Okay guys, I decided to write my view of the histories of Calradia and Antaria, and the Antarian conquests of Calradia. I have about half of it written, and I will post it here on a daily basis, piece by piece. The histories part is objective, but once the Antarian conquests start it get's really subjective and personal, as you will likely see.
EDIT: Below I have added a sort of chronology of the events depicted here, which I will update as the story goes on. I have also fixed a few things, like giving Nikolai the title of King when it should be Tsar, and the mix-up with the western and eastern Khanate armies during the war.
4th of August, 274. Death of Sixth Calradian Emperor, Augustin.
6th of August, 274. Royal Funeral of Augustin.
7th of August, 274. Imperial Council, no heir selected.
7th of August, 274 – 24th of March, 283. Turmoil in the Empire.
21st of April, 283. Marriage of Asun and Forheld.
18th of May, 284. Tsardom of Vaegirs breaks away from Calradian Empire.
25th of April, 284. Second Imperial Council, Independence of Vaegirs accepted, Empire reformed into Confederacy.
12th of September, 291. The Building of Curaw is finished. Curaw becomes the capital of the Tsardom of Vaegirs.
25th of December, 316, Trade routes between the Confederacy and the Tsardom are established.
14th of June, 369, The Confederacy establishes colonies in the Western Great Steppes.
4th of July, 369, Prince Nikolai becomes the Tsar of the Vaegirs.
Around 370, The nomad tribes descend from Ulanbakuk mountains.
Around 395, The nomads start building settlements in the southeast of the Great Steppes.
Around 410, The nomads start building Tulga.
Around 417, The nomads finish building Tulga, and start organized hunting.
19th of January 421, The nomad’s hunting party reaches Curaw, and attacks Nikolai.
26th of January 421, Nikolai attends the Imperial Council in Laus. The Vaecal alliance is formed. Around this time the Khergit Khanate is also formed.
Around May 421, The Khanate invades Western Great Steppes and takes over the Calradian Colonies.
3rd of September 421, Armies are dispatched from Laus and Curaw.
Around September 421, Western Khanat Army razes Laus to the ground.
27th of September, 421, The combined Alliance Army reaches Tulga, Eastern Khanate Army rides out to meet them. Around this time the Western Khanate Army
has crossed the Dhirimus Plains and destroyed Curaw.
1st of October, 421, The Western Khanate Army descends from Sungetche pass and wipes out the Alliance army. A few cowardly Lords take their armies and
march for Laus before the Alliance is defeated. The Treaty of Tulga is signed.
19th of October, 421. The remainder of the Confederacy Lords make it back to the ruins of Laus. The Rhodok Confederacy is formed. Around this time the old and weary Nikolai returns to the ruins of Curaw.
Around December, 421, Tsar Nikolai dies. His older son, Mytija, is chosen as the new Tsar.
Around Apri, 428, The building of Jelkala is finished, and it is made the capital of the Rhodoks.
Around 435, The building of Praven is finished, and it is the new Calradian Capital. The building of Uxkhal is started. Around this time the rebuilding of Curaw is also started.
435-600, In this period all of the cities lost in the war against the Khanate are rebuilt (with the exception of Laos), and Veluca, Khudan, Ichamur, Narra, Ismirala Castle, and Uxkhal are built, along with many more small settlements. The populace increases significantly.
Notes:
This is not the history of Calradia taken from any official source (there is no known history of Antaria so I guess I don't need to specify that), it's just the history as I see it, or as I would like it to be. One thing I did use is the regional map of Calradia made by 13 Spider Bloody Chain, which you will find at the end of this post, with a bit of explanation on it. You really should take a look at Chain's Traveler's Guide to Calradia http://forums.taleworlds.com/index.php/topic,46038.0.html, it is quite good.
I was inspired to write this by the awesome works of Exin and MnB-Fanatic, who I salute for their writing. First I will post the first part of Calradian history, and then the second. I will see if I post the whole Antarian history at once, or in parts. As for the AAR-like part, I already have designed the chapters, so that should be no problem. Now, you might not like that I too chose Antaria, but it isn't because I want to compete with Exin or Fanatic, it is because that I have only conquered Calradia with the Antarian Empire, the others are still unfinished games for me. I see it as stupid to write about something I haven't completely done. Now, on to the stuff
The History of Calradia
In ages past, Calradia was not as it is today. Centuries before, all of the Calradian realm was united under one banner: The Great Calradian Empire. Peace and prosperity were a common commodity throughout the lands, and the people were happy with the Emperor's rule. But as all great things, this had not lasted
for long. Illness struck the sixth Emperor, who was still young and without an heir. And so, with the Emperor upon his deathbed, the rule of Calradia was trusted into the hands of the Council of Nobles, comprised of Lords of each of the Empire's regions. Already bickering has began over who will take the throne
once the Emperor departs from this world. Different people, which have been united for centuries, started slowly separating from each other, and forming parties, even with the Emperor still in life.
After much pain, Emperor Augustin finally passed away. He was given a royal funeral in the Imperial City of Laus, one which hundreds of people attended. And as Augustin was being placed inside his tomb, all the lords stood by side, mourning a great man's passing. Or so it seemed. For in the moment the Emperor's death was announced, all of them began plotting their way to the Imperial throne. The following day, an Imperial Council was held, to determine the next heir. An open conflict between the lords finally broke out, and the council was dissolved in the next hour, with no decision made.
A great turmoil in the Empire followed, and with no one at helm, this once glorious nation became very fragile. And a threat to the Empire's stability was already in sight. Of all the Lords and Ladies that ruled small regions of the Empire, two held the greatest amount of land. Lady Asun and Lord Forheld
ruled the Vaega Tundras. And despite great anger between all of the lords, their relations were untouched. They were in love years before the Emperor's illness, but they dared not show this to the public, fearing the reactions of the other lords. But now, when there was no unity in the once mighty
Empire, they felt that the time is right. They declared their marriage, and the uniting of their territories. They now held a significant portion of the Empire in their rule. A year after their marriage they declared their independence from the Empire, forming the Tsardom of Vaegirs, named after the lands
they ruled. After this the remainder of the Calradian lords held another council, to decide how to react upon this treason. Lord Ethelan proposed military action, but now that each lord had his private army, none of them were willing to sacrifice their military power for the stability of the Empire. But now that
the conflict between the Lords cooled down, they reached upon one decision. The long-lasting Calradian Empire would be reformed into the Confederacy of Calradia, and it would be ruled by the Council of Nobles, now referred to as the Royal Council. After this the council ended, leaving the Tsardom be.
This Confederacy brought stability to Calradia, and with time relations with the Vaegirs opened up. Trade routs were established, and this proved to be beneficial to all. Laus remained the capital of the Confederacy, and the city of Curaw was built to be the capital of the Tsardom. And as the years
passed, the confederacy expanded. The Council needed to make up for the loss of the Vaega tundras, and they decided upon colonizing the Great Steppes south of their border. But their timing could not have been graver, as will be revealed. For just a few years after the first villages there were successfully
established, a great nomadic tribe came down from the Ulanbakuk mountains.
They were great horsemen, and they built a city for themselves, in Calradian language it would be named Tulga. As time passed, many of their people moved out of the city, creating small villages around it. These steppes weren't very fertile, but these people were used to hunting in the mountains, so survival posed no problem for them. They dispatched hunting parties often, and the abundance of animal life brought them all the food they would ever need. And these parties traveled further and further every day, until they reached the southern part of the Ichamura mountains. And the roots of this great mountain chain became their border of travel, up to the time they finally discovered the Sungetche Pass. Then they made the greatest horsemen party yet,
and this party decended from Sungetche to explore the lands beyond.
