Malorian Empire

History
The founders of the Malorian Empire settled on the continent of Ikos after the Dawn War. They fled the fighting on Acios and hoped to forge a new, peaceful way of life. Unlike the humans of Acios, the Malorians were united and their Empire's official founding date is 191 C.E. The first Emperor of the Malorians was Xaver Strom. Under his leadership, the Malorians flourished on the virgin soil of Ikos. The people of the Empire were the greatest spellcasters in the human army during the Dawn War. This allowed them to advance their society much more quickly then the humans on Acios were able to do. Soon, however, a new kingom arose on the land to challenge the control of the Malorians.

The Goblinoid Kingdom of Dhakaan was founded in 612 C.E. Much like the Malorians, they had fled the continent of Acios in the aftermath of the Dawn War. The Goblinoids, created and brainwashed by the Betrayer Gods, were thought of as evil by the people of Acios and were thus hunted down if they were spotted by any of the races who fought on the side of Erathis during the Dawn War. The Goblinoids, however, had known only war and when the war had ended, hoped to find guidance from the other races. Instead, they found only murder and bloodshed. Therefore, numerous Goblinoids, led by the Hobgoblin Ozroc the Bold, fled Acios and arrived on the shores of Ikos. The Malorians and Dhakaans were instantly distrustful of one another. Both thought of the other as the enemy. However, they both lived in peace for five centuries before the Malorians turned to warfare.

The monarchs of the two nations attempted to maintain the peace on the continent, even as forces within their governments were pushing for war. The Malorian and the Dhakaan Kingdom had very small populations during the early years of their foundings. However, the lack of warfare and fertile land allowed both populations to increase dramatically over the next five hundred years. Soon, both sides seeked to expand their holdings but had run out of room. War seemed to be inevitable unless a peaceful resolution could be reached. The Malorian Empire had not known war for centuries, and its people had long forgotten how horrifying it was. Elements within the Red Wizards and the Malorian government conspired to begin a war with the Goblinoids. They first hoped that nothing would have to be done, but realized that the current Emperor, Roland Strom IV, hoped to maintain peace with the Goblinoids. These rogue elements then overthrew the Emperor in a coup in 1003 C.E. It led to the death of Roland and the rise of his brother, Konstantin Strom. Konstantin wanted war and worked to present the Goblinoids as the enemy. They were preventing the Malorian Empire from obtaining their birthright of Ikos and needed to be destroyed. Konstantin also said that the Malorians, due to their humanity, were a superior race to the Goblinoids and would easily win the war just as humanity had won the Dawn War.

As the Malorians prepared for war, the Goblinoids did the same. Once the news of the death of Roland and the rise of Konstantin reached their ears, the Goblinoids began building up their military strength. Soon both sides focused solely on building up their armies and ravaged the land for natural resources. The once beautiful land of Ikos soon became upended and destroyed by the industry of war. The Goblinoid War began on 1011 C.E. when the Malorian Empire attacked the Goblinoid border town of Dreba and burned it to the ground. Those who were not slaughtered were enslaved and taken back to the Malorian Empire. The Goblinoids and Malorians realized that this war was not just one of resources and land. It was a war of genocidal intentions where one side would be slaughtered and enslaved and the other would rule them for eternity. The genocidal Goblinoid war would last a horrific 133 years and lead to the deaths of millions on both sides. It would also completley ravage the continent of Ikos and completely destroy it's once natural beauty.

The Goblinoid War was a constant tug of war between the two sides. Borders were constantly changing and armies were constantly clashing. The whole continent was engulfed in the war. The forests were burned, the snow covered mountains were ravaged for resources, the rivers were filled with bloated bodies and ran red with blood. Neither side was able to gain a foothold and the war soon become one of attrition. Murders of entire towns was common, and slavery was practiced by both sides. When almost the entire civilian population was serving on the frontlines, both sides needed able bodies to work in the homeland. The practice of slavery proved to be the Malorians undoing.

Endrun, later known as the Manslayer, began a slave revolt in the Malorian city of Herbeck. Endrun had realized that the city's garrisson was too small to resist if the entire slave population revolted. Endrun was able to rally his fellow slaves in which he argued that death was preferable to eternal slavery. The taking of Herbeck was swift and brutal. Soon much of the population had been murdered or fled. News of the revolt led to many Malorians being sent from the frontlines back to the homeland in order to put down the revolt. However, Endrun's army was swift and was able to free many slaves before they were encountered by any real resistance from the Malorians. The Empire believed they would be able to hold off the Goblinoid troops long enough to put down the revolt. This was proved to be incorrect. The Hobgoblin King of Dhakkan, Ogrul the Bull, realized that they finally had a numerical advantage and believed that it would be enough to overcome the Malorians superior magical and tactical abilities. This proved to be correct as the wave of Goblinoids washed over the Malorain defenders and routed them from their positions. Soon, the Goblinoid armies had pushed into the heart of the Empire. In despair, believing the war was lost and the genocide of his people would soon commence, Konstantin Strom IV threw himself from walls of Dierhof. Many people joined him in death, while others hoped that someone would be able to save them from the Goblinoids.

