Eldrian Empire
Once the preminent great power of third age, the Eldrian Empire is a Human dominated empire found in the western region of Prima Terra. Established in 410, 3e following the Axe wars and unification of the Axian Kingdoms, the Eldrian Empire has dominated most the last five centuries of Prima Terran history but is now regarded as a declining power near collapse following multiple crises in the 10th and 11th centuries.
Now largely eclipsed by the emerging powers of its former colonies of Southaxe and The Commonwealth, the Empire's glory days are long behind it and its territory has been reduced by around 25% in the past century. The empire still controls the agrarian wealthy Axian region and ore rich provinces within Tumbria.
Although the Eldrian age is likely coming to an end, the Empire has had an unparralelled mark on human culture since the fall of the Marcian Empire in the second age. The Empire has spread its culture and awakening inspired ideology throughout the western and marcian worlds as well as its proto-capitalistic economic system which remains the default economy for all human cultures in the region.
History
Ancient History
The Eldrian Empire was founded around the Axe river. During the Mythic age, the region was domianted by the Giant Empires of Ulmat and later the Krowethic Empire. The human population are descended from the Albionic peoples, a sister tribe to the Gwenyddians and Kernowians of the contemporary Commonwealth. The human population remained small and isolated during much of the mythic age and first ages. The region was incorporated into the Sun Elf empire with the human tribes forming a strong bond to the Sun Elves. Several key Sun Elf colonies were likely built throughout the modern imperial heartlands, but very few ruins have been found likely due to the building materials being reused by the suceeding populations. It was somewhere in what would become the Empire the battle of Adar was fought, which saw the defeat of Soulthek during the first Soulthek war. Following the fall of the Sun Elves, the human population started to fill the gaps left behind and the area likely returned to nature as the ancient Albionii were a druidic and nomadic culture group who rarely lived in fixed settlements. The region would later be conquererd by the Marcian Empire who built the cities of Brianicum (Briarton), Eronicum (Eronia), and Colonia Eldronica (Eldron). Marcian ruins can be found throughout the empire, with some parts of the Eldron sewer system still using Marcian tunnels and pipes.Origins
The modern routes of the Eldrian Empire can be traced back to the Dark Ages following the collapse of the Marcian Empire. Aedrinarian and Tumbrian tribes pillaged the old Marcian towns and cities and eventually settling across the Albion region. Dwarves also moved into the north-eastern mountain regions, forming a kingdom that would be known as The Northing. The Aedrinarans settled across the nation, eventually replacing the Albionic peoples and forging the Axian culture in its place. These Aedrinarian kingdoms were all based around the River Axe and its major tributaries. They became known as Middleaxe, Westaxe, Eastaxe, and Southaxe. To the south east, the halfling population of Halshire retained their independence and culture. Finally, Surviving Albionic tribes integrated with the nearby Gwenyddians who had begun to raid into the former Marcian colony, founding the Faineshire in a valley between the Southaxian and Northern downs. Together, these seven nations became known as the Heptarchy and were closely invovled with each other throughout the late second age.
Early Empire and Marcian Wars
With the Axian kingdoms unified under the Lords of Eldron and Kings of Middleaxe, the Goldworth dynasty had finally achieved a centuries worth of planning since the first Neville King in the 290s. The early Eldrian kings focused on infastructure building and establishing their economy. The Empire was clearly an emerging power by this stage, and had attracted the attention of the Seldrinar Supremacy to the south of the continent. The Empire began to enact policies based on Westmorland's earlier writing and looked to expand their influence into the Marcian region. During the Terror period of East Marcia, many nobles fled into the Eldrian Empire. The empire welcomed them in and set them up in various courts around the country, including a claimant to the East Marcian throne, Francis X. The Empire also expanded its influence over the clergy in Neapia, using their considerable treasury to fund new churches and cathedrals and gain influence over bishops and cardinals. When the Seldrinar annexed the east marcian county of Selonny, the empire grew concerned that the Elven state would soon be at their own borders. Edward I cashed in on his control of the papacy and had pope Angelo I crown Francis X and used proxy armies to install Francis upon the East Marcian throne, effectively making the kingdom an Eldrian proxy state. Francis X, using Eldrian support and resources, invaded Selonny with the intention of reintegrating it into the kingdom. His actions triggered the Marcian Wars, a series of wars between various states across the Marcian region that would eventually bring the Eldrian Empire into their first major war. The first phase of the conflict, known as the indirect phase, saw Eldrian supported states battle the Seldrinar Supremacy and their supported proxy states. The Supremacy was only caught in direct fighting at first around East Marcia by the Eldrian supported king. The empire did not get directly invovled outside of using its economic assets and resources to support their allies. During this time, Angelo I grew critical of the Eldrian Empire. The Pope claimed that the empire were capitlising on the lives of good, god fearing Marcians to wage politics against the elven threat. He urged the Marcian nations to withdraw from supporting either power and instead devote themselvese to Divinitus alone, forming a holy league against both empires. Angelo I would be mysteriously assassinated whilst at Godsday prayers in 493. His successor, Angelo II was far more supportive of the Empire and invited Edward I to come to be the guest of honour at his coronation. The empire's key allies, other than East Marcia, during this time were Estrella, Sieanna, and the Papacy as well as various minor nobles throughout Iranno and Altruscia. Whilst the empire's proxies waged war on the Seldrinar and their allies, weakening their manpower, Edward I and his son, King Lewis, focused on building up the army including a new division of battlemages recruited from The Miskatonic. Lewis was content to focus on building up supplies and leaving the Marcians and Seldrinar to fight amongst each other, but when he died without a male heir his younger brother, Henry III ascended to the throne. Henry largely continued his brother's planning but looked to get the empire directly involved in the war. He persuaded Pope Innocent IV to declare a crusade against the Seldrinar. This brought Paladin orders from around the continent to fight in Marcia, further weakening the Seldrinar's army. This failed to slow the Supremacy down, and Henry III officially declared war in 522 as the Seldrinar marched on Cheval. The Eldrian army was fresh and fully equipped - whilst the Seldrinar were demoralised and had lost countless soldiers in the war already. This gave the empire a clear edge, as Eldrinar legions invaded Iranno and pushed the Seldrinar out of the Duchy of Cheval and further into Aquitaine and Selonny. The Eldrians also brought in their allies of the Moon Elves and the Dwarven kingdoms of Theyadin and Greyhelm. Henry would not live long into the war, dying from old age in 526. The war dragged out for another 24 years with the Eldrians and Seldrinar exchanging blows constantly through east marcia as the west marcian states continued to fight in proxy wars. Henry and his son, Alexander, were smart to rely more on their allies for key vangaurd movements and campaigns whilst they focused on the larger Seldrinar armies, thus preserving their own forces at the expense of others. Alexander is also said to have convinced Innocent IV to organize the treaty of Saunton with