After days of travel, the horsemen reached the southern villages of Curaw. Vaegir scouts spotted this horde, and a messenger was sent to Tsar Nikolai, great grandson of Asun and Forheld. The Tsar was surprised at the arrival of these new people, and he gathered his party of bodyguards and set forth to meet them. Unfortunately, the nomads did not react friendly. The did not like this new, strange language or the look of the people. Narrow minded as they were, they immediately attacked Nikolai's party. The Tsar was taken by surprise, and his bodyguards were no match for the unbeatable horses of the nomads, or their skill on horseback. Nikolai himself was badly wounded, and his party was almost entirely slaughtered. The remaining Vaegirs returned with their wounded Tsar back to the capital. The nomads followed them to Curaw, but they knew nothing about sieges, and saw no means to break through those great walls. The horsemen returned to Tulga, now with a new idea in mind. They saw the villages of the Vaegirs, and how well the people live there. They now wanted more for themselves than simple survival. They realized that they desperately needed organization. They needed to become a nation. The decision was made that the leader of the horsemen party that met the Vaegirs would become their ruler. They also decided to name themselves the Khergits, and that their nation would be a Khanate, ruled by a Khan.
Meanwhile, Tsar Nikolai sent a messenger to Calradia, asking for the Royal Council to meet with him. He came to Laus in person, and presented his problem to the council. The Lords saw these nomads as a threat as well, mostly because of their colonies that are now in jeopardy. The council decided on making a military
alliance with Nikolai, to defeat these skillful horsemen. But they had no knowledge of the Khergits becoming an organized Khanate, which would prove to be their undoing.
While the Calradians were debating, the Khanate went into action. They called all of their hunting parties back to Tulga, and combined all of them into one great army. No such horsemen have been seen in Calradia, and they were sure of victory. They went into the Western part of the Great Steppes, and they took over all
of the Calradian colonies. No one survived the Khergit's purge to bring the news back to Laos.
Months later, the Vaecal alliance has gathered it's armies, and all of the lords went into battle along with Nikolai. The Calradian forces marched southern into the steppes, while the Vaegirs would come from Curaw and take Sungetche Pass, to meet up with the Confederacy's army in the northern steppes. But the Khanate
has undermined the Alliance's plan even before it came into action. One force of the Khergit army has already been gathered at the ex-Calradian colonies, and they rode for Laus, the ancient capital of Calradia, while another force was left behind to defend Tulga.
And so, while the Alliance's army (now united) was approaching near Tulga, Laus already laid in ruin. There was no siege, because the Confederacy pulled almost it's entire force in arms to Tulga. Not knowing that their colonies already fell, they knew not of the threat coming from the West. With virtually no losses, the Khergits rode Northeast through the Dhirimus Plains, towards Curow, which fell as easily as Laus.
Meanwhile, the Alliance was winning (or so they thought) against the other Khergit force outside of Tulga. And just in the hour of their victory, as King Nikolai and the Lords of the Confederacy tiredly chased what was left of the Khanat's defence army, the greater part of the Khergit's army came down from the mountains (that is the army which laid waist to Laos and Curaw, and it descended from Sungetche Pass) and surpised the Alliance.
This is when all masks fell, and treason was done. For a small group of the Lords gathered their part of the army, and ran back to Laos, leaving the faithfuls and Nikolai to certain death. But the Khergits proved more intelligent than they seemed. They slaughtered the army of the Alliance, but they captured the remaining Lords and Nikolai. They forced the Alliance to sign a treaty, giving up all of the Great Steppes. After this, they released the Lords and the Vaegir King. You could say that the Vaegirs weren't hurt by this deal, since they gave up no land. However, they did have to sign an agreement which obliged them not to cross into Khergit lands without permission.
Meanwhile, the cowards that marched to Laos were thunderstruck when they saw the destruction that the Khanat's army caused. But they quickly saw an opportunity there. With no Confederacy army left, nothing would stop them from separating themselves from the now weak Calradian Confederacy. They took over the Yalenos and Maras river valleys, along with Ibdeles, effectively taking the entire West of the Confederacy. They also proclaimed themselves a
Confederacy, and called themselves the Rhodoks. The remaining Calradian lords saw the damage done upon their return, but with no army there was nothing they could do.
The aftermath of this war left the greatest cities of that time destroyed, and it took time to mend those wounds. The Confederacy moved north, and they built Praven, their new capital. This city will later become the greatest in Calradia, but never as glorious as Laos. The Vaegirs were reluctant to move away
from their old home, and so they completely re-built Curaw, according to the old one.
Although this was the bloodiest war in Calradia in living memory, after it ensued the longest peace, that lasted well over two centuries. In this time all of the nations of that age grew increasingly. The Rhodoks built Jelkala in the Maras River Valley as their capital, and they also built Veluca in the south, which made their border with the Khergits. The Khanate also expanded, building Ichamur south of Sungatche Pass, and Narra southeast of Veluca. The Vaegirs built Khudan, and Ismirala Castle, which would be the first castle in Calradia (before it all the people leaned on the cities and smaller settlements for defense).
The Calradians went back to the Ruins of Laos, and rebuilt it to be Uxkhal, the guard of their southern borders. Also, in this time the number of small settlements and villages almost doubled, significantly increasing the demographic values of Calradia (as a region, not just the Confederacy).
After their successful war against the Alliance, the Khergits decided to start a diplomatic approach to the other nations. They opened their trade routes, and with a great amount of imported goods, the people with a bit more money could finally live with more luxury. The Rhodoks also gave way to open trade, and that gave their falling economy a much needed cash injection. They had a different trading system than the others. Each of their Lords (there were three of them) led a trading sector, and each of them had a separate income. Half of that income would belong to the lords, and the other half would go to the state budget. The combined percentage of those sectors would make the budget, which would be used mostly for army maintenance and trade.
But not all countries were successful. The Calradian Confederacy was in a bad position, with spending more money than they earned. They had a similar trading system compared to the Rhodokian one. The difference was that in Calradia, there were many more lords, and only two sectors of trade. The Calradian Lords would combine their earnings into the sector, and then a certain percentage of it would comprise the budget. But there was much corruption amongst the Lords, and they withheld much of the money for themselves, diminishing the overall economic power of the nation. It was ironic, with Praven practically being the continent’s center of trade. But all of that was about to change. The High Confederacy Treasurer was in that time Swadius of the House of Augustus. This family was descended from the brother of late Emperor Augustus, who was a Lord of the Empire during it’s fall.
Swadius was an intelligent, but arrogant man. He has seen the corruption that has filled the Confederacy, and he sought change. He felt that Calradia was much safer in the days of the Empire, when his ancestors ruled this land. And so, he started taking money from the budget, in order to fulfill his plans. In that time, his best friends were two Lords, Agres and Tout. With them he shared his dream of a new nation, ruled by him. They decided to help him, for the promise of becoming the only Lords in this new order. Years have passed in preparation, until Swadius felt that it was safe enough to act. He hired the best assassins in Calradia to do his bidding. He also bribed lower military officials. In the summer of 673, he managed to push through a new law, granting each lord two low-ranking military leaders to help them manage the army. Later that year, he started what would later be known as the “The Swadian Purge”. Half of the Lords in that time were on military patrol duty, which Swadius saw as his chance. In one night, all of the army officers under his control killed the Lords in their sleep, securing no resistance for Swadius’ overture of the state, and granting him military power. The small remainder of Confederacy Lords stationed in settlements were taken care of by the Assassins. Effectively, Swadius, Agres and Trout had gained control of Calradia. The following day, they made a public announcement of the establishment of the Kingdom of Swadia, with Swadius and his faithful Lords at helm.
