Kindmountian-Harmonic War

The Kindmountian-Harmonic War was a major conflict in the Great-Mountains Land between the Nation of the Generous Mountain and the Harmony of the Great River  from the 1st of the Germinating Month 133 YP to the 27th of the Gold-leafed Month 135 YP (4282 - 4286 HE).
The war ended Kindmount's significant influence in the region and revolutionized warfare: whereas prior to this conflict battles in the region were largely ceremonial, the war saw the emergence of Western Tactics in the land, according to which any tactic is allowed if it provides a strategic advantage, and the aim is to disrupt the enemy's supply lines and kill their soldiers.
The aftermath of the war saw the Collapse of the Kindmountian empire and Harmonic supremacy in the region, which allowed for Harmonic expansion along the Great River.

The War

Causes of the War

Scholars generally agree that there are two causes of the war: the Dual Cities joining the Harmony, which sparked the war, and the territorial tensions between Kindmount and the Harmony. The latter can further be split into two issues: the expansion of Kindmount along the Gray River, and its expansion near Spear River Valley. The Great Harmony saw these lands as potential areas where they could expand in the future, and viewed Kindmountian expansion as an encroachment on their land.

Meanwhile, the Dual Cities' Choosing Assembly made John's City dominant in 130 YT, which sharply turned their foreign relations towards the Harmony. Six years later, in 133YT, during the Dry Month, word got out that the cities had agreed to join the Harmony, and negotiations were in the final stages between the two countries.
As the Dual Cities had been in a protection agreement with Kindmount prior to the dominance shift, Kindmount could frame the issue as the Great Harmony stealing or corrupting their former vassal. By the end of 133 YT, most traders and priests were in agreement that war between the Harmony and Kindmount would start at the same time as 133 YP, the coming year of passion, during which warfare was allowed. And, indeed, on the first day of that year, Kindmount declared war on its rival nation
Kindmountian leadership was already at the time facing a societal crisis affecting every part of the life of its citizens, as well as its economy. Why they boldly declared war is not well understood, but it may be due to a sense of wounded pride, or hope that a war would unite the population together despite their hardships, combined with the common belief that the Kindmountian army was unbeatable.

Start of the War

It is quite clear that the Harmony of the Great River has conducted itself dishonorably in swaying and corrupting our former ally. As guardians of justice, it is our responsibility to ensure that the Land at the Feet of the Great Mountains is a land in which all may feel safe and secure. The continued attacks made by the Harmony on our sovereignty and wealth go against this, and cannot be ignored.

— Strongesthunter son of Deathclawhunter, member of the Casteless Council, 1st of the Germinating Month, 133 YP

The Dual Cities, and mainly John's City, sent warrior-priests to the north, along the Gray River. Near the Beautiful Mountain, Dualite troops fought and won the battle of Prettylady's Town, and crossed the mountains to the source of the Braided river, which they followed down practically unopposed for over a kilometer, as Kindmountian leadership did not expect a northern attack.
Meanwhile, the bulk of the Harmonic army marched along the Rocky river to Spear River Valley, where Kindmount forces had already captured Spear City. Suffering from an internal crisis and western raids, the Kindmountian army was in poor shape: many warrior-priests had not been properly spiritually formed, and many lacked proper equipment and ceremonial dress. Harmonic forces attempted to surround Spear City, but were pushed back many times. Kindmountian forces constantly maintained a small corridor by which a small stream of supplies could pass through. In the north, the battle of the green clearing stopped Harmonic forces in their tracks, and forced them to establish camp. By 133 YP Month of the Birth of Cold, fighting had practically stopped, and solider-priests prepared to dig in for winter and the next year of tranquility. However, during the Rainy Month, a surprise attack from Kindmount forces on the Harmonic camp in the north forces a retreat up the Braided River.
During 134 YT, fighting was stopped as it was a year of tranquility. Half of the warrior-priests on both sides were called home for a month, and then sent back while the other half took their place home, as was the custom during a peace year. As years of tranquility often do, 134 YT allowed both nations to replenish their forces. However, as the Violet Coast empire had no custom of stopping war for a year, raids continued to rage on in the west, and increased in force as the Violet Coast leadership seized the opportunity while Kindmount was weak.
In Kindmount, warrior-priests were very rapidly recruited, formed, and sent out to the west and in some cases the east. In the Harmony, all clans lended their forces to the central government to protect themselves, and the Dual Cities had by this point joined the Harmony, and did the same.

