Chapter Fifteen: The Wheel (451-480 WhC)
After Gilguron was sold a small territory that once belonged to Keshbar, a great discovery was made. This territory, known hundreds of years ago as Otara, was a quiet area of Keshbar with friendly traders circulating through the old city of Di Ota. Gilgur explorers came across a strange thing, a circular disc of some sorts in the ruins, under a thin sheet of stone. There were multiple discs, wheels as they called them, under the sheet and the explorers found that the wheels helped move the stone faster. They camped out in the ruins of old Di Ota for days, experimenting with these wheels, eventually returning to their home town, Gashalon, where they displayed their discovery to all. Traders quickly began to implement the wheel into their shipping, and over a few weeks, traders became very wealthy and crafty. The wheel was such a great discovery that Keshbar began to use it. The elite merchants soon spread their discovery to innovative individuals in Glypthus, and that soon was picked up by their neighbors, Terantia. Traders in Alexaendros, Phoces, and Phentia all were close to creating objects similar to the wheel, but were unable to fully discover the mystery to where it could boost their abilities.
Nearby, one of Gilgurons neighbors was suffering. Qeshbohal, devastated by poor harvests and Gilgur traders preferring to trade with the Keshbarians, were also invaded by Zaragun and Dassa, two agressive empires who have lived in Gilguron's shadow since their establishment. Qeshbohal eventually bargained for peace, but was left with only half of their empire intact. To their south, Karak emerged as a formidable threat after kicking Zeah out of the peninsula and onto their territory by Nunag Hagash. The major war of the region, however was the war in Negat. For a long time, Negat had been struggling with foreign invasions, and it all came to a dreadful end. Decades prior, they were forced out of the Crodilan peninsula by Sarjeth and Barbathar. They had a brief war with Sulthar, and their patchwork military was easily crushed when Keshbar and Ennoch struck up an alliance against them. The massive amount of refugees fled to their friendly neighbor, Crodila, and set up an independent state called Bajan Thalah. Some even vacated to a small trade state south of Fari, named Buglari.
Imrad, drastically weakened by the initial Phocesian invasion, divided and fell into civil war. The eastern part of Imrad, along the Trymos river, found that the Kurjai faith saved them from the despair, and eventually became a part of the Suppan empire. The rest was shattered by Phoces with great rage. Nearly every village was burned, except for the capital Agaros, which became a center for slave trade and administration by Phocesian government officials. The bulk of the refugees fled either to Amra to prosper, or to Suppa to freely practice Kurjai and have peace. Whoever remained in what now became part of Phoces faced torture and persecution from violently passionate footmen in the Trymos Province. Many Imradi were forced as slaves to rebuild the villages that were once theirs, and farm the lands that the Phocesian military set fire to.
Tsang Chiep reached a new level, with massive conversions of Salongese and Kolkuric citizens, and now the entirety of the Ulqatur Mountains was part of Khay Lat, dedicated to the faith, with considerable Tsang Chiepite population along the east bank of the Zoan River, around the rim of the Pot Sea, and in the hopeless Blacksoil Steppes. It gained strong support in Ragaku and Battai, two small states bordering larger empires, wishing for the comfort of Khaylatian peace. Zoa, on the other hand, turned to war to solve its matters. Due to the traffic of Khaylatian traders using the Zoan river exclusively and sinking Zoan trade boats, Zoa attacked Dah Djiom to open up a land route to the Zoan strip to the north. Dah Djiom was already struggling to cope with part of their empire leaving them to join with Bajang and become Satdimej, but the war was just too much. Although more skilled, more fierce, and in a better position, the Dah Djiomi military was embarrassed, and they turned over a section of land to Zoa which would allow them to build an adequate trade route. Afterwards, Dah Djiom redeemed themselves by teaming up with Bargon in a coastal invasion of Golart.
North of Satdimej, another small state, Yubu was founded, filled with Bajangese and Salongese citizens who were vehemently opposed to Tsang Chiep. The southern end of the peninsula saw a great war between Ibak and Magan Kot, which lasted for only several days, but ended in great casualties, the assassination of the Ibaki chieftain, and the Ibaki seizure of Magan Koti lands. As a result, Thin Sap began to trade more frequently with Baru and the distant islands to the south populated by the Jiji civilization. Ten, a small island off the coast that was owned by Khay Lat, converted to Metozoanism and was taken over by Uarali traders, claiming it was the holy land for Metozoanism to be observed. Ara Kulai found some of its land taken over too, by Hijiki farmers seeking to take the military into their own hands and lead an attack. Yuhrug, to the far east, was developing into a fairly strong empire, with the conquering of Kol, one of the states which long ago defected from Utugia. The other one, Tobez, was engaged in a war with Gurethi over mountains with valuable mines.
