Kingdom of Sanguinia

Written by Redclaw123

Stop and Stare by Torivarn

"Sanguinia, crown jewel of mankind and the birthplace of the empire. The cold, dark kingdom from where mankind rules across half of the entire world. Though, the cold and harsh northern winds are difficult to endure, it also serves as our safe haven in the darkest times of need, and we should be grateful for the lands the gods have granted us"
Maximillian Christiansen, one of the few surviving members of House Christiansen, remarking on the kingdom of Sanguinia.

Sanguinia is the main kingdom of The Sanguine Imperium being its seat of power as well as the strongest geopolitical entity that is made up of mainly humans. Serving as the political and economical center of the entire Imperium, Sanguinia in itself is one of the greatest kingdoms on Elladia. It is located on the continent of Inaria, covering almost three quarters of the continent with the rest being under the rule of Tenebria.
Across the boreal forests and eternally frozen landscapes of the kingdom, the flag of the Imperium flies ever high, and serves as a mark to show that humans thrive in even the harshest of climates. In alll, Sanguinia is a source of pride for the Imperium and mankind as a whole, and its inhabitants are ready to sacrifice their lives for the greater good of their race at all costs.
For the last few years, Sanguinia has been bearing the devastating toll brought on by the imminent return of the dark god Arkanos. Despite the "Church of Arkanos" being banned, their activities still continue, spreading the word of their unholy deity and helping to prepare for his return.
It will be upto the Sanguinians, the first men who roamed this world to defend their lands and fight for not just the survival of their race but for the survival of Elladia against this nightmarish god in his unholy crusade.

Structure

Robert Crescenzio by The Imperial Parliament

"The King may be pretty darn powerful but even then, there"s a backup plan incase we ever inherit either a dumbhead or complete lunatic as the leader of the kingdom"
Attributed to a guardsman in the Imperial palace

Sanguinia is officially an absolute monarchy, like most other kingdoms in the Imperium and the monarch of Sanguinia is also the emperor of the entire Imperium. The monarch has the final say on everything except the independence and freedom of the judiciary , and this abrogates all other decisions made by the common council or the higher council.
Under the reign of king Alarius Christiansen however, Sanguina has pioneered a unique way of checking power abuse which has since then been enacted in the other kingdoms of the Imperium as well. By creating a fully independent judiciary and granting it powers to convict the king, the royal family and other nobles of offences which violate the fundamental human rights of the people enshrined in the constitution and allowing them to impeach the monarch, it is ensured that the monarch can execute their initiatives at rapid pace whilst also providing a means to fighting against corruption and human rights violations. To protect the judiciary from power hungry monarchs, Alarius Christiansen also decreed that any action harming the independence or freedom of the judiciary will be illegal, thus ensuring the total independence of the judiciary.
This system was thereafter recieved with immense support and applause from the general populace, who were happy that the monarch was wise enough to make a provision for keeping his powers in check whilst also rolling out his vision and initiative quickly and efficiently. It would soon become the base for judicial systems all across the Imperium, with every kingdom having this provision or at least something similar.
Besides the monarch, there are only two other legislative bodies which can make laws in the Imperium

The Sanguine council

"Its no joke to be a member of the sanguine council. After all, you have got the entire burden of a kingdom and millions of souls on your shoulders. Indeed, with great power comes great responsibility"
Lord Magnus Valarsson, the minister for education speaking about the duties of being in the higher council

The Sanguine Council is a council made up nobles directly appointed by the king to serve as ministers for the various ministries of the kingdom. The council has much freedom and usually have a lot of control over their respective ministries as long as they stick by the rules and regulations. Despite all the power they have, they are still members of the common council which is the only legislative body in the unicameral parliament of the kingdom and their votes are equal to that of the average common council member

The Common council

The common council is the name given to the council that forms the parliament of the kingdom. Composed of around half a thousand elected officials, the common council has the sole powers to make laws in the kingdom according to the constitution of the Sanguine Imperium. Each member of the council serves until the parliament dissolves at the end of its tenure, unless they either die or resign or are removed by other means from their seat.
The monarch being the leader of the council can introduce new laws without the consent of a two thirds majority in the common council, but the common council can take this matter up with the judiciary and if the laws are found to be violating the fundamental human rights of the citizens, then the monarch is legally bound to repeal the law unless they face potential impeachment.

