Solurian Civil War of 1717

The Solarian Civil War was the first and only major conflict between different parts of the Solarian Empire.

The war began when the West Merchant Guild and the Solarian Trading Company began imposing their own taxes and fees for access to trade routes and vessels. When cities affected began suffering, they appealed to the Solarian Military to intervene. The Solarian Military, headed by descendants of Markous Symbel III and Siberius Symbel began to move against the two trade conglomerates which were headed by the current Currency and Economic Advisers and owned by the current Emperor, Titus Symbel IV.

Due to this conflict of powers, the remaining advisers on the Advisory Council of the Emperor (the General of the Army, Admiral of the Navy, Civil Adviser, and Governance Adviser) declared a state of emergency and declared the Emperor a traitor to the Empire. Escalation to conflict occurred rapidly, when mercenary groups under the West Merchant Guild infiltrated the Military District of the capital city, Sol and set it ablaze. When aid ships attempted to enter, Solarian Trading Company vessels blockaded the city and began a naval battle between Solarian Navy ships stationed in and near the city.

This naval battle marked one of the bloodiest losses the Empire ever had, with over 29 ships captured and 53 sunk. Nearly 70,000 members of the Solarian military died, and over 100,000 were captured along with the major parts of the city of Sol. During this period, remaining citizens and soldiers loyal to the people of the Solarian Empire retreated to the citadel atop the mountain, currently known as the Hold. From there, they prevented the complete taking of the city for nearly seven months by launching guerrilla attacks from the labyrinth of passageways that led out of the mountain and under the main city.

Emperor Titus Symbel IV took this time period to flee the city and remain in hiding. When the main force of the Solarian Military began forming up and regularly assaulting forces under the control of the Solarian Trading Company and the West Merchant Guild, the siege on Sol broke and control returned to the Solarian Empire.

Afterwards, multiple military victories by the Solarian Army and Navy shattered the backbone of the two trading conglomerates and routed their forces.

Major battles of the war include:

• Battle of Solarian Bay
• Siege of Sol
• Siege of Mar
• Battle of Estrella
• Battle of Zvez
• Siege of Storm's Wind
• Battle of Peak's Rise
• Siege of Peak's End
• Battle of Hoch
• Battle of Rigel
• Siege of Rigel
• Battle of Rigelan Plains
• Battle of Grib's Bay

With the loss of the majority of their forces, the West Merchant Guild and the Solarian Trading Company dispersed their power and went into hiding. For the next three years, the Solarian Military chased the remnants of these conglomerates from towns and cities as they attempted to consolidate power and terrorize citizens for money and raw materials.

Raids by the remnants of the two trading groups became so frequent, the Solarian Sect began training priests and missionaries for combat in the event the town they were visiting was attacked. Citizens of the Solarian Empire, driven to desperate measures, collectively formed the Solarian Unity Collective, which then seized the power from the remainder of the Advisory Council. Under the command of the Solarian Unity Collective, the Unity movement began.

This movement routed those under the pay of the Solarian Trading Company and the West Merchant Guild from power, and executed them for treason. Due to the intense pressure from nearly all the citizens of the Empire, members of cults and small, violent religious groups were found to have funding from the two broken up trading groups. In return, the various cults had been preforming raids and had been killing dissenters in their spheres of influence. After violent action from the members of the Solarian Unity Collective and the Solarian Military, nearly all of the various cult and religious group members were captured and executed for treason.

After 9 months of intense and violent inquiries and executions, the location of the old Emperor, Titus Symbel IV was uncovered, and the Solarian Military moved to defeat and detain him. The battle for his capture pitted the remnants of the two trading groups, which had gathered for the final confrontation, and the Solarian Military in a violent battle that ended the war.

When Emperor Titus Symbel IV was executed after a trial by the Solarian Unity Collective, the war was officially ended.

The Solarian Unity Collective then established a central government system, currently known as the Governing Council and set up town and city governing for local dealings. After maintaining that this government system would work, and after a constitution detailing the intricacies of this system was written up and ratified by the large majority of the Solarian Empire's citizens, the Solarian Unity Collective disbanded and released control to the new central government.

The remaining descendants of Markous Symbel III and Siberius Symbel were given the Emperor's Palace and holdings to the various lands that the previous emperor had surrendered. The Emperor's Palace was turning into a museum for the Solarian Empire's history.