Many people thought this new state to be evil, and such people disappeared. Swadius couldn’t let anything destroy his new order. He made military reformations, giving the remaining six Lords (Agres, Trout and their sons) complete control of the Army, disbanding any other officers. He reformed trade as well, making Praven the single official trading center in Swadia. And at the very end of his rule, he managed to finish three cities, more than any ruler before him. Around 710, Suno, Dhirim, and Tihr were finished. He had no heirs, and Aule, son of Trout, inherited the throne of Swadia.
During Aule’s rule, Tihr became a Wonder of Calradia. Before it, only small fishing villages were created down the coast of the Aequor sea. But Tihr had the biggest port in all Calradia, and Aule ordered the construction of the Swadian Navy, the first navy in the world. And this navy was expanded for decades, until it was finally finished a century and a half later.
This was done during the rule of Augustus II, who was a passionate sailor himself. During this age there was peace in Calradia once again, and all of Calradia was known, explored, and conquered by various nations. Explorers were “going out of business” so to speak, and they looked for a new land to explore. The Ulanbakuk mountains were almost impassable, and the land beyond the Vaega Tundras did not look fertile or tempting. So, they turned Northwest, beyond the Ashkolon River Valley. The Calradian Explorer’s Guild was formed, uniting all the explorers and cartographers of the time. This Guild made an agreement with Augustus II, who granted them a portion of the Swadian Navy to use for exploration.
After making the necessary preparations, the Guild took the ships and set out East following the coast down the Aequor sea. They passed many barren lands on their trip, and were already starting to lose hope of ever finding something worthwhile. That is, until one morning, they looked to the shore, and beyond them saw beautiful, lush meadows. This was the ancient homeland of the Nords.
After making camp on the beach, they sent a scout party to investigate this new land. The party returned after two days, with a very interesting report. These lands were fertile and beautiful, but populated with some natives. Because of their location, the explorers dubbed them “The Nords”.
After spending much time with this native tribe, the Guild managed to teach them a bit of Calradian, just enough to roughly communicate. They seemed like warriors, but they seemed to have no horses. Eventually, the Guild decided on returning to Calradia, to bring the good news to Augustus II.
They went back to their ships, and after one month they sailed into the port of Thir. The Guild representatives made their way back to Praven, seeking audience with the King. And Augustus was indeed delighted with these news, especially with the description of the Nords. He saw them as week, and he wanted to conquer these new lands. He decided upon gathering the entire Swadian Navy himself, and sail West until he reaches his destination.
Soon after this, the EPIC FAIL of the explorers will be shown. Because they only explored the shorelines of this land, they only saw one tribe of the Nords. If they went just a bit more South, they would have realized that the Nords were a nation, numerous and crafty in the skill of ship-making. The Nord Navy was stationed just beyond the Akintosh Mountains further West, and the Swadians would be in for a big surprise.
For the moment the Guild left for Tihr, the chieftain of this tribe went to King Gosg, the ruler of the Nords, to report these new people. Similar to Augustus, he saw a chance to expand into the Eastern World, and he prepared his Army and Navy for an invasion.
After one year, he sailed out of Thort (the port-city of the Nords), and he set out East. And just as his invasion force came around the Surin mountains, the Swadian Navy approached them. Augustus was shocked, he brought no army, expecting to wipe out a small native tribe, not a full-scale invasion force. And on top of that, the Nord ships were more numerous, and of better build. Augustus had no choice but to retreat back to Aequor waters. He left a great number of ships to stall the Nords, while he somehow returns to Praven and readies the armies in time.
His tactic worked, partially. By the time the Nords broke through the ships the Swadian Navy left behind, Augustus had already reached Tihr. But he was still not fast enough, for in the morning when he set out with his army from Praven, Tihr was already occupied by Nord forces.
So the Nord army split up. A very small portion of the army was given to Gosg’s son, to take over the smaller settlements to the West, while Gosg himself led the main army south, towards Suno. The party that went west has taken over the whole coastline, but was finally stopped by the Vaegirs once they reached Khudan.
As for Gosg and his army, an interesting outcome followed. The Augustus’ army reached them just a little north of Suno, and it was a bloody battle in which both Gosg and Augustus died. Both armies broke apart into smaller parties, that fought each other all over the countryside. Since an heir had not yet been chosen for the Swadian throne, all of the Lords came forth and signed a peace treaty with the Nords, who were now led by Gosg’s younger son. This was the treaty of Thir, by which the following was stated: The Nords may keep Thir and the coast of Calradia, but Swadia will have military access to it, and will be able to move it’s armies through it at will. Swadian navies may also be docked in every Nord port, at all times.
After this war, the political status of Calradia remained pretty much as it is in 1257, at the beginning of the game, with the exception of small territory disputes between Swadia and the Rhodoks. This completes my version of Calradian history, and tomorrow comes the Antarian one.
Here is a map explaining the brief war between the Khergits and the Alliance, and each armies movements
As you have probably figured out, Laos was in the place of Uxkhal before the war.
This is the original map, just regional.
Chapter One, “Cloak and Dagger…for the good of all”
The Courtyard Of the Royal Palace, Midnight.
The Imperial City of Ortus, the Star of Antaria, is once more covered in the blackness of night, as it has been for thousands of years. Everything seems dead and uneventful. But while the richest of Antarians are sleeping, they do not realize that their fates may very well be decided on this night.
The great Town Square now is sunk in darkness, apart from two tall caped figures slowly walking across it towards the Royal Courtyard.
“Hurry up, Tiberius, unless you want them to start without us!” said the first man, walking at a faster pace.
“I must protest, it not my fault the Emperor chose this particular time to have a meeting. I am simply tired, having been on patrol throughout the countryside for the past two days” Responded the other man calmly.
“My dear friend, you will thank me for this, one day. As a military man, I expect you to know what happens to those who are caught doing a thing such as this. Which is exactly why we must hurry.” He said to Tiberius.
Suddenly, Tiberius stopped. “Maximus, I did not consider this meeting to be anything illegal! What are you dragging me into? Who will be there, except the nobles?” he demanded to know.
“Illegal? You fool, Flavius himself will be there! But with the nature and agenda of this little debate we shall have, it is not to be on record by the Council.” Said Maximus, sounding a little annoyed by his friend’s ignorance.
They continued walking until they reached the Royal Courtyard, which contained in it’s center the coveted Imperial Palace. Across it stretched a great lawn of grass, with only the occasional flower. And from the Courtyard’s Gates, all the way to the Palace entrance, was a small, brick road leading into the Palace tower. Tiberius and Maximus walked all the way to the Palace, and stopped just as Tiberius was ready to knock at the small guard’s door.
“Oh come now Tiberius, you don’t expect us to enter at the fringing front door?” said Maximus angrily.
“All this shadiness you keep insisting on is rather troubling me. But I’ll play along, where do you mean to enter?”
“Follow me.”
And so they went around the tower, all the way to a small wooden door in the secluded back of the Palace Tower.
“Interesting.” Said Tiberius. “I had no knowledge of this passage. When was it built?”
Maximus laughed. “It was built 850 years ago, along with the Palace. No low-ranking officials have been given knowledge of it’s existence.”
“I wouldn’t advise you calling me a “low-ranking official”, unless you want the entire garrison of Ortus knocking down your door!” responded Tiberius.
“Will you calm down? It was a joke. Only the Emperor and a handful of other people know about this emergency exit. But tonight, it shall be our emergency entrance. But let’s not just stand here, open it and let’s get inside.” Said Maximus.
And so they entered the Tower, or a small hallway inside it, to be more precise. It led them to a stairway, which they followed for a while, until they reached another wooden door of the same design as the hidden entrance. They entered, and they saw the room to be almost empty. There was a large fireplace, by which five armchairs were placed. And three were already filled. For in this room sat the Emperor, along with his Chancellor and High Treasurer.
