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2500’s Khonshu had lost much of it’s fleet to skirmishes and it’s realm of influence dwindled, allowing other powers to grow across the globe. By modern times the Khonshu naval kingdom had ceased to be, and they are simply a supplicant to the Scyzantine Sultanate.

Hyperia: ~2800 BFHyperia holds many

similarities to our own Greece and Macedonian civilizations. Even the myriad of city states bear similarities to our own. In recent times those similarities have fallen away, with a unified Hyperia under the rule of a dynasty of conquering kings. More differences arise in what are merely myths to us are fact to Hyperians. Inventors have created fantastic devices for their rulers, including flight for flightless animals, Heroes tread the lands fighting horrific beasts, and Sailors visit amazing islands off the coast, meeting bizarre hermits and collecting ancient artifacts. Hyperia has also been the long rival of Khonshu, with both having massive naval fleets, and with Hyperians worshiping sun gods, the rivalry only grew stronger, until Hyperia finally

On a world like ours, called Earth, with seven continents, and a history not unlike our own, live animals have that raised themselves up to create cities, to invent inventions, and to govern nations. Just as with our own time line, the Earth of Brushfire can trace back dozens of empires, that rose and fell, that changed the face of the world, that crushed civilizations, and rebuilt them from scratch.

Khonshu: ~3000 BF (Before Foundation)

Similar to Ancient Egypt or Babylon of our own Earth, Khonshu was an oasis kingdom, eked out from a tiny river on the tip of a peninsula. In the early days of their Earth, civilization held its seat of power in the south of the major land mass, Eutheria. Despite it’s isolation by land from other areas of the continent, cut off by an expanse of desert, Khonshu controlled a large fleet of ships, which were able to patrol distant holdings, and raid potential foes. Indigenous to many nocturnal creatures, Khonshu’s religion was based heavily upon the Moon and deities related to it. By the

History of the Worldsupplanted Khonshu as the dominant power of the ancient world.

Jaguero Empire: ~1450 BFJust as the Meso-Americans

all but disappeared under the coming of the Conquistadors, the Jaguero were pressed deep into the jungles of Vespuccia, leaving behind their ruined villages and temples. But long before they became a mystery, the Jaguars were the dominant power across two continents. Their monolithic structures were built as far north as what is now Xalepena City. Their downfall was a long time coming, as they had long oppressed the other species of Vespuccia. The Capybara were all but extinct when the first colonists from Mare-Civitas set foot on the coast. They were the last threat against the total domination of the hemisphere. Beyond the lust for power, the evidence left behind in their cities show a blood lust for sacrificial ceremonies. A people that could have focused their efforts towards developing a better world, spent their days killing their friends, families, and slaves to appease their appetites.

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Chugoku: 745 BFWhen the Myo Khans, roving

nomads of the eastern steppes, settled down from generations of war with the Vandal tribes, they had no comprehension that they would be placing the cornerstones of one of the greatest nations on earth. Despite it’s current crisis of civil war, and oft deposition of weak rulers, Chugoku has developed many of the greatest advancements in technology, culture and government. Even in the middle of a 4-sided war, Chugokans rarely live in poverty. Unlike our own China, Chugoku managed to keep outsiders restricted to merchant activities and never found themselves a practical colony to Imperialist western countries. Instead, the decadence of its own rulers forced the hands of the people to fight for equal rights, thrusting Chugoku into it’s current internal strife.

Rodentian Republic: ~650 BFThe myth goes that two

rats found their tails bound together. Some versions of the story say they were bandits, tail knotting being a common punishment in Hyperia. Other variations say they had survived a brutal battle together, binding their tails in brotherhood. In either case, the two rats, Rode and N’Tia found themselves on the coast of the Mare-Civitas, the Civilized Sea. Dying of thirst the two desperately drank from the waters. The miraculously fresh water saved their lives and the two set about building a house upon the coast. In the decades

to come more animals would trek to the coastline, hoping to avoid predators in the wilds and join the two friends and build a village. By 650 BF, Rodentia had become a nation of ideals, quickly on it’s way to being the crown of the civilized world. A Senate of elected officials discussed the needs of the people and the laws of the known world.

Rodentian Empire: 0 AF (After Foundation)

By 0 AF, Rodentia had become a twisted, corrupt civilization. Murius, a member of the Senate, found himself cast out for daring to question the ethics of a fellow member. The group had become a criminal syndicate that the civilians thought they voted for. During his last days in Rodentia, after he had presented his evidence to the council chambers, Murius worked with members of the army to ensure that if he failed, the Senate would fall. Murius’ body would eventually be found on the coast of Brisica, an island not far from the capital. The day after, the army moved into the city and sacked the Senate building, killing all the senators inside. The city itself was destroyed to a brick. In the coming months, General Soricus, a shrew, would lead the military in building a new capital, Muriccio, in honor of the one honest Senator, on the coast of Brisica. Soricus would be crowned Caesar, and the calendar reset to After Foundation.

