Aurian Empire

Leader
 Capital
 Largest City
 Militia
 Notable Citizens
 Population
 Language

The largest and most dominant country on Karandia.

## Geography

The Aurian Empire was the largest and most heavily populated country in Karandia. It was divided into Trading Areas and Protectorates. These areas are covered by the five military Protectorans.

Each Trading Area covered in these pages:

* Gan Tarak Trading Area,
* Gilgan Trading Area,
* Kolaran Trading Area,
* Oakland Trading Area,
* The Protectorates,
* Rak Danning Trading Area,
* Tor Honarik Trading Area,
* Tor Zeric Trading Area

As well as the self contained country of the Vormach.

### Natural Geography

The climate was for the most part temperate. In the far south of the Empire where it bordered Elygia it could get extremely warm in the summer months and they had very mild winters. In the mountainous areas: the Wyvern Tail, the Kolaran Spear and the Gilgan Mountain Range temperatures and weather conditions in general were colder and harsher. The western coast of the Empire was known for a very wet climate most of the year round, though this was by no means always torrential. Rather it was said that the weather in Kolaran was the Avatars' joke on mankind because it changed so often and unpredictably.

Each area varied somewhat, but the Empire was spanned by an extensive network of roads by 1900PE. Indeed the Empire had the best and most extensive transportation network outside of Rimic. This network fuels its tremendous trading power and enervated its huge armies the Protectorans.

There were several rivers some of which such as the Taran, which begins in the fog barrens and runs west across the entire Empire to reach the sea at Gan Tarak, were extremely long and wide. Others such as the Scholar's River, in the Vormach valley, are much smaller.

## Demographics

The demographics of an Empire as large and varied as Auria were beyond complex.

Humans dominated **the Empire** however many were from different subsets of humanity generations ago. A large variety in colouring of skin, hair and eyes was found among people who will all vehemently claim to be Aurian.

Still, it is a human Empire run by humans for humans. Though of course many other races live within its borders they can never be considered Aurian by human Aurians. Slavery is an important trade in the Empire and Visks are the predominant slave race, though there are human slaves and at least some of almost every other race.

### Imperial Organisations

There were various important organisations that opperated on behalf of the wider Empire rather than to a particular town.

The:

* Audit Corporation
* Church of Celer
* Grim Reapers assassin's guild
* Imperial Post
* Knights of the Empire
* Knight Stalkers
* Protectorans
* Ro'Tier
* Sapphire Wizards' Guild
* Senate

### Important Characters

* The Cardinal
* The Commander in Chief,
* The Emperor,
* The First Lance,
* The Grand Admiral,
* The Imperial Vizier
* The Marshal of the Empire,
* The High Ranger,
* The Saffier,
* Senators,

## Culture

Aurians had a culture as wide and a vast as the Empire itself. In Tatrak people were known as mean spirited and defensive, but they had wild feast days and the guest right was practised as law there. Hillgrabbers or 'Tors', as the residents of the three largest cities, were known as arrogant and obsessed with money by the rest of the Empire. However those same cities contained the poorest and cleverest members of the nation.

In general Aurians extolled great art, especially in sculpture and stonework. Aurians adored the art of making money and considered it the noblest pursuit, far above that of intellectual excellence, romantic or even military success. All other skills should be used to attain it according to the Aurians, for when one had money all other things followed.

### Religion

Almost all of Auria practiced the state religion of Celer as an aspect of the Avatar of Knowledge. Celer was so widely worshiped and his church was such an ingrained part of Auria before the restoration of the Avatars that it was easiest to simply attach the Celer aspect of Knowledge once the return was fully realised.

### Disposition

Aurians tended to be racist, but not anti-social. Women could work and own property in Auria, but they could not vote or stand for office. Though it was recognised that if a women was a powerful noble in her own right (I.e. rich) she could sponsor any man to be her place holder in the Senate or other such position of power. Interestingly, a woman could sit on the Select Councils at the request of the Emperor. It seems likely that this exception came about because of powerful female wizards and priestesses as well of course as the more influential Empresses and Princesses over the centuries.

## Politics and Government

Auria was an Empire run from the Capital City of Tor Honarik.  The location of the Imperial Palace where the Head of State the Emperor of Auria lived with his family. The Emperor was an absolute ruler, but ruled through the civil service of the Audit Corporation and the Imperial Senate, who represented the various Trading Areas and holdings of the Empire. Any citizen could be elected to the Senate but only someone with a significant measure of wealth may stand. In the old days when the Senate was still the Ro-Tier this measure was 1000 cellans, but it changed with the years.

