Capti (Cap-tee)

The word 'Capti' refers to the general southern area of Ecoth, mostly clasified as those below its desert, but as with many this region's name became interchangeably associated with the Empire which once ruled it, the Captirian Empire. The Captirian Empire was named after the region from which it came and is one of the oldest of Ecoth's seven greatest empires. However this also ment it was one of the earliest to fall which has plagued the region ever since...

Zyglon Empire

Early Expansion

One of the most influential cities in Capti by the -5700s was Zyglos to the south west. It's coastal location made it perfect for maritime trade and it had quickly become one of the most powerful in the area. However around -5703 an unknown disagreement broke out between Zyglos and its closest trading partner, the city of Flonus. This started the First Shoron War (-5703-694) which ended in Zyglos taking control of Flonus and many towns and villages between the two cities. This conflict is seen by many as the birth of the Captirian Empire. This scared many other neighboring cities which formed a coalition in -4690 in which they all agreed to sever trade with Zyglos. However Zyglos only took this as a threat.

In -5687 Zyglos, allied with Flonus and Twarnet declared war on the coalition, starting the second Shoron War (-5687-83). This conflict was short but showed Zyglon's clear naval superiority. During this period Zyglos became the first known army to successfully lay siege to a city from the sea rather than the land, shocking the coalition with their speed and ability on the waves. By -4683 the coalition made peace with Zyglos but dispanded as a result and resumed trade. Another result of the conflict was Zyglos' alliance with the city of Twarnet became more permanent and the two cities became very close.

Over the next decades Zyglos and its teritories became the centeral trading hub in the region and began exerting their control over many neighboring cities officially taking control of them in the Third Shoron War and the war of the Seven Cities in -5678 and -5663. By this point the teritory they controled became known as the Zyglon Empire, even though it was run by six semi-elected balantears in Zyglos, not an emperor.

Halerdronian Take Over

As Zyglos quickly absorbed many new teritories the balantears of Zyglos realised that those teritories would also need representation if the empire was to remain stable. By this point Zyglos was expanding rapidly, sending ships up and down the coast to explore and conquer more land but Zyglos was the only city with power. Without a unifying leader or government the Zyglon Empire would fall appart.

In the year -5654 the leaders of Zyglos called for six balantears to come forwards from every ocupied city but this caused problems where some cities did not have the Balantear system. One such city, Norcar was led by only one man, King Halerdron. Haledron proposed that he should be the only person to represent Norcar but the balantears in Zyglos did not accept it. So Halerdron took five elite soldiers disguised as nobles from Norcar to the first meeting of the Balantears, and slew the leaders of Zyglos and the other city states in the Zyglon Empire.

Halerdron used the chaos to then establish himself as the first Emperor of the Zyglon Empire, keeping Zyglos as its capital, but giving a significant amount of power to Norcar, which became ruled by his brother. He had to put down many rebelions initially, especially from Twarnet which had been heavily loyal to the Zyglon elite. Twarnet was sieged for two months before Halerdron broke its walls and burned it for three nights straght as punishment for its disobediance and to make an example to others.

The establishement of the imperial lineage in the Zyglon Empire saw many changes, but none more noticeable than that of religion. Many of the city states around Zyglos had different religions, often sharing common themes and even Gods but Norcar was mostly a Toronian city and so Haledron himself was also a Toronian. Upon his rise to Emperor, Haledron began favoring nobles who were also Toronian like him and so the religion quickly became popular in the Zyglon Empire. Toronianism was a monotheistic religion which emphasised the significance of 'civilised' people having more rights than those who were 'uncivilised'. This began the Zyglon's long history of exploiting tribal people and so called 'lesser folk' for their resources and land.

Conflicts With The Vilx

As the Zyglon Empire expanded southwards it soon came into contact with the Vilx, a union of city states under one King. Relations were initially tense but not hostile as the two powers tolerated each other however both would often raid each other's ships which led to amounting tenssions behind the curtain. In -5626 the Vilx tried to calm their relationship by offering the Zyglons the island of Tharn but this only delayed the inevitable.

It is not clear who declared war but in -5622 tenssions boiled over and a war broke out between the two powers which Zyglos quickly lost. They lost the island of Tharn and other possessions to their complete humiliation. The Vilx had a much stronger navy which had decimated Zyglos' smaller fleet.

After the conflict Zyglos was determined to take back its lost teritories and began expanding northwards towards coastlines ocupied by more primitive settlements. The Zyglons also started expanding inland, where they took control of more tribal natives. They cut down huge areas of forrest to reinforce their naval fleet in preparation for retaliation to the disastrous defeat that they had suffered at the hands of the Vilx.

It was a young Emperor Jarnos I who redeclared war in -5594 after a Vilx raid on a Zyglon ship reignited tenssions between the two enemies. This time Zyglon's navy was much stronger and they used inland tribes to harass the Vilx as a distraction. They retook much of their lost teritory and started cutting into the Vilx's land.

After this the Vilx quickly surendered but Jarnos I was not satisfied with their terms. Against the advice of his advisors he deliberately sabotaged the peace negotiations to continue the conflict and gain more teritory. By this point many of the nobles had come to dislike him and for many this was the final straw. In -5591 they barged into his private chambers and arrested him under charges of war mongering. Jarnos was exiled and fled to Tharn with his wife whilst it was decided that the lord of Twarnet would succeed him as Emperor. The new emperor quickly put an end to the conflict with the Vilx and negotiated terms for peace, ending hostilaties between the two sothern powers.

Above: The Zyglon Empire and Vilx in -5594

Jarnos and the Tharn War

The once emperor of the Zyglon Empire, Jarnos settled on Tharn in exile where he quickly became popular with the locals, some of whom still saw him as their rightful emperor. In -5583 he staged an uprising on the island where it declared independence from the Vilx who had owned it for the last 8 years. He declared himself king of the island much to the disapproval of the Zyglons who had exiled him. Initially the Zyglon's and Vilx planned a joint effert to retake the island but when Jarnos approached the Vilx with promices of Zyglon secrets if they helped him overthrow his userpers they switched sides. By -5580 Zyglon once again found itself in conflict with the Vilx.

The conflict (-5580-77) became known as the Tharn war and saw the end of the Vilx alongside the execution of Jarnos after the Zyglon took Tharn. Despite this Jarnos' new born son was spared and grew up to become the governor of Tharn. The Zyglon took all of the Vilx's teritory and more all the way up to the Narch Mountains over the next two years, seeing the begining of a period of rapid expansion.

Captirian Empire

Encounter with the Huvan Empire

With the end of the Tharn War (-5580-77) the Zyglon's expansion accelerated as they gained access to the resources and teritory of the Vilx that they had defeated. The Zyglons were mostly Toronian which ment that they felt they had the right to take land from outsiders against their will. This led to rapid expansion in the empire from -5577 to -5525 when they first encountered the Huvans. The Huvan Empire was the bigest power in Ecoth at the time and whilst the Zyglons had been aware of them they did not know how far out settlements under Huvan protection streached. As the Zyglon moved up the west coast they did not realise that some of the camps and villages that they raided were under the protection of the Huvan's, igniting a war which the Zyglon were not ready for.

However Zyglon Emperor Yarniciee I was confident in his empire. Instead of suing for peace and backing down, he prepared his armies. The Huvan-Captirian War is widely regarded as Ecoth's first of large scale conflicts. It was the first time two great Empire's had clashed with each other and it was a dramatic defeat for Capti.

The Zyglon Empire had never faced an enemy so far away from their capital and with access to so many resources, and whilst they did not lose a lot of land to the Huvans in this conflict they were utterly humiliated.

However the defeat for Zyglon actually bore new opportunity. During the conflict Zyglon had taken more 'unclaimed' teritory inland in order to protect their northern boarder and after the conflict had expanded (whilst not into Huva itself) quite dramatically. Once more the Huvan Leader; T,huran, and Zyglon Emperor went on to become good friends, often visiting each other's land and discussing how best to govern their empires. It was this new alliance which first opened Capti up to trade with the rest of Ecoth and allowed it to prosper so much as it came into its golden age.

This was also around the time that the term 'Captirian Empire' began being used as that is what the Huvans addressed the Zoglon by. This was mainly due to the fact that their teritory took up almost the entirety of the region of Capti. As a result this is the name which stuck with the empire and began the process that would eventually dissociate it from the city of its origin.

Further Expansion

Unable to expand up the western coast due to their Huvan neighbors and blocked on the east coast by the Carivun Mountains the Captirian's turned their attention to beyond the reaches of their boarders. In -5532 Zyglon explorers made landfall on the other side of the Craivun Mountains at the mouth of the river Tarvuk. After chasing the natives from the area they set up a settlement where the river met the sea, calling it New Capti. This became the first Captirian colony away from the main empire and grew into its own trading hub and a wealthy outpost.

By -5503 a newly crowned Emperor Noras II expressed an interest in conecting New Capti to the rest of the empire by inland holdings. Between New Capti and the Captirian Empire was land ocupied only by tribal peoples, people which the Captirians had no problem removing. This led to a campain in the summer of -5498 where a massive Captirian force stormed the Narch region. Led by a man called Argus Norn they faced greater resistance than expected but by the end of the three year campain most of the Narch region had been taken by the Captirians. Norn lost his life during the campain whilst apparently on the toilet when his camp was raided by the barbarians. There are many accounts of his heroic last stand to defend himself which, whilst likely untrue, formulate in the strangest military death in Ecothnic history.

The Narch Region was not the only land the Captirian Empire wanted to expand into during this period however as other colanies were set up across Ecoth. Captirian explorers also ventured beyond the Huvan Empire on the west coast and discovered the kingdom of Aratachu, creating more opportunity for trade by sea and making further alliances. By -5473 the western sailers would finally settle just north of Aratachu in the lands inhabited by the tribal Cana. There they established a series of cities and docks to export the raw metals and materials found in the region back to Capti. This brought these cities great wealth making them another highly prosperous colony.

Development

Over the next centeries Capti managed to establish itself as the ultimate power in Ecoth. It led the continent in new inventions and discoveries allowing it to advance much faster than any other power. It became known as a prosperous Empire which was unrivaled by any other in Ecoth.

In -5306 Capti's longest and most powerful ally, the Huvan Empire collapsed. It had been in a slow decline for the last centery but its complete destruction deprived Capti of its oldest friend. However Huva's collapse did create a vacuum in the area it had once ocupied, one that Capti was quick to exploit. Both Capti and the recently formed Suhuvan Empire began to pick appart at the lands once occupied by the mighty Huvan Empire. All teritory that was once Huvan, close to Capti's boarders was absorbed including the important port kingdom of Yavar. This kingdom had once been the centre of the mighty Tunusar the Mighty's great holdings across the Huvan teritories. Its capture by Capti not the Suhuvan Empire solidified their dominance in the area for the time being.

With secured trade, access to an excess of raw materials, slaves, and an unrivaled navy that contolled the entirety of Southern Ecoth, Capti had reached the height of its power.

Dhily Gold Rush (-5122)

In the year -5122 an event occured that would forever change the economy of Ecoth; the discovery of massive gold deposits in Dhily. In Captirian society it was important to represent one's status in society by surrounding themselves with items of luxury and equal value to their own position. This ment that many in Capti were keen to obtain the outpust of this unforeseen development. Even the Emperor of the Captirian Empire himself, Emperor Dinus I was eeger to get his hands on the gold being mined. However establishing a Captirian colony in Dhily was much more difficult than it had been at the river Tarvuc or on the north west coast. Dhily was a shalow swampland unfit for access by sea (normally Capti's main advantage) and distant from the main bulk of the Captirian Empire. Capti was unable to secure a hand in the gold rush and as a result mostly ended up buying it off merchants who shipped it back along the Buzhanan or Eastern trade routes. This dependence on trade drove up the price of gold in Capti only making it more valuble to the wealthy classes who had access to it.

