War of the Empires: Difference between revisions

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=== Southern consolidation and the Kingsvalley ultimatum ===

In the south, the kingdoms of '''Jalbarra''' and '''Yaxton''' and the '''Grand Duchy of Greater Urq''' opened talks to federate—initially framed as a response to border disputes with '''Ruulran''' and years of pressure along Directionland’s southern marches. The process produced the '''[[Southern Federation of Kingdoms]]''', a centralized military coalition under a “King-Emperor.”

In the south, the kingdoms of '''Jalbarra''' and '''Yaxton''' and the '''Grand Duchy of Greater Urq''' opened talks to federate—initially framed as a response to border disputes with '''[[Ruulran]]''' and years of pressure along Directionland’s southern marches. The process produced the '''[[Southern Federation of Kingdoms]]''', a centralized military coalition under a “King-Emperor.”

Directionland was thrown into crisis when the Federation’s first missive to the Directian embassy in '''[[Jalbarra]]''' asserted a historic claim on '''[[Kingsvalley]]''' and demanded an immediate Directian military withdrawal from the border. A commonly cited paraphrase from the embassy file reads: <blockquote>''“Kingsvalley rests upon lands pledged to the Southern Crown; withdraw your banners and yield the valley, or we shall take what is owed.”'' </blockquote>In ~~Ironwood~~, the warning '''accelerated negotiations''' already underway among Directionland’s cities, duchies, and kingdoms. Less than a cycle later, financial backing from '''[[St. Stylinson]]''', '''[[Gandry]]''', '''[[Simonville]]''', and '''[[St. Niam]]''' helped finalize [[The Great Unification|the '''Great Unification''']], electing '''[[King Ethian IV]]''' as the first Emperor of Directionland and establishing a bicameral government.

Directionland was thrown into crisis when the Federation’s first missive to the Directian embassy in '''[[Jalbarra]]''' asserted a historic claim on '''[[Kingsvalley]]''' and demanded an immediate Directian military withdrawal from the border. A commonly cited paraphrase from the embassy file reads: <blockquote>''“Kingsvalley rests upon lands pledged to the Southern Crown; withdraw your banners and yield the valley, or we shall take what is owed.”'' </blockquote>In [[St. Stylinson]], the warning '''accelerated negotiations''' already underway among Directionland’s cities, duchies, and kingdoms. Less than a cycle later, financial backing from '''[[St. Stylinson]]''', '''[[Gandry]]''', '''[[Simonville]]''', and '''[[St. Niam]]''' helped finalize [[The Great Unification|the '''Great Unification''']], electing '''[[King Ethian IV]]''' as the first Emperor of Directionland and establishing a bicameral government.

=== A “cold war” on the marches ===

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Farrion III, Emperor of Directionland.”

—From the '''Imperial Archives''', letter of Emperor '''Farrion III''' to '''King Theodren II''' of Ruulran (standardized orthography).</blockquote>Envoys report that '''no reply''' ever came. Later chronicles mark the episode as the moment Directionland’s trust in Ruulran '''shattered'''.

—From the '''Imperial Archives''', letter of Emperor '''[[Emperor Farrion III|Farrion III]]''' to '''King Theodren II''' of Ruulran (standardized orthography).</blockquote>Envoys report that '''no reply''' ever came. Later chronicles mark the episode as the moment Directionland’s trust in Ruulran '''shattered'''.

== Occupation, devastation, and stalemate (Years 1–7) ==

@@ Line 4: / Line 4: @@
 === Southern consolidation and the Kingsvalley ultimatum ===
-In the south, the kingdoms of '''Jalbarra''' and '''Yaxton''' and the '''Grand Duchy of Greater Urq''' opened talks to federate—initially framed as a response to border disputes with '''Ruulran''' and years of pressure along Directionland’s southern marches. The process produced the '''[[Southern Federation of Kingdoms]]''', a centralized military coalition under a “King-Emperor.”
+In the south, the kingdoms of '''Jalbarra''' and '''Yaxton''' and the '''Grand Duchy of Greater Urq''' opened talks to federate—initially framed as a response to border disputes with '''[[Ruulran]]''' and years of pressure along Directionland’s southern marches. The process produced the '''[[Southern Federation of Kingdoms]]''', a centralized military coalition under a “King-Emperor.”
-Directionland was thrown into crisis when the Federation’s first missive to the Directian embassy in '''[[Jalbarra]]''' asserted a historic claim on '''[[Kingsvalley]]''' and demanded an immediate Directian military withdrawal from the border. A commonly cited paraphrase from the embassy file reads: <blockquote>''“Kingsvalley rests upon lands pledged to the Southern Crown; withdraw your banners and yield the valley, or we shall take what is owed.”'' </blockquote>In Ironwood, the warning '''accelerated negotiations''' already underway among Directionland’s cities, duchies, and kingdoms. Less than a cycle later, financial backing from '''[[St. Stylinson]]''', '''[[Gandry]]''', '''[[Simonville]]''', and '''[[St. Niam]]''' helped finalize [[The Great Unification|the '''Great Unification''']], electing '''[[King Ethian IV]]''' as the first Emperor of Directionland and establishing a bicameral government.
+Directionland was thrown into crisis when the Federation’s first missive to the Directian embassy in '''[[Jalbarra]]''' asserted a historic claim on '''[[Kingsvalley]]''' and demanded an immediate Directian military withdrawal from the border. A commonly cited paraphrase from the embassy file reads: <blockquote>''“Kingsvalley rests upon lands pledged to the Southern Crown; withdraw your banners and yield the valley, or we shall take what is owed.”'' </blockquote>In [[St. Stylinson]], the warning '''accelerated negotiations''' already underway among Directionland’s cities, duchies, and kingdoms. Less than a cycle later, financial backing from '''[[St. Stylinson]]''', '''[[Gandry]]''', '''[[Simonville]]''', and '''[[St. Niam]]''' helped finalize [[The Great Unification|the '''Great Unification''']], electing '''[[King Ethian IV]]''' as the first Emperor of Directionland and establishing a bicameral government.
 === A “cold war” on the marches ===
@@ Line 33: / Line 33: @@
   Farrion III, Emperor of Directionland.”
-  —From the '''Imperial Archives''', letter of Emperor '''Farrion III''' to '''King Theodren II''' of Ruulran (standardized orthography).</blockquote>Envoys report that '''no reply''' ever came. Later chronicles mark the episode as the moment Directionland’s trust in Ruulran '''shattered'''.
+  —From the '''Imperial Archives''', letter of Emperor '''[[Emperor Farrion III|Farrion III]]''' to '''King Theodren II''' of Ruulran (standardized orthography).</blockquote>Envoys report that '''no reply''' ever came. Later chronicles mark the episode as the moment Directionland’s trust in Ruulran '''shattered'''.
 == Occupation, devastation, and stalemate (Years 1–7) ==