The Reformation was a conflict that occurred 15 years before the events of Tactics Ogre: The Knight of Lodis. As part of their expansionist policy, the Holy Lodissian Empire tried to force the island nation of Ovis to surrender themselves to the jurisdiction of the empire. When Ovis refused, Lodis declared war.
The Reformation[]
Lodisian troops quickly started pouring into the shores of Lodis with strict orders to force the people to accept the rule of Lodis and doctrine of Lodisism or be obliterated for disobedience. One of the most notorious examples of their aggressive campaign was the town of Blete, which was completely razen and almost all of the townspeople killed.
At first the region of Rananculus, seat of power in Ovis, took arms against the empire, but their fewer numbers and weapons meant that a complete defeat was inevitable. William Batraal, patriarch of the Batraal Family and ruler of Ovis, choose to surrender before Lodis crushed them completely, signing a treaty which declared that the island would submit to the empire and their religious doctrine, in exchange of being allowed local autonomy.
As a result of said treaty, many superstitions and traditions of Ovis (such as the Legend of the Fallen Angel) were erradicated in favor of the teachings of Lodisism, and port towns started trading with the empire. Soon after, Ostorea, home of the Batraal Family, was visited by the Duke of Felis and his son; during this visit the Duke learned of the existance of the Longicolnis from William.
Aftermath[]
Naris Batraal, William's brother, was furious at the treaty, which he blamed on his brother's weakness. To usurp the position of ruler of Ovis, he had William secretly poisoned, and tricked the populace into thinking it was the result of illness; William's wife, inexperienced in the matters of politics, didn't protest Naris' rise to power, and neither could Ivanna or Malicia, who were too young at the time. William's wife and Malicia were sent to live on a villa outside Ostorea, while Ivanna began her training and a Knight. Ivanna suspected Naris of her father's death, but was unable to act in fear of her family's wellbeing.
For the next 15 years, Naris plotted a counterattack against Lodis. He intended to find the legendary Longicolnis and use it to gain power. While he was sure of its existance thanks to the legend being passed down the Batraal family line he was unable to find information on it. Some undetermined time later two mysterious veneficus, Lethe and Cirvante, contacted Naris and offered their services to locate the Longicolnis.