The Alborian Empire
Hon Hon Hon
While the fact that a single nation calls itself an empire may cause some confusion, The Alborian Empire is undeniably one of the most powerful and influential states in The Shattered Continent. Rich in natural resources and with a powerful army, navy, and trading fleet, only Bommbergonia can contest it's claim to be the strongest nation on the continent, something which has contributed to their many clashes over the centuries.
History
The Alborian Empire has a long and storied history, one of kingdoms rising and falling, war and conquest.
Founding
The rise of Ephosmos and Iker The Blazing Sun
Prior to the rise of the Alborian Empire, Alboria was dotted with small kingdoms and fiefdoms. Amid the chaos, the kingdom of Ephosmos rose to prominence with a powerful warmage named Iker at it's head. Leading his armies at the head of a contingent of powerful sorcerers known as the Immolators, he began to expand his holdings, taking over nearby kingdoms that they had a history of conflict with. As Ephosmos continued to expand, they began to integrate other kingdoms who were willing to kneel before the might of Iker's armies, naming their rulers as dukes under Iker.
First Invasion of Canan The Conquerer
When Canan The Conquerer began his first invasion of Alboria in 1242, Iker declared the founding of the Alborian Empire, restoring his dukes to their former statuses as kings. His campaign of conquest was redirected towards the western coast of alboria, absorbing all of the kingdoms in his way as he rushed to confront the invaders. After taking over the port city of arldsmouth, he marched his forces out to the portion of the northwest coast known as "Le Museau", or "The Muzzle" to confront the invaders. Unprepared to face such a large force, especially one with as much arcane power as Iker and his Immolaters brought to the field, Canan and his forces retreated, humiliated and thoroughly defeated.
Uniting Alboria
After defeating Canan The Conquerer, Iker barely slowed down in his push to unite Alboria, pushing north to the cities of Valon and Auburnoit before returning south. At this point, the Alborian Empire encompassed the entirety of the Arldempt River valley and all of the major cities along the north-west coast and Iker returned to his capital city of Ephosmos to consolidate his forces and allow his armies a chance to recover. In the following years, Segno and all of the cities along the Nesse river would be absorbed into his river, followed by most of the cities in the south-east of Alboria.
Pacifying Alboria
With most of Alboria under his control, Iker directed his kings to begin pacifying their territories, clearing out bandits and driving the monstrous races out of civilized lands. Trade deals were struck with the North Iron Port Dwarves and a land route to their hold was built for the first time.
Second Invasion of Canan The Conquerer
When Canan the Conquerer began his second invasion, Iker rallied his armies and marched down the Arldempt River Valley towards the port city of Arldsmouth, which Canan held under siege. Iker arrived just in time to save the armies of two of his kings who had attacked the besieging forces before he arrived and been surrounded. During the peak of the battle, Iker and Canan met in combat, and as Canan's army began to break under the might of Iker's forces, they struck each other down. As they lay dying on the battlefield, Shafts of golden light descended from the sky and when they disappeared, the bodies of both leaders were gone.
Ascension and Succession
In the aftermath of Iker's Ascension, there was a short period where the succession was in question before The Immolators announced their support for one of Iker's sons. The Immolator's were Iker's closest companions, and in the wake of his ascension, were seen as the closest thing to a priesthood of Iker that existed, so their word held a tremendous amount of weight. Iker's son, Galois, was a powerful warmage in his own right, and was well respected among the nobility of The Empire. Once Galois was on the throne, succession was seen as being secure, and the empire settled into rebuilding from the invasion and continuing to unite the kingdoms of Alboria.
A Unified Alboria
In the decades following the death and ascension of Iker, the absorption of the remaining kingdoms in alboria continued, and by 1317 the last few stubborn kingdoms were brought into the Empire. With all of alboria united, the empire settled into a period of growth, internal improvement, and court intrigue.
The Alborian Civil War
In 1657, the emperor and his only son died within weeks of one another, and the empire was thrown into turmoil. They were the last known members of the main line of the imperial family, and although a number of families claimed to be descended from the line of Iker, there was no clear heir to the throne. Amidst the chaos, Pierre De Austeron, the high priest of the Cult of Iker, stepped forwards to claim the throne. Claiming to be the inheritor of the will of Iker, he took control of Ephosmos with the help of the cult and declared himself to be Emperor.
