The solstice has come again. Winter is officially here, the sun (and the Hogfather) has been reborn, and it will begin getting lighter again. A few days before the Solstice something beautiful happened. It was a small thing, but deeply meaningful to me and it made me want to write about it–something that I haven’t done in a good long while.
It was this past Monday when I cam across a facebook post from an old high school friend who reposted a blogpost by her twin sister about their mother. It’s an amazing piece of writing about a person–an individual who I never met in person, but who I almost feel like I know now. The honesty, the kindness, the details about a relationship that spanned 50 years–all encompassed within a few pages of text– moved me deeply. You should read it.
I responded to the post–after figuring out how to create an account and all that jazz–to express my wonder at this lovely ode to a mother whose long plastic arms were always reaching out to help her children. But I also responded because the core element of beauty in the post contrasted so starkly with elements of my own life. As I’ve written about before, nothing truly beautiful is without an element of pain. Things can be pleasurable. They can be Joyful. They can be comfortable. They can be attractive. But for something to be beautiful, they often have to cut you in some way.
This beautiful post cut me especially because I did not and do not have a mother with long plastic arms. I have a different mother and our relationship is much more filled with harsh edges, battles for control, and distances to contain the possible intensity of our exchanges. Unlike my friend, I didn’t have an up close and personal understanding of her experience of motherhood until I met my wife and got to see her with her own kids.
And it was in those moments of reflection about all of these feelings and history–and in my attempts to express them back out to others–that a bit of enlightenment happened. A moment of clarity on the overall state of the universe as well as my place within it. My framework of reality was moved. Perhaps refocused or shifted so that I perceived the infinitely complex facets of existence in a different way.
And if that was all that had happened on Monday, it would still have been worth writing about–but that was not all.
Because on Monday, right after reading about long plastic arms of love, I then walked downstairs to get some coffee and found my laundry basket full of clean, washed clothes that needed carrying back upstairs to be sorted, folded, and put away. And at that moment, I instantly thought back to the Zen proverb that I had encountered decades before (and that I had almost instantly then put in my .sig files for emails) that said “After enlightenment, the laundry.”
This happenstance occurrence made me stop and rethink things. Concretely, I had long understood/interpreted the phrase, “After enlightenment, the laundry” to be a reminder to us that the world isn’t just made up of the pursuit of enlightenment broadly construed. The world is not just about epic quests for knowledge or power or exploration. Societies and humans do not just exist during the exciting and moving flashes of brilliance or skill. Rather, the world also needs to have its laundry done. Mundane tasks are also there waiting for us–and that is not a bad thing. This kind of work is actually crucial for our existence in that if they don’t get done, things tend to break down.
But this personal interpretation of the proverb–while not bad (it fits in well with my rather liberal roman catholic upbrining)–misses some things because it implicitly assumes that enlightenment and laundry are fundamentally different things being contrasted with each other RATHER than being two interchangeable elements in our life that share more in common than they don’t. Why should the action of doing laundry be any less about our enlightenment of existence in this universe just because it’s a commonly occurring action of ours. ”After enlightenment, the laundry” need not be interpreted as a contrast–i.e. After Wisdom, useful drudgery–but could be seen more as a list… like “After apples, grapes.”
This shifted the framework again–and I saw things yet again differently–but just as richly as before.
And then I sorted and folded my laundry and put it away. And I promised myself that I would put these moments down somewhere so that I could come back to them later as well as sharing them with others.
Happy Solstice Everyone. May the new year bring you enlightenment, laundry, beauty, and happiness.
This post covers the past 40,000 years of human and related humanoid history in the Vlanaesses. It was in that time that human migrations into the Vlanaesses–in the form of a number of different waves–changed the demographic AND geographic dimensions of this subcontinent. This timeline focuses primarily on human events (and secondarily on Elven) as they make up more than half of the anthropoid population. Other groups history certainly exists and may be covered in future posts.
Along with a timeline of major events, maps that show the spread of different demographic groups. On these maps, the different human ethnic groups along with Elves, Dwarves, Orcs, Golbinoids, Dragonborn, and Goliaths are shown.
38000 BA (Before Apocalypse)
First migration of Vasken across land bridge from Hempomonaland into the southern Vlanaesses just as the last Ice age is beginning to end. This land bridge disappears by 35000 BA as sea levels rise. The Vasken are the first humans within the Vlanaesses.
20000 BA
The Vasken spread up around the Vasken sea and north up to the North Coast.
19000 BA
Potatoes and rice are discovered and domesticated by Vasken farmers. Potatoes come from the southern range of hills extending from the Vask Hills in the west to the Hestmark Highlands in the east while Rice is domesticated from the river valleys of the Zamarro Coasts.
18000 BA
Vasken domesticate wheat from the grasses growing around the Flinty Hills and plains.
17000 BA
Vasken domesticate Rye and Barley from the Bluff hills in the north.
15000 BA
Large permanent settlements appear throughout Vasken settled areas. City states and various kingdoms and political structures form.
12000 BA
Vasken Civilization at its peak development and size. Beginning of Blood Moon events–Imprisonment of Nagalun, creation of the Yuan-ti, and destruction of Surface Elves.
12000 BA (Before Apocalypse)
11960 BA (Before Apocalypse)
All Surface Elves are gone–either transformed into monstrosities or they have fled into the Underdark.
11950 BA
Mini Ice age begins –50 years known as the “Cold Years” destroy the Vasken Empire. Population declines reach 90-95%. Only Vasken in areas around Vaskenland and southwards continue to exist as a kind of society. The vast northern Vasken lands collapse due to famine, plague, wars, and humanoid and monster invasions.
11900 BA
Major Vasken civilization has utterly collapsed. Over 95% of population has died or migrated south. Only remnants of civilization are coastal villages around Vasken Sea, in the Vask Hills and the Zamarro Peninsula
11900 BA
9000 BA (Before Apocalypse)
Some of the migrating Vasken tribes spread over southern part of coastal regions of continent of Aardith and bring domesticated crops with them. Rice and potato varieties spread in the lowlands and highlands respectively. Population booms for agricultural societies transform populations on the southeastern coastal areas of Aardith and spread inwards.
6000 BA
Collapse of Nidus River Valley civilization disrupts central Aardith. Parthekan tribes coalesce as one successor group that begins slow eastwards expansion.
5000 BA
Geltorian tribes begin long slow colonization migrations northwards under pressure from neighboring Kurtic empire.
4900 BA
4500 BA (Before Apocalypse)
The Great Rivening occurs. Before this point, the Elves of Andunia, the Farathian coast, and the Rhunland (and the Sea Elves in the Farathian sea) have no abstract memories. They all knew their friends, names, and the details of their cities and surrounding territory, but nothing else. Their knowledge of lands outside of their homelands was also gone–which led to some gradual expansion and exploration.
4490 BA
Elven explorers encounter Vasken settlements and travel to the Vaskenland as emmisarries. The elves are treated well by the Vasken, but are surprised to have met a new humanoid race that they’ve never encountered before. They are also fascinated when some Vasken speak of ancient legends of Elves living here thousands of years ago and show them historical tomes with Elves and Vasken working together.
