Draica

The Emperor's Rise

The name Draica has applied to the southeastern portion of Arith since the earliest histories, though the kingdom that claims this name has shifted greatly since its early days. At one point, tiefling warlords took the title of Overlord by conquering their neighboring cities and challenging any to challenge their strength. Eventually, the new Overlord would lower his guard or grow fat with power, and another would oust him and take the title of Overlord for themselves. This continued on throughout the Age of Ancients, until 369 Third Age, when Xarkanas returned from his pilgrimage to find his homeland scarred by war. The once lush rainforests surrounding Yen'lanora were gone, razed for lumber, and their grounds choked by blood and death. Never again would a tree grow on the cursed battlefield, and the returning hero knew he must act before his people destroyed themselves.    The demigod was renowned for his wisdom and power, as the partner of Khoran when the two were but mortal in the Sunfire Legion. When the new Stormlord ascended to Mount Celestia, Xarkanas chose to remain behind, finding that he could not in good conscious accept divine power after the truly devastating Dratarian Wars. The death he contributed to affected him greatly, and thus he left the continents for many centuries to atone for his actions. Having returned nearly a millennium later, it seemed the nature of the world had not changed along with him.    A particularly ruthless Overlord had recently claimed Yen'lanora and the mantle of Overlord: Arxik, a trueborn tiefling whose ancestors enacted the Elven Genocide, slaughtering the inhabitants of Cremmevia and leaving the region a desolate graveyard. Seeing this great harm done to another people, Xarkanas gathered his loyalists and disciples and approached General Halamir Qildor, a survivor of the genocide who had been working for the past centuries to undermine Draican settlement efforts in the region. The two of them worked in unison, Halamir ousting the Draican invaders from Cremmevia while Xarkanas cast Arxik from the highest towers of the Greykeep.   Xarkanas's reputation as a wise leader and unbeatable warrior was known to the many warlords of Draica, and those who knew what was best surrendered to him before he turned his gaze upon their cities. Rather than Overlord, Xarkanas became known as the Tiefling Emperor, and Draica knew a golden age unparalleled by any mortal empire before. The people never knew hunger, never knew fear of invasion, never knew what it was to want under their new leader. Food was plentiful, all were housed and educated, it was a utopia far removed from the Great Game outside the walls that boxed Draica into the corner of the continent.   

The New Age

This new age was not to last, however. As of the current year, it is not clear why Xarkanas unleashed the Cindrian Plague upon the descendants of his former partner Khoran. None of the Grey Synod have come forward to explain his reasons, nor has any sort of divination magic produced any answers. Xarkanas abandoned his principals of peace and unleashed a genocide upon Western Arith that burned across the countryside, utterly destroying the Aristean race save for a few small secluded villages and enclaves. When the Storm's Champion Mairead arrived to battle him, the emperor threw himself into battle with a fury and anger none had ever seen from the man. It did not seem that the Stormlord would have any mercy for him, however, as Mairead impaled him upon the Sunspear and banished his soul to the furthest pits of hell.     Ever since, turmoil has quietly raged within Draica. Xarkanas held absolute power effortlessly, governing not only the Grey City where he resided, but every other city in the Empire without issue. Suddenly, entire government structures had to be drafted and implemented. There was no ruling class- there was Xarkanas, and there was the people. Military leaders began flexing their armies, claiming territories like gangs; the title of Overlord began popping up once again as warlords clashed. Androsi merchants arrived, bringing with them the slave trade. Soon enough, all memory of the old ways were discarded in favor of the booming economy built on the backs of slaves. Any ship sailing the Berstone Sea was in danger of a raid, be it Aristean, Agdane, or Imperial. The island nations began militarizing their coasts, hoping they were not the next target. Draica continued on to be a menace to Eastern Thelekar for nearly half a century before someone stepped up to the massive plate.   Eylon, a former general of Xarkanas and respected military leader, began hunting down warlords all across Draica. He had became known as the Silver Tiger thanks to his studies under Baekho the Great Tiger, and was infamous for standing with the frontline during battles with bandit groups and pirates. While a majority of his exploits bringing Draica under control have been purposefully kept quiet, it seems he made sure to spread word of his stature and reputation across the kingdoms in order halt any potential plans of invasion. Much like Xarkanas, everything Eylon does is done for specific reasons.   As if to cement his power in the minds of all other nations, Eylon and his court mages somehow managed to cloak the entire Draican Empire in a cloak of abjuration magic, preventing scrying eyes from peaking in. For 5 years, not a single Draican military ship was seen. The only city in the empire still operating was the western half of Hraldi's Brace, and that was only because Eylon had yet to wrest it from the hands of the slavelords there.   Finally, Eylon made his appearance as the Warleader. His army was massive and well armed, swarming over both halves of Hraldi's Brace. Androsi merchants and Cremmevian soldiers fell one after the other, causing Cremmevia to call for aid. Eylon had brought his empire under order, all the while spitting in the face of his enemies and inviting war to his doorstep. Any potential invasions into Draica would be quite difficult. Hraldi's Spine and the Western Peaks prevent any easy access to the coastline for a naval invasion, and the two deep water ports available, Hraldi's Brace and Romsey's Bridge, have become iron curtains of cannons and magic ballista.   The Ashwood Timberlands provide a natural defense against land armies thanks to their unique properties that only the Draican populace has experience dealing with, and the Gap of Draica would be a nightmare to cross without a defensive base of operations. The Draican cavalry is a devastating force, and has proven time and time again against Cremmevia that it can trample any army underfoot.   Castle Arkala protects the Aenrist Coast similar to the Sea Keep in Qempool, utilizing powerful magic to blast apart any enemy ships from miles away. Aberdeen lies protected on three sides by the Western Peaks, free to provide any amount of food the Empire could possibly need for their war effort. Unlike the many other kingdoms of Thelekar, Draica lacks any small villages across its territory, instead bringing together the people in protected population centers to live comfortably.