Karninia

Allegiance: Empire of Trynser
Capital: Duranian
Ruler: Queen Melissa Blythe Anador
Population: 18,942,000, the highest population of any one dominion within Trynser.
Senator: Princess Margaret Anador - 16 votes
Karninia is a component kingdom of the Empire of Trynser, found to the northwest of the Empire's holding on the continent of Crytha. It is bordered by the Sargan States to the north, Bourondy to the west, Feylurayne to the east, and Manebia, the Kingdom of Kasteban, and Caprezia to the south. It is primarily located along the Ferla River basin, with the eastern side served by the Raystwar River. Also to the east, the landscape is descending from the lofty Kameron Mountains across the border in Feylurayne gradually descending to the Southern Dragon Sea to the northwest. Aside from the Ferla River Valley, much of Kasteban is hilly forests. Branching off from the Raystwar River is the Dinware River which has carved out the Emperor Reginald Canyon.
The capital city of the kingdom is Duranian which lies in the approximate center of the country. It is actually the third largest city in the kingdom. The largest city is Athalia which lies on the mouth of the Ferla River and is the Empire's largest port on the Southern Dragon Sea. The second largest is Paladast which is located on the Raystwar River in the east of the kingdom.
HISTORY
It is known that the ancient Vennin people hailed from central Karninia from approximately -3000 to -1000 before the foundation of the First Empire of Trynser. At about -1000, there was apparently many years of productive agriculture and technological development. Burgeoning population pressures forced them to march south and eventually conquer the Cralin people, already embroiled in conflict with the ancient Lydaelian people. The Vennin and Cralin people eventually intermingled to a distict culture that found its base in Trynser City, and after years of expansion, the First Empire took over the Vennin kingdom in what is now Karninia bit by bit by purchase, marriage, and conquest.
By 621, there was enough territory north of the Banask Range to organize it into a single duchy, under Duke Elgar Karnin, for whom the territory was named. The young duchy provided many brave soldiers who fought in the Thalos War from 651 to 723. Duke Sedrick Karnin unilaterally declared Karninia a kingdom in 894, a motion that was legitimized by Emperor Artemius III several years to buy Karninian support during rebellions in Garrus and Landagar.
Karninian support notwithstanding, the First Empire collapsed first under the pressure of the Trynsern Civil Wars and then the Sanassian Invasion. The Sanassian onslaught brought down one Trynsern domain after another and before long they were attacking Karninia. Before long, the Sanassian attack abated as they consolidated their gains, and Karninia returned to raiding its neighbors Kasteban and Manebia as it had done during the Civil Wars.
But in 1134, Karninia, Kasteban, Manebia, and far off Casterria signed the Treaty of Paladast that secured everlasting peace between the former kingdoms of the Empire and committed them to defend each other from further Sanassian Incursions. The treaty was activated during the Sanassian Invasion of Manebia in 1195, but a secret treaty between the Sanassians and Karninian King Jirgen kept Karninia out of the war, to the shock and disgust of the Karninian nobility. One of Jirgen's knights, Sir Johann Galderon was so shamed and disgusted by Jirgen's treason that under the auspices of a tournament in 1203, he struck his king's head clean off.
Few people mourned Jirgen, but since he died without heir, this caused a rambunctious dynastic struggle from 1203 to 1228. The resurgent Sanassians took advantage of the chaos to attack and sack Paladast in 1221.
See Karninian Dynastic War; Sack of Paladast.
Border conflict remained steady for the next sixty years. Then the Sanassians started getting ready to mobilize their Trynsern chattel for another ruinous one of the Seular Wars and people started revolting. Sensing the opportunity, a decendant of Sir Johann Galderon, Duke Reginald Galderon struck south into Manebia in 1283. Before long Duke Galderon had assembled an army of Karninians, Kastebani, Manebians and rebels from conquered Imperial territories. In 1297, this army expelled the Sanassians from Trynser City, and the following year the Second Empire was declared with Reginald declared Emperor Roderick, the first of the First Galderon Dynasty.
