Bassiliya

The Holy Empire of Bassiliya Ιερά Αυτοκρατορία της Βασιλείας
Flag of Bassiliya Flag
Motto: Όπλα, Πόλεμος, και Γενναιότητα Weapons, War, and Bravery
Capital and largest city	Otoklis
Official languages	Bassiliyan
Recognised national languages	Middle Juliean, Eastern Krotoi
Recognised regional languages	Old Juliean
Ethnic groups	78% Bassiliyan 11% Juliaen 6% Krotoika 5% Other
Religion	Eastern Otoism
Demonym(s)	Bassiliyan, Bassilii
Government	Theocratic Feudal Imperial Monarchy
• The Emperor of Bassiliya	The Emperor
Independence from Peraro Krotoik
• Tribal	Ancient
• Province of the Peraro Krotoik	483 IE
• Imperial Prefecture of the Peraro Krotoik	898 IE
• Kingdom of the Juliae	1022 IE
• The Holy Empire of Bassiliya	1050 IE
Area
• Total	840,060 km2 (324,350 sq mi)? (5th)
Population
• 1384 estimate	~13.5 million ? (4th)
• 1380 census	13,508,974
• Density	16.08/km2 (41.6/sq mi) (22nd)
Currency	Karima (λ)

The Holy Empire of Bassiliya (Bassiliyan: Ierá Aftokratoría tis Vasileías; Eastern Krotoi: ; Middle Juliaen: Imperija na Basilija), also known as Bassiliya, is a large empire spanning southeastern Oskiya from the Burning Sea in the west to the eastern shore of the Sea of Tovachy. Originally a breakaway rebellion from the Peraro Krotoik, Bassiliya has become an independent, major nation in its own right. With a total land area of 840,060 square kilometers, it is the fifth largest nation in the known world by recognized areas claimed. Through its rivalry with the Peraro Krotoik, the Empire of Bassiliya claims an additional 2,217,960 square kilometers of territory. Due to the occupation of vast areas of the Peraro Krotoik, it is unclear of the official land size of the Bassiliyan nation.

Following the colonization of the region by the Peraro Krotoik, Bassiliya became a Province of the Emperor, ruled by the Juliae family. After the Juliae family came to power within the Peraro Krotoik itself, the region then known as Gisoúliaen became an Imperial Prefecture, administered indirectly by the Emperor. Ousted from power during a succession crisis, the Juliae family returned to Gisoúliaen, declared a rebellion, and became an independent nation. After the Schism War, the region was called the Kingdom of the Juliae; shortly after, the first Emperor was crowned, renaming the nation to the Empire of Bassiliya.

A highly developed nation, Bassiliya channels a large amount of trade and commerce, known as a bridge between east and west. Usurping Peraro Krotoik’s place as the economic center of the known world, Bassiliya has become the economic capital of Deteros and Osikya. With a population of over 13 million, the Bassiliyan Empire is a powerful and formidable economic and military power.

Etymology

Bassiliya derives from the Bassiliyan word for ruler or king: “vasiliás”. Previously known as the Kingdom of the Juliae, Bassiliya and Bassiliyan rose as a popular name for the nation following the beginning of the Eternal War in earnest. Bassiliyan became adopted as the primary language over Middle Juliaen in the mid-11th century IE, cementing Bassiliya as the paramount national identity.

History

Ancient Tribes

Records concerning the original settling of the Bassiliyan region are sparse, leaving many scholars to assume the tribal structure inherited by the later tribes existed before written records existed. The tribal poglavarstvo system was the predominant ruling method up until the colonization of the region by the Peraro Krotoik. Within poglavarstvo, a single male was made glaven (chief), which was both a ruling and religious title. The glaven would perform religious rites, sacrificing to the tribe’s patron god, as well as decide on legal matters, issue new rules, and conduct diplomacy.

