Drathian Civil War

## Battles

Battle of Drathia - Loyalist victory

Battle of Svartsvol - Keltaken victory

Battle of Norga - Loyalist victory

The Drathian Civil War was a conflict between the predominately Thrill-Kill rebels, and the Fylkirate government, along with her allies. The war was sparked by the announced secession of several minor Drathian colonies as well as major worlds such as Norga and Svartsol.

## Causes

The seeds of the war were planted with the treason of former Grand General Serratus 'Thrill-Kill', whose conflicting views on how to further advance the Drathian military led to an attempted assassination of Grand Admiral Zavak 'Iron-Fist'. The attempt failed, and Serratus was sent into exile.

A month later, Serratus informed the outer colonies, whose populations consisted mainly of those belonging to Serratus' own 'Thrill-Kill' tribe, that he was planning a rebellion against the Fylkja. The governors of the colonies agreed to back his plot, and declared their independence from the Fylkirate. A majority of the Drathian military could also trace back its heritage to the Thrill-Kill tribe, and as a result, joined Serratus in his attempted coupe.

## Course of the War

During the war, aside from minor skirmishes around interplanetary trade routes, there were three major battles, all of which ended in loyalist victories. However, the casualties of the battles were disgustingly high, and each victory was earned only bloody fighting.

### Battle of Drathia

The Battle of Drathia began immediately after the announced sucession of the Thrill-Kill worlds from the Fylkirate. Starting with a general uprising around the planet, and a surprise orbital raid. Without time to prepare a defense, the loyalist forces were effortlessly slaughtered. Rebel forces quickly overtook all but the most well defended areas of the planet, and managed to severely damage the unprepared loyalist fleet, whose numbers were cut in half by the fighting. Rebel forces began an assault on the Fylkirate capital building, The Citadel, following an assassination attempt on Fylkja Zlasa's life. Though the Fylkja was wounded, her life was saved by the Colonial Hegemon, Julius Kingsley.

The rebel assault failed, and the arrival of Keltaken and Colonial forces fighting on behalf of the Fylkirate meant that the attackers were now outnumbered. The rebel fleet, led by Admiral Xikcha 'Saw-Tooth', suffered heavy loses and was forced to retreat. Without orbital support, rebel planetary forces began to lose ground under the weight of Keltaken bombings. However, massive damage to civilian structures resulted, and though the battle was a victory for the loyalists, Drathia was devestated, and harbouring a new contempt for the Keltaken Empire.

### Battle of Svartsvol

Disobeying orders from his superiors, Keltaken General and Chapter Master Karraka followed the rebel fleet to their capital at Svartsvol, where they were met with heavy resistance. A landing was attempted, but Keltaken pods were shot down by rebel ground cannons, and the long range weapons of the two moon bases orbiting the planet. Taking heavily losses from attacks on three sides, Karraka opted for a highly dangerous 'short jump', entering a brief period of FTL, and jumping to the other side of the planet, away from enemy fire. The move, while mostly successful, resulted in the destruction of several Keltaken ships which had miscalculated their coordinates.

Despite being out of range of rebel lunar bases, the Keltaken forces still could not manage to land on the planet, and so Karraka, with rebel forces closing in, decided to instead destroy the planet entirely. Charging the ultimate weapon of his flagship, Karraka completely obliterated Svartsvol, killing all civilians and military personnel on the planet. The flying debris destroyed several rebel ships, and the devastated rebel forces, now stripped of their morale, retreated.

### The Nine Year Hiatus

A full nine years passed between the Battle of Svartsvol and the Battle of Norga, during which time the Drathian Fylkirate demanded that the Keltaken Empire cease its involvement in the war. Fylkja Zlasa turned to the Dothvalian Confederacy and Federated Colonies instead for their support in the final push against the rebel forces. However, both were occupied in their fight against a renewed Abyssal threat. Thus, the Fylkirate was alone to defeat the rebels.

### Battle of Norga

During the break in the fighting, Serratus' forces licked their wounds, and slowly rebuilt their strength. They were interrupted only a loyalist invasion of the new rebel capital world of Norga, the last major stronghold of the Thrill-Kill rebels. If Norga fell, then the rebels would stand no chance against the Fylkirate, and so they fought tooth and nail to keep it.

The Fylkirate Grand Fleet jumped into the system, and was immediately met with harsh rebel fire. While the rebels had a small advantage in numbers, and ground support from their anti-orbital cannons, they were outmatched by the sheer firepower of the loyalist fleet, which consisted of four of the five Drathian Nightmare class ships, the fifth being controlled by rebels during the fighting. The Drathian capital ship, the *DSS Eldritch*, held Fylkja Zlasa herself.

Believing that General Serratus would be onboard his own capital ship, the *DSS Leviathan*, she focused fire there. However, Serratus was on board a smaller destroyer, with the capital ship being commanded by Admiral Xikcha 'Saw-Tooth', who died upon the *Leviathan*'s destruction. With the loyalist fire focused on the *Leviathan*, the rebel ground cannons managed to destroy three of the Nightmares, leaving only Zlasa's *Eldritch* remaining.

The Fylkirate ship now mostly undefended, General Serratus, piloting a destroyer by the name of the *TKS Spear*, breached a hole in the *Eldritch*'s hull, and had a force board the capital ship soon after. Rebel forces, including Serratus himself, stormed the ship, where Zlasa was murdered in her command chair. Serratus, however, was captured in the process, and forced to surrender.

With the rebel fleet pacified, what remained of the loyalists, now under provisional command of Admiral Xichi, managed to land on the planet's surface. Norga fell quickly, and soon the entire planet was under Fylkirate control, forcing the rebels to capitulate, and bringing the war to an end.

## Aftermath

### Reformation of the Fylkirate

The death of Zlasa marked the end of the reign of the Skraeling dynasty. Without an heir, Zlasa's rule passed on to the only surviving member of the High Council, Spymaster Taka 'Ghost-Ear' (renamed 'Ghost-Eye' upon taking the crown). Taka proved to be a much less merciless leader than Zlasa, and while her predecessor was a peacemonger who preached acceptance and diversity, Taka was a ruthless Machiavellian. Her rule would increase the federal authority of the Fylkirate, stripping away layer by layer, the autonomous power of the planetary governors. It would also be the start of a new age of Drathian militarism and nationalism, as well as the beginning of the Drathian slave trade.

### Sentiment towards the Keltaken Empire

The bombings on Drathia, and the destruction of Svartvsol left a bitter taste in the mouths of Drathians everywhere. There was already tension and mistrust between the Drathian and Keltaken people, but these events solidified such feelings into open hostility. Keltakens living within the Fylkirate were prone to persecution, and were often arrested by local authorities for falsely fabricated crimes. This prejudice only deepened once Fylkja Taka took power, and legalized the practice of slavery, leaving many Keltakens in chains.

### Sentiment towards the Federated Colonies

Previously, the Fylkirate had been at odds with the Federated Colonies after the ascension of their blatantly xenophobic Cardinal. However, noting the mutual hate for the Keltakens between them, the Drathian opinion of the Colonies improved significantly, believing that the Cardinal was in the right the whole time. Many Drathian politicians, including the new Fylkja, took the Cardinal's policies as a model, imitating her moves in hopes of creating a more stable Fylkirate. Terran culture, already popular among Drathians, exploded in popularity.