Shattered Eagle: Fall of an Empire (WIP) [489k words | Chapter VI Update 06/01/2025]

[mistylavenda]

Just wanted to also point out how much I love how you worldbuilt Iudia’s matriarchal society. It’s a lot more interesting than simply gender-flipping historical patriarchy.

from Revelation Day

Women lead because they are viewed as smarter and wiser. They are simply seen as the brains to men’s brawn. Women make up the majority of officers, while most of the common soldiers are men. Sorceresses who were “gifted” the Holy Fire by the Goddess led Iudia to triumph over the “testosterone-charged, simple-minded patriarchal barbarians”.

I wonder how it manifests among the Iudian lower and working classes, especially when comes to division of labor. Is housework still primarily the role of women? But in this case it’s used to justify their status as the heads of the household because they spend more time at home and know it best? What about childcare? I can imagine manual labor to be dominated by men.

[Oreven]

I would like to pay homage to our Legate Antonius Lethungius, also known as Amalrik Wulfhid, for being an actually decent human being. Iudia is not a nice place for nice people, that’s for sure. Betrayal, deceit, murder and the like are normalised. But then comes Antoninus with his 100 charisma stat, a good heart and a story that seems like that of a Japanese RPG protagonist.

I mean, the lad went around and literally recruited teammates by the simple fact he was a nice person. Honourable, kind, friendly, understanding. All the more amazing is the fact that said teammates are leaders in an environment were being honourable, kind, friendly and understanding get you killed. Still, Antoninus passed all the Persuasion checks and came out being the leader of a group of kings— a subject that lords over kings, now that’s something.

At first I wasn’t sure that our resident half-barbarian was fully commited to Iudia, but now I’m of the opinion he’s genuinely loyal to the Empire. The fact that he goes to such lenghts to tie his subordinates to the Empire clears even further his intention —he also did something akin to synchretism by associating the barbarian’s deity with Gaia just so they can be inducted into the Church and not rouse Iudia’s suspicions. He seems to really care about his men and wishes for them to fully become part of Iudia and be accepted by the ruling class of the Empire.
For being a wholesome individual in a not-so-wholesome world, he gets the highest praise.

If he is loyal now, the only possible way he couldn’t be is if Iudia rejects his people. If the Prefect won’t manage to integrate the “barbarians” into the Empire, Antonius might become Amalrik and either side with the Witch King, or straight up create a state for his men from the decaying carcass of the Empire (a clear parallel to IRL Western Rome in the 400s CE).

[Aeternitas]

Well said. One point about the syncretism, however, is that it’s not syncretism in the usual sense. Historically, syncretism has been the merger of religious beliefs by the common people or elites of a society.

From both the perspective of Iudia and the barbarians, however, there is no syncretism. Both believe the other adheres exclusively to their belief system. Vanad has qualities and commandments, for lack of a better term, which have not been associated with Gaia, and vice versa. It’s a massive deception of millions of people orchestrated by one man, and if it were to come to light, Antonius would be ruined.

[Yournytemare14]

Small request, but could you add a cheat mode or menu?

[Redknight178]

Loved the game. I was always fascinated by late period of Roman and Byzantine empires and absolutely insane trajectories of some men who could go from nothing to emperor to deposed corpse in time period of few years. This game gives you chance to be someone like them.

Also, I was impressed how much insincere and false person I could play. Lying about relationship with empress, about parentage of her daughter, about dealing with almost everyone, about feelings on religion. Literally every engagement of my MC with Iudian society around him was built on lies and dissabling.I absolutely delight in playing Shakespearing villain

[mistylavenda]

@Redknight178

Lying about relationship with empress, about parentage of her daughter, about dealing with almost everyone, about feelings on religion. Literally every engagement of my MC with Iudian society around him was built on lies and dissabling.I absolutely delight in playing Shakespearing villain

Is he motivated by power or greed?

[Redknight178]

Yeh. I’d say envy for those to whom power and money were given by birthright. Since he’s from collectors, power and money are kinda the same things to him.

[mistylavenda]

@Redknight178

Yeh. I’d say envy for those to whom power and money were given by birthright. Since he’s from collectors, power and money are kinda the same things to him.

