Isle of Imperium

## History of the Imperium (An Overview)

The Human King, of the continent of Imperium, spent milestones at war with the other Origins of His land before their submission to his rule. Milestones of warring eventually gave way to political pursuits which finally resulted in a civil resolution. After milestones of bloodshed and loss, the current rulers of the other Origins of Imperium, the Dwarves, Striders and Quicken, surrendered to the Human King's rule, conceding that defeat was merely a matter of time which would only result in further losses. Now that the war had been settled, trade among the Origins slowly began to resume. Eventually, after a few progressive trade agreements, the King saw the need for a more universal form of trade. So, he decided to create coins of a specific weight and cast to use as currency. This was well received by the other Origins, especially the Dwarves, whose smithing expertise he had to employ to have them fashioned. For about 16 milestones, this newfound peace and commerce was enjoyed and just as the Origins were settling in to their respective roles under the newly formed Empire, the Portals began appearing....

The first Portal appeared in the northeast near the foothills of the Gorntek Mountain range. These lands were populated by the Striders, who had previously been the least involved in the war as they tried their best to be a peaceful culture. Before any real investigation into the Portal itself could be attempted, hundreds of creatures began pouring out of it and attacking anything and everything. It was the Human King who came to the aid of the Striders and helped to drive back the invading force before the local lands were overrun with these spawn. This earned the King much favor among the other Origins for coming to their aid and enforced his role as the sole ruler and protective force for the lands. His leadership and strategy, which he had previously enlisted to win the war, were now put to use against his new albatross, the defense of the realm.

Over the next decade, the King built a series of outposts and garrisons across the entire continent. He established engagement protocols for any instances of a Portal. At first, no outside entities were allowed to pass through the Portals, regardless of their apparent intent. A few milestones and many skirmishes later, some of the more civilized Origins from other continents began sending emissaries through the Portals. Some merely wanted to be able to explore, others hoped to engage in commerce. It became evident that some of the lands where these various Portals originated had vastly different agriculture and resources, including different weapons and various magics. While it was easy enough to force visitors to disarm themselves, it was impossible to stop them from using their magics. This resulted in the drafting and enforcement of the Imperium Laws of Casting (I-LOC). There are many stories which accompany the progress since the first enacting of the Laws, but it would suffice to say that the punishments and enforcement have relaxed a bit over the milestones. Another set of laws, which existed long before the Portals began appearing, are the Honors and Reverence customs for Nobility and Rank. These laws are very much in force across Imperium and required of visitors and natives alike.

### Origins of the Imperium

* Humans
* Dwarves
* Quicken
* Striders