Alcanian Empire - An Idea for a Magic World Setting

[Marcus Bone]

So I've been watching a lot of different things on television of late (and I don't usually watch TV), and they've stirred together into a setting that I think would suit the Magic World mechanics. 

Five hundred years ago, the sorcerer Helica rose to power. Under his influence the Empire of Alcania rose to prominence, growing from a small city state to be the conquerors of much of the known world. But while Alcania brought with it learning, knowledge and science, it left behind compassion, loyalty and the ideals of freedom. Thousands were enslaved to do Helica's bidding, acting as his warriors in the battles against the free races and as the labour to build his monuments of power and glory.

After 200 years of rule, Helica was finally struck down, not in any battle against the dwindling free people, but rather from within, when Gratanius, his mightiest General, removed the Emperor's head from his shoulders. Driven by his own lust for power, the Empire under Gratanius was ever more blood thirsty. But Alcania now lacked a leader powerful enough to bring together such a diverse collection of bodies and minds, and soon the General himself was deposed. And so it has been for the last 300 years, with each successful ruler rising to the throne on the blood of the one before, but with each generation the size and influence shrinking.

Today the Empire is large and formidable, but thankfully more interested in political infighting, than war with the flourishing free peoples. However, in the lands that have long been abandoned by the Empire a new threat has arisen, and some whisper that it is Helica who has returned seeking his vengeance.

I see the setting as bit of a combination of the fall of the Roman Empire sprinkled in with a bit of Lord of the Rings. The Empire is very striated, in regards to class, privilege and power, and as such is so inwards focused that it can't see its own position weakening while others strengthen.Throw into this an element of dark magic and a corrupting influence spreading across the land,and I think it would make for an interesting setting.

I might flesh these out more here in the future... 

 

[Simlasa]

I like the idea of a cruel empire haunted by its past... I'm not clear on the view from the ground though... what sorts of people live there and what they'd get up to... what their immediate concerns would be, unless they lived near the area the sorcerer's influence is infecting.