Fairy Tale Lore

Le Sage

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The Empire


The Empire was a union of nations that was founded after the Collective War in 3034 to guard against the further rise of evil and also stand as a beacon for civilization. The Elven Federation and the Principality were the initial founders and those two states transferred all their state functions and powers to the new capital of Amaranth and also appointed the first Emperor.

The Crystallin and the Vikings were initially supposed to join, but domestic developments in those kingdoms prevented their incorporation into the Empire. The Viking colony at Jarlgard was incorporated though. The empire failed in its appointed tasks during the peace years, becoming nothing but a paper tiger and the Imperial Senate was a forum for petty grievances and useless, endless debates. The first Emperor also had his powers diminished by the Senate and became nothing but a front figure in ceremony.

The Second Great War changed the Empire's role though. The Senate's great meeting in 3049 gave the new Emperor great powers to run the state, powers which were needed at the time of crisis that had emerged. Also, Crystallin and the Northern Vikings finally vassalized under the Empire volontarily as it was believed that only union and agreement could save the world from the coming storm. These two, still kept much of their independence and not until after the war did they fully integrate into the Union of the Empire.

The Great War saved the Free World; Imperial troops swarmed into Angleeye after the initial great setbacks and liberated the land from the Collective and set about to also liberated the souls of the unhappy people of the enslaved kingdom. At the siege of Zuur Nova, the Demon King was finally defeated and sent back to his mother Marana, and with that victory, the Empire was finally established as the leading player in the Known World and a respectable Union among free and prosperous nations.

(The picture at the top depicts the Imperial Symbol, the Iron Rose, the Principality Cross with four eagles between each arm, representing the four cardinal points. Below, a map of the Empire after the War.)


 
Good background story! Nothing beat reading some story, or in this case, a fictional history of a fictional world.

The Empire sounds like a shifting of Rome during republic/empire era, although, I say it's interesting how the 4 voluntarily formed the Empire (although eventually the last 2 joined in) without bloodshed. Rarely in the history of human that Government gave up power to an outside power, or to form a new power (it did happen, but usually not without consequence).

Keep it coming! I'd like to know more about this Fairy Tale land!
 
The Empire is really fashioned on the Roman Republic, as you have noted, and later, as it became stronger, it did move on into the Roman Imperial Age as well.

The idea of it's peaceful integration and many of its functions are direct copies of its real-world counterpart, the European Union, in that The First Great War pushed the nations together to try and keep peace in the world. The Iron Rose is also a form of Fairy Tale World symbol equivalent to the European Twleve Stars.

Yeah. I'll keep the stories coming. I like writing them, you see! :)
 
The Vikings



The mighty Vikings lived on the northern island since ancient times; between the high mountains of the coast and the snowy mountain peaks of the far north, they inhabited the fertile valleys. Steeped in blood and iron, the Vikings learned the early lessons of war; fighting the ferocious mountain trolls and the Dwarves. At the Battle of Urfjord, the Vikings beat their enemies and established the nation by founding their first city on the very grounds of the battlefield. High walls were raised around a town made mostly of wooden buildings with winding streets layered with planks, a town that was also a natural, excellent harbour.

The constant warring with the Dwarves went in favour of the Vikings, but slowly, so many Viking tribes started heading south to settle new land, find adventure and also get away from the fighting near home, and these incentives were the beginning of the famous voyages that the Vikings really made themselves a name for.The Vikings did major expeditions south and were a scourge of the Peninsula for hundreds of years. The Elves, trying to end the plunderings, invited the Vikings to settle on the Peninsula and Hornwald Everready, along with much of the nation, actually settled there and were successively incorporated into the civilized world. In the meantime, the rest of the Viking nation was led by his sister, Crechina the Maneater, who also started the last great wave of Viking plunderings. Although, the old Viking nation lived on in the north, it also meant that the plunderings died down with time and the Vikings were thereafter considered an integrated nation in the World and they even changed their name into "The Norse".

During the Collective war, the Norse sided with the Free world against the Dowager queen and fought mainly the Dwarves in the north who had allied with her; again fuelling the ancient feud between the two peoples. After the War, the Norse joined the Empire and after the Second Great War, they fully integrated into it.


 



The Kingdom of Angleeye



The Old White Cross Empire flourished for a thousand years in the early history of the Known World. Not much is actually known about them, other than that this was an Empire of peace and prosperity and it is widely believed that it was the Utopia to reign the Earth that the god Namerl founded after his victory over Canwella so long ago. Angleeye was widely seen as a direct product of this White Cross Empire, and the inhabitants of Angleeye did indeed for long trace their ancestry back to the great noble families of White Cross. The foundations of the city of Angleeye are as old as the Earth, but the nation formed right before and during the fall of the White Cross.

When the White Cross disappeared, the world was thrown into turmoil and the initial kingdoms took form. The Principality, The Elven Federation and the Kingdom of Angleeye. As the guardian in the West, constantly fighting the Western Barbarians, Angleeye came to develop a nobility armed to their teeth with great ideals of chivalry, and a population ready to fight for and defend the Angleeye nation. As such, Angleeye stood for almost a thousand years. The Angleeyans were never rigorously proud nor hateful though; they believed in the rights of every human being, defending the weak and standing up for what they considered right, and in that capacity they also led their foreign affairs and to some extent judged their kings. If a king was not considered true to the Angleeye ideals, he could easily become assassinated, which also happened on several occasions.

