The Province of Bedrin
Though the province of FreePort and Bedrin are equally distant from the heart of the archipelago, the province of Bedrin serves as the staging point for all military action across the sea. Not only does the terrain offer greater protection than FreePort’s rolling hills and farmland (not to mention the isolation of FreePort city from the rest of Atla), but there are far more raillines reaching to the coast and throughout the province than FreePort.
Even if raillines do stretch into the valley of Gent in the FreePort province, it is unlikely Bedrin will give up its role, at least for now. Ironically, despite the overwhelming number of military bases in the province, most of the cities including the capital of Bedrin and the main port of Morrid have all remained neutral regarding the war. But, the neutrality is only as deep as politics, as many of the residents agree that the war on the archipelago is necessary.
At the north-western tip of the province in the once thriving land of castles, the kingdom of the great family Hesiod (the fourth and most recent of the great families) now serves as the primary military base in the War Against Hatred. And while Fort Jerrel in Tru Dahn trains more troops than anywhere in the world, it is not as directly and immediately involved in the war. Camp Hesiod is the home for the generals and commanders of the Atla military that are imbedded in the conflict on a day to day basis.
As upsetting as destroying or ‘renovating’ the castles and history of the area (and Atla as a whole) might be, it is perhaps only fitting that they are once again being used for war. For centuries, even before the classical era and beyond its official recognized end (400-100 PM), the kingdoms throughout the current province of Bedrin have been caught in more conflicts and wars than any other place on Atla. Not only has the land been the home of countless historical battles, but it was also the birthplace of the classical era.
The capital city of Bedrin is unique amongst all the other cities of Atla in that it is not only one of the oldest, but the only city that has remained continually inhabited for over 10,000 years. Only a few ruins scattered throughout the desert of Kahn and along the southern shores of the province of Tru Dahn are older, however none of those sites have had settlers for thousands of years. Though it is difficult to know now, it is believed that even FrostRight city has not been inhabited as long as Bedrin.
It is believed that the first inhabitants of the continent of Atla arrived sometime between 60-55,000 PM simultaneously landing in what is now Morrid and somewhere near Tru Dahn. Though written records no longer exist (if they did at all) it has been surmised that the people landing in Morrid were fleeing from something. To support this claim, historians and researchers have pointed out that Morrid was not the first semi-permanent settlement, but in fact, Bedrin was, despite the fact that Morrid is a coastal city and Bedrin is some 80 kilometers inland through canyons and mountain ranges. What this early people could have been fleeing, and how they had the technology to cross the sea even from as near as the archipelago so long ago, remains a mystery.
Throughout the following 30,000 years the population of Bedrin seemed to grow only slightly. Further, evidence suggests little progress was made in the early peoples technology or theology–implying the early settlers, after centuries, still found life hard in the rugged conditions (though it must have been significantly better than what they came from). Further, it is unclear exactly how the early people lived. Whether the people traveled over the centuries in a nomadic lifestyle, fled their ancient threats as they arose, or simply spread then died out in certain areas–until more is discovered nobody can say for certain which areas (if any) were continually inhabited up until approximately 12,000 PM.
Seemingly without reason there was a minor technological explosion during the last few centuries around 12,000 PM which eased life enough for the inhabitants to not only exist, but thrive. Some speculate that this was due to whatever threat had been plaguing the people (from a literal plague, to hostile invaders the people initially escaped) had vanished (however, the thought that a threat could remain for 30,000 years is highly unlikely). This allowed the people more time to devote to improving quality of life, which happened rather quickly.
The first of what we consider ‘castles’ were constructed around this time using the plentiful stone and ores found in the mountains. Early metal forging of basic tools began around this time, and those tools were used to cut the stones into blocks for construction. Tucked away within the valley of Bedrin is the oldest structure ever found with a height over ten meters which dates to roughly 13,000 PM.
For some time the people flourished here, but in keeping with their troubled past, the people were again thrown into conflict. Myths, fables and a few written documents confirm that the area of Bedrin was probably uninhabited until a large group returned to the area. The reason, as told by the many similar legends throughout the entire province states that a curse from their gods in their old homelands sent them in search of new land.
