Thondeum

The Empire of Thondeum was an ancient empire native to Kejafros. It is traditionally dated into 4 periods, the Suzerain (1673 AIAF - 1462 AIAF), Empire (1462 AIAF - 1250 AIAF), Post-Civil War (1250 AIAF - 1035 AIAF), and the Collapse (1035 AIAF - 992 AIAF). The Empire of Thondeum developed a complex system of law and governance as it expanded, coming to rule over the entire central plains of Kejafros and conquering even more beyond that. The maximum extent of Thondeum encompasses modern day Celras, Tsiladen, Cirion, Lisvar, Bannover, Lenogath, and Lovvia, as well as minor parts of Osriguard, Free City of Selidoar, and Lynarith. Thondeum's system of law and governance has impacted the modern system of bureaucracy in the Empire of Ischanor, as well as in Celras, a direct cultural descendant of Thondeum. Thondeum also had a profound effect on religion, following a more archaic version of today's Ischanic church. The Empire came to an abrupt end with the Scorching of Thondeum, which crumbled the weakened Empire in a matter of hours.
== Culture ==
=== Fishing ===
Due to their central nature on the Thoadrala lake, Thondeans have always incorporated fishing as a key tenant in their cultural practices. A common event held is spear fishing, similar to hunts hosted by other Ischanic cultures, in which nobles compete to catch the largest fish with a barbed bronze spear or bronze harpoon. After the competition, the fish scored from the hunt is traditionally used in a feast following. This event was likely developed out of a tradition of subsistence fishing, although it likely developed as the first occurrence of recreational or game fishing on Kejafros.
Commercial fishing developed across Kejafros as a way to feed growing populations. Most commonly used are nets, harpoons, traps, and pots, which captures large quantities of fish for sale. After killed, most fish caught was either eaten before it spoiled, or preserved by drying, smoking, salting, or fermentation.
=== Language ===
As the Thondeans expanded, and conquered much of their contemporary Thoadralans, the Thondean language became the most spoken language. Its linguistic closeness with other Thoadralan languages made it easy to learn for those speakers, who quickly learned it for trade, power, and other perks of learning the dominant language. As the Thondean Empire expanded, the accents formed by the non-native speakers of Thondean acted as substrata for dialects, and eventually independent languages descended from Thondean. It is the ancestor to modern Celrasi, Eleftherian, and Thallasi.
== History ==
=== Suzerain of Thondeum ===
File:Suzerainofthondeum.png|c. 1462 AIAF
File:IschanorIronAge1.png|A culture map of the early Iron age, after the Inóc wars
The first Thondean state was created in 1673 as a form of confederation. Thondeum had become a predominante city state, as their success in trade had brought their metals and lumber across the continent. At this point in history, civilization was flourishing around Kejafros and moving towards more complex forms of organization, allowing for vast trade networks. Other states on the Thoadrala lake were competitive in this trade as the rivers connected to the Thoadrala spanned across the continent. To secure its advantage, Thondeum entered into an agreement with 3 other city states, and being the richest, they were the head of this confederation. The other city states were Visgralai, Igidrium (ancestor of modern Idrisé), and Cilraz (ancestor of modern Celras). 
There were 6 kings of the Suzerain, from three seperate royal lineages. The first king, Thīnur Icondē (ruling from 1673 AIAF - 1640 AIAF) was responsible for much of Thondeum's early expansion. He was a noble, present before in Thondeum's city council, who had been elected as first king. Following the end of the Inóc wars, Inóc settlements in the lands south of Lake Thoadrala were left war-torn and ravaged. Due to the high expense of reconstruction and the decimation of local Inóc populations, the majority of the local Inóc migrated towards the south-east. This left a gap for ambitious Thondeans, who greatly desired the lush, fertile plains. King Thīnur took advantage of the migrations and encouraged the creation of new settlements inhabited by Thondeans in the abandoned Inóc lands. Using the pretext of Inóc raids, these settlements were slowly absorbed into the confederation.