4400 BA
First Half-elves come into existence in Vlanaesses. They are treated as embarrassing by many in Andunia, but in the Rhunland and with many Sea Elves that have more contact with Vasken, they are accepted and even embraced.
4400 BA
4200 BA (Before Apocalypse)
Elven expansion and colonization begins. The majority of of the colonizers come from The Rhunland with a added contingents from parts of the Farathian Coast. These elves settle in the Rieuwood, the Adri & Grandwood Forests, the Celadon Forest, the Fellreev & Vesve forests and in the Bramblewood Forest. The elves of Andunia tend to be more conservative and reclusive, although one colonization effort did leave Andunia to colonize the Dim Forest. That group was led by a branch of the Andunian royal family especially tied to the Feywild.
4100 BA
Migrating Geltorian tribes overrun Klaegoi city states and culture along Eastern Coast of Aardith. Geltorians pick up numerous cultural traits from the more advanced, but smaller Klaegoi city states.
4000 BA
Parthekan expansion eastwards brings them in contact with the Slobolakoi. After a century or two of raiding, trade relations become more established.
3900 BA
3650 BA (Before Apocalypse)
Massive civil war rends apart the Shakzar Dynasty Empire. As the state crumbles to infighting, tribes in the eastern edges migrate and expand even further east to escape the warfare.
3500 BA
Falkunish history seems to begin around now with an origin myth of their people escaping from a plague of demonic spores falling from the skies that infected, mutated, and eventually consumed all other life. As their planet became another level of the abyss, a group of dragons helped create a portal for the last stronghold of the Falkunen, (who were living in a massive underground city) to escape. 500,000 Falkunen escaped through a long magical tunnel to emerge from caverns in the mountains next to the Sunset mounds. They brought with them the eggs from the dragons that had created the portal and died defending it. The Falkunen were instructed to leave these eggs in in rivers and lakes and that when the time was right, they would hatch and the dragons would return. After hundreds of years, the Falkunen came to view these tales as myths–much like their origins– but the Nordsee and the rivers in Falkunland are remarkably free of dangerous creatures and there are always numerous sightings–usually by children–of friendly sea serpents in these areas.
3450 BA
After a number of years of venting ash, Mount Thela explodes in an enormous explosion, spewing ash, poisonous gasses and rocks in a 30 mile radius. Thelos, one of the leading Klaegoi city states is obliterated, as are many other nearby islands. The devastation destabilizes the area for the next century creating refugees, famine, and general havoc.
3400 BA
3360 BA (Before Apocalypse)
Falkunish people forge deep ties with the Dwarvish and Gnome communities they encounter in the mountains and hills of their new home. Although humans had been the only humanoid race on their home planet, the Falkunen immediately admired Dwarvish tradecraft and mining skills. Beneficial mutual trade grows quickly and Falkunish migrations often include Dwarven settlers/prospectors and Gnomish artificers.
3200 BA
Falkunish populations have grown large enough that they spread out north past the Nordsee. Colonization and expansion in the broad plains up to the Burneal forest proceeds rapidly.
3100 BA
Parthekan tribes move into the great basin.
3080 BA
Overpopulation leads to a push for Geltorian tribes out of the relatively mountainaous Klaegoi territories northwards. Not all Geltorians leave, but the majority of the population does move northwards by land and boat in search of territory.
3060 BA
Dwarven Republic in Amontar mountains proclaimed.
3000 BA
Numerous Geltorian tribes move through the valleys of the Southern Amedio mountains into a large, fertile basin. Various city states are set up in the area.
2900 BA
2800 BA (Before Apocalypse)
Parthekan and Geltorian expansion and conquest bumps up against each other in the passes of the Sulhaut Mountains. Some minor battles take place, but advances by either side are quickly thwarted.
2700 BA
Falkunish expansion north of the Nordsee extends up into the territories bordering the Burneal Forest, Dramij Ocean and Cold Marshes. These lands provide a lot of the food for the original heartland of Falkunenland
2450 BA
Some Falkunish tribes set off across the Dramidj Ocean to explore new lands. They are never heard from again.
2400 BA
2200 BA (Before Apocalypse)
Brutal warfare between the Parthekan tribes of the Nedeans and Karthians leads to atrocities in Slobolakoi territories. Slobolakoi leaders decide to flee northwards and away from the brutal Parthekan wars.
2000 BA
Slobolakoi tribes have colonized the entire Paynim plains and the territories to the west of the Yatil Mountains and Barrier peaks.
1900 BA
Falkunish tribes encounter Slobolakoi groups pushing up north on the Western side of the Yatils. They are repulsed by the superior heavy and medium cavalry of the Falkunish forces. Falkunish steel makes a name for itself and is eventually sought by the Parthekan and Geltorians to the south. After initial hostilities, things settle down with the Yechna hills serving as a de facto border.
1900 BA
1500 BA (Before Apocalypse)
First Geltorian Kingdom proclaimed, but lasts only 40 years before it falls apart due to internal squabbles and a lack of unity.
1000 BA
Trade between the Slobolakoi groups and the Falkunen begins to grow as Slobolakoi trade routes bring exotic Parthekan goods to the Falkunisch trading post in exchange for Falkunisch metalworks and manufactures.
990 BA
Various Geltorian states form a communal governing body–The Geltorian Senate–where representatives from each city-state or region work together to create communal laws and treaties.
812 BA
Parthiskian Empire Unified under House Antigonian of the Parthiskian tribe.
801 BA
Significant attacks by large humanoid armies coming across the Amedio Mountains lead the Senate to create the office of Speaker, who acts over a 10 year period to organize the armed forces and fight off the invaders. Stratagas–a general from a minor noble house (Bellutae) with a long military history–is made speaker and crushes the invaders. After 10 years, he peacefully resigns from office, while his family is given a large estate near the Amedio Mountains.
756 BA
Under growing unease about encroaching Parthiskian empire, Lord Tacitas Bellutae proclaimed First Speaker of the Geltorian Empire. He is given a 20 year term to solidify defenses and unify the various houses. He succeeds, and his family continues to be elected to the position every 10 years thereafter. They eventually become recognized as the first Geltorian Emperors.
598 BA
Border clashes by the Sulhaut mountain passes between the Parthiskian and Geltorian empires lead to a brief war (~2 years) that was never very intense. Peace Treaty regulating trade afterwards leads to 500 years of growth and peace.
240 BA
During the High Feasts of the Falkunish Capital city, an 9′ tall Cloaked individual appeared at the opening ceremonies of the Final Feast day. He spoke in a booming voice to the assembled council and common folk that 1000 years from now, they would be called to help protect this world from growing evil that would try to take over the Vlanaesses. They would see a signal from the sky, and at that time, they would need to spread far and wide and build up their strength for the coming battles. Throwing back its hood, the being had a Draconic head. It proceeded to transform into a cobalt blue and magenta striped Dragon known from Falkunish legends, It then flew off into the night sky and was not seen again.
160 BA
Goblinoid warbands flood out of the Lortmills into the plains and country south of Stillweis Lake. They disrupt trade between Elven Kingdoms in the Vesve forests and Andunia.
87 BA
A Minor house (Hispargas) in the Geltorian Empire proclaims that the Geltorian Emperor is an imposter and tries to seize the thrown while the Emperor is touring the far western provinces. This coup attempt is put down, and there’s some evidence of Parthiskian involvement, but the Parthiskian Ambassador strenuously denies all involvement.
