Lost Xholar Empire
Ashkavan.jpg

Now only a faded memory, the Xholar Empire was once a thriving Hakeen civilization located in the Far East region of Corwyn.


In 507/3, the first Hakeen settlers landed on the Jade Coast of the Vhan Myr, and founded the city of Zhin. over the next two centuries, they expanded west through much of eastern Corwyn, and south into the northern regions of the Kratheri Peninsula.

The Hakeen eventually founded two more great cities; the beautiful city of Zocolo near the Torak Mountains, and Ashkavan, which became the capital of their empire, and their grandest city ever.

Over the centuries, Ashkavan was home to many Dragonfly Emperors; the fabulously wealthy and powerful rulers of this great Hakeen civilization.

For over 800 years the Xholar Empire prospered. All was well until 280/4 when Zhang the Terrible united the Üthrari barbarians and began his drive eastward into Xholani territory.

Over the next 45 years, the Üthrari raged relentless warfare against the Hakeen, and the Xholar Empire slowly crumbled. In 310/4, Zocolo was sacked by Zhang, and the Hakeen armies driven east.

Finally, in 325/4, the capitol city of Ashkavan was captured and destroyed, and the Hakeen civilization collapsed. Only the far eastern segment of the former empire held together, and eventually came under the domination of the City-State of Zhin. The vast majority of the Hakeen population was either slaughtered or enslaved.

Hakeen-2.png

The official date of the founding the Xholar Empire is 657/3; the year the city of Ashkavan was founded. The empire finally collapsed with the destruction of that city in 325/4. The Xholar Empire lasted 821 years.

Its coat of arms was a golden dragonfly on a pale green field. The Xholar Empire encompassed what are today the Vakara Grasslands and the northern region of the Kratheri Peninsula. There is currently little physical evidence of their civilization, other than the ruins of their two greatest cities, dozens of other smaller settlements, and scattered temples and other structures throughout the Far East.

HISTORY


Long ago, when the ancient Hakeen Empire of Old Xhola was thriving on the Continent of Za'har, its rulers; the Dragonfly Emperors of Abu-Zhin, sent many explorers west across the Vhan Myr in an effort to discovery new territory to further expand their enormous Empire.

In the year AR -1191, those explorers discovered the Rhaygos Islands, and soon after, they discovered the fabulous spice fields found there. In the year AR -1181, the islands of Ilsenene and their rich pearl-beds were discovered.

Shortly thereafter, in AR -1175, Hakeen explorers discovered the islands of Styr, and their rich fruit groves. Over the next several centuries, the Dragonfly Emperors colonized all three island chains and they became very wealthy selling those Rhaygosi spices, Ilseni pearls, and Styrian fruits back on Za'har. Of the three island colonies; Rhaygos was the largest and considered the most profitable and most important to the Dragonfly Emperors of Old Xhola.

With the three island colonies and the profitable trade with Old Xhola, the Hakeen Dragonfly Emperors grew fabulously wealthy. But later on, increasingly greedy rulers desired even more wealth and power. Eventually, Old Xhola's rulers ordered fleets of ships to sail even further west. In AR -1095, the first Hakeen explorers landed upon the eastern shores of Corwyn, where they founded the colony of Zhin.

From their settlement at Zhin, the Hakeen expanded west across the Vakara Grasslands to the shores of the Grafenmyr. Here, in AR –945, the Hakeen built Ashkavan; their greatest city on the continent of Corwyn. the founding of Ashkavan is considered the zenith of Hakeen power and influence on Corwyn. The Hakeen empire was so large at this point that it was essentially two empires; the first; “Old Xhola” was based on Za’har, around the ancient city of Abu-Zhin. The second empire; the “colonies” as the other nations were colloquially known, was called “New Xhola.” New Xhola comprised: the three Island Sultanates of Ilsenene, Rhaygos, and Styr, and the city-states of Ashkavan, Zocolo, and Zhin on Corwyn.

But this glorious period was not to last. About four centuries later, in the year AR -552, the city of Abu-Zhin was conquered and destroyed by the demon-worshiping Deskari people and the Hakeen civilization on Za’har known as “Old Xhola” completely collapsed. When Old Xhola was destroyed by the Deskari, the remaining Hakeen population on Za’har fled by ship to their various colonies: Ilsenene, Rhaygos, Styr, and the three city-states on Corwyn. As a direct result, all three island chains and the three cities on Corwyn experienced a massive population boom. Around this same time, the three city-states located on Corwyn became known as the Xholar Empire, and the three island sultanates became known as “New Xhola.”

About four centuries later, the Xholar Empire suffered a similar fate as Old Xhola. In the year AR -133, the Hakeen empire on eastern Corwyn was invaded by Zhang the Terrible. Zhang and his Üthrari barbarian hordes began a ruthless military conquest that culminated in the fall of Ashkavan in AR -98. The three island Sultanates offered assistance to the Xholar Empire on Corwyn to fend off the Üthrari invasion, but it was not enough.

The Xholar Empire on Corwyn was destroyed and its capitol city of Ashkavan captured in the year AR -98. Once the cities of Ashkavan and Zocolo fell, the only remaining Hakeen colony on Corwyn was Zhin, which soon declared itself independent. Luckily, Zhin had high walls and a strong garrison. As a result, that city alone was able to successfully resist the siege led by the warlord Zhang the terrible and his Üthrari hordes.

Over the years, tensions rose between the three islands states, forcing “New Xhola” to break into three independent Sultanates. This proved to be tragic for less than a century later, a new threat was on the horizon. The Eloysian Empire, which had already conquered the entire continent of Azoria, was expanding east across the Vhan Myr in search of new conquests. In fact, the Eloysians had already captured the island realms of Al’Kethai and, more recently, Malvatis.

In AR 255, Eloysian Emperor Damodar led a gigantic fleet of Eloysian warships against the three Hakeen island nations. First to be captured was Ilsenene in AR 255, followed soon after by Styr, which was conquered in the year AR 266. Rhaygos was much stronger militarily and resisted much longer. Eventually, in AR 358, the last Rhaygosi Sultan surrendered to the Eloysian Emperor Farshad. For the next 1,700 years, the three island realms were subject to the rule of Hamanid governors appointed by the Emperors in Sanjakar. When the Eloysian Empire finally collapsed in AR 2079, all three Island nations overthrew their Eloysian masters and declared Independence once again.