Third Age

The Third Age had an unusual start. Unlike other ages, there was no great battle or collapse which began the age, rather it was a decleartion during a time of prosperity. The Age Started exactly as it ended, with the same kingdoms and civilizations, with the only thing that changed was the artistic culture of their peoples.

The Awakening

The Awkening, the name given by cultural commentators to the period of scientific and cultural growth that began in the latter century of the Second Age, was sweeping the western world. Begining in Altruscia, its surrounding states began to adopt the cultural wave of art and political reform, as states moved away from the primarily fuedal states of the second age.This saw the economies and culture of the Marcian states boom, with duchies taking in fromally independent city-states.
Former merchantile cities such as Carello and Sieanna were the first to be drawn into Altruscia. Smaller counties and city-states in the Blanchian mountains were adopted into Irrano, which saw its monarchicial family overthrown in the place of the merchant's guild. Estrella likewise centralised, Duke Benedicto IV abolishing serfdom entirely, granting benefits to the newly liberated and seeing a flourishing of new towns and arts.
Education also expanded in the duchies, as the Goose Church saw much of their traditional educational authority removed by state sponsered and private educational facilities. This then spread from Marcia into the Albionic kingdoms, and began to spread south into the Sledrainar Supremacy, affecting them both in different ways.
The Heptarchy of old Albion had been in constant states of bickering and division since their formations. By the start of the third age, the most dominant powers were that of Southaxe and Eastaxe. The former power of the region, Westaxe, had seen a series of successionist wars by the time the Awakening arrived. At first, its influence on the arts was appreciated, as artisans and inventors developed new styles and more efficent and long lasting architecture, but the noble classes began to fear what this new movement would do to the serf classes.
This uneasy political situation saw the second smallest state of the Heptarchy, but third highest in terms of population, Middleaxe begin to dominate. They quickly reformed their economy from fuedal based to early capitalism, and when the Duke of Middleaxe gained the title of Duke of Westaxe, they expanded it to this vast territory too. They embraced The Awkaening in all its forms, seeing this buffer state known as the 'Middle Pawn' amongst other kings, become the most powerful kingdom in the Heptarchy.
The autocratic government of the Seldrinar Supremacy looked at the Awakening with curiosity. Its influence on their neighbours saw these formerly 'primitive human states' boom. The Southern Elves had begun to stagnate, their monarchs growing weaker to regional governors. Supremator Kyirelliel succeded following his father's assassination. He was politically weak, but personally incredibly inteligent and strategic. As an ambassador to the Goose States in Neapia, Kyirelliel had seen the affects of The Awakening first had, and saw this as an opperunity to grow.
He began to artifically introduce this to his country, he loosened embargos and opened up the Free Ports along his coast, which allowed free trade within the Supremacy for the first time. Kyirelliel used the money he now gained from import taxes on the free ports to fund his own scholars and artists. They used this to show the Supremator as hero figure. He increased his political clout by manipulating vassals into a civil war with his long term internal enemy and cousin Castria, who he had executed by his hand and her body dragged through the streets of the capitals of all his provinces.
To the west, the Awakening only took hold in Tumbria and parts of Kernow. The cultures of Aedrinar, Kernow, and Gwenydd were at odds with many of the principals of the Awakening, meaning there wasn't as much traction as there was in other states. The effect of the Awakening on the Holy Tumbrian Empire was staggering. The political climate of the fuedal kingdom was completely upturned, as advances in technology saw the economy completely diversify, with long inaccessed mineral and ore deposits being uncovered. A big effect was the rise of democratic thinking in Klipperand.
The East took time to get the Awakening, and by the time its dawn had reached them it had been going on for three centuries in the west. Another key factor being felt in the east was the collapse of Cyrene due to the massive climate change at the end of the second age. Seven new kingdoms led Warlords had emerged in its place. The Awakening arrived in the port city of Mazriq, and even reach the oricsh lands, seeing the cities of the former Daggerstorm League be rebuilt.
Similarly, the North also struggled with the Awakening. Dwarvia's instituions were imperialistic and heavily religious, and the nature of their culture meant Dwarvia was resistent to change. The Awakening's technological advances saw humans and elves gain the ability to access resources previously only Dwarves had access to, and from 100-250 their economy was in complete decline. This saw their ability to pay off the Goliath tribes drop, and surface wars between the Mountain Nomads and Goliaths saw fields decline and Dwarvian food supplies decimated. The cultural and political effects of the Awkaening were slowly being felt there, as even though the kingdom declined, art and culture flourished.
The final years of the Awakening were met with the Great Purge in the Seldrinar Supreamcy, seeing their small population of Dwarves be forced into work camps, and the ranks of their military and beraucracy culled, while the east saw the Sargonic movement begin, a philosophical line of thinking hoping for reunification of all the kingdoms of Upper Sargon. In the Heptarchy, the kingdom of Middleaxe gained a personal union over the kingdom of Southaxe, and the dawn of the Eldrian Empire was at hand.

