Chapter Fourteen: Amra, Imrad, and the Levantaean Disaster (421-450 WhC)
To add to their great wealth, Gilguron sells some of their less useful desert territories to Salama, Zaragun, Qeshbohal, and Karak, for large sums of gold to hire mercenaries in their developing conflict with Nunag Hagash. What began as just a border related altercation quickly came to the burning of villages and sacrifices to the gods for luck in battle. To the south, Nehradak, Negat, and Barbathar each invaded Sulthar at once, causing the leadership to surrender, including giving up the key port city, Anareth to Barbathar to add to their coastal empire.
Northern Dalisam saw not a war, but a great unification. Paschim Ghati, Drubela, and Holigra all agreed to form the empire of Amra. With powers combined, the new empire appeared very strong, boasting the largest population in the whole world. Each section of Amra maintained a bit of sovereignty, but the empire itself was very centralized and organized. Religious beliefs were quickly circulated and a strong base of followers formed and were eager to please the gods and their leader. The southern Drubelan territory, however was disapproving. Isolated from the rest of Drubela, and upset with the terms of the unification, became part of Aluhima instead.
Rasire was at peace, with only religious territory conversions ocurring. In favor of Khay Lat, part of Kolkur became Khaylatian, however, Battai reclaimed a narrow strip of coastline to gain access to the trade chain, eager to exchange goods with Amra. Zoa makes a small attack on Bajang, capturing some southern villages to add to their Zoan Strip along the west bank of the river. In the southwest, Baru gained the remaining lands of Orchon and began to trade with Thin Sap and Ibak. Ok-Sai and Ara Kulai also formed a strong trade relationship after celebrating their victory over Fipan.
Down in Enpreca, Ilixes was sacked by Crodila and Pyrem, two old empires looking to restore their former glory. Ilixes took away Crodila's trade and Pyrem's land, and after several years of coastal invasions and isolation, Ilixes surrendered all of their possessions. Umrud and Glypthus conducted a similar invasion on Thorys, who was deteriorating and highly vilnerable. Umrud's young army quickly defeated exhausted Thoric troops, and Glypthus came in through the north with a battering attack. With the victory, Umrud nearly doubled the size of their empire. To the east, four new empires, Gangaja, Ziware, Bletondo, and Okembe were founded, the last one being the only one not along the Bambari river. Amu Daria's strong tradition of trade spread to Mbaragam, and along with it, their religion Kodinani. The Mbaragami traders and farmers took Kodinani with open arms, and even allowed their lands to be included in Amu Daria's empire. However, not all were pleased. Some villages on the edges of Mbaragam, terrified of barbarian invasions, were almost insulted by the Kodinani principle of warriors not being of high regard.
Imrad, one of the most aggressive empires on the face of the earth, met its match in Phoces. Phoces was greatly angered by the Imrad's invasion of Sinopa, a province with close cultural and political ties to Phoces. Imrad refused to give up the land and cede their entire empire to Phoces, so they resisted. Phoces followed through with a massive invasion, tearing through northern Imrad and creating utter chaos. They were stopped in the mountains, so the Phocesian troops passed through Sinopa and invaded a part of Imrad which was poorly defended. That land was given to Sinopa, since most of it was their originally, and Phoces attempted to set up a puppet government in Imrad. Imradi citizens, filled with fury and passion, murdered every last representative of Phoces, and rebelled against military presence in their towns and villages. The Imradi king was long dead, but a new one rose in his place, named Afunar. He motivated his people not to give up, and they were able to resist for the most part, despite suffering heavy casualties in battle. Part of Phocesian Trymos converted to Kurjai out of disappointment for Phocesian aggression toward their trading partner.
Phoces was not concentrated only on Imrad, however. Frustrated with Glypthan expansion, Phoces paid large sums of money to Levantaea, a state north of Glypthus. Levantaea, weaker than its neighbors did not hesitate in the face of such a rewarding deal. They had the capability to fight well and make progress, as shown in the early stages of the war, but they also accepted another offer, this one from Alexaendros to dispose of Terantia. The offers were so appealing to Levantaea, that they accepted both, and in effect, trapped themselves in a wedge between two of their neighbors on different sides. A two front war was too much for the small civilization. Terantia and Glypthus both crushed Levantaea, wiping them off the map. They did not know about the plot, until they were about to hang the Levantaean king, Canephros, from a tree and he told them everything to save his own life. Now confused at Alexaendros and Phoces, two trading partners of theirs, Terantia and Glypthus had a great mess to clean up.
Ebonarch made peace with Nactrabia, and shortly after, went on to make a military alliance with Yuhrug against Gaggan. Ebonaric warriors were far superior, and quickly defeated Gaggani warrios in the mountains. After the war, Ebonarch cemented its power, and had its place among the great empires of Amra, Phoces, and Alexaendros. To the north, trio of Voltan nobles founded states of their own: Fulgas, Supesti, and Garan. Tampher, Lepria, and the new province of Ceressi, ganged up on Polyaresia, who was quickly surrounded and defeated. The bulk of the territory became Tampherian. For once, Lycia was not involved in war, but expansion. They settled on the north peninsula, northeastern Enpreca, and regained one of their islands back from Glypthus.
Garetikoo was obliterated form Extal, by Balak and Hekkai. While Hekkai was busy burning villages and building forts in the mountains of their new territory, they were attacked by Tlopagan in the south. They lost great portions of their territory, but with Garetikoo out of the way, their focus was able to change to Tlopagan. On the isthmus between the two continents, Tekkal was founded, a very religious society with great knowledge of growing crops in unsuitable soil types. To the far north, in southern Extal, several new states were created. The first was Rokinro, a small state by the Marash Delta. They quickly adapted their agricultural lifestyle to the climate and found their population growing at a steady pace. Two neighbors of theirs, Laga, and Setuk, followed the example of the great civilization they referred to as "Rukanio". Northern Extal experienced a boom in trade, with goods running up and down the Nchexuhup river, from furs to fish.
With the rise of great empires and their competition creating tension, one could only guess what would happen next. Khay Lat, as strong as ever, had a grip on the religious views of almost their entire region. Gilguron still held the most power in the cradle region, and not too far to their north was the new empire of Amra, a unified entity comprised of ancient powers. Haredicumia was filled with great civilization, from Alexaendros, Phoces, and Metapha in the west, to Terantia, Glypthus, Concha, Phentia, and Lycia in the east. Other new states were emerging around the planet and this was just the beginning...
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