We can either stubbornly resist all that has happened to us and strive for vengeance even if it will doubtless lead to our end, or we could abandon the graves our forefathers, their values and history, and reach an arm out to the humans in hopes of peace and cooperation. Both paths forward will lead to death of who we are.
The Enori are a
panedur ethnic group that inhabit the
Kingdom of Enor in the middle of the
Enlitic peninsula. Their people once ruled all the lands that are now under the control of the
Kingdom of Enliten, a
human realm that had vanquished and displaced their people. Driven from the core heartland of their ancient home, the Enori found refuge in the mountains, holding back the invaders yet at a terrible cost.
History
This ain’t our first exile, brother. Our ancestors came to this land as they fled for their lives. They survived the Purge and carried the light of hope to these shores. The realm they established was a testament to their resilience and defiance. Are we not cut from the same cloth?— Almak of Ioh
Long before the establishment of their realm on the peninsula, the distant forefathers of the Enori hailed from a land far to the west. Their civilisation was built into the Patic mountains where they lived in relative isolation until the arrival of the
alchen in 1244 BA. The newcomers had rapidly expanded their imperium, incorporating the various human tribes that surrounded the mountains into their sprawling realm. Despite the threat on their borders, the
Patic Kingdom had managed to sustain their independence for centuries, but their golden age eventually came to an end in 887 BA when the alchen laid siege on
Tålpau, the capital of the panedur realm.
Subjugation of the Patic Kingdom
The wealth and prosperity of the city of Tålpau had become apparent to the
Imperium of Qerthéllnaval as their merchants had become enamoured with the quality of Patic goods. Such a realm of riches right on their footstep became impossible to ignore and the imperial court hungered for panedur gold. The pacifists in court were overruled, and an army was set forth to bring the Patic Kingdom to heel.
Powerless to resist on the field of battle, the Patic forces stayed in the safety of their mountain homes, hoping that their enemy would dare a direct assault against their defensive fortifications. The alchen were brighter than that, however, and instead aired on the side of caution. The encroaching army laid siege on the capital, starving its populace and breaking their resolve one month after another. Once it had become clear that the Patic king was willing to negotiate, the two sides met to discuss peace.
The resilience and defiance that the panedur exhibited had impressed the general of the Qerthéllnavali forces so much that the deal he had surprised the old king with its leniency oh his peace terms. The king’s options were to either bend the knee, becoming a loyal subject and having to pay taxes to the realm, or he could reject and see his home sacked and ripped of all its treasures, its inhabitants killed or enslaved.
![Tålpau at its Height](https://wa-cdn.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/user-data/production/92772942-3d90-488c-80f6-5c414ce76ad4/uploads/images/54eac107b51b0cd32a4cd723193062db.png)
Tålpau at its Height by Midjourney
Patic Purge
For as long as the Patic Kingdom served the
House of Qerthéllnaval both sides prospered. Their sudden incorporation into the vast imperium had presented them with new opportunities and buisness partners, further enriching the vassal kingdom which then further enriched the imperium through taxation. Alas, this bountiful situation had ended far sooner than most had foreseen. In 872
BA, the southern half of the imperium seceded, forming a new realm, the
Imperium of Valhértis. The division occured without bloodshed and the two imperiums agreed that lordship over the Patic people would be transferred to Valhértis Talvor Hertin, the Imperator of the South.
The new overlords were far less keen on groups such as the panedur for they were envious of their success. The economic mismanagement of the southern imperium contributed to the rising sentiment that the gold of Tålpau was being hidden away by the rapacious Patic people. In 866
BA the government of Valhértis, through the use of subversion and slander, provoked the subservient king into issuing a statement that could be interpreted as treasenous. That was the casus belli the alchen had been waiting for. The armies of Valhértis marched on Tålpau, and the mercy and leniance of the Qerthéllnavali general had been forgotten. What ensued was a brutal genocide and the destruction of the Patic Kingdom.
We had disappeared from the world. Over in the west the alchen delighted in the deaths of our brothers and sisters and despite foreign protests none came to our aid. Yet despite the tragedy that has befallen our kin, we've survived. This new land we've found is said to be a domain of evil and death, but for us it shall be our salvation. None would suspect to look for us here, or if they did, they would believe us dead already.— Trinak An-Pughal, First King of Enor
Kingdom of Enor
Having escaped the cruelty of their oppressors, the newly established Kingdom of Enor rebuilt what was left of their civilisation. Their new homes were built at the mouth of a river, far from great heights and mountains. Secrecy had become their new line of defence. For as long as the world remained unaware of their survival, the Enori could rebuild in peace, only revealing themselves when they felt safe enough to do so. While they had kept their presence hidden from the realms of men and alchen, they soon realised that a crueller foe lurched on their doorstep.
Enori explorers had ventured deep into the
Central Pass, a land in which the
aberati lurked, prompting the vicious beasts to respond with slaughter. The war between the two further crippled the already crippled Enori people, hindering their growth and threatening their very existence. Eventually, the Kingdom of Enor had no other options. It was forced to make its existence known so that they could import the food, weapons, and other goods necessary for their survival.
Exiled Again
For most of its long history, the aberati remained the primary threat to the Enori civilisation, hence leading to the creation of
Olok’s Wall, a lofty set of fortifications that blocked off attacks from the Central Pass. There were times, however, when the aberati were silent for generations, staying out of sight as the Enori had once hid themselves. With people slowly forgetting the threat that their ancient enemy posed to them, the Enori began turning on one another.
During the dawn of the 16th century, one such squabble had escalated into a bloody civil war, exposing the land to new threats.
Karl Herwik, the leader of an army of exiles from the
Empire of Pallernen, used this opportunity to claim the land for his own. Enor’s divided armies had been in shambles and the invading forces had defeated their forces thoroughly. Even before the war had come to its end, the invaders began exiling the native panedur from their cities. The displacement only continued after the war, leading most of the Enori to flee to where the remnants of their kingdom still held land.
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