Official History of the Cennti Empire, 500 to 600 AU

In 510, many in the military thought that enough was enough, and initiated a coup. In less than 24 hours Marcus the 17th was murdered by his own bodyguards, and the army had seized control of the Imperial Palace. The Lord Generals and Admirals of the coup formed a military junta to govern the empire and restore order. At the same time Sulla, the bastard in exile, revealed himself to be the son of the dead emperor, gaining supporters of his own. Alba and several other smaller kingdoms took this as their chance to declare independence, together they formed the Alba Confederacy. So began the largest war in the history of the Cennti Empire, a civil war that would last for over 12 years. The war itself was so huge and fought on so many fronts that one cannot hope to summarize it in a few short paragraphs. Each year of the war will be gone over in detail, with a section for each front.
510 AU Himlothland: The majority of nobles on the world side with Sulla because like them he worshipped the Madonna. Dissenters are quickly beaten in minor battles, and Sulla is coronated King of the Hims and Emperor of Mankind on the 25th of Varus. The next several months are spent preparing the armies for the invasion of Tiriande. Sulla’s grand strategy was to hop from world to world until he was in striking distance of Eot. Tiriande would serving as a launching platform for an invasion of Aitov, which would serve as a launching platform for the invasion of Eot. His fleets entered Himlothland’s star on the 2nd of Florian, with a course for Tiriande.
Tiriande: On the 5th of Florian Sulla’s ships came out of Tiriande’s dull green star. Tiriande was a backwater planet with very few defenses at the time, so his fleet was able to defeat the Junta Navy easily, killing Lord Admiral Seres Vicarus. On Florian 28, his armies landed on the swamp world and laid siege to New Tetra, the largest city on the world. While the siege was happening Sulla’s armies swept the countryside, looting villages and destroying outposts. The commander of Junta forces on Tiriande was Lord General Lauri Dymond, but he was trapped inside of New Tetra, so the command of the soldiers in the wilds fell to Commander Willis Houle. Outnumbered over 3 to 1, Houle fought using scorched earth tactics and guerilla warfare. Any village within striking distance of the enemy was looted of all supplies, which were then taken to hidden bases deep within the swamps. New Tetra fell to Sulla on Donen 14, Sulla believed this would mean victory and he could move on to Aitov, but Houle sent raiding parties out constantly, disrupting supply lines, picking off enemy troops, and preventing preparations the invasion of Aitov.
Gelgoreg: The Alba Confederacy attack Gelgeth, the planetary capital, on the 19th of Varus. After a month of fighting the city is taken and Junta forces pull back to consolidate their strength. No major actions were taken by either Junta or Confederate forces after that.
Yeshi: Lord Admiral Gregor Lyons commands the Yeshi fleet and blockades its star, cutting the Confederacy off from their mana mines on the desert world. Lord General Han Magister leads a contingent of infantry with a couple void ships in support to seize the mines, on Sholas 36 his force is ambushed by Confederates, and he is killed in a hail of arrows. Without a leader, the Junta soldiers were aimless, many were slaughtered by Confederate arrows or just fled from the battle. Commander Decius Neron lead a company of men up the hill in a daring charge, forcing the Confederates to retreat. From there he commanded the supporting void ships to bombard key fortified positions held by the enemy. The day ended in a Junta victory, but at a heavy cost. Several mana mines were taken by the Junta army before the end of the year.
511 AU Briathone: Like Himlothland, the majority of Briathone’s population was Maddonian, that and lingering resentment against the Cennti for destroying the Confederacy, lead to Briathone joining the army of the Bastard King Sulla. Lord General Orion Magister commanded the local forces, and instead of putting down the rebellion, defects and joins their cause. General Magister readies his forces for an invasion of Dorthargond, in order to establish a supply route from Himlothland.
Yeshi: Decius Neron is promoted to General, and commands the Junta army on Yeshi. The Confederate forces, cut off from all supplies on a desert world, are eventually forced to surrender. By the end of the year all of Yeshi is under Junta control.
