Atheon WIP

Atheon - A mythical land, home to many civilizations and creatures.

    The Northern Empire 
  Background: A large empire that controls most of northern Atheon, from the Gryphon Sea to the Black Forest. Originally divided amongst many Barons and Kings who were often at war with each other, the Northern Empire came about when Count Lividivus created the Elector Court.
   
  The Elector Court was a collection of any King, Baron or Lord that would agree to the charter. Each man or women who was a member of the Elector Court all had an equal say in decisions that affected what was then referred to as the Baron Lands. Many lords joined and soon the wars that had plagued the north came to an end.
 
  After the power of the Court was established it was decided that there should still be one central figure that would reign over the Empire, while the individual Lords continued to rule their kingdoms. Major decisions would still be decided by the Elector Court. And so the Elector Court named Count Lividivus as the first Emperor of the Empire of the North, or Northern Empire.
     
  The First Emperor did much to improve the north and added much power and wealth to the northern kingdoms. After five years of being Emperor, he married the Countess Worthington, ruler of Provence Worthington, a small but powerful kingdom that was home to most of the Imperial Navy. While Lividivus was content with the system he had helped established, the new Empress was not. She reasoned that the current system, while it worked well enough at the moment, could very easily be the source of renewed wars in the north. Because if the Court choose a new Emperor every time the current one died, people would vie against each other in a bid to be named Emperor.
 
  And so the Empress set about discreetly changing how the Court worked. Instead of electing a new Emperor every time one died, they would elect a new Imperial family every time one died out. She knew the changes, when discovered, would not be welcomed. And so she formed strong friendships with the most powerful Barons and Lords, to give her argument more backing, and give her a distinct advantage should war breakout.
   
  Conveniently, but tragically, the changes she had made were discovered, but soon after the Emperor was killed near the edges of the Great Forest, but not before he and the Empress had produced an heir. The Empress, grief stricken, non-the-less took advantage of the situation, and rallied the Elector Court into a March against the Great Forest.
 
  The wars that followed were terrible and saw thousands killed, including many Barons and Lords who had marched with their armies. The Empress used the losses of so many Electors to further her own, and the later generations of her family line, power and after a few small rebellions which were ruthlessly put down, the Empress ruled without check. The Northern Empire was now an absolute monarchy.
   
  Three hundred years later and the Lividivus family is still in power, the current Emperor, Arktheleon Lividivus is young, and is industrializing the Empire, although he is somewhat unpopular because of it.

  Notable persons from the Northern Empire.   
  Count/Emperor Lividivus - Formed the Elector Court and was the first Emperor. Married Countess Worthington and had 1 child. Was killed by the edges of the Great Forest.

  Countess Worthington/Empress Lividivus -  Married to Emperor Lividivus. Changed the Elector Court Charter, and eventually became the absolute ruler of the Northern Empire.

  Lord Aker - Lord of Lone Peak City 200 years ago. Formed the Mages of the North, and was a very well known and respected mage .Rumored to still be alive, wandering in the Great Forest.

  Empress Asilis Lividivus the Bloodthirsty - Was the Empress 150 years ago. Her reign saw the construction of the Imperial City, Eon Keep, Dark Spire Keep, and many other places using slave labor . Her reign also saw many wars against the Northern Empire's neighbors. After the rebellion of Grey Stone city was ruthlessly put down, she left for Eon Keep. There is a rumor that she still lives in Eon Keep, no longer human, and is simply waiting for the right time to return and claim the throne.

  Emperor Arktheleon Lividivus -  Current ruler of the Northern Empire. Is industrializing the Empire. Name means 'Son of Atheon' in the old language of the Barons.

    Notable Places of the Northern Empire
 
  The Imperial City - Also known as Lividivus city because every property in the city is owned by the Imperial family, this city is the throne city of the Northern Empire. Although its construction has a dark history, being built mostly by slave labor during the reign of Empress Asilis Lividivus the Bloodthirsty. Regardless of its history, the Imperial City is considered one of the most beautiful cities in the known world.