Dawn of the Eldrian Empire (350-500)

In the city of Eldron, which had tripled in size in the start of the Awakening, saw the rise of the Eldron University. It was dedicated to philosophy and ancient studies, specialising in political studies. Under Earl Thomas Westmorland, a book of philosophical study was published called "The Empathetic Empire." It made the analogy for a benevolent empire that would spread 'good' morality and modernisation to 'weaker' kingdoms. This philosophy was adopted by the Goldworthy family, who had strong ties to the royal family of the Middleaxe.
Middleaxe had grown to hold control over Westaxe, Southaxe, and their marchdom of Fainshire. The only opposition to Middleaxe was in Eastaxe, who held the Northing as a client state and held great influence over Halshire. In 371, the Goldworthy family ascended to the throne of Middleaxe, and began to develop their plans for an 'empathetic empire' of their own.
In the Marcian states, the West Marcian kingdoms were flourishing under the Awakening, however, the East felt a different side to this movement. The Kings of East Marcia saw themselves as divine beings, being the Goose God's material aspect. This philosophy took hold in 278 as the Albonne dynasty took control. The Albonne kings took this philosphy to its highest extent, and were in terms a reactionary to the Awakening movement. They slowly began to reintroduce serform and reverse many of the reforms undertaken by the predacessors. After a bread shortage where the royal family and nobles horded needless amounts of grain, in 412 The East Marcian revolt broke out. This began a series of wars and revolts known as "The Terror."
In the North, the former Dwarven states had reoganized into three distinct kingdoms. These kingdoms spent the the entirity of the period from 350-500 restructuring themselves. The Moon Elves began to rely on the kingdom of Middleaxe, with their aid they cemented their borders and gained control of the entire Vale. This began a long period of economic cooperation between the two states.
To the South, the Seldrinar Supremacy captured the Devil's Peak, a Tiefling majority kingdom. This began a long purge of their population, their merchant and ruling classes largely executed, and their lower classes forced into ghettos were they were treated essentially as slaves.
The East saw the Wars of Warlords, as the various kingdoms vied for dominance. As Sargon bickered amongst itself, the power of The Awakening could be felt in the Orcish Penuinsula. Orcish tribes moved away from tribal living to building more permament settlements. Orcish Mages also became more common, using Earth based elemental magic to tame their geologically active land.
The Axe Wars began in 367, which saw 150 years of war between Middleaxe and Eastaxe. By 410, Middleaxe had defeated Eastaxe. This saw the foundation of the Eldrian Empire, and the initial dreams of the Empathetic Imperialist philosophers. The next stage of the Eldrian Empire's rise to power was securing control beyond their de-jure borders. This began with an intervention in The Terror.
The Terror had torn East Marcia apart. Revolutions, counter-revolutions, regional secessions, and complete economic collapse. Its damage had begun to spill over into surrounding countries, which prompted the Seldrian Supremacy to take control of the southern portion of East Marcia, whilst the Commune ruled in the North, an anarcho-liberal state which specialised in executing nobles. Many noble families had taken shelter in the Eldrian Empire, hiding in the cities of Eronia, Briarton, and Eldron. The Empire found a loose claimaint to the East Marcian throne, and by strong arming the High Goose Father, they had him coronated in Neapia. Funding this king, they saw King Francis X, known as The Unprepared, reclaim his capital and wage war on the Seldrinar.
When this war went wrong, with the Seldrinar Supreamacy quickly crushing the king's armies. in 595, this began The Marcian Wars.