Aitov: The Confederate Navy attacks the Junta fleet over Aitov, the Junta are forced to pull back and the Confederates land troops on the world. The Goliaths revolt against the Junta forces occupying the world, wanting to reclaim their rightful homeland.
Gelgoreg: Lord General Activius Selus has defected to the Confederacy, the Junta army on the world is led by General Nellin Fabius. Fabius gathers his army and marches on Confederate occupied Gelgeth. The Army of Eire, which had taken Gelgeth the year before, marches out to meet the Junta army. From the north, the Army of New Aeosha swoops down and attacks the Junta army from the flank. After putting up a brave fight, Fabius is defeated and forced to retreat. The Second Battle for Gelgeth is a Confederate victory.
512 AU Dorthargond: The Briathonians, loyal to the Emperor Sulla, invade the world of Dothargond. The small territories on the world loyal to the Confederacy make a temporary alliance with the Bastard Army. Together they lay siege to Denethar, the capital of the world.
Aitov: The Confederate army has control over Senethor, and plan to attack Fresov when the ice thaws. The Goliath revolt is led by Chieftain Thamak Nagal, who proclaims himself King of Aitov. The Goliaths attack the Magister Territories, burning several villages before they are forced to retreat by Magister forces. The Junta army on Aitov leaves the fight with the Goliaths the the Magister’s personal army, even though they are technically loyal to Sulla, and march against the Confederates. There are some skirmishes, as well as a minor victory for the Junta on the battlefield, delaying a Confederate attack on Fresov.
Tiriande: Sulla wages a ruthless war to bring the Junta army out of the marshes. Commander Willis Houle pulls his soldiers back to Dageth Keep, and awaits a siege.
513 AU Aitov: Confederate forces march against Fresov, but are stopped right before they reached the gates by the Junta. The Battle of Herin Hill was one of the bloodiest battles of the war, the Confederates charged up the hill several times, many men became stuck in the slush and mud, and were skewered by arrows. Confederate cavalry smashed into Junta shields, when their horses fell they pulled out their swords, when their swords broke they bashed with their shields, when their shields broke they shoved fire sticks into the throats of men. The snow was just beginning to melt and had turned to slush, this slush now mixed with the blood of thousands dead and wounded. The Lord General of the Junta army, Favius Mire, was run through by a Confederate lance. Despite their valiant efforts, the Confederates were unable to take the hill, and was driven back by Junta forces. It was a great victory for the Junta, but it came at a great cost. The Confederate War Council decided that the invasion of Aitov was a lost cause, and retreated offworld, back to Gelgoreg. King Nagal killed many Magister soldiers, and negotiations between him and the Junta began. The Junta and the Goliaths have a common enemy in the Magisters, who were loyal to Sulla. Both Junta and Goliath forces would defeat the Magisters, and then the Magister Territories would be given to the Goliaths. Knowing if they did not accept the Junta would eventually crush them, King Nagal agreed. Thus ended the Goliath revolt.
Tiriande: The siege of Dageth Keep begins, and Sulla’s fleet heads for Aitov.
Dorthargond: The siege of Denethar ends in a victory for the Sulla-Confederate Alliance. The combined private armies of Balish and Teresha march north towards Denethar.
514 AU Gelgoreg: A massive Junta fleet appears in the skies over Gelgoreg, armies are dropped deep behind enemy territory, looting and pillaging the local countryside. A combination of Balish and Junta forces retakes the city of Gelgeth. There are three major armies under Junta control, not including the smaller ones pillaging behind enemy lines. The First Army of Eot, under the command of Lord General Vaius Marcus, marches south out of East Detrich and into the province of Salem. The Third Army of Eot, under the command of General Decius Neron, lands on the northern peninsula of Eire. The First Yeshi Army, under the command of General Marcus Balish, with support from the Balish and remaining local forces, marches west out of North Weshin and into New Aeosha.
Tiriande: Dageth Keep is taken by Sulla, Willis Houle is captured, and the remaining Junta forces on the world surrender. Sulla decides that too much time was wasted taking Tiriande, and that his army will skip Aitov.
