History of the Elasmus Islands
The Elasmus Islands have a long and varied history, going long back into the past. The Islands have several parts of their history: Pre-Aradnar Elasmus, Aradnar and the Elasman Empire, Fall of the Elasman Empire and the Elasman Dark Ages, the Rise of the Elasman Confederacy, First Elasman contact with the outside world, the Rise of Nationalism in Elasmus, World War II, Sango Delimar and the Communists, the fall of Communism, and the recent past.
In the Islands prior to the rise of Aradnar, there were many different tribes and clans that fought one another. These times are recorded as lasting from the Stone age until around 100 CE.
Around 100 CE, the tribes and clans had united into 88 different areas, each with its own dialect and subculture. A great Sagtamarian (now New Anatolia), Aradnar the Great, established the city of Blagsabek (now New Constantinople). Aradnar's armies conquered much of the region, ruling over them fairly and powerfully. He died near the age 110. His descendants were nowhere near as great as he was, and the Empire began going into decline
Around 500 CE, the Aradnar line had nearly fallen. Each of the Autonomous Sections was ruled by a different Lord, who were each a direct descendant of Aradnar. The disunity of the Sections led to a loss of communications between areas, and war ensued, in a very similar way to the European dark age on the other side of the world. This dark age lasted well into the 18th century.
Around 1745 CE, the Sections started moving out of the dark ages and into a new age. The Elasmus Confederacy was established, and the Articles of Protection were signed around 1760. The Confederacy only ruled the Islands, though, in name.
In the late 19th Century, a US Naval vessel ended up in New Latium's harbor. The Confederacy and the US established relations. These US diplomats were thrown out during the surge of nationalism. However, because of Westerners' efforts, Christianity is the majority religion in the region.
In World War II, the Islands were occupied by the Japanese. An influx of Japanese and Russian immigrants had ensued during the pre-War era, so these were all placed into concentration camps while common folk were forced to work in factories making goods and food for the Japanese war machine.
In the end of the war, the Soviet Union took control of the Islands and established the Socialist Republic of Elasmus. Sango Delimar, Stalin's hand-picked new ruler for the Islands, ruled Elasmus with an Iron Fist. Delimar established the city of Stalintown in Old Elasmus, a Russian center. He modernized the Islands, his largest accomplishment being the intricate railway system he created throughought the Islands, connecting all towns with 10,000 people or more to all other towns that size. He also constructed the subway systems that exist throughout the Islands. The New Constantinople subway system is one of the most intricate in all the world, boasting that any area in the city or suburbs is within three blocks of some subway station or another.
In the 1990s, Delimar died of natural causes. Almost immediately, the Islands broke back up into their original boundaries. Some formed small unions, but the largest of these was History lovers. This Confederated Union now holds nine sections and is quite active in international affairs. As its influence grows, the Elasmus Islands will only become more important to the world at large.
