Western-Empire -

# Western Empire ![[factions_banner.webp]] `May. 5, 2025` · [[Horseapple]] · #Fragment #Factions #Bannerlord > [!custom-callout]+ [[3-heroes-(Bannerlord)]] > “The western third of the Empire is ruled by Garios, a charismatic general who represents a longstanding populist trend in imperial politics. He is deeply loved by his soldiers, both for his solid record in winning battles and for his insistence that his veterans be compensated in land afterwards. He often demands that the 'people' should settle key issues, but in practice this usually means an assembly of his soldiers, where his veterans can be counted on to shut down opposition.” — TaleWorlds ![[western-empire-banner.webp|right|200]] ## *“Who lives in and rules the Western Empire?”* The Western Empire is ruled under General Garios Comnos, a , his title in *Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord’s* `XML` files is Senator, [^9] but I would say that the Byzantium-based title of *“Autokrator”* [^11][^10]— meaning ‘one's own master’ — is more fitting. It is the Greek word “autokrator” that the French word “autocrate” comes from, which the English word “autocrat” is based off! [^12] Autokrator is more fitting in terms of Garios’ personality, and for the sake of the project, the title is more distinctive than just Senator or Emperor. The warm green land, of oak forests and volcanic outcrops, was originally under the possession of tribes Imperials called: *“Palaics”*. As of `1084` however, these peoples are mostly extinct, with the exception of a few elderly villagers still speaking the Palaic language, their customs and traditions are mostly forgotten. [^7] For the residents of this region, military-service has often been a path out of poverty, and into what we today might call a middle-class of land owners and renters. Garios, even before the Imperial Civil War, has loudly been demanding that the state offer up land to its veterans for their service. [^13] For this, the people here have naturally grown to like and gravitate towards Garios in the Imperial Civil War. Lastly, this faction is also described as adventurous and risk-taking. [^8] &emsp;&emsp; ## Faction Houses | [![[comnos-clan-banner.webp\|200]]](Comnos) [[Comnos]] *Tier 6* Autokrator: [[Garios]] 7422 Denarii Jalmarys · Zeonica Onica-Castle Aegosca · Alsasos · Dradios · Neocorys · Onica · Tarcutis · Zeocorys | [![[varros-clan-banner.webp\|200]]](Varros) [[Varros]] *Tier 5* Archon: [[Apys]] 5399 Denarii Ortysia Garontor-Castle Arpotis · Garengolia · Garontor · Lysia · Vinela | [![[dionicos-clan-banner.webp\|200]]](Dionicos) [[Dionicos]] *Tier 4* Archon: [[Crotor]] 3590 Denarii Lageta Thractorae-Castle Gamardan · Montos · Primessos · Thractorae | | :-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------: | :-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------: | :----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------: | | [![[elaches-clan-banner.webp\|200]]](Elaches) [[Elaches]] *Tier 4* Archon: [[Tynops]] 3527 Denarii Amitatys Thorios-Castle Bergum · Elipa · Phasos · Thorios | [![[lonalion-clan-banner.webp\|200]]](Lonalion) [[Lonalion]] *Tier 3* Archon: [[Desporion]] 3358 Denarii Rhotae Carphenion · Leblenion · Thersenion | [![[sorados-clan-banner.webp\|200]]](Sorados) [[Sorados]] *Tier 3* Archon: [[Saratis]] 800 Denarii Gersegos-Castle Gersegos · Vathea | | [![[corenios-clan-banner.webp\|200]]](Corenios) [[Corenios]] *Tier 3* Archon: [[Achios]] 876 Denarii Veron-Castle Goleryn · Veron | [![[palladios-clan-banner.webp\|200]]](Palladios) [[Palladios]] *Tier 2* Archon: [[Vincantios]] 1250 Denarii Oristocorys-Castle Elvania · Oristocorys | [![[maneolis-clan-banner.webp\|200]]](Maneolis) [[Maneolis]] *Tier 1* Archon: [[Vipon]] 684 Denarii Hertogea-Castle Hertogea · Nideon | &emsp;&emsp; ## *“What is produced and sold in the Western Empire?”* The western-third of the *Imperial Heartlands* mainly produces horses, grain, and grapes. For a full breakdown of all factions, *see* [[Production-(Cluster)]] . &emsp;&emsp; ## *“Where precisely is the Western Empire located?”* Beginning at the borders of the Kingdom of Vlandia and the High Kingdom of Battania, we enter the western-third of the *Imperial Heartlands* at the strip of land known as the *Glen of Balasog*. From there we encounter two notable regions: the *Gavys Valley* and the *Garontor Promontory*, below which is the *Strait of Lysia* which leads into the *Nahasa Desert*; also known as the *“Bronze Desert”*, or *“Great Desert”*. Next to the strait is a body of water called as the *Bay of Ortysia*, which itself is but a small portion of the much larger and more numerously named: *Perassic Sea*, which has three other titles. Those being the *Southern Sea*, the *Baetoric Sea*, and the Aserai-derived name of *Bahr al-Yeshm*, meaning the *Jade Sea*; or the *Sea of Jade*. Moving northward, back onto land, there are six total rivers existing in or running through the Western Empire, their names are the *Gavys River*, the *Zeos River*, the lesser and greater *Aminys Rivers*, the *Aris River*, and lastly the *Miron River*; also known as *“Myr”* by the Battanians. Below the Miron River is the *Dryatic Mountains* which long ago may have connected to what’s been called *Mount Erithrys*, a peak that seems to harbor many a hermit and mystic originating from all across Calradia. [^6] Next to Erithrys and the Aminys River, is the aptly named *Aminys Valley*, which touches the larger *Temea Valley* cutting sharply downward toward the town of Zeonica. The town, and its sea-swept summer gales; the “Zeonic Winds”, are named after one of the few women to rule the Calradian Empire, albeit as a regent for her son, Lady Zeona. Finally, above the town, and at whose feet the Southern-Imperial town of Poros lay, is the *Ilataric Hills* where many looters and other miscreates have likely sat in wait, waiting for the unwary-traveler to come wandering through, so that they may politely ask them for a small donation; a tiny passage fee, of merely everything they own. 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 Western 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-concept_strings-(Bannerlord)]] [^7]: [[3-spkingdoms-(Bannerlord)]] [^8]: [[Blog_54_Faction_Banners]] [^9]: [[3-spkingdoms-(Bannerlord)]] [^10]: https://www.etymonline.com/word/autocrat [^11]: https://www.heraldica.org/topics/royalty/emperor.htm [^12]: https://www.etymonline.com/word/autocrat [^13]: [[3-Travels-in-Calradia-(DLC)]]