Nodal

Flag of the Kingdom of Nodal

1295 AT (Dwarves)

The **Second Kingdom of Nodal**, also known as **Duxem Rexas Nodal**, is a Dwarf-majority country located in central Däegarden, encompassing most of the Ilem Desert. It is primarily settled by Nodal Dwarves, descendants of Onor colonists who practiced the religion of Prophetism. It is bordered to the north by Honsinad, to the south by Gogeget, and to the southwest by Ahodra Bay, divided between Nodal and the A'Roastad Empire. Its capital is the city of Nodida, formerly known as Nodal.

## History

### Pre-Onor Colonization, 500 BT-1295 AT

The area that would eventually become eastern Nodal was originally settled by Ynoforan Elves. The area, part of the Garden continent, was hotly contested between its native Elf population, Gardenian Orcs from the south, and Phocahn Humans from the north. Gardenian Orcs forced the migration of Elves to the nearby continent of Däe. During the Iloisa Conquest, the Ynoforans were virtually removed from the continent altogether, and the land was later declared a neutral zone by Tulkon Bodor to prevent conflict between the warring nations of Orcanth and the Republic of Usybork.

Nodal's western half was part of the North Däe peninsula, and the nation of Däe Ydelhiad. During the 40-Year War, Däe Ydelhiad collapsed and its native Ydelhiad Elves largely abandoned the land and fled to Ditarre. The central regions of Nodal were originally part of the shallow Ilem Sea; during the Demons' Second Invasion, the Demons drained the sea to enable easier travel between the Garden Continent and Däegarden. Tulkon Yaaamemon's sacrifice caused the land to rise up and form the Ilem Desert, fusing Däe and the Garden Continent and forming the continent of Däegarden.

For most of the next 100 or so years, the land would remain vacant, populated only by disparate groups of Elves who mostly remained on the coasts; superstitions surrounded the desert, with many believing that the land was cursed due to being occupied by Demons and symbolizing the temporary end of the Tulkon Cycle.

### Province of Nodal, 1295 AT-1470 AT

Until 1300 AT, only the coasts of what would become Nodal were occupied by several Elf populations, including Ynoforans and Ydelhiads, the former of whom had rebuilt their ancient capital city of Antiga Ynofora. The city was one of several city-states that existed in the desert at this time. Notably, the southernmost reaches of the desert were claimed by the Orc nation of Gogeget, but they did not traverse any further. The nation of Ynofora, founded shortly after the 40-Year War, owned some parts of the territory, but they mostly ignored it.

In 1240 AT, the Tulkonist Kathar Movement began in Southern Norte-Muldox and quickly gained influence. At the time, Norte-Muldox had a policy of state atheism, and persecuted the new religious minority. Katharists believed that the land of the Ilem Desert was sacred and had been granted to them by Tulkon Yaaamemon. By 1295 AT, the Katharists had convinced the government to allow them to settle the desert. The land was acquired from Ynofora and Gogeget by Norte-Muldox, which began supporting the settlement of a new city on the eastern coast called Nodal, not far from Antiga Ynofora. Val Neodore was one of the city's founders; her status as an Immortal, revealed over 100 years later, helped grant ethos to the new culture.

Colonists at first butted heads with the native elves, and interactions occasionally turned violent. Eventually, the colonists and the natives reached an agreement that would allow the Elves to maintain sovereignty and traditions while being economically incorporated into Nodal. They reached this agreement after settlers, all of whom were descendants of survivors of the Dwarven Genocide, saw parallels between their own actions and those of Iloisa settlers centuries earlier, and wished to avoid repeating history (despite this agreement, however, many Elven communities were forcibly assimilated by the Nodal). Native Elf culture heavily informed that of the settlers, and eventually lead to the development of a unique Nodal culture. The Nodal, as the group came to be called, also fully developed their religion, which came to be known as Prophetism. Over the next century-and-a-half, the Nodal would expand from coast to coast.

### Kingdom of Nodal, 1470 AT-2880 AT

Nodal eventually became independent in 1470 AT, after years of campaigning and occasional revolt, and became officially known as the Kingdom of Nodal.

In 1506, Nodal entered a brief war over trade routes with Orcanth, which resulted in some damage to Yaaamemon's Rock in 1506. A new Tulkon, Epodora, was born in the city of Nenihr that moment, ending the 300-year Era Without a Tulkon. Epodora's confirmation in 1521 was a huge step forward for the new nation. It legitimized the Nodal as a people and a country, and showed that Prophetism was a serious religion rather than a fringe movement. Prophetists believed that Epodora's confirmation was a sacred event, and she is considered a saint by Prophetists to this day.

