Expansionist Vekaiyu

The fifteenth century was a strong time for Vekaiyu. Initially a middle-sized nation with difficulties in foreign diplomacy and relations, at the end of the century it had established itself as a formidable force in The East Pacific realm. This was largely due to great leadership provided by excellent generals and kings, namely, Kaslo I and Kral Commodore Fevunik.

Vekaiyu Expands

At the dawn of the fifteenth century, Vekaiyu had stabilized its borders via various land obstructions and outpost towers. Their efficient defense system was difficult to penetrate. While the nation was secure from invaders, it was far from safe. Remnants from city-state skirmishes began to rise once more, and cities within the nation began forming their own personal armies as rumors of wars grew.

When all seemed lost politically, a new king was elected to the throne in 1419. Kaslo I quickly dealt with the unrest of the cities by absorbing the armies of over half the towns and forcing submission to the others, which had much less manpower and training than the city armies which accepted the new king. He then removed major rights of cities within Vekaiyu, including their right to a separate flag, right to any outstanding dialect, right to accept or deny 'lesser' laws imposed by the monarchy, and their right to separate themselves from Vekaiyu's history, territory, and economy. Most cities were outraged, however, with the kings army larger than it had been in upwards of six hundred years, most quietly accepted these terms.

Vekaiyu expanding. 1400 (red), 1437 (red and green), 1448 (red, green, and yellow), 1478 (red and green).

This was largely due to a new Kral Commodore - Fevunik, a gypsy fox raised without a last name somewhere in the eastern fields of Vekaiyu in present-day Listonia. Gifted in talent and a skilled horseman, he was well known for his imposing and often foreboding demeanor. He was actually third in line for the command, but Fevunik believed he was much more capable as a Kral Commodore so he executed his competition with a longsword, his favorite weapon of choice. Rather than execute him for annihilating two proven generals, Kaslo I appointed him Kral Commodore and removed his rights to abandon the position and retreat from a battlefield. Fevunik accepted. News of his unusual drive for excellence spread across Vekaiyu and gave the nation a slight sense of comradely, as a gypsy of all people, one who was not aligned to any one city, could be that strong as an individual.

This feeling only intensified over the years. Vekaiyu's neighbors to the north - Sevropia and Dveria - had routinely employed Vekaiyun mercenaries to police its region while its own armies fought abroad. This error proved to be fatal, as Fevunik's first task was to carve into the nation and expand Vekaiyu. This proved to be an easy task, one without mercy or concern for the foreign well-being. He moved the southern army into Packilvania until he was met with the far foothills of The Levenasi. The same result was found when the western army crossed into Bai Lung territory, removing them from the right-hand side of the mountains.

While foreign opposition intensified, nationalism spread wildly across Vekaiyu. Joining the army was a great honor again in Vekaiju, and thousands of able-bodied recruits were accepted annually. 1437 saw a truce between Vekaiyu and her neighbors, and peace settled across the land. However, the armistice would last only a few years after Fevunik pitted the two northern nations against each other and sparked a conflict. The gypsy general used this to his favor and, after the battle of Democ, removed his support from both nations and began outwardly attacking each country with the full support of Vekaiyu. By 1448, Vekaiyu had swallowed one nation completely, with the other was a shell of its former self. Now her territory stretched as far as Lake Miiyu and sprawled across the Balegun Mountains.

A Return to Normal Times

The death of Kaslo I in 1464 witnessed the end of Vekaiyun expansion. Fevunik, now 54 years old, proved to be less successful as before, netting marginal gains. By 1468, stronger neighbors pushed into the far eastern portion of the large state. Fevunik, who refused to retreat, was slain in the Battle of the Nur of the same year. Multiple accounts exist of how he was killed, ranging from one of his own men who suspected him of fleeing to an errant arrow caught in the side, but what is known is the vulpine general was cremated with his ashes sprinkled on an open field near his supposed place of birth, a common death ceremony for vulpine gypsies at that time.

Fighting continued, but neither side of the battle seemed to gain or lose ground. However, it was clear the Vekaiyun side was exhausted. The Treaty of Navelu in 1478 restored Vekaiyu to its 1437 form, the nation losing roughly 30% of its land in the process. The nation began to make a recovery and by the dawning of the sixteenth century, was once again a strong force in trade.