The Empire

[Esterlen 4499]

 

 

THE HOLY ORENIAN EMPIRE

“We were born from the very ashes of the Old Kingdom of Oren. We are the heirs to Horen and and have continued Him by this Empire.”

 

 

 

 

CONTENTS

1. GOVERNMENT

2. LISTS OF NOBILITY AND GENTRY

3. IMPERIAL BUREAUCRACY AND FUNCTIONARIES

4. STYLES AND TITLE USAGE

5. THE MEMOIR

 

1. GOVERNMENT

The government of Oren is an absolute, autocratic monarchy with the monarch acting as the head of state with ultimate authority. Consequently, the laws of succession are those of agnatic primogeniture - the throne passes to the eldest male.

 

REIGNING EMPEROR

 

His Imperial Majesty JOHN I FREDERICK of the House of Horen, by the Grace of GOD, Holy Orenian Emperor and rightful Emperor of Aeldin, forever August, Apostolic King in Oren, of Savoy, Westphalia, Kaedrin, Haense, Renatus and Salvus, Defender of the Faith, Grand Duke of Kaedrin, Duke of the Crownlands, Carimea, Erochland, Kingston and Leone, Margrave of Greater Kreden, Count of Felsen, Louvain, Beauclair, Wett and Metz, Sovereign of Humanity and Protector of the Elves, etcetera.

 

 

THE IMPERIAL PRIVY COUNCIL

The Imperial Privy Council advises and aids the monarch in rule.

 

 

Imperial Archchancellor: His Excellency, Lord Adrian of House Horen-Rothesay

• The Imperial Archchancellor is marked by the Signet of St. Wilfriche. He charged to insure its stability and prosperity of the realm as its chief diplomat and minister. He wields penultimate authority in the Empire and is charged to preserve the crown and monarchy by all means possible, including in matters of succession.

Seneschal of the Crown: His Excellency, Lord Yuri of House Vladov

• The Seneschal of the Crown is marked by the Signet of St. Daniel. He is charged as the keeper of the crownlands and the capital works, responsible for its civil projects, construction and defense.

Lord State Treasurer: His Excellency, Count Vespasian of the House de Sola

• The Lord State Treasurer is marked by the Signet of St. Tobias. He is charged as master of coin and coffer, responsible for managing the crown’s finances and allocating funding to public works.

Lord Great Viceroy: His Excellency, Duke Arthur of the House of Roswell

• The Lord Great Viceroy is marked by the Signet of St. Thomas. He is charged to oversee and insure the fealty of the Imperial provinces and overseas territories.

High Magistrate: His Excellency, Lord Denis of the House of Ashford de Bar

• The High Magistrate is marked by the Signet of St. Lucien. He is charged to update and codify Imperial law and oversee Imperial courts, delivering just judgement to those convicted of capital offences.

High Chamberlain: His Excellency, Edmond Cross

• The High Chamberlain is marked by the Signet of St. Godwein. He is charged to act as chief herald and keeper of the King’s court and household, managing the palace as well as its audiences.

High Admiral: His Excellency, Count Jan of the House of Kovacs

• The High Admiral is marked by the Signet of St. Edmond. He is charged to oversee the Imperial navy and any naval operation.

Lord Privy Seal: His Excellency, Stephen de Beaufort

• The Lord Privy Seal is marked by the Signet of St. Adrian. He is charged to keep the monarch’s wax seal and draft his legislation.

 

And, in an Honorary Capacity;

 

Metropolitan of Felsen and the Crownlands: His Eminence, Metropolitan Charles Henry Polycarp of the House of Horen

• The Metropolitan of the Crownlands, appointed by His Holiness, the High Pontiff of the Church of Canon, sits in council advising the Emperor on theological matters. He is additionally charged with maintaining the Diocese of the Crownlands.

 

2. LISTS OF NOBILITY AND GENTRY

The nobility and gentry of the realm serve the Emperor in ministering his provinces and peoples. In turn for their able service to the Empire, they are recognized with great honors and titles. All nobility of the realm attain their titles solely by imperial assent.