Scyzantine Empire: 752 AFCold-blooded creatures

have always liked the heat. During the waning years of the Rodentian Empire, Scyzas, a monitor lizard, founded a home for all reptile kind on the shores of Lake Tiberia. He named the city after his wife Lacerta, who had died on their journey. Scyzas, like many reptiles, was seen as a lower form of life to mammals; the Rodentian Empire used reptiles as slaves. With a safe haven for their kind, Reptiles across the continents travelled there, to live under a free banner. Though the Rodentians saw this growing ‘scaly presence’ as a threat, the Vandals to their north would destroy their empire before they could act against the slaves.

For generations the city would grow, above and below ground. Other cities sprouted up across the desert, and the tribes of Zabar allied themselves with the new sultanate. Eventually even the great kingdom of Khonshu would become a principality to the Sultan. Some historians suggest this great unification of the south and the east would cause the Holy Rodentian Empire to form. Taking up the cause of mammals everywhere, Orders of Knights would bring battle to the Scyzantines, for several centuries, the Southern Crusades would wreak havoc upon both sides. Though the Knightly Orders are now scattered and broken, bankrupt in their own blood lust, and the principalities under the rule of the Scyzantines have returned to their own autonomy, there is always the chance these two powers could bring about a new war, to wreck the entire

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devices, or worked in foundries casting iron work, Vespucci longed for exploration. Generations of failed sea voyages told him that the world had been discovered, and there was nothing new to see, but he eventually set about proving the existence of another land mass by haphazard math, conjectured evidence, and a collection of hearsay. Despite his inept presentation, a group of Civitan merchants saw promise in his suggestion. Another continent would provide colonization prospects as well as new resources to exploit, which the Mare-Civitas was quickly running out of. In 1488 AF, Lorenzo da Muriccio, the Prince of Merchants, paid for the ships, crew, and supplies Vespucci would need to reach a continent half a world away. A year later with land in sight, Vespucci wept on the deck, too wracked with emotion to set foot on the land. Lorenzo da Muriccio claimed the land of Vespuccia for Mare-Civitas.

The World Today: 1821 AFToday is an era of unrest on

their Earth. As one might say every moment is anywhere. A new Empire rises in Aquitar, and the Scyzantines outlast any of the three Rodentian nations. With gunpowder and cannon leading the way in war, many soldiers of antique combat find themselves outstripped in prowess. Today, heroes lead from the rear, directing battle from atop a hill, drinking sancerre in their tents. The thunderous volley of black powder kills thousands in a battle, where hours would go

hemisphere.

Holy Rodentian Empire: 945 AF

The story of the building of Muriccio often leaves out that much of the building material was taken from the scorched ruins of Rodentia. Many prophets said that any nation built on the ruins of corrupt Rodentia would be doomed. Though the city of Muriccio stands to this day, The Rodentian Empire had fallen by 800 AF. For a century and a half, the Vandals controlled the continent in a reign of fear and war. When the Scyzantines began pressing west into the remnants of the Rodentian Empire, the Vandals reunified the ancient nation into a new machine of war. The Holy Rodentian Empire fought to protect God and Country from the reptilian threat. Despite having origins in a call to war, the HRE became a stable force in Eutheria, even giving the world such advanced leaders as Charles de Mange. Eventually as the crusades against the easterlings weighed heavily on the soldiery and the citizenry, the Empire fell apart, into half a dozen minor nations, but the framework still exists, bolstered by the Grand Order of the Knights Bubonic, always poised to protect the western world from the threat of scaly domination.

Rediscovery of Vespuccia: 1489 AF

Vespucci da Ventura was different from other Venturans. While most kept to their smithies inventing new

by, in antiquity, with out a single death. Brushfire’s Earth is on the cusp of the modern age, if it can only survive the industrial revolution.

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History of ChugokuSettling in the Basin

745 BF - The roving Myo Khans, Lemming nomads, moved off the Steppes and into the Great Chugokan Basin. Tired of their wars with the Vandal tribes, they sought to create a buffer between them by moving closer to the sea. In doing so they would found one of the longest surviving empires.

650 BF - Not long after the Myo settled, a dozen other roaming tribes would come into conflict with them in the Basin, in their own attempt to settle. Clans of Porcupines, Hares, and Squirrels would eventually settle along several rivers and lakes.

575 BF - The Lemmings would slowly gain control over the other tribes and establish the Myo Dynasty. The new Kingdom, called Chugoku by

the Ribenguans, living off their coast, would foster culture and technology within their realm.

Two Kingdoms Era400 BF - In the southern

ends of the basin, and along the eastern coast, the Ailu, Red Pandas, would eek off the burgeoning civilization of Chugoku, learning metallurgy, boatcraft, and numerous other skills from their nothern neighbors, eventually becoming a stable kingdom themselves. The Ailu Dynasty would come into conflict with the Myo for nearly 600 years.

89 BF - An armada of small Ailu pirate ships assault the Myo capital of Xinyu. By sailing into port disguised as merchants, the Ailu were able to set the city in flames before the soldiery could make take any retaliation.

