Kaukolastan
12-02-2004, 09:26
The History Channel Presents:
A Focus on Kaukolastan:
The Technology of Empire
It is in these windswept plains of Valen, the northeastern island of Kaukolastan, that we find the traces of the past of this nation. Here, entire battles lay beneath the earth, fortresses still emerge on rivers and hills, holding the now calm plains under their now archaic guard. Here, the search for history begins. Before us stands the fortress of Vale, the castle of the Lord of Vale, ruler of this island. Now, it lies in ruins, centuries of natural decay have weathered away the stone walls, and the river has been dammed up to a lake. Now, imagine this, one thousand years ago...
That castle stood on the hill, surrounded by water on three sides and a sheer cliff on the last, looking over the most fertile lands in any of the islands. Banners would have hung from it's spires, ballistae and catapults lined with archers on the walls, while cavalry rode the countryside. Smiths and merchants plied their trades in the armored city outside of this citadel, and the peasants tilled the earth beyond. The city grew, expanding beyond the walls, but the walls expanded as well, until the rings layered seven deep and spanned miles, each inch of it designed for lethality... for this was not their native land. The Emperor of Corsis, the now central island, had declared this island to be the destiny of the Empire, and as such, it fell beneath the imperial might. The natives fought ferecly, but not ferocity could stand before the sheer organization and innovation displayed by the Empire on a regular basis. As such, Valen fell, and after the centuries, it became part of the Empire... but how did this happen? We take you back to the beginning, perhaps about two thousand B.C.E.
The first settlers to arive in the island chain were not native, but a naval fleet of some long lost civilization. From what archeologists have gathered, this was a highly advanced culture, with many tablet written in not only Greek or Latin, but also Egyptian Glyphs and Runic inscriptions. However, they became embroiled in a war with what they describe as the "Eastern Empire", perhaps the Chinese. They decimated their opponent in battle after battle, but unable to sustain losses against their vastly larger foe, this nation realized defeat was inevitable. They evacuated a large portion of their nation, sailing west with all they had. With them were elements of other civilizations that chose to follow. This was explained in this tablet, recovered in 1943 in Terenaus Harbor:
It is dawn now, and the fleet is assembled. I looked back to home, but there was only fire as the army burned our own lands, to keep our goods from theft. Burn it all, we decided, lest it be taken. The elders spoke on this, and it was far better for the secrets of Greek Fire and these new weapons to remain forever lost. I cried as the Great Library burned, but I cried more for the searing to come, and the life and knowledge lost. It was a dark day for our people, but we dare not let these weapons remain... they have turned the Eastern Empire against us, and we fear that if they spread, war would become all the more terrible. Our warriors still cling to these objects, though, using them to protect us from any attack. I suppose this is as it must be. So we take our people, and burn our land.
The navy is here, and we are escorted with merchants and refugees from across the known world, coming with us in the hope of starting anew. Every civilized culture must surely be here, for I hear many languages I do not know. We sail East now, past the very force we fight. Ships have reported new land there, and we seek to find it, to make it our own. May the gods stay with us.
-Elder Ures
The fleets made it as far as Corsis and the small island of Geridan, where they, running low on supplies, decided to land and make camp. As days passed, and no plans were laid to set back to sea, it became apparent that this was to be the new home. On Geridan, the local tribes attacked the landing ships, which set the forests ablaze with a primitive incindiary, made from naptha and a form of soap. They established the stronghold of Brakkengard, and mostly left that island alone, a decision which has plagued us to this day, as the constant police actions can attest. Meanwhile, the new arrivals found that the island they dubbed Corsis was a much more welcoming habitat.
Covered in hills and rich in resources, the refugees made contact with the indigenous tribes. Unlike on Geridan, the natives were not hostile, but welcomed the new arrivals with reverance, awed by the power of devices brought along, such as primitive telescopes, compass, and maps of great precision. The arrivals worked with the natives, who, although friendly, had not yet advanced into the bronze age. Immeadiately, these industrious immigrants set to work, fortifying the mountains, contructing armored cities, and tapping into lakes and streams. Mills and blacksmith workshops rose at rapid pace, and the refugees attempted to recreate their beloved home.
