Illystra

Land Origins
The land that is today known as Illystra has a rich history dating back to the emergence of Eldham's first civilizations. Illystra gets its name from House Illystrus, the ruling, noble house of Rathnir's late Greater Volkyria. However, unbeknownst to most, long before said dynasty spread its influence across the Rift and into Eldham, elder races reigned supreme.

An Elvish race called the Drev'Shari were the first to settle what is now the Illystran mainland, for they had followed the glaciers northward as they melted. In these lands, the Drev'Shari relinquished their nomadic ways, and cultivated sedentary societies along the region's many rivers. The Elvish settlers lived in symbiotic relationships with the primordial spirits of old, and for this were able to harness immense power. With these Primspawn spirits at their disposal, the Drev'Shari were able to spread their influence to the farthest reaches of Eldham and various other realms.

For a time, there was peace, and the Empire of Drev'Shalar became a wellspring of knowledge and might. However, even with such great power, greed remained, and the once-great Elves of the north soon lost their way. The debate of whether or not they should use Primespawn magic to uplift the few or subjugate the many rocked the Empire of Drev'Shalar to its very core, and eventually led to a civil war. Arcane Nether magic was unleashed upon all of Eldham, and, when the ashes cleared, there was not a single Primespawn seen and the Drev'Shari imperium was no more.

Although a vast diaspora of Drev'Shari Elves remained after the bloodshed, they, like the lands around them, were forever changed. Without the Primespawn essence for which they had so long depended, most of the scattered Drev'Shari became corrupted wraiths of the night; forever banished from the sun's grace for their crimes against life itself. However, those who maintained their Primspawn Reverence, although still shameful of their forefathers' mistakes, remained unaltered by this curse, and gradually integrated into other Elvish tribes.

Illystra's Inception
Although Drev'Shalar's chapter of history ended long ago, its climactic collapse opened the door for new opportunity. The first to jostle for dominance amid this power vacuum were the Goblin tribes the Drev'Shari used for slave labor. These were eventually supplanted by Dwarven raiders advancing from the west, who themselves were later replaced by hybrid Elf-Dwarf Gnomes claiming to be the rightful heirs of Drev'Shalar. Off-and-on cycles of interspecies wars erupted throughout the centuries leading up to the modern era, leaving all involved severely weakened and wholly unprepared for what was to come.When human, Volkerst settlers arrived in modern Illystra after fleeing Bardonian oppression, the natives initially met them with mixed feelings. However, after Baron von Elric Illystrus, successor of the late Djonsen Illystrus, demonstrated his defensive prowess against Goblin raiders, many a native began to view the new arrivals from Volkyria in a positive light. With the subsequent establishment of the Volkersts' Fort van Prins (named after von Elric's son, Arlyn Illystrus II) on 6/3/21 and the declaration of Illystran nationhood, it became apparent that the Volkerst pilgrims were here to stay.

Early Foundation/Regency Period
As more and more Volkerst settlers poured in through the northern mouth of the River Illystrus, the former heartland of Drev'Shalar began to be gradually transformed into an opulent extension of Volkyrian civilization. After the untimely death of Baron von Elric under mysterious circumstances, sovereignty over the young settler-state passed to his wife, Baroness Myriam Illystrus. With Arlyn II not yet of age, the mournful Baroness reluctantly accepted the title of Queen-Regent of Illystra, thus catalyzing Illystra's Early Foundation Period, otherwise known as the Regency Period, during which the lands surrounding the River Illystrus underwent significant social, political, and topographic change.

Early Illystran Society
The first of these changes was of the social nature. Spurred by the belief that the late Baron was betrayed by his Gnomish guides and slain by vengeful Goblins, a number of prominent Volkerst land owners set about concocting methods through which the native populations could be subdued and put to use. Their intent was to divide and conquer, and, with the initial backing of the mournful Queen-Regent, divide and conquer they did.

The system decided upon was one of "social stratification" in which Volkerst humans (both free and indentured) were placed above multiple castes of "Defiler" species in perpetuity. Among these species are Goblins, Drev'Shari night wraiths, and other "horrid aberrations." The implementation of this system was slow at first, and went largely unenforced, but gradually succeeded in deterring various Defiler groups from collaborating with one another in armed resistance.

