War of Powder

The War of Powder was a civil war - or, perhaps more accurately, several simultaneous civil wars - fought in the Nesarian Empire from 1631 to 1639. Notably, the war made no use whatsoever of magic, since this power had disappeared from the world several centuries earlier and would only return briefly during the Imperial Civil War. Although the War of Powder was the smallest of the three major Inecurian civil wars both in proportional and absolute terms (lesser in scale than both the Time of Troubles and Civil War), it nonetheless had a significant and permanent impact upon Inecurian civilisation.

The War of Powder is named as such for it was the first war between the Inecurians to make use of gunpowder artillery and firearms, and also because gunpowder was at the core of several of the conflicts during the period. The proliferation of gunpowder had serious ramifications for all Inecurian civilisations, and some began to undergo an internal struggle as the aristocratic warrior classes began to lose power to the increasingly armed peasantry. In many cases, these struggles erupted into open bloodshed, some of which ended in a reformation of society and some of which ended in the reinforcement of the traditional class structure. There were also, however, some conflicts during the period which were wholly unrelated to the matter of gunpowder, and took place at the same time simply to take advantage of the chaos to press other matters.

## Localised Nature

The War of Powder was far from a coherent singular war, and it is perhaps better described as several simultaneous wars which were largely localised in nature. Unlike the later Imperial Civil War or the earlier Time of Troubles, rebel groups were largely dealt with by the forces of the country they were in. Though the Imperial Government did muster regiments to reinforce areas in trouble, these almost always were transferred to the authority of the local ruler and were not, strictly, "Imperial" troops.

There are two significant reasons for this being the case. Firstly, the vast majority of Imperial soldiers - that is, soldiers directly under Imperial control and not under the authority of a specific country - were stationed overseas to maintain order in the burgeoning overseas empire in Asia. Secondly, it was the opinion of the Emperor and many of his ministers that a more delegated approach would be more effective, as local rulers would be more capable of responding to local issues than the Imperial Government, and it would avoid the bitter conflict of authority between Imperial and local officials that was frequent in the Time of Troubles.

## Epsilucian Peasants' War

### Result

Revolt fails, but moderate reforms implemented

### Defenders

Kingdom of Epsilucia

The Epsilucian Peasants' War was a revolt of Epsilucian peasants (*Sanhekat*) against the aristocracy (*Helriki* and *Kavat*) in the regions of Kuuskami and Rovahatti, in the north of Epsilucia. Although the revolt ended in failure and the execution of all the leaders, some of the reforms they demanded were later implemented, although in a significantly moderated form.

Perhaps the most significant reform was the proclamation by the Kingdom of Epsilucia reaffirming the right of peasants to bear firearms, though they refused to change the ancient law that peasants were forbidden to carry swords. Although some aristocrats voiced complaints that this would empower the peasantry in the case of a future rebellion, the King and the royal court considered this to be an acceptable risk, for it was the restriction of firearms by the dukes of Kuuskami and Rovahatti that was a major cause of the rebellion in the first place.

## Avamorican Farmers' War

### Result

Revolt fails, rural aristocrats further stripped of power

### Defenders

Republic of Avamorica

The Avamorican Farmers' War was a revolt of Avamorican rural landowners against the dictates of the Avamorican government concerning a series of political and social reforms, which the rural landowners both believed to be immoral and a challenge to their status. It is unique amongst the rebellions of the War of Powder in that it was the government enforcing progressive reforms and the rebels fighting against them rather than the other way around.

The revolt eventually ended in failure and the execution of all the leaders, and ironically led to the rural landowners having far more power stripped away from them than was originally intended by the state reforms. Most Inecurian historians agree that the liberal reforms enacted and enforced by the Avamorican government was the primary long-term cause of the country's strong support for the Republicans during the Imperial Civil War.

## Raskevite War of Independence

### Result

Revolt fails, autonomy guaranteed for Raskev, some Raskevite territories reclaimed

### Defenders

Kingdom of Asmukhar

The Raskevite War of Independence was a rebellion of Raskevites against their Asmocarian rulers, aiming to liberate themselves from their Asmocarian overlords and reclaim ancestral Raskevite territory. Though they desired to establish a distinct state of Raskev, the leaders of the revolt made sure to carefully emphasise that they did not desire independence from the Nesarian Empire.