Nobility in Auria was hereditary, but mainly due to the fact that fathers pass on the majority of their wealth to their sons in what are called estates. If one can gather enough land and fortune, one was considered a member of the nobility in Auria.

The Emperor directly held the title of 'Head of Finance' and was considered the honourary head of the Imperial Bank. Through this he controlled the value of the cellan, taxation and bursaries from the State though he delegated this authority frequently to key Senators and members of the Audit Corporation.

The Emperor had a chief adviser who sat outside of the command structure of the government called his Imperial Vizier. This person while not in the Senate sat on and chaired in the absence of the Emperor himself, the Select Councils. These were hand picked by the Emperor and could be made up of Senators, Sarrifs, Protectoran officers, merchant nobles, Cellan priests or even artisans. The Select Councils were not limited in number or size but most Emperors tend to run no more than 4 or 5. They usually had less than ten members and they typically only spent time discussing and managing Empire level decisions.

Politics on a Trading Area level was done via several branches. The primary tier was the representative Senators in large cities and towns. These theoretically represented their city/town in imperial affairs. Yet many Senators spent the vast majority of their time in Tor Honarik rather than in their distant home cities. The normal running of the city was usually left to its Trade Assembly. These were led by a City Caller who had powers to call business before the assembly, including local tarrifs and laws. There were versions of these assemblies in smaller settlements and their names were changed in accordance. So Town Caller or Hamlet Caller. Mostly though the title used for all of these different roles was simply 'Caller'.

Within an assembly the rest of the attendees had a theoretically equal standing. Officially and in normal practice you could not be on an assembly unless you had a certain level of economic standing. If someone lost enough fortune to become ineligible, their position could be officially challenged and they could be removed from the assembly (and even the nobility).

## Economy

The Imperial Economy was the largest and most powerful economy in the known world. Under the nominal control of the Emperor as Head of Finance, but more directly controlled by the professionals of the Audit Corporation who formed an official, if unelected, part of the government. They were Auria's version of civil servants.

The economy had huge external markets and traded with every known nation including the elves of Karritan and Rimic and the dwarves of Barkarin. Indeed, some enterprising merchants even traded with some of the Wargak tribes. Aurians loved rarity and valued courage in trade almost more than courage in war. It was said the blood of Auria was gold. It was more than its blood, it was its love and its god as well.

Its exports were incredibly varied, but typically they wee in worked goods. Auria created a lot of primary goods such as wheat, meats, raw ore etc, but typically it traded these internally and only exported very profitable manufactured merchandise. Auria had often used its economic influence to assist it in conquering other states or making them into vassals. Many cities in Saracan, Errantlund, Danaspree and Elygia had significant loans with Aurian bankers. This was not a rare thing and the Aurian government deliberately encouraged it.

### Taxation

Taxation was recommended by the Audit Corporation but it was set by the Emperor as Head of FInance and ratified by the Imperial Senate. Typically, under a popular Emperor the Senate was blamed and under an unpopular one, the Emperor was blamed. Taxation was very unpopular everywhere, but in Auria it was far more complex than in many states. You were taxed on your standing wealth, your growth and on your use of government departments. However the Empire created redistribution of taxes programmes for favoured merchants. This allowed them to pay full taxes, but they received large bursaries to 'encourage growth'. This process was naturally totally corrupt and some merchants received far more in bursaries than they ever paid in taxes.

## Military

The military of the Empire was huge and varied as one might imagine for such a monolithic nation. Centuries ago the large armies of Auria were organised into a regimented system called the Aurian or Imperial Legions, but under the Emperor Peter I, the son of the Organiser, they were reorganised into the five Protectorans.

These five massive organisations were made up of legions of 1000 soldiers each and are typically far from full, but allowed for massive, controlled expansion through conscription in times of war.

The Protectorans are the most organised and heavily regulated military force outside of the dwarven armies of Barkarin.  Officers were regularly promoted for excellence, but it was also possible and normal for one to buy a commission. Typically an Aurian noble who started an army career will do so as an officer or officer's adjunct, not as a trooper.

## History

Time on Karandia and for simplicity on Tal is determined by the existence of the dominant human Empire or Auria. So years from before the Empire are annotated BE those after it or Post Empire are annotated PE. (eg 'Jomark came to power in 10BE' means Jomark gained his power 10 years before the founding of the Empire).

