After writing build 8, I needed to clear my head by doing something a completely different and a bit more fun before properly attempting to tackle build 9!

So, there is obviously a lot of lore in the world of Soulcreek that goes pretty deep and is largely left up for speculation. Since the main VN's story is pretty dense, there's not enough time to explore it all in the detail it deserves. So I had the idea of writing up some  essays that describe significant events in the story's history without the need for huge tangents in the main story! Think of them as Lore Deep Dives (which is what I'll call them!).

As with the Whispers of Carmine, you do not have to read this to understand what's going on in the main VN. However, if you're like me and enjoy making little connections, spotting hidden Easter eggs and having the extra context for why certain characters are the way there are, this is for you! 

For this deep dive, I decided to cover the Sabre War - the infamously brutal clash between Kaius and Drevonia over the use of the Old Knowledge in Illayla. It's only mentioned a few times in the actual story but, really, this event had significant impacts on the state of Illayla and both Kaius and Drevonia's character, so it's definitely worth covering for the sake of future updates.

In the future, I may integrate these deep dives into the main VN itself, along with the Whispers of Carmine, depending on how well they're received. Pop by our official discord if you want to discuss this thing, or suggest other snippets of lore you'd like me to deep dive in the future! Alternatively, leave a comment on itch right here and I'll make an effort to actively reply to people!

And with that, here we go...

The Riptide Clan

Eighteen years prior to the events of Soulcreek, Illayla looked quite different. While there were four major sedentary clans (Draconi, Riptide, Windchill and Razorback), there were also dozens of other smaller clans scattered about, numbering from twenty to a hundred people. Over the next decade, these minor clans would largely either join with one of the four major clans or be destroyed.

Kaius had entered his fourth year as the chieftain of the Riptide clan. In that time, his people had experienced a life-changing upheaval in their daily lives. There was food on the table for everyone. The wardens drilled day-and-night, and Kaius had trained nearly six hundred of his people into warriors, each loyal to a fault. New buildings and farms had been constructed, and the exhausted food stores were now full to bursting with bountiful supplies for the winter. 

However, this prosperity had come at a cost. Every trace of the Old Knowledge had been gathered up and burned at Kaius’ command. Those who argued against the decree were given an ultimatum - cooperate, or be exiled. Everyone chose the former at first. But, over time, the intense labour and endless hardships of running a clan without the luxuries of surviving technology became a harsh reality. For some, it was too much. They yearned for heaters to ward off the winter, freezers to preserve food, plumbing to heat water, medicine to fight sickness… anything to lighten the load. But Kaius allowed nothing. It was an endless cycle of work, sleep and repeat. Such was the cost of true survival in Illayla.

Quality of life dipped. Some left of their own accord to either join other clans or disappear from Illayla entirely. Others attempted to utilise technology under Kaius’ nose - they were inevitably discovered and banished, or made a tough example of. Kaius never compromised. Many were feverishly loyal to him and argued that a life of hardship was worth reaping the benefits of success, but even they never imagined how deep his convictions went. 

After the death of Aleera, Kaius blamed the lost knowledge of the Zephyr for her suffering. It was the lure of forgotten history and ancient technology that had tempted her to coax the Blackzones into revealing its secrets - a downfall any Blackrunner worthy of the Path would warn you against. Kaius knew too well that the hypnotic lure of the Blackzones was, while terrifying, utterly irresistible to Illayla. 

People would continue digging in the darkness regardless of what it risked unearthing in their search for precious Salvage to fawn over. Such foolish hunts would only provoke the Blackzones into tightening their noose on the clan's limited space. The willful denial of the Negative Ones existence only worsened the temptation.

Kaius knew, in his heart, that so long as the Old Knowledge was clung to, Illayla’s forgotten history would forever remain a dangerous allure. The clans needed to abandon the Zephyr’s cursed past and forge their own history through blood, sweat and tears. But they would never do that willingly when the easier, lazier path was still out there.

Kaius was, incidentally, a hypocrite. He himself harboured intense curiosities for the Blackzone’s origins and wanted to see them burn. He kept such ambitions to himself as best he could, and many say his trauma over witnessing Aleera’s death turned his convictions crooked. Regardless, whatever intense draw to the Blackzones had taken him, he buried them in the darkest recesses of his soul - an act that surely stretched him to the brink of madness. 

