Our tale begins with the Empire of the One God, a mighty Empire currently at the peak of its power, an empire that controls much of the continent called Orbis.

This Empire is jointly ruled by the secular and religious authorities - the Holy Protector, the commander of the army, and the Supreme Patriarch, spiritual ruler of the Empire.

For centuries, the Holy Protector has kept the barbarians and pagans of Outer Orbis at bay and the Supreme Patriarch has ensured that the ‘True Way of the One God’ has prevailed throughout the Empire. Tensions and political infighting have dogged the empire from time to time, as different Protector’s and Patriarch’s have vied for control, and as certain provinces have tried to reassert their national independence; not to mention a rebellion or two! Yet, broadly speaking, the Empire has benefited from a long period of peace and stability.

All that has suddenly changed. Six years ago, when the old Patriarch died, the Great Cardinals went into seclusion to elect a new Patriarch, as has been the custom since the Empire began. This time, however, the Cardinals made an unexpected choice: Icthyus Granitas was elected as the Supreme Patriarch, and in somewhat unusual circumstances. Five of the Cardinals died of a mysterious fever during the election process, and several votes had to be retaken due to procedural irregularities. Rumours abound about the past of this new Patriarch - but nothing has ever been proven or charges ever levelled against him.

Under Icthyus Granitas, power and wealth has been strongly centralised at Telamagna, the City of the One God, but the Empire as a whole has begun to crack at the seams. The Holy Protector, Karlem Agnus, once a vigorous and mighty warrior, seems more interested in affairs of the body, rather than affairs of state. He follows the orders of the new Patriarch almost blindly, no matter how nonsensical they seem to the army and the Assembly of the Tribunes. People in the city whisper of dark deeds at the Palace of the Holy Patriarch, of order and civilization sacrificed on the altar of ambition.

Those Great Cardinals who object to the Patriarch's rule disappear, fall ill, or seem to change their minds overnight. Others are replaced with stooges and lickspittles of his choosing. Nobles who oppose him are arrested on trumped up charges of treason or heresy, and summarily executed or exiled. The restless people live in fear. The murder of Tribunes and Captains who oppose the Patriarchs’ rule is almost a daily occurrence. The army has turned from protecting the Empire from enemies without, to suppressing so-called ‘enemies within’.

The Outer Provinces of the Empire have been stripped of their garrisons to police the richer, wealthier and more taxable provinces of the interior, with inevitable consequences. Barbarians and raiders plunder almost at will. Petty princelings and mercenary adventurers from beyond the borders of the Empire grow bolder day by day.

There is much discontent, and the aristocracy have turned to one of the most respected members of the Senate to act as their leader – the Baron Amalric of Cravant.

Unfortunately this has only served to present the Patriarch with a clear target. On the pretext of rampant heresy in the province of Cravant, the Patriarch issued a new edict, stating that the Baron of Cravant has been led astray, and calling on true followers of the faith to stamp out witchcraft and heresy in that province. Shortly after, one of the Patriarch's henchmen, Lothar, the Bishop of Ostrovir, moved against the Duke. Backed by many mercenaries and Imperial troops, he arrested the Duke on false charges, and put him to the sword. But the Duke’s son, Artos, escaped with his life, swearing to avenge his father’s death…

You control Artos and the future of House Cravant. Can the young Artos prevail against the might of the Empire, or will he fall victim to the power of the corrupt Patriarch and his evil minions? His destiny, and the future of the Empire are in your hands…

Background to the Story

This background is not essential – you won’t have to read it to enjoy playing the game. The diligent reader might find one or two clues that will help to understand your enemies, and, perhaps some ideas for further exploration and experimentation during the game…

Orbis

Orbis is the name that the scholars of the west call the 'Known World'. Beyond these borders, lie the terrors of the unknown, demons, darkness, endless seas, and unguessable dangers.

The following is a listing of the lands, people and history of Orbis.

The Empire of the One God

('The Empire') The Empire extends from Akaia in the east to the shores of Gallicus to the west. It is a great power, though internal power struggles and the rise of equally powerful nations and empires beyond it's borders have prevented it from further expansion in the last hundred years. The Empire is the main setting in which our story is told. It has joint rulers, the Holy Protector, the secular ruler and 'Commander of the Armies of the One God', and the Supreme Patriarch, episcopal and spiritual leader of the empire. Theoretically, both have equal power, but in strictly delineated areas. In practice, ultimate power often resides in the one with the greater strength of character and will. Under this 'Diarchy' are various administrative, political and religious institutions - the Senate, the Assembly of the Tribunes, the Scara Praetorium, and the Quaestoria. See later for more detail on the inner workings of the Empire.

Telamagna

This is the capital of the empire, also called the City of the One God. All of the civic institutions can be found here, including the Sacred Palace of the Patriarch, (also called the Palace of the Purple Dome) and the Citadel of the Holy Protector (sometimes called the Iron Tower). Telamagna is in the province of Liguriensis, in Latia.

Imperial Policy

The Empire is both militarily aggressive and religiously fanatical. Her armies are always seeking to spread the faith of the One God ‘at the point of a sword’. Naturally, along with spreading the faith comes secular control by the empire… Internally, Inquisitors maintain the ‘true faith’ and have as much, or even more power, then the secular judiciary.

Brief history of the Empire

'The Field of Blood'.

A battle fought some 350 years ago, when the Empire controlled only Latia and parts of Illyricus. The legendary war leader, 'Belisar the Hammer', who became the First Protector, with the Pontifex Maximus (Chief priest of the One god, later to become the first Supreme Patriarch of the Imperial Church of the One God, Leonid I), defeated the federated barbarian nations of the Ostrovirs, Vandavars, and Burgosians, establishing the early boundaries of the Empire. The Ostrovirs, Vandavars and Burgosians were pagan warrior tribes, who were constantly at war with the early empire.

Kolvas the Great

Kolvas was the fifth Holy Protector. He reformed the Scara, and led it on a series of wars of conquest, bringing Illyricus, Dacianus (subsequently lost), and Tharingia into the fold of the Empire. Akaia actually asked to join the Empire at this time, desirous of the protection such a skilled war leader as Kolvas could give them. Although Kolvas treated his Patriarchs (there were 3 during his reign) like inferiors, and dominated them ruthlessly, he re-organised the Empire and contributed greatly to its stability and military power. He was also a devout follower of the Faith of the One God so, although the Patriarchy was forced to take a less prominent role in government, the relationship between Protector and Patriarch never broke down.

The Battle of the Red Tower

150 years after the battle of the 'Field of Blood', the King of Gallicus was accused of spreading the Theotokosian heresy. Gallicus was a large and powerful independent kingdom, though it's people worshipped the One God. The Theotokosian heresy says that there is a Mother of God, whereas the 52 Epistles of the One God - the Sacred Scriptures of the Imperial Church of the One God- state quite clearly that the One God is unique and unborn, and therefore cannot have a mother. His accuser, the Patriarch at that time, was Mercurius the Mad. (He became known as 'the Mad' only later in his tenure as Patriarch after he became convinced that he was the offspring of an unholy union between a Magiar and an elephant. He also developed the curious notion that his legs were made of glass - hence he could never walk anywhere unaided for fear his legs would shatter into tiny parts.) The Holy Protector Martel and a vastly expanded 'Scara' or Imperial standing army, and a force of Ibericusan mercenaries defeated Ambros of Cravant, the King of Gallicus, at the Battle of the Red Tower, in Aquilos. Thus was Gallicus annexed and the True Faith of the One God restored to all (not to mention the great boost to Imperial power the extra tax revenues of wealthy Gallicus brought to the Empire. Indeed many historians see the Gallican War as no more than a war of imperial expansion, with some justification). The Empire of the One God held sway from Akaia in the east, through Illyricus and Latia to all of Gallicus, and parts of Nordmark and Ostmark, as it still does today, 200 years later. Baron Amalric of Cravant is a direct descendant of King Ambros, making Artos a prince of royal blood…

Guilds, Institutions and Societies of Orbis

Religious orders of the Empire

There are many orders of monks throughout the empire and other lands that embrace the True Way of the One God. Here are some examples of the most important and well known.

