Former Empire that lasted from 346 BC until 1035 AC and existed mainly in current day
Primrose ,
Pierce and eastern
Varangia .
To know Primrose is to understand Alessia. The rediscovery of long forgotten ruins and artifacts from centuries before has had a definite impact on Primrose. The feeling of discovery and adventure fill the minds of impressionable folks from across the continent, and even to the far reaches of Umbregia. And so, for decades, scores of wanderlust filled scholars and explorers scour the earth looking for fascinating wonders and hopefully, a better understanding of where we came from, and how we got here.
HISTORY
Founding
The original city (whose name changed numerous times over the course of its history) was Alessia (or in the Alessian tongue, EAH-LIS-YIA) and was founded on a small hill overlooking the divergence of two rivers (currently the Verdmount and Wurhmount rivers) nestled in the Ruger Valley. The soil, rich and vibrant, resulted in bountiful harvests, leading to booming populations, thriving trade, and a hierarchical society. Alessia had always been ruled by a council of elders, and over time this council became more and more ambitious. What began as a simple way to maintain control of the Verdmount and Wurhmount rivers, expanded in a regional conquest. Through both the tip of the sword and tip of the tongue, Alessia incorporated the entire subcontinent under its control. The Iyepsium Tribes of the Nordwatch Forests where conquered in 112 BC. The Western Hinterlands tamed in 5 BC. The people and lands of Remengia and Aestra subjugated fully in 287 AC. As it grew north, the empire eventually began the brush up against the equally expanding and powerful Chaminade Empire.
The Great War
As Alessian and Chaminadians (Modern Day Northern Toussaint) paths of conquest brushed up against each other, conflict soon followed. So began their near two-hundred year long war, known as the Great Sufferance (427-619AC). Endless blood was shed in countless campaigns in the Darnelles Forest and Reyneux plain. In the last 3rd of the conflict, the Chaminadians gained the upper hand; taking the city of Historyia (Angoux). They subsequently pushed through the fortifications of the Reynaux plain, through the Seyneux Mountains and into the riverlands of Karthwallen. Yet somehow, the Alessians were able to stop the Chaminade tide, and the invaders merely retreated back to their homelands. There are many scholarly debates regarding how this happened (See the work of Uthare Mermon, or Pharicius Lynnskol as reference), but I will leave those theories to my contemporaries. Regardless, the war was over, and the Chaminadian Empire eventually fractured, and collapsed leaving Alessian as the lone super power.
War of the Seven Brothers
With no threat to galvanize unity, the Empire spurned their path toward a golden age, and instead devolved into petty clashes between noble houses, regional governors and generals over parcels of land and lesser tites. The first crack was the destructive War of the Seven Brothers ( 686-718AC). The elderly Emperor Kervax VI of House Julienos died; leaving the Empire in the hands of his dying heir; Kervax VII. Before the Imperial Council could legislate the situation and certify the VII as the VI’s heir, Kervax VII died. Ripples rushed through the empire; as Kervax VI had seven other children. Three Sons, Two adopted Sons, and two daughters; who married cousins in the House of Julienos. Over the next 32 years; the House Julienos fought itself for control of the throne. In 717AC; Castorex Julieonos (Son of the 2nd Son: Kervax The Younger) finally defeated the last living claimant; Hydrex Julieonos (Husband of 7th daughter of Kervax VII thus ending the conflict. But 32 years of constant war throughout the land was devastating and the Empire was hanging on by a thread.
