The Age of Blood

Overview

The human settlers that survived the 1st Invasion quickly reclaim the continent before descending into a series of devastating wars that culminate in the Defensive Alliance of the South invading the North. Only the 2nd Invasion ends conflict.

Timeline

Dawn of the Age

Rubeus the Mad arrives in the Theocracy of Melhed based in Agyr, which is besieged by Children forces. – Beginning of the Age of Blood
The Mad makes a pact with Pontifix Argos the Wise. In exchange for a realm his own Rubeus will bring a contingent of mercenaries to fight for Melhed.
The Mercenaries arrive, and with their help, the Children are driven back. Arrival of Tsu Sun, Koban and Realla.
Pontifix Argos the Wise perishes in the final battle with the undead, at what would become known as the Fell Crossing in Bil Havil.
HighGuard the Rash ascends to the throne of Melhed, Rubeus the Mad elected as Grand General
With the Children vanquished Melhed begins to liberate the land.
When the Mercenaries come to collect their pay, HighGuard reneges on the agreement.
Furious, Rubeus attempts to assassinate High Guard, and leads a rebellion. The bloody coup succeeds transforming Melhed into a Tyranny under Dictator Rubeus, with Tsu becomes Executor
High Guard the Rash is overthrown, supporters banned, and flee to the Republic of Fronen, based in Fronepu.
Melhed expands into neighbouring regions under Rubeus. By the end of this time Melhed holds sway from Agyr to Ieara, Bil Havil to Trottie. Forming the Melhed Circle
Arrival of Aldo Unti, Morgan Darby, Bob Baceolus
Debates abound about weather to attack the Republic of Fronen or the Democracy of Ar Agyr, based in Unger. Though Ar Agyr seemed the weaker target the presence of HighGuard in Fronen proved tempting.
Rubeus leads a surprise attack on Fronepu, capitol of Fronen while the Fronenites are in the south. After sacking the city the Melhed army is engaged in the fields of Lloringel and destroyed. Fronen launches a counter attack soon after
Rubeus descends into madness as Fronen soldiers roll over the hastily made defensive forces. Drinking heavily and becoming erratic Rubeus orders the deaths of many members of the realm council.
Aldo, Morgan, and Bob rally what little remains of the army and attempt to stem the tide

Morning of the Age

Tsu the Bold leads a peaceful coup and removes Rubeus from office, before ascending to the throne himself.
Tsu opens diplomatic relations with Fronen and Ar Agyr, currently ruled by Raptor the Calm
Tsu achieves peace with Fronen and in exchange is to step down in favour of a Fronen lord and that Melhed be reformed into a Republic.
Eugene the Small assumes Dictatorship on behalf of Fronen.
During the reign of the puppet king and his court from Fronen, purges remove many mercenary supporters and limit the freedom of Melhed nobles.
Eugene dispatches the Melhed army to support the combined attack of Fronen and Old Grekh on Sylantin, based in Wudenkin. Not permitted weapons the Melhed nobles are quickly defeated and returned home for more reinforcements while the Fronen elite remain in the field.
Before the Fronen elite return, the Democracy of Enwiel, based in Fengen, threatened to invade all nations that were not republics or democracies. With Melhed still not a republic as par the surrender terms and an invasion imminent, Tsu leads a rebellion to transform Melhed into a Republic
Though unhappy with the loss of Melhed, Fronen leaves the nation alone on the urging of Enwiel and Ar Agyr
Stepping down to allow a vote for ruler, Tsu is soon re-elected, taking the official title of Emperor

