Emertia

Emertia is one of the smallest continents in the known world, and is the only land that is considered completely neutral and unruled, comprising of only City states, with the only organized Sovereign state:The Queendom of Avianis, lying to the south east. It is also the only area known to be the native homeland to both the Kaen and the Sakuken. The lack of an established government on a national level and it's basis in free trade of anything that can be put on the market also makes it an important hub for people of all races and nationalities. Many refer to it though as one of the most dangerous lands in existence as demons, unknown creatures, and bandits stalk the countryside, making it very dangerous to any traveler.

Early History - The Warless Age
Recorded history only starts in Emertia around the time the Sakuken gained sentience. It was said that, before then, only the dragons kept history, and only passed it through stories. Early scripts of the Sakuken tell of how the land was fertile and made to support all who lived in it, creating no true need to venture out farther into the rest of the world, except for pure adventure. In those days, The Sakuken and Kaen roamed the lands, the Sakuken containing their villages in the heavy forests of Izume and the Kaen settling all over, their capital city of Kaen Rierfan in the Southern Edge of Naeri. The Dragons, the strongest known species in Emertia, kept to themselves. Preferring to stay secluded on their monstrously high cliffs, and rarely venturing out, except to hunt.

Without war, conflict, or even crime, the residents of Emertia were able to flourish and the land remain green and peaceful for thousands of years. It was so peaceful, it is even rumored that the Fae race never had the need to hide. However, this is still debated as no Fae communities have truly been found.

Invasion of Emertia
To the rest of the world, Emertia was relatively unknown for quite a long time. This was mostly from the fact that the area where Emertia was located was thought of, for many of years, to be nothing but a large ocean. Many scout and trading fleets sent ships there, but due to heavy storms and deadly rock formations in a heavy volcanic area to the north and east of Emertia, no one knew it existed.

It wasn't until the advent of much more advanced sailing technology, was Emertia finally found. The humans with stronger hulls and more precise sails found their way through the rock formations North Of Emertia and finally mapped it. Once it was all mapped, what was South of it intrigued sailors, and a fleet was sent south to investigate. At almost the same time, as if by coincidence, the Elves perfected a stronger weave of sail, one that could withstand the powerful winds and rain that plagued the southern seas to Emertia. Sea Travel was unknown in Emertia. Even the dragons of Emertia didn't ever venture out onto the sea because they disliked the feel of the salt air in their lungs and the salt water on their scales. So, when the ships from humans and elves came to Emertia, the natives didn't know what to make of them.

A free Kaen poet almost 400 years later, chronicled this invasion with a poem:


 * "I look across the endless waters cotton clouds of white I see,
 * The sun, the air, the shining sands, flowing into me.
 * Yet far away I see a sight, one I've never seen,
 * a cloud of white, swiftly moving, entering the scene.
 * And yet my hearts beats fast, for they do not carry thunder,
 * they bring with them spears and swords to tear my land asunder."

The Invasion of Emertia was swift. In under five years, the scout ships had reported back to their respective homes and the invasion fleets were on their way. The Sakuken, due to their martial arts training and elemental control due to their training regiments, were able to adapt them for war. That and the dense forests that filled their lands, they were able to keep the invaders out, creating a curtain of defense around their lands. The Kaen, however, were no match for the Invaders. Without and crime or war, they had no military or police and fell like twigs to the invaders. Their villages all fell and their large city of Kaen Rierfan was destroyed and burnt, nothing but ruins left in the wake. Due to their aura of calmness and their immense strength despite their small stature, the Kaen who weren't killed were enslaved.

Now with the natives not a true threat anymore, the Elves and Humans could focus on each other. The wars that the Elves and Humans had waged for hundreds of years were rekindled, and Emertia was their new battlefield. However, fighting a battle on a foreign land neither knew turned out to be disastrous. Soon they had colonized the entire land, and after many long battles, a shaky truce was signed to stop the bloodshed. Great Kingdoms of humans and Elves were created and the native races soon were pushed to the back stage. That year, was named the first year in the Emertian Calendar: 1 AOE (Age of Emertia)

Divided Sisters Saga
Though, for a long time only considered to be a large event only to the Elves of Emertia, present scholars agree that the Divided Sisters Saga can be categorized as a large event for not only Emertia itself, but also globally. This is due to the fact that it can be thought of as a catalyst for not only the 300 Year Kaen Rebellion, but also the Splitting of the Elves.