However, something had changed in them, after being driven from land to land. Before, they had pursued science for it's own end, to aid human life, and to please the gods they worshipped. That was unchanged by the wars and terror. But now, their desire for the next idea was fueled by fear and revenge, and the brilliance of these early citizens was put to military use, and to thoughts of Empire, as this report, on a scroll from 1486 BCE from the Consul of a region to the council, can attest:
Discussion in the province is proceeding well. Darius wishes to construct a great ballista on the Feruan Ridge, and I have given my approval. We believe that we can mount enough seige weapons on the coasts to rain hell upon any enemy seeking to land. No longer will we fear invasion, as our might is quite clear, in the walls and mounts. The aqueducts are flowing effectively into the city, guaranteeing multiple sources, and the sewers, although overused, have been fine at maintaining sanitation. How these primitives could live in such filth is beyond me, and I long to return to the Capital.
However, there is also the feeling of performing some great deed here, which I cannot deny, even in my most cynical moment. We've been building billows, mills, and archimedes screws nonstop, and we've paved three avenues to the local towns. The natives are quite grateful, and they emulate us at every turn. They're eager to join us, and to learn, especially about the sea and about astronomy. Why, they've even begun enlisting in the Guard!
As such, I've ordered the barracks to take indigenous wives, and to attempt to bring them into our society now, lest things become worse later. On other fronts, we've begun constructing not only a university, but a temple, and a dockyards on the River Hysh. Yours from the outlands, Consul Anderas.
As time passed, the organization so loved by these people coalesced into a feudal government, then a democratic system, and eventually, Empire. In 859 BCE, Consul Terron, returning from a military action against the continued native presence in Geridan, turned his swelling popularity upon the capital. He felt that the government had been too slow to act after the native raiders had destroyed a small town, and that they could have moved swifter with a more centralized power. As such, he returned to Kaukolagrad in triumph, escorted by legions of his soldiers and with citizens from the outlying provinces, who feared for their safety from the barbaric neighbors. He took to the central square, and delivered what is known as, "The Argument Against Direct Democracy":
...as such, they did not act, for a tally was required. The cities burned, the mills were shattered, but nothing could be done, for there was no vote! The people cried for an army, but this needed a Forum! The Forum itself was shattered under Barbarian might, and they held a vote to create a new Forum! We cannot survive like this. Our neighbors in Vale and Terenaus build armies as we speak, seeking to finish the work our ancestors escaped! We need a centrallized power, a means to defend ourselves! I do not call for a royal line, but for a centralized power, from the people, that can act without having to hold seven votes on the food!"
Terron sought to reform, but his message grew amongst the people, resonating in those who feared attack or had lost family and friends to the neighboring lands. In that same year, after several refusals, Terron accepted the the role of Imperator. An attempt on his life was easily avoided, and his popularity rose to new heights, and he put forward a constitution that is still held to some degree today. There was a Senate to set law, a Tribunal to judge it, and an Imperator to execute it. All positions were elected for life by full citizens, and they remained until retirement or death, although some were removed by three-fourths Census. This freed the government of political bonds, and allowed them to act as it was needed. With this new system in place, the new Empire turned outwards.
First to meet the might of Kaukolastan was the Kingdom of Sorobade, to the south. Rich in ores and gold, this kingdom sought to establish dominance over the Kaukolastani Empire, but the attack was crushed on the southern coasts by tremendous ballistae, catapults, and the use of the naptha weapon. Immeadiately, an army was raised, and the navy was assembled. In 734 BCE, the Grand Fleet sailed on Sorobade. In the early battles, the Kaukolastani Legions demonstrated the power of their science and order. The rough lines of the opposing forces were met with Phalanxes, Cataphracts, and Tercios. Also heavily in play was the use of innovation to defeat their opponent.
To take the city of Carn, the Empire seized the seemingly unimportant northern city of Jurath, and dammed the river Albine. As the Sorobade Lords realized what was happening, they launched a desperate strike on the Kaukolastani levies, but the Pincer shattered their forces as heavy cavalry swept from the sides and the pikemen blocked the advance. The damms were finished, and the river was diverted into Carn, flooding the defenses. The Kaukolastani Navy then sailed into the city on the new river and laid it to waste with naval power.
As their forces moved on Terenaus, the capital, the Sorobade Armies prepared one last strike. The Kaukolastani Legions fell back to the end of the Teriv Canyons, and the Sorobade Forces advanced towards them. But it was a trap, and the canyon walls fell apart, plunging onto the opposing army. The Kaukolastani Engineers, who had merely been seen as road builders and aqueduct creators until now, demonstrated their value with charges of mercury fulminate along the rocks. The first demolitions in recorded history brought the rocks down upon their enemies, and Terenaus was overrun. It was led by Procurates at first, but as the citizens embraced their new rulers, they were granted citizenship and the election of their own Senators and a Consul.
