International Society for the Study of Terran Civilisations

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International Society for the Study of Terran Civilisations

Postby jamescfm » Sat Jan 13, 2018 8:29 pm

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Re: International Society for the Study of Terran Civilisations

Postby jamescfm » Sat Jan 13, 2018 8:29 pm

The Heludis and their impact on modern Terran peoples
by Otto Wegmann

Attempts by linguists to group Terran languages based on their common ancestors have proved continually problematic for centuries. Early attempts to determine the people who spoke what is presently known in academia as "Old Heludic" were based principally on identifying cognates between languages and resulted in the proposed "Superseleyan" language family. With little historical evidence to supplement these attempts, it is no wonder that these initial proposals appear so inadequate to modern scholars. However understanding the fundamental flaws which led to this failure centuries ago can help us to prevent it happening as we continue to piece together the complex linguistic nature of our world.

The researchers behind the Superseleyan hypothesis believed that Proto-Superseleyan was an ancient language spoken primarily in modern Aldegar and that the Proto-Superseleyan people were most similar to modern Ezadi peoples. Although this appears now to be a bizarre proposition, it was not so at the time. While it contrasted the general wisdom of the day, which was that there was no relation between the Kalkali-Ezadi language family and the Artanian languages (such as Dundorfian and Luthorian) the early use of linguistic reconstruction was compelling for many. As a result, researchers and the public as a whole were quick to jump on board.

Over time academics developed a more thorough understanding of the nature and behaviour of languages and the model was revised. At times, these revisions caused extreme controversy and created vast divisions between contemporary scholars. The separation of the Sullestic languages from the Superseleyan family is the most prominent example of this, providing a valuable example of where proximity and perceived similarity do not necessarily indicate a direct relationship between languages. Even so, the most significant change was the suggestion that the Proto-Superseleyans weren't actually Seleyan at all, they were Artanian.

It brings us to the modern day and my own understanding of the Heludic languages. They are spoken on almost every continent and are the best understood group of languages, thanks to the increasing availability of historical evidence to supplement the linguistic work which is still being done. Among the major sub-divisions of the family are the Delic languages, the Selucic languages and the aforementioned Kalkali-Ezadi languages. Each of these sub-divisions are actually trans-continental in their own right, thanks to the vast empires and legendary migrations which carried them across Terra.

Little can be determined about the ancient Heludis for certain. It seems that patrilineality was present and there was worship of a "sky father" of some variety. What is true is that the Heludis had an intense desire to migrate. The Heludi homeland occupied the region which today forms south-eastern Dundorf, eastern Kundrati and western Ibutho/Hawu. From there, they spread south to modern Malivia and developed into the ancestors of Kalkali-Ezadis, to Majatra where the Delic and the Selucic languages began their development and eventually they reached as far as Dovani. There is no denying that our understanding of the Heludis and the languages they provided us with will likely change in future but I'm similarly certain that they will remain among the most influential groups in Terran history.
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Re: International Society for the Study of Terran Civilisations

Postby jamescfm » Sun Jan 14, 2018 10:41 am

Are we Altfolk or are we Kazulian?
by Björk Sigfastursdóttir

The ethnic, linguistic and cultural identities which people adopt are never logical. An inevitable consequence of the manner in which people groups develop, this can often mean that making sense of the people of a region is difficult to outsiders who become baffled by the difference between what groups call themselves, what they call each other and what they're called by the outside world. One popular example of this phenomenon is the Tokundian language. From a purely linguistic perspective, Tokundian is a single pluricentric language with three primary dialects and several smaller ones. Like any dialects, there are differences between these dialects but they are not nearly sufficient to consider them distinct languages. Nonetheless, the sectarian history of south Majatra has "created" as many as four different languages.

Less well-known but equally interesting examples of differing terminology exist in relation to the people of Kazulia and Telamon. For people living outside of these regions, understanding the terms that the people of these two countries use can be extremely difficult. A common misunderstanding is over the relationship between nationality and ethnicity in both countries. For example, the terms "Telamonian" and "Telamonese" generally refer to somebody who is a citizen of Telamon. It's chiefly an exonym and people from Telamon rarely use it to identify themselves except when explaining where they live. In contrast, the term "Kazulian" is often used to refer to specific ethnic groups.

