the Reformed empire of Sarastro

[vorropohaiah]

A key/legend to the map can be found here

Details on how the map was made can be found here

Map #33 is ready, and with it comes a chunk of pretty important history, written here for the first time in full in any form - the events that led to the Sundering of the Korachani empire into two, one part of which would become the Reformed empire of Sarastro.

Sarastro - low-res.jpg

The Reformed empire of Sarastro, or the Low-empire of Sarastro, as it is more popularly-known to those in Korachan, was formed in 3705 RM, when rising tensions over previous centuries finally culminated in a great schism within the government and church of the Korachani empire.

Korachan had lost Almagest, one of its most prosperous regions, in 3014 RM following the costly War for the Artifexes, which left it weakened, giving its detractors and foes the courage to stand up to it. In the south-west, Parthis was growing stronger.

Its resources dwindling, its people starving, the Archpotentate Malichar was forced to placate his powerful allies in the east. Queen Hetepheres of Venthir and Sathep the Risen of Sarastro were both immensely powerful individuals with a fanatically loyalist following and two of the wealthiest nations to their names. To lose their realms as he had Almagest would be the final death of Korachan.

In 3103 RM the Archpotentate granted Sathep the Risen the land of Zion and gave him free-reign over Ba’ath and the lands immediately south of the Haagen Mountains in what became known as the Sarastroan Sanction. This autonomy was a risky move; Almagest had, until the War of the Artifexes, been the empire’s most autonomous imperial district, and it had rebelled, ultimately achieving independence. Malichar could not allow the same to happen in Sarastro.

Malichar knew his proxy well, for Sathep’s desires lay in material wealth and Atramental power, particularly the ability to cheat death. In return for his loyalty Malichar promised he would give Sathep access to certain Atramental secrets that few, if any others, knew. The secrets themselves remained Malichar’s, giving Sathep a reason to remain loyal if he was to maintain the lifestyle he had grown used to.

Under Sathep’s new reign, Sarastro received mixed blessings. Laws were harsh, though its lands were prosperous. Its armies were strengthened and moved south against the Citadel Mounts of Ehbot and the mountain-people of Mulciber, with most attacks ending only due to the rapid spread of plague throughout Sarastro from the city of Habakkuk in c. 3650 RM. By the time the plague subsided in c. 3780 RM, Sarastro had diminished greatly.

It was following this time that Sathep the Risen curated a loyal following amongst the emirs of Sarastro, who ruled in his stead, slowly infiltrating other cities in the Korachani empire. Though officially its economy was weakened, Sarastro was secretly more powerful that it ever had been, controlling many powerful institutions and patrician houses across the Inner Sea.

In 3704 RM he declared a political sojourn to the capital of the heartland, Khadon. The visit was to take place the next year.

As tensions over lessening resources increased, Sathep moved his pieces into position. Alliances cultivated in Parthis came to fruition and privateers began attacking imperial merchants. Almagesti patricians withdrew their support of imperial endeavours. Technologists and Technarcanists defected without perceived cause to Sarastro. Around the Inner Sea and beyond, the mood towards Korachan worsened.

Korachan declared war on a largely innocent Parthis in early 3705 RM, just a few days after Sathep arrived in Khadon. Almagest eventually came to the latter’s aid. The war was bloody and brutal, moving quickly across the Inner Sea. Civilian casualties were minimal, but there was much fighting around embassies, capitals and military bases.

When the fighting reached a crescendo after massive uprisings in Karakhas caused further disruptions, Sathep played his hand and had his forces attack the heart of the Korachani capital in Khadon. Across Korachan, traitors and parties sympathetic to Sathep unfurled their true colours and attacked the surprised defences. In Sarastro, the Church of the Machine had secretly sided with Sathep for years, slowly corrupting the church from within, excommunicating those who were deemed to pose a threat. The corrupted church overthrew the old order in a bloody coup that lasted just one night and expelled all resistors, establishing the Reformed Church of the Machine, which had already infiltrated the church across much of northern Sammaea and parts of Llachatul. From there the Reformed Church would aid Sathep’s cause, stalling travel between cities and spreading propaganda.

Sathep, disguised through fell magicks, sought the Archpotentate Malichar and attacked him, but the otherworlder proved too powerful and mortally wounded Sathep, but was unable to slay him due to persistent attacks by Sarastroan elite operatives.

Though the Sarastroan attack on Korachan ultimately failed to achieve its primary objective, the conflict caused enough unrest to sunder the empire in two - the High-empire of Korachan in llachatul, and the Reformed empire of Sarastro in Sammaea. Korachan was crippled, and has slowly dwindled since that conflict, which since then has become known as the War of Sundering.

Though Korachan would forever-more eye Sarastro with jealousy, it would never be able to wrest its lands back. The Archpotentate Malichar had retreated into obscurity following the collapse of the empire. The Seven, never content with the Sarastroan Sanction, were left to rule in his stead, and claimed the lands of Zion and Ba’ath were rightfully theirs. They wasted what remained of Korachani resources on politicking and skirmishes with Sarastro that lasted for around 150-years and only saw Korachan diminish further.

By the time of the Korachani empire’s desperate declaration of war against the east in 4007 RM, Sarastro had grown into a stable region, though border conflicts with Venthir were relatively common if minor occurrences. Other than this, it appeared as though any desire for conquest Sathep may once have had was forgotten following his near death in combat with Malichar. Scholars have speculated that the war was a cover for a more mysterious goal, though the truth will never be known.

[ChickPea]

Another great entry into Atlas Elyden, and some very entertaining world-building.

[J.Edward]

Another fine addition to the Atlas
And another example of your steadfast never-ending craft and determination.
Very admirable and enviable.

[Voolf]

Never get tired of this style. Looks so amaizing.

[MistyBeee]

Great map here ! It's definitely a style I love, and I especially like your icons. Maybe a few of them, placed on roads or under other labels, are a little difficult to identify, like for Princep's City ? But I'm really super picky here ^^

[vorropohaiah]

Great map here ! It's definitely a style I love, and I especially like your icons. Maybe a few of them, placed on roads or under other labels, are a little difficult to identify, like for Princep's City ? But I'm really super picky here ^^

you're right about that - I didn't realise theres part of another label parially obstructing the details for Princep's city - fixed

Never get tired of this style. Looks so amaizing.

thanks

Another fine addition to the Atlas
And another example of your steadfast never-ending craft and determination.
Very admirable and enviable.

thanks - stillloads left to go, but im slowy getting there and i'm actually seriously thinking about getting a physical atlas made when i have more maps to show or it. Maybe 50 maps, each of which is a 2-page spread. each map has 2 pages of text so that's about 200 pages + index, so that's a decent size.

Another great entry into Atlas Elyden, and some very entertaining world-building.

thanks

[Ilanthar]

By Vorropohaiah
thanks - stillloads left to go, but im slowy getting there and i'm actually seriously thinking about getting a physical atlas made when i have more maps to show or it. Maybe 50 maps, each of which is a 2-page spread. each map has 2 pages of text so that's about 200 pages + index, so that's a decent size.

Quite impressive. I'm far from that (except for my resurgence setting, maybe).
And I'm still a fan .