Nerath the Conqueror

In the years after the end of the Shadow Years, various city-states and miniature kingdoms sprung up across Rhonnos. Some were Human, some Eladrin, basically, every race and culture had multiple attempts.

Along the coast of the Serpent Sea, the city state of Jhonnodor grew to be one of the more dominant powers. Originally founded by the Jhonn, a nomadic band made up mostly of Humans, they found the soil to be fertile, the harbor to be deep, and the lumber plentiful.

As the years passed by, Jhonnodor grew in power and size, coming to dominate much of the waters along the Serpent Sea and Storm Coast, and branching inland a considerable distance. Of the various families in the city, arguably the most powerful was the Szerk family. With their command of many seagoing vessels and contacts to many parts of the world, they wanted for nothing.

But there was a darker secret to the family. Years earlier, they entered into blood pacts with demonic entities and used those powers to strengthen their grasp on the city. It finally came to a head when Nerrin Szerk, patriarch of the family, became Lord Paramour of Jhonnodor. His wife, Alurra Illu, shared his lust for power and also had her own pact with a demon. Then their child, Nerath, was born.

Over the next decade and a half, the power of Jhonnodor spread, absorbing Moras and Wardham and finally becoming the Kingdom of Jhonn. Several years later, once Nerath had come of age and been declared heir to the throne, Nerrin mysteriously disappeared. While suspected, no proof was ever found and so Nerath ruled unchallenged. His power from both parents and his ambition made him very dangerous.

Within five years, Nerath had lead the Kingdom of Jhonn to dominate the lands across the Storm Coast to the Axplo Jungle and even north into the Riverlands. His keen mind and unholy powers made him unstoppable. When he took Rivedel, the largest city in the Riverlands, he sent for the various lords and self-styled nobles to peacefully submit. When they showed up, he had them all killed.

Now that the South was his, Nerath turned his eyes across the Rebic Channel and the lands of the Dwarves. He sent a large force of both military and civilian and settled the northern parts. Since Jhonn controlled such vast territory and Nerath himself had such power, it was then that he declared himself Emperor Nerath of the Nerathi Empire.

In less than 30 years on the throne, Nerath had expanded his control fourfold, forever cementing his name in the annals of history.