Rahlia

Banner of the Rahlian Confederation

**Rahlia**, often synonymous with the **Rahlian Confederation**, is a historical region of Ivlon and a former nation located between the countries of Sezalia and Birgolon. The "Rahlian Confederation" is still a title held in vassalage to the Kingdom of Birgolon by the former Duchy of Sagda. Rahlia is known as an epicenter of maritime trade and of a large productive agricultural region, the Rahlian plain.

## History

Rahlia has been inhabited for many thousands of years, going back to the era of tribal warfare between the peoples of the Southern Mountains and those living amongst the forests and hills of what is now Rahlia. In ancient times, Rahlia was the seat of many powerful warring kingdoms, who were later conquered by the Empire of Exelon and subsequently divided after its dissolution. In the Thirteen Years War (1148-1161 SY) the Kingdom of Cisalia and Duchy of Sagda fought in a combined effort to relieve the region of lingering Elvekians. Subsequently, in the Second Cisalian War of Succesion (1303-1307), the Duchy of Sagda fought alongside the fledgling Duchy of Zwanne against the Sezalians after the Cisal King, Frunmer II, had attempted an alliance with the Pretorian Lohn. After the dust settled the Duchy of Zwanne delcared itself seperate from both Sagda and Cisalia, igniting twenty years of warfare between the duchies of Sagda and Zwanne, often called the Rahlian Wars (1310-1331). The wars ended with the Viselgold Treatise (1331) signed in the city of Tsimer. The Archduke of Sagda married his daughter, Duchess Argarthe Vitgner, to the Zwannean duke, Oose ud Kurnstatt, uniting the countries. When Duke Oose died, his young brother, Roosije ud Kurnstatt, began his minority with Duchess Argarthe as steward. Under her ascendancy, the negotiations took place which created the Rahlian Confederation, a dual state headed by the dukes of both Zwanne and Sagda respectively.

To accommodate the new state, a large fortification now simply called Castle Zwanne was constructed outside the city, serving as the administrative base of the confederation. The *fauerlie* was created as a administrator to act without the direct command of both dukes, thus creating a more efficient administrative process. The confederation was, in 1342, given an electorate council with the responsibility of appointing the next *fauerlie*, meeting in the city of Tsimer. The *Shleigenudfauerlie Lusni* (United Council House) was constructed in the city in order to accommodate the council's meeting. The confederation was divided into five administrative states, those being Zwannea, Upper Rahlia (*Rahliettern*), Etter, Sagda-Birgolonia, and Zotterge. Each state provided a single representative to the *Shleigen* (Cisal for "the House"), the shorthand name for the council's headquarters.

Tensions flared in the confederation when the Count of Frava, the head of Zotterge, married his son to the daughter of the Archduke of Katemia, the leader of the Grand Duchy of Katemia (GDK). A small group of operatives were dispatched by the Zwannean fauerlie, Aussi ud Ner, to assassinate the Fravan crown prince, hoping to deter a lapse of Rahlian lands into the hands of Katemia. The attempt failed, and the Zwannean operatives were exposed and executed. In retaliation, Katemia sponsored a group of dissident Pretorian militants in southern Birgolon to take and hold the city of Higga against a Rahlian siege. When the siege was broken after three weeks, Katemian forces crossed into Rahlia and engaged the confederated forces. Higga was burned and sacked during the battle, thus sparking the First Rhalo-Katem War (1394-1398), lasting four years. The Katems engaged the Rahlians as far as Zwanne itself, where Castle Zwanne was destroyed. House ud Kursnatt-Kurnstatt, the ruling dukes of Zwanne, surrended control to the Katems. After a month the Sagdans solicited help from the Kingdom of Birgolon, and in a combined effort successfully besieged Zwanne and slaughtered the Zwannean forces. Together the Birgols, Sagdans, and Zwanneans marched to the city of Frava, which they burned, before heading further south to besiege the Katemian city of Seson, the seat of the Counts of Modein, a Katemian vassal. The Rahlians were stopped by Katem forces at Istganer Bridge (1397), where the bloodiest battle of the war ensued, with many thousands dead. Those fleeing drowned in the surrounding marshes. Immediately after hearing words of the battle, the Duke of Sagda and the Archduke of Katemia sent envoys to each other, meeting in the town of Aik. T

he Aik Conference lasted two months, in which the Treaty of Aik (1398) was drawn up. In attendance at the conference were envoys from Sagda, Zwanne, Etter, Birgolon, and Katemia. Several agreements were settled on: Zotterge would be given to the Katemians in exchange for Higga, while Birgolon, for its help in the war effort, would be given a seat at the *Shleigen* to voice its concerns in Rahlian matters. Many claim that the Rahlians agreeing to give the Birgols a seat at the Shleigen was the first sign of the confederation's demise. The Birgols were also to be given the right to operate and station a small infantry in and around Sagda. The capital of the confederation was to be wholly moved to the city of Tsimer, rather than Zwanne. The treaty was signed, bringing the Rhalo-Katem War to an end.

During the 1400s SY, the confederation exercised major economic influence over its surrounding