The Stormheart Rebellion
Since the 'Stormheart Rebellion' those of the Stormheld Bastion have ever been at odds with their old masters, the Jade Throne and the Kingdom of Yeshi. Sovereign Haishin does not recognize the break-away islands of the The Shattered Shelf or the Stormheld Bastion as its own kingdom, merely a wayward state that needs to be re-absorbed.
The seas close to the Maelstrom have ever been dangerous, but the reward for items, history and unique resources always attracted scholars and those seeking wealth. This was no different for the nobles of Yeshi who enslaved the races that had acclimated to the dangers and climate of The Shattered Shelf, a people called the 'Vorago'. For years the Yeshi used the Vorago as well as prisoners and criminals from the mainland to sail ships and work between the islands performing deadly and horrifying tasks to claim their prizes.
In the year 2294 A.C. a boy named Castellian Harlscurl was born and with him a prophecy was fulfilled. For the Vorago sea witches (a practise condemned by the Yeshi under pain of death) had met in secret and divined a boy born on the night of a great storm, while the Shattered Moon hung high in the sky would break their chains and bring freedom to their people. The sea witches waited for centuries, but one called Aretha, sought to fulfil the prophecy herself, using magic to facilitate the conception, gestation and birth of a son on the prophesized date. The Yeshi learnt of this prophecy and sought to eradicate all children born during this time, but failed to find Castellian due to the magical trickery of his mother.
The boy grew up hearing of this prophecy and witnessing the subjugation of his people first hand. Eventually he snapped, when the Yeshi magistrate of Kotsmurk stormed his house and dragged his mother to the square, accused of witchery. Within the crowded square they hung her from a post as a warning to all others and watched as a magical storm approached, leaving her to the elements. Castellian stood with her as others ran for cover and as it touched down on the earth he felt its magic burn within him. He pulled the energy from the storm and unleashed it on the magistrate and his guard, not stopping until his rage had been satisfied and all the officials of Yeshi had been slain.
This momentum allowed the 'Stormriders' (a name adopted by the Vorago warriors) to liberate much of the Shattered Shelf with their hit and run tactics and new magic manipulation granted by the storms strength. Though, their confidence was overstated and they sailed for the mainland of Yeshi, still a large nation many times more its size, convinced that with Castellian at the fore they could not lose.
This, however, was something the Yeshi knew. Open combat in a calmer sea. A place where the enemies were not hidden or using magic to manipulate the environment against you and where their own sorcerers could fight back. The Dragon Fleet of Yeshi outmaneuvered and obliterated the forces of Castellian, who were under-equipped and under-prepared for this new style of open naval combat and almost eighty percent of their ships were sunk. Those that survived fled back to familiar waters and Castellian led the Dragon Fleet away, for he was their true prize, allowing time for the others to escape.
He led them west, straight for the heart of the Maelstrom and a gargantuan storm. With the strength of the storm at his back he wielded the primordial magics of the Maelstrom and shattered the Dragon Fleet at great cost to himself, for that kind of magic cannot be contained and as the last ship sank it tore him and his crew apart.
Eventually Yeshi's war with Cinehold ended and their eyes turned once more to the Shattered Shelf and reunification of their wayward territories. Ships began to once again raid each others towns and attack in greater numbers. As of now (2501 A.C.) Yeshi have pushed the Stormheld Bastion back and now hold the north of the Shattered Shelf, though progress is slow and grinding and sometimes years can go by without any real clashes or raids. The Stormheld Bastion now has allies through the Unitum pact, though help is slow in reaching them and their allies can't muster sailors that can stand beside their own. Their only hope is to grind Yeshi down, pull their ships further into the Maelstroms magic, where their Stormriders can wield the powers of the storm as Castellian once did, but as Yeshi's strength once again grows, it is becoming harder and harder to withstand the constant pressure of their strength, and there is only so far to run, and only so much time before they are once more dominated. The question is, how much will they make Yeshi bleed for it.
The Spark of Freedom
Since 1890 A.C. the Kingdom of Yeshi ruled over the islands of the Shattered Shelf uncontested. For it was before the birth of Sabal in a time when the human clans of the desert warred amongst themselves and against The Kingdom of Alenian in the north.The seas close to the Maelstrom have ever been dangerous, but the reward for items, history and unique resources always attracted scholars and those seeking wealth. This was no different for the nobles of Yeshi who enslaved the races that had acclimated to the dangers and climate of The Shattered Shelf, a people called the 'Vorago'. For years the Yeshi used the Vorago as well as prisoners and criminals from the mainland to sail ships and work between the islands performing deadly and horrifying tasks to claim their prizes.