Again, it was the power of technology that allowed them to win, and the Empire took this to heart. Their advanced tactics and weaponry had allowed them to devastate numerically superior foes, and then, the roads, mills, sewers, aqueducts, and metalworks had won over the citizens. What was doctrine had become dogma, and the cities were soon overrun with the rapid expansion of infrastructure. All was made orderly, all was made modern. The sanitation and resources began to gain reputation, and refugees fled to Kaukolastan's borders with increasing frequency.
As the mines began to expand in Terenaus, and more Legions created, more Universities sprang up, and people began to question the gods. In 35 CE, the first Christian Missionaries began to arrive, and they were quickly embraced. Just as the State had been consolidated in power, it had gained in effectiveness. To the citizens, it was obvious that one God was greater than many gods, and Christianity was quickly adopted and mandated for all citizens. With it came rules of conduct that forced some changes upon Kaukolastan. Art began to grow in value, and Monastaries rose with the Universities. Both groups shared the same goals... to reach for the greater. Unlike many other powers, religion and state had no problems with each other, and the relationship was often complementary.
In 274 CE, the northwestern nation of Artems came to Corsis, not for war, but to join together under the Empire. They were quickly merged into the Kaukolastan System, and they took very well to the ideas of the mainland. Artems had always been strong in their philosophy and theology, never warlike. The protection of the Empire allowed them to carry out their thoughts without fear of attack. Thoughout this time, the Empire grew. After every conflict, another small state was added to the banner, and despite original troubles, the advances in science made the conquest less so. During this period, the Empire reached out, trading their goods in return for other knowledge and art and theory. Their reputation spread after the island of Hertlin was demolished and tilled with salt for murdering three missionaries. After that. it was said that a Kaukolastan Citizen could sail to any foreign land and never be touched, for every criminal knew that they would pay a hundred fold.
In 792 CE, the powerful Nation of Valen came into war with Kaukolastan over a matter of possession of several islands. The war swayed back and forth for years, both sides never comitting to a massive assault. In 804 CE, Artems attacked Corsis with a force of Knights and Pikemen. What happened to them upon reaching the beaches is not well known, but this report was recovered from a General who ordered the retreat:
...it was hell upon the beaches. Seige weaponry reigned upon our heads from vast engines, and arrows struck us with impunity. The Kaukolastan dogs had laced their arrows in toxin, and our soldiers screams were heard for days, lying in the sand. They rained fire on us from pre-built positions, never taking the field with us. I would call them cowards, but it worked so devastatingly well that I fear it may be a better tactic than to actually engage. Our ships were attacked by theirs, and fire fell from the air and filled the waters... they possess bows as tall as a man, and some that sit on the shoulder, like a fiddle. Three thousand dead in an hour, and the bodies piled onto the burning beaches... I fear we have stumbled into a war we cannot win...
After this, the Empire seized the initiative, attacking Valen without remorse. These same weapons that had allowed them to dominate the defensive allowed them to press the attack, and the vaunted Engineers soon had another trick for their opponents. It was said that the fortress of Tir Ramoth could not be taken, for it sat in a lake, and it was high above the other lands, with strong walls and well crafted battlements. Four armies had broken on it's ramparts, and more had fled from its gate. But Kaukolastan had no plans to take this castle. Instead, they debuted the fearsome "battle cannon", a primitive cannon created by combining Chinese gunpowder with the brutal logic of the Universities. The iron balls demolished the great fortress, and after three days of cannonade and trebuchet attack, Tir Ramoth fell.
From there on out, Valen fought a losing war. Every time they took the field of battle, they were devastated by the superior range of the Imperial forces, and their conviction in combined cavalry-archer-footman maneuvers, including the Slash Maneuver, where the pikemen line faked a messy retreat, goading the Artems Cavalry to attack in full. But through the pike lines, the Kaukolastani Paladins charged, cutting the turning Valen soldiers to ribbons. Again and again, the Empire cut down the opposing forces. In this war, they even covered an entire field in naptha, then lit it ablaze when the opposition charged them, burning the forces away, and forever ending the era of the knight and footman in the region, long before the concepts had even been introduced in Europe or Asia. Valen fell, and much like many before, and was soon a province of the burgeoning Empire.
From this point until 1237 was the "Golden Age" of the Kaukolastan Empire. Learning and art were the mainstays, and great palaces and cathedrals were built. Leaps were made in technology, and the Empire was respected a feared throughout the known World. The highly developed culture, emphasis on learning, and the savage military tactics made the Empire a beacon in the world. In the late eleven hundreds, there was even a stock market of sorts, founded on the basis of the mines and the large Guilds.
