Kaltstad Rebellion
The Rebellion at Kaltstad was one of the most critical events in the history of the Protectorates, and set the stage for the alliances that would culminate in the signing of The Tempus Accord that marks the beginning of the modern era.
Led by the Lord Protector of Kaltstad itself, the rebellion was aimed at securing independance for the workers of the ice-bound city from the control of the Ministry and of The Church of the Faceless.
When the previous Lord Protector died of old age, Rake Bluthalter used his popularity with the workers of the town to secure the position. He had served in The Shield during the Dawncrag Wars, and had risen to become a popular unionist with the workers and miners at Kaltstad during the city's contruction. Despite oppisition from traditionalists across the Protectorates, Rake managed to secure enough support within the local ministry that he was voted in to become the New Lord Protector of the town.
The Conflict
Prelude
Bouyed by this success, Rake then began to use his position to further agitate for worker rights. He challenged the many decisions of The Choosing, and encouraged talk of independance from the Protectorates with his people. He advocated for more equal distribution of the wealth that was being generated from the mines, and instead of simply shipping the materials out, began to stockpile and demand greater recompense for their efforts from the Lord Protectors at Helton and New Lafaelle.
by Midjourney
Deployment
Supply lines for the invading forces were supported by The Icerunners Guild, but despite this, the forces of Helton and New Lafaelle were small due to the great distance from the core cities.
The even smaller force of workers and loyal Shields under Rake Bluthalter were able to defend the strong city walls effectively, and the initial attack quickly devolved into a protracted seige.
Conditions
The beseiging forces, outside the walls of the city, suffered from being so exposed to the devastating sleet storms, and morale was low. Many of the forces on both sides had fought with each other during the Dawcrag wars, and despite the orders from those higher up, the invading forces had little appetite for civil war.
Rake used these conditions to his advantage, and smuggled propoganda materials and even bribes in the form of food and other comforts to the soldiers and captains of the invading force.
This began to result in defections from the invading force, who would act as saboteaurs aganist their leaders, or smuggle themselves into the city to bolster its defence.
Outcome
The stalemate of the seige was finally broken when the Lord Protector of New Lafaelle responded to secret overtures from the Empress of Novalucca and accepted her offers of aid in the seige.
She sent a large force of Bloodmages to assist the invaders. Bringing with them great stores of crystaline UHD, they were able to break the walls with explosiuve earth tremors. The very walls that the Kaltstad workers had spent years erecting, were turned to sludge and rubble in days.
The display of prowess from the Empress' bloodmages was as much a message to the other Lord Protectors as it was against the rebellions leadership. This was the first time the Protectorates had seen what the Deepkin bloodmages were capable of, and it was devastating.
The effect of the Novalucca Intervention saw the immediate and uncoditioinal surrender of the rebellion.
Aftermath
Treason and punishment
The leaders of the rebellion, inlcuding Lord Protector Rake Bluthalter himself, were captured upon their surrender. Most were taken to New Lafaelle and placed into long term imprisonment. Rake and his immediate advisors however were publicly exacuted in the main square of New Lafaelle - as a warning to any who would challenge the hegemony of the Protectorates and the Church of the Faceless.A new alliance
The alliance between the Lord Protectors of New Lafaelle and Helton with the Empress of Novalucca was now out in the open, and no longer one of espionage and secret dealings.Within the Protectorates
It made obvious to other agitators within the Protectorates that their insurgency would not go without significant opposition, and in the immediate aftermath, further dissent was quelled for many years. It saw an immediate swing across the Protectorate back to traditionalism, and the propoganda against the failed rebellion meant that those in the main cities of the Protectorates were far more supportive of nationalistic agenda. This was what enasble Ackron Der Kustos to successfully agitate for the invasion of Uferbrech.The Empire of Novalucca
The alliance also sent a significant message to the Empress' political opposition within Novalucca. The traditionalists under Malazaar Kyzen were now well aware that the Empress had more strength available to her as a result, and their plans for regime change have suffered a set-back as a result.New leaders
The vacancy left by the defeat of Lord Bluthalter was not filled by an election as it would have normally. Instead, the Lords of Helton and New Lafaelle appointed a senior member of the Faceless as a Caretaker for the city. The Caretaker was supported by a contingent of guards suppliued by the Empress of Novalucca herself.Historical Significance
Legacy
The decades following the failed rebellion saw the alliance between the Empress of Novalucca and the Protectorates expand into lucrative trade agreements. In Novaluuca, this saw the expansion of Kinport, which helped the Icerunners Guild strengthen their trade routes to the Sunside lands.
This allowed the Protectorates much easier trade with the Shimmerlands, as they could now avoid the treacherous Brightwelds mountain passes and the adversarial Dawncrag Goblins.
Ultimately, the burgeoning trade and alliance culminated in the signing of The Tempus Accord on the island now known as Timesdawn. This was the event that saw the international timekeeping system, and the restart of the calendar for the new era.
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