The 13 Territories:     Bryndmyr     Drandolm     Grenn     Hengeve     Ivinjarin     Kadonryn     Raddyn     Roanrick     Shalvynryst     Thirinch     Tormyrn     Turridon     Yurr' Zonn populations: pop. 248,000 pop. 177,900 pop. 314,400 pop. 133,700 pop. 289,400 pop. 361,800 pop. 222,500 pop. 251,600 pop. 237,800 pop. 294,300 pop. 330,500 pop. 192,400 pop. 411,000

Heraldry of the Corlennian Empire

Nations of Kaladia | Human Countries | Barbarian Lands | Humanoid Domains | Lost Realms Corlennian Empire Information Topics: General Description | Populace | Culture | Government "Some believe that in the time before man recorded history, Jasamai the Mage assumed the appearance of a human female, and walked the surface of Roil. In this guise, she sought a lover who had no knowledge of the arts of magic. She searched for a mortal man, of flesh and blood, who might satiate her desires in ways which the other immortals could not. Some believe that Jasamai found such a man, and that she loved him. And because of her love for him, she bore his son. This son was more than a mortal, and less than a god. And his name was Mharow. What Jasamai did not, could not, know, was that her lover was the gorgon Volgathis, a dark manifestation wrought by Sethanit the Lord of Evil. It was not until after the child's birth that she realized the true nature of Volgathis, and what their son would become. This malevolent trickery by Sethanit was a blasphemous insult to Jasamai and to Vendaneran the Wise, father of the Mage. But the birth of Mharow was also the creation of the strongest malign force of magical power to dwell upon Roil..." Nadamis the Legender Description: The Corlennian Empire is the largest nation of Kaladia. Though not entirely evil, there are no prominent good sects of Corlennian people. Once, only temples of Mharow the Elder flourished in the Empire. Now, evil deities are openly worshipped throughout the lands, and unholy rituals are commonplace, accepted practice. The Corlennian Empire is viewed as evil and wicked by every goodly-aligned nation of Kaladia. Throughout the history of Kaladia, no other country has ever grown to dominate so much of the continent. Even now, in its decline, the heartland of the Empire still encompasses a vast realm unsurpassed in its scope by any other nation of Kaladia. At the penacle of its power, during the height of its two-hundred-year renaissance era, the Corlennian Empire extended its influence throughout the continent. Indeed, the number of Kaladia's countries under their control vastly exceeded those which had escaped imperial grasp. The Corlennian Empire did not rise to such glory and power easily. Led by their divine emperor, Mharow, the Empire embarked upon the Ruzaad Julus, its Righteous Jihad. This unholy undertaking became known as the Dark Wars by virtually all of the other nations of Kaladia. It was Mharow's intention to subjugate all of Kaladia under his empire, and instate the Corlennian people as the supreme race of the continent. With the thirteen territories of his Corlennian Empire fully established, Mharow already possessed tremendous resources. But it was his flying airships which brought his Religious Jihad its great success. The massive ships, built and painted to resemble griffins, were armored, outfitted with many siege weapons, and heavily laden with casks of oil and other highly flammable substances. The airships easily flew over enemy cities and encampments, in almost complete safety, and unleashed wave after wave of devastating aerial bombardments. Corlennian Empire Topics Populace: There are scholars who believe that the Corlennian race is not entirely human. There is no exact historical account of the origination of the Corlennian people, though most scholars agree that they stemmed from Mharow himself. There are three distinct races of Corlennians: the Chaynir, the Geaughee, and the Yhon' rho. The different races of Corlennians cannot interbreed. They can, however, procreate with nearly every known race of humans. There are millions of humans in the Empire today who call themselves Corlennians, but not many pure Corlennians. Before Mharow founded his empire, there were thousands of human clans living in the northern lands. Sometime during Mharow's rise to power and his forming the Corlennian Empire, these humans came to follow the Elder. The common people of the Empire are actually offspring of Corlennians and mixed human races. The farther removed from their Corlennian ancestry, the less the physical resemblance to the pure Corlennian strain. Regardless, nearly all the people of the Empire claim allegience to one of the great houses. Corlennian Empire Topics Culture: It is Mharow's doctrine of Corlennian philosophy which dictates that only the most worthy will prevail. When the Corlennian Empire was at its peak, absolute service to Mharow was the foremost obligation of all Corlennians. Today, Corlennians have become a treacherous people primarily interested in furthering only their own goals. Corlennians believe