Great Turf War



The Great Turf War was a long and vigorous war fought between the Octarians and the Inklings over control of the surface.

Description
The Great Turf War was a massive, inter-species battle that occurred around 100 years before the events of Splatoon.

Causes
"Before the Great Turf War, there were amicable relations between the Inklings and the Octarians. They couldn't have dreamed that rising sea levels would force them to battle fiercely over the remaining territory."

- Sunken Scroll 16

After rising sea levels wiped out humanity, a species of squid and octopus evolved into land-dwelling creatures called Inklings and Octarians, respectively, beginning the Mollusc Era. Because both species could not live in water, they were forced to battle over the remaining land, beginning the Great Turf War.

Events
The first battles of the Great War ended in victory for the Octarian forces. The diligent Octarians easily dominated the Inklings, who were unable to wake up early enough in the morning to defend themselves. Heralded by loud explosions, the Great Octoweapons quickly stormed the Inklings' central stronghold. Victory for the Octarians seemed all but certain, but due to a plug being carelessly pulled from its socket, their hopes were dashed. Eventually, the Inklings won the war and forced the Octarians underground. Inkling historians later settled upon a superior number of limbs as the cause for their predecessors' victory.

The Inkling faction had a fighting force known as the Squidbeak Splatoon led by Cap'n Cuttlefish, which fought against the Octarians during the war.

Effects
After the Great Turf War, the Octarians were forced to retreat into underground domes located in Octo Valley and Octo Canyon, two remote, rocky areas spotted with Kettles leading to the various underground areas. Inklings soon took over most of the remaining land, participating in a sport called Turf War inspired by the previous war. The underground domes are said to be running out of energy, which prompted the Octarians to steal the Zapfish. This, in turn, led the former leader of the Squidbeak Splatoon to start the New Squidbeak Splatoon in order to rescue the Zapfish.

Sunken Scrolls
The Great Turf War is mentioned occasionally throughout Octo Valley, single-player campaign. Other than a short spiel from Cap'n Cuttlefish to explain the Octarians' motives behind stealing the Great Zapfish, the player is not given much insight as to what actually happened during the war. However, more can be discovered about the events if a player collects specific Sunken Scrolls.

Trivia

 * Other sea creatures had been involved in the war, such as Ammoses Shellendorf, a horseshoe crab, who served under the Squidbeak Splatoon.
 * The only weapon that Inklings have been seen using during the war was the Bamboozler.
 * In the Octo Expansion, the Great Turf War is briefly mentioned again in Marina's chat room, revealing that Inklings do learn about the war and Octarians in school, but Inklings still do not know that the Octolings migrating to the surface are not Inklings with unusual hair, despite Pearl's theory. Cap'n Cuttlefish, a veteran from the war, is startled and states that the next Great Turf War has begun after hearing that Octolings could be participating in the sport-based Turf Wars with Inklings.