“Ah, gentlemen! Welcome! Chancellor Tarkin, I trust you already know Tiberius, who has recently been appointed our new Marshall. And this is Maximus, my single most trusted advisor. Have a seat, while I explain the reason behind our little meeting.” And as Flavius spoke, they sat themselves down, and listened.
“We are in bad times, my friends. The Empire is threatened by those whom our ancestors called friends. But now corruption and desire for power has filled them with greed, and they wish to take what is rightfully ours. Yes, the rumors that I know have been circling the public are correct. The Romans are making claims to our borderlands, and Earos and the nearby settlements particularly. But up until now, all has been in the realms of negotiation (while of course, I never intended to give an acre of Antarian land to them).
“And into what realm has it passed now, so to speak, sir?” Tiberius interrupted.
“Then I shall be direct, Marshall, for this will concern you. On the day before yesterday, a Roman messenger came, carrying an Ultimatum. Either we give them the lands they wish until the end of this month, or they march to war. And this is the reason I have called you here tonight, to ask you as to what shall we do? Do we give them what they seek, or do we ready for war? I trust I need not speak of the odds, even the merchants on the Ortus market know them by now.” Spoke Flavius sadly.
“I propose we give them Earos, temporarily of course, until we can find a better solution” proposed Maximus.
“I say not! I will die before I see an inch of our territory just handed over without a fight!” slashed Tiberius.
“As painful as it seems, I agree with Tiberius. If we give them land now, that will show us to be as weak as they expected. I suspect an invasion coming afterwards no matter what we do. And the more footholds we have to defend the borders, the better.” Said Tarkin.
“I see. What say you, Treasurer Munilis?” said Flavius.
“Well, while our economy is as strong as I would like it, I unfortunately don’t consider it stronger than the Roman one. Even if our glorious armies would hold against the Roman Hordes, in the end we would deplete our resources before them. But still, if we raise wartaxes, we might have a chance. I agree with Tiberius.”
“What say you now, Maximus? Shall I send a messenger to the Romans?” Flavius turned to his advisor.
“It seems I am forced to agree, with my being outvoted, my opinion means little right now. But do not send a messenger to the Romans. If we wait for the deadline to expire, we shall have three weeks to prepare for the enemy onslaught.” Said Maximus.
And then Flavius stood up, saying.
“I thank you, friends, for we have reached a decision, for the better or worse. In less than a month, we march to war!”
Chapter Two, “And so it begins…”
The village of Theed, a week later.
Theed. It is a small village a few miles away from Earos, the biggest border city in Antares. It is early morning, and the sun is slowly rising. Matius Maximus is still sleeping, but he is awakened by a small ray of sunshine creeping through his window.
“Ah, another day, and another night of guard duty. Well, at least I’ll be in the day shift next week. Maybe then I’ll be able to get some ****ing sleep.” He thought, as he was getting dressed. After having some quick breakfast, he decided on having a little drink at the tavern.
As he entered the Silver Dragon (the tavern), he noticed that there weren’t many people there, except a group of his fellow soldiers, sitting at the largest table.
“Hey, it’s Matius! C’mon, have a seat mate! Get ‘em a drink Maddy!” yelled one of his friends to Maddy, the tavern keeper.
And as Matius sat down, he heard the conversation his friend had just started.
“So what d’ya reckon all this fuss is about? The extra shifts and training?” said one of them.
“C’mon, are you blind, man? Clearly the bloody Romans are ‘bout to attack. A mate of mine is in the Elite Scout unit. It was sent, I reckon, a week ago, to see what’s goin’ on around the borders. The Romans have dozens of warcamps there, and I don’t they’re gonna use them for training.” Responded Apolis, his friend.
Mathius couldn’t, as always, sustain his opinion.
“Meh. The Imperium starting an invasion against us? Mates, you’re blindin’ mad, if you think they’d dare.” He said with certainty, as everyone started raising their eyebrows at his opinion.
He barely finished his sentence, when the Horn of Theed sounded deeply. This horn was used by the different Village Elders throughout the ages, when they wanted to summon the people for an announcement. Which was, again, given by the Village Elder. Those announcements were mostly about celebration of some sorts, and the people were always happy about it.
Naturally, Mathius and the men from his unit immediately ran outside, already thinking of getting laid with some fine ladies. But something was evidently different this time. The Village Elder was silent, with a grim look on his face, and by him stood an Antarian Messenger in full armor. Once all the people gathered, he pulled out a parchment and started reading:
“As you have probably heard during this year, recently our relations with the Roman Imperium, our long-time allies, have worsened. This has happened over some major border disputes, and claims on Antarian lands, which we have, of course, completely denied. The tension between our nations has built up over time, to finally culminate last week. At that time, I have received a Roman messenger carrying an ultimatum from their Emperor. We were requested to give up all the lands they held claims on, or go to war. After a debate with the closest of my advisors, we have decided to decline. Naturally, you understand that this means war. Roman warcamps are already being built on our borders, and we must respond. All of our garrisons and reserves have been divided, and the messengers carrying this statement will explain how and where.
Your Emperor, Flavius Aurelius.”
The people were thunderstruck. There were rumors as of late, but most simply dismissed them as, well, rumors. But this changed everything, and not just for the ordinary people. Mathius, Apolis, and the rest of their group stood there in white anger.
“Oh, sure Mathius, you were completely ****ing right! No war my arse! Now the 23rd 'll be sent to god-knows where to fight the bloody Romans!” yelled Apolis.
“Will you shut your face for a second? I’m trying to hear where we’re being sent, they finished the list and there was no mention of the 23rd.” said Mathius angrily. And just in that moment, the messenger continued speaking.
“Besides the ones I read of the list, there are three remaining regiments in this region. The 23rd, the 26th, and the 28th Divisions. Those, along with others that were selected, are under the command of Grand Marshal Tiberius, effective immediately. These units are to gather outside Earos in three days, and you will be given your orders then. For now, that is all.” He said, as rolled up the parchment.
“Oh bloody awesome. You’re a real good luck charm, aren’t ya Math?” said one of the soldiers.
“Well, now there’s nothing left for us to do but to polish the armor, sharpen the swords, and prepare to fight the cruddy bastards.” Said Mathius in a falsely calm voice.
“Yeah. Good luck with that, hero. Let’s just make sure we don’t get bloody killed…” said Apolis, as he turned and headed home.
Outside the outer walls of Earos, three days later.
Once a mighty trading city between the Romans and Antarians, now it serves as the last bastion of defense against the Romans. In the past week, since news of war had reached them, the people of Earos are getting their most needed belongings and they are heading West, in hope of refuge in the safer parts of the Empire. Some men could already be seen on the city walls from afar, getting trebuchets and catapults ready for a siege. But as the 23rd marched into the fields beneath the city, a much larger force could be seen setting up camp, and raising the flag of Antares.
“The 26th and 28th! They’re already here, it seems a battle is nigh” thought Mathius, as they approached the camp.
“Guess we should set up camp too” said Apolis, as he put the little bag of things he had on the soft grass beneath them.
“Hey, you! What the hell do you think you’re doing?” said a voice behind them.
The dozens of soldiers nearby turned around, to see the Marshal of the Empire in full armor, with a clearly annoyed face. But as he approached, his tone of voice became much more subtle.
“Sorry lads, but you came in a bit late, I’m afraid there won’t be need, or time, for your division to make camp.” He said.
Then Mathius stepped closer.
“Permission to ask a question, sir?”
“Granted, and may you never ask for permission to speak, at least not under my command” said Tiberius.
