Kingdom of Almador

The Kingdom of Almador was an ancient Elven kingdom that once dominated Southern Syltör. It rose after Maxion the Conqueror's influential rule, and lasted until 1444BCA, under the reign of King Hireon. The end of Almador saw the creation of multiple warlord states. Many years later, the last and sole successor state, the Aurlûnor Velande, would succeed the mantle of the long gone kingdom.

The Elven Migrations
The Merifinrën or "black-haired" people would arrive to settle along the coasts of Southern Tacua in 11,000BCA. At the time, the Celestial Elves would refer themselves as the, due to the large amount of the elves being black haired and green-eyed, with a bit more sunkissed white skin.

The period is known as the "Elven Arrival", due to foreign historians stating this is the era in which the first sign of Elven activity began. The first Elven settlement of Ardol was founded during this period, in which many of the Elves here took refuge from the Elven Migrations. Overtime, this settlement would grow into a modest sized settlement that would cover much of the southern portion of the region, with more Merifinrën settlements being founded, such as Tacumar (Also known as the First Estecónmar), Angacorn, Huairin, Isilor, and Sachómar.

Angacorn (Iron Fort), Huairin (Flower Town), and Isilor (Moon Land) were founded along the eastern coast of the Celume Sahvanna, and functioned as early trade ports. They would become known as the "Three Sisters", and would have a close relationship with eachother, especially when more city-states along the coast would start to grow, eventually reaching to around four more settlements which are Cadarcorn (Cedar Fort), Milwan (Wine Bay), Martor (Tower Land) and Alaxalososto (Marble City of Xalos, known today as simply Alaosto or the Marble City).

Sachómar to the north, would be founded by a Merifinrën named Coranis the Benevolent, who was said to have arrived to the region 50 years after the Elven Migrations in 10,950BCA, fleeing persecution from the west from some unknown invaders, likely related to the modern day Bardonians with her people, wanting to create a new life for her people, and hoped to have her city become a beaconing call to all Merifinrën to join her. Her dreams is to rebuild the city that once appeared as it was before it was ravaged, which was a large canal-like city, where the many waterways would host hundreds of gardens and hundreds of palaces, where citizens may gather and relax in, and to use as homes both permanent and temporary. It was according to these legends that Coranis was a Utopist, as her visions seem to bare strong resemblances to a legend that speaks about a city that was similar in terms of serene and tranquil proportions.

The discovery of the silkworm in the region however, changed the minds of the denizens of the newly founded settlement, and would instead, opt to create a large silk plantation within the region. In addition, they would encounter the Dawou Humans, marking the first time humans and elves in the region would ever interact. With learning of how to make silk, and how it was valuable when trading it with humans, Coranis would accept this new plan for the region, and would name it "Sachómar", or "the Silk Home", and would go about scrapping her designs of recreating the city she was from, though stubborn parts of the city has minor canals that run through them, such as the Purple Canal, the Green Canal and the Red Canal.

Maxion's Reign
Around 3,840BCA, Sachómar would have growing tensions between themselves and Ardol, and according to paintings and old writings, a war would happen between the two sides. Bronze weapons alongside copper weapons were seen used during these conflicts, indicating that their settlements had grown to a particular size, and the discovery of copper and tin within the region, namely from trade by the Yu'shen. Together with the Dawou city states of Yuen and Xie, as well as minor naval support from Huairin, Sachómar would be victorious. The conquests, attributed by the King of Sachómar, named Maxion the Young, son of King Larion and Queen Eulpharis of Hartarwa (Southgarden, a modern day district in Sachómar), would lead him to eventually being anointed a "King of Alma", as he was seen as a man of good fortune.

Officially, there was no "Kingdom of Almador" until the rise of Queen Helenis the Wise in 2,040BCA on the Kingdom's 1000th anniversary. Up until her reign, the Kingdom was largely known as simply the "Kingdom of Sachómar", but officially it was known as just simply "The Arandan", with all the Kings and Queens being anointed as a King or Queen of Alma.

