Uldarash Civil War

The Uldarash Civil War is an ongoing conflict, fought in Uldarash, between the states of Second Empire of Uldarash loyal to the Empress Nikephoros (Aurora, Boulderov, Chevkri, Mithusu, Alokhrad and Savernia) against Loyalist Uldarash loyal to the Empress Caterina, consisting of Alfheim and Montroig. The war eventually turned into an international conflict through foreign support for both sides of the war, even including troops from as far as Eldham.

Background
Main Article: Uldarashi Schism

In the Empire of Uldarash there lay two separate Emperors in the Dual-Monarchy. Upon the death of the First Empire of Uldarash, it was generally stated that the dynasty would live on through the Aurorans, a migratory state that originated from the Eastern side of Rathnir after fleeing Escharien. This will partially come into play later. The second Emperor was decided to be an elected one, elected by the High Council of Uldarash, comprised of representatives of the Uldarashi states. Roughly sometime in June, Empress Caterina (or Qwaser) was elected to be the Empress of Uldarash, with a fair majority. Sometime later, the Hereditary Emperor Aurelian was replaced by Empress Nikephoros.

However, Empress Caterina went on to establish several Democratic reforms that were unsavory to the Uldarashi government. After a couple of months of these reforms, an unknown amount of higher officials had decided enough was enough— Empress Caterina was deposed. This was done largely without consulting the majority of the Uldarashi Government, which spiked internal tensions. Several, particularly from the Democratic state of Montroig especially, called for a fair trial for Caterina. This trial never came to be. Montroig held their own trial, though this is recognised by nobody besides those who were already supporters of Caterina, and changed nothing. Eventually, tensions fell, but after another sudden call for a fair trial sparked tensions once more. After a consistent lack of response from the Uldarashi government, Caterina declared herself the sole, true Empress of Uldarash. Thus began the Uldarashi Civil War.

International Reception
Upon hearing of the Civil War, many nations went to take sides, whether against Caterina, for Caterina, or neutral in all regards. Escharia, Huitca, Bardonia, The Confederacy of Ummarnu, and the Grand Sorgliste Federation all made national announcements backing Caterina, whilst Nikephoros gained support from the South Seas pact, a new alliance consisting of Tortuga - a historical ally of the Uldarashi state before the war, Aldovir and Aatyeli.

As a result of an incident in which some Auroran citizens stole several million dollars worth of valuables in the city of Boardwalk, the Eldham Entente declared war on Uldarash. They would declare official neutrality regarding the Civil War following the Siege of Hapatmitas, though some Entente troops were noted to have volunteered for the Loyalists at this battle. Eldham changed their position for a third time after the Battle of Fornost, declaring open support for the Empress Caterina.

Battle of Canine
"Main article: Battle of Canine"

Battle of Terroja
"Main article: Battle of Terroja"

Battle of Northport
The battle of Northport occurred at the same time as the Battle of Terroja, and took place on a much smaller scale. Troops from Alfheim clashed with Auroran soldiers in the city, killing one armed civilian for the loss of their entire force. The armed civilian was the only Uldarashi death of the day, and they quickly became a hero of Auroran propaganda & folklore as the iron warrior, a selfless hero who bought enough time for the Aurorans to redeploy to Northport and repel the attackers. This story is largely apocryphal, though a memorial has been constructed in his honour outside the town.

Battle of Hapatmitas
"Main articles: Hapatmitas-Chevkri Campaign and Battle of Hapatmitas"Three battles ended in massive defeat for the loyalists, but confidence, at least in their command, remained, so much so that their next plan was a grand offensive, directly aimed at the Uldarashi capital. Hapatmitas was the main target of this new offensive. Large numbers of elite fighters, including the first troops from the Eldham Entente, were assembled on both sides, and up until the last minute of preparations, it seemed the battle could have gone either way. The battle, however, did not turn into one on the same scale as Terroja. One large Loyalist offensive was repelled, followed by several smaller ones, but after heavy losses for little gain, the Loyalists quickly withdrew.

Second Battle of CoolioCity
"Main articles: Hapatmitas-Chevkri Campaign and Second Battle of CoolioCity"The Second Battle of CoolioCity took place at the same time as the Siege of Hapatmitas, and ended in identical results. A notable event occurred following the end of the fighting, as Nikephoros and Caterina had a personal duel. Nikephoros won the duel, and Caterina became the last person to be defeated on that day.

Battle of Fornost
"Main article: Battle of Fornost"Although not technically part of the Uldarashi Civil War, the battle of Fornost was a pivotal moment for both sides of Uldarash. The attack on the Auroran capital by the Eldham Entente was one of the largest battles in Rathnir's history, as the strongest militaries of both continents met on a single battlefield. Exactly who won is disputed - the Entente killed more people, and certainly dealt more damage to the Uldarashis than they recieved. The Uldarashis, however, only really aimed to hold the city, which they were successful in doing, driving the enemy out by the end of the battle. In that sense, the battle was arguably a tactical Entente victory, but a strategic Uldarashi one. The after effects of the battle would be critical for the Loyalists, however, as the Entente, which had continually changed its position regarding the civil war throughout the course of the conflict, declared full support for the Empress Caterina.