Keratia: Political History

The history of the ever-changing nations and borders of Keratia.
-554: The Ancient Empire rules all of the known world, building great cities and harnessing powerful magic.
-400: Sometime during the -400s, the Ancient Empire suddenly and rapidly collapses, leaving behind crumbling cities and a few scattered bands of survivors of varying races. The cause of this event is unknown.
-165: Almost three centuries after the collapse, the survivors have begun to grow in number enough to coalesce into rough factions and cultures. Majadan is the fastest growing group in the world.
-75: Growth is slow for most groups except for the nascent Majadan Empire, which spreads to cover a large portion of the Northeast, here begins the long history of oppression upon the halflings of Ezadan. Corbmac wars with Fiechri over territory. Orcs continue to spread across the South, coming in contact with the growing Tiel civilization.
0: The Kingdom of Bray is formally founded with the conquest of the Shelgan Forest region. The Majadan Empire reaches its height, spreading from Doros to Nurol. Doros is able to keep Majadan from totally conquering their territory. Halfing slaves from Ezadan construct the Majadan cities and roadways. The Orcs are at their height, raiding and hunting across the entire southeast.`
52: The Majadan Empire is embroiled in civil war, with Xiadan breaking away and the northern half of the empire reforming into the Hanedan Empire. Ezadan uses theopportunity to take independence. The Kingdom of Bray fully conquers Corbmac. Ferria begins its conquest of the western city-states. Tiel reorganizes into the Duchy of Tiel, and pushes the orcs back from their eastern border. Sometime in the decade, The Lichdom is created.
102: The Empire of Ferria is formed. The Duchy of Tiel pushes its borders east. Khanata undergoes a change in leadership, becoming the Crystal Khanate. Hanedan’s tenuous grasp on it’s territory finally gives way with the people of Dalaan rebelling. The Kingdom of Bray and the Duchy of Tiel make formal contact.
122: The War of Ships between Bray and Tiel is sparked by competing interests on Weystrid Island. Dalaan uses their druidic heritage to push Hanedan out of the swamps and forests. The Duchy of Tiel pushes to the coast of the Dread Sea, where they contact the growing Lichdom. Doros begins conquering theorcish lands to their south.
145: After decades of war, the Dalaan Kingdom is established, and overconfidently pushes deep into Hanedan territory. Doros slowly but surely conquers all of the orcish lands south of their core. A succession crisis leads Nurol to split into Nuur and Uol. The First Weystrid War begins due to territorial disputes. The Lichdom expands greatly, and Tielan leaders begin worrying about the undead horde on their eastern doorstep.
159: The First Weystrid War ends with a minor victory for Tiel, a decade later Tielan leadership convinces Bray to join them in an attack on the dreaded Lichdom. Bray, seeing it as an opportunity to establish colonies on the far side of the sea, agrees. The invading armies make significant progress. Hanedan forces back the invading Dalaan armies, and a peace deal is reached. Doros creates Or-Fihet, a puppet government to keep the orcish populations to their south in check.
163:After the invading armies reached The Lichdom’s capital of Mortad, The Lich finally noticed. He promptly obliterated all the forces assaulting the city, and lead an elite cavalry charge across the lichdom, breaking the Tielan and Brayan armies in every engagement. Sorely defeated, Bray pulled out of everything east of Weystrid. The Lich’s forces marched into eastern Tiel, raised every settlement to the ground, and erected fortifications at their new border. This disaster is now known as the Doomed Crusade. Doros allows the island of Trasis to become independent.
212:The Second Weystrid War between Bray and Tiel has raged for 40 years, with no discernable change in territory for either side. The war has been in a ceasefire for 3 years, longterm peace talks are in gridlock. Due to Ezadan inciting slave revolts in the surrounding nations, Xiadan and the Hanedan Empire jointly invaded Ezadan and are currently in negotiatings for partitioning the conquered territory. Recent innovations in sea travel have allowed for direct routes between the Southwest and Northeast.