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The History of Nardin and Her People
The lands of Nardin have been inhabited since at least the fourth-century B.C., when it was the home to a number of native tribes, the largest being the Favn and Veliin. Settlement by the Nardinik people began in the mid-third century A.D. by the Nardinik people, who came as refugees from an unknown kingdom to the south. By the fourth-century principalities began to appear, until banding together as the Tsardom of Nardin in 1166 A.D. The Tsardom became a weak and ineffective nation over time, eventually breaking into minor principalities in the fourteenth century. Eventually the most powerful of these states, the Grand Duchy of Skijic, reunified the country in the early seventeenth-century through deftly crafted alliances and a series of wars.At first more a loose confederation, over time a stricter federal system was established, seeing the Grand Duchy of Skijic secure its especial prominence. With few alterations, the grand dukes of Skijic would usually thereafter be elected as Nardin's monarch, the seat of the Federal Kingdom's executive branch.
Settlement and Early Years (240-331)
The land that was later to be named Nardin was first explored and settled in the mid-3rd century. The country itself was known to exist for several centuries beforehand, but no serious attempt had been made until this period in time due to several factors, among them being harsh climes and barbarous tribes. It was first colonized by people from a kingdom far to the south, though which nation it was remains a mystery. The earliest recorded settlement was Skijic, founded in 270 A.D. by the legendary Jaski 'Snow Pilgrim', which quickly became the chief town of the settlers.
From early on, the colonists endured much hardship at the hands of the barbarian tribes, namely the Favin and the Veliin. The indigenous peoples of the land were tall, stocky, and warlike, and were believed to be descended from giants.They were generally viewed with suspicion by the settlers, who thought that they would go to war and, ultimately, be forced to return to their homeland or be wiped out. Their suspicions appeared to hold some gravity, for in the winter of 301 A.D. a large war party of Veliin raiders destroyed the farming settlements of Venilik and Chesnisav, and appeared to be on the march to Skijic, only thirty-five miles away. Before this time, communication between the villages of Nardin had been virtually non-existent, with each community fending for itself. This was the result of still recent memory of their homeland, a weak and tyrannical empire. It was the belief of the first colonists that every settlement should remain independent of the others to avoid history from repeating.
However, realizing that the barbarian tribesmen would make little distinction between villages in their conquests, the Snow Pilgrim, now aged and in poor health, made haste from town to town, calling for every man to take up arms against the invaders to save their families and all they had worked to build. With this makeshift militia he then marched to Skijic to make a stand against the advancing host of Veliin warriors. In a tumultuous engagement, the First Battle of Lesinik Pass, the Pilgrim's Militia routed the Veliin invaders, killing most and forcing the survivors to retreat far to the bitter winter in the north, which claimed the rest; this heralded three decades of peace for Nardin, with little to no hostilities from the tribes.
After the battle, Jaski and the leading men of each town gathered on the summit of Parvask Skimonstan, Pilgrim's Mountain. Jaski exhorted the men to no longer remain separated, but to stand fast together in a new era of peace and prosperity. To the leader of each village he gave the title boyar, meaning prince. These men would govern the whole territory together equally. To the boyar of Skijic he gave precedence, that is the power to decide when the boyars would convene and also the responsibility to marshal the militia in times of war. After a final encouragement, the Snow Pilgrim went to the north, never to be seen again. Legend holds that in times of strife and unrest, he appears to strengthen the spirit of soldiers in battle. It is also held in tradition that Jaski will appear in the final days of the world to lead the nation in the last war.
Brief Skijic Primacy and Early Governments (331-400)
For the next thirty years the country remained unafflicted from foreign invasion and raids. This was a time of rebuilding for many of the towns and villages in the area, with those that had been razed being resettled. The previous village of Chesnisav was reconstructed into a rudimentary fortification, and over time became outfitted as a fortress to oppose any incursions from the northern tribes.
In the years immediately following the peace, the boyars remained in close contact with one another, assisting in the process of rebuilding and maintaining a watch to the north. In the years immediately following the peace, the boyars remained in close contact with one another, assisting in the process of rebuilding and maintaining a watch to the north. However, the precedence given to the boyar of Skijic was generally ignored, as most of the boyars were not inclined to submitting their new authority to another. Disregard for this central authority inevitably lead to minor localized disputes escalating into larger conflicts involving most of the country.
