Miz
Level 20 Mizard
Urian Empire
Current Ruler(s): Emperor Gawyn III (East), Empress Eloisa (Lowland), Emperor Asorin VIII (South), Emperor Wymon IV (Central), Empress Dowager Ravina Aralu (Principality of Olain)
The Urian Empire is a massive landpower that occupies much of the western mainland and the area surrounding the Inner Sea. An expansive land empire, the Urian Empire was only briefly unified completely under the reigns of early Urian conquerors before becoming decentralized into hundreds of kingdoms, principalities, duchies, counties, baronies, independent cities and other domains who all swear fealty to the Urian Imperial Crown. While extremely decentralized and composed of feuding factions, the sheer mass of citizens, resources and land that the Urian empire possesses makes it the strongest power on the mainland, if not the world.
The Urian Empire gains its name from the family name of its founder, Asor the Conqueror (Emperor Asor I), who established the Urian Dynasty that still rules over the empire today. Starting off as the small Kingdom of Olain, Asor the Conqueror was successfully able to take over his neighboring Kingdoms that would later form the central principalities of Uria. His reign was marked with rapid expansionism and by the end of it he had conquered nearly two-thirds of the Uria’s current land-holdings. He would pass his power to his son upon his death who continued the tradition of conquest and kept power within the Urian household.
However as the centuries passed, decentralization began to take effect with the Urian household losing power after several imperial minorities and civil wars amongst the nobility. During this time period, the Urian household surrendered its ability to select its own successor: allowing the highest nobles in Uria to elect which heir of the Urian dynasty would ascend to the throne. While such processes did wonders to extinguish revolts early on, factionalism within the large empire eventually continued. These factions would choose between different heir presumptives in order to gain more power and prestige. This would soon lead to divisions forming between the senior and junior lines of the Urian House and the eventual split of the Urian Dynasty into feuding factions.
The current situation within the Urian empire is a complicated one. At present, there are four heir presumptives of the Urian throne who each claim the title of Emperor. None of these heirs however control the Principality of Olain, Uria’s capital, which is ruled by the last Emperor’s (Hamed IV’s) consort, Lady Ravina Aralu. While not a formal civil war, in-fighting is common between the heirs as each attempts to control more territory than their relative. This has made trade relations and other matters difficult for the Empire, with different lords taking different stances with the heirs depending on what is most beneficial to them at the time. For this reason there is sometimes legal, governmental and religious inconsistencies between territories all of which frustrate Uria’s neighbors and citizens.
Uria Diplomacy
Relations with Escarte
- Uria’s relationship with Escarte could be described as fluid, if not volatile. Previous emperors have welcomed Escarian trade into their nation, others have spurred the western islanders for decades, barring their people’s entry into their ports with as much enforcement as they could muster towards their nobles. Not surprisingly, this has not been taken well by Escarians who frequently remember the ancient expeditions launched by Asor the Conqueror’s grandson, Emperor Tertius I, to subjugate the Escarian royal family. Nevertheless the people of the Dragons have always tried to trade with the inhabitants of the rich Urian Empire for resources and necessities not afforded to them on their rocky crag of an island. For this reason, Escarte has frequently tried to bribe Urian king, princes and other lords to disobey the Imperial throne’s commands and allow them to trade within the noble’s territories. Subverting heir presumptives that they might believe to be harmful to Escarte, the Escarian noble families are also known to meddle in Imperial Diet elections and even attempt to marry into power Urian noble families as means of forming alliances. All in all, the Escarians are useful but not to be trusted from a Urian point-of-view. If possible, the Urian Dynasty would probably be best to crush the Escarian people but disunity remains apparent (probably with the help of Escarian meddling) and the Gemstone Island’s navies are always looming just off shore.
Relations with Ithos
- Urians have a certain eye for land. Within the Urian Empire, it is who owns the most land is the most powerful. So it is by no mistake that Urians were quickly interested in the Itholan Archipelago after its rediscovery by Escarians. Using ancient documents from Agyla who supposedly once swore fealty with Olain’s early kings before the creation of the Urian Dynasty, the Urian Empire officially claims to have ownership over all islands within Ithos through the rights of inheritance. For this reason, Urian Nobles are not punished if they try to take land and other resources from Ithos (which are viewed as sub-states in revolt). By all accounts, Urians were known to have fought early on against Escarians for control of Ithos. However with reports of the Escarian fleet’s defeat by the hand of supposed sea monsters, Urian movements within the region only grew and several nobles claimed to have built estates within Ithos by the end of the decade. However with the increase in trade between Escarte and Ithos, the Itholan Navy was quickly bolstered and was soon able to fight off Urian supply ships and starve out the Urian nobles located on the islands. For this reason the Urian Empress, Alesia II, agreed to a peace treaty with the islanders for trade rights at the cost of abandoning claimant on any lands within Ithos. While previous emperors have refuted such a treaty’s legitimacy, in practice Uria is at peace with Ithos for the time being
Relations with Silvalari
- Elves are profound isolationists and have long been viewed as mythical by humans to their south. For this reason, even the early Urian Emperors did not attempt to conquer the Elven Forests of the North. Leaving their lands mostly untouched, only brief expeditions into Elven land have ever been conducted by Urian forces with undesirable results. Nevertheless, this did not deter Uria from trying to peacefully absorb Silvalari territory. Uria is a diverse kingdom with several races under its banner and Urian Emperors tried repeatedly to get Elven lands signed to them. With the exception of one small Elven enclave, no Elven lands were ever seized by Uria in its history. This Elven enclave, ruled by the stout Lord Durothil Crestwillow even to this day, is composed of Elven and Half-Elven exiles from Silvalari. Like a representation of their larger nation to the north, the Enclave (even as Urian subjects) keeps to itself and rarely if ever trades with outsiders.
