THE AURIAN EMPIRE

-The empire was founded by Amaras, Saint of the Sword, a famed hero who united many of the survivors left around the meteor’s impact zone. However most of its expansion came by the hand of current Emperor, Rosal Orduz, who inspired by Amaras began a campaign through the barren snowlands, anexing the different villages formed by force and creating routes between them. The Emperor was mostly concerned isolation and fighting for resources would doom mankind to extinction.

-His campaign is called the “Desert Campaign” and it was known for its brutality. Villages were either with him or they got whipped into form to be. From every place they annexed, the Emperor designated a leader to negotiate with Harvatat and such the Noble Clans/Families were born. A little detail – people born in the empire usually introduce themselves by name first and family second, while people born outside of it use the family name first and then the name. Not everyone with a surname is a noble though. While most people agree the empire expansion brought a lot of advancement and a better life to everyone overall and secured humanity, there is plenty of justified resentment going around regarding the massacres committed by the Emperor and his enforcers.-There is a second Desert Campaign, after the Emperor retired back to Harvatat to rule, and the Asgados took over the war efforts. It is even more brutal than the initial one and often just a tool to crush opposition against the Asgados Clan.

-There are 46 Dome-Cities in total: Harvatat, Kevkeni, Sarkesa, Braide Ende, Orshel, Urvala (Scott was born here), Sta, Haurli-Naru, Diasgahea, Kelseras, Murrkal, Maskala, Derdreli, Marsella, Attricks Govement, Sorpolo Barbanto, Pa-Lee-Ma, Nul, Starbelow Count, Zenith (Nitani was born here), Xucran Zenit (Asgados come from here), Emire, Nul II, Stringer, Poder, Dohary (events of chapter Four happened here), Griabben-Cra, Hanacoli, Korrostor, Inerni, Western Inerni, Kenmyrdon, Galmyrdon, The Longing Temples, Sibermas, Belkusas, Aurdelard, Deltaur-Eclant, Tavurias, A, Gufix Oi, Suemile, Morbelos, Nutaryu (Asha lived here, now there is nothing), Amon-Ris, Immaculate (Fiadh lived here). -The Empire covers what is believed to be still a rather small portion of the world. Most of the rest of the world is assumed frozen and dead, though no one is entirely certain. Crossing the frozen seas is entirely impossible so if there is more of mankind thriving on the other side, that is unknown.

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THE VAIL CHURCH

-It’s not exactly known when the church was founded, but ideas of Vail being divine in origin came pretty early since it helped humans survive the catastrophe. A great cleansing of the world, a new era, you know the deal. However the church in its current form and with its current power only happened after the Saint of the Abyss, Pontiff Asgados was chosen as its leader. From then on his miracles were used to justify many of the abuses the Asgados family perpetuated towards the other clans – the most known of them is to force them to give their conduit children to the Noostowers where they power up the domes and receive home and education in exchange. During adulthood, a martyr can choose to remain in the church in another role or even return to their families.
-The main, Imperial branch of the Vail Church reveres the figure of the Nameless Goddess, who sent the Daera to guide humanity towards the fulfillment of all their desires.

-Church structure goes something like this:

Pontifex – Head of the Church, the position is currently occupied by Pontiff Deiruge Asgados, Saint of the Abyss, who leads and increasingly personalized cult to his being.
Blessed Ones – Martyrs chosen by the Pontiff to follow and attend to him. Among them the Vox is the one chosen to speak for the Pontiff.
Cardinals – Selected Bishops who have the power to vote for a new Pontifex once the current one passes away. Good luck.
Archbishops – They have authority in religious matters towards one dome-city. We met Archbishop DeLorance in Chapter 4, “Desires” – right before he got fired for incompetence.
Bishops – A greater role who compete to become Archbishop of an specific Domeland.
Priests – You know what those are. Among them the rank of Monsignor (as in, Fiadh’s teacher) is given to those who did a particularly good contribution to the church and stand on pair to bishops.
Martyrs – Children used to fuel the Noostower Vail crystals.

Then, as a sort of side faction, there is the Magisterial Shepherd: An unknown person who both plans for the progress of Vail-related investigations AND keeps an eye on the internal church affairs. Think of him as the supreme Taxman, with authority only superseded by the Pontiff.
Exarchs: Assistants for the Shepherd, they all don similar animal-skull masks. The Exarchs very often also pretend to BE the Shepherd to throw mist on their actual identity and location, which is kept a secret due to the important nature of the Shepherd’s work and knowledge.

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THE REBELS

-There are actually two rebel factions. The Radical Rebels is the oldest and is made of a group of people who oppose the existence of the Empire altogether, seeking its destruction through different acts of war and terror and allying themselves with the few cities that rebel against the Asgados Clan. Ultimate goal for them is to kill the Emperor, the Asgados, everyone at Harvatat really, and return to the time of autocratic villages with this time friendlier approaches to negotiation between them. They are led by Barragaxas Gurak, the youngest son of famed Generalissimo Dailar Gurak, who is the Emperor’s right hand man.

-The other rebel faction is usually just called the Rebels, and its the one Asha and Scott belong to. They intend to keep the Empire working as it is but to dispose of the Emperor as a role, allowing some kind of parliament to take as a form of government, as well as to get entirely rid of the Asgados Clan influence. This group is lead by a man named Eras Vandriel, who used to be governor of Marsalla, and among his members has famed people such as Mersault the Hermit, Astwihad the Death, Iwan Gurak (oldest son of Generalissimo Dailar Gurak) and, well, Asha.

-Rebels from this group usually have far more support from nobles of the empire who want to rebel against the Asgados but think they can keep their status quo in the event of a successful rebellion. Their operations are also in general far more measured than the other group. Both groups generally operate in friendly terms however, being that the enemy is far too strong for infighting.

-Rebels in Vandriel’s faction are usually paired for missions. Scott and Asha are such a pair.

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THE ADHENE COMPANY

The most important and ubiquitous train company within the Empire, it built most of the railways connecting the diversing Dome-lands through the Silence. They pride themselves on their excelling service and punctuality and are considered often the backbone of the Empire in terms of business and movement. The Company is led by the director, Lord Maeres Reilastea, who serves as well as Governor of the city of Sarkesa. Adhene train attendants are known to look characteristically similar, slender and well behaved.