This document covers about 115 years through two famous Vahrens, Maximilious I and Perneiros. As the Duchy of Rhenus had conquered over the Duchy of Twerrin. The Vahrens began to look south and under Maximillious I the Duchy would rise to a Kingdom.
Maximillious I
Maximilious became Duke of Rhenus after Vel’s death at age 17. As Vel had no children, Maximillious, son to Placus, became next in line. Maximilious had a strong distaste for his father, commonly referring to him as a fool so as he became duke of the very duchy that defeated his father and in turn took his own chance of being duke of Twerrin, Maximilious dismantled the title of Duke of Twerrin and made Rhenus the only true title for the Vahrens. Maximilious had a strong ambition to show that he was better than Placus. This resulted in the first of many conquests of the surrounding regions. Most of these were against small city states but there were exceptions.
Belleriech
Maximilious at this time didnt have a large navy, even with the Twerrianian navy it was still quite small. Maximilious ordered to build transports for his army to begin invasion of the island of Belleriech. The conquest of the island would take nearly Maximilious’s young adult life. Maximilious would turn 27 by the time the island was fully taken.
The Kingdom of Traes
Traes was a significantly large Kingdom that encompassed much of the region of Ergos. It’s capital is seated in the southern-east quadrant of the region known as the City of Traes. The Kingdom of Traes was a formidable force for the much smaller duchy but through constant wars between the two Rhenus slowly gained the upper hand. Some notable battles that took part in the Traes Wars include the Battle of Falkirk, Battle of the Lundy Forest, Siege of Traes, Siege of Carran, and the Conquest over Ergosia. These will be briefly summarized below.
Battle of Falkirk
Falkirk was the first clash between the two nations, Traes would be victorious in the battle and would force Maximilious to retreat back into the Western Votae. Traes wouldn’t take their advantage to strike towards Rhenus which allowed Maximilious to rethink his strategy.
Battle of the Lundy Forest
The Battle of the Lundy Forest was a victory for Rhenus as Maxmilious out maneuvered the large Traesian army through the dense forests. Striking over and over against the slow army forcing them to retreat. This victory gave Maximilious the first understanding on how to deal with such a large army and would implement these tactics into later battles rather than trying to face off directly with the Traesian army.
Conquest of Glaca
Glaca is an island off the coast of the mainland. Glaca was a strategic point that Maximilious captured in order to have a stronger strike against Traes. Glaca’s capture was a great defeat for the Kingdom of Traes as their navy was obliterated in the Battle of Ergosian Bay. This gave a strong foothold for Maximilious to naval invade Traes in any direction he wanted from the sea.
Siege of Traes
Over the years Rhenus has been taking over territories all around the Kingdom of Traes in order to force the Traesian armies to either split up or continue to be pushed back from Maximilious’s tactics. With the conquest of Glaca and already a good headway towards the capital from shores. Maximilious formulated his plan to take Traes. This was a three prong attack from the shores, north and east. The Traesian army had already begun to build defenses for their capital. The City would be besieged by the end of spring. The great defenses of the city forced Maximilious in the longest siege yet for Rhenus. Lasting over 2 years the city refused to fall until the stock of the city was nearly depleted and on July 18th, 2 years since the siege began, the city surrendered to Maximilious, granting him almost the entire territory of Ergos. The exception of this was the Duke of Carran to the southeast.
Siege of Carran.
Carran was a large territory that seceded from the Kingdom of Traes just before the fall of the capital. Duke Veskegg had prepared for the eventual clash between his duchy and Rhenus. What came was the full force of Maximilious and the Rhenusian Army. Quickly sieging the city of Carran. Carran was a port city which also resulted in the Rhenusian Navy to blockade the port. The city was not as prepared as Traes and the siege would last nearly 9 months until a naval incursion from the port broke through the defenses and was able to open the city gates for the army, Vaskegg was captured and the city fell.
The Kingdom is Proclaimed
With the conquest of Traes, Maximilious no longer felt he was a duke, but a king. The Kingdom of Rhenus was proclaimed in the city of Traes when Maximilious was only 39 years old. Maximilious was crowned King Maximilious. Rhenus now held over numerous types of races due to the diversity of Traes and with that the army of Rhenus grew nearly tenfold with the inclusion of other races into the army. The Rhenusian Navy also saw a boost in numbers but were largely still transport based with little warships made. With the new, large army. Maxmilious began to make conquests on the surrounding states and with his navy he began to expand the Rhenusian border into the regions of Addixus and the Escela Islands. There are a few notable events that happened during this time. Specifically against the Daekin civilizations that inhabited Escela. Netra was also made a foot hold for the first time during this era.
