Imperium of Qerthéllnaval

An Extinguished Beacon of Civilisation

We owe so much to the Qerthéllnavali. They uplifted our people and established great clean cities, which made us the envy of our neighbours. Each of us should be honoured to carry on the torch of civilisation after their tragic fall. We will live on for their sake.

— Vesse the Blessed, King of Sarala

Qerthéllnaval, officially the Imperium of Qerthéllnaval, was an alchen state that dominated the eastern shores of Lethea from 1244 BA until 873 BA. Their power waned when their southern provinces seceded from the imperium, but despite the setback the great power endured until 239 BA. Qerthéllnaval was the first line of defense in the great aberati invasion, but before they could defend themselves, their own leaders turned on them. Infiltrated by servants of the enemy, the destruction of the vast and powerful imperium came abruptly. Their towering cities flooded with the blood of their people, and there were few who could escape the slaughter.

Politics

The Imperium of Qerthéllnaval gets its name from the dynasty that ruled over the powerful state. When they first arrived in Lethea, the House of Qerthéllnaval was headed by Imperatrix Qerthéllnaval Alécia Riannan, a woman who had wielded her influence to assemble a great fleet and to sail for Lethea. She was the one who established her dynasty’s succession system.

Alécianic Elective Succession

Alécia’s succession law involved a council of representatives that contained a member from each of the imperial provinces. These representatives were given the task of electing a new heir to the throne, but their selection of candidates was limited.
Only members of the ruling dynasty could serve as eligible candidates and the monarch had the right to remove those who they found unworthy from the list. Often this left the electors with little choice on the matter, but they dared not to object. Being an elector came with several useful privileges and social renown that they were unwilling to lose.

Corruption of the Electors

Around the 8th century BA, the government’s bureaucratic apparatuses had become bloated, overcomplicated, and rampant with corruption. Decadence had eaten away at the heart of the state, and the electors were unsatisfied with what they had.
While some of them conspired against their monarch through conventional means, there were some who sought the help of the enemy. Aberati infiltrators used the opportunity to meet with these rebellious electors, often promising them immense power. They inflicted those who were deemed less useful with Aberati corruption.

Legacy

Thousands of years have passed since the fall of the imperium, yet many of their buildings still stand and their people endure. Ruins of ancient Qerthéllnavali settlements and their buildings can be found all across the territories of the fallen nation. Their tombs are often filled with wealth and invaluable artefacts, making them common sites of interest for rapacious plunderers.

Orange Pumpkin by Jessica Lewis

Remnants of the People

During the abrupt fall of the imperium, many of the nation’s citizens were brutally slaughtered, and the invaders forced those who had survived into hiding. The Nehenian people, the core alchen group that led the country, were thought extinct. That belief has changed in recent years, however.
New reports have reached the rest of the world that the Nehenians still live. Ever since the fall of their nation they have continued to endure in vast forests and turned from the peak of civilisation into a more primitive tribal society. Their people, once united, now bicker over scraps as a greater threat continues their hunt to exterminate the last of them.

1244 BA - 239 BA

Type

Geopolitical, Empire

Demonym

Qerthéllnavali

Government System

Monarchy, Elective

Power Structure

Unitary state

Economic System

Market economy

Neighboring Nations

• Imperium of Valhértis