The Angleeye kingdom tried to stay out of the wars going on in the world, but it was never isolationist. Sometimes it came to clash of arms and when so did, the world could rest assured that the Angleeyans had wasted all other means of resolving issues and been down every diplomatic path possible. Examples of campaigns where Angleeye took part were the Longhorn Wars, the Vestallan conflicts and the Sanah Elchers War and they took part in all these campaigns with bravery, efficiency and military professionalism. The entire Angleeye Army was strongly founded in professionalism. Soldiers were recruited and had salaries according to rank, where the best men could rise to even the highest military ranks in the kingdom. The Backbone of the Angleeye army were the mounted knights, recruited amongst the nobility and landowners, and whose reputation was immense in the world. The Angleeye knight was an institution in himself; in peacetime it was his sworn duty to seek out adventure and quest and many a young nobleman ventured into the Western Mountains in search of dragons and barbarians to kill, or fought alongside the regular army in the border wars. The mentality of the Angleeye knight actually kept the kingdom safe from incursions, roadside robbers, stray dragons and other unwanted and dangerous elements.

No description of Angleeye is complete without a few words about its courtly life. The Angleeye Court was the centre of administration in Angleeye, and this court also became widely known as the most shining in the Known World. There were great balls arranged every night and the princesses and princes dressed in finery not seen anywhere else, each of them trying to outdo the other. The entertainments at the court never ended and it was like an ongoing, endless party. The King's Castle in Angleeye was a massive construction upon which it was every king's duty to add his own addition to and this made it an architectural marvel as well as probably the greatest building in the Known World, with massive parks, with lakes and forests with game all around it. The yearly Angleeye Market Day was the talk of not only the nation, but the world. At those Market days, the city of Angleeye filled with hundreds of thousands of people from all parts of the world for trade, entertainment and show, adding to the renown of the kingdom. Angleeye was also led by a Senate which appointed the ministers to the King's court, and this Senate was often the collection place of the brightest minds in the kingdom, as participants were not chosen because of their large estates or grand wealth, but on their intelligence.

Angleeye's happiness was not to last. When the great king Gregory Lyssander died, his young Queen unintentionally invited the Demon King who gradually, through deception and false promises, started to incorporate the entire kingdom into his domain. Angleeye fell into a darkness never seen in the world as all living souls within its borders capitulated, one after one, to the Evil Collective, turning the proud nation into the Demon King's willing, undead follower. The most shining kingdom in the world was plunged into the pits of hell and clouds of darkness fell down upon it, ending its proud history and tradition.



 
Ah, so this is the reason why you give Gregory the calm venerable avatar. He was the last king before the dreaded Collective taken over the kingdom. Poor fellow got his got his fame tarnished by his own daughter's ignorance (probably arrogance as well; brats shouldn't be allow to come closer than 10 feet to any kind of thrones).
 
Oh. Princess Erinna (later the Dowager Queen) was his wife. She came from the Principality when she was eighteen and married splendid, manly and hunky Gregory. The third Collective leader, the Prince Heir, is their son and it was he who introduced his mother to the Dark Arts. So it's really that brat's fault anyways, and yeah, they shouldn't be allowed within twenty metres of the throne!

I probably will be needing to create a third leader for the Collective as well, now when Gregory is moving over to his proper Angleeye. Angleeye will probably have only two leaders; Old Gregory who we all know and love, and Princess "Dowager Queen" Erinna before her transformation. I need to make her stunningly beautiful.
 
OK since we are posting Lore here, I will post my new Civ:

The Dominion of Vestalla

HISTORY: Ruling the cold lands of the North and Northwest, the Dominion of Vestalla is a vast, remote empire whose origins are shrouded in myth and legend; the earliest records indicate that the early Vestallans were exiles from another civilization who fled as a result of religious prersecution (from where is a mystery). These exiles wandered the world as part of the Great Wanderings until they discovered the cold but resource rich lands in the remote Northwest; they eventually settled down and founded the City of Vestalla in 2448, along with the Church of the Veil.
The early years of Vestalla's history was marked by constant conflicts with wandering barbarian tribes and hostile animals which killed many people; they also had to endure the fierce northern winters. As a result, the Vestallans adapted accordingly. They built strong defenses for their cities, mandated military training for their citizenry, organized an effective system of government and developed proficency with the bow and arrow (learned from hunting deer in the great forests). Gradually expanding from their new homelands and exterminating the local barbarians, the Dominion grew into a vast, sprawling empire who eventually spanned the largely empty lands of the north and northwest.
As Vestalla expanded and grew, they sent explorers out to explore the world; they eventually made contact with other civilizations including the Dwarves, the old Angleeye Kingdom and the Krax, among others. Many of Vestalla's neighbors became worried at the existence of this northern colossus with its vast size, formidable citadels, and deadly armies; they spoke fearfully of the "Vestallan Avalanche" that threatened to sweep down from the north.
The Kraxantina Sultanate, The Dwarf Clans of Thorshammir and the Angleeye Kingdom would fight occasional border wars with the Vestallans. King Gregory Lyssander of Angleeye would eventually forge a coalition with the Dwarves to push back the Vestallans from their borders. These wars, plus the sheer distances from the capital of Vestalla, would serve to limit Vestallan expansion.
Interestingly it was this anti-Dominion coalition that served as the basis for the Alliance of Evil that was formed by the Dowager Queen when she created the Collective. When the Queen mobilized her armies to attack the Eastern Nations, she asked the Dwarves to keep watch on the Vestallans to prevent any interference. Vestalla stayed neutral during the Collective Wars as the Dominion was coping with severe winter storms plus Kraxantine incursions on the southern border at the time; but then, ancient Zuur was resurrected by the Demon King. As the resurrected Zuur began to establish themselves and grow outward, they began pushing against Vestalla's southern borders. When the Vestallans realized that their Dominion was surrounded by a Demon led alliance, they reacted by expanding their already formidable army and prepared for the war that they knew was inevitable...a war that they saw as an opportunity to destroy evil once and for all.
The Opportunity came during the Great War against the Demon King; they declared war on the Dwarves who were allied with him. In a vicious, bloody campaign, the Vestallans crushed the Dwarves and annexed their lands, gaining access to the sea for the first time in their history; then they turned south to deal with the Collective. Caught between the Empire and the Dominion, Collective forces were systematically destroyed. It was during this time that the Empire and the Dominion formally met; the two kingdoms agreed to join forces to defeat the Demon King once and for all.
The Alliance, however, was a tense one; Imperial forces were appalled at the ruthlessness and ferocity of Vestallan troops; some in the Empire thought Vestallans no better than the Collective. Vestallans, in turn thought the Imperials as hypocrites who cared more for honor than results.
Regardless of these tensions, the two nations worked together to defeat the Demon King systematically pushing back the Zuuri. At the siege of Zuur Nova, the two nations finally defeated the Demon King.
For Vestalla, the Great War was a glorious triumph; they have drove evil back across the Veil, gained access to the Eastern Seas and removed a number of potential threats to their Dominion. After the Great War, Vestalla would work to incorporate the lands of the Dwarves and former Zuuri into the Dominion; in the process they would establish themselves as the Empire's greatest rival.
DESCRIPTION:The Vestallans are a proud and righteous people of stoic temperment who believe that doing what is right is paramount and that believe that duty to that belief is the highest calling. They also believe that evil is separated from this world by a veil that is Order and Progress so their civilization must achieve that state of perfection.
What they must do to achieve that state of perfection is questionable. Vestallans believe in Will over Destiny. They embrace the idea that to accept a goal is to accept the means necessary to achieve it, no matter what the means might be. One might say that they equate the desirable, the possible, and the mandatory. According to one observer: "Proud and cruel they are. Fair and merciless. Under their rule your life would be decent, punishments fair. But they considered no acts beneath them. So high and proud were they, any action could be justified because they knew how proud they were. Any trip into deceit was simply an excercise in humanity." This amorality is balanced by a strong code of duty, self-discipline and obligation. One must act first and foremost for the common good.
GOVERNMENT:Vestallan Government is based around the great Ruling Houses who are descended from the early settlers of Vestalla. These Ruling Houses rule the various cities of the Dominion from their imposing citadels and are formed into a Council of Lords who select the Dominion's King. In addition, there is also a Council of Commons to represent the citizens of the Dominion in the Government; while not as powerful as the House of Lords, they do ensure that the lower levels of Dominion Society are heard. Debate in these Councils can often be heated; but the Councils ensure that tensions within the Dominion can be settled without resort to war.
MILITARY:Vestallan troops are, to a man, tough physical specimens, with considerable strength and stamina, and are the equal of enemy demons, due to their fanatical and relentless dedication to physical conditioning and endless combat training. Vestallan men train for combat from their youth. Vestallan troops can be disciplined by superior officers for neglecting to keep their physiques and fitness sharply honed to the highest possible standard, although this would be extremely rare, as poor physical conditioning would be seen as an affront to one's family and reputation. This attitude was the result of their early stuggles for survival.
The core of the Vestallan Military are their Men-at-Arms who draw their ranks from the families of the Ruling Houses and their vassals. The Vestallan Halbrediers are among the finest infantry/pikemen in the known world; their strict training and discipline enable them to overcome all but the strongest units. In addition, Vestalla also fields armies of skilled yeoman longbowmen whose powerful longbows can rapidly fire arrows capable of punching through any armor. Vestallans do not use crossbows.
Vestallan Cavalry tend to emphasize skill and speed over heavy armor; unlike the Eastern Nations, Vestalla uses Cavalry to support infantry. They also use Cavalry to patrol their long borders.
Among the most feared of Vestallan Units are "The Guardians of the Veil"; these elite mounted knights are the equal of any in the known world. They are utterly ruthless and will fight to the death.
UNIQUE BUILDING:Vestallan Citadel (Spanish Citadel; replaces castle) The Vestallan Citadel is considered the seat of power for a Vestallan Landlord. It generates both stronger defense plus reduced war weariness and reduced maintainence.
UNIQUE UNITS:
  • Vestallan Halbriders (replaces pikeman;FT version of Holy Roman Landsknecht)
  • Vestallan Longbows (replaces Longbow; 2 first strikes, +50% vs Melee plus Longbow stats)
LEADERS:
  • King Edward Roberts (based on Robert E Lee): Legendary King of Vestalla during its early history. Traits: Cha/Pro
  • King Forrest Mosby (combines NB Forrest and John Mosby) King of Vestalla during the Collective Wars. Traits: Mil/Res
  • Joanna Thomas, High Priestess of the Veil (a mix of Joan of Arc and Stonewall Jackson) Chief Subordinate to King Forrest Mosby during the Collective Wars. Traits: Cha/Spi

