The Eastern Alliance

The Eastern Alliance refers to the political entity that dominates the Pyrean Easterlands and the majority of the Plains of Asshan. It was officially founded in the year 1213 AoD after the collapse of the Ta'Venter Imperium following the Eternal Ritual. In the aftermath of the Undying King's defeat at the hands of the Heroes of Ankararam the imperium was left destabilized with many of its magisters dead, this created a power vacuum that allowed many of the imperium's enslaved races to rise up and overthrow the tyranny of their slavers. A brutal civil war followed that came to an end with the signing of the Brimstone Treaty where the various races, battered and tired from decades of conflict, secured a lasting peace under the watchful gaze of an infernal judge.

## Description

The Eastern Alliance encapsulates the Pyrean Easterlands and the Plains of Asshan, and is made up of a variety of regions from the looming mountains that border the demon infested wastes of Astoria to warm savannahs along the borders of the Bronze Sea. It also officially includes the undying lands of the Amethyst Boneyard, but in truth the alliance has no real presence within those lands due to the large hosts of undead found within the ruined landscape.

The Eastern Alliance is made up of various different cultures each with their own distinct traditions and styles of architecture. The largest demographic developed from the remnants of the old Imperium, which had initially migrated from the east. Due to this and their infernal heritage, many of these individuals have eastern traditions which are mixed with infernal influence which is commonly seen in their architecture. Another notable demographic is that of the goblinoid tribes of Elkud who once comprised much of the imperium's slave force, following their uprising and the abolishment of slavery within the Easterlands these various tribes managed to achieve relative equality allowing them to openly practice their traditions, many of which may be seen in their ancestral homelands along the northern Easterlands.

Beyond the Pyrean Easterlands within the Plains of Asshan the majority of settlements are dominated by orcish governors, descendant from the warlords of old, they have grown to become a prominent group within the alliance with many abandoning the old ways to peacefully integrate with their neighbours.

## Notable Locations

**Costantinoth**: The capital and largest city within the alliance, Costantinoth was the first settlement established by the tieflings after their migration from the Bronze Sea. The seat of the Magisterial Council, the city is also known as the Ringed City as it is made up of nine concentric rings which divide its various districts with the Tower of Infernus in its centre, which houses the council chambers as well as the infernal embassies.

**Elkud**: The fortress city of Elkud was once home to the Elkud Tribe of hobgoblins but has grown to provide a home for the various goblinoids and other races found within the northern edges of the Pyrean Easterlands. Its history as a hobgoblin fortress are still clearly visible in its architecture, with the fortress built atop a hill, its imposing towers overseeing the Northern Rimoulk River and the lands of the Draconic Empire beyond, ever ready to face the alliance's enemies.

**Guldahrim**: The city of Guldahrim, sometimes called the Gate of the Pyrean Peninsula, is built along the only major pass within the Mourning Peaks effectively dividing the Pyrean Peninsula from the rest of the continent of Manaarn. The city was once a dwarven stronghold that had been captured by the Ta'Venter Imperium and would be renamed to Ankararam. Following their aid in halting the Eternal Ritual and defeating the Undying King, the dwarves of the Mourning Peaks were gradually reintegrated within the city, which eventually retook its original name of Guldahrim. The city would earn a great deal of acclaim during the aforementioned Eternal Ritual as with the help of a group of heroes (later called the Heroes of Ankararam) the city became the site of the Undying King's defeat.

**Upsalarven**: Built along coast of the Violent Crossing, Upsalarven, also known as the Sunless City is home to the Von Hofnar brood of vampires, an ancient clan of vampires from the Bozorkány bloodline. Its vampiric inhabitants have lived in harmony with the rest of the alliance since the time of the Imperium with the clan's progenitor having struck an infernal bargain which granted his clan ownership over Upsalarven in exchange for their undying fealty. The Sunless City as its name implies is stuck in a state of perpetual darkness, a haven for vampires and those creatures that relish the darkness, that draws many necromancers and sanguimancers who seek to master their crafts. The mortal inhabitants of Upsalarven are said to be a grim lot broken by centuries of vampiric tyranny. Upsalarven is also the only city within the alliance that has not abolished slavery, the practice being a key part of its inhabitants' original contract.

