Nation of Zell

Overview

Fueled by a perceived destiny of reconstitution, Zell seeks to return to the glory of the old Clovian Republic. However, they are the heirs to the Republic in name alone. Zell’s centuries-long march of War has left many enemies in its wake. But what is not often recognized is Zell’s improvements that it makes to regions around it. After the fall of Clover, it was Zell who reestablished government and law across Ramesh. And while yes, Zell is a military machine, the nation itself is non-aggressive in areas that it has added into its empire. This leads to a fascinating cognitive dissonance. Zell’s actions have led to the death of thousands and yet for many they are as benevolent a leadership as one could ask for on the continent of Ramesh.

Conquest

After his declaration of war, Zell turned his sight on Clover. With the united army of Bospora and Ortus, Zell attacked. After a bloody siege, Clover fell. However, once Clover fell, Zell received word that his previous city of Ortus had fallen to an army from Caer Eyrx. Instead of marching back to Ortus, Zell led the elite cavalry from Bospora on a lightning raid to Eyrx. Once there, Zell snuck inside the city and threw open the main gate. Cavalry rushed into the city with Zell leading the charge. They slew the Baron of Eyrx and added it to the new empire. Zell finished conquering Caer Ultus in 36 AR and Eastern Bospora in 38 AR. From there, all resistance was crushed in Caer Minimus by 44 AR. From there Zell swept northward into Gortal. Most of the region fell by 49 AR except the orc city of Patience. The city stood against Zell for almost two-hundred years before falling in 227 AR. It was burned, rebuilt, and renamed Havell in honor of the general who eventually captured the city. Trajana Major was the next to be conquered. However, after years of watching their neighbors fall to Zell, the region was prepared. Fighting began in 52 AR. It would be almost another eighty years before Trajana Major entered the empire fully in 131 AR.Trajana Minor proved to be an easier conquest. The orc city of Courage sent envoys to Clover.They offered the empire a deal. Courage would keep its independence in exchange for an annual tithe to Zell. Still in the midst of conquering Patience, Zell agreed to these terms. In addition, the city of Senexil freely joined Zell. It being the largest city and strongest military in the region, itonly took three short years before Trajana Minor was captured. In 136 AR Zell moved into the mostly empty region of Doz. Minimal resistance was put forth by the locals and the entire region was captured within a year. However, it was here that Zell was met by the Barrow River. A river crossing was deemed to be too costly so Zell refocused its efforts West. The empire had been slowly seizing Western Bospora for a century. A meager army chipped away at each successive city state. Yet, once the full might of Zell entered the fray in 140 AR, progress began to increase. The powerful city of Laurel surrendered to Zell in 143 AR and was allowed to keep a limited degree of independence. Armies swept northward after this. For two decades, Zell continued to conquer Western Bospora until it arrived at Beacon. The great city of Beacon had high walls, a powerful army, and huge reserves of high magic users. In 166 AR, Zell began their siege. It would continue until 171 AR when Beacon finally surrendered. This was a day of glorious celebration in Zell. Now the empire turned its attention to the Dorcha Wastes and the city of Nerdica. Such a plan had never been under the control of civilization since the days of Caerwyn and the first Dorcha Arex. Determined to take the wastes, Zell’s generals moved into the abyssal hellscape. More thana century passed with only limited progress. In 282 AR, another Dorcha Arex rose. Their power drove Zell’s armies back to Beacon. Only with the help of Zell, his Saints, and Beacon’s original Material God, Thaxnear, was the Dorcha able to eventually be slain. After this, the empire made a deal with Beacon. If they could hold back the power of the Dorcha Wastes, Zell would give them independence, along with aid, and troops. Beacon agreed and officially became independent again in 289 AR. From there, Zell turned south to the land of Shinrin or what was to later become Arket. Thejungles proved to be one of the greatest challenges to Zell yet. With armies massing outside of Shinrin in the year 299 AR, it would not be until 417 AR before the entirety of Shinrin wasconquered. After this, the empire geared up for its greatest challenge yet, Kovorov. The two countries warred from 430 AR to 484 AR until the revolutions began. Senexil, feeling that Zell had lost the old ways created by the Clovian Republic, broke away from the empire. Tired of the growing tithe they had to pay, Courage joined Senexil. The two quickly entered into an alliance and awaited Zell’s wrath. The armies of the empire swept downward and began to siege Senexil in the year 486 AR. However, once word reached other cities, they started to leave the empire too. Laurel declared its independence in 487 AR and Krai in 489 AR. These losses left the empire reeling. They quickly reconquered Krai in 491 AR. However, pressure from both Laurel and the Trajana Minor alliance forced Zell to change its strategy.Zell began the process of strengthening its hold on the empire. It poured its resources into the cities of Gressus and Flovios. With these two bastions, Zell began to project its strength farther from Clover than ever before. Afterward, in 522 AR, the first stones were laid on the lands that would become Oren. This city, completely planned and financed by Zell, was designed to keepan eye on both Krai and stop any expansion from Trajana Minor. With its resources spread thin, Zell took fifty-three years to recollect its old strength. Conquests were stopped in favor of building or rebuilding old infrastructure. This is what many consider to be the golden age of the empire. Yet, in 575 AR, Zell slowly began its conquests again. At first it created fortresses on the Dark Ring and Primordial Rings. These forts were intended to give Zell strength and the ability to expand on other Rings. However, in the end, these bases became an unnecessary drain on Zell’s resources and were all abandoned by 660 AR. In 597 AR, Zell moved across the Barrow River into the Unclaimed Lands. This was equally as disastrous. Some small villages and hamlets were easily conquered. A few warlords even fell by 601 AR. However, many cities in this harsh land possessed high walls, powerful spellcasters, and years of combat experience. Many in the Zell army had never seen combat before. Varos, a city just across the Barrow River, fell in 614 AR. Other cities like Dalekingrad and Chathair resisted Zell until 633 AR. With losses mounting, Zell retreated to Varos to regroup. They launched another poor operation against Laurel in 637 AR but were forced to retreat. After those losses, Zell did not have enough troops to maintain Varos and were repulsed from the city in 640 AR. From there, Zell entered another period of waiting. They launched a small, half hearted, invasion attempt in 646 AR when they tried to land an army in Kvef. A fifth of the army froze to death in the freezing temperatures and the Frost Rat Rangers dealt with the beleaguered soldiers as they disembarked from their ships into the freezing water of the Northern Ocean. Most soldiers did not reach shore. From 651 to 667 AR, Zell launched probing operations once again against Kovorov. Small groups of soldiers would clash with the Torosk Third-Born in the mountains. These operations led to little and were interrupted in 666 AR when another Dorcha Arex rose in the city of Caer Ortus. From 666 to 668 AR, the military of Zell was busy containing the Dorcha as they evaded capture. However, in 670 AR, Zell turned its attention to the revolution that was occurring in Shinrin. A new Material God has arisen. It took many years to stabilize the empire enough to assemble the greatest army Zell had ever fielded. The leadership viewed this as a chance to reassert Zell’s dominance over the continent. Instead, the army was annihilated by the new Material God and dozens of Saints died in 675 AR. Ever since, Zell has been licking its wounds. Unknown to the rest of the world, Zell no longer has the military might to control all of its empire. Additionally, their leader and the Material God that started it all has not spoken publicly in the last four decades.