Dwilight/Astrumese Succession War
The fall of Astrum saw its political successor Wicrose and geographical successor Westgard vie for dominance over Libidizedd. Tensions escalated when a Wiccan infiltrator, Eiric Wilde launched a series of devastating sabotage attacks.
Contents
Background
The origin of the conflict can be traced back to claims on Libidizedd.
Revolt of Libidizedd (2022-10-29)
During the Tol Goldoran Migration, Astrum lost control of Libidizedd Isle. Although the island was eventually returned, Astrum did not return the capital to the city, causing the citizens to grow angry and declare independence.
Astrumese Migration (2022-12-09)
As the noble lines in both Westgard and Astrum were growing thin, High King Gheric reached out to Astrum, offering them land in exchange for their loyalty. Astrumese still remembered how they once held these lands and the proposition was well received, after which many decided to cross the strait to the west. The only ones remaining behind were Elsyrian Rotizoi and Consul Gambit Aurelius.
Wicrose Rebellion (2022-12-13 to 2022-12-22)
In order to preserve the realm two young men, Valentine Solicix and Eiric Wilde, lead a rebellion against Consul Gambit. After 10 days both parties come to an agreement: the leaders of the rebellion are allowed a seat in the government.
Establishment of Wicrose (2023-01-28)
Valentine has enacted many reforms, including declaring himself Rose King. The reforms eventually lead to such a different realm that a change in the name is felt proper.
Westgard takes Libidizedd (2023-02-05)
With Astrum gone and Libidizedd Isle abandoned and overrun by monsters, Westgard decides to annex the city. The former Astrumese Vincenzo Falconi is assigned as Governor of the city.
Rose King Elias Calder (2023-03-09)
Elias Calder deposed Valentine and sent a letter to the Westgardian High King Gheric Arylon in which he claimed Libidizedd, considering himself the successor of Astrum. Gheric replied that the claim was lost when the Rose King changed the name to Wicrose and also because the people of Libidizedd Isle were abandoned by the people of the Mimer Peninsula.
Escalation
The escalation of the conflict came with the destructive actions of Eiric Wilde. He had played an important role in the founding of Wicrose and then disappeared to the shadows. It wasin these shadows that he would play a decisive role.
The departure of Eiric (2023-03-31)
Eiric is rumored to have left the Mimer Peninsula to perform acts of sabotage in Avenor, the ally of Westgard.
Reprisals of Avenor (2023-04-09)
Avenor sends infiltrators and raiders to Wicrose as a reprisal for the attacks of Eiric.
Attack on Westgard (2023-04-13)
Having succesfully poked Avenor, Eiric continued to Westgard.
- 2023-04-13 25% on Libidizedd
- 2023-04-15 23% on Eidulb (Eiric was captured)
- 2023-04-17 Eiric escaped.
- 2023-04-20 16% on Ammando
- 2023-04-20 23% on Ammando
Warning by High King Gheric Arylon (2023-04-20)
Rose Queen Lyfe Fate --
I am on campaign in the south, but this report was just sent to me.
Sabotage! message to all nobles of Westgard - 1 hour, 2 minutes ago
A saboteur in Ammando has done 16 % of damage to the local production. The saboteur has been seen and could be identified as Eiric Wilde, from Wicrose, but he evaded capture.
I thought I made myself clear before about Westgard's posture on this issue. We do not tolerate infiltrators, and while we are willing to be reasonable and forgive the occasional transgression, once our realm has identified and arrested an infiltrator and warned the realm in question to get control of their spies, I expect the situation to be handled.
I remind you, and the rest of this continent, that Westgard has done nothing, and we are being repeatedly attacked. We did not antagonize your people, threaten them, or send any of our infiltrators to do anything to you. We have now been the target of repeated, unprovoked attacks by your noble, Eiric Wilde. Another attack, shortly after this one did 23% damage to Ammando.
Your noble is attempting to destroy our productive capacity, and this threatens Westgard's ability to feed its people.
In my last message on this subject, I told you and everyone else:
Furthermore, if any infiltrator from Wicrose conducts operations against Westgard again, whether it is stealing our tax gold, sabotaging our infrastructure, or attempting to assassinate one of our nobles, Westgard will view it as an act of war by Wicrose, and we will immediately respond militarily.
