The Collapse of the Emurian Empire and the City of Coronus
Listen closely. In what is now the Principality of Emuria, in the Kingdom of Stonegate, there was once the Emurian Empire. It ruled until recently, having only fallen in the year 599. However, many of the younger adventurers just don't recall the way things used to be. Some members of the shorter-lived peoples like Half-Ogres, may not even recall this time or not even be born then.
The Emurian Empire was ruled in it's last days by the Emperor Corneius. It's flag and symbol was that of a blue field with a yellow hammer superimposed. Many people recall the Empire as an unfair, brutal government lead by a ruthless tyrant. This was largely true, Emurian law was strict, but there have been many exaggerations and "tall tales" about how bad things were. The Emurian Empire was a militaristic government, that tried to treat every one and every thing as gear in a gigantic clock. This meant if you weren't going in the same direction as the government, you were a traitor. Adventurers, being a free-spirited and independent-minded folk tended to object to this treatment.
Emurian law did condone many things that are not currently tolerated in Stonegate and other civilized kingdoms, as long as they were licensed. Necromancy and Chaos Magic was permitted, along as the caster possessed a permit. Slavery was also allowed, as long as the slaver also carried a permit. These permits tended to cost around one gold piece per month. However, Emurian law did also restrict behavior that other countries did not regulate, like teaching and instruction in even basic skills. This often gave the Emurian Empire a bad name, as corrupt officials sometimes intentionally misinterpreted this law such that they could punish the common folk for such routine activities as sparring with weapons.
What was for many foreigners the most visible and memorable part of the Emurian Empire was the City of Coronus. This small town was near the border of Emuria and the rebellious provinces that had seceded from Emuria to join with Stonegate. It had a rapid succession of Imperial Magistrates before the celestial wizard Ryric settled into position. Under his administration, Coronus became a highly prosperous and popular town, and the most popular destination in Emuria for those from outside it's borders. Laws were fairly and evenly enforced, and the once daunting set of Imperial Permits was condensed into a single license that travelers and adventurers could purchase that incorporated all the myriad licenses into a single, relatively affordable, Imperial License.
The fall of the Emurian Empire came not through the war that was waged against it from outside, but from a fall from within. The Emperor Cornelius died one day in late 599 in his bath, the circumstances were never revealed. However, because of the highly centralized nature of Emuria, there were no provisions yet for a successor or heir and thus the Empire began to crumble. The Empire was structured such that it could not function without it's head for any length of time. Imperial officials quickly broke down into petty infighting as they all vied for the Crown. The army fell into disarray as various warlords tried, and failed, to reunify the Empire.
The City of Coronus suffered greatly from this. As it was on the outer edges of the Empire, it quickly lost all contact with the capitol as the Empire fell. Furthermore, without the Imperial Army to maintain order, the various orcish tribes and monstrous beings began to ravage the City of Coronus. This would have not been a problem for Coronus, as it had a large and well-armed adventuring population. However the matter that the adventuring kind stayed away from the chaos of Emuria during the fall, as the various border patrols turned to banditry and highwaymen marauded the roads with regularity. Coronus decayed without protection of a standing army or an adventuring population. The Magistrate Ryric returned to his old home in Caladore, Kingdom of Dragonreach, and to this day Coronus stands as a largely abandoned ruin of a town.
Thus is the story of the Collapse of the Emurian Empire and the City of Coronus.