During this era, four tribes became the most powerful entities in the region: the Juliae, the Heptameri, the Melatos, and the Zervatos. These four major tribes all followed the Skajizam religion. This religion worshiped the spirits and deities of the sky, including clouds, wind, stars, and the sun. Having conquered, subjugated, or allied their smaller and weaker neighbors, these four tribes entered a period of conflict, primarily over religious sites and practices, around the 5th century AE. By 350 AE, the Juliae and the Zervatos divided and claimed most of central and eastern Bassiliya. In the east, the Juliae built the city of Soncetopilay, named after the god of the sun, which would eventually become Otoklis. Establishing this village as the capital of their tribe, the Juliae began a long, concerted campaign to capture the major forts and outposts of the Zervatos in 324 AE. Over the next hundred and forty years, the two tribes would continue to fight over their border territory.

After the Istočna Plague struck the Bassiliyan region hard in 124 AE, the two tribes negotiated a peace, establishing permanent borders and an agreement to permit unrestricted pilgrimages. However, this agreement fell apart in 84 AE after a bloody massacre of 18 Zervatos pilgrims traveling to a holy site in eastern Juliae territory. Committed by several local Skajizam fundamentalists, the massacre was blamed on the Juliae tribal leadership by the Zervatos clan. Declaring war in the same year, the conflict known as the War of the Pilgrims began. Both sides attempted to take and hold religious sites as prizes of war; however, the lack of built-up defenses around these areas led to mass field battles rather than sieges. Within three years, much of the area on the border between the Zervatos and the Juliae became depopulated. Declaring a truce in 80 AE, the two tribes were forced to withdraw from the area that became known as the Nenaseleni or Desolate Place.

After a long era of peace and prosperity, both the Juliae and the Zervatos began to recolonize the Nenaseleni. Both tribes laid claim to multiple outposts and villages, leading to small skirmishes starting in 2 IE. By this time, news of the rising empire in the west sparked a scrabble for land, especially in the previously prosperous Nenaseleni territory. As a result of rising conflicts over territorial claims, the Juliae and the Zervatos entered the Nenaseleni War. Another conflict centralized in the Nenaseleni further destabilized the region. However, the use of strategic outposts and forts meant very few field battles were fought between the two tribes. Finally ending in 18 IE, the Juliae and the Zervatos declared yet another peace, which would last until 223 IE.

During the period between 18 IE and 223 IE, the Juliae and Zervatos grew in influence and wealth, primarily through trade and commerce. The discovery of gold and silver in western Zervatos created a booming mining industry. The Juliae benefited from this industry boom, supplying the necessary resources involved in mining. This time also saw the rise of theological and philosophical radicals and theorists. In Juliae, a library was built in Soncetopilay, collecting texts, books, and art. The Library of Mudriot, also known as the Library of the Sofos, still houses texts of ancient knowledge and theology. Scientific advancements were rudimentary but lay the foundation for the military innovation of the 10th century.

In 220 IE, the Zervatos tribe began colonizing the Nenaseleni, despite the previously established treaty defining a neutral zone. Claiming authority over historically Juliaen territory in 223 IE, the Zervatos blatantly violated the terms of the treaty. Declaring open war, the Juliae began to recapture their colonial territory. Surprised by the might of the Juliaen force, the Zervatos were unable to defend their claims. However, the Juliae declared a holy war against the Zervatos, signaling that the Juliae sought to completely subjugate the Zervatos. Beginning a massive campaign in the spring of 224 IE, the Juliae pushed deep into their core territory. Despite the heavy defenses of the region, by 226 IE, the Juliae had conquered a large portion of the Zervatos territory. In attempts to regain peace, the glaven of the Zervatos, Ane, declared that he and his house would convert to the Juliaen sect. However, Mito, glaven of the Juliae, demanded his subordination. Facing complete destruction, Ane was forced to submit, becoming a vassal of the Juliae.

Following their victory in 226 IE, the Juliae began to colonize the Nenaseleni and the Zervatos territory, integrating it by 267 IE. In that year, Sacha Sinotnamito, glaven of the Juliae, declared the forgiveness of the Zervatos tribe and their acceptance into the Juliae tribe as brethren. With the last vestiges of Zervatos independent identity assimilated, the region settled into a peaceful rule under the Juliae for the next two centuries.