The first high boyar, Borijvo I av Skijic, was a man of great stature and virtue to match, clear signs for why he had been chosen by Jaski to lead Nardin; because of the apparent favoritism however many the boyar princes developed designs on his position and did what they could to undermine his authority. Tensions between both sides mounted before coming to a head in 316 A.D., when Borijvo and his eldest son were assassinated.
With Borijvo's death, the exhortation of Jaski to remain united went unheeded. Several conflicts were waged in the following years by the princedom of Skijic against a number of boyars to re-establish their right to rule, but to no avail. The minor wars between the Nardinik boyars were ended mutually in the 340s A.D. upon return of Favin raiders in the northern territories.
The mid fourth century to the turn of the fifth saw the towns and settlements begin to grow, tending to hold isolationist policies in their dealings with one another, only occasionally providing limited military assistance against barbarian incursions.
Isolationist Princedoms (400-630)
The next two centuries are today known as the period of the Isolationist Princedoms, as the various settlements for the most part kept to themselves. This was the result of several dividing factors applying at once; of these, the greatest were the large distances separating one town from the next, the virtually non existent system of roads connecting these, and harsh rains or snows depending on the season that either hindered or fully prevented travel. While the memory of Jaski and a united Nardin remained in the minds of the people, the conflicts following Borijvo's death and the wars that came from it had soured the relations between the boyars, who during these two centuries generally ruled with a mind towards isolationism.
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Road to Reunification (1000-1166)
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A United Land of the North (1166-1300)
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Lore Dump Overview - Incorporation in Progress
The land that would later become Nardin was initially explored and settled by men from a kingdom to the south in the mid-third century. The first significant town founded in the region was called Skijic, which eventually grew into the capital of the nation.
From the late third century AD to the early seventh century, Nardin was colonized and administered as a trade settlement. However, during this time, city-state principalities emerged, each governing itself and primarily focused on internal affairs. These city-states would occasionally unite to fend off invasions from northern barbarian tribes.
By the early twelfth century, the boyars of Skijic managed to unite most of the other princes, creating a more stable state. Ottokar I, known as 'the Great,' successfully repelled a final invasion attempt by the Favin kingdom, establishing the Tsardom of Nardin. Over time, the power of the Skijic monarchy grew, which lead to increased internal conflicts with the nobility.
In the fourteenth century, a period of strife erupted, leading to the First Brothers War. The boyars fighting for greater autonomy emerged victorious in 1310, effectively ending the Tsardom's unrivaled hegemony in the region. Most of the princedoms of Nardin became independent, with the last vestiges of the Tsardom trying to hold on to power in Skijic.
During this time, the Kingdom of Favn to the north, a confederation of native pagan tribes, invaded and brought several provinces, including the border princedom of Jilitar, under its rule. The Tsardom lost whatever legitimacy still reminded to it as it struggled against Favn's advances, eventually dissolving completely. The region fell into disarray, experiencing a multitude of internal conflicts and continued Favn incursions for the next three centuries.
By the seventeenth century, the aggressive incursions from Favn prompted statesmen in the princedoms to realize that disunity would lead to their eventual destruction. In 1624, the majority of the minor princedoms formed the Confederate Principalities of Nardinsk, pushing back against Favn and reclaiming lost territories.
The confederacy continued, but the member nations acted as sovereign states, often pursuing their own interests. Conflict was inevitable, leading to the First and Second Brothers Wars, which were larger in scale than previous feuds.
Emerging victorious from the Second Brothers War, nationalist-minded nobles and leaders of the Federalists initiated a national congress in the liberated city of Krajik. Led by Grand Duke Josef av Krajik, the congress convened in August 1815. Over several months, the congress drafted the constitution of the Federal Kingdom of Nardin, a constitutional monarchy. On January 4, 1816, the congress signed the constitution, formally establishing the Federal Kingdom. The monarchy served as the executive branch, while independent legislative and judicial branches provided checks and balances. The first elections to the federal legislature were held shortly after, though suffrage remained limited to the nobility and landholders.
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