Sovereigns and Factions

Sovereigns and Factions

Kingdoms of Men

To understand the Kingdoms one must remember Amarian the Great. Amarian was arguably the most powerful channeler since Hosten.

Amarian was instrumental in the downfall of the Titans. He was the undisputed king of all mortal men of Elemental. Unfortunately, he would not live to see the kingdom of men reborn but instead died in battle at the Henge as chronicled by Ezmir the Scribe.

It was, for a time, believed that his gifted daughter, Procipinee, would, as heir, inherit the throne of all men. But such was not to be. Instead, we are left with four different factions that strive to be the leader of mortal men of Elemental.

Kingdom of Altar

The people of Altar belong to no one race, no one creed. Miners and scholars alike stand in their councils; peasants and soldiers stand shoulder-to-shoulder in their armies. All value accomplishment, not pedigree. They led the so-called ‘Nobles Revolt’ against Queen Procipinee of New Pariden, in the name of the one overriding cause they have in common; freedom. Freedom for themselves, and all of Elemental.

Faction traits

• Wanderlust - Unlocks Quest Maps, Athican Leather Armor, the Fending Blade and the Athican Longsword.
• Heroic - Completing a quest provides double the normal Experience.

Unit traits:

• Altarian Blood - Altarian units gain +10% experience and the Rush ability.
  
• Train Henchman - Factions led by Altarian men can train Henchmen by researching the Heroes technology.

Lord Relias

Relias was orphaned when his clan's camp was set ablaze by wandering thieves. Finding a new home with a caring scholar, Relias focused his attention on the books that surrounded him. Those stories sent his mind racing between dreams of heroism and the harsh reality of the sword.

Profession: Adventurer

Magic Proficiencies

• Air Disciple
• Fire Apprentice

Traits

• Discipline - +1 Accuracy and Spell Resistance per Level.

Profession:

Magic Proficiencies

Traits

Kingdom of Capitar

The people of Capitar are the descendants of the great trading houses of old - the LaMord, the Serrano, the Ruvennese - the merchants and traders of the old kingdoms. They have a strong distaste for empires, and kings who rule by fiat, for in the time that was, the time before the cataclysm, they made their own wealth, and created great prosperity for those who were loyal to them.

Faction traits

• Civics - This faction starts with the Civics technology, which allows them to Produce Wealth and construct Inns and Bell Towers.
• Legacy of Serrane - Caravans are immune to attack. This also gives access to the Bazaar city improvement and the Warhorse, which boosts the riders attack.
• Lucky - All units have +25% to Dodge and +25% to Accuracy.

Unit trait:

• Mancer Blood - Mancers gain +1 accuracy per level and have an additional +1 move.

General Carrodus

Born somewhere in the Central Wastelands to parents he no longer remembers, Carrodus made his way to the city of Ruvenna as a youth. He worked as a pickpocket until he was old enough to be trained as a soldier in service to the Merchant-Lords of Surrane and Calder. He is a natural fighter and an inspiring leader of men.

Profession: General

Magic Proficiencies

• Life Apprentice
• Air Apprentice

Traits

• Tactician - +1 to the Army's Initiative.
• Cautious - Grants the ability to escape (with remaining allies) from battle.

Profession:

Magic Proficiencies

Traits

Kingdom of Gilden

The people of Gilden are the “Ironeers”: descendants of the Iron Tribes who were the first to master the art of shaping metal. In the days of the Magi clans, the Aivernach forged the swords of mastery, legendary weapons still prized by Man and Fallen alike. In those isolated pockets of civilization reclaimed from the wilderness, a skilled few still toil in the ancient crafts their forebearers mastered. They seek a leader to help them reclaim the land... and their pride.

Faction traits

• Master Smiths - Armor and weapons cost half the normal production. Upgrading units is half the cost. It also unlocks the Golem Shield, a massive tower shield which is as impenetrable as it is heavy.
• Great Hammers - Unlocks the War Club, which has a higher attack against Men and Fallen, the Battle Hammer, which has a higher attack than a Warhammer, and the Sledge, a Maul with higher attack.
• Light Plate - This faction crafts Light Plate Mail instead of Chainmail with the Armor technology. Light Plate has better defense but is heavier than Chainmail.

Unit trait:

• Ironeer Blood - Ironeers gain +1 Hit Point per Level and +30 to Spell Resistance, but tactical spells cost 50% more mana to cast. Unlocks the Guarded Strike Ability.
• Train Golems - Ironeers can train Iron Golems with the Blacksmithing technology. Iron Golems are powerful defenders, able to withstand lots of damage before being destroyed.

