Bohavia’s location, right in the
center of the continent of Svyet, has been both a blessing and a
curse to its peoples. Its blessing comes from the fact that the
country is at a natural crossroads, which brings much trade through
the country, both overland and by rivers. In addition, Bohavia is
also rich in mineral deposits and possesses very productive
agricultural lands.
Such
a bountiful land has obviously presented a valuable prize for
invaders throughout Svyet, with the result that its peoples have had
to adapt to regular conflict from races wishing to occupy the
land.
Until 3212, the unified country of
Bohavia did not exist. Parts of the country were, and still are,
occupied by three distinct races, namely elves, dwarves and humans.
These three races tolerated each other in the main, as they each
chose to inhabit areas exclusive of each others. The elves chose to
inhabit the lush forests, the dwarves the rugged highlands and the
humans the fertile lands of the Morava basin. However, relations
between the three races was never so strong as to enable any one of
them to gain control of the entire region, although one or another
race tried, from time to time.
The
elves had been living in the sylvan forests of Shumava since the dawn
of time. Dwarves had moved south to inhabit the North of Bohavia
between 1000-1500, occupying the rugged northern terrain of the
country, known to them as Sudeten. Humans are the most recent
arrival, originally nomads from the Eastern steppes who decided to
settle in the Eastern and Central sections of the region from around
2200. These barbaric savages came to be educated by their encounters
with the elves and dwarves and came to prosper over the following
1000 years.
All
three races had attempted to rule the others through force of arms
since the arrival of the humans, but none had ever succeeded.
However, as the humans prospered and their population grew fast, due
to the higher fertility rate of humans compared to dwarves and elves,
it became obvious that, one day, the human race would gain power over
the other two races. This was not, however, achieved through
conquest, but rather by diplomatic means.
The
father of the present day country of Bohavia was Otakar I, whose
father, Bretislav, had risen to the position of leader of the humans.
Otakar I was an intelligent and talented diplomat who, after several
years of negotiation, was able to unite the three races of Bohavia in
return for establishing a senate including the most influential elven
and dwarven nobles.
Despite occasional setbacks caused by
the rule of less able successors to Otakar I, the economy of Bohavia
prospered, more so than any other country in Svyet. On a number of
occasions, rival countries attempted to invade Bohavia, but the
combination of elven bows, dwarven axes and human lances made Bohavia
more than a match for the forces of any potential conqueror.
The
golden age of Bohavia started in 3346 following the coronation of
Karel I, a cleric king of great intelligence and diplomacy and a
devout worshiper of Kitry, the God of Knowledge. Karel I worked hard
throughout his reign to bring unprecedented prosperity to Bohavia in
general, and the capital, Mnyesto, in particular. Among his most
notable achievements were the building of a new castle and walls
around the capital, the first bridge to cross the River Vltava, a
huge cathedral dedicated to Kitry and the first university in the
center of Svyet. Under his patronage, Mnyesto became a cultural Mecca
and home to some of the finest artists, sculptors and artisans in
Svyet.
This
idyllic period in Bohavia’s history ended abruptly upon the death of
Karel I in 3378, leaving the crown to his young son Vatzlav IV.
Unlike his father, Vatzlav was a fighter but, sadly, not a very able
one. He did little to improve the economy of the country, but rather
wasted the resources of the country by spending a vast proportion of
the country’s wealth on hiring mercenaries to participate in foreign
wars, each of which proved to be disastrous. In order to generate
more revenue, Vatzlav constantly increased tax rates (to the
particular indignation of the dwarves) and cleared land for
agricultural use (to the annoyance of the elves).
In
3405, a young elven druid known as Janhuss from the elven town of
Tabor received a vision from his Goddess, Prirodna, Goddess of
Nature, telling him that the destruction of forests was the ultimate
sin against nature which should be stopped at all costs.
An
excellent orator, Janhuss spread the word of his vision far and wide
amongst the elves of Shumava, with the result that it became accepted
as part of the beliefs of all Prirodna worshipers (who made up a vast
proportion of the elves of Shumava). Janhuss tried to convert the
humans, who were busy deforesting as fast as they could in order to
increase agricultural land, needed to feed the exploding human
population. He tried to impress upon them that what they were doing
was a sin against nature. The human farmers, followers of Yarovit,
God of Agriculture, however, were having none of it, as their beliefs
were that cultivating crops was an honor to Yarovit.
By
3412, the situation was starting to become agitated and skirmishes
were starting to break out between elves and human landowners. In
3415, Vatzlav IV was away campaigning, leaving his brother, Sigismund
in control. Sigismund decided to act decisively in order to end the
matter and promptly arrested Janhuss during one of his sermons to the
human farmers. After a short, biased trial, a human court found
Janhuss guilty of agitation and he was burned at the stake.
The
elves of Shumava were incensed at Janhuss’ murder, and open warfare
immediately erupted between elves and humans. Seeing their chance,
the Sudeten dwarves started to march in support of their elven
‘brothers’ and in protest at what they saw as unacceptable levels of
taxation.
For
a while, dwarves and elves were united, but this soon changed after
the dwarves besieged Mnyesto and Kutna Hora, an incredibly rich
silver mining town controlled by the humans. Under attack from both
elves and dwarves, the humans were soon routed from the center of
Bohavia and were willing to begin peace negotiations. The dwarves
were having none of it, however, as they had been able to breach the
walls of both Mnyesto and Kutna Hora and were determined to get back
the excess amounts that they had been taxed in order to pay for the
humans’ follies. As there was little coinage left in the treasuries,
the dwarves took what they believed was rightfully theirs in any way
they could, sacking both cities of fine art, sculptures, temple
ornaments etc., and taking them back to the Sudeten capital of
Aussig.
The
elves realized that the dwarves had entered the conflict, not in
support of the elves, but for their own gains, and were incensed with
the dwarves disregard for objects of beauty. Because of this, they
insisted upon the dwarves’ withdrawal. The dwarves refused, leading
to new warfare between dwarves and elves. Now all three races were
fighting amongst each other. The warfare raged for ten years, leaving
the armies of each of the three armies to become decimated.
Watching the events in Bohavia with
great interest was King Wittelbax VI of the neighboring country of
Nyemetzko, situated to the south and west of Bohavia. For many years,
Wittelbax had been jealous of Bohavia’s prosperity. Seeing his
chance, he mobilized his armies of orcs, goblins, kobolds, ogres,
etc. which marched into the country from south and west.
Despite the severely weakened state of
Bohavia’s forces, they did put up some decent resistance to the
Nyemetz forces. However, their animosity was such that the three
races were unable to unite in defense of Bohavia, and so their
resistance was insufficient. By 3437, the final Bohavian resistance
was crushed, leaving Bohavia as a province totally controlled by an
occupying force of Nyemetz. Now it is 3460, and a whole generation of
Bohavians has known nothing other than the yoke of Nyemetz
occupation. Today, another threat is looming. On the eastern borders
of Morava, the Slovenes are mustering their forces of hobgoblins and
gnolls, their eyes fixed on the prize of Bohavia.