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Polity Name: Great Cheongryeo State (대청려국)
Secondary/Informal Names: Daecheongryeo (대청려), Cheongryeo (청려), United Kingdom (연합국), Empire of Cheongryeo (청려제국), United Kingdom of Cheongryeo (청려 연합국)
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Population: 47.5 million.
Territory Claim: Map
Government Structure: Parliamentary constitutional monarchy

The Emperor rules for life and all Emperors of Cheongryeo claim descendants from the ancestral throne of the first Holy King Taejo Dangun. The powers of Cheongryeoan monarchs have changed throughout centuries, with some being absolute monarchs while others leaving power to royal and imperial ministers. It should be noted that although the official title of Cheongryeoan sovereigns includes the word "King" (Wang), the title of King is often used in conjecture with the title of "Emperor" (Hwangje) as part of the full title being Grand King or Supreme King (Taewang). Prior to the the establishment of the Cheonju Church as the country's state religion, monarchs would claim divine ancestry and would include the style "Son of Heaven" (Cheonja)" according to the doctrines of the Daejonggyo. As the terms "Heavenly Sovereign," "Heavenly King," and "Son of Heaven" would imply deification of a mortal, such titles became taboo for early rulers after the establishment of the Church. Rulers would instead adopt secular titles of Grand King/Greatest King and "Regent of Heaven" (Cheon Seopjung) as the most supreme title equivalent to the titles of Emperor/Heavenly Sovereign and Son of Heaven in Qhin traditions. Cheongryeoan linguists would argue that "Taewang" can directly be translated to "Emperor" and more contemporary rulers would use the title of "Emperor" in translations. Some monarchs would posthumously be elevated to "Holy King" (Seongwang) if their reigns were seen as being in line with the Church. Modern rulers would also use the title of "Heavenly Sovereign" in addition to "Grand King" or simply "King" while ruling, no longer burdened by the taboo of the words. The full style of the sovereign of Cheongryeo as officially proclaimed:

"X By the Mandate of Heaven and the laws of the Constitution, the Emperor of the Bear Throne, Supreme King of the Great Cheongryeo State, King of Storms, and Defender of the Faith."

As part of constitutional reforms in the 1840s, powers of governmental functions were standardized with the Grand King having considerable executive powers comparable to that of the First Minister of the Central Assembly as the Grand King is the one who is able to form his cabinet. The bureaucratic element of the government has undergone major changes since the reforms of Grand King Jang Seon in 1848. The national bureaucracy is held through civil service exams that focus on general knowledge of administration and specific knowledge and experience related to an office or position. With the rise of public education, governmental positions are also open to everyone, allowing women and low-born folks to study for the opportunity of working for government.

In 1835, a national legislative body was established called the Central Assembly, divided into the House of Peers and the House of Delegates. The House of Peers consisted of the aristocracy while the House of Delegates was made up of elected officials throughout the country. The House of Delegates is led by the Prime Minister who also serves in the Emperor's cabinet and holds considerable powers. The House of Delegates is the chamber responsible for the passing of laws while the House of Peers scrutinizes the legislations passed by the House of Delegates. Universal male suffrage was a recent addition, established in 1874.

Religious Information: Cheongryeo guaranteed freedom of religion in 1846 but had adopted many state religions before based on the royal and imperial dynasties whom ruled the country.

- Cheondogyo - The Religion of the Heavenly Way
The Cheondogyo faith is monotheistic in its tenant. While the religion does acknowledge the existence of many spirits akin to angels or mortals who ascended to sainthood, these aren't deities but holy individuals whom serve the Sky God, Haneunim (Heavenly Lord). The Haneunim is the ultimate principle of good and justice. However, the term "Haneul" represents not just the sky but also the whole universe and divinity can be found in all living and non-living things. The faith also places emphasis on self-cultivation and improving one's nature. For one to attain enlightenment, it is by improving one's nature as the heaven is within the mind. It is a rather recent arrival in the religious scene of Cheongryeo with the intention of trying to unify the religions (without much success), drawing influence from the maligned shamanistic faith of mugyo with the philosophies of Sohak and Seonryanghak, and the religion of Daejonggyo. Instead, it flourished as a progressive political movement as the religion does place emphasis on national unity and the intrinsic worth of all people, including those of the lower class.

- Cheonjugyo - The Church of the Heavenly Lord
Cheonjugyo is the largest religion in terms of membership and enjoys a rich history in Cheongryeo for centuries. The religion of Cheonjugyo originated from Lazei missionaries from Qhin arriving to the Six Kingdoms period in the 9th century, although the religion gained little attention from both the elites and commoners among the Six Kingdoms. Lazei missionaries were seen as heathens and that Azura is simply what the Qhin called Haneunim (or Hwanin), the only true God of the universe and that there were no other god like Ahruman. It is believed instead that Ahruman is simply one of the spirits who saw himself as being greater than Haneunim and seduced man astray into the material world. Mani was another spirit who followed Ahruman as his lieutenant and both would rule over Hell torturing souls who refused to receive love from the Lord of Heaven. However, the heretical form of the Lazei Dogma, the Shenist cult saw some interest among the elites in the late 10th century despite being suppressed by the elites as a heretical form of the already heathenish Laizei Dogma due to the arrival of some of Shen Luoyang's disciples. During the latter years of the Six Kingdoms and the beginning years of the United Kingdom period, an extremely localized variation of the Shenist cult gained mainstream acceptance as scholars saw the teachings of Shin Nakyang (Shen Luoyang) as answering holes left behind in the Goodness School and the Daejonggyo (to the point that Shenist in Qhin considered the Cheonjugyo faith as being heretical). It is believed that Shin Nakyang, the son of Haneunim, would return back to the material world to bring the war between Haneunim and Ahruman where humanity would choose their side, ultimately saving the believers and the virtuous heathens. The Cheonju Church would also attempt to syncretize with other faiths for smoother acceptance, including the Daejonggyo, the Goodness Schools, and the Mugyo. The Cheonjugyo has its own religious hierarchies in Cheongryeo, including its own Patriarchs and bishops. During the Songak Wang Dynasty, the Patriarch would send representative to the Royal Court as spiritual advisors. Although nowadays, the established power of the Cheonju Church waned due to the guarantee of freedom of religion, its influence still plays a major role in Cheongryeoan society.

