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Orleron
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The Kurathene Empire

Post by Orleron » Sat Nov 22, 2003 4:37 pm

Once the grandest and largest nation on Avlis, the Kurathene Empire is now a broken shell of its former glory. The history of the empire is generally divided into four periods: The Early Period, The Mortal Period, The Kurathene Period, and The Dark Period.

The Early Period, 500 Pre-war thru 200 Pre-war

When Mikon created the humans of Avlis, they managed to spread out on the planet very quickly. One particular people, called the Romini, were particularly good at spreading. When they reached the plains of what would be the empire, they found a land with fertile soil and wide open spaces, populated with all kinds of grazing herd animals which they would eventually domesticate.

These people found that making a living on this land was relatively easy for larger populations, and in two particular areas, one in the center of the landmass and one towards the south, there were large rivers coming out of the mountains to the east, and these served as a means of sustenance as well.

Over a relatively quick period of time, roughly 100 years, these humans were able to spread over most of the area, even into the far northern tundra. At the same time the humans were spreading through this area, another race was also making its way there, the dracon. The humans and the dracon immediately set off on a peaceful relationship upon meeting. The dracon were hard workers and very organized worshippers of the god Toran. The humans were very hardy and intelligent worshippers of Mikon, though they were not nearly as steadfast in their religious ways as the dracon. Together, the two races began to create settlements throughout the area.

During this time period there was no major overlying organization to these peoples. They did not see themselves as a nation, but rather as a collection of related peoples living over a wide plain.



The Mortal Period, 200 Pre-war thru 15 Post-war

For a time, these peoples lived in peace without the need for greater organization, however with the beginning of the Fairy War that would change. The Fairy War was a strange war as far as they go, because the fairies of O'Ma and Titania did not have any particular country or land area that they each lived in. Fairies are indigenous to all areas of Avlis, both on water and on land, and they spread even faster than the humans when all of their species are taken into account as a whole. So when this war began, every country in the world found itself stuck with large clashes between the two kinds of fairies right in their own backyards. Many innocent bystanders among the humans and dracon perished in this clash before anything was done about it.

However, finally something was to be done. The dracon of this new land insisted that all of them unite and organize against the fairies, as their other dracon brethren had done to the south in what is now known as Toran Shaarda, the land of the dracon. Not being the type to want to lead, if they could help it, the dracon wanted to organize under a human leadership which would systematically put an end to the fairy conflicts on their soil. Reluctantly, the humans agreed. A large gathering of all the towns and settlements of the plains was formed, and after a long discussion aided by the dracon, they agreed to unite into one entity for the purpose of protecting themselves against the fairies. There was some disagreement about how long this unity would last. Some thought that they were actually forming a nation, while others believed that the unity was more like a mutual protection pact that would expire if and when the Fairy War ended. That disagreement was glossed over, and the humans picked a leader named Tomil Kurath, and he received the title of Overseer.

Tomil Kurath's job was not easy. From these loosely aligned peoples and species, he tacked together an army, which he had trained by the dracon. He also founded a new settlement towards the center of the plains area, where he could base this army and have them respond rapidly to any threat. For 20 years he reigned as overseer, and in those 20 years he became very highly regarded for his work. Fairy clashes were almost non-existent in his lands at the end of his reign, and the peoples of the settlements were all thankful to call him their leader. Like all men, Tomil Kurath became old and passed away at a ripe age, yet the Fairy War still raged. 25 years was the blink of an eye to those longer lived races, and the war still had to be dealt with. Thus, Tomil Kurath's son, Mantith, came to power.

Mantith was actually elected and condoned by the settlements, for he was the next most qualified person for the job. Over his reign, he took measures to increase the rapidity of repsonse of the army to situations by building roads out of his father's settlement, now called Centerpoint. The glory of his reign lasted another 15 years, until he died an untimely death while intervening in an attack by the O'Ma fairies on a Titanian settlement. To this point, the Kurath's had ruled for 40 years, and the word "Overseer" was disappearing from the short memory of the humans and dracon. Most people just called their leader "The Kurath", and by the time two more Kurath sons had succeeded their father, the leader was simply given the name "Kuras".

The Fairy War went on for another 60 years (and 6 Kuras leaders) after the death of Mantith. The only reprieve came at the beginning of the Great War, which started when the orcs assaulted the fairies of both sides. The Great War was somewhat of a nonentity for the reigning Kuras, because it was brewing on the opposite side of the continent. In reality, its outbreak was seen as a good thing in the newly formed Kurathene Republic, which formed during the same year. Upon the first agressions of the Great War, the fairies immediately stopped fighting one another, and this produced a calm over the entire plains nation, for they no longer had to deal with keeping their land free of bloodshed. This marked a golden era for that country because it gave them time to form a new government and to grow their economy and culture. They were no longer a struggling mass of settlements trying to keep safe from two factions that warred around them. They were now a nation with a well-established and well-trained army, and they were ready to grow out of their defensive war mentality.

The Kurathene Republic blazed new trails in government for its day. Up to that point, each settlement had no real say in matters of the whole, because everything was dealt with militarily. Those settlements that produced more soldiers had more say, so long as it did not go against the orders of the top military commander who was the Kuras. Now things were different. There was peace, and each settlement began to see its own small identity as a part of the whole. They desired to help steer the direction of the new Republic so its resources could be maximized and they could be at their best. From this idea came a new system whereby each settlement picked a leader to represent them, and all of those leaders sat on the Kurathene Council, which worked closely in deciding matters alongside the Kuras himelf. In addition to the Council, the Church of Toran became an influential power, for as time went on, control of the military shifted from the Kuras, to them. Essentially, the Church of Toran was made to run the military and report directly to the Kuras, instead of the Kuras having to run it all himself, because there was little time to run both the military and the Republic.

For about 50 years, and 4 Kuras leaders, this system was allowed to develop into a solid government, and it was now looking as if many of the Council positions were becoming hereditary, a trend that would continue in the years to come. This organization of government peaked right at the time the Great War reached the borders of the Republic. The new nation would now spend the next 150 years trying to keep that war out of their borders. They remained a neutral party throughout, and catered to both sides in trade, which made them very rich.

75 years after the war began, there were many minor skirmishes with the orcs and the other races involved in the war. People in the Republic were getting a bit tired of the fighting, but their sense of neturality prevailed by a thread, mainly because of the worship of Mikon by the humans. Mikon saw the war against the orcs as unbalanced, and when he created the evil dragons to smooth out the sides a little, the humans of the Republic were blamed for it by the elves and dwarves. This made for even icier relations with their neighbors.

Around this time, a new Kuras came to power, and his name was Joral Kuras. Joral was a great warrior, and took every chance he could get to wade into battle wherever it was found within his borders. For a few years, he reigned effectively and managed to preserve the order of things in the Republic, but his distaste for the Council was well known. He saw them as an obstacle for organization rather than an aide.

Then disaster struck. The orc mages, who were now all concentrated in an area just south of the Republic, decided to make a last ditch effort to save their people from being driven into the sea by unleashing an evocation spell of great power. When the spell backfired and caused an explosion unlike any other seen on Avlis before or since, the effect on the Republic was devastating. The landscape was scarred, and tens of thousands of citizens of the Republic were incinerated or worse.

Joral Kuras was wounded in that explosion, but he survived. However, the chaos that was to follow within his realm was not as easy as what just happened. A large number of the southern and eastern province leaders were engaged in a party that day, and the explosion wiped them out. This sent many of the provinces into anarchy. Many blamed Joral for not stopping the explosion. Others just wanted to know why he did not catch wind of it and warn people, even if he couldn't stop it.