The Marcian Wars (500-550)

The Marcian Wars were a 50 year long set of conflicts taking place between the Eldrian Empire, the Three Kingdoms of the Dwarves, the Silverwood, the Moon Elves, and the Seldrinar Supremacy. These took the form of multiple wars with various casus belli, and ultimately ended in a complete stalemate.
The war took place in three phases, the first being the Indirect War. The Empire and the Supremacy utilised allies and subterfuge to attack each other and their allies. The Marcian states were treated as pawns, with new governments being installed constantly as the superpowers intervened in the small states. The most armed conflict here was done directly by the puppets of the superpowers, with smaller armies engaging when an administration change was required. East Marcia was reunforced with hired paladins and the Knights of Gosca, who held the lines at a stalemate in 'The Last Crusade.'
The Second Phase saw the first direct wars between the Eldrians and the Supremacy. This was specifically in East Marcia, with their surrogates fighting each other in the west. The Third phase was the Decree of the West, where the West Marcian States united under a single banner to fight both the Eldrians and the Supremacy, whilst the East remained divded. At several points, The Eldrians dragged in allies from the Three Kingdoms of the Dwarves and the Moon Elves, whilst the Wood Elves attacked during the final years of the war, attacking the Seldrinar Supremacy and driving them out.
There were several key peace treaties during the final 5 years of the war. The Treaty of Saunton saw the United West Marcian kingdom make peace with the Empire in exchange for a 500 year non-agression pact, in exchange the West Marcians attacked the Supremacy. There was The Treaty of Falzeno, which saw the Marcians make peace with the Supremacy, and the Rassendorf Accords, which saw a white peace reached between the super powers, with niether side being permitted any military force within Marcia.
The East was largely unaffected by this, with the War of the Warlords, culminating in a truce. This saw Cyrene reformed, with the warlords of Al-Dun, Al-Maud, and Al-Shamar remaining as the last of the Warlords. The Orcs in the peninsula began to form two states. On the Coast, the Daggerstorm League was reformed, and in the north, the foundations of the Oruk Khanate were being laid.

Eldrian Hegemony (550-900)

The Eldrian Empire, although ending the Marcian Wars technically on a stalemate, were still at the height of their power following the conflict. The Supremacy had weakened condiserably, and the Eldrian scholars estimated it would take 700 years for them to recover fully. This led to a policy of containment and expansion for the Empire. They saught to contain the Supremacy's power growth, and to expand their own.
The first stage of this was to aquire stronger trade routes and resources. The wars had drained much of their native resources, and they needed to replinish quickly. The Holy Tumbrian Empire was an easy target. During the past 200 years, the decadent Hassenvorger dynasty had held the 'elected' imperial throne, and they had let their subjugate kingdoms slide into near autonomy. This meant the state was divded and weak. During the war, the Eldrians had vassalised some of the border states, but lacked access to the long Tumbrian coastline.
The Tumbrian Wars lasted from 571-588 and saw the empire slowly dismantled and reseablished under imperial guideance. The region was renamed The Tumbrian States, with much of the previous culture allowed to remain. The various principalities and duchies of the region still elected the king, but the Empire had the final say on coronation, and the king answered solely to the Imperial Throne.
This was the first province of the Eldrian Empire, and their philosophy of Empathetic Imperialism was ingrained into their approach to this new economy. The Tumbrians saw much of the resources ciphered to the Empire, and their fleets forcibly given to the Imperial Navy.
In Marcia, the unification of the western states fractured back into the sum of its parts. Yet this brief state saw the rise of Unification, a philosophical belief who's aim was to unite all the Marcian States into a single Constitutional Republic. In the East, the peace at the end of the Marcian Wars saw two kingdom's born. The North was Imperial alligned, and held the title of the King of East Marcia, and to the south, the Seldrinar Supremacy backed the Duchy of Aquataine.
The East saw Oruk established, this was a semi-nomadic Khanate, who saught to restore the Orcish lifestyle to its glory. They saught to untie their peoples, but saw resistance from the 'enlightened' Daggerstorm League, who beleived in modernisation and reforming Orcish society away from violent infighting and conquest.
The Eldrian Empire saw one major revolt during this time. In the 710, the Halflings of Halshire revolted. Much of their ancestral land had been given away to military generals and Middleaxian nobles, and they found themselves having to be tenants on their own land. The Halfling Rebellion lasted twelve years, and ended with a defeat for the rebels. The brutal attitude the Empire took to the Halflings was considered barbaric by surrounding nations, but none was powerful enough to tackle the empire. Rather, the Goose Father decreed,