52 BF - With their capital in ruins, the Myo Kingdom fought from a weaker position, assailing Ailu outposts with increasing desperation. Out of the north rode an army of Lemmings from Wuhuan reinforced the struggling kingdom atop their personal steeds, war chickens. With the advent of cavalry into their war, the two Dynasties would war for several more generations.

122 AF - The Yunnans, Hares living in the Steppes join the Ailu in defeating the Myo Dynasty. An Ailu, Changqing, is crowned first Emperor of Great Chugoku. The Yunnan Hares are brought into the new Emperor’s confidence as ministers.

War with Ribenguo545 AF - The Tanuki, lords

of the Ribenguo island chain, would find their lands too small for their growing populations and seek to expand their territories. Beginning along the unoccupied northern coast, the Ribenguans would slowly encroach upon Chugokan lands, sparking a war between the two eastern nations.

552 AF - The Chu-Riben War was fought mainly through territory grabs over a decade. By the end of that period, the last member of the Ailu Dynasty had died, leaving no heir. To stop a civil war from letting the Ribenguans take all of their lands, a Yunnan Minister, Han Lepu, crowned himself emperor of the Han Dynasty to keep the kingdom

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intact.

554 AF - The Han Emperor comes to a settlement with the Tanuki Empress on the coast of Guandong, where the Ribenguans had first landed. They outlined the territories both nations would claim in the “Meeting of Two Kings”. The Two Kings Treaty would keep both nations at peace for a millennia.

Fall of the Han and the Four Kingdoms Era

1459 AF - Despite minor skirmishes with other neighbors, the Chugokans and Ribenguans enjoyed nearly a thousand years of peace. The Han Dynasty, however, had fallen into decline by the 15th century. Corrupt and stagnating, the once great civilization now suffered from rampant piracy, continuous seasons of famine amongst the lower class, and a decadent merchant class. In the second half of the century, a Philosophical revolution began. Few ministers would be swayed by the monks calling for change.

1698 AF - With the monks ideas falling on deaf ears, they would form a group called the Yellow Tails that would settle in the Steppes above the basin, in contrast to the centuries of living in the Basin, and leaving the Steppes as a buffer. A number of generals and ministers would find this a dangerous move, possibly indicating to the Vandals that the Chugokans still exist over

the mountains. On the eve of the 18th century, a small army was massed to attack the Yellow Tails and drive them out of the Steppes. This attack would only force the Yellow Tails to retaliate by Assasinating the Emperor.

1724 AF - With the Han Dynasty in ruins, an offshoot of the Ailu Dynasty attempted to reclaim the empire. A pirate armada, under the command of Wu Xian, known as the Red Claw took control of over a dozen cities in the southern basin and claiming sovereignty.

1739 AF - The Emperor’s current minister would protect the Throne’s heir until the Emperor’s son eventually fell ill and died. Having spent his entire life essentially ruling the Kingdom, Chi Bi would found the Kingdom of the Blue Fang.

1754 AF - A peasant that had escaped from the fire attacks of the Red Claws in the south, would eventually discover his lineage as a Nephew twice removed, from the Han Emperor. Ye Bei would eventually found his own Kingdom of the Green Eye, at the City of Guan.

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In the Winter of 1798 AF, The three major kingdoms, Green Eye, Blue Fang, and Red Claw met on the shores of Zhong Bay, just north of the Red Claw capital. Each had amassed a naval fleet, and their leaders came to discuss the situation of the empire, or destroy each other. The Yellow Tail minister Daxiong Mao had received accurate intel on each enemy’s forces. He also knew that whichever Kingdom won, they would have a unified force to quell the Yellow Tail rebellion, or worse, the three kings could ally to solve the peasant problem before resolving the dynastic issue.

Daxiong Mao infiltrated hundreds of his own soldiers into each of the rival armies in the night. Each group of infiltrators was prepared to attack via small crafts utilizing the styles of the army they were pretending to be. His Red Claw infiltrators set 8 Green Eye ships ablaze around midnight, the entire Bay illuminated. Several dozen badly armed Green Eye infiltrators attacked the Blue Fang capital ship, crying for the return of the Han Dynasty. A group of heavily armed Blue Fan infiltrators caused devastating casualties to the Red Claw forces. After each successive attack, the infiltrators disappeared leaving chaos in their wake. The three factions, unaware of subterfuge were forced to retaliate.

The Battle of Zhong Bay1798 AF

For hours the armies fought as boats sank and soldiers died. Eventually Yei Bei’s tactician, Kong Ming, called for a retreat. No good would come from the kingdoms mutually assured destruction. The Green Eye’s small ships retreated up the river towards Guan and by dawn the other two factions had ceased combat as well.

By withdrawing early from combat, the Green Eyes had created a tip in the balance of power, they had lost far fewer soldiers and boats, and the citizenry told tales of Ye Bei’s cool headedness, unlike the blood lust of the Red Claws and Blue Fangs. Thousands more peasants, unphased by the radical teachings of the Yellow Tails instead migrated into the Green Eye territories to serve the true Emperor.Sa

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