Relations with Jale
- Jale has always been known indirectly by the Urians. Separated by what is referred to as the Central Lands and the Great Desert, Jale and Uria share no borders with one another. That has not stopped trade from occurring between the two lands and Urian trade goods have always been popular in Uria throughout its history. With the discovery of an ocean passage to Jale through Ithos, Uria has steadily picked up its trading with Jale. Teaming up with Escarians when beneficial, the Urians have managed to establish trading colonies with Jale in the modern day. Nevertheless, its hard to say how much control Uria has over these colonies as their loyalties often lie with the Jalen Emperor.
Urian Religion
Average population is polytheistic worshipping several dozens of Deities that vary in popularity depending on region. Several large-movement deities do exist in Uria and are promulgated by ruling elite that desire a uniform pantheon. However there are also hundreds of small deities, saints and folk heroes that are worshipped in a given region, city or even village.
While faithful are at least observant to all other major faiths in Uria, excluding those deemed hostile or banned by society, it is normal for a Urian citizen to have a patron deity, saint or folk-hero that they connect with and will more actively worship for assistance in their time of need.
Of course, this isn't always the case and many people in Uria are opportunists and worship any God they believe might assist them.
The Cult of Asor
(Deity of Leadership, Law, Nobility, War) - Asor the Conqueror (also known as "the Unifier" and "the World Holder") , was deified by his grand-son, Asordin the Second Conqueror (Third Emperor of Uria) after he experienced many unlikely victories. Asordin claimed that his prowess in battle came from Asor's guidance and that Asor visited him in his dreams. Turning him into a Deity, Asor is most popular god amongst Nobility in Uria. He is especially popular in Inner Principalities (such as Olain) but edifices to Asor are found throughout the Empire. His presence is evoked by Nobility and those in the Urian Family proclaiming their legitimacy to rule.
Historical Leaders of Uria
For the almost six hundred years of Urian History, there has been countless emperors. The longest have ruled for several decades, the shortest have ruled for only a month. All Urian Emperors belong to (or at least claim to be from) the same noble house (the Imperial Urian House) and as such, all have been directly or indirectly related to one another.
Many junior lines and senior lines exist in the Urian House, but anyone that can directly claim membership in the Urian Household is given the title of Prince or Princess. These Princes and Princesses have varying levels of power, with some only controlling what would be otherwise called Baronies and others controlling the mighty Inner Principalities.
However historians in Uria have traced certain "Dynasties" and Categories within the Urian Family. These Dynasties and Categories typically include a group of emperors that are all chronologically near one another and have some similar theme or ancestor connecting them. Dynasties typically form when one line of the Urian house becomes particularly powerful.
Age of Heroes - Asor's Dynasty
This is the dynasty directly following Asor's reign. Each of the rules are somehow directly related to Asor (whether his Sons, Grandsons/daughters and Great-grandsons/daughters, etc.). Many of these rulers are saints and subservient-deities in their own right within the Cult of Asor. Their reigns have been made into legends and parables (especially Cumic's reign) that are known by almost anyone who was raised in Uria or has lived in Uria for a substantial portion of time (DC 5 History check for Urians).
