Crown of Blood

A Brief History of War

With the dawn of man came the dawn of war.

Once man acknowledged that he could have more if he killed the man next to him, war became the means by which empires were built and raised.

But war cannot be waged alone. So with it came the need for alliance and strategies that would ensure victory. With it came the next conundrum. Who was friend and who was foe?

For the ancestors of Iride, the foes were the strange fair men from across the mountains who wielded dangerous weapons made of cold, hard metal.

For the ancestors of Endir, it was the greedy farmers in the west who had more food than they could consume and who would rather squander it in lavish feasts than share it.

War was in their blood, for they did not wish to give up their resources. Both peoples merely wanted to keep what they had. Take what they did not. Become richer and more powerful than those before them. Than those next to them.

And thus, war ensued.

But long-term war is seldom sustainable. There were years of peace as each people evolved and strengthened their kingdoms. Gods, traditions and pride now joined the desire to have more as an engine for war. The enemies were no longer merely in possession of goods they coveted. They were also heretics, savages and barbarians.

New weapons, new strategies and plentiful armies made sure the art of war evolved as much as the warring civilizations.

However, not all men were fit for war. Merchants and bankers saw war as an impediment to their stability and business and retreated southwards to form the free cities of Talia where they survived solely on commerce and good understanding.

Then there were the people of Annora who descended from the old kings and considered that the wars should have ends, and theirs had run its course. Tired of greed and constant battle, the kings of old vowed to live only in peace and understanding.

Thus, Annora became another motive for dispute between Endir and Iride. In times of great famine, in order to secure their position as privileged kingdom, Iride traded their crops for the hand of the princess of Annora who would wed the crown prince of Iride. For this way, Iride would always have a descendant of the old kings on the throne.

Of course, it was easy to forget that the old kings used to be just as blood thirsty and as proud as the new ones. Tradition, however, has always been viewed through a veil of nostalgia and greatness.

Once the Pengranton line began in Iride, the war dwindled. The new kings did not covet war, but rather progress for their kingdom. For a brief time, trade with Endir was permitted in exchange for a ceasefire. During this time, both kingdom's flourished. Iride used the metal from the mountains to improve their tools, and Endir, now with a steady supply of crops, could focus on art and improving their own trade.

For a brief period of time, it seemed possible for the drums of war to be silenced.

Then came the famine.

For seven years, a scorching sun and lack of rain made it difficult for Iride to grow enough crops to feed its own people. Trade with Endir, Annora or Talia became impossible. In return, each of the three countries stopped supplying Iride. Only Endir saw it as an act of war.

It was at that time that magic invaded the land as the war between fairies and fae became known to men.

Iride saw it as a cause for their great misfortune. It was magic which had dried the lands and the skies and sent ravenous monsters to the outskirts of their villages.

Endir saw it as a sign that it was time to finish the war that started centuries ago. Encouraged by the fae Lucille, Endir's Witch King attacked Iride and the magical war began.

A war ended once the brave king of Iride took the sacrifice upon himself to destroy the Witch King.

Left without their king and with their heir missing, the soldiers of Endir retreated beyond their borders, waiting.

Iride closed off from magic and trade and tried to hide the injustices done to the Pengranton line.

On the outside, all was well.

On the inside, war brewed once more.

Then, the heir of Endir was found and her magic was terrible.

Then, the rightful heir of Iride retook his throne and his crown was made of blood.