By Remy Renat, Rank 2 Lorekeeper of Falorum's Imperial History Guild. Year 1560 FD.

The Kingdom of Farkas sits at an interesting place on the map, as it is a large crossroads for languages, cultures, and political influences. This has led to a peculiar history of war and peace, strife and unification, ultimately (at least, to this day) resulting in its incorporation into the great Empire of Falorum. While today its subjects are almost unanimously proud and loyal members of the great empire, views toward the Falorian imperials were not always so favorable. There was a time a little over a century ago in which a great war took place over the Flowing Throne of Farkas that would decide not just the kingdom's fate, but the fate of squabbling superpowers, for years to come.

Farkas itself is a country dominated mainly by rivers, marshes, and hills, with humid summers and dry winters. It sits in the fertile valley lands east of the White Spine and west of the Shattered Sea. Until very recently, to speak of Farkas's culture as if it were just one entity would be terribly remiss. The various geographic features that crisscross the land once served as very definite borders for dozens of independent counties, duchies, city states, and so on, much like the Wild Hill Country is today. It was not until the year 1368 that Farkas even became a kingdom, and even then it was much different politically than it is today.

But this history begins even before that, and greatly involves numerous power struggles, both external and internal. For many years leading up to Farkas' unification, the expanding powers of the region, Bellica and Falorum, both set their eyes on the lands. It was – and remains – an important strategic location, opening up trade routes and allowing for influence in the regions of Teljero and the Inland Seas. Both Bellica and Falorum had their own various reasons for coveting the lands, but it can perhaps be summed up thus: Bellica saw Farkas as a region that could open up and expand its rapidly growing maritime empire into the Shattered Sea and beyond, and Falorum saw Farkas as a buffer between Bellica and its holdings in the Dales. As any Falorian knows, Bellicatians are not to be trusted. As today, Bellica back then sought only to expand in some feeble attempt to compete with the glory of our great land.

It is undeniable that both empires had begun actively exerting their influence on the region by the 1300s. Back then, the most important powers in the region were perhaps the Duchy of Lekenik, the Duchy of Lurico, the Marquisate of Suza, and the Republic city-state of Alara. Lekenik was quite important due to its control of the city of Oldbridge, which was a major stop along the Trail of Gold for merchant caravans heading between the East and both Falorum and Bellica. Lurico was one of the most important military powers in the western Shattered Sea, and its ruling family had ties with and influence over the noble families of many nearby states. The Marquis of Suza, due to many generations of politicking and face-building, had strong political and economic ties with every single independent state in the valley. Alara was a religious center in the region, being home to the influential Mondish Exarch of Alara, and was also the only state therein that was not ruled by an autocratic lord.

It was known to many important powers what was going on at this point. Bellica had increased its naval presence in the waters near Lurico and had sent many diplomats to Lurico and Suza. Meanwhile, Falorum, wishing to be able to create a naval presence in the region, also sent diplomats to Lurico. From year 1313 onward, with the birth of the twin prince-and-princess Marius and Clio, Emperor Auguste IX of Falorum himself invited many Farkasian lords to his court in Carlen, presumably in an effort to improve ties and arrange political marriages for his grandchildren. Still more, many of the Exarchs of the Church from both empires began to squabble within and across borders about the region of Alara and its significance politically.

Year 1330 is when steel began to strike flint. A busy year indeed, it saw the election of Exarch Danil Manta of Alara to the highest position of Triarch, the marriage of Imperial Princess Clio of Falorum to the Duke of Lekenik, and the marriage of Imperial Prince Marius of Falorum to Lucija, the daughter and eldest child of the marquis of Suza. A year later in 1331, perhaps in retaliation, Trade Princess Gracia Portens Maronia of Bellica, heiress to the Portens Electorate, one of the most important noble families in the nation, married Adamo di Luricandio, son and heir to the Duke of Lurico.

