@Heyitsjiwon@LordZell@Abefroeman@urukhai@SonOfALich@Murtox If you would turn your attention to the 0th OOC post, you will see the Provincial and Nation maps. I will PM you all with a discord link, and we can start working on the second phase.
National Capital: Etterselt, in the province of Porrenkkon National Currency: The Etter National Languages: Sygyian
Arhan
Name of Leader: Queen Ameline I Age: 43
National Capital: Cappes, in the province of Colveil National Currency: The Arha National Languages: Colveili
Asmont
Name of Leader: Prince William Asmont Age: 50
National Capital: Aarborn, in the province of Asmont National Currency: The Asmonti National Languages: Illwi
Dorist
Name of Leader: King Freud Thumer Age: 33
National Capital: Talfist, in the province of Dorist National Currency: The Verg National Languages: Doristian
Fosbak
Name of Leader: Queen Marta II Age: 27
National Capital: Elhavn, in the province of Orsos National Currency: The Olska National Languages: Albian
Genstadt
Name of Leader: Queen Margriet I Age: 32
National Capital: Amersdorp, in the province of Alkren National Currency: The Amer National Languages: Doristian
Grimhout
Name of Leader: Arch-Duke Jean-Baptise Dervau Age: 40
National Capital: Rivierberg, in the province of Dilmonde National Currency: The Berg National Languages: Dilmondian
Hispalis
Name of Leader: King Charles XII Philip Age: 37
National Capital: Toletum, in the province of Emerita National Currency: The Oro National Languages: Hispalian
Kalseran
Name of Leader: The Grand Lady of the Republic, Luisa A'Dera Age: 31
National Capital: Kalseran, in the province of Giannia National Currency: The Aquan National Languages: Ilata
Kehsi
Name of Leader: King Janek II Age: 24
National Capital: Sabica, in the province of Lohvus National Currency: The Tubat National Languages: Kehsian
Khazaria
Name of Leader: Şahin Macar Age: 17
National Capital: Sarkel, in the province of Itil National Currency: The Yarmaq National Languages: Turkish
Komentiolos
Name of Leader: King Nikolaos Andreas Koromelas II Age: 39
National Capital: Tarsus, in the province of Cilicia National Currency: The Pontus National Languages: Greco
Orvag
Name of Leader: King Valterri IV Age: 59
National Capital: Ekda, in the province of Ekdal National Currency: The Valterri National Languages: Albian
Paranas
Name of Leader: King Alexandru I Age: 26
National Capital: Alirgos, in the province of Synia National Currency: The Mark National Languages: Sygyian
Reria
Name of Leader: Emperor Clarenzio III Age: 55
National Capital: Lederata, in the province of Syralano National Currency: The Clarenzi National Languages: Ilata
Stabuga
Name of Leader: Tsar Petya Barinov Age: 38
National Capital: Monsk, in the province of Magna National Currency: The Rov National Languages: Cahitian
Stevata
Name of Leader: King Oswald IV Age: 22
National Capital: Ravoza, in the province of Hutina National Currency: The Wald National Languages: Zarsozian
Teclav
Name of Leader: Grand Prince Fridrik Sidorov Age: 36
National Capital: Lebin, in the province of Cahita National Currency: The Rov National Languages: Cahitian
1: Major Influence - The Kingdom of Hispalis
2: Minor Influence - The Kingdom of Hispalis
3: Minor Influence - The Empire of Reria
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5: Major Influence - The Kingdom of Komentiolos
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4: Minor Influence - The Empire of Grimhout
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9: Major Influence - The Republic of Kalseran
10: Minor Influence - The Republic of Kalseran
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12: Minor Influence - The Kingdom of Kehsi
13: Major Influence - The Kingdom of Kehsi
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4: Minor Influence - The Empire of Grimhout
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15: Minor Influence - The Kingdom of Kehsi
16: Major Influence - The Kingdom of Kehsi
The Conquest of Duarte(1487): The North African city of Duarte has served as an important naval hub of the Caliphate for centuries, it key strategic location on the narrow strait allowing it to serve as a launching point for the raids that plagued The Kingdom of Hispalis since it's founding. However, in the late 15th Century, the Caliphate finally began to splinter apart from internal conflict, and Hispalis saw it's opportunity. With ships from their cultural neighbours of The Kingdom of Arhan and The Kingdom of Kehsi, and with a substantial landing force, Hispalis descended upon the city. The cities garrison was caught off guard by the sudden attack, and the city itself was in Hispalis hands before the day was out. There it has remained ever since, becoming a crucial part of the kingdoms control of its trade routes, and serving as a staging ground for future ambitions in North Africa.
