The Great Magic War
The Rising Age was defined by the expansion of human rule and the formation of the seven dukedoms of Valon under the High king in Miraland. As centralized power grew, so did fear of uncontrolled magic. Laws began to restrict arcane practices, leading to systemic discrimination against magic users and races tied to magical ancestry—particularly dragons, dragonborn, tieflings, and others viewed as chaotic or unnatural.
At the heart of the resistance rose Yiyi, later dubbed the Witch of the North. A prophet of Urdall and an extraordinarily powerful sorceress, she had long suffered under such oppression. Preaching freedom of magic and acceptance of magical beings, she called upon ancient allies from the north and east. Chief among them were the ancient chromatic dragons who had slumbered or withdrawn from the world: Bizud Eternal Fire (red), Ryllaeled the Scary , Ietulth the Hungry (white), Orsyri, Bringer of Death (black), and Peomer, Lord of the Green (green). The continent of Eslira, long a haven for magic users, openly joined Yiyi's cause.
Opposing them was the alliance of the Valon dukedoms: Miraland, Escya, Erellon, and Falenora, led by High King Golmund Crovan the Great. The alliance's greatest arcane champion was Evriras, the Wizard of the South, riding the ancient gold dragon Cyrdiar the Great. While history books describe him as a loyal guardian of order, evidence suggests Evriras employed extensive necromancy and sought lichdom by exploiting Yiyi’s powers. This truth was later buried by the victors of the war.
The Conflict
The Engagement
Initial Assaults: The war began with coordinated draconic strikes against infrastructure and magical centers in Valon. Ryllaeled devastated Widton and Silvercreek Piers, resulting in thousands of casualties.
Fall of the High King: Yiyi confronted Golmund Crovan directly in Newmire and turned him into a living tree at the heart of the city. His son, Gyffard Crovan the Fierce, assumed control of the alliance and vowed vengeance.
Rise of Evriras: Presenting himself as a stabilizing force, Evriras led numerous counteroffensives, raising the dead to bolster the alliance armies. He was instrumental in driving back Bizud's forces and personally oversaw the capture of Yiyi.
The Betrayal of History: While Yiyi was in truth imprisoned within the Realm of Time by Evriras, the public was told she had been destroyed. Her name was stricken from monuments, and her cause branded as heretical madness.
Aftermath
The war ended with the presumed death of Yiyi and the withdrawal or destruction of her draconic allies. Miraland responded by banning all arcane magic. Escya, though less extreme, placed its mages under strict oversight. Only Falenora retained its magical freedoms, after its queen Inastina Thaoro Teuivae threatened Gyffard if he imposed further restrictions. The new era was named the Cleansing Age, defined by the purging of magic users and bloodlines connected to dragons.
Discrimination against dragonborn and exotic races grew, and public reverence for dragons plummeted. Eslira, however, continued to honor Yiyi’s vision. Its ruling house descends from Orsyri, one of Yiyi’s dragon allies. Huichon, isolated across the sea, still reveres the dragons as semi-divine beings.
Historical Significance
Legacy
While the Valonic histories describe the Great Magic War as a heroic suppression of magical tyranny, many modern scholars argue that the truth was far more complex. The extensive archives in Widton, partially destroyed and heavily censored, hint at missing chapters. Survivors speak in whispers of Evriras the Lich, of Ryllaeled lurking in the Crimson Desert, and of Yiyi, still watching from beyond time.
The war reshaped Ebbavion forever - not only in politics and magic, but in the very fabric of myth and memory.
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