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Hegemony of Embersig

Honor and glory? We’ve come here to do our job, soldier.

The most illustrious Hegemony of Embersig is a young, dynamic, diverse, and expansionist empire. Armed with the iron fist of its Black Legion, the world’s most powerful and well-trained army, wrapped in the silk glove provided by her skilled diplomats and spies, the Hegemony has grown into a power without equal.

Descendants of the Seven Tribes of Maghar horsemen who came from the Bay of Horses, ancient kingdoms that eventually coalesced, the Hegemony of Embersig has proven the prosperity that emanates from an iron will and a desire for unity, driven by a manifest destiny.

In fact, the word “Embersig” describes, in the Maghar language, the concept of “all people” which includes, not only humans, but also elves and dwarves. Thus, the Hegemony is a melting pot that synthesizes the best of each culture: the Ghent dwarves, descendants of humble travelers despised by their peers, are engineers, bankers, craftsmen, and managers; Aestari elves, who stoically faced a rigorous life to protect the wisdom of their people, are now scholars, wizards, teachers, and advisors; and humans, the shortest-lived and most numerous, scorned by the empires of yore, are the mortar that holds the Hegemony together, its arms, its legs, and heart.

However, the Hegemony has many enemies, and despite the might of its armies, it must defend a vast territory. The soldiers of the Black Legion, well-received in most settlements, as they are synonymous with security and discipline, are forced to partake in constant skirmishes.

In the more recently incorporated provinces, rebels clinging to an outdated past and financed by rival nations, wage a futile guerrilla war that must be contained, but this comes at a high price.

For their part, Hegemony diplomats must fight tooth and nail to keep the respect of their neighbors, who see the young Gabor Vanyadi, nicknamed “The Child Hegemon” because of his young age of twelve, as a weak leader or, worse still, a simple puppet ruler. A fearsome lion must always be ready to defend its throne, and the Hegemony of Embersig’s position as the dominant power of Lindwurm is under constant challenge.

Their long-standing rivals have always been the humans of Feudom, descendants of the Widhta. Both powers have faced each other numerous times throughout history, and their rivalry dates back to the remote past, when the Widhta wiped out two of the Seven Tribes of the Maghar. But they have also been allies on occasion, such as when they joined forces to confront the Yeniseri of Osman.

Currently, relations between the Hegemony and Feudom are the definition of the word “tense.” And it is for no less a reason than because the old duchy of Os Marcos, once part of Feudom, is now a province of the Hegemony. Added to this is the deep contempt felt for the elves by the inhabitants of Feudom, the laws of whom ended up expelling them from their territory, which stands in stark contrast with their situation as full citizens of the Hegemony.

Even more hostile is the relationship with the Kingdom of Mounthaven. The Hegemony of Embersig has welcomed the Ghent dwarves, who decided to leave their ancestral home to carve out a prosperous future alongside humans and elves, for centuries. Although the self-imposed exile of these dwarves was an undeniable fact of Mounthaven’s past, it did not affect the territorial integrity of the nation. However, the same cannot be said of the Revolt of the Cut Beards, a recent civil uprising that ended with the incorporation of an entire mountain range, the Broken Tops, into the Hegemony. The Mounthaven dwarves did not forget nor forgive this affront.

The Hegemony must also contend with the arrival of the Northern Tribes who occupy Grjotgard. They are using the area as a base of operations to invade Hegemony territories from the north. While the Varank have endlessly pillaged the towns of Bakhlia and Kelentia for centuries, things have now changed. They are accompanied by brutish orcs, and it also seems that this time they have decided to settle rather than just raid; to conquer these territories and keep them instead of just pillaging and killing then retreating back to the sea.

Meanwhile, the Sÿenann elves have emerged with increasing frequency from forests and groves, especially around The Cedars. In addition, the most bloodthirsty and violent, those living in the Forest of Ashes, have closed the road that connected Balajia with Micenghai, forcing any communication with this province to be made through the Central Sea, a body of water that was once easy to navigate. However, with the rising power of the Merchant Alliance (and the cutthroat pirates it hires), a threat has arisen that challenges the Hegemony’s naval supremacy.

In addition, there are powerful individuals within the Hegemony who consider this nation’s dominance over Lindwurm indisputable, and instead of helping to strengthen and protect it, they conspire for material power. High-ranking military, nobles, guildlords, merchants, and bankers are just a few who put personal gain above the glory of the Hegemony of Embersig. Gabor Vanyadi is young, and it is important that his throne is protected until he reaches the age where he will be able to defend it himself, and thus become the ruler he is destined to be.

But some, especially Black Legion veterans and senior officials, both products of an earlier age, see these challenges as a wonderful opportunity for the Hegemony. For them, the biggest enemy of the Embersig dream is its own success and the complacency that brings. It is necessary to continue fighting and persevering, turning this tumultuous era into the push that will forge a strong and united Hegemony. It will then become an unstoppable power that will unify Lindwurm under the strength of its armies, the cunning of its ambassadors, and the overwhelming power of progress.

Relationship with magic – Hegemony of Embersig

The Aestari have assumed certain roles crucial to the Hegemony of  Embersig and are an indispensable part of society. In recognition of their expertise as teachers and sages, all official educational institutions must have at least one elf on their staff, who oversees the adequacy of the curriculum. This includes everything from high schools, reserved for the children of the wealthiest families, to military academies. Only the guild schools and the Ghent dwarven trade academies are an exception to this rule.

But despite the Aestari’s willingness to share their knowledge, part of Gae Assail’s lore, magic, would forever be reserved exclusively for elves. Any institution that teaches this discipline, most notably the Arkhadja College of Magic, is off-limits to non-Aestari. There are voices that advocate that humans with promising qualities be allowed to enroll in these colleges, but for the moment they are exceptions.

Recently, thanks to the increase in the power of magic, the Aestari are beginning to take on other roles as well. For example, truly important or urgent messages are transmitted telepathically, from one Aestari wizard to another, rather than through messengers on horseback. Putting their mastery of the arcane arts at the service of the Hegemony, the elves‘ commitment to Embersig’s ideals is without question.

The army – Hegemony of Embersig

The true strength of the Hegemony, the only thing stopping ruthless barbarians from destroying what we have built, is the Black Legion. You are part of a professional army and your salary will come directly from the coffers of the Hegemon. Remember this, for it is to the Hegemony itself that we owe our allegiance, and not to a feudal lord prone to slights and whims. We are not vassals, we are soldiers.

(Drago the Anvil)

Weitere Bilder:

We had not yet shared the final illustration of Jacquest d’ancourt, the character from Warcrow Adventures with the playful and shameless personality of Hawthorn Point. so here it is!