User:Vivaporius/Sandbox/Vespia/I

Sandbox focusing on the history and development of Vespia. =History=

Overview

 * Coal Vespia (Antiquity–)
 * Period defined by the development of Vespian civilization and the era of growth of the city-states that dominated the Zhona Delta.
 * Vespoids settle down across the Zhona Delta region, establishing several large towns that would serve as the basis of early Vespian civilization.
 * Tool-making and agricultural develop extensively throughout the various towns, leading to a population boom in the region.
 * Zharakara grows to become the largest city in the delta region, with a population of approximately 15,000 inhabitants.
 * The first records war in Vespian history takes place between Zharakara and the upstream city of TBD over water rights and land ownership.
 * First Refining Period (–)
 * A sharp spike in the temperature across Vespia known as "The Great Flame" destroys crops, kills cattle, and increases mortality rates throughout the land.
 * Large predatory creatures native to the region and seeking food and shelter from the heat, proceed to wipe out entire settlements upstream, leading to an exodus toward the delta region.
 * Population pressures and collapsing economies in the wake of a famine lead to a war between the cities over limited resources in the area.
 * A group of upstream powerful lords known as the Blood Aureks of the Feather Basin attempt to exploit the chaos downstream, and invade the delta.
 * The Blood Aureks were a coalition of upstream rulers who mastered early understanding hydrodynamics to harness the power of the Zhona to feed and enrich their cities. Their name originates with the vast amounts of blood they would pour into the river in honor of Shonada, the Goddess of Storms and Flooding, turning the river blood red downstream.
 * Multiple cities are destroyed, and retaliation against the Blood Aureks rendered impossible due to the distance, heat, and predatory creatures upstream.
 * The Blood Aureks, seeking to speed up the conquest of the downstream cities, burst the dams they build on the Zhona, leading to catastrophic flooding downstream, killing 45% of the Vespian population outside of the major cities.
 * The Aurek of Zharakara, Zhautakin, rallies the surviving forces of the delta against the Blood Aureks, and begins an extermination campaign against the predators blocking passage up the Zhona to the cities of the invaders.
 * The unified forces of the downstream cities conquer and destroy the cities of the Blood Aureks, and destroy the dams they built so as to prevent any such catastrophe from occurring again.
 * Lead Vespia (–)
 * Period defined by the formation of a power centralized government in Zharakara, and conquest of the upstream cities of the Zhona.
 * All major wars fought by the ancient Lead-era Vespians took place within modern-day Vespia, as contact with other nations had not yet taken place.
 * Having united the cities under his leadership, Tazen Zhautakin establishes himself as the sole ruler of all the Vespian city-states, installing governors known as zharukin throughout the region.
 * Cities biologically-related to one another under a single precursor begin grouping themselves together under particular governors drawn from their cities, forming the first proto-households.
 * Iron Vespia (–)
 * The most centralized government in Vespian history is established under the reign of Tazen Zhautemankijadek I of the Hanad dynasty, allowing for the future campaigns into Kai-Meridia in the near future.
 * The Vespian invasion of Wittland begins in, with more than 150,000 vakoranin landing on the northeastern shores of the island, beginning the shadikarin period of Vespia.

Epochs
=Timeline=

Prehistoric (-1,000,000 Ʋ – -15,000 Ʋ)

