Empire-DKE war

The **war between the Empire of Adamant and the Democratic Kingdoms of Ekrustia** was a struggle for dominance between the two major powers of the continent of Ekrustia.

## Background

The DKE was founded to form a bulwark against imperial aggressions from the south, and the cities of Kinepeak, Shinevale, Warmak and especially Southguard were fortified against attacks from the Empire of Adamant. This strategy of warding off worked for much more than a century, especially because the strongest DKE Citizens were placed on the border territories.

The war was declared in autumn 3060 and people all over Fel Sadanis became nervous, despite the city having no reason to fear as long as the DKE stood: Common wisdom was that Fel Sadanis wouldn't be attacked, because the Badlands to the south couldn't be crossed by the imperial army: Fel Sadanis would only be conquered by traditional means if the well-fortified Southguard fell.

An Empire invasion via the teleport link was also considered impossible - going that way would require a lot of mana, even if the Bank hadn't sealed off all known teleportation gates going to the south. However, if Fel Sadanis were to be conquered and the teleportation links unlocked afterwards, this would give the Empire a tactical advantage, allowing them to overwhelm the DKE by attacking from another angle.

## Opening moves in 3060

On 4 Frostfall 3060, Citizen Westbridge used the teleportation system to invade Fel Sadanis for the DKE in a surprise attack, ceding control of the city to Citizen Sadanis. This coup against the Watch preempted another surprise attack on the city by a full legion of the Empire under *Dominus* Bekerim and Lightbreaker, who revealed their presence on Frostfall 11 after a march through the Badlands, defying common assumptions of the badlands being impossible to traverse with an entire legion (5000 soldiers). *Dominus* Bekerim was assisted by *Princeps-Magus* Markus (artillery) and *Princeps-Praesidium* Gavek. The army moved under the mirage of Lightbreaker and overran the half of the Watch's garrison that had been excluded from the city without suffering casualties. The Majistraal's artifact's barrier shielded the city against the imperial assault, and the Empire wasn't able to establish a staging ground north of the Badlands for its war. They maintained a short siege around Fel Sadanis until a counterattack by the DKE was launched on 11 Frostfall - then they retreated and left just a token force inside their fortifications. The Citizens were fooled, and two of them killed by Lightbreaker who then retreated as well. It is unknown where the imperial legion went - they may have remained inactive for months and waited for reinforcements to break open the barrier. *Princeps-Magus* Markus opposed *Dominus* Bekerim, and made the attempt to remove him from command, which was apparently successful.

Meanwhile, severe tensions between the Watch, Guild and the DKE were a result of the DKE coup in Fel Sadanis.

The Watch ultimately regained control over Fel Sadanis, essentially repelling both invasion attempts, and ousted Citizen Sadanis who gave up power on 19 Forstfall and delivered the city back to the Watch one week later, after her perceived betrayal by the DKE. The Watch organized a mass-evacuation because of both the war and a rank shift, and planned to use the magical barrier to create *Citadel Sadanis* as a purely Watch-staffed outpost. This attempt at fortifying failed however, when the Empire's armies returned and completely destroyed the former city, crushing the barrier in an attack that overwhelmed the damage limit and splintered reality. Fecht himself may have been involved in that attack. At this point, Dominus Alarus was in command near Fel Sadanis, and commanded at least one legion. Alarus eventually moved against the DKE.

## Empire victories in 3061

Only scant news of the next events were available in Three Cliffs even months after they occured: The Empire conquered Southguard next, and later took control of yet another major DKE city as well, thus opening a path into the heartlands of the DKE.

In Spring 3061, Dominus Illus was in charge of the conquering force of Three Cliffs. He lost the Fist of Progress and two batallions (1000 soldiers) to the defending Velika, who sunk the ship that attacked Three Cliffs on Seedlings 15.

The Guild in Xiugaaraa had much better intelligence on the war than Ascension, allowing a clearer picture of how the war was going in the first third of 3061: Besides Southguard, also Warmak, Shinevale and Rumdell had been conquered by the Empire, and Ellis had been totally destroyed and effectively been conquered as well in the attempts by Citizens Ellis, Rumdell, Bluecrest, Berryfed and Jarro to hold back the imperial legions, now under command of Dominus Alarus.

In an attack on North Harbor, Lightbreaker created a diversion front, causing the DKE forces to break up under the assaults, and Citizens Tem, Yelfenn and Elfield retreating from the frontlines to protect their home dominions. Meanwhile, a counter-attack to re-take Shinevale, by Citizens Shinevale, Bluecrest, Kepar and Davlake failed.

The Empire didn't fight against only DKE however, as all supernational organizations banded together: The Guild branches in Falking, Lenleah, Halfstone and Downharrow actively organized some resistance against the Empire, and the Watch also provided assistance.

In a second surprise attack on Three Cliffs, Dominus Illus arrived on board of the *Heart of Adamant*, having also brought the *Tread of Industry*. His orders from Potentate Fecht himself were to capture and fortify Three Cliffs, in order to create a base for the follow-up assault on Barstone. After losing two Incarns and msny more soldiers to Ascension which tried to defend and eventually managed to escape on board the *Temerity*, it can be assumed that Illus succeeded in taking Three Cliffs more or less uncontested.

On Seedlings 30, Warden Vatreece took control over all remaining Citizens from the Empire and vanished together with them. They were not seen afterwards in the week afterwards, but for a while there were also no reports of the Empire advancing further despite their absence.

Several weeks later, news arrived near Yelfenn that the Warden's fight against Fecht had created the Maelstrom in a desert part of the northeastern Empire. Nobody knows what happened there. Meanwhile, Lightbreaker was present during the Empire's conquest of Lenleah, Falking and Kinepeak.

Sometime prior to the fifth of First Harvest in 3061, the Potentiate Vannon, formerly Lightbreaker, declared victory and claimed the entire continent for the Empire.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Chapter 68
2. ↑ Chapter 26
3. ↑ Chapter 33
4. ↑ Chapter 38
5. ↑ Chapter 72
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Chapter 88
7. ↑ Chapter 93
8. ↑ Chapter 106-109
9. ↑ Chapter 167
10. ↑ Chapter 184
11. ↑ Chapter 191
12. ↑ Chapter 193
13. ↑ Chapter 199
14. ↑ Chapter 201
15. ↑ Chapter 206, 214
16. ↑ Chapter 220
17. ↑ Chapter 244