Kanorian Crisis

Belligerents|  Kanorian Empire**Supported by:** Telkos Consortium Axiate of Alto-LanvearZUSA |  Republic of Laronia**Laronian Committee*** Interstellar Cooperation Organization
* Second Republic of Polmaria
* Grand Regency of Lear
* Republic of Kherfiyyah
* Union of Liros
* Republic of Oçidila-Khelas
* Republic of Motezor
* West Astavara
* Fish Island Republic
* Federal Republic of Ionia

**Supported by:** Socialist Republic of Kokinos

 BISDA

The **Kanorian Crisis** was a series of interrelated diplomatic and military escalations between the Republic of Laronia, supported by the ICO, and the Kanorian Empire. It originated during the Aeropuro Incident, whereby hundreds of BISDA-supplied ventilation units exploded during a brownout, killing thousands and wounding more. The Kanorian Empire began asserting itself over its neighbors in response to this incident, the Republic of Laronia included.

To uphold the sovereignty of Laronia and to attempt to dissuade a conflict, the ICO formed the Strategic Threat Response Committee Laronia II and threatened unilateral sanctions against the Kanorian Empire in the event of military confrontation.

## Background

The Kanorian Empire had long overtly denounced the independence of its ‘splinter states’: the Republic of Fish Island, West Astavara, the Federal Republic of Ionia (the *Lost Provinces*), and most of all, the Republic of Laronia. Kanoria attempted to regain influence over these regions through political manipulation and misinformation campaigns throughout the 2100s.

The Republic of Laronia, with a far smaller population and military than the Kanorian Empire, looked to the ICO for protection after the conclusion of the Laronian Civil War and establishment of the LUNG and High Commissioner for Laronia. The ICO, since 2110, had conducted military exercises within Laronia as both a way to stabilize the nation itself and discourage a Kanorian invasion. Many peacekeepers remained on the Kanorian-Laronian border from the ICO’s involvement in the Laronian Civil War.

In early 2194, the Kanorian Empire began to install the new Aeropuro III ventilation system in numerous government buildings. This system was manufactured in BISDA and was well-received as a high quality product. Later that year, the Kanorian Empire–with the blessing of the ICO–bloodlessly annexed the Federal Republic of Valeron.

## Timeline

### Aeropuro Incident; Kanorian response

*Main articles: Aeropuro Incident, Aeropuro III*

As Aeropuro units began to be installed in the Valeronian territories, a series of high-powered explosions occurred in Kanorian government facilities across the country. Hundreds died within the first days. The Kanorian government initially assumed these were terrorist attacks and enacted martial law across Kanoria. The Kanorian airspace was entirely sealed off. At the same time, Valeronian insurgent Sun Victaris attempted to assassinate Kanorian Minister of War Inglebert von Bosch and Minister of Justice Herman Schulze.

When later investigations discovered they were caused by Aeropuro devices, the Kanorian Empire demanded Aethernet records from their neighbors, especially BISDA, who they suspected most for the incident. These records produced no indications of foreign interference.

### Mobilization in Kanoria and Laronia

The chaos of the explosions alongside martial law had caused significant social unrest in Kanorian urban centers. Riots were common and skirmishes between Army units and Valeronian militias have been alleged. The Imperial Kanorian Army was officially ordered to partial mobilization, conscripting many. In addition to this, Kanorian Army units began moving to the borders of the Kanorian Empire. Borders to the Republic of Laronia, Republic of Kherfiyyah, West Astavara, and Socialist Republic of Kokinos were locked down and numerous civilians deported or detained. The Perpetual Crusade began intensive investigations into the incident and Kanorian military formations began military exercises on the Laronian border.

Relations between BISDA and Kanoria were rapidly breaking down, with BISDA security forces being moved to the aging Laron Line and war games held on both sides for an invasion of Fish Island and its Republic.

Fearing a Kanorian attack, the Republic of Laronia raised additional forces, including its sole armored brigade. Soon after, Laronia appealed to SR Polmaria and the ICO for military and political backing to solidify Laronian national security.

### Declaration of the Committee and ICO involvement

*Main articles: Strategic Threat Response Committee Laronia II, Pasquale Pescado*

In response to the Laronian appeal, the ICO formed the Strategic Threat Response Committee Laronia II, or more often just the Committee, modeled after the Strategic Threat Response Committee Laronia formed during the Laronian Civil War. Several ICO member-states, including the Republic of Gresia, Republic of Motezor, and various others, formed the initial brunt of Committee forces alongside Laronian forces themselves. Many other non-member-states joined soon after an ICO appeal for them to do so: the Second Republic of Polmaria first, followed by the Grand Regency of Lear and Republic of Kherfiyyah in lockstep.