the King of Kernow to force the West Marcian states to unify and turn on the Supremacy. The treaty saw all Seldrinar supporting proxies allowed to keep their lands and recieve gold coins (supposidly Eldrian coins with Alexander's face on the back) in exchange for uniting and invading the Seldrinar lands. At the same time, Alexander had organized a delicate treaty with the usually reclusive wood elves of the Silverwood, using the Supremacy's belief in the Dark Seldarine to motivate the Wood Elves to enter the war on the Eldrian side. This new push saw Seldrianar holdings in South Marcia and Selonny dwindle away and the united West Marcian army march on Seldros Prime itself. The Seldrinar managed to negotiate the West Marcian states out of the war at the Treaty of Falzeno, blindsiding the Eldrian leadership. Alexander died in the final month of the war, with his son Henry IV taking over. Henry offered a peace-in-principle treaty with the Seldrinar, keen to end the lenghty conflict. The Seldrinar, having faced countless losses and facing revolt at home, accepted. Henry IV, Innocent IV, and a selected council of West Marcian states organized a peace treaty that saw the Eldrians and Seldrinar completely withdraw all forces from the Marcian region and all Seldrinar regions returned to East Marcia. Despite this promise, the Eldrians effectively still controlled the Papal States and East Marcia.Dawn of the Eldrian Hegemony
The Eldrian Hegemony period would last from the end of the Marcian Wars in 550 until 900, 3e. The Seldrinar has lost the most soldiers and their economy was in collapse following the Marcian Wars, whilst the empire was left licking some wounds but relatively untouched. This left the Eldrians as the only great power left on the continent, and the doors for domination were left completely open. Henry spent the early part of his reign funding reconstruction projects in Marcia, indebting the kingdoms to the empire and expanding the empire's influence and trade power as the kingdoms agreed to new merchant pacts with the emperor. In 571, Henry would launch the first conquest of lands outside the Axian heartlands. Desperate to expand his economy and secure new resources, Henry turned to nearby Tumbria. Tumbria at this point was under the rulership of the Holy Tumbrian Empire, an archaic and over-bloated political confederation of various city states, duchies, republics, principlaities, counties, and other assorted political institutions. The aristocracy was bloated, the resources untapped, and the empire slow moving and full of constant in fighting. The ruling Hassenvorger dynasty had become infamous in the western world for its constant inbreeding, corruption, and blackmailing of the electors of the HTE. The Holy Tumbrian Empire was incredibly disunited by the time of Eldrian involvement. Some border states were already de facto provinces of the Eldrians, sending resources and organizing their own marriage pacts with the Eldrians under the nose of the Tumbrian Emperor. The border states of Randveria, Reiner, and the Kliner Union were the empire's key entry points. All three subjugates of the HTE had secretly sworn to Henry IV, and allowed the Eldrian armies in undetected. When war was declared, the three regions declared their allegieance to the Eldrians and commited all their troops and resources. The first target of the Tumbrian Wars was Schlossenfurt, the rival of Reinham. The invasion of the border nation was swift, with the Eldrians perfecting their new lightning siege technique learned during the Marcian Wars. The Schlossenfurt nobility fled to nearby Mostver, with the city itself being given to Rienham as reward for their early allegience to the empire. Henry himself would lead the main army as they marched on the Count of Mostver's forces to take his electorate and defeat the last part of Schlossenfurt resistance. The second Eldrian Army, composed of halflings from the Kliner union and Eldrian soldiers, was led by a Halshire general named Sir Monty Boone and was focused on taking the Bishopric of Feldkirche. The third army, led by the brother of the king, Crown Prince James, invaded the powerful electorate in the Duchy of Dracenfel deep within the Crescent Mountains. Although Boone and King Henry would see much success with Feldkiche and Mostver being defeated by 573, tragedy struck Crown Prince James as the heir to the throne was struck down in the battle of Griefsenke by the Duke of Dracenfel. Henry IV left the frontlines, entrusting the first army to his maternal cousin Lord Lucas Redd of Caffhill. Henry returned to Eldron with James' body and buried him in the Goldworth mausoleum within Stanford Palace and began a lengthy process of reorganizing succession. Henry IV had never married and instead taken a lover in the form of prominent knight named Sir Gregory Fuller. Henry had also never adopted, as adopted children were forbidden from succession in Eldrian inheritance laws. The only suitable candidates were his uncle, Lord Redd, or his paternal cousin, the Duke of the Northing, Rordin Goldworth. Henry spent the next year discussing with various councillors over the correct choice. On one hand Lord Redd was not of the noble dynasty and connected only through a now defunct marriage pact, on the otherside, Rordin was of the noble dynasty but only had a single daughter who had already married to the Duke of Eastaxe - either way the Goldworth line was to end. Henry would eventually settle on Rordin. The war itself continued to drag on during 573-4. Sir Boone was tasked with taking the countryside and towns within the Kingdom of Rassendorf, the capital of the Holy Tumbrian Empire, whilst Lord Redd marched north to continue the fight with Dracenfel. Rassendorf's armies, led by the Hassenverger dynasty themselves harrassed Boone and drove his armies back at several points whilst Lord Redd got drawn to a halt during the winter months in the Dracenfel mountains. Henry returned to the battlefront in the summer of 575 with a new army and marched on Rassendorf. The Emperor fled the city before he arrived, but was ambushed by Sir Boone at the Battle of Ludwigford. The Tumbrian army was crushed and the emperor only escaped by dressing a milkmaid and hiding on a travelling caravan to the west of the country. Henry began a long siege of Rassendorf whilst Boone marched on Alorgne, a forested and hilly area and began a long campaign against the Alorgnians. Lord Redd was forced to retreat after another failed battle against Dracenfel and returned to Underlacht in Randveria to restore his troops and supplies, giving up whatever small territory he had gained. This slow pace continued for a year until dual victories by Sir Boone and King Henry saw Rassendorf and Alorgne fall. Redd retired as a general, and Lord Stephen of Arunmere was appointed as the new general of his army. Arunmere organized his troops better, dividing them in the mountains and feeding them off the land as they picked their way through Dracenfel, before reuniting to face the Dracenfel army at the gates of the city itself, beating the army but being forced to give into a siege. Dracenfel would fall in the spring of 577. In this time, Boone completed a conquest of the duchy of Elfengarde and King Henry invaded the Keltischland by using the competing lordships of Feyfast and Naofoilen against each other. By 580, the Tumbrian forces were contained to the Laxondy region in the north-west of the country as Gask, Gucthberg, the Gallic Communities, and Korlogne all fell to the Eldrian armies. The Eldrians relaxed on rapid invasion, with Henry moving to Rassendorf to begin reorganzing the captured territories, granting Boone a lordship and granting martial privliages to continue the conquest into the Laxondy realms of Undrecht, Greater Laxondy and Zwerghelm. Henry would die in 588, with his chosen heir, now Rordin I, being coronated in Eldron. Henry's funeral was a grant state affair with a week's worth of mourning and a tour of his coffin across the empire at who was considered amongst the greatest kings of all the Axian nations. Folk legend holds the Seldrinar court celebrated for a week upon hearing their nemesis had died. Rordin left much of the war to Lords Boone and