Aitov: The Junta fleet is defeated by Sulla’s fleet, the army meets up with the fleet, and together they pop out of Eot’s star.
Dorthargond: With Denethar taken, the alliance between the Briathones and the Confederates break down, and they begin to fight each other. When the Balish army finally arrives, it is able to crush both sides easily and retake Denethar. The remaining forces retreat to Briathone.
Eot: Sulla’s ships exit the yellow star of Eot, and are immediately attacked by a massive Junta fleet, led by Lord Admiral Gregor Lyons himself. Sulla attempts to hold off the Junta fleet so that his troop transports could slip by and land on the world, but only a handful manage to get through. Sulla’s fleet is almost entirely destroyed during the battle, and he is forced to retreat back into the star. The few transports that do land on the world are defeated by local forces pretty quickly.
515 AU Gelgoreg: Activius Selus, former Lord General of Gelgoreg, marches the Army of New Aeosha against the First Yeshi Army, under the command of General Marcus Balish. His plan was to defeat the Yeshi army and march south, retaking Gelgeth yet again. Unlike during the Second Battle for Gelgeth, the Army of Eire was unable to support him, it had to defend Eire from the Third Army of Eot. Despite his soldier’s better training and discipline, Selus was given a minor defeat due to the Junta’s superior numbers. Selus pulled back to the city of Laston, and the Junta laid siege. The First Army of Eot, under the command of Lord General Vaius Marcus, tears across the countryside of Salem. Whenever the Confederates attempted to slow him down by holding up in a castle or fort, Marcus had ships in orbit bomb them out of existence, leaving no survivors, he wanted a battle, not a siege. Marcus would have to be disappointed, there was no major conflicts that year for his army. The Third Army of Eot, under rookie General Decius Neron, is ambushed by the Army of Eire. After losing a third of his army, Neron was forced to retreat. Eventually his army was blocked by the sea from retreating any further, and Neron ordered the building of fortifications. The Army of Eire’s general, Falux Malcius, was working in coordination with Confederate seaships, and had them support his assault. Fortunately for Neron, Junta ships in orbit spotted the seaships on their way and sent him support. Neron ordered oil to be poured into the sea, and runes to be placed in the tall grass just off of the beach. When Confederate seaships arrived to pelt them with arrows, the oil was set alight, and they all burned before sinking to the bottom of the sea. Confederate troops were slowed by the various runes, some stunned, some killed, some lit people on fire. No serious casualties were sustained by the runes, but it disorganized the Confederates enough for a charge by the Junta to force them into a full route.
Briathone: With the Junta putting almost all their focus on the invasion of Gelgoreg, fortifications are built within the cave systems, secret tunnels are dug so the Junta can’t just blow the tunnels and seal them in.
Tiriande: Sulla consolidates his forces, and prepares for the inevitable invasion by the Junta.
516 AU Gelgoreg: The walls of Laston are breached, and soldiers of the First Yeshi storm the city, capturing the traitorous Activius Selus, the Army of New Aeosha is destroyed. Decius Neron leads the Third Eot south, in pursuit of the Army of Eire, eventually backing them up against the sea. Neron finds the reversal of roles very amusing. Unlike Neron, General Falux Malcius does not have support from orbit, and is forced into the sea. Many Confederate soldiers drown trying to escape, the rest surrender. Lord General Marcus gets the battle he so desires, the Confederate War Council sends everything they can at him. Tens of thousands of peasant conscripts, supported by mercenaries and veterans of the Aitov campaign. Orbital bombardment in very inaccurate, and can only really be precise when given plenty of time to size up a stationary target, like a castle or city. Used against a moving army it can do very little damage, but it did manage to scatter and disorganize the Confederate army. They were never able to stay in one spot for too long, or else the ships in orbit would have the time to line up their shots with a stationary target. Junta cavalry would skirmish with the approaching army, focusing on the poorly trained peasants that made up the majority of the army, morale was very poor among the Confederates. It was during the night that Marcus finally attacked, the Confederates had made camp in a forest, the trees blocked prevented Junta ships in orbit from spying on them. Marcus set the forest on fire, and simply waited for them to run out. Those who didn’t burn to death or choke on the smoke were greeted by a wall of spears. Roughly half of the army came out of the forest away from the Junta and were able to create a decent battle formation. When the two spear walls clashed together, the Confederates fought valiantly, but due to their poorer training and equipment, the Junta came out triumphant.
