Westaranis History

The History of Westaranis started long before the current peoples of Westaranis came to be, with the Elden. The Elden were considered a powerful race of beings with no known surviving ancestors, instead leaving behind relics and artifacts from their society. Over the years, these remnants of Elden civilization have led to Elden Worship among the native peoples of Westaranis and beyond, as relics have been found in numerous locations within Midland and Bria. The Era following the Elden has become known as the Old Age, estimated to have lasted 4,700 years. The Dracarian Age came after, lasting 1,482 years before giving way to the Age of Man, which lasted 850 years before giving way to the Age of Kingdoms.

## The Old Age (00 DC - 4,700 DC)

The Old Age saw the rise of civilization in Westaranis. In this time, tribes such as the Kazcka, Lyran, Hemorua, Waichoto, Ahl'hura, and Niri rose to prominence as the major civilizations. The Kazcka were the largest of these, made up of dracarians who worshiped and were ruled by the Dragons of Westaranis. As the Kazcka civilization grew, pressure was placed on the rest of the peoples of Westaranis, who were enslaved and seen as lesser beings if they did not have Dragon Blood or ancestry. Thus began the Dracarian Age.

## The Dracarian Age (4,700 DC - 6,182 DC)

The Dracarian Age lasted another 1,482 years. In this time, the Kazcka united the dracarian races of Westaranis under a single nation called Kajram. The Kajram people called themselves the Kajram Empire, and believed that the Dragons had the sole right to rule the world. The Kajram Empire began a military campaign that spread across Westaranis, defeating the Waichoto, Ahl'hura, and Hemorua peoples. Starting in the year 777 of the Dracarian Age (5,477 DC), the war would last about another 700 years, gaining the title the Lifelong War after the average lifespan of an elf.

### The Lifelong War (5,477 DC - 6,182 DC)

Many more civilizations and tribes were lost, their customs and cultures burned and systematically destroyed by the Kajram Empire. While there is evidence of these cultures and peoples, many are lost to these wars and forgotten. Additionally, the Kajram saw the Elden as heretical. The older Dragons were have said to remember life under the Elden, and harbored strong feelings against them. Estimates from scholars reveal that a majority of the relics of the Elden left behind were destroyed during this time period, and what remains is scarce.

Despite the vicious campaign against the people's of Westaranis, the elven civilization of Lyran stood against the Kajram Empire. Elves heavily relied on the use of Magic, some resorting to tactics and stratagem that would have been considered vile or dishonorable under normal circumstances due to the general belief held among elves that Magic is a sacred element of the world, and there are some things one should never resort to when using the power. It is believed that the practice of necromancy was first widely used during the Kajram-Lyran War due to the Lyran advances in magical studies during this time.

The elves of Lyran also employed guerilla tactics against the Kajram Empire, and would often free slaves and other non-dracarian races and recruit them to fight against the Kajram Empire. At its peak, both sides of the conflict committed heinous acts against the other. Infanticide, murder of civilians, systemic genocide, and more were common in this era. By the end of the war an estimated 20 million lives were lost in the region known as Westaranis. At the time, this was the second largest war in terms of casualties recorded history had ever seen.

The Niri peoples were spared from the bloody conflict due to many factors. The first being their civilization's quiet existence in the Soraberg Mountains, which provided a natural defensive advantage that made attacks difficult. The few raids and attacks were largely unsuccessful, with the Niri people often retreating and taking with them all of value long before the Kajram forces reached them. If the Niri people were pushed to fight, accounts discovered from the Kajram war journals told of "strong, angel like warriors that seemed to appear, strike with devastating power, then vanish in to the sky". Despite some dracarian creatures' ability to fly, the Niri seemed to have an advantage here too. By the end of the war, it is only assumed a handful of Niri were actually killed with Kajram military documents claiming not a single Niri corpse was retrieved from the mountains. Despite their success against the Kajram military, the Niri remained neutral, and shortly before the end of the war were left alone entirely.

The war would slowly turn in favor of the peoples of Westaranis, as the elves of Lyran produced warriors known as Dragon Hunters called Fa'ralung. These elite warriors had spent their lives studying and learning all they could about Dragons with the help of Dexrathia, one of the Dragons who had opposed the Kajram Empire. Slowly the Dragons were assassinated one by one. This pushed the Kajram Empire to the brink of collapse, and with the arrival of Aranians and Humans to Westaranis coupled with infighting among Kajram itself, the war was won. Thus began the Age of Men.

## The Age of Men (6,182 - 6,321 DC)

The Age of Men was officially marked by the first Aranian led expedition to Westaranis, which ended in an attack by the Kajram Empire that drove the Aranians back to Midland, only to return in greater numbers. Between the two arrivals of Aranians in Westaranis Samrouth, the symbolic figurehead to the Kajram Empire, was slain at the hands of Ynthil Uyamr. When the Aranian forces returned to raid and destroy the Kajram, the Kajram Empire was already falling, greatly weakened by numerous defeats by Lyran forces. The Aranians, despite their disadvantages in weaponry and tactics against the Kajram, pushed the already weakened enemy to its breaking point. The Empire collapsed in less than two years, and the peoples of Kajram found themselves displaced. While the Dracarian races fled due to persecution, many other races became displaced. It was here the Aranians and the Lyrans found conflict.

