The Crystal War (10/26/2007)

[Grif]

The Crystal War erupted in 862 C.E. and lasted until 864 C.E. The Allied Forces of Altana battled the combined armies of the Shadow Lord, known collectively as the Beastman Confederate, in a conflict that raged over both the Quon and Mindartian continents. It is recorded as the largest and bloodiest war in Vana'diel's history.

In the year 855 C.E., a mysterious entity arrived in the land of Valdeaunia with the howling hosts of the underworld at his command--the impact of the Shadow Lord's appearance was akin to a meteor strike. In a few short years, the Shadow Lord had united the disparate factions of the beastmen into a single, organized force and declared his intention to scour every last child of Altana from the face of Vana'diel. During the 4th moon of the year 862 C.E., he had already begun his invasion of the San d'Orian region of Norvallen.

In the opening stages of the war, the nations of Vana'diel attempted to fight the beastmen independently, only to suffer repeated losses against their enemies' vastly superior numbers. At the behest of Archduke Kam'lanaut of Jeuno, the nations of San d'Oria, Bastok, and Windurst put aside their historical enmities and formed the Allied Forces of Altana. As the isolated nations began sharing information and resources, they gradually developed the infrastructure to plan operations that would span entire continents.
The most significant step towards the execution of cooperative operations was taken during the battle waged in the defense of Jeuno. The retreat of the Beastman Confederate in the face of the three nations' coordinated attacks served to further strengthen the newfound alliance.

After the triumph at the Siege of Jeuno, the allied forces began retaliating against the beastmen across all the lands of Vana'diel. In the 4th Moon of the year 863 C.E., a final resounding victory was won in the Battle of Xarcabard, where the main force of the Beastman Confederate was smashed under the combined military might of Altana's armies.

Castle Zvahl fell to the allies soon after. In the year 864 C.E., the Orcish Hosts, who had refused to concede defeat, were at last forced into the northern sea. And thus were ended two long years of bloody warfare.

Battle of Jugner

http://www.playonline.com/pcd/topics...461/2461_3.jpg

The Beastman Confederate advanced on Jugner with one hundred thousand soldiers. Yet despite repeated request for aid, Marquis Rouhent was sent only a paltry three hundred reinforcements from the Royal Knights under the command of Count Aurchiat. The marquis attempted to use his intimate knowledge of the forest to blunt the progress of the massive army, but with barely a thousand troops to stand against a sea of beastmen, he was hopelessly outnumbered. News of the elite Norvallen knights' defeat came as a sobering shock to the capital, but it was merely a prelude to the looming horror of the Crystal War.

Siege of Jeuno

http://www.playonline.com/pcd/topics...461/2461_6.jpg

Even with a mountain of their own dead to impede their advance, the endless waves of Quadav continued to push forward. Battlements were shattered under a hail of cannon fire and Gigas-thrown boulders...
The forces of the Beastman Confederate that pressed the fortress-city of Jeuno on all three sides finally converged on the vulnerable Batallia front. One, two, and then three of the four ramparts that protected the city crumbled under the assault.
The allied forces rallied their troops and launched a coordinated counterattack that resulted in a critical victory against the beastman invasion.

Battle of Xarcabard

http://www.playonline.com/pcd/topics...461/2461_9.jpg

When the driving snows suddenly died and a shaft of sunlight pierced the clouds to illuminate the battlefield, a rousing cheer rose from the ranks of the allied forces. The feint to split the forces of their enemy had succeeded--the army before them was clearly outnumbered.
However, those cheers turned to shouts of dismay as the battle was joined. The soldiers they faced were no ordinary troops, but the elite vanguard of the Shadow Lord, highly trained and handpicked from among the champions of each beastman race.
The allied forces claimed victory, but only at tremendous cost.

[Rocl]

Look at the troll MMMM

[Xanoxonax]

There's two events in the Crystal War I hope we can take part in, namely the Siege of Jeuno and the Battle of Xarcabard. Hopefully this is a sign we'll be able to do both.

[DAKPluto]

And once again we see the chocobo knights.....

[Churchill]

Those are Vikings

[Gilanth]

That's the meteor explained then.

[Dustybrown]

Ugh, I see an Imp in the battle of Xarcabard.

Anyone got any echo drops on them?

