Prima Cajalax

Prima Cajalax Maxia (also Prima Cajalax) is an Imperial Knight world, found in Dark Age of Technology and discovered by the Imperium in 397.M41 during the Macharian Crusade. It took some time before the agreement of alliance between the Imperium and Cajalax Prima was reached, mainly because of the splintered nations and numerous headstrong rulers on world. Alliance was formally formed after a devastating war between the Knightly houses on world had ended in favor of House Cajanus who supported the Imperial vassalship.

Orbital charasteristics
Prima Cajalax orbits its young, sizable orange dwarf star Cajalax from the mean radius of approximately 157500000 kilometers. Its aphelion goes as far as 161205000 km and perihelion 150058000 km. Planet's average orbital speed is around 26.95 km/s which makes its year as long as 1.15 Terran years (420 Terran days or 10000 Terran hours). Cajalaxian year is 328 Cajalaxian days, 14 hours and 28 minutes, making every other year a leap year, leap day being at the end of the calender.

Planet's axial tilt is 18.4 degrees from its orbital plane causing seasonal changes on Prima Cajalax.

Satellites
Prima Cajalax has two natural satellites, moons. The first moon, known by the locals as "the Moon", orbits its host planet from approximately 400 thousand kilometers and is tidally locked. The second moon bears many names, but is most commonly known as the "Red Dwarf". Red Dwarf orbits its host planet from approximately 900 thousand kilometers in an orbit that is tilted 15 degrees of its host planet's plane. Red Dwarf is covered by iron dust and basalt plains and has peculiar reddish color, even if it is only visible in clear nights because of its very dark surface. Red Dwarf orbits around its host in 78.4 Terran days, when the Moon orbits in just over 30 Terran days. When the two moons align, they'll cause massive tidal waters which has forced the coastal settlements on high hills and cliffs.

Rotation
Prima Cajalax has rotational period of 1.3 Terran days making one Cajalaxian day 30 Terran hours, 41 minutes and 15 seconds. Cajalaxian people have adapted to these slightly longer days over the millennia.

Physical charasteristics
Planet's surface is covered with one ocean, planet's only continent cutting it in half. Within the continent there is also a large area of brackish water, which is known as the North Sea. The major ocean is also cut from north to equator by a long, wide shallow waters that have extensive amount of corals and rich variety of species. The area is so shallow, that some points become islands during the Talltide, when the two moons are aligned.

Planet's surface is relatively flat as the tectonic activity on planet is relatively weak for a world of that size. Most active areas are in the Arvenes mountain range in the northern hemisphere, and in the very center of Prima Cajalax' sole continent. While earthquakes tend to be weak, some extremes do occur in the Central Valley area between the Pollus mountains and Worldnavel range. In the southern hemisphere the Isle of Miro is also known to exhibit regular earthquakes and even volcanic eruptions due the movements of three tectonic plates beneath it, Isle of Miro is however uninhabited. Fiercest volcanic activity is located in the Arvenes mountain range, even if many of the volcanoes are wholly or partially covered under polar glacial. There is also notionworthy amount of volcanic activity in the Isle of Miro as well as in the bottom of the Great Eastern Ocean. It is thought that there could be volcanic activity beneath the southern polar glacials, but as it is not inhabited and won't likely become so, no efforts are made to study it further.

Age of Strife
The Imperial historians and adepts assume that the settlers on Prima Cajalax were splintered very early in the colonisation process, thus effectively negating the pros of Throne Mechanicums' colony-guarding influences. Instead of protecting one big colony, numerous knights began to jealously guard their people from other houses and factions like cocks guard their flocks.

This fragmentation within the colony had, supposedly, led to a rapid decline in technological level as no group was strong enough to acquire required amounts of components for their own standard template constructs' (STC) construction. Arhallan's STC constructor was presumably destroyed in the early days of the colonisation, possibly before the Age of Strife. The Knights, while effectively eternal and indestructible, soon had to give up their ranged weaponries due to the lack of munitions. This might be the reason for extraordinary amount of melee-focused lances hailing from Prima Cajalax.

The STCs were soon disregarded and only the very simplest of them were used, only to keep the Knights going, because their importance for the surviving groups was more than anything else. They guarded the settlers not only from the other settlers and bandits but also from the feral wildlife on planet.

Oldest records on planet found by the adepts of Officio Historica sub. Retrorsus (Questor Imperialis) trace back to the initial colonisation of Prima Cajalax Maxia during the Dark Age of Technology. These records are however extremely rare and scattered across the treasuries, keeps, monasteries and ruins of the world.

Age of Imperium
As no centralised governorship existed, Knights viewed each others with distrust and even outright hostility. Especially when the Dark Age of Technology plunged into the horrific Age of Strife many societies - built around the Knights and their dynasties - began to build walls around their cities. When psykers began to emerge within the populations, religious cults were born, some of them undoubtly revering the Lords of Change and Decay (in one form or another), but most of them focusing on moderation, dilligence and the fear of unknown.

Birth of monastic orders occured before the Great Crusade during the tumultous Age of Strife. Population on Prima Cajalax began to grow in the early M31 from an estimated 0.8 million inhabitants. As the amount of Knights was limited and population grew, the estates division within the societies began to suffer and the power of Knightly houses over the lesser population weakened. However, not even a full esqadron of Cartanian heavy cavalry was capable of bringing down even the pettiest Knight, let alone a full house. So the Knightly houses kept their status as ruling estate and a membership of a Knightly dynasty was seen as a mark of an ultimate prestige, holding a special place within the First Estate.

As the population on world grew, new cities and towns were found and the vast seas on world became increasingly important area of dominance. Some daring settlers defied the wraths of the South Sea and the Grey Sea - west from the initial colonization areas - and settled the Far Isle and the lands in the Sea of Stag. Needless to say, these settlements did not have Knight Titans to support their rule but their location granted them extraordinary amount of freedom and diversity when compared to their continental neighbours. Without the oppressing rule of the First Estate the Knights had formed, the seafaring societies grew into a more open societies and developed a class-like division in their lands. Almost all over-sea trade was soon run by the seafaring societies.