See the Reconquest.
During both the First Galderon Dynasty from 1298 to 1448 and the Second Galderon Dynasty from 1689 to the present Karninia has enjoyed a special relatioship with the Imperial government.
After the Reconquest, Karninia rested for about fifty years, then sent troops into the restive tribal areas of Feylurayne, along with Kasteban. In 1446 a King Manthrats who has his royal capital near the modern city of Athalia siezed Karninian princess Athala and held her for ransom, provoking a war. In 1448, Karninian forces with some Imperial backing assaulted Manthrat's stronghold and conquered it, but not before the king murdered his princess captive before committing suicide himself. Neither body is ever found.
See Ferla River Campaign.
Now in full control of the Ferla River, a new city at the river mouth to the South Dragon Sea was named Athalia after the fallen princess. Unfortunately, this brought Karninia and Trynser in close contact with Pengaldia, which didn't appreciate the competition. This provoked the First Trynsern-Pengaldian War from 1462 to 1489. Athalia was lost to a Pengaldian sea landing in 1465. The Empire counterattacked in 1471, but the Pengaldians razed Athalia as they were driven out. The war continued at sea and on several islands for another eighteen years, in which time Athalia was rebuilt and heavily fortified.
In 1556, Pengaldia invaded Bourondy, then an independent kingdom between Pengaldia and Karninia. Trynsern forces quickly responded to defend their neighbor, but the Imperial forces were soundly defeated. Although Karninia wasn't directly affected by the fighting, Bourondy fell to Pengaldia and now the kingdom had a hostile neighbor across their western border.
See Bourondy War.
In 1572 rebellious elements in Athalia threw out the Royal governor, as they felt disconnected from the rest of Karninia and the Empire. Pengaldian agency was rife during this time. Although the rebellion was short lived, being crushed by nearby Imperial forces and Athalian counterrevolutionaries, Pengaldia took advantage of the chaos to throw back Trynsern influence across the Dragon Seas, provoking another short war. Trynsern forces caused havoc throughout Bourondy into Pengaldia itself before peace is made and the status quo returned to.
See Athalia War.
In 1589 the Great Western War erupted, but although the Empire was politically opposed to the Pengaldian-Arumelia-Dallandy alliance, direct war between the factions was avoided so both could concentrate against other enemies. But sensing political weakness in Arumelia and Dallandy, the Empire declared war. Unfortunately, the Pengaldian armies were leaner and meaner than ever before, and the entire west of Karninia fell to their armies, up to and including Duranian. The territory was only regained after years of campaigning and a ruinous peace treaty in 1587. Athalia remained in Pengaldian hands for another 60 years.
In 1637, Karninian and Kastebani forces align to overthrow tyrannical Emperor Augustus Vintabli which they do in 1642. Kastebani Emperor Arlen Ghandervard is made Emperor.
In 1689, a surprise Trynsern attack recaptures Athalia in what is known as the Autumn War. The Pengaldians not only drive the Trynserns out of Athalia, but assaults and destroys much of Duranian as well. The Trynserns quickly sue for peace and have to pay a harsh indemnity while Pengaldia occupies over a third of Kasteban.
Disgusted by the lackluster leadership of the Trynsern Recency during the Autumn War, Artemius Galderon sparks a new rebellion in which the Regency is expelled and he takes the throne as Emperor Artemius VI. The Empire now has another Karninian Emperor.
After reorganizing the government, Artemius' first order of business is expelling the Pengaldians from Karninia, which is done during the Spring War in 1694.
The most recent conflict is the War of Seven Castles, fought from 1728 to 1730. This war came about as the conquered Pengaldian territory of Bourondy rebelled against Pengaldia, quickly drawing Trynser to its defense. Bourondy was freed, but an ill-advised invasion of the Pengaldian-allied dwarven island of Daeregon ends in failure and causes those dwarves to become implacable enemies who have caused trouble to Trynser ever since. At least now Pengaldia is not on Karninia's borders anymore.