“Why are we not to make camp sir? The night is near.” He asked.
“Because we won’t be staying here for the night, soldier. We’re marching through the night, to Fort Isal.”
EDIT: Below I have added a sort of chronology of the events depicted here, which I will update as the story goes on. I have also fixed a few things, like giving Nikolai the title of King when it should be Tsar, and the mix-up with the western and eastern Khanate armies during the war.
4th of August, 274. Death of Sixth Calradian Emperor, Augustin.
6th of August, 274. Royal Funeral of Augustin.
7th of August, 274. Imperial Council, no heir selected.
7th of August, 274 – 24th of March, 283. Turmoil in the Empire.
21st of April, 283. Marriage of Asun and Forheld.
18th of May, 284. Tsardom of Vaegirs breaks away from Calradian Empire.
25th of April, 284. Second Imperial Council, Independence of Vaegirs accepted, Empire reformed into Confederacy.
12th of September, 291. The Building of Curaw is finished. Curaw becomes the capital of the Tsardom of Vaegirs.
25th of December, 316, Trade routes between the Confederacy and the Tsardom are established.
14th of June, 369, The Confederacy establishes colonies in the Western Great Steppes.
4th of July, 369, Prince Nikolai becomes the Tsar of the Vaegirs.
Around 370, The nomad tribes descend from Ulanbakuk mountains.
Around 395, The nomads start building settlements in the southeast of the Great Steppes.
Around 410, The nomads start building Tulga.
Around 417, The nomads finish building Tulga, and start organized hunting.
19th of January 421, The nomad’s hunting party reaches Curaw, and attacks Nikolai.
26th of January 421, Nikolai attends the Imperial Council in Laus. The Vaecal alliance is formed. Around this time the Khergit Khanate is also formed.
Around May 421, The Khanate invades Western Great Steppes and takes over the Calradian Colonies.
3rd of September 421, Armies are dispatched from Laus and Curaw.
Around September 421, Western Khanat Army razes Laus to the ground.
27th of September, 421, The combined Alliance Army reaches Tulga, Eastern Khanate Army rides out to meet them. Around this time the Western Khanate Army
has crossed the Dhirimus Plains and destroyed Curaw.
1st of October, 421, The Western Khanate Army descends from Sungetche pass and wipes out the Alliance army. A few cowardly Lords take their armies and
march for Laus before the Alliance is defeated. The Treaty of Tulga is signed.
19th of October, 421. The remainder of the Confederacy Lords make it back to the ruins of Laus. The Rhodok Confederacy is formed. Around this time the old and weary Nikolai returns to the ruins of Curaw.
Around December, 421, Tsar Nikolai dies. His older son, Mytija, is chosen as the new Tsar.
Around Apri, 428, The building of Jelkala is finished, and it is made the capital of the Rhodoks.
Around 435, The building of Praven is finished, and it is the new Calradian Capital. The building of Uxkhal is started. Around this time the rebuilding of Curaw is also started.
435-600, In this period all of the cities lost in the war against the Khanate are rebuilt (with the exception of Laos), and Veluca, Khudan, Ichamur, Narra, Ismirala Castle, and Uxkhal are built, along with many more small settlements. The populace increases significantly.
Notes:
This is not the history of Calradia taken from any official source (there is no known history of Antaria so I guess I don't need to specify that), it's just the history as I see it, or as I would like it to be. One thing I did use is the regional map of Calradia made by 13 Spider Bloody Chain, which you will find at the end of this post, with a bit of explanation on it. You really should take a look at Chain's Traveler's Guide to Calradia http://forums.taleworlds.com/index.php/topic,46038.0.html, it is quite good.
I was inspired to write this by the awesome works of Exin and MnB-Fanatic, who I salute for their writing. First I will post the first part of Calradian history, and then the second. I will see if I post the whole Antarian history at once, or in parts. As for the AAR-like part, I already have designed the chapters, so that should be no problem. Now, you might not like that I too chose Antaria, but it isn't because I want to compete with Exin or Fanatic, it is because that I have only conquered Calradia with the Antarian Empire, the others are still unfinished games for me. I see it as stupid to write about something I haven't completely done. Now, on to the stuff
The History of Calradia
In ages past, Calradia was not as it is today. Centuries before, all of the Calradian realm was united under one banner: The Great Calradian Empire. Peace and prosperity were a common commodity throughout the lands, and the people were happy with the Emperor's rule. But as all great things, this had not lasted
for long. Illness struck the sixth Emperor, who was still young and without an heir. And so, with the Emperor upon his deathbed, the rule of Calradia was trusted into the hands of the Council of Nobles, comprised of Lords of each of the Empire's regions. Already bickering has began over who will take the throne
once the Emperor departs from this world. Different people, which have been united for centuries, started slowly separating from each other, and forming parties, even with the Emperor still in life.
After much pain, Emperor Augustin finally passed away. He was given a royal funeral in the Imperial City of Laus, one which hundreds of people attended. And as Augustin was being placed inside his tomb, all the lords stood by side, mourning a great man's passing. Or so it seemed. For in the moment the Emperor's death was announced, all of them began plotting their way to the Imperial throne. The following day, an Imperial Council was held, to determine the next heir. An open conflict between the lords finally broke out, and the council was dissolved in the next hour, with no decision made.
A great turmoil in the Empire followed, and with no one at helm, this once glorious nation became very fragile. And a threat to the Empire's stability was already in sight. Of all the Lords and Ladies that ruled small regions of the Empire, two held the greatest amount of land. Lady Asun and Lord Forheld
ruled the Vaega Tundras. And despite great anger between all of the lords, their relations were untouched. They were in love years before the Emperor's illness, but they dared not show this to the public, fearing the reactions of the other lords. But now, when there was no unity in the once mighty
Empire, they felt that the time is right. They declared their marriage, and the uniting of their territories. They now held a significant portion of the Empire in their rule. A year after their marriage they declared their independence from the Empire, forming the Tsardom of Vaegirs, named after the lands
they ruled. After this the remainder of the Calradian lords held another council, to decide how to react upon this treason. Lord Ethelan proposed military action, but now that each lord had his private army, none of them were willing to sacrifice their military power for the stability of the Empire. But now that
the conflict between the Lords cooled down, they reached upon one decision. The long-lasting Calradian Empire would be reformed into the Confederacy of Calradia, and it would be ruled by the Council of Nobles, now referred to as the Royal Council. After this the council ended, leaving the Tsardom be.
This Confederacy brought stability to Calradia, and with time relations with the Vaegirs opened up. Trade routs were established, and this proved to be beneficial to all. Laus remained the capital of the Confederacy, and the city of Curaw was built to be the capital of the Tsardom. And as the years
passed, the confederacy expanded. The Council needed to make up for the loss of the Vaega tundras, and they decided upon colonizing the Great Steppes south of their border. But their timing could not have been graver, as will be revealed. For just a few years after the first villages there were successfully
established, a great nomadic tribe came down from the Ulanbakuk mountains.
They were great horsemen, and they built a city for themselves, in Calradian language it would be named Tulga. As time passed, many of their people moved out of the city, creating small villages around it. These steppes weren't very fertile, but these people were used to hunting in the mountains, so survival posed no problem for them. They dispatched hunting parties often, and the abundance of animal life brought them all the food they would ever need. And these parties traveled further and further every day, until they reached the southern part of the Ichamura mountains. And the roots of this great mountain chain became their border of travel, up to the time they finally discovered the Sungetche Pass. Then they made the greatest horsemen party yet,
and this party decended from Sungetche to explore the lands beyond.
