Han / Stark / B!B War

Overview#

The Han / Stark / B!B War erupted during the uneasy calm following the STOMP / Claimers Server War. Though short-lived, it symbolized the ideological fractures that were reshaping Illyriad in 2015. The conflict pitted The Shu-Han Dynasty [Han], led by Constantine (Eternal Fire), against House Stark [Stark], led by PhoenixFire, with Broken Blades [B!B] joining as Han’s nominal confederate.

Origins and Causes#

Han had aligned itself with the Claimer movement that grew from SIN’s land-claim initiative, while Stark—once regarded as a sympathetic ally within Fellandire—was accused of drifting toward Elgean neutrality. By early July, Constantine accused PhoenixFire of “trading with those who would see the Claim destroyed” and “harboring Elgean sentiment on Claimer soil.” When Stark refused to renounce its external affiliations, Han declared war.

“When a house built on Claimer soil begins trading with those who would see the Claim destroyed, it ceases to be a neighbor and becomes an occupier.”
— Constantine (Eternal Fire), Han War Declaration, July 2015

Course of the War#

Han opened the campaign aggressively, laying siege to Stark cities such as Winterfell and Highgarden. The Illyriad Times described the early offensive as “energetic but under-resourced,” noting that Han lacked the logistical depth to sustain multiple sieges simultaneously. Stark’s counteroffensive was swift and decisive, aided by Fairy [TanyaFairy] and Warriors of the Old Tree [WoT], who broke Han’s forward sieges within days.

“The Fairy banners appeared on the horizon like a storm front. Within hours, Han catapults were silenced and Constantine’s forward armies scattered.”

By the second week, Stark’s forces razed Han’s frontier city M3 and began dismantling its trade infrastructure. B!B, though nominally Han’s ally, contributed little beyond symbolic troop deployments. The war quickly became a direct duel between Stark and Han.

The Magic Defense and the Siege of M3#

In late July 2015, the conflict produced one of the most remarkable events in Illyriad’s martial history: an attempt by Han to repel a siege through magic.

The episode unfolded at M3, a Han city held by EvilBanking7. As PhoenixFire [Stark] advanced siege engines for a final storm, Constantine ordered Han’s mages to unleash a Ward of Insanity, a rune-based spell meant to induce panic among attackers.

The Illyriad Times reported that 141 Militiamen, 87 Pikemen, 31 Knights, and 4 Catapults in Stark’s storming army abruptly abandoned their assault, leaving only 264 effective units.

“An army was seen approaching … waves of trepidation … afflicted troops abandoned their attempt to reach your city.”
— System message cited by the Illyriad Times, July 22, 2015

For several hours, the siege seemed broken. Han celebrated in global chat, with Constantine boasting:

“We here at Han repulsed PF’s raze attempt with … a fear rune!”

Once the ward expired, however, PhoenixFire’s siege resumed. After a six-hour delay, Stark completed the storm and razed the city, earning the Times headline: “Han Uses Magic to Delay Stark Siege; City Still Falls.”

Two weeks later, the Times published a follow-up feature titled “BIG HITS EXCLUSIVE: GM Stormcrow Weighs In on Han’s Attempt to Use Magic to Repel a Stark Siege.” In it, GM Stormcrow confirmed the event’s legitimacy but clarified the limits of magical influence:

“While the tactical use of spells can certainly affect terrain, timing, and movement, no magic in Illyriad can substitute for military might. The spellbook is not a shield wall.”
— GM Stormcrow, developer statement to the Illyriad Times, Aug 4, 2015

The “Magic Defense of M3” became a legendary curiosity—hailed by some as creative genius, derided by others as an act of desperation. It remains the first documented case of a city’s fall being delayed by arcane means.

The Forum Peace Declaration#

On August 8, 2015, the Illyriad Times reported that negotiations mediated by Bimoda [WoT] had resulted in Han’s surrender. The terms—later posted publicly on the forums in “HAN B|B STARK Peace”—required Han to pay gold reparations, cease settlement in Stark’s homeland, and publicly accept responsibility for the conflict.

“This isn’t peace; it’s humiliation dressed in parchment.”

Constantine responded bitterly in the same thread:

“If this is what passes for justice now, then Illyriad has learned nothing from the wars that came before.”

Mediator Bimoda defended the settlement as necessary:

“Peace is never perfect. The choice was between more cities in ruin or a negotiated end. I chose the end.”

The argument spilled into global chat, symbolizing the exhaustion and disunity of the post-Claimer era. As Jejune observed, “Every war since STOMP has turned into a referendum on the rules of peace.”

Outcome and Legacy#

Han fulfilled its surrender terms by mid-August, exodusing from Stark territory and paying its indemnities. B!B faded from relevance, while Stark’s reputation rose sharply for defending Elgean ideals of independence and diplomacy.

Politically, the war signaled the end of Claimer solidarity. It re-introduced punitive peace and shattered the notion of universal Claimer cooperation. In the months that followed, the ideology of land claims persisted—but never again under a united banner.

“The war was small, but its echoes were vast. From this point forward, every peace in Illyriad would be negotiated, not assumed.”

The Han / Stark / B!B War thus stands as the epilogue to the Claimer era—a compact, bitter struggle whose outcome confirmed the transition from revolutionary unity to pragmatic diplomacy across the realm.

Sources#

Illyriad Times: “Han Uses Magic To Delay Stark Siege; City Still Falls” (2015)
Illyriad Times: “BIG HITS EXCLUSIVE: GM Stormcrow Weighs In on Han’s Attempt To Use Magic To Repel a Stark Siege” (2015)
Illyriad Times: “DOH! House Stark Abandons Land Claim” (2015)
Illyriad Times: “Han and B!B Declare War on Stark” (2015)
Illyriad Times: “Fairy and WoT Intervene in Stark Sieges” (2015)
Illyriad Times: “Han Sues for Peace; Bimoda Mediates Settlement” (2015)
Illyriad Times: “Deathmongers NAP With Shu-Han” (2015)
Forum: “HAN B|B STARK Peace” (2015)