Arunmere whilst he continued his cousin's plans for organizing the new Tumbrian territory. Rordin I's main priority was on securing the newly aquired Tumbrian resources and ending serfdom. Henry had done much of the political reorganization already, and plans were in place for what would happen to the territory upon its completed annexation. The war ended in 588 when Lord Boone defeated the final Tumbrian state of Klipperland. The Holy Tumbrian Emperor was imprisoned and sent to Eldron. Rordin declared him officially deposed and invited all the remaining nobles to Rassendorf to sign his new treaty. Rordin's treaty would grant Tumbria vast autonomy and leave much of its previous political infrasctructure in place after some reorganizing of territory and privilages. The Tumrian Emperor would still be elected, but would swear fealty to the Eldrian Emperor, and pay an annual tax based on state income as well as have Eldrian guilds take over key resource production and management throughout the province. The Tumbrian noblilty, now almost entirely replaced by Eldrian sympathisers or blackmailed by the ransom of their realtives or loved ones, all signed the treaty, inducting the once proud nation as the first non-heptarchy province of the Eldrian Empire.Pax Eldronica
"The Eldrian Peace" as it would be known would last from the end of the Tumbrian Wars in 588 until 710. In this time, the empire saw massive peace and prosperity and a boom to its economy. The hegemony period was still in full swing, with the Seldrinar still unable to truly challenge the empire at this stage. The closest the empire came to war in this time was during the Aquitaine crisis in 628 during the reign of Edward II. The Duchy of Aquitaine in East Marcia had seceeded from the Kingdom of East Marcia and was being supported by the Seldrinar Supremacy. A deleicate peace was negotiated with the aide of the dukes of Iranno, and a more secret approach of espionage and diplomatic declarations occured instead. During the Pax Eldronica, the Goldworth dynasty officially ended with the death of Rodin I. Rordin's grandson, Eric II, inherited the throne as part of the house of Eastaxe which would last for the entire Pax period. The House of Eastaxe became associated with grand new palaces, building Execaster House in Eldron as the new imperial palace and building mansions, churchs, museums, and public works throughout the empire. The Eastaxe emperors relied on soft power to project imperial might over using the military. They managed to successfully discourage West Marcian unification and continue to support their allies in East Marcia against Seldrinar interferance all whilst growing wealthy off new trade routes. The house of Eastaxe have since become notorious for their explotation of the non-core provinces. Tarrifs on Tumbria, Halshire, and the Faine were extoritonate and little resources were put into their regions in return. This did see the noble and merchant elites of Middleaxe, Westaxe, Southaxe, the Northing and Eastaxe grow more powerful and wealthy as the smaller provinces slowly became more impovrished.Halshire Revolt
The peace was ended in 710 when the province of Halshire opened in general revolt against Eldrian taxation. For three decades, tariff's on Halshire's crops had grown. Imperial authorities had demanded so much that crop rotation was no longer being following thus leading to a decline in production and minor famines in the region. The Empire did little to provide relief to the halflings of the region and instead relied on crop imports and food grown in other provinces. The revolt started in Happyburrow when imperial tax collectors under orders from King Henry V tried to confiscate wheat from the granaries. The local population rose up in revolt and a riot started. The tax collectors were beaten to death with spades and a general revolt broke out across Halshire. Henry V ordered his ally, the new Lord Charlie Boone (Grandson of the Tumbrian general and war hero) to put down the revolt. Boone refused and became a folk hero for the halflings and helped to organize the revolt. Henry V journeyed to Halshire to put down the revolt himself with his royal guard but was ambushed on the road between Ranbury and Barleyboone by halfling rebels. Henry died relatively young and heirless, thus starting a cosntitutional crisis as local Eldrian lords and governors struggled to put down the revolts and riots. In a strange repetition of history, Henry V's hair would be a cousin named Rordin, this time from the House of Eronia. Rordin II was the Duke of Westaxe and considered a cold and callous man. Some nobles had tried voicing for Princess Victoria, the sister of Henry, to be coronated instead. This movment was quickly quashed by Rordin when he arrived in Eldron, with the ringleaders having their tongues cut out for proposing it. Rordin moved quickly to put down the Halshire revolt. He led two armies into Halshire and stationed them in the cities of Happyburrow and Promise. These armies would launch brutal patrols in the streets of the city and the countryside, often torching down villages they suspected of harbouring rebels even if there was no proof. They also confiscated countless goods and wealth from Halfling families and extrajudically killed countless critics or even random bystanders. This brutality shocked the world - with Pope Celestius IV, a gnome from Gosca, speaking out against these actions in a letter published to all divinitist churches.Rordin II was supposedly so angered by this letter he organized the assassination of Celestius who had his throat cut by an unseen attacker on his way to peform mass at the Grand Basilica. Rumours hold the Emperor paid the Red Feathers to perform the assassination, others say he used necromancy to order a malicious spirit or demon to perform the murder. Outside of rumour, there are no official documents to suggest Rordin II actually organized the pope's assassination, but the legend is still often repeated today. The eigth century was also rocked by the Pig Plague which spread throughout the human kingdoms in 740s, devestating the local population. This plague also weakened the Eldrian military and allowed Aedrinarian raiders to launch more daring attacks on the Empire across the Tumbrian coast and even performing a daring raid on Briarton in Southaxe. The plague would eventually be cured by clerical missions sent by the papacy with the aide of magical researchers at the Miskatonic. The final crisis for the House of Eronia to handle was the now brazen Aedrinaran attacks. Raids had grown more frequent and devestating, and reports were King Ulfgir V, the Wolf King, was planning a full scale invasion of Tumbria. Kings Eric III and Edward IV did much to build up the navy and try to repel early raids, but their efforts were fruitless. Edward instead relied on deciet. He sent most of his navy to Briarton bar a few scouting caravels he left patrolling the Terrasic, staffed by trusted mages he all met personally, and then evacuated key defence points along the tumbrian coastline. This tempted the Aedrinarians to launch their attack after raiding parties found towns and villages undefended. When the war fleet set off, the mages about the scouting caravel's magically messaged Edward, who had stationed himself in Briarton at the head of his Grand Armanda. Henry set off and the two fleets met in the terrasic ocean before the Aedrinarans could reach mainland. They had not been expecting any fleet, as they had suspected it completely destroyed by this stage. The battle was decisive and the Aedrinarans were crushed. The Wolf King had tried to sail his flagship, a dragonhead longship called Odin's Fury directly at Edward's flagship, Destiny, but was sunk by Eldrian canons. As he died, Ulfgir threw his spear and cut Edward before he drowned."Tis an age of mourning, for the west is divided between two devils. One whom is open with its dreams of conquest, and one whom pretends to be an angel. In light of the callous king's actions to the innocent of the halfling country, the mask has been withdrawn, and we see who the devil to our north for what it truly is.”- Extract from Pope Celestius IV's letter on the treatment of the halflings, 713, 3e.
