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west along both the North and South Caravan Routes, and Tolnedra
profited in almost every transaction. The Ranite Emperors were too
preoccupied with their own health problems to engage in any
Imperial adventures, and an able and conscientious bureaucracy
developed to maintain roads and ports, standardize fees and bribes
and generally see to the day-to-day ordering of the thousand details
upon which the stability of the Empire rests.
THE THIRD BORUNE DYNASTY 4742 to date
(626 years, 23 Emperors)
When the last Ranite Emperor died, Tolnedra turned once again to
the Borunes. One can only conclude that, while in some of His
choices for Emperor, Nedra may have drowsed, in His choice of the
Borunes to guide the Empire through the troubled times of the last
years of the fifth millennium our God was surely with us.
Through the reigns of the first three Borune Emperors, the world
proceeded normally, much as it had during the Ranite period. Ran
Borune IV was crowned, and for ten years all seemed well. Then,
quite suddenly in 4864, without explanation, the Murgos closed the
South Caravan Route and the Nadraks severely kirtailed eastward
movement along the North Route. The following year the reasons
became painfully obvious.
In the spring of 4865 the Angaraks invaded Drasnia. In the
forefront of their assault were Nadraks, Thulls and Murgos, and behind
them in a human sea that stretched from horizon to horizon came
the hordes of the Malloreans. In the center of the host, borne upon
the shoulders of literally thousands, was the huge black iron
pavilion in which rode the dreaded Kal-Torak himself.
History is unclear concerning the precise relationship between
Kal-Torak and other Angarak Kings, but there can be no question
that Kal-Torak of Mallorea ruled over them with almost god-like
authority.
The civilized world stood aghast at the destruction of Drasnia.
Though the other Alorn nations attempted to aid their cousins, their
efforts were fruitless. It quickly became evident that Kal-Torak came,
not as a conqueror, but as a destroyer. The cities of Boktor and Kotu
were literally pulled down, and the smaller Drasnian towns and
villages were put to the torch. Worse still, the population of this
nation was systematically exterminated, and
what few captives were taken were turned over to the dark-robed,
steel-masked Grolim Priests for the unspeakable human sacrifices
which are such an integral part of the Angarak religion.
A few battered and bloody elements of the superb Drasnian Army
escaped southward into Algaria, and a few others were taken off the
islands at the mouth of the Aldur River by Cherek warships, but the
bulk of the army was simply smothered by the uncounted hordes of
Malloreans who swept across the land. Members of the general
populace who were not slain or captured fled northwest into the
empty reaches of the Drasnian steppes or into the vast marshes at
the mouth of the Mrin River. Some few survivors who fled to the
north eventually made their way across the River Dused in the far
north and thence down the coast to Val Alorn in Cherek. For those
who sought refuge in the fens and marshes, however, there was
scant hope for survival.
once Drasnia had been crushed, the Angaraks turned southward
and struck into Algaria. Here, of course, they met a different foe.