War of the Moradrim¶
"The armies of the Moradrim were crushed between the armies of the west and the east." — History of Terrun (S386)
The War of the Moradrim was the great invasion of the dark elves from the Underdark. Allied with orcs, goblins, demons and Draconians, the Moradrim overran the elven kingdoms, then half of eastern Numenia, before the kingdoms of the west and east together drove them back below ground. The newest history dates it 2413 to 2431 MA, in the Age of Magic; the Compendium dates it 3013 to 3031 MA. Its aftermath forged the Thyssal Empire.
Also called: the Moradrim Invasion, or the Second Goblin Wars (S429).
The invasion¶
"The dark elves, cultivating alliances with Orcs, Goblins, Demons and Draconians, began by invading the elven kingdoms from their underground strongholds" (S386). The Moradrim1 had long held the deep places; the Compendium notes that they occupied and expanded old dwarf-holds near the surface of the Blue Mountains as the Dwarves of Dru'Bazan dwindled (S372). With the elven kingdoms overrun, "the elves became refugees."
The great High Elven city of Anoth-Urulien, in the elven kingdom of Arne'Athosia, was destroyed in this war. The Tower of Urulien, home of the Order of the Golden Hand, a high elven mage association, was "abandoned during the fall of Anoth'Urulien during the War of the Moradrim," and many Moradrim mages were hastily buried there (S054 to S057). The nearby Shrine of Caerylas "was hidden from the attackers, and the seed removed for safe-keeping," and was not unveiled again until shortly after the birth of Inwe, whose mother Caolynni guarded it (S053). The city was already a ruin "in the latter ages of the Kingdom of Arne'Athosia."
The counter-invasion¶
The Moradrim consolidated their power and attacked the kingdoms of eastern Numenia, "which was very successful." After they had conquered approximately half of the East, "the other kingdoms of Numenia were convinced to join the cause after hearing of the atrocities committed by the Moradrim." Crushed between west and east, and "after a long and hard campaign, they were pushed back into the Underdark" (S386).
The Thyssal Empire¶
The Kingdom of Thyssia "took advantage of their strong position to conquer the helpless kingdoms of eastern Numenia, forging the Thyssal Empire." Its westward expansion "was halted at the fortress of Gor'Turra which they seiged for 20 years without success" (S386), the same fortress that had turned the Second Dragon War. The Thyssal Empire dominates the eastern half of the continent in the Compendium's present (S372).
Gap
The sources name no Moradrim leader, no battle, and no elven kingdom besides Arne'Athosia. The gods-overview's account breaks off after its first sentence: "The Dark Elves, cultivating alliances with the Orcs and Goblins, began" (S429).
Earlier accounts¶
The gods-overview (S429) titles the war "The Moradrim Invasion (The Second Goblin Wars)" and leaves it unfinished; the Compendium (S372, S384) gives the same narrative as the newest history with the later dates. Both date ranges are kept on the Timeline. The Compendium spells the people Moradrim in its history and Miradrim in its gazetteer of the Blue Mountains.