40-Year War

The 40-Year War was a global conflict that lasted from 1152 to 1192 AT, during the life of Tulkon Yaaamemon. The War was actually two separate, but interconnected conflicts: the Global War and the Demons' Second Invasion. The Global War lasted from 1152 to 1160 while the Invasion lasted until 1192, ending with Yaaamemon's Sacrifice.

After the war, the political and physical landscape of the planet was drastically altered. The next few centuries were without a Tulkon, and a new continent was formed. The effects of the war would continue to affect the future of the world for centuries.

Prelude
Tulkon Kedur apparently defeated the Demons after their first invasion in 201 AT. In reality, the Demons hid again and decided to attack once the Four Earthly Peoples were in a more vulnerable state, as they had fought back stronger than the Demons had anticipated. They nearly returned during the Iloisa Conquest, but Tulkon Ytinise's peacekeeping efforts unknowingly prevented them from returning again.

The century or so prior to the Global War was relatively peaceful. During this time, most of the world's countries had developed economically and industrially, and many were preparing for potential conflict. In Orcanth, the government abused workers in Keghotogh and Kepet resulting in a rebellion in 1085 AT. The young Tulkon Roduzaz ended the war in 1087 and used his lifetime to promote a pacifistic way of life, but despite his efforts, the world was still hungry for resources and growth and turned to the Garden Continent.

Global War
In 1152, the chairman of the RIHS was assassinated by an Orcanth strike team when he announced a plan to close trade routes with the Eastern hemisphere. This caused tensions to erupt, and so Orcanth and Däe Ydelhiad declared war on the RIHS, while A’Roastad supported their human allies. Phocachirsk IHS, which split from its parent state, joined the side of Orcanth. Norte-Muldox remained outside of the conflict, but rogue groups did join the fight. Roduzaz, a committed pacifist, tried to remain out of the conflict but was assassinated by the king of Orcanth, who disapproved of his peaceful ways. Roduzaz reincarnated as Yaaamemon, who was born in Däe Ydelhiad.

The Global War would last eight years. The war was incredibly bloody and brutal on a scale never seen before. Neither side was able to gain an upper hand over the other and countless soldiers were thrown into the conflict by careless generals. In 1160 AT, the Demons began landing across the Garden Continents and Däe. The Global War had put the world in the vulnerable state that it required.

Demon Invasion
The Demons' invasion would last the remainder of the war. Their forces moved slowly, but acted thoroughly, destroying the populations of their claimed lands almost completely. The Global War was put on hold, and the world's nations set aside their conflict to focus on the Demon threat.

Rather than focusing on outright destruction as they had previously, the Demons' new strategy was to occupy and enslave. By 1180, most of the Garden Continent had been occupied.

Yaaamemon joined the fight in 1171, and was present at the Fall of Däe Ydelhiad in 1185. Yaaamemon learned of his ability to use the powers of all 18 of his past lives against the Demons, but realized that he would possibly not reincarnate. Yaaamemon, a Tulkonist, believed that this was his purpose as the Tulkon, and decided to sacrifice himself to save the world. He travelled to a small island in the Eastern Sea and in a huge blast of light energy single-handedly wiped out the Demons. At the island sprouted an enormous rock spire which came to be known as Yaaamemon's Rock. The war was over.

Aftermath
The 40-Year War is considered one of the most important turning points in history since the Infinite War. Not only did millions die globally, but the stage was set for the next two millennia of global interactions.

A notable consequence of the war was the formation of the continent of Däegarden from the fusion of the Garden Continent and Däe. The Demons' need to cross the Ilem Sea and shockwaves caused by Yaaamemon's sacrifice caused the continents to fuse together, forming the Ilem Desert in place of the body of water that separated the two continents. Däegarden was resettled by Gardenian Orcs, Phocahn Humans, and Ynoforan Elves, most of whom returned to their former lands. Ydelhiad Elves formed a wider diaspora and did not rebuild the country of Däe Ydelhiad, as their Däeist philosophy emphasized impermanence. The Däeist monasteries in the country were rebuilt, and some Ydelhiad Elves joined the new country of Ynofora. A Prophetist minority of Dwarves settled in the desert, forming the Nodal ethnic group by 1300. Däegarden, over the next few centuries, would develop a unique blended culture and a pidgin language known as Däegic. The scattering of numerous people around the world led to higher percentages of mixed populations, and cultural/racial mixing was not as rare as it was in the past and became commonplace.

Orcanth was the country most affected by the war. The nation rebuilt itself over the centuries, but was still left in poverty. The ruined economic state of the country led to the foundation of the country of Gogeget, which declared independence from Orcanth peacefully. During the lifetime of Tulkon Zoktopo in the mid 1600's, Orcanth went to war with Gogeget. By the war’s end, Gogeget had become fully reconquered by Orcanth. Orcanth had become so set on their goal that they completely destroyed Nul-Penazaduz, their cultural center, after it had become Gogeget’s beachhead. Zoktopo, now an adult, was made aware of Orcanth’s goals of conquering the entirety of Däegarden and wiping out the other populations there. Enraged, Zoktopo started a rebellion from Keghotogh that was supported by Orcanth’s targets. In three years, Zoktopo led the orc rebellion to victory, confining Orcanth to the continent of Penazaduz. Gogeget regained independence, and the nation of Frig-Reda was formed with its capital in Redakhokh. Frig-Reda was an extremely turbulent state, and was eventually reorganized into the Keghotogh Ascendancy. Orcanth remained a weak state until the reign of Tulkon Queen Zoruha.

Nen Ren was also occupied by Demons. During its reconstruction in 1220 AT, the first concrete evidence of the ancient E'Ash civilization, the ancestor of the Four Earthly Peoples, was discovered. In about 1400, the Kingdom of Usybork took over the rest of the Human Ditarre territories.

The Demons were not made extinct by Yaaamemon's Sacrifice, but their population was decimated beyond the point of ever fighting the Ea again. A few demons have been spotted over the millennia but they do not interact with people. The ethics of the Sacrifice and whether or not it constitutes a genocide have been debated.

The most notable consequence of the war was that the world was left without a Tulkon. The power of Yaaamemon's Sacrifice trapped the spirit of the Tulkon within the Rock. The 300 Years Without a Tulkon were a turbulent period in history. Eventually, a war between Orcanth and Nodal over trade routes damaged the artifact, releasing the spirit of the Tulkon. It found its way to Nodal and reincarnated as Epodora.