The Peace of Khazaria (1708-1756): Ever since the Regency of Sevil Macar and even from past emperors, The Empire of Khazaria has turned inwards, slowing their expansion west and north to instead focus on lucrative trade with their neighbours in The Kingdom of Paranas. The Macar family had always had great relationships with the merchants and princes of Paranas due to their contacts and trade links, and it is perhaps no surprise that once the Macar dynasty rose to power, both Khazaria and Paranas solidified their relationship as allies, Khazaria's fleet beginning to swell due to the welcome influx of Paranasian natives and shipbuilders.
During this golden age, the nomadic tribes of the empire began to settle, leaving their traditions behind to gather in cities along the coastline. The vast hordes that Khazaria were once able to call upon began to shrink as the wild warriors of the steppes began to soften and modernise. Realising the growing issue, it was Sevil Macar herself, the aunt of the empire's current ruler, and arguably the true power behind the throne, who realised the potential that modern warfare represented. She has restructured the empire's armies, creating arsenals and equipping Khazaria's soldiers with muskets rather than horse bows, and invested heavily in the growing naval infrastructure that is supporting the nation's fledgling fleet.
The cities of Khazaria have enjoyed decades of peace and prosperity that has never been seen before amongst the warring nomadic tribes. Artists and engineers have flocked to a nation that has long been labelled as savage and uncivilised, but that is not to suggest that the empire has forgotten it's roots. To the east of the nation, nomadic tribes still roam, and the more traditionalist nobles within the empire hope that the rise of a new emperor may see a return to the ways of the past.
Khazaria is now a mix of eastern and western ideas. To a foreigner, the empire may still seem like a barbarian nation, particularly by those who have not witnessed for themselves the great steps that the current dynasty has made in bringing order the wild.
The Siege of Velerra (1719): Velerra is a prosperous city of The Kingdom of Altenten that sits close to the border with The Kingdom of Stevata. Over the centuries, many descendants of Stevata had called the city their home, but in the hot summer of 1719, the underlying cultural tension in the city ignited. A new tax against the non-natives was brought in, and riots erupted across the city. The Altenten garrison struggled to maintain order, and news of the riots reached the Stevata king, Oswald III. Unable to ignore the cries of his people, and in a flagrant act, Oswald sent an army across the border and into the city. The Stevata soldiers brought efficient order to the city, if a little heavy-handed. The stories pouring out of the city spread across the two nations like wildfire, and even now, historians are not entirely sure which atrocities are true, and which are pure fiction. All anyone knows is that after nearly a week of the riots, and with Altenten moving their own armies towards the city, the Stevata army withdrew, taking with them countless refugees that gratefully returned to their homeland. Relations between the two nations lay in tatters, and it took months of careful diplomacy to avoid outright war. Both nations still blame the other for the blood that ran through the streets of Velerra, and the wounds are yet to heal
The Siege of Kronik (1734):The Kingdom of Dorist and The Kingdom of Stevata have a long and bloody history, the border between the two shifting through the centuries as wars come and go. The province of Shardvul, long held by the Kingdom of Dorist, had been seized by Stevata in one such war in the last year's of the 17th century. It did not take much to fan the flames of war. There was a series of skirmishes between the two nations until the Dorist army found itself before the gates of the Stevata capital in the province, the city of Kronik. The siege was bloody and drawn out, and a Stevata relief force was gathering in the neighbouring province of Hutina. As the relief army neared, the Dorist army sent a meagre force to hold them back. At the head of this force was a young commander by the name of Wolfgang Draton. With an almost manic defiance, this small force beat back the relief force, and as news reached Kronik, the city finally surrendered. All too wary of their many enemies sensing weakness, Stevata was quick to sue for peace, ceding the province to Dorist as they retreated to lick their wounds.
The Great Migration(5th Century): The Iberian Peninsula was once a sparsely populated region, a mere handful of population centers scattered along the coastline. Tribes whose descendants now inhabit the nation of Kehsi populated the northern coast, while the southern coast enjoyed rich trade with North Africa across the narrow strait. The tribe that would become The Kingdom of Hispalis settled on the foothills of the Pyrenees, and quickly established itself as a major power in the region over the following century. The fledging Kingdom of Hispalis was founded by its first ruler, King Theo I, and through both diplomacy and war, managed to unify the peninsula under a common banner.