 

IMPERIAL ROYALTY

• The imperial family is the crux of the Empire as it provides monarchs of righteous birth. The Imperial Line of Horen acts as the Imperial House of the Empire.

 

His Imperial Majesty the Holy Orenian Emperor John I Frederick

His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince John Sigismund, Prince of Alstion

His Imperial Highness the Prince Alexander Louis, Duke of Marna

Her Imperial Highness the Princess-consort Aurelia (nee de Bar), Duchess of Marna

His Imperial Highness the Prince John Henry of Marna

His Imperial Highness the Prince Robert Frederick of Marna

Her Imperial Highness the Princess Philippa Maria, Countess of Lewes

His Imperial Highness the Prince Charles Francis, Duke of Furnestock and Lorraine

Her Imperial Highness the Princess Charlotte Sophia

Her Imperial Highness the Princess Catherine Francesca

Her Imperial Highness the Princess Eleanor Julia

His Excellency the Pentarch Edward Jrent of Istria, Marquis of Guise

His Excellency John Jrent of Peremont

 

PRINCELY NOBILITY

• The princely nobility consists of those who lord over sovereign principalities; an honor doled solely to the direct line House Ashford de Savoie, for delivering themselves before the Emperor.

 

His Serene Highness, Prince Gereon of the House of Ashford de Savoie

His Serenity, Prince Leufroy of the House of Ashford de Savoie

His Serenity, Prince Charles of the House of Ashford de Savoie

 

DUKES AND DUCHESSES

• The ducal nobility make up the great lords of the realms. They lord over vast swaths of land rife with lesser nobles sworn to their banner and are traditionally regarded to be the highest ranking peers to the emperor. The family of a duke is known as a great house.

 

His Imperial Highness the Prince Charles Francis, Duke of Furnestock and Lorraine

His Grace, the Duke of Carnatia, Otto of the House of Sarkozy

His Grace, the Duke of Istria, Arthur of the House of Roswell

His Grace, the Duke of Courland, Percival of the House of Staunton

 

MARQUISES/MARGRAVES AND MARCHIONESSES/MARGRAVINES

• A marquis or a margrave is a greater lord ranking between count and duke who lords over a border province often with significant military or strategic importance. The family of a marquis/margrave are considered to be a noble house.

 

COUNTS AND COUNTESSES

• The comital nobility lord over notable estates, though they often lack the extensive network of vassals and immediacy to the crown afforded to a duke. They intermediate between greater and lesser nobility and often provide various niches to the Empire. The family of a count is known as a noble house.

 

The Right Honorable Count of Krinfrid, Rheinalt of the House of Krinfrid

The Right Honorable Count of Drusco, Adrian of the House of Ashford de Bar

The Right Honorable Count of Lewes, Vespasian of the House de Sola

The Right Honorable Count of Kvaz, Jan of the House of Kovacs

The Right Honorable Count of Saintois and Baranya, Josef of the House of Vladov

VISCOUNTS AND VISCOUNTESSES

• Technically equal in authority to the baronial class, viscounts are afforded their title often due to noble lineage or extraordinary feats which mark them distinct from their peers, ranking them somewhere between baron and count. The family of a viscount is known as a noble house.

 

The Honorable Viscount of Rothesay, Adrian of the House of Horen-Rothesay

 

BARONS AND BARONESSES

• The baronial nobility consist of the lesser lords of the Empire, often in both pedigree and ability, possessing of a single holding. The family of a baron is known as a masterly house.

 

His Lordship, the Baron of Maecht, Godwine of the House of Horen-Maecht

Her Ladyship, the Baroness of Wett, Ingrid of the House of Ashford-Savoie de Wett

His Lordship, the Baron of Rennes, Aymer of the House of Fournier

His Lordship, the Baron of Nessvelt, Rhys of the House of Roke

His Lordship , the Baron of Castriota, Nikon of the House of Vladov

 

KNIGHTS

• Soldiers of capability and chivalry can be annointed as landed knights and gentry in the Empire. Their positions are not hereditary and their sons must squire in order to stand to inherit their benefices. This listing does not include holy knights, who are granted their title solely by the High Pontiff. The family of a knight is known as gentry, however they are not regarded officially as nobility.