Krotoika Invasion (460-483 IE)

In 460 IE, the Peraro Krotoik crossed the Ekatisloia Mountains and began to colonize and subjugate the tribes west of the Juliae. Fearing annihilation at the hands of the Krotoi, the Juliae tribe began a military buildup. By 475 IE, the two nations shared a mutual border and already had minor border conflicts all along the western border of the Nenaseleni. In 480 IE, a large band of ethnic Zervatos began a rebellion against their Juliaen overlords, citing cultural grievances. Not wanting a subjugated and primarily assimilated culture to create a weakening civil war within the Juliaen tribe, glaven Lazo Panamito ordered a large contingent of cavalry and patrolmen to put down the rebellion. Disastrously for the Juliae, the army failed to completely destroy the rebellion, allowing many Zervatos to escape west. Seeing a chance to strike, the Krotoika invaded the Juliae in late May of 480 IE.

Responding quickly, a great force of Juliaen soldiers and tribesmen gathered in eastern Nenaseleni, led by Lazo Panamito. This force, a collection of all able-bodied warriors of the tribe, numbered five thousand. These five thousand, known later as Lazo’s Band, amassed outside the village of Ridibunar. Creating a defensive position, Lazo’s strategy hinged on the Krotoika attacking his defensive position, allowing him to make use of his powerful cavalry units to flank and crush the attackers. Unable to predict the ferocity of the Krotoika forces, Lazo’s Band was soundly defeated at the Battle of Ridibunar, losing over four hundred warriors to the Krotoik eighty. Devastated by the massive loss, Lazo’s Band split, disappearing into the wildest parts of the Nenaseleni. Unable to win another decisive victory over the Juliae, the Krotoika settled down and occupied much of western Nenaseleni.

Although many guerilla forces continued to harass the Krotoika throughout 480 IE, no record of any battle or large-scale skirmish exists. In 481 IE, however, the Juliaen forces once again gathered outside the fort-town of Dzidikamen, once again setting up heavy defenses. This time, the Krotoika forces, harassed from their holdings in western Nenaseleni by raiding parties, were overcome by the defenders at Dzidikamen, leading to a Krotoik loss of three hundred to sixty. Forced back, the Krotoika were plagued by continual raids by the Juliaen force. Retreating past their former front lines, the Krotoika re-camped in Crnoidrvo, holding off the Juliaen forces until fall ended the campaign.

With neither side holding a clear victory, the Krotoika brought in enough reinforcements to deal with the Juliaen forces, no matter the cost. Facing a force of thirteen thousand Krotoika warriors, Lazo Panamito gathered the last of his remaining forces, along with new recruits, outside the capital city of Soncetopilay. Marching west to face the Krotoi, the Juliaens met their enemies on the plains of Nenaseleni at a place now known as the Zemji-na-Krv, the lands of blood. With only six thousand Juliaens, Lazo prepared to defend against the superior Krotoik force. With defenses prepared, the Juliaens waited out the onslaught. Although the exact date of the battle is unknown, legend tells that, at sunrise on the third day of July, the Krotoika army charged at the outnumbered Juliaens. The battle raged for most of the day and through the night. Making use of crude field-siege weapons, the Juliaens were able to hold off the Krotoika for hours, but eventually were forced to retreat.

With losses in the high hundreds, Lazo fled back towards the capital, the Krotoika forces in pursuit. However, before his remaining force of three thousand warriors could cross the river Predavnik, Krotoika scouts overtook them and began a battle. The Slaughter of Predavnik River crushed the last of the organized army of the Juliae. Caught between the river and an increasing force of Krotoi, the Juliaen warriors fought to the last man. A few hundred managed to escape across the river, but most, including Lazo Panamito, were killed in the battle. After hearing news of the defeat at Predavnik, the council of elders at Soncetopilay voted to surrender.

