The Fenderaian expantion

Fenderaian expansion & the Rocnor rebellion

Origins of the conflict

The Fenderaian dēmeres the ruling council of noble elites sought to expand their territory, driven by the urge for expansion of land and control of resources in and near their homeland, Their pride and ambition, a belief in their manifest destiny to rule and a strategic necessity, a need for a buffer against northern threats of twisted beast and monsters.

Their second major campaign targeted the southeastern forests, wanting to drive out the Tarmin Republic of the entire forest, so not to be contested in the future.

The failed forest campaign

The Tarmin republic, though not heavily settled in the region, saw the Fenderaian incursion as a direct threat.

In the final year of the conflict, the Tarmins responded with overwhelming force, leveraging their newly developed Skyship, to completely dominate the overgrown battlefield. The Fenderains were routed, forced into retreat and to abandon their gains.

Result

A stretch of contested land now exists between Fendera and the Tarmin Republic. Fendera were forced to negotiate after the massive defeat, ending the Fenderaian Expansion then and there. The Tarmin Republic has not formally annexed it, seeing it as a buffer zone, but extracts resources like timber, rare minerals and magical flora from the area.

Why the Tarmin have not claimed the contested lands

Strategic foresight they prefer economic dominance over costly occupation, and Cultural disinterest the forest is sacred to some, cursed to others.

The Rocnor rebellion: A new threat to fendera

During the second decade of the Fenderaian expansion, a large group of dissidents fled north, disillusioned with the dēmeres' rule. They believed: The northern wilderness was safer than their own government. Monsters were a lesser evil and a problem than their oppressive rules.

The founding of Rocnor

They settled in ancient mountain ruins, possibly those of a lost civilization. Their city-state, Rocnor, experiments with democracy (a radical contrast to Fendera’s authoritarianism).

They survive through

Mountain defences natural chokepoints, repurposed ruins. Trade with outsiders including cautious deals with Tarmin merchants and monster hunters, they have learned to tame or repel creatures in the area.