Historical Overview

Kogendia began long ago at the beginning of the current age as a conglomeration of many war leaders. They settled and fought over the fertile land near the coast. Over several centuries these warlords began to consolidate power until a couple dozen became jarls and signed treaties with each other. These treaties brought peace to the land and allowed them to turn their gaze outward.

The Kogendians had always been sea faring people. As adept raiders, they were the bane of the Middle Sea. Every child knew the terror of blue sails on the horizon. For generations, Kogendia's only trade was war, and they were good at it. All of that changed a bit over a century ago.

It was then that they met the Verisalians. They had achieved a level of wealth and prosperity that the Kogendians had never seen or even believed possible. These new people were craftsmen and tradesmen. In exchange for sparing their cities, the Verisalians agreed to send a cohort of master craftsmen to Kogendia to train them in the ways of commerce.

The Kogendians took to it like fish to water. Within a generation, they had an economy that matched the Verisalians in size. After another, it had matched the Verisalians in complexity. It was then that the guilds came into being. They were organized by the nobility to stabilize and ensure the quality of the products the . craftsmen produced.

That was seventy years ago. Today, the guilds are more powerful than the nobility. They control the money and the ability to make money. The jarls and thanes are less than pleased about the situation. Political machinations are common place. Nobles and masters being made and destroyed to further agendas is a matter of course. So long as the flow of coin is not disturbed, the rest of the system pays no mind. Eventually one side will have to seize complete control, otherwise the country will tear itself apart.