“Great advantage flows to the commander who first recognizes the commencement of hostilities, then acts decisively and with overwhelming vigor.”
— Analects of War by Karrn the Conqueror King Jarot’s eldest scion was his daughter Princess Mishann, who ruled Cyre as its princess- governor. The second oldest was Prince Thalin of Thrane. He was widely rumored to be considered for the title of regent, since Mishann had been a bit wild in her youth—wild enough to frighten some of the more staid nobles of the kingdom. Thus, both Mishann and Thalin thought they might be named supreme ruler of Galifar upon Jarot’s death.
But King Jarot gave only Mishann his blessing when he lay on his deathbed in Thronehold in 894 YK. The king bade his son Prince Wrogar of Aundair, who was there at the time, to support his choice. Wrogar gave an oath to his father that he would support his sister’s claim to the Galifaran throne. Prince Thalin, Prince Kaius of Karrnath, and Princess Wroann of Breland were not present at the king’s death, and were bound by no similar pledges.
At Jarot’s state funeral in Thronehold shortly thereafter, Mishann approached her siblings to discuss the details of her coronation as the new Queen of Galifar. Thalin, Kaius, and Wroann refused to listen, rejecting her succession. They vowed to pit their personal guards present in Thronehold against any such action. Wroann, in particular, declared that it was time for increased liberty and some measure of representative government for the people of Galifar, and that hidebound compliance with royal tradition was now inappropriate. Wrogar backed Mishann’s claim as he had sworn to do to his father, but the two of them had insufficient forces or, at that time, the desire to exert their will on their royal siblings by force.
The siblings and their retinues quit Thronehold with the succession issue wholly unresolved. In late 894 YK, Mishann formally declared herself the Queen of Cyre and United Galifar from her capital of Metrol. She also gave her blessing to Wrogar’s announcement that he would assume the title of King of Aundair. Queen Mishann then instructed her strongest supporters to gather at the Cyran port of Eston, the city where House Cannith maintained its headquarters of Whitehearth, to sail up Scions Sound to Thronehold. She sought coronation over the whole realm when she reached the island, but in truth invited only the nobles of Aundair and Cyre to attend.
Breland, Thrane, and Karrnath issued separate declarations challenging Mishann’s claim to the imperial island. The other ir’Wynarn rulers each decreed that they too would henceforth be
known as kings and queens of their respective nations. King Thalin and Queen Wroann mustered their house guards and previously retained mercenaries hired from House Deneith; Thrane and
Breland were ready to fight, in small numbers at least, within days. King Kaius I declared martial law in his kingdom and began mobilizing his warlords, but Karrnathi forces were still gathering when the outriders of his allies arrived on the shores of Scions Sound.
Even without Kaius I’s forces, Thrane and Breland’s troops outnumbered the opposition; Aundair and Cyre had been unable to combine their armies. Indeed, King Wrogar was rallying his beloved rangers from Aundair’s Eldeen hinterlands when he learned that Thalin and Wroann were marching to stop Mishann from claiming Thronehold and the Galifaran crown.
Reaching the Cyran port city of Eston on Scions Sound without incident, Queen Mishann set sail with a fleet largely composed of transports and merchant ships. Mishann truly did not expect her royal siblings to escalate the conflict into an all-out war and believed that her fellow rulers only wanted some concessions before they recognized her as the new Queen of Galifar. Still, when her vessels reached the area around Thronehold, the lookouts reported a powerful force arrayed against her. King Thalin had ordered the bulk of his Thrane ships to blockade the island. The advance
elements met, and the allies began attacking—and Mishann realized then to her horror that she would be forced to fight her family members for the throne she believed to be rightfully hers according to tradition and legal precedent.
Rather than risk her entire force on the waves, the Cyran queen turned her ships and slid into the southwestern leg of Scions Sound. The few Thrane ships patrolling their capital of Flamekeep’s harbor refused to challenge the Cyrans, and the Thrane Navy, with orders to secure Thronehold, did not pursue. Queen Mishann was able to bring her troops safely to land near Traelyn Bridge, south of Flamekeep. There, she learned of the combined Thrane and Brelish army moving to intercept her. Knowing she was outnumbered, Mishann turned north seeking to cross into Aundair and link up with King Wrogar’s troops.