Asor the Conqueror (the Unifier, the World Holder)
(r. 53 AR - 0 AR)
Rysias the Magnificent
(r. 0 AA - 12 AA)
Asordin the Second Conqueror
(r. 12 - 37 AA)
Cumic the Humble
(r. 37 - 45 AA)
Rysias II (the Breaker)
(r. 45 - 72 AA)
Asordin II (the Climber)
(r. 72 - 77 AA)
Asoria the Fierce
(r. 77 - 95 AA)
Ror the Tranquil
(r. 95 - 138 AA)
* -
AR
= Asor's Reign,
AA
= After Asor (After Asor's Death)
Map of Uria
Current Ruler(s): Emperor Gawyn III (East), Empress Eloisa (Lowland), Emperor Asorin VIII (South), Emperor Wymon IV (Central), Empress Dowager Ravina Aralu (Principality of Olain)
The Urian Empire is a massive landpower that occupies much of the western mainland and the area surrounding the Inner Sea. An expansive land empire, the Urian Empire was only briefly unified completely under the reigns of early Urian conquerors before becoming decentralized into hundreds of kingdoms, principalities, duchies, counties, baronies, independent cities and other domains who all swear fealty to the Urian Imperial Crown. While extremely decentralized and composed of feuding factions, the sheer mass of citizens, resources and land that the Urian empire possesses makes it the strongest power on the mainland, if not the world.
The Urian Empire gains its name from the family name of its founder, Asor the Conqueror (Emperor Asor I), who established the Urian Dynasty that still rules over the empire today. Starting off as the small Kingdom of Olain, Asor the Conqueror was successfully able to take over his neighboring Kingdoms that would later form the central principalities of Uria. His reign was marked with rapid expansionism and by the end of it he had conquered nearly two-thirds of the Uria’s current land-holdings. He would pass his power to his son upon his death who continued the tradition of conquest and kept power within the Urian household.
However as the centuries passed, decentralization began to take effect with the Urian household losing power after several imperial minorities and civil wars amongst the nobility. During this time period, the Urian household surrendered its ability to select its own successor: allowing the highest nobles in Uria to elect which heir of the Urian dynasty would ascend to the throne. While such processes did wonders to extinguish revolts early on, factionalism within the large empire eventually continued. These factions would choose between different heir presumptives in order to gain more power and prestige. This would soon lead to divisions forming between the senior and junior lines of the Urian House and the eventual split of the Urian Dynasty into feuding factions.
The current situation within the Urian empire is a complicated one. At present, there are four heir presumptives of the Urian throne who each claim the title of Emperor. None of these heirs however control the Principality of Olain, Uria’s capital, which is ruled by the last Emperor’s (Hamed IV’s) consort, Lady Ravina Aralu. While not a formal civil war, in-fighting is common between the heirs as each attempts to control more territory than their relative. This has made trade relations and other matters difficult for the Empire, with different lords taking different stances with the heirs depending on what is most beneficial to them at the time. For this reason there is sometimes legal, governmental and religious inconsistencies between territories all of which frustrate Uria’s neighbors and citizens.
Uria Diplomacy
Relations with Escarte
- Uria’s relationship with Escarte could be described as fluid, if not volatile. Previous emperors have welcomed Escarian trade into their nation, others have spurred the western islanders for decades, barring their people’s entry into their ports with as much enforcement as they could muster towards their nobles. Not surprisingly, this has not been taken well by Escarians who frequently remember the ancient expeditions launched by Asor the Conqueror’s grandson, Emperor Tertius I, to subjugate the Escarian royal family. Nevertheless the people of the Dragons have always tried to trade with the inhabitants of the rich Urian Empire for resources and necessities not afforded to them on their rocky crag of an island. For this reason, Escarte has frequently tried to bribe Urian king, princes and other lords to disobey the Imperial throne’s commands and allow them to trade within the noble’s territories. Subverting heir presumptives that they might believe to be harmful to Escarte, the Escarian noble families are also known to meddle in Imperial Diet elections and even attempt to marry into power Urian noble families as means of forming alliances. All in all, the Escarians are useful but not to be trusted from a Urian point-of-view. If possible, the Urian Dynasty would probably be best to crush the Escarian people but disunity remains apparent (probably with the help of Escarian meddling) and the Gemstone Island’s navies are always looming just off shore.
Relations with Ithos
- Urians have a certain eye for land. Within the Urian Empire, it is who owns the most land is the most powerful. So it is by no mistake that Urians were quickly interested in the Itholan Archipelago after its rediscovery by Escarians. Using ancient documents from Agyla who supposedly once swore fealty with Olain’s early kings before the creation of the Urian Dynasty, the Urian Empire officially claims to have ownership over all islands within Ithos through the rights of inheritance. For this reason, Urian Nobles are not punished if they try to take land and other resources from Ithos (which are viewed as sub-states in revolt). By all accounts, Urians were known to have fought early on against Escarians for control of Ithos. However with reports of the Escarian fleet’s defeat by the hand of supposed sea monsters, Urian movements within the region only grew and several nobles claimed to have built estates within Ithos by the end of the decade. However with the increase in trade between Escarte and Ithos, the Itholan Navy was quickly bolstered and was soon able to fight off Urian supply ships and starve out the Urian nobles located on the islands. For this reason the Urian Empress, Alesia II, agreed to a peace treaty with the islanders for trade rights at the cost of abandoning claimant on any lands within Ithos. While previous emperors have refuted such a treaty’s legitimacy, in practice Uria is at peace with Ithos for the time being
Relations with Silvalari
- Elves are profound isolationists and have long been viewed as mythical by humans to their south. For this reason, even the early Urian Emperors did not attempt to conquer the Elven Forests of the North. Leaving their lands mostly untouched, only brief expeditions into Elven land have ever been conducted by Urian forces with undesirable results. Nevertheless, this did not deter Uria from trying to peacefully absorb Silvalari territory. Uria is a diverse kingdom with several races under its banner and Urian Emperors tried repeatedly to get Elven lands signed to them. With the exception of one small Elven enclave, no Elven lands were ever seized by Uria in its history. This Elven enclave, ruled by the stout Lord Durothil Crestwillow even to this day, is composed of Elven and Half-Elven exiles from Silvalari. Like a representation of their larger nation to the north, the Enclave (even as Urian subjects) keeps to itself and rarely if ever trades with outsiders.
