The Chosen Empire of Elderia
The blessed realm of Elderia is a land of vast natural beauty and grand, yet imposing architecture, built by the dragons themselves, and of course, their subjects, for Elderia is ruled not by mortals, but by dragon-kin; however, the realm is ancient, war-torn and filled with hidden mysteries of ages past, long buried sites of wars long since forgotten, and temples holding dark secrets dot the realm, only having recently been restored to its might, the Chosen Empire of Elderia is by no means its once mighty self, no, false churches fill the people with lies, bleeding them dry and turning them against those truly divine.
These cults surge throughout the land, lingering within the abandoned and forgotten holds, all the while the dragon lords, restored to their thrones, unsure if the empire should remain as it was, scheme within the shadows, each of these vassal states of the empire growing in their own power, sending out agents to further expand their influence. The grand temples that remained, desperately trying to restore order and the faith, working alongside the emperor, and the colleges of arcanum, who likewise seek to ensure the people do not devolve into uneducated fools willing to heed lies of those seeking to empower themselves, rather than to help the people of realm.
History
Elderia began as small tribal communities of dragon-kin, followers of the grand dragon clans of the southern realms of Hekuda, these people were free from the influence of much of the Primogens, so strong were the drakes that they dare not trespass in a land that was not theirs for the taking. Though the Primogens dared not to enter the realm, its neighbors did not share this benefit, forcing the dragons to isolate themselves for a time, for while they avoided invasion from these worldly masters, the dragon clans could not unite, their wills too great to share their hoards with others, they isolated themselves from the world, forging their clans into mighty holdings that expanded yet further, pushing out from the small domains of lesser dragons into thriving kingdoms; however, its isolation from the other realms proved to be much for the empire itself, they dragon lords grew complacent, slumbering for centuries upon their vast piles of wealth gifted unto them by their servants, the people began to form massive structures in dedication to their masters to prove their faith and their dedication to the clan. Though this awakened the dragon lords from their slumber, so too did it awaken in the dragons their envy, and their greed. Wars broke throughout the realm, as the clans clashed against one another, a surge of elements blew through the realm transforming it into a land of desolation, with no one side finding victory. That is until the great dragon, Veldryske, The Eternal Flame surged through the lands with an army at his back, sending the lesser clans into fearful retreat as one by one the lesser dragon clans bent the knee. Though the realm was lost to the might of this mythic wyrm, and the lands themselves were turned to all but ash, the people were at last united, and together they began to restore what was lost. With the first time in aeons the people of this newly united land, named Eldyria in honor of their first emperor, traveled outwards from their borders and sought out others, speaking first with the tribes of Berusia, they found these peoples little more than smaller kingdoms and duchies, having only been freed from the influence of the Primogens but centuries prior, a drop in the water for the empire, they sought out greater peoples, and found a people not unlike themselves, within the great jungles of Maloxhi, it is from these verdant walkers that they were able to plant the seeds of life once more into the realm, restoring from the ashes of war, life. The realms flourished for many millenia since then, expanding and further pushing out into the realms of the other clans; however, as the years continued onward, the Eternal Flames fire was at last called to pass on, the gods themselves deemed it their time, and thus with great mourning the people of Eldyria were lost, a great emptiness filled them, that continued on for centuries, though their realm continued, the faith of the people was shattered, for if the Eternal Flame could die, surely the gods themselves were not permanent. Thus began the surge of arcane expansion, as faithful flocked away from the divine and to that of science and arcanum, building grand colleges of learning, for if they were without their lords they would need the strength held by those past to defend what was built and to ensure its continued existence. This faction angered those still faithful, and a civil war broke out throughout the lands, sending the arcane and the divine at odds with one another, the dragons fought against dragons as the people fought against their own kin. It was an age of blood and pain within the realm, that continued for many years, until at last through the guidance of Arch Magister Andraskos Thane the factions of arcane stopped the bloodshed, the dragon lords themselves convened for this event, and peace was had within the realm as both colleges of arcanum and cathedrals