Traditionally, kings in Thondeum were elected from among the members of the Thondean Council. However, King Thīnur had groomed his middle son - Numiē - for kingship and, following a short interregnum period, the Council declared him the best candidate. King Numiē reigned from 1639 AIAF until 1612 AIAF. King Numiē's reign was marked by major religious reform.
King Numiē's reign saw the creation of the Holy Council, a religious parrallel to the Thondean Council. The Holy Council was a collection of priests.
=== River Wars ===
The River Wars were a series of minor engagements between Thondeum and other city states along the coasts of Lake Thoadrala. In an effort to further secure it's dominance over the region, Thondeum began encouraging and funding illegal piracy of foreign trade ships. Despite it's blatant support, Thondeum claimed no association with the pirates and, due to it's strength and diplomatic standing among it's peers, claims of non-association went unchallenged by most.
However, not all city-states were intimidated into compliance by Thondeum's might. Iconeum, a neighbouring city-state which had greatly suffered from pirate raids, assembled a coalition against Thondeum. A series of naval engagements, interspersed with a few conflicts on land, ensued between Thondeum and it's allies, and the forces of the coalition. The wars resulted in a slim victory for Thondeum, but left both sides decimated. In an effort to hasten the recovery of it's fleets, Thondeum rescinded it's support for the pirates and the raids ceased.
=== Conflicts with Lenógach ===
==== Settler's War ====
Due to the disastrous Inóc wars, local Lenógach settlements in the northern territories began to experience heavy population decline. Sensing opportunity, Thondean settlers rapidly began moving into the emptying Lenógach settlements. The flood of Thondean settlers served as a lifeline for the struggling villages, whose dwindling populations left the villages bereft of the skilled workers and labourers they needed to sustain themselves. As Lenógach populations continued to dwindle, the percentage of Thondean peoples in Lenógach villages continued to rise until many of the villages were almost entirely culturally Thondean, while remaining under Lenógach administration. Tensions between Lenógach and Thondean villagers rose, as the remaining Lenógach began to view Thondean settlers as usurping foreigners instead of new workers.
The situation came to a head in the village of Holiaor, where a minor disagreement between Lenógach and Thondean villagers escalated into an all out riot against Lenógach "tyranny" against the Thondean populations. Eventually, the riot grew so large that a small army contingent had to be levied from the surrounding villages and sent to quell the insurrection. Messages were sent to the Thondean Council, demanding that they recognise Lenógach sovereignty over the region, and aid in quelling the Holiaor riots. The council was greatly offended by this, and declared it a "symbolic act of aggression against the Thondean people". Four legions were raised and sent to Lenógach lands in support of the rioters under the command of {Thondean general}, a well-respected veteran.
Two legions were raised in Cilraz, and two were raised in Thondeum. This posed a problem for {Thondean general}, as the two legions raised in Thondeum needed time to board ships and sail to meet him at Cilraz. In a bid to reach Holiaor before the Lenógach reinforcements, {Thondean general} marched out with only two legions, and sent word to the Thondean legions to sail down the River Livo and meet up with the main force at Holiaor.
When word of the Thondean response to the Lenógach demands reached the kingdom of Lenógach, urgent missives were sent to the Lenógach forces warning them of the incoming legions and additional forces under the command of {Lenógach general} were hastily levied from the heartlands to combat {Thondean general}'s legions. However, the messengers were waylaid by bandits along the road, and the warnings never arrived. The small Lenógach peacekeeping army arrived at Holiaor on the morning of {to be decided} and marched into the city, quickly silencing the rioters. However, at midday great warhorns and the sounds of marching were unexpectedly heard from the north. The Lenógach forces watched in horror as two Thondean legions marched across the hills towards Holiaor. The Lenógach peacekeeping army had been small and intended only for quelling the riots. As such, they were horribly inequipped to combat a true army and were expelled from the village by day's end. As the shattered Lenógach army fled, the Thondeans set about fortifying the village, expecting the main force from Lenógath to arrive in two days. However, the fleeing army had thrown torches at the buildings as they fled, burning them down and forcing the Thondeans to clear the rubble before beginning work on fortifications.