The Order of the Innocent Friars

A 'back to basics' order of monks, primarily concerned with caring for the poor, the sick, the lepers and the like. Several Patriarchs have come from their ranks in the past. There is a group within the Innocents who are particularly fanatical, called the Zephyranti (Soul of Air, or Air Souls). They believe all men should live a spiritual and ascetic life on earth, abjuring wealth and 'earthly matters'. Though approved by the Patriarchy and the Quaestoria, the Innocents are an outspoken order, often criticizing the Patriarchs, particularly the more opulent, worldly ones. Indeed, several Zephyranti Innocents have been burnt at the stake in the past for pronouncements deemed heretical by the Patriarchs who were faced with either giving up all worldly possessions and endorsing them, or denouncing these monks as erroneous or having been lured from the True Way by Demons of the Dark.

The Celistinian Order

Named for St. Celistin, who founded the order. Celistin successfully started the process of conversion to the One God in Angland, but was martyred whilst attempting to convert the Clans of Caledon. Apparently, he was head-butted to death by a drunken Clan Chieftain who took exception to the way Celistin looked at him. The Caledons remain firmly pagan to this day. The Celistinians are missionary monks, dedicated to preaching the Law of the One God throughout the Empire, and abroad. Known for their proselytising zeal, this Order was commanded by the Supreme Patriarch Gregor IV to set up another, more infamous order, using particularly fanatical Celistinians at its core. This Order was called the Brotherhood of Inquisitors, charged with the task of rooting out heresy, demon-worship, witchcraft and any other practices not consistent with the One Faith.

The Brothers of St. Cuthbert

Monks entirely devoted to healing the sick. They are an itinerant order who wander throughout the Empire and also abroad. Though sanctioned by the Imperial Church, they are often getting into doctrinal difficulties with the Church. This is because the Brothers are sworn to heal anybody and everybody, even foreigners, pagans, heretics and criminals. This is often found to be inconvenient by the Imperial Church. However, it does mean the Brothers are able to set up hospices at their Monasteries all over the world, and particularly near battlefields, for all peoples welcome them.

The Brotherhood of Inquisitors

The Guild of Torturers, whose function had been secular and judicial, were ordered to train special Lictors (executioners and torturers) according to the needs of the Inquisitors. These Sacred Lictors serve the Brotherhood exclusively, and are expert in matters of exorcism, torture, both spiritual and physical, execution by burning and various other gruesome skills. This has brought the Guild and the Inquisitors closer together, making for a feared faction with considerable power in the Empire. Currently, the Grand Inquisitor is Ignatus Torqus, renowned for his zeal, who sees the Hand of the Evil One everywhere. He has been in power for 12 years, and is thought to favour Icthyus' way of doing things.

The Zaccharites

An order with many hospices for the poor, but more noted for their commitment to public penance and self-flagellation. 200 years ago, one of their order, a monk called Skotavus whipped himself daily, whilst on a three week pilgrimage to the Blessed Church of St Anathos the Founder in Telamagna. He even employed a Journeyman from the Guild of Torturers to whip him whilst he slept. Eventually, weak with loss of blood, and covered in weals, he staggered across the Plaza of the Saints in Telamagna and made it to the Church just as the Supreme Patriarch, Leonid III, stepped out after performing the Sacred Litany. Gasping for breath, Skotavus fell to his knees and embraced the Patriarch, smearing Leonid's white robes of office with blood and filth, and then promptly passed away, his hands locked in a death grip about the Patriarch's legs. The Patriarch, shocked and stunned, unsure as to whose blood was staining his clothing, thought he had been the victim of an assassination attempt, and fainted with a whimper. Subsequently, Skotavus was sainted, thought not by Leonid III!

Military Orders of Orbis

The League of Knights

Nordlander knights who hire themselves out as mercenaries. Not very ‘knightly’ or trustworthy!

The Company of Halberdiers

Pikeman from Bohemundia, well trained and formidable. They have a reputation for honouring their contracts, and remaining loyal to their employers.

Company of the Great Helm

The Great Helm is the largest of the mercenary companies with Houses in all the major Dioceses in the empire. They fight with sword, shield, helm and chain mail, and are more like a Guild than a company, because of their size.

The Hashashim

This cult of assassins is based in the Jubal Mountains of Sassania. It is led by Rashid al Din Nizari, the 'Master of the Mountain', who rules from his mountain stronghold, Alamut, 'the Eagle's Nest', overlooking the 'Valley of the Assassins'. The Hashashim are a fanatical religious sect with seven levels of initiation, from the 'Devoted Ones' to the ruler of the sect, the Chief Missionary. Basically, the Hashashim are spies and assassins for hire, utterly obedient to their leader, prepared to give up their lives at his merest whim, and highly trained in the art of murder and espionage.

The Brotherhood of the Scimitar

This is an order of warriors based in the eastern lands of Agyptus and Saljukis. They were formed as a response to the Knights of the Sword of Anathos (crusading fanatics of the Imperial Church), and are dedicated to ridding their lands of all Crusaders of the Empire of the One God.

Knightly Orders

The Knights of the Sacred Sepulchre

Named after the tomb of Saint Anathos, the Founder of the Faith of the One God, this Order of Warrior Monks lead an entirely ascetic and martial life, dedicated to spreading the Faith through military means. They are answerable only to the Supreme Patriarch himself, effectively giving the Imperial Church of the One God a small military arm of its’ own. The Tomb of Saint Anathos is now lost, but is said to lie somewhere in the 'Tetrapolis', the Four Cities of Antiquity in Oriens. The Order is funded mostly by the Quaestoria and the offices of the Supreme Patriarch, though it has some land, and therefore income of its own. They have their headquarters in the Fortress of the Faith, a huge, sprawling castle in Etruscia, to the south of Telamagna. They are said to be masters of esoteric methods of warfare and swordsmanship.

The Order is administered by a Grandmaster, a Seneschal, a Marshal of the Sepulchre and a Treasurer. There is also a Commander of the Knights, a Commander of the Houses and, at the lower levels, Sergeant Brothers and Knightly Brothers, the rank and file of the order. They are fanatical warrior monks, ready to die in the service of their Church. Recently, a new Grandmaster has taken up the reigns of power - Jakopo Malai - with the blessing of the Patriarch, Icthyus. However, it is said that the Seneschal and the Marshal are unhappy with this new state of affairs, though none can say why.

The Holy Order of Tharingian Knights

Established to lead a Pious War against the pagans of the steppes, called for by the Supreme Patriarch at the time, Demosis, the early history of this Order of Holy Knights is one of unmitigated disaster. Charged by the Patriarch to organise the Order and lead the War, Sir Grunwald of Bohemundia led the ill fated expedition into the Steppes but was never seen again. No one knows what befell this army of Knights and Warrior Pilgrims, though it led to the humiliation and eventual deposing of Demosis at a Conclave of the Cardinals where he was condemned as a False Patriarch. Since then, the Tharingian Knights have prospered, getting land grants and stipends from both the Empire and the various kingdoms and principalities of Nordmark and Ostmark, in return for defending these realms from persistent raids and invasions from the Steppes. They owe spiritual allegiance to the Supreme Patriarch, but otherwise are fairly autonomous in terms of secular allegiance to a particular Duke or Earl. They have their headquarters in the Castle of the Black Bear, deep in the Tharingian Forest. They also own a Castle in Sybilla, a town in the kingdom of Losatia, east of the Empire. Master Tern, a knight so large he is nicknamed ‘the Bull’, runs this fortified outpost.

