The Annotated Imperial Guide to Almorin, Vol. 1

09 Mar, 2025

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The page is beautifully illustrated and includes many animals familiar and unfamiliar along with several golden poppies and blue flax plants, with illuminated letters marking the beginning of what appears to be some official document. There are some places which have been marked by a steady hand in red ink, corresponding to annotations along the margins...

By order of His Imperial Majesty Tacitus VII, Duke of Saint Alina, Steward of Freydell¹, and Emperor of the Three Kingdoms, the Imperial Cartographical Society has been commissioned to compose, compile, and correlate the various information to be presented here, distributed free of charge to any and all citizens of the Empire. The Society is eternally grateful to His Majesty, and dedicates this work to Him. This work is as accurate, complete, and thorough as possible as of Terunosday, the 5th day of Springseed, in the year 824 of the Third Dynasty. If it is revealed that the humble scribe has erred in some way, please forgive their mortal failings. We are but the same kith as you, dear reader. Long live the Emperor, long live the Empire!

Eight Invocations and Twelve Licit Blasphemes

To Teu, who took from her Firstborn to bless the Second.

To Ferwenos, from whom we came and to whom we return.

To Satres Eowesna, the Threshold of All Things.

To Sehma, who suffers Man to See.

To Welnos, the Provider of our Bounty

To Terunos, who instills the Damned Endeavor.

To Sethiete, who holds the Flame of Wisdom.

To Rheda, who invites the weary to rest.

Then, upon the lower half of the page, the following text appears, beginning from the right margin...

.mroW eht seined ohw ,suroK oT

.noitaripsni skaeps ohw ,tiliL oT

.snaom ni htik syap ohw ,eatsiryL oT

.hturt ot ssentiw sraeb ohw ,rohleB oT

.htgnerts suoedih taht ,zalgO oT

.modeerf otni lla sraeb ohw ,nailatnaD oT

.trofmoc ruo fo redivorp eht ,suratraT oT

.htaed fo hsulb eht si evol esohw ,gogamgoG oT

.hsa ot lla snrub dna yenoh pird spil esohw ,tamesnaM oT

.gnihton otni lla sredner ohw ,arajiM oT

.nwoD edispU sgniht lla skaeps ohw ,neylaM oT

.emalF ot htoM fo gniward eht ,le’eZ hsaP oT

You turn the next page over.

Welcome, Citizen!

Emperor Tacitus VII, in His ever expanding wisdom², has decided to publish the results of the first comprehensive Imperial census and travel survey, which you are holding in your hands right now. The initial scope of the survey was simply within the bounds of the Empire, but the lands adjoining it and beyond have been included for edification of the scholar, the fascination the citizen, and the preparation the soldier³. If you are an immigrant to our young but vibrant Empire this volume will be of immense use to you as you learn to navigate our culture. We will first detail in brief the Empire, its locales, and its vassals. Then the same for our neighbors to the north, in Lhaenenn and far off, frozen Tahkmet. Then we shall travel East, to the low desert basin of Surn and then finally to the distant and mysterious high desert where the High Elves⁴ dwell, ancient and decadent Aodhelian.

The Empire

The Aetian Empire consists of the Three Kingdoms of Calennor, Tessara, and Sironen and the provinces of the Freydell and Emberlynn. Calennor is the central kingdom within the Empire, and it contains the agricultural heartland and the seat of Imperial power – the Eternal City of Aetium. Calennor’s capital is the shining coastal city of Eir Fainost. To the South of Calennor is Sironen, which has a proud history of military service to the Empire and is ruled from the city of Ilentara⁵, the second largest port behind Eir Fainost. These two kingdoms are often thought of as siblings, due to their similar climate and terrain. Like siblings, the two have had their differences, but King Anselm of Sironen and King Alights-in-Snowfall of Calennor are dedicated to putting the events surrounding Kathfeld behind them. They both have mild weather and consist of coast, a central valley – the Great Valley that runs most of the length of the Empire – and typically consider their demesnes to end where the desert of Surn and Aodhelian begin. Farther south is Tessara – a fascinating ecosystem of interconnected city-states known as the Praecantiate, unified under the rule of a council of Mages who elect one High Magician to speak for the entire Praecantiate. To the north are the vassal kingdoms known as the Freydell. Though they are culturally more united with the elves, often speaking Sileadhic in court and in common speech, the Freydell swear fealty to the Emperor⁶. While much of the Empire is fertile grassland, there are also considerable wetlands, particularly around Aetium and the Bay of Eir Fainost. The southern regions are dry, consisting of shrublands and desert. The proud Lossëa Urun gather the immense water carried by the Ocean and, during the right season, the Teustorm, causing the easternmost reaches to be desert as well. To the north, particularly farther into the Freydells, the climate is chilly and wet. The verticality of the eastern mountains and fertility of the central grasslands allows for an incredible range of agriculture, making the Empire very self-sufficient and culturally diverse. In the coastal regions there are many vineyards, benefiting from the prevailing winds bringing moisture, the warmth of the Sun sent by the benevolent goddess Sehma, and blessings of the god Welnos to bring them to their fullness.⁷ Further inland the main crop is wheat, followed closely by fruits, such as citrus and those bearing stones, the glorious pomegranate, and a variety of berries and nuts. The cruelties of the Age of Servitude were innumerable, but the tears of our tormented ancestors have borne many blessings in the form of such a bounty from the earth. Many of the staple crops were brought to Almorin from distant, forgotten Astraios, the homeland of humankind.

