The+Sundering+of+the+Veils

The Sundering of the Veils
//(as told by Bastian Vanier the Talekeeper)//

You'll find no book commonly that speaks of it nor any living soul who survived that hell who'll speak openly about of it, but the war that granted the Kadmians the realm of Sylvernas was a grim and fierce one, filled with death, bloodshed, and destruction. The "Sundering of the Veils" as they call it is just a pretty way of saying "chaos of man that swept the Freelands like hellfire".

It was broad day light when near eight thousand ships arrived on the unsuspecting shores of Sylvernas. Don't get me wrong, but after being at war with the southern kingdoms for a millenia, one would suppose we'd have seen it coming. However, it had been near fifty years since our last encounter, and all had seemed well with the political trades. That was, until the Kadmian Prince, Ophion Adrastus, was put on the Throne of the Five Kingdoms and united the whole of Kadmus. One foul swoop of his greedy hand, and war was upon the peaceful lands of the mythics.

They came, bearing weapons never before seen, wielding magics too powerful for even our dragons, and with armies out-numbering our soldiers at least ten-to-one each and every single bloody battle. Even angels fall, but when the Veils were taken, demons danced on the dead bodies of millions.

The Sundering took near fourty years, and millions of people died on either side. Massive cannons the size of dragons hurled flaming balls of iron into the soldiering masses of elves, dwarves and humans alike. No self-respecting Sylvernian would dare wield such filth. Swords, bows, and traditional magics were what we had, and the occasional burst of dragonfire. We should have killed our pride, and taken up the knowledges of the enemy. We were such fools.

A dark and dreary day it was when King Verron di Cor'Elestris of Bel Aman'dur was forced to relinquish his throne to the lords of Kadmus. The Kadmians had already killed his only son, and kidnapped his wife. Then, for the last push, they not only wanted his crown, but for his daughter to wed one of their own, so that their claim would be legitimate. Now, the High King was no sore loser, and neither was he a fool. He knew his lands were lost for now, but he refused to give up his people. Instead of giving them his daughter, he hid her among the common people, making a home for her where no one could find her. No one but his most trusted friend, Ademus Ka'Zurith the White Mage of Ethica. It's unknown of Ademus' origins, but its rumored he is older than any dragon, and holds more power than some of the gods. But then again, that's just a rumor. Something later whispered on the winds is that she fell in love with an Ehlessian dragon's son, and bore him a child. Now that's something for the Kadmians to choke on.

And choke they did. What some still don't understand is what happened afterward. The Kadmians had their trophy, Bel Aman'dur, the capitol city of all Sylvernas, they had killed so many good soldiers and mages, and had even won themselves every southern city from Sepryka to South Ashwick, from Ethica to Oriscina.... but they never pressed further. Our dragons had all but killed each other off when the Malkadians turned on the Ehlessians... The elves were trapped in their mighty forest, and the Fey, well, they weren't much for fighting in the first place... The dwarves were scarce and hid themselves away in the mountains.

The Kadmians just stopped their seige and began to settle in the burned and broken cities that had once belonged to the good people of Sylvernas. They had all the weapons gold could buy, all the soldiers to fight, and our women to breed them into even more magic. It's a mystery none can honestly answer to.

Can't really complain. Darned glad of their laziness. The Fey drew up a line separating Nys from Havenland, swearing all who entered without permission would vanish, not die but vanish. The elves set up their own kingdom, one that anyone not born of Athalian blood would have a difficult time finding. The dwarves, they hide in their mountains mining gods only know what, and the dragons... None can say for certain where they are. Not all dead, I hope. But then, hope is lost on these lands. You'll see their children, the Draconians, running about, and even their hated enemies, the Hissians. A fully fledged dragon is as rare as an ugly Illyrian. They're smart, though, so I suppose they're laying low until the time is right again to strike.

The Veils haven't been right either, since the wars. With that much blood, death, and destruction, I suppose nothing has been right.