Following Baron von Elric's supposed murder at the hands of said Defilers, what could not be enforced with pen and parchment was often settled by sword and blood, with vengeful mobs of settlers frequently taking matters into their own hands. With Volkerst hunters encroaching upon the lands of their livestock, many Defilers starved and often resorted to cannibalism. The brutal effectiveness of gunpowder technology dealt a death-blow to numerous Goblin warbands that had roamed the land for centuries, displacing thousands of Defiler women and children "well suited" to replace human indentures pouring in from Rathnir. These would prove invaluable for completing the canals of Illysdam.

In these ways, Volkerst supremacy was virtually assured throughout the center-north of the continent of Elastra (a foreign translation error of the name Illystra), or Avalof as the natives called it, and the Queen-Regent was steadily able to consolidate Illystra's claims across the region. Soon the Baronnenvlag would fly from the verdant plains of Lyristaat to the dense woods of Zuidenfort, and from the winding coast of Elrendorf to the rocky shores of New Arlynstaat. After years of exploration, consolidation, and civilizing initiatives, the initial six Enclaves, one Distinct Enclave, and two recognized territories of Illystra were proclaimed (on 7/18/21), and the Volkerst people finally secured a true place under the sun.

Although much still had to be done to allow the United Enclaves of Illystra to flourish, the foundations were laid to ensure its place among the nations of Eldham. As of mid-July '21, the natives remaining within her bounds still proved to be a thorn in her side, but it was hoped that, with time and stability, Illystra would be well suited to handle issues both foreign and domestic. In the words of the Queen-Regent in her abdication address, "if the prayers of Volkerst pilgrims were not in vain, Illystra to Volkyria will be like a phoenix is to ashes, and the legacy of my great-uncle, Arlyn the Great, will stand the tests of time. May the Primespawn watch o'er and preserve us evermore!"

Illystra's Devotion
But a people without a higher purpose are a truly misguided lot. The Volkersts of Rathnir realized as much, and their descendants in Eldham also accepted this fact. It was in light of this acceptance that the pioneers of modern Illystra followed in their forefathers' footsteps and advanced the faith of Primespawn Reverence. But what, apart from their respect for those who fell during the Bardonian Inquisition, truly prompted them to do so?

Well, for starters, long before there was such a place called Illystra or even a Drev'Shalar, the mortals of Rathnir (the ancient Volkersts among them) had suspected that another, arcane realm existed overtop our own. This was eventually confirmed with the formerly-nomadic Volkersts' discovery of several glyph-riddled monoliths throughout Rathnir in the years leading up to their settlement of northern Bardonia- the alleged home of a dormant Primespawn Waypoint -and it was then that serious study of the occult truly began amongst the Greater Volkyrian predecessors of Illystra.

Although the resourceful Arlyn the Great had led the Volkersts to their supposed refuge in Volkhaven, it was his inquisitive brother, Cadrien Illystrus, who caught a glimpse at the power of the Primespawn. For Cadrien, the soon-to-be founder of House Illystrus after his brother's untimely death, was the first mortal in a thousand generations to peer beyond the Veil and directly commune with a Primespawn spirit (although some dated accounts argue that Arlyn was the first). In his vision, the monarch-to-be witnessed the meticulous creation of Rathnir and the Primespawn's eventual departure to a world beside it (which modern scholars believe was Eldham). After said spirits' departure in this semi-lucid dream of his, Cadrien saw the horrors of early pagan Rathnir, and how a group of reverent merchants off the coast of Carvay (those he sensed to be his ancient ancestors) had been harassed and slain by pagan practitioners from the mainland. But, even amidst the suffering his people faced through the ages, the vision-bound Cadrien saw a shimmering light surrounded by several luminous glyphs in the distance.

"Be not afraid," the Light said unto him. "So long as you revere our lot, your family shall grow and lead a great nation."

And, with that, the dream faded and Cadrien awoke with a shock- he was forever changed. Hastily thereafter, he helped his brother construct Volkhaven's Shrine of the Unknown Spirits and, upon ascending the Volkyrian throne as Cadrien I, spent the remaining years of his life sacrificing to and communing with his Primespawn friends from beyond the Veil, preferring spiritual enlightenment over petty politics. Although Cadrien grew weaker with every subsequent meeting with the Primespawn, the Gilded Tomes he transcribed would prove invaluable for the preservation of Volkerst culture and Illystra's national legitimacy in Eldham.