The following morning, the fleeing remains of the Lenógach peacekeeping force met up with the larger army, which had begun to march towards Holiaor, and reported the loss. Angered by the slaughter at Holiaor, {Lenógach general} force marched his army at double speed towards Holiaor in the hopes of striking the Thondean legions before they could properly fortify the village. {Lenógach general}'s swift march paid off, as he and his army arrived at Holiaor a full half-day before {Thondean general} had expected them to. The two armies clashed in the fields east of Holiaor, and the numerically superior Lenógach army began to gain the upper hand.
Hours into the battle and just as the Lenógach army was beginning to push the Thondean legions into the ruins of the village, war horns were heard from the south, and the two Thondean legions which had been sent by boat were seen disembarking their boats at the coast. The Thondean reinforcements quickly formed ranks charged into the Lenógach left flank, routing the exhausted Lenógach troops. The Lenógach army was forced into retreat. {Thondean general} ordered his legions to give chase and, over the following days, both armies slowly made their way further south, with the legions sacking various Lenógach towns along the riverbank.
Eventually, the Lenógach army was cornered at Mérúch and {Lenógach general}, seeing no other option, prepared his army to confront the legions in the plains north of Mérúch. The battle was long; however, the Lenógach forces were exhausted by the chase and starving, while the Thondean forces had two almost-fresh legions and had stolen food from the sacked Lenógach coastal towns to feed themselves. The Lenógach fought a valiant last stand, but the exhaustion and starvation was too much, and they eventually surrendered.
Despite his victory over the Lenógach army, {Thondean general}'s forces were now also exhausted after the battle and had suffered many losses to the desperate ferocity of the Mérúch defenders. Furthermore, more armies had been levied from surrounding Lenógach towns and were rapidly closing in on Mérúch. In total, {Thondean general} was left with only two legions' worth of soldiers still capable of fighting; a hefty number, but not enough to hold out against the fresh wave of Lenógach soldiers headed his way. Facing insurmountable odds if he did not find a quick solution, {Thondean general} opened negotiations with the hostage Lenógach leaders at Mérúch, and a treaty was signed.
By the terms of the treaty, the Thondean settlers in Lenógach lands would remain and be given all the same rights and protections as a Lenógach citizen. In return, Thondeum promised to never again send an invading force into Lenógach lands and condemn any riots incited by Thondeans in Lenógach lands. Additionally, trade channels between the two regional powers were established, and Thondean merchants began to appear in towns and settlements along the River Livo.
==== Merchant's War ====
In the twelve years after the signing of the Mérúch treaty, Thondean merchants made significant profits from the newly opened trade channels along the banks of the River Livo. However, travelers moving through Lenógach settlements from Thondeum began to notice a discrepancy in the prices of Thondean merchants. Following an investigation, it was revealed that Lenógach villagers buying goods were being charged over twice the amount Thondean villagers were charged. This revelation sparked outrage against the Thondean merchants, and riots sparked in many ports along the river. Thondean merchants were thrown out of Lenógach villages, their ships robbed and damaged. 
The situation escalated when a particularly outraged Lenógach villager organised a mob and stormed a small Thondean naval outpost named {Thondean outpost}, overrunning the skeleton force garrisoned there and burning all the ships at their berths. The Thondean council were outraged at this act, and demanded answers from the Lenógach king. The king responded with a rebuke against the Thondeans allowing their merchants to extort the Lenógach to such a degree that they rioted, and informed them that the exact words of the Mérúch treaty only obligated the Lenógach to protect Thondean settlers, not Thondean merchants. The council raged at this interpretation of the treaty, believing it to be against the spirit of the agreement; however, the king spoke true and the council backed down, afraid that they would invoke the anger of Manos - the god of honourable warfare and one of the major patron gods of Thondeum - by waging an unjustified war.
