Durrania

And with but a word and mine own two hands, I have built a city to last until the end of all times.

— Astor Laurent Valduran, quoted upon founding the original city of Durrandyl

Durrania, officially the Grand Durranian Empire, is a large nation of central Eletheros. It is the world's second-largest nation by land-size and currently spans from the Great Tharronese River in the east and, through disputed territory, the Purple Channel in the west. Currently ruled by Emperor Ridun Fortis of the noble Bruncaster house, the empire functions under a monarchy somewhat more centralized than many past or neighboring kingdoms.
Durrania directly posits itself as the lineage of the Kingdom of Þurandȳl, considered one of the Great Three Kingdoms of Eletherean lineage, of which the empire and capital city alike are named for.
The empire currently maintains an uneasy peace with many of the neighboring states in the wake of its conquest of the territories west of the River Dalton.

Structure

The Ruling Family

The empire is currently helmed by the noble Bruncaster family of Durrandyl, who claimed power in [XXX] with the rule of Rhoys Bruncaster II. He and his heirs alike have received praise in varying amounts from the populace for their skills in ruling, though the current reign of Ridun Bruncaster has become controversial in recent times due to his near-constant military excursions and expansionism.

Ridun Bruncaster

by VeraVoyna

Emperor Ridun Fortis Bruncaster was crowned as the seventeenth ruler of Imperial Durrania at the young age of 15 following the death of his father before him, and as the first ruler of the unified western territories in over two centuries during the 27th year of his rule. His apparent natural aptitude for politicking had made his position on the throne a strong one even during the first years of his reign, and he enshrined himself within the good graces of his populace thereafter as he oversaw an increase in wealth and prosperity to the major imperial cities.
Despite the support from the common folk, Ridun became a highly divisive figure within the noble courts due to his policies of heavy centralization around the crown and ruling royal family. Many of the lords and lineages which once claimed powerful feudal holds within the empire's borders remain resentful of their dwindling political and military influence.
Perhaps his most controversial act as emperor, however, has been his empire's expansion into the Ardranic territories of the west. Though not considered true nations and therefore justifiable, diplomatically speaking, for conquest by right of historical occupation, the large-scale mobilization of such large swathes of the imperial armies has been a recent cause for concern by neighboring powers and colleagues within Durrania alike.
Often considered to be the most powerful living man in Eletheros - if not the world - Ridun has earned many titles both praising and scornful across his reign. Particularly in recent times and in light of the ongoing rebellions in the territory of Ardran, there are many who have begun to hold doubts against the first emperor in living memory to fight against his own populace.
Ridun himself has publicly stated his motives of conquest and centralization to be concerned more with stability than with personal accumulation of power. Such an intent seems at least partially true considering the relatively modest way in which he lives in comparison to previous rulers, though whether this 'stability' is procured for the benefit of the people he rules over or the lineage of his family name remains debated in whispers among nobles and detractors.

Torrell Bruncaster

by L3monJuic3

Prince Torrell Armont Bruncaster is the eldest child of Emperor Ridun Bruncaster and the sole male inheritor to his throne. Unlike his father's indirect approach, Torrell has garnered a reputation for battle and conflict on a more personal level. Having spent much of his younger years studying combat and battlefield tactics, he may often be spotted on the front lines of conflict leading his men-at-arms into the fray.
Though he cannot inherit the throne until his father's passing, the prince was named Lord of Ardran upon the empire's seizure of the cities and is the primary overseer of its effort to quash the rebellion while his father rules the greater eastern empire from its capital.
Despite being considered a military prodigy, there have been many who have declared his appointment as Lord of Ardran as nothing more than blatant nepotism. Torrell's skills at politicking and diplomacy each leave a great deal to be desired, in the eyes of most, and the revelry which he takes in grand shows of might often leave him strategically predictable. Seeming to view the expansion of the empire's borders as nothing less than his birthright, the young prince is notorious for his short temper and impetuous treatment of political opponents. Many pin the escalation of conflicts in Ardran in the years after the Slaughter at Havenbridge to rest primarily on his shoulders.

