The South Kingdom of Old

The South Kingdom was made up of a small settlements, trading hubs and large ports, but when the great wave of Nurnen swept over the lost island and engulfed it, those who had escaped (including the king's heir) had sailed there to seek refuge and to start anew. And so the South Kingdom was made. It lay south of the great sea Miromere and was neighbors with the Janera of the east in its waning days.

Early Beginnings
In the year 1978 BC merchants from the forgotten island started to travel to the mainland, and after a few decades mainly around 1941 BC set up the port city of Gil-Taren or the star port in their tongue. This was the first city that was established in the mainland by the Great men, and as the years dragged on more and more people flocked there to settle, both middlemen and Great men this had lead to the construction of towns and small settlements around it. Cities and castles such as the city of Mournhold and Nanidh or the Serene Vale (not to be confused with the forgotten vale) as well as the castle of Huernost were built alongside many towns such as Armrun and Estolad the most renowned ones.

Then at the year 1732 BC the city of Solitude was founded, another center if trade for the Great men and the middle men that dwelt in the northern parts of Ithilien. The city much like Gil-Taren had attracted many more people and lead to the creation of nearby towns and cities, these included the cities Gondolin and Lammoth, as well as the castle of Bel-Tirith (North Guard). These cities developed rapidly turning into fiefdoms and now the once overlooked and forgotten part of the world was once more in the eyes of the Lost Isle.

With the massive development of the Ithilien lands the king of the Lost Isle had sent forth some of his armies to claim land, at their first arrival the gates were flung open both in Gil-Taren and Solitude the people welcomed their king and they cheered. This was the beginning of problems that would tear down the peace they had. But all the while they prospered and they grew, becoming ever greater and surpassing their neighbors.

Armies of the Great
Great armies of the Lost Isle sailed into Ithilien and marched northwards seeking to claim lands for their king (1541 BC), they began to garrison the castles of Huernost and Bel-Tirith. Then they marched further inland setting up camps and building roads to connect their cities. When they had traveled inland they were met with another kingdom one that was smaller and ruled by middlemen, they had grown rich of of the trade they had with the Lost Isle and the taxes they put on merchants. At first it seemed as if they were to be a great partner of trade but this was soon to change.

After the discovery of dwarves and their unnumbered wonders built by their smiths and the fine crafts of elves in 1529 BC, the Kingdom of Siryat was no longer a good trade partner but an obstacle. If the kingdom existed between them and the others it would make trade all the more difficult and more expensive, not only that but their lands were ever growing and Siryat just happened to be in its way. On the year 1521 BC war was declared.

In the year 1520 BC armies from the Lost Isle marched into the lands of Siryat, they were better trained better organised and better equipped. They had swords made from Falas Steel a fine metal perfected to pierce the strongest armour. The armies of Siryat that were ill equipped and made soft from years of peace and lack of discipline, their swords weren't as keen and their skill wasn't as great, not only but their short lives meant that they couldn't train as long.

In 1519 BC the South armies had marched into the province of Earen-Lach and fought the battle of the Great Eagle, the battle had crippled the armies of Siryat and had routed them. After the victory they marched further into Siryat land with minimal resistance. Finally at the battle of Sirburg the south legion had struck a decisive victory and dominated the lands of Ithilien.

Following the events of the previous war bands of middlemen formed fighting skirmishes and raiding supply lines. Then when they had finally raided the town of Feignsir the split river, the wild men as they were called now were driven back and forced to flee northwards as armies of the south headed their way.

The Great Wave of Nurnen
3 months prior to the destruction of the lost isle some time around 1072 BC most of its inhabitants including the king had sailed to the mainland, now taking refuge in the already established cities and towns. The King himself was Elendor the Far sighted, and had set up his throne in the city of Gil-Taren, and had also sent his brother to govern the city of Solitude. The north would be governed by his brother and the south by him, this was until his eldest son Thalion came of age and would rule in Solitude with his uncle as an adviser instead (in the year 1051 BC).

