War of Summers' Solstice

The War of Summers’ Solstice was a minor yet influential series of internal conflicts waged in 1630 A.F and lasted until 1633 A.F between the families of separate blood within the House of Britannicus. The conflict was almost purely political, yet its consequences were also of the militant and numerical sort, resulting in an absorption of three houses into what is now known today as the Trinity.

Preceding Events
In 1605 A.F, following the Windchime Event, the House of Britannicus found its power rooted between seven major bloodlines: the Claudians, the Caracallas, the Numerians, the Servians, the Olybrians, the Justinians, and the Zeniths. All of these bloodlines were proud and esteemed dynasties who each held governorship to a section of the province assigned to Britannicus, and claimed decadency from the sons of either Britannicus I or the Arch-Magister Leonidon. These houses were similar in culture and their time in power, save the Claudians, who were the foremost authority due to the immense size of their family line.

It was in 1624 A.F that the first signs of civil unrest began to erupt within the Western Territory. The Numerians, lorded at the time by Zeno, aggravated and instigated a conflict at a summit to discuss the Echelon Trials held by the Olybrians and Servians, each of which were ruled over by the two lords Rufus and Maxil. Claiming that they had gone mad with power were conspiring against the Monarchy, Zeno called for the immediate isolation of his territory, and retreated back into one of the three main fortresses known as the Arzaahore Citadel. With the northernmost lands locked away to that extreme sense of xenophobia, a sense of mistrust began to grow between not only Numerian and his lands, but his close friend: Ricimer of the Caracallas.

Cause of Conflict
Following the isolation of his domain, Zeno began to fortify his castles and citadels with huge battlements and well-constructed features. Ricimer, the presiding lord of the Carcalla line and trusted friend to Zeno pre-dating the seclusion, had found stability in being the dominate supplier of many of the required goods that would have otherwise been left to the disposal of the Olybrians and Justinians, such as barley, wheat, and wine. During this arrangement, Justininian’s lord, Polytheus began to grow suspicious of the exchange between Ricimer and Zeno, and began rumour that the two of them were having a romantic affair with one another. Upon the discovery of these rumours in 1629 A.F, Ricimer went into a rage fuelled by his sense of betrayal – for the Justinians and Carcallas had depended on one another for some time, especially in their wine-making efforts – and ordered an embargo.



In effect of this, Polytheus’ line went into economic and social ruin. Rufus, having been witness to this, sided with Polytheus, claiming that Ricimer’s reaction to the rumours were unjust and cruel. Ricimer, unmoved by this outreach and cry for empathy, called upon the Claudians’ lord: Octavian. The Claudians, a part of the ruling line whose sons continually succeeded the throne to the House of Britannicus, remained a neutral party in spite of this, handling only official affairs which could have reasonable charge as conspiracy either against the D’lanastion Monarchy as a whole, or, otherwise, the House of Britannicus and its many colleges. Once having seen that Octavian would do nothing to mend the situation, Ricimer gathered two-hundred of his battlemages and marched to Arzaahore Citadel, where he knocked on the giant doors and commanded that Zeno come to speak to him. After a brief conversation, the two joined forces in an alliance. Their knights were placed into a single unit and named the Starpyre League.

In 1630 A.F, Zeno emerged from his isolation in a way that would wrack the territories of the House of Britannicus to their core. Heading a massive army alongside Ricimer, the two marched their battle to the Olybrian and Justinian garrison to the south, and began the first siege of the war. Hopelessly unprepared for a war of that scale, Polythemus and Rufus were forced from their palace, Citadel Daandon. Gathering as many magisters from the minor colleges surrounding the area, Polythemus and Rufus retreated back into the deep word of the territory belonging to the Servian lord, Maxil. Their pleas were aid were answered promptly. Maxi, in full support of Polythemus, granted him five-thousand magi from his top scholars. Six months passed as the three all sat in wait, harnessing their power. This group would be known as the Redcross Coalition.

The Retaliation
In 1631 A.F, the three lines of the Servians, Olybrians, and Justinians launched their counterattack. Moving back into their territory in an aim to recapture it, their many forces clashed with the Numerian and Caracalla magi. The assault was not a success. The three houses, lost in their fervour and passion to take back their homeland, were decimated by the strong tactical skills of Ricimer and the well-made defensive of Zeno.

The causalities were many. Following the minor battle known as the Humbling Front, the Redcross Coalition were forced back and into retreat, their losses outstanding in comparison to the Starpyre League.

To the north, the Claudian bloodline had remained neutral thus far throughout the entirety of the conflict. Prince Britannicus had dismissed the agony of it all as politics:

''“Who am I to care, should good men with brains as bright as any opt for brawn to settle what they see as injustice? I am no God; and thus I am not in the right to side as Judge, nor Jury, nor Executioner; yet it seems that these lords shall run and do what they will, thinking not of consequence but of conquest. Let them play their game. May the loser take the crown of thorns and have it bloodied and warmed before it is set onto his childish head.”''

