Dwilight/The Far West/The Ancient History of the Echiur Dynasty/The Roaring Third Age: The Decline and Breakup of the Dynastic Hegemony
The Roaring Third Age: The Decline and Breakup of the Dynastic Hegemony
After the internal problems were managed, and the vengeance of the Dyton’s subdued, the Empire had a new breath of peace and calm. For a long while, a few generations, the realm’s population fluctuated and then soared. It was not the Dynasty that was growing rapidly; it was the nobility from the north who lived in Viannia. By the end of the fourth century since the gathering near the echiur berry tree, the Empire had finally met its greatest threats.
First, when the outsider nobles realized they outnumbered the Dynasty in Viannia they led a revolution to overthrow the rulers. Then after fending off attacks from the Champion’s Cape and the Duchy of Shokalom, they raised an army to invade Shoka. The Shokii defeated the invaders, but the outsider nobles from Viannia quickly rallied and attacked a second time.
Their greatest leader was the charismatic and fearless Lord Jiabar Tunntom. He was born and raised in Viannia to outsider noble parents and was instilled with the values and beliefs from the north. He always thought that his nobility could be integrated with the Echiuraens but after an incident between the Duke of Via’s son and his wife led to her execution, he realized he was absolutely wrong. From here, he united his people and led the revolution that made him King of Viannia. It was his strategies which defeated the Echiuraens in Lowervia and his desire to invade the Duchy of Shokalom. King Jiabar did not live to see his army’s defeat a second time against the Shokii, but his legacy paved the way for an outsider kingdom to exist within the Empire.
Worse than this, as Viannia was being inhabited by more outsiders from the north, the Duchy of Koshtqoria was overrun by daimons from the south. A new infernal power was emerging that was spreading their plight around the continent. This event was a major disaster for the Empire as the daimons poured over the border into Grympen Mire and right into the city of Koshtlom. As the regions below the Mare Inductus (the sea between Gonophor and Lowervia) became infested with daimons, the people of that duchy escaped east. It is said that they settled in the continent along the way, but largely from the widespread terror of the daimons, presumably their safest route would be over the islands and into the lands beyond there.
Koshtqoria was occupied by the fearsome daimons and a great horror gripped the Empire. With the outsider kingdom east of the Champion’s Cape and the daimons victory in Koshtqoria, the Duchy of Shokalom and the Capital Duchy of Echiur were separated. The Echiuraens made plans to regain their lands and on the direct order of the senior Dynast Fesfate, far descendant of Lord Moton, General Bomy, far descendant of Sir Fabor, was to launch a crusade to return Koshtqoria to the Empire. This was an ill fated campaign from the start. With the loss of the Barrow Mine and the defeats from the battles against both the Viannians and the daimons, the Empire had low numbers to face the vile enemies in the south.
Crossing the ancient bridge into Aspar, the General and her cohorts marched far to face a daimon horde. They won the first few battles and made it into Kosht, a dangerous region infested with the beasts. The army was ambushed during the night and slaughtered. The General escaped alive and made it to Koshtlom. Remains of her journal describe the horrible state the city was in and how there was no human anywhere in sight. The place was empty of clean life. The daimons had won.
The Viannians are still militant against my Duchy, Shokalom, and the Imperial Duchy, but we have been able to contain them to their lands. We have recently lost Vassar to the daimons who are hauntingly marching closer and closer to the city itself. I suppose it is only a matter of time before that vicious leader of the daimons, Redfang, overruns my home entirely. Their numbers are frighteningly greater than our own and that is having an affect on the mentality of the population.
Because of these major faults in our Empire, the people of Shokalom have decided that the Empire is crumbling and the Dynasty can no longer protect them. Seeing as how what’s left of our strength is cut off between outsiders and daimons, for the time being, they may be correct. However, I am too much a conservative to accept that. This is but another negative chapter in the Echiuraen Empire and we will recover. When this entire event is over with and we succeed in the reconquest of Viannia, and we defeat the cruel daimons, I will write another chapter to update this current history.
Until then my friends, believe in the Dynasty and never forget your noble ancestry.
Signed,
Lord Rernor, far descendant of Sir Cotton.