- Daejonggyo - Great Ancestral Religion
The Daejonggyo is among the oldest lasting religion in Cheongryeo and is in essence an imperial cult. The faith proclaims that the Sky God, Haneunim is separated into three coequal, coeternal, consubstantial divine persons. God the Father is the one based in heaven who created the universe. God the Teacher is the mentor of universal nature and morality for the universe to follow. God the King is the ruler of all creation. It is believed that Haneunim is found in a particularly holy mortal who would rule the nation as the God-King but his descendants would soon lose the blood of the heavens as generations pass. The Heavens would show if a royal family lost divine blood through natural disasters and revolts, thus paving the way for another progenitor to take the place to rule as God the King and the cycle continues forth. Every royal and imperial dynasties have claimed descendants from the first God the King of Dangun even in the modern period. Modern historians believe that the daejonggyo faith was first used by Hae Mosu to justify overthrowing King Wang Bu in Baedal, claiming that the Holy Royal Family of the Yongju Wang lost its divine blood. Aspects of the religion would be secularized into the political philosophy of the Mandate of Heaven by humanists of more contemporary dynasties as it lost favor with the government in favor of Cheonju Church in 1236, changing divine blood to heavenly favors. That being said, many successive dynasties would attempt to continue the Divine bloodline by marrying off the male heir of the throne to a princess of the prior dynasty. Even Taejo Hae Mosu set the tradition by marrying his successor, Hae Geum to Princess Wang Yu-ri, the daughter of Wang Bu. Although the religion is no longer embraced by the imperial government, it still has adherents to this day, including observance by the imperial government in the form of ancestral rites of past rulers along with the aforementioned practice of continuing the royal and imperial bloodline by successive dynasties, in essence creating a royal family lasting for hundreds, if not thousands of years.

- Mugyo - Cheongryeoan Shamanism
Mugyo is a polytheist folk religion promoting belief in a range of deities and ancestral spirits. It is an indigenous religion thought to be around in ancient humans before civilization took hold with creation stories and legends. The folk religion was quite common in rural villages and tribal areas and has no centralized religious hierarchies. This had lead to easy synchronization with other religions like Cheondogyo and Daejonggyo but also some suppression by religions like Cheonjugyo. It was seen as a low-class, superstitious religion of rural and uneducated peasants by the government for much of its existence. Since the 1846 code guaranteeing freedom of religion, mainstream acceptance of the religion, while still low, is growing as people consider the faith as representing and preserving primordial Cheongryeoan traditions and legends.

- Seonryanghak and Sohak - The Goodness School and Su Xiuying Learning
Seonryanghak and Sohak are the localizations of the Goodness School and the teachings of Soh Suyeong (Su Xiuying) from Qhin. While not so much of a religion in Cheongryeo, the two teachings were adopted into Cheongryeoan local and imperial literary exams for students hoping to get into government positions prior to the 1848 government reforms. Currently, it is observed by many as philosophies pertaining to lifestyle and secular humanist teachings.

Social Information: The advent of industrialization has lead to an increase of urbanization and overall standard of living, especially among large cities and the Three Capitals of Cheongryeo. However, much of the heartland is still dominated by agriculture while the coastlines and small islands are home to large scale fishing, ship manufacturing, and trade as their major sources of income. Residents in urban areas can expect access to public education funded by taxation although wealthy members of society are often willing to send their children to more prestigious private schools and academies. Universities for secondary educations are also making appearances as byproducts of Mercian influences. Most students of universities are from families of wealth and power but lowborn students can also attend based on scholarships from government officials. In rural areas, education is largely provided by local schoolmasters or by monks and nuns of monasteries.

The country is relatively a free and equal society with contemporary laws abolishing slavery and legal class distinction. Anyone from the nobility to the commoners to even the poorest of society can supposedly address their grievances to local and national governments. Cheongryeo society is still relatively patriarchal with suffrage being limited to men of age and with women generally expecting to subservient to the males in the family, a byproduct of adapting the doctrines of the Goodness School from medieval times. That being said, women do enjoy some legal rights of their own such as being to inherent property or to remarry as a widow. Women also play a large role in the Cheonju Church as nuns, missionaries, teachers, religious sisters, scientists, community organizers, hospital administrators, nurses, etc. A large number of saints venerated by the church are women and the Church places great values on family and motherhood, even exalting Sa Hwan, the mother of the Son of Heaven Shin Nakyang as the Mother of Heaven. However, women are often excluded from the Church hierarchy and outside of a few heretical faiths, no women have ever been ordained as priests, deacons, and bishops.

The vast majority, if not the entire population of Cheongryeo are humans. Most of the human population belongs to the Saram ethnic group, although other minority groups do exist in large numbers such as the Girin people residing in the border between Cheongryeo and Qhin and the Jin people that make up the majority of Nabido. The nonhuman sentients whom reside in Cheongryeo are from legations of foreign missions such as Sedna and Mercia.

All levels of Cheongryeoan society enjoy many forms of recreation and leisurely activities. Calligraphy, poetry, and literature are written in both the Qhin script and the Cheongryeogul script. Leisure is enjoyed by all strata of society, from painting to theatre, from hunting to reading. Archery was declared as the national sport due to its prominence in pre-gunpowder warfare. Many forms of traditional martial arts were also practiced, some being indigenous forms while others being influenced from Qhin and Asakara.

