Lower Volty

### Country

First Theddite Empire (14068-16022), Kingdom of Theddias (16022-16023), Second Theddite Empire (16023-16277), Osthedia, Principality of Voltia, Northedia

### Population

~4,200,000

**Lower Volty** (Theddite: **Antilovoltias**) was a province of the First Theddite Empire located around the Volty and Thedda rivers. Its capital was Vetuix, which later became the capital city of the Principality of Voltia.

## History

Prior to the formation of the Theddite Empire, the region that would come to be called the Lower Volty was a borderland between the Theddite city-states and Folondite tribes. The land between the Thedda and Volty rivers was some of the most fertile in the world, and there was constant competition between various groups to establish dominance over the area. As a result, the Theddites who came to control it developed a long tradition of waging war and engaging in combat. It was said the best soldiers came from the Lower Volty, especially cities like Vulburg, which was home to an exceptional number of Nordish mercenaries; as well as Kilana and Eddias, exposed to the southern plainlands and the nomadic horse-tribes that traveled across it in search of settlements to raid. Trimen is the oldest city in the region, and was the first capital of the province when it was first created by Aderitas I. The first emperor mostly left the people of the province to rule themselves as they did before his conquests, choosing to levy a comfortably low tax on them and exploit instead their ability to wage war. He drafted thousands of men from the Lower Volty to garrison and police the vast, newly conquered lands to the northeast alongside the veteran soldiers who had stayed in the frontier cities after helping establish them. The province was granted to Nisemicas V, son of the final Theddite emperor, after the latter's assassination. His two brothers were also granted their own respective provinces, which threw the empire into civil war, as there were three men claiming to be emperor at once. Within a month, the Upper Volty and the province of Theddias were the only parts of the empire controlled by Nisemicas V, who as the eldest son of Nisemicas IV was the legitimate heir to the throne. In 16231, the First Volty War was fought between the Second Theddite Empire--established by Nisemicas, who proclaimed himself Nisemicas I Theddicas--and the kingdom of Osthedia over the location of their border, specifically control over the key city of Wulburg. The war ended with status quo antebellum after the Osthedians were unable to breach the city's walls to oust the Theddian garrison. The province remained wholly under the control of the Theddite Empire until 16277, when the Second Volty War ended with a decisive Osthedian victory at the Battle of Tampalic. Theddite Emperor Tranicopas was killed in the fighting, leaving the empire in a state of chaos, and the Lower Volty region's fate in the hands of Osthedia. Trimen fell before the end of the year, and in the ensuing peace treaty, the Principality of Voltia was carved out of the province, which roughly stretched from Kilana to the border with the Osthedian-controlled city of Wulburg. The lands were given to Prince Discroas Gallenie of Vetuix, and served as a buffer state between Osthedia and what remained of the Theddite empire.