Through a long series of events, most of those leaderless provinces broke away from the Republic. This instability led other provinces in the North and West also to seceed. Joral Kuras was left with nothing but a small concentration of powerful provinces around Centerpoint. This confusion also had a bad effect on the dracon, for they were unsure which way to go, and which side to take. They weren't concerned so much about who was right or wrong. They were just confused as to what action to take for their armies and how to divide them up.

Joral Kuras was determined to reunite the Republic, but in his own way. His first step was to placate the dracon. He did this by taking on the worship of Toran, and publically declaring Toran, and not Mikon, to be the god of HIS nation. All of the dracon now had a rallying point, and many of the humans, who were very angry with what Mikon had let happen, were also convinced to follow Kuras for this. Joral renamed Centerpoint, calling it Kuras, after his title, and he declared it to be the new capitol of the nation he was about to build. Those who followed Joral on this crusade adored him, and took up his rallying cry.

Slowly, over the next 15 years, Joral reconquered the entire former area of the Republic. His armies of dracon and humans swept through the meager defenses of the provinces. Each conquered province was placed under the control of a vassal who was loyal to Kuras and Kuras alone. The vassals swore fealty to Kuras, and vowed to uphold his rule.

When it was all over, Joral Kuras was an Immortal who controlled the entire plains, and he declared himself Emperor of the new Kurathene Empire, with Toran as its patron god. Thus begins the Kurathene Period.


The Kurathene Period, 15 Post-war thru 1825 Post-war

The Kurathene Period is too lengthy to go into here. In short, Emperor Kuras was the sole immortal ruler of the Empire, and he stayed in power the whole time. As a leader, he was very stern, but not oppresive. He allowed people their freedoms, but he insisted that they be loyal to him. Vassals became full nobles in this period, and their hereditary lines were preserved as best as possible. Kuras always made sure that he let them accumulate their own wealth and power, while still remaining his underlings. At various times, noble families were replaced when they got out of hand.

Meanwhile, Kuras tried to gain power for himself. He was disturbed that his lands were surrounded by nations that were too well-entrenched to take over, however, he also was wise enough to realize that owning those nations would not get him anything but a group of unwilling citizens for the most part. So Kuras did not venture forth much out of his own lands, and instead concentrated on personal power by collecting valuable objects of art, magic, and assorted treasures.

One particular artifact which he obtained after great adventure was a sceptre of immense power. Its name was Godslayer, for it was rumored to have the ability to banish a god's influence from the land. The sceptre became his right of office, and his most prized possession.

Unfortunately, such a powerful artifact is not without a price. The magic of his artifact only served to increase his lust for power, and to ascend himself to a position alongside the major gods.... or even above them. Many of the gods were concerned about this, though only O'Ma was brave enough to send an avatar to retrieve the sceptre from Kuras. Unfortunately, O'Ma lost the encounter. In the fight that ensued, Kuras hit O'Ma withe sceptre and drove his influence from the world, driving the fairy population and O'Ma's faithful into darkness.

The chaos that followed that event alerted many people, and one of them was a very powerful mage named Nemeril. It is not known where Nemeril came from, or even if he was of this world, but Nemeril was able to slay Kuras and take the sceptre. Along with the sceptre, he took Kuras' throne and declared himself Emperor of the Kurathene. Thus ended the Kurathene Period.


The Dark Period

The Empire was under Nemeril for maybe a day and a half. For owning a device of that magnitude gains one many powerful foes. In that one day, Nemeril fought no fewer than 5 opponents who would have the sceptre. The last one was a powerful mortal named Angadar. The limits of his power were not certain, but it was known that in addition to his formidable magical ability, Angadar was possessed with substantial mental powers, as well as some peculiar dragon-like qualities that no one was certain of their origin. Nemeril and Angadar fought in the City of Kuras, and the battle brought down the Palace, levelling it. In the end, Angadar was victorious and claimed the sceptre as his own.

The retainers around him then declared him Emperor, for they were leaderless and needed someone to follow, however Angadar refused the throne. He did not want to be an Emperor... he had other plans.

Through another series of events, Angadar was forced to return the sceptre to the gods. He also brought back O'Ma to Avlis, and made an enemy of Titania in doing so.

The Empire now had no leader, and no one strong enough to ascend the ruined throne. Squabbling between the provinces erupted for Kuras had no heirs. Soon, all out war broke free, and the fiefdoms of the Empire split into smaller vassallships.

These independent fiefdoms still vie for control of the empire to this day, but none has been strong enough to unite them once again.
"Truth has no form."
--Idries Shah
Orleron
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Post by Orleron » Sat Dec 04, 2004 6:18 am

The Kurathene Empire
Compiled by Nob

The largest nation on Avlis, the Kurathene Empire stretches across the vast northwestern plains and into the western reaches of the Deglosian Mountains, occupying roughly a quarter of the continent. The nation can greatly be divided into six regions based on borders and geographic features, most notably split via the Nomad River and climate: The Sorraine Expanse, Trenaine Peninsula, Medec Basin, Cytherian Frontier, Epillus Steppe and the Braccien Champaign.

Although formerly the most powerful, prosperous nation on Avlis, the modern Empire is little more than a shadow of its former glory, a collection of squabbling nation-states formerly owing allegiance to the Imperial Crown. While various efforts to reunite the Empire have been attempted over the last two centuries the lack of a clear charismatic figure comparable to Joral Kuras and questionable claims to the crown have marked the failure of each attempt. (For further information see: Civil Wars of Kurathene 1825-1997, va?Harle, Julius, circa 1999)

Demographics
The inhabitants of Kurathene are predominantly human, concentrated primarily along the banks of the Nomad River, the shores of Amelede Bay and around Lake Mantith, an artificial lake dug in the middle of the Medec Basin. Large populations of wemics and dracon also exist, but they are more geographically limited, wemics to the Braccien Champaign, dracon primarily in the Sorraine Expanse. In the cities of Kalion, Medec and Brescant there are a sizeable number of elves primarily immigrated from the Seven Cities as well as a relatively large orcish population near Crullath. Dwarves and gnomes are also known to inhabit border regions though the numbers that actually consider themselves Kurathene are small. Shaashek are rarely if ever seen in Kurathene due to long-standing racial animosity between noble families and their Drotid counterparts. (See also: Kurathene Imperial Census, Imperial Order of Toran, 1817)

Despite the fall of Joral Kuras, the predominant faith in Kurathene is still the Church of Toran, who have a strong contingent of worshippers both human and dracon. Religious diversity tends to expand as one moves away from the city of Kuras, with the southern ends of the Champaign particularly fruitful in diversity, ranging from Mikon to Hurine. Other strong religions in the region include Senath, Ingoren and Vorin.

Lingering prejudices however, remain for Angadar, Valok and The?ton, while worship of Maleki and Aarilax are often outright banned in public life. Dru?El and Forian are tolerated within most circles, though their worship is subdued and practically non-existant and generally frowned upon. (For further information see: Religions of Kurathene, Delancey, Sir Vergil, Imperial Press, 1978)

Geography
While the terrain of Kurathene is relatively diverse, there are several notable features that are shared within the nation geographically. Grassy plains and flat lands are generally the dominant feature of the land, with a very small number of mountainous regions.

Two major rivers dot the landscape, the Methran River to the south which connects southern Kurathene with Brekon and the Nomad River to the north, which formerly was the basis for borders between administrative districts and the singular boon to the Kurathene economy and commerce.

