Eannelk Occupation (707-598)
Background
The Drakoyan Middle Empires brought about a stunning series of losses for the North.
Throughout the course of the period (1112-707) southern lords made enormous territorial gains following a formidable military thrust, absorbing two sovereign nation-states sitting on their northern borders: the Kingdom of Andarc, and the Navirdic homeland of Goi Dav. Drakoyans then went toe to toe for the first time with the forces of Aug Faldr, a mighty regime whose lands extended further into Rela than had any prior Northern dynasty’s, and beat them soundly back as well, ultimately precipitating Aug Faldr’s fall; and the short-lived government of Weyr Thurn which replaced it was next on the Imperial chopping block. By UT 802, Drakoyan dominion, now straddling two continents, was at its all-time height.
In Chalornok, north of Weyr Thurn, discontent brewed among the Iron Lords as a storm gathering in the night sky: their idiot cousins’ failures to defend Arlok's southern boundaries had exposed them to possible invasion.
Invasion was bad for business! Exporting precious metals to Delhiza had made the Lords rich indeed – so rich that buying off their enemies had come to be simpler than maintaining standing armies. They knew their rivals were mostly petty chieftains which while bloodthirsty, lacked the resources to mount a serious attack, and could be crushed if push came to shove. The new Imperial threat upon their doorstep, however, jolted the Lords straight out of smug security. Realizing they were in no place to fend off a much better-armed foe, and many having lost the characteristically northern appetite for blood and brutality, a kind of panic set in across Chalornok's noble houses.
Callag Eannelk (Reign: UT 715-699)
Streak of Silver
The Eannelks of Unwiel were unusual among Raigur's tribal clans. Whereas the latter were comprised of warlords without savvy, fond of parroting ancient law to justify their neverending raids, the scions of Eannelk were born with the fabled “streak of silver” (i.e. grey hair, a Northern idiom signifying advanced wisdom). This trait helped them rise above the common fray, both on the battlefield and at clan moots, and their prescience in unearthing advantages kicked off many rumours that they were blessed with the Seers' Gift (...or perhaps in league with the Devil, depending on the rumourmonger).
Wits also granted the family a keen interest in court politics, which lent another edge by refining its understanding of diplomatic tactics and endearing to its members a fair swathe of aristocrats in positions to swap favours. Other tribal chiefs only spurned the nobility, accusing them of going soft after a “southern fashion” and refusing to work with them.
Callag Eannelk inherited the title of Clan Chief when fear of impending Drakoyan slaughter reigned in Chalornok, and the streak of silver in him spotted opportunity. Until this point, The Iron Lords sought nothing from the clans but an armistice, but they now needed warriors to shore up their defensive force - and there were none fiercer than the men of Unwiel.
by Midjourney
He proposed to Villeks, Taine of Stonismond, that he would rally the clans under the lord’s banner, but demanded a hefty sum and title over the lands from Unwiel north to Schardiar. Villeks agreed, if only because Callag’s brass interested and amused him. He had little confidence in the chieftain’s ability to pull off the deed.
As fate would have it, an especially hard winter fell that year in Raigur. Food supplies ran short. Callag pleaded with and eventually convinced Villeks to open up his castle’s stores to the other clans, using his own lands as collateral against the debt. The gamble paid off: The tribal chiefs, indebted to both Clan Eannelk and the Taine for their survival over the long, bitter months, pledged their arms to their cause.
When Villeks insisted they do so formally by taking an oath to serve his house the fighting bands refused, but Callag proposed to take the oath on behalf of the clans, sparing them the unearthly consequences of violating a sacred trust while satisfying Villeks’ concerns about accountability. The Taine agreed, and the clans of Raigur fell under Callag’s leadership.
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The Golden Stag: Liberator of the Weyr
Villeks first employed clanspeople as guards for iron shipments, a role they begrudgingly accepted. The coin was good, but culturally they regarded themselves as warriors, not hired swords. To make matters worse, because the Drakoyan forces much-feared by the Iron Lords never did arrive, there were few battles to be had. Thus the clans of Raigur effectively became glorified labourers, helping move heavy loads more often than fending off attacks, and so grew idle and restless.