 

Ser Drake Lancefeld

Ser Aulfr af Eklund

Ser Vulpes Roke

Ser Athirius Roke

Ser Drevin de Sarkozy

Ser Bryce Horen-Vimmark

Ser Denis de Bar

Ser Aymer Fournier

Ser Arthur Roswell

Ser Markus Aveere

Ser Edward of Istria

Ser Alexander Helvetius

Ser Aster Stonne

Ser Caspar de Gueux

Ser Brann of Ashebourne

Ser Foltest of Aeldin

 

 

1. IMPERIAL BUREAUCRACY AND FUNCTIONARIES

The Holy Orenian Empire is reliant on various state run institutions in order to sustain and empower itself. These bureaucracies and functionaries are sponsored by the Emperor and his councils in order to better govern the state.

 

 

 

THE IMPERIAL EMBASSY

The Imperial Embassy refers to the diplomatic service of the Empire, chiefed by the Imperial Archchancellor. It consists of the handful of Imperial representatives and ambassadors sent to the various sovereign courts of the civilised world, where they are expected to negotiate and serve the Emperor’s interests through pen and spoken word.

 

Imperial Ambassador to the Tsardom of Urguan: Viscount Bryce Vimmark

Imperial Ambassador to the Caliphate: Viscount Adrian Horen-Rothesay

Imperial Ambassador to the Orcish Warnation: Duke Augustus d'Amaury

 

THE IMPERIAL CROWN EXCHEQUER

The Imperial Crown Exchequer consists of stewards, tax-collectors, and merchants who influence tax policy and commerce in the Empire. Headed by the Seneschal who is aided in this office by the Lord State Treasurer, the Crown Exchequer aids in managing crown revenues, capital administration, and distribution of urban properties.

 

1. STYLES AND TITLE USAGE

Certain rules follow for each rank of nobility. These rules pertain to forms of address and proper use of titling, and make up the backbone of formalized court protocol.

 

In the Holy Orenian Empire there are certain honorific prefixes that are added to the front of a person’s formal title. The current honorific prefixes that can be attained are as follows and ranked in order of importance and magnitude:

 

His Imperial Majesty/Her Imperial Majesty (HIM) - The reigning Emperor/Empress and their respective consort.

His Imperial Highness/Her Imperial Highness (HIH) - The immediate bloodline (Siblings, children and grandchildren) of the Emperor, who style themselves Imperial Princes/Princesses. The consort of an Imperial Prince is entitled to style themselves Imperial Princess by virtue of her husband, however the consort of an Imperial Princess is not entitled to style themselves Imperial Prince by virtue of his wife.

His Serene Highness/Her Serene Highness (HSH) - The reigning Sovereign Prince of Savoy and their respective consort.

His Serenity/Her Serenity (HS) - The immediate bloodline (Siblings, children and grandchildren) of the reigning Sovereign Prince of Savoy, who style themselves Princes/Princesses.

His Exalted Grace (HEG) - The elected Magnate of Kaedrin. His consort is not entitled to any titles.

His Grace/Her Grace (HG) - A reigning duke/duchess within the Holy Orenian Empire and their consort.

The Right Honorable (The Rt. Hon) - A reigning count/countess within the Holy Orenian Empire.

The Honorable (The Hon) - A reigning viscount/viscountess within the Holy Orenian Empire, however the eldest male child and heir of a duke/duchess or count/countess is also entitled to this prefix.

His Lordship/Her Ladyship - A reigning baron or baroness.

 

Specific rules for each rank are noted as follows:

 

IMPERIAL FAMILY AND GOVERNMENT

 

Emperors

Style: His Imperial Majesty (For full title, see beginning of this manuscript)

Letter Salutation: Your Imperial Majesty

Oral Address: Your Imperial Majesty, and thereafter as Majesty or Sire.