1000-100BE – Before humans really kept records. During this period human tribes out populated elves and dwarves and turn on their former tutors driving them out of their lands and into the forests, mountains, underground and into the sea. The elves in their largest numbers left Auria during these centuries. These events become known as the Wars of Betrayal by the elves and dwarves.

The Aurian Empire is now the largest in Karandia, though it was not always so. It was originally 34 different city states or more like 50-60 different countries if you count the different tribes, lone townships and beast men lands. However the Nation of Auria was, as far back as human records go, has always been one of the leading human nations in power and wealth.

Auria found its strengths early on trade, money, negotiation, organisation and profit. Money was and is and always will be its centre.

10BE: A man rises to pre-eminence in Auria. He becomes so intrinsically involved in the control of the finances, markets and cash flow of Auria that his power and the respect paid him in that democratic society was so great that its equal was then unheard of. He gained the new position and title of Head of Finance and for the first time ever, in their history, the Aurians had a single leader.

10-7BE: His name was Jomark and over the next three years he proceeded to reorganise Auria. He centred all power in an elite set of tradesmen and mathematicians called the Ro'Tier. From these he further specialised, calling specific men to lead a new reorganised military called the Aurian Legions (A precursor to the modern Protectorans) and others to form the Council of Speakers which would evolve into the modern Aurian Senate. All these organisation he tied to himself through the people he put in charge and through a growing set of laws.

During these initial three years, the six neighbouring states became so dependent of Aurian commerce that they realised they might as well get all the benefits of being Aurian and petitioned Jomark and his elites to become part of Auria. Jomark accepts their allegiance. The Aurians had always believed themselves superior and now felt that they had proved it. No state was their equal and these lesser states knew it! Jomark's popularity soars as Auria prospers. Rumours of him being 'Emperor' of Auria begin to surface.

7-4BE: This occurred after the First Commerce Wars (7 BE- 4 BE) when Auria used its military for the first time to force a state to join it. The campaign was a logistical triumph for Auria. It was said that 'it was war not by sword, but by book!' It ended with three more city-states as part of the growing Aurian behemoth.

4-1BE: Jomark himself was a god-fearing man and began to worry when his popularity became such that some of his people called for his deification.To counter this trend Jomark in 4 BE made a single country shaking decision.He changed Auria's currency from the Mark (which they were saying was a prophetic symbol of his arrival and eventual godhood)to the Cellen in honour of Celer, god of learning, trade and money. This turned out to be a master stroke. In a single move he completely overcame two growing hotbeds of dissent.

The church, which had become increasingly uneasy, threw themselves into his personally chosen mission to disband his own cult of worship and his own public declaration of devotion to Celer. Instantly, the church not only supported Jomark, but converted the nation to 'devotion to country' (represented by Jomark) as second only to devotion to their god. The holy state of Vale Celer, centred on the city Tor Celer joins the Aurian Empire at this time and the place of worship that would later be replaced by the Cellestine Cathedral was built with funding from the Empire.

Those in the political scene the Council of Speakers, who had been worried about Jomark's singular level of control and the ethics of one man commanding everything lose their grounding. How could a man who was intent on hording power and dictating give up such an obvious advantage. The whole move to ban his own deification, stunk of humility and that was not something they could attack. Those snakes who were not won over outright found their fangs had been pulled. No one... no one wanted to hear a bad word about 'Emperor' Jomark.

A third and surely foreseen effect was that several other city states used the cellan as their current currency. These states found it was almost too easy to simply become a state within Auria or as now it was coming to be known (though for a few more years 'unofficially') the Aurian Empire.

0PE: Anything Auria had lacked when Jomark came to power was now provided for or in reach. Massive population, far reaching currency and trade-links (though not yet it's own coastline), a large and organised military, horses and cattle herds. Jomark was crowned in great pomp and ceremony, First Emperor of Auria. This year is the turning point of the date and timelines all across Karandia. Each year after this crowning and the official declaration of the creation of the Aurian Empire is called Post Empire (PE).

Some of the other 34 states looked on these proceedings with fear. Auria was becoming too powerful. Some handled this by capitulating quickly and getting on the winning side, others tried alliances, others put their heads in the sand and hoped Auria would never decide to swallow them. Torash is the only one of these states to still survive in the present day.

Torash decided to match Auria or at least try to. So whilst Auria grew Torash made a military bid to match them. They conquered several states such as Arcen and Corven and made themselves strong enough that when Auria did come knocking they were ready.