62 BA
Orcish populations grow large in the foothills of the Rakers and begin to spread southwards. Constant infighting keeps them from growing too large however.
43 BA
A famine hits the border provinces of the Parthiskian empire, while a bumper crop occurs right across the mountains in Geltor. Some claim that Geltorian clergy and gods caused the failure, but this is denied. Tensions rise.
42 BA
Heliobund founded by high level Paladin from Geltorian Royal Guard and a Parthiskian Arch-War Mage to combat destabilizing forces. In subsequent years, the order will grow and discover a growing Yuan-ti menace.
17 BA
A small Hobgoblin Kingdom forms in the far southeast portion of the Eastern Vlanaesses.
1 BA
Geltorian Prince assassinated in Parthiskian Empire. War almost starts except Heliobund captures assassins, spies, and minions of Yuan-ti conspiracy. Evidence provided to Grand Council of Parthiskia and the Geltorian Senate. Empires are convinced and join forces to destroy Yuan-ti empire that is discovered to be in the neighboring Amedio Jungle/
0 PA Year of the Apocalypse
Amedio Jungle riven by combined magic of Parthiskian and Geltorian forces. Yuan-ti empire is laid waste in what becomes known as The Apocalypse.
0 PA Year of the Apocalypse
20 PA (Post Apocalypse)
Combined Parthiskian and Geltorian forces mop up and clear out any remaining Yuan-Ti from Amedio Jungles. The area starts to revert to jungle again, but there are now active volcanoes and fissures in the earth along with wasteland areas where nothing grows.
25 PA
Grand Treaty of Helios is signed–joint council to settle disputes is set up and trade between two empires increases dramatically. Population booms in each empire lead to a boom in emigration..
50 PA
Geldae tribes move into Sheldomar Valley. A few settlers reach the northern end, but most are settled in the southern areas.
100 PA
Rodinae Tribes flood across the sea to Eastern Vlanaesses and settle southern and western coastal areas
113 PA
Ahlissa is founded on the Coast of the Vasken Sea by Rodinians following the Cult of Solaternus. It will serve as a bridgehead for colonization around the Vasken Sea..
130 PA
Cisaltian Islands totally conquered and serve as staging ground for conquest of the eastern territories.
142 PA
Flanmi River delta and beyond becomes a focus of Rodinian colonization efforts. Battles against the growing Hobgoblin warbands become common.
150 PA
170 PA (Post Apocalypse)
Most of the Zamorro Peninsula hbeen conquered by Rodinian forces.
182 PA
Flanmi River colonization expands rapidly as warships can travel extremely far up river. Large territories along the rivers are taken quickly and settlers pour into the fertile lands.
212 PA
Scythe Islands are colonized.
249 PA
Northernmost exten of Geldae Colonization of Sheldomar Valley is reached.
289 PA
First Goliath fiefdoms start to form from smaller tribal groups.
300 PA
350 PA (Post Apocalypse)
Many Vasken areas are conquered and heavily settled by Rodinian colonists. Many of the Vasken leave and migrate to what will become Azurdee, Lunasia or the Vaskenland, but some remain and become part of the new Rodinian society. This merger is most common in Azurdee and parts of the Zamarro Coast and less common in the area that would become the Prelate of Ahlissa.
396 PA
Orcish warlords coalesce into a larger Orcish state except for the Hraak Clans that refuse to submit to Overlord Galuk’Nar. The Hraak tribe begins migrating northwards to the west of the Rakers.
402 PA
Uruk Redeemers–a quasi-monastic order of primarily Orc paladins and warriors–conquer at least 50% of the territory between the Jotenspurs and the Hool Marshes. They are recognized by the Dutchy of Britennza and the growing Gallatian Protectorate.
450 PA
Rodinian expansion continues north and northwestwards, but at at a slower pace. Such expansion brings them in direct contact with the growing Orc Dominion.
450 PA
454 PA (Post Apocalypse)
Blaufax settlement founded by Geldaen miners near rich deposits of gems in the Cairn Hills south of the massive and dangerous Cairn swamps.
461 PA
Geldaen expansion westwards into the heavily wooded areas near the Crystalmist mountains progresses. These domains had previously been considered under the stewardship of the the Elves of the Dim Forest, but small groups of Geldaen settlers are allowed in to help hold the territory against the Giants and monsters of the Crystalmists.
482 PA
Uruk Redeemers form alliance with Dwarven Lords in the Zwerg hills. They work together to battle the giants in the east and conquer the lowlands and hills.
490 PA
Orcish raids into Rodinae territory devastate and destroy numerous areas. A large group of Rodinian colonists are cut off from the Rodinian heartland. They migrate northwards away from Orcish depredations.
500 PA
Falkunisch population pressure leads to some expansion eastwards to Stillweiss lake. This brings the Falkunen in greater contact with the Elves of the Vesve Forest. Limited trade relations grow, but the very groudned and mechanical/industrial outlook of the Falkunisch culture tends to keep the elves at a distance. The elves do appreciate Falkunisch Steel, however, and seem to consider the Falkunen to be “taller dwarves” in many ways.
500 PA
516 PA (Post Apocalypse)
Caelendari Legions crush the Orcish Warlords who had been raiding Rodinian settlements around the Adri Forest. The orcs that are not captured, are scattered to the winds. Captured orcs are transported to the Scythe Islands for work in the sugar plantations. No one calls it slavery, because they are orcs. The entire Northeastern territories of Rodinae pledge allegiance to House Caelendari.
521 PA
Massive Goblinoid invasion out of Lone Heath into Southern Rodinian lands leads to a joint maneuver by House Navarri and Calendari to crush the Goblinoid tribes there. They are completely annihilated in the Battle of Rel Astra. House Navarri also pledges allegiance to House Calendari.
525 PA
Bruvalian II, head of House Caelendari is proclaimed Emperor of the Great Rodinian Empire.
535 PA
Rodinian settlers by Fellreev Forest and Artonsomay river sends emissaries to Bruvallan II, asking for more settlers to colonize and work the fertile lands they’ve found.
540 PA
Rodinian colonization starts up again. Rodinian settlers head towards “lost” Rodinian colony by Fellreev forest.
550 PA
564 PA (Post Apocalypse)
Falkunish settlements spread around Stillweiss Lake. As the spread south, they come under attacks from Hobgoblin warlords to the South. Warfare between the Falkunish settlers and the Hobgoblins becomes fairly continuous.
612 PA
The “new” Rodinian settlments near the Fellreev forest grow due to fertile lands, but are then threatened by Hobgoblin warbands. Rodinian Legions from the Great Rodinian Empire are sent to help, but only sporadically.
623 PA
The Hraak Orc Clans start spreading in the northwest corner of the Thillorian Penninsula. The lands have cold winters, but are full of game and have good pastureland.
