Dwilight University/History/The Second Occidental War/Causes and Conflicts
Causes and Conflicts
As usual, my work is nothing without the correspondences of a very few supporting nobles. I must thank Former Grandmaster Bustoarsenzio Persitaltico, Grandmaster Garad Jhaelen Irsei, Grandmistress Allison Kabrinski, Grand Rab Julius Galvez, Senator Kale Perth and Anonymous for their factual contributions to this article.
For the past season I have been monitoring and investigating the war in the Occidens. I have found this war to be a complicated and convoluted issue to neatly iron out. Normally, I can receive a ton of information to which I scour through and pull out threads that become the core of my articles. With this one I have found some things to be ambiguous or overstated. Well, that’s just my view. Let’s see if I have made sense of all of this properly. You are invited, academic reader, to comment and add your input; especially if I recorded something completely wrong (remember the Duchy of the First Temple article?) This is the reason why I am including some facts that are unverifiable. This way, if everything is presented then you will be able to piece together your own interpretation as best you can. I have also included some documents at the bottom of this article from some of the rulers involved.
"There Will Be War!"
Both sides of this war claim the other to be the antagonist. Overlooking their bias, I have found that technically they are both right. In the lead up to war, before and during the Winter of 18 YD, a number of events occurred that increased the irritation of Terran toward Kabrinskia. The bad blood ultimately led to Terran’s declaration of war.
So what happened? First, speculation reports that the growth of Astromancy in Terran had become a deterrent to Grandmistress Kabrinskia’s ambition against Terran. A strain of gossip says that the reason for Kabrinskia’s behavior toward Terran was on account of the Grandmistress attempting to stop Prophet Mathurin Hossenfeffer from converting Chief Magistrate Hireshmont II Vellos in the city of Chateau Saffalore. This was the first thread of religion involved in the war. It is not much of a lead to go on, but it is present.
Sometime in the past (I do not have a date for it or documented proof, yet), Terran and Kabrinskia arranged for a treaty regulating travel of their nobles through the other realm. In this treaty, permission was expressly required to be requested before any noble of either realm traveled through the other realm. Nobles without the “passport” were considered illegally traveling and thereby trespassing. Having stated that, the rise of Terran’s antagonism toward Kabrinskia resides in Kabrinskia’s disregard for this treaty. It is reported that up to three Kabrinskan traders traveled through Terran without permission and when asked to leave they ignored or challenged the request. The first trader did have permission, as both sides stated, but he apparently misused his passport and traveled deeper into Terran territory. This diplomatic debacle brought heated words between the Grandmistress and Chief Magistrate Hireshmont, even to the point of insult and instigation. On top of the accused trespass of the Kabrinskan traders into Terran, an Astromancer priest traveled through Terran on route to the Zumalands. As he was a noble of Kabrinskia he was asked to return home. Apparently he did not oblige the request, or did not receive it, or did not consider it significant, and so stayed in Terran for a spell before continuing to the Zumaland. The priest did not preach in Terran, but after the previous confrontations over the traders he was unwelcome. Additionally, on this issue, opponents have said that it is typical of Kabrinskia to assume they can preach their religion in places it is not invited. This is the second thread adding religion to the war. It was at this point when the Chief Magistrate declared war.
It was mentioned at points that Kabrinskan traders violated a treaty with D'Hara as well, but I do not have enough support to consider that a cause for this war.
A few days later, Terran’s federated ally Barca declared war on Kabrinskia with the intentions of defending Terran and adjusting Grandmistress Allison’s attitude. They believe she has crossed a number of lines in causing this war and so they are committed to wage it. A few more days after that Asylon declared war on Kabrinskia also in defence of Terran.
Conversely, one finds it hard to enforce border treaties when many average nobles are oblivious to their realm’s diplomatic stance. Did any of the traders know about the passport requirement? Moreover, were they able to respond to the eviction requests in a timely manner before Terran increased its agitation? If the Astromancer priest did not preach in Terran, and since Terran is an emerging Astromancer realm, was it that inappropriate for the priest to travel through their lands? These are some of the counter arguments that weigh the issue. Some believe that Terran and the Viensormoot had overreacted toward Kabrinskia’s missteps, especially toward Grandmistress Allison’s notorious personality.
The first major clash between Kabrinskia and Terran occurred in Lavendrow. It was a Kabrinskan victory that allowed their army to press further into Terran territory. The Grandmistress’ army was halted, however, during the battle of Shoka in which a smaller Terran force successfully defended the region from a large Kabrinskan one. I have not received reports on other battles so these must be the most significant ones.
The second phase of this war concerns the entrance of the daimon Lord Fang Fang, but that is for another article.
Spring of 18 YD (or the 2nd of May, 2012)