Free Country, which was not counted as one of the 34 city states at the time, at was geographically safe from Auria at this time. Even later, as Auria grew and gobbled up the other city states Free Country managed through trickery, fast talk and extremely carefully-written treaties to give Auria enough reason to leave it be. Though it is thought more likely that the prolonged war with Torash and defeats in speculative efforts into Oakland and Alkan simply left Auria (And certainly Jomark) without the heart for it.

2-22PE: After its official creation in 0PE, Auria engaged in several wars to complete the subjugation of the other states. These are called the Unification Wars and run from 2 PE to about 22PE. This is because the final war was so different it stands alone. By 22PE the Empire was only fighting Torash.

2-3PE: Religious, military and economic pressure used to force the members of Aurian Monetary Union who did not originally opt into the Empire at its founding to join. A lot of these events are poorly documented most are still not fully understood and the records have been altered.

4-10PE: The conquest of the eastern reaches of what is now the Protectorates. These states had small cities but lots of villages and farming communities. They would in the end pump out the supplies and man power needed for Auria's continued expansionism.

4PE: The fall of Leyroch. Wizards prove crucial is defeating the Viperlord Enerest.

12-14PE: The Northern Campaign to take Wrennost in the valleys to the north cemented Grant Boldant's position as Auria's foremost general. This involved some fights with Alkan warlords as well as the taking of this very belligerent city state. Silverscale Keep was later built in the main valley here to ensure control of the area. The campaign bypassed the dwarvern city state of High Grange issuing only a non-interference treaty. Some later argued that this abandonment of those at Wrennost left High Grange vulnerable to its own demise years later.

14-16PE: The Empire move into an attack on the Oakreach Conglomerate. This is the Aurians' first foray into the Oakland forest as it would become known. Auria's success in taking the city state that claimed shared ownership of that woodland and its crucial resources was central to them solving their timber shortage and it also gave them a route to the sea. At the same time, however, it brought the Aurians directly into conflict with the elves. This conflict was very bloody and along with the later War of Thorns convinced Jomark to bring the Empire's expansion to an end. Only two settlements are taken within the borders of the wood that are still held at the end of 16PE. Some are torched and others are forced to be abandoned because the elves make it impossible for them to be resupplied.

20-22PE: The Mountain Campaign, directed by Grant Boldant against High Grange as part of the Unification Wars. The war is justified by High Grange's apparent refusal to pay Aurian taxes on their traders' exports.

21PE: The Archmage Infernal Blade is instrumental in Aurian victory but refuses to destroy the city of Cullstone resulting in the Cullstone Policy about mages in the military. This brings Tor Kalash and Tor Armakan into their open rivalry. This is the campaign that most historians accept as the end of the Unification Wars. The ongoing combat with Torash not withstanding. This is because after the High Grange treaty was settled Jomark changed his policies and made it clear the Empire was done expanding. However they were not prepared to pull back from the war with Torash as it had been going on for 16 years already. With so much commited in lives, time and money it was unthinkable to just give up on it.

6-34PE: The longest of these Unification Wars was the constant war against Auria's eastern neighbour Torash. It lasted 29 years, in the end it was finished by Jomark who named it The War of Thorns for its bitterness and the hate and ruin it left on both sides. For this single act, Jomark is the only Emperor the Torans treat with any respect. It is until the Second Dragon Army Invasion the bloodiest war the Empire ever engaged it.

39PE: Jomark died, originally to be buried in his own chosen tomb with the only decoration being his name written in gold. Since his death his resting place has been twice upgraded by later Emperors seeking to attach themselves to his glory. Now it is a national wonder that must be seen to be believed.

Since Jomark there have been many Emperors, but not all can be named here. Some have been war-like continuing what Jomark started; some had the dream of renaming the continent Auria and the Empire after himself! Never have they been successful in dominating the whole continent. Still, some points are worthy of note.

39PE: Jomark's grandson Nicholas-Mark I was 'elected' by the Ro'Tier to be the new Emperor. Wishing to match his grandfather or at least be remembered for something other than being second he embarked on a campaign of trade and a military war of expansion. These are called the Second Commerce Wars. Several more states fell under the onslaught, but Torash was not attacked. Many believed that this state of warfare would simply continue until all eventually fell beneath Auria's feet.