On Captirian Emperor, Lauroun II became passionatly obsessed with the metal, making everything he could out of gold. Reportidly he had both a full ship and an entire room both built entirely from the rock. His craziest feat was apparantly to try injesting gold in his diet which Ecothnic historians theorise was the most likely cause of his death in -5073.

However Capti's obssession with gold would ultimatly doom their empire and be one of the primary reasons for its inevitable collapse.

Decline

Schism in Toronianism

Toronianism was the main religion within the Captirian Empire by -5000, however as time progressed different ideas about Toronianism emerged. This was due to Toronianists tradition of not recording religious texts but instead passing down stories orally leading to diffent narratives emerging over time. The branch of Toronianism commonly adopted by the leaders of the Captirian Empire is known today as Complex Toronianisn. Complex Toronianists believe many things differently to others but among them is the idea of 'civilised' and 'uncivilised' peoples and their treatment. This allowed widespread unethical treatment and exploitation of conquered natives by the Captirian Empire and their so called civilization efforts to bring them better into Captirian society. This amoung other issues such as the freedom of lower classes and attitudes towards material wealth caused a division to emerge from -4900 which slowly grew into a full schism between Discrete and Complex Toronianism.

Complex Toronianism was favoured by wealthier lords and the upper class who benefited from Capti's exploitations of tribal peoples amoung other practices such as hoarding resources. Discrete Toronoanism was generally favoured by lower classes and peasents who began to question what Gipos' teachings on how to deal with less civilised peoples actually meant and if they were even necesary.

By -4800 there was a lot of tension between these two groups as the Emperor could not support either side through fear of upsetting his mostly Complex Toronianist court and lords, or his mostly Discrete Toronianist peasentry from which he feared revolt. This struggle weakened the power and influance of the then Emperor Narition over his empire and in -4796 he was forced to abdicate by his court due to their suspicions of him being a Discrete Toronianist. However this move was unpopular with the less wealthy Captirians, giving his successor and son, Emperor Firond a harder time ruling the Empire. Narition was later assassinated only months later after attempting to flee the Captirian Empire for the Suhuvan Empire. Whilst his attackers remain unknown it was likely the very people wo forced him to abdicate, ensuring he would not return, and sending a message to his son not to lean too heavily towards Discrete Toronianism.

Due to the Captirian Empire's censorship of information that harmed their reputation historians will never likely know the true nature of the divide at this time as information of this sort only started to be documented after the fall of the Empire and the start of the Civil Wars. This means tenssion between these different sects of Toronianism could have been way worse than we are ever able to know during this time period.

The Great Wave of Zyglos

The Great Wave of Zyglos is an event in -4800 which historians still debate the existance of today. Acording to sources, on the exact passing of the year -4800 to -4799 a massive tsunami rose from the depths of the south western coast of Capti and struck at at many of its historic cities such as Zyglon, Flonus and Norcar. Accounts vary dramatically with many attributing the wave as an omen of what was to come in the following centery and claiming the wave engulfed the entire west coast mercylessly drowning historic cities and their inhabitance. However many of these sources are written after the collapse of the Captirian Empire, over 50 years later and there is yet to be found any geological evidence of such as erosion from a giant wave at this time.

Below: A depiction of the Great Wave of Zyglos created by Faucan Vanacus a Captirian Artist.

The Great Destruction by Faucan Vanacus

However, despite the lack of credible evidence it is clear that something dramatic did happen in the Captirian Empire around the turn of the centery as the capital was moved from the historic city of Zyglos, inland to Cornagas. Before this time Cornagas had been a relatively insignificant city, only really existing due to its link to the Great Southern Trade Route. Before -4800 it had a population of just over 9000 and was dwarfed in size compared to greater coastal cities such as Zyglos. Something clearly happened around this time which caused the capital to be moved inland but what that was historians are still unsure.

The Captirian Empire was good at writing texts on its victories but often completly neglected to record anything bad that happened within its borders to maintain its image of invincibility to the rest of Ecoth. The lack of any mention of the capital being moved from Zyglos to Cornagas likely indicates that something bad happened within Capti that forced the Emperor to relocate his court.

Some historians argue that there was a wave, but much smaller than the one described in later writings and not necesarily on the exact turn of the centery. This would explain why the capital was not moved to another prominant coastal city as the wave could have still effected most of the shoreline.

Another popular theory is that the Capital was moved due to the religious schism in Toronianism, the most prominant religion in Capti. Though historians are as of yet unsure how this would fit in to the moving of the capital it is clear that there was significant unrest in Zyglos and a lot of pressure was on Emperor Narition to end the schism. This is further supported by the fact that he was forced to abdicate by his court later in -4796 and later assassinated.

Other philosophers suggest that the decision was made due to political tenssions between the Emperor and his court which eventually involved them leaving residence in Zyglos. Further theories put the move up to revolts, a fire or the easier access to the gold trade from Cornagas.

Whatever the reason, many historians do link this decision to the beggining of the fall of the mighty empire as it's capital was now more cut off from easy trade and transport with its outer provinces and it was an easier target for inland raiders. The move also caused a certain amount of chaos which did not allow the Captirian Empire to react quickly enough in the First South War (-4791-87) and left it vulnrable in the Great South War (4761-59) which came after. Some also argue that it was significant evidence for the unstable political situation in the empire at the time.

First South War (-4791-87)

The First South War was one of the most noticeable cracks in the Captirian Empire and became one of its biggest losses at the time. Due to the Captirian Empire's habbit of not making texts about their losses most accounts of the conflict are from their enemies, the Buzhanan Empire.

The Captirian Empire used Buzhanan trade routes to import gold mined in Dhily which was highly prized by rich noblemen in Capti. However, likely due to recent economc struggles, Capti did not pay apropriate taxes to Buzhana for use of its trade routes. When Notach Harvsus of Buzhana discovered this in -4791 he was outraged and demanded Capti pay for all the taxes it had avoided. When Capti refused he began confiscating Captirian gold being transported through the Hanna desert and even hung some of the Captirian Merchants.

In retaliation, in the summer of -4791 Captirian soldiers crossed the river Tarvuk and ocupied several Buzhanan towns and villages. Weather this action was apporoved by Emperor Firond or was just a decision made by the govener of New Capti (the nearest city) is unknown but it is clear that whoever ordered this action expected the Buzhanans to back down, rather than retaliate.

Notach Harvsus sent his son, Buuhach, at the head of a large Buzhanan army to libirate the captured towns. The small unprepared Captirian garrisons stood no chance and the Buzhanans recaptured all the teritory that they had lost to the Captirians. However Buuhach had proven himself a capable military leader and had greater ambitions. With his father's backing he began encroaching on Captirian teretory, an action that the Captirians reacted to far too slowly. By the time the governer of New Capti had amassed an army to challenge Buuhach, the Buzhanans had already taken the east bank of the Tarvuk. The two sides met at the Battle of Mannot's Bridge where Capti's army was decisively defeated.

From there the Buzhanans marched on the prot city of New Capti itself, cutting it off from inland trade. For then next two years of the conflict the Buzhanans sieged the countryside around New Capti and west of the river Tarvuk whilst the govener in the city awaited reinforcements. Due to Capti's unstable political climate they came far too late. By the time Captirian soldiers entered the harbour of New Capti, the surounding land was firmly in Buzhanan hands.

In -4787 both sided signed a peace treaty. Buzhana agreed not to take any more land from Capti if it could keep what it had already taken. Buzhana also banned Capti from using its trade routes for the transport of gold. Reluctantly Emperor Firond agreed. The First South War was an embarising defeat for Capti and proved to Ecoth that it was not the invincible juggernaut it had once been. However, Capti's true collapse was only just beggining.

Inter War Years

The years between the First and Great South Wars is where Capti's ability to censor and hide information began to fall appart. Discrete Toronianists began keeping secret records about the acts of their rulers that survived until after the Empire itself giving historians an insight into the true state of Capti during its decline.

After the loss of their teritories around the River Tarvuk, an area of mostly Complex Toronianists, soldiers began to come home and convert to Discrete Toronianism, telling stories of what Capti had done to the local populations in the Narch Region and deserting the Captirian army. This led to widespread dissaproval of the Captirian nobels and Emperor and in -4785 a rebellion broke out. People protested in the cities and towns, denouncing their lords and calling for the Emperor to convert to Discrete Toronianism. Emperor Firond, although little more than a puppet to his court at this point, was forced to convert. The rebelion ended in disaster for the ruling elite and the Emperor's court as Discrete Toronianism became the official religieon of the Captirian Empire.

In order to compencate for this Firond ensured that he would pay off all his nobels in an effort to prevent them doing to him what they had done to his father however the First South War had almost bancrupt the royal court, and Capti's gold supply through Buzhana had also been cut off at the end of the conflict. Firond was forced to turn to other outside powers for help, an act generally avoided by the Captirians if possible. One such potentual ally was The Old Dynasty, an empire comming into its prime with a manopoly on its local trade routes and with the ability to transport gold from Wenstar to Cornagath. Firond managed to reach a deal with Emperor Ivonia IV of the Dynasty to allow Captirian merchants to use his trade routes in exchange for a variety of Captirian resources.

However this move had its problems. Firstly, the Captirian nobles and the Emperor's court were genrally disaproving of the Dynasty with one lord even refering to it as a 'loathing, self obsessed assortment of peasent worshipers' in referance to the Dynasty's main religion, New Dynalism. The trade itself was also going poorly as at the time the Dynasty was at war with the eastern kingdoms, backed by Wenstar which slowed trade and made traveling dagerous for merchants, especially with valuble resources such as gold. Firond attempted to convince the Dynasty to end the conflict multiple times which eventually led to the Dynasty revoking their deal with the Captirians. Infuriated by this, Firond invited the leaders of both the Dynasty and the Eastern Kingdoms to Cornagas for peace talks. With the eastern kingdoms showing an interest in attending, Dynal Emperor Ivonia IV decided to attend in the hope of ending a conflict that had been ongoing for centeries with Dynal favour. However the peace talks completly collapsed when Ivonia and Firond started an argument and Ivonia stormed out, planning on heading back to Capswold the next morning, however he never made it.

The assassination of Emperor Ivonia IV is today still one of the most famous and mysterious assassinations in Ecothnic history with potentual culprits ranging from Wenstar to Buzhana to even the Dynasty itself however there was one weak and obvious target to pin the blame onto, and newly crowned emperor of the Dynasty Solvin VI planned on enacting his revenge upon it.

Great South War (4761-59)

The Great South War is considered by many to be the final nail in the coffin for an already crumbling Captirian Empire. After the assassination of Emperor Ivonia of the Dynasty Solvin VI declared war on Capti. However Capti was initially unconcerned by this as the Dynasty was on the other side of the continent and would have to spend a long six months marching its army down the southern trade route to pose any meaningful threat. This is why Buzhana's sudden allience with the Dynasty came as such a shock to the nobles in Cornagath. Buzhana had devestated Capti in the First South War and now the excellent Buzhanan general, Buuhach, was Notach. News of this only reached Conagath as the Buzhanans were already closing in around the port of New Capti.

The City of New Capti was trapped in enemy controlled teritory and had been since the end of the First South War but now it came under threat again as Buzhanan troops began amassing outside its walls. The governer requested more troops from the main empire but Firond was afraid of an invasion from the Narch and neglected to send them. Instead New Capti was left to fend for itself and it was not long before it came under siege. The govener ordered the destruction of the small Buzhanan fleet that had been gathered at Ctaycee and the mighty fleet of Capti saw great success at the Battle of Ctaycee, one of the only naval battles of the war, however this success was short lived. Two months after the siege of New Capti begun, it fell to the Buzhanans being renamed to Carvuuk. Many nobles and soldiers including the governer fled the city upon Capti's fleet of warships held in dock but were caught in a storm near the Craivun Mountains on their way to the main empire and were shipwrecked, destroying much of Capti's prowd fleet. It seemed as if even Gipos was against Capti in this war.