With his own clan’s lust for the Old Knowledge stifled, Kaius began to consider the rest of Illayla. His fear and ferocity wouldn’t allow him to tolerate any trace of the Old Knowledge even outside of his own clan, but he wouldn’t take action.

Kaius' Fury

The event that pushed him over the edge came when a nomadic tribe of merchants bearing hundreds of Old Knowledge relics stopped by the Riptide and attempted to trade their technological wares with his people. Kaius peacefully but firmly dismissed them, but when this nomadic tribe saw his people’s endless toiling they sought to profit from it. After nightfall, they snuck into the Riptide settlement and distributed their wares to his weaker-willed followers right under Kaius’ nose, making immense gains through the secret trades. Some of the weaker Riptide clan members, their minds and muscles worn from the prospect of endless labour, fell to the temptation. 

When Kaius discovered the deception, he was incensed. A bitter fury took hold of him, and he quickly tracked down the nomadic tribe and had his wardens drag them back to Riptide, where each one was burned alive. Though he spared his own people who’d traded with them, he delivered an impassioned speech that warned of suffering the same fate should the same weakness be shown again.

Kaius’ rage still wasn’t quenched. He had extracted the route these nomadic merchants had taken and took his wardens to their previous stop - the Atohi clan. They were small, and had gladly adopted the Old Knowledge and Salvage offered by these crooked merchants into their daily lives. Kaius marched his wardens there personally and gave another speech to the clan, but the Atohi chieftain was foolish enough to openly mock Kaius’ fear in front of her people and Kaius’ own wardens, labelling him a ‘paranoid child acting the king’.

Kaius grabbed the chieftain by the throat and snapped her neck. The Atohi clan was annexed by the Riptide clan, and all their technology was burned.

Drevonia and the Automonks Respond

Word of Kaius’ fury against the Atohi and their absorption into the Riptide clan reached the Draconi quickly. Drevonia had only recently assumed control of the struggling clan, and she quickly travelled east to establish the state, fearing for her brother’s sanity. After a heated confrontation, Kaius admitted that he had no intention of taking his wardens any further - he had settled his score, and that was that. Drevonia left her brother to his own devices and returned home.

That might have been the end of it - were it not for the Automonks.

When word of what happened to the Atohi reached them, they concluded that Kaius was dangerous enough to pose a threat. So, they approached Drevonia with a deal. In return for protection, the Automonks would decorate the Draconi clan with the most advanced technology available to Illayla - wonders of engineering that would transform their clan into a marvel of the Old Knowledge. The Draconi would flourish. 

Having recently suffered a severe food shortage and expecting an even more challenging winter, Drevonia considered the proposal carefully. She was facing the starvation of her people, but also the vexation of her brother. Perhaps she believed, with Kaius committed to keeping within his own territory, he’d tolerate the deal. Perhaps she fully expected his wrath, but refused to let it sway her. She pondered the matter for three months.

It’s rumoured that Aeyon implored Drevonia to refuse the Automonks, and his wisdom was well regarded by the chieftain. However, an outbreak of hoof-and-mouth disease among the clan’s livestock was the final straw. Drevonia accepted the Automonks proposal. 

Over the next month, the Draconi clan was outletted with wondrous technology to support their farming, medicine to keep their people healthy, heated plumbing to keep them clean and fight off disease, electric heaters to warm their homes, lightbulbs to guide them in the night, machines and materials to craft warm clothes and refurbished appliances to cook and preserve food. Life for the clan improved drastically. Exiles from other clans and even a few of the minor clans flocked to join the Draconi, and the clan quickly and easily flourished. In only a month, the Draconi had reached a level of prosperity that rivalled the Riptide clan, without the need to sacrifice their people’s quality of life. In fact, the amount of labour was significantly reduced. It seemed like a no-brainer.

Relations Sour

Inevitably, Kaius discovered what Drevonia had done. She had underestimated his reaction, for Kaius became inflamed with a fury beyond sense. He was hurt and ashamed at what he saw as a betrayal of principles by his own flesh and blood. 

When he marched to the Draconi clan to implore her sister to see sense, she met his anger with cold indifference. He reminded her of the danger entailed in clinging to the legacy of Zephyr, whose world had left them in darkness, and reminded her of Aleera’s fate. He begged her to cut ties with the Automonks, knowing full well that all the prosperity of the Draconi would put them into a debt they’d never be free of. Above all else, clinging to the Old Knowledge meant clinging to the same legacy that spawned the Blackzones - and that would spell doom for all Illayla.