Military Information: The Great Cheongryeo Armed Forces (대청려군) is divided into two branches, the Army and the Navy. Due to a long history of warfare, efforts were placed on the military due to fears of Cheongryeo being vulnerable to a foreign invasion, especially in recent years of a possibly resurgent Qhin marching across the border with its massive size. This had lead to a creation of a professional army. The adoption of contemporary artillery, rifles, and squad support weapons of both indigenous and imported designs allows the Great Cheongryeo Army to be one of the, if not the most advanced professional ground force in East Osia. Thanks to industrialization, Cheongryeo mass produces equipment for their military and the expansion of railroads allows them to transport troops quickly through the use of railroad. The Army also enjoys the backing of powerful artillery and rocketry made to decimate enemy lines. The Cheongyreoan Army stands at the size of 340,000 active professional personnel stationed across the country with more being able to be called up during wartime. Provincial governments can also raise their own forces to assist the national military in defensive campaigns. However, a large number of provincial forces are often equipped with more outdated weapons in contrast to the national military.

The Navy of Cheongryeo is the pride of the nation, large, modern, and well equipped. The Cheongryeoan Navy has been used to project Cheongryeo's prowess on the international stage. The Navy stands at a size of 61,000 men, including 23,000 marines. Improving the Navy has been one of the major priorities of Cheongryeo for centuries, believing that a strong navy is an absolute necessity in the nation's defense. The Navy has undergone several reforms since 1865 under the Blue Fleet Program, both in part to create a strong modern navy against a possible foreign maritime fleet but also for Cheongryeo to stand as equals alongside Borenean naval powers. The composition of the Cheongryeo Navy as follows: 7 contemporary battleships, 12 armored cruisers, 8 protected cruisers, 20 light cruisers, 7 coastal defense ships, 36 destroyers, 12 monitors, 75 torpedo boats, and 97 auxiliary vessels. 4 submarines are currently undergoing testing in the Navy due to their potential, however, submarines are considered to be secondhand to surface fleets. Naval doctrine has been aimed at utilizing the capabilities of its surface fleet to ensure naval supremacy in the region. Each ship in a fleet has specific roles to play when engaging in naval combat. In addition, naval mines are a popular weapon to use in coastal defense and in offensive capability in order to deny areas from enemy fleets and to maintain naval supremacy.

Militias known as the Righteous Army have appeared several times throughout the history of Cheongryeo when the national armies were in need of assistance against foreign invaders ever since the many ground wars between Qhin and Cheongryeo throughout history. Peasants, scholars, former government officials, religious monks, merchants, anyone regardless of background made up such militias. While most of these righteous armies are equipped with hunting equipment and farming tools rather than state-of-the-art weapons employed by both the national and Army, the irregular militias make up for their equipment shortcomings with patriotic fervor and knowledge of home terrain.

History:

Prehistory and the Holy Kingdom of Baedal Period (??? ~ 108 BCE)

The Holy Kingdom of Baedal was the first centralized state in mainland Cheongryeo and was considered to have territories of both the Cheongryeoan peninsula, the Haedongdo, and parts of modern day Qhin. Creation mythology stated that eons ago, the God of Heaven and Creation, Haneunim (or Hwanin) created the first man in his image to rule over the flora and fauna as man's domain in a lost ancient city of Sinsi. The first man was given the name of Cheongun (Heavenly Prince) and was also given thousands of dragons from heaven to serve under him. Most of the dragons would descend into humans, losing their scales and reptilian features overtime. One day, a bear visited Cheongun and asked to be made human. Cheongun gave the bear 20 cloves of garlic and a bundle of mugwort and ordered the bear to stay out of the sunlight for 100 days and eat nothing but the garlic and the mugwort. The bear lived in a cave and and struggled to live off of the plants, almost abandoning the wish to become human. However, the bear persisted and 21 days after the assignment, Cheongun rewarded the bear by transforming it into a beautiful human woman, giving her the name Ungnyeo. Ungnyeo was grateful and made offerings to Cheongun and the Lord of Heaven. However, she fell under depression and prayed for a companion and a child. Moved by her prayers, Cheongun took her as his wife and Ungnyeo gave birth to Dangun, who would soon leave Sinsi when he became of age with thousands of his followers and form the Holy Kingdom of Baedal whom reign lasted for over a thousand years and which all emperors of Baedal claimed divine ancestry from. The importance of the bear named Ungnyeo would play significance in the culture of Cheongryeo as alternative name for Cheongryeoan royalty being the Bear Throne.

Modern scholars believe that tens of thousands of years ago, ancient humans crossed from Boreana to Osia and then passed Qhin to the peninsula of Cheongryeo during the last Ice Age and the Stone Age, some of the people in the Cheongryeo peninsula may moved south to colonize parts of Asakara. These people are considered primordial ancestors to the Saram ethnic group that are now natives to Cheongryeo. Tribal societies would form and grow into villages and then city-states and tribal confederacies. It is believed that the Holy Kingdom of Baedal was formed by a merger of multiple city-states and tribal confederacies with a dominant priestly class through both peaceful and violent means during the Bronze Age. The ancient city of Sinsi was thought to have been a major ancient settlement that lost its significance over time bythe formation of Baedal. While historians are unsure of the validity of the Dangun, prominent aristocratic houses such as the Yonju Wang clan and the Gija Yi clan claim descendance. It is believed that Dangun may have been a real ruler who claimed divine ancestry and whose name became an imperial title for many successors to use, hence the longevity of the name Dangun in records.

