Clone War

## The Clone War

Map depicting major official combatants (including vassal states) in the Clone War in the fall of 275 TE. Original map courtesy of the West Mapping Guild and Westeros.

### Date

September 21st - October 7thFall of 272 TE - Fall of 276 TE

### Result

**Vuleria-Ashai Coalition Victory**
-Dissolution and balkanization of the Ashtrokan Wandenreich Empire

-Dissolution of the Celestial Accords Treaty Organization

-Permabanning of members of the Hands

-Dissolution of the Hands

-Creation of various AWE secession states

-Temporary AWE annexation of Ravenguard's capital

-Sylvanian annexation of USSE territory in Kazkaya

Belligerents| **Initial Combatant:*** Vuleria

**Members of Vuleria:*** Kingdom of Eros
* Valardom of Vulpinia

**Eastern Revolts - AWE Seccessionists*** Province of Sondor*(Vulerian vassal state)*
* Interim Government of Serrukan*(Vulerian vassal state)*

**Allies:*** Crownlands of Ashai
* Plague City of Manzig
* Kingdom of Atlechia
* Valreach-Simulami
* Solemare
* Republic of Razuni
* SIGMA
* Staria
* Kostallia
* Imperial Order of Jayle
* Valardom of Poeistan
* Kilivaria
* Purshubaw
* Neubaykonia
* The Swarm
* Western Pirates

**Allies:****CATO:*** Imperial Archonate of Sylvania
* Iversteiya
* Kingdom of Anglunia

### Battles

Battle of Prosede-Winterose (Fall of 274 TE)Battle of Steinberge (Fall of 275 TE)

Second Battle of Steinberge (Summer of 276 TE)

The **Clone War**, sometimes called the Great Serronan Trial or Great Ashtrokan War, was a major military conflict within Eldham. The war officially began in the Fall of 272 TE as a conflict between the Vulerian vassal state of Eros and the Ashtrokan-Wandenreich Empire before further involving many other nations, most notably the Crownlands of Ashai. The conflict informally ended 4 years later in 276 TE.

It was the first major war to be fought in Serrona since the Furry War which broke out a century earlier in 171 TE between the Vulperium and United Socialist States of Eldham. It was also one of the first major near-global wars to happen since that conflict.

The conflict was considered a *death war*, a conflict where the stakes are immensely high and will often result in the complete destruction of one or more parties. Both sides of this conflict stated desire to completely dissolve the opposing side - though because of the complete capitulation of the AWE, this ended up not happening. The term death war was coined in light of the Sylvanian-Morladron War which was heavily destructive.

### Establishment of the Alliance/Coalition

The Celestial Accords Treaty Organization, abbreviated to simply CATO, was founded in the Spring of 196 TE. This was a massive international alliance that was initially founded in opposition to the Eldham Alliance and initially featured the members of the Imperial Archonate of Sylvania, the Crownlands of Ashai, the Ashtrokan-Wandenreich Empire, the Kingdom of Anglunia, and the Republic of Redoriv.

As some of these respective nations grew and other members such as Iversteiya joined CATO, much of the world was now in a formal military alliance.

### Birth of Panserronanism

Starting in around Late 2021, a movement called Panserronanism began to be born in various nations across Serrona. This advocated that all Serronans shall be united in some capacity militarily, socially, or politically.

While feuds between the West and East of Serrona still existed and began to topple over in frustrations by 2022 with the rise of the Furry War, as the war ended and time moved on these wounds between Serrona's two halves began to mend. This saw a climax with the creation of the Serronan League before its unwilling dissolution caused by external threats in the Sylvanian puppet state of Leiden. Any attempt to birth a Panserronanist movement were readily followed by hostility by nations like the Imperial Archonate of Sylvania and the Ashtrokan-Wandenreich Empire who were readily opposed to attempts to create another major power in the region, especially one that would not be directly allied to CATO.

Fearing the possibility of war, nations like the United Socialist States of Eldham, the Kingdom of Eros, the Valardom of Vulpinia, and the Ocean-Volks Union, made wide discussions of a possible Panserronanist alliance or nation-state. All that was needed for such an alliance to make fruition was the rise of war or a backstabbing from Iversteiya.