War of the Uncles
A new crisis faced the empire in 799 when Edward IV died of injuries sustained in battling the Aedrinarans. Popular myth says when King Ulfgir V threw his spear at Edward as his longship sank, he called out to Hel to place a curse on his weapon, so that if is struck a hellish poison would infect its target and kill them slowly. Edward died childless, and according to imperial succession laws and Edward's own wished, the crown should have passed to his paternal uncle Charles, as he was from the ruling house. What happened instead was his maternal uncle, a Tumbrian noble named Ludwin Von Ludwin, seized the throne instead before Charles could make his way to Eldron for the coronation. Ludwin was from Rassendorf and had ruled as Tumbrian Emperor for the past decade. His arguments for his claim were that he was younger than Prince Charles, and could trace noble lineage from Princess Anna, the first born daughter of Rordin II. His coronation caused a mass uprising, as Charles called Ludwin a "Seldrinar supported usurper" and a civil war between the houses of Von Ludwin and Eronia broke out. The rumours of Ludwin being supported by the Seldrinar would be revealed as truth decades later by a Tortle pirate who had seized Seldrinar documents and sold them onto the empire for platinum pieces. The nobility from across the empire was dragged in. Westaxe, Southaxe, the Faine and Eastaxe largely supported the house of Eronia whilst The Northing, Halshire, Tumbria, and Middleaxe all supported the House of Von Ludwin. The war waged on for twenty years until 819 and claimed many lives from both sides. The Von Ludwin's started the war off well, invading Westaxe and northern Eastaxe. The Eronians face their first major loss at the battle of Adderbow in 801 when Henry the Martyr, Charles' first born son and heir, was captured. He was taken back to Eldron where he was hung, drawn, and quartered in the Emperor's square. His head was sent to his father in Eronia. The Eronians launched a massive invasion into Tumbria, hoping to cut off Ludwinist support within the province, whilst their allies in Southaxe invaded Halshire. Charles' campaigns in the border regions of the principality of Reiner and the Kliner Union earned him the nickname of Warrior Prince Charlie. Charles did manage to capture Rassendorf itself and looted the Von Ludwin manorhouse and imperial treasury, capturing Dowager Queen Charlotte Von Ludwin, former wife of Eric III and sister to Ludwin I. Charlotte would be sent to prison in Briarton. In retallion for the fall of Rassendorf, the Von Ludwin's sacked Eronia itself, capturing Princess Cassandra, Charles' daughter. Upon hearing the news, it is said Charles held his heart and wept, dying as his heart broke for the loss of his daugther and home city. The war turned back to the Van Ludwin's advantage as much of Eastaxe fell after the Battle of Giant's Finger crushed the Eastaxian forces. Cassandra was then arranged to marry Martin of Laxondy, son Ludwin I. Cassandra is credited for the poisioning of Ludwin I, who died during the wedding feast. Cassandra and Martin would go onto have three children, Ludwin, Hannah, and Eggbert. The next major death was that of Queen Dowager Charlotte, who died in prison at Briarton. The Von Ludwin's, now under the rule of King Ludwin II. The Eronians turned to Warrior Prince Charlie's second son, Rordin, known as the true king. The Von Ludwin's continuned their invasion into Westaxe and Eastaxe, but in the south the armies Robert the Bloody of Eronia and the Southaxians consolidated Halshire and the Faine, and maintained their control of the Kliner union. Rordin the True King would die in the Battle of the Reeds against Ludwin II, dying to arrow shots to the chest. Rordin had broken formation to try and rescue his sister, Cassandra, who was shown to be in the supply carts with her children under armed guard. With Rodin dead, Robert became the new Eronian leader. Robert's tactics were brilliant for the time and involved heavy use of arcane artillery and cavalry charges. Robert's quick strategies were an evolution of tactics learned in the Marcian Wars centuries ago to be more suited for plated knights and mobile artillery. Robert also managed to secure the alliance of the Keltischland, and using Keltish and Fainshire druids as battlemages he was able to turn the battleground itself against the Ludwins. Robert pushed back at every Von Ludwin push, and slew Martin of Laxondy at the battle of Wyrmfield in 817. Ludwin II died in 818 within Eldron of natural causes. The crown passed to his nephew, Ludwin the son of Cassandra and Martin of Laxondy who was only 14 years old at this point. The Von Ludwin support collapsed as more and more supported were crushed by Robert. Eronian sympahisers, including Lady Cassandra, opened the gates of Eldron for Robert who stormed into imperial palace and slayed the last of the Von Ludwin loyalists. Prince Eggbert, the youngest of Cassandra's children, was smuggled out of the capital by either a Von Ludwin loyalist named Gunter Von Ravendawn or a Seldrinar spy network working for the Black Suns. Robert became infamous for his on the spot execution of Ludwin III, truly earning his nickname of 'the bloody.' Robert was coronated as King Robert in 919. The latter half of Robert's reign was putting down small revolts by Eggbert the Pretender before capturing him in the 832. Cassandra returned to Eronia with her remaining child by Martin, Hannah Von Ludwin. Cassandra and Hannah became prominent members of the reconstruction movement within the empire, using their household wealth to rebuild damaged settlements and fund the restoration of crop fields. This reconstruction period lasted through Robert's reign and into the reign of his son, Rordin III, ending in 855.Gwenyddian and Kernowian expansion
After the reconstruction period, King Eric IVs reign of peace was a welcome reprieve from civil war and crisis. Although the empire became prosperous and happy once again, behind the scene Eric was organizing a bold new expansion of the realm. The Hegemony was slowly ending as the Seldrinar had been growing in strength and influence in the past century, likely to rise to the rank of Great Power once again. Eric, seeking to secure the Eldrian Empire for another four hundred years, planned an invasion of the resource rich regions of Gwenydd and Kernow. In the late ninth century, these western regions were the last human realms to still largely worship the old gods. Gwenydd was a divided, largely tribal nation with small cities outside of their cultural capital of Pennygyntaff. The people lived in small clan groups and villages and were regular nuisances to the border regions of the empire. Their home was hilly, mountainous, and marshy. It did contain some iron, copper, and gem mines within the Godspeak mountains as well gold reserves there and near the Craggy Peaks. Only a few settlements were permenant and the clans generally disunited despite their shared oath to the High King of Gwenydd. The most major obstacle would the former Aedrinaran city of Ceannastra, also called Cainstrom, on the province's western coast. Gwenydd was generally considered a worthless marshland with minimal resources and not worth the hassle of invasion of pacification by every empire since the second age. Kernow, however, was a wealthy and well developed province ripe for the taken. Kernow's golden age had long since faded and the nation was a weak and technological defficant hangover from the pre-awakening era. The kingdom had developed very little outside of its capital of Saunton and some southern towns on the Gulf of Marcia. The peninsula had plentiful gold, silver, tin and iron mines that were generally underutilised. The kingdom focused on artesanal production of wood and jewellery, and its army was still levied from local populations. Eric's plans of conquest were left for his only child and daugther, Mary. Queen