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EMPIRE OF LONGMARCH

===HISTORY===
Long a harsh land that favored strength over weakness, the region known today as Longmarch has always housed a fierce, strong-willed people. Weary of the distant rule of the Pharian Emperors, the people of the region chafed unhappily in their toil and sought a means to free themselves from the shackles of a weak empire.

When the people of Lyros rose up against their imperial masters, it merely cemented the southernors belief that the Pharian Empire's time was past. Seeing his chance, Omok Longmarch, a Lord General of the Pharian Empire and a native of the southern plains, refused the orders of Emperor Cardrel to move his forces north to the Lyran hills. Instead, Omok marshalled his forces and declared himself Emperor Omok of Longmarch.

Emperor Omok's assessment of Cardrel's weakness was proven true when the Pharian Emperor was killed in single combat by the King of Lyros, little more than a boy. While Pharia recovered from its defeat at the hands of Lyros, Omok moved to consolidate his Empire, marching against any in the region who opposed him. Omok's strict authoritarian rule appealed to the southerners who had previously found their government to be weak and ineffectual.

Omok's descendants and successors have continued his trend of brutal efficiency, and even taken it to an extreme. Those in Longmarch chosen to be soldiers are culled from birth to weed out those not fit, in a lifelong series of deadly tests. Those who survive become soldiers who are strong, cunning, and brutally efficient in battle.

The remainder of Longmarch civilization is likewise harsh: those farmers incapable of scratching a living from the rocky soil and defending their crops from those who would take them are left to starve; there are no beggars on the streets of Steelfort or any other city, for no one would take pity; theft is rampant, and possession the rule of ownership. Even the throne is not immune, and during numerous civil wars in the 164-year history of Longmarch, several have been successful in placing new Emperors on the throne. There is no right of birth in Longmarch, nor any rights, really, except the right to possess whatever one's hands can grasp.

When the armies of Avrallor pushed into the Confederacy of Keldmar, Emperor Destrin was furious. It had long been felt that Keldmar would be the first step in Longmarch's road to ruling all of Alvador. Destrin rode through the streets of Steelfort openly challenging any man or woman who was not a coward or a weakling to take up arms and ride with him to riches and glory in Keldmar. The same message went by fast rider to every corner of Longmarch, and Destrin's army swelled as it moved northeast.

By the time Emperor Destrin's army crossed the border, it had already become the largest Longmarch force assembled since Emperor Omok's day, with more troops streaming in daily. Avrallor's armies were busy shoring up the eastern portions of Keldmar which they occupied, so Destrin set about seizing the rich western reaches, including the capital of Revellor. Then Destrin turned his forces north, seizing as much of the Confederacy as he could before the Lord of the Southron Watch could claim it for Avrallor.

In the end Longmarch conquered approximately a third of Keldmar, in spite of its late start. The people of Keldmar do not yet appreciate the brutal rule of Longmarch, but Destrin feels comfortable that tye will. Meanwhile, he turns a hungry eye to Tysia and the decadent Pharian Empire, while at the same time watching the Lord of the Southron Watch closely.