✵ A BRIEF SUMMARY OF EARLY IMPERIAL HISTORY ✵

[Urahra 5781]

A Brief Summary of Early Imperial History

 

 

Written by 

Tanith of the Westerlands

 

Commissioned and Edited by 

The Northern Geographic Society

For Use In Their Museum

 

Early Imperial History [You are Here]

Johannian History

Modern Imperial History

 

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Table of Contents

 

Volume 1 – The Pre-Imperial World of Aegis & Asulon

Volume 2 – The Founding of the Holy Oren Empire

Volume 3 – Great Houses & Military Orders of the Early Empire

Volume 4 – The Carrion & Chivay Dynasties

Volume 5 – The Reformed Kingdom of Oren & The Duke’s War

 

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VOLUME 1 – 

The Pre-Imperial World of Aegis & Asulon

 

Everyone knows the story of the Four Brothers - the first creations of God placed upon the mythical and ancient land of Aegis - and how they battled the Daemon known as Iblees. Few know the truth of what happened after, however.

 

In the Church of the Canon, this period is known as the Thousand-Year Silence. Few records remain of the era between the world's creation and the rise of the first Kingdom of Oren. Seven kingdoms of man rose and fell during this period - seven kingdoms that attempted to keep the Canonist traditions and Faith alive. These kingdoms were known as Aaun, Edel, Ulgaard, Idun, Rhen, Shona, and Aahey.

 

Daniel Horen was born in the ancient kingdom of Aaun. The name of his father - the King of Aaun - is lost to history. However, he is theorized to have been a great warrior king who strove to unite civilized humanity. The King of Aaun had three sons, with Daniel being the youngest. Daniel was not expected to inherit the throne, so his father encouraged him to join the priesthood and pursue the faith. However, when a plague swept through Aaun and claimed his two elder brothers, Daniel abruptly became the only viable heir to the crown.

 

Daniel never forgot the teachings he learned in the Church of the True Faith, though. One of his goals as king was to find the lost city of Paradisius mentioned in the Holy Scrolls. His first act as king was to rename Aaun to Oren and relocate the capital to the mountain village of Al'khazar. Al'khazar was rumored to be closer to the purported location of Paradisius. While Daniel never succeeded in finding Paradisius, he managed to grow Al'khazar into a bustling capital of commerce. He constructed the King's Road from Al'khazar to the Cloud Temple - which swiftly became the most-used thoroughfare across the continent. Daniel enjoyed great popularity as a monarch, often referred to as 'Good King Dan' by his people. After many years of rulership, though, statecraft began to take its toll on him. With no heir to speak of, Daniel yielded his crown to his seneschal Pampo Perea. Free of the burden of leadership, Daniel took to wandering and preaching. He was quickly named a saint upon his death, with dozens of people claiming to have experienced miracles performed by him.

 

Pampo Perea married Dawn, a former palace maid who owned a successful bakery in Al'khazar. Together, they produced three children - Brett, Rhonin, and Ella Perea. During his reign, Pampo often came into conflict with the fledgling Teutonic Order, helmed by Hochmeister Gaius Marius. The Teutonic Order believed King Pampo to be mishandling the growing Undead crisis in Aegis. Pampo’s neglect of the Undead Crisis would lead to his undoing in 1304 when he was killed during an Undead assault on Al'khazar. His Seneschal, Edmund Sheffield, assumed the throne - following the tradition established by King Daniel.

 

As King, Edmund continued to conflict with Gaius Marius over the Undead Crisis. His reign was plagued by controversy, with many asserting that the throne rightfully belonged to Brett Perea, Pampo's eldest son. Division and rebellion shook Oren as the Undead Crisis continued to escalate. Tensions finally culminated when the Teutonic Order stormed the palace in Al'khazar and held Edmund at sword point, insisting that he either relinquish the crown or take decisive action against the Undead. Edmund eventually succumbed to the pressures of rulership and the corruption of the Undead - forming a covenant with the wicked lich lords and consuming his wife Ivrae in full view of his royal court.

 

Edmund was succeeded by his eldest son, Enor, who proved to be equally ineffectual and controversial. He is described by history books as an unready youth - pompous, entitled, and arrogant. Enor continued his predecessor's policy of simply ignoring the Undead threat. By this point, many in Oren were beginning to grow sick of the incompetent Sheffield dynasty. Eze'kiel Tarus, an Orenian nobleman, sought to remove the Sheffields from power once and for all. The Tarus-led Phoenix Rebellion quickly began to grow in size and power. However, before the Phoenix Rebellion could strike against the Sheffields, King Enor surprised everyone by voluntarily handing the crown of Oren over to Hochmeister Gaius Marius.

 

Eze'kiel Tarus and the Phoenix Rebellion responded by seizing the city of Galahar and demanding the crown from Gaius. Gaius and Eze'kiel agreed to a one-on-one duel to see who would become the true king of Oren. When the duel ended in a stalemate, the two men decided to divide Oren down the middle. Eze'kiel would rule the Kingdom of Renatus to the West and Gaius would have the kingdom of Hanseti in the East.

 

At this point, the Undead Crisis had reached its peak. Shortly after Eze'kiel established his capital in Galahar, the city fell under Undead assault. Realizing that the Undead had grown too powerful thanks to the neglect of the Perea and Sheffield dynasties, Eze'kiel relinquished the city and ordered a mass evacuation which eventually led humanity to the heretofore undiscovered shores of Asulon. 

