A History

[KumoriRyuu]

Cre' Est was settled in the year 3825 2.E. (2nd Era)

To go on a brief tangent and give proper context to the term Era:

Era - An era is a period of history. Moving from one era to another is most commonly heralded by a major shift in social/economical advancement or breakdown. The number before nomenclature (3825) indicates how many years this particular era (or period of history) lasted.

At the time of its settlement, Cre' Est was already inhabited by a large population of people who, upon contact with the Cre' Itian settlers, tried to establish peace and communication. The settlers, already being pursued by Mar' Valoa (their original homeland across the ocean to the Northwest), wanted any new allies they could get and so attempted to cooperate with the natives. It was rough going, and took just over 1 full year to come to a basic, albeit somewhat shaky, understanding between the two.

In the year 3822 2.E, three years after settlement, Mar' Valoa's first group of enforcers arrived on Cre' Itian shores to attempt a forceful takeover of the settlements and return the settlers to Mar' Valoan shores. Cre' Itians, alongside the natives, fought back and repelled the invaders forcing a retreat. However, they knew that within the next few years there would be more.

Throughout the centuries, battle after battle was fought in a desperate effort to forever send the message to Mar' Valoa that the settlers of Cre' Est were their own society and were no longer subjects to Mar' Valoan rule.

(Yes, I realize the similarity to American Independence, which is actually unintentional... Ahem, moving on!)

By the year 3760 2.E, Mar' Valoa sent its largest detachment of enforcers in a battle that would come to be known as the Sea Of Fire. The reason behind this name was because of how many ships were set ablaze by traps in the water, invented by the natives using a combination of oil and seaweed rings, which were ignited by arrows with their tips set on fire. This naval warfare lasted a total of two days and sixteen hours, and despite the relative brevity was Cre' Est's most successful victory to date. And upon capturing the enemy leader, they sent him back to Mar' Valoa with a warning never to make such an attempt to reconquer them again. Cre' Est would endure.

And so, Mar' Valoa took this warning to heart and abandoned further plans of reconquering the Cre' Itian settlers.

Time would march onward, and the relationship between the Cre' Itian settlers and the natives grew so powerful that they began to assimilate one another's cultural beliefs and started blending into a single societal entity. By the year 3143 2.E, the original inhabitants had become one with Cre' Itian settlers and were permanently ingrained within their society.

In the year 3074 2.E, the passageway between Cre' Est and what would eventually become the nation of Shaharan was discovered. At the time, it was not a fully through passageway, and had to be cleared through years of toil and backbreaking work. But once it was broken through, a whole new world opened up before them. One of vast sand oceans and, to the South, deep green forests as far as the eye could see.

Settlers began to break into smaller vagabond communities, and set out to find and establish new homes for themselves. Cre' Est began expanding its influence and presence across the continent, but in the Eastern sands, they faced a new foe.

Natives of the desert slowly began to emerge from the haze, and, being more primitive and combative by nature, war broke out in no time at all. By the year 3071, Cre' Itian vagabond settlers had banded together to face this threat. The leader of this resistance to the "dark-skinned devils" of the sands was one General McGreary Reins, who managed to, over the course of an exhaustive ten year war known as the Blizzard of Ash, fought the dark-skinned devils to a stalemate. Finally, a truce was brokered to cease the bloodshed, and a respect for boundaries and territory was established. It was at this time that the name Shaharan was first uttered, and thus the nation was officially recognized, along with the sovereignty of its native inhabitants as a society all their own.

Cre' Itian vagabonds moved South, and what would eventually become the nation of Gweynura was marked on the map and noted for its vast and seemingly impenetrable forests. For the first several decades after its discovery, it was utilized solely for lumber, and hunting in excess for "future use" was commonplace. But it quickly became clear that life in these forests demanded a new mindset, as surviving became a shockingly difficult task thanks to the way nature seemed to respond to the lumber efforts. Massive beasts, poisonous and carnivorous plants, storms, flash floods, and more seemed to stand in their way time and again and forcing them to adapt or die.

And adapt they did.

When it became clear that trying to subjugate the forest was a failing effort, the settlers in the region established a harmonious relationship with it. They replanted the trees they cut down twice over in an attempt to please the Gods and help the forest heal from the damage which had been done. They hunted only what they needed, and paid respect to every creature used as food in small, but mandatory ceremonies of respect and honor. This seemed to do the trick, as the obstacles to their path seemed to lessen until they no longer stood in their way at all. Living with the forest instead of against it proved the ideal strategy. And when the leader of the community of settlers, Gweynna Urios, died of old age, the new and budding nation was given its name of Gweynura.

Not long after the nation was founded, Gweynura came under fire from its Northern neighbor, Shaharan, who viewed the establishment of an entirely new nation of people as a threat to their territory. Diplomatic negotiations and peace talks were pushed for by Gweynura, with Cre' Est lending an occasional diplomat of their own to help the process. Thankfully, Shaharan was able to understand and accept the idea of the Gweynuran people minding their own business down in the forests to the South. So long as their desert borders were respected, Shaharan was happy.

Some decades later, Cre' Itian vagabond communities reached the Northwestern oceans which looked towards Mar' Valoa beyond the horizon. The thought of their old home brought no good memories, but at the suggestion of one of their leaders, Yogge Vorsais, they turned what were bad memories into good ones by establishing a new colony. By 3026, the newly christened town of Triveila was born, and within five short years became a prosperous and sprawling city thanks to the incredible bounty of the sea. At the suggestion of Aasui Koa, the new city was named Triveila, which translated in the old tongue to "Heart of the Sea." Immediately, Triveila sought sovereignty from Cre' Est. And due to good relations between the central figures, it was established with little fanfare.

Time marched on, and over six centuries passed before another nation began poking at the side of Cre' Est. To the South of the now bustling nation was a series of communities which had established a large colony huddled in the protective embrace of the Southern Mountains. But these communities were, to put it nicely, not on friendly terms. By the time the establishment of their colony had been announced, the two sides engaged in a bloody war for ownership of the prime real estate they'd since discovered. Before long, one side had been wiped out by General Eigrus Veilbrand, who became the first King and Dictator of Veilbrand, as he sought none of the "soft" governmental "nonsense" of their neighbors.

Veilbrand has lived a very turbulent existence ever since her founding. Due to the disdain for Dictatorial figures by the majority of her sibling nations and their respective peoples, Veilbrand has had numerous trade tariffs placed on it throughout the centuries, and never has this ended well. Over twenty major wars have been fought with its Northern neighbor, Cre' Est, alone. Each one ending in a stalemate due to the Cre' Itian numbers clashing with superior skill in Veilbrand soldiers. One would think each side had learned their lesson, but Veilbrand has never seemed to settle for peace for long periods of time. And when we say "Veilbrand," we mean the "leadership," as the people have long desired an end to all of the war and problems plaguing their nation.

For centuries there have been threats of revolts and revolutions, but it wasn't until recent history that a Revolution began proper. But that's a story for another time.

Throughout the centuries, Cre' Est, and her five nations, struggled to find a point of stability. But finally it did just that. An international peace negotiation was finally announced, and even more remarkable is the fact that it was agreed to by all ruling powers without protest or an attempt to amend the stipulations.

And thus, the 2nd Era came to an end, bringing in the 3rd Era, which is now in its 574th year (to start the RP).

But alas, we find ourselves today in troubled times once again. A war in the shadows has begun to shake the stability of all five nations, and conflict seems inevitable. How long will they be able to hold out before something happens to push them all over the edge?

... The answers await us in due time.