As you likely know, the Emperor is a hereditary office that passes to the firstborn of the last ruling Emperor. There have been two dynasties before now, with the current one being founded by Emperor Solon Aetius Ros, who was miraculously born of a king whose line could be traced to the Empress Laufey son-Eowesna, the founder of the Second Dynasty. The First Dynasty was, of course, founded by Alina the Liberator after the gods, revealing themselves as the Eight Emanations of the One, made the Dragonshard Covenant to prevent the calling of Tenevric demons by the Sileadh slave masters in the righteous and glorious Priestess’ Revolt. The Emperor’s firstborn often inherits the title of Dux of Aetium, ruling over the city and commanding armies when necessary. The Emperor is advised by the Senate, a council of wise elders who are sent from communities around the Empire, as well as his guard, the Excubitors, and his Imperial Battlemage. The Senate is traditionally composed of members of the Sacred Moth, the Magi Guild, or sometimes priests of the Temple and other Wise – all of whom are selected by their community (so long as it appears on the Imperial census) and sent to live in Aetium. The Excubitors are an elite legion and military brotherhood who serve as both the Imperial guard, the Emperor’s intelligence gatherers, and a league of generals who can faithfully execute the Emperor’s plans when war arises. The Imperial Battlemage is simply the new name chosen by His Majesty’s father, the late Emperor Gratian III for the ages-old office of Court Mage; the Imperial Battlemage oversees the Imperial College of Magic as well as acts as a liaison between the Imperial court and the Magi Guild.⁸

Most citizens of the Empire are descended from one of the three heritages of humanity – the Ledes, the Kotus, and the Amra. Humans were brought to Almorin by the elves to serve as slaves, treated as less than even beasts of burden for millennia. First were the Ledes, then the Amra, and the Kotus last until Astraios was bereft of intelligent life. These peoples are three cords in the rope that makes up a strong and cosmopolitan empire. Immediately after our people are the elves who sided with the cause of liberation⁹ many ages ago during the Priestess’ Revolt, when humans rose up against their elven slave masters and won their freedom with aid from the goddess Teu. The elves refer to their entire branch of the kith as “qen,” which in their tongue means “kind, people.” Most numerous within the Empire are the Sileadh, or the High Elves. These folk are rather alien in appearance, known for their angular features, overlarge eyes of strange colors, and blue skin tones. They live long lives, making many of the prominent noble families happy to secure long alliances with elven families that defected to the more righteous cause. All other kith can be found among the Empire, listed in order of frequency: the noble dragonguard, the honorable sura, and the other varieties of qen.

You turn the page once more...