Thanks to Adijica for his civ proposal which I used as a basis for this civ.

Attached is an image of the Vestallan Flag: it symbolizes the nation as a shining star of
order and progress in a sea of darkness.
 

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The history reminds me of Israel (prosecuted, formed a nation with enemies on all front), while the Halbrediers of Switzerland (minus them being mercenaries). In any case, it sounds like a very good thought out civ. It seems it gets very powerful UUs in the late games/era, without any weakness.
 
Excellent stuff. I actually have halberdiers for Angleeye too, but they are no stronger than regular pikemen. Angleeye gets no Longbowman, but rather a stronger Archer unit. The rest of Angleeye's infantry units are basic, except the maceman which will be an Angleeye version of the Collective Troll Squad. I haven't begun the cavalry as yet.

I think there's a Cold War coming between The Empire and Vestalla. Vestalla reminds me of Russia and America in one, and the situation after the Great Wars reminds me of the situation after WWII and the beginning of the Cold War!
 
Excellent stuff. I actually have halberdiers for Angleeye too, but they are no stronger than regular pikemen.
I borrowed Adijica's civ for the Army of Vestalla; Yeoman Longbows and Halbrediers are the core of Vestalla's army. Cavalry functions more as flank support then as a primary arm; Vestalla is a serious believer in Combined arms support.
I think there's a Cold War coming between The Empire and Vestalla. Vestalla reminds me of Russia and America in one, and the situation after the Great Wars reminds me of the situation after WWII and the beginning of the Cold War!
Oh yes definitely.
 
King Gregory Lyssander

Son of King Helgar Lyssander, King Gregory Lyssander was one of the most successful rulers of the Kingdom of Angleeye. During his time, the kingdom established itself as the most powerful in the world and he held immense respect and influence in the world as a whole. It was often he who mediated in conflicts between the other nations and he kept the peace in the land using his diplomatic skills. It was widely regarded that he was destined to set the foundations of a world in peace and prosperity, that he was the first of the prophesied leaders who would lead the world into an era of universal peace and prosperity.

Gregory Lyssander was a master of diplomacy, but he was a hard man in war as well. He occasionally got tested in the field of battle and did well. At the Battle of Frendarr's Farm he put down the Dragon Rebellion and at the Battle of Naargel, he protected the entire Eastern World by defeating a vastly superior Barbarian army which was marching east. Such were his wars, designed to protect the territory and people of Angleeye, but also to protect the rest of the civilized world, and as the true Angleeye Knight he was, he regarded it as his ancient, holy, sworn duty, not only to defend Angleeye but civilization as a whole. Gregory helped the reluctant Erezon establish relations with the rest of the world and he supported openly the establishment of the Kharrorch state, as he regarded these two established states important to peace on the west.

Gregory Lyssander spent most of his time in Council, in his offices or with the army, and this was not seen well in the Angleeye Kingdom, where the nobility often demanded that the King take part in the lavish balls and parties and courtly life as well. As he had no interest in such, he chose to marry the most splendid, beautiful woman in the World, Princess Erinna of the Principality. When she took command of Angleeye's court, Gregory Lyssander's popularity also soared in the Kingdom and his remaining fifteen years on the throne were noting but brilliant as the two made an excelelnt Royal Couple, and the marriage also produced a son. Upon his death, the kingdom of Angleeye was in top-condition.



Princess Erinna

Erinna was born in the Principality as the daughter of one of the smaller lords. She had her Princess title only because her mother was related to one of the previous Dukes of the Principality and this title was to prove important in later life. She was raised to be a true lady of the court and her father, who was a famous merchant and had a high military rank, saw to it that she was appointed Lady of the Duchess at the age of fifteen. Erinna's beauty became legendary and the great knights of the Principality tried to impress her and fought for her at the many tournaments at the Jousting Arena. She was never impressed by them though.

During a state visit to Angleeye, the Duchess brought Erinna along. At the great ball, arranged by king Gregory Lyssander, Erinna caught the king's eye though and he was struck by strong, romantic love for her. However, in Angleeye Erinna was still considered too young to marry, and only girls at the age of eighteen were allowed to marry, for according to Angleeye custom they were not considered women until eighteen. Gregory Lyssander swore that he would wait for her, and that he would come and take her away to Angleeye when she had become the proper age. So began the greatest love affair in Known World history. During the war against the Western Barbarians, Gregory sent her daily love letters and she replied on a daily basis as well, having been completely blown away and impressed by the great, charismatic king.

