The Silv Wars:

While the first true conflict of the Silv Wars was in 1535, the root of the wars goes back much earlier, to the settlement of Aradhai, and the opening of trade between Iskitaan and the Cersilv. Traditionally, the Ricsilv acted as both guardians of the Cersilvan realms and as a relief valve for those individuals unable to cope with the rigid traditionalism of Cersilv culture. Rarely did individuals reject both, heading for the lowlands, and becoming Larsilv. With the opening of trade, and the increasing interaction between Silv and humans, the Cersilv began to notice a disturbing trend of rising numbers of younger elves “defecting” to human lands. Further concerns arose when the Cersilv realized that the Larsilv population in Iskitaan was far larger than they ever imagined. Of course, wherever there are large populations of Silv, there is the potential for large populations of Darsilv. And that concern led to the beginning of the conflict.

Having been led for centuries by a relatively liberal (by elven standards)Hign Triad, the balance began to change in 1479 when Koren Hightower was named successor to Nestilan Liaval, and became Third of the High Triad. Koren began a campaign aimed at educating the Larsilv of the dangers of the Nages, and instituting the ritual of Talstayvoweiar among them. Talstayvoweiar, the ritual used by the Cersilv to purge the Nages, was not well received among the Larsilv, but Koren’s efforts continued. In 1503, Koren became the Second of the High Triad. and his compatriot Dagres Saturo became the Third of the High Triad. With a like minded ally on the Triad, Koren’s efforts to impose Talstayvoweiar on the Larsilv were stepped up.

Envoys of priests were sent into Iskitaan to contact every Larsilv community and perform the rites of Talstayvoweiar. The priests were relentless, repeatedly visiting communities that didn't acquiesce to the rites. While many Larsilv and their communities did agree - albeit many reluctantly - to have the rites performed, many more did not. Those who resisted were threatened, and eventually armed patrols began accompanying the priests to protect them, but violence between the two groups remained small and isolated.

This was mostly due to the First of the High Triad, the elderly and wise Narine Celeblar, who had long been a friend to the High Kings of Iskitaan. High Kings Jordan, Norag and Gerard wrote many letters and used their diplomatic ties to Narine to minimize the violence. Narine was able to use her own influence and position as a moderating factor. All that changed when Narine died in 1535.

Even before he was officially made First of the High Triad, before candidates were even considered to become the new Third, Koren struck at the Larsilv who defied him. On Septem 19, 1535, a force of Cersilv infantry ambushed the northwestern Gatelands Larsilv village of Fallhallow, killing every man, woman and child there. The Silv Wars had begun. Even before word of the atrocity had reached High King Gerard, more Cersilv forces repeated the act at Larsilv villages up the western coast from Greythern to Bergen and even as far east as Dalend and Cagan.

Gerard demanded an explanation from the Cersilv ambassador, who was at a loss to answer. And when an answer did arrive from the High Triad, it was merely a summons recalling the ambassador, and warning Gerard not to interfere in the affairs of the Silv. Gerard mobilized his Guard, placing them along the border, attempting to stop Cersilv patrols entering Iskitaan. Yet that didn’t stop Koren’s raids. More villages were attacked, more Larsilv slaughtered.

Iskitaan and the Cersilv would have been at war, had Gerard’s human troops been able to breath at the altitudes of the Cersilv realm. Realizing the futility of trying to stop Koren’s raiders, Gerard shifted strategy by 1537, repositioning his troops to defend Larsilv villages. This slowed Koren down, and the long process of selecting a new Third coming to a head finally stopped him, at least temporarily.

By 1539, Gerard believed the war was over, and withdrew his troops with the blessing of most of the Larsilv. In 1541, Koren’s troops struck again, this time decimating the Larsilv village of Sha’adlar in Quanria. This time, Larsilv emissaries told Gerard to stay his hands, and let the Silv handle this themselves. Larsilvan warriors embarked upon a raiding mission into the Cersilv realms. Most of the Ricsilv, though sworn to defend Cersilv lands, did not agree with Koren’s policies, and since they were not sworn to follow Koren’s High Triad, did very little to interfere with the Larsilvan raids.

This tit for tat lasted for decades, with each side launching 5-6 raids a year. Things continued this way, and by Gerard’s death in 1553, had become so accepted that Gerard’s son, Rapheal, completely ignored the situation. Koren, satisfied with the slow, but acceptable progress of his plan did nothing more to aggravate the young High King. Things changed again in 1567 when the Isle of the Winds was destroyed in some form of magical catastrophe.

Koren, alarmed at the information initially brought to him by Cersilv high mages, launched several bold raids into Iskitaan, assuming that Darsilv were behind this. By 1569, despite it being clear that the catastrophic destruction of the Isle of the Winds, Nueshalla and High King Rapheal had little to do with Darsilv, Koren used the confusion around the succession of Rapheal’s son Wolf to launch all out attacks. What began as a series of attacks to coerce the Larsilv to embrace the ritual of Talstayvoweiar became an all out war of genocide. Koren was intent on wiping the Larsilv from existence while he had the chance.

This did not sit well with many of the Ricsilv, who abandoned their neutral stance, and began actively opposing Koren’s troops. For the next ten years the Larsilv and their newfound Ricsilv allies fought a losing battle against the Cersilv. Young High King Wolf struggled to do something to stop the slaughter of his sylvan citizens, yet what little he could coerce from his own kings and lords was insufficient. Though winning his battles to eliminate the Larsilv, Koren was losing the war at home. More and more of the Cersilv began to see that they were becoming the very thing they sought to eliminate among the Larsilv. Many of their number had succumbed to the Nages, and were becoming Darsilv. In 1579, the ritual of Talstayvoweiar was used to remove Koren and Dagres from power on the High Triad. As suddenly as the conflicts had begun, they were over.