 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
the Dynasty' our southern border was pushed to the banks of the
River of the Woods, and the essential part of the Empire was
complete.
Tol Borune was constructed in the center of the southern plain,
and the remainder of the Dynasty devoted its efforts to the
construction of the south dike on the Nedrane River.
THE SECOND HONETHITE DYNASTY
1692-2112 (420 years, 19 Emperors)
The years of this Dynasty were a period of consolidation and
development. It was also a period of our first significant contacts with
other nations. As so frequently is the case in Tolnedran history' it
was the merchants who led the way. The initial contacts with the
Arends and Nyissans were peaceful and profitable, but the Marags
steadfastly refused to permit the entry of strangers into Maragor.
The Emperor Ran Honeth XVII attempted to solve this problem by
the construction of Tol Rane on Maragor's western border. The
purpose of Tol Rane was to provide a commercial center where the
Marags could come to trade, but it soon had another, grannmer
purpose. It quickly became evident that the Marags had
considerable quantities of fine gold, and the accidental discovery of free gold
in the streams of the border region set off a stampede of
fortune hunters to Tol Rane.
Creeping across the border into Maragor by night, these
adventurers sought gold in every stream-bed until the Marags became
aware of their presence. It was only then that we learned the horrid
truth about our eastern neighbors.
It was in 2115 that a survivor of one of those groups of
goldseekers stumbled back to Tol Rane with his tale of horror. His
companions had been taken by a band of Marags and, one by one,
they had been ritualistically killed and then eaten.
While human sacrifice in one form or another was not uncommon
in certain religions, the cult of Mara was the only one we have ever
encountered which practiced ritual cannibalism. The news spread
throughout Tolnedra like a grassfire, growing with each telling, until
the entire nation was aflame with it. Speeches by officials fanned the
fury of the populace, and there were soon deputations in Tol Honeth
demanding war.
The Emperor, Ran Vordue I of the SECOND VORDUVIAN
DYNASTY, still only three years from the investiture of his reign and
the beginning of his Dynasty, submitted finally to the impor'gs
of the people and began preparations for war.
THE SECOND VORDUVIAN DYNASTY
2112-2537 (425 years, 20 Emperors)
it is to the eternal shame of the Vorduvians that it was during
one of their Dynasties that the exffipation of the Marags occurred.
Although the fact that the Marags were cannibals was undeniably
true, that fact might well have been ignored had it not been for the
presence of gold in Maragor. The border could easily have been
sealed and other means taken to persuade the Marags to abandon
their revolting practice; but the war party in Tolnedra, thinking only
of the gold, pushed the inexperienced Emperor into the ultimate