The Malieran Wars is a book by Ethan Morfallow. It can be found in the Royal Library in Empo Sar.
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The Malieran Wars
by Ethan Morfallow
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Introduction
The last major human conflict on Aerath was between
the Emposian Kingdom and the Malieran Empire from
815-929. Of the many conflicts on Aerath over the
past thousand years, the Emposian-Malieran was the
most destructive and extensive, and at its peak,
brought both great powers to their knees.
The two powers of Emposia and Maliera had never
seen entirely eye-to-eye; their cultures separated
by small differences in lifestyle, social structure,
religion and magic use. Even prior to 814, which is
generally considered the beginning of the conflict,
relations between the Emposian Kingdom and the
Malieran Empire were poor. Tension still existed
regarding the assassination of King Eirim II in Sivaris in
727, along with numerous border disputes and various
other smaller political issues.
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Declaration of war
In the early 800s, the Malieran Empire began to expand
her territories into neighbouring regions, including
Corisia to the north and taking over some of the
southernmost Emposian territories. In one such move
the Emposian town of Fern was taken by the
Malierans. Queen Liranda gave the Malieran Empire an
ultimatum: to leave the Emposian Kingdom, or suffer
the consequences. Ignoring this threat, the Malieran
Empire moved additional forces into Fern. Shortly
after, on the fourth day of 815, Emposia declared war
upon Maliera.
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Growing conflict
A few skirmishes were fought In the years that
followed, however neither side truly wanted to
commit to open war, yet. However, in 818, an
assassination attempt on Liranda left the queen badly
wounded and her husband dead. Shortly after, the
Malieran Empire advanced southwards down into the
Emposian Kingdom. The brutal battles that followed
shed more noble blood than any conflict since the War
of Shadows. In 820, Princess Marianne was killed in
battle, rumoured to have been by the hand of Malieran
Emperor Niradar. As if in answer, only a few weeks
later, two Malieran princes were brought to untimely
deaths: Prince Larilmor killed in southern Milthorn and
Prince Meridin in the underground caverns of Korlayra.
These days of war were dark indeed.
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The winter push
During the winter of 825, Queen Liranda was able to
push Malieran forces back as far as Fern. However this
victory came at a great cost; it was during these
battles that the beloved Queen Liranda was slain. It is
said that she died cradled in the arms of her son and
successor, Aigelthin III having taken a mortal wound
from an unknown Malieran soldier during the heat of
the battle. Sources describe how many Malierans are
said to have tastelessly exploited this story, using it
as war propaganda which only heightened Emposian
fury and desperation for victory over Maliera.
Although tragic, of course, Liranda’s death may even
have aided the Emposian Kingdom in a sense. For her
death cemented the support of several groups of
Northwood Elves for Emposia, this prevented Maliera
from expanding much further west without spreading
out her armies even further. As the war progressed,
the size of battles gradually decreased, but they
became increasingly frequent. Guerilla warfare was
often adopted by both sides, which discouraged
large-scale battles, but also led to the war becoming
somewhat of a stalemate. Fortifications were
regularly taken and lost on both sides, with the need
for control over the regions of Milthorn and Korlayra
being especially important, as they separated the
centres of Emposia, in Empo Sar, and the Malieran
Empire, in Sivaris. The scars of war in those areas are
still present to this day.
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Truces made and truces broken
King Ailgeth II later died on the battle field in the year
887 by the hand of Malieran Emperor Filke and was
followed by his son Eirim III. King Eirim’s reign brought
with it the joining of Yethil into the Emposian
Kingdom, although it was unclear just how voluntary
this action was. Finally by the year 925, a truce was
agreed between the two powers. However this
agreement was broken less than a year later,
following the attempted assassination of Eirim III and
(also attempted) take over of Empo Sar by Malieran
soldiers under the command of the Malieran, Emperor
Riklaovis. In fact, the Emposians had been ready for
such a traitorous move from the Malierans and were
able to retaliate quickly. In addition, the breaking of
the truce by the Malierans was condemned by other
war-weary powers of Aerath. As a result, Maliera now
found herself under attack on several fronts; many
soldiers from the cities of Hecate and Deluthiel fought
beside them the kings of which had been angered by
the Malieran's breaking of the treaty and fought in
hope of a peaceful Aerath. This led to one of the
largest battles seen on Aerath since the Great War.
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Victory
Eventually the armies of the Malieran Empire were
forced to retreat after receiving huge losses. Emperor
Riklaovis died in an ambush and the rest of his army
fled back to Sivaris followed by the allied armies of
the Emposian Kingdom, Hecate and Deluthiel. Sivaris
was besieged and by the beginning of the year 929,
Maliera was finally overrun. The last remnants of the
Malieran Empire were conquered and annexed by the
Emposian Kingdom.
Finally, the Emposian-Malieran wars had come to an
end.
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Index