As the council stewed in their anger and powerlessness, a messenger came from the docks bearing good news. A merchant had just arrived at the docks of Thondeum, his crew tied up and injured by Lenógach rioters; among the merchant's crew was a young Thondean settler, who had been hired only hours before the riot that threw him from the city and had yet to leave port as a crewman. Traditional Thondean work contracts officially only began once the worker had actually started work. As the settler had not yet begun his duties before being mobbed and thrown from the village, he was not officially considered as an employee yet, and thus still technically qualified as a settler. Despite the flimsy logic, the Thondean council seized the opportunity and again raised four legions, claiming that Lenógath had broken the treaty by allowing the settler to be mobbed and evicted unlawfully. The four legions were raised in Thondeum and sailed south to {Thondean outpost} under the command of {Thondean commander}, the son of {Thondean general}. 
The legions landed at {Thondean outpost} and quickly began repairing the destroyed fortifications, while scouts were sent out to survey the area. When the scouts returned, they came bearing terrible news. A massive Lenógach army under the command of {Lenógach general} was camped out in the fields east of Holiaor, and appeared to be headed straight for the {Thondean outpost}. Fearing that the Lenógach army would be upon them before the fortifications were complete, as had happened to his father, {Thondean commander} forced his legions to work through the night, and ordered the sailors running supplies back and forth from Cilraz to disembark and aid in the repairs. However, {Lenógach general} had learned from his loss at the battle of Holiaor, and marched his army at a leisurely pace to ensure that they were well-rested, and established supply lines from Lenógach villages along his path. When the Lenógach army finally arrived at {Thondean outpost}, the legions were weary from work and running low on food. Despite this, the fortifications of {Thondean outpost} were repaired and reinforced, built strong enough to resist the Lenógach army indefinitely. 
The Lenógach army arrived at day's end, just as the sun began to set. {Lenógach general} took his time setting up the siege camp and sealing off all means of escape. The Thondeans woke to a grim sight. The Lenógach had built a long palisade surrounding the outpost which sealed off all means of escape by land. Furthermore, the Lenógach had crossed the river in the night, and strung heavy chains across the river to the north of the outpost, effectively cutting off the Thondean supply lines. {Thondean commander} found himself trapped so completely that not even the stealthiest messengers could escape to request aid from nearby Cilraz. All they could do was wait and hope a relief force would be sent once the Thondean council noticed the steady stream of updates from the legions had stopped. Their hope was in vain, as {Lenógach general} had become exceptionally crafty in the twelve years since his defeat at the hands of {Thondean general}, and forged messages to the Thondean council convincing them that all was well.
On the third day of the siege and with supplies running critically low, {Thondean commander} realised that no help was coming. In a bid to break the siege by river, {Thondean commander} launched the ships and attempted to escape to the western side of the river, where there were less Lenógach forces stationed. However, since the siege began, the Lenógach had been pouring flammable oil into the river in an attempt to poison the Thondean defenders. When the majority of the Thondean ships were in the water, the Lenógach threw flaming torches into the oil, setting the river - and the Thondean fleet - ablaze. With no other choice, {Thondean commander} opened the gates and sallied out with his single remaining legion. The legion was no match for the overwhelming numbers of the Lenógach army, and the Thondeans were quickly losing ground and being pushed towards the riverbank. 
The ranks of the legion were pushed back until the rear line began to tread water, then further still until one by one the legion was pushed into the river and carried away by the current. Eventually, {Thondean commander} and his personal guard were all that remained. {Lenógach general} called out to him then "your father dealt me my greatest defeat, now I will deal him his when I bring him your head. Have you any last words?". {Thondean commander} stood upon a rock that jutted from the river as he replied, "My ancestors are smiling at me barbarian, can you say the same?" before stepping back into the blazing waters. By the grace of Aldreda, when the battlefield was searched, no body could be found.
Once the last of the Thondeans fell, the Lenógach army turned towards the city-state of Cilraz. Unprepared for the assault, the city fell quickly and the Thondean council was forced to the negotiating table. Another treaty was signed, forcing Thondean merchants to buy and sell at fair prices, and placing heavy restrictions on Thondean naval presence in the River Livo. The siege of {Thondean outpost} and the subsequent sack of Cilraz is still remembered by the modern-day Celrasi as one of their greatest military defeats, having lost four legions in their entirety as well as a large fleet of ships and all the armour and gear carried by the legions into battle.
Category:Lore