 * -1,000,000 U: Proto-vespoids migrate into Vesperia from Kai-Meridia across the Wittish Land Bridge approximately one million years ago; the group believed to consist of approximately two dozen individuals, mostly females and some juveniles, but only one adult male; 90% of all males within the present vespoid population share their Y-chromosome with the prehistoric male discovered in the interior of Vespia, leading some researchers to conclude that he may have been the source for the mythological individual frequently attributed within the Zheaniic religion as the "first male" created on the earth known as Veskan
 * -900,000 U: Following the disappearance of the bridge, proto-vespoids migrate deeper into the interior toward modern-day Ravaza, where majority of hominid fossils from time period have been located; Tuvada at this point in time is largely fertile, providing enough game to support a population of 30,000-45,000 vespoids within the interior of the northern continent along the still forming Zhona River, largely within the region of Ja-Hud where the terrain creates a largely predictable weather pattern for the inhabitants
 * -850,000 U: The planet enters into a period of prolonged global warming, leading to the rapid and widespread desertification of the Tuvada; wild game migrate away from the riverbeds within Ja-Hud, depriving the vespoids of their main source of food; vespoid population drops to approximately 25,000 within a few generations due to the lack of game in the region; vespoid hunter-gatherers have difficulty locating the wildlife as scouts parish in the increasingly hostile landscape where water supplies are now dwindling as the continent transforms into an arid landmass
 * -800,000 U: Global heating across Sabel remains particularly devastating in the Tuvada, where few water sources are readily accessible while others have completely dried up during the global heat wave; approximately 60% of the vespoid population dies off as a consequence of the heat's intensity, lack of food sources, and aggressive animals competing with the vespoids for survival in the changing environment; lack of accessible food and water, hostile wildlife actively hunting hominids for food, dangerous weather, and infighting within vespoid communities, lasts for approximately 700,000 years in northern Vesperia, leading to the evolution of vespoids into their existing forms; cannibalism becomes a common occurrence within the vespoid population, as nearly 50-60% of all fossils from the period have several deep cuts and scratches, as well as multiple bite marks, indicating the violent cannibalization of the individual either before or after their death; some fossil sites indicate that the consumed were initially put through several ritualized burial customs, but this eventually gave way to outright cannibalism with little to no ritual prior to being devoured; initial fossils recovered belonged to slain warriors, dead children, the wounded and elderly, but eventually began turning up those belonging to any healthy adults deemed to be a drain on the communities resources during poor hunting seasons; shattered bone fragments belonging to thousands of corpses throughout the Zhona Delta reveal a picture of the acceptance murder and cannibalism within prehistoric Vespia prior to the start of the Aynadiko period
 * -700,000 U: Male vespoid population collapses to approximately 20% of the overall population, due to many failing to return from long treks in the desert to find food for their families; females believed to now prevent males from leaving the camps as they are too few in number to be lost in the wilderness; as indicated by the majority of fossils discovered in the interior of Vespia, female vespoids take on the majority of difficult responsibilities, just as the worst effects of the era begin, leading to an evolutionary development within the vespoids that witnesses females become the physically-dominate sex of the species; the male vespoid population never recovers
 * -250,000 U: Vespoid population throughout the Tuvada estimated to be 2,000-5,000, with females accounting for 85-90% of the population; vespoid fossils located almost entirely within the Ja-Hud region, where several wells and aquifers located; skeletal remains also show that females more than 200 cm (6 ft 7 in) in height, and likely weighed about 90 kg (200 lbs) according to the diet of meat from prehistorical pins located in caves throughout the mountains; complex familial system developed around this time, a consequence of few male breeding partners that results in the extensive use of inbreeding to maintain population levels; vespoid outbreeding depression developed at this time, preventing most of the effects of inbreeding while preventing the extensive interbreeding with non-vespoids
 * -100,000 U: Global cooling witnesses the first flooding of the Zhona River approximately 100,000 years ago, leading to the largest dry river in the region filling to capacity and reforming the Zhona; silt deposits in the southeast of modern-day Vespia are spread across the river leading to the revitalization of the flora and fauna throughout the breath and length of the river; Zhona River delta region becomes the most fertile on the continent, leading to the mass migration of vespoids to the area downstream seeking game and edible flora
 * -90,000 U: The mass movement of vespoids into the Zhona delta region causes overpopulation, leading to internecine warfare takes place between communities of vespoids attempting to secure game, land, and resources for themselves; vespoid population skyrockets to nearly 50,000 individuals within a small region of the continent; mass graves and stone weapons indicate that large stone age battles within approximately 500 to 1,000 warriors on both sides taking place with startling frequency; largest prehistorical battle site contains the remains of some 400 female vespoids, indicating that a complex government or form of leadership and logistics existed during this period of time
 * -50,000 U: First indications of permanent housing found along the banks of the Zhona within the delta region, with mud foundations located within the region believed to contain the largest concentration of vespoids; density of such structures very scant, indicating the possibility that the structure was a site of great importance, likely for a powerful chieftain, shaman, or religious artifact, or likely the site for some ancient ritual executed by the inhabitants
 * -40,000 U: Vespoid population reaches 100,000 based on the massive caches of buried food, bones, stone weapons, primitive jewelry, and foundation holes for reeds; nearly the entire vespoid population located within the delta region of the Zhona, as the interior remains to hostile for migration inland by the inhabitants of the northern half of Vesperia; agriculture developed by the vespoids leading to the rise in population and the increasing density of the vespoids along the river delta; early forms of government believed to be established due to the high number of inhabitants and the increasing number of battles throughout the region highlighting some degree of sophisticated organization of warriors and resources before battles begin
 * -25,000 U: First wave of vespoid migration into the interior begins, with a band of vespoids found to have trekked upstream and founded a series of small communities for farmers cultivating wild suda; they are followed by another group of migrants who settle multiple oases throughout the stretch of land near to the river, trading dates with the riverside dwellers according to ancient date seeds found near known ancient desert routes
 * -20,000 U: Widespread urbanization of the Zhona River begins to take place, as the population of the delta now exceeds an estimated half a million inhabitants; reed and adobe structural foundations predating the Lead Empire found throughout the Zhona Delta as well as an extensive stretch of land upstream; large urban communities found with with a degree of regularity that gives strong credence to a well-organized prehistoric society capable of leveraging the agricultural and security needs of the inhabitants; the Aynadiko culture emerges as Vespia's first known organized society and the oldest urban civilization on the planet