The Nomad flows from two principle sources: Lake Hurine to the west and Lake Mantith to the east, meeting near the city of Kuras to form the main length of the river. The western branch is known as the Lower Nomad, while the tributary from Mantith is often called the Gypsy. The Lower Nomad further splits into an artificial tributary known as the Wanderer, which connects through a series of canals to Lake Mantith.

The Methran River, named after Lord Methran Arvanos, forms the border between Kurathene and Brekon, a naturally wide river which irrigates an otherwise relatively arid region. The river splits into three various tributaries, the Upper Methran, the Lower Methran and the Orcsbane. ((River names are guesswork, the description for the Spritesblood doesn?t seem to fit this particular river, hence these names. The Brekonese obviously would have different names.))

The climate of Kurathene is notoriously unpredictable; it may for example be scorching hot and sweltering in Brescant, while snowing in the northern reaches of Lomar. In general the vast size of the plains obscures the massive variation in weather that often occurs between regions, travelers often only experiencing one type of weather if they happen to travel along with it. It can however be generally divided along the geographic regions as follows:

Sorraine Expanse ? The weather is often temperate and mild through nine months of the year, with the winter months being extremely harsh and dry. Spring and summer bring about relatively unpredictable shifts in temperature, but the region lacks any extreme weather patterns.

Trenaine Peninsula ? Known for its propensity for strong winds and rainy autumns, the Peninsula is temperate, with relatively unstable weather but predictable temperatures from early spring to late summer. Autumns bring the storm seasons from both the North Sea and Amelede Bay, along with gale force winds. The often changing nature of the weather has made discussions of it a popular pastime in the city of Kalion.

Medec Basin ? Characterized by its warmth and stability, the Basin has perhaps the most pleasant weather of any region in Kurathene. Foul weather, particularly in the form of flash rains and lake effect storms are concentrated in the winter months, giving a good, stable yield on crops during the spring and summer.

Cytherian Frontier ? Harsh and unrelenting, the Frontier can widely be split into two seasons, the comfortable, sunny summer months and the blistering cold winter which if predictable is often defined with heavy snowfall and consistently cold temperatures.

Epillus Steppe ? Defined by a relatively arid climate, the Steppe is known for its dry summer months and wildly fluctuating temperature during the winter, where it can often go from scorching to freezing in the space of a few hours.

Braccien Champaign ? With the ocean on one side and the Nomad River on the other, the Champaign is known for its predictable, reliable and pleasant weather, with only narrow changes through-out the year. While somewhat cooler than the Medec Basin, the winter months in the Champaign are somewhat more manageably dry.
(See also: A Practical Atlas of Kurathene, Imperial Press, 1632)
"Truth has no form."
--Idries Shah
Orleron
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Post by Orleron » Sat Dec 04, 2004 6:20 am

A Timeline of Kurathene
Compiled by Nob
((Author?s note, the timeline used is the one established by Orleron at: viewtopic.php?t=17235 which in certain minor respects marks a slight difference between the history depicted in World Information. As the timeline is used as the overall basis of Avlissian history, all attempts have been used to use it as the yardstick and reconcile small elements of the post which don?t entirely mesh.))


4th Century P.O.D.
? 316 P.O.D. ? A military alliance under joint human-dracon administration is established to help protect Western coastal settlements.
? 315 P.O.D. ? Tomil Kurath is elected the first overseer of the military alliance. He immediately establishes the settlement of Centerpoint which is to serve as his base of operations.
? 306 P.O.D. ? Tomil Kurath decisively puts down a fairy clash in his territory at Aledia Plain, marking an end to fairy clashes in the region for the next decade.

3rd Century P.O.D.
? 294 P.O.D. ? Tomil Kurath dies of natural causes. His son Mantith Kurath is elected to the position of Overseer as he is considered the best candidate for the job.
? 292-284 P.O.D. ? Road construction initiative begins near Centerpoint spearheaded by Mantith Kurath?s efforts.
? 279 P.O.D. ? Mantith Kurath is killed when an O?Ma fairy group attacks a Titanean settlement near the Sorraine Expanse. He is succeeded by his son Alegius Kurath.
? 265 P.O.D. ? Alegius Kurath is assassinated by a Titanean korred while investigating claims of cattle disappearances near the Tyedu border. Alegius? young son Vergil Kurath is selected to replace his late father.
? 257 P.O.D. ? Vergil Kurath enacts the Fairy Banishment law, forcing all fey to settle outside of a twenty mile radius from each Kurathene settlement. Records from the period show the first use of ?The Kurath? as a title, showing the decline of the title Overseer for a position that was all but hereditary.
? 240 P.O.D. ? Replacing his father, Josias Kuras (the first to use the ?Kuras? surname,) succeeds the Kurath title. The league is officially renamed the Kurathene League during Josias? short but eventful reign.
? 232 P.O.D. ? Josias Kuras is killed during an abortive Fairy attack upon Centerpoint, while no one group of fey is ever implicated, the Dracon push for his successor, Grantil Kuras to genuinely attempt to enforce Vergil?s banishment law.
? 221 P.O.D. ? Grantil Kuras dies of old age (though some have suggested he was killed by fey magic), and is replaced by his son Lucien Kuras. Lucien rapidly begins to solidify the League?s structure by creating more benefits for service within the military.

2nd Century P.O.D.
? 197 P.O.D. ? Lucien Kuras convenes the first Kurathene Republican Council in the wake of a full fledged eruption of war between fey. Considered to be the first beginnings of Republican government, the convention disperses after six months.
? 195 P.O.D. ? Answering the deadline set by Lucien Kuras the Second Kurathene Republican Council gathers in Centerpoint. Unlike the previous Kurathene Council, this group is freshly elected from the various provinces. The very first act the assembly takes is to ratify the Republican charter officially forming the Kurathene Republic.
? 192 P.O.D. ? Kurathene Republic begins tax collection duties and development of the city of Centerpoint. The mass immigration of aristocratic government officials leads to a massive growth in the city as it attracts thousands more artisans and merchants seeking to capitalize on the new market.
? 179 P.O.D. ? Lucien Kuras dies at the age of 87. The issue of succession is voted upon in the Kurathene Council Lucien?s great grandson Illian Kuras is elected the next Kurath of the Republic.
? 175 P.O.D. ? Illian Kuras passes a new law with overwhelming support by the Kurathene Council, splitting the nation into nine administrative districts. First Consular elections are held.
? 134 P.O.D. ? Willard Kuras replaces Illian Kuras, who is driven insane by fey magic while attempting to intervene in a trade dispute along the Galdosian border.
? 130 P.O.D. ? Willard Kuras officially cedes parts of the military control to local consuls and their Church of Toran representatives. This begins a gradual trend of weakening the Kurath?s military standing until Joral Kuras? rise a hundred years later.
? 102 P.O.D. ? Willard Kuras dies while bathing in the Nomad River during an annual fertility festival. His great-nephew Patricius Kuras ascends to the title of the Kurath.

1st Century P.O.D.
? 99 P.O.D. ? 60 P.O.D. ? The Republican Reign of Peace. Spurred the onset of the Great War, the Kurathene Republic gains general stability as fairy clashes within its borders vanish. In order to indulge in his hobbies of art and music, Patricius Kuras ignores his consuls? advice to take a more active part in the war.
? 59 P.O.D. ? Patricius Kuras dies in his sleep shortly after attending an orcish opera performance. His grandson Harrik Kuras ascends to the rank of Kurath and begins a more proactive military campaign to keep the war out of the Republic.
? 13 P.O.D. ? Harrik Kuras is killed during a border skirmish with orcish forces retreating towards Brekon. His son Joral Kuras, a young man of a mere 17 years of age comes to power as the Kurath.
? 6 P.O.D. ? Battle of Divalok River. Lord Methran Arvanos prevents an orcish advance into southern Kurathene. Kurath Joral Kuras makes Methran Arvanos Lord Protector of Kurathene.

