Belthean Migrations (0 A.L. - 345 A.L.) (Patreon)

"Beautrea was their landing ground and Nareth trembled at their Landfall..." -Imperial Historian Acillius Cinna

The initial landing ground was given their name, Beautrea (Beautiful Land), and served as the cultural capital of these invaders. Even after centuries, it has retained much of the Belthean culture and customs among the old families who claim descent from those that jumped off those ships. Even now, one may see Beautrix as a symbol of their roots and a glimpse to their past, when walking down a street surrounded by old-fashioned buildings with curved roofs and jade statues. 

In the nearly 350 years after the Beltheans' Landfall, the Belthean people created kingdoms of their own and became firmly established in Nareth. Previously united, the kingdoms were now distrustful of one another, waging war not only against the original Narethian people, but against each other. History has a way of repeating, and this is shown by how the Beltheans became the conquerors of a new continent after having been chased off Daqin. 

For the express goal of documenting imperial history, we have tried to document the Ravenea's history as far back as possible. However, the first burning of Beatrix, in 332 A.L. contributed to the loss of knowledge and history of this era. As such, we are forced to depend on the records of the Old Kingdoms for this specific time period.

"In the hallowed annals of the Belthean Empire, the tale of its birth echoes with the weight of countless stories, invasions, and revolutions. Before the empire's grandeur, there were only the Belthean people – revolutionaries turned immigrants fleeing from their homeland embroiled in a ruthless religious war of extermination. They found refuge on the shores of Nareth, slowly carving a home out of these once unfamiliar lands..." -Acillius Cinna.

First Century (0 - 100 A.L.)

Settlement Period

0-10 A.L.

The Beltheans, upon landing on Nareth, focused solely on building their initial settlement, Beautrix. They utilized the natural resources available, establishing fishing and agriculture based on their knowledge from Daqin. During this time, their leaders emphasized unity and cooperation to survive in this new land. All reports indicate the Beltheans as aggressive traders, reaching as far south as the Republic of Trevalyn. 

The Bleeding Years

11-73 A.L.

As the Beltheans expanded their settlements along the northern shoreline, they encountered resistance from the native Narethian tribes. The tribes had become angered after a decade of mounting tension, mostly from differences in religion and social issues, specifically slavery and equality between the sexes.

Numerous small-scale wars and skirmishes took place, with the Beltheans gradually pushing the Narethians back. It is theorized that these conflicts laid the groundwork for the Beltheans' militaristic society, or a continuation of said society. Numerous accounts detail the Ravenea A'luthean being used as a spearhead. 

Consolidation Period

73-85 A.L.

It is during this period that the traditional borders for what is now known as the state of Beautrea (etymology: "Beautr" signifying "Beauty, Beautiful, etc" + "ea" signifying "land or territory" = "Land of Beauty" or "Beautiful Land") were recognized. Imperial Historian Acillius Cinna notes down his research into the ancient Belthean language that is theorized to have been used by the Cyreans as well in his "Vestiges of Verity: Unraveling the Enigma of the Ancient Narethian Tongue" 

With a semblance of stability achieved with solidified borders and relations with their neighbors, the Beltheans began to focus on rebuilding their cultural identity. Beautrix became the epicenter of this renaissance, with art, literature, and music of the old homeland flourishing and spreading beyond Beautrea's borders.

This in turn led to the rise of the beginnings of the Imperial Church today. 

The Great Conference

88 A.L.

The grandchildren of those who fled a religious war, our ancestors were initially wary of forcing their religion or having another religion forced upon them. It is during this time that what will later be known as the Imperial Church was organized in what is now known as the "Great Conference of Beautrix '88". 

Canon laws were established, the Templaric Orders formed, and the holy rites cemented. Men could no longer hold religious authority, and priestesses had to be mothers. It was a mostly syncretic religion, one that spread through the word and not the sword. The Church was integral for the rapid spread of Belthean virtues and social traditions, helping erode sex discrimination in lands near Beautrea. Narethian practices such as slavery quickly became the quickest way to find yourself under an embargo by Belthean merchants, and services given by the church. 

Slave Revolts

91-106 A.L.

As the century drew to a close, records from various states of this time period reveal a surprising story. Many Narethian kingdoms claim to have been the targets of freedom fighters and deep espionage, most especially those who had enslaved Beltheans.

Materials and money were found to originate from Beautrea, and the period is known to have had many anonymous writers pen manifestos against slavery.

The most famous being the "Embers of Freedom". 

"In the divine eyes of the Goddess, all souls are born free, their worth untethered by earthly shackles. As true Beltheans, we bear the holy duty to uphold the sanctity of liberty, to dissolve the chains that bind the innocent and to vanquish the malevolent shadow of oppression that looms over the realms of this continent named Nareth!  Our sacred scriptures are clear. The Goddess's own decree, her divine voice resounding through the ages, a voice that our own grandfathers and grandmothers held hope to: “As the rivers flow freely towards the boundless sea, so shall every heart beat unfettered in My name.”  

In this solemn hour, trueborn sons and daughters of freedom invoke the celestial light of truth and justice. With the decree spoken by the divine breath of our Goddess, we shall sweep away these ashes of oppression and kindle the new embers of freedom! Our purpose is ordained, our cause just; we shall tirelessly strive until the loathsome specter of the shackle is banished into the abyss, and every soul rejoices in the glorious dawn of liberation.  

In the Goddess's eternal grace, we shall prevail, for this righteous fire burns within our hearts, an unyielding force against this abominable blight. Join us, as we march forth under the divine banner of freedom, towards a realm cleansed of oppression, where the sacred dignity of every soul is revered and protected. May the Goddess guide our path as we endeavor to restore the divine balance, to sow the seeds of liberty and justice across the lands, and to echo Her decree of freedom in every corner of our new home! "

The slave revolts then greatly weakened the Old Kingdoms to the point the Beltheans were able to capitalize numerous invasions.