Given a generous peace treaty by the Peraro Krotoik, the newly appointed governor of the Province of the Juliae, Mirko Vasiliadis, reorganized the region under Krotoika rule. Absorbing several of the smaller provincial governments into the Juliae regional government, Vasiliadis established the Juliae primacy over the area. Shortly after his rise to power, Vasiliadis changed his surname to Juliae, signifying his ties to the people of the land. The first of the ruling house of Juliae, Mirko Juliae oversaw the absorption of many ethnicities into the formerly Juliaen culture, including many elements of Krotoika culture.

Imperial Province of the Peraro Krotoik (483-898 IE)

Prospering under Krotoika rule, the Juliae people grew to appreciate the empire they lived under. Assimilating into their culture and religion, the Juliae people and language began to transform into a new, distinct culture. This new culture, named Bassili, meaning “royal”, began as a high-class culture. It name implies that only the royals of the region were Bassili, which was the case at first. However, as Otoism grew in popularity and size, so did the use of the modified Krotoika language, eventually known as Bassiliyan. As the culture changed, so did the political outlook and makeup of the region. Many in the upper classes had formerly resisted integration into the Peraro Krotoik, attempting to start various unsuccessful rebellions. However, the empire brought both riches and stability to many of the most powerful, eventually convincing them to cease their subversive activities.

Not all elite cultural groups found solace in the riches of the empire and her religion. A group of local nobles gathered around a self-proclaimed prophet, Mykalae Althea, born in 502 IE. Proclaiming her divinity and descendance from the stars, Mykalae drew the attention of the Krotoik authorities. Not only did she proclaim the primacy of herself as the most powerful and important of the gods, but she also advocated for a rebirth of Juliaen culture, subverting years of cultural integration and peacemaking. Stories of miracles and wonders done by the prophet served to further incite the local Bassiliyan and Krotoika authorities to violence. Beginning with simple arrests and floggings, the punishments doled out to the subversive Mykaist radicals quickly escalated to torture and executions. Eventually, following a particularly inflammatory sermon held in Soncetopilay, the local Krotoika priest demanded that the governor, Xanthos Juliae, issue a warrant for the arrest and trial of Mykalae. Arrested in 531 IE, her trial quickly led to condemnation, and she was stoned to death. No precise record of this event remains, but the local legends and the religious texts of Mykaism claim she was continually beaten before her execution. Within Soncetopilay, many of her Juliaen followers began a riot, leading to hundreds of casualties and further executions.

Following their failed rebellion and the execution of their divine prophet, all Mykaists were exiled from the Peraro Krotoik. With the last of the Juliaen cultural radicals either exiled or forced into hiding, the distinctly hybrid Juliaen-Krotoika culture took the dominant place in the region. Known as Bassiliyan, this culture would continue to spread and incorporate surrounding identities into itself. It was during this time that Otoism became the most popular religion. The region had always been dominated by a primarily sky-worshiping religion, so the move from general sky worship to Otoism took little effort. Adopting Otoism as its primarily religion, the region experienced a rapid Otofication, with hundreds of temples being built and thousands of converts being made. The wealth of the region continued to grow under the empire, but the seeds of trouble began to sprout.

The Krotoika Civil War (607-615 IE)

In the year 607 IE, the Senate declared that a number of prominent generals, including Philosphthes of Scipthas, a Bassiliyan commander, were to be tried and executed for their part in an alleged conspiracy against the Peraro Krotoik. This triggered a large coup that threw the entire empire into internal struggles. With the internal structure of the empire dissolving and the military being the only stable institution remaining, three factions formed within Bassiliya. The Juliae faction remained loyal to the Peraro Krotoik and was the largest faction formed. Much of the local military leaders sided with Hypolas Juliae, the governor at the time. The second faction, the Philosphes, were led by Philosphthes of Scipthas, who had returned with his army to western Bassiliya in 608 IE. The third faction called themselves the Paradosiakoí, which translated to the traditionalists, who fought primarily for the independence of the region. Their rebellion was mostly contained in the furthest northern reaches of the province and had little to no affect on the general conflict.