 

Empresses

Style: Her Imperial Majesty

Letter Salutation: Your Imperial Majesty

Oral Address: Your Imperial Majesty, and thereafter as Majesty or Ma’am

 

Imperial Princes (A brother, son or grandson of the Emperor)

Style: His Imperial Highness, the Prince

Letter Salutation: Your Imperial Highness

Oral Address: Your Imperial Highness, and thereafter as Sir

 

Imperial Princesses (A sister, daughter or granddaughter of the Emperor and the consort of an Imperial Prince)

Style: Her Imperial Highness, the Princess

Letter Salutation: Your Imperial Highness

Oral Address: Your Imperial Highness, and thereafter as Ma’am

 

Imperial Privy Councillor (Precedes all other titles held)

Style: His Imperial Excellency, the [Office]

Letter Salutation: Your Excellency

Oral Address: Your Excellency, and thereafter as My lord or Sir

 

PRINCELY NOBILITY

 

Sovereign Princes

Style: His Serene Highness, the Sovereign Prince

Letter Salutation: Your Serene Highness

Oral Address: Your Serene Highness, and thereafter as Sir or My lord

 

Sovereign Princesses
Style: Her Serene Highness, the Sovereign Princess

Letter Salutation: Your Serene Highness

Oral Address: Your Serene Highness, and thereafter as Ma’am or My lady

 

Prince (A brother, son or grandson of the Sovereign Prince)

Style: His Serenity

Letter Salutation: Your Serenity

Oral Address: Your Serenity, and thereafter as My lord

 

Princess (A sister, daughter or granddaughter of the Sovereign Prince and the consort of a Prince)
Style: Her Serenity

Letter Salutation: Your Serenity

Oral Address: Your Serenity, and thereafter as My lady

 

CLERGY

 

Pentarch

Style: His Eminence, the Pentarch [Surname]

Letter Salutation: Your Eminence

Oral Address: Your Eminence, and thereafter as Pentarch

 

Archbishop/Metropolitan

Style: The Most Reverend and Honorable, His Eminence, the Archbishop/Metropolitan of [Archbishopric/Metropolitanate]

Letter Salutation: Your Eminence

Oral Address: Your Eminence, and thereafter as My lord or Archbishop/Metropolitan

 

Bishop

Style: The Most Reverend, His Grace, the Bishop of [Bishopric]

Letter Salutation: Your Grace

Oral Address: Your Grace, and thereafter as My lord or Bishop

 

NOBILITY

 

Magnate (Used for the Magnate of Kaedrin only)

Style: His Exalted Grace, [Full name] the Magnate of Kaedrin

Letter Salutation: My Lord Magnate

Oral Address: Your Exalted Grace and thereafter My lord

 

Duke

Style: His Grace, the Duke of [Location]

Letter Salutation: My Lord Duke

Oral Address: Your Grace or My lord

 

Duchess

Style: Her Grace, the Duchess of [Location]

Letter Salutation: Madam

Oral Address: Your Grace or My lady

 

Count

Style: The Right Honorable Count of [Location]

Letter Salutation: My lord

Oral Address: My lord

 

Countess

Style: The Right Honorable Countess of [Location]

Letter Salutation: Madam

Oral Address: My lady

 

Viscount

Style: The Honorable Viscount of [Location]

Letter Salutation: My lord

Oral Address: My lord

 

Viscountess

Style: The Honorable Viscountess of [Location]

Letter Salutation: Madam

Oral Address: My lady

 

Baron

Style: His Lordship the Baron of [Location]

Letter Salutation: My lord

Oral address: My lord

 

Baroness

Style: Her Ladyship the Baroness of [Location]

Letter Salutation: My lady

Oral address: My lady

 

Knight

Style: Ser [Full name] the Knight of [Location]
Letter Salutation: Dear Ser

Oral Address: Ser

 

1. THE MEMOIR

The Memoir addresses past sovereigns who have had significant historical impact in the Empire or its predecessor states from the Phoenix Rebellion onwards.

 

THE KINGS OF AEGIS

The kings of Aegis are characterized by their disunity and nascent reigns, petty and primitive, teetering on tribalism.

