Imperium

"Under the legendary leadership of Emperor Marius we have become a proud and powerful nation, Greatness is finally within our grasp. We shall bring Order, Justice and the Light of Civilization to every corner of the Continent. Let us work together to bring about Peace and Order to All, let us not shy away from the Glorious Future that is our birthright..." 

Auronius, First Edition of the Encyclopedia Imperium circa A.I. 30  The last great empire of Aegeron was the Minthras Imperium. It was founded over four centuries ago when the human kingdom of Minthras discovered long forgotten arcane knowledge to create spells of immense power. With their newfound might, combined with the insatiable ambition of their rulers, the Imperium waged a century long campaign to conquer the continent. In the end all resistance was crushed either by words or force. Although the wars were long and bloody but the unification of the continent ushered in a golden age of peace and prosperity. The Imperium built mighty cities and vast highways that connected all parts of the Continent. The Imperial Law was adopted by all, leading to a more just and fair world.

Sometime after the unification of the continent the ruler of the Imperium ascended to divinity, becoming the God-Emperor. Later he allowed his most loyal servant to also ascend, she became the Archmistress of Magic. From their high palaces in the Imperial City they watched over all mortals of the continent.

The order imposed by the Imperium created an imbalance in the eternal struggle between Order and Chaos. In time the chaotic deities realized the need to intervene. They plotted for decades, first sowing the seeds of discontent in the farthest provinces. Unrest and revolts became more and more common, and soon the Imperial Legion was stretched thin across the continent. The final blow was delivered on the eve of the Imperium’s 4th centennial, when agents of Chaos infiltrated the jubilant Imperial City and (through unknown means) opened a hellgate to the Abyss. Soon armies of demons poured out of the gate and devoured the city, including the God-Emperor himself and the entire ruling class of the Imperium. With no central leadership the vast Imperium broke up almost overnight, sparking the bloody Succession Wars that lasted for three decades.

Foundation and the Century of Conquest
The foundation of the Imperium marks the start date of the Imperial Calendar, it was then that Marius the Great, king of Minthras conquered the elven kingdom of Londar. Soon after he began a great restructuring of the realm to create the greatest war machine Aegeron had ever seen. Soon the Imperium began its campaign to conquer the continent, and the successors of Marius carried on with this vision leading to the Century of Conquest.

Throughout this time the Imperium was in a constant state of warfare. The spoils of these expansive wars (gold, slaves) are what kept its economy running.

One of the most important pillars of the Imperium’s power is the Imperial Law, a set of policies aimed at homogenizing the empire’s diverse population, granting equal rights to all sentient beings along with the duty to serve the Emperor without question or hesitation. Once imperial rule was established in newly conquered lands all previous titles and deeds were meaningless, all wealth was redistributed and the vanquished were given a choice: serve or die. Although the Imperium’s treatment of newly conquered lands was harsh, in time these territories became fully fledged provinces whose people were subject to the same laws as all imperial citizens and enjoyed the protection of the Emperor.

The Imperium’s main justification for expansion was that it brings “law, order and civilization” to its “barbaric neighbors”. They viewed the feudal system as inherently corrupt where the abuses of petty lords are left unchecked, while they regard tribes and nomads as “savages who desperately need the guiding light of civilization”.

Despite its aggressive expansion and brutal subjugation of new lands, many foreigners were sympathetic to the imperial ideals. The Imperium’s emphasis on law, order and the execution of justice was appealing to many lawful characters who had become disillusioned with the excesses of the nobility in the feudal system. Similarly, many chaotic characters enjoyed watching as the kings and lords, who once boasted of their right to rule, were stripped of their privileges and forced to kneel.

Ascension of the Living Gods
After the Unification of Aegeron there was no land left to conquer. The Emperor realized that a dramatic reorganization was necessary for the Imperium to survive, so a set of reforms were passed, including the ban on the enslavement of all races, except the Cleaver orcs (as the empire still required some slave labor to function).