Tiriande: Lord Admiral Seres Lyons attacks Sulla’s fleet over Tiriande, which was almost entirely destroyed during the Battle of Eot two years earlier. Knowing that if he didn’t escape now he would be trapped on Tiriande, Sulla ordered his ships to push past the Junta fleet and into the star, falling back to Himlothland. Most of his ships made it, and the Junta laid siege to Tiriande, where the remaining rebels had dug in heavily.
517 AU Gelgoreg: With most of the world under Junta control, and their armies destroyed, the Alba Confederacy surrendered to the Junta. Gelgoreg is put under marshall law, Decius Neron is appointed Lord General of Gelgoreg and put in charge of the occupation. The Balish family are rewarded for their help with the appointment of Han Balish, third son to Harold Balish, as Lord Admiral of Gelgoreg.
Tiriande: The ground assault of Tiriande begins, and after eight months of brutal fighting, the remaining rebel forces surrender.
518 AU Briathone: Valane Gorgos, Lord Admiral of Briathone, commands his fleet to retake the world he supposedly commands. Fighting in the void is minor, some light skirmishes and ambushes by smaller craft. Small contingents of troops are landed on the world, capturing key positions on the surface. A full invasion of the world would have to wait until next year.
Himlothland: When the combined fleets of Seres Lyons, Gregor Lyons, and Maxus Sandus exited the blinding white star of Himlothland, everyone knew the war was nearing its end. The combined Junta fleet smashed through the rebel blockade, and towards the rocky world. 20,000 men and women fell from the sky that day, and marched on the great walls of Aginlost. Aginlost was a major fortress on the world, and integral to defending the lands of the Bastard King. The fortress was defended by 500 troops, under the command of Captain Horace Tylin, while the attackers were being led by General Maxus Varus of Eot. Bombing ships were blown out of the sky by rebel artillery, so the attackers used trebuchets, but that takes time, enough time for an army of 15,000 under the command of General Kyrus Nassur to arrive and support the defenders. The armies charged each other, spear clashed with shield, sword with mail, flesh with flame. The Junta, despite having the numerical advantage, were forced to retreat. The next day they launched a counterattack against the rebels, but suddenly, while crossing the field to their foes, the ground below them burst into flames, splitting the army in two, pyromancers had set up fire runes during the night. It was during this chaos that General Maxus Varus was killed, him and his entourage were charged by shock cavalry, and he was stabbed in the heart by a spear. In the end, after three days of battle, 5,000 Imperials were killed and 3,000 wounded, while 4,000 rebels were killed and 2,000 wounded. While a major defeat, the remaining Imperials did manage to establish a foothold on Himlothland.
519 AU Briathone: Junta forces pushed through the tunnels beneath Briathone’s surface, taking almost all major settlements less than 100 meters below the surface. The rebels just went deeper down in the maze-like tunnels of the world.
Himlothland: Lord Admiral Gregor Lyons orders a blockade of Himlothland, ensuring that nothing can get off of the world.
520 AU Briathone: Junta soldiers start pouring water down the tunnels, either flushing out or drowing the rebels below. By the end of the year the surviving rebels have surrendered, and Briathone comes under the complete control of the Junta.
Himlothland: 100,000 Junta soldiers land in the foothold established two years prior, under the command of Lord General Vaius Marcus, the Witch of Salem. Marcus commands his army to march straight for Longstead, the oldest and largest city on Himlothland. Meanwhile, Sulla spends the year rallying all of his armies into one giant force to defeat the Junta’s 100,000.
