Salovia

The Grand Monarchy of ; The Grand Republic of Salovia დიდი მონარქია ; დიდი რესპუბლიკა სალოველო Didi Monarkia Salovelo ; Didi Resp'ublik'a Salovelo
c. October 135–21 September 1992
Flag
Motto: მრავალფეროვნებაში ძალაა Mravalperovneba Dzalashia (Codexian: "There is Power in Diversity")
Anthem: Taoba
Borders of Salovia from 1976 to 1985
Capital	Akhalibisi
Largest city	Shagonar
Common languages	Salovian Codexian Staynish Ethalrian
Religion	43.3% Verk'ohism 30.3% Thaerism 21.4% Vaerism 5% Other
Demonym(s)	Salovian
Government	Absolute Monarchy (12 AD-1792) Federated Presidential-Parliamentary Republic (1811-1992)
King/Queen
• 135-146 AD	Rorik the Conqueror (first)
• 278 AD	Ærik I
• 1032	Remis the Great
• 1293	Beatrice the Grand
• 1408	Æris the Elven Usurper
• 1759	Rorin the Terror (last)
Chancellor
• 1812-1839	Mikhail Karanovi (first)
• 1910-1942	Rorik Posol
• 1980-1985	Ivan Strovani (last de jure)
• 1985-1992	Lara Tarasovna (last de facto)
Legislature	Zedakhli
Establishment
Historical era	1st Century-20th Century
• The Azure Wars	132-135 AD
• Rorik the Conqueror establishes the Grand Monarchy of Salovia	135 AD
• The Elven Kings	278-494 AD
• First Salovian Golden Age	494-700 AD
• Salovian Interregnum	992-1032
• Restored Monarchy	1032
• Second Golden Age	1140-1408
• Rorin the Terror Beheaded	1792
• Era of Unrest	1792-1816
• The Great War	1904-1917
• Auroran Cold War	1917-1970
• Auroran Imperial War	1970-1975
• Salovian Civil War	1985-2005
• Established	c. October 135
• Disestablished	21 September 1992
Area
136	2,490,810.67 km2 (961,707.38 sq mi)
230	3,978,151.82 km2 (1,535,973.00 sq mi)
1913	2,931,352.86 km2 (1,131,801.67 sq mi)
1976	19,664,061.2 km2 (7,592,336.5 sq mi)
1985	19,370,270.34 km2 (7,478,903.19 sq mi)
Population
• 136	18000000
• 230	29000000
• 1913	87000000
• 1976	94233598
• 1985	98633565
Currency	Net'a (ഗ)
Preceded by Succeeded by Kveshi Empire Suvolic Empire Biramura Tuvaltastan Kostromastan
Today part of	Biramura Volova Nolova Tuvaltastan Nilovia

Salovia (Salovian: სალოველო, pronounced Salovelo ), officially the Grand Monarchy of Salovia and later the Grand Republic of Salovia (Salovian: სალოველოს დიდი მონარქია, pronounced Salovelos didi Monarkia; სალოველოს დიდი რესპუბლიკა, pronounced Salovelos Didi Resp’ublik’a), was a country whose territory primarily consisted of what today are part or all of what makes up Eastern Aurora, namely the nations of Tivot, Biramura, Oscrelia, Volova, Nolova, Lovelia, Tarelia, and Nilovia, as well as several overseas regions and territories. Mainland Salovia, prior to its dissolution, stretched from the Bay of Suvol (also referred to as the Filari Sea), following the Er River and cutting through the Kalivian Mountains into the Great Auroran Desert, where it would follow the Khermali River its delta found in the Azure Sea. From there it stretched westwards into the Ethaln Plains and eastwards to the Sea of Tranquility. The nation proper also included the northern end of the Horn of Kaltariezh up until 1975, when Tivot and Blueacia, both formerly Salovian provinces, gained independence.

The history of Salovia extends back to the first inhabitants of Aurora. The Kurieti Site in Biramura is cited as one of the oldest pieces of evidence of human inhabitation of the continent, dating back to 350,000 years ago. The site contains an array of fossils, arrowheads, and cave paintings. The Salovian region is home to many of the oldest examples of civilization as well, including the Nelokhvi Empire, a large empire that spanned much of the southern coast of Aurora and much of the Khermali river. It, along with a number of other civilizations would endure for a millenium, more or less, until a little understood event known as the Great Vanishing occurred, wherein all evidence of advanced culture was suddenly halted by an unknown cause. A resurgence of civilizations sprouted up around the 8th century BCE, to include the Nobility of Er, the Nilovite civilizations, and the Kveshi trade culture. The Nobility of Er, after merging with the smaller Nobility of Fughala, formed the Kingdom of Suvol, whilst the Kveshi would sack the Nilovite cities, and organized into the Kveshi Empire. The northward expansion of the Kveshis and the southward expansion of the Suvolis resulted in their meeting, and the start of the Azure Wars. The Azure Wars concluded with the assassination of the last king of Suvol, Rorik II by Kveshi king Odelfv. The two empires were merged by Odelfv, who renamed himself to Rorik III after marrying Rorik II's sister Ennala to form Salovia, with the agreeance of the Suvolic Boliari and cessions made to appease them.

Salovia, starting from its inception in 135 AD until its final dissolution in 1992, saw a series of various periods and ages, starting from the Anevid Dynasty and their relationship and eventual merger with the Melit'hasa Kingdom under the Age of Elves, to the First and Second Golden Ages, separated by the Age of the Plague, the Regression, and the Salovian Interregnum. The Interregnum saw the first major instances of the modern states found today, from the Nelic States and the Volovan Empire in the south, and the Biramuran Empire in the north. Following the reign of Remis the Great, the Grand Reconquest began, and with it the advent of the Second Golden Age and the reigns of The Three Greats of Salovia. King Æris, often referred to as The Elven Usurper, brought an end to the Golden Age, and his usurping brought about the Neli Vardna. The 18th century began with the mysterious disappearance of King VI, resulting in a Succession Crisis that would end with Nikoloz the Terror seizing the crown, who began the Posolic Wars, named for his top military general Vakhudan Posol. Vakhudan himself would seize the crown for himself, reiging until 1792. His death is often marked as the beginning of the Monarchy's decline and eventual end. During Yurev VI's reign, Salovia experienced a period of instability and a loss of confidence in the King known as The Era of Unrest. This period marks the Boliari's shift away from the Monarchal system to the Republican system of government, backing a fledgling Akhalibisi-based Grand Republic that saw a return to stability for the nation. Under the Republic, Salovia saw its greatest period of colonialism, holding dominion over a number of different overseas territories, such as Ayaupia and Komertsiya Port located on the continent of Gondwana, as well as Puntalia and Akhalip'ort'i in the modern-day Union of Free Cities, located in Arcturia, as well as other small possessions.

This prosperity lasted until the cultural and ethnic divides caused by the sheer size, diversity and historical grievances of the nation reached a breaking point; exacerbated by the Auroran Imperial War, and inspired by the growing nationalist movements sweeping the continent at the time, a group of armed militants caused the Novugdidi Crisis on 18 June 1985, assassinating Ivan Strovani. This sparked uprisings and revolts nationwide, the most organized of which being the Nilovian Coalition, Volovan Independence Front, and the Lovelian Liberation Front. These uprisings began the 20 year long Salovian Civil War. Salovia as a legitimate government lasted until 1992, when the last remnants of the government were reformed into what would become the Biramuran government under the Handover Treaty of 1992.

Prior to the republic's collapse in 1992, it bordered the nations of Great Morstaybishlia, the Ethalrian Matriarchy, Kostoria-Obertonia, and Oscrelia in Aurora, and bordered Ayaupia in Gondwana through its trade port Komertsiya. The country's final pre-war territorial extent spanned a combined land area of 1,916,590 square kilometers (740,000 sq mi) and a total population of 179,560,596. Salovia, prior to its dissolution, was a Federated Presidential-Parliamentary republic with its capital located in Akhalibisi, the country's third largest city and a major cultural and political hub. Other major hubs included Shagonar, Neril'tskeli, Tarov, and Chita, of which Chita and Tarov also shortly served as the capital in Salovia's history.

Terminology and Etymology

"Salovia" is a Staynification of the nation's native name Salovelo (სალოველო), which translates to "land of the Lovelian people," a reference to the group of peoples (the Lovelians; Lovelebi in Salovian) that live along the southern coast of Aurora, and to whom much of the modern Salovian Royal Family belonged. Lovelians, often mistakenly referred to as the Kveshi, inhabited the coasts of what is now modern day Tuvaltastan, Nilovia, Tarelia, and parts of Faethalria.

"Kingdom of Suvol" refers to the coastal region that is now part of western Oscrelia, northern Biramura, and northeastern Kaltariezh. "Suvol" is itself the name of the first ruling class of the predecessor kingdom of Er, the Suvolids.