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Map showing the eastwards expansion and migration of the early "East Dundorfic" peoples

If we are to properly understand these relationships, it helps to have an overview of the history of both regions and how they came to be inhabited by their current residents. Both countries are primarily inhabited by Dundorfic peoples and the map above highlights how this happened. Sometime in the first millennium, Dundorfic people living northern Artania (shown in red) began to expand into the continent of Makon. Initially, they probably occupied areas of modern Davostan and Hutori too but in modern times the only remaining descendants of these "East Dundorfic" people live in Telamon (shown in orange). The settlement of the island of Migadon came sometime shortly after this initial migration.

The time period between the East Dundorfic arrival in Makon and their later migration across to Dovani hasn't been established for certain but general opinion is that it was between two and three hundred years. In addition, the causes of this ambitious and dangerous expansion through modern Trigunia to what is now Dankuk and Kazulia are not known but it's entirely possible that it was motivated simply by the human desire to expand. As with their settlement in Makon, it's likely that there were East Dundorfic peoples in other regions of northern Dovani but in the present day they occupy the area shown in yellow on the map.

Nowadays, the term "East Dundorfic" is used almost exclusively in linguistics. Nobody in either Kazulia or Telamon refers to themselves as East Dundorfic. "Kazulian" is generally used to refer to the three primary Dundorfic ethnic groups in Kazulia: the Befäskars, the Kazuls and the Skrigeres. Occasionally, it is extended to include the Skjöld and the Doyingar but their geographic separation usually means this isn't the case. Meanwhile in Telamon, the term Altfolk (from the Skjöld "allt fólkið", meaning "all the people") is used to refer to all five of these ethnic groups. Due to its more inclusive nature, this term has recently seen an increase in popularity in Kazulia too by citizens attempting to foster a pan-Altfolk identity.

The differences between the five Altfolk groups are minimal. The three Kazulian groups speak languages which are generally mutually intelligible, with Kazulianisk often regarded as being "in between" the other two languages. Skjöldunga and Doyingar are not mutually intelligible when spoken but the two written languages have many similarities. In terms of religion, almost all Altfolk people are Hosian although there are differences in terms of denomination. Overall, it would not be surprising if the increasing ease of communication in modern Terra brought these people closer together culturally- perhaps even politically as Telamon attempts to re-establish its diplomatic presence.
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Re: International Society for the Study of Terran Civilisations

Postby jamescfm » Mon Jan 15, 2018 4:48 pm

Governments continue to fail in their demographic data
by Maurice Ducas

The recording and long-term monitoring of the demographic breakdown of a national population is difficult within the context of a stable, liberal democracy; making sense of the converging identities of a country's citizens and simplifying this into terms which can be written on a booklet with a tick box is not a task to be envied. With that said, the proposition of having to do so within countries ravaged by conflict or disease is even more difficult, even if we assume that there is somebody in the world who views this as important enough to risk attempting it. When all of these factors coalesce, the result is centuries of poor and unreliable data on the history of populations.

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Countries which do not publish demographic data (purple) are failing the international community

In the present day, Terra is the most peaceful it has been for centuries and global living standards continue to rise. On the face of it, this would suggest that governments would be able to improve the accuracy and comprehensiveness of their demographic data. It's not the case. New research from the University of Belgae indicates that the statistical information published by governments, especially on languages and ethnicity, remains wildly inaccurate. Oftentimes, there are political reasons for understating or overstating the size or distribution of a people group. Nationalist political parties will choose to ignore minority populations who contradict their vision of a homogeneous state, for example.