  Worthington City - The home city of the first Empress, Worthington city is the second jewel in the Imperial crown. While not the largest of most populated city in the Empire, it is often seen as the most loyal city in the Empire, with many of its citizens willingly pledging their lives to the Imperial family. This loyalty has been duly rewarded and Worthington city is one of the richest cities in the known world. It is also the main naval base for the Imperial Navy, and the troops trained in Worthington are often of the best quality.

  Military Forces of the Northern Empire

  The Imperial Army - The Imperial Army is one of the largest organizations in the Northern Empire. It is seen as a right of passage to serve in the military, and many men and women  pass this right by serving in the Imperial Army. Like all the other civilizations, the Army is basically comprised of swordsmen and archer units. Cavalry units are rare, as horses are used mainly as beasts of burden and cant be spared in large numbers. Although most Imperial Army Cavalry units are considered to be elite.

  The Imperial Navy - The Imperial Navy is considered the mightiest naval force in the known world. Its members are well trained and well discipline. Its main focus is exploration, but it is more then capable of beating any other individual navy that would dare meet it in battle.

  The Emperor Guard -  The best soldiers in all the Empire, the Emperor Guard are tasked with guarding the person of the Emperor and the Imperial Family. They are under the direct command of the Emperor or Empress and are absolutely loyal to their sovereign. They follow the orders of the Emperor or Empress without question, regardless of what the order is. They are also the best equipped soldiers in the Empire, and their equipment is often paid for by the current ruler, and no expense is spared when it comes to the people who defend the Emperor or Empress. Name changes to Empress Guard if the sovereign is female.

  The Mages of the North - A force of magic users. Normally mages, especially those who are part of a Guild, refrain from participating in wars, and often act as peace brokers between warring peoples. The Mages of the North are an exception however. This guild was formed by Lord Aker, who would adopt parent less children with magical abilities. He himself being a mage, he raised the children and taught them to master their abilities. He also taught them to be loyal to the people of the Empire, not the Imperial Family per say. This teaching system has continued down through the generations, and there have been times when tensions between the Mages and Imperial Family spiked dangerously high. But only once was their open conflict, during the reign of Empress Asilis Lividivus the Bloodthirsty. They have often come to the aid of Imperial Army units during times of war. Naturally they do not trust the Emperor Guard.

  The Black Forest 
  A vast forest that separates the Northern Empire from it neighbors. The Great Forest is home to many creatures, from orks to dragons. A small city-state managed to form near the center of the forest and the only major road that connects the great kingdoms passes right through it, making it a very prosperous city-states.
 
  The Northern Empire has often had conflicts with the various creatures and groups in the Great Forest, and many traitors and criminals flee into its depths to escape retribution, but are often enough killed by the creatures that lurk in the shadows. Most, if not all, of the creatures in the Great Forest resent the Northern Empire for the are often the targets of the Empires fury, and many times they will aid the enemies of the Empire.

  Notable persons from the Great Forest   
  Azera the Silver -  A silver dragon nearly a thousand years old, Azera is the unofficial ruler of the dragons in the Great Forest. She has often shielded her kin from undue harm and is often a driving force of peace in the Great Forest and throughout Atheon as well. Her level headed thinking and the motherly effect she has has saved many a young dragon who thought they can make the Northern Empire pay for their crimes. She herself has fallen under attack from Northern Empire forces, however no serious harm has ever been dealt to her since she and Lord Aker of Lone Peak fought, nearly 200 years ago, who mistook her for a feral dragon.

  Mergak - An old and wise Ork who tries to keep his people out of too much trouble. The Northern Empire has a large bounty placed upon his head and he often brags about it. The bounty on his head also gives him much respect from his fellow Orks, in their minds some one so hated by the Northern Empire must be worthy of respect. It is said that when ever a Northern Empire expedition enters the Great Forest Mergak remarks 'I'm getting to old for this.' before gathering his troops, as Northern Empire expeditions are often of a hostile nature.

Notable places in the Great Forest 
  The Great Forest Highway - The only truly open and direct road through the Great Forest, the Highway is the mainline of trade between the great kingdoms. It is also the main marching route for armies. The Highway passes and meets in the small city-state of Aknorn.
 
  Aknorn - A small city-states near the center of the Great Forest, Aknorn is the meeting point of the Great Forest Highway. It is also a meeting point of cultures and it is often said that you can find something of everything in Aknorn.