With the fall of New Capti the Buzhanans began pushing westwards across the Narch Region and into Capti. Encoraged by Buzhana's success the oppressed peoples of the Narch Region began to rebel against Capti. The joint rebel Buzhanan force managed to push Capti back to the River Vishtini where Capti finally held. The main reson that Capti lost so much teritory at the start of the conflict was not just due to the Narch uprisings but also their slowness to respond to deploy their army to the region. Capti began to finally push Buzhana back from the River Vishtini but the arrival of the Dynasty to their north diverted most of their efforts away from this front.

Led by Emperor Solvin VI the Dynasty had marched for six months from Capswold down the southern trade route to find vengence for the assassination of their prievious Emperor. Many people in the Dynasty were New Dynalists, which ment that they believed their emperor was chosen by the Divine Beings which angered them further that his death had been at foreign hands. Motivated by this and the inspiring speeches of their new leader, Solvin VI, the Dynal army was prepared to crush the Captirians however upon thier arrival they found the Captirians waiting for them and a stalemate quickly occured. In fact across the whole frontline from Suhuva to the Craivun Mountains no one was making any progress.

That was untill the emergance of a Buzhanan contingancy. At the start of the conflict Notach Buuhach IV had sent a few hundrad of his best men into the Narch Mountains. There they encountered the Mountain Tribes who they allied with against Capti. When these Buzhanan soldiers and their new allies emerged on the other side of the mountains months later they were able to collide with the eastern Captirian flank, risking its collapse. The Captirians were hasty to move more troops to the area to defend aginst this new threat but in doing so left their northern front exposed and undermanned. This was when Solvin VI decided to push.

Today Solvin VI is known by many as Solvin the Great. These six months of battle were likely where he earned this title as he led the Dynal army straght to the heart of Capti, Cornagath. Solvin pressed quickly through the Captirian countryside, crushing resistance as he went. As the Dynal army neared Cornagath Emperor Firond decided to rally his army one last time, claiming that he and his royal guards would participate in the final battle for Capti. This gave the Captirian soldiers the motivation they needed and Firond gathered his army outside the town of Skacoon. Firond positioned his army on top of a steep hill which he hoped would give him an advantage against Solvin's army. However, Firond was an emperor, not a military commander and made several mistakes that doomed his army to defeat. Firstly the gaps he left between his units were too large and easily exploitable and secondly, he had no command or effective communication structure in place. When the first wave of Dynal soldiers retreated one Captirian unit gave chace. Seeing the charge another unit joined in untill Firond's whole army was running down the hill at the fortified Dynal line where they were slaughtered in the thousonds. Firond fled back to Cornagath leaving many of his remaining soldiers stranded on the battlefield making the Battle of Skacoon as one of the Captirian Empire's worst defeats in battle.

Solvin VI and the Dynal army made it to the gates of Cornagath only days later and after a brief skermish entered the city. Firond was unable to escape in time and was forced to accept the terms of the Treaty of Cornagath. Both Notach Buuhach IV and Solvin VI carved up Capti for their own kingdoms. Buzhana took the Eastern Narch Regieon and the Dynasty took the Selution Coast. The rest of Firond's Empire was returned to him as both Buzhana and the Dynasty did not want to inherit themany of issues that had destablised the empire in the first place. However they did restructure Capti in such a way that its fall would be inevitable. They installed Complex Toronianist nobility as rulers of kingdoms with a majority population of Discrete Toronianists and vice versa. They reduced the power of the Emperor to a basic figurehead and established a system that they hoped would quickly collapse to infighting. In this way the two allies ensured the destruction of Capti without getting the complete blame for it on the Ecothnic stage.

After only two years of having no power over the shadow of his former empire, Emperor Firond made plans to flee into exile, but never made it. He was killed in Purrn where it was presumed he was planning on boarding a ship to flee eastwards past the Craivun Mountains. His killers remain unknown to this day but by -4757 he was equally dislikes by almost everyone in his former Empire.

Capti Civil Wars

Whilst there is no official dissolution to the Captirian Empire, many historians label the end of the Great South War in -4759 or the death of its last emperor, Firond, in -4757 as its end, since Capti would never unite again until Dynal occupation in the -4400s. The period between these events is known as the Captirian Civil Wars as Capti divided itself into individual kingdoms and Empires which were often warring with each other. This is mostly due to the way the Dynasty and Buzhana left the region after the Great South War and the growing divide between the factions within Toronianism. The map below shows how Capti looked after -4750, only nine years after the Treaty of Cornagath:

Timeline of Events in Capti: -4759 to -4400

• -4758 The Ruler of the Inlands is Killed by Rebels

  The Dynal appointed Captirian ruler of the Inlands is overthrown and killed, plunging the area into chaos for the next three centeries.

  Read More About the Inlands ↓

  Devastation in the Inlands

  The Inlands were a strange gographical area spanning across most of South Capti but never touching the coast. Back in the early days of the Zyglon Empire they had been inhabited by small tribal communities which had often worked and traded with Zyglos. However, as the Empire had grown the Inlands became Capti's key agricultural lands as the lowlying flat land was perfect for farming most crops and cattle. However after the collapse of the Captirian Empire they became a battlefield.

  The exact series of events that led to the chaotic nature of the Inlands at this time are not fully known but it appears to have been a power strugle between multiple local lords and other powerful figures. When the Dynasty and Buzhana reabministrated Capti after the Great South War they had placed a Complete Toronianist lord in charge of the region. However many people inhabiting the Inlands were Discrete Torronianists as before the Captirian Empire had little direct authority over the region. A growing resistance to this new lord grew quickly across the area and the Dynal appointed lord was killed only a year and a bit into his reign. However this left a vacuum in the seat of power.

  The Discrete Toronianists who had overtherown the lord believed that one of them should take power but were heavily indecisive on who. Whilst they fought over leadership the Complex Toronianists who were still loyal to the old lord returned with an army of mercenaries to try retake contol.

  This is the point where the narrative gets more chaotic as many of the Discrete Toronianist and local groups started fighting each other as well as the returning complex Toronianists. As soon as any of these groups seemed to get the upper hand over another they would either be betrayed or destroyed by another. Another issue that complicated the conflicts was that many of the forces fighting were hired mercenaries from Xyanvia, the Narch Region or other areas in Capti. As those who hired them were wiped out or unable to pay up these mercenaries broke off and started pillaging the Inlands in hope to make up for their lost profits. These groups of horesback pirates that terrorised towns and villages became known as Pathoyala roughly translating to 'Lawless Men.'

  The effect of this chaos in the Inalnds made the lives of many simple farmers and peasents dificult and many migrated to the surrounding cities such as Cornagas to protect themselves from the frequent raids. This ment that the agricultural output of the Inlands decreaced significantly as the little food that was being produced was often stolen by Pathoyalas before it could be traded with others. This led many outside powers, such as the Cranic City States, to rely less on Inland trade and turn to other suppliers such as Buzhana, the Selutian Empire or Suhuva, which in turn led to further decline in the Inlands.

  Whilst some steps to recovery were made in the Inlands over the next few centeries, they never truly recovered until Dynal occupation in the -4400s forced the mercenary groups to leave the area for good.

• -4757 Emperor Firond is assassinated

  In the spring of -4757 the last emperor of the Captirian Empire attempts to slip away to the mountain fortress of Sac-Norsh but is killed in the port city of Purrn before he could board his ship.

  Read More About Purrn's Rise to Power ↓

  Purrn's New Found Prosperity

  With the decline of ancient cities in the west such as Zyglos or Norcar, other cities on the eastern coast of Capti began to increace in prosperity and wealth. One such city was the port city of Purrn at the mouth of the river Purrki. This city had once been an outpost on the far edge of the early Captirian Empire however as the empire expanded it had become an important set off point for ships going along the Craivun Mountains to the city of New Capti. However with the fall of New Capti in the Great South War Purrn once again found itself on the edge of the Captirian Empire, but this time not as a small outpost but a busy and thriving port. Due to the mountainous nature of the Craivun coast very few settlements were avalible for a ship to stop at along the Craivun coast meaning Purrn, being on the far west of the Craivun Mountains, was an essentual stop for any ship going between Capti and the Buzhanan Empire. Purrn's relationship with Buzhana and other outposts along the Craivun coast also increaced its ability to trade as many other Captirian cities refused to trade with Buzhana after the Great South War. This was why on Purrn's markets you could find Buzhanan silk and stones that were otherwise unobtainable in Capti.

  Purrn's prosperity was also prioritised as after the collapse of central Captirian authority Purrn had become self governing with a group of elected nobles ruling the city and the surrounding land. These leaders were very aware of Purrn's position and passed laws attracting merchants and seamen to trade in Purrn's ports. It was even said that the government in Purrn had good relations with the lawless mercenaries of Sac-Norsh, a group who in their early years were regarded as unruly bandits and barbarians. Purrn used groups like the Sak Norsh to invade the south of the Inlands in retaliation for raids on Purrn's outer settlements. It was alliances like these which allowed Purrn to maintain its wealth and monopoly of the sea compared to other independent cities further down the coast.

  However Purrn's wealth and trade were not all it had, during the Great South War many of Capti's finest ships had been moved to Purrn in preparation for a voyage across the Craivun Mountains to liberate the city of New Capti which had been under siege at the time. The quick and unexpected fall of New Capti stopped the mission from going ahead and ever since the collapse of the Captirian Government Purrn had never been asked to return the ships. This ment Purrn's navy was made of the finest Captrian ships of the time, many of which had come from other cities along the same coast. These ships, often refitted as merchants vessles, drove Purrn's success on the waves and attracted many of Capti's most renowned sailers but also boosted its abilities in war. This fleet and Purrn's political and economical power led it to become the dominant power in the Cranic Sea often being the one to settle disbutes between other cities and sometimes exert its control over them.

  Credit: Dynal Animations https://www.youtube.com/channel/dynalanimations
  Read More about the Sak-Norsh Pirates ↓

  Mountain Fortress of Sac-Norsh

  When Capti was expanding rapidly in the -5400s it constructed several outposts along the Craivun Mountains as stopping points long the long and dangerous coast between Purrn and New Capti. The coast along the Craivum Mountains held many dangers in its sharp rocks and frequent storms which made these outposts essentual resting places for ships traveling along the lengthy coast. They were also intended as military outposts as many were built up into the mountains as inpenetrable fortresses. The thinking of the Captirians was that any fleet invading Capti from the east would have to take these outposts or risk being flanked by them after passing by. However these mountain fortresses became obsolete when the Buzhanan Empire invaded Capti through the Narch Region in the Great South War rather than by sea.

  The largest of these outposts was the great fortress of Sac-Norsh. It had a full harbour and even a standing fleet during the First and Great South Wars however it never saw action during these conflicts. The only thing it did was shelter the remnants of New Capti's fleet after being caught in a devastating storm when fleeing their sieged city. As the war ended many of the soldiers stationed at Sac-Norsh and those from the New Capti fleet remained at the stronghold, using food stockpiles intended for siege to survive. When these started to run low they began raiding ships and distant cities for supplies to survive. Sailing on the Craivun Coast was dangerous but over time these pirates learnt how to best survive the choppy waves and the sharp rocks and a strong community began to emerge. Estimates as to how many people lived at Sac-Norsh at this time vary but some state the numbers of a small city.

  However the isolation of the Sac-Norsh would not last forever as their skills as sailers were soon noticed by one of their common raiding targets, Purrn. Purrn was an independent Captirian city on the edge of the Craivun Mountains which had accumulated a lot of wealth through trading with the Buzhanans across the mountains. Their ships had often been the target of Sac-Norsh pirates and they had long admired the skills of the Sac-Norsh navigating the treacherous Craivun Coast. This led to the balantears of Purrn offering the leaders of the Sac-Norsh to become merchants for which they would be paid well. However the Sac-Norsh refused instead making a deal with Purrn to become mercenaries and aid them in their fight against the inlanders. Under the terms that the raiding of Purrn's ships would stop, Purrn agreed and the warriors of Sac-Norsh began their legacy of being some of the most infamous Captirian mercenaries in history.

