Post by Deleted on Oct 8, 2015 10:35:35 GMT -8
The Public History of Aaedan:
The Bloody Settling
Once a barbarian tribe known as Aaede' the Aaedanians trace their roots back to their long standing enemies from the east. The Aaede' tribe of the barbarians was powerful and numerous. They had begun to absorb other tribes into their own and was growing more powerful than the other strong tribes wanted. Seeing them as a threat the Barbarians united and attack the Aaede'. The Bloody Settling
A huge battle emerged when the barbarians attacked the Aaede' tribe. 3 days of fighting between the forces swallowed up all the Aaede' held dear. They retreated from the enemy tribes running west and yielding their lands to the barbarians. The Aaede' tribe however had escaped in enough number that the barbarian lords pursued them with the goal of genocide. After weeks of running and hiding the Aaede' entered the area now known as Aaedan. They were weary and hungry. and went to a small river to get water and food before their pursuers caught up. One of the Aaede' would got for a drink and see a tower in the waters reflection, or so the story goes. They found the White city. Its Black walls covered in vines, its gates open to any who would enter. Somehow this city, covered in brush had gone unnoticed for an unknown number of years. But the Aaede' found it and took shelter within. Upon exploring the city they found weapons covered in dust but not rusted. Meats, grains, and vegetables preserved, we expect, by some kind of magic. And throughout the city wear epitaphs and statues of lions and wolves. Symbols of the Aaede' gods.
Only a few days ahead of the pursuing barbarians the people of Aaede' would have to make a choice. Stand and fight once more, ending the barbarian's pursuit of them, or abandoning the city to the barbarians. The Aaede' believed that either way the barbarians would leave them be. But several argued that they would soon come for them again if they fled once more. A argument between the tribe erupted and a half a day passed. Then one man silent through the arguing stood up. Fortis Mann, the first king, silenced the fighting and spoke. No one knows his words but he convinced the Aaede' to stay and fight. He equiped the people with the armor found in the city. Made their bellies full with the preserved stocks found and set to work clearing the eastern wall of vines. No sooner did he complete the project than the torches of the barbarian pursuers appeared on the horizon.
The Aaede' tribe, from atop fifty foot high granite walls, armed with ancient arms and armor would meet their foe in a conflict that lasted ten long days in which with three battles took place.
The first attack by the barbarians met with their instant defeat. Ancient arrows rained down from the walls which proved to slick to scale. The barbarian's fled but made camp. Their number was still more than five times the Aaede'. 3 days passed and the barbarians had made their preparations. A simple but smart move for those that never had to deal with such fortifications before, the barbarians built massive ladders.
They would assault the walls again that night. Using their ladders they scaled the walls, taking casualties in the process. Once on the walls however the arrows stopped and the battle became one of blades. The sun was slowly rising and the walls were nearly lost. Fortis came forth, a blue cape billowing in the wind. He moved to the front of the battle pushing the barbarians back, others pushed back from the south and the Aaede' reclaimed their walls. They pushed the ladders down and filled the sky with arrows and the barbarians fled their new found might. Fortis Mann, Res Takans, and Garlow Bartholomew were the great heros of this fight. They fighting on the front reclaimed the walls and ensured the Aaede' would live another day. The barbarians still outnumbered the Aaede' 3 to one.
After several days of barbarians walking along the walls and taking casualties from Aaede' archers, the barbarians had devised a new strategy. Later we figured out what they did but for the Aaede' at the time it was a surprise. The barbarians found a way into the sewers beneath the city. Under the cover of darkness they infiltrated in their full number, leaving fires and torches going to trick the Aaede' into believing the barbarians were still at camp. The initial attack was horrific. a quarter of the Aaede' were dead before they knew what was happening. Fortis Mann, Garlow Bartholomew, and Res Takans, rallied the Aaede', they used their men to make a wall of shields. Saying, "If we have no wall, then let us make one." The first Phalanx in Aaedanian history. Barbarians clashed with this wall loosing lives to the ancient weapons while archers fired from the safety of the wall. Every man woman and child that could fight did so. After an entire day of fighting the barbarians tried to retreat only to get lost inside the white city. The Aaede hunted them down.
