The Holy Nation

The Holy Nation, more recently known as Old Solicia or the Solician Empire, was a theocratic empire founded in the plains of Ambrosia. Its reach grew as time went on and it became one of the biggest nations to ever exist on the Realm, spanning well documented and unknown territory. It was founded around 900 BE after various councils and meetings between many prominent tribes, families, and clans. It remained a decentralized and feudal nation for the first millennia of its existence but briefly became a vast militaristic empire under its first and only Dictator, Sneedus Schnitorus. It remained a vast theocratic empire for the rest of its history.

Its early governance and society was centered around Truism, a pagan Pre-Ebakian religion which included elements of animism, ancestor worship, and animal sacrifice. By the early 4th century, about 300 years after Ebako's death, a new state religion called Frism was adopted, incorporating different scripture and revering Ebako as the Son of God. Frism still retained many of the liturgical and cultural elements of the previous paganism, most notably the practice of battle prayer.

After severe unrest due to critical economic and administrative mismanagement as well as the emerging ideas of democracy and secularism taking hold in much of the Realm, a regent was overthrown and executed in a democratic revolution that paved the way for the Principality of New Free Derry, a secular parliamentary confederation, to be formed and rule until 2020 when Colonel Dex Moonfire overthrew it, forming the People's Democratic Republic of Dexistan, a one party socialist state.

Founding (~970 BE)
The Holy Nation was founded for a variety of reasons, the most prominent being the recently formed Empire of Spawn and its sustained attacks on the various tribes of Solicia to an attempt to colonize the region. These invasions failed but cost many lives and resources for the defenders, leading to calls to create a more effective military that protected everyone in the area.

In Solician folklore, every prominent family at the site of the future Fort Nunghus met to discuss a defensive pact at the First Council of Zopland at around 970 BE. Over the next thirty years, the various clans and tribes that had been bitter enemies before slowly became more cohesive in the face of external threats and developed a detailed system of government. These negotiations covered mechanisms from trade and economy to military and land boundaries.

Finally around the turn of the 9th century BE, the last council took place. It is said that the Dorjee clan delegation was preparing to leave due to a dispute with the Stinkbird dynasty's demands of territory. As the Dorjee dynasty attempted to leave the council, Zoltar, the high god of Truism, revealed himself to all onlookers in the Council and told all tribes and families to work together to defeat the Spawnish enemies. Due to this unanimous revelation, every party immediately agreed to all terms and added that the new government should be in accordance with the laws and principles of Zoltar and the pantheon of other gods, being derived from a pagan animist religion popular in the area. The consolidation of resources, manpower, and government stopped attacks from the Spawn Empire and vastly changed the balance of power for millennia to come.

Early History (~900 BE)
Shortly after the formation of the country, the aligned clans agreed to pick an overall ruler for the nation at large in order to maintain stability and settle disputes. After much debate, the freshly-founded House of Lords decided to pick a relatively unknown noble ruling over the small village of Dari, Rexus of the Woodtruck dynasty. He was chosen due to his neutrality in virtually all conflicts as well as his reputation for being a level-headed and just ruler. Rexus was initially reluctant but accepted the role, fearing another ruler could be disastrous to the newly formed nation.

Rexus I is the only well documented ruler in this period but from archaeological evidence, it can be deduced that the empire expanded vastly through both martial and diplomatic means. Rexus and his heir, Copius, were widely admired throughout the Holy Nation for their adept management of trade and consistent territorial expansion. The Spawn Empire no longer attacked Solician territory and it is thought that the Holy Nation and the Spawn Empire were viewed as equals for a period of time as the Holy Nation began to absorb smaller tribes, sometimes forcefully. According to prominent archaeologists, this period of time was when the Holy Nation constructed Fort Nunghus atop Mount Nig, the largest surviving ancient structure in the known Realm.

The One Hundred and Nine Years War occurred during this long era with a massive death toll of over three-quarters of a million people. Initially, this went well for the Solicians and their Hillian allies although after the 40 Years in the Desert and the Siege of Bysand, their strength and resources were sapped. The war would end, ironically 108 years after its beginning, when Bysandine and traitorous Hillian forces invaded, besieged, and sacked Fort Nunghus, the crown jewel of Solician military achievement. Recovery from this grueling conflict would take centuries, nevertheless, the country expanded and began to prosper, later developing a close alliance with the Bysandine Empire.