But this was not to stay, as the Empire soon fell into decline. What hundreds of foes could not do, the Empire did to itself, rotting away inside. Culture became decadence, ambition became lust, and contentment became sloth. Over the decades, the central government became ripe with gossip and scandal, and leaders were pulled from office often before their names could be recorded. Families began to wage war for power in government, and Terenaus was completely taken by the Miner's Guild. The military, too, began to suffer, divided along faults. The Legions began to falter, and knowledge began to be lost. In 1401, the Great Library was torched by revolutionaries, and the Empire was no more, merely a weak confederacy of semi-independant nations.
In 1753, a man known as Vizeroth Drakk rose to power as Chancellor of the Confederacy. Angry with the decadence and decay, he quickly moved into a plan he simply called "The Return". He re-nationalized the armies, banned the Guilds, and eliminated most of the Senate, which had grown to over a thousand members. He replaced key officials with fellow visionaries or the "New Empire", and his public rallies fed anger at the decay in society. He turned this anger to a good purpose, pointing out to the world they had for so long watched and was now leaving them behind.
...we can no longer ignore this! The world we used to lead is leaving us! They have forgotten the glory of the Empire, the might and beauty our people guarded. But this is rightly so! We are fallen! We are waste! How is this, you ask! You call me a liar, but I am not! For too long, our nation has rested, has turned away... it is our right, our duty, to seize the vanguard! We cannot fall inwards, we cannot implode like a mere foreign nation! We are a light, a beacon, and if we go out, I fear! Oh, I fear! But what can we do, you ask... I tell you this! We must move. I have brought the guilds under control, I have fired the bureacrats. I have streamlined the armies and the services, I have dropped the stifling taxes... but I cannot do more.
Look at your children, and to their children! Is this to be our legacy? A slide into ignomy? No! I say. Never! We must seize, we must produce! Even now, we are mocked in foreign lands, who sit in their stolen wealth... we must show them, show the world! We must rise now, build into what we truly are! We need guns, we need cannon, we need cavalry. We need power, we need water. We need pride! But we cannot be given that! We must take what is ours! We will reform the Empire!
The economy ground back to life, at first slowly, then faster and faster. Other nations watched Kaukolastan nervously, wondering what the nation was doing. Black smoke hung over every city from the massive industrialization. The mineworks grew by the day, and giant rigs spread over the waters, primitive derricks seeking their oil. Electricity was embraced from the start, and networks spidered from city to city. The cost of life in this Industrial Revolution is unknown, because Drakk ordered the census locked, but it is assumed to be in the hundreds of thousands, as workers labored for sixteen hour days, six days a week, in inhuman conditions. But this had a purpose, and by 1750, an industrial powerhouse was ready. Forests lay clear cut, refineries clogged the skies. The fires burned bright for all to see, and the nearby nations watched nervously, for this appeared to be a nation at war with itself.
In 1792, Kaukolastan entered a war with the nation of Sereboth, largely without justification. Drakk had needed a target for his "quick, victorious war", and this nearby nation proved exactly that, with the ironclad battleships destroying the wooden frigates, and the gatling guns massacreing the tercio bound enemy. The devastation unleashed in this war, the complete neglect of civilian casualties, brought little response to the world, which did not notice the movements of this aggressive nation. But inside Kaukolastan, the dream was reborn, the dream of Empire. Again, manifest destiny began to appear in the schools, and the expansion was deemed necessary. Again, the focus turned outward. Drakk died in 1793, but his vision lived on as the nation rebuilt itself and its soul.
In modern times, Kaukolastan has embarked on multiple interventions and expansions, and has placed small bases on the moon. The nation pulls in two directions, into the minute powerhouse of the gene, and into the grandeur of space. Meanwhile scientists and theologians confront their latest challenge, human life. What is it? Can it be created by other man? The technology leaps forward at terrifying speed, and the applications grow daily. This philosophy has never changed; to explore, expand, and offer a better way has always been the creed, and it holds true today more than ever. After two hundred years of repairing and rebuilding, the vision Drakk offered is becoming a reality. Kaukolastan has once again become involved in world affairs, and it's frightening industrial might churns with the power of modern science. All for progress, all for the nation. Will this drive and ambition, so ingrained in the people, help make a better world, or lead to catastrophe? Will the pursuit of technology as the solution to all problems drive Kaukolastan end in fiery ruin, or will it allow the nation to prosper? Whatever awaits, Kaukolastan charges forward as always, with the sword in one hand, and the scroll in the other, both offered with equal conviction.
