Blackflame Empire

The Blackflame Empire is a relatively small chunk of territory located on the northwestern edge of the vast Ashwind Continent. Blackflame Emperor Naru Huan serves as vassal to the far more powerful Akura Malice, a Monarch in control of Western Ashwind Continent. Over the Wasteland border, the dragon-boy Seshethkunaaz is Monarch in control of all of Eastern Ashwind Continent. Akura (with Blackflame vassal) and Dragon are deadly enemies.

History

See Historic Blackflame Empire for a history lesson from the author, in Will’s own words. This covers the ancient and mysterious age of the black dragons and the decline of the royal ruthless House of Blackflame, who are no more (Blackflame, ch 1, and see Blackflame Family)

Rise of House Naru

Fifty years ago, the Blackflame emperor’s stewards, the loyal Naru clan, took up the position of leadership, replacing the dying Blackflame clan, riddled with insanity from incompatible madra. They became the face of the Blackflame empire, with their loyal reputation and shining emerald wings, but they did not practice the unstable Path of Black Flame, and the people grew to trust them. Then House Naru quietly ascended the imperial throne. The first Naru ruler, the Empress, has since retired into private seclusion. The present emperor is her son, Naru Huan, Overlord

The Emperor

The current Blackflame ruler is Emperor Naru Huan, an Overlord. He is the highest ranking sacred artist in the realm. For now...

For more information about the emperor himself, see Naru Huan

Map

This map of the Empire and borderlands is fan-made. It shows approximate locations, based on a careful reading of the ten books. Some locations are certain, such as Sky’s Edge being directly west of Sacred Valley, and the Desolate Wilds directly east of Sacred Valley. The map is simplified, interpretive and liable to change with new information.

Skysworn

The Empire is defended by the Skysworn, an elite imperial security organization. The commander is Captain Naru Gwei. Headquarters are located in Starsweep Tower on Stormrock, a mobile cloud fortress/city.

Sacred Valley

Jai Chen

“We're going to the very outskirts of imperial territory,” she said...
“People there have forgotten about the Empire.”

-Skysworn, ch 9

Not really part of the Blackflame Empire, this mysterious valley rubs right up to its western border. See map of Sacred Valley. It’s the land that time forgot. Some call it cursed. Owned and tightly controlled by Monarch Akura Malice. Restricted. A forbidden valley. No trespassing. . . And the practice of sacred arts does not work so well here.

Inside the Empire

Labyrinth Gates

A Labyrinth runs under the empire and far beyond it, with known entrances in Serpent’s Grave, the Transcendent Ruins, and the Western Labyrinth. The Western Labyrinth Gate is somewhere out west, towards the Desolate Wilds. Jai Daishou illegally entered it and took forbidden weapons, including the Archstone and the Ancestor’s Spear (Skysworn ch 2).

Cities

Black Dragon Days

Serpent’s Grave was a city built from ancient, giant dragon bones.
Almost every building was either carved into a towering rib,
supported by yellowed fangs, or resting inside a skull

-Reaper

Serpent's Grave -- Seventh largest city, built on ancient dragon bones on Shiryu Mountain, where the last of the dragons had gone to die. Former capital of old Blackflame Family Empire. Birthplace of Blackflame clan, who appropriated the dragon’s Path. Current location of Blackflame Training Grounds. According to Eithan Arelius, there is an entrance to the Labyrinth here. House Arelius has a janitorial branch here. (Blackflame, ch 8)

⭐️Blackflame City - Current imperial capital city, home to the royal family of Emperor Naru Huan.

"The capital of the Blackflame Empire was surrounded by sharp, jagged walls of fractured obsidian so large that he wondered if they classified as mountains. Smaller gates had been carved through the walls all around, but the main gates rose as high as the walls themselves. Each gate was flanked by a towering statue in the same black stone: one, an Emperor with a crown and a long tail. He balanced a carved flame on one extended palm. This long-past Emperor stood facing his counterpart, an Empress with a similar crown and long tail, an identical flame on her palm as well...The Imperial Capital might have been the size of the entire Sacred Valley." (Underlord)

Stormrock -- Floating cloud fortress / city, with Starsweep Tower, Headquarters of the Skysworn Organization.

Regions

Sea Wall -- Defending the empire's Northern coast from invaders on the Trackless Sea. Home of Underlord Kotai Shou, a sea captain, and the Kotai clan, who have gray skin and bond with fish 🔱

Southern Jungle

At the southern edge of the Blackflame Empire, this lush green expanse
had once belonged to the Tanaban clan. Before they had been driven to
extinction by the mad Blackflames. Now, this was the home of a thousand
squabbling families, none large or important enough to be called a clan.

-Skysworn, chapter 1

Southern Jungles -- Vast forests teeming with life aura, powerful and sacred ancestral trees that practice sacred arts, feed on blood and flesh, and develop sight, intelligence, mobility. Prison of The Deepwalker Ape. Home to The Underlady of the Southern Jungles and numerous squabbling families. Problematic borderland with Seishen rival kingdom.

