Cathay/History/Third Volume
History of Cathay
Volume 3
Cathay had grown strong, rich, a true presence on the island. But as all realms that prosper it drew envious eyes, those of people that sought what Cathay had but could not achieve it. Those with their own power, but with the unsatiable lust for more present in some men unfit for rulership, even if often it is they that achieve it.
The shining jewel of the far east, solid and with the many friends it still had began slowly developing an enemy, a neighbhour envious of the growing wealth, of the many things Cathay had that they did not regardless how they desired them. The eyes of the king of Svunnetland, Morthwyl.
The old Svunnetland empire had been in decline for decades, indeed its decline had started long before the first Cathayan flag was ever planted. What exactly went through the mind of the king, that almost all now agree must've been mad even back then, we'll likely never know. However what was clear was that he seemed to think that somehow by challenging the young power, by trying to take the wealth and structure it had brought to the lands under its wings his empire could once more stand great in the far east.
Times of turmoil came upon the far east, and through this all the King of the old empire hatched his plot. Plots for war, plans for death, and indeed the seeking of power not within but by taking from without his kingdom. A path he set down upon then that would eventually lead to his ruin.
The far east was in a time of turmoil, the great northern federation slowly beginning to show cracks. The republic of Lasanar had changed overtime, changed from the aim for right that it had had to a realm seeking only greater power, seeking to believe somehow that power to control the island was theirs by right. As dissent with this belief grew so grew Lasanar's pride, arrogance, at the fact not all might agree. Some within the republic hatched a plot to muffle any voices that disagreed with them, a thing in such stark contrast to the principles of that republic that it was doomed to failure, as it did.
Convincing another member of the northern federation, Sartania, together they struck at the dissenting voices in Ethiala to silence them. As their war against Ethiala began the turmoil in Lasanar grew, their own dukes seeing how their principles were being destroyed.
Eventually this led to Lasanar's own road towards downfall, most of their dukes deciding in short order that the evil that had been unleashed in Lasanar's name was not theirs, not the realm they'd helped shape and make great once. One by one they stood for their own honour, integrity in their beliefs, and left the republic leaving it a shadow of itself, a shadow struggling for survival as this tome is written.
A tale for another tome, another realm, but interwoven still with the history of Cathay. For during this turmoil, when the war with Ethiala was about to errupt, the king of Svunnetland saw his chance. His eager eyes had waited for the opportunity, had carefully prepared, and seeing Cathay's allies busy with other matters he struck. Assassins assaulting nobles of Cathay, slaying militia, burning food stores. Insult upon insult, trying to aggravate Cathay, to get Cathay to strike back.
And strike back Cathay did. But Cathay is shaped by the valor, the honour, the integrity that define us all, that gave the chance to rise from the ashes of a fallen kingdom to be the shining jewel of the east, as we had become. The banners of the Golden Lion and the Aegis of justice were rallied by the command of High Marshal Gemal Dekat. It would be his first leading of the armies he'd seen trained, organized, in full scale combat. However he had confidence that together with his marshals he would lead the armies to victory. Defend the borders of Cathay and make it clear once and for all to the island that Cathay although a realm of honour was also a realm of justice, and that crimes against it did not go unpunished. And justice was indeed what was brought to the Svunnetland king. The armies of Cathay rode forth from the gates of Anacan, and in a thundering gale swept across the plains of Zarimel. Most of the Svunnetland army had fled at the oncoming onslaught, those scattered military units that remained wiped up in short order. The populace already carried Cathay a warm heart, having seen the prosperity on their borders and clearly desiring the same. The viscount of Zarimel, Lord Baldur Herschberger, saw the Cathayan armies, saw the love of his populace for them. Most importantly however he saw the fleeing Svunnetland forces and he said no more.
Seeing the care with which the Cathayan forces tried to convince the populace of Zarimel he himself was swayed, pledging his lands to the golden banner. At the same time it had not been merely he who had been swayed by these words of justice. The realm of Greater Aenillia had seen its ally, not just on paper but in ground principles too, attacked and was preparing to come to their aid if needed. Meanwhile even Svunnetland's close federate, the realm of Zonasa, saw the evil of King Morthwyl's strike. They made it clear that although they would not support Svunnetland being wiped off the map Cathay's justice was fair, and they would support the taking of Ansopen and Zarimel by the banners of the lion and an attempt at peace to follow.
