Southern-Empire -

# Southern Empire ![[factions_banner.webp]] `May. 4, 2025` · [[Horseapple]] · #Fragment #Factions #Bannerlord > [!custom-callout]+ [[3-heroes-(Bannerlord)]] > “The southern third of the Empire is ruled by Rhagaea, widow of the murdered emperor. For her, politics is personal: all men want their families to inherit what they have, and if you loved Arenicos then you will support the rights of his heirs. Arenicos was indeed loved, and also there are some Calradians who believe that the endless squabbling and civil wars can only be overcome by a king, or, if necessary, by a queen.” — TaleWorlds ![[southern-empire-banner.webp|right|200]] ## *“Who lives in and rules the Southern Empire?”* Those who live in the Southern Empire, during the Imperial Civil War, do not consider themselves ‘Southern Imperials’, nor the faction itself as a single piece of the greater empire, rather, they see themselves as the — quote — *“sole legitimate empire”*. [^6] The peoples of this land are descendants of aristocrats who had married merchant princes and nomadic chieftains, many of which claimed blood-lineage to legendary eastern kings, champions, and demigods. Today, many of the settlements of the Southern Empire are the richest and most population-heavy on the continent, known for their terraced hills with olive groves that produces: *“light, fragrant oil.”* [^8] [^7] It was long predicted by ancient Senatorial families who currently reside in the Northern Empire that someday, the southerners may attempt to develop a hereditary monarchy of their own. The leader of this faction is Empress Rhagaea Pethros; niece of late-Emperor Drosios Neretzes and the daughter of a Darshi padishah, possibly Hoshtar. [^9] [^10] According to Rhagaea, the previous Emperor Arenicos, her husband, had chosen her as his successor, but it is impossible to verify this claim, as no one actually witnessed Arenicos declare it. Both Garios and Lucon are very different people, but they share one thing in common, they both believe that if Rhagaea becomes the official ruler of the Calradian Empire she’d turn it over to her father, the Darshi Padishah, and the Empire would be subsumed in the same way it’d done to others. Garios even states that Rhagaea is probably lying about Arenicos’ will, as she has apparently already spoken several lies in the past; this one, the General suspects, is yet another. [^11] Empress Rhagaea knows she could re-marry and end the war for good. That joining hands with Lucon Osticos or Garios Comnos would save so many lives, but in her philosophy, if men are willing to die for her position as sole legitimate ruler, and if the Heavens give their favor to those who are truthful and good, then Rhagaea’s fight is virtuous and she has a divine responsibility to press her claim. &emsp;&emsp; ## Faction Houses | [![[pethros-clan-banner.webp\|200]]](Pethros) [[Pethros]] *Tier 6* Empress: [[Rhagaea]] 7871 Denarii Lycaron · Onira Sestadaim-Castle · Chanopsis-Castle Amycon · Canterion · Chanopsis · Lanthas · Lartusys · Parasemnos · Popsia · Sagora · Sestadaim | [![[mestricaros-clan-banner.webp\|200]]](Mestricaros) [[Mestricaros]] *Tier 5* Archon: [[Oros]] 5602 Denarii Danustica Odrysa-Castle · Lavenia-Castle Caira · Erebulos · Ethemisa · Lavenia · Odrysa · Polisia · Tegresos | [![[leonipardes-clan-banner.webp\|200]]](Leonipardes) [[Leonipardes]] *Tier 4* Archon: [[Pharon]] 4519 Denarii Poros Canoros · Tevea · Zestea | | :-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------: | :----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------: | :----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------: | | [![[Hongeros-clan-banner.webp\|200]]](Hongeros) [[Hongeros]] *Tier 4* Archon: [[Turiados]] 3691 Denarii Vostrum Alision · Avalyps · Gorcorys | [![[julios-clan-banner.webp\|200]]](Julios) [[Julios]] *Tier 3* Archon: [[Baranor]] 3859 Denarii Syronea Corenia-Castle Corenia · Metachia · Psotai · Vargornis | [![[vizartos-clan-banner.webp\|200]]](Vizartos) [[Vizartos]] *Tier 3* Archon: [[Sichanis]] 1653 Denarii Phycaon Saldannis · Spotia | | [![[avlonos-clan-banner.webp\|200]]](Avlonos) [[Avlonos]] *Tier 3* Archon: [[Serandon]] 8157 Denarii Melion-Castle Melion · Sagolina | [![[vetranis-clan-banner.webp\|200]]](Vetranis) [[Vetranis]] *Tier 2* Archon: [[Satros]] 1127 Denarii Jogurys-Castle Eunalica · Jogurys | [![[priencos-clan-banner.webp\|200]]](Prienicos) [[Prienicos]] *Tier 1* Archon: [[Abalytos]] 747 Denarii Morenia-Castle Atphynia · Morenia | &emsp;&emsp; ## *“What is produced and sold in the Southern Empire?”