Elven Kingdoms vie for influence in the North

The early 50s of the 2nd century PC saw the two major maritime elf realms increase their influence in Palurin and a resurgence of the Dominion as a force to be reckoned with.

The High Elves of Mellvellon had lived in relative peace since 235PC and their crushing defeat of the Cloudy Mountain Orcs. However in 250PC a more aggressive faction within the complicated political structures of Mellvellon politics gained influence and their policy shifted from peacekeepers to aggressive expansionist colonisers.

The high elves increased the size of their colonies and extensively developed their trading post at Averacium into a mighty port. Sein-Craban in the south also saw expansion, its influence extending up the Endwe river, much to the consternation of the skaven of Typhus.

This new policy almost immediately saw a cooling of relations with Cuitlaxaochitzin, who after an internal struggle largely unknown to the high elves had taken once more to sending mercenary ogre expeditions north west to Canabrin. Rather than welcoming the ogres as potential allies against chaos the high elves took offence to their presence, declaring that Canabrin was an "elven affair". Insulted, the ogres refused to leave and a confrontation became inevitable. A Mellvellon army shadowed the ogres througout their campaign in the north west and matters came to a head in late 250PC. The ogre army was defeated and high elf pride soothed, but relations with the lizardmen cooled even further.

The high elves then turned their attentions to the defeat of the Kaalroen Empire. The Chaos realm, a loose confederation of human warlords, city states, norsemen and beastmen tribes had weakened over the last fifty years, but the massive land empire still remained the most powerful nation in Palurin and its expansion east, towards the colonies of Mellvellon, continued.

The human warriors of the Kaalroen Empire had left the elves well alone since the disastrous Battle of the Fortress of Dawn in 211PC, but the beastmen remained aggressive, attacking elven caravans in the far north west of Canabrin. In 251PC the dragon lords sent an army against them, massacring the beastmen and ensuring that the colonies of Mellvellon on the mainland reached new levels of civilisation and development.

More worryingly for the high elves the Dominion, which had for over forty years remained a sleeping giant, returned to campaigning in 253PC. Once again the elves' dark kin returned to Canabrin for sport and plunder, destroying a beastman army just north of the white Cenebrae before returning to their ever growing halls. By 255PC Apotheosis had joined the ranks of fellow cities, Lamentation and New Har Ganeth as a dark tower of pain, and the Dark Elves began sending armies abroad in Canaur, terrorising the human tribes that dwelt there. Clamour rose in Sigmarheim for the newly crowned Emperor Otto IV to take action...