The Tharkallan Emperors differ slightly from those of the Lunar Empire (of Glorantha), from which I have drawn my inspiration. In Glorantha the Emperor is the son of the Red Goddess, and is known as Moonson as a result. I'm not sure this is the case in my Lohwand campaign. In Glorantha the Red Goddess becomes a Goddess and, taking a part of the earth with her, rises into the sky as the Red Moon, the place where she took the earth becoming The Crater, a mystical, magical place. The new Red Moon remains above the crater, Glorantha being a lozenge rather than a planet; it's all part of the make-up of Glorantha and its basis in myth.
I think Lohwand is more like a boring old planet. I think there may be a Red Goddess, and she is claimed as the mother of the emperor, so he might be called Moonson, but she is a celestial entity being associated with a bright new star that appeared in the heavens.
Also, in the source material the first emperor is the only one who returns. That said, I believe each iteration of the emperor is a reincarnation of the same entity. So the current emperor is the same as the first emperor, only a reincarnation of the same. But with a different personality or focus, hence the different names, which reflect the character of the current emperor.
In Lohwand each emperor is still a reincarnation of the same entity, and each emperor might return, sometimes multiple times. Lastly, some incarnations of the emperor are female.
The Tharkallan Emperors
Dates are "AF" or "After the Founding" of the Empire.
The Emperor Takanegi, the First Emperor, united the Tharkallan tribes of Jharkor and Darjiin into one nation, Thark, and founded the city of the same name. Ruled for thirty-four years, until assassinated by a rival chieftain. Returned and slew his murderer. Ruled another twenty-four years (34-58 AF) during which the Dharijor tribes joined the confederation. Slain by spells cast by the shaman Sheng Seleris, leader of an invading nomad army.
Sheng Seleris (58-71) ruled the Thark Confederation as part of a larger nomad empire for thirteen years. The second return of Takanegi sparks a Thark rebellion. The Emperor meets Sheng Seleris in battle, slaying him in single combat. The nomad army disperses, their empire breaking up as they withdraw.
Takanegi ruled for twenty-one more years (71-92) and then mysteriously disappeared. His reincarnation appeared the next day, emerging from his private quarters as if nothing had happened. This incarnation had a difference appearance but none doubted he was the emperor returned anew; this has been the case with all subsequent reincarnations.
This second incarnation was the Emperor Magnificus. He ruled for forty-six years (92-138) and died of old age, being of apparent middle age when he incarnated. His reign was largely peaceful and marked by prosperity throughout the confederation. Doblian joined the confederation.
The third incarnation was the Emperor Artifex. He ruled for sixteen years from AF 138 to AF 154, during which time Thark prospered and grew into a civilized nation. He was slain in a Dart Competition.
"Dart Competition" - an euphemism for the private wars engaged in by the Noble Houses. Tolerated, though technically illegal. I'll have to do a separate post on this practice.
The Emperor Voracius was the fourth incarnation. He ruled for seven years (154-161) and lived up to his title in every manner. Assassinated by a Lord whose wife he had stolen (by means of Imperial Decree).
He returned immediately and the Lord (and wife) were forced to flee to Umbar. His second return ruled from AF 161 to AF 173, some twelve years before also being assassinated, this time by a faction of disgruntled Noble Houses exasperated by his excesses.
The sixth incarnation was the return of Artifex, only in this instance the emperor returned as female. The Empress Artifex calmed the Noble Houses, thrilled the people, and brought unity to the land once more. She ruled for seventeen years (173-190) before being killed in a sea battle with the Cirith Ungol pirates. She was mourned for a period of seventeen days before the next incarnation appeared.
To the noble's shock it was the Emperor Voracius once more. The captain of the Palace Guard threatened to assassinate him immediately but was restrained. For his part the emperor appeared meek and apologetic, and indeed seemed to moderate his urges, at least for the first part of the reign. He reigned for fifteen years (190-205) before again being assassinated, this time by the Umbarite Ambassador, whom he had insulted during a feast.
