4th Edition: Writing the Xirkaali Lore

By C L Werner

Introduction

The opportunity to develop the background and history of the Xirkaali Empire was an unexpected surprise - the chance to flesh out this enigmatic faction for Kings of War.

At the time I had written only a few pieces of fiction set in Pannithor, most notably the novel Rise of the Celestians, and a few expanded write-ups for established factions for new expansions to the table-top rules. The Xirkaali would be something very different for me to tackle, a major element being added to the already vast scope of Kings of War.

From the first, there were some general concepts for the Xirkaali. They had settled in eastern Pannithor, beyond the continent of Mantica, and were canine humanoids. Those brief notes were the foundation upon which the Empire would take form and it was from here that I would set to work to develop what would prove to be a rather extensive history and culture.

Origins in the Desert

As an initial step it was necessary to decide where the canine humanoids had originally came from and what they would be called. Taking a cue from the likes of ogres and dwarfs, I wanted to have a mythological or folkloric basis for these creatures. The 'cynocephali' of medieval lore were an obvious analogue to tap into, but that name was somewhat unwieldy. Fortunately for my purposes, an alternate name was used for them - hemicyons (which would later become the name for a class of fossil mammals commonly categorized as 'bear-dogs').

From their origins, the hemicyons are not simply another race created by the Primogenitors. Instead, they are creatures shaped by the sorcery of the uraeus (a sinister people who figure in the background of Ophidia), designed by their serpentine masters to serve as soldiers and labourers. An ancient war with the Ahmunites and elves resulted in the hemicyons breaking free of the uraeus and beginning their long journey that would end in the distant east.

Exploring the hemicyons across Pannithor's history was a tricky prospect, as they were always just on the periphery of the major events. Though caught up in the violence of the God War, their involvement was isolated and known to few. Once freed from the clutches of Dark Kyron, they would pass even further from the reach of central Mantica, wandering into the more eastern continent of Orindral.

A New Home in the East

Here was the second challenge. To make the Xirkaali Empire feel real, obviously the lands it occupied would need their own history, cultures, and traditions. So it was that before the hemicyons reached these lands there were the Five Kingdoms of Xiryan, contesting monarchies which dominated a vast region. Around them were neighbouring nations such as the Yamatero Empire, Mughaal, and the seafaring salamanders of Kong. Each of these lands needed its own history and, most importantly, how they interacted with Xiryan both before and after the arrival of the hemicyons.

While the hemicyons managed to develop a city-state culture in Estacarr before their civilization was brought down by Ba'el and his demonic legions, after their liberation from Dark Kyron they then became a nomadic people moving further into the east. For their character, I had taken inspiration from the behaviours of dogs and wolves, animals where the self is often subordinated to the greater pack. Due to their tense relationship with neighbouring states as newcomers to the region, the hemicyons would also be antagonistic toward the Xiryan kingdoms until such point that they were able to seize those lands for their own.

At this point in their story, the hemicyons were establishing a new home and becoming in essence the new nobility in Xiryan. The human populace, long suffering under corrupt and capricious kings, saw in the hemicyons a chance to better themselves and so a dramatic addition was made to the Xirkaali Empire. This wasn't simply going to be a force composed of dog-men alone, but one that would incorporate humans as well, an aspect that would make the Imperial armies even more distinct on the tabletop.

Magic and Anti-Magic

To explain the presence of the incredible creatures in the Empire's service, I devised the magically-contaminated region of Chinlun, where a conjuration of such immense magnitude was performed by the sorcerers of Xiryan that the area was forever polluted by magic. Animals born and nurtured in Chinlun would take on weird and terrible qualities – some of which would be useful to the Xirkaali and cause these creatures to be pressed into military service. The anti-magic metal that is such an important fixture of the Xirkaali also had its origin in Chinlun, being derived from its tainted soil.

It is the anti-magic theme of the Xirkaali Empire that perhaps sets it most apart from other factions in Kings of War. While even a marauding orc host will have its spellcasters, the Xirkaali are more circumspect about anything arcane. They deploy witch-cages to confine and redirect the energies of such mystics as are found in their own lands, using them in essence like living dynamos to negate or reflect the spells other factions try to use against them. In this way, the Xirkaali seek to avoid the pitfalls of rampant sorcery while at the same time protecting themselves from those who don't share such a cautious and enlightened view.

Honour and Loyalty

One of the distinct challenges when creating the Xirkaali Empire was to keep them a threat to the established factions in Mantica while avoiding the temptation to add them to the ranks of evil. While the Xirkaali have a very firm concept of right and wrong, they are also governed by stringent principles and a deep sense of honour. From the lowest farmer to the Khatun herself, every subject of the Empire feels an obligation to the welfare of the community. It isn't a repression of the self, but rather a facet of the individual identity that values itself in terms of how the self can serve the Empire.

Contrasted with the selfish cruelty of the Abyssal Dwarfs, the reckless fanaticism of the Twilight Kin, or the unrepentant malice of the Wicked Ones, the Xirkaali Empire can at least be seen as working towards a goal that isn't simply about power and conquest, but ideals that transcend personal ambition. At least that's the way they see themselves. But, then, only complete monsters fail to see themselves as the heroes of their own story. Whether the Xirkaali Empire are heroes or villains has yet to be seen. After all, it's the victors of wars who get to write the histories. Even in Pannithor.

Final Notes

In addition to describing the forces and history of the Xirkaali Empire, it was my privilege to co-ordinate the manuscripts of Invasion's other authors to ensure that there was a consistency in style between all of us. In this expansion, you will find treatments by such long-time devotees of Pannithor as Mark Barber, Ben Stoddard, and Scott Washburn covering forces from the Ej Halflings to the Trident Realm to the fierce Salamanders.

Early on it was decided that as much as possible the lore presented to players would be composed as an assortment of manuscripts written by denizens of Pannithor or depicting incidents occurring there. This in-universe approach I think works very nicely and the authors have really made their subject factions shine in their sections of the book.

The approach also allowed some wiggle-room as far as the lore itself goes. After all, can you really trust the viewpoint of the Twilight Kin when they're telling you about world events? I think that aspect lends itself marvellously to one of the most engaging facets of any setting: fan speculation.

So get ready to dive in to Kings of War's 4th edition and the start of the Xirkaali Empire's invasion!

New blogs, videos and stories will be dropping regularly between now and the launch of 4th Edition in December 2025.

Start your next tabletop army with the Xirkaali Empire HERE .

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