Decree of Open Ground

Decree of Open Ground
Salt Coast Clearances route, circa 2038
Conflict	Protectorate Wars
Part of	Ulmarkan conquest of the Salt Coast
Date	2037–2041
Location	North-eastern Rendorlin (Salt Coast), three outlying islands
Result	Ulmarkan victory; establishment of four Ulmarkan Protectorates
Belligerents	Ulmarka Veyari civilians and tide-wardens
Commanders	Marshal Hjalmar Sorn (Ulmarka) Various Veyari leaders
Strength	Ulmarkan military forces ~150,000 Veyari civilians killed; ~240,000 total deaths
Casualties and losses	~150,000 Veyari civilians (Salt Coast Clearances) ~3,400 Veyari tide-wardens executed ~21,000 at Dunmarrow Massacre
Coordinates	41°12′N 18°03′E

Decree of Open Ground, an executive order issued by Ulmarkan Marshal-General Hjalmar Sorn, fundamentally altered the legal landscape of the northern territories during the Salt Coast Clearances. While ostensibly intended to remove perceived hostile populations from border regions deemed strategically vulnerable, the decree effectively authorized military commanders to clear civilians without trial or legal counsel. This broad grant of authority served as a pretext for indiscriminate massacres and forced relocations throughout Valeon, where hundreds of thousands of Veyari civilians were killed in what became known as the Salt Coast Clearances ^[1]. The operations escalated hostilities significantly following the Siege of Anselmar, transforming the northern coastline into a zone of systematic depopulation ordered by the ██████████████████████████.

The region affected, situated on the northern coast of Oryllis, fell largely under the administration of the state of Ulmarka, with parts of the far west and south subject to various forms of Ostrovian jurisdiction. Valeon's central location along both trade routes and strategic military interests made it one of the most heavily disputed territories in recent centuries. The decree specifically targeted areas such as those surrounding Lake Anselmar, which provided a vital water source for large swathes of the surrounding territory, yet these resources were not spared from the conflict ^[2]. Historically, the lakes had been integral to the region's economy and survival, but the military operations conducted between 2040 and 2041 disrupted this balance, leading to widespread damage to the environment and the displacement of entire communities.

The Salt Coast Clearances were a series of military operations conducted by Ulmarkan forces in Valeon from 2040 to 2041 during which hundreds of thousands of civilians were forcibly relocated or executed ^[3]. These clearances followed the Siege of Anselmar and represented an escalation of hostilities between Oryllis and Ulmarka following several years of growing tensions. The primary objective of the clearances was to remove civilian populations from areas deemed strategically important for military operations, most notably along the northern coastline of Valeon ^[4]. Although the Ulmarkan Empire claimed these actions were necessary for national security and the consolidation of grain land and timber resources, critics noted they functioned as colonial wars for resource extraction rather than purely defensive maneuvers.

The Decree of Open Ground authorized Ulmarkan military commanders to issue orders for the immediate removal of civilians from specified areas without the need for judicial review ^[5]. This executive power was exercised with ruthless efficiency, resulting in the execution of approximately 150,000 Veyari civilians during the clearances themselves. Ulmarkan bout tribunals later 'pinned' and executed an additional 3,400 Veyari tide-wardens who were accused of harboring resistance or hoarding resources ^[6]. The Dunmarrow Massacre in November 2038, which killed about 21,000 people, was a precursor event that demonstrated the Empire's willingness to use extreme violence to secure its claims on the coast.

Following the clearances, the conquered land became the four Ulmarkan Protectorates, home to approximately 4 million people, a quarter of whom were Veyari ^[7]. The territory was settled by Ulmarkan homesteaders in Oil Homesteads, fundamentally changing the demographic and cultural landscape of the region. The Pact did not intervene during these events, allowing the Ulmarkan Empire to consolidate its hold over the Salt Coast and three outlying islands. This period marked a dark chapter in the history of Renmaros, where the promise of new opportunities for migrants like the Veyari was overshadowed by the reality of mass displacement and death ^[8].

• Protectorate Wars
• Siege of Anselmar
• Dunmarrow Massacre
• Ulmarkan Empire