As Triarch, Exarch Manta was quite popular in contrast to his predecessor, whose corruption and extortionist tendencies had been well known. Manta pushed for and initiated reforms that allowed more economic freedom to lower classes and residents outside the city proper, making him quite popular with them. He also performed his Triarchal duties beyond the common comfortable boundaries the political class had unofficially set up for themselves, causing the masses to see him as “someone who gets things done.”

Unfortunately for Manta, being so popular with the masses made him enemies among political rivals and peers. Moreover, being a clergyman complicated matters regarding his religious obligations, and the Mondish clergy from Falorum and Bellica both began to pressure his decisions to favor one nation over the other. At the time, this pressure was not seen by the ordinary people, but was very real in the upper echelons.

Meanwhile, in 1333, Gracia Portens Maronia gave birth to a son, Giosue. Later that year, the untimely death of the Duke of Lurico (some allege assassination by poison!) caused Adamo di Luricandio to become duke and Maronia to become duchess. Imperial Princess Clio, now duchess of Lekenik, also gave birth this year, to a daughter, Amelie. Toward the end of 1333, the new Lord-Elector Gaius Doralius Rubicus of Bellica married Ema, the second daughter of the Marquis of Suza. This meant that the Marquisate of Suza was bound by blood to both Falorum (through the first daughter) and Bellica (through the second daughter).

After quite some time as guests in the Imperial Court of Falorum, many of the Farkasian lords became enamored with, or at least interested in, the Falorian culture. As many know, Falorian culture has always been intricate, vast, and delightful. Some lords, inspired by Falorum, wished to create a sophisticated and unified state, while others expressed interest in outright joining the Empire.

In an effort to subvert this cause and to further Bellica's greedy claims, Maronia used her husband's influence to sway various estates away from joining Falorum directly, and even promoted the idea of Farkasians joining Bellica. Simultaneous to that, in an effort to promote Farkasian unity, the Marquis of Suza founded the Council of the Lords of Farkas in 1335. Many lords were pro-unity due to growing threats and tensions, and so met together in Splosia various times over the next few years. They did not wish to go to war with their neighboring estates, let alone an empire like Bellica or even Falorum! However, it was fairly undecided as to how they would unify, under what banner, and under what person or creed. In addition to that, many lords were wary of allowing other powers to exercise direct control over them.

Meanwhile, also in year 1335, the people of Alara were so impressed with Manta as Triarch and so fed up with the other politicians in the city that they nearly unanimously elected him to replace both the Triarch that was up for election and the two Counselors. Now Manta held two of the three Triarch positions, as well as two of the twenty-six positions of legislation. This kept happening for many years until Manta was effectively in sole control of the city.

The coming decade saw shifting loyalties and growing tensions across the region. All the while, however, leaders met at the Council of Lords, trying to hash out accords and deals. A treaty was ratified by most of the estates that disallowed any treaty member from joining either Bellica or Falorum.

Then, in 1346 FD, Duke Adamo of Lurico met an end while sailing home from the mainland. Official reports say his ship was beset by a terrible storm, but others claim foul play by Bellica. Whatever the case, his title and power passed to his adolescent son, Giosue, who was young and very loyal to his mother. This essentially put Lurico directly under Bellicatian control, as it was now solely ruled by Maronia's successor.

By this time, Manta was quite wary of political opponents and outside influences. He staunchly stood for what was best for the people of Alara, but found it difficult to resist the political assaults from both inside the city and abroad. That same year, the people of Alara expressed that they wished to elect Exarch Manta king. Due to Manta being a clergyman, he was not allowed to become a king according to the precepts of Mondish theological law. Instead, they made him a Duke and declared themselves the Duchy of Alara. It is worth saying that all this while, there were very many pro-Bellica plants among the political class of Alara who attempted to raise support and overthrow any ideas of independence.