After days of travel, the horsemen reached the southern villages of Curaw. Vaegir scouts spotted this horde, and a messenger was sent to Tsar Nikolai, great grandson of Asun and Forheld. The Tsar was surprised at the arrival of these new people, and he gathered his party of bodyguards and set forth to meet them. Unfortunately, the nomads did not react friendly. The did not like this new, strange language or the look of the people. Narrow minded as they were, they immediately attacked Nikolai's party. The Tsar was taken by surprise, and his bodyguards were no match for the unbeatable horses of the nomads, or their skill on horseback. Nikolai himself was badly wounded, and his party was almost entirely slaughtered. The remaining Vaegirs returned with their wounded Tsar back to the capital. The nomads followed them to Curaw, but they knew nothing about sieges, and saw no means to break through those great walls. The horsemen returned to Tulga, now with a new idea in mind. They saw the villages of the Vaegirs, and how well the people live there. They now wanted more for themselves than simple survival. They realized that they desperately needed organization. They needed to become a nation. The decision was made that the leader of the horsemen party that met the Vaegirs would become their ruler. They also decided to name themselves the Khergits, and that their nation would be a Khanate, ruled by a Khan.
Meanwhile, Tsar Nikolai sent a messenger to Calradia, asking for the Royal Council to meet with him. He came to Laus in person, and presented his problem to the council. The Lords saw these nomads as a threat as well, mostly because of their colonies that are now in jeopardy. The council decided on making a military
alliance with Nikolai, to defeat these skillful horsemen. But they had no knowledge of the Khergits becoming an organized Khanate, which would prove to be their undoing.
While the Calradians were debating, the Khanate went into action. They called all of their hunting parties back to Tulga, and combined all of them into one great army. No such horsemen have been seen in Calradia, and they were sure of victory. They went into the Western part of the Great Steppes, and they took over all
of the Calradian colonies. No one survived the Khergit's purge to bring the news back to Laos.
Months later, the Vaecal alliance has gathered it's armies, and all of the lords went into battle along with Nikolai. The Calradian forces marched southern into the steppes, while the Vaegirs would come from Curaw and take Sungetche Pass, to meet up with the Confederacy's army in the northern steppes. But the Khanate
has undermined the Alliance's plan even before it came into action. One force of the Khergit army has already been gathered at the ex-Calradian colonies, and they rode for Laus, the ancient capital of Calradia, while another force was left behind to defend Tulga.
And so, while the Alliance's army (now united) was approaching near Tulga, Laus already laid in ruin. There was no siege, because the Confederacy pulled almost it's entire force in arms to Tulga. Not knowing that their colonies already fell, they knew not of the threat coming from the West. With virtually no losses, the Khergits rode Northeast through the Dhirimus Plains, towards Curow, which fell as easily as Laus.
Meanwhile, the Alliance was winning (or so they thought) against the other Khergit force outside of Tulga. And just in the hour of their victory, as King Nikolai and the Lords of the Confederacy tiredly chased what was left of the Khanat's defence army, the greater part of the Khergit's army came down from the mountains (that is the army which laid waist to Laos and Curaw, and it descended from Sungetche Pass) and surpised the Alliance.
This is when all masks fell, and treason was done. For a small group of the Lords gathered their part of the army, and ran back to Laos, leaving the faithfuls and Nikolai to certain death. But the Khergits proved more intelligent than they seemed. They slaughtered the army of the Alliance, but they captured the remaining Lords and Nikolai. They forced the Alliance to sign a treaty, giving up all of the Great Steppes. After this, they released the Lords and the Vaegir King. You could say that the Vaegirs weren't hurt by this deal, since they gave up no land. However, they did have to sign an agreement which obliged them not to cross into Khergit lands without permission.
Meanwhile, the cowards that marched to Laos were thunderstruck when they saw the destruction that the Khanat's army caused. But they quickly saw an opportunity there. With no Confederacy army left, nothing would stop them from separating themselves from the now weak Calradian Confederacy. They took over the Yalenos and Maras river valleys, along with Ibdeles, effectively taking the entire West of the Confederacy. They also proclaimed themselves a
Confederacy, and called themselves the Rhodoks. The remaining Calradian lords saw the damage done upon their return, but with no army there was nothing they could do.
The aftermath of this war left the greatest cities of that time destroyed, and it took time to mend those wounds. The Confederacy moved north, and they built Praven, their new capital. This city will later become the greatest in Calradia, but never as glorious as Laos. The Vaegirs were reluctant to move away
from their old home, and so they completely re-built Curaw, according to the old one.
Although this was the bloodiest war in Calradia in living memory, after it ensued the longest peace, that lasted well over two centuries. In this time all of the nations of that age grew increasingly. The Rhodoks built Jelkala in the Maras River Valley as their capital, and they also built Veluca in the south, which made their border with the Khergits. The Khanate also expanded, building Ichamur south of Sungatche Pass, and Narra southeast of Veluca. The Vaegirs built Khudan, and Ismirala Castle, which would be the first castle in Calradia (before it all the people leaned on the cities and smaller settlements for defense).
The Calradians went back to the Ruins of Laos, and rebuilt it to be Uxkhal, the guard of their southern borders. Also, in this time the number of small settlements and villages almost doubled, significantly increasing the demographic values of Calradia (as a region, not just the Confederacy).
After their successful war against the Alliance, the Khergits decided to start a diplomatic approach to the other nations. They opened their trade routes, and with a great amount of imported goods, the people with a bit more money could finally live with more luxury. The Rhodoks also gave way to open trade, and that gave their falling economy a much needed cash injection. They had a different trading system than the others. Each of their Lords (there were three of them) led a trading sector, and each of them had a separate income. Half of that income would belong to the lords, and the other half would go to the state budget. The combined percentage of those sectors would make the budget, which would be used mostly for army maintenance and trade.
But not all countries were successful. The Calradian Confederacy was in a bad position, with spending more money than they earned. They had a similar trading system compared to the Rhodokian one. The difference was that in Calradia, there were many more lords, and only two sectors of trade. The Calradian Lords would combine their earnings into the sector, and then a certain percentage of it would comprise the budget. But there was much corruption amongst the Lords, and they withheld much of the money for themselves, diminishing the overall economic power of the nation. It was ironic, with Praven practically being the continent’s center of trade. But all of that was about to change. The High Confederacy Treasurer was in that time Swadius of the House of Augustus. This family was descended from the brother of late Emperor Augustus, who was a Lord of the Empire during it’s fall.
Swadius was an intelligent, but arrogant man. He has seen the corruption that has filled the Confederacy, and he sought change. He felt that Calradia was much safer in the days of the Empire, when his ancestors ruled this land. And so, he started taking money from the budget, in order to fulfill his plans. In that time, his best friends were two Lords, Agres and Tout. With them he shared his dream of a new nation, ruled by him. They decided to help him, for the promise of becoming the only Lords in this new order. Years have passed in preparation, until Swadius felt that it was safe enough to act. He hired the best assassins in Calradia to do his bidding. He also bribed lower military officials. In the summer of 673, he managed to push through a new law, granting each lord two low-ranking military leaders to help them manage the army. Later that year, he started what would later be known as the “The Swadian Purge”. Half of the Lords in that time were on military patrol duty, which Swadius saw as his chance. In one night, all of the army officers under his control killed the Lords in their sleep, securing no resistance for Swadius’ overture of the state, and granting him military power. The small remainder of Confederacy Lords stationed in settlements were taken care of by the Assassins. Effectively, Swadius, Agres and Trout had gained control of Calradia. The following day, they made a public announcement of the establishment of the Kingdom of Swadia, with Swadius and his faithful Lords at helm.