The Tharingian Knights blame their initial disastrous start on the Patriarch Demosis - apparently Demosis hired a number of thugs to massacre the supporters of his opponents during his patriarchal election campaign. The Tharingian Knights believe that this incurred the displeasure of the One God. The Order maintains that the expedition was never defeated. They believe that Grunwald, who was also entrusted with a Sacred Relic, (the Sword of St. Anathos, the Founder of the Faith) and his army found one of the Nine Gates of Hell, and fought their way in. Even now, they say, Grunwald still campaigns in Hell where Time holds no sway, contending with an army of demons led by the damned soul of Demosis himself. To this day, the Tharingian Knights still hold prayers for Grunwald's victory…

Knights of the Sword of Anathos

This Order of knights is dedicated to freeing the Tetrapolis, the ‘four cities of antiquity’ where St Anathos first preached the Epistles of the One God, from the control of the Sultanate of Saljukis. St Anathos, the founder of the Imperial Church was a militant warrior priest, who spread the word at the point of a sword. These Knights seek to do the same, and established a theocratic kingdom in Fanicia some years ago, after invading with a powerful army. But the Sultan Junaid al din Qizil counter-attacked, taking the Order’s largest castle, Kirak of the Champions of God, after a two year siege, and driving the Knights back into the fortified city-port of Ekron, on the coast of Fanicia, a last frail outpost for the Crusaders of the One God. The Knights of the Sword are regularly reinforced by young, idealistic fanatics (as well as those who cynically seek booty) who ‘Take up the Sword of God’ and go crusading to Fanicia. Currently, the head of the Order, Marshal Reynald d’Aquilos is planning to launch another attack, and is desperate for another Call to Arms from the Patriarch. But none is forthcoming – indeed, the current Patriarch has cut back on his funding for the Order. Reynald is cousin to Duke Guiscard of Gallicus, but where Guiscard is cunning and worldly, Reynald is a complete fanatic - cruel, ruthless and absolutely dedicated to his Crusading Oath.

The Order of the Knights of the Eagle

Knights of Aquilos, sworn to uphold the tenets of chivalry, courtly love, piety and, of course, prowess in battle. Known as the ‘Flower of Chivalry’.

The Guilds

There are many Guilds in Orbis, representing most of the tradesmen and craftsmen. Here are a few of the interesting ones:

The Merchants Guild

The Merchants Guild have Guildhalls throughout all of known Orbis, and is one of the few institutions that encompasses national boundaries. The Masters of the Guild oversee trade, credit and banking, and wield great power, due to their wealth. However, they have to tread carefully, as they have no military power. They have outposts in all the major empires and kingdoms of Orbis.

The Society of Alchemists

A guild or order of philosopher scientists, dedicated to the study of nature and all its workings - a quest for scientific knowledge and spiritual enlightenment. This 'Guild' reaches across all Orbis. The Imperial Church has banned it, for much of the discoveries and inventions of this Society are deemed heretical. Several members of the Society have been imprisoned, tortured, or worse. The last High Alchemist, Galleus Gallietti was burnt at the stake for insisting that Orbis was not the centre of the universe. This has driven the Society underground, where secret meetings are held. Their writings and discoveries are hidden in coded words and obscurantic paintings, that only the initiated can understand. They use titles from the Tarot and the Kabbalah as codenames for the various members of the Guild. So, the head of the Guild is known as 'The Fool', and other titles include 'The Tower', the 'High Priestess', the 'Magician' and so on. Currently, the Imperial Church has three high profile members of the Society imprisoned for heresy – Mathew de Couran, and Leandre de Trouer, specialists in engineering and physics, and the explorer and cartographer Paulo Carollo, whose maps depict the world as round, and have been listed on the Church's 'Index of Proscribed Texts'. Other books on this Index that are much sought after by both the Society of Alchemists and the Imperial Church (but for different reasons, obviously!) are: the Liber Mysteriorum (Book of Mysteries), the Speculum Astronomicum (Mirror of the Heavens), and Arcana Natura (The Natural Arts). Where these Tomes of Knowledge are to be found is anyone's guess.... The Arcana Natura also reveals many secrets of botany and herbology, including information on how to extract deadly toxins from Echinopsis Mirabilis (or Black Cactus).

The Beggars Guild

Some say this Guild is merely a front for an organisation of spies who hire themselves out to the highest bidder. If you want to find out what’s going on in any given city or town, ask at the Tavern for the Beggar’s Guild. Every town has its share of beggars. But beware – is the unwashed cripple you just gave your last gold piece to really a victim of ill- fortune, or is he a highly trained spy in disguise?

The Old Priesthood and the Church of the Elder Gods

The Church of the Elder Gods is an ancient religion that predates the One God and the Empire. It is a nature worshipping religion, without any formal hierarchy as such. Its Druids and Priestesses worship the same gods, with a goddess, the Huntress, as Queen of the gods, but they have many names and aspects, without a formal written canon of dogma. They do not recognize ‘good’ and ‘evil’ per se – rather nature is as nature is, and mankind can harness the spirits of nature and use them for good or evil, (‘good’ being that which aids or benefits people, and ‘evil’ being that which harms them). The Druids and Priestesses of the Elder Gods are more like Warlocks and Wizards than priests, and are expert in magic, talismans and potions as much as they are expert in the rituals of the Church. These rituals revolve around the changing seasons, and the placating of nature. The Higher Rituals involve the calling forth of mighty beasts and creatures of the underworld (called demons by the Empire). In the Empire, this church is banned outright, and is seen as the ultimate evil by the zealots of the One God. They call it the Church of the Evil One, and practitioners of the Old Way are burnt at the stake without mercy. The Old Ways still flourish outside of the Empire, and in the heavily forested and mountainous regions within the Empire where Imperial power is lax. The forested heartlands of Tharingia, for instance, still practice the old religion, despite the best efforts of the Empire to stamp it out.

The Lands of Orbis - The Empire

The Empire is composed of several Dioceses, each made up of several provinces.

Gallicus

Gallicus is a large Imperial ‘Diocese’ encompassing the provinces of Occitania, Amboise, Cravant, Aquilos, Burgosia and Ostrovir. The governor, or feudal lord of Gallicus, is the Grand Duke Guiscard of Gallicus, called 'the Fox'. He is also the Master of Foot, commander of the Protector's infantry, the third most prestigious post in the Scara, as well as Marshal of Gallicus (Commander of the armies of Gallicus). He is wealthy enough to maintain a relatively large standing army (Diocesal Garrison, in the language of the Empire), justified on the grounds of the threat of raiders from Angland, Caledon, the Isles of the Northlanders, and even from those areas of Nordmark that are outside the Empire. He is a powerful man. The Grand Duke is known for his political cunning, and power-broking. He is adaptable and opportunist.

