Vardano-Reman Religious Wars

The Vardano-Reman Religious Wars (known in the former Reman holdings as the 'Vardanid War' and vice versa) were a series of skirmishes fought between Reme and the Vardanid Empire during the 7th Century. They form part of the greater War of the Sacred Coalition and resulted in the dissolution of both nations involved.

## Early Stages

Initially the Religious Wars concerned Reme, a religious republic which enforced worship of the Reman Pantheon, a collection of twelve major deities which were universal across the republic.

Arrayed against this power was the Vardanid Empire - a monotheistic state which followed Ekdianism. The Vardanids viewed Reme as powerful rivals, and successive Vardanid monarchs sought ways to undermine Reme. It was not until the ascension of Shahanshah Viterges that religion was considered a weapon.

In 634 Viterges sent spies to establish cells across Reme, and issued orders to existing agents and diplomats, all with orders to spread Ekdianism upon his command. Over the next decade the Vardanid agents wormed their way into Reman society, becoming respected public figures and the like.

In 644, a decade later, Viterges sent the order. Dozens of seemingly upstanding Reman citizens suddenly began advocating for the abolition of the Reman Pantheon and supporting Ekdianism in all its forms. For several years the Reman government and priestly orders tried desperately to stamp out the heresy, but while this had the desired effect in the Reman heartland the suppressed minorities in the far reaches of the republic only identified with the agents more strongly when they were rooted out.

There were several small-scale rebellions, ranging from agricultural revolts that were put down mercilessly to raids on religious sites and the sacking of several towns and cities. The legions of Reme were sent to deal with the latter frequently, and the wholescale slaughter of the rebel Remans made many minority legionaries sympathetic.

By 650, Reme had fractured in two: the republic proper retained control of its eastern territories, which the Vardanid agents had found difficult to infiltrate due to racial differences. The west of Reme became part of the short-lived Corrinean League, a group of powerful cities including Corrinum, Falminarum and Mons Sexaginta which had converted to Ekdianism early on.

## Middle Stages

The Corrinean League was supported by the Vardanids, but fractured internally into innumerable city-states under Reman pressure shortly before the lasting Reman Republic was torn apart by rebel nationalists. The dozens of countries that now existed in Reme's place were split mostly by religious differences. The city of Buscua was attacked by independent splinter lords in 652, but were repelled at the Battle of Lepia Plain.

Care must be given to include the Reman legions. They were thirty-six strong, with their loyalties being to their commanders instead of to Reme. With Reme gone, their commanders were lost. While a couple stayed in the service of the city of Reme, most of the legions went rogue. They indiscriminately attacked towns and cities across Reme, and many also ventured west to attack the eastern Vardanid Empire for their heretic faith and part in felling the Reman Republic.

The pressure caused by the rogue Reman legions almost broke the central Vardanid army, which rushed from battlefield to battlefield to defend the major Vardanid cities. Nevertheless most of the east Vardanid Empire was lost anyway, forming splinter states such as Kath and Karbad.

## Later Stages

This chaos continued until 661, when the status quo was shattered once again. The Vardanid Shahanshah Harses III died without an heir and, given the waning power of the central army, half a dozen nobles tried to seize power. This resulted in the fracture of the Vardanid Empire as well, though since then it has stayed more or less the same as far as political landscape is concerned.

Meanwhile in the Flentia River valley, religious tension was reaching a peak. The Reman splinter states had coalesced into two alliances: the Ekdian League in the west and north was backed by many Vardanid splinter states, while the Consular League controlled the east and south, and was supported by Agrimenta, Marthenia and several other Kharosian states.

Several small wars broke out during the later stages of the Vardano-Reman Religious Wars, but overall this stage of the War of the Sacred Coalition merged into the Kiban Intervention in 667.