The main purpose of this 'A Brief History of' series is to acquaint new players with the general history of a giving region of Myrland. I will be continuing on to do Talus Mountains (Faburnum, Cave Camp and Kranesh), Meduli, Sunken Isles, Toxai, and the Plains . Please offer corrections below if I got anything wrong. Thank you. -- A Brief History of the Brood Isles Regional Name: Brood Isles Principal Settlement: Moh-Ki Main Export: Animal Hide, Crops Main Ethnic Groups: Khurite, Veela, Sheevra Wars: Myrmidon War (Myrm vs. Wessex), Great Northern War ( Only the Battle of the Four Armies; Wessex, Promethea v. Talusian Empire), The Great Turmoil ( Wessex, Prae/BL, Quadra Khans v. FEAR, ES, Fury, RUS), Crusade (Wessex, Talus, Meduli, Ymiria v. AQ, Hawk, FEAR), War of the Four Hammers ( Wessex, Prae/BL, Quadra Khans, Elysium, Dog Company, AQ v. FEAR, ES, RUS, Odin) Far in the southeastern regions of Myrland lies the Brood Isles. The vastness of the Amaruk Nuur plains to its north, and its hilly forested terrain made it an attractive home for reclusive communities of Alvarian peoples and a popular rest stop for Khurite tradesmen. One such settlement, Moh-ki, lying between a shallow river carrying its name, and steep hills, was a waypoint for travelers from as far as Toxai and Morin Khur to the major trade hubs of Bakti and Northwatch. The Brood Isles were spared from the chaos that characterized the early post conflux years. Around the time of the Gabarian Crisis, two Houses constructed settlements far from the eyes of the rest of Myrland. Aegis Imperium, a group of star watchers, scholars, and mages, established a small settlement far from their main political interest in the Sunken Isles. Aegis Aspidai, as it would come to be known, became a major source of astronomical, mathematical and magical knowledge. A sister clan, Wessex, built the village of Wentus Saxum and the walled city of Wentus Castrum. Footnote: Religious and mythic texts refer to the Wessexian people as descendants of the demi-gods of the realm of Hyperion, whose God-King was Soldeus. Perhaps it was because of this belief that the inhabitants of Myrland looked upon Wessex and her people with scorn Aegis, concerned with growing hostilities with the expanding Promethean Empire, abandoned their holdings in the Brood Isles. Their encampment would come to be occupied by the tribe of Myrmidon, who had recently been expelled from Gaul Kor. Using fighting prowess gained in the north, they terrorized the land - clashing with Wessex in daily raids. It was only after the city state of Oasis lead a campaign against Myrmidon were they destroyed. Footnote: During the occupation of Aegis Aspidai, Myrmidon renamed the camp ‘ Myrmopolis’ - Brood Isles locals knew this location as ‘Myrm’s Barrow’ after Oasis destroyed it. Myrmidon would go north to the Talus mountains to lend their aid in the 'Great Northern War' With no power in the region to oppose them, Wessex expanded, leasing much of the land to vassal states. Their influence extended into the Eastern Steppes, with the Khurite nation under the Crimson Horseman Tribe joining the Kingdom. Footnote: The oaths taken by the vassals of the Kingdom of the Brood Isles has been lost to time, but evidence suggests that the language of the document was the bases of several civil wars within the kingdom. Language barriors between the Alverian Wessexians, the Khurites, and the Tindremic La Gaurdia sin Nimbre may have been the basis for this friction, and was most likely exacerbated by the Wessexian affinity for rhetoric In the height of their power, garrisons of the Isles built many forts and waypoints to encourage trade routes through their land. Their professionalism and high standard of training was known as far away as the Tindremic city state. Despite the apparent martial power, they made no moves to challenge their neighbors. It would be the growing power of Oasis, near Meduli, that would force the Isles into international affairs. Oasis, under the power of warlord Bizzy, launched daring raids on their neighbors in Promethea and Talus. Though it came as a blessing to the people of the Isles, the destruction of Myrmopolis showed that determined warriors of Oasis could strike wherever they pleased. It alarmed King Malachi even more so that Bizzy received the support of several merchant and criminal organizations of Meduli. It was widely feared that Oasis would destroy potential trade rivals to their Medulian backers. To ensure the safety of the kingdom, King Malachi I signed a mutual defense pact with Promethea. The threat from Oasis would never manifest. The signing of the defense pact deeply offended Shinzon, Emperor of the Talusian Empire, whose native clan had been engaged in a blood feud with Prometheus. Despite the rift caused by the pact, the Brood Isles managed to stay out of the war between the Prometheus, Oasis, and Talus until the Battle of the Four Armies. The Kingdom of the Brood Isles did not engage in a full scale war until allies of Talus attacked holdings in the realm. Wessex and her vassals joined with the Elysian Dynasty of Meduli and the Gabarians of the Ascension Confederation in the conflict they would call the “War of Vladimer’s Folly’. Following the war, several vassal states sought to expand into vacant territory left by the war. Others declared that their peoples had unfairly bore the brunt of the Kingdom’s wars. Auxiliary troops began deserting, engaging in banditry on vital trade routes in the land. Faced with killing their kinsmen, many clans chose to join their brothers and sisters in arms. The Kingdom of the Brood Isles seceded the Easter Steps to the Khurite tribes, but vowed not to give territory in the Brood Isles to rebelling factions. The resulting civil war devastated the once quiet Isles. Several battles occurred at the La Gaurdia sin Nombre city of Stoneheight keep, and Khurite raiders (some of whom fought for Wessex) attacked the settlements in the area. Hard pressed by Wessex and her allies, La Garudia summoned Tindremic houses once loyal to Prometheus to their aid, calling themselves the Ymirian confederation. Stoneheight was taken by Wessex before Ymiria could march their armies