Ledes, being the majority of humans living in Almorin, form the first strand of the cord that is Imperial culture. Their original mode of living was that of nomads on the vast plains of Astraios. They originally consisted of many tribes, but over time they have folded upon themselves many times, creating a sort of mixed culture of all their ancestors’ constituents. With the Age of Servitude came the destruction of our ancestral ways of life and the advent of more or less sedentary culture. However, in the time since the Priestess’ Revolt, among a small but notable section of the culture some have taken up this nomadic lifestyle yet again. Ledic clothing typically consists of trousers and a loose tunic for both men and women. The trousers are typically loose around the thighs, bound up with fabric around the ankle, and tucked into a low leather shoe or boot. In some places, such as the temperate climate of the coast, it is common to see a garment consisting of a tunic with attached hood and short trousers with sandals or even no shoes at all if the terrain permits. The Ledic fashion is to dress in layers, since for much of the Valley the weather is unpredictable in the transitory seasons. Ledes are known for their love of ceramics, murals, and spinning. The tradition of metalworking was inherited from the elves and remains strongest among the Ledes. Their armor is typically lamellar, with chain protecting areas requiring even greater flexibility. The Emperor’s Legion is known to wear the finest example of such armor, notably including large plumes of feathers taken from groundhawks. The average Lede will have olive tan skin, brown or hazel eyes, and brown or black hair. Blond or red hair and blue eyes are rare, but known to occur – the lineage of Emperor Solon Aetius Ros is noted for its fiery red hair, for instance. Ledic, the language that served as the foundation to the much more commonly spoken Almoric, was largely abandoned by the time the Amra were being brought over to Almorin in droves. It is still spoken in some religious ceremonial instances, or during bardic recitations of ancient epics, but has almost entirely left common use in favor of Almoric. Amra are the second largest population of humans and the second heritage brought over to Almorin. Historically, their culture was more stationary than that of their close friends, the Ledes and Kotus, and centered around farming in a predominantly wet climate. There are many myths among the Amra about a disastrous flood that will engulf the world, leading the Society to speculate that their original homeland may have been a flat or lowland into which many rivers flowed. It is known among them that their crops were rice and fruits originally, and even to this day their language, Agehtian, does not distinguish between types of grain. They were master porcelain and pottery workers, which is what may have drawn the attention of the slavers. To this day the Emperor eats upon the finest Amran dishes, an honor given to the most accomplished artisans in all the empire. Amra, not having much use for the horse in the day to day lives of their ancestors, typically do not wear trousers but instead wear long tunics with coverall undergarments. Their armor is typically banded or splinted, with coats of plates for lighter options or to supplement the panels. The Amra almost universally have dark, black, and straight hair though there are some instances of brown that occur in some regions. Their eyes are typically dark, as well, and feature an epicanthal fold. Their skin is less adapted to the heat and sun than the Kotus, and is less prone to the affects of aging than the Ledes. It is said among some that the Amra are blessed with much lengthened periods of youthfulness.

The most recently introduced heritage are the Kotus. These people highly value their rich oral tradition, the nature of which made it easily transferrable through the generations of slavery under the elves. There is some confusion, however, within these stories as to the origin of their people – notably, the oral traditions strongly maintain that the Kotus are native to Almorin, rather than Astraios. There have been many attempts at scholars to determine the veracity of this claim, and admittedly there seems to be no clear explanation. Whatever the case may be, there is a clear kinship between Kotus, Ledes, and Amra. The Kotus themselves are a people noted for their intense connection to the rhythms of the world around them. Their ancestors before contact with the elves lived much like the Ledes, travelling with the seasons and comings and goings of herds. They discovered the ever so popular coffee, chocolate, and sweet potato. When introduced to the horse, the Kotus took to it naturally and in such elven fiefs that relied on slave-soldiers did quite well on the field of battle in a cavalry position. Though they were not traditionally horsemen, their culture often included the garments that would lend themselves useful in riding. The Kotus believe that there is an all-pervasive force or spirit that connects all things but also dictates the outcome of events. The name of this force changes by region, but it is largely thought of as a sort of vital essence. The Kotus are also well known for their regal appearance, with beautiful dark skin and eyes. They too often have black hair, however many of the traditions include the unique feature of shaving the sides of the head. Some knot their hair in certain patterns, indicating various statuses specific to their distinct tribe.

To the north of the Empire are the provinces known as Freydell. This region is a series of vaguely defined demesnes, each with a long and storied past almost as long as their list of alliances and sworn enemies. The Freydell are primarily populated with humans, but is ruled primarily by elven families. It is commonly said of the Freydell that one who wishes to be a king need simply to find his own hill, and this is largely hyperbolic, of course, but the fact of the matter is that much of it is untamed wilderness and there is no law or authority in much of the region.¹⁰ The Emperor, in respecting the wishes of the residents there, does not enforce rule of law with legionnaires as was the case with the Emberlynn province. Instead, to those families that wish for Imperial intervention he merely provides them with the means to defend themselves against those who would combat progress in the region. The Emperor, and the Imperial Cartographical Society for that matter, recognize and appreciate the fervent adherence to independence and freedom displayed by the people of the Freydell and His Majesty looks forward to the blossoming of this ever evolving relationship between two kindred peoples.

Emberlynn is to the south, beyond Tessara. The people of Emberlynn are proud clients of the Empire, and serve as a buffer between the civilized lands of Aetium, the qen, and the Surnese desert nomads. The river from which this province gets its name serves as a natural border, and provides Ilentara with its water. The people of Emberlynn have the most remarkable system of governance, one where there is a council of elders chosen by the people themselves, who voluntarily give up power once a certain time has passed. This system has intrigued the Emperor, who has been inquiring into the specifics of how this came about.

You turn the page one final time. A handwritten missive is inserted between two pages.

Uncle, I am sending this to you so that you may show it to the Ministry of War and the Lord Protector. This is a prime example of what I have written to you previously. What follows are my notes, corresponding to my earlier notations. Please reconsider your opinion of the humans, as I believe that they pose a grave threat to our primacy in Almorin.