The Patriarch, wishing to crush resistance in the Senate, led by Baron Amalric of Cravant, Artos' father, has sent the newly appointed Bishop of Ostrovir, Lothar, to deal with the Baron, having accused Amalric of heresy. Guiscard, seeing the way the wind is blowing, has allowed the Bishop to enter his territory and move against Cravant. Whilst not actively supporting this move, he has done nothing to stop it either - who knows what deals have been done behind closed doors between the Grand Duke and the Patriarch. What is interesting is that Cravant is a Barony in the Earldom of Amboise. The new Earl of Amboise, Tomas, is a young man, and Artos was his childhood companion. But Guiscard is Tomas' liege-lord, as Tomas is to Artos. This puts Tomas in a difficult position. Will he support his liege lord, and risk his position by aiding Artos. If so, he could be accused of treason, or worse still - heresy!

Amboise

An Earldom, in north-western Gallicus. Tomas is the young Earl of Amboise, only a year into his office, and a childhood companion of Artos of Cravant. Tomas' father, Bertrand the Just, was a good man who followed the code of 'Noblesse Oblige', (the idea that the nobility have a duty to safeguard the lives and wealth of their vassals), as did Amalric, Artos' father. Together, they worked to make Amboise one of the most peaceful, wealthy and well governed Earldoms in the Empire, until Bertrand died in a hunting accident. (He was shot in the neck with an arrow by his own Hunting Master. Everyone swore it was an accident, but, nevertheless the hunting master subsequently fled and his whereabouts are unknown). Earl Tomas has a twin sister, Elinor, a devout woman with a fiery and outspoken personality and a strong sense of justice.

Unfortunately, this prosperity has drawn the attention of those who see only the opportunities in controlling and taxing such wealth, men like the Patriarch, and the Bishop of Ostrovir.

Cravant

A Barony in Amboise, on the coast of Gallicus. In past times, the city of Cravant was the capital of the kingdom of Gallicus, before it was brought into the Empire, 350 years ago after the Battle of the Red Tower. The Barons of Cravant come from the ancient royal lineage of the old kings of Gallicus. Consequently, their relations with the Empire have sometimes been troubled, though in the last 100 years or so, dreams of Gallican nationalism have faded, though they are not yet dead. Cravant has prospered under the rule of Baron Amalric.

Burgosia

Once Burgosia was a nation of warriors, fielding axe wielding, armoured infantryme infantrymen, the scourge of the early Empire. They worshipped a bloody god, and a man's worth was measured only by the number of skulls of his enemies he paraded. These Burgosians once sacked the city of Telamagna itself, 900 years ago. No less than 135 missionaries lost there lives attempting to preach the Epistles to these barbarian Burgosians, until the Burgosians were defeated at the 'Field of Blood' losing almost all of their fighting men, who died to the last man, silently refusing to surrender. Burgosia was occupied, and its old religion brutally suppressed, its temples torn down, and its druid priests rounded up and sold in the slave markets of the east. Times have changed however.

Now Burgosia is a quiet, sleepy part of the Empire, whose Earl, Pepin the Gentle, spends most of his time in scholarly pursuits. The Bishop of Burgosia, Jean de Fleuris, is rather old, and has gone nearly completely deaf as well as senile. In other parts of the Empire, to call someone a 'Burgosian' is to imply they are lazy and indolent.

Aquilos

Aquilos is home to some of the greatest cities, castles and cathedrals in the Empire. Its capital, Rheinsburg, lies on the major trade routes with Nordmark, making it a wealthy city. Aquilos is famous as the birthplace of chivalry in the Empire. The priest, Honore Bovet, wrote a treatise, 'The Tree of Battles', about 100 years ago, forming the basis of chivalric thought. The Knights of Aquilos are famous for their prowess in battle, as well as their strong code of honour, and are often referred to as the 'Flower of Chivalry'.

Ostrovir

Once home to the Ostrovirs, the name for a tribe of loosely federated warrior bands. They fought from large chariots, containing a charioteer, a slinger, and a man with a long lance. They would drive up to their enemies, and loose off a hail of sling stones. Assaults on these chariots were fended off by the lance wielding 'Companions'. They were decisively defeated at the Field of Blood by the First Protector, Belisar the Hammer and Ostrovir was conquered.

Nowadays, Ostrovir is recovering from the effects of a plague that ravaged the province 15 years ago. A new Bishop, Lothar, has been appointed by the Patriarch. Lothar was the Secretary to Icthyus, when he was Cardinal of Gallicus. Lothar has been entrusted with the task of rooting out the so-called heretical Baron of Cravant. Some say that Lothar has also been promised the Barony of Cravant, if he is successful.

Occitania

The sun-baked fields of Occitania, in southern Gallicus are famous for their olives and wines. Occitania is an ancient land, whose people speak a strange dialect. It is one of the most peaceful provinces in the empire, and has rarely felt the scourge of war. It’s people are quiet and industrious, preferring to spend their time harvesting their grapes, and selling their wine to the rest of the Empire.

Latia

Latia is the homeland of the Empire, encompassing the provinces of Samnos, Etruscia and Liguriensis. It is rich in minerals, with large tracts of fertile agricultural land.

Samnos

In ancient times, Samnos was the bitter enemy of Liguriensis, and they fought many vicious and bloody wars. In the end, the Liguriensins prevailed, and annexed all of Samnos, only for themselves to be conquered in turn by the Etruscans. Nowadays, Samnos is a peaceful land, whose extensive mines provide most of the Empire’s iron ore.

Etruscia

Etruscia once ruled all of Latia, but the city of Telamagna rose up against their rule, and overthrew them, setting up their own King instead. Nowadays, Etruscia is governed by the Earl Marcus Tathamus, a man of honour, whose loyalty is to the Empire, rather than to the Patriarch. This makes his situation a little difficult…

Liguriensis

Home to Telamagna, the capital of the Empire. Liguriensis eventually rose to govern all of Latia. For centuries, it remained a relatively peaceful trading nation, until St Anathos came to preach the Faith of the One God, militarising all of Latia with the mission of spreading the word by force.

Akaia

Akaia is an ancient land, and once the seat of a great empire that included Agyptus, Anataluwa, and Oriens, built by the legendary conqueror Iskander the Magnificent, though some say there never was an Iskander, and the Akaian Empire is just a fable. Naturally, to express such a view whilst travelling in Akaia is highly ill advised. According to legend, shortly after the death of Iskander, his empire collapsed. Over the ensuing centuries, intensive farming of the land left Akaia with a sparse, scrubby terrain, where it was once green and fertile, and it is unable to support the large populations of ancient times. During the reign of the Protector Kolvas, Akaia was under attack by hordes of mounted Magiars and Abbasid desert tribesmen. Unable to defend herself, she turned to Kolvas the Great, and asked for the protection of the Empire. Kolvas accepted their offer, but only if the Akaians would adopt the Faith of the One God. This they duly agreed, and Kolvas led the Scara into Akaia, driving out the Magiar and Abbasids in a lightning campaign. Ever since, Akaia has been a stalwart and loyal province of the Empire (hardly surprising, as it is on one of the most troubled borders of the Empire). Akaia is famous for their well-trained Spearmen. These spearmen have formed an integral part of the Scara for centuries.

Today it is governed by the Grand Duke Zimiskes who has his hands full. Pretty much left to its own devices by a preoccupied Patriarch, and an uncaring Protector, Akaia is under attack from a concerted push by King Kolchas of Magiaria.

