War of the Sunrise

Human Peninsula

The malgrove attacked Arlint and Osolette simultaneously wading into and scaling walls with ease, easily killing any they could get their hands on along the way. With limbs like bludgeoning clubs or impaling spikes the surprisingly swift and agile plants crushed and tore their way through buildings where screaming humans didn't stand a chance. Arlint faired better in the assault, their soldiers being trained with fire arrows which were particularly effective against the invading plants; however, shortly after the attack began the waters of Arlint Bay started to churn as thousands of tentacled volokatchen rushed the surface and started attacking ships. Smaller craft like fishing boats and light warships were simply torn apart as one or a small group pulled with immense force on either side, larger ships found their decks being invaded as the creatures climbed the hulls and slipped over the railing to attack with steel spike capped fore-tentacles, or grab and pull nearby sailors overboard to be devoured in the shark filled waters. It was this day that humanity learned it was not alone as a sentient species on the planet.   For days the attacks continued with humans fighting back as hard as they could during the day and resting when they could at night. It was noted that while bizarre in structure, the malgrove had created a camp just inside the tree-line of the Coldmist Forest, and even they kept fires bright enough to holdback the strange mist at night. The volokatchen seemed to be less inclined to cease fighting after the sun went down, but could only remain out of the water for a short time before needing to return to the sea.   In Osolette the malgrove pushed through the southern side of the city with ease and crossed the river on the second day. Being overwhelmed, as the newly washed faces of the lanky wood and flora creatures crested the river bank, City Watch and rebellious citizens alike laid down their arms. Seeing the surrender the malgrove stopped and one asked in accented, but clearly human, speech: "Do you yield?"

Elasayn Basin

Far to the south of the human cities a species known to most as the Karn had also heard the cry for help from the volokatchen. For eons the karn had been the enemy of the volokatchen, and upon hearing the call for help and news of starvation in the underwater cities, waited until they were at their most vulnerable before launching an all scale attack into the rivers of the Marsh Coast and the volokatchen villages therein.   The malgrove responded to the karn with equal force as they used against the starving at home population of the volokatchen. They waded into the rivers waters and began dispatching karn units with similar ease and strategy as they did the humans in the north, ripping off legs and tearing through thick carapace with the same effortlessness of a rock cracking a walnut.

When a man of the Osolette City Watch answered yes to the question of whether or not they would yield the malgrove immediately pulled the humans to their feet and let them get to the work of rebuilding, saying as long as the humans did not raise arms then the malgrove would remain peacefully until their business in Arlint was finished.   Emporer Hrodgier in Arlint led the final assault against the cephalopod army that continued to pour into the now over run port. The freshly rallied humans pushed back against the volokatchen throughout the morning and were seen to be gaining ground by mid day. That was until a group of malgrove pushed through the city in the east and through the warehouse district where they caught the humans from behind. It is said that Emperor Hrodgier looked down at the bloodied branch protruding from his check and shivered before he died.     It was only after Malgrove intervention that the attacks stopped.

For Humans, Malgrove, Volokatchen, Karn, and as it turned out nearly a dozen other species, the meeting of humanity with the wider world was seen as a new age for the planet, an age that some look at as an expansion opportunity to move toward a golden future, while others such as the malgrove see it as an age where harmony was disrupted in the world. Good or bad, leading to golden or blood red, it was of no debate that the new and 3rd age of the world had begun.