De Austeron quickly proved himself to be a tyrant, executing nobles who questioned his rule or his decisions, and meting out brutal punishments to anyone who expressed disconentent. By 1660, the nation had plunged into a full fledged civil war which would continue at a slow burn for the next five years. It wasn't until a schism within the Cult of Iker brought many of them over to the side of the rebels that the war was brought to an end. It is believed that as his final vindictive act, De Austeron performed some sort of ritual to summon an ancient and enraged red dragon directly into the palace, killing him and the leaders of the rebellion, and causing widespread destruction until it was brought down in the event now known as "Le miracle de l'argent", or "The silver miracle".
Religious Reformation
In the aftermath of the civil war, one thing that all parties could agree on was that the Cult of Iker had gained too much power. They were instrumental in placing the deposed tyrant into power, keeping him there for years, and then played a key role in removing him after a schism caused a majority of the cult to join the rebels. The cult had too much power to simply dismantle, but clever minds looked outside of Alboria at the increasing popularity of worship of The Ascended and decided to found a state religion with a uniquely Alborian take on Ascended worship.
A pantheon of gods whose worship by the peasantry was seen as acceptable was assembled, with Iker at it's head, and a clergy was formed from the more politically moderate high ranking members of the Cult of Iker. A mandate was issued that all towns and settlements must have a church built within the decade, and no new settlement would be recognised without one. The church turned out to be very popular with the peasantry, and it's worship spread quickly, but it was less popular abroad. Worshippers of the various ascended who were represented in the pantheon were offended by their gods being portrayed as below Iker, and in some cases, this actually harmed relations with particularly pious nations or organizations.
Looking Outwards
In the aftermath of the civil war, once the new emperor had settled into his position and the various new dukes had taken their seats, the council of dukes met for the first time. In an effort to heal from the civil war and bring the empire together with a common goal, the new emperor and the council decided that it was best to direct the attentions of the empire outwards. Expeditionary forces were sent to establish colonies in The Grassy Sea and the eastern wastes, and grants were issued to finance expeditions into the Shattered Sea, The Marches, and even across the eastern sea to the unexplored reaches of the world.
The success of the initial colonies whetted the appetite of the Alborian people for exploration and conquest, and over the next several centuries The Alborian Empire would launch an invasion of Alhamland, clash with Bommbergonia, galacia, and fructbarland over colonial interests, and launch more expeditions into the unexplored regions of the continent and beyond.
The Hor's War
The Alborian Empire and Bommbergonia had clashed from the very first, the prideful nature of Alborian nobles and arrogant nationalism of the bommbergonians mixing like high proof alcohol and fire. As both nations established colonies and expanded trade routes they continued to come into conflict, and it all came to a head in the middle of the twentieth century. Trade disputes and harrassment by customs ships escalated into a series of naval skirmishes and finally by 1959 a full scale war which lasted for over twenty years, creating animosity between the two nations which would far outlive the war.
Society
Alboria is a nation which places a tremendous amount of value on nobility and aristocracy, and every member of their society can be easily classified by their social status. Landholding nobility stand above their non-landholding countrymen, granted rights and privileges above them, but also responsible for duties appropriate to their stations.
The Emperor
The highest authority in the Empire, the Emperor is responsible for the wellbeing of the empire as a whole, setting foreign policy, mediating disputes between the duchies, and commanding the armies of the realm. The Emperor doesn't specifically rule any territory, delegating that role to the dukes and the titled nobles under them.
Notable Emperors
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Iker The Blazing Sun
The First Emperor and founder of The Alborian Empire, long since ascended into godhood, Iker holds a special place in the hearts of most Alborians.
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Galois I
The Second emperor and son of Iker, Galois oversaw the final unification of The Empire
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Pierre De Austeron
The high priest of the Cult of Iker who claimed the throne after the death of the emperor and his son, De Austeron was a tyrant whose rule plunged the realm into civil war.
The Aristocracy
All Alborians who own land have been granted it by someone of higher social status than themselves, with the exception of the emperor, the final arbiter of nobility in Alboria. Landholding nobles have both priveleges above the peasantry and duties placed on them by virtue of their titles. Only nobles and their men at arms may wield swords, posess crossbows or firearms, or collect tax. In exchange for these privileges, they have the duty to enforce the laws of the land, fight for the king in times of war, and maintain men at arms in proportion to the size of their holdings.
Knightly tournaments, court intrigue, and duels are the main sources of entertainment for the nobility. Becoming a chevalier is seen as a rite of passage for noble sons, and the tournaments keep the peasants entertained as well, so they are held regularly.
