Terram
19 Melorah, 2292 - AD
It Has Been 150 Years...
Since the formation of Lothlonde and the capitol city of Rowanshyre in the north - and since the horrific events of The Void War. While the north did experience a golden age of prosperity, trouble has befallen the once great and peaceful nation. Seeds of discord have been sown, and an uneasy tension lies heavy across a populace that wants nothing more than to return to an age of peace.
The first domino to fall that began the slow, unraveling of organization in Lothlonde was the death of the monarch Donorik Marten I in the year 2180 AD. People die, even kings. But the manner in which King Donorik died was never accepted by the masses. Shrouded in scandal, some believed he was poisoned, while the officially announced stance of the capitol was that he passed from natural causes.
The death of the king led to a period of succession crises. The lack of a clear heir and the ensuing power struggle between the dukedoms created an environment of malcontempt, mistrust, and competition. Each duchy began to prioritize its own interests above the greater common good of the nation, which created in-fighting and tension. Individual dukedoms felt that the capitol did not have the best interests of each settlement at the forefront, which led to resentment, and talks of secession.
Despite the growing tension in Lothlonde, a secret caucus was held in 2180, and an honorable man was elected to the throne in Wallace II of House Castemyre. His reign was short, but marked by efforts of fairness and virtue. He strove to bridge the gaps of division that had clearly formed by increasing trade with neighboring cities in Central Hasdall, but the economy never really saw the uptick he thought it would from such a strategic maneuver. Despite his best intentions, others worked against his best efforts, and during the 2214 Hasdall Games hosted in Rowanshyre, Wallace II was assassinated by an unknown assailant.
For two years, tensions in Lothlonde reached an all-time high, and at a time when civil war was all but imminent, a mostly unknown man by the name of Bennedus Varyn was thrust into power. His reign was protected by a trade organization called The Gethwyn, which was a well-known front for illicit activities and crime. Citizens lived in constant fear for decades under a heartless, absent leader, until finally in 2291 he perished from The Pale Fever.
As the years passed, the economic prosperity that was a hallmark of the nation, began to wane. Over-reliance on a single industry, the rich iron mines that had fueled the country's growth, made them vulnerable to fluctuations in the global market. When the mines began to dry up, the economy was ill-equipped to adapt, leading to widespread unemployment, localized poverty, and discontent.
The once-strong central government, which had maintained order and stability, began to atrophy. The system of individual dukedoms utilizing a regional form of government under the umbrella of the monarchy no longer seemed viable. Corruption, cronyism, and bureaucratic inefficiencies eroded the trust of the people, and the dukedoms started to exert greater autonomy, often at the expense of national interest. The resulting power struggles allowed old rivalries and once-healed scars to be revisited, further fracturing the nation.
The military, once the jewel of all of Hasdall, has suffered a tremendous decline in morale, equipment, training, and overall organizational effectiveness. The absence of a clear external threat has led to complacency, and the unit that once beat back the armies of Sariel was no longer the elite force it once was. This has emboldened our neighbors, who now see us as a weakened and divided nation, to openly consider the prospect of expansion.
To add fuel to an already slowly burning fire, Lothlonde was riddled with a series of environmental catastrophes that further created unnecessary hardship. The coastal dukedoms of Edinbury, Dawgforth, and Baystead were rocked by the devastating floods of 2201, which all but decimated much of these great cities. On the other end of the extreme, the elven kingdom of Eifrandel was ravaged by drought and unseasonably warm temperatures in 2211 that destroyed a great number of the prized Jade trees in their ceremonial lands. The people of these lands suffered a great toll, hundreds were killed as a result of the catastrophes. The resulting migration and displacement has put a strain on localized resources in other areas, greatly exacerbating social and economic tensions.
The rise of factionalism and radical ideologies has further polarized society. The old certainties have been challenged, and the loudest voices are often those of extremists and zealots. An atmosphere of fear, mistrust, and hostility has taken hold of a once great nation, making it increasingly difficult to find common ground and work towards the common good. A national divide exists, and it threatens to tear the country apart at the seams.
It is the year 2292, and Lothlonde is holding on by a thread. King Maric III reigns, vowing to restore the country to it's previous glory, but many believe his claims too lofty and far-fetched. Naysayers claim his rhetoric is laced with nostalgia from a bygone era, and his claims of change are baseless in a time of lost hope.
History of Hasdall