1st Century
? Y.O.D. - Orcish Destruction, Joral Kuras is wounded by the evocation spell. Roughly two thirds of the Kurathene Council is killed in the subsequent explosion; including such dignitaries such as Methran Arvanos, Tomil Crullath and Lucien Barre.
? 2 ? Southeastern provinces of Galoria, Verrain, Pallicium and Ellyius secede from the Republic under the control of self-proclaimed Lord Alexius Korfael.
? 4 ? Seeing the success of the Southeastern provinces, the northern provinces of Amatis, Deneve, Conslet, Aledia and Mysilia secede from the Republic forming the Hyribian League. Joral Kuras is left with a handful of loyal forces around Centerpoint.
? 5 ? Joral Kuras, finally recovered from his injuries sustained during the Orcish Destruction declares that Toran, not Mikon will be the patron of his nation, rallying the dracon to his cause.
? 7 ? Joral Kuras wins a decisive victory against the self-appointed King Alexius Korfael at the third battle of Lesser Galoria Hill, secures the Southeastern provinces and has the still neutral consuls of Bracentia and Caliaze join his forces, providing desperately needed money and food to continue his war effort.
? 11 ? A force lead by a Sir Vergil Maritius and Lord Xarius Tyuelan prevent Lord Bacius Hyribian from capturing Centerpoint despite a three to one disadvantage in numbers.
? 12 ? Lord Duccius Kirkun, Lord Willard Al?Aere, and Lord Warren Alaran lead an army of 80,000 men to capture the provinces of Conslet and Aledia, while Joral Kuras commanding an army of 93,000 forces Fort Denevier in Deneve to capitulate.
? 13 ? More neutral territories, notably Cytheria and Liandyra join Joral Kuras after he defeats an army of 53,000 with just 42,000 forces at the Battle of Amelede Bay.
? 15 ? Joral Kuras secures victory over the Hyribian League by defeating the combined Hyribian army near the Nomad River Delta. The Imperial Republic of Kurathene is established as Joral Kuras and the remaining eight consuls sign the Imperial Constitution. The city of Centerpoint is officially renamed Kuras in honor of the new Emperor.
? 17 ? The Nine Prefects of Kurathene are knighted as the Most Noble Royal Order of Kuras, signifying their social position as Kuras? prized retainers. The Order is henceforth reserved for descendants of the Nine Prefects and is considered the highest honour bestowed in Kurathene.
? 19 ? Kirkun Academy is established in Kuras. Imperial Council passes law that requires all martial academies to be licensed by the crown.
? 34 ? First minor skirmishes occur at the Tyedu border. Reasons for the barbarian incursions are left unknown.
? 52 ? Second Imperial Council convenes. The Blue Order from the Fold of Eight begins active participate in consular matters
? 60 ? Republican Guard is formerly established as a permanent force. The Guard grows in size over the next century due to its plebeian nature and the prospect of land ownership to well serving officers.
? 79 ? Illian Martial Academy is formed in Isslius. The school is known for its aggressive tactics and mentality, clashing with the better established Kirkun Academy.
? 84 ? Joral Derrik Kirkun, grandson of Duccius Kirkun is killed in a duel with Gradyn Illian, sparking a feud between the Illian Martial Academy and the Kirkun Academy. Dueling becomes a popular hobby amongst consulari militia, staking claim to their superiority over the Republican Guard.

2nd Century
? 160 ? First Tyeduan War erupts along Cytherian border, when Kurathene prospectors attempt to annex tribal lands.
? 170 ? The Kirkun/Illian feud escalates as the head of both academies are killed while competing in front of the Imperial Council. The two schools actively begin fighting in the streets of Kuras.
? 175 ? A large contingent of disgruntled Isslian militiamen (All students of the Illian school) attempt to ransack the Kirkun Academy. Republican Guard is forced to intervene.
? 176 ? Kuras passes dueling reforms, curtailing dueling rights to nobles, while strongly admonishing the Illian Academy.
? 180 ? The Kurathene Empire is established as the Imperial Council signs the Second Imperial Constitution of Kurathene. The First Tyeduan War comes to a close shortly thereafter. All Consular armies are disbanded as the Imperial Army is formally established.
? 195 ? Kuras formally establishes the Imperial Order of Toran as the overarching authority in Kurathene, formalizing the power structure written into the Second Constitution. The Order consists primarily of veterans from the Republican Guard.

3rd Century
? 215 ? Bi-centennial celebration of Kuras? coronation is celebrated by the greatest artisan festival in history.
? 236 ? Peerage Act of 236: Noble titles and holdings are reorganized into a uniform series of guidelines set by the Prefects.
? 261 ? City of Kuras census records the population at one million, making it the most populous city on the continent.
? 280 ? Order of the Sword established on 100th anniversary of the Empire. This chivalric order is meant to distinguish individual service from the Imperial Order of Toran.
? 295 ? Senath, the son of Toran is given the mantle of strategy. Several prominent members of the Imperial Order, chief among them Prefect Aliscius Sidonius Tochi?larian convert to the new lesser god of strategy. Legislation is passed to permit Senathites into the Imperial Order, with the notable exception of law enforcement duties.

4th Century
? 315 ? In response to Dubunat?s increased naval raids, the Imperial Navy is formerly established by Imperial decree.
? 327 ? The?ton begins raids against Kurathene overland convoys.
? 349 ? Kuras begins first offensive into Dubunat, aimed at ending convoy raids and retaking the water ways into the continent.
? 353 ? Withdrawal from Dubunat due to a harsh stalemate, dwindling supplies and lack of popular support at home.

5th Century
? 402 ? The City of Kuras reaches a total population of over two million.
? 405 ? Salvian Duminas is given a Crown License to open his University of Swordplay. The school is immensely popular with the rising ranks of Senath worshippers.
? 428 ? First Imperial Order Competition is held in Brescant. Held every 3 years, between each prefecture with the host city altering between capitols, this massive competition of martial tenacity becomes a hallmark of Kurathene culture.

6th Century
? 507 ? Kuras begins the first of his major construction projects. Lake Mantith, a huge man-made water-table twenty miles in diameter in southern Kurathene in a dryer area between the rivers Nomad and Valok.
? 525 ? Earth work on Lake Mantith is completed. The excavated earth is used to create an artificial peak named Tomil Ridge.
? 548 ? Blue Order along with a small contingent of T?Nanshi druids begins a long process to fill and populate Lake Mantith.

7th Century
? 615 ? On the three hundredth anniversary of the Imperial Navy?s establishment, the Admiralty is moved to the port fortress of Kalion from its original location in Kuras. Going from caravels to carracks, the Imperial Navy at this point numbers over four hundred ships and forty thousand personnel.
? 627 ? City of Brescant on the Western Coast of Kurathene becomes the first prefecture capitol to have a population over one hundred thousand.
? 671 ? Kurathene Merchant Marine Fleet is established by Imperial decree, creating a national merchant fleet to better help the country compete in matters of trade. The organization is placed under the Kuras Prefect, Lord Lucien Kirkun.
? 697 ? The first galleons are commissioned by the Kurathene Merchant Marine Fleet. Replacing the aging caravels being used for mercantile purposes, the galleons provide Imperial trade captains with unmatched range and capability.