Almador's expansion would eventually put them into conflict with their former allies now biggest adversaries, the Huang, who previously conquered the Yu'shen, but primarily used their old city as the new center of their powerbase as a more centralized kingdom. Though, it was more in name, for the many city-states surrounding the Huang, quietly refused to pay tribute to their new overlord, and would remain nominally independent, even forming alliances against the Huang. Though, the Huang was proven to be much stronger than the city-states, as much of their military was more advanced thanks to the advent of trade from Almador. This however, would prove to be the downfall of the Huang, as Maxion had also influenced its rivals.

In the year 3,836BCA, 4 years after the earlier conquests of the southern city-states, Maxion would begin his northern campaign, and attacked the Huang in a surprise attack. The many city-states that were against the Huang, quickly jumped on the opportunity to declare their independence. This moment of weakness saw the downfall of the Huang, and the subjugation of the Heartland Dawou. Yu'shen would be sacked, and over the ruins, the settlement of Tarmen (Highplace) later Lonya (Highpeak) would be found, to act as the new capital of the Kingdom of Lonya. Multiple other settlements such as Ridde (Farm Land, known today as Pangnin), Lingrinwë (Fish Village), and Elen (Star, also known as Dun) would be founded individually down the line. Maxion's conquests would continue eastward, where he would conquer the other peoples such as the Yi'yen, the Nu and the costal Fai.

Maxion's clever manuvers and fast conquests, was due in part to his halberders, which, through the revolutionization of the dagger-axe adopted from the Dawou, was made into a more effective weapon that more elite soldiers can use, and made it effective in combat. The hardy spears that was made from Tacuan Bamboo also proven effective in making weapons cheap and effecient. The larger population of the Lhûren at the time, and his inclusion to allow women to fight within his army, drastically increased the manpower pool, and made it possible for his conquests to be more efficient. Whenever he conquered an area, he would leave behind a garrison of atleast five-hundred elite soldiers to maintain order and stability, and made a network of signal towers and beacons to keep things up to date and to inform him of any revolts and other affairs in the empire he forged. In the year 3,835BCA, the Kumiho would of by then, consolidated into a confederation of clans, and would begin to extend their territory. They would conduct multiple slave raids against settlements such as the newly conquered territories in the northern and northwestern edges of Almador. These series of raids would eventually lead to war between the Kingdom and the Kumiho. However, Maxion's seemingly unstoppable tactics would fail, as they were no match for the Kumiho's hit and run tactics, as well as their ability to shapeshift and hide within the trees of their enemies. Although Maxion's army would eventually reach the capital of Nye'nsng (Known as Nanseong or Ruskilomar today), he had lost many soldiers and many of his current ones lost the will to fight or continue further. Maxion would eventually sit down with the Queen Tanilaseon, and would negotiate peace, with the condition that Tanilaseon is to become Maxion's wife, joining the two Kingdoms together. Although by this point Maxion was married to Kalmaris of Ardol, this move would be seen as the beginning of the subjugation of Hampo into the Kingdom, despite it not being directly being so. Two accounts argue that this was either a political move, or Maxion truly loved her, as there are manuscripts of poetry that express their love for one another in different languages. This was also the time where the Kumiho started to shapeshift themselves to emulate themselves to look more humanoid due to trade and contact, and to shield themselves from discrimination for being actual fox people.

Post Maxion
Maxion would cease his conquests by 3,826BCA to focus more on internal matters, and improving the economy of his newly conquered territories. At the end of 3,800BCA, Maxion's Kingdom would become the shining jewel of Nándor, stretching from the Heartlands to the north, down to the northern Ashuran borders. However, the once fortunate king had fell ill, and would eventually pass away at a young age. He would be succeeded by his son, Maxion II, who saw through the continuation of his father's great reforms. Maxion II promoted literature, art, philosophy and architectural projects throughout his domain. The prosperity of Almador, however, called to the beacon of new enemies such as the Dominion of Ashura, which despite its decline, would prove to be a dangerous adversary to the border regions due to nomads, paid mercenaries and Ashurite soldiers raiding border towns and fortresses. The Almadorians and Ashurans would fight multiple wars, most of them being skirmishes, but the Almadorians would secure land in which would become now known as Hanustandor and Vorosan Province (which was already a region that was largely uninhabited) back across the river and into the Ashuran Desert, where they would be able to contain them, by using the rivers that were there as a natural border.

