Labarean Empire
The Labarean Empire is an empire of science and technology-obsessed gnomes, which has steadily expanded across the Northern Arm. The Empire has enslaved many humans and orcs, as servants for them and their technologies. The Empire was founded in 592 LC, when then-king Jalyxx II was crowned Emperor by the Church of Dorgoth.
History
Besides a modest expansion into the Shashar Plains, the Kingdom of Labar had only developed itself internally before 592 LC. Its economy depended largely on fishing and agriculture, but a well-developed infrastructure allowed goods to travel easily through the country. This led to the invention of products like gnomish frying oil, which was made by combining fish from Hervik with olive oil from Galotigoo. Quick transport and the tinkering spirit of Labareans led to rapid innovation within the kingdom.Technological growth
Jalyxx II, however, had bigger plans than frying oil. He thought development of Labar was too slow and wanted to spread the spirit of tinkering to new lands. As a king, he had already set up the Board for Rapid Innovation and Gnomish High-End Tinkering (BRIGHT), in which the best thinkers of Labar worked to improve industrial practices. As an emperor, he wanted to direct such technological growth towards militarization. The Labarean Academy of Military Betterment Conflict and Occasional Warfare (LAMBCOW) was therefore merged with BRIGHT in 593 LC. Within a decade, however, it became clear that mechanizing every aspect of life and the military required a great amount of energy. While early experiments with cattle and energy production were successful, Emperor Jalyxx was most optimistic about the use of human labor in powering and maintaining the machines.Divine inspiration
While Emperor Jalyxx had facilitated the rise of the Church of Dorgoth as a state religion, it was his son Emperor Dolydorius who truly connected the Labarean plight with Dorgoth. He succeeded his father in 696 LC and immediately made plans to put the empire to use for "the liberating march of order and knowledge". Dolydorius doubled down on the 622 LC Magic Ban and suggested the foundation of a special group to enforce it. Because his main worry was the proliferation of magic items, he tasked the Dorgothian preacher Brior Dabblespeck to organize this operation from within the Imperial Trading Company. Dabblespeck did so by founding Blade of Dorgoth in 699 LC.Expansion
In the 7th century, the demand for human slaves in the Empire exceeded the capacity to grow them. This was first solved by organizing slaving expeditions at land and on sea, but it quickly became apparent that occupying foreign territories and growing the slaves there was more efficient. This practice also added arable land to the Empire. As the Labareans already controlled important trading routes eastwards, it was relatively easy for them to overtake these areas. The gnomes, armed to the teeth with crossbows and convoluted contraptions that fired harpoons, marched along the southern coast, capturing and enslaving humans along the way. In 605 LC, they besieged The Mouth and conquered the fortified harbor. From there, they slowly pushed through, taking over towns one at a time. They constructed forts while spending 70 years to move towards Lobster Bay, where they halted. The Labarean economy was flourishing at this point. Nobody had impeded the steady march and trading with The Porcupine and the Kingdom of Laeryll had continued as normal. While the Laeryllian Crown -- in the form of the freshly crowned Olyxx III and Queen Ceanna -- had expressed unease at the treatment of the humans, none of the areas that were overtaken were considered to be part of a formal political unity: they were just towns and farmsteads run by humans. The Labareans were aware that a further move eastwards would cause distress with the elves, for whom Silimanis was very much a political unity. It would also frustrate the dwarves, as the harbors of Silimanis were important trading hubs for them, which they would rather not see in the hands of a large geopolitical entity.Invasion of Silimanis
Main article: Invasion of Silimanis The political calculus changed, however, when 699 LC saw the Secession of Qosid and a strong response by the Kingdom of Laeryll. The resultant internal strife weakened the Kingdom and the Labareans felt confident that they could enter Silimanis unimpeded. In 724 LC, they moved their troops into the territory. Indeed, the elves did not respond to the transgression. Instead, Olyxx III wanted those elves who had joined the Silimani resistance to step down under the Decree of Returning and so they did. Even then, the humans managed to hold back the invaders on their own for two years, before finally being overwhelmed by the onslaught.Slavery in the Empire
Humans are the most popular of slaves, as they quickly start self-identifying as workers who need to make the best of the situation. Orcs are mostly used for warfare and specific types of manual labor.
Type
Geopolitical, Empire
Capital
Head of State
Government System
Monarchy, Theocratic
Economic System
Palace economy
Currency
Coinage ranges from an Eye (1 cp), a Jal or Jalyxx (1 sp), a Dragon (1 gp) to a Trading Star (1 pp). Larger transactions are made using Trading Bars or letters of credit.
Official Languages
Neighboring Nations
Comments