A war between the City-States of Jowston and later the New State Army and the Highland Kingdom. The war took place in the year 460, following the slaughter of the Highland Unicorn Brigade by Highland forces under the command of Luca Blight in order to facilitate the renewal of hostilities with Jowston.
A disunited Jowston quickly fractured and fell to Highland upon the death of Anabelle, but resistance was reorganized under the banner of the New State Army, led by Riou. With a steady figurehead, combined with the rapid destabilization of Highland politics, which saw three kings holding the throne in one year, the New State Army eventually managed to push Highland out of Jowston territory.
The war ended with the defeat and annexation of the Highland capital of L'Renouille. The war over, a new nation, the Dunan Republic, was established to govern over the united Dunan region.
Although the war was contested between the forces of Highland and the forces of Jowston, foreign intervention played a part. The Holy Kingdom of Harmonia sent troops under the Bishop Sasarai in aid of Highland. Also, the Toran Republic agreed to send the New State Army 5,000 troops under the command of Toranese generals. The Karaya Clan of the Grassland were also involved in the war, allying themselves with Highland in retaliation for unjust Jowston practices against their tribe in the past.
Timeline of the War[]
Massacre of the Highland Unicorn Brigade[]
The War commenced with the massacre of the Youth Unit of Highland, the Unicorn Brigade. The attack was actually conducted by Luca Blight to set as a ruse to make it as if that the City state of Jowston attacked them. Majority of the youths, except Jowy and Riou were slain in the setup.
Sacking of Toto and Ryube[]
With Riou and his party away to run some errands in Muse, Luca Blight attacked and destroyed the villages of Toto and Ryube in quick succession. Pilika was the sole survivor of the destruction of Toto.
Capture of the Mercenary Fortress[]
With Luca Blight's Highland already in the vicinity of the Eastern Muse, a unit commanded by Solon Jhee proceeded to attack the Mercenary Fortress. The mercenary force of 200 men, commanded by Viktor and Flik and through the clever use of Fire Spears, repelled the first attack. However, it was quickly followed up by an ambush from Luca Blight's main force which resulted in the swift defeat and retreat of the Mercenaries back to Muse. Along the way to Muse, Riou, Jowy, and Pilika stopped by Toto and obtained the two Runes of the Beginning (the Bright Shield and the Black Sword Runes) from their shrines.
Reconnaisance of Highland Garrison[]
After retreating to Muse, Riou and Jowy were sent by Anabelle to disguise themselves as Youth Brigade to infiltrate their base camp at the Muse-Highland Border. Jowy was unfortunately captured while Riou managed to return back to Muse to report that Highland had only 2 weeks worth of supplies which implied that Luca Blight planned a swift assault.
Hilltop Conference and the defeat of Muse[]
The commanders and mayors of the various state cities gathered for the Hilltop Conference. In attendance were Anabelle (Mayor of Muse), Teresa Wisemail (mayor of Greenhill City), Gorudo (Commander of Matilda Knightdom), Granmeyer (Mayor of South Window), Makai (Mayor of Two River), Gustav (Mayor of Tinto), Hauser, along with Viktor, Flik, Riou and Jowy who strangely returned the night before the meeting. Gorudo and Gustav both were reluctant to commit any troops in battle while suddenly Luca Blight attacked the Highland Border, forcing the deployment of their respective armies. Despite that, Gorudo refuses to jump into the action and promptly sounds his withdrawal, prompting the remaining defenders of Muse to retreat. However, during which, a mercenary unit under command of Gilbert known to Viktor and Filk and was hired by the Highland army defected to the forces of good after some persuasion of the two captains.
Anabelle's death and the scatter of the City States[]
Unbeknownst to Riou, the seed of darkness was already planted in Jowy by the time he returned to Muse before the battle. Upon the aftermath of the battle that evening, he betrayed Riou and murdered Anabelle which triggered the collapse of the City State. This forced the remaining State Forces to flee out of Muse and the party of Riou, Nanami and Pilika to be on the run yet again.
