Spanra Empire

The Spanra Empire, was a powerful human faction that dominated southern Estermark, from around 1300 years before the Age of Heroes till around 450 BAOH. It eventually broke up and transitioned into what is now The Nine Realms.

Geography
Spanra grew out of the city state of Spanra at a date which is much argued with historians, but is generally considered around 1280 BAOH. Spanra is found on the coast of central south Estermark, east of the Gliora Peninsular and west of the Arni delta. The empire quickly spread throughout the entirety of central and western Southern Estermark.

The climate of this region is mixed with the south, particularly the Gliora Peninsular being very warm sub-tropical, almost arid, dominated by olive and cypress trees and hot coastal hills. Further north are the Ractonian Mountains which have a very seasonal climate with warm summers and snowy winters. Pine forest dominate the mountain sides. The west has a mild climate with rolling grassy hills and shady deciduous woodland. Here the summers and warm and sunny and the winters cool and wet, with common weather systems funneling off the Blue Divide.

History
The Empire grew rapidly. It was in a fortunately good position to do so. Spanra had become the trade capital of Estermark due to its position near many valuable sources of trade and being on a sheltered piece of coastline. At first the empire grew to encompass much of the region of Napia to protect its trade resources. By the point it had control of Napia though, its army and wealth were unmatched on the whole continent. It quickly spread its branches out into Barich, Teringham and Gliora. Enlisting local culture into its culture and local men into its armies and bureaucracy, the Empire tightened its grip on the land. Eventually spreading into Cantrid, Reldwyn, Turing and even southern Greatwood. For almost 600 years, the Spanra army was almost undefeated in battle, even fighting wars against the wood-elves of the south. The principle religion of the state was Shadism, founded in the lands of the Coruna Barons, at the edge of the Greatwood, it quickly spread across most of the Empire.

It was at around 600 BAOH that the religion of Torchlight was introduced into northern Baarich and the Rundine Order, by monks from the Grand Chantry of Cadogan Wick. Within 100 years, it had spread across the entire eastern half of the empire. It quickly started an age of religious tension between the Chantrists and the Shadists, including the Shadist Emperor and his court in Spanra City. It was this that lay the groundwork for the downfall of the empire. In 464 BAOH a group of Cadowick missionaries travelled to Halaran in the province of Trowmelkia, who's vampire aided dark magic had become a serious threat to the Torchlight realms. In the infamous Night of the Silver Daggers, both factions at the diplomatic table planned on turning on each other. The result was a bloodbath in which half of the Trowmelkian Court and almost all the missionaries were killed. The vampires that inhabited Halaran dragged the remaining missionaries to the dungeons to become blood slaves.

The current Emperor was currently allied to the Trowmekians and so did nothing. Chantrists though all across Estermark, including many Spanra nobles were outraged by the events and the lack of response. The religious noble house of Darcii and Knights of the Rundine Order, with the aid of the people, deposed the emperor and massacred the old royal family. After this the loyalty of many to the Empire died and one by one, provinces started to rebel, first Teringham, then Coruna, then Cantrid. The Provinces of Ractonia, Granté Republic and Principality of Denwys soon followed. The Age of the Empire was over, the age of the Nine Realms had begun.