Deverenians

Artwork by Craig Maher

The mountains of Deverenia are dark, blackened and scorched by the passage of the Blood Moon. On the far side, the mountains have turned red with fire and blood, marking the edge of the moon's destruction. The Deverenian palaces rise like gothic cathedrals against a storm-covered sky, and their armies march in formation; armor and steel beneath the lightning sigil of their mighty Emperor.

The people of Deverenia are soldiers, warriors with a dark sense of honor and the iron fists of tyrants. They live within a rigid military society where the nobility rules, and the serfs farm the land and care for the day-to-day business. Once, long ago, the Deverenian Empire had conquered nearly all of the human lands in the Accord, butchering those who did not agree with their rule. Many years passed, and the Empire fell from within, leaving only the crumbling shell of a once-powerful nation.

Until now. United beneath a strong young Emperor and his sorcerous advisors, the Deverenians have begun to reestablish their conquest, this time seizing Elven and Nothrog lands as well as the lands of the Human kingdoms. The Deverenians see the Storm as a kind of god, a power that can be harnessed and controlled. Their Emperor believes that he can gather the power to summon the Storm ­ and control it. If he is right, the Deverenians could well conquer the world, with the Storm at their side.

The Deverenians are strong fighters and good commanders, using a great deal of fodder-troops and sorcery to compliment a single warrior's raw physical prowess.

One Deverenian Knight is nearly a match for 20 Nothrog; if the knight is accompanied by squires and a sorcerer, he could potentially take out a legion. Deverenian politics are ancient and subtle; they know the secrets of all the lands they conquered, and they remember the means to manipulate their enemies. Their ambassadors often hid an iron hand within their velvet glove ­ and all too often carry a touch of poison behind honeyed words. The Deverenian units are typically made up of one massive, heavily armored fighter, and a number of weak grunts that exist to 'soften the enemy' for the Knight's attack. Their wizards specialize in offensive magic, with fire being a particular favorite among their sorcerers.