Dwendalian Empire

A raven soars over a massive city, sprawling outward from a somber, monolithic palace. Soldiers and war machines pour from the city, stretching across the land like innumerable grasping arms, greedily encircling the continent. The raven notes this hungry behemoth and alters course.
The Dwendalian Empire is a young, ambitious state borne from decades of strife in Western Wynandir; the heartland of Wildemount. Its austere lands are dotted with tiny villages, ruins of ancient civilizations, and pockets of uncharted wilderness.
Campaigns set in the Dwendalian Empire are bound to involve elements of war and political intrigue. The empire is at war with the Kryn Dynasty, a nation of surface-dwelling drow which occupies Eastern Wynandir and the wastes of Xhorhas. This war allows various Dwendalian factions, such as the power-hungry Cerberus Assembly, to vie for political dominance.
An fairly new organization based in the Empire is the prestigious Adventurer's Guild

Basic Information

The Dwendalian Empire has reigned over Western Wynandir for over twelve generations. Imperial rule is maintained through its powerful military, its policy of religious restriction, and the support of the secretive Cerberus Assembly. Though these institutions nominally exist to ensure the safety of the populace from foreign threats, terrible dangers that wander the wilds, and lingering evils that seep from the scars of the Calamity, they also allow the empire to maintain strict social order within its territories.
King Bertrand Dwendal is now two months past his sixty-eighth birthday, and his iron will has not wavered with age. A tall, powerful man, King Dwendal rewards loyalty and swiftly punishes insolence and failure. His family has developed a totalitarian rule that reaps heavy taxes and looms over society with a military presence that only grows stronger with proximity to the capital city of Rexxentrum. While civic unrest does rise beyond mere mutterings from time to time, reminders of the dangerous creatures that live beyond the guarded borders of each city and the protections offered within the empire generally keep the populace in line. Those that rebel often find themselves in chains or forgotten in a dungeon.
Dwendalian society has a rigid caste system, in which denizens who have mastery over the arcane are considered elite members of society. Many Dwendalian ladies and lords came from a sorcerous bloodline or studied the arcane arts within the walls of the Soltryce Academy. Those who especially excel in their magics or were born into prominent families can come to hold power as a member of the Cerberus Assembly, a council of extremely powerful mages that works directly with King Dwendal and his councilors to develop and enforce laws throughout Western Wynandir. However, distrust between the king and the Cerberus Assembly runs deep, for they both wish to eliminate the other and enjoy uncontested power. Most cities and townships throughout the empire are ruled by a local government under the leadership of a starosta, usually a native baron appointed by the Crown and the Cerberus Assembly. Reporting directly to the king's council, the starosta is given absolute control over local government, appointing and maintaining responsibility for the heads of the city guard (watch master), the regional military (warmaster), local commerce (coinmaster), infrastructure (pithmaster), religious practices (idolmaster), and the courts of law (lawmaster). Twice a year, tithe collectors (nicknamed "Reapers") visit each imperial city to inspect households for records and proof of income, collecting a percentage of their earnings in coin as determined by the tithe collector.
The empire's military force currently stands at around 35,300 Righteous Brand soldiers across all regiments, and 5,200 Crownsguard across all cities. The majority of the Righteous Brand forces were deployed to fortifications along the Xhorhasian border at the onset of the current war.
Soon after the Dwendalian bloodline came into power, there was a short-lived rebellion helmed by religious civilians. It was swiftly quelled and the rebel leaders were executed in an event known as the Admonition. The ruling class has regarded religion with suspicion ever since, believing that faith inspires the unworthy to rise above their station and spark fruitless rebellion. Instead of abolishing all religious practices, the empire regulates worship within its boundaries. All temples are owned and run by the government, and must be dedicated to deities approved by the Crown. Priests and clerics are on the Crown's payroll to preach only approved religious texts. Keeping private shrines or worshiping outside official temples is punishable by fines or imprisonment. The only deities that are approved by the empire are Erathis the Law Bearer, Bahamut the Platinum Dragon, Moradin the All-Hammer, Pelor the Dawn Father, Ioun the Knowing Mentor, and the Raven Queen, Matron of Death.