The only aggression in western Enpreca ended up being Andorat attacking the desert settlements that belonged to Khajal. Mephata underwent a population boom with the development of Pottery, a technology long understood by their neighbors across the Haredicumian Sea. Phentia conquered Cophys, seeking an overseas empire like Alexaendros, Terantia, Phoces, and Glyptha. They quickly were greeted by Sarat to the south, who was going through a golden age militarily after numerous victories in a Alexaendrosi territory in Enpreca. Amu Daria, distinct from many of its neighbors, advanced through peace. Kodinani became incredibly popular among Mbaragami people, that the majority of the province became a part of Amu Daria, the rest was left in the jungle to be devoured by Okembe and Feraldas, both seeking to expand. Western Sogulcis overthrew its Glypthan owners, with the support of Mertas and Dromiera, for the sake of protecting regional trade.
Alexaendros was once again active military, following a short period of peace. To Garussa's dismay, Alexaendros invaded Terantia, a formidable opponent. Like Ecta, Terantia was very resistant and strong militarily, and although they didn't win many battles, they inflicted massive casualties on Alexaendros, so many that Alexaendrosi citizens back at home were terribly upset and confused as to why the war was being fought. Elders told stories of past examples of Alexaendrosi aggression in Kryon, Zyphotar, and Ecta, informing furious citizens that the same prominent families have been in control of Alexaendros for many years and wished to create an empire at the expense of others. Despite the threat of dissent, the war carried on, with Alexaendros taking over large sections of territory. Terantia responded by attacking Alexaendrosi settlements in Enpreca and gaining support from several of their neighbors. The wheel also helped in the transport of supplies and proved to be the main reason why Terantia didn't collapse completely.
Several other wars went on in the area, some being nearly as brutal as the one in Terantia. Garussa waged war on Nactrabia, a long standing empire with internal problems and economic collapse. Taking advantage, Garussa conquered their territory up to the Phiantos river. The rest of Nactrabia united with Yurtu for protection. Supesti executed an attack of their own, in the mountains of Volt. They were victorious at first, but it became a stalemate, and after a long grind of undecided battles, peace was made, with Supesti gaining some territory. Central Oroca was plagued by wars, with nearly every civilization involved in some conflict. Lepria conducted a brutal invasion of Tampher, expelling them past the river and into the forests to the north. Arcelendia fought with Giustaios along the border, each trying to maintain influential trade positions. Sephariden underwent civil war, which resulted in the creation of Alen in the west and Rathi in the east. Solen took over a Phentian territory by their lands, and the most striking turned out to be the Ceressian domination of Rhena, which ended up in the erasing of Rhena from civilization.
Northeastern Oroca began to become populated by different groups. Genin was founded south of Dervonian mountain territory, and Fighn was established by Giustai settlements on nearby islands. Solen, Arcelendia, and Lycia all created colonies around the Dervon Sea, and it became a hotly contested trade region, with Lycia trafficking Amu Darian ivory from the far south and Solen offering silk and precious metals from their area.
Extal became quite interesting when many new civilizations were created. Checoyan, Quehuata, and Ti'chque were all founded in the cool south, isolated from the terror and devastation to their north. Hekkai underwent a violent civil war, which ended in the separation of the empire into Hekkai in the north, and Clokeeno in the south. Zurca collapsed, and before Razzar could lay its hands on the unoccupied territory, a stronger empire, Ik Sur, rose from its ashes. Paxtec brought war to Roxir with an invasion of all settlements along the Tlamenixcal River. Roxir survived the attacks, but paid the price by ceding them nearly half their empire.
Tamegra was quiet as usual, with both river regions trading and going on about their business peacefully. Calay was founded around The Marash in the south and began to strike up trade deals with Rokinro, and Grecosaliourax gained a new neighbor to their east named Makuaste. Although the continent had not yet seen conflict on a large scale as the others have, the Etemak planted the seeds of war with their capture of Nue workers and seizure of trade goods. Soon, stealing would become an alternative to trading...
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