Rump State of Dûth

The Empire of Dûth are a remnant of the great Empire of Dûth, which stretched from northern city of Casanium to Dure. It controlled all of the southern settlement of Falahi, until 1631, when Zoguls killed the emperor Cyamus IV and his son Cylindrus V went missing. Cyamus' only relative, his cousin, Flavius, dux of Savicus (Saqqal). Flavius was crowned as Flavius III de Vespolis, and he adopted scorched earth strategy to withdraw from the northern Dûth. His southernmost regions rebelled, which caused many city states to be formed, and he lost most of his empire. Abandoned by the gods, Flavius' elite is now turning to dark magic...

## History

The Lands of Southern Falahi were first populated by elves and gnomes prior to 5700 BD, when the first men landed there. Elves had built many great cities in the area, but ultimately abandoned them in 5500 BD, when the influence of men grew even greater. The elves had an odd cult, and they sacrificed other elves for their god(s). No one knows who these elves were, but it's clear that they did not worship any known god, demigod, evil god, or even Sagar himself. The cities of elves were avoided by the newly settled men, who mainly spent their time hunting and gathering.

Eventually the men discovered agriculture, and started settling down in communities. By 2300 BD, the southern deserts were already populated by rich and prosperous civilizations, while the northern areas remained rather uncivilized. However, the northern men started settling down in old elven cities, such as Dûth. Dûth's first emperor was Frigus, who took control of the nearby cities, such as Casanium and Vespolis. Frigus' succesors would turn to puppets of the southern states, and vice versa. The wars were short, and mostly did not involve sieges, but rather raiding villages and stealing cattle.

In 1345 BD Theodorus I of Dûth usurped the mad emperor Gnaeus and started a huge campaign to attack Savicus (Saqqal). The Saqqalians and Dûthians met at Veissos at the border of Dûth and Saqqal, in which Theodorus' forces prevailed, and besieged Saqqal itself. Saqqalian Sultan, Ephos, rallied the other desert kingdoms to help him with the Dûthians. Eventually Raqqalians and Saffans arrived at Saqqal, but the Dûthians had already taken over it. The Sultan Ephos fled to the western seas, and never returned in Falahi.

Theodorus' successors ensured prosperity and peace throughout the empire, and the empire grew strong. The desert tribes decided to not try to attack Theodorian Dynasty.

In the early 400s, a nomadic tribe called Astalii, who came from Astalian Bay, started scourging the lands of Dûthian Savicus and other southern regions. Eventually, they were defeated by Magnius IV in 436, few kilometres south of

The dynasties changed over the periods of time, but from 456 AD, the Zoguls started raiding the coasts of Dûth. Emperor Eugenius of the Savician Dynasty built fortifications from Savicus to Dûth, while the northern coast line was guarded by temporary camps. Zoguls would clash with the guardsmen for many centuries to come, but nothing particular happened.

However, in 672 AD, a civil war started in Dûth, which had grown to be one of the greatest cities in Falahi. The Emperor Maximus IV, the last dynast of Savicians, was attacked by Cyamus I of the Vespolitans. The Vespolitan dynasty would eventually win, and Cyamus I was crowned as the emperor of Dûth. Cyamus would start reigning by taking over the wilderness east of Vespolis, and by destroying the nomadic tribes east of Dûth. Cyamus' reign would make Dûth even more prosperous than ever.

And Cyamus' dynasty, the Vespolitans, continued to reign over the Empire of Dûth, and still do.

In 1251 AD, Emperor Flavius II took launched a grear campaign against the desert kingdoms. By 1254, these had almost fully fell to him. Al-Ashp was still independent, and an ultimate battle started for the city. Flavius himself was killed, but his men quickly took the city, and killed most of its noble inhabitants.

The Empire of Dûth was recognized as a worthy power by Villacia and the Endermen, who started trading with them. Dûth was more powerful than ever in its history, and the Vespolitans suppressed all revolts in their empire.

All changed in 1631 AD, when Zoguls landed west of Casanium. The first weeks were disastrous for zoguls, but once they broke through the forts, they attacked Casanium, which surrendered quickly. The Emperor Cyamus IV's army arrived at Vespolis, which the zoguls were besieging. Cyamus' family lived in Vespolis, so his army was quickly formed, and there were very few elite legionaries. The battle which would decide the fate of Dûth had started. The battle was bloody, but even, until Cyamus killed. No one could find his body, and for the most part, his army started fleeing. The Legionaries would hold their ground until the last man, but the sheer number of zoguls crushed them.

Cyamus' only relative alive, Flavius III Dux of Savicus, was made the the Emperor, and his men started large fortifications at the border. Flavius' southern regions rebelled, but the Emperor's army was in north, so he could not respond.

Can Flavius restore the great empire, and repel the zogul invaders? Or well his men become the food for carrion birds?