The Eternal Conflict (8th-15th Century): While still in its infancy, The Kingdom of Hispalis quickly found itself threatened by the Caliphate of North Africa. The centuries that followed saw regular raids on the young kingdom from the Caliphate, and under this constant threat, the northern lords of the kingdom splintered off, establishing their own nation that would eventually become The Kingdom of Arhan. Although the conflict between Hispalis and the Caliphate continued for countless generations, the kingdom steadily grew in strength, and continued to hold their ground against the would-be invaders.
The Grimhout-Kehsi Wars (12th-18th Century): The history between the the nations of The Empire of Grimhout and The Kingdom of Kehsi is a long and bloody one. Countless wars over the centuries between the two natural enemies provides no shortage of bad blood, and the infant colonies that both nations have established in the Americas only adds another theatre for the two nations to clash. The Lohvus Channel has long been the backdrop for the battles between the two, but now the warmer waters to the west stands poised to see new clashes, and yet more bloodshed.
The Concordat War (Early 13th Century): In the early days of the republic, while the fledgling nation was still coming to its feet from being a hegemonic trade nation into an incorporated whole. The old kingdom that has now become The Principality of Asmont saw an opportunity in the verdant and rich lands and waters to the south, and attempted to expand into the territories the Adriatic sea. Expecting little in the way of proper resistance from the nascent nation of The Republic of Kalseran, they were surprised when they were faced with a sizeable army. While no means a professional army, or matching the numbers of the Asmonts, the loose confederation of soldiers and mercenaries were still able to drag the invading army into unfavourable terrain and dangerous situations, slowing their progress to a stall, stretching what should have been a short few battles into a multi year war.
That seemed to change with the first battle of Kalseran, when the host of Asmont caught the unified army by surprise and scattered them into the countryside. Content with this victory the army of Asmont turned their attention away from the scattered army and began to lay siege to the city itself, finding most of the bridges to the city proper having been burned and broken, halting any forward progress they obtained. Still they had their prize in their grasp, so they settled in to wait them out. Months would pass, until they seemingly began to make cracks in the defenders spirits, but as the army waited one last night to finally end this charade of a war, scores of soldiers began to choke and die, the cause of which was quickly discovered as poisonous plants had been ground into the water and food supply. Then all at once they were beset by a host that seemingly oozed from the darkness of the night. The army returned, a new wave of defenders surged out from Kalseran smashing into the attackers, driving them off in what was then called, almost as a joke the second battle of Kalseran. While this cemented the republic as the ruler, the dishonourable tactics used earned the ire of Asmont, which has cooled over the years but still colours the opinion of the two nations to this day.
The Thousand Saddle Marches (Late 13th Century): The ancestors of The Empire of Khazaria were not the only tribe wrestling for power on the steppes of Eurasia, and when they were in their infancy, they were far from the greatest. The Bujir horde to the east numbered in the hundreds of thousands, and at it's peak it threatened to roll across the whole of Europe. Somehow, The Khazarian khanate survived this onslaught, and the story of this heroic victory has quickly passed into legend, known as the Thousand Saddle Marches.
The greatest horse riders of Khazaria fought a string of bloody stalemates against the steady advance of the horde, desperately attempting to buy time. When they could hold the tide back no longer, the khanate threw the dice. The ancestors of the nations that now populate eastern Europe rallied behind Khazaria for one final gamble. In particular, it is said that a young Khazarian khan swore a blood oath with a prince of The Kingdom of Paranas the night before the battle, and that the two warriors fought side by side throughout the battle, swearing a final oath to find each other in the afterlife before charging into certain death. As dawn broke, the entire amassed cavalry that Khazaria could bring to bear threw itself into the gates of hell. The battle that followed has become folklore, but the stories do not do the bloody carnage of it justice. Few survived to see the sunrise, and the Bujir horde was shattered, it's talismanic leader killed somewhere in the maelstrom.
Khazaria was quick to fill the power vacuum, supported by the neighbouring countries that were now bound with blood. The Thousand Saddle Marches is a history-defining moment for Khazaria, forging the nomadic khanate into a serious power and imprinting the values of duty, loyalty and bravery into the very fabric of Khazaria.
