Empire of Jenava

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Jenava is a historical kingdom, later turned into an empire, which became the largest the world had ever seen. It dominated the continent of Sulandria both militarily and economically, establishing control over the southern continent and large parts of the continent to their south through conquest, annexation, and colonization. Jenava originated as a city on the southernmost tip of a desert peninsula.

Founding Legend

The legendary founding of Jenava is attributed to King Storm, driven by a vision of a promised land. Accompanied by his cousins, Daan and Toine, his friends, Samantha and Max, and his wife, Simone, he embarked on a journey through harsh landscapes, over mountains, rivers and seas. Their expedition eventually led them to a vast desert sea, which they decided to traverse. This journey however became a desperate fight for survival, claiming many lives, including that of Storm's beloved wife, Simone.

As morale plummeted to an all-time low, they glimpsed the shadow of a great dragon. Deciding to follow it, they were led to a desolate island. Interpreting this as a divine sign, they established the city of Jenava there. Whether the Jenavans truly saw a dragon or if it was a mirage caused by the extreme desert climate remains a mystery.

Early History

Jenava's early days were fraught with hardships, including famine, disease, and raids. The harsh desert climate hindered crop cultivation, making food incredibly scarce. Starvation and sandstorms led to many deaths, and the intensive labor for the city's construction drove some to desperate measures, including jumping off the scaffolding to escape hunger. Child mortality rates were also alarmingly high during this period.

Fishing eventually helped stabilize the food scarcity, and the crisis was further alleviated when Max discovered a method to make the land surrounding the city arable for wheat. Trade relations with the Traders Guild to the north brought economic prosperity, with Jenava lending its architectural expertise in exchange for diamonds. Mickeau, an influential trader and general, colonized the western tip of the continent, including the Isles of Grape, establishing a lucrative iron colony.

Conflict arose however when the Kingdom of Prevabia launched an attack on Jenava, destroying parts of the outer city, including King Storm's home, and decimating the flourishing colony to the west. In retaliation, Mickeau and Storm led a siege on Prevabia's castle. Although Mickeau perished during the assault, the attack was successful, leading to the execution of Prevab, the leader of Prevabia, and the destruction of his castle.

During this time, significant reserves of gold, netherite, and especially iron were discovered in Jenava's mines, ushering in a new era of growth and prosperity. However, this growth attracted raids from a group of brigands. The capture and punishment of these brigands, made possible by the betrayal of one of their own, Rammy, solidified internal security. The captured brigands were sent to the sandstone mines as slaves.