New Kingdoms Period / Wars of Liberation

100-155 A.L.

The unity that had been the Beltheans' strength in the first century began to wane as powerful families and leaders started to assert their dominance. Disputes over land and resources led to the fracturing of their society and the establishment of individual kingdoms. Many used the Wars of Liberation as excuses to begin their conquests at the expense of the native Narethian domains. As these new kingdoms established themselves trade routes were formed, leading to a booming economy. However, this prosperity also led to jealousy and tension amongst the Belthean kingdoms as rivalries once again flared. Border disputes became frequent, and skirmishes were commonplace.

The Narethian Alliance

156-227 A.L.

The history of the late 100's and early 200's can fairly be seen as the history of the Carsthe Kingdom. No other nation, not even the young and vibrant kingdoms of the Beltheans, can claim so much of the spotlight as did the Carsthe family. Their spectacular rise and fall are quite literally the stuff of songs and legends. Sadly, we will only be able to touch upon the major events that took place.

Reign of High Queen Darunia "of Iron" Carsthe:

• Facing constant pressure from the Belthean kingdoms, the native Narethians formed a loose alliance to protect their remaining lands.

• The seeds of an alliance was formed by Princess Darunia Carsthe after surviving a border skirmish to protect a neighboring kingdom's heir, earning a scar across the left eye that blinded her. This event has become immortalized in theater plays and song.

• Fearing the growing encroachment of the Beltheans, she overthrew her father with support from the palace guard and executed him and her brothers.

• A cold, militaristic, and xenophobic ruler, she reformed the nations of the alliance into a confederacy to better counter the Belthean conquests and expelled all Beltheans within the confederacy's borders. This was possible due to the marriage alliance between her and the prince she saved in the border skirmish.

• This was also all done during the time of Narethian belief that women could not lead nor fight battles, which only serves to showcase how exceptional she was. Tellingly, it was during her reign that the least amount of land was taken by the Beltheans. It was a reprieve dearly needed by the confederacy to shore up their defenses and focus on internal matters.

• The queen later died peacefully in her sleep in '77 after managing the vying kingdoms in the alliance.

Reign of High King Roland "the Good" Carsthe:

• Roland, in stark contrast to his mother, was a kindhearted and gregarious man, respected as a diplomat and a voice of reason.

• Using his friendship among the other sons of the confederacy's royalty, he was able to be the first and only figure to be able to broker peace between the Narethian and Belthean peoples. He allowed Belthean immigrants into his borders once again, and other kingdoms started following suit. All Belthean slaves were released, and soon trade was flourishing. It was almost three decades of reforms and effective hands-on administration.

• Many dramatizations of the political intrigue and romantic scandals during this time period exist years later.

• But soon cracks began to form in his later years, when he was much older and less energetic. The confederacy worked so long as he toured the different kingdoms as high king and ensured all was well, but he contacted a fever which left him bedridden for the last four years of his life.

• It was during these last four years that this small brief age of peace would shatter.

• With the high king now weak and bedridden, King Lionel "the Impetuous" Ulthred launched an invasion into Carsthe lands to wrest control of the alliance. This infighting in the confederacy allowed the Beltheans to quickly overwhelm one of the member kingdoms and establish another new state for themselves. 

• Hearing of this news and fearing the descent into total war once more, the high king died. His death would be forever mourned as a tragedy by Narethians.

Reign of High King Adam "the Peaceful" Carsthe:

• The late high king's son was generally known as an energetic individual notable for his hands on governance similar to his father. This bold and decisive attitude slowly changes as time went on however, as stress from the breakdown of relations between the Beltheans and Narethians, and the start of the Border Wars, took a toll on him. 

• Reports describe episodes of depression, premature aging, and recovered letters reveal a insecure individual struggling to fulfill the promise he made to his father.

• The high king was desperate in his attempts to maintain peace between the different nations in the alliance as talks of invasion became louder and louder. Furthermore, he was forced to take unpopular action against the hawkish faction in order to reassure the Belthean leaders of his intentions to keep the general peace.

• Soon after this however, the keystone event of the the high king's reign begins.

• The Lord-General of the Alliance during this time, Lord-General Luthor, was promised the hand of High King Adam's daughter, Princess Raella Carsthe. The bethrothal was called off however, and she was given to King Kelseth Ravenea of Beautrea. 

• The Lord-General then rose up in rebellion, assassinated the high king, and invaded Belthean lands in attempt to rally Narethian kingdoms behind him as the new High King.

Total War

227-367 A.L.

Thanks to Lord-General Luthor's actions, the eastern half of the continent exploded into complete total war. With the rapid disintegration of the alliance, the Belthean kingdoms seized the opportunity to counter-invade the Narethians and expand their borders. 

In Ulthred alone, the entire kingdom was conquered by a Belthean band whose leader who took the name, land, and daughter of the last native Ulthred king. The Kingdom of Ulthred now belonged to the Beltheans. 

The Kingdom of Carsthe itself soon fell to Beautrea's might, and the new Ravenea-Carsthe line would rule both lands for a majority of this time period.

Queen Raella herself executed her father's killer with her own sword after she famously replied to his pleas for mercy. "Rancid notes keep falling out your mouth, I will shut it." What was originally dozens of smaller kingdoms turned into five major nations now known as the "Heartland Kingdoms" or the "Old Kingdoms" that we know today before the Conqueror's Conquests. The consequences of the Lord-General's betrayal came in the form of only one Narethian-controlled kingdom left standing of the five, Moresaine.