 

Upon arriving in Asulon, Eze'kiel and his men located the ruins of a human city which they restored and converted into the new capital of Arethor. The Undead were still a force to be reckoned with in Asulon, however, and many feared the new human capital would fall under assault by evil magic. Eze’kiel responded to these worries by consolidating his power and forming a Phoenix Council to endow himself with greater political authority. However, Eze'kiel's ambitions for Renatus would not come to fruition.. He abruptly disappeared while on a search and rescue mission for his missing son - leaving the city under the rule of his Seneschal Reynard Lycian.

 

The Kingdom of Renatus suffered without its leader, quickly descending into ineptitude and corruption. Reynard proved to be a weak and impotent leader with his authority frequently questioned by those trying to seize power for themselves. During this period, a mysterious figure arrived in the city of Arethor. A man known only as Godfrey appeared and asserted himself as humanity's rightful king, claiming to be a true descendant of Horen’s blessed bloodline. Reynard Lycian, overcome by the man's aura of great mystery and power, immediately relinquished his regency without conflict. And thus Godfrey Horen became the King of Renatus, ushering in what would be a new dawn of prosperity and strength for the floundering nations of Men.

 

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VOLUME 2 –

The Founding of the Holy Oren Empire

 

Upon its arrival in the newfound land of Asulon, humanity found itself divided among several small kingdoms. Eze’kiel Tarus ruled the kingdom of Renatus from his capital in Arethor. Hochmeister Gaius Marius named himself King of Hanseti and established his city of Konigsburg in the north. Former Queen Dawn Perea married the disgraced Enor Sheffield and, together, they founded the kingdom of Salvus, hoping to usher in an age of peace and prosperity in their capital of Solace. Renati Vallark would go on to establish the Kingdom of Seventis in the city of Grata. Humanity also established several independent city states, such as Maple Port, Levanthus, and Alras. At the time, few believed an united Oren would ever exist again. The kingdoms of man were far too disparate in culture, location, and population to ever be joined.

 

But everything would change when Godfrey Horen arrived in Arethor and assumed the crown of Renatus. He further solidified and legitimized his reign by marrying Princess Atriana Tarus, the daughter of Eze’kiel Tarus, with whom he fathered his eldest son and heir Orian. Godfrey had a clear and precise vision for the floundering Renatus. His first act as King was to establish a feudal system by appointing noble families from among the most prominent and successful Renatians. Nobles under Godfrey’s feudal system could build fortresses, hold land, and raise their own private armies - but they would ultimately owe their allegiance and their swords to Godfrey. Renatus was one of the larger human kingdoms in terms of territory, possessing great swathes of arable land, and many families sought land to establish themselves. Godfrey’s feudal system led to a boom in Renatian military strength and efficiency. Godfrey also dissolved the Phoenix Council created by Eze’kiel Tarus and instituted a loyal ducal council in its place. 

 

Godfrey’s actions at the time caused some controversy, as he tended to prioritize combat effectiveness over loyalty or moral goodness when granting noble titles. He caused a great stir when he pardoned the crimes of notorious bandit lord Augustus Flay and elevated him to the ranks of nobility. This decision would prove critical in the formation of the Empire, however, as the Flays became one of Renatus’s premiere military forces and were instrumental in bringing several kingdoms into the Empire’s fold. With Asulon’s most powerful military force at his beck and call, Godfrey set about his goal of uniting the divergent human kingdoms into a single Empire. 

 

Salvus was among the first of the human kingdoms to fall to Godfrey’s might. The combined military power of Augustus Flay and Lorethos Basileus proved to be overwhelming for Salvus. Salvus also faced controversy within its own walls - with many accusing the preternaturally youthful Dawn Perea of being a witch. Dawn Perea famously never aged a day past 20, keeping her youthful good looks even as she reached her 40’s, 50’s, and 60’s. Many would comment that she appeared to be younger than her own eldest son, Brett Perea. It is theorized by some scholars that Queen Dawn was in fact an elf with clipped ears, disguising her heritage for unknown reasons. Salvus’s military force, the Peacekeepers, also struggled against claims of corruption and brutality. Hanseti initially pledged to aid Salvus in the war against Renatus, but eventually broke their alliance as political incompetence and corruption ate Salvus from the inside. Eventually, King Enor succumbed to cowardice and abandoned his wife - leaving Dawn as the sole ruler of Salvus. Queen Dawn’s own Peacekeepers also turned against her, leaving her completely defenseless against the Renatian onslaught. Upon Dawn’s death, Salvus was annexed by Renatus.

 

Only Seventis remained a steadfast ally to Salvus during the war. Queen Dawn had given the Seventis King Renati Vallark shelter and succor as a youth - for which he owed her a debt of gratitude. Renati had his own ambitions toward empire, which brought him in direct conflict with Godfrey. At Godfrey’s command, House Flay began a brutal campaign of terror against Seventis. Seventis managed to hold fast against the Flays until a plague swept through the kingdom and decimated their military force. Citizens abandoned Seventis in droves to avoid the plague with the great majority of them emigrating to Renatus. Upon the death of Renati Vallark, Godfrey annexed the now-empty lands of Seventis and granted them to Augustus Flay for his use.