The core tenants of the Gilded Tomes form the backbone for Illystra's first official religion of Primespawn Reverence; translated they are:

Interpretations of the Gilded Tomes vary amongst the many sects of Primespawn Reverence, but one thing remains certain- without them, the very idea of a land beyond Rathnir would be inconceivable to the Volkersts, and the incantations that allowed them to open the Rift to Illystra may never have been discovered; without the blessing of Those From Beyond, the light of House Illystrus may very well have died out with the Fall of Volkhaven.
 * Let thou Light shine through Day and through Night.
 * Indulge not from the Flocks of Defilers.
 * Grant Thine Word cheerfully to the Beaten and Stray.
 * Honor the Scepter, and the Golden Mantle on High.
 * Tender the Land, that it is Worthy and Grand.

Imperial Ascension Period
However, history favored the devout and resolute, and House Illystrus was propelled into a new realm and age. Catalyzed by Arlyn Illystrus II's coming-of-age and subsequent ascent to the Illystran Throne, what came to be known as the Imperial Ascension Period was marked by a steady strengthening of Illystra's ties to the Uldarash Empire, the leveling-out of Illystra's population, and a growing desire to maintain and affirm Illystran integrity amidst foreign pressures.

The "Union" of Illystra-Serradeneu
Formed amidst Drak Yamar's period of aggressive expansion and in the wake of Illystra's joining of the Empire of Uldarash, the Union of Illystra-Serradeneu (formed on 7/19/21) was established "to better assert [the nations' mutual] independence from aggressive powers." Although by joining in union with Serradeneu, Illystra appeared to have expanded on the map, the formation of Illystra-Serradeneu caused no real domestic changes. In fact, the concept of the joint-country remained just that- a concept -rather than a functional geopolitical entity. Despite Arlyn II's hopes that the new union would allow both Illystra and Serradeneu to "prosper like never before," it was, in reality, very disorganized, uncoordinated, and stagnant overall (largely due to a lack of communication on Serradeneu's end).

Illystra's First Settlements
Although Illystra's governance and foreign policy remained largely convoluted and abstract, the people within her bounds continued to cultivate their concrete reality. From the dense pines of Elrendorf, to the verdant plains of the Illystran heartland, the children and grandchildren of the initial Volkerst pioneers worked diligently to build upon the foundations they inherited. Towns like Lyria, Fort Salyrus, Knottsbury, Nordenheim, Clakton, and Nordkanten emerged throughout the Enclaves, and, thanks to Supes03, ArcaneImperator, and Tara_Belle, both Illysdam (the nation's central capital) and a national road system began to truly take shape.

Illystra's First Mercantile Boom
[describe Illystra's First Mercantile Boom]

Trouble in Paradise
[describe the MiningBoy land-trade incident, growing discontent w/ Serra, and emerging intl. tensions]

Dawn of the Northstar Confederacy
With the outbreak of the Uldarash Civil War and the carnage it caused in November '21, the Rathniri-descended people of Northern Avalof (Elastra) were hit with a grave realization: chaos and instability in the heartland of Uldarash could easily ripple back to and jeopardize the security of her affiliated domains in Eldham. When reports came in of an Auroran attack on an Eldhamite trade center and the subsequent response from the Eldham Entente, the political leader of Illystra together with those of Serradeneu and New Sanctuary scrambled to announce stances on the conflicts. Somewhat of an "every man for himself" mentality swept across the region, thus inadvertently revealing fundamental divides between the protected realms of Uldarash in northern Eldham. Uldarash was often envied for its strength, but, as Kaiser Arlyn II of Illystra observed, "a divided empire cannot stand"; with unity, all else should follow. It was with this in mind that the leaders of Illystra, Serradeneu, and New Sanctuary felt the need to join in closer union with one another. The nations of Illystra and Serradeneu had already been united in the Union of Illystra-Serradeneu prior to the Uldarash Civil War, but with New Sanctuary's joining towards the end of November, reforms were needed. The triumvirate of leaders felt it necessary to formalize the bonds between their nations, and thus drafted a confederation constitution, suggested new names, and designed a new flag that could represent each constituent state. After much deliberation, the Northstar Confederacy was formed by and for the protected realms of Uldarash in northern Eldham.