An Offer of Vassalization
The Daekin were a mighty race which made military incursions through their lands quite difficult for the Kingdom. Maximilious was determined to take the islands by any means necessary, he achieved this by reaching out to one of the Daekin city states and offering vassalization with the benefit on owning all of the Islands. The City State of Canta accepted this deal and with Rhenusian support large portions of the islands were taken as well as bordering coasts in Addixus. To this day, Canta is still a vassal of the Vahrens with their control over the Escela Islands.
The First Golden Age
Maximilious would finally begin to settle down after a near entire life of war. He began massive developments all around Rhenus and the Kingdom with technology, culture and economy all beginning to boom for the kingdom. Some notable events occurred during this time such as the development of the Rhenusian Keep, the introduction of the first standardized currency system, and most of all the development of magic.
It was also during this time that Maximilious finally settled down and had his first Queen. Queen Vedia Vahren would go on to bring Maximilious’s first and only child, Perneiros by the time Maximilious was 55.
The Keep of Rhenus
First drafts of the keep were drawn up, first starting as a keep built within the Rhenusian Walls, but this was scrapped and Maximilious decided on a large project to build the keep ontop of the Rhenus lake. This project was estimated to take nearly 80 years, long after Maximilious’s passing. The project was approved and almost the entire treasury that Maximilious had stored for himself was gifted to the builder guilds to construct the Keep.
Standardized Currency
Maximilious wanted to shift the economy into a more standardized form as Traes and other conquered territories used different currencies to one another. Maximilious would develop the 4 coin system. Gold, Silver, Copper, and Tin. Over time Tin was removed as a currency, but the standard 3 coins were a huge development into commerce for Rhenus. 100 copper equalled 1 silver and 100 silver equalled 1 gold. This form of standardization would see revisions over time with it seeing its final revision by Emperor Servious II.
Magical Revelation
Magic was not new to Rhenus or to Valenaar, but Maximilious was the first to start implementing jobs surrounding magical uses. Eventually leading to the first Mystic Battalions within the Rhenusian Army. The Magical boom the kingdom saw helped speed along numerous developments all across the kingdom, roads were paved faster, houses were built quicker and numerous other projects.
Maximilious in His Later Years
Maximilious had led an incredibly successful life as the 3rd Vahren to rule over Rhenus. Many attribute him to being born with the Vahrenian Gift. Maximilious was reaching into his 60’s by the time the Keep of Rhenus began terraforming projects. He would stand on the coast almost everyday watching the project take shape through his final years.
By age 72 Maximilious had watched the first stones be placed upon the new Keep with much of the terraforming complete by this time but Maximilious was growing old and Maximilious would die in this sleep at age 73. A huge ceremony was made in his honor and as per his wishes, he had wished to be buried in the new courtyard in the Rhenus Keep. With its completion, Maximilious was buried in the courtyard with a statue of him made years later and placed on top of his grave.
Perneiros / The Mad King
Perneiros was the only son to Maximilious and thus he was crowned as King of Rhenus at age 18, two weeks after Maximilious’s death. Perneiros had already involved himself greatly into the mystic arts making him the first Mystic King of Rhenus. Perneiros had great respect for his father but had the common mention of saying, “He should have never stopped conquering. The continent is already ours, why continue to let everyone else live in such barbaric states?”
Perneiros had formed much of his council around great minds to help in his ambitions to make Valenaar his. With an unheard of council of 7 marshals, Rhenus was shaping up to be a much more militaristic nation then it had been previously. The army was expanded even further reaching incredible size that made most of the neighbors of the kingdom very worried. Other Vahren family members also expressed concerns over where Perneiros was going, but Perneiros shrugged off their worries and much like his father began to eye up his neighbors. Perneiros would make his first strike into Addixus. Feeling that the Orcish tribes were far too disorganized to fend off Rhenus. Perneiros had guessed right, but it wasn’t without his fair share of casualties. Perneiros would be 25 by the time he had proclaimed the region of Addixus under his rule. Creating seven provinces within the region, Iaekesh, Uchen, Aprium, Doswad, Impotau, Floudal and Hoflait.
Perneiros then began to look eastward from Addixus toward Netra. Netra held a power alliance of numerous duchies scattered all around the region. It was an attempt to ward off Rhenus for a time, which Perneiros only saw as a challenge and ordered his marshals to begin plans to take the region. By age 28, Perneiros began his invasion into the Netra Region and after 3 years of strife half of the region fell into Rhenusian control, but was unable to press forward due to stiff resistance.
Maximilious had already begun some conquests into the region of Eskaecia but had stopped any more campaigns into the region to focus on the Kingdom. Perneiros would use this as his gate way into the region and as such he pushed his armies into the region. The region held a couple of kingdoms, the Kingdom of Groyria and Uthein who were allied to each other. Perneiros had little trouble pushing into Uthrein but as Perneiros began to push into Groyria, Groyria had asked for assistance from its northern ally, Abreau. This Duchy held the infamous Unot tribe, a tribe of mystics that would go to aid the Groyrian army. Rhenus at this time was the only nation to employ mystics into the army, which had helped them greatly, but with the Unot help Groyria would be able to clash against the Rhenusian Army. The result is one of the bloodiest and most catastrophic battles, the Battle of Baverraine Hill.