Mary began the invasion of Gwenydd in 885, three years after the death of her father. Massive numbers of legions from across the empire were marched into the province from all directions. Two armies crossed the river Finn from The Keltischland and made for the winter capital of Palaidcyntaff. Another army came from the Faine marched along the southern coastline whilst a fourth army came from Westaxe to take the Tawu river valley, a rich agrarian region. These early conquests were relatively easy. It was only when the Eldrians reach the tough mountainous regions of the Craggy Peaks and Godsmounts combined with the central marshlands did they get bogged down by Gwenyddian ambush tactics. Mary used smaller divisions of troops and switched to lighter armoured units as well as conscripting soldiers from Faineshire and the Keltischland to fight in the tougher locations. Her main armoured legions marched on Cennastra, taking the ancient Aedrinarian settlement. Pennygyntaff was captured in 889, with the final two years of the Gwenyddian War being spent putting out resistance in the craggy peaks and godsmounts. The final resisting clans were stomped out at Flind Keep in the craggy peaks in 891. With the last resistance destroyed, Gwenydd had seen its population reduced by 2/10ths. Mary then spent the autumn and winter resting as she reorganized the armies, bringing in fresh soldiers, and organizing her assault on the true Eldrian goal, Kernow. The Kernowian war began in the spring of 892 with the brunt of armies marching down the southern coast taking small villages. The army split, as a third marched on the key port town of Denly whilst the main force marched on the capital of Saunton. The main army overcame the border fort of Bunnsburgh within seven hours, and Saunton was laid to siege within a week of the war starting. Denly fell after two weeks, the miniscule Kernowian navy fleeing with treasures and nobility into the Neapian channel only to find the Eldrian Southaxian Fleet waiting for them, sinking the entire fleet. Saunton fell in 93. Despite the king being captured, the Kernowians remained resistant to the Eldrian invasion, with the powerful houses from around the country mounting seperate defences. Mary split her armies again and started a methodical campaign that lasted for three years across Kernow. After the fall of Carely in 95, the Navy invaded Salian Isle at the battle of Roe. The final Kernowian town of Gurnbourne was pillaged in 996, ending the war entirely. Gwenydd and kernow were organized into new provinces fully as the military began to withdraw. Much like their previous occupation of Tumbira, the Eldrians allowed much of the local political structure to remain in place but imposed taxes and required the rulers to swear fealty to the Eldrian monarchy. Gwenydd was mockingly renamed the Petty Kingdom of Gwenydd instead as a joke against the new High King. The Eldrians made sure to install symapthetic faces throughout Gwenydd and maintained a tight control on its lords assembly to ensure no radical kings would be appointed. The merchant guilds quickly moved into Kernow, seizing the key resources from locals.Marolingian Dynasty
Queen Mary had earned the epithet of Iron Mary. Since the Eldrian Empire used the Marcian system of patrilinial marriage, the House of Eronia was considered to be finished as the noble house when Mary died. Mary's reputation, however, had led to the royal children of Edward, Richard, and Margaret being called Marolingian, the children of Mary. Although considered amongst the greatest of Eldrian monarchs mentioned in the same breath as Henry I, Henry IV, or Eric II, Mary would end up making political descisions that would eventually lead to the fall of her entire dynasty within the century. Mary would marry her eldest son, Edward, to Willimina Von Ludwin, a descendent of a Ludwin II's relationship with a minor Tumbrian noble family from Dracenfel. This caused a minor scandal within the nobility, who still held a bitter resentment to the remaining Von Ludwin branches and those who supporting their coup in the Uncle's War and led to a distaste for Edward's line to continue inheritance of the throne. Mary also arranged the political marriage between her second son, Richard, and the 'ogre of Rainer' a cruel noble lady of the Von Rouen household. The two hated each other and spent little time together, which began sordid rumours of the birth status of Richard's line of the family. Her next political mistep was in marrying her daugther, Margaret, to the openly power-hungry eastaxian house of Goldwyrm, granting them another direct claim to the throne. Mary also mismanaged much of the provinces, allowing the merchant guilds and trade companies to ciphon goods in a free market experiment. This granted the merchants and guilds more and more power and saw greater explotiation of subjects across the empire. Mary is remembered fondly for her funding of arts programmes, although these programmes only seemed to extend to key royal cities and lenghty Altruscian operas. Mary's death in 921 saw Edward V coronated in a poorly attended ceremony at Eldron with many nobles boycotting the service.
The Eldrian Empire at its greatest extent in 921 after the death of Queen Mary.
Edward, ever paranoid, founded a secret police and spread them through the empire in key provinces and noble courts. In the first year of his reign, Salian Isle in Kernow rose in revolt. This revolt spread throughout Kernow and Edward was forced to march his armies into the province to stamp it out. Notably, Saunton remained completely neutral in the war, not wanting to risk another devestating siege, as the city was still being rebuilt after the previous conquest. The revolt lasted two years and was finally snuffed out when folk hero Llwellwen Penhallen was executed in Carely after being double crossed by the noble family there.
Edward then began a long process of Eldrianisation, changing the region's name to Cape County and snuffing out local worship of the Old Gods, building new churches, new roads, and eviciting hundreds of people to rebuilt towns and cities. The traditional Kernowian way of life was methodically erased in the Eldrianisation period of Edward's reign. To stop any further revolts, Edward formed a secret police, colloquially called the 'teddies,' who implanted themselves in key provincial settlements, courts, and guilds. Using the 'teddies' Edward was able to stop organized revolts before they began in Gwenydd and Tumbria.
Edward's death in 940 was supposed to lead to his only daughter, Mary the Ice Princess, to be installed as Mary II. The general nobility refused this, however, and instead installed Edward's younger brother, Richard. The official reason given was due to the empire's male preference inheritance, but unofficially this was likely because of Mary's mother being a Von Ludwin. Richard continued his brother's policies and maintained the secret police. Richard would earn the fury of his nephew, Donald Goldwyrm son of Princess Margaret. Donald was supposed furious that he had not been invited to the coronation, and began spreading rumours of Richard's infidelity and how he'd only produced a bastard son. Donald was silenced when the Teddies visited his keep and threatened him.
The rumours of Richard's son, Tristan II's, supposed bastard heritage persisted into his reign as Donald continued his slander. Tristan II had begun a process of reform within the empire, wanting to liberalise its control over the promises and allow regions like Cape County and Gwenydd more autonomy whilst curtailing the influence of the merchant guilds. The guilds would form an alliance with Donald, secretly plotting to install him over Tristan's daugther, Hilda. The king also reformed succession laws, ending male preference. Despite this being a generally progressive and positive reform, it did anger Mary the Ice Princess, who now insisted she whould be the queen.
