Flagg

Heirs of the Dark Lord

Just posting my not finished app here so I can get a spot on the map. Sorry about the less than desirable map coloring. Had to use paint.

Akagi Khanate (WIP/Placeholder)

Faction Name: Akagi Khanate
Alias: Sea Lords, the Saltborn, Raiders of the Twin Isles, Sea Wretches.

Government Type: Khanate
The Akagi khanate, as the name already implies, is a chiefdom ruled by the Khan, a vicious warlord that strong armed the various pirates clans under his domain.

At the head of the Khanate is the Khan himself. Below him are the different pirate clans that have sworn fealty to him or were forced to. The chieftains of this clans provide a portion of their taxes to the Khan and in return, the Khan offers them protection from external threats and internal conflicts. Under the chieftains are captain. Individual who own, maintain and command their own vessels of war. Usually the captains are closely related to the chieftains of each clan. Each spoils from every raid are taxed by the chieftains, usually a fraction of all the total loot being taken.

Faction Specie(s): Most of the chiefs under the Khan are Human however the khanate itself is diverse. A myriad of races dwell in the isles. From the most numerous inhabitants that are the Humans to the hardeir folk of the Beastmen. Orcs are also known to inhabit the Khanate. Most captured in battle or have ran away from their kin looking for a more prodigal lifestyle.
Territory Details:
*Area in Grey.
Faction Religion/Ideology: There had never been a mandated religion in the Khanate. Neither had there been with the different marauder clans before the rise of the Khan. Each individual is free to worship whichever Deity they see fit.
Faction Description:
Faction History:
Important Characters:
Relations to other Factions:

@Aquamarine

Will need a bit more detail before I can approve. One note- I had conceived of Ozgad's folly as a neutral pirate city. Could easily be informally part of your Empire. Likewise, our factions' seem to have certain parallels, except that mine is governed by vampires. All to the good! look forward to seeing more.

EDIT: also, would you mind adding your territory claim to a version of the map w/o that huge orange blob at the bottom? I'm not sure whose claim that is, but it's not approved. Your territory claim (and the other claims on that map) is fine.

Oi. Throwing my hat in the ring again, wanted to do a proto-application spiel before committing to filling out a proper sheet. Nail down approved directions to take things in. Bulk of text after the hider. Captain'll be around sooner or later to jaw on his thing.

bulk

The very basic genesis was for a Sauron/Morgoth type (depending on what overall relation Daigon had to his devils, that of a conquering Solomon type or a subordinate Faust type) who'd survived the fall of Nagath to preserve a functional and Justinian expedition-resilient state(let). Inspirations of character beside the prior referenced mold include the Buddhist fierce deities and the Dharmapala, the Asuras, Dagoth Ur, Emperor Ganishka, maybe a dash of Gilgamesh, and my vague impression of Lucifer from Paradise Lost, himself referenced in the OP. His origin is intentionally hazy in my mind, seeing that demons are anyways not as yet defined; he may have been a demon always, a man transmuted, a spirit otherwise, or whatever else, though I have my preferences; all depends on which are approved as options. A multiple-choice backstory communicated and obfuscated in parables is something that crept into my mind and will be adhered to regardless.

The state itself is a somewhat more absolutist mirror of Justinian's empire, constructed specifically in opposition to it or at least my hypothetical image of it; but likewise the personal construction of its king, a great and rigid structure, occasionally turned to clay as he sees fit. Architectural and partial cultural inspiration is Indo-Asian; a stratocracy built around the active sovereign with magisters as instruments rather than rulers by absence albeit adventurously inclined, countering Justinian's white-black feudal serfdom with black-white castes within castes, with ascension in the ladder being a matter of upper-end whim or an excess of merit, often both in combination; some barriers are untraversible, keeping to the meaning of caste as 'color.' A court of devils rides high, with men generally in the middle, and the unfortunately savage races lying at the foot of the ladder, while civilized demihumans such as Nexerus' Tshriv & familiar spirit-alike races being interspersed varyingly between. Levies, mercenaries and knighthood are contrasted by semi-professional state formations and citizen-soldiers-by-birth in the Kshatriya mold, though tribal reivers and irregulars blur the line of distinction further. The greater mundane military distinction- the remaining court devils that stretch high the limits of low fantasy power being few- than a slightly higher qualitative average or willingness to asymmetric maneuver warfare would be the use of jezails, well-trailed field guns in Mughal styling, and Mysorean/Congreve rockets. Distant reverence of the unseen god-king and direct cult worship is traded for a closer, comradely hero-worship in person and cults of aspects, incarnations, multiple faces of a many-shaped god. Pogroms and burnings are exchanged for semi-voluntary, obligatory sacrifice, for both ritual and practical purposes. The differences between the states' construction and the half-transcendent personalities involved are all intentionally fine-blurred. 'When fighting monsters,' so on.