Drevonia, indomitable as she was, dismissed his concerns. She’d granted her people a life previously only dreamed of, and would never take that away from them. Yes, they were indebted to the Automonks, but it was a small price to pay in the grand scheme of things. She paid Kaius raving paranoia that using the Old Knowledge would provoke the Blackzones. So long as the Negative Ones remained inside them, what harm was there?

Kaius couldn’t abide by it. The Draconi clan gathered nervously outside the locked Hall as the siblings argued day and night. Eventually, with neither willing to compromise, Kaius laid out his intentions. The Automonks were going to scatter their technology to other clans and provoke the wrath of the Blackzones upon them all, so he would destroy them for the sake of Illayla. Drevonia warned Kaius that, should follow through, she would honour her pact with the Automonks and meet him in battle.

When Kaius eventually left his sister’s clan to return home, both he and Drevonia their clans were now on an inevitable path to war.

Preparations Begin

And so, when Kaius arrived back at Riptide, he ordered his wardens to prepare for a crusade. If Illayla would not bury the cursed history of its past, he would do it by force. Many would die, but that was a sacrifice that would have to be made to steer their lands away from their doomed path. The weak willed and easily tempted had no place anymore. They had to forge their own path, or Aleera’s fate awaited them all. 

His target was the Great Barrier, and every Automonk within it. With them dead, and Illayla’s electricity cut off, technology would eventually be abandoned and forgotten. Many warriors from neighbouring nomadic clans flocked to Kaius’ side in staunch belief in his ideals. Or, perhaps, they wished to be on the winning side of what many already predicted would be a terrible conflict. Perhaps they even sought to earn favour with Kaius to further their own ambitions. Whatever the case, Kaius never found himself lacking volunteers to join him.

Drevonia followed her brother’s example. She called on every other clan to stand for the right to choose their own fate. Unfortunately, she faced a difficult situation. Her allies were few in number, and the two largest clans (Windchill and Razorback) initially chose to remain out of the coming conflict. Unlike Drevonia, Kaius made no effort to hide his brutal reputation. It served in his favour here, for no one wished to see him on the opposite end of a battlefield. It seemed Drevonia would struggle to amass an army that could compete with whatever Kaius would conjure.

Kaius' Prepares his Army

Kaius’ knew that he may face opposition from multiple clans, and so needed to assemble an army that would rival any Illayla had seen in its known history. This was no small feat in a near stone-age tribal society, where mass communication was a forgotten memory. He had gathered close to a thousand warriors at his side, but they were composed of many different minor clans as well as his own Riptide forces. They lacked any semblance of order. Manoeuvring and controlling such a force would be a cumbersome and difficult task.

The unprecedented manner in which Kaius prepared and organised his army is what would mark him forever as a terrifying and legendary master of war. The strategies he chose were, ironically, similar to how the Zephyr might organise their forces. He would inadvertently revolutionise war in Illayla by creating the first military chain of command since the Cascade - a concept of war utterly lost to history, until now.

First, he created a frontline that was eight-hundred strong. These were the women making up the bulk of his army, which he outfitted with protective iron armour that his blacksmiths had worked tirelessly to craft. For these warriors, Kaius chose the faster, leaner of the species such as felines or canines. They would make up the bulk of his army, and were separated into four divisions - each with a trusted warden at its head to distribute orders. These individual units could break off from the main army to outmanoeuvre and encircle, granting Kaius complete flexibility in battle. They were mobile enough to be trusted to raid and pillage those clans that refused Kaius’ ultimatum, robbing them of their technology by force and executing any resistance. Kaius placed his Second Guardian, a hyena named N’ara, in command of this frontline.

Next, he gave bows to two-hundred of the fastest, smallest, and most keen-sensed species (such as the avians and mustelids). They were trained to fire rapidly, accurately and on-the-move. He taught them to spread themselves thinly across great distances and communicate through a code of bird calls. The fastest and most loyal of these would later be dubbed the Claws, and would act as forward scouts for the army. The concept of skirmishers was nothing new to Illayla, however Kaius would again break new ground with this particular group. He placed his Third Guardian, a fox named Ha’chi, in command of these scouts. The appointment was extremely well chosen, for Ha’chi was Blackrunner. Thus, Kaius had created something terrifying and formidable - a division of scouts that could move through the Blackzones and strike from angles no other force could predict or match.