Battle of Baverraine Hill
This battle happened just outside the city of Baverraine in northern Groyria. Perneiros’ army of nearly 200,000 clashed against the Unot and Groyrian army of nearly 170,000. Perneiros had employed over 40,000 mystics while the Unot could only muster 15,300 mystics. The battle lasted throughout the day with the most notable parts being the clashes between the mystics.
The mystics clashed around the hill. Not far from the main battle. Perneiros had personally led his mystics against Sosesh and his mystics. The resulting clash was some of the most destructive recorded in history.
There were no restrictions on magic at this time from either side which led to the entire area being completely disfigured and an extreme amount of mageburn all around the hill. Perneiros would take a serious hit from a magical bolt which knocked him off of his horse. It isnt clear what happened but some say Perneiros had fallen off right onto a growing mageburn crystal which pierced into him. Luftven Nahlfeimmir states this as well as he personally saw the King take the hit, But due to Perneiros not being recorded with any crystal having to be removed from him it is unclear where this myth came from. Luftven and others would help Perneiros retreat from the battle. It wouldn’t be until he was dragged off the field and checked much later in the day for his wounds.
The battle would end in Rhenusian victory but at great cost to the Rhenusian army with nearly 80,000 dead and another 10,0000 or so wounded and 20,000 unaccounted for.
Perneiros would spend the next few weeks in recovery after the battle which had left his right shoulder in a substantial amount of pain. His 7 Marshals would continue their campaign against Groyria and due to the Unots efforts, the duchy of Abreau would also be fought against. Subjugating the two only months after the Battle of Baverraine Hill.
Descent into Madness
Perneiros had recovered and returned to Rhenus. For the next few weeks his advisors had noticed the king begin to mummer to himself quite often and anytime someone would ask what is happening, Perneiros would snap at them.
Perneiros began to make odd requests here and there out of his 7 marshals. One of these requests was to bring the surviving prisoners of the Unot tribe to him. What followed was a shocking turn of events. Perneiros had executed every single prisoner with his necromancy powers, turning them into husks. He then dismissed his royal guard and installed these husks as his guards instead.
This is known in the period of Perneiros’ era as the Dark Times.
This is due to the necromancy powers that Perneiros began to use even on his own subjects. Anytime a prisoner was brought to him even over petty crimes, Perneiros had them executed and turned either into a husk or some other abomination for his mindless horde.
Perneiros had installed a reign of terror over the Kingdom of Rhenus and much of the conquered territories were hushed into fear out of what Perneiros could do.
During this time however, Perneiros did have an heir named Tillious, how he came to be really is unclear as the mother was never spoken of. Perneiros merely stated that Tillious was his son and nothing more was said on the matter.
The full extent of his powers were showcased when Perneiros went to Netra to finish off the rest of the Netrian duchies. Rather than use the Rhenusian Army he sent his horde in. This was quite a shock to the entire Rhenusian council and even the army as the Duchy of Akeotia had been laid to waste by the mindless husks that slaughtered the region. Perneiros then turned much of the population into more of his horde and started his sights on the Nullinaria region.
Perneiros had sent the upcoming commander Luftven to Aetheica to demand the elves to join the kingdom or die. The island of Clov Spia had heard of the atrocities done to Akeotia and willingly joined the Kingdom however the Kingdom of Lothor that sat on the west part of Nullinaria refused. Which Perneiros quickly traveled with his horde to Lothor with no official declaration of war. This greatly upset the 7 marshals who also marched the Rhenusian Army down to Lothor, both to conquer Lothor, but to stop Perneiros under the order of the young heir Tillious who was only 14 at the time.
The Death of Perneiros
Perneiros and his horde army had basically traveled over the water with the horde army walking along the bottom of the ocean floor as Perneiros went on boat to Lothor. He landed on the shores where the Lothor army was waiting.
Peneiros, looking like he was alone, was charged by the elven army and before they could reach the king, his undead horde ran out from the water and quickly began massacring the elven army. It was a slaughter for the Lothor army and its King, who was also killed by being mauled to death by the husks.
All the best generals, marshals and commanders left for Lothor with the largest army assembled to face off and end Perneiros’ reign. The resulting battle of Lothor finally saw Perneiros take a fatal hit by an arrow causing his undead army to fall and with it the end of Perneiros’ reign. Perneiros’ body was later burned in hopes of making sure he was dead.
The Reign of terror had ended and the Kingdom of Rhenus was free once again, however this left a graving mark on the Kingdom one that would help in the eventual collapse of the Vahren Imperium.