WTFBT Expanded: Third Holy War

The Third Holy War was the longest of the Holy Wars in the Mountain Realm, lasting from 345-373 SM. The war began in 345 SM when Crimson Wayward rose to power as Lord Protector of the Mountain Realm after her father, Durlan Wayward, died. Upset that Crimson rose to power instead of her younger brother, Kharis Wayward, several southern Mountain Realm houses created led by Rosaniya Myster an alliance called the Holy Alliance. The Holy Alliance was very close to overthrowing House Wayward several times during the Third Holy War.

History

Although the first battle of the Third Holy War didn’t happen until 347 SM, scholars point to the creation of the Holy Alliance 345 as the beginning of the war.

Crimson Wayward's Rise to Power

In 345 SM, Durlan Wayward died, and his wife, Rosaniya, declared that Kharis Wayward would become the next Lord Protector, skipping Durlan's eldest child Crimson. On the day of Kharis’ coronation, he banished his mother from Maryere and crowned Crimson the Lord Protector of the Mountain Realm, much to everyone’s surprise. Rosaniya, who returned to Bear’s Creek after being banished from Maryere, controlled the Holy Alliance—the alliance’s singular objective was to remove Crimson Wayward from power.

Attack on the Crimson Queen

In 347 SM, Lord Protector Crimson Wayward visited Bear's Creek for negotiations on House Myster’s emerald mines. On the last night of the visit, her family was attacked, and Crimson barely made it out of Bear's Creek alive. Her husband, Lord Agnim Seamann, her one-year-old son Tobias, her brother Kharis, and her friend, Aerith, were murdered by the Holy Alliance. This disaster was named the Attack on the Crimson Queen, the first significant event during the Third Holy War. After this attack, the Holy Alliance officially declared war against Lord Protector and began to act as a separate sovereign, with the capital being Bear’s Creek.

Battle of the Bear

From 347 to 350, Crimson plotted her revenge. After garnering military support from House Seamann and House Embrus, she marched to Bear’s Creek in 350 SM, catching House Myster off guard and destroying the city. Crimson wanted to eradicate House Myster, but her advisors warned against it, citing Bad King Rickard’s reputation for destroying highborn houses. Instead, she exiled Lord Morgan Myster to Shadow’s Peak and took Rosaniya and Morgan’s first son Divian to Maryere as prisoners, creating a ten-year peace period.

The Advance of the Holy Alliance

In 357 SM, Crimson heard rumors that Rosaniya was planning a coup while imprisoned, using Divian to contact Klyn Myster, Morgan Myster’s second son. Crimson arrested Divian and sentenced Rosaniya to death. In 358 SM, Crimson beheaded Rosaniya, her last words being, “The bear in the creek roars louder than any golden bear in the forest.” In 359 SM, Crimson sent Eventide Wayward, her step-sister, to Riverhold to stay safe, believing no one would attack. 

In 360 SM, Klyn Myster rescued Morgan Myster from Shadow’s Peak in response to Rosaniya's execution. The Holy Alliance remobilized and began to take the land as they made their way to Maryere. Upset over this and after much consideration, Crimson executed Divian and her old advisors. She then named Lyari and Bemere, her handmaidens, her new advisors, and made her way to Bear’s Creek.  

During the fall of 360, Klyn Myster took Riverhold and held Eventide as a prisoner. Eventide predicted this and sent her son, Narrik Wayward, away to stay safe. At the end of 360, the two armies met at Riverhold. Crimson demanded the release of Eventide, and Klyn demanded the release of his brother. When Crimson informed Klyn that she had executed Divian, Klyn beheaded Eventide in front of Crimson. Crimson Wayward wailed openly at the sight of her sister’s execution and wanted to take immediate revenge. She called a battle that lasted for three days, with both sides losing many men. Her advisors preached patience and pulled back their troops.

Crimson left Riverhold at the beginning of 361 SM, telling Lyari and Bemere to create a fake agreement where the Holy Alliance didn’t cross the Embrus River. The Holy Alliance agreed to sign the Treaty of 361, also dubbed the Fake Treaty. When Crimson reached Maryere in the spring of 361, Narrik Wayward awaited her. She was relieved that her last relative was still alive but extremely nervous that the Holy Alliance would realize the fake treaty. To protect Narrik, she shipped the boy to Embrita.

At the end of 361 SM, Crimson aligned herself with the Rangers, creating the Arts Alliance. She was the first Wayward to contact and support the Maras.

The End of the Third Holy War

In 366 SM, Crimson finally started her revenge, attacking Riverhold, Alaric’s Holdfast, and Bear’s Creek, leaving no highborn survivors but sparing all commoners. House Myster was hiding at the Citadel of the Owl, aligning themselves with the Harbingers of Purity. Aligned with House Wayward, House Tudor of Shadow’s Peak was unaware that House Myster was at the Citadel.

In 372 SM, the Battle of Heavenfield occurred, the final battle of the Third Holy War. The struggle started near Hearts Grove and lasted for over two moons. The battle, however, ended in a stalemate, and the two sides agreed to stop fighting in 373 SM by signing the Agreement of the Cleansed, effectively giving the Harbingers unlimited power in the Mountain Realm.

After the Agreement of the Cleansed was signed, Crimson stepped down as Lord Protector and gave the title to her nephew, Narrik Wayward. Afterward, Crimson left Maryere and started her Ten Acts of Faith tour.

Aftermath

The Third Holy War ended with many consequences; the Harbingers were the true winners. Mountain Realm houses were still upset that House Wayward was still in power. After Narrik came into power, he became a pawn for the Harbingers, allowing the Holy Massacres to occur. The Holy Massacres (374-395 SM) was a systematic genocide of Maras in the Mountain Realm carried out by the Holy Alliance after the Third Holy War. The Harbingers were the prominent participants in the massacres, leading raids and bringing down judgment on Harborers.

In 381 SM, Crimson returned to Maryere to meet with her nephew, Narrik. She explained the journey she had been on and asked for Narrick’s help in ending the massacres of the Maras, promising prosperity for the entire realm and its people. She showed this prosperity by teaching the people of Maryere ways to awaken their Art, explaining that the Arts were not something to be ashamed of but something to embrace. Terrified of the Harbingers and the Citadel, Narrick refuses and banishes Crimson from Maryere.