Many opportunists and wanderers fled to the north when the cities began to grow. While no system of governance ever formed north from the North Sea and Icy Waters, or west from the Walean Valley and Arkland, many nomad bands reigned over each others in these barren lands. Exotic, white furs, fire agates, prismatines and other valuable gems were brought south from the Arvenes mountain range. Whiteharbour, located in the far-east, became the only republic located in continent, its sovereignty is guaranteed by multiple nobles, Knights and other republics to ensure the steady and regulated flow of gems and valuables from the north.

As time went by, many of the Knights suffered from damages caused by their rivals in duels, wars and sabotage. Importance of the Armiger Pattern Knights rose, as they were abundant compared to the "real" Questoris Pattern Knights, and many houses granted the Armiger pilots extensive rights in their societies. The poorer kingdoms, most notably the Grand Duchy of Cartania, began to utilise other technological constructs originally designed for labor and logistics. Cartanian heavy cavalry became well known for their fast and destructive raids, sabotage and kidnapping missions, their cavalieers mounting bipedal walkers not unlike the Ironstriders of the Adeptus Mechanicus.

Beginning of the 41st Millennium
As the 41st millennium changed in, the western states were recovering from a devastating war of independence from the Arhallan Hegemony that had ruled over Arhallan Island, Arkland, Druzlanding Coast and Cartania as well as most of the Cajania and Upper Cartania. The city of Arhallan Hall was sacked and the Knightly house Duke - rulers of Arhallan Hegemony - were stripped off of their Knights and lands by the usurpers. According to the Arkwright Chronicles, Arkland - ruled by Knightly house Arkwright - captured seven knights and a host of armigers instantly becoming one of the strongest houses on Prima Cajalax. Kingdom of Arkland became the ruler of Arkland, western Cartania and Druzlanding Coast. Arhallan Island became a tributary to the throne of Arkland. Grand Duchy of Cartania gained the lands around the cities of Cartanborg, Laketown and Port Magna and the lands of Upper Cartania. Knightly house Cajanus of the March of Cajana became independent but was located in a perilous position between the Grand Duchy of Cartania (in west), Swanleague Cities (in south), Kingdom of Acaria (in east) and Purple Alliance (in north).

The Purple Alliance awakened with the crowning Oebarsin Norrskow (174.M41) who had conquered with his sixteen knights the lands of Walean Valley, East-Walea, Jadol river valley, Osseto and all of the Linda's Land. Oebarsin ruthlessly drove his old rivals, the Lindhersen house, out of their keep from the city of Lindor. Two of their eight knights supposedly were left behind and claimed by Oebarsin while the rest sought asylum from Acarton, capitol of Kingdom of Acaria. Acarian sovereign granted the Lindhersen family asylum and hid its members in the town of Longlax on Lanhan Isle. Acarian sovereign promised the Norrskows to support them in a war against the Walea, but wanted to wait some time before doing so.

Swanleague Cities - comprised of the cities of Swansee, Swancastle, Cristentown, South Keep, Camans and Midpoint - had long bothered the sovereign of Acaria and with the six new warriors in his ranks he was willing to try his luck. War between the Swanleague Cities and Kingdom of Acaria broke out in 182.M41 and forced the population within the eastern cities to run west into the cities of Swansee and Swancastle. King Svendall Swan - of Swansee, Swancastle and South Keep, Lord Mayor of Cristenton, Castellan of Camans and Markess of Midpoint - rode out from his palace in Swansee and raised his levies from his river valley kingdom and met the Acarian sovereign in the Falcon Hills west from the city of Midpoint. Power of Swanleague came not only from the immense wealth the House Swan had managed to gather but also from a full lance of Castigator knights capable of extreme speed and devastating close combat prowess. Lance of House Swan broke the initial aggression of Acarian sovereign and the twin Knight Castellans of House Swan utterly destroyed one of the Lindhersen knights. Acarian invasion had ended before it began and House Swan stood triumphant over a foe five times larger. Acarian sovereign perished during the One Day War from the stress caused by the Throne Mechanicum, his Knight taking heavy beating. This particular Knight Lancer - the Shieldbreaker - was given to King Svendall Swann by the Acarian nobles, and a truce of fifteen hundred years was struck.

House Leocreutz, infamous for being sullen and unkind rulers, was driven by the King Luther Labarhsen and his seven knights from the city of Lionholl. In 202.M41 war was joined by the Kingdom of Cania which claimed the shores of Mannsee and the Gulf, and the city of Shallows and the Tempest Keep from the House Leocreutz. House Leocreutz lost one Knight Dominus in the defence of Lionholl (200.M41) and two of its Knights in the war against the king of Cania in the Leun Lowlands. Firstborn of Margrave Percival Leocreutz fell in the Battle of Tempest Keep (204.M41), after he had carved out the nobles piloting the Canian Knights Illyspear and Gulfguard with his rare Cerastus pattern Knight Thunderer - Wrath of Mountains. His Knight was assaulted by a weapon team with a lascutter and he was cut out of his cockpit. Prince Torfast Leocreutz was violently beaten to death in the victory parade in the city of Tempest Keep by the Canian invaders. Margrave Percival Leocreutz surrendered in exhange for his son's body and grudginly signed a truce "to last forevertime" that no Knight of Leocreutz should ever venture down from the Mountains of Leu. House Leocreutz was further humiliated when Margrave Percival Leocreutz' Knight Mountain King was stripped from its weapons by the smiths of Cania, leaving the towering hulk to stand without arms in the courtyard of Castle Leocreutz.

Kingdom of Cania, with a lance provided by its northern Labarian allies, attacked the House Sha-Lias who ruled the lands in the Central Valley and around the city of Davidstown. In 215.M41 the Davidstown fell after it was besieged by the Canian Footguard for two years. The House Sha-Lias fled to the city of Salem but the Canian Knights pursued them and destroyed most of the dynasty and capturing its sole Knight.