This great migration had caused a minor famine and overpopulation as the farms could not change so quickly and provide enough food for the people. Then Elendor called a counsel with his trusted advisers and family, before long they had a solution. The south was over crowded but the north was lacking in manpower and so the new immigrants were sent northwards to settle the land and erect farms or move to towns and cities.

During this time King Elendor had become fond of his dwarven neighbors seeing much in common between their people, and so he grew to become great friends with the dwarf King Baldwin II. He would often venture into the mountain and behold their great works and marvels, and the dwarves too came to the South Kingdom and studied its' architecture for their methods of smithing was much akin and they had no need for any more craftsmen. This alliance between men and dwarves would prove far mightier than all before, for this friendship would aid the heirs of Elendor and his house in the future.

In this great time they feared not any that would challenge them for they had the might of their race and the aid of their allies, no faction could rise to challenge them, at least not in the years to come. For another seven decades the kingdom flourished and lived in peace, until in the east something awoke.

The Eastern Threat
There were always men who had dwelt in the east, but they had never chose to do harm until harm came unto them. Orcs were indigenous to the east and was the reason why the east men never attacked the South Kingdom, but now that they were under attack by a force of orcs greater than any they had seen, they went to the South Kingdom for help. Descending from the highlands armies of orcs united under one chieftain came to fight. This was the year of 1011 BC, a decade later it would be the golden age of the kingdom.

The armies of the East men were lead by their king Kel-han the Slayer, and they fought the orcs of the highlands lead by Durbatulûk the destroyer. Kel-han had fought many skirmishes and battles with the orcs but never had he faced of an army of orcs that numbered far more than his. In the year of 1010 BC the lords of the east lands south and even some of the South Kingdom had come together to face of the orc invaders, at first their campaign was successful driving the orcs out of the land and back into the east, but later that year they had returned with a larger army. The success of their campaign was due to the fact that the orcs needed to test the strength of the easterlings and their men and once they finished they had returned.

This war was known as The Great East War which had spanned for 17 years, in the year of 1003 BC the South Kingdom had joined the fight finally realizing the threat of the orcs and the need for a buffer between them and themselves. Many battles such as the Battle of the Fire Mountain and the disaster of the Grey harbour almost meant the destruction of the Easterlings but always the South Kingdom came just in time to relieve them and turn the tide of battle. This great war had created a strong bondage and alliance between the Easterlings and the South Kingdom. But like all good things they must come to an end.

More can be learnt in the War of Orcs and Men

Awakening of the Ash Mountain
In the year 696 BCE the most fateful year of the age, the ash mountain had erupted. It wreaked havoc and dismay unto the people of Janera, After the war with the orcs of the highlands, the kings of both kingdoms had made an agreement, whenever one of them was in need of aid or under attack the other would help. Now it was the time for the South Kingdom to honor their end of the bargain.

In the afternoon third of Last Leaf (September) an emissary came from what was the remnants of the Janera Hierarchy, he had fallen to his knees covered in dirt and sweat, his road had been long and he was wearisome.

"Oh King of the South, we the people and the king of Janera beg you for help. Please honor our deal and help my people." He said

The king Penditu the Faithless as he was called then (later to be known as Penditu the Dishonourable) looked down at him from his high throne.

"Help what? A king without a kingdom, a people without a land? Vagabonds and beggars? This was not who we made a deal with, no we had made a deal with a great empire and a great kingdom, that you and your king are none."

"But great king, your forefathers had sworn to aid us in our time of need, will you not answer our call for help?"

"No, now begone with you, begone before I have your tongue cut out and tell your king that I will be relieving him of some of his land."

And so like this the emissary returned to his king without anything, starving and in pain, and the lands east of Solitude was taken and annexed, this broke the alliance between the men of the south and the men in the east, and so it would stay that way until after a thousand years when High King Thallias righted the wrongs that were done and mended the relation between their people. But until that day the Great Men of the South would always have a threat in the east.