World History

The Isolation War:

The empire of Salmyus has, since its conception, been ruled by the wizard family Valocos. The rule of Salmyus had always passed to the eldest child of the family until Xavier, the youngest of the Valocos line, decided that he was worthiest to take the throne after his father’s passing. With the coronation of his sister underway Xavier called upon the dark god Rovagug for the power to kill his siblings and take hold of the empire. It is said that Rovagug answered his prayer, sending Xavier into a mystical rage that obliterated not only his family but the capital city of Kalis along with most of its inhabitants.

Xavier blamed the destruction of Kalis and the death of his family on the neighboring land of Asserthos. He decreed that a new city would be built from the ruins of the old and moved atop a great plateau to the north so that it might be better protected. It took ten years for Xavier to rebuild Kalis in its new location and fortify his military power. When New Kalis was completed Xavier announced it was time to avenge the shame Salmyus suffered at the hands of Asserthos. He declared war, using all the might he had gathered in the last ten years to bring Asserthos to its knees in less than a month.

While Xavier tried to play his attack and occupation of Asserthos as righteous to the surrounding nations they quickly formed a secret alliance so that if Xavier ever attacked they would stand a chance against Salmyus’s impressive military might. It wasn’t long before the new alliance was tested.

The empires of Talcome, Nacissa, Manicon, and Boldwalt brought together all of their resources to stop Xavier from destroying them. Though Xavier was surprised by the united front against him he continued to wage an all out war against what would later be called the Four Nation Army. The war continued for twelve years without an end in sight as Xavier attacked with all the might of Salmyus against his enemies. Unfortunately, for the alliance it wasn’t Xavier’s warriors that prolonged the war, it was his magic. In military might the Four Nation Army not only matched Salmyus in man power, but surpassed it. It was in magical prowess that the alliance was greatly lacking. Xavier had what seemed a limitless supply of wizards at his disposal and it was this magical force that the alliance could not match.

In the last year of the war the alliance was losing battle after battle and being pushed deep into their own territory. The alliance was on its last legs when a savior appeared. I man named Logan Maxwell defected from Xavier’s ranks. Maxwell had been the formal teacher of Salmyus’s royal family for over 30 years and was one of the most knowledgeable wizard in the world. He brought with him not only his extensive knowledge, but some of the Valocos families most ancient magical secrets.
(Historical Note: It is not fully known why Maxwell defected. It was speculated later that he discovered the true cause of the destruction of Kalis and the death of the Valocos family and could not bear the thought of continued service under Xavier’s rule. Whatever Maxwell’s reason for defecting, the tide of the war had turned.)

Maxwell brought the alliance to the understanding that even with his help Xavier could not be defeated outright. Instead he proposed an alternative. With the ancient magic he brought from the vaults of New Kalis Maxwell wanted to cut Salmyus off from the rest of the world. In order to do this he needed the help of every powerful magic user the four nations could spare. He had been studying the ancient texts for years and with the combined magic of the four nations he planned to block off Salmyus with the darkness of the Abyss itself.

It was then that a tragedy fell on the nations. Maxwell, for all of his vast knowledge, did not fully understand the powers he was calling forth. When his spell was cast the Abyss did come forth and trap Xavier’s empire, but barriers also surrounded and enclosed Manicon and Nacissa. Many of the magic users who had helped Maxwell also suffered; some went crazy, others became blind or dumb, many had their gift for magic burned out of them. It was another unforeseen price of Maxwell’s plan. Soon after that, Maxwell disappeared.

Wild rumors started flying after the war. Some said Maxwell’s spell had claimed his life. Many would swear that they saw Xavier himself swallowed as the Abyss materialized. One thing did come in the aftermath of the battle; there was peace for the first time in twelve years.

History of Manicon:
After what was called the Isolation War, Manicon found itself cut off from the rest of the world. The youngest nation, having broken off from Nacissa only 23 years before the Isolation War, its national identity is somewhat skewed given the events of the war itself.

The development of Manicon was something of a political matter rather than a militaristic one. Nacissa is an empire composed of mostly forest and gently rolling hills. It is a kingdom dominated by the elves, who do not often bother themselves with the issues of the world outside of their borders. The area that is now Manicon was even before the Isolation War a hodgepodge of different races in comparison to centralized Nacissa. Many in what is now called Manicon felt it unfair that they should be under the control of the apathetic Nacissan government. A man named Bullfelt Manicon, a charismatic fellow with natural leadership skills, felt it his duty to rise up against Nacissa and form an independent nation. Over the course of several years Bullfelt’s movement gained public appeal and it was not long before Bullfelt and a small group of his followers march to the capital of Nacissa and demanded their independence. To Bullfelt’s utter surprise the Nacissan elders not only gave their blessing, but said that if any assistance was needed they would be happy to help. The elders had been expecting such a development for many years and had predetermined long ago that the lands to the south held no real value for them and allowing a new nation to form seemed the most logical course of action. Though Bullfelt’s followers were not privy to the discussion between Bullfelt and the Nacissan elders they were so impressed that when it came time to name their new nation they decided to name it after their charismatic leader.
(Historical Note: It is speculated on whether or not the members of the Nacissan council knew that the area now known as Manicon was soon to be cut off from their empire. The elves are a long-minded people and it stands to reason that they would consider divination into future matters prudent when making decisions related to their nation.)

Only a few in present day Manicon know the ease of how their nation was formed. Most of the histories say that Nacissa was on the verge of militaristic action when Bullfelt arrived. The way it is often told is that Bullfelt gave such an unbelievably powerful and moving speech that the Nacissan government granted the request to form a new nation. Bullfelt did not stifle the story of his dynamic speech, but instead allowed it to spread. Within a year of meeting the Nacissan elders Bullfelt’s reputation made it possible for him to seize power and organize the new nation of Manicon into separate provinces, each with a minster to advise Bullfelt on the best course of action for the new nation.

