The Elder War

The Elder War was a near-global millenia-long conflict that took place between 10,000 and 12,000 years ago, when Elura, Gods, Demigods, Elemental Lords, members of the Pantheon of Amara, Coldreach, and the Vel'oran Empire, all fought against Vecna and his forces to regain control of the Material Plane and trap him using the Dragonstar and a time loop spell on the island of Zestanzond. The war saw the deaths of millions, including several Gods and Demigods killed by Vecna, and in the aftermath Elura was forced to return to her crystal form underneath Essinore to reserve her energy and keep permanent concentration on the time loop spell to ensure Vecna could never escape.

Vecna's Arrival
Around 12,000 BDC (Before Dawn Calendar), Vecna arrived on the material plane. His presence was immediately felt by Elura. It is believed that the two then met at the peak of the mountain that would later be named Vevristforth, in Farholme. After Vecna announced his intentions to conquer the material plane to her, the two briefly fought, but soon realised that their power was equally matched, and so combat between them would only result in the destruction of the world. The brief skirmish decimated the mountain, partially destroying the summit to create the Three Peaks, and causing great chasms to develop beneath it, which would eventually be used to become the dwarven capital city. Dwarves had not yet arrived on the continent of Amara and would not for several more millenia when their ancestors arrived from the Land of Always Cold.

Due to the stalemate, Elura went back to Essinore to consider Vecna’s presence with her Elves, whilst Vecna retreated to Zestanzond, an isolated island continent in the Great Ocean. Later analysis of the following events that would evolve into all-out war indicated that Elura was unaware of Vecna moving to Zestanzond, whilst some historians also believe that Elura may have considered that Vecna had left the material plane altogether after their battle.

A Tense Few Years
Nearly one hundred years passed until Elura and Vecna would interact again. A further generation of Elves had been born and much effort was made to ensure Vel’oran’s forces grew due to Elura’s warnings and the threat of Vecna. Accounts from this time show that around the time of Vecna’s arrival, Vel’oran’s standing army was around 40,000 strong, which had increased to 75,000 in the next one hundred years, compared to a total Imperial population of around 110,000.

The Battle of Zestanzond
Following the total annihilation of the remaining Orcish Tribes still left on Amara, Vel’oran amassed the largest physical fleet of ships ever seen. All of Elura’s remaining forces, including Vel’oran, Coldreach, and the remaining members of the Pantheon, sailed south to Zestanzond for what would be the final conflict of the war.

Elura knew that her forces, even collectively, could not physically defeat Vecna, nor would a banishment spell be effective due to his power. Elura did not share this information with any of her commanders, believing this would affect the morale of her forces. Elura instead planned to trap Vecna eternally on the island using the Dragonstar and a time loop spell of her own design, knowing that this would require concentration for the rest of time. Elura shared this plan only with the Emperor of Vel’oran, Essin’amar, the Pantheon of Amara, and Run’de’makras, the Lord of Coldreach, to ensure her crystal form was transported safely back to Essinore and sufficiently guarded.

The first assault of the battle was by Coldreach, as the dragons led an aerial assault to burn Orcish settlements and make way for ground forces to land across the coast.