Tyveria and their neighbors

Tyveria has always revelled in its enemies. The Empire believes that a mighty adversary makes you stronger, and the Blood Empress used to say that every failed assassination made her more alive, not more dead.

Even today,now the Blood Emperor has achieved an uneasy peace with all of its neighbors, he makes sure to leave avenues for conflict open, so that war can break out at any moment, and Tyveria may become stronger by defeating its enemies again and again.

Allaria
After centuries of rivalry, Allaria and Tyveria signed an armistice, thanks in no small part to the friendship between Adrael and the Dragon Queen, who fought together during the Second Null War.

Yet the peace remains tense and both sides keep their guard up, for Tyveria remains the stronger Realm, but not by much, and Allaria knows the Empire may decide to break the treaty at any moment. Meanwhile, Tyveria is all too aware of the Primalian Mountains on the Western border, which would block the advance of Imperial forces while forcing them to fight the Altanesi tribes in their path.

Nahuac
The Coalition of Free States was eager to sign peace with Tyveria after the Empire helped in their war against the Blue Elves.

While there is no love between the two Realms, Nahuac is glad to have one less predatory neighbor to worry about, being besieged on all borders by Sikarian agents, Allarian invaders and Nwoda poachers. If Tyveria decided to act against Nahuac too, the Coalition would fall; thus, an alliance is very convenient to Nahuac, while a war on the Southwest would do little good to Tyveria.

The Nwoda Free Clans
The Nwoda sky dwarves mistrust Tyveria since their Zumari Stone moved to Kara Gilpan. All friendly trade between the Empire and the clans was affected, but the dwarves don’t have the strength to enter open war. The best they can do is perform as many illegal business as they can under the Emperor’s nose, thwarting Crimson Crow operations, smuggling tyvalite, drugs or even blood outside Tyveria, raiding ant trains and tyvalite shipments, or ransacking Altanesi ruins in Imperial soil.

Ysval
The Holy Alliance had always been Tyveria’s greatest antagonist, not only because of their disputed border or their political differences, but for the many attempts of the Empire to subjugate Ysval for its resources and workforce.

However, after the War of the Frozen Wastes and the Northern Truce, during which Ysval broke the Blood Geas and was subsequently spared by the Emperor, Tyveria has shown to be, if not a friend, at least a good neighbor to Ysval. This infuriated the already vexed maghyr houses, who depended on Ysvalian blood-serfs and supplies for their economy.

To assuage the nobles, Ysval and Tyveria have enacted a series of import tax deals, by which Ysval sells its supplies at a lower cost to the Blood Empire. So far, the truce holds, and the new political and trade accords between both Realms look convenient enough to develop into a long-term relationship.

Maghyr Rebels
The greatest danger for the Empire is not an outside force, but the machinations of maghyr malcontents. After the Emperor’s edicts stripped them of land and influence, the old noble houses have mostly played the meek vassals, but they maintain a secret agenda fully committed to regaining their former wealth and power. Mostly they perform low-key, petty sabotage of Imperial law at the fringes of Tyverian territory, but the most daring spend their time hatching ever more complex plots to assassinate the Emperor.

The High Chancellor is aware of the houses’ duplicity, and she maintains a tight web of spies and counter-spies on their meetings. For now, the maghyr houses bide their time and play it safe, but the Ministry of Security will soon take a step ahead of their quarry - either to reveal their treachery and order mass exemplary executions, or to goad the nobles into striking first, cutting their hand just as they show it.

The Elder Bloods
The most vicious and radical of rebellious maghyri have joined a cult of Null worshippers, exactly like the one the late Prince-Regent Xariel intended to create. They are known as the Elder Bloods, and in fact most of them were followers of the reviled Prince-Regent; they expected to share some of his power after his ascension. Now, they intend to finish the ritual and claim its magic for themselves.

The cult has secret members in every maghyr house in the Realm, save for House Baryen. Even some of the Emperor’s closest relatives in House Tyverianes have joined the plot to avenge their disgraced prince. The High Chancellor has issued orders to disband and execute these cultists whenever they show their faces, but the little Null magic they wield allows them to keep just outside the law’s reach. As of today, the Elder Bloods are still around, recruiting a new power-hungry adept for every member they lose, and inching towards their goal to bring about a Third Null War.