of divinity formed a union, seeing each other no longer as enemies, but as kin, for it is within each dragon a spark of arcane lies. As peace was held, many years of rebuilding followed, restoring order to the realm, though as the people rebuilt, they began to notice the corruption within their neighbors, sparking outrage within the people, and as this outrage within the people grew, yet nothing was done to save their neighbors from a most terrible fate, the dragon lords began to drift away from the land itself, fading away, seemingly lost to time itself, leaving the empire lost as to their purpose. It is through this emptiness that the empire realized their path forward, this was a test by their masters, by the gods themselves to prove themselves worthy, and so with the blessed dragonfire the Swords of Elderia were alight with righteous wrath and the corrupt neighbors her target. Leading crusade after crusade against Berusia and the Vampire Counts within, in order to see the sin cleanesed from the realm and to perhaps restore favor to Elderia, the Eldarian War of Purification against Berusia began, and for four long years the realms were at last cleansed of its sin in a most holy of wars, bringing forth the Flames of Elderia to burn away the foul touch of Vampirism from this realm, the people of Elderia saw to it that the land would be at peace, cleansed of its sin. Expanding their influence into this realm creating a form of vassal state the Elderian Empire was blessed by the dragons of old, by showing their faith to be both strong and true, and restoring order to a land lost, the Elderians returned to restore order in their own realm, and with a blaze of glory, the ancient cathedrals of Scourge, the heart of the empire blazed with the most holy of lights, sending a divine influence to the people showing them that their path was both righteous and true, pushing these people into a golden age of divine works and an explosion of arcane expansion. However, this would not last. As the Wrath of Dahak crashed down into the old empires north of the grand jungle of Maloxhi, and as the years waned on, monsters began to return to the land that was once purified, with whispers that the vampires had returned, ending with the near transcendent arcane spark of inspiration lost. An age of darkness befell Elderia, the people forlorn and diminished in their path, could no longer find the breakthroughs of the arcane, nor the divine that surged them to the forefront of the world, but this was just the beginning, as many of the empire grew weary of this loss, many clamoring for another crusade against Berusia, for surely that would return the favor of the gods, it is at this moment that the Age of Omens began, as meteor after meteor slammed into the surface of Kaidryn the spark of faith was lost truly and forever, or so it seemed... Entirely despondent in their ways, the people panicked, unsure of what to do, wars erupted within the empire, various factions formed, and their vassal broken away from their power, Elderia could no longer sustain itself. Waybringer, the exiled wyrm was slain, the others were lost or likewise slain. Years passed as wars continued to rage throughout the empire, false churches began to spread, giving hope to the people in dire need of guidance, though not truly easing their suffering as the dead rose from their slumber, compounding on the wars, further panicking the people, who with anguished cries called out to the aether for anything that might save them. They were answered at last, as a surge of power sent shock waves through the realm, once lost souls were found, as the dragon lords returned, the faithful called out asking the name of their savior, as one by one the dead fell, and they were answered simply, Typhan, The Scaled Lord.Geography
Elderia is a realm of natural beauty, a valley of rolling grasslands and craggy hillsides, alongside magnificent deciduous and coniferous forests alight with the natural wonders of realm itself. Though this natural beauty is somewhat marred by many wars of the past, and the invasions of great beasts that still stalk the land to this day, many of which having been reborn when the spheres collided, these beasts laying dominion over the ancient ruins and forgotten pathways of the old empire. Found within the heart of the empire lies the shimmering jewel of the realm, the opulent city of Glimmer sits, and its surrounding farmland and lesser villages, this city holds dominance of the regions trade, acting as a pathway between the entire realm to any other location therein. Within the north-eastern borders of the realm lies the ember mountains of Skaldren, rich in ore, this volcanic mountain range is home to a variety of natural resources, and deeper clans of folk who call the Depths home, along with these ancient peoples, the mountain range itself boasts plentiful of deposits of Arandur and Fever iron. Sister to Skaldren, bordering the north-west of the empire, lies the Misting Mountains of Fellagros, a massive mountain range not of width but of elevation, seemingly rising to meet the stars themselves, it is within this mountain range that hidden treasures reside, and so to peoples seemingly forgotten. To