Their saviour was Emperor Romerich Strom I who inherited the throne from his father. Romerich was serving on the frontlines and when he heard of the death of his father, immediately ordered the retreat of his army. This retreat left the Eastern portion of the Empire open to attack. Romerich did not care and knew that the Malorians needed to leave the continent immediately or everyone would be slaughtered. Romerich gathered as many refugees as possible from the cities and towns along his path of retreat. This train of refugees and troops became known as the Chain of Dogs. They were constantly harried by Goblinoid troops who were nipping at their heels. The Chain of Dogs was able to reach the city of Dierhof and form a defensive line in the northern portion of the country. This last bastion of Malorian defense was just a tiny portion of their once great Empire. However, they were able to hold the line against both the army of Ogrul and the slave army of Endrun. The Malorian Navy was immediately ordered home and every able bodied citizen of the Empire who was not serving on the frontlines was ordered to begin construction of boats. The Malorian Empire held on to this section of land, somehow, for two years. The Goblinoids broke through in the waning months of 1143 C.E. Millions bordered the boats at Dierhof, and millions more were left behind. As the boats floated away from their home, they watched as their once great city was razed by the Dhakkanis.

The refugees floated for many months with no certain direction of land. There was enough food for each boat to last three months. Many boats were lost to storms or poor navigation. Eventually, the ships remaining in the flotilla, saw the continent of Acios. When they landed, Romerich Strom immediately set about a plan for the invasion. Despite their loss to the Goblinoids, the Malorians still believed themselves to be the superior race of humans. When the Iptians went to see who the mysterious people who arrived on their shores were, they were met with violence. And thus the Malorian Invasion began.

Within six years, the entire continent of Acios was under Malorian control. Their reign was long and brutal as they enslaved the goblinoids of Karkoth (believing them to be relatives of the Dhakkanis) and installed a totalitarian state over the rest of the continent. Five hundred years later they were overthrown in the Great Rebellion that begain in the state of Karkoth and ended with the Treaty of Thirgos. The war resulted in the death of Florian Strom II and the rise of his son. Florian III installed the Blood of Vol as the official religion of the country and used undead soldiers to bolster his forces. Only through these undead soldiers was the Empire able to survive, again. The Malorians have had a frought history filled with war and bloodshed. For now, it appears that the Empire is content with their survival and peace. However, never underestimate the ambition of an Strom.

Government and Politics
The Malorian Empire has recently become a theocracy. The events of the war drove the young Emperor Florian Strom III to make the Blood of Vol the state religion. The worship of all other gods is banned and Florian is known as the God Emperor. The 26 year old Florian has absolute control over the state, consolidating power in his hands. Martial law reigns, and the people bend their knees to the king’s will on fear of death. The Malorian royal family retains its strength with the support of the warlords, the household heads of the nation’s nobility. The warlords raise armies and give a portion of their revenues to the crown. They serve the crown as generals and admirals, as well as overseeing the land their titles grant them. These nobles have been kept in line by the ruthless reputation of the monarchy. Veit Seidl is the High Priest of Vol and works hand in hand with the Emperor to ensure that the citizens of the Empire continue to follow the Blood of Vol.

Foreign Relations
The Malorian Empire has been attempting to create diplomatic ties with the Wildcrest Kingdom, The Confederacy of Karkoth, The Kingdom of Eserion, and the Kingdom of Rysland. They hope that through trade agreements, they may be able to convince them that Florian III is different than the previous monarchs and the Blood of Vol has led to the Empire changing its ways. It does conduct trade with the Free Cities despite the near genocide of their people they conducted hundreds of years ago. The Malorians also trade with the Lhazaar Principalities. However they have no military alliances. Florian has sought to marry his sisters off to the nobles of other nations, so far there have been no offers. The Malorians understand that if war was to break out, the nation would be surrounded and face extinction once again. Therefore, the Empire, on the surface, works to thaw relations with the other nations. In secret however, they work to destabilize the other nations and fund numerous groups looking to forment rebellion across Acios. If there is chaos, the Empire will be able to take advantage.

Military and Law Enforcement
Emperor Florian Strom III is the supreme commander of the armed forces. Each citizen serves for four years in either the nation’s army or its navy. Most soldiers muster out, but some go on to distinguished careers as lifelong members of the Empire's armed services. Surrounded on all sides, mass conscription is a necessary component of Malorian society.

The Red Wizards of the Empire are some of the greatest spellcasters in all of Acios. They are found in both the armies of the Empire as mobile artillery units that decimate infantry troops. While the Red Wizards are most known for their prowess in battle, they are also accomplished users of divining magic. Their expertise in divination magic allows them to serve as an incredibly effective spying and secret police force within the Empire. The Red Wizards were used in this capacity during the Malorian Empire's reign over the Wildcrests and Karkothians. However, Emperor Florian III has greatly expanded the amount of Red Wizards serving in this capacity. He understands that the battles of this cold war are being fought in the shadows, and he needs a force that rivals the Royal Eyes of Rysland and the Dark Lanterns of the Wildcrest Kingdom

The Red Wizards who serve as secret police are known as The Trust. The members of the Trust are incredible intelligence gatherers and have a trove of files on potential plots and dangerous dissenters within their headquarters in Fosvern. Those who serve within the Empire are authorized to take any action necessary to preserve the peace. People who threaten the social order can be eliminated by the Trust without warning or trial, whether citizens or not. Emperor Florian belives that in order to maintain his grip on power, he must eliminate anyone who could threaten him or the stability of his nation. The members of the Trust who serve abroad are not usually used as assassins. They are mostly intelligence gatherers and provide numerous updates to the King himself about everything that is happening abroad. The Malorians are a paranoid people and Florian III likes to be kept abreast of every new piece of information about his rivals, no matter how seemingly mundane.

