The Menhaden Incident

Tariel Lang, the democratically elected leader of Menhaden, successfully claimed independence from the empire during The Great Plague and The First Contact Wars.

While this claim was mostly enabled by troops being stationed on the front lines, and lack of logistical support from the Empire due to the extinction of horses. The people of Medhaden had voted and chose Lang as their leader.

From 351 to 363, Menhaden remained an independent city-state until the emperor called upon The White Rose to end Lang's notions of independence from Imperial society.

In the deep of the night the doors, opened and Tariel Lang gave himself up for execution, by laying a white rose at the feet of Emperor Medaka.

No one knows what exactly happened, but since then everyone knew the name of The White Rose the assassin’s guild that ‘defeated’ a city in a single day.

Lang was 'spared' after his beheading only because he was resurrected by his followers in Medhaden. He remains the elected leader of the city state but the Knights of Talon and The NOSian Church are swift to crush and talk of democracy.