The development of "western tactics" on the eastern front

Related article: Western Tactics
When the year of passion arrived in spring, Kindmount was already partially worn out due to the constant raids in the west, but the Harmony had been fully replenished. Simultaneous attack in the north and south pushed the Kindmountians further back than ever before. Northern forces reached and pushed into the sand banks of the Braided river, and southern forces took Spear City and pushed into coastal settlements of the Calm lake, cutting Kindmount city off from even more vital resources.
Up to this point, Kindmount had been fighting "honorably" in the east, that is, ceremoniously with few losses of life, but had to use "dishonorable" tactics of modern warfare in the west, to counter their western opponent's "dishonorable tactics". The Casteless Council decided to apply western tactics to the east. While in doing this they lost considerable favor with the population and the warrior-priests, they started to form their soldiers in western tactics and rotated soldiers from the west to come fight in the east.

Never before has the civilized world seen such barbaric acts of war and bloodshed. I worry now that the peoples of our region shall be to others known as barbarians. How will we face our ancestors, who have in their lives conducted warfare honorably? How indeed will they fail to look at us with contempt and disgust? Are we worthy, even, to join them?

— Goldwing son of Goldwing

While this weakened the western front, which saw the loss of even more camps, Harmonic forces were pushed back almost to their original positions in the east. The Great Harmony had to adapt or face the loss of this war, and they did. Slowly into winter, they studied the tactics of their opponent and attempted to replicate them: utilizing subterfuge and guerilla tactics, manufacturing weapons with the sole aim of harming and killing and not with any ceremonial role in mind, etc.
The coming year of tranquility proved an enormous advantage to the Harmony, who could utilize this time to develop so-called "western" strategies, while Kindmount had to deal with the crumbling of their western front as the skirmishes intensified and slowly robbed the Nation of the Generous Mountain of their newly acquired yet vital land.
The war had turned into the most violent conflict the region had ever seen by a long margin, as before to this all battles were ceremonial in nature, resulting in the loss of a few dozens of high-mana soldiers killed in ceremonial combat. Now, both populations simply wanted it to end, but their leaders trudged on.

End of the war and peace settlement

In the spring of 135 YP, fighting resumed. With more and more soldiers needed to hold the western front, Harmonic forces easily advanced back into Kindmountian territory. Kindmount's last victory was the battle of the sands, very near the gates of Kindmount city, in the Foggy Month. However, this only stalled the inevitable: by the next month, Gold-leafed month, Kindmount city had been captured after a bloody 3-day long urban battle. The Casteless Council capitulated, and peace talks started.
After exactly a month of negotiations, on the 27th day of the Month of the Birth of Cold, it was agreed that the lands of the Harmony were to include Spear River Valley, including settlements north of Spear Inlet, as well as all land east of Spear River and the Gray River. Additionally, Kindmount had abandoned the Moa River Land and the New Land of the North, letting the Violet Coast empire reclaim them, and was forced to pay a large sum of riches to the Harmony.
The image below shows, in light green, territory acquired by the Great Harmony after the war.

by DetectiveAmandaCC

Kindmount's catastrophic loss in the war was the catalyst for the Collapse of the Kindmountian empire, and saw the dismantling of Kindmount's relative dominance in the region, making way for the Great Harmony's supremacy in the region and its future expansion. Further more, the adoption of Western Tactics became widespread in the Vast South after this war, forever revolutionizing warfare.

Conflict Type

War