Goals

The empire uses the plentiful resources of the Marrow Valley and sizable tithes gathered from citizens to protect their people and maintain control over Western Wynandir, while keeping a keen eye out for opportunities to expand their influence across the continent.
The empire's religious proscriptions are proving more and more difficult to enforce in this time of conflict. Theolocrat Kon Bruda is helming a new directive to align religious texts with less oppressive terminology, in an attempt to redirect discontent away from the Crown and onto the heretics beyond the borders.
Now that tensions with Xhorhas have erupted into all out war with the Kryn Dynasty, the Crown is spreading propaganda through all aspects of daily life to unite the people of the empire against their common enemy. They hope to garner support for the war by reinforcing rumors about the kidnapping of Dwendalian children and the Kryn's violent and cannibalistic nature.

Relationships

Though many citizens gripe about the empire's restrictive laws, the majority have grown accustomed to a comfortable lifestyle under imperial protection. Fear of the evils that stalk the edges of civilization generally outweighs any frustrations about civil liberties, and the relative peace provided within the confines of Western Wynandir is welcomed. However, dissidents have begun to speak loudly of their discontent, and the growing trend of uproar is making King Dwendal quite irritable.
Landlocked and reliant on the trade avenues of the Menagerie Coast, the Dwendalian Empire maintains a respectful and mutually beneficial relationship with the Clovis Concord. Agents of both nations watch the borders, and an occasional political gesture of good faith satisfies those in power. Still, the empire doesn't trust the concord by any stretch of the imagination, and a secret world of subterfuge is alive and well.
Historically, the Cerberus Assembly has been responsible for much of the empire's acquisition and retention of power, but the royal bloodline has always harbored a paranoid dislike of the council of mages. Handshakes and smiles hide distrust, and the king correctly assumes that the assembly is merely biding their time to attempt to challenge his power.
The King and his chamber ignore most foreign powers. Requests for alliances from the Council of Tal'Dorei and the Khorvairian city of Sharn have been met with indifference, and efforts to install a skyport in Rexxentrum to enable easier foreign travel have been continuously shut down.

Figures of Interest

A number of personages maintain the power and influence of the empire, some working to expand its power, while others seek to redeem their country.

King Bertrand Dwendal

Lawful neutral, male human - King Bertrand was raised with the strict beliefs of the Dwendalian royal family, and his mounting responsibilities as the leader of one of Exandria's greatest nations weighs heavily on him. Bertrand is a dark, clever, and often paranoid king-and a lonely one since his wife Duvia passed away nearly ten years ago.

Chamberlain Queselia Vir

Neutral good, female elf - Chamberlain to the previous king and now to Bertrand, Queselia handles all affairs regarding the management of the house of Dwendal.

Prince Eidys Dwendal

Neutral good, male human - Heir to the throne of the empire, Eidys has shown great strength in physical combat and war games, but little cunning in social or political matters. He's been eager to produce a child, however, he and his wife, Princess Suria Dwendal, have been unable to conceive.

Princess Suria Dwendal

Chaotic neutral, female human - Wed into the royal family from her own noble house of Saugiss, Suria was filled with pride to bring honor to her family. Unfortunately, the unexpected difficulty in producing an heir has put her and her husband out of favor with the king.

Prime Arbiter Sydnock Truscan

Lawful evil, male human - The Truscan Family are longtime allies of the Dwendalian bloodline, and Sydnock managed to advance his family's influence within the empire above most other noble houses. Rising to become the Prime Arbiter of Rexxentrum, Sydnock has final say on all matters of law that do not require the king's attention.

Crown Marshal Soral Damurag

Lawful neutral, nonbinary human - As a decorated veteran of the imperial military who has served for nearly twenty years, Soral is a highly respected soldier and clever tactician who is instrumental in the campaign against the Kryn Dynasty. Known to be stern but adaptable in the face of adversity, they've risen through the ranks and now directly advise the king on all major military actions.

Exchequer Aethia Drooze

Lawful neutral, female dwarf - Aethia is in charge of the tithes from the various cities within the empire and is the overseer of the biannual collections by her tithe collectors. She absolutely loves numbers and wealth, taking joy in squeezing every copper she can from those who are legally obliged to pay.

Guildmaster Kai Arness

Lawful evil, male human - Kai came to prominence within Rexxentrum through the Arness family's illustrious connections within the merchant guilds of the empire. He earned the nickname "Goldfang" for his penchant for sneaking missing profit from the pockets of businesses unable to pay membership fees and taxes. Respected and feared for ruthlessly governing the many guilds and organizations that drive the Dwendalian economy. The guildmaster often works with Exchequer Drooze to maintain the proper flow of gold into the coffers of the empire.

