Fact Box for the Secular Emirates of Limoth

Here is the fact box for the Secular Emirate of Limoth.

This nation will be the focus of the next high-res and textless atlas map that will be published next week, exclusively for Acolytes, followed by the normal version the week after that. the Encyclopaedia Elyden is already updated with all the relevant entries related to the regions and their history.

Thanks all for your support :)

As always, feel free to point out typos in the comments :)

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LIMOTH timeline

C. 900 RM - the collapse of the empire of Phol Egedda, which had dominated the East of Llachatul for most of the early Fifth Age leaves a power vacuum in the entire region, which regresses without the order and infrastructure of a major power. Localised demesnes emerge in the decades following the fall of Phol Egedda.

C. 1060 RM - the kingdom of Hadea emerges as one of the larger powers from the vacuum left by the collapse of Phol Egedda, in an area roughly analogous to that of present Limoth.

c. 1130 - 1180 RM - the Iron Catastrophies wrack the East of Llachatul, particularly Hadea and Tethysia.

1154 RM - the Kingdom of Hadea collapses in the East of Llachatul, fracturing in two in response to the Iron Catastrophies and the chaos they have wrecked in Eastern Llachatul. These two fractured states consume each other through a war of attrition and soon collapse as the economy of the entire region regresses, and its people succumb to a near bronze age level of technology until after the effects of the Iron Catastrophies have subsided.

c. 1200 - 1450 RM - the years following the sudden disappearance of the Iron Catastrophies sees the descendants of Hadea reclaim their ancestral lands, forming familial groups that consolidate around various areas, including the Voth Valley, where the first new seams of iron were found. It slowly becomes the dominant culture, controlling trade with its neighbours, and its well-equipped merchants standing up to the inferior equipment of their foes.

c. 1320 – c. 1580 RM - the Pantheon Isles fall under the rule of the Ghazharid Autocracy, with its capital based in the city of Todrra. The Autocracy emerges from a coup against the then-ruling monarchy and goes on to dominate the archipelago with an iron fist until its waning influence, following a costly and fruitless war with Rhea, which left its coffers empty, and its influence diminished.

The last members of the autocracy spend their final years holed up in their citadel in the city of Todrra, living in ignorant decadence until the death of their last surviving member in c. 1630 RM.

c. 1463 RM - A new culture has stabilised around the Voth Valley, centred around the city of Limoth, South of the river Atrotha. It is a stronghold to its plutocrats, and contains well-guarded vaults, where their gold is kept, and is the base to their armies. Many of its structures are made from the previous Hadean culture, the ruins of which were appropriated and used as materials for early constructions. Many early Limothan temples were built from far older Hadean structures.

1511 - c. 1550 RM - Ghazharid Autocracy is at war with Rhea. The war is largely fruitless, and abandoned without ceremony after much wasted money and lives. The war ultimately leads to the fall of the Ghazharid Autocracy in c. 1580 RM.

C. 1570 RM - the arrival of Kathisis to the East of Llachatul to a land dominated by independent city states and small states, many of which are at war with each other.

c. 1580 RM - the fall of the Ghazharid Autocracy. Its people and culture fragments, remaining ‘strongest’ on the mainland, in what is now the far North East of Limoth and the south of Tethysia.

c. 1630 RM - last of the Ghazharid autocrats dies.

1631 RM - Following the fall of the last Ghazharid Autocrat, Xagadrra has amassed a very loyal following, concentrated around the peninsula of Karaxhanes, even as the rest of the Pantheon Isles struggle in the power vacuum following the disappearance of the Ghazharid Autocracy.

c. 1815 RM - Oneli is absorbed by an expanding Limoth, which appropriated most W lands of the Pantheon Isles that were abandoned following the fall of the Ghazharid Autocracy.

c. 2450 RM - the Kingdom of Mintha is first recognised as a true political entity, controlling much of what is today Thetis. This leads to the rise of the Limothan Dynasty decades later.

c. 2450 - 2471 RM - the political success of the Minthan kingdom has necessitated a solid centralised leadership in nearby Limoth, leading to the rise of its noble class and the eventual unification through marriage and other political wrangling of its noble families, leading to the rise of the Limothan Dynasty, with the first King (Dathae I) crowned in 2471 RM

2471 RM - the birth of the Limothan Kingdom, with the crowning of Dathae I as the first king. This begins a time of relative prosperity for the region.

c. 2655 - 2700 RM - A succession of expansionist Limothan kings sees an expansion East into the westernmost isles of the Katobraghan archipelago, claiming them as their own. Limothan settlers chartered by the royal household clash with native islanders and Suruturi colonists over the next years, with the conflict escalating into war in 2655 RM, though neither nation is willing to make an open declaration of war. Suruturi forces gain the upper hand, beating the Limothan colonies, giving them enough time to fortify their own colonies and establish a deep harbour there, through which resources are traded back to the mainland in the far West.

c. 2680 - 2710 RM: seeing the conflict to their west, the people of Xagadrra put resources into defending their land and expanding into the fractured remnants of ancient Ghazharid territories to deny them to Limoth and Surutur. An alliance is made with the state of Xilia in Bhalassia, bringing a modicum of stability to the region after a millennium of insecurity and weakness.