521 AU Lord General Marcus, aware of what Sulla is doing, desires to fight him in the field, and marches towards his horde of desperate dissidents, now numbering over 150,000. Skirmishing parties were sent out by both sides, Sulla’s forces were more familiar with the land, and were able to successfully ambush many of these Junta raiding parties. Not wanting to walk into an ambush, Marcus pulled back onto a hill, and waited. Before the infantry clashed, void ships charged at eachother, launching volleys of arrows, and ramming enemy ships into the ground. The Junta had the edge in the air, and was able to win a crushing blow against the Hims. Sulla then charged into Junta lines, and a massacre ensued. This was the largest battle of the entire war, and also the bloodiest. Tens of thousands on both sides died on that hill, neither side willing to retreat or surrender. At one point Sulla’s horse was shot out under him, and he was forced to wade through the thick of the battle with only his sword. Hacking and stabbing away with his blade, it is believed he killed well over a dozen men personally during this part of the battle. In the thick of the battle, a Junta officer, Nathon Aulieus, spotted the Bastard King, and made challenge. The two crossed blades, and those around actually made room for the two to fight. Aulieus was a paladin reject turned bandit, and was given the choice to either join the army or be sent to a labor camp. He served in a penal regiment for 4 years before being transferred to the Eotian 24th, the same year the war broke out. For his extraordinary bravery during the battle of Herin Hill, he was made an officer, and served with distinction during the invasion of Gelgoreg and the battle of Aginlost. He was forever immortalized by his confrontation with the Bastard King during the Battle of Blood. Both were exhausted from fighting, their sword arms were tired from overuse, and yet they fought on. There were several moments when it seemed that Junta officer might actually slay Sulla, and bring the war to an end, but it was not to be. Aulieus went in for a lunge, Sulla sidestepped, then slashed his hamstring. Aulieus fell to his knees, and Sulla plunged his sword down, between his neck and shoulder, killing him. The next soldier to attack Sulla he quickly cut down, he then made his retreat. 50,000 Hims died that day, alongside 30,000 Junta. The day ended in a victory for Lord General Marcus, albeit a costly one. With Sulla’s forces broken and scattered he resumed his march on Longstead.
522 AU Marcus had his army surround the city of Longstead, and issued a proclamation to its people: If they did not immediately surrender, he would bombard the city out of existence, like how Marcus the Great destroyed the city of Dyre to force the surrender of the Terris Triumvirate. Based on his reputation, the people of Longstead knew the Lord General was serious, and the mayor officially surrendered to him. With the largest city under Junta control, and Sulla’s armies scattered, many of the Him Lords defected from Sulla’s cause and surrendered to the Junta. Sulla, refusing to admit defeat, planned to fight a guerilla war in the mountains, but he was captured and imprisoned by his own commanders, who wished to trade him to the Junta in exchange for pardons. Thus the war came to and end, and the Junta had emerged victorious. Now, it was time for reconstruction.

With the war finally at an end, the remaining Lord Admirals and Generals convened on Eot to discuss the matter of reconstruction, and how to govern the Cennti Empire from then on. The first matter of business was what were they going to do with their imprisoned foes. President Sicarus, the leader of the Alba Confederacy, was already publicly executed on Eot in 518, but other prominent figures still remained. The Lords voted, some were executed, others exiled, and a few were even pardoned. This process repeated itself with those who sided with Sulla, Lord Generals Orion Magister and Marcius Tygan were executed for defecting, as well as all the Lord Admirals Titus Teresha and Johan Hethin. Sulla himself though, was actually spared the chopping block, he was instead sent into exile. The next point of discussion was how to govern worlds that had fought against the Junta. After many days of debate, it was decided that those worlds would be ruled directly by their Lord General under military occupation until it was deemed that they were ready to be integrated back into the Empire. The political system was also drastically changed, it became much more centralized around Eot, autonomy was restricted and most of the power was put into the hands of the Junta Council, made up of these Lord Admirals and Generals. The last point of discussion was the matter of whether or not there should be an emperor. Nathon Balish, Lord General of Dorthargond, argued that there shouldn’t be one, and that absolute power should reside in the council, others, like Decius Neron, believed that a strong, regal figure is needed to maintain order and unity in the Empire. A compromise was eventually reached, where the council would vote on of their own to be made chairman of the council, and given the title of Emperor. They would have this position for life, unless the council decided to abdicate them. It was decided that Gregor Lyons, supreme commander during the war, would be the first emperor in this new government. Gregor Lyons was already in his seventies, and reigned for only three years. In 525 he died in his sleep of natural causes, and the council voted Decius Neron as the next emperor.