50PE: Yet when the Aurian armies struck north in the Forked Offensive towards the cities and countries that would later be called Saracan and the open plains of Alkan they ran into problems.The elves and dwarves who had fled the expanding human empire and its wars had come here and joined with their existing kin. The elves of Woodguard with the dwarves of Barkarin helping them, rose up to face the invading army. The humans of the trade city Dusken marched as well, fully realising that this was their best chance to stop Aurian expansionism.

Late 50PE: The Aurians never knew what hit them. The elves and dwarves were well practised in war, and brought weapons and magics the humans had not considered. The trees themselves fought for the elves, and dwarves brought massed elite units such as the Splitters, who simply carved through even the veteran Aurian Legions. At the same time, the horselords surrounded and outflanked the slower more cumbersome imperial armies on the open plain. Without roads and coastline for resupply or cities to loot and hold for land control, they were ill suited to take Alkan either. The tide of expansionism was stopped, peace was sued for, and the Aurian Empire finally rested on its laurels.

64PE: Kolaran creates a formal trade alliance with Auria.

92 PE: Nicholas-Mark II was 'elected' by the Ro’Tier to be the new Emperor in place of his dead father. His reign was short and uneventful, but it did include one thing of note. Nicholas-Mark wished to honour certain military men above giving them more men to march with. He also suggested that in this time of peace such men still had a purpose to protect and be examples of honour and leadership. So he founded the KOE, the Order of the Knights of the Empire.

115-123PE: Reign of Jonah I

121-123PE: Border war with Torash, some say the Emperor Jonah I was manipulated into declaring the war by conniving counselors.

129-147PE: Reign of Emperor Solemnus.

137PE: Emperor Solemnus creates the position of Imperial Vizier. It seems this was created in part to give a civilian counselor equal or even superior weight to military and magical equivalents. However if this was the case, it backfired horribly as the clerics of Tor Celer and the mages of Tor Armakan vie for the title the moment it is created. The vast majority of all Imperial Viziers are either Sarrifs or Cellen priests.

155PE: under the leadership of the Imperial Vizier to the Emperor Cartazian, Thanolian, later known better as Whitefire, the wizards of the Empire officially organised themselves into a Guild, The Sapphire Wizards' Guild. Their headquarters was to be in Tor Armakan and it is from this date that this town grows to become one of the three largest cities in Auria. It would take another 445 years before the planning and completion of the Blue Crystal Palace, their true headquarters, would be complete.

315PE: Emperor Garath crowned, known as 'the Warrior', he ruled and completed the conquest of the eastern Empire. The most important campaigns he engages in are the Yewdon Conquest and the Oakland Fortification.

317-318PE: The Yewdon Conquest. After its absorbtion into the Empire, Garath devotes Yewdon entirely to ship building. This later allows for the first Aurian navy, which precursors the modern Blue Protectoran.

He uses this success as a spring board to spend the rest of his reign engaging in more conquest.

324PE: The forays into northern Torash most are rebuffed some raids are successful. No significant land is taken. These forays are never declared as wars but they are ongoing from this year until Garath's sudden death in 347PE.

328-333PE: In 328PE Garath begins what is named by the Aurian Legions commander the Oakland Fortification. Supposedly Emperor Garath was concerned about the danger to any Aurian settlement in the Oakland Forest posed by the Quinkol elves as well as the human and half-elven rogues still at large in the uncontrolled woodland. this 'fortification' however was a war of invasion and settlement nthing less. It was bloody and produced extremely hardened veteren legions who were renamed the Oakland Legions to differentiate them from the others. These Legions considered all the other legions to be 'non-blooded' legions and saw them in many ways as rookies. This split is an early precursor of the Green Protectoran.

333PE: Oakhome founded on the site of Ridian'wel or the Home Glade after it is taken by the Aurian Legions.

337-341PE: Garath's expansionism and aggression are violently curbed however in the Horselord Rout. In the first year huge gains are made and several of the towns bordering the plains are made part of the ASurian Empire and used as a claim to expand aggressively into the plains themselves.

However after some defeats the threat of the Empire drives the Alkan plainsmen became the horselords. As the Shifts, they fall upon the expanding Aurian settlements on the plains and destroyed them all.

The Aurians tried under Garath's leadership to punish them for this but, while the Alkan horselords showed no inclination to bring the fight beyond their borders, they crushed the Aurian infantry in lightning fast and devastating cavalry charges.

Garath should have halted his campaigns, but he refused and the great warrior died in ignominy still engaged in raids in Alkan, Torash and some ill fated naval moves to Vash'Kar and the isles that were never official military movements. Some to this day think that it was the Knight Stalkers or their unknown predecessors who did this.

