Zannas

Zannas was a city in southeastern Aels, in the region of Rudlofurr, Nohalion.

History

A Vanolose tavern keeper of Zannas

Foundation

The city of Zannas was founded originally at the 983 a.a.H as a kanov colony of Blazakhov: However as was being fought the Second Blazik War (Dume-Blazakhov 981-1006), the colony was conquered by the Dumian armies, and human Dumian population arrived to the colony, given it a human character.

During the Third Blazik War (1054), was used as an important base by the Dumian in their war against Blazakhov, who after this war was conquered by Dume.

Until the 1486, Zannas will be a human city of the Dumian Empire, but when it was divided that year Zannas became part of the Southern Dumian Empire, that later will become the Uslen Empire. The division of the empire was done to better defend against the demonic invasi

on, invasions that Zannas suffered constantly.

While the Northern Dumian Empire fell at the 1676 a.a.H, The Uslen Empire would last much more centuries, and Zannas will continue it's existence under Unlic rule.

Vanolosé Traders

It was about the XIX century -during the Dark Age of Demons- when the Vanolosé orcs began to migrate to the human city of Zannas, migration that will change the city itself.

Slowly, the Vanolosé orc rich traders will become the aristocracy of the city, and the vanolosé traders of the free cities -and fro

m Zannas itself- will began to press the Unlic Emperor for more commercial rights of freedoms, being one of the most succesful no

n-human groups of the empire in such tasks.

During the First War of the Power, Zannas was first attacked by tokerí pirates of Tok-Thoria, and will later be sacked by the hordes of Satman the Apprentice at the 2207 a.a.H.

After the final defeat of the demons in the First War of the Power, the city was mostly rebuilded by the Vanolosé traders, who, using their influence, forced the Unlic emperor to give the city the Status of a Free City of the Uslen Empire, at the 2229 a.a.H.

With the slow declination of the Unlic Empire, the human Imperial government autorities began to loss the grip of the power of the city to the Vanolosé orc guilds and bureaucracy, which expanded the economical power and commercial importance of the city.

During the last decades of the XXIII century, the tension between the imperial and city autorities worsened, and in three different occasions (2279, 2287 and 2301), Zannas vanolosé trader guilds will support economically and with mercenaries usurpers to the Imperial throne, which led to some open rebelions and armed conflicts (The Rebellion of the Tax Collectors, 2307-2315), in which Zannas was defeated, the walls of the city demolished and the Imperial autority reinstituted, and the category of Free City, removed.

So when Blazakhov returned to Nohalion, to contest the presence of Uslen, the Vanolosé population of the trading cities quickly joined the Kanov nation against the Emperor, being formally re-founded Zannas by Blazakhov at the 2.324 a.a.H, and will serve as a Blazakhovian base of power to their armies and navies against both Uslen and Tok-Thoria in the next decade.

However, at the 2.348 a.a.H, after 24 years of Blazakhovian rule, the Unlic Imperial army retaked Zannas, which will fall in hands of Uslen.

The Emperor, to try to gain the loyalty of the noew ruling Vanolosé Orc aristocracy, granted them a serie of excepcional rights

, tax excemptions and commercial privileges, not only in Zannas but all the Empire.

As the economic importance of Zannas arised at the 2370's, the Emperor, having the Empire of Uslen in bankruptcy, tried to remove the tax excemptions and commercial privileges of Zannas.

This enraged the Vanolosé aristocracy of Zannas, and the tensions scaled up to the point that at the 2380, Zannas became an independent city-state.

In the following war, the fleets and mercenary armies of the Vanolosé of Zannas, aided by other Vanolosé Free cities of the seas of Tok and Caritz, defeated the Imperial armies and navies. And following their succesful example -and often, being paid to stage rebellions-, many former Unlic colonies declared their independence during the 2385-2391, forming new city-states and nations.

The Principalty of RudlofurrEdit

The Thalasocrassy of Zannas, who had conquered many territories from the Uslen Empire, and that during their commercial expansion as well settled factories and trading outposts all over Caritz and Tok-Thoria, soon make contact with these newly formed nations who rebelled against the Unlic, specially the ones ruled as well by Vanolosé Orcs.

Then, as a way to organize all their territories was that was created the Principalty of Rudlofurr, at the 2398 a.a.H, being more or less a confederation of trading city states, with a multi-ethnic and multi-species population ruled by the Vanolosé of Zannas.

Rudlofurr defeated then the Unlic fleet in the naval battle of Raggmas at the 2403, which left the trade of the sea of Caritz in their hands, which will be the first step in their campaign of expansion, trying to settle bases and colonies in the two seas, Tok and Caritz.

In this context, was the war against the Tokerí of Tok-Thoria, which will become in a proxy war with the Nigromante of Tok-Thoria at the 2.406-2.409 a.a.H.

Decline

During the 2400-2420, the military, naval and economic power of Rudlofurr only seemed to increase, as their territories and influence, and many Vanolosé said confident, they where going to replace the traditional powers of the region -Uslen, Blazakhov and Tok-Thoria-.

Navies and mercenary armies where recruited, fortresses and monuments builds, everything done with the mosts luxuries.

However, due their success and legendary riches, this bring as well unwanted attention, as from the north advanced the hordes of Nutk barbarians of Anutkhook, who will plunder and raid the territories of the Principalty of Rudlofurr at the 2424 a.a.H.

Finally, the Nutks failed in their Siege of Zannas, being stopped by the powerful walls of the city: however, they only retreated aft

er a strong payment in gold.

The barbarians weren't anymore at the gates of Zannas, but the damage and destruction they caused meant not only economic losses, but as well, will become an incentive to other raiders.

The Fall of the Principalty

The arribal of the Gorbegeos, a nation of Kanovs from Western Aels, in principle shouldn't have changed much the situation of Rudlofurr: The Nutks had come before, and the walls did stop the invaders: and while the farmlands where ravaged and sacked, the fortifications proved too strong to the barbarians.

But the Earthquake of 2428 destroyed much of the defenses and powerful walls of the cities, and when the Gorbegeos arrived, they

easily broke throught the cracked defenses, looting and destroying Zannas, capitol of the of the Principalty of Rudlofurr.

This left the rest of the Principalty in chaos and dissay, with many generals and officers of the principalty clashing to gather for themselves pieces of the shattered nation, when the Empire of Uslen bringed the finished blow to Rudlofurr, as they invaded.

Geography

Zannas was located in a protected bay, which gave it an excelent properties to become an important trading port for both the seas of Tok and Zannas, controlling the Straits of Demonach.

Economy

Zannas was one of the largest and more important ports, where joined the trade of Hieyoks, Aels and Zarhuy in a single point.

Demographics

While orginally was a Kanov fundation, most of the population was human, with an important, ruling Vanolosé orc minority. There are as well were representants of many races and species due it's commercial importance in trade.

Notable People

King Larqven II, Prince of the Principality of Rudlofurr.

Valisy the Explorer.