History of the Eastern Wars of Expansion

Excerpted from "The History of the World" by the eminent Southern scholar, Gascon Scot

The Eastern Empire emerged within the last hundred years. Previously a minor coastal city-state called Welland, the Empire won a series of wars among the eastern human states and redubbed itself the Empire of Eldro, although it is often called the Eastern Empire.

According to the myths and folklore of Welland, the god, Finley, was a mortal and paladin of Eldro who resided in the capitol of Welland. By performing a series of heroic feats, Finley won the throne of Welland and, subsequently, the affection of Eldro. His reign over Welland is heralded as the golden age of the empire, and it coincides with the first era of Eastern expansion. Finley is said to have lead the armies of Welland against many foes, and artists of all sorts portray Finley as a conqueror.

On the day of the new year, 433 in the Eastern common calendar, Eldro is said to have raised Finley to his hand and transformed him into a demigod. In celebration, the Eastern generals cosntructed a massive palace in the capitol city, and Finley returned to his people to act as an instrument and intermediary of Eldro. Finley is said never to leave the palace, but the generals of the empire report directly to Finley.

Not long after Finley's ascension, the Empire initiated another wave of expansion and violence. The Elven kingdom in the East, long at peace with the surrounding human communities, was attacked by the armies of the East. In a long bloody war, the East finally pushed the elves out of the forests of the East. Not settling for merely defeating the Elven armies, the Easterners slaughtered all elves, but pockets of guerrilla Elven bands remain to this day. Allying with the Elves, the Dwarven kingdom of the north also fought, and is fighting, a protracted war with the East. Coinciding with the genocide of the Elves, the Empire targeted all non-human races within the empire.

Internally, the Empire launched a campaign of persecution of arcane magic practitioners. Wizards and any others suspected of the use of arcane magic were arrested, tortured, and killed.

The Elven kingdoms of the north, historically peaceful and accomodating to other peoples, were shocked by the developments in the East. Their loose organization did not lend itself well to a protracted war effort, and the elves suffered continuous defeat for many years.

In the year 512, the Elven kingdoms unified under a single council of Elven elders and a council-appointed warlord. By this time, the Elves in the east were lost, except for the few remaining guerrilla bands, and the Elves marshalled their forces in defense of the Dwarves. The Eastern armies had not stopped with the consolidation of power in the East; they assaulted the Dwarven strongholds.

The war stalled for another 15 years, as the humans experienced great difficulty in the Dwarven mountains. Years would sometimes pass without significant movement from either side, but time was on the side of the humans: their birthrate was greater than that of the Elves and Dwarves.

In the year 528, five years ago, the humans launched another wave of expansion, pushing the frontiers back in both the north and the south. In the north, the humans overwhelmed lesser Dwarven strongholds and laid siege to the Dwarven capitol. In the south, the Empire conquered several small city-states and kingdoms and looked poised to threaten even the Southern States, an alliance of maritime powers.