The kidnap of the Impostor

synopsis

A group of West Islanders decided to save a person, who was intended to be sacrificed during the Zeribian new year's festival 799AH. This violated the contract that had granted the Zeribians the right to religious self government. This incident was one of the first individual conflicts that lead to the Zeribian Revolution of Der Fem.

Background

Sun god Usahdeg's rebirth in the beginning of the year is celebrated by the Zeribians in Toad Cape by sacrificing an impostor. The impostor is chosen at random from all the citizens, excluding the heads of noble families, firstborn sons and people holding some important government positions such as high priests and high censors. For a year, the impostor impersonates the god and leads religious rites, until being sacrificed during the First Crop festival.

The Conflict

During the preparation for the First Crop of 799AH a mob arranged by a rich Faren citizen of the town decided to end the tradition. They attacked the temple of Usahdeg and kidnapped the impostor. The Zeribians were enraged when they found out. The Farens interferring with the tradition was a clear violation of the Gwarngad contract, that quaranteed the Zeribians the right to religious self government. The citizens that had gathered to celebrate, marshed instead to protestate in front of the city counsils palace, and demanded the sacrifice to be given back immediately.
In the meanwhile the person behind the kidnap sceme had went into hiding with the impostor, and the governor's didn't have any idea where they were. When they told this to the crowd, they didn't believe, because the council had earlier openly tried to convince the Zeribians to abandon the tradition. At this point a number of the crowd had had time to become quite drunk, and during the demonstration someone smashed the Gwarngad Stele in to pieces.
Next the Zeribians went into looking for the impostor, and attacked several West Islander houses in the city. After a couple of days of futile search, it became clear that the culprit must have left the city. The Farens behind the kidnap were later caught in trying to enter Portsmouth. They were sentenced of treason in an effort to calm the Zeribian unrest.

Aftermath

The impostor was never found and his fate is unknown The kidnappers told he had fled, but the Zeribians are convinced they killed him, when travlling with him in secret proved to be too difficult. In any case, the missing impostor proved to be a source for totally unseen religious dilemma. The impostor had been iniated to be the reincarnated Usahdeg, and he was infact believed to have become the god. A new imposor couldn't be chosen because the god wasn't released from the previous incarnation. This meant that all the religious celebrations of the next year fell into chaos. The priests and nobles spend their time arguing what should be done about the situation. In 800AH a new impostor was chosen, but he didn't receive the support of people. Later that year the leader of the Revolutionary forces, Šamper Nezen assumed the title of Reborn Usahdeg, the champion of the war god, who had come to liberate the people of the Republic's rulership.
The kidnap of the impostor was the first large scale military conflict leading to the Zeribian Revolution of Der Fem.

Included under Conflict

Zeribian Revolution of Der Fem

Battlefield Type

Urban

Start Date

First of Usahdeg 799AH

Location

Gaur