A Brief History of War in Tamriel [Ready for BoT] [Added OB]

[Xui'al]

Lust, vengeance, honor, and fear have all been cornerstones for many of the wars that have ravaged Dawn's Beauty, our precious continent,over the years. Even though the wars have left abrasions on the skin of the land and deep cuts in the hearts of the beings involved, it is important to remember the causes and effects of the wars so as to provide future generations with the knowledge they will need to either start them or prevent them.

The Arnesian War proved to be a painful one for the Dunmer Imperial family in Morrowind. Because slavery is legal in Morrowind, unaligned slavers working with brigands and agents of the Dunmer Great House Dres have scoured the fetid and murky lands of Black Marsh for decades in search of Argonian slaves. Needless to say, the disposition of the slaves towards their masters is often less than cordial, and rebellions are common, although they rarely grow into anything more than the occasional skirmish. Small revolts are bound to turn into a large ones, and this one was no exception. The Empire was unable to intervene, as its true leadership was hidden away and was under the control of a faceless coward who deemed himself to be the most worthy of ruling Tamriel. Dunmer armies marched south as the raiding bands of freed Argonian slaves, with a few Khajiit among them, targeted the remote manor houses of wealthy Dres landowners. With every Dres killed, the ranks of the rebellious slaves grew until they were a capable and dangerous fighting force. Argonians ready for war emerged from the mist and marched north to aid their free brethren and battle the Dunmer. While the Argonians proved themselves early in the war, it didn't take long for the tides to turn. They reached the walls of Narsis and Tear, but were unable to breach them. Holding the cities under siege, the bulk of the Argonian force continued north where they met a large Dunmer army commanded by Symmachus. He was slain and Barenziah fled to Wayrest, only returning to Morrowind in more recent years. Llethan, a Hlaalu noble, took the throne and continued the war. Pushing the Argonians back into their swamps, Dres soldiers followed hard on their heels, annexing Argonian land. The Dunmer were unwilling to break off the fighting, but as anyone who has visited Argonia knows, the swamps themselves are impenetrable. Through guerilla warfare, the Argonians have successfully continued to struggle against the Dunmer for the return of their lands.

For over two-thousand years, the Maormer of Pyandonea have ravaged the coastlines of Summerset Isle, and occasionally those of Valenwood, causing misery and destruction. The Altmer soon learned that the most effective way to prevent the Maormer from causing harm to their island home was to stop them from reaching the beaches. Ancient visual texts in the Crystal Tower tell of a wealthy Altmer nobleman, Orgnum, who rebelled against the Altmer powers-that-be and was banished, along with his followers. However, not until 3E 110, when he launched an attack against Summerset, was it revealed that Orgnum still lived. Hoping for allies to assist her attack on the Septim line during the War of the Red Diamond (which is chronicled later), Queen Potema of Solitude, the so called "Wolf Queen," met with Orgnum and his retinue for their assistance in the war. Having no issues with attacking Summerset, all parties agreed on a plan and prepared for a massive invasion. The Psijic Order, however, was not pleased with the actions of Potema. Even though the Order was separated from their former associates of Summerset, they decided on a course of action. The result makes it difficult to call the War of the Isle an actual war, as it was over in a single battle that wasn't even really a battle. A freak storm blew up around the Maormer fleet, allegedly concocted by the magick of the Psijic Order, and annihilated them. The attack on Summerset Isle didn't continue, and little further information from Pyandonea has reached the ears of scholars or the general populous for almost 330 years.

The Siege of Orsinium, starting in 1E 950, is actually more of a war than the previously mentioned War of the Isle, even though its name doesn't reflect its severity. Displeased with the presence of the Orsimer, cities in High Rock and Hammerfell went to war against their neighbors. Marching north for King Joile of Daggerfall and over the Bjoulsae for Sentinel, along with soldiers from the Ansei Order of Diagna, the Nords struggled against the strong walls and arms of the Orcs for thirty years. Very little information still exists as to what happened during all those years, but given the war-torn history of the Iliac Bay, it is likely that the battles were nearly incessant. Eventually the walls of Orsinium fell and the city was razed, leaving very few survivors. Thus, the Orsimer won themselves respect among the 'civilized' people of Tamriel. Orcish soldiers proved that they were not simply bloodthirsty warriors who couldn't resist a charge, but steadfast and staunch defenders who were able to resist a siege by some of the most skilled and experienced warriors in all of Tamriel. The Orsimer proved the strength and hardiness of their warriors and their armorsmithing as well as their ability to contend with the other races of Tamriel. Because the city was pounded to dust by the tenacious and finally victorious armies, accounts the war are few and far between, which further bears witness to the prowess of the Orcs in battle. It is known that Gaiden Shinji, first Arena Blademaster and elite Diagnete, was killed during the fighting. Although it was the southern Iliac forces of Daggerfall and Sentinel that breached the walls and destroyed Orsinium, it was the Orsimer who won the battle in the hearts of the people of Tamriel, earning themselves acceptance and honor and their place on the continent.

The conquering Emperor Uriel Septim V started his campaign against the Akaviri almost 30 years before the invasion began by militarizing and conquering important targets. The most important of these was Esroniet, a small island kingdom off the east coast of Morrowind. Once Esroniet was secure, the warlike Emperor continued his quest for glory by enlarging the harbor and preparing the island for its new position as the staging area for his forces. Taking four legions with him--around 22,000 fighting men--he landed on the shores of Akavir. It is known that Uriel took a settlement from the Tsaesci, and it is believed that only a minute amount of actual skirmishing took place. The settlement was rechristened Septima and the Emperor pushed onward, taking a larger settlement in much the same way and renaming it as well. Ionith essentially became the capital of Imperial Akavir. Other than minor raids on the road between Septima and Ionith, there was little contact with the Akaviri. Once more cavalry arrived and the road was fortified, the attacks slowed. There was an isolated incident in which the Akaviri attempted to assassinate the Emperor, but it was thwarted by the Imperial soldiers of the Tenth Legion. Harsh weather continued to wreak havoc upon the fleet, and no supplies arrived during the winter of 288-289. At this point, the forces that held the invading army up were beginning to weaken. The road between the two cities was largely retaken by the Akaviri, making transportation almost impossible. Once the weather began to clear, it reached the ears of the Emperor that an army of Tsaesci was marshalling on the other side of the mountains north of Ionith. The Emperor marched his forces to the site and destroyed the Akaviri army, although the Imperial forces were harried and suffered heavy casualties on the retreat to Ionith. Ionith fell under siege and was taken shortly after, with Imperial forces falling back to Septima. Septima subsequently fell as well, and the remaining Imperial forces were able to escape back to Tamriel with almost no interference.