Old Kingdoms of Talawa

The Old Kingdoms of Talawa, formerly known as just Talawa were a collection of nations existing on the continent of Ummarnu, with, at their height, territory stretching all the way from The Eye down to the Hatanimitas Peninsula. United by a shared reverence for the sun, these kingdoms existed as the premier power in their region for the majority of the recorded history of said region, begin to fall however to the rise of the Ardatian Caliphate, dethroning them as the de-facto power of the West, and then falling again with the Audalad Invasion in 200 BSS. In present day, they have been integrated as a founding member of the Empire of Uldarash. In addition, the title of "Pharaoh" was claimed by Sareariel Lelya-Earcala of Aurlûnor, as well the claim of the Khoseph and Axe of the Old Talawans, despite this title not existing historically in Talawan nations.
== Pre-History ==
=== Old Kingdoms Era ===
After the settling of the particularly long-lived Mamori people in Ummarnu, and subjugation of the other peoples such as the Geshemi, Ardatians, and others, many began establishing small, rivaling petty kingdoms within the region. In the beginning these kingdoms were mostly peaceful, retaining the cooperative traditions from the pre-Neolithic tribal confederation these people existed in. However by ~6200 BSS, these feelings of cooperation were nearly gone, with these kingdoms often constantly waging wars against one another. Ironically, this would lead to the future rise of one of their originally subjugated peoples, the Ardatian Caliphate, despite the Ardatian rise coming many centuries after the end of the Old Kingdoms Era. This is because, during this time period many citizens of the Old Talawan Kingdoms would flee into the mountains of the Eastern Mesa, often becoming slaves under the now slowly rising Ardatians, as even slavery was preferable to the constant bloodshed of the lowlands.
By around ~4900 BR these kingdoms included the Old Kingdom of Kaahiru, Kingdom of the Western Mesa, Kingdom of Lukka, Old Kingdom of Teshub, The Red Kingdom and of course, the Old Kingdom of Talawa. These kingdoms existed in a constant power struggle, jockeying over one another for power in the region. However by the year 4705 BSS a succession crisis in both the kingdoms of Teshub and the Mesa led to each of them agreeing to marry the sons daughter's of King Taran 'the bold' of Old Talawa, uniting the 3 nations together under the Kingdom of Talawa. Originally it was believed that this union would inevitably falter and certainy it did face much internal struggle. Those in Kaahiru, Lukka and the Red Kingdom all told stories on how the union would collapse into greater chaos than ever before. However, some centuries passed, and no such collapse took place, even after the death of Taran I. Following this, fears of a rumored invasion southward from the Old Kingdom of Talawa began running wild amongst the southern kingdoms, and, in 3871 BSS the southern kingdoms declared war on Talawa. Each sides attempted to gain the help of Ardat, however, with the peaceful Talewan dynasty in charge of the caliphate at the time, no such interference would take place. 
The Talawan Wars would last for a millennia, with various conflicts and ceasefires being declared throughout. Occasionally, the Ardatian Caliphate would get involved, such as in the 2nd Talawan War, where in 3706 BSS they would join Talawa to take a piece of the Mesa off of the Kingdom of Lukka. However these such participations were rare, as the Caliphate primarily had their interests turned Eastwards, and continued conflict between their neighbors was solely beneficial to them. Around the year ~3000 BSS a group of persecuted Talawan redstone mages left the old kingdoms and traveled south to establish a new isolated Talawan kingdom called Kuntarra. Redstone magic had long since been deemed both illegal and heathenistic in Talawan societies, meaning that at best, practitioners were forcibly conscripted into some lord's army. At worst, they were to be burned at the stake.
