War of the Bitter Ashes

The War of the Bitter Ashes was a war in Ashan that started In 540 YSD, after Tuidhana's secession.

Sensing weakness in the new Dark Elf kingdom, the knights of the Holy Falcon Empire saw an opportunity. They marched in force on Tarlad’s borders. Tuidhana appealed to Arniel, High King of Irollan, for assistance, but her messengers were turned away from his court unheard. “She stands alone, let her fight alone,” was Arniel’s decree, and it was not until the Humans had nearly overrun all of Tuidhana’s realm before he finally acted.

With Tuidhana sufficiently humbled (or so he thought), Arniel marched his forces to the border and engaged the human armies. The Elves of Irollan and the human knights of the Holy Falcon Empire were at war, with Tuidhana's kingdom as the main battlefield. Neither side paid much heed to the Elves whose lands they fought over. Desperate to protect her people, Tuidhana turned to other allies. As her lands were burned and her subjects killed, she made a pact of necessity with one of the few surviving Faceless, rumoured to have long since been driven extinct. If she would turn herself and her people to the worship of Malassa, the Dragon of Darkness, then the Faceless would grant her the power she wanted. Tuidhana made the bargain, those who followed her were changed by the blessing of Malassa, Dragon of Darkness. From this day on, they were known as the Dark Elves. Both Elves and Humans were expelled from the contested terrain, and Tuidhana reaffirmed her independence. An uneasy peace settled between the Elves and the Dark Elves.

The Peace of New Spring settled between Humans, Elves and Dark Elves. The Holy Falcon Empire forfeited any claim to elven lands and made extensive reparations. The Dark Elf kingdom's independence was recognized – at sword point – by Elves and Humans, but intermittent hostilities persisted across the borders.