650 PA
700 PA (Post Apocalypse)
Massive earthquakes wrack the central Vlanaesses centered in the Cairn Swamps. A giant rift opens in the lowest depression of the Cairn swamp–and massive amounts of water begin to flood the swamps. With this flooding came huge numbers of giant enclosed vessels –thousands of barge like vessels that floated to the top of the flood and headed west. As these vessels reached a coastline–something that would then slowly move westwards (and other directions) over the next 60 years–they dropped off their cargo of 400 Dragonborn each along with herd animals and supplies. Thousands of vessels letting off nearly 2,000,000 highly organized and equipped dragoborn then flooded into what was a humanoid infested wild lands. At the end of the 60 years, there was a massive blue light that erupted out of the newly created “salt(y) lake” of Nyr Dyr that could be seen for hundreds of miles as it shot up and out into the sky and then curled around the atmospheric envelope (it was actually bent by the ionosphere). This Blue light lit up the sky for 10 years and then ended. When it stopped, the lake stopped growing and the sky was dark again.
714 PA
Easternmost hobgoblin warlords launch an attack against the dragonborn settlers and are annihilated by superior strategy, weaponry, and organization.
732 PA
A larger more unified group of 3 major Hobgoblin warbands launch a second war against the dragonborn settlers but are again defeated, suffering heavy losses. The utter destruction of these 3 warbands leads to much restructuring of the Hobgoblins as they try to confront the growing power of the Dragonborn who are overunning their territories.
749 PA
The mostly unified Hobgoblin warlords prepare to launch a final offensive against the growing Dragonborn empire that is displacing them, but on the eve of the attack, Dragonborn legions attack and reign fire from the skies. Hobgoblin supplies are destroyed and their armies are mowed down in panicked flight. The Hobgoblin hold on the territory is broken completely and the entire population begins fleeing northwards.
750 PA
Hobgoblin attacks on Falkunish settlements by Stillweiss lake are repelled with heavy losses. Falkunish scouts had known the attacks would be coming and had prepared their defenses. Over the next ten years, the Falkunish forces expand eastwards to eliminate any remaining Hobgoblin warbands. Only a few Hobgoblin warbands–the groups who had made it north of Fellreev forest, and a few smaller groups who hid out as bandits in Rodinian territory, survive the Falkunish expansion and counterattacks.
760 PA
Nyr Dyr achieves its final size. Although it is called a lake by many, the majority of the water in it is salt water. Over time, it becomes less salty as river water dilutes it, but it functions more as a very shallow sea at first with numerous coral reefs and incredible fishing. It is, however, filled with numerous large reptilian, molluskan, and even arthropod (giant sea scorpion) predators.
760 PA
770 PA (Post Apocalypse)
House Ventari tries to usurp the Rodinian throne and is defeated. They flee to north of Nyr Dyr, significantly beyond Rodinian reach. Arrival of migrating Skandinak and Sagenak tribes cuts them off from Rodinian vengeance for 200 years.
772 PA
The massive disturbance of the Blue Night–which happened to correspond with Falkunen Myths about the coming arrival of a new Heroic Age–sets off a massive Falkunish migration. The Gottenak Tribes head south through the mountain passes and then down into the Sheldomar Valley. The Sagenak, Skandinak, and related tribes headed mainly eastwards–with the Skandinak leaving their homelands around Stillweis Lake and eventually ending up in the Thillorian Peninsula. The many Sagenak tribes–who inhabited the lands north of Falkunenland up to the Burneal Forest– followed shortly thereafter. These migrations avoided Dragonfolk territory out of respect for the legends–and then mostly passed north of Nyr Dyr–a body of water that most had never seen before. The Sagenak would eventually settle in and around the lake and eastwards up to the Rakers and Solnor ocean coast. Here they encountered the Great Rodinian Empire, with which they would have a distinctly ambivalent relationship.
774 PA
Skandinak and Bajarsk tribes push through Flinty hills and up along the Rakers and coastline into the Thillorian Peninsula. There are a number of battles between Skandinak Tribes and Rodinian Legions, but the continued migration of the tribes northwards takes them away from Rodinian territory relatively quickly. Initially, Caelendari defensive strategies minimize losses.
775 PA
778 PA (Post Apocalypse)
Gottenak Tribes start pushing into Sheldomar valley
792 PA
Bajarsk and Skandinak raids on northern Rodinian cities become a common occurrence as they migrate northwards. The Rodinian Emperors begin planning to destroy the raiders.
797 PA
Overlordship of Ventari is proclaimed in lands north of Nyr Dyr. As Sagenak tribes migrate through the area, a few punitive attacks are made by the Overlordship, but they suffer heavy losses, and then the Sagenaks are avoided for the next several decades. Ventari forces instead direct their energy towards capturing and enslaving Rodinian settlers to the east.
800 PA
Frankronak and Sagenak tribes arrive in borderlands of Rodinian Empire.
800 PA
804 PA (Post Apocalypse)
The heavily armed Frankronak tribes arrive en masse in Flinty hills. Advanced scouting parities discover that a large Rodinian expeditionary force of nearly 100 legions (heavy infantry) was marching north to the coastal areas. However, behind them was a much less defended supply train. Waiting for the legions to mostly arrive at northern coastal cities, the Frankronak forces–especially their cavalry–then swarmed across the northern plains and captured almost all of the supplies for the legions and cut off communications to the south. Unsure what to do, most legions stayed put in their northern strongholds, but as autumn approached and supplies ran low, they were forced to make a decision to fight or surrender. Those that fought–in their weakened conditions–were destroyed. Those that surrendered were stripped of weapons and gear and allowed to travel home or to join the Frankronak forces. Over the next 10 years, the Frankronak leaders solidify their hold on the territory north of the Adri forest, south of Grendeth bay, and west of the Solnor Ocean. Their massive numbers also prevent any immediate Rodinian response.
805 PA
Sheldomar disaster reduces Gallatian Protectorate’s ability to project power. It takes on a much more defensive stance. Sheldomar River (and then later Javan) become the nominal borders between Geldae-led and Gottenak-led states.
810 PA
Larger Sagenak war bands arrive in the area between Nyr Dyr and the Adri Forest Numerous battles are fought between the Sagenak forces and the Rodinian Legions.
810 PA
825 PA (Post Apocalypse)
Sagenak warbands overwhelm many of the western and nrothern Rodinian forces due to their superior weaponry and maneuverability. Rodinian Legions were superior heavy infantry, but such groups required supplies and were vulnerable to flanking maneuvers and attacks on their supply chains, especially by the highly mobile medium cavalry of the Sagenak tribes. Many Rodinian inhabitants migrate back into the core Rodinian empire and are replaced by Sagenak populations.
836 PA
Slobolakoi settlers reach the Howling hills, filling up almost all of the territory that the Sagenak tribes had inhabitted. Numerous former villages and even cities are re-inhabited and renamed.
838 PA
Orcs from the Hraak tribe have settled the entire northwest portion of the Thillorian peninsula. Raids into Rodinian lands to the Southeast are common. Raids against the Goliaths are also attempted but become less common as fewer Orcs ever return from such attacks.
840 PA
Remnant Hobgoblin groups are unified by Zoldrek the Piercer. From the lands between the cold marshes, the Icy Sea, and the Land of Black Ice, Zoldrek builds out a a militarized state dedicated to conquest of all others. Slave Raiding becomes a common threat for those Slobolakoi groups that migrate into the nearby areas.
