First Goblin War

NOTE: While this article gives information on the other major events of this time (The Gascon Secession and the Magledon Uprising/Addikite Takeover), they are more fully detailed in their own articles.

The First Goblin War and the events surrounding it was one of the most disastrous periods of time in Halglaran history. While the overall result was not as devastating as those of later wars, it was a time of utmost chaos throughout the nation, which is said to only have survived due to lack of proper preparation on the part of its enemies, rather than by any victory of its own.

Information
Start Date: Tentheto 1322 (First Goblin soldiers arrive in Haleglar)

End Date: Twelthen 1324 (Last Goblins removed from Haleglar)

Combatants: Halglaran Royalists vs Magledon Confederation vs Garzogl, and the Dominion of Seneron.

Leaders: Haleglar: King Oriathon II of Haleglar, Horgath II of Haleglar. Magledor: Baron Norvais of Magledor, Baron Shervon III of Anarinia. Garzogl: Alikanaktor.

Major Battles: Roandia (1322), Perisan (1323), Aerian (1324)

Gascony
The land of Gascony was a large expanse of plains on either side of the Gascon River and stretched along the coast of the Bay of Boeraa. It had been given to Haleglar as a territory in the Treaty of Digared in 1276. Due to geographic separation from Haleglar, Gascony became very independent and by 1320 practically ruled itself. It's population was low, but strong, and in 1319 it sent a request to Enaliera asking that Gascony be released from the Digared Treaty and be allowed to attack the elven realms of Aloveon and Hajirron. It was refused and afterwards King Oriathon kept a closer eye on Gascony. By 1322 the people were ready to rebel and a secret pact was made with the Baron of Magledor which ensured that Haleglar would not resist the secession of Gascony.

On Fivus 8, 1322, Gascony declared its independence from Haleglar. Only 118 people were killed in the process, most of them Halglaran soldiers.

Baronial Uprising
In 1322, Baron Norvais of Magledor set alight a conflict that had been brewing for decades between the barony of Magledor and that of Agyos, the latter of which was firmly tied to the Royal House. In Sixthus 1322, word reached Enaliera of Gascony's secession. To many of the baronies, this was the final failure of the Odorian dynasty and, spurred on by Norvais, they rebelled.

However, while all baronies but Agyos and Attarok were behind the rebellion, there was little cooperation and by Ninetho, Zampor had been secured by Odorian forces and only Anarinia and Magledor were putting up any front against Enaliera. Despite this, the two baronies held their own and royalist troops did not penetrate them. In Secondal, an attempt to take Adarr was thwarted and Agyosan forces sent into disarray. After this, the war went to a standstill for a while, as Norvais was occupied by the Goblin army approaching his borders and Odorian forces attempted to reorganize and set up an effective front.

Garzogl
In 1272, the Wizard Alikanaktor fled from Contanilmun and holed himself up in Garzogl, in the Miphtar Mountains. There, he began building himself an army and planning the eradication of the humans, for he believed them to be wiping out all magic from the island. By 1320 he had contacted the Elves and ensured safe passage through Hajirron. In Sixthus 1322, the Goblin armies set forth from Garzogl. They entered Gascony in Eitho and subdued it, and the main army reached the borders of Haleglar by Tentheto.

Battle of Roandia
The first major encounter between Garzogl and Haleglar was at Roandia, where a hurriedly assembled human army attempted to hold the goblins at bay. However, with tensions in Haleglar high and so many soldiers fighting in the north, only a small army from Navigla and Attarok defended the city. They held Roandia for ten days but were completely overwhelmed by the far larger opposing force.

Winter War
The capture of Roandia was swiftly followed by major advances by the Goblin army. Its first target was Attarok, which mustered only weak resistance. In Firshus, Ovatark had fallen and with it the rest of the barony. By then, Goblin armies had already surged into Navigla and made major advances, though they bypassed the city of Naviglin and halted well before reaching Aerian, as troops were shifted elsewhere.

Plains Invasion
By Tellird the snows had melted and the Goblin armies gathered for their main invasion; into Zangor and Sevadiela. Once again they were met by only token resistance and conquered most of the barony by Fivus. In Zangor, Myoniar was easily taken but no attempt was made on Kletannia as most of the goblins in Zangor were moved to reinforce the army besieging Sevadiela. The city fell on Fivus 29, shocking the Baronial Confederation leaders and forcing them to turn their attention to this new and enormous threat.

Battle of Perisan
Alikanaktor realized that in order to take Enaliera, he would first have to go through the Confederation forces, which meant routing Magledor. However, he waited a while, slowing his advance and allowing his own troops to gather fully, while letting Magledor do the same. His hope was that he could draw out vast numbers of opposing soldiers and defeat them, thus reducing Magledor's ability to defend itself and eliminating enemies that would otherwise prevent the sieges of such cities as Adarr.

On Sveno 12, 1323, both armies gathered outside the small town of Perisan. Four thousand Magledon soldiers against an enemy force three times that size. Baron Norvais himself was present at Perisan to lead the army, which was positioned directly in front of the city. His hope was that, knowing was disaster a retreat would be at this position, his men would hold firm regardless of the cost, and halt the goblin army in its tracks. The plan worked. On the 12th and 13th, sorties were sent out against the Magledons, but were unsuccessful. On the 14th, Alikanaktor decided that nothing else was to be done but to engage the army directly, and make his own force vulnerable in order to effectively beat its opposition. But Norvais' troops held firm, and over half the Goblin army was killed. Perisan was a decisive victory, but not for Garzogl.

Back over the Plains
Despite fears of Agyosan soldiers regrouping on his northern front, Norvais decided that he had to capitalize on his victory and force the Goblin army back. This proved to be of little difficulty, as the goblins abandoned everything between Perian and Sevadiela. However, they could not hold the city as it's citizens rose up against the occupying force and let the Magledon army into the city. By winter, nearly all of Sevadiela had been reclaimed and Norvais decided to return his attention to his Odorian enemies and allow the other baronies to continue the war.

However, this proved a mistake as all Halglaran advances were halted and hardly any land was reclaimed during autumn and winter, By Niorth, Goblin soldiers were back on the offensive, recrossing the Travone River and taking Myoniar once again.

Battle of Aerian
Alikanaktor realized that, despite the war turning in favor of him, that Enaliera could not now be taken by way of Perisan and Sevadiela. Instead, he hoped to outflank the Magledon army and advance all the way to Adarr, splitting it in two. It was a risky move, but it was the best shot he had left. In Niorth, Goblin armies advanced on their eastern front and soon reached Aerian. However, the city there, defended by what soldiers remained to the Baron of Navigla, did not fall as easily as planned and held out for over a month. It did eventually surrender on Sixthus 2, but only after the baron and five hundred soldiers had escaped and a hastily assembled Magledon army was nearby, The goblin army engaged the Halglarans on the border of Magledor, but was now against an army the same size as it, and was quickly forced into retreat. An attempted stand was made at Aerian but the city was easily reclaimed.

End of the War
By this point, the Goblin army was in disarray and afraid of its adversaries. After the Battle of Aerian, the entire front-line collapsed and Halglaran soldiers poured over the Travone River. Soon the pocket of resistance around Naviglin had been liberated and Roandia was retaken in Tentheto, shortly afterward followed by Ovatark. By Twelthen, all remaining goblins had retreated into Hajirron. The Elves, fearing retaliation against what could be perceived as a breaking of the Treaty of Digared, quickly went about slaughtering all goblins found within their borders.

The First Goblin War was over.