Foolhardiness, Arrogance and Greed

efore too long old grievances between neighbours escalated as the realms continued to struggle for dominance. Just ten years after the defeat of Kharud, war broke out between Cadomyr and Runewick after some Runewickian ships were mistaken for pirates and destroyed. Runewick exacted revenge with a powerful magical ritual, destroying the old harbour of Cadomyr. The cursed place remains known as the Lost Harbour and in time the new Cadomyr Harbour was built to the north, better sheltered within the Kantabi Delta.

Galmarian mercenaries were quick to exploit the regular caravans bringing goods to Runewick from the old Halfling towns. The Archmage demanded a halt to these raids and extradition of the perpetrators for trial but surprisingly the Don declared war in the Year 12. In what became known as the Halfling Wars, quick victories by Galmair caught Runewick by surprise and they were forced to retreat rapidly, destroying the sole bridge into the town. Galmairian troops took up residence in the bear cave north of Runewick, laying the town to siege. The siege was only broken when Galmairian troops tried to dig further north of the bear cave, only to find a dragon's lair. As the Galmairians fled their stronghold the dragons laid waste to the land to the north, a place now known as the Death Stench. Cadomyr sent soldiers to fight the dragons in the Year 15, securing victory alongside Elvaine Morgan and other mages of Runewick. A vast treasure was retrieved but Cadomyr's claim was never honoured and tension rose once more between the two realms. Meanwhile Runewick was able to rebuild the latterly known Lurnord Bridge, named after the architect, and add an additional two levels to their towers.

Raiding orcs crossed the land, eventually settling in caves southwest of the Spider's Mouth. Led by a powerful shaman, Igruk'vulk, they became feared for their insidious nocturnal raids, particularly on Cadomyr. Cadomyr mounted several offensive strikes against Igruk's Cave without success. During the last of these attacks they found evidence Galmair had been selling weapons and armour to the orcs. Galmair also tried to instigate attacks against Runewick, but these envoys were sacrificed to Moshran. As a result Galmair ceased trading with the orcs and the raiding declined. Until then a reserved Runwick behaved very defensively, content to stand by as the orcs troubled Cadomyr. Only when the power of their shaman became apparent was the interest of Runewick's mages awakened.

During the Year 22 Cadomyr faced war against bandits in the Kantabi Desert. The following year pirates seized the opportunity to escalate their raids, resulting in the destruction of Faber's Guardhouse but the realm remained undeterred. By the Year 24 relations with Galmair again deteriorated as Cadomyr offered protection to Dwyn Axtblatt. The dwarven general broke with Galmair following disagreement over the Don's multicultural policy and went on to establish Fortress Hammerfall on the southern flank of the Nameless Mountains.

Less spoken of is a brief war between Cadomyr and Runewick in the Year 25. A mage from Runewick supposedly captured the daughter of a noble and close friend of Princess Rosaline, although other rumours suggest an elaborate plot to cover up an elopement. When captured the mage was imprisoned in a chamber dug deep into the mountains out in the Kantabi Desert, a place that became known as the Wizard's Bane. Although abandoned when the factions declared a ceasefire, it is not known if the mage survived.

Peace was only sustained a few years before tensions again soared with the discovery of Galmairian spies in Cadomyr. All out war broke out between the two factions in the Year 30, culminating in almost total destruction on the first Cadomyr settlement. A ceasefire was brokered with Cadomyr facing payment of inflated reparation costs to the victorious Galmairians. The following year the Throne of Cadomyr was officially transitioned to the Great Citadel, the Cadomyr that stands to this day. Confident of their superiority, Runewick in their eternal wisdom took the opportunity to teach a lesson in the consequences of battle. The fallen warriors and mercenaries of Cadomyr and Galmair were reanimated and used to defend Runewick, creating the perverted horror of foregone glory and endless undead that remains today, known as the Dead Marsh.