850 PA
885 PA (Post Apocalypse)
Sagenak migrations begin to wane. Sagenak tribes solidify hold on areas between Harp river in the south and Artonsomay river in the north, flinty hills and Adri Forest in the east, and Nyr Dyr and Celadon Forest/Gnat Marshes in the west. Related Swabinak and Frankronak tribes build neighboring states.
893 PA
Valens the Brave, brother to the Rodinian emperor, defeats the Frankronak in the Battle of Oastfair, but the battle is costly for Rodinian forces, limiting the terms of the peace. Frankronak leadership pledge themselves as confederates to the Rodinian Emperors and take over defense of the northern coasts of the Empire. This pledge is accepted. Valens the Brave’s youngest son marries the daughter of the most powerful Frankronak warlord to cement the alliance.
900 PA
Union of Krimsligo announced.
900 PA
905 PA (Post Apocalypse)
Treaty of Sheldomar River formalizes relations between Gallatian Protectorate, Duchy of Ostfallen, Duchy of Westfallen, and Krimsligo.
918 PA
Kingdom of Luetkan formed in response to growing threats of the Zoldrek Empire.
950 PA
Battle of Innspar–Lower Sagenak tribes defeated and become tributary confederates of Rodinian Kingdom. Tributes to the Rodinian state are imposed, but these pay for the construction of roads and services. Otherwise, local governance remains mostly in Sagenak hands. Upper Sagenak Tribes retreat, but sign 50 year peace treaty–Treaty of Kannunder–to not invade. Hostages exchanged with Rodinian Empire to guarantee the treaty.
950 PA
1000 PA (Post Apocalypse)
Treaty of Kannunder is renewed for another 100 years as Upper Sagenak recognizes Rodinian Crown and even forms a limited alliance with Great Rodinian Empire against the Overlordship of Ventari. Rodinian military advisors accompany Sagenak raiders into Ventari territory a number of times, and offer to send Rodinian legions on a joint expedition with the Sagenak forces against Overslordship, but the Upper Sagenland King is leery of having too many Rodinian troops in his territory. Liberated Rodinian and Sagenak peasants are brought back from Ventari territory in a semi-regular occurrence.
1100 PA
Treaty of Kannunder renewed for another 100 years. Tribute amounts are reduced by Rodinians as a sign of the close cooperation that Upper Sagenland has shown in working against the Ventari state.
1111 PA
Kalin Hnilo born in the Salt mines of Overlordship of Ventari.
1128 PA
Kalin Hnilo escapes salt mines and flees to Troll Fens. There, he begins to eradicate living trolls and turning them into an army of regenerating bone trolls. He seems to have an unnatural power over undead as they do not revolt against his wishes.
1161 PA
Kalin Hnilo enters Lichdom and controls the Troll fens and small areas outside of it
1179 PA
Rumors of a Lich King building an undead empire on its eastern border reach House Ventari.
1183 PA
Tales of a Ventari army disappearing entirely as it invaded territory beyond its eastern borders spread throughout the Sagenlands into the Rodinian Territories.
1193 PA
Stories from the Schwabischem Hold are related out to the Sagenlands and beyond about a village south of the Yol river being attacked by a horde of undead that walked up out of the river. The village was attacked by hundreds of undead, who all appeared to be wearing uniforms of the Overlordship of Ventari that were very rotted. Fortunately, the village had an inner keep –not uncommon in this part of the world so close to the Troll fens–with sturdy walls that many could retreat to. The villagers remained under siege for a week from the undead who would mainly attack at night. After one week, the villagers heard the sounds of a nighttime battle outside the keep. Some told stories of seeing what looked like trolls made out of bone that swept in and tore the other attacking undead to pieces. After all the undead were destroyed by these bone trolls, others–wearing entirely black uniforms with black face coverings and helms, came in and collected all the undead they could find. By morning, all of the undead were gone and they never came back. There was also a chest of Gold with a scroll that had the cryptic message of “Apologies from Lord Kalin.” The only proof of the Ventarri uniforms were from a few undead that had been killed inside homes outside of the keep walls before the villagers retreated and that the black “cleaners” had not known about.
1200 PA
Treaty of Kannunder is renewed for another 100 years. The second eldest daughter (Monica Caelendari)of the Caelendari family and the eldest son Upper Sagenland royal family ( Winduk von Saxonich ) marry. Some see this greater integration as the beginning of a possible merging of the two territories into an even larger empire.
1201 PA
The Capital city of the Overlordship of Ventari –Ventallia–collapses on the night of the Harvest New Moon as massive earthquakes open up a gigantic rift that then continues to grow in subsequent quakes over the next year. On the Harvest New Moon one year later–to the day–the quakes stop dead. The rift ceases growing at this point, but has reached almost 30 miles wide at it broadest and is over 200 miles long. The estates of all of the Ventari clans ceased to exist and no member of the Ventari family appeared to have survived this cataclysm (although this has not been confirmed entirely). The slave populations that were still mobile fled, although very few of the salt mine slaves appeared to have escaped. Some explorers of the rifts have told stories of encountering mutated humanoid creatures who seemed almost like humans, but were cannibalistic and bone white with long claws and teeth.
1201 PA
1217 PA (Post Apocalypse)
The Caelendari Emperor–Lord Avilentus II–dies in his sleep at the age of 48. The empire is in shock and mourning. He had no surviving children to take the thrown and so succession decisions then moved to his surviving siblings.
1218 PA
The Caelendari family–in an unusual move–skips over naming Monica as Empress of the Rodinian Empire–and names Lord Antonion–her far younger half brother–as the new Emperor at age 28. His mother –Marietta of Rol Deven–the second wife of the former King Avilentus I–is seen as a major influence in this event. Relations with Upper Sagenland sour greatly with this decision.
1220 PA
The Prelate of Ahlissa declares that new visions from the one true god, Solaternus, show that the head of the Rodinian empire–like Solaternus–can only be male. This helps cement Antonion as the rightful Emperor, but further deepens the divide with Upper Sagenland and also cause disturbances in Lower Sagenland and the Duchy of Frankronic, which had been enthusiastic about a possible future Emperor with Falkunish blood.
1223 PA
Antonion I–clearly under influence from the Prelate of Ahlissa–declares that all non-Solaternus temples in tributary nations will now owe a 1000GP tithe–to be collected by Tribute nations–to the Rodinian Kingdom. This proclamation provokes widespread backlash in Lower Sagenland and in the Duchy of Frankronic and outright resistance in Upper Sagenland.
1225 PA
A mysterious plague infects the summer residence of the Caelendari Crown. The royal family is then sequestered from contact to outsiders by the clergy of Solaternus and the royal guard. Within the month, both Marieta of Rol Deven and Emperor Antonion succumb despite the efforts of the clergy in attendance to save them. Rumors abound throughout the empire about whether this was a planned assasination or not.
1226 PA
Lord Fillip Torrichari is chosen as the new Emperor of Rodinia over Lord Benevic of Navarria at the Convenstion of all major noble houses of the empire. This result shocks many in that House Navarria was widely seen as the second most powerful House in the empire and Lord Benevic had a well-known military record.
