The Third War of The Bloodtree
Overview
The Third War of the Bloodtree was a decade-long conflict fought between the Kingdom of Pacis, the Kingdom of Kyrenthia, and the Kingdom of Aeigon in Northern Kallonia. Sparked by the unsanctioned atrocities of Lord Aeron Saraenthaen, the war escalated into one of the bloodiest conflicts in the region’s history, profoundly weakening all three realms and paving the way for the later Thenithrian Conquest.
The war culminated in peace negotiations at the site of the Bloodtree, a culturally significant landmark for multiple Kallonian peoples. Though the peace resulted in no territorial shifts, the devastation left a political vacuum that would have far-reaching consequences for the balance of power in Northern Kallonia.
The Bloodtree
The Bloodtree was a colossal, ancient tree situated on the neutral borderlands between Pacis, Kyrenthia, and Aeigon. Known for the deep crimson hue of its sap, which earned it its name, the tree was considered sacred among several cultures of Northern Kallonia. It was traditionally viewed as a symbol of oath-binding and reconciliation; treaties signed beneath its branches were believed to carry divine weight, and breaking them was seen as a grave dishonour.
By the time of the Third War, the Bloodtree had already been the site of two previous major treaties, giving the conflict its name. The decision to hold the peace talks there after a decade of bloodshed was both symbolic and pragmatic, as no single kingdom claimed ownership of the tree or its surrounding land.
Background
Tensions between Pacis and Kyrenthia had simmered for generations, but open war erupted following the massacre of several Kyrenthian villages by Lord Aeron Saraenthaen of Pacis. Saraenthaen ordered the dismemberment and impalement of villagers, an act explicitly outlawed under Pacisian law and widely condemned even among his own people.
Kyrenthia, unaware of Pacis’s internal condemnation of Saraenthaen, interpreted the attack as a deliberate act of war. Pacis attempted to clarify matters diplomatically, but Kyrenthian forces executed Pacisian envoys and returned their severed heads and hands as a grim declaration of hostilities.
In response, King Aeratarn II of Pacis issued a royal decree denouncing Aeron Saraenthaen and calling the lords of Pacis to arms:
“As King of Pacis, Lord Paramount of Kyphor, Aegos, Kaenor, and Aelothos, Sovereign of the Hyraen Fields, Erthaen of the Kaegon, and Laentar of the Drunathaen, I charge you to bring the Crown’s justice to the traitor Aeron Saraenthaen… I declare him enemy of the Crown and People of Pacis, and sentence him to death.”
Aeigon’s Entry into the War
Fleeing Pacisian justice, Aeron Saraenthaen sought asylum in the Kingdom of Aeigon, pledging his forces to King Hyraenos VI in exchange for the promise of dominion over Pacis should Aeigon prevail. Hyraenos, eager to exploit Pacis’s internal turmoil, formally allied with Saraenthaen and launched a campaign of conquest into Pacisian territory. This move transformed the conflict into a three-sided war, drawing Kyrenthia deeper into the hostilities.
Course of the War
The war was marked by brutal sieges, massed cavalry engagements, and widespread devastation. Over ten years, hundreds of thousands perished, making it the deadliest conflict in Northern Kallonia up to that time.
The decisive moment came during a pitched battle where King Aeratarn II personally slew King Hyraenos VI in single combat. Hyraenos’s death shattered Aeigon’s morale and military cohesion, forcing the three exhausted kingdoms to negotiate peace.
Peace of the Bloodtree
Peace negotiations were held at the Bloodtree, a neutral and symbolic location chosen to underscore the solemnity of the treaty. The resulting agreement restored pre-war borders and resolved none of the deeper political tensions, but ended the immediate bloodshed.
The treaty is remembered as one of pragmatic necessity rather than reconciliation; none of the kingdoms emerged as a clear victor, and all were left profoundly weakened.
Capture and Execution of Aeron Saraenthaen
In the war’s aftermath, Aeron Saraenthaen attempted to flee north into the mountains but was betrayed by his own followers, who hoped to secure royal pardons. They delivered him to Fort Paeigon, where King Aeratarn II personally presided over their trials.
One by one, Aeratarn tried and executed each traitor by his own hand, a practice that contributed to his sobriquet “The Just.” When Aeron himself was brought forward and offered last words, he allegedly spoke only a single word:
“Coward.”
Aeratarn executed him immediately, an act widely seen as the definitive end of the war.
Aftermath
The Third War of the Bloodtree left Pacis, Kyrenthia, and Aeigon economically and militarily crippled. The instability that followed the death of Aeratarn II and the early death his son, King Outaern I, resulted in the ascension of the child-king Aeratarn III, creating a power vacuum that the Kingdom of Thenithria exploited within a generation.
The Thenithrian invasion rapidly overran Aeigon and Pacis, with Kyrenthia resisting for a further eighteen months before succumbing. Over the next decade, Northern Kallonia fell under Thenithrian domination, though regions such as Bouropheia remained only nominally controlled due to limited strategic value and fierce local resistance.