The half-elven rulers of Hampo meanwhile under the Maxionic blood, would see a fight for the throne, between two princesses, Princess Ashayeon and Princess Myeonavaris, both who were born from different marriages and feuded for the throne. This would spark a civil war in Hampo, which saw the side of Ashayeon win against Myeonavaris, who had fled to Almador for safety, and saw the intervention of the Kingdom. This time, Almador would be victorious against Ashayeon, and would end the thousand years of independent rule by the Kumiho, and saw its annexation into the Kingdom. However, not wanting to spark another revolt, Myeonavaris would remain Queen of Hampo, but would serve under the Kings of Almador, making her no more than a mere dutchess of her own home.

". . . Almador is no longer a country in which it is of only one city, but of many. Our borders stretch from the great Mînpenets (Barrier Ridges) to the north, to the great forests of the myos of the Hyarnors (Southlands). Our influence spans through our great city-states tributaries, and throughout the Lothranis Sea. It is time for the world to know of our power, to know of our strength, to know that we, the Fortunate People, shall reign throughout Elendor . .."

- - Queen Helenis the Wise

Queen Helenis the Wise in the year 3,005BCA, would formally crown herself "Queen of the Almalie", which prompted her to call her people "Almalie" (or Almadorians) and to use the term "Almador" for the first time. By this time, the city-states on Necua would submit to Almador, and become a tributary, and after a small naval war against the declining Seraanmai home of the Kingdom of Olarã, saw its territory be completely conquered. It was written that many Seraanmai left their homes due to this matter, and saw the many Kumiho settlers come into the region to fill the places of these migrating Seraanmai. The region that is known as Deutzan, would see much of its northern coast taken, and see the early foundations of outposts (Olvardal and Alvarla) that would later become known as Balreska and Kaluko.

During her early years of her reign, she had watched the decline of the Dominion of Ashura, where she saw opportunity, namely from the Qanti whom her father allied with 15 years earlier before her rule began. An ambitious warlord by the name of Ishqaji would become the primary moment where Hellenis can finish the work of where her father and ancestors could not, which was to bring down a long term enemy, turning them into an ally, and maybe even puppet. The two would have rather successful negotiations, and see the Almadorians provide Ishqaji and his men with newly forged and reinforced bronze weaponry, which then they would use to conquer the dying Dominion, and watched as he instated himself as Pharaoh. As a result, the southern borders would become secure, and ensure that a more friendlier dominion can be a useful ally for decades to come. This would earn Hellenis her first praise of respect from the nobility and courts, as well as the people for her resolving the crisis without dropping a single blood of Almalic blood.

Hellenis' rule was marked by wisdom, lawful reforms, and changes to the political system. However, by this time, Almador's status as a benevolent kingdom that treats its minorities tolerantly had ended, with many Almalie viewing themselves as the only ones that deserve to have higher status within society. Many of the courts and military were run by Almalie, with taxes on non-Almalie being implemented, and slavery becoming a larger trade across the region. Although there was some efforts by Hellenis to reduce this, and appointed a Human HIgh Councilor, it was not enough to stop its eventual revolts that would happen years after Hellenis' death.

The period following Hellenis' death would be known as the decline and downfall of the Kingdom of Almador, as the next rulers would be shorter reigned being prone to assassinations, disease and leading themselves into battles against enemies on multiple fronts.

Decline and Fall
By 1,500BCA, Almador would have 200 years of peace under the rule of King Cail II, who was seen as the first king since Hellenis that was regarded as king and benevolent toward all peoples that weren't Almalie. However, the period would start to mark the era of decentralization of the Kingdom, where he would reform the provincial system into more autonomous units known as Arkondes to help better facilitate the territories that would see unrest from previous rulers. With this system in place, these local rulers would gain more power, and begun to handle their own affairs. King Cail II also saw the lowest influence among his eunuchs, and managed to keep the borders stable. He would broker a peace with Ashura, and never saw an invasion or raid by the Ashurans again until the fall of the Kingdom.