that they are the supreme race destined to rule the world. Though other races are useful and sometimes necessary, they are inferior to the Corlennian people. However, Corlennians are not an extremely prolific race. To combat this dilemma, Corlennian males began mating with human women to produce mixed offspring. Though these posterity would not be true Corlennians, better to have some Corlennian blood than none at all. Under these beliefs, it became accepted practice for male Corlennians to have human mistresses. The wife must always be Corlennian, and she is the honored matriarch of a Corlennian house. Children born to mistresses are treated nearly as well as pure Corlennians, but the fact remains that they are not true Corlennians. Corlennian Empire Topics Government: Mharow Corlen-Dur is the emperor of the Corlennian Empire. More commonly known as Mharow the Elder, he is not a mortal man, but a being of divine power. When Mharow began to design his Corlennian Empire, he brought into his confidence his five most loyal and powerful minions. These five became the Dragons of the Emperor, mighty sorcerers who would help Mharow to bring all of the northern lands of Kaladia under his control. Later, the five dragons would each form a guild of magicians: The Chaut-Ivin'Dur, the Order of the Golden Dragon. The Tarr'Bhul Zynn-Gok, the Order of the Obsidian Dragon. The Pahv Syth-Yadd, the Order of the Marble Dragon. The Bayv Kuhn-Pahl, the Order of the Crimson Dragon. The Meh-Jhul Yar'Tak, the Order of the Emerald Dragon. Once Mharow controlled the north land, he divided the realm into thirteen territories. Each of the five dragons was given territories to oversee. He then allowed the most faithful of his clergy, his sceptres, and the most powerful sorcerers of the Orders of the Dragons, the mazkars and the arcanists, to organize large, dynastic houses to rule the territories. Mharow once personally governed his Corlennian Empire, but disappeared at the height of the Corlennian Renaissance. In his stead, the five dragons continue to rule the Empire. The Dragons of the Emperor are the most enigmatic group connected with the governing of the Empire. Each has jurisdiction over two or more territories. Within each territory, there are a number of great houses. Though these houses govern the territory, they must ultimately answer to the dragon who rules the territory. After the Dark Wars, when the number of territories grew to fifteen, each of the Dragons held three territories. The District of Calthayes was to be the sixteenth territory, but was not fully assimilated before Mharow's disappearance. With the loss of Marankarian and Granite Helm, the Dragons retain only their motherland territories. The Golden Dragon controls the Grenn, Tormyrn, and Yurr'Zonn Territories. The Obsidian Dragon controls the Bryndmyr, Shalvynryst, and Turridon Territories. The Marble Dragon controls the Ivinjarin, Roanrick, and Thirinch Territories. The Crimson Dragon controls the Kadonry and Raddyn Territories, and once controlled the Marankarian Territory. The Emerald Dragon controls the Drandolm and Hengeve Territories, and once controlled the Granite Helm Territory. The mazkar, arcanists, and sceptres of the great houses rule the Empire. Every house works to strengthen itself, and to preserve and increase its standing within the Corlennian hierarchy. It is very common for lesser houses to ally with more powerful houses within a territory, for the stronger the house, the greater its influence within its territory. But such alliances are forged and broken with regularity. Ultimate power rules within the Corlennian Empire, and the true might lies with the great houses. Wars between the houses are not uncommon, but an attacker must be careful not to weaken itself too severely in such wars, else it may find itself destroyed by another house. Houses rarely attack other houses outside of their own territory, for failure to win such a war typically results in its land holdings being lost to the house of the opposing territory. The ruling factions strongly disapprove of such action, as house wars between territories could escalate to include all the houses. Most often, if such an attack is intended, the potential attacker may well be destroyed by other houses within its own territory. The Corlennian Senate is independent of the great houses. Senators are elected by the people, and are not normally affiliated with any one house. The Senate is responsible for deciding laws, and arbitrating major disputes which rise beyond the scope of the houses. Senate seats are for life, which, depending upon whom a senator angers, may not be all that long. The number of senatorial seats a territory gains is determined by the territory's population. Corlennian Empire Topics Top of Page Home | Gallery | Introduction | World of Roil | Kaladia | Deities | Legends | Saga | Guestbook | Links The Maelstrom Fantasy Campaign Setting is Copyright © 1998 by Brian K. Moseley. All rights reserved. This page hosted by Get your own Free Home Page