First Lilac War

The **First Lilac War** was a military conflict that began in 1350 with the election of Reán "The White Fox" SiIoriel as Emperor of Anbennar and ended in 1376 with his death and the subsequent election of Vincen Silmuna as Emperor. The primary belligerents were the Kingdom of Lorent and her allied duchies with the Duchy of Pearlsedge against the majority of the Empire of Anbennar led by the Grand Duchy of Dameria and the Duchy of Istralore. It was the starting conflict of the Lilac Wars that would come to end a century later.

## Prelude

With the death of Emperor Tomás síl Esmaraine in 1343, the electors of the Empire of Anbennar gathered in Anbenncóst once more. Duke-Elector Caylen II síl na Trisfer of the Duchy of Pearlsedge led a faction supporting Aucan Silmuna’s claim to the throne, while his rival across the Damesneck, Duke-Elector Aucan III Silistra of the Duchy of Istralore led the faction supporting Riannón Silmuna’s claim as Empress, disregarding her very young age and instead emphasizing the immense magical capability she had the potential for. Through backdoor political maneuvering, Duke-Elector Aucan III was successful, and she was elected as Empress Riannón Silmuna.

The next five years of the Empress’s reign were marked by instability as the nobility of the Empire were strongly divided over whether she was a good choice for the imperial seat. Riannón’s young age, combined with the magical potential in her blood and her status as Empress created a very unstable mix of emotions that many believed would result in easy manipulation or a return to the magocracy before the signing of the Treaty of Aranthíl. The vast majority who were unaligned with the House of Silmuna were incredibly cautious of their influence over the Empire and opposed that the most.

Early one morning in 1348, a meeting of the electors ended with the decision to have the Empress abdicate and a new, more experienced Emperor elected. The Empress threw a tantrum upon hearing their decision, and locked herself and some of her closest advisors and bodyguards into the throne room as the soldiers of the nobility lay siege to the palace. Rioting in the city below was also reaching a breaking point, as the small army of the nobles aroused hysteria in the populace. Fearing for her life, Empress Riannón cast a massive spell to place the rioters into a trance and fight back against the nobles, of which she also used magic against to prevent their unexpected entrance into the throne room. This came to a shattering conclusion when Ardan Silmuna, one of the bodyguards, killed the Empress and her advisors in the throne room at the expense of his own life.

The electors found themselves unwilling to continue with their original candidate for Emperor following the event, and were soon divided again on a candidate. During this time, King Reán V SiIoriel of Lorent, nicknamed the White Fox, had been politicking behind the scenes to get himself elected as Emperor of Anbennar, and therefore solidify himself as the most powerful man in Cannor. His efforts were successful, as the Duke-Elector of Pearlsedge was convinced by the White Fox to whip enough votes to successfully elect him as the new Emperor.

Immediately the vast majority of the nobility were in uproar over the elector’s decision. From across the realm, Dukes, Lords, Magisters even, all voiced their intense displeasure with the new Emperor in both peaceful and violent means. Duke-Elector Aucan III began to call for a return to a Silmuna Emperor and the overthrow of Emperor Reán, and it appeared as though the majority of the Empire was in agreement. Reán knew this, and still made it know that he wished to receive his coronation in Anbenncóst, as is tradition.

However, upon setting sail from the deepest part of the Bay of Wines, he found himself blockaded into the Bay by a large fleet of ships bearing the Imperial standard. His attempt to run the blockade in a smaller and lighter craft was met with failure as it was intercepted by a ship from the Duchy of Neckcliffe. He was forced to return to his procession fleet in a rowboat. Over the course of the next year, multiple attempts to run the blockade during the night and day, during storms and pleasant weather were also met with crushing failure, and the entire incident angered Reán to the extent that he began to plan a land invasion through Pearlsedge and into Neckcliffe to secure the Imperial Fleet’s primary operating port.

Such an invasion eventually occurred in 1350, two years after his election as Emperor. The Lorentish army, commanded by King Reán with General Vaceran síl Ionnidar providing martial advice, began their march to the border of Neckcliffe near the capital in Bloomsdawn, and arrived in the middle of Silversight with approximately 40 thousand infantry, cavalry, and minor siege equipment. Before crossing into the Duchy’s borders, King Reán quoted a famous play from the days of the Damerian Republic and after a solemn moment of prayer to Nerat, mounted his horse and crossed into Neckcliffe, thus starting the First Lilac War.