 

HIS MAJESTY, GAIUS OF HOUSE MARIUS, KING OF HANSETI AND ALL EDEL

• The mystic founder of the Teutonic Order, King Gaius was fought against Iblees and human decadence, and his valor was so known that he was granted the crown of Oren by the decadent Sheffield dynasty. However, the local nobility of Oren were outraged at a foreigner being granted the title, and Oren split three-ways in the Pheonix Rebellion. He is a hero of Highlanders for his valor against the Undead and his restoration of Hansetic cultures.

HIS MAJESTY, EZEKIEL OF HOUSE TARUS, KING OF RENATUS AND ALL AAUN

• A Harrenite lordling in the Sheffield Kingdom, Ezekiel was raised by the Orenian nobility to oppose Gaius’ claim as King of Oren. An inept Harrenite King, his blundering led to Renatian’s downfall and near-extinction.

HER MAJESTY, DAWN OF HOUSE PEREA, QUEEN OF SALVUS

• A witch queen and rumored Saulician, Dawn and the old Sheffield and Perea royals took to exile from the bickering of Renatus and Hanseti to establish the kingdom of Salvus. A coalition led by Blessed Lorethos Basileus 'the Mage' succeeded in overthrowing her regime and delivering Salvus to the Prophet Godfrey in the realm of Asulon.

 

THE KINGS OF ASULON AND ANTHOS, PRE-EXODUS

It is by Godfrey’s hand that the realm was shaped into a righteous form of governance and where humanity began to establish itself as the dominant race among the descendents.

 

HIS IMPERIAL MAJESTY, THE PROPHET GODFREY OF HOUSE HOREN, HOLY ORENIAN EMPEROR

• The third Prophet of the Canon, Emperor Godfrey’s reign was characterized by the formation of the feudal state and resurrection of matters spiritual. He is universally regarded as Oren’s greatest Emperor for the splendor and prosperity associated with his reign.

HIS IMPERIAL MAJESTY, HOREN OF HOUSE HOREN, HOLY ORENIAN EMPEROR

• Godfrey’s firstborn, Horen was characterized by sociopathy and madness. A violent warrior-king whose most significant accomplishment was the annexation of the elven states, he lorded over humanity’s military apex but chose to abandon Oren to conquer the realm of Aeldin, leaving his thirdborn William to rule.

HIS MAJESTY, MORTON OF HOUSE DENUREM, KING OF HANSETI

• Whilst known by the heathen name of Mirtok by most, Canonist records have christened the vassal-king of Hanseti as Morton I. The last free king of Hanseti, Morton surrendered to Godfrey’s rule and became known as his primary military strategist. While a master of tactics, the Winter King was ill-suited for diplomacy with his noble peers, eventually entering a coalition war against House Flay, House Chivay, and House Carrion which spelled the demise of a legitimate Teutonic Order. He took to self-imposed exile in the midst of the war, ominously emerging multiple times to back pretenders and dissenters against the Oren throne. His last sighting was in 1477.

HIS MAJESTY, JOHN OF HOUSE BLACK, KING OF HANSETI

• Mirtok's successor, John ruled for a brief time after his King took to self-imposed exile. He suffered a crushing defeat in the Battle of the Dreadfort against House Flay and House Chivay and later died to the Black Scourge onslaught which took the Hansetian seat in the continent of Anthos, Castle Greywybn.

HIS MAJESTY, JAMES OF HOUSE HIGHTOWER, KING OF SALVUS

• A wild hedonist, James was afforded the Kingdom of Salvus after Dawn’s usurpation and ruled for over fifty years. His excesses are steeped in legend and disturbed much of the nobility; it was only after he wed and copulated with a dark elf that he was forced to abdicate to his firstborn, Garth.

 

THE KINGS OF ANTHOS, POST-EXODUS

The Exodus, spearheaded by Emperor Horen, was a mass migration of Oren nobility eastward. The vast power vacuum led to absolute anarchy which split Oren five-ways; unity and restoration was only resolved by the hand of the prophet Sigismund.

 

HIS IMPERIAL MAJESTY, WILLIAM OF HOUSE HOREN, HOLY ORENIAN EMPEROR

• The thirdborn son of Horen V, William was thrust into his throne during the Exodus, a period of utter anarchy. Political missteps and the betrayal of critical councillors left William forced to abdicate to Silus Horen. He later served the Second Empire as Spymaster, Chancellor, and a Count.