Nonetheless, we cannot continue to allow political issues to interfere in our ability to discover the truth about our past and our present. Governments must to more in order to ensure that the data which they collect and publish presents a broadly accurate picture of the people who live within their borders. Until they do, it is the responsibility of those who are passionate about furthering the expanses of human knowledge and progress to fill the vacuum they leave. The ISSTC aim to fulfil this responsibility by publishing the data we collect which, although we lack the funds of most national governments, we feel is broadly accurate. In the short term, we will focus particularly on countries which publish no data at all and in future this will be extended further. It is our hope that we can improve the quality and quantity of demographic information across Terra.
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Re: International Society for the Study of Terran Civilisations

Postby jamescfm » Sun Jan 21, 2018 7:02 pm

Nautic languages: a linguistic jigsaw puzzle
by Aisyah bin Manjalara

In terms of their geographic spread and cultural diversity, few linguistic groups are as unique as the Nautic-speaking peoples. As a direct consequence of this spread and diversity, they perplexed academics for centuries. In the present-day, they continue to confuse many members of the general public and even some who identify as Nautic themselves. Focused particularly on the continent of Temania, the Nautic peoples include Kinaveans/Nelayans, Tropicans, the Malgy and various Ikpi groups located in Seleya.

One reason why the Nautics proved difficult to piece together is the lack of a shared culture. Although the early Nautic people likely shared traditions and religion, the various populations have been separated for so long that the impact of regional neighbours and subsequent settlement has caused a considerable differentiation. A prominent example of this is the adoption of Yazdism by the Ikpis of central Seleya. The close proximity of Aldegar, a country which has at times instituted the faith as a state religion, means that the ancient religious beliefs of the Ikpi have either been fused with Yazdism or disappeared entirely.

The key to discovering the truth about the history of the Nautic people lay in their language. In the last three centuries, numerous significant discoveries served to highlight the relationship between the Nautic languages. Previously, the impact of nearby foreign languages (such as Canrillaise in the case of the Kinavean/Nelayan) had led to an inaccurate picture of the similarities between the languages. As historic texts were unearthed and changes were made to the modelling of languages, the theory that the Nautic originated in Temania quickly became accepted within academic circles. Revisions have been made to these initial proposals- such as the inclusion of the Welang (who at one time were thought to be Gao-Indralan speaking)- but this has only added to the evidence in their favour.
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Re: International Society for the Study of Terran Civilisations

Postby jamescfm » Sun May 10, 2020 10:21 pm

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Tropican peoples

Since decolonisation began in Tropica several centuries ago, there has been a process of confronting and dealing with the injustices that have been inflicted on the country's native populations over the course of hundreds of years of imperialist rule. Like in many countries of Dovani, Temania and Vascania, the process of reconciliation and progress has been hindered along the way by forces both internal and external.

In spite of these challenges, the modern state of Tropica operates as a democratic constitutional monarchy, with significant powers reserved for local and regional administrations. Notably the Tropican system of government takes its inspiration directly from the traditional organisational structures of Tropican society. The purpose of this article is to consider the history of the various peoples of Tropica and how they have influenced the country's modern political system.

Before discussing the position of modern Tropica, it may be useful to highlight the pre-colonial history of the region. The territory of the modern Tropican state is composed of two primary islands and a vast number of smaller ones that extend the country's sovereignty into the Vascanian Sea. Throughout centuries of ancient history, these regions came to be populated by a diverse array of people groups. In comparison to the surrounding area, there are is very little in terms of written records from the region prior to around the 17th century.

Nonetheless a combination of techniques have led historians and linguists to conclude that the "Tropican peoples" populated most of the region from as early as the 3rd century BCE. Tropicans at this time were primarily united by shared linguistic features, although certain groups shared cultural and religious practices. Migration into the region from the Vascanian continent, southern Dovani and nearby Temania was not uncommon at this time, owing to the relatively sparse population and plentiful natural resources.

Few significant state or government structures existed for most of this early period of history, with the exception of some tribal confederations and small kingdoms formed by the Mātou people and centred around the southern Tropican coast. By the time of the first attempts at colonial settlement, the native population was therefore diverse and spread-out across the region. Dealing in depth with the full effects of colonisation cannot be achieved in such a short space as is permitted here but there were some notable changes to the demographic makeup of the country during this period.