The most major occurrence within the country was a failed uprising within Hampo, where a local leader named Yans'en rose up against the Almadorians, seizing multiple warehouses of weapons within the region, and used them to fight against the military. However, the uprising was poorly organized, with much of the alliance breaking apart and caused infighting. Utilizing the advantage, Carnaden Hisayen, the provincial governor would swiftly put down the revolt before having to call for reinforcements from the capital. As a reward for his work, a statue was erected to him in his honor, which would later be torn down upon the successful revolt by the Hampoese thirteen years after Cail II's Reign.

Despite these years of peace, stability, and relative prosperity of the realm, by the end of Cail II's reign. local leaders have become more powerful, demanding greater autonomy within the Kingdom, even enacting laws that would overlap royal decrees, such as the banning of slavery in the of the Locendur Principality, emancipating over a hundred thousand humans and kumiho. Internal wars were rare, but when they happened, they were usually among the more isolated kingdoms to the eastern portion of the Kingdom, away from the majorly populated areas.

The rise of King Hireon would see the final years of the Almadorian Kingdom. He was seen as a curse that stains the world like the darkness of Nixaden, earning him the title "King Hireon, the Nixaden-touched" by many. Hireon would not take the paths his father stride to create, and would reverse them almost instantaneously due to the influence of his eunuchs and more ambitious nobles and local Arkondes who saw the opportunity to take power for themselves. Hireon's failiure to keep his nobles appeased by trying to execute high ranking nobility, through his horrific attitude and "lack of proper court etiquette", would see a sharp decline in his authority over his nobles. A series of droughts would also strike the country inbetween the years 1,495-1,4870BCAs, with the King not being willing to redistribute his own shipments of grain, likely due to the eunuchs influencing him not to, and instead, spent it on a lavish feast and a party to help improve his image among the nobles.

In addition, a new revolt, this time lead by multiple Kumiho clans, including one woman named Kangjonnmuk, who was exceptionally trained in martial arts and had decent political influence and strong charisma, came to oppose the Almadorians once more. Carnaden Hisayen, who was provincial governor under Cail II, rather than putting it down as ordered once more, refused, and joined the rebels, as well as the garrison, as he would have said to have grown more sympathetic to the Kumiho upon living among them, and the neglect that the region had received over the years, as well as many Kumihos not being treated as elves, but rather, a commodity, despite their efforts to integrate into Almadorian society. The Queendom of Hampo as a result, would become the first to secede from Almador in 1,4876BCA.

This did not stop however, as the example shown within Hampo, showed that the Kingdom's army was a paper tiger, and was willing to no longer have an obligation to defend a tyrannical King who can't rule the country on his own. Peasants who were upset by the neglect they were receiving, would start to rise up against the King, and formed militas to defend themselves from the growing banditry problem as well as warlords that may want to come after their crops. The Kingdom would respond, sending a call to arms on the realm, to stamp out rebellions and to bring order back to the country. But despite this, it would only get worse.

By 1,450BCA, the Kingdom's authority only stretched in Sachómar and the second Estecónmar. This period would mark the beginning of the Warlord Period, for everything that the King decrees, was in name only, and the loyalty that the Arkondes feigning allegiance, when in reality, they were setting sights on their own goals and ambitions to rule the land or maintain their own freedoms. Hundreds of states would arise out of the initial period, but would start to consolidate under more powerful factions. Some borders were said to overlap over others, creating strange enclaves, and exclaves, some not being able to get to their fields beyond another warlord's territory. The maps from this period as a result, are not particularly accurate of the actual scales or scopes the period was in, with borders drawn by who held the most influence over the others. The Kingdom's final days would finally come at around 1,444BCA, where the Royal family fled to their last remaining hold in Tacua from advancing Lonya soldiers.