The Teccan Empire

Tecca Victor!

Tec sunt Draconis

The helmet of a Centurion in the Teccan Legions

At its greatest extent, the Teccan Empire spanned almost half the continent. Its founding marks the start of the reckoning of years. Internal conflict and arrogance from its leadership caused its eventual downfall 250 years ago, in the year 1184.

Teccan names

All Teccan names consist of a first name and a patronymic name, which is simply the father's name. Noble families also add their clan name as a third name at the end. The clan name is usually the name of the founder of that family.

Non-humans Teccan citizens are also expected to take a Teccan name, but this might be a translation or transliteration of their original name. This is common among halflings, gnomes, and even some dragonborn.

Examples:

  • Augina Regius: Augina, daughter of Regius
  • Octian Octian: Octian, son of Octian - this type of reduplication common.
  • Titilia Victor Iphilia: Titilia, daughter of Victor, of the Iphilian clan.

The City of Tec

The former capital of the fallen Teccan Empire lies on the mainland about a weeks sailing south from Estia. At its height, Tec was home to over a million people.

The city is now a shadow of its former self - a sprawling mess of mostly dilapidated buildings that probably won't ever see such glorious days again as when its emperors brought countless carts of gold, gems, magical treasures through its gates. Some people come here in search of riches left behind by the former empire. Occasionally one of these treasure hunters find something valuable, which attracts even more people to search the old ruins.

Some sections of the city are less dangerous. The area around the harbor are under the control of the FTC, who use it as a base of operations.

Several layers of fortified walls surround the central city, around the Imperial Palace and the Dragon Curia. From a distance, this almost makes the city look like a single enormous fortress.

Tec was built on several islands, and the land between them were eventually reclaimed in large civic works. The city is divided by canals, some big enough to sail a ship through, others that are small enough that you can jump across them.

A vast network of catacombs, sewers, and aqueducts run underneath the city. While they surely hold many shortcuts, secrets, and treasures, this uncharted web of subterranean tunnels and passages is easy to get lostin, and many creatures of the dark make it their home.

In its glory days, Tec was a center of learning and scholarship into all manner of mundane and magical subjects. It was also a cultural metropolis where philosophers from all corners of the world could debate their ideologies. Many books by Teccan scholars are still considered to be the preeminent text on their respective subjects.

big "mega-dungeon" city

  • Seven islands (regions), divided by canals, rivers
    • Harbor: FTC
    • Phoenix Forum: Central city
  • catacombs
  • dead quarter
  • some sort of magical apocalypse that ended the empire?
  • arenas/circuses/theaters
  • temples to several gods, both of the estian pantheon and others

Specific places

  • Castra Imperatum
    • Dessian Halls: Burial place of dozens of emperors
    • Tower of Pearls: Office of the imperial archmage
  • The Senate Forum
    • Dragon Curia: Senate hall
    • Temple of Phatos the Justicar: Seat of the Teccan judiciary
    • Statue of Ausonius the Great: First Teccan emperor
    • Shrine of Helianna the Lady of Light: Enchanted eternal fire
  • Cornelian Baths
  • Phoenix Forum
    • The Pantheon: large temple to all the Teccan gods
    • Phoenix Odeon
  • Headquarters of the Imperial Legion
  • Circus
    • Gladiatorial schools
    • Stables
  • Magical school

List of Teccan emperors:

  • Ausonius the Great: The first Emperor of Tec.
  • Lucius: Adopted son of Ausonius.
  • Thimonos
  • Cosconius: Only ruled for two years before suddenly dying.
  • Victor Marius: Brother of Cosconius. Probably had his brother murdered.
  • Regulus
  • Lucius II
  • Sacella the Blessed: The first Empress of Tec. She was an aasimar who ruled for almost 200 years, during which the Empire prospered.
  • Chloe: Served as high priestess during the last 30 years of Sacella's reign, and was adopted as her heir.
  • Licinia: Daughter of Chloe, and the last of the "three great empresses", who ruled over an almost 300-year stretch of prosperity.
  • Thimonos II: Grandson of Licinia who was never meant for the throne, until his uncle and father both perished at sea.
  • Cosconius II
  • (17 emperors)
  • Tiberion: Abdicated after the Senate rejected his marriage to an elven woman. Lived out his remaining life in exile with his wife.
  • Belleron: Brother of Tiberion. His assassination incited the Regulan revolts, a series of conflicts that would weaken the Empire over the next century.
  • Regulus II
  • Regulus III
  • Regulus IV: The last of the Reguli, three Emperors who shared a name.
  • Cassius the Golden: Regulus IV's top general and secret lover. Stabilized the empire after the Regulan revolts by ceding some of his power to the Senate, a move that imperial loyalists say was the first step towards the Empire's eventual collapse.
  • (15 emperors)
  • Lucius IV: Died in battle during a rebellion led by his archwizard. His troops rallied around his banner and defeated the rebellion, executing all prisoners to avenge their fallen Emperor.
  • Herminia Casta: The last Empress of Tec, who ruled as regent until her son came of age. Powerful wizard.
  • Thimonos IV
  • Regulus XII: Weak emperor troubled by bad health and scheming advisors.
  • Thimonos V: The last Emperor of Tec. When the Northern Islands broke free under his father, several other provinces of the Empire started agitating for independence, and Thimonos was unable to stop the Empire dissolving.

Rulers marked with have been given demigod-status in the Teccan religion.

Alternate names:

  • Valla (Vallan)
  • Vana (Vanian) - connected to the Vanir
  • Amara (Amaran)
  • Vala (Valian)
  • Vena (Venian)
  • Vaela (Vaelian)
  • Asta (Astian)
  • Taena (Taenian)
  • Cael (Caellan)
  • Tila
  • Trema