Throughout the colonial era, the region was governed by several different countries including Yingdala, Dankuk and Canrille. The most profound effects on the country's culture were the result of Luthorian administration though. The political system of Tropica in the immediate aftermath of independence was based heavily on the so-called Williamite system and a significant minority of Luthorian people settled in the region.

For several centuries after independence, Tropica continued to be governed broadly according to the structures that had been developed by colonial governments. The country held democratic elections with significant participation but in actuality much of the economic and political power in the country remained in the hands of a Luthorian elite. Development in both economic and broader humanitarian terms was not forthcoming and the country was eventually drawn into a period of political instability, brought on by foreign invasion, that brought communist and nationalist rule.

Tropican government changed substantially with the implementation of the 4645 constitution. Signed following the collapse of a military regime, the new constitution was drafted by an elected constitutional assembly and approved by a national referendum. Under its provisions, the new Tropican system of government would be based in part on traditional forms of organisation, especially those used by Mātou people in the pre-colonial era.

An important influence on the constitution was the work of Mātou scholar and political philosopher Urepo Rehipeti, who advocated a form of Mātou traditionalism. Rehipeti spoke of the need to reconnect with pre-colonial customs in a manner that recognised the impact of colonialism and the plurality of peoples in the country. In his words, Tropican people should "reconstruct [their] political and cultural identities in a manner that reflects thoughtfully on [their] history, to allow them to engage authentically in their political and cultural lives".

Among the most obvious effects on the Tropican system of government are the extensive power given to regional legislative bodies, known as Rūnangas in Mātou, that are based on traditional tribal assemblies. The role of the monarch, formally referred to as the Kaitiaki, derives from Mātou customs too and the individual is intended to symbolise not only the unity of the state but a broader guardianship of the country and its natural environment in particular.

In recent times, the term Tropican has become a catch-all term for the sub-set of the Nautic peoples indigenous to the region. At the same time as many citizens affirm their Tropican identity, they often also have knowledge of their individual cultural traditions and each person will engage with these in a manner that they believe reflects their importance to their personal identity. Recent governments have invested significantly in engaging with Tropica's many cultural identities, including through a providing significant funds to research institutions to better understand their history and practices.

The above article for the ISSTC was written by Akela Kama, a Professor of Tropican History at the Tropican National University.
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Re: International Society for the Study of Terran Civilisations

Postby Pragma » Sat May 30, 2020 6:30 pm

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Hamal Pradesh: the hidden people of Vascania
by Iyati Paramannca

The small and mountainous region of Hamal Pradesh rests in the often-overlooked south-eastern corner of Vascania, hugging the mighty Lake Vasa but separated from the sea by the mostly agricultural southern half of Rajuttistan. It has its own, completely unique culture which has diverged from the standard eastern Kalkali one, as well as a language that is hardly known beyond its mountainous homeland.

Highly mountainous, the people of Hamal Pradesh are secluded from their neighbours and are often looked down upon as less intelligent and less cultured because of their accent and their historic economic struggles. They are one of the regions perhaps less positively affected by the economic progress that the rest of Vascania has made in the past few centuries, far separated from the prosperous coastal regions and the affluent islands of the Vascanian Empire.

In short, the state of Hamal Pradesh is home to the Hamali people, who speak the Hamalese language. Hamalese maintains a distinction between aspirated and unaspirated consonants, with retroflex sounds and a tapped 'r'. Most vowels have a well-preserved distinction within them between long and short, though all have the potential to be nasalised in certain dialectal speech. The language is generally written in a slightly modified variety of the Vascanian script, like neighbouring languages.

They are the smallest of the nation's minorities to have their own state, which sends 21 seats to the parliament - 10 constituency, 11 from the regional list. It is politically deeply split between a right-wing, cultural conservative tradition and the left-wing economics favoured by the people of the city of Kho. The current leading party in the state assembly is the politically complicated Communitarian Party, which caters perhaps unintentionally to the region's particular politics as mentioned above.