 

With Salvus and Seventis dispatched, only Hanseti remained standing against the swiftly-growing Oren Empire. Gaius Marius had long since passed into eternity, succeeded by Hochmeister Samuel Bealcrest, Hochmeister Jack, and finally Hochmeister Mirtok deNurem. The Teutonic Order had established a firm stronghold in the snowy regions of Asulon. Their great military discipline and their wonders of engineering managed to resist the strength of Renatus for many years. However, the kingdom’s less-than-ideal geography soon began to take a toll on Hanseti. Hanseti struggled to provide food for its own people and previously relied on Salvus for shipments of grain, meat, and vegetables. However, with Salvus now under Renatian sway, Hanseti swiftly began to face the prospect of starvation. They found themselves the subject of continual, nigh daily raids from House Flay - a vicious war of attrition that resulted in the deaths of thousands. The Teutonic Order’s previously unconquerable strongholds began rapidly weakening.

 

There is some debate over how Hanseti eventually acquiesced to Renatus. Some records claim that Augustus Flay forged a letter from Godfrey and sent it to Mirtok deNurem, issuing an ultimatum. Either he could surrender to Renatus or face extermination. Other records claim that Mirtok wrote to Godfrey himself and requested an audience as equals. Either way, Mirtok arrived in Arethor and surrendered to Godfrey. Hanseti was thus annexed into the Empire, with Mirtok named as its duke. Godfrey thus dubbed his new unified state the Holy Oren Empire.

 

Augustus Flay, who was critical in the conquest of several nations, expected to be rewarded for his help in bringing Hanseti into the Empire. He believed the lands of Hanseti were rightfully his and considered it a grave insult when Godfrey did not see fit to name him King of Hanseti. Augustus would lead House Flay against the Holy Oren Empire in what is now known as “The Crimson Rebellion.” However, said rebellion was swiftly crushed by saboteurs within House Flay’s ranks. Augustus’s life was spared, but he was forced to kneel at Godfrey’s feet in apology and then slay every last one of his soldiers and captains personally, by his own hand. At the time, Godfrey had received intelligence that Asulon would soon succumb to a natural disaster that would render the land unlivable. He instructed the disgraced Augustus to venture forth and find a new land worth conquest and settlement. 

 

With Augustus removed from power, all remaining Flays were declared outlaws. Drelik Letholdus, Augustus’s most loyal captain, escaped execution and formed a bandit gang known as the Syndicate. The Syndicate continued to harass and assault Oren for years even in their leader’s absence, seeking revenge for the indignity suffered by Augustus.

 

The fledgling Empire would also face the growing threat of the Fjarriauga - also known as the Frost Witches. The Frost Witches were a coven of cannibalistic sorceresses empowered by ice magic. The largest and most powerful Frost Witch enclave, the Frostborn Coven, was led by Brunhylde Volsung, a spurned former lover of Count Lorethos Basileus. The Order of the White Rose, a small-time group of monster hunters led by Peter Chivay, won their initial fame for slaying Brunhylde Volsung and presenting her head to Godfrey as a trophy.

 

Eze’kiel Tarus - who, at that point, had returned to Oren only to find his crown taken from him - would likewise mount a short and equally unsuccessful rebellion against Godfrey (dubbed ‘The Tarus Insurrection’). The cause of the rebellion was Tarus’s mistaken belief that Godfrey had Undead connections which helped him conquer the world. The Order of the White Rose also proved critical in quelling the insurrection and ensuring the safety of the new empire.

 

However, these obstacles proved to be minor compared to the whispers of an oncoming apocalypse. Storms and massive winds began to assault the capitol. An enormous wave struck the harbor of Arethor, sinking nearly all ships in the Orenian naval fleet. After the wave, Godfrey saw no reason to hesitate any longer. He sent couriers to every noble house and ordered them to prepare for a mass evacuation - effective immediately. With that, the Holy Oren Empire sent sail for new lands.

 

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VOLUME 3 – 

Great Houses & Military Orders of the Early Empire

 

Many noble families alive today can trace their roots back to the Great Houses of the First Empire. Godfrey tended to award noble status based on military strength and combat prowess, since his goal at the time was the unification and stability of the Holy Oren Empire. The result was a wide array of often-conflicting personalities and cultures holding influence within the Orenian Imperial court.

 

Godfrey managed the conflicting personalities of his court by instituting a system of Crown Authority. Under Low Crown Authority, the noble houses and military orders were free to engage one another in wartime conflict. Under High Crown Authority, the noble houses would be forced to cease any ongoing hostility and unite under Godfrey’s command. 

The Empire remained largely under Low Crown Authority during peacetime, with Godfrey only ordering High Crown Authority during acts of war.

 

The most notable houses and military orders of the early Holy Oren Empire are as follows. This is by no means an exhaustive list. Godfrey elevated scores - if not hundreds - of families to nobility for various reasons. 

 

House Horen

 

Godfrey served as the founder and patriarch of his own noble house - dubbed House Horen. House Horen - both then and now - claims to have a direct blood lineage to the first Horen, created by the hand of God. The first House Horen included Godfrey, his wives Atriana and Rose, and their children. They remained the ruling family of the Holy Oren Empire until Godfrey’s grandson William I dissolved it amid pressures from the Kingdom of Urugan. House Horen resided primarily in the palaces of Arethor and Abresi, where they frequently held lavish events for the entertainment of the nobility and the populace. 

