Dragonsong War

The Dragonsong War is a military conflict in Final Fantasy XIV between the Holy See of Ishgard and the draconic Dravanian Horde, fought over a thousand years and dominating the cultures and lifestyles of both states. The war has been fought for as long as the Holy See existed; early in the Sixth Astral Era, the legendary Thordan set out to build a bridge across the Sea of Clouds to what would become the city-state of Ishgard. Thordan claimed he had been chosen by Halone, the Fury, but was struck down by the great wyrm Nidhogg. Thordan's son, Haldrath, exacted revenge by removing Nidhogg's eye, and Ishgard has been at war with Nidhogg's people, the Dravanians, ever since. Nidhogg has led seven assaults against Ishgard, though the city-state survived all of them.

Prior to Final Fantasy XIV's first expansion, Heavensward, the Dragonsong War resulted in Ishgard's exclusion from the rest of Eorzea: though Ishgard fought in the Autumn War against Ala Mhigo, they declined to join the Eorzean Alliance so that they can focus on their crusade against the Dravanian Horde; as such, they were present at neither the Battle of Carteneau nor Operation Archon, though the former caused drastic environmental damage to Coerthas. The Dravanian Horde was similarly set back by the loss of the Wyrmking, Midgardsormr, at the Battle of Silvertear Skies.

However, after Operation Archon eliminates the Imperial threat, Dravania heightens their assault on Ishgard and the Eorzean Alliance is increasingly drawn into the conflict. A band of heretics known as the Harriers summon their patron saint, Shiva, to use against Ishgard; the Scions of the Seventh Dawn are called in to slay her. Meanwhile, it is revealed that Archbishop Thordan VII, leader of the Holy See, is being manipulated by the Ascians. Finally, Nidhogg initiates a "rising chorus" of dragonsong that awakens the slain Midgardsormr and calls for an attack on Ishgard which is halted by an Allied armed intervention. These incidents lead into the story of Heavensward, which focuses on the Dragonsong War and Thordan's crusade against the Wyrmking.