The Great War… where do I even start? There’s so much to talk about, so much to share—especially for those who haven’t even heard of it yet! Let me just begin with some basics.
There were actually two wars of unimaginable proportions, though one of them occurred many thousands of years ago. I don’t know much about that ancient conflict, but for context, I will provide some details about it as well.
A long, long time ago, the world was sharply divided in two. To the east there were the high elves, now known as the kingdom of Elarinor, and to the west, an evil, demonic race. Both sides were highly skilled in magic. While they mostly kept to themselves, the demons were fiercely territorial and sought to expand their domain. This led to an all-out war in the land in between these two civilizations, a region that is now known as the Forsaken Lands. A barren wasteland that was left scarred by that conflict, scars that can be seen even now.
Ultimately, the elves triumphed, who resorted to immensely powerful magic. They sealed their enemies away in a separate realm, leaving only a small breach through which no more than a handful could pass through at once. That breach has been heavily guarded ever since. Occasionally, creatures would slip through but were swiftly dealt with.
These beings, along with all others trapped in the Realm of the Banished, came to be known as the Daelzhar. Unfortunately, the spell that sealed the demons away also pulled in other races and creatures—collateral damage from the immense power unleashed by the elves. As a result, the Daelzhar now include not only demons, but also corrupted elves and various other beings.
For millennia, everything remained calm. The Daelzhar were seen as a scattered, divided people now, unable to escape the spell that kept them sealed away. However, little was known about their activities within the Realm of the Banished. That changed about a hundred years ago, when the Daelzhar found ways to breach from their prison and return to our world. In secret, several breaches opened, allowing them to escape and form a massive army, led by several powerful generals of demonic origin.
The initial attack caught everyone by surprise. The outer edges of the kingdom of Elarinor came under assault, and the capital—a sprawling city on the edge of the great ocean—was soon threatened. By this time, other races had advanced further, allowing the elves to forge alliances with several human tribes that lived scattered along the northern edge of the continent. The well-renowned knights of The Ironfell came to their aid, as well as powerful mages from The Blightforged, the human tribe that dabbles in Daelzhar magic.
Even so, the Daelzhar were powerful—far too powerful. Once thought to be scattered and divided, they united under one rule, serving some of these demonic creatures that by now would be many thousands of years old. Ancient creatures that were banished from their own world. The taste of defeat those many, many years ago, still fresh in their maw. They wanted revenge, to reclaim their land, and to put an end to the elven kingdom. I would get more into the Daelzhar specifically, but I’ll share that in the future, as there’s a lot to share about those awful beings!
The combined forces of the elves and humans were pushed back further and further, with the Daelzhar advancing on to the great wall surrounding the Elarinor’s capital rapidly. It was during this time that a small group of elves, my ancestors and the elders of my village, decided to strike a deal with the Daelzhar. Times were desperate, and being able to obtain something powerful would likely give one side the edge over the other. From this pact, a very skilled elven blacksmith forged a bow infused with the soul of a powerful fallen demon—the bow that I now carry and will tell you all about in the future.
It might sound a bit strange that a single weapon could end a war, but this bow fired arrows of pure concentrated magic, capable of piercing the magical barriers that made the ancient demons nearly invincible. With it, key targets among the Daelzhar fell, and their armies were shattered. Many retreated back into the Realm of the Banished; the rest were eradicated.
Of course, such a powerful weapon came at a cost. The brave elf who wielded it, Ysildea, the greatest archer to ever walk these lands—lost her life in the process. I never got to know her, something I truly regret… Knowing her gemstone used wind-based magic just like mine makes me relate to her much more strongly.
By the end, tens of thousands of lives were lost, and entire communities were wiped out. So now, you see why I despise those wretched Daelzhar? If any of them cross my path, I will not hesitate to strike.