The Collapse of the Genorist Empire(14th-17th Century): At it's peak, the Genorist Empire ruled over cast swathes of central Europe, it's borders encompassing the current nations of The Kingdom of Dorist, The Kingdom of Altenten, The Principality of Asmont, The Kingdom of Genstadt and even parts of The Kingdom of Fosbak. Over the centuries however, this once mighty empire fell victim to the same problems that plague all great empires. Corruption and wars chipped away at the empire's control, and although the collapse was gradual, it was still undeniably a collapse. Although the empire now only exists in the history books, it is still a single thread that connects several nations in Europe, and a shared history amongst the various cultures that now exist in the empire's old lands lends itself to a feeling of comradeship.
The 25 Years War - The Golden Horde of Khazaria against the Western Crusaders (1398-1423): Known as the disaster of the Third Crusade (and final) cemented in the annals of history the mythic legend of Nursultan Ruslan. Regarded as one of the greatest Khans in the history of The Empire of Khazaria, and among the Eurasian peoples, one of the greatest military leaders to have ever come thundering across the vast steppes. Without Khan Nursultan there would be no Empire of Khazaria as it is known today, his resounding victory over the combined forces of the Western Crusaders and their allies from The Kingdom of Komentiolos ensured the future of Khazaria for centuries afterword.
Such a victory is not without consequences, and none felt such repercussions more than the Kingdom of Komentiolos, the heir to the Diorite Empire. Yet to understand the end results of this war, one must understand its beginning and the events that transpired over its duration. The nomadic peoples of the vast Eurasian steppes were no strangers to the sporadic incursions of the Western Europeans, but it was the culmination of the two previous Crusades (1031 to 1142 and 1299 to 1304) that led to the disastrous results of the third. Khan Nursultan grew up on tales of the foreign invaders, and it is said that upon becoming Khan of The Golden Horde, he vowed to forever put an end to these crusades.
The early weeks of summer, in the year 1398, saw the massive buildup of Western European Crusaders along the port cities of the Kingdom of Komentiolos, which at that time encompassed much of the Southern territorial lands of what is now modern territory of The Kingdom of Paranas, The Republic of Kalseran, and Khazaria. These Crusaders were granted safe haven and supplies by the Komentiolians, something that Khan Nursultan did not overlook. While never hostile with the people of Komentiolos, none could say they were friendly, and such an act of overt and blatant hostility, would not go unpunished. They say that Khan Nursultan and ten thousand mounted riders descended upon the Northern encampment of Crusaders in the middle of the night, setting fire to tents and wagons, killing thousands, before vanishing into the early morning mists and fog. Thus began the twenty five year struggle between the Crusaders and the Golden Horde, fighting raging all across the frontier, and upon the Komentiolian hinterlands. No matter how many horsemen fell, it felt as if two more took their place.
Yet, truth be told, for a time, it appeared as though perhaps the Crusaders might win, having established coastal fortifications along the Crimean peninsula and more, slowly fighting inland year by year. However, none had ever been able to definitively find and defeat Khan Nursultan, who remained elusive and undefeated. No doubt the Eurasian people of Khazaria suffered their share of defeats, but no army ever led by the great Khan Nursultan ever lost, save one battle at the end of the war, if one can call such a defeat. Still, many battles were fought, yet none greater nor more decisive than the Battle of Samkarsh. In the spring of 1423 the combined forces of the Crusaders and their Komentiolian allies met the fury of Khan Nursultan. On the banks of a muddy river, tens of thousands of men fought and died, turning the river red with blood, and the dried earth to mud. That day, the Crusaders fought their final battle, losing three kings, and the Komentiolians losing their prince. The shattered army fled the field of battle, leaving behind all manner of supplies, desperate to escape the Scourge of Eurasia. These tattered remnants, harried by the ceaseless hordes of Khan Nursultan, barely made it to the coastal stronghold of Kothelio, since renamed Kumbag, sheltering behind its high walls and thick gates.