Relations with Jale
- Jale has always been known indirectly by the Urians. Separated by what is referred to as the Central Lands and the Great Desert, Jale and Uria share no borders with one another. That has not stopped trade from occurring between the two lands and Urian trade goods have always been popular in Uria throughout its history. With the discovery of an ocean passage to Jale through Ithos, Uria has steadily picked up its trading with Jale. Teaming up with Escarians when beneficial, the Urians have managed to establish trading colonies with Jale in the modern day. Nevertheless, its hard to say how much control Uria has over these colonies as their loyalties often lie with the Jalen Emperor.
Urian Religion
Average population is polytheistic worshipping several dozens of Deities that vary in popularity depending on region. Several large-movement deities do exist in Uria and are promulgated by ruling elite that desire a uniform pantheon. However there are also hundreds of small deities, saints and folk heroes that are worshipped in a given region, city or even village.
While faithful are at least observant to all other major faiths in Uria, excluding those deemed hostile or banned by society, it is normal for a Urian citizen to have a patron deity, saint or folk-hero that they connect with and will more actively worship for assistance in their time of need.
Of course, this isn't always the case and many people in Uria are opportunists and worship any God they believe might assist them.
The Cult of Asor
(Deity of Leadership, Law, Nobility, War) - Asor the Conqueror (also known as "the Unifier" and "the World Holder") , was deified by his grand-son, Asordin the Second Conqueror (Third Emperor of Uria) after he experienced many unlikely victories. Asordin claimed that his prowess in battle came from Asor's guidance and that Asor visited him in his dreams. Turning him into a Deity, Asor is most popular god amongst Nobility in Uria. He is especially popular in Inner Principalities (such as Olain) but edifices to Asor are found throughout the Empire. His presence is evoked by Nobility and those in the Urian Family proclaiming their legitimacy to rule.
Historical Leaders of Uria
For the almost six hundred years of Urian History, there has been countless emperors. The longest have ruled for several decades, the shortest have ruled for only a month. All Urian Emperors belong to (or at least claim to be from) the same noble house (the Imperial Urian House) and as such, all have been directly or indirectly related to one another.
Many junior lines and senior lines exist in the Urian House, but anyone that can directly claim membership in the Urian Household is given the title of Prince or Princess. These Princes and Princesses have varying levels of power, with some only controlling what would be otherwise called Baronies and others controlling the mighty Inner Principalities.
However historians in Uria have traced certain "Dynasties" and Categories within the Urian Family. These Dynasties and Categories typically include a group of emperors that are all chronologically near one another and have some similar theme or ancestor connecting them. Dynasties typically form when one line of the Urian house becomes particularly powerful.
Age of Heroes - Asor's Dynasty
This is the dynasty directly following Asor's reign. Each of the rules are somehow directly related to Asor (whether his Sons, Grandsons/daughters and Great-grandsons/daughters, etc.). Many of these rulers are saints and subservient-deities in their own right within the Cult of Asor. Their reigns have been made into legends and parables (especially Cumic's reign) that are known by almost anyone who was raised in Uria or has lived in Uria for a substantial portion of time (DC 5 History check for Urians).
Asor the Conqueror (the Unifier, the World Holder)
(r. 53 AR - 0 AR)
Rysias the Magnificent
(r. 0 AA - 12 AA)
Asordin the Second Conqueror
(r. 12 - 37 AA)
Cumic the Humble
(r. 37 - 45 AA)
Rysias II (the Breaker)
(r. 45 - 72 AA)
Asordin II (the Climber)
(r. 72 - 77 AA)
Asoria the Fierce
(r. 77 - 95 AA)
Ror the Tranquil
(r. 95 - 138 AA)
* -
AR
= Asor's Reign,
AA
= After Asor (After Asor's Death)
Map of Uria
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