Young Kingdoms

The history of the Young Kingdoms began when, to quench his nephew Voleln’s lust for power and remove him as a threat to the crown, King Andovel of Brandobia decided to grant Voleln all land east of the Legasa Peaks. The solution was perfect; the lad could rule these worthless and uncharted wastelands as his own in the name of the Brandobian Empire. Voleln’s legions soon enslaved or drove out many of the peaceful Dejy tribes they encountered, and he named the land the Eastern Brandobian Empire. Yet, when the empire tried to expand further northeast, they encountered new tribes of elves and dwarves - and were soundly defeated. While the elves and dwarves returned to their normal way of life, the empire prepared for renewed warfare against them. Suddenly, armies of hobgoblins marched forth from the Ashul Weald and goblins streamed down from the Brindonwood, sweeping through the fledgling empire and crushing all who dared stand before them. However, the goblins did not enjoy their place in the social strata of the new hobgoblin kingdom, for they were barely better than the human and humanoid slaves, and productivity rapidly declined. After the great hobgoblin King Kruk-Ma-Kali was assassinated, the previously united hobgoblin tribes fell into civil war, while roving bands of Dejy, scattered Brandobians and groups of elves, dwarves and halflings continuously assaulted them, eventually driving the hobgoblins south to what is now Norga-Krangrel. In time, the Brandobians set up another kingdom in the central plains and rebuilt the Eastern Brandobian Empire. Shortly thereafter, emissaries of Kalamar arrived, requesting that the Eastern Brandobian Empire submit or be destroyed. The Brandobians refused, and a mere three months later, their emperor’s head decorated the western gate of P’Bapar. The lands now became the newest part of the Kalamaran Empire. A generation later, Kalamar divided the lands into separate kingdoms and duchies, each of which gained their freedom from Kalamar and today are ruled independently.

History

While the rest of the human races were still tribal societies, Brandobia was establishing itself as a true empire. For over 400 years they dominated all land west of the Legasa Mountains. The civilized Brandobians saw no need to explore east over the Legasas, an area they considered a wasteland, full of mindless savages and worthless to the Brandobian Empire. Two decades into the reign of King Andovel, he found a use for the strange lands to the east. King Andovel wisely began to fear his ambitious nephew, Voleln. To quench Voleln’s lust for power and remove him as a threat to the crown, Andovel decided to grant Voleln all land east of the Legasa Peaks. The solution was perfect; the lad could rule these worthless and uncharted wastelands as his own in the name of the Brandobian Empire. So it came to pass that Voleln led an army of men across the Legasas. His legions, armed with several millennia of elven strategy, bested and enslaved many of the peaceful Dejy tribes they encountered. Other tribes were simply driven out of the area. From the enslaved Dejy, the Brandobians learned to tame and herd cattle and they brought them along with their armies. Voleln’s army successfully conquered the land east to the Renador River and the Hadaf Highlands. This area Voleln claimed for Brandobia. He named it the Eastern Brandobian Empire and crowned himself Voleln I. The Brandobians built roads, towns and traded with the various Dejy and humanoids of the area. The peace ended upon Voleln’s death and the coronation of Emperor Voleln II. Voleln II, it seems, inherited his father’s ambition. He immediately tried to expand the empire further northeast, into the Hadaf Hills. Once Voleln and his exploratory military units entered the highlands, they encountered new tribes of elves and dwarves. He immediately tried to conquer the humanoids, but the Brandobians were soundly defeated. The dwarves went about their business as before, but the elves offered to trade goods with the Brandobians despite their recent warfare. Still embarrassed by the military loss, Voleln refused. His pride and greed caused him to secretly plan another attack. While Voleln and his generals planned for renewed warfare against the humanoids, armies of hobgoblins marched forth from the Ashul Weald and goblins streamed down from the Brindonwood. The humans were unprepared and their combat techniques were inadequate for fighting superior numbers in the open plains. The humanoids swept through the fledgling empire, crushing all who dared stand before them. Many Brandobians were slain or enslaved.* The rest fled before the humanoid onslaught. The hobgoblins claimed the land for the benefit of their king and their goblinoid cousins. They established a kingdom in the central plains region, generally known as the Kingdom of Krangi, or more properly, the Krangi Empire of the Central Plains. Not all were equal in this new kingdom; the goblins held an inferior place in the social strata, just above that of the enslaved humans and humanoids. The goblins did not enjoy their new role as slaves to the hobgoblins. Productivity rapidly declined and the humanoid kingdom disintegrated after the mighty hobgoblin king, Kruk-Ma-Kali, was assassinated. The previously united hobgoblin tribes warred with one another, each tribal chief trying to put himself on the throne. During this civil war, roving bands of Dejy and groups of elves, dwarves and halflings continuously assaulted the humanoids. The scattered Brandobians reorganized and helped drive the hobgoblins south to what is now Norga-Krangrel. The Brandobians learned a great deal during that time of crisis. They began to use mounted troops, a practice they learned from the Dejy tribesmen. They also became skilled at breeding cattle and growing crops. The Brandobians set up another kingdom in the central plains and rebuilt the Eastern Brandobian Empire. Shortly thereafter, emissaries of Fulakar of Kalamar arrived, requesting that the Eastern Brandobian Empire unconditionally submit to the will of the Kalamarans or forever be destroyed. Voleln III, Voleln II’s only son and Emperor of Eastern Brandobia, refused to bow before these outsiders. A mere three months passed before the head of Voleln III decorated the western gate of P’Bapar and Fulakar’s army stood poised to march to the Brandobian Ocean. Fulakar the Conqueror claimed the lands and they became the newest part of the Kalamaran Empire. A generation later, Emperor Kolokar divided the lands into separate kingdoms and duchies. These new nations came to be known as the ‘Young Kingdoms.’ They were self-governed but remained part of the Empire, much like Tokis and Basir are today. Eventually, one by one, the Young Kingdoms gained their independence and today each of them is ruled independently.

Type

Subcontinent

Location under

Tellene

Included Locations