Re’ Stam No’e Gnud: Part 2

For Part 1 of Re’ Stam No’e Gnud: The Origin of the Name

Empires Unified

The unification and naming of Re’ Stam No’e Gnud is a microcosm of the relationship between the empires for many thousands of years. For much of the time the empires have been at conflict in some form of other, while on the rare occasion, there have been bouts of short lasting peace.

Approximately two thousand years ago, there seems to have been a major unification of the nations, but oddly, there are few records that have lasted from that time. What historians do know is that the unification was forged to fight a greater, more sinister force from a realm well known in the past, but lost to many today. This dark force emanated from what is now known as Forgotten Territories.

It appears that this unification ended soon after a massive geological event rendered the lands between east and west asunder (Yeah, I just wanted to use ‘asunder’ in a sentence). This event, know as The Rift was felt throughout, causing worldwide collapse of many structures and a number of subsequent fires, leading historians to suggest that this might have been the cause of the dearth of information since those times. Other academics disagree and have more conspiratorial views.

The deep, seemingly bottomless chasm that was formed, exists today but now it has been bridged with a half dozen makeshift ropeways set up by the occasional adventurer. Those that return from the Forgotten Territories tell of fanciful beasts and strange landscapes.

Since the time of the Rift, squabbling among nations returned. Some seventy years past, a war broke out among the three great nations. This just so happened to occur soon after the death of the Vesluvian king, Alostan.

Mad King

There was a nervous atmosphere at the time King Alostan became bedridden as a result of illness. All knew of the exploits of King Alostan’s only heir, Prince Jelofar. King Alostan was no saint, but Jelofar’s sinister acts would have had him swinging by a rope were it not for his position.

As cruel people in positions of power do, Jelofar attracted other more cruel men and women to share in his vile jaunts. His behaviour became more erratic and villainous as his court grew. King Alostan, did the bare minimum to stop Prince Jelofar. Some say, that the king could not look beyond the love for his son. Rumour has it that Alostan created a small group know at the time as The Administrators, who were sent out to clean up after Jelofar’s often gruesome soirees.

The people held their breath as it was clear that King Alostan’s death was imminent. All knew that once Jelofar took the throne, his cruelty would flood the land untethered.

As people had dreaded, upon the King’s death, Jelofar took the throne. Jelofar, now king, in his first act of court, was to assassinate all those he believed were against him. He placed his cruelest men in positions of authority and for those of the court whose positions and title were too powerful for him to remove, he sent his thugs to torment and spy on.

Jelofar’s rule was cruel, selfish and paranoid. He quickly returned slavery to the lands and sent patrols to capture elves and dwarves to be cast into slavery and sold within Vesluvia or exported to the lands of the Dragon Born, Som Chal Th’har or to the Pirate Isle. This, of course, immediately started war with both the Alastia and Todimn. To defend his lands, Jelofar used the profits of the taxes earned from his slave trade to hire Orcs to defend his south-eastern border.

Eventually, theses taxes were not enough to pay for the war and Jelofar’s excesses and the Vesluvian Empire’s coffers were quickly drained. This resulted in Jelofar’s next act of cruelty which was to increase taxes on those who could afford it the least. – the peasant class. Tax, however, was too kind a word for it. Extortion, would be better suited to the acts of well muscled ‘tax collector’ who threatened, beat and stole the money from the poor.

At this time, the war with Alastia and Todimn was not going well. The Orcs in the south, no longer getting the pay to harass the dwarves and defend Vesluvia’s southern border, started to extend their raids into the south of Vesluvia while the coffers dwindled away. Jelofar’s increasingly erratic behaviour and paranoia was causing even his closest supporters to steer well clear of him. This in turn, increased King Jelofar’s paranoia and his fits of rage could be heard throughout the palace.

Until…it wasn’t.

After Mad King Jelofar

One day, some ten years past, King Jelofar, just disappeared. Within 24 hours some of Jelofar’s most crazed supporters had suddenly become incredibly clumsy and found themselves dead, by mistake of course.

Word of King Jelofar’s death spread quickly and rumours abound, but none in power were too eager to investigate.