1230 PA
The Prelate of Ahlissa declares the Novo Solaris texts to be the new word of the one true god, Solaternus. These texts solidify many of the more rigid interpretations that had been gaining strength in the Church of Solaternus, but also add a new religious doctrine that declared humans to be superior to all other races–including allied Demi-humans like Elves and Dwarves–and that such races needed to pay extra tribute to appease Solaternus. Vasken populations receive open disdain and their temples and gods are also declared to be false and heretical. Humanoid populations–of all kinds–are declared unfit to be citizens or land-holders and are required to pay a special tithe to the Church to remain within the Empire or their property would be seized and they would be arrested. Violent outbreaks around the empire occur, some of which would require troops to be called in. Numerous humanoids are arrested and sent to the scythe islands as slaves when they fail to pay the higher tithes.
1231 PA
Religious Inquisitors show up at Ferreville and shave off the beard of the Dwarven Mayor. The next day the city revolts. A week later, the Vaskenland follows suit.
1232 PA
Troops throughout the empire flood to the south to crush the revolt in Ferreville and the Vaskenland. The Scythe Islands–whose population has nearly doubled with all of the newly enslaved humanoids revolt and all of the overseers and slavemasters are killed.
1233 PA
Attempts to recapture Scythe Islands collapse in total failure with the loss of 10 legions. The Duchess of Frankronic secretly sends support to the Scythe islands. Ships and weapons from coastal allies of the Duchess are given to the islands to help them keep their independence.
1234 PA
Siege of Ferreville breaks down as southern troops mutiny after 6 months without pay or adequate rations. Dwarven counterattacks lead to the surrender of most imperial troops around the city. The Ferrevillians build up fortifications in the surrounding hills.
1235 PA
Duchy of Frankronic refuses to support Rodinian war efforts with troops or tribute. The Duchess seals its borders to Rodinian troops & trade, and officially sends an emissary to the Scythe island offering them support and recognition. The Rodinian empire pledges vengeance but is too pre-occupied to act on these words.
1236 PA
The drafting of every 2nd male child into the Rodinian Army in lower Sagenland to restore troop levels leads to a full scale revolt there that is supported by Upper Sagenland renouncing the Treaty of Kannunder and sending troops into Lower Sagenland.
1237 PA
Rodinian troops–especially forces from the Prelate of Ahlissa–commit atrocities throughout Lower Sagenland and in parts of the Vaskenland. These actions cause House Navarri to pull its legions out of the Rodinian army and bring them back to House Territory–weakening Rodinian forces. Upper Sagenland–in alliance with the elves of the Adri forest–secretly sends troops through the Adri forest–a maneuver considered impossible before because of Elvish refusals-and these forces destroy the supply lines of Rodinian legions in the Lower Sagenland. They also then help catch the Rodinian legions marauding through Lower Sagenland in a pincer movement with a much larger Upper Sagenland army coming from the northwest. The Rodinian legions in lower Sagenland are annihilated. This loss reverberates throughout the Empire.
1240 PA
Emperor Fillip leads a weakened Army into Lower Sagenland to show that he is still the Emperor of Rodinia. His forces are utterly destroyed and he is captured. Three months later and still in captivity, Fillip signs the Treaty of Silasian–granting independence to Lower Sagenland and the Duchy of Frankronic and removing all tributary statuses. Filllip is escorted back to the border by Upper Sagenland troops and is allowed to leave.
1241 PA
In his first Imperial Council meeting with the leaders of the Major Rodinian Houses, Fillip is stabbed in the back and then decapitated by Lord Askalon of House Fantali. The Emperor had been pleading for acceptance of the new Treaty before he was murdered. Askalon declares that the Houses will choose a new Emperor at the next council meeting, but then House Fantali occupies the capital city and Askalon declares himself the new ruler. He receives nominal support from 3 other major houses, but many others don’t recognize his claim and stop sending delegations to the council. House Navarri–which had not come to the council meeting in the first place–declares that its lands are now the kingdom of Southern Rodinia.
1241 PA
1244 PA (Post Apocalypse)
Ahlissa Fleet is scuttled by Sea Elves in its harbors. This greatly diminishes Ahlissa’s military capacity.
1245 PA
Open warfare against Ferreville and Vaskenland ceases as Prelate forces are not strong enough to keep it up continuously. Attempts at infiltration and assassination attempts do continue.
Population: 6,010,000 Area: ~180,000 sq miles (~466,000 sq km) Capitol: Voldrak-Tosh (pop: 205,000) Other Major Cities: Culdaaz-Tosh, Ubnag-Walg, Volrax-Walg, Frumar-Tosh, Kamzar-Ranz, Frexhai-Ranz Demographics: 70% Goblinoid, 10% Slobolakoi (slaves), 10% Orc (Slaves), 10% Miscellaneous Resources/Trading goods: Timber, Fish, Hides, Fur, Livestock, Iron, Silver Borders: Land of Black Ice, Icy Sea, Southern reaches of Cold Marshes, Line connecting western Cold Marshes to Burneal Forest, Burneal Forest (about 400 miles westwards)
The Zoldrek Emipire is a growing Goblinoid empire created by Zoldrek the Piercer 200 years ago. Led by Hobgobins, this state grew from the area between the Cold Marshes , the Icy Sea and the Burneal Forest. It has expanded into all of these areas –especially the Burneal. Over the past 200 years, this empire has quadrupled in size and it seems set on further conquest in all directions.
While normal economic activities–farmer, timber harvesting, fishing, do play a role in this empire–they are all there to feed into the raiding and conquest that drive this nation. The capture and maintenance of slavery–mainly Human and Orcish, led to certain tribes departing the empire to the borders of the Jarek League. These groups are seen as traitors who will eventually be dealt with–but they are not as attractive as targets as the Luetkan Kingdom and the Vuksha Confederation in terms of priorities. The Orcs of Whitetusk are also a hated enemy and the two groups raid each other frequently.
Population: 4,896,000 Area: ~144,000 sq miles (~372,800 sq km) Capitol: None known. Other Major Cities: Gommah, Nanliff, Raznissa, Shonmun, Dessava, Romnu, Mamlu Demographics: Appears 85% Rodinian, 15% Misc (Actually 50% Rodinian, 10% Misc, and 40% Yuan-Ti in plateau area) Resources/Trading goods: Fish, Produce, Precious woods, (Gold & Iron in plateau) Borders: Azure Sea, Spinridge Mts., Southern Fungal Swamplands of Vast Swamp, Oljatt Sea, Tilva Straitt, Densac Gulf
The Zamaro coasts are chock full of small fishing villages, agricultural plantations, and even some decent sized cities along the long coasts. Each of these coastal areas has a religious shrine and the larger cities have temples. The officials of these temples–who are always shrouded in Dark green coverings from head to toe refuse to speak directly to outsiders and always use intermediaries.
While the villages will trade with outsiders, the interlopers are always then encouraged to leave within a day. Groups that have remained beyond their welcome or who try to push inland have never apparently returned. There are, however, numerous rumors about cities of gold in the interior forests up on the central plateau. This had led to many illicit quests by adventurers. Most of these also do not return, but there are the occasional stragglers who appear in Lunasia or Azurdee who speak of horrors and abominations living in the heart of Zamorro.
(In reality–and not known to the outside world, built into the plateau is a vast underground network of tunnels inhabited by Countless Yuan-ti refugees from the Amedio Jungle Apocalypse. Their minions control the surrounding coasts and are building up an army in Hempmonaland. They have also sent groups to infiltrate the Vast Swamp and take over the LizardFolk tribes or drive them out.
