Old Empire, The Crescent Kingdom

Taldàna (Nor Kàlas Taldàna) languishes upon the foothills of the Tor’n Gorgyn overlooking the tranquil snow-white beaches of the Nyr Alùrin. The state stands a ghost of her former splendor, but remains refined and elegant in her decline. A pastoral region, Alùrin is marked with patchworked farms, trimmed forests, and low hills and mountains. Unlike the Old Empire states to the north and south (e.g., Oð, Kændal), the lands of Amra have not been tortured by centuries of war and unrest. With the exception of seasonal Ortòri raids, life here is as peaceful as any in the civilized world. But even this land has its troubles as evidenced by stirrings from the Kingdom of Saranð on its western border. The peace it appears, is about to end.

Government

• Type – Dekàli Theocratic Monarchy (Golden Scepter)
• Ruler – High Priestess Elésēa the Ninth of Taldàna
• Capital – City of Taldàna
• Cities – Taldàna (26.470), Shalvàsal (17,510), Evermið (15,020)
• Calendar – Dekàli Reckoning (DR)
• Festivals – …

People

• Population – Taldànyr (650 DR) 830,400
• Races – (Yrūn 88%, Dwürden 5%, Ōéle 3%, Ortor 1%, other 3%)
• Ethnicities – …
• Languages – Taldànic, Trade
• Religions – Amra (Naðal…)

Trade

• Currency – Jul (0.125d), Auram (1.0d), Talam (240d), Æmàras (5760d)
• Imports – Fruit, iron, livestock, raw minerals, silver, spices, textiles
• Exports – Art, glass, jewelry, ore, textiles, timber, exotic goods

Regions, Geographic

• Horn of Caldāeð
• Kardāyn Drūden. The Kardāyn Forest is an ancient group of trees that stand in the cradle of the rocky Tor’n Marun. An old forest that is in many ways similar to the Oðári Nar Drūden, the trees are steeped in shadow and tales of things ill. The road leading through the forest is well-traveled but not maintained, and so is scored with deep ruts, hastily removed branches, and dead trees that have fallen in the path. The road passes through three towns as it winds through the forest, but two have been abandoned for many years, the fate of their inhabitants is unknown, but suspected. The towns are Riddin (abandoned), Karsæn, and Toram (abandoned).
• Shalvàsal Coast. This area is similar to the Alùrin area on the northern end of the Shalvàsal Road. There are fewer marshes here and the farmland is more plentiful. This region is littered with modest towns and villages, small woods, and tumbling streams. Perhaps the most famous characteristic of the Shalvàsal Coast is the plethora of windmills that stretch from Shalvàsal to the Horn of Alùrin. Each of the mills mark a small village or hamlet nearby. The road here is well traveled and maintained, good progress can be made between the Tor’n Marun and Shalvàsal. Circa 653 DR much military action could be noted nearer to the city of Shalvàsal as troops were mustered and moved to repel the Saránði aggressions at Kry Nòrand (to the west of Shalvàsal).
• Tor’n Emràdor
• Tor’n Gorgyn
• Tor’n Muran. The rocky Tor’n Muran are low coastal mountains, covered mostly in trees. Here, the Shalvàsal Road is in its worst repair among the old switchbacks and crumbling bridges that span the rocky terrain. Many valleys alongside the road show evidence of tumbled wagons and the bones of horses and livestock that lost their footing in years passed. The falls are not long ones, but enough to cripple steeds and ruin wagons. The Tor’n Muran is home to many small villages that sit on the mountainsides away from the notice of passing merchants, marching soldiers, and tax collectors. The people in this area are descendant of the Iskàris (among others) and still maintain the carved statues that line the mountainous trails away from the main road. The people that live in this region are shorter and have more dark and coarse hair than usually associated with Taldàna. They long ago lost the language that set them fully apart, but retain a rounded dialect that is distinctive (enunciate Os, Ps and Us). The people of this area do not know the term Iskàris, instead referring to their distant ancestors as The Carvers. There are no inns in the Tor’n Muran but there are plenty of wayside turnouts where caravans can rest or sleep nights. With the exception of bears and wolves, there is little to fear in this area. Closer to the coast, a occupied spotting tower looks out across the sea. Within a perimeter of this tower, Taldàni patrols are regularly seen.
• Warring Coast

Regions, Political

• Alùrin (e.g., Shalvàsal)
• Elárwið (e.g., Taldàna)
• Ezmir (e.g., Borōnon, Eromir)
• Gorgynað (e.g., Comlan, Wymêr)
• Westwall (e.g., Evèrmið)

