Talk:Heylel - The Zenith Empire

Traits

The Fallen Star

Your nation has laid claim to the ruins of the old capital, and perhaps gained insight into the nature of its destruction, or recovered some aspect of the fallen star that caused it. Only one nation can have this trait.

History

Imperial Expansion

Early Expansion (85 – 169)
Fearing that the Angels had only been temporarily intimidated by the summoning of Atma, the empire entered a state of long term military preparation. During this era, the empire was ruled by the direct descendants of Azurdeena. The primary issue at hand was when the Angels would return and how best to prepare for that day. For the first half of the period, many believed they would return in a generation or two as they had done before and focused on full militarization of the state. Military forces of both professional and conscripted classes were raised to quickly subdue nearby regions and annex them into the empire. Gains in territory led to more geomantic and spiritual power to feed into the capitol city's defensive enchantments as well as more land on which to settle soldiers.

High Expansion (169 – 231)
When the better part of a century had passed without the Angels returning, popular opinion considered the possibility that the enemy was counting on the empire to exhaust itself or would delay their assault until an obvious opportunity arose. The High Expansion period began with the reign of Feitoha I who reversed several of the policies that had already been called into question and sustained only after deliberation during her father's reign. Following this, expansion policy rapidly shifted with a view towards expanding the power base of the empire over the long term. The rate of territorial acquisition was accelerated until it reached islands of the near abroad by 201. These became geomantic foci for a series of continent-spanning enchantments that still survive in part to this day. Elsewhere geomantic infrastructure departed from primarily defensive applications and civil projects elevated in ambition and scale. This included works such as the Grand Shrine of Damara, a site dedicated entirely to fertility in order to encourage population growth. A massive expansion to the Atash Behram was commissioned by Feitoha II, elevating its status as an institution dedicated to ensuring the empire would have a large pool of militarily useful magical skill going forward. The High Expansion created a sizeable noble class as military officers retired to become land owners and administrators. The continual clearing of land for settlement provided for an extended period of prosperity.

Late Expansion (231 – )
By the end of the High Expansion, most useful lands were within reach of an imperial commandery. As the population grew in bounds to fill out the provinces, focus turned to settlement of less desireable, marginal territories and the ebb of fresh estates turned into growing pains and reopening of racial divisions. Beginning with the Karsi domain, many provincial governors had started reorganizing land use along ethnic lines. While some minorities, such as Tengu, Oreades, Kappa or Vodyanoy actually benefited from more intelligent land distribution, rebellions were ignited when other marginalised races were displaced, often by humans, from prime territories.

In 231, the ogre Engaku who lived within the human ruled Karsi domain took his tribe's case to the capitol in order to appeal directly to the Emperor. He was thrown out six times, requiring more men to restrain each time before attracting the attention of Grand Princess Amestris who appealed on his behalf, resulting in an official imperial investigation (and later, a scandalous affair). While the plight of the ogre tribe was ultimately reversed the next year, the difficulties encountered by the imperial commissioner immediately revealed an outward shift in the balance of power. With access to rapidly increasing tax revenue and geographic separation from the capitol, the provincial governors gained significant military potential and their relationship with the central imperial government grew more contentious.

A few tense years of passive aggression followed for the rest of the reign as most provincial governors increasingly under-reported taxation and increased their independence from the center as the imperial court, still more wary of the Third Impact than its own military commanders, found itself unable to restrain them through diplomatic or political means. Finally, in 237, some quiet months after the ascension of Amestris, the governors of three domains jointly wrote to the imperial court regarding the difficulty of assuring tax deliveries without fighting more resources to fighting bandits. The new Empress instead offered to rescind their defense responsibilities, triggering a civil war.

…

The situation changed abruptle in 2XX when reports arrived of the Angels constructing what is now known as Kromedea's Bastille on the isle of X far to the east of Zenith.

The Blue Veil Society

Part 1: The Thousand Coils

Many mark the final decay of the central government of the Empire by the expulsion from court of the last of the Thousand Coils. For a thousand years since the founding of the Empire, these Lamia priestesses had advised the emperor on matters spiritual and temporal. Finally though, some three hundred years ago, the young Empress Ixic, disliking their council had several of the Thousand Coils executed and the rest expelled from the Capital.