In 219.M41 the cities of Lake Cirtan became protectorates of Swanleague Cities after years of negotiating and together stood against the Kingdom of Cania's threat in the south. While House Leocreutz was effectively disarmed, the feral beasts that lived in the Mountains of Leu, known as leucrota, came down from the mountains and drove people from rural villages to cities. Famine followed and the Leun Lowlands suffered greatly, much of their population fled to north west to the northern Central Valley and the Swanleague Cities. This also affected greatly the Davidstown, Salem and the cities in the Kingdom of Cania, effectively halting the Canian offense against the northern states.

City of Cajana became protectorate of the Grand Duchy of Cartania in 216.M41, fearing the northern invasion after the Norrskows attacked the Sword of Osse and conquered the peninsula from Acarian sovereign. Discovering the remnants of house Lindhersen in the city of Longlax, the Norrskows slayed all the male heirs and bedded their women claiming all lands north of Osseto. The Five Knights of Lindhersen house pleaded the Acarian sovereign to attack and revenge the Norrskows but Acarian sovereign was frightened by the Kingdom of Labaria and the alliance between Labaria and Cania. After being beaten and humiliated in the One Day War, Acarian sovereign wished no war and did not press the Lindhersens claims to the Linda's Land.

Rise and fall of the Eastern Empire
In the mid third century of 41st millennium, the Knightly house Carideus of the city of Bask united the lands in Meranco and claimed himself as the Emperor in the East. The western houses utilised strongly centralised rulership holding as many Knights to themselves as they could. The Emperor in the East however based his rule on semi-independent city states and lesser Knightly houses all of whom hosted one Questoris Knight and a host of Armigers, Emperor himself owning only four Questoris Knights. The first Emperor in the East, Preben Carideus, attempted multiple times to negotiate the Island of Eren into his hegemony but the Erenian nobles refused it, finding themselves to be safe on an island from the iron fist of the Knightly houses. In 261.M41 Emperor in the East Preben Carideus hired the shipwrights of Opburg of the Seal Isle to create a ship so big it could carry one Questoris Knight over the perilous waters of the Southern Eren Channel. After six long years a vessel strong enough to cross the Channel was built and the Emperor in the East sent his oldest son to Eren. Knight Eastern Pride landed in the south-western corner of Eren Island and marched to the Eren City. When the Lord Mayor of Eren saw the towering hulk of a Knight on the southern hills, he surrendered without a fight. City of Asaka on the western Eren did not go without fighting and the Lord of the Channel Kyle Ridley perished while charging against the Eastern Pride on an iron steed.

In his last years, Emperor in the East Preben Carideus made plans to attack the city state of Clarendan which claimed heavy taxes from all who passed through the Strait of Colossus. The immense Knight Porphyrion, the Colossus, which watched over the strait was however too intimidating and no attack was launched. City state Clarendan, ruled by Archduchess Isolda Jernighsen in 250.M41, subjugated the city of Adrand and allied itself with the Markess of Moonkeep effectively controlling all trade moving through the Watch of Colossus. This caused tension between the Clarendan state and the rulers of Purple Alliance, Kingdom of Labaria, Rastmark and the other city states in the Long Island. Preachborg, Unuri and Manntown allied (Long Island Alliance) against the Clarendan state but dared not to attack for none of the city states had a single Knight.

As the Emperor in the East passed away, the a new Emperor was elected amongst the most prestigous vassals in the Empire. Duke Joah Strand of Totquay assumed the title of Emperor in the East and struck a deal with the rulers of Rastmark of an invasion against the Clarendan state. Kingdom of Acaria had found itself squeezed by the Purple Alliance and Grand Duchy of Cartania and was not interested to take part in the aggression against the Archduchess Jernighsen. Kingdom of Labaria had soured the relations with Swanleague Cities by taking interest in the city of Midpoint and was readying to a war. Emperor in the East found no further allies, but was determined to attack the Archduchess' domain. In 270.M41 Emperor in the East declared war agains the Clarendan state and the Knights of Rastmark, infamous of their bold Armiger tactics, crossed the Northern Strait with flotilla of crude rafts and ships. Emperor in the East boldly rose on his ship in Totquay and sailed towards the Clarendan. Archduchess had anticipated the Emperor's arrogance and moved her Colossus to counter the landing. Twin-linked Magna Lascannons ripped through the Emperor's flagship's hull and sent the Knight Merancoan with its pilot to the depths of the Strait of Colossus. Still unaware of their ally's sorry end, the Knights of Rastmark landed near the city of Adrand and claimed it. Archduchess Isolda Jernighsen with his cousin Prince Burgess Rickard Jernighsen charged their Knight Gallants against the swarming Rastmarkian Armigers smashing them like rodents. Markess Baldrik Rastsen galloped against the Archduchess with his Knight Lancer but was pierced by the Magna Lascannons of the Colossus before reaching close combat. Seeing their liege fall in such inglorious fashion, the barons of Helkirk, Brasshold and Farleigh tried to swarm Archduchess Jernighsen in close combat but her skill with her Knight Gallant was of such levels she bested two of the aggressors by herself, third one being ripped to pieces by Prince Burgess Jernighsen. Rule of the Clarendan state was not bested and house Jernighsen seized all the Armigers from the northern barons. Rastmark was also forced to give the lands north of the Watch of Colossus to Clarendan state and become its tributary state. Knights of the barons of Farleigh and Helkirk were returned to their houses as a sign of good will.

With the death of Emperor in the East, the Empire fell into disarray, house Carideus with his allies in the Bay of Bask and Southern Channel claimed the Emperor's position by right of inheritance while the elective succession was written in the constitution of the Empire. Lord Preben II Carideus burned the constitution of the Empire and claimed he'd conquer the lands if the Knightly houses would not bend their knees otherwise. Eren, having fiercely yearned for independence since its annexation, declared itself free from the Empire and fortified the southern shores with culverins and other weapons unable to counter a Knight but well capable of sinking ships of any aggressor. The remnants of Merancoan Empire formed no alliance and the house Carideus was too weak by itself to fight against all its previous vassals and so the lands became separated into city states and Knight-ruled counties. By the end beginning of 90s no power had grown amongst the Merancoan lands.