  As their reputation as hired soldiers grew, the Sac-Norsh were given a particularly important job in -4757. Although historians debate as to whether this is true or not, it is believed that the Sac-Norsh were tasked with the safe transport of Emperor Firond out of the Captirian Empire at Purrn. This is often evidenced by many claiming that much of the late Emperor's treasury was seen being shipped off by mercenaries in Purrn only months before his attempted departure. Such treasure was believed to have been stored at Sac-Norsh, a place where the emperor himself would hide away in the most secure fortress in Ecoth. Of course he never made it. Firond was assasinated in Purrn, likely hours if not minutes before he was supposed to safely leave Capti for good. His attackers remain unknown but many point to the Sac-Norsh themselves saying that they double crossed him in order to steal his treasury. Others argue that if the emperor had not trusted them he would not have used them to escape and suggest that the Sac-Norsh were one of the few groups still loyal to the true Captirian Emperor. Whatever the case the failure of the Sac-Norsh earned them extreme wealth through their employer's posessions which they used to increace the quality of their weapons, armour and their numbers.

  Some of this wealth went to further conquest, as they took over the Albumite Republic in -4751. Similar to Sak-Norsh, the Albumite Republic had been operating out of an old Captirian fortess on the Craivun coast. It had seen reasonable sucess but had been competing in the same waters and for the same goals as the Sak-Norsh. With the money to do so, the Sak Norsh laid siege to the Albumin Republic's main fortess in the Craivun Mountains, removing their most dangerous competitor and absorbing their teritory.

• -4757 The Dynasty turns on Buzhana

  The Dynasty turns on their old ally Buzhana in an attempt to regain land starting a six year conflict which keeps Buzhana distracted from its newly gained teritory in the eastern Narch Region.

• -4757 Phaloxpha launches an invasion of the Eastern Narch Region

  King Gerris of Phaloxpha allies with the kingdoms of Tarack and S'holtas to try and recreate the Captirian Empire by spreading Complex Toronianism into the Narch Region. He invades the Buzhanan held teritory across the River Vishtini.

  Read More About Phaloxphra ↓

  Phaloxpha's Holy Wars

  Phaloxpha was a Captirian kingdom in the Western Narch Region which bordered the Buzhanan East. However unlike many Narchic kingdoms it had a sizable Complex Toronianist population which had been squabling over its rullers since its relative independence after the Great South War until it finally settled on King Gerris III. Gerris was an ambitious ruller who kept his people in line with the idea that Phaloxpha would lead the creation of a new Captirian Empire starting by retaking the Narch Region. Gerris branded his efforts not only as a rebirth of the old empire but also a holy war to properly spread Complex Toronianism across the former Captirian teritories which had, in his eyes, lost their way and devotion to Gipos. This idea appealed to many of his nobles who were Complex Toronianists themselves and were missing the wealth and connections that the old Captirian Empire centred in Coragas had brought them.

  Gerris planned a campaign south into Dishdoni which was rulled by a Discrete Toronianist King. However Gerris was unable to campaign successfuly alone and needed the support of other kingdoms in his efforts. Gerris' new allies consisted of the kingdoms of Tarack and S'holtas who did not like the idea of attacking their trade partner Dishdoni and instead offered that the attack be redirected at the Buzhanan Eastern Narch Region across the river Vishtini.

  Gerris attacked first in -4757 but saw little success until the Dynasty attacked Buzhana the same year and Buzhanan troops were diverted north in -4755 by Dynal advances. However Phaloxpha's advances were still painfully slow and Gerris made little progress past the Vishtini over the following years, held up with logistical issues and resistance from the local Narchic people who did not want to see the return of Captirian opression. They would frequently raid Phaloxpha's camps and turned the offensive campaign into a defence of the little teritory the alliance had gained.

  Overall Gerris and his allies achieved very little in their campaigns and after -4751 when Buzhana's war with the Dynasty ended the allience came under threat. Buzhana gathered its armies in Xyanvia which then decended on the kingdoms of Tarack and S'holtas in -4749. Their invasion was quick as much of the alliance's armies were to the east of Phaloxpha on campaign. Noticing the situation change Gerris III managed to recall his army in time to defend his kingdom against Buzhana but lost both his allies in the process. Cornered by Buzhana on three sides, Phaloxpha had no hope of ever launching another holy war into the Narch Region again and that was how Buzhana wanted to keep it.

  In -4747 Gerris III was dethroned by his nobles, just as his father had been, and later exiled as he failed to meet his promises of reuniting the Captirian people and bringing stability to Phaloxpha. His cousin took his place but only eight years later Buzhana invaded the kingdom again, successfuly taking control this time and ending Gerris' line of Complex Toronianist Kings for good.

• -4755 Narchic Independence Against Buzhana

  Led by Gairvar Cydos the people of the Eastern Narch Region stage a revolt against their new Buzhanan opressors whilst the Notach is distracted with his war with the Dynasty. This is the begining of the Cydon Narchate.

  Read More About the Cydon Narchate ↓

  Narchic Uprisings against Buzhana

  During the Great South War the Narchic peoples had been vital in Buzhana's success in pushing the Captirians back to the River Vishtini. Under Captirian rule the people of the Narch region had suffered greatly being ranked as second class citizens, so called 'uncivilised peoples' by the Captirians. The invasion of Buzhana had united many people of the eastern Narch Region with a common goal and led by Chieftain Gairvar Cydos they had helped push the opressive Captirians off of their land in the Eastern Narch.

  However after the conflict, many including Cydos himself assumed Buzhana would leave the Narch region back to its original inhabitants. The Notach had a big enough empire to rule already, surly another piece the size of Eastern Narch would be too ambitious for even him to try and control. But the treaty of Conagas ruled differently. Buzhana gained full authority over the Eastern Narch and the people of the Narch Region realised that they had traded one opressive ruller for another.

  Initially the Narchic people were open to the idea that Buzhana might be a more distant ruller than Capti but this soon proved not to be the case as Buzhanan troops occupied the Captirian fortresses and cities in the area whilst also bulding their ovn along the Vishtini and the Tarvuk. Outraged Gairvar Cydos began to gather his followers as he had done against Capti to raid the new Buzhanan outposts on his lands however whilst these raids were effective they were far too small in scale to deal any meaningful damage to the numerous Buzhanan fortresses in the region. That was untill -4755.

  In -4757 the Dynasty had turned on Buzhana with Solvin VI attacking Vlorich and starting another major war. However this conflict did not have much effect on the distant Narch Region until Buzhana started losing its gained teritories in -4755. This led to the Notach moving troops from his Narchic teritories to the frontline, and left them exposed and vulnrable to Cydos' attacks.

  By the end of the war in -4751 Cydos and his allies had carved out an area of the South of Eastern Narch for themselves and were expanding rapidly. Notach Buuhach IV tried to retake the land but was only successful in slowing the Narchic advance. The Narch used fast pace hit and run tactics with light cavalry which disadvantaged the Buzhanan's more traditional aproach to warfare. Whilst the Buzhanans were able to hold onto sections of the Eastern Narch Region most of it beyond a few tough Buzhanan outposts and cities fell into the hands of the new Cydon Narchate.

  
  
  

• -4749 Buzhana Invades the kingdoms of Tarack and S'holtas

  After the alliance of Phaloxpha, Tarack and S'holtas failed to make significant progress into the Eastern Narch Region, Buzhana invades all three, successfully taking the two former.

• -4747 Gerris III of Phaloxpha is Overthrown

  After failing to deliver on a number of promises to his nobles, Gerris III of Phaloxpha is exiled and replaced with his cousin.

• -4739 Buzhana Successfuly invades Phaloxphra

  After eight years of holding out the kingdom of Phaloxpha eventually falls to Xyanvic Buzhanan forces.

• -4735 Begining of the Dynal Civil War

  The Dynal Emperor Nivshnot VIII denounces the religion of New Dynalism begining a period of Dynal instability.

• -4733 The Selutian Revolution

  Govener Sarhond of the Dynal ocupied provence of Selutia renounces Dynal authority and takes control of the Seutian coast starting the Selutian Empire.

  Read More About the Selutian Empire ↓

  Rise of the Selutian Empire

  After the Dynasty's victory over Capti in the Great South War Emperor Solvin VI gave a significant amount of Capti's land along the Selutian Coast to some of his lords. Solvin knew that the Dynasty would never be able to maintain control of the region as it took over six months to march an army there from Capswold but many of his lords had been getting impatient with getting paid for their services in the war so Solvin stationed them as far away as possible to avoid their criticism and chance of rebellion. The province of Selutia, as it became known, was governed by a man called Sarhond who was half Dynal and half Captirian. Solvin hoped that Sarhond's Captirian connections would allow him to maintain control of the area whilst still pleasing the Dynal Lords ruling the kingdoms beneath him. However Governor Sarhond had greater ambitions.

  In -4735 the Dynal Civil War broke out with Emperor Nivshnot VIII denouncing the state religion of New Dynalism. When news of this catastrophic event reached Selutia, Governor Sarhond decided it was time to act. He had already been gathering support for the last few years in the wake of the Buzhanan War mostly amoung the native Captirians and Huvans. Early into the year of -4733 he wrote personalised letters to the Dynal Lords ruling over the kingdoms in Selutia informing them that Selutia was no longer a province of the Dynasty but instead an independent power rulled over by him and asking them to sign their allegiance to his new order of command. Some Dynal Lords heavily respected Sarhond and complied whilst others were overthrown by other nobles in their kingdoms who were allied with Sarhond. Across the early months of the year Sarhond managed to secure most of west and south Selutia facing only minor resistance.

  He was popular amoung the Captirian and Huvan majorities who feared Dynal opression and hoped that he would restore their right and freedoms as in the days of the Captirian Empire. However he was also popular with many Dynals who viewed the Dynasty back in Capswold as chaotic and even illegitimate due to the ongoing civil war. Embracing support from both sides Sarhond started promoting a new Selute identity and unity in opposition to the religious and ethnic diversity that made up his teritory. This worked in many circumstances as many Captirians had been looking for a banner to unite under since the fall of the Captirian Empire and many Dynals did not want to fall into a minority.

  The only kingdom he had significant trouble securing was the kingdom of Gankas which was the only kingdom in Selutia with a large Discrete Toronianist population. The Dynal Lord of Gankas had told the Discrete Toronianists that Sarhond planned on implementing a pro-Complex Toronianist government in Gankas and so had recieved a large number of motivated soldiers to fight against Sarhond's invasion. The Selute forces began their invasion in late -4733 led by now Emperor Sarhond, an honorary title Sarhond had given himself to appeal to those who wanted to see the revival of the Captirian Empire. The first battle was fought initially as a pitched fight outside the lord's castle however as more Selute forces arrived the Gankas were forced to retreat inside their walls. Whilst his enemy hid, Sarhond ordered progress be made along the western reaches of the kingdom to gain support and many smaller holdouts in the west were defeated. At the start of -4732 the lord's castle was breached and the Dynal Lord of Gankas was executed with most of his nobility pleadging allegiance to Sarhond or being beheaded. However the invasion of Gankas was not over as many Discrete Toronianists in the east still resisted Sarhond's army. After a brutal two year campain and threats from other Captirian powers the Selutes were forced to abandon the conquest of eastern Gankas and divided the kingdom in two, renouncing their claim on the eastern half.

  However, whilst Sarhond has successfully established control over the ex-Dynal colany he now no longer had the protection that came with the Dynal title. Quickly after his revolution outside powers began eyeing up Selutia for its rich coastline and prosperous cities. One such ambitious power was the Ahumid League. The Ahumid League was the small remenant of the ancient Huvan Empire that had for most of its existance been stuck between the Captirian and the Suhuvan Empires, however now found itself to be more powerful in comparison to the smaller squabling kingdoms Capti had divided into. In -4750 the Huvan kingdoms once part of the Captirian Empire as the Coverct of Hivoni had joined the Ahumid League, uniting all the free Huvan kingdoms under one alliance.