The Holy Kingdom of Baedal was said to have lasted for thousands of years and saw the transitioning of bronze to iron tools in mass use. Records of early Baedal are sparse but later Baedal records compiled by famed United Kingdom era historian Kim Shik-bu wrote that the country was ruled by three dynasties after Dangun: the Yonju Wang clan whom claim descendants from Dangun, the Onjo Hae clan whom reign was started by Hae Mosu's overthrow of Wang Bu, and the Soseon Jung Clan whom reign was started after the marriage of Prince-Consort Jung Min-ho to Queen Hae Yulha. According to Kim Shik-bu, the Yonju Wang clan had 18 emperors, the Onjo Hae clan ruled with 9 emperors, and the Soseon Jung clan ended the dynasty with 13 emperors.

Baedal was said to be a strong power at its height, with records noting of its military prowess against early Qhin and Asakara. Historians found records from Baedal noting of travelers from the far east named the Haedong people, describing them as looking very foreign but bearing many gifts. Alongside clans hailing from Haedong county, historians believed that records pointed to early contact between Ancient Cheongryeo and Mercia, complimenting the travels of the ancient Mercian traveler Elmo. Overtime, Baedal would lose some of its holdings to rebellions especially in the south with independent kingdoms and tribal confederacies popping up, only nominally paying tribute to Baedal. Records noted of three major wars between Baedal and Qhin, the last war severely weakened Baedal and the kingdom was dissolved and split into three independent kingdoms: Guri, Buyeo, and Sanghae.

Six Kingdoms Period (108 BCE - 668 CE)

The Six Kingdoms period oversaw the growth and maturation of five kingdoms in the mainland peninsula of Cheongryeo and the island kingdom based in Haedongdo. Guri, Buyeo, and Sanghae occupied the northern half, Majin and Kaelim controlling the southern half, and Taebong on the Haedongdo island. The Six Kingdom period is marked by constant warfare, trade, and an exchange of customs and ideals. Domination of the Six Kingdoms would switch between Guri, Buyeo, and Majin, the former two claiming successor status to Baedal when they're each at their greatest heights with Emperor Daeso of Buyeo in 23 CE and Emperor Yejong of Guri in 401 CE. Over time, the six relatively stable kingdoms were forged across Cheongryeo, their territories fluctuated over time and no kingdom remained dominant for long.

The customs, laws, and clothes of the six kingdoms are generally identical. Contemporary records also suggest that the languages between the Six Kingdoms are mutually intelligible enough for someone from one kingdom to be able to translate for someone from another. The Six Kingdoms all have their own respective religions ranging from monotheism to polytheism but the three northern kingdoms maintain an imperial cult of their emperors having divine ancestry ranging back from the Baedal Dynasty. That would become the basis of the state religion of Daejongism that would spread to the southern states, replacing their local polytheistic shaman religions and tying their rulers with relations to the ancient Baedal rulers. From the 5th century to the early 600s, Guri would maintain a loosely unified Choengryeo with all kingdoms paying tribute to Guri. However, Guri would enter a long period of decline starting from 567 CE.

By the late Six Kingdoms Period, much of Cheongryeo would be consolidated into Guri, Majin, Kaelim, and Taebong. Kaelim under King Park Beop-min of the Onju Park clan had expanded greatly, taking advantage of Guri's decline. Kaelim would ally with Qhin to apply pressure onto Guri from the north while Kaelim would battle the western neighbor of Majin, eventually conquering the kingdom in 656 CE. With Majin conquered, the allied force would fight Guri in a two front war. Although Guri was heavily weakened, it would resist against the allied force for many years, eventually being conquered in 668 when Emperor Hae Bojang surrendered to Kaelim forces in the eastern capital of Doseong. Tensions would mount between Kaelim and Qhin over territories of former Guri, ending with the establishment of the modern borders between Qhin and Cheongryeo and Kaelim entering into Qhin's tributary system and using Qhin's calendars. Only Taebong remains as an independent entity, resisting efforts by the mainland for it to join their kingdom for decades.

United Kingdom of Cheongryeo, the Onju Park Dynasty (668 - 956 CE)

The unification of mainland Cheongryeo lead to the formation of the United Kingdom of Cheongryeo by Emperor Park Chang-ho. Efforts were made to assimilate the new subjects by letting the former royal families rule their domains as viceroys and dukes. Hae Bojang, the former King of Guri, was given the title of Grand Warden of Guri and King Chang-ho would marry off his son, the future King Park Yul to Hae Bojang's daughter, Lady Hae Sa-pyeong. The Kaelim aristocracy also framed themselves not as conquerors but as unifiers. Emperor Park Chang-ho even declared that the nation's title was to be called the United Kingdom of Great Cheongryeo (대청려 연합국) instead of the expected Empire of Great Kaelim (대계림국) as he is not the Emperor of Kaelim and its conquered territories but the Emperor of five unified and equal kingdoms. The imperial family even moved from the southeastern city of Andong (the capital of Kaelim) to the middle of Cheongryeo in the coastal city of Gaegyeong in Guri as the new capital city. The United Kingdom would be ruled by the Imperial House of Onju Park for over 200 years and the country experienced relative peace and prosperity, its major threats being against the Princedom of Taebong and pirates from Asakara. War between the United Kingdom and Taebong would last from 672 CE to 700 CE as the Bear Throne lost ten thousand men conquering Taebong and another forty thousand holding the large island. Eventually, negotiated settlements between the Bear Throne and Princedom of Taebong lead to Taebong eventually joining the United Kingdom as an autonomous kingdom. The ruling family of Taebong, the Haedong Go clan, is allowed to keep their titles as Princes of Taebong and the local aristocracies enjoyed many rights and privileges that the lords in the mainland do not. Although Cheongryeo was officially fully unified, the dissatisfaction among some of the lords would be remembered and lead to many many rebellions that were eventually suppressed by royal authorities.