Lord Markin

Born in the shadow of the Skarps, raised by miners turned subsistence farmers, Enil Markinn was the catalyst behind the rebirth of the Miners Guild. He was also the first among their number to actively seek out trade for their ore in the cities surrounding Lake Zabril.

Profession: Armorer

Magic Proficiencies

• Earth Disciple
• Life Apprentice

Traits

• Hardy - +1 Hit Point per Level and immune to poison

Profession:

Magic Proficiencies

Traits

Kingdom of Pariden

The people of Pariden see themselves as the last hope of mankind in a world gradually consumed by darkness and disorder. They are inheritors of the Decalon, the great books carried west by Ezmir the Scribe, now contained in the library in New Pariden. They see Queen Procipinee as the heir to the throne of Amarian III, who led the Great Army of the West into battle against the Titan Curgen. Other kingdoms are, at best, rebels, and at worst, traitors.

Faction traits

• The Decalon
  • Unlocks Tomes which allow the reader to learn Air, Earth, Fire and Water magic.
  • Unlocks Arcane Monolith, a spell which places an outpost.
• Enchanters - Unlocks the Sindarian Staff, which gives additional Dodge, and the Leht Staff, which fires lightning.

Unit trait:

• Amarian Blood - Amarians gain +1 Initiative per air shard, +1 Spell Mastery per fire shard, +1 Spell Resistance per water shard and +1 Hit Point per earth shard. Unlocks the Soul Spark ability.

Queen Procipinee

Daughter of Amarian III, Queen Procipinee of New Pariden remains the greatest channeler of the New Age. Her powers have been instrumental in restoring life to the shattered lands surrounding her capital city, and in keeping that city safe from monsters and wicked men alike.

Profession: Summoner

Magic Proficiencies

• Air Apprentice
• Life Apprentice
• Water Apprentice

Traits

• Weak - -2 Attack

Profession:

Magic Proficiencies

Traits

Kingdom of Tarth

The people of Tarth are warriors, gladiators and slaves who rebelled against their masters, the merchant lords of Capitar. A century of being treated as little more than playthings has left these former slaves with a burning desire to use their strength in pursuit of revenge, rather than more constructive purposes. Lady Irane is teaching them the virtues of discipline, and order.

Faction traits

• Master Scouts - No Movement penalty in Forests, Swamps, Hills, or Rivers.
• Stealth - Monsters won't attack this player's units.
• Archers - Grants access to a unique set of bows that don't require metal and have a higher initiative and attack than the bows they replace.Additionally, the Ram's Horn Longbow ignores 50% of the victim's defense.
• Masterwork Chainmail - This faction crafts Masterwork Chainmail instead of Plate Mail armor at the Heavy Armor technology. Masterwork Chainmail has a lower defense but is lighter and cheaper to craft than Plate Mail.
• Rebels - +10% Unrest

Unit trait:

• Tarth Blood - Tarthan units gain +3 Attack and Initiative when in an army of 3 units or less. Can use the skill Double Strike.

Lady Irane

This warrior-queen is the only child of the great Gladiator Tarth, for whom the country she now leads was named. Irane is, in many ways, her father's physical twin. She has the same features and is, in full armor, virtually the same size. Her entire life was spent living in his shadow; his presence, and absence, shaped her every action.

Profession: Hunter

Magic Proficiencies

• Air Disciple
• Life Apprentice

Profession:

Magic Proficiencies

Traits

Empires of the Fallen

The Titans are gone, but not their ideology. The Empires have only contempt for the Kingdoms who squabble amongst themselves over whether leadership should be hereditary or through some kind of vote. The mightiest should rule. The weaker should follow. How could it possibly be any other way?

The Empires recognize that the transition from life to death contains the greatest of magic. They remain disgusted by the Kingdoms who leech life from the world as if they were parasites of life itself.

Empire of the Dead

The world of Elemental is littered with the bones of fallen armies. Men brutally killed in the Tarth rebellion, feet of packed bone fragments in the slave pits of Magnar, the lost remains of Relias's expedition to the east, and many long forgotten. The only constant in the history of Elemental is the rise and tragic fall of living kingdoms. Now the dead have returned to stop that cycle, and found an immortal empire upon the world.