Midpoint War
The Labarhsen house ventured against the Swanleague Cities with its long-term Canian allies in 278.M41 claiming the city of Midpoint as their own. Midpoint was a renowned trading hub and located in a valley through which basically every trader had to travel. Viscount of Midpoint, Lord Seneschal Edwin Swan, valiantly fought the Labarhsen Knights but ultimately failed before the house Swan managed to join the fight. City of Midpoint was devastated and brought to ruin by the warring factions in the next fifteen years. The war was joined by many volunteers of the Clan of Sha-Lias - descendants to those who the Kingdom of Cania had driven from Davidstown and the Central Valley. Tempest Keep was badly damaged when the Pollus Mercenaries raided the Canian lands from the south and the libraries of Faramnon, capitol of Cania, were burned, only a carriagefull of books were saved from the thousands of manuscripts within the library. The Archduchess Jernighsen forced the Long Island Alliance its tributary states and robbed the islands Scyll and Scalt in the Sea of Twins from the Kingdom of Labaria. Kingdom of Labaria otherwise fared well in the war and its grasp of the city of Midpoint was fierce until the Swanleague Cities final offense, joined by some unnamed Knights assumably from the Kingdom of Acaria, in 295.M41 when the League pushed the eastern invaders off. Nothing of the city remained though and the effects on trade between the eastern and western world were tremendous. As the war had forced much of the trade through the Straits of Colossus, the house Jernighsen had grown obscenely rich in very short time, ripping off the ripe fruits of the war. The original Treaty of Midpoint Borough was signed by Swanleague Cities, Kingdom of Labaria and Kingdom of Cania, and endorsed by the Kingdom of Acaria and house Leocreutz. In the treaty it was agreed that the city of Midpoint should become an independent state ruled by a Lord Mayor. As the city had been ruled by a viscount for fifteen hundred years, no house could claim it themselves. Viscount of Midpoint Edwin Swan resigned from his position as the Seneschal of house Swan and took the mantle of Lord Mayor of Midpoint because he thought that having already acted as the Lord of Midpoint for fifty two years granted him the right to rule the city again. The war broke out anew when Edwin Swan refused to step down from the position of Lord Mayor, which was strongly opposed by the Kingdom of Labaria who had wished to name the Lord Mayor of Borough as the ruler of both Borough and Midpoint, as the treaty's name had suggested.

Hostilities began anew in 280.M41 when Kingdom of Labaria stormed the ruins of Midpoint and scattered the garrisoned footguard there. Swanleague Cities answered offense with one of their own and once again the Midpoint had turned into a battleground where Knight beated another. Kingdom of Cania sent its Knights from the valleys between Worldnavel and Mountains of Leu and breached the walls of Camans. City's garrison had been drawn empty and many civilians fled to west to notoriously impregnable South Keep. Queen Svanhild XIV Swan of Swanleague Cities in her arrogance noted the Acarian sovereign that her troops would move through the territories of Kingdom of Acaria without any formal agreement on it. Bound by the truce struck after the One Day War, Acarian sovereign granted the passage with heavy heart. When the Kingdom of Labaria realised that Kingdom of Acaria had taken its side in the war, they besieged the Brigskeep and raided the city of Falconberg, even if it was thought to be unraidable due its location on a cliffy Falcon Hills and surrounded by a river. Queen Svanhild XIV was married to the Norrskows and the last members of house Lindhersen strongly opposed the Acarian sovereign's decision to let the Swanleague Cities draw Kingdom of Acaria into their war. When the Norrskows joined the war after a few months of watching and waiting, they too crossed the lands of Acaria. The last five Lindhersens attacked, against the wishes of Acarian sovereign, the eight Norrskow Knights who were passing the city of Jarlmouth in northern Acaria. They crippled one of the Knights by destroying its leg servoes completely, destroyed one by ripping its head off and carving the pilot, King Balaphor II "the Clueless" Norrskow, from its cockpit and squeezing him into a pulp with a thunderstrike gauntlet. One of the Lindhersens took a fatal blow but not before effectively destroying another Knight in a single combat before the gates of Jarlmouth. Rest of the eight Knights were damaged and regrouped west of the Jarlmouth sending messengers to Queen Svanhild XIV about Acarian sovereign's treachery.

Queen Svanhild XIV was not pleased of the Acarian sovereign's efforts to keep the Lindhersens out of the fight and demanded actions from her truce-bound ally. Acarian sovereign declared the Lindhersens as outlaws but sympathised them so much that sent his best smiths and engineers to restore their damaged Knights. Every garrison commander was given orders to randomly send reports of Lindhersens whereabouts and the Norrskows decided to leave the game aside and advanced towards the Brigskeep in 283.M41 with their remaining five Knights. The crippled Knight, Northscourge, was pulled outside of Jarlmouth. At the same time the Labarian Knights pushed to the Midpoint and their footguard pillaged the lands between Midpoint and Long Ness lake.

Brigskeep, built on an plateau at the end of a narrow isthmus was designed to counter Knights and storming it with one would result in heavy damages, possibly unrecoverable ones. The Norrskows were reluctant to attack the keep because of its peculiar design and so a new siege was set around it. In the middle of a night, few weeks after the siege was layed, group of Labarian footguards sneaked amongst the Knights in the middle of the night and managed to cripple the Knight Walean Valiant with a heavy grenade forged beneath the Brigskeep, before the whole group was annihilated by the rest of the Knights. Norrskows had payed a heavy prize for taking part in Svanhild's war. Siege was continued by the Norrskows until the end of the war.