347-362PE: The Behind the Throne disputes/conflicts. After Garath's deaths his children who had been raised to believe themselves conquerors struggled against Torash, Saracan and the isles but no wars were declared. However during this time there was a lot of background strife and the possibility that at least one of these Emperors was assassinated by his brother. This only ended when Wilhelm took the throne in 362PE and even then it only ended because the other sons were all dead by this point.

362-366PE: Reign of Wilhelm the Negotiator. During his reign, Auria makes military alliances with Kolaran and Yewdon in addition to its previous trade alliances. Wilhelm is also credited with masterminding the Northport Agreement and the Torash cessation of hostilities clause. He was the last son of Garath to sit the throne and brought an end to the so called Behind the Throne conflicts.

The Third Commerce Wars to takle the western coastline of the modern Empire, under Emperor Thomas-Yulis, are considered by historians to run from 443-448PE.

445PE: The Kingdom of Tatrak embarks in aggressive raiding against Kolaran who was Auria's ally as well as attacking other seaborne trade in the Shining Sea. It is a direct effort to break the Traderoutes Alliance Auria had established and for Tatrak to regain its previous dominance in the west.

445: The Empire directly moves on this and in the name of supporting Kolaran wages war on the Kingdom of Tatrak(Eventually lasting three years).

446PE: Gan Tatrak officially withdraws its support from Tatrak in favour of the Empire. An influential naval commander from Gan Tatrak takes command of Imperial Ships and helps break the Tatrak fleet.

447PE: The Tatrak fleet is broken in a pre-dawn strike that became known as the Battle of Broken Boards.

448PE: Early in the year, Tatrak is put under siege.

449PE: After months of siege Tatrak is taken by storm and the Third Commerce Wars end.

493-512PE Reign of Aluap the Organiser.

502PE: The Organiser reforms the Ro'Tier and the Council of Speakers and defines their powers. Clearly, they do not 'elect' the Emperor and that myth needed to be put away with. Clarification is recorded on what powers they did have to balance and assist the Emperor in law making and governing.

The Ro'Tier and Council of Speakers were officially renamed the Imperial Senate. Some of the Ro'Tier objected that they were not law-makers but men of business, and these split off under direction from Aldour, the Vizier of the time, to create the Audit Corporation.

504PE: Auria had already been split into trading areas but two new Trading Areas are founded as the North and South border areas. Later these will be named the Rak Danning Trading Area and the Tor Zeric Trading Area.

505-507PE: The first recorded major Wargak Invasion of Auria occurred. In various raids and engagements between , the Imperial army – now organised by trading areas – backed by Sarrifs from the Sapphire Guild threw back the invading hordes. The Wizards' contribution was such that the Emperor recognised them as the key influence in saving the Empire. The Blue Crystal Palace was planned and started the same year the war ended, though it did not open, fully finished, for another 93 years.

510PE: Gan Tarak already free of vassalage to the defeated Tatrak now officially joined the Aurian Empire with whom it already had trade and defensive treaties. They had fought together in the Wargak Invasion and it was clear that if they didn't join the Empire it would have happened via force soon enough.

520PE: Due to the increased effectiveness of the reorganised area-legions, the Organiser's son Peter I created the Five Protectorans of the Empire. Tor Kalash, the third largest city in the Empire, was chosen their base of power. Black - Mounted Legions, Blue - Naval Legions, Yellow - Border Legions, Red - Capital and Elite Foot Legions, Green - Ranger and Woodsmen Legions.

During 523-529PE, under Peter I's reorganised structure, the Empire embarks on several controlled campaigns to take the city state Zeric, the Duchy of Tholis Mesa and Cthol Tatrak, which had been a vassal to the defeated kingdom of Tatrak. Kolaran joined the empire during this time, realising all the advantages of so doing and the likely consequence of refusing.

Aluap and his son after him are certainly considered historically as some of the most successful of all the Imperial Monarchs. Virtually no defeats and dozens of decisions that have stood the test of time.

600PE: The Blue Crystal Palace completed.

650PE: The Knight Stalkers become unofficially official at the Highest Ranks of Imperial Command. They are used to decapitate (in many ways literally) the First Protectoran Mutiny. Tor Kalash, military centre of the Empire, is their headquarters.

662-676PE: The reign of Peter II.

