Varnia

''"I long for home. I miss the songs of Elune's daughters. The majestic roars of Faendor's favoured in Drakr. The sounds of Cillashi inventions taming the very elements to serve us. The rowdy yelling of Scandics, the friendly faces of my Dimiri countrymen... And it is moments like these I wonder if I'll ever see our splendid home again, and why it is even necessary to expand beyond it." - ''Captain Ragnar of Sydhbyr, Dimir's 2nd Infantry, during the invasion of Khiva.

''"The Scourgeouns are a filthy blight, I tell ya. Handin' ya medicine and housing with one hand, but forcin' ye to speak their soddin' language with the other one, which no doubt's holdin' a soddin' sword to yer jugular. They'll find no love from Prithus, I tell ye. "Varnia" my arse - Silver Fuckin' Scourgeouns, that's what they are." - ''A Prithan sailor during the Prithan Expedition to Xholoria.

Description
Varnia, typically referred to as the Varnian Empire, the Argent Empire or the Silver Scourge, is an imperial state seated on the continent of Varnia, its namesake, and has a long and bloody history of conquest and innovation. Presently, it is the only nation to span an entire continent and its power is proportional to its accomplishments. It boasts a sizeable and incredibly well-drilled military, as well as cutting-edge technology provided by its numerous subsidised educational institutions. Its cities are large and teeming with life, and yet countryside dwellers fare equally well – mostly because they are financially encouraged by stately institutions to stick to tending the land. Varnia is an efficient state with a lot of opportunities that are almost too good to be true, but this comes at the cost of Varnia being among the most ruthless forces in all Kranos.

While Varnia is a united empire, it consists of multiple vassal kingdoms and states including the Scandes, Cillash, Dimir, Fjoti, the Wardric Lord-Admiralty, Handr, Vandri and the Stellar Forest. Originally, there were 12 Varnian realms, but as you can see, some have been absorbed by neighbouring kingdoms over the eons. While every Varnian speaks, well, Varnian, the distinct cultures of the various folks around the continent make Varnia a diverse nation indeed.

The current Argent Emperor is the ambitious and devious Vrothus Tercine. He was responsible for signing peace treaties with the Firsan Provinces, the Na’tar and a few Xholorian tribes upon his coronation, as he realised that his mother, Angra, had overextended their forces by pushing frontlines on two continents at once. It was time to stop, build infrastructure, establish supply lines, and reinforce the armies with more well-trained personnel before making another push. But it has been a while since Vrothus' coronation, and rumour has it that he grows impatient and is looking for any excuse to continue the war in Greater Khiva now that he has crushed his traitorous brother, Tyr, who pushed for parley and peace. Varnia may soon be on the warpath again, whether the Kingdoms under the Argent Emperor like it or not.

Races
Varnians are diverse due to the vast size of the Empire, but the population primarily consists of Humans, Elves, Gnomes, Dwarves and Dragonborn. Aasimar and Tieflings are usually considered naturally destined for positions of command within Varnian society, and tend to rise through the ranks of any given institution much more quickly than others. Varnia is the only place where Night Elves are found.

Culture
Varnians generally possess a naturally disciplined and efficiency-oriented mindset, as they are culturally required to do whatever it takes to succeed in their endeavours if they are to rise through the social ranks of the empire. Thus, foreigners often say they have "faces of stone", which refers to how well Varnians generally lie and how difficult they are to read. However, Varnians differ vastly depending on which realm within the vast Argent Empire they come from, and generalization of Varnians is not very representative for that very reason.

As always, this does not define your character should they be from here - it is merely a description of how people around your character behave on average. Not all or even any people around your character need adhere to these norms, either - it is entirely up to you.

Summary
Varnia as we know it started under King Straven Tercine of Vrothar, which is situated in the dead centre of the Varnian continent by the crossing of four rivers. His lands used to be known as the Kingdom of Rivers, but since the expansion of the city thus far as encompassed all of his lands and more Vrothar is now known as the City of Rivers. When King Straven was alive, there were around twelve Kingdoms situated around the continent. When he died, there were two. His son, King Kajon, fulfilled his father’s ambition to unite the Varnian Continent, and became known as the first Argent Emperor of Varnia – a title which his father had desired badly, but could not attain unless true unity of Varnia had been accomplished.

