The Dawn Wraiths

:Defunct
:"Esparr is but a pale shadow of its past. All around us usurpers steal our land, while weaklings and traitors let the enemy in at every turn. But we will change all that. False kings and pretenders will be swept aside, and the glory of Esparr will be restored! Though we move quietly now, His Grace, the Dawn King of Esparr, by the Grace of Pelor, will return soon, and we must prepare his way. Stand with me, and see that the task is done."
~Marques Eras Royana Hija, Midnight Marques, Master of Spies
Heirs to the true Dawn King of Esparr, the Dawn Wraiths and their followers claimed dominion over the Dark Plains and the Church, and saw Athesia as misled usurpers. 
The Dawn Wraiths were tainted with the power of the Far Realms at the end of the war with Lexum. The Dawn Queen at the time proclaimed "They are fallen into shadow! Damn those Elves!"
The Dawn King was divinely ordained by Pelor to rule over Esparr, but had been corrupted by the Far Realms. He was trying to bargain, strongarm, threaten and generally use any means at his disposal to convert existing nobles to his side, and intended to use those forces, along with his own to crush any opposition. 
During the War of the Dawn, Petros killed the Dawn King, unknowing that doing so would allow the Far Realms energy to completely possess and transform him into an avatar of a Far Realms deity. A great wave of Far Realms energy spread across the Dark Plains, causing a huge famine and loss of life. At the end of the War of the Dawn, the Dawn king was cleansed be Pelor and as a consequence was carried off by angels. 
The Soul Reaving Curse
This curse ripped souls from the bodies of mortal, and infested them with the energy of the Far Realms, creating Dawn Shades.
Impossibility Engines
These strange artillery pieces superficially resemble the cannons used by the Empire, but doesn't work like them at all. They channels energy straight from the Far Realms, store it to allow it to build up, and then rain it down on enemy forces to warp reality around them. The effects are demoralising at best, and devastatingly effective at worst. Fortifications can turn into feathers as easily as troops simply vanish from existence. Occasionally the resulting change, like a wall turned to lead, can be turned into an advantage by a canny commander, but the next barrage will likely undo such effects, so few are prepared to chance it.
==Notable NPCs==
The Dawn King (Carried off by Angels)
Full Title: His Majesty, Alberto Royana Amancer the First, by 'Pelor's Grace' King of Esparr, The Dawn King, Archduke of Esperanza, Duke of Faraso and High Archbishop of the Holy Church of Pelor
The Dawn King himself, still alive 1000 years later. He proclaimed his intent to create a new Esparr from the ruins of the Dark Plains. It was clear, however, from the dealings of his sons and their disciples, that the influence of the Far Realms has driven them all from sanity. Though no-one can be sure, it was likely that the Dawn King's notion of a new Esparr would be far from the glory that once was.
He was killed when he prayed at the Claustro Occultos, but the event unleashed so much Far Realms energy into the Dark Plains, that it destroyed the monastery and wrecked much of the Dark Plains. 
Important Relationships:
*The Dawn Prince - Son
*Archbishop Geraf Ubina Amancer - Son
*Don Cair Morolla Amancer - Grandon
*Don Fulmo Amancer Crepusco - Grandon
*Don Javier Echar Crepusco - Great Granson
The Dawn Prince
Full Title: His Royal Highness, The Most Serene Infante, Don Telin Ubina Amancer, Prince of Espar, Prince of the Dawn, the Royal Armourer
The Dawn Prince. Heir Apparent to the Throne of Dawn, he formally relinquished that title at the end of the War of the Dawn, instead taking up the mantle of High Archbishop of the Holy Church of Pelor. He led the crusade against House Menthman. This name appeared on a genealogy in the possession of Falco Rebas Armino
Important Relationships:
*The Dawn King - Father
*Don Cair Morolla Amancer - Son
Cardinal of the People
Full Title: His Excellency, Archbishop Geraf Ubina Amancer, Cardinal of the People
Son of the Dawn King. This name was seen on a genealogy in the possession of Falco Rebas Armino. He was cleansed at the end of the war, and now serves the Church.