the south, bordering that edge of the empire lies the draconic spine-like spires of the Serpents Spine. A long serpentine like range of mountains that cuts deep into Elderia's southern neighbor, but from its earthen grasp the hidden treasures of the earth reside, providing the people with metals most rare. Additionally, the lakes and rivers are home to glittering gemstones and dragonglass, especially along the river Sken, that flows deep into the lake that rests at the eastern heart of Elderia. It is here, upon the shores of Lake Dolderehn, that Scourge that capitol city of Elderia resides, and within its walls grand cathedrals and ancient schools of magic continue to push the realms of possibility. Beyond the inner workings of the realm, the western edge meets with the Maldroven Sea, it is here where the verdant plains transition into that of craggy steppes and trecherous highlands, though filled with their own natural dangers, the real dangers of the realm itself resides, great beasts and monstrous beings roam these lands in search of prey, or devotion, for many of these entities found power within subjugation of the false cults and churches that continue to spread.Government
Elderia is ruled by an emperor, chosen by the divine fires of the Church itself, with guidance by the magisters of the Arcanum, this position is hereditary, though favor of the church and the colleges hold great sway within the empire itself, it is from the royal family that the clans of dragons pay heed, and it is from this seat that the Church and Arcanum share their counsel. The current emperor of Elderia is Zandrasko Mhordorim, though they hold the power within the realm, each of the dragon clans, each claiming dominion within a hold within the realm share this power in their own ways. Vying to further their share of the power, the emperor knows well to keep his subjects happy, especially these newly reborn dragon lords. While the government of Elderia itself is ultimately in the hands of the emperor, a counsel still shows their guidance, made up of representatives of each of the dragon lords, as well as a representative for each church and college within the realm itself. It is through these various ranks of government that a noble class is formed, often given their place of power as gifts by their service to the realm itself, or to the liege lord.Structure
Royalty
Elderia's royal class is comprised of one dynastic house which traces its lineage back to the chosen people of The Eternal Flame, with the ruler of Elderia holding the title of Kapral--or Emperor. Its members hold titles such as King, Prince, Baron, Count, Knight, and Boyer.Ranks and Privileges
The noble titles conferred upon Elderian citizenry maintain a specific function within the governance of the state. While the meanings and grandeur of these titles may change over generations, the current government recognizes the following noble titles in hierarchy from greatest to least.- Daaros (King): Ruler of a kingdom within the empire, this title is limited to the six kingdoms of the realm; Caerven, Fareshki, Isaley, Ryskae, Shehadras, and Zarekim.
- Treya (Prince): Landed princes rule large territories known as a principality. A principality may contain a sizable portion of land with numerous villages, or a large city. Princes who do not administer a principality often serve as advisors to the Emperor, or their King.
- Krixa (Baron): Oversees a portion of a principality, typically a couple of small villages and their connecting roads.
- Galus (Count): A ruler of a specific land. Counts often report to barons, though occasionally they report to a prince.
- Daroski (Knight): The lowest rank among Elderia's nobles. Typically children of nobles are conferred this title first, especially those with military service.
- Verseni (Boyer): Typically serves as mayor and justice for a community, such as a village or a neighborhood within a larger city. This is often an elected position, though it may be conferred upon an individual for political reasons. Boyer's usually report to Counts.
Religion
The Chosen Empire of Elderia favors the Pantheon of Dragons, having previously worshiped the Waybringer before his fall, they have since been brought into the embrace of Typhan, and though many false cults dot the lands, it is through Typhan and their fellow dragon deities, Ayldrosei and Zhandranthos that the peoples say their praises; however, many give prayer to the Church of the Sevenfold Veil, as homage for the service they performed for the world.
Our Fire, Eternal.
Founding Date
215 A.D
Type
Geopolitical, Empire
Capital
Alternative Names
Eldyria
Training Level
Semi-professional
Veterancy Level
Decorated/Honored
Demonym
Elderian
Leader
Head of State
Government System
Monarchy, Theocratic
Power Structure
Feudal state
Economic System
Market economy
Currency
The Chosen Empire of Elderia use an array of coins, all minted with a depiction of the Eternal Flame. Most are made from silver, with additions of gold, depending on the value of that coin. The lands use the Rach (cp), the Orn (sp), the Aurix (gp), and the Torv (pp).
Official State Religion
Neighboring Nations
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