Imperium Arcana

Imperium Arcana

Imperium Arcana is a homebrew fantasy realm where magic is real. Various cultures have various religious views, but most of the 5 million square miles and 34.8 million people continent of Remulus is under Imperium control, both socially and spiritually.

The Elven Compact has controlled Hothgar, Wild Wood, and Shire, 1,266,000 square miles and 9.2 million people, since the early Fourth Age. Dune, 397,000 square miles and 1.7 million people, recently liberated themselves. And there is a civil war in Northland, 887,000 square miles and 5.8 million people, too.

There are smaller islands, not on the map, near Remulus.

The idea of making the continent Roman Empire like was from Sean Punch’s Dawn of Magic campaign, that in portion only can be found by the Wayback Machine and other portions on his Livejournal blog. I used Azgaar’s Fantasy Map Generator to create the geography of the world. A mix of Elder Scrolls and Earth history as the inspiration to the world background. Fantasy Name Generators, Wikipedia, and Google for names or the inspiration for names.

The map has north to the right, as Azgaar’s Fantasy Map Generator cannot create vertical landmasses of that size and shape.

Imperium

Imperium itself is located on the east side of the south end of Remulus with 653,000 square miles and 4.5 million people. It is bordered by Fellinia to the northeast, Hothgar to the south, Wild Wood to the west, and Dune to the northwest. It’s plains to the west and forests to the east with some savanna and jungle on the border to Felinnia. There is a large bay and some rivers. The bay was renamed Felissimus Bay by the dead Emperor’s grandson in honor of his accomplishments. The highest area, over 1,000 feet, is on the border to Dune with Tiber Hill, the highest peak, at about 1,500 feet

   

The Nervon Dynasty took control over Imperium during the Mystic Age. Historians call it the Nervon Empire. The Hadron Empire was founded in the early First Age. Late in the First Age, the Empire collapsed both morally and militarily. About 400 years later, the Plusinus Empire was founded. And it lasted till mid Second Age. Early Third Age, Emperor Felissimus III had conquered all of Remulus and became the first of the Manius Dynasty. That was almost 2,000 years ago. These formerly independent countries have local figureheads in control with Imperial backing commanded by Emperor appointed Governors. The Imperium language is in common usage in the Empire and its former colonies. But the various native languages remain in use.

Daquina is the capital of Imperium and is located on the Po River, the longest river in the country. Emperor Lucius II is the head of the Empire with a strong hereditary aristocracy managing the day-to-day operations of Imperium on his behalf. 

Hothgar, Wild Wood, and Shire, now under the control of elven extremists, left the Empire in early Fourth Age and formed the Elven Compact. Later, the elves made intolerable demands on the Empire and Imperium brought them to war. With time, the elves took control of the Imperial capital, but could only hold it for a few years. After this devastating loss, the elves could no longer stomach war, and sued for peace. As part of the peace settlement, the Empire magnanimously allowed the Elven Compact to have a military advisor in each provincial capital. The elven Military Advisor is Earndil.

Imperium has a Control Rating of 4.

Dune

Dune is located in the center of Remulus with 397,000 square miles and 1.7 million people. It is bordered by Ming to the northeast, Fellinia to the east, Imperium to the southeast, Wild Wood to the south, Swamp Deep to the southwest, and Torrium and Highland to the northwest. It has grassland to the west, a little to the north and east, in the fertile river areas. And a large hot desert in the center. A large portion of the country is  above 1,000 feet and very little of it is below 500 feet. The highest area is on the border to Highland, all of it over 1,500 feet, with about ten peaks of near 2,000 feet or so. The capital of Dune is Lessat-Ha and it’s located on Haffa River. Dune is a tribal nation.

