First Abar War

The **First Abar War**, also known simply as the **Abar War**, was an international conflict that took place between 795:87 and 802:15. The two opposing sides in the war were the Kadeean Empire and the Northern Alliance, which consisted of the Balooun Empire, the Galakevalan Union, the Hanik Confederation, Tumasn and Kiygreen. The immediate cause of the conflict was the conversion of Galin-Martzup II to the Jregan religion in 789, which triggered international condemnation from the other Afbarkeean powers.

## First Abar War

### Result

Ceasefire; Kadeean Empire continues to endorse Jrega; Kamakesur is reconvened

Combatants

## Timeline

### Background

After the Great Schism, there was a widespread feeling throughout the praanajeean world that they had a duty to stand up to Kadeean heresy through military intervention. A pacifist movement emerged in reaction to this and grew steadily over the first half of decade: 79. Proponents of this movement were often ridiculed as cowards and/or jregan sympathisers – especially during the Abar War – and later developed a reputation of fraternising with the enemy. This was true in some cases where pacifists on both sides of the war co-operated to bring about a peaceful resolution.

#### The Great Inflation

The Great Inflation occurred in early decade: 79 when the value of gold plummeted. Most currencies followed suit, especially the Kadeean dagon. Many economists at the time claimed that this was a result of uncertainty that had been generated by the Great Schism and the prospect of war on the horizon. While this was partially true, it was mainly the result of an insidious plot to manufacture an economic crash that would devastate the Kadeean economy.

The plot was devised by some of the greatest Hanik and Balooun economists of the time, many of whom worked for or had close ties with the Leshavil-Kompango and/or Leshavil-Gorn. Many oligarchs were informed of the plan and encouraged to exchange their vast wealth for physical assets, which had the dual purpose of securing their fortune from the imminent inflation and saturating the market with gold which was the main cause of the inflation in the first place. The Leshavil-Kompango played a central role in orchestrating the plan by influencing many of the Balooun guilds responsible.

The inflation of gold encouraged many Kadeean traders to sell their goods for large quantities of gold, which they then transported back to the Lantoo where it was more valuable. Most of this gold was then melted down to make Kadeean coins (i.e. the dagon) as this further increased its value. When Kadeean currency was banned by the Balooun Empire, its value plummeted internationally and caused one of the worst recessions in Kadeean history.

#### The Northern Alliance

In 790:42, the Balooun Empire and the Galakevalan Union officially formed a military alliance. Later that year, in 790:70, the Hanik Confederation officially joined this alliance, although there was already an existing alliance between their nation and Oozin and Trertu. Tumasn joined the alliance in 792:47. The Balooun Prime Minister, Den-Juroo, played a central role in organising this alliance. The Balooun Empire also sent many diplomats to Tunguu (as well as Harb in 794) to negotiate an alliance, but this never happened.

In 791, a Balooun naval base was built on the island of Pacharn in the Xem Sea.

#### Kadeean economic crash

In 792:60, the Balooun Empire imposed an embargo on the Kadeean Empire and also banned the Kadeean currency. Kadeean merchants, who had been the richest citizens in the world for centuries, were suddenly forced to sell their goods for practically nothing in order to meet the tariffs. The Kadeean Empire had been systematically melting down its foreign coins into Kadeean dagon for centuries. Suddenly, they found they could not buy goods from inside the Balooun Empire because they did not have any of the currency. Shortly after this, the Galakevalan Union, Tumasn and the Hanik Confederation adopted similar policies.

For many years leading up to this action, Balooun and Hanik merchants had been purchasing any goods from the Lantoo that had practical value in order to create a deficiency when the embargo was enforced. They also bought as much food as they could from the Lantoo in 792, which lead to a famine in the Empire. They also bought as many slaves as they could from the Lantoo to deprive them of slave soldiers and also so that they could use the slaves in their own army. Many of these slaves were more than willing to fight against the Lantoo than for it.

A black market network was set up in countries that had boycotted Kadeean trade. These illegal markets bypassed the extortionate tariffs and accepted Kadeean currency. These back markets also commonly sold alcohol which had recently been banned in the Lantoo. The centre of this black market network was Paag, because of its de facto mix of currencies: goods were exchanged for non-Kadeean currency and sold for Kadeean dagon. Also, because it was affiliated with the Kadeean Empire, these black markets were not illegal. This allowed Paagan traders to profit immensely. When the war broke out, these markets largely declined except for Paag which became even richer as a result. After the war, normal trade resumed (albeit gradually) and these black markets focused on items that were illegal in the Lantoo such as alcohol.

