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Lore Post: Talyron
🕑 Added 2016-12-07 07:50:08 +0000 UTCRoyal Entry #18 – Talyron (The Three Kingdoms)
Ruling Kingdoms – Kavidan, Trellion, and Escala
Current Rulers – King Octavian (Kavidan), Eminence Arturo (Trellion), First Citizen Talzaar
Report Status – Updated 631 D.C.
History – Talyron, or the Three Kingdoms as it is known in surrounding lands, encompasses the fertile lands south of the Dragon’s Spine Mountains and east of the Cracked Lands. Unfortunately, Talyron’s history is rife with conflict, and many of the oldest records have long since been destroyed. The earliest records are held within the Great Church’s library in White Rock. These record allow us to trace the tumultuous region’s history back approximately 300 years to 318 D.C.
Originally a single, powerful kingdom. Talyron’s seat of power resided in Trellion. The Golden Castle in Trellion housed the last dynasty on record to rule Talyron, the Stormbreakers. The Stormbreaker dynasty ruled from 326 – 423 D.C. and represented a period of stark oppression for most of the kingdom’s populace. At the peak of their power in 386 D.C., Renar Stormbreaker commanded the largest naval fleet to have existed in human record and personally led three expeditions across the Shining Sea into the southern lands. While Renar managed to capture and pillage multiple settlements of what is now known as the Pythes Empire, his extended absence and expensive campaign sowed widespread discontent.
Kavidan, founded in 403 D.C., was the first city to splinter from Talyron. Led by Sirus Kavidan the 1st, the city of Stormspike was renamed to Kavidan and declared independence by slaughtering the royal tax collectors and sending their heads to Trellion. The Succession War followed and Renar Stormbreaker was slain in the “Red Assault” on Kavidan in 421 D.C. The Golden Army devastated, Renar’s young son Byrke was killed 2 years later in a coup that led to the Karstan Pact of 423, ending the Succession Wars and splitting the kingdom.
Escala was founded during the Succession Wars in 416 D.C. by refugees attempting to escape the perils of conflict. Founded on the southern edge of the Scorched Sands desert, the fledgling city survived by sheer willpower alone. Neither Trellion nor Kavidan paid the city much attention as the surrounding lands were drought stricken, sandy plains that provided little in terms of natural resources. In fact, the city was near destitute when the first Katmari caravans arrived across the Scorched Sands bringing exotic goods that would ultimately turn the fledgling city into a trading hub and ensure its survival for years to come.
Notable Conflicts –
The Black Council War: 317 – 319 D.C. The one-sided war by Pyke Seafather against the Council of Prophets in White Rock. A result of the council’s refusal to submit to the Talyron kingdom and relinquish a number of holy relics, Pyke led an assault into the city, massacring the entire council and burning the Great Church. According to city legend, a single Prophet survived the massacre and rallied the populace behind Stirvak Stormbreaker. The conflict brought an end to the Seafather dynasty, yet Pyke’s ruthless disregard for the holy church led to the destruction of immeasurable knowledge and history.
The Succession Wars: 403 – 423 D.C. The founding of the Three Kingdoms. Initiated by Kavidan’s brutal declaration of independence and ending with the Karstan Pact.
The Trade Wars: 447 – 452 D.C. A series of small border skirmishes between Kavidan and Trellion as both kingdoms struggled to establish mutually acceptable boundaries. Conflicts took place around Hannoven and Karstan.
The 100 Year War: 488 – 561 D.C. The conflict which shaped the kingdoms we see today. Started when Trellion attacked and conquered the Zalran mines in 488 D.C. Driven by the lucrative mining operation and backed by the claim that Trellion owned rights to all lands east of the Divine River, Eminence Bastion took both the mines and the growing settlement. Officially ceded to Trellion in 491 D.C. after a failed recapture effort, King Sirus the 3rd signed the “Black Truce” which signaled a false end to the burgeoning conflict. In the days following the signing of the Black Truce, Sirus led the remnants of his army on a series of swift, brutal attacks against the celebrating Trellion forces marching south. He then retreated across Zalran Bridge, burning the bridge in his wake and preventing a swift counter attack. The betrayal would lead to a number of large, bloody battles between the two kingdoms and would eventually pull Escala’s famed mercenaries into the conflict. Neither side could claim true victory when the war wound down in 561 D.C., but Trellion maintained control of Zalran and the mines. Unfortunately, the damage done to the settlement and mines led to the mine’s closure in 587 D.C. and Zalran’s demise in the years to follow.
Current Political Climate – An uneasy peace has existed since the 100 Year War with no notable largescale battles taking place. Trade between the kingdoms signals a mutual acceptance of the uneasy peace, but most trade still flows through Escala. Both rulers of Trellion and Kavidan have had minimal contact, and the First Citizen of Escala has often been forced into a mediator role, as Escala’s trade relies on both kingdoms. Zalran remains a sensitive topic, and the recent development of an Eliandre’s arrival has spurred the town’s regrowth. If Zalran becomes prosperous once more, it is very possible that the high value of the town’s bridge and mines may lead to further conflict.
Sudoh Lu’Kear
Royal Cartographer and Historian
Comments
PaddyOFurniture
Just read your Primer on Talyron Lore. No autonomous anarcho-syndicalist communes?
Miene
Maybe he'll shapeshift into a rabbit and finish the race in one go.
thswherizat
What happened to our Turtle? It's been three weeks since he's shown his head.