Landmarks

• Kry Nòrand.
• Sugòrom. Travelers around the Taldàni countryside often remark at the strange stone carvings found on roadsides and rising from the centers of field hilltops. In the waning years of the Nurúmwar Gurm (ancient Dwürdèni people) primitive Yrūn came to this area and established themselves around Nyr Alùrin (present day Taldàna). Considered godless by early Dekàlyr, the people of this area called themselves the Iksàris (or “spirit people”). In truth the Iksàris did follow a small pantheon of gods (Luch “sky”, Borm “earth”, Shūs/Shoos “wind”, Murum “sea”, Tegka “fire”) which in turn were the rulers of spirit kingdoms associated with each power. Not much is known about the Iksàris except for these five “major spirits”. It is known that in times passed, all of the spirits represented by carvings throughout the countryside had names, but most of those names are gone (or changed). A particularly large carving outside of Taldàna is dubbed Sugòrom and is believed to have been an earth spirit. The circular runes of the Iksàris are still visible at the bases of the wide-eyed statues. The statue of Sugòrom appears to be an anthropomorphic frog with characteristic wide eyes and an unsettling smile. Earth spirit statues are found in low areas (Sugòrom is at a low crossroads, and has been for millennia). Sky spirit statues are found on hill tops (and are often feline). Wind spirit statues are found on cliffs, in ravines, and where forest edges once stood, basically anywhere the wind regularly makes noise. Sea spirit statues appear at the sources of streams, at bridges, and along the coasts. Coastal statues are the largest of the five. Fire spirit statues are not common. Few have survived. It seems small fire spirit statues were placed near hearths.

History

Prior to the Dekàlyr settling of the region, the Alùrin ruled the land for three hundred years, and the Iksàris people before them. The Iksaris were a tribal Yrūn people that are believed to have entered the land in the waning years of the Nurúmwar Gurm, the Iksàris established many villages along the coast of the Nyr Alùrin that exist today as Taldàni towns and cities.

Between 155 and 100 AR, the region was repeatedly invaded by marauders from the north. It is not clear where the Alùrin came from, but it has been suggested that they followed the coasts from Vulmùra. The Alùrin raids were very successful for the region was brimming with gold. During the final years of the Alùrin Invasion, the marauders settled rather than return home. The native Iksàris culture was subsumed within a few generations.

By 65 AR, control of the region was divided between five Alùrin Kings. One of these kings, Hargaz the Bald, rebelled against the others claiming the eastern coast (i.e., Land of Borr) for the Ezìri. War soon erupted between Hargaz and the four kings but the Eziryr were able to defend their land, achieving a definitive victory at the Battle of Valan. The Alùrin Kings relinquished claim of Borr which was thereafter known as Ezmir (i.e., Land of the Ezìri). To this day, Ezmir is considered the only surviving remnant of Alùrin culture.

For almost three hundred years the Alùrin Kingdoms flourished. In 207 HK, Dekàli ships arrived in Alùrin and discovered a wealthy people with a divided military. The Dekàlyr traded vigorously with the wealthy Alùrin. It was during this time that the Iksàris town of Athe’er became known as Taldàna, the City of Gold. In 216 HK, Empire troops marched north from the Fertile Coast to invade the Alùrin Kingdoms. What had been predicted as a quick engagement lasted four years. The Dekàlyr had misjudged the politics of Alùrin, assuming that the kingdoms could be fought individually. After a hard-fought campaign the region was conquered by the Winter of 219 HK. The four Alùrin Kings and their priests were taken to Lanàdus for Letting and their lands consolidated into the city-state of Taldàna.

In 400 HK, the Empire turned its attention toward neighboring Ezmir. Little attention had been given to the kingdom because it did not have the precious metal reserves of Taldàna. At this time however, the Empire was determined to control the entire East Coast of Teréðor from the Shar Cradle to Vulmùra. The first step of this campaign was the troublesome land of Ezmir. The Ezmìri-Dekàli War (400-410 HK) lasted for ten years with devastating loses suffered by both sides. During this time, the Ummòni armies constructed keeps between Comlan and Valan, half of which were destroyed during Ezmìri sieges. Not since the 1st century Ildûni War had the armies been so chastened. Twice during the conflict, the High King requested that the armies abandon Ezmir, for the war’s cost imperiled the larger campaign. The pride of the Ummon forces prevented this however, and for the last three years of the war the soldiers fought without pay or supplies, surviving only on what could be captured by battle or piracy. In 410 HK, the City of Erōmir was burned to the ground. The smoking and ruined Kingdom of Ezmir had fallen. In 411 HK, the armies turned their attentions toward the Iron Coast.