Shortly after the trade embargo was enforced, a system of rationing was implemented throughout the Lantoo (and enforced by the Imperial Distributry) to ensure everyone who was of most value to the empire was fed. Unfortunately, this left many starving, most of whom were praanajeeuns. A lot of this food came from the farms of Huuleeon and Mentekii, which created a lot of resentment towards the Imperial government, especially among the farmers who had their produce taken from them.

After sanctions were imposed on the Lantoo, some Kadeean diplomats attempted to organise a trade deal with Kheyvoo, which was finalised in 793. It mostly involved exchanging gold for food and metals that were needed to supply the Kadeean army. This was one of the main reasons the Balooun Empire helped to instigate the Dartik Revolution, in order to weaken the Lantoo. Kheyvoo became the main supplier of taheez to the Lantoo and this exacerbated the social inequality in the country. Also, the economic boom experienced in Kheyvoo allowed them to invade Muubrin in the early 8th century. Kheyvoo also happened to have large deposits of materials that could be used to create gunpowder. (In fact, this form of gunpowder was many times more powerful than the one being used by the allied forces.) This was discovered in the year 800 and mass exportation of these materials began immediately.

#### Kompango Crisis

In the few years preceding the Abar War, a large portion of the Kadeean community that had been living in the city of Kompango for centuries evacuated because of increasing hostility directed towards them, despite most of them not being jregan. Many praanajeeans feared that these Kadeeans had chosen to defect and that some might have information that would help the Kadeean war effort. This fear eventually lead to the Hanik Prime Minister ordering all Kadeeans in the country to be detained in 795:95.

In one of the first major espionage missions of the war, belanton spies (mostly Huumarooneeans) were sent into Kompango to locate the detained Kadeeans and help organise the rescue mission.

#### The Balooun Ultimatum

In 795:49, the Balooun Prime Minister, Den-Juroo, arrived at the Galin’s Palace and demanded that the new Galin, Kargon I, reverse her mother’s decision to convert the Empire to Jrega, or war would be declared. Kargon refused and Den warned her that she was committing an act of impiety. The Galin insisted that she meant no disrespect to the Glaan and that, if anything, her decision to convert to Jrega was a mark of respect to the Aba. This was one of the most famous episodes of the war and Den-Juroo was subsequently celebrated in praanajeean culture as a hero who risked her life to stand up to the Galin.

#### Assembly of Gorn 795:87

Malisin-Bidiyum I declared war in 795:55. It was agreed that an international assembly would take place in Gorn in 795:87. Among the attendees of this conference were: Bidiyum I, Kargon I, Alsaba III, Keval-Oosriyon, the Hanik Prime Minister, Den-Juroo, Tunguun Grand Advisor Dilen-Chaltan, and the Lord Advisor of Salornas, Ferif-Everin. It was here that the terms of the war were set out:

* No fighting would begin until 796:40 (in honour of Legend’s Day)
* Paag would be a neutral zone where no fighting was allowed
* After much deliberation, it was agreed that *defensive* naval warfare would be allowed (i.e. to protect trade and offer a feeling of security to the coastal cities)
* The Galin, Malisin and Glaanen each had the power to immediately surrender the war at any time and retain their previous borders
	+ If the Galin surrendered, she would have to swear allegiance to the Glaan-San Church
	+ If the Malisin surrendered, she would have to reverse the trade embargo and officially acknowledge the Jregan Church
	+ If the Glaanen surrendered, she would have to officially acknowledge the Jregan Church
* Prisoners of war may be held indefinitely, but cannot be killed as this was considered murder
* Aristocrats cannot be detained against their will
	+ Also, if a territory is conquered, the ruler of that territory cannot be deposed so long as they swear allegiance to:
		- the Northern Alliance and the Glaan-San Church in the case of the allies
		- the Kadeean Empire and the Jregan Church in the case of the Kadeeans
	+ If they refuse to do this, they can be deposed, but they must be treated with the respect due to an aristocrat and allowed to go into exile
	+ Both empires informed their aristocracy that, if they swore allegiance to the enemy, they would not be allowed to keep their title if the land was reclaimed

At the Assembly of Gorn 795:87, the Kamakesur was temporarily disbanded.

### The War

In 795:93, Galin-Kargon I declared that any Kadeean citizen who died in the war would be entitled to some land, which would be inherited by their next-of-kin. In the case of a married male, this land would be inherited by their wife. In 797, the Glaan-San Church adopted a similar policy which applied to any free citizens who fought on behalf of the Northern Alliance. However, the Church encouraged people to decline this compensation, as doing so would count as a major respect which would guarantee a blissful afterlife. Also, the land the Church gave out tended to be the worst of the land they had available.