Timeline
Founding of The Ceden Empire
The Ceden Empire was founded on Kanapra approximately three thousand years ago. It was formed by a young woman named Greland, the spiritual leader of a small village, also named Ceden. She was the healer of her village and she was allegedly able to call upon the spirits to heal any wound. Rumours suggested she could even revive the recently dead.
With stories spreading among the surrounding tribes and villages, Greland did everything should could to keep up with the ever increasing demands for her powers. The constant use of her healing abilities caused Greland to grow evermore strained. Eventually, attempting to heal even the most basic of ailments left her exhausted, even causing her to fall unconscious from time to time. Her mother, Sasyni, stepped up to triage the incoming pleas for Greland's aid. She turned away anyone who was not in dire need.
Soon, however, Sasyni came to see the powerful position this had put her in. Not only had the leaders of their own tribe all but handed over the reigns, but even the leaders of the surrounding tribes gave deference to Grelend's power. While Grelend remained the figurehead, Sasyni began working machinations to consolidate this newfound power. She fed Greland a steady source of those in need to keep her in a constant weakened state. Even an Greland took on an official seat of power as their tribe grew, Sasyni would most often speak on Greland's behalf, even when she was present as she was too weak to speak.
While Greland's father had long since died while out on a hunt, Sasyni took on a new lover, Halstuk, the leader of one of the largest tribes on southern Kanapra. With Sasyni now in league with Halstuk, her tactics changed. While previously she stole power via her daughter's gifts, she now had a powerful army to server her every whim. With Greland as its face the power of Ceden grew quickly across the plains of southern Kanapra.
Spread Across Kanapra
Sasyni and Halstuk seized much of southern Kanapra in a matter of decades. It was said that Sasyni and Halstuk, because of her daughters gifts, lived well beyond their years. Giving them many further decades to push their brutal campaign. They were said to be 140 when they took the final tribes on the northernmost coasts of Kanapra.
During this campaign, Sesyni continued to use the figurehead of her daughter to quell the unrest in this new empire. She sold a message of peace and prosperity. And for most under their reign, this did truly come to pass. While their methods of rapid expansion were brutal, they did provide for their people. They moved surplus harvests from more bountiful lands to the arid south. They trained and educated their citizenry. They toured the lands with Greland, healing the aged and sick.
Spread To Astir
While historians are divided on who actually lead the Ceden Empire at this time, it was said that Sasyni and Halstuk were nearly 200 years old when they lead the first voyages across the ocean to Astir. While the ground of Astir was not as fertile as Kanapra, Greland was able to bring life to the barren ground.
Ceden rapidly expanded to fill this new land. However, the far north, an apparent land of permanent winter, proved difficult, even with Greland's powers in play.
It was only a few years after settling in Astir, their Sasyni and Halstuk gave birther to a son. Although most historians agree that this figure was, in all likelihood, their great-grandson. After the birth of their son, Aleccus, they travelled back to Kanapra to raise him in the royal palace. Halstruk left the settlements on Astir with a final set of directives. They began to produce an impressive military and a massive navy. Due to Astir being inaccessible to most of the empire, this was easily kept a secret from much of the people of the Ceden Empire. While some rumours of this grand army spread, they were not given much credence as the people of the empire had always been taken care of.
Death Of Greland
Greland, who had been the face of the empire since its inception, died at nearly 200 years old. As the royal family was always very secretive and sheltered, most historians conclude that the royal family kept up this image of immortal ruling family over the course of generations as a means of justifying their rule. The relative isolation of the family was conducive to this as it minimized repeated exposure to the common people.
The death of Greland was a massive occurrence, the news of which overtook the entire empire. When Greland died, her powers, which sustained Sasyni and Halstuk faded with her. Aleccus, now 22, took the throne after the death of his sister and parents. Very much his father's son, Aleccus drew purpose from the expansion of the empire.
While Ceden took hold of Kanapra, many attempted to flee the continent. Some of these people succeeded in finding a new home on Ursalva. To Honour his father, Aleccus, upon ascending to the throne, set his sights immediately upon Ursalva.