Template:Organisation-H The Tears of Dawnstar (or more commonly known as Dawnstar), was a resistance movement against the military forces of House Shaaa in the Alsace system, operating during the Hapan Civil War. It was originally formed by a group of radical Alsacian volunteer foot soldiers, predominantly male, determined to put an end to the tyrannical rule of Countess Emilie Shaa of Alsnin, the de-facto overseer of the Alsace system.
The Tears of Dawnstar was a small, but significant operation, with only the initial founding members having any prior military training and experience. The organization consisted primarily of male peasants, who at first were seeking a chance to alter the course of their own livelihoods. But at the peak of their operations, Dawnstar was a highly tactical and organized outfit, and many future historians have often labeled its members as revolutionists, though a more accurate term would describe the Tears of Dawnstar as a rebel cell group.
Much of Dawnstar’s activity was stricken from historical records by the ruling House Shaa, however its legacy carries on even today.
Founding
The Tears of Dawnstar was founded by four male Alsacian soldiers who deserted the Draconian forces of House Shaa during the escalating conflicts between the Draconian Union and the Victory Alliance in Alsace. As expendable volunteers (as they were male), no significant attempt was made to locate and detain the deserters. One of the four deserters, Makel Strom’fel, who originally urged his companions out of military service, was a staunch, anti-nobility, free-thinker. Prior to conscription into military service, Strom’fel made a living as a journalist. He secretly published a radical newsletter, known as the “Alsacian Liberation Journal,” that reported on numerous war atrocities committed by both the forces of the Draconian Union and the Victory Alliance. It was never his intent to organize a military movement against either group, but his newsletter was merely meant to stir up the Alsacian people into action.
However, it was these very ideals that Makel Strom’fel wrote about in his newsletters that served as the ideals the Tears of Dawnstar would be founded upon. Strom’fel brought together the various small resistance movements scattered across the Alsace system and formed a loose organization that would serve as the backbone of Dawnstar. They made their base of operations out of the Desert of Cavallero, a continent-sized expanse of arid sand and scatterings of oases. It was Strom’fel’s hope that the desert would serve not only to conceal their secret operations, but also to train and toughen his growing forces in the ability to survive harsh conditions.
Tactics
Makel Strom’fel and his three companions, Rashk Fey, Tryn Dara’shan and Ormel Ihm, utilized what little military training they received and taught the basics to the many peasants and aliens that made up the resistance movement. Because of their lack of military knowledge, funding and their small numbers, Strom’fel stressed the importance of hit-and-run tactics, covert operations, and small skirmishes. Guerilla warfare would become the main offensive strategy for Dawnstar, and they focused primarily on disrupting the military movements and capabilities of the Draconian Union, which eventually emerged victorious over the Victory Alliance.
Eventually, word of the Dawnstar’s resistance against the Draconian Union spurred support throughout the Alsace system. Dawnstar began to receive funding through secret, sympathetic sources. Their operations slowly grew, but Strom’fel strove to maintain the underground character of Tears of Dawnstar, avoiding the escalation of direct confrontation, which would have inevitably led to quick defeat.
Their guerilla strikes against various military targets were praised by anti-Draconian media, but were condemned as terrorist activity by House Shaa, who continued to downplay the actions of the resistance movement. Countess Emilie Shaa herself publically dismissed Dawnstar as a proverbial thorn in her side. However, House Shaa began to refocus their military efforts away from solidifying their defenses of the Alsace system and instead towards the elimination of any rebellious activity.
Major Events
Strom’fel’s Death
In the year 3976, Dawnstar forces, led by Makel Strom’fel attacked a military base on Cavallero. The offensive was one of the few unsuccessful campaigns attempted by Dawnstar, as Strom’fel had emerged as a highly capable military strategist. However, his forces were overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of Draconian troopers, as well as a battalion of Charubian cyborgs, whom Dawnstar had yet to face in battle. His intelligence gathering having failed him, Strom’fel was forced to abort the mission, at the cost of his own life.
Makel Strom’fel’s death was a particularly striking blow to Tears of Dawnstar, and the Alsacian revolutionary movement as a whole. Long regarded as the “Father of the Alsacian Liberation,” Dawnstar was on the brink of disbanding. However, Strom’fel’s foster daughter, Lyric Shaa, assumed command of the rebel cell and re-ignited the fire that once burned within the hearts of Dawnstar. Dawnstar rose to new heights under the expert leadership of Shaa, forcing the hand of Countess Shaa into committing drastic action.
Attack on the Maiden of Iron
In the year 3981, Dawnstar attacked Countess Shaa’s personal warship, the Maiden of Iron. Dawnstar had received intelligence report that the ship, along with the Countess aboard, would be visiting a recently constructed Golan I station over Dreema, which was believed to be a military station. However, it was a trap laid by a calculating Emilie Shaa, and ultimately the final mission of Dawnstar would result in failure.
Dawnstar’s leader, Lyric Shaa was captured and she and the remaining insurgents were executed through Emilie Shaa’s trademark Gun of Command-style executions. The Dawnstar base of operations were thoroughly razed, formally snuffing out rebel cell group.
Legacy
Very little information remained regarding the Tears of Dawnstar in the historical records, either due to the rebel cell’s secretive operations or House Shaa’s attempt to wipe any mention of the group from memory. However, though Dawnstar would eventually be eliminated, the Alsacian resistance movement continued, albeit at a much smaller scale.
It was believed that the actions of Dawnstar were significant, as they had set back the Draconian military in establishing a foothold in Alsace. Many historians even argue that due to Dawnstar’s guerilla warfare against House Shaa and the other resistance movements that would follow, the ability of the Draconian Union to repel the Phoenix Movement was severely hampered, leading to the Draconian Union’s eventual defeat at the hands of Andrew Starfyre and the Phoenix Movement.