Then, in 1351, by all accounts, Manta died peacefully at the age of 77. His being a celibate clergyman with no direct heirs, however, meant that his title was a bit up for grabs. The Church first tried to seize it, claiming it was intrinsically linked with his office of Exarch. While the people of Alara were quite religious, counting dozens of past saints among their own, this attempt was harshly criticized and rebuffed. The coronet of duke passed by hereditary tradition to Manta's nephew.

It is worth noting that around this time, Duke Giosue of Lurico, son of Maronia of Bellica, met Amelie of Lekenik, daughter of Imperial Princess Clio of Falorum at a ball in Splosia. They fell helplessly in love, which would later come to test the influence Maronia had over her son. Upon Giosue opening his feelings up to his mother, she forbade him from seeing her, afraid that the Falorian Imperial Throne might use Amelie as a channel through which they might control regional politics. However, this did not stop Giosue's and Amelie's copious and passionate secret correspondences.

It was at this point that Bellica's spies and turncoats showed their mettle. Manta's nephew, Boris Manta, was offered power by the Bellicatians in return for loyalty. Boris Manta, in 1352, declared that the Duchy of Alara would officially join the Empire of Bellica as the Electorate-Duchy of Alara, making his hereditary position the newest Elector position in Bellica. This was technically legal, because Alara had been absent from the Council of the Lords and did not sign the treaty forbidding such a thing. However, the people of Alara were fiercely independent, and were livid. They immediately deposed Boris Manta as duke, putting his pro-independence son, Davod Vaskut-Manta, in charge. Although Vaskut-Manta did not officially separate from Bellica, he operated very shrewdly and was able to keep his duchy neutral in the eyes of his peers in the region as well has his people. Vaskut-Manta saw value in his position as a Bellicatian elector, and decided to use it to favor his estate.

Also in 1352, various other minor estates broke their treaty agreements to join Bellica in a region-wide coup of sorts. Backed by Falorum, the Marquis of Suza and his allies decided that in order to keep these estates in line, they ought to declare war and regain the territory for the good of Farkas. Battles broke out throughout the region.

In 1353, the Marquis of Suza died, and for a brief moment the hope of some had gone out. He had been a brave and wise leader, calming tensions and bringing lords together, only to die a year after war broke out. However, his son (and third child) Valerian inherited his position and performed excellently. Valerian himself had been assuming more and more of his father's duties in the years leading up to this point, as the old Marquis had been growing more frail with age.

Valerian proved to be a masterful tactician and highly skilled warrior, earning a string of decisive victories against the pro-Bellica estates shortly after his accession, culminating with the capture of Castle Nocturne from the defeated Viscount of Marr in 1354.

Around this time, Bellica ordered the duke-elector of its “new territory” Alara to contribute his military to the scattered campaign in Farkas. In response, the duke claimed that the entirety of his military force was actively engaged in defending Alara's borders from all sides. In actuality, this was technically true. Vaskut-Manta had a few years earlier disbanded most of his standing army and instructed them to reform into militias, technically in control of the people (although under his de facto command). The troops that remained under Vaskut-Manta's direct control were just enough to pepper along the border. In truth, Alara's neighbors understood its situation and had an understanding that they would not fight.

Similarly to Alara, the Duke of Lurico was ordered to send his naval forces to aid the empire's cause. Maronia urged her son to comply, but he knew that his sweetheart Imperial Princess Amelie was on the other side of the conflict and would not want him to fight. This began a legal struggle among the trade princes of Bellica about what to do with a non-compliant vassal. Being Duke of Lurico, Giosue and his heirs had legitimate power over his own people, but the Trade Princes did not want to risk losing such a strongly positioned asset and territory. These machinations would continue for years.

In 1355, Maronia attempted to have her son sent to Ardina to prevent him from influencing her own operations. The lords of Lurico, now firmly in the Bellicatians' pocket due to bribery or trickery or some other terrible thing, generally agreed with her. Giosue, not wishing to acquiesce in the least, escaped his fate and instead made for Oldbridge in Lekenik to meet with his beloved Amelie.