In 124 AOE, the land of Emertia seemed at peace. The truce between the Elves and the Humans had become more solid over the years, and the two nations could rest easy. However, a controversy in the Elven nation soon sparked internal struggles. The Great Elven King Zie'ri Cirvarsi died. Though at first it seemed his death was caused by an illness, his popularity, caused by his part in signing the Treaty of Naeri, forced doctors to reevaluate the circumstances of his death. The results were remarkable. Instead of a natural illness that was expected, it was deduced that poisoning was the true cause. This caused a major uproar and his two daughters, Faera and Rie'ali, vowed they would find the true killer. Yet all too soon the apparent answer was found. Faera was an expert herbologist and Rie'ali was a master alchemist, making both daughters possible suspects to the old king's murder.

The debate and accusations over which daughter killed their father, grew large enough that 2 factions emerged from the Emertian Elves, one behind each sister. Before long, it was apparent neither could live in harmony and Cirvarsi City was abandoned. Faera's faction went to the west and Rie'ali's faction went to the east. Faera's faction found it impossible to clear and create a city like Cirvarsi in the dense western forests, so they resorted to living in large scale houses, built around and within the trees. Rie'ali's faction had a hard time settling in the west, with the ferocious Zelags in roaming the eastern lands and the Human settlers wary of Elven expansion threatening them. So, without any foreseeable place to go, Rie'ali decided they had no other choice, and created their homes in the deep and dark Urateyah Caverns.

The hate the two sisters and ultimately the two factions had for each other were so great, that no contact was allowed between them. Any elf Traveling even too far to the other one was sentenced to death. In 367 AOE, more than 200 years later, an old Elf publicly committed suicide in front of Faera as she walked through the forests with her guards. Tied around his neck, was a lengthy letter, telling about how he had been a kitchen servant, and how out of sheer accident he had poisoned the king. He had been quiet about it for all those years, but now, it was far too much for him.

With the new event, Faera realized that, with this new truth, she could make up with her sister. Though she had blamed her sister for all these years, knowing she had not done it... relieved her. So, she immediately went off by herself to see her sister, send a spirit messenger first to tell Rie'ali. Rie'ali herself was also glad of the news and sent a messenger as well, going off to meet Faera as well.

Both sisters met around the ruins of their home city, which by now were only ruins. However, Faera could not bare what her sister had become. years of living underneath the ground combined with the adaptive nature of the Elven kind, caused Rie'ali and her faction to change. Her hair was as white as snow and her skin pure black. Not dark brown as some humans, and a few Elvish races had, but pitch black. This disgusted Faera, who attacked her sister mercilessly. A small battle between the two sisters occurred, resulting in both their deaths and erupting a never ending hate between the Emertian Elves.

The 300 Year Rebellion
Without any solid leaders in the elven lands, the humans expanded into what was once Elven lands, taking over Cirvarsi and rebuilding it, as well as settling many villages around Naeri. This larger area also allowed for the Kaen to have more independence, as more land meant more opportunity. In 441 AOE however, the enhanced freedom of the Kaen was to change. On her deathbed, an well known and honored human official, in an odd trance, prophesied that the children of a Kaen, born the previous year, would bring an end to the human kingdom in Emertia. Though there was no way to verify the prophecy, rumors of it spread throughout the entire human nation and soon, distrust for all Kaen started to skyrocket.

Following pressure from many of the lords and common people of the realm, the human king Avius-Marcus issued the infamous "Abolishment of Kaen's Rights Order". In one day, the Kaen race was declared a slave race and put in chains. However, despite the entire race being enslaved, it was not enough to sate the Royalty's thirst. They wanted to find the exact Kaen who would give birth to children that would cause the downfall of humans. And, eventually, she was finally found. Little is truly known about this Kaen besides her name "Eloisa", and that only because of the fact it eventually became a war-cry for Kaen rebels. In any case, through sheer luck she was able to smuggle her 4 children to safety, before she was taken away by human officials. She lied and told the humans she never had children and supposedly executed to make sure it had never happened. Thinking that the danger was gone, the humans let down their guard, which would become a costly mistake.

