A Dynasty Crumbles

Don't take it personal Seron. You had become too much of a threat. You needed to be removed.
-I understand. Believe me, I do not resent you for it. I had to do the same after all.-
What do you...NO! No, you didn't! He had nothing to do with this! He was a child!
-He was a threat.-

— Final exchange between Empress Miera and Seron the Red

Vespasian's short reign as devastating as it was, had ended. With the tyrant slain by his own guard, the rightful Emperor on the throne and the Imperial Regent back in control, peace seemed finally on the horizon. A few threats remained, however, primarily the surviving vespasianid forces in the north.

Scavengers Fighting over a Tyrants Corpse

Much of Vespasian's army had been destroyed during the Second Siege of Velaris, but substantial forces still remained under his former subordinates. Without a uniting figure, these warlords began to fight among themselves. Drained by the harsh campaigns of previous months, the Regent was unable to take advantage of this chaos, too occupied with restoring order in the south.

Seron Valerian

Not even after the siege had ended, messengers arrived from the north with surprising news. Seron Valerian was offering to surrender, provided he was pardoned. Miera was understandably vary, but under pressure by Seron's brother Adeon, whose forces constituted the majority of the coalition army, she relented under the conditions that he swear the Oath of Loyalty upon Metachares and bring the heads of Vespasian's remaining lieutenants. Seron agreed and moved against the Usurpers former Second-in-Command, Avitus Gelean. Within the month his forces had crushed Gelean and occupied northern Vardania.

Dhion Hi

Vespasian's cruel general, the Butcher of Vardania as many called him, had seen the end come as well. Beaten at the Helean Coast, Dhion Hi fled north and then east. By the time he had replenished his army, however, the capital was already under siege. Rather than aid his lord, Hi established himself in Helenia Province and continued his rampage across Vardania. Despite his successes, he knew that his time was limited. The Coalition would soon turn its attention toward him again and wipe his army from the face of the earth. Hi even contemplated surrender when a letter from an old ally reached him.

Accepting Seron back into the Hegemony may seem a ridiculous mistake in hindsight, at the time it must have seemed like the safest way to restore order. Seron, while alone, still fielded a large army and subduing him would have required another costly campaign. This was something she could not risk as every month of on-going war meant more and more doubts into her ability to govern.

Renewed Crisis

by Yeji Hong

Several weeks passed and by mid-Octor, the situation seemed to stabilize. The Empress had been holding court in the capital when suddenly panicked advisors rushed into the throne room. Hostile soldiers had breached the outer perimeter and were streaming into the city. They were flying the banner of the Ilin Legions. Seron had betrayed her yet again. In great haste and secrecy, he had marched his army west, allied once again with Dhion Hi and passed through the Carian Gate. Taking rough paths along with the Mountains of Ice he had bypassed Coalition forces and struck the weakly protected capital.
He took both Emperor and Regent as captives and sent messages to his brother and Amelian "the Elder". Claiming to merely have prevented another of Miera's schemes, he urged them to take over the Hegemony until Metachares had come of age. Miera could not be trusted, if anything it was her ambitions that started the entire war. To preserve the costly won peace, and having grown weary of Miera's ambitions and actions over the last decade, the other two agreed. Forming a Triumvirat these warlords would continue to govern the Hegemony for the remainder of the year. Like most things, it was not to last.

The First Purge

On the last day of the year, Seron nearly fell victim to an assassin's blade. There had been suspicious activity and sabotage attempts before, but this act was the straw that broke the camel's back. Seron's forces purged the capital, capturing and executing anyone even remotely in connection with suspected conspirators. While definitely a gruesome act, the people of Vardania had grown used to sudden explosions of violence and barely considered it significant. What Seron did next, however, would shock the world and forever taint his name.
Emperor Metachares I. and his mother Empress Miera died on the first day of 2221 DA, executed by none other than Seron himself. The man, many already started to call the Red for his brutal actions, had had enough of the scheming Regent and her puppet son. At the same time, his guard conducted another purge, destroying Miera's court. Among the victims another three members of the Valerian Dynasty.
Within the week, all of Vardania had gotten the news. The rouge Valerian had burned the capital again and slaughtered his family in cold blood. As cries of Kinslayer rose in all corners of the continent, Amelian the Elder was marching his army north again. The Triumvirat was broken. War was once again looming over Vardania.

My actions are cruel indeed, but necessary. In this age, there is no one you can trust. Not even family. And only a fool would have his back turned when he already knows the blade looming over him.

— Seron "the Red" Valerian

Conflict Type

Military Campaign

Start Date

09.09.2220

Ending Date

01.01.2221

Conflict Result

Total collapse of the old order. Decimation of the Valerian Dynasty.

by Roman Tishenin

Fading Family
Fate had not been with the Valerians in the past century. Plague, intrigue and war had decimated the family time and time again. From over two hundred members in 2175 DA to twenty in 2210. The Princes War saw the number drop even lower. For as the family split apart, choosing the right side became a matter of life and death.
Lucius Valerian withered away in the Imperial dungeon after siding with Gordian in his rebellion. Helias Valerian was executed for serving under Eugenius during his campaign. Elia, Lucian and Tiberian, all three bureaucrats that had served dutifully under both Eugeron and Miera, fell victim to Seron's purge in 2221. As the war raged on, the imperial family counted only seven remaining members.

Tree leaves are falling,
One by one.
The Red Hand is grasping,
One by one.
Ripping, tearing, crushing,
One by one.
Till only left a trunk,
An empty, barren trunk,
Alone, alone,
Alone as one.

— Poem by Emelia Valerian 2221 DA

by Miłek Jakubiec