Group ennui achieved a breaking point three years into the arrangement. Some clansmen declared they would prefer starvation to the dull life they’d acquired, and, stoked by underlying intra-clan rivalries, these dissatisfactions kindled infighting among them. Villeks was on the verge of releasing Callag from his oath as the constant uproar was hardly worth the trouble, but the Eannelk chief persuaded the Taine in another direction: towards war.
The Iron Lords believed the Drakoyan decision not to invade was a psychological tactic to get their guard down. The Lords had no inkling that the Drakoyan Emperor, Ch̀odkhüzhawsh, had no interest in moving further north and had even begun to regard Weyr Thurn as a prize with too steep a cost, as tensions with the southeastern nation of Vir Rel claimed the lion's share of his attention.
Callag convinced Villeks that offense was the best defense, and that the men of the clans should march south to liberate the Weyr people from their Drakoyan oppressors, putting distance between Chalornok and the Empire in the process. Only then could the Lords breathe easy and resume their business.
After Villeks presented these ideas to the other Lords, Houses Hinrui̯s, Lei̯p, and Oi̯faa from the Hold of Bournapk joined the campaign. Some were keen, even giddy, at the prospect of not only staving the Drakoyans off, but becoming conquerors.
They appreciated the arrangement Villeks had made with the clans on his land – if something similar could be hashed out on their end, they wouldn’t have to sacrifice their own soldiers. Callag’s ambition saw him pleased to preside over negotiations with Bournapk clanspeople, who grasped that getting involved offered a unique chance to better their situations and even expand their holdings. Fifteen new families would soon fight alongside the Eannelk.
Early battles went far more smoothly than anyone imagined. Territories in Weyr Thurn were reclaimed one after another, with very little Drakoyan resistance. The Weyr, viewing Callag as a means to slough off their yoke and return their lands to northern rule, enthusiastically joined the rebellion.
Callag’s success was so great it came to earn him the title, “The Stag” – after a myth common to the clans about a divine Golden Stag whose rule heralded the coming of a new age.
By 707, taking full advantage of Ch̀odkhüzhawsh’s seeming indifference to his advance, Callag had reconquered all of Weyr Thurn, redubbing it ‘Ceweren’ – land of the Weyr.
Breaching the Empire
Callag employed a rhetoric of liberation throughout his campaign, and though privately stockpiling power as he went, his end game really had been about freeing the Weyr, who he saw as his countrymen.
Having granted the Weyr back their lands, the Stag began to plot on a larger scale. The Drakoyan Empire fell within his sights.
His forces from Chalornok were overwhelmed at what they had managed to accomplish together, and their unprecedented run of good fortune made them see the greater adventures yet to come in mythological terms. And like good true folk of the north, they had no intention of just sitting around waiting for it to happen. The fire in their blood sang songs of battle.
The Weyr did not share this zeal. While Callag demanded tribute from them, he had not imposed his will over the land and left their laws, and those that enforced them, intact. Under the status quo, they were basically self-governing again, so while in debt to Clan Eannelk for this, they saw lives as inappropriate collateral. They would not go happily to war.
What was more, the Weyr, a “civilized” metropolitan group, struggled to accept the increasing influx of Chalornok migrants and their comparatively violent and boorish ways. Callag’s knack for politics eased these misgivings among the country’s bureaucrats, but the common people had a tough time learning to endure their new neighbours’ customs. Seeking to preserve the good will he had earned by cutting their chains, the Stag did at first not force the Weyr to fight, but offered such special incentives to join his army that many signed up.
He held Ceweren for a full three years before setting foot on Drakoyan soil. Then finally, in UT 704, his forces breached the Empire’s northmost border.
For five years, Callag’s armies hammered away at Drakoyan defenses, again with a certain ease. Ch̀odkhüzhawsh, embroiled in a now-military conflict with Vir Rel, had not taken sufficient precautions to fortify his northern territories and so lost them, one by one.
The Stag’s victories felt endless. Then, in 699, shortly after the death of his six-year old granddaughter, Usi, first child of his eldest son Mourvau, Callag Eannelk caught fever which that winter he succumbed to. Due to the child’s preciousness to him, many said he died of a broken heart.