Knights of Cania attacked the South Keep in 282.M41 but were repelled before the city walls by the Knigths of Swan and pushed back to Camans. Pollus Mercenaries were again utilised by Queen Svanhild XIV and they attacked the city of Jeras in Cania, burning the fields and granaries on their way. Cadet branch of Swan, Brimwylsen, ruled the cities of Heburg and Rosston and offered to join the war. Queen Svanhild XIV ordered the Grand Duke Pryde Brimwylsen to take his Knights and join the forces of Cirtown near the city of Riverton, which was mainly inhabited by the remnants of Sha-Lias Clan, and to march via Central Valley to Salem and seize the city with any volunteers from Sha-Lias Clan. Over three thousand volunteers grasped their halberds in Riverton and marched with the Grand Duke Pryde Brimwylsen to Salem. With the aid of the Brimwylsen Knights, Sha-Lias Clan returned to their ancestral home in Salem, conquering it in a day. The Knights marched north at the change of 283.M41 and advanced towards Camans from the south, while Knights of Swan began their march towards Camans from the South Keep in west. In early 284.M41 Knights of Swan and Brimwylsen supported by the garrison of South Keep, Grand Duke Brimwylsen's Lifeguard and Sha-Lias volunteers attacked Camans from west and south scattering the Canian forces as they fled towards Midpoint and Kingdom of Labaria. Holding these positions, participants of war sought out a solution with diplomats for the whole spring and summer. Harsh winter postponed the negotiations and Acarian lands suffered from famine caused by the lost harvests in Midpoint, Falconberg, South Keep and Camans. In early 285.M41 the participants of war agreed on terms of a truce. Midpoint was granted independence and its sovereignty was guaranteed by Kingdoms of Acaria, Cania, Labaria and Walea and the Swanleague Cities. Pneumonia had claimed Lord Mayor Edwin Swan during the negotiations and so the Labarhsens demanded that Prince Justus Labarhsen should take the Lord Mayor's position. Queen Svanhild XIV Swan swallowed her pride by the request of Grand Duke Pryde Brimwylsen who noted that the lands around Long Ness lake were devastated by the war and the people could not take another year of famine and poverty. Truce of Midpoint Borough also granted Salem its independence from Kingdom of Cania and the Sha-Lias Clan settled in their ancestral home. Besieged Acarian city of Brigskeep surrendered few days after the truce was signed not before blowing up their armory and destroying major part of the town built within the walls.

Lindhersen Claims
Acaria was greatly unpleased by the terms of Truce of Midpoint Borough, because it raised prices of all eastern products, such as the exquisite Labarian wines. Kingdom of Acaria also gained nothing from the war it was forced to take part in, yet some of its cities were caught in the pneumonia epidemic and famine was common in areas near Midpoint and Falcon Hills. Acarian sovereign, old, infirm and weak-willed Mahlus Acarhsen was allegedly assassinated by his last surviving son, Jaromil Acarhsen. Sovereign Jaromil LXIX Acarhsen of the Kingdom of Acaria ascended to throne in early 285.M41 and sought out the remaining Lindhersens. After the devastation of Brigskeep, the Norrskows moved their Knights to the city of Jarlmouth, where one of their crippled Knight was situated. Lindhersens' Knights were repaired by the master smiths sent by late sovereign of Acaria and greatly pleased by the efforts, they contacted new sovereign. Together the last four Lindhersen Knights and five whole lances of Sovereign Jaromil LXIX Acarhsen assaulted the marching Norrskow Knights destroying three of the six knights, capturing two and letting one to flee towards the sea to drown itself in the Freshwater Bay.

Sovereign Jaromil LXIX granted the Castellan Lys of Brigskeep extended rights for piracy and encouraged the Brigskeep garrison to sail to Lanhan Isle and loot and pillage the city of Longlax. Despite being part of the Grand Duchy of Cartania, Cajanian rulers granted the Acarian Knights passage through their lands to Upper Cartania and into the Giant Valley where the Lindhersens breached the walls of the city of Jadul and hanged the Norrskow appointed castellan. Sovereign Jaromil LXIX shared the Lindhersens hate towards the Norrskows, if with more recent transgression, and the sudden blitz of six lances the allied houses unleashed against the Norrskows made terrible havoc in Linda's Land and East-Walea. King of Walea had died before the walls of Jarlmouth in 282.M41 and the house was still undecided of his successor, especially as his close relatives had died in the Battle of Freshwater Bay. Patriarch Sassa Lindhersen marched his Knight into the Walea City breaking its gates with his infamous thunderfist gauntlet and breaking the walls of Norrskow Palace performing an inhuman massacre against the Norrskow family and the people of Walea City. Almost a century-full of grudge was unleashed in the Walea City bringing its walls to ground and grinding the palace into dust.

Though not exactly allies, house Cajanus decided to seize the lands of Osseto and the Sword of Osse, considering the areas as payment for gaining military access through their lands. Sovereign Jaromil LXIX claimed Lanhan Isle after it was pillaged by Castellan Lys who fashioned herself as Lady Privateer of Brigskeep. The Lindhersens utterly destroyed the Norrskow house in the next few years, seizing the Norrskows' all ten Knights, granting one for the Sovereign Jaromil LXIX as a payment for finally pressing their claim to the northern realms.

The lands of the Purple Alliance were divided by the four Lindhersens. Patriarch Sassa Lindor took in 290.M41, in an advanced age of 74 years, the city of Lindor and the surrounding Linda's Land. Giant Valley with the cities of Jadul and Roswen on the coast of East Sea were claimed by Sassa's nephew Alexander. Barony of Whitmore was taken by Sander the Old, brother of Sassa. Walea City was taken by the last of the "Five Knights", Sherah Lindhersen, niece of Sassa.

Visqueen Sherah had already reached a venerated age of 48 years and had no children of her own. She adopted a Walean-born aristocrat who was allegedly also her lover. This was opposed by High King of Lindhersens Sassa the Righteous who refused to teach the Ways of the Knights for Sherah's adopted son's children who were born from a concubinage with a daughter of northern nomad king. Sassa Lindhersen had no descendants of his own either and designated his younger brother Sander the Old as his heir.

