Though it was once a member of The Pact of the Four Kings, Verden has long been seen as something of a lesser kingdom in the eyes of other nations. Consisting largely of vast tracts of pastoral fields and abundant woodlands, the kingdom's wealth has long been found within its agricultural skill and hearty people; assets which greatly benefited the fellow members of their alliance during the days of the The Godswar. Though Verden was often considered little more than effectively a territory of the great kingdom of Terra, the kings and citizens of the nation seemed perfectly content with their position, believing with a wholehearted faith in Terra's sacred mission to eliminate the scourge of magic from the lands.
Verden's fortunes would change dramatically with the advent of The Shattering, as the realm found itself isolated from its former allies, free from their protection but also their influence. Their isolation would prove to be more of a boon to the power of the monarchy than a curse. Verden was spared the loss of nearly all of its sovereign lands which allowed the kingdom to comfortably sustain itself during the long years of isolation, and, while large swathes of land had been "added" to their kingdom, the vast majority of it proved to be uninhabited and ripe for exploitation.
It was within these new lands, the multitude of mountains that now ringed nearly the entire kingdom, that the catalyst of the kingdom's new path would be discovered: Iron, rich veins the likes of which had never been seen throughout all of the lands seemed to pour endlessly from the craggy earth, almost as if every mountain was made up of nothing else. For a nation so devout in their hatred of magic and its evils, there could be no greater gift.
Empowered by iron weapons and armor, it was nothing resembling a challenge for the Kings of Verden of bring any small pockets of resistance within the lands to heel. The small communities of Beastkin and Elves that had been caught within their borders were subjugated with ease and to this day the only lands the remain free from the monarchy control are the deepest southern deserts, home to displaced nomadic tribes once hailing from the Telaari deserts, who's human ancestry protects them from the Iron's influence. It would only be a short time after the Shattering that Verden would transform itself from a quiet farming nation into a hardened absolute monarchy that would brook no dissent against their rule.
Though the kings and those loyal to their extremities had settled comfortably into their new lives isolated from the rest of the world, their order would not remain uncomplicated for long. Less than a decade after The Shattering, something strange began happening to the children born within this new realm. Magic like never before seen began to emerge within the people of Verden, and though none could discover its source, the effects of its emergence would have a dramatic effect upon the realm. This new magic struck at random and spared none, be they Human, Beastkin, or otherwise, granting those touched by it incredible power over a single bonded element. Lacking a tradition of magic and its practice, many of these newly gifted individuals struggled to control their powers, leading to accident and disaster across the kingdom as well as a growing fear in the hearts of those lacking this "gift". These powerful few came to be known as Unknown and were considered by most to be a curse that had been laid upon their lands, caused by the same strange magics that had torn them form their former homes.
The monarchy acted quickly in the face of this new disaster, and many of the earliest elementalists to emerge, young or old, were simply executed before they could do too much damage to the Realm. But as more and more people began to be born with or develop the curse, the Kings began to realize that the elementalists were a problem that needed to be controlled, not eliminated. Enclaves were built across the land, in which those who showed signs of this magic were required to live, a solution which comforted the people of Verden who now felt safe without the risk of such dangerous creatures hidden in their midst. The enclaves were meant, in name, to be places of safety for both sides, in which the elementalists could live while they learned to control their new powers but the reality was far different. The enclaves were, in truth, little more than comfortable prisons, something only made more true upon the creation of the Elementalist's Brand, several decades later. These brands would prove instrumental in cementing the monarchy's control over the elementalists, allowing the casters themselves a better control over their powers while also enabling those in possession of a Branding Rod control over them. Following this, the elementalists would be integrated deeper into Verden society, often serving as serving as servants to the wealthy as well as commonly being conscripted into the Verdannen military.
This status quo would be maintained for generations, long after the reunification with the other Realms that would come with the discovery of the Gates and the rise of The Hub. Though Verden would gladly send ambassadors to The Hub and their former allies, they politely declined to throw open the gates of their Realm, preferring instead to strictly control the passage of both trade and information through their borders. Despite this restriction, rumors soon swirled in distant lands about the terrible treatment that many of Verden's citizens faced but, despite a widespread diplomatic disapproval from the other Realms, no intervention was ever mounted out of fear of igniting yet another war.
Three short years ago, the Realm was set ablaze as a rebellion, ignited by an attempted purge of the Corellis Enclave and it's tragic destruction at the hands of Viridian Altmeri, began to rage across the land. The long resentment of the non-humans and elementalists at their treatment by the monarchy had reached a boiling point which could no longer be contained and the violence the erupted across the kingdom was terrible. The rebellion, though heartened by a righteous cause was disorganized and largely unprepared to face the full might of the Verdannen military and it was only through years of bitter wars and bloodshed that the rebellion was able to claw the Realm from the monarchist's grasp and seize control of both the capitol and the gate to Realms beyond.
Never fully defeated, what was left of those loyal to the crown rterated south deep into the deserts to recoup their strength, rallying under the banner of Gabriel Valnoth, former general of the royal armies, as Prince Nathaniel Thorne, last of his line, disappeared in the early days of the rebellion and is currently believed to be dead. In the months that have followed the monarchist's retreat, an uneasy stalemate has settled upon the lands. Skirmishes are still fought with regularity along the southern border, with little progress being made on either side and many of those more pessimistic souls among the rebellion have begun to wonder if the monarchists aren't simply biding their time for some unknown opportunity to stirke. Nevertheless, the rebellion's newfound control over the Gate has allowed them to seek support and aid from outside Realms, something that has been a great boon in this dark time.