Finally, Kaius created his greatest weapon: a vanguard of one-hundred shock troopers, composed of the largest bovines, equines and reptilians. They had a simple role: charge into the thick of combat and wreak havoc. They were granted the greatest of weapons and the finest of armour. Each was a juggernaut in their own right, and Kaius bolstered their morale with gladiatorial combat trails that ran day and night. Each warrior in the vanguard earned fame and fortune among the Riptide clan. They were empowered with faultless loyalty and unbreakable spirits. Kaius knew that these titans alone were stronger than any army Illayla had ever seen. They would terrify and obliterate the strongest of battlelines, never wavering or retreating. Leading this vanguard would be Kaius’ First Guardian: the barbarian rhino known as Svae. 

In only a year, Kaius had transformed his ramshackle warriors from savage, divided tribals into a unified, disciplined army far ahead of its time, the likes of which Illayla had never seen. Such a force would set a precedent for the coming conflict and all wars to follow. Drevonia knew well what her brother had created, and had no hope of matching him. She lacked the numbers, the expertise, the discipline. 

Drevonia Schemes

In the year that Kaius was making his preparations, Drevonia was far from idle. She knew she’d never beat her brother in an open battle. While she lacked his military expertise and proficiency in combat, she was dangerously cunning, deceptive and resourceful. Better yet, she knew well how to manipulate people - even the Automonks, and even Kaius. 

The Draconi army was six-hundred strong - well short of Kaius’ one-thousand. Like his, it consisted of mostly Draconi warriors with spatterings of minor clans that saw Kaius’ ambitions for the disaster they were. The Windchill clan still refused to get involved, despite Drevonia’s warnings that Kaius would reach them eventually. The Razorback clan stood directly in Kaius’ path to the Great Barrier and would surely be his first target, but they remained neutral (at least, as far as anyone knew).

Drevonia had two other resources she would utilise in the war. The first was the Automonks - she approached them while Kaius busied himself in preparation, and implored for them to offer what technological support they could. Though the Automonks were self-proclaimed pacifists who kept little in the way of weapons, Drevonia would not be left disappointed.

Finally, she had her greatest asset. A young, upcoming warrioress who already held a legendary reputation even among the Riptide clan: the infamous Badger of Carmine, Takhi.

Kaius arrives at Razorback

The first part of Kaius’ plan was simple - march straight for the Great Barrier, blast it to oblivion and round up any surviving Automonks for execution. Then would begin a meticulous march around Illayla from clan to clan, forcibly depriving them of any surviving technology. Blackrunners would also have to be made to obey the new law of Illayla: no Salvage was to be brought out of the Blackzones - but that would come afterwards.

Kaius would have to march west along the River Kryke, passing through the Blackzones with Ha’chi’s guidance, then follow the river north until they reached the Great Barrier. 

Of course, en-route to the Great Barrier was the sizable Razorback clan. They held significant numbers. Kaius knew his sister was cunning and that he’d have to outplay her. He suspected that she’d already persuaded the Razorbacks to pledge themselves to her in secret. In which case, if he ignored them, they would wait until his army had marched past and strike at his rear while Drevonia’s main army would hit him from the north. 

Kaius couldn’t take the risk. He’d have to strike Razorback first and begin his crusade there, disarming them utterly and removing any threat they might pose, also driving a wedge between them and Draconi territory.

And so, Kaius and his army departed for the Razorback clan. The village was notoriously dense, with narrow streets and tall structures several stories high. It sat at the foot of a mountain, surrounded by dense forest with open grassland being the only safe approach. Most notably, the village was the only settlement that was surrounded by tough wooden walls - for the Razorbacks were very talented builders.

After encamping outside on the high ground roughly a mile outside, Kaius ordered N’ara to march into the clan and deliver his ultimatum - surrender all traces of technology and accept annexation by the Riptide clan. N’ara took one of the two-hundred strong frontline divisions into the village and straight to the Razorback’s chieftain to deliver Kaius’ ultimatum. 

