Holy Aetrucian Empire

Sanctum Imperium Aetruciae The largest, most advanced Empire in the world goes by this title. It was the handiwork of the infamous Empress Poteia Aetrucia, and the inevitable legacy of her scourge across the East, though some will deny this. All the same, this powerful nation has long stood and considered itself to be the peak of human greatness in the civilized world, and the bastion of Faith. Not a man on the face of the realm does not know its name and either revere or revile it.

Structure

The Holy Aetrucian Empire is a Feudal-based system of Noble Houses that are united under a single Emperor, who rules the wealthiest and most politically powerful administration of the Empire. His power is balanced and sometimes contested with that of the Iustic Order, which serves as the central Religious authority to the Empire. The Emperor himself governs the Capital lands, Imperial law, and leads the Mīlitum Imperiī. Under the Emperor, the lands of Aetrucia are regionally governed by the 9 Noble Houses, headed by the 9 Cōnsulēs. Each Cōnsul rules his own private militia and typically a small group of professional soldiers known as the Mīlitum Cōnsulum. He governs his province freely under Imperial law, and in times of war, recruits and supplies troops at the behest of the Emperor, known as the Virī Bellī, though these provincial armies are often all called by the name of Mīlitum Cōnsulum. The Mīlitum Imperiī itself is the professional standing army of Aetrucia, headed directly by the Imperial Crown. Included in this, as well, is the Navēs Imperiī. The overall duty of the Mīlitum Imperiī is to maintain order within and around the Empire, and to lead the various provincial armies in times of war. The middle class of Aetrucian citizens, commonly considered the Mercas, is a small, but growing group of guilds, merchants, and artisans that primarily are found in large Aetrucian cities. Due to the relatively free markets of the Empire, overland and naval trading between individual Houses as well as international partners allows these various middle-class citizens, in many cases, to grow very wealthy. Though not officially lawfully involved in the government, some particularly involved Mercatorians endorse certain Noble Houses through monetary donations. The lower class plebs , or plebeians, are the common lower-class Aetrucian citizens that typically operate the mundane manufacturing and agricultural tasks that run the Empire. Farmers in particular, are sometimes considered their own subclass, known as the Agricos or Agricolians. They are often under the direct employ of the Lords and directly contribute to the food supply of Houses. The Tabellariī, or couriers of the Empire are plebian servants under the employ of the Houses, which are used to transfer information across the Empire. The Tabellariī Imperiī, in fact, is an organization under the Emperor that is used to create infrastructure and employ couriers that maximize efficient communication around Aetrucia.

Culture

Aetrucians are, historically, a proud and nationalistic people. Their culture revolves around the unifying State religion: a sect of the Church of the One known as Iustism, which marries faith to the politics and ideals of Imperialism. As a result, the people of the Empire are considered nationalistic xenophobes by their neighbors, as they have historically held to a strong belief in the unity of all Aetrucian people and the inferiority of other nations. They are a people of tradition and spiritualism, believing in a necessity of daily worship, prayer, and divinity. They are also perceived as self-righteous, posh, and ignorant folk by others. However, they are also hardy, determined, and productive people, valuing individual growth and ascension from nothing to something. Whether viewed positively or negatively, Aetrucian people are some of the wealthiest, most zealous, and pious people in the world, and constitute some of the world's most professional merchants, workers, and soldiers.

Public Agenda

The promise of the Aetrucian Crown is the unity of all Aetrucian people and the spreading of Iustism and civility to barbaric lands and peoples. Moreover, under Emperor Aquilus Aetrucia I, the mission of the Imperial Crown is the restoration of power to the Noble Houses and Emperor himself, which has long been held by the Church.

Assets

Aetrucia is one of the wealthiest nations in Albastia. The Imperial Treasury is one of the largest vaults of gold and silver in the world, rivaled only by the Iustic Order itself. It is home to around 150,000 soldiers, with large units of cavalry and an impressive navy rivaled only by the Centroccian nations. Through its largest cities flows great deals of wealth, and it is dotted with castles and watchtowers to ensure the security of its Empire.

History

The Aetrucian Empire was, technically, founded by Poteia Aetrucia, during the Aetrucian Conquest, a series of wars between then the Kingdom of Aetrucia and surrounding individual kingdoms, which ultimately resulted in unification under the Empress. However, due to her turn to madness in the late months of her reign which resulted in her overthrow and a following series of small civil wars, the official foundation of the Aetrucian Empire is dated 12 Aelbor, Year 2 3C. This is sometimes disputed, as some Aetrucians consider the foundation of the Empire to be the 0 of the Cycle, while most other nations consider Poteia's death to be the beginning of the Third Cycle. Under Emperor Idrien II's reign, religious upheaval in the Empire led to the establishment of Iustism as the State Religion of Aetrucia, beginning a period of slow consolidation of power for the Church and the renaming of Imperium Aetruciae to Sanctum Imperium Aetruciae. Successive Emperors and Archdeacons would expand the borders, influence, and wealth of the Empire throughout the years of the Third Cycle.

Ē Caecitātibus Lux

Founding Date

12 Aelbor, Year 2 3C

Type

Geopolitical, Empire

Capital

Guernica

Alternative Names

Holy Aetrucia, Aetrucia, The Imperium, The Empire

Training Level

Professional

Veterancy Level

Trained

Demonym

Aetrucian

Government System

Monarchy, Elective

Power Structure

Feudal state

Economic System

Mixed economy

Currency

The official currency of the Aetrucian Empire has historically been and remains the coinage system of gold, silver, and copper. Merca: A gold coin often referred to simply as the Crown in colloquial common due to the Emperor's crown imprinted on the back. It is understood to be common trade currency of most Eastern powers. It is roughly worth 25 Ecclēsium. Ecclēsium: Used mostly within Aetrucia itself by the middle and lower classes, and most prominently as the official currency of the Iustic Order. Worth 18 Lūta. Lūtum: A copper coin that circulates mostly through Aetrucia's large lower class. It is the currency used to pay servants, farmers, and general menial labor.

Subsidiary Organizations