Dene'Illar Dynasty

The First Taran Empire or Dene'Illar Empire is a states in eastern Senai, the Herlet Arlaran, founded in 1077.

History
The history of the Taran Empire began with the Third Diadenr-Ceriadis War in 1047. In this war the once mighty Ceriadis was defeated by the united Taran forces. Then Prince Illodjier Diadenr had a plan for uniting the Empire with the Wasler-States to form the biggest Empire the world had known untill then. When his Father Emperor Ashkantr Diadenr passed away in 1051 he set his plan in motion and created the United Empire out of the Diadenr Empire, the Wasler-States Nagallra, Mentral, Ireneia and the conquered Ceriadis. He also created alliances with the Akken people and other Sedaras People. However he struggles to maintain control over Eshenta and Mentasillis.

At the end of his reign Illodjier became a bitter man. He realised that his dream was uncontrollable and that the United Empire would eventually break apart. Illodjier passed away in 1075 and made both his sons Tenerit and Falran Emperors. Tenerit got the old Diadenr Empire, while his younger Brother became Emperor over the Wasler-States and the conquered Ceriadis.

In 1077 visited Falran the city of Stillwater on an invitation from Lord Ledenir. He died in the mansion of the Lord under mysterious circumstances, most likely he was poisoned. Just one week after the death of his brother Tenerit started the mobilisation of his army and began to march from the Dian eastwards, this marked he beginning of the War of Succession.

Many Mentralien and Nagallics Lord accused Tenerit of conspirating with the Ledenirs to kill his brother and become lone Emperor. These lords turned to Lord Teigeras and the daughter of Emperor Illodjier. They named her Empress Ifelsia and made her the first female Taran Emperor.

At the end of the War of Succession the Ifelsian-Loyalists were victorious and reinstalled the authority of the Empire. The reign of Empress Ifelsia was known to many as the first Golden Age.

Before they besieged the Dian Fortress of Ayurdar-Karinarei, Ifelsia married the heir of house Illiurset and thus founded the House of Dene'Illar (which is abbreviated for Diadenr and Illiurset).

At the end of the eleventh century the Molayan states of Eshenta, Mentasillis and Arin form the Molei Union. In 1102 the First Molei-Taran War begins. The Molei manage to effectively liberate Mentasillis, but don't gain much territory besides that. In 1113 the Taran start a campaign against the Molei Union and begin the Second Molei-Taran War. This time the Taran conquer a huge swath of eshentene territory, but the Molei are able to fight them into a stalemate and force them to sign a treaty to recognise the sovereignity of the Molei Union.

The reign of Empress Ifelsia ends in 1132 as she passes away in her sleep with 81. Her reign was the longest of all Taran Emperors.

After he death the Council of Teigjer decided who to become the next Emperor. Eventually they Council decides upon her youngest Nerim, later called "The People's Emperor".

One of the first political moves of Nerim kir Dene'Illar was to integrate the Akken Protectorate into the Empire. This move however angered the Akken people and led to the Akken Rebellion in 1138. Nerim's Akken Campaign lasted untill 1140 and heavily devasted the Akkenland. After his victory Nerim implemented a series of discriminating laws against the Akken people to extinguish their tradition.

Nerim kir Dene'Illar died in 1151 and was one most the controversial Taran Emperors. The Taran populace almost universally admired him as a uniting force of the Empire, while ethnic minorities like Ceridians and Akken people see in him a brutals tyrant.

Political Division
The Taran Empire consists of 6 Provinces and 25 Lordships (in the year 1400). The six Provinces are Nagallra, Mentral, the Dian Region, Illeya, the Eastland and the Capital Marana. These provinces are mostly military divisions. Each Province constists of several Lordships ruled by an High Lord or Aia Kir.

The Dian Region

Ayurdar: This is the westernmost region of the Taran Empire and ruled by the House of Karinarei. most of the lordship lies within the Valley of Ayurdar in the central Dian Mountains.

Krasnadar: This is the eastern part of the Dian region. The realm of old Korren is now ruled by House Illiurset. The region is known for being rich in gemstones. The source of the Iren River lies also within Krasnadar.

Taladaran: This is the southern part of the Dian Region, borderin to Sylikaidia, Nebrech and Mentral. The south of Taladaran reaches into the Nebrech Basin and is called Walkenland, after the Nebrech people who are called Walken by the Taran. In the middle of Taladaran lies the city of Golosha, seat of House Sebanje ruling over the Taladaran.