Giosue finally found himself in Oldbridge later that year, united with Amelie, whose parents were initially disapproving. Giosue and a small coterie of loyalist subjects and servants foreswore any fealty to Bellica and vowed to join the fight against them. Word of this had reached the Trade Princes and the Electors by 1356, and they finally agreed that they would annex and abolish the Duchy of Lurico, making the island of Lurico an official colony of the Empire of Bellica. However, it should be noted that even to this day, the Duke of Lurico is recognized as a legitimate title in the international peerage, even by Bellica. This complicates matters, as the duke claims historic land that is understood to be legitimately his claim, yet he is not allowed to rule it.

By 1357, after many more victories for Farkas led by Valerian of Suza, Bellica found itself unable to find any more traction in the region. Eventually an armistice was made and a peace treaty between Bellica and the estates of Farkas was signed. The only territories Bellica had claim to in the region by now were Lurico and Alara. Moreover, none of the remaining leaders in Farkas supported pro-Bellica attitudes. On the other hand, some of the lords of Farkas, especially Valerian, found themselves in possession of large swathes of new land.

In the decade that followed, Duke Giosue of Lurico and Amelie of Lekenik married and had three children. Valerian of Souza worked with the other lords to rebuild and fortify Farkas's infrastructure. The lords grew increasingly dependent on the very wealthy pro-Falorum southern estates for assistance, particularly the duchy of Lekenik. This perhaps led to an even greater boost of already strong Falorian influence in the region. Nevertheless, by 1368, many of the lords of Farkas greatly respected and deferred to Lord Valerian, and at the Council of the Lords of Farkas in the spring of 1368, they swore fealty to him and proclaimed him King of Farkas.

He was officially crowned Valerian I in the Temple of Valderin and Meshedra in Splosia in the autumn of that same year, officially marking the beginning of the kingdom. The Farkas of Valerian I's coronation, however, was a little over half the size of what it is now. During the 28 years of King Valerian I's reign, the Kingdom of Farkas prospered. More and more lords swore their loyalties to the king as the years went on until Farkas held about the same territory as today.

Noteworthy in the region during this period: in 1387, after the death of and heirless Duke-Elector Vaskut-Manta of Alara, the title passed to his second cousin, Gaspacien Manta, a Falorian Knight of the Order of Glenwood who was fiercely loyal to Emperor Edouin V. Gaspacien promptly declared Alara's allegiance to Falorum, which by this point was met with relatively little criticism from the people of Alara, given how they survived being Bellicatian, despite not really being Bellicatian. Falorian sentiment was also increasing in the region. When Alara joined Falorum, Edouin V bestowed upon it the title of Principality and promoted Duke-Elector Gaspacien to Prince-Elector Gaspacien. Another interesting political note: due to the nature of the title created, Duke-Elector of Alara is a title and position recognized still today by Bellica (although Prince-Elector of Alara is not, despite it being recognized as a principality). Although bitter rivals throughout history, Bellica and Falorum have some amount of crossover in nobility which remains amusing.

King Valerian I of Farkas died peacefully in the autumn of 1396, on the celebration day of his coronation. He was commended to the gods and interred in the Temple of Valderin and Meshedra where his tomb remains to this day.

The next few decades saw two more King Valerians of Farkas whose reigns were relatively peaceful and prosperous. The people of Farkas, although of different regions and cultures, began to feel a unified identity, and took much pride in it. Relations with surrounding states grew, although the struggles with Bellica were not easily forgotten.

Finally, the threads came unraveled in 1441 when Valerian III died with no known heirs and no known living direct relatives. Valerian III's steward, Tacitens Grabov, was appointed to serve as regent until a suitable heir might be found.

Various scribes who were learned in the law traced the lineage back generations in search of a suitable heir to pass the kingdom. However, the laws of Farkas were, at the time, somewhat ambiguous on the matter. It is known that Falorum's kingdoms have different succession laws even amongst themselves, but in the Marquisate of Suza (the ancestral lands of the kings of Farkas), succession was patrilineal. Although many claimed the throne, two pretenders gained the most support. This support was mainly won through politicking and campaigning, rather than true moral uprightness of belief.