The area was arguably the least governable of the colonial possessions established on the continent, as both Luthorian and Zardic administrators failed utterly to institute taxes on the very poor and very remote villages that dotted the mountainsides. In particular, around the continent's highest point - Mount Hyondat - almost all attempts to extract tax from goat farmers ended in devastating failure and the mysterious deaths of the expedition members. This is partially why the region was given many autonomous powers after the Vascanian Empire was united, as the Hamalis are good friends if respected and awkward enemies if disrespected.

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Above: a typical small hamlet near Mount Shirapa

In modern times, the very same mountain is a source of much annoyance for the natives, who must deal with under-prepared tourists who risk their own lives to climb the mountain. No native people would ever climb the mountain - not because it is sacred, but because they are a somewhat unambitious people by nature who almost unanimously fail to see how it would be an achievement of any worth to them. They prefer a simple life filled with hard work and prayer, even in the urban centres which are less densely populated that some of their counterparts.

This is not to suggest they are unintelligent, far from it - in fact, the opposite is probably true. Although schooling the children of the more remote villages remains a tough task for the state government, it is hard to make an argument that people living in such tough conditions could do so without a cunning ingenuity and an advanced communalist philosophy. Many villages act as communes in which resources are carefully managed, usually with monks in charge of each locale. Considering their environment, this requires a strong understanding of ecology and agriculture which is the envy of the ethnically Rajuttistani, farm-owning aristocracy.

The monks of this region belong to a special order of the Vascanian national religion of Sundarata. Though they share most of their doctrine with the more orthodox priests of the outside, these Hamali monks are noted for their dualist perspective on human behaviour and place an emphasis on careful balance between all things. Monks are controlled centrally from the 'Red Temple', in the valley of Lobhashti, with some assigned to villages and others to monasteries known as 'Gumpas'.

Culturally, the people of Hamal Pradesh pride themselves on their temperance and their resourcefulness. From an early age, children are taught how to fashion tools from what they may find on the forest floor. It is no wonder then, that the Hamali people so often become military servicemen. The state economy is also based heavily on agriculture, with the lowest percentage of employees in the service sector out of all the states of Vascania. Even the city of Kho, which is perhaps the most advanced part of the state, has a tendency to split sharply into smaller communities based on familial and neighbourhood connections.

The people of Hamal Pradesh could be mistaken for backwards, but I would like to finish this article by suggesting they are in fact the opposite. They have a strong sense of community which is lost in the busy cities of Utsal and Rajuttistan. They have a deep-rooted persistence and a tendency to work hard, allowing them to make the best out of their difficult geographic situation. Though they have not developed economically like certain areas of the Vascanian Empire, they are in reality many, many years ahead of most of the modern world in terms of their ability to recognise their surroundings and each other.

The above article for the ISSTC was written by Iyati Paramannca, a Professor of Vascanian Sociology at the University of East Kayal.

Below: A Map of Hamal Pradesh
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Re: International Society for the Study of Terran Civilisations

Postby jamescfm » Sun May 31, 2020 6:39 pm

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Asli peoples

Located primarily in the central-western portion of Dovani, the Asli peoples are a broad collection of ethnic groups with a shared cultural identity. In the present day, they are somewhat dispersed throughout the region but form the majority in Statrica and Talmoria with smaller populations in Ntoto, Utembo and Bianjie. The term Asli derives from the Asli Sultanate, a pre-modern empire that controlled much of central Dovani between the 14th and 19th centuries. During this period the region was populated by a diverse array of ethnic groups with different cultural traditions and languages.

Over time the Sultanate came to shape the cultural identity of many of these different groups, notably through the spread of Ahmadism, which had arrived in the region from Majatran traders and missionaries. Practice of Ahmadism was adapted in many ways to the cultural context of the existing groups who converted to the faith and it remains true today that there are many components of Ahmadism that are unique to the region. Despite the dominance of the faith among Asli, there are notable Hosian populations as well as those who principally adhere to traditional faiths and belief systems.

