Marine Civil War

One of the most recent conflicts within the realm, the Marine Civil War (also known as the Six Year War) was a six year conflict that divided the powers that controlled the nation of Marine and continues to do so. Its central combatants were considered a rebellious faction, with severe punishment on either side of the war for those who were captured with their life.
The Civil War was acted upon for several reasons, particularly surrounding the political nature of Marine at the time. There was a powerful and wealthy upperclass. This group was primarily made up of merchants who were working the common person to the bone and earning masses of wealth and luxuries for their control of more people than others. This led to political disparagement between the populous and those who were in control of the laws of the population.

It wasn't that long ago that the civil war took place, I remember the afterglow leading to bigger and darker things...

— Warden O. B. Davies

Leading up to the War

It is important to look at the major events that occured leading up to the starting point of the Civil War, primarily to understand the elements that contributed to the national and global impact of the Civil war. I have compiled the three major events and tensions that led up to the Civil War below. Each of these contain the reported information, which likely contains some inaccuracies, as I have discovered with events of a personal nature.

Political Tension

Since the beginning of the the 1800s, the nation known as Marine has had some political tensions particularly surrounding the distribution of wealth. Marine had what was known as a democratic government, three teirs of people who would get the rite to vote on the matters of the nation. The third tier comprised of the working class, the second the clergy and finally the merchants and nobility. Among many reasons, each of the 'circles' of government got 1 vote, despite the large disparity on the members that it represented.
This unequal division of power led to strong political tensions, including the formation of an alternate government to mediate for the working class. This alternative government, known as the Vallen Quorum, was comprised of many people who were angry at the disparity between the different people within the nation. The members of the Vallen Quorum had a vast array of political ideas, ranging from the Manthros who wished peacefully strive for further power as the majority of people, to the Ulvradites a collective who wished to completely start again without any influence from the standing government.

Economic Crash

In 1832 CY, there was a significant and prominent downturn in the economic prowess of Marine. This downturn likely came from three major occurences that each led to greater inflation. These major occurences were a downturn in world trade, the implementation of trade and tariff laws, and an overwhelming fear for the assets that each person possessed. I hope to try to explain as best as I can each of these factors and how they lead to such a dramatic crash in the Marine economy.
By the 1830s, it became clear that each nation state in Stanos was able to sustain themselves to a significant enough state that common trades, particularly between Marine and Farrow, took a turn for the worst. With the trades of food, agriculture and other major resources no longer required by Farrow, the people of Marine found that there was a drastic reduction of income for people who worked in the trade industry.
As a result of this downturn in trades, the Marine Concord decided to implement tariffs on imports and restrictions on trade to other nations and people. By taking such a diverse stance, Marine was somewhat excommunicated from the rest of the nations in Stanos, with each of them imposing massive tariffs on their trade businesses that broke down the trade industry even further than it already had been. This led to the Concord devising a set of laws that restricted who could recieve income as a result of the trade industry, primarily to the merchantile and noble classes.
Both of these elements compounded the fear that was gripping the people, particularly surrounding their assets and what they could continue to afford in such a restrictive economic situation as decided by the Concord. This fear led to many industries hoarding their resources and selling them at higher and higher prices with the intent of gaining larger profit margins to allow those who needed the money to tsill obtain it as long as it was needed.
There was a mass of inflation that started over the course of several years, particularly in 1832 CY. It was at this point that the monetary value of even basic essentials reached such a drastic high that it would be nearly impossible for most of the common people to afford basic living requirements. This was considered a turning point for many people, particularly those who were members of the Vallen Quorum. It was at this point that more members of the Ulvradite faction took up positions of power, particularly with the intention of tearing down the Concord in place for a more fair system that would allow for a more fair representation of each person. This representation was believed to allow each member to own their own future, particularly in terms of economic prowess.