668PE: Peter organises the interaction between Senate, Sarrifs, Church of Celer and the Protectorans ending in the Lakeside Accords in this year.

673PE: The attempted assassination of Peter II by the Torra City Watch. Supposedly in retaliation for the murder of their own king at the hand, or so it was claimed, of the Knight Stalkers. The attempt failed spectacularly resulting in the deaths of all who took part in the attempt. Peter chooses to be remarkably lenient and only imposes trading tariffs on Torra City.

674-675PE – The successful campaign against the Danoran Mountain Clans and the founding of Dardon Point.

672-676PE: Peter writes up his life's memories and publishes them whilst sponsoring the creation of the three Great Libraries at Tor Armakan, Tor Honarik and Tor Celer.

685-689PE: Reign of Emperor Horus

687PE: Emperor Horus embarks on a campaign to take southern Saracan. He is prevented by the combined forces of the Seven-Colour Army. However the ensuing peace treaty is favourable, allowing him to expand Auria's borders right up to Free Country, as the Saracanites have no single negotiator and different ideas of what they want.

753-761PE: The Conclave Dispute

758PE: Emperor Jarlath is assassinated by Regicide.

763-781PE: Reign of Renis the Pious.

775PE: Renis the Pious, bows to church pressure and allows the Vormach to be created, a Valley outside of Senate and any other imperial control save the Emperor’s own royal influence. The wizards are furious as the Cellan Guard, a military group under the church’s influence and outside of Tor Kalash control, is created. This started a rivalry between the church and the wizards of the Sapphire Guild which rages to this day.

1050-1102PE - The extended reign of Peter IV, the boy king who became known as the Seafarer. Massive overseas trade routes and naval ports were set up during this reign. Imperial holdings on Eltirian created through Fourth Commerce Wars.

1184-1193PE: The reign of Carlson, the Waymaker. Carlson realised that the Empire was stagnating as both his father and grandfather had been unable to expand the Empire's influence overseas, building on his ancestor Peter IV's successes. Without financial or military successes the Empire began to flounder a little. Internal strife bubbled and then erupted into a rebellion and attempted secession from the Empire first by a powerful Lord in Tor Zeric and then by a partial Blue Protectoran Mutiny in Tatrak.

Carlson struggled to bring these under control and it is said he only managed it with the help of the Nightstriders. However historians also point out his understanding of internal political realities and his diplomatic savvy contributed to his success. Carlson managed to play the Protectoran Marix together and against each other in order to secure his position.

1187PE: Carlson agrees to the creation of the Imperial Road Planning Committee. He then directs immense funds into the project distracting the typical Aurians from rebellion and isolating his enemies. The road building creates unlimited work across Auria and generates a huge economic boom in the country.

1188PE: Attacked from the sea and land simultaneously Tatrak falls, Nightstrider involvement suspected. However before their defeat the rebels carry out their threat and kill their royal hostage the heir to the throne. When Tatrak was taken Carlson allowed the city to be sacked in retribution. This is notable in comparison with his very lenient approach later with Tor Zeric. A new Grand Admiral is appointed. Blue Protectoran headquarters was moved from Tatrak to Gan Tarak after this event.

1190PE: Using the newly built road head Red and Yellow Protectoran troops move into the Tor Zeric Trading Area and are not repulsed. Within the year they lay siege to Tor Zeric itself. Early the following year the rebel lord (Called the Desert Snake) is slain and the gates opened to Emperor Carlson’s forces.

1189-1193PE: Road building all over the Empire creates a new era of fast internal trade and allows for the fast moving of the armies of the Empire.

1193-1221PE: The reign of Gerard the Waywalker. Following in the footsteps of his father in law Carlson, Emperor Gerard aggressively pursues the building schemes planned in previous decades. He also travels extensively, visiting every major city in the Empire personally and going to nine other countries around Karandia and overseas. He is the first Emperor that historians can confirm visited Derioch. Gerard also set up the beginnings of the Imperial Post, when he agreed to the founding of the Royal Messengers Service. Whereas in the previous decade the roads had been focused on a sparse east to west and north to south line, Gerard envisioned a network to assist with all major internal trade and campaign routes. It is only due to this that the Warmaker and the Bleeder were able to carry out their own aggressive reigns.

1234-1271PE: Reign of the Warmaker, Anarik, and specifically during 1240-50 PE a decade of invasion including the Northport War, 1241-1243PE and the Sandwall War, 1247-1250PE. Significant land gains are made to the south of the Empire.