 

Godfrey emerged as a staggering and unstoppable force on Asulon’s world stage. With the world’s most powerful army at his back, Godfrey embarked on a crusade to unite all of humanity’s disparate kingdoms under a single banner. The Prophet inspired fanatic loyalty in his men and achieved what many thought would be impossible - the creation of the Holy Oren Empire.

 

In Anthos, Godfrey sought to further expand the borders of the Empire by conquering Malinor - a feat he achieved with the help of the Order of the White Rose. Godfrey also signed a treaty with Thorik Grandaxe, the King of Urugan, which came to be known as the Blood Pact. After achieving his goals of uniting humanity, Godfrey instituted a policy of Low Crown Authority - which gave rise to the Hansetian-Blackmont conflict that dominated the last years of Godfrey’s reign.

 

Godfrey passed into eternity on the 13th of Malin’s Welcome, Year 1414. His eldest son, Orian I, assumed the mantle of Holy Oren Emperor. Orian I was obsessed with rivaling his father’s legacy and led multiple war campaigns with a vision of world conquest in mind. However, in 1420, a mere three years into his reign, Orian I experienced a vision which would lead him to declare the Great Exodus. He drained the kingdom’s treasuries to build a massive fleet and ordered his loyal men to follow him abroad to Aeldin. Many of the Great Houses, including the Chivays, opted to leave with Horen. But others, including House Carrion, chose to stay behind.

 

House Chivay & The Order of the White Rose

 

Thomas and Peter Chivay founded the Order of the White Rose together with their longtime friends, Velwyn Ashford and Baldir Toov. The Order was initially conceived as a guild of monster hunters, but it soon outgrew its infant purpose. Godfrey first took notice of the Order after they successfully slew the infamous Frost Witch Brunhylde Volsung.

 

From there, Godfrey saw fit to promote and encourage the expansion of the White Rose. Godfrey placed the Chivays under direct vassalage to the crown and named the White Rose as a chapter of the Order of the Red Dragon. After that, the Order of the White Rose rapidly grew in size and influence  - becoming the most prominent military order of Godfrey’s empire. The Order of the White Rose proved critical in a number of military endeavors through the First Empire. They succeeded in defeating the Tarus Insurrection led by Eze’kiel Tarus. They were instrumental in the sacking and annexation of Malinor, establishing the elven lands as a protectorate under the Holy Oren Empire. Eventually, Peter Chivay was named Duke of the Westerlands - which later became the seat of the first Kingdom of Kaedrin. 

 

The White Rose also frequently came into conflict with House Flay and the Teutonic Order. Drelik Letholdus and the Syndicate - the remaining Flay forces turned outlaws after the Crimson Rebellion  - frequently targeted Rose strongholds. Upon Augustus Flay’s return and the founding of House Blackmont, the two forces sought to make peace with one another. Thomas and Peter offered their niece, Lorin of Kaedrin, to the geriatric Augustus as a bride. The marriage of Lorin and Augustus cemented the North Anthos Treaty Organization and created an alliance between House Blackmont and the White Rose. Together, House Blackmont and the White Rose would engage in war against Mirtok deNurem and the Teutonic Order. The combined forces of the Rose and the Blackmonts would prevail, leading to the disbandment of the Teutonic Order after the Battle of the Dreadfort in 1415.

 

In 1420, Emperor Orian I declared the Great Exodus to Aeldin. Thomas and Peter, intending to follow Orian I abroad, named Edmund Brunswick the new Grandmaster of the White Rose. Brunswick promptly disbanded the organization. While Thomas died abroad, Peter would later return in 1456 to assume the mantle of Holy Oren Emperor. Thomas and Peter would be named saints by the Canonist Church after their death.

 

House Blackmont

(Formerly House Flay)

 

After his failed Crimson Rebellion, Augustus Flay was given a monumental task by Godfrey. If he could succeed at this task, he would be forgiven and allowed to reclaim his old titles. Godfrey instructed him to set forth and discover a new land to replace the rapidly crumbling Asulon. Augustus, seeing no other choice, acquiesced to the Emperor’s demands and entered into self-imposed exile abroad. For many years, Augustus would wander the lonely sea in search of a new land to please the Emperor.

 

Eventually, Augustus would find his way back to Oren. Upon his arrival in Abresi, Godfrey welcomed Augustus with open arms and swiftly restored him to nobility. The Syndicate, a bandit gang composed of Flay remnants, immediately sought Augustus out and swore their loyalty to him. Seeking to distance himself from his failed rebellion, Augustus christened his new house ‘Blackmont’.

 

House Blackmont immediately came into conflict with the Teutonic Order. Believing himself to be the true king of Hanseti, Augustus sought to unseat Mirtok and take his crown. To achieve this, he enlisted the support of several cadet houses - including the fledgling House Carrion - and sought an alliance with the White Rose through marriage. The union of Lorin Chivay and Augustus Blackmont cemented the North Anthos Treaty Organization, which endeavored to dismantle the Teutonic Order once and for all.