Life in Nodal was peaceful for several centuries. Its central location on Däegarden made it an important trading hub and cultural center. People from the A'Roastad Empire, Gogeget, and Honsinad all passed through Nodal. This eventually led to the development of a creole language called Däegic, which became the lingua franca of the continent.

During the lifetime of Tulkon Ilhohore, the entire continent of Däegarden fell into war after a large economic downturn. Nodal emerged victorious, and established itself as a military force.

Nodal opposed Gogeget during the Orc Conquest, a failed campaign at world domination by several Orc nations.

In 2660, Nodal fell into Civil War when the conservative opposition, led by Eberil, ran for King on a Prophetist-supremacist platform. and staged a coup after losing the election. Tulkon Rakte believed it was an internal matter and refused to step in. He eventually realized the error of his ways but not before a large portion of the population was killed. His intervention came in 2665, and the war ended with Eberil's faction's defeat in 2666. Rakte decided to stay in Nodal and lead recovery efforts, where he died of old age in 2672 AT. In 2680, Eberil peacefully ascended to the throne of Nodal in 2680. The country became officially Prophetist, with the Prophetist Church coming under jurisdiction of the government of Nodal, but in name only. During the State Church period, the religion reflected the political agenda of the government. Rakte's inaction during the Civil War shook the faith of many Prophetists and allowed the State Church doctrine to gain popularity.

### Captaincy General of the Empire of Orcanth/Immortal Empire, 2880 AT-2905 AT

King Eberil, and Immortal, allied himself with King Zetopa of Orcanth. Both were Immortals, and were anti-Tulkon. In 2880, as part of the bicentennial celebration of Eberil's reign as King, Eberil revealed to the Nodal public that they would become a member state of the Empire of Orcanth. The announcement resulted in mixed reactions throughout the country, but under threat of violence, Imperial rule was accepted. Eberil's official position became Governor of the Captaincy General of Nodal. In 2896, the Empire of Orcanth was reorganized into the Immortal Empire, beginning the Immortal War. Nodal's forces were a key element in the Fall of the Frozen Republics, the Fall of Ynofora, and the bombings of the nations of the Free Alliance.

Tulkon Vonha, the secret successor of the late E'Acoradi who was killed by Zetopa (as well as an emigrant from Nodal), eventually went on a campaign to kill the leaders of the Empire. Zetopa sent Eberil after her, but she killed him as well as the rest of Zetopa's circle, causing the Immortal Empire to crumble.

### Second Kingdom of Nodal, 2905 AT-Present

After the war, Nodal once again became an elective monarchy. The State Church era ended with the Empire, and citizens returned to older forms of Prophetism while acknowledging the effects of the very long period. Nodal would pay reparations to other nations for the next century, and was a signatory of the Onor-Ynofora Codes.

In 3044 AT, the country elected Queen Von Alhambra, who remains in office as of 3094 AT. During the Colitzl Plague, Nodal was able to place effective quarantining measures and kept cases to a minimum. Nodal's citizens have demanded a transition to democracy, which has not yet taken place.

## Culture

### Ethnicity and Language

Nodal is dominated by its namesake ethnic group, the Dwarven Nodal. Nodal culture is best described as a fusion of colonial Onor culture and native Ynoforan and Ydelhiad cultures. This is reflected in the country's national language, Nodalonor, a variety of Onor with heavy influence from Elven languages. Elven influence is stronger near the coasts of the country, where Elves lived prior to Dwarven colonization.

Most of Nodal's population identifies with the Nodal ethnicity, who are of mostly descendants of Prophetist Onor colonists with some Elf ancestry. Minorities of other ethnicities, including the native Ynoforans and Ydelhiads, Gardenians, and Phocahns mainly inhabit coastal and border regions. Native to the southwest of the country are the Nolino people, a tri-racial group of mixed Nodal, Ydelhiad, and Gardenian ancestry; however, these people are not legally distinguished from Nodal's main population.

Nodal borders every single country on Däegarden (with the exception of the island of Nen Ren). This location made it an important center for trade, and it was subject to cultural influences from all over the continent. These influences eventually lead to the birth of Däegic, a creole language now used as an auxiliary language by almost all of Däegarden's population.

### Religion

The greatest unifier across all the cultures of of Nodal is the religion of Prophetism. Prophetism is considered the national religion of Nodal, as well as its greatest cultural export. Many immigrants to Nodal, regardless of ethnicity, are Prophetist converts. Significant enclaves of Ydelhiad Elves, practitioners of Däeism, exist in the western regions of the country.