XAUPHINELLE

Ancient Ælven Imperium

Tone: Decadent, arrogant, dangerous, and jaded empire of ethnocentric isolationist xenophobes.
Timeframe: prehistory to present
Artifice: High, verging into Advanced in some areas
Region: Tears of Vrylakos
Capital: Xa (800,000)
Notable Settlements: Arrabis (province, ~1,250,000), Draisha (province, ~900,000; city, ~45,000), Farshal (province, ~ 350,000)
Government: Imperium
Ruler: Imperator Amarisander Xul
Races: Elves (95%); Slaves (Humans (3%), Merren (1%), Other (1%))
Languages: Ælva
Religions: Xauphic Pantheon
Coinage: Axa (golden knot, 3 gp), Dra (gold coin, 1 gp), Obadra (small golden coin, worth 3 sp), Aspra (silver coin, 1 sp), Utal (small silver coin, worth 3 cp)

Synopsis

Inhabiting Shards at the farthest tip of the Tears, the storied homeland of the Ælvenkind stretches into time immemorial and is generally not considered to be part of the Tears proper. Old beyond any human concept of the word, this land was once the greatest of all the Shards in this region of the 'Tween, rich in all things that matter and unmatched in all things they wished to be unmatched in. Through conquest and mercilessness they forged an Empire upon the backs of lesser races and for twenty nine hundred long years the Ageless Empire spanned, seemingly eternal to shorter lived peoples.

However ultimately the Ælven Imperium was brought down by an ugly and bitter civil war waged between the supporters of the two children of the deceased Emperor Malisaddar. Finally, after centuries of bloody and costly war the Imperial Prince Tallisindar was victorious and drove his sister Vasrithaella and her final supporters out of the shattered remnants of the once great Empire. Vasrithaella and her followers fled through the Tears, finally settling a clutch of heavily forested Shards in the Shoals, which became Velsephay.

Several centuries passed as the new Emperor shored up his position, crushed opposition, and took up the reigns of power of his much reduced Empire. In this time the younger races had cemented their own power. Soon bolder folk began to encroach upon lands formally held by Xauphinelle. Infuriated, Tallisindar vowed not one more inch of Ælven land would be transgressed by outsiders. He called for taxes to increase the size of Imperial forces, and military expansion began immediately. Ælven warrior-poets and battle mages alike took up the warbrand and stood ready for their Emperor’s call to battle. Ancient martial orders found their rosters swollen with new applicants and old alumni eager to renew their vows.

A massive armada departed Xauphinelle to sail upon the nations of the Tears and reassert Ælven dominance. War waged for decades, but the Ælves were unable to achieve the crushing victories that Tallisindar expected. So once again the warrior-king donned his panoply of war and departed his throne room high above the Tears and descended into the fray to take up the reins of leadership directly. His initial forays were markedly more successful, for Tallisindar had learned to overcome his Ælvish avoidance for drastic action in his years of struggle against his sister. His boldness was uncharacteristic for his people, and his tactical acumen was remarkable.

After several key victories over the arrayed forces of the Tears, Tallisindar pursued a fleeing Fiorean fleet deep into the Shoals, intent on destroying the Baron General Ors Sargod who was regarded by many to be the greatest leader of the forces opposing the Ælves. However, the crafty Ors was really luring Tallisindar into a trap, drawing him dangerously close to the Maw and the daemon infested City of Vezanti. The trap sprung, the Tleyzu streamed forth from Vezanti after a strafing pass by Ors, and the horde of agitated daemons consumed both the fleets in a nightmarish orgy of slaughter.

With the death of Tallisindar, the Xauphinellean Empire was thrown back into disarray and the war was effectively finished.

In the ensuing centuries Xauphinelle has become increasingly isolationist, introverted, and xenophobic. Xauphinellean ships are rarely seen amongst the Tear, and when they are they are closely watched, for all know well that Xauphinelle would seek to conquer if they had the means or even just an excuse. Edit

Magic

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Details

Ancient and Honorable Order of the Cloud Lords: An honored brotherhood of elder times, this haughty Ælven group has a long history of heroic deeds in the name of Ælvenkind amongst the Xauphinelleans, and a litany of oppressive acts at least as long amongst the younger races. The Order is highly elite and extremely selective. They accept only the best, and consider themselves above the cut. Many are nobles and some are related to the imperial family by blood or marriage; all are afforded courtly honors.

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Adventure Seeds

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