History of Osannia
Note: This information is true to the Third Imperium Age. As of the 2200s, Osannia is part of the Crullathian Empire. See: Fourth Imperium Age
1851-1966: A Restless Peace
After the dust had settled from the Isslian civil war, little order remained around the former prefect capital. The Consular family (Illian) and the Prefectual family (Percivian) held a tentative peace in the nascent nation, cooperating on the governance of Osannia. Relationships between the families were always rough and each family did their best to manuever into a better position of power over the other. In 1960, the two families joined together in a political marriage between Davicus Percivian and Honoria Illian. The relationship was cold, producing no children and none of the peace either family hoped for. Davicus ruined any chance of hope when, in 1965, he began to have a highly publicized affair with Sabina Kirkun, the great-granddaughter of a noble Kurasian heir, resulting in the birth of a daughter. This was all the Illian family could stand and, deciding on the lesser of two evils, the patriarch of the family, Braccien, asked for Crullath's help. Thus began the Osannian Civil War.
1967-1969: The Osannian Civil War
This new Civil War was between Illian and Percivian loyalists and was relatively short-lived. Skirmishes were frequent and bloody, especially in southern Osannia. The events culminated to the Battle of Valshilt Keep. This old fort was once used as a secondary defense from marauding Shahesk. The Percivian loyalists were forced to Valshilt Keep where they were kept under siege for months by a Crullath legion to the west and by the Illian loyalists to the east. A few Percivian scouts returned, bringing dire news of enemy troops advancing on all fronts. As the soldiers became visible from the keep, Amelia knew the end was near. As a last measure, she withdrew the ancient pendant given to her family by the Kurath centuries ago. The pendant was keyed to the Percivian blood line and carried the ability to create a strong magical protection around the wearer when the keyword was uttered. Amelia hoped to use the pendant and protect Valshilt from the Illian and Crullathian siege weaponry, giving the Percivian militia an opportunity for a counter-strike. During the early dawn hours, when the Illian troops lined up for an attack, Amelia stepped out from the keep and uttered her keyword. The artifact burst into light, blinding any that gazed upon it. Not a second later, the entire southern countryside lay scorched and flat, both armies suffering heavy losses. Amongst the destruction sat the pendant, unscathed, at the bottom of a crater. Even the Percivian loyalists, holed up in the fort, were mostly killed by the blast or by the resulting crumbling of the keep. The blast caused widespread destruction, damaging or destroying most of the homes and windmills in the valley and damaging the Gate. The resulting earthquake further destroyed the Wall and the few remaining buildings.
1969-2052: Reconstruction
Osannia was left in shock as brigands looted and sought to take Ellyius. Only with the help of Medec and Valorian were things settled and a scion of the Illian family now sat on the throne. The following years marked the establishment of the Illian monarchy and the rebuilding of Osannia. The kingdom cared little about external affairs since they had so much to fix within their own borders. The damage to the Wall and the use of the artifact attracted the undead wandering though the Rift, which proved to stifle the reconstruction of Osannia's milling industry and settling of the fertile farmland in the south.
Osannia's coffers steadily grew smaller and incentives to settle the south were increased. Applications for land slowly dwindled as settlers disappeared or came back to the north with horrible stories of disappearances and ghostly voices. The ruling monarch at the time petitioned for Dagathian clerics to help with the undead problem in the south. After a few years of battling the menace and consecrating the ground, the south was finally clear.
Many economic projects began after this including the futher exploration into the depleted Isslian Iron Mines, attempting to domesticate the fire beetle menace in the sewers, and the reconstruction of the windmills in the south. Not all ideas were good, however. A high popular taxation was enacted since the coffers were almost dry after donating the promised gold to the Dagath churches. The people of Osannia led a short and non-violent revolt, refusing to do any further work, leading to the quick removal of the tax. The following years were long, with the various industries slowly making progress.
By 2033, many of the economic projects were making gold and Osannia, for the first time in years, gained money in the coffers, allowing the Kingdom to pay off some debts. The remaining years provided a steady increase in the coffers, thanks to larger veins of gold and silver found in the mines.