 

With the alliance firmly in place, the Hanseti-Blackmont Civil War engaged in earnest - overseen by the crown to ensure legality. The civil conflict lasted for five years and concluded with the legendary Battle of the Dreadfort. The Teutons laid siege to the Dreadfort in an attempt to take the fortress. However, the Blackmonts and the White Rose secured a stunning and unexpected come-from-behind victory against the Teutons. 

 

Orian I ended the Hanseti-Blackmont conflict by issuing an order disbanding the Teutonic Order in 1415. Augustus succumbed to age and disability shortly after. He died peacefully in his bed, surrounded by his loyal captains and family. 

 

His eldest son, Tiberius Blackmont II, assumed leadership of House Blackmont following his father’s death. His tenure as Lord of Blackmont would not last long, as he died by poison at the hands of his brother Lucius. Lucius would later also order the assassination of his mother, Lorin Chivay, when she posed a threat to his authority.

 

House deNurem & The Teutonic Order

 

Mirtok deNurem began his life as a loyal soldier underneath the legendary founder of the Teutonic Order, Gaius Marius. Following Gaius’s death, the title of Hochmeister passed down to Samuel Bealcrest, then to Jack, and then eventually to Mirtok. 

 

Hanseti - under the kingship of Mirtok - was the last of the independent human kingdoms to join the Holy Oren Empire. The Teutonic Order under deNurem was responsible for creating many remarkable feats of engineering and technology. Teutonic Sariants were known for wearing massive suits of magically-powered armor, standing many feet taller than the average human. Unfortunately, all the feats of magic and technology in the world could not prevent Hanseti’s suffering. Depleted of natural resources, continually harassed by Flay raids, and without enough food to support its population, Hanseti eventually had no choice but to either submit to the Holy Oren Empire or die. 

 

Upon surrendering to Godfrey, Mirtok was elevated to the title of duke - an act that ignited Augustus Flay’s failed Crimson Rebellion. In the later years of Asulon, Mirtok - and Hanseti as a whole - remained locked off and remote from the rest of the Empire. Mirtok hoped that Hanseti’s fortunes would change upon the Empire’s departure from Asulon and arrival in Anthos.

 

Anthos would not prove any better for the Teutonic Order, however. Shortly after humanity’s arrival in Anthos, Augustus re-emerged to establish House Blackmont. House Blackmont opted to occupy lands insultingly close to the borders of Hanseti, which incited vicious anger between the two longtime rival factions. These tensions soon boiled over into all out warfare with the Hansenti-Blackmont Civil War of 1410. 

 

Initially, the tides of war turned in favor of the Teutonic Order. They were able to repel multiple Blackmont assaults on their strongholds and rout their rival house back to the Dreadfort. But fortunes turned in 1415 with the Battle for the Dreadfort. While the Dreadfort suffered heavy damage in the assault, the combined forces of the White Rose and the Blackmonts managed to strike back against the Teutons and secure a decisive victory.

 

Orian I ended the war in 1416 by issuing a proclamation disbanding the Teutonic Order. Mirtok deNurem disappeared following the decree, passing leadership of Hanseti to Jonathan Black. The kingdom of Hanseti declined into a state of stagnation and decay in the years following.
 

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VOLUME 4 –

The Carrion & Chivay Dynasties

 

The Kingdom of Ruska - the ancestral home of the Raevir people - can trace its origins back to Aegis, where it began life as a modest state situated in a mountain province near the merchant city of Alras . Even in that day and age, the Raevir people were known as humble farming folk and fishermen. They were ruled historically by a family known as the Karovics.

 

When the Undead Crisis erupted in Aegis, the countryside kingdom of Ruska found themselves woefully unprepared to handle the onslaught. As a result, Raevir peasants were slaughtered en masse by the Undead and then summarily raised as mindless zombie soldiers. The name ‘Carrion’ originated as an insult - a riff on the name Karovic and a reference to how many Raevir peasants were converted into zombies. Following the Undead Crisis, the kingdom of Ruska fell into shambles and became a tributary of its neighboring state of Alras, where it was renamed to the Duchy of Raev.

 

Siegmund Carrion was born after the mass evacuation to Asulon following the Undead Crisis. His father was Duke Boris Carrion and his mother was Julia Hightower, the daughter of King Aislin Hightower. A second son, Siegmund was not expected to inherit. He was often neglected by his parents in favor of his elder brother Siegfried. As a youth, Siegmund Carrion was sent to the county of Seventis - owned by Augustus Flay of Renatus - as a ward to broker an alliance between Flay and Raev. 

 

While Siegmund was away, his family suffered a terrible blow. His mother, Julia, was a spoiled and naive princess unsuited to life in the humble backwater duchy of Raev. She had ambitions to modernize the duchy and bring it more in line with the splendors of Alras. However, her naivete allowed the rivals of House Carrion - a neighboring duchy called Nzech - to gain a foothold in Raev. Knights from Nzech stormed the castle in Raev, orchestrating a mass slaughter and leaving Siegmund as one of the the only surviving Carrions, along with cousin Heinrik and bastard brother Diedrik.  

 

Siegmund threw himself on the mercy of Augustus Flay, begging for the manpower to retake his homeland. Augustus agreed on the terms that Siegmund swear fealty to Oren and serve him as a baron. With the help of Augustus, Siegmund reclaimed Raev from the Nzech and House Carrion became a vassal to Oren. 