This action by Eiric Wilde violates the firm, red line I established in that message. No one would tolerate this kind of blatant and unprovoked aggression, and we certainly will not either. I am well within my rights to declare war on Wicrose immediately due to this.
But as I told you more than once now, Westgard does not want war. I am busy at this moment fighting a horde that greatly outclasses my men. This is what I want to do. This is what my realm wants to do. We want to be left alone.
Thus I am giving you one further opportunity to deal with this situation. You have 48 hours to either ban Eiric Wilde from Wicrose, and make clear that he is not acting on behalf of your realm, or take some other prohibitive action against him that would convince me that these attacks will stop, and never happen again. I am leaving this open to you. I beg you to act to avert needless bloodshed between our people.
But don't mistake my patience for weakness. Westgard will not tolerate unprovoked attacks upon our realm, and if you ignore my demands -- which I think are more than reasonable -- I will be forced to call my banners and march to war with Wicrose.
This is now up to you.
Declaration of War (2023-04-24)
Despite the warning, Eiric continued his work of destruction, so High King Gheric declared war.
- 2023-04-22 19% on Ygg d'Razhuul
- 2023-04-22 21% on Ygg d'Razhuul
- 2023-04-23 29% on Gelene Outskirts (Eiric was captured)
- 2023-04-25 Eiric escaped.
The Kingdom of Westgard has been repeatedly subjected to attacks by Eiric Wilde, an infiltrator working for The Darkened Kingdom of Wicrose over the past several weeks. Beginning more than ten days ago, the saboteur has attacked the cities of Eidulb and Libidizedd, as well as the Townsland of Gelene Outskirts, and the rural farmlands of Ammando and Ygg d'Razhuul. In each instance, he has done significant damage to the productive capacity of these regions, threatening Westgard's ability to feed itself.
These attacks were unprovoked and without cause. Westgard was, until yesterday, in a state of peace with Wicrose, and had taken no hostile action of any kind against that realm prior to these acts of sabotage.
In response, I requested that Rose Queen Lyfe Fate take action to stop these attacks. She told me and the rulers of this continent ten days ago, "These are not sanctioned actions and as I have just been elected, I was not aware of his activities until now. I shall let him know such destruction is not allowed and order his return."
Had that statement been true, it would've been the end of the situation. It was not. Six attacks, doing incredible damage have occurred after her promise to deal with the situation and order his return.
Eight days ago, after the attacks continued, I demanded that the Rose Queen do something to make good on her promise. I told her then that if the attacks continued and she refused to do anything to stop them, Westgard would view it as an act of war by Wicrose, and we would respond militarily to stop the attacks on our Kingdom.
The attacks continued, despite my warning.
Trying desperately to avoid war, three days ago I gave the Rose Queen one final chance to act, and told her that she had 48 hours to take action to deal with Eiric Wilde, and either ban him from her realm, or take some other action of her choosing that would guarantee the attacks would stop. If she did nothing, it would force us to declare ourselves that which was already true, that a state of war exists between our nations.
She has not only not acted to stop her infiltrator from attacking our realm, she has not even responded to me. Given that Wicrose has apparently decided to wage war on Westgard without cause, it is now my heavy duty to make a formal declaration of war in return.
This war between Wicrose and Westgard will continue until the following terms have been satisfied:
- The infiltrator Eiric Wilde is formally banished from Wicrose, or is executed.
- Damages of 8,000 gold are paid to Westgard in restitution for the damage caused to our realm by their infiltrator.
- A formal diplomatic treaty is signed between both powers which states that:
- Infiltrators from Wicrose are forever banned from entering Westgard without permission.
- The realm of Wicrose is not and never has been an heir to the holdings or claims of the realm of Astrum. It has, instead, its own newly created identity, and is entitled only to the territory that it can claim dominion over directly. Any and all claims to the Holy Island are thus renounced.
- Violation of these provisions would initiate an immediate state of war with Westgard.
This is not something I wanted. That is why I gave the Rose Queen and her realm so many chances, and so much time. Westgard does not want to be involved in wars with men, we want only to fight the nightmares of the west. But we will not stand by and allow our people to be attacked without cause by another power. If attacked, we will respond, and so we have.