Geography

Main article: Geography of Salovia

Bird's eye view of Mount Magnik'ip'iro

Salovia, when measured by its successor states, comprised a total area of 2,337,818.15 km² (902,636.63 mi²). The territory in which Salovia held dominion over fluctuated throughout its thousands-year history, the maximum continental territorial extent of Salovia encompassing an approximate area of 4,580,000 km² (1,768,347.88 mi²), the smallest extent being 1,762,761.86 km² (680,606.16 mi²). From a geographic standpoint, Salovia is typically defined as the land east of the Ethaln plains and the Zycannes mountains, north of the Azure Sea, and west of the Cerenerian ocean.

View of the Posolic Valley in the Kalivian Mountains

If superimposed over modern day borders, Salovia prior to its dissolution would be the ninth largest nation on Urth. At its height, it was the fourth or fifth largest nation on Urth, spanning much of Eastern Aurora with overseas territories on Gondwana, Arcturia, and southeast Yasteria. Today, these overseas territories make up the nations of the Puntalias, Ayaupia (including Komertsiya Port), Osterlicsh, Vivancantadia, Tortuga, and the Union of Free Cities. All former Salovian territories including former colonies span a total of nine time zones.

The average elevation of the area is around 650 kilometers. The highest elevation in the region is the summit of Mount Ki'esule located in Oscrelia, with an elevation of 6,891 meters. The lowest elevation can be located in the town of Menisi at 12.8 meters below sea level. The longest river in Salovia is the Khermali River, at approximately 2,069.9 km when measuring from its headwaters to its most distant distributary. Lake Nilovi is the largest lake in the region, and also serves as an additional feeder to the Khermali river alongside the <INSERT MOUNTAIN RANGE NAME>'s headwaters. The lake is 23,058.05 km² in total area, and is the second largest lake on the continent behind Morsa Lake by surface area.

History

Prehistory

Cave Paintings found in Bneli Cave

The earliest humans are believed to have arrived in northern Salovia somewhere between 1.8 and 1.6 million years ago via the archipelago that makes up modern day Peregrinia, Petra Cauda, and The Oan Isles, moving south into what is now Oscrelia and Biramura. This region of eastern Aurora is believed to have been host to an array of different human species, as evidenced by an archaeological site known as the Kurieti Site (named such due to its proximity to the Biramuran village of the same name). The site is a large series of caverns and fossils of early hominid, from homo yasteriensis to homo arduus sapiens and a now-extinct distant cousin to modern humans, homo aurorensis, a species which inhabited the region prior to the migration of modern humans some time around 20,000 and 18,000 years ago.

Skulls of Primus Primus Homo (left) and Primus Primus Aurorensis (right)

Further archaeological discoveries throughout Salovia have shown that modern humans had interacted often with the other human species found on Aurora, namely discoveries found around Mount Magnik'ip'iro, where a series of small villages were uncovered, buried under volcanic ash from an eruption believed to have occurred approximately 17,000 years ago. The village, named Dzveli Ts'mekhit after its proximity to the modern town of Ts'mekhit, consists of the preserved remains of humans, as well as items and materials used in their every day lives. The site has proven to be the greatest source of insights into the lives of people living during the period, with anything from toys to bowls to pet collars being found throughout the site.

Evidence of prehistoric Cavan habitation have also been found in the westernmost portions of modern-day Tuvaltastan, with tools indicative of a hunter-gatherer society dating between 200-150 Kya. Further studies into the skeletal remains found throughout western Tuvaltastan suggest prehistoric humans and cava may have feuded in the area around 160 Kya, as is evident of the remains found along the Partomok’le River dating to that time period.

Discoveries in eastern Salovia suggest a diverse, varied, and extensive presence of Orc, Elven, and Human settlements dotted throughout the Great Auroran Desert, most notably straddling the Khermali River, where various settlements have been uncovered. Experts believe that these three species had vied for control of the river for some time, with human settlements dotting the southern end closer to Lake Nilovi, the orc settlements often being located on the eastern side of the Khermali River, with the western side being most prominently elven.

Early History

Nelokhvi Capital Dalvrkhrn

The Chalcolithic Era saw the dawn of a number of early civilizations, including Terliva along the southern coast in what is now Tuvaltastan; Eruk and Sihlvi along the Bay of Suvol; and the Nelokhvi Empire along the Khermali River, and the satellite fiefdom of Fendelkh that formed around Lake Nilovi. These ancient kingdoms existed and interacted for thousands of years until around approximately 2000-1800 BCE, when historical records from these civilizations suddenly stop.

It is theorized that a regional event caused a sudden collapse of the Ancient East Auroran civilizations, leading to a period of approximately a millenium without records, known as the Great Vanishing. It is believed that the descendants of these civilizations fell into a Dark Age, and reverted to proto-civilizations in the northern and southern coasts and nomadic people in the desert interior.

Nobility of Er

Territorial Evolution of The Nobility of Er

Stone relief depicting the sea invasion of the Dovian Cape by Er

By the 8th Century BCE, a series of new civilizations had developed within Eastern Aurora, the oldest and most influential of which being the Nobility of Er, which was established by Rulik I, who is widely considered to be the patriarch of what would become the Salovian royal family. Legendary historical records, namely the Uriv Monument, claim that Rulik was born at the peak of Mount Magnik'ip'iro to Mortagra. These records also claim that he climbed his way up the ranks to become the first ruler of Er. However, archaeological studies and digs in the area suggest that a village at the foot of the mountains near modern-day Erov may be where Rulik I was actually born, and was most probably born into a politically important family. Studies of the various sites and stories pertaining to Er suggest a pre-Er civilization existed decades or more earlier than the rule of Rulik I, however no references to such a civilization have yet to be verified.

Coin depicting Meloke (front) and the now-extinct golden-tipped owl (back)

The first dynasty of the Er Nobility, known as the Tulevioni, is defined by its rapid expansion in and around the coast of the Bay of Suvol, establishing a maritime trading network that spanned from modern-day Per and Cape Onera to the north, and Chita and Lambertupol to the south. This dynasty would be a period of slow but steady growth for the Nobility, but would end with the assassination of Rulik IV by Loreli I. Upon the ascension of Loreli I under the Giruvid Dynasty, most of the familial ties and coalitions that kept the regions together would begin to falter, and the Nobility would lose control of most territory to its north during this period. The death of Velik II marks the end of this dynasty, with Velik II's cousin Dorek becoming the next noble. This new dynasty under the Egrationi's struggled to maintain control over its own territory, with rival families declaring their own kingdoms. However, under the reign of Boy King Vicen (with his mother Vicenia as Regent), starting from 647 to 623 BCE, the nobility began a series of rapid expansions into the north, known as the Agdgenic Wars, in an effort to reclaim what had been lost during the Giruvid dynasty, and his half-brother successor Meloke (623-621) would continue this pattern of expansion, moving southwards into the Ethaln plains and the northern portions of the Ider River. Meloke would only expand as far as modern-day Fort Zhouster in Morstaybishlia, however.

Meloke experienced a number of domestic issues despite his successes, ranging from power struggles with his brother Rodeka on succession to a number of military generals vying for control of the empire while under his reign, as well as the threat of the Lerinids, a close familial branch to Meloke's Egrationi, conspiring to unseat him from power. The last few years of his reign saw a three-pronged effort to remove Meloke from power, but despite all this, his grip on power would tighten, with him declaring his son Relik I as his heir. Rodeka subsequently challenged Relik to a fight to the death in a bid to gain the seat, but he himself would lose to Relik and died of his wounds from the duel. This act solidified Relik's claim to the throne. In an effort to appease the Lerinids, Meloke arranged with Gheric Lerinid, noble of Fughala, for Relik to marry Gheric's daughter Illiasi. The marriage between Relik and Illiasi resulted in the Nobilities of Er and Fughala uniting into the larger Kingdom of Suvol. The efforts of Meloke to rein in the military generals on his court, however, were less successful. For all Meloke's effort, the King was assassinated by his generals during the Agdgenic Battle on the Ider, with Relik forced to cede a portion of his power to the generals in an effort to remain as King.

Kingdom of Suvol

Stone relief depicting Relik I

Following the pattern of southward expansion under King Meloke, Meloke's son King Relik I, with the blessing of the Council of Generals, began a series of expeditions through the dry and arid Ethaln Divide, a stretch of land that had been previously unexplored by Suvolic peoples. Despite utilizing the navigability of the Ider River to traverse the region, the reign of Relik I had limited success in establishing permanent outposts for further southward expansion. Only until the reign of King Eruv the Great did the Kingdom make inroads into the region, establishing the first supply chains that would cross into the southern Ethaln plains. Under Eruv, trade routes would surface between the southern kingdoms and empires, taking advantage of both the Ider River and the Suvolic outposts in the Divide. By the end of Eruv's reign, the Kingdom of Suvol would stretch from the Bay of Suvol into the Divide and with small inroads into the southern Ethaln Plains.

A further continuation southwards economically under the reigns of kings Lerin II and III, Eruv II, Trevil the Honest, and his son Trevil II ushered in a period of prosperity and development, with the construction of a road network that led from the southern Ethalns back to the capital in Chita, further solidifying the control over the region for a time.