**The Amethyst Boneyard**: The mortal seat of the Undying King, the Amethyst Boneyard refers to a nameless city of the Pyrean Empire from the Age of Myth. It once served as the Undying King's home and seat of power before his ascension to divinity. Following his defeat and retreat to his plane of existence of the same name, the city was left abandoned, home to an endless tide of undead who mindlessly wander the streets killing any who cross their path. While the host of undead present is leaderless, their presence has rendered any attempt to invade the city a failure, and because of this the alliance has ceased its efforts of conquering it preferring to leave the city and its denizens in peace.

## Society

The Eastern Alliance is mostly made up of tieflings, humans, hobgoblins, orcs and bugbears amongst other races scattered throughout its territory. The most recent estimate of the alliance's combined population places it at around 18 million. The alliance's population is divided into three major categories, the Arkani (*Ta'Ventrian*: Mages) which are considered to be the land's nobility with many of them competing with their peers for supremacy in order to become magisters within the Magisterial Assembly.

Beneath the mages, one finds the Maevari (*Ta'Ventrian*: Warriors) an addition to the social hierarchy that was introduced upon the formation of the alliance and the inclusion of the orc and goblinoid cultures, with the aim being to appease the more warlike cultures. The Maevari whilst not as well respected as the Arkani, still garner a great deal of respect within the alliance, with many of them serving as renowned warriors and generals within the alliance's armies.

And finally one finds the Saeperati (*Ta'Ventrian*: Sleepers) which are the alliance's non-magical citizens who vastly outnumber the Arkani and the Maevari, yet are entirely beholden to their whims. They are the equivalent of the peasantry, with many spending their lives as farmers or labourers. The members of the Saeperati tend to have many children in the hopes that a child with magical abilities is born into their families, giving them a chance to ascend into nobility.

The devils of Infernus also serve a key role in the Eastern Alliance, a consequence of an ancient pact signed between the tieflings of the old imperium and their infernal ancestors. The devils possess a hand in the alliance's governance and the souls of many of its inhabitants in exchange for their help in protecting the nation from threats but mundane and supernatural.

### The Magisterial Assembly

The Magisterial Assembly serves as the alliance's ruling body, comprised from dozens of the alliance's most powerful Arkani the members of the assembly convene within the Tower of Infernus in Costantinoth. Each member is bound by a contract with a devil ensuring that their decisions ultimately benefit the Eastern Alliance and the Infernal Cause. It is said that to be part of the Magisterial Assembly is to play a dangerous game of politics where even the smallest mistake can have the direst of consequences. The cut throat nature of the "game" of supremacy is very much reminiscent of the one played between the devils of Infernus, and many assume that this is a purposeful choice as all magisters inevitably sell their souls to Infernus with the most powerful amongst them earning the rank of Greater Devils.

### Culture

The alliance can be seen as predominantly being a magocracy where those wielding arcane might possess a great deal of power and influence, due to their high rank within the nation many of the common folk pray that they may manifest magical potential in the hopes of securing a better life. Beyond this, the system of government is similar to a feudal system albeit one with an oligarchical head. Devils also operate openly within the alliance, accepted as a normal part of everyday life, the same is true for hellknights with many members of the Desolate Order having outposts scattered throughout the Pyrean Easterlands.

### Religion

Whilst Asmodeus is the most commonly worshipped deity in the alliance, its people are allowed to freely worship whichever god they desire and because of this one finds many different religions practiced throughout. For example the orcs and goblins tend to worship Bahrg, the orcish god of war who rose to ascendancy after directly intervening during the Eternal Ritual and having a hand in the Undying King's defeat. The dragon gods are also worshipped (although to a lesser extent) thanks to the efforts of Markus and Kaji, two members of the Heroes of Ankararam who worked to spread their worship throughout the Eastern Alliance, albeit through very different means.