* It is said that the south half of the Empire is famous for its olive groves, but in the current release of the game, not a single olive-producing village exists in the Southern Empire. The southern-third of the *Imperial Heartlands* predominantly produces is grain, salt, and sheep. For a full breakdown of all factions, *see* [[Production-(Cluster)]] . &emsp;&emsp; ## *“Where precisely is the Southern Empire located?”* Reading the map left-to-right, we begin at the borders of the Northern Empire and the Western Empire, starting with the region called the *Aris Valley*, at the bottom of which sits the Training Fields during the Campaign Storyline of *Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord*. Next to that is the *Valley of the Lycarea*; also called simply the *Lycarean Plain*, top of which is *Ornian Rock* whose resident vultures is rumored to have feasted on the flesh of every people of Calradia. At the foot of this rock is the death-place of Emperor Arenicos, and the former capital of the Calradian Empire; the Southern-Imperial town of Lycaron, whose walls bear the marks of a riot and whose hippodrome sunk in its flames. This occurred when the Nordland-originating Vaegir Guard of Arenicos were blamed for his poisoning and assaulted by furious protesters. The mercenaries snapped and ended up killing civilians and pillaging the town on their way out causing a riot, the hippodrome was being melt to ashes, thieves and robbers were running wild — stealing from this warehouse and that, destroying government property and tax papers. And many foreigners were unfortunately attacked and some were even killed. [^12] [^13] [^14] [^15] Moving on, below the Lycarean Plain is what’s been called the *Tripotamia Valley*, which is a small length of land which is closed in by two strips of hills or cliffs. Running directly through the valley is the *Sethys River* which leaks into the aptly named *Sethys Estuary* and whose waters are added to by the *Gorea Tributary*. Next to the Sethys River is the wholly original name of the *Sethys Valley*, containing of which the *Calsa River*; but whose streams are more broadly called the *Calsea*, which is a network of lagoons, rivers, and small lakes connecting to three in total, not including the Calsa River. They are: the *Ozu River*, which is largely part of Khuzait lands. Then there’s the *Teyagh River*; also known as the *River Tiagys*. Lastly, there is the Aserai-named river of the *Nahr-al-Kals*; translating to the *“Bitter River”* or the *“River of Lime”*. Now let us switch from those bodies of water to the last two big ones left to be named: first, we have the numerously titled *Perassic Sea*; also known as the *Southern Sea*, the *Baetoric Sea*, and the, again, the Aserai-coined name of the *Bahr al-Yeshm* meaning the *“Jade Sea”* or *“Sea of Jade”*. And second, northwards, pressed between the Southern-Imperial and Northern-Imperial lands and the Devseg Plateau; which was originally called Transtanaesia, is the waters of *Lake Tanaesis*; also known as the *“Tanaz Sea”* and/or *“Tanaz Lake”* which the Teyagh River connects to. Next we have the *Tanaeitic Plains* which just barely reaches the small chunk of the rolling *Akkan Hills* present in the Southern Empire. The rest is mostly encompassed within the Khuzait-held lands. This is what this faction’s territory is at the very start of *Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord* in `Early Summer` of `1084`. Want visuals? *See* the page [[Calradia-Toponyms]] for a map. &emsp;&emsp; ## *“When did the Southern Empire secede the Calradian Empire?”* It is currently impossible to know the exact date of when the Imperial Civil War began, however we can certainly make an educated-guess that it was in the year `1082` of `Spring` and here’s why: > [!question]- Explanation > 1. Lucon, Garios, and Rhagaea all proclaimed themselves leaders of the Empire *immediately* following news of Arenicos’ demise, seceding from the Empire and creating their own slices: “(…) returning to his palace (Arenicos) in the southern town of Lycaron after his latest victorious campaign on the borders, he asked for some time alone in his chamber to nurse a splitting headache; when his guard checked in on him a few hours later, he was lying dead in a pool of blood. *Immediately*, Lucon convened a gathering of senators in his power base in the north and had himself declared emperor. Garios, campaigning on the Battanian