As they marched through the streets, they paid no heed to the nervous Razorback tribeswomen that hid from sight within their homes. They moved with pride, emboldened by the fury and conviction of their leader, and quickly reached the hall of the Razorback chieftain, an elderly woman named Hura’ka. However, when N’ara bellowed for Yamara to come out and meet her, she was met with silence. In fact, the whole village was silent. Not a single Razorback clan member had emerged from their home. The streets were empty, save for N’ara’s warriors. Something wasn’t right. 

Kaius had attempted to outplay his sister’s cunning. He’d failed, for Drevonia had already played her first hands before his army had even left its territory. 

Drevonia draws First Blood

Drevonia had conspired with Hura’ka many months prior. The Razorbacks were not warriors and feared the upcoming war. So, Drevonia had helped relocate Hura’ka’s people safely to Draconi territory. Those nervous Razorback eyes N’ara’s forces had seen hiding in their homes were all, in fact, fearsome Draconi warriors that had been covertly placed here in waiting for months. When N’ara forces were lodged deep inside the village, the Draconi sprung suddenly from the dense structures and set upon their enemies. The ambush had been expertly coordinated by none other than the Badger of Carmine herself - Takhi. In the following carnage, Takhi met N’ara in battle and, after a quick duel, killed her.

Kaius heard the cries of battle and clash of swords from outside the village. He knew that he’d been outplayed, and his fury blinded him utterly. He furiously and recklessly ordered his vanguard to charge into the Razorback village, slaughter everyone within and burn it to the ground. He would lead the charge himself.

It was a lesson in patience and self-control that he’d never forget, for he’d failed to spot where the grass had been disturbed in by sporadic digging.

The vanguard was halfway across the open plains when they heard it - a loud clunk. The next second, dozens upon dozens of landmines were detonated beneath their feet. The very earth erupted as no less than thirty consecutive explosions blast through the vanguard’s charge. Many of Kaius’ most prized and fearsome warriors were decimated by the mines. Dozens of limbs rained from the sky. The scene was a horrific bloodbath. Many warriors attempted to drag others, crippled or outright dismembered by the explosions, to safety as even more detonations rang out among their ranks. Kaius himself was caught in such an explosion, but suffered minor injuries and damage to his hearing.

The vanguard scattered, retreating back to their encampment as the rest of Kaius’ army watched in horror. By the time the charging vanguard of one-hundred had retreated to the safety of their camp, only around twenty of them were still alive. 

And far opposite them, within the Razorback village, stood Drevonia - her finger still pressed on the trigger that’d detonated the mines gifted to her by the Automonks. In one swoop, she had cut down two-hundred of Kaius’ army, including N’ara, and devastated Kaius’ invaluable vanguard. 

The Riptide Dilemma

The Riptide army remained encamped outside the Razorback village for a day and night. Kaius had learned his lessons - he’d underestimated his sister and allowed his own fury to dictate his actions. He’d never make that mistake again. Though his army had been dealt a significant blow, he still had the greater numbers and the unmatched discipline that the Draconi could never outmatch. However, the Draconi army had hauled up in the Razorback settlement and turned it into a defensive bastion. They were too well entrenched. Kaius had to somehow force Drevonia into an open engagement, where he’d have the upper hand. Unfortunately, he was now facing a siege.

He could try to use fire to burn the village down, but doing so would mean crossing the open grasslands again to get his ranged forces within firing distance. He wouldn’t risk the possibility that more mines were laying in wait, and all the while the Draconi would be returning fire. Additionally, the Razorbacks were legendary builders who used materials beyond wood to construct their homes - they would not ignite easily

He could also choose to simply move on and continue towards the Great Barrier, but this was an even worse prospect. The path north was a dangerous one, and he could only risk moving if he was certain there was no risk of being surrounded on the way. He had no idea how many forces Drevonia may still have up north, as he doubted her entire army was inside the Razorback settlement. His army, while formidable, was still a slow and cumbersome beast. He’d only be setting himself up to be attacked from the north and the south simultaneously. It seemed Drevonia had him cornered in a difficult position.

But Kaius was not without his own cunning. He had a different plan, and would play the next hand in his revolutionary army: Ha’chi, his Blackrunner, and the Claws.

Kaius Retaliates

Kaius’ army remained encamped north of the village. Drevonia watched from the walls as they spread themselves wide, effectively encircling the village from a safe distance. However, they never attacked. Drevonia waited. She watched the fires of the Riptide army in the night. Her brother was up to something, but she didn’t know what.