The Onju Park dynasty experienced a golden age of art and culture, as evidenced by the Hwangnyongsa, Seokguram, and the Bell of Emperor Byeongdeok. Relationships between the United Kingdom and Qhin remained relatively peaceful during this time. The maritime prowess of former Majin continued under the the United Kingdom and during the 8th and 9th centuries, dominated the seas of the Sunrise Ocean and played the role of middlemen in trades between Qhin, Asakara, and Khmor. Missionaries from Qhin would attempt to spread the Lazei faith but would fall on deaf ears. Ironically, surviving disciples of the Shen Luoyang would find home in Cheongryeo in the late 930s and some would spread the teachings of the deceased Shin Luoyang to a more interested audience, although the Shenists would be suppressed by royal authorities as a challenge to their divinity in the early years of their existence. The United Kingdom was a prosperous and wealthy country, and its metropolitan capital of Gaegyeong was among one of the largest city in the classical world. The Goodness School and Sohak flourished during this time, contributing to the cultures and the arts of the United Kingdom. However, the Onju Park Dynasty is not without its faults. In the later years of the Onju Park Dynasty, the family would be obsessed with keeping the divine ancestry pure and most of the later kings were born as products of incest despite opposition from Daejongist shrines and temples. The Onju Park Dynasty would weaken under internal strife, contributing to the Pretender Rebellion in 947 CE.

The Rebellion of the Two Pretenders originally started off with a succession crisis after the death of King Park Yeonwoo who died childless during his reign. Although there were times when the Royal Court had to find a suitable male heir for when a king died childless, there were usually a lot of close relatives and siblings to choose from. King Yeonwoo had no living siblings and no close males relatives, thus the court has to look outside the clan. In the meantime, Chancellor Wang Hee-sung served as Regent of the United Kingdom. However, the instability without a ruling king and with internal issues had lead to various uprisings and violence, forcing the Royal Court to act quickly. The only living close relative was Princess Park Eun-bin, the aunt to King Yeonwoo and married to Viceroy Kim Pung of Buyeo State. While it was unheard of for a woman to succeed the Bear Throne, the Royal Court decided to amend the successions to allow Princess Eun-bin to succeed the throne as Queen of the United Kingdom, acknowledging that the United Kingdom would transition from the Imperial Onju Park Clan to the Imperial Jeonju Kim Clan with Queen Eun-bin's eldest son, Kim Il being designated as the Crown Prince.

However, challenges erupted with two uprisings. In Majin Region, agitated lords rallied behind a man named Jin Hwon who claimed to be a bastard son of the late King Yeonwoo during his youths. General Yi Ui-min who was originally sent to subdue the pretenders, suddenly drew his lot with the rebels. Fighting would be fierce in Majin as loyalist and rebel forces clashed with each other. The rebellions would eventually be crushed in 949, solidifying Queen Eun-bin's rule and the next ruling family dynasty after her reign.

Jeonju Kim Dynasty (956 to 1392 CE)

When Empress Eun-bin passed away in 956, the Imperial Court officially coronated Crown Prince Kim Il as the next Emperor of the United Kingdom, giving him the reigning title of Taejo to start a new imperial dynasty, the Imperial Jeonju Kim clan. Emperor Il ordered the construction of numerous public works projects to improve quality of living such as public bath houses and aqueducts all throughout the country. Emperor Il also banned the practice of incest during his reign, blaming incest of the excess and corruption of the later emperors of the Onju Park Dynasty. He was succeeded by his firstborn son, Prince Kim Mu. Emperor Mu was interested in the teachings of Shin Nakyang and four years within his reign, convened a council of Nakyang's surviving disciples and uncovered followers of the underground church in order to officiate the religion in the form of the Cheonju Church. Overtime, the Cheonju Church would gain acceptance by the public and would replace the Daejonggyo as the state religion in 984 CE. During that time, Emperor Mu would deny having any deification and referred to himself as the Regent of Heaven (Cheon Seopjung) instead of the usual title of "Son of Heaven," something all succeeding rulers would follow suit. He would also use the title of Grand King instead of Heavenly Sovereign as part of the undeification of the Bear Throne.

The officiation of what is considered a heretical faith in Qhin was not without opposition from Qhin and Qhin forces launched a punitive expedition against the United Kingdom a year later in a series of conflicts known as the Crusades. Although Qhin forces were able to breakthrough Cheongryeoan border forces, they were defeated and forced back to the border by General Gyeong Dae-seong. Bolstered by their victories, the Cheongryoan forces attempted to invade Qhin to seize the territories surrounding Shin Nakyang's birthplace as a holy site only for their forces to be routed by Qhin defenses. In 987 CE, Qhin and Cheongryeo would recognize the territorial and religious sovereignties of both nations and ensure that religious differences would not be grounds for war. After Emperor Mu's passing in 1001 CE, he was given the posthumous title of Holy Emperor (Seonje).

The Jeonju Kim Dynasty would be noted by a series of religious emperors who ruled according to the Cheonju texts. The role and wealth of the Cheonju church also grew exponentially thanks to patronage of the Imperial Court. Like the Onju Park Dynasty before it, the Jeonju Kim lead Cheongryeo was a highly cultural state, and invented the metal movable type printing press. Cheongryeo experienced a golden age that lasted a century, during which compilation of historical records and legends such as the Cheongryeo Yuksa and the Cheongryeo Sagi were completed. There were great developments in printing and publishing, promoting learning and dispersing knowledge on philosophy, literature, religion, and science; by 1100, there were 12 universities that produced famous scholars and scientists sponsored by the Imperial Court and the Cheonju Church. The Jeonju Kim Dynasty wasn't fully peaceful, however. Efforts to convert Daejongist and ancient shamanistic temples into that of the Cheonju Church in the early decades of the dynasty were met with some oppositions with few conversions becoming violent. In the 1350s, contact would be established with Mercia as Mercian vessels arrived at the island of Taebong, nearly a thousand years since the Saint Elmo's visit to Baedal in 450 BCE. Trading relations would commence between the two polities with Taebong and the archipelago islands of Nabido being major sources of trade, leading to some colonization of Nabido by Cheongryeoans. The Imperial Jeonju Kim clan would end its male line with the ascension of Empress Sapyeong to the Bear Throne in 1357.

