War of Embers

The **War of Embers** is a conflict in central Andoras between House Grimolt and House Karthmere currently being fought over what many believe is control of Andoras, with Thyllanor of House Karthmere and Raunerre of House Grimolt being the two closest and most powerful realms in proximity to Ember's End, a popular post-Civil War name for the Kingsland. However, as time goes on, the conflict seems to stem from many previous ones, some wholly unconnected to warfare at all -- though it is indeed a bid for superiority in the region and retake Dragonspire City, it is also an attempt to expand their respective lands wherever possible.

## Background

House Brackwater has also played a role in this war, being on the outskirts of the two powers and sometimes getting caught in the conflict as well. The Wetlands were attacked and damaged in the Civil War in battles such as The Pallid Day in the city of Garanide, and they are only beginning to rebuild. They are trying to avoid conflict as much as possible, but secretly, they have pledged their support to House Grimolt due to Dalan Karthmere's orders to completely exterminate the populace of Riverbay in the duchy of Alham, which resulted in the death of thousands of Wetlander citizens and the Duke of Alham, Larys Gallomont.

It also stems partially from a blood feud, particularly over ancient conflicts between the two families during the days of the Thyllanorian kingdom nearly seven thousand years ago, and Thyllanor (as the aggressors) attempting to reclaim the glory, wealth, and recognition that the current Highlord Dalan Karthmere's father, Dalan I, lost due to negligence and the act of treasonous rebellion in the Farmers' Revolution. This war, it seems, is inspired by post-Civil War imperialism by Thyllanor's hands more than anything, although the Raunerrians are certainly not without fault either. While the Thyllanorians are doing a fine job of angering their Andorasi neighbors, the Raunerrians have tested the temper of Ceryne, a city-state across the sea in Doras Edrossi.

Many different sides to this war seem to exist, though three have emerged -- quite plainly, the war was originally about (and remains so) the Raunerre-Thyllanor conflict, but while they fight each other for dominion over the Kingsland, some lords in the Kingsland are not so willing to give up their newfound independence and are vying to form coalitions with each other so that they may better defend from the menace of both offending sides.

Currently, the war is mutually on hold, as an armistice agreement was reached between Thyllanor and Raunerre at a peace summit in March; the war is still tentatively declared, however, and some may see Thyllanor's increasing militarization as preparation for a counter-attack.

## Leading up to the conflict

The war emerged mostly from the massive power vacuum that was left behind with the passing of the Kingdom of Andoras. With many beliefs conflicting that whether or not Andoras could not prosper without one king to rule over all of it, the question of who would sit on the throne hung in the air. The Dealing Council established clear boundaries with the Treaty of Dragonspire that no one should attempt to reform a so-called Kingdom of Andoras, nor should war return so soon after one gripped the entire continent. It also discouraged the forming of their own kingdom titles, with the reason given that it would incite lords to pursue a mantra of imperialism and expand much as if they were attempting to form a united Andorasi kingdom. Unlike in Doras Edrossi, however, the Andorasi are not nearly as wont to follow treaties, and there is certainly an element of pride involved when a group of foreigners who are strangers to the Andorasi way of life attempt to come and regulate it with words on parchment, in a land where swords and standing armies rule.

The Dealing Council left their pro-Edrossian council in charge of Dragonspire City, led by Dunstan Chambers, and returned to Meyron without so much a thought of the Andorasi they had left behind. One major oversight they had failed to address was the lack of unification in the Kingsland -- it was assumed the council in Dragonspire was to be the de jure ruler of the Kingsland, but they had no measures or retinues in place to defend this claim, and the lords were left to their own devices. Some enjoyed this state of affairs, but slowly the united paramouncies began to recognize this and began placing troops on their border of the Kingsland, like packs of wolves encircling their prey.

Undoubtedly, some started to breach the Treaty -- Thyllanor and Edrane are in preparations to restore their kingdom titles, Frostfall declared war against Thyllanor's allies the Moonlyt Peaks out of honor for a perceived betrayal after taking the rebellion's side in the Civil War, and Raunerre ignited the torch of imperialism by sending troops to the north half of Mournare and occupying it on December 3rd, 349 AC, almost a year and a month to the day after the Second Siege of Dragonspire. Though the Kingslander lords were angry and now recognized the massive threat with this action, there was not much they could do to retaliate against the Raunerrians. Thyllanor, however, reacted to this with a simple proposal; stay off of the Kingsland and we will not go to war. Whether the Raunerrians completely disregarded this or did not care did not matter to the Thyllanorians -- on December 22nd, the War of Embers had begun. The true motives of either side are not entirely known; Raunerre's aggressive attacks against Kingslander lords definitely indicates their desire for expansion, but Thyllanor going to war with them over it may indicate a war for superiority, a war for land, or a war simply to take advantage of the chaos.