//Hi! I was wondering, was Ravka at war before the Darkling created the Fold? If so, how serious was the war? Was Ravka on the losing side, the winning side, or just barely hanging on (like the situation during Shadow and Bone)? Thanks!

Ravka has had periods of war and periods of peace, but it has never been particularly friendly with its neighbors. Borders and alliances were constantly shifting. Sometimes Ravka came out on top and gained territory and treasure. Sometimes it was on the losing side.

The Fold marked the beginning of a long, slow decline for Ravka. It made the country vulnerable by robbing it of its coastline and limiting trade—putting it in a kind of economic stranglehold that the country’s enemies were eager to capitalize on. The situation was made worse by the fact that, instead of finding new ways to wage war, the monarchy relied heavily on a ready supply of largely expendable serf soldiers (First Army) and the Grisha (Second Army). By the time the action begins at the start of Shadow and Bone, Ravka is facing a tipping point. Advances in weaponry have become a very real threat to Grisha power, and First Army ranks have been thinned by constant war and careless leadership. As you put it, they’re “just barely hanging on.”