Illyricus

In the past, Illyricus was inhabited by several tribes who spent most of their time warring amongst themselves. They are famed for their javelin armed light cavalry, as the Illyricans have always fought on horseback. A few centuries back, the Empire sent an army to conquer Illyricus. The tribes united under a war leader, Sobieski, and defeated the Imperial forces in battle. Sobieski then led his victorious cavalry army to the very gates of Telamagna itself. Unfortunately, Sobieski’s wife, upon hearing that her husband had been having an affair with one of his warrior-women, struck Sobieski over the head with a cooking pot, accidentally killing him outright. Without his leadership, the coalition of tribes fell apart. The Empire then set about bribing various factions, until Illyricus bled itself dry with internecine warfare. The Empire invaded once more, and this time they were virtually unopposed. Today, Illyricus is still a major recruiting ground for the Empire’s light cavalry.

Tharingia

The Grand Duchy of Tharingia is heavily forested with its major cities spread along the river Rher. In past times, Tharingia was the home to a courageous (some would say foolhardy) race of sky worshipping barbarians, who fought virtually naked, and believed that their rune-carved talismans would keep them safe in battle. Unfortunately, it didn't turn out that way, and Kolvas' Tharingian campaign was the easiest and swiftest he had ever fought. The Tharingians abandoned they're old gods, who had so manifestly failed them, and embraced the new Faith of the One God – in the cities and towns, at any rate. Tharingia is home to the Order of the Tharingian Knights, a group of crusading knights charged with protecting the Imperial Church from the dangers of the pagan east. They have their headquarters here in what is effectively a heavily fortified town, the Castle of the Black Bear, named for the highly aggressive black bears of the Tharingian Forest. The Faith holds sway in the urban areas, but deep in the heartlands of the Forest the Old Ways are still practised, and the Elder Gods still worshipped.

The Lands of Orbis - outside the Empire

Saljukis/ Sultanate of Saljukis

The Saljukis were a race of steppe warriors who overran the kingdoms of Anatoluwa, and Oriens some three hundred years ago, forming the Sultanate of Saljukis, making their capital at Toquz Oghuz. They follow a different religion to the Empire, though both are monotheistic in nature. Recently, the last of the Saljukis' Qizil dynasty, Sultan Junaid al din Qizil, died childless in battle with the Empire, leaving a power vacuum. Two factions have arisen to struggle for the throne of the Sultanate, the Amir of Anatoluwa, and the Caliph of Oriens. The Amir, Sanjar al din Ahmad leads the 'Black Sheep' faction, and the Caliph, Shapir ibn Ayyab, leads the 'White Sheep'. The Amir claims to be the descendant of Kalas, the Undoubted One, the Son of Heaven and the Amir claims he is a divine ruler, sanctioned by God. However, the White Sheep claim that the Undoubted One was a spiritual leader, the Holy Messenger of God, and whose Word should be counted 'As the Word of the Most High', but who was nevertheless just a man, a vessel for God's Will. Therefore the throne should be left to the rightful kings of the Saljukis - in this case, the Kaliph Shapir. People being people, this makes the civil war a particularly vicious one. The god of the Saljukis is not the same as the One God of the Empire, though both religions are said to have arisen in the 'Four Cities of Antiquity'.

Anatoluwa is composed of the old lands of Asiana and Pontos. Oriens is made up the provinces of Fanicia, Abbasid and Sassania. Fanicia is also home to the 'Tetrapolis 'the Four Cities of Antiquity ' (being Ekron, Achdod, Askulon, and Gith) where the Faith of the One God was said to be born.

Lost City of Uzermaatre

Legend speaks of the Ruined City of Uzermaatre (meaning the Truthful Way of the Sun God), deep in the Abbasid desert, said to be the remains of a once great empire of wisdom and knowledge, long since lost. Many have sought the Great Library of Uzermaatre. In it’s Halls of Wisdom are said to be stored ancient texts on lost civilizations, philosophy, medicine and crafts from ancient times to the modern day.

Magiaria

Nomadic horse archers ruled by Karchas, King of the Seven Tribes. This nomadic aristocracy of horse archers often raid into the Empire. Magiars have a reputation for savagery, called 'the Ravagers' by the people of the empire. The parlous state of the empire has allowed the Magiars to overrun most of Akaia with impunity.

Agyptus

Ruled by Qatuz Shah, leader of the Zarads. A Zarad (meaning literally a mail shirt) is a slave warrior. This slave army rebelled recently against the old Umaid Caliphs, driving them westwards into Berbaria. The Zarad are now an hereditary warrior caste. Their capital is Quyro. Qatuz Shah is currently massing the Zarad to invade Berbaria. He also claims Fanicia as an Agyptan province, on the grounds that it was so once. That was a thousand years ago, but, hey, whose counting….

The Zarad are highly trained, resolute and hardy, brought up from birth in the ways of war. They follow the Furusiya (a tactical system of warfare using the lance and the bow), and the Futuwa (a chivalric military code of ethics). The Zarad have never been defeated in war… yet.

Ibericus

Ibericus is an independent kingdom, currently at war with the Umaid Kaliphate of Andalos.

King Vivar of Ibericus has appealed to the Empire for help. Karlem Agnus was partial to the idea, but the Empire is overstretched, mainly due to the Patriarch's power mongering. This makes Icthyus unpopular in some circles, but even he would like to aid Ibericus if he could find a way to do it without sending in the Scara.

Andalos

Mansour al Abu'l is the Kaliph of the Umaids, ruling over Andalos and Berbaria. Since the Umaids have been decisively driven out of Agyptus by the seemingly undefeatable army of the Zarads, the Caliph is attempting to expand the Umaid Kaliphate at the expense of the kingdom of Ibericus, to the north, in an attempt to restore the Umaid to its former glory. Only then would he have the resources to contemplate retaking Agyptus. The war with Ibericus has ground itself into a stalemate.

Berbaria

Ruled by the Umaids. Berbaria is hot and dry, save for the fertile coastal strip. It breeds a race of hardy desert warriors, formidable in battle, but few in number.

Caledon

The inhabitants of the wild heath lands and craggy mountain forts of Caledon are loosely organised into kinship Clans with no overall ruler. Fiercely independent, these savage barbarian warriors have resisted all attempts by the outside world to conquer or convert them. They spend most of their time fighting amongst themselves, or raiding Angland to the south, or hiring themselves out as bands of barbarian warriors to the highest bidder. Some Caledon Warrior-bands have been known to reach as far as Toqhuz-Oghuz in the east, where they were employed as bodyguards to the Sultan.

Angland

About 800 years ago, Angland was inhabited by many small pagan nations, ruled by chieftains. They would get together at the Festival of the Greening of the Land, in springtime, and in times of trouble the chieftains would hold a 'Gathering of the Lords' and elect a High King, usually for a year only, to lead them in battle. Constant raids and incursions by Northlanders, Caledons, Losatians, Outlanders and anyone else who fancied some plunder, continually weakened these independent tribes, until they were forced to unite under a High King elected for life, one Coel the Old, chosen for his experience in the ways of war, to guard against increasing raids from the mainland, but this unification came all too late. A full scale invasion by an alliance of Northlanders and Losatians, led by the Losatian Angar Brothers, Svein and Svort, ensued, and Old King Coel's army was routed at the Battle of Malidon Hill. Coel himself died soon after, apparently choking on one of his own teeth. The Angar brothers proceeded to ruthlessly suppress the local population, setting up a new kingdom - Angland. Eventually, Svein murdered Svort, by drowning him in a vat of oatmeal porridge, at a winter feast, and proclaimed himself High King of Angland. He ruled over the Barons he had created from the more powerful of his Northlander and Losatian followers, but in the years to come, the Angar dynasty of High Kings began to wane, as the Barons began to gather more and more power to themselves. About 350 years ago, Gallicus was annexed by the Empire, and St Celestine came over to preach the 52 Epistles (the Sacred Scriptures of the One God) to the Anglanders. The High King at the time, who was later proclaimed a saint, Eolfric, adopted the new faith, and eventually all of Angland embraced the Faith, though it has resolutely resisted becoming part of the Empire. Some 50 years ago, the High King died without an heir, leaving Angland a divided place with various Barons vying for the kingship. Some of these so-called barons are little more than jumped up bandit chiefs. Currently, there is no High King, though Ragnar the Ruthless, Baron of Jarlsfjord, is the most likely candidate at this juncture.

