In ancient times, Novaria was divided into three kingdoms. This era was ended by an invasion by nomads of Shven, precipitating a dark age from which the present twelve city-states gradually coalesced. Among the earliest to emerge were Kortoli, Othomae, and Aussar. Finjanius, a reforming king of Kortoli, reigned just after the end of the dark age. The city-states were united only once in their history, by the conqueror Ardyman the Terrible of Govannion. Ardyman's chief legacy was Ir, the capital he built for his empire, a mostly subterranean city delved and carved out of living rock. But, after his death the realm fell apart and the cities regained their independence, with Ir becoming one more among them. In Kortoli, after it threw off Ardyman's yoke, ruled the legendary line of kings which included Fusas, Fusor, Forbonian, Forimar the Esthete, Fusonio, Filoman the Well-Meaning, and Fusinian the Fox.