Directly south of the Razorback settlement was something only someone as courageous as Kaius could’ve dared hoped to utilise in such a situation: the Blackzone. As the moon shone high in the sky, a horrifying sound that shattered Draconi morale began to below from within it, drawing closer and closer. 

Ha’chi had taken the Claws and had snuck into the Blackzones right behind them. They had lured a monstrously large horde of Informed ashore, and now directed them straight at Drevonia’s rear. 

The brutality that followed decimated the will of the Draconi as their fortified position was utterly overrun. The soulless Informed scaled the walls and overran the village. They set upon the Draconi like mindless, savage ferals, tearing them to pieces with their jaws and talons. Two-hundred Draconi were slaughtered in the terrifying carnage as their position was completely swarmed. They had no idea how to fight these Informed. When they tried to cut the beasts down, the Informed would simply continue with their limbs broken, their bodies speared and a dozen arrows protruding from their flesh as they ripped their prey limb from limb.

The disorganised retreat from the village that followed was a categorical disaster for Drevonia. Many Draconi were forced to flee north, where they simply approached Kaius’ army with arms raised in surrender. Drevonia rallied what forces she could that’d fled east, whereas Takhi took the bulk of the survivors back north to regroup closer to Draconi territory.

Kaius had dislodged the Draconi fortification without losing a single soldier. With the Informed still inside the village, he ordered the structures to be set aflame so they could be incinerated in the inferno. Satisfied, he ordered the captured Draconi to be kept alive and began his unimpeded march north, while the burning Razorback village behind him lit up the black night’s sky.

The Draconi are Scattered

It seemed like a fatal blow for the Draconi. Their forces were scattered. Takhi and Drevonia were separated by Kaius’ army with no means of communication. There were still two-hundred Draconi warriors waiting back at their territory, but they stood no chance against Kaius’ overpowering force that now marched unimpeded towards the Great Barrier

Takhi rallied roughly a hundred survivors from the Informed attack. She began to lead them back north to reunite with their reserves back at Draconi territory, where she hoped that Drevonia would meet her.

Drevonia, however, was trapped east of Kaius’ army. She too had rallied around a hundred survivors. The situation was bleak. Drevonia had realised that her brother would never back down from his crusade, and would resort to any measures to attain victory. She would have to do the same. Even as she’d been fighting for her life within the Razorback village, she had already formulated her next move.

She ordered eighty of her warriors to hold their position west of Riptide territory and await further orders. Then, she took a small retinue of twenty and crossed the River Kryke, following it north to the Great Barrier. She’d have to arrive well before Kaius’ army would, and so travelled swiftly.

Takhi's Ploy

Takhi had an army of three hundred. It wasn’t enough. She was a great warrior, but she couldn’t hope to outmatch a war-legend like Kaius in a battle of armies. She prepared her forces as best she could regardless. Kaius would arrive at their location in a matter of days.

Fortunately, a tremendous turning of luck was in store for the Draconi. Hadrina, chieftain of the Windchill clan, and two-hundred strong fighters, arrived at Draconi territory ready to join forces against Kaius. Hadrina had caught word of how the war was progressing, and the shocking events had finally spurned her to action. 

Of course, Kaius still had the greater numbers by far. His army remained powerful, even with its formidable vanguard left in tatters by the Automonk landmines. 

Takhi and Hadrina organised their combined armies as best they could upon the high ground of an open grassland with excellent visibility. The next day, Kaius’ army arrived. They were exhausted from the march, and encamped a few miles east of the Draconi/Windchill army. Kaius wasn’t sure if Drevonia was among the army opposite him, and so couldn’t afford to be reckless. He wanted his warriors well rested and the surrounding lands scouted before launching an attack. He had the more powerful army, after all - he could spare all the time in the world.

Takhi, however, had formed a plan of her own.

Meanwhile, Drevonia arrived at the Great Barrier with her small entourage of warriors. She met swiftly with the Automonks. She sent her entourage back the way they had come, to rejoin the small force that had been left by Riptide territory. She herself departed west within the hour to rejoin Takhi.

Hadrina proposed a brief ceasefire to meet with Kaius in no man’s land. Kaius quickly realised the meeting was an obnoxious waste of time, with Hadrina only pleading for Kaius to ‘see sense’ and abandon his foolish crusade. Kaius' certitude would not be swayed.