HIS MAJESTY, SILUS OF HOUSE HOREN, KING OF RENATUS

• William’s cousin once-removed, Silus Horen, inherited the throne after his kindreds abdication. A known eccentric and dabbler in sorcery, he doled the crown to Ostromir Carrion, crowned Otto I, to continue his arcane pursuits.

HIS MAJESTY, GARTH OF HOUSE HIGHTOWER, KING OF SALVUS

• The successor to James Hightower, Garth swore fealty to the Dwarven nation after the Exodus, causing all other human nations of the period to swear fealty as to avoid being isolated. He is known as an ill-ruler, managing his estates poorly to pursuit carnal pleasures. He yielded his titles to Aron Hightower.

HIS MAJESTY, ARON OF HOUSE BEDEVERE, KING OF SALVUS

• A Harrenite King of Salvus, Aron was the last to rule over its capital, Kingston, as a great Orcish horde sacked the city whilst the dwarves turned a blind eye. After the fall of his capital, Aron swore to the Second Empire and yielded his titles to Ostromir Carrion, crowned Otto I.

HIS MAJESTY, LACHLAN OF HOUSE ELENDIL, KING OF KAEDRIN

• As part of William’s peace deal with the dwarven nation, the Emperor was forced to yield the Kingdom of Kaedrin to Urguan, where its Adunian vassals established a feudal state. This Harrenite polity was destroyed by the Prophet Sigismund and Lachlan forced into exile in Kal’Barbok, a dwarven hold.

HIS MAJESTY, MARCELLUS OF HOUSE FLAY, KING OF GALAHAR

• A common thug and opportunist, Marcellus abused the chaos of the period to establish a bandit kingdom across the Crimson Isles. However, by the holy word and command of the prophet Sigismund, Marcellus stood down his banners without fight and surrendered his titles, taking to exile for his crimes against man.

HIS IMPERIAL MAJESTY, THE PROPHET SIGISMUND OF HOUSE CARRION, HOLY ORENIAN EMPEROR

• The progenitor of the Carrion Vochna and sage of faith, the Prophet Sigismund was characterized by his blunt statesmanship and grit, his liberation of the faith, his adaptation of the Canon scrolls, his unification of the kingdoms and his defense against dwarven incursion.

HIS MAJESTY, OTTO I OF HOUSE CARRION, KING OF RENATUS AND SALVUS

• The firstborn son of Sigismund, Otto was characterized by his cruelty and low cunning. Seizing titles by abusing William Horen and Aron Bedevere, the Prince managed to filch two crowns to his name, though would later be forced into hiding due to a multitude of assassins after him, unable to inherit his father’s imperial throne.

HIS MAJESTY, OTTO II OF HOUSE CARRION, KING OF RENATUS AND SALVUS

• A junior vassal-king to Sigismund, Otto was little more than a boy of ten when he inherited and thus was unable to cope with the difficulty in governance. A taste of politic left him cynical and he took to the cloisters, abandoning his crown and forcing Sigismund to anoint his nephew as King.

HIS MAJESTY, HENRY OF HOUSE CARRION, KING OF OREN

• The prophet’s nephew, the warrior king Henry was characterized by his bold martial nature. A conqueror who challenged and broke the dwarven spirit with victory after victory, Henry was well-loved by the people for his bravado. Yet he was ill-trained for statecraft, leaving much of his administration to corrupt bureaucrats who abused the state for personal advantage and failed to address the religious unrest at hand. When he ignited a world war due to a rash military assault on an elven nation and died in combat, he left behind a decrepit state doomed to collapse from religious and civil turmoil.

HIS MAJESTY, FRANCIS OF HOUSE CARRION, KING OF OREN

• King Francis is the shortest ruling sovereign in the history of modern man, his reign a meager six months. A pontiff later laicized to serve the realm, Francis inherited after his cousin’s death, skipping over Henry’s boy heir given the war demanding a man to rule. However, he was soon caught in the wave of religious turmoil which plagued the nation and was assassinated by his own state retinue at the behest of the Order of St. Lucien and Bishop John of Darfey.