Regroup in South Window and Skirmish at North Window Castle[]
Riou and his travelling party of Eilie, Bolgan and Rina rejoins with the Viktor, Flik and the remaining survivors of Muse in South Window. Viktor was instructed by Granmeyer to investigate incidents involving the disappearance of young girls in North Window Castle. The party of Viktor, Riou, Nanami, Eilie and Freed proceeded north. After reuniting with the Star Dragon Sword, albeit in a slightly hostile manner, the party infiltrated the castle after learning the individual behind the incidents was none other than Neclord, the Vampire himself who strangely was resurrected after being defeated in his previous encounter with Viktor during the Gate Rune War. Neclord fled the castle, leaving the party to battle with the Abomination he left behind.
Fall of South Window and establishing of the new Dunan Army and its new base[]
North Window castle was reclaimed by Viktor and Riou. However during the Skirmish, South Window quickly fell to Highland and Granmeyer was killed by Solon Jhee. The remaining State Army survivors managed to flee South Window and made North Window its new base camp and headquarters. With base set up, Apple and Riou proceeded to make one of the most important recruitments in the war, Shu, a fine student of Mathieu Silverburg and a powerful strategist.
The New Dunan Army's First Battle and a new leader[]
Solon Jhee and his unit along with captive South Window troops, after taking South Window, proceeded quickly to attack North Window. Despite being outnumbered of 2000 State Army men to Solon Jhee's 10,000 (out of the 25000 of Highland's army), Shu already was one step ahead and knew Army Logistics requiring a portion of the Highland army to guard the garrisons. Moreover Solon Jhee was only experienced in land battles and did not possess knowledge of naval battles.
Shu instructed Freed to infiltrate South Window forces to persuade them to defect to the new Dunan Army while Riou took a regiment to the coast of Dunan River to sneak behind enemy lines and flank Solon Jhee's lead unit to catch him completely off guard. The tactic worked brilliantly, causing 3000 South Window Soldiers to turn their back to Highland, allowing the 5000 total men to surround Solon Jhee's unit and fight him on even terms.
This successful defense forced Solon Jhee to retreat, marking a key victory and turning point in the Dunan Unification War. As a result, Riou was elected leader by Shu and commanding General of the New Dunan State Army and North Window was rechristened as Dunan Castle. Leknaat arrived to give Riou his new destiny and mission to gather the 108 stars of Destiny and offered him Luc, a mage who fought alongside Viktor and Flik in the Gate Rune Wars. The failure of Solon Jhee's mission resulted in his execution under the hands of Luca Blight.
Alliance with Two River and Defense of Two River City[]
The next day, Fitcher, Muse's diplomat in Foreign Affairs arrived in Dunan Headquarters to initiate an attempt for Riou to establish an Alliance with Two River, a city where 3 races co-exist with each other, humans, wingers and Kobolds. With the help of Tai Ho and Amada, the party met up with Makai at Two River.
Makai was ready to offer his assistance but the alliance with the Kobolds in the city was met with resistance upon meeting with the leader of the Kobolds, General Ridley Wizen. In the meantime, Highland also was turning to Two River as its next destination. A unit commanded by General Kiba Windamier and his son Klaus was sent to lead in the attack. Riou and Makai led the human forces of Two River in its defense. Moments later, Chaco and his fellow wingers of his horde joined in the defense, then later joined by Ridley and his Kobold Army. The combined forces held for long enough before the main body of the Dunan Army arrived from behind General Kiba and Klaus's unit, forcing the latter force to retreat.
