General information (Pre-Great war):
Demonym: Gordionari
Capital: Calyphos
Key cities: Goryn and Messa
Official language: Phoraki
Total population: 164,637,272
Total land area: 1,812,992 km²
Currency: Varn
Government: Migratory Nest-Council Confederation
The Presidential Relic (FREEDOM):
I stood with my feet on the ground, looking up at the sky, wondering how I could fly freely like those birds. The sky was so vast and unknown, and I wanted to explore it all. I had always dreamed of becoming a free spirit, with nothing to worry about and nothing to fear.
When I looked at others, I wondered whether they were happy. Were they enjoying their lives, or were they simply existing through each day, repeating the same patterns until the moment their lives no longer functioned? Was that a waste? Should I blame them, or did they simply have no other choice? Would I become one of them, absorbed into the same endless line, continuing to exist without ever asking why?
Am I allowed to be free in a world where certainty and obedience are expected? It is my fear, an irrational fear that I should never have had.
I looked into the sky, so vast and beautiful, knowing that I would never be part of it.
I never belonged anywhere.
~ ~ ~ SIGNAL LOST ~ ~ ~
[WHO AM I IF I NEVER BE EXPECTED?]
> _
On a sunny day, when there was no cloud, on [UNAUTHORIZED VIEWING], an unannounced meeting between [THE FOLLOWING HAS BEEN CENSORED FOR YOUR SAFETY]. The [█▉▇▆▅▃] was giving a 'CON_CO_CONCEPT' of 𝗳̶𝗿̶𝗲̶𝗲̶𝗱̶𝗼̶𝗺̶ to [ENTITY NOT FOUND]. Reminding him to hold it carefully and never let it go. The meeting ended in success without any trouble. The [REDACTED] never return from the meeting.
> FATAL ERROR
Ontological status: Although there is still no confirmation of the existence of any communities, it is believed that survivors may have managed to settle on extremely high stone pillars. Further investigations are currently ongoing.
About Gordionis:
𔒝 The landscape of Gordionis is famous for its gigantic rock pillars, many stretching up to 1,000 kilometers high. Entire cities and settlements are built directly onto these towering stone spires.
𔒝 Gordionis is often called "The Land of Birds." More than 20,000 bird species live across the nation, with many found nowhere else in the world.
𔒝 Birds are not just companions in Gordionis - they are also part of the military. Specially trained giant birds carry soldiers through the skies during battle.
𔒝 The world-famous Silverwater originates from the rock pillars of Gordionis. The water is naturally purified through layers of stone and is prized for its crystal clarity and smooth mineral taste.
𔒝 According to ancient Gordionari beliefs, their people were once birds themselves. Their wings were taken away to challenge them to survive and grow without flight.
𔒝 Because most citizens live thousands of meters above the ground, fear of heights is extremely rare in Gordionis. Free-falling sports and aerial activities are among the nation's most popular развлечments.
𔒝 Birds are one of the most common pets in Gordionis. Some species are intelligent enough to imitate human speech almost perfectly.
𔒝 The legendary Kelbrath Forest, known as "The Bird Nest," is considered the national symbol of Gordionis. Scientists estimate the forest alone is home to more than 29 million birds.
Brief modern history:
I. AFTERMATH OF THE LANTERN WAR AND EARLY INSTABILITY (1201–1202)
Although Gordionis emerged victorious in the Lantern War, the state suffered heavily afterward. Its entire northern region sustained extensive damage, and the cost of reparations was immense. The state had been unstable before the war due to governmental disagreements; after the war, this situation worsened significantly. Conflicts between security forces and civilians became constant, leading to martial law, heavy suppression, and widespread surveillance - which further fueled citizens' anger.
II. THE MANTARAN MOVEMENT AND FRAGMENTATION (1202–1203)
On 11 May 1202, the Mantaran Movement rose in the center of the state, declaring secession from Gordionis. Within a month, multiple other movements followed, causing Gordionis to collapse into a fragmented civil war. Five factions emerged; the conflict became known as the Knot War starting 21 June.
On 2 September, Mantaran launched the Southern Expedition to unite the entire South and South-Eastern regions by destroying Tarkun and Fordoi respectively. The offensive failed due to poor coordination, negligence among commanders, and overly ambitious goals. Mantaran adopted a defensive strategy beginning 20 January 1203.
Between 2 March and 9 April, the Battle of Sarnonli was fought between Tarkun and Bastrai from the North-West. Bastrai's victory opened opportunities to advance southward. Mantaran, after a period of defense, launched an advance toward Tarkess in the North-East. Their victory at the Battle of Brygessos (6–21 February 1203) allowed further advancement before halting due to logistic limitations.