The next incarnation proved to be the Emperor Voracius again, in his third return. In this incarnation he proved himself a masterful manipulator and turned his eye outwards, incorporating the neighbouring kingdom of Dorel and declaring the Tharkallan Empire. He ruled for twenty-one years, from AF 205 to AF 226. During this time his excesses were moderated by the able Seneschal Hewl and were redirected into setting up a highly efficient spy system and secret police, spanning the Empire and the lands beyond. He was eventually assassinated - poisoned, despite his food tasters; they not being effected, having secretly been given the antidote.
The next incarnation was the Emperor Robustus, who ruled for twelve years, from AF 226 to AF 238. He ruled well and the Empire prospered during his reign. The emperor was assassinated as he addressed the Senate, the assassin a black-clad, masked figure armed with a Vorpal Blade. They dueled but the blade went "snicker-snack" leaving the emperor dead. The Emperor's first reincarnation returned immediately, on the Senate floor behind the assassin. Wresting the blade away, the Emperor slew his assassin with his own blade. The assassin's body crumbled to a black powder which the emperor ordered collected and later had interred in a lead jar.
The Vorpal Blade was set on display in the Senate as a reminder of the consequences of betrayal. There it remained for many years. Two other people met their death from the blade: the first a servant attempting to clean the blade, who died as soon as he touched it, and the other a hapless Ambassador from Umbar who touched it despite being warned not to. This latter incident almost sparked a war, but the Umbarites were mollified when it was pointed out that he had been warned. Nevertheless it remained a sore point between the two nations. I will do a separate post about the Vorpal Blade, and Vorpal Swords in general, at a later date.
The first return of the Emperor Robustus ruled as ably as before, ruling from AF 238 to AF 263. After a quarter century of prosperity he was again assassinated, this time by unknown assailants, who made good their escape.
The Emperor Robustus returned for a second time and wasted no time ordering a search for his assassins. This eventually proved fruitless and he ruled for three years (263-266) before being assassinated a third time, this time by a concubine who died herself by the poison on her lips.
In the Emperor's fifteenth reincarnation, he returned once more as the Emperor Robustus (AF 266) but was slain again, on the evening of his Ascension, at the hands of the captain of his guard. His fourth return (or fifth incarnation) immediately, overseeing the execution of his treacherous captain, purging the guard and scouring all levels of government looking for malcontents and rebels.
This last incarnation of the Emperor Robustus went on to rule for twenty-one years, from AF 266 to AF 287 before dying of a virulent plague that swept through the empire.
The seventeenth Emperor was known as the Emperor Reclusus. He ruled for thirty-six long years (287-323), much of it in seclusion at the Palace, or in one of his many estates. A scientist and philosopher who also dabbled with thaumaturgy, was responsible for the Imperial Proxies.
The first was the Silver Proxy, which was created shortly after the Emperor's ascension and which took his seat in the High Court, acting in all ways as if it was the Emperor himself. The Silver Proxy remained in that court the entire duration of his reign, and indeed, remains there still, dispensing justice on behalf of the sitting Emperor.
Second was the Bronze Proxy, created in response to barbarian invasions from the West. This proxy lead the armies and threw back the invaders. When the emperor died this proxy returned to the capital and placed itself at the top of the stairs leading to the palace. It has not moved from that post and remains, untarnished, on guard; popular legends state it will act to defend the palace should it be attacked.
The third proxy was the Brass Proxy, which spent its time in either one of the Imperial Laboratories, or the Imperial Library, or, on occasion, the Grand Library in Arolanit. This proxy was essentially a way for the Emperor to increase his research productivity.
The last was the Bone Proxy, created by the Emperor to take his place in his tomb. The Emperor oversaw the burial ceremony himself, which involved the usual procession and much public display of grief. The next day he was assassinated in a mysterious explosion that left no trace of body.
