Le Coup de Revers: The Dementlieuse Civil War
Written by: Vince Székely
Edited and Published by Rhea Eleutheria
Dementlieuse civil war:
Dates: July 25th 772 - July 4 773 BC
The Dementlieuse Civil War was a nearly year-long conflict that occurred in part due to the consequences and effects felt by the Dementlieuse Revolution of 769 and the subsequent Falkovnian invasion of that year. Numerous key players acting on the part of numerous interests precipitated a conflict that would ultimately lead to open warfare between the Council of Brilliance led by Helene DeSuis and the Solemn Covenant led by Marius “The Maitriser” de Mortigny, the Duc d’Ameranthe. The conflict would involve virtually every noble house and has had a significant impact on the country’s future where the effects of the conflict continue to be felt as the country has been turned over to the Provisional Republic with the promises of new elections in 774 based upon the status quo Pre-769 Constitution.
The Revolution
Although the tensions began as early as 767 and built up in 768 as revolutionary screeds spread, the catastrophic and significant events of 769 transformed the Republic of Dementlieu. The balance of power shifted from the powers of the aristocracy to commoners and even some nobles who expressed an idealized government that shifted power from the hands of the republic’s gentry to the masses that arose from initial modest demands to better the quality of life for the commons of the Republic. This had come to pass in the in the urban centers of Chateaufaux and Port-a-Lucine.
A period of tensions culminated in violence on the streets that developed into an environment which would destabilize the country and become fertile ground for what became known as the Revolution as numerous assassinations plunged the Republic into chaos as the legitimate government ceased to function. The government of Lord-Governor Marcel Guignol fell following his assassination to the January 769 coup d’état led by Armand Foquelaine of the Republican Guard. His own subsequent assassination and the assassination of Revolutionary firebrand Pauline Jenout led disaffected commoners of the Ouvrier District of Port-a-Lucine to take power under the direction of revolutionary coordinator Jean le Goutteux.
What began after can be described as a ‘Terror’ inflicted upon suspected enemies of the revolution and political dissidents who were unhappy about the state of affairs. Numerous decrees were directed such as the creation of revolutionary tribunals to quickly process revolutionary foes in a show-trial prior to execution by guillotine. However, the reforms such as the shorter work-day, minimum wages, safety standards, the end of child labor, and care for those injured at the workplace were long-awaited reforms the commons desired. Other changes included universal voting suffrage including the ‘little people’ or Halfling citizens of Dementlieu. During this tumultuous period of radical change, Jean le Goutteux suddenly disappeared with no confirmed reports as to what became of him and the revolutionary council floundered. Following the disappearance of Jean le Goutteux, the politician known as Hélène DuSuis took over and promised to continue the reforms began by the revolutionary forces. Following the return of Dominic D’Honaire with the shipment of Ghastrian food and Lamordian mercenaries the nobleman and ex-councilor rejoined the government in a new Council of Brilliance that maintained the universal voting rights and soon temporarily suspended the new labor laws due to emergencies brought by the Falkovnian invasion. Temporary measures remained to the chagrin of the commons whose original desires were these laws to guarantee a higher standard of living and political say in Dementlieu. The War with Falkovnia would prove disastrous as much of the country is devastated by the forces of Vlad Drakov.
The War with Falkovnia
The invasion of Falkovnia began in full following the ouster of Armand Foquelaine in an opportunistic strike that soon led to the fall of numerous cities and the razing of numerous villages and estates following their entry into the country on the 3rd of March 770 BC. Peculiarly, the Treaty of the Four Towers was not activated throughout the invasion and the primary allies of Dementlieu that provided assistance came from Ghastria and Lamordia. The massacre of Edrigan culminated in a battle between the People’s Revolutionary Army of Dementlieu led by Juste Marceaux and Vlad Drakov’s forces.
Yet, despite a Falkovnian victory and a brief occupation of Port-a-Lucine, Falkovnia withdrew following a revolt against Drakov back home that forced a retreat from the entirety of Dementlieu. The withdrawal left a depleted and exhausted regime under Lady-Governor Helene DeSuis to rebuild the country that maintained modest reforms from the revolutionary period while also preserving the rights of nobility that was in question under the regime of Le Goutteux. This position proved unpopular with both the commoners who agitated for further reforms and believed the council did not go far enough while the gentry felt the government had overstepped its bounds with these changes.