Hearing news of the secession of Selt, Mitiya, and many city-states in the Prefencian region, the two main factions, the Philosphes and the Juliaens, began a conflict over who would rule the region. Outnumbered and surrounded at Tauros in the north, Philosphthes made a hasty retreat to the sea and escaped from Hypolas at the Battle of the Red Sands. Philosphthes quickly retreated with his army to Trolis while Hypolas and his force returned to the main peninsula to restore order there. Building up a large force from the surrounding warlords and petty rulers, Philosphthes crossed the Sunlit Sea and landed just north of Soncetopilay. Threatened by Philosphthes’ force, Hypolas was compelled to head out and meet the general head on. In the Battle of Brothers, seven thousand Philosphes and three thousand of their allies faced a well-trained but exhausted force of nine thousand Juliaens. Fatigued by their quick march and the months of suppressing rebellions across the peninsula, the Juliaens’ force crumbled under pressure from the Philosphes. With losses over a thousand, the Juliaens beat a hasty retreat to Soncetopilay and prepared for a siege. However, Philosphthes refused to besiege the city, knowing that doing so would lead to a long, drawn-out battle, ultimately leaving both sides unable to fight. Instead, the general took the majority of his force and began raiding and pillaging across the countryside, burning villages and stealing crops. Again, forced out of their defensive position, the Juliaens marched to meet the Philosphes in battle. This time they met at Olyis, north and east of the capital. Superior positioning and a slight advantage in numbers allowed the Juliaens to narrowly defeat the Philosphes and drive them north.

Defeated, the Philosphes quickly retreated north. Unhappy with the result of their military exploits, the mercenary allies Philosphthes had raised in the west negotiated a white peace with the Juliaens and returned home. Deprived of a large number of forces, the Philosphes’ morale quickly deteriorated and hundreds of soldiers either defected or deserted. Faced with utter annihilation, Philosphthes retreated into the far north of the region with five thousand soldiers. Caught in a sandstorm from the deserts to the north, Philosphthes became separated from his army and is presumed to have died in 611 IE. With their leader dead and nothing to hold them together, the Philosphes dissolved, with many of the soldiers leaving to return to Tauros or join the Paradosiakoí.

With the defeat of the Philosphes, the remainder of the rebels within Bassiliya itself dissolved and either joined the Juliae or the Paradosiakoí. Securing their position at home, the Juliae marched north to deal with the Paradosiakoí in June of 615 IE. Overtaking their main force at the Battle of the Two Trees a few dozen miles north of Athonis, the Juliae obliterated the Paradosiakoí forces, crushing their political movement. With the last of the rebellious warlords defeated, the Juliae set about restoring Imperial order to the region. With tensions in the rest of the empire still quite high, the stability of the Bassiliyan province increased the attraction for rich or powerful families. Seeing a drastic increase in Krotoika immigration, the Juliae family began an official policy of Otoification and Bassiliyanization. The capital was renamed to Otoklis, City of God, and Otoism became closely tied to the political power of the region. Priesthoods and holy orders were founded to ensure the integrity of the Otoist faith across Bassiliya. Within a dozen years, the crisis across the empire calmed down, but many of the rich and influential families within Bassiliya remained.

Imperial Prefecture of the Peraro Krotoik (898-1022 IE)

With the loss of Prefencia, Selt, and Mitiya, along with the devastating Kuhin raids in the north, the Peraro Krotoik required extensive rebuilding of infrastructure and trust in the Emperor. This was accomplished primarily through the use of religious leaders, who already had the trust of the Krotoika people. However, due to the relatively early return of stability in the region, Bassiliyans needed little prompting by the priesthood. The power in the region remained primarily with the feudal nobles and the governor, though the Otoists retained sway within this structure. With the Emperor solidifying power in the west, the governors of Bassiliya continued to build influence and wealth, eventually becoming the most powerful governors in the Peraro Krotoik. In 872 IE, the governor of Bassiliya, Xanthos Juliae II, married the daughter of the Emperor. Through alleged murder and trickery, Xanthos managed to become the only male in the immediate family of the Emperor. Appointed and confirmed by the Senate, Xanthos Juliae II became the Emperor of the Peraro Krotoik in 898 IE. Ruling for over a decade, Xanthos established the Juliaen house as the imperial line for almost a century. During this time, Bassiliya became an Imperial Prefecture, nominally the personal fief of the Emperor, but usually ruled by one of the Emperor’s sons as a de facto princedom. Prospering during this time, Bassiliya saw another influx of rich immigrants, who brought their well-educated and talented households with them.