Jangheung Yi Dynasty and Centralization (1392 to 1778 CE)

The Jangheung Yi Dynasty started with the marriage of Princess Kim Sapyeong, the only child of Emperor Kim Do to Duke Yi Jaeso, the son of War Minister Yi Muhyeol in 1338 with the intention by Emperor Do to designated Princess Sapyeong as the Crown Princess. When Princess Sapyeong ascended to the throne as Empress, Yi Muhyeol received the title of King Consort. When Empress Sapyeong passed away, Crown Prince Yi Myeong-bok ascended the throne as Emperor Taejo of the Jangheung Yi Dynasty. Although the prior Jeonju Kim Dynasty manufactured and incorporated gunpowder into its military, the Jangheung Yi Dynasty placed greater focus on gunpowder based weapons in the national military, even establishing a military office for the purpose of firearm and cannon development. During the reign of Emperor Suwon II (1418 to 1458), he received the title of King of Storms (Pukpung Wang) due to the heavy use of firearms in his military campaigns in subduing pirates from the island of Nabido east of Taebong island, a title which all succeeding Emperors would adopt as part of their styles. The Jangheung Yi Dynasty also experienced a multi-theatre civil war dubbed the War of Four Kings that severely devastated the country for four years.

The War of Five Kings started after the death of Emperor Il II and the ascension of his eldest son, Gi to the Bear Throne. However, Il's younger brothers, Prince Won and Prince Hyo believed that Emperor Gi was not a son of the late Emperor Il II (recovered private documents from a retainer of Prince Hyo stated that Emperor Gi had none of his father's facial features and that the late Emperor's wife was rumored to have been very close with her male attendants) and plotted with Chancellor Go Seung-ryeong to put Gi's younger brother Grand Prince Bu to the throne. Eventually, the conspiracy was discovered and Emperor Gi declared death to the people involved with the plot, including his own brother Prince Bu. Chancellor Go Seung-ryeong was beheaded and Prince Won and Hyo fled to the Eastern and Southern Capital and declared themselves legitimate claimant to the throne. The beheading of Chancellor Go Seung-ryeong saw a backlash from the region of Buyeo, whom was governed by the Jolbon Go Clan ever since Buyeo was an independent kingdom. Go Seung-ryeong's eldest son, Viceroy Go Bang-won declared Buyeo as an independent kingdom once more with himself as Emperor Taejo of Buyeo. The region of Nabido would also declare independence under the leadership of Lord Kim Bok-su as the Sea King, sensing weakness in the Bear Throne to resume piracy.

The War of Five Kings would be devastating as lords would declare allegiances to the claimants to the Bear Throne and separatist kings. Wealthy entities would purchase weapons and armor from Mercian merchants, including service of their fleets. Over the course of the war, territories and allegiances would shift between the five factions Nabido's independence was quickly snuff out by the naval forces of Emperor Won of the Southern Court with assistance by Mercian warships and an attempted invasion of the capital city of Gaegyeong by armies of Emperor Hyo of the Eastern Court were routed by capital defenses. Taejo Go Bang-won would be slain in battle and his younger brother, Go Young-gi would declare for Emperor Won. Emperor Gi would grow to be paranoid and tyrannical, dismissing and ordering executions of government officials as the war started to turn against him. During the War of Five Kings, Yi Hyo would die of dysentery and his final wish was to have his forces declare for Emperor Won of the Southern Court, swelling the numbers of the Southern forces. Near the end of the war, most of the towns would recognize Yi Won's forces as they saw his forces having the most of restoring peace to the realm. With a united forces loyal to Yi Won camped outside of Gaegyeong, disaffected members of the Imperial Court would secretly negotiate terms of surrender with Yi Won's men under the noses of Emperor Gi. Members of the Court would convince the city guards to allow Yi Won's forces to enter the capital and depose Emperor Gi as long as the city remains intact. Yi Won accepted the terms and outside of minimal resistance from men loyal to Yi Gi, the city fell with few casualties, including the deposal of Yi Gi. Yi Won would ascend the Bear Throne as Emperor, declaring the era name of Gwangmu.

The reign of Emperor Won (1594 - 1621) was notable in which Cheongryeo became heavily centralized over the years to grow the powers of the Bear Throne. One of his first edict was to abolish private armies, effectively severing the ability of lords to muster large-scale revolts. He also moved towards the provincial systems, splitting the Five Kingdoms into multiple provinces with appointed governors and magistrates. In addition, he created three state sponsored categories exams: the literary examinations, military examinations, and miscellaneous examinations as ways for individuals to seek employment with the government, opening the government to many talented commoners and preventing domination by the lords with storied history (eventually, most of the aristocratic families would retain their importance by taking part in the exams). Under Emperor Won, Cheongryeo would officially transition from the federative United Kingdom of Cheongryeo to the centralized Great Cheongryeo State (or Empire of Cheongryeo) in 1611, although Cheongryeo would still be referred to as the United Kingdom (Yeonhapguk) as a sobriquet.

The later Jangheung Yi Dynasty would begin the study of Borenean science and technology as ways to improve the country's quality of life associated with the body of knowledge and movement called Donghak (or Eastern Learning), including translations of Mercian scientific books and purchases of Borenean technologies through existing trade. Many historians believed that the extensive movement of Donghak allowed Cheongryeo to be abreast of development of Borenea and for the country to build up the theoretical and technological scientific base that allow the country to be able to industrialize and modernize more successfully than Qhin has.