Motivation was always quite a bit clearer than the rest; the devil-king of the Indo-state wishes to fulfill Daigon's dream in full, in dedication to his memory. Emphasis on 'memory.' The appearance of gorgenmast's Arkhagon took some of the wind out of my sails, since two Saurons would be a bit crowding. But after a bit of further thinking, Arkhagon's appearance only allowed me to further clarify where I wanted to go with the concept. Arkhagon, defined by longing, the high ideal of comradeship, and veneration thereby, refused sputtering military adventurism and half-baked Nagath reformation to seek Daigon directly, and fell into his heroic tragedy thereby. The Indo-King, of a similar stature & rank to Arkhagon (or so the record reads, for now) defied both courses, selecting instead consolidating statecraft; rather than dash himself against the rocks of suicidal martyrdom or destructive, unfulfillable sentiment, he immediately set to the task of laying long-reaching groundwork for vengeance against those who toppled Daigon and the salvation of his work, or at least a work which he would approve. The Indo-Kings' respective exoteric tragedy, then, could be called expedience, or pragmatism. The two will contrast nicely.

He preserved what civilization he could, established as legitimate a regency as one may find in the ruins of Nagath, and built a rump empire on lockstep dedication, on the classification of merit and the merit of classification, on insurgency, on fanaticism, and on blood-sacrifice, not in the Semitic Yahweh-Mammonish mold of cruel whimsy & loyalty-testing or the Indo-European one of destruction of the criminal and corrupt, but more the Aztec-Nahuatl mold, of the sacrificed as venerated martyrs, necessarily lost for the worlds' sake; this martyrs' spirit, overembraced by the failed adventurists and which the Indo-King spited as the empire fell couldn't be neglected forever, after all, and in a world starved for the arcane, the energy derived out of innocent, sacred blood is a high-octane fuel for the engines of old empire machinery and sorcery. All the better that those used up are sincerely beloved and mourned, the sacrifice necessary; a means to reinforce the image of the justice and sanctity of the Indo-Kings' state.

Final text block; location. This is a little bit harder to work out. Originally, when watching the interest check, I lazily thought I'd plop down right at the mouth of what I should guess is the Sea of Daigon, west of Tushiena's Isle of Shipwrecks, and snake a bit around the bay & up the fertile river. Eat a nice bit of irrigatable land. With the Red Empire occupying that mouth & one bank revision is necessary, and refinement forced like with Arkhagon's appearance. Therefore, a few projections sprung into my mind.

1: Bosphorus configuration. Snaking 'round the Sea of Daigon/shipwrecks' bay, with the capital emplaced on one or either end of the little black sea-shaped bay/lake on the southern bank. Prime though not sole agricultural territory climbs up the bank opposite the Red Empire, about the boundaries of Firukavukontok. Current preferred, modest territory claim. Hopefully doesn't squeeze gorgenmast too much, assuming the barrage is located between the two little mini-peninsulas, northwest of the Isle of Shipwrecks.
2: Peninsular configuration. A bit more insulated from other players, wrapping around the mountains of the northeast of the Claws. Same riverside as projection 1.
3: Daigon Zul midst squatter configuration. Not a strong consideration in my mind, as the city is explicitly a dead and ruined no-man's land; even a sister city in close, under the protection of a lieutenant of Daigon, would be in physical and political danger from both the beastly & sapient denizens. But a technical option, if map crowding ends up requiring it. Occupies the riverbank north of the Red Empire, half-wrapping Mount Azoth and perhaps just touching the bay/Sea of Daigon with an eastern jut.
4: Big booty borders. Projections 1 & 2 merged, providing a lot of variety as far as potential terrain types and gribbly vassals that can be worldbuilt, but also being a big blob that raises questions as to how or why the Imperium hasn't doubled down on extermination efforts, owing to the threat posed, and why the state would have stagnated in game-start deadlock with so much to draw on in resources & manpower for expansionary attempts. An option if the map needs filling out, still. A possible historical expanse for one of the prior projections, the state having suffered mutinies and withdrawals and thus these territories having fallen out of de facto control.

Thank you for taking the time to read through this text dump in detail. Awaiting approval, eager to get at sheetwriting, worldbuilding & fine detail integration if/when approved.

@Senor Herp

Great stuff! Look forward to hearing more. PM me or find me in discord if you want to hash out any points. Also, I'm happy to move my own faction location (this also goes for other players) to make life easier. If you think the peninsula and territory north of Daigon Zul would be best for the faction, I can easily move my territory.

Heirs of the Dark Lord

Looks really cool, are there any more spots open.

@pandapolio

Yep, we're wide open.

Heirs of the Dark Lord

Sanguine Alliance

Faction name: The Sanguine Alliance
Alias: Crimson States, The Land of Black Water
Government Type: Council
Faction Species:

While most of the people are just human, they are not represented in the upper echelons of the Sanguine Alliance. No mortal can ever hope to be part of the nobility. For they are exclusively vampire. Vampires are ancient creatures. Immortal and strong. Vampires themselves are divided in several ranks and classes. The first rank are the New Bloods. Vampires that only exist for a human life time or less. They are Fledglings (newly turned) and Neophytes (Less than 100 years vampire but more than 25 years). They are generally treated as dirt, used as live training for higher vampires or as servants. Then come the True Vampires: Nightstalkers are the hunters of the Vampires. They roam the nights, generally alone, to root out dissidents amongst the human population. Reapers are the elite fighting force of the Sanguine Alliance. Blood-priests are part of the clergy and delve into the deeper secrets of blood and magic. These True Vampires are generally considered equal in rank. Though one can have a higher standing than the other due to age. The last one is a Vampire Lord. A True Vampire who distinguished himself in the eyes of the Sanguine Alliance and is granted a piece of land and a handful of thralls to tend it. Then come the Elder classes: Ascendants are ancient vampires that uncovered a truth of vampirism. More in tune with their inner power, they are stronger than True Vampires. However, their youth still influences them. Elders are vampires that have undergone hibernation and rose up again. Generally, they are more tempered but also uncaring towards the world. Finally, there are Ancients. These vampires have undergone several hibernations. Most, if not all, are recluses, preferring damp forgotten caves and dark woods. Some wait half a millennium just for a single thing to happen. Others are awaiting something unexpected. While the oldest, Ancients rarely govern. Leaving the affairs of the state to the younger, Elder brethren.

There are rumors of an even older vampire caste: the Antediluvians. To believe in their existence is to believe in Kain himself. For Kain was the first vampire. Stories of how he turned diverge. In fact, there are as many stories of Kain as there are bards that tell his tales. The Antediluvian caste exists of the First Children of Kain. Who laid the foundation of vampirism. The lines continue to the Last Sinners. Who were supposed to be killed in a flood. This, all stories agree on. But whatever deity wanted them all dead, it failed. Some survived and brought the vampiric curse into the new land.

Not all vampires are sane (or only slightly disheveled). Some of them delve too deep in the secrets of the blood, not heeding the warnings. The blood, in turn, corrupts them. Makes them feral. They grow pale wild. Hair grows long and webbings grow in between their hands. If no action is taken, they vanish one night. Years later they return to their homestead, devolved into a giant, bat-like creature lusting for nothing more than blood and flesh. Others surrender to the beast inside. This often happens when a fledgling is not kept in check. He grows more hungry with every kill and lacks discipline. Such vampires often run away from their lord in pursuit of more blood. It is a liege’s responsibility to hunt them down then. Sometimes, they fail and the fledgling goes on a killing spree. Only to vanish in the wild lands. Accursed they are called and they will turn into a landlocked, giant beast. Some find it again and keep it as a pet. All vampires must fear certain states of mind and afflictions. As vampires can often change in many more horrible, senseless beasts. Forever doomed to bloodlust.

Territory Details:

The land around The Black Water is owned by the Sanguine Alliance. To the east you have mostly marches and fields. Here most of the agricultural activities take place. Traveling upwards on the eastern shore you’ll encounter Agrat-Thul. An ancient, forgotten city. Said to be the home of all vampires in Nagoth during the time of Daigon. A crimson metropolis where blood literally flowed through the streets for all vampires to drink it. However, it was sacked by Justinian and his vampire hunters when they came to destroy Agrat-Thul. The vampires never rebuild the place, though it is said that more than one Ancient remains here. Going over the farther tip, there is little land far up north. However, on the west would be the first few cities, carved from the mountains’ stone. In the mountains themselves, slaves work tirelessly to delve up gems from the mountains. Down south is newly taken terrain. Some humans have settled the southern’ sea’s shore. While the vampires have built large mansions inside the protection of the Black Water.

Faction Religion/Ideology:

The Sanguine Alliance have no true, set religion. Though there is a collective reverence towards Kain, the First Vampire and his First Children. They revere him as a vampire that ascended to godhood. His children became lesser gods and blessed their children in turn. All the way to the Last Sinners. Now, those blessings are still carried through the bloodlines. Though not everyone agrees upon every story. Some say, for example, that Daigon was Kain. A claim only made by fledglings with an ill understanding of their gifts. Others say Daigon was the incarnation of Kain. Others claim there was no Kain or Antediluvians. The only indication given towards a truth is that the Ancients seemingly worship nothing and nobody. But really, who can be sure with a creature that slept through ages?

The humans, secretly (though not so secret that their vampire overlords do not know) worship the Lightbringer. A version of Justanism where they believe the god of all that is good and light will come down and save them. Their overlords allow this practice, as hopelessness seemingly dulls the blood that is no longer tasty. However, it is a dangerous game. For too much hope can lead to action. Thus the Sanguine Alliance often commit to a culling. Publicly executing and torturing known worshippers of the Light. Yet alas, sometimes it wasn’t enough and vampires have been killed by plebs during revolts.

Faction Description:

At first glance, not that much looks strange in the land of Black Water. Slaves work the fields, plebs work the mills and shops and all seems peaceful. Except for the black robed and masked figures, walking around with whips in their hands. Overseers that keep the people at bay in the fields. Prone to let the whip crack should any mortal not work hard enough. Life as a human in Black Water is to be chained to a Vampire Lord. You work his fields, sleep in his cottages and eat his food. When he asks for his tithe, you present you are to present your veins willingly. You can never escape lest the Nightstalkers catch you, kill your family before your eyes and then you. Most are content with their lives. They have shelter and food. Though some would dare revolt. The gibbets on the city walls though, serve as a stern reminder.