As the Empire expanded and recovered, technology accelerated rapidly, leading to protests among the Truist high priests and more conservative elements of society calling it the work of Shenag, one of the evil gods of Truism. Emperor Chuck attempted to heavily regulate new technologies and practices, especially music and sports, to little success, both annoying the populace and not satisfying the clergy. Nevertheless agricultural and infrastructural progress continued, stimulating trade and cultural exchange in the entire Realm, especially with Bysandium.

Age of Unrest (100 BE)
With this flourishing of technology and culture, calls for change grew more intense as time wore on, leading to numerous peasant revolts as well as various heretical prophets causing the Great Upheaval, a period of mass rejection of established religions among the general populace. The most famous and impactful of these prophets was Ebako of Pooperath, a prophet whose ideas and life would eventually form into Ebakianity, the largest and most influential religion on the Realm.

Although Ebako was killed at the hands of the Spawn Empire, many Solicians were outraged at the current clergy and religious order, resulting in mass unrest and even revolt in some isolated areas. Some claimed to be Frists, incorporating the militant and zealous nature of Truism with the teachings and reverence of Ebako. These Ebakian rebel groups imposed harsh criminal penalties for non-believers, desecrated Truist symbols and artifacts such as the Tree of Wisdom, and attempted to destroy any other pagan elements in their short periods of control.

This unrest triggered a roughly 300 year period where the Truist priests and heavily-handed theocratic state brutally persecuted every kind of Ebakian. This led to more distrust and resentment among the general population and was not effective as more and more of the population continued to adhere to and develop the doctrines of Ebako. The people who are now known as the Church Fathers of Ebakianity primarily lived during this period with their writings having massive cultural and philosophical impacts to this day. This era was ended in 197 AD after a swift coup-like succession by Sneedus Sphinctorus, turning the Nation into a centralized dictatorship for his lifetime.

Age of Conquest (197 AD)
After the seizing of power by Sneedus Sphinctorus in 197 AD, he rapidly modernized the military, designing and using state-of-the-art weapons and tactics. His reforms in the government structure, the military, and infrastructure were largely successful and primed the Holy Nation to begin its campaign of conquest after centuries of unrest and disunity. The Spawn Empire began suffering sustained attacks from Japanese nomadic hordes as well as an internal uptick in highwaymen and brigands, leading to Sneedus viewing them as a prime target and making the decision to strike in the fall of 207 AD, starting the War of Mount Poop.

After an initial victory outside of the City of Spawn, a grueling siege set in. After several weeks of this siege, the offensive by the Holy Nation was called off due to widespread disease and attacks from the aforementioned Japanese hordes. Sneedus' army retreated back to Ambrosia in the midst of a harsh winter.

After this military defeat, there were calls from the House of Lords, the council of all major lords to advise and direct the Emperor, to depose Sneedus and replace him with his younger brother, Bi. This led to Sneedus dissolving the House of Lords and creating a military dictatorship with himself at its center. With renewed vigor, the Holy Nation began its second offensive into the Spawn Empire in the spring of 211 with military access from the Bysandine Empire.

After a grueling siege and the deadliest battle in recorded Realm history until the Battle of Big Korea in 1290, the Holy Nation captured Mount Poop, dealing a near-fatal blow to the Spawn Empire. Although the original goal was to conquer the entirety of the Empire of Spawn, the massive losses of the campaign as well as problems with finance domestically, forced Sneedus to withdraw with his current gains.

Nevertheless, Sneedus returned to the Holy Nation a hero and a conqueror. The gaining of Mt. Poop by the Holy Nation proved to be a boon with the new massive amounts of agricultural output. Population and productivity rose to all time highs. For the Spawn Empire, this was a crippling blow to an already fragile situation. The loss of Mt. Poop caused a famine that killed more than three million citizens and drove the Empire to economic ruin for nearly a century.

The Age of Conquest not only included this great triumph against the Spawn Empire but also the conquest of many smaller tribes into the territory of the Holy Nation, boosting the population and military capabilities overall. The Age of Conquest is also viewed as, by far, the shortest period in the history of the Holy Nation, lasting generally from the reforms of Sneedus to the death of him, accounting for just 29 years. Sneedus' death occurred in 227 AD after battling an infection from an arrow wound he received in battle with an Albanian warlord. This era of conquest and war would soon fall into instability and strife among rulers.