Special emissaries have also been sent to infiltrate the Rodinian religious organizaitons to corrupt them and get them to divide the Human civilizations. It was these groups that led the Prelate of Ahlissa to reintrepret the text in ways that led the Clergy to persecute their Demi-human allies. The Yuan-ti are bent on Dividing and conquering and their primary targets are the Rodinian humans who devastated their original homeland. They are also connected to the takeover of the Cisaltian Islands. )
Population: 2,304,000 Area: ~131,000 sq miles (~339,100 sq km) Capitol: None Other Major Cities: Romany, Silvank, Wallech Demographics: 40% Falkunen, 25% Rodinian, 35% Miscellaneous Resources/Trading goods: Ruins, Artifacts, Metals, Gems in the Great Rift Borders: Fellreev Forest, Bluff Hills, Zumker River, Artonsamay River, Rift Canyon lands, Ritensa River, edges of the Grasslands that border Dragonmark.
The Wildlands with the Great Rift
The Wild lands are not really a state so much as an area of chaos where might makes right. The biggest feature of the area is the Great Rift, which was created a little less than a century ago within the period of a year. Outside of the rift are wasteslands created by the highly saline mists (the area used to have massive salt mines) that have desicated much of the area.
For hundreds of years in the past, this area was under control of a Rodinian Royal Family–House Ventari–who had fled here after leading an unsuccessful coup against the Caelendari emperors of the Great Rodinian Empire. House Ventari had been an early offshoot of the Caelendari–at least through marriage–but they were not as skilled in warfare and had overplayed their cards in the Rodinian Empire. After being thoroughly defeated there, they were lucky to flee to the fertile areas south of Fangwood forest with their remaining loyal legions. They soon conquered the towns and farmlands in this area and set up their powerbase.
Luckily for House Ventari, they were soon cut off from are are the Rodinian Empire by the Great Migration of the Falkunish tribes to the eastern Vlanaesses. This mass migration cut off reprisals from Rodinian troops for approximately 150 years, which allowed House Ventari to consolidate their power in the lands between Nyr Dyv & the Fellreev forest, which became the Overlordship of Ventari.
From their capital city of Ventallia, the Overlordship made numerous attempts to extend their power and conquer neighboring areas. To the west and south, they were relatively unsuccessful, as the Falkunish migrants were heavily armed and numerous. The only area where they had some success was to the Northeast between the Bluff Hills, Griff Mountains and Phostwood. This area had a population that was mostly Rodinian, and most of the states were small and disorganized, which made conquests significantly easier.
Unfortunately for the areas that were conquered, the Overlordship’s domination was brutal. Those that resisted were generally punished with mass deportations and enslavement in the profitable salt mines that had been found under Ventari lands. This policy, however, would eventually lead to the downfall of House Ventari in the year 1201 PA.
The original cause of this downfall was the conquest of a mid-sized town of Kalnak just to the west of Jalbak and north of the Phostwood. This town put up strong resistance to Ventari troops, but eventually fell through treachery. As punishment for their resistance, nearly three-quarters of the population was marched off in chains to the Salt-mines. Many died on the march of nearly 400 miles, and those that did were the lucky ones. Those that had survived the march were sent down to work in the Salt mines for the rest of their lives.
One of these survivors was a Necromancer named Margawrath Hnilo, who gave birth to her final child–Kalin–down in the Salt mines. Margawrath was careful to hide her power from the overseers–who would have killed her had they known–and to train Kalin whenever she could. Kalin was a gifted wizard with supernatural gifts who absorbed all of her knowledge. Watching his mother die at age 12, Kalin developed his powers and was eventually able to break out of the Salt mines by age 17 (1128 PA) by having conjured a small army of undead from dead miners.
Kalin had watched his entire family destroyed in the salt mines, and after escaping, had sworn vengeance and done everything possible to gain enough power to do so. He would succeed–after having become a Lich–by opening up a massive planar Rift within the Salt Mines under Ventallia and having it swallow every parcel of land and every fortification controlled by House Ventari. No member of that House appeared to survive this event.
As it stands, after the destruction of the Ventari capital, the whole country fell into chaos with bandits and roving hordes of monstrosities erupting from the Rift have been an issue ever since. There are many reports from those who explored the rift that there are actual portals to other worlds that er still open there, which has drawn the attention of the Drgaonborn states and many others across the Vlanaesses.
Population: 4,734,000 Area: ~164,000 sq miles (~424,600 sq km) Capitol: Ikkahnoth (pop: 214,000) Other Major Cities: Walukanoth, Aborek, Krazzanur, Sakeg’nuk, Trakorg’nuk, Shamharnoth, Valbruggar Demographics: 75% Orc, 25% Miscellaneous Resources/Trading goods: Timber, Livestock, Iron, Fish, Leather goods Borders: Griff Mts., Forlorn Forest, White Fanged Bay, Icy Sea, Corusk Mts., Gulf Just east of Hraak Forest
Whitetusk Raider
The Whitetusk Raiders are proof that powerful, clever, and stable orcish states can exist, but only when everything about their organization is flipped on its head. The orcs who originally made up the tribes that settled this area mainly came from the orc tribes that were destroyed by the Rodinian empire around 500 PA. However, others have since migrated here from other areas. Some fled from the areas that were conquered by the Dragonborn. Others from the areas around the Fellreev forest when the Overlordship of Ventari took form. Still others more recently arrived from across the Griff and Corrusk mountains when the Skandinak tribes arrived and pushed them out of these territories.
Initially, all of these different Orc tribes battled each other for supremacy in almost constant bloodshed. This continued for centuries–along with obvious raids against neighboring groups–until approximately 100 years ago. It was then that Dagleth Whitetusk emerged from the Hraak forest and conquered 6 different neighboring tribes within the year. Under her clever and calculating leadership, orc tribes were transformed from chaotic blood-thirsty bands seeking the next easy score, to disciplined war machines that patiently built their strength.
It is not 100% clear how Dagleth initially achieved her success, but some have speculated that she has the support of the Orcish goddess Lanthic, who has long sought a way to better care for all of her orcish children. There are tales by some of Dagleth helping to weed out both the most impatient, and also least intelligent of the orcs in her tribe by cleverly playing more violent–but stupider male orcs against each other.
Whatever the case, Dagleth had become the de factor tribal ruler by the time she was 14, and she led her tribe to conquering neighboring orcs in the Hraak forest rapidly. By the time she was 30, her Whitetusk raiders moved out of the Hraak forest and conquered all neighboring tribes. Instilling in her daughters the importance of her plan, they have continued to carry out her plans and they have gradually built up the first matriarchal Orcish state that the world has never seen.
Initially, the Whitetusk Raiders carried out raids against Nordmark and against the Goliath Fiefdoms, but such raids are often costly in terms of troops, and so Dagleth’s Daughters (as all Whitetusk leaders are named) have curtailed such raids. There is even–although most discount this as pure fantasy–talk that the Whitetusk raiders have sent peaceful emissaries to establish trade relations with Nordmark and the Fiefdoms. Whatever the truth of that, it is clear that the favored target of Whitetusk raiders is now the Zoldrek Empire across the Icy Sea. Every summer the Whitetusk Raiders will attack the Zoldrek empire and try to steal booty, free slaves, and also kill as many Goblinoids as possible.
