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(New page: ==The Empire of the Seven-Pointed Star, also known as the Fallen Empire == ==A Compilation of History And Lore== '''by Palantiri ''' INTRODUCTION ..........................................)
 
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==The Empire of the Seven-Pointed Star, also known as the Fallen Empire ==
==A Compilation of History And Lore==
'''by Palantiri '''


INTRODUCTION ................................................. PAGE 1
CHAPTER 1: FORMATION OF THE EMPIRE .......................... PAGE 2
CHAPTER 2: HISTORY OF THE EMPIRE ............................ PAGE 5
CHAPTER 3: BEYOND EMPIRE .................................... PAGE 8


==Introduction==
Once, long ago as mortals reckon time, a great Empire united much of the
then-known world. Called the Empire of the Seven-Pointed Star after its
main sigil and for symbolic reasons, the empire united much of what was the
civilized world.
The symbolism resulted from the joining of the seven races in legal and
moral equality, even extending to such matters as Imperial rule.

==Formation of Empire==

In the earliest known times of which we have record, there appeared the
original Seven Mortal Races. Elf, Human, Dwarf, Halfling, Elothean, S'Kra
Mur and Gor'Tog upon this world. Loremasters tell us the earliest
appearance of the races was on a continent far-distant from the present
inhabited one, but the direction and distance are lost in antiquity. As
each race was primitive, each deemed itself the master of the other races
and endless combat and strife ensued.

For unrecorded ages, the races fought with each other, on land, on sea and
even in the air, if certain tales be true. No one race could gain the upper
hand and no alliance lasted longer than the next treachery.

Civilizations rose and fell, science and knowledge were discovered and lost
half a hundred times. Chaos seemed fated to ever be the victor and Death
the ever present shadow laughing at the pretensions of the foes.

In time, there grew a coterie of the Wise of each race. Those who rose
above the struggles of petty king and mud hut-dwelling barons. Individually
they began to conclude that no one race would ever win and that, in time,
these endless struggles would sap the vitality and even the sentience of all
the races of the world.

Tentatively, secretly, they reached out to find others of their kind. Full
of danger was this, for their own people would burn them as traitors if
found communicating with other races, and many fell victim to their own
trust or to treachery from afar.

But in time, the Wise found ways to communicate safely among each other and
to exchange ideas and knowledge. Their powers grew though their numbers
ever remained few. Eventually, they reached a mutual conclusion amongst all
their members. They must assume power and take control of their respective
peoples and end the eternal warring.

Thus began the rise of the Wizard-Kings. Those who threw off the cloak of
secrecy and took the reins of power from those who knew only blood and death
and slaughter. For centuries they battled both secretly and openly among
their own peoples, (and alas with others, for not all were pure in heart).
Until Wizard-Kings pledged to each other ruled all the surviving peoples.

Then, with peace finally assured, they met in conclave to determine the fate
of their peoples. For a time, they ruled jointly while they debated and
planned and consulted the omens and studied the Moons.

Out of their discussions and studies came Empire. They agreed that to best
serve all the peoples and to preserve peace and equality, an Emperor must be
chosen to rule over all. But no one race could dominate the ruling House
and yet keep the peace among such a diverse world. Thus was born the Empire
of the Seven-Starred Crown, or as some called it, the Seven Crowned Empire
as well as other names of legend and lore.


==History of Empire==

There were seven ruling Houses, one of each race. Each House ruled in its
turn for seven years and then the scepter passed to the next House in peace
and good order.

The great Throne City dwelt along a mighty natural harbor and extended
out into the bay on an island, part natural, part made. The central Thrones
and their secretariats, embassies and all the clap-trap of keeping that many
Imperial families happy, and productive were built there.

The Empire ruled surprisingly well for many generations. The peoples
cooperated amongst each other, yet each maintained its own lore and
languages and legends and culture.
In the ancient days, in the forging of the Empire, it had been an
expansionist force, as all empires are, but in its mature days, it was
content to rule the areas it held sway and acknowledged the tribute and
embassies of numerous smaller dominions that survived outside its dominion.

In due time, as all mortal things must, age and time and placidity ate at
the roots of the empire. Corruption crept in. Each race became stirred up
and began to feel it was being short-shrifted when the other races held
the Throne. Small civil wars broke out, then outlying provinces seceded or
were annexed by outside realms.
This goaded the Empire back into a semblance of unity as outside attack
will oft unite a squabbling family yet not solve the inner problems. There
was a brief re-flowering of Empire and it took back and even expanded its
borders somewhat. But the rot remained.
In the final years, one great House took the Throne in its due course, but
when the time had come to pass on the scepter, it refused and, with the
collusion of two other houses, deemed the rest unworthy to hold the Throne.

This resulted in the Kin Strife that lasted for nearly 50 years as the
massive Empire slowly tore itself apart. The last known Emperor, a Gor'Tog
not yet of adult years, is said by legend to have once been asked by his
regent what he would really rather do than be Emperor. The child replied he
would prefer to be outside playing with his pet ducks. He was dismissed to
do so and the Regent assumed the title of King..but of a powerless and
toothless corpse. Within a generation, some 25 others had claimed the
kingship, usually over the corpse of the predecessor until the pale remnants
of power faded into the dust of history.


==Beyond Empire==

With the demise of the central authorities in even a semblance of form,
there arose a group seeking power in its own right. They claimed descent
from the ancient Wizard-Kings and called themselves the Dragon Priests.
The story of their time and their wars is told elsewhere.

The Throne City was abandoned as those left had little time and less money
to maintain the massive buildings and elaborate ceremonial squares. Rumor
also has it that the Empire had great powers of magic or technology that
became shrouded and lost as time passed and many things ran amuck or became
unstable in parts of the city, making it uninhabitable.
Only rumors now are left of this city and where it may be found. And there
are tales of debased beings inhabiting the city, faint recollections of the
glory that was still flickering in their ruined minds. Rumors even of one
who yet claims to be the Emperor....and rumors of treasure beyond the greed
even of Dwarves to be found there.

Relics of that Empire are few and rare and usually valuable...they left
their mark, the seven-pointed star on outposts and ruins and other such
places as bore their stamp and some may yet be found in out of the way
places. Carved stones or jewels of the same shape are rare prizes, oft
hoarded for their value or their supposed mana and magic. Legends speak of
Imperial Treasuries unlooted and forgotten and Imperial Armories full of
strange and deadly weapons, long buried and forgotten.
Scraps of Imperial records yet exist in places and such fragments can bring
a tidy sum from Academies eager to increase their lore of those eras.

Revision as of 14:01, 7 November 2007

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