8th Century
? 706 ? Kuras establishes the Imperial Legion of Architects, a specialized sub-division of the Imperial Army meant for major construction work, who is placed under the supervision of the Blue Order. Much of its membership consists of dracon.
? 708 ? ILA is assigned their first major task of creating a road system that connects all major cities of the Empire.
? 727 ? Under the direction of Prefect Orpheon Kirkun, the Imperial Legion of Architects begins the task of maintaining a navigation channel through the length of the Nomad River capable of sustaining galleon sized trade vessels.
? 745 ? Imperial Legion of Architects complete the Nomad Navigation Channel, the first vessel, the 1400 ton HMS Majesty of Kuras (34) successfully navigates the channel from Amelede bay into Lake Hurine without incident and in record time.

9th Century
? 820 - 827 ? Second Tyeduan War, Kuras personally leads an army that drives the barbarian tribes from the western peninsula.
? 845 ? Imperial Army reform, ranks are subdivided and pensions are provided rather than land.
? 850 - 875 ? Border skirmishes with Drotid, over slaving parties sneaking across the Hammerfist Rift.
? 878 ? Severing of diplomatic ties with Drotid over slave asylum. Kuras declares all slaves within his Empire to be free.

10th Century
? 946 ? Imperial Army creates a series of fortifications along the edge of the Hammerfist Rift to prevent Drotid slaving parties from entering Kurathene.
? 975 ? Year regarded as the formal start of the ?golden age? of the Empire.

11th Century
? 1037 ? Annual census confirms that Caliaze is the first prefecture to reach a population of ten million.
? 1056 ? Penal colony and major naval base established on the island of Sargone in Amelede Bay, an experiment established by the Imperial Order, it is meant to orient criminals in a manner consistent with Toran?s Plan.
? 1078 ? City of Kuras population increases to three million, due to immigration from M?Chek.

12th Century
? 1157 ? Total population of the nation of Kurathene reaches eighty million.
? 1175 ? Imperial Council opens the area around Lake Mantith for settlement, as population in Epillycia grows to nearly twelve million.

13th Century
? 1212 ? Imperial Council orders the digging of a tributary that connects Lake Mantith to the Nomad River.
? 1250 ? As the population along Lake Mantith grows, a centralized city begins to develop on the marshlands. Kuras orders a more detailed canal way to be created.
? 1275 ? The city of Medec is incorporated as the capitol of the new province. Named for the Flare word for trade ?mede?, the city is based around a complex network of canals.

14th Century
? 1320 ? Joral Kuras begins preparations for landing a massive invasion force in Dubunat consisting of five full armies. Due to the extreme logistical needs of over one and a half million troops, the construction of sufficient transport ships takes nearly five years.
? 1326 ? Kuras arrives in Brekon with his assembled force of three armies, while Lord Blarent Kale Tochi?larian lands with a force of two armies near the southern Dubunat border.
? 1330 ? While Kuras is busy fighting a war to the south, the barbarian hordes of Tyedu invade Cytheria and the Frontier, sparking the Third Tyedu War. Barbarian forces quickly drive the ill-prepared Imperial army out of the frozen tundra.
? 1336 ? Lead by Legate Martial Sir Michael Lomar, the Kurathene Imperial Army manages to retake the former prefecture of Cytheria. Replacing the exiled Isilwynde family, Kuras promotes Lomar to the position and title of Prefect. Cytherian province of Mysilia is renamed Lomar. Kuras reinforces Cytheria by withdrawing from Dubunat.
? 1339 ? Kuras stages a massive counter-invasion into Liandyra, driving out the remaining Tyeduan forces.
? 1345 ? Imperial Order establishes the stronghold of Halstead in the northeastern corner of Liandyra.

15th Century
? 1447 ? A massive joint economic project between Deglos and Kurathene along the Hammerfist Rift is begun.
? 1460 ? Several temples to Fegall are opened throughout the Empire, as the cultural and economic exchange with Deglos bears more fruit. Senath and Toran also gain temples in Deglos.
? 1475 ? The va?Lucien family is officially made viscount of Medec, with family head Reinhart va?Lucien taking the name Reinhart D?Medican 1st Viscount Medec.

16th Century
? 1532 ? Peerage Reformation Act, aimed to curtail debt holders from having titles, several old families abdicate their titles while wealthy families both foreign and domestic purchase several titles. Among these families is the house va?Lorien of eastern Epillycia.
? 1540 ? Construction of Percivian?s Wall begins in northern Liandyra low lands meant to keep out any vestiges of barbarian activity.
? 1580 ? Kuras returns from his hiatus with a mysterious artifact later identified as Godslayer. Blue Order is tasked with research, suspending their engineering efforts throughout the Empire.

17th Century
? 1693 ? Emancipation Act passed by Kuras, declaring that all human slaves found aboard slave ships are to be freed regardless of origin.
? 1697 ? Following on the Emancipation Act, the Imperial Navy arranges to keep several frigates on permanent station from Port Nireth to patrol for slave galleys.
? 1699 ? Drotid demands the withdrawal of all ships from the area near their territorial waters, which is received by a curt refusal by Joral Kuras.

18th Century
? 1703 ? Grand Tenth of August: the Imperial Navy defeats an armada of Drotid slave ships off the eastern coast of Drotid.
? 1739 ? Second Emancipation Act, all Imperial Navy vessels are granted immunity from piracy laws if they stop suspected slavers. A bounty of one half-Crona per head is established for the prize courts. (Roughly equal to one Andarran Guinea at the time). Nireth garrison reinforced to half a dozen frigates and three ships of the line.
? 1740 ? Lord Tornel Arvanos is made Prefect of Bracentia, after Darren Alaran is killed on assignment to the Marches. The Alaran name is taken by a branch of the Tochi?larian family and borders are shifted to better reflect the new title adjustments.

19th Century
? 1825 ? Joral Kuras is slain by Nemeril. The Empire is suddenly left without a leader as various factions begin vying for control. Seeing the destruction of caused, O?ma attempts to retrieve Godslayer from Nemeril, only to have his avatar banished.
? 1832 ? Preying on the confusion stemming from Kuras? death, an army assembled by the Consul of Sorraine and Consul of Epillycia make an attack on the city of Kuras. Senathites banished from the city of Kuras as a result.
? 1847 ? Lord Revel Crullath assassinates Consul Mantith Illian beginning the Isslian Civil War.
? 1853 ? Hydel D?Medican asserts the independence of the province of Medec when Epillycian Consul Patricius D?Epillus attempts to annex the city as a tributary.
? 1862 ? Archduke Michael Soragen (Former Consul Sorraine) is attacked by opportunist relatives, sparking the Sorraine Conflict.
? 1875 ? Sorraine Conflict ends with the mysterious assassination of all members of the Soragen family.
? 1876 ? The Great Mutiny of ?76, the Imperial Navy fractures due to several well placed bribes amongst unemployed flag personnel. Port Nireth station is abolished.
? 1877 ? Epillycia splinters into warring factions, as Consul Patricius D?Epillus and his family are killed. Duchy of Aridor established and allies with the City of Kuras, forming a buffer zone around the Imperial Capital.
? 1881 ? Popular revolution in the city of Soreign lead by lower ranking Imperial Order members imposes a large-scale heavily moderated Toran inspired government resembling draconic society. The situation quickly degenerates as nobles, no longer considered necessary are often either exiled or executed.
? 1884 ? Tri-Fief War. Trenium, Julaspium and Caliaze fall into a state of conflict after the latter two states attempt to capitalize on their gains in the Mutiny of ?76.
? 1895 ? Caliazian Civil War. A military coup d?etat is attempted as the Tri-Fief war drags on. The coup is supported by Trenium?s prefect as a means of ending the war.
? 1898 ? Treaty of Brescant. Joral Arvanos III moderates the talks which result in the annexation of much of Julaspium?s Nomad River territory by Trenium and the confirmation of the new military government of Caliaze.