In the cities, one can find more vampires. Especially at night. They walk the streets as sirs and ladies. Rich and laughing with blood still on their shin. New vampires are chosen from the human stock. Often those with exceptional talent are taken. However, the façade hides an ill truth. There are never enough humans to serve the vampire’s lust for blood. Lesser vampires, fledglings and neophytes especially, must do with the lesser blood of animals, orcs and other vile creatures.

Older Vampire Lords are often eccentric, hosting massive balls. Others create what they will refer to as a ‘vineyard’. Though make no mistake. These vineyards are actual villages living under special circumstances. Some are put on a diet of only oranges for weeks. Other are prohibited from touching beer. This alters their blood, which their Vampire Lord then drains and bottles. Unlike wine, age does not matter. Instead, the age of the human, the name of the ‘wine’ and from which vineyard it comes are deemed important details. The same is often done for meat.

Vampire Lords rarely fully agree with one another. Each has their own agendas. Especially amongst the True Vampire caste. This is why the Elder caste generally take matters of state in their hands. Even though their divides are generally even deeper, they have grown accustomed to the idea of building bridges when needed. Their eventual goal is rather obvious: a world for vampires, where humans and their mortal ilk are but livestock kept at work and alive to serve their bloody rulers. A far-reaching goal for those cursed with aging. A mere test of patience for those untouched by time. Or so the vampires would believe.

Faction History:

Despite the existence of the Ancients and Elders, lots of history remains obscure and even contradictory. The only fact considered true is the existence of Agrat-Thul, the Crimson Capital. A vast metropolis of vampires. Who supposedly worked with Daigon. However, when the dark lord was struck down and Agrat-Thul was razed to the ground, the vampires fled to the eastern mountains to hide. Many elders went into hibernation then and there. Lesser vampires who would not survive the hibernation hunted to remain alive. Eventually to crawl back out from the mountains to witness a land destroyed and ruined. Agrat-Thul was a haunted place and their once great empire was no more. Slowly the vampires expanded, taking humans as their slaves.

This expansion got a much-needed boost when vampires fled Justinian lands for Nagath. Many vampires went north, but others went south and arrived at the Sanguine Alliance lands. With this upkick in population, the Alliance could hasten their expansion. Now they have enough to raid the March Lords for the human population, as well as maintain the livestock at home. The Sanguine Alliance, in a way, is thriving. But it’s not all good. There are still not enough humans to feed all vampires and many Elders must remain in hibernation to survive.

Relations to other Factions:

Recently rumors have spawned that vampires are also surviving up north. Details are vague so far. Tushiena’s ships are always free to dock at the Sanguine Alliance’s ports. As the Vampire Lords often require exotic goods for their next experimentation. The Weeping Widows religion has taken hold in the human population. Though in vampires, only Fledglings dare believe the tales.

Heavy WIP. Probably going to re-do the True Vampire caste (the Vampire Lord class stays though). I also have to establish at least two or three bloodlines still. And a bunch of stuff I feel should be added.

@Legion02

Accepted- you can stick it in the char tab and work on it there.

Arkhagon Zul

So great was Justinian's hatred for Daigon that it was not sufficient to slay him on the field of battle. The God King would not be satisfied until all memory of the Dark Lord was erased from Geryon. To this end, the Castigati, the Clerisy's elite demonslayers, have been charged with hunting down all those who served the Dark Lord down to the last demon minor. Centuries after the Fall of Daigon the demonslayers have nearly accomplished their charge and few of the Dark Lord's servants remain. Arkhagon, lieutenant of the Dark Lord, still survives in spite of numerous assaults by demonslayers and assassins. During Daigon's life, Arkhagon was among Daigon's greatest commanders, and after the death of his master Arkhagon gained even greater power. But unlike most of the surviving demons major, Arkhagon has no desire to rebuild the empire that was Nagash in its prime. Instead, Arkhagon devoted all of his efforts to rejoining his master and friend.

Immediately after the Fall of the Dark Lord, Arkhagon redirected his grief into efforts to find Daigon again. Such a powerful being as the Dark Lord, Arkhagon reasoned, was so powerful that death could not be the end. Arkhagon assembled a force of his own and laid claim to the great barrage at the edge of the Sea of Nagash, rechristening the citadel as Arkhagon Zul. His servants entered the very heart of the mighty dam and restored the hydromancy engines built by the Dark Lord's engineers. The momentum of the barrage's falling water was converted into arcane energy that Arkhagon used to travel into the Beyond. Arkhagon spent nearly a century in the void, canvassing a dozen underworlds and hells in search of Daigon's soul. After neglecting his citadel for so long, Arkhagon could no longer draw the energy needed open portals into the void, and his journeys into the Beyond amounted in nothing. The reality that he would never reunite with Daigon finally dawned upon Arkhagon, and grief utterly consumed him.

For a century or two, Arkhagon has languished in a depressive torpor, and the citadel of Arkhagon Zul has deteriorated around him. His host has long abandoned him, and in their absence looters have ransacked the once-mighty citadel. The intricate hydromantic engines have been torn apart - their exotic, enchanted metals melted down to make crude swords and the upper levels of the citadel are occupied now by orc warlords. But as Nagath awakens, so too does the lord of this derelict fortress. And that stimulus that finally rouses Arkhagon would come from the most unlikely of all sources.