Growth and Revolution
As Illystra stepped into a new year, she also stepped into a new age of progress and prosperity. It was the arrival of a new wave of human settlers on January the 5th that heralded this new age. Led by a gent called ZiePeregrine, a master architect, merchant, and path-maker, these new arrivals founded the port city of Nieuw-Delft, establishing what would quickly become the commercial and culinary capital of Illystra. The second settlers to arrive were "of a more exotic variety" as evidenced by an Illystran census officer's description of their appearances and customs. Led by the revolutionary, MegaZesty, the most recent town-builders of Regent's Isle (who fled north from a land called Naicha) called themselves "monke men" and quickly set about constructing the fortress-village of NewVisigoth on Illystra's mushroom island. The third settlers to arrive came from a land far to the south, and ironically called themselves the Northmen. Led by the resilient Theseus, these political refugees settled along Illystra's largest smoldering spring and established the wintery stronghold of Nevonia, the so-called "Furnace of Northstar."

For a long time, the nation of Illystra had simply been apart of the Uldarash Empire and continued to operate as such. However, as more and more settlers trickled into Illystra, and citizens' assemblies became more frequent, revolutionary ideals quickly spread across the Enclaves. Some pushed for total independence from Northstar and greater Uldarash while others, displeased with Arlyn II's attempts to reconcile with the other Northstar constituents, supported ending the local monarchy altogether. That said, cooler heads prevailed and, within the first week of February 2022, it was decided that a new government would reform the traditional constitutional-monarchy into more of a republic. A group called the Central Reformers (headed by MegaZesty, GBoogie, and Barn5) created the first Illystran Senate as well as a high council consisting of the Monarch, Prime Minister (also called the Stadtholder), and High general. Their justification for such a system was that the triumvirate would 1) theoretically ensure that each key branch of the government was equally represented and 2) prevent any one branch-leader from being overwhelmed with administrative duties. However, this new system wouldn't last as individual members were still dissatisfied with the amount of power the Illystran High Council held. On February the 14th, just a few days later, Illystra would transition into a true democratic republic, adopting a new constitution with an elected Chancellor, Senate, and Supreme Court. Theseus, a Northman and leader of the Enclave of Nevonia, was elected as the first Chancellor of Illystra. Three days later, on February the 17th, fed up with the lack of commitment and respect for Illystran ambitions displayed by its other leaders, the people of the newly-reformed Illystra declared independence from the Northstar Confederacy, but still remained a nominal dominion of the Uldarash Empire. The people celebrated in the dining hall of NewVisigoth, with many later stating that the party left them nauseous like never before.

New Commissions, Companies, and Compacts
As part of legitimizing the new and improved Illystran government, 1st Chancellor Theseus and (later) 2nd Chancellor Jibinion oversaw the establishment of several commissions and companies throughout Illystra, as well as the nation's entry into and withdrawal from numerous geopolitical organizations.

United Enclaves' Forestry Commission
[insert details about the UEFC]

United Enclaves' Builders Guild
[insert details about the UEBG]

The Brotherhood of Spice
When spices were first discovered in Eldham, Illystra was one of the first most active nations to harness their potential. In fact, Nieuw-Delft's ZiePeregrine, having previously served as first Stadtholder of Illystra, was the first to gather all spices including all the known premium spices. With his spicy prowess established, Zie took charge of Illystra's first, functional trading guild: the Brotherhood of Spice. Once its capital in Nieuw-Delft was set up, the Brotherhood aimed at controlling the spice market and outcompeting everyone who would dare stand in its way. Although ZiePeregrine went into retirement soon after its establishment, TK-Dragon quickly stepped in to continue the Brotherhood's operations, and a glorious new age of Illystra's agricultural productivity took shape. Inspired by his success and other factors, Atlas and Barn5 (from Nevonia and NewVisigoth respectively) would eventually go on to establish the Amethest Trading Company along the Drev'Sharien Sea.

The Iron Brotherhood
"The Iron Brotherhood coalition," in the words of Zarotli of Scylding, "was created to bond the small-medium nations together so [they] can protect each other from the Imperialists and stop the foreign influence." With this in mind, it initially made sense for Illystra (which, under Theseus' rule, sought to reduce its dependency to Uldarash) to join the alliance. However, once it became clear that the Iron Brotherhood was nothing more than a ploy to spread the influence of its founding members (mainly Scylding), Illystra withdrew (on 2/22/22). That said, all previous non-aggression and military-defensive pacts were retained after withdrawal, and Illystra would leverage her growing bond with Scylding in days to come...