III. OPERATION PAPER KNIFE AND INTERNAL CONFLICT (1204–1205)
Operation Paper Knife, conducted by Bastrai, pushed Mantaran, Tarkun, and Tarkess apart in two phases: 12 February–19 October 1204 and 16 December 1204–30 March 1205. During the first phase, Bastrai achieved moderate territorial gains but halted due to internal conflicts among officials.
This disagreement precipitated the Vardvssia Massacre, led by Kallion Moryn, where over 40,000 individuals of all ages were killed as punishment for opposing the regime. The massacre also included non-affiliated individuals swept up as a shock tactic. However, this caused massive further uprisings. Kallion was executed by the people, and Oryphon Kassar replaced him on 5 November 1204. Kassar continued Operation Paper Knife despite an unstable regime, leading to heavy losses in the second phase and weakening the regime further. The operation also exhausted Mantaran and Tarkun forces, resulting in deadlock through 1204.
IV. FORDOI'S MILITARY ADVANCES AND THE UNIFICATION OF THE SOUTH (1205–1206)
Unaffected by ongoing operations, Fordoi strengthened its military and launched a surprise attack on Tarkun on 8 June 1205. Fordoi captured Melgari and aggressively advanced deeper into Tarkun territory. Following a devastating defeat at the Battle of Vorrain - after two months of defense (6 August–4 October 1205) - Tarkun surrendered. The South became united under Fordoi's control, which then continued advancing northward aiming to unify the entire nation in 1206.
V. CONTINUED CONFLICT AND KEY BATTLES IN THE NORTH (1206–1208)
On 1 February 1206, Fordoi attacked the northern region, prompting remaining factions to form a united front.
Battle of Akmana (14 May–10 July 1206): First breakthrough for Fordoi after months of stalemate.
Battle of Kelainon (21 January–9 April 1207): Longest and most intense battle of the civil war. The Mantaran regime collapsed here - a major turning point.
Gordavan Offensive (10 July–11 December 1207): The united front's last attempt to reverse the situation. It initially succeeded but ultimately failed due to exhaustion and heavy losses.
Sabazra, Bastrai's headquarters, fell on 6 March 1208, marking the collapse of the united front. On 9 May 1208, the state was officially united under Fordoi's regime.
VI. RECONSTRUCTION AND EXTERNAL CONFLICTS (1208–1226)
Under Fordoi's government, the nation entered reconstruction, stability enhancement, and cultural development. On 10 July 1219, Gordionis engaged in a short conflict with Pyrrhassa lasting four weeks in Akmorion. Two years later, on 13 August 1221, a Pyrrhassa-Rauvolgava coalition harassed the borders, conflicts lasting about a month before a ceasefire proposal. Although close to full-scale war, military official Dorephos Maelor persuaded the government to delay the declaration.
VII. OLYSSARA TYMBRALE'S LEADERSHIP AND EXPANSION (1226–1267)
Elected on 20 June 1226, Olyssara Tymbrale's leadership marked the Olyssara Era, during which Gordionis expanded its influence in Central Eldervale. The state enhanced weaponry, built border forts, and issued threats to enemies.
6 December 1226: Gordionis declared war on Pyrrhassa and Rauvolgava - the First Red Match War.
17 January 1227: Victory at Beroigai (Pyrrhassa) after a three-week offensive enabled massive advances into enemy territory.
3 May 1227: Meduvia (Rauvolgava) fell, benefiting from Gordionis's logistical advantage. The advance halted at the Ezeris River.
Matar-Zerya Campaign (20 August 1227): Aimed to capture enemy capitals. Gordionis captured Rauvolgava's capital, Kriv-ava, on 2 January 1228, imposing surrender shortly afterward.
12 January 1228: Pyrrhassa's capital, Aloros, fell. Both states surrendered by 15 February.
Gordionis annexed sizable territories: Almopia, Orestis districts, and half of Beroigai from Pyrrhassa, establishing a pro-Gordionis government in southern Pyrrhassa. Also annexed were Vanddau, Gira, and Baltasenis bureaus from Northwest Rauvolgava.
Between 12 May and 30 June 1228, Olyssara ordered massive suppression and massacres of opposition, eliminating an estimated 20,000 people, their corpses fed to birds. On 10 July, Olyssara established the Warden, a specialized surveillance unit over occupied zones, notorious for brutality and efficiency.