@gorgenmast

Accepted, ofc.

Heirs of the Dark Lord

@Flagg

What are the islands called?

@Bright_Ops

You tell me! Up to you. I'll add them to the map w/ the name you pick out.

Heirs of the Dark Lord

Tushiena

Faction Name: Tushiena
Alias: The County of Tushiena
Government Type: Dictatorship
Faction Specie(s): Tushiena has become something of a melting pot for various races, but the two primary races that make up the bulk of it's land based population are humans and goblins. It's underwater extensions are primarily populated by the 'Deep Ones', fish men who live in the sea and who survive off of a largely meat based diet... alongside hybrids of land based races that have grown their gills.

Territory Details: The Bay of Teeth is a surprisingly fertile land. Its soil is able to support quite a wide range of different types of edible plant life, the ocean around it filled with plentiful fish life and the rivers... are so clogged up with sludge while traveling through the single giant city of Tushiena that if you're quick enough you could run across its surface without the soils of your shoes melting at certain times of the year. The city itself is huge, covering most of the islands in the bay and connecting the various districts that this makes via grand stone bridges.

And that is just the parts of the nation above sea level. In the murky waters around the Bay of Teeth live tribes of 'Deep Ones', fish men that have lived in the oceans for aeons; It is unclear if they were another race created by the Dark Lord in ages passed or if they spawned naturally from some dark corner of the sea, but regardless of origin pacts and alliances of old have long brought the Deep One's of the Bay of Teeth into Tushiena's fold.

Faction Religion/Ideology: Tushiena is not a religious nation; It does have a district dedicated to the building of temples, shrines and churches for those who are, but they are generally far to busy scrabbling with each other over ideology and possible converts to actually try and get involved in the political landscape of the city. There is even a small church dedicated to God-Emperor Justinian, through it is a very minor cult compared to several more native ones.

Tushiena itself is a nation of magic and technology; While it's ruler is a powerful lich, Count Vasha has always felt that for a nation to grow powerful it needed to be willing to plumb the depths of the occult and the arcane while also researching and experimenting with the mundane.

Tushiena has a proud naval tradition, it's ships some of the greatest in the world and its merchant fleet prepared to sail in the name of profit far and wide. This is as much pragmatism as it is national pride; The only means for any of those who wish to plunder Tushiena directly requires the invader to travel by ocean... and it can't do any harm if said invading fleet is reduced to a burning wreck that is sinking to the bottom of the sea with all hands lost.

Slavery is illegal in Tushiena; Those taken alive during pirate raids are either auctioned back to their people of origin, channeled towards the Cult distract to be offered up as sacrifices to anyone who needed them or just flat out offered to the Deep Ones to devour.

Faction Description:
The former bread basket of Nagath and the Dark Lord Daigon's empire, once the Dark Lord had died and his nation fell apart Tushiena became an independent city nation that has largely been untouched by war over the centuries due to the combination of its powerful and feared navy, the fictionalized nature of Nagath post Dark Lord keeping local threats too focused on closer enemies and the Justinian Imperium simply being too far away to really make the effort.

Originally the Bay of Teeth was colonized by humans and goblins under the leadership of the newly appointed Count Vasha by Dark Lord Daigon himself sometime during his reign in order to secure a great source of food in order to feed the Dark Lords armies, but after it became an independent nation it became something of a merchant dictatorship under Count Vasha... that people from various races and walks of live wanted to live in. Tushiena's indifference to matters of religious faith and its views on slavery (that it just wasn't worth it in the long run) combined with its impressive range of businesses, industries and the opportunities of its trading fleets to earn a living makes it a highly appealing place to live in Nagath.

The key to Tushiena's unmatched naval power is a combination of its infamous flamethrowers, fire grenades and the Deep Ones 'Marines'; At some point in the past, the Tushiena alchemists discovered a recipe for what they called 'Daigon's Flame', a substance that sticks to what it hits and burns until it is turned to ash... and long afterwards that is also highly resistant to being put out by water. Tushiena's navy deploys this dangerous weapon via ship mounted 'flamethrowers' that spray the substance where the nozzle is pointed and the fire grenades, which explode on impact after being primed.

The Deep One Marines, who are naturally a race that lives underwater, have major advantages when it comes to ship to ship combat since they can literally assault the ships from underneath were most enemies cannot defend. All it normally takes is a bit of drilling, a primed 'Daigon's Flame' grenade and the unfortunate ship is usually sunk before they know what's going on, the crew devoured by the Deep Ones and the cargo secured.

Faction History:

Important Characters:
Count Vasha.
The current and so far only ruler of the city of Tushiena is the tyrant Count Vasha, a powerful lich who according to legend was appointed as the Count of the Bay of Teeth by the Dark Lord Daigon himself several centuries ago; The only one who knows what the truth is for sure is Count Vasha himself and few people are on close enough terms with him to ask. While Count Vasha is the tyrant of Tushiena and is thus free to do whatever he wanted, he is rather lawful in nature and tends to focus his powers (both magical and legal) on the well being and growth of the city rather then his own personal gain.

