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Into the Icy Darkness: The Great Demon War
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<blockquote data-quote="Emperor Valerian" data-source="post: 1549324" data-attributes="member: 15043"><p>Before we go into the ten year adventure, some of the intervening years need explanation. Each of the players gave me an idea of what their characters did over the intervening years… in return, I provided what happened to the Empire in that period… the background. Each player submitted something different. What follows are the four parts of what happened to the characters… I’ve modified in some ways what the players originally gave, to provide continuity between the three different stories (Orion’s player did not turn in one).</p><p></p><p>First, the background history of what happened in the Empire as a whole during this time.</p><p></p><p></p><p><strong>The Empire After the Great Demon War</strong></p><p></p><p>The reign of Emperor Lucius V started with tragedy, a tragedy that extended through the first five years of his reign. The great Princes of the south and east, the Grand Dukes of Erelion and the halfling princes of Comnitas, jealous that their own claims to the throne were ignored in favor of a mere boy from the frontiers, agitated and plotted in court for four years. Lucius, wary of plunging into another fight so soon after the Demon War, tolerated their presence.</p><p></p><p>Finally, the Duke of Erelion stepped over the line. From somewhere, the Duke managed to get a large quantity of the same gunpowder used by the gnome Pyrion (it wasn’t from the gnome... Pyrion was outraged by the events). Filled in barrels and stacked on a wagon, it was exploded just behind a carriage that carried Empress Siabrey and the twin heirs... Prince Valaron and Princess Vintressa. No one was injured in the attack, fortunately.</p><p></p><p>Lucius was normally a calm person, but supposedly the Emperor went into a deadly rage. The Imperial armies were called up, and for the first time in centuries, the heart of the Empire witnessed war. The worn, but battle-hardened Imperial armies that had been on the frontier, now under Lucius’ command, swept south and east along the Inerman Valley. Near Chalcedon, the Duke of Erelion’s army was met.</p><p></p><p>Legend had it that the strange battle was the result of the Empress. The fighter was not keen on seeing so many of her own subjects slain... as the majority of the Duke’s army was nothing more than peasant levies... peasants who likely didn’t know or understand what they were involved in.</p><p></p><p>The Empress had the Imperial troops don armor surmounted with draconic trophies... increasing their intimidation factor. As the two armies lined up, she rode up and down the Imperial lines, dressed in truly frightening armor that including sections of dragon horn on her head (remains from Klorphaxius and Stalatan). She called to the peasants... telling them to go home... or die.</p><p></p><p>As the Imperial army started to advance, the peasants listened to her, and eyes wide and fearful, they ran. In droves they fled, her plan working. Their flight left the tiny mercenary core of the Duke’s army outnumbered and quickly surrounded. They surrendered, en masse... and the Duke was summarily arrested.</p><p></p><p>Meanwhile, 50 dragons under the command of Xanadu slashed directly east, over the wide farmlands of the central Empire, before falling on the princes of Comnitas with a fury. Their armies had never fought anything like this before, and quickly their ranks were shattered as well... as the peasant levies once again showed more sense than their noble commanders, and fled. The three princely brothers that ruled that great city found themselves captured as well, and joined the Duke of Erelion in prison.</p><p></p><p>The destruction of two such powerful forces in the space of merely a year gave rise to the legend... the legend of the “Dragonriders.” Stories arose of how the Emperor rode into battle himself on the back of an enormous silver dragon that turned all it touched to ice; of the fiery eyed warrior at his side, flying on the back of a massive gold dragon (both legends were patently false... there were no mature adult gold dragons in the Imperial ranks, and despite the fact he came up with the idea of dragonriders, Lucius personally found riding dragons demeaning to the dragons... he thought of them as far more than mere mounts, and thus refused to ride them unless specifically asked). The Emperor, however, found these legends to be useful in keeping the other nobles in line… despite the claims on the throne many of them secretly pressed.</p><p></p><p>To further reinforce his position, the Emperor changed his family coat of arms, from a blue and gold eagle to a massive silver dragon, a milk white sword clutched in its right hand, and a katana wreathed in flames clutched in its left. As the Imperial armies marched, the common folk of both Erelion and Comnitas overthrew the other rebellious nobles, delivering the traitors to the Imperial armies out of fear.</p><p></p><p>For the next five years, peace once again was restored to the Empire... as all trembled under the Draconic Throne, fearful to arouse the ire of the Dragonrider Emperor. Luke and especially Siabrey did not like using fear to keep so many in line, but Luke realized it was sadly a political necessity. In the times since, the government has tried to cut itself down. Redundant offices and positions were eliminated. Corrupt officials were replaced. Taxes were reduced slightly Empire wide. By ten years after the Demon War, the majority of the Empire is prosperous again, and the name of the “Dragon Throne” is being treated now with love, in addition to the fear present for the past five years.