Nagallra

Diarede: This region is also often called "The Ascent" as it lies next to the feet Dian Mountains. Diarede is one of the most densily populated area of the Empire, its capital the city of Nagassa is the seat of House Taleweiss.

Jayalren: The name of the region translates into "Fertility" in the Diadenr language. Jayalren was originally also ruled by the Taleweiss, but after their rebellion half of their territory was seized and given to the House Minit and became an independent lordship.

Gulrash: This is the northern region of Nagalra, situated between the Dian Mountains and the Ikkenian Mountains. Trough the middle of the Gulrash Basin flowed the Green Stream. Gulrash is one of the poorest regions of the Empire and ruled by House Bjelni.

Akkeneia: The Akkenland was once an independent and mighty union of eight tribes. During the Reign of Emperor Nerim Dene'Illar the Akken people were conquered and the Akkenland became part of the Empire. The Akkene language and rites were forbidden by law and the old capital of Theradi was burned down and the city of Stiek was made the new capital of the Akkenland. From Stiek rules the House Akenir over Akkeneia.

Nagalra Arlaran: This is the central part of the nagallic province. Nagalra Arlaran is sparsely populated and in the south and the north lie vast woodlands. In the middle of Nagalra Arlaran lies the town of Woodheart, seat of House Rinesh.

Iren Nekut: This is the western region of the Irenland. The lordship is ruled by House Halantis from the city of Peiservren, meaning Merchant's Friend in Tarawnen.

Iren Arlaran: The central Iren region is also one of the major population hubs of Nagallra. The capital of Iren Arlaran is the city of Stillwater or Wasjedel. House Tanjal rules over the region after it was given to them after the War of Succession in which they usurped the rebellious House of Ledenir and surrendered the Irenland to Empress Ifelsia.

Iren Sakut: Ruled from the city of Teelensteg, this is what was left for House Ledenir after the War of Succession, in which they sided with Tenerit Diadenr.

Sedan: Meaning Swampland in the Taran and Ceridian languages the region is together with Gulrash the poorest of the Empire. It borders also to the free land of Ki'in and is like Iren Sakut, prone to be raided by marauding Ki'in people. Sedan is ruled by House Madarawi.

Illeya

Illeya Arlaran: Illeya was an independent Kingdom before it joined the Empire in 1300. The Lord of Illeya Arlaran still has the title of the King of Illeya and rules factively over the whole Illey region and not just their own lordship, these Kings or called Hereditary Kings or Durkir. The capital of Illeya is the city of Illeya and seat of House Edjekewna.

Illeya Nekut or Rekkenland: The Rekken people had their own Kingdom long before the Taran showed up. They however allied with the Taran settling on the Illey River and are more loyal to them than to the Empire. The Rekkenland is ruled by House Arusriel.

Illeya Sakut or Drekkenland: The Drekken also had their own Kingdom, but didn't join the Illeyan Taran as early as the Rekken did. However the Illeyans still managed to convince them to join their Kingdom in the twelfth century, but did trigger a war with the neighboring Kingdom of Ki'intanav. House Drekaya rules over the Drekkenland.

Eastland

Sakuteia: The Eastland is unique in that it only consists of one lordship and thus could be seen as the most powerful single lordship within the Empire. The Eastland is ruled by House Kentelan from the city of Eastport. House Kentelan is unique among the lordly Houses in that it is a matriarchy.

The Farafar Island: Although not their own lordship the Farafar Islands off the eastern coast of the Herlet Arlaran have still some deegree of autonomy and have rebelled against the power of Eastport several times. After the Taran Civil War they became wholly independent from the Empire.

Mentral

Mentral Gumlug: This region is the core of the old Kingdom of Mentral and further regions added to it after the first war against the Molei Union. The ruling house of Mentral Gumlug is Mentralliwna, the old Kings of Mentral, who have their seat in Mentrallir.

Mentral Arlaran: The central region of the western part of Mentral is ruled by House Marsinech, but also from House Metralliwna who can still can themself the Kings of Mentral. House Marsinech has its seat Marsiwas. The second biggest city in Mentral Arlaran is Ketasind at the Iren coast. Mentral Arlaran is home to a sizable Ceridian minority.

