Horse War

The Horse War was a war between the Brughan Halflings and the Ardenai elves around -14,823.

Origin

The war came as a direct result of stresses on the Ardenai elves to feed their population due to a five year long blight following the Undead War and defeat of Despana. The elves of Ta'Ardenai, on the brink of starvation, sent their hunters further and further away from their traditional territory. This lead them to the vicinity of Lake Khesta 'Dahl, a region where the Brughan halflings were settled, and into conflict with the halflings.

As time progressed, the skirmishes grew worse, forcing the halflings to hide their settlements in an attempt to escape elven intrusion. At the same time, the Brughan executed lighting quick attacks on Ardenai foraging parties, made possible by their adept skill with their bows and arrows, and particularly, their swift shire ponies.

Massacre at Ragalatan and Battle of Saens Valaire

The king of the Ardenai elected to crush the halfling resistance and sent a legion of elven warriors to destroy the halfling settlements and to claim the territory for the Ardenai. The war continued to escalate and became a major focus for the Ardenai populace, which began to blame the blight upon the halflings. The elven king decided to claim the entirety of the Brughan territory for the Ardenai and sent more forces into the territory. The Brughan reacted by forming an army, aided by fellow Mhoragian and Malghava halflings.

The battle was preluded by the elven encampment in the Saens Valaire Valley. Parties sortieing out from the Ardenai camp came across the village of Ragalatan, which they mistook for a major Brughan outpost. A massacre of the old men, women, and children of the village followed. Three days later, the Halfling army descended upon the Ardenai outpost in revenge and annihilated the legion.

Several years followed with no major confrontations, rather a guerrilla war followed in which the Brughan attacked Ardenai troops in hit and run tactics. Meanwhile, the blight had ended and the elves of Ta'Ardenai no longer were in threat of starvation. The war continued now out of pride, not necessity on the side of the elves. It was also at a standstill and the Ardenai king was prepared to take drastic measures to bring victory to the conflict. The result was sorcery.

Death of the Shire Herds

The spell created by the Ardenai sorcerers took ten years to complete. In that time, the war had come to an end in all but name, but the king refused to allow the halflings to go unpunished. Only so many weeks after the incantation, the ponies of the shirelands began to die. The Mhoragians suffered worse, among the halflings, who used their ponies to hunt elk. As a result of this main method of hunting being lost, many starved to death. For years, the halflings suffered, but ultimately managed to adapt and survive.

Of the Ardenai, their own sorcery backfired and protective spells they had cast over their own herds failed. The Ardenai herds were also destroyed, but with little to no effect on the Ardenai population. The Ardenai have elected to do their best to forget the Horse War, and rumor is said that their king died insane. The halflings, however, have sworn always to remember, and to hope that one day their herds will return.

See Also

• The Horse War log