The Freemen of Angland (tenant farmers) are bound by an ancient law to practice with the longbow (made from a tree found only in Angland, the yew) from the age of 6. Consequently, the Freemen of Angland are much sought after as Longbowmen, and serve in several Companies of mercenaries, the most well known being the White Company of Sir John Ravenswood.

Griffyd

After the invasion of the Angar Brothers, many refugees fled to Griffyd, particularly the Druyd priests of the Old Religion who were persecuted mercilessly by the new conquerors. These mysterious pagan mystics are said to lead the people of Griffyd in the ancient ways of their forefathers, venerating the spirits of nature. Many a Missionary of the One God has been martyred in this strange land, unable to deal with the powers of the druyds. The Empire holds these pagan priest-kings to be demon worshippers, blasphemers and evil magicians, who have wilfully turned against the One God, but the people of Griffyd pretty much keep to themselves, so it is hard for any Patriarchs to muster support for a Pious War against them. In any case, the terrain is so difficult; most commanders would balk at the idea of invading it.

Nordmark

Nordmark is the name given to an area of northern Orbis encompassing Tharingia (part of the empire), Losatia and Bohemundia. A long time ago, many Northlanders from the Isle of Skane migrated south to this part of the world, and settled here, naming it Nordmark.

Kingdom of Losatia

Losatia is ruled by Queen Ruthenia, now into the 36^th year of her reign, making her one of the most long-lived rulers in Orbis. Property in Losatia is inherited through the matrilineal line, since ancient times, and the free women of Losatia own most of the farmsteads. Thus women in Losatia have a much greater say in the running of things, relative to most other places in Orbis. The Losatians also follow a different version of the Faith of the One God, called the 'Losatian Heresy' by the Imperial Church, and the Madalenian Church by the Losatians, after Madalena the Holy Sybil. Once a nun in the Imperial Church, she attacked the venal and worldly ways of the Imperial Patriarchy, particularly the notion that only men could attain positions of power in the church, and that the idea of a Matriarch was somehow anathema in the eyes of the Imperial Church. Later, the Losatian church split from the imperial church, and went its own way. Known as St Madalena the Pious in Losatia, she is called the 'Succubus that sits at the feet of the Evil One' by the Imperial Church, and condemned as a heretic. Whilst the Imperial church would like to see a Pious war to conquer Losatia, and stamp out the Losatian Heresy, the political will for such a move is not really there. Losatia has strong links with Bohemundia, and a war against Losatia would mean a war against Bohemundia as well. Also, the Empire does a lot of trade with both kingdoms, making the Merchant's Guild strong opponents of such a war.

Bohemundia

An independent nation in Nordmark. Bohemundia is made up of confederation of cities, called the Bohemic League, ruled by the Margrave of Bohemundia, Martin the Fat. The Margrave is elected by a 'Parliament of Electors', taken from all the cities, and serves for life. The Bohemic League is made up of several free cities, whose main interest is in trade. The Electors are always the Guild masters of each city’s merchant guild. Bohemundia is famous for its citizen’s militia of stout Pikemen. Some of these Pikemen have formed mercenary companies for hire.

Ryetia (in Empire)

This province is mostly covered by the Somnus Forest. In past times the people of Ryetia lived a wild life, close to nature, in tree house villages scattered throughout the forest. But their religion offended the zealots of the Empire, and they were savagely persecuted by Imperial troops until they swore allegiance to the Empire and its faith. Today, there are small pockets of the old priesthood, still practising the old ways, hidden in the depths of the forest. But it is a dangerous existence, for they risk being burnt at the stake for heresy if discovered.

Dacianus

This richly forested land is the home to several warrior tribes, united under the rulership of King Ebalus. They fight with a long pole arms tipped with a huge scythe, called the Falx, a weapon that inflicts terrible wounds. However, it requires a lot of space to wield properly, so the Dacianians tend to fight in loose, open order warrior bands, limiting their effectiveness. Kolvas the Great fought a long and hard campaign to ‘pacify’ Dacianus successfully, and it paid taxes and tribute to the Empire for about thirty years.

Then the Imperial Church decided to send missionaries into Dacianus, led by a priest called Bristo, known for his piety and unwavering faith, later known as St Bristo. St Bristo had some initial success, converting an entire town to the One God. Unfortunately, unbeknownst to him, St Bristo had contracted some form of virulent leprosy before his mission started. Suddenly he was struck down, infecting many of the townsfolk in the process. This hideous plague (called the ‘stinking limbdrop’ by locals) then swept across Dacianus, decimating the population. The local rulers took this as an omen, and led the people in a revolt against the Empire and its religion. After Kolvas’ death, the Empire had suffered a period of internal instability, and was unable to do anything about the revolt, effectively giving up Dacianus for good. Eventually all followers of the One God were savagely persecuted, and Dacianus completely reverted to paganism. Now they worship a creator goddess, Julia the Huntress, a goddess of nature, red in tooth and claw.

As for St Bristo, he actually recovered from the leprous plague, (though his entire left arm had to be amputated) and after many adventures made it back into the Empire. He was summoned before the Patriarch Moletus to make an account of himself. As he travelled to Telamagna he stopped at a wayside pool to bathe. Unbeknownst to him, the pool was close to a local cesspit, and he contracted some form of botulism from the polluted waters, something the people knew of as the ‘pop-eyed death’. On his arrival at the Sacred Palace , he infected the Patriarch and most of his Cardinals, all of whom died horribly, raving like madmen, blind, their bodies bloated and putrescent. Bristo himself actually survived, though the disease left him blotched and disfigured.

Bristo was sent to a remote monastery, to end his days in peaceful contemplation, but suffered a relapse of both the leprosy and the botulism, which spread to those around him, wiping out all the monks to a man. Alone, and driven mad by disease, he lived a hermit like existence in the empty monastery, to which none dared travel. Eventually, he pricked his thumb on a rose thorn, and died within a matter of days, of what we now know to be clostridial gangrene.

It transpired that the Abbot of the monastery had been embezzling funds, with the monks knowledge, and in later years, the Patriarch Moletus, whose tenure was also marked by corruption and debauchery, was condemned for heresy and evil works, and his name expunged from the list of Holy Patriarchs. Bristo was seen as an instrument of the One God’s wrath, bringing disease and death to unbelievers and heretics, and was made a Saint. He left behind him a Holy Relic, the Blood of Bristo. Kept in a vial, his congealed blood is seen to miraculously liquefy, as if freshly shed, every year, at the Feast of St Bristo and is said to cause disease amongst the unholy and the corrupt.

Rusland

Rusland is a large sprawling territory, home to many nations, and is the last so-called ‘civilized’ land before you get to the Great Steppes. The most famous of these tribal nations are the Skythos, a nation of sun-worshipping warrior women. They are ruled with an iron hand by Marjoria, War Queen of the Dawn, nicknamed ‘Red knees’, after her favourite method of despatching her enemies – she has a preference for wearing spiked knee guards, and often uses them in battle. These knee guards get covered in blood, hence the name ‘Red Knees’. War Queen Marjoria is famed both for her beauty, and her vicious brutality!

