Elave Conan

**Elave Conan** (133-189 AR) was a fierce gladiator and the first emperor of the Ronan Empire. The Ronan Empire would see mass early success under his rule starting in 163 AR until his death in 189 AR.

## Early Life

Elave Conan was born in the city of Rona in 133 AR, right after the collapse of the Devian Empire. Around this time, Rona was emerging as one of the most powerful and influential cities in the world, and fragments left over from the Devian Empire fought over its occupation. After several years, the nation of Gustavev won, claiming Rona as its own and was no longer an independent city-state.

Elave Conan was born as the son of Minak Conan, a previously poor warrior who was captured by the Devian Empire as a slave and forced to partake in the gladiator ring. Elave was also born as a slave, and trained to be a gladiator as an early age.

Minak was a powerful and skilled gladiator. He won against all of his opponents for years and grew a large winning streak, attracting many fans of his to watch. Elave had high expectations and was raised to be bad and fearless against his opponents he would one day fight against.

However, his father, Minak, lost a battle against a presumed inferior opponent and saw his death at only age 6. From that point on, he vowed to avenge his father and be the best gladiator that ever fought.

In his childhood and teen years, Elave trained on a daily basis to fight. He also served as a slave to a powerful warlord, who also helped him train and developed a positive relationship with.

His first gladiator fight was at age 17, and was a decisive victory. For the next ten years, he would never lose a battle and drew massive audiences. He rose up the ranks, and was even granted freedom, but chose to keep fighting as a gladiator.

## Ronan Revolution

In the years following the Gustavev occupation of Rona, important groups from the city were angry due to high taxation and desired to become an independent state. Gustavev fought back with more troops and tried to silence those who wanted out, even murdering some who spoke out.

The city had had enough at that point. Rona had already formed its own army, and issued a statement declaring independence. For years, in the Ronan Revolution, warriors and troops would fight of Gustavev militants, and eventually the Ronan army grew to a point where it was no contest, and Gustavev forces backed off and Rona celebrated.

Elave Conan had already become one of the most powerful figures by then. Though Rona was one of the only city states in the area to run by election, people were already being suspect of the government by then. Rona, though one of the largest cities in the world, was not thriving by any means, and people were starving. People took the streets protesting the government and wanting something new.

Elave Conan had already become a strong, popular candidate. At age 25, Conan joined the Imperial Party, an institution devoted to conquering the world and making promises to put Rona first. The party had quickly gained immense popularity, and even took several council seats. In 163 AR, when Conan was 30, the party had enough seats in the council to throw a coup, granting Elave Conan as the emperor and gaining even more power than the previous ruler had.

## Ronan Emperor (163-189 AR)

In the first few years of his role as emperor, Rona had already seen lots of success, opening trade options with nearby cities and states, and easing transportation and providing more wealth and food to the citizens of Rona. The territories of Rona had already been expanded to include nearby farms, fields, and villages, taken in by nearby states and helping sustain the Ronan economy.

During these years, Conan had invested many, many resources on the Ronan army. He worked with generals, commanders, and warlords to develop strategies beforehand, and passed legislation making it mandatory for all men to serve in the army. At this point, Rona already had one of the most powerful and largest armies in the world. Countless bows, arrows, boats, horses, guns, swords, cannons, and other weapons were built and made for the Ronan army.

From 170 to 185 AR, the first wars of surrounding territories of the Ronan Empire took place. The Ronan army often outnumbered their enemies, were far better trained and had far better resources, winning most of these wars decisively. Territory conquered by the Ronans grew from these years, and by his time of death, Gustavev had already surrendered to the Ronan Empire.

## Death

Prior to 189, Elave Conan had already been training Jodini Newan as an apprentice to overtake his role once he dies or becomes too weak to rule. Meanwhile, his son, Elave-Ato Conan, would be the second one up behind Newan, and was trained in another important office role.

In 189 AR, a group of rogue enemy barbarians stormed the palace where Conan lived, fending off the guards, and there were not enough troops available to guard off the remaining barbarians. The rogue barbarians murdered several important people, including Elave's son Elave-Ato, before meeting Elave in his bedroom. Elave tried to fight the barbarians, but was ultimately outnumbered and was then murdered.

The entirety of Rona mourned his death. Jodini Newan was declared his successor, and in addition would rule for another 4 decades. Today, Conan is often regarded as one of the greatest rules in Ronan Empire history.