For years, the High Luminary sought to negotiate with the Kaleidosian, urging them to "share" the arcane gifts granted by the Gemspires. But time and time again, the Kaleidosian refused, standing firm in their belief that the spires were sacred and not to be exploited.

Frustrated by these continued failures, the High Luminary abandoned diplomacy in favor of action. Small outposts began appearing on the Archipelago, seemingly harmless at first—waystations, research sites, places of worship. But as the years passed, these settlements expanded, their presence growing undeniable. Some islands were seized outright, their native Dragonfolk driven out or forced into hiding. The High Luminary justified their actions as a divine right, claiming that the Breath had willed them to take what was theirs.

Yet, on the other side of the Archipelago, Humans and Dwarves was enacting the very same strategy. Their own interests in the magical gemstones led to rapid expansion, with fortified trading posts evolving into full-fledged colonies. Unlike the Luminary, who saw the Gemspires as sacred, humans and dwarves viewed them as untapped power—resources meant to be harnessed. As both factions carved into the Archipelago, tensions with the Kaleidosian reached a breaking point.

War was no longer a possibility; it was inevitable.