In the late 9th century IE, Emperor Hypolytos Juliae, known as the Melancholic, died at the age of thirty-eight. Disaster had struck when his wife and two young girls were killed in a boating accident. Left without an heir, Hypolytos pined away and died, leaving the Imperial Throne without an heir. Rightfully, the Emperor’s nephew, Ephumenos Juliae, should have inherited the throne. However, since the Emperor failed to nominate any male relative as successor, the Senate elected Ythykos the Herald as Emperor. Not a member of the Juliae family, Ythykos wanted to ensure his line’s security on the throne and ordered Ephumenos to revoke his claim to the throne and return Bassiliya to a province. Ephumenos refused, leading to a serious crisis in power. The Senate, not powerful enough to broker a peace between the two factions, was unable to stop the coming war. Both factions raised armies to fight the other, beginning the Succession War. Ephumenos, leading an army of fifty thousand Bassiliyans and thirty thousand allied forces, marched across the Ekatisloia Mountains, west into Peraro Krotoik. Meeting Ephumenos at the base of the mountains, Ythykos’s army of sixty thousand was overrun and defeated by the Bassiliyans.

Forced to return further west into the Peraro Krotoik, Ythykos’s depleted army began to gather more men and supplies. Supported by the Senate, the Emperor managed to rebuild his army, gathering more than twenty thousand more soldiers to his banner within three months. Ephumenos, on the other hand, was unable to raise proper support among the lords of eastern Peraro Krotoik, leaving him stranded and cutoff from sufficient supply. Unable to reinforce and feed his troops, Ephumenos was forced to retreat back over the mountains in winter, losing five thousand men along the way. Another ten thousand deserted once they made it to the Bassiliyan side of the range, leaving Ephumenos outnumbered and in a serious predicament. By 1002 IE, his forces had almost completely disintegrated; only fourteen thousand soldiers remained under his command. Forced to deal with other rebellious situations in the west, Ythykos maintained a moderate force that guarded the passes over the Ekatisloia Mountains, keeping the Bassiliyan rebels bottled up on the peninsula.

After five years of suppressing rebellions in the west, Ythykos returned to Bassiliya in 1008 IE to finish off Ephumenos and his forces. However, he found a large force of Bassiliyans had gathered in the meantime. Now in command of nearly one hundred thousand trained soldiers, Ephumenos was able to keep Ythykos at bay for ten more years. Lain under almost constant siege, the Bassiliyan people became hardened and cynical, turning against formerly beloved Krotoika symbolism and institutions. The priesthood was culled, leaving the temples in the hands of the local religious leaders rather than under a centralized priesthood. Many imperial officials were murdered and their families hunted, leaving a power vacuum. By the time Ythykos managed to break through the Bassiliyan defenses in 1019 IE, the country had largely been cleansed of Krotoika influence. The two armies, equally matched, began a long, concerted campaign of attrition. Few large battles were fought, each commander choosing to engage in running battles or skirmishes. Eventually, in May of 1022 IE, the main forces of each faction met at Athonis.

