Aurora Borealis

Dwendalian Empire

4 min read

Dwendalian Empire

The Dwendalian Empire is the dominant political power across western Wynandir in Wildemount, governing from its capital of Rexxentrum. Founded in 539 PD by Manfried Dwendal, the Empire grew over centuries into the largest and most militarized nation on the continent. Its soldiers wear red and gold, its laws regulate even the worship of gods, and its reach extends through both open force and covert intelligence. Several members of the party have personal histories shaped by the Empire’s ruthless policies.

Overview

TypeSovereign nation
CapitalRexxentrum (pop. ~205,200)
RegionWestern Wynandir, Wildemount
Founded539 PD by Manfried Dwendal
RulerKing Bertrand Dwendal (since 790 PD)
MilitaryRighteous Brand (standing army), Crownsguard (law enforcement and reserves)
IntelligenceAugen Trust (spy network)
Key InstitutionsCerberus Assembly (mage council), Cobalt Soul (knowledge institution)

The Empire maintains strict control over religious worship, permitting only six state-approved deities. Its governance blends military strength with institutional oversight — the Cerberus Assembly advises on arcane matters, the Cobalt Soul serves as a repository of knowledge and investigation, and the Augen Trust operates in the shadows to root out threats to the crown.

Notable Cities

  • Rexxentrum — The capital and largest city in Wildemount. Seat of the crown, the Cerberus Assembly, and formerly the Cobalt Soul. Destroyed by Kallum and a flight of dragons.
  • Zadash — A major trade hub in the Marrow Valley. The party passed through Zadash under false identities.
  • Alfield — A smaller town within the Empire’s borders.
  • Nicodranas — A coastal city on the Menagerie Coast. Allied with but independent of the Empire. Korin’s village was located nearby.

Military Forces

The Empire’s military is divided into two branches:

  • Righteous Brand — The Empire’s standing army, responsible for defending its borders and prosecuting its wars. Soldiers of the Righteous Brand wear the Empire’s distinctive red and gold.
  • Crownsguard — A combination of law enforcement and military reserve. Korin’s father, Marcus Oakhart, was a retired Crownsguard Paladin.

The Empire’s military has a history of brutal pragmatism. When a plague created by Laudna Briarwood swept through a village near Nicodranas, the Empire quarantined and then razed the entire settlement, killing the adults and burning the houses to contain the outbreak. Korin’s parents perished in this action.

Role in the Campaign

The Razing of Korin’s Village

Korin’s backstory is defined by the Empire’s decision to destroy his home village. Empire soldiers killed the adults and set the houses ablaze, ostensibly to eradicate a plague that was later revealed to be Laudna Briarwood’s creation. Korin’s father Marcus Oakhart and mother Elara Oakhart both died in the razing. Captain Eva Rostova, a Dwendalian officer who discovered Korin in the wreckage, retired from service in the aftermath and became his foster mother.

The Fall of Rexxentrum

Rexxentrum was destroyed when Kallum led a devastating dragon assault on the city — a blue dragon, a red dragon ridden by Kallum himself, and a black dragon. The party witnessed the destruction from the water while aboard a ship travelling from Zadash. The Cobalt Soul, which had guarded one of The Five Rings of Tiamat, was lost along with the city. The fate of that ring remains unknown.

Zadash

The party passed through Zadash under false identities during their travels across Wildemount.

Connections

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