History of Dornkirch

Dornish history is long and storied, although fairly spotty due to Dornish historical tradition being passed down verbally instead of through writing. Many texts dealing with Dornish history are written by Imperial scholars.

Prehistory and Antiquity
The Northern Realms were first inhabited by Dwarves in the First Age, when the Many Headed Empire spread from Drimuz across the continent. Due to its proximity to the capitol, the realm experienced a population boom, and many Dwarven settlements were erected in the mountains dotting the countryside. In time, however, the region was deemed lacking in precious metals and trade began to dry up. Historians estimate that Dwarves had abandoned the region by the end of the First Age.

Arrival of Men
Men arrived in the region from the south shortly thereafter and quickly settled the area. For the first few centuries of the Second Age, Dornkirch existed as a mass of small city-states locked in war over resources. The second Black March completely destroyed these micronations, probably due to their inability to band together quickly enough to counter the Orc invaders.

The survivors of the conflict rebuilt quickly, but were subjugated by King Reichart the Great, who unified the realm and christened the Kingdom of Dornkirch in 2019. The nation experienced a brief golden age during the reign of Reichart and his successors, ending when the Nilfheim Empire invaded in 2215.

The War of Generations
Nilfheim and Dornkirch waged war for 100 years, in what would become known as the War of Generations. Nilfheim forces employed shock and awe tactics in the later decades of the war, deliberately razing much of Dornkirch's countryside in an attempt to demoralize the Dornish war effort. This, combined with an already limited supply of soldiers and resources, resulted in the conquest of Dornkirch in 2315 at the Battle of the Breach, ending with the execution of King Thane II.

The Subjugation
The newly formed Imperial Province of Dornkirch was economically shattered, costing the empire great expense due to lack of basic resources destroyed by Imperial legions during the war. Under pressure from Emperor Cercian XI to recoup these losses, Governor Finlay Sexton began a rapid reconstruction effort that accounts for much of Dornkich's modern infrastructure. Labor came from the conquered Dornish, who were forced into labor camps en masse to complete Sexton's projects. Resentment towards the Empire for their brutality both as conquerors and rulers boiled over, and revolutionary conflicts began to ignite across the province. For most of The Subjugation, these conflicts manifested as peasant revolts or minor battles. In 2701, Siegrich the Liberator amassed a large enough army to combat the occupying Nilfheim legion.

The War of Liberation
Siegrich waged open war with the Empire once more, this time lasting only 16 years and ending with the Treaty of the Sisters signed in 2717. Many factors contributed to the Dornish victory: political instability within the Empire, economic decline in the south, and a general trend in Imperial politics towards diplomacy being a few of them. With the treaty signed, Dornkirch became a sovereign nation. Relations with Nilfheim were strained over the next two centuries: while the empire never again invaded, a strong cultural rift exists between Dornish and Imperials.

The Third Black March
In 2967, Orcish forces invaded the continent from the North. Landing first on the White Coast, the legions spread out across the continent. Dornkirch was caught completely unprepared for a war, and many of their scattered forces were routed in a matter of weeks. King Otto XIV made the decision to gather as many survivors as he could and moved them South at speed, crossing the border into Nilfheim. The forces moved South through the Empire towards Osterthal, stopping only to gather supplies either through diplomacy or force. After the Siege of Harald's Crossing, word began to spread that the Dornish were invading.

The Dornish force would later save the Empire at the Battle of Osterthal, beating back the Orc force. Many of their number were slain in the process, including King-Regent Arnold the Elder. With most of the populace and leadership lost, Dornkirch was widely considered no more.

A comparatively small number of survivors remain, rebuilding destroyed settlements and cities.