Various elves were the first to colonize and settle in Dune early in the First Age. Only some of their settlements have survived. Humans took over in the middle of the First Age and they built settlements on top of ruined Elven settlements. At the end of the Second Age, Dune was embroiled in a civil war between the various tribes and was sorted out by Imperium taking control. And then crushing the rebellion that followed. During the Third Age, Dune was at war three times. Mostly with Highland, but also with Torrium and others. The various tribes did not help each other in these conflicts. The Elven Compact invaded in the Fourth Age and the tribes reconciled to fight them. And with Imperial help, they won the conflict. But Dune didn’t like the peace treaty the Imperium signed with the Elven Compact, so they left the Empire. And Emperor Lucius II had to let them go to preserve the treaty.

Dune is Control Rating 2.

Fellinia

Fellinia is located at the east side of Remulus with 417,000 square miles and 3.3 million people.

It is bordered by Ming to the north, Imperium to the southwest, and Dune to the west. It is completely covered by a large jungle and well hydrated by three large river systems. The highest peak is Sorrrong Hill about 550 feet in height. The capital Suduran is located at the mouth of Garron River. The current Imperial Governor is Septimus Titinius Valerian. And the elven Military Advisor is Calanthor.

Fellinia is the home to the humanoid feline Cat-Folk. There are  at least house cat, tiger, lion, and leopard variants in coloration and differences in some traits. They are a theocracy led by a Rishi called Ri’ivva. According to the teachings of Brrast, the Lion Mother, the Cat-Folk were divinely created in the early First Age. But there are ancient Elven texts that talk about them in the early Mystic Age, almost three millennia earlier.

The First Age was tribal warfare. The tribes were united into a kingdom during the early Second Age and there was violent reactions to that. Until the Rishi stepped in and brought peace under divine rule in his own hand. They joined the Ming Empire late in the Second Age. For unknown reasons, there are no local records of any kind regarding the last third of the Second Age and the first third of the Third Age, when Imperium took control of the country. Late in the Third Age, Fellinia became independent from Imperium. Only to rejoin the Empire about 700 years ago in the Fourth Age.

There are rumors of shapeshifters with the ability to “devolve” into full feline form.

Fellinia has Control Rating 3.

Highland

Highland is located on the south end of the north portion of Remulus with 286,000 square miles and 1.5 million people. It is bordered by Northland to the north, Shinobi to the northeast, Ming to the east, Dune to the southeast, and Torrum and Kantor to the northwest. It is completely covered by grassland with the exception of a forest to the northwest bordering Lake Ceyesin. Portions of five rivers penetrate the country. The highest portion of the country is the border to Dune, almost all of it at over 1,500 feet with five peaks near 2,000 feet. The current Imperial Governor is Primus Tullius Catus and the elven Military Advisor is Loranthoran, both located in Bridgebury on the shore of Lake Ceyesin and near Sherling Forest.

Highland has fertile soil, cloudy but relatively dry weather, and has attracted just about everyone to colonize or settle at some point in its history. It is believed that ogres were the first to live here in the Mythic Age, but that elves drove them out. After that humans came. And the two mixed. And with time, less and less elven blood remained in their veins. But elves remained in control of Highland.

In the First Age, Northland made forays into Highland too, where the elves were still in control. But in the mid First Age, Highland was squarely in control of its own lands. Not that they were a unified country. They were county sized kingdoms and walled city-states as no clan had what it took to unify the entire country after the elves were gone. But they still invaded and took control of part of Kantor. The ogres now lived in the borderlands between Highland, Shinobi, and Northland. And together they pushed them out into the sea in late First Age. Together with Northland, Kantor, and the Heptites, humans from another continent, they took control of Torrium in late First Age.

Highland controlled themselves during the Second Age, as well as a large portion of Kantor whom they had invaded in early Second Era, but at the end of the Second Age, Emperor Felissimus III had no problem taking control of the fractured Highland and usher in the Third Age. Internal strife continued during the Third Age and the more than 300 small kingdoms were consolidated to about 100 kingdoms. In the Fourth Age, they consolidated further into about 50 kingdoms.

Highland doesn’t have a uniform Control Rating.