Ubong Jang Dynasty (1778 CE ~ )

Rule of the Imperial Ubong Jang Dynasty would start with the ascension of Jang Chung-heon to the Bear Throne as the Crown Prince of Empress Yi Jeongmyeong and King-Consort Jang Won-ho. Cheongryeo under the Ubong Jang Dynasty underwent vast societal changes with the rise of liberal thinking, both by homegrown movements and foreign books. The powers of merchants, while growing during the Jangheung Yi Dynasty, would rise immensely during the Ubong Jang Dynasty and would lead to demands for constitutional reforms. Meeting the demands, Emperor Seon (1816 - 1867) would establish a bicameral national legislative body called the Central Assembly, divided by the upper House of Peers and the lower House of Delegates with the House of Delegates being made up of elected representatives from cities all over the country and would be lead by the First Minister. The House of Peers would be made up of members of the nobility and would be unelected. Universal suffrage would be available only for men of 20 years although moves by female suffragettes would gain momentum in recent years. Additional constitutional reforms would be declared by Emperor Seon, such as the restructuring of the civil service exams. Quality of life improvements would also make its way in Cheongryeo such as opening public education to all in 1878, allowing women to pursue general education (previously, only women of means could afford primary and secondary education although many churches had offered education to all). Cheongryeo would transition into a constitutional monarchy under Emperor Wonjeong in 1869, allowing the First Minister of the House of Delegates to grow exponentially in political power.

Conflicts between Cheongryeo and Qhin would occur under the Ubong Jang Dynasty, often with Cheongryeo utilizing its technological supremacy to be on top, although Cheongryeo wouldn't dare to invade Qhin due to Qhin's massive size and conflicts would often be through proxies and over influences of smaller neighboring states.

In the year of 1882, Cheongryeo stands at its height under the reign of Emperor Jang Wonjeong at the age of 43. The outlook of the country is optimistic however things can change over time or at an instant.

RP Reference/Links/Sample:

- Alternate World War 2 (War of Blood and Steel)
- Fantasy Sword Throwing (A Dance of Chaos)
- Alternate history gone mad in 1812 (Alternate Divergence 1812)
- It's like Alternate Divergence but made by the Cobalt Network and has set nations (Tales of Two Horizons II)
- War, what is it good for? (Back to 1935)
- Rednecks and post-apocalyptic America (Fallout: Damn Dirty South)
- NS Red Dawn (Crane Ascendent)
- Generic late 19th century Alt-history RP (Voice of a New Age)
- War, war never changes (Fallout: Republic of Dusts)
- Alternate history taken all the way (1900: Alternate Divergence)
- Anime Vietnam Flashbacks (Operation Gatelord)
- When the Spanish Flu wiped off 50% of the world population (All Quiet on the Front)

[Sao Nova Europa]

Polity Name: Liang Dynasty
Secondary/Informal Names:

Central Kingdom
Heavenly Empire
Qhin

Flag(s):



Population: 160,000,000
Territory Claim:



Government Structure: Absolute Monarchy

The Emperor (Huáng Dì) is the supreme leader of the Empire and the 'Favored of Azura'. In traditional Qhin political thought, the Emperor of a Qhin realm is the head of the civilized world and all must submit before him. Other rulers are considered inferior to the Qhin Emperor, and those who refuse to pay tribute to the Emperor are labeled barbarians. In practice, this political thought has been abandoned as impractical due to Western technological superiority.

The Imperial Household is staffed entirely by eunuchs and servant ladies. The number of concubines is in the hundreds while the number of eunuchs and servant ladies in the thousands. The Imperial Household is a large, complex bureaucracy of its own, a miniature government of sorts handling the women and offspring of the Emperor. Concubines are chosen both in merits of political expediency and of beauty. They are trained by eunuchs to adhere to a strict protocol.

The women of the Imperial Household are ranked in accordance to their virtues, beauty and the favor of the Emperor:

1. Empress (皇后; huáng hòu)
2. Consort (夫人; fū rén)
3. Beauty (美人; měi rén)
4. Virtuous Lady (良人; liáng rén)
5. Lady of Talents (才人; cái rén)
6. Lady (七子; qī zi)
7. Senior Palace Woman (長使; zhǎng shǐ)
8. Junior Palace Woman (少使; shǎo shǐ)

As the rank of his mother affects a prince’s chances of being named Crown Prince, it isn’t uncommon for women in the Imperial Household to fight for influence and the favor of the Emperor.

As a result of the reforms of Emperor Zuefeng (1867 - 1880), a modern cabinet system has been established. The head of government is a Chancellor who leads the Imperial Cabinet:

Ministry of Diplomacy, responsible for foreign relations of the empire and the maintenance of embassies.
Ministry of Personnel, in charge of appointments, promotions & demotions of officials, and the granting of honorific titles.
Ministry of Taxation, in charge of collecting taxes and gathering census data.
Ministry of Treasury, in charge of drafting the state budget and handling state revenues.
Ministry of Public Works, in charge of government construction programs and maintenance of infrastructure.
Ministry of Agricultural Affairs, in charge of handling farmers' and rural affairs.
Ministry of War, in charge of appointments, promotion & demotion of military officers, maintenance of military installations and equipment, and supply of the New Standing Army.
Ministry of Justice, in charge of the judicial and penal process. Due to the use of the Lazei priests in the administration of justice on the local level, this Minister is appointed upon the recommendation of the Supreme Patriarch of the Church.
Ministry of Palace, responsible for the upkeep of the imperial household, staffing the palace with eunuchs, and the maintenance of palace protocol.

Many ceremonial offices, some of them dating back centuries, have been abolished as a result of the reform and the government has become slimmer. The civil service is still staffed by scholar-bureaucrats who earn their office by successfully passing Imperial Examinations. The maximum tenure in office is twelve years, but every three years officials are evaluated and can be promoted or demoted.

