The Ash Wars

The Ash Wars were a period of civil unrest for Ilara; those who supported the usurper Kayton Lavos battled the forces of the true Ilaran Royal Family. The fighting lasted roughly one year, and ended in a decisive victory for the Rebellion.

Background
At the start of 2015, Kayton Lavos, using a false claim of relation, took the Ilaran throne, forcing the royal family into hiding.He used this power to oppress the people, using the guards and military to collect extremely high taxes and punish those unable to pay. In 2016, the people rose up in resistance, thus sparking the Ash Wars, so named for a historical account detailing "rage so hot it could burn the world to ash" on the battlefields.

Notable Battles
The Ash Wars are remembered for a series of very bloody, destructive battles that turned the tide in the Rebellion's favor.

The Sacking of Gothim's Downfall
It is said that this event is what truly started the war; a military detachment was sent to collect taxes on an overtaxed village and its farms. Finding the villages and farmers unable to pay, the soldiers began burning everything that would burn, including the house of one Elijah Cutter, whose wife and child were trapped inside. This was also the rebels' first loss; 27 died at the hands of the military.

The Battle of Rauto Pass
Date: 9 Dec. 2016-14 Dec. 2016

The two armies met in Rauto Pass, a valley nestled in the Ciria Mountains. The Ilaran military was taken by surprise, and found themselves unable to withstand the rebels' attack, even as the battle stretched for days due to both sides' inability to pass through.

Casualties: 15,000 (2,000 RPR, 13,000 IA)

The Siege of Kor Osh'tan
Date: 29 Nov 2017

Kor Osh'tan was, and still is, an integral trading hub for the Empire. On the 29th of November, forces of the Rising Phoenix Rebellion launched a direct attack on the town and its Ilaran Army occupants. Casualties on both sides were heavy, with unavoidable civilian deaths, for which the Ilaran Army was directly responsible. The siege ended in the Rising Phoenix Rebellion gaining control of the town, setting itself up for the defeat of the usurper.

Casualties: 30,000 (5,000 RPR, 15,000 IA, 10,000 Civilian)

The Battle for Terra
Date: 1 Dec 2017-5 Dec 2017

The final battle was set in the Terran desert; thousands upon thousands of soldiers, attacking indiscriminately, soaking the sands in blood. In this battle, enemy Commander Bura Kai was captured and executed by the rebellion. Its leader dead, its officers scattered, the Ilaran Army was thrown into disarray and easily defeated.

Casualties: 40,000 (10,000 RPR, 20,000 IA, 30 Civilian)

Aftermath
In the aftermath of the Ash Wars, the true Ilaran royal family retook the throne and began efforts to rebuild what had been lost. In the course of this rebuilding, new measures were taken to ensure that nothing of this kind would happen again by instituting the Council of Ilara, which would eventually evolve into the Major Council of the Ilara Cluster.