Eighth Age

The **Eighth Age** was when the Aspuruk aliens invaded Jerde, and when several human nations used their technology to became spacefaring powers. When five or six human nations sent expeditions to contact their counterparts in the Galaxy -- the Freyrgardian states and the Londurilli civilisation -- this age became known as the **Age of High Adventure**.

## History

A warrior from Rannar, Bannar, led his army to wage war against the Aspuruks, claiming himself to be a descendant of the god Baldr.

The Aspuruks once attempted to set up a base at present-day Pyranika and Budino, north of Marnos. Bannar led his armies against their six fortresses, leading to so much strange, alien treasures being plundered. Later on, they were given away to the Ecumene, although unfortunately many of these treasures were destroyed for their lethal properties.

Only several far-flung nations were spared from the ruin of the Aspuruks. From northerly Luskara and the many kingdoms and republics southwards, to distant Rasumotu, these countries were of little interest to the Aspuruks, except for small raids that were mostly unsuccessful, defeated and plundered by the locals. Notably, one such country that fought back was the Kingdom of Ida in Bujan, whose ruler Serumal led raids to slaughter any Aspuruks who were unfortunate enough to land on his island. Serumal and his men had steel that surprised the Aspuruks by how they were strong enough to tear into Aspuruk armour, and even the doors of their spaceships were torn open by Idaish blades and axes.

After the defeat of the Aspuruks, many nations across the world destroyed any Aspuruk machinery they found, fearing that their crystals will contaminate the landscape and kill thousands. All except for five realms: Darros, Tukshara, Daizhou, Dashadesha, and Yawanda. With their modified extraterrestrial technology, these five civilisations became more advanced than the rest of the world, but they kept their technology a secret from the rest of the world as they searched the Galaxy for planets to colonise and more resources to gather. These five nations became known as "the Ecumene".

### The Tragedy of Sirashwe

While Tukshara, Darros, and Daizhou attempted to build their empires on Jerde and in interstellar space, Dashadesha and Yawanda focused on defenses. However, the sixth emperor of Yawanda, Sirashwe, decided to use his newly-gained alien weapons to subjugate the nearby nations. With his seven champions he led his armies forth to enslave the locals and plunder their wealth, incinerating any who refused to submit to his reign. During that time, his opponents who fled from his realm contacted the Ecumene for their aid, and a few Ecumenian regiments built their defences at Rhondaxe, to the southeast of Yawanda.

Alarmed by Sirashwe's rapid success, the surrounding countries quickly formed their own leagues to protect themselves. While Kikori -- a seafaring trade power in the east -- sent its zebra-knights and its iron to defend its allies, the surrounding countries raided Yawandi camps and forges to use their enemy's technology against it. Although Sirashwe built automatons to support his brutal reign, his enemies were aided by two opponents: Kabwame, a former scribe who helped the northern lands form an alliance with Kikori; and Ruwadzano, an engineer who brought some of the Aspuruks' machines with her friends to the southern front, where they taught them to replicate their technology. Eventually, the two fronts combined into a single alliance, the Kabwame League; having become strong enough to match the Yawandi might, the alliance defeated and slain six of Sirashwe's seven champions, one by one.

Fifteen months after Sirashwe began his march, one of the kings of the Kabwame League, Malomba of Ronto, rode before Sirashwe's legions with an ultimatum: to cease his warmongering, or be struck down by his own weaponry turned against him. The emperor and his remaining champion laughed back: they ordered their squadrons to bomb Malomba and his army to ash. As soon as Malomba's bodyguards sighted his enemy's ships depart from their hangars, he immediately ordered a heat cannon to be fired directly at Sirashwe. Within the blink of an eye, Sirashwe and his last champion were reduced to ash. Without their emperor to issue any orders, the bombers that were not yet shot down turned away from their homeland.

While Malomba and his allies waited for Yawanda's rulers to make their next move, Sirashwe's son ordered a ceasefire. He agreed to return his father's slaves and plunder to their homes. In return, the Kabwame League agreed not to share their newly-acquired technology to anyone outside the continent, even as much of the Aspuruks' technology outside the continent was destroyed out of fear of its contamination. That is, except for Kikori, whose queen Njeri III contacted the Ecumene and was welcomed by them as their replacement for the disgraced civilisation of Yawanda. After the last loot was returned to its homeland, Queen Njeri III invited the new emperor of Yawanda back into the Ecumene.

As for Kabwame himself, he and Ruwadzano fell in love and married at the former's homeland.

## Later events

Six other nations joined the Ecumene as major powers, leading to twelve core nations.

The kingdoms of Rukania also joined, lending their newly-found machinery to support the Ecumene's alliance in modernising the world. In the north, Valjadii engineers built mighty suits of armour and plasma cannons that allowed the Rukanian realms to endure against various foes.

The Kingdom of Hafsteinn was united with the spacefaring Freyrgardian nation of Mantua into a powerful realm, after noticing messages from the Ecumene's members. When the Mantuaskar landed on Jerde, they were appalled by the sight of their ancestral homeland not being as technology-advanced as the Ecumene's members. The king of Hafsteinn married with the queen of Mantua, uniting both nations under a single crown: both of them were not married by the time of the state union. Both realms were simply renamed as "Freyrgard". Attracted by the Freyrgardians' technology, the Ecumene invited the United Kingdom of Freyrgard as one of the later six members of the alliance. The Mantuaskar slowly convinced their Jerdiskar brethren not to fear rytoryntar, but to utilise its technology and join them as a spacefaring nation.

As for the other Freyrgardian nations ... TBA

One frequent enemy of the Jerdiskar expeditions was the pirate empire of Galdefron, who often targeted their ships to plunder them.

The Ecumene also attempted to contact the Londurilli, the other and older human race in the Galaxy. Invited by Ecumene delegates, the Londurilli sent an expedition to reestablish contact with their homeworld. But with their and the Freyrgardian fleets on their skies, the frightened peoples of Jerde angrily rejected their aid.

Vaidavotis the Reformer ruled as High King of the Nine Kingdoms of Ralxaros (Marnos). Among his deeds included preventing civil war, repelling the Vachelonian fleets, and ending slavery and human sacrifices.

## See also

* First Age
* Second Age
* Sixteenth Age