He has also invested a great deal of time, money, effort and magic into creating an information network within his lands (and a spy network outside of it) to ensure that he is not only up to date on current events while they are happening, but also aware of what is going to happen ahead of time so that it can be accounted for and dealt with as appropriate.

Relations to other Factions:

@Bright_Ops

This looks pretty good. I should have mentioned though that the Bay of Teeth is not available for factions. Since you want a naval power, I will add some islands to the map closer to Nagath that you can base your faction on. Let me know what you want them to be called and I'll label the map accordingly. If you update your CS with the name of the new territory, you can stick it in the Char Tab.

The Rarians

Faction Name: The Rarian Empire

Alias: The horde

Government Type

The Rarians work under a feudalistic system of clans led by a dragon warlord. The positions can easily be taken by aspiring warlords that are strong enough to beat the current one. Their clan operate mostly with renown and strength. A proud warrior race the Rarian are open to all manner of technology that will improve their strength.

Most clans have only one dragon warlord under them but, when a warlord has been able to capture or assimilated 5 clans under him/her command they are promoted to dragon warchiefs. And if they grow to a certain length they become known as the second most powerful positions a Rarian can have which is the dragon king that will try to lead their clan to become the most powerful out of all the dragon emperor.

Faction Species

Beast Men

Species Descriptions: From the tallest which are the minotaurs down to the smallest the rabbit morphs there is no original race for the Rarians only that those who are strong are Rarians and those who aren’t strong are offered to the blade.

Orcs

Species Descriptions: Characterized with having black and scared skin these, orcs have lived the entirely of their life fighting and in war. With the other Rarians or the others races.

Humans

Species Descriptions: Indoctrinated humans that live under the Rarians are heavily scarred, armed to the teeth and will be able to take on an orc and a minotaur in a bar fight if he has to. These humans have lived their lives in a state of constant warfare and destruction making them adopt a strict warrior society.

Dwarfs
Species Descriptions: Indoctrinated dwarfs are harder and thicker headed then regular dwarfs. Though they lack the technology of their cousins these dwarfs are the architects of the renown dragon fortress. Because under attack from all sides these dwarves can’t afford to prefect their craft making them known to tech out new weapons out in the field, which places them in danger as much as the enemy.

Note: The Rarian saying: If you are strong, you are an Rarian. Is the most accurate definition of the race.

Territory Details

Dragons mount.
Dragon’s mount is where the dragons are said to breed and build their nest, located just on the side of black water these mountains are full of deadly reptilian monstrosities that are believe to be the guardians of the creatures. Treated as a holy site, warlords enter the mountain to prove their strength and worth by hunting for dragons.

Dragon Citadel.
Now in the hands of the black orcs these citadel is where the legendary warlords of old dictate the move of the empire. A holy seat of power, and an impenetrable fortress on the waste is the pride of any Rarians. Characterized with four massive walls all with spikes, and four large variant of their cannons on each walls. four separated outposts and four entrances only accessible via draw bridges.

Faction Religion/Ideology

Dragon temple:
The Rarians believe that the strongest Rarian are their forefathers the dragons which rebelled against the gods in the past. Because of this belief they believe that their objective is to hunt down the gods and their worshippers. Thinking that only the weakest cling on to the gods and the gods are the producers of the weak therefore the gods must be destroyed.

They are offended or insulted when the other factions call the dark lord their god. Seeing that the dark lord is one of the most powerful dragon of all time. Responding to this statement often with the Rarian way cleaving an axe straight through the head of the heretic.

Faction Description and Faction History:
The Rarian was once a small tribe of beastkins aspiring to slay the gods. Once known as the dark lord’s berserkers and the small clan expanded, recruiting the others to their cause and what was once slaves that flock throughout the empire was treated as an equal if they have proven to be strong. Because of the rapid expansion of the clans under the name of Rarian, a feudalistic system was placed to stem the chaotic nature of the race.

The strongest at that time along with the help of the dark lord Daigon formulated the system of the strongest leading. Giving birth to the ten legendary dragons warlords under the Daigon the first and most powerful of all the dragon emperors.
This new system kept the Rarians from killing their own kind too much and also to ensure that only the best of the Rarians survive to serve his armies. And as time goes by the Rarian the tribes and people that they assimilated under their banner were indoctrinated with the Rarian way.

Soon, the name Rarians rose to new length as they continue to adopt all they deem as strong and worthy of being a Rarian.

After the death of the dark lord, the Rarian empire collapse for a successor could not take up the mantle of control shattering the once powerful empire into various warring clans whose desire is to unite the clans once more.

Though the being strong is what a Rarian is. The definition of being strong varies with each clans and with each clan having different culture and beliefs regarding their beliefs. Different clans would often go to war with one another if they deem the other as inferior or weak.

Important Characters:

Karduke Dragonfist:
Known to have slain a dragon with only his fist, the newly renown minotaur is a worthy candidate for the position of the dragon emperor the ruler. A title given only to the strongest and the unquestioned leader of the Rarians who can easily unite the warring clans together to lay siege to the vile god worshipping races of Nagath’s. Easily recognized by his iconic steel skin, this minotaur can easily mow down large group of assailants with one swoop of his giant axe.

