The Battlemage Revolt
"Many chroniclers point to the War of the Three Emperors as the conflict that ruined the Holmgardian Empire. But though the war sundered the Empire, the largest cracks were formed during the Battlemage Revolt."
- Baric von Thyssen, A Chronicle of the Late Empire
By the turn of the 7th century, the glory of Holmgard had began to fade. As the expansion of the Empire slowed in the preceding centuries, war booty and arable land became ever more scarce. The result was overpopulation, increasing religious zealotry, and a disillusioned populace of uneducated peasants. Due to the constant war against the remaining independent Elfholds, xenophobia became commonplace.
One of the Empire's strengths had always been its willingness to assimilate new cultures and ideas. Though the Empire was founded under the mantle of uniting all of Humanity under one ruler, other peoples were tolerated, and even rose to high positions of power. Nowhere was this more apparent than in the Imperial College of Battlemages. Humanity has never been talented in the use of magick, and the legions of Holmgard were often turned back by Elven wizards. To counter this, the Empire founded the Battlemage Order as a bastion of learning, wisdom, and military might. Though they served the human Empire, the Battlemage Order was a cosmopolitan order that included all people and all creeds. Unfortunately, this made them a target of suspicion.
In 607 HR, Emperor Holm VI survived an assassination attempt by a group of battlemages who sought to depose Imperial rule and form a magocracy. Though their plot involved only a few disillusioned wizards, the entire order was suspect. The Emperor, foreshadowing a disturbing trend, became paranoid and vengeful. Not content with burning the perpetrators, he sought to kill all mages in the capital. Nearly all of the magic users in the Empire sided with the Battlemages, and the Empire was plunged into a deadly civil war. Though the mages devastated the Emperor's legions on the battlefield, they were outnumbered by 10 to 1. Eventually, they were defeated. The remains of the Battlemage Order formed the Imperial College of Wizards in Amon: a pale shadow of what they once were. Their former headquarters at Castle Vulkenstad eventually became the home of the dreaded inquisition, and learning was replaced with zealotry in the Empire. The Law of Chains: In the aftermath of the Revolt, Emperor Holm VI forced the surviving mages to swear fealty to him. From that day on, he declared that all mages would be required to follow the Lex Arcana, a strict law confining them to a monastic existence, and furthermore would be required to wear an iron chain as a symbol of their subservience. To this day, mages are closely watched by the Empire, though the details of the law are no longer followed to the letter.
- Baric von Thyssen, A Chronicle of the Late Empire
By the turn of the 7th century, the glory of Holmgard had began to fade. As the expansion of the Empire slowed in the preceding centuries, war booty and arable land became ever more scarce. The result was overpopulation, increasing religious zealotry, and a disillusioned populace of uneducated peasants. Due to the constant war against the remaining independent Elfholds, xenophobia became commonplace.
One of the Empire's strengths had always been its willingness to assimilate new cultures and ideas. Though the Empire was founded under the mantle of uniting all of Humanity under one ruler, other peoples were tolerated, and even rose to high positions of power. Nowhere was this more apparent than in the Imperial College of Battlemages. Humanity has never been talented in the use of magick, and the legions of Holmgard were often turned back by Elven wizards. To counter this, the Empire founded the Battlemage Order as a bastion of learning, wisdom, and military might. Though they served the human Empire, the Battlemage Order was a cosmopolitan order that included all people and all creeds. Unfortunately, this made them a target of suspicion.
In 607 HR, Emperor Holm VI survived an assassination attempt by a group of battlemages who sought to depose Imperial rule and form a magocracy. Though their plot involved only a few disillusioned wizards, the entire order was suspect. The Emperor, foreshadowing a disturbing trend, became paranoid and vengeful. Not content with burning the perpetrators, he sought to kill all mages in the capital. Nearly all of the magic users in the Empire sided with the Battlemages, and the Empire was plunged into a deadly civil war. Though the mages devastated the Emperor's legions on the battlefield, they were outnumbered by 10 to 1. Eventually, they were defeated. The remains of the Battlemage Order formed the Imperial College of Wizards in Amon: a pale shadow of what they once were. Their former headquarters at Castle Vulkenstad eventually became the home of the dreaded inquisition, and learning was replaced with zealotry in the Empire. The Law of Chains: In the aftermath of the Revolt, Emperor Holm VI forced the surviving mages to swear fealty to him. From that day on, he declared that all mages would be required to follow the Lex Arcana, a strict law confining them to a monastic existence, and furthermore would be required to wear an iron chain as a symbol of their subservience. To this day, mages are closely watched by the Empire, though the details of the law are no longer followed to the letter.
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