Melhed/History/Age of Shadow/Summary/Pilgrimage War
Summary
The Pilgrimage of Obia'Syela to Keffa is stymied by Vordul Sanguinius only to in turn be rescued by Shattered Vales. In the end the Pilgrims arrive and the Emperor of Vordul Sanguinius falls.
Ramblings of an Elder
The end of the War of the Three Friends saw Lux Nova and the Shattered Vales fight with Obia'Syela, over reasons no one agrees over. The result was a marked decline in the influence of Obia'Syela's in the deep South of Beluaterra. Thus the elders continued the debate about the Pilgrimage to the original Holy City of Keffa. Thus it was agreed and the other nations gave their consent, save one: Vordul Sanguinius.
Emperor Xlair was displeased that he was not contacted about this plan as his nation had claimed the city of Keffa for eventual colonization. The resulting negotiations were cut short when the envoy of Obia'Syela was threatened and skirmishes broke out in Keffa between the pilgrims and the Vordulian. Thus a limited crusade was called to drive the Vordulians from the holy city. Alas this was not to be and soon the Emperor of Vordul Sanguinius declared a war of complete destruction.
The Obians had been wary of the Vordulians even before this and thus had worked to secure military support from the Vales before the move ever began. Thus with the personal help of Emperor Ehrich Weiss of the Vales, the first Vordulian assault on Keffa was fought off but Grandmistress Saoirse MacArbin, the Ruler of Obia'Syela, was captured.
In response the full forces of the Vales, under the leadership of Jecht Tideweaver, then marched north to assault the cursed city of Wudenkin to search for the imprisoned Grandmistress. The Vordulian army was caught out in the field, their capitol under siege leaving Emperor Xlair Silverblade to make a desperate gambit to throw out the invaders only to fall in battle against Jecht Tideweaver who claimed Xlair's lance.
Socked with the death of their god-emperor, and facing the prospect of the loss of their capital, the war was ended with the unconditional surrender of Vordul Sanguinius.
As Emperor Ehrich had fulfilled his goals he abdicated the throne, and Captain Crusader Jecht was elected Emperor of the Shattered Vales, further cementing the alliance with Obia'Syela who rapidly expanded their domain in the north. Meanwhile the Vordulians began discovering who they were with Xlair no longer among the living.
The Pilgrimage War was short, bt its consequences were dramatic for three realms, and the ripples from this have not yet been fully realized.