The Ezmìri-Ortòri War (964-966 HK) followed closely on the footsteps of the failed Nurúmwar Gurm War due to the fall of Krysùrgörnn. Without the protection of the Dwürden kingdom at their back, the Taldàni-Ezmìri countryside was open to Ortòri invasion. The Tamàr Ort wizard chieftain Varak realized the importance of the opening and immediately seized the opportunity to control the fertile lands on the southern border of his new realm. This action however resulted in one of Varak’s Yrūn advisors fleeing to Oð and report on Lady Sadìrah’s alliance with the Ortor, which eventually brought down the Kalðàri noble.

In the meantime, Varak’s forces swept south from Krysùrgörnn, seizing Kelámir and the port city of Erōmir in two quick and decisive battles. Varak established a borderland east of Borōnon, setting fire to villages along this line. The fires forced the villagers to flee west creating a “no-man’s land” that his Ortòri troops could easily control. Varak’s experience in warfare was to this point limited to mountain fighting against small to moderately sized Dwürdèni formations. He and his troops were not prepared for the retaliation to come. In the fall of 966 HK, Dekàli troops from Kændal, Oð, and Taldàna arrived in Ezmir on two fronts. The first formations marched along the northern countryside, hoping to cut-off the Ortor from Krysùrgörnn and whatever other supply lines they might have with the mountains. The second front was a naval strike landing near the port city of Erōmir, a battle that would become the bloodiest of the war. The Dekàli army stormed across the Ezmīri countryside, setting flame to Ortòri encampments and liberating Yrūn slave corrals. At Kelámir, the army faced the largest Ortòri force ever seen to that time in Eastern Teréðor. The Battle of Kelámir lasted for eight days and seven nights until a Dekàli flank was able to reach and take ancient Krysùrgörnn. Cut-off from the mountains, the Ortòri troops regrouped at embattled Erōmir where Dekàli warships were pounding the city. The exhausted Dekàli army swept south from Kelámir to crush the Ortòri army but instead found themselves outmatched “man-to-man” by the desperate and physically superior Ortor. Instead of pressing the Ortor, the Dekàli army waited for the warships to destroy the city from the sea. The loses from bombardment and fire were great among both Ortor and Yrūn inhabitants. This action, combined with the fact that the Empire had allowed them to suffer under two years of Ortòri occupation solidified Ezmìri hatred for their Dekàli rulers.

When little remained of the city of Erōmir, the Dekàli army moved in once more and slaughtered all Ortòri that were not able to escape into the eastern mountains. The great losses suffered by Varak in the Ezmìri campaign were not easily overcome and the chieftain never launched a full-scale war against Dekàli lands again. Varak’s successor however, had his own plans (rf. Second Ezmìri-Ortòri War).

Time Line

(Dek) Time of War, 120-1 AR

• ca. 100 AR, ca. 4/458 ER; (Tal) Alùrin tribes invade Alùrin
• ca. 63 AR; ca. 4/484 ER; (Tal) Alùrin-Ezìran War rages across region
• ca. 65 AR; ca. 4/493 ER; (Tal) Alùrin-Ezìran War ends, area divided
• 207 HK, 4/1328 ER; (Tal) Dekàli trading first ships arrive at Alùrin
• 220 HK, 4/1341 ER; (Tal) Taldàna becomes city-state of Dekàlas

(Dek) The First Sha’ali-Dekàli War, 265-269 HK

• 263 HK, 4/1384 ER; (Ezm) First Battle of Krysùrgörnn (Num)
• 280 HK, 4/1401 ER; (Ezm) Second Battle of Krysùrgörnn (Ezm)

(Dek) The Ezmiri-Dekàli War, 400-410 HK

• 400 HK, 4/1521 ER; (Ezm) Dekàli army invades Ezmir
• 409 HK, 4/1530 ER; (Ezm) Battle of Kryborr (Dek)
• 410 HK, 4/1531 ER; (Ezm) Battle of Erōmir (Dek)
• 411 HK, 4/1532 ER; (Ezm) Dekàli army marches north from Taldàna toward Oð
• 511 HK, 4/1632 ER; (Tal) World’s largest statue completed, Colossus of Taldàna

