Demon Spawn War

The Demon Spawn War was an inter-system conflict between the demons that had taken Piranoths Steps, collectively called the Abyssal Hegemony, and the immortal and mortal armies under the Quara'tun Covenant.

The genesis of the Demon Spawn War was the Creation War (1486 DE - 8777 DE). Near the end of the Creation War, the primordials were so weakened that they could no longer contain a problem of their own creation. Across what used to be called Piranoths Steps (better known today as the Abyss), their hordes were turning evil and being corrupted by the very world they lived on. In the Abyssal Release (7777 DE - 8777 DE), the demons broke out, beginning an assault on the worlds of the Quara'tun System.

When the Abyss was created in the deepest reaches of Chaos, it is said that the evil emanating from this realm corrupted some of the mighty primordials.

Demogorgon, Baphomet, and Orcus were some of the primordials that became infused with chaos and evil and then reshaped into the likeness of pure destructive evil. They became the demon lords, masters of entire realms of the Abyss.

When we defeated the primordials, we opened the way for the demon invasion of Quara'tun.

- Naraz-Nâru, from a mithril plague at Ginbar-Karud - "One Darkness Unto Another"

What Naraz-Nâru says is partially correct. Some of the demons were born from primordials like Gabin Kûn or were desperately created in the waning decades of the Creation War. It is also said that primordials, chaos archons, giants, and their minions that remained too long in Piranoths Steps were corrupted from some baleful influence emanating from the Step of Foundation.

In 8972 GE, the Demon Spawn War started with Jurusalax's invasion of Kriav. Nine years later, his took his armies to Bal-Kriav by way of the Núlananya Rift. His forces came out in Logor and began a campaign to take the region Zythess and anything else they could get their hands on. In this region he battled the forces of Callarduran and later those of Silvanus in what was called the Zythess War. The naming convention of all the mini-wars that made up the Demon Spawn War usually follow the same pattern, named after a sector or if more localized, after a sub-sector.

In 8977 GE, Abyss's legions under Demogorgon begin their invasion of Hells Womb.

In 8979 GE, demon forces under Orcus begin their invasion of the Aerie of Dragons and its dark underbelly Adunamar. Forces under the Demon Lord Sess'innek began their invasion of Chen'gom. Using the Arioch Cloud, forces under Athroond invade Drarthiel.

In Borngring, demons under Baphomet build a colossal-sized bastion called Kodgroar (8991 GE). The forces under this demon lord battled angels and former soldiers that had served one or more primordials in the Creation War. The fire giants, once part of the fighting force of the primordials, now fought alongside the angels against the demon invaders. During the conflict, the demons tainted some of the peoples of the area. This led to the births of demoniac fire giants and others tainted with demoniac blood. The Botaff is entirely comprised of demoniac fire giants. Today, they are undoubtedly the cruelest and most cunning fire giant people of Borngring.

During the Siege of Liamenor, in War March 9020 GE, the demon lord Hezxis is killed by the Maeraddyth Brigade.

In 9069 GE, nearly a century into the Demon Spawn War, Ares undergoes Ascension, becoming a Higher Power. A new commander was needed for the forces defending Quara'tun. The role was handed to Asmodeus, a protégé of Ares. As supreme military commander of the Quara'tun Covenant, he divided Bal-Kriav up into a grid and assigned the sectors to generals. This was part of a plan that had been ten years in the making, mostly by Asmodeus since he thought that Ares's plan for victory was too focused on tactical victories than a grand strategy that interlocked everything together. Ares's plan wanted to hold everything, whereas Asmodeus was willing to sacrifice entire sectors and their soldiers for victory.

In 9095 GE the Tha'lith Conflict, another of the Demon Spawn War's mini-conflicts, began. From the deeps of Berolaz, Graz'zt demon legions began their invasion of northern Karterus. The heart of Graz'zt's command was Barhaz Halarax, a citadel built over unstable rifts linking the Abyss world Azzagrat with the mortal world Bal-Kriav.

It is perhaps the most thought-out battle plan ever conceived. I would expect no less though from my understudy Asmodeus. He served under me in the Creation War, a brilliant strategist and tactician. He learned from a master no less. His measures were at times a bit ruthless, like mine, but they got things done.

- Ares, from a Plaque of Aphalur - "The Glaive Plan"

In 9111 GE, shortly after the creation of the Primordial Storm, demon lord Yeenoghu sends his armies to Bal-Kriav. Their attacks cover the Northern Hordelands and into the eastern tracts of the Clans region.

The armies of Orcus fought in the region of Bal-Kriav that would one day be called the Aerie of Dragons. For a time, his forces controlled nearly the entire region. Orcus's victories in this region were part of a well-thought plan by Asmodeus. At the time, Asmodeus was the leading general for the gods and angels. A master strategist, Asmodeus let the demons grow overconfident and extend their supply lines to their very limits, and then he attacked them in force. The war with Orcus's forces is called the Hoof Front. It lasted 17 years, resulting Orcus being driven back to his home world Thanatos. At Ghak, Orcus's rift between his Abyssal world and this world was closed, knocking him out of the Demon Spawn War.

During the Hoof Front, another conflict broke-out in the Aerie of Dragons. This one was between Bahamut and his former general Tiamat. This secondary conflict was the First Dragon Wake (9251 GE - 9269 GE).

South of Brucrumus, on the continent Karterus, the forces of Silvanus and Lukoon battled the demon hordes under Graz'zt in the Tha'lith Conflict. Another conflict what fought further south in the Hive. In this region of southern Karterus, the planetar Chronos also fought against Graz'zt's forces. The planetar's stubbornness and independence resulted in him being knocked quickly out of the war. This happened when he overloaded the Wheel of Time. This action destroyed the demon onslaught into Yandôr but also cast its creator adrift in time.

In the deep jungles of Sirketh, the demon lord Baphomet waged war against Talisid and the Five Companions. Baphomet was served by his abyssal armies and minotaurs he created at Tixargium. His forces were opposed by mortal races like the gorantin and angelic archons.

In 9316 GE, at the Fifth Battle of Ladneg, defeated by the Covenant, Demogorgon retreats back to his home world in the Abyss.

In addition to conquest, the demon lords and their more intelligent lackeys sought slaves and resources. Some of the slaves were sent back to the Abyss where they became the first crop of newly minted demons. These slaves were cast into spawning pools where some would emerge as new types of demons. One of the demon types created in this manner are arrow demons. These particular demons were created from captured goblin archers of the Orulûn Divison.

Your kind has won this battle, but at what cost. The entire general staff of Asmodeus has been cast out, driven to some place the mortals are now calling the Hells - fitting name for Fallen Angels. The seeds of your destruction have been planted on this world and many others. We are leaving, and you will soon give it all up to your petty mortals. Some of these will become our agents of destruction and in time bring about subjugation.

Consider yourself blessed by Lukoon, for you are the only angel that I have ever let go free. Now go tell my words to Phalgas and Athena and whoever else you cross. Don't bother with Ares, for he is so bent on war that I'm certain he will be the one that lights the fuse to our next great conflict.

- Graz'zt, to the then sword archon Apoxlin - "Graz'zt's Farewell"