frontier, stood before an assembly of his soldiers who cried out for him to don the purple. And Rhagaea emerged from the palace and addressed the throng that had gathered at the reports of the emperor's death. She raised before them the slain emperor's robe, drenched in his blood. The crowd cried out that she should be the empress, that the emperor's family must rule from this day on, and that she must take vengeance on his murderers - although who exactly that was, at this point, was mostly a matter of rumour. Civil war again loomed - and this time, with three equally balanced and determined factions eager to fight, it looked as though it might be more terrible than ever.” [^1] > 2. Arenicos was made Emperor by the Senate *after* the Battle of Pendraic, where the previous ruler, Drosios Neretzes, had died in `1077`. “The barbarians just kept coming and coming. I fought my way out with some loyal men, and made my way back to the capital. But I found that Arenicos had got there before me, and had himself declared Emperor. He always was a cunning operator.” [^2] > 3. Lastly *Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord* begins in the year `1084`, in `Early Summer` on the 1st day. Additionally, Bannerlord holds a `DLC` titled the *Digital Companion*. Within this `DLC` is the *Travels in Calradia* audio-book. This story follows a scribe named Asaios as he goes around Calradia starting *before* the death of Arenicos and prior to the events of the game. Each chapter title contains that current season and an indicator of its progression through said season (ie. `Early Summer`, `Mid Summer`, `Late Summer`, and so on.) However, the very first chapter is titled, only, Introduction. There’s no indicator of the season. What’s more, this is the chapter that says: “I did do one somewhat unusual thing about a year ago. This was the beginning of my stay in Vostrum, before the Emperor Arenicos died.” and also “(…) two months after that Arenicos died, and the Calradian-Empire fragmented, and I assumed that my hopes of a side career in intelligence work had been shattered along with it.” So while we do know not what year Asaios is writing in and the season is left unsaid, the next chapter does begin in `Early Spring`, meaning the previous one may have in `Early Spring` too, *or* was in `Late Winter`. > > Now putting it all together, the death of Arenicos and the start of the Imperial Civil War was in either `April` or `May` during `Spring`. According to [^3] [^4] one year in Bannerlord is 84 days, and 1 month is 7 days — also, Bannerlord begins in the year of `1084` during `Early Summer` on the 1st day — and so theoretically at the very most recent possible date: Arenicos is poisoned and the Civil War erupts in the year `1082` of either `April` or `May` during `Spring`, exactly two-years and one-to-two months *before* the start of *Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord*. Asaios then takes his journey around Calradia and finishes in `Late Autumn`/`Fall` of `1083`, and the player begins their journey in `Early Summer` of `1084`. This means, at the lowest estimate, that Arenicos died and the Empire fell into Civil War *175 in-game days ago* at the start of a new game! Or 539 in-game days ago at the very highest end, during `1078`, shortly after Neretzes death at the Battle of Pendraic in `1077` although I do prefer the former calculation. According to [^5] one in-game day takes `00:01:36` seconds to pass at full speed, and so `00:01:36` x 175 in-game days means that the Imperial Civil War began approximately `4:40:00` minutes *before* the player starts their campaign! &emsp;&emsp; > &emsp;&emsp; ![[encyclopedia_calradica.gif|center|300]] >*“A massive `Mount & Blade` wikipedia.”* About [Encyclopædia Calradica](About-the-Encyclopædia.md) About the [Project](Project-(Pillar).md) About the [Author](Horseapple.md) &emsp;&emsp; ## Resources [^1]: [[Blog_42_Empire_Pt.1]] [^2]: [[3-std_story_mode-(Bannerlord)]] [^3]: https://expertbeacon.com/how-long-is-a-year-in-bannerlord/ [^4]: https://forums.taleworlds.com/index.php?threads/year-length-slider-on-game-start.409741/ [^5]: https://mountandblade.fandom.com/wiki/Map_time [^6]: [[3-module-strings-(Bannerlord)]] [^7]: [[3-spkingdoms-(Bannerlord)]] [^8]: [[3-std-settlements-xml-(Bannerlord)]] [^9]: [[3-heroes-(Bannerlord)]] [^10]: [[3-spclans-(Bannerlord)]] [^11]: [[3-world_lore_strings-(Bannerlord)]] [^12]: [[3-wanderer_strings-(Bannerlord)]] [^13]: [[the-Exile]] [^14]: [[Bloodaxe]] [^15]: [[the-Wainwright]]