The Dryassan Civil War was a conflict between rival factions within the nation of Dryassan. While the conflict had started organically, the Arcaneum Federation and the D'Nalsi Empire used the conflict as a proxy war to further their own interests in the region.
Prelude
Throughout much of the early Fifth Era, the nation of Ichos had been expanding their influence over the continent of Aegiyari. As a member nation within the United Coalition of Allied Nations (UCAN), Ichos was forbidden from invading other territories without justifiable cause to do so. As a workaround, Ichos had entered into a number of key alliances with their neighbors, placing those nations under the authority of Ichos' government institution, the Arcaneum Federation. The nation of Elica, a historic rival of Ichos, had attempted to block the alliances at every turn, a move which continuously frustrated the other UCAN member nations.
Political Violence in Dryassan
In 5E 480, the Chancellor of Dryassan, Nyminid Tebryn, had begun attempts to form an alliance with the Arcaneum Federation. The matter had been an issue of hot debate for years prior, and he felt now was the appropriate time to take action. He introduced a declaration of alliance into the Dryassan Senate, which passed by a slim margin. Members of the opposition party claimed that the Chancellor had abused his authority by introducing the declaration himself and forcing a vote on the same day. Historically, only the nation's President could introduce declarations of alliance, and the full Senate would only vote on the issue when it cleared committee. They also argued that he chose to wait until enough opposition members were absent to introduce the bill and hold a vote, ensuring its passage.
The nation's President, Prajavati Gauri, would end up rejecting the declaration, as she believed the Federation only wanted to from an alliance so they could exert control over the Gulf of Izuth. Due to a variety of geographical and environmental factors, the cities in northeast Elica depend almost entirely on goods brought in by ships through the gulf. If the Federation claimed Dryassan, they could pressure the nation to blockade the gulf, cutting off key supply routes. If Elica tried to interfere with the blockade, the Federation could potentially use their actions as a justification for invasion. As she would later write, "my decision wasn't a decision between joining or abstaining, it was a decision between war and peace". The declaration was the first time she had utilied the veto, a power that many Dryassan Presidents refused to utilize unless absolutely necessary. Members of the Senate immediately called for her removal from office, though none of the resolutions introduced to do so would pass.
The matter would come up for a vote on several more occasions, with both sides becoming increasingly aggressive in their efforts to either codify or block the alliance. The rage and aggression spread into the streets, with supporters of both sides engaging in minor skirmishes and fights across the country. The following year, on 3 Janus, 5E 481, a group of pro-Federation protestors set the President's mansion ablaze. While President Guari was out when it happened, three members of her staff were killed and seven others sustained serious injuries. A diplomat from the nation of D'Nalsi, In the chaos, Chancellor Tebryn declared a state of emergency, and authorized himself as the new head of state. The leadership of the Dryassan military rejected his claim, and declared the Dryassan Senate a rogue entity.
The Federation Intervenes
The Arcaneum Federation was quick to act on the opportunity created by the chaos and infighting. The nation of Kyn, a member of the Federation, petitioned the United Coalition of Allied Nations for authorization to intervene militarily in Dryassan. Elica attempted to block their petition, though the UCAN would grant Kyn permission to act. Subsequent petitions to allow Elica's intervention were blocked, as they had little justification for acting other than to challenge the Federation.
Despite this setback, Elica was not willing to simply accept the UCAN's decision. Ambassadors from Elica had been in talks with the nearby nation of D'Nalsi for the past few years, as they were beginning the process of petitioning for membership within UCAN. D'Nalsi was also in talks with Dryassan for several years, due to historical connections between the two nations, and with a D'Nalsi ambassador being killed during the attack on the President's Mansion, the nation had sufficient justification to intervene. If D'Nalsi intervened in Dryassan, Elica promised to endorse the nation for full UCAN membership, which would greatly simplify the process of admission.
D'Nalsi's entrance into the conflict worried the generals of Kyn's armed forces, though the Federation was quick to alleviate those fears. Under the terms of their alliance, if one Federation member engaged in military action, the entirety of the Federation had clearance to do the same. While the legitimacy of the clause was still being debated within the UCAN, it had yet to be struck down, granting the Federation authority to send reinforcements from all member nations to engage the Dryassan and D'Nalsi militaries.