The reigns of Kings Eruv III, Lerin IV, and Relik III saw the duration of a series of conquests into the Ethaln Plains , the period commonly known as The Century of War. These battles and wars against the kingdoms and empires in the southern Ethalns cost the Kingdom of Suvol dearly, and halted any further expansion southwards for nearly a century. Only until Lerin VII, a full 110 years after the end of The Century of War, would any definitive southward growth occur. For the remainder of the Kingdom's existence, a slow and steady expansion southwards would continue, the last King being Orev the Usurped, whose abdication from the throne and refraining from naming a successor would leave a power vacuum in the area, triggering a crisis of succession.

A number of contenders for the throne would surface, most importantly Orev's third cousin Rorik Svitioni and Orev's second cousin once removed Yurev Egrationi. The two would both claim legitimacy through their bloodline, and would escalate the crisis into a short-lived two-month War of Succession, where Rorik would kill Yurev on the battlefield during hand-to-hand combat. Upon killing Yurev, Rorik proclaimed himself the king of the Suvolic Empire which replaced the old Kingdom, but effectively served as the same entity.

Antebellum Salovia

See also: Suvolic Empire and Kveshi Empire

The Suvolic and Kveshi Empires prior to Rorik II's assassination

Azure Wars
Battle of Lurji Gulf as depicted on the Valini Wall
Date c. 135 A.D. Location Azure Sea, Southern Aurora Result Kveshi Victory Signing of the Treaty of Arkadizia Unification of the Suvolic and Kveshi Empires to form the Grand Monarchy of Salovia Coronation of Odelfv as King of Salovia Formation of the Salovian Boliari
Participants
Kveshi Empire Lovian Mercenaries	Suvolic Empire
Commanders and leaders
King Odelfv	Rorik II  †
Strength
~37,000 ~6,700	~43,000
Casualties and losses
~9,100 ~936	~12,300

The Suvolic Empire, relative to both its successor and predecessor, was short-lived, existing for over 120 years before its eventual collapse into the Salovian Empire. Despite this, the Suvolic Empire set the stage for further expansion of political, economic, and cultural influence that would prove beneficial to Salovia in the future. Rorik, a cousin to his predecessor Orev, oversaw the crossing of the K'iseri Pass, a geographic chokepoint found in the Kalivian Mountains that separates the north Auroran savannah from the Great Auroran Desert. Through a bolstering of pre-existing outposts in the highlands near the K'iseri Pass, and the discovery of the Khermali River, the Suvolic Empire slowly grew into a major military and economic influence of the region. This infrastructure was further reinforced under Yorik the Revered.

Paired with the economic bolstering of the southern fringes of the empire, Rorik had also developed a complex political network among the various governors, noblemen, and tribal leaders within the empire. Made up of a number of agreements, word-of-mouth assurances, and a few treaties, the network soon developed into a hierarchical political structure with Rorik at the head. This same political network, known today as the first iteration of the Salovian Boliari, proved vital to the success of the Suvolic Empire during the reigns of both Rorik and Yorik.

Despite the overall growth and strengthening within its own borders, the Suvolic Empire saw limited success in its expansionist endeavors, experiencing serious resistance from the Kveshi Empire, a large maritime Lovelian empire located along the southern coast of Aurora, holding dominion over a multitude of the islands in the Azure Sea and Sea of Tranquility. Known for committing large-scale raids throughout southern Aurora, the Kveshi Empire also engaged in a number of raids and battles against the Suvolic Empire, especially so as the empire moved further southwards towards Kveshi land. Known today as the Azure Wars, this collection of conflicts effectively halted southern expansion of the Suvolic Empire, and by the end of the reign of Yorik, the empire experienced unprecedented decline in territory and strength. With the death of Yorik, Rorik II became King in 134 AD and spent the entirety of his short yearlong reign continuing the Azure Wars, until his assassination by the Kveshi King Odelfv.

Upon Rorik II's assassination, Odelfv declared a truce in the Azure Wars, ending it in the Treaty of Iurinfel (now modern-day Yuriveli). Renaming himself to Rorik the Conqueror (also known as Rorik III), he married Rorik II's daughter Ennala, declaring the unification of the Kingdoms of Lovelia and Suvol into the Grand Monarchy of Salovia.

Grand Monarchy of Salovia

See also: List of Monarchs of Salovia and Boliari

The beginnings of Salovia were marked by instability and volatility as Rorik III vied to secure his position as King of Salovia. Often called the Recovery, Rorik III spent much of his reign focused on regaining the territory lost at the conclusion of the Azure Wars. A number of those on the Suvolic Empire's noble council opted for independence rather than fealty to the usurper King, with nobilities and fiefdoms like Orkhalits'a around lake Orts'ilovi, the mercantile citystate of Oceansend on the Kormistazic peninsula, and a number of Ethaln principalities and nobilities defecting to the Krösnauen Empire.

The Avenid Dynasty

See also: Revolt of 189

Salovia at the end of Orev II's reign (Dark Green: Salovia proper; Light Green: Salovian client states; Blue: Breakaway territories

The Recovery had limited success, with many former territories remaining independent despite the efforts of Rorik III and his sons Yorik II and Orev II. However, relative to the sizes of the Suvolic and Kveshi Empires, the Salovian Empire remained larger than the two. To retain the peace, Rorik III reorganized and expanded his council to include the establishment of the Boliari position, the highest ranking position that a non-royal could hold. The Boliari's of Rorik III's reign consisted of retired Suvolic and Kveshi generals from the Azure Wars, various nobles and dukes, and other similar ranking individuals among the nomadic tribes of the Great Auroran Desert.

With the conclusion of the Recovery upon the death of Orev II, the reign of King Loik II began. The reign of Loik II experienced the first semblances of stability after the Recovery, and saw the first territorial expansions by the Salovian empire into the Great Auroran Desert. Under Loik II's predecessor Orev II, a series of caverns that formed natural tunnels were discovered in the Kalivian Mountains that bridged the divide between the Suvolic Plains and the Great Auroran Desert, and expeditions were initiated to find the fastest routes through. Under Loik II, two primary routes through the mountains were established, and the first outposts in the desert were formed, located on the banks of the headwater tributaries of the Khermali river. Today, these outposts are known as Pagovili and Kalivoni. Alongside the discovery of these natural tunnels, the southern expanse of the empire had begun expansions northward along the same Khermali river (although it was unknown at the time), slowly moving into the territories of the desert kingdoms straddling the Khermali, the largest and most influential of which being the elven Melit'hasa kingdom. Technologically and culturally more advanced than the Salovian empire at the time, the Melit'hasa offered amnesty rather than hostility, and formed the first Treaty of Astravili in 173. This treaty ensured a temporary peace between the two kingdoms, ushering in a period of prosperity as the Melit'hasa and Salovians became closer in ties. During the period after the Treaty of Astravili, Salovia experienced rapid technological advancements throughout, most notably including the tanja sail and advancements in a number of sciences such as astronomy, mathematics, and timekeeping, advances which would quickly spread through the rest of Aurora.

Modern depiction of Aluminaera (left) and Relief of King Lerin XI (right)

Despite the general prosperity enjoyed by the majority of Salovians and Melit'hasa, the upper class had experienced a relative decline in prominence and power. The decline had begun with the assassination of Yeriv IV, who had ruled for thirteen years. Historical records from the period point to a number of suspects, the main ones being his brother Yuri, Yeriv IV's son Lerin XI, and most notably Aluminaera, the Melit'hasa ruler at the time. The suspicion of Aluminaera regarding the assassination of Yeriv IV resulted in strained tensions between the Melit'hasa and the Salovians, and the tensions would only be exacerbated by the Salovian upper class, including Lerin XI, who painted the Melit'hasa under various stereotypes, the common themes being conniving, scheming, thieving, and lying. Lerin XI's reign was marred by these scandals regarding the Melit'hasa, and despite the two kingdoms becoming co-dependent, relations would only sour further by time of Lerin XI's death. His son Orev III spent the majority of his reign attempting to quell the tensions in an effort to bring back prosperity to the region, however both the Salovian Boliari and the ruling class of the Melit'hasa continued to further escalations. After eight years, Orev III died of injuries inflicted from an unknown accident in 253, with his brother Lerin XII taking the throne.

Lerin XII's reign saw a slight warming in relations between the two kingdoms, the primary driver being the development of a close personal relationship between the Melit'hasa King Aeris and Lerin XII. Thanks to the diplomacy of the two Kings, and depite the attempted escalations by the Melit'hasa upper class and the Boliari, war was avoided for the duration of Lerin XII's reign. There were however a number of skirmishes that occurred, most famously the Battle of the Twin Cities (modern-day North and South Harris, straddling the Crescent River), where approximately 1,200 individuals were killed in battle. Despite the closeness of Lerin and Aeris, the mistrust and hostility continued under Lerin XII's son Orev IV who ascended to the throne in 268.

