The 1st Haedian Empire
The First Haedian Empire was a civilization that arose from the fall of Antecea and saw a unification of the three great city-states of Requiem under the banner of the warlord Eero Hengellen.
Eero Hengellen proved popular among the local lords and dukes, who until now ruled over miniscule kingdoms that constantly squabbled with each other for territory and resources. He united many of the disparate kingdoms with the promise of a new, united human civilization to replace the one that had been lost over a century ago. Those who could not be persuaded were conquered. It was during this time that the Battle of the Fire Plains ensued, where Hengellen's forces took a hefty loss from Bivodan's rebellion. Ultimately though, Hengellen succeeded in uniting most of southern Requiem and pointed his now united forces to reclaim what he claimed to be their rightful home: Orsus (which would come to be known as Sigil).
At this time, Orsus was occupied by a shadowy cabal of necromancers who siphoned the aberrative energies still saturating the city to raise the bodies of the dead to exert their will. They constantly squabbled amongst themselves, constantly jockeying and vying for influence. Ultimately though, they all swore fealty to the mysterious King in the Shadows, who was able to rally the disparate mages to defend their territory from Hengellen's forces. The siege lasted for an entire year before the city was finally claimed by Hengellen, who renamed the city Providence. Under Hengellen's lordship, the new city flourished, rebuilding infrastructure and reclaiming the long-ruined homes. Hengellen's ambitions survived him, as his sons and grandsons continued to expand and unite the scattered kingdoms of man, as well as make connections with the still thriving civilizations of dwarves and elves. When Hengellen's son acknowledged a man claiming to be his reincarnation, Hengellen's Expansion gained divine providence.
With new vigor, humanity continued to branch out, expand, and conquer in the name of Triumvirism. By 377 EP, Aditum was freed from barbarian control and dubbed Hengellum, and by 392, Sinurbis was similarly conquered and renamed Earnian. Each of the three cities were ruled for some time by direct descendants of Hengellen and all of them paid deference to Eero's reincarnations, who had been dubbed the Orator. For over 400 years, this conglomerate of states known as the Haedian Empire (or the Ordained Empire) was the ruling force of Requiem. However, cracks and divisions soon began to grow. As Hengellen's line's influence diminished, the three major cities often found themselves squabbling over politics, trade, and territory. It never devolved into physical fighting, but fierce nationalism developed among the citizenship of each city, with each believing themselves to be the true seat of power in the Empire.
On top of this, the inability for the Haedians to successfully expand beyond the banks of the Verdelen River was incredibly demoralizing for the Empire's belief that their expansion was ordained. The decision to construct three sister temples in each of the cities and redubbing the cities themselves, each dedicated to a deity of Triumvirism, was meant to be a unifying experience. Despite this, the recently redubbed cities of Sigil, Cognance, and Penance found themselves in an all out war not 50 years after the completion of the last temple in Sigil. Cognance and Penance believed that Sigil had been given preferential treatment by the Church and decided enough was enough. What followed came to be known as the War of Splinters and the dissolvement of the Haedian Empire.
Since then, the three city-states have constantly been at each other's throats, often two teaming up against the third only to betray each other later. Penance and Cognance in particular found themselves constantly butting heads, usually over border and vassal disputes.
Eero Hengellen proved popular among the local lords and dukes, who until now ruled over miniscule kingdoms that constantly squabbled with each other for territory and resources. He united many of the disparate kingdoms with the promise of a new, united human civilization to replace the one that had been lost over a century ago. Those who could not be persuaded were conquered. It was during this time that the Battle of the Fire Plains ensued, where Hengellen's forces took a hefty loss from Bivodan's rebellion. Ultimately though, Hengellen succeeded in uniting most of southern Requiem and pointed his now united forces to reclaim what he claimed to be their rightful home: Orsus (which would come to be known as Sigil).
At this time, Orsus was occupied by a shadowy cabal of necromancers who siphoned the aberrative energies still saturating the city to raise the bodies of the dead to exert their will. They constantly squabbled amongst themselves, constantly jockeying and vying for influence. Ultimately though, they all swore fealty to the mysterious King in the Shadows, who was able to rally the disparate mages to defend their territory from Hengellen's forces. The siege lasted for an entire year before the city was finally claimed by Hengellen, who renamed the city Providence. Under Hengellen's lordship, the new city flourished, rebuilding infrastructure and reclaiming the long-ruined homes. Hengellen's ambitions survived him, as his sons and grandsons continued to expand and unite the scattered kingdoms of man, as well as make connections with the still thriving civilizations of dwarves and elves. When Hengellen's son acknowledged a man claiming to be his reincarnation, Hengellen's Expansion gained divine providence.
With new vigor, humanity continued to branch out, expand, and conquer in the name of Triumvirism. By 377 EP, Aditum was freed from barbarian control and dubbed Hengellum, and by 392, Sinurbis was similarly conquered and renamed Earnian. Each of the three cities were ruled for some time by direct descendants of Hengellen and all of them paid deference to Eero's reincarnations, who had been dubbed the Orator. For over 400 years, this conglomerate of states known as the Haedian Empire (or the Ordained Empire) was the ruling force of Requiem. However, cracks and divisions soon began to grow. As Hengellen's line's influence diminished, the three major cities often found themselves squabbling over politics, trade, and territory. It never devolved into physical fighting, but fierce nationalism developed among the citizenship of each city, with each believing themselves to be the true seat of power in the Empire.
On top of this, the inability for the Haedians to successfully expand beyond the banks of the Verdelen River was incredibly demoralizing for the Empire's belief that their expansion was ordained. The decision to construct three sister temples in each of the cities and redubbing the cities themselves, each dedicated to a deity of Triumvirism, was meant to be a unifying experience. Despite this, the recently redubbed cities of Sigil, Cognance, and Penance found themselves in an all out war not 50 years after the completion of the last temple in Sigil. Cognance and Penance believed that Sigil had been given preferential treatment by the Church and decided enough was enough. What followed came to be known as the War of Splinters and the dissolvement of the Haedian Empire.
Since then, the three city-states have constantly been at each other's throats, often two teaming up against the third only to betray each other later. Penance and Cognance in particular found themselves constantly butting heads, usually over border and vassal disputes.
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