Mourvau (Reign: UT 699-667)
In UT 699, Mourvau Eannelk ascended to leadership of the Eannelk Dynasty following the death of his father, Callag, by fever. His rise to power marked a pivotal shift in the trajectory of the dynasty’s ambitions: At 27 years old, Mourvau inherited a vast realm already imbued with the legacy of his father’s conquests, yet his vision for the future diverged in significant ways. His marriage to K’emyawn Odz, a Drakoyan woman, further cemented his role as a figure of consolidation between northern and southern worlds, a theme that would come to define his reign.
by Midjourney
While Callag had been seen as a fierce yet passionate leader, driven by a rhetoric of liberation and northern valor, Mourvau quickly proved himself a more calculating figure, focused on power and the establishment of lasting dominance. Unlike his father, who had framed his southern campaigns as acts of emancipation, Mourvau’s reign was far more pragmatic. Gone were the declarations of northern freedom fighters liberating oppressed lands; in their place, Mourvau pursued territorial consolidation and wealth accumulation with cold precision.
In many ways, Mourvau was a warrior-statesman like his father, yet the character of his leadership was distinct. While not cruel, he ruled with a heavy hand, his sense of justice Draconian and unwavering. He showed little interest in the pageantry of rule, disdaining the spectacle of pomp and ceremony. However, despite his disdain for superficial grandeur, he understood the importance of symbols in maintaining power, and his reign saw the establishment of family arms, a new standard to represent the dynasty, as well as monuments erected in Ceweren to honor his father, reinforcing the northern identity across the newly assimilated southern territories.
One of Mourvau’s most significant contributions to the reshaping of his realm came in the transformation of the cultural and social fabric of Ceweren and its surrounding regions. His reign actively promoted the migration of northern peoples into these southern lands, altering the demographic and social landscape. He encouraged Chalornok clans to move south, bringing their austere lifestyles with them, a stark contrast to the more luxurious traditions that had begun to take root in the region under Drakoyan influence. As a result, tensions grew between the northern migrants and the native Weyr populations, whose culture was increasingly seen as under threat. Weyr nobles, in particular, began to fear cultural dilution, as the influx of northern customs and religious practices began to reshape local traditions.
Religiously, Mourvau took a laissez-faire approach. He was no ideologue, allowing various religious traditions to coexist under his reign without interference. However, as northern peoples settled further south, the presence of the Old Gods, traditionally associated with pagan practices, began to take root in Ceweren, supplanting or mingling with local customs. This was particularly evident as Mourvau fostered intermarriage between Chalornok women and Weyr nobles, a strategic effort to breed northern blood into the local aristocracy. This policy—designed to consolidate power and assimilate the conquered populations—provoked unease among the Weyr, who viewed these unions as a direct threat to their heritage and social structure.
Mourvau's legal reforms only heightened these anxieties. One of his most controversial changes was the alteration of Weyr property laws, allowing inheritance by non-Weyr descendants. Under the old system, only those of pure Weyr descent could inherit, but Mourvau’s new policy shattered that precedent, enabling his northern kin to lay claim to southern estates through marriage. This act was seen as a deliberate strategy to cement northern dominance over the south, and it further alienated the local population.
In addition to these domestic transformations, Mourvau’s military and political ambitions extended further southward, as he sought to secure and expand Eannelk influence in Drakoyan territories. Reinforcing Aurimbic strongholds, Mourvau advanced into regions that had long been contested. It was in this period that Mourvau finally captured the attention of the Drakoyan Emperor Ch̀odkhüz̄hawsh, who had previously dismissed the northern incursions as a nuisance. By now, Mourvau had grown formidable enough that the emperor sought a direct audience with him, perhaps contemplating a treaty or at least acknowledging that the Eannelk threat could no longer be ignored.
Though Mourvau Eannelk’s reign was marked by strategic successes and the continued integration of northern and southern realms, it also sowed the seeds of internal discord. His relentless pursuit of power and territorial consolidation, combined with the imposition of northern cultural and legal norms, strained the cohesion of the newly formed Eannelk Empire. The Weyr population, while initially subjugated, increasingly viewed themselves not as liberated peoples but as subjects under foreign occupation, their identity at risk of being subsumed by northern dominance. In many ways, Mourvau’s reign, while securing the Eannelk legacy, also laid the groundwork for the cultural and political fractures that would follow in the wake of his dynasty’s rule.
