Brief History of Ilkhatal-Shivian Relations
Shivian and Ilkhatal Origins
Based on archaeological evidence, it seems that the Ilkhatal (also known as Killers) were natives to the lands that are currently known as Shiva and the Killbraugha. They were nomadic people who lived off the land until the late 400s, when they finally settled in the Killbraugha and created a highly individualistic and democratic society. The first tribe of Shivians to enter the Killbraugha travel across the Atamik Mountain range between 526 and 533. Their first encounter with the Ilkhatal was far from civil and a rival started between the two nations that was partially healed when Gargain invaded. The Shivians converted to Barisianism in the late 600s and the Ilkhatal converted in the early 700s.
Creation of the Alanist Religion
In 1027, an Ilkhatal named Atticus, fed up with the corrupt methods of the Crossnic Church, split from the church and created his own religion called Alanism. The Shivians would unite with the Druids and invade to crush the heathens, but the Ilkhatal survived the assault and Atticus created his first church in 1077. Because of the turmoil, the Ilkhatal's nascent democracy gave way to a monarchy, although the Ilkhatal were never content with this agreement and there were several revolts. The two nations would be at war until 1321, when the Shivian king and the Ilkhatal Queen made a peace agreement and the two nations began trading with each other. With the Shivians neutralized, the Ilkhatal turned on themselves and overthrew and executed the Queen. This was followed by one of the most famous books ever written in Telamacre's history: Hugh Newton's Principle of Self-Determination. In this book, Newton wrote about the importance of a social contract between the government and argued that democracy was the best of all governments.
The 70 Years War
The continent was ravaged by a brutal war from 1550-1620 (the 70 Years War) pitting the Sividon coalition (Serpens and Rubicon) vs the Gargainian coalition (Gargain, Shiva, and the Killbraugha) for mastery over the continent. The Sividons would shatter the Gargainian defense in 1560, pushing their army back into Shiva. Shivian refugees streamed in the Killbraugha, sparking the conversion of Crossnic Shivians to Alanism. The Ilkhatal would tolerate their presence, even though it would ebb and flow as the decade progress. The sitaution would be dire for the Gargainian coalition until 1578, when Marcus, an Ilkhatal commander pulled out a victory from a desperate situation, reversing the direction of the Sividon army. Marcus would create an alliance with DeJun, the Shivian commander, and Vladimir, the Gargainian King in 1583. They would unite their forces and push the Sividons into Gargain. However, in 1605, the Gargainians would have to withdraw their support to combat an influx of Demon activity, leaving Shvia and the Killbraugha to wrap up the war. The war ended in 1620 with the Ilkhatal-Shivian coalition force on the Serpen's border.
Based on archaeological evidence, it seems that the Ilkhatal (also known as Killers) were natives to the lands that are currently known as Shiva and the Killbraugha. They were nomadic people who lived off the land until the late 400s, when they finally settled in the Killbraugha and created a highly individualistic and democratic society. The first tribe of Shivians to enter the Killbraugha travel across the Atamik Mountain range between 526 and 533. Their first encounter with the Ilkhatal was far from civil and a rival started between the two nations that was partially healed when Gargain invaded. The Shivians converted to Barisianism in the late 600s and the Ilkhatal converted in the early 700s.
Creation of the Alanist Religion
In 1027, an Ilkhatal named Atticus, fed up with the corrupt methods of the Crossnic Church, split from the church and created his own religion called Alanism. The Shivians would unite with the Druids and invade to crush the heathens, but the Ilkhatal survived the assault and Atticus created his first church in 1077. Because of the turmoil, the Ilkhatal's nascent democracy gave way to a monarchy, although the Ilkhatal were never content with this agreement and there were several revolts. The two nations would be at war until 1321, when the Shivian king and the Ilkhatal Queen made a peace agreement and the two nations began trading with each other. With the Shivians neutralized, the Ilkhatal turned on themselves and overthrew and executed the Queen. This was followed by one of the most famous books ever written in Telamacre's history: Hugh Newton's Principle of Self-Determination. In this book, Newton wrote about the importance of a social contract between the government and argued that democracy was the best of all governments.
The 70 Years War
The continent was ravaged by a brutal war from 1550-1620 (the 70 Years War) pitting the Sividon coalition (Serpens and Rubicon) vs the Gargainian coalition (Gargain, Shiva, and the Killbraugha) for mastery over the continent. The Sividons would shatter the Gargainian defense in 1560, pushing their army back into Shiva. Shivian refugees streamed in the Killbraugha, sparking the conversion of Crossnic Shivians to Alanism. The Ilkhatal would tolerate their presence, even though it would ebb and flow as the decade progress. The sitaution would be dire for the Gargainian coalition until 1578, when Marcus, an Ilkhatal commander pulled out a victory from a desperate situation, reversing the direction of the Sividon army. Marcus would create an alliance with DeJun, the Shivian commander, and Vladimir, the Gargainian King in 1583. They would unite their forces and push the Sividons into Gargain. However, in 1605, the Gargainians would have to withdraw their support to combat an influx of Demon activity, leaving Shvia and the Killbraugha to wrap up the war. The war ended in 1620 with the Ilkhatal-Shivian coalition force on the Serpen's border.