Emperor Decius oversaw the largest reconstruction in Cennti history, under his rule entire cities that were burned to the ground during the war were built back up again. In 528 he declared an end to the occupation of Gelgoreg, the world was fully reintegrated in 530. In 534 Briathone was also brought back into the fold. Decius planned to do the same for Himlothland, but in 535 lords that had previously fought for the Bastard King but were pardoned rose up. The revolt was centered around the Gorian region, and came to be known as the Gorian Partisans. They demanded an end to what they referred to as a foreign occupation, and that Himlothland be given complete independence. Most of the lords and ladies of the world remained loyal to the Cennti Empire, and the partisans were forced to use guerilla tactics. Decius demanded that the Hims deal with the problem themselves, or their occupation would be extended by at least another decade. Three regiments were sent to deal with the uprising, the Himlothland 2nd, 3rd, and 5th. No huge battles were fought, the partisans ambushed patrols, while the Empire scoured the hills and forests for their hideouts. After three years of this a partisan betrayed his comrades and gave their positions away to the imperial forces. The partisans were eventually stuck and surrounded in a forest. The plan was to eventually starve the rebels out, but one officer had a better idea. Tommen Agros, officer of the Himlothland 2nd, proposed that they set fire to the small forest, and flush the guerillas out that way. His commander liked the idea, and it worked spectacularly. While less efficient than starving them out, it sent a message to any who dared to oppose the Empire, that nothing was off the table when it came to crushing them, nothing. Partisans were managed to make it out of the forest alive were captured and publicly executed. A week later, on the 21st of Donnen, a massive feast was held to congratulate these men for their victory against the partisans. Tommen and several other officers were to go to Eot and be personally congratulated by Emperor Decius himself for their service. Instead, a messenger arrived in the middle of the festivities with grave news, the Emperor had grown ill and died, and that a new one was being elected as they spoke.
Wilhelm Lyons was made Lord General of Aitov after the 12 Year War to replace Favius Mire, who died during the battle of Herin Hill. Wilhelm was known for being honest, loyal, honorable, and unimaginative. At the age of 58 when Decius died, the council believed he would be a short lived and predictable emperor who valued stability, and they were mostly right. Wilhelm continued Decius’s goal of reconstruction. As a reward for their handling of the Gorian Partisans, he lifted the military occupation of Himlothland, and allowed it back into the Empire, with its own senators and representatives. In 539 he had the commanders and officers of the regiments who fought the partisans come to Eot, and be personally congratulated. The star of this group was Tommen Agros, whose idea it was to set fire to the forest and flush the rebels out. Himlothland needed new generals and commanders now that it was no longer occupation, and Tommen was promoted to commander of the Himlothland 14th. Wilhelm began a massive buildup of the military during his reign, massing an army, despite the Empire having no enemies. The Orcs within their sphere of influence had been eradicated or subdued, the Hobgoblins had not threatened or influenced the Cennti Empire for centuries, and most of the Known Void was uninhabited by intelligent life. Much of the Empire’s resources were being sapped to build swords and ships, many on the council feared Wilhelm was going to use this massive army to remove them from power, and make himself a true emperor. This whole time Tommen had been amassing power and influence on Himlothland, and was elected Lord General of the world in 553. A rift formed between the council, between those in support of Wilhelm, and those against him, fearing he would remove them from power. Those against the Emperor formed in secret a Second Junta, made up of 5 Lord Generals and 4 Lord Admirals. These were the Lord Generals of Eot, Gelgoreg, Yeshi, Dorthargond, and Himlothland, and the Lord Admirals of Eot, Gelgoreg, Dorthargond, and Tiriande. On the 1st of Varus, 556, a council was held with the purpose of discussing how to tax the trade route between Eot and Yeshi. All of a sudden, soldiers burst into the council room, and kill all those not belonging to the Second Junta. Soldiers loyal to Eot’s Lord General storm the Imperial Palace, and by the end of the day all of the palace guards had been killed, and the Emperor put under house arrest. Most worlds not originally loyal to the Second Junta surrendered without a fight in the months following, the last being Aitov on the 39th of Borlen, with fears of invasion looming over them. The new council was made up only of those who were part of the Second Junta, and Tommen was elected to take the throne, though it would not be until the next year that Wilhelm officially abdicated.