However, unity came at a price. The nation went through civil wars, plagues, famines… everything imaginable. This time would be known as the Era of Struggles. The tides would eventually turn upon the coronation of Emperor Hreslan, who brought peace to the land, established the Varnian administration as it is today, modernised the educational system, and took steps to build the best possible infrastructural network across the vast territories Hresland had inherited. He and his successors would forge Varnia into a seemingly unbreakable bastion of prosperity. But eventually, the successes of the homeland drove the Emperors and Empresses to ambitions facing outward. To the west lay the Khivan Continent, shattered between several nation states that the ancient Khivan Empire had failed to keep in check. To the south lay Xholoria, a wild and untamed land with inhospitable terrain and folk, a challenge for even the best Varnian soldiers. To the south-west lay the unruly, prosperous and densely populated nations of the Tatrian Continent, a jewel of chaos. Within a century after Hreslan's coronation, the Varnian Army had launched invasions of the former two. Their propaganda machine tell of the scientific progress, the healthcare, and the stability their reign will bring – but fails to mention the iron-fisted enforcers of the law, their policy of total assimilation, and their harsh treatment of those who do not bend to their will immediately. It has been around three centuries since Hreslan's golden age - and Vrothus is hellbent on starting his own. He has had a few problems, however: his brother, Týr Tercine, challenged Vrothus' claim to the throne some 15 years ago. This started a civil war that, despite holding promise, ended in a defeat for Týr, whose supporters were either executed or driven into hiding. While this made little difference to the Empire internally, Týr's defeat was lamented internationally. Týr is seen as a superior and far more agreeable ruler than Vrothus, mostly due to his policy of external pacifism and appeasement. However, no one except the Varnian Court knows where the defeated Imperial Prince is or if he's even alive. Vrothus holds the power and his ambition for a new Varnian Golden Age of expansion and prosperity is driving him to taking risks he shouldn't.

The Age of Straven Tercine (1000 Years Ago)
King Straven Tercine succeeded his father as King of the Kingdom of Rivers, or Fljotriket, at the age of 21 and renamed his homeland Vrothar. Straven was an unrivalled military genius of his time and envisioned a continent-wide state with Vrothar as its capital. As opposed to many rulers before him, Straven did not stop at envisioning his ideal future. Instead, he almost immediately began to reform the Vrothan army's organization as well as the Vrothan administration. It took him less than a year to effectivize his inherited state's institutions and establish a well-drilled professional army, and with his foundation secured he went forth to conquer. Straven was no merciless tyrant, however, and always offered multiple chances to surrender to his enemies, which would soon become the custom of victory in Vrothar. Over the years, Vrothar invaded Fjoti, Dimir, Handr and Vadri. All of these kingdoms eventually surrendered and accepted Straven's offer of imperial vassalage, which would later benefit some by allowing them to absorb whichever of their neighbours might be conquered after themselves. The Kingdom of Cillash asked to be taken into vassalage of their own accord, making them the first to join the now so-called Varnian Empire peacefully. Cillash was almost immediately revered for its technological boons and put in a position where Cillashi innovation could benefit all Varnians. Nimaas became the second kingdom to join peacefully, granting Straven access beyond the Niman Mountains and providing the new Empire with the first capable naval fighting force. The third to do so was the Wardric Kingdom, which was granted the prestigious title of Lord-Admiralty of Varnia as thanks for granting the newly forged empire a sizeable navy and almost guaranteed dominion over the continent's surrounding seas.

Eventually, Straven was contacted by emissaries of Veroldrassil and the Stellar Forest. To be approached by the Kal'dorei, the Firstborn of Kranos, was a great honour, and Straven was delighted to welcome the emissaries into his now almost kingdom-sized metropolis of a capital. He listened with empathy and concern as the emissaries described the horrible deeds of the Greenskins of Lok'hal. The Lok'hali Orcs, Goblins, Bugbears and other monsters had been an issue for all neighbouring territories for quite some time, and many of them were Varnian. But what the Kal'dorei were proposing was answering the Lok'hali genocide of Kal'dorei at Veroldrassil with extinction; total eradication. Straven had to make a choice: remove an entire race and deem them all guilty by biological association, thus gaining the allegiance of the Kal'dorei - or send a fighting force to deter and contain the Lok'hali, returning to the status quo and remaining cordial with the Kal'dorei. While Straven was initially in favour of the latter despite potentially ruining any prospect of a Kal'dorei alliance, his subject kings argued that the Lok'hali were irredeemable monsters that had to answer for crimes committed against multiple subjects of the empire. Some argued that leniency would lead to sedition since Straven would effectively be ignoring the calls for vengeance from many of his vassalized peoples. Unfortunately for the Lok'hali, Straven could not risk any such thing as tensions were brewing on the Vrothan-Scandic border. And so the Imperial armies joined with the Kal'dorei in the extinction efforts of all of Varnia's Greenskins and sentient monsters. After less than a year, the allied forces had succeeded, Lok'hali lands were being redistributed between neighbouring kingdoms and the administration of Lok'hal itself was divided up between involved parties. An Imperial Law designating Greenskins and monsters as vermin to be purged was introduced to the Imperial Constitution, and the Kal'dorei realm joined Straven's empire in return for a variety of guarantees and privileges.

