A Brief History of the Holy Empire of Helmerica

A Brief History of the Holy Empire of Helmerica

By the High Author Pancia of Family Hornraven, College of Helmerican History and Letters

Before there was Helmerica, there was the Great Blindness.  The people wandered, lost in their pagan worship and false idolatry, fighting amongst themselves, eking out the most meager of livings, fearing the hot wrath of the Dragons and their kin.  Yet from their ashes, a hero did rise: Persephone, the Dragonblood, blessed by the Almighty Helm and his Champion, Stedwick.  From the ruins of her birth home she, along with his Holiness Maxwell, the first Eye of Helm, forged an Empire, bringing safety, security, and enlightenment to people far and wide.  To this day, Persephone, unwed and untouched by sin, rules over the Empire with a gentle but firm hand, guided by Helm and protected by the Dragons and their kin, who bow at her command.  Under her wing, the Empire has stretched its influence across the Known Realm, bringing the light of Helm to those still Blind and vanquishing those who would prey upon the weak.  So it was written, so it was.  May Helm forever bless them.

Alas, evil can always find a shadow in which to crawl.  The might and prosperity of Helmerica has inspired jealousy on nearly all sides.  To the West, the Confederate States of Laurynvale, a loose collection of vain and feeble states, each soaked through with strains of Blindness, all clinging to each other in the face of impending justice.  To the East, the Nine Dominions of Punjabar, great kingdoms more taken with fighting each other than pursuing truth, each of them overflowing with brown-skinned mystics, barbarians, and rogues.  To the North, the five Dwarven Clans who have yet to lay down their pride and join the Empire like their Great Hill and Brightforge brethren, allies in only the loosest sense of the term.  Even within the walls of Helmerica city, dissent festers.  Powerful crime families profane the name of Helm and abuse his followers.  Filthy rebels and anarchists foolishly plot the downfall of the Empire, seeking to return its people to the shadow grips of the Great Blindness.  So nefarious are their schemes that they have taken to infiltrating the ranks of the weak and downtrodden seeking refuge in the loving embrace of the City, forcing the good people of Helmerica to hold their doors open but a crack.  How it aches the Almighty Helm to know that many still long for his protective gaze, yet they fall prey to the machinations of the depraved and the willfully Blind.  So it is written, so it is.  May Helm deliver them.

In the face of such wickedness, the light of Helm must shine brighter than the darkness.  His Eye must be open wide.  His Hand firm on the sword.  All those who seek to punish the good people of Helmerica for their own sin will be struck from the face of the earth with utmost prejudice.  Not a word, not a hand, not a thought shall escape with the slightest infraction.  The Blind may yet see, but those whose eyes stay shut tight will glimpse only fire, in this world and the next.  Thus will the right and holy before Helm remain safe.  So it is written, so it shall be.  May Helm prevail.