Ralgon War of Succession

Timeline

1698

June 1698: The Emperor Shiro, having lost his ability to leverage with the Adrestians for further help stabilizing the remaining heartland's frontier, makes a last ditch move to save what is left of Ralgon's crumbling empire. They occupy Dragon's Reach, although their forces do not control enough territory to allow its reintegration into the Empire.

1699

March 1699: The Emperor is diagnosed with a very rare form of cancer. Despite doctors' attempts to save their Emperor's strength, they soon realize that modern medicine will not help stop the cancer. Efforts turn to delaying the cancer's progress as the Empire's authority crumbles, and allies abroad turn towards internal pressures. If the Emperor dies without foreign allies, the Empire would be placed in existential danger.

November 1699: Prince Masamune II is involved in an accident that permanently disables him. He was in his mid 50's.

1701

January 1701: Prince Masamune II is informed with irrefutable evidence that his devastating "accident"

March 1701: Prince Masamune

1702

December 1702: Byalia's government implodes over the course of 1702 to 1703 AN. Adrestian troops move in and occupy its coastal regions, setting up naval bases staffed with troops from Ralgon. Refugees from elsewhere in Drag'os quickly repopulate the island. Settlements are established that include Rai to the west, Reiwa to the north, and Edowara to the south. However, uprisings make the primarily Ralgonese city of Val'nor hard to access, resulting in a top-heavy presence of troops from the Ralgon capital. This sets the region up for the later confrontation between the two sides.

1704

June 1704: The worst has been confirmed: after 32 years on the Ralgon Throne, the Emperor has only celebrated his Sed Festival three times: first, on his 20th anniversary of his coronation in 1693 AN, and once every five years since. The Emperor's last Sed Festival would take place on Midsummer's Day, 1703 AN. It was not long after this that the Emperor was informed that his cancer, one of a very rare type, would be terminal. Nothing the doctors could do would save their Emperor, but they would be able to conceal the illness and ease their lord's suffering.

The Imperial Senate and the Royal Court of Adrestia are secretly informed of the situation. They are also reminded of the promise the Emperor made six years prior, in offering the Crown to the Adrestian heir of their choice upon his own passing, in exchange for both their help and loyalty that preserved the Empire.

1705

January 1705: The Emperor Shiro I of Ralgon lies on his deathbed. He articulates his will. In the coming weeks, he sees the end coming and chooses to send letters of encouragement to loyalists around the world. He also sends a testament to his allies in Cakaristan, thanking them for the help their previous Sultan had provided during his reign, sharing fond memories of his interactions with the great man.

September 1705: The announcement has finally been published that the Empire has dreaded for many months: The Emperor, Shiro I, is finally confirmed dead. The various centers of the Imperial Government continue to function out of Gondolin (now home to the Navy Headquarters), Glacier City (the executive branch's home under the late Emperor) and in Valeria (the long-time capital of the Empire), each claiming enough moral authority to run their regions and a tentative agreement that the Empire should not fall, in anticipation of the upcoming Election Trials.

1706

Gondolin has already nominated its own Prince to the Crown, despite the fact that said Prince is ineligible to compete for the Imperial Crown due to his youth. Regional governments in Drag'os have successfully called for Trials to be held later in the year, but the colonies in the Sunfire Sea have remained silent.

January 1706: Regionalism has already taken deep root. Frontier garrisons have already begun to operate independently and take sides in the succession dispute. The Imperial Government has moved back from Glacier City (where it relocated under the late Emperor) to its traditional place of business in Valeria, Stormhold. The Lord Mayor, in retaliation, has thrown out any Imperial Senators left in the City until the crisis is declared over. The city now already governs itself like an independent country.

March 1706: The Imperial Senate, in a desperate bid to restore its remaining authority over the Empire, has held secret elections and then crowned pro-USSO Crown Prince Draeg'ar Ral as Emperor Draeg'ar Ral X. Their deliberate act of excluding Adrestia's candidates has enraged the entire Sunfire Realms.

April 1706: The Adrestian Regency, acting in defiance to its nominal overlords, has crowned the Draconic Humanist candidate, the five-year-old Emperor Masamune IV, allowing their claimant to pick a regnal name at a later date.

May 1706: By this point, each respective regional government and each regional frontier garrison, save Glacier City, has been forced to take sides in the intensifying succession crisis.

Scarterra, Al-Hamra, and Nixtorm have sided with the Adrestian candidate in Gondolin. The smaller regions of Violight and Avalon go unnoticed, although they've sworn fealty to the new government before the crisis started. The St. Mara Region, Aurora, and Stormhold have sided with the government in Valeria. The Dragon's Reach, Saisei, and Dalgar'on Reclamation Forces are split, and split into camps supporting each side.

The Alphaville and Glacier City Autonomous Regions have remained silent, although each has notably failed to declare itself neutral.

• 
  The situation on the ground, as of late 1706 AN.