  With the Selutian's independence the Ahumid League wanted to take back the historic Huvan Kingdom of Yavar which would give them access to trade by the sea, something that they had lacked since their creation. Early after Sarhond's grab for power the Ahumid League began making contact with Huvans living within Selutian lands and encoraging them to rebel. The Ahumids provided them with weapons and information in the hope that in areas like Yavar where there were Huvan majorities the people would gain independence then join the Ahumid league.

  However their plan was quickly noticed by Sarhond who was trying to stablise relations between the differnet peoples in his Empire. His promotion of a new and inclusive Selute identity conflicted with the traditional Huvan ideas that the Ahumid league was using to rally the Huvan people in Selutia. In the end many Huvans, having lived their entire lives under Captirians, did not rebell but instead embraced the new Selute identity. However, the few who did still posed a significant problem to Sarhond. By openly attacking Huvan people Sarhond feared people would see him as a hypocrite, a Selute attacking his own people. Instead Sarhond decided to take a different aproach to dela with the Ahumid League.

  In the summer of -4731 Sarhond sent his son on campain into Hivoni, the eastern half of the Ahumid Leage who had recently joined after the collapse of Capti. The kingdoms in Hivoni were positioned on the southern trade route and therefore did not need the Ahumid League to reach the ocean as much as the east whose landlocked nature made trade more dificult. The Selutian's attacks were not traditional battles but instead raids on Hivonian assets such as merchants towns and cities and even the largest city in Hivoni, Tu Surin, in which they burned the supplies used by the merchants which brought the city its wealth. Selutia's raid into Hivonian lands was ment as a message to the Hivonian kingdoms saying that if they join the Ahumid League they would suffer the consiquences of its actions, even if they were not directly involved. Whilst the Hivonians responce was to block trade with the Selutians they also encoraged the eastern kingdoms of the Ahumid League to stop supporting rebels within Selutian borders through threat of leaving the League which greatly reduced resistance to Sarhond's newly established rule.

  Below: A flag design of the Selutian Empire representing its various different peoples with the symbols of the Captirian Empire, the Dynasty and Toronianism (li).

  

• -4732 Rise of the Tevarites

  A Xyanvic people displaced by Buzhana's war with the Dynasty, the Tevarites settle on the Shoronic Coast next to the Selutian Empire and Shoronic States.

• -4731 Selutia Raids Hivonian Lands

  After years of putting up with the Ahumid Leagues' attempts to gain the kingdom of Yavar by supporting rebelion against the Selutes, Emperor Sarhond of the Selutian Empire sends his son deep into Hivini to raid and disrupt their trading cities. This destablises the Ahumid League and eventually led to Hivoni's succession.

• -4716 Tevarites Invade the Shoronic States

  After the Shoronic States refuse to pay an increased tribute to the Tevarites in -4717 they are occupied by the Xyanvic army who start to erase the ancient culture in the region.

  Read More About the Tevarites and the Shoronic States ↓

  The Ancient Heartland; The Shoronic States

  Where once the great cities of Zyglos and Norcar had once stood, the coast of what had been some of the Captirian Empire's finest ports and the very heart of that once great empire now lay rubble. Since the Captirian Empire's capital was moved from Zyglos to Cornagas it seems the region where the Zyglon Empire had emerged in its infancy had entered a severe decline. The population og many of these shoronic cities had dwindled, as had their upkeep. By -4759 at the end of the Great South War they had been almost completly overshadowed by trade in Selutia or other cities such as Purrn to the east. The exact reason for this ruin and decline remains relativly unknown to this day but mostly seems to be due to competition and the political and religious unstability in the region.

  After the fall of centralised authority in the Captirian Empire control of these shoronic cities often fell to whatever once noble happened to be overseeing it at the time. Small governers or local princes often took a luse control of the cities but often held little power or teritory. So the region deunified, crumbling into independent disconnected states and small kingdoms which collectivly held the title of the Shoronic States, named after the sea they bordered. With small populations and smaller wealth these states quickly crumbled into obscurity. The walls of the ancient monuments of Zyglon power were picked at for stones as temples lay abandoned and palaces became emptier and older.

  The few who still lived ther lived in povery, with even their supposed leaders having little to their name. The land around the cities became baron and as the conflict in the Inlands began to surge it became common place for rouge mercenary groups to raid deep into shoronic lands, burning and pillaging what little remained of ancient Captirian history in the region.

  However by -4732 a new power had risen in the area north of the Shoronic States, the Tevarites. The Tevarites were a Xynavic people who had migrated to Capti after Buzhana's conflict with the Dynasty. Being from Xyanvia they were not Torronianist like many other Captirian powers and so had no problem committing acts such as burning Torronianist temples and disrespecting Torronianist traditions. By -4732 they had settled on the Shoronic coast and many in the surrounding area feared their devistation, including the recently risen Selutian Empire. But for the Shoronic States their presence was even more distirbing. Frequent raids into Shoronic lands allowed the Tevarites to force heavy tributes onto the Shoronic States on top of tributes that many of the states were paying to other outside powers encroaching on their lands. These high tributes bancrupt an already struggling economy in the region as trade between the states dried up completly and they became more reliant on outside powers.

  However the situation only worsened in -4719 when a war in Tevarite teritory left the Xyanvic people in need of money and tributes were raised on the Shoronic States. In the winter of -4717 One of the Shoronic States tried to resist the raised tribute and made the mistake of slaughtering the two Tevarite messengers who came to collect it. The next summer a Tevarite capaign was launched into the Shoronic lands where many of the the Shoronic States were defeated and ocupied by the Xyanvic conquerors. Awere of the cultural significance of the once mighty cities of Shoron the Tevar conquerors changed many of their names in an attempt to erase the one last thing that tied these lands to their origins and alianate their subjects from history to make control easier.

  It was in these hard years of occupation many famous paintings and writings were made remenising on how the mighty Captirian Empire fell. People like Suequ Nortsh and Faucan Vanacus painted their now famous images of Zyglos being swalowed by a great tsunami sent by Gipos to punish the Captirians. Many attribute this as a metaphor for the lost culture of the region whilst others cling to the idea that such a wave did destroy much of the Shoronic coast but estemates and dates vary wildly. Other forms of art and literature were also created in this time as the Shoronic people looked back on better days in the hope that they would come again. Devoted philosophers knelt at the doors of rotting temples asking Gipos for a reason as to their subjugation occupation by these non-Torronianists, iferior and 'uncivilized' outsiders. No answer came from above but the Shoronic schollars still theorised wildly. And then there were those who turned away from faith, the idea that Gipos protected them seemed to no longer be apparent and many abandoned Torronianism for the Xyanvic paganism the Tevars had brought with them, as surely due to their success, their gods must be more favourable.

  Even by -4698 when Tevarite power began to slip and the Shoronic States regained independence, many of the cities kept their new names, many of the schollars kept writing about the end of days and many people had truly forgoten the history of their civilization. Today the location of the original city of Zyglos remains unknown. Nor Norcar, Flownus Twarnet or any of the other great Shoronic cities mentioned in early Captirian texts. Whilst in later decades the nemes of the Tevar cities were changed again, they never reverted back to their old selves.The cities of Zyglos and Norcar were dead.

• -4701 Beggining of the First Cranic War

  A dispute between the cities of Gartuna and Kakrdon escalates into a multi-state conflict which disrupts trade and wrecks havoc in the Cranic Sea for the next two years.

  Read More About the First Cranic War ↓

  The First Cranic War (-4701 to -4699)

  By -4740 many of the cities on the Cranic coast which had become independent after the collapse of the Captirian Empire had become powerful city states. Many not quite as powerful as Purrn itself, the pioneer of the model that most of them used but all focused on controling trade it was inevitable that there would eventually be conflict. By -4750 there were as many as 45 indepenet states in the Cranic sea and from there the number only increased. Many could tell that conflict was soon brewing but somehow major war between these states was avoided for some time beyond simple bickering and skermishes until the year of -4701 when the King of the state of Gartuna died unexpectedly and his 19 year old son, Jomas, took the throne. However, the King of the state of Kakrdon also laid claim to the throne through his relation to the old king as a cousin. Whilst this claim would normally have been considered illegitimate many had doubted the ability of Jomas I, not just because of his youth but also his naive nature and lack of experience with Cranic politics. The king of Kakrdon, Vorknor II, had hoped that many of the nobles and merchants in Gatuna would help him but ultimatly what he had hoped would be a coup turned into a war as many of Jomas' people stuck with him after he delivered an empowering speach about resisting Kakrdonian expansion.

  Despite this Vorknor was persistant and gathered allies in the Republic of Tharn and Kane to create the Cranic Alliance who tried and take Gartuna by force. However Gartuna also managed to gather allies in the Pethan States which bordered the headland past Kakrdon. This took the conflict to a new phase as the Kakerdonian fleet tried to besiege the Pethan States as the Tharnic fleet tried to relieve their allies in Kane. Whilst the later of which was successful Jomas I made new allies in blongia and most importantly the newly emerging Catarnian Empire. The Catarnians were not only an emerging power in southern Capti but also one that bordered Kakrdon itself. Still besieging the Pethan States Vorknor was forced to hire the Sak Norsh as mercenaries to defend his lands.

  From there the was escalated further as other states got involved and new sides emerged. Vorknor's blockade of the Pethan States failed and then the Sak Norsh took much of his land when he was unable to pay them but by the end of the two years the conflict lasted none of his original intentions mattered any more. By -4699 the Western Cranic Sea was a mess of states brawling uncontrolably with their neighbors.

  This was of great dismay to Purrn. Purrn was, at this point, the most powerful of the Cranic States and its location to the far east had helped it avoid most of the fighting. However after two years and the escallation of the conflict, Purrn's shipping routes had become unstable and so had its allies. In -4699 Purrn organised a meeting between all the States involved in the conflict and a few more and settled the dispute. The Purrn laws, as they came to be known, were by no means fair. The Sak Norsh's holdings in Kakrdon were recognised and several states were demolished but this was at a time when Purrn had a lot of influance over the wealth of the Cranic Sea and so its words were final. The Catarnian Empire was also allowed to hold onto the city of Eathia which it had gained during the conflict and would help its expansion in the future. The Purrn laws not only rearranged the geography of the Cranic Sea to prioritize Purrn's allies though, they also saw Purrn building permanent ooutposts and taking control of land across the Eastern Cranic Sea. Some historians call the Purrn Laws 'the beggining of Purrn's Empire as they allowed Purrn to gain an almost absolute influance over the Cranic Sea and remove any states it saw as a threat to its power.

  Below: A map showing the borders of the Cranic States at the begining of the Cranic War in -4701.

  

• -4699 The Purrn Laws

  The city of Purrn ends the First Cranic War by forcing all participants to sign a treaty which empowers Purrn's allies and weakens its enemies. Purrn recognises the teritory held by the Sak Norsh and establishes several teritories for itself in the East Cranic Sea.

• -4698 Tevarites leave the Shoronic States

  After facing significant decline, the Tevarites are forced to abandon their teritories in the Shoronic States, restoring their independence. However much of the Tevarites work to erase Captirian culture in the area are still in effect and it never fully recovers.

• -4680 Sidus Cydos Vu makes Discrete Toronianism the official religion of the Cydon Narchate

  In an attempt to make an alliance with Dishdoni Sidus Cydos Vu converts to Discrete Toronianism, much to the resentment of many Narchic Chieftains.

• -4678 Founding of the Oom Narchate

  A rebellious Chieftain of the Cydon Narchate, Trarknic Oom, is exiled and founds his own Narchate known as the Oom Narchate. The Oom Narchate expands rapidly, competing with the Cydon Narchate for control of the eastern Narch Region.