Dave phalanx:
Is a human that has stood against impossible odds with a smile. An elite even to the other rarians, dave laughs at the place of danger. With his shield and axe he commands and fight alongside his clansmen, lesser Rarians fear his savage nature.

Jack drakenbeard
Jake is a well-known dwarf mercenary that have survive many wars and fought against and for many lords. Known for his extremely short fuse, these dwarf is a proud Rarian.

Relations to other Factions

The Rarians are known to lay siege to the people they deem weak and unworthy of being an Rarian. But, they also desire to convert other races to their cause training their slaves and captives in the ways of the strong. Capable fighters and the scourge of gods these fighters often leave with tickets only a Rarian would wear providing them safe passage and a safe place in Rarian land.

For years they have hunted down the god worshippers, burning down villages and towns to plunge the world of these impurities, for even if the dark lord has come to an end their eternal crusade against the gods will never cease.

Though there are those they call Rarians that don’t seem to see themselves as such, like the Red Empire and other remnants of the dark lord’s empire, they will fight alongside them regardless and will go to war if they are laid to siege, treating any aggression to those they deem as Rarians as an aggression directed towards them.

@Wildman13

Hey man, sorry, this isnt quite up to the high casual/advanced standards we're shooting for here. I'm happy to discuss more over PM if you have any questions.

Heirs of the Dark Lord

The Covenant of the Worm

Faction Name: The Covenant of the Worm

Alias: Vault Lords, the Covenant

Government Type: Necrocracy

Faction Species:

The Northfolk (human majority, called "the Warm" by their vampiric lords)

Ghouls, aka "Corpse-Eaters": carrion-eaters native to Nagath. They may have been men once, or greenskins, but have long since degenerated into crouched, half-sentient monsters. They are hardy, breed prolifically, and are considered a near universal pest, even in the Imperium. In the centuries since Daigon fell, great ghoul-nests formed in the hills and tombs of the Broken Arm. When the Stryge took refuge in the Vaults, they found the ghouls easy to dominate and made them into a servant race. Feral ghouls are common, however, throughout the North and Nagath.

Alghouls: ghouls allowed a sip of vampiric blood, they are much smarter, larger, and fiercer than other ghouls and fiercely loyal to their undead masters. Alghouls act at once as chieftains over other ghouls and as shock troops in their ranks. They are approximately on par with an orc in terms of strength and intelligence, though even more vicious. Alghouls often serve as a Stryge's personal bodyguards.

Blood Trolls: It amuses the Stryge to further twist and enthrall the already fearsome denizens of Nagath. A Blood Troll is a common troll that has been fed vampiric blood, making of it a twisted, deranged mutant. Difficult to control and dangerous to manage, the Stryge make use of few blood trolls in their armies, but these monsters wreak incredible damage among the ranks of their enemies and are very hard to kill, combining a troll's natural resilience with preternatural healing.

Chiropts Devolved vampires who have fed overmuch on the fouled blood of orcs, beastkin and mutants, Chiropts themselves become degnerate monsters, lacking the use of reason. Where many vampire clans have a policy of destroying chiropts, the Stryge take pity on these unfortunate brethren and keep them as pets, using in war as beserkers and 'hunting hounds'.

The Stryge:

We used to rule, you know. Not here, not in this wasteland, but in the West. We were masters of the great cities of men, who were our slaves and our cattle. That was before Justinian came and threw us down from our hidden thrones. He was mighty. Is mighty. The source of his power remains obscure to us. The godling's rise forced us to flee east, to the lands ruled by his foe. The one they now call the Dark Lord. Some of our kind submitted to him and served him.

Not the Stryge. We do not serve.

So we bid our time, hidden in the great tombs of the north from God King and Dark Lord alike, feeding in secret on the norsemen who served Daigon. And when he was thrown down, and the norsemen grew desperate, we became rulers of men once more.

Territory Details: Peninsula north of Ozgad's Folly, known as the Broken Arm. (WIP, details to come)

Faction Religion/Ideology: The men of the north worship a variety of traditional gods, especially the Pale Goddess, who is said to rule a kingdom of the drowned beneath the waters of the Cursed Sea. They likewise honor the memory of Daigon, the Fallen King, whom they see as a failed freedom fighter against the tyranny and (to their minds) 'atheism' of the Justinians. The Weeping Widows have a substantial, tolerated following among the northfolk.

The Stryge tend to worship- if they worship anything at all- the Conqueror Worm, That Which Gnaws at the World Roots, a demonic force said to live far beneath the earth who will inevitably consume all of creation.

Faction Description: A collection of human reaver-clans along the bitter coasts of the Broken Arm ruled by a powerful vampyr coven known as the Stryge. The humans of the Broken Arm are mostly native norsemen who have inhabited Nagath for generations, raiding their neighbors, warring with orcs, beastkin and the Marcher Lords, and hunting the great sea-beasts of the Cursed Sea. Outcasts, heretics, criminals and lunatics from the Imperium and Marcher Kingdoms also dwell among the dour folk of the Broken Arm, where they are tolerated- if not welcomed.