Age of Emperors (227 AD)
After the death of Sneedus, the Empire fell into the biggest power vacuum in its history as it was left without an heir of age. Sneedus' model of a highly centralized dictatorship heavily contrasted with the previous model of an essentially feudal theocratic society where lords were left with great autonomy. The House of Lords, abolished under Sneedus, was reinstated shortly afterwards with the Ralazar and Woodtruck clans devising a pact to seize power in the country. Through diplomatic trickery, deceit and murder of opponents, this pact was able to succeed and gain the inheritance of the throne.

The heir that was finally decided on was a young boy by the name of Rokab, Sneedus' son of dubious legitimacy. This was the first child emperor in the history of the Holy Nation and a huge break with precedent. Rokab, being barely nine years old, was easily influenced by his family and court into actions that personally benefited them. Viewed as a puppet, many of the populace, most notably the growing urban artisan class, called for his deposition and the installation of more conventional and competent leadership. One pretender to the throne by the name of Bubblus returned to the country after being exiled following Sneedus' ascension to power, hoping to claim his place as the Emperor. He was widely supported by the public and some of the army due to his familial connection to the historic Woodtruck dynasty as well as his adept management of his holdings abroad.

In 230 AD, he entered through the gates of Chuckonia as the drawbridge was willingly opened, riding a horse with his three sons beside him as well as a massive military entourage to his rear. He peacefully marched to the palace and seized the entire royal court without a struggle. He stripped them of all wealth, land, and trinkets and forced every associate and relative to walk through the capital square wearing nothing but burlap sacks, later exiling them to the unknown lands beyond Osaka.

Bubblus proclaimed in front of thousands that a "new [sic] Relm" had been created and that the gods were finally at peace. Bubbulus enjoyed widespread popularity throughout his reign and started many reforms to the kingdom including the legalization of Ebakianity in 239 AD and the scaling back of the political power of the military. However, Bubbulus was over 50 years old when he gained power, already past the life expectancy of the time, and after fourteen years of his rule, he died peacefully in the Imperial Palace.Surprising to many, his sons did not vie for power, resulting in the first peaceful transition of power in nearly 50 years and the coronation of Niggus, Bubblus' second son and a member of the Woodtruck dynasty. This event was thought of as the ultimate test of stability for the Empire and it seemed to have succeeded. The Age of Emperors was the age of prosperity and stability, never seen before or again, in the history of the Holy Nation.

During this era, many reforms took place, the most notable being in 313 when Frism was officially recognized as the state religion of the Holy Nation by Bosius I, leading to the formation of the Holy Church of Ebako in 315, one of the most powerful religious institutions to this day. Economically, the Holy Nation flourished and many ports and cities within it became the Realm's hubs of trade and commerce. Culturally, many of the signature Solician items and practices originated in this era including the modern iterations of Borochan robes as well as the national sport of Poopball.

The era came to a close after the Second Battle of Mount Poop in 916 in which the Spawn Empire recaptured the agricultural hub of the Realm that they had lost more than 700 years before. Although this defeat did not substantially affect the food supply in most of the country as its loss did to the Spawn Empire centuries prior, it was a significant blow to the symbol of national pride and conquest. This, combined with the crowning of Hushtius II in 919, marked an end to the Age of Emperors and a beginning to the Age of Theocracy.

Age of Theocracy (919 AD)
The Age of Theocracy was an era that ushered in a new wave of religiosity and zealotry in the Holy Nation. Frism became strictly enforced and many trials against witches, heretics, and other undesirables were held en masse. There was widespread bitterness among the population after the loss of Mount Poop and Frism's fading militant nature was revitalized from this attitude. The Holy Nation saw the Spawn Empire as agents of Shenag and vowed their destruction at every turn. Much less concrete history is preserved from this era as information and literature were strictly controlled by the state with any book or other writing deemed heretical by the Emperor or the Church banned and destroyed. As time went on, the definition of heretical and subversive expanded greatly, allowing essentially any piece of literature criticizing the policies of the Emperor or government as inherently anti-Frist and worthy of suppression. From surviving records, it is indicated that there was a so-called "Inquisition" between 1184 and the 1480s in which special law enforcement cadres enforced Frist orthodoxy by maintaining Frist values in their jurisdiction and punishing heretics, resulting in imprisonment, torture, and even executions for thousands of people. Although viewed negatively today, the program was widely popular among the populace in its time and was thought of as a proactive and just measure to ensure order and prosperity in the Empire. This Inquisition applied to the home regions as well as all colonies.