The Committee threatened blockades in the event of Kanorian escalation, hoping to diffuse a conflict. Numerous international reserves were called up and moved within quick response distance of Laronia– though not to the nation itself. Several multinational contingents were moved to Polmarian Quesi to undergo “military exercises”.

Rather than diffuse the conflict and force Kanoria into backing down, however, the formation of the Committee reinvigorated both Kanoria and BISDA, uniting them behind a somewhat-common cause of anti-interventionism. Laronia demanded that Ionia, which had taken an aggressively neutral stance thus far, and Balvala, which had adopted a more passively neutral stance, join the Committee, to which both were denied.

Later that year, international forces were garrisoned in West Astavara at the request of the Astavaran government and the country given a seat on the Committee. In the Republic of Fish Island, a similar offer was extended, to which the President–Pasquale Pescado–accepted, but the Parliament denied. The President was temporarily ousted before the ICO called for a plebiscite to reinstate the President and allow international forces onto the island– which narrowly passed.

### Kanorian international support and internal consolidation

Seeking allies of their own, Kanoria made diplomatic overtures to their southern neighbors, the Socialist Republic of Kokinos, suggesting an “Alliance of Ionian States”, and to the Federal Republic of Ionia, offering the withdrawal of Kanorian troops on the Ionian border as a *quid pro quo* in exchange for a promise that Ionia would refrain from joining the Committee. The former was denied but the latter was accepted. ZUSA, citing historical ties, openly defied international calls to cease the trade of military hardware to Kanoria, falling in line with much of the contemporary BISDA and Kanorian propaganda about a decadent, expansionist ICO. Sensing an opportunity to undermine international influence, the Telkos Consortium entered into secret negotiations with the Kanorian Empire to smuggle equipment to Kanoria in the event of ICO blockades. These negotiations were later decoded by independent journalists, causing another immediate diplomatic incident.

Internally, Kanoria began a similar process of consolidation. The Kanorian Army under War Minister Inglefield von Bosch enacted a soft *coup d’etat* of the Kanorian government, purging some of the leadership and disbanding the Perpetual Crusade. Thousands of arrests were carried out and numerous Perpetual Crusade agents went into hiding, claiming to fight for the Emperor. By now, many international monitors assumed Kanorian Emperor Jeremios I was a puppet of the Kanorian Army.

The Laronian elections presented a unique threat to the ICO and a unique opportunity to Kanoria. Likely due to Kanorian interference, several far-right parties gained significant sway within the Laronian parliament, though not enough to dislodge the current moderate, pro-ICO government. Under the advice of ICO High Commissioner Johan Friedman, the parties forming the present government formed a *cordon sanitaire* with several minor opposition parties, enshrining minority rights through a new, consociationalist system.

### Axiate War

*Main article: Axiate War*

In response to the Telkos Consortium’s talks with Kanoria, the 7 Expeditionary Group, 8 Infantry Echelon, and 66 Airborne Infantry Echelons were sent to the ICO’s Sovereign Military Bases in Alto-Lanvear to act as rapid response units to dissuade the Consortium from following through with their negotiations. This, however, was immediately seen as a breach of Altese sovereignty by the government, who issued an ultimatum to the ICO to immediately vacate the bases, or else be removed by force. The ICO denied this ultimatum and, after minor skirmishes by Altese probing forces, made limited offensives into Axiate territory, establishing 10 kilometer exclusionary zones around each of the 4 Sovereign Military Bases.

The ICO then issued a diktat of their own to the Axiate: unconditionally surrender and cease all hostilities immediately. This was denied, and international forces began a committed offensive to Harusstadt.

### Operation TOURNIQUET

*Main articles: Operation TOURNIQUET, Second Kanorian invasion of Laronia*

In a globally televised speech, Kanorian Emperor Jeremios I announced the full mobilization of the Kanorian Army, a denunciation of the ICO and Laronia, and the operation of a Golem Lord: an immense shock to most international observers, as no Golem Lords had been functional since the 1960s.

Two weeks later, Kanorian Army units crossed the Laronian border. Skirmishes began immediately, with Laronian reconnaissance elements and international peacekeeping forces taking the brunt of the attack. The ICO and Committee immediately enacted unilateral sanctions on the Kanorian Empire, those supporting it, and severed diplomatic ties with Kanoria. The consulates of Committee members were immediately stormed by Kanorian forces, who took their staff hostage. At the Fifth Battle of Hotan and Second Battle of Nazarius, the 1st Corvus Armored Brigade was prevented from moving towards Laronsburg at the cost of several extremely pyrrhic Kanorian victories. At the Battle of Laronsburg, an *ad hoc* defense was conducted by Laronian reserve units and select international forces.