Ten centuries have passed since the birth of the glorious Iridian Empire, and in those many years, much has changed. The Empire’s history is long, but I shall introduce it to you in brief, so that you may understand the Empire’s origins before you read in full detail.

King Iridius IV, sovereign ruler of a kingdom whose name is lost to time, set out with his armies at the ripe age of twenty-three. Though young, Iridius was blessed with a cool head, and an intellect to rival the philosophers of his age. Born to rule and conquer, he fulfilled his destiny well, and died as Emperor Iridius, the first of his name, ruler of a large, land-locked country.

His grandson, Emperor Iridius II shared much with his grandfather. Iridius II was crowned ruler of an empire twice the size of the kingdom his grandfather was born in. At the head of Iridia’s unmatched armies, Iridius II, and his son, Iridius III, assimilated their neighbors, growing in size until Iridia at last touched the coast.

Emperors Iridius IV and Iridius V made turned the new ports to their advantage, bringing wealth and technology from exotic kingdoms across the sea. Under their rule, the Iridian Empire grew in power and wealth, and after a few short years of reign, Iridius VI called his men to arms. Striking north, Iridius VI carried the shores far afield, his navy securing his supply lines as he marched north. His foes fell quickly, and soon he stood far to the north.

Still overcome with victory, Iridius VI set his reserves and two regiments on a long march south. His greatest general, and uncle, Delitas, began harrying Iridia’s southern neighbor in brief brutal raids. Iridius rested his men while his uncle marched. As his uncle began the first raids, he boarded the main body of his army on his ships, and sailed south. Iridius VI landed his main body behind the southerners after their general committed fully to Delitas. Thus trapped, Iridius VI forced the southerners to battle, and routed them after a short battle. In one fell swoop, Iridius carried the south.

In ten years, Iridius VI had more than tripled Iridia’s size. Though his armies ached for more conquest, the Emperor settled down to lick his wounds and rebuild. He died the ruler of a larger and wealthy nation. His grandson, Iridius VII, would bring the Empire forth into a Golden Age that would last until the death of the Iridian bloodline.

Seeing their neighbors so quickly felled, four as-yet-unconquered nations hastily joined forces. While Iridia rested and grew, the new Confederation brought to pass laws that allowed for a united front. Now, I must pause in my account of the Empire to describe the threat this Confederation posed Iridia.

Throughout the Iridian Empire’s expansion eras, the Imperial Army and Navy had battled against weak nations, with few or no allies. The Confederation, however, was formed of four great nations. Alone, they were no match for Iridia, but together, they could surpass Iridia on most fronts. Only Iridia’s Navy would prove noticeably stronger in the coming conflict. Now, to continue my account of the Empire.

As mentioned, Iridius VII led his people into a Golden Age. With so many new resources brought under their control, the Empire grew to be extremely wealthy. As new inventions were brought in from across the sea, schools began opening in major cities across the Empire. Soon learned men were philosophizing in every city square, poets and musicians were writing lyrics that rivaled those of the days of Elves, engineers and inventors were creating works that rivaled the Dwarves of old. And, for the first time in history, a large middle-class was created. Iridius VII died happily in bed, proud of his accomplishments.

Partway through Emperor Iridius VIII’s reign, a ruling member of the Confederation died an early death. Iridia marshaled quickly, and struck deeply. Before the Confederation could gather, Iridius the VIII won several decisive victories, and carried a key fort guarding a major passage into the Confederate heartlands. Unfortunately, the Empire’s momentum was quickly stymied. The Confederation and Iridia settled into a brutal slog that would last into Iridius IX’s reign. Iridia and the Confederation were forced into a resource-draining land war. However, Iridia’s Navy met with success time and time again. Soon, Iridia controlled the seas, and blockaded the major Confederate ports. Iridian marines struck more than once, carrying out raids across the Confederation, and would play a decisive role in the land war.

The Empire’s early victories proved key in the defeat of the Confederation. By the time the crown passed to Iridius IX, the Empire had effectively weakened the Confederates. Iridius IX rallied quickly enough to route an approaching Confederate army that hoped to capitalize on the change in Iridia’s command. Iridius himself slew the enemy general on the field.

With little hope for victory over the Empire, the remaining Confederates beat fighting retreats from the Iridians across the front. They fled to a strong port, hoping to hold the walls while the remnants of their Navy freed the docks for resupply. While they marched, however, Iridius IX took a lesson from history. Three quick messengers rode to Iridian-controlled ports, where a command was delivered. Before the Confederates could reach the port, two Iridian marine battalions carried the city in the dead of night. They barred the gates with the Confederates still several days from their destination.

