Kaunian Empire

The Kaunian Empire was an ancient superpower in eastern Derlavai ruled by Kaunians. At its height, the Kaunian Empire included the Kaunian lands of Valmiera and Jelgava as well as Algarve, Sibiu, Forthweg, Yanina, and even the western tip of Kuusamo in what would later become Lagoas (a kingdom whose inhabitants, culture, and language were all heavily affected by their contact with ancient Kaunian colonists.) The Empire never annexed Ortah, which was protected by its harsh mountainous terrain, or Zuwayza, whose unforgiving desert made conquest impractical. The Empire never extended into Unkerlant or Gyongyos. It eventually collapsed under pressure from Algarvian tribes growing in military and sorcerous strength, but its influence in Derlavai's classical culture is still obvious today.