Age of Roads

### Overview

People decided that creating trade routes was Super Cool. This era saw a spike in naval progress, and Fos was settled during this time. The Illian Islands were settled by a small group of explorers who were drawn to the uniquely cold climate there. The Erun Archipelago is settled by a smaller, more conservative community. The Nossun Mountains are fully colonized. The oldest written records from Kur can be traced to this era found as shop names and a few clay tablets showing warehouse supplies. Several monarchies and more complex governments develop around this time. The Kingdom of Ap(ocean) is the most notable kingdom from this time period, lasting a solid 400 years and is responsible for the largest ancient road of its time. House of Daelek traces their origins to this period but does not arise to power until the Rise of Guilds. Kwondir also traces its ancestral roots to some of the tribes in the eastern river valleys.

### Background

As a largely nomadic species, most Kurians had not fully become agricultural societies until this time. Past livestock domestication, plant life wasn't fully domesticated for farming purposes until more of this era. The livestock that were kept were largely nomadic with their tribes. Of the agricultural societies that did exist, the most successful was Saon En Son, or **Shaun**. The city has moved up and down the Awu delta for centuries as it migrates, as rivers do. Saon En Son developed the first roads to the northeast city of the now abandoned historical site of Koffun. The Awu delta sidled downward as an access to the current city of **Bern**, known historically as Averna, Kernin, and Tern, depending on which major faction controlled it through this time.

Bern and Shaun are both the oldest cities in Kurian history. Shaun has always been more populated that Bern, even during plague. Early civilization did face the new challenges of plagues such as STDs and cholera and dysentery.

### Implications and Effects

The most impactful roads were found from Saon En Son to F'Aillen or, at the early-ass time called Fash'eln; or from Zhradzh to Kanjwola. Dworkon established a profitable trading route to a city on Fos, historically known as Plil via a strong navy. Dworkon established the first navy in Kurian history. It started as fishing boats with government endorsement, and later became the commission of rudimentary galleys and caravels. Other small communities copied the designs, and did create their own minor navies, but they were drafts only, and not nearly as advanced as the ballista equipped warships of Dworkon.

Animal Husbandry was a concept that many tribes and cities dabbled in during this time, developing livestock specialized for particular climates and geography. Modern day Gansh, or old Belinshr developed a rodent able to survive well in rocky, arid climates. The Yeswef Peninsula bred spectacular beasts capable of growing wool, and strong companion animals capable of herding, much like dogs for humans. Erun Archipelago developed many species of domesticated birds, many of which were ornamental and were traded for silken goods the Yeswef Peninsula. The Illian Isles developed, themselves, their own decent navy, but specialized in raiding and pillaging. The Nassan Islands struggled to develop large cities, and instead developed mountain roads. North of the Strai Desert was the Great Canyon. The civilization there connected trade from the west side of Ha to the east side for all naval expeditions. Even those who traversed the Strai Desert would trace upward for oasis and protection from the numerous caravan threats that thrived at that time.

With the rise of building roads, and the small governments and guilds that funded them, highwaymen became a career path for many a wayward citizen. The precursor to the modern House began at this time as businessmen banding together to increase trade potential and profitability, Hence roads.

### Names and Empires of Power

The most prominent names of this time, a patriarch named Blin of Saon En Son, and he developed what is still the modern House of Shaun. He is written to have started the first copper industry, and that brought in massive revenue. Over the decades, the copper expanded to iron and the equivalent of wheat or corn. That evolved to more refined industries, and the House of Saon evolved to the modern House of Shaun through the eons. They would go on to violently conquer and establish a small empire in the Awu delta all the way down to modern day Bern. The Saonen Empire is known for its artistic contributions, not its military exploits.

Contrarily, the precursor the current iteration of the House of Straidokh can be traced to the later Age of Roads where warlords and highwaymen in the Strai desert banded together as tribes. They also began the mystical domestication of the sand viper, which because of its untamable nature, is considered largely a myth. Several traders with... military endeavors and trading connections gave birth to what is now know as the Straidokh empire.

The Continent of Fos did have some trouble with establishing roads, as most of their economy was in the southern half of the continent. Iron mining and a rice equivalent were the main exports. The northern half of Fos was a collection of tribes that existed for several millennium afterwards.

On the Islands of Nassan, roads weren't much of an issue, only getting a navy and merchant ships. Much trading was done with the city of Yogarsh, whereby with which much lumbar was needed.