Cardinal of the King (deceased)
Full Title: Archbishop Sessi Gomez Sessero, Cardinal of the King
Found trapped in a tower in the Dark Plains, Sessero appeared to be a twisted deathlike image of an archbishop of St. Pelor. He claimed to have been imprisoned and cursed long ago by enemies of Esparr, and begged for release. After further investigation, the ghost of one his aides revealed that he had imprisoned himself there, having foreseen his fall to darkness. However, he was drawing hapless villagers to expend their souls on the barrier keeping him captive, thus weakening it. The Athesian heroes decided to confront him, but in the course of the battle inadvertently released him. 
He later re-emerged in an extraplanar pocket, commanding dawn shades and experimenting on abyssal/infernal hybrids. In his chambers were found these following notes:
:"Su excelencia, Arzobispo Sessi Gomez Sessero, Cardenal del Rey,
:"It is good to have you back among our ranks. We had feared you lost centuries ago to your self imposed exile. If it is true that the Athesians have freed you from your imprisonment, then perhaps they can be brought into the fold. If their monarch will renounce his false title, then he may be forgiven his trespasses, and rewarded for his service as Regent. If you wish to prove your devotion to the cause of the Dawn King, I suggest you start by targeting those among their ranks most filled with their lies and destroying them. With them gone, the others will fall into line more easily.
:"My emissaries have brought with them a gift: hybrid entities, Abyssal and Infernal energies bound in mortal shells. His Royal Highness, the Chief of Engineers has made great progress in combining the volatile natures of these opposing forces, but His Majesty wishes more. Any efforts you make therein will stand you in his good graces for much time to come.
"~La Más Excelente Don Eras Royana Hija, 1o Marqués della Medianoche, Senor de Espias, Grandee de Esparr"
After chasing the Archbishop to an abyssal fortress, he was finally defeated. He uttered some dire warning about the Dawn King returning, and then, apparently died... although he had previously stated that his curse prevented him from dying.
The Midnight Marques
Full Title Don Eras Royana Hija, 1o Marqués della Medianoche, Senor de Espias, Grandee de Esparr
After hearing of him second hand, The Midnight Marqués was encountered posing as Tomar Benitez Devante during negotiations with House Pyreheart-Vespoya hosted by House Spellmeyer. His duplicity was revealed and he was expelled from the negotiations. Not much more is known about him.
The Admiral Elect
Full Title: His Excellency, Don Javier Echar Crepusco, Count of Segovia, the Admiral Elect. His Excellency, The Admiral Elect
Previously betrothed to Rosa Pyreheart-Vespoya. She described him as "a monster".
Important Relationships:
*Don Fulmo Amancer Crepusco - Father
*The Dawn King - Great Grandfather
The Chief of Engineers (deceased)
Full Title: His Royal Highness, Don Cair Morolla Amancer, Infante of Espar, Infante of the Dawn, Count of Ebara, the Chief of Engineers. 
The Dawn Wraith responsible for the strange Impossibility Engines seen in use by House Pyreheart-Vespoya. He was the grandson of the Dawn King. He was slain by Merric, Markus, Ceryndra and Gaspar, though as before, how his death interacts with the Far Realms curse is uncertain. He has since been supposedly killed again by Eron, in the Far Realms, so clearly he is not dead in any way a mortal would understand.
Important Relationships:
*Walter Junsen - Apprentice
*The Dawn King - Grandfather
The Sunlight Marshall (deceased)
Full Title: His Excellency, Don Fulmo Amancer Crepusco, Duke of Soria, The Sunlight Marshall
Another grandson of the House of Dawn. Athesia saw this name on a genealogy in the possession of Falco Rebas Armino. He too was slain... after a fashion.
Important Relationships:
*Don Javier Echar Crepusco - Son
*The Dawn King - Grandfather
==Relationships==
Noble Houses
Some noble houses supported the Dawn King's bid for power, most visibly House Pyreheart-Vespoya and House Armino.