The Empire of Veret ((vuh-rett))
The Empire of Veret originates from The Daggerpoint Peninsula which lies between the Gulf of Veret and the Serantic Ocean. While they do call the peninsula home, most of their territory exists farther away from its shores. They hold many colonies to the south and have expanded west beyond the mountains in the center of their homeland. This has made the kingdom very rich, bringing in resources and wealth from sources outside of their small limb of land. However, not all things in Veret smell of roses. Their colonies are endangered by barbaric natives that reside in the hills and woodlands yet untamed by Vereti culture. West of the peninsula, there is talk of possible war with their neighbors, and the homeland is endangered by a possible succession crisis.
The Empire is currently ruled by the Avaraine Dynasty, with the current leader being Kanden Avaraine IV . The Avaraine Dynasty has ruled over Veret and the Vereti for over 500 years and have kept its people strong. Now, the people are weakened and the rulers are weakened aswell. The current king is feeble and craven, with his greedy and power hungry political advisors leading the show. The main problem is that many of them seem to disagree with each other and have a hard time passing any type of reforms to better the country and the lives of the people. This has led to the creation of several political faction within and already divided kingdom.
Back when the Avaraines first took control, Veret prospered. The people were hungry and sick, so King Cerebald instituted the First Grain Reforms and the Clerical League to ease the starving and heal the sick. Infrastructure was in ruins so King Kanden II called mass repairs for the roads, churches, and other buildings, not only repairing the towns of the empire but also producing many jobs. When overpopulation became an issue the colonies were founded to the south and thousands moved on ships to new lands. Now the government is hanging on by a thread of control and the people are suffering under incompetent leadership.
Structure
At the top of the organizational pyramid rests the monarch. The King or Queen of the Avaraine line rules with the utmost authority. They also have a group of between 10 to 15 advisors known as the Essistates in a group called the Essistatum that are made up of some of the most brilliant minds in their fields. The Essistatum holds men of science, the greatest architects, stewards, military officers of the highest ranks, representatives of the noble families, wealthy merchants, and other highly influential people within the empire. However, in more recent history the Essistatum has become more political and cut throat. Now the Essistates have formed into political factions and plot against one another.
Under the King and his Essistatum are the dukes, barons, and other vassals who rule over smaller split up territories given to them by their liege. This class also holds men of faith and magic aswell such as archmages or grand priests. While they do not hold such authority as the King or the Essistates, they still hold power greater than the working class folk such as smaller landowners, artisans, and peasantry.
Culture
The people of mainland Veret are often described as being shrewd and expansionist. They have great pride in their military strength and flaunt their power in parades and battle alike. A man who served faithfully is a man revered and respected by his Vereti brethren. Many men in Veret believe that a life is not complete without some time served in their Empire's grand force, which grants them an extensive citizen military. While the belief of duty is not the only motivator for service, it is a strong one.
The Vereti people also care greatly for status and respect, especially for those in their family. The family unit is held with high importance in Vereti culture and the head of the family is often a venerated figure.
Much of the Vereti Culture revolves around The Daggerpoint Peninsula and the Griffon is a cultural figurehead beast.
Assets
Even in their current state, the Empire of Veret is very rich indeed. Their coffers overflow with gold and their capital is a grand and extravagant sight to behold. They have an army of more than 130,000 soldiers from the homeland, and roughly 35,000 soldiers that hail from the colonies. Not only that but they have the Copperspine Mountaineers and the Griffon Dragoons. The Copperspine Mountaineers are a handful of elite battalions that consist of shock troops made up of experienced survivalists and ruthless veterans. The Griffon Dragoons are a heavy cavalry unit that rides upon griffons. The Griffon Dragoons consist of extremely skilled riders who run down the enemy and shatter their lines from both the ground and the sky.