Linguistically the Asli peoples are similarly diverse. Despite the existence of numerous different states in the region over the past millennia, no single language has emerged as a lingua franca. In the more recent past in Talmoria, Keobi and Orun have acted at various times as the languages of government but even in these cases, the population has remained linguistically diverse.

Elsewhere the impact of colonialism has further complicated the linguistic picture with some Asli adopting the language of colonising states in addition to their native languages. Recent survey date collected by various organisations suggests that Mbowema, Dalehi, Ganar as well as the aforementioned Keobi and Orun are among the most commonly spoken languages by Asli people today.

Like other groups that are considered "meta-ethnicities", a certain proportion of Asli people have a more specific cultural identity. The Fasokan people of Statrica, for example, retain a distinct culture that was influenced by their initial rejection of Ahmadism when it first arrived in the region. While today many Fasokan have converted, many of their traditional beliefs persist and find expression through art. Particularly well-known are their stylistic masks used in religious ceremonies.

The manifold nature of the Asli peoples also means that different people view their identity in different ways. In the political context, this can prove a difficult reality to manage. While there are various movements in Talmoria and Statrica have that attempted to advocate unity for Asli peoples, some of these have involved exclusionary components. A common example is those that emphasise Ahmadism to the exclusion of religious minorities. Any political movement based around Asli identity must be able to accommodate all those who identify with the term, regardless of specific cultural traditions.

The above article for the ISSTC was written by Ifedayo Yagi, a Professor of Asli Studies at the University of Western Dovani.
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Re: International Society for the Study of Terran Civilisations

Postby Auditorii » Sun Jun 14, 2020 6:14 pm

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The Meren Imperium, the Empire of Three and the Seluco-Dunic Empire: A Study of Ancient Artania

The Index Artaniae is the largest compendium of knowledge relating to Ancient Artania, what is known from the book that was written sometime in the 4th century CE which explained the existence of early Artanian tribes. Much of the Index Artaniae covers the Land Wars of Hobrazia which created the first Hobrazian Kingdom and would be a major factor in leading to the Great Journey, where the Deltarian tribes would venture from their homeland in Artania and eventually end up in Majatra.

The Land Wars of Hobrazia were fought between the Zargunian Empire, sometimes known as the Kingdom of Zargunia (Historians today dispute its claim to being an Empire) and the Hobratz tribes, located roughly around the area of modern Hobrazia. The conflict which lasted from 100 BCE and 99 CE was primarily focused around border skirmishes with roughly about 20 years of the actual conflict being large scale engagements. The defeat of the Zargunians at Krupskaya effectively grew the normally disorganized Hobratz tribes into a coherent military fighting force. Hobrazian Fire as it is known to modern history was an effective fighting weapon of the Hobrazians and its exact composition is unknown to this day, rampant speculation and controversy has fueled attempts to re-create it but however they have failed. The Battle of Krupskaya is considered the turning point of the Land Wars of Hobrazia and is considered in Hobrazia as the start of their foundation, despite the foundation of the Kingdom of Hobrazia not coming until several years later. Modern Hobrazia celebrates the Battle of Krupskaya by celebrating

The Zargunian Empire and the Hobratz tribes believed that neither side would be victorious so they decided to create one, unified Hobrazian & Zargunian kingdom. King Zargaanous of Zargonia and Princess Eris would marry, creating the Zarganid Dynasty. On July 30th, 99 CE the Kingdom of Hobrazia was born, it would remain a piece of the Artanian landscape until 815 CE. It was during this time that the religious turmoil created by the collapse of the Qedarite Empire and subsequent rise of Hosianism forced Selucian-speakers from Majatra. During the 1st century CE the Selucians settled in the modern lands of Darnussia and Beluzia, these settlements would eventually become a coastal empire.

