Alois Confederacy

"The great tragedy of my people is their love of independence. Even while united, it has again and again become their downfall. " - Marcilla Beauregard

The Alois Confederacy was a union of states in the Northern Commons primarily populated by Alois humans. Created at the start of the Third Era following the Godscar Purge, the Confederacy was an extension of traditional Alois ruling practices, which centered around land ownership, self-rule, and individuality. The goal of the Confederate government was to preserve these values while protecting the Alois from outside forces. This goal was achieved with varying rates of success at different periods of time. The union lasted until the The Twenty-Year War, when it was absorbed by the Trebai Ascendancy.

History

During the First and Second Eras, the Alois focus on individuality and self-governance often resulted in defeats by the neighboring Trebai. During the Second Era in particular, much of the Northern Commons were in fact ruled by the High Kingdom of Beurum. In addition, a series of droughts combined with overgrazing by Alois ranchers put the cultural group in a state of instability. After several Alois rebellions and finally the Godscar Purge, which marked the end of the Second Era, the High Kingdom was unable to hold on to most of the Northern Commons. Following this, independent Alois kingdoms immediately launched wars with each other, but a lack of manpower and funding forced most of these conflicts to end. The Alois did not fight in the First Dwarven War, instead forming a loose union that was able to resist the Kantaran Invasion. Because the Kantarans focused most of their efforts on conquering the Western Commons and the The Everglade Wastes, the Alois Confederacy never actually succumbed to Kantaran rule, and grew stronger without the constant threat of the Trebai. During the period of Kantaran rule, the Alois even manage to destroy the exiled government of the High Kingdom of Beurum, though this government was later revived. The Alois assisted in eventually driving out the Kantarans, as well as sacking their city-states in revenge. During the Fourth Era, the Alois Confederacy initially flourished. However, political corruption started to become increasingly common among the states, and much of the governments became dysfunctional. This allowed for greater influence by Daphnea companies as well as the reborn High Kingdom of Beurum, which had managed to reclaim much of its old territory. At the time of The Twenty-Year War, the Alois was unstable and woefully unprepared for such a large-scale conflict. Making matters worse, Daphnea companies largely focused their support on the Trebai, not them. During the war, they formed a union with the High Kingdom of Beurum. This union became a permanent tie when the High Kingdom transformed into the Trebai Ascendancy during the war. At the war's end, Alois individuals found themselves once again under Trebai rule, though the Trebai grip on the region was often weak at best. Devastated, the Alois were unable to form a resistance for a sustained period of time.