Peers
Peerage is the highest level of nobility in Alboria, and is a group that one can aspire to become other than perhaps through marriage. Claiming a direct lineage to the kings of the early Alborian Empire, these families today hold the title of duke and all other levels of nobility are subservient to one of them. The Peers of the realm are called to the capital, Ephosmos, once a year to discuss the state of the realm, ask the emperor to resolve disputes between them, and advise the emperor on his plans for the future of The Empire. While they are required to raise men at arms like all nobles, only members of the peerage or the emperor himself can issue the order to call up the armies and march to war.
Titled Nobles
Titled Nobles have been granted some level of authority over all who reside within their lands, including all nobles of lesser standing. The higher their title, the greater both their holdings and their responsibilities.
Marquis
Marquis is a title given to rulers of border territories or colonies outside of Alboria. While technically equal to dukes in authority, their position on the edges of the empire and away from the courts removes them from most court politics and causes other members of the aristocracy to regard them as outsiders, closer to some of the lesser counts than dukes. In reality, Marquis in some ways wield more power than dukes, as they are required to maintain more men at arms in proportion to their population than any other noble. In addition to this, they are the only type of noble who can, in some cases, expand their territories through force of arms.
Count
Counts rule areas ranging from roughly 10 to 30 miles on a side, a distance that can typically be traversed within a day and therefore can be directly managed easily. They are the highest rank of nobility who rule their lands directly, rather than through delegation, as any lands not owned by a baron or landed noble are the direct responsibility of the county.
Viscount
A Viscounts holdings are typically similar to those of a baron, but viscounts are a bit different than the other titled nobles in that they are responsible for lands outside of their own. A viscount is directly appointed by the duke to enforce the law and assist the count in managing the county, and this means that in some matters, they actually have more authority than the count.
Baron
Barons are the lowest of the titled nobles, typically in control of a town or city and a few of the closest surrounding settlements. They have direct responsibility to ensure that the lands under their control are safe, well run, and produce profit for the crown.
Landed Nobles
Landed Nobles are members of families who have been granted land rights by their liege lords, but without accompanying titles. The extent of their lands is usually only an estate and a small area of land around it, enough for a few tenant farmers but little more. Their responsibilities are typically corespondingly small, only required to provide a handful of men at best when called to arms. These nobles are typically addressed as simply "Lord" or "Lady"
Chevalier
Better known as knights in most other countries, the title of chevalier can be bestowed by a titled lord upon a man whose martial prowess or deeds in battle have proven them worthy of the title and accompanying lands. While technically equal to landed nobles, the glory that they can earn at tournaments and the percieved attainability of the title by the common man has lead to chevaliers to be more highly regarded, at least by the peasantry, than an ordinary landed noble.
The Peasantry
The vast majority of the citizens of the Alborian Empire fall into this category, non-landowners who live on land owned by the nobility and pay rent in some format in exchange for both the usage of the land and the protection of your lord.
Freeholders
Freeholders are members of the peasant class who arent bound to any land or lord, but rather have the freedom to travel and even relocate as they see fit. The freeholding class started out mostly as merchant, and they still comprise the majority, but master craftsmen and artisans now also comprise a portion of freeholders.
Serfs
Serfs are people who are bound to the lands that they reside on, or the lord who owns them. Unlike slaves, they cannot be bought and sold, although if the lands that are bound to change hands, they will find themselves under the rule of it's new owners. In return for working for the lord who owns the land the reside upon, they are entitled to protection, justice, and the right to cultivate fields for their own livelyhood. In addition to working the fields, serfs would often be called on to work mines, cut lumber, or maintain roads for their lord.
Religion
As with most human dominated nations in The Shattered Continent, worship of The Ascended is the predominant faith in The Alborian Empire, but between the Cult of Iker and The Alborian Church, the Alborians have put their own unique spin on it.
The Alborian Church
While the Alborian's worship The Ascended, like most humans in The Shattered Continent, they do so a bit differently. The Ascended are typically worshipped as individuals, but the Alborians consider Iker to be the head of a pantheon of gods consisting of Sigune, Borja, Galterus, Sirgmund, and Ambroys. The perceived lowered status of their gods has engendered anger among the worshippers of all of these gods except perhaps Ambroys, and has actually harmed The Empires foreign relations at times.
As the official state religion, The Alborian Church has a presence in every town in Alboria, and the presence of a church is actually a requirement for a newly founded settlement to be recognised. Each duchy has a cardinal assigned to it, and the assembly of cardinals meets yearly at the great cathedral in Ephosmos.
