The Taspian Empire was the dominant ruling power throughout the fifth era. It was established by king Gordiern, one of the seven kings of Taspia, and his advisor Myrdin. Near the dawn of the era, Gordiern conquered the lands of the six other kings, and appointed six dukes in their place, before continuing his conquest in the mainland of Auriin.
By the time of its downfall, the empire spanned the entirety of Shuul and Nurfel, the southern islands of Dovrok, and the west coast of the mainland extending north to the region that eventually became known as Lelanëon.
The collapse of the empire followed a schism, caused by the revolt of two of Gordiern's dukes Horsus and Aschanes, which also precipitated the great War of Dragons.
In the eras to come, the Taspian Empire was succeeded by a number of other powers, chief among them the Gwerian Empire which siezed control of many of the Taspian territories in Nurfel and the south of Fëaforn, before continuing to expand into the East and West. Despite its tragic end, the Taspian Empire was remembered in histories as a great and powerful one; as such, many a power-seeking organisation claimed to have origins in the original empire, or the Taspian Kingdoms that preceded it. Notable examples of such factions include the Seven Dragons, certain iterations of the Council of Gwer, and even some noble Morlan families.