Eloisa's children; Etaera, Taini, Docine, and Oratsu, having escaped from persecution, eventually found their way to the old Kaen capital of Kaen Rierfan. Knowing their mothers life had most likely been cut short by the humans, they lamented, missing her and cursing those who had sent her to her death. With their rage and malice towards humans escalating, they agreed that action would have to be taken. They knew however, that they did not have the strength or the backing, and they would need nothing short of a god's power to allow them to bring their planned rebellion full swing. For 9 straight days they prayed to the old god of the Kaen: Eind. When he finally appeared, he agreed to answer their prayers and bestow power on them, but at a price. Eind required one of the 4 to be a living sacrifice, a being who lived to constantly supply him with it's energy and to be his servant. This shocked the young Kaen and they could not decide. After much debate, it was ended as Oratsu, eldest of the 4, declared that he would do it.

With their new abilities, the 4 Kaen started to gather forces, spreading the word that all Kaen were given a great injustice, and they could not stand to be slaves any longer. Few Kaen resisted the call, and soon a large force, made up of Kaen and Kaen supporters and trained by Sakuken, created a veritable fortress in the middle of Naeri. For 300 years they waged a rebellion against humans and soon it was apparent that a fighting Kaen force was indeed powerful. Though the humans were initially more experienced and better armed, the Kaen's naturally higher strength and of course their immortality, made them extremely dangerous, and when finally they were armed, the tide turned and brought the Fall of the Kingdom of Emertia. The Last King of Emertia, Avius-Aeos, was mortified with his situation. His armies were scattered and broken, many troops were deserting every day, and his own daughter, who was head of his most elite troops, had been defeated and chased so far, that she and the remnants of her army were forced to flee to uninhabited islands off the coast of Emertia. With only a handful of guards and politicians making up his entire force, he was virtually defenseless. Most historians believe that he went insane from this, which in turn caused him to put the final nail in the Kingdom of Emertia's coffin. In any case, King Avius ordered what was left of his capital, to proceed to the Dragon Cliffs. There, he sacrificed every single one of the people that were with him to the dragons, in return for them to create a firestorm to wipe out the Kaen. They agreed, due to his large sacrifice and did what he asked.

The fire was so hot and so powerful, that the very heat that was produced not only killed the king on the high cliff he was on, but destroyed all of central Naeri, changing the climate completely and creating a 500 mile wasteland and creating a deep rift in the earth. The Kaen armies were completely wiped out, and the few that were out of the blast radius were disheartened and quickly surrendered, ending the rebellion. However the fire had also taken out many humans and other species as well, and hate for the dragons grew until the dragons entered deep seclusion, vowing to never leave their cliffs. Without a stable government, Emertia became a free land in 748 AOE, except for those who fought to make it one, the Kaen, who were once again made into slaves by the surviving races, with the exception of the Sakuken.

Founding of Avianis
The Kingdom of Emertia was no more. The mainland humans had only 2 choices. Either to carve out a life in the forest and cities of Naeri or Tai'Xel, or try and join the last leader of the Humans: Princess-General Avianis-Avius. Avianis had, in the last Major battle of the 300 year rebellion, been forced to flee across the sea to a small chain of islands to the south east of Emertia. For her entire life, Avianis had nothing but respect for her father. She had seen him as nothing but a grand conqueror and had been the first of his children to lead the human forces and the only one to survive. However, as she heard about the horrible decision that her father had made and the terrible destruction it had caused, she lost all respect for him. Instead of returning to the mainland, she instead founded the Queendom of Avianis and was crowned Queen-Commander Avianis, decreeing no King would ever rule again. Though their society didn't change, Avianis made sure that her government would be different. Though she still retained supreme power over the land and the military, she delegated the everyday internal tasks to a Council, which would report directly to her and if needed, advise her. Most importantly however, if anything were to happen to her, they would not only rule in her stead but also help train the new queen. With a stable government in place and human immigrants coming in, the Capital City of Avius rose in 749 AOE (Named after her family rather than her Father) as the beginning of the human's rebuilding effort.

The Demon Invasion
By the turn of the 9th century AOE, Emertia had recovered from the destruction of the 300 year rebellion and was growing once again. In the west, Cirvarsi City rose from a simple trading post to the largest city of the region and a sect of Magi created a large library, dedicated to research and collection of knowledge. In the East, the large trading port of Hallixes, fueled by smuggling and shady businesses, grew into a large but dangerous city, while the Deepend Elves opened up Urateyah and its own black market trade. The humans had even spread out to the corners of their island chain, steadily growing in number.