Population: 3,120,000 Area: ~136,500 sq miles (~353,400 sq km) Capitol: Pulkarast (pop: 138,000) Other Major Cities: Slatina, Buzkavo, Varladska, Dorokvai, Mankaria Demographics: 75% Slobolakoi, 10% Dwarf, 10% Gnome, 5% Miscellaneous Resources/Trading goods: Timber, Grain, Iron, Copper, Furs Borders: Dramidj Ocean, Burneal Forest, Fler river, Yatil Mts., Yecma Hills
The Vuksha Confederation
The Vuksha Confederation is a group of smaller principalities made up of 6 major cities and their surrounding areas. This situation was very similar to the Luetkan Kingdom before the rise of the Zoldrek Empire. The Confederation is named for the Treaty of Vuksha that solidified trading relations between the cities along with tolls and tariffs for trade passing through the area.
For a long time, there was almost no standing army, but recently, there have been raids from the Zoldrek empire as it expands into the Burneal forest. This has disrupted the formerly highly lucrative timber production in the East and is causing tensions within the confederation as the Cities of Buzkavo (NE, where Fler River and Burneal forest meet) and Dorokvai (NW on Dorok river) have now lost significant revenue and are subject to goblinoid raiding. They have been asking for increased taxes to fund protective forces, but the other cities are loathe to agree.
Whether the Vuksha Confederation can survive these pressures is unclear. To the south, the Kingdom of Mauryansk has offered help in the form of military units to combat the Zoldrek armies, but the leaders in Pulkarast are leery of Mauryansk offers, as there is a history of Mauryansk troops coming and then never leaving.
Population: 1,314,000 Area: ~27,000 sq miles (~69,900 sq km) Capitol: Razante (pop: 88,000) Other Major Cities: Kuranzo, Izarkotia, Lekaiso Demographics: 80% Vasken, 10% Gnome, 10% Miscellaneous Resources/Trading goods: Grain, Livestock, Fish, Gold, Exotic Wood Borders: Vasken Sea, The Headlands, Azure Sea
The Vaskenland
Vaskenland is unique in the Vlanaesses in that its human inhabitants were settled here long before any of the waves of Rodinians or other humans spread to these areas. Their settlement here is so ancient that the Elven word for “human” in the Vlanaesses is “Ta’Vaska” “One of the Vasken.” The difference of the Vasken to other humans is also seen in their language and script, which has absolutely nothing in common with other human languages.
This difference has both hurt and helped the Vasken over time. On the one hand, it has sometimes made them the target of attacks of larger groups looking for a scaepgoat. On the other hand, the long and deeply rooted culture of the Vasken has bonded the people together strongly and Vasken travelling around the Vasken Sea can always find support in the local Vasken communities there whether they know the folk or not.
Stepping back, there is good evidence that the Vasken were once distributed over a far greater area than present. In fact, recent archaeological digs in the Khanate of Lakonica have turned up buried cities with books written in an archaic Vaskish script. There are also rumors of an island in a lake in the Griff Mountains that is hidden by illusion and inhabited by ancient wizards speaking a language that no one in the area understands, but which has been thought to be ancient Vaskish.
In any case, it is only in Vaskenland itself that the Vasken have their own state currently, although there are many Vasken living around the coast of the Vasken sea in other states (There might actually be more Vasken in Upper Sagenland and in Lunasia than in Vaskenland itself..) As a nation, the Vaskenland was independent for much of its existence until the Rodinians showed up along the coasts. They greatly outnumbered the Vasken and took over much of the territory they had held . They even eventually conquered the Vaskenland itself, but the province was never without minor revolts, and when the empire went into decline, Vaskenland was one of the first areas to break free.
Currently, Vaskenland is menaced by the Prelate of Ahlissa, who considers all of the Vasken to be heretics worthy of punishment, but the Vasken have a strong alliance with the Free city of Ferrvil. The Vasken supply foodstuffs and Contingents of Archers–for which they are famous–and in return the Ferrvillians supply iron to the Vasken as well as serving as a bulwark against any invading land army. The Vasken also have very good relations with the Sea Elves and the Elvish states to the North and west.
Population: 15,210,000 Area: ~390,000 sq miles (~1,009,600 sq km) Capitol: Kannunder (pop: 721,000) Other Major Cities: Sachwerin, Laibstieg, Werkburg, Reiyanfurt, Blaudorf, Schwundam, Merzlangen, Augsstad, Kunster, Tablenz, Damburg, Faerlin, Franzheim, Frankau, Brunnick, Jahlenburg, Giesbaden, Wyrmsburg Demographics: 65% Falkunen, 15% Elf, 10% Vasken, 10% Miscellaneous Resources/Trading goods: Grains, Livestock, Gems, Iron, Silver, Timber, Fish. Borders: Nyr Dyv, Attonsamay River, Phostwood, line going SE to Gamboge Forest, South edge of Rakers, Flinty Hills (eastern edges) NW Corner of Adri Forest, Line from where Harp river bumps into southern Flinty hills going SW to Deep bay of Vasken Sea, Nesser River up to Nyr Dyv.
Upper Sagenland
Upper Sagenland is the largest Falkunish state in the Flanaesses. Settled by the core of the Sagenak tribes that moved eastwards in the great migration, it occupies a strategic location between the former Great Rodinian Kingdom–to which it built some close ties at one time–and the burgeoning trade network that is growing on Nyr Dyr.
Until recently, the Nesser river was the main avenue for shipping across Nyr Dyr, but with the opening of the Selintan canal by Blaufax, a good chunk of the trade now takes that route. Still, a signifcant amount of trade flows through Upper Sagenland, and it is also blessed with good croplands, ample timber supplies from multiple forests, and even some metals–both precious and industrial (iron) from the Flinty hills.
Politically, Upper Sagenland stands as a bulwark against any revival of the corrupted Great Rodinian Empire, and it skirmishes regularly with forces from Ahlissa. This great hostility to the Rodinian lands would have appeared unthinkable even 100 years ago, when the marriage between the King of Upper Sagenland and the younger sister (Monica) of the Caelendari Royal family made it seem like the two countries were going to become one unified state. Such a nation–combining the power of the Rodinian and Falkunish nations–would have created the most powerful state in all of the Vlanaeses–rivaling even the older Parthiskian and Geltorian empires.
But when the Rodinian Emperor–Monica’s brother–died and political machinations led to the decision to skip over Monica Caelendari and give the crown to her younger half-brother, this future superstate was lost. Some have argued that the different religious beliefs of Monica’s Falkunish husband–particularly his normal Sagenak lack of faith in gods at all–played a big role these decisions within the Rodinian Empire, especially because the worship of Solaternus had become more central within the Rodinian Empire by that point. Most suspect that the Prelate of Ahlissa and the Church of Solaternus overall swayed other houses in the Great Kingdom to overlook Monica.
In any case, within 50 years of that decision, Upper Sagenland had fought and won a war against the Rodinian empire, which then fell apart at the seams. In contrast, Upper Sagenland has only become more powerful and is the strongest state in the Eastern Vlanaesses at this time.
The Philosophy of NOM 