Donald I
Donald Goldwyrm, now Duke of Eastaxe, had been consistent and regular in his claims against the noble line of King Richard. When Tristan II died and Queen Hilda was coronated in 981, another reformer, Donald saught to usurp the throne. Many nobles and merchants who were losing out under the reformist monarchs eagerly joined his side, and Donald launched a sixth month war against Queen Hilda, forcing her and her family to flee into the Vale. Donald was crowned as the first monarch of the Goldwrym dynasty, and scapped all of his predacessor's reforms. Donald, also known as the fat, became infamous for his corruption and ego. He dished out wealthy contracts to his cronies in the bankers and trade guilds in exchange for gold or flaterring work of himself. His policies also saw more and more resoruces from the provinces be stripped away. Donald also stopped funding larger projects and disbanded the secret police whilst filling the military with those who could pay enough bribes for commandership. This massive scale corruption and resource stripping of the provinces saw growing resentment across Gwenydd and Cape County. In both provinces, safe from the threat of now disbanaded Teddies, revolutionary plans started to be laid in place. The first domino in revolution fell when the Salian Isle scandal came to light thanks to the siezure of banker's and miner's guild assets on the Salian Isle by the local Lord Sodlark. The scandal revealed King Donald had orchestrated the Banker's and Miner's guild to hostily take over the remaining local mine operators with the help of goblin criminals. The guild were defeated by Sodlark and the Heroes of the Commonwealth. Donald did nothing to remedy or address the scandal once it was revealed. This scandal pushed more in Cape County to supporting indepndence, with King Duain II starting a larger organization of trusted nobles and knights from around his province. In Gwenydd, revolutionarly plots were being led in Pennygyntaff and Ceannasatra by competing factions. The second domino fell when the O'Feardelains were arrested for trying to orgainize the assassiantion of the imperial chancellor. Regardless of this, in a single night the O'Feardelain's would be freed from prison, the chancellor would be assassainated at dinner, and Crown Prince Heinrich would be assassianted in Palaidcyntaff. In response to this, Donald launched a massive military operation into Gwenydd to stamp out resistance, all this did was prompt more protests and revolts, beginning the Bloody Fortnight. Cape County took this oppertunity to throw the imperial governor's out of Saunton and declare their independence as well. Desperate for a resolve to the situation, Donald invited a mercenary named Azumon to put down the revolt with the help of imperial legions. Azumon would go onto be defeated by the heroes of the Commonwealth at the Battle of Saunton. The Gwenyddian and Cape County rebel forces united as a single army, declaring a "Commonwealth of Nations" beginning the Commonwealth war of indepdence. The war lasted from 992-993 and was largely over by the time it started. Small Eldrian supporting sides in Bunnsburgh and Gurnbourne were toppled by the Revolutionary army. In 993, at the battle of the Tawu Ford, a combined Gwenyddian, Gazzaritian and Dwarven army defeated the Eldrian army, securing all of Gwenydd. The Commonwealth instead simply defended their new borders and the empire signed a peace treaty at Buwchester in 993, offically recognising the Commonwealth's independenceCivil Wars
The empire had been humiliated and fincially crippled by the Commonwealth's independence. The loss of two profitable colonial provinces had instant effects on the guild power and wealth and movements to oust Donald from control started to gain traction. In the north, the exiled Queen Hilda and her family began to contact her supporters in Southaxe and Westaxe. Hilda invaded the empire in 995, beginning the First Eldrian Civil War. Hilda's arrival was greeted with a victory at the battle of Morganfield. Hilda was welcomed into Eronia with open arms and regions across Westaxe, Southaxe, and half of Halshire rose in her support. Donald ordered all his vassals to organize their own militias and summoned the army to defend his throne. He was left with no replay as the Betrayal of the 21st Axefall occured in The Northing and Eastaxe. Donald's older brother, Victor, declared his intentions for the throne and rose Eastaxe and parts of Southaxe to his side. The oldest of the claimants, Mary the Ice Princess, duchess of the Northing, also rose in revolt and summoned her allies in the northern half of Halshire. With battle lines drawn, the first civil would last from 995-997 and devestate the Eldrian heartlands. This was coupled a revolt in Fainshire, led by the folk hero Eoin Weldwyn who would eventually side with the Hidlian faction. The first year of the war saw a few key battles on the border between Westaxe and Middleaxe as well as the lords of Southaxe putting down Victorian supporters in the region. Donald I left most of his military command to his second son, Prince Francis, as well as the devious Earl Arrogan of Chapeltown. The Loyalist faction was largely focused on holding back the Hildians and securing their borders with the Marolingian and Victorian factions. It was the latter two entries to the war that undertook the most brutal fighting in 995. Lord Victor's forces, led by Gilmore Goldenboots, swarmed Halshire and took Mary and Hilda's supporting settlements within the year. Victor himseld marched into the Northing and caught the retreating Northing Army, led by Lord Richard the honourable, Mary's son as they fled battled with the Loyalists. Victor would push the Marolingian armies back, and eventually lay siege to Wintergate, the Northing's capital. Mary would sign a pact with Victor in 996, commiting her remaining support to his cause. Mary's remaining Halfling forces switched sides to support Hilda instead. 996 saw the Loyalists struggle to hold back the Hildian and Victorian factions. Only Prince Francis was winning key victories. Halshire saw some of the most brutal fighting as Hildian and Victorian halflings battled each other across the province. Prince Francis attempted to push into Westaxe but would be rebuffed by Prince Tristan. 997 saw a concentrated effort by the Hildians and Loyalists against Victor. The 10th Sunfall 997 was named the "Day of the Three glories" by the Hildian faction. In arunford, Prince Tristan won the siege of Arunford and battle of Bakersinne, whilst the Faineshire rebels defeated loyalists at Afalpren. The following day, Lord Fairfax, the most experienced general in the Hildian army, won the battle of Execaster and pushed the Victorians back to Taylock. The Loyalists capitalised on Victor's defeats and invade the Northing. Mary, the Ice Princess and oldest claimant to the throne, took poison after Count Arrogan stormed her keep. Her son, Lord Richard, was taken captive at Ghostcastle. The Victorian faction was finally defeated after Lord Fairfax won the battle of Taylock. Lord Victor was captured and executed with a blunted blade on Fairfax's order as punishment for his brutal campaign in Halshire. Prince Francis is said to have been deeply saddened by the death of his uncle, even if he was a traitor. In the final months of 997, the Loyalist and Hildian armies met outisde Eldron near the ruins of a statue to a giant lord called Gath. Before the battle, Tristan and Francis met for parley. The two got on well and shared drink and stories, but Francis would not surrender. The Battle of the Fields of Gath was an overwhelming Hildian victory. Francis and Tristain met again on the battlefield and duelled. Francis did not survive. Out of respect for a fellow warrior, Prince Tristan ensured his rival's body was not looted and treated with respect. When news of Francis' death reached King Donald, the king completely shut down. When Hilda stormed the capital, they found Donald sobbing in the throne room, asking for his long dead first wife. He would be executed a week later on Hilda's orders. Some of Donald's family had managed to escape Eldron, notably Joan de Roi, the dowager princess and former wife of Crown Prince Hienrich, and their son, Donald II. Hilda's reign would last only three years and would go onto be known as the Little War or the Three Year Stalemate. Many loyalists had fled to East Marcia, and when Joan de Roi and Donald the Younge entered the country, they had him proclaimed king Donald II. The