(In Green) Territorial Extent of Salovia two years after Orev IV's death. Purple shows the Kingdom of Melit'hasa, which would become part of Salovia during the Age of the Elves

The reign of Orev IV is known commonly as the Ghalat'i, or Betrayal in Staynish/Codexian, as Orev IV found himself at the center of a plot to assassinate and overthrow him that, although unsuccessful at its goal of removing Orev IV from power, was successful in placing a Melit'hasa elf as King of Salovia. At the direction of King Aeris to install an elf to the Salovian throne, a number of assassins were sent throughout Orev IV's ten year reign assigned to murder the Salovian Royal Family. Although mostly successful in their effort, killing a range of individuals from Orev IV's children, his brothers, and his uncle, the assassins failed to kill Orev IV himself, who later died of a disease believed to be the earliest recorded instance of the Hasoni Plague. The end of Orev IV's reign marked the end of the first human era of Salovian rule, and with it the Age of the Elves.

Age of the Elves

The Elinari Tsikhe, built during the Elven Age under King Mærkil

Although significant vocal resistance was met to the usurping of the Salovian throne by Melit'hasa, the Boliari stepped aside and allowed Aluminaera's son, Ærik I to claim the throne. Due to Melit'hasa being at the strategic heart of the Salovian empire, the Boliari were put into a difficult position; although there was a non-Salovian on the Salovian throne, the removal of Ærik I meant a potential period of hardship, as the Melit'hasa proved vital to the economic and military success of the Salovian empire.

Ærik I's reign was the only reign to see both the Melit'hasa and the Salovian kingdoms still disunited, as Ærik I's father Aluminaera still held dominion over the elven kingdom. Only until Aluminaera's death in 319 did the two kingdoms officially join together under the first Union of the Thrones, wherein Ærik I became King of Salovia and Melit'hasa. This Union eventually led to the full integration of the other Desert kingdoms in the region into the Empire as the goal of Ærik I was to bring Aurora under one King through whatever means necessary. The Boliari were an obstacle in that effort, and stood as a political force against the Melit'hasan king. Ærik I could not remove the Boliari however, under fear of the human population taking arms in revolution.

Although Ærik I experienced deep cultural and political resistance during much of his reign, the new status quo had formed before he had passed away. The reign of his son Mærkil is widely considered to be the most peaceful and prosperous reign in Salovian history, and is often considered the beginning of the First Golden Age, with various advancements taking place during his 71-year tenure in mathematical and medical fields. Most prominently of these advancements was the early developments towards what would eventually be known as the Khulioni formula for π and the redefining of the lunar cycle to better account for minor discrepancies previously noted decades prior. Trade with other nations like the Krösnauen and Kormistazic empires also flourished, with ideas and goods flowing throughout Aurora.

Mærkil's heir Ærik II reigned during an extension of this period of prosperity, however the Boliari had begun a plot late into his reign to reinstate the Salovian royal family back onto the throne through Rorik Kholivioni, the third cousin fourth removed to King Orev IV and a junior member of the Boliari. Gradually over time, the Boliari secretly implemented a series of assassination attempts against Ærik II, all of which failed for various reasons, ranging from the assassins being found out, to the assassins outright not following through with the assassination. Eventually the Boliari had given up on attempting to kill Ærik II, and focused instead on waiting until Ærik's death to pursue a challenge for the throne against Ærik's son Forelis. As Ærik II reached the age of 142, he became aware of the secret plot, and informed his son, who in turn approached the Boliari. Rather than risk a war of succession, Forelis instead offered Rorik to partake in a duel for the throne. Rorik, against the wishes of the Boliari, accepted the offer, and the two fought on the winter solstice of that year, resulting in a successful victory for Rorik after Forelis' submission.

First Golden Age

The Painter of Kiniki, Unknown Artist, c. 5th Century CE

Following the decline of the Elven Age, King Rorik IV brought about an unprecedented level of unity among human Salovians, who constituted the significant majority of the monarchy at this point. The policies and efforts during Rorik IV's reign put Salovia at the center of a period of pronounced growth and prosperity on the continent, and his prodigy followed his example. Anything from art, philosophy, agriculture, architecture, and astronomy saw advancements in the respective fields. Advances in irrigation proved critical to the majority Melit'hasa desert regions, and soon the Khermali river became a second breadbasket for the monarchy, alongside the pre-existing farmland in the Ethaln plains. Theories by Iellif Sadzhgrzashvili in astronomy (via his Mzeocentric map of the Teplar System) and alchemy paved the way for the advancements of astronomy and the eventual formation of the scientific field of chemistry.

Art as a practice experienced a significant surge in creativity, and with it a series of artists who pioneered the uniquely Salovian art style of Khvrinva, which is typically defined by paint strokes wherein lightly tapping the canvas was utilized, rather than full strokes. Alternatively, and in direct juxtaposition, the art style of Gapant’va (also pioneered during the Golden Age) utilizes long and flowing paint strokes, while attempting to emulate the real world to the best of the artist's ability. The deeply Verk'ohist artists in Salovia often painted scenes from the Ts'igna'reli and Ts'ignabi'neli, a popular figure of which being Mortagra.

Painting of Mortagra in the Gapant'va art Style

The architecture during this era witnessed the emergence of the dualistic nature of Salovian architecture often seen today. Inspired by the duality of Ver and K'oh, many Salovian architects during the first golden age believed honoring that duality in their architecture would bring good fortunes to not only the building, but to the designer and the inhabitants. The use of geometric shapes and the Golden ratio are typical of these buildings as well, although it is unlikely that the builders of the time realized the mathematical significance of these ratios and shapes.

During this period, Nelic divine Neli Shuliv formed the monotheistic branch of Verk'ohism known as Verism. Only worshiping the deity of Ver, this branch paints K'oh as the enemy of the world. Shortly after, Neli Vashtul formed the opposing faith of K'ohism, wherein the deity K'oh is the primary deity with Ver representing all things chaos. It is often believed that the two branches saw limited popularity for much of Salovia's existence, only gaining prominence after the advent of the 20th century.

Age of the Plague

Painting depicting the Hasoni Plague. The three individuals have the characteristic skin blemishes common of the disease.

The height of the first Golden Age of Salovia was abruptly interrupted by the outbreak of a deadly virus, now verified to be the Hasoni Plague thanks to archaeological and genetic analysis. Although earlier confirmed cases occurred well before this period, the 8th Century in Salovia was defined by its struggle with the Hasoni Plague. Due to its slower infectability, it took longer to spread through the continent, resulting in a slow but nonetheless deadly spread of the plague. Now known to be predominantly infectious through bodily fluids, people at the time believed it to be a curse to those who secretly worshipped Gizhuri, the Verk'ohist God of Chaos.

The Plague can be mapped out into three phases: The early, middle and late infection stages. The early infection stage began in and around the city of Chita, as is evident by the death of Orev IV and various mass graves all showing signs of lesions indicative of the disease found in the area. Considered by most to be the deadliest period per capita of the plague, it is estimated that between 280,000-430,000 people died during the early infection stage, including those that had perished in the transition period between the early and middle infection stages. The middle infection stage, the longest segment of the Age, is defined by the migration southwards from the northern Bay of Suvol region into the Ethaln Plains and the Azure Sea. Although the longest period of time, it was the least deadly, with only an estimated 40,000-70,000 individuals dying from the disease. The late phase, the deadliest by total number dead, made up the final few decades of the plague, totaling between 350,000-500,000 dead. Altogether, the plague killed off between 670,000 and 1 million individuals, which at the time was over a quarter of the estimated population. The impact of this period was so devastating that the population would not recover until the reign of Queen Yuria in the early 10th century.

The disease affected everyone, regardless of social standing. Case in point, nearly every king who ruled during this period is believed to have died from Hasoni Plague, most notably Orev IV, who is the first documented case of the Hasoni Plague. Its impact globally has been widely debated, as its relatively slow infection rate has been argued to have allowed for the disease to traverse continents, believed to have appeared in places as distant as Gondwana. However, it is still uncertain whether the disease had ever left Aurora. To this day, cases of Hasoni plague intermittently have broken out in Salovia and other places in Aurora, but have never killed more than a thousand people (as in the 1799 Hasoni outbreak in Shagonar).

The Regression

Carving depicting the Melit'hasa Battle of Chita.

The Regression is defined primarily by the overall shrinking in influence and prominence in regional and worldwide affairs. The cultural, political, and societal cohesion that had formed through the centuries prior to this period had began to erode, with a series of major events providing the catalyst for what would result in the Interregnum Period of Salovia. The Melit'hasa Coup, one of the more prominent of the events, took place during the reign of Erik III, who struggled to maintain order and political control over the often-stubborn elven tribe. For a short time, between 831 and 842, the Melit'hasa had effectively wrested control from the Salovia-appointed Governor Tavi Yerishvili, and reinstated the long-ended Kingdom of Melit-hasa under Aluminaera II, who alleged himself to be the blood descendent of the Elven Kings of Salovia. Nonetheless, after the Battle of Mat’lis Mta in 842, Aluminaera II had been defeated, and his army surrendered to the Grand Army. However, in that same battle, King Erik III had been fatally injured, and died of his wounds by the end of the month. His son Revil VI was crowned king soon after. His reign was cut short after eight years, when the son of Aluminaera II had assassins hired to kill Revil VI as revenge for Aluminaera II's death. This ended the Velianebi period of Salovian rule, and brought about the second period of House Kholivioni ruling Salovia, with the reign of Yurev I.

