Upper Durani Empire

Princess Dasra mobilizes her Golem regiments to seek revenge on The Great Khan by retaking her lands and destroying his heirs in the process. The thousand-year-old Durani Empire’s prosperous northern region is ruled by the Raga Dasra, great-granddaughter of His Highness the Supreme Emperor. Dasra stings from humiliation at having to pay tribute to the Great Khan after the defeats she suffered from the armies of the Lower Empire and seeks to right the scales by capitalizing on the collapse of his Dominion. As sinuous and cold blooded as the snake of her family crest, she carefully calculates every move in her secret campaign to capitalize on the collapse of his Dominion and assume the Empire’s Gilded Throne.

Hamazi Empire
Early in the Golem Arcana Kickstarter campaign one of the three main factions was known as the Hamazi Empire but was later renamed the Durani Empire. As a result, some material still refers to the Lower and Upper Hamazi Empire instead of the Lower and Upper Durani Empire.

The Viper Princess
FROM THE STREETSIDE CONFESSIONS OF NIRVEGA, FORMER MASTER SERGEANT OF THE ANIKASTHA-VADHASNU (ELITE GUARD) OF HER PARAMOUNT MAJESTY RAGA DASRA, RULER OF THE HAMAZI UPPER EMPIRE

Ah! Dearest daughter! I knew it was you before you touched hello. I’m so very glad you’ve returned. I hope someone tossed a coin or two? Or a crust of bread, perhaps?

What’s that? How’d I know it was you? Your little feet play the sweetest song upon the cobblestones, my child. I’m learning that every man and child has a unique stride, and I can hear yours as you come near. I swear, even on the noisiest of days on these dust-choked streets, I’d hear it. It’s like a delicate drum tap-a-tap-tap. It’s beautiful, just like you.

Oh, I don’t need eyes to know you’re beautiful! I haven’t been without them for that long! I’m only sorry that you can’t hear the pretty music your feet make. It is the sound of angels.

Goodness, just look at us. A beggar family for the ages, if there ever was one. You’re our eyes ... I’m our ears ... and nary a word can be spoken between us! Few urchins are worse off, eh? Minstrels will someday sing of the father and child who once lived by the palace ... and then the terrible men came, and took the father’s sight and speech, and now they scrounge for street scraps.

I know I defy her majesty’s wishes in saying so, but it is not just.

Then again, her majesty permitted me to keep my life — a small gift in recognition of my lifelong loyalty to the empire. More importantly, she permitted me to keep you. So not all is rotten in our little world, eh? The gods, they provide in unexpected ways.

- Original written by J.C. Hutchins -

The Symbol of the Upper Durani Empire
The symbol of the Upper Durani Empire appears as black serpent wrapped around a white stone tower.