Sassa Lindhersen died in 292.M41 after ruling two years the lands that were his birthright and the lands passed to Sander the Old. Sander the Old's only living descendant was Visqueen Sherah and even if he loved his daughter, he too agreed that the descendants of Sherah's adopted son were not Lindhersens and could not be taught the Way of the Knights. So he held a meeting with Alexander Lindhersen who was his late sister's and allegedly the late King Balaphor I Norrskow's bastard. Her mother was raped during the Norrskow raid on Longlax city and she had later escaped with the help of smugglers to the Kingdom of Acaria and then reunited with her family in the 220s of 41st millenium. Alexander was taught the Way of the Knights by Sassa Lindhersen himself and officially granted the name Lindhersen after the Norrskows were beaten. Now reaching the age of 65 years he and Sander the Old considered Alexander's descendants more qualified to the throne in Lindor and decided to assassinate Visqueen Sherah. It seems however that the alleged lover and adopted son of Visqueen Sherah had plans of assassination too and Sherah died clutching her throat in the late 292.M41 while holding harvest festival in the southern Walea. Walean peasantry had quickly grown fond of the visqueen, most likely for her worldly attitude and sympathy towards the lesser estates, having spent most of her life in exile in foreign lands and living on alms of the Acarian sovereign. Those who witnessed Visqueen Sherah's death demanded her adopted son, now Prince Regent Todd "Petty" Lindhersen, to uncover those responsible of visqueen's death. Prince Regent Todd did not hesitate to accuse Alexander and Sander Lindhersen of the assassination and peasant mob massed from the Walean Valley and marched to the city of Lindor to crowd the streets and basically to siege the Lindor Palace where Sander the Old resided.

The lands formerly belonging to Purple Alliance, now being Kingdoms of Lindhersen, were extremely divided by the new rulers, some of the lesser nobles found them to have the right for the lands, some thought they were invaders. Assassination of well liked, and a public figure, Visqueen Sherah caused havoc all around the kingdoms and as none of the lesser nobles shared any blood with the new rulers, they opportunistically seized the moment and claimed themselves independent from the Lindhersen oppression. New Roswen, city near the Cartanian border, was assaulted by the son of Alexander Lindhersen, Alexander "the Younger", with three Knights and utterly destroyed. As a sign of determination to search and destroy all other rebels, Alexander Lindhersen spred "fifteenhundred wagons worth" of salt in the city and its surroundings so nothing would live there. Place became known as the Mound of Alexander and whenever Alexander's reign was questioned it was brought up.

Sander the Old held a speech in mid 293.M41 having spent a good time in a castle besieged by peasants. He was shot to death with a matchlock musket from the crowd. Chancellor of Lindor Palace had not heard of the Devastation of New Roswen and seeing his liege killed in such an absurd way, for a Knight pilot that is, he ordered the Lindor Lifeguard to search for the lone musketeer with any force neccessary. Lindor Palace became known as the Red Palace after a six hundred men and women from all estates were shot in front of the palace and around the city of Lindor. Lindor Lifeguard was an elite footguard force personally picked by Sander the Old from the old noble houses which shared ties with the Lindhersens. Lindor Lifeguard effectively culled the rebellion in Lindor in the most gruesome fashion. When these events were combined with the utmost ruthlessness performed by Alexander Lindhersen and his designated heir, the Alexander Lindhersen became known as "the Red". Prince Regent Todd Lindhersen was sought out by a lance of five Knights, but was killed by the Throne Mechanicum when he tried to pilot one of the late-visqueen's Knights in an attempt of a last stand. High King of Lindhersens Alexander I the Red was crowned in early 294.M41 at the age of 66 years. He died only a few months after his coronation and was succeeded by his firstborn; High King of Lindhersens Alexander II the Younger.

Rebuilding the World
After the tumultuous third century, many rulers sought out peace for their devastated lands and generations. Especially the large kingdoms; Acaria, Labaria and Cania and the Swanleague Cities had suffered greatly during the Midpoint War and in those that had preceded it and the lands were devastated. Bandits and highwaymen controlled many roads north from the Mountains of Leu and land-based travel was precarious at best. Burned, unharvested fields grew weeds and flowers, wells had been poisoned with dead bodies and towns were destroyed to their foundings.

Swanleague Cities had grown very weak as its population had fared worse than its neighbours and many had fled the countryside during the wars and now clotted the cities as beggars, vagabonds and thieves. Famine and multiple pneumonia epidemics in late third century had culled population. Yellow fever had ravaged the Canian lands and ergotism destroyed great proportion of Acarian population in just a few years after bad crops and cold winters in the late third century. Triland ruled by the Brimwylsen had fared better as wars had not reached its soil.

The monasteries, which had not really played any role in the society before, became important in the aftermath, as learned people of the monasteries tended the sick and offered a spiritual guidance. Monasteries on Prima Cajalax were not exactly religious places, as no actual religion had developed on world. They served as universities and places of retreat and of protection, few were also wholly dedicated on the sick and its members were conscripted as doctors all around the world.

Prize of Prima
House Arkwright had waged war against the oldest house on Prima Cajalax Maxia back in the early 41st millennium, when the Arhallan Hegemony was trumped and the house Duke destroyed. House Arkwright, with their Cartanian and Cajanian allies, had divided the remaining Knights amongst themselves, but Arkwright had claimed most of the lands in the north. Kingdom of Arkland had its western border in the river Aruan, which came down from the Arvenes mountain range, northern border was the majestic Arvenes range and in the east the mountains of Trias and a line drawn from the Druzlanding Coast to the Dividers mountains. Island of Arhallan was tributary to the Kingdom of Arkland.