At the end of the Lifelong War, the Aranians and Lyrans held an unofficial alliance, as neither ever formally formed agreements of peace. Both saw opportunity in the defeat of the Kajram Empire, as there were no unified peoples to claim the vast swaths of land that were once solely under Dracarian control. As Lyrans and Aranians began claiming land and establishing new settlements, the once enslaved peoples of Westaranis either rebelled or attempted to integrate with the new societies. By 6,282 the 100th year of the Age of Men, five major civilizations emerged. Lyran claimed the lands to the south and the mountains that surrounded them, including the Soraburg Mountains, unofficially including the Niri peoples as their own despite never having recorded any contact with them until hundreds of years later. The Aranian Empire claimed and took control of the land near the mouth of the Grand Central River, and their borders ran along that of Lyran while extending north along the coast and up through the central valleys. This new kingdom became known as Aranis. A group of free peoples and escaped human slaves of Aranis were able to establish a kingdom to the north west of Aranis called Dal. Further north of both Dal and Aranis was the remnants of the Kajram Empire, Jutai. To the far west past the mountains emerged a nation known as Viraxen, made up of natives of the desert as well as dracarian deserters of the Kajram Empire.

Tensions among the established civilizations as well as the peoples displaced by the Kajram Empire reached a breaking point in the year 130 of the Age of Men. Small bands of independent militia formed, often backed by wealthy merchants and families, and began fighting against established civilizations. Natives to Westaranis who were displaced banded together against their would be oppressors in an attempt to take back their land. This conflict became known as the War of Westaranis.

### The War of Westaranis (6,312 - 6,321 DC)

The War of Westaranis was a conflict that resulted in a massive battle across Westaranis involving all Kingdoms, starting when the native Westaranians began to revolt, and formed a disorganized militia. Using guerilla warfare tactics, the native Westaranians gained support from the lower and slave classes of many developed nations. Soon, wealthy merchants and traders saw an opportunity to seize power away from rulers they saw as incompetent and disorganized, and the war exploded. Viraxen and Jutai saw an opportunity as well, and invaded many parts of Westaranis. The five major kingdoms of Aranis, Jutai, Lyran, Viraxen, and Dal were engaged in a war with not only each other, but dozens of splinter groups.

The lines between friend and foe blurred as towns took arms to defend themselves, and soon Aranis began to fall. The Aranian Empire finally lost control when a civil siege led to the execution of Lord Marquay and his cabinet. A new nation was formed under the leadership of General Tarien, who was sympathetic to those who had resisted Aranian rule. This new nation was called Estoria.

Following the lead, other militia began to organize, and Tarien saw an opportunity. Instead of resisting and conquering his neighbors, he recognized the threat Lyran, Dal, Viraxen, and Jutai held over their heads. Tarien supported the formation of the nation Limorra, Jern, Aardvyr, and Caliph. Together, these four created an alliance that consisted of a multitude of races, unlike that of the opposing kingdoms that were largely monoracial. Their combined might exceeded that of Aranis, though as new nations they were incredibly fragile.

One nation that formed, standing out from the rest, was Burkesh. Burkesh was an alliance of the major ork tribes trapped under Lyran rule in the southernmost region of Westaranis.

Against all odds, Estoria and its allies managed to turn the tide on Dal, as Dal was being overrun by Jutai. Surrendering to the alliance, Dal was saved through a merging of two nations into one: Jern Dal. With their combined strength, Jutai was pushed back and victory was at hand. With the newfound might of the largest dwarven population in Westaranis, the allies defeated Viraxen at several key battles, and the nation withdrew from central Westaranis. Lyran now faced the combined might of the remaining nations of Westaranis as well as the frighteningly efficient Burkesh warriors. Lyran was offered to surrender in return for help in fighting the Burkesh armies. Accepting, the tribal warriors were pushed back beyond the southern coastal hills. After years of brutal fighting, a tired Westaranis ended the war.

## The Age of Kingdoms (6,321 DC)

General Tarien saw the distress caused by neglect of the native Westeranian people, and sought to bring a stability to Westaranis through a treaty in the aftermath of the War of Westaranis. He paid attention to the leaders of various groups that to him represented the best of Westaranis, and wrote a well received treaty that was looked at favorably among the ruling classes as well as a majority of the commoners.

The treaty negotiated the division of land among the standing kingdoms, and created a new kingdom of Aardvyr that would serve to replace the kingdom of Lyran. Aardvyr would retain much of what made Lyran unique, but established a new leadership that was looked at more favorably among the elves of Westaranis. Jern Dal was recognized as a nation, and a strong alliance between Limorra and Estoria was founded. Lastly, the free peoples of Caliph were granted half of the southern central valley, bordering Aardvyr and Burkesh. Jutai signed as well as part of a surrender that placed a more stable ruler in charge, one who aligned more with Estorian goals of peace. Only Burkesh and Viraxen were not included in the treaty as they refused to recognize the new nations and remained hostile towards them. With the signing of the treaty, the War for Westaranis was officially ended, and an era of peace and progress followed.

Roughly a year after the war, the Aranian Empire sent a peace convoy to Estoria to negotiate relations. Knowing they could not control Estoria directly, a trade alliance was formed between the two nations. Various loopholes however allowed an up and coming trading company to take great advantage of the early and unrefined tariffs and taxes. The Malcom-Ezrin company emerged as the leading Estorian trading company, with a fleet of cargo ships and a small security force comprised of well paid war veterans.