In 2681 BR the Sixth Talawan War would finally end, with a diplomatic marriage between King Taran III of Old Talawa and King Wilusa I of Lukka, uniting the Talawa and the southern kingdoms, with the exception of Old Kaahiru, whom was able to holdout. However despite this bringing much stability to the region, things were still in upheaval, with all across the Kingdom of Talawa being consumed in rebellions and such, as many of the southern peoples still despised the Northern Talawans, but more than that, the long ago subjugated peoples of Geshemi and natives Kaahiruns were now staging revolts, the relatively significant freedom they'd been able to enjoy, now being quashed by new internal focus. Furthermore, the Kingdom of Talawa was still crippled by the massive amounts of migrants who had fled their nation to the Caliphate, as well as by just the death's of a whole generation of Talawan men
=== Ardatian Era ===
It was this internal strive that would preoccupy Talawa for the next millennia. In their stead, the Ardatian Caliphate was only snowballing in power. Through each of the wars, Ardat's selective minimal involvement led to them having lost relatively vast sum of territory to the Caliphate, their land having even been cut in half by the new borders of the empire, with old lands of Talawa and Teshub being isolated in the north. This, along with efforts to quell the instability of the south led to the Talawans adopting Lukka as their capital city, not just to please the southerners, but also to allow the crown greater ability to control them. Despite them despising the 'Ardatian Corridor' as it was referred to there was nothing they could do about it, as the nation was far to obliterated from over a 1,000 years of conflict. This non-aggression would only lead to greater Ardatian supremacy with them declaring themselves as the Ardatian Empire, reaching their height in ~2100 BSS. 
This time period also saw the massive expansion of the Ummarnu Slave Trade, as Old Talawa sold mass amounts of Talawan slaves to Ardat, who in turn used the slaves to mine gold in the Mesa, sell this gold to the cities states of Vastallos for rare vastallosi luxury goods, such as chocolate, spices and mushrooms. In turn the Vastallosi city states used this gold to buy lumber, stone and tools from the Sagavir Empire. In fact, it was this practice that led to the name of their shared sea, "The Sea of Slaves". The problem of Talawan slavers did not originate during this time, but regardless this trade cemented it further. All manners of peoples, from indentured servants, rebels, rivaling nobles, foreign traders to the common serfs were sold into slavery. What is interesting however about Talawan slavery is that, unlike many other slave cultures throughout history, there was seemingly no preference of ethnicity, religion, etc in their slaving practices. Talawans enslaved each other at the same rates at which they enslaved non-Talawans, although a notable few groups, such as the Geshemi, were a notable exception to this rule, being enslaved enmass. 
The Ardatians would go on to fight many wars abroad, with them declaring them participating in the Chocolate Wars against the power Alteniquia Minor. Many in Talawa argued now was the apt time for war, however each King of Talawa denied these requests, focusing instead to work on quenching internal rebellion and unifying the still fractured nation. It was around this time that those in Talawa, minus the Geshemi and the Kaahriun, began to actually refer to themselves as 'Talawan', them not having ever before had a common identity. Cultural customs began to be exchanged from the north and south, such as Lukkan architecture being adopted more in Taranusha, and Talawan/Teshubi religious practices being adopted in the south. 
==== Timat Collapse Period ====
In the late winter of 1831 BSS, the Second Talawan Collapse began, with massive grain shortages in the south resulting in rebellion en mass. For centuries, King Machiel II 'the Naive' had slowly eroded control of the crown's authority, granting greater and greater freedoms to his vassal lords. Although for a time this greatly raised approval for him, it would later prove ruinous when it came to light that many of these lords were no longer fulfilling their proper vassal duties, such as adhering to the Ekye Mandate (see Society). Instead of planting the important grains Talawa needed to keep itself afloat, many lords in the south and Mesa were growing cash crops. To add further insult to injury, these lords would often pocket the funds made off of these cash crops, as opposed to increasing their tribute to the King. This all culminated in 1831 BSS, when a slave rebellion in the County of Timat was able to beat the King's personal retinue, and kill King Machiel II. Soon after, with growing unrest among the peasants over the food crisis, and much of the lords realizing their King could no longer protect them, Talawa descended into a warring states period. All across the kingdom, dukes, counts, even barons were waging war across each other in a bid to gain power and resources. Importantly, the vast majority of these states were still, at least on paper loyal to the Talawan Crown, few declaring outright independence, or attacking the capital/crownlands of the nation. That is not to say that they were doing their warring and scheming with any misconception that the king approved it
The 'Timat Collapse' period would not end until 1497 BSS, when Queen Ogadeen III 'the Rectifer' would kill King Teke of Teshub, the last warring state. The country would thus be united once more
==== Geshemi Diaspora ====
Eventually though in 1001 BSS, with a coral plague hit the Ardatians, a plague which many Talawans, save those in the mesa, had natural immunities too, due their proximity to the coast. It was during this time that the young, and aggressive Taran VI or Taran 'the reclaimer' took power. Seeing the vulnerability of his neighbor, Taran VI seized this opportunity declaring war on the Ardatian Empire to reclaim the Ardatian Corridor. The War of the Corridor lasted from 1001-954 BSS with the war being massively costly for the Ardatians. Despite the war primarily having primarily been fought in the Mesa, Talawan natives to the Mesa were forbidden from taking part, with Taran VI using primarily soldiers born Hapatmitas to fight. These soldiers were almost entirely immune to the plague, and it is for this reason that it is suspected that this was a use of biological warfare against the Ardatians. Regardless it was effective, and the corridor was reclaimed. While many had seen this move as a reclamation (getting him his name) of old lands, and uniting their Talawan brothers with their family again, those who actually lived in the corridor felt differently. At this point, they had long since been living under Ardatian rule, if some unhappily. Additionally, the corridor had been used in large part for Ardat to expel it's ethnic Geshemi too, allowing them to have some lands of their own with interfering with Ardatian growth. 