 

THE KINGS OF THE THIRD EMPIRE

After the death of King Francis, the House Chivay on the backs of Aeldinic soldiers returned to the western realms, claiming the throne as their own by right of conquest.

 

HIS IMPERIAL MAJESTY, PETER OF HOUSE CHIVAY, HOLY ORENIAN EMPEROR

• A baron who rose to King under Godfrey’s own reign, Peter Chivay was renowned for his intoxicating charisma and love for war. He accompanied Horen V in his Exodus but later turned back west at the age of eighty-nine to claim the now-vacant Oren throne. His reign was characterized by immense military victories and an uneasy peace; few would dare stir dissent against the ‘the Lion of Chivay.’ He passed too soon to consolidate the Chivay reign, however, leaving the throne to his nephew, Robert.

HIS IMPERIAL MAJESTY, ROBERT OF HOUSE CHIVAY, HOLY ORENIAN EMPEROR

• Peter’s quarter elf successor, Robert was well-learned but lacked his predecessor's other-worldly charisma. Far more diplomatic, his negotiations with Oren’s enemies angered his military elite whilst his elven nature and tolerance of pagans stirred dissent among the Raevirs and Carrion scions of his realm. A military coup launched by his own marshal, Vibius de Sola, took him out of power and put unto the throne Francis’ nephew, Boris Tuvic Carrion.

 

THE KINGS OF THE FOURTH EMPIRE

Whilst the Fourth Empire aimed to replicate the success of the Second, it was doomed to fail due to ugly politics that would not be resolved with a Carrion ruling as sovereign.

 

HIS IMPERIAL MAJESTY, BORIS OF HOUSE CARRION, HOLY ORENIAN EMPEROR

• The nephew to King Francis, Boris ruled for a year under a regency council due to a plague that incapacitated him. At the end of the year, however, his body was found missing from his sickbed and the lords were forced to find another king. They chose his father, Tuvya, crowned Tobias, as their Emperor.

HIS IMPERIAL MAJESTY, TOBIAS OF HOUSE CARRION, HOLY ORENIAN EMPEROR

• Elected by the Imperial Diet, Tobias was granted the crown in his seventies. Well-loved by the common people but disdained by the nobility, Tobias’ ended up making enemy of both of the recently subjugated Waldenians and his own knightly elite. He did not falter in face of them alongside the Undead threat, though, relieving the dwarven capital of Undead subjugation and besting his rebels in open skirmish. Yet when his youngest son, Yakov, turned corrupt and swore to Iblees, becoming a warlock, Tobias put aside his reign and sallied out with a band of his greatest warriors to slay the monster. He did not return his encounter with the Undead sorcerer until twenty years later under the reign of Olivier, leaving his son Aleksandr to inherit.

HIS MAJESTY, VORON OF HOUSE ROVIN, KING OF AESTERWALD

• After the usurpation of Emperor Robert, many pagans, Adunians, and Lucienists took north and established a freehold known as Aesterwald. The polity rapidly grew until a rogue priest crowned it a kingdom and its leader, Voron, King. However, Tobias could not tolerate an independent Aesterwald and immediately demanded its fealty. Voron, after months of deliberation, decided to pay homage to the Emperor, but as soon as the Renatian Rebellion commenced, Voron renegaded on his oaths and rebelled against his Emperor. He passed mid-war, leaving his heir, Arn, to command.

HIS MAJESTY, MARIC OF HOUSE VARODYR, KING OF RENATUS

• Grand Knight to the Emperor Tobias, Maric grew disenfranchised with his regime which focused more on populism rather than of the nobility and culture. He longed for the throne himself, and for his ambitions which bordered on treachery, he was fired from his post. When he was confronted with angry mobs who condemned his beliefs, the knight convened with noble peers and took to the Angren mountains, where they formed a rebel kingdom in homage to the Renatus of old. Whilst the fate of Renatus seemed precarious given Tobias’ military successes, the Emperor’s disappearance soon gave Maric soon the influence to break down the weak-willed Alexander Carrion and destroy the 4th Empire. His Kingdom, however, lacked the competent administration to manage statecraft, and thus was unable to cope and rally to defend itself from an Undead incursion on Angren. Maric was slain in the assault and his kingdom lost.