894 YK
The Battle of the Galifar Heirs
The first major engagement of the Last War was fought on the western shore of Scions Sound, just south of Thrane’s capital of Flamekeep. By moving quickly, King Thalin and Queen Wroann caught the outmanned forces of Cyre as they gathered on the road west of Traelyn Bridge. Thalin was eager to strike the first blow; he, after all, had spoken loudest against the succession, claiming his “divine right” of kingship. He was also on his home ground. With 500 heavy infantry, 800 lightly
armored knights, and 2,000 peasant levies at Thalin’s command, his was by far the most dominating force. Breland had brought only the Queen’s Swords, an elite force of 150 heavy infantry, and the Free Company of Archers, a group of 200 longbowmen. In all, the newly declared Queen of Galifar faced over 3,500 enemies.
By contrast, Cyre had mustered only the 200 elite cavalry of the Queen’s Guard and the 500 heavy halberdiers of her Honor Guard. In hostile territory far from the Aundairian border, Mishann realized that she would be decimated whether she fled or stood her ground. Still, she prepared to sell herself and her forces dearly. Miraculously, King Wrogar’s druidic Wardens of the Wood arrived at the Cyran camp from the Eldeen Reaches by magical means, passing without trace to appear in full battle order. His forces included some 1,000 Eldeen elves, druids, and centaurs all serving the
Aundairian cause. Although the loyalist forces were still outnumbered, the outcome of the battle was no longer a foregone conclusion. The two armies lined up, heralds met and exchanged challenges, and finally, about noon, the armies clashed.
The Queen’s Swords of Breland engaged directly with the Queen’s Guard of Cyre, and a rumor circulated that Breland’s Wroann had been slain (she was only wounded). The Aundairian forces rained arrows and primal magic upon Thrane’s peasant levies, and the undisciplined troops soon broke and ran. Still, Cyre and Aundair had no answer for King Thalin’s heavy Thrane cavalry, some of the best mounted troops on the continent. Their thunderous charge after the peasants broke smashed into the left flank of the Cyran army and scattered the druids of the Wardens of the Wood.
The arrival of Aundair’s force, led by their ferocious bear-like king, had made a difference, however. His troops allowed the Cyrans to retreat in good order to the south. The next morning, the Karrnathi forces of Kaius I arrived, too late. The militant Karrns had missed the first battle, much to their new king’s displeasure. His riders pursued the Cyran and Aundairian forces, but to no avail. Mishann and her remaining Cyran troops crossed Scions Sound north of Aruldusk and reformed in the fortress at Eston. The queen ordered most of the army to hold the city, maintaining it as a staging ground, ensuring that House Cannith’s base of operations remained intact, and preserving access to crucial iron and adamantine sources. She then returned to Metrol to oversee the mustering of greater armies.
As mentioned, Galifar was divided into five semiautonomous regions throughout its history. Still, centuries of unity did have an impact on the politics and economics of the continent of
Khorvaire. A full understanding of the course of the war, particularly in its early years, requires a discussion of those interdependencies.
Much has been written about Karrnathi military prowess; it has long been the defining feature of that nation since the days of Karrn the Conqueror. The most influential military minds of Galifar were schooled in the Royal Military Academy at Rekkenmark before the war. This meant that strategy and tactics, much of it derived from the writings of Karrn the Conqueror in his Analects of
War, were relatively uniform throughout Galifar. Karrnath also produced steadfast and hard-working
laborers. Although led by others in most cases, many of Galifar’s major construction projects, including the miles of lightning rail, owed a great deal to Karrn workers. Karrnath’s greatest weakness was food. Although competent producers of meat, wine, and dairy products, Karrnath’s people were highly dependent on grains and other imports from elsewhere in more temperate regions of Khorvaire with longer growing seasons.
