Editing Great Conflux

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A powerful coalition formed by denizens of five [[Elemental Planes]] that also includes [[Enroth (planet)|Enroth]]'s inhabitants. The '''Great Conflux''' is home to [[elemental|elementals]] who respect the mortals and were sent by the [[Elemental Lords]] to stop the [[Kreegan]] invaders from setting this world on fire with [[Armageddon's Blade (artifact)|Armageddon's Blade]]. In addition to [[elemental]] and Enrothian members, [[phoenix|phoenixes]] and [[sprite|sprites]] that dwell on the planes of fire and air respectively were also recruited into the coalition's ranks.

The Great Conflux serves the four Lords of the Elemental Planes, with its direct leadership including minor elemental lords, like [[Tamar the Wanderer]] and [[Erdamon the Earth Channeler]].

It is represented by the {{town|Conflux}}.

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== History ==
A precursor to the Great Conflux is the alliance [[Tarnum]] formed with denizens of the Elemental Planes during [[Masters of the Elements|his campaign]] against the Elemental Lords, who at the time were intent on separating the elements that formed Enroth. There were elementals who did not want to destroy that which they helped create, and these denizens of the planes aided Tarnum. His forces also freed sprites and phoenixes from enslavement, getting their aid in saving his world, and allied with [[Psychic elemental|psychic]] and [[magic elemental|magic elementals]], who believed that the universe wants to unite the elements in harmony.

Centuries later, [[devil|devils]] invaded this world. Despite the Kreegans being more advanced, Enroth's inhabitants, amazingly, managed to defeat the invasion and save their world by destroying the Kreegan hives in [[Paradise Valley]] and the [[Land of the Giants]]. However, the Kreegan Clans of [[Eeofol]], with their hellish [[Inferno|Infernos]], yet remained. Guided by [[Xenofex]]'s final command, the ruler of the clans and Eeofol's King [[Lucifer Kreegan III]] sought to build [[Armageddon's Blade (artifact)|Armageddon's Blade]], a piece of technology from the [[Time of Wonders]]. With this fabled weapon he would set the world on fire. The Great Conflux intended to prevent the catastrophe. Among the leadership of Great Conflux was Tamar the Wanderer, [[human]] [[planeswalker]] and Elemental Lord of Air, as well as a gifted [[seer]]. Tamar's visions pointed to Armageddon's Blade playing a massive role in this world's fate.

The mystical call of the Conflux spread across the planet, being answered by various people in tune with the elements. Multiple [[elementalist]] spellcasters of different races were brought into the coalition's ranks. Other than many kinds of elementals, Conflux armies included several other creatures, who were rarely seen in [[Antagarich]]. The elusive phoenixes, taken from this plane of existence after the [[Succession Wars]], returned from the [[Fire Domain]], serving the Lords of Fire in order to rid the world of the [[Demon|Demons]]. Now able to withstand the elemental flames these vicious birds of prey became a more powerful and dangerous opponent to the forces of evil. The Lords of Air recruited sprites and pixies, capable of powerful electrical attacks despite their miniature size.

Around the start of the 1170s [[AS]], Conflux towns and fortresses, transported from the planes, began to appear out of thin air throughout the countryside, much to the locals' awe and bewilderement. During that time, the [[Erathia-Kreegan war]] was being waged, with [[Catherine Ironfist]], who also found out about Lucifer's plans, invading Eeofol to try and stop the demon king.

Meanwhile, [[Xeron]] was searching for the components required to forge the Blade. [[Erdamon]], an ancient lord of magma awakened by the Conflux, worked to prevent him from acquring these relics, along with [[Ciele]] and [[Fiur]]. Conflux heroes were repeatedly able to hinder Xeron's progress, spiriting the artifacts away from him.

Conflux forces initially fought Eeofol separately from the [[Erathia|Erathian]] military and the [[Forest Guard]], but soon teamed up with them. This helped turn the course of this war, which Erathia narrowly survived, decidedly to the human kingdom's favor. Nevertheless, Xeron managed to best the Conflux heroes and, through [[Khazandar]], create the Blade. Time was running out for this world, the allied Erathian-Conflux forces needing to stop the Kreegans before they would be able to unleash the Blade's complete power. The situation worsened when the Erathian lords, considering the war already won, foolishly withdrew their support after Eeofol was invaded. However, [[Roland]], Catherine and their Conflux allies were still aided by [[Gelu]] and his Forest Guard, as well as [[Tavin's Guerillas]], and continued to battle the Kreegan clans in their own domain.

They managed to defeat Xeron and take Armageddon's Blade from him. Tamar foresaw that Gelu needed to be the one to carry the Blade to [[Kreelah]] and kill Lucifer, as he had a great destiny ahead of him. In the future, Gelu could unite all of Antagarich into one mighty nation, similar to the [[Kingdom of Enroth]], finally establishing peace on the continent. Gelu himself had a dream of this possible future. The Blade would be instrumental in creating it. However, Tamar also sensed that, should someone or something interfere with that destiny, the world will meet its end. Catherine heeded Tamar's advice. Soon after, the allies destroyed Kreelah, wiping out the vast majority of the remaining Kreegans on this planet. With the world saved, and the Blade in Gelu's hands, most of the Confluxes disappeared.

