gods were not pleased with this outcome, and fate had much in store to repay the Dwarves for what they had done on foreign soil.
But in that act, I beg of you only this: do not leave
Behind the men whose blood was shed on your account.
Take strength, take foot, and marvel at the amount
Of us who remain here to see this to the end.
Your subjects, soldiers, brothers, and perhaps your friends.
Stand up, my kind, tears are best saved for farewells.
The ships are waiting... homeward, to where family dwells.
Aftermath
Grammar was the only known Dwarven leader who did not take ship for Elone first. Instead, he sailed west, bringing Tormond's body to the remnants of the New Giant Kingdom. Without Oyvind, they were falling apart, and it was far worse when Grammar returned because Urmgrim, the Dwarven King of the Northern Mountains, who had fled the Kwarvian War at its start, had bided his time and raided the abodes of the Giants while their warriors were away before sailing back to Elone. The Giants took Tormond's body, burying him with honor on the floating islands, but did not trust the fully Dwarven Grammar, throwing him off for the crimes of Urmgrim.
Ilabrat by Jarhed
"Congratulations, noble Dwarves, for blood well spilt,Many Dwarves did not take heed. Mehldar had no heart to listen, wishing only to greet the halls of Castle Ironforge once more, to sit his throne and see his wife, who had died years earlier without his knowledge. He never made it past the Strait of Ildial between the two continents, the most dangerous stretch of water in the world. His gear was said to have washed up in the city of Retrypes, where all the wreckage of the Strait was forever bound to flow. His armor was worn by generations of Goblin warriors there, certainly, but his memory sank with his body. A man who started such an important conflict, washed away by time before he ever returned to the home he set out to bring his son back to.
But know the rage of Gods does cause the waves to tilt
Into a terrible storm upon these shores
Where now your ships do moor.
Take heed, pray safety, forgiveness, mercy
Else you'll lie beneath the waves of Papa's Great Sea."
Ambition's End
His cousin, Dulthran, made it farther than he did. The city-state of Alzirgos welcomed the King of Koningwald back openly, offering him a feast, as they had been prepared. Dulthran's daughter, Brolnip, was there waiting for him. She feasted with him, and asked for Dulthran to accompany her to Hadur's temple before they returned to Koningwald. She informed him that her mother had passed, and to pay tribute to both her mother and her fallen sister, drowned by Dulthran before the war, she wished to visit the God of Family. Dulthran happily obliged. He had tribute to pay to Hadur for his assistance in the war, and Hadur had never spoken a word to Dulthran other than a command over the entire course of 200 years. Once inside the Temple, skirting around the Dwarven Kingdoms to get to it for fear of attack from a rival monarch now that their treaties and agreements had ended, Dulthran was confronted by Urmgrim. The Temple was, after all, in the Northern Mountains. He thought this a trick, that Urmgrim had only gone with him to honor the Gods, and fled so that he could still, eventually, kill Dulthran. But Urmgrim ignored Dulthran's words, attacking. The old King of Koningwald easily fought off Urmgrim, slaying him in the Temple, but as he boasted, he was met with a dagger in the throat. Brolnip, Dulthran's own daughter, had pulled it. A plan she had concocted a long time ago with Hadur, to get vengeance for her sister. Hadur blessed Brolnip, as she killed her father, saying that he could not allow her to enter his Heaven now that she, too, had spilled familial blood, but that he could get her a comfortable place in Hell, if only he promised Satanael a deal. He had the terms worked out: Satanael would be forgiven for betraying fate and siding with the Korvians, and Brolnip would be honored even in the realm of torturous eternity. Meanwhile Dulthran would be another nameless prisoner in the flames of Hell. It was Admus and Esme who had the kindest and yet, perhaps, most torturous fate of all. They were not struck down instantly, nor allowed to return so quickly. They took a journey, over the span of another two hundred years, to return to Elone. Over the course of this journey, every Dwarven soldier accompanying Admus was slain or stranded, and the two monarchs, one Dwarven one Korvian, ended up on an island in the Great Sea where, eventually, the World Cell would be built. An island said to house an enchantment to make any who live there, at least in a certain region of it, ageless and immortal as long as they remained. Esme, it is said, may have remained there. But Admus, intent on returning to his home and family, left on a raft, alone. Some say Esme still lives there, on the Immortal Island, if the tale has any truth to it at all. Admus was the only Dwarf of note to return to Dwarven Territory, and he found a different region than he left. Not a large amount of Kingdoms, but one nation, swearing fealty to Ironforge. No kin of Mehldar either, but the grandson of the elder King of Gansernfeld, Tyrigg. Gansernfeld has swooped in, seizing the Throne of Ironforge while the armies were away, and now all Dwarves knelt before King Mordain of Ironforge and Gansernfeld. The former King of the Caves, Admus, wished to get revenge, but he knew it not to be his place. He was weary, missed his family, and grieved his fallen comrades. And so, it is said, he languished in the darkness of the caves until his demise, hated by the Gods and denounced by the Dwarves as a pretender King. But he was loved by those he loved, and that was all he cared about. He had his family, and so he had a life to live there still, brief as it may have been.Legacy
The interference of the Gods in this war is believed to be one of many reasons why they have since been confined to their holy sites, though no one is quite certain who did this. Was it Izanagi, who stayed off of the battlefield for a majority of the war? Or was it someone else? There are many myths and accounts of the Kwarvian War, and the writings above come from all sources. Some are in poetic verse, and others in prose. There are plays, particularly from Alzirgos where some stories spread fastest, about the events, and so too are there multiple epic poems, most notably the Modaslied and the subsequent semi-sequel, about Admus and Esme's journey. A legend has been said about Dafydd of Paro, one of the Korvian warriors who was not particularly notable during the war, which states he survived the fighting and went on to become King of the Korvian City, uniting the culture of Paro back with the old Korvian nation that outlasted it. This is another epic poem, and another record of the events of the war from another perspective.
Workris Galkan by Jarhed
"While there is no denying that there was once a war between Korvians and Dwarves, and that great men and women died in the combat, I cannot attest to the details. There were so few survivors, and the accounts of only a handful of individuals is as worthless to historical records as the sound of the wind. Know this: there once lived a Dwarf named Mehldar, and a Korvian named Cerys. There once was a war that sparked because of them, and now there is a mass grave known as the Modan Peninsula, which holds secrets we may never know of what truly occurred between those two armies. We may only speculate and dream, but we may never know."
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