#yiar

The Birch Consortium was made up of wealthy lords and merchants from near Birch Beck, the southern border of Lindia. They had been taking the brunt of Gowan ambition on the chin, and without help from the monarchy they banded together to better protect their lands and lives. Nearly expending their treasuries completely, they purchased gear, resources, and hired mercenaries from Addleshire, Roe, and even Heidians from the north, despite both nations being landlocked. This turned out to be a preemptive move, as troubles in Gowan soon took all their attention away from Lindia, and the attacks stopped. Left with a large force of both their own troops, now better geared, and mercenaries on contract, the Birch Consortium decided after much debate and consideration that they could affect a more permanent change, and unseat the unjust monarchy that allowed them to be harassed for so long. The Birch Consortium left a token force on the border, and marched north to Vandel, the seat of Lindish royalty.

On the other end of the country the New Royalists began their own operations. Unlike the Birch Consortium, the New Royalists were not interested in disrupting the monarchy completely, but instead they aimed to dethrone the current monarch and seat one of his cousins, a man they thought much more capable upon the throne in Vandel. Without strength of arms or wealth the New Royalists had to act more discreetly, working behind the scenes to influence the nobility who could affect such a change. Unfortunately their plans were seemingly fruitless, for while they learned the nobility agreed with their idea, but had little to no consensus on who should take the king's place. It seemed hopeless, especially as the Birch Consortium was getting close to their march north, and the New Royalists resigned to accept whatever resulted from the Consortium's efforts. However, help came suddenly from a very unexpected direction. A messenger arrived in secret, an elf from Siavni, who told the leaders of the New Royalists to name their chosen heir, and that Siavni would make it so. The New Royalists named their choice and for weeks it seemed that nothing had changed, but one by one, more and more of the nobility announced their support for the New Royalists choice. No one knows how the dryads and elves of Siavni accomplished this, for no records exist of any deals or details, and in fact many deny that Siavni had anything to do with it at all. With the support of the northern nobility and their chosen heir ready to accept the throne, the New Royalists moved upon the capital. 

As if guided by the hand of destiny, or perhaps just by an incredible coincidence, the New Royalists and the Birch Consortium arrived at the capital on the very same day. Standing outside the gates and facing the old monarchies' loyalist armies, the leaders of the two groups met and talked, staying inside their meeting house for more than three days straight. When they emerged and returned to their own factions they announced that the two groups would work together to unseat the old monarch and would seat the new king on the throne, with a council of southerners from the Consortium guiding and aiding him. Working together the two groups took the city quickly, and the old king was sent into exile. It seemed this conflict was soon to be over, however both sides had treachery in their hearts. 

Citing specific loopholes and exceptions in their treaty, both the Birch Consortium and the New Royals attempted to renege on their deal, and conflict quickly erupted within the capital. The ensuing battle, known as the Battle of The Screaming Streets, took 5 days and cost many thousands of lives in a city already suffering from the previous siege. Woefully outmatched in strength of arms the New Royalists were ousted from the city, and fled across the Lind Beck to regroup and plan their next move. It looked to most like Lindia would soon become embroiled in a long and hard fought civil war, but fortunately for all cooler heads prevailed. Instead of just the leaders of each faction meeting to discuss terms, an enormous forum took place, and lasted several weeks. In the end it was decided that rather than continue the violence and loss of life that both these groups had formed to stop, that Lindia would be split along the Lind Beck. All lands north would be in the hands of the New Royalists and their monarch, and to the south the Birch Consortium would form a council to manage and rule the land. With bated breath the people waited to see if peace would last, and for a long while it seemed like it would. In Upper Lindia the monarch took the title of Prince or Princess, claiming that one day Lindia would be reunited, and on that day the royal line would become Kings and Queens once again. In Middle Lindia the Birch Consortium, now just the Lindish Consortium, formed a oligarchic council, and began to unify the people, and in a shocking move, given the western Riverlands propensity for religion and faith, outlawed obedience to any god or divinity, citing religious conflicts of the past as sufficient reason to do so.