While the people were busy arguing with imperial bureaucracy about these reforms, the Emperor undertook a secret porject which ended in A.I. 120 with his ascension to divinity, thus he became the first of the Living Gods, the God-Emperor, the one who ruled the Imperium for the following three centuries. Within a few years he allowed his most loyal servant to also ascend, she became the second Living God, the Archmistress of Magic.

Pillars of Power
The Imperium was ruled by the the Living Gods, whose authority in all matters was absolute. But even their divine power was not enough by itself to hold all the people of Aegeron together so they relied on several powerful organizations and factions to carry out their will within the empire, all vying for power and the Emperor’s favor:
 * The Arcane Directorium oversaw the application of magic within the empire (including the creation of Edicts) and provided the infamous inquisitors, masters of mind reading, who ensured the loyalty of those in power.
 * The core of the empire’s armed forces was the Imperial Legion, the most powerful fighting force in the history of Aegeron.They lived and dide by the God-Emperor's wish.
 * The day-to-day life of the Imperium was governed by the Imperial Senate, although senators were better known for looking out for themselves than for the commoners.
 * The Imperium put extreme emphasis on the rule of law and the execution of justice which was handled by the Imperial Magistratus. After the dissolution of the Imperium most of the magistrates just kept on working in their old positions and formed the basis of the administrations of the Younger Realms (e.g. in Stoneharbor Magistratum)
 * Despite the divinity of its rulers, the Imperium gave their subjects (mostly) free reign in which deity they prayed to (although there were tangible benefits in praying to the God-Emperor). Most scholars assume this was part of some bargain the Living Gods struck with the Gods in order to allow their ascension.

Remnants of the Imperium:
While the Imperium has been gone for over 80 years, its influence is still felt across Aegeron, its legacy is apparent in most aspects of life (e.g. currency, culture, units, highway network, aqueducts etc.). But there are other, more tangible remnants that are important to adventurers like the Avalanche:
 * Abandoned forts/labs/mines: During the chaos of the Succession Wars most of these installations have been destroyed but some survived (e.g. only the entrance was collapsed). They contain treasures and extremely valuable artifacts, as well as great dangers (e.g. undead, Iron Legionaries).
 * Edicts: The Imperium conquered the entirety of the Old Continent decades before their rulers ascended to divinity. It was achieved through not only diplomacy and military might, but by using extremely powerful magical weapons that could level entire cities or make whole countries uninhabitable. During the Century of Conquest the Imperium used these weapons to utterly destroy those who resisted its expansion, making them an example to others who would dare defy them. Fortunately the knowledge on how to make these weapons was lost when the Imperial City fell to the demon horde in A.I. 400. Although they were cast centuries ago, many of these curses still affect the continent, like the Polar Vortex over the Dragon Mountains (north of Stoneharbor) that brought down the eldest golden dragon, or the curse of Nightfall that created a decade long night to destroy the Elderwoods and all the druids that resided in it (now it is called the Silent Grove, a dead, haunted forest).
 * Boons of the Living Gods: After their ascension to divinity the God-Emperor and the Archmistress of Magic sought to solidify their grip on the continent not only through force but by providing boons to their followers. Most of these ceased to function soon after the demon lords devoured the Living Gods (e.g. the Emperor's Tree in Stoneharbor that the party saved from being cut down), but some still endure, although weakened. Among adventurers the most well-known of these is the Emperor's Aegis a blessing meant to protect and strengthen members of the Imperial Legion. Legionaries were marked with a tattoo made from a special magical ink. This link to the God-Emperor allowed them to march without tiring, to defeat powerful foes and to recover from even fatal injuries. Despite the years the Emperor's Aegis is still active. although much weakened and anyone with tattoo made with Legionary Ink can enjoy its benefits. This is why Legionary Ink is an extremely expensive item sought after by kings, nobles, merchants and mercenaries alike. Since the knowledge to make it has been lost, the only sources of Legionary Ink are abandoned imperial forts and laboratories.