Assets

" I want to see those Argonites have the balls to actually do it. They say they can reach the Imperial palace in a week and drink our blood as wine in just a week. Lets see who drinks who's blood first"
A memorable quote made by the then emperor Axel Christiansen, after the Argonites threatened to raze the entire Imperium in just a week"

Sanguinia has enormous material assets that can be divided into roughly four parts

Economy

The moonlit Castle by Claudio Begamin

The Sanguinian Economy is a robust one which is the highest in the entire Imperium both per capita wise and in nominal terms. The Economy is primarily centred on heavy industry, mining, minerals, raw materials processing, military hardware manufacture and technology. Due to the large abundance of heavy materials and minerals in the kingdom, it has evolved into an industrial powerhouse known for producing high quality if a bit expensive equipment that can endure much punishment and works for year after year with little to no maintenance.
The technology sector is also heavily developed in this region due to a combination of the necessary materials, a skilled workforce thanks to the effective education system and policies of the kingdom and also due to the positive attitude towards technology by the inhabitants, who are always trying to discover new ways of making theirs and their kindreds lives better using science and technology

Resources

"Though this land is harsh and accepts only those with an iron will, it still has many bounties we should be thankful of. And nothing amongst them can beat the resources and metals we were blessed with"
Attributed to a miner working in a mine in the Kingdom of Sanguinia

Sanguinia was fortunate to be blessed with an enormous amount of resources, with the earth of this kingdom being filled to the brim with heavy metals and minerals. Due to the sheer amount of mineral resources and their quality, Sanguinia has become filthy rich by selling these to the other kingdoms of the Imperium. The opening of mines have also contributed to more jobs and thus, tremendously reduced the amount of unemployment and poverty that was once prevalent in this region.
Sanguinian Blacksmiths have also been known to produce some of the finest weapons and armor known to mankind using their unique metallurgy and blacksmithing skills, and they are in great demand in other kingdoms which wish to use these equipment made by the very first men who arose on Elladia

Military Power

"There is no power on earth that can undo us my brothers and sisters. Sanguinia shall stand tall and strong and fight for all of humankind till our last dying breath"
A speech made by Axel Christiansen, regarding the military capabilities of the kingdom

Cavaliers of the North by artnothearts

The mighty military machine of Sanguinia is a force to be reckoned with. The Boreal legions, its primary military force and one of the largest formations in the Imperial armed forces is composed of mostly ethnic Sanguinians, who are already hardened by centuries of living in a harsh and eternally cold environment where tribes often used to clash over each other on resources. Armed with the finest of weapons and armor forged from the metals of the kingdoms mines, these soldiers ride into battle without fear in their hearts, ready to fight till their last dying breath for the rest of mankind

History

The beginning

The history of Sanguinia spans almost back to the very first vestiges of humankind. There has been evidence found by anthropologists and archaeologists that the very first humans had arose on the chilly ice fields of the northern reaches of Inaria before they gradually moved Southwards.
Before the Imperium formed, there were many tribes that were scattered around the continent. Most of these tribes had warred against each other, and sometimes temporarily formed alliances before breaking them over and over again, forming an endless cycle of bloodshed and violence. This would all end however, during the great unification wars that would unite most of mankind under a single banner.

The Unification Wars

Around 10000 years ago, there would be born a boy who would change the fate of Elladia forever. He was born into one of the tribes inhabiting the northern parts of the continent and was christened as Maximillian Christiansen. It is said that when he was born, one of the doctors said that this boy would one day change the entire world and that he did in only a small span of time.
Growing up, he became a distinguished warrior and was known for his extreme bravery. As he ascended the ranks of his tribes army, he slowly started to make peace treaties and unify the tribes. Deciding that this was not enough and being gripped by a craze to unify all of mankind after seeing the tribes fighting with each other on petty issues. He proclaimed the unity of mankind during a special speech at his coronation ceremony as the tribal chieftain and the rest as they say, is history.

The Unholy Times

"These are harsh and dark times we live in. We must not bow down to this evil however, and rather fight it headfirst till our last dying breath like our ancestors did. For us and the rest of mankind"
A proclamation made by the current emperor Hans Christian Danielsen about the recent sinister events happening in the kingdom and all around Elladia

Fantasy Landscape 2 by https://www.deviantart.com/daisanart

For the past few years, the entirety of Elladia has been witnessing sinister events and Sanguinia is no exception. Murders and assasinations, combined with the very corruption of the landscape and reports of attacks by sinister and demonic figures are on the rise. Despite the "Church of the Holy Father Arkanos", an apocalyptic cult that has been linked to most of these attacks has been banned but it has only fuelled their rage and unholy campaign of hatred more. For the first time in history, there is fear in the hearts of many Sanguinians as they face an enemy that was defeated eons ago but has now returned to finish the unholy work it started.
The Sanguinians have to stand shoulder to shoulder with the rest of humankind in battling this newfound evil. Many will inevitably die but it is a sad reality. They will have to fight with beings that are of a higher level than them, beings that they can"t even comprehend and one that mere swords and axes cannot defeat.
Unless they unite not just with humanity but with all of Elladia, then they will surely be facing a dark fate. For the enemy they face is hellbent on ensuring that dark future for all of Elladia.

