Phyridian Empire

The Phyridian Empire is a large imperial state (although much diminished from its greatest extent several centuries ago) centered in southeastern Orithea. Its heartland is Pelenaia and the basin of the River Mera, where its capital Amran is located; its core provinces also extend across much of the Cesynian plain and down the western shore of the Saulean Sea. More outlying territories of the Empire include most of Thiatia; parts of Istrium, Sarpadia, and Puavea; relatively small portions of the eastern highlands of Dranuria; and scattered other outposts around the Sarpic Seas. However, Amran is struggling to maintain its control over many of these far-flung areas as Imperial power declines, local governors assert their autonomy, and uprisings are fomented in search of independence for long-oppressed peoples.

The Phyridian Empire was one of several new powers which arose in the period of 1 - 200 CV, into the power vacuum left all around the Sarpic Seas by the destruction of Qoss in the Great Cataclysm. It's semi-legendary founder was XXXX the XXXXXX or XXXX of XXXXXX, reputedly a simple peasant who was invested with emblems of divine authority by the XXXXXXXXXX, temmataiyu of XXXXXX. Most prominent among these was the XXXXXXXXX sword; XXXXXX became a folk hero and then a revered champion by wielding this sword in defense of the people living along the lower Mera, who in that time chaotic time were constantly menaced by XXXXXXXX from XXXXXXXXX.

By the time he was twenty-five years of age, he is said to have raised and led an army that drove XXXXXXXs from the entire region, and he built a stronghold on the site of what would later become the great city of Amran. This area at the time was called Phyridos, from whence the empire's name (although it would not be until his grandson XXXXX that the title of Emperor was instituted and the first imperial dynasty founded). The role of the wizards who would go on to found the order of the imperial battle-mages in all of this is shrouded in the mists of time. Perhaps the ancient records in their own sealed archives contain the truth, but they are certainly uninterested in sharing those with outsiders. In the absence of real historical knowledge, all manner of rumors, theories, and popular suppositions are left to swirl. Whatever the case, by 300 CV, the empire had expanded to encompass all of what still comprises its heartland today.

Between ~500 and 844 CV, the Phyridians fought a series of major wars with the Asgali Empire of eastern Rhydain, as the two powers jockeyed for preeminence in the Sarpic Seas and surrounding lands. With the collapse of the Asgali Empire, Amran reached the height of its power: By 900 CV the Phyridians controlled essentially everything around the Saulean Sea and the Sea of Pearls, and extended their reach as far as Phoacia, Modrinia, Cothlis, and the Plain of Szevak.

However, then came the great conquests of Torkai Ul-Tash, and the creation of the Kirdan and Aotujan Empires along the Phyridians' northern and western borders. For a time, it seemed like Phyridian lands too might fall under the Suagir sword, but they were ultimately able to hold out thanks to the great quality of their soldiery and the spellcraft of the Imperial battle-mages. Indeed, the Phyridians soon brought the downfall of the Aotujan Empire by inflicting a crushing defeat on them at the Battle of Shamach in 945 CV. Over the coming centuries, though, Amran would fight several much less successful wars against the Kirdans to their northeast. Some territories have changed hands several times between them, but the overall result has been a gradual loss of Phyridian lands; Baajir, Ekhroa, and most of Istrium have all fallen under Kirdan rule in the past hundred years.

Rulership of the Phyridian Empire has passed between many dynasties since its birth more than 1,200 years ago. Some reigned for hundreds of years, others for only a few. Unlike their rivals in the (admittedly much younger) Kirdan Empire, the Phyridians cannot claim a continuous blood lineage of father-to-son or brother-to-brother succession running back to their founder. There have been many coups, usurpations, assassinations, and overthrows. More than once, a new dynasty has switched the imperial succession to the Sarino'atma tradition, resulting in a string of regnant empresses before they are replaced by another dynasty that reverts to the patrilineal mode. New emperors (or empresses) have been placed on the throne by their own canny political maneuvering, through the conspiracies of palace officials, at sword-point by the imperial bodyguards, by the machinations of the battle mages, or, on a few occasions, by uprisings of the people of Amran (opportunistically ridden to power by whatever political clique is best able to direct the crowd's enthusiasm, of course). Some have been close relatives of their predecessor, with arguably legitimate claims of succession. Others have been influential aristocrats with no blood ties to the previous lineage, or popular generals, or regional officials with commoner origins, or sometimes even mercenary commanders of foreign blood. But the institutions of the empire itself have proved resilient enough to last through all these intrigues, and the people of Amran have long ago outgrown the attitude that a legally valid succession claim or a long dynastic lineage are the most important traits an emperor can possess.

Besides Amran, major cities of the Phyridian Empire include Turain, Dauzhan, Eirazan, Vitra, Malakiros, Thirrium, and Zhirfe.