Many people thought this new state to be evil, and such people disappeared. Swadius couldn’t let anything destroy his new order. He made military reformations, giving the remaining six Lords (Agres, Trout and their sons) complete control of the Army, disbanding any other officers. He reformed trade as well, making Praven the single official trading center in Swadia. And at the very end of his rule, he managed to finish three cities, more than any ruler before him. Around 710, Suno, Dhirim, and Tihr were finished. He had no heirs, and Aule, son of Trout, inherited the throne of Swadia.
During Aule’s rule, Tihr became a Wonder of Calradia. Before it, only small fishing villages were created down the coast of the Aequor sea. But Tihr had the biggest port in all Calradia, and Aule ordered the construction of the Swadian Navy, the first navy in the world. And this navy was expanded for decades, until it was finally finished a century and a half later.
This was done during the rule of Augustus II, who was a passionate sailor himself. During this age there was peace in Calradia once again, and all of Calradia was known, explored, and conquered by various nations. Explorers were “going out of business” so to speak, and they looked for a new land to explore. The Ulanbakuk mountains were almost impassable, and the land beyond the Vaega Tundras did not look fertile or tempting. So, they turned Northwest, beyond the Ashkolon River Valley. The Calradian Explorer’s Guild was formed, uniting all the explorers and cartographers of the time. This Guild made an agreement with Augustus II, who granted them a portion of the Swadian Navy to use for exploration.
After making the necessary preparations, the Guild took the ships and set out East following the coast down the Aequor sea. They passed many barren lands on their trip, and were already starting to lose hope of ever finding something worthwhile. That is, until one morning, they looked to the shore, and beyond them saw beautiful, lush meadows. This was the ancient homeland of the Nords.
After making camp on the beach, they sent a scout party to investigate this new land. The party returned after two days, with a very interesting report. These lands were fertile and beautiful, but populated with some natives. Because of their location, the explorers dubbed them “The Nords”.
After spending much time with this native tribe, the Guild managed to teach them a bit of Calradian, just enough to roughly communicate. They seemed like warriors, but they seemed to have no horses. Eventually, the Guild decided on returning to Calradia, to bring the good news to Augustus II.
They went back to their ships, and after one month they sailed into the port of Thir. The Guild representatives made their way back to Praven, seeking audience with the King. And Augustus was indeed delighted with these news, especially with the description of the Nords. He saw them as week, and he wanted to conquer these new lands. He decided upon gathering the entire Swadian Navy himself, and sail West until he reaches his destination.
Soon after this, the EPIC FAIL of the explorers will be shown. Because they only explored the shorelines of this land, they only saw one tribe of the Nords. If they went just a bit more South, they would have realized that the Nords were a nation, numerous and crafty in the skill of ship-making. The Nord Navy was stationed just beyond the Akintosh Mountains further West, and the Swadians would be in for a big surprise.
For the moment the Guild left for Tihr, the chieftain of this tribe went to King Gosg, the ruler of the Nords, to report these new people. Similar to Augustus, he saw a chance to expand into the Eastern World, and he prepared his Army and Navy for an invasion.
After one year, he sailed out of Thort (the port-city of the Nords), and he set out East. And just as his invasion force came around the Surin mountains, the Swadian Navy approached them. Augustus was shocked, he brought no army, expecting to wipe out a small native tribe, not a full-scale invasion force. And on top of that, the Nord ships were more numerous, and of better build. Augustus had no choice but to retreat back to Aequor waters. He left a great number of ships to stall the Nords, while he somehow returns to Praven and readies the armies in time.
His tactic worked, partially. By the time the Nords broke through the ships the Swadian Navy left behind, Augustus had already reached Tihr. But he was still not fast enough, for in the morning when he set out with his army from Praven, Tihr was already occupied by Nord forces.
So the Nord army split up. A very small portion of the army was given to Gosg’s son, to take over the smaller settlements to the West, while Gosg himself led the main army south, towards Suno. The party that went west has taken over the whole coastline, but was finally stopped by the Vaegirs once they reached Khudan.
As for Gosg and his army, an interesting outcome followed. The Augustus’ army reached them just a little north of Suno, and it was a bloody battle in which both Gosg and Augustus died. Both armies broke apart into smaller parties, that fought each other all over the countryside. Since an heir had not yet been chosen for the Swadian throne, all of the Lords came forth and signed a peace treaty with the Nords, who were now led by Gosg’s younger son. This was the treaty of Thir, by which the following was stated: The Nords may keep Thir and the coast of Calradia, but Swadia will have military access to it, and will be able to move it’s armies through it at will. Swadian navies may also be docked in every Nord port, at all times.
After this war, the political status of Calradia remained pretty much as it is in 1257, at the beginning of the game, with the exception of small territory disputes between Swadia and the Rhodoks. This completes my version of Calradian history, and tomorrow comes the Antarian one.
Here is a map explaining the brief war between the Khergits and the Alliance, and each armies movements
As you have probably figured out, Laos was in the place of Uxkhal before the war.
This is the original map, just regional.
Chapter One, “Cloak and Dagger…for the good of all”
The Courtyard Of the Royal Palace, Midnight.
The Imperial City of Ortus, the Star of Antaria, is once more covered in the blackness of night, as it has been for thousands of years. Everything seems dead and uneventful. But while the richest of Antarians are sleeping, they do not realize that their fates may very well be decided on this night.
The great Town Square now is sunk in darkness, apart from two tall caped figures slowly walking across it towards the Royal Courtyard.
“Hurry up, Tiberius, unless you want them to start without us!” said the first man, walking at a faster pace.
“I must protest, it not my fault the Emperor chose this particular time to have a meeting. I am simply tired, having been on patrol throughout the countryside for the past two days” Responded the other man calmly.
“My dear friend, you will thank me for this, one day. As a military man, I expect you to know what happens to those who are caught doing a thing such as this. Which is exactly why we must hurry.” He said to Tiberius.
Suddenly, Tiberius stopped. “Maximus, I did not consider this meeting to be anything illegal! What are you dragging me into? Who will be there, except the nobles?” he demanded to know.
“Illegal? You fool, Flavius himself will be there! But with the nature and agenda of this little debate we shall have, it is not to be on record by the Council.” Said Maximus, sounding a little annoyed by his friend’s ignorance.
They continued walking until they reached the Royal Courtyard, which contained in it’s center the coveted Imperial Palace. Across it stretched a great lawn of grass, with only the occasional flower. And from the Courtyard’s Gates, all the way to the Palace entrance, was a small, brick road leading into the Palace tower. Tiberius and Maximus walked all the way to the Palace, and stopped just as Tiberius was ready to knock at the small guard’s door.
“Oh come now Tiberius, you don’t expect us to enter at the fringing front door?” said Maximus angrily.
“All this shadiness you keep insisting on is rather troubling me. But I’ll play along, where do you mean to enter?”
“Follow me.”
And so they went around the tower, all the way to a small wooden door in the secluded back of the Palace Tower.
“Interesting.” Said Tiberius. “I had no knowledge of this passage. When was it built?”
Maximus laughed. “It was built 850 years ago, along with the Palace. No low-ranking officials have been given knowledge of it’s existence.”
“I wouldn’t advise you calling me a “low-ranking official”, unless you want the entire garrison of Ortus knocking down your door!” responded Tiberius.
“Will you calm down? It was a joke. Only the Emperor and a handful of other people know about this emergency exit. But tonight, it shall be our emergency entrance. But let’s not just stand here, open it and let’s get inside.” Said Maximus.
And so they entered the Tower, or a small hallway inside it, to be more precise. It led them to a stairway, which they followed for a while, until they reached another wooden door of the same design as the hidden entrance. They entered, and they saw the room to be almost empty. There was a large fireplace, by which five armchairs were placed. And three were already filled. For in this room sat the Emperor, along with his Chancellor and High Treasurer.