Vallakia

Vallakia is ruled by ‘Boyars’, powerful warrior nobles, who govern the land through the Council of Warlords. Each Boyar has a Sorceror-Priest by his side, as an advisor. It is a land rich in pagan ritual and magic. Some say these Sorceror-Priests can raise the dead to serve as Undead Warriors, which is why Vallakia has never been conquered.

The Great Steppes

Known to the west as 'The Land Abandoned by God', these seemingly endless steppes are uncharted by the scholars and geographers of the Empire, and thought to be inhabited by hordes of child eating cannibals, demons and other foul beasts. In the past, the Supreme Patriarch Demosis II called for a Pious War to bring the Faith of the One God to the Steppes. A Sacred Order of Knights, the Tharingian Knights was established to lead this Crusade and a vast army of knights and Warrior Pilgrims set off into the hinterlands of the Steppes. Unfortunately, they were never seen or heard of again, and were simply swallowed up in the Abandoned Lands. The Sacred Order of Tharingian Knights still survives, however, but is concerned mostly with the defence of Ostmark and Nordmark from the incursions of raiders from the Steppes.

Recently, rumours have reached the Empire of a dreadful new war leader of the steppes called Krum the World Burner. It is said his merciless armies of armoured, mounted bowmen have devastated parts of Kathay, razing entire cities to the ground, and either killing every living thing in the city, or carrying off its entire population into slavery. Should he ever arrive, many things would change.

The Isles of the Northlanders

Various groupings of sea-going barbarian raiders live in a loose confederation of tribes. With the current weakening of Imperial power, their raids are becoming more frequent and daring. A new barbarian Queen, Arnulfia the Helm-Cleaver, has risen to power, uniting many of the tribes under a loose, almost democratic system of kingship. This poses a severe threat to the outlying provinces of the Empire as the Northlanders live to raid and pillage. The Island of Skane is the main island in the group, where the High Queen has her throne, and where the Northlanders meet every 3 months, at the Warrior’s Moot, to discuss matters of policy, conduct trials, and carry on the business of governing a loose confederation of independent families, tribes and grouping. The Proving Grounds, where men and women are initiated into the warrior clans of the northlanders is a large Arena where disputes are settled between individuals, and even small armies! The culture of the Northlanders is characterized by special societies dedicated to warfare, with their own, strange warrior code. Their greatest goal is to bring plunder and booty home from abroad, so outsiders are seen as simply cattle to steal and kill, but amongst themselves strict codes of honour, vendetta, blood vengeance and duels to the death in the Proving Grounds govern their lives. The Proving Grounds are where the young are initiated into adulthood, where trials by combat (the most common way of resolving a legal dispute!) and duels of honour are fought. The Isles are made up of several Islands – Torgar, Hrafniston, Skane, Tryggvason, and Kelnis. Chief Olaf of Tryggvason has recently converted to the Faith of the One God, and is trying to convert the rest of the Northlanders (by the sword, of course).

The Outlands

Beyond the Isles of the Northlanders are the Outlands, an almost mythical place who some say does not even exist at all. Only in the writings of one ancient scholar, Strybo of Telamagna (known as 'the Honoured Wiseman'), do the Outlands appear and only then as a passing reference said to come from the lips of a captive Northlander, who all good men and true followers of the One God know are inveterate liars and cheats.

'Kathay'

Kathay is the generic name the scholars of the Empire give to the vast, unknown lands to the east of the Saljukis Sultanate. Only two kingdoms are recorded, Shung and Koryo, information gleaned from Saljukis merchants, though many others are thought to exist.

Shung

The Shung Emperor is known as the 'Emperor of the Eleven Kingdoms, and Revered Holder of the Mandate of Heaven', amongst other, more obscure titles. He has his capital at Kaotzu. His troops are called 'The Ever Victorious Six armies of Shung'. That is all that is known of the enigmatic and mysterious Shung Empire.

Koryo

Somewhere in Kathay. 'Two Guards and Five Battalions' is the name of their army. It is composed of the Dragon Lion Guards, and Soaring Hawk Guards who are the royal bodyguard. Then there's the Battalion of Left and Right (light cavalry), the Holy Lion Battalion (unknown), the Thousand Bull Battalion (Heavy Cavalry), the Far Striking Battalion (archers) and the Capital Guard Battalion. (Presumably elite troops of some kind). Nothing is known of their rulers, but Saljukis merchants say the Koryo 'Province of the Nine Forts' is not far to the east of Oriens.

Some Events in the History of the Empire

The Miracle of St Simmakus the Devout

Simmakus was Patriarch during some of the darkest days of the Empire. A plague had devastated the Empire in the north, and over a third of the population died, leaving the Scara dangerously understrength. A Vallakian Prince or 'Voivode', Gyseric the Cruel, had overrun most of Ostmark, and led a vast army into the Empire, burning and pillaging as he went. The Protector Avitus led the Scara against him but was utterly crushed at the Battle of the Old Keep, suffering enormous casualties. Avitus and his bodyguard fought on to the last man, Avitus cutting his own throat rather than let himself be taken alive. There was now nothing to stop Gyseric from marching on Telamagna.

Simmakus' advisors begged him to flee the city, but the Patriarch set off alone to meet Gyseric face to face. Amazed by this display of courage, the Vallakians allowed Simmakus to meet with Gyseric in his tent. No one really knows what was said, but after this Gyseric actually turned back and went home. Later, missionaries of the Innocent Friars arrived in Vallakia to preach the 52 Epistles to Gyseric's people. It is true that these Friars brought with them a vast sum of gold, but, nevertheless, these events were widely held to be a miracle and, after his death, Simmakus was sainted. Vallakia, though outside the Empire, is still a devout land whose people follow the True Way of the One God.

The Story of the Patriarch, Gregor IV, and the Protector, Theoderic the Very Bald

After founding the Brotherhood of Inquisitors, later in his reign, the Supreme Patriarch Gregor IV was having trouble with the highly ambitious Protector, Theoderic the Very Bald, who sought to crush the power of the Patriarchy, and take absolute control of the empire, installing a puppet patriarch at his beck and call. So bold was his plan, that the Patriarch, whose bodyguards were paid off with massive bribes, was shamelessly attacked and beaten up in the street by officers of the Scara. Amazingly, Gregor managed to break free, and fled to the nearby Imperial Stables but, unfortunately, this was also the place from which the conspirators had planned their ambush, and one of them had remained behind there. He gave the alarm, and Gregor was set upon once more, his attackers bent on gouging out his eyes, and cutting out his tongue, an act planned to cow the Cardinals into electing a compliant Patriarch. Only the intervention of the Imperial Stable Master, who had returned by chance to nurse a sick stallion, saved the life of the Patriarch. He and several stable boys recognized the assailants, naming them individually. In fear for the consequences of their actions, they lost their nerve, and fled. But Telamagna was no longer safe for the Patriarch, and he left the city for the protection of the Fortress of Faith, the massive, mighty castle that is the headquarters of the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre. Once safely out of the city, he fought back by calling a Conclave of the Cardinals, under the auspices of the Inquisitors to accuse the Protector of heresy and 'Treason against God'. This was substantiated, though the protector was not present, as he was leading an expedition to punish the Valakians, who had recently plundered the city of Mordonis, in Illryicus. The protector was declared an Apostate, and ejected from the Imperial Church of the One God. At about the same time, conveniently enabling the Patriarch to hail it as divine justice, the Protector was roundly defeated in battle, suffering considerable losses. After these events, support in the capital for the Protector withered away, and the Patriarch was able to return, more powerful than before. As for Theodoric the Very Bald, he fled the Empire and sought asylum with the King of Kings in Oriens, (this was in the days when Oriens was an independent kingdom). Theodoric was eventually handed over to the Empire in return for certain trading concessions and summarily tried and burnt at the stake, his bald pate apparently blistering like overheated paint in the flames. New laws were passed, and approved by the Senate - from that day to this; the Protector has to be crowned by the Supreme Patriarch as Holy Protector, for his claim to have any legitimacy.