Daurt (UT 667-664)
Daurt Eannelk, Mourvau’s younger brother, ascended to the throne at 36 following Mourvau's death, but his reign was short-lived and fraught with controversy. A staunch purist, Daurt sought to impose the northern Old Gods upon the Drakoyan populace, a move that proved deeply unpopular among the southerners who had long practiced their own diverse religious traditions. His rigid insistence on religious conformity alienated both the local elites and the common people, quickly leading to dissent. After just three years in power, Daurt was poisoned, a testament to the widespread discontent his policies had generated, marking the abrupt end of his rule.
Bodur (UT 664-634)
Bodur Eannelk, the longest-reigning of the Eannelk rulers, assumed power in UT 667 at the age of 37, inheriting a realm that had been left unstable by the short and tumultuous reign of his brother, Daurt. Unlike his predecessors, Bodur was a man of education and diplomacy, having been raised and tutored in the southern schools of Enribellis, which gave him a broader perspective and a more refined approach to governance. His upbringing in the Drakoyan south fostered in him a deep understanding of the complexities of trade and politics, making him a skilled negotiator, a sharp contrast to his brother’s rigid and dogmatic rule. Bodur’s reign, which lasted 30 years, was marked by pragmatic policies that emphasized economic growth and diplomacy over religious or military conquest.
by Midjourney
One of Bodur’s most notable achievements was his expansion of Eannelk influence into Tholoi (modern-day Arlos), a region previously fractured into individual city-states and largely disconnected from the greater Drakoyan and northern powers. Bodur recognized the potential for trade with these city-states and became the first Eannelk ruler to open formal trade relations with Arlos. His diplomatic efforts, which included frequent visits to the region with his son, younger Bodur, helped to mend old disputes between the Arlosians and Drakoyans, fostering a thriving commercial exchange that had previously been stifled by lingering tensions. Although the Arlosians were fiercely independent and not united under a single empire, Bodur managed to navigate their fragmented politics, creating profitable relationships that benefited both parties.
Domestically, Bodur expanded Eannelk control in response to complaints from the northern territories, particularly in Ceweren, where economic instability and dissatisfaction with northern migration policies had become a growing issue. However, instead of relying on conquest and force alone, Bodur sought to stabilize these regions through the introduction of trade, allowing northern territories to prosper from their connections with the Drakoyan Empire and other southern markets. His efforts brought much-needed wealth into the north, calming tensions and securing his rule. This period saw the Eannelk realm grow both in size and in economic strength, largely due to Bodur’s careful balancing of expansion and diplomacy.
Bodur also enjoyed a favorable relationship with the Drakoyan Emperor, who, facing food shortages, riots, and crop failures in his northern provinces, nearly welcomed Bodur’s encroachments into these territories. With many non-Drakoyans populating the troublesome northern regions, the emperor found Bodur’s rule to be more profitable than his own efforts at control, as long as their relationship remained positive. Under Bodur’s administration, trade between the Eannelk and Drakoyan territories flourished, and the Drakoyan Emperor profited significantly from the arrangement, allowing Bodur to operate with a level of autonomy previously unseen in the north.
Religiously, Bodur broke with the rigid traditions of his brother and converted to the Congregation of the Ascended, the dominant faith in Drakoyan lands. However, true to his pragmatic nature, Bodur introduced the Läänti version of Ascendism, a more flexible and decentralized interpretation of the faith which diverged from the strict hierarchical structure of the orthodox Congregation. This conversion occurred in 652 UT and allowed Bodur to solidify his rule in the south while appeasing the growing religious plurality within his territories. His introduction of Läänti Ascendism also fostered greater cohesion among the northern populations who had been resistant to the more centralized Drakoyan religious structures, thus furthering his goals of integration and stability.
