Halcyon Empire

Church of The Solar Legion

The Halcyon Empire, or simply The Empire, was the largest and most powerful human nation in all of Veria, with territory stretching across half of the realm at it's greatest height.

## History

**Pre-Imperial**

Before the creation of both the Commonwealth and the Empire, all of Southern Veria was split into four independent nations with varying cultures, religions and ways of life not united under a single banner. Following the events of the Dwello-Ironheart War fought between the Kingdom of Dwellanor (alongside with hired Fenian mercenaries) against the Kingdom of Ironvale and it's allies. A treaty was signed after the Siege of Ironvale known as the Halycon Concordant which officially ended the war. After the war, representatives from Ironvale and it's allies, Zymith, Deucalia and Dalantai mutually agreed upon creating a confederation with the intention of preventing further incursions from the northern nations and bringing prosperity to all of the southern lands. This confederation was known as the Halcyon Commonwealth, with it's name referring to the peace treaty that ended the war.

**Foundation**

With the formation of the Commonwealth, the south experienced a period of peace and prosperity never seen before, the resources and goods of all the nations allowed trade to flourish and a golden age to emerge. Realizing the potential of the newly formed Commonwealth, the leaders of all the four nations met in Ironvale to discuss an ambitious idea that was commonly shared, the foundation of an empire. All four leaders agreed, this new empire would be split up into four provinces with each province having an Elector Count which would elect a candidate for emperor in the event that the current emperor was disposed or died. However, since there was no emperor yet a vote to elect one was organized, resulting in a tie between Aulus Megellus of Zymith and Romulus Flavius of Ironvale. In an effort to break the tie both candidates agreed upon an honorable duel, with the victor claiming the title of emperor. Despite excellent fighting on both sides, Romulus eventually conceded the duel due to his wounds, leaving Aulus as the First Halcyon Emperor.

**Society**

Imperial society varied greatly among the province's due to the great diversity of it's citizens. Almost all of the Empire's populace were human, with a small minority of Elves and little to no dwarves.

**Culture**

Three main cultures existed within the Empire, the Zymithians , who inhabited the city of Zymith at the heart of the Empire, the Steppe people's who inhabited the south eastern Steppes in Ironvale and Dalandale as well as the Deucalians of the west.

**Military**

The Imperial Army was renowned throughout Veria for it's great discipline, organization and training, with each province supplying the Empire with men to fill it's ranks.

**The War of Deucalian Secession**

Although all four nations agreed to the formation of the Empire, after it was officially created, King Gilgamesh and his people began to distrust this new imperial power, now worried that the administration of the Empire had lost it's sense of neutrality and instead adopted a more aggressive approach to enforce imperial rule. Fearing the loss of independence and autonomy that Deucalia originally had led to feelings of succession from the Empire itself, resulting in the start of the War of Deucalian Secession.