Afternoon of the Age

Peace reigns, construction of the Imperial Palace begins
Fronen and allies become hostile towards the Democracy of Ar Agyr under Raptor.
Grand General Aldo Unti despatches the Melhed army to intercept a Fronen raid on Ar Agyr, setting off the Great War between the Defensive Alliance and the North
The North started as Ar Agyr, Melhed, Old Grehk and Voghor based in Zod but Old Grehk and Voghor pulled out before the fighting began.
The Defensive Alliance consisted of Republic of Fronen, Democracy of Mesh based in Poitra, Democracy of Enwiel, Deomcracy of Riombara based in Rines, Democracy of Ashborn based in Keffa, Democracy of Plergoth based in Creasur, Democracy of Marca da Pantera based in Tahgalez
The dawn of the war found the North armies in Qual, while the Defensive Alliance mustered in Lloringel.
Ar Agyr and Melhed attack Lloringel, but moving is slow through mountain regions and infiltrators split up half the army. The Melhed and Ar Agyr army is destroyed
Ar Agyr and Melhed fought a brutal war against the Defensive Alliance, thousands die each day.
Massive attack is launched on Melhed while Ar Agyr was away refitting. The famous Last Charge of the Berserkers on the plains of Gor Ault saw the entire Melhed army charge the invaders in a blood rage. Melhed is defeated, but casualties are so high for the Defensive Alliance that the invasion was called off.

Twilight of the Age

Sensing weakness the Children begin a new wave of attacks on human habitation slaughtering countless numbers while the armies of the south were away.
End of the Great War
Weakened by the long war and exposed, Ar Agyr falls to the forces of the Children soon after.
Emperor Tsu vanishes, and Aldo Unti ascends to the Golden Throne –beginning of the Age of Reason

Analysis

The first colonists to Beluaterra founded their nations across the east coast and struggled for scant resources. This time of chaos saw much conflict, both between the nascent kingdoms and the inhuman hordes. Thus there was always a need for more brave warriors and so Thiearch Argos the Wise called upon the Winter Wolf Mercenaries to assist in driving back the tide. The various warriors were to be paid in land, a march set up in the wild west but tragedy struck in Bil Havil leading to the death of Argos. The new Thiearch, HighGuard, refused to honour the agreement and so the Mercenaries took his crown.

What followed that fateful decision was a reign of blood that forever shaped the north. The Captain Rubeus abolished the Pontifex of Flame and fashioned the new state around the military. Obedience was earned by camaraderie as the rough and tumble company retained their roots as a unified fighting force. Heavy drink, heavy games, and heavy fighting brought all together under the banner of the wolf. In truth Melhed was not a state with a military, but a military with a state. That military kept few offices, and even fewer traditions but they were honed like a blade and went to work annexing their surroundings. Of course as they ran out of neutral territory eyes turned to Fronen where the traitorous HighGuard had fled.

The conflict against the more temperate south did not go well leading to Captain Rubeus taking to heavy drink and being deposed by Tsu Sun, who brought peace to the north by agreeing to Fronen military occupation. Dictator Eugene of Fronen then took to ruling Melhed, imposing strict limits on the military and plebeians. The resulting famine saw the Triumvirate of Aldo Unti, Morgan Darby and Bob Baceolus, heroes of the war, disillusioned with autocratic rule. While Melites were turned into battle thralls for Fronen wars, Tsu Sun once again organized a revolt ousting the dictator and through an alliance with the Triumvirate stabilized the realm.

As par the demands of Enweil to the far south, Melhed was made a republic and Tsu was elected as the first Emperor but peace would not last for this was an age of blood. The suffering heaped upon the north by their southern neighbours left them resilient but suspicious. The Emperor did his best to bring order, and restarted many of the boisterous behaviours of the mercenaries, but the character of the north had been changed and the Defensive Alliance War that was about to come cemented the new order.

To preempt any further attacks by Melhed the nation of Fronen called upon allies from across the continent to assault the small nation. The resulting coalition of 7 nations across the entire continent squaring off against Melhed and it's sole ally, Ar Agyr based in Unger. The fighting was desperate, with complete annihilation the outcome of surrender, and so the north became a blood soaked battleground. Men, women, children, all were put to the sword by the Defensive Alliance, so intent were they to erase the north from the map. The Melite's long remember those days, and the Last Charge of the Berserkers, that saw only Emperor Tsu still sanding by the end of the battle. The blow was heavy however, with Bob Baceolus slaying the supreme commander of the coalition forces and each Melite slaying hundreds in a blood furry. The casualties of those battles were so high that the coalition began to break down, and then the dead began to rise.

The Melites learned many things in those days, the deceit of Fronen and Enweil, the nature of savage furry, the need for strength but also the importance of life. The loss of the Emperor during the invasion left Aldo Unti as the new ruler and he took the lessons to heart, changing the course of the north once more.