Adventures in Arcadayn
History of the Krithian Empire
By Tim Emrick

Slightly over 1000 years ago, the warrior Krith began to unify several small kingdoms into a single realm; the Krithian Calender (KC) is dated from his crowning as the first Emperor 994 years ago. The original border of Krith was approximately the same as the modern Duchy of Northmarch. The Imperitar, a rocky island in the Sea of Krith, was claimed by Krith's son and successor, Krynan (24-46 KC), who moved his capital to the citadel he built here. During the reign of Krynan and his son Konath (46-89 KC), the lands of modern Eastmarch and Southmarch were added to the empire. Settlers began to explore north and west, and by 300 KC, Krith had sizable colonies in the Yangar River basin, modern Visala (Iluar, Kastir and Sivia), the Gnome Hills and the part of the Outlands immediately southeast of Kurbesim. The warrior-priest Theodon was appointed first Paragon of the Celestial Church during the reign of Konath, and was proclaimed a saint after his death.

During the fourth century KC, Krith waged major wars with the Dalemen tribes which dwelled north and east of Sivia. With the help of faerie allies from the far west, the barbarian tribes seized Sivia and Kastir, which they held for over 20 years (330-352 KC) during the "Aelfhild" (Elf-War). Krith eventually reclaimed these lost colonies, but not before the colonists had a taste of greater independence under Daleman rule. Sivia and Kastir rebelled a century later, in 469 KC. The Empire had nearly crushed the Northern Rebellion when its Outland colony (then called Tembar) followed example and revolted. Because of the importance of the Tembar's mines and trade routes with the Outlands, the Empire diverted its attention to suppress the uprising there. This allowed the northern rebels to recover and, in time, to force a truce (in 477 KC) which granted the new Kingdom of Visala its independence. The two kingdoms continued to have frequent border disputes in Iluar throughout the lifetime of Visala's first king, Inbron I. Upon Inbron's death (500 KC), a Celestian prophet named Ororant created the Asanoi, two talismans of powerful priestly magic. In the hope of sealing a lasting peace between the two kingdoms, Ororant gave one Asanos to the new Visalan king, Eofric, and the other to Emperor Drykar of Krith.

In 796 KC, Ormenlind, the twin brother of Emperor Bernberg II and viceroy of Tembar, stole the Krithian Asanos from the Imperial citadel and fled with it to his own lands. This act embroiled the Empire in a civil war, which earned Tembar the new name of Ongrica ("against the king"). Ormenlind died in battle two years after the Krithian Civil War began, but the Krithian Asanos was never recovered. The slain traitor's Outlander subjects and allies kept the war going until 819 KC, when Ongrica was devastated by the "Great Scourge." This inadequately-chronicled magical disaster left Ongrica crippled and leaderless, allowing Krith to defeat its remaining armies within a year. Because Ongrica was now a haunted wasteland, the Krithian Empire abandoned its plans to reclaim the land. Visala was repaid for its aid during this war by the ceding of long-disputed Iluar. The Kurbesim gnomes were granted their independence in return for standing sentinel on the eastern pass to the Outlands.

After the civil war came to an end, the Empire had two preoccupations: expanding its territory in Westmarch to compensate for its losses in the east; and purging the aristrocracy of "dangerous" elements. Westmarch was expanded to the edges of the Sandmarch (the great desert), with frequent clashes between the Desert Men and the settlers and soldiers of Krith. The decades of bloody purges, commonly known as "The Terror," came to an end in 832 KC, when the corrupt Emperor Torwinian was slain by the assassin Filidon (who promptly became a folk-hero). The six Paragons of the Celestian Church crowned a famous Westmarch general, Grimbern, as the new Emperor.

The title of Emperor is hereditary, but is not always passed to the eldest son. Ever since Torwinian's death, the Paragons have had great influence over the succession; they make the choice if the Emperor is unfit or leaves no issue. (Historically, Emperors have been 50% eldest sons, 40% 2nd or 3rd sons, 5% daughters, and 5% other choices.) The current Emperor, Brand IV, succeeded his father, Brand III, nine years ago (985 KC).

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