</p><p></p><p>In Holstean itself, the new Count proved to be a mixed blessing. Count Keldare proved excellent at restoring the morale of the people... he was dashing, charismatic, and easily won over nobles and commoners alike. However, his building plans and budgetary skills were dearth. Count Keldare proved unable to maintain even the rather massive budget given to him by the Imperial government. While he was not corrupt himself, he found himself easily persuaded by others who were. </p><p></p><p>Eight years after the rebellion, the Emperor was forced to take him from control over Holstean, granting it to a weatherbeaten soldier named Santac Lawes. Quin retained the title of Count, and pensions, and was instead called to Iskeldrun to serve as an Imperial aide. He remains there to this day, a centerpiece of Iskeldrun social life, his charisma and happy-go-lucky nature earning him many friends and allies. Most recently, there has been talk of him being dispatched to the broken realms of Ak Konylu, to serve as Imperial ambassador (The Empress supposedly commented that it was high time Quin’s glib tongue was put to work. She dispatched several trusted friends of his, who were also accountants, to go with as well).</p><p></p><p>Count Lawes proved a much better fit for the work of rebuilding the shattered areas of the Valley. In addition to the title of Count, Lawes was also assigned, on a temporary basis, the Imperial governorship of the Valley. His rule so far has proven not nearly as charismatic as that of Count Keldare... indeed, some peasants and the like rumble and mutter about taxes. But his organization has been efficient, and now, ten years after the devastation, Holstean is well on the way to recovery.</p><p></p><p>The rebellion had also decimated the lower ranks of nobility in the Valley. For the first five years, the entire region was placed under direct control of the Count of Holstean, until replacements could be found for the larger vassalages. Eventually, the priest Hidalas was pried from the ranks of Tarantor, and given the hereditary lands of the Baron of Kulloden. Using the churches in the city extensively, few complaints have been recieved about his rule.</p><p></p><p>The areas around Irulas were granted temporarily to the Archdiocese of Irulas of the Church of Hieroneous, and their High Commander in the area, the paladin Harrapias. So far this arrangement has worked well enough that in other areas of the Valley, where no noble could be found, the churches of Tarantor, Pelor, and Hieroneous were given tracts of land to organize and run. The three churches, consequently, have become three of the most powerful backers of the new Imperial government…</p><p></p><p>Peace has returned to the Empire… at least for now.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Emperor Valerian, post: 1549324, member: 15043"] Before we go into the ten year adventure, some of the intervening years need explanation. Each of the players gave me an idea of what their characters did over the intervening years… in return, I provided what happened to the Empire in that period… the background. Each player submitted something different. What follows are the four parts of what happened to the characters… I’ve modified in some ways what the players originally gave, to provide continuity between the three different stories (Orion’s player did not turn in one). First, the background history of what happened in the Empire as a whole during this time. [b]The Empire After the Great Demon War[/b] The reign of Emperor Lucius V started with tragedy, a tragedy that extended through the first five years of his reign. The great Princes of the south and east, the Grand Dukes of Erelion and the halfling princes of Comnitas, jealous that their own claims to the throne were ignored in favor of a mere boy from the frontiers, agitated and plotted in court for four years. Lucius, wary of plunging into another fight so soon after the Demon War, tolerated their presence. Finally, the Duke of Erelion stepped over the line. From somewhere, the Duke managed to get a large quantity of the same gunpowder used by the gnome Pyrion (it wasn’t from the gnome... Pyrion was outraged by the events). Filled in barrels and stacked on a wagon, it was exploded just behind a carriage that carried Empress Siabrey and the twin heirs... Prince Valaron and Princess Vintressa. No one was injured in the attack, fortunately. Lucius was normally a calm person, but supposedly the Emperor went into a deadly rage. The Imperial armies were called up, and for the first time in centuries, the heart of the Empire witnessed war. The worn, but battle-hardened Imperial armies that had been on the frontier, now under Lucius’ command, swept south and east along the Inerman Valley. Near Chalcedon, the Duke of Erelion’s army was met. Legend had it that the strange battle was the result of the Empress. The fighter was not keen on seeing so many of her own subjects slain... as the majority of the Duke’s army was nothing more than peasant levies... peasants who likely didn’t know or understand what they were involved in. The Empress had the Imperial troops don armor surmounted with draconic trophies... increasing their intimidation factor. As the two armies lined up, she rode up and down the Imperial lines, dressed in truly frightening armor that including sections of dragon horn on her head (remains from Klorphaxius and Stalatan). She called to the peasants... telling them to go home... or die. As the Imperial army started to advance, the peasants listened to her, and eyes wide and fearful, they ran. In droves they fled, her plan working. Their flight left the tiny mercenary core of the Duke’s army outnumbered and quickly surrounded. They surrendered, en masse... and the Duke was summarily arrested. Meanwhile, 50 dragons under the command of Xanadu slashed directly east, over the wide farmlands of the central Empire, before falling on the princes of Comnitas with a fury. Their armies had never fought anything like this before, and quickly their ranks were shattered as well... as the peasant levies once again showed more sense than their noble commanders, and fled. The three princely brothers that ruled that great city found themselves captured as well, and joined the Duke of Erelion in prison. The destruction of two such powerful forces in the space of merely a year gave rise to the legend... the legend of the “Dragonriders.” Stories arose of how the Emperor rode into battle himself on the back of an enormous silver dragon that turned all it touched to ice; of the fiery eyed warrior at his side, flying on the back of a massive gold dragon (both legends were patently false... there were no mature adult gold dragons in the Imperial ranks, and despite the fact he came up with the idea of dragonriders, Lucius personally found riding dragons demeaning to the dragons... he thought of them as far more than mere mounts, and thus refused to ride them unless specifically asked). The Emperor, however, found these legends to be useful in keeping the other nobles in line… despite the claims on the throne many of them secretly pressed. To further reinforce his position, the Emperor changed his family coat of arms, from a blue and gold eagle to a massive silver dragon, a milk white sword clutched in its right hand, and a katana wreathed in flames clutched in its left. As the Imperial armies marched, the common folk of both Erelion and Comnitas overthrew the other rebellious nobles, delivering the traitors to the Imperial armies out of fear. For the next five years, peace once again was restored to the Empire... as all trembled under the Draconic Throne, fearful to arouse the ire of the Dragonrider Emperor. Luke and especially Siabrey did not like using fear to keep so many in line, but Luke realized it was sadly a political necessity. In the times since, the government has tried to cut itself down. Redundant offices and positions were eliminated. Corrupt officials were replaced. Taxes were reduced slightly Empire wide. By ten years after the Demon War, the majority of the Empire is prosperous again, and the name of the “Dragon Throne” is being treated now with love, in addition to the fear present for the past five years. In Holstean itself, the new Count proved to be a mixed blessing. Count Keldare proved excellent at restoring the morale of the people... he was dashing, charismatic, and easily won over nobles and commoners alike. However, his building plans and budgetary skills were dearth. Count Keldare proved unable to maintain even the rather massive budget given to him by the Imperial government. While he was not corrupt himself, he found himself easily persuaded by others who were. Eight years after the rebellion, the Emperor was forced to take him from control over Holstean, granting it to a weatherbeaten soldier named Santac Lawes. Quin retained the title of Count, and pensions, and was instead called to Iskeldrun to serve as an Imperial aide. He remains there to this day, a centerpiece of Iskeldrun social life, his charisma and happy-go-lucky nature earning him many friends and allies. Most recently, there has been talk of him being dispatched to the broken realms of Ak Konylu, to serve as Imperial ambassador (The Empress supposedly commented that it was high time Quin’s glib tongue was put to work. She dispatched several trusted friends of his, who were also accountants, to go with as well). Count Lawes proved a much better fit for the work of rebuilding the shattered areas of the Valley. In addition to the title of Count, Lawes was also assigned, on a temporary basis, the Imperial governorship of the Valley. His rule so far has proven not nearly as charismatic as that of Count Keldare... indeed, some peasants and the like rumble and mutter about taxes. But his organization has been efficient, and now, ten years after the devastation, Holstean is well on the way to recovery. The rebellion had also decimated the lower ranks of nobility in the Valley. For the first five years, the entire region was placed under direct control of the Count of Holstean, until replacements could be found for the larger vassalages. Eventually, the priest Hidalas was pried from the ranks of Tarantor, and given the hereditary lands of the Baron of Kulloden. Using the churches in the city extensively, few complaints have been recieved about his rule. The areas around Irulas were granted temporarily to the Archdiocese of Irulas of the Church of Hieroneous, and their High Commander in the area, the paladin Harrapias. So far this arrangement has worked well enough that in other areas of the Valley, where no noble could be found, the churches of Tarantor, Pelor, and Hieroneous were given tracts of land to organize and run. The three churches, consequently, have become three of the most powerful backers of the new Imperial government… Peace has returned to the Empire… at least for now. [/QUOTE]
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