The reign of Yurev I had, throughout his life, been one of stability and peace for Salovia, and was marked by the Treaty of Autonomy for the Melit'hasa, a treaty which would enshrine the autonomy of the Melit'hasa people, and soon after members of the Melit'hasa were admitted into the Boliari. In Yurev I's 58 years as King, Salovia would see its only prosperous period within the Regression, as upon his death in 908, the nation fell into its second major succession crisis, the second since the War of Succession, which founded Salovia itself. Although King Eric, who was the son of Yurev I, was crowned king after his father's death, he later abdicated three years after his coronation, pursuing a non-political life in Petra Cauda. Eric had left at the beginning of 911 CE without declaring an heir, which led to the various Houses of Salovia vying for the crown. In the end, Yuria, leader of the Velianebi House, was crowned the first Queen of Salovia, crowned only six months after Eric's abdication.

Yuria ruled with an iron fist during her 32 year reign, consolidating power around her and shrinking the Boliari to only a few trusted individuals. Her military conquests and heavy taxes on the people funded her immense wealth, and with a deeply loyal elite guard to protect her, passed down her legacy to her son Yurev II who, along with Erik IV and Lerin VXII, continued her exploitative and authoritarian leadership style until the nation reached a breaking point. This breaking point, being the death of Lerin XVII and the Boliari neglecting to back Lerin XVII, resulted in the collapse of Salovia, triggering the Interregnum.

Salovian Interregnum

(See also Nelic States, Volovan Empire, Nobility of Biramura)

Without a central stable authority to rule over the vast territories held by Salovia, the nation fell into regional blocs vying for control. To the far east, the Orc Kingdom of Khalit'hasa and the Elven Kingdom of Melit'hasa regained sovereignty of territory lost during the rise of Salovia, and to the west, empires like Ethalria and Kaltariezh expanded into previously Salovian lands. The core territory of Salovia itself fell into three primary segments; the Nobility of Biramura, the Volovan Empire, and the various microstates underneath the overarching diarchy of southern Salovia, now known as the Nelic States.

Calth-Biramuran Wars

See Also: Calth-Biramuran War

Map of Eastern Aurora in 1045

Ruled by the Boliari, Biramura was initially formed under a nominally plutocratic feudal system wherein the most wealthy noble would hold political control of the nation itself. This volatile system provided an avenue for wealthy non-Salovians to gain power and potentially even become King of Biramura. This opportunity was exploited by the Calth nobleman Hathan Fretyal who, by 1002, had consolidated his wealth with a number of much less wealthy nobles to inevitably become a contender for the Biramuran crown (called Anvert’erani in Salovian). The reigning King Nikoloz, recognizing the threat posed by Hathan, amassed the Grand Biramura Militia, a mercenary group financially loyal to Nikoloz. Funded by Nikoloz and his closest allies in the Boliari, the Militia provided an additional layer of security should Hathan surpass Nikoloz in wealth, and therefore become the Biramuran King. In 1006, Hathan consolidated enough of his and his allies' wealth to surpass Nikoloz, and officially initiated a Samepo Gamots’veva, or Royal Challenge in Staynish/Codexian. A Samepo Gamots'veva is a task in which the wealth of each individual is counted coin by coin to determine the exact wealth of each royal contender, and whoever holds the highest wealth is declared the next King of Biramura. As was predicted by Hathan and his allies, Hathan was officially declared the new King. However, Nikoloz refused to relinquish his hold on power, declaring war on Hathan and those loyal to him, thus sparking the Biramuran Civil War, or more commonly known as the Calth-Biramuran War.

The war between Nikoloz and Hathan took place from 13 June to 29 November 1006, and killed approximately 8,100 people at the highest estimate. Taking place primarily in Chita, and the border regions between Biramura and Calth, the war evolved into a much larger nation-to-nation war after the death of Hathan Fretyal; his death was considered a victory by Nikoloz. Hathan's death, however, was taken by the leaders of Calth as an act of war, and as such Calth declared war against Nikoloz and the Nobility itself, beginning the second phase of the war. The fighting expanded into an all-out naval and land conflict, with fighting as far north as modern-day Per, and as far south as Delgerdatter in Kaltariezh. This phase of the war, spanning from 1006-1008 and killing around 22,000 people, became the deadliest conflict in the region. The end of the war was marked by the death of Nikoloz, whose successor King Tigran Najaryan negotiated a peace treaty with Calth which ceded land from Biramura with an affirmation by the Calth that no further conflicts would ensue between the two for 80 years. The treaty officially marked the boundary between Biramura and Calth as the Riktelachi River. This boundary would remain in existence for over 900 years until the conclusion of the Auroran Imperial War.

U'dolothi Raids

A U'dolothi Raid on Rentorov, depicting Orcs as large Rabbits, c. 1040

Primarily affecting the Kingdom of Volova and the Nelic States, the Orc Kingdom of U'doloth had begun conducting raids against the border towns and cities of Interregnal Salovia. For a period spanning from 1000 to 1022, the orcs of the U'doloth Confederacy expanded their influence over these border regions, effectively creating vassals out of several of the Nelic States, most significantly ones along the Crescent Coast and around the Lake Nilovi region. During this period of vassalage, the elective diarchy were usurped regularly by U'dolothi-backed individuals, who were often given the title U'dolots'neli as a sign of submission and fealty. It was a common occurance for the U'dolothi orcs to bring back large numbers of Salovians back to the homeland in what now makes up the Vakrestrender archipelago for various things like livestock, slavery, and knowledge-gathering, along with the plunder of religious artifacts and statues.

The unsteady nature of the vassals proved to be their downfall, as in 1012 when the Nelic Revolt took place and drove the U'doloth Confederacy out of the Nelic States for a time. This short-lived respite from the U'doloth saw the resurgence of the Nelic States as a regional power, until in 1019 the U'doloth began their second series of raids to reclaim the lost vassals. By 1020, the majority of the Nelic States were under control of either the U'doloth or in an alliance with the Volovan Empire.

Volovan Succession Crisis

Artwork depicting the battle between Tamaz and Remis, c. 1109

Throughout its forty-year existence, the Volovan Empire saw a total of five kings, four of which followed the father-son succession line. However, the fourth Volovan King Yuri had no children during his reign, thus opening up the line of succession to his brothers and cousins, sparking the Volovan Succession Crisis. During this time, a noble who held dominion in Akhalibisi, known as Remis, claimed a bloodright to the throne via his relation to Salovian King Yuri. The only other individual who held any feasible claim to the throne was Novugdidi-based noble Tamaz Meneuli, who claimed to be the grandnephew to Volova's third King Orev. As a result, Remis opted for the assistance of the Volovan Boliari (who were directly succeeded from the Salovian Boliari, with many of its members having living memory of Salovia) to legitimize and secure his claim to rule over Volova. This of course came at a cost to his absolute right to rule, and was required to cede some of his power, most notably ceding all unused land held by the monarchy to the Boliari. In ceding the royal land claims, the immense wealth and influence the Boliari had was utilized to secure Remis' claim to the throne. Despite the backing of the Boliari to Remis, Tamaz challenged Remis to a battle for succession.

Word quickly spread through much of Volova and the neighboring Nelic States, and as a result the Succession Battle between Tamaz and Remis had become a major event likened to modern day fighting matches. Tamaz took advantage of this exposure to popularize himself with the peasantry, spreading word of his "valiant efforts to stop the false King," hoping that, in the event of a loss, the peasantry would turn on Remis and assassinate him. The day came, and in the then-capital of Astravili, the two men battled to the death in the antiquitous Stadium of Potiriz. After what was described by one nobleman as "an event so gruesome, I do not believe a single man here will have a thirst for bloodshed again in his lifetime," Remis was eventually able to defeat Tamaz after reportedly an hours-long battle, ensuring his claim to the throne. Though a few peasants in the stadiums had reportedly "made a commotion over the terrible loss of Tamaz," this was soon quieted by the guardsmen of Potiriz. With his victory over Tamaz, Remis became King of Volova.

Restored Monarchy

After approximately a year of ruling as King of Volova, Remis soon set his sights on the Nelic States, his ambitions being to reform the Salovian Monarchy with him as its new king. As such, in 1032, Remis declared himself as king of a restored Salovia, claiming a blood right as the grandson of Lerin XVI. That same year, Remis began what would become known as the Grand Reconquest, wherein over the span of a century Remis I and his progeny actively reconquered former Salovian territory.