YummyTiger Gaming
I will release something this month. If it doesn't get completely finished, you'll get what is done. If it does, you'll get the entire chapter. Either way, save games should work, so if I end up releasing the rest in a week or two, you can simply copy/paste over the top and keep playing.
I wonder if it will actually be released before january. :d Don't take this the wrong way though, i just can't put my finger on it, but i just feel like there will be a post around late december, were the release date will be moved a bit. :i Not that i would get especially annoyed, as work takes time, and people forget that no one work with 100% efficiency at all times . But i still have this feeling in the back of my head xd (time will tell it's tales though, god speed mate)
Possibly they retreat to the mountains after hitting prey further afield... or a little of Hannaven's trade and tourism budget quietly goes towards ensuring periodic bandit sightings to keep the rumours alive >:}
Secular Reason
Honestly I think I'm mostly eager to see how you handle the personality changes. That is the one thing besides the Lore that will interest me most. Her being a wanton slut, or a frigid nun, or something inbetween... the differences make replays wothwhile. Although I doubt one chapter will be enough to see too much of a change in her persona.
Nine Horse Hitch
If there is no trade in Zalran, why are there bandits around the town? There's little to no trade. The town only thing of value is an inoperable mine, aside from mead and a location for a new bridge.
Amptitude
I love maps. Can't wait to see it all fleshed out! Also, this lore post was super legit. You've nailed the rhetoric and style and made a very satisfying professional cartographer
YummyTiger Gaming
I don't find that strange. I'm building the game I would love to play, so all the political intrigue would excite me too. Now, the question becomes, how does Aylia fit in? That's where the fun really begins!
YummyTiger Gaming
Excellent observation. My guess is that a working Zalran bridge and with the Karstan bridge, Hannaven would lose almost all trade traffic. You're right, trade from Kavidan to Escala would be significantly faster through Zalran, and trade from Trellion would go through Karstan or Rivella. Only White Rock would find the Hannaven bridge useful. If I were the mayor of Hannaven, I'd definitely do all I could to prevent such a bridge from becoming operational ;-)
Interesting. As all Kavidan - Escala road traffic presumably goes by the Hannaven bridge and would save a good amount of time going via Zalran, I'd imagine Hannaven would prefer the status quo to be maintained. I wonder how actively they prefer it.
Mazinzilla
I suppose this makes me a strange person, but the introduction of this political climate has gotten me all the more interested in playing this game.
Admiral Cheesecake
Yuss Lore! I love me some lore.
xellos49698
Good set up for the game YummyTiger, I really like the idea of being able to maybe choose a faction. Not sure if that what you are going for, but still, sounds like there's going to be plenty of conflict to go around.)
My heart just literally skipped a beat when I saw the heading, 'Chapter 1...' And I'm not disappointed. Lore reading is...yummy! (Forgive the pun.)
YummyTiger Gaming
Thanks for the advice. I do have a lot of the land features already in place in my hand drawn version. I just have been toying with the overall style of the map, and have not figured it out quite yet. Still, I agree. I can always add a lake if needed, forests, whatever. Zalran lake actually was an addition after the fact, as I wanted to have lake events :-)
YummyTiger Gaming
Yes. It is explain further in the game. There are only three crossings for the Divine River (which is by far the largest river in the area)--Zalran, Hannaven, and Karstan. It is a monumental effort to create a bridge over the powerful river, and it is only feasible in a few areas given current technology. Since, the entire area was at war for a good portion of that time, there were few opportunities to rebuild. Additionally, it was not in Kavidan's interest to allow the bridge they destroyed to be rebuilt if Trellion maintained control of Zalran. The bridge actually plays a fairly important role in the entire climate, as it opens a critical trade route between Escala and Kavidan, but Zalran itself remains a very contested area. Therefore, it will be interesting to see what YOU, the player, does when it comes to rebuilding that bridge :-)
Nifty stuff, as usual, YT! Let the world immersion commence! :D One weird clarification, though - since the royal update is dated 631, and the Black Truce seems to have happened in 491...has the Zalran Bridge been destroyed for almost a century and a half?
Given previous information about the establishment of the Divine Council, I'd guess roughly 631 years as of the time of this update. :)
Gregory Taylor
Been a while since I've played the prologue, around how many years before all of this was Aylia imprisoned?
Secular Reason
Definitely the beginnings of a map, but still only bare bones. Still, everything has to start somewhere. Biggest thing to remember when making maps (D&D experience talking here lol) is that you don't have to stay committed to the draft. Right now everything is one huge landmass. Want to add a small sea in between two of the three countries later? Do it. Want to put a giant canyon or mountain range? Do it. Want to suddenly make the kingdoms each their own separate landmass on an ocean? Do it. As long as the basic directions don't change (Zalran being East of Kavidan and the like) you won't have to worry too much about changing ingame text and whatnot.
YummyTiger Gaming
Just a little addition. I've never drawn world maps before, so that is a learning process. I'll be picking it up right after Chapter 1. What you see is the landmass and rivers. The area east and south of the landmass edge is water. The final map will look much better, but I wanted to give you guys SOMETHING to kind of see what is going on. Also, the final map will be used in the game for long distance traveling. I've got a few ideas for it, but essentially, you'll use provisions and then spend a few days as you move along travel routes. This will result in events, night conversations, etc. during that time. I don't want it to get grindy, but I also want travel to mean something. It'll be something I'll do some polls on and get feedback on during chapter 2's development. Feel free to ask questions, point out consistency issues, whatever. Hope you find it interesting!