Reaver society is feudal. The majority of northmen are thralls- fisherfolk and crab farmers in the freezing northern marshes. Above them are clan-swords, fierce professional soldiers who hunt whales and other great beasts when not fighting. Above them are thanes, huscarls, and other favored warriors and counselors of the jarls and clan-chiefs, who rule over their clans.

The jarls and chieftans, in turn, answer to the Stryge, Those Who Dwell in the Tombs.

Faction History: WIP

Important Characters: WIP

Relations to other Factions: WIP

Heirs of the Dark Lord

The Weeping Widows

Faction Name:

Brides of Daigon

Alias:

The Weeping Widows

Government Type:

Strictly hierarchical relgiious order based on obedience and indoctrination.

Faction Specie(s):

Led by a human-centric council, with the leaders of the order three human women who claim to be ancient immortals who were once betrothed to the Dark Lord. All races and species welcomed in the order, but only females are permitted to join the inner orders, with males acting as 'lay missionaries' for the faith.

Species Descriptions:

Although all races and species are accepted into the order, ordained Widows can be identified by the dark coloured veils worn covering their faces. Their clothing is often unadorned, and made from simple fabrics. Higher ranking ministers, known as Sisters, wear white gowns and veils, reminiscent of wedding dresses.

Male ministers of the faith wear simple robes and carry a symbol of their faith, usually in the form of a wedding band worn on the third finger of their dominant hand (dexterous ministers wearing the band on the right hand, sinister minsters on their left.)

Territory Details:

Their central monestary, known as the Fallen Keep, is located on a large island to the southeast of Nagath, surrounded by a body of water known as the Saltwater Sea. The tower itself is the ruined remains of one of Daigon's old fortresses, and legend has it that the large lake was filled by the tears shed by the order in mourning to the death of their Lord. However more recent cartographic studies have proven the 'sea' is linked with the Cursed Sea, explaining the saltwater for which the lake is named.

^{The Fallen Keep}

Faction Religion/Ideology:

While on the surface the Weeping Widows present themselves as a peaceful order dedicated to providing aid and succour to all in need, their true motives are far darker. By using their missionaries to recruit and indoctrinate weak willed individuals, the Brides of Daigon spread their influence through the lands, infiltrating all levels of society through the slow spread of their beliefs.

Faction Description:

The Weeping Widows are a common sight throughout Nagath, with a few smaller outposts making their way into the Justinian Imperium in recent years. Their churches are often rustic and simple, doubling as both bunk houses and cantinas providing food and shelter for any who find themselves in need. Hidden basements contain the true altars to the faith where darker sacraments are formed with any volunteers willing to ake up the faith, although the true darkness of the order is only ever revealed to the most trusted of disciples.

Over the centuries, the Brides of Daigon have been slowly recruiting members, spreading over the land with followers and agents finding their ways into as many other factions as they can. Almost every major settlement has some level of their presence, ranging from wandering missionaries to established churches, and the order has eyes and ears throughout Nagath. While some have questioned the order's true motives, in truth the Brides have no true plans other than to establish themselves as a powerful faction hidden within the courts of others, able to influence events from the shadows without ever placing themselves in direct competition to those believing themselves in control.

The order is lead by three women known as the Triplets, who claim to be sister immortal by the Dark Lord many centuries ago when they were betrothed to him as his brides. Their grief in his death has sustained them through the ages, allowing them to continue the good works which were the true legacy of their lord.

Faction History:

Publically the Weepind Widows claim to date back to the earliest years of the Daigon's reign, representing the women who were sent as offerings to the Dark Lord and acting as both his harem and the source of his many brides. In truth the order was created over a century after the Dark Lord's defeat by a group of avaricious nomads who settled in the ruins of the Fallen Keep and who created the myth of their connection to the Dark Lord as a means to protect themselves from the predations of the hostile surrounding tribes.

Over the years, the myths and legends of the order spread, with the best being adopted by the nomads as scripture. Less than twenty years after their first arrival in the ruins the Triplets had managed to gain the fielty of the surrounding tribes, using the influence of the Dark Lord's name to levy favour with the chieftains. In the intervening centuries the followers of the Weeping Widows have spread the myths and lies of the nomads throughout the lands, allowing the rumours and stories of their deeds to be cartried by all in order to gain the respect and devotion of the gullible wherever they go.

Important Characters:

The Triplets are the joint leaders of the order, and often speak as one in perfectly timed unison when speaking in public.

Beneath them are the Council of Sisters, the highest ranking disciples of the order who are fully indoctrinated in the secrets of the Church. Each Sister is responsible for overseeing the different regions of Nagath, helping to co-ordinate the activities of their followers and collating reports and rumours from their followers.

Relations to other Factions:

As a religious order, the Weeping Widows have believers and followers in most other factions, ranging from casual devotees to full-blown apostles willing to place the will of the Widows above the word of their Lords.

@Genni

great stuff, feel free to post in the char tab.

Heirs of the Dark Lord

Ah, I see this is being refurbished.

@POOHEAD189

big time, would be honored for you to join!

Heirs of the Dark Lord

@Bright_Ops