The Grand Reconquest

Main article: Grand Reconquest

For the span of a century, the restored monarchy of Salovia pursued an aggressive reconquest of successor states, including the Nelic States and the Nobility of Biramura, among others. The first of such conquests was the invasion of Oluvi, which Remis I carried out in 1033. At the time, Oluvi served as the center of the political and religious sects of the Nelic States, the most powerful being the ruling Voletrioni class. The invasion and subsequent conquering of Oluvi marked the decline of the Nelic States over the following four years, wherein the entity was methodically reintegrated into the Salovian monarchy, and its upper class incorporated into the Boliari to ensure a more permanent conquest. Upon its near-absorption into Salovia by 1038, resources were turned towards the Orc Kingdom of Kheme'hasa, located east of the Khermali river, the first battle being the Battle of Ikometa. Kheme'hasa surrendered to the Salovian forces at the Battle of Noktesha in 1042. Two weeks after successfully taking Kheme'hasa, Remis I would die from wounds incurred during that same battle. His son, Remis II, continued his efforts towards reconquest by turning attention towards the Nobility of Biramura, beginning with the Battle of K'iseri Pass in 1044. The battle spanned three days, and was the deadliest battle of the Reconquest, but the Salovian forces achieved a pyrrhic victory over the Biramurans. Upon staging forces within the K'iseri Pass the Salovian forces made their way north, towards the settlement of Irkula, a major strategic location within the Biramuran state. Though the city itself was taken, the military outpost Fort Tamaz had held off the invading Salovians. An additional siege of the fort took place soon after reinforcements arrived, and by 1055 the entire city was taken over. Salovian forces continued moving northwards, however the nation was increasingly indebted to the wealthy individuals of the Boliari, who would soon denounce the war. Tensions between the Boliari and Remis II reached a tipping point in 1061, when the Boliari had Remis II expelled from the throne, allowing for his son Rorik VI to ascend to the throne. During Rorik VI's reign, the conquest of Biramura was much slower, a direct result of insistence by the Boliari. As such, only a few minor battles took place between 1061 and 1074, most notably the successful Siege of Dulorien in 1074. Like his grandfather, Rorik VI suffered injuries from this battle which would prove lethal months later, dying in the winter of 1074. His son, Yorik IV ascended to the throne and ruled for two years, until contracting a disease now believed to be a form of smallpox. Yorik IV would pass away in 1076, at the age of thirteen, leaving the throne to his twelve year-old brother Remis III. By this time, the Grand Reconquest had reached a point of stagnation, with the Boliari insisting on the cessation of the reconquest altogether. Remis III obliged by the Boliari until the year 1093, when the Conquest of Culoria began, which the Boliari were not informed of. This conquest ushered in the second phase of the conquest of Biramura, and for the next twenty years, a series of battles, sieges, and raids took place throughout the nation, the turning point of those twenty years being the capture of the cities of Chita and Erov in 1107, the two most important cities of the Nobility of Biramura. The final campaign that secured Salovian victory of Biramura was the March of Fifteen Rivers in 1113, ending the Reconquest of core Salovian territory. The final conquest, known as the Tivotian Campaign, is the invasion of the small nations on the tip of the Horn of Kaltariezh, collectively referred to as Tivot by Salovians. The three largest nations, Tarov, Perov, and Laberov, were collectively defeated at the Great Battle of Cape Mortagra, where a naval invasion by Salovia was met with the forces of the three nations. By 1140, the three nations had been integrated into Salovia. Three months after securing a victory in Tivot, Remis III passed away of natural causes in Chita, his death marking the end of the Grand Reconquest.

Second Golden Age

See also: Vach'ari Guild

Posthumous portrait of Beatrice the Great, c. 1785.

Auroran settlement in east Arcturia between 1001 and 1515.

With the coronation of Remis III's 45 year-old son Ivan I, the monarchy shifted heavily away from military expansion towards mercantile growth, a policy that was looked upon favorably by the Boliari, especially by the Vach'ari Guild, the most powerful merchant's guild in Salovia. Efforts to increase the wealth of the empire accelerated under Ivan I's guild-friendly policies, paving the way for a second period of prosperity to take hold in the nation. Taking advantage of the earlier land cessions made by king Remis the Great, the Boliari began to lease out public land to private individuals, the noble class seeing its quality of life drastically improve as a result. Private individuals were free to utilize the rented land any way deemed fit by the Boliari, which often included a clause for a "profitable venture". In a similar manner, select individuals in the artisan classes, notably minters and shipbuilders, found their quality of life improve as well, though to a less significant degree when compared to the noble classes. This period also saw the creation of a plethora of minor artisan guilds, which accelerated innovations in fields like marine navigation, cartography, architecture, leatherworking, and geography. Such innovations paved the way for the first Salovian oceanic expedition by Vach'ari guildmember and surveyor Davit Oluvioni, which began in 1202, its main purpose being the production of the most accurate map of Aurora of that time, now called the Oluvioni Ruk'a. Soon after Oluvioni's successful expedition, other merchants seeking wealth and fame followed suit, to varying degrees of success.

Paired with the newfound prosperity ushered in by the Boliari's leasing-out of land and the reintegration of Tivot during the Grand Reconquest, Salovia found itself with a strategically central location in the Morstaybishlian Sea, a significant economic causeway between four continents: Aurora, Gondwana, Yasteria, and Arcturia. Tivot, being roughly in the middle of that causeway, became the economic central point of Salovia, and extended Salovia's influence beyond the continent for the first time. Through a wide-reaching royal charter under Salovian Queen Beatrice the Great, Salovian merchants, many of whom were part of the Vach'ari Guild, travelled to Arcturia in what is today modern Puntalia in the pursuit of wealth and renown, the first of these ports being Tsivikhli (near modern-day Estcollina, Tawuse).

Early Colonies

War of Tsivinap'iro
Battle of Lamazip'ort'isi, depicted by Hugo Orivishvili, 1833.
Date 1313-1314 Location Southeastern Arcturian Coast Result Kormistazic Victory Salovian abandonment of settlements Settlements taken by Kormistazm Territorial changes Settlements of Samkhretili, Datsulisi, Okrokalaki, and Lamazip'ort'isi
Participants
Salovian Settlers	Kormistazic Military
Strength
3,738	~34,000
Casualties and losses
~300	~100

The remains of Lamazip'ort'isi, west of the town of Répit.

Though Tsivikhli was the first settlement to establish a long-term presence in Arcturia, the settlement's location proved too hostile to any permanent settlement efforts, with a boreal climate and shallow soil insufficient for growing crops or feeding livestock. As such, the settlement was quickly abandoned with the settlers opting to return to Aurora. A few years in 1299, after the failed Tsivikhli settlement, Orik Oluvioni, son to mapmaker Davit Oluvioni, headed the Lamaz Voyage, made up of a fleet of five p'anviri's. This voyage made landfall on the southern coast of the modern-day Qayami island of Baridabadi. The port that was formed on this island was called Lamazip'ort'isi, literally translating to "beautiful port," and it would serve as Salovia's primary Arcturian colonial settlement for the next half century before it, along with the other major settlements at the time, fell under siege by the Kormistazic Empire in the War of Tsivinap'iro. This conflict forced the roughly 3,500 surviving settlers to flee northwards, towards any settlements that would accept them. As they sailed north, coastal Kormistazic settlements found in modern-day Quariin refused them, until they eventually were allowed to land in Finica, the northernmost settlement of Kormistazm. There, the Salovian settlers were coerced into signing a treaty of surrender, known as the Treaty of Finica. The treaty laid out that the settlers would be allowed to live in Finica under the condition that the Salovian settlers pay off the debts of the war in which they had fought in the form of manual labor, namely farming and mining. This arrangement effectively made the Salovian settlers indentured servants to the town of Finica until they paid off their debts.

News of the battle between the settlers and the Kormistazic Empire eventually reached Salovia a few months after the war took place. Though it was unknown to Salovia at the time of the settlers' eventual fate, it was assumed by many in the Salovian hierarchy that the settlers had been massacred when the ports were taken over. Thus, the Vach'ari guildmembers in the Boliari adamantly pushed for Salovia to use this as justification for war with Kormistazm. Queen Beatrice however refused to threaten the stability of the fledgling colonies of the southern Packilvanian Ocean, and declined to wage war against Kormistazm. In spite of the Queen's word, a fleet of Vach'ari merchant ships were secretly retrofitted for war and embarked for Arcturia towards Baridabadi, where the settlers were reported to have been massacred, the goal of the embarkment being retaliation. Before the fleet could arrive and wage war, a large storm prevented them from making landfall and the ships were forced to land further north. The Vach'ari ships were dilapidated and beyond the scope of routine repairs, and as such were forced to establish themselves in the bay in which they made landfall. By 1395, the refuge for the Vach'ari guildmembers had been converted into the port city of Svelisi, near modern-day Saniagua on the Puntalian coast.

The Salovian p'anviri was crucial in the establishment of the empire's early overseas possessions.

