First Water Tribe Civil War

The Water Tribe Civil War was a conflict fought between the Water Tribe government based in Borealis and rebels led by the Sage Maruloq. The conflict had an extended period of heightened tension before violence broke out, as Maruloq wrote numerous polemics condemning the Chieftain, but was ultimately triggered by an attempted assassination of Maruloq. It was a significant watershed moment in the increasingly hostile relations between the Water Tribe's northern and southern regions, as the perceived excesses of Chieftain Urist were seen by the south to have delegitimised the state. Following an inconclusive battle at Agna Qel'a, peace was successfully brokered at Lasthold, where the Sages would gain certain additional rights in exchange for the demilitarisation of Maruloq's forces and their reintegration to the Water Tribe.

Lasthold Negotiations

Following the government's defeat at the Battle of Agna Qel'a, a truce was wished for by both sides. While the rebels had successfully driven pro-Urist forces out of their capital, it was clear that they could not easily sustain the war effort and stood no realistic chance of victory in the long-term. The government wished to preserve its legitimacy and reorient back towards foreign policy concerning Fryslan, and thus also sought a quick exit to the conflict. As Lasthold had preserved a great deal of its autonomy, despite being nominally pro-Urist, its Chief was able to invite both sides to meet for peace negotiations. A delegate of Cassland was also invited to attend as a neutral observer.

While initial expectations of an agreement had been pessimistic, this common pessimism was soon dispelled. The primary matters of concern were soon identified: the eroding power of the Sages, Urist's unwillingness to partake in the Rites of Akela, and the economic fragility of the south as a whole. These were addressed through a series of significant concessions from the government. The Sages were to be empowered with greater authority over the Chieftain, and significant food banks were to be established to alleviate the south's constant risk of famine. The Rites proved to be unsolvable, due to contradictory interpretations of The Ordering: the Rites of Akela are seen as a necessary step for any to claim the mantle of leadership, but the Ettins were also seen to require the submission of all. This matter was ultimately shelved. In exchange for these concessions, the Maruloqites would surrender all forces and territory and return to "fruitful labour". This agreement effectively ended the civil war.

International reactions

Unlike the Frisian Civil War, the Water Tribe's war saw little international reaction or comment. This is likely due to three primary factors: ongoing stability in the port of Polaris ensuring the conflict's consequences did not spread, the relatively unimportant strategic position of Agna Qel'a by comparison, and concerns of incurring the wrath of whoever might win the conflict.

Two nations that were invested in the conflict were Atlas, as an Atlassian diplomat known as Kyrillos had been injured in the assassination attempt, and Cassland, which was concerned about the wellbeing of Kyrillos. No other nations became involved, potentially because the war ended so rapidly.

Legacy

While the end of the war did bring a close to the violent clashes between Maruloqites and the Water Tribe government, it did not end the tensions between pro- and anti-Urist forces in the Water Tribe. Shortly after the war's end, the Water Tribe would begin the Frisian War in part to shore up Urist's legitimacy, which would lead to her impeachment. This crisis is ongoing.

See also

• Frisian Civil War
• The Ordering