The Cult of Iker
Due to his status as the founder and first emperor of The Empire, Iker has a special place in Alborian culture, but his cult has a troubled history. After playing a key role on both sides of the civil war, it was decided to neuter their power by folding them into the newly founded Alborian Church. Continued membership in the Cult of Iker outside of the church, while not banned, was highly discouraged, and it was displaced in nearly all aspects of Alborian life by the church.
Despite its dramatic fall from favor, the harcode core of the Cult of Iker refused to be absorbed into the church. Composed mostly of those who had supported the losing side through the end of the civil war, they saw the creation of the church as an insult both to the cult and to Iker. Seen as radicals, the Cult still has a place in Alborian Society, producing powerful casters for the military, and the Immolators are still seen as the creme de la creme of battlemages anywhere on the continent.
Major Settlements
Ephosmos
Originally the capital of the kingdom of the same name, Ephosmos is the capital of the Alborian Empire. Situated atop the cliffs on the eastern shore of Lake Ephosmos, and stretching along it's coast for quite some distance, Ephosmos is the seat of both the emperor and the cult of Iker.
Arldsmouth
Situated in a sheltered bay on the eastern edge of the Crater Sea, Arldsmouth is a large port city which has withstood attacks from Alhamish raiders, Pirates, and nearly every nation which has ever been at war with the Alborian Empire. Its imposing walls have stood strong against all comers, from simple brigands to Canan the Conquerer himself, and it's the main source for moving goods in and out of the fertile Arldempt River Valley.
Segno
Located on the southern coast of Alboria, away from the dangerous wates of The Crater Sea, Segno is the main hub for trade between the Alborian Empire, Bommbergonia, the dwarven holds of North and South Iron Port, and the desert nations. Despite the short distance between the two nations, and the advantages of not having to navigate the crater sea, the bad blood between Bommbergonia and the Alborian Empire has lead them to prefer not to direct any trade through their old enemies, so only direct trade occurs with them through Segno, all other trade with the Inner Sea Region going through Arldsmouth.
Foreign Relations
Alborias aggressive expansion and unique take on religion has had as much of an effect on their foreign relations as the charm of their nobles and the shine of their gold. Their relationships with the nations of The Shattered Continent vary from amicable to downright hostile.
Alhamland
Due to the prevalance of raids across the Northern Strait, The Alhamish have typically been seen as little more than barbarians and thugs by the Alborians. The position of the most Alhamland's most famous son, Canan the Conquerer, as the villain in the tale of Iker The Blazing Sun has also colored the Alborian opinion of their northern neighbor. An Alborian attempt at colonizing the southern coast of Alhamland during the peak of their era of expansion and exploration helped ensure that the Alhamish share a similarly low opinion of The Empire.
Bommbergonia
The relationship between The Empire and Bommbergonia has always been rocky, but since The Hors War it has been downright frosty, with privateers from both nations harassing each others shipping and customs officials being so vigilant as to stop just short of outright harassment. Actual trade between the nations is very limited due both to this hostility and high tariffs, with only items that cannot be acquired through any other source affordably moving between them.
The Desert Kingdoms
The Empire enjoys a thriving trade relationship with the desert kingdoms, who are more than willing to take Alborian gold despite some rough patches in their relations over the years. The Alborian colony of Alshati was once a point of contention with the neighboring desert kingdoms, but has since evolved into a trade hub through which most of the Alborian trade with the northern desert kingdoms occurs.
North Iron Port
The dwarves of North Iron Port might think that the Alborians are a strange sort, but they are happy to trade for all manner of goods unavailable to the mountain dwelling clans. The fertile fields of Alboria produce many excellent fruits, vegetables, and of course grazing animals to fill the tables of the dwarves, and lumber is always in demand. Of course, these things are also available from the bommbergonians, and the dwarves are quick to use the rivalry between the two nations to ensure they get the best prices possible.
Fruchtbarland
The relationship between Fruchtbarland and it's neighbor across the crater sea is an old one, and they engage in regular trade. Fruchtbarland's friendly relationship with both The Empire and Bommbergonia has left it in the position of neutral party during many of the conflicts that the two have engaged in.
The other nations of the Great Inland Sea
The Alborian Empire has, when conflict with Bommbergonia has allowed, engaged in trade with all of the nations of the Great Inland Sea, and enjoys a reasonably amicable relationship with most of them.
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