The existence of Svelisi reached Salovia shortly after the settlement was established, and soon Salovians seeking adventure and wealth sailed in large numbers to the Puntalian coast. As the settlement grew into a more productive operation, Svelisi began exporting crops like the Puntalian wine palm, tsipri, and the Gronmund olive in an effort to amass wealth. The demand for these three crops increased rapidly overseas in Aurora, resulting in a need for a larger workforce. At first, Salovian settlers had been employed to make up for this, but Orev Posol, a young entrepreneur looking to expand business for the monarchy, introduced a number of schemes and enterprises to coerce, and oftentimes force, workers into moving to Puntalia. This increased his operation's wealth significantly, but the workforce was still too small to make up for the demand in Aurora. As a result, armed settlers of Svelisi took it upon themselves and conducted a series of raids on the Impelanzan populations native to the region to capture and enslave them into forced labor, at the chagrin of the Kingdom of Puntalia, the primary victim of these raids. A successor kingdom to the Impelanzan Empire, the Kingdom of Puntalia considered itself a "Guardian of Her Legacy," a Tunseist title meant to express the nation's prestige. These raids were seen as a blow to that reputation, and as such the Puntalian King sent an ultimatum to the Salovian monarchy, demanding a cease to the intrusive acts done by the settlers. The king at the time, Lerin XIX, refused to acquiesce to this demand, and as such amassed a bulk of the royal fleet to protect the colonial settlements. The fleet of Salovians were met with the militaries of Puntalia and Arsal (who came to the aid of the militarily weaker Puntalia) in 1402, which began a series of battles and sieges that have come to be known as the Salovian-Puntalian War. As the conflict wore on, it had morphed from a war of Salovia to conquer Puntalia into a war between Arsal and Salovia, as the land of Puntalia had soon become a warzone between the two larger powers. As a result of the war, the Puntalian kingdom fell into disarray and anarchy, becoming a shell of its former self. The militaries of Salovia and Arsal subsequently formed the basis of the kingdom's successor states. The war had cost both the Salovian and Arsalic militaries significantly, but Salovian King Lerin XIX refused to try for or accept peace with the Arsalic Commonwealth. However, this was quickly reversed in 1408 when Lerin XIX was usurped by Æris I, the first elven king since the Elven Age. In an attempt to consolidate power and return resources back to Salovia to protect his claim to the throne, Æris I offered Antares XI, the leader of the Arsalic Commonwealth at the time, a proposal to partition the remnants of the Puntalian kingdom into two new possessions held by Salovia to the east and Arsal to the west. Known as the Treaty of Nevez, it established a border between the two powers and also declared neither power would interfere in each other's affairs moving forward.

With much of Puntalia's territory, people, and resources secured through the Treaty of Nevez, Æris I, along with his Boliari, focused attention towards smaller possessions, ordering the Salovian navy to capture and conquer a series of islands between Puntalia and Tivot in an effort to secure a direct route into the core of Salovia. This route became the western backbone of Salovia's overseas infrastructure, connecting the nation to Borea and Yasteria through Puerto Florosa and Tortuga, two island colonies that would soon become the center of the Salovian slave network.

Salovian Slave Network

Main article: Slavery in Salovia

Engraving of a slave auction, also called a monauktsioni in Salovian.

As the demand for various luxury and exotic goods grew amongst the upper echelons of Salovian society, so did the need for a larger workforce. Efforts to use the recently-conquered Puntalian people had mixed success, with many having been sent to work crops in Tortuga and Puerto Florosa. The productivity of these islands was limited however, and soon the Boliari implored the Vach'ari Guild and other prospective enterprises to search for additional manpower to support this increased demand. The first of these efforts to have success was the Hertsogi of Puntalia (the monarch-appointed leader of the colony) meeting with the Tuvarian and Varatistani leaders, striking a deal to import prisoners of war from the Forty Years War in modern day Almodaria. Many of these war prisoners had fought on opposing sides, and were now suddenly forced to work alongside each other. Such a situation sparked infighting on the plantations themselves, eventually leading to more severe and strict oversight. The severity of treatment of these laborers would serve as a blueprint for future slaving operations.

Soon enough, much of Auroran society developed a desire for what would soon be referred to as the three C's: Cacao, Cannabis, and Coffee. These resource-intensive crops once again increased demand for a larger workforce and more land for that workforce to labor on, resulting in the Salovian monarchy to charter out the naval fleet in search of exploitable people and resources. One such charter consisted of Orev Posol and a diplomatic mission northwards to Borea's southern coastline, in particular where modern-day Nystatiszna presently exists. The southern coastal settlements of Borea soon proved to be a viable option through the common practice of kidnapping. Posol would soon move his sights to Musetiszna and the numerous Ulvrikian Jarls and Dutchies within East Borea, with particular attention given to the Duchy of Blåhamn. The Borean Deal of 1426 outlined a slaving agreement between the Salovian monarchy, the eastern Borean Jarls and Dutchies and Musetiszna.

The Vach'ari Guild also conducted its own operations to discover exploitable resources. Capitalizing on the diplomatic mission initiated by Orev Posol, the Guild chartered a twin fleet that followed the Posolic fleet up to the Halcyon Sea, where they stopped at Vistaraland. It is here that the Guild was informed of the Vistari colonies on Northeastern Gondwana, in particular Chibilaba. An agreement was reached between the Vach'ari Guild on behalf of Salovia with the Vistari Colonial Company to import Chibian Elves, especially the ones the Vistari government had deemed too troublesome to be profitable. These ones were sold into the Salovian network and sent to work in the colonies of Salovia. This agreement would be the first of many that would form the framework of the positive and cordial Salovian-Vistari relationship.

Closer to the homeland, the Vach'ari Guild invaded and conquered eastwards and northwards in the Cerenerian Ocean, primarily on the plethora of islands that can be found within it. One such campaign was the invasion of what would soon be known as the Archipelago of Avutili, where the native Lutrynes were conquered and enslaved, their native land becoming part of the Salovian slave network.

Additonally, and more significantly, was the purchase of the island of NEW NAME FOR ISLAND in modern day Jusdelva from neighboring power Kaltariezh. This acquisition proved to be one of the more productive portions of the Salovian slave network, as the relatively large size of the island provided more than enough arable land to cultivate for the various cash crops in demand. Its success as a slave colony would prove to be limited with the advent of Great Morstaybishlia in the coming decades. <WILL ADD MORE ABOUT THIS ISLAND AT A LATER DATE, BRAIN LOST POWER>

Neli Vardna

Involvement in the First Vistari-Commonwealth War

Provided limited military aid to Vistaraland during this war. Didn't pan out so well though rip

Siege of Puntalia

Kormistazm conducts a campaign starting in 1576 to conquer Puntalia, a major economic blow to Salovia.

Reconquest of Puntalia

With the collapse of the Lousquarii Empire around 1584, Salovia capitalizes and retakes the colony.

Third Succession Crisis

King Ivan VI mysteriously disappears. Having not provided an heir apparent, Salovia falls into its third succession crisis, with Nikoloz the Terror taking the throne.

Posolic Wars

See also: Posolic Wars

Portrait of Vakhudan Posol

Era of Unrest

Depiction of republican protestors fleeing law enforcement, c. 1790

Period of uncertain times for Salovia under King Yurev VI. The Boliari is not interested in keeping him in power, and the people are calling for representation through a democratic government. Some huge life-altering nationwide event or action happens that catalyzes this change, with a "peaceful" transition of power from the Grand Monarchy to the Grand Republic.

The Grand Republic

See Also: List of Chancellors of Salovia

Greatest Colonial Extent of Salovia in 1913

The Era of Unrest came to a close, with the Grand Republic of Salovia being accepted nationally and internationally as the new government of the region. The first Chancellor of this new republic was Mikhail Karanovi, who would go down in history as among the greatest and most influential leaders of Salovia. Along with his successor Orev Saloko, both kept the diverse peoples and regions of the nation united, succeeding in repairing the infrastructure and economy, and kept the public's faith in their leadership and government. Under Karanovi and Saloko, Salovia entered into a short and controversial period of colonialism, invading and conquering territories found in nations spread throughout Urth, primarily in Gondwana and Arcturia.

New Colonialism and Advent of Privateering

K'undzeti from 1731-1841

K'argadisi from Sayyed in 1840's until 1992 when Sayyed yoinked it back

Ayaupia in 1840-1880, Komertsiya Port from 1840-1992 (part of Tuvaltastan from 1992-2020, part of Ayaupia since 2020)

K'argadisi in 1842-1992, retaken by Sayyed upon the collapse of Salovia in 1992

Puntalia returned to Salovian hands from Morstaybishlia in 1917, until gaining independence in 1949

Didi Zghvis K'edeli in 1698-1992 (now part of Tuvaltastan)

The Great War

(See also: The Great War)

Auroran Imperial War

(See also: Auroran Imperial War)

Salovian Civil War

Salovia prior to the Civil War

Main article: Salovian Civil War

The Salovian Civil War was by far the most devastating war in Salovian history, and one of the deadliest civil wars in world history. Killing tens of millions of people through both direct and indirect means, the war resulted from a growing hostility by the non-Biramuran polties towards the two Biramuran polities, who gained disproportionate representation in the Salovian government due to the Biramuran Annexation Deal of 1816. Biramurans had held a majority in both the upper and lower houses of legislature since the 1950's, and systematically passed legislature that would slowly maximize Biramuran influence and minimize the influence of other polities in elections and in legislature. Following numerous protests, marches and riots, most notably the 1957 March for Equality, the 1966 Nal'Chik and Shagonar Riots, and the 1976 Protests in Akhalibisi, the polity of Volova, backed by Tuva, Alta and Nilovia, began the civil war by attacking Biramura in the Battle of Irkutsk, officially starting the war in 1985. It would be another two decades, and numerous battles, airstrikes, and deaths until the war would officially end in 2005 with the signing of the Treaty of Astravili.