VIII. REGIONAL INTERVENTIONS AND GROWING INFLUENCE (1234–1255)
In 1234, Gordionis intervened militarily in Lugranda and Nav Kushti Rati - regions at war with Kernevel and Sunnental-Grienwetter Alliance - increasing its influence in Seluca and Falken. Concurrently, Gordionis intervened in the Montic and Tarmicos civil war. In 1245, Olyssara introduced the Prosperity Mandate doctrine, proclaiming Gordionis's destiny as the most influential power in Eldervale. In 1246, the state intervened in the Kelpiekerk civil war. Between 1245–1255, Gordionis engaged in limited warfare against Askalton, intensifying hostilities and nearing full-scale war.
IX. MILITARY REORGANIZATION AND COUP ATTEMPT (1254–1267)
The Stability Measures (9 May–20 June) forced many military officials to resign, replaced by loyalists, strengthening executive military power. On 6 July, a coup attempt by military officials Kotiys Gordiun and Bagayos Tiyes to remove Olyssara failed after four days of violence; the conspirators were executed and publicly disposed of. Olyssara Tymbrale died on 8 August 1267 after years of pneumonia, ending her influential era.
X. POLITICAL DISPUTES AND SUBSEQUENT WARS (1267–1274)
After Olyssara's death, a political dispute arose primarily between Aktoris Melydon and Zerkan Phalydees, lasting years without clear outcome. In July 1268, multiple uprisings in occupied zones declared independence. Aktoris dispatched troops without approval, reconquering territories and declaring war on Pyrrhassa and Rauvolgava on 12 July - the Second Red Match War.
The war ended in devastating defeat. Gordionis lost both colonies within two years. The defeat at Pelathra (Pyrrhassa) on 3 August 1269 was catastrophic: 70,000 Gordionari were besieged; fewer than 800 survived via the Setkos River. Gordionis surrendered on 27 March 1270, bearing heavy devastation and reparations. Aktoris was forced to resign, branded a 'humiliation of the nation.' Zerkan became the next leader, calling for calm and promising to restore Gordionis's glory.
XI. WAR WITH CLOUD GARDEN AND RENEWED EXPANSION (1272–1274)
On 18 October 1272, Gordionis entered total war against the Cloud Garden.
Operation Eidon (28 December 1272–7 March 1273): Aimed to capture most southern regions of Askalton and Pyrrhassa. Partial success in southern Pyrrhassa was achieved, but the Askalton front remained unchanged.
Battle of Moroglad (Pyrrhassa):v Concluded on 21 November after three months. The massive deployment of one million Aornakos troops (soldiers equipped with 'wings' for flight as secondary air assets) marked the biggest such operation in Gordionis during the previous century.
Following consolidation on the Cloud Garden front, Gordionis declared war on Rauvolgava on 30 November 1273. Victory at Tarshyn (Rauvolgava) on 2 February 1274 enabled deeper territorial advances. Rauvolgava surrendered on 27 May after the fall of Kriv-ava, leading to annexation of Vanddau, Gira, and Baltasenis bureaus. After a crushing defeat at Pelagor on 13 February, Gordionis launched a two-month offensive, weakening Pyrrhassa significantly. Pyrrhassa surrendered after three months of battle on 5 May 1274. Gordionis annexed Almopia, Orestis districts, and all of Beroigai city. A white peace was agreed with Askalton on 6 May - the last Golden Syndicate member to sign peace with Cloud Garden.
XII. INTERNAL REPRESSION AND THE RED MILLSTONE TRAGEDY (1280–1285)
Annexed territories experienced uprisings from 1280 to 1285, brutally suppressed. The Red Millstone Tragedy (1281–1283) involved continuous public executions by the Warden. The government aimed to erase entire races deemed non-Gordionari. Targets included protectors, movement leaders, and civilians of all ages and genders, using terror tactics: destruction of buildings, drug release, misinformation, torture, and isolation. Estimated deaths exceeded 250,000, possibly higher. The government accepted responsibility, using this massacre as a deterrent against enemies.
XIII. THE SECOND GREAT WAR OF ELDERVALE - GORDIONIS THEATRE (1291–1294)
With the onset of the Second Great War, Gordionis fought on three fronts after Rauvolgava declared war on the state on 2 December, 1291 and Cloud Garden on 6, January, 1292, initially adopting defensive strategies due to incomplete army reforms begun in 1289.
Battle of Golyava (Rauvolgava ) (4 April–6 August 1292): Prolonged and carnage, allowing Rauvolgava to regain lost lands.