Bodur’s reign is remembered for its longevity, his deft handling of both northern and southern tensions, and his vision of a unified realm driven not by conquest but by diplomacy, trade, and cultural integration. His decision to abdicate five years before his death in UT 629, at the age of 72, allowed for a smooth transition of power, a final testament to his careful and calculated approach to governance, ensuring the continued strength of the Eannelk Dynasty.
Bodur the Younger (UT 634-615)
Bodur the Younger, ascending the Eannelk throne in UT 634 following his father’s long and successful reign, is remembered as a civilizer and patron of the arts. His rule, lasting 19 years, marked a shift away from the austere northern traditions of his ancestors, as he increasingly embraced the southern regions, particularly the temperate lands of Arlos (modern-day Tholoi), where he spent much of his time. Born in UT 678, Bodur came to power in his mid-fifties, and though he was not openly known for his sexuality, it was widely understood that his affections lay with men, particularly in the Arlosian region. His relationships, while the subject of rumors, never posed a significant threat to his rule, largely due to his immense popularity among the Arlosians and his effective governance.
by Midjourney
Under Bodur the Younger, the Eannelk Dynasty saw a significant expansion of the arts, architecture, and culture, especially in the southern territories. He found the climate of Arlos far more agreeable than the harsh northern winters, and this preference contributed to the gradual dilution of the northern cultural identity that had once defined the dynasty. Northern symbols and traditions were less prominent in his court, and instead, Bodur embraced the cosmopolitan and artistic nature of the southern cities. His southern push was driven by both personal and political motives, as Bodur sought to expand his influence over the lucrative and fertile lands of Rela, ultimately capturing Sabellis and making it a capital. This southern conquest allowed him greater access to the sea, a place he loved for both its beauty and its proximity to Arlos.
Bodur's reign also saw the elevation of traditionally marginalized groups such as the Bonneru and Navirds, particularly after his conquests in Romisbanian territories. Like his ancestor Callag, Bodur framed his southern expansion under the rhetoric of liberation, portraying himself as a liberator of these peoples from the strictures of Drakoyan domination. His reign was marked by a continued effort to weave together the diverse cultures of his empire, expanding both its territorial reach and its cultural footprint, while maintaining the dynasty's influence in an increasingly complex and southern-oriented world.
Grehe and Rhädörei Eannelk, and the End of the Occupation
Bodur the Younger’s children, Grehe and Rhädörei, inherited a realm in the midst of transition, with the legacy of their father and ancestors weighing heavily on them. Grehe, born in UT 637, was 22 when his father died, and though his youth at the time of Bodur’s death left him somewhat untested, he would later take a more measured approach to rule compared to his forebears. Rhädörei, two years younger than her brother, was known for her sharp political mind and a keen understanding of the shifting dynamics between the Eannelks and their Drakoyan counterparts. Both siblings were keenly aware of the changing tide as the Eannelk Empire, which had once stretched from the far north to the southern reaches of Sabellis, began to lose its grip on its vast territories.
The peace brokered at the end of this era, which saw much of the Drakoyan territories returned to their original rulers, was a pragmatic move on the part of the Eannelks. Though Callag Eannelk had founded Ceweren and carved out a northern empire, it became increasingly clear that the Eannelks were ill-suited to the administration of such a vast and diverse expanse. While they had successfully elevated the status of non-Drakoyan peoples like the Bonneru and Navirds during their occupation, their reliance on Drakoyan and external personnel for governance exposed their limitations. Ultimately, it was a combination of strategic withdrawal and financial pragmatism that led the Eannelks to barter away much of their territory, a move that both solidified Drakoyan power and shaped the modern political landscape, particularly with the rise of Rello as a key player.
As part of the truce, the Eannelks retained some of their northern holdings, but with important stipulations. Berythian and Nurhetic strongholds were barred from their territories, and free passage was allowed only to mundane citizens. Grehe and Rhädörei’s futures were shaped by these changes, as they were eventually given smaller territories by the succeeding Amazar Dynasty. The siblings, recognizing the growing strength and influence of the Drakoyan Emperor, ultimately pledged allegiance to him, marking the end of the Eannelk’s ambitions for vast territorial control. Instead, their legacy would be remembered as one of transition, as they navigated the complex web of political realignments that followed their family’s once-expansive rule.
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