The Incursion was a brief but transformative conflict in the mid-500s AW that fundamentally reshaped the political landscape of Hanaq and established Esperanto as the dominant imperial power. Despite lasting only one week, the Incursion’s impact extended far beyond the military engagement itself, encompassing widespread social upheaval, territorial expansion, and the crystallization of modern geopolitical order.
Background
The mid-500s AW was a period of unprecedented instability across upper Hanaq. The Troubadour movement had spread revolutionary ideologies throughout the branches, while Esperanto’s economic policies were creating dependencies through deliberate market manipulation. Esperanto initially allowed kingdoms to sell their goods in Esperanto markets without tariffs, making membership appear incredibly lucrative. Only after dependencies were established did kingdoms discover what happened when Esperanto opened its superior markets to local competition—domestic industries were rapidly undercut and destroyed, creating total economic dependence on continued union membership.
Simultaneously, Armada was experimenting with wealth redistribution policies influenced by Troubadour ideals, including the controversial Levee Act that granted unprecedented authority to tax nobility. These reforms created responses ranging from eager acceptance to violent resistance across affected regions.
The Week of Fighting
The crisis began when Esperanto established a colony in the upper trunk—a region previously considered untamable due to the presence of extremely dangerous monsters and consequently powerful pirates. This development shocked canopy dwellers who had never imagined anyone could successfully colonize such territory. Warden’s Sovereign responded with an unprecedented territorial claim on this new colony, likely interpreting the widespread chaos and ideological upheaval as a sign of Esperanto’s weakness and seeing an opportunity to test their rival’s resolve.
The brief military engagement demonstrated Esperanto’s overwhelming superiority in a manner that surprised all observers. What Warden intended as a limited territorial probe became a devastating revelation of the true balance of power between the two empires.
Territorial Consequences
During the fighting, Esperanto rapidly seized multiple trunk territories beyond the originally contested colony. Whether through military action or local populations seeking protection, Esperanto established control over vast new regions previously considered inaccessible.
Following the cessation of hostilities, five additional islands formally requested to join the Universal Union, preferring voluntary integration to the prospect of eventual conquest. This wave of expansion marked Esperanto’s transformation from a powerful trade federation to the dominant territorial force in Hanaq.
Political Transformation
The Incursion established Armada’s authority as both military force and administrative apparatus. The successful demonstration of their wealth redistribution policies under combat conditions legitimized their role as agents of social engineering, making resistance to programs like the Levee Act effectively impossible for individual kingdoms.
Recognizing that Armada’s proven power required institutional checks, Esperanto established the Bannersairs system through the Ministry of Marque. This created a parallel pillar of power that could operate independently while remaining integrated within Esperanto’s framework, channeling potential dissidents and skilled warriors into productive roles.
Rather than retreat after their defeat, a coup within Warden replaced the bellicose Sovereign with a more calculating successor. This new leadership transformed the confrontation into a series of carefully managed proxy conflicts that continue to define inter-imperial relations, establishing the rules of engagement that both powers operate under today.
Legacy
The Incursion marked the effective end of pure Troubadour ideology, as the successful demonstration of institutional reform over revolutionary upheaval convinced many that practical change through existing power structures was superior to utopian transformation.
The event permanently altered how upper Hanaq viewed Esperanto—no longer a mere trade league but a necessary bulwark against trunk expansion. Kingdoms and republics that had resisted centralization willingly sacrificed autonomy for security, cementing Esperanto’s transformation into a genuine empire and creating the modern three-pillar system that governs the organization today.