Talaris Empire
The Empire of Talaris is an old and proud one. Covering the majority of the North Plains, the Talaris Empire stretches from the bursting north banks of the Eliwei River down to the contested savannas of Longfield, from the eastern bluffs of the Great Canyon to the sandy western shorelines of Pale Sea. The empire has a sordid history of much conflict as, although claimed to be born of sages, it fills a productive region with a multitude of peoples calling it home, requiring centuries of expansion against its human, orc, elf, dwarf, and lizardfolk neighbors.
In the past decade the empire has seen its vast fortunes turn as the orc warlord Ornigon the Glorious conquered vast swaths of territory and most the remaining territories submitted themselves to his forces or declared independence, before the capital itself was, years later, captured and the emperor slain. And despite the Glorious's fortunate disappearance, the land lays broken and in ruins, villages burned, towns pillaged, and roving bands of starving peasants, desperate deserters, and infighting nobles as well as orc warlords vying for the remains.
Structure
Although the empire is in a state of near-anarchy, theoretically its former structure still remains:
Emperor:
Officially Emperor Ornigon the Glorious, Herald of Akkana, Victor of Three Meadows rules the Talaris Empire, although has not been seen for years. On the two occasions local human leaders have declared themselves emperor, orc warbands rally and sack the capital of Talaris, slaying the "false" emperors.
High King:
This title was created to declare dominion of the remaining lords without attracting the attentions of the orcs, however, is only capable of influencing the closest territories.
Upper Council/Council of Sages:
The Upper Council is a group of appointed community leaders who consider high-level petitions from the Lower Council and manage key areas of the city and surrounding lands. In the past the Council acted as a body of able aristocrats, patricians, clergy, and administrators who advised the emperor and could exert certain pressure on certain laws and edicts while capably enacting official proclamations. Now they have additional power in this uncertain time.
Lower Council/The Assembly:
Members of the Assembly are voted in by one another, generally from the ranks of landowners, prosperous artisans, and other community leaders of the lower orders. In times past they would receive grievances and form petitions to submit to the Council, but now form a broken coalition looking for change, seen as little more than rabble and potential trouble-makers from those above them.
High Lords:
Although the emperor held full sway over his subjects, there were several lands taken through bribery or coercion, and in exchange for avoiding bloodshed, the natural lords remained as stewards over these annexed territories. For retaining small autonomy, they submitted their eldest heirs to the capital for years 12 through 16 to ensure compliance of taxes and to prevent rebellion.
Since the fall of the empire, these lords consider themselves rightful heirs and sole sovereigns of their hereditary lands, but pay lip service to both the high king in Talaris as well as the various bands of orcs, creating an exceedingly tenuous and dynamic political landscape.
Governors:
Governors are those appointed to oversee imperial territories the emperor did not directly rule, generally territories of strategic importance, plus the hereditary home province of Ralsted. Since the fall, these governors act as their own lords, but, as legally and most importantly usually physically closer to the capital, the governors rarely resist imperial edicts, although some say they bide their time.
Overlords:
The orcs theoretically control the empire, but none has been able to fill the large shoes of the emperor, who they also dare not replace. The chieftain known as The Black holds the most territory within the Talaris Empire, but finds much of it contested officially or unofficially by other hill orc major and minor chieftains, local human lords, and leftover Mivolan generals.
Additionally, The Black has assigned overseers of many human settlements with appropriate peacekeeping forces, and has several tribes and bands under his command, although the further they range the less wont they are to follow, and constantly push against his authority.
Public Agenda
The Talaris Empire has always espoused virtue, justice, and prosperity for its people. Founded on the Sages' directive of knowledge, wisdom, and progress, which would lead to enlightenment and success in perpetuity, the empire has sought to achieve more, and to bring glory to its citizens while honoring their ancestors. They claim to be a friend of anyone of appropriate enlightenment, but usually find faults in anyone their encounter, justifying military action.
Since the fall, these stances have not changed in public, but clearly the high king and the Council wrestle with the high lords and governors as well as the competing orc chiefs and lords.
History
Formed by the Council of Sages centuries prior in a dark age of harsh environment and harsher conflict, first the City, then Kingdom, and finally Empire of Talaris was founded through the use of the Sages' wondrous knowledge and technology, which they used to uplift their people, and soon other peoples they encountered. It is said in the Chronicles that these wise folk led an enlightened tribe descendant from the gods themselves, founding a brilliant city that attracted the barbarous peoples scattered across the world's surface. Each they took in, regardless of tribal ancestry and religious affinity. And each they crafted into better beings, who worked and learned with the Sages toward crafting a city for the gods.
Over time the Sages left, one by one, until the last handed over the firm empire to their most trusted and diligent servant, who was crowned emperor and advised and guided both by the shrewd Upper Council and and steadfast Lower Council.
The next couple centuries speak of capable leaders who spread the Sages' teaching, and Talaris itself, across the world, never faltering until the Age of Power. Here the histories break and contribute little to the histories, before again coming to life in the Era of Heroes, where the Talaris Empire had been beset by enemies from all sides, and champions defeated them at every turn.
In the most recent era, the empire has once again been besieged, this time from within. The teachings of the Sages' are espoused, but rarely followed. Men are more interested in wealth and luxury and power. Lords keep to themselves and look for ways to assert their own dominion over their lands and neighboring nations grow restless as they face their own problems, spilling over into imperial territories. Then the Year of Omens occurs.
Many people and nations sought the meaning of the omens of the sky and earth, particularly rulers. A brush with a serious illness sets the emperor onto a new path, a path to restore the empire to its former glory. But at the same time rumblings speak of a stirring in the Orclands. And while this is not uncommon or overly concerning, it was to be a momentous sign of the future.
Two years after a startup orc chieftain rallied the hillmen and, to all observer's surprise, conquered the Mivolan Empire, Ornigon the Fearless turned his gaze north. What followed was a series of bloody campaigns as each empire sought to best one another as they also fought their own quarrelsome subjects.
[WIP: War will likely be detailed elsewhere]
After its conquering by the orc warlord Ornigon and his subsequent disappearance, the empire has fallen into bickering factions constantly trying to outmaneuver one another. The capital is a volatile city itself, but still holds much power in its region. Regional warlords have arisen from the noblemen of the countryside, as well as from certain deserter armies and generals loyal to the dead emperor. In addition, orc bands of tribal hill orcs and disowned or greedy snow orcs and former generals carve out their own dominions as competing groups claim to have the mandate of the emperor of both nations.
Type
Geopolitical, Empire
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