  Read More About the Cydon and Oom Narchates ↓

  Oom Narchate is Founded

  From -4755 a large portion of the eastern Narch Region had gained its independence under the Cydon Narchate, a largely nomadic state which was adapted to rule its people in the way its people lived. It had few major settlements and practaced an old form of Narchic religion where the people of the region would live off the land. The only major semblence of a non-nomadic life was in the city of Tavus-viss at the foot of the Narch Mountains where the leaders of the various peoples would have come together every year or every other year to settle major disbutes amoung tribes and review the state of the Narchate. The Chaitain (leader) of the Narchate, decendents of its founder Gairvar Cydos, remained in the city for most of the year, as a consoltant for larger, more immidiate issues.

  However as the Narchate grew older and its unity luser, issues began to arrise. With the death of Varvadi Cydos Gan, the liniage of the Chaitain passed to his nephew, Sidus I Vu who became Sidus Cydos Vu. Sidus was instantly comfronted with several issues as many rival Chieftains wanted to take his position and his younger age made him an easier target. Despite a difficult rise to power Sidus managed to stabilise his position by -4682. However the Cydon Narchate was in decline as many Chieftains in high positions had been removed from their positions or killed during the conflict, leaving the Narchate's borders vulnrable to outside attack, mostly from Buzhana. Hence Sidus made a decision that would define his reign. In -4680 Sidus Cydos Vu adopted Discrete Torronianism as the official religion of the Cydon Narchate.

  This decision was mostly to solidify an alliance with the west Narchic kingdom of Dishdoni but it had many unintended consequences. Whilst the eastern Narch had been exposed to Toronianism since the conquests of the Captirian Empire in -5498 many Narchic people had reverted back to their ancestral religions after its collapse. To them Torronianism, in whatever form, represented the opression that their ancestors had endured under Capti.

  One man who held these beliefs strongly was Trarknic Oom, a highly renownd Chieftain in the Narchic world. He unsuccessfuly tried to rebel against Sidus in -4679 and was exiled beyond the borders of the Cydon Narchate into Buzhanan teritory, taking a handful of his supporters with him. From there he founded a new Narchate which came to be named after himself, the Oom Narchate.

  The Oom Narchate began around -4677 near the northeast corner of the Buzhanan Narch Region where Trarknic Oom (Oom) started raiding remote Buzhanan settlements and outposts. With the help of Xyanvic merceneries he expanded his domain across much of the Narch Region that was still held by Buzhana and by -4670 he was begining to encroach on the teritory of his rival, the Cydon Narchate. Many of his old supporters and others who disliked Sidus joined the Oom Narchate allowing it to expand rapidly and causing many skermishes and conflicts between the two Narchic powers. Oom branded the old Cydon Narchate as 'Captirianised' like 'those in the west' who had adopted Torronianism in the same way and promoted a traditional, free, nomadic Narchic lifestyle that appealed especially towads the older and typically more powerful members of Narchic society.

  By -4674 most of the Cydon Narchate's eastern teritories had been taken and Sidus found himself backed against the Narch Mountains and the River Vishtini. He had asked for assistance from his allies in Dishdoni on several occasions but their efforts were only able to slow the advance of the Oom Narchate into Cydon teritory.

  Early in the morning of a winter's day in -4671 an Oomic scout was spotted not far from Tavus-viss and upon later confirmation that and army was on its way, Sidus was evacuated from the capital with most of his family and loyal supporters. His oldest son stayed at the city, which had become a symbol of Cydon resistance for the last six years, in order to lead a defence, a defence that was in vain. The hordes of horesback Oomic warriors took the city within days, burning it to ashes as a symbol of their victory and that they, unlike their predecesors, would not stray from the traditional nomadic lifestyle.

• -4672 Skermish at Lecarto

  A small Catarnian fleet is sighted along the Shoronic coast by a group of Selutian Merchants who attack it fearing for their intrests in the region. The Selutian Emperor denies any involvment but Catarnia still blocks their use of the Tharnic Strait.

  Read More About the Conflict Over the Shoronic States ↓

  Conflict over the Shoronic States

  With the conclusion of the First Cranic War and the new enforcement of the Purrn Laws the balence of power in the Cranic Sea began to change. The Catarnian Empire was one of the major powers which had gained large amounts of teritory from the Purrn Laws. It had already been a rising power before -4699 but the Purrn Laws had recognised its conquests of Eathia and northern Tharn. This was impoetant because now the Catarnian Empire controlled the Tharnic Strait between the island of Tharn and the mainland. This was a strait through which almost all ships had to travel to get between the Shoronic and Cranic Seas. For Purrn, Catarnia's controll of this strait was not a problem as they mostly focused on thrade in the Cranic Sea and further eastwards, however for the Selutian Empire this was concerning.

  Ever since the Catarnian Emperor Jarnos IX claimed himself successor to the throne of the Captirian Empire in -4703, tensions had arison between the two sucessor states, both claiming to be a remanant version of the Captirian Empire. Selutia feared that Catarnia would try to block their trade to the Cranic and undermine their other actions. Since losing Aratachu to the Suhuvans in -4730 the Selutians had become more wary of their isolation from the rest of their allies in the Cranic. Once more Catarnia was still trying to gain influance around the Cranic and Shoronic Seas, unsucessfully attacking what remained of the Eathian state in -4698 and attmepting to manipulate the wekened leadership in Kakrdon, the Tharnic Principality and the Shoronic States. The later of these was the most concerning to Selutia since, after the Tevarites left in -4698 the Shoronic States had been the only ally Selutia really had in the Shoronic.

  Both powers wanted controll over the Shoronic States because they were the historic hearland of the Captirian Empire, even though by -4698 they were one of its poorest regions from a combination of neglect and Tevarite rule. Both Selutia and Catarnia wanted to have control over this region to legitemise their claim as the successor to the Captirian Empire but neither was prepared to go to war for it. Selutia feared war would hurt its economy and drive deeper divides between its many ethnicities and Catarnia feared it did not have the strength to take on the Selutian Empire, a much bigger and wealthier entity with allies in the Cranic who could attack from the east whilst campaigning on the Shoronic coast.

  This created an unofficial peace between the two Empires until -4672 when a Catarnian fleet was spotted off the Shoronic Coast. In responce a horde of Selutian merchants decended on the fleet, fighting in a brief skermish to drive them away in an effort to protect their trade in the region. The Selutian Emperor later claimed they acted alone, managing to avoid a major war. However the skermish at Lecarto, as it came to be known, did result in Cartarnia blocking Selutian trade through the Tharnic Strait which forced them to seek a loose allience with Blongia. The route around Blognia bypassed Tharn but was more dangerous as storms were common and it involved traveling a much longer distance.

  Meanwhile Cartarnia successfully invaded much of the Shoronic States, mostly by appointing their own leaders of each. When Selutia failed to react to this they continued all the way, gaining influance over the entire shoronic coast by -4670, mostly through peaceful means. However their dominance over the area did not last long as other states quickly began to take note of the Cartarnian Empire's rising power.

• -4671 Capture of Tavus-viss

  An army of the Oom Narchate attacks the capital of the Cydon Narchate, taking it in a few days and burning the wooden fortifications to the ground. Sidus Cydon Vu escapes but he no longer had a Narchate to rule.

• -4669 Sidus Cydon Vu Takes Control of Dishdoni

  After fleeing the Oom Narchate in his homeland, Sidus Cydon Vu takes shelter in his allied kingdom of Dishdoni but as more Narchic refugees enter the kingdom he begins to build support. In -4669 he overthrows the royal family and takes control of the kingdom for himself.

  Read More about Dishdoni ↓

  Coup in Dishdoni

  Dishdoni was a west Narchic Kingdom which was retained by the Captirian Empire after the Great South War but soon gained independence with its Complex Torronianist Governer anouncing himself its king. However he was unpopular amoung the Discrete Torronianist and Narchic majorities and was overthrown in a violent revolution in -4757 only a few months into his independent rule. His regime was replaced by several Discrete Torronianist ones before the kingdom eventually reached a fairly stable period under the Dies Dynasty.

  The Dies Dynasty had the impossible task of controling Dishdoni's diverse population and discoraging Inlander raids from the south, which had become common practace during the chaos which followed the revolution in -4757. The later of which was mostly done by paying off the raiders, often with what little wealth the kingdom had left and slaves. But Dishdoni had other major external threats, whilst Phaloxphra was no longer a problem Buzhana had looked particuarly dangerous after it invaded Tarack and S'holtas in -4749. In fact Buzhana had made its intentions to control most of the Narch region fairly clear with those actions and its early aggressions against the Cydon Narchate. Whilst Dishdoni wasn't exactly on its frontline it looked as if Buzhana would take Phaloxphra soon.

  In -4680 Dhishdoni made an alliance with the Cydon Narchate where its leader, Sidus Cydos Vu converted to Discrete Toronianism. However this backfired when the conversion caused a fringe group to split from the Cydon Narchate forming the Oom Narchate and began weakening the Cydon Narchate's influance in the area. To those of the Oom Narchate, Dishdoni was still just a Captirian power, looking to increace its influance over the eastern Narch.

  By -4671 Sidus' control over his former teritory had severely decreased and he fled to Dishdoni. However, he did not come alone as with him he brought his family and several hundred Narchic refugees. Many of these refugees were Discrete Torronianists who feared persicution at the hands of the Oom Narchate. Over the next two years, thousonds of these Narchic refugees crissed the Vishtiri into Dishdoni and as their power and influance in the kingdom increased, Sidus gained an idea.

  In the spring of -4669 Sidus marched on the Dies Palace, overthrew the monarch of Dishdoni and claimed the crown for himself. This was met by widespread support by many Narchic people living in the kingdom however, Sidus still had to go around Dishdoni surpressing rebellions for the next few years.

• -4667 Begining of the Second Cranic War

  The Catarnian Empire invades a teritory of the Sak Norsh, which leads them into a war with Purrn and her allies.

  Read More About the Second Cranic War ↓

  Second Cranic War (-4667-61)

  Since the end of the First Cranic War in -4699 the Catarnian Empire had grown in size and power, gaining influance over the Shoronic States, Kakrdon, the Tharnic Principality and parts of Eathia. However relations with thier old ally Purrn had soured over the last few decades since the Catarnian Emperor Jarnos IX declared himself the Captirian Emperor in -4703. Purrn had begun to fear Catarnia's growing power and growning ambitions in both the Shoronic and the Cranic Seas as they absorbed most of the states weakened by Purrn in the first Cranic War.

  Catarnian oppinions of Purrn had also degraded as they came to despise Purrn's presence across the whole Cranic sea by their many outposts set up by the Purrn Laws but particualy the small chunk of land occupied by Purrn's allies the Sak Norsh which had become surrounded by Catarnia over the last decades. This teritory was only 30 miles outside of their capital, Eathia. The Cataranians found their pressence insulting and a vulnrability and had asked the Sak Norsh to move many times, offering them other land, but had been turned down every time. By -4667 the Cataranians had just achieved a great victory taking the Shoronic States and reasoned that they were powerful enough to take the small teritory held by the Sak Norsh. They hoped that if they could take it quick enough then the Sak Norsh's ally, Purrn, would not bother to get involved.

  So in -4667 they invaded the Sak Norsh's holdings and pushed them back to a coastal fortress. However, the Sak Norsh were able to hold out here for much longer than Catarnia had anticipated and only two weeks into the seige a Purrnese reinforcement fleet was able to break the Catarnian blockade and deliver essentual supplies. This began the Second Cranic War between the Catarnian Empire and Purrn. Both were large entities with many allies in the Cranic which they dragged into the conflict, Catarnia's main ones being Kakrdon, Tharn and the Shoronic States whilse Purrn's were mostly states they had favoured in the Purn Laws.

