The Aerenal Accord is a momentous treaty established between the Valar of The Immortal Isle and the Vanir of Aerenal, marking the first diplomatic reconciliation between the two nations after centuries of bloodshed. Proposed by King Cyrus Valarion, the Accord is a symbol of newfound unity, ending the long-standing conflict between the Valar Corsairs and the Vanir Seafarers—an age-old feud born from the sins of the past and fueled by the curse of the Night Mother Nyx.
The Long Night: Blood Upon the Tides
For over a hundred years, the Valar Corsairs and the Vanir of Aerenal have warred upon The Atlan Ocean, their battles staining the waves with the blood of immortal and mortal alike. The Valar, cursed to exist in limbo between life and death by Nyx’s will, sought dominance over the sea, using their formidable strength and shadowed cunning to raid and conquer in the name of their survival. The Vanir saw these incursions as an affront to their sovereignty and met the Valar’s ferocity with equal retribution.
Neither side could claim true victory. Each battle was but another cycle of vengeance, another tide of blood and ruin. The war, though bitter, was sustained by an unbroken hatred—a hatred forged in the ashes of old betrayals.
But war breeds nothing but sorrow, and no soul knew this truth more than King Cyrus Valarion.
A King’s Vision
The curse of the Night Mother Nyx, which had plagued the Valar for generations, was finally lifted, its shadow cast aside by the fall of the goddess herself. For the first time in centuries, the Immortal Isle was free from the suffocating veil that had separated it from the rest of the world. Yet, as the sun rose upon his kingdom unshackled, King Cyrus did not celebrate—it was not relief that filled his heart, but the weight of the world’s suffering.
With the haze lifted, the King saw clearly for the first time: the war with Aerenal had been futile, a conflict driven by forces no longer binding them. The true enemy was never the Vanir; it was the curse, the pride, the endless thirst for vengeance that had blinded both sides.
Standing upon the shattered remains of the Crown's End, where his ancestor King Athelstan Valarion Valarion had fallen to the sea in his moment of hubris, Cyrus resolved to break the cycle.
He would no longer be a King of War, but a King of Reconciliation.
The Summit at Crown’s End
King Cyrus extended a solemn invitation to Avatar Guy the Grateful of Aerenal, requesting an audience not as an adversary, but as a fellow leader seeking peace. To show his commitment, he sent his own Corsair fleet, not in war, but in diplomacy, carrying a single message:
"No more blood upon the tides. The Veil is lifted. It is time we speak as brothers once more."
Aboard a Valar Corsair ship, Avatar Guy and his entourage crossed the waves toward Crown’s End, where the broken statue of Athelstan Valarion loomed over the cliffs, a solemn monument to past mistakes. There, beneath the watchful gaze of the Valar Royal Guard, King Cyrus Valarion stood—an imposing figure clad in dark iron, his flowing black hair and pale features illuminated by the crimson glow of Rozan's Eye refracting over the sea.
At his side, a black void dragon circled the cliffs like a specter of history - silent guardian of the moment that would shape the future.
With solemn words, King Cyrus offered the hand of peace.
The Aerenal Accord
A Treaty of Peace and Trade Between the Immortal Isle and the Vanir of Aerenal
By the Will of King Cyrus Valarion, Sovereign of the Immortal Isle, and the Authority of Avatar Guy, Chosen of the Air, Heir to the Seat of Aerenal, let this accord be known and held in perpetuity by both our peoples.
Preamble
For centuries, the tides have carried blood between our shores, an endless cycle of vengeance and war. Yet war has borne neither victory nor salvation—only ruin. But now, the Veil is lifted, and with it, the burdens of the past must yield to the weight of the future. The world shifts, great forces awaken, and we stand upon the precipice of a new age. If we do not stand together, we will fall apart.
Thus, let this accord be the bridge upon which we walk forward. Let the sea no longer be our battlefield, but our bond.
Article I: Recognition of Sovereignty
- The Vanir of Aerenal recognize the Immortal Isle as a sovereign nation under the rule of King Cyrus Valarion, free from claim or subjugation.
- The Immortal Isle recognizes Aerenal as a sovereign nation under the guidance of Avatar Guy, protector of the Vanir, and acknowledges its divine right to govern its people and lands.
- No force of either nation shall make war or claim dominion over the other, lest this accord be deemed broken and forsaken.
Article II: Trade and Maritime Conduct
- The harbors of the Immortal Isle shall be opened to Vanir ships, permitting safe docking, trade, and passage through its waters.
- The ports of Aerenal shall, in kind, receive Valar corsairs as honored traders rather than adversaries, barring none save those who break the laws of the land.
- Tribute of Salt and Silver – The Valar shall trade refined metals, luxury goods, and the knowledge of their ancient craftsmanship, while the Vanir shall provide naval engineering, maritime innovations, and exotic goods from Aerenal’s vast reach.
- The Black Fleet of the Valar and the Aerenal Armada of the Vanir shall recognize each other as allied navies, free to traverse each other’s seas without hostility.
Article III: Military Assistance and Defense Pact
- Should either nation face an incursion from an external force, the other shall answer the call to arms, offering aid in defense but not in conquest.
- Neither the Immortal Isle nor Aerenal shall raise a blade against the other in aggression. If conflict arises, it must be settled by diplomacy, not bloodshed.
- In matters of the supernatural, particularly the remnants of the Night Mother’s curse, the Vanir shall lend their wisdom in unraveling the lingering magics, while the Valar shall stand as a bulwark against threats that lurk beyond the veil of undeath.
- The exchange of scholars, mages, and arcane practitioners between the nations shall be encouraged to better prepare both for the battles that lie ahead.
Article IV: The Renewal of Trust
- A delegation of Vanir envoys shall be stationed within the halls of Valheim to oversee diplomatic relations and ensure the fair treatment of all Vanir within the Immortal Isle.
- A delegation of Valar emissaries shall be welcomed into The Elden Hall of Aerenal to learn the ways of the Vanir and foster understanding between the two cultures.
- In times of celebration or mourning, both nations shall be free to send representatives to honor the trials and triumphs of their distant kin.
- Any breach of trust between the nations shall be first met with discourse and mediation, before any blade is drawn.
Article V: The Oath of Blood and Sea
Let it be written, let it be known: This accord is bound by the blood of our forebears and the sea that carries us forward.
Let no king, warlord, or god undo what is set forth in these words, lest they bear the weight of history’s judgment.
Thus, in the presence of the gods and the winds that carry our fates, we seal this accord.
Signed on this day, beneath the watchful eye of Rozan’s Light.
King Cyrus Valarion
Sovereign of the Immortal Isle, Keeper of the Bloodline, The Pale Prince of the Black Fleet
Avatar Guy of Aerenal
Chosen of the Air, Keeper of Aerenal, The Unyielding Gale
(The wax seals of both nations are pressed into the parchment, one bearing the sigil of the Valar, the other bearing the sigil of Aerenal)