~Rei Byreathi~ - Byreath's War

This was a Retaea regional conflict that stemmed out of a Retaea clan feuds, and then grew through clan-based alliances and city politics to include clans from the Shemez Waste, Ofu-Laubu, Lea, and also Son. At its heart lay Lady Byreath of Clan Zhihuafa, who endeavored to control all trade across the Shemez Desert and Retaea Savannah-Moors.
Following the 24,543 Clanmoot, at which Byreath acceded to the Zhihuafa clanwifeship by slaying her rival Eieli in trial by combat, she led Clan Zhihuafa southwestward on the Stormtide migration, accompanied by two allied Retaea and Shemez clans. When the crossed the tradeway leading between Son and Lea, they found and raided a Son caravan heading to Lea, breaching the traditional immunity for inter-city trade. The Zhihuafa then called a conference of friendly Retaea and Shemez clans and traded and gifted the spoils among them. Then Lady Byreath headed eastward to Lea while simultaneously sending word to Ofu-Laubu via Clan Zaiara, to make both cities offers to guarantee trade protection. When word of the lost Son tradefare finally reached Lea, Byreath shifted the blame and encouraged Lea's Matronhood to take a confrontational approach to launching an inquisition among the Retaea Clans.
Byreath's ploy to set Lea against the Retaea Clans might have born fruit if she had not let personal feuds take precedence over strategy as Heaventide approached. Building on a long-standing conflict with Lady Vosaeth u'Veie Miniada after which only recently they had been forgiven, Byreath chose to take affront when her advances to Lady Vaeol Yaranevae of Son were rebuffed. In Koelae, 24,544, she sent a raiding party to attack Vosaeth's and Vaeol's households, in an ambush known as the Battle of the Three Brothers. When the raid failed, these households sent a psychic warning back to Son's embassy in Lea and brought warning to Clan Miniada, who invoked their alliances among the clans.
The Son ambassador's accusations before Lea's Matronhood caused controversy after Byreath's ingratiation into the city's favor and caused a no-conficence vote against Lady Nimizi, HIgh Matron of Lea, costing her seat. Yet it kept Lea from launching their inquisition among the clans, who instead investigated Zhihuafa connections within the city. Word also trickled northward to Ofu-Laubu, who, while interested in the offer Byreath's Shemez allies had proposed, withheld firm commitment under growing suspicion. Meanwhile, feuds and raids broke out among the clans as both the Miniada and Zhihuafa invoked allies, and unaligned clans tried to negotiate conflicting claims. Along with multiple skirmishes a successful Zhihuafa ambush occurred against Miniada scouts in Vinelae, 24,544, prior to the Blighttide Clanmoot, although without decisive resolution as the Clanmoot approached.
By the 24,544 Clanmoot, the war had gained such attention that both Ofu-Laubu and Lea sent embassies to witness developments. As Lady Byreath denied charges of instigating the war (blaming her fellow clansfolk captured in battle as rogue actors), her personal feud with Lady Vosaeth Miniade came to the fore, in which both they and the assembled clanwives agreed to a trial by champions, and by which ordeal the whole war would be settled. When Byreath's champion slew Vosaeth's, the outcome seemed determined, until Lady Vei, Clanwife of the Miniada, contrived a demonstration first by one of Byreath's forsaken Zhihuafa clanmates, and then a secretly planned appearance by Lady Vifaul, newly elected High Matron of Lea, who demanded Byreath return to Lea and account for her deeds. When Byreath refused and threatened to leave Clanmoot early, Clan Neuyila and Clan Merukatha, two Zhihuafa allies, broke away, along with several Zhihuafa households who had formerly supported Eieli for the clanwifeship. Byreath then raided the Merukatha herds, breaking the Clanmoot's truce and setting several unallied clans against them, including Clan Aloaha, headed by Lady Zhorofi, the Eldest among the Clanwives.
After Byreath's loss of prestige, Zhihuafa alliances with the Shemez Clans dissolved into disorganized feuds that Ofu-Laubu quelled piecemeal, reducing the conflict's scope to the Retaea and Lea only. During the 24,544 Stormtide southward migration, Clan Zhihuafa attacked Clan Aloaha and slew Lady Zhorofi. Lady Byreath then sent Zhorofi's skull to Lea and had it staked over the highway crossroads. For this affront, the Matronhood cursed her as an outlaw and set a watch upon Lake Arasene's western shore to forbid the Zhihuafa water. Meanwhile, Lady Vei of the Miniada negotiated a new clan alliance, including Clans Neuyila and Merukatha along with the Aloaha's survivors and logistical support from Lea. When the Zhihuafa sought to avoid their growing circle of enemies by hiding in the Bamboo Meadows south of the savannah-moors, Lady Vei predicted their path and ambushed them in early Asealae, causing Byreath and the surviving Zhihuafa to forsake the rest of their allies, who fled or surrendered.
As aftermath, with the war all over, Byreath and the remnant Zhihuafa appeared unexpectedly before Lea and begged a parley. Byreath then offered Lea the whole spoils of the Zhihuafa's raids as payment for safe passage over Lake Arasene to Than. When the Matrons wavered, Lady Vosaeth again challenged Byreath to combat, this time personally. The trial was set for Afaelae Treesong, until Vosaeth fell after a mamba bit her Shotalashu. Instead, Lady Vaeol of Son challenged Byreath and slew her, at which the surviving Zhihuafa scattered over the moors. Later, at the 24,545 Blighttide Clanmoot, Clan Zhihuafa was declared cursed, and any former clan members not adopted by other clans were made outlaw.