The Confederation found their last hope barred against entrance. Their chance of a serious final stand ruined, the Confederates drew battle lines with their backs to the city and sea. The Iridian Armies met the Confederates, and routed their battered foe quickly. The Confederates, with nowhere to run, were driven into the sea and killed almost to a man.

The victory proved bittersweet. Emperor Iridius IX took an arrow in the lung during the battle. He died despite the administrations of his chief surgeon even as a messenger arrived with grave news. Iridius IX’s son had broken his neck falling from his horse. The Emperor never learned of his young boy’s death. I can only hope they were reunited in the After.

Iridia had defeated the Confederation, at the expense of the Iridius bloodline.

With no close relatives to speak of, the Empire fell to Iridius’s brother-in-law. Emperor Nutia, the first of his name, proved an admirable leader, but he was not an Iridius. Under his rule, Iridia did not truly flourish, but grew to great heights. At the time of his death, the Iridian Empire had usurped long dead Phelmeden Empire, and became known as the greatest Empire to straddle the Before.

Unfortunately, the Nutian bloodline quickly stagnated the Empire. Iridia’s greatness lasted only a decade or so before it began to decline. Emperor Nutia II lived a short, but brutally extravagant life, and his sons continued in his stead. Emperor Nutia IV enacted a caste-system, essentially freezing Iridia’s classes in place. With nowhere to rise, the middle class proved doomed. In fifteen short years, Iridia’s middle class entirely disappeared. By the time Nutia V took the crown, the Empire’s economy was on its knees, and rebellions sprang up across his lands.

Like the Empire, its Armies had grown lax, and the Navy fell into disrepair. As select battalions travelled the countryside, quashing rebellions before they could fully flare, a new threat made itself known. In Iridia’s far south, the first Nasedan forces landed. The foreign Empire’s soldiers were able to conquer a sizable area before Iridian forces were marshaled to repel them in a series of bloody battles. Despite Iridia’s best efforts, the Nasedan Empire had established a solid beachhead, and would not be driven out.

Finally, as if to make obvious the humiliation of a once-proud Empire, Nutia V died of a heart attack. Though he had an heir, a series of coups destroyed the Nutian bloodline, and splintered Iridia into rival factions. With the Iridian armies split, only a skeleton garrison kept watch on the Nasedan beachhead. Peasant rebellions sprang up again across the Empire’s lands, and brothers killed brothers in brutal, many-sided war…

Many hundreds of years before the rise of the Iridian Empire, men shared the Before with many creatures. The first of mankind were welcomed with open arms by the elves, dwarves, and other friendly races of the time. Soon, though, the fairer races would come to revile their human counterparts.

As is the wont of man, he rose quickly from his humble beginnings. Under the tutelage of the dwarves, he learned to work copper and bronze, and to carve stones to build his homes. The elves taught man woodcraft, and how to borrow life from the forests and return it twofold. All the fair races contributed to man’s evolution, as did the more foul creatures of the age.

For many years, the darker creatures of the world, what we now call goblins and orcs and trolls, had killed only amongst themselves. The dwarves held fast their mountain halls, and the elves safe behind the walls of their cities. Newborn man presented the foul creatures an opportunity to make war.

In the harsh class room that is the field of battle, man turned the teachings of their allies to destruction. Soon, man became as difficult a target as the fair folk, but having tasted war, man grew hungry. Forcing their enemies to retreat, man launched their own attack.

Humankind chased their foul enemies across the lands, razing entire villages in their fervor. It was not long before the goblins and orcs and their kin were driven from the pages of history. Man now commanded a swath of land nearly as large as the Iridian Empire at its peak. With so much room ,men could naught but grow.

Two centuries passed before the bounds of human lands could not hold the growth of man. The leaders of humanity treated with the fair folk, offering to buy lands from their neighbors. The elves, dwarves and others could not be swayed, and man quickly grew angry with their neighbors. It was not long before anger led to bared iron.

Man, so long from war, fell to it with a passion. The fair folk proved just as powerful an enemy as an ally, but for every man they slew, three more stepped into their place. The war was brutally short, and led to the Exodus of the fair folk.

With their enemies gone, man fell to squabbling amongst themselves. The greatness bestowed upon humanity by those who were once allies slowly leaked away, leaving man to kill only his brothers. The great creations of the fair folk disappeared from human memory, to molder out of sight and mind.