The Battle of Tavnazia  

With San d‘Oria‘s military crippled by the massacre at Garlaige Citadel, the Shadow Lord ordered his army of Orcs to seize the Elvaan monastery at Davoi. The Orcs caught the Elvaan off guard, launching their attack from the surrounding mountains. The monastery fell with ease.

The Orcs’ easy victory at Davoi sent chills down the spine of King Destin of San d’Oria. From the former monastery, the Orcs held the perfect stronghold from which to invade the kingdom. To make matters worse, King Destin knew the shattered remains of his military would be helpless against an invasion.

Seeing no other option, the king made a decision that would cost many lives, but would also prove to be the turning point of the war -- to shift the enemy’s focus from San d’Oria to Tavnazia, the kingdom’s longtime ally.

To accomplish this, King Destin sent a lone knight to Davoi with the intention of him being captured. The knight was carrying documents about the legendary weapon Lightbringer, which was said to be kept in Tavnazia. Soon after the knight arrived, the Orcs caught him and searched his possessions. They took the bait. After learning of the documents and the alleged location of Lightbringer, the Shadow Lord ordered the Orcs to conquer Tavnazia.

As the Orcish troops marched toward the battlefield, San d’Orian messengers were sent to summon fighters from Windurst, Bastok, Jeuno and the Empire of Aht Urhgan. All the nations agreed to join in battle against the Orcs -- all, that is, except for Aht Urhgan, despite being an ally of Tavnazia for several generations. In the days before the battle, there was a mass exodus from Tavnazia as its citizens sensed the imminent conflict.

Finally, the moment came. The most epic battle of the Crystal War began under the cover of darkness. An army of 100,000 troops and war machines besieged the Tavnazian stronghold. From the ramparts, mages rained down deadly spells on the enemy, and rangers sent arrows streaking through the night sky. Still, the enemy horde advanced. The Orcs used behemoths to tear down the stronghold’s fortified walls. Beastmen penetrated the outer defenses and spilled into the stronghold, killing all in their paths. The allied forces didn’t stand a chance. Every last warrior and mage was slaughtered. The Tavnazian citizens who had remained in the city escaped through sewers and underground passageways.

With the battle’s outcome seemingly decided, a huge explosion suddenly erupted underground. The blast was so powerful that it caused the entire Tavnazian Peninsula to break away from the Quon continent, forming the Tavnazian Archipelago. The explosion, said to be caused by a secret Orcish weapon, wiped out the remaining beastmen in the stronghold.

United in battle and by courage, the five races of Vana'diel came together following The Battle of Tavnazia to form a new, stronger alliance -- the Allied Forces of Altana.