Three families, the Tenor Amon and Bedrin (each powerful and traveling with numerous offspring and concubines) re-settled in Bedrin between 15,000 and 10,000 PM. Shortly after this re-settlement, two of the families fled the valley one night after a few years of living in Bedrin. Claiming their gods told them, the Tenors and Amons, that the Bedrins had become too hardened and calloused to the teachings and preaching of repentance, and were unable to feel the gods message of peace and charity–they were forced to flee. The Bedrins had become a wild and wicked people, so the records claim, and were within mere days of completely destroying the two Families. Both the Tenors and Amons settled into what is now Morrid after their flight.
The Bedrin’s records also show that the two families fled around this time, however their record doesn’t show the cause the same way. Bedrin records state that the Tenors and Amons, the younger and less powerful families had forced upon them, foolish traditions of false gods. Further, Bedrin records show that the two families claimed through their god’s wishes, that they were the rightful rulers of the land, favored by the gods and were supposed to be the weaker families masters.
All records agree that the Bedrins were close to warring with the other families, however the Bedrin record states that the two other families had begun subjugating them under false and vain traditions while Amon and Tenor records state the Bedrins were becoming too wild and uncivilized.
After the Tenors and Amons had settled in Morrid, contentions resumed with the Bedrins who discovered their whereabouts only ten years later. Amidst these conflicts (though less intense due to the great distances; the contentions were really more along the lines of annual battles planned by both sides after the Tenors and Amons) the Tenors and Amons began disputing with one another. It wasn’t long before the Tenor family left Morrid, not from fear, but from disgust. The three families, after a few centuries together, realized their incompatibility. Piecing together the biased and fragmented history of each family during the time, it seems the general idea was that the Bedrins were too violent, amoral and crude, while the Amons were slothful, unwilling to work and generally lazy, with the Tenors being the most arrogant and conceited.
Because the families were initially very large upon their settlement in Bedrin, they rarely interbred. Though many suspect there was a great deal of incest, records show that the patriarchs of the families had many concubines and spouses, not to mention other distant relatives, through which most breeding was done. It was through this final separation of the three families that the thousands of years of bitter rivalry and war between the three kingdoms, the three families, really began.
After the Tenors left Morrid and the three families and kingdoms became distinct, conflicts continued for hundreds of years. It wasn’t until roughly 6400 PM that the first major war between all three kingdoms began. The war was brutal and devastating for all sides. It wasn’t simply a war of the knights and soldiers, but of the citizens too. Temples and cathedrals were burned, books and records were stolen and burned, and the castles all around were pillaged. Most of the written records of this time were destroyed. With few written accounts remaining, the information known about the war was gathered by studying the ruins and remains scattered throughout the entire province.
In a story startlingly similar to the cataclysm of the Kahn province, it seems the largest battle in history took place somewhere between 6300-6000 PM. Legends and myths even today tell of the gods anger at the entire people for their warfare and hatred. In their rage, the gods were said to have split and flooded the area that now is Morrid and Bedrin and reaching as far north as Hesiod. Little evidence has been found to support the literal claim that the gods separated and flooded the area, but natives to this day insist it happened and was the cause of the Morrid Sound. In total, estimates put the number of deaths from the war during the 300 year time period as high as 100 million.
After the war ended around 6000 PM, the population had decreased by nearly 85-95%. It took another thousand years before it started to increase again, suggesting the war didn’t put an end to the conflicts. From that point until the beginning of the classical era, two more wars (neither of which compared in size or length to the first) halted the progress of the civilizations. But with the coming of the classical era, the disputes gave way to a common friendship amongst the kingdoms which gave birth to nearly every modern art form. Proto-science began with the classical era, as did modern ideas of equal rights and healthcare. Today, Morrid and Hesiod are bustling, modern cities. Only Bedrin remains nearly as it was hundreds of years ago despite its role in the provinces.