Hetortion's Realm

## Geography

Hetortion's Realm is a tyranny in northeast Karvhat, along Lake Augur. Its capital citadel of Hetorch sits at the mouth of the fertile Tanthulys river along the shore of Lake Augur. Its second city Arduux sits at the Arterra's bloody delta while the historic town of Helfast marks its western border with Daedrax. To the east it is bound by the Cranial Caps, which are the source of all its rivers. The town of Simmeren sits on the foothills of the Caps along the Simma river, which is known to run rich with gold and ruby flakes, attracting many speculators eager to pan for riches.

## History

The lands of Hetortion were once the Kingdom of Idrion, one of the members of the Confederation of the Eye. The climactic Battle of the Eye took place on what is now Hetortion's territory, near the town of Helfast. Following its capture by Hetortion, Idrion, once a city famed for its clear skies, marble architecture, and stunning views of Lake Augur. After its takeover by the tyrant, it would quickly be molded into yet another tool for violence and conquest, as massive smelteries were erected to turn the raw ore shipped from the caps into war-ready iron. This influx of industry would fill the skies with smog, stain the old marble dark with soot, and even taint the water with a red hue from the leftover oxides dumped into its once holy waters.

This war industry has fueled the neverending border wars between the three tyrants of the Eye. The border with Xabaxes along the Arterra has become a particularly gory focal point of these conflicts, hosting 38 battles to date since the establishment of the realms. In recent years, Hetortion's Legions have pioneered an "Armored Fist" doctrine. This new strategem has led to the capture of Arduux, the crown jewel of the Arterra, and Hetortion has been digging in since, intent on holding its bloody prize even if it claims the lives the every citizen of the town.

Although all seven tyrants are terrifically potent in magic, the three commonly agreed to be the most powerful are Daedrax, Hetortion, & Xabaxes. All three have claimed sole rite to the fertile lands surrounding Lake Augur, constructing their citadels equidistant from each other on the shores of the inland sea, each building their towers just high enough to glare at the others from a distance. While all seven tyrants have bitterly agreed to forgo all out war, the egos of these three exceptionally powerful tyrants have meant that they cannot resist the opportunity to skirmish each other's armies in the hinterlands of their realms. As a result of this continual violence, more sport than war, the universities of Xabrax, Daedrux, & Hetorch are the most advanced centers in the world for the study of destructive magics, pumping out war mages by the dozen. The University of Hetorch specializes in Abjuration magic, and its mages are capable of projecting impressive shields, and firing off counterspells to level the battlefield.

## Strategy

The mage college of Hetorch specializes in Abjuration, instructing its mages in the art of defense and allowing them to cast powerful spells of protection, restoration, and even invulnerability. The realm is the largest producer of refined iron and weapons in the known world, supplying armies around Eluseus with fresh swords, pikes and arrows ready for bloodletting.

In recent years, Hetortion's Legions have pioneered an "Armored Fist" doctrine, focused around the use of Hetorch's Abjuration war mages to maintain powerful force fields over armored infantry, allowing them to move in close and unleash a storm of steel on Xabaxes' Forces. This new strategem has led to the capture of Arduux, the crown jewel of the Arterra, and Hetortion has been digging in since, intent on holding its bloody prize even if it claims the lives the every citizen of the town.