History: The Empire began when the Kingdom of Avonlea, under the reign of Alexander Avon, brought the two nearest nations under their banner. The nation of Bismark was conquered in a war, their king made to surrender; and the nation of Filleh, in a time of economic distress, made themselves a vassal and were slowly integrated during Alexander’s rule.

To everyone’s great surprise, King Bismark was not executed. To even greater surprise, Alexander Avon declared that Bismark’s heir would marry his youngest daughter and become the heir of the Empire. A year after the two were wed, Alexander passed away. Thus the second Emperor, Elias Bismark Avon, was crowned, with Leah Avon at his side.

Elias reigned for forty years. He did not expand the Empire’s borders as his father-in-law had; rather, he sought increased trade opportunities with their neighbors. His eldest son founded the merchant company that became Pegasus Shipping, the economic backbone of the Empire. His first daughter established the Evangian Imperial Academy of Magi as the premier school of magic amongst all the nations east of the Spine Mountains. Two of his sons entered military service, though in the peaceful reign of their father they saw no war and safely raised families of their own. His daughters all married into other important families, throughout Avonlea, Bismark, and Filleh. And finally, Elias appointed his youngest son, Frederick, as his heir.

Frederick Avon married the daughter of his father’s Chief Advisor, descendant of the former ruler of the nation of Filleh, Maria Filleh. She was twice his age when they wed, thirty to his sixteen, but every citizen knows how much the young lord cared for his wife. They had three children before his father passed away, leaving Frederick to become Emperor at the age of twenty-four. Nearly as soon as he began to reign, tragedy swept the nation in the form of a plague. Healers couldn’t cure it; and it claimed Maria’s life, as well as their eldest son’s.

Frederick mourned; but the Empire needed an Empress. The daughter of Duke Bismuth was presented to him, and he took her as his new wife–to his mother’s disapproval, though she was never public about it. The new Empress was ambitious, quickly assuming her official duties but quick to neglect caring for her step-children. Even more so after she bore the Emperor children of her own.

Geography: The Empire of Evangea sits on the east coast of the continent. Sailing north brings one to the Republic of Artica, a collection of city-states that united under a single banner in response to Alexander’s conquering of Bismark. To the south, beyond the Green Barony, is the country of Kranzen, a professed meritocracy ruled by sorcerers. There is some tension there, only partly eased by the trade deals Emperor Elias established before his passing.

West lies the Skaadi Plains, an uncivilized land populated by roaming tribes of spirit-worshippers. Alexander declared he would never attempt to gain control of the plains; and speculation about whether that was in respect for the nomads there, or for the headache trying to tame the wildlands would be, continues even now. Beyond the Skaadi Plains are the Spine Mountains, a nigh-impassible range that causes sorcerers’ magic to fizzle, spark, and malfunction. No expedition to cross it has returned to report either what is in the mountains, or what may lie beyond. Ships are unable to sail around as the straits beneath Kranzen are too treacherous, and the waters north of Artica are frozen over most of the year. Popular superstition holds that it’s simply the edge of the world, and those attempting to reach the other side succeeded only to fall off into the void.

Pantheon: The king of the gods, Kai-El, holds domain over Divination. His wife, Mai-Ah, governs Abjuration. Their eldest son, Strai-El, is Lord of Evocation. Mai-Ah’s sister, Callah, is Lady of Enchantment. Kai-El’s brother, Dai-Adam, is Lord of the Underworld and protector of Necromancy (a school he jealously guards, refusing to permit mortals access to his power). The Wanderer, Hoyt (gender unspecified), governs Illusions; and his pet Dezzin (portrayed as various animals, or even several animals rolled together) is responsible for Transmutation. And Lady Fae holds charge of Conjuration.

Lesser gods are also worshiped, like Callah’s daughter Calliope, Lady of Babies, Home, and Family. They don’t have official temples or clergy, though. Just shrines built in homes or beside roads.