Hothgar

Hothghar is located on the south end of Remulus with 537,000 square miles and 4 million people. It is bordered by Imperium to the north and Wild Wood to the north and west. It has a savanna to the east, grassland in the center, forests to the south, and a temperate rainforest to the west. With a single forest in the savanna. A few rivers crisscrossed the country. There is a relatively small area with a height over 200 feet while the rest is lower than that. Melandaril is the current High Warlock of the Elven Compact.

Hothgar is the home to High Elves and may have been where the elves first came to Remulus from their ancient homeland. They were isolationist and didn’t allow outsiders anywhere but their capital Jumala, located at the mouth of the Ventave river. Until they were conquered by the Empire and the Third Age began. For millennia they have believed that they were better than the other races, but after that a larger portion of elves have been looking for a change. People who traditionally would have been exiled, in the same way that the ancestors of the Dark Elves were exiled for Demon worshiping in the Mystic Age.

With the exception of a trade war with the Empire, Hothgar was at peace during the early and mid Third Age. But during the late Third Age, a number of extremist movements broke out on Hothgar’s cultural and political stage. Some of these vandalized sculptures and other symbols of the kingdom. Even to the point of murdering members of the royal family.

Early Fourth Age, radical nationalists had become popular enough that they could take control over Hothgar through violent riot. They slaughtered those that were against them. They formed the Second Elven Compact (generally referred to only as the Elven Compat) with Wild Wood and Shire when their views had become popular enough in those countries. And they left the Empire. Replacing the local government with a Mageocracy.

They later made demands on the Empire. Demands that had to be complied with or there would be war. The Empire did not do as the Elven Compact wanted and war was a reality. And the Elven Compact did so well that they even took Daquina, the Imperial capital! They were only able to hold it for a few years, but the effort of retaking it was too much for the Empire and they sued for peace. To make sure that the terms of the peace treaty were lived up to, the Elven Compact sent military advisors to every Imperial Province on Remulus.

Hothgar has Control Rating 3.

Kantor

Kantor is located on the west coast of the north part of Remulus with 251,000 square miles and 1.8 million people. It is bordered by Northland to the north, Highland to the east, Torrium to the east and south across Lake Ceyesin, and Swamp Deep to the south. Generally speaking, there is grassland to the west and forests to the east, but the northernmost third of the border to Torrium is grassland too. Some rivers flow through it. Most of it is less than 50 feet high, almost all of it is less than 100 feet. The only higher areas are on the borders to Torrium and Highland/Northland with two peaks above 170 feet. There are also a large number of smaller islands in the ocean west of Kantor that are not on the map.

Humans settled in Kantor in the Mystic Age. In early First Age, it was four kingdoms. The Heptites, a group of humans from another continent, founded the first Heptinity monastery in Remulus on the shores of Kantor. Warriors with the tradition of getting tattoos as a sign of combat prowess were in control. There was a series of civil wars. A group from Highland gained control of a portion of Kantor and kept control for a century or so. In mid First Age, they were invaded by Northland who controlled half of it and the other half united against them. The Northlanders remained in control for about a millennia. In late First Age, Kantor, Northland, the Heptites, and Highland invaded Torrium. By the end of the First Age, the Empire had retaken control of Torrium.

Northland was in control of a portion for a century or so in early Second Age. While Highland returned and took a more permanent control of another portion for a majority of the Second Age. And by mid Second Age they were in control of all of it. By late Second Age, Kantor was united and in their own control, but they were in need of good relations with Highland. At the end of the Second Age, Emperor Felissimus III conquered all of Remulus.

During the Third Age, there were a number of civil wars, with involvement from Highland and Torrium, as they battled over the right to be King of the province under the Imperium Emperor. During the Fourth Age, Heptinity grew stronger but remained a minority faith, and government became more localized, while remaining a feudal province the King was weak. Though the current King Gale VI had gathered provincial strength around him as he ruled from Sandburgh, Cassius Octavius Pollio is the current Imperial Governor and the current elven Military Advisor is Gresandoral.