While the meeting took place, Takhi had gone out alone to hunt for one of Kaius’ scouts. She had dyed her fur to disguise her signature markings. She found her mark quickly, and quietly dispatched them. She donned the scout’s armour and, disguising herself as a Riptide warrior, infiltrated Kaius’ encampment. When night fell, she took a small glass vial from her pouch and poured its contents, unseen, into the soldiers’ drinking supply. She then escaped from the encampment completely unseen. 

By morning, over half of Kaius’ army was wracked by terrible sickness. Most were too stricken with fever to even stand, let alone fight. Kaius forced those with the strength to don their armour into rank, with his shamans doing what they could to alleviate the symptoms of the unknown ailments. Whatever poison it was, they had never encountered it before.

It remains, to this day, a mystery exactly what Takhi poisoned Kaius’ army with, or where she had gotten it. The substance was unlike anything any shaman had seen before.

The eve of Battle

Drevonia rejoined the combined Windchill and Draconi army with barely a moment to spare before battle would begin. Takhi had evened the playing field, but they were still outmatched. 

Kaius played a surprise final hand in order to end the war without further bloodshed - he offered the return of fifty Draconi prisoners, alive and well, in exchange for Drevonia’s retreat. He counted on Drevonia’s duty to keep her people safe, as any good chieftain should. Drevonia, despite facing almost certain defeat in an open engagement with Kaius’ army, refused. She openly challenged Kaius to march the prisoners out into the open and behead them all personally.

Surprisingly, Kaius couldn’t bring himself to follow through with his threats. When the war would end, he’d go on to release every prisoner regardless.

The Battle of the Barrier

A brutal exchange of ranged fire opened the Battle of the Barrier. When Drevonia tried to advance her archers, Kaius’ Claws swiftly outflanked and pushed them back. With no choice but to close the distance between the armies before they lost too many to the hail of arrows, Drevonia ordered an advance. They were met by Kaius’ devastating counter charge, with the tiger himself at the head of his army. 

The clash was brutal. Kaius’ vanguard was only twenty strong, but they still cut their way through rank after rank of helpless warriors that scattered and broke before them. Bodies soon mounted among the armies, and discipline among the Draconi/Windchill forces began to breakdown. Kaius, however, managed to keep his army ordered even while he himself cut down dozens of enemies.

Hadrina knew Kaius would keep only his healthy fighters in the front line after the poisoning. His flank and rear would be composed of sickly warriors, so she attempted a daring pincer move with her Windchill forces. Her gambit, however, was unsuccessful, as Ha’chi moved her Claws to intercept. Windchill forces failed to pull off the complex manoeuvre, and Hadrina was met in battle by Kaius’ First Guardian, Svae. The rhino killed Hadrina in the following duel. Windchill morale was broken by the death of their chieftain, but Takhi rallied them to her side and struck again, picking up where Hadrina had failed. She engaged Svae herself and attempted to avenge Hadrina’s death, but only managed to grievously wound the rhino.

In the frantic melee on the frontlines, Kaius and Drevonia met on the field of battle. It’s said that Kaius lacked all hesitation and attempted to strike a fatal blow to his sister the moment he locked eyes on her. Drevonia was badly injured by Kaius’ axe and barely escaped with her life.

The tide had quickly turned in favour of Riptide. Drevonia ordered her army to fall back. Kaius allowed the retreat, so he could re-gather his own forces and prepare a final, devastating punch that would break his opponent for good. 

It seemed almost certain that Kaius would be victorious, and Illayla would fall under his control.

The Duel

Before the armies could re-engage, a single Draconi messenger arrived. It was one of Drevonia’s entourage that she’d travelled to the Great Barrier with. When the message was passed to Drevonia, she was spurned into action. She immediately called for a ceasefire and sent a message to Kaius: for the two of them to meet, privately, and either settle this matter peacefully or duel to the death. The winner would claim victory in the war, avoiding the need for further bloodshed.

Kaius accepted.

The two siblings met in no-man’s land, exchanged a few words, then walked north into the thick forests. Both Draconi and Riptide scouts attempted to locate them, but failed. Instead, the two armies waited on opposite ends of the field, staring one another down, for an entire night.

When dawn broke, both Drevonia and Kaius returned.