Oh I meant the motivation you set for him in the game, I was just curious.

[Azan]

@Azan_Ali

Loving the story so far and have truly enjoyed my run of the game, I do have one question if you don’t mind me asking. Is there a possibility for you to add the option of Augusta being revealed as MC’s biological child instead of Titus? The thought came to me after realising that I haven’t found a single statement within the story that solidifies her connection to Titus even though her similarity to Julia was mentioned, I thought that this whole scenario could fit well into the dynamic established between the MC, Julia and Titus. Moreover, the fondness of Augusta towards a kind and supportive MC allows this whole idea to make sense.

@Azan_Ali I think if your question is if Augusta can be the MC’s child, that’s already implemented in the game. I wrote a guide for it earlier.

At character creation, choose a male or trans female character (if you choose a sexuality that isn’t attracted to women, you’ll need to put a point in Subterfuge), then when prompted select that you enjoy the Empress’ intimate favor. At the end of the Training Yard or Library sequences select the dialogue option where the MC comments that Augusta has too much of them in her. You’ll be asked to confirm this on the subsequent page.

If you’re asking whether it can be publicly revealed, that’s what the Illegitimacy statistic is for. The greater your appearance differs from Julia or Titus and the more suspicious things you say or do (e.g. treating Augusta with parental affection in public, letting slip that you have children to others, etc) increases the score. There will be consequences should the score reach certain thresholds.

@Azan_Ali

If Augusta is MC’s biological daughter then why hasn’t Julia told him about this for the past 13 years ( I mean, it makes sense to not tell the public about this and let them assume that she is a product of a royal marriage, but what can be the reason from hiding the existence of his daughter from the MC?.

If you go down this path the MC does know, but they and Julia don’t talk about it. In this path Julia never even slept with Titus (this is explored further in the Chapter II flashback). It’s an open secret between you and her.

@Aeternitas

The treasurer is wealthy? That’s interesting. Well, I’m a loyal servant of the state and have never siphoned funds. I should be above reproach when that part comes into play. Oh wait, the treasurer has the corruption trait…

I explained this a bit in the Treasurer description, but like all states with endemic corruption, there’s little choice not to play along, as if you don’t “get your hands dirty” you’ll be viewed with suspicion and either fired or killed if you try to expose it. If you don’t take the bribes that’ll make you rich, you become a problem for everyone who does take the bribes. However, the Treasurer MC can be played with the options I have down as either a reluctant accessory to the corruption and trying to be rid of it, or fully in on the graft to be rich and powerful.

@mistylavenda

Just wanted to also point out how much I love how you worldbuilt Iudia’s matriarchal society. It’s a lot more interesting than simply gender-flipping historical patriarchy.

Women lead because they are viewed as smarter and wiser. They are simply seen as the brains to men’s brawn. Women make up the majority of officers, while most of the common soldiers are men. Sorceresses who were “gifted” the Holy Fire by the Goddess led Iudia to triumph over the “testosterone-charged, simple-minded patriarchal barbarians”.

Thank you! I thought it was interesting to try and envision a more grounded matriarchy than a simple role reversal which I always found not very creative.

@mistylavenda

I wonder how it manifests among the Iudian lower and working classes, especially when comes to division of labor. Is housework still primarily the role of women? But in this case it’s used to justify their status as the heads of the household because they spend more time at home and know it best? What about childcare? I can imagine manual labor to be dominated by men.

There is something to be said that it isn’t really women who hold power in Iudia, so much as it is rich women. The matrician class holds all the cards, and can do as they like. As a result, when you go further down the class system, “common work” is more evenly shared. I think housework would be more evenly shared in this world than our patriarchal world, though you’ve the right of it that the more manual labor intensive tasks would be dominated by men.

As for childcare, there are a couple nuances there. Men do play a bigger role in child rearing due to the fact that women in this world have far more access to professional careers such as in the military (particularly as officers), as artisans, and in the civil service. Additionally, access to abortifacients is much more widespread, safe, and effective thanks to certain potions that the sorceresses brew.

@Oreven

But then comes Antoninus with his 100 charisma stat, a good heart and a story that seems like that of a Japanese RPG protagonist.