From the period of the 1st century CE Selucians had been migrating to the modern areas of Darnussia and Beluzia. These exile Selucian settlements were highly unorganized and it was not until the late 1st century CE that veteran Selucian Legionary Faustus Coiedius Mereius came fleeing the fall of the Qedarite Empire and landed with hundreds of followers at what would be known as Colonia Meriana, which would eventually become known as Merenburg on Narikaton. Mereius would bring with him the martial skill and political acumen that he had earned as a legionary in the Selucian legions. Mereius' conquests were first limited to the island of Narikaton. Mereius eventually expanded his followers after news of his conquests reach other parts of the modern Darnussia and Beluzia, followers began flocking to Mereius' banner and informed him of locations on the mainland.

Mereius immediately took to building Portus Ossonoba which would become Ostermark and began his planned invasion of the Darnussian mainland, he dispatched Decius Coiedius Opimius to conquer the larger island of Shirmania, now known as Clenon. Mereius, emboldened by the success his subordinates on Shirmania took to building a massive force to take the mainlands in Beluzia and Darnussia. Mereius launched his conquest of the two lands but did not survive long enough to see his success. Mereius' successors would finish his conquests by 207 CE and formed the basis for many more Selucians still fleeing the collapse of the Qedarite Empire to come to Artania. The government that sprung up around Mereius is known today as the Meren Imperium, little information exists regarding the titles or regalia that Mereius used but it is known that he used many Selucian customs as a basis for his Empire. It is believed to have been organized around a dictator who was chosen by the people but the power of the dictator was limited to his reign and could not disband his electors.

Mereius' successors continued to expand their territory and by late 200 CE they had successfully conquered modern Darnussia and Beluzia and began to explore the areas of western Hobrazia and Southwestern Luthori. Around 300 CE the the predecessor Deltarian tribes began to form the Empire of Three located in modern Luthori, a point of contention for the Meren Imperium which had been the dominant power in Artania. The Meren Imperium maintained minor relations with the Kingdom of Hobrazia, the two were uneasy trade partners but neither of them were able to launch campaigns against each other due to the Meren Mountains (beginning in Walkaunar and ending somewhere near Chontalonia) which effectively split Meren lands, the Kingdom of Hobrazia and the Empire of Three.

The ambitious Cassius Trebatius Domitianus, a descendant of Faustus Coideius Mereius, set out on a campaign in 301 CE to go around the mountains and launched the first known campaign into modern Rutania where Domitianus first met the Dunic tribes which had settled a vast majority of Northern Artania. The Empire of Three maintains a majority of land of modern Luthori as well as portions of Ikradon, outside of that area were Dunic tribes that existed outside the empire to the north, Delic tribes that had pushed east and began to settle in modern Kundrati and Endralon and finally the Dradic tribes who occupied much of modern Aloria as well as parts of northern Rutania. The Empire of Three was a unified entity underneath the legendary figure Samo. The Empire was a loose confederation of states with central authority focused around the modern Luthori capital of Fort William. Samo served as Dominator of the Empire of Three, a title that would see use later in history, Samo today serves as a mythic-esque figure in Deltarian history.

Domitianus' campaign into Rutania was met with fierce resistance of Dunic fighters, who were skilled warriors and horsemen. Domitianus' forces were conventionally adopted from Selucian style legionaries, the fighting style gradually changed as Domitianus' forces came into contact with Dunic fighters who wore heavy armor and wore smaller shields and heavier swords. Domitianus' units were heavily armored and armed but paled in comparison to the horse-based warfare that the Dunic people practiced. Domitianus was further pressed when he met Dradic fighters near northern Rutania who fought naked and were fanatical in their efforts. Domitianus' had never seen such fighting before and was shocked at the savagery that the men fought with, Domitianus returned home several times during his conquest and the Dradic and Dunic people were first exposed to be the Saevii or "Savages".