Aundairian excellence was as renowned as Karrnathi arms, particularly in the arena of magic. Embodied by the Arcane Congress, Aundair has long been a symbol of arcane accomplishment. Less well-known, but no less important, were the skilled Aundairian craftsmen. True crafters and scholars in nearly every field could be found among the villages of that northern nation. Aundair was also one of the two “breadbaskets” of Galifar. The Eldeen Reaches and those lands bordering it have always been bountiful. The nation’s greatest weaknesses were a small population and an arrogance among its leaders. This situation resulted in a significant cultural divide between “the gentry” of the Aundairian east and “those closer to the natural order” in the kingdom’s west.
Thrane, the other major prewar exporter of food stuffs, saw itself as the heart of Galifar. Centrally located, this vastly fertile land overflowed with dedicated and passionate people. For the most part a nation of farmers, the populace embraced the “new” religion of the Church of the Silver Flame and attempted to bring “good” into all aspects of their lives. At times intolerant, Thrane was more often generous and gregarious. Although the Knights of Thrane formed a proud and elite force, the country was not strong militarily. No natural barriers existed, and the majority of the people saw no need to make the tough sacrifices that others, particularly the Karrns, saw as part of daily life.
Breland had long kept itself apart from the majority of Galifar. Despite boasting the continent’s largest city, Breland was considered a relatively backward and unfashionable place. A Cyran poet named it “a nation of tinkerers and free-thinkerers.” For their part, the Brelish saw the other nations as overly bound by tradition and far too concerned with appearances. Then again, Breland could afford to adopt an outsider’s perspective. Her abundant lands contained fertile fields and vast natural resources. The nation boasted widespread light industry and a large and skilled labor force. Self-sufficiency was the Brelish creed. Breland’s weaknesses stemmed from its lack of interest
or understanding of the other nations, and its reluctance to involve itself in “outside” affairs. Truly, Breland was the sleeping giant of Galifar.
Wondrous Cyre was the soul of Galifar. Cyran appreciation spread the length and breadth of the continent, setting standards and aspirations for everyone who considered themselves a part of the empire. Cyran bards, poets, writers, artisans, and scholars poured out a constant stream of creative endeavors, some of them truly brilliant. This cultural hegemony was matched in the arena of diplomacy and negotiation. Cyran administrators, liaisons, lawyers and judges could be found throughout Galifar, settling disputes and bridging divides. Cyre also contained sufficiently fertile lands and, given the House Cannith home city of Eston, her top-level industry was unmatched. On the other hand, the nation was weak militarily, relying on local police forces, Deneith mercenaries, and Karrnathi soldiers to keep the peace. Cyre was also supremely arrogant; it was accustomed to issuing orders and having others comply. Thus was the empire interconnected. Against this background, the Last War was fought.
895 YK
Diplomacy’s First Failures
Thinking that a negotiated settlement might still be possible, Queen Mishann sought an end to the fighting. She and King Wrogar proposed a simple partition of the united Kingdom of Galifar into two or three kingdoms. Kaius I, as yet deprived of the glory of battle, sabotaged the entire effort, urging his allies—Thrane and Breland—to reject the treaties. The only lasting result of the months of “peaceseeking” was to allow expatriates from every kingdom to return home, some just ahead of overzealous and nationalistic locals.
The talks broke off when Thrane, Karrnath, and Breland laid siege to the Cyran city of Eston in the first extended campaign of the war. King Thalin wanted no more Cyran expeditions launching themselves from that port on Scions Sound against his capital of Flamekeep, and was concerned with the force already established there. The siege initially went well for the three allies, since Thrane and Breland controlled the sea lanes (the bulk of the Aundairian Navy was engaged with Karrnath in a struggle for control of Scions Sound in the north). Still, House Cannith was responsible for much of Eston’s buildings and defense works and, not surprisingly, the dragonmarked house had rendered the city nigh impregnable. When King Wrogar’s Eldeen rangers staged yet another unexpected arrival in the west and cut the lightning rail supply lines at the Aruldusk station, a lack of supplies began limiting the attackers’ ability to launch sustained assaults.