Faction traits

• Undead - The dead have no use for food. They cannot use grain tile yields or build farms. Instead they must build Catacombs and Necropolis to house their cities population. Razing a city transfers that city's population to the capital. When men or fallen are defeated in combat they are transferred as population to nearest city.
• Gravetouched
  • Unlocks Elegy, a spell that does 3 damage per level to all adjacent enemies.
  • Unlocks Feed, a spell that does 3 damage to an adjacent ally and heals the caster 12.
  • Unlocks Morrigan's Call, a spell that grants +1 Growth per Death Shard in the enchanted city.
  • Unlocks Haunted Army, a strategic spell that raises an undead army that will serve you for 3 seasons.

Unit trait:

• Undead
  • Unit takes no damage from Poison
  • Unit never suffers a Critical attack
  • Terror - Target adjacent enemy loses their next action, unless they resist
  • Immune to Fear

Profession:

Magic Proficiencies

Traits

Empire of Kraxis

Those who call the people of Kraxis traitors are fools. The Krax are survivors - men and women who were trapped in the East when the continent split. As the savage remnants of Curgen’s armies ravaged the land, the Krax stood tall and steadfast, remaining united to resist the Fallen. Now that those same Fallen tribes have begun to form empires, it is only sense to make alliance with them... for they are neighbors, and the kingdoms of the West are a world away.

Faction traits

• Defensive
  • Unlocks the Bronze Shield and one handed spears.
  • Units defending cities get +10% per city level to Accuracy.
  • Units defending cities get +10% per city level to Defense.
• Betrayers - Unlocks Broken Loyalties, a spell that converts a city to your cause.

Unit trait:

• Krax Blood - Krax gain +10 to Defense when below 50% Hit Points, and the ability to Fortify tiles in tactical combat.

Emperor Karavox

Karavox claims lineage from Warlord Kraxis, slayer of Emperor Amarian. None are certain of which race, man or Fallen, he was truly born. What is certain is that he is no ordinary being, but rather a channeler of surpassing abilities. With his magics he razed the great palace at Goyarh Hedigah, such is his might.

Profession: Diplomat

Magic Proficiencies

• Fire Disciple
• Water Apprentice

Traits

• Wealthy - Start with an additional 400 Gildar, double the value when selling in shops.

Profession:

Magic Proficiencies

Traits

Empire of Magnar

The people of Magnar are the greatest soldiers of the former Imperium. Shaped thousands of years ago by Curgen’s magics to serve as his personal bodyguard and to command his armies, their loyalty to him is inbred. Their loyalty to power, though, is learned - the Emperor who can lead them to glory will have both their respect, and their allegiance.

Faction traits

• Slave Lord - Razing a city transfers half that city's population to your capital. When men or fallen are defeated in combat they are transferred as population to your nearest city.
• Flesh Bound Tome
  • Unlocks Cull the Weak, a spell that sacrifices an ally to regain mana and health.
  • Unlocks Death Lash, a spell that boosts an allies attack and initiative but kills them at the end of combat.
  • Unlocks Candlecloak, a spell that does fire damage to anyone who strikes your units with a melee attack.
  • Unlocks Consume, a spell that destroys a shard in your territory to gain 200 mana.
• Masterwork Chainmail - This faction crafts Masterwork Chainmail instead of Plate Mail armor at the Heavy Armor technology. Masterwork Chainmail has a lower defense but is lighter and cheaper to craft than Plate Mail.

Unit trait:

• Quender Blood - Quender units gain +50% Fire Resistance at the cost of -50% Cold Resistance. Unlocks the Flame Tongue ability.
• Train Slaves - Quendar can train Slaves. Slaves don’t have wages and cost less labor to produce but are weaker than normal units.

Magnar

Magnar is Fallen, ancient beyond reckoning. He is said to be descended of the first Magnar, who was the first of the Fallen created by the Dread Lord, thousands of years in the past. He rules over the city of Imperium and knows the secrets of the Dread Lord.

Profession: Warlock

Magic Proficiencies

• Death Apprentice
• Fire Disciple

Traits

• Brilliant - +10% Experience, +2 Spell Mastery per level

Profession:

Magic Proficiencies

Traits

Empire of Resoln

The people of Resoln are called Wraiths by some, monsters by others. They are neither Man nor Fallen, but creatures of dark sorcery and magic, transformed by the spell that gave Ceresa power. They are bound to her by that spell, a bond that cannot be broken by even the most powerful of enchanters

Faction traits

• Adepts - Faction starts with the Shard Harvesting technology, which allows them to construct Shard Altars. The player also starts with an additional 40 Mana.
• Death Worship
  • Unlocks Dirge of Ceresa, a Sovereign only spell that does poison damage to all enemies each turn.
  • Unlocks Graveseal, a spell that causes the victim to suffer critical hits from all attacks.
  • Unlocks Corruption, a spell that converts a shard you control into a death shard.
  • Unlocks Infection, a spell that causes all negative spells on a unit to spread to all its allies.
• Binding - This faction gains Burning Wraiths, Crow Demons, Mirror Elementals, Cyndrum Demons and Grave Elementals from shard shrines.
• Cult of a Hundred Eyes - This faction can train Widows, Harridans and Hoarder spiders in their cities.
• No Armor - This faction can't craft any armor beyond Leather. Champions are still able to use armor they find.

