Osthedia

The **Kingdom of Osthedia**, also known as the **Third Theddite Empire**, is the largest Theddite kingdom, stretching from the Northern Sea to the Thedda River and Delian River. The Kingdom has historically come into conflict with the Exidelian and Subdelian Kingdoms to the East, still occupying large areas inhabited by mainly Delid peoples. The largest city and capital of Osthedia is Bolfurt, on the banks of the Volty River, with the second largest city being Derricas. The Kingdom is traditionally considered to occupy the former Theddite imperial provinces of Osthedia Minor, Osthedia Major, Upper Volty, and Transtheda.

## History

The history of Osthedia begins with the conquest of the Upper Thedda by Aderitas I, the first Theddite Emperor. Bolfurt was founded in 14064 by Aderitas and his army, settled by veterans in the Theddian army, local tribal people, and migrants from Theddite cities (mainly Vetuix and Kilana). Osthedia was fully conquered by the Theddites by the 14100s, and the Theddian army defeated Exidelos in the First Eastern War, solidifying the Osthedian borders.

### Independence

In the late 15900s, the Theddite Empire lost the Second Subdelian-Theddite War, and the Empire lost the Transtheda region to Exidelos. The Osthedian population began to lose support for the Emperor Nisemicas IV in Theddias, leading to his assassination in Derricas in 16022. While he was ruler, the emperor granted each of his three sons leadership over provinces of the Empire. However, due to his premature death and lack of designated heir, his children each claimed the throne of the Empire. Atsicras I inherited governorship over both Antilostheda and Arapostheda; while Nisemicas V, the eldest brother, was granted the province of Lower Volty; and the youngest, Lastilas, was given the coastal lands around the Thedda delta. The local government and aristocracy of the Upper Volty region chose to submit to Atsicras' rule in hopes of uniting Osthedia as an independent nation. This development put Atsicras in control of a large region that was becoming increasingly hostile to the Lobancas dynasty.

All three sons claimed they had been their father's preferred heir, and border conflict quickly broke out between soldiers loyal to Atsicras and Nisemicas V around Wulburg. Atsicras was preparing an army for the purpose of invading Theddia in Bolfurt when he was kidnapped and imprisoned by a group of powerful local nobles who were long tired of the royal family. Replacing him as Osthedian King was Priepoas Casno, a popular Osthedian politician and governor of the Upper Volty province. He promised more local autonomy for the citizens of the expansive realm, as well as security for its fragile borders. Priepoas quickly signed a truce with Theddia, who was invading Lastilas' collapsing Kingdom of Lobanc, to delineate the official border between the two states. He then expanded Atsicras' army to fend off Osthedia's many enemies, anticipating a defensive war in the near future.

#### Osthedian-Nordish War

That war came in the form of a concurrent invasion from the Nordish tribal kingdoms of Estilmark and Krieschen. The Krieschen, to the Southwest of Osthedia had recently expanded aggressively toward the borders of the Theddite splinter kingdoms, and was now setting its sights toward the Volty. On the other hand, Estilmark, in the Northwest, was a longtime rival of the Theddites. The two kingdoms entered an alliance in 16023, and simultaneously invaded Osthedia in summer of the next year. The Nords encountered early success against the sparsely populated hinterlands of the kingdom, capturing Opelsa and besieging Volyter within the first few days. The Krieschen army, who were hardly equipped to besiege the fortified city of Volyter, decided to leave the city to the Estilmarkers and continue down the Volty. Priepoas and his commanders learned of the approaching Nords, and ambushed the outgunned hordes of tribal warriors in the village of Incatipe. The unsuspecting Nords moved to plunder the fishing village on the morning of July 18, but the Osthedian army emerged from the woods as they began to loot the settlement. The Battle of Incatipe was a crippling defeat for Krieschen, as their king was killed in the battle and his top generals all either killed or captured. Estilmark had a more advanced military, and captured the city of Volyter after a mutiny within the local garrison. The Estilmarker army retreated across the Evalter river in late August, into the Progeise forests. The Osthedians decided to knock the Kreischen out of the war while they were weak instead of pursuing the Estilmarkers into the dense woods, retaking Opelsa and Volyter in the following weeks and proceeding toward the Kreischen capital, Ferdinge. Priepoas' forces sacked the city, executed all of the royal family that had not already fled the city, and effectively dissolved the Kreischen kingdom. Osthedia annexed the city of Ferdinge, and the remaining lands were quickly absorbed by the neighboring Nordish realms of Walting and Vokissen.

