The War of the Races was, indeed a sad time in the history of Krynn. It is hard to say what started the War, but most believe that it was simply due to years of tension between the diverse lands of Krynn. However, the Minotaur races of Mithas and Kothas are credited with the first acts of violence, something they consider very honorable.
The Minotaurs have long believed themselves the superior race of Krynn. It was, in fact, overdue that they attempt to invade the Ansylonian mainland. Traveling around the Bloodsea of Istar, the Minotaurs landed on the shores of Goodlund at the break of dawn on a gloomy spring day. The minotaur army swarmed across the land and laid siege upon the Kender homeland of Kendermore. The Minotaurs were ruthless, opting to take no prisoners. After destroying Kendermore, the Minotaur army moved across the mainland destroying such cities as Flotsam, Port Balifor, and Kernen. Meanwhile, further west, the Knights of Solomnia had rode from Palanthas to meet the Minotaur army. Believing the threats to Palanthas to be vanquished, the Knights left the city with minimum defense. Remaining near Palanthas was a small batallion of knights stationed at the remains of the High Clerist Tower. The army of Solomnia and the Minotaur force met at Neraka, beginning a battle that would continue for months.
While the Minotaurs and the Knights fought, the tension between the Dwarves of Thorbardin and the Elves of Qualinesti exploded in war. The Dwarves marched from their mountainous stronghold toward the Elven forests. In a panic, the elves sent a message to the Hill Dwarves, begging for support. The Hill Dwarves complied with eagerness, wanting to repay their cousins for "exiling them from Thorbardin". The Hill Dwarves attacked the rear flank of their brethren. The Mountain Dwarves, taking high casualties, sent a plea of help to Qualenesti's own cousins, the Silvanesti Elves. The Silvanesti marched from their forest, crossing the Plains of Dust.
Meanwhile, forces from far north began their invasion of a defensless Palanthas, causing the Knights to send a desperate askance of help from the Wizards of High Sorcery, who they had made an unstable treaty with for the upholding of peace. As the mages prepared to fly to the Knight's aid, the war loving peoples of Ergoth crossed the straight and headed for the Tower of High Sorcery. Due to the disappearance of true magic, the protection spells around the Tower had failed. The Ergothian army marched to the doorstep of the tower. The Mages sent what few they could to the aid of the Knights. Fourteen mages went and none returned. The Master of the Tower at the time, Dalamar of Palanthas, began to sway from the world of the sane. His mind could not bear to see his kin, the elves, slaying each other. The Conclave determined that Dalamar's apprentice, Arimas of Palanthas, should have to dispose of the insane man. Arimas complied sadly and was voted Head of the Conclave as all knew would happen.
Now there were three fronts fighting. The Knights of Solomnia and the Army of Mithas and Kothas at Neraka, the Wizards of High Sorcery and the army of Ergoth at Wayreth, and the Elves and the Dwarves at Qualinesti.
Seeing an opportunity to sieze zomething long desired, the Dragon races of Krynn swept into Silvanesti forest and crushed the defense left there, taking the ancient elven homeland for their own.
This is how the war went for several months. Finally, the fighting stopped. There were no treaties signed. The war ended for there were no soldiers left to fight it. Every race on Krynn had been crippled save for what came to be called the scavenger races. Hordes of goblin, kobalds, and such roaming the lands for nothing more than the looting of deserted towns and bloody battlefields.
Among the crushed forces was that of the Wizards of High Sorcery. The ranks of the Orders had been destroyed down to a handful. Now Lord Arimas travels from his desolate homeland in search of a new Conclave to build and a new relm to occupy.