Fortis Mann found their leader however, a man of the Aaede' who betrayed them. His name is lost history. Fortis Mann, instead of killing him outright he challenged the man to a one on one fight. The first duel in Aaedan's history. The story goes that Fortis Mann almost lost this fight until what is seen as a miracle happened. Fortis Mann's eyes began to glow, the first Aaedanian to do so. Once his eyes were aglow the tide turned and Fortis slew the betrayer beheading him. Fortis held the head up to the on lookers and the Aaede' cheered. Chanting his name. The crowd decided that he would lead them in times of war declaring him King.
The king back then held much more power than the king does now. But this was a good thing, we needed the strong hand and quick decisions of the King.
The Restoration Age
Under King Fortis Mann the Aaede' became the Aaedanians. He named the land Aaedan after his people so even if they were conquered, killed, or died off the land would hold their name and the land would remember them. He named the city the White City to show its purity, the Black Walls, so colored from stopping the cities corruption. The Palace, the center of the city, he named after the god of life, Aeon, as a tower grew so high into the sky one might be able to speak with the sun. Thus the land and the people were renamed.
The restoration period was filled with exploration of the lands surrounding the city. Their they found the marble and white stone quarries to repair the little damage to the White city. In about 20 years the Aaedanians had repopulated and many of the original Aaede' had developed glowing eyes. All children where born with glowing eyes, and were stronger than any other generation. The people looked at this as a sign that they were the chosen people of their gods, Aeon and Lito. They had spread through the lands and begun farming and mining, reaccessing mines and ruins left behind by who or whatever build the White City. While the Aaedanians were now prospering their old foes in the east would soon descend on them again.
A bloody raid that killed nearly every Aaedanian in the eastern part of Aaedan was a wake up call to the nation. Their army was small and their people mostly unarmed. Fortis Mann decided the best course of action was to ensure every citizen of Aaedan was trained and armed to some extent so they can protect themselves and others. A professional army would be created. The Three Legions. Each one lead by a member of the new nobility, Mann, Takans, or Bartholomew. They used the ancient weaponry to equip their army and set some smiths to work figuring out how to forge new weaponry in the ancient way, 30 years would pass before this would prove successful. The Three Legions set themselves to fortifying the Eastern Border. Wooden fortifications, like a second wall, complete with barracks and watch towers were spread across the eastern border which became known as the eastern warfront.
The Legions in place Fortis Mann created the Academies. Schools that would give children basic education and teach them to defend themselves over, lasting from age 5 to age 10. Smart enough to learn but too weak to help on farms, mines or other common manual labor, this golden age was perfect. The King would feed and teach the children. Then at age ten those that wanted to could go into military training. Another 5 year process dividing the children up into the best role for their natural skills. In ten years, the king produced the first batch of professional soldiers, armed in newly made armor and weapons. A new weapon unleashed upon the battlefield that proved all to perfect against their foes.
Fortis became obsessed with the idea that education was the trick to creating a powerful home in Aaedan. He would found many types of schools. Artisan, Military, Merchant, Masonry... All these things were installed in Fortis Mann's time. But it wasn't until many years later, he would install magic schools.
Something about the White City, still unknown to us, makes many Aaedanians be born with magical abilities. Most of the time they are too subtle to notice but about half of the population had magic in their blood. Fortis Mann, at first was sending these people to the temples of Aeon and Lito, to do training and use their magic. But as more and more Aaedanians could use magic he would install a Magical academy to teach the young magi to use and not abuse the magic. Not by setting limits but by celebrating the gift and encouraging the magi to use their magic for Aaedan, not just themselves.
These events led to the creation of three types of magi that call the White City home and continue to this day. The Paladins, worshipers of Aeon, who defend and heal warriors on the battlefield. The Wolf Priests, worshipers of Lito, who do all they can to spread death among the enemy, usually from the shadows on the battle. The Magus Corp, a group of mages from the Magic academy who devote themselves to the battle. They work in tandem to both protect their allies and destroy their enemies.
Fortis Mann had turned the Aaede' tribe into a nation. And at the ripe old age of 83, Fortis Mann died of natural cause. Bringing and end to the Restoration Age.