However, the Scandes, which at this point included the Kingdom of Mistheim, now renamed the Eastern Scandes, as well as the territory of the long-gone Wizard Kingdom of Marglodonn, remained defiant. Straven learned the hard way that despite their numerical and technological inferiority, Scandic battle prowess and fearlessness was nigh impossible to defeat when fighting in a terrain so cold that only Scandics were accustomed to. Soon after, he learned that keeping any war going with the Scandes was like signing one's own death-warrant when the Metallic Dragonflight emerged from Mount Dyrrvodr and the remaining Scandic Mountains to aid the then ruling Snow-Queen Solveigr, descendant of Kord and "cousin" of the children of Faendor. While some military experts claimed the war could be won if Straven were willing to sacrifice enough people to achieve victory, Straven sued for peace with the Scandics and the Dragons because he refused to see more bloodshed than was necessary. The peace conference took two weeks, in which Straven attempted to persuade the Snow-Queen that joining his Empire was mutually beneficial. While his points were sound, both the Snow-Queen and the Metallic Archon were reluctant to consent. Straven was forced to make concession upon concession, guaranteeing that the Scandes would never be allowed to be divided to balance its power relative to other vassal kingdoms and that it would retain its 'wardenship' of Tempest Island (formerly the Kingdom of Marglodonn). The only concession offered by the Draco-Scandic alliance was that Drakr would be turned into a 'free city' of the Empire rather than a metropolis under Scandic control - however, the Metallic Archon insisted that the Kordic Summer Residence remain a Scandic territory to allow the Snow-Kings and Snow-Queens to visit and commune with the metallic dragonflight. This did, however, mean that the dragons would have some obligations towards the Varnian Empire. While the deal was protested by vassal kingdoms as incredibly unfair, especially by those who had hoped to absorb Scandic lands once the war was won, Straven could not turn down a potential draconic alliance. He agreed to all of these terms, but right when the treaty was to be signed, Snow-Queen Solveigr, perhaps out of revenge for her people suffering from Straven's invasion, demanded that the treaty only come into effect once Straven "Scandkiller" had died and his successor had been coronated. This was a crushing blow to Straven's dream to become Emperor of a united Varnia - an Argent Emperor. He and his diplomats tried to argue, but the Snow-Queen and the Metallic Archon insisted this was an unnegotiable condition. Defeated, Straven accepted these terms and returned to Vrothar, knowing he would never rule all of Varnia in his lifetime while his son, the timid Kajon, would.

The Bulwark
The Bulwark is an enormous magical bubble that covers all of Varnia Proper, preventing any and all teleportation and other magical transportation in and out of Varnia unless you are accompanied by a Vrothan Archmage or possess a keystone, all of which are jealously guarded and monitored by the Argent Inquisition. The Bulwark is Varnia's first line of defense against technologically inferior nations' attempts at infiltration, effectively destroying all hopes of acquiring their technology by magical means - even scrying and other methods of divination are largely blocked by the bubble. It is the primary reason why no one, including incredibly competent criminal organisations, have succeeded at stealing the secrets of e.g. mass-produced guns - for without teleportation, one is forced to attempt escape by sea, and the entire coastline is guarded by the Argent Navy as well as the dreaded and nearly undetectable Kraken Schools of Merrow.

Technological Ascendancy
Varnia's technological supremacy is beyond questioning and has secured them a certain dominance on a global level. Varnian army regulars are armed with both rifles and blades, making them extremely deadly on the battlefield. Unfortunately for scavengers, every single piece of technologically advanced Varnian weaponry has a built in self-destruct that 1) cannot be disabled by any magical means, 2) ruins the weaponry beyond all repair and salvage long before even the most skilled of tinkerers can disassemble or study the weapon. This precaution has meant that firearm use is only widespread in Varnian armies - you will, at best, see maybe 30 firearms in an army of 50000 men from elsewhere, and said firearms will be vastly inferior to Varnian ones in design, function and impact.

Bornea
Generally speaking, the Varnians and the Borneans have not had much to do with one another, which coincidentally means that the Borneans are the least hostile southern nation to the Varnian Empire. The Argent Emperors have tried to cement an alliance for more than a century now, but are typically met with total indifference from the Borneans. Varnia offered the Bornean Stadtholders the South-Western Khivan continent in exchange for military support during the Grand Invasion, but the Borneans refused, stating they had no interest in expanding their realm - until the Na'tari began targetting Bornean tradeships, which led to the Bornean navy's total blockade of Na'tari shores. Varnia offered to force the Western Na'tari to accept annexation by Bornea as thanks, but Bornea declined in a letter clamiming that the Stadtholders "were simply grateful that the Argent Empire of Varnia had seen justice done". As of right now, the two nations have embassies in each other's capitals and are on relatively good terms

Denthir
There is no love lost between the Varnian Empire and the now heavily diminished Denthiran Empire. The revanchist rulers of Denthir are fully aware of Varnian ambitions regarding the Tatrian Continent and would sooner see the world burn than have land that was once theirs end up in the hands of an Argent Emperor. The two nations are presently embargoing each other and diplomatic ties are incredibly strained. In spite of this, the two countries have established embassies in each other's capitals.