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Joint Rule Over Shiva and the Killbraugha
After the 70 Year War ended in 1620, Marcus and Dejun created a government in ordder to jointly ruled Shiva, the Killbraugha (the Shivian Hills) and the Phoenix Fields. The Killers governed through the Chamber of Marcus and the Shivians governed through the Chamber of Dejun and the two chambers would meet yearly to discuss issues of the empire. The prime minster was often a Killer and dealt with domestic issues while the President was usually a Shivian and dealt with international affairs. They ruled peacefully together until the 1700s when the Shivians sent a colonial expedition to the Ignis Desert. The Killer Prime Minister, Pearse Devoy, wrote, "Only animals have colonial aspirations-that sickening need to dominate lesser races because of one's own insecurities. It is a sickness that should be avoided at all costs." The Shivians continued to press their colonial aspirations, arguing that the Shadow’s growing empire needed to be checked. The Killers responded by voting against the colonial army's budget in the Chamber of Marcus. |
"Newton's principle of self-governance and liberty ran in the Killer's blood. They were too independent to ever agree to a policy of colonialism and empire. The Shivians, on the other hand, had the Druid's lust for power and only cared for their own liberty. If the Ignis Desert had not torn the two races apart, something else would have. It was an inevitable as the changing of the leaves."-Gerald Newman, Thus Marched Modernity! |
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The Ferdarian Revolution
Tensions were heightened when the Shivian colony on Ferdern Island revolted. The Shivian government was heavily taxing the Ferdarian colonists and was trying to pass a bill through the Chambers that would draft both Killers and Ferdarians into the Ignis Desert War. The Killers supported the Ferdarian's bid for freedom and the Shivians fought a two front war-one against Ferdern and the other against the Killbraugha. Partially because of distance and aid from various Indarium pirates and partially because the Shivian military was more strained than initially realized, the Ferdarians won their freedom in 1764. The Killer army, however, was destroyed, shocking their Ferdarian allies. The Ferdarian general and future president, Theodore Carver, wrote, "A most grievous wound has been struck against Liberty. It will be years until she is the same again. To my Ilkhatal brothers, I fervently pray that a day will come when freedom will shine on the grassy hills of the Killbraugha once more." Despite this expression of solidarity, the Ferdarians never went to the Killer’s aid. The Shivians dismantled the Chamber of Marcus and the position of Prime Minister and stripped the Killers of their rights, identity, and culture. The Killers fought back by creating the Ilkhatal Freedom Movement (IFM) in 1789. They unleashed a wave of terror from 1789-1798 and were led by Paidraig Collins and James Connor, prompting the Shivians to invent a new name for the Ilkhatal: Killers. It was a name designed with contempt, but the Ilkhatal in Shiva embraced it. Frustrated with Paidraig’s controlling leadership, Connor split from the IFM in 1796 and created the Killer Liberation Army (KLA). Paidraig led a futile protest in 1799 and was killed. The IFM fell apart and was not heard from again until after the First Shadow War. |
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"They kill my body, but not my spirit. They have ruined our plans, but not our willingness to fight. As long as one single Killer suffers injustice, the KLA will be there to avenge them. The Shivians will never know peace until the Killbraugha is free. Now, lads, take a step closer. It will be easier that way,"-James Connor, standing before his firing squad. |
The First Shadow War
The First Shadow War started in 1803 because of frustrated colonial aspirations on the part of the Shivians and Sividons and an insecure grab for power by the Shadows. It started as a small regional war in the Ignis Desert and turned into a world war that brought Shiva to the brink of financial and military ruin. James Connor capitalized on the Shivian’s weakness for the Killer Cause and led an assassination attempt on the Shivian President in 1806. Connor and a number of KLA members were arrested and executed and the Shivian government was content to believe the KLA was destroyed. However, that was far from the truth as Heron Massie and Rory Montivelo assumed leadership and started a new wave of terror. The Shivian government met with Rory and Heron in 1807 and agreed to grant the Killers a Free Killer State if they agreed to help the Shivians defeat the Shadows. The KLA agreed and the Killer army made a pyrrhic stand at the Battle of Trippé. It bought the Shivians enough time to convince the Ferdarians and Korens to enter the war, but it destroyed the Killer Army. It is estimated that they suffered seventy-five percent causalities. The First Shadow War ended in 1808 and the Shivians refused to honor their agreement. The KLA slowly pulled itself together under the leadership of Heron Massie while a zealot named Marcus Galloway revived the IFM in the Killbraugha and restarted the Killer-Shivian war. This is when Kingsley's Memoirs and this exhibit begins. If you would like to support our museum please donate to our Ko-Fi:https://www.ko-fi.com/
(c) copyright Samantha Amenn 2001 |
