Athinische Imcheren

Der Athinische Imcheren (The Aetherian Empire) is an ancient nation lasting 3000 years, engulfing all of modern day Frostmarch. It is the origin of Aetherian culture and Lunaism.
== Origins of the Empire ==
The Empire dates back to a small tribe in central Frostmarch. It is uncertain when it was founded, but the earliest date is -3052 BFA (Aetherian Calendar) and the latest is -2900 BFA. The Tribe was called the "Athinikasi", from where originates the name of the Aetherian capital, Athinikas. It is thought that Luna herself guided proto-Aetherians here. 
=== Migration to Athinikas ===
The Aetherians migrated to Athinikas in around 3400 BFA from the interior of Sorligste, likely coming from the mountains as Enderians are observed to have above-average ability to breathe in low-oxygen areas. It's around then when the oldest Aetherian text was written, detailing the migration in highly mythological means. They were said to have been forced into the tundra by large raids from the west. The raiders were humans and were called the 'Arkeviks', the etymology of which is unknown. The Aetherians left the mountains and were pursued by said Arkeviks, which is the main reason the Aetherians didn't go south. The Arkeviks eventually left, and the Aetherians reckoned that if they went south they would find warmer land but failed to do so, so they settled near a river.
=== Formation of the Kingdom ===
For multiple hundred years, the Athinikasi expanded peacefully. But a Valdic tribe invaded the tribe, temporarily taking the city of Athinikas itself, which is commonly known in Aetherian mythology as the "Schwertent orde dønet", or the Darkest of Lows.
==== Schwertent orde dønet ====
This event marked Aetherian history, culture and mythology and also would lead to the formation of the Empire. The nearby Valdic tribe, that invaded in 3128 BFA, was called the "Müvenet". The Müvenet attacked the Aetherians because of the Aetherian fishermen fishing up all of the Migratory Anech coming down the river after their mating seasion. This harmed the Müvenet's food supply, prompting them to simply invade the Athinikasi. The battles which resulted during the initial invasion were not described in any texts that we know of, but we know that the Athinikasi were pushed out and Athinikas fell to the Münevet. The Aetherians left the city but Barot Zratki, along with couple other troops, went back to Athinikas and retook it without a single casualty. This claim is disputed and the text detailing these events is very mythological, but another text which is strictly non-mythological does state that the Battle of Athinikas was without casualty.
Once they retook Athinikas, they went in to engage the Müvenet in a field battle where the King of Aetheria perished. An emergency government took power and continued the war, fully conquering them. The question of who would lead the Empire was answered by a duel between Oursi Zratki and Seyan Apari, where Oursi won.
== Early History ==
The early history of the Aetherian Empire is widely covered and known thanks to the Zratki Royal Library Records.
=== Oursi's reign ===
Oursi, proving himself to be the mightiest of all of the competitors to be chief after a duel, would become the one in charge. He quickly re-established order and guided his troops into war. He would invade one of the Müvenet's allies and would devastate their troops at the Battle of Jalven where he surrounded their forces and either killed them or had them surrender. Once the clan conquered, he moved to conquer the nearby ones, with the most prominent battle being the Battle of Qarqash.
==== Battle of Qarqash ====
The Aetherians were numbered at 300 against 500 Serinians. Oursi and his consellors ordered his cavalry to be split into two units and to feign a retreat, causing the Serinians to charge. His infantry then formed a phalanx formation as his archers fired from behind. His cavalry would hit the Serinians from behind, effectively countering their charge. Heavy fighting ensued, but the Serinians were decimated, losing around 450 men.
==== End of Oursi's reign ====
He formed the Empire near the end of his reign with most of south-eastern Frostmarch under his control, he is regarded as one of the greatest leaders of Aetheria. When he passed, he gave the throne to his son, Aeyur. One of his last acts was to order the construction of Marsiche, a city which would become important later.
=== Aeyur's rule ===
He would begin his rule with an array of conquests, securing the southern tundra. Though, his reign would focus mainly on the economy. He would encourage business in areas outside of Athinikas, would begin securing trade deals with the country's neighbours and would begin extracting the gold and coal rich areas of the southern tundra.
Using his newly extracted ressources and newly created businesses, he would begin sending merchants all over the region bringing back money to Aetheria and soon enough taxing the profits. Naming Masron Orgelon, a Valdic immigrant, head of his finances, he would die the richest Aetherian to date.