It took more than three decades after the initial growth for King Cledwyn to settle his people down and properly unite the people in law and economics, even if many people under the Wennex crown still resented him. Sensing the end of his life coming soon, Cledwyn decided to square away one last grudge, and finish the fight that put him into power in the first place. In a quick war known now as The Last Conquest, the Wennex armies marched into Gowan, seized Gower’s Hall, and reunited the two regions. This would be not only King Cledwyn’s last conquest, but the last expansionist move Wennex would ever take. Cledwyn Andry died at the age of 82, leaving his eldest surviving son Camedyr the throne of Wennex.

King Camedyr is widely regarded in the history books as a good man, but a terrible ruler. King Camedyr could have been a good king in another time and place in history, but was exactly the wrong person to inherit the largest nation in the Riverlands at a time when it was just starting to calm down after The Last Conquest. Only four years after they surrendered the Gowermen reignited the war, and threw off Wennex’ rule in a quick, bloody battle. The leader of the Gowermen revolt, Marchioness Kalvine is said to have said “We surrendered to The Conquering King, who earned his place at the top, who earned our respect with iron and blood. Not his son, who couldn’t keep a barn under control if the chickens decided to revolt.” Gowan would only become more bold after this, and would start taking more and more Wennex land until the Lindish Wars to the north drew both their and Wennex attention. 

King Camedyr would not rule for long, and was deposed by his cousin Morgaine who was easily able to gain the support of various military leaders throughout the nation. Queen Morgaine Andry would negotiate with the Gowermen and both the Lindish Kings, and helped draw the borders along the Lune and Birch Becks that are maintained today. However Queen Morgaine could not return Wennex to its past glory, nor could she even keep the people of Wennex united, and to the south trouble grew, as radical thinkers and revolutionaries decided they had enough of being a conquered people, and had enough of any monarchy at all.

The first revolts sprouted up in the southeast, and were quickly put down by the Wennex armies. But whenever they were destroyed, two more sprouted up, as an entire people decided they had enough of the Black Hare, and would rather have self determination. The Penny Kingdoms, as these groups would come to be known are a people ruling themselves, with no hereditary monarchy or military tyrants. The name ‘Penny Kingdom’ is something of a mockery of the traditional governments of the Riverlands. “If only Kings and Queen and Lords can lead the people of the Riverlands, than Kings we will be! Kings who’s nations lands are their single farm, who’s people are their family and communities, and who’s vast treasuries contain merely pennies. Tiny Kings and Queens and Lords we will be if those titles are required of us.” Through sheer numbers, perseverance, and effort these people secured their lands, pushed Wennex officials out, and now live on all the lands between the Keer Beck and Dzirimacks Spine.

It’s at this point that the Church of Pelor, already a household name among most people of the Westerlands, truly began to gain power and influence. During the time of Queen Morgaine the church supported the people of Gowan, offering them aid in military and economic ways. After the Gowan-Wennex borders were properly defined, Queen Morgaine made and attempt to ban the faith in Wennex, as they had aided her enemies immensely. The effect this had was to bolster the faith among the common people of Wennex, for while the church publicly supported Gowan, for decades it had quietly been working its way into the towns and communities of Wennex, and helping its people just the same. And when the Penny Kingdoms broke away, Pelorite paladins and other warriors of the faith were seen on the frontlines fighting alongside Wennex soldiers to put down the revolts and establish the borders once the rise of the Penny Kingdoms was inevitable. It was at this time that Queen Morgaine passed away, leaving the throne to her son, and current King of Wennex, Harland Andry.

Like Camedyr, Harland is not considered to be a good ruler, unlike Camedyr, Harland is also not considered to be an especially good man. King Harlands rule is characterized by mismanagement and apathy, and it is in this power vacuum that the Church of Pelor rose to its current prominence. In places far from the capital of Lydham the church has all but replaced the Crown as the governing body, and has become the national religion in Wennex, as well as Gowan, and both Roe and Lim to the north. With Wennex as its staging ground, the church has spread across much of Skiaria and can be found, with much less power and influence of course, in Vinsoire, Kathery, the Diamond Peaks, and even some areas of Heide.