Valyrian Empire

> *"All Valyrian sorcery was rooted in blood or fire. The sorcerers of Valyria could see across space and time with one of these glass candles, not just city by city, but planet by planet. They could enter a man's dreams and give him visions, and speak to one another half a universe apart. The proudest people in all the world was gone in an instant, its fabled empire vanished in a day, the Lands of the Long Summer scorched and drowned and blighted. An empire built on blood and fire. The Valyrians reaped the seed they had sown. Valyria was the last ember, and Valyria is gone."*s domina
>
>

## Overview

The Valyrian Empire was a great territory that spanned much of galaxy but has since fallen to ruin, brought down by a cataclysmic event known as the Doom of Valyria.

The Empire was an advanced civilization, and the dominant military and cultural power of the known universe. Its capital was the planet Valyria. The Freehold was ruled by their powerful guilds, their trade and magic passed on through blood and careful tutorage.

## Politics

Unlike modern Phoenix Empire, Valyria is not ruled by any single noble house, nor is leadership passed purely through family lines.

Valyria was ruled by its prestigious guilds, which are run almost like companies. The leadership of each guild is generally passed on through family lines, as these bloodlines had ancient ties to the dragons that gave Valyria its dominance. That power is not concentrated within a single guild, instead, the guilds elected Archons for temporary leadership, nine chief magistrates selected from the best of the best that would oversee their glorious empire.

Archons were provisionally elected. Although technically anyone can become an Archon, the guildmasters generally prefer to elevate one of their own. Often Dragonriders, Archons oversaw a sector of colonial planets of the Valyrian Empire, with the exceptions of the self-ruling Free Cities. There is no official process of demoting an Archon once elected, but once an Archon loses enough political favour, the guilds can simply elect to replace them.

Though the highest power in Valyria is made of the nine Archons, the guilds each held dominion over their own planets and territories. Each guild is the authority of their craft or trade. They were practical people, and their nobles are skilled in more than just riding dragons. They are each responsible for running their own Guild, for which commoners may be inducted and trained in their craft.

The Free Cities of Valyria are typically smaller or more isolated settlements, and they are usually ruled over by Courts, a step down from the main Valyria proper. Although they are still technically beholden to the nine Archons and Valyria itself, they do not have a single overseer to report to. Having afforded some manner of independent due to their distance, statistical insignificance or other reason, the politics of Courts vary greatly. Some of them still cling to the safety of the Empire, and proudly proclaim themselves Valyrians, whereas some others prefer to exalt their independence.

## Commoners in Valyria

Those not fortunate enough to be born with dragon-blood or those assimilated into the Empire must be inducted into a guild and to their trade. They do not have family names. However, a commoner exceptionally skilled at their trade may gain the attention of the upper echelons of their guild, and perhaps be granted lands or even a few dragons of their own for their continued service.

Slavery is prevalent in the Valyria Empire, though certain Free Cities object to the practice. Unlike commoners who can choose to leave a guild or join any freely, slaves are considered to belong to the guild itself, and thus are not free to leave it.

## Other Pages

List of Courts

* The Flowering Court of Goa
* The Crimson Court
* The Opal Court

List of Dragonlord Houses and their Guilds

* Guild of Detection of House Medani
* Guild of Finding of House Tharashk
* Guild of Handling of House Vadalis
* Guild of Healing of House Jorasco
* Guild of Hospitality of House Ghallanda
* Guild of Making of House Cannith
* Guild of Passage of House Orien
* Guild of Scribing of House Sivis
* Guild of Sentinel of House Deneith
* Guild of Shadow of House Phiarlan and House Thuranni
* Guild of Storm of House Lyrander
* Guild of Warding of House Kundarak
* *Guild of Death* *and the Necromantic House of Tarkanan, exiled and banned.*

List of Minor Houses

* House Targaryen
* House Celtigar - *"The old, the true, the brave"*