War of The Two Moons

The war erupted in 4200 BGW, immediately following the assassination of Queen Elaris Starleaf. Though the Duskborn denied responsibility, claiming the rogue assassins acted without the sanction of Draidiff’s ruling council, the High Elves would not accept such claims. King Elenion Starleaf, driven by grief and political pressure, declared war upon the Duskborn, vowing to purge their influence from the lands surrounding Lumispire.

On the night war was declared, Leyara—the Root of Magic—appeared on the edge of eternity, her luminous form hanging over the world like a second moon. This celestial event became the war’s namesake, remembered as the night the heavens watched as elvenkind tore itself apart.

The Long Conflict

The war unfolded not as a single campaign, but as a series of shadow wars, skirmishes, and bloody incursions that ebbed and flowed with the turning of the moons.

Key Moments:

• 4185 BGW – The Siege of the Starpath Groves: High Elven forces launched their first major offensive, driving Duskborn raiding parties deeper into the caverns beneath Draidiff. Though the High Elves destroyed several surface outposts, the Duskborn retaliated by summoning Naerdrith to hunt along the borders.
• 4100 BGW – The Shattering of Duskwatch: In response to High Elven aggression, Duskborn arcanists unleashed shadow magic upon the fort of Duskwatch, collapsing the leyline beneath it. The fort was consumed in a localized rift, leaving only a hollowed crater where once a thriving settlement stood.
• 3850 BGW – The Thornwood Pact: In desperation, High Elven commanders sealed the Hollowwood, believing that cutting off leyline access to the forest would starve the Naerdrith of power. This act severed vital connections between Lumispire and outer territories, further isolating the High Elves.
• 3450 BGW – Dwarven Intervention: As Duskborn raiders began targeting Dwarven trade routes and outposts, King Balrik Ironvein of Dumathar pledged limited aid to the High Elves. Dwarven engineers fortified key regions, while Dwarven-forged weapons flowed into High Elven hands.

Absence of the Wood Elves

Throughout the conflict, the Wood Elves of Mountainrun remained distant, watching as their kin descended into war. The leaders of Mountainrun—known as the Glenlords—believed the war to be the consequence of High Elven arrogance and Duskborn ambition, and they refused to spill elven blood on either side.

"The roots that drink blood bear poisoned fruit," declared Calen Theriel, the founder of Elvine, when petitioned to aid Lumispire.

Despite pressure from both factions, the Wood Elves withdrew deeper into Mountainrun’s groves, severing political ties with Lumispire for the duration of the war.

The Sealing of Draidiff – 3200 BGW

After nearly a millennium of conflict, both the High Elves and the Duskborn were weakened beyond recognition. The war had drained Lumispire’s resources and left much of the surrounding lands barren or corrupted by unchecked magic.

In 3200 BGW, the High Elves initiated the final act of the war—the Sealing of Draidiff. Using ancient leystone rituals, High Elven arcanists collapsed the primary entrances to Draidiff, burying vast sections of the underground city beneath enchanted stone.

Though the seal did not destroy Draidiff, it cut the Duskborn off from the surface world, forcing them into isolation. The few remaining surface Duskborn retreated into the deep places of the world, abandoning any claim to the lands above.

Aftermath

The Sealing of Draidiff ended the war but left elvenkind fractured:

• Lumispire withdrew from the world, focusing inward to heal from the losses sustained over the centuries. The High Elves became more insular, driven by the belief that the outside world—be it Duskborn, Human, or Dwarf—could not be trusted.
• The Duskborn nursed their hatred beneath the mountains, isolated but alive. Though the seal held, the whispers of Draidiff endured, and the Duskborn bided their time, believing the seal would not hold forever.
• The Wood Elves flourished, untouched by war, though their refusal to aid either side created lasting resentment among their High Elven kin.

The War of The Two Moons left a scar that ran deeper than the stone of Draidiff. Though the battles ended, the enmity between High Elf and Duskborn persisted, shaping the fate of elvenkind for millennia.

"We sealed them beneath stone, but the roots of shadow grow deep. One day, those roots will breach the surface, and we shall reap what we buried." – King Elenion Starleaf