Structure
Council of Kings
Governance of Athera falls to the Council of Kings, a body made up of the King of each Cal (and the city of Pelliny). These Kings act by vote, with an exectutive High King in command of the Army. Although in command of the army the High King is only able to muster the Army of Cal-Athera without the vote of the Council. This Council of Kings has long been able to keep the peace within Athera, and by extension Pelliny.
The Cal
The great cities of Athera, each ruling a small state within the larger kingdom of Athera. Largely autonomous the Cal are ruled independently by a King of their own. Each responsible for raising their own army and maintaining law and order within their borders. Among the other responsibilities of the Cal is raising an army. Each Cal is expected to levy and maintain a standing army to defend its borders, and muster at the call of the Marshal of the King.
History
Early History
The early history of the Cal-Atheran was marked by war, rival cities and lords took to war with one another for territory and regional supremacy. In a state of constant war two lasting facet of Cal-Atheran society emerged, the first large standing armies and the second the Cal. The first Cal was Cal-Cambra on the southern coast of _, at first it was but a fortress upon the side of a mountain. As the Cal grew in power, the whole city became a massive fortification with great walls to the banks of the river and up to the shoulders of the mountain.
As other cities grew into Cal of their own, power became consolidated into a few distinct city states. This period of warring states was long and built much of the foundation of the Atheran spirit. A warrior people with a mastery of stone work and siege craft, for only could the Atheran lay siege to such monolithic cities. This period of warring states lasted many centuries with little major shifts in power. It was the might of the Cal themselves that maintained this status quo, for the logistics in raising a siege large enough to set up or sack a Cal was almost an impossible barrier for a single city state.
First Pellenin War
As the Atheran city states warred amongst themselves their neighbor to the north had long since unified. As a long time trade partner, and occasional enemy the Kingdom of Pelliny had long known of the constant strife within Athera. With a large unified army the King of Pelliny declared war, sending the largest army yet seen south to Cal-Corvec . With no capacity to take the city the King of Pelliny continued marching south, catching the eye of a general in Cal-Cambra. In speaking to the king of Cal-Cambra this general convinced him to rally the army and march north to the assistance of Cal-Corvec. The General had recognized that no city could stand against Pelliny alone, and it would take a unified Athera to drive them back.
With the army of Cal-Cambra, the General marched north to break the siege of Cal-Corvec. On his way he stopped off with the other Cal seeking assistance in driving back the army of Pelliny. It was only Cal-Cardimy who joined the General on his march, as they expected to be attacked next. With the combined army of Cardimy and Cambra the General faced the King of Pelliny in the open field.
Setting his army in the narrow gap between the river to his west, and a forest to the east the General hoped to limit the mobility of the Pellenin Calvary. When the forces met in battle the General found himself out flanked, many of the Knights of Pelliny had rode through the forest under the cover of darkness and now attacked the rear of his line. The legends say that the General took to the fight himself with strength and speed inhuman he broke the main line of the Kings army, driving them back while his army fended off the Knights.
Having become a hero to the people the General again sought the aid of the other Cal, this time finding greater success. For the first time in their long history the Cal stood united against an outside force. With their combined strength the armies of the Atheran drove the Knights of Pelliny back, bringing about a swift end to the war.
Atheran Unification
After the end of the war the Atheran Kings came together, and held the first Council of Kings. At this summit they set out the loose frame work which would form the basis for unification. It gave each Cal equal repersentation on the Council of Kings with an executive High King elected to help hold the nation together. This summit also created the Atheran Legion as the primary standing army of Athera. This standing army would be an extension of the bational power under the High King. With each Cal contributing to the Legion it discouraged any disunity. With new found stability and unity came political and economic power like Athera had never known. They quickly consolidated this power and massively expanded the Legion, and began to make preperations for the next war.Conquest of Pelliny
Just eighty years after Atheran Unification the Council of Kings called up the muster and Marshalled their full army. They knew a second war with Pelliny would be unavoidable as both sought expansion of their borders, so the Atherans struck first. Moving rapidly into Pelliny. The initial resistance was minimal, but it was not long before the King of Pelliny mustered his forces in response. The wide fields and vallies of Pelliny were the ideal terrian for the heavy knights of Pelliny, and made advance of the infanty heavy army of Athera slow and dangerous. Seeing the advantages of this mobile force the Atheran Legion began to outfit their own medium cavalry to counter Pelliny's knights. Although no where near as well trained as the the Knights of Pelliny, the Atheran Cavalry served its role.Ppinning down the mobile forces of Pelliny, allowed the heavy infantry of Athera to close the distance and advance on the Capital of Pelliny. Having been defeated on the field of battle, and his cities sieged by the Atheran army the King of Pelliny agreed to a parlay. The High King of Athera, and the King of Pelliny met in a large tent before the walls of Pelliny. King _ was supprised by the High Kings offer, it was not a demand of surrender but an invitation. Pelliny was offered a place upon the Council of Kings as an equal memember, where it would retain all of its territory and a large degree of autonomy. The King of Pelliny agreed and became the eight memember state of Athera.War of Salt and Wrath
Having long traded with the Panthera, the Atheran's knew of the plight of the enslaved humans. The Marshal in particular long desired to free their kin from bondage. When word arrived to the Atherans that a slave revolt had broken out in the South, The Marshal requested to take the Legion and provide aid. Initially hesitant to join a war against their trade partner the Council of Kings ultimately agreed to help the men of the south. With a propaganda camaign across the Cal, the Council of Kings marshaled a large army and seized many supplies. Under the command of the Marshal of the King, the Legion set sail with a large stockpile of food and weapons to share with the rebles. The Atherans found the rebels in a dire state. Horrified by the condition in which these men were, the Atherans quickly distributed supplies and took to training the young reble army.
The first test of the Atheran Legion would come quickly, as the Pantheran Sultanate was set to crush this new alliance before it could find its strength. The Atherans held the rebels in reserve and took the field themselves. When the two armies faced one another, it was the Pantherans first time facing a dicipilined human army. When the Panthera tried to break the Atheran line they were astonished to find that the diciplined ranks of Legionaries held to the field, and remained in formation. Now proven on the field of battle the Atherans furhter moved to secure the Rebel positions, assisting as they moved against first cities of the Panthera.
During the first sieges it became clear that the Rebles sought to destroy the Panthera outright, as they drove them from their cities and into the desert. After the third city fell, the Marshal spoke with the Rebel leader. The Marshal asked the Rebels to show leniency to the Panthera, that he could not aid further in the destruction of an entire people. Now well established, the Rebels were no longer dependent on the Atheran Legion to win battles and as such told the Atherans the war would be continued as they saw fit. This response was not what the Marshal had expected to hear, and as a result withdrew his forces. Although some what disapointed to see the Atherans leave, the Rebels saw the Atherans as heroes for coming to their aid and this would serve as the foundation of a strong kinship between the two nations.
Atheran Invasion of Corsyra
Atheran/Coastal War with Raiders
Current Era
Military
Of Steel and Stone
- Aleswel
- Athera -Region-
- Atheran Archipelago
- Atheran Eastern Mountains
- Atheran Frontier
- Atheran/Blackbrooke Southern Mountains
- Cal-Athera
- Cal-Cambra
- Cal-Cardimy
- Cal-Corvec
- Cal-Edus
- Castle Athera
- Castle Cambra
- Castle Cardimy
- Castle Corvec
- County Cambra
- County Corvec
- Cyprean
- Fort Highwatch
- Frontier
- Heartlands
- High Gate Road
- Pelliny
- Pyke's Estate
- Seaview
- Sonara
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