Miforan Empire

The largest political entity since the Kasarian Conflict. It lasted for about eight centuries before it collapsed under its own weight.

History

When Kasar repatriated its armies, a new reality took shape. Some of the then existing countries had been hit much harder than others, several lost their entire armies whereas others did not. It’s no surprise that it didn’t take long for certain people to take a chance.

Sutrek was a small nation of little consequence along the Vius river. Kasar had paid them little attention beyond levying them like all others. But one man among the conclave of rulers saw an opportunity. Paneg Sevso lead their army, reinforced to more than double its size by mercenaries, and conquered their neighbor to the north; Sinabes. So swift was their victory that they hardly lost any troops at all and in a campaign as bold as it was risky soon conquered two more neighbors.

There have been many rumors about this first expansion; some claimed Sevso found a dragon’s hoard to pay for his mercenaries, others said he killed whoever found the dragon’s hoard to take it as his own. Then there were those who were convinced he had either Elven or Kasarian support. The truth is, as often, lost to history.

Sevso then had a number of his peers on the conclave murdered and cowed the remaining ones into naming him sole ruler. To further cement this change he moved the capital of the new nation to the city of Mifora on the coast of the Sarodin Sea.

Empire

Twelve years later, another campaign saw more nations fall to his armies. Forty years later it was his son, Avale, who extended the realm to the Tal river and conquered the city of Hegio, renamed it after himself, and crowned himself emperor.

But it was Avale’s daughter, Tullia, who built the actual empire. She realized that it was impossible to conquer more territory and pacify it with the empire’s armies who were already a huge drain on the realm’s coffers. Instead, she made voluntarily joining the empire a worthwhile proposition. The empire’s advances in culture and technology would be freely shared with those who would join and they would not be taxed more than the home provinces.

Shrewdly, she also made joining the army a career to be aspired to. Soldiers were paid a wage higher than most tradesmen, treated well, and guaranteed a grant of land at the end of their twenty-year service. The army was quickly reorganized and set to show those who didn’t think joining was a good idea, how wrong they were.

It was less than a century later that the empire extended all the way to the Carpelo mountains. To the south, the large nation of Otteun had always resisted and their highly trained armies were considered too costly to engage. However, with no access to the north (and pressure from the elves, it is whispered) they finally negotiated a treaty that made them a mostly independent province within the empire, with the city of Midtal being named second capital.

About six centuries after the founding of the empire their attention turned east to what they had always considered inferior lands and conquered Sormark, growing the empire to its largest size.

Fall

The end came surprisingly quickly for the empire. The seven children of Empress Ateia decided that centuries of fratricide wasn’t for them and they were going to rule together, dividing the provinces among them. The huge reorganization necessary caused an economic collapse and a number of their own children proved to be quite ambitious and were happy to commit patricide and matricide to gain the imperial throne. Anarchy reigned and the once mighty empire fell into numerous smaller states.

Legacy

About five centuries after the founding, emperor Lydus Evodi dictated the “One Empire“ directive. In short this meant that the only ‘true’ culture within the empire was Miforan culture and any other was no longer allowed and should be actively purged.

Up to then most of the conquered provinces had usually adopted much of Miforan culture already but some of their old customs and art existed next to the new. Now it was illegal to own or create works of art deemed ‘un-Miforan’. During his fifty-two-year reign Lydus Evodi went to war on anything he felt was ‘foreign’ and many painting and books were burned, statues smashed and, in certain cases, whole buildings destroyed. One entire city was razed as he considered it an affront to Miforan sensibilities.

After his death the directive was never officially rescinded but it was not actively enforced either. Still, many had become afraid of what might possibly happen again and the original cultures never fully recovered.

Notable People

Marshal Varra Crez

Though Paneg Sevso liked to style himself as a brilliant strategist, this wasn't the case. He was a pragmatist and an opportunist though and his talent to recognize any advantage is one of the major reasons of his success. Though the Kasarian Conflict had shown that classic armies were no longer very effective, most countries returned to them afterwards. While it was Sevso who demanded speed over striking power, he was not the man able to implement this.

Among the mercenary generals hired by Sevso was one Varra Crez. Her unique view on warfare where spellcasters were not simply used as artillery, and where heavily armored battalions were traded in for faster striking, smaller companies, was exactly what brought Sevso his early victories. Crez was immediately promoted to marshal. Quite the scandal back then; a foreigner in charge of the army. But her success was undeniable and soon the entire army was formed around her radical new ideas. Sevso never took to the field again and left her in charge of all further campaigns.

It is only recently we have started to learn about her from secondary sources. At the time her accomplishments were downplayed, all victories were ascribed to Sevso, and no one else. She died at age 51 without an heir and wasn't give a state burial like later marshals and generals were.

Master Builder Sivas Prester

Balturan construction materials were popular in countries who could afford them; being stronger and denser, they allowed for structures otherwise not possible. After the Collapse these materials could no longer be created. And though most things built with them stood for centuries more, some still stand today, new building methods had to be invented.

One talent soon rose to the fore; Sivas Prester had a very modest upbringing, his father was a bookseller and his mother was a maid. But his inquisitive nature, talent for numbers, and an interest in buildings soon saw him apprenticed to the best architect in Dunum. Prester's buildings were notable for both their focus on function and efficiency in construction and use.

His fame had risen nation-wide when Empress Tullia came calling. Both the nation and the army had grown considerably and it showed. The empire needed new fortifications in its far flung corners and roads to get there. Tullia created the position of Imperial Master Builder and gave Sivas carte blanche. This was a challenge he could not resist and he set to creating many new types of building, and more.

His crowning glory was what came to be informally known as Prester's Almanac. This book was assigned to all army companies and described exactly how to build roads, way-houses, fortifications, castles, and much more. And with incredible detail, specifications were given for different types of terrain and climates. The army changed in under a decade, with most soldiers now also being trained carpenters, masons, etc. Large, well built and well maintained roads soon connected all of the empire.