Antonius values honor more than some, but I would say that he is as complex as the rest of the main cast, and just like them he has the stories that he tells others (in his case quite a few different stories), and he has his inner truth. There will be more layers to be explored there.

@Yournytemare14

Small request, but could you add a cheat mode or menu?

I’d prefer to focus on the writing, but when it’s all done and dusted I’ll consider adding something like that.

[Redknight178]

Ah, I picked power, yes. With a bunch of subterfuge to make it work better.

[Starwish_Armedwithwi]

I can’t wait to meet the Goddess since we both agree on the importance of having a scientific education; why does she only talk to the Queen, though?

[BigBadWulf]

Thanks for expanding! I’m glad that a temporary ceasefire will be possible, at the short term I decided to play safe by balancing things, being close and loyal with the Empress gave me a reason to ignore the Senate and focus on forces like the Legate provides. Next time I’ll certainly try the opposite and convince them to work together.

On the stats, I had a different idea of subterfuge, I expected it to be used for a character that worked more in the background and spotted lies and plots, so it didn’t fit as well when I was loyal and didn’t try to manipulate everyone. I’ll explore a different origin next time even if I do like the spymaster aesthetic.

I rounded out my stats rather than specializing so I know I missed out on some big things, I’ll focus more on economics next time. Scholarship is something I’m really curious, but level 4 early on is a big investment as that’s the only time I saw it as uniquely useful. If it leads to magic in the long term I won’t be able to ignore it, using similar magic as the Witch King is an exciting prospect, as a man would be guilty of the same crime of learning it but be in service to the Empire.

[mistylavenda]

Prefect’s motivations…

Power

Duty

Greed

Love

Knowledge

Idealism

[Iello]

I leave for a few days and I miss that there’s an update! I powered through Chapter II – I am sure I will have more thoughts as we go on, but initial impressions:

I. I was really glad to get more scenes with Augusta, particularly the council scene and its aftermath. It was brief, but it was interesting – especially if you take the chair, the permutations on whether you defer to her or keep the chair for yourself are very interesting. I am playing the “loving father” MC though, so I of course handed the chair over to Augusta.

The scene in Augusta’s room with the painting was heart-breaking. I think she knows, or is beginning to suspect, her heritage but she’s not willing to say it and apparently the MC is not willing to say it yet either. It’s actually killing me a little bit – I can’t wait until we have the option of actually telling her (or Augusta coming to the realization and asking us), and hoping that her reaction depends on how we’ve played our relationship to her with the trust and willfulness stats.

I’m also wondering – will she get a stat related competence or being a good ruler? or will it play out as some combination of trust and willfulness instead? Just wondering, because I am definitely emphasizing my MC as wanting to raise her properly to be both a good and effective ruler.

II. I really enjoyed the long scene and development with Consentia and the Senate. Unlike other folks who seem to be unhappy with the Consul and Senate, I’m overjoyed – precisely because they’re being portrayed as exactly as they should be. They’re aristocrats, concerned with the republican traditions of Iudia – in other words, their own ancestral political privileges. I also liked the way that Consentia both emphasized that the Senate needed to renew their ancient compact with the People in order to thrive, but that she also showed a particular disdain and contempt for the ways of the common people and preferred to keep company among what she’d call the better sort of people. Pitch perfect characterization.

III. I’m seeing a bunch of posts about technology and post-apolcalyptic stuff and I must have completely missed something with that religious business. Oh well, that’s what I get for not having scholarship on my run this time (I had it last time, dang!).

IV. Speaking of stats, I think this has been discussed but I’ll ask again – is it better to concentrate in one (maybe two?) stats or spread out? So far, it seems like the skill checks seem to favor having high skills so this tells me it might be better to focus.

V. Re: the treasurer role, I actually like that it’s the one role where the MC is rich. I actually did watch this time (I did treasurer the first time I tried the demo), but historically Greco-Roman administrative positions had a certain level of tolerated graft. Many ancient bureaucracies were like this – some amount of grease skids the wheels and was expected. Heck, Roman elected politicians had a fair bit of graft as well. As long as you did your job, kept your word, repaid favors, and weren’t excessive – people didn’t necessarily mind too much if you skimmed off of the top. It was basically a job perk.

