Wandering Eastward - The Undead Empire
"The Undead Empire began around fifteen hundred years ago, with the 'Emergence'. Ninety centuries had passed since the portals let so much into this world, little of it good. A temporarily accessible world made the perfect dumping ground for many, though it attracted its share of conquerors.
"Amongst those dumped were many creatures of varying power and kinds. The greater fought one another for millennia, and eventually the world was relatively still. Surviving humans and lesser others emerged from hiding, and repopulated. So it was that the first of the undead lords, and their emperor, came out of hiding.
"The emperor himself was a dread revenant; a creature of terrible strength and powerful magic. He could create lessers of his kind, and they lesser in turn. To the humans he immediately brought under his dominion, he was as a god.
"The rest of that first council - I will detail them later, when I speak of the other kinds. Together, they took control of the region they had emerged from - the nascent countries surrounding the mountain range they had hidden within. Their numbers increased, and they quickly grew to be a true power. The nearby lands - barely organised rabble - quivered in fear.
"They were right to do so. After they were named an empire, the undead lands expanded rapidly. Over the next six hundred years the Empire took control of the lands all the way to the coast; stopping in the north at the borders of the forest, Merisomet and Dafer; to the south where the arid lands touched the coast. To the east, expansion stopped at the dead blight - its size was unknown, and humans were absent from the region.
"With the easy targets conquered, the empire turned its focus inwards. Humans were forced into controlled settlements, to prevent rebellions and provide a constant supply of... That was the beginning of the 'retrievers' - those tasked with hunting down humans who had rebelled, or fled.
"At the same time, the 'protectors' were founded. Tasked with hunting down the monsters that roamed the lands, they kept the Empire safe for undead and humans alike. Alongside the army and navy, these two groups made up the official military of the Empire. Up until it fell, I assume.
"The Empire, during this period, put out a call to all undead - come, and be welcome. Many answered, including those served by mindless undead - lichs and the like. There were... More than two thousand unique creatures known to the empire. Perhaps a couple of hundred numbered more than a handful, and a few kinds made up most of the population.
"After the four hundred year period of expansion and internal growth, things were calm for two centuries. Neighbouring countries became used to peace, and the Empire readied to strike. Yet, before they did, the great expedition into the Forest of the Caged was carried out.
"Many undead had emerged from there, over the years, and information given to the Empire by another escapee (who had once seen the records of the imprisoned) indicated that there were many who were classified as the undead. The expedition's aim was simply to free all undead they could, and they freed many - as well as fighting countless creatures, and making notes on several powerful (and non-undead) creatures within the Forest. I've spoken of it a little already, but the important event within the forest was the freeing of the dread-wyrm, Garamjar.
"Garamjar was a titanic, undead wyrm. Essentially a short, thick snake, but huge. It was thirty metres long, and five metres in diameter. Its body repaired itself, and it wielded great magic that could part any land before itself - and that, with time to prepare, it could level cities in one grand tearing of the earth.
"It impressed those that freed it greatly, and was the greatest amongst those they free from the forest of the caged. As such, it had the 'honour' of meeting the emperor, after it had been inducted into the empire.
"When it refused to bow, the Emperor insisted. This angered Garamjar, and it ate the Emperor. His closest took up arms, so he ate them as well. Their great magics had little effect on the dread-wyrm. It rampaged through them, and devoured the entire family of the Emperor - those who would inherit, should the worst happened.
"After that event, the Empire wavered - especially when Garamjar refused to bow before any replacement Emperor. None were to be above it, yet it did not wish to be Emperor itself. The wisest in the Empire, those who emerged and those who joined them to advise the Emperor, devised a plan - turn the Empire into a republic.
"This plan won the support of the many kinds - each desired a voice, and though there was much rumbling discontent enough compromises were eventually struck to please all. Eight hundred and fifty years ago, the Empire became a republic.
"Despite the change in form, the Empire kept its name. I'm not sure why, but perhaps it was to not appear weak. Internally and facing outwards, the undead kinds maintained they were far superior to humanity. It was not integral to the collective undead identity before the death of the Emperor, but afterwards... It became one of the unifying forces for the Empire: the shared idea that the undead were better.
"A hundred and fifty years after the death of the Emperor, once I had finished my tutelage, Garamjar went on an expedition underground. The official line was always that its exploration continued, but the truth is... Garamjar dug into the magma layer of this world (something that did not exist in any world it had been to before) and perish amidst the molten rock. It sent messages to myself and several others. Considering that it had been warned by many, including several undead who had once been amongst the original inhabitants of this world...
"Garamjar's absence and had one important effect, especially amongst the leaders when they learnt of its death. They began jockeying for power, and within their own petty fiefs they became greedy. Humans were allowed to reach numbers far beyond those needed - the greatest vampire lords would feed on a thousand each year. A thousand! Efforts to prevent overpopulation of the Empire were taken to have no bearing on the number of humans. They merely cut back on the increase in numbers of the few kinds who needed nothing to live, ah.
"All was quiet, for a while. The first signs of trouble began six hundred years ago. The Empire was full to bursting, and looked hungrily at its neighbours, causing them to fear. Alliances were forged, encircling the Empire with humanity bound together. Attacks on any would lead to retaliation by all. Small revolts began to occur amongst the human population. In many places, they were not only food - they were abused, or starving and hungry.
"Three hundred years slowly brought it to boiling point - the few undead who despised the order, along with some brave humans, linked the human population together. Countries outside provided arms, magic, training where they could. The countries of humanity - and even the Lady of the Dead - came together in a grand alliance."
"Actually, can you tell me about that? Isn't she a necromancer?" interjected Soff.
"Yes, she is," said Taoten, "But she is not undead herself. She is... Some dread creature of shadow. We would've accepted her, had she asked to stand amongst us. But she has her own domain, her own people. And she is... Dedicated to their life. It is true that she slaughtered her distant descendants, but only when they attempted to destroy her out of fear, or so it is said. One thing she said was that her children’s' blood ran in all those of her Domain as strong, or stronger, than the royalty; and that she served the people before those of her eldest son's direct line.
"Back to the Empire's end - we were not caught by surprise that there was an attack. We were surprised by the attack's extent and strength. All the settlements, with a handful of exceptions, revolted as one. They were armed, and ready. Almost all countries on the continent, and several from over the sea (including the Psionese!). It was too much, though several of the lords were confident.
"From what I know, we fought well, and showed humanity the might of the dead. The king of the 'Kingdom' was slain in a great battle, along with all his family. A loss, but a very pyrrhic victory for humanity. Beyond that, I do not know much - I was fighting revolts for around a year before a mixed army of Kingdom and Sand-Given soldiers caught the unit I was fighting with. They wiped us out, but thankfully did not have enough mages to ensure we all died.
"So, that is the history of the Empire until I fell in battle - at least, the important things. There were many great deeds, including many you have likely never heard of. Yet they are unimportant in comparison. I suspect what I have said was interesting to you, and that beyond rumour, hearsay and other foolishness little of the Empire's history is widely known."
"Yes. I hadn't heard much of that before. Only legends," replied Soff.
"As expected." Taoten paused. "My voice grows tired, and, I would like to know the history of the reason I do not. Will you tell me of what has happened since, and the end of the Empire?"
Soff walked beside Taoten in silence, for a while, before she spoke. "Alright. Well, the undead lost the war pretty badly, in the end..."
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