History
Veret can date its founding back to roughly 3268 AS. The first crowned king of Veret was Claudius Avariane I, King of Veret . Before the time of Claudius, the peninsula was split up into three Grand Duchies that warred with each other for seven decades. The people grew tired of the war and a young noble known as Clae left and gathered soldiers for his own crusade against the tyrants of the peninsula. He returned upon a golden griffon with one thousand men at his back. They stormed city after city demanding the surrender of the armies of the peninsula. He demanded peace and those who refused were crushed beneath the clawed feet of his mighty winged steed. He took the peninsula in under a decade and rebuilt the broken people into the Kingdom of Veret. After rebuilding his home, reuniting his people, and doing what seemed impossible in under a decade, Clae was reborn as Claudius Avaraine I.
Military
The Sheldarme is the main security and law enforcement force in The Empire. Made up of trained citizens and garrison soldiers, they protect the cities of The Empire from threats both inside and outside. Enemy armies, guilds of thieves, riots, and monster attacks are all things the Sheldarme could face.
The main military force is the Imperial Vereti Army. The long arm of The Empire and the evidence of their power and influence in material form. They are disciplined, efficient, and well trained in the art of combat and are loyal to the empire and her people. With a standing force of 130,000 soldiers, and 35,000 auxillaries from the colonies, they are a force to be reckoned with as they have claimed victories against the Salic Tribes, Vallais forces, and the army of Farwind. Including other forces of more supernatural means.
The Imperial Vereti Navy is a smaller, but equally deadly force. The shores of The Empire are vast and it is no easy task to protect them. Thus, the men and women who do must be well trained in not only combat, but navigation and labor. With a force of 210 ships and 15,000 sailors.
In the Imperial Vereti Army, there are some groups who are exceptional in their fields and are considered to be elite among their peers. Feared by enemies of the crown and beloved as heroes by the people of The Empire. The face of the Vereti Army is the Griffon Dragoons. A unit of elite cavalry that can take to the skies and attack from the heavens. Adorned in resplendent armor and riding upon the beast that decorates the coat of arms, they are the main focus of propoganda and parades. They are still highly skilled, well trained, and disciplined in their work and service, armed with lances, bows, and other weaponry.
Another group of elite soldiers easily recognized by the people of The Empire is the Copperspine Mountaineers. Trained upon the Copperspine Mountains, these soldiers are hardy, fearless, and determined to plunge into the lines of enemies and shatter their resolve. They are trained as survivalists and shock troops who can survive in the wilderness for months and attack the enemies in enviroments where larger forces would have trouble. Armed with crossbows, swords, axes, and other weapons, they charge down hillsides or up coastlines to destroy the positions of the enemy. Some myths created by those who face them in battle claim that they are experimented on in the mountains. Their hearts are removed and tampered with to remove the fear. The hearts are then placed back inside.
Trade & Transport
The main way of transport around The Empire is their road system. A system of highways stretching from city to city that branch into webs of roads that lead to villages and towns. Caravans travel the storied stones of the highways quickly along the major roads that connect the larger cities and capitals of the provinces. Wide enough to allow the easy passage of three caravans, they are constructed from layers of stone and gravel pressed into place. Footpaths and bridges are placed along the sides to flank the main roads and ditches are dug to drain the water. The highway system is stretched across the heartland of The Empire, The Daggerpoint Peninsula, but is not as expansive when you reach the Salic Colonies or Uravane. Although, while the highway system has not been fully expanded into these territories, building has been begun by The Empire.
For those whose travels take them far from the roads on the land, and to the waves that rock the shores and seas. There are many dockyards along coastal cities that provide passage and transportation of goods and people across the entirety of The Empire's coast and beyond. Strategically placed naval dockyards protect the travel of civillian and imperial vessels along well travelled routes. Port Uravane is the most travelled colonial port in The Empire with hundreds of ships coming in and leaving each day carrying people, goods, and more.
Mythology & Lore
Much of Vereti mythology revolves around The Daggerpoint Peninsula and many of their mythological characters originate from either the peninsula itself, The Copperspines, or one of the smaller areas around the peninsula. The people of Veret have heavily fantasized the story of Claudius Avariane I, King of Veret saying he is the son of Regina, Queen of Victory or that he was forged by Fosredas, giving him an almost demigod status in Vereti History.