A Focus on Kaukolastan:
The Technology of Empire
It is in these windswept plains of Valen, the northeastern island of Kaukolastan, that we find the traces of the past of this nation. Here, entire battles lay beneath the earth, fortresses still emerge on rivers and hills, holding the now calm plains under their now archaic guard. Here, the search for history begins. Before us stands the fortress of Vale, the castle of the Lord of Vale, ruler of this island. Now, it lies in ruins, centuries of natural decay have weathered away the stone walls, and the river has been dammed up to a lake. Now, imagine this, one thousand years ago...
That castle stood on the hill, surrounded by water on three sides and a sheer cliff on the last, looking over the most fertile lands in any of the islands. Banners would have hung from it's spires, ballistae and catapults lined with archers on the walls, while cavalry rode the countryside. Smiths and merchants plied their trades in the armored city outside of this citadel, and the peasants tilled the earth beyond. The city grew, expanding beyond the walls, but the walls expanded as well, until the rings layered seven deep and spanned miles, each inch of it designed for lethality... for this was not their native land. The Emperor of Corsis, the now central island, had declared this island to be the destiny of the Empire, and as such, it fell beneath the imperial might. The natives fought ferecly, but not ferocity could stand before the sheer organization and innovation displayed by the Empire on a regular basis. As such, Valen fell, and after the centuries, it became part of the Empire... but how did this happen? We take you back to the beginning, perhaps about two thousand B.C.E.
The first settlers to arive in the island chain were not native, but a naval fleet of some long lost civilization. From what archeologists have gathered, this was a highly advanced culture, with many tablet written in not only Greek or Latin, but also Egyptian Glyphs and Runic inscriptions. However, they became embroiled in a war with what they describe as the "Eastern Empire", perhaps the Chinese. They decimated their opponent in battle after battle, but unable to sustain losses against their vastly larger foe, this nation realized defeat was inevitable. They evacuated a large portion of their nation, sailing west with all they had. With them were elements of other civilizations that chose to follow. This was explained in this tablet, recovered in 1943 in Terenaus Harbor:
It is dawn now, and the fleet is assembled. I looked back to home, but there was only fire as the army burned our own lands, to keep our goods from theft. Burn it all, we decided, lest it be taken. The elders spoke on this, and it was far better for the secrets of Greek Fire and these new weapons to remain forever lost. I cried as the Great Library burned, but I cried more for the searing to come, and the life and knowledge lost. It was a dark day for our people, but we dare not let these weapons remain... they have turned the Eastern Empire against us, and we fear that if they spread, war would become all the more terrible. Our warriors still cling to these objects, though, using them to protect us from any attack. I suppose this is as it must be. So we take our people, and burn our land.
The navy is here, and we are escorted with merchants and refugees from across the known world, coming with us in the hope of starting anew. Every civilized culture must surely be here, for I hear many languages I do not know. We sail East now, past the very force we fight. Ships have reported new land there, and we seek to find it, to make it our own. May the gods stay with us.
-Elder Ures
The fleets made it as far as Corsis and the small island of Geridan, where they, running low on supplies, decided to land and make camp. As days passed, and no plans were laid to set back to sea, it became apparent that this was to be the new home. On Geridan, the local tribes attacked the landing ships, which set the forests ablaze with a primitive incindiary, made from naptha and a form of soap. They established the stronghold of Brakkengard, and mostly left that island alone, a decision which has plagued us to this day, as the constant police actions can attest. Meanwhile, the new arrivals found that the island they dubbed Corsis was a much more welcoming habitat.
Covered in hills and rich in resources, the refugees made contact with the indigenous tribes. Unlike on Geridan, the natives were not hostile, but welcomed the new arrivals with reverance, awed by the power of devices brought along, such as primitive telescopes, compass, and maps of great precision. The arrivals worked with the natives, who, although friendly, had not yet advanced into the bronze age. Immeadiately, these industrious immigrants set to work, fortifying the mountains, contructing armored cities, and tapping into lakes and streams. Mills and blacksmith workshops rose at rapid pace, and the refugees attempted to recreate their beloved home.