Post-War & Pre-Civil War period
Between Mid-770 BC and the Summer of 772, the years can be described as a time of rebuilding on the physical features of Dementlieu with towns, estates, and villages being restored with a restoration of the economy as trade opened up once more with Dementlieu’s neighbors. The Council of Brilliance under the direction of Lady-Governor Helene DeSuis with the Company of the Fox free company establishing a monopoly of violence around Port-a-Lucine and ensuring the government remained largely stable. The Company of the Fox was created by Baron Oskar de Larose, Constable de Rue Bas Ricard Gripp the World’s tallest Halfling, and Juste Marceaux, Viscount de Roissy. Its first captain was Baron de larose and later it transferred leadership to the Viscount de Roissy who was the former People’s National Army leader. The Company would lend assistance to Mordent against a Valachani incursion in 770 and later oust alleged Falkovnian collaborators in Port-a-Lucine and in the east at Chateau Chantres.
The Council passed laws restricting the use of magic through a license in February 771 through the efforts of the magical skeptic Wymmer Drukker and later saw the deterioration of friendly ties with Ghastria following the abduction of Dementlieuse citizens on behalf of Marquis Stezen D’Polarno that culminated in economic sanctions barring trade and business between Ghastria and Dementlieu. Ultimately these actions were reversed prior to the creation of the Solemn Covenant by Marius de Mortigny the Duc d’Ameranthe who led a coalition of eastern-based nobles in revolt against the Council of Brilliance by the 25th of July 772.
The Causes of the Dementlieuse Civil War
According to the official Company of the Fox newspaper called the Bulletin De La Compagnie Renard, Marius de Mortigny, Duc d’Amernathe demanded the end of the universal vote on the 19th of July through an ultimatum that included a demand for new elections for Lord-Governor alongside the Marquise de Fletans, Comte de Josquin, the Comtesse d’Azerac, the Baron de Mortain, and the Baron de Miseaux. Some of the causes of the war include noble resentment and weariness of the violence and changes in Chateaufaux and Port-a-Lucine. The universal vote given to citizens diluted the power of the aristocracy significantly.
Furthermore, many nobles were killed during the revolutionary excesses under Le Goutteux. The Council of Brilliance was unwilling to reverse changes made during the revolution, yet, it did not wish to further impede on noble privileges. The more radical elements of the revolution left the Council resented not only by the Covenant but also by revolutionary forces still present in Port-a-Lucine. The forces of the Covenant largely derived its forces from outside of the urban settlements and gained rapid support in the east and the south of the country including Chateaunoir in the hopes to restoring the previous Dementlieuse system of an aristocratic republic founded by Leon.
The Dementlieuse Civil War
These irreconcilable positions led to a conflict between the Pro-Council belligerents including the Company of the Fox and Pro-Covenant elements that divided the country and led to an action outside Chateaufaux on the 24-25th of July 772 BC. Cavalry under Jean-Michel Bedard on behalf of the Covenant engaged Company of the Fox soldiers under the joint command of Sieur Jerome de La Salle, Chevalier de Seimaire and Sieur Remi Rousseau, Chevalier de Seimaire. This engagement was followed by another action on the 7th of August 772 at Chateau du Press and subsequent naval actions along Sable Bay which led to a blockade of Port-a-Lucine.
This was followed by a battle along the Jewel Box Lakes at Fletans on the 21st of October and another action at Thiers on the 3rd of January 773 which the Company of the Fox retained control of Chateaufaux despite the Covenant’s efforts. The battle at Fletans was an overwhelming Company of the Fox victory that left doubt in the Covenant’s ability to push its ambitions via open warfare despite the blockade resulting in difficulty to the Council government in Port-a-Lucine. Marius de Mortigny’s forces later conducted maneuvers that would lead to yet another action the following day to the surprise of the Pro-Council forces.
A second action on the 4th of January at the Col de Sangue led to the first major victory to the Covenant which opened the city of Chateaufaux to House Mortigny’s forces and a withdrawal of the Company of the Fox to Port-a-Lucine. Warden Agnès Gauthier of the Church of Ezra was captured and the Duc d’Ameranthe agreed upon a winter ceasefire following the Covenant taking of Chateaufaux, allowing preparation for battles on the road to the capital. The capture of the clergy led to a sour point of the involvement of the clergy in the conflict in the conflict between the warring parties in Dementlieu. A tenuous truce held for several months until the bloody and infamous events at Chateaunoir.