Kantor has Control Rating 3.

Ming

Ming is located on the east side of the north part of Remulus with 348,000 square miles and 3.1 million people. It is bordered by Northland to the north across the Bay of the Sun and Moon, Fellinia to the south, Dune to the southwest, Highland to the west, and Shinobi to the northwest. The westernmost quarter is grassland and the rest is mostly forest. With a couple of small temperate rainforests, some grassland, and the extension of the Fellinian jungle to the south. There is a number of rivers. The northeastern half of the country is less than 100 feet high. The highest area is the border towards Dune and Highland which is over 300 feet high, with Danhei Hill the highest peak near 700 feet.

The Ming Empire was unified mid First Age, collapsed late First Age, and was reformed in early Second Age. By late Second Age, both Fellinia and Shinobi were part of that Empire. But they were conquered by Imperium and joined that empire instead with the coming of the Third Age. And the leader of Ming could from then on only call himself King and no longer use the title Emperor. Their current leader is King Tianzu. Much of their traditional culture, literature, and philosophy was first developed during the difficult times before the Ming Empire was reformed. The current Imperial Governor is Secundus Rufius Bellator. And the elven Military Advisor is Hyrdalion.

The old capital was Dexi and the current capital is Zhaoding. It’s about 300 miles between them and it takes 19-24 days to walk cross country to get there, not that people do that. Zhaoding is located at the mouth of the Red River.

Private slavery was forbidden during the Third Age. The Liu Dynasty took control in the early Fourth Age and the first Liu king, who had started his life as a peasant, ended the landholding aristocracy and divided smaller parcels of land to the farmers themselves. Later in the dynasty, a renewed focus on trade sent Ming traders all over Remulus.

Ming has Control Rating 4.

Northland

Northland is located on the northern edge of Remulus, stretching the entire width of the continent, with 886,000 square miles and 5.8 million people. They are bordered by Ming across the Bay of the Sun and Moon, Shinobi to the south and east, and Highland and Kantor to the south. Large portions of the east and west are covered by coniferous forests, grasslands in the center and the south, deciduous forests to the southwest, and tundra in the north. There are a number of rivers and smaller islands. The closer to the ocean and to Highland you get, the lower the country is. The highest area is on the border with Shinobi. With four peaks just over 1,000 feet. The capital of Northland is Logar.

Elves were the first to settle Northland in the Mystic Age. Humans arrived late in the Age. There was a civil war and the elves pushed the humans out. But the humans returned with greater numbers and ended the conflict in early First Age. King Eric the Victorious laid claim on all of Northland and Shinobi as well as parts of Highland. In mid First Age, they took control of about half of Kantor. At the end of House Munso, there was a war of succession and Northland lost control of their external holdings. With this internal strife, Imperium took a chance and took control of Northland. King Stenkil liberated Northland from Imperium control in late First Age and it was one of the reasons behind the Empire’s collapse. King Stenkil returned Northland to the Old Ways.

Northland remained sovereign for 400 years, well into the Second Age, ending five dynasties over that span, before Imperium took control again and appointed Kristoffer as king. As the Plusinus Empire collapsed in mid Second Age, a series of civil wars divided Northland into a western kingdom under King Erik and an eastern kingdom under King Sverker. And it wasn’t reunited until Emperor Felissimus III conquered all of Remulus and entered the Third Age. Imperium remained in control for the Age.

The southern elves left the Empire in early Fourth Age and formed the Elven Compact. And this led to an inconclusive southern war, the consequences of which even affected the north. So much so that both Gustav and Karl proclaimed themselves King of Northland, Gustav supporting the Old Way and Karl the Empire. And this led to a civil war that has lasted for centuries. Currently, Queen Kristina supports the Old Way and Queen Ulrika support the Empire.

Northland has Control Rating 3.