Argonomist June Wiston

Chaotic good, female half-elf - June is seen as a studious spitfire, and she has unexpectedly proven to also be a masterful bureaucrat with a talent for exploiting legal loopholes. Driven by a youth in poverty, she swore to help repair a broken system of agricultural distribution. She's proven both driven and capable, pushing for advanced change in the empire.

Theolocrat Kon Bruda

Lawful neutral, male human - Once a monk of the Cobalt Soul, Kon Bruda's faith in the Knowing Mentor has waned since accepting the office of Theolocrat. Kon is a specialist in the historical and social workings of modern religion.

Emissary Lord Zeddan Graf

Neutral good, male human - A beloved noble and socialite from the House of Graf, Zeddan showed prowess in gathering rumors for his own entertainment. The cunning Sydnock Truscan saw promise in Zeddan's talents and recommended him to the king to become the empire's lead emissary. Now acting as the diplomatic contact to the world beyond the empire's boundaries, Zeddan is eager to do the Crown's bidding while rooting out gossip that may prove politically expedient.

Oliver Schreiber, Retainer to the Crown

Lawful neutral, male gnome - The immediate head servant to the king and the royal family for nearly three generations.

History

Rise of the Julous Dominion

In the Marrow Valley, the numerous decades following the Divergence left the landscape blackened and inhospitable. The remaining people struggled for food and shelter as they wandered the rocky hills for centuries, avoiding the colder weather of the north. Nomadic sects of humans and halflings defended themselves against the hungry beasts and lingering evils threatening their homesteads, and fought with each other over fertile land.
Small civilizations began to form amid the chaos, but it wasn't until the central township of Zadash was established as a safe outpost that the unification of the Marrow Valley began. Helmed by the Julous family, supposedly of noble blood from before the Calamity, a guarded community with an organized military force was built in the center of the valley around four hundred years ago. It became both a haven for the struggling masses and a center for agricultural expansion.
Increasing their strength with each generation, this movement guided by the Julous family became known as the Julous Dominion, stretching across the south end of Western Wynandir. Not all agreed to join the Julous Dominion, however. Some outliers rejected the Julous interests, founding their own village of Kamordah on the boiling earth of the hills in the southwest Marrow Valley. In time, the people of Kamordah came to worship a being of primordial fire that lives beneath the mountains and speaks to them in dreams and visions.

Founding of The Dwendalian Empire

In the frigid fields north of the Marrow Valley, the survivors of the Arcanum city of Zemniaz scraped by in the snow for centuries, clutching their surviving scrolls and fragments of cultural history. They established the dour outposts of Icehaven and Yrrosa, but it wasn't until the Zemnian people wandered east to the Pearlbow Wilderness that they found fields that were fertile enough to nurture a new society.
Founded atop the ruins of an ancient temple to the Dawnfather, the city of Rexxentrum rose to become the hub of Zemnian culture. Now that the Zemnian people no longer had to struggle for survival amid the harsh elements, their leaders argued over how to establish a centralized government. Some wished for a republic, while others sought a theocracy under the priests that shepherded the people into this new age. Eckhardt Dwendal, a well-respected merchant and tremendous force behind the development of Rexxentrum, wished to institute a monarchy and place his son Manfried Dwendal on the throne. Debate spun wildly for over three years, while Eckhardt privately made deals with the heads of the emerging guilds, using promises or blackmail to secure their cooperation. With the resounding support of the flourishing guild heads, the throne was established. In the year 539 of the post-Divergence era, Manfried became the first emperor of the Dwendalian Empire.