VI. Oh right, I should mention the previous imperial family. Except I won’t, because they’re not worth it. I really enjoyed the backstory into Julia though and where she came from, and that we could get a glimpse of her darker side (which we’ve seen manifest at the previous flashback) even then based on our responses to her. Also I always wondered how the MC and Julia (if they were romantic) started their relationship, and the added tidbit of her intentionally trying to conceive Augusta on her wedding night to spite the then-empress is absolutely incredible. A+, no notes.

It almost makes me want to make the relationship public all the more, but that illegitimacy stat is also scaring me. I had my MC hug Augusta and accidentally spill to Consentia about having kids, but also tried to smoothly cover up that slip, haha. But even though it’s probably a horrible idea, I definitely want that “open secret” to at least be open between MC and Augusta and who knows, maybe to some other trusted allies too.

[bl00dragon]

Add another boulder to the “how it’s going” part of Duty. The prefect is single-handedly carrying the empire, whether they like it or not.

[Oreven]

@Iello

I’m also wondering – will she get a stat related competence or being a good ruler?

If you encourage her to make independent judgements she gets augusta_strength +. For example, have her take charge during the throne room scene and she gets augusta_strength +5 for having her decide for herself. So yes, we can raise her to be the greatest ruler Iudia has EVER SEEN.…I hope so, at least.

@Iello

Unlike other folks who seem to be unhappy with the Consul and Senate

How can the Empress be the Regent of Gaia and also be accountable to mere mortals, when her right to rule originates from the Goddess? That’s outrageous!

Jokes aside, I wholeheartedly agree with your assesement of the role the Senate plays in the story. @Azan really knows their stuff, from a world-building and historical point of view.

@Iello

but historically Greco-Roman administrative positions had a certain level of tolerated graft.

This reminds of the fact that tax-collection in Byzantine times during the Komnenoi dynasty (11th century CE) was handed out to individuals based on bidding. You paid the state a sum the latter thought it ought to extract from a region/province to gain the right to collect yourself. Then, as was expected of you, you would get more than what the state had required from that region/province. So, basically, “graft” was encouraged. The peasants and artisans didn’t like it, but hey, the state coffers must be filled somehow, especially in the turbulent post-1071 period.

//////////////
I hope this isn’t too pedentatic, but how is tax collection done in Iudia? The usual, Roman style of delegating taxation? Sorry if the answer was already given in the IF.

[Aeternitas]

It’s actually terrifying how rotten the carcass of the Imperial Government truly is. We are Rome circa 450 AD.

That being said, it’s great game design that the Empire’s stats (power, stability, resources) decline despite even our best efforts to raise them. It provides a sense of scale - one man making decisions in a palace, even all the best ones, cannot stop the massive domino that is the fall of Iudia.

That being said, I hope there are ways to raise these stats later on - perhaps that’s the Imperial loyalist in me.

[bl00dragon]

Everyone is so busy with their own little schemes they’re not smelling the stink. And when it all comes tumbling down, they’ll blame anything but the gnawing at the foundations of the empire they’ve committed, everything but their erosion of communal power for personal gain.

Between this bloated useless institution that the senate has become, the bullshit sorceresses use to maintain their position of authority while cutting off the rest of society from vital innovations, the religious fanaticism, the unchecked power of autocratic empresses like Galeria and her paranoia in her time and now Julia losing her mind, the xenophobia that drives the empire’s allies into hating it, literal gangs running the streets and trying to get into government because the watch doesn’t have the resources it needs to put a stop to it…

Uzin Khan can just sit still and drink kumis, the empire is doing his work for him.

[mistylavenda]

@Azan

Here, women who can afford it (so mainly matricians and well-off plebeians) all wear togas over a tunic and likely a short trouser.

I did expect Iudian upper-class women to wear the toga instead of the stola.

Although I admit I had pictured my MC’s tunica underneath to be long enough to reach her ankles (much like the length of Roman women’s)

[lysie]

always a pleasure to play court intrigue games. also, i’m laughing my ass off because i’m cucking the emperor-consort of all people and his daughter is actually mine LMAOOOO