Needless to say, more Geshemi, a people who had long since been opposed to Talawan rule, was not an enticing idea for Taran VI. So, in 811 BSS, the now much older King Taran VI, after having enacting various laws to discriminate against, and lower the political power of the Geshemi, decided to begin a long campaign called the Taran Decree, whereupon he sent soldiers into Geshemi villages burning them down and massacring citizens. It to this day remains one of the greatest atrocities committed in Rathnir. In ~800 BSS, after having been herded into a corner of the border of the Ardatian city, the massive refugee camps of Geshemi began an attack-eastward. Despite the Talawans seemingly being satisfied with their position on the border of Ardat, the Geshemi still feared a Talawan attack, so decided to flee east back into the lands of Ardat, declaring war on the Ardatians as they did. This war lasted around 600 years, the Geshemi receiving supplies from Kaahiru peoples as well as other foreign backers. This war even occasionally spilled back into the lands of Talawa, making the border region between Ardat & Talawa an absolute bloodbath, avoided by travelers, merchants and even bandits. Bafflingly however, during this time relations between Ardat and Talawa finally began to mend, or at the very least return to their old apathetic stance. The nations began trading, with goods from Haven being transported in exchange for goods from the East. 
=== Yimmu-Audal ===
In the year 200 BSS it happened. Yimmu-Audal fleeing the fall of Jagdas, arrived in Rathnir an unknown time ago, basing themselves in Alteniquia off the Sea of Pearls, or specifically in the lands now inhabited by vast amounts of Geshemi, who decided over 4,000 years prior to flee Ummarnu, a choice which no doubt saved them from the fate their brethren would endure. It was their story, that of the cruelty of the Westerners, as well as (quite frankly more importantly) the incredibly rich, literal gold mine that these Westerners sat on top of in the Mesa, that prompted Yimmu-Audal to launch their invasion of the West, aptly named the 'Audalad Invasion' 
For the first time in a couple millennia Talawan fought alongside Ardatian, both recognizing the incredible threat that the Easterners proposed. The two powers united together to fight against the invasion, as well as many of the other smaller power of Ummarnu, each fighting together for an idea that had never existed before, and idea that, before this invasion, no one could have imagined. That idea was The West, that these people could share a unity simply in that. Unfortunately however, this idea would not be enough, with despite the Ardatians and Talawans earning mostly victories in the early stages of the war, eventually they would falter. Yimmu blockaded the entirety of Ummarnu, cuttting Ardat off from the few colonies it had left, and cutting both Talawa & Ardat from the grain trade in the East. Additionally, in 194 BSS, Yimmu Audal established an colonial-outpost on the island of Lumaire. This colony was used to harass Talawan ships coming out of Hapatmitas, and was Yimmu's tool in preventing grain-shipments in the south. 
By 193 BSS the Audalads had established a significant foot hold in the North and even completely leveled the city of Taranusha. The long ago capital city of Talawa had been reduced to little but ash, the land even salted so nothing would grow. This would forever change Talawa, although the effects of this change would not be felt for sometime. The invasion continued, both the Talawans and the Ardatians continuing to get pushed back, Talawa even abandoning Teshub, evacuating all the city's citizens south to Lukka. Now though, the Talawans and Ardatians were fighting on 2 fronts, with the Audalads not only sponsoring, but allying with the Kaahiruns & Geshemi of the region, the Kaahiruns helping blockade the West of Ummarnu, and putting pressure on the city of Lukka, and the Geshemi helping Yimmu-Audal navigate the harsh landscape of the Mesa. 
