Zvogoria

"Forget not our past. Our future is set on a grim course, but we will always persevere when the dust is settled."

- Unknown Zvogorian

The Kingdom of Zvogoria has for many centuries fluctuated in power, and peaked in the early 18th century. Though the golden years have long since passed, Zvogoria remains a strong regional power.

After the Vangerist uprisings in Eidora, Zvogoria found itself in a difficult position: to the east was a newly formed block of hostile socialist states - and to the west, the mighty Radovian empire had already been breathing down their neck for almost two hundred years. This unfortunate situation would result in Zvogoria turning into a battlefield as the two neighboring powers clashed with each other in the Eidoran War.

Age of Turmoil
Like the majority of Eidora, Zvogoria would suffer from first economical, and later social and political troubles. With most of the population being rural farmers rather than city-dwelling laborers, the socialist movement had difficulty gaining speed in the country - but those who did adopt its ideas were often radicalized, an unfortunate development that peaked after the Asterian Vangerist revolution in 1906. Due to the proximity to the Vangerist heartland, the east of Zvogoria would soon suffer from radicalized socialist movements and Vangerist terrorism. However, no coups were attempted, and when the Commonwealth armies overran ( ??? ) on its eastern border, the armies of the revolution did not progress into Zvogoria. This did not, however, stem the unrest in the country, and the east would increasingly be infiltrated by Commonwealth saboteurs and agents.

The west, with its closer proximity to Radovia, began to fall under the influence of the empire, both via official diplomatic channels, but also under-the-table dealings between the Radovians and the local Zvogorian nobles and aristocrats. The central government and king, while reluctant to co-operate with their western enemy, allowed these dealings to proceed lest the west would fall to the Vangerists too.

As 1916 rolled around, Zvogoria would reach its breaking point. The east staged a revolt and proclaimed the Zvogorian Socialist Republic, and Commonwealth troops quickly joined them in this endeavor. In the west, the elite invited in the Radovian army, as the king fled west into their lands. The Zvogorian Civil War had begun, and with it, the Great Eidoran War.

The Great Eidoran War


About a year into the Eidoran war, there would be mounting discontent within the Zvogorian populace (at least, those who were not busy fleeing the war). The Republic, despite being a self-proclaimed defender of the liberty and rights of the common man began to increasingly receive the blame for the war and suffering - the Kingdom, meanwhile, would begin to show the Radovian puppet strings controlling it. In response to this, the Zvogorian Army of Resistance would form and begin fighting both sides of the conflict, hoping to one day establish a Zvogoria free of foreign influence.

As the war ended with the defeat of the Commonwealth and the Republic, the Kingdom of Zvogoria would put increasing effort into stamping out the ZAR, with the assistance of Radovia. However, the presence of the Radovians were seen as more and more people as a foreign occupation holding their country on a leash, and the ZAR would grow in numbers despite the kingdoms best efforts.

Continuation of the Civil war
Just as Radovia was plunged into civil war, the Zvogorian one would flare up again. With the majority of Radovian troops returning home, it emboldened the ZAR that began a full scale uprising against the puppet regime and its masters. With a populace eager to rid the country of foreign occupation (and with some hefty material and tactical assistance from Druthenia), the Kingdom did not last long without the full support of Radovia, and the ZAR would assume control of the entire country by early 1922. An imperial Radovian army attempted to retake the territory in the summer, but was defeated, and the ZAR could finally get going with rebuilding the country - a difficult prospect, as the east was still plagued with Vangerist resistance, and the west would begin to suffer from monarchist terrorists.

Zvogorian Republic
Having cast of the chains of foreign rule, the Zvogorian people voted in a referendum in favor of becoming a republic in late 1923, with 65% of the population on favor. The Republic was declared at 00:01 on the first day of the new year in 1924. While the path to democracy was still daunting, the Zvogorian people had taken their very first steps towards it.