Cassius Trebatius Domitianus would pass in 311 CE after 10 years of fighting. The Meren Imperium had made limited success but had founded several colonies that would foster a dissemination of culture. Septimus Trebatius Domitianus, the son of Cassius' took over his fathers armies and offered his hand to the Dunic and Dradic people who began to experience raiders from warlords in the Empire of Three. Samo had ambitions conquer land from sea to sea, he began a campaign around his empire and rallied a massive warhost that launched attacks against tribes living in modern Ikradon and Dundorf before reaching the edge of Kirlawa and Kundrati. Septimus had made peace with the Dradic tribes and actively began absorbing Dunic fighters into his armies, the influx of new fighters caused a cultural shock to the Meren Imperium, Septimus adopted several aspects of the Dradic and Dunic culture. Septimus was able to make peace with the Dradic and Dunic tribes by offering them citizenship in the Meren Imperium. Meren citizenship was considered an ends to a means for the Dunic and Dradic people, they saw it as a way to gain strength for themselves and integrated themselves with Meren-Selucian society despite the push back of older Meren citizens primarily located in the original lands of the Meren Imperium.

Dunic and Dradic nobles adopted Meren customs temporarily. At the Conclave of Castra Bonifatius, Dunic and Dradic nobles agreed that a peace was necessary between their various tribes and the goal was to overtake the Meren Imperium after it had defeated the Empire of Three, which most Dunic and Dradic tribes located outside of the Empire of Three were cast out by Samo or defeated in battle that they had to flee because they opposed him. By 319 CE the Meren Imperium had swelled will Dunic and Dradic tribes who began to integrate themselves with the Selucian-based society, many of them adopted the same customs and traditions and at times, short of physical appearance were indistinguishable from their Selucian counter-parts. Samo and his empire were forced from their lands in western Dundorf but Samo's men held the line and fortifications began to be built in the winter of 330 CE which would halt any future advance of the Meren Imperium. Dunic warlord Theodoric Dunicius, Dradic warlord Gawain Davies and son of Cassius, Aulus Trebatius Domitianus devised a plan to strike at Soma's capital Szigelca the plan was halted after Soma counter-attacked over his fortifications and pushed the Meren troops back to the edge of modern Rutania and trickery on the part of Soma had seen Dradic tribes underneath rival warlords take back vast swathes of territory in the north.

The siege on Szigelca was halted until spring 334 when Dunicius, Davies and Domitianus launched their surprise assault over the Meren Mountains and by winter 334 had taken Szigelca forcing Samo and a majority of the ancient Deltarians to flee Artania. What would become known as the Deltarian Migrations happened as Soma's Empire of Three collapsed and a new Seluco-Dunic Empire took its place. The Dradic had more or less fled from the Meren Imperium as it caused dissent among the ranks of the Imperium's military and rebellions and usurpers attempted to claim parts of the Imperium for themselves. By 334 CE the Dradic tribes were either eradicated or were confined to Aloria proper.

The collapse of the Empire of Three left a power vacuum in Artania, the Meren Imperium had changed over the course of a hundred years and Dunic peoples were prevalent in all levels of society. As a sign of trust and friendship Meren Dictator Aulus Trebatius Domitianus and Dunic Warlord Theodoric Dunicius signed a concordat that accepted the friendship of each other. Modern historians claim that this concordant renamed the Meren Imperium to the Seluco-Dunic Empire as a sign of faith between the Selucian exiles and Dunic tribes but inconclusive evidence has lead to much speculation. What is known is that the Meren Imperium more or less ceased to exist and it was indeed replaced by a Seluco-Dunic Empire, the Empire gradually took on a more Dunic culture as well as started to adopt customs from the remaining Akiganian tribes that remained as the Deltarians fled further and further south. The vast majority of the new Seluco-Dunic Empire were commoners who were either of Dunic or Akiganian descent, Selucian remained the primary tongue of the empire while both Dunic and Akigan remained in common use. The Selucians of the Empire became more and more confined to Darnussia while Dunic settlers began their first migrations in modern Beluzia, this was the first migration of Dunic or Akigan peoples en masse to former Meren lands.

The Seluco-Dunic Empire continued their system of government with an elected dictator that yielded near unlimited power, it is however in a document from the late 4th century that we see the first appearance of the title of Rex, a translation that roughly equates to King. It appears that despite the prominence of Selucian culture, Dunic and Akigan virtues began to dominate the empire in the late 4th century.
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