The Elrician/Edrosian Ordeal
After Illystran independence from Northstar, the rest of February was marked by a rapid divergence from the old way of things, as many flocked to Theseus' cult of personality believing he could do no wrong. With both ZiePeregrine and Jibinion (MegaZesty) slipping into temporary retirement and TK-Dragon "taking it easy" in New_Selchar (a new town founded on Island Royale), Theseus' power was left virtually unchecked. Unbeknownst to the rest of the government, even after his term as Chancellor had ended (on 2/27/22), Theseus repeatedly conducted diplomacy with foreign nations without consulting the Monarch or the Senate (or Uldarash proper, for that matter). However, it was his 3/5/22 announcement imploring the people of Illystra to "stand with him" so as not to see the nation die that truly struck a cord, and many grew wary of such a fear-monger's potential return to politics. Whereas the newly-elected Chancellor Jibinion sought to "keep the opinions of the people as [his] number one priority" and "keep Illystra out of unnecessary wars to grow strength within," the power-hungry Theseus sought to do things his way, even if that jeopardized all that the Illystran people had worked so hard to build. An opportunity to do just that would soon present itself, and it centered around the long-silently-contested peninsula to the west of Nieuw-Delft; a land known by many names, but historically known to Illystrans as Elricia.

Overwhelmed and not wanting to lose yet another active citizen to the void of retirement, Chancellor Jibinion was easily coerced into allowing Theseus to conduct diplomacy with the Northstar Confederacy in early March, perhaps forgetful of the fact that Kaiser Arlyn II was already tasked with that duty. This was arguably the worst decision of Jibinion's term up to that point, as Theseus, still acting on his own selfish will, sought to draw Illystra into a premature war that many felt could spell her demise. Theseus' wicked plot was formally set in motion with his March 10th unilateral declaration of war against Northstar (specifically Serradeneu) over its continued occupation of the Elrician Peninsula, which many influential mainlanders perceived as rightful Illystran land seeing as the town of Tuhfallen remained loyal to Illystra after the Northstar Secession. Once it was announced that Illystra had declared war, many Illystrans including a retirement-risen ZiePeregrine signified their support, with even members of House Illystrus proper applauding the move, despite remaining officially neutral. The Uldarash Empire, however, responded much differently.

Outraged by what they perceived as baseless hostilities from Illystra (which was still a vassal of theirs in name only), the Empire issued Dispatch #49 to control the international narrative. This imperial dispatch outlined what Uldarash termed "Illystra's Crimes", some of which were conducting unilateral diplomacy with fellow Eldhamite nations and seceding from the Empire without an Emperor's rubber stamp of approval (effectively ignoring the locals' divine right to democracy and sovereignty altogether). The same dispatch then showed Uldarash's favoritism towards Serradeneu and New Sanctuary as, rather than offering to mediate the land dispute like the impartial party it was supposed to be, the Empire issued an ultimatum to Illystra, vowing to wage a "war of reconquest" if she didn't concede. Undeterred, Chancellor Jibinion doubled down and, with alleged assistance from a mysterious figure known as Timber, a response-excerpt from what is today known as the Timber Manifesto along with Illystra's Declaration of Independence was issued. The former explained Illystra's reasoning for the war by stating how Uldarash had neglected and ignored the people of Illystra since they joined the imperial sphere, and how the people of Tuhfallen (loyal Illystrans through and through) were still being oppressed in Northstar-occupied Elricia. The excerpt called upon partisans in both Eldham and Rathnir to rise up against Uldarashi oppression and stand with Illystra in her expected fight against imperial tyranny.

However, in early March, that fight did not occur as expected; just hours before the Uldarashi ultimatum was set to expire, Senator Supes03, one of the nation's founding citizens, at the behest of other senators, relinquished Illystra's claims to Elricia, causing it to later be dubbed "The Fallen Land" in reference to the name Tuhfallen. Many including Kaiser Arlyn II and a shamed and discredited Theseus strongly condemned this action, with the latter stating that "Illystra turned it's back" in an address to the realms. Although Illystra's hand was forced to concede and conflict was avoided on March 12th, Illystra remained in good standing with her friends across Sovereigns' Sound in Tuhfallen, and Kaiser Arlyn II granted semi-citizen status to all Elrician partisans.