A National History of San d' Oria

It isn't recorded as to how many Elvaan tribes came over from their homeland to Quon and the exact date is unknown but it is known that two tribes rose to dominate the area.

Coumlaud: An Elvaan tribe that dominated the central Quon continent before the founding of San d'Oria.

San d'Orian Tribe: An Elvaan tribe that dominated the modern Ronfaure region. It was from this tribe the d'Oraguille family hailed and they rose to power as leaders.

These tribes evidently subsisted a great deal on hunting and possibly gathering but had grown numerous enough to create a foothold and come to the notice of the area's resident beastmen the Quadav by 291.

Strife with the Quadav

The Quadav launch an offensive on the Coumlaud in Derfland, which the Elvaan tribe used as hunting ground, led by King Du'Dha himself. The Quadav are victorious but regardless of his victory, Du'Dha decided to instead settle in the barren Pashhow Marshlands beginning construction of Beadeaux. This allowed the Quadav and the Coumlaud to work out a truce, and neutral zones were designated on both sides.

War with Windurst

The San d'Orian tribes' expansion and command over the Norvallen
region was challenged by Windurst when in 373 Lungo-Nango performed a successful invasion of the Elvaan occupied Southern Quon.

War continued with the Tarutaru's dominating until the Elvaan Chief Lanfeaur d'Oraguille of the San d'Orian Elvaan Tribe travels to Beadeaux to meet with the Quadav leader, King Du'Dha and an alliance is formed. The Quadav lure the Windurstian armies into Pashhow Marshlands, where the united San d'Orian and Quadav forces surround and defeat them.

During this time the two Elvaan Tribes began working together instead of completing.

Founding

With the close of the conflict of interest the Kingdom of San d'Oria is established with Lanfeaur d'Oraguille as its first ruler. King Du'Dha continued to be on friendly terms with Lanfeaur after the Kingdom of San d'Oria was founded until Lanfeaur's death. He reportedly brought a great number of attendants with him to mourn the king's death at his funeral, earning the respect and admiration of the San d'Orians.

In 491 the Royal Knights of San d'Oria are formed with Lord Fainevlure Ordelle as their first captain.

During the reign of its 8th King, King Resviel "The Harvest King", the Kingdom concentrated on domestic affairs and growing the capital. Despite King Resviel focus on building up the new nation the stage was being set for a war.

The San d'Orians began running into the forces of Hume and Galka that have united and begun to expand resulting in skirmishes. An influential Hume named Mayer's wife is killed by a San d'Orian soldier in one of these conflicts and the Bastokan forces retaliated luring the San d'Orian army into a narrow ravine, where they successfully overwhelm the Elvaan forces. The tribes the Elvaan hadn't of thought a threat now formed a rival nation, the Republic of Bastok, electing Mayer their first President.

At precisely the time they could use their Quadav allies King Du'Dha dies in 500 leaving the Quadav without a living voice to speak to since they continued their devotion to his memory not electing a new leader for 24 more years.

War with Bastok and the Orcs

Hostilities with Bastok would erupt into a War when Acheufagais R d'Oraguille "The Warking" assumed the throne in 558 when he personally slew his stepbrother, the other contender to the throne, and sought expansion of his empire. King Acheufagais also began war with the Orcs. He personally fought in thirty-three battles though none of the major battles in the Bastok-San d'Orian War.

The first battle, The Battle of Valkurm, ended in overwhelming victory for the San d'Orian army, and massive tracts of land, including the entire Zulkheim Region, came under their power.

The first Battle of Konschtat lasted for days, each side never really making real headway. Finally San d'Oria gave one last push to drive Bastok from the Highlands under the leadership of their first woman officer: Lady Eldie Montiont. The Empire succeeded, at a steep price, but all of their legions had been wiped out. Bastok retreated back to their own borders to lick their wounds.

Internal Strife

King Acheufagais "Warking" R D'Oraguille died at the young age of twenty-five. Rumors of foul play by the aristocrats begin running rampant throughout San d'Oria. The sudden death leads to a dispute over the King's successor, heightening tensions between regional leaders of San d'Oria.

In 568, just when it seems that a civil war is imminent, Marelinne R d'Oraguille's name surfaces as the rightful successor to the throne, thus making her the tenth ruler of the Kingdom of San d'Oria. A new dispute begins over who would be Queen Marelinne's guardian until she is of age.

Growing weary of the intrigue surrounding her, Queen Marelinne left the capital under the pretext of surveying other regions. She never returned to the capital again, always issuing her orders from wherever she journeyed.
In 588 Queen Marelinne R d'Oraguille vanished without a trace, never to be seen or heard from again.

War Continues with Bastok

The San d'Orian Army was bogged down when it came under attack by the full might of the Quadav beastmen. Although the San d' Orians ultimately won they endured heavy losses. It was then they came back to find the Bastok government again challenging them.

The Gustaburg Incursion, as that battle became known, marked the turning point in the Bastok-San d'Orian War. The San d'Orian Army had decided to penetrate into the heart of Bastok, Gustaberg. Using cannonry and surprise ambush the elvaan forces are seriously decimated and were finally forced to retreat at night.