"Tis' a an age of mourning, for the west is divided between two devils. One whom is open with dreams of conquest, and one whom pretends to be an angel. In light of this the mask has been withdrawn, and we see the devil to our north for what it truly is." - High Goose Father Angelo

This angered the Eldrian Emperor, and not long later the Goose Father was assassinated. Allegedly, it was the high chancellor of the empire who ordered this.
The Eldrian Empire's influence extended far beyond its borders, its influence reaching into Marcia, the Three Kingdoms, and the Vale of the Elves. Their navy was strong and halted all Aedrinarn raids on their lands. The Eighth century was just the height of their powers, and as the ninth century came around, the Empire was ready for expansion. This came to an end when the Pig's Plague swept the land. The plague was magic based, and it ravaged the west for 10 years until a band of Goose Clerics with the aid of The Miskatonic vanquished the plague. After this, the west took around thirty years to fully recover. Many suspect the Supremacy was responsible for creating the plague by summoning demons, however, the records of how the plague was stopped is help secret deep within the Deep Basilica and in the Secret Library of the Miskatonic.
The remainder of the ninth century saw the west slowly rebuild itself. The East and North remained untouched, and a booming trade between the Daggerstorm League, Al-Dun, and Cyrene was built with the Dragon Kingdom in the east. The Swine Plague also saw the last vestages of fueadlism begin to completely die in the Eldrian Empire and Marcia, whilst it saw the East Marcian state lose control of the county of Cheval, which was reborn as a gentocracy.
In the late 800s, the Empire had managed to regain power, but their politcal estimates warned the Supremacy, left untouched by the plague, was rapidly gaining power whilst the human kingdoms faltered. This saw King Eric IV begin his conquest of the West. Eric was a devout man, and a staunch imperialist. He saw an invasion of the resource rich Kingdom of Kernow as a main priority.
Kernow was a weak state at this time, and was an easy target for invasion. Despite Kernow being left behind by the Awakening, their navy was still formidable, so the only way to truly invade was by crushing their interior first. This wouldn't be possible straight away, as the Petty Kingdom of Gwenydd lied between the Eldrian Empire and her target. Eric's father, Rordin IV, had siezed some of the eastern most portions of Gwenydd, but never made it further than the Tawu river valley.
Eric began a full invasion of Gwenydd in 885. The War was tough, Gwenydd's territory was hilly and marshy with numerous forests for the Gwenyddians to ambush the Imperial army. For several thousand years, the Gwenyddians had maintained their independence. No foreign power had ever managed to claim the kingdom, their tough fighters and harsh terrain making it near impossible. The empire found the Gwenyddians no mach, outside of the mountains and deep forest, the empire found their war easy. Eric managed to sack Palidcyntaff, and reclaim Ceannastra from Aedrinarian raiders. Sieges of the forests and burnings of local villages saw the Gwenyddian morale crushed, and on 891 a formal surrender of the last milita was made.
This set the Empire up for a full land invasion of Kernow, it began in the spring of 892 and began with a full march down to Saunton. The border villages and towns fell within month, and a long war began. The fall of Denly saw the naval batle of the Marcian channel begin in 893. Saunton was laid siege to in the autumn of 893, whilst the rest of the army continued to march through the Great Marsh, putting down militas and troops.
The Battle of the Bay of Gwenydd was won in 896 after the military sacked Gurnbourne, destroying most the Kernowian fleet. This was considered the end of the Kernowian war effort, and by 900 all major pockets of resistance had fallen outside of minor militas and Saunton.

