The Rise and Fall of the Old Kingdom
by Tunnock Prince, Earion.
The Old Kingdom, as we now know it, fell in 604OK (3361). It was known to people at the time as Konungdómr, which translates simply as "Kingdom". This book attempts to explore the reasons for its fall by looking back another 600 years to its formation in 1494TR (2756).
Formation
The formation of The Old Kingdom occurred in a time of war across the continent of Tide. The region now known as Theder was occupied by countless human factions, who had spent the last thousand years trading blows. Bands of Orcs in the south, and fierce warriors from Thorne in the north had also enjoyed many years of raiding the weak and divided human settlements.
Around 1490TR (2752), an Orc warlord named Dorr Vadok rose to power and accomplished the difficult task of uniting most of the Orc, Goblin, and Giant tribes across southern Tide. He ruled through fear, and it is estimated that he decimated his own populations almost as much as the humans he was attacking. By 1494TR (2756), his vast armies were on the march, burning everything in their path.
In response to this threat in the south, and the perceived threat in the East from the newly formed country of Pauviel, Wernheim Trúadólg – a formidable leader of the Trúaburin people – proposed an alliance. Understanding the risk if his venture failed, he ceded lands to the leaders of many other human factions. This sweetening of the deal led to the other factions unanimously accepting the alliance, and this new human force all but wiped out Dorr Vadok's army. Wernheim Trúadólg himself took the head of the Orc leader, and the skull still resides in The Crown of Theder's treasury.
The Fifteen Year War
After the defeat of the Orcish army in 1OK (2758), the leaders of the different human factions met and discussed a continuation of the alliance. They had all had a taste of the power afforded by this arrangement, and they elected Wernheim Trúadólg as their new king. By 5OK (2762), Wernheim had fallen ill, eventually dying later in the year. Before Wernheim passed on he put absolute primogeniture into law, allowing his 16 year old daughter Geldhem to take the crown.
The previous leaders of other factions, now nobles under the new kingdom, saw Geldheim as easily manipulated. Peace time did not suit them, and they had their eyes on the riches stored in the elven cities to the East. In 6OK (2763), war was declared against Pauviel with devastating attacks mounted against Cassari and Galath Serin.
By 21OK (2778), both sides were struggling after years of bloody conflict. A truce was called by the government of Pauviel, and Geldhem Trúadólg (now in her 30s) signed the treaty to end The Fifteen Year War. Both Konungdómr and Pauviel enter an era of building and increased prosperity, though border tensions between the countries were high.
Prosperity
During the next 540 years, The Old Kingdom became more and more powerful. War was never far, but they sated their bloodlust on the tribes in the south and incursions into Thorne. Slowly building a naval presence, they also mounted several unsuccessful attacks on the continent of Rhak to the west. Fortresses were built along the length of The Barrier Mountains to provide protection for the kingdom, and expansion out towards the west coast of Tide meant that the population boomed.
The Dead King's War
Between 550OK–560OK (3307–3317), tensions had started to mount between The Old Kingdom and Pauviel again. The new king Dafid Morgunatall, pleased with his efforts to expand his kingdom to the west, became greedy and tested the border repeatedly. In 560OK (3317), he mounted a full strike against Pauviel’s farming belt, aiming to take more land and push back the border. However the elven country was prepared this time, trenches were dug and central Tide around The Maestro Mountains became a war zone, starting The Dead King's War.
In 598OK (3355), Dafid Morgunatall was tiring of his war in the east and sent troops into the north to claim territory in Thorne. His poor decision to divide the army cost him greatly. Not a single soldier returned from Thorne, thousands were lost in the frozen wasteland – their bodies preserved in the ice to this day. This turned the King's own population against him.
In 604OK (3361), Morgunatall was assassinated. The assassin was never caught, and historians are still uncertain whether Pauviel or his own people were responsible. Regardless, Pauviel pushed their advantage and took lands all the way up to the Maestro Mountains, forming Aluram. The elvish army also took the northern towns of Vandekirk and Antaur.
The Fall
Lacking leadership, martial law was declared in The Old Kingdom. Power-grabs by various nobles and military officers led to in-fighting and eventually the entire collapse of the kingdom. Individual cities and regions formed into several petty kingdoms, dividing up the Kingdom's lands and riches. This would signal a descent into familiar in-fighting amongst the human population of Tide, and a return to the troubles from before the union. Pauviel struck up alliances with some of the kingdoms along their border. These smaller kingdoms gladly accepted, knowing that the united Pauviel could crush them in an instant.
The Age of Conquest had begun, and it would be more than 200 years before humanity would realign and form Theder.