Empire of Salos

A History of Helias Compendium - EoS

Orb began as an small settlement, beside the River Salos in the Northwest of Helias. The settlement grew into the city and came to control its neighbours through a combination of treaties and military strength. The capital of the Empire, Orb is to this day, the oldest continuously inhabited city in recorded history. The site of the founding of the kingdom had a ford where one could cross the river Salos, a crossroads of traffic and trade. The Kodial range and hills surrounding it provided easily defensible positions in the wide fertile plain surrounding them. Each of these features contributed to the long term success of the Orb.

The control of Orb and it's territories evolved very rapidly into a monarchy and aggressive expansion through conquest, cultural, and linguistic assimilation of neighbouring tribes and other nearby realms, would make Salos the oldest Kingdom in existence in Helias.

Its civilisation has contributed to modern language, religion, society, technology, law, politics, government, warfare, art, literature, architecture and engineering. Salos professionalised and expanded its military before anyone else had, giving them a considerable edge over its enemies and competitors. It achieved impressive technological and architectural feats, such as the nation-wide construction of aqueducts and roads, as well as more grandiose monuments and infrastructures.

Salos emergence in Western Helias happens for the most part as an attempt to wrestle control over the fates of the continent from the Central Realms, now only referred to as the 'Forsaken Lands'. Pitched battles against Garrah and the Kingdom of Torja were a feature of the history of the realm especially around it's southern border.

The Kingdom quickly adopted the Pillars into its culture as a symbol of defiance against the magik ruled Kingdoms and would became the military core of the 'Noctua Inquisition'. It is well know that in exchange for their support the Shrine-Cities of Mizar had agreed to give half of the Central Realms lands over to its King, by far the biggest concession of the Sargar and Siler Edicts that launched the Inquisition.

Salos Eastern border with the Central Realms saw the largest amassing of soldiers ever in recorded history at the inception of the Inquisition as thousands marched across the Beliarian Line to take the fight to the weavers and answer the call from the Pillars and join the Crusade. Still to this day the landscape is dotted with long abandoned forts and ruins of settlements that sprouted during that time.