20th Century
? 1906 ? Trenium War of Succession. Carius Dama Tochi?larian disputes his brother, Aedinius Sidonius Tochi?larian?s claim to the consulship of Trenium, allying with displaced Caliazian nobility.
? 1916 ? Second Tri-Fief War. Caliaze and Julaspium attempt to capitalize on the weakened state of Trenium?s military after its war of succession. Joral Arvanos IV intervenes on behalf of Trenium.
? 1930 ? Third Imperial Constitution Conference. Crullath disrupts the process, ending any further attempts at reunification through peaceful means.
? 1945 ? Arvanos, Lomar and Trenium sign into law the Third Emancipation Act. Arvanos begins enforcement along south-western Ocean.
? 1950 ? Arvanos-Crullath Conflict flairs into open hostility over Crullath?s slave trade.
? 1972 ? Crullath and Arvanos sign a ten year cease-fire. Joral Arvanos V abdicates his title in favor of his son Joral Arvanos VI.
? 1997 ? Third Tri-Fief War involving Crullath, Arvanos and Trenium over the governance of Caliaze.
"Truth has no form."
--Idries Shah
Orleron
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Post by Orleron » Tue Dec 14, 2004 6:17 pm

Societal Overview
compiled by Nob

An orderly society with a clear-cut caste system, the Kurathene Empire can largely be split into two castes; Patricians and Plebeians, which are then further subdivided into several sub-castes separated primarily by age and traditional occupations.

In effect this made Kurathene society an extremely class conscious nation, one filled with contradictions in liberties and privileges offered to its citizens based on birth yet with very little complaint on behalf of either caste. In many areas of public life, particularly military service and judicial legislation, most citizenry in fact took pleasure in serving under a man of higher birth taking it as a sign of their own importance. The fact that a specific type of knighthood award was labeled “Knight Patrician” speaks volumes about the importance of being elevated into this status in a military capacity.

This stems largely from a cultural belief in Toran’s grand plan; a theory which is derived from the beliefs of Joral Kuras himself, the idea that everyone, regardless of birth or societal station has a role to play in the grand scheme of civilization (and thus order) outlined by Toran. This was strongly reinforced during the intervening generations by a very strong concept of societal obligation amongst the nobility, creating an image of a protective, almost paternal figure of patricians over plebeian descent. (See also: Contemplations on Nobility, Halarvian, Dalias, Andarr National Press, 1983)

Patricians
Widely speaking the term “patrician” can refer to anyone born a relative of Kurathene peers, baronets and knighted soldiers. This was often more tightly defined as the direct possessor of peerage, his immediate family and the actual possessor of a baronet or a knight patrician of one of the chivalric orders. The term is used interchangeably with the word “noble” and those outside of the Empire often simply refer to any patrician as nobility without marking the distinction between a peer and a common-patrician.

Whereas land possession was widely regarded as one of the major distinctions of a patrician, it was never an official prerequisite, and in fact during the latter part of the Empire a great deal of both peers and knights no longer held any territory directly, often simply being paid either through government pensions or official donations from gentry.

Legally the status of patrician meant very little. All laws and regulations were to be followed regardless of birth status, and while peers had certain amounts of legal immunities from prosecution, these legal privileges do not extent to any other form of patrician class. What does however separate the patricians from the plebeians is their ability to achieve high office in Kurathene society.
Specifically the Second Imperial Constitution expressly limited promotion above the rank of Centurion Magnus to those of patrician birth, while local legislative authorities were in essence required to be land-owners in order to wield any effective authority. A patrician was also more likely to be qualified for high office in the legal arm of the Imperial Order simply by virtue of their increased patronage and educational opportunities over plebeians. (See also: Human Cultural Divides, Xiloscia, Tia, Avlis Tower Press, 2004)

Plebeians
Plebeians are largely split into four distinct classes: Unskilled Laborers, Artisans, Merchants and Gentry. The major distinctions between the four are made up primarily in three factors: education, labor and property-ownership.

This created a vast gulf between the various distinctions of plebeian society, so vastly different that in many respects most form of gentry are considered by their lower class counterparts of being the equivalent of patricians.

Although dependent upon the social norms of each specific prefecture, the standards of an unskilled laborer in Kurathene are relatively higher than a comparable position in M’Chek or Brekon. The majority of unskilled labor in Kurathene consists of tenant farmers, of which a good proportion of which are illiterate, but comparably more skilled than their M’Chekian counterparts due to efforts on behalf of land-owners to maximize the long-term viability of their lands. (This is often thought to be an effect of the hereditary, class conscious nature of Kurathene society emphasizing the continual line of families over simple short term gain.) The livelihood of these farmers tend to depend vastly upon the whim of their land lord; though the reform acts of 479, 1174, 1372 and 1673 have all established limits upon abuses conferred by local squires.

The next rung of the social ladder is occupied by the Artisan class, which traditionally includes everything from the military industry to as the name implies the artists of the ages. The government in turn often encourages this class’ growth by creating specific legal protections for artisans who have a viable apprenticeship program. Literacy amongst artisans is high, with a great emphasis placed on practical skills required for their chosen profession. One interesting side of the majority of original Artisans in Kurathene is that they were migrant Romini craftsmen, sought after by the local governments due to their wide variety of skills and techniques. In recent times this has been augmented by the importation of guilds almost in their entirety from locales such as Andarr and Deglos.

The merchants occupy an interesting part of the social ladder in Kurathene in that they’re the only class who are more dependent from without than they are from domestic matters. There exists a lingering amount of hostility towards merchants by the nobility and gentry, seeing their wealth as either ill-gained or done at the expense of traditional artisans and unskilled labor. On the other hand the central government of Kurathene often encouraged the growth of the mercantile classes, knowing the increased revenue from trade tariffs and taxation vastly outweighed the growth of a class of wealthy speculators. This often led to conflicting taxation practices, with many breaks existing for merchants at the national level and higher taxation at the regional level. In more modern times the mercantile class increasingly is integrating with the lower ranks of the gentry, purchasing land and social standing from the gentry who then rely on the merchants to pay their outstanding debts.

The final rung of the plebeian social ladder consists of the gentry, a distinction that is more difficult to quantify than the previous three classes. Consisting primarily of wealthy land-owning families, the origin of gentry were usually descendants of far-flung members of patrician families who had married those of plebeian birth or were sufficiently removed from titles that they no longer fell under the jurisdiction of patrician legalities. A second source of gentry were soldiers who had served with the original Republican Guard, who had been granted large land titles without the social title involved with nobility. Socially, gentry often mingled more often with patricians than they did with plebeians, though this practice has become less visible and divisive, the gentry increasingly acting as a catalyst between the social distinctions of patricians and plebeians as the mercantile classes have more recently acquired wealth comparable to that of lower class patrician families and joined the ranks of gentry. (See also: Distinctions of Peasantry, Grant, Coriah, Mikonan Book House, 1994)
"Truth has no form."
--Idries Shah
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Post by Orleron » Fri Dec 17, 2004 2:14 pm

Economy
by Nob, Fuzz, Orleron


Kurathene has a mixed economy combining a strong agrarian tradition with large prosperous international trade. There is something of a conflict between the two; older land holding families often regarding the new riches created from trade in a somewhat suspicious light while the commercial merchants regard land-holders as something of an archaic relic.