On the local level, the Empire is organized into:

Provinces, administered by a governor (xunfu)
Prefectures, administered by a prefect (zhīfu)
Counties, administered by a magistrate (xiànzhang)

There are in total twenty-five provinces in the Empire. As a result of reforms in the last few decades, provincial Governors have greater fiscal autonomy than before and are also allowed to maintain a regional military force under their direct command (New Regional Armies). While this has limited somewhat the reach of the central government, it has also allowed for better governance as local officials are better informed of local conditions than the bureaucrats in the Imperial Capital. Governors, Prefects, and Magistrates have a maximum tenure of twelve years in office.

Religious Information:

The official religion of the Liang Dynasty is the 'Lazei Dogma', a dualistic religion describing the struggle between a good, spiritual world of light, and an evil, material world of darkness. According to Lazei cosmology, there are two deities who are in constant struggle. Azura, God of Light, and Ahruman, God of Darkness. Azura created the spiritual world, the realm of everlasting serenity and virtuousness, and humans in his image. Ahruman created the material world, with suffering, greed, evil, illness, and death, to deliberately torture humans and feed off their immorality to become more powerful. Humans initially resided in the spiritual world alongside Azura but Ahruman led them astray with false promises and now humans reside in the material world.

The battle between the two Gods takes place inside every human person: a human can follow the path of spirituality and accomplish enlightenment - freeing themselves from the suffering of the material world and returning to the spiritual world - or can follow the path of immorality, strengthening Ahruman and damning themselves to the fiery pits of Hell. According to Lazei theology, the fiery nightmare of Hell was created after the Revolt of Mani. Mani was a Warrior Spirit created by Azura in his eternal war against Ahruman. The God of Darkness though seduced Mani with promises of power and the Spirit revolted against Azura. Mani was defeated but Azura spared him, instead choosing to cast him down to a nightmarish realm where he would punish the humans who - through their immorality - strengthened Ahruman in their mortal lifetime.

The path to spirituality - and salvation - is a difficult one. It requires daily prayers and abstaining from immorality (greed, lust, gluttony, wickedness, jealousy, etch). Although persons can pray on their own, usually adherents of the Lazei religion pray together in a local Church with other practitioners and hear sermons on the importance of virtuousness by Lazei priests.

Lazei priests play an important role in Qhin society, acting as judicial officers on the local level and prosecuting citizens according to religious laws. Their influence among the populace and their role as spiritual leaders also make them a force that cannot be ignored by the government. The Lazei Church is a highly-organized religious organization, led by a Supreme Patriarch and a Synod of Twelve High-Priests: all of them are appointed by the Emperor, whose authority on religious matters is accepted by the Church. Below them are Bishops, who head the church of a parish. Presbyters assist Bishops in their duties and form the bulk of the Lazei clergy. The Elect are monks who live in monastic communities isolated from the secular world, seeking enlightenment. The Elect are forbidden to consume alcohol and meat.

Although the Lazei religion is dominant, older Qhin religions and philosophies have survived. The philosophy of 'Goodness' founded by philosopher Kung Zhing (-501 - -461) is highly influential in Qhin society. It posits that men are by nature good, teachable, improvable, and perfectible through personal and communal endeavors. This philosophy highly values social harmony and places a great deal of importance on family, with parents expected to act as benevolent guarding and children showing filial piety towards their elders. Society is viewed as one big family, with citizens showing filial piety and loyalty towards their ruler, who in turn is expected to promote peace, prosperity, and good governance. The 'Goodness School' of thought remains prominent and has been embraced by the Lazei Church.

The teachings of philosopher Su Xiuying (-683 - -617), known as Suism, are also popular. Suists believe that they can achieve enlightenment by severing themselves completely free from worldly interests and passionate desires until release from all activity was attained. The important principles of Suist philosophy are inaction, simplicity, and living in harmony with nature. Suists believe in the law of the unity of two opposite forces - yin and yang - and that if someone tried too hard to attain a certain want, the law of reverted effort would start to operate and, as a result, the effect would be the exact opposite of that desired. Suism has to a certain extent been embraced by the Lazei Church, as the Suist way of achieving enlightenment mirrors Lazei beliefs about enlightenment and returning to the spiritual world.

Qhin citizens also venerate spirits, both spirits of nature and the spirits of their ancestors. The spirits of nature were considered in the distant past Gods in their own right, but since the Lazei Church became dominant, they have become subservient entities of either Azura or Ahruman. The veneration of the spirits of the ancestors is an old practice of the Qhin people. Qhin are expected to honor their ancestors through prayers, installing ancestral tablets at a household altar commemorating each ancestor, burning incense before the altar daily, and offering favorite foods, beverages, and spirit money bi-monthly and on special occasions.

A heresy of the Lazei Church - which is deemed illegal and prosecuted by imperial authorities - is the 'Shenist Cult', named after Shen Luoyang (901 - 933). The son of poor illiterate farmers in the Qhin Dynasty, Shen Luoyang became a popular preacher in his early twenties. Even though he was illiterate with no formal education, his sermons matched in their eloquence the greatest priests of the Lazei Church, and so he managed to gather many followers. He preached non-violence, forgiveness, charity, compassion, and social equality - challenging the social status quo and the norms of the 'Goodness' school of thought. Initially, the authorities deemed him to be an eccentric practitioner of the Lazei faith, but Shen Luoyang became even more controversial when he claimed to be the Son of Azura, born on terra to bring salvation to humanity from their suffering in this materialistic world. Under pressure from the Church, the Qhin authorities arrested Shen Luoyang and tortured him to get him to admit that he was a heretic. Shen Luoyang did not budge, and so he was executed by public beheading, his last words asking Azura to forgive his executioners. He was only thirty-two years old. According to his fervent followers, a month after he had been buried, he rose from the dead and visited them before ascending to the spiritual world. The Qhