War of Wrath
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(537-1541/2) The War of Wrath was a brutal conflict fought between the Silvar-Elves and the Dark-Elves which resulted in the destruction of the elven nation of Ectharë.

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Origins


The Elvish Civil War began when Lorynäe Anarivon; an ambitious priestess, murdered King Starion, and attempted to usurp the Eternal Throne.

Her followers then battled with elvish loyalists for nearly a thousand years. The elves who rebelled became known as "Dark-Elves" or "Drow."

For many years the elven loyalists were led by Starion’s son; Ismelian, who swore vengeance for his father’s murder and vowed to eradicate the Dark-Elves.

Refusal from the Dwarves


During the early years of the War, the Elves were desperate for aid. So, they sent emissaries to the leaders of both the Deep-Dwarves and the Red-Dwarves.

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Despite their pleas, the dwarves refused to take any part in the conflict, because they were still bitter over the Synfari's earlier refusal to grant them the gift of Magic.

This refusal both hurt and angered the elves, and caused a mutual mistrust between the two races which has persisted to this very day.

Battle of Saravôsh


Over the next several centuries, Ismelian's forces won many victories against the Dark-Elves, who were pushed further and further. back into the East.

The Elder-Elves finally began a siege of the Drow capital of Saravôsh, a campaign which lasted for over 100 years and cost thousands of lives.

Eventually, Lorynäe realized her forces were on the verge of defeat. She then devised a devious plan, ordering most of her followers to secretly leave the city and take refuge deep underground.

Once Ismelian’s army breached the city walls, the Drow rear-guard set off a “doomsday” device that unleashed a tremendous magical explosion which destroyed the city and every living soul in the vicinity.

Sadly, King Ismelian was vaporized along with his entire army. Luckily, his son Talarion was not present or he would have been slain as well.

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Consequences of the Explosion


The massive explosion triggered by the Drow had many unforeseen consequences.

First, a huge chasm was created in the ground that came to be called "Grôn."

Second was an effect called “Ashfall;” a poisoning of the air and ground in the East that lasted for centuries.

Third, was the “Taint;” a sickness that affected all living things that remained in the East. The Taint primarily affected the Dark-Elves; their hair turned white, their skin turned black, and they could no longer tolerate sunlight. Their appearance has remained this way up until the present day.

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Creation of the Gauth


Even after the terrible tragedy of Saravôsh, the War was not over. Both sides re-grouped and prepared their next moves. The Silvar-Elves; now led by Talarion “Brightstar” Alessarë, launched new military campaigns farther east to capture more Drow territory. The Dark-Elves responded by breeding an entire race of hybrid elf-human soldiers called the “Gauth.”

These Gauth were similar in appearance to the Drow, and were capable fighters and magic-users. The Silvar soon learned the bitter lesson that the Gauth could be just as cruel and treacherous foes as their Drow masters. These Gauth legions took a frightful toll on the elven armies, whose soldiers were already weary from centuries of fighting.

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Battle of Grôn


Largely due to the heroics of Talarion Brightstar, the Silvar-Elves eventually gained the upper hand in the war. It is said that Talarion fought in a hundred battles and won every single one. As their legions of Drow, Gauth, and Orc soldiers were decimated, the Dark-Elven leadership began a fighting retreat underground.

The Drow made their last stand at the very crater that they had created by blowing up the city of Saravôsh. This epic campaign became known as the battle of the Grôn Chasm. Here, the Dark-Elves and their allies fought a fanatical rear-guard action, while the great majority of the Drow made their way safely down into the chasm.

During one of the final skirmishes, King Talarion himself was slain in a Drow ambush. Shortly afterward, the surviving Dark-Elves fled underground forever and their Gauth and orc minions were scattered across the lands pf eastern Corwyn. With Talarion slain, the Silvar-Elves were exhausted and demoralized; they had no will to pursue the Drow any further. Therefore, after a thousand years of bitter fighting, hostilities finally ended.

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LEGACIES OF THE WAR


The War of Wrath shattered the Continent of Corwyn forever; permanently altering whole civilizations, races, and even its geography. Today, many of these effects are still felt thousands of years later. The legacies of the War of Wrath are listed below.

The Sundering


One tragic effect of War of Wrath was the “Sundering;” the division of the elvish race on Corwyn into three smaller elvish sub-races, each of which had their own homeland. After the death of Talarion Brightstar, the Silvar-Elves began to quarrel among themselves. These quarrels ultimately led to the collapse of the elven nation of Ectharë and a three-way division of the Silvar. The Elder-Elves broke into the three major sub-races of elves known on Corwyn today. These three groups were: The Grey-Elves; who founded Wyntharë, the High-Elves; who founded Melinarë, and the Wood-Elves; who founded Thekarë.

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The Taint


Another effect of the War of Wrath was the “Taint.” The magical explosion unleashed by the Drow on Saravôsh blotted out the sun for over a century, and poisoned the very soil of the East. It caused both the Drow and the Gauth races to transform into their present-day appearance, and that affliction has remained to the present day. Today, even humans of Adari ethnicity are affected with its symptoms.

Rise of Alokkair


Another effect of the war was the rise of Alokkair; one of the great enemies of the West. Alokkair was himself a Gauth sorcerer who served the Dark-Elves for many years. When they were defeated, Alokkair and the other surviving Gauth were scattered across eastern Corwyn. As a result, Alokkair swore revenge upon the elves and the other peoples of the West who had defeated and humiliated his Drow masters. He and his followers would continue to cause carnage and destruction for the next two Ages on Corwyn.

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