Tholain
Tholain is a country in the east of The Former Empire, and its capital city is Nareth. Tholain is the nation which founded The Antaurus Empire in 917. At the time, the new Empire was named The Tholain Empire, and King Dominus of Tholain, became the first Emperor, Emperor Dominus.
The Empire was formed when Tholain invaded and defeated all its neighbouring kingdoms following their persecution of magic users. Tholain took in refugee wizards and sorcerers from all across the south in the preceding years, and in 917 turned those magic users against their former kingdoms. This provided a quick resolution to the conflict.
Emperor Dominus had originally planned to conquer the nation and form one big kingdom, but the only way he could maintain the control that was needed was to retain the existing political structures. He established an Empire instead and abolished the crowns of the other nations.