Empire of Zeprikan

The Empire of Zeprikan is one of the largest nations of Abkhazia. It is well known for its military might which made it respected and feared by many other states across the continent. Despite being ruled by a single emperor, the state structure is surprisingly meritocratic, offering opportunities to anyone strong enough to take them.

Etymology

The word "Zeprikan" is an orcish word translating to "The broken wall". This name was chosen as a reference to the empire's early strive to span across and eliminate the presence of The Wall of the Split Empires.

Geography

The empire constitutes one of the largest states in modern Abkhazia. It spans over 1500 kilometers from the Hesed mountains in the west to the Yesode Walls in the east, thus incorporating most of the historic regions of Hesed, Tibered, western Yesode as well as the coasts of Ardir. As such it includes a variety of different regions and biomes, though the image that is most prominent in people's mind outside of Zeprikan is that of a rough, untampered land. From the wild, untamed mountains in Hesed, the region that the Orcs originally called home, to the vast dark forests of Tibered and the rugged coastline of Ardir which is home to some of the most tough and skilled sailors of the continent.

History

In the years of the War of Partition the orc population, which had been mostly focussed around the province of Hesed got caught in the struggle between the two empires. originally trying to stay out of the conflict, when the forces of Khania pushed into Hesed, the war inevitably caught up to them. Many villages were razed by both armies and the orcs, which were themselves divided into several tribes, struggled to form clear alliances. Many orcs were displaced and forced to fight in the army of Khania, one of the many factors that ensured their success. After the war had ended in 865 AGF, Hesed had found itself within the western Kingdom of Timuria. King Neban Lopesa held grudges against the orcs and their role in almost pushing Timuria to a military defeat. He saw their presence as a threat to the stability and expelled many tribes from his land which then found refuge in the Khanian provinces of Ardir and Tibered, where they were separated from their homelands and many families were kept apart by The Wall of the Split Empires.
When the Wrath of Gods plunged the realms into chaos, partisan groups in Hesed rose up against the imperial forces and took control of the northern sections of the wall. They quickly joined forces with the orcs on the eastern side of the wall, which were also quickly aided by humans in Ardir and Tibered, who saw the disappearance of the Lopesas as a chance for independence from the mollycoddled eastern coasts around Markut Province which they had never had high feelings for.
The combined forces from east and west quickly turned out to be a match for the remnants of the Timurian army advancing from the west. These forces, sent by the government under The Rule of the Three Elders were ambushed and thoroughly defeated in the Battle of Kolpaschewo Valley. Thereafter, Zeprikans western border was secured for many years. In the south, Zeprikan quickly advanced up until it reached the northern boundary of the jungles of Tyconteroga. In the east, a nonaggression pact with the Khanian alliance secured a tense border in western Yesode.
For the newly established empire, a new capital was chosen, located at the orifice of the Bon river. It was named Atisanum, named after Atis, one of the great heroes of the foundational period.
In 903 AGF the peace with the Khanian alliance broke down, leading to a large scale military attack on western Yesode and its main stronghold Kuznez. The front along the Enkydra river held out for many years until finally yielding to an overwhelming Zeprikan force in 917 AGF, setting the new border at the Yesode Walls mountain range.
From the early days on, Zeprikan claimed dominion over the whole province of Ardir. However, the numerous centaur tribes that had been brutally surpressed during the days of Lopesa reign in this region strived to take back the land of their ancestors. The ensuing conflict over the steppes of Ardir cost many lifes on both sides. Zeprikan controlled the cities in the region with the centaurs making it impossible to safely move through the countryside. In 929 AGF, with the emergence of the Nezak Khaganate to the east, both sides agreed to cease hostilities and form the Ardir Khaganate, a state under predominant centaur rule that was essentially a vassal of Zeprikan in return for military support in the war against the Nezak Khaganate.
The access to the long coastline around Ardir and Hesed made Zeprikan one of the most powerful naval nations of Abkhazia. Its naval power reaches all over the Sea of Northern Storms, constantly threatening the shores of Commonwealth of Mosalien. Since 926 AGF, Zeprikan increased its ambitions in the far north, taking most of the Merata Peninsula from the Peaks of Taranoem.

Atisanum

Politics

The empire is ruled by a single emperor from the Lipezk clan, one of the most powerful orcish clans that played a major role in the early establishment of the empire. The current ruling emperor since 931 is Rundrik Sojuner Lipezk, an aggressive expansionist, much in contrast to his more moderate father. Below the emperor stands the advising council, members of which are strictly chosen on a basis of merit. The council is made up of the most competent generals, admirals and bureaucrats. Honorary seats are also given to old heroes from the foundation time of the Empire.

International relations

Zeprikans expansionist, often aggressive politics have made it hard for it to gain its neighbors trust. Especially since the recent attack on the Peaks of Taranoem, most countries are highly critical of the current leadership and all dwarfen nations have turned their back on Zeprikan. Ever since the war with the Khania Alliance ended with a victory of Zeprikan in 917 AGF, the relationship to the alliance's successor states, the Republic of Markut and the Principality of Greater Tersinop is peaceful, though the diplomatic relations are icy at best. The Ardir Khaganate is an ally of Zeprikan, together with which it is currently engaged in war against the Nezak Khaganate. In the west, the Commonwealth of Mosalien still claims sovereignty over Hesed, though the conflict is at a cool stage at the moment. The Kingdom of Valorian has a comparably good relationship with Zeprikan due to their past common struggle against Mosalien and currently is hoping to gain Zeprikans support against its rebels that formed the Raust Emirate, though Zeprikan has so-far declared neutrality in this conflict. Zeprikans relationship with The Five Titans Of Tyconteroga is one of mutual economic benefit, as Zeprikan uses the port of Jullulia to ship its goods. However, as the claimed border of both states in the jungles are unclear, occasional incidents complicate the relations.

The port city of Basayeb on Faros (Ardir)

Culture

Zeprikans culture is strongly influenced by the high importance of its military in every aspect. Every kid is taught that its strengths are of paramount importance and that it has to become the strongest version of itself to have meaning in the empire's society. Strength here does not necessarily mean physical strength, wits and magic powers are considered just as valuable. While this society seems harsh for most outsiders, below it lies one of the most meritocratic systems in Abkhazia as anyone, regardless of their background, can reach a high position in Zeprikan. This proposition turned out to be quite appealing for many peasants from more feudal states such as the Kingdom of Valorian which flock to Zeprikan in pursuit of a better life, where they are readily welcomed. Overall ethnicity and social background are regarded secondary in the empire, which proved quite useful when the empire stretched to ethnically and culturally different regions. In recent years however, the young people in cities like Atisanum showed increased interest in the beautiful arts that spilled over from the Principality of Greater Tersinop and the Republic of Markut, much to the dismay of the elder generation who regard this as proof that the young generations are growing soft.

Capital: Atisanum
Area: 330,000 km²
Humanoid inhabitants: 6 million
Dominant Languages: Common, Orkish
Dominant Faiths: Gorum, Iomedae, Norgorber
State form: Empire, ruled by a single emperor

To read the story of young Turamsom, click Turamsoms struggle.