Kaius immediately ordered his forces to disband and return home.

The Sabre War was over.

Resentment and Reconciliation

The war had been short, but completely unmatched in its brutality and revolutionary in the lethal strategies and generalship displayed by the ruthless siblings. The two of them had set a dangerous new standard for war in Illayla, and others would surely follow their example.

Nobody knows what really transpired between those two in the forest. Both tell that they duelled, and Drevonia was victorious. 

Kaius returned to Riptide territory and resumed furthering his clan’s prosperity. He never abandoned his hatred of the Old Knowledge or the Automonks, but would keep his conviction confined to his own clan. 

The Windchill clan never truly recovered from the war. They had lost well over half their number, as well as their chieftain. Their successor was young and lacked the experience of Hadrina. To this day, the Windchill clan has yet to regain their former strength.

The Razorback clan returned to their home, finding it utterly devastated by the fighting. It took many years to rebuild their village to its former glory, and even then many claim to hear the cries of Informed stalking through the streets at night, seeking flesh to tear apart in a mindless feral rage.

Takhi was celebrated as a war hero for her actions, and the Badger of Carmine only grew in fame. Takhi resented the attention, however, and stayed close to Drevonia’s side.

The Riptide clan, for a while, was baffled by their leader’s change of heart. Kaius maintained that Drevonia had beaten him in a fair duel but spared his life. He would honour that, warning that any other Riptide warrior should do the same. Still, resentment between the Draconi and Riptide clans was palpable. Many on both sides called for vengeance even while they licked their wounds. It was a fury Kaius nor Drevonia would ever be able to fully contain.

Seeing the embers of the war still burning in their people’s eyes four years later, Drevonia met with Kaius. Over the next few months, the two spent an increasing amount of time with one another. Many questioned this, baffled as to why these sworn enemies would tolerate one another’s company. However, in time, the siblings publicly seemed to make amends and fortify their ties as brother and sister. Eventually, it was rare that one would be seen without the other. Drevonia would spend weeks with Kaius at Riptide territory, and would return to the Draconi clan with Kaius at her side.

The Winter Wailing

Their bond was finalised when the drums of war echoed throughout Illayla once again: the Winter Wailing. The Windchill clan was beset by a trio of fierce nomadic tribes that sought their valuable territory for themselves. When several Ashlander gangs joined against the Windchill, Drevonia gathered her army to defend them - honouring the time when they themselves had once come to her aid. When she implored Kaius to join forces with her, he immediately and without hesitation reformed his own army once again. So it was that Draconi and Riptide, once enemies, now fought side by side against Ashlanders and nomadics. 

Unlike the Sabre War, the Winter Wailing was long. Takhi further cemented her reputation as a legendary warrior by undertaking several feats of incredible heroism. Within a year, the nomadic clans were obliterated and the Ashlanders driven back into the Blackzone.

A celebration between the Windchill, Draconi and Riptide clans took place in the form of a joint Indulgence, featuring no less than four separate Mating Troupes. In just a year, almost all bitterness between the clans had melted away. A fragile unity grew in its place. Drevonia and Kaius officially declared their clans to be allies. Though they would never share the same ideals where the Old Knowledge was concerned, they would never raise arms against one another nor tolerate a war of similar brutality to the Sabre War again.

Legacy

Still. Questions remained. What really occurred between those two when they met on the eve of battle? Is their miraculous reconciliation genuine? 

Many began pondering exactly who these sabre-toothed warlords really were. Was it true that they, and Aleera, had been born south of the Spine to a nomadic clan? Were they indeed the children of an Ashlander warlord that ruled far below the Spine, one whose very name remained the only thing more terrifying and taboo than the Blackzones themselves?

More than ever, Illayla was becoming home to legends of peerless renown. Drevonia. Kaius. The Badger of Carmine. The Slayer. The Blind One. The Whisperer. And, now, the Last Human. It seemed like a dangerous collection of individuals were making their mark on Illaylian history.

With all these powerful people in play, it seemed only a matter of time before one of them changed the fate of Illayla forever.

<*>

And that's all! As I said earlier, if you have questions or suggestions for what kind of lore Deep Dives you'd like to see next comment down below or on discord! This was a fun little distraction and, hopefully, a few of you might get a of bit extra enjoyment out of the main story from it!

Peace!

-Ryuo