Arkwrights themselves were generally thought to be sullen and dull, their lands far up north without any natural riches and only a handful of small towns. Most of the northernmost people were nomads and herders and payed no taxes nor obeyed their king who resided in the city of Prima. However, according to a legend the first settlers had created a machine that could pour all kinds of riches from within its golden innards; salt, grain, gold and ammunition. Whatever lied deep beneath the moldy arcades and endless corridors of Prima Palace granted house Arkwright the ability to create ammunitions. It is of no surprise that the Cartanians had long since benefitted from their northern allies by threatening the southern states with their heavy cavalry units capable of unleashing such a devastating volleys of fire that only a Knight could oppose them.

It had became clear, after King Aldo Arkwright's third wife Shannon Lindhersen died in 320.M41, that the house Arkwright had come to its end. King Aldo had reached a venerated age of 68 years without siring a single heir, his three sisters had died in tuberculosis epidemic that had spred from the south after the Hundred Years of War, none of them had yet reached adulthood, and his sole brother was killed in a duel with some lesser noble fifty years before over some trivial rivalry. After his death in 324.M41 he was often parodied as an old goat, because even in his last years when most of the people are dead or at least unable, King Aldo had no restrains calling peasants, lesser nobles and even other, less savioury women, in his bed in a hope of siring even one bastard. House Cajanus had close ties with the Lindhersens, even if the lands of Osseto had caused some rivalry, High King of Lindhersens Alexander III seeing them as part of the Lindhersens domain, and wanted to secure its position as a powerful vassal in the Grand Duchy of Cartania so the house Karlssen could not walk over it. However, Grand Duke Gerontius Kalssen too was leaning towards the northern neighbor's aid and as all the parties realised what kind of triangle of plots and promises was forming, the relations between houses Karlssen and Cajanus soured quickly. House Arkwright and especially King Aldo were notably jealous of their Knights and no one in the whole Kingdom of Arkland was able to pilot one, except for the old King Aldo. Honor to pilot one was strictly restricted to the house Arkwright by law, compared to the eastern realms where rulers had tradition to have Knights from lesser houses too, if for only one generation at a time.

Untrustful towards the Lindhersens who craved for the lands of Osseto and Sword of Osse, house Cajanus formed and alliance with the Acarian sovereign in secret. As the news of King Aldo Arkwright's death came south the carrions had already gathered in Arkland's borders to seize the moment. Grand Duchy of Cartania seized the city of Druzlanding and its coast with its heavy cavalry, but its Knights marched to Prima. At the same time, Lindhersens marched over the Dividers towards Prima, craving for the abandoned Knights in the city. Arhallan Island, governed by a trader guild, decided to stay and wait for the outcome of a war which certainly would follow from King Aldo's death. House Karlssen announced that should Margrave Jeremias Cajanus attempt to secure any lands or property in the Arkland, the Cajanian status as a protectorate of the Grand Duchy of Cartania would be lifted. Never before had any Cartanian ruler said such thing, and even when the Cajanians were looking for a shelter from a coming storm in early 3rd century in 41st millennium, Cartanians had offered their protection in brotherly fashion, demanding nothing but upholding the Cartanian laws. Margrave Jeremias Cajanus hesitated not to lower all of the Cartanian lion flags in his realms and send them to Grand Duke Gerontius in three full wagons, every single on of them cut in half. One was sent to Acarian sovereign, who in turn arranged a royal weddings with his youngest daughter Princess Ingrid "the Fair" Acarhsen and Margrave Jeremias' oldest son Sir Anders Cajanus. To show the wealth and power behind the marriage, it was arranged in the city of Osston which was given to Sir Anders Cajanus as his demesne as the heir of Cajania. This in turn was a slap to the Lindhersens who claimed the lands of Osseto belonged to the Lindhersen Union.

The Lindhersens and Cartanians did not however have time to meddle with the Cajanians who had allied with the Acarians, but found themselves opposed to each others in an area which was de jure as well as de facto a no-man's land. The Cartanians began negotiations, settling the Prima Palace and inviting the Lindhersens in. After two weeks of intense arguing of Grand Duke Gerontius Karlssen and High King of Lindhersens Alexander III, they agreed to meet on the battlefield to test themselves in a chivalric fashion and without making civilian casualties. Even then citizens from Prima fled to both north and south and even to the Arhallan Island in a fear of an open conflict. In the morn of the Feast of Lieva, a traditional mid-winter holiday, lots of people gathered to see how the Knights dueled against each others in the fields near Prima city. It took only three Knights to duel, before the other one was first time accused of cheating. This of course was met with an outrage from the other side, no one really knows which side was first to do what, but at the end of the day a full scale war between no less than twenty Knights flamed up. These news travelled fast to south and not only Cajanian and Acarian allies looked to north but the Swanleague Cities too eyed northwards the coasts of Cajanian Bay and the city of Port Magna.

In the following three days at least three Knights were completely out of order, maimed by the pounding of thunderfist gauntlets and the eagerly craving teeth of reaper chainswords. Cartanians backed away fromm the city, as did the Lindhersens, leaving Prima to wait its destiny. Grand Duke Gerontius was ready to call the Knights of Cajanus to his war, when he was presented with one of the cut lion flags from the Castle of Cajana. Margrave Jeremias said he had heard Grand Duke Gerontius' howl of rage from the Arkland and he too prepared his keeps and Knights to a war that surely would follow.

The Lindhersens' presence in Arkland was enough to keep Grand Duke Gerontius on his toes however and he even if he cursed the Cajanian traitors and vowed for vengeance he did not leave the fight in the north. Situation around the castle Prima grew into a stalemate and refugees from Prima county wandered southwards to Swanleague Cities and Cajania, most of the cities in Swanleague refused to take them in, but Margrave Jeremias helped some to get into Osseto where winter had been mild. Margrave Jeremias expressed his fears of the coming retaliation to his ally Acarian sovereign and together they massed an army in the city of Cajana and attacked Port Magna, largest city in Grand Duchy of Cartania. This became known as the February Offense, and it officially started the war between Grand Duchy of Cartania and March of Cajania. Margrave Jeremias bought transportation from the Republic of Devlin and after succesfully conquering Port Magna he sent three footguard platoons to invade Druzlanding city from the sea while the Knights of Cajania marched towards the city of Cartanborg - capitol of the Grand Duchy. The small garrison left by grand duke in Druzlanding was devastated by troops that attacked from four Devlinese merchant carracks during the following night they had arrived in port. Surviving escapees of the garrison propably turned to bandits and raiders for the harsh winter and not a single soldier was seen in Cartanborg where they should have regrouped.