Several holy wars, or Jihabs in Old Solician, were declared by the Emperor, starting in 1095. Although considered holy wars, seven out of the nine declared were against other Ebakian states (although none were Frist). The first three were of great success and caused widespread zealotry and determination among the general population as well as the nobility and soldiers. The next three were of waning success with the 7th and the 8th being of disastrous proportions, resulting in humiliating defeats and territorial loss. However, the 9th (against an alliance of pagan Albanian tribes) proved to be relatively successful and was considered a triumphant victory for the Frist faith. Since the end of the 9th Jihab in 1290, no others have been declared by the Holy Church of Ebako.

The Age of Theocracy came to an end around 1410 when the Great Realm Flood destroyed much of the territory of the Holy Nation and directly caused the sinking of ~85% of the islands in the Derry Archipelago over the next centuries. This event caused the death of millions, both from direct destruction as well as starvation and lack of protection from the military. After these catastrophes, faith in the government, military, and church dwindled leading into a period known as the Age of Decay.

Age of Decay (1444 AD)
The Age of Decay is generally regarded as the worst stage of the Empire and the death knell for the Holy Nation. After the disasters inflicted on the country, the populace fell into hopelessness and despair of both their material needs and the political future of the country. Several Emperors attempted to rouse the population with promises of war and conquest but a demoralized population combined with a far reduced military capability meant every conflict was resolved in a draw or defeat for the Empire. The economy had periods of flourishing, especially in the mid 17th century, although none of it could compare to the capacity and scale of the previous eras.

The only long term positive development of this era were the advances in technology most notably medicine, cartography, and literature. After the invention of the printing press in 1439 by Rohannes Poopenberg, a Teutonic inventor and writer, the fields of science, philosophy, and fiction expanded greatly with literacy jumping from about 6% to over 20% in just 30 years. However, this boom in literacy was mostly restricted to the urban upper and middle classes. This explosion in philosophy and literacy largely led to the period known as the Enlightenment, a Realmwide intellectual movement wherein the systems of theocracy, feudalism, and absolute monarchy were rebuked in favor of democracy, capitalistic free markets, and secularization of governments.

The Holy Nation began to be referred to as the "Sick Man of the Realm" by the late 16th century and was largely thought to be a once prosperous civilization in the long agony of an extended destruction. Several independence movements and other rebel groups were appeased in their demands, only weakening the national will and zeal. Something generally regarded as the death blow, however, was the sinking of the more than two millennia old capital of the Holy Nation, the grand metropolis of Chuckonia.

Founded in the 800s BE, it was long the jewel of the country and an example to the glory of the nation on the Realm. With its slow destruction since the early 1400s, it was finally completely submerged in 1763 to much despair among all walks of life. Although hardly anyone perished in the flooding itself and most possessions and great works had been preemptively removed, it was a great blow to the prestige and morale of the nation to see their once glorious city consumed by the forces of nature. After economic stagnation, military defeat, and destruction of many symbols of heritage and prestige, nearly everyone was distraught with the state of affairs and demanded change. What followed in the next decades would be referred to as the Age of Revolution, the destruction of a beautiful and prosperous civilization to some and the merciful death of a corrupt old establishment rotten to its core to others.

Age of Revolution (1789 AD)
The Age of Revolution is generally considered to have began in 1789 with the deposition of Snuck IV, the last Emperor of the Woodtruck dynasty, by several generals. He was replaced with the figurehead of JAck (anglicized as Jack) Stinkbird, his claim to the throne being allegedly related to one of the oldest clans (this claim is disputed to this day, some historians claim he legally changed his name to Stinkbird to attain more legitimacy) in the Holy Nation, predating its existence. However, the government was primarily controlled by a military junta of various generals from throughout the Holy Nation. This swift coup and the following relatively competent management from the junta cooled the ardor of unrest and revolution for nearly two decades. In 1808, Emperor Stinkbird died from natural causes and sent the entire Empire into a frenzy with massive protests from all across the ideological and economic spectrum. After the brutal suppression of a cobbler's strike by the Army in 1809 as well as the cessation of imports from the Spawn Empire, the military interim government was forced to concede and allow the next person in line to the throne to take their place in 1811.

