Rudlec



=History=

Pre Empire (PE)
For most of Rudlec's early history the vast majority of it's lands were split into minor fiefdoms which rose and fell with regularity as they fought for dominance. The southern reaches of what would become Dismark held relatively stable, the deep homes of the dwarves not lending themselves to sudden upheaval, while the far north was considered unconquerable due to it's inhospitable climate and less hospitable gnomish inhabitants. The Ixan region was home to more well behaved fiefdoms which would eventually band together against advances from the east. Historians are hard pressed to find accurate accounts of this time due to the intermingling of fact and myth.

First Empire (FE)
From this morass of squabbling states there eventually arose a nation whose charismatic leader began uniting his various neighbors under one banner. Controlling a major trade route and backed by dwarven steel, his uncanny ability to make friends of enemies allowed his armies to grow along with his expansion and largely did away with the need to actively occupy conquered territory. Within a single lifetime most of Rudlec was united, save for the gnomish north, Ixan City States, and the Draconic Alliance that would eventually become Vaurindr.

The Broken Years
Unfortunately, the flaws of building an empire upon the will of a single charismatic leader became apparent the moment the Emperor died, leaving behind two sons (Catuld and Alesander) who were completely unfit to rule. The Empire shattered as various factions backed either son or made their own grabs for power. The capital of Alta Siria could have potentially provided some measure of unification, but the imperial advisers who held sway there refused to take either side in the conflict and limited themselves to maitaining the region immediately surrounding the city. It was during this period that the first mission was established in the far north and the seeds of modern Dismark were planted.

Second Empire (SE)
After decades of war and subtle strikes, Catuld finally arose victorious after the assassination of his brother and was crowned Emperor. While a number of holdouts refused to recognize his authority, the Empire was largely restored. This state of affairs lasted between three and five years before a cadre of assassins removed Catuld much as he'd removed his brother. Certain texts indicate that this group included the infamous Satz D'Lurk, who would go on to found his own kingdom in his homeland to the west. The dwarves of Dismark, growing tired of human quarrels, withdrew from the Empire completely, taking most of the north with them. Despite the short length of his reign, Catuld's monomaniacal decision to reset the calendar at the start of his rule stuck, beginning the modern calendar.

Modern Era
With the throne vacant and no heirs remaining, the council of imperial advisers was finally forced to take the reigns. While many territories refuted their authorities, enough remained to hold the Empire as the leading force on the continent. With the inevitable deaths of various council members and no emperor to appoint them anew, the task fell to the leaders of the various lands under imperial sway, leading to the first elections, albeit limited to the nobility. In time these would become regular events instead of accompanying advisorial death, culminating in a change from the Empire of Rudlec to the Republic of Rudlec. As the Republic solidified, the missions it's predecessors established in the north caused a change in the previously savage culture of the gnomes, leading to a truce and eventual unification with the dwarves to form modern Dismark.

=Nations=

Republic of Rudlec
Risen from the ashes of the twice fallen Empire, the RoR has long considered itself the rightful heir of the continent. Initial rapid expansion to reclaim renegade states only served to increase this sense of entitlement, leading to their current colonial agenda. Formerly holding dominance over the sea, the development of efficient airships in the last century has led to a shift in power. Many believe the RoR to be in decline, though the government continues to claim that "The sun will never set on the Republic," to which the popular rebuttal is "because Ral-Ral finds it amusing to watch."

Dismark
Built around the deep homes of the northern dwarves, Dismark has existed in one form or another since before recorded history and it's heart has changed little. From his throne in the Great Home of Araufaern, the dwarf king orchestrates the great works of his nation. The period of isolationism following it's withdrawal from the Empire proved inadequate for the trade minded dwarves, and the addition of their ruthless gnomish cousins and the successes of their southern neighbors overseas only served to whet their appetite further. While their colonial expansion is driven more by economic domination than the manifest destiny displayed by the RoR, the actual extent of their expansion is no less extreme.

Ixan
Begun as a collection of city states united against eastern aggression, Ixan has never been helmed by a single man and is now run by a merchant council. Always a magically advanced nation, it was the birthplace of modern airships and continues to posses what are widely acclaimed as the best shipyards in the world. Despite this they maintain a largely isolationist stance, even their colony is Maswokark being more a subject of mutual agreement than actual expansion.

Vaurindr
Formerly the Draconic Alliance, the only thing that held this region of desert and jungle together was defense against the turmoil of central Rudlec. Even so, large swaths of the region were historically even worse than the pre-unification Empire. Now the nation is under the heel of one of it's own city states which is driving an expansion program in an attempt to keep up with it's neighbors.

Alburch
Alburch considers itself the elven homeland and, while technically a part of the first Empire, has avoided all subsequent attempts at unification. Arrogant despite it's waning influence and unable to compete on Rudlec proper it has taken extensive lands in Maswokark.

Satz
Named for the infamous knight who carved it from the disintegrating Second Empire, Satz is widely considered even more of an arrogant war monger than the RoR, though it believes itself to be acting in the interests of the nations it interferes with. Despite relatively small holdings in Maswokark, it has agents and mercenary units scattered across the whole of Cyona.

Dhaval
The farthest edge of the First Empire, Dhaval was barely integrated when the Broken Years came and neither the Second Empire nor the Republic could reach it once Satz had been established. Generally tries to avoid conflict, though it profits from a fair amount of trade from it's colony.