Tommen, to the dismay of the council, did not cut down the size of the military. He went against the council at nearly every turn, and it was even suggested that a Third Junta would have to be formed. But if Tommen was anything, he was a populist. He gave many speeches denouncing the council, claiming that they served not the Empire, nor its people, but their own self interests. They murdered Marcus the 17th, bringing an end to the royal bloodline that held the Empire together, so that they could have more power, launching the Empire into a bloody civil war that they had still not recovered from over thirty years later. Tommen, through political manipulation, had key figures on Eot, including the Lord Admiral and General, replaced by those more loyal to him. In 558, he banned the council from meeting on Eot, and in 559 banned them entirely. By this time all armies and navies not directly under the control of a council member was loyal to Tommen, which was just over half of the military. Tommen was willing to start another civil war, and knew no matter how long and bloody it was, he would win in the end. The council knew this as well, and that it would end with their heads on spikes. In 561, when Tommen’s first son was born, he declared him heir to the throne, securing his dynasty. The council did not object to this, and was quietly disbanded a few years after. Tommen was a unique emperor because he did not worship the old gods, he was a Maddonian, as are all Hims. He worshipped the Madonna, the Great Mother. Worship of her dramatically increases during his rule as well as the rule of his descendants. Enemies of his called him the Usurper, and Tommen liked the named so much that he made it part of his official title. Tommen the Usurper died in 578 from heart troubles, surrounded by his friends, family, and trusted advisors.
Tommen the Second took the throne at the age of 17, and expectations of him were high. His father started a new dynasty, and it was his job to bring it to such heights that in the history books it would outshine even the Marcus bloodline. His was a rule of economic growth, a peaceful time to contrast the bloody decades of recent history. After fifteen years on the throne, tensions began to show between lords of Eot over land rights, with threats of violence on both sides. He knew that another conflict was inevitable, unless the Empire had an outside foe. The Cennti knew of other kingdoms and empires throughout the stars, but they were all too far away to be of any immediate value or threat. The one exception to this was the Obronians. While resentment and prejudice still lingered, the Cennti and Obronians had remained neutral towards each other ever since the Mana War of 163, over four hundred years of peace. The Obronians controlled all four worlds in the bordering cluster, as well as three more in another. Secundus, the world with a connection to Yeshi, was a worthless ball of ice and rock. Monos was a world of vast mesas and savannahs, similar to Dorthargond. Valar was a world of thick forests and clear lakes, the most populated world in the system. Daiga was an ocean world with two stars, connecting them to the next cluster under Obronian control. Tommen the Second had his admirals and generals make plans for a possible invasion of the Obronian cluster, he gave speeches to rally the support of the people, and he distracted the lords from their own internal squabbles. The Obronians began to prepare for war as well, they were still angry at losing Yeshi and being forced to abandon Briathone. In 598, after years of war games and speculation, a final plan of invasion was formed. The Navy would be split into two battlegroups, the fleets of Eot, Aitov, Briathone, and Himlothland were Battlegroup One. The fleets of Gelgoreg, Dorthargond, Yeshi, and Tirande formed Battlegroup Two. Together the two battlegroups would secure the Secundus system. Battlegroup One would then split off to attack Valar, while Battlegroup Two defended Secundus and secured a supply chain between Secundus and Yeshi. Valar, being the most valuable world in the cluster, would be taken by a massive ground force. A minor force would also be landed on Secundus to secure any forts or settlements the Obronians might have. The Obronians would then surrender, ceding both Valar and Secundus to the Cennti. This plan would not be carried out in the emperor’s lifetime.