Gallia

Overview

"Gallia is more than an empire; it is a legacy. A legacy written in ink, fire, and blood."
— Archmage Valérien d'Alembert, Imperial Historian

The Empire of Gallia, also known as the Gallian Empire, once stood as the beating heart of Antares. Its soaring spires, gilded halls, and arcane traditions defined an age of splendour and dominance. From the capital of Lyon, its influence spread across the continent, shaping language, magic, and culture.

Yet no empire lasts forever. The Second Maelstorm shattered its supremacy, and the revolution that followed nearly tore it asunder. Though diminished, Gallia remains a bastion of magical excellence and military prowess. Its mages still command the battlefield, and its academies continue to shape the next generation of war-mages. Once the rulers of Antares, the Gallians now fight to preserve what remains of their empire.

History

Rise of an Empire

"For every spell cast, for every battle won, Gallia's power grew. No land, no king, no god could stand before us."
— Chancellor Armand Leclerc, Reflections on Empire

Gallia’s ascent was built on magic and war. The empire’s famed Le système Gallien, a doctrine of governance and arcane mastery, made it the envy of Antares. Its noble houses—many tracing their lineage to the first sorcerer-kings—ensured that magic remained the dominion of the aristocracy.

At its height, Gallia controlled vast territories, its influence shaping everything from trade to warfare. Its language became the common tongue, spoken from the frozen north to the distant east. To speak Gallian was to be civilised—to be part of a greater world.

Yet the grandeur masked a festering rot. The empire was gilded, but fragile. And the cracks were beginning to show.

The Gallian Revolution

"We gave them grains, and they gave us shackles."
— Camille Durand, Revolutionary Leader

For centuries, the commoners bore the weight of the empire’s splendour—taxed beyond reason, their lives spent in toil while the nobility feasted. The discontent simmered beneath the surface until it could no longer be contained. Scholars, merchants, and mages of lesser birth rose in rebellion, seeking to tear down the old order.

At first, they succeeded. Cities fell, palaces burned, and the nobles who had once ruled unchallenged now found themselves hunted in the streets. But magic is not easily overthrown.

The sorcerer-emperor and his loyalists unleashed their wrath, drowning the revolution in fire and blood. What had once been a battle for freedom became a brutal war of attrition. When the flames finally died down, the old order remained, but it was forever weakened. Concessions were made—taxes lowered, minor rights granted—but the scars of the revolution would never heal.

Empress Corsica II Reforms

"Revolutions do not end with fire. They end when rulers learn to listen."
— Empress Corsica II

Empress Corsica II inherited a broken empire. The nobility, weakened by infighting, could no longer rule as they once did. The commoners, emboldened by revolution, refused to return to their chains.

To preserve Gallia, Corsica II enacted radical reforms. She reduced the power of the great houses, granting greater influence to merchants and scholars. The Imperial Council, once an aristocratic enclave, became a meritocratic body—at least in theory. The nobility, unwilling to relinquish their grip, ensured that wealth and influence still determined one's rise, but the illusion of change was enough to maintain order.

Her reforms may have saved the empire. They may also have sealed its fate.

Lothringen Rebellion

"They call us rebels. We call ourselves free men."
— Kaiser Wilhelm von Lothringen

For centuries, the region of Lothringen (formerly Lorraine) had been a Gallian province, its people bound by imperial law. Yet during the revolution, as Gallia burned, Lothringen saw its chance.

With the empire too weakened to respond, the Lothringians declared independence. Minor skirmishes flared along the borders, but Gallia had neither the strength nor the will to reclaim its lost province. By the time the empire stabilized, Lothringen had become a nation in its own right, with a crowned Kaiser and an army strong enough to deter invasion.

Gallia still claims Lothringen as rightful imperial land, while Lothringians care little for such claims.

Society

"The nobility hoard knowledge, the commoners spill blood, and the empire endures. This is Gallia."
— Martel Beauchamp, former revolutionary

Gallia is a land of contrasts. The nobility wield power, while the common folk toil beneath them, their lives spent in service. Though Corsica II’s reforms granted limited social mobility, the divide remains vast.

To be born noble is to inherit magic, education, and prestige. To be born common is to fight for every scrap of recognition.

Yet for all its inequalities, Gallia remains the pinnacle of arcane knowledge. Its academies train the finest mages, its military blends strategy with spellcraft, and its culture continues to shape the continent. Even in decline, Gallia’s legacy endures.

Government Structure

"A throne is not a seat of power. It is a burden—one that must never be allowed to fall."
— Chancellor Étienne Vaudrin, Imperial Advisor

Gallia remains an empire, ruled by an emperor or empress, but the days of absolute rule are long gone. The Imperial Council, once a noble-exclusive body, now allows for select common-born individuals to rise to power—though wealth and influence still dictate who truly holds sway.

Corsica II’s reforms introduced meritocratic elements, but the system remains in favour of the old elite. Titles may no longer be absolute, but power still clings to those who have always held it.

For now, Gallia endures. How long it can continue remains to be seen.

Modern Era

A Nation in Transition

"We are no longer the empire that once shaped the continent. But we are still here. Gallia Endures"
— Captain Gabriel Lécuyer, Gallian Officer

Though nobility still hold power, but they are no longer untouchable. The Imperial Council, once a puppet of the aristocracy, now has to contend with rising merchant guilds and scholars who demand a voice in governance. Magic, once the domain of the highborn, is increasingly studied and wielded by those of humbler birth. The old ways have not vanished, but they are no longer absolute.

Gallia’s military, once an unstoppable force of conquest, has adapted to an age where war is no longer waged for empire, but for survival. Its armies stand ready—not to expand its borders, but to defend what remains. Though it no longer dictates the fate of the continent, Gallia remains a force to be reckoned with, its generals and war-mages still among the finest in the world.