Politics

Under the Monarchy

From its founding in 135 until the dissolution of the monarchy in 1795, Salovia operated under the framework of a hierarchical absolute monarchy, with the reigning King or Queen at the time having total control over the goings-on of the nation, with more minor day-to-day events handled at the respective lower ranks. The hierarchy of the monarchy was inspired by the one under the Kingdom of Suvol, wherein the monarch would oversee a council made up of the highest local authorities within the nation, including city mayors, provincial governors, military generals, and, later in the monarchy's existence, company executives.

The Salovian hierarchy, for most of its existence, followed the rank structure below:

• King/Queen (Occasionally Emperor)
• Prince/Princess
• Boliari
• Duke/Duchess
• Governor/Governess
• Mayor

As was common among similar monarchies, a complex political structure formed among those below the reigning monarch, with those in the Royal Family placed at a higher political status than those not within the family. The highest non-familial position is known as the Boliari. It was a collection of between 50 and 100 individuals, the number of which wholly dependent on the reigning monarch, made up of mostly religious and high-ranking politicians specifically chosen by the king or queen. The Boliari were typically a first among equals position, and served as a counsel to the monarch in times of decision making. Throughout the nation's history as a monarchy, a number of other individuals would be appointed into the Boliari, including military generals and company executives.

Under the Grand Republic

See also: List of Chancellors of Salovia

The politics of Salovia under the Grand Republic took place under the framework of a federal presidential-parliamentary republic. There existed two primary heads of state and government, those being the Chancellor and the Grand Minister. The Chancellor's primary duties were the appointing of the Grand Executive Council (excluding the Grand Minister, who was elected by the Zedakhli and approved by the Grand Judiciary), the appointment of Grand Judges to the Grand Judiciary, and the ability to veto and approve legislation. The Grand Minister's duties consisted of oversight of the Zedakhli, notably in regards to sending legislation to the Chancellor for approval or veto; serving as the administrative head of the Grand Executive Council; and served as the acting Chancellor in the event of the Chancellor's inability to perform their duty.

Government

(OOC: Due for a rework) The Salovian system of government, prior to its dissolution as a result of the Civil War, was the oldest continuously used republican system on Aurora, and is divided into three branches: Legislative, Executive, and Judicial. The unicameral legislature, the Zedakhli, oversaw the process of enacting and voting on proposed legislation and the appointing of the Grand Minister to the Grand Executive Council. The executive branch consisted of two primary bodies and one lesser body: the Chancellery and the Grand Executive Council (also called the Didi Sabch’o) as the primary bodies and the Council of Governors as the lesser body; the Chancellor would be in charge of general oversight of his policy and delegated that policy to the Council and the Departmental Officers. As head of the Council, the Grand Minister had the capability of challenging policy in some cases and with probable reason. The Council of Governor's primary duty was to serve as the tiebreaking vote for Chancellor, should there be a candidate who does not receive a majority of votes. The Judiciary, the Mmsjelobebi, debated and decided on the constitutionality of decisions made by the other two branches, and were appointed by the Chancellor and approved by the Zedakhli.

The position of Grand Minister serves as the individual in charge of day-to-day governmental operations, and the position belongs to the individual whosoever the Zedakhli elects to the office. The Grand Minister would be the leader of the political party (or coalition of parties) that holds the most seats in the Zedakhli. Per the Consitution, the Grand Minister's primary duty was as a "balancer to the Chancellor, to keep in check the natural bias towards one's own interests," but in most cases the Minister would by courtesy keep the use of this power to a minimum when in the same party or coalition of parties as the Chancellor.

The federal government was centralized in the capital, initially located in Akhalibisi, shortly resituated within Chita, but as a result of legislation was later moved back to Akhalibisi. Utilizing a bureaucratic structure expedited the discussion and passing of legislature concerning nation-wide issues, including healthcare, education, defense, land rights, taxation, and trade. Throughout its history, there existed within Salovia a number of provinces and autonomous protectorates that would fluxuate the number of Governors in charge of those states, which greatly affected the size of the Council of Governors.

Political Parties

The Unity in Salovia Party, the Conservative Party of Salovia, and the Social Democracy Party of Salovia were the three primary parties of Salovia, with only one other party, the Glorious Salovia Party, having one member elected out of the sixteen chancellors. No other parties have garnered enough votes to constitute any considerable coalition within the Zedakhli outside of the three primary parties.

Economy

The Salovian region consisting of large deposits of minerals, gems, and metals allows for a significant natural resource exportation economy. The continental region of Salovia contains various deposits of iron, bauxite, gold, and silver deposits, with notable deposits of rare earth minerals, including platinum, yttrium, palladium, and cerium. Precious and semi precious gems like diamond, ruby, sapphire, peridot, and emerald can be found in small deposits in the Kalivians, the Great East Divide, and the Tervil mountains. Oil and natural gas deposits are largely located within the vast Great Auroran Desert, and contain one of the largest natural deposits of oil on Aurora.

Culture

Cuisine

The cuisine of Salovia is deeply tied to the eastern Auroran environments, from the central deserts and the lush southern plains of Lovia, to the northern savannahs of Suvol. The locations in which the Salovian people colonized also had significant influence on what Salovian cuisine entailed, adopting cuisines ranging from Puntalia and Tortuga to Sayyed and Ayaupia.

One common tea consumed by Salovians is mtis chai, or mountain tea.

A dessert known as the donat'i, or donut in Staynish, was originally invented as a concession sold and distributed at Donat'i sport events.

Holidays

Nationally-Observed

Holidays celebrated in Salovia

Date	Holiday	Remarks
January 1	New Year's Day	Celebrates beginning of the Common Era calendar year. Festivities include counting down to midnight (called atvla) and drinking a glass of absinthe frappé to bring in the new year. It is common for Salovians to emphasize the number twelve, be it through the lighting of twelve candles, serving of twelve meals, and so on. It is thought that it will bring good tidings if the number twelve is made a significant part of the first day of the year.
March 20/21	Sulis Dghe	Soul Day in Staynish/Codexian; Sulis Dghe is a celebration occurring on the autumn equinox, where those that have passed away are honored, as well as the Courier of Souls, K'urieri. Food items and items of sentimental value are typically brought to the graves of loved ones, and scented candles are lit surrounding their graves.
Seven days after autumn equinox	Akhlo K'vira	Called the Autumn Fair in Staynish (Fall Festival in Codexian), the week-long festivities center around the traditional bartering event called Gatsvlis Dghe (Trade Day in Staynish and Codexian), wherein farmers and herders from across Salovia would conduct their business on purchasing or trading livestock, from cattle to sheep and chickens. The event is believed to stem from Salovian and Ethalrian farmers centuries ago meeting up to exchange and purchase livestock in preparation for the winters of Aurora. Over time, the event had evolved to include other events, like the now-annual Sasmelis K’onk’ursi drinking fest, the various competitions that take place during the seven-day holiday, and more notably the Khermali Hot Air Balloon Race.
June 20-26	Verk'vira	Week of Ver in Staynish/Codexian; Verk'vira is a weeklong celebration following the summer solstice dedicated to both the God of Creation, Ver, and the floods of the Khermali river. The celebration begins on the day of the summer solstice and when the sun reaches solar noon.
September 21/22	Q’vela Dghe	All Day in Staynish/Codexian; Commemorates the spring equinox yearly, and is a day to celebrate "all of creation," a virtue stemming from Verk'ohist teachings. It is often celebrated by choosing an event or activity that an individual has on their sup’i survili, or "bucket list" in Staynish/Codexian.
June 21/22	Zamtris T'algha	Translated to Winter's Tide in Codexian and Staynish; The holiday has been celebrated in Salovia for the better part of three millennia, with the first instance of a winter solstice celebration found in a stone relief located in Chita, where it describes the holiday as it was celebrated during the reign of Rulik I, who ruled the Nobility of Er.

Sports

Donat'i, or in Stay ish, Tug of Loop, is a sport in a similar strain as Tug of War, but rather than a rope a hoop typically made of stained and smoothed mahogany. A hooked tool, known as a chamk'et'i is utilized by each team, with the goal of pulling the hoop out of the opponent's own chamk'et'i.

Notes

	Salovia
Main article: Salovia
Important Topics: Culture ♦ Salovian ♦ Verk'ohism ♦ Kirib ♦ Salovian Monarchs ♦ Salovian Chancellors
Nations: Tivot ♦ Biramura ♦ Volova ♦ Nolova ♦ Tuvaltastan ♦ Nilovia ♦ Oscrelia ♦ Tarelia
History: Kingdom of Suvol ♦ Suvolic Empire ♦ Salovian Golden Age ♦ Elven Kings ♦ Salovian Colonialism ♦ Salovian Civil War
Important Figures (Past and Present): Rorik the Conqueror ♦ Beatrice the Grand ♦ Æris the Elven Usurper ♦ Rorin the Terror ♦ Mikhail Karanovi ♦ Rorik Posol ♦ Vakhudan Posol ♦ Lady Posol ♦ Lara Tarasovna ♦ Alyona Petrovavich