Shinobi

Shinobi is located on the east side of the northern part of Remulus with 131,000 square miles and 1.2 million people. They are bordered by Northland to the north and west, Ming to the east and south, and Highland to the southwest. About as much grassland as there are forests and a temperate rainforest. There are some rivers. Almost all of it under 300 feet. The highest area being on the northwest border with Northland with Gazina Hill at about 1,000 feet its highest peak.

Shinobi is home to the Dark Elves. During the Mystic Age, their ancestors were cast out and voluntarily moved from Hothgar because they were deemed demon worshipers because they worshiped a different pantheon than the rest of the elves. The First Age was scattered by war. First, a civil war that allowed Northland to take control, but united they were able to liberate themselves and that led to the formation of the Great Houses. To end the repeated warfare between the various Great Houses, the Great Council, with representatives from each of the Great Houses, allowed for the creation of Shiira, a clan of spies, assassins, infiltrators, and guerillas, who could work behind the scenes to prevent war. It was not a complete success.

During almost all of the Second Age, they were controlled by the Ming Empire, who installed a figurehead Queen to replace the Great Council. Until Imperium beat them and controlled the entire continent. And in the Third Age, though Imperium required a figurehead monarch too, the Great Council was reinstated. A slave revolt led to open war and the death of both the monarch and the Imperial Governor.

King Kenzoo, appointed figurehead of the Empire, has little power. The Great Council has control of Shinobi. The current Imperial Governor is Titus Caepasius Laurentius. And the elven Military Advisor is Lithorian. All of them can be found in the capital of Kyomu which is located on the coast where Asakyora River enters the Bay of the Sun and Moon.

Shinobi has Control Rating 3.

Shire

Shire is located on the west coast of the southern part of Remulus with 107,000 square miles and 1.4 million people. It is bordered by Wild Wood on all sides except the ocean side. It is all grasslands and all below 100 feet with a number of rivers. Salaspolis is the capital and it’s located on the Dauva River about 70 miles from its mouth.

Shire is home to the Halflings, a race of short elves. Like other elves, they speak Elvish and have an elven culture. And they have been controlled by outside forces for most of their existence. Wild Wood took control in mid First Age. Followed by Imperium in late First Age. When the Hadron Empire fell apart, Shire was on its own for a couple of centuries until Imperium regained control. Which lasted until the mid Second Age. Hothgar consolidated the three elven countries into the Elven Compact not long thereafter. And Imperium retook to control and started the Third Age.

Early Fourth Age, radical nationalists took control over Hothgar and the sentiment spread. The Second Elven Compact was formed, this time as a Mageocracy, as the trio of countries left the Empire. War ensued and though the outcome was inconclusive, it favored the elves.

Shire has Control Rating 3.

Swamp Deep

Swamp Deep is located on the west coast of Remulus with 245,000 square miles and 0.9 million people. It is bordered by Kantor to the north, Torrium and Dune to the northeast, and Wild Wood to the southeast and south. It is completely covered by swamp, though the islands of Tavizza and Lebzze are covered by coniferous forests. Half of it is below 100 feet, most of the rest below 200 feet. The highest area is near the border to Dune with two peaks near 550 feet. The capital is Gramical and it’s located where the Fund River merges with the Longas River.

Swamp Deep is home to the Reptilians. There are a number of different scaled humanoid variants, including lizards, serpents, and dragons. They are led by King Dar-Zish III and his Royal Court. The Shadow Daggers are an order of trained Royal Assassins that protect the King and carry out his orders. Shamans play a vital role in their spiritual life. The current Imperial Governor is Publius Dillius Trebellius. And the elven Military Advisor is Nedenthril.

Very little was known about Swap Deep until they joined the Empire at the end of the First Age. A devastating pandemic swept across Swap Deep during the Second Age. In early Third Age, they rose up as one to exact revenge on those that had used Reptilian slaves. Most of their agriculture is grown by subsistence farmers, but more of it is being exported now. Mostly to Dune and Kantor. They are still quite isolationist and little is known about their culture.