Firsan Provinces
As the Firsan Provinces were one of the victims of the Grand Invasion of Khiva, relations between the two nations are, to put it mildly, strained. The two nations were never amicable towards each other, mostly because of their mutual distaste for each other's forms of government. Presently, the Firsans are preparing for the worst and have spent the last 25 years fortifying their borders and training a professional army, which the Varnians have attempted to frame as a provocation. There are no formal diplomatic ties between the two states, and all communication that might occur would be via courier.

Khiva
The slowly resurgent Empire of Khiva has been watching Varnian expansion into Xholoria with envy and into the Khivan Continent with jealousy. In turn, the Varnians look at the Khivans with pity while assuring themselves that their empire will never fall like the Khivans' did. But in reality, the two nations have had very little to do with one another except through trade. Formal relations via embassies have been established, but all non-spy diplomats there have very little to do as, quite frankly, neither has any interest in the other - officially. However, Varnia has been accusing Khiva of funding Na'tar rearmament - but none of the accusations have been confirmed...

Na'tar
The Na'tari were the primary victims of the Grand Invasion of Khiva, and relations between the states reflect this. The Na'tari refuse to communicate with the Varnian state and have been preparing to retake their lands for 25 years. Training exercises on the border, heavy fortifications built with money that they should not have, and displays of force that should be impossible for such a small state have been the name of the game for two decades now. While the higher-ups of the Varnian Army simply dismiss the Na'tari as weak primitives that will be overrun using both quality and quantity, the average Varnian soldier patrolling the border fears the day war may break out once more - for the Na'tari are angry and, unlike last time, they are prepared.

Niva
As the only truly neutral nation left in the world, Niva maintains relatively amicable relations with the Varnian Empire. Whenever Niva hosts international summits, Varnian envoys bring precious gifts and compliments, hoping to gain the favour of the nation's druidic council. While they realise gifts are relatively useless to the inhabitants of the underdeveloped nations, they are a gesture of respect that the druids appreciate. Varnia has attempted to offer aid in bringing infrastructure to the island nation, but the Nivans have refused thus far. However, recently there has been talk about a Nivan grove being established on the Varnian island of Handr in exchange for the establishment of a Varnian port on Niva - something beneficial to the two nations, but a matter of concern for all others.

Prithus
The relationship between Prithus and Varnia is, to say the least, complicated. It has been no secret that Varnia desires Prithan lands due to their riches, but at the same time they need the Prithans as trade-partners while their lands are not under Varnian control. Furthermore, the Prithans scorned the Empire by launching a peaceful expedition into southern Xholoria, which has seen succesful cooperation with Xholorian Tribes and therefore speedy establishment of infrastructure and cities without any attempts at forceful assimilation. The two maintain embassies and claim that their relations are cordial. The truth, however, is that the two nations are bitter ideological rivals.

Synghgarth
Synghgarth was supported by the Varnians during the Great Schism of Denthir, but severed ties soon after gaining their independence because they deemed the Varnians' aid "unnecessary now that independence has been achieved". Since then, no diplomatic ties have been established between the two nations. The only interaction they have had was when Synghgarthian raiders used to assault Varnian ships, which was a nuisance the Varnians despised. However, an invasion of Synghgarth without holding Prithus would be doomed to fail due to the mountainous and hilly terrain of Synghgarth. Therefore, Varnians have taken to a doctrine of 'merciless warfare' against Synghgarthic raiders, meaning that all trade-ships are now accompanied by a Varnian dreadnought manned by a crew of veterans with instructions to kill all raiders. As the Synghgarthics soon found out, this included those who surrendered, were taken prisoner or tried to run. In fact, those ships that managed to disengage and attempt to sail away were pursued and relentlessly assaulted by artillery and magic until it sunk, leaving no survivors. There hasn't been a raid in decades since, and the two nations tend to kind of just diplomatically ignore each other.

Xholorian Tribes
The tribes, except for the De'via, and Varnia are on the worst terms possible. Many tribes have united to defend their homeland from the "Silver Scourge" that the Prithans warned them about. Half of the Moot has declared that all tribes must be ready to push the Varnians out of their continent soon. With Prithan monetary aid, they may succeed, but no war can start unless the other half of the Moot agrees - the alternative is that the Moot splits in half, starting a tribal war. It seems like tensions are reaching the boiling point, as the Varnian Empire has stationed two additional armies in their Xholorian territory. Everyone is preparing for the worst.