This heir was a young man by the name of Dougal Flopguy, a rash and disinterested 18 year old from the Nunghus dynasty. Hundreds of people were trampled to death after he offered free alcohol to all attendees of his coronation and he was generally regarded as an absent minded and childish ruler. Even so, he was popular among the people for his generous acts of charity (all from the national coffers) as well as his general likeability and charisma. The nobles and especially the clergy were outraged by his debauchery, drunkenness, and womanizing, being seen as an affront to everything the Holy Church of Ebako stood for.

Alas, in 1822, Flopguy I was killed in a duel while intoxicated at the age of 29. According to his last words, this duel was fought over a young woman named Derpina and the man who killed him was a former roommate whom he had shared amiable relations with to that point. This death was tragic to some and a topic of comedy to others. Flopguy, whether he was fully aware of it or not, was the last thing holding Solicia together. With no heir left but illegitimate sons, a regent named Buzz Killington was appointed by the House of Lords. This regent was cold and unlikable and shared no familial connection with royalty. In an action that would prove fateful to the nation itself, he decided to double the sales tax on all artisans making more than 20,000 shekels a year in order to balance the enormous debts the Empire held.

Almost immediately, thousands of citizens poured into the streets voicing their hatred of the policy and the government more generally. All reserves of the military were soon deployed to the capital and other major cities with martial law being declared. After a small fishing village in present-day Albania torn down the banners of the Holy Nation and disarmed and imprisoned the local magistrate, a bombardment by several ships, most notably the ERS Jod's Glory, began. Most controversially, the bombardment destroyed a chapel and killed the priest inside. This incident provoked open rebellion in many rural areas, leading to the destruction of any symbolism glorifying the Holy Nation, the imprisonment or death of any government forces in the vicinity, and in some cases the destruction of Frist temples and the murder of clergy for their links to the state.

Upon hearing the news of open rebellion, Killington boarded a carriage, disguised as a miner going to New Rawabi to see family but was intercepted by a local militia on the road. The militia, hoping for a simple robbery of a rich traveller, recognized his face from a portrait they had burnt hours before. He was captured, tarred and feathered, and beaten to death in the town square later that day. With the leader dead, many areas in open revolt, and rioting in urban areas, the Holy Nation essentially collapsed. A group of indignant nobles, protected by a detachment of Army defectors, stormed the Palace with no resistance. They soon proclaimed the Commonwealth of New Free Derry, a decentralized confederation based on the values of federalism, secularism, and parliamentarianism. It was popular among the low classes for its promises of liberty and equality, the middle class and urbanites for its promises of low taxes and small government, and the higher classes for its promises of efficient justice and the rule of law. With a coalition of popular support throughout the country, it suppressed riots and rebellions, abolished serfdom, (a system that had been in place since the Holy Nation's founding) and dismantled the theocracy.

In this new era, many people's hope for the future shone bright as the excesses and destruction caused by the old corrupt order had been destroyed and a dawn of liberty and justice has occurred. To others and increasingly as time has progressed, it had been seen as hot-headed and destructive aristocrats willfully destroying the time-honored culture, traditions, and order that had stood strong for almost three thousand years. Whatever the opinions on its effect, no one could deny the fall of the Holy Nation had a massive impact on its citizens and the Realm as a whole.

Legacy
The legacy of the Holy Nation is far reaching and the subject of much historical inquiry. Some more conservative and nationalist elements view it as the height of Realm civilization in which great men were uplifted and magnificent high arts, culture, architecture, religion, philosophy, technology, and much more flourished in a golden age of the Realm. Others see it as a destructive, repressive, backwards, and murderous entity that killed millions and depraved many more of liberty and equality.

The overall consensus of historians and as well as the common people of Solicia is that the culture and achievements of the people are something to admire although the government itself was often misguided, brutal, and destructive in many ways. Regardless of the effect it has had, it is no doubt an integral part of the Realm's history which would have never been the same without anything of such magnitude. The legacy of the Holy Nation will be forever controversial and eternal to the Realm's last days.

The vast majority of Solician culture, religion, and technology was created under the Holy Nation as well as the Solician language still used by many today. Many institutions, most notably the Holy Church of Ebako, still exist today and exert massive influence over the Realm in the modern day. The legacy of the Holy Nation heavily affects the present day nation of Dexistan and many countries beyond with its technology, language, culture and religion tested by time.