[recuperi]

The Beastman Confederate advanced on Jugner with one hundred thousand soldiers. Yet despite repeated request for aid, Marquis Rouhent was sent only a paltry three hundred reinforcements from the Royal Knights under the command of Count Aurchiat.

lol thought that was kinda funny, sounds like SE was playing off the 300 story kinda

[Sagacious Sundi]

Look at the troll MMMM

First thing I noticed. lol

My response to the WotG update: (Is there a thread on this? EDIT: Just realized the Campaign thread has it.)
I actually predicted Gnoles for ToAU.

And according to the Campaign thing, my prediction of 4 beastman forces (Orcs/Quads/Yags/Kindred) seems right. I'd guess that Goblins, Gigas, and Tonberries are mixed around, maybe the Trolls are part of the Orcish Hosts, and maybe some Ants for the turtles.

[Damane]

would be nice to be able to save davoi (jugner) from orcs and see a nice city as effect of it in the present vanadiel.

[SephYuyX]

:Q WotG is going to be filled with so much wonderous story info.

[Vejitta]

At the behest of Archduke Kam'lanaut of Jeuno, the nations of San d'Oria, Bastok, and Windurst put aside their historical enmities and formed the Allied Forces of Altana. As the isolated nations began sharing information and resources, they gradually developed the infrastructure to plan operations that would span entire continents.
The most significant step towards the execution of cooperative operations was taken during the battle waged in the defense of Jeuno. The retreat of the Beastman Confederate in the face of the three nations' coordinated attacks served to further strengthen the newfound alliance.

It's such a good feeling knowing we killed someone who we win Crytal War thanks to lol

not technically killed, but still...

[Rocl]

At the behest of Archduke Kam'lanaut of Jeuno, the nations of San d'Oria, Bastok, and Windurst put aside their historical enmities and formed the Allied Forces of Altana. As the isolated nations began sharing information and resources, they gradually developed the infrastructure to plan operations that would span entire continents.
The most significant step towards the execution of cooperative operations was taken during the battle waged in the defense of Jeuno. The retreat of the Beastman Confederate in the face of the three nations' coordinated attacks served to further strengthen the newfound alliance.

It's such a good feeling knowing we killed someone who we win Crytal War thanks to lol

not technically killed, but still...

Yeah he totally didn't orchestrate the whole thing to reach Paradise

[Dexy]

I seriously doubt anything major will happen in the present due to things we do in the past. Especially to the extent of changing zones too much due to quests in them. I think the most "drastic" thing that will happen is more monsters in zones we don't control in the past, akin to the current conquest system.
Maybe adding more monsters to zones is SEs way to get us to XP in them? hehe.

[Kononeko]

The Beastman Confederate advanced on Jugner with one hundred thousand soldiers. Yet despite repeated request for aid, Marquis Rouhent was sent only a paltry three hundred reinforcements from the Royal Knights under the command of Count Aurchiat.

lol thought that was kinda funny, sounds like SE was playing off the 300 story kinda

THIS IS... Oh never mind it's not worth it.

[Seraph]

At the behest of Archduke Kam'lanaut of Jeuno, the nations of San d'Oria, Bastok, and Windurst put aside their historical enmities and formed the Allied Forces of Altana. As the isolated nations began sharing information and resources, they gradually developed the infrastructure to plan operations that would span entire continents.
The most significant step towards the execution of cooperative operations was taken during the battle waged in the defense of Jeuno. The retreat of the Beastman Confederate in the face of the three nations' coordinated attacks served to further strengthen the newfound alliance.

It's such a good feeling knowing we killed someone who we win Crytal War thanks to lol

not technically killed, but still...

Yeah he totally didn't orchestrate the whole thing to reach Paradise

I was under the assumption all the Shadowlord did was interrupt the plans of the brothers, and the reason those two bring together all the races was to assist in removing the Shadowlord (and his crystal line interference) so they can execute their real plan...

In a (really) abstract sense, the Shadowlord is the enemy of your enemy, and prevents the really bad events from happening. Though, would I rather be enslaved/wiped out, or have all of existance reformatted? Decisions, decisions...

[Khelek]

I'll say it again. Every picture with a Chocobo Knight in it makes me more convinced it's one of the new jobs.

[Sho]

In 862, war was beginning.

[Reapz]

Nice read, and some nice art too!

[Mizango]

In 862, war was beginning.

Brilliant.


what happen?