Aynadiko period (-15,000 Ʋ – 937 Ʋ)

 * -15,000 U: Writing emerges during this point in Vespian history, based on the fragmented clerical records of priests within the delta region and their recording of suda quotas for the various city-states that have now formed in the area; organized warfare becomes a regular aspect of vespoid civilization, as cities compete for land and resources, as well as to capture males for their own population needs; approximately 30% of all battles recorded during this period in vespoid history linked to the attempt by various city-states to increase their male population due to the loss of female warriors in battle and the need to increase their numbers for future wars
 * -10,000 U: Period characterized by highly organized societies within the Zhona Delta region and deep inland along the river, as well as frequent warfare between petty city states and early evidence of trading on a large scale; large urban centers begin to emerge, with the oldest of these known as the Aynakarin, or “First Cities”; the oldest of the Aynakarin documented currently listed as the modern-day site of Zokinkara, founded approximately 14,600 years ago; largest urban population within the delta region believed to be ancient Zharakara, with a population of some 10,000-12,000 inhabitants
 * -8,500 U: Zharakara (meaning “the great city”) becomes the most powerful of the Aynakarin proto-cities, being located at the confluence of the Zhona at the end of the delta region, and the start of the fertile farmlands within; superstitious fear of Zharakara widely documented by scribes, who believe early deities gave the inhabitants of the city the power to control the flow of the Zhona during the wet season; Zharakara obtains significant influence throughout the delta, and becomes the recipient of tribute offerings in the form of male vespoids, slaves, food, precious gems, unique captured wildlife, human offerings, and elaborate pottery produced by the other cities in the region
 * -8,000 U: First recorded use of the name Zhautan found in the ancient ruins of Zokinkara; doctrines similar to modern-day Zheaniism begin to come into form, with the rise of a priesthood surrounding the concepts espoused by the religion taking place parallel to the religion's development, highlighting the formation of the Zheaniic faith during the Ayndiko period; streamlining of the Vespian script begins under the leadership of the priests of Zokinkara, allowing for the rapid expansion of the scribe class within the priesthood of the early vespoids; the islands of modern-day Koran are colonized by the vespoids of the mainland, as population pressures in the delta combined with warfare, lead to the less successful residents of the delta to flee across the waters to the large island
 * -5,000 U: The clay tablets originally used by the vespoids are increasingly replaced with the use of papyrus scrolls which are easier to use and reproduce, as well as maintain and store in the dry heat of the Tuvada desert; there is an explosion in record-keeping from the delta region of the Zhona, as massive caches of scrolls dated back to the era are found throughout the various underground vaults built by the city-states seeking to maintain a precise records of harvests, rations, manpower, and religious events
 * -3,000 U: The Aynadiko discover bituminous coal in the region of the TBD mountains to the southeast of the Zhona Delta, and immediately find use for the substance as a viable alternative to the use of wood; the use of coal in the region leads to Vespian historians classifying the period as "Coal Vespia" many centuries later on
 * -1,500 U: Low-level industrialization occurs along the banks of the Zhona thanks to the discovery of coal; its superior energy value compared to wood leads to the rapid formation of forges throughout the urban communities of the delta region; several city-states rapidly expand in size as more and more vespoids born to families as an agricultural revolution takes place with the use of bronze for farming tools in the fertile lands of the delta; Zharakara becomes the largest city in Greater Vespia, boasting a population of some 50,000 inhabitants; the scale and length of warfare expands dramatically, as new cities are founded and the population of the delta explodes exponentially alongside the agricultural revolution; scarcity of resources leads to many vespoids migrating upriver into the interior of the Tuvada, where more cities are founded throughout the region of Ja'Hud
 * -1,000 U: The great cities of the Blood Aureks (named so for their massive human sacrifices) are established in modern-day Kharan, separating the great cities of the Zhona Delta from the colonies in Ja'Hud deep within the Tuvada; the Blood Aureks fully harness the power of hydraulics, damming many sections of the Zhona and controlling the flow of the Zhona at will; this ultimately effects the ability of the cities downstream to survive as the Blood Aureks freely threaten to flood the river killing thousands or stopping the flow of the waters leading to famine, effectively enforcing hegemony over all cities downstream from their location; the use of the dams grants the Blood Aureks great power throughout the region, as Aynadiko cities provide tribute and slaves to the central river cities in exchange for maintaining the flow and water levels of the Zhona throughout the year; this period of domination would be known in Vespian history as the "Tyranny of the Blood Aureks", and would last for approximately two thousand years as none of the city-states would dare draw the ire of the tyrants