However, the general prosperity that comes from trade is widely acknowledged and more recent steps have been made to reinforce these industries. Aside from agriculture in the form of grain and dairy farming there also exists a significant textiles industry in Caliaze and Trenium, a massive clay construction and architectural industry in Medec and very large shipping and mercantile sector based around providing raw materials to these industries.

Due to the importance of shipping in Kurathene commerce, there is also a significant naval construction industry to the north in Trenium and Cytheria. Oak and cedar are cultivated in massive, closely tended forests in both regions, with large copper deposits in Trenium being used for fastenings, bolts and hull sheathing. Kurathene ships are generally known as graceful, powerful ships emphasizing flexibility and sea-going capability. There is a measure of practicality about their design, however and most artisans and connoisseurs are known to prefer the lines of Andarran and T’Nanshi naval designs which are finer and tend to sail better in ideal conditions.

An interesting (and often frustrating) fact about the Kurathene Empire’s resources is that in comparison to practically every other nation on Avlis, it is extremely iron poor. It has therefore become one of the leading imports into the region, primarily supplied by either the two dwarven nations, or the nation of M’Chek. This meant that until the advent of the Nomad Navigation Channel, the eastern provinces held a monopoly on the Galdosian and Deglosian iron trade, leaving an inherited wealth which lasts even until today. In comparison marble, clay, copper, lead, tin and silver are found in relatively large abundance and serve to maintain Kurathene mining industry. (See also: Hurine’s Ledger – 2003 edition, Andarr National Press, 2003)
"Truth has no form."
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Post by Orleron » Thu Dec 23, 2004 2:28 pm

by Nob, Fuzz, Orleron


Kuras

Introduction:

The capital of the Kurathene Empire, Kuras is a large, well
fortified city located on the bank of the Nomad River in the central part of
Kurathene. The largest city found north of the Seven Cities, Kuras has grown
from a small tribal settlement in the early Third century P.O.D. into a city
rivaled only by the likes of Andarr and Crosstreams as the greatest on the
continent. Its geographic location and extensive Imperial road system
established by the long reign of the Kuras family make it an ideal locale
for the seat of Imperial power.

The majority of architecture and organizational systems used by
the other cities of Kurathene originate from the highly structured and
orderly system first implemented in Kuras. While the other cities have
established their own unique and in some ways improved systems of
administration and construction, their underlying organization is still
heavily influenced by the Kurasian style established by Mantith Kurath.

With the fall of the Empire the fortunes of Kuras have generally
waned as the prefectural capitals began exerting more influence. The city is
still heavily populated, with a total population numbering one and a quarter
million inhabitants, but it is generally agreed that the city is no longer
the same, vibrant entity that it had been during the administration of the
Empire. Despite this decline, the city maintains a vital strategic and
symbolic importance to the people of Kurathene, becoming something of the
crown and scepter, a symbol required to legitimize one's claim to the
throne.

History:

The origins of the city can be traced back to the year 347
P.O.D. when a human tribe lead by a man named Rokel Kurath began a migratory
existence near the central bank of the Nomad River. There is some evidence
of a small fortress located within ten miles of present day Kuras, though
this is widely regarded as an abandoned settlement originally laid down by
Tomil towards the end of the Fourth Century P.O.D.

Formally the city began life as the settlement of Centerpoint in
the year 315, as Tomil Kurath requiring a base of operations for his vast
responsibilities as Overseer of the plains began construction of a large,
permanent fortification within which to house his forces. Although Tomil
could have been said to have acquired the deed to the future city, the first
foundations of its greatness were laid down by his son, Mantith Kurath. A
visionary rivaled only by his descendent Joral Kuras, Mantith began a series
of construction initiatives which provided not only military mobility to the
city, but also helped cement its position as the cross-roads of the growing
plains nation.

Despite being economically vibrant and militarily well defended,
Centerpoint did not truly attain its status as a large metropolitan area
until the reign of Lucien Kuras. With the establishment of the Kurathene
Republic in 195 P.O.D. the growth of Centerpoint's population and economy
increased rapidly as bureaucrats flocked to the Republic's capital with
followers and merchants in tow.

However important these events were for the rapidly growing and
maturing city of Centerpoint, the succession of Joral Kuras to the title of
Kurath would overshadow them all in terms of influence. As a young man of a
mere seventeen years of age during his ascension, Joral spent an inordinate
amount of time fussing over the legislation of the Republican capital,
suggesting grand construction projects and reorganization whenever he was
not at the frontlines of battle. Coincidentally these improvements were to
make the capital all but unassailable during the War of Unification.

With the conclusion of the War of Unification in 15 O.D., the city was
renamed Kuras to commemorate the establishment of the Imperial Republic and
the seat of government within its boundaries. What followed was a millennium
of unprecedented growth fueled by the ambition and energy of Joral Kuras.

Prospering as the Empire grew; the city of Kuras became the first city to
boast a population of the milestones of one million, two million and three
million inhabitants in 474 O.D., 772 and 1078 respectively. The population
began slowly decreasing again around 1480 as the city of Medec began growing
in importance and several reforms in both Caliaze and Trenium made land
ownership in those lands more accessible. Despite these changes, Kuras
continued to thrive as the capital, with the total revenue in trade
increasing at a steady and perceptible rate over the next three hundred
years.

The city suffered an abrupt change of fortunes in 1825 O.D. with the death
of Joral Kuras at the hands of Nemeril. In addition to the severe and
lasting damage to the city's infrastructure in the ensuing battle, the
Imperial government's sudden collapse meant that much of the trade and
politics which had long sustained the city's economy vanished in a wisp of
smoke.

Repeated attempts at invading and occupying the city were made in the
early-mid 1830s, though these were all repelled by the Imperial Order
remnants in the city proper. One result of these attacks was that the faith
of Senath was largely ostracized in Kurasian circles, many of its clergy
being either banned outright or removed from posts of power. The state of
martial law in the city itself has continued unabated for the last two
hundred years, as nobles with ambitions for the Crown continue to attempt
capture of the city to aid their legitimacy. (See also: Citadel of the
Crown: A History of Kuras, Detrenaine, Vergil, Imperial Press, 1998)

Brescant

Introduction:

The most expansive and perhaps oldest of Kurathene cities, the
city of Brescant currently serves as the capital of Arvanos. Much of the
known traditions of honor, courtesy and chivalry which practically dominate
Arvanos are known to have originated in the highly opinionated, conservative
and ordered structure of Brescantean city life.

Architecturally closer to the traditional Romini and Mikonite
structures built in M'Chek and in some parts of the Seven Cities, Brescant
is known primarily for its rich cultural heritage which perhaps most
successfully mixes the Mikonite teachings of the Romini and the Toranite
leanings of the Empire. This creates an atmosphere of cordial, if
excessively courteous behavior amongst its populace, making Brescant among
the more pleasant places to live.

The class structure is rigid in its applications within the
city, with clear district distinctions between the commoner and aristocratic
regions. Often referred to as the Brescentian Sections, each communal region
has a closely held regional autonomy with their own hierarchy of communal
importance. Each section occupies a relatively large portion of land, which
creates the expansive nature of Brescant, with many larger sections having
sizeable internal infrastructure such as rotaries and sectional legislative
halls. Many of the sectional legislative halls actually serve a secondary
purpose as both a militia training centre and a small fortification, making
Brescant an extremely difficult city to attack despite the large,
decentralized layout and lack of an outer wall.

Several of the larger artistic museums in Kurathene exist in
Brescant's noble district, maintained by descendents of the first Prefect of
the region Lord Alaran and subsequently kept by the third son of each
succeeding Prefect. The practice continues today, the Imperial Museum of
Art, informally known simply as the Mirror, is maintained by Joral Arvanos V
's third son, Karvin Arvanos.