Demography and Population

Sanguinia has a population of roughly 100 million according to the latest census. Despite being a relatively highly populated continent with large metropolises in the more fertile and warmer southern regions, the northern parts are incredibly sparsely populated with few large population centres. However, most of the mines and resources that Sanguinia possesses are located in the northern part and this brings a lot of part time workers in the summer who come to work a seasonal shift before going away in the winter and waiting for summer and spring to come again.

Territories

Sanguinia comprises almost the entirety of the southern part of the continent of Inaria and also the northwest part in its entirety, with the northeast belonging to the Undead Kingdom of Tenebria. These lands were once inhabited by various human tribes that were united during the unification wars. As a result of being in the Imperium however, there are no border controls between Tenebria and Sanguinia as well as the rest of Imperium and every citizen of the imperium can go and work as well as live in the undead kingdom for as long as they like.

Military

"The First men make great warriors. Centuries of living in this eternal land of snow and ice has made them tough and hard to the core. The comradeship they display is simply amazing"
Alrian Valrakar, an Arvallian commander remarking on the soldiers of the Boreal legion

The Sanguinian military is mainly composed of the Boreal Legion, one of the largest formations of the Imperial armed forces and the professional army of the kingdom. Composed of mostly ethnic Sanguinians, the Boreal legion is equipped with the finest of weapons forged from Sanguinian steel by Sanguinan blacksmiths. It is to be noted however that the vast majority of the Boreal Legion are just conscripts doing their rotational tour of duty as opposed to full time soldiers who kill for a living.

The Sanguinian Paramilitary

Storm the gate

The Sanguinian Paramilitary forces are another part of the Sanguinian armed forces who are mostly delegated to internal security duties. Whilst the Boreal Legion fights against foreign enemies, the various paramilitary forces fight against internal disturbances such as rebellions, bandits, thugs and other nuisances which might sometimes provide too difficult for regular law enforcement to handle

Technological Level

Sanguinia is known to be a hub for technology as well owing to the abundance of necessary elements, a highly skilled and educated workforce as well as public interest in science and technology. Many of the technological departments of the higher education institutes of this kingdom conduct regular experiments and have invented some of the most groundbreaking technologies on Elladia which includes the arcane room heater, which keeps many homes warm even in the coldest of winters.

Religion

"We have always put our trust in all of the divines but the holy trinity are special for us. They have nurtured us and shaped us since time immemorial and they should obviously have a special place in our society"
Cleric Harald Ludvigsson, talking about the importance of the holy trinity of the Sanctus Borealis in Sanguinian society

Sanguinia grants its citizens the freedom of religion and preaching so long as it does not involve violating other peoples rights. However, the chief religion is the Sanctus Borealis, a variant of the Sanctus Divinatus which is the state religion of the Imperium. The Sanctus Borealis focuses mainly on the worship of 3 deities known as the holy trinity as well as the veneration of other deities of the Pantheon. The three deities are as follows:
1) Regulus- The God of light and the chief god of the Divine Pantheon 2) Aurora- The Goddess of Dawn and the wife of Regulus 3) Boreas- The God of the North and Winter.

Agriculture & Industry

"We should be thankful to the gods that we were blessed with such resources. Otherwise, we would probably have to eat dirt mixed with ice and snow to this day"
Attributed to a mine director, talking about the natural resources of Sanguinia

The Boreal Caves by Cirker

Sanguinia is largely an industrial power, being filled to the brim with heavy materials and minerals. Large steel factories, furnaces, weapons and armor factories as well as many other industrial installations dot the northern region of the kingdom, being fed with the minerals under the ground they stand upon. Whilst the Southern region focuses slightly more on agriculture thanks to a better climate, they are also large industrial powers on their own and greatly benefit from the minerals in the northern regions.
Indeed, Sanguinia"s image as a large industrial power which works tirelessly for the benefit of the greater good has been stamped into the minds of other kingdoms, and this has even carried onto the inhabitants of Sanguinia as well, with everyone stereotyping Sanguinians as large muscular warriors who toil in mines and forges all the time.

Trade & Transport

Boreal Bridges

"Whew. I seriously didn"t expect to arrive here in a week! Those damned roads are so nicely made and stand out in stark contrast to the surrounding rugged landscape."
Damn right you are mate. We Sanguinians believe in quality over quantity after all." A conversation between an Arvallian traveler and a Sanguinian soldier

Sanguinia is linked to the rest of the Imperium by an excellent system of roads, highways and bridges which are made by military engineers rather than civilian engineers. This is due to the rugged terrain of the kingdom, which requires heavy duty roads that only military engineers have the expertise to build. The road infrastructure and bridges are built with heavy duty reinforced concrete, which has steel mixed with charcoal added to it so as to give it a longer lifespan.