The Age of Exploration
The restoration period was filled with exploration of the lands surrounding the city. Their they found the marble and white stone quarries to repair the little damage to the White city. In about 20 years the Aaedanians had repopulated and many of the original Aaede' had developed glowing eyes. All children where born with glowing eyes, and were stronger than any other generation. The people looked at this as a sign that they were the chosen people of their gods, Aeon and Lito. They had spread through the lands and begun farming and mining, reaccessing mines and ruins left behind by who or whatever build the White City. While the Aaedanians were now prospering their old foes in the east would soon descend on them again.
A bloody raid that killed nearly every Aaedanian in the eastern part of Aaedan was a wake up call to the nation. Their army was small and their people mostly unarmed. Fortis Mann decided the best course of action was to ensure every citizen of Aaedan was trained and armed to some extent so they can protect themselves and others. A professional army would be created. The Three Legions. Each one lead by a member of the new nobility, Mann, Takans, or Bartholomew. They used the ancient weaponry to equip their army and set some smiths to work figuring out how to forge new weaponry in the ancient way, 30 years would pass before this would prove successful. The Three Legions set themselves to fortifying the Eastern Border. Wooden fortifications, like a second wall, complete with barracks and watch towers were spread across the eastern border which became known as the eastern warfront.
The Legions in place Fortis Mann created the Academies. Schools that would give children basic education and teach them to defend themselves over, lasting from age 5 to age 10. Smart enough to learn but too weak to help on farms, mines or other common manual labor, this golden age was perfect. The King would feed and teach the children. Then at age ten those that wanted to could go into military training. Another 5 year process dividing the children up into the best role for their natural skills. In ten years, the king produced the first batch of professional soldiers, armed in newly made armor and weapons. A new weapon unleashed upon the battlefield that proved all to perfect against their foes.
Fortis became obsessed with the idea that education was the trick to creating a powerful home in Aaedan. He would found many types of schools. Artisan, Military, Merchant, Masonry... All these things were installed in Fortis Mann's time. But it wasn't until many years later, he would install magic schools.
Something about the White City, still unknown to us, makes many Aaedanians be born with magical abilities. Most of the time they are too subtle to notice but about half of the population had magic in their blood. Fortis Mann, at first was sending these people to the temples of Aeon and Lito, to do training and use their magic. But as more and more Aaedanians could use magic he would install a Magical academy to teach the young magi to use and not abuse the magic. Not by setting limits but by celebrating the gift and encouraging the magi to use their magic for Aaedan, not just themselves.
These events led to the creation of three types of magi that call the White City home and continue to this day. The Paladins, worshipers of Aeon, who defend and heal warriors on the battlefield. The Wolf Priests, worshipers of Lito, who do all they can to spread death among the enemy, usually from the shadows on the battle. The Magus Corp, a group of mages from the Magic academy who devote themselves to the battle. They work in tandem to both protect their allies and destroy their enemies.
Fortis Mann had turned the Aaede' tribe into a nation. And at the ripe old age of 83, Fortis Mann died of natural cause. Bringing and end to the Restoration Age.
The Age of Exploration
A relatively short age. Fortis Mann's eldest son Rorch Mann took his throne. The man is remembered as a foolish king. He seeing the kingdom so secured by his father, launched expeditions into the unknown lands to the west, north, and south. No one ever heard back from the north or the southern explorers. They are believed to have died, or abandoned Aaedan for whatever wonders they discovered. From the west the explorers returned only three days after they were sent. A place now known as the Forgotten Usque, was filled with tribals that were hostile to us. The foolish king launched a war on the Forgotten Usque. The tribes guerrilla war tactics left the unprepared Legions to suffer. After 10 years under Rorch's command, most of the Three Legions was slain and barbarians struck from the east when we were most vulnerable. Rorch Mann was slain by his younger brother in a duel for the throne. Gre' Mann took the throne and ended the age of exploration. He sealed Aaedan off to all travelers and those who dare leave were not allowed to return. At the time he seemed a hero, today we also call this man foolish.