10th Century

The Eldrian-Kernow war lasted until 902 when Saunton's gates and walls were finally breached by newly developed long range trebuchets. The Misaktonic shielded much of the city, and the King surrendered. The war had been costly for both sides, and had seen Eric lose his first born son. From here, the empire began to modernise the regions and bring them into their empire.
The Early 10th century in the Seldrinar Supremacy saw a minor uprising by gnomes in Tinkerton, but was brutally put down. It was known as the Midyear rebellion and lives on in the memory of many citizens in the Supremacy. The Supremacy had tried to supply Kernow with supplies, but saw it rejected by the king, who responded with;

"I would rather die at the hands of one enemy, than gift my nation's soul to another."

To the east, the Sargonic Trade route had caused the region to see the longest period of peace since the Cyrenic Kingdom. Both humans and orcs were seeing a boom in their culture and economy due to the peace, and both the Daggerstorm League and Sargonic Kingdoms of Cyrene and Al-Dun signed an alliance treaty.
In 922. a year after the death of Eric IV, the Kernowian Revolt broke out. This was an 8 year revolt based on the Salian Isle where the locals rose up against the empire and the miner's guild. Miner's guild members were driven into the sea, and the local lord murdered. The rebellion spread throughout the province, with only Saunton remaining neutral as the citizens, remembering the last brutal siege, forced the royal family out of the city leading to the mage's protecting the city from both sides.
The rebellion was harshly put down, and its aftermath saw Edward V put in a cruel process of Eldrianisation. Edward was unlike his father, he saw the High Imperial culture as the only true culture, and was eager to enforce it on all his vassal provinces. The process was harsh, and saw large scale prisons erected to store those that were deemed political threats. The native Old God religion was forced out, and the Goose God installed on the Kernowians.
In From the 930s onwards, the new province of Cape County began fully Eldrianised culture. There were minor talks ore revolt in Tumbria and Gwenydd, but Edward V's rumoured secret Imperial Police quickly halted that, often forcing dissidents to the Vale or to Aedrinar. His bullish and aggresive nature to others saw the Moon Elves of the Vale withdraw all support for the empire. Edward V threatened to invade, and was even ready for war. He died in 940, before he could invade. His nephew, Tristan II, gained the throne. This bypassed Edward's only daughter, Mary, who was considered as cruel and calculating as her father. Tristan was more lenient, and began to focus on cultural and economic expansion over conquest.
Tristan II was considered to be a strong king, and is even admired by imperialists within the provinces for his role in modernising key provincial cities. A lover of art and architecture, Tristan funded many local projects and guilds within Tumbria, Gwenydd, and Kernow. His death in 972 saw his daughter, Hilda take control for 9 months, until Donald, son of Mary, Grandson of Edward V, took control of the Imperial throne.
During this age of expansion, the Three Kingdoms of the Dwarves are incredibly reliant on the Edlrian Empire, their fate tied with that of their uneasy ally. The Moon Elves have formed alliances with the Aedrinarans and the Dragonborn, forming a strong Northern Alliance that in theory poses a threat to Eldrian Supremacy. To the south, the Supremacy has rapidly mobilised under Supremator Illyia, a tyrannt who opposes the Rassendorf Accords and has allegedly opened large manufactories, forcing dissident gnomes to work on new weapons of war.

Eldrian Civil Wars

In year of 992, the Eldrian Empire was on uneasy ground. Donald I had asscended the throne in a controversial war with Queen Hilda, exiling her to the Vale of the Elves in the Usurpation Crisis. Donald I began undoing much of Hilda's and Tristan IIs reforms, transfering economic and political power to his allies and wealthy merchants whilst draining the provinces of resources and wealth.
His actions led to discontent in Cape County and Gwenydd, with numerous factions within the provinces plotting rebellion. War finally broke out in Spring of 992, following the assassinations of Crown Prince Heinrich and the High Chancellor of the empire. The reprocussions the empire gave to the regions saw the Bloody Fortnight, which ended with the leader of the Western Armies, a mercanary named Azumon the Burning One, defeated.
Cape County and Gwenydd declared the Commonwealth Proclamation, uniting, and fighting a war of indepedence against the empire. Pushed back and unable to regain control, Donald I was forced into signing a peace treaty, granting the territories of Cape County and Gwenydd indepdence. This cut off the empire's key tin and copper resources, their access to the Miskatonic, and key trade ports, hitting the economy of the Empire hard.
This weakness saw revolutionary sentiment arise around the empire, and the Eldrian Civil War was formally begun when Queen Hilda returned. Simutaneously, Duke Victor Goldwyrn and Duchess Mary of the North began revolts of their own. Hilda would eventually win the first war, becoming queen in 997. The war had devestated the imperial heartlands, destroyed their army and economy, and saw Faineshire seeded to the Commonwealth. A brief interbellum and the execution of Donald I eventually led to a second civil war, started by the supporters of Donald's grandson, Donald II.
The second civil war saw Hilda executed, Southaxe granted independence, and half of Tumbria also independent. Sensing weakness, the Seldrinar Supremacy had been reading themselves to retake Marcia. The Supremacy had spend much of the 900s and early 1000s making the Sargonic kingdoms economically dependent on them and using spies and agents to disrupt the empire and their allies in Marcia.

