Alowca (Realm)/History
The realm of Alowca, like all realms in the Colonies, got off to a slow start. We are located on the southeastern corner of the continent and currently have control of three regions in total. However, this is no hinderance; at times Alowca has boasted one of the largest militaries in the Colonies!
In the early days we sought peace with our neighbors to the north, Alebad, so that we might spread the Trinity, develop our lands, and eventually assist our neighbors in their war efforts. However, our first Pontifex, Rhysten, along with the the Pontifex of Alebad ordered their troops to break a treaty of peace with a realm to the west, Oritolon.
The wars of this island that dominated Alowcan society then did not start here, but in the lands of Lukon. The Kingdom of Portion, an ally of Alowca and Alebad, had tried to invade Lukon with hopes of total conquest. However, the realm of Oritolon made their alliance with Lukon during this time, and helped to repel Portion's aggression. Not only was Portion repelled though, but also Lukon was able to turn the tides of war completely. At this time, though a brief war between Oritolon, Alebad, and the Alowcan city-states had recently carried out, there was a period of peace between our three realms. As Lukon gained more and more ground in their counter assault on Portion, it came to the point where Portion City itself seemed like it would surely fall without aid from its allies. The theocratic armies of Alowca and Alebad, ruled by Rhysten and Eugene II, rallied in Alebad before journeying north to aid Portion; however, they strayed from their course, and launched a sneak attack on Oritolon instead, hoping to catch them off guard in Windaria instead. An Oritolon infiltrator was in the region of Windaria, by chance, and delayed the travel of the holy armies. When our allied armies arrived in Windaria, cut into undesired waves, the Oritolons had taken advantage of their gained time and mounted a defense, which crushed the combined theocracies. Shortly after, Portion fell to Lukon.
It was shortly after this that Oritolon began to make counter strikes on Alowca. and Irdalni was under siege by the Oritolon raiders. Despite the unfavorable odds they held out for eight days of fighting. Alas Irdalni fell and Alowcan armies retreated to the city stronghold.
Shortly after the combined armies of Lukon, Oritolon, and a former ally Alebad had combined and were threatening the very existence of Alowca; their invasion due to a disagreement over political views. Many nobles of Alowca fell into dispair and fled to the Far East but some remained behind to defend their lands and the common people of Alowca. Just when all seemed lost the three invaders made the tactical blunder of returning home to refit. Without an army to continue the suppression of Alowca’s military, the people seized the opportunity and rebuilt the armies to even stronger then before. Within in but a few weeks Irdalni was recaptured. Much of the success of Alowca at his time was due to the shrewdness of a named Anomalous, the Apostate as he is now called, who currently resides in Oritolon, branded as a traitor to Alowca.
Alowca’s success did not last long and internal politics would again bring trouble to Alowca. Eventually, some of the nobles that had fled to The Far East returned to Alowca. After the initial happy greetings were exchanged strong willed men begin to argue over battle plans to launch an offensive against Oritolon and Lukon. History says that Anomalous had devised a plan to split Lukon in half, but Margrave did not agree with the proposal feeling it was beneath the nobles of Alowca. The morning after a heated debate Anomalous announced a tournament to celebrate peace in Alowca and Margrave rebelled.
After the rebellion was announced, Margrave and Always spoke out against Anomalous, the Apostate, for his choice of proposed in tactics. The rebellious uprising had almost total support in Alowca with only two people standing with Anomalous, the Apostate. Feeling betrayed Anomolous, the Apostate, disappeared in strange events during the proceedings, only to reappear suddenly during the tournament he himself had called. At the end of the tournament Anomalous purchased the Duchy of Alowca through the forgery of papers and the bribing of civil servants with the gold collected from the participants’ fees in the tournament. Anomolous, the Apostate, ordered his civil servants to exact his revenge by tearing down the city’s infrastructure before he left for Oritolon. The realm was left in shock, and the Apostate was banned shortly after for numerous crimes, both worldly and against the Nobility of Alowca.
In the aftermath of these events the Nobility of Alowca begin to work together again. Always, who had long helped with the financial aspects of the realm stepped aside and Xerxes took up the mantel. Within a months, Alowca had totally rebuilt the infrastructure which had been lost to the Apostate's malice.
At this time the people of Alowca were being led by the Pontifex Crystal. Under her leadership the war with Oritolon continued but with no change in borders and stalemate ensued. Then came the schism between Pontifex Crystal and the people. During this time, Always, long a prophet in Alowca, revealed the words given to him from above. Many believe today that those words were ones of treachery and that Always was trying to rally support through false teaching and feigned prophecy.
For his crimes Always was banned. And Crystal, seeing that the people had no faith in her leadership, departed from the lands of Alowca. After her passing it was discovered that Crystal had brought war to Alowca's doorstep by foolishly trying to play Alebad and Oritolon against each other. Eventually her lack of political skills lead Oriloton and Alebad allying against Alowca and Alebad taking Abaka from us and pushing us back as far as Alowca.
Once again it was because of a common enemy that the nobles of Alowca were forced to put aside their bickering and rally. And rally they did! After defeating the Oritolonian and Alebadian armies in Alowca and Irdalni the Alowcan armies pushed them back to Abaka. Eventually peace was reached with Alebad but to many it is a peace built on lies and deceit. Ender, who was leading Alebad at the time, declared that Crystal promised Alebad the region of Abaka. In truth, Alebad had lost some regions to Lukon and wanted to make up for those losses. Never the less, since Crystal's madness had driven her to sail from these lands Alowca had no grounds to argue on. Rather then face the combined armies of two opportunistic realms Alowca settled for peace.
At the end of this time, Margrave once again ascended the theocratic throne, but with ailment departed once more and Xerxes was elected as steward ruler of Alowca. Soon though Margrave and Absolute returned and Xerxes stepped down to allow for elections. Margrave was re-elected as ruler and Xerxes as the Paladin Primus of Alowca. From there the political bickering again started but the politcal, as well as the military situation, remained unchanged for some time.
Alas, things are rarely stable here in Alowca and soon the table was to be overturned again. Margrave, honoring a long time friendship, allowed Always back into the realm despite the ban and, after Always was banned again, decided to leave Alowca. Margrave stepped down from his position and went to join Lukon. Xerxes was then re-elected as Pontifex and S'noe as the Paladin Primus of Alowca.
To be continued.....
Martyrs
Here follows a list of the martyrs of Alowca.
Awards of the Nation of Alowca
Recently the Alowcan Inner Sanctum has adopted several forms of awards to recgonize their nobles roles and to distinguish between those who have provided service longer and nore notably than others to the Trinity and Alowca. A current list of Citations of those awarded can be found here.