Not all of Svunnetland's allies, few as they were, proved as willing to look at what had happened over relations however and the Soliferum armies rallied and marched north to do battle on behalf of the Svunnetland king. A move they made then, that they came to regret, a choice that was however forever engraved in blood. For although Zarimel had fallen swiftly to the banners of Cathay the battle of Ansopen proved to be nowhere near as simple. The Cathayan force stood gathered, almost 16000 strong in the measures of strength, a most formidable force. At the same time Svunnetland and Soliferum had assembled their armies, almost twice as large, and indeed they seemed confident in their victory. However on the fields of Ansopen they learned a costly lesson, they learned that victory in war is not simply in strength of arms. No, they learned that how they are used is far more important.
The high marshal Gemal Dekat stood infront of the Cathayan armies and had but to watch. The orders given and the marshals, Lord Valgar Reinhart and King Ranulf Miles himself, stood ready to lead the armies to a true victory. Battle raged in the fields, it raged for 2 days and nights. With lulls, but almost ceaseless, and the fields were coated in blood. Blood that was heavily paid, the blood of Cathayans that will never be regained. But blood nonetheless spilled to make it clear once and for all to all the island that Cathay was not a realm to daunt if one was unwilling to face anything but justice.
And justice was faced, for after the days of fighting, as it lulled, the Cathayan army stood as the sole survivor. The armies of both Svunnetland and Soliferum crushed, and in short order the banners in Ansopen raised. The banners of victory, the banners of the lion.
After the fighting in Ansopen the slow, steady, process towards peace began. Other realms became involved. Nighthelm made it clear they were willing to defend Cathay's lands, to see Soliferum mitigated. Greater Aenillia had prepared their armies and was ready to send them forth. Cathay however is no realm of war, it is a realm of justice. Zarimel and Ansopen, a fair price for the damage done by Svunnetland, and King Miles offered peace to the remnants of the Svunnetland empire.
In these days the madness of the Svunnetland king, madness hinted at in the past, became clear to all. Peace was offered. The lands of Ansopen and Zarimel were to be recognized by Svunnetland as lands that were part of the Cathayan kingdom, granted as reparations for the slights and assaults commited by them. Instead of accepting these terms, as the island urged him, as common sense urged him, the Svunnetland king Morthwyl send back his own terms.
Cathay was to surrender, demobilize, give up the lands they had taken. Execute the Lord Baldur Herschberger, denounce king Miles and send him in shame to the mountains of Ipsosez to face whatever justice, or injustice, King Morthwyl saw fit to bestow upon him. The days of madness of Svunnetland, the actions heralding their last days.
Hearing these insults staged upon each other Cathay prepared itself at the command of the High Marshal Dekat for a last march against the remnants of the Svunnetland empire. At the same time Greater Aenillia had had enough of Svunnetland's folly and send their armies forth. Ahael admitting the madness of their king and raising an Ethialan banner, the fields of Zolon swiftly taken by the Aenillian forces under the command of Lord Tharion Frostnova.
The duchess of Palnasos, last city of Svunnetland other then the mountain fortress of Ipsosez where sat their king, saw the Cathayan armies approaching and knew the time of the empire had come. With the banner switched, the duchess making clear she had had enough of the mad king, the Cathayan army spared her city. Some grumbled, some grudged, but in the end all agreed that it was the right thing. Cathay came not to pillage, to destroy, it came to bring justice. And the people of the city had commited no crime, needed not pay or raise a flag to atone for the sins of others.
The last remnant mountain fortress of Svunnetland remained, a fortress hard to take. The mad king however had fled, and now the reason to take the fortress was merely that alone it would stand, in darkness, in shadow, and eventually from it would pour legions of war again if it stood alone under the old flag. It was a harsh thing, diplomatic words exchanged, but in the end all realms bordering it agreed that the citadel was to be taken by Zonasa and passed on to Greater Aenillia. An event of change set in motions then, to now shape the future of the island.
Meanwhile war had erupted in the south, Nighthelm and Soliferum once more at odds. Soliferum had issued formal apologies, admitted their mistake in aiding Svunnetland. Lasanar to the north lay dying, the cities that had seperated fighting each other or solidifying their lands. A duke of Ethiala had seceded and his city fallen again, Sartania waging a two front war. And Cathay, Cathay standing in the center of it all. A grown realm, a realm that through its actions could influence the actions, the future, the shape of the island for all.
And this is where this volume ends, awaiting to see what the future brings, and where the island will be led by Cathay and its allies, and what shape they will give the islands of the far east.
Gemal Dekat, Historian.