Ultimately, the siege was doomed when the three usurpers began quarreling about who would sit upon the Galifaran throne. King Thalin of Thrane had already declared his divine right to the crown of Galifar, and Queen Wroann supported that claim, but only because she was promised greater liberties for all citizens and offered the title of Queen of Breland and Cyre. Kaius rejected Thalin’s claim, declaring that he, from the land of Karrn the Conqueror and Galifar I, should inherit the Galifaran crown. With the continued raids on their supply lines, distrust engendered by Kaius’ refusal to pledge himself to Thalin, word of a strong Cyran force approaching, and a powerful offensive sally by the emboldened city garrison of Eston, Thrane and Breland decided to cross back over Scions Sound and abandon the siege of Eston in 896 YK. Unable to maintain the stranglehold himself, Kaius I was forced to withdraw; again, he was denied honorable battle. The armies of Karrnath plundered and burned their way across northern Cyre in a fury, but retreated in the face of Cyran cavalry and heavy infantry who threatened Kaius I’s extended supply lines.
This falling-out at the first siege of Eston would prove to be merely the first of many among the Five Nations. All of King Jarot’s children had been born to rule, and had gained experience as rulers within the larger Galifaran empire. Each had supporters and plans for their own elevation to the throne. In truth, all five scions of Jarot were ill-tempered and accustomed to having things their own way. All had their excuses for hanging onto power, varying from divine right to greater experience to King Jarot’s favor to the defense of freedom and liberty. Jarot had encouraged his children to become powerful rulers, and he did not recognize that national and personal interests had aligned against the continued central control of the empire from Thronehold. The extreme stubbornness of Jarot’s children set many precedents and weakened any attempt at diplomacy throughout the years to come.
895 YK
Thalin’s Vision
Fueled by religious fervor, King Thalin believed his destiny was to rule far more than just Thrane. He could rely on powerful allies in the Church of the Silver Flame, and the feeling among the nobles of Thalin’s court at Flamekeep reinforced his sense of entitlement to the throne: Queen
Mishann was no more worthy, and far less pious, than he was. The people of Cyre, with their
debauchery and their emphasis on fashion rather than wisdom, could not possibly be led by a woman worthy of the throne.
Even so, the Thrane nobles, the Church of the Silver Flame, and the people were divided over how to proceed. Everyone looked for someone or something to confirm Thalin’s claim; most
Silver Flame, the Diet of Cardinals. The group was much too shrewd and conservative to take such a bold step, however. Thalin decided that he must act first. He needed to improve his secret network of informers, and so he quietly appointed a spymaster. The newly proclaimed King of Thrane also asked his most trusted dukes and barons to significantly expand their feudal armies. More publicly, he decided to strengthen his ties to the Church, so he underwent a ritual cleansing and vigil at the heart of the Church at its cathedral in Flamekeep. For twenty days, “Good King” Thalin fasted and prayed. On the twentieth day, he experienced a vision of the couatl, enfolding him in silvery feathers, opening his eyes, and showing him a land where silver fires sprang up in the eyes, hearts, and minds of every soul. He knew then that it was his destiny to bring the Flame to all the people of Khorvaire.
Mishann’s succession to the Galifaran throne was not just a mistake; it was blasphemy against the Silver Flame.
The proclamation of Thalin’s Vision caused immediate controversy throughout Galifar. Why did not Javor Daran, the Keeper of the Flame for over twenty years, experience this vision? The prelate’s power and skill had been tested, trusted, and understood for decades. Others saw nothing amiss with the Silver Flame granting the king spiritual strength; war loomed, and divine aid was most welcome. Cynics and skeptics—even within the Church itself—discounted the pronouncement, mocking it as “Thalin’s convenient vision of infallibility.” The Keeper of the Flame, a close family friend to the king, and the Cardinals did not formally condone Thalin’s Vision, but neither did they reject it. Internal debate over Thalin’s Vision all but ceased when Aundair moved aggressively, striking south along the shores of Lake Galifar. Aundairian forces quickly overran the least populated of Thrane’s territories—an area south of the city of Passage to the Blackcap Mountains and west