Brescant also maintains one of the largest sea-ports on the
western coast of Kurathene, matched only by the city of Denevier in Trenium
and Carsil in Caliaze. Due to the abundance of food, courteous atmosphere
and strong work ethic, the port is a relatively popular stop-off point for
merchant captains and the Imperial Navy with special authorization from Lord
Arvanos maintain a squadron of several ships of the line and frigates in the
region as part of the stipulations of the Treaty of Brescant. Nonetheless
starting with the reign of Joral Arvanos V, a fleet of dual-use galleons
have also patrolled the region in an effort to both increase trade revenue
for the province and to end the slave trade that historic rival Crullath
maintains.

History:

The oldest known settlement in the region currently occupied by
Brescant is known to date into the late fifth century P.O.D., when the first
human settlers began to spread into the plains of present day Kurathene.
Much of it came from simple geographic convenience the plains around the
region were unusually fertile with a large number of watering areas and
calm, warm weather for much of the year making it particularly attractive
for Romini farmers to settle.

The population of the region grew steadily, albeit in staggered
groups of quasi-villages rather than a centralized city, partly leading to
the emergence of sections later on its history. The various settlements
eventually grew to the point where their borders overlapped and with the
increased threat of fey incursions and cross-fire within these villages,
they coalesced into the city of Brescant by 127 P.O.D. in order to better
allocate its efforts in law enforcement and defense. Though originally
established as a simple decentralized authority with little clout, the city
council grew steadily as the threats to the region increased with the orcish
banishment to the west coast.

Brescant formally became a military garrison and capitol during the tail end
of the Great War, with the establishment of the Legion of the Southern
Frontier in 23 P.O.D. under the direct order of Harrik Kuras. Placed under
the command of Tribune Methran Arvanos, the Legion of the Southern Frontier
also has the distinction of being the first army in which the young Joral
Kuras saw action.

Brescant served as an important military base for Kuras during the early
stages of the war for unification, being one of the few military garrisons
that remained loyal to Kuras in the southern regions.

Development of Brescant tended to be slower paced than her counterparts. It
was always somewhat larger in terms of area and had a large number of empty
space between sections, which made growth difficult during the earlier times
of the Empire, most notably until the establishment of the ILA.

Since the fall of the Empire, Brescant has grown in importance as the
capital of one of the most powerful fiefs in Kurathene. Customarily the
mayorship of the city shifted towards the second son of the last Arvanos
Prefect who governed with the assistance of the various Brescentian
sections. Much of Arvanish nobility lives within Brescant's most affluent
section, a result of Joral Arvanos IV's reforms to maintain tighter control
of his own subordinate nobles.(See also: Arvanos: Sites of Honour and
Tradition, Detrenaine, Vergil, Imperial Press, 1997)
"Truth has no form."
--Idries Shah
Orleron
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Post by Orleron » Sun Aug 07, 2005 6:17 am

by Nob

Tarlione
Introduction:
Based on the northern bank of the Methran River, Tarlione is known for its towering spires, centralized aristocratic regions and rather squalid living conditions in its slums. Currently the capital of the Crullathian Empire, the city of Tarlione much like its owner has undergone tremendous growth in terms of influence and importance over the past two centuries.

Much of the rapid growth of the city can be seen in its architecture. The city is something of an odd mixture between traditional Kurathene building techniques based primarily on marble and pillar construction and something closer to the vast, stonework utilized by the orcish architects in Brekon. In many respects this gives the city a very odd patchwork appearance, almost as if the outer area had moved in to engulf the Kurathene inspired core.

The city in its most basic form can be split into three regions: core, inner rim and outer rim. The core is essentially a large fortification, reinforced through years of warfare and paranoia on behalf of the Crullath family. It is largely closed to outsiders and all but the most loyal of Crullath’s followers, but the basic construction in terms of outer walls is similar to the walls which grace Kuras and Kalion. The fortification is vast and immaculately carved, with among the largest statues to Valok on Negaria adorning the outer walls.

The inner rim is largely Kurathene is appearance, though faded from years of neglect and misuse, and is often populated by the lowest rung of the social classes. Partially this is a result of the nature of Crullathian city life, much of the affluence is from the close association with Brekon and the merchants from the orcish nation have taken over the vast majority of well paying jobs in exchange for high military tithes to Crullath. At the same time the squalor within the inner rim is also partly due to its origins as a simple farming settlement. The simple life of peasantry slowly had eroded into a subsistence level servitude to the merchants, leaving the general area underdeveloped and dirty.

The outer rim in contrast is known for its rich, grandiose architecture, largely orcish in its appearance and lavishly constructed. Much of Crullath’s wealth is concentrated in this area, and this can be seen in the various high quality clubs, brothels and slave markets to found spaced among grand housing constructed for visiting Brekonese nobility and merchants.

The river port is among the largest fresh water ports on Negaria, comparable with the ones in both Kuras and Medec, though the flow of goods tends to be restricted more towards simple military shipments and slaves. The latter is an immense source of wealth for much of the city’s nobility and it can be plainly seen in the number of large storehouses near the river which house the vast number of men and women that are traded to both orcs and Shaashek.

History:
Among the current prefectural capitals, Tarlione is in fact the newest to attain both capital and city status. The original keep was established around 7 P.O.D. as a secondary castle in the southern territories, meant to keep out the orcs. It was of relatively high importance in that it was regarded as a cohort command, and the first commander in the region, Sevirin Crullath was made Marquess of the region with the establishment of the Imperial Republic in 15 O.D. It did however wane in importance during the same period, as the arguments of Crullath to shift the military focus from the widely dispersed plains of Brescant to the better defended Tarlione largely went unheeded. This is in fact one of the main starting points of the historic animosity between the inhabitants of Tarlione and Brescant.
Spending the majority of the Imperial Era as an outpost in southern Kurathene to guard against potential orcish incursions and a minor trade route between Brekon and Brescant, Tarlione remained a sleepy, if very well maintained and defended keep till the end of the Imperial Era.

The rise of Crullath in the mid-19th century as a formidable power to displace the Illian monarchy which had ruled for little more than twenty years gave Tarlione a vastly renewed importance, both as the staging point for Crullath’s growing army, and as an entry point into Kurathene for much of the business coming from Crullath’s supporters in Brekon.

The legalization of slavery in 1877 by Devon Crullath made the city an immensely important hub in terms of both collection of slaves (primarily prisoners of war captured by Crullathian armies during this period) and a military garrison for galleys which were to prevent the interference of Imperial Navy patrols.

Much of Tarlione’s modern infrastructure however, is actually the result of the Forty Years War fought between Arvanos and Crullath between 1930 and 1972. The Battle of Tarlione fought in 1936 between Crullath’s Imperial Guard and Arvanos’ 3rd Legion resulted in the destruction of nearly a third of the city’s infrastructure. Both sides have blamed the other for this rather gross misconduct of warfare, though most current records indicate that in fact the destruction wrought was intentional on behalf of Crullath’s guard and that the subsequent rebuilding of the city as a more heavily fortified citadel had in fact been planned prior to the battle, with Arvanos being utilized as a convenient demolish tool.

During the recent Third Tri-Fief War, Tarlione underwent intense close blockade by the Imperial Navy’s South Sea fleet until relieved towards the tail end of the conflict by naval forces belonging to Brekon. Currently the city is garrisoned by elements of the Brekonese Navy intended to maintain the armed “neutrality” of the Methran River. (See also: Juggernaut: The Crullathian Empire, Varasian, Arthur, Clairvont University Press, 2003)
"Truth has no form."
--Idries Shah
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