This worked for several years until the war plunged Manicon into chaos. Being situated the furthest away from the Salmyus Empire and insulated by Nacissa from most of the fighting, Manicon became a haven for most of the refugees streaming in from the north. Bullfelt himself was the last member to agree to the alliance. He was sure that with the other nations being situated the way they were Manicon would not need to get involved if war broke out. However, Bullfelt was compelled by the representative from Nacissa to help in the war effort. It has been speculated in certain high ranking circles of the Manicon government exactly what was said to convince Bullfelt to agree to the alliance.

When the wizard named Logan Maxwell enacted his plan to cut off the Salmyus Empire from the rest of the world it is known that Manicon and Nacissa suffered the same fate. Manicon was now in possession of thousands of refugees displaced by the Isolation War. Bullfelt’s solution to the problem was to designate a refugee district in the northern corner of Manicon. At first this seemed like an apt solution to the problem. Relatively few native Maniconians were displaced when the new district was formed and it gave the refugees a place to rebuild their lives. Unfortunately for Manicon, the refugee problem was just beginning.

Five years after the formation of the Refugee District they still had no representation in the Manicon government. Bullfelt had originally posted an overseer to the district in order to organize reconstruction efforts, but the refugees were generally ignored and treated with little regard. Many native Maniconian’s looked down on the refugees in general, feeling that they were a kind of plague forced upon them as a result of the war. Jarvus Nash, the man appointed by Bullfelt to help organize the new district, was little more than a bureaucrat and unprepared for the anger of the people he was sent to help. Being unfamiliar with such things he believed that the refugees needed to be regulated and controlled for their own safety. Nash began enacting several policies that limited refugee freedom within the district so that he could get a better handle on how to help them. This is when things turned ugly. As a backlash to the restrictions placed upon them a mob of refugees cornered Nash in his home and brutally stoned him to death. Bullfelt, having for the past few years been struggling with failing health, finally sent several representatives from the capital city, along with an armed unit to try and settle the matter. The refugees, thinking that Bullfelt was sending in troops to destroy them, launched a preemptive strike along their borders. This resulted in thousands dead and the beginning of a civil war.

Though the war lasted less than a year it left a deep mark in the hearts of refugees and natives alike. The war ended with Bullfelt’s death and his wish that the violence would be resolved despite his passing. The separate districts came together then and gave the refugees full representation in the Manicon government, though to this day the Refugee District, now called the Black District by many, is still seen as unstable.

Issues With the Barrier:
Since its placement by Logan Maxwell the barrier has cut off Manicon from its neighboring nations. Another unforeseen consequence was the abominable creatures it brought into the material plain. The barrier itself is composed in some way of the Abyss and at times, perhaps because the nature of the Abyss is one of chaotic shifting and change, creatures are displaced into the material realm. At the same time as the establishment of the Refugee District, Bullfelt created a special unit in the military specifically designated to deal with the barrier. Picked to be ruthless, cunning and powerful these individuals soon became something of legends in Manicon's short history. Calling themselves the Watchers these men are considered the silent protectors of Manicon and it is because of them that the people can live unaffected by the occasional visitor from the Abyssal realms.

In the years that followed their creation the Watchers slowly separated themselves from the government and have become a new entity entirely. While they are technically under the jurisdiction of the Maniconian government they operate as an autonomous force.
(Historical Note: The Refugee District being situated closest to the barrier has, as one would imagine, hardened many of its residents through the occasional unexpected encounter with demonic creatures. To this day the Watchers draw most of their recruits from the Refugee District to replenish their ranks. One mentions it only because of the irony involved in those who are considered outsiders ultimately becoming the protectors of the empire that shuns them.)

City of New Vala:
Once Bullfelt had secured Manicon's independence from Nacissa his first order of business was to name a capital from which to operate. As one would expect he chose the city of his birth and the location where his movement had gained the most strength, the city of New Vala. With the support Bullfelt experienced from his followers organizing and establishing control of his new nation came with little resistance from the populous. Within five years of its creation Bullfelt organized trade and construction efforts that brought a quick prosperity to Manicon. New Vala itself transformed into a bustling metropolis that rivaled any city in the known world. Even after his death New Vala remains the seat of power in Manicon, though no one person has gained enough support to call that seat their own. To this day Bullfelt is often refereed to as a political genius for so seamlessly orchestrating Manicon's beginnings.
(Historical Note: While Bullfet is considered a genius by many it is speculated exactly how much help Nacissa gave while Manicon was in its infancy. Trade was established so quickly with other nations that it is hard to believe that Nacissa did not act as an intermediary in such matters.)
Before the Isolation War, Manicon had no standing army. Even during the war the resources Manicon provided as far as troops is negligible. Those soldiers that did survive the war and were in Manicon when the barrier appeared were small enough to be split up and be directed by the government. New Vala was expanded at this time to house these soldiers and once again underwent a transformation. With trade being cut off, Bullfelt was soon directing these troops in an effort to mitigate the fallout the Isolation War brought on his people. In these years New Vala grew a wall and an impressive armament to accompany it. However, when persons in the Refugee District killed Jarvus Nash, Bullfelt sent a majority of the force housed in New Vala to act as a deterrent and a peace keeping force against further uprising. The brutal confrontation that followed drained New Vala of its military presence and with Bullfelt's death and the uneasy peace it brought, more troops were never raised and many of the military structures in New Vala remain vacant and unused.

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