Realms Born from the Ashes of the First Empire

The War of Sundering left the First Empire shattered into countless fragments—warlord territories, reclaimed provinces, merchant dominions, and spiritual enclaves. Over decades, these fragments coalesced into stable nations, each shaped by its geography, culture, and interpretation of imperial collapse.

The Fifth Age is defined by these Successor States: realms that inherited imperial infrastructure, tradition, and ambition, but diverged sharply in identity and governance. Some see themselves as legitimate heirs to the Empire; others reject imperial memory entirely.

Together, they form the political landscape of modern Arcasia.

1. The Faenian Kingdoms

The Heartland Divided

Faenas—the riverlands that once formed the core of the Empire—fractured into multiple realms following the Sundering. They share common ancestry, language, and custom but diverge enormously in political ideology.

A. The Kingdom of High Faenas

A constitutional monarchy centered in the old provincial capital.
Highly bureaucratic, scholarly, and politically cautious.
Still preserves much of the Imperial Code.

B. The Sapphire Dominion

Formed by a powerful noble house during the wars.
Rigid caste structure, strong trade networks.
Renowned for its sapphire mines and refined architecture.

C. The League of River Princes

A loose confederation of city-states along the Selukar River.
Governed by merchant-princes who prioritize trade over tradition.
They reject all claims to imperial succession.

Shared Traits of Faenian Realms

• cultural memory of the Empire
• reliance on river trade
• frequent political rivalry
• mutual reluctance to unify again

Many believe Faenas will never again be whole—nor should it be.

2. The Western Kingdoms

Born from Secession

The western provinces were among the first to break away from the Empire. Geographic distance, local pride, and frustration with imperial taxation fostered strong separatist movements.

A. The Crown of Westreach

A proud kingdom with deep martial tradition.
Claims the imperial line lost the Mandate, not the right to rule.
Their monarchs occasionally style themselves “King in the West,” a subtle political challenge to eastern realms.

B. The Redstone Marches

A frontier realm defined by deserts, nomadic alliances, and fortified cities carved from redstone cliffs.
Fiercely independent.
Maintains little interest in imperial nostalgia.

C. The Dawnward Protectorates

A coalition of border duchies that continue to use imperial military ranks.
Overseen by a council of generals.
They view themselves as guardians of order—but not imperial revival.

3. Zareem and the Southern Federations

The Desert Nations

The desert tribes of Zareem were only loosely controlled by the Empire at its height. After the Sundering, they unified themselves—not out of ambition, but necessity.

A. The Zareemi Confederation

A democratic council of tribe-leaders who gather beneath the Flame-Scoured Peaks.
Highly spiritual, valuing freedom over hierarchy.
Their diplomats are among the most respected in Arcasia.

B. The Pearl Coast Sultanate

A maritime power with strong ties to Chelonia’s surface traders.
Wealthy, cosmopolitan, and fiercely protective of sea routes.

Zareem’s federations remember the Empire as an interfering presence—and they have little appetite for its return.

4. The Tilçanhu Kingdoms

Mystical States of the Southern Jungles

Tilçanhu was always culturally distinct from the Empire. Its jungle cities held older traditions, deeper magics, and spiritual hierarchies that the Empire never fully understood.

After the Sundering:

A. The Obsidian Court

A matriarchal kingdom guided by moon-priests who interpret omens and rule in harmony with ancient spirits.

B. The Jade Concordance

A triumvirate of scholar-kings who preserve pre-imperial magical law.

C. The River-Fane Dynasty

A realm of temple-cities connected by aqueducts and sacred waterways.

Though civil interactions with the Empire were respectful, Tilçanhu never sought imperial unity. Its states remain powerful, enigmatic, and largely self-sufficient.

5. The Merchant Republics

Free Cities of Commerce and Contract

Several cities escaped imperial collapse by relying on wealth rather than military power.

A. The Guild-Republic of Larkessa

Governed by merchant guilds.
Maintains the most stable coinage in the continent.
Famed for minting commemorative imperial coins long after the Empire fell.

B. The Freeport of Vaelen

A neutral harbor-state ruled by a rotating council of captains.
Thrives on piracy agreements, trade compacts, and mercenary contracts.

C. The Granite Concord

A republic carved into coastal cliffs, ruled by elected magistrates.
Rejects all noble titles and imperial claims.

Merchant republics form the economic backbone of the Fifth Age.

6. Dwellomel and the Mountain Clans

Independence Preserved

The dwarves of Dwellomel were never fully subjugated by the Empire. Their alliances were practical, not political.

After the Sundering:

• they sealed ancient passes
• withdrew from imperial politics
• reopened trade on their own terms

They are now a neutral, powerful force with unparalleled craftsmanship and stone-magic traditions.

7. The Auborean Clans

Northern Nomads

Auborea was scarcely touched by the Empire. Its nomadic clans, spirit-walkers, and aurora-lit tundra were too harsh and remote for imperial governance.

In the Fifth Age:

• Auborean clans form loose seasonal alliances
• spiritual leaders hold more authority than kings
• they trade furs, bonecraft, and rare ice-crystals with southern realms

They are not successor states in the political sense, but they are part of the new world shaped by the Empire’s absence.

8. Chelonia and the Merfolk Kingdoms

A Power Outside History

Chelonia, the sunken and periodically rising continent, was never governed by the Empire—though imperial treasure-seekers attempted to plunder it during low tides.

In the Fifth Age:

• the Merfolk kingdoms remain secretive
• the Pearlheart continues to influence global magic
• relations with surface nations are sporadic and delicate

Chelonia is not an imperial successor—but it is an indispensable part of Arcasia’s balance of power.

Competing Claims of Legitimacy

With the Empire gone, several realms claim partial or symbolic inheritance:

1. High Faenas

Claims direct continuity through preserved legal institutions.

2. The Asterfall Remnant (Now Scattered)

Descendants of the imperial bloodline, though lacking real power.

3. The Westreach Crown

Asserts the original imperial Mandate passed westward after the Coup.

4. The Guild-Republic of Larkessa

Claims economic rather than political succession, citing preservation of imperial trade networks.

None are universally accepted.

Diplomacy in the Fifth Age

A Web of Alliances and Rivalries

Relations between successor states are shaped by:

• historical grudges
• trade routes
• religious differences
• claims of legitimacy
• magical resources
• Kurai exile policies
• the memory of the Sundering

Major dynamics include:

• rivalry between High Faenas and Westreach
• Zareemi neutrality and mediation
• Tilçanhu’s detachment mixed with occasional intervention
• merchant republics balancing all sides
• dwarven diplomacy preventing border conflicts
• Kurai emissaries walking on political razor’s edges

The Fifth Age is unstable—but vibrant.

Philosophies of Governance After the Empire

The successor states embody different reactions to imperial collapse:

Reformists

High Faenas and some River Princes seek to refine imperial principles into more accountable systems of governance.

Restorationists

Westreach and a few fringe groups dream of rebuilding the Empire under new leadership.

Rejectors

Zareem, merchant republics, and the mountain clans reject all imperial legacy except what is useful.

Traditionalists

Tilçanhu continues its ancient customs, unchanged by imperial failure.

The diversity of these philosophies creates a continent of contrasts.

The Unifying Shadow of the Empire

Despite their fragmentation, the successor states share:

• the Imperial Calendar
• echoes of the Concordance of Law
• imperial roadway remnants
• educational traditions
• poetry, architecture, and festival customs
• caution toward centralized power

The Empire is gone—but its memory binds the world more subtly than its political authority ever did.