Swamp Deep is Control Rating 4.

Torrium

Torrium is located on the western side of Remulus, just south of Lake Ceyesin with 134,000 square miles and 1.7 million people. It is bordered by Highland to the north, across Lake Ceyesin, and east, Dune to the southeast, Swamp Deep to the southwest, and Kantor to the west and across Lake Ceyesin to the north. It is covered by forests to the south and grassland to the north. There’s a lake on the western side and a few rivers. The further away from the Dune border you get, the lower the altitude. The highest peak of Gerro Hill reaches nearly 1,800 feet. Celona is the capital. They are led by King Sánchez Ramírez. The Imperial Governor is Quintus Pomponius Valentinian. And the elven Military Advisor is Theodmon.

Humans started settling in the Mystic Age. Towards the end of the Mystic Age, they could be divided into six groups of people with their own language and culture. Imperium conquered them all in mid First Age. It was at first divided into three regions, but later became as many as six as some parts became more like Imperium faster than others. These were not the same six regions that existed before the Empire arrived. The Imperium roads, language, and laws bound them together. Some local leaders became part of the Imperium aristocracy. Torrium served as a granary for Imperium.

Northland, Highland, Kantor, and a group of humans from another continent, Heptites, invaded Torrium in late First Age, and wrestled the province away from the Empire. The Heptites introduced their own, and much different, religious beliefs in the Heptinity. But at the end of the First Age, Imperium took back control and Torrium remained divided into four regions under the Plusinus Empire, at first. But became a unified kingdom before the Empire crumbled. But the Heptinity remained despite the Plusinus Empire and beyond it. At which point the clergy became responsible for higher education. Torrium also remained a unified kingdom, even though blood family feuds, royal assassinations, and civil war were commonplace.

Until Emperor Flissimus III invaded in late Second Age, took control over all of Remulus, and ushered in the Third Age. Heptinians could continue to worship, but had to pay a tax and they had inferior legal and social rights. And within 50 years, most had converted. There were some civil wars, but Celona also becomes one of the greatest centers of learning in Remulus.

Heptinity worship continued in some areas and in the second half of the Third Age, it started growing again. In late Third Age it flourished. And when the Fourth Age started, Heptinity worship was the rule rather than the exception. Even though Torrium remained a province of the Manius Empire. Celona remained a great center of learning.

Torrium is Control Rating 3.

Wild Wood

Wild Wood is located on the western side of the southern portion of Remulus with 622,000 square miles and 3.9 million people. It is bordered by Swamp Deep and Dune to the north, Imperium to the east, Hothgar to the east and south, and Shire to the west. It borders the ocean both north and south of Shire. There are a number of rivers. Most of it is below 100 feet. Most of the rest is below 200 feet. The highest portion is in the southeastern part with Boku Hill at near 500 feet being its highest peak. The capital is Daugar located at the mouth of the Dauva River.

Wild Wood is the home of the Wild Elves. The Speaker of the Stars Galadron leads his people, to the extent he can do so given the Elven Compact. There are only a few Imperial roads in Wild Wood and they see little to no traffic.

A unified Wild Wood kingdom was established in early First Age. In mid First Age, they controlled Shire too, and in late First Age, Imperium took control of both of them. It was at this time Imperial roads were built, but the Wild Elves don’t need them to move about the forest, so they have not maintained them. The Hadron Empire fell in mid Second Age. They joined the First Elven Compact. At the end of the Second Age, Imperium brought them back to the fold and kept control for all of Third Age. Early Fourth Age, Wild Wood joined the Elven Compact after radical nationalists first had taken control over Hothgar and then spread to both Wild Wood and Shire. And later in the early Fourth Age, the Empire and the Elven Compact went to war. And though no one really got what they wanted, the elves got more than the humans did.

Wild Wood is Control Rating 3.