Dissatisfied with the border skirmishes that continued to burn like embers, King Kelmanar had sent the full force of his military to overtake the small kingdom of his neighbors. The higher elevation of his mountainous kingdom made for stalwart peoples and hardy stock. As such, most of the invading forces were made up of giants, goblins, ogres, and mammoth-like creatures they called Menchari.
Giants were among the smartest of the collection, so they were often captains, officers, and otherwise in-charge of other fighters. Each stood easily 3 metres (9 feet) and many ranged closer to 4 (12 feet). Their skin reflected the stealth of their ancestors and was clearly a mottled greyish blue much like the craigy peaks they left behind.
The goblin portion of the military were more alike a militia than a true army and their fighting was wild and cruel, often taking prisoners only to roast them alive slowly over open flames. Their skin was marsh-like in texture, squishy, wet, and reeking of bodily stench at all times. They were easy to catch on the wind, but this was all but a warning of what was to come to those who stood in their way.
Ogres, while not as tall as their mountain cousins, were boorishly stupid. They were the least intelligent of the ranks, including their pack animals. Many ogres held positions such as bodyguards or farmhands, miners or labourers. There were no ogre scholars in the history of their home kingdom.
Mencharis were hulking creatures that walked on four limbs yet had an additional set of arms that held packs and various gear to their backs. Their faces were elongated such that the gaping holes that made up their nostrils could easily hold a human male standing upright and the Menchari might not even know. They were pack-bonded creatures who mated for life, but would cast off their offspring immediately after being born. As such, they were born running with their eyes open.
It had not been any kind of secret that for generations the kingdoms of man had been feuding with their larger and more fierce neighbors, but for all the history and scholarly pursuit nobody could say why more than "They are different and ugly."
The small kingdom King Kelmanar invaded first was the nearest and least military of his options. His forces quickly deposed the reigning monarchy and instilled a leadership loyal to him, thus expanding his rule and furthering his desire for more control. Shortly after the success of his acquisition raised his spirits, the giant king held a celebration of sorts. A gala that resulted in multiple attempts on his life. Each attempt was more elaborate than the last, but the king simply laughed and challenged the human and elf would-be assassins who were brought before him. He challenged that if any of them could take his life, he would return his people back to the borders of his own land and never advance them again.
After this challenge, all thirteen of the creatures who would have taken his life were blinded. Both their eyes taken and burned in a brazier before the king who cackled madly at their misfortune.
This gala became known as the Blind Man's Debt and each of the blinded creatures was returned to their respective rulers in chains. An alliance of sorts was forged from this attack, but shortly thereafter another blow struck the bow of the already bruised kingdoms of man.
A school of magic that played with the blood and lives of sacrifices granted their aid to the giant king's reign. These warlocks held themselves far above the humans, elves, and other "small creatures" and wore their magic as cloaks about them, shielding them from other mages of any kind.
This is how the war began.