The Unification Wars

Year 32 BE - 1 BE

Uri-Serim 32 BE - 27 BE (5 years)

[Insert map of battle lines in Uri-Serim]

Only a year after the founding of the Empire it's first Emperor and general Marcellus Maximus I marched nearly half of the forces of its army, about 30,000 total troops, to the southeast of Kentrikoria to the boarder of Uri-Serim. At the same time they sent a messenger to the kingdom's leader, Han Fuijing the Eighth, simply declaring that they had founded the First Empire of Telar, and wished to offer an initiation for the people of Uri-Serim to join as equals and one of the first to become part of this great union. The alternative was for their people to be beaten, subjugated, and put to the sword until they were left no choice but to do the right thing and become an extension of the growing Empire. The Uri declined, outraged at the mere suggestion at being subjugated and took up their arms against the Imperial Legion. Disappointed, but not surprised, Emperor Maximus lead the charge himself, securing the smaller boarder towns with little resistance as the Uri's army, about 15,000 strong, dug themselves in to defend their homeland. Though the Empire had the numbers the Uri were familiar with the terrain and were on the defensive, leading to a long 5 year standoff between the two forces, the Empire slowly pushing their way in to the center. Two advantages were what eventually pushed the odds in the Legion's favor, allowing them to finally reach [capital of Uri-Serim name]. 1) The Legion had access to heavy cavalry while horses were nearly nonexistent in Uri-Serim, allowing them to outflank and overrun them in careful assaults. And 2) The Legion had developed extensive formation fighting techniques, creating large and nearly unstopable blocks, while the Uri were more used to small squads of individual warriors instead of soldiers. Eventually King Han Fuijing bowed before the Emperor, swore fealty, and added his name and country to the Golden Pact.

Chator 27 BE - 27 BE (several months)

Of course word of this battle spread wide in it's 5 years, something on this scale wouldn't be able to be contained even if the Emperor didn't want that message to spread, willingly join or be forced to bow. Once Uri-Serim was secured the Emperor sent messengers to the leaders of Chator, Goranak, Alasa, and Kaltlan with the same message, Join willingly and easily, or suffer a long and bloody war. The Emperor first met with the leaders of Chator, who willingly agreed to negotiate on the coastline across the bay both Countries shared. In 26 BE the Emperor and his Advisors met with the Tribal Counsel of Chator and agreed to speak. The Chatorans and Kentri were relatively familiar with one another from centuries of fishing the same waters, occasionally meeting to trade at one another's ports, this made Chator amenable to this sort of alliance. Over the course of several months of negotiation and debate, securing sovereignty for their nation. Finally the Golden Pact was signed by Tribal Counsel members Mlungisi, Bhekisisa, S'Themboso, and Nomabetha ata'Indulami, adding Chator to the Empire.

Goranak 27 BE - 15 BE (8years)

[Insert map of battle lines in Goranak over the war, divided by Fiefdom]

Using the recent peaceful adding of Chator, along with the troops they had gathered from them, Emperor Marcellus again sent messages to Kaltlan, Alasa, and Goranak. From the former two he received hostilities and veiled threats, including outright threats from the Kaltlan, as the two gathered their strength of arms and prepared for war. Goranak was more promising, however. The Country was less a unified Kingdom and more a collection of dozens of smaller fiefdoms and city-states, each one giving various responses ranging from eager promises to join, to indifference, to assurances that the Emperor's presence at their estate would earn his head on a pike. Gathering his navy some 45,000 combined troops, including original Legionaries, Uri warriors, and Chatoran hunters, the Empire sailed to the northern coast of Goranak, while the remaining 25,000 Legionaries fortified their boarder with Alasa. Over the next 8 years the Empire would gather the Dutchies and Baronies willing to join and subjugating the stubborn Counties and Fiefdoms as was promised. One by one in a protracted war among messy canyons The Legion warred until at long last the [X] Lords of Goranak signed on the Golden Pact and added Goranak to the Empire.

Kaltlan and Alasa 15BE - 1 BE

[Insert battle maps of Kaltlan and Alasa by year]

After securing Goranak the Emperor decided to split the Empire's forces in order to try and take Kaltlan and Alasa at the same time. Boats would be sent north with approximately 20,000 combined troops and attempt to secure the western coast of the country, while the other 10,000 troops would join the 20,000 that had secured the boarder with Alasa and march into the desert lead by Emperor Maximus himself. The Alasan front proved to be more difficult than first thought, as the cold desert is largely barren with only a few mesas to provide shelter from sand storms and the frigid winds at night, combined with the lack of water sources necessitating long supply lines made the front exceedingly slow. The Emperor decided to march the bulk of the army along the eastern edge of the country along the mountains bordering Goranak, though too difficult to cross they did provide a nice windbreak and had more streams of snowmelt, gradually securing what few towns and oasis were found. The Alasans, for their part, were largely content to wait in their cities along the Alasashar and Athajj rivers in the center of the country. After about 3 years the Emperor's armies managed to control a small stretch of land from Kentrikoria up to Kaltlan at [name] pass, where he had expected to meet with his forces after they had secured the way from the eastern coast through central Kaltlan, unfortunately that front was going relatively poorly.

The Imperial Legions managed to secure the city of Havenport, but that was primarily it. Guerilla fighters and bands of Kaltic warriors struck any attempt to go further inland, ambushing squads of soldiers before disappearing into the mountains or woods. The campaign moved at a glacial pace, taking months to secure even a few miles of land outside that city's walls all while being harried by Kaltic warriors. Over time it was clear the Legion would not be able to fight their way into the Kaltic wilderness, not while splitting their forces for the Alasan front; so it was decided that they would hold the city of Havenport and the surrounding area, while sending word to the Emperor that they wouldn't be able to receive any aid from the north.

After a few months of receiving word from Alasa Emperor Maximus I decided to send more messangers to the leaders of both Kaltlan and Alasa, asking them to see reason, and instead of years of fighting and wasting lives they instead join the Empire peacefully. Both countries responded similarly, stating that if the Empire wanted peace then they should retreat to the lands already taken and leave them to their own devices. The Emperor refused to be dissuaded, and though it would be grueling he gave the order to continue the war. What followed was 11 long years of bloody combat, slowly but steadily taking mile after blood-soaked mile of land, eventually getting close enough to threaten the Alasan capital as well as the Kalt's largest city. Poised on the brink of total domination quills were taken up again instead of the sword, with word being sent to the Kalts while the Alasan's sent their own messanger, both bearing similar messages, peace through a union of nations and an end to hostilities. A place was decided, Sandpine Pass, a point near where Kaltic, Alasan, and Imperial forces held ground, and a few months later talks were held. Pharoh Matankhet Abin'Meset of Alasa and Clan Leader Freja Wolf-Hearted met with the Emperor and talked peace much like the Chatorans did those years ago. The Golden Pact was altered, granting some autonomy for all Countries within the Empire, and finally signed, bringing peace, at long last, to the fully unified Empire of Telar. The year was declared to be 1, and feasts were held across the continent celebrating the end of the Unification Wars, and the beginning of the Age of the Empire.