HIS IMPERIAL MAJESTY, ALEXANDER OF HOUSE CARRION, HOLY ORENIAN EMPEROR

• The mild-mannered however craven heir to Emperor Tobias, Alexander was ill-fit to handle the intrigue that surrounded his court. Countless Carrion claimants and cadet branches coveted his throne and undermined his ability to rule. When his own lord marshal, Varon Kovachev, seized Alexander’s fief of Karovia and proclaimed his own petty kingdom, the young Emperor yielded to pressures internal and external and surrendered to Maric’s host, forced into exile.

 

THE KINGS OF THE SCHISM AND SAVOY

It was from the ruin of the Fourth Empire that humanity could unify once more, with common enemies and common objectives.

 

HIS MAJESTY, ARN OF HOUSE ROVIN, KING OF AESTERWALD

• Whilst Voron was characterized as a moderate despite his virulent disdain for the Fourth Empire, Arn was regarded as pathologically cruel and genocidal in his hate against the Raevir people, putting him at odds with the High Pontiff Daniel, a bastard of House Carrion. He declared a schism from the Canonist Church because of the Pontiff’s blood but the war that ensued rapidly turned against him as mankind united in faith to crush his kingdom. His forces depleted in the senseless war, he was swift prey against the Undead and his kingdom lost to their unholy armies.

HIS MAJESTY, VARON OF HOUSE KOVACHEV, KING OF AKOVIA

• Known as ‘the Mad King’, Varon’s rule over Akovia was tumultuous at best. His populace had no love for the traitor, but they could not resist him in fear of a Waldenian incursion. They chafed under his rule as he appointed robbers and criminals to staff his councils until the stewards of Karovia, the Vanirs, organized a faction that deposed ‘Mad King Kovachev’.

HIS MAJESTY, ANDREW OF HOUSE VYDRA, KING OF AKOVIA AND OREN

• The Akovian regents appointed Andrik Vydra to succeed the Mad King. A minor noble of little history, Andrik, crowned Andrew, miraculously united and marshaled the Canonist forces and destroyed the armies of the Waldenians and their nonhuman allies. However, he was slain in a high elven trap after attempting to enforce demands of subjugation upon them.

HIS MAJESTY, OLIVIER OF HOUSE ASHFORD DE SAVOIE, KING OF OREN

• As Andrik left no issue, the lords of Oren gathered in a great council and chose among them Olivier Ashford de Savoie. A prominent Aeldinic nobleman and descendent of St. Lucien brought west by Emperor Peter, the mysterious figure rose through the chaos of the 4th Empire was poised to rule. He totally subjugated the elves and brought peace to Oren after Vydra’s long wars, ushering in a long age of relative domestic prosperity. However, nobles dissatisfied with his lax hand ignited the Duke’s War, a disastrous civil war for Oren. Whilst the crown claimed victory, it came at a heavy cost, leaving an Oren at a third of its military strength. The stress of war had also claimed the aged ruler’s life, leaving Oren without a secure successor.

HIS MAJESTY, GUY OF HOUSE ASHFORD DE BAR, KING OF OREN

• By vote among the remaining lords of Oren, it was Guy de Bar who was to succeed the deceased King Olivier. A lord of great controversy, the consummate pride and hunger for glory that would define Guy's reign would never see fruition. His reign was mostly characterized by the gloom and apprehension felt in the wake of the Duke’s War, despite de Bar himself playing a key role in extinguishing the insurrection. In his tenure as King, Guy managed to reabsorb Oren's northern provinces, making ready the preparations for an empire. Shortly after the annexation of Salvus, however, these efforts would ultimately be cut short. Despite maintaining a wary vigilance following several attempts on his life, Guy was eventually slain by a mad bishop three years into his reign after having let his guard down in the presence of his kinsman.