History of the World of Elakand

Elakand has a long history . . .

Ancient Sarsia 
The 2000+ year history of Elakand starts in matriarchal Sarsia with queens and their consorts, goddesses and gods, priestesses and priests and neighboring lands like the Urian cattlemen and their Mesian conquerors and Oxontian raiders. In a short story, Karié, Zofra's last true High Priestess, was Chosen by the goddess Zofra at age 7. Two rough NaNoWriMo novels tell of her journey to the Sacred Mountain at age 14, her initiation as Chosen, and her rivalry with the beautiful and psychically gifted Napisti. Later Karié and her consort, Maran, were betrayed by a corrupt Chosen. Maran was hurled from a cliff and Karié exiled to die in the desert, along with her unborn babe. Napisti, named High Priestess, lacked Zofra's favor and went mad. 

Entr'acte 
After Karié's death, Queen Vira of Sarsia is obliged to wed the Mesian General Broga to safeguard her throne against revolutionary elements. He introduces patriarchal practices into the world. They rule jointly until a War of the Gods destroys the ancient civilization.  

Over the next 2000 years, the people rebuild. In the South, Sarsia retains a matriarchy and worships Zofra, goddess of Life and Water, whom they call The Lady. Its religion, however, is a corrupt shadow of the ancient ways and the priestesses must resort to drugs for divination. However a few of the ancient texts are preserved. In the North, Elakand, a powerful militaristic patriarchy worships Brocar, God of Fire and Light, as the only true god. The Dark Lady is seen as a demon, Brocar's enemy. 

The Solgarian Dynasty
Four hundred years before Loriano's story begins, the eastern part of Elakand was conquered by the Gamoxian horse lords while Mesaurian raiders laid waste to the west. High Priest Elliom convinced a young Baron, Solgar, to unite the disparate, disheartened noble families and petty kings into a single army which succeeded in driving the Gamoxians back over the mountains. Solgar then used his army to clear the Mesaurian raiders from the western province of Maracol. At a triumphant feast in Pareskon, Solgar was crowned the first king of a united Elakand. 

Tora Finds Zofra in the Sacred Mountain

High Priest Elliom and King Solgar shared a dream: Unite all the lands between the two mountains--Waulkeren and Linsern to the east and Mesaurian to the west--under one god and one rule.  They sent their veteran armies south to conquer the matriarchy of Sarsia in Brocar's name. The Holy War lasted for a generation and left the Sarsian lands devastated. Cities and towns burned, people slaughtered. Agricultural canals were destroyed, orchards cut down, and fields sowed with salt. What was once the most fertile of lands was left a virtual desert. Count Dalmar and his sons were granted the western slope of the Linsern Mountains and the Empty Lands of Miratan. They asked the High Priest to send Speakers of Light to forcibly convert the people to Brocar.   

As these stories unfold, the Solgarian dynasty still rules. Thanks to King Rollard's diplomacy and strong army, Elakand remains at peace with its neighbors, save for minor border incursions. When Princess Licia was abducted and murdered on her way to wed the Gamoxian Padak, a marriage was hastily arranged between Prince Stefan and Princess Xenaria. Besides serving as a bond of peace between neighboring countries, this marriage should provide a royal heir. 

Brocar's supremacy has long been assured, and memory of Zofra's Sacred Mountain is long lost.