Keghotogh Crisis

The **Keghotogh Crisis** was a religious, political, and military conflict that began in Nyrotem of 3095 AT. It is part of the wider Rise of Tulkonist Extremism.

## Prelude

After the end of the Immortal War, Tulkon Vonha reformed the Tulkonist Council, which had crumbled due to large public pushback against the institution of the Tulkon after the death of Tulkon E'Acoradi and Emperor Zetopa's anti-Tulkon propaganda campaign. Vonha's reformation of the Council gave it immunity from the public pressure that had caused it to fall apart decades earlier, thus giving it greater autonomy. Soon after Vonha's death in 2991, the Council was able to create a private military force known as the Tulkonist Army. Although most of the next century was peaceful with virtually zero conflict, the Army was exceptionally well-trained and ready for battle at any moment.

Following the Colitzl Outbreak and the death of Tulkon Ico in 3034 AT, Tulkonists around the world became even more devout, and some delved into extremism. While most Tulkonists were accepting of other religious traditions and peoples, these few extremist pockets were not, and were growing increasingly influential.

Tulkon I'Ladas succeeded Tulkon Goroch after the latter's assassination by Rodadzi militants in 3074 AT. When he came of age, I'Ladas converted to Tulkonism and was given a leadership role in the Tulkonist Army, becoming the first Tulkon to have any sort of official position within the Tulkonist Council organization. This development led to a near-worship of the Tulkonist Council (which had solely been the trainers of the Tulkon and an organizational body in the past) itself within extremist sects, who held the Council with the same esteem as the Tulkons. This event also led to the development of the Elven Nationalist Conflict.

In 3094 AT, the Republic of Keghotogh elected Prime Minister Agrah. Agrah, who herself was a Tulkonist, was controversial for her anti-Council views, which enraged extremists within the country. A Kostralle sect known as the Daishnib-Tulkukh Kekhotuhr (roughly meaning "True Tulkonists of Keghotogh" in the Keghotuhr language), also known as the DTK, began supporting protests by extremists against foreigners, religious minorities, and government officials in Keghotogh. Eventually, these protests turned into outright violent attacks, beginning the Crisis.

## Events

### Outbreak of Violence and Tulkonist Invasion

The Crisis officially began with the burning of a Savat Temple in Baikhal in the southeast of Keghotogh in Nyrotem of 3095 AT, several months after Agrah's inauguration. Violence by Tulkonist extremists and the DTK erupted across Keghotogh and in various Tulkonist countries, with various instances of violence on a large scale occurring from distant Ilois to neighboring Kepet, and notably in the A'Roastad Empire; however, Keghotogh was the locus of the violence, and most of the country was in disarray. The Tulkonist Council and I'Ladas condemned the violence, although some criticized the Council's remarks as apathetic and, in some ways, encouraging the extremists.

Many countries expressed a desire to intervene, but the Onor-Ynofora Codes prevented large-scale intervention of any kind by foreign countries in an effort to prevent another global-scale war. However, the Tulkonist Council, as it wasn't a country or official government, was not subject to the Codes, and sent the Tulkonist Army to the country under I'Ladas' leadership without the approval of the Keghotogh Government.

On 22 Norrem, the Tulkonist Army entered Keghotogh City by way of the Darrom River and was met by anti-DTK and anti-Council protestors and militias. The protest was attacked by armed DTK members, triggering violent chaos in the city between the Tulkonist Army, protestors, the DTK, and Keghotogh's own military. I'Ladas went missing, and PM Agrah was killed. The Tulkonist Army was able to create a temporary truce in the city between the various factions involved. Relnakj, a senior official within the Keghotogh Government, was named Acting Prime Minister while the Tulkonist Council made efforts to install their own head of government. The Tulkonist Council quickly began consolidating their control of the lands south of the Darrom River, while the north remained under Keghotuhr control. I'Ladas was declared dead to prevent knowledge of his disappearance from becoming public.

### Quest to find I'Ladas and Battle for the South

Keghotuhr spies discovered that I'Ladas is highly likely still alive. Relnakj secretly tasked a band of mercenaries and magic users from Honsin with tracking down I'Ladas and finding a way to end the crisis, while a second group of Keghotuhr soldiers searched the north. The group arrived in Baikhal on 18 Arrkem, and journeyed to the capital. Meanwhile, the Tulkonist Council began consolodating their control in the lands south of the Darrom River, either through battle or diplomacy, while also sending out a search party to look for I'Ladas. Within weeks, the Tulkonist Army had taken power from the Darrom River to the northern borders of Baikhal and West Baikhal, Keghotogh's southernmost administrative regions.

As the South was being taken over, thousands refugees fled the country into Orcanth and were provided asylum. This led to growing tensions between Orcanth and the Council, and both began placing troops at the border in case tensions broke.