Two weeks before her eighteenth birthday, the Angleeye state carriage arrived at Ost Weld, with escorts from the Angleeye Royal Guard. Erinna and her entire entourage then travelled to Angleeye and on the very day she celebrated her eighteenth birthday, she walked in to marry the great king Gregory Lyssander at the Angleeye Cathedral. The marriage was happy and produced a son; and the king and the queen complemented each other perfectly.

When king Gregory died, Erinna became deeply depressed and experiened a monumental sorrow. It was said that when he took his last breath upon his deathbed, her scream was heard over all of the Angleeye Kingdom. Her son was not yet ready to rule though, as he was in his teens, and she had to take the burden of ruling the entire kingdom herself, yet her sorrow over her dead husband made her turn to the black arts, on recommendation by her son. In that capacity, she also unintentionally invited the Demon King into her presence and all went downhill from there.
 
The Dal Clan


Perched like a dead crow on a spear, in between some of the greatest and most impressive powers in the Known World, lies the Clan of Dal, much to the irritation of the fine kings and queens of the world. The Dal have learned to play the powers off against each other, and somehow, the drunkards of Crachnor always seem to come out as the winners. They will ally with anyone who will have them, and they will always have a greater power as their defender. This foreign policy strategy has also seen to it that the Dal have gotten to live in peace for hundreds of years; only being dragged into the wars of their protectors and doing symbolic fighting in those. They are masters of persuasion and alliances, and have pretty much been left alone because of those traits.

The Dal are also known for two other things in their culture. Drinking and Mining. The Dal mine the resource rich areas around ruined old Zuur and sit on some very important resources there. This also sees to it that they are relatively prosperous and well-off. They are traders in the deserts and the only ones who the Yatenga will deal with and indeed do like. The Dal drinking is also famous. They are genetically well-fit to stand the blessings of the holy booze and they use this advantage to their enjoyment and pleasure. A Dal king is judged by his ability to stand liquor, rather than his ability to rule. The Dal "Miner's Drool" is a world famous beverage distilled and produced in most Dal homes; the drink has bad effects on the stomach and also makes the Dal stink like pigs, which does nothing more than add to their impopularity in the world. The rest of the world looks down upon the Dal, but they are clever, resourceful and mischievous; and are skilled negotiators of alliances and deals, economic and political.

The Dal armies are considered harmless, but they mobilize a yearly "Great Host", which is nothing more than a couple of hundred men meeting in a field outside the capital Crachnor where they drink heavily, get into fights and play dangerous games with weapons. Drunk archery of apples from people's heads is the most important pasttime during these yearly hosts; a game which usually leads to quite a lot of casualties as well.


 
The Elven Federation

The Elven Federation has always been, it is said. The Elven peoples inhabiting the very eastern parts of the Peninsula have always - or rather most of the time, lived in peace and understanding among each other, and that is also why their state is made up of many types of Elven peoples, yet also, indeed, has a long history of unity. The first Elven Federation was founded, it is said, in the Year One, and it is actually from this date that most of the Known World bases its calendar still today. The Elven Capital of Nimbelheim was founded in that year and the Elven peoples therefore founded the World's first kingdom. The Elven nation has the richest tradition and history in the World; their legends, myths and Fairy Tales go back thousands of years before the founding of Nimbelheim and although scholars work on interpreting them, the written documents are so numerous that only parts of them have yet to be studied.

Today, the Federation is led by The Elven Council where a High Councilor holds the presidency. The system is very much developed through the ages; the High Councilor is chosen by the other councilors in elections and the political games in Nimbelheim are therefore world-renown for being very advanced indeed. Each province is thereafter led by a governor, who is also chosen for a certain amount of years by the Elven Council. There are no inherited titles or fortune in the Elven empire, only deserved ones. It is considered immoral to leave personal wealth to children when you die, for the Elves believe that this would deprive the children the joy of building their own fortune, and all inheritances therefore go to fill the state coffers instead; and is there used to feed the people and also supply the education of all Elven children. This makes the Elven people the most educated and learned in the Known World; Nimbelheim is a great centre of scholarship and also the home of the Fulgsted University.

The Elves are considered a beautiful people who are at one with nature. Especially the blonde-haired, light-skinned wood elves of Villa are considered model Elves, although other variations of the Elven race exist. Their armies are based solely on defensive purposes and the Elves therefore also mobilize the absolute best archer, and other defensive, units in the Known World. Attackers trying to deal with the Elves have often beaten themselves bloody on the impeccable masses of Elven Archer formations, which can rain down death upon enemies in the open fields, as well as cause tremendous damage fighting in wooded terrain, and slip away efficiently in defensive operations.

The High Elves of the Federation are closely related to the dark Denerean Elves, but the Denereans have always been considered outcasts, a status they have because of ancient Elven myths descibing them as the offspring of demons and devils who are the creations of Marana. After the Civil War, between Dark Elves and High Elves, which ravaged the entire nation, the Dark Elves were exiled to the island of Denerea and where totally ignored by the High Elves who thereafter treated them with denial. Elven society may seem theoretically superior with education and a lack of landowners and nobility, but underneath, it is ridden by the same problems of fear of the unknown, as well as pride and the pursuit of status, as all the other kingdoms in the world.