40 Year War

The decline of the Eldrian Empire laid the ground work for the Seldrinar Supremacy to take the west and rebuilt Elven dominance in Prima Terra. in 1002, the Seldrinar invaded southern Marcia, striking the Knights of Gosca and East Marcia. This set in motion a pull of alliances the dragged the entire Marcian region and the Eldrian Empire alongside Sargon into war.
The Empire was allied with East Marcia, Southaxe, The Papal States, Knights of Gosca, and Altruscia. The supremacy was allied with the Sargonic kingdoms, Estrella, and Irranno. This first stage of the war lasted for 10 years and reached stalemate in the Marcian regions. The naval warfare was stuck in the Neapian channel, and although the Eldrians had roped in the Three Kingdoms, Silverwood, and the Daggerstorm league to their side and the Supremacy had influenced tribes from the Great Steppes to attack the empire, the fronts were fixed.
Looking to establish a new front, aquire resources, and out-maneouvr their enemy, both sides invaded the Commonwealth in 1016. The empire moved quickly on Faineshier and the Tawu valley, then crossing into Northern Gwenydd through the Keltischland. The supremacy landed troops at Delmoor and marched up, besieging Carely, Curcastle, Devil's Bridge, and Saunton. The Commonwealth phase angered many neutral states and allied ones. Altruscia joined the Commonwealth, as did Free Tumbria and the Daggerstorm League, whilst the Aedrinarian kingdoms honoured their oaths and began to raid the Seldrinar and Imperial fleets, controlling the entire Terrasic and providing refuge for those fleeing the war.
In 1030, Sargon had grown tired of being the Supremacy's pawns. When a fleet of traders turned up in their ports from the Dragon Empire, the Sultans organized a conspiracy. The Dragon Fleet sailed into the war, with Sargon joining the Daggerstorm league and Commonwealth allies as the Seldrinar outposts in the region were destroyed. The empire focused on three fronts. One fleet was sent to Aedrinar to help organise the retaking of the Commonwealth, a fleet based themselves in the Serpent Isles and began to raid the southern Aedrinarian coast, and another crossed through the Great Steppes to assault the empire's eastern most regions.
In 1032, the Battle for the Northern Shore began, with Aedrinarian, Commonwealth, and Dragon Empire fleets invading the northern shore of Kernow. The battle was won within a week, and rallying with the Commonwealth resistance, led by Queen Rhiannon, the Commonwealth was retaking. The Empire were pushed to a breaking point, and Iranno switched sides and retook East Marcia and invaded Estrella. In 1042, all parties were exhausted with war. Peace was signed in 1042 and saw the south of Marcia seeded to the Seldrinar Supremacy, the Commonwealth regain the Keltischland, and the Dragon Empire established trade posts in key naval cities around Prima Terra.

Post War (1042-)

The post war period saw massive rebuilding work in the war torn regions of the Commonwealth and Marcia. The Empire continued its economic and societal collapse, with Tumbria breaking away further from the empire. The Seldrinar remain a feared force and are recovering their strength for an inevitable second attempt to take the west. The Dragon Empire seaps its influence into the eastern kingdoms and beyond. East Marcia reacted to the war with a ban on all magic, and a great purge has spread throughout the kingdom.