1310PE: The Wars of Broken Gold were recorded in history as from this date. Begining with the kidnaping of the empress and the heir.

1312PE: The conducting of the Vile Seige forced the last forces of the Broken Gold pretenders to surender including Lord Bogatey the 'new' emperor's uncle. However the seige appalled the Church of Celer and they began to support the Broken Gold faction in the civil war offering succor to their forces. The public's opinion swung against the crown. Importantly the son of emperor was taken to the Vormach in secret and even when it was revealed and the the Empire demanded the boy be turned over the church refused.

1313-14PE: The Blinding of Auria the Emperor turned on the church of Celer removing the Theonists from his councils, and promoting the building of temples to other aspects of Knowledge and other Avatars. The church was not outlawed but their services were policed by Protectoran troopers. The crown recinded the rights of the Cellan Guard and the knights of the church as well. No churchman could leagally go under arms in the Empire and the clerics had to submit to being watched and overseen by Sarrifs. Some resisted resulting in many churches and temples being broken into and some being razed. This was very unpopular though and resulted in many in the country rising against the Emperor. Key events in these wars were, the Rising of the Danns in the north with a huge number of Yellow Protectoran Legions, The Seige and Sack of Tor Celer, the and the death of the old cardinal and the crowning of his successor known as the Spear of the Oppressed and the resulting summoning in the Dancing of Djinn.

1314-16PE: The divided years cover the end of 1314 to the beginning of 1316. The three sides settled into their defensive areas, the so called 'Old Guard' staying in the Capital Lands, Oakland and the eastern parts of the Protectorates. The Broken Gold heir in Vormach with his supporters in the Mesa, Kolaran, Gan Tarak and Gilgan. Then the placeholder= Commander in Cheif in the north with his legions.

1316PE: The War of Blue Red and Gold.

1486-1491PE: Emperor Kavad, known as the Bleeder, takes the Empire into the War of Vengeance with Torash. The entire Council of Swords is assassinated by the Knight Stalkers. His eldest son, Spencer, gains the title ‘Prince of War’ for victories over the Torans. In the end Torash itself cannot be taken and Auria withdraws whilst the treaty gives them increased land holdings. Kavad never gets over it and dies angry and frustrated four years later.

1512-14PE: First Dragon Army Invasion from Vash’Kar. Torash is ravaged and it is the might of Auria that finally defeats the invasion and forces the Dragonites back. The huge might of the Aurian legions is brought to bear under the Princes of War, Spencer now Emperor, as well as the much younger son of Kavad, now Marshal of the Empire, Prince Jack. Between the two of them the ‘Princes of War’ push back the tide of dragons and dragonites.

1643- 1677 PE – The Imperial Road system sees a renaissance. Under the reign of Royan I and his son Royan II, the system is overhauled, fixed and improved. it is thought by most commentators that this was to mask political damage from the failed invasion of Vash’Kar and the waning of imperial approval among the nobility. Similarly, as it had done for Carlson the road building created a bubble of trade and working prosperity which proved very popular. Thousands of peasants joined the 'Roving Villages' as they were called which moved along with the massive work crews. It is during this time that a lot of the untamed land in the Empire was settled especially in the central protectorates.

1761-1779PE: Regin of Viktor the Elfslayer and the War of Ears. The elves of Oakland forest driven and smitten at Emperor Viktor's order. Bounty put on any elven kills. Battle of Oakhome fought, resulting in a massive elfish defeat. Most elves withdraw into Alkan side of the forest.

1803PE: During the reign of Nikolay the Aurian Empire settles some of the southern Alkan plains. This was technically not in violation of the Plains Treaty as no Protectoran forces were officially deployed north of the border. However the Alkar predictably moved against the settlers and then the Aurian's reacted to what they claimed was an Alkan breach of the treaty. Nikolay deployed overwhelming forces from four Protectorans, a reaction is huge excess of Alkar forces. The horselords were shattered in their attacks. Yet this time the military accepted moderate gains and did not push into the open Alkan plains. The war was depicted as a defensive operation and almost all of the Alkar attacks were defeated soundly. Eventually the Alkar had to offer terms which the Empire readily accepted and the Alkar, Imperial border was redrawn. This formalisation was far more important to the Aurians than the Alkar who do not use maps but it was considered in Auria a ratification of the Plains Treaty but this time in their favour.

1898-1900PE:Second Dragon Army Invasion The War of the Stars of Destiny.