The First Armada

Write about a conflict in your world known for being unprovoked or unfair.

After the Night of the Shattered Moon the elves were determined to retake the newly Shattered Moon and avenge the death of the moon goddess Thaya. As the rest of the world dealt with invaders descending from the sky, the elven kingdoms made their own plans in secret.

Groves of Skyships

They set out to serch for ancient elven spelljammers, remnants of the days when the elves flew among the stars as conquerors. In Taur na Cair they found groves of the old ships, still spaceworthy but lacking helms. Through divination and research they discovered that the Wood of Telperion could power the ships when the moon was in the sky.

They were able to salvage hundreds of ships, each capable of carrying hundreds or even thousands of troops. They put out a call to all the various nations of elves in the world. "We will avenge the moon."

A Million Elves

We've assembled the mightiest army the world has ever seen. A million elves on ships that can sail the stars. Nothing can stand against us!

— Thirion, Elf-King

The elven people answered the call as one. They sent their warriors to Menelost Telperion to board the ships of their ancestors to reclaim their birthright in the sky. A million warrior elves assembled. Each one with hundreds of years of experience in life and battle.

They boarded the ships, expecting an easy victory. The world had never seen such power assembled in one place. The first children of the world would fly to the moon and take it back. After their certain victory, perhaps they would take their rightful place in the stars once more?

The Hubris of Kings

The full moon hung in the sky, sickly green and crawling with the monstrous denizens of the Far Realm. The armies of elvenkind had assembled at the Silver Tree to board the ships of their ancestors.

The elven kings and queens moved forward with their plan alone. They did not see any need to coordinate or involve any of the other mortal races. The eldest children of the gods would deal with these invaders from beyond reality on their own.

A milion elves marched onto the ancient ships. They hummed to life and the light of the moon pulled on the Wood of Telperion. Thew ships of the Elven Armada were drawn into the sky as if they were on strings.

In the void between the moon and the world, the Dreadnoughts of the Far Realm formed a blockade. The Armada flew to the moon en masse, with no strategy. They were a million elves, the pride of Erathia. There was no way they could fail.

The ships smashed against the blockade helplessly. Every elf dead without drawing a sword, sacrificed to the hubris of the elven kings.

Aftermath

The remaining elves on the world below fell to despair and shame. They prepared to flee the world and enter Faerie. But before they could depart the mortal realm forever, Valentine the Vampire-King came to them with a proposition to create the Shattered Moon Coalition.

Conflict Type
Battle


Cover image: by British Museum

Comments

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Dec 27, 2020 17:19 by TC

I remember reading about this conflict for the first time, and thinking how tragic is was. This just reinforces the futility of the loss, so many elves perished for the ego of a king. Great article!

Creator of Arda Almayed
Dec 27, 2020 17:50 by Chris L

Thank you! I've been meaning to get back to this conflict and I'm glad the prompt sent me there.


Take a look at my Institutions of Learning challenge article.

Learn about the World of Wizard's Peak and check out my award winning article about the Ghost Boy of Kirinal!

Dec 28, 2020 18:26 by Dr Emily Vair-Turnbull

This is so, so tragic. Those poor elves, sacrificed to hubris. ;_;

Emy x
Explore Etrea | WorldEmber
Dec 28, 2020 19:56 by Chris L

The elves in my world started out pretty vanilla, but they've been taking me in interesting directions, driven by the prompts!


Take a look at my Institutions of Learning challenge article.

Learn about the World of Wizard's Peak and check out my award winning article about the Ghost Boy of Kirinal!

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