  Whilst Purrn saw a lot of early success in small encounters during the beggining of the war they underestimated the power of the Catarnians and the conflict quickly turned against them. This culminated in the Battle of Gakrone in -4666 where the Purrnese fleet was ambushed by the Catarnians. Purrn's outdated vessles could not stand up to Catarnia's much newer ones and so were decimated. It looked as if the once top dog of the Cranic was about to be toppled from its perch by Catarnia.

  However this outcome was not favourable to another, Selutia. The Selutian Empire had already skermished with Catarnia in the Shoronic but had not gotten directsly involved in the war itself. They did not like the idea of complete Catarnian dominance over the Cranic Sea so began to offer Purrn economic aid from their vast merchant empire. This aid and the supply of ships from Selutia allowed Purrn to make a recovery and defeat Catarnia in the Battle of Balvok Bay, and forcing them to sign a treaty in -4661.

  Whilst the Second Cranic War was a Purrnese victory, just like the first one, the city state had lost a lot of its teritory aquired by the Purrn laws and been ruined economicaly by the cost of the conflict. The Catarnian Empire also faced severe economic problems after the war and lost control over many of its peripheral states such as Kakrdon and the Shoronic Staes. In -4649 it suffered a coup against the Emperor, then a revolution in -4641 which ended the empire for good.

  

  Above A map showing the stares in theCranic and Shoronic Seas at the start of the Second Cranic War in -4667

• -4661 The Battle of Balvok Bay

  Purrn defeats the Catarnian Empire but at a huge economic cost from which it never fully recovers.

• -4653 Buzhana Sieges Sak-Norsh Fortress

  Buzhana besiged the mountain fortress of Sak-Norsh, successfully taking it and forcing the pirates into a settled life deeper into Capti. From here the Sak-Norsh became just another city state in Capti, losing their reputation as reliable mercaneries.

  Read More About the Fall of the Sak-Norsh ↓

  By -4660 Buzhana was a rising naval power and was in the process of retaking many of their coastal teritories lost in the earlier century. This included many ports on the island of Sirasku belonging to the Sak-Norsh mercenaries. To the surprise of many, Buzhana was able to take the ports with relative ease which triggered a rise in Sak Norsh piracy in the area as retaliation. This piracy only quickened the Sac-Norsh's demise though as Buzhana sought to remove all sources of this annoyance. This included the pirates' main fortress at Sac-Norsh itself.

  In -4653 a Buzhanan fleet set sail from Carvuuk for Sac-Norsh. The fortress was considered unsiegeable, built into the mountainside and its only enterance being a small harbour which opened onto the rough Craivun Sea. The leaders of the Sac-Norsh had completly overlooked the possibility of Buzhana risking a siege. The fortresses' remote location and cliffside wall were considered a deterent as much as a defence.

  However this did not detur the Buzhanans, after a series of victories, Notach Buurhach V was confident in his navy and wanted to test their full might. He successfully landed his army in the harbor below the fort despite fierce resistance. The Sak-Norsh, causght off guard had no time to call for aid and so were left with only several hundred defenders against Buzhana's army 1000s strong. Possessing the defencive advantage thery killed a great number of this, even sinking many of Buzhana's new ships, but ultimatly were forced to fall back.

  As the Buzhanan forces breached the walls the remaining survivors and their families fled into the Craivun Mountains where they were picked up by local mountain tribes. Buzhana's holding of the fortress, defined their western boarder and ensured the Empire's naval security was secured. The Sak Norsh never became a major power agains, mostly surviving as a small state in the Cranic until the Dynal conquests a century later.

• -4652 Tevar Civil War

  A civil war breaks out in the kingdom of Tevar, during which the Selutian Empire declines to help their ally Yhk Xyanchleech II, causing the Tevar kingdom to split in two.

  Read More About the Tevar Civil War↓

  After their retreat from the Shoronic States in -4698, the Tevar kingdom had fallen on uncertain times. Many surrounding states were hotile to the Tevars for a variety of reasons and the land the Xyanvic settlers still held was of very little value. By -4652 the Xyanvic leader, Yhk Xyanchleech II, had lost control of the larger political scene in his kingdom and one of his generals, Vcheelle, managed to gather enough support for a coup.

  Xyanchleech managed to escape the incident and flee east with his loyalsists where he sent out a plea for help from neighboring kingdoms. The other Xyanvic tribes outside the Tevar kingdom declined to help due to their strong dislike of Tevarite dominance over the region. Xyanchleech's only hope was the Selutian Empire which the Tevars had grown close to after their retreat from the Shoronic States.

  The Selutian Emperor offered to help Xyanchleech in exchange for the only thing of value his kingdom had to offer, the short length of coastline hat seperated Selutia from its largest exclave around the city of Oflnea. Xyanchleech knew giving this up would further isolate his kingdom so offered a treaty of joint governence to the Selutians. The Selutian court appeared to consider this offer however by the time thay had come to any meaningful solution, Xyanchleech's situation was desperate and their were doubts he would even reclaim the region. Unwilling to sacrifice their army in a conflict which was quickly going downhill, Selutia declined to assist Xyanchleech.

  Whilst the former Tevar Yhk managed to hold out in the east he never managed to reconquer much of his kingdom and Tevar remained split from -4652 onwards.

  The Selutian Empire somewhat managed to get what they wanted in -4638 when another civil war broke out in Vcheelle's western Tevarite kingdom. The Selutians were aproached by the governer of a coastal region of Guech looking to seced from the western Tevar kingdom. The region had a large, non-Tevarite, Xyanvic population who were concened about increased persecution within West Tevar. This time Selutia did offer aid as the governer had control over the region he was offering and the main West Tevarite force was already engaged in a seperate civil war on the other side of their kingdom. This allowed Guech to become its own kingdom, however it had strong Seutian influance.

  

  Above: A map of the Tevar States around -4633.
  
  

• -4649 The Catarnian Revolution

  After putting up with the economic crisis after the Second Cranic War and a series of tyranical leaders, the people of the Catarnian Empire revolt and overthrow the Emperor, creating the kingdom of Catarnia.

• -4643-42 The Cytonknic Rising

  A rouge member of the The Order of Cyconkight in Dynallia and Traiphotia raises an army of cytonknic, an unknown type of person with enhanced strength no emotions and complete loyalty to their owner. He is defeated but the idea of Cytonknic is introduced to Ecoth.

  Read More About the Affect of the Cytonknic ↓

  Introduction of Cytonknic

  In -4643 a rouge member of The Order of Cyconkight led an army across The Dynasty and Traiphotian Empire, wrecking chaos with a strang kind of army. He was defeated in -4642 by the Northern Alliance however Ecoth was introduced to the concept of a Cytonknic for the first time.

  Cytonknic were people who's minds had been neurologically altered by the Order of Cyconkight to make them fiercely loyal to whoever they pleased and could also be enhanced with extra traits such as strength. In -4639 their use as soldiers warfare was banned at the Confrance of Vlorich, which led to a reduction of interest in them by many Ecothnic powers. However the Order of Cyconknight were still selling these enhanced humans and by -4620 a strong market had been established for them across much of northern Ecoth.

  The first Captirian state to take not of this interesting development was the Selutian Empire which purchased several dozen Cytonknic in -4617 from their close trading partners in the ex-Captirian colonies north of Aratachu. They put the Cytonknic to work doing many tasks but found them most useful on large ships where the Cytonknic's strength and lack of fear made them excellent for ajusting the rigging and manning ships in dangerous weather. Using the Cytonknic, Selutia boosted their trade, quickly opening up the idea of Cytonknic to other Captirian states. However, since Selutia had almost exclusive trade with the ex-Captirian colonies in Traiphotia, they were able to act as a middle man, establishing a monopoly on Cytonknic in Capti and only providing them to their allies. This meant that many states and kingdoms in Capti that wanted Cytonknic did not get them and so a strong divide began to emerge as states and kingdoms with Cytonknic became more powersful and those without became more obsolete. This also created a large black market for Cytonknic in Capti, as pirates would kidnap and smuggle them off Selutian ships.

  Cytonknic revolutionised sea transportation and Selutia quickly began to outmatch its rivals such as Purrn who did not adopt the use of Cytonknic. With Cytonknic, trade could be conducted much faster and so smaller, intermidiate states along the Cranic coast, once used as stopping points for long journeys, became more and more irrelivent as Cytonknic became more widespread. The Cytonknical Revolution favoured larger, already established powers such as Selutia, and meant many smaller Cranic states faded away or were absorbed by larger maratime empires.

• -4642-35 The Third Cranic War

  A mixture of factors including the introduction of Cytonknic, the results of the Second Cranic War, and the loss of the Sac-Norsh cause Purrn to heavily tax it's dominion kingdoms. Fed up of being mistreated they, and several of Purrn's other enemies form the Dominiae League in -4642 and declare war on Purrn. The resulting war cripples the ancient city state.

• -4629 The Inlanders Militia

  After years of being replaced by Cytonknic, farmers in the inlands raise a militia to defeat Cardru. Cardru defeats them with an army of Cytonknic which violates the Treaty of Vlorich and causes Cardru to be outcast by its neighbors, leading to its collapse.

  Read More About Cardru ↓

  In the years following the Third Cranic War the Kingdom of Cardru quickly tried to expand its influance into neighboring teritories once dominated by Purrn. It expanded its trade by opening its markets to Dyno-Buzhana, just like Purrn had done centuries earlier which helped the kingdom rise above its rivals. However, Cardru's main reason for early success was its quick adoption of Cytonknic by trade with the Selutian Empire. Representatives of Cardru had been present at the Confrance of Vlorich and it's balantears had long seen their potential.

  Their rapid expansion led them to start working on the Inlands, a region which had remained fairly lawless since the fall of the Captirian Empire. Cardru began selling Cytonknic to land owners to replace their farmers at a lower cost, causing hudreds of peasents to lose their only means of making a living. By -4629 the anger of the farmers had grown and they struck a deal with a mercenary group to invade Cardru. The farmers would get their jobs back and the mercenaries would get Cardru.

  This caused panic in Cardru as the Balantears knew that their army was no match for the numbers of the militia so instead they used what they had, Cytonknic. The use of cytonknic was banned by the treaty of Vlorich which Cardru had signed ten years earlier, however there was no way to easily enforce the treaty and many in Cardru felt that the Cytonknic army was their only hope.

  The cytonknic's enhanced strength easily won them the battle against the militia however the backlash from the major powers was far worse than Cardru had imagined. The main advocates of the Treaty of Vlorich were the Traiphotian Empire and the Dynasty however the Dynasty also put a lot of pressure on Dyno-Buzhana to act against Cardru. These empires wanted to make an example of Cardru because they feared the Suhuvan Empire, which also had a lot of cytonknic, so Suhuva could see that violation of the treaty would be acted upon by most major parties involved and that non-compliance would not be tolerated.

  Dyno-Buzhana blocked trade with Cardru and treatedned to do the same to any power that didn't do likewise. The Selutian Empire also stopped trading with Cardru since they feared retaliation from their main trading partners in Traiphotia. At one point Dyno-Buzhana launched a fleet to invade Cardru, however, Cardru managed to negotiate out of a full invasion, simply enduring harsh sanctions instead.

  The kingdom struggled severely at this time, and slowly crumbled without the support of its old allies.

• -4481-80 First Sugh-Selute War

  Due to their assistance of the south in the Garlacocian Civil War, the Selutian Empire was attacked by the Dynal Aligned Suhuvan Empire Empire. The Selutians took major losses in Yavar but ultimatly came out on top, repelling the Sughs.

  Read More about the First Sugh-Selute War ↓

  After the dissolution of the Captirian Empire the Selutian State had maintained trade link with many of Capti's former teritories. One such teritory which had brought Selutia a lot of success was the Captirian colonies in south Cana which continued to trade with the Selutian Empire even when they became part of the Traiphotian Empire and later the Garlacocian Empire.

  However by -4485 tough times had fallen on the Garlacocian Empire and the old Captirian states wanted independence. They started the Garlacocian Civil War in -4484 and made an alliance with the Selutian Empire to assist them. Selutia supplied the south with food, ships and Cytonknic to assist their war effort and by the end of the year it looked as if the Captirian states had gained the upper hand.

