War of Split Hearts

The War of Split Hearts was a civil war that tore the Mbe'ke people apart between 3841 and 3844 AR.

History

The War of Split Hearts was one of the defining historical events for the Mbe'ke dwarves. High King Nkobe was always renowned for his nasty mixture of personal paranoia and fiery temper. When High King Nkobe's only son died suddenly from a very rapidly progressing disease, Nkobe became absolutely convinced that his son had instead been secretly poisoned. His paranoia and rage increased immensely, and Nkobe began laying secret, sinister plans while secretly recruiting followers across the kingdom. In 3841 AR in an event known as the Nine Days of Blood High King Nkobe's masked enforcers arrested thousands of dwarves across Cloudspire, dragging them to be executed on the bridges that crisscross the city and dyeing the Wellspring at Cloudspire's heart red with blood.

The Nine Days of Blood was the catalyst for the War of Split Hearts which dragged on for over three years. Cities burned and blood was spilled en masse but both sides were too evenly matched. This stalemate was only ended when Cykurarreot the Mist, along with a band of fellow cloud dragons, joined the conflict on the side of the rebels, altering the course of the war. By the time the war was finished, High King Nkobe, Clan Mbe'ke and much of the Mbe'ke aristocracy lay dead. In the aftermath of the War of Split Hearts the Mbe'ke established the modern electoral system of the Assembly of Speakers and the Assembly of Kings.