Education

"We do believe in quality education for everyone. It is a human right after all and no person should be deprived of the light of quality education"
Attributed to Lady Malnara, the current education minister of Sanguinia.

University of Larkanas by Shen Fei

The Sanguinian Education system is widely flouted in the imperium as a role model, due to the highly educated, skilled and creative workforce it creates and how fun the education is. All students are entitled to free education in government schools and they often engage in extracurricular activites as leisure. There are also numerous clubs in every government school, which aim to increase the creativity of the students and cater to their creative needs.

Infrastructure

"You will find that almost everything in the world breaks at some point, no matter how strong it is. Sanguinian built structures are not in that category"
A popular joke in the Imperium that revolves around the durability of Sanguinian infrastructure

Sanguinian Infrastructure is known to be incredibly durable and resilient, as no one wants to go repair a broken lamp post whilst in the midst of a snowstorm. Most Sanguinian infrastructure is built jointly by civilian and military engineers so as to ensure a high level of durability and resilience combined with a long lifespan. They are also known to be of high quality just like other Sanguinian industrial products, and this has given birth to a wide range of jokes about how everything breaks apart but Sanguinian products never do.

Solum hominibus victorias

Life in Sanguinia for the common man

For the common man, Life in Sanguinia is simply a blessing. If one can get over the fact that its bitterly cold there, they can enjoy practically all that this kingdom has to offer. Sanguinians also earn more than the citizens of the other kingdoms, which means that most Sanguinians have a lot of their wants fulfilled thanks to them being rich. The average Sanguinian who works a government job usually works for 6 to 7 hours for 4 days a week, with the remaining two days being counted as weekends. Even in the midst of their working lives, there are many breaks which ensure that the workers are not bored or worked to death by their employers.

Life in Sanguinia for a student

For students, Sanguinia is also a heavenly destination if one ignores the weather and also the amount of homework certain institutes sometimes give out. Most educational institutes start in the afternoon, which means that students have a lot of time to snooze in before either renting a horse or riding their own or riding on a carriage to their school, college or university. There is usually a recess break during the late afternoon hours before students continue the second phase of their school day. Schools and most universities end just before sunset and students spend the night doing homework, playing games or other leisurely activites before they retire to rest.

Founding Date

Around 0 AI

Type

Geopolitical, Kingdom

Demonym

Sanguinians.

Leader

Hans Christian Danielsen

Head of State

Hans Christian Danielsen

Head of Government

Hans Christian Danielsen

Government System

Monarchy, Absolute

Power Structure

Unitary state

Economic System

Mixed economy

Currency

The Currency of Sanguinia like in all other parts of the Imperium is the Sanguine Mark

Major Exports

Sanguinia is famous for its industrial exports, which include heavy machinery, technology, military hardware, mining and blacksmithing tools, building tools etc. Sanguinian industrial items are widely valued across the entire Imperium due to their ruggedness and the exceptional quality that Sanguinians forge them with.

Major Imports

Sanguinia has to import most of its foodstuffs in the winter from the more southerly kingdoms, because of the harsh cold weather which makes farming impossible during the later parts of the year.

Legislative Body

The Common council is the sole legislative authority of the Imperium, being composed of around 500 elected individuals elected to power on a 5 year term. The King leads the ultimate authority and has the power to make any new laws without obstruction so long as it does not violate the rights of the citizens

Judicial Body

Sanguinia is well known for a clever experiment with the judiciary which allows rulers to roll out their development initiatives quickly whilst also protecting the rights of the citizens. During the reign of Alarius Christiansen, there were a wide range of reforms which gave a lot of power to the hands of the judiciary and made it independent. The most notable change was that if any citizen felt that his or her rights were being violated due to a certain law(s) or policies, they could start a petition which if it recieved enough signatures from others, would go to the courts.
If the courts felt that this law or policy was violating the fundamental rights of the citizens, then they could issue a ruling by which the monarch was legally obliged to repeal that law or policy unless they face the prospect of impeachment. If an appeal failed the first time, the petitoner(s) could file the case again at a higher court all the way up until the supreme court.
This was for the first time, considered as a measure to check the power of any tyrant. Alarius was widely lauded for this achievement and his popularity increased even more as the commonfolk had never before seen a monarch who would put checks on his own power. After his death, the legacy of Alarius was carried on and after many other reforms, Sanguinia was an absolute monarchy in name only

Official State Religion

Sanctus Borealis

Parent Organization

The Sanguine Imperium

Location

Inaria