The Marrow War

It wasn't long before the expanding borders of the Dwendalian Empire began to push up against the growing Julous Dominion. An agreement was brokered to avoid conflict as long as favorable trade could be established and maintained. Even so, the resource-rich center of Western Wynandir was split between the two states, with both factions eager to discover the other's weaknesses. Rumors of the discovery of a massive platinum mine within the Julous Dominion further increased the empire's desire to conquer their neighbor.
At this time, religious leaders throughout the Dwendalian Empire rebelled against the emperor's religious restrictions. After his coronation, Emperor Manfried Dwendal enacted laws limiting worship and prayer to subjects concerning the power, profit, and expansion of the empire. In the year 544 PD, internal strife and insurgent action turned bloody when the zealous leaders of varying faiths attempted, and failed, to usurp the throne for their council. An angered Emperor Manfried Dwendal had the rebellious priests executed-an event that came to be known as the Admonition.
The emperor spoke of abolishing all worship within his boundaries. This caused further uproar among the populace, but then Emperor Manfried's spies discovered that the seeds of the uprising had been sown by Julous interests. Publicly exposing the plot, the emperor outlawed only select faiths that he felt threatened civilized life. He redirected much of the people's fury by also proclaiming the Julous Dominion an enemy of the empire later that year and declaring war on the neighboring nation.
Meanwhile, the Julous Dominion was dealing with the refusal of the outlying villages near Kamordah to accept their rule in this time of brewing hostility. They eventually drove the independent villagers back into the Cyrios Mountains, just in time to hear the horns of war blaring from the empire to the north. The violent conflict known as the Marrow War lasted over sixteen months and cost the lives of many soldiers and innocents on both sides of the Marrow Valley.
The Julous Dominion lacked the unified military force of the empire. When a major military push left the capital city of Zadash occupied by the empire, Baron Inock Julous and Baroness Tessandra Julous met with Emperor Manfried to negotiate a peace. During this meeting, the baron and baroness were unceremoniously executed. Their bodies were displayed publicly along with the narrative that they had attempted an assassination on the emperor during the peace talks. Disheartened and bereft of leadership, the Julous Dominion immediately came to an end, as did the war.
To prove his benevolence to the people of the newly conquered Julous Dominion, and to help avoid future uprisings, Emperor Manfried declared that all citizens of the dominion would keep their lands and homesteads. No soldiers would stand trial or be punished for their previous allegiance. Life would continue as it had, except for the implementation of imperial taxes, laws, and oversight across the valley under the new emperor. Outlawed religious iconography was destroyed, crops and goods were redistributed according to the needs of the empire, and life slowly returned to normal for the Zemnian people.

A King is Crowned

With citizens of the former Julous Dominion tense beneath their new rule and a growing sentiment of frustration with imperial leadership building, Emperor Manfried sought a way to reform the nation under his banner. The propagandist minds who fought the social war with the Julous Dominion recommended a shift in public image and title, one that could command more respect within Western Wynandir while casting aside the oppressive connotations of the title of emperor. Still riding high on the victory against the Dominion, Emperor Manfried harkened back to the halcyon lore of the Age of Arcanum, recalling the beloved kings and queens of old. It was decided that the people would no longer have an emperor, but a king. Crowning himself the first of the line of Dwendalian kings, King Manfried insisted on maintaining the now-ominous national title of the Dwendalian Empire, famously proclaiming, "I am the Dwendalian king to my people, beloved and open to their wishes. To our enemies, we remain resolute and unstoppable. We are the Dwendalian Empire."

The Eve of Crimson Midnight

Not a quarter century after the Marrow War ended and the line of kings was established, a smaller, internal conflict rocked the capital city of Rexxentrum. A number of noble houses with a strong history of studying arcane pursuits began to compete with other high-born magic practitioners from the Julous Dominion. Throughout the lands of the newly expanded empire, these houses escalated their subterfuge and espionage against one another, until the rivalry finally erupted into an all-out magical conflict in the streets of the capital itself.
The events of the Eve of Crimson Midnight destroyed numerous buildings and maimed a number of innocents caught in the crossfire. The struggle ended with all involved shackled and brought before the king. After days of deliberation, an agreement was drawn up that would absolve those involved of the usual punishment in exchange for direct subservience to the Crown and the goals of the empire. Establishing themselves as the Cerberus Assembly, this council of mages became a powerful tool for the empire to maintain its position as the dominant force of Wildemount.

