Zinon Carto

Zinon Carto was the first Emperor of the Carto Empire, creating the nation when he rebelled against Ilaka during the Carton War. He was an inspiring figure, leading his nation through the tough year of **502PR** with the Plague of the 5th Century and Hurricane Max.

## Early Life

Zinon Carto was born in the city of Helicules, being one of the few families that survived Minos Dimelis’s slaughter by withdrawing from the city before the second invasion.

When they returned, they managed to hold onto their titles and property, placed in the middle-district. Zinon was later born in **445PR**.

From an early age, his parents gave him every chance they could, using most of their remaining influence and finances to get Zinon through a good school so that he could leave the city and Ilakan control and go elsewhere.

## Career

Zinon ended up becoming a writer and politician, writing about the stories of the Helicules War and having a personal attachment to Miguel Baztan, who was his hero.

He kept up with politics in both Ilaka and the city government, so he could always understand or predict what is about to happen.

By **486PR**, Zinon had already begun building his own circle of influence, leading the original Helicules citizens that were now struggling in the slums because of Minos and the Ilakans.

In **487PR**, the current King of Ilaka, Ilias Kostides, placed heavy taxation on the city, targeting the original populace first before the Ilakans later. Zinon was turned to for advice and leadership, inspiring some of his followers and helping where he could. Leading to the creation of the Pro-Carto Faction.

His faction grew more in **488PR** after violent crackdowns from the Ilakan guard. It grew so much that it became public, gaining even some Ilakans in the city as support.

### Carton War

*See: Carton War*

He decided to rebel in **489PR**, gathering what forces and veterans were in the city and letting them train others. Still not in full control of the city, the Pro-Carton rebels raided in the night, stealing weapons and supplies, taking away from what the guards could use. Within a few days they had control, effectively defeating the guard and leaving only the noble district.

When they attacked the nobles the next day, they found it empty, or properly described as abandoned. Always the populist, Zinon made a ceremony to celebrate the return of those houses to the original citizens, or as awards for some of the heroes in the upcoming battles.

Taking inspiration from his hero Miguel, he began the extensive training of turning citizens into soldiers.

In Asunak, the relief force sent by the Ilakans commanded by Theo Anthides arrived at the city, marching into the city to conquer back what they lost.

#### Battle of the Carto Empire

*See: Battle of the Carto Empire*

As the Ilakans entered the city, they were ambushed. Prepared, the rebels closed the gate behind him before unleashing a series of projectiles from all sides into the enemy on the streets.

Zinon led the archers, calling for volley after volley to kill their enemy. By the time they had run out of anything to throw, the Cartons moved in, hitting the enemy and killing what remained. Despite their early advantage, the fighting was close, the Cartons losing a lot more than they had anticipated.

Still, they became victorious by the end, creating the Carto Empire with Zinon as their emperor.

### Aecae

Now in a good position geographically, Zinon and the Cartons began cutting off the Ilakans from any land routes beyond Helicules, reducing the forces they had in the town of Aecae.

In **490PR**, Zinon and a detachment of his troops marched out and liberated the settlement, though it was mainly the Pro-Carto rebels that remained, any Pro-Ilakans getting banished after Zinon took control.

### Talks with King Ilias

When they returned to Helicules, Zinon realised that he did not have the resources to fight a long war, nor did he want to remain unrecognised for long. So, to pressure talks, he began raiding the lands of Ilaka.

Eventually, his raiding worked, opening talks with Ilias and bringing the war to an end, along with getting the King to recognise the Carto Empire as its own independent nation. For King Ilias, it was discussed that the Cartons would not step foot in Ilakan controlled lands in the next 30 years.

## Emperor

Now a formally recognised Emperor, Zinon had the lengthy process of building an Empire from the ground up. First, he awarded many of his initial followers, giving some governorships and land, while others were given the remaining noble houses in Helicules. Before the end of the first year, he named his son, Alkis, his heir.

He also began building the military, giving control to his son for the time being so he could build up his own skills as a leader.

### Plague of the 5th Century

*See: Plague of the 5th Century*

The Plague of the 5th Century was difficult for Zinon and the Carto Empire, forcing them to take ideas from Gonarundu and quarantine and isolate many of their individuals. While they managed to beat the plague in the end, the economic impact was heavy, halting the growth of a new nation in their new years.

### Hurricane Max

*See: Hurricane Max*

Despite all the pressures and frustrations affecting Zinon Carto, he still took Hurricane Max very seriously, stopping naval travel and creating refugee camps for his citizens to evacuate too when needed.

Once again he felt economic hardships from the hurricane though, stopping production and losing more in the docks where he let ships stay at the docks for only a fraction of the usual cost.

## Illness and Death

Despite being a fit man and keeping up a good diet, the stress from the creation of the nation and its immediate hardships took a toll on Zinon’s body. By **508PR** his body was failing, publicly fainting after one of his speeches.

After he fainted, he was bedridden for the next few days, visited by close friends and family. While he recovered, he fainted again soon after, forced to return to his bed, where his health was failing. He died on Deamber 13 **508PR** after a violent coughing fit. He was surrounded by his close friends and family.

## Legacy

Zinon Carto lives on as one of the greatest Emperors the Carto Empire has ever had, and a monarch that actually cared for his people. His death is seen as him bearing all the problems that the Carto Empire had, but refusing to place them on the people as he was an honorable man.

Despite the change in tone to the Carto Empire now, which is more Ilakan, Zinon is still seen as a legend.