Lastleaf Fortress -- in Southern Jungles, where special plants/trees are grown and elixirs are refined at a sacred arts school. Bleeding Phoenix citing and scene of attack by Redmoon Hall cultists. (see Skysworn)

Western Region -- The western half of the empire is mostly desert, running up to western mountain range bordering Sacred Valley, and to the sea in some areas. The Western Labyrinth gate is out west somewhere, on Jai clan land.

Desolate Wilds -- Out west. Minor clans, criminals, refugees, and exiles. Land is mostly desert running up against western wall of mountains and hills. Poisonous rivers, deformed black twisted trees, scores and scores of dreadbeasts.

Key places in the Desolate Wilds:

• Pure Lake -- only good water for miles

• Transcendent Ruins -- a section of the immense underground Labyrinth suddenly arose in the Wilderness

• Refuge -- shanty-town. Flooded by refugees from Dreadgod Titan attack. Birthplace of Twin Star Sect (see Bloodline, Reaper)

Borders

To the west, on the Western Sea near the Trackless Sea, lies the Akura-owned Sky's Edge community, where the rare mineral wintersteel is mined. Also to the West, Sacred Valley lies strictly restricted and forbidden, surrounded by mountains, sea, and desert, under Akura control.

To the east, the Wasteland acts as a buffer between Blackflame lands and the hostile dragon realm. The dragon realm covers the entire eastern half of the Ashwind continent. Ziel helps the Beast King defend Wasteland villages from vicious dragon raids.

To the south, beyond the jungles, the Seishen Kingdom, where King Dakata covets Blackflame lands.

Further south, the Akura homeland. The Akura capital city is Moongrave. Path training and combat trials take place at the Night Wheel Valley. Monarch Akura Malice reigns as overlord to Blackflame and Seishen vassals, to Sky’s Edge mining towns, and to numerous other factions, schools, islands, and communities. She controls the western half of the Ashwind continent and dragons control the eastern half. Borders wars are common, because Malice and the dragon-boy Seshethkunaaz have been deadly rivals for centuries.

To the north, Northstrider hunts dragons in the largest ocean, the Trackless Sea. He discovered an underwater gate into the great Labyrinth here. Also, his pocket world Ghostwater was located somewhere in the vast Trackless Sea.

Key Paths

There are numerous Paths in the empire. The Path of Grasping Sky — with emerald wings Goldsign — is only allowed for the royal Naru Clan, but several other noteworthy Paths are practiced to hold the realm together. For example, the Kotai clan protects the Northern Seawall with the Path of the Unstained Shield. Also, the top-ranking Underlord in the empire practices the Path of the Cloud Hammer.

The Path of the Unstained Shield excels in protection, the Path of a Thousand Hands in versatility. The Path of the Cloud Hammer is respected for mobility and force, the Path of Silver Grace for its elegance. The many Paths of the Redflower family grow food and bring rain throughout the Empire, and the Path of Jade Eyes is unmatched in healing. (Blackflame, ch 1)

The old Path of Black Flame is virtually — if not legally — outlawed, because it drives artists mad. ‘It was stolen from ancient dragons. It is the art of pure destruction. But mortal humans are not suited for the power of dragons. Slowly, the Blackflame family declined, their minds and bodies eroded by the destructive power of their sacred arts.’ (Blackflame, ch 1)

Public Ranking

Ranking

“Everything here in the proper Blackflame Empire has its place,
numbered and categorized. You always know which restaurant
is the best, which public lavatory is the worst, which servant is
more useful than another. Everything they do here is about
climbing one number higher, you see?”

-Blackflame, ch 8

In the Blackflame Empire, sacred artists and service providers are constantly ranked. Ranking changes as sacred artists advance, regress, or die. The ranking is made public. The Jai Patriarch was constantly trying to undermine House Arelius in Serpent’s Grave, to demote their janitorial service rank.

Underlord ranking is especially important. Emperor Naru Huan is an Overlord -- the only one -- so he's not ranked with Underlords.

Top Underlords, ranked in book 4, Skysworn:

1. Honored Chon Ma -- "the number-one Underlord in the Blackflame Empire. He was the head of the Cloud Hammer School, and the dark cloud hanging over his head seemed to indicate the Underlord's perpetual mood. The bearded man scowled, folding his arms and revealing the hammers he wore at each hip."
2. Naru Gwei -- ranked Underlord number two. Captain of the Skysworn. The emperor’s uncle.
3. Underlord Kotai Shou -- the third-ranked Underlord. “Shou was a grizzled old sea captain with his head shaved except for a dangling gray braid in front of each ear. He had storm-gray skin, and he had lost his left arm in battle as a child, replacing it with the limb of a massive stone-madra Remnant" (Skysworn). Kotai Clan artists have grey skin and contract with a fish spirit
4. Naru Saeya -- youngest Underlord in the empire until Eithan arrived. Peacock feathers behind an ear. The Emperor's little sister was tall and strikingly beautiful...but quick to action, like a bull.
5. unclear
6. Li Min Redflower -- Jade Eye School. An older Underlady. The best Healer in the empire.
7. Eithan Arelius -- (he had recently been ranked eleven, until the death of Jai Daishou)