The Raskevites failed to separate themselves from Asmukhar and were eventually defeated, but they succeeded in inflicting significant losses upon the state troops sent to fight them, and received an Imperial guarantee of autonomy. The Raskevites also succeeded in expelling Asmocarians from some areas that were traditionally within the domain of Raskev, repopulating the lands with Raskevites. The Raskevite leaders were initially sentenced to death, but were pardoned by the Kumukh of Asmukhar two days before their execution.

A peculiar feature of the Raskevite War of Independence is that the rebels were significantly better equipped than the state troops; they had plentiful access to firearms and artillery, whereas the armies of Asmukhar were still overwhelmingly equipped in the traditional ancient style, mounted on horseback with bows and sabres. Though this style of war was still highly effective on the steppes, the less mobile but more powerful Raskevite armies proved to have the decisive advantage in the marshes and bogs of Raskev. It is assumed by most historians that this state of affairs is what motivated the Raskevites to rebel, for they knew their strengths well but also knew it was only a matter of time until Asmukhar updated its military.

## War of Rice

### Result

Kalzuranur permitted to temporarily grow Blue Rice, King of Chalparna deposed and murdered

### Defenders

Kingdom of Chalparna

The War of Rice was the only conflict in the War of Powder that was not a rebellion, but one state going to war against another. Though it is technically still a civil war, as it was two segments of the same Empire coming to blows, many historians classify the War of Rice as the last war fought between two Inecurian countries.

The War of Rice saw the Kingdom of Kalzuranur invade the Kingdom of Chalparna with the intent of stealing large quantites of Blue Rice seeds, to supplement their farmers after a disastrous blight had eradicated almost the entire crop of native Kalzuranuri rice. Kalzuranur had initially simply asked Chalparna to provide the seeds, offering a large payment as compensation, but Chalparna refused and cited the ancient Imperial law which granted their country a monopoly over Blue Rice and banned other countries from growing it.

The Kalzuranuri authorities then looked into swapping out the rice farms for wheat, but came to the conclusion this was infeasible, since wheat requires a dry farm whereas the rice fields were all deliberately flooded, since rice is a semi-aquatic crop. Out of desperation, they decided to take the Blue Rice seeds by force, and mustered an army to march into Chalparna.

The Kalzuranuri army succeeded in seizing many granaries of Blue Rice seeds, but approximately half of the seeds were retrieved or destroyed by Chalparni forces during their journey back to Kalzuranur. Chalparna protested to the Emperor, though they did not receive the response they desired; the Emperor denounced Kalzuranur for their actions, but pardoned the country since he believed that Chalparna had forced their hand. Kalzuranur was permitted to grow the stolen rice, but authority was given to Chalparna to place garrisons in Kalzuranur to ensure that all seeds were destroyed after the country had recovered from the rice blight and was once again able to grow the native rice.

Chalparna begrudgingly accepted these terms until the next season, when Kalzuranur continued to plant Blue Rice and insisted that it could not yet transition back to the native rice, whereas Chalparna disagreed. After the Kalzuranuris refused to change the crops and their protests to the Emperor were simply ignored, the Chalparni garrisons began burning granaries and destroying rice farms, prompting the Kalzuranuri military - alongside a vast host of disgruntled peasants - to attack and slaughter the garrisons. Furious, Chalparna assembled an army to march into Kalzuranur and plunder the country out of retaliation, and several months of fighting ensued. Kalzuranur suffered great devastation and the grand city of Nimraqur was sacked, but the Chalparni army eventually suffered great casualties and was forced to return.

Believing that it was the only way to end the conflict, Kalzuranur secretly made a deal with the brother of the King of Chalparna to enthrone him as the King and overthrow the incumbent ruler. Kalzuranur raised another army to invade Chalparna and laid siege to the capital of Mayhara. The besieging army covertly spread rumours within the city that the besiegers were only at the gates to secure food for their starving populace, and there was a great surge of anger amongst the citizens, who believed that the King had needlessly put them in danger and that the cause of the besiegers was just. A rebel faction began to form within Mayhara, and they agreed with the besiegers to strike on the same day at noon.

Faced with an assault on the walls and an armed revolt of the citizenry, the defence of Mayhara collapsed, and the King of Chalparna was forced to give up his crown. The Kalzuranuri army intended to leave things there, but the citizens of Mayhara managed to take hold of the King and they beat him to death before decapitating him. The new King of Chalparna immediately declared that he would freely give Kalzuranur seeds of Blue Rice for four further seasons to feed their populace, which proved to be enough time for the native crops to recover and fight off the blight. Kalzuranur was required to return any surplus seeds to Chalparna, and was obliged to destroy the crops of any farmers who defied the rules and grew Blue Rice past the deadline.