 
The Principality


The Principality began as a collection of small states of local lords who inhabited the land and took their name (The Black Cross) after an ancient rebellion against the now fallen White Cross Empire. The Black Cross was really the scourge of the Earth; there was no unity at all within these so called Black Cross lands, although these small states were of cultural similarity. Their constant warring between themselves often spread into the neighbouring lands as well and the Elven even built a great border wall to prevent the incursions of pillaging and plundering Black Cross lords. Seeing as the pressure upon them grew with time, from the east and from the west, the Black Cross lords met on the banks of the Twin Lakes and signed the Document of Principality; a Duke was chosen to lead the nation and a capital was founded east of the Twin Lakes, initially known as Black Cross Hill, later renamed Ost Weld. The Black Cross on white background was kept as the symbol of this new state.

The Principality was warlike and initially led by a number of great warmonger dukes who still kept waging wars on the rest of the world. The defeats in the two great wars, The Silver Dragon War and the Longhorn War, meant that the Principality had to start dealing with the other powers and also find alliances and new, other, enemies to fight. The Principality found its best friends in the East; the Elves and the Crystallin, who they admired strongly, but kept at a cautious distance to Angleeye and Namyr. During these times, the Principality code of Chivalry was also developed, which also stated that you don't attack or wage war on other civilized states unless attacked yourself, and the Principality operations of war were thereafter kept to fighting the Vikings or the Western Barbarians. The Principality established itself as a leading civilized nation during the reigns of a few good dukes and took a new role in the world as defender of civilization, chivalry and honour. Long campaigns, called Crusades, were conducted in the west against the Barbarians.

All major Principality war operations are called Crusades. When a Crusade is declared by the Duke, the whole Principality mobilizes its forces and the troops gather on The Union Fields outside Ost Weld and banners are given out to the regiments by the Duke and the appointed general. The event is celebrated in Ost Weld as well as all the major Principality cities and when the victorious army returns a Triumph is celebrated as well. If the campaign has been a failure, though, the general of the army is beheaded and the banners are burned in the streets of Ost Weld. During peacetime the games of war continue amongst the soldiers and nobility of the Principality. The Principality Jousting Arenas are world famous; here knights and fighters meet each other in the great yearly Great Joust; where they fight over honour, ladies and even land and riches. These events are splendid shows where the whole of Ost Weld lives up in flying, colourful banners, celebrations, noise of music and laughter, but also with the clash of arms, the running of blood and defeat and victory.

The Eagle Order holds a strong grip on Principality society and sees to it that status quo is maintained. The Order also supplies the Principality army with its own religiously motivated knights and keeps monasteries and cathedrals where the intellectual life progresses in the nation. The Principality administration is led by a Duke, who holds absolute power, and under him, are the Counts who lead the undividual counties and appoint their own smaller lords. It is hard to rise in ranks in Principality society, since it is all based on birthright, land-ownership and wealth, but individual cases of impressive careers have been noted and some of the best Dukes in Principality history have indeed begun at the very bottom.

At the time before the Collective War, the Principality and Angleeye were drawn closer, and a Principality Princess actually married the Angleeye King. This was to be a sign of friendship between the two nations and the beginning of a new age. When King Gregory Lyssander of Angleeye died, his Principality queen, Erinna, led the Angleeye kingdom into the arms of the Collective and the Demon King though, and so it was through an absurd twist of fate, that it was actually that Princess who led the Angleeye armies to attack the Principality and cause it such enormous damage. The Principality persevered during the Collective War though and brought up its ancient strength and warlike temper to help defeat the Collective, and after the war, the Principality was also the driving factor behind the creation of The Empire.


 
It seems there are a lot of things going on in the "old world". The Angleeye, The Black Cross, Elves prior to civil war, the still united kingdom of Namyr and Arcana (would these nations be playable in scenarios?). The political world changes faster than the changing of seasons...

Also, what's the story with Dead Nation? It seems that if you play in map less than 18 civs, they will pop up randomly in the map. Are they related to the evil demon, or entirely separate evil entity?
 
Yeah. The Dead will pop up randomly and the Black Banner will too, in late games. The Dead are a Barbarian civ, just popping in there to stir the pot a bit.
 
Any chance to see a Timeline soon? I would generally be glad to write the lore of the Dwarves, though I can not do so withouth a timeline. If not I shall just leave it to you ;)
 
I actually included the Chronological Timeline in the html Manual supplied with the game. I'll post it here on the Lore thread as well for easy reference.