Following the events at Col de Sangue a truce was called that lasted until a brutal massacre was carried out at the estate of the Duchess Simone d’Evreux. During the truce the Council of Brilliance lost touch with loyalist southern Dementlieu including the area in and around Chateaunoir. The Company of the Fox led by Viscount Juste Marceaux went to investigate with blacked out uniforms and found a mixture of gendarmes, d’Evreux house guards, and Covenant guards at the estate of the Duchess. After the Company of the Fox snuck into the estate, a massacre occurred whereupon the deaths of the Duchess, the mayor of Chateaunoir, and Auge Alard, Captain of the local Gendarmes were all killed alongside a Covenant representative and briefly captured Leopold de Auclair, Baron of Mortain. The Duchess died and her pregnant child was taken by the Fox contingent which Sergeant Saskia Niederhauser, a member of this contingent, attempted to flee with before Sieur Remi Rousseau silenced her. The estate was set ablaze by Sieur Jerome de la Salle prior to the group’s retreat to Port-a-Lucine.
These events proved politically catastrophe for the Pro-Council forces as the south of the country switched its allegiance to that of the Covenant. Sieur Jerome de la Salle committed suicide and was found culpable for the actions that took place. The Viscount de Roissy and Sieur Remi remained on as Pro-Council commanders and would be present in the final battles to come alongside Captain Alphonse DuPre and Captain Edmond Montte of the Gendarmerie Nationale de Dementlieu.
On April 27 The Council’s fleet would challenge the Covenant in a desperate bid to dislodge the long-term blockade on the city. The Battle of Point Sable was the penultimate battle of the war and an important naval engagement between the Covenant and Council forces as Council flagship rams the Chevalier de Foully destroying both ships and ending the lives of many including many young nobles on both sides such as Philippot de Poudre who was killed in action on the Chevalier de Foully. The battle occurred largely at night and could only be visible in Port-a-Lucine when cannon fire illuminated the sky. In the end, the Covenant fleet remained intact and capable of blockading the city until Marius de Mortigny’s forces arrived outside of the city and threatened a full-blown siege while encouraging its inhabitants to flee the city. Simultaneously, the Council urged any able-bodied person to defend the city while the Cathedral of Ste. Mere des Larmes did not permit refugees to seek safety for unknown reasons that have never been fully elaborated on by the Church of Ezra in Port-a-Lucine.
In brief, yet, violent ambush on the Jalabert Estate many senior Gendarme leaders were captured at a party organized by Verinne van Haute. Many notable Gendarmes were present such as Sieur Remi Rousseau, Joachim Schrotter, Viscount Juste Marceaux, Captain Edmond Montte, and several others. This led to the end of organized defense of the city which soon capitulated without further bloodshed. Sieur Gaston Maurice, Chevalier de Rocheville the premier covenant commander, perished in the estate’s fighting. The city gates were opened to the Covenant which precipitated the flight of the Council of Brilliance, effectively ending the war without a political settlement. Juste Marceaux and Remi Rousseau would find themselves exiled and revoked of all titles by Marius de Mortigny, Duc d’Ameranthe for their role in Chateaunoir, but spared the guillotine for giving up the city that undoubtedly spared hundreds if not thousands of lives in a last stand. Captain Edmond Montte would be imprisoned and the remnants of the Council government crushed.
The end of the conflict has not ended hostilities in many different sections of Dementlieuse society as the specter of another Falkovnian invasion arrived in the latter half of 773 BC. While the Provisional Government installed by Marius de Mortigny, Duc d’Ameranthe attempts to govern the city of Port-a-Lucine, a siege would be placed on Ameranthe on the east bank of the Musarde River leaving the country’s future uncertain as it prepares for new elections under the pre-revolution norms and laws. Captain Alphonse DuPre has been charged with governing Port-a-Lucine as part of the provisional government until institutions were re-established. With many issues that preceded the civil war unaddressed, one must ponder the lessons to be learned from the events of the Revolution and the Civil War if a more prosperous, peaceful future is to be attained by the Dementlieuse people.