Rezuraia (Nation)

Rezuraia, officially the Kingdom of Rezuraia, was an ancient Yirsi Kingdom located in CentralMirau, in the region of Yirsaad. It was founded by Taeral Ayduin-Rezuraia founder of House Rezuraia, over 4700 years before the Traveller's Era. It was established several times having been temporarily annexed by neighboring Yirsi Kingdoms during the Great Elven Wars. The Third and final incarnation lasted around 1700 years between the years of 3000 and 4700LT before merging with the Kingdom of Vindya to form the Kingdom of Anglath, predecessor to Anglunia.

Yirsi Migrations
The region of Yirsaad was first inhabited by the Yirsi who are descendants of the Hyakki, who travelled north through Rathnir and settled on the continent of Astios. The Ice Elves migrated in one large group, of around a thousand men, women and children, first landing next to a settlement known as the Black Citadel inhabited by an old wizard named Morgrend. Morgrend was a powerful master of the Arcane Arts, that resided in the Black Citadel before the arrival of the Yirsi.

Morgrend settled Yirsi near the snowy mountains of Mount Arros, south Nefelis. However, each and every night he would steal children and women from the Yirsi to use them for his horrible dark experiments. Realising this he Yirsi marched with an army of their own to fight those humans, and after being utterly defeated and put to work as prisoners and slaves to the dark magician.

The Yirsi plotted their revenge for fifty years, and one day, they were ready. A rebellion started, and they were almost defeated if not for a young blacksmith who had found Morgrend's black tome, and used it to forge a deadly spearmade of divine metal that came from the sky, and called it Yirsi Yakkai (The Promise of Ice). They defeated Morgrend. After this time the Yirsi population could be found spread around Nefelis, with many villages being found the mountainous regions around Yirsaad.

Tales of Taeral
Around 5000 years from these scattered communities emerged the Yirsi daughter of a shepherd, Taeral. Her tale tells the founding of the settlement of Rezuraia around the center of Mount Arros, and the founding of House Rezuraia. In her tales she meets the God Azeras who aids her in the success of her village granting her many gifts.

Later he grants her great power to defeat the Warlord Ballambor who inhabited the Island of Redowl to the South. It was in these events that the first Rezuraian state was slowly established. The newly more fertile lands, and resolve of the people aided in its expansion and in the development of the Arternaian faith.

Early statehood
In these years Yirsaad finds a growing Rezuraian state. Westwards the state of Tyra is established and several wars are waged between the states of Rezuraia and Tyra. Isaz begins its colonisation of the North Eastern part of Yirsaad and the Isaz-Rezuraia-Xiraia Trade Route is established enabling further spread of Arternaia.

The Great Elven Wars begin and many battles are fought between the Rezuraian and Isazi States in the Northern regions of Yirsaad. A betrayal leads to the collapse of Rezuraian forces into the rump state of Heylusin before the Yirsaad region becomes under the control of the Isazi State completely.

Eventually the Isazi States hold over Yirsaad collapses and many small states are established in its wake. Rezuraia, Herunna, Aeth and Rezaleth are established. Wars between each of the states lead the region once more into turmoil. It is during this time that the Holy Site in Rezuraia grows significantly becoming a point of pilgrimage across Nefelis.

The State of Nuvon rises to the West of Rezuraia, a three way wars between the Nuvon, Isazi and Rezuraian states leads to the collapse of the Second Rezuraian State. Eventually Nuvon wins annexing most of the region.

Third Rezuraian State
Human migrations shattered most Yirsi states in Mirau. In its wake the Third Rezuraian State was established. As human conquest collapsed most Yirsi states they fleed Southwards into the Mountains of Yirsaad. With the Human Nefelian Kingdom of huge strength to the North, Rezuraia was the last holdout of Yirsi in Mirau. A great Battle was fought where Houses Betal'lan, Nuwan, Rezuraia and Vindya came together to fight back against the humans winning an important battle at Isaz. The Long war between the humans eventually concluded with much Yirsi territory retaken. However demographically humans remained very prominent throughout Mirau. As the last holdout of Yirsi society during the war, Yirsaad and Rezuraia remained very culturally Yirsi and retained few humans.

Anglath and Gnome Wars
In the years that followed there was a great rivalry between the three states of Yirsaad (Rezuraia, Vindya and Apriney). Wars between each were fought with Apriney eventually being annexed.

n the east, in the lands of Phoenix, there was a race known as the Gnomes. It is unknown how this came to be, but there was a conflict between the Yirsi of Isaz, Vindya and Rezuraia and the Gnomes. This war, which lasted a long time, led to years of oppression by the Gnomes toward the Yirsi. They were cast as slaves, forced to do labour in the sand mines, horrible places for Yirsi.

The states Rezuraia and Vindya merge to form the nation of Anglath (which has been named the precursor to the future Anglunian State) and manage to hold the Gnomish expansion at bay in the mountains of Yirsaad, and win a great victory that enables momentum to change and allows for the gnomes to be pushed back out of Mirau.

Geography
The Kingdom of Rezuraia was almost entirely located within the region of Yirsaad, which is the central province within the subcontinent of Mirau. To the South and center stretches a vast mountain range hosting the tallest peaks in Anglunia namely Mount Arros and Mount Kyshar. This mountain range has often formed historic borders between nations and provinces, currently separating the regions of Yirsaad and Andor. Over most of the region is is a tundra filled landscape, with large spruce forests to the North and East. In the most North Western area of the province it begins to transition to more moderate climates featuring oak and birch forests. In the South Westerly direction you can find the island of Redowl, which is separated by the Eyira River.

Culture
Those who inhabited the Kingdom of Rezuraia were a proud and zealous people. In touch with their ancestral roots in the region they found much honour for their task of protecting the most holy religious site of Anglunia. Rezuraia was a mostly Yirsi Kingdom with the region having the highest concentration in Mirau. Most residents hold Azeras as their patron God.

Religion
The Kingdom of Rezuraia followed Arternaia, a dualistic religion dedicated to the Arterna, shapeless beings that roam the realms outside of the living realms. It is a pagan religion, following multiple gods. They often lit blue flamed altars to represent the dragon Azeras, as well as traditionally building using a similar shade of blue as the great Ice Tree. The inhabitants of Rezuraia took their faith very seriously and were not as tolerant of other religions as there successor states had become. The Holy Monastery and Rezuraian Holy Order educated many priests that would be sent out across the subcontinent to convert people to Arternaia. Efforts that were largely responsible for Arternaia being the principle faith of the modern Anglunian state.