Rise of Ikosia
Rise of Ikosia
- When: 2–900 STC (~900 years of supremacy)
The Conquest
Over 1500 years before the Cataclysm, human civilization flourished along the Umani-Re river valley in northern Miasina. The city-state of Ikos, under Shutur-Tarana Ihilkush, swiftly conquered neighboring rivals. Facing an alliance of 13 remaining city-states, Shutur-Tarana decimated their combined forces at Quatari through superior combat magic and strategy, crowning himself Emperor.
He famously possessed the Sovereign Gate, a powerful time/domain artifact.
The House System
The Ikosians realized that entirely subjugating powerful mage clans was too costly and destroyed their unique family magics. Shutur-Tarana instituted the House System — granting clans massive local autonomy and privileges in exchange for service and loyalty. This allowed rapid pacification without obliterating arcane knowledge.
The State Mage Guild
Unlike other civilizations where priesthoods hoarded magic, the Ikosians sharply divided religious authority from magical practice. The state-run Mage Guild aggressively assimilated magics from conquered peoples, shedding dogma for pragmatism. The Guild ensured spells were widely shared while policing mages for rebellious intent.
900 Years of Supremacy
For nine centuries, the Ikosian Empire was unstoppable. It expanded rapidly across northern Miasina, colonized the Shivan Archipelago, and dominated trade. Attempts to conquer Koth and Blantyrre failed, but Ikosia remained the undisputed superpower — rivaled only distantly by the Grand Dynasty of Hsan.