The Conflict

Prelude

Lady Byreath became clanwife of the Zhihuafa at the 24,543 Blightitde Clanmoot, defeating and slaying her rival Eieli. Following Byreath's accession as Clanwife of the Zhihuafa, she worked to develop an alliance, not only with traditionally allied Retaea Clans, but also with clans in the Shemez Desert and with the cities of Ofu-Laubu and Lea, with the goal of giving Clan Zhihuafa control of the main overland trade troutes across both the Shemez and the Retaea savannah-moors.

Outcome

• Banishment and Death of Byreath-Ile Zhihuafe.
• Dissolution of Clan Zhihuafa.

Aftermath

In an ironic twist, Lea came to blame Son for causing Byreath's War, citing the friendship between Lady Vaeol and Lady Vosaeth, although some claim the allegation was intended to deflect guilt from those of Lea's matrons who had allied with Byreath during the war. Relations between the two cities suffered for many years afterward, as the claim resurfaced as other cities needed leverage to pressure Son.

Historical Significance

Lady Byreath was apparently an admirer of the ancient Thief-Queens who had once ruled the Retaea Savannah-Moors and the Yaro Valley. She aspired to emulate their might.

Legacy

Lady Vaeol Yaranevae bore a scar upon her brow and right cheek for the rest of her life, where Byreath's axebill chopped through her helm's forebrim. When Vaeol arrived in Qabarat in 24,536, words of her defeat of Byreath preceded, earning her the title ~Halaeze Shaverazeve~ - Thief-Queen's Slayer, adding to her notoriety.

In Literature

Lady Vaeol recorded these events in her daylog (A Castrovel Adventure: Part 4)

Included Conflicts

• ~Ihesha Vaeolea Byreathea~ - Vaeol's & Byreath's Duel
• ~Soamil Tea-Zhaeaua~ - The Battle at the Three Brothers Hills

Conflict Type

War

Battlefield Type

Land

Start Date

24,543 ZS

Ending Date

24,545 ZS

Conflict Result

Defeat and Proscription of Clan Zhihuafa

Location

Retaea: the Lashunta Moorland Cradle

Belligerents

Clan Zhihuafa

Clan Miniada

Strength

~100 warriors

• ~75 Light Shotalashu Cavalry (Damaya & Korasha)
• ~25 Light Infantry (Korasha)

Various allied clans - variable

~90 warriors

• ~70 Light Shotalashu Cavalry (Damaya & Korasha)
• ~20 Light Infantry (Korasha)

Flag Yaranevaea of Son - 10 warrors

• 6 Medium Shotalashu Cavalry
• 4 Medium Infrantry

Various allied clans - variable

Casualties

~30 killed ~30 defected ~8 captured ~30 missing ~11 banished
~50 allies killed

~10 killed ~20 wounded
Unknown number of allies killed.

Objectives

Control of all trade across the Retaea and Southern Shemez

Alliance with Son Feud with Clan Zhihuafa