Ythykos sought to overcome the city and capture its strategic port; Ephumenos wanted to ensure that access to the Sea of Tovachy remained closed to the Krotoika. Gathering his forces outside the city, Ythykos began a short siege of the city. Interrupted by Ephymenos’s forward screening force, the Krotoika prepared for an assault. On the morning of the 15th of May, 1022 IE, the Bassiliyan army marched out of the rising sun, over the hills surrounding the city, and down onto the Krotoika. Legend states that the sun rose an hour early that day in order to blind the Krotoika defenders. In any case, the Krotoika forces were both surprised and stunned, overwhelmed by the superior Bassiliyan force. Unable to properly mount a defense, the Krotoika were forced to retreat from the battle. Pursued by the Bassiliyan force, Ythykos was chased over the Ekatisloia Mountains and southwest of them to Trolis. Although he attempted to draw the Bassiliyans into a siege there, he was unsuccessful. Retreating further west into the Peraro Krotoik, Ythykos was unable to again enter Bassiliyan territory, dying in disgrace in 1038 IE.

The Kingdom of Juliae (1022-1048 IE)

Following the defeat of the last Krotoika outpost at Byzanis in the fall of 1022 IE, Ephumenos returned to Otoklis in triumph. The Council of Juliae, elders gathered from around the realm to decide the fate of the Bassiliyan nation, elected Ephumenos Juliae as the Progenitor of Kings, First of the Kings of Juliae. In later years, when the first Emperor was crowned in Otoklis, King Ephumenos Juliae was posthumously named Father of Emperors, First Emperor of Bassiliya. Coronated on the final day of 1022 IE, Ephumenos declared peace with the Krotoika, prosperity for the Bassiliyans, and humble reverence for Oto. Declared a day of thanksgiving and thoughtful prayer, Iméra Stépsis is celebrated every year on the last day of the solar year. Following tradition, Emperors are crowned on the last day of the year in reverence to Ephumenos. Elevated to the status of a demigod following his ascension to the throne, Ephumenos Juliae became the first High Priest of Oto in Bassiliya, starting the long-held tradition of the Emperor’s dual role as Emperor and High Priest, interrupted only briefly by the succession crisis in 1050 IE.

During his reign, the nation prospered and grew. The hardships of the war against the Peraro Krotoik faded into the memories of the elders, with the new, prosperous age leading to a population boom. Trade with the outside world became one of the central pillars of Bassiliyan culture, allowing for the rapid growth of a merchant class. Bassiliyan culture became more solidified and unique, relying heavily on the teachings of their king as High Priest. Ephumenos founded several Bassiliyan religious orders, including the Order of Iliofótistos, an order of religious healers focused on ministering to the sick and the needy. Through the widespread influence of the Iliofótistosi, the cultural hegemony of the Bassiliyans was solidified as ancient cultures and tribal religions slowly assimilated. Temples, shrines, and holy sites, partly funded by Ephumenos himself, appeared in every city, town, and village.

With the worship of Oto came religious tension between the Krotoika and the Bassiliyans. Although the peace between the two nations had been cordial and friendly since the coronation of Ephumenos, increasing religious differences between the two cultures turned into a religious crusade. In 1031 IE, Ephumenos Juliae died, following a period of intense sickness. Buried in the Grand Temple in Oto, a period of mourning followed, in which the people of Bassiliya fasted for three days. Ephymenos’s son, Hyperdes, became king at the end of 1031 IE, ushering in a new age for the Bassiliyan people. Far more violent and expansionist than his father, Hyperdes began skirmishing against the Krotoika in the west, attempting to establish Bassiliyan spheres of influence further from the Bassiliyan Peninsula.

Turning to the south, Hyperdes began to expand into colonies north of Kretaza in 1038 IE. Following the recent collapse of the Vyaamen hegemony, several towns on the coast of the Sunlit Sea fell under the control of local nobles and warlords. Seeing an opportunity, Hyperdes marched an army from Trolis in the north down to the cities of Illyna and Lycernia, seizing them from the control of the local Kretazans. Pushing further south, Hyperdes began a siege of the city of Thornika on the banks of the Renos River. After an extensive siege lasting eight months, the defenders of the city surrendered to the Bassiliyan forces, ceding control of the city from the local liege-lord directly to Hyperdes. Thornika would be renamed to Otolika in the following decade, although Thornika remained the unofficial name due to the local population’s preference for it. Following the conquest of Thornika, the surrounding nobles either surrendered their claims to Hyperdes or were subjugated by the king’s army. Despite the ease of conquest in northeast Kretaza, Hyperdes was forced to return home with his army due to rising religious unrest and increased skirmishes near the Krotoika border.