"Stare back at adversity with a face devoid of fear."
Founding Date
3268 AS
Type
Geopolitical, Empire
Capital
Alternative Names
Veret, The Kingdom of Veret
Training Level
Semi-professional
Demonym
Vereti
Leader
Founders
Head of State
Head of Government
Government System
Monarchy, Constitutional
Power Structure
Feudal state
Economic System
Mixed economy
Currency
There are several official coins in the Empire that can be used in other places aswell. The Orrid is a small copper coin that is often shaped like a pentagon with rounded edges. The Sebel is a larger coin primarily made of silver and is usually decorated with a griffin or spears. The Auren is the primary currency in the empire and is a coin that is forged from gold. It is shaped like a square and is decorated with a face that looks like the current emperor. There are also Caelings which were adopted from the Salic peoples who were conquered to the south. They are made from platinum and are quite valuable. They are usually only used for large transactions and trade deals.
Major Exports
Their main exports are iron, wool, copper, valuable timbers, and ale.
The Daggerpoint peninsula is home to beautiful forests that are home to both luxurious softwoods and sturdy hardwoods. Vereti wood is prized for its sturdiness and reliability in the construction of furniture and crafts such as bows, banners, and other countless wooden products. Their hardwoods are valuable construction materials that are remarkable beautiful. The floors of Marchivandi Palace in Teori are made from gorgeous, dark stained oak from the Daggerpoint Peninsula.
Veret is also the home of vast deposits of high quality iron. Providing the backbone of their military equipment, they also export it to the other countries of the world as Vereti Steel is valued by many peoples for its ease of use at a forge, its great tempering, and the elasticity of the metal. It can make weapons that are used by professional armies and mercenary groups alike. However, it also have other, more civillian, uses as well. It can be used to make gears and gates, fences and light fixtures, utensils and tools. Vereti has prized iron, and they have done more than prove it.
Major Imports
One of the largest imports into The Empire of Veret, is chocolate. Shipped from the shores of Amracet, cocao is a favored delicacy of the Vereti and is mixed into drinks, baked into treats, and chewed on like tobacco by those who seek to sate their sweet tooth. Preferred in a more bitter state, it has become incredibly popular among the Vereti and is a favored snack of the populace. One of the most famous examples of their love of chocolate is the Haskandle, a sweet bread that is baked with chocolate to provide a bitter and sweet taste. The aroma is considered by many Vereti to be positively divine, and it is usually eaten during holidays as a special treat. Since none of their land hold the climate to grow chocolate, it must be imported from other countries to the south.
They also are a large importer of ivory from the north. The bleached material is prized by nobility and is valued heavily by the higher classes in the country. The majority of their ivory imports come from Farwind to the north. The tusks of mammoths, walruses, and other aquatic creatures that thrive in the Sea of Frost. The Vereti Crown has a large frontal piece made from the ivory of a narwhal.
Legislative Body
The laws are written and decided upon by the Emperor and his Essistates. The Essistates do most of the arguing, brainstorming, and voting on the matter, however the king can shut them down, or completely veto laws that he disagrees with.
Executive Body
The group that deals with law enforcement is the Sheldarme. They are the main body of guardsmen in the mainland of the Empire and her colonial holdings. They are varied in appearance but their kit mainly remains the same. Infantry with chain armor and pot helmets. Their main weapon is the spear, which is supported by a shield. Protective, defensive, and good at a range. In case an enemy gets too close or they lose their spear, they have a backup studded mace. Archers and cavalry also make up their ranks supporting them with volleys or a well placed charge.
While most of their numbers are made up of guardsmen and troops to keep the peace, they are led and organized by well trained officers appointed to larger towns and groups of organizational staff who focus on maintaining the Sheldarme. Chef's, jailors, investigators, scouts, guides, and propaganda artists. Many different folk work for the Sheldarme.
Official State Religion
Deities
Location
Controlled Territories
Neighboring Nations
Comments