2053-Present: Establishing A Nation
The 2053 birth of Torbin Illian proved to be a major change for the Kingdom. The monarch began to focus on external affairs, establishing trade agreements and communications with neighboring fiefs. This included contact with Crullath, to whom Osannia feels obligated for previous support. Osannia has since seen steadily increasing funds and soon opened the Illian Martial Academy to the other fiefs, once again.
Timeline
1847 - Lord Revel Crullath assassinates Consul Mantith Illian beginning the Isslian Civil War.
1944 - Sabina Kirkun born (Great granddaughter of Cecille)
1960 - Davicus Percivian marries Honoria Illian
1965 - Davicus Percivian has publicized affair with Sabina Kirkun (gives birth to a daughter, Litia)
1967 - Braccien Illian deposes Davicus with Crullath's help.
- Osannia civil war begins
1968 - Amelia Percivian wipes out the Illian and Percivian armies. Decimating the families and half of Osannia by using an ancient artifact.
-Litia Percivian-Kirkun is the only surviving member of the ruling family
1969 - Neighboring fiefs quell the chaos following the near entire destruction of the Consular and Prefectual families. -Bastian Illian, a distant cousin to Braccien, is placed in charge by the neighboring fiefs. Bastian is already married, with a son, Joral.
1971 - Bastian arrests the last resistors and renames Osannia a Kingdom, restoring the Illian monarchy. -The few remaining Percivian family members are banned from Osannia.
1972 – Bastian orders the reconstruction of destroyed sections of the wall blocking the Hammerfist Rift, damaged by Amelia Percivian’s use of the artifact.
1975 - Temporary wooden walls are built to fill the gaps in the Hammerfist wall, reconstruction slows significantly.
1979 - After taking a short tour of the ruined south, Bastian offers a large stipend to any family willing to settle and farm the land. The loss of the southern millers proved to be a hard hit on Osannia's economy.
1984 - Numerous families move from the south after reports of mysterious deaths and hostile spirits.
-Applications for the moving stipend stop and only a few of the most hearty families remain in the south.
1988 – Illian Martial Academy reopened with a new curriculum.
1997 - Losing patience with the south, Bastian increases the size of the 2nd Legion and orders them to move from garrison just south of the city walls and begin patrolling the south.
-The 2nd Legion takes heavy losses without ever seeing combat. Most soldiers disappear in the middle of the night, sentries don't report anyone entering or leaving the camps.
1998 - Bastian sends out a call for clerics of Dagath, promising hefty donations to the churches for support in this matter.
-The 2nd legion pulls back to the city walls, only venturing further south to escort the Dagathian priests.
2000 - After years of research and some loss of life, the Dagathian priests report that the undead have originated from the Hammerfist and were drawn to the area where Amelia Percivian used the artifact.
-Special units are formed as the 1st Century of the 2nd Legion, with Dagath priests integrated into each unit.
-The rest of the year proves to be one of deadly combat as the century protects the priests consecrating the land mile by mile.
2002 - The last of the undead are pushed back to Hammerfist and the gate is sealed, heavily guarded by the 2nd Legion.
2004 - After years of negotians, Bastian finally yields and provides promised donations to the Church of Dagath, almost depleting Osannia's small reserve.
2005 - An important economic meeting is hosted in order to find different ways to raise money in Osannia. A few local-history changing events come about from this:
- Further exploration of the depleted Isslian Iron Mines find gold and silver deposits in abundance.
- Deeds are given to any miller willing to operate and maintain windmills in the Hammerfist valley.
- The fire beetle problem in the sewers is turned into the domestication of the insect.
- Increased arena events including taxed betting.
-Some less successful ideas included an large increase in popular taxation, which led to a short-lived revolt and research into reestablishing the Hammerfist Rift as a viable corridor to Deglos, which lead to the deaths of many construction workers and soldiers.
-The next years prove to be a slow recovery to normal life
2019 - Bastian Illian, hailed as the first Illian monarch of Osannia, passes away in his sleep.
-Joral is crowned at age 55 and his coronation marks a week-long celebration of his father's life.
2022 - Joral pardons the Percivian family, reportedly after a late-night encounter with Tasi Percivian, daughter of Litia Percivian-Kirkun.
-Joral's sick wife finally passes after a horrible struggle with an unknown disease leaving a daughter and a younger son, Aronil.