King Jelofar left no heirs and in the ensuing chaos, a minor noble from a relatively unknown stock took up the mantle of Patrician of Vesluvia. Vecevious von Faber, lord of the Crimson Isles off the coast of Tourah in the south of the empire, without any public opposition took the mantle of Lord Patrician of the Empire of Vesluvia, until the return of king Jelofar.

Little is know of Lord Vecevious’ past, but there is much speculation. A greater Examination of Vecevious personal history can be found here.  

No one really knows, how Vecevious took the mantle of Lord protector of the realm and those in positions of power are equally tight lipped. However, some speculate that during the time of King Jelofar’s reign, the Administrators who King Jelofar’s father had ordered to clean up after Jelofar’s brutalities had gone into hiding during the new king’s reign. Instead of cleaning up after Jelofar, their new directive was to soften the blow of the king’s cruelty when they could from the confines of the shadows.

Some scholars suggest, that at this time the Administrators merged with the Guild of Assassins. This is not doubt where the rumours of Vecevious’ heritage came from.

It appears, that the Vecevious, a secret member of the Administrators and possibly, a renowned assassin, took control through deception, guile and fear. Certainly, the culture of fear surrounding Vecevious and his various and often conflicting legend, could be the possible the reason for the peace and stability in the nation.

Upon Vecevious’ rise to the position of Patrition of Vesluiva, both Alastian and Todimn forces retreated from Vesluvia leading many to suspect a coup perpetrated by these two nations, the Administrators, disaffected members of the Vesluvian aristocracy and of course, Vecevious. However, no record of this arrangement had ever been found.   

Lord Vecvious’ first act of state was to put an end of slavery in the nation. He also put an end to the overtaxing of peasants and took a what was known as a Recovery fund out, whereby the aristocracy and the wealthy were, ‘encouraged’ to donate funds to push back the Orcs from the south and get the country back on its feel.

The first few years of the Patricians reign were tough, but austerity made the way to prosperity as Vecevious opened up its borders to migrants from Todimn, Alastia and far off places such as the Gnomish Pinnacles, Som Chal Th’Har of the Dragonborn and even the Pirate Isles.

Amidst bouts of bigotry and racism the capital of Vesluvia, Ac Rumb, became a bustling metropolis towering over any time in the city’s past.

Now, fifty years on, Ac Rumb has the most powerful economy in the region. Its diversity of products is unrivaled and much to the chagrin of the Alastians, has become the home of peaceful negotiations among nations and races alike. Surprisingly, the discrimination among the local Ac Rumbians has dwindled to the occasional inappropriate murmur among the elderly.

Other Civilisations

There are many other groups and more distant empires that trade, work and occasionally war with these greater empires. In the far east, past the Alastian Forrset lies a range of mountains known as the Pinnacles. This is the home of the disparate collective of the gnomes. This peaceful group more often than not deal with war by cunningly hiding. They spend much of their time tinkering, creating and rarely venture far from their homes. More can be found on these peoples here.

To the northwest and across the Bellofaster Sea lies the Dragonborn Empire of Som Chal Th’Har. Their isolationist values and strong defensive navy have led few people from the three main Empires to ever meet many of their citizens. More can be found on this empire here.

To the south of Som Chal Th’Har and West across the Bellofaster Sea from Vesluvia lie the Pirate Isles. There is no one leader here among the thousands of island in this archipelago. However, this colorful myriad of island communities are adept at trade and ‘acquiring’ goods. More can be found here on the Pirate Isles here.

Due south of the Vesluvian Empire, are the Orcan Plains. This migratory group of humanoids known as Orcs, rove the plains in search of the great herds, hunting and foraging and often fighting among tribes. They are opportunistic and easily influenced by the darker aspects of the world.

Greater information on each Empire can be found through the following links:

• Vesluvia – human (now mixed)
• Alastia – elf
• Todimn – dwarf
• The Pinnicles – gnome
• Som Chal Th’Har
• The Pirate Isles
• The Orcan Plains
• The Forgotten Territories

For a larger downloadable Map of Re’ Stam No’e Gnud. check out the Deviant Art page: HERE!!!

~Yagisanatode