Rescue of Teresa Wizemail[]
With Two River defended, another Highland unit, the 4th Army of 5000 men commanded by Jowy Atreides with his Captains Culgan and Seed managed to take Greenhill. Teresa Wizemail quickly went into hiding at the forested secret passageway near the city college. As the city was essentially a college city, the plan was for Riou, Flik, Nanami and Pilika to sneak inside to rescue the acting mayor. After Teresa addresses the citizens of Greenhill, the citizens rose and riot against the occupational army creating a diversion. Using the secret passages, the party escorted Teresa safely out of the city, but not before meeting the General who took the city who turned out to be Jowy. In the middle of the confusion, others from Greenhill also managed to be resuced with the help of Fitcher, including Teresa's bodyguards Shin and Nina.
Matilda Knightdom Alliance Attampt.[]
The Dunan Brass next turned to the Knightdom of Matilda to forge an alliance with. Gorudo still refusing to lend a hand to the cause. A little later, the Highland Army attacked Muse Refugees fleeing northwards to Matilda. Gorudo's knights failed to rescue them, much to the disgust of Miklotov.
Recon Mission of Muse and the Defection of Miklotov and Camus[]
Miklotov requested Riou to accompany him to Muse to investigate the cause of the fleeing Muse Refugees. As the two arrived in Muse, they both witnessed a Muse Citizen heavily wounded and eventually died from his injuries. It turned out that Luca Blight was sacrificing the lives of the Muse Citizens. Miklotov pleaded with Gorudo to take a force to invade Muse. With Gorudo still resisting to any action while lives were being thrown away, Miklotov and Camus, along with half of the Red and Blue Matilda Knights, renounced their knightdom to join the Dunan Army.
Occupation of Radat and Ridley's Desertion[]
With the Highland back in the Southern States, the 3rd Army commanded by Kiba and Klaus occupied Radat along with elements of the 4th Army. With the State's current standing forces at a decent number, they had the strength to attack various units. An attack was launched on Radat, with Shu placing the Kobold units in frontline of the army, much to the disgust of General Ridley, that he ordered his Kobolds to retreat in the middle of the battle. Without Ridley's forces, the Dunan Army didn't have the strength to fight further, causing them to retreat.
The murder of Agares Blight[]
With Luca Blight agreeing to allow Jowy Atreides to marry Jillia Blight, Luca's sister, Jowy formally swore his oath to the King Agares Blight. In the ceremony, Jowy was required to give his blood to the king for him to drink. Unbeknownst to him, it was too late when Agares collapsed and realised that Luca had mixed the blood with poison to kill his very own father.
With the death of Agares Blight, the throne passed down to Luca as the new king of Highland.
The second defense of Dunan Castle and the Defection of General Kiba[]
Kiba and Klaus's 3rd Army once again launched another assault on the castle with the 4th Army holding back in reserve. However, Riou's main unit lured the 3rd Army into an ambush point where Kiba and Klaus would be sprung upon by units formed by Viktor, Flik, Tsai and Camus. Despite the numerical disadvantage, the Dunan Army held its lines for a while. They were about to be overrun from their positions when Ridley and his Kobold army suddenly returned to lend his assistance and ambushed Kiba from his rear side. Leon Silverberg arrived to order the 4th Army to retreat, leaving Kiba's 3rd army completely surrounded and helpless and forcing them to surrender.
Kiba was offered a position in the New State Army which he refused to accept. However, shocked and disgusted upon hearing that Luca Blight murdered his own father, Kiba immediately changed his mind and offered his services along with the remains of the 3rd Army without a second thought.
Arrival of Sheena and the Alliance with the Toran Republic[]
With the absorption of Kiba's formidable 3rd unit, the Dunan Army had grown to an impressive 25,000 men, the size of one of the Highland Army units, although all 4 units could still easily overwhelm the castle if all of them were deployed at once.
Sheena from the Toran Republic arrived to bring a party of Riou and Freed to the Toran Republic to forge an Alliance there. Riou, Freed and Sheena arrived in Gregminster for negotiations, and Riou was given a company of 5000 men of Toran as well as a blinking mirror, and an option of Valeria or Kasumi as their General.
*MORE TO BE UPDATED* 02-January-2022