2023 - Osannia makes more gold then it spends, enabling the Kingdom to pay off debts. This money primarily comes from another large gold vein and the operation of many repaired wind mills.
2024 - Tasi Percivian bears a son from an unknown father.
2033 - The Percivian family establishes itself in Osannia, once again.
2039 - Rumors arise of an increase in activity at the Wall. The 2nd Legion increases the wall sentries and patrols into the rift.
2042 - Captain Aronil Illian, the crown prince at the time, leads the 2nd Legion into the Rift after reports indicate a necromancer is responsible for the upsurge.
-The necromancer is captured and tried, executed by Joral in the Arena.
2043 - Joral is killed during a supposedly non-lethal duel in the Arena.
- Aronil takes the crown and celebrates the life of his father with a week of events.
2048 - Aronil, a bit of a recluse around women, is nudged by his aunt into a political marriage with Rea Bordun, daughter of the 2nd Legion's Captain.
2053 - Aronil bears a son, Torbin Illian. Torbin is the first and only child from the relatively cold marriage.
-The birth of Torbin signifies a change of focus to external affairs. Trade discussions are opened with the nearby fiefs of Valorian, Medec, and Servator.
2055 - Crullath ambassadors are warmly received by Osannia, but no official memorandums come of the meeting.
2060 - Aronil reopens the Illian Martial Academy to all fiefs and nations (as long as they pay higher tuition and follow Osannia’s laws).
2063 - A lengthy project of refurbishing the Ellyius palace and arena is ordered.
-The litter in Ellyius, normally so prevalent, is now a rare find.
2067 - Rumors arise that the elite 10th Century of the 1st Legion drilled with Crullath units and trained on espionage and covert tactics. Aronil denies these rumors and the soldiers of the 10th remain tight-lipped.
2071 - Torbin marries Anaa Percivian, much to his mother's displeasure. The couple was long an item before the actual marriage. Some rumors start about the Percivian's trying to regain power.
2073 - Anaa and Torbin bear a son, Itrus.
2086 - Aronil passes peacefully in his sleep, unfortunately never witnessing the palace and arena restored to their former splendor.
2087 - The refurbishing project experiences delays and exceeds the expected budget twice over. Wishing to see his father's orders fulfilled, Torbin offers a large bonus to all workers if the project is completed within six years. Rumors are abound of the corruption and possible Percivian influence of the foreman.
2093 - The refurbishing project is completed only days before the six year deadline. Torbin hosts a full year's worth of celebrations and events, much to the displeasure of his financial advisors. The events become more violent as the year progresses.
2094 - Itrus Illian marries his long-time sweetheart, Mishara D'Epillus.
2100 - Agis Illian born.
2103 - Tribune Itrus Illian, the crown prince at the time, dies when he falls while patrolling the mountains north of Ellyius. Though most believe it was an accident, Mishara insists some of the soldiers were to blame and closes off to the world.
-Agis is raised by the servants and handmaidens while his mother's health declines.
2125 - Torbin passes after a brief struggle with a crippling disease.
-Young Agis is crowned and celebrates with the, now traditional, week-long celebrations.
2126 - Agis, still new to politics, creates the Council, consisting of the most prominent patricians around Osannia. The Council advises the King on matters of state and provides various information on the populace, crops, and other items of interest.
2129 - Agis marries Imari va'Meryth, daughter of a Councilman.
2131 - The Hammerfist starts to become more active, once again. Patrols no longer venture far into the Hammerfist and rumors abound of a lich in control of the undead. Some think this lich could be the necromancer who formerly stirred up the Rift.
2132 - After numerous skirmishes throughout the year, Sergeant Julius Boyton leads the group of defenders holding the wall on one of the coldest days in Osannian history. The Rift is now quiet.
-Sergeant Boyton was injured and can no longer serve in Osannia's military. He is knighted for his valor and given the name va'Boyton, a noble now and free to attend the Academy.
2144 - After the death of the reigning Headmaster, Sir Julius va'Boyton is nominated to the position after many years serving Agis as a military and strategy advisor.
2147 - Corbin and Kylar Illian born. Corbin, the oldest of the twins, is the current crown prince and heir-apparent of Osannia.