Barrad: a place of dark magic and mysterious curses, where even its name can strike fear into the hearts of creatures. Lead by the Pentarchy, a group of five creatures free to pursue their aims with no oversight or qualms, the ponies that live in Barrad are treated as nothing more than experiments. But more is happening here than meets the eye, with strange horrors and unnatural occurrences taking place every day. Can the Pentarchy unravel the secrets behind this tainted land, or will they fall to infighting and betrayal first?
Lore Barrad Magocracy: While hard to imagine, Barrad has not always been the place of dark magic it is now. Once it was a province of the Kingdom of Wittenland, one rich and filled with abundant minerals and fertile farmlands. This all changed, when one day a wealthy merchant and artisan named Ambrosius, a pony who had always wanted to the ranks of the nobility but never could, retreated to his estate in Barrad and began to unravel the true mysteries of magic. Voices spoke in his head of dark magic, and he listened. Building up power and influence, one day he finally made his move. Barrad became shrouded in mist and clouds, nopony knowing what was happening within for weeks until they cleared. The reign of the Mad Count of Barrad had begun, with the ponies unable to flee becoming playthings.
Over the years, Count Ambrosius invited other like-minded creatures to his court, free to pursue knowledge without ethical strings attached. Ambitious creatures from all over the world came to him, but only four rose above the rest. Silver Star, a paranoid sibling of Queen White Star so afraid of death that he turned to dark magic to ensure nothing could ever hurt him. Leopold Schmeller, a sickly griffon from the Herzland who believes that technological enhancement replacing flesh would allow Griffonia to thrive through the leadership of mechanical demigods. Asinti, a zebra once a slave, communes with a power beyond the material realm and works to bring creatures from that realm into his own. And Viira, a magical deer with incredible abilities for her race, wants to dominate the material realm through her magic so she can bring this knowledge and rule back to the rest of deerkind. Together, these creatures form the Pentarchy, the masters of Barrad.
However, these creatures only cooperate because they have to, and each carries their own agenda. And, when the time comes, each won’t be afraid to betray the others.
P.S. This country and its Leader Count Ambrosius contain a direct and well-known reference to Darkest Dungeon.
What are the references: Count Ambrosius: One of Barrad’s leaders/characters, with a unique portrait and a crazed personality. His name, manic obsession with subterranean evil, depravity, and cynical remarks are a direct homage to Ambrosius/The Ancestor from Darkest Dungeon.
Overall Atmosphere: The entire Barrada region is designed as a dark, horror-themed setting, where magic has led to monstrous mutations, curses, and moral decay in society, very much in keeping with the atmosphere of the manor from the aforementioned game.
“Welcome home, whatever it may be. This wretched Barrad, these cursed lands, are yours now, and you are bound to them.”
P.S What’s interesting about this state is that it’s not for beginners. You really need to understand what needs to be done for each path before you play with it. Anyone from this Pentarchy can come to power along the way. The Pentarchy is, in short, a system of government in which the most dangerous, powerful magicians, sorcerers, and all that, rule.
The Pentarchy: Cruel, dangerous, but powerful, the five magocrats are the undisputed masters of Barrad, although they occasionally squabble amongst themselves. They happily work together to maintain their stranglehold on the region, but each pursues their own agenda, and won’t be afraid to betray the others when the time comes. Check the Pentarchy Window (CTRL + P) for detailed backstory and information on each member.
Daily Political Power Gain: -0.30
Stability: +10.00%
War : +10.00%
Research Speed: -50.00%
Adventurer’s Threat: From time to time brave ponies and griffons from nearby countries band together to try their luck in our lands driven by a variety reasons. Sense of duty, greed, boredom, in the end all they accomplish is ruining a few parties.
Viira Lehtola - According to the mod’s lore, she is a powerful sorceress, a member of the Pentarchy ruling the dark and mystical state of Barrad Magocracy, and is capable of rising to become a full-fledged divine ruler.
P.S. It would seem she is the only fully deified being in the game that is confirmed to exist and can affect the world through her power. Not only ravaging entire nations with magic spells, but maintaining her mind control over the entire population of Viirad wherever Barrad’s unique climate spreads. The other characters who exhibit such powers can only do that at a fraction of what Viira is capable of.
The Sirens need to consider the logistics of maintaining their hypnotic song all across Aris, and the practical limitations of keeping mindless slaves in a trance, permitting a small group of trusted underlings to maintain their free thought so they’ll serve them better. Viira isn’t limited in how many she’s able to control once a region has been subjected to Barradification. She also is known to only have one apprentice who is not fully under her spell, which seems to simply be a personal whim instead of a need.
Daybreaker may claim to hold power over the sun, but she isn’t capable of causing a nuclear strike with her magic. Viira very much demonstrates she can. Alicorns also are still physically vulnerable, based on how throughout the show Twilight and the princesses get their asses kicked, and have to rely on the power of friendship to win. Twilight can get herself captured and subjected to maddening isolation and love draining. While Celestia/Daybreaker and Luna/Nightmare Moon run away as soon as their nation falls with known locations for their exile. There is no known fate for Viira losing a war, other than overexertion of her abilities.
So her reach is confirmed to be far beyond that of other entities, and only her own stubborness has been confirmed to be able to kill her. Unless we ever get more Viira content that goes deeper into her limits, we have to assume they far exceed that of the other characters.
Name: Goddess Viira Lehtola
Birthdate: not in the game yet, if it is, I’ll write
Gender: Female
Ldeology: Tyrannical Magocracy (The Pentarchy)
Comes to power by:
Background Music Override: When the Pentarchy vs Viira fight begins, the game will forcibly switch the soundtrack to the ominous song Darkness by Deceased Superior Technician.
Climax Boss: When the Pentarchy ignites their nuclear reactor, Viira will turn on her former friends (except Ambrosius), and become the boss of a turn-based battle minigame, in which the player must choose to play as either Viira or the other three, and defeat the other party.
Did You Just Scam Cthulhu?: Viira ascends by learning about the desperate true nature of the being inside the nuclear reactor, and makes a deal with it: she would sate its hunger, but in return, it, with its godlike powers, will have to serve her. This allows Viira to drain the reactor of all of its energy and become godlike.
Dissonant Serenity:Her portrait shows her smiling in a small, tranquil way. Even after she’s become a godlike monstrosity.
Egopolis: When she declares herself the new Goddess of Barrad, Viira renames her country to Viirad, and Elysium, the new capital of Barrad, is renamed to Viirium.
God-Emperor: In her Ascension path, Viira seizes control over the godlike powers of the nuclear reactor and declares herself the new Goddess of Barrad.
God of Evil: Viira if she attains godhood has her population subjected to constant storms, enslavement and mass purging. She also installs tyrannical princes and fanatic cultists to oversee parts of her domain making it clear that she is no force of good.
Godhood Seeker: Viira’s curiosity for the powers of magic eventually becomes a desire to attain godhood by taking control of the powers of the nuclear reactor.
About Commissions
Commissions in EaW - Portrait commissions can be included in the mod, complete with a custom description. Note that acceptance of portraits and selection of a suitable nation are at the discretion of the EaW team.
Disclaimer - Artist commissions are the responsibility of the artist, not the EaW team. We recommend you do due diligence in commissioning an artist, and agree in writing on clear expectations, timeframes and conditions for payment or refund.