Servics Rebellion
The situation worsened only a few years later. Castorex proved to be a spiteful and vain Emperor, making numerous enemies throughout the elite upper echelon of the Imperium. Eventually, the Imperial Council decided to take action; and facilitated the assassination of Castorex; with the intention of placing his teenage son; Castorex II on the throne; as he was married to incredibly popular Marcella of the influential house Drusus. Instead; the general of the house guard; Callux Optimex, seized control of the situation after Castorex’s assassination. He and his cohort took Castorex II and Marcella hostage, and demanded the Council answer for their crimes. He used his position to coerce Castorex II into proclaiming Callux as protector of the Imperium giving him unrestrained power. Callux used show trials to sway public opinion against the council; executing any and all members who refused to acknowledge his legitimacy. In 727AC Callux: emboldened by his ascent; had his Guards murder the Emperor and Empress; trying to pin the murder on an opposing faction of noble families; including the Drusus. Hearing the news from his posting in Eastern Alessia (modern day Pierce) Marcella’s older brother Servic lead his legions in rebellion against the Usurper Callux. After 19 years of grueling war; Callux had lost all his support throughout the empire, and only held the Capital through intimidation. As Servic’s and his allies moved on the capital; Callux began threatening to destroy the capital as opposed to letting it fall. It was this threat that spurred General Quintus Septimus of the Prime Legion (The Legion had been the first army created by Alessia; and throughout history, its most staunch defender) to tear off their Mark of the Emperor, turning against the Callux. Quintus took a small detachment of his best soldiers and stormed the Imperial Palace. They quickly apprehended Callux; bringing an end to the threat. The Rebellion was brought to end with Servic on the throne, and Quintus’s son as Servic’s heir (Married to Servic’s daughter).
Crisis of the 800s
The Umbrix Crisis in 802 AC was the culmination of many factors plaguing the empire. The Crisis was named for the Western most province of the Empire. While the Empire was still struggling to stabilize itself after the century of strife and warfare; the entire western region was hit with massive flooding and subsequent long droughts. The imperial province of Umbrix was hit especially hard; as it always relied on food imports from other provinces to sustain itself. In 805AC massive swaths of migrants moved into Umbrix from the Varangian Plateau to escape famine and war on the boundaries of the empire. This and the current food shortage resulted in tension and conflict within Umbrix. The local populace rose up in riot and revolt, either against the migrants or against their rulers. The Imperium sent Legions in to stabilize the region, but for all their martial might, they could do little to assuage the situation. In 809AC; Emperor Hedran III used the Legions to militarize the border; closing Umbrix off from outside, but also from the neighboring Imperial provinces. The local leaders began to turn on one another, and began fighting over the scraps left in the region. The occupation was costing the Empire a fortune and creating friction throughout the entire Imperium; and the crisis was unraveling more and more. In 820 AC, Hedran III revoked the status of the province from Umbrix, and the Imperium abandoned it, leaving it to its own fate. Umbrix continued to be a wild frontier until the Varangian Empire annexed it in 1241 AC, almost 400 years later.
The Void
One of the last nails in the Empire’s coffin came around 850 AC. In the small coastal port of Ambregia, the first victim of a fatal plague was noted. It quickly consumed the entire village and spread rapidly along the coast. It soon became known as the Void, as it could wipe out entire city blocks in a matter of days; leaving them harrowingly empty. Multiple cities were simply abandoned. Population centers declined, and so did trade, culture and knowledge. Only small warlords were left to squabble over leftover scraps of the Empire. Contemporary as well as modern day scholars theorize the plague was caused by a cult of the condemned goddess Talona, but this of course cannot be confirmed.
Reavers from Reinhart
First chronicled in 902AC , hailing from a distant land (at the time not known, but now theorized to have come from the modern day lands of Reinhart) marauders began hitting the shores; pillaging and destroying everything in their wake. Over time, the remaining Alessians along the coast fled into the small fortified communities in the foothills. With no way of combating the hordes, the Alessian Empire shrunk by half. The coast and much of the land near it was left to the Marauders who over time began colonizing and repopulating the land. The Capital had control of the surrounding land in name only. Not too long after in 1035 AC, the Capital, the original Alessia center of power was abandoned, left to nature to reclaim. So ended the Alessian Empire.
The Fallout After Collapse
Over the next few hundreds of years, the remnants of the Alessian Empire, fortified in their small fragmented communities, began tearing down the still standing symbols of an era bygone, and used them to rebuild new cities modeled on their contemporary cultures and philosophies. It's why so little remains of this once great Empire. As the sands of time drifted through, trade and cooperation began flourishing between the remnants themselves, the new pockets of communities along the coast, and the fragmented remains of the Chaminade Empire to the north, giving way to our current world made of a patchwork of cultures, customs and realities.
Comments