Serene Prince Edward Karlssen - Baron of the Lake Town, Gatekeeper of Cartanborg and Advisor of the Grand Duke - sadly received the news of his barony being overrun by Acarian troops and his lion flag lowered in the Lake Town Keep. Serene Prince Edward was familiar with the Cajanians having shared a border with them for many years and he considered Margrave Jeremias as his friend. When the February Offense turned into a fierce blitz which stormed over the Cartanian lands, Serene Prince Edward was torn between his obligations for his liege and his people. It was clear that the joined forces of Acarian sovereign and Cajania could storm Cartanborg if they wished to at any given time night or day, blizzard or no, and the footguard following the Knights could occupy even a city as big as Cartanborg in a day. His liege far away in north, the Gatekeeper of Cartanborg made his decision and let the invaders in without a fight, saving thousands of people and hundreds of footguard. In the following evening a feast was arranged in the Cartanborg Keep by the conquerors. Serene Prince Edward congratulated the conquerors in dignified way, as a beaten adversary should, but resulted in lowly means of retribution right after by stabbing Prince Anders Cajanus to death.

Serene Prince Edward Karlssen was captured and gridironed in a blizzard by Margrave Jeremias Cajanus over the next days. He also declared a mourning in his realm and locked himself with his dead son in the Cartanborg Keep. Prince Lonan Cajanus assumed regency as the matters of war pressed heavily when news from the north claimed the Lindhersens were driven back to Walea by Cartanians. Because Prince Andreas had been seemingly unable, Acarian sovereign called for levirate marriage, which was awkward in many ways. Firstly, Prince Lonan was almost eleven years younger than Princess Ingrid Acarhsen, who had had no children at all. Prince Lonan on the otherhand had already sired two bastards, who were both disformed in a similar way as Prince Lonan himself; having significant hunchback. It had also been a matter of discussion that Margrave Jeremias wished to disinherit his younger son alltogether so his line wouldn't be "littered by those little devils", referring to hunchback. Prince Lonan was also taught the Ways of the Knight but had never actively piloted one, even after the death of his uncle Sir Eremias his Knight "the Sixth Wing" was given for Prince Lonan's cousing Sir Efrain to pilot, even if Sir Efrain was four years younger than Lonan and could not possibly pilot one in many years. As Prince Lonan assumed regency, it was met with muttering and shaking of heads, even more so when Acarian sovereign proposed a levirate marriage between Prince Lonan and Princess Ingrid.

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Human population
This section is under construction...

Culture
Feast of Lieva was a popular holiday at the change of the year. Starting from the Feast the people began to wait for the spring and the coming summer and the food was conserved and meals were made smaller. Feast was originally associated with chaste and waiting. It is customary to make all kinds of divinations during the Feast, most of them associated with foreseeing from pools of water or wells. Those ready for marriage are to tie a long cloth around their neck.

Locations
This section is under construction...

Knightly Houses

 * Acarhsen - house in Acaria, rulers of Kingdom of Acaria (20+2+1)
 * Northscourge (crippled in 282.M41, originally Norrskow Knight, claimed by Acarhsens in 286.M41)
 * Walean Valiant (crippled in 282.M41, originally Norrskow Knight, claimed by Acarhsens in 286.M41)
 * Brimwylsen - cadet of Swan, house in Triland (3)
 * Cajanus - house in Cajana, Cajania (3+3)
 * Sixth Wing
 * Carideus - house in Bask, rulers of the Merancon Empire (4)
 * Eastern Pride
 * Jernighsen - house in Clarendan, rulers of the Strait of Colossus and city states of Clarendan and Adrand (3)
 * Gallant Archduchess
 * Gallant Choir of Clarendan
 * Porphyrion Colossus
 * Karlssen - house in Cartania, rulers of Grand Duchy of Cartania (4+6)
 * Labarhsen - house in Labarton, Labaria, rulers of Kingdom of Labaria (7+1-1)
 * Labarhsen-Midpoint - house in Midpoint, rulers of Midpoint Borough (1)
 * Leocreutz - house in Castle Leocreutz, Leun Lowlands (5-3-1)
 * Mountain King (disarmed in 205.M41)
 * Lindhersen - house in Lindor, Linda's Land (8-2-1-1+9)
 * Norrman - cadet of Labarhsen, house in Cania, rulers of Kingdom of Cania (5-2+1)
 * Gulfguard (destroyed in 204.M41 by Torfast Leocreutz)
 * Illyspear (destroyed in 204.M41 by Torfast Leocreutz)
 * Thunderer Wrath of Mountains (spoils of Battle of Tempest Keep, 204.M41, originally Knight of Leocreutz)
 * Rastsen - house in Rastmark (4-2)
 * Strand - house in Totquay, Upper-Meranco, rulers of Totquay city (2-1)
 * Merancoan (sunk in 270.M41)
 * Swan - house in Swansee, rulers of Swansee League in early-M41 (7-1)
 * Lancer Shieldbreaker (spoils of One Day War, 182.M41, originally Knight of Acarian sovereign)

Lesser Nobles

 * Darby - rulers of the Deer Isle
 * Ridley - rulers of the city of Asaka
 * Sha-Lias - house in Central Valley (1-1)

Destroyed Houses

 * Arkwright - line ended in 324.M41, rulers of Kingdom of Arkland and Arhallan Hall (4+7)
 * Duke - destroyed in 180.M41, rulers of Arhallan Hall and the Arhallan Hegemony
 * Norrskow - destroyed in 287.M41, rulers of Purple Alliance in early-M41