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Author Topic: The Wolves of the West:A Brief Study of Bylusian History -PART I  (Read 3688 times)

The Wolves of the West:A Brief Study of Bylusian History -PART I
« on: December 21, 2014, 07:01:51 PM »
Derived by Tanar Hostia, Junior Historian, Umbragrad Hall

Pre-1400s-Nomadic Clans

For centuries, the people of the Bylusian Peninsula has struggled to exist. The harsh unforgiving climate, sparse resources, and isolation from the rest of the world, have made it a wonder that society formed here at all. Dating back prior to 1400 CE, countless nomadic clans inhabited the area, migrating south during the winter months, living as hunter-gatherers. Although one cannot be certain of the number of clans at any one time, five notable clans begin appearing in records as early as 1409, those being, the Eruvingians, the Aemeve, the Threcians, the Orernii, and the Pallas. Their nomadic cycle continued at least until around 1500, when contact was made between the Eruvingian settlement of Achenar and Eastern missionaries. Master Silas Eruvingian, believing himself to be divinely chosen, began a supposed holy war of conversion against the neighboring Aemeve and Pallas cities. This initial aggression kicked off a multifaceted war amongst the clans, with power shifting over the next two hundred years.

1500-1650-The Rise and Fall of The Eruvingian Dynasty

By the end of 1520, The Eruvingian Clan had consolidated the northern bulk of the peninsula, in the name of Eruvingian Catholicism, a far more restrictive sect than its eastern brethren. This particular splinter was defined by a single manuscript, the White Book, a manuscript declaring the divine superiority of the newly named Eruvingian Dynasty, and its inherent right to rule the Southern lands. Beginning in 1588, Castor Eruvingian waged a holy war against his neighbors, subjugating and absorbing the Threcians, the Aemeve, and the Orernii, enforcing their brand of faith across the peninsula. Only Pallas managed to maintain its freedom from the Eruvingian yoke. Up until 1650, the lands struggled under Eruvingian oppression, under the inept hand of Jerik Eruvingian. Disease among the slave class combined with a swift famine would deal the deathblow to the fledgling state.

1651-1895-Collapse and Reconstruction.

As civil control eroded in the north, a new threat arose in the northeast. After much civil debate over a portion of the White Book, A few lead members of the clergy birthed the Free Erovan Order, in opposition to the abuses of the Eruvingian subjects, as well as revoking the Right to Enlightenment, the justification for the original expansion. Eruvingian force move to put down the uprising, an event known as The Collapse of Molosano. Molosano, a town around a monastery of the same name, was the seat of power in the east, as it had been mercifully spared the effect of the outbreak that had crippled the west. The leader of the monastery, Cardian Lysette Tideheart, declared a break away from the empire, the beginning of the East Erovan Separatists, the spiritual successor to the Erovan Order . By 1682, the scism was complete, and the Eastern Eruvingian Kingdom was secure in its orders. This loss severly weakened the Eruvingians, as demonstrated by the dissolution of the Southern Lands. In 1689, Orernii ran out the Eruvingian occupation. While they had been offered alligiance to the separatists, the city state declined, prefering independence. Achenar found itself besieged from within, and recalled its forces from Aemeve and Threcia. By 1730, the peninsula began to take the shape of today, as each clan had staked its claim in the region. On 19 January 1759, Master Tessalus Eruvingian was assassinated in his keep, and the Citizen's Party of Erova was born. In Molosano, a scant X miles away, the Separatists founded the East Erovan Commonwealth, under the leadership of Cardian Michelle Velus, the newly elected head of the East Erovan Church. To the South, the state of Palloch formed, aided by influences to the east, although its foundation date is lost to antiquity. The Aemeve aand Orernii Clans intermarried, and formed what would be known as the Bylusian Pact, the first and only spark of unity the peninsula would see for quite some time, on 19 April 1799. With the exception of regular inter- and intra city intrigue, the next century was a peaceful one. Amevion, the new state descended from the Aemeve Clans, had developed into a economic powerhouse, as advances in science and philosophy sparked a renaissance of sorts, that spread like wildfire across the peninsula. The lands of the Orernii, now formally known as Orernion, took advantage of the spread of knowledge, transforming the western coastal province into a veritable breadbasket, becoming the agrarian backbone of the region. In spite of this renewal, the region remained more or less isolated from the rest of civilization. In its seclusion, the area would thrive throughout most of the 1800s, however, as history would tell, no part of the world would be spared from the events to come.

1896-1917-The Great War

While war raged in the East, whispers of war were brewing in the West .Neustrian Agents infiltrated the ranks of the West Erovan Militia, and launched a small war of conquest, swiftly subjugating its neighbor. From that point, the newly unified Erovan army invaded its neighbors, Orernion, Amevion and Palloch. Palloch suffered greatly, as it had unofficially aligned with the Coalition, providing war materiel, unaware of the Neustrian proxy to the West. After failing to secure the eastern front, a massive Pro-Coalition insurgency broke out in the Erovan City of Shaleport. Pro Neustrian forces responded with impunity, purging Carth sympathizers in the streets, a crime that has scars up to today. This crackdown gave the Eastern States opportunity to regroup, leading up to a counter attack in Occupied Tercia. Tercia was liberated, at the cost of Palloch and Orernion, effectively splitting the Eastern Alliance in two. Erovan forces swept through Tercia, reclaiming the territory, and isolating Amevion, the last state on the peninsula. For a year and a half, Erovan forces laid siege to the province, painfully capturing town after town. Finally, only Umbragrad stood against the Erovan onslaught, leading to a a bloody siege that lasted for over a year.For 14 months, Umbragrad was shelled, sieged, bombed, and raided, but its citizens persevered. Finally, at the war neared conclusion in the Far East,  Neustrian support withered, leaving the Erovan army woefully under equipped, as Coalition sympathizers secured the Eastern border. Cenric Dolan, leading a sparse militia of a thousand, lead a reckless counter attack upon the weary Erovan ranks. Though woefully out numbered and unequipped, Dolan routed the superior Erovan host, pushing it back west, where post-war uprisings shattered Erovan control. The Breaking of the Siege of Umbragrad is perhaps the most significant event in the history of Bylusia, as for the first time in history, the peninsula unified behind a single leader. Dolan was elected Governor of Amevion at the tender age of 20, and in short time had annexed Orernion and Tercia. The first monumental task was the rebuilding of ravaged Palloch, before securing the Erovan lands. By the end of 1917, all of the Bylusia had unified under the Dolan's banner, and thus the Confederacy was born.