The Emperor Reclusus was followed by the Empress Celestinus, also called the Warrior Empress. She ruled for sixteen years, from AF 323 to AF 339. She expanded the Empire, conquering Bisset in AF 330. She was killed in battle against the Kostaddi nine years later.
In the next incarnation the Emperor Voracius returned for a fourth time. His rule was possibly less extreme than previous, or perhaps the legends had exaggerated his debauchery. This incarnation ruled for nineteen years, from AF 339 to AF 358. During that time he consolidated the gains of his predecessor and continued the civil works begun by the Emperor Robustus, including much expanding the network of Imperial Roads. Despite being generally well liked and respected, possibly for the first time in his long list of reincarnations, he was slain in a Dart Competition, possibly by accident.
When the Emperor Voracius returned yet again, for his sixth and final incarnation, he ordered his killer freed and took no action against neither he nor his House. The Emperor ruled for a further twenty-six years, from AF 358 to AF 384, in much the same manner as he had demonstrated with his last incarnation. The Empire prospered and sincerely mourned his passing when he was assassinated at a state occasion honouring the Ambassador of Pan Tang. No connection with the Ambassador was ever proven, despite a thorough investigation led by the Brass Proxy.
In AF 384 the Emperor Militaris ascended to the throne. His long rule of fifty-two years was marked by much warfare; he led punitive expeditions against the western barbarians and, in 400 AF, the conquest of Voria. He also established the Bossonian Marches as a bulwark on the Empire's northern flank. He was slain there in AF 436, fighting the Wenelian Forest tribes.
The Emperor Militaris was reincarnated in his military camp in the Bossonian Marches. He immediately led his army to avenge his predecessor, inflicting a crushing defeat on the tribal coalition. He ruled from AF 436 until AF 464 - a period of twenty-eight years - before being slain again in battle against the Kostaddi.
The Empress Militaris returned and rallied her army but it was not until AF 480 that the Kostaddi were finally subdued and taken into the empire. The Empress Militaris ruled for twenty-one years, fighting on many fronts, before being slain during the final conquest of Karasal in AF 485.
The Emperor Venerabilis, who followed after left her generals to complete the conquest and consolidation. Thereafter followed a long period of calm throughout the empire. The Long Peace, as it is known, lasted for sixty years, from AF 485 until 545. The Emperor Venerabilis died in his sleep in AF 545, a much-loved Emperor; possibly the most popular emperor the empire had yet known.
The Emperor Ignifer followed and immediately set about annexing Nemedia (AF 545) on the Empire's eastern border. The annexation was not a peaceful one and the remnants of the defeated Nemedian nobles retreated north to Imther where they set themselves up as the Exiles, in the shadow of Mount Wintertop. The Emperor Ignifer ruled for thirteen years, from AF 545 to AF 558, before falling to a Nemedian assassin's blade.
The Emperor Ignifer returned again and ruled for nine turbulent years from AF 558 until AF 567 when he was slain in battle against the Exiles.
He was followed by the Empress Celestinus returned again, this time for a period of eighteen years. A warrior as her previous incarnation had been, she fought many wars and put down many rebellions but did not expand the Empire's borders any further. The Empress Celestinus reigned from AF 567 to AF 585 before being killed storming pirate citadel on Cirith Ungol.
The Twenty-Seventh, and current, Emperor is the Emperor Argenteus. He ascended to the throne in AF 585 and has ruled ably for the twenty years, until the present time (AF 605). He purposely left the pirates of Cirith Ungol to themselves, turned his gaze westward instead. In AF 590 Filkhar was subdued and added to the Empire. Five years later, in AF 595 he led his armies across the Londros Passage to invade Granbreton. That conquest was complete by AF 598 with the submission of the last Outlaw Queen. Two years later, in AF 600, he turned his attention southwards with the invasion and conquest of Arolanit.
The last five years have been spent consolidating these gains and planning further expansion. With the conquest of Arolanit the Emperor Argenteus has expanded the College of Magic and embodied several magical regiments, most notably the Crater Makers.
The Tharkallan Empire, circa AF 605
(the present day)