 * -700 U: Bronze weapons and armor begin to proliferate throughout all of ancient Vespia, as the use of coal-powered forges extends from the delta to the region of Ja'Hud; the use of cavalry in Vespia is first recorded by the Aynadiko, with the cities of Zharakara, TBD, TBD, and TBD using warriors on horseback in the many battles in the delta; the first mass graves in Vespia are dated back to this period of the Coal era, with several found to contain the remains of thousands of individuals defeated in battle, further highlighting the growth of the population and the increasing scarcity of living space in the region
 * -550 U: The city of TBD is sacked by TBD and razed to the ground, the first major city to be destroyed in the period; the concept of "total war" enters into the culture of the Aynadiko, as more and more city-states opt to completely exterminate entire population centers rather than take on the burden of supporting the expanded population now under than control; the population of Ja'Hud estimated to be approximately one million, while the population of the delta exceeds four million inhabitants; extensive trade between the two regions passes through the lands of the powerful Blood Aureks, making them incredibly wealthy and leading to the growth of the arts and sciences in their cities; the Zhautana is first compiled by the early priesthood of the Zheaniic faith, though under whose direction remains a mystery down to the modern-day
 * -500 U: Population pressures within the arid lands of Ja'Hud lead to another migration from the region and into the region today known as Lesser Vespia in the far east; the use of horses for travel sees the rise of nomadic communities under the direction of elders with a shared ancestry to one of the twelve great patriarchs of the vespoid people; these vespoids settle down around several of the oases located within the northwestern sections of the Tuvada, where vast underground aquifers feed the oases and ensuring a steady supply of water for the vespoids and their livestock; the semi-nomadic life of the vespoids calling themselves the "Mazhanokin" is recorded in the annuals of the early priesthood, along with the formation of a shared culture within the delta region center around the city of Zharakara; these individuals claim to be the children of the eldest of the twelve ancient patriarchs, Zharan
 * -400 U: The first yazan ziggurat is erected in Vespia in the city of Zharakara, solidifying its position as the greatest of the Aynadiko city-states; the population of Zharakara reaches 100,000 people, making it the largest ancient city in the world, as well as the first city in history to reach such a population; the agricultural output of the region is limited by the ancient technologies of the vespoids, who still struggle to cultivate the lands within delta region due to the warfare between the cities over the land; the population of Vespia continues to expand in spite of this, with all of ancient Vespia believed to host a population of some eight million people by the turn of the next century
 * 1 U: The vespoid race at the turn of the millennium extends from the mouth of the Zhona well across the entire length of the Zhona, terminating at the source of the great river in Lesser Vespia; the settlements of Lesser Vespia are small and poor compared to the great cities of Greater Vespia, where the arts and sciences are explored in great depth; the excesses of the Blood Aureks see the construction of create cities and avenues with massive bone murals depending their conquests along the riverbanks between the delta region and Ja'Hud, as well as the executive of the slaves sent to them as tribute; the widespread use of writing sees the full extent of vespoid culture laid bare for all of history, with the recording of the first flesh and painmasters entering into Vespian history; the first named fleshmaster in history is listed as Kemazun, who tears a slave to pieces, but leaves him alive as a pile of organs found to still be breathing for a total of 34 days until all signs of life cease
 * 117 U: Scribes from the period record the Battle of TBD, the largest battle in ancient Vespia until the start of the First Refining Period; waged between the cities of TBD and TBD, approximately twenty thousand warriors are slain in battle, with TBD emerging as the victor; all of the warriors captured in battle are put to death on pikes surrounding the city walls of TBD, creating the first TBD consisting of a field of bodies filled with defeated warriors, criminals, and slaves worked to death by their masters; the rest of the bodies are either put onto pikes leading from the battlefield to the city, with each body pointing toward the direction of the next "waypoint", or stripped of their flesh and their bones crushed into a type of gravel used to pave the road leading from the battlefield
 * 252 U: An explosion in a coal mine kills hundreds of slaves, terrifying the locals and leading to priests to declare the wrath of Zhanivoyan has struck against them; several warriors sent to investigate the source of the explosion discover sulfur in the new caves within the mountains; some radical priests believe that something else caused the mine to explode, and demand that samples from the ruins be returned to them for examination
 * 300 U: TBD