### Ashai leaves the Alliance

Primary Source
Sitting on the floating islands of Umakwa, breathing the fresh sky air. There's not much like it. For the first time in a long history, war had stood its distance. We Ashen hoped the gods learned that testing our martial ability was unnecessary. Withdrawing from C.A.T.O. had been rather fruitful, but ultimately we knew that we'd soon fight again. After all, the empires of Eldham never stay dormant for long.
Just as assumed, the Astrokhans of the southwest could not sit still, declaring war on our ally of Eros in Serrona. We had no choice but to respond in force to the defense of our ally. The A.W.E. has failed to attempt reasonable negotiations, has purchased a squatter claim within Ashai from an inactive mayor, and has threatened us. Only one choice for us remains: to seek justice for their crimes against Eldham, and pay for it in blood.
⫸ As of today, the Crownlands of Ashai formally declares war against the Astrokhan-Wanderreich Empire ⫷

In the Summer of 272 TE, the Crownlands of Ashai formally left the Celestial Accords Treaty Organization. Ashai was at this point the single largest nation on Stoneworks by population with territorial extent even going into Rathnir's former Uldarashi lands. This leaving was prompted by an Iversteiyan and Ashtrokan-Wandenreich hostility to Qadakh, a hostility that was sponsored by a mercenary organization called the Parahands. It was also around this time that the Hands/Parahands were placed in a 'Reign of Terror' which is a system on Stoneworks that means a nation that has engaged in mass hostility and has conquered what the admins deem to be 'too much land' will be stopped temporarily from doing geopolitics.

Ashai immediately began to seek new allies and had significantly improved relations with the various nations of Serrona at this time, and with increasing hostilities from the Ashtrokan-Wandenreich Empire on the continent, it appeared obvious that war was on the horizon. This was ominously predicted in the Ashai's announcement for leaving CATO.

### Looting of Earnside

Over a week prior to 272 TE, the Ashtrokan-Wandenreich Empire had temporarily dismantled their claim on Earnside for reasons unpositive; the Vulerians claimed it was to exert control while the Ashtrokan-Wandenreichers made no public statements on the predicament.

Either way, this resulted in multiple players looting items from the city of Earnside; this was not in violation of Stoneworks rules as the Ashtrokan-Wandenreich had deliberately unclaimed the city's territory and did not make precautions for this. Allegedly, multiple Vulerian citizens had partook in the looting of Earnside.

This resulted in immediate hostility between Vuleria and the Ashtrokan-Wandenreich Empire. Furthermore, this prompted hostility from their allies. Quickly, the entirety of the remaining CATO members, namely Sylvania, became involved in the chaos and the Crownlands of Ashai eventually publicly announced they were standing alongside Vuleria militarily. This was the first declaration of war and the formal beginning of the Clone War in the Fall of 272 TE. The war was first named at this point the 'Great Serronan Trial' by the same player who publicly announced the beginning of war, but the name 'Clone War' began to catch on in the public sphere and remains the most popular name for the conflict. The name 'Clone War' in reference to a Star Wars television series.

The first nations to declare military support included the Plague City of Manzig in Southern Serrona, Solemare, Sondor, quickly followed by Serrukan. War was now on the horizon and propaganda ramped up severely with major international support for Vuleria while support for CATO was often considered 'lackluster'. In the Spring of 274 TE, Ashai formally declared war on the Ashtrokan-Wandenreich Empire, and de-facto the remaining members of CATO including Sylvania, Iversteiya, and Anglunia.

### Rise of the Eastern Revolts

The first sights of conflict would rise in Southern Serrona. In the immediate fallout of the Furry War, the Vulperium dwindled and eventually collapsed outright. This left the region fractured and balkanized. Eventually the Ashtrokan-Wandenreich Empire came to make annexations of the former Batu territories in the Northwest of Serrona. To it's South, nations like the Kingdom of Eros and Valardom of Vulpinia had been strongly weakened but remained closely aligned. Other nations like Ashai, Iversteiya, and Sylvania had additionally made "cuts of the pie" and made annexations of territory in the region. Eventually Eros and Vulpinia had both become vassal states under Vuleria.

This anger surrounding the Ashtrokan-Wandenreich annexations of Batu and Oceanum and the recurrent rise of Panserronanism made abundant fuel for future conflict and the rise of what would eventually be known as the Eastern Revolts. Eventually in the Winter of 273 TE, the previous AWE provinces would declare independence formally creating the Eastern Revolts and become vassal states of Vuleria. These included the Province of Sondor and the Interim Government of Serrukan which effectively placed half of the territorial extent of the AWE in active secessionist crisis.

The Ashtrokan-Wandenreich Empire failed to make active attempts to moderate the situation and neglected to make public announcements regarding the secession. This quickly meant that the Vulerians and the Eastern Revolts had mass popularity abroad and following numerous treaty violations from nations like Sylvania, many were open to engaging in active war with CATO in light of Ashai leaving the alliance.

