Xandu Crisis

The **Xandu Crisis** is a constitutional and military crisis that was sparked by the Chen dynasty's partial withdrawal from the Holy States (now the League of Palus). The crisis in Xandu has led to a domino effect which has caused the decay of the League of Palus, the Pillager Wars, the formation of Great Thornia, and the occupation of the country by foreign powers.

The power vacuum caused by the loss of an active Xandunese state has caused the League and Tyavyli to diplomatically and economically clash as Xandu was a former middle-man between the two powers.

## Background

Xandu was ruled by the Huang dynasty from 2016 until mid 2019. Throughout 2019, the influential Chen family gradually assumed control of Xandu, in addition to frontier territories west of Xandu's traditional borders (organised into the Dark Realm of Han).

In mid 2019, the Dark Realm joined the Holy States as a member state. The dissolution of the Huang dynasty led to the Holy States' government claiming Xandu on behalf of the Chen dynasty after a short period of confusion over who was formally in control of Xandu. The Chen dynasty did not participate in discussions about the territory's fate despite being invited on numerous occassions. The Holy States government declared the formation of the Free State of Xandu, which intended to unify the Dark Realm with Xandu.

In November 2019, Lord Weihan declared the withdrawal of the Dark Realm from the federation and did not clarify the fate of the Free State and of Xandu. The Holy States thus declared the Free State dissolved, and for a time it continued to consider Xandu a member state as the newly established State of Xandu.

## History

### Early phase (December 2019 - 27 March 2020)

In early 2020, the Despotate of Thornia carried out reforms to create Great Thornia. The gradual waning of power of the other Holy States' member states led to Thornia quickly taking over many of the government institutions of the federation. Reforms were carried out to replace the Holy States with the League of Palus.

In March 2020, Thornia formally offered to carry out the administration of Greater Shanjing on behalf of the Chen dynasty. To its surprise, the Chen dynasty accepted the offer. Thornian authorities carried out a facelift of Shanjing City and constructed several new residential and commercial buildings.

On 27 March 2020, the largest pillager invasion force in recorded history (prior to the Massacre of Elysia in mid 2020) took place in Shanjing. The Royal Iron Guard (now the Thornian Army) was forced to fight the battle alone without the assistance of other member states of the league. The pillagers were successfully repelled with minimal civilian casualties.

### First Thornian occupation (27 March 2020 - 11 May 2020)

In the aftermath of the Battle of Shanjing, Thornia upgraded its presence in Xandu into a full-blown military occupation to ward off further attacks. It was clear that rapid decay of the league's military strength required Thornia to forcefully carry out military operations and reforms where necessary.

Pillager attacks in Palus, Goruid, Aphthonis forced the Thornian Army to partially withdraw from Xandu to fight what is now known as the First Pillager War. The frustration of not having its supposed allies rally behind Thornia led to it leaving the league on 5 April. It was unclear if Xandu had been withdrawn since it was being occupied by Thornia. This questioned was made clear on 11 May when the Thornian government decided to treat Xandu as if it were a part of the Dark Realm. Thornian forces fully withdrew shortly after.

### The Great Plague and Second Thornian occupation (mid 2020 - 1 September 2020)

In mid 2020, a mass infection event in Tyavyli and Umia led to these regions falling into anarchy. Thornia attempted to intervene in these regions to prevent total anarchy but were ultimately beaten back by local resistance to the Xandunese border. The army inadvertedly caused this plague to spread into Xandu. However, before the effects of the spread were made known Thornian forces were pushed out of Shanjing by local civilians. Shortly after, the city almost completely fell into disarray after much of its population were killed off by the plague.

Thornian forces re-entered Shanjing a week later to find the city near-deserted and in anarchy. Order was quickly restored and Thornia thus resumed its occupation of Xandu. This occupation was brief due to the chaos of this operation leading to the Thornian monarchy's overthrow. Thornian forces were forced to return to Thornia to ensure the country remained stable during the political transition.

Despite a lack of military presence, Thornia still considered Xandu to be under its rule. Xandu's administrative divisions were reorganised and Thornia ceded its claims over the Jungle Territory and the Shantouxian Area to the State of Xandu.

### Anarchy (1 September 2020 - Present)

Thornia's involved in the Second Pillager War forced the government to declare an end to its rule of Xandu as it was clear it could not deploy forces in a region so far away from other Thornian territories. Xandu proper was thus in anarchy. However, Thornia's military forces were still occupying and patrolling the Jungle Territory and the Shantouxian Area.

Thornia eventually rejoined the League of Palus and retroactively transferred its administrative responsibilities to the league. However, the league's continued decay led to Thornia taking over the league itself.

#### Partition of Xandu (mid 2020 - Present)

Thornia's occupation zones in the eastern portions of the Jungle Territory and the Shantouxian Area were consolidated into the Protectorate of Smarna. This marked the end of the 'responsible' approach to administering Xandu as foreign powers were now occupying its territory without consent and carrying out a partition of the country. Current Thornian plans for the territory include scenarios for Umia to annex Nanshan Province and for Shuxian's Domain to annex Beishan Province.