Modern Dwendalian Empire

For three hundred years, the empire has expanded and prospered under the rule of the Dwendalian line of kings. King Alfwin Dwendal increased the empire's military power by establishing the stronghold of Bladegarden and assimilating Grimgolir into the empire, seeking to hold back the savage creatures of Xhorhas. King Theoderich Dwendal's benevolent nature brokered the partnership with the Clovis Concord of the Menagerie Coast without bloodshed and ushered in new opportunities for trade with the rest of Exandria. King Willamar Dwendal established the initial prominence of House Truscan and granted them oversight of the Truscan Vale, to the displeasure of the other noble houses.
Other kings have come and gone, but few have made as immediate and lasting a mark as King Bertrand Dwendal. On assuming the throne in 790 PD, King Bertrand immediately demonstrated his love of spectacle and social manipulation by instituting town criers across the empire to disseminate Crown-approved messages. With the aid of Master Ikithon Trent of the Cerberus Assembly, he captured the imagination of the masses with well-crafted tales of his deeds, proclaimed by the criers in every town square.
Seeking to bury any dissent against the Crown, King Dwendal began to use the empire's spy network to seek out sources of unrest in the public and punish those who sowed thoughts of rebellion. Public holidays and celebrations were given greater funding to quell the masses and distract the people from the increase in taxation implemented across the valley. This allowed King Bertrand Dwendal to rise in popularity while also ruling with a far more ruthless and self-serving agenda than most kings before him.
King Bertrand maintains the isolationist world view of his predecessors, even in times of need. By ignoring political alliances from distant nations, preventing the construction of any skyship docks within the empire, and ignoring calls for aid-such as the fight against the rising threat of Vecna two decades before-the King believes he has made the empire stronger than it's ever been.
However, the king's focus on isolationism fades as tensions with Xhorhas grow. Worry about his legacy mingles with the new and deadly threat of the Kryn Dynasty, now emboldened and pushing into his kingdom with strange magics and dangerous warriors. He mistrusts the very Cerberus Assembly that grants him so much influence and arcane might to combat the ever-darker world that barks at the borders of the empire. Public approval of his rule wanes with growing economic disparity, and the whisper of Myriad power returning under his nose only heightens his paranoia.
When the Kryn orchestrated an attack on the Halls of Erudition in Zadash, the Cerberus Assembly pushed for a display of military power to rally the people and bring unity to the national identity of the empire. The king declared war on the Kryn Dynasty and the people of Xhorhas, embroiling the region in this new full-scale conflict, with the hope that, as history has proven, people are easier to unite against a common enemy.

Imperial Law

As judged by the eyes of the local lawmaster, appointed hands of that lawmaster, or the Law Bearer herself, any criminals discovered and/or convicted of crimes within local halls of judgment throughout the empire are subject to punishments befitting the crime.
All fines and punishments for crimes against a Crownsguard member, Righteous Brand soldier, or noble are doubled. All fines and punishments regarding crimes against an imperial official or associate of the Cerberus Assembly are tripled.
Theft: 5-10 days incarceration and/or a fine of twice the worth of the stolen goods.
Trespassing: 12 days incarceration and/or a fine of 150 gp.
Damage to Private Property: 5-15 days incarceration and/or a fine of twice the worth of property destroyed.
Assault with Intent to Injure: 5-30 days incarceration and/or a fine of 250 gp.
Failure to Pay Taxes to the Crown: 15-30 days incarceration and a repossession of property equal to the amount owed.
Worship of unapproved Gods: 30 days incarceration and a fine of 250 gp.
Damage to Crown Property: 15-60 days incarceration and a fine of twice the worth of property destroyed.
Kidnapping: 60 days incarceration and/or a fine of 800 gp.
Ownership of Another Intelligent Humanoid Creature: 12-24 months incarceration and a fine of 1,800 gp.
Assault with Intent to Kill: 1 year incarceration and/or a fine of 2,000 gp, or execution.
Murder: 8-16 years incarceration and/or a fine of 10,000 gp, or execution.
Treason: Execution.

Founding Date

539 PD

Type

Geopolitical, Country

Alternative Names

The Empire

Leader

Bertrand Dwendal

Controlled Territories

• Alfield
• Ashguard Garrison
• Ashkeeper Peaks
• Berleben
• Bladegarden
• Blumenthal
• Bysaes Tyl
• Crispvale Thicket
• Cyrengreen Forest
• Deastok
• Druvenlode
• Dunrock Mountains
• Egelin Quarry
• Erdeloch
• Felderwin
• Felderwin Tillage
• Grimgolir
• Herethis Mines
• Hupperdook
• Icehaven
• Kaltenloch
• Kamordah
• Labenda Swamp
• Mount Mentiri
• Nogvurot
• Odessloe
• Ounterloch
• Pearlbow Wilderness
• Pride's Call
• Rastum Den
• Rexxentrum
• Rockguard Garrison
• Saltwallow Bog
• Silberquel Ridge
• Talonstadt
• Trostenwald
• Ustaloch
• Velvin Thicket
• Velvin Tribes
• Vol'antim
• Wuyun Gate
• Yrrosa
• Zadash