Epherian Empire

The Grand Empire of Epheria, commonly referred to as the Epherian Empire or simply the Eastern Empire, was a magically advanced, expansionist state originating from the isle of Epherium. The Empire emerged from the Emirate of Epherium, an insignificant successor state of the Empire of Ibbathis. It was founded in 6A 478 by a military coup, which abolished the monarchy and installed the reclusive mages of the Sorkaud Dynasty as absolutist Emperors. For the next century, the workings of the Empire remained shrouded in mystery, only whispers of their untold magical prowess reaching the Western Nations as the Epherians slowly expanded onto the mainland, conquering numerous tribes and minor nations in the far East. Everything changed in the late 500s of the 6th Age, when the Empire suddenly began expanding aggressively. It quickly overran the declining Acthen Empire and invaded Ibbathis itself, destroying the last traces of the ancient Eastern Empire’s glory. Over the span of the ensuing century, the Epherians waged an unstoppable war of conquest against any and all states they encountered, the black-clad armies of the Emperor sweeping across the breadth of Eastern Adovias. The Western Nations finally began to truly fear the mystery-shrouded Empire when it invaded Midaria, accomplishing what Ibbathis had failed to for centuries within the span of years and toppling the bulwark of the West. The collapse of Midaria flung open the doorway to the Anderian heartlands, and protracted Epherian campaigns began against the Principality of Eaddovar, the Sultanate of Bagram, and the Medathan City-States. By 6A 715, Epheria was at war with the last opponent to its rule of the Near East, the Kingdom of Iadria. Despite valiant Iadrian resistance and staggering casualties on both sides, the protracted war for both Iadria and Epheria's religious Holy Land of Leogoth ended in yet another victory for the Empire. King Geoff III signed the Okeqar Treaty in 721, ceding the founding territory of Iadria and purported site of Edos' divine rule to the Sorkaud Empire. Iadria's armies were not fully beaten, but it lay a humiliated, defeated and weakened power unable to contend with the vast Eastern Empire. Satisfied with the Holy Land's return to the fold and near-full victory in the West, Epheria turned its hungry eyes south towards old Aldera. As Iadria descended into chaos with the outbreak of the Navinian Rebellion, the armies of Epherium marched towards Rodoth and eastern Aldera’s frontier, while the Imperial navy sailed from Medatha and the gulf of Ibbathis with the demise of the final Great Empire in sight.