Chronology
As related by Mage Yareena Homr, Great Mage at the Fulgsted University at Nimbelheim​

The Age of Tradition - The Early Times

Year 1 Nimbelheim is founded around tribes of Elven settlements. The first Free Nation is born.
ca 400 Dal is established as the second oldest still functioning state in the world.
to 1000 The nation of Zuur flourishes but is later laid in ruins by a today unknown foreign invasion.
ca 1000-2000 The White Cross Empire flourishes north-east of the Canwella desert. Its culture is high-standing and population peaceful and progressive and it was often seen as a counterweight to Zuur, fighting defensive wars against them and keeping them in check. How and why the Empire vanished is veiled in darkness and riddle.
1900's The Kingdom of Angleeye is established. The Dwarven Thorshammir is also established.
2100's The Principality is founded.
2105 The traditional year of the Battle of Urfjord where the early Vikings beat the Dwarves.
2200-2600's The Great Wanderings. Barbarian nations roam the world and cause chaos. The Free Lands are able to unite and hold them at bay. Angvina is founded as a direct result of barbarian movements.
2300's The Tanite appear, and slowly consolidate a kingdom in the south.
2448 The City of Vestalla is founded and the foundations to the Vestallan Empire are laid.
2500's The Erezon tribes march onto the Plains of Hermalina and found their first settlements. The Kraxantine Sultanate is founded in the west at approximately the same time, suggesting that the West had a golden age during this period. There is said to have been many other great - now dead and gone - civilizations in the far West at the same time too.
2600's The Vikings raid along the coasts of the Northern Sea, but finally settle on the north shores of the Peninsula. Under the influence of the Principality and the Elven Federation, they quickly become a part of the civilized world during the reign of the enlightened king Hornwald. The Dominion of Vestalla is also established during this century.

The Age of Lore - Establishment of Civilization

2620's-50's The War of the Silver Dragon. The Principality, led by the Silver Dragon Order, fights the rest of the world in an epic war. The Silver Dragon Order is later banned as the Principality is laid in ruins, and the Eagle Order established as state religion. The Silver Dragon Order goes underground and remains secret and hidden for four hundred years.
2690's Namyr is founded in the south and fights great conflicts with all its neighbours, from which it emerges successful and established.
2700-2729 The Principality Duke Edward Longhorn does massive conquests in the West. Angleeye and Namyr finally unite against him and drive his forces back. The Duke falls in the battle of the Knightsky Plains 2729, fighting an immense alliance of Western nations. The existence of the Principality is only saved by Elven and Crystallin intervention.
2720-40 The Crystallin Warrior Queen Arminia Zenobia founds the Crystallin Matriarchy.
2750 The Erezon Empire is founded and press on eastwards, forcing the Angvina to move further east as well.
2754-2810 Erica Gallantina rules over Namyr and her long reign is considered a true golden age during which culture and arts flourish. Her troops reach as far north as the Angleeye Pass, and as far west as the borders of Erezon, in daring conquests; Angvina is defeated, the Dal and the desert tribes pay tribute to the Queen.
2756 Angvina attacks Namyr and the Tanite and sack several of their cities. The easterners win the war though, and the Angvina are driven out in the inhospitable rainforests where they have been ever since.
2759-71 Resha the Great rules over the Tanite Confederation and establishes it as a great power.
2814 Yatenga is founded as tribes in the Canwella Desert unite to form a strong state as protection against mighty neighbours.
2850's Clanleader Gracchus founds and establishes the Elchers Clan, fighting immense wars in the process, making Elchers one of the most warlike nations in the World.
2931-36 The Elven Civil War. The Dark Elves rise in rebellion and a bloody Civil War is fought threatening the entire existence of the Elven Federation. The Dark Elves lose and the entire people is exiled to the Denerean Island where they form a new state.
2960 The Erezon Empire is in turmoil. The warlord Qen reunites the weakened nation and founds the Second Dynasty.
2966-90 Sanah Elchers tries to create Greater Elchers, but is met by hard resistance from all her neighbours.
2974 The Principality colony in the Canwella Desert is overrun by hordes of raging skeletal armies. The colony's last stand in the desert is widely regarded as legend and bards still tell the tale of bravery, sacrifice and courage.
2981-97 The Great Desert War. Weakened by recent barbarian invasions, Yatenga finds itself on the brink of collapse and is invaded by an alliance of Namyr, Dal and Angvina. Yatenga defends itself in desperate bravery and when Erezon comes to its rescue, the alliance has to quit the war.
2995 The Desert Faith tries to overthrow the government in the Elchers land and take power following Sanah Elcher's defeat and death. The Cultists are blockaded at Fort Albae but the Elchers don't have force to storm. The Eastern World, suspicious of the Desert Faith more than of the Elchers Clan, sends help and finally storm and kill all rebels.

The Age of Fairy Tale - The Great Wars

3015 King Gregory Lyssander of Angleeye dies. The kingdom is successively integrated into the Collective.
3018-34 The Collective War. Angleeye attacks the three Free Nations and masses enormous armies. The Free World is near destruction as the turning point comes at the siege of Nimbelheim. The Free Nations combine their efforts to finally defeat the Dowager Queen and her armies and shut the Angleeye Pass and contain the Collective therein.
3021 Queen Ghrantara unites the Barbarians in the Far West and founds the Kharrorch Kingdom.
3021-29 Denzhen Zhen's Rebellion in Erezon effectively keeps Erezon out of the Collective War.
3034 The Demon King resurrects the dead civilization of Zuur in an attempt to raise the threat against the civilized world after his setback in the Collective War.
3035 Namyr is divided between the Twin Queens. Northern Namyr takes hold of the traditional Namyri homeland, while Southern Namyr (Arcana) is established as an independent Duchy in the southern areas.
3042 The Black Banner is formed as the Silver Dragon Order reemerges.
3050 The Collective troops once again venture beyond the Angleeye Pass, this time supported by their formidable ally, resurrected Zuur. The Demon King takes residence above ground to personally conduct the warfare. The Free Lands unite to form The Empire with the new city Amaranth as capital, because only unity under one government can save the world from the onslaught by the Dark Side.
 