For 6 more years, the Bastokans slowly regained ground, until they had Gained the entrance to Konschtat. The remaining battles of the war were not in San d'Orian favor. Of these two major battles stood out.

The Second Battle of Konschtat- The Bastokan Army had penetrated deep into San d'Orian Held Territory reaching the foot of the Crag of Dem. The Bastok Army armed with heavy armor, swords, muskets, and the use of well-trained Galka Beserkers forced the San d' Orians to retreat.

Battle of La Theine- When San d'Oria was blamed for the assassination of General Bavor the Bastokan Army was sent to destroy the San d'Orian Capital. They never did reach the city of San d'Oria, but it proved to be the final Battle in the War.

After 27 years of war, both sides were exhausted.

War Ends and Civil Strife Develops

Two years after his defeat at the Second Battle of Konschtat King Raigegue massed his remaining knights in La Theine and awaited an opportunity to retaliate against Bastok. Seizing upon his brother's absence, Prince Fellenant mobilized the Temple Knights and took control of the city of San d'Oria. He demanded a peace treaty be drawn up with Bastok, having sought their support for his new regime should he succeed. The King, decided to send the Scepter Royaulais to Prince Fellenant and abdicate in his favor.

Spoiler:

Vijartal Caphieux convinced Fellenant to reopen the city after preventing the prince's assassination. Prince Fellenant surrendered to his brother and the King and, true to his word, still called for a treaty for the cessation of hostilities with Bastok to be ratified.

The two countries sent delegates to the Neutral city of Selbina. After 17 days the Treaty of Selbina was signed by both sides, and the war was over. On that day the Age of Power ended and the Age of Technology began in 657.

Civil War

Though San d' Oria ended its war with Bastok it was replaced with civil war. The two camps, East San d'Oria and West San d'Oria, differed over who they wanted to be successor of the throne.

Ranperre R d'Oraguille, who inherited the throne as the 24th king of San d'Oria, reigned from 782 to 832. Also known as the Dragon King, Ranperre was hailed as the greatest monarch of the d'Oraguille family. He was born the eldest son of the crown prince of West San d'Oria, and diligently studied the arts of war from childhood. Ranperre acceded to the throne after agents of East San d'Oria murdered his father.

Through the leadership of the "Dragon King" and General Erpalacion B Chanoix of the Royal Knights, the youngest in recorded general history, West San d'Oria went on to secure a string of victories.



In the middle of the conflict Erpalacion disappeared while returning from an overseas expedition and his body was never recovered. After ten years of fighting, the Dragon King subdued the East San d'Orian forces and put an end to the long and bloody civil conflict.

Ranperre continued to build his legend by expelling the Orcish hordes from Ronfaure, and ridding the kingdom of marauding black dragons. Among these victories of King Ranperre the most famous is his defeat of the evil black dragon, Vrtra in 830. Instead of slaying the dragon, King Ranperre agreed to let him live under the condition that he guard his tomb after he died.



Ranperre "Dragon King" R d'Orguille dies in C.E. 832 and is put to rest in his expansive tomb located on the borders of West Ronfaure. King Grantieul R d'Orguille becomes the twenty-fifth ruler of San d'Oria.



In 851, during a royal hunt, King Grantieul R d'Orguille is single-handedly slain by Orc King Doggvdegg, along with his retinue of ten bodyguards and Destin R d'Orguille becomes the twenty-sixth ruler of San d'Oria.

The Crystal War

When the Crystal War began the elvaan were the first to be attacked in the Battle of Jungar and a later three day siege to San d'Oria. When Jueno suggested forming the Allied Forces of Altana the Elvaan, who had been at war with the other Nations at different times in history, recognized the need to band together with the other races to use their strengths.

When the Beastman forces tried to cut-off the Tarutaru San d'Oria came through to try and rescue their forces and suffered great loss. They also led one of the main forces that resulted in the victory at the Siege of Jueno.

It was King Destin's bold plan to bait the beastman army into attacking Tavnazia, though it resulted in great loss, that turned the Allied Forces of Altana from a defensive position to one willing to take the offensive.

The joint forces victory in their offensive at the Battle of Xacabard helped cement the precedent of good relations with the other races that has continued after the war.

Post War

The elvaan seem to have finally moved past their civil conflicts and built a strong and united Kingdom. The bickering between the two heirs, Prince Trion and Prince Pieuje, who are constantly vying to see which one of them will inherit the kingdom from King Destin is nothing on the scale that caused the years of civil conflict.

Links

Vana'diel Profile: King Du'Dha

FFXI Wiki: Ordelle Bronzepiece

Vana'diel Profiles: Acheufagais d'Oraguille

Vana'diel Profiles: Marelinne R d'Oraguille

Vana'diel Profiles: Erpalacion B Chanoix

Vana'diel Profiles: King Ranperre

FFXI Article: Ranperrere Goldpiece