However, something had changed in them, after being driven from land to land. Before, they had pursued science for it's own end, to aid human life, and to please the gods they worshipped. That was unchanged by the wars and terror. But now, their desire for the next idea was fueled by fear and revenge, and the brilliance of these early citizens was put to military use, and to thoughts of Empire, as this report, on a scroll from 1486 BCE from the Consul of a region to the council, can attest:
Discussion in the province is proceeding well. Darius wishes to construct a great ballista on the Feruan Ridge, and I have given my approval. We believe that we can mount enough seige weapons on the coasts to rain hell upon any enemy seeking to land. No longer will we fear invasion, as our might is quite clear, in the walls and mounts. The aqueducts are flowing effectively into the city, guaranteeing multiple sources, and the sewers, although overused, have been fine at maintaining sanitation. How these primitives could live in such filth is beyond me, and I long to return to the Capital.
However, there is also the feeling of performing some great deed here, which I cannot deny, even in my most cynical moment. We've been building billows, mills, and archimedes screws nonstop, and we've paved three avenues to the local towns. The natives are quite grateful, and they emulate us at every turn. They're eager to join us, and to learn, especially about the sea and about astronomy. Why, they've even begun enlisting in the Guard!
As such, I've ordered the barracks to take indigenous wives, and to attempt to bring them into our society now, lest things become worse later. On other fronts, we've begun constructing not only a university, but a temple, and a dockyards on the River Hysh. Yours from the outlands, Consul Anderas.
As time passed, the organization so loved by these people coalesced into a feudal government, then a democratic system, and eventually, Empire. In 859 BCE, Consul Terron, returning from a military action against the continued native presence in Geridan, turned his swelling popularity upon the capital. He felt that the government had been too slow to act after the native raiders had destroyed a small town, and that they could have moved swifter with a more centralized power. As such, he returned to Kaukolagrad in triumph, escorted by legions of his soldiers and with citizens from the outlying provinces, who feared for their safety from the barbaric neighbors. He took to the central square, and delivered what is known as, "The Argument Against Direct Democracy":
...as such, they did not act, for a tally was required. The cities burned, the mills were shattered, but nothing could be done, for there was no vote! The people cried for an army, but this needed a Forum! The Forum itself was shattered under Barbarian might, and they held a vote to create a new Forum! We cannot survive like this. Our neighbors in Vale and Terenaus build armies as we speak, seeking to finish the work our ancestors escaped! We need a centrallized power, a means to defend ourselves! I do not call for a royal line, but for a centralized power, from the people, that can act without having to hold seven votes on the food!"
Terron sought to reform, but his message grew amongst the people, resonating in those who feared attack or had lost family and friends to the neighboring lands. In that same year, after several refusals, Terron accepted the the role of Imperator. An attempt on his life was easily avoided, and his popularity rose to new heights, and he put forward a constitution that is still held to some degree today. There was a Senate to set law, a Tribunal to judge it, and an Imperator to execute it. All positions were elected for life by full citizens, and they remained until retirement or death, although some were removed by three-fourths Census. This freed the government of political bonds, and allowed them to act as it was needed. With this new system in place, the new Empire turned outwards.
First to meet the might of Kaukolastan was the Kingdom of Sorobade, to the south. Rich in ores and gold, this kingdom sought to establish dominance over the Kaukolastani Empire, but the attack was crushed on the southern coasts by tremendous ballistae, catapults, and the use of the naptha weapon. Immeadiately, an army was raised, and the navy was assembled. In 734 BCE, the Grand Fleet sailed on Sorobade. In the early battles, the Kaukolastani Legions demonstrated the power of their science and order. The rough lines of the opposing forces were met with Phalanxes, Cataphracts, and Tercios. Also heavily in play was the use of innovation to defeat their opponent.
To take the city of Carn, the Empire seized the seemingly unimportant northern city of Jurath, and dammed the river Albine. As the Sorobade Lords realized what was happening, they launched a desperate strike on the Kaukolastani levies, but the Pincer shattered their forces as heavy cavalry swept from the sides and the pikemen blocked the advance. The damms were finished, and the river was diverted into Carn, flooding the defenses. The Kaukolastani Navy then sailed into the city on the new river and laid it to waste with naval power.
As their forces moved on Terenaus, the capital, the Sorobade Armies prepared one last strike. The Kaukolastani Legions fell back to the end of the Teriv Canyons, and the Sorobade Forces advanced towards them. But it was a trap, and the canyon walls fell apart, plunging onto the opposing army. The Kaukolastani Engineers, who had merely been seen as road builders and aqueduct creators until now, demonstrated their value with charges of mercury fulminate along the rocks. The first demolitions in recorded history brought the rocks down upon their enemies, and Terenaus was overrun. It was led by Procurates at first, but as the citizens embraced their new rulers, they were granted citizenship and the election of their own Senators and a Consul.