“Ah, gentlemen! Welcome! Chancellor Tarkin, I trust you already know Tiberius, who has recently been appointed our new Marshall. And this is Maximus, my single most trusted advisor. Have a seat, while I explain the reason behind our little meeting.” And as Flavius spoke, they sat themselves down, and listened.
“We are in bad times, my friends. The Empire is threatened by those whom our ancestors called friends. But now corruption and desire for power has filled them with greed, and they wish to take what is rightfully ours. Yes, the rumors that I know have been circling the public are correct. The Romans are making claims to our borderlands, and Earos and the nearby settlements particularly. But up until now, all has been in the realms of negotiation (while of course, I never intended to give an acre of Antarian land to them).
“And into what realm has it passed now, so to speak, sir?” Tiberius interrupted.
“Then I shall be direct, Marshall, for this will concern you. On the day before yesterday, a Roman messenger came, carrying an Ultimatum. Either we give them the lands they wish until the end of this month, or they march to war. And this is the reason I have called you here tonight, to ask you as to what shall we do? Do we give them what they seek, or do we ready for war? I trust I need not speak of the odds, even the merchants on the Ortus market know them by now.” Spoke Flavius sadly.
“I propose we give them Earos, temporarily of course, until we can find a better solution” proposed Maximus.
“I say not! I will die before I see an inch of our territory just handed over without a fight!” slashed Tiberius.
“As painful as it seems, I agree with Tiberius. If we give them land now, that will show us to be as weak as they expected. I suspect an invasion coming afterwards no matter what we do. And the more footholds we have to defend the borders, the better.” Said Tarkin.
“I see. What say you, Treasurer Munilis?” said Flavius.
“Well, while our economy is as strong as I would like it, I unfortunately don’t consider it stronger than the Roman one. Even if our glorious armies would hold against the Roman Hordes, in the end we would deplete our resources before them. But still, if we raise wartaxes, we might have a chance. I agree with Tiberius.”
“What say you now, Maximus? Shall I send a messenger to the Romans?” Flavius turned to his advisor.
“It seems I am forced to agree, with my being outvoted, my opinion means little right now. But do not send a messenger to the Romans. If we wait for the deadline to expire, we shall have three weeks to prepare for the enemy onslaught.” Said Maximus.
And then Flavius stood up, saying.
“I thank you, friends, for we have reached a decision, for the better or worse. In less than a month, we march to war!”
Chapter Two, “And so it begins…”
The village of Theed, a week later.
Theed. It is a small village a few miles away from Earos, the biggest border city in Antares. It is early morning, and the sun is slowly rising. Matius Maximus is still sleeping, but he is awakened by a small ray of sunshine creeping through his window.
“Ah, another day, and another night of guard duty. Well, at least I’ll be in the day shift next week. Maybe then I’ll be able to get some ****ing sleep.” He thought, as he was getting dressed. After having some quick breakfast, he decided on having a little drink at the tavern.
As he entered the Silver Dragon (the tavern), he noticed that there weren’t many people there, except a group of his fellow soldiers, sitting at the largest table.
“Hey, it’s Matius! C’mon, have a seat mate! Get ‘em a drink Maddy!” yelled one of his friends to Maddy, the tavern keeper.
And as Matius sat down, he heard the conversation his friend had just started.
“So what d’ya reckon all this fuss is about? The extra shifts and training?” said one of them.
“C’mon, are you blind, man? Clearly the bloody Romans are ‘bout to attack. A mate of mine is in the Elite Scout unit. It was sent, I reckon, a week ago, to see what’s goin’ on around the borders. The Romans have dozens of warcamps there, and I don’t they’re gonna use them for training.” Responded Apolis, his friend.
Mathius couldn’t, as always, sustain his opinion.
“Meh. The Imperium starting an invasion against us? Mates, you’re blindin’ mad, if you think they’d dare.” He said with certainty, as everyone started raising their eyebrows at his opinion.
He barely finished his sentence, when the Horn of Theed sounded deeply. This horn was used by the different Village Elders throughout the ages, when they wanted to summon the people for an announcement. Which was, again, given by the Village Elder. Those announcements were mostly about celebration of some sorts, and the people were always happy about it.
Naturally, Mathius and the men from his unit immediately ran outside, already thinking of getting laid with some fine ladies. But something was evidently different this time. The Village Elder was silent, with a grim look on his face, and by him stood an Antarian Messenger in full armor. Once all the people gathered, he pulled out a parchment and started reading:
“As you have probably heard during this year, recently our relations with the Roman Imperium, our long-time allies, have worsened. This has happened over some major border disputes, and claims on Antarian lands, which we have, of course, completely denied. The tension between our nations has built up over time, to finally culminate last week. At that time, I have received a Roman messenger carrying an ultimatum from their Emperor. We were requested to give up all the lands they held claims on, or go to war. After a debate with the closest of my advisors, we have decided to decline. Naturally, you understand that this means war. Roman warcamps are already being built on our borders, and we must respond. All of our garrisons and reserves have been divided, and the messengers carrying this statement will explain how and where.
Your Emperor, Flavius Aurelius.”
The people were thunderstruck. There were rumors as of late, but most simply dismissed them as, well, rumors. But this changed everything, and not just for the ordinary people. Mathius, Apolis, and the rest of their group stood there in white anger.
“Oh, sure Mathius, you were completely ****ing right! No war my arse! Now the 23rd 'll be sent to god-knows where to fight the bloody Romans!” yelled Apolis.
“Will you shut your face for a second? I’m trying to hear where we’re being sent, they finished the list and there was no mention of the 23rd.” said Mathius angrily. And just in that moment, the messenger continued speaking.
“Besides the ones I read of the list, there are three remaining regiments in this region. The 23rd, the 26th, and the 28th Divisions. Those, along with others that were selected, are under the command of Grand Marshal Tiberius, effective immediately. These units are to gather outside Earos in three days, and you will be given your orders then. For now, that is all.” He said, as rolled up the parchment.
“Oh bloody awesome. You’re a real good luck charm, aren’t ya Math?” said one of the soldiers.
“Well, now there’s nothing left for us to do but to polish the armor, sharpen the swords, and prepare to fight the cruddy bastards.” Said Mathius in a falsely calm voice.
“Yeah. Good luck with that, hero. Let’s just make sure we don’t get bloody killed…” said Apolis, as he turned and headed home.
Outside the outer walls of Earos, three days later.
Once a mighty trading city between the Romans and Antarians, now it serves as the last bastion of defense against the Romans. In the past week, since news of war had reached them, the people of Earos are getting their most needed belongings and they are heading West, in hope of refuge in the safer parts of the Empire. Some men could already be seen on the city walls from afar, getting trebuchets and catapults ready for a siege. But as the 23rd marched into the fields beneath the city, a much larger force could be seen setting up camp, and raising the flag of Antares.
“The 26th and 28th! They’re already here, it seems a battle is nigh” thought Mathius, as they approached the camp.
“Guess we should set up camp too” said Apolis, as he put the little bag of things he had on the soft grass beneath them.
“Hey, you! What the hell do you think you’re doing?” said a voice behind them.
The dozens of soldiers nearby turned around, to see the Marshal of the Empire in full armor, with a clearly annoyed face. But as he approached, his tone of voice became much more subtle.
“Sorry lads, but you came in a bit late, I’m afraid there won’t be need, or time, for your division to make camp.” He said.
Then Mathius stepped closer.
“Permission to ask a question, sir?”
“Granted, and may you never ask for permission to speak, at least not under my command” said Tiberius.
“Why are we not to make camp sir? The night is near.” He asked.
“Because we won’t be staying here for the night, soldier. We’re marching through the night, to Fort Isal.”
I like it really much 
