Volgrad

The Kingdom of Volgrad, sometimes known as the Fallen Kingdom, was a nation spanning both East and West Valoria that existed from 4 HE to 564 HE. Divided into eighteen counties and one county-level city, it was one of the largest nations in Valorian history, and the largest human ruled country to have existed.

For most of its five hundred year existence, the Kingdom of Volgrad dominated the East. Ruled for its entire history by the House of Var Emrhil, the country was founded at the height of the Second Wave's colonization of Valoria as one of many city-states on the East Valorian coasts. The Volgrans quickly began expanding their military following their initial landing and settlement of the territory that would become the City of Volgrad. This expansion culminated in the Eastern Conquest in 8 HE, and by 54 HE, most of the continent was under the control of the Golden Kingdom. Following Volgrad's victory in the Human-Elven War, the nation became the founding state and capital kingdom of the Golden Empire, which would eventually go on to capture the entirety of Valoria in the Liberation War, forging the first pan-Valorian empire in recorded history in 560 HE.

Following the Liberation War, the Kingdom found itself plagued by numerous internal and external crises. The Volgran economy began to stagnate shortly after the conquest, and the Imperial Army began to deteriorate in numbers. During this period, the nation suffered an unprecedented number of abdications by its Emperors.

In 564 HE, a highly contagious strain of plague ripped through the capital city and surrounding countryside, crippling Volgrad's government and the remainder of its military, as well as ravaging the civilian population. The central government lost most of its influence outside the Argonite Walls, and the other three Imperial Kingdoms became de facto independent early that year. Merely a few months later, the Third Concurrence would occur, and a vampiric led army would enter Valoria and lay siege to the capital. The Siege of Volgrad would last several months, culminating in the fall of the city and the collapse of the Golden Empire.

In the wake of the fall of Volgrad, all three remaining Imperial Kingdoms gained official independence. Volgran West Valoria was annexed by the Kingdom of Glyndale, while Irisidel County and South Isle County were absorbed by the Kingdom of Khaz'mir. The two nations later went on to jointly back House Wallachia in the formation of the Duchy of Wallachia on the former Volgran territories of Dragonshold, Frostheim, and Magnarus County. With the exception of Magnarus, all of Volgrad's East Valorian counties, including the capital city, were conquered by the Vampiric Host, which founded the supernatural ruled Ascendancy of Zilmere on the annexed land. This event marked 564 as the end of the Human Era. The following year would be the first of the Dark Age (DA).

The Kingdom of Volgrad functioned as the capital and ruling Kingdom of the Golden Empire. Of the four Imperial Kingdoms, it was easily the largest. Volgrad's core territory spanned both Valorias, and the Kingdom possessed land in both Skolgra (Frostheim) and the Green Sands (South Isle County and Irisidel), giving it a presence in all four continents of the known world. A stringent absolute monarchy, the Emperor of the Golden Empire resided in Volgrad's capital city, and reigned as the sovereign of both Valoria and Volgrad. The Church of the Golden Light was also based in the Volgran capital, holding considerable power and influence over the affairs of both the local and Imperial government. Most citizens of Volgrad were followers of the Golden Light, and by the 550's, it was enforced by law as the state religion, with all others being deemed heresy. With the exception of the Empire's final years, Volgrad possessed the strongest army and navy in the Empire, and had an economy larger than any of the other three nations.

History
(To be continued)