The Thorshammir Kingdom

The dwarves are considered one of the oldest races living in the known world, establishing some of the earliest kingdoms in the whole known world.. if they could be called so. The years c. 100 - c. 700 are generally remebered as the Warring States period, with small local Clandominions rise to power only to be destroyed by the other clans when they sence a common threat adn join together, before they then returned to their infighting. For many a year, teh dwarves lived like this, fighting among each other. However, at c. 700 a great change appeared. With the great Mountain Troll migration, the early dwarven civilization were effectively put down to an end. For years to come the Clandominions were utterly powerless, fighting each other when not fighting the Mountain Trolls and else keeping for themselves. It is believed this is the reason for their generally sceptical and shy nature.

It continiued like this for over 1000 years, and at some point a small migration have possibly appeared, answering the question of the 'Small Principes', the common slang name for a sub-group of Principality inhabitants living in the North Principality generally quite shorter than the rest of the population (about 4 inches).

However, in the 1900's a change came. Thors, later nicknamed 'Sieger', united the Dwarven Clans and slayed many of the Mountain Trolls. This turned the situation upside down, and the Dwarves could now overrun the Trolls. This gave Thors enough fame to do what noone thought possible. He, as the first dwarf ever, united all dwarves under one banner. If he was the founder of the empire though, it was his son Hafr Thorsson who really made it shine. He transformed the whole empire from an unstable feudealistic monarchy to a compleate Beurecratic worldpower. Sending his diplomats far and wide and building a military so impressive that it could rival that of Angleeye. His rule is generally considered 'The First Golden Age', and by continiuing this politic, both his Son and Grandson ran a sucsessful empire. However, with his grandson dying without a heir, a Civil war brouke out (c. 2050 - c. 2300) and the Empire were a weak one for centuries.

After years of wars the second golden age began, with the Sage Clan raising into glory. Their first ruler, Le, managed to join the Dwarves once again and ruled the country for years and years until he abdicted with the death of his son so the throne passed to his grandson. Notably he then was at an age of 256 years, wery long even for dwarfish standards (usually arond 90-120 years), and he died an amazingly 68 years later, being the longest-living dwarf in history. His reign marked the peak of the Second Thorshammir, and it was he and his next sucsessors whu built up the massive defense system the country were known for (the Vestallians are the only ones ever to actaully conquer Thorshammir after the large rebuild of 2378). However, as time passed many of the Kings drifted away from the people and started living lifes fo luxury and joy, paid for by the people. Revolts came and the King Le III of the Sage Clan crushed them. After this Le III (great-great-great-grandson of Le I) established the proffesional Royal Dwarf corps, a highly loyal and proffesional army (who even tamed Mountain Trolls to use as giant war-machines) were one of the most skilled in the world. However, even with a large army, most of the kings were else careless, and the result was that the army, a potential conquering one, were used to crushing rebels and gather taxes instead. It was this way of ruling the people who led the Dwarfes toward the Dark Alliance, with most easterns thinking of their king as an idiot not worthy of anything, while the Demon King praised their king with gifts only to win him over. Soon the king and his armed forces found themselves in an alliance with the evil, and even more eveil started to unfold in the empire.

It was partly this evil who gave the Vestallians the upper hand during the great wars. It is even said that a Thorshammir diplomat actually asked the Vestallian king personally to do something about their situation, though this is not confirmed. But this is what happened, and helped by the local Dwarfes, they defeated the Royal Dwarf corps at several occasions and the king Thors IXV (14th) soon found himself surrondered on all sides in his might capital. The siege of Thorshammir is indeed one of the longest the world have ever seen, lasting for 4 years and 8 months. During the siege the Vestallian troops made several unsucsessfull attempts to claim the city, while the Dwarfs on several occasions had to put down own rebels. It was finally ended with the 'Great rebellion of Thorshammir', where rebel troops killed much of the guards during the night and opened the gates for Vestallian troops waiting outside, who in terms brought extra weapons and armors who they handed out to the dwarfish rebels. Together the rebel army and the Vestallian tropps stormed the castle. The king was killed, and because of their help in the siege, the citizens of Thorshammir was gifted enough money to rebuild the city (something there were a lot of in the now dead kings treasury) as well as a title who placed the City under direct rule of the King (the Royal City of Thorshammir), which it still holds today. While the kingdom of Thorshammir now is History, its Citizens still have a certain dwarfish pride of being the first outsider who were awarded the Vestallian Citizenship, who gave them the same rights as all other Vestallians (it took the other dwarfs over 400 years to achieve this).
 
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