In the end, Gelu's destiny was still disrupted, leading to the [[Reckoning]]. Ironically, trying to prevent this outcome by giving Gelu a key element in achieving his visionary dream, the Conflux also gave him a key element that caused the world's destruction.

=== {{hota}}{{-wh}} ===
One of the Conflux's planeswalkers, [[Thunar]], was captured by the [[necromancer|necromancers]] near [[Doom Castle]] in [[Deyja]] during the earlier stages of the [[Erathia-Kreegan war]]. When [[Dargem]] came to the area, he freed Thunar, who then aided him against [[Maximus]] together with a large force of [[magma elemental|magma elementals]].

Many months later, after [[Bidley]] obtained the [[Horn of the Abyss (artifact)|Horn of the Abyss]] from [[Casmetra]], the Elemental Lords supported [[Solmyr]]'s expedition to wrestle the artifact from the pirate. Several Conflux fortresses sprung up on the isles where Bidley had his base, although the [[Earth Lord]]'s Conflux was accidentally transported to a section of the isles' underground where it was surrounded by the forces of Dargem's [[warlock]] allies from [[Nighon]]. Ultimately, the Conflux forces in the area were defeated by Bidley and his allies, as were all the others who came to take the Horn from the new Pirate King.

== Towns ==
These are the towns that magically appeared in [[Antagarich]] to aid in the fight against the [[Kreegan|Kreegans]].

{| class="wikitable" 
! [[Erathia]]
! [[AvLee]]
! [[Eeofol]]
|- valign="top"
|
* [[Cloverfield]]
** Nothenden
** Southerdale
* [[Mosswood]]
** Gelliston
** Shaynda
* [[Grainrich]]
** Ciara
** Diacara
** Frelin
** Kaffinar
** Shelindria
** Soal
|
* [[Tularea]]
** Caledoorn
** Flann
** Phaedral
** Sevenar
** Shantalla
** Tieldis
** Whitespire
|
* Aglorande
* Andershire
* Calembria
* Decotta
* Fayadon
* Reyn Tarrina
* Shanimar
* Socon
* Staeverin
|}

== Trivia ==
* While helping prevent [[Escaton]]'s cataclysm during the events of {{mm8}}, Roland noted that the Elemental Lords were the Ironfists' allies only a few months ago, calling them fickle beings, musing that perhaps "treacherous" is a better word for them. Roland was only half-right, because the elemental crisis in [[Jadame]] was caused not by the Lords, but by Escaton's Crystal, their absence actually being what made the elementals susceptible to the Crystal's effects. However, one might indeed call the Elemental Lords fickle in a way, as they evidently changed their approach to Enroth in the time since Tarnum's war with them. [[Dark elf]] legends agree on that, saying that the Elemental Lords "both give life and take it away".
* Roland distrusted his new elemental allies both during and after the Erathia-Kreegan war. Although they never betrayed him and his comrades, one might argue that Roland was at least partially right, given that Tamar's advice to Catherine helped bring about the [[Reckoning]], even if unwittingly.
* [[Xanthor]], who came with Roland and Catherine to [[Jadame]] in order to study the Crystal, noted that Enroth's destruction would create a mighty planar imbalance, victimizing the Elemental Planes, perhaps even destroying or completely changing them. Also, an elemental representative of the Conflux mentions in [[To Kill A Hero]] that the use of the Blade would "consume us all", while speaking to Erathians. The direct threat to the their planes is apparently a reason why the Elemental Lords decided to help.
* Tamar says that he is "also the Elemental Lord of Air" while introducing himself to Catherine in [[To Kill A Hero]]. While he uses "the", he is, strictly speaking, just "an" Elemental Lord of Air. There being minor Lords of Air was mentioned all the way back in {{mm2}}, where the Elemental Planes were first introduced, and also in the sprite [https://web.archive.org/web/20030202235912fw_/http://www.3do.com/products/pc/heroes3/expansion/units/exp_sprite.html unit description] on the official {{ab}} website. Moreover, minor elemental lords are also represented in the Great Conflux through Erdamon. "The" is apparently a simple generalization on Tamar's part.
* The term "[[Elemental Conflux]]" generally refers to places where Elemental Planes connect with the material realm, [[Conflux]] towns being called "elemental Confluxes the size of cities". This coalition is fittingly named after such elemental confluxes.
* According to [[Greg Fulton]] in his [[Greg Fulton/Fanstratics Newsletters/4#Tavern of Might and Magic Interview (part 2 of 5)|Tavern of Might and Magic interview]], "Conflux Heroes and the associated Elemental troops were defenders of the natural world. When there is a threat to its continued existence, they make their presence known, assert themselves, and attempt to eliminate the threat. They have no allegiance to anyone or anything, other than the preservation of the world."

[[Category: Supporting character]]