Mentraresh: Is the southern part of western Mentral and part of the former Rose-Kingdom of the Palaisjehg family. Today Mentraresh is ruled by House Karehmis from the port city of Karalpar. The north of Mentraresh is mountainous and borders to Mentral Arlaran.

Edentje: Named after the old Principality of Edentje which coexisted with the Principality of Karalpar, before both were conquered by Ceriadis. Edentje was the theater for the bloodiest chapter of the Great Ceriadian Rebellion in 1077. General Palaisjehg, after loosing faith in the cause of Empress Ifelsia invaded Edentje and massacred the Ceridian population to carve out his own Kingdom of Roses. House Palaisjehg in the end again sided with Empress Ifelsia and were given the region of Edentje. The old fortress of the Roseheight is their seat. Edentje has the smallest Ceridian population in all of Mentral.

Sarineia: Once the old Kingdom of Sarin ruled together with Ceriadis. During the Second Dynasty the Sarin sided with Ceriadis against the Adiland and after reconquering their old territory the Sarin became a part of Ceriadis. They remained untill the Fifth Dynasty in a semi-indepent status. The House of Sarinje was founded from Irenian Nobles together with the remnants of the old Sarinian royal family to rule over the new Taran region of Sarineia. Their seat is the city of Idoloik or Jodilen. Sarin has the second highest ceridian population in the Empire.

Ceridenis: The Homeland of the ceridian people is Ceridenis, the literal Land of the People of the Sun. Ceridenis is ruled by House Osinei who claim to be one of the oldest families in the world and can trace their lineage back even before the foundation of Ceriadis, originating from the ancient nobility of Erelas.

Karaneia: The Karan people is the name the Taran gave to the Adilan, even tough the Adilan was assimilated into the ceridian populace since the end of the Second Dynasty. Once the Adilan possessed a great number of allied city-states north of Ceriadis which rivaled them in power. They even successfully invaded Ceriadis and caused the Interregnum, known as the Second Dynasty. The land of Karaneia is mostly flatlands and hearth, with swamps at the border region to the Irenland. The Adilan were once known for their ecellent cavallry.

Marana

Marana: The Capital province is home to the city of Marana once called Ceriadis itself. Marana is the home of the Imperial Palace and seat of the Emperor. The city of Marana is also the biggest city in the Empire and had at its hight around one million inhabitants.

Teigjer: The smallest of all lordships is Teigjer, ruled by the Teigeras family. Teigjer is also home to the Citadel of Teigjer, the allegedly savest fortress in the whole Empire. The family of Teigeras also had traditionally the position of the High-General of the Empire.

Population
The Taran Empire is populated by various Taranic, Sedaras and Molei peoples. The Taran can be devided into five groups. The Diadenr people mainly populate the Dian region and make out the majority there, with small minorities of Sylikaidian (also Taranic) at the border to Sylikaidian and in Taladaran. The biggest group of people are the Taran or Imperial Taran, who are the population majority of the Empire. The Taran live especially in the centre of the Empire along the Iren River and in the South in Mentral. They can be grouped into Nagallics, Irenians and Mentralier. In the north in Illeya live the Illeyan people, who albeit close to the Imperial Taran, consider themself to be a distinct ethnicity.

Sedaras peoples live in form of minorities all over the northern parts of the Empire, within Akkeneia, Drekkeneia and Rekkeneia they make out the majority. The Akken people live within Akkeneia and are the descendents of a once mighty nation. Under Taran rule the Akken Tradition and Akkene language remains forbidden in public and is except in very rural area in stark decline. Along Iren live also the Irnken people within a small reservation. The Irnken once ruled over the Riverland Realm before the Ceriadians destroyed their domain. The Taran offered the last remaining Riverlords refuge and over time these last remnants also assimilated into the Irenian society. In Illeya, along the taranic Illeyan people live the Rekken and the Drekken and have their own lordships. Along the border to Ki'in various Bolgokken tribes live within the swamplands.

Especially in the south also live Molay and Ceridians. The Ceridians make the majority in Ceridenis and Sarineia and a sizeable minority in all other Mentralian lordships, except for Edentje. The Molay live in the southern parts of Mentral Gumlug and Mentral Arlaran.

The Taran Empire had before the Civil War around thirty six million inhabitants.