Valerie Bruncaster

by Rafael De Guzman

The youngest of the emperor's two children, Princess Valerie Adelie Bruncaster is rather infamous throughout the noble courts for her apparent apathy towards royal politics and distaste for royal stature in general. Among detractors, Valerie is often referred to by the title 'The Queen of Paupers' due to the attention and funding she provides to city and petty courts in refusal to appoint royal judiciaries. She has garnered a reputation for a curt and generally disrespectful attitude when convening with Durranian nobility.
To those she knows more personally the young sovereign quite often and quite blatantly derides the rule of her own father, though knows better than to voice such opinions to the public lest another lord use the opportunity to challenge her family's right to the throne.
Following its conquest in 1459, Valeria was named the prospective Lord of Daltonshire under the stewardship of Darren Arkwright until she came of age. Since officially assuming the position of Lord in 1462, she has garnered a reputable relationship with the conquered peoples of the region due to her generally loose approach towards leadership and the use of the crown's immense funds towards supporting territorial infrastructure.

The Emperor's Hands

The Hands of the Emperor are positions passed down from the very first kings and feudal lords of Durrandyl. Though the emperor himself holds absolute power across the empire and all its provinces, his hands act as the enforcers of his wills and declarations and hold equally absolute power in the eyes of all denizens save for the royal family.
Usually chosen from among the reigning emperor's trusted allies, close friends, or experienced advisers, the hands are considered to be the ruler's closest assistants in matters of both times of peace and times of war. Typically, the Right Hand serves as the highest ranking commander of the empire's armies while the Left Hand exists more as an adviser who handles economic and diplomatic issues from the capital in Durrandyl, but these positions are formalities more than anything else and do not bind the hands to any specific line of service.

The Left Hand, Darren Arkwright

Darren Fremont Arkwright is the current Left Hand of the Emperor and Steward of Daltonshire. Though Arkwright family had formerly been at-odds with the Bruncasters due to their de-throning by the historic Emperor Rhoys, Darren's appointment as Left Hand was a decision made early-on in the sitting emperor's career in attempts to soothe relations between the two houses. This turned fortuitous for Ridun in two ways, as the family for which Darren stood at the head became a loyal ally to the crown while Darren himself, despite consistent disagreements with the emperor's methodology, proved an extremely valuable strategical source.
A competent fighter in his own right, Darren served as the instructor for emperor and prince alike, though was kept away from the front lines of battle due to his high position of office and, more recently, his advancing age. Left primarily to matters of diplomatic oversight and the spending of the crown, he has mostly sent his time since appointment as Steward serving as advisor to the princess in Daltonshire rather than her father, who seems to have entrenched himself quite comfortably in lordship of the eastern half of his growing domain.

The Right Hand, Bard Kensley

Bard Kensley was born under the name Bathandwa kaXhanga to a people far in the south of Arekahs. Having long-since established their colony on a large island off the continent's eastern shores, the local Durranian leaders had developed a fascination with the ever-dwindling population of giants known to be living in the south. As attempts to sight the creatures continued to take imperial expeditions further to the south-west, it was inevitable that they eventually come across the lands claimed by the people of Mhena and Kwakuzana. Imperial forces would eventually treaty with the native peoples, but early-on were more often than not attacked by raiding parties due to earlier soured relations.
Bathandwa had been the leader of one such assault before his injury and subsequent imprisonment by the imperial forces they had attacked. Having lead many more successful attacks on Durranian scouting parties before, he was narrowly spared execution by offering his captors his service as a guide through the lands he knew. He used one such 'guiding' expedition to evade and desert that same party three days later. When he returned to the expedition camp with greater numbers and a bargain to spare the scouting party should they agree to leave the local lands behind, he was offered a more substantive position in return.
Bathandwa – Durranized to 'Bard' – has since worked for the Durranians more directly, his expertise surrounding the local regions given in return for treaties swearing peace and open trade with the southern Arekian nations. Said expertise did not go unnoticed for long, and it soon came to pass that he was brought northward and into Durrania proper.
Ridun named him Right Hand of the Emperor following the death of his successor, a knight by the name Arric Kensley with no heirs to speak of, in the conquest of Daltonshire. Bard inherited his position and title both, and has since worked more directly with the prince than the emperor himself. He has many times since objected to this station due to both the young prince's hotheaded gallantry clashing with Bard's more reserved and tactful approach and because of his own history fighting against the same empire encroaching too closely.

The High Scribe, Elion Cordell

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Territories

Ardran

Ardran...