The forces of undead are essential to the armies of the Empire. They are raised and maintained by the necromantic Priests of Vol. They are not used within the interior of the Empire because the Emperor does not want to upset and horrify his citizens. It is better that they know the undead exist, rather than actually seeing them. The undead are instead stationed on the border regions. They are stationed near fellow Malorian troops, but they do not live with them. Instead they are housed in forts watched over by Priests of Vol. If needed, the undead hordes will join up with the living. The main bulk of the undead forces are skeletons and zombies. Ghouls are used as specialist shock troops. While rare, there are Priests of Vol who are vampires and serve in the Malorian military. Many were killed during the Great Rebellion but a few still remain within the priesthood.

Geography
The Malorian Empire stretches from the Feldberg Mountains in the north to the Coromere Forest in the south. The Strom Expanse, the lowlands of the nation, stretches from Salzheim all the way to the border with Rysland in the south and to the Midaburg Forest in the east. The northern part of the nation is quite hilly and mountainous. The center and southern parts of the nation are characterized by the featurless Strom Expanse. It is dotted with farms and small settelments. The Expanse is the breadbasket of the nation, but much of it was burned during the Great Rebellion by the Kingdom of Rysland. The nation has worked on rebuilding and regrowing all that was destroyed. The eastern portion is covered in the Midaburg Forest and is ringed in by the Stormcrest Mountains.

The climate depends on where you live in the nation. The north is usually quite warm, however if you live in the more mountainous regions located directly near the Feldberg Mountains, it will be quite cold. The southern region is colder, but still remains warm throughout much of the year. The East of the nation is quite warm, unless you live in the shadow of the Stormcrest Mountains.

Economy and Infastructure
The economy of the Malorian Empire is built around the lumber, mining, and farming industries. The two large forests provide endless amounts of wood for use within the nation and as exports to nations such as the Lhazaar Principalities and Free Cities who rely on the wood for building their ships. Malorian livestock, while not overabundant, is plentiful and of the highest quality. Pork, beef, dairy, exotic cheeses, and butter are staples of the Malorian diet, and the nation produces enough of these commodities to export a large amount of them to other nations, where they are viewed as luxuries.

The Malorian Empire prides itself on its well constructed roads that allow all of their people to remain connected. The roads allow for trade to occurr throughout the large nation. It also allows for the King to maintain complete control over his subjects. If a rebellion were to occur, his troops would not have to march through difficult terrain to meet the rebels. Instead, it is a quick and easy march from Fosvern to any part of the nation. In the Empire, all roads lead to Fosvern.

Demographics
The majority of the inhabitants of the Malorian Empire are humans. No Goblinoids or Orcs will be found there as they are viewed as savages by the people of the Empire. The end of the war resulted in the freeing of all Orc and Goblinoid slaves. They left to return to their homeland, or to settle down in one of the other newly freed nations. Elves are not present either as the Eserion Elves despise the Empire and the Almorin Elves hardly ever venture outside of their island kingdom. The Dwarves of the nation reside in the Feldberg Mountains. Instead of identifying as members of their own clan, they consider themselves a part of the Empire and often venture outside of their mountain holds to seek a life within the cities of the Empire. Tieflings, Gnomes, and Dragonborn are exceedingly rare.

Culture and Religion
First and foremost, the Empire is known for its military tradition. Strength, strategy, and discipline are the core values of the Malorians. Malorians are somber folk and disapprove of extravagance or excessive shows of emotion. The populace frowns on excess of any sort, accepts limits on luxury items, and approves of swift and harsh punishments for crime. They have been taught how they were driven from their original homeland. They will undergo any hardship to ensure that this will never happen again.

The Blood of Vol is linked directly to the state. Those who reject the new religion are forcefully converted. If this has no effect, they may be imprisoned or executed as a demonstration to others who wish to resist the Blood of Vol. While many were hesistant to accept the Blood of Vol at first. However, the necromantic practices of the religion were shown to work as the undead bolstered the armies of the Empire and helped lead to the nation surviving against all odds. Much of the population willingly converted after the war and now worship Florian III as the God-Emperor. Some pretend to follow the Blood of Vol, but secretly continue to worship the Erathian Pantheon. The religions mantra states "Look not to the skies, nor the depths below, nor even the distant past or future. Seek the divine within, for the blood is the life, and in its call can be heard the promise of eternal life. One has but to listen." They believe that Florian III has achieved enlightenment and therefore worship him and seek to attain enlightenment as well.