Again, it was the power of technology that allowed them to win, and the Empire took this to heart. Their advanced tactics and weaponry had allowed them to devastate numerically superior foes, and then, the roads, mills, sewers, aqueducts, and metalworks had won over the citizens. What was doctrine had become dogma, and the cities were soon overrun with the rapid expansion of infrastructure. All was made orderly, all was made modern. The sanitation and resources began to gain reputation, and refugees fled to Kaukolastan's borders with increasing frequency.
As the mines began to expand in Terenaus, and more Legions created, more Universities sprang up, and people began to question the gods. In 35 CE, the first Christian Missionaries began to arrive, and they were quickly embraced. Just as the State had been consolidated in power, it had gained in effectiveness. To the citizens, it was obvious that one God was greater than many gods, and Christianity was quickly adopted and mandated for all citizens. With it came rules of conduct that forced some changes upon Kaukolastan. Art began to grow in value, and Monastaries rose with the Universities. Both groups shared the same goals... to reach for the greater. Unlike many other powers, religion and state had no problems with each other, and the relationship was often complementary.
In 274 CE, the northwestern nation of Artems came to Corsis, not for war, but to join together under the Empire. They were quickly merged into the Kaukolastan System, and they took very well to the ideas of the mainland. Artems had always been strong in their philosophy and theology, never warlike. The protection of the Empire allowed them to carry out their thoughts without fear of attack. Thoughout this time, the Empire grew. After every conflict, another small state was added to the banner, and despite original troubles, the advances in science made the conquest less so. During this period, the Empire reached out, trading their goods in return for other knowledge and art and theory. Their reputation spread after the island of Hertlin was demolished and tilled with salt for murdering three missionaries. After that. it was said that a Kaukolastan Citizen could sail to any foreign land and never be touched, for every criminal knew that they would pay a hundred fold.
In 792 CE, the powerful Nation of Valen came into war with Kaukolastan over a matter of possession of several islands. The war swayed back and forth for years, both sides never comitting to a massive assault. In 804 CE, Artems attacked Corsis with a force of Knights and Pikemen. What happened to them upon reaching the beaches is not well known, but this report was recovered from a General who ordered the retreat:
...it was hell upon the beaches. Seige weaponry reigned upon our heads from vast engines, and arrows struck us with impunity. The Kaukolastan dogs had laced their arrows in toxin, and our soldiers screams were heard for days, lying in the sand. They rained fire on us from pre-built positions, never taking the field with us. I would call them cowards, but it worked so devastatingly well that I fear it may be a better tactic than to actually engage. Our ships were attacked by theirs, and fire fell from the air and filled the waters... they possess bows as tall as a man, and some that sit on the shoulder, like a fiddle. Three thousand dead in an hour, and the bodies piled onto the burning beaches... I fear we have stumbled into a war we cannot win...
After this, the Empire seized the initiative, attacking Valen without remorse. These same weapons that had allowed them to dominate the defensive allowed them to press the attack, and the vaunted Engineers soon had another trick for their opponents. It was said that the fortress of Tir Ramoth could not be taken, for it sat in a lake, and it was high above the other lands, with strong walls and well crafted battlements. Four armies had broken on it's ramparts, and more had fled from its gate. But Kaukolastan had no plans to take this castle. Instead, they debuted the fearsome "battle cannon", a primitive cannon created by combining Chinese gunpowder with the brutal logic of the Universities. The iron balls demolished the great fortress, and after three days of cannonade and trebuchet attack, Tir Ramoth fell.
From there on out, Valen fought a losing war. Every time they took the field of battle, they were devastated by the superior range of the Imperial forces, and their conviction in combined cavalry-archer-footman maneuvers, including the Slash Maneuver, where the pikemen line faked a messy retreat, goading the Artems Cavalry to attack in full. But through the pike lines, the Kaukolastani Paladins charged, cutting the turning Valen soldiers to ribbons. Again and again, the Empire cut down the opposing forces. In this war, they even covered an entire field in naptha, then lit it ablaze when the opposition charged them, burning the forces away, and forever ending the era of the knight and footman in the region, long before the concepts had even been introduced in Europe or Asia. Valen fell, and much like many before, and was soon a province of the burgeoning Empire.
From this point until 1237 was the "Golden Age" of the Kaukolastan Empire. Learning and art were the mainstays, and great palaces and cathedrals were built. Leaps were made in technology, and the Empire was respected a feared throughout the known World. The highly developed culture, emphasis on learning, and the savage military tactics made the Empire a beacon in the world. In the late eleven hundreds, there was even a stock market of sorts, founded on the basis of the mines and the large Guilds.