from Vadda to the Brood Isles. Calls for aid from Talus to the southern kingdoms averted continued bloodshed between the two factions. The King of Talus sent urgent messages to the tribes and kingdoms of Myrland requesting immediate aid against the growing power of Gaul Kor. The Wessexian clergy, who viewed the worship of umbra as heretical, and wished for the international prestige of the realm to be restored, declared a crusade against Gabaria and her people. Garrisons stationed at river crossings and outposts in the Isles were sent north to the Talus region. The people, believing their cause to be just believed that the war would be won within the season. Yet no headway was made, and the harsh winter and brutal fighting sapped the strength of the garrison. It was not until the disastrous Battle of Easthold where more than three-fourths of the Wessexian army was destroyed, that their cause was defeated. The relative isolation of the Brood Isles spared her people from the persecution faced by her more northern neighbors following the crusade. But the war sapped the lands of most of their fighting men, and opened the realm up to raiders . In the spring following the crusade, a remnant Kallard house, Odin, migrated south. The champions of Odin, known as ‘Hammer Bearers’, declared that ones as meek as Wessex should not hold so much land. Alarmed, the Brood Isles summoned their allies from every part of Myrland. The Medulian houses of Elysia and the Knights of Keepers of the Oath, Dog Company- arch rivals of Odin, Aegis Imperium,the descendants of Myrmidon who called themselves Praetorian, the Khurites of the Quadra Khans and even the Gabarian superpower of Anquer Quare answered the call. The Battle of Wentus Castrum and the Battle of Saxum lasted for several weeks, with brutal combat occurring for streets and fortification sections. The combined force of Elysian Cataphracts and Gabarian infantry crushed the Ymirian-Odin force on the last day, as the defenders of Wentus Castrum began to retreat. Nevertheless, no more than a week later, a raiding force set fire to the keep, villages, and crops before returning to the Sunken Isles. Despite the blow, the peoples of the Brood Isles refused to let Odin settle the land. Numerous raids lead by the Quadra Khans and Pratorians frustrated the Kallards, who eventually settled in the Sunken Isles after a strenuous guerilla campaign. The War of the Four Hammers spelt the end for the remnants of the Kingdom of Wessex in the Brood Isles. Almost all infrastructure in Chapels Watch, Stoneheight, Saxum, Wentus Castrum, and Moh-ki had been damaged. Major crops in the lower shires were put to the torch - weakening an already decimated population. Despite this, efforts were made to rebuilt the land. The ruins of Wentus Castrum were removed, replaced by the smaller Wyvern's rest. Emissaries were sent to Meduli, asking for shelter and protection within their borders in exchange of military service. Upon the acceptance of this offer, Wyvern’s Rest was abandoned. The Quadra Khans and Praetorian, inhabiting Myrm’s Barrow and Stoneheight Keep, sold their lands to the trading company of Jawa, and moved east into the Vadda region. Footnote: The Khrites of Quadra Khans would go north to Faburnum to establish the Talusian Khanite after the fall of the Gabarian Empire, spearheaded by the Praetorian commander Retox. Quiet eventually returned to the Isles. Jawa, a politically neutral guild of tradesmen, re established trade routes stretching to the furthest reaches of Myrland. The markets of the Brood Isles once again flowed with goods from faraway lands, bringing prosperity to the land not seen since the time of the founding of the Kingdom. Despite this, the population of the Brood Isles never recovered, and is now centered around the trading hub of Stoneheight. For reasons very few know, Jawa retreated into the southern jungles, ending the brief period of prosperity in the land. The ghostly forts of Wyvern’s Rest and Chapel’s Watch traded hands between numerous bands of swordsmen, and were never again restored to their former glory. In the shire villages overrun with brush and forest, shrines to Soldeus still exist, fabled to hold healing powers and other powerful magic. Yet, with the passing of seasons and the birth of new generations, fewer remember the god of Soldeus, the legends of Hyperion, and the peoples that carried those stories in their hearts.
You did the community a great service here, as always. I can confirm this to be as close to the truth as possible. Thank you and keep it up
Nice read, only thing I disagree with is that Myrm where not expelled from GK and we where not destroyed at Myrmopolis, we moved from GK we didnt get forced out. And myrmopolis going down had no effect on Myrms pressence ingame, only made us worse to find. Other than that I like it alot Keep it up.
Small disagreement here, Wyvern's Rest was built over the ruins of Wentus Castrum, and she was not abandoned, but sold, the few of us that were left realized that it was wiser to sell while she was still indeed an asset rather than have our enemies attempt to hold hostage her existence against us. Still your writing is amazing, I'm quite impressed, though I recommend a few spelling and grammar checks.
JAWA never dealt business with Northpoint (thats FOR's second keep), and our trade routes extended to all reaches of the lands, north to south east to west. And following our previous lore, we have returned to the shadows giving up most of our lands and returning to our first home, The Southern Beaches of Nave.
One short lasting war was forgotten here. Formation of BL and WSX/BL vs FEAR war which marked WSX decline. Happened shortly after the WSX keep siege by ES/Odin and co.
I think FEAR was at war with Wessex and their allies since its inception. edit: I split those wars up into the 'Great Turmoil' and 'War of the Four Hammers'. The latter war representing the introduction of the Sons of Odin.
I'll try to get you an old scripture which contains details of the Kingdom's civil war in the Isles as well as another, smaller war that none really know about. It was between Wessex and SyVi who had settled Myrm's Barrow.