child was 3 years old at the time. Count Arrogan had remained in the Northing, and fortified it as a loyalist region declaring he only recognised the line of Donald. Hilda also double crossed the Fainshire rebels, refusing to grant them the independence she had promised them during the civil war. This started a second uprising in the county with the few remaining imperial troops easily ousted. The second civil war started in late 998 when Dowager Princess Joan, Loyalist exiles, and East Marcian knights invaded Halshire. Halshire quickly submitted to the Loyalists who marched north to Taylock. Fairfax was bested at the battle of downsmill, and Taylock rebelled forcing the Hildians to retreat to Middleaxe. The war continued as skirmishes around the Northing and Eastaxe. The Faine had become fully indepdenent, and requested to join the Commonwealth. King Duain marched the commonwealth army alongside Gwenyddian volunteers into the Faine to formally annex it and protect it from further destruction in the civil war. Hilda made a critical error at this point, sending Prince Tristan south to battle the Commonwealth and retake Faineshire. Tristan protested this, but eventually gave into his mother and queens' orders. Tristan was bogged down in the Faine for the remainder of the war, winning only a pyrrhic victory at Saint Dunstan's. Fairfax was also captured by the Loyalist army, and a timid general named Surrak was appointed to replace him. Surrak surrendered the moment the Loyalists laid siege to Eldron, forcing Hilda to retreat to Eronia and appoint yet another replacement. Lord Shaw of Morganfield would put up a bigger fight and won the battle of Adderbow. Shaw would however be cut off from Hilda when Count Arrogan surrounded the town and laid siege. With the war going south for the Hildians, Tristan broke ranks and organized a peace treaty with the Commonwealth, recognising their claims over Faineshire. He marched his army north to Eronia after hearing the Loyalists had started an attack on it. An armistace would be held on New Years day of the year 1000 to mark the new millennium, this brief peace saw some solace and comradeship between the general soldiery of both sides. The 2nd of Auldlyne, 1000, saw battle resume again as soldiers who had previously shared festive celebrations only day before slaughtered each other by the hundreds at the orders of 'noble' officers. Eronia would by sacked in Rainfall, Prince Tristan arriving at the battle too late to aide his mother's forces. Hilda was captured, and a following battle at Collie hill saw Tristan surrender to the Loyalists and begin the process of negotiating peace. The armistace was nearly broken when the Loyalists executed Hilda and formally coronated Donald II, but Tristan instead settled for the return of Lord Fairfax and other key prisoners. To stop any further fighting, and to stop a further bloody continuation of the war, Tristan was allowed to become the King of Southaxe, so long as a he signed a defencive and trade arrangement with the empire. This treaty effectively saw the empire lose two more provinces as the Loyalists also accepted the Faine as being part of the Commonwealth and in Southaxe, which despite its close formal ties with the empire was now it's own kingdom. Within two decades, the empire had lost four entire provinces in what appeared the be the beggining of a brutal death spiral.40 Year War
Peace would not last. The empire had been devastated by thirty years of civil strife and mismangement. Donald II was a child king controlled by wealthy nobles and guilds who continued to exploit the lower classes of the empire and ciphon resources away. In previous internal conflicts, monarchs had always focused on rebuilding the heartlands - but this time what little money was left was poured into the noble's and guild's pockets instead. The church stepped up to fulfil charity roles, with a massive increase in church attendence during the interbellum period. War would come to the empire once again after only two years of peace when the Seldrinar Supremacy invaded Gosca and East Marcia. Compelled by treaties, the Eldrians marched into Marcia and brought their own allies of Southaxe, Irrano, the papacy, and Altruscia into the conflict. The exhausted Eldrian found itself unable to withstand Seldrinar assaults as Aquitaine and Selonny were lost. They were also powerless to stop the Supremacy's advance through Gosca as the paladin order were crushed and the holy land looted by the heathen elves. The Eldrians and Supremacy were facing constant back and forth battles throughout East Marcia. Southaxian forces commited to helping defend Halshire as well invade the Duchy of Estrella. The Irranoan army was sent to aid Alstruscia and fight the Seldrinar in the south of the Sun Mountains, leaving only the Eldrian Empire and East Marcian forces to contest East Marcia itself against the vast Seldrinar army. The first decade was primarily full of imperial losses. The occasionaly victory would be secureed, such as the joint Irannoese victory at Vueclaude, but on the whole the empire lost more and more ground in East Marcia. An attempted Seldrinar invasion of Halshire, within Imperial homeland territory, was thwarted by the Southaxians in the Battle of Albion. This scare, and Donald II's now increasing power at home, saw the king assign Lord Edward Marolingian to be commander of the East Marcian frontlines. Marolingian was far more successful and made greater use of limited supplies, managing to secure the Duchy of Cheval by 1019 and constructed fortifications along the rivers Vert and Argon to repel any counter attacks. Fighting shifted to small skirmishes throughout the Albmire from 1020-21 with the empire managing to narrowly achieve victory. Stalemate had been reached in 1021. Both empires refused to negotiate for peace regardless of the nearly 100,000 people who died on both sides. Imperial spies within the captured Altruscian city of Carello had discovered plans for a Seldrinar invasion of The Commonwealth. The Empire began to secretly organize a counter-invasion, pulling troops from the frontline and posting new conscripted legions across the border regions with Gwenydd and The Faine. Both empires invaded the neutral nation in 1022 as the Seldrinar marched north and east from the southern coast line through Cape County whilst the Eldrian Empire marched south through Gwenydd and west through the Faine. The transition to fighting in the Commonwealth slowed fighting down between the empires in Marcia as they marched through the Commonwealth. Lord Marolingian was left in East marcia with a small legion in Cheval whilst retaking ground was left to the East Marcians themselves. A major ramification from the invasion did threaten the Eldrian interior as Southaxe and Altruscia, appalled by the assault on a neutral nation, declared their alleigance for the Commonwealth instead. Thankfully for the empire, only scattered border fighting occured between them and Southaxe as their southern neighbour was forced to battle the Irannoese and papacy in Western Marcia instead. The Commonwealth front would prove as brutal for the Eldrians as the Marcian frontier. The empire did manage to quickly secure the Faine, Tawu Valley, and northern regions as well as gaining lands along the Cape County Gwenyddian border, including Ynnsmouth but was repelled from within the Gwenyddian interior. Unlike their last invasion of the marshy and mountainous province, the Gwenyddians now boasted a well organized, professional, and united military as well as powerful allies from the Republic of Gazzarit. The Empire lost an entire army at the battle of Palaidcyntaff as President Vorr, Gal the Moon Knight, and a young Queen Rhiannon used a giant construct known as Vistani Danger to rout the empire. The mechanical construct was heavily damaged and would only see limited use throughout the war going forwards. Invading the Commonwealth also drew in unexpected enemies in the form of Aedrinar, Asrinheim, and the Dwarven Kingdom of Kurgezgadt that now threatened the empire. Aedrinarian raids began in 1023 across the Tumbrian coast, followed by a full-scale invasion in 1030 as a joint Frost Giant and Aedrinaran force, led by the Winter-Shield clan, landed in Morganheim and Madgenkorst. A dwarven army, invited by Eldra Shatteraxe, with mountain tribe and goliath mercanaries invaded the northing in 1029, and the Southaxian army managed to secure territory in Halshire and southern Westaxe. Another stalemate was reached, but the