 

He established a small estate on the island of Elysium following the mass evacuation from Asulon, where he brewed and sold Carrion Black. While on Elysium, Siegmund met and began a courtship with Lorin Chivay - the niece to Thomas and Peter Chivay of White Rose fame. The two had a love affair that purportedly resulted in the birth of bastard Tuvya Rosebud, later legitimized as Tuvya Carrion. Though Siegmund and Lorin had intended to marry, Lorin was unwillingly given by her uncles as a bride to Augustus Blackmont. The alliance between Blackmont and Chivay would secure the North Anthos Treaty Organization and bring down the Teutonic Order. Siegmund would instead marry Helaine de Sarkozy, the sickly and hemophiliac daughter of Hadrien de Sarkozy and Chrestienne Valois. He would sire four children with Helaine - Otto, Fyodor, Milena, and Francis. 

 

Siegmund fought in the Hanseti-Blackmont conflict as a loyal soldier to his liege lord. Chivay, deNurem, and Blackmont were all decimated in the wake of the conflict, weakening the once indomitable military orders. A scant few years after the war’s end, Emperor Orian I would order the Great Exodus to Aeldin. Siegmund was one of the few noblemen who opted to remain behind instead of embarking with Orian. Lost and searching for meaning in the wake of the Exodus, Siegmund set out on a pilgrimage to the war-destroyed wastes of Hanseti, where he would receive the Holy Scroll of Auspice and learn of his destiny. 

 

The Empire established by Godfrey swiftly crumbled in the wake of the Great Exodus. William I, Godfrey’s grandson, struggled to maintain control of the Empire. Salvus, under King Garth Hightower, was among the first to defect to the Dwarven Kingdom of Urugan - followed swiftly by Marcellus Blackmont of Galahar. Following the disbandment of the White Rose, Adunian Lord Lachlan Elendil took over the former White Rose fortress of Ard Kerrack and led the defection of Kaedrin from the Empire. William I was left with no choice but to dissolve the Empire and divvy up his lands, though he remained king in Renatus. The lands formerly held by Siegmund were given to the church as the apostolic kingdom of Savoie. Upon his arrival, Siegmund was acknowledged by High Pontiff Owyn I as a prince of Savoie. Spurred by the knowledge of his prophetic destiny, Siegmund embarked on a campaign to free Oren from Dwarven subjugation. 

 

Using his mandate from Heaven, Siegmund convinced Galahar to disband their kingdom and unite under Savoie. Upon uniting Savoie and Galahar, High Pontiff Owyn I ceded his rulership to Siegmund and named him King of Ruska. Siegmund would go on to liberate Kaedrin from its dominion under the Adunians. He shrewdly sent his bastard son Tuvya to infiltrate William I’s capital in Abresi. Tuvya, who was gifted in all things mercantile, began efforts to reinvigorate Renatus’s flagging economy and slowly win the common folk over to the side of Carrion. William I, terrified of Siegmund’s growing influence, attempted to excommunicate High Pontiff Owyn I for the crime of having aided the Carrion lord. However, this backfired as calls for William I to abdicate grew, in addition to doubts about the Horen line’s alleged divinity. Eventually, William I ceded his crown to his cousin Silus Horen, who then immediately passed rulership to Siegmund. With all the kingdoms reunited once again, Siegmund was declared the Holy Emperor of Oren.

 

Siegmund’s ascension was not without resistance, however. A bloc of Renatian noble houses banded together to plot his downfall - including Horen, Silverblade, Ishikawa, Kamura, and Tarus. Tuvya and Otto, Siegmund’s two sons, uncovered the plot which led Siegmund to orchestrate a purge of Oren’s noble families. These exiled noble families largely fled to Urugan. The dwarven kingdom feared the prospect of a united Oren, so they struck an alliance with the Holy Princedom of Malinor in an attempt to unseat Siegmund. The Holy Princedom sought revenge on Oren for its years of subjugation under the White Rose. This coalition of forces - Urugan, Malinor, and the exiled nobles of Renatus - mounted an unsuccessful invasion against Oren. While Siegmund managed to repel the invaders, he died shortly after the war’s conclusion - with his final act being the dissolution of the Empire.

 

Early Oren was plagued by the problem of charismatic demagogues and cults of personality. Influential leaders, such as Godfrey and Siegmund, would arise and bring forth sweeping reforms. However, upon their death, their states tended to lapse back into political strife and ruin. This was true of Godfrey’s reign and held true for Siegmund’s. The kings that followed Siegmund - King Heinrik and King Francis - were plagued by controversy, in-fighting, and war. Siegmund’s status as a prophet was still in question and led to schisms in the church as well as anti-Raevir sentiment among the people.

 

At a vital moment in Oren’s history, in the year 1456, Peter Chivay and the Order of the White Rose suddenly reappeared from their Exodus. An apparition of Godfrey appeared at the base of Mt. Augustus in the Fringe, whispering Peter’s name. Though venerable at ninety years of age, Peter assumed the title of Holy Oren Emperor. Upon witnessing the apparition of Godfrey, Tuvya Carrion - who took leadership of House Carrion following the deaths of Heinrik and Francis - opted to kneel and swear fealty to Peter rather than resisting. 