But this was not to stay, as the Empire soon fell into decline. What hundreds of foes could not do, the Empire did to itself, rotting away inside. Culture became decadence, ambition became lust, and contentment became sloth. Over the decades, the central government became ripe with gossip and scandal, and leaders were pulled from office often before their names could be recorded. Families began to wage war for power in government, and Terenaus was completely taken by the Miner's Guild. The military, too, began to suffer, divided along faults. The Legions began to falter, and knowledge began to be lost. In 1401, the Great Library was torched by revolutionaries, and the Empire was no more, merely a weak confederacy of semi-independant nations.
In 1753, a man known as Vizeroth Drakk rose to power as Chancellor of the Confederacy. Angry with the decadence and decay, he quickly moved into a plan he simply called "The Return". He re-nationalized the armies, banned the Guilds, and eliminated most of the Senate, which had grown to over a thousand members. He replaced key officials with fellow visionaries or the "New Empire", and his public rallies fed anger at the decay in society. He turned this anger to a good purpose, pointing out to the world they had for so long watched and was now leaving them behind.
...we can no longer ignore this! The world we used to lead is leaving us! They have forgotten the glory of the Empire, the might and beauty our people guarded. But this is rightly so! We are fallen! We are waste! How is this, you ask! You call me a liar, but I am not! For too long, our nation has rested, has turned away... it is our right, our duty, to seize the vanguard! We cannot fall inwards, we cannot implode like a mere foreign nation! We are a light, a beacon, and if we go out, I fear! Oh, I fear! But what can we do, you ask... I tell you this! We must move. I have brought the guilds under control, I have fired the bureacrats. I have streamlined the armies and the services, I have dropped the stifling taxes... but I cannot do more.
Look at your children, and to their children! Is this to be our legacy? A slide into ignomy? No! I say. Never! We must seize, we must produce! Even now, we are mocked in foreign lands, who sit in their stolen wealth... we must show them, show the world! We must rise now, build into what we truly are! We need guns, we need cannon, we need cavalry. We need power, we need water. We need pride! But we cannot be given that! We must take what is ours! We will reform the Empire!
The economy ground back to life, at first slowly, then faster and faster. Other nations watched Kaukolastan nervously, wondering what the nation was doing. Black smoke hung over every city from the massive industrialization. The mineworks grew by the day, and giant rigs spread over the waters, primitive derricks seeking their oil. Electricity was embraced from the start, and networks spidered from city to city. The cost of life in this Industrial Revolution is unknown, because Drakk ordered the census locked, but it is assumed to be in the hundreds of thousands, as workers labored for sixteen hour days, six days a week, in inhuman conditions. But this had a purpose, and by 1750, an industrial powerhouse was ready. Forests lay clear cut, refineries clogged the skies. The fires burned bright for all to see, and the nearby nations watched nervously, for this appeared to be a nation at war with itself.
In 1792, Kaukolastan entered a war with the nation of Sereboth, largely without justification. Drakk had needed a target for his "quick, victorious war", and this nearby nation proved exactly that, with the ironclad battleships destroying the wooden frigates, and the gatling guns massacreing the tercio bound enemy. The devastation unleashed in this war, the complete neglect of civilian casualties, brought little response to the world, which did not notice the movements of this aggressive nation. But inside Kaukolastan, the dream was reborn, the dream of Empire. Again, manifest destiny began to appear in the schools, and the expansion was deemed necessary. Again, the focus turned outward. Drakk died in 1793, but his vision lived on as the nation rebuilt itself and its soul.
In modern times, Kaukolastan has embarked on multiple interventions and expansions, and has placed small bases on the moon. The nation pulls in two directions, into the minute powerhouse of the gene, and into the grandeur of space. Meanwhile scientists and theologians confront their latest challenge, human life. What is it? Can it be created by other man? The technology leaps forward at terrifying speed, and the applications grow daily. This philosophy has never changed; to explore, expand, and offer a better way has always been the creed, and it holds true today more than ever. After two hundred years of repairing and rebuilding, the vision Drakk offered is becoming a reality. Kaukolastan has once again become involved in world affairs, and it's frightening industrial might churns with the power of modern science. All for progress, all for the nation. Will this drive and ambition, so ingrained in the people, help make a better world, or lead to catastrophe? Will the pursuit of technology as the solution to all problems drive Kaukolastan end in fiery ruin, or will it allow the nation to prosper? Whatever awaits, Kaukolastan charges forward as always, with the sword in one hand, and the scroll in the other, both offered with equal conviction.