2781 RM: growing costs lead to Surutur abandoning its colonies to their own devices, and they are appropriated by Limoth over the coming years.

2785 RM: bolstered by their growing territories, the Limothan colonies move east into the heart of the Pantheon Isles. Xagadrra and Xilia are quick to mount a defence and, more knowledgeable of the snaking waters and islands of the region, they successfully manage to fend off the first attacks.

2798 - 2806 RM: after years of uneasy silence a large Limothan army marches overland against Xagadrra as a fleet of warships applies pressure to the south and east. This leads to years of war in which the defenders suffer setback after setback, The city of Xilia is razed in 2804 RM, and Xagadrra is defeated and occupied in 2806 RM, signifying the end of the war, which sees Limoth victorious and effectively in full control of the Pantheon Isles. This is the largest its territories will ever be.

2806 - 2822 RM - Limoth consolidates its forces amongst its new territories, though the majority of the thousands of islands remain untouched by its troops. Many cities resist their new leaders and conflict dominates the first years of subjugation, particularly in the Karaxhanes peninsula and its settlements.

2822 RM - revolt erupts in the city of Xagadrra. Hundreds of civilians are killed by Limothan police forces over weeks of conflict, culminating in the death of the Xagadrran governors. This brings about a month of vicious civil war in which fighting takes place within the governor’s palace, with victories measured by the number of rooms that are taken. The resistors, many of whom once worked in the palace, eventually win, killing all of the occupying Limothan forces. They immediately begin fortifying the area against retaliation.

2822 - 2825 RM - word of their victory spreads across the Pantheon Isles and other cities follow suit. The victor of the resistance in Xagadrra, a charismatic woman by the name of Agubbra Escha, coordinates the unification of resistors across Karaxhanes and eventually farther afield, forcing the Limothan occupation to retreat west in late 2825 RM.

2825 RM - Agubbra Escha settles the last city to be won back - Yictaianda - and goes on to found the ruling Eschan Dynasty, which controls the Pantheon Isles to this day. Limothan trade suffers the loss of its Eastern territories, and the government there struggles.

2825 - 2829 RM - the government of Limoth falters and loses the support of many powerful entities, including its upper and merchant classes, who suffered following the loss of territories in the East. This escalates, leading to a civil war that ends in 2829 RM with the execution of the royal family by republican dissidents, ending the line of Limothan Dynasty.

2829 RM - a Plutocratic Republic assumes control of Limoth. The republic makes major reforms, including a move towards secularism, believing that the old religion was too closely tied to the Limothan royalty.

c. 2840 - 2895 RM - the secular movement propagated by the new republic gains traction, leading to opposition of those who still adhere to the old religion, which has steadily declined in popularity following the execution of the royal family in 2829 RM.

Events escalate, leading to open conflict in 2893 RM, by which time only around 5% of the population were open members of the church. The conflict is bloody, taking place in churches and holy places, where clergy and their followers are killed in their hundreds, effectively eliminating the presence of the old religion there. The following years are characterised by a deliberate expunging of all religious records as what few adherents of the fleeing to the hills and mountains in the north of Limoth amid the enforcement of strict laws against open religious worship. Very little knowledge of this old religion remains today, and it is only referred to now as the 'Old Religion', and its gods as the 'Old Gods', though the descendants of those who fled to the north are thought to still secretly cling to these old beliefs. 

The cult of Kathisis, which was popular in the west and northeast, where contact with foreign worshippers of the God-king is common, is largely unopposed but the state makes no effort to fund or propagate it and most worship remains familial, with small shrines located inside homes.

c. 2860 RM - the fall of Mintha, West of Limoth. The culture of the Nemis nomads would emerge after this.

2996 RM - Mymerean Accords are signed, leading to the ratification of sea defence of the Western Mymerea, leading to an organised defence against piracy and slavery. Limoth is one of the six member states.

This leads to a period of prosperity, with increased sea trade and relations between the member states.

3133 RM - the name Thetis is officially recongised for the first time, standing as a major power to the W of Limoth.

3523 RM - Tethysia exits the Mymerean Accords, leading to more burden on the other member states, including Limoth.

c. 3540 RM - the fort of Rinneth is built on the eponymous isle the Limothan branch of the Mymerean Accords to help in defence of Pirates and Slavers.

c. 3570 - 3573 RM - the pressures of almost single-handedly having to defend the Mymerean Accords following the withdrawal of Tethysia leads a faction within the Republic secretly working to undermine the government, managing to elect a Supreme Leader in 3573 RM, who ratified the division of its territories into five emirates, which to this day are ruled by an Emir. Together the five Emirs form an electoral college to elect a new Supreme Leader.