Empire of Vir¶
- Duration: ??? (Early-Mid Av2, no later than c. Av2 1100) - Av2 1359
- Location: Eastern Drehmal: Highfall Tundra, Grand Pike Canyon, Spearhead Forest, Black Jungle
- Capital City: Highfall (?)
The Empire of Vir was a large empire in eastern Drehmal, in early and/or mid-Av2. Lasting until Av2 1359, it may have been the unifying force on the side of Virtuo in the Deity War, and possibly a successor state to the Viruhn.
Very few direct references to the Empire of Vir are found in the map, and only its fall is truly documented. Its fall is known to have occurred in Av2 1359, leaving a massive power vacuum in the east, particularly in the Black Jungle.
Two artifacts reference this empire.
Alviran Signet Shield in Virsuhl references a "Southern" Empire of Vir based around that Spearhead Forest town, not brought up anywhere else:
This shield is emblazoned with the crest of Diore I Alvira, the great Virmari conqueror and Emperor. So long as his standard was in Virsuhl, the Southern Empire of Vir was said to possess coequal authority to Highfall itself. Without Diore and his kin, however, the great city soon fell to opportunists.
This seems to show that Highfall was the center of power in the main Empire of Vir, and also establishes that the leaders of both empires were likely Virmari, as later rulers of Highfall were known to be Virmari.
The other artifact is Wish for Hope, found in a crypt at the eastern end of Virtuo's Aegis in Highfall Tundra:
A pure white shortbow, fabled weapon of an old Virmari hero. During the Deity Wars, they were one of Virtuo's greatest crusaders against Maelihs and his armies. Though their name was forgotten, their heroics became the spirit of the Empire of Vir.
Due to the wording of this artifact, it is not clear if the Empire of Vir was already an existing force during the Deity War, or if they served as an inspiration to the Empire when it was founded post-war.