### Siege of Prosede-Winterose

While raids had happened in the week prior to the beginning of the first formal battles, the Battle of Prosede-Winterose would be the first official battle of the conflict. At least one major raid took place that had been orchestrated by Ahstrokan-Wandenreich citizens against a Vulperian city but was, according to Vulperian testimony, easily deflected. The battle of Prosede-Winterose eventually took place in the Fall of 274 TE.

The battle was hosted against the city of Winterose in the Kingdom of Eros. The offensive force was the AWE and CATO coalition forces while the defensive forces of Winterose were lead predominately by Vuleria and Ashai. According to estimates given by the Ashtrokan-Wandenreich Empire, their forces consisted from 30-40 players, while members of the Ashai army have claimed the numbers were closer to 20 combatants. Both forces agreed that the Vulerian and Ashai coalition forces numbered over 100, possibly as high as 120. Multiple AWE officials have claimed that the combined Vulerian and Ashai coalition forces paid over $5,000,000 during the Battle of Prosede-Winterose but these numbers have not been substantiated and are completely denied by both Vuleria and Ashai and their allied coalition. Ashai citizens have claimed that there would be no need for them to spend any money on the battle as they make their own gear for battles and it is implied that they did not pay for mercenaries. Nothing in terms of sources or evidence has been offered by the AWE to substantiate claims of this monetary drainage.

Despite the fact that the AWE had previously agreed to take on an offensive role in the battle, their generals decided to not engage in battle against Winterose. This role was defended by AWE members as a strategic position to avoid devastating defeat due to being outnumbered; however this decision was heavily criticized by their adversaries as a move of cowardice as they had previously agreed to be on the offensive.

Ultimately, the Vuleria and Ashai coalition forces gathered in the Ashtrokan-Wandenreich city of Prosede, located in the former Batu Khaganate. The battle was officially a draw as per the agreed war terms; in large part due to the inaction of the AWE and CATO forces to actually lead any assault on Winterose. Despite this, the Vuleria and Ashai coalition forces managed to still have a ten point lead in siege points and significantly more kills; though casualties were harsh on both sides. The combined coalition forces that gathered with Vuleria and Ashai have widely claimed victory as they did their job of defending Winterose as was previously agreed upon and the AWE and CATO forces failed to lead any assault whatsoever. The AWE officially sided with the plugin terms, considering the battle a draw.

Notably, multiple players from the AWE and CATO coalition forces were banned, most notably members of the Hands, sometimes called the Parahands. Many of their members had been previously placed on a Reign of Terror (ROT), which is a status that can be placed on players on Stoneworks which indicates that their organizations or nations have gained an unfair advantage which has been detrimental to the wider community of the server. Despite this, numerous ROT'd players attempted to partake in the battle in the AWE forces and were permanently banned. In particular, ban logs suggest this included Sylvanian and Iversteiyan players who were members of CATO. An announcement was posted after the battle announcing the 'end' of the Hands by user Crezyman; stating that they felt they had "won Stoneworks" and this was a final outing. This was criticized by those abroad as a 'senseless' or 'near suicidal' gesture as it theoretically could have gotten members of AWE and CATO leadership banned for assisting in their inclusion in the battle.

### Battle of Steigenbirge

In the Fall of 275 TE, a second major battle took place. This time, Ashai led the offensive from their city of Ratirashalam. The AWE was forced to take up a defensive position after their failure to lead any assault during the Battle of Prosede-Winterose.

The battle was considered a defeat for the AWE and CATO. The collective Vulerian and Ashai coalition were able to siege major parts of Steigenbirge, and as per the plugin and previously agreed upon battle conditions, was considered a victory. During this battle, AWE/CATO forces had a total of 179 casualties, contrasted by the merely 30 casualties of the opposing side.

Allegedly, during the Battle of Steigenbirge the land claims plugin had a bug that made teleportation not possible. As a consequence of this, the already strained AWE and CATO forces were unable to 'repot', meaning to re-equip gear. Ultimately, this meant that there were AWE and CATO soldiers which were walking into the war claim partially or entirely unarmed and were killed. The AWE has, at least in terms of public communications, interpreted the events regarding the plugin to be the reason for defeat. Similar events were not publicly reported by the combined Vulerian and Ashai coalition.

Estimates place massive economic and material losses on the CATO forces as a gargantuan amount of gear had been lost in the battle, and multiple CATO nations import gear due to a lack of internal production.

#### Second Capture-Attempt on the A.W.E Capital

A second offensive was launched against the AWE city of Steigenbirge in the Summer of 276 TE, with the express goal of capturing the city. The city in question was also the capital of the Ashtrokan-Wandenreich Empire and a collapse or capitulation was predicted if the capital could be captured. It was known that secret peace deals were negotiated by members of the USSE government between Ashai and the AWE, though Ashai refused all the AWE's demands; what exactly those demands consisted of is not yet public knowledge.