Aynad dynasty

 * Following the unification of Vespia at the Zhona River Delta, Zhautakin begins to expand upstream to enforce imperial authority across the river basin
 * Mazhaniokin warriors raid deep into imperial territories along the river, sparking a violent campaign by Zhautakin to suppress them at their oases
 * Destruction of numerous oasis cities (nishkarain) controlled by Mazhan forces them away from the Zhona and deeper into the Ikadu Desert
 * Zhautakin never subjugates the Mazhaniokin during his lifetime, but enforces a status quo where the major cities of the Zhona are off-limits to Mazhan for decades
 * Imperial Vespia embarks upon a series of building schemes ranging from the construction of the elaborate irrigation project to expand the amount of arable land near the delta
 * The Vespian population in the Zhona delta numbers some 10-15 million according to the decennial census of Tazen Kata'Var, with another 6-8 million residing upstream
 * Ruzhan begins its massed invasion of imperial Vespia, with 100,000 warriors of the household riding downstream to face off against the warriors of the tazen
 * Ruzhaniokin army repulsed from the basin at the Battle of TBD, the most-detailed battle recorded from the Aynad dynasty; war brought to a decisive end with Ruzhan expelled from region
 * Tazen Zhoyon establishes the uppermost point of the empire at the kar or TBD, refusing to move further upstream and exposing a vital imperial artery to Muzhan and Ruzhan's warriors
 * During his prolonged illness, the childless Tazen Udok-Zhato appoints his cousin, TBD, Akitan of Vespia, officially transferring power from his dynasty to a new one, and founding the Tirad dynasty
 * Tazen Takinayn embarks upon a grand expansion of the empire along the Zhona, subjugating the Mazhaniokin and Ruzhaniokin desert raiders, and constructing the great fortress cities at the TBD
 * Mazhan and Ruzhan attack the TBD with the hope of restoring direct connection with one another and overthrowing the settled Vespians; they are defeated and their ability to wage war decimated for decades
 * The city of Zanza is established by Takinayn, along with the adjoining city of Ravaza as a great center of worship for the inhabitantss; Takinayn moves his capital from Zharakara to Zanza in
 * The Great Turasheva of hits the Zhona from the west, destroying crops, choking human and animal life caught in the open, and eroding vast sections of the irrigation system
 * Massive famine follows shortly after the storm, with most crops ruined by the overabundance of sand in the topsoil; famine is coincided with an economic collapse following mass death of cattle
 * Instability caused by the lack of food and rapidly increasingly price for gods led to the revolt of several zhadaks against the rule of Tazen Udok-Zhato

Tirad dynasty

 * Aurek TBD of TBD speaks forward to overthrow his cousin, and declare the supremacy of the Tazen over his subordinates, threatening to kill any who opposed him
 * Strict conservationist agricultural policies to instituted by the new Tazen Takinayn to repair the irrigation systems throughout Vespia and restore the crops before harvest season
 * The following harvest is among one of ancient Vespia's greatest, with the innovation agricultural policies of Takinayn helping bring the empire back from the brink of prolonged starvation
 * As a sign of appreciation for the bountiful harvests, Takinayn embarks upon a building campaign to construct several temples throughout Vespia in honor of Zhautan, Rodan, and Akzuna
 * Takinayn commissions the vakoran TBD to find a suitable location for the construction of what will become Vespia's largest and greatest yazan in honor of all the Vespian dieities

Iron Vespia
=Invasions=

Iron period

 * First Invasion of Wittland (–)
 * First Invasion of Tersa (–)