Empire of Drova

The Empire of Drova is the third smallest nation in Lerania. It is ruled by Emperor Dakon Hlairyn.

Before the First Era
The region known as Drova has a long, complicated history. The coastal regions around the Islands of Night and the capital, Zolurix, were once inhabited by various tribes of Goliaths. Tabaxi reigned supreme in the mountains and western deserts, and the Sylvian Elves held the forests to the south. These three main factions had long acted as each others' enemies, constantly sparking war between clans.

During the Great Deep Freeze, many Sylvian Elves descended into the deep cave systems under the Clawed Mountains. Tabaxi and Goliaths both migrated into other, warmer lands. While underground, these Elves grew used to the dark and gained exceptional night vision.

As the land thawed, the dragon Vyrshyngryx ushered the newly-made Drow out of the caves, showing them the new world. He guided them southward to the heartlands of Drova in Year 2776, where he assisted them in settling the city now known as Dragonclaw. The Drow saw the great black dragon as a god, and thus founded a cult after him.

The Drow spread their population to the north and south, founding various cities along the coastlines and in lush forests. Along with them came their religion, which kept the miscellaneous city-states aligned with each other as they all served Vyrshyngryx. However, the rise of a pretender silver dragon from the fortress of Silverkeep angered the Drow and Vyrshyngyx. Thus, a two-hundred-year-long conflict erupted between the Drow and the Snow Elves.

Due to the vast amount of land this powerful empire now held, Vyrshyngryx chose his most zealous priest to rule and administer the empire. Wyldris Hoxa Hlairyn served as the first emperor of Drova, establishing a lineage that would last more than two millennia.

In the War of Black Ice, the Snow Elves witnessed their nation be reduced to rubble by the strong, unified army of Dark Elves. Eventually peace was signed, but Silverkeep never recovered to its full power. The Drow then claimed "All the land east of the claws and north of Nyx," the region known as modern-day Maliesse.

After this conflicted, the Drow pushed southward into the loosely-allied city-states in the Golden Valley. In a mere half century, the Drow had conquered the key agricultural region in Lerania and spread the word of Vyrshyngryx. The next millennia would be spent conquering and losing various lands south of the valley, while also expanding westward into Fairine and Crothu. In order to keep their empire in order from the semi-constant raiders and barbarians rummaging through their lands, the Drow established "Gildakar onta Herox," or the Heroes' Guild.

During the Dying of Ages, Drova was suffering from a two-decade-long civil war as the High Elves tried for independence. Eventually, the conflict was solved by The Seventh Revival who decided that High Elven states could exist as vassals under Vyrshyngryx.

The First Era
The First Era marked the beginning of Drova's decline and slow loss of power through the eastern region of Lerania. After The Blight had been cured, many minorities began searching for a way to gain their own semi-independence like the High Elves. Movements every few decades, followed by rebellions, established the Drovax Katyrax, a rough empire built on a council of vassal lords. During the Cutter Crisis, prince Ashton Hlairyn acts as the abassador from Drova.

Midway through the First Era, the Orcish forces in the south pounced upon the southern bastions of the empire, taking many vassals and cities as new territory for the Orcish clans. Panicked, Drova and her vassals united under the banner of the Elvish Empire, promising equality among all Elvish races. The expansion of Orcs is slowed, and the Elves keep their coasts. As the Orcish forces collapse, the Elves raised their swords and advanced once more into the south.

The Second Era
The Drow spent the majority of the war freeing lands for the newly-established High Elf nations in the Golden Valley. They sent diplomatic letters to these nations, asking if any would like to join their empire. They all refused. When the Wood Elves observed this and looked to the treatment they had been receiving from the Drow, they retreated and split the region of Maliesse from Drova. The Drow, in shock and scared for more war, let them establish their republic, hoping they would not remain independent for long.

72 years later, the Wood Elves of Maliesse declare war on Drova and take their port cities established on the coasts. The war ends after twelve years, and two years later the infamous Drow Affliction occurs and Vyrshyngryx flies eastward. A power vaccuum created from the death of the royal family puts one of the youngest members in charge: the 86-year-old Dakon Hlairyn.

Hlairyn did not do any acts as emperor for ten years. Then, after his hiatus, he decided the nation should abandon its links to Vyrshyngryx and tied relations to the god Myrkul in the Senlo Dei. Dakon reconstructed the shattered Drow army and began raids on his neighbors to get female Elves to populate Drova once more. To keep order, Dakon integrated a heavy caste system with rewards for those who obeyed it and strict punishments for those who opposed it. He closed the country to outsiders, up until he declared war on Ajod and Gwyll.

The Imperial Hills

 * Zolix (Zolurix)
 * Frexa

The Heartlands

 * Draxlaw (Dragonclaw)
 * Draxtael
 * Vlaea

Vaxaw

 * Ozox

Shirde

 * Vlaenhyd

Hexikx

 * Elkrag

The Islands of Night

 * Nyx
 * Haylorne