Though the increase in commerce helped Emertia grow, little trading happened between the east and west, solely because of the 500 mile desert of The Wastes. The 500 mile expanse of sands was so dangerous and so treacherous that many caravans were completely lost. No Oasis existed in the wastes and the only stream of water lie in the far south. However, journeying to the stream would only add time to the journey and few ventured to it. Even with the creation of a safehouse located in the Imaetian bay at the edge of the rift, created for the purpose of supplying those who were heading into the desert and giving care for those who had just traveled through it, few dared the journey. Sea travel was always an alternative, but extremely slow. The coast of the wastes had little winds and the open sea to the north was filled with dangerous rocks, while the sea to the south was patrolled by the Avianis Navy, who tended to carefully inspect every boat coming through their waters. What was needed was some way to make the 500 mile desert journey easier.

The solution came purely by accident. A lone trader named Os Perani, through extremely wrong directions headed far south in the desert, rather than the normal northern route. And, by sheer coincidence, he stumbled upon a cave network. It was only a small cave carved into the rock, but what was inside was the greatest thing he could find, water. With that area in memory, he escaped the desert, but soon came back and spread the word. Eventually through careful planning, Perani amassed a great deal of wealth by making the only rest stop in the desert, opening the trade routes even more by 870 AOE. It ended all too early however.

When the water in the cave started to run dry, Perani figured that to dig deeper would open up the spring more. So, he hired a dig team and the cave was expanded. What he got though was something he didn't expect. Instead of finding more water, he found an ancient entrance to the demon world. And, by disturbing it, he inadvertently had broken the seal. In a flash, the gates opened and before long, demons poured from the pits. Perani, caught in the crossfire,w as butchered and his remains strung across the rocks as his life ended. From then on, the demon population in Emertia rose exponentially. The power of the demons was felt everywhere. Villages were razed and people killed, and so many others were made to serve the demons with promises of lust, riches, or power. Two powers rose to stop this. The Kobayashi clan of the Sakuken, using the strongest fire and Light abilities tempered through strict martial arts and discipline; and the Zealots of Misptane, using demon slaying techniques handed down from the Order Zelotrae in Skedda. With these two forces independently hunting hostile demons, the demon population soon became less and eventually, the Perani pits were resealed and reburied. However, this didn't end the demon threat. Though they had lost their quick way out of the Demon world, a new interest in the other world and Emertia in particular was set aflame and they subtly worked their way back into the world, showing they were not going to leave anytime soon.

The Peace and the Storm
After the demons started to become a normal threat rather than a substantial one, a sort of peace started to encompass Emertia. The trade industry once agained boomed and, though it took a while, was able to recover and by 912 AOE. For the next 200 years, Emertia's population and trade began to boom. Without too much conflict between the Queendom of Avianis and mainland Emertia, and the coinciding Golden age they were experiencing as well, artistic and technologic projects were able to flourish. With the rise in sucessful trading, the need for more labor and therefore more slaves had reached a large demand. The Kaen had always been very well valued as slaves as they were not only immortal, but also were one of the physically strongest races. The demand for them was so strong that "Kaen Farming" was even practiced, where slave Kaen were forced to constantly breed more Kaen and their children immediately being sent to an "Educational Facility" where they would be taught to be good slaves.

This animalization of Kaens was too much and the number of Kaen escape attempts, both successful and otherwise rose to an unprecedented level. For a while it was treated as something that would soon die down, but in the summer of 1175 AOE, a large Kaen force had gathered, strengthened and trained by Elder Kaen, who had they themselves been trained by their Sakuken allies. In a surprise attack, they stormed from their base in The Wastes and caused havoc in Naeri till they reached the gates of Cirvarsi City. However, they were not able to stand up against the might of a combined army of the Cirvarsi militia and the battlehardened troops of Avianis, who had sailed to the mainland to help quell the rebellion. They were chased back to the wastes and were close to being completely decimated when Queen-Commander Reynolds-Eirika agreed to meet with their leaders. An agreement was reached and the Avianist troops allowed the Kaen to march unharmed to the Sakuken lands. With the second Kaen rebellion also resulting in a failure, many of the defeated Kaen journeyed across the sea to the West, where they established a small colony. Kaen slavery continued on, however many Kaen farms were shut down. In Avianis, Kaens would eventually become "Freed" and used more as servants, than full on slaves.