In 131 BSS, the war was won, with Ardat submitting itself as a colony of Yimmu-Audal. Without Ardatian support, the Talawans had no hope of continuing the war effort, and thus, begrudgingly surrendered. However this war would create a lasting rift between the 2 powers of Ummarnu. Absolutely annihilated in the war, the Kingdom of Talawa surrendered its claim to Old Talawa, Old Teshub and the Western Mesa, the first 2 simply being abandoned in their entirety, and the last of which being surrendered to Kaahiru. This treaty lead to a mass diaspora of Talawan peoples, heading south to the Lukka area
=== Post-War to Server Start ===
Following their defeat in the Audalad Invasion of the West, the now halved Talawa would regress into a bitter dark age. King Wilusa would spend much the rest of his reign putting down rebellions across his land and attempting to rebuild from the destruction. Meanwhile, the Kaahiruns now at last the ones ruling their lands in the Mesa would ironically be put in the same position the Talawans had been for millennia; trying to find out how to rule over the minority peoples of the jagged, restless Mesa. Finally, with the exodus of the Old Kingdom from the north, much of the northern Talawans, or at least those who remained would fall into anarchy, as the land was split into several war states being constantly ravaged by bandit groups and marauders. It is around this time that some scholars make the distinction between Old Talawa and Talawa; other scholars simply draw up the distinction of 'Old Talawans' for those left remaining in the north and 'Red Talawans' for those still under Kingdom rule in the South.
==== The Fractured North ====
Although a great deal of Talawan elves were displaced or chose to flee from the territories north of the Mesa, a great deal still remained, attempting to carve out new kingdoms for themselves. The Sack of Taranusha and other subsequent razing by the Yimmies had destroyed critical supply chains across the region, resulting in mass starvation and a general breakdown in civil order; these factors only amplifying with the various wars of unification. Additionally, this chaos allowed for the thriving of some non-Talawan groups, from those who had been previously oppressed under Talawan yoke to new people groups arriving in the region to take advantage of the chaos.
Throughout this period and until server start, the Kingdoms of Sarabari, Karadag and Nuhashsni all looked poised to carve out a new Talawan Kingdom in the north, although as many scholars know, none of them would be truly successful in this endeavor.
* Sarabari: under the wealthy Lehad dynasty, the Talawans of Sarabari had been able to recover much quicker than many of their counterparts from the worse effects of starvation and collapse. Their position along the Tear granted them access to one of the few fertile areas in the desert and allowed them to grow some meager wealth off trade up and down river. However it wasn't until 83 BSS, under King Sehe'r II that they would begin their efforts to form a true Kingdom. Although up until that point Sarabari had already expanded some along the river, much of their expansion had been through the establishment of trade posts and tributes. Sehe'r II wasn't content with this however, and from the winter of 83 BSS would begin conquering up and down the river. Largely fueled by the use of Alaay mercenaries, Sehe'r would be able to conquer nearly the length of the river (save the delta to the sea) in just 2 years. That being said, it wouldn't be until 78 BSS that he would actually truly secure uncontested hold of these lands. The Sarabari 'River Kingdom' would use its position along the vital Tear river to establish a monopoly on trade and project influence across the surrounding lands. In 71 BSS, they would even begin reconstruction efforts on Taranusha, attempting to ressurect the city as their new capital. However, their little golden age would be brought to an end by the very force that brought it into existence: Seher's ambition. Wanting to gain access to rich markets of the outer seas, in 69 BSS, Sarabari would attempt to conquer the Tear's river delta, occupied then by the state of Killamog. And although they saw initial success in this conquest, a massive drought the following year would not only cripple their war effort but lead to much of their cities falling too banditry and infighting. They would surrender their southern portions of the river to Killamog 2 years later in 66 BSS, and over the next 20 years would slowly contract from rebellions and infighting until being reduced to just their original holdings in 45 BSS.
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