A Brief History and Lore of Tiroth

[CoreyXIX]

Brief History of the Empire
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The Empire's founding is traced back 1000 years ago to Hakan Tiroth, who united the majority of the nomadic tribes that roamed the countryside in order to fend off the Giants that lurked in the northern lands. After the fall of the Giants Hakan was elected by the people to be the leader of their united force, going down in tradition and stories as the Iron King because of his uncanny abilities as fighter and king. Despite many of the troubles the new nation had the Iron King and his people would continue to survive. He death met him in old age (135 according to records, a feat almost unheard of among normal humans) when he took to the front lines in the successful Battle of Gommorath against a necromancer and his undead army.


Following his death the Empire faced a short period of transition as they mourned the loss of their ruler and his lack of official succession among the children he had. After long debates and several small conflicts it was finally decided how things would go. One child would be the part of the bloodline that served as Emperor while the remaining four would all hold some position of importance. Together they would work as a council in order to try to keep things from getting out of hand.


Over the years things ebbed and flowed within the Empire but generally kept some level of stability until the recent War of the Mad King, the civil war preceding the dark time Emperor Holsent Tiroth IV held the kingdom in his slipping grasp. Even though his son disposed of his father and now holds the throne, the effects of the war are still being felt in what remains of the Empire today.

 

[CoreyXIX]

Common Races in the Empire
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Human- A race you're likely most familair with. One of the largest demographics of the Empire, humans occupy many places in the Empire. Human's culture seems to change too fast for many of the longer lived race's tastes, since humans live for such a short period of time and are naturally ambitious.


Elf- The elves were here and in in a somewhat organized clans before the Empire of Tiroth formed, and early on their alliance was just for mutual protection. Both sides eventually came to respect one another though, and elves were slowly becoming a more common sight in the Empire until the War of the Mad King resulted in many of them being hunted down. Many elves that were around during the War still occasionally look over their shoulder, just in case the Sicari come to hunt them once again. Elves typically stand between 4-6 feet tall and have slim builds. The elves in the empire are best known for their skills in Nature Magic and being able to eat plants other would find poisonous. The elven traditions can be strange, as most of their history and works aren't written down anywhere and survive solely by oral tradition. 


Dwarf- A race very prideful of themselves, dwarves have a strong tendencies towards traditions and keeping history alive. Unlike the elves, they record nearly everything as long as they consider it even slightly important. Dwarves have also gained a reputation for skill at arms since their society is one that is heavily militaristic. The stereotype of a warrior scholar fits them well, as many dwarves will attempt to explore ancient places to find knowledge at least once their lives. Dwarves are typically 3-4 feet tall and have stocky builds. Dwarven hair is notorious for having at least one braid in it somewhere, though some go so far that all facial and head hair will be braided.


 Gnome- The smallest of the races common to the Empire, the Gnomes are a race that value efficiency and experimentation in everything they do. A field to plow? A Gnome will try to figure out the best, fastest way to get it done.  Their magical experiments often bring some result whether it be bad or good. This love of tweaking and experimenting has caused it's fair share of accidental trouble among themselves and the bigger races. Gnomes typically stand 2-3 feet tall. They have small frames and hair colors that looks faded compared to other races.


Giantblooded- Somewhere in recent generations the bloodline of some of the remaining giants has intermingled with the bloodlines of another race. Members of this race are typically either half or third giant, the remaining portion usually either human or elf. The rare few Giantblooded have their other part as orc. They are generally between 6 feet to 7 feet 5 inches tall naturally and are incredibly strong. Giantbloooded also have either grey, cyan, or light brown skin color. Since the prejudice in culture against still linger to some degree you'll rarely find any of them in noteworthy positions, often coveted in roles where their brute strength and size give them an advantage. 


Orc- Found in almost as many places as humans, the Orcs are renowned for a ferocity and tenacity that could put some animals in shame. While lacking the sheer strength of Giantblooded the Orcs have a surprising knack for teamwork and hunting. The Orcs of the Empire have some sort of grey coloration to their skin. The amount of hair they have varies depending on the region their ancestors came from. Orcs from colder environments have a lot of hair on their bodies, while ones from temperate climates have less. The typical orc ranges from 4.5-6.5 feet tall and some have tusk-like teeth coming from their bottom jaws.


Half-breeds of most races exist in the empire, but they are less common than full-blooded parents.

 

[CoreyXIX]

Era and Technology
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While magic is still prevalent throughout the world, over the years there has been advancements in some of the mundane area of life as well. The era the empire is in is best described as the late medieval-early renaissance era of history. A period of time where both knights and matchlock firearms coexist with one another, though such things are in the early stages of development and are considered little more than folly for the rich. Any machine-like things that still exist are either very primitive or helped along by magic and are little different than magic constructs.

 

[CoreyXIX]

Countries of Interest
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Arpathia- The center of the Empire and the place where House Redgrave is located. A warm climate blankets the country and the many rivers the run through it. However, there is no large body of water for boat travel so any good shipped via water have to manage the rivers systems in order to do so. The capital of the country is named Scoslent and sits right on the edge of Lake Harrogath. The southern borders of the country are mostly swampland and have few settlements along it. Other than the swampland, most of the remaining land is grasslands and some forest. Most of the remaining settlements post war have some sort of fortification in place as an attempt to protect themselves.


Keldon- The only country that didn't secede from the Empire during the war and appears to have no plans to do so. It is the country directly north of Arpathia and has a temperate climate and is mostly just forest except for the northernmost parts of the country, which are mountainous. The country has particularly cold winters and snowfall in some places. Keldon has to rely primarily on all the natural hazards it has in order to repel barbarians from the north who have been trying to take the country for the last century or so.


(more possibly to come as the story advances)

 

[CoreyXIX]

Groups and People of Interest
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Markath Tiroth I- Current Emperor of what remains of the Empire of Tiroth. Usurped his father in the war and has an interest in bring stability back to the region and doing so soon. Has few qualms about working alongside anybody that he thinks can help him restore things to former glory but does not take betrayal lightly.


Tirothian Inquisition- A covert group of individuals that work to root out practitioners of dark magic, particularly infamous criminals, and to observe (and remove if deemed a threat) those believed loyal to the former king. Established by Emperor Markath Tiroth I and rumored to have some former members of the Sicari.


Sicari- Precursor group to the Inquisition that was abolished by the current Emperor for their bloodthirsty tactics and other war crimes. Most of their members are either jailed or have been executed.


House Cannith- One of the couple remaining Noble Houses in the Empire. Formerly known as House of craftsmen, many of their members now make instruments of war and protection as well until things settle down. Major ally to House Redgrave since before the war and continues to be one now. Their main estate is located in the southwest part of the country.


(more to come as things progress)