Bael Turath

The Empire of Bael Turath was one of the great empires of the past. It was a tiefling-dominated empire, and conflict with the dragonborn Empire of Arkhosia led to its ruin. Its capitol was the city of Vor Kragal. Once a year, beginning in -636 GD, in the empire would host the Great Imperial Games. The symbol of the Empire was a black hellhound breathing fire on a deep crimson field, surrounded by barbed chains, with a border of interlocking triangles pointing outward. One of the greatest artifacts from the empire is the Invoker's Crown.

## History

In -825 GD, Aamon Valac became King of Bael at the age of 13, succeeding his father. As he was underage, a regent ran the kingdom, which was at war with the other six eastern kingdoms. In -816, King Valac assumed full power, and by -799, he had conquered the other six eastern kingdoms. He proclaimed himself Emperor and established the Bael Dynasty. In the language of the time, the word "turath" meant "dynasty," and so the Empire of Bael Turath came to mean "the Empire of the Bael Dynasty."

Within the empire, Valac was known simply as The Emperor, because to him, there were no other emperors. He was the one and only, by divine right. This tradition was upheld by all subsequent emperors. Outside the kingdom, these rulers were collectively known as Emperor Bael Turath, and it was never truly known when one died and another succeeded him, granting the illusion of an immortal emperor.

Seeking greater power, in -680 GD, the Emperor of Bael Turath and other nobles within the Bael dynasty summoned devils and became the first tieflings.

In -625, Turathi mages created the kruthik as beasts of war to help them conquer and subjugate other nations.

By -524, the empire of Bael Turath and the empire of Arkhosia had extended to cover most of the habitable part of the continent and began to war over territory. The war would go on to last for centuries, during which time dragons scorched the northern areas of the continent, destroying all civilization there in order to eliminate the port-towns the Turathi used to raid Arkhosian shores.

By 0 GD, the empire of Bael Turath had overextended itself across most of the known world in its conquest. Hellbent on destroying Arkhosia, the Turathi had invested everything into their war machine and become a nation of impoverished humans and a growing population of slaves serving a cadre of political elite tieflings in a world sapped of its resources. When the Arkhosian capital was destroyed, the tieflings saw the end of the war coming, and the Turathi emperor was murdered in a coup d'état that resulted in a series of chaotic political assassinations as different tieflings claimed the throne. For the downtrodden citizenry, the added confusion and violence in their homes far from the war front brought the sociopolitical misery to a boiling point, and revolts began against the tieflings. The chaotic revolution spread like a wave, from the capital to the edges of the empire, and with the Turathi army still stationed at the faraway war front and no leadership in place to recall the army, settlement after settlement saw its Turathi leadership overthrown. The day the Turathi throne was destroyed by rioting citizens marked the official end of the empire.

## Naming Conventions in the Empire of Bael Turath

The Empire of Bael Turath stands out for its cultural richness and diversity, particularly evident in the naming conventions of its inhabitants. These conventions, deeply rooted in the empire's history, reflect the complex interplay of its human and tiefling populations.

### Human Names

The humans of Bael Turath bore names that echoed the linguistic traditions of ancient and revered cultures within the empire. These names typically comprised a personal name followed by a familial or ancestral name.

* Personal Names: These names were often chosen for their meanings, which might reflect the family's values, aspirations, or the characteristics they hoped to see in their child.
* Familial or Ancestral Names: These names were indicative of the family's lineage, profession, or the region of their origin. They were often descriptive, tied to the land's geography or the family's trade or achievements.

### Tiefling Names

The tieflings, descendants of those noble families who first embraced the infernal pact, carried names that were a testament to their dual heritage. Their names were a melding of the infernal influence and the human traditions of Bael Turath.

* First Names: Tiefling first names bore the mark of their infernal lineage. These names were chosen to reflect the tiefling's nature, the legacy of their lineage, or the aspirations of their forebears.
* Last Names: In adopting the human tradition of familial names, tieflings in Bael Turath forged a connection to their human ancestry. These names often spoke of the family's profession, the region they were associated with, or a notable ancestor.

### Examples of Names

* Human Male: Jareb Elathar (Jareb, a name denoting "he who contends", Elathar indicating lineage from the coastal regions)
* Human Female: Tamira Koval (Tamira, meaning "palm tree", a symbol of resilience, Koval indicating a lineage of skilled forge workers)
* Tiefling Male: Dravik Naleth (Dravik, an infernal name suggesting "night hunter", Naleth indicating a lineage from the valley regions)
* Tiefling Female: Vespera Galen (Vespera, an infernal name meaning "evening star", Galen indicating a lineage from the plains regions)