Territories of Ivskia

Territories of Arekahs

Terretories of Karda

Terretories of Yojin

Military

by TyphonArt

As a necessity which comes alongside the empire's hold on its five provinces and four territorial claims outside of Eletheros, Durrania boasts one of the largest, mightiest, and most well-funded armies the world has ever seen. Though its size is often criticized for entangling the fighters in a web of bureaucracy, the sheer power of the Durranian forces have been shown time and time again in their struggles for land. Most recently proven at the standoff of Westguard during the empire's ongoing occupation of Ardran, their combination of superior numbers, higher quality equipment, and trained commanders may pose a threat even to the mighty Eynaseran Empire of Ivskia.
Like most armies of the modern day, the Durranian army relies on levies and conscripts to make up the bulk for its forces during times of war, but keeps a much larger standing military than most other states in the current age. The common estimate puts the size of the standing army somewhere around 40,000 men across the empire, not including city guardsmen or other local forces with improper training. During a time of heavy war where the empire might need to raise the largest army possible, a force numbering up to 400,000 fighting men might be expected, though a large bulk of these might be conscripted peasants and farmers lacking the proper equipment and skill expected of the official imperial armies.

by Ariel Perez

Durrania's influence in political spheres, far-reaching trade routes, and deep coffers capable of keeping dozens of master craftsman and smithies employed at any given time allow it access to a more exotic array of weaponry than most. High-ranking soldiers in its armies may occasionally be spotted bearing small firearms at their hips and the occasional unit of rifle-bearing line infantry capable of punching through the armor of enemy combatants and sowing shock and terror within the opposing ranks. Very rarely, the empire may even employ the pinnacle of modern siege technology, wheeling in massively sized cannons capable of blasting through fortified walls.

The Whiteguards

Though often compared to the Tharronese order of the King's First, the Whiteguards serve a slightly broader purpose. Greater in number and less powerful in rank, this force of knights exists both to keep the peace in Durrandyl and to protect the silver palace from invading threats - usually thieves and the occasional assassin, as the great city hasn't been attacked by a large force in centuries. By this point in time, the Whiteguards are a mostly ceremonial rank, though still kept trained and ready to defend the royal family with their lives should the need arise.
The Whiteguards have no superiors within their own ranks, acting entirely as equals each subservient to the royal family.

Mortimer Gramshim

Mortimer Gramshim is a marvelously imposing creature of an incredibly rare breed - a half-giant. The exact details of his conception and birth remain a mystery to most, though such thoughts often remain far from the minds of the men he encounters on the battlefield.
Standing at an absurd 8'4" (252cm) in height and holding body weight to match, Mortimer (originally simply named 'Murt') was brought from the giant homeland on the southern tip of Arekahs to the Durranian armies at the age of 13, when he already towered above the heads of most older men.

In battle, the massive man carries greatswords, war hammers, and poleaxes all specifically designed and crafted for his use alone, as average weaponry is dwarfed by his hands. When coupled with his set of thick steel armor and towering height, the mere sight of Mortimer thundering across the battlefield is enough to send plenty men running for their lives. Those brave enough to fight him will discover that breaching the man's significant reach is a troublesome enough task, and most weapons simply deflect off of his heavily armored plates. He alone has turned the tide of many battles, sending foes flying with each swing of his gargantuan weaponry.
Despite his usefulness in war, Mortimer's upbringing in an otherwise peaceful, isolated society left him with a distaste for bloodshed in harsh contrast to his violent bursts of anger. Coupled with this, whether it lies in his heritage or upbringing, the man is fairly dim-witted and thusly, so far as much of the royal family is concerned, has little uses aside from plowing through enemy lines. His idolization of princess Valerie from a young age has left him easily manipulated by his other superiors who claim that his prowess in war will assist him in garnering her good graces.

Arthur Martin

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Type

Geopolitical, Empire

Alternative Names

The Kingdom of Durrandyl, The Grand Durranian Empire

Demonym

Durranian

Government System

Monarchy, Absolute

Power Structure

Unitary state

Official Languages

• Durranian〔English〕

Neighboring Nations

• Ardran
• East Haversham
• Elercia
• Haversham
• Kirkhurst
• Regna
• Skovod
• Tharron

Related Ethnicities

• Ardranic