After removing the Kreischen threat, the Osthedians aimed to draw the Estilmarkers into a more suitable fighting ground. The army marched up the Evalter all the way to the enemy capital, Wirg, and began to lay siege to its walls. Realizing the threat at hand, the Estilmark army confronted the Osthedians at Wirg in an attempt to break the siege. Sorties from the city divided Osthedian attention and prolonged the battle greatly, but after days of combat, the Theddite forces eventually drove off the Estilmarkers through sheer numerical and defensive advantage. After a few more days, the city of Wirg succumbed to the siege and Estilmark was forced into peace negotiations. Osthedia expanded its borders to the banks of the Evalter river in Estilmark, effectively halving the kingdom. Estilmark continued to exist for several decades, but it had lost its core and eventually fell to Sykiran migrants from the north.

### First Delo-Osthedian War

After crushing any possible threats from the West, Priepoas had earned the confidence of his subjects and dispelled the common fear of Osthedia's wide frontiers being undefendable. The conquest of multiple major Nordish cities had brought money, and more importantly, prestige to his court, which Priepoas did not intend on wasting. He moved his army east in the spring of 16024, and arrived in Tifopolas in early December. When spring came around once again, Priepoas set out to regain the Transtheda territory that had been lost to the Delians before the partitioning of the Theddite Empire. Priepoas crossed the Thedda into Exidelos in March, taking the main force of his army to besiege the city of Steretamia. Other detachments were sent out to secure the coastline and other places of strategic importance within the region. Osthedia fully occupied Transtheda before Exidelos could properly respond, and moved to snatch the western Exidelian city of Potamia. However, the kingdom of Subdelios, learning of the invasion, entered a shaky alliance with Exidelos to prevent any further Theddite expansion. The Subdelian army reached Potamia soon after Priepoas, and defeated Osthedia in the ensuing fighting. The Osthedian army faced few losses in the battle, as they managed to retreat before either side could make a decisive move over the other, but the other Osthedian forces were not as fortunate. Many of the detachments tasked with occupying Transtheda were intercepted by the Subdelian and newly arriving Exidelian armies. The Osthedian military pulled back to regroup in Derricas, sending for reinforcements from the West. As the Osthedians prepared for another confrontation, the Delians took back what land had been lost, and began to push into Osthedia, crossing the Thedda that summer. Over the summer and fall of 16025, the Osthedian army regrouped in Tifopolas and reinforced its ranks with fresh soldiers from the east. The combined Delian forces descended on the city in November, beginning a long, brutal siege that left both sides with high casualties and low morale. In June 16026, the Osthedians broke through the Delian siege lines with the help of a second, fresh army that had just arrived from Derricas. Priepoas gathered his best men from within the walls and coordinated a two-pronged attack, pushing out through the gate straight into the Delian fortifications while the Derrican force launched a surprise attack from the forests. The Osthedians pursued the retreating Delians into the woodlands of Transtheda and defeated them again at the Battle of the Red Hills. Although they managed to drive the Delians out of Transtheda, the Osthedians lost nearly as many men in the battle and were forced to seek peace after occupying the province. This war was costly for Priepoas’ government, although they did gain the lands of Transtheda and secure their western flank. It also had the undesired effect of driving Subdelios closer to Exidelos politically, and Osthedia was never able to advance much further into their lands afterwards.

### Ethnic Conflicts

With the Evalter river to the West, Thedda to the east, and the buffer state of Voltia to the south, and the Great Sea to the north, Osthedia's borders against invaders were secure, leaving the largest threat to its stability on the inside.