Nonetheless, those who gained the support were two of Valerian III's relatives by his great-grandfather's succession. Valerian III's great-grandfather had two daughters before having a son, but because of succession laws, his son inherited his title and prestige, despite being his youngest child, later becoming King Valerian I of Farkas. Although the Marquisate of Suza had, the Kingdom of Farkas had no such patrilineal laws written at the time of Valerian III's passing.

These daughters of the Marquis of Suza, however, married men of noble birth and had lines that still thrived. In fact, the first daughter, Lucija of Suza, married Imperial Prince Marius of Falorum, later becoming Empress Consort Lucie of Falorum, wife of Emperor Edouin V (Marius' Imperial Name). Emperor Edouin V's successor, Empress Catérinne IV, was the first claimant of the Flowing Throne and the Crown of Farkas. The second daughter of the Marquis, Ema, married Lord-Elector Gaius Doralius Rubicus of Bellica, whose grandson, Lord-Elector Restilius Doralius Belens, was the second claimant of Valerian III's Flowing Throne and royal title.

The arguments were clear: Falorum believed that due to Empress Catérinne's being both Valerian III's oldest living relative and the descendent of the closest, highest traceable line in his family, she was entitled to the throne. On the other hand, Bellica presented that Belens was male and therefore the closest living relative in the patrilineal succession, which it argued was the true law of Farkasian succession, due to it having been the law of succession in Suza.

Heated debate boiled for a year with no monarch. Tacitens Grabov, now in control of Farkas's military, prepared for potential conflict. Many of the lords of Farkas's Council supported one or the other, but support was not unanimous, and certainly not strong enough for either candidate to be warranted a proper selection.

In 1442, a young man named Ioann, of age just that year, came before the Council claiming to be the bastard son of Valerian III by his mother Branka of Zegar. It was rumored for many years among the royal servants that Valerian III had had relations with some among them, and it was no secret that he favored Branka, who was a maid who kept his bedchamber. It was also known that Branka had nursed a fatherless child, and Ioann's likeness to Valerian was unmistakable. More evidence for Ioann's relation were trinkets gifted to his mother by Valerian, as well as witnesses to corroborate that the king had indeed had relations with some of his servants.

Both Empress Catérinne and Belens rejected his claims, saying that Valerian himself did not declare he had a child or an heir, and therefore Ioann's claim was not provable. On the other hand, the Council of lords generally favored Ioann's claim, but not enough for them to be swayed entirely on the matter.

Then, in an effort to coerce Farkas, Belens ordered his own navy to blockade many of Farkas's major ports. Belens knew, however, that his own navy would not be enough. He was merely a Lord-Elector in charge of his own estate, but due to his position, his international affairs were Bellica's international affairs. Because of this, he garnered internal support from the Trade Princes, and mobilized the Bellicatian military toward its southern borders and the waters around Lurico, ready to strike. Many of Farkas's lords became fearful, and some began to support Belens's claim to the Crown only to placate Bellica's wrath.

At the same time, in 1442, Empress Catérinne bolstered her own forces in Siliere along the borders of Bellica. The Lords in Farkas, unable to come to a consensus on the law due to the outside pressures and ambiguity of the situation, hastily endowed higher authority on Grabov, promoting him to Regent-Protector, giving him nearly all the authority of the king. Grabov then chose Ioann as Valerian's rightful successor, and announced he ought to be crowned within a year.

The Empress and Trade Princes continued to speak out against such a decision, crying that it was done under questionable circumstances, and that Grabov had usurped power. Bellica struck first, moving in to assault Farkas's naval holdings and gain control of its major ports. Belens's own fleet was successfully able to occupy the island-county of Luricito, incorporating it into Lurico. Additionally, the Bellicatian ground forces began a campaign-march toward Farkas's capital through the north-west of the kingdom.