The People's Age
Gre' Mann sat on the throne and he first did his father's work, he secured Aaedan from the Barbarians that was running in droves through Aaedanian villages. This was done with a citizen army. Seemingly great, this King proved a greedy sort. And that greed was passed onto his son and grandson. Nearly 40 years after Gre' took the throne, a severe drought hit the land. Water in the city was no issue but little could get to the farms on the eastern side of Aaedan. The farms there wilted and died. Even the Barbarians did not attack Aaedan but stayed in their homelands, safe from the drought. Half od Aaedan's food supply dwindled and the nation only 110 years old was starving. The people watched as Gre' would feast with invited nobles who, if not invited, would go hungry as well.
Sadly for Gre' and the royal family, the people quickly rose up. The Legions refused to kill their own people for a king they hated. The people slew the king queen, their children and grandchildren. The Monarchy was removed and the people united in an attempt to create a new system.
The Magistrate was born. Through the magistrate all food was divided equally among the people. To this day it has stayed this way. For the next 128 years, this system stayed in effect. The barbarians returned in force however to a weakened Aaedan. The Magistrate had reduced the army size, pocketing the wages saved. And though the people were happy Aaedan was weak. The barbarians tore through them just as they did in Fortis Mann's age. The Age of the People would end abruptly when a woman named Tial Mann, a leader of one of the Legions launched a second war on the magistrate for its own corruption.
Sadly for Gre' and the royal family, the people quickly rose up. The Legions refused to kill their own people for a king they hated. The people slew the king queen, their children and grandchildren. The Monarchy was removed and the people united in an attempt to create a new system.
The Magistrate was born. Through the magistrate all food was divided equally among the people. To this day it has stayed this way. For the next 128 years, this system stayed in effect. The barbarians returned in force however to a weakened Aaedan. The Magistrate had reduced the army size, pocketing the wages saved. And though the people were happy Aaedan was weak. The barbarians tore through them just as they did in Fortis Mann's age. The Age of the People would end abruptly when a woman named Tial Mann, a leader of one of the Legions launched a second war on the magistrate for its own corruption.
The Return of the Kings
Tial Mann, proclaimed herself the first queen of Aaedan in over 100 years. Claimed it was her duty to stop the Magistrate from being corrupt and lead the armies of Aaedan into battle. Tial left two of the three legions to fight barbarians while she rode into the capital. She and her closest leutenants, Rode Alwhin and Tanner Wolfris assaulted the Magistrate directly. They slew them all and offered blood soaked papers to the people showing them that the Magistrate was corrupt and the barbarian invasion was their fault. Tial Mann offered them a new system. The King/Queen would be responsible for controlling the military and keeping the Magistrate pure. The Magistrate would be reformed and allowed to run the country but the King/Queen would have final say on their decisions.
The people agreed and Tial restored the Mann to power and with that power she changed the Three Legions to the Five Legions. She learned from history and created a new type of soldier known as the Rangers. With the Rangers and the Legions, Tial went to war with the Forgotten Usque and succeeded in, through showing prowess, broking peace with the natives. They would allow ships on the Lito River if Aaedan would leave them be. Tial would construct a port on the Lito river. She would lead several campaigns against the barbarians in the east rather waiting on them to attack her. Her sons and daughters all died on these campaigns. Leaving only 2 grandsons and a host of cousins in line for the throne
Tial proved the first great monarch since Fortis Mann. At the old age of 74 she made her grandson Jorech Mann the next heir. She would die fighting a massive barbarian assault, Jorech fighting beside her. Jorech, baptized in blood, took the throne after the battle.
The people agreed and Tial restored the Mann to power and with that power she changed the Three Legions to the Five Legions. She learned from history and created a new type of soldier known as the Rangers. With the Rangers and the Legions, Tial went to war with the Forgotten Usque and succeeded in, through showing prowess, broking peace with the natives. They would allow ships on the Lito River if Aaedan would leave them be. Tial would construct a port on the Lito river. She would lead several campaigns against the barbarians in the east rather waiting on them to attack her. Her sons and daughters all died on these campaigns. Leaving only 2 grandsons and a host of cousins in line for the throne
Tial proved the first great monarch since Fortis Mann. At the old age of 74 she made her grandson Jorech Mann the next heir. She would die fighting a massive barbarian assault, Jorech fighting beside her. Jorech, baptized in blood, took the throne after the battle.
The Secret History of Aaedan
Fortis Mann and his knowledge
Fortis Mann and his knowledge