Unit trait:

• Wraith Blood - Wraiths have +20 dodge, and -1 Hit Point per level. Unlocks Wraith Touch.

Oracle Ceresa

In the Temple of Destiny, in the center of once-great Cyndrum, the Oracle Ceresa can be found, wisest amongst the Fallen. She speaks for the last of the titans, the Dread Lord Talax. The oracle performs magics of the highest difficulty and pronounces prophecies for her people and those who seek her council.

Profession: Summoner

Magic Proficiencies

• Death Disciple
• Water Apprentice

Traits

• Attunement - +2 Mana per Season
• Sovereign Bond - Grants the ability to summon a familiar that can cast all the spells the sovereign can
• Scarred - The unit heals at 1 point per season regardless of level

Profession:

Magic Proficiencies

Traits

Empire of Umber

The Urxen are the first and most numerous of all Fallen tribes. There are many who believe that the great migrations of the Urxen tribes in the last millennium - their journey north, their shift in loyalties from Curgen to Illosa, the Lady Umber - was the single most important factor in the Emperor’s downfall.

Faction traits

• Assassin's Tools - Unlocks the Poison Vial accessory (which adds poison damage to the wielder's attack) as well as the Skath Claw (a Broadsword with higher attack and initiative) and the Scimitar (a Longsword with the backswing ability).
• Master Scouts - No Movement penalty in Forests, Swamps, Hills, or Rivers.
• Warriors - Faction starts with the Training technology, allowing them to construct Barracks.
• Masterwork Chainmail - This faction crafts Masterwork Chainmail instead of Plate Mail armor at the Heavy Armor technology. Masterwork Chainmail has a lower defense but is lighter and cheaper to craft than Plate Mail.

Unit trait:

• Urxen Blood - Urxen units gain +2 attack when in armies with more than 5 units in them. They also receive double the normal swarm bonus.

Kulan

Kulan is the leader of a great Fallen empire that survived the Cataclysm, and a channeler of dark magics. Some say that he is neither Man or Fallen but a hybrid. And some go further and say that he was not born but spawned by Morrigan the Damned, within the caverns of lost Calebethon.

Profession: Beastlord

Magic Proficiencies

• Death Apprentice
• Air Disciple

Traits

• Might - +3 Attack
• Discipline - +1 Accuracy and Spell Resistance per Level
• Cruel - +1 to Attack, +5 Unrest in all cities

Profession:

Magic Proficiencies

Traits

Empire of Yithril

The people of Yithril are those who the armies of mankind called Trogs, a name said to have come from the first of their kind, D’rog, who slew the last descendant of Ereog in the great battle at Engar’s Plain. The Trogs, or D’rog, are warriors, violence and butchery is to them what milk and honey are to other races.

Faction traits

• Warriors - Faction starts with the Training technology, allowing them to construct Barracks.
• Warrior Caste - Trained Units start off at 2nd Level.
• Tough - All units get +10% Hit Points.
• Axe Mastery - Unlocks dual wield version of all the axes.
• No Ranged Weapons - This faction's armies can't use ranged weapons like bows and magical staves. Champions are still able to use the ranged weapons they find.

Unit trait:

• Trog Blood - Trogs have +20 Weight Capacity and can Berserk in combat, providing an attack bonus at the cost of health.
• Train Juggernaut - Trogs can train Juggernauts with the Juggernaut technology. Juggernauts are powerful attackers and inflict splash damage on surrounding allies and enemies.

Warlord Verga

Verga is the most fearsome of all Fallen in the East. He stands as a full 10 feet high, carries a pair of axes that he can butcher an ox with in a few minutes. It takes less time to do the same to a man. His might is prodigious, as is his skill with weaponry. His fighters are trained as well, and obey his orders without question.

Profession: Warlord

Magic Proficiencies

• Death Apprentice
• Earth Apprentice

Traits

• Hardy - +1 Hit Point per Level and immune to poison

Profession:

Magic Proficiencies

Traits