empire was still in a good negotiating position. The Aedrinarian and Dwarven armies had been held off, the East Marcians had regained their capital, and the Commonwealth with minimal territory around Carely and Ceannastra. Imperial citizens were exhausted the the death toll across all sides had now reached half a million people in combat alone - famines, disease, and civilian casualties likely pushed the number to quarter of a million people across the world. The tides would turn in 1031 with the arrival of the Dragon Empire to the war. The Dragon Empire had spend the past few years conspiring with the Sargonic kingdoms to enter the war on the Commonwealth side and fight the Eldrians and Seldrinar. The empire was spared the brunt of the initial involvement, as the Dragon Empire targetted the Seldrinar. After the Battle of the Northern Shore, Commonwealth, Southaxian, Aedrinarian, and Dragon Empire troops marched through captured territory and managed to take the Keltischland from the Empire. The Empire was pushed back endlessly across all fronts by the Commonwealth Faction and even withdrew from East Marcia, leaving their allies to defend themselves. The Dwarven campaign in the Northing had also led to the sack of Taylock, King Donald II's ancestral seat, and coupled with an Aedrinarian army threatening the Tumbrian capital of Rassendorf the emperor agreed to attend the peace treaty being organized by the Moon Elves. The treaty would not be kind to the empire or its allies. East Marcia lost Aquitaine and Selonny to the Seldrinar as well as the Holy Land. The empire lost the Keltischland region of Tumbria to the Commonwealth, and hefty reparations were paid to the Commonwealth.Post-War decline
Since the end of the war a decade ago, the empire has continued its tragic decline. Many citizens fled the empire for neutral realms such as the Duchy of Jameleska or the Vale and have not returned. Countless Eldrians lost their lives for little purpose and the country's economy is crippled. A wave of anti-imperial resentment has begun to spread across the provinces, especially Halshire, which remains at only 48% of its population before the 992. Imperial influence within the Marcian region has also declined, with the Commonwealth and Southaxe's post-war boom seeing its former colonies replace the empire's place on the world stage. Many predict the empire to fall by the end of the century, likely as internal tensions become impossible to manage and the likely remergance of a Heptarchy styled situation the imperial heartlands, ending 600 years of centralised and unified government.Demography and Population
A majority human nation - the Eldrian empire is around 60% human across its entire territory. Halflings make up the largest minority population at around 25%, with half-elves being the next largest population centre. The empire also has notable minority populations of goblinoids, mainly in its largest cities, with Gobbotown districts being found in Eldron, Execaster, and Rassendorf.
Prior to the civil war period, the empire was incredibly densly populated with around 15 million people spread across its territory. The only notable exception was the West riding of westaxe and the Moon mountain provinces of Tumbria. Since the civil war and 40 year war, the population has decreased massively as with the density. It is not unusual to find completely abandoned villages or hamlets whilst travelling the empire and most major cities are now full of abandoned buildings.
The empire has also seen a large wealth-gap spread in the past two centuries as the wealthy noble and upper-merchant classes have kept their profits to themselves. The majority of the empire's population lives in poverty and food shortages are common outside of wealthier cities or estates. This continues to lead to a population decline, creating a looming demographic crisis for the empire that is likely to aide in its collapse.
Territories
Military
The Eldrian military is a professional and centralised organization based out of Eldron. Each province has at least one unique regiment who can trace their histroy back to their respective conquering by Middleaxe or the Empire. Once amongst the most efficiant and powerful modern model armies, since the 900s the Eldrian army has become a bloated and ill-equipped weight dragging the empire down. Still one of the largest professional armies in Prima Terra, the Imperial Army is considered a 'joke' by all of its neighbouring countries after is humilation by Commonwealth Partisans and the significally smaller and less-equipped conscripted Southaxian army during the 40 year war.
Religion
A Divinitist majority state, the Empire has traditionally been, and remains as, the largest supporter and defender of the papacy. The Empire has butted heads with the papacy on a few occasions and has been accused of trying to control it by more orthodox factions within the church, and regardless of rumours the empire assassinated two popes, the empire is still as the defender of Divinitism.
The most common Divinitist creed within the empire is the modernist sect, with smaller orthodox and puritan groups found in small numbers. Since the 40 year war, Tumbria has seen a rise in reformist factions which have been put out by the local clergy with the aide of noble families. Eldrian Divinitism is considered by some to be its own sect as it prioritises the supremacy of the emperor before the papacy, but as this is not an official sect it is not included on diocesian census.
Before the Dark ages, imperial territory largely worshipped Old Gods, with old stone circles and cairns scattered throughout imperial teritory. In th Aedrinarian age, Honoured Gods worship was briefly found in the Westaxe and Middleaxe regions before the children of the original raiders converted to Divinitism to better control their subjects.
The empire has minority religions dedicated to the Seldarine within Tumbria and wide-spread worship of Yondalla in Halshire due to the region's high halfling population. Imperial policy to these minority religious is 'tolerance from a distance' and they allow them to worship freely so long as the clergy do not propose anti-imperial messaging or interfere with local governance.
Laws
The Eldrian empire has a two tier crime system. Crown Crimes, which directly affect the state, and Provinical crimes, which are governed according to the laws of the local province. Crimes are regulated by local militais, usually sworn to a town or noble outside of state crimes which are regulated by the imperial army and members of the imperial court or high ranking nobles, usually dukes, or coroners.
Crown Crimes are enforced empire wide. These largely relate to organized crime such as illegal goods importing, smuggling, tax avoidance, or most seriously of all, treason. Crown courts are enforced by the emperor, provincial governors, or the highest ranking provincial nobility as well as their crown approved coroners. Crown crimes are judged by the coroner or noble alone with no jury or alternative trials available. Those who wish to appeal their sentence for a provincial crime can ask to be tried at the crown court instead. Punishments usually involve imprisonment or capital punishment.
Provincial crimes vary from province to province, and sometimes from city to city. These are created by the local noble, council, or mayor and are enforced entirely by local militias. These crimes are usually minor and relate around burgularly, assault, vagrancy, and whatever local ordinances are in place. These trials are handed by a jury of peers and punishments vary across the empire, with imprisonment or stockades being the most common punishment.
Education
The Empire is amongst the most literate nations in the world. Most can speak and read at least two languages and small school houses can be found throughout the imperial heartlands, funded by local nobles or wealthy merchants. Universities can be found in Eldron, Eronia, Rassendorf, Elvengarde, and Klipperland. The University of Eldron does teach some magic but nowhere near to the level of the far more prestigious Miskatonic in the Commonwealth.
Founding Date
410, 3e
Type
Geopolitical, Empire
Capital
Demonym
Eldrian
Government System
Monarchy, Absolute
Power Structure
Confederation
Economic System
Market economy
Official State Religion
Neighboring Nations
Related Species
Kingdom of Middleaxe
Kingdom of Westaxe
Kingdom of Eastaxe
Kingdom of Southaxe
The Northing
Halshire
Holy Tumbrian Empire
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