The Founders

During the height of the Omaceran Empire, one could have asked any citizen of the central region to name an example of leadership, and the answer would have been "The Founders." Despite their later political maneuverings and even crimes, the public's image of the five Lazirica siblings who founded the Empire never wavered. In fact, veneration of the Founders almost reached the level of god-worship.

A Family United

The Lazirica Family were Taranth Elves who grew up not far from Shandalar, in what was then the Omaceran District of the Kingdom of Imizael. Like so many others, they were frustrated by the state their government had slid into over the years since it became an independent kingdom. The five adult siblings dreamed of joining one of the rebel factions and setting up local rule in Omaceran.
When their father, a blacksmith, was struck and killed by an angry Imizaeli noble during a dispute, it strengthened their resolve. It took some careful planning to contact the rebels without endangering their loved ones, but finally, they were ready. Leaving their mother and their families in the care of their village, they joined the nearest rebel faction. Within a year, the five had not only made their way into trusted positions of leadership, but they had also united the rebel factions on their side of the mountains into a true army of rebellion.

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Myantha - The Spearhead

The oldest of the siblings, Myantha Lazirica was always incredibly charming and charismatic. As a rebel, she inspired her people to be braver, bolder, more daring, and more persistent. Impressively creative and relentlessly optimistic, she saw much farther than just an independent region with a small ruler. She dreamed of making the Omaceran name mean something, and she shared that vision with others, inspiring them and widening their horizons. She was the top recruiter among all the factions, and not just for her looks.

Illitran - The General

Illitran Lazirica was the second born, and oldest son. His motivation and confidence had him leading large numbers of troops within months. Fellow rebels were calling him the General long before there were any organized ranks. This was what Illitran excelled at, organization. He made sure everyone knew what they were supposed to do, and who they were supposed to report to. He cleared up the muddled communication practices of the rebels, and began instilling a ranking system based on skill. He was known to be a stickler for details, but he was always dependable.

Vaeril - The Strategist

Third child Vaeril Lazirica was the intellect of the family. The rebels found that he could devise strategies that caught their opponents unawares, and could minimize rebel losses even in defeats. He was original and innovative as well as logical, but he also never failed to listen to other people's ideas, and incorporate them into his plans if they made sense. It was said that he was always 5 steps ahead of anyone else, but he never made people feel inferior because of it.

Elenaril - The Blade

Fiery Elenaril Lazirica had had the good fortune to study under a swordmaster who lived near their village. She was the most technically adept of all the siblings when it came to warfare. She had high standards, pushing her people to accomplish more. Yet, she set her own standards higher still, and always worked to improve herself, leading her people by example and from the front of the lines. She never shirked, and her teams knew it.

Paeris - The Orator

Youngest child Paeris Lazirica had what the village women called "the gift of the gab." He could improvise a speech that could rouse a crowd to action, or bring them to tears. He was even better when he had time to write his speeches down. His rhetoric wasn't empty, though. He truly believed in the cause they were fighting for, and it showed in his words, both the speeches to the masses, and the quiet words of encouragement personalized for his soldiers. His sister, Myantha, credited him for writing more than half the recruitment speeches she made, and he was always chosen to deliver battlefield addresses.

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After the War

By the end of the war, the siblings were positioned at the top of the rebel's command structure. No other family, or group of individuals, had done as much for the cause as they had. In a unanimous vote, the rebels installed Myantha as their new Queen. As always, though, she saw a bigger picture.
With some help from Paeris, she convinced her new kingdom that they could be far more, like the empires of old. At her coronation, she was crowned as Empress, not Queen, and she quickly moved to install her siblings into positions of power as well, not to mention the rest of their families. No one objected, for these five leaders had won their hearts.

All portraits by Nightflyer0ne with ArtBreeder