AUTUMN, 917AR

The sun rose over the city of Baraguzhin, hundreds of kilometers from the city of Zaltava, the capital of the ruling Zaltava Dynasty of Braznychia. It was a day like any other, welcomed by the cockling of the roosters, the sun low in the sky, casting a warm glow over the orange landscape that marks the peak of autumn. The central market was already bustling with activity at this early hour, for a shipment of fresh goods had just arrived to the city. People were rushing to buy their share of the goods, for the long and brutal winter is rapidly approaching, and along with it, the scarcity of food shipments.

Among the crowd was a young man, with straight black hair, grey eyes, and a small mustache beginning to grow on his upper lip. He wore a thick brown coat to help insulate his body in the cold Zaltavan Weather. He was Sergey Timoshenko, a young man in his early twenties, and one of the members of the city’s civilian government. Timoshenko was known by his peers as an extremely pro-monarchist and pro-Zaltavan person, especially odd given Baraguzhin’s distance to the nation’s capital, as well as the common anti-monarchist and pro-autonomy sentiment shared by many of the city’s residents. But this did not stop Sergey from expressing his support for the monarchist system, and for the regime that had long ruled the nation.

However, the system of monarchist rule had radically changed years ago, with the early death of Emperor Katukov from cardiac arrest, with none of his children old enough to rule the nation. With the Zaltavan Throne empty, a new man stepped into the scene to fill the power vacuum left behind. His name? Martin Zhigunov. Zhigunov was no stranger to politics, serving as the head of the civilian government of Braznychia. And with no one on the throne, Zhigunov ascended to become the nation’s ruler, marking the first time in centuries that a person not from the Zaltava bloodline ruled the nation.

Sergey was not a fan of the new Zhigunov administration. He viewed it as foreign, alien, and a mockery of Braznych culture. His friend, who serves within the Imperial Court, Marcus Savrasov shared the same sentiment as Sergey. The two had been friends since childhood, with Savrasov leaving their tiny village when he was 16 for the capital, and managed to rise the ranks of the Imperial Court.

As Zhigunov’s administration went on, he went on to become more despised by the conservatives of the nation, like Sergey. He was seen as corrupt, who focused on keeping his inner circle happy, but many believed it was also because Zhigunov pushed for radical reforms to the Braznych system, including the separation of religion and state, the granting of rights to other sapient species, embracing technology and turning backs to the old tradition of magic, and legally permitting same-sex activity within the country. These reforms — seen by many people like Sergey, destroyed the nation. For them, Zhigunov destroyed the authenticity of Braznych culture. Zhigunov sold the nation to foreign ideals. Zhigunov destroyed the Zaltava Dynasty, and by extension, the idea of Braznychia as a nation.

And so, many people would make attempts on Zhigunov’s life. One of them was Savrasov himself, taking part in a massive plot to assassinate Zhigunov while he was visiting the city of Kreszov. Unfortunately, a government spy had infiltrated their ranks, foiling their plan and he along with all of his comrades involved in the plot was soon executed.

The death of Savrasov deeply affected Timoshenko. He viewed Marcus as his only true friend, who had been there for him all these years, and who he accompanied in return. Even as children, they always played together, and spent hours with each other.

He was inconsolable.
He slowly began to isolate himself from society, wandering off into the wilderness for days at a time.

On this particular night, Sergey found himself sitting alone on the same hill where both of them used to play. In front of him lay a single candle and a single rose, a silent tribute to the man he valued the most. As he sat there silently, he recalls the time when both of them were still young, playing in the vast steppe.

The wind blows across the Braznych Steppe. Nomadic herders roam the steppe, with their huge flocks of sheep. Marcus and Sergey sit on a hill, overlooking the area.

Marcus: Hey Serge!, I bet you cant beat me down this hill!
Sergey: We'll see about that. Race you there.

The two gather at the top of the path that leads down the hill. "3..2..1, GO!!"
Marcus and Sergey run down the hill as fast as they could go, jumping over numerous obstacles on the way. In the end, Sergey ended up winning the race, and both of them laughed as they reached the bottom. A herdsman approached them, looking annoyed. "Shhh...quiet. You're scaring the sheep!"

Marcus and Sergey look at the man with terror, and quickly run from the area, chuckling as they dash away.

Fifteen years later. The Zaltava-Ogura war breaks out, and Marcus told Sergey that he was being drafted to the military. Sergey was devastated, as this meant this may be the last time he would see him again. Nevertheless, he said his goodbyes, and hugged him one last time.

"I will always remember our time together. And the cool winds of the steppe we call home."

Marcus boards a train and leaves, leaving Sergey alone. He had no one to turn to, as his parents had abandoned him when he was 2 years old. He was taken in by a herder family in Xanakva, before they and their entire flock died in a snowstorm. He was truly isolated, and was lonely without Marcus.

Five years had passed, and Sergey never heard from Marcus. Not a single letter. He began to think that he was dead. Until one morning, Marcus arrived back home, much to Sergey's delight.

"You're finally home!", Sergey exclaims!

The two hug each other for the first time in five years. "I missed you, old friend", said Marcus.

From that day on, Sergey would embark on a mission to avenge his dear friend, and finally mold the Braznychia of his dreams. His ideal nation. He was going to do what many before him could not. An endeavor that cost people’s lives. He was going to assassinate Zhigunov.

The following day, Sergey stocked up on weapons, and set off for the capital, Zaltava. He had received news that Zhigunov would be giving a speech in the city’s main square in celebration of a major national holiday, and he was going to be there, waiting.

The day came. Zhigunov had ascended the elevated rostrum that overlooked the large crowd standing before him. He straightens his suit and adjusts his posture, before beginning his speech.

“People of-”

He wasnt even able to get the first sentence out of his mouth when a loud gunshot was heard echoing throughout the area. Zhigunov collapsed to the ground, the bullet penetrating his skull, and was soon pronounced dead.

The assassination of Zhigunov sent shockwaves throughout the nation. For many of his supporters, it was devastating news, the assassination of one of Braznychia’s best leaders. While for his opponents, it was a somber yet necessary event to steer the nation into a new direction. One that would hopefully be better than the nation of yesterday.

Oh how they were so wrong.

Due to Sergey's assassination of Premier Zhigunov, the nation fell into anarchy and chaos. The rule of the Zaltava Dynasty had ended in a flash, and along with it, the nation’s many different ethnic minorities, who had long been treated as second-class citizens under Zaltavan rule found themselves free. And not just free, in a position to secure power for themselves in a new Braznychia — one radically different from the one that had preceded it. Multiple factions from all across the nation rose up and took arms, scrambling to gain power during the sudden power vacuum and establish a regime of their own, leading to the Braznychian State's collapse in 918AR, being divided between a series of rebel states and independent warlords.

It was a day which would live on in infamy within the annals of Braznych history. All over Braznychia, people awoke on the morning of the 10th of March, to find that they were now living under a completely different state, or under the rule of a single warlord. Sergey had unintentionally plunged the nation into chaos, and in the process, destroyed the nation he had so desperately tried to save.

There’s no undoing time now.
The Zaltava Dynasty has fallen.
A new Braznychia is being born.

For now, the nation erupts into the biggest civil war seen in it's history. The Braznychian People fight amongst themselves, for the whims and dreams of their overlords.