Systematic Persecution

In the earlier days of Marine as a nation there were many people arriving from island cultures, particularly of Qi-Rin and Karokna descent who entered into the nation aiming to make a new start to their lives. This dream of a new life however was dashed by a feeling within the nation surrounding these people who were not originally from the continental nation. This lead to a nationwide insecurity from some people around the purity a person as a Marine citizen. While this is a sensitive topic for some, it is key in understanding the steps that led to the inception of the Civil War. Should you wish to avoid such topics, I advise you to skip this section of information, as its contents are somewhat terrifying.
After several centuries, there was an intense distain of people who started their lives outside the nation, particularly by those who operated in the higher levels of the Concord. This led to a powerful and strong political hatred of immigrants, particularly those from Karokna. This hatred stemmed from a large set of usually miinformed truths surrounding the people from these nations, particularly their role in the economic crash that occured in the 1830s. This led to the creation of what were called Workcamps, particularly designed for those who were of Karoknan or Qi-Rinian origin. These were camps where hard labor was completed by the residents for hours on end with terrible work and living conditions, often leading to the termination of their lives.
Unfortunately, the camps were only the beginning of the drastic measures that would be taken by the Marine government, particularly with those of Karokna descent. It was after the economic crash of 1832 that the treatment of Karoknans reached a boiling point, the misguided fear of the Karoknan people led many of a noble class to blame them for the events that transpired. This in turn led the upper echelon of Concord sanctioning drastic actions that caused the death of tens of thousands of Karoknan people. These sanctions included an order of immediate execution, which in the hindisght of the global community is the most heinous act perpetuated by any government in known history. The Quorum explicitly indicated their great distain for the actions that were taken by the Concord, further distancing themselves politically from their more ingrained counterparts.

Prominent Assassinations

The lead up to the Civil War cannot be discussed without mentioning the assassinations of three major political leaders of the Vallen Quorum. In 1834, three leaders of the Ulvradites were found after a meeting dead, poisoned by a strange plant that stemmed from outwith the region. There was however a clear link to a member of a the upper echelon of the Concord based on the trades that they have made and possessed over the course of their mercantile endeavors. This led many within both the Vallen Quorum and the greater nation of Marine to believe that the assassination was completed at the beheast of many members of the Upper Concord.

Major Battles within the Civil War

The Battle of Karithal

The first major battle of the Civil War was a disaster for the Vallen Alliance. Unlike the trained militia of the Marine Concord, the fighters on behalf of the Vallen Alliance were untrained and in my cases poorly armed. The most successful of the units was a relgious faction of the alliance based on the monolatry religion of Cannism, despite the great loss, this unit known as the Crusaders of Right were able to make a large charge through many of the battle lines, particularly into the camp of the Marine militia.
The battle took place near the city of Karithal, a major industrial area for Marine that contained many members of the working class who were not happy with the working conditions and unemployment that many of them faced after the Economic Crash of 1832. As a result, many of the first volunteers for the Vallen Alliance were from the city, so their goal was to liberate their friends and people from the oppresive regieme of the Concord. As a result, the milita were by far a destructive force, it is said, fighting with intense passion that is not typical of soldiers in the normal realm. This passion turned out to be their downfall, with the soldiers finding that their aggressive strikes and furious fire were not enough to match skill and handling of both melee weapons and firearms.

The First Battle of Kallen Ridge

Occuring in the second year of the war, the first battle at Kallen Ridge was considered by many to be the turning point in the war. Until this point, every battle and incursion had been easily won by the members of the Concord militia. It was in this battle that the Vallen militia would find a great success in their particular field of expertise, Magik.
While now considered the most abhorrent of weapons, particularly when it comes to mass destruction, the Vallen had access to a magikal user who possessed a unique form of Magik that allowed them to invoke strong and powerful magikal rites that allowed them to draw out the life of a living soul and control and animate their dead forms, this form of magik has become known as nekromancy and is considered to be highly dangerous. This nekromancer still remains unnamed as it is believed that their life became forfeit very early in the Civil War after being captured and subdued by Concord forces. However, their presence was certainly felt during the first battle of Kallen Ridge, particularly in the successful defeat of General Baryn Torinsvane by the nekromancer, taking his life and then using his physical body as a vessel by which to kill further Concord troops. This led to several of the troops putting down their weapons and surrendering, wishing to save their own lives rather than risk fighting such a powerful magik user.
It was from this battle that the Marine Concord decided that they would start using Magik users, particularly of the rare or forbidden magikal forms. This led to the people of the Concord seeking and taking any Magik user and training them as soldiers, which was considered by some to be a barbaric and cruel way of gaining magik wielding soldiers.