Battle of Karsandria (Rauvolgava) (12 October 1292–2 January 1293): Expanded Rauvolgava's influence on the front.
1293: Gordionis fully deployed Aornakos troops to initiate blitz warfare. After months of defense, Gordionis launched comprehensive offensives through Matarian Operation and Operation Attagron, gaining control over the majority of Southern Pyrrhassa.
8 November 1293: The fall of Pelagoni (Pyrrhassa) forced Pyrrhassa's surrender; remnants remained active under Askalton command.
The "Above the Clouds" campaign involved 100 days of attempts to break through Askalton defenses, with thousands of Aornakos deployed in suicide attacks carrying explosives. Fronts remained chaotic with numerous suicide attacks and aerial troop support but no major breakthroughs. On the Rauvolgava front, similar tactics with suicide bombers and bird-backed soldiers were employed.
Battle of Yalven (Rauvolgava) (8 May 1294): The final and most destructive confrontation, resulting in destruction of the city though its capture remained unachieved.
Following the Pax of Seraphic announcement in June, Gordionis ceased advances and signed the treaty on 5 July 1294. Although the state lost all annexed territories, widespread dissent and protests against the government's acceptance of peace erupted, escalating to violent clashes with security forces.
XIV. POLITICAL TURMOIL AND MILITARY INVOLVEMENT (1294–1300)
Zerkan resigned under pressure, leading to a power vacuum. The military increasingly intervened in politics amid continued leadership disputes. From 1294 to 1300, over twelve leaders were replaced, with legislative paralysis and institutional conflicts rising. Neighboring states Nav Kushti Rati and Lugranda intervened to stabilize Gordionis.
XV. STABILIZATION UNDER AZZAR MITYLOS (1300–1325)
On 12 May 1300, Azzar Mitylos led a bloodless coup with his party Vardum Brygaret (VB), gradually stabilizing the state. By 1304, Azzar consolidated power by eliminating rivals, even within his own party. In 1312, he established the Anti-Corruption Commission to oversee political figures. In September 1320, he created the Nithori, a secret police force. Despite successes, Azzar's harsh policies provoked opposition and interventions by other Golden Syndicate members. Azzar died mysteriously on 29 March 1325; Sabarian Midaion succeeded him.
XVI. LATER DEVELOPMENTS AND PREPARATION FOR THE THIRD GREAT WAR (1340 onward)
Sabarian resigned for health reasons on 20 May 1340; Arzenos Kydragon assumed leadership. On 9 March 1346, an unexplained earthquake caused multiple stone pillars to fall, killing 900 people. Arzenos reactivated and expanded the Prosperity Mandate. Gordionis continued military development and expansion in preparation for the anticipated Third Great War.
Ideology: Avian Liberalism
Avian Liberalism, or Aviarism, is a political ideology built on the metaphor of a bird in flight - uncaged yet not chaotic. Birds follow air currents, respect seasons, build nests, and migrate together, but each flies its own path. Freedom, in this view, is not the absence of all rules but the absence of unnecessary constraints on one's nature; no one may be caged (imprisoned, coerced, or silenced) except to prevent direct harm to another's flight. The state is conceived as a light wind, not a handler, and freedom means becoming one's actual species of bird rather than a generic model. Society must remove social, economic, and cultural barriers that force conformity - such as dress codes, gender roles, compulsory education curricula, and zoning that blocks communal nesting. Aviarism guarantees universal basic shelter, healthcare, and nutrition not as charity but as a precondition for flight. There is no duty to join a flock, but flocking is protected when voluntary; forced collectivism is rejected, yet atomization is not celebrated. Because large-scale private ownership of essential roosting spaces (housing, water access, flyway-adjacent land) creates de facto cages for those who cannot afford entry, Aviarism imposes usufruct only: land used is land held, and disuse forfeits claim after one migratory season (one year). No absentee landlordism is permitted - ownership requires physical presence or active stewardship - and communities have right of first refusal for any habitat sale. This is not collectivism; small personal nests remain sacred, but property cannot be used to cage others through rent extraction. Freedom ends where a beak closes on another's throat, so Aviarism forbids all forms of slavery, indentures, or labor contracts longer than one molting season, as well as physical punishment by any authority and psychological coercion. Every bird has one small space that no other may enter without explicit, revocable permission: the nest. Birds molt, and humans may reinvent themselves without penalty; thus, no permanent records of past offenses are kept after restitution, no lifetime bans from professions exist, and society must allow periodic shedding of reputation, debt through fair bankruptcy, and social roles. To be free like a bird is to be able to change plumage without being hunted.