(Dek) Time of Splendors, 720-1244 HK

• 728 HK, 4/1849 ER; (Tal) Dwürden complete construction of [Old] Taldàni Road
• 924 HK, 4/2045 ER; (Tal) Ortòri armies seize City of Taldàna (rf. Rape of Taldàna)
• 925 HK, 4/2046 ER; (Tal) City of Taldàna liberated

(Tal) The Ezmìri-Ortòri War, 964-966 HK

• 964 HK, 4/2085 ER; (Tal) Third Battle of Krysùrgörnn (Ort)
• 964 HK, 4/2085 ER; (Tal) Nūmùrwar-Tàmar War ends
• 964 HK, 4/2085 ER; (Tal) First Battle of Kelámir (Ort)
• 964 HK, 4/2085 ER; (Tal) First Battle of Erōmir (Ort)
• 964 HK, 4/2085 ER; (Tal) Ortòri Tamàr Ort conquer eastern Ezmir
• 966 HK, 4/2087 ER; (Tal) Second Battle of Kelámir (Dek)
• 966 HK, 4/2087 ER; (Tal) Second Battle of Erōmir (Dek)

(Tal) The Second Ezmìri-Ortòri War, 1003-1004 HK

• 1003 HK, 4/2124 ER; (Tal) Third Battle of Kelámir (Ort)

(Dek) The Second Acèntyri-Dekàli War, 1244-1246 HK

• 1246 HK, 4/2367 ER; (Tal) Battle of Taldàna [naval] (Ace)

(Tal) The Occupation, 1-113 DR

• 1 DR, 4/2368 ER; (Tal) Eylfāe governor rules the City of Taldàna
• 106 DR, 4/2474 ER; (Tal) Occupation ends, Eylfāe leave Taldàna

(Tal) First Renaissance, 113-226 DR

• 113 DR, 4/2480 ER; (Tal) Daíme completes twenty volume epic Flowers of Amàrad

(Dek) Time of Calamities, 211-240 DR

• ca. 210 DR, ca. 4/2577 ER; (Tal) Ottarism flourishes in Ezmir
• ca. 216 DR, ca. 4/2583 ER; (Tal) Ezmìri inquisition executes Pryr Amra in Ezmir

(Tal) The Taldàni-Ezmìri War, 218-219 DR

• 218 DR, 4/2585 ER; (Tal) Priests raise and hire an army to reclaim Ezmir
• 218 DR, 4/2585 ER; (Tal) Battle of Comlan (Tal)
• 218 DR, 4/2585 ER; (Tal) First recorded use of the Black and Withered Vine
• 219 DR, 4/2586 ER; (Tal) Battle of Pidìros (Ezm)
• 219 DR, 4/2586 ER; (Tal) Fourth Battle of Kelámir (Tal)
• 219 DR, 4/2586 ER; (Tal) Battle of Borōnon (Tal)
• 220 DR, 4/2587 ER; (Tal) Amran inquisition expunges Ottars
• 227 DR, 4/2594 ER; (Tal) Sleeping Plague sweeps into Taldàna from Kændal
• 234 DR, 4/2601 ER; (Tal) Tsunami destroys Colossus, hundreds swept into Nyr Alùrin
• 240 DR, 4/2607 ER; (Tal) Last account of the Sleeping Plague

(Dek) Time of Plagues, 368-390 DR

• 368 DR, 4/2735 ER; (Tal) Bleeding Plague emerges in Taldàna, spreads to other ports

(Tal) Second Renaissance, 416-483 DR

• 534 DR, 4/2— ER; (Tal) Kyrm Or’Amra Theater Fire, hundreds perish

(Tal) Third Renaissance, 620-652 DR

• 643 DR, 4/3010 ER; (Tal) Elésea, Consort of Mēol, becomes High Priestess of Amra

(Dek) The Empire War, 653-present DR

• 653 DR, 4/3020 ER; (Tal) High Priestess receives declaration from High Lord of Oð
• 653 DR, 4/3020 ER; (Tal) Night of the Burning Ships in Kre Tàldana
• 653 DR, 4/3020 ER; (Tal) Battle of Shalvàsal (Sar)

Dynasties

Dekàlan

• First Taldàni House of Amra (220 HK – 1246 HK)

Post-Dekàlan

• Second Taldàni House of Amra (106 DR – present)

Nomenclature: Taldana Dekàlic: Taldàna (place), Taldàni (pertaining to), Taldànyn (resident), Taldànyr (people), Taldànic (language)