  This all changed in -4482 when The Dynasty joined the conflict on the side of the northern Garlacocians. Under General Ceretos they began to undo the Captirian state's progress and so the Capterian States asked for more help from Selutia. Consequently the enemy general noted the importance of the Selutians to the war effort and convinced the Suhuvan Emperor, an ally of the Dynasty, to invade Selutia, beggining the First Sugh-Selute War.

  The Suhuvans targeted the kingdom of Yavar within Selutia, which held imortant Selutian port cities at the mouth of the River Vishtini. The Suhuvans pushed hard into Yavar, inflicting heavy casualties on the Selutes in pitched battles, but were unable to combat their abilities on the sea. By the winter of -4481 they were bogged down sieging Selute cities in Yavar. These cities were well supplied by Selutia's supirior navy and so by the end of -4480, as the war in Garlicose began to come to a close, Suhuva retreated out of Yavar, signing a peace deal with Selutia shortly after.

  Although the Sugh-Selute war had been won by the Selutian Empire, the same could not be said for their allies in Garlacose. The Captirian states in South Cana fell to the Dynasty in -4479 which deprived Selutia of crucial trading partner to the north and began their slow decline through the next century.

Timeline of Events in the Captirian Civil Wars (-4759-4400s)

• -4757 Emperor Firond is assassinated

  In the spring of -4757 the last emperor of the Captirian Empire attempts to slip away to the mountain fortress of Sac Norsh but is killed in the port city of Purrn before he could board his ship.

• -4757 The Dynasty turns on Buzhana

  The Dynasty turns on their old ally Buzhana in an attempt to regain land starting a six year conflict which keeps Buzhana distracted from its newly gained teritory in the eastern Narch Region.

• -4757 Phaloxpha launches an invasion of the Eastern Narch Region

  King Gerris of Phaloxpha allies with the kingdoms of Tarack and S'holtas to try and recreate the Captirian Empire by spreading Complex Toronianism into the Narch Region. He invades the Buzhanan held teritory across the River Vishtini.

• -4755 Narchic Independence Against Buzhana

  Led by Gairvar Cydos the people of the Eastern Narch Region stage a revolt against their new Buzhanan opressors whilst the Notach is distracted with his war with the Dynasty. This is the begining of the Cydon Narchate.

• -4749 Buzhana Invades the kingdoms of Tarack and S'holtas

  After the alliance of Phaloxpha, Tarack and S'holtas failed to make significant progress into the Eastern Narch Region, Buzhana invades all three, successfully taking the two former.

• -4747 Gerris III of Phaloxpha is Overthrown

  After failing to deliver on a number of promises to his nobles, Gerris III of Phaloxpha is exiled and replaced with his cousin.

• -4739 Buzhana Successfuly invades Phaloxphra

  After eight years of holding out the kingdom of Phaloxpha eventually falls to Xyanvic Buzhanan forces.

• -4735 Begining of the Dynal Civil War

  The Dynal Emperor Nivshnot VIII denounces the religion of New Dynalism begining a period of Dynal instability.

• -4733 The Selutian Revolution

  Govener Sarhond of the Dynal ocupied provence of Selutia renounces Dynal authority and takes control of the Seutian coast starting the Selutian Empire.

• -4732 Rise of the Tevarites

  A Xyanvic people displaced by Buzhana's war with the Dynasty, the Tevarites settle on the Shoronic Coast next to the Selutian Empire and Shoronic States.

• -4731 Selutia Raids Hivonian Lands

  After years of putting up with the Ahumid Leagues' attempts to gain the kingdom of Yavar by supporting rebelion against the Selutes, Emperor Sarhond of the Selutian Empire sends his son deep into Hivini to raid and disrupt their trading cities. This destablises the Ahumid League and eventually led to Hivoni's succession.

• -4716 Tevarites Invade the Shoronic States

  After the Shoronic States refuse to pay an increased tribute to the Tevarites in -4717 they are occupied by the Xyanvic army who start to erase the ancient culture in the region.

• -4701 Beggining of the First Cranic War

  A dispute between the cities of Gartuna and Kakrdon escalates into a multi-state conflict which disrupts trade and wrecks havoc in the Cranic Sea for the next two years.

• -4699 The Purrn Laws

  The city of Purrn ends the First Cranic War by forcing all participants to sign a treaty which empowers Purrn's allies and weakens its enemies. Purrn recognises the teritory held by the Sak Norsh and establishes several teritories for itself in the East Cranic Sea.

• -4698 Tevarites leave the Shoronic States

  After facing significant decline, the Tevarites are forced to abandon their teritories in the Shoronic States, restoring their independence. However much of the Tevarites work to erase Captirian culture in the area are still in effect and it never fully recovers.

• -4680 Sidus Cydos Vu makes Discrete Toronianism the official religion of the Cydon Narchate

  In an attempt to make an alliance with Dishdoni Sidus Cydos Vu converts to Discrete Toronianism, much to the resentment of many Narchic Chieftains.

• -4678 Founding of the Oom Narchate

  A rebellious Chieftain of the Cydon Narchate, Trarknic Oom, is exiled and founds his own Narchate known as the Oom Narchate. The Oom Narchate expands rapidly, competing with the Cydon Narchate for control of the eastern Narch Region.

• -4672 Skermish at Lecarto

  A small Catarnian fleet is sighted along the Shoronic coast by a group of Selutian Merchants who attack it fearing for their intrests in the region. The Selutian Emperor denies any involvment but Catarnia still blocks their use of the Tharnic Strait.

• -4671 Capture of Tavus-viss

  An army of the Oom Narchate attacks the capital of the Cydon Narchate, taking it in a few days and burning the wooden fortifications to the ground. Sidus Cydon Vu escapes but he no longer had a Narchate to rule.

• -4667 Begining of the Second Cranic War

  The Catarnian Empire invades a teritory of the Sak Norsh, which leads them into a war with Purrn and her allies.

• -4661 The Battle of Balvok Bay

  Purrn defeats the Catarnian Empire but at a huge economic cost from which it never fully recovers.

• -4652 Tevar Civil War

  A civil war breaks out in the kingdom of Tevar, during which the Selutian Empire declines to help their ally Yhk Xyanchleech II, causing the Tevar kingdom to split in two.

  After their retreat from the Shoronic States in -4698, the Tevar kingdom had fallen on uncertain times. Many surrounding states were hotile to the Tevars for a variety of regions and the land the Xyanvic settlers still held was of very little value

• -4649 The Catarnian Revolution

  After putting up with the economic crisis after the Second Cranic War and a series of tyranical leaders, the people of the Catarnian Empire revolt and overthrow the Emperor, creating the kingdom of Catarnia.

• -4643-42 The Cytonknic Rising

  A rouge member of the The Order of Cyconkight in Dynallia and Traiphotia raises an army of cytonknic, an unknown type of person with enhanced strength no emotions and complete loyalty to their owner. He is defeated but the idea of Cytonknic is introduced to Ecoth.

• -4653 Buzhana Sieges Sak-Norsh Fortress

  Buzhana besiged the mountain fortress of Sak-Norsh, successfully taking it and forcing the pirates into a settled life deeper into Capti. From here the Sak-Norsh became just another city state in Capti, losing their reputation as reliable mercaneries.

• -4642-35 The Third Cranic War

  A mixture of factors including the introduction of Cytonknic, the results of the Second Cranic War, and the loss of the Sac-Norsh cause Purrn to heavily tax it's dominion kingdoms. Fed up of being mistreated they, and several of Purrn's other enemies form the Dominiae League in -4642 and declare war on Purrn. The resulting war cripples the ancient city state.

• -4481-80 First Sugh-Selute War

  Due to their assistance of the sout in the Garlacocian Civil War, the Selutian Empire was attacked by the Dynal Aligned Suhuvan Empire Empire. The Selutians took major losses in Yavar but ultimatly came out on top, repelling the Sughs.

Invasion By The Dynasty (-4465)

Invasion of Tharn. The Two Generals

Occupation by the Dynasty

Initial Resistance

The Huzavant Revolt

Semi Independence

Involvement in the First Ecothnic War (-100-30)

The Third Dynasty

Demography and Population

At its height the Captirian Empire had many different populations from different regions, each reletivly unique.

The so called 'True Captirians' were mostly the people in the area once ocupied by the Vilx and Zyglon Empires alongside other areas in the far south. Many of them lived in or near large coastal cities and towns.

There were also a lot of Huvan peoples in the Captirian Empire after it took much of the Huvan Empire's land in -5306. Since Capti and Huva had always been close allies these people were often treated well under captirian rule but had a distinctly different culture even though they were forced to embrace Toronianism.

The Narch were a diverse group of peoples that inhabited an area called the Narch Region. Capti conqured this area -5498 bringing the Narch peoples into the Captirian Empire. These people were mostly hunters on the great plains of Narch and treated badly by the Captirians because of this, due to their beliefs in Toronianism. Under the Captirian Empire the Narch peoples suffered greatly and were forced to embrace the Captirian culture.

There were many other peoples within the Captirian Empire that were treated similarly to the Narch. The Captirians saw themselves as teachers, 'civilising' these barbarian tribes and so oppressed many native cultures in the regions that they conquered.

Territories

Capti divided its Empire into Covercts, with each coverct divided into districts. Each district had a governer who would abministrate the district from an important city. Below is a map showing the Covercts of the Captirian Empire at its height in -4800.

Maps Edited from Incarnate

-5700s - -4759

Type

Geopolitical, Empire

Alternative Names

Captirian Empire, Zyglon Empire

Training Level

Professional

Demonym

Captirian

Leader Title

Emperor

Government System

Monarchy, Constitutional

Power Structure

Feudal state

Economic System

Traditional

Official State Religion

Toronianism

Related Ranks & Titles

• Emperor

Neighboring Nations

• Buzhana
• Huvan Empire
• Suhuvan Empire

Related Historical Events

• 4418
  The Dynasty Invades Capti
• 4761
  The Great South War
• 4791
  First South War
• 5498
  Conquring of the Narch Region
• 5525
  Huvan-Captirian War
• 5580
  Tharn War
• 5687
  Second Shoron War
• 5703
  First Shoron War

Above: A map of the Zyglon Empire and Vilx's teritory in the year -5594, at the start of their second conflict with each other.

Above: A map showing the split in Toronianism within Capti around the year -4800.

The Death of Peace by Suequ Nortsh

Above: A depiction of the Great Wave of Zyglos, a giant tsunami that is often used to depict the end of the Captirian Capital, Zyglos.

'The Just Emperor' by unknown artist

Above: Emperor Firond, last emperor of the Captirian Empire. He ruled from -4796-57 after his father was assasinated. He inherited a crumbling empire divided between two factions of Toronianism. His losses in the First and Great South Wars caused the complete collapse of his empire and he was assasinated two years after his defeat in the Great South War, ending the Captirian Empire for good.

Above: A painting made around -4730 depicting the fall of the port city of New Capti to the Buzhanan army in The Great South War. The invaders are depicted as having burned the city however no further evidence exists to prove this and New Capti once again became a thriving port under the Buzhanans and was renamed to Carvuuk.

Above: A map showing the partitian of the Captirian Empire after the Great South War. The Dynasty gained the Corvert of Selutia and Buzhana gained the Corvert of East Narch, however both these provences ended up gaining independence from those who aquired them shortly after.

Above: A map showing the states that emerged after the collapse of the Captirian Empire.

Above: A flag of the Selutian Empire, one of the many successor states to Capti.

Above: A map showing the states in the Cranic Sea at the start of the First Cranic War in -4701, two years before the Purrn Laws redrew their borders.

Above A map showing the stares in the Cranic and Shoronic Seas at the start of the Second Cranic War in -4667

AboveA map of the independent states in Capti just before the Dynal invasion.