Demon War
The Demon War is an historic conflict which occurred in Western Oerik and lasted approximately 500 years.
History
The Demon War began about 1,500 years before 591 CY (or 1011 SE by reckoning of the Sundered Empire),[1] and ended approximately 1,000 years before 591 CY[2].
Though truly little is known about the Demon War, it was a pivotal junction for the development of nations afterward.
The architects of the war were Yeenoghu and Baphomet[3], who were cooperating at the time to invade the Material Plane. They sponsored gnolls and minotaurs, bolstering them with demons from the Abyss. At the beginning of the war, Abyssal Gateways suddenly sprang open in the forested elven lands. Without warning, thousands of wood elves were slain instantly. As the incursion progressed, the elves reached the verge of annihilation. Fires raged across the forests and only a small part of the forest would survive.[2] Peramil, an elven hero, risked his life to fly on a giant eagle to the mountain cities of the grey elves to request aid. Immediately, grey elven wizards engaged in the war and were flying above the enemy's forces scouting them out. Special units began to harry the demonic forces to prevent them from further gaining ground in the war. In almost no time 100,000 elven troops were sent out to engage the minotaurs and gnolls on the ground.
"At the height of the Demon War, Tiamat sent her chromatic dragons to aid the forces of Yeenoghu and Baphomet. This unholy alliance seemed all but unstoppable, despite the presence of Stratis on the battlefield."[4] For nine days, ash rained from the darkened say, then dragons came up from the Abyss laying havoc upon the armies of Good.[5]
In immediate response,[5] Bahamut arrived at the head of an incredible force of metallic dragons[6] and he "sent his dragons to fight for the cause of righteousness."[7] This was the upper hand the elves needed against the archfiends and the forces of evil. This swift reprisal to the involvement of Tiamat involved the aerial battle over the Plains of Edoira led by Galspad, a great golden wyrm.[5] The good dragons ambushed Tiamat's dragons, striking hard, and the dragons of the Abyss were overpowered. Both armies lost hundreds of dragons, resulting in the boneyard now known as Scalebane.[8] This turned the tide of the war, saving the elves from annihilation.[2]
With this divine help, the elves were able to push the demon army back. The demons were forced to flee back into their portals which were then sealed by the elves. Some remaining gnolls fled across the mountains and eventually became Naresh.[3]
End of the War
Once the portals were sealed, a divine mandate was given to the elves by Corellon Larethian—guarding the Abyssal Gateways to prevent any further incursions. The grey elves sealed up their mountain homes, carefully hiding and warding them with magic, and moved to build city-states with the gateways at their hearts. One incident occurred in 505 (85 CY) in Xanos in which a gateway was temporarily reopened.[2] Though the incident was quelled immediately, the violent engagement cost elven lives.
Bahamut strengthened this sacred duty by working with grey elven wizards to perform a ritual which created the felldrakes. Elven culture and society would change forever more, being linked with dragons and dragonkin. These city-states eventually became the Dragon Empire of Ravilla.
Aftermath of the War
The great Trees of Knowledge, repositories of lore for the wood elf people, were destroyed in the raging fires of the demon legions.[8]
The Demon War was so destructive, it wiped whole races from existence, most notably the Old Races. Evidence of their civilizations were likewise annihilated.[8]
The equicephs (one of the Old Races) were wiped out during the Demon War.[9] Some rare few were able to flee (or were exiled), and some descendants of the peaceful equicephs may now exist elsewhere on Oerik.[10] The only equicephs usually seen in Western Oerik are the skeletal remains of equicephs which now are forced to fight in Ahmut's Legion.
References
Notes
Citations
- ↑ Dragon magazine #295, p98.
- ↑ a b c d Dragon magazine #285, p94.
- ↑ a b Dragon Magazine #289, p110
- ↑ Dragon #296 (Jun 2002), p.100.
- ↑ a b c Fire & Ice - Set 3 Guidebook (2002), p.2.
- ↑ Dragon #285 (Jul 2001), p.93.
- ↑ Fire & Ice - Set 3 Guidebook (2002), p.3.
- ↑ a b c Blood & Darkness - Set 2 Guidebook. (2002), p.4.
- ↑ Fire & Ice - Set 3 Guidebook (2002), p.14.
- ↑ Miniatures Handbook (2003), p.61.
Bibliography
- Pramas, Chris. "Ahmut's Legion." Dragon #286. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2001.
- ———. "The Children of Nassica." Dragon #295. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2002.
- ———. "The Empire of Ravilla." Dragon #285. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2001.
- ———. "Exiles from the Vault." Dragon #298. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2002.
- ———. "The Gnolls of Naresh." Dragon #289. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2001.
- ———. "Underground Scenarios." Dragon #294. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2002.
- Tweet, Jonathan, Skaff Elias, Rob Heinsoo, Chris Pramas and Skip Williams. Set 2 Guidebook: Blood & Darkness. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2002. Item code 88010.
- Tweet, Jonathan, Skaff Elias, Rob Heinsoo, Chris Pramas and Skip Williams. Set 3 Guidebook: Fire & Ice. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2002. Item code 88580.
Encyclopedia Greyhawkania Index
The Encyclopedia Greyhawkania Index (EGI) is based on previous work of Jason Zavoda through '08, continued by numerous other fans. The EGI article has a list of sources, product names, abbreviations, and a link to the full, downloadable index.
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