Without a home the Thousand Coils became nomadic, travelling across the Empire and teaching their martial arts to any who would learn. They fought extensively against the bandits who had begun to plague the Empire at that time. This condition lasted until 20 years ago when a number of prominent Thousand Coils settled in the Satrapy of XXXX under the patronage of the Satrap, a human named Ekzec. Eager to overcome his rivals the Tempest Clan, Ekzec Anseung's desired a large force of martial artists skilled in the ways of magic. His plan was to take things beyond the usual bounds of ritual warfare, and revolutionize his province by mass teaching of magic.

The Thousand Coils did as their new patron bid and begun to teach their magic and martial arts more widely. At the same time the Thousand Coils, together with the Nine Sparrows and Room of Echos schools, moved against notorious Red Water Tortoises school, who had previously been the scourge of martial artists world. While originally a heroic school, the Red Water Tortoises had embraced an extreme form of the White Tower philosophy and sought to eliminate all those martial artists who felt differently, systematically attacking and destroying them. The Thousand Coils, Nine Sparrows and Echos united to stormed their fortress and ended their reign of terror. With their master slain in a one on one due with the master of the Thousand Coils the Red Water Tortoises were absorbed by the three victorious schools. A treaty of friendship and alliance between the three was signed and they gained the respect of the whole martial arts world.

The Thousand coils used this to recruit widely from other schools, expanding their library of techniques and general knowledge. At first things went well, with Ekzec freed from banditry and lawlessness, and a powerful new army created. Called the Blue Veil army after the ceremonial veil all members wore on their initiation, it was everything Ekzec could have hoped for.

Unfortunately for him, it was much more besides.

Part 2: The Blue Veils Society

Things began to fall apart when Anseung became ill. Afflicted with a potent disease of the stomach bought on, some said by his overindulgence in fine food, Anseung was for many months unable to manage his Satrapy. As his relatives squabbled over responsibility the Blue Veil Society stepped into the breach, taking over day to day management of many areas of the province. Seeking expertise in how to manage things they formed groups of local peasants, small land owners and even merchants to best manage local affairs.

These councils were often much more efficient at managing things than the satrap appointees, at least at providing food and prosperity for the local lower orders. These power grabs caused alarm in many of the higher orders of society, but for the longest time, Anseung, still seriously ill was unable to do anything to reign in the Blue Veils.

When he finally recovered Anseung was horrified to find how much power had slipped into the hands of the lower orders. The Blue Veils were engaging in widespread teaching of their arts and had virtually replaced his own officials in many areas.

In desperation Anseung prepared to called in imperial forces to aid his house hold troops in restoring order. A spy informed the Blue Veil society of his plan and they struck first, killing Anseung and most of his household in a daring night raid. The Blue Veil rebellion had begun.

Part 3: The Blue Veils Rebellion

The Blue Veils Society rapidly gained control of the surrounding province, with household and local forces mostly fading away or defecting to the Blue Veils. This rebellion was met with alarm in many quarters of the Empire, as people from surrounding provinces had already begun to create their own cadres. As messages went back and forth the senior leadership of the Blue Veil society prepared both to implement their vision on the newly conquered Santrapy and to resist or negotiate with imperial troops sent to restore order.

Those troops never came. The night sky was filled with lights as the Chosen blasted one another, and a pillar of destruction fell on the Capital. For now, the Blue Veils society is left in control of much territory. Most in the Blue Veils believe that the Empire has become completely corrupted. Rather than prepare for the inevitable battle with the Chosen they abandoned their responsibilities and have lost the mandate to rule. Now they will be replaced by better heads, drawn from the population at large and covered in the Blue Veils that all adepts wear.

The Knights Thaumaturge and the Arete Draconic

Lan Fen, the First Ascendent

The dragon Azi Shaleh's blessing forged the empire, in stark defense against the Chosen. The example she and her siblings set in their defense of Heylel shaped its people, and the faith they had in her power has touched them. But it is her daughter with human Lan Fen, Azurdeena, who truly united the people into what would become the Empire; it was she that convinced the people to unite together into a mighty empire. And in it, she showed them something else - that a human could embody the power of dragons.

Even after years past following his emergence from the earth, Lan Fen's skin never lost its reddened sheen. Touched by his experiences beneath the world, he was a changed man. He was bolder than before, almost fearless, and had a newfound thirst for magical power. The human tribes already sought to worship the dragons, and Lan Fen served as a focus for their devotion. He seemed indifferent to worship, instead preferring to lead, but he took interest in warriors who followed him, picking those with the strength and wits to keep up with him.

