The Fall of the Neptarchs

This is an article on the History of Feyworld
Years: 560 NC to 645 NC
Age: The Third Age of Man
Continent: Duria
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The History of Neptaris
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The Sorrows of Neptarch Feldan Foxglove	The Great Civil War of Neptaris

With Feldan dead leaving no heir to the throne of Neptaris, it fell to the priests of the city to determine a new Neptarch. The Eleventh Ecumenical Council was called to determine the new ruler. They quickly chose Marius of House Arisan, a half-elf and cousin of Feldan, but he was assassinated by one of his own archers within a year. In 561 NC, the Twelfth Ecumenical Council was called to determine yet another ruler and they chose a merchant by the name of Delanro Marn, who had no prior claim to noble blood. The nobles of the city were of course very opposed to the Council raising a member of the middle class to the position of Neptarch, but the decision stood and in 562 NC Delanro Marn was coronated.

Delanro began reforming many of the city's trade laws, but heavily taxed the upper and lower classes of the city. Furthermore, he established the Order of the Golden Coin in 568 NC, which was intended to be an extension of the Guard that would seek out and capture those thieves who preyed on the merchants of the city. The Order had many of the same rights as Feldan's Warders, though they were not allowed to execute a criminal who surrendered to them. Delanro died of old age in 582 NC, and his throne passed to his eldest son, Anatole Delane. Anatole's coronation was confirmation of the legacy of Delanro, and House Marn was officially recognized as a noble house. Anatole's reign was long and fairly unremarkable, though he did repeal many of his father's more restrictive laws against those classes not of the merchant sector. His most notable act was constructing a Temple to Minos, god of commerce, in his last decade of office, establishing that Church as a power in the city. When he died in 622 NC, his son, Bartas, was recognized as the new Neptarch by the Archbishop. Bartas proved to be a weak-willed and ineffectual ruler of the city. House Rimman coerced him into marrying Diaman, daughter to the head of House Rimman. Two days after the birth of their first son, Xaphargus, Bartas died in his sleep in 631 NC. Some suggest that Diaman strangled him herself.

Competition began almost immediately for the position of Regnant. Some of the noble houses even took to the streets, fighting with hired men and fomenting riots. Eventually, the Archbishop of Betshaba named Xaphar of House Rimman, Diaman's father, Regent until Xaphargus reached the age of majority. Xaphar quickly showed himself to be a tyrannical and unjust ruler. He issued new laws during the trials of his allies and his enemies meant to assist or hinder the efforts of the individuals on trial. He also reestablished the Warders of Neptaris and wrote laws to support them that gave them more power than even Feldan had. Xaphar executed people easily, which gained him the support of some of the more sadistic members of the clergy of Cthos, but alienated most of the other clergymen (particularly the clergy of Clementia). Xaphar also started a war of conquest against Kamaria in 642 NC in which Xaphar proved to be a much more capable military leader than a civil ruler. His success against the Kamarians led to an increase in the man's already over-inflated ego and he began to invite members of his court to watch the battles with him. His pride would result in an end to the rulership of House Rimman and plunge the city into decades of civil war.