Artery War

Category	Wars
Period	1546 - 1554
Theater	Hells Womb
Belligerents	Foronir Alliance VS Black Tide
Map	Lirgaza

After the Black Tide War (1465 - 1486), the victors, undead legions under the Dead Council, controlled territory stretching from the lacedon infested harbor of Zayr to the most western city of the Lands of Purity, Vraga Moltus, the fallen capital of the Farinteens.

In the east, Bathor has been reduced to a fortification, gone its enterprise and halfling laughter. The Black Tide has keeps in Cormindar and a ring of them around the descent into Moregar. The area around the Fodder Mine is thick with undead. Their supply line continues north into Sorrow Pass, the vale none can secure. Black Forge and Galstyxe make sure of that.

- Sgt Ralucin, of the Wardens of Aspungad, War Chronicler - "Weak Points"

On 6 Saunas 1546, the fiery legions of Surticon, member of a war pact named the Foronir Alliance, attacked Black Tide positions in the Sorrow Pass. In the south, east of Paradomea City, out of immolation range of the Pyramid of Merioss, the Paradomea Syndicate blockaded the Sparkling Bay and commenced actions against the Black Tide navy. Enticed with high mercenary rates, hundreds of privateers began preying upon Black Tide ships moving between Necrocrypt and the eastern capital of the Black Tide, the ruin of Zayr. South of Gwaeldior, the Council of Bile moved their armies east towards Bathor and the enemy supply lines into Moregar.

Taking place over a wide area against an enemy able to replenish their numbers by raising undead, the war raged for eight years on the surface, underneath, and across two seas. In 1553, the last major holdout of the Black Tide was the ruin of Zayr and its dreaded Pyramid of Power. After the capture of Zayr, in the Siege of the Eastern Capital, the Artery War was at an end. The Black Tide had been driven from Hells Womb, and in the east, the Athenian Crusade (1539 - 1551) had purged the evil from the Lands of Purity.

Destination Necrocrypt, sailing away from Brucrumus, it is said that the Black Tide general Dax commented to a Tragaran pirate who asked what they would do now after the defeat:

Defeated you say, we are just getting started, your mortal life can only conceive short-range objectives, but when we get back to Gathrot I will enlighten you on Thasmudyan's Dark Gift, and then you will see that we have eternity to bring this world under the heel of the Black Tide.

- Dax, "Soon to be Living Dead Sailor"