Chapter Two: Rising Powers (61-90 WhC)
Peace between Mechpar and Gilguron was short. Another storm was brewing. The council in Gilguron voted to expand the military and one thing led to another. Soon enough, Gilgurs marched the sands, crossed the Gulgat, and began tearing through Mechpar. King Kettosuhiash was decapitated in front of his cowering soon-to-be prisoners belonging to Gilguron. The great Gilgur general, Makashet, was showered with gifts. Gilguron nearly drove the fleeing Mechpars into the river to drown in their fellow soldiers' blood. Meanwhile, the south of Mechpar quickly became troubled. With all forces devoted to the northern front, the power-hungry Ashpites raced in to sweep the southern settlements. Farms were burned and Ahspite flags were erected in each village. The Ashpites, basking in their own glory, completely forgot about the dormant volcano of a state, Otara. Little did they know, it was due to erupt.
From the tops of the watch posts in Di Ota, cries and shouts indicated that there was a war across the river. The Ashpites were slaughtering Mechpar, and King Qaotar III developed a plan with one of his new military tacticians. A few short days later, Otaran soldiers crossed the river in rafts and began making their own conquests. While Ashpai was busy, Otara gained a foothold in the southern area of their lands. Ashpai, very frustrated attempted to form peace with Otara to only be fighting one war at once, but Otara, remembering Ashpai's previous offenses, immediately declined. The war raged on.
To the east, in the cradle, war was present as well. Burishtite raiders pierced Keshbar's borders easily and began to burn villages and claim tracts of land for their own use. Trade from Gilguron was effectively cut off, leaving Keshbar ath Burisht's mercy. With no food, they had to comply and nearly fell into a state of becoming part of Burisht. However, the young nation of Negat, along with the rising state of Crodila, provided assistance for Keshbar before it was too late. With a little military support, Keshbar was able to force Burisht to agree to peace. This would not be the end of the Cradle conflicts just yet.
Pyrem, slowly becoming dominant in the Wisay river valley over the years, continued their historic rivalry with Quesha. This time, it proved to be fatal. King Raemethius made the decision to launch a bid to conquer the whole river valley. Deqalsar, once a Queshan city, ironically served as the main base for Pyrem soldiers at the commencement of their campaign. Quesha, sensing the attack, responded well at first, but the Pyrem forces were far superior. It ended quickly and the entire Queshan empire was shattered, forcing refugees to hurry across the Mosiar mountains and settle in the savannah. A state called Usir, a combination of Pirates, Pyrem settlers, Queshan refugees, and Phocesian explorers, was founded further down the river, at a safe distance from Pyrem.
North of the cradle area, there was an aura of peace and prosperity. Paschim Ghati got along well with it's neighbors, including a new one: Drubela. Paschim Ghat timber made it's way down the Trymos to Haredicumian states, and Paschim Ghati began to make some decent profit. However, there have been grumblings about there not being enough food and the leadership neglecting Agriculture, but things seemed relatively fine.
Along the Zoan river, similar peace existed. Khay Lat grew significantly, and a new state, Meto, was established. Shosay even seemed uncharacteristically quiet for a period of time. Khay Latian religion began to flourish, and people believed the peace to be brought on by sacrifices for nature.
On the thought of sacrifices, Kryonian citizens were busy sacrificing animals and food at large stone structures called Marices, and arming themselves in preparation for war. In their sights was the growing state of Alexaendros. Kryon, after a few days of planning, was able to surprise the Alexaendrosi with a nocturnal attack. On the following morning, Alexaendros was able to dig deep and defend their part of the peninsula bravely. Kryon was pushed back to the isthmus, and began to regroup. In order to attempt to cut off Alexaendros from receiving any more wood from the west, Kryon boats attempted to block the mouth of the Trymos River. However, it was a failure. Combined efforts of Phocesian seafarers and Paschim Ghat traders were able to fend off the Kryons. Phoces set up several forts at the mouth to make sure it never happened again, and so the timber trade would continue as it had been for quite some time now.
Phoces was very active, setting up settlements on the nearby western tip of Empreca. The natives were subjugated. Phoces subdued them with promises of the famous Paschim Ghat wood. Phoces met a functional state to their East called Sinopa. Sinopa, sitting along the coast by Drop, was a small state of Drop refugees looking to escape the island. They remembered the Phoces and how they usurped their island, but they were too intimidated by Phoces' mighty presence in the seas to attempt to retake the island. Phoces, however prosperous and skilled it was, was unable to settle on Uharrhesia. The pirates proved to be too powerful, and drove back both the Phocesians and Iomirics.
The Italis peninsula was a bit more quiet, the only action being that the Terant, Glypthan, and Phential states all swelled in size to surround the struggling Canfrean state. Rumors curculated that Canfre was due to collapse, with leadership not solving any issues or making any attempt to advance. Some Canfreans, fearing collapse, fled to the island of Hurrisum, to the east, and set up a small state called Tembrnos. Another young state, Ecta, rose, in the lands between Terantia and Kryon.
The Western continents were no longer the only ones with civilized states on it. Extal, the southern continent in the east, became home to the jungle cultures of Moctzal, Tlaah, and Garetikoo. Could these jungles soon see the rise of a great empire? Time will tell.
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