Rise of Ikosia

Over 1500 years before the Cataclysm, human civilization flourished along the Umani-Re river valley in northern Miasina. The city-state of Ikos, under the rule of the fiercely ambitious king Shutur-Tarana Ihilkush, swiftly conquered neighboring rivals. Facing a great 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 Soreveign Gate, a powerful time/domain artifact.

The House System

The Ikosians realized that entirely subjugating powerful, localized mage clans was too costly and resulted in the loss of their unique, deeply-held family magics. Emperor Shutur-Tarana instituted the House System, granting these powerful clans massive local autonomy and privileges in exchange for their service and loyalty. This allowed the Empire to rapidly pacify conquered territories without obliterating their 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 across the empire while simultaneously policing mages for rebellious intent.

900 Years of Supremacy

For nine centuries, the Ikosian Empire was an unstoppable behemoth. It expanded rapidly, subjugating northern Miasina, colonizing the Shivan Archipelago, and dominating early trade. Attempts to conquer the dense jungles of Koth or the monster-infested continent of Blantyrre failed, but they remained the undisputed superpower of the human world, rivaled only distantly by the Grand Dynasty of Hsan.