The Structure of the Empire of the One God in Detail

The Senate

The Empire consists of several Grand Duchies, or 'Dioceses'. Each Grand Duchy is further divided into Earldoms. Each Earldom, if large enough, is made up of a number of Baronies. The Senate, which convenes in Telamagna twice a year, is composed of the Grand Dukes, Earls and Barons of the Empire, and is vaguely democratic. Each Baron has one vote. Each Earl has as many votes as there are Barons in his Earldom, and each Grand Duke has as many votes as all the Earls in his Diocese. Senatorial votes are conducted in strict rotation, until a majority decision is reached - all the Grand Dukes, then all the Earls, and then the Barons. Often this leads to a situation where the Barons don't even get a chance to cast a vote at all! Legal initiatives introduced by the Protector or the Patriarch must be 'rubber-stamped' by the Senate, as does the appointment of a new Protector. The Senate is responsible for choosing the Holy Protector, but the appointment of the Patriarch is made by the Great Cardinals of the Quaestoria. Senatorial rank is an hereditary post. Vacant Senatorial posts (for whatever reason, but usually due to a line dying out) are filled by decree of the Patriarch and the Protector. Recently, there have been quite a few new families lifted to Senatorial rank, due to the 'dismantling' of several ancient lineages by the new Patriarch. Some Barons, and even an Earl or two, have been accused of treason or heresy, and their entire families expunged, and replaced with henchmen of the Patriarch's choosing. There are certain Grand Dukes the Patriarch would also like to move against as well, but his power is not yet great enough to pull this off.

The Assembly of the Tribunes

Originally, Tribunes were elected by the Guildmasters of all the major cities, and served to represent the interests of the common people. The Assembly has the power to block certain Senatorial laws and ratifications. However, since the Reforms of the Patriarch Odo the Sacrosanct (who died in mysterious circumstances, when a ceiling fell on him) some 250 years ago, Tribunes are appointed by the Grand Dukes, with a stipend paid by the Quaestoria, thus effectively neutralising their influence. Since the Supreme Patriarch, Icthyus Granitas, came to power, there has been a purge of the Tribunes - accusations of treason, heresy and 'crimes against God', have led to arrests, exiles, excommunications and executions. Those Tribunes who still refuse to co-operate with the new 'regime' can find that the Quaestoria has withheld their pay(see below). Continued non-cooperation can lead to political blackmail and then accusations of treason, or heresy, and, worst of all, a summons to appear before a Tribunal of the Brotherhood of Inquisitors (see below).

The Scara Praetorium

The Scara is the standing army of the Empire, a relatively small core of professional armoured cavalrymen, or Imperial Knights. These 'stipendiary knights' are full-time soldiers, paid by the Praetorium Treasury. However, it's officers and elite bodyguard units are drawn from the sons of the aristocracy, who are expected to support themselves, (and would take great offence to being called a 'stipendiary knight!) whilst it's rank and file are chosen by travelling Praetors, who are always on the look out for suitable candidates from the 'common folk'. There are also a range of support services, including an Imperial Siege Train, the Imperial Infantry, and the Priests Milites (or military priests, who administer to the spiritual needs of the army). Directly under the Holy Protector are the Master of Horse, the Master of Foot, the Master of Machines, and so on, all of whom must be of noble rank.

The Scara Praetorium is the administrative body of the armed forces. There are permanent 'Protectores' and 'Praetors' who function as a kind of 'General Staff' in charge of training and logistics. In times of war, they are responsible for raising more troops from the Dioceses and Earldoms of the Empire, using a levy process called the Commission of Array. This usually entails telling a Grand Duke what size of army he should be bringing to the 'party'. The Grand Duke would then appoint his own 'Ducal Legate(s)' who would do the same with his own Earls and Barons. Some Grand Dukes maintain permanent Ducal Legates (as well as permanent standing armies of Diocesan troops….) The Scara Praetorium and the Scara itself are entirely under the control of the Holy Protector. The Scara Praetorium also has the power to levy a 'Scutage Tax' (a payment in lieu of military service) and a Tallage Tax (a tax for the repair and maintenance for fortifications) once a year from all the Grand Dukes (who in turn are expected to pass the tax on downward, as it were). To increase, or levy these Taxes more than once a year, requires the ratification of the Senate and the Assembly.

The Holy Protector also personally owns a few fiefs scattered around the Empire at strategic locations that provide him with a substantial personal income from tenant farmers and suchlike. Some of these border fiefs contain powerful castles from which a Protector can plan military operations, and garrison his armies.

The Quaestoria

This is the administrative and judicial arm of the Imperial Church of the One God, and of the finances and general non-military administration of the Empire. The Quaestoria is made up the Great Cardinals, who are appointed by the Patriarch. The Patriarch is the head of the Quaestoria. Each 'Diocese' or 'Grand Duchy' has a Great Cardinal, who serves as the spiritual counterpoint to the Grand Duke. Each Earldom has a Bishop who answers to his Cardinal, and each Barony various Priests and Deacons and so on. There are also Quaestors, appointed by the Imperial Church, but sent to serve under the Dukes, Earls and Barons as trained administrators, tax collectors and judges. Men drawn from the College of Secretaries as Scribes and Advocates also serve these Quaestors. There are different types of Quaestors: Procurators of Sacred Largesse are seconded to Grand Dukes, to administer the Dioceses in his name, and to collect taxes, and Quaestor Provincae are seconded to Earls. The Quaestor Magistrates travel around the Empire as judges, dispensing justice. Their entourage include Lictors, trained by the Guild of Torturers, who are the only people licensed to perform executions if required. These 'legal caravans' are often accompanied by members of the Brotherhood of Inquisitors, always vigilant for heresy, demonology or witchcraft, armed with legal tomes like 'the Denial of All the Heresies, written by the Patriarch Alexandros II (called ‘the Zealot’), and the 'Index of Proscribed Texts'. Accompanied by their own Sacred Lictors, who are more skilled at burning people alive, and the 'Exorcism by Torment' then with axework, the Inquisitors are greatly feared!

Currently, the Supreme Patriarch Icthyus has managed to subordinate the Quaestoria to his will to such an extent that people are already comparing him to the Patriarch Lukius, (nicknamed the Iron Priest, because of his habit of wearing full armour nearly every he went, even when performing the Holy Litanies! The Iron Priest had ruled like a tyrant, without the aid of a Protector, 600 years ago, during a particularly troubled time in the history of the Empire. Eventually, he died of six wounds, incurred whilst personally leading an assault against the Citadel of the Protector, trying to put down a revolt in Telamagna.)

Today, the Holy Protector, Karlem Agnus, seems strangely quiet. Before Icthyus came to power, he had been victorious in several battles against Magiar raiders, and had driven a Saljukis army to the very gates of Toqhuz Oghuz itself, after winning a decisive victory in which his enemy, the Sultan Junaid, was killed. After concluding a favourable peace treaty for the Empire, he had returned to Telamagna in triumph. Though still in his prime, since the coming to power of the new Patriarch, he rarely ventures from his Palace, and is rumoured to have given himself up to 'pleasures of the flesh', and slavishly endorses the new regime of Icthyus.