During the physical offensive, the battle was a crippling defeat for the AWE. The offensive was led from the city of Ratirashalam once more in the Crownlands of Ashai and the battle lasted merely 22 minutes and 39 seconds. In that time, Ashai's coalition forces received 150 total siege points, a complete victory, while the AWE/CATO forces received zero. The AWE/CATO forces had 56 casualties, meanwhile the Ashai coalition had merely 6. The city and surrounding area was entirely annexed by the Crownlands of Ashai. The AWE initially blamed their loss on the failure of the AWE government to fill out a "when2meet" form which is what the Stoneworks admin team used to best determine when to fight battles.

The ending of the battle, and stress from the war, resulted in player RageOFire quitting Stoneworks; citing "You are all weird" and variations of expletive terms. RageOFire was the primary leader of the AWE and the leader of the AWE's military.

The user Mysterious\_Rat became the new owner of Steigenbirge and the city was renamed to *Pee-pee-ville-birge*.

### **Fall of A.W.E and C.A.T.O**

After the Second Battle of Steigenbirge and the capture of the city, the AWE was severely weakened and had most of its resources to sustain itself for the war gone. This was in addition to the leaving of RageOFire and the capitulation of their capital city. As a result, it began to internally collapse from disagreement and internal states realizing that AWE can't really protect them from the Coalition, making it suddenly and unexpectedly collapse in what could be called an "Ashtrokan Spring" in the Western part of AWE. This happened the day of the Second Battle of Steigenbirge in the Summer of 276 TE.

Examples of nations that declared independence from Western AWE were Sylfaen's Rise Leyden, Veiden, Free State of Wandenreich, the Kingdom of Gamil, Blod'ndahl, Sylfaethel and Southern Sylfaethel. All of these declarations of independence happened rapidly and unexpectedly and after two quick battles in the war, the AWE had completely dissolved. This was massively discredited by the Vulerian and Ashai Coalition as most of these successor states that came out of the Ashtrokan Spring were still lead by AWE Loyalists - citing and claiming it was instead merely an act of war dodging.

The dissolution had made CATO even more weaker as one of its main and strongest country in the alliance had been destroyed by a massive world coalition and Sylvania was beginning to lower the amount of support for them. As a result, it was made with a heavy-hearted decision by CATO leaders to dissolve the world-wide global reaching alliance that had imposed its power over Eldham for decades, effectively meaning that all of the CATO opposition surrendered to the Vuleria-Ashai Coalition in what could be considered an extremely quick end to a major war and the collapse of the old world order.

While the war ended with the collapse, the series of AWE-Loyalist states would cause series of conflicts for months to come across Serrona and Onthukhan, prompting the rise of Orithia.

### Footnotes

1. ↑ This is the most popular name for the conflict in the wider Stoneworks community on the coalition side. It was coined by player and cartographer BurinVoyager as a joke; referencing the Clone Wars that took place in the fictional Star Wars universe. In that universe, the Clone Wars were fought to keep secessionists from seceding from the Galactic Republic. Burin drew the comparison as the AWE was fighting to keep their own secessionists in line.
2. ↑ This name for the conflict was given in the first ever announcement/declaration of war from Eros. Despite being the first formal name for the conflict, it remains unpopular in the wider community of Stoneworks.
3. ↑ This name for the conflict originated with the Rattican and the Crownlands of Ashai, and remains a popular name for the war in Northwestern Eldham.
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 This date in the Gregorian calendar is September 21st, 2023.
5. ↑ This date in the Gregorian calendar is November 19th, 2022
6. ↑ A speech and national announcement posted in the Stoneworks Discord server by player Cococat of the Kingdom of Eros was the first declaration of war and the primary source for claims surrounding the looting of Earnside as Sylvania has, to date, never made a public announcement regarding it.
7. ↑ The Province of Sondor and Interim Government of Serrukan had both declared military support for Vuleria and declared independence from the AWE on September 22nd, 2023.
8. ↑ This date in the Gregorian calendar is September 27th, 2023.
9. ↑ Quotation referring to Serrona as a pie that has been cut and divided originally comes from the USSE in Panserronan rhetoric.
10. ↑ This date in the Gregorian calendar is September 29th, 2023.
11. ↑ See the figure included in the 'Battle of Prosede-Winterose' section of this article.
12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 This number was claimed on at least one occasion by Wikia user 'RNGSOMEONE'.
13. ↑ This date in the Gregorian calendar is October 3rd, 2023.
14. ↑ This date in the Gregorian calendar is October 6th, 2023.