 

Peter’s reign would be short lived, however, due to his advanced age. Because Peter lacked an heir, the crown passed to his nephew - Robert I, the quadroon, son of Thomas Chivay. Robert’s reign invited controversy due to his tolerance of paganism, his unassertive and mild-mannered personality, and his quarter-elven heritage. Robert was deposed by his Lord Marshal Vibius de Sola in 1467 in what is now known as the Vibian Coup - bringing an end to the short-lived Chivay Dynasty.

 

Boris Carrion - the eldest son of Tuvya Carrion - took the throne of Oren following the coup. However, he swiftly abdicated when the stresses of rulership began to take a toll on his health. In a surprise decision, the privy council of Oren opted to select Tuvya - Boris’s father - as his successor. Tuvya Carrion took the crown, becoming Emperor Tobias I, in the year 1467. Called ‘The People’s Emperor’, Tobias was known for his jovial temperament, his great generosity, and his friendly, open relationship with the common people of Oren. He held highly popular war games in the capital of Petrus for the delight of the masses. By all accounts, he was an Emperor beloved by the common man.

 

However, Tuvya’s plainspoken nature, his tendency to fraternize with the peasantry, and his open embracement of his Raevir heritage earned him the ire of those who did not yet accept Siegmund as a prophet. Tuvya’s own Grand Knight, Ser Maric Varodyr, mounted a revolt against him with the aid of Undead forces from the cursed fortress of Angren. For a time, it looked as though Tuvya would successfully quell the rebellion - until his second youngest son Yakov fell to the sway of the Undead and attempted to assassinate his father. Tuvya would abdicate his throne to set off in search of Yakov, leaving his youngest son Aleksandr Carrion as the heir to the Empire. 

 

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VOLUME 5 –

The Reformed Kingdom of Oren & The Duke’s War

 

Aleksandr Carrion was the lord of Karovia - a small, countryside village south of Petrus - when he received the news that his father had disappeared. The crown of Oren had thus fallen on his head, though he was in no way prepared to accept the responsibility. Called ‘the Unready’, one of Alexander’s first acts as Emperor was to dissolve the Empire and split it into the Kingdoms of Oren, Renatus, and Aesterwald. He did this in hopes that dissolving the Empire would help satisfy his detractors. Unfortunately for Alexander, this was not the case. He was eventually forced to surrender to Maric Varodyr. He gave the crown of Oren to Godfrey Horen, an ally of Maric and a descendant of William I. Alexander was then forced into exile. Maric absorbed the Kingdom of Oren into Renatus and moved the capital to his fortress in Angren.

 

The remnants of Oren would band together to form the Kingdom of Akovia - a Raevir kingdom based in the former duchy of Akovia, led by King Andrik Vydra. Some historians theorize that Vydra was a bastard sired by Tuvya Carrion, seeking revenge for the coup against his father. However, there is little to indicate the truth of this theory, aside from Vydra’s ethnic Raevir heritage and his noted affinity for the common people. Accounts written from the time indicated that Andrik “dressed like a Raevir peasant” (Diary of Lorina Carrion, volume 2, entry 1) and refused to wear a crown. Like Tuvya, Andrik also enjoyed holding war games for the entertainment of the masses. Notably, Lorina Carrion - Tuvya’s youngest daughter and a survivor of Varodyr’s coup - would draw several comparisons between Tuvya and Andrik in her diary, which likely helped fueled historians’ speculation that the two were related. However, this is now thought to just be coincidence.

 

A devout Canonist, King Andrik declared war on the kingdom of Aesterwald for their heresies. Aesterwald continued to deny that Siegmund was a prophet equal to Godfrey. Waldenians followed the doctrine that Godfrey was a divine incarnation of God and that Siegmund was a false prophet propped up by the Carrion Vochna to legitimize their reign. King Arius of Aesterwald responded to the declaration of war by forging an alliance with King Maric and Duke Godfrey Horen, forming the Schismatic League. The Duchy of Savoy, led by Duke Olivier de Savoie, would align itself with Akovia - forming the Canonist League. 

 

Though less than one-third the size of the Schismatic League, the Canonist League played host to several supremely skilled military commanders. They also received the financial backing of the Canonist Church. After suffering repeated, humiliating losses against the Canonist League, the Schismatic League began negotiating alliances with the orcs of the War Uzg and the Kingdom of Urugan. In spite of this, the Canonist’s victories would continue until the sack of Angren - where King Maric and his Undead allies finally fell at last. In a last ditch effort to protect themselves, the Undead befouled Angren with their wicked magic, turning it into a bastion of corruption and undeath. In 1491, Godfrey Horen could no longer hold out against the Canonist League and ceded the crown of Renatus to Andrik Vydra. With that, Vydra ushered in the age of the Reformed Kingdom of Oren. 