Most of the royal family seemed to agree with his predisposed stance on the matter – all except one. In 1632 A.F, Apollodorus D’lanastion, Duke of Byznia’s Sever, found himself moved to tears after witnessing one of the horrors which was the clash of an Olybrian front and a Numerian infantry. Pulled from his studies by his own fleeting passion to do justice, the Duke of the Claudian line strayed away from his family in secret, collecting a small coalition of men to bring to join the conflict. Seeing the Numerians as the main perpetrators of this war, and the Caracallas as the Devil’s advocates, he marched to the heart of the defences of the Justinian line and offered up his aid and bleeding heart. Rufus and Polytheus, so moved by this display of loyalty from the Claudians – or so it seemed – agreed to take them beneath their wing and join forces to further their coalition.

Upon the arrival of spring, the Redcross Coalition moved out after suffering the loss of another scouting party on enemy lines. The Coalition was quick in its movements, and on May 16th, launched a full assault on the Citadel Daandon to recapture it. Their offensive was successful; Ricimer and Zeno were forced out of their fortified stronghold, and with lack of reinforcements around the area, as well as supplies available to them, were pushed to retreat.

Rufus, so pleased with the victory, commended Apollodorus and his men. The three lords of Servian, Olybrian, and Justinian gathered together and proclaimed the man of sacred blood, giving his family from thereon the titled surname of “Zenith”.

On May 18th, during the movement back, Ricimer went into yet another fit of rage. As his men were crossing through back to the northern territory, he began his cruel policy of “scorched earth”, which had yet to be named as one of Derien’s tactical manoeuvres. The lands around Daandon were swallowed by the flames, and the villages left in sunder – reduced to ash. It was on this day that Zeno was heard uttering the famous words which would ring across the centuries:

''“In this I see neither Death nor Destruction, but yea, mine eyes do behold the price of war. The richest man cannot find coin ‘neath his bed to fund such disgusting crimes; yet all the same it is something required. May these flames only stop burning when the Rebels’ eyes run red with how they weep to try to put them out? If it must be as so, it shall.”''

<p class="MsoNormal">Ashamed of their loss, the Starpyre League returned to the Citadel Azraahore and began to plan for their counterattack.

Intervention
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<p class="MsoNormal">In September of that same year, Zeno and Ricimer had been at work amassing more men from the neighbouring villages of their territories to fuel the war-effort. Ordering a draft from all of his villages, Zeno brought in many of his people, including some children in order to keep a proper balance of numbers. In October, once they had managed to regain the number which they once had before their horrible loss to the Redcross, they began their march out once more, starting off to the heart of the land.

<p class="MsoNormal">On October 18th, a courtier from the small village of Jay fled from the quarantine installed by Numerian’s lord, heading to the Claudian citadel: Athisharur. The boy, Pheidippides, ran his way to the citadel and with his strangled breath regaled the tale to Prince Britannicus of the line which had separated in secrecy from the Claudians, and how they were now of their own. Enraged, Britannicus immediately ordered an end to the petty war. On the evening of October 19th, he sent his entire territory to war – every man was drafted and every woman placed on medical duty or rehabilitation, and every child was given to the care of 10 matrons who would later go on to found the Wartime Women, a group of women whose efforts focus on the betterment of life for children whose parents are at war, or those who were orphaned by such circumstances.

<p class="MsoNormal">Britannicus’ Claudian forces intercepted the Numerian and Caracalla forces a few kilometres short of the citadel where the Coalition were beginning to prepare for the defensive. Outnumbered and out-skilled, the Claudians crushed the Starpyre League into nothingness – all of the great generals were to later be tried and sentenced to death for their instigation. Zeno and Ricimer were taken prisoner. The assault lasted only two days.

<p class="MsoNormal">On October 22nd, the Claudians went on with the captured forces to the citadel Daandon. Their offensive was met with little resistance, with the Zeniths being the first to yield and submit. After breaking the first line of defence around the citadel and proving their forces superior, the Claudians captured the leader of the Justinian forces, Polythemus. Forcing his soldiers to fight alongside the Claudians, Polythemus later committed suicide in shame of his defeat; he hung himself in his prison cell post-war. Invading the whole of the fortress, Prince Britannicus ordered the immediate capture and trial of Rufus and Maxil, who surrendered willingly.

<p class="MsoNormal">The siege ended on December 1st. Since the Starpyre League had not housed the separated line of the Claudians, Britannicus pardoned them immediately, and formed the Trinity. To each lord which still remained – Zeno and Ricimer – the lands seized were given, and the soldiers beneath their banner installed as attachments of their own lines.

Aftermath and Post-War
<p class="MsoNormal">Following the war, Prince Britannicus took it upon himself to act as the Grand Magistrate of the Challenger Trials, a series of treason trials held to conclude the war and restore peace to the land. Zeno and Ricimer were given pardon at once, yet the lines a part of the Redcross Coalition were charged with “Guilt & Crimes by Association”. On December 14th, the lord of Servian, the lord of Justinian, the lord of Olybrian, and the lord of Zenith, were all sentenced to death by crucifixion.

<p class="MsoNormal">All of the lands and people belonging to those dead lords were annexed into either Caracalla or Numerian territory and made into minor provinces.

<p class="MsoNormal">Today, those three lines form the Trinity: an influential sector of the House of Britannicus which tasks themselves on strict law and order in the Disciplines, as well as directing the scholarly professions of the Arcane and Astronomy.