His tribe remained in the south, in the land with the fiery caves leading into the earth.Fen would disappear for weeks at a time, always returning with some mystical oddity or having discovered some new magical insight. He encouraged his disciples to do the same, exploring the ruins of the world, and locating great treasures.

Lan Fen, like all mortals, eventually died, though it's unclear when and how. He is known to have gone on a final quest, believed to have been into the caves that he'd entered at the dragon's behest, but none were sure which one and what specifically he was looking for. His daughter, Azurdeena, never spoke of her father or his final fate.

Azurdeena's Ascent, and Atravarja the Fire-Wielder

The Daughter of Dragons' return was an event in itself for the Empire. It's impact on the world is physical present in the temple known as Dragon's Roost, which stands as a monument to her teachings and to those that followed in her footsteps. The first of these is debated hotly between Arete Draconic scholars, but Atravarja Marcellus is the most commonly accepted as her first disciple.

When she emerged from the caves leading deep into the earth, she emerged into a full-scale battle, waging between two tribes. Only one of the armies, lead by a warrior named Atravarja, attempted to protect the fiery woman who strode out of the erupting fissure, forming a defensive line and heroically braving arrow fire while he approached her. Azurdeena stopped the arrow-rain with a wave of her hand, and only ashes rained down as they pushed through the enemy flank to escape the field.

Atravarja continued to follow her, even as the Lamia arrived to escort her to the Council of chiefs, and he remained at her side through the battles with the Chosen to come. He was given the name Atravarja the Fire-wielder because of the arts Azurdeena taught him, and soon became a potent mage in his own right. His tribesmen who fought with him were renamed the Legion Draconic, and became something of a personal guard for the Daughter of Dragons. The nature of their relationship beyond this is hotly debated, but no solid records exist to clarify. Other military forces formed, particularly in the Empire's first days, to keep the peace and resolve and suppress internal conflicts in the face of the greater enemy.

Masters of War: Marcellus Drakos and the Formation of the Imperial Legions

With the end of the war against the Chosen came concessions, and a change on the face of warfare for all of Heylel. Held against holding a large, unified military by the treaties put in place, and without angelic enemies to fight, the individual satrapies formed under the First Empress' rule had only each other to fight. Ancient grudges and greed lead to skirmishing, and infighting, and the former Imperial Army looked to turn upon itself at any given time.

Emperor Kaveh's ascent in 320 AF brought him into a court wracked by maligned satraps and growing internal conflicts. Kaveh had spent much of his youth as a warrior and sorcerer, and had a company of 'knights' (Ascendent warriors and mages bound together by oaths of brotherhood) who maintained their loyalties even after his ascent. Kaveh made use of his knights: the landless or minor nobles took the duties of pacifying and patrolling the roads from the neglectful satraps. Meanwhile, the knights where were greater nobles or Satraps themselves formed their personal armies, as the Emperor drafted a multi-page document he dubbed the The Masters of War, detailing the rules of engagement between Heylel satraps to resolve land and honour disputes. He also included a duelist system, and guidelines for electing and maintaining 'Legates' who would decide on conflicts and step in to stop breaches in conduct. As a rather welcome note, the document clearly stated that Legates could be of any faith and were expressly not to be universally held to any religious rules.

The Legates and their Imperial Legions originally came from Kaveh's order of knights, but the Emperor made a point of appointing several noble military forces to the status, from across the Zenith Empire. Both mage and warrior legions were created. There were few actual legions, thus adhering to the rules of the treaties - Kaveh offered monetary and legal rewards for nations to maintain the rules, and this more than helped cover any lack of manpower. Some legions remained independent from any Satrapy - others were satraps themselves, like the Tund Province Legion.

One such legion formed from Kaveh's knights was lead by Marcellus Drakos, an Ascendent warrior from the Velerus province born to its family line. He returned to his homeland during the reformation, and went about proposing its formation into an Imperial Legion of its own. Followed by several of Kaveh's knights, they organized it around the same band of elite warrior structure they had before, calling it the Knight's Thaumaturge. Eventually, they would come to replace the Satrap title as the leading force, an oligarchy of magical Draconic warriors (for good, or ill).