 

Vydra’s reign was marked by growing tensions between Akovia and Savoy, however. Akovia was renamed to the Duchy of Adria and placed under the leadership of Vasili Vanir, a trusted friend of Vydra. Anti-Raevir sentiment was still strong throughout the Reformed Kingdom, especially in Savoie. Despite their Canonist alliance, many Savoyards still regarded the Raevir as subhuman and backwards. Deep cultural and political differences divided the Savoyards and the Akovians – now Adrians. Many in the Reformed Kingdom also feared a resurgence of the Carrion Hegemony. Several Carrions - including Viktor de Montfort, Boris Carrion, Lorina Carrion, Alexander Carrion, Karl Barbanov, and Tuvya Carrion - had survived Maric’s coup and sought to rebuild their family in the wake of the disaster. The remaining Carrions had found shelter and succor among the Adrians, earning the ire of Savoy. Andrik’s kingdom found itself sharply divided along these cultural lines. Andrik himself was the subject of disdain for being ethnically Raevir. 

 

As tensions mounted, the Duchy of Savoy established friendly relations with the High Elven city of Haelun’or. The High Elves formed strong ties with Savoy while harboring a hatred toward those of Raevir descent. In 1498, Andrik Vydra mounted a diplomatic visit to the city of Haelun’or - only to be caught in a brutal trap laid for him by the High Elves. The High Elves sprang a mechanism that ensnared Vydra in a pit of lava - killing him instantly and burning the body to cinders. The High Elves mistakenly believed they were acting in the interest of Savoy, but their hand in Vydra’s assassination led to retaliation against not only Haelun’or but the elven people in general. Duke Vasili Vanir, who was acting regent in the wake of Vydra’s death, led a brutal conquest of Malinor that resulted in the vassalization of the three elven states.

 

Following a grieving period, the Privy Council of Oren convened to choose a new monarch. The primary candidates were Vasili Vanir of Adria and Olivier de Savoie. One again, Oren found itself sharply divided among cultural lines. In the end, however, Savoy prevailed and Olivier de Savoie accepted the crown of the Reformed Kingdom. 

 

Olivier’s crowning did little to ease the tensions between the Adrians and the Savoyards, however. In 1516, the Massacre of Wett erupted at the trial of Xavier de Sola, who was accused of consorting with a coven of Frost Witches. The Massacre of Wett involved the mass slaughter of Adrian officials at the hands of House De Sola. Olivier de Savoie took Xavier de Sola into custody following the Massacre, to be given trial by the Privy Council, but removed several prominent Adrian officials from the council prior to the trial. The king’s actions earned him heavy criticism from his Raevir subjects 

 

Tensions at last erupted into all-out warfare when a bandit organization known as the Camel Bandits attacked the capital of Felsen. Adrian and Savoyard forces both arrived to defend the city, but ended up engaging one another in armed conflict instead. Duke Hugues Sarkozic of Adria - the son of Viktor de Montfort and the great-grandson of Siegmund Carrion - thus entered into open rebellion against Olivier de Savoie. The duchies of Haense and Vanaheim - ethnically Raevir themselves, led by Siguine Barbanov and Vasili Vanir - opted to join Hugues in his rebellion.

 

The Dukes’ War would rage for four bloody years, tearing Oren asunder and resulting in the deaths of thousands - including many prominent noble families of the time. The Savoyards led several devastating strikes against Adria, sacking the city of Brelus and razing the towns of Barrowyk and Vanaheim. Hugues de Sarkozic would eventually be assassinated by means of beheading, earning his famed moniker “Hugh the Headless.” Following the death of Hugues, Franz Sarkozic would sign the terms of surrender and all of Adria’s leaders would be sentenced to death.

 

By the end of the war, Olivier de Savoie had grown ancient and senile. Much of the kingdom’s governance fell to the hands of his Chancellor, Guy de Bar. When Olivier de Savoie passed away in 1523, Guy de Bar was his successor. De Bar would be the third and final monarch of the Reformed Kingdom of Oren. He was deposed and assassinated by a group of Horenist conspirators aided by the Canonist Church a mere three years after his reign began in 1526. His death ushered in the Horen Restoration and the formation of a new Empire under John Frederick of House Horen. 

 

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OOC:

 

All of these volumes are written to fit comfortably inside minecraft books. 🙂 Please feel free to copy/paste into books as desired.

 

I know Cracker and Viros already did something like this and theirs is way better, but I worked hard on mine and I wanted to post it too. Mine’s designed to fit into MC books, so it necessitated a slightly different format and structure.

 

Still hope u enjoy reading anyway 🙂 
 

[3andD 1722]

 

 

The mage lifts his legs off the back of his ethereal slave, shifting his weight towards his desk. He lifts the book on Imperial History and tosses it aside “I’m afraid it is wildly inaccurate.” , the Prince in black could tell from his body language that he had been there, perhaps even seen the rise and fall of all empires.     “Now, my young Dragon, let me tell you a real story, one of the Prince of Death and his Atlas Coalition wars.” with that, the mage and the black haired Prince faded into the abyss.

[Urahra 5781]

3 minutes ago, 3andD said:

 

 

The mage lifts his legs off the back of his ethereal slave, shifting his weight towards his desk. He lifts the book on Imperial History and tosses it aside “I’m afraid it is wildly inaccurate.” , the Prince in black could tell from his body language that he had been there, perhaps even seen the rise and fall of all empires.     “Now, my young Dragon, let me tell you a real story, one of the Prince of Death and his Atlas Coalition wars.” with that, the mage and the black haired Prince faded into the abyss.

 

((If you have corrections you’d like me to make, let me know. 🙂 ))