Bellica's forces on both land and sea began to skirmish with Farkas's many lords. Although Bellica's navy completely dominated the seas, its army was not as powerful on land. Due to Farkas's marshy and riverland terrain, the Bellicatian forces had difficulty penetrating deep into the kingdom.

In the interest of preventing the Bellicatians from illegally and unfairly gaining control over Farkas, Empress Catérinne's forces began a counterattack in 1443. Falorian troops marched over The White Spine and into the valleys of Farkas where Bellicatian troops had been known to raid, pillage, and skirmish.

Many small-scale skirmishes took place between the Bellicatians, Falorians, and Farkasians over the next year, all vying for occupation of the western estates of Farkas. Due to these conflicts, Ioann's planned coronation was delayed. Ioann himself became somewhat of a figure of Farkasian independence, and his kingdom's people rallied behind him. Although Grabov was officially in command of Farkas's military forces, Ioann was painted by the Council to be a hero of the war, despite his only having been an observer of some battles.

By 1444, the vanguard Bellicatian army had nearly reached the Farkasian capital of Splosia, but they were cut off from their reinforcements by Falorum's Imperial troops, led by the Knights of Glenwood, of Most Valorous Order. Because of this, General Sir Jean Rineire, Field Marshal of the Knights, communicated with the Farkasian troops stationed in the capital and in nearby estates, and allowed them to surround and battle the weakened vanguard. While the Farkasian troops were in battle with Bellica, Rineire took his Elite Knights to occupy Splosia for the Glory of the Empire. Rineire then sent his lieutenant, Sir Filipe Valois, north with a large detachment to rout the remaining Bellicatians. Meanwhile, Sir Rineire met with Ioann, son of Branka. Although Rineire's troops occupied the city, he convinced the Farkasian lords that Falorum would protect its laws from foreign threats. Days later, Rineire saved Ioann's life from an attempt by Bellicatian assassins, capturing the assassin and revealing his intentions and Bellicatian loyalties.

A month after, at a decisive victory for both Falorum and Farkas at the Battle of Dragonsbreath Springs, the Bellicatian forces were routed and forced to retreat to their own lands. Sir Valois, leader of the forces in the north, began to entreat with Bellicatian diplomats on behalf of his Empress and on behalf of the Farkasians. He threatened that Falorum's ground forces in Siliere, which numbered far greater than had been seen in Farkas, would march upon Bellica's lands until Bellica removed its fleets from Farkasian waters. The Trade Princes acquiesced, but kept Luricito as part of their territory, which to this day is disputed by many.

Later that year, Empress Catérinne herself traveled to Splosia and met Ioann. After careful and wise study and interview, she approved his claim to Farkas's throne and relinquished her own desires to become queen, probably after negotiating with Ioann and the Lords that they would join her empire (although this has not been proven).

So, in 1445, Ioann, son of Valerian III and Branka of Zegar, acceded to the Flowing Throne and became King of Farkas. Two years later, in 1447, King Ioann I of Farkas and the Council of the Lords of Farkas all swore fealty to Empress Catérinne of Falorum, officially initiating Farkas into the Empire of Falorum as its seventh kingdom.

It is easy to see how powerful an impact the creation of the kingdom of Farkas and its later incorporation into the Empire of Falorum had on the politics of the region. Bellica, whose wicked tendrils attempt to take root across the lands and seas, was unable to claim the region, and therefore could not rapidly expand its power into the Shattered Sea. On the converse, Farkas has opened up the Empire of Falorum to the Inland Seas, an incredibly valuable strategic luxury it had not been afforded before. In years to come, this may allow Falorum to protect its allies and interests more readily and handily from the Bellicatian menace in waters Bellica has traditionally dominated.

Time has yet to tell how great an impact these events may have, but it is certain that Farkas will be a loyal member of the Empire for generations to come.