A crisis of continued determination struck the battered and beleaguered Crusaders, most of their army was dead, with the rest scattered to the winds, and all that stood before Khan Nursultan were 4,000 tired men, against nearly 60,000 invigorated horsemen. The forces of Eurasia had siege equipment, fresh forces still trickling in, and nothing but time. Making matters worse, the Golden Horde's fleet lay off shore, blockading the port city and its rapidly dwindling supplies. To all within the city, all seemed lost, that their God had abandoned them. And thus, brings us to the Khan's only defeat, though many argue whether or not this can be attributed to him at all. In the closing days of the Third Crusade, a savage spring storm wracked the coasts of the Crimean peninsula, delaying Khan Nursultan's intended siege of the last true vestige of Crusader power in the region. (There were other strongholds and fortifications, however, since the defeat of the combined Crusader army, these territorial holdings soon found themselves surrounded by the hordes of Khazaria and its allies.)
As the forces of Khan Nursultan hunkered down, a daring relief force attacked the naval forces blockading the Crusaders, the Komentiolian navy with its larger ships and centuries of experience, shattered and burned the Khazarian fleet in its entirety. All knew the lives of the Crusaders and the city's citizens depended upon their victory, though none could have dreamed it would arrive in the midst of a storm. In a feat still sung in ballads, the Komentiolian fleet evacuated the city in a night and day, the last ship rowing out from the piers as the city gates shattered open. This would spell the end of war, and lengthy peace talks that would see Komentiolos cede vast swathes of its northern territories to Khan Nursultan and his new empire, as well as its western territories to the Kingdom of Paranas.
To put this into a broader perspective, whilst Komentiolos was fighting the Khazarians, they were attacked by Saracens in the south and east. Unable to effectively fight two wars on two fronts, especially after the financial burden of supporting the foreign crusaders, as well as the sacking of Apatosolios, the Komentiolians sued for peace with such generous terms to the Khazarians in order to survive this new foe, and retain their hold over the core regions that made up their kingdom. This, however does not diminish the achievements of Khan Nursultan and his victories. His tactical prowess gained his people an empire, his daring raids gained both respect and fear, and his life becoming the tales of legend. To this day, the echoes of this war are felt, a festering wound that eats away at peace and friendship. The Khazarian horsemen fast and nimble upon land, the Komentiolian dominating the vast seas, two powerful and proud nations, both of whom remember the Third Crusade for different reasons.
Since the days of Khan Nursultan to now, there have been minor border skirmishes, enterprising Khazarian youth raiding across borders, trying to entice Komentiolian forces to foolishly follow them too deeply into the steppes, only to elicit Komentiolian naval forces to burn fishing and trading vessels in return, not daring to stay on land for too long. A back and forth that flares up ever so often, a fort built there, a village raided, a trade vessel sunk, posturing that seems to have no end. A narrow valley now separates the two nations, the Greater Caucasus controlled by the Khazarians, while the Lesser Caucasus controlled by the Komentiolians.
Official warning to any and all lurker. 6pm GMT (so in around 3 hours) is acting as a deadline. If you don't get a Nation Sheet in by then, unfortunately you'll have to wait till the RP is established and I can think about you taking over an NPC nation.
@Heyitsjiwon@SonOfALich Interestingly, your two points are connected. While there will be a handful of other 'major' NPC powers, the majority will be smaller 'minor' powers, so not-Europe is going to become even more of a rainbow as there's going to be some smaller 1-2 province countries, particularly in western/central Europe.
@Abefroeman I do indeed mean NPC nations. I'll be creating them with a nation sheet similar to the one that you have all used, albeit with fewer points in general.
@Murtox Khazaria all adds up, even if it is a little min-maxy. Just specify which province your capital is in, and be aware that you are going to suffer from basically having no navy.
@SonOfALich Grimhout looks good, consider yourself accepted. But Murtox just pipped you to yellow, so let me know what colour you want instead. I'll use a light blue as a placeholder.
We do indeed now have six. If anyone is on the cusp of making the leap and applying, I'm not slamming the door shut just yet, but be aware that I will be starting to fill the rest of the map, and once that is done sometime tomorrow, I'll be pushing on to the next stage.
@SonOfALich Well you can blame Toubres for almost single-handedly forcing the changes around colonies, so probably a good thing they didn't come back!
@Heyitsjiwon Hispalis all looks good now, feel free to move it across to the Characters tab. And in terms of Discord, I'd like to hold off until we have our starting players, just to keep a busy OOC.
@urukhai Kalseran looks ship-shape, so consider yourself accepted. Move it across to the Characters tab at your leisure, and I'll update the main map.
@LordZell And Dorist looks good to go, you're also free to move over to the Characters tab.
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