The Coalition of the Realms

The Coalition of The Realms

The Coalition of the Realms was a feudal confederation and alliance of rebellious provinces, kingdoms, and territories in Northern Kallonia during the War of the Five Nations (c. 639-644 Haethon Era). Founded in opposition to the expanding dominion of the Kingdom of Thenithria, the Coalition was led by King Oustarn of Pacis, a disinherited heir and former Thenithrian officer turned Rebel-King. The alliance emerged as a political and military resistance to imperial overreach, economic exploitation, and cultural marginalisation of the Northern Kallonian peoples under Thenithrian rule.

Origins

The Coalition was established in response to a severe famine and rising discontent within the Thenithrian-controlled provinces of Northern Kallonia. Thenithria’s extraction of resources and refusal to provide famine relief led to widespread suffering among the local populations. Oustarn, scion of the ancient royal family of Pacis and newly appointed governor, attempted to secure food through diplomacy but was rebuffed by the Thenithrian senate. In defiance, he rallied several disgruntled lords and declared himself King of Pacis, proclaiming the formation of the Coalition of the Realms as a united front to expel Thenithrian forces from Northern Kallonia.

Composition

The Coalition was composed of a diverse range of factions, each with its own cultural identity, military specialisations, and regional priorities. The three major founding realms were:

Pacis: A maritime and urbanised realm with strong naval traditions and elite heavy infantry, drawing inspiration from both Thenithrian and local military practices.
Kyrenthia: Known for its powerful cavalry and the fearsome Drkayar beasts, Kyrenthia brought mobile shock troops and a proud martial tradition to the alliance.
Aeigon: Famed for its archers and rangers, Aeigon contributed highly skilled ranged units and guerilla warfare expertise.

Additional factions, such as the Bouroeans, mountainous clans known for ambush tactics and longbow warfare, and the Epituraens, metallurgists and traders disillusioned with Thenithrian tariffs, also joined the cause. Each member retained internal autonomy but agreed to mutual defence and strategic coordination under the nominal leadership of King Oustarn.

Structure and Military Doctrine

The Coalition operated as a feudal confederation. While united under a common banner, it lacked centralised command, which proved a liability in prolonged engagements. Military forces were levied from local populations, with many units being hastily trained militias rather than professional soldiers. However, their knowledge of local terrain allowed them to engage in highly effective guerrilla warfare.

Coalition armies excelled in asymmetrical tactics, using concealment, local ambushes, and rapid mobilisation over rough terrain.

The War of the Five Nations

At its peak, the Coalition claimed control over large swathes of Northern Kallonia, scoring early victories by overrunning isolated Thenithrian garrisons. However, the arrival of Prince Anathaen, a brilliant and ruthless commander of Thenithria’s 1st through 9th legions, drastically shifted the balance. Anathaen's legions defeated a numerically superior Coalition army outside Pacis in a decisive engagement, forcing Oustarn into a long retreat into the highlands of Bouropheia.

Despite continued resistance and the strategic use of the rugged northern terrain, the Coalition was steadily driven into hiding. A surprise Norkinian invasion of Aentlan distracted Thenithria and offered the Coalition a brief reprieve, during which they re-established a base of operations in the north-western forests.

Victory and Legacy

The Coalition’s power surged following the entrance of the Norkinian Empire into the War of the Five Nations on the side of the Coalition and made rapid territorial gains as exhausted and thinly-stretched Thenithrian forces struggled to keep ahold of their early victories.

The Coalition was ultimately successful in its military objectives, driving the Thenithrians entirely from Northern Kallonia, and later invading Southern Kallonia and sacking Thenithria itself alongside their Norkinian allies. The Coalition's war of resistance against Thenithria inspired future uprisings across the crumbling Kingdom of Thenithria and shaped the identity of successor states in both Northern and Southern Kallonia, as well as various successor states in former Thenithrian colonies. Its legacy is particularly strong in Bouropheia, Kyrenthia, and Pacis, where monuments to the fallen and folk songs about the Nine Banners, the original signatories of the Coalition, remain a core part of the cultural fabric.

The Coalition of the Realms