Forced to return to the Bassiliyan Peninsula to defend the homeland in 1040 IE, the king began setting up a line of mountain defenses along the length of the Ekatisloia Mountains, which became known as the Hyperdes Line. These forts protected the western border by controlling the vital mountain passes between the Peraro Krotoik and the Kingdom of Juliae. However, with such a lengthy border to protect, the forts quickly fell into disuse following Hyperdes sudden death in 1047 IE. Suffering from several illnesses, believed to be caused by extensive exposure to the elements and battle fatigue, Hyperdes died of apoplexy in March of 1047 IE at the age of 59.

Foundation of the Empire

Hyperdes, a popular monarch, was mourned by the kingdom for three days. Religious gatherings were held continuously throughout this time as the people attended prayerful times of reflection. Having had no male children, Hyperdes’s nephew, Daimothenes became King of Juliae. However, Daimothenes’s popularity rapidly sank as he failed to live up to the expectations of his predecessor. In 1048 IE, a massive famine hit the kingdom, leaving thousands starving as crops failed. Daimothenes was blamed for displeasing Oto, as a drought was claimed to be the precipitator of the famine. In the early hours of the final day of 1048, seventeen conspirators snuck into the sleeping chambers of the king and attempted to assassinate him. Although the king survived the attempt and the conspirators were swiftly executed, the attempt left the king blind and paralyzed from the waist down. A few months later, having contracted pneumonia, the king died. Having no heirs, it was feared that the line of Juliae would have died out with Daimothenes. However, one of Ephumenos’s great-grand nephews, Xerocles Juliae, was traced as the next heir. Young and less experienced than his predecessors, he nevertheless politically positioned himself, using his inherited wealth and claim to the title, into being appointed as the new ruler of Bassiliya.

Ascending to the throne in 1050 IE, Xerocles, with the support of the High Priest of Oto and many of his vassal lords, began the process of evolving the national identity. Through a process of propaganda, nationalist teachings from the High Priest, and the maneuvering of history into place, Xerocles and his advisors began the process of declaring the former kingdom as a new empire. The High Priest of Oto crowned Xerocles Emperor of Bassiliya in 1051 IE, declaring the new realm of the Holy Empire of Bassiliya and establishing the legacy of the true successor state to Peraro Krotoik. However, with the continued existence of the Peraro Krotoik as a powerful state within the world, Xerocles began to plan a campaign to destroy the Krotoika and subjugate the empire. Gathering a force in 1053, Xerocles marched across the border between the two empires.

Attempting to take advantage of the ongoing civil war between factions within the Peraro Krotoik, Xerocles began skirmishing with Krotoik defenses on the other side of the border with several of the local legions. Unfortunately, Xerocles had underestimated the size and dedication of the defenders along the border. Repelled only six weeks after the invasion, Xerocles retreated in disgrace, leaving a few hundred dead Bassiliyans behind.

After this initial failure, Emperor Xerocles devoted himself to becoming a patron of the arts, sciences, and religion. He built three new universities, one in Otoklis, Trolis, and the burgeoning Byzanis each. Due to his heavy investment in the growth of Byzanis, a recent colony-town in the far north of Bassiliyan influence, he is known as the Patron Emperor of Byzanis. He sponsored the creation of a new festival in celebration of art, now known as the Festival of Colored Lights. In addition, he began the construction of vomosii in every major city, earning him much favor with the clergy and priesthood of the realm. With each investment, Xerocles cemented himself as a popular and well-liked ruler, despite the failures of the beginning of his reign.

Although Xerocles had focused two decades on promoting the internal stability and wealth of the nation, he never forgot his humiliating defeat. In 1074 IE, after having prepared a massive army for the invasion, Emperor Xerocles led a force of one hundred thousand men across the Krotoika border and declared that an eternal war would be waged against the Krotoika heathens and usurpers. This moment was the official beginning of the Eternal War.