=== Oaeu's rule ===
Aeyur died without heir, thus passing the crown to his brother, Oaeu. Oaeu would declare war on all of his neighbours, spending the whole treasury on his costly campaigns. Most would fail, and once Oaeu ran out of money...
==== The Deluge ====
As Oaeu was backed into a corner, he refused to negotiate with his neighbours, and thus the Valdic Coalition War began.
First, in the south, he faced huge defeats as he was forced back. Then, around 15.000 Valdic men faced 5.000 Aetherians in the Battle of Athinikas.
====== Battle of Athinikas ======
Valdic forces quickly entered the outskirts of the city. The Aetherians quickly scrambled and began firing flame arrows, raining down a sea of fire on the Valdics. The Knights of Aetheria, founded by Oursi near the end of his rule, launched a spearhead against the Valdics. 200 Elite Knights faced a sea of attackers. A prominent Aetherian general at the time, his name lost to time, ordered the Aetherian army's archers to form a creeping barrage to allow the Knights to advance. Knowing he has limited arrows left, he would order his men to spray oils all over the wooden buildings in the outskirts of the city, then set fire to the buildings. Quickly, a huge fire would begin, and the Knights would pull out of the areas burning. Meanwhile, in the south of the city, 2.500 Valdic men had went around Aetherian flanks and moved to seize the Zratki Palace. The Heavy Cavalry of Aetheria would quickly move in to halt the Valdic advance and light infantry would be sent in to keep them distracted as the Knights moved to the front. They would succeed in distracting the Valdics, and once the Knights arrived, the Knights quickly moved to the Valdic flanks and cut them off before engaging them from all sides and eventually crushing the pocket. They would now move through the left flank of the Valdic advance and forced them to retreat.
==== Final stage of the Deluge ====
With the Battle of Athinikas an Aetherian victory, the Valdics moved to seize the Eastern and Western regions of the Aetherian Empire, successfully pushing them back. Oaeu would die and give his throne to his son, Kaelyn.
=== Kaelyn's Rule ===
Kaelyn would quickly move to repair his Father's mistakes. First, he seizes the southern peninsula with ease before going on multiple campaigns in the West. He would slowly reconquer the West, making sure not to get too greedy in his wars. Not much is known about him except of his campaigns.
=== Ton's Rule ===
Ton began his rule by launching a huge invasion of the northern Valdic Kingdom. First, he seized multiple ports in order to cripple the Valdic navy, and seized the ships in the ports. He then imposed a blockade of the Kingdom. He quickly moved to seize the Valdic's borderlands in order to bolster the effectiveness of the blockade. He then landed in modern day Pahonja and seized the Valdic's colony there. The Valdics soon collapsed although Ton died of a common cold during the war, leaving his son, Aeyur II to finish them off.
=== Oaeon's Rule ===
=== Usurpation of Aeyur II ===
Aeyur II was a child-emperor, being 12 years old. His advisors took charge during the war and mopped out the remnants of Valdic resistance, yet plots against Aeyur II intensified. These were mainly powergrabs, yes, but their tenacity was due to Aeyur's status as mixed race, as Ton I had chosen to marry a human and, consequently, she gave birth to only one child, Aeyur II. In the fall of 988 BFA, Aeyur's brother struck and marched on the palace with his supporters, mainly nobles, and slew Aeyur II in his throne.
=== Rise of Corruption ===
With Oaeon's ascension, the payment for the nobles turning a blind eye to this coup was for him to allow certain 'backdoor moves' to take place without repercussion. This was possible not only due to the Emperor's powerful position, but also due to the presence of weak courts that were infact tied to the Emperor, and not independent from him. They were simply the manifestation of his will judicially. Nobles simply began courting wealth and power towards themselves away from the people, and especially wealth, which was mainly in human and not Enderian hands. The money and bounty gained from a victory in the Coalition War was effectively stolen from those who had worked hardest to acquire it, and it complemented the lack of public funds which themselves were a result of this war. Hard times swept the nation, and when a drought hit the agricultural south, people could not longer tolerate this. Corruption had been on the rise for long before Oaeon took power, however this was it's apex.
=== Revolution of Dignity ===
Popular power had been eroded for the last 55 years, and in 937 BFA, a countryside priest led thousands of Athinikas' citizens into the streets, chanting the words "Victorious Emperor, blessings upon you, grant us bread!" as they paraded all the way towards the Imperial Palace.
Category:Traveler's Era