Kosbia

*Page Status: Accepted Canon*

## Origins

The Empire of Kosbia, more commonly known as just Kosbia, was an empire founded by Emperor Jeffrey I, who united the barbaric tribes of the Acaciana into one nation under his rule. Located next to a fertile river, the Kosbians enjoyed great advancements in technology and production.

The typical rite of passage in Kosbia involves the passing of the Medal of Koshnir, an ancient Kosbian artifact, onto the next emperor in a ceremony known as "The Passing". The medal is made out of solid gold, and carved on it are two eagles, commonly thought to be the inspiration of the Kosbian flag. Historically, it took place in the Kosbian courthouse, one of the three buildings present in Kosbia. Legend tells that he who holds the Medal of Koshnir has the power to unite the Kosbian forces to victory, giving them strength above all.

## Skardoving Era

During the Skardoving Era, Kosbia was ruled by Emperor Esmond. However, the emperor did not actually have any power. He was simply a figurehead for those truly in power. Kosbia was truly ruled by Nanoska, the Chancellor, and Manoska, the Grand Vizier. The Medal of Koshnir was held in the Chancellor's possession, as a symbol of true power over the empire.

At the beginning of the Skardoving Era, Kosbia extended its diplomatic reach and became friendly with the Kingdom of Grimsburg, as well as the Technocratic Republic of Nivoa and Ilios. However, after the Blackmore war, in which Grimsburg was converted from a kingdom to a republic by Nivoa, Kosbia became weary of increasing Nivoan influence across the world, especially with the formation of the federation of Eshdal. After the formation of Eshdal, Chancellor Nanoska met with Andreas, in which they discussed the possibility of Kosbia entering the federation. However, one condition of joining was that Kosbia would have to become a democracy, which ultimately led to Kosbia declining the offer.

Looking farther westward, Kosbia soon became allies with the Chiefdom of Malmfjell, forging a strong diplomatic relationship under the common practice of being ruled under a leader.

## Events leading up to Honeybay Battle

During a meeting with Nivoan diplomats in the Ilean embassy, a fight broke out, which Nanoska and Esmond soon retreated from due to being heavily outnumbered in the confined meeting room. Soon after the fight, Kosbia declared war on Nivoa, calling on other nations yet to be taken over by Nivoa's reign of "forced democracy" to join together, in fear of another Grimsburg occuring. Andreas, a close friend of Nanoska's, agreed with this and left Eshdal and teamed up with Kosbia to take down Nivoa. Andreas provided war plans "gathered" before his public leave of Eshdal. However, unbeknownst to the Chancellor, Andreas was actually a spy for Eshdal's forces, and the war plans gathered from Eshdal were actually fake documents aimed to make Kosbia underestimate Nivoa's preparedness for the war. Andreas also gathered intel on Kosbia's plans.

Malmfjell joined Kosbia's side in preparation for the war. However, Nivoa's large influence in the eastern sphere led most of the nations to join their side in the war. This would mean that Kosbians and Malmfjellians would be outnumbered by up to 3:1, if all forces were to embark to Honeybay. However, using the mass of wealth accumulated over the empire's reign, Kosbia was able to purchase strong weapons and armor for all of its forces. Knowing that Eshdal's large force would mean supplies spread far and few between, and believing the falsified documents created by Andreas, the Kosbian military were soon sure of its victory, despite the number disadvantage.

Prior to the battle the Kosbians bulit a fortress on the east coast of the Acaciana, as well as an outpost near Honeybay to allow supplies to be moved easily. This outpost was sabotaged and trapped by Andreas unbeknownst to the Kosbians. However, this trap was unsuccessful as enough supplies were carried by Chancellor Nanoska to provide for the full war effort.

## The Battle of Honeybay

The small forces of Kosbia and Malfmjell first met enemy forces on a small outpost island, where the watchers were quickly chased and killed. However, the alarm was raised. The battle had started. Despite being heavily outnumbered, the elite Kosbian and Malmfjellian forces quickly tore its way through Honeybay. However, Andreas revealed himself as a traitor, and fell back to Eshdal, having taken valuable resources for the war from Kosbia. At Honeybay, Kosbian forces killed many of Nivoa's top leaders, including Timerius and Orche. However, a message was sent from the capital that forced Kosbian forces to retreat. The Kosbian capital had been attacked and pillaged by Nivoan forces, and to avoid further losses, Chancellor Nanoska decided to retreat, bringing back the Malmfjellian forces with him.

## After the War

Despite the Battle of Honeybay being a stalemate, Kosbia was no longer concerned with Nivoa's plans to expand, due to their lack of leadership and the debt it owed due to war spending. Kosbia withdrew from further diplomatic relationships, and grew stronger as an independent nation.

However, some generals looking to restore Kosbia's absolute monarchy started plotting an uprising that would throw out those in power. In one meeting, General Aquarius was able to convince the current Emperor Esmond to use what little power he had to provide supplies to the insurgent group, in exchange for restoring Esmond's rightful power...

## The Dark Ages

A few years after the Battle of Honeybay, Chancellor Nanoska had a son, who he named Jeffrey, after the founding emperor of Kosbia. However, sensing discord amongst some of the top generals, Nanoska sent his son off to be raised far far away in the south, to study and to one day take over Nanoska's duty as Chancellor. Before the voyage to the south, Nanoska gave Jeffrey's caretaker a small pouch, telling him to give it to Jeffrey on his 13th birthday. Jeffrey spent his childhood years in foreign lands, learning in some of the top schools of the time. A few days after Jeffrey's 7th birthday, a letter from Kosbia came, informing the heartstruck son that the great Kosbian Chancellor Nanoska had died of "natural causes", and calling him home to take over. On the way home, Jeffrey's caretaker returned the Chancellor's pouch to Jeffrey, and to his astonishment, Jeffrey found the Medal of Koshnir to be inside, after laying dormant for so many years. Jeffrey hid the medal in his shoes, worried that someone might try stealing it from him on the voyage.

However, the invitation home was in actually a trap, setup by the corrupt generals that had assassinated Jeffrey's father, as well as Emperor Esmond. General Aquarius had backstabbed the late emperor and had taken over the position himself. Jeffrey was captured and thrown into a prison, and General Aquarius became the Emperor of New Kosbia. Fortunately for Jeffrey, not all of Kosbia's leadership had been corrupted by a need for power. Grand Vizier Manoska and General Luxor, close friends of the deceased Chancellor, soon devised a plan with help from Kaori's massive knowledge of the palace's secret exits and entrances and broke Jeffrey out of jail. Under the cover of night, they stole a supply ship from Kosbia's eastern fortress, fled to sea and travelled east. During the voyage, Aquarius put a bounty on the heads of the three exiles and called for their death. Knowing that the Nivoan population would heed to this bounty, they fled further north to Forsvar. There, they set up in a dense forest and were met by the tribe of the native Vestrian population, calling themselves the Uldarians. Fearing for their lives, the three traded the supply ship filled with resources and food as well as the Medal of Koshnir for safe sanctuary and shelter within their tribe. Here Jeffrey, Manoska and Luxor embraced a new life away from New Kosbia.

## Events Leading up to the start of "Ironforge: Warlords of Forsvar"

Jeffrey, Manoska and Luxor spend the rest of their lives living in the Uldarian tribe, learning from them and also teaching them agriculture. All three of them had kids, and those kids had kids, and so on. The story continues with Njallo, Hjalmar, and Orca, direct descendants of Nanoska, Manoska and Luxor respectively, whose parents died out at sea to the hands of Vestrian pirates.