In the year 2294 A.C. a boy named Castellian Harlscurl was born and with him a prophecy was fulfilled. For the Vorago sea witches (a practise condemned by the Yeshi under pain of death) had met in secret and divined a boy born on the night of a great storm, while the Shattered Moon hung high in the sky would break their chains and bring freedom to their people. The sea witches waited for centuries, but one called Aretha, sought to fulfil the prophecy herself, using magic to facilitate the conception, gestation and birth of a son on the prophesized date. The Yeshi learnt of this prophecy and sought to eradicate all children born during this time, but failed to find Castellian due to the magical trickery of his mother.
The boy grew up hearing of this prophecy and witnessing the subjugation of his people first hand. Eventually he snapped, when the Yeshi magistrate of Kotsmurk stormed his house and dragged his mother to the square, accused of witchery. Within the crowded square they hung her from a post as a warning to all others and watched as a magical storm approached, leaving her to the elements. Castellian stood with her as others ran for cover and as it touched down on the earth he felt its magic burn within him. He pulled the energy from the storm and unleashed it on the magistrate and his guard, not stopping until his rage had been satisfied and all the officials of Yeshi had been slain.
Stormheart Rebellion
By the time word reached the Jade Throne in Yeshi the southern islands had fallen to the fire of rebellion. Castellian had united the towns and villages across the southern Shattered Shelf and taken dozens of ships from the Yeshi. They raided northward, freeing the imprisoned Vorago and those that would join them, freeing towns and growing their strength at an alarming rate. Any Yeshi ships that sailed the broken islands were quickly beset by raiders and taken as spoils of war.This momentum allowed the 'Stormriders' (a name adopted by the Vorago warriors) to liberate much of the Shattered Shelf with their hit and run tactics and new magic manipulation granted by the storms strength. Though, their confidence was overstated and they sailed for the mainland of Yeshi, still a large nation many times more its size, convinced that with Castellian at the fore they could not lose.
This, however, was something the Yeshi knew. Open combat in a calmer sea. A place where the enemies were not hidden or using magic to manipulate the environment against you and where their own sorcerers could fight back. The Dragon Fleet of Yeshi outmaneuvered and obliterated the forces of Castellian, who were under-equipped and under-prepared for this new style of open naval combat and almost eighty percent of their ships were sunk. Those that survived fled back to familiar waters and Castellian led the Dragon Fleet away, for he was their true prize, allowing time for the others to escape.
He led them west, straight for the heart of the Maelstrom and a gargantuan storm. With the strength of the storm at his back he wielded the primordial magics of the Maelstrom and shattered the Dragon Fleet at great cost to himself, for that kind of magic cannot be contained and as the last ship sank it tore him and his crew apart.
Reunification
The years that followed Castellian's death held little conflict, for much of both fleets had been destroyed and it took years to remake what was lost. Meanwhile Yeshi's other fleets were involved in a war with Cinehold at the time. During this time the Stormriders founded the Collective of Stormheld Bastion in a bid to garner aid and alliances with other nations, though with little success to begin with.Eventually Yeshi's war with Cinehold ended and their eyes turned once more to the Shattered Shelf and reunification of their wayward territories. Ships began to once again raid each others towns and attack in greater numbers. As of now (2501 A.C.) Yeshi have pushed the Stormheld Bastion back and now hold the north of the Shattered Shelf, though progress is slow and grinding and sometimes years can go by without any real clashes or raids. The Stormheld Bastion now has allies through the Unitum pact, though help is slow in reaching them and their allies can't muster sailors that can stand beside their own. Their only hope is to grind Yeshi down, pull their ships further into the Maelstroms magic, where their Stormriders can wield the powers of the storm as Castellian once did, but as Yeshi's strength once again grows, it is becoming harder and harder to withstand the constant pressure of their strength, and there is only so far to run, and only so much time before they are once more dominated. The question is, how much will they make Yeshi bleed for it.
Primarch of the Vorago
Castellian was given the title of Primarch upon his first victory over a small fleet of Yeshi ships. It was an ancient role given only in times of war and tragedy. A position that could command all clan leaders without question. One that didn't see clans, but one people. This position has persisted as the ruling title of the Vorago since Castellian's days for the Stormheld Bastion has ever been at war with Yeshi since those days.
Conflict Type
Rebellion
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