The Second Battle of Kallen Ridge

The Siege of Kallen Ridge was very different from the first battle to take place in Kallen Ridge, particularly because by 1838 many of the soldiers were extremely weary of the machinations of each of the other force. However, the addition of the Qi-Rin forces added a new element to the power that the Alliance possessed, which it was thought would greatly swing in its favor. This was not to be the case. The Concord had prepared for another attack at Kallen and prepared defenses that would allow the city and its local area to be defended in the case of an attack by a larger force.
This preparation meant that the people of Kallen and the Concord militia who were stationed there were able to dig themselves in and hold the attacking forces at bay in a stalemate. For several months, the two forces would be opposed and unable to find a singular winner in the course of their attacks. While the Concord believed that their forces would be able to slowly escape using the port in Kallen, the QI-Rin navy enforced a blockade in and out of the city, essentially starving out the city of food and resources.
By the end of the Siege it became clear that neither side was going to break in the stalemate, so as the resources dwindled in Kallen, General Ryda Moore devised a plan where a seemingly large contingent of the forces would try to break at the central line of the siege directly from the southern gate of Kallen. Meanwhile, two forces would aim to flank the forces of Vallen on either side and force a division of the Vallen resources to limit their capabilities. This plan was executed and resulted in a much smaller loss of life than if either force had stayed entrenched in the conflict. While the Concord forces weren't exactly successful in their attack strategy, it did reduce the possible casualties that could have existed.

The Battle of Hallen Vale

The largest and final of the battles within the Marine Civil War, the battle of Hallen Vale was by far a victory for the Vallen Alliance and Qi-Rin authority. After several years of hard fought battles, the people of Marine had become severly disillusioned with the Marine Concord and particularly their ability to rule from their ivory tower. It was because of this that many of the militia on behalf of Marine abandoned their posts or laid down their weapons, however this didn't occur immediately, most of this came to pass in the course of the battle, particularly
The battle took place in a valley just outside the Marine capital of Farlane. This valley known as Hallen Vale was comprised mostly of hill ridden plains. It was fortunate for the members of the Vallen Alliance that their position was heavily based on the higher ground of the battle, which gave them a better vantage point into the rest of the valley and defenses from below. The most successful element of the battle was the use of a powerful contraption that allowed the Vallen forces to utilise Magik as an energy source and blast high powered ammunition, therefore causing a powerful explosion killing or at least knocking back several soldiers. After several days of hard fought battle, the war came to an end when Commanders Ulsvale and Blackwater were killed in the heat of battle and the high command below them conceeded and surrendered their position.

Year Started
1834 CY
Year Finished
1840 CY

Beligerents

Marine Concord

Vallen Alliance
Qi-Rin Authority

Commanders and Generals

Baryn Torinsvane
Ryda Moore
Tyran Ulsvale
Wen Blackwater

Evelyn Massin (VA)
Olivan Borinthale (VA)
Korana-Huan (QA)
Ma Vai Lei-Suan (QA)

Strength

~ 4,000

~ 2,500

Casualties and Losses

9,000 dead
12,000 injured

4,600 dead
6,500 injured

Significant Events and Dates

• 40 Lowsummer 1834 CY – The assassination of three political leaders within the Vallen Quorum, said to be taken out on the orders of the Marine Concord.
• 3 Highsummer 1834 CY – The first declaration of war is passed by the Vallen Quorum, who rename themselves as the Vallen Alliance.
• 28 Highsummer - 46 Highsummer 1834 CY – The Battle of Karithal, 1,800 dead and injured.
• 16 Lowautumn - 24 Highautumn 1834 CY – The Barricade of Highvane Bastille.
• 40 Highspring - 26 Lowsummer 1835 CY – The First Battle of Kallen Ridge 3,400 dead and 5,200 more injured.
• 15 Highwinter 1835 CY – The mass destruction of Ta-Gra, a Qi-Rin city, by the Marine Concord.
• Halt 1835 CY – A formal declaration of war is passed by the Qi-Rin Authority joining the war alongside the Vallen Alliance.
• 5 Lowspring - 12 Highspring 1836 CY – Vallen forces with the aid of the Qi-Rin navy manage to lay seige and eventually capture the city of Ulfran, taking out a major source of agriculture for the rest of Marine.
• 46 Highspring 1837 CY – A temporary ceasefire is enforced on both sides of the Civil War to allow aid for those who needed it in areas ruined by destruction.
• 18 Highsummer 1837 CY – Members of an extremist force in the Marine militia attack and kill 740 civillians that were believed to be Vallen sympathisers. This restarts the war.
• 28 Lowspring - 46 Highautumn 1838 CY – The Second Battle and Seige of Kallen RIdge, 5,800 dead and 2,600 more injured.
• 6 Lowinter - 28 Highwinter 1839 CY – An operation known as Mārofaḡo leads to key information being sent from Marine generals to members of the Vallen Alliance thwarting a major strike back at the city of Ulfran.
• 29 Highspring - 41 Lowsummer 1840 CY – The Final Battle, otherwise known at the Battle of Hallen Vale, takes place with more than 6,000 dead and a further 8,000 injured. This led to concession by the Marine Concord and the beginning of a new age in Marine.

The State of Global Affairs

The continent of Stanos had mostly gathered itself after the complex and intricate works that led up to The Great War, however the tensions that it left behind were still overwhelming for many people of the realm, particularly when looking at their interactions with each other. While a tenuous peace had been established by many people within the realms, it became clear through the decades that a simple event could cause a lack of communication with other people and a drastic change in opinion.
Farrow and Marine had by far become the closest alliance that Stanos had seen, yet there were still major tensions that existed between each of them. Farrow was jealous of the agricultural power that Marine still possessed in the wake of The Great War, Marine on the other hand felt that their position as an international power was stifled by the presence of Farrow within the former capital of the Oldfront Empire. Disagreements between the two nations, particularly surrounding these key aspects led to many drastic measures taken by the other as a show of force that they possess significant and overwhelming power from the other person.
Nylan on the other hand seemed to act as the black sheep of the continent, highly undesirable by the nation of Farrow due to their acceptance and even nurturing of those who had a connection to Magik. Marine on the other hand didn't have a particular stance on this key priority, choosing to take no particular stance on the use of Magik unless it was used as a weapon against its citizens. This led to a somewhat amiable relationship between Marine and Nylan, particularly as both were able to provide trades to each other of resources, both luxury and essential. Nylan had major mining deposits that covered several key areas in its north western region that were able to communicate and invoke trade between the nations until the economic crash of 1832 CY. From the lack of trade and significant financial deficit it would put the nation in Nylan in, Nylan closed its borders and avoided other nations, becoming largely independent and condemning the actions of Marine and its people.

Notable Military Units

While there were many different soldiers who took part in the Marine Civil War, there are certain members of note that should be discussed for their notable position in either millitary development or their unique cultural element in the world, such as the inclusion of magikal and mechanical elements.

Garan Infantry

The Garan Infantry were on the side of the Marine Concord, though many of the elements of the Infantry were transferred to other militia during the conflict. The Garan Infantry first came to prominence during the second year of the Civil War, particularly as a defensive force against seige and other attacks. The Garan Cannon, was a large handheld firearm designed for two soldiers to carry and fire. When fired, a large shell was launched in the arc of the weapon landing with a large explosion. This Cannon was designed to prevent and attack larger forces as they approached and to demoralise those soldiers who were dug in during a seige. The larges Infantry who utilised the Garan Cannon was the 4th Trade Charter of the Concord Militia, who possessed a troop of nearly 50 Garan Cannons.

Mariākarn

While the idea for the Mariākarn first arose during the first year or two of the war, it was only during the seventh year that the first Mariākarn was formed. A unit of Mariākarn combined three primary components, a group of infantry wielding Mari, a set of guns that were powered, enhanced, and would fire elements of Magik. The Ākarn on the other hand were two forms of magik users who would either power the Mari with their usage of Elementalism, or utilise Apotropaic magik to protect the different members of their unit.

What Came of the Civil War?

There were many major elements of the world that were affected by the conclusion of the Civil War. While not all were positives, it should be stated that many on an individual basis agree that the people of Marine were better for the Vallen Alliance becoming the dominating political force. The Civil War also allowed for a stronger bond between Qi-Rin and Marine in ongoing relationships.
However, despite all this, tensions were still high between Marine and other nations, particularly Nylan who were a close trade partnership with the Concord until the economic crash. After the war, the Vallen government chose to continue many of the trade tariffs with exceptions made for Farrow, but not Nylan seeing them as too closely linked to the Concord. These tensions would come to a head when during a meeting of Farrowan and Marine officials being overseen by the religious leader of Cannism, there was an attack by a magik user. This single attack killed not only the government heads of both Farrow and Marine but slaughtered several major Cannist leaders. While there were other tensions still holding, the effect of Magik seen in the Civil War allowed for Marine to join with Farrow in the Second Great War against Nylan who were believed to be harboring magik users from the assassination.
Apart from the Second Great War, the Civil War is remembered for its impact on Karoknan descent. While the true number of those killed remains unknown, the current total stands at around 300,000 - 1,000,00 Karoknan people who were killed in the 1830s with more bodies and stories being found and told each day. Those who survived the labor camps and orders of executions were often living with scars and memories that will remain in their mind for years to come. I once met a survivor, they were a child and were brought up without memory of their Karoknan descent to protect them from the Concord. She was a very kind woman but there was a powerful force behind her eyes, I couldn't ever tell if it was fear or anger.