The people expanded slowly for they
still felt strange to this land. Those in Ak'alar moved north to the
base of the mountains they called Ka'lanyr. There they founded
a new city called Atlar's Keep and they explored the mountains
in search of metals; an item growing scarcer by the year.For almost 2 years they dug, finding
faint traces to spur them on. Then, a deep shaft pierced a cave; a cave
containing several veins of iron... and also several angry men! Angry enough
to immediately begin a pitched battle by torchlight. Several of the miners
were killed and the rest fled to safety in the upper world. The next day
they found the shaft totally sealed.Before the week was out, the miners
were being called upon by a large group of beings, heavily armed and
surrounding one individual, unmistakeably the leader.Boric Hammerhand, leader
of the Ironkeep dwarves had come to demand an explanation of
the miner's "attack" upon his crew. After much deliberation (in which it
came out that Boric already knew of the humans), he expressed his
"royal" condolences by forming a treaty there and then, establishing mining
and trade agreements. It all went well despite the close proximity of graves
and weapons.With the help of the treatys with both
the elves and dwarves, the Province began to expand rapidly, and, with the
expansion of the habitable world came the inevitable expansion of population.
From a mere 70,000 sprang a nation of over 300,000! There was also a need
for an expansion of government. Up till then, the old laws were given out
by a group-elected "Justice of the Peace." Now, with trade and
commerce growing, the people felt the need for a more powerful authority.The new government was formed from the
few remaining nobles. They built their offices in Tunal'ake and, in
the 31st year, held the first court by crowning the first monarch of this new
land called the Auromic Kingdom: Sir Andric of Cologne
. Under Andric I, commerce and trade florished and justice
was meted out with wisdom. The people felt truly at peace with themselves
and the land.
For the next 30 years or so, the people
began the true founding of their new homeland. Actual, solid houses, and
schools were built. Merchant ships sailed the waters, businesses settled in
and, with the discovery of a silver lode in the Ka'laynr range, even
a few banks. Literature arose to produce a library. And even the theatrical
arts found a home.
Near the end of 67 C.Y.(Common Year -
taken from the landing of the humans and used throughout the realms), a group
of enterprising business owners, noting that the early scouts brought back
information of a place that bordered on plains, forests, and mountains (a
possible new source of ore), and a large river said to reach to the land of
the elves, set out with their families and started their own village. Sort
of a trade post for "future businesses." There, where the River of Heart
Tears entered the Toorleca mountain range, they settled, calling
their new home Dolorna which meant nothing but sounded inviting.
Sadly, news soon reached Dolorna
of the rapidly failing health of their monarch. Within a month, Andric I
lay in his grave. Everything came to a halt and the mourning lasted for 2
weeks, for Andric was greatly loved. The council crowned his eldest
son Darvitch of Gilead. This was the council's greatest error
but, Regency by Inheritance was one of the oldest laws. Not that
Darvitch was a poor leader that lacked ability. What he lacked was
Restraint, Compassion, and Prudence! When he took up the crown, it was with
a hatred for non-humans, and a lust for power. And he now had about
all the power he could get!
For the next decade, the kingdom went
from great to less than good. Taxes, labor, cost of living, and the Royal
Treasury rose drastically. In the less affluent areas, starvation was
rampant. Riots ensued , so naturally the King's Guard became the
City Guard. Armed and armored, able to dispense High Justice
for almost any offense! One by one, the council members went against the
king and one by one, they were summarily dismissed; usually quite messily!
Then came reports from the Elven
society fot eh King's men abusing, bending, and outright breaking their
treaty! These reports were signed by the elven Highlord. The replies
Darvitch returned were not only scathing, but quite crude, especially
about the use of 'Highlord' which was normally reserved for the king, and
since Darvitch was king, "how could some 'sub-human' creature believe
itself capable of Lording over anyone or thing except for the toads and marsh
slimes?"
With no viable, civil recourse, the
elves began patrolling their borders; no 'human' was able to enter and leave
alive! At this, Darvitch led an attack upon the elven frontier in
order to secure the "King's Land." This soon escalated into a full-
scale war. So fierce the fighting and so great the losses that the king soon
implemented a draft of all lords. Each was to send his ablest men to train.
This then depleted the manpower of the farms and crofts. Darvitch
now fought on a 2-sided front: the elves to the fore and his remaining
kingdom to the rear.
Some would say a lucky shot by the
enemy, others, an accident, and a small group adhere to the idea of a traitor
in the ranks. Whichever, near dusk, the King himself led a charge against a
heavy group of elves and, in the confusion, received an arrow through the
throat! Thus ended his ill reign. Believe what you like but, I saw the
body. The arrow came from behind!
With the fall of their leader, the
kingdom men were soon routed from the forest. They returned home weaker,
and in fewer numbers than they started with. The council, with lighter hearts,
crowned Darvitch's younger brother Gorme. In the 82nd
year, the mantle fell upon the shoulders of a young man with little experience
but much wisdom. His first official act was to release and reinstate what
was left of the former council. Then he began to repair the damage to his
kingdom.
Over the next 8 years, Gorme I
worked hard to restore the land and even harder to restore the trust and
friendship of the elves. This may never have happened but for a meeting
between an elven prince, Eldorien Silverleaf, and Gorme's
sister, the princess Felicia. By some means, she found her
way to his elven heart and their love was responsible for the revived
relations of the two peoples far more than Gorme's treatise. (Elves
are moved by love even more than man, though they show it less.)
As always, time passes and so too does
the Golden Crown. Gorme yearned for the scholarly life and,
after 18 years, left the throne to his son Marek and went, no
one knows where, to spend his remaining years in study. In the time of
Marek I, the kingdom learned perserverance. Somehow, pestilence
cropped up in the city of Akalar. A plague so great that the king
finally ordered the city burned to the ground with all living there within
the walls. So terrible a burden on his conscious that Marek I lived
but 2 years more.
Marek's son Math
was to be the first to allow the formation of a Free City or a
City-State. His great-aunt Felicia and her elven husband soon
founded the city of Kian'Ligar or the Meeting of Two Worlds.
Because of the differing cultures and kingdoms, both the elven Highlord and
Math allowed Kian'Ligar to become free, forever ruling itself.
Years passed and Math handed
the crown to his son Orrin, but Orrin died without an
heir. Only Math's daughter Saereth lived. The council,
with much deliberation, chose to crown her as a sort of 'Heir Reluctant.'
The first female monarch in recorded history!
Much to the amazement of the council
and kingdom, the land thrived under her soft touch as never before! Not only
was she personable, but she had a great understanding of what were once
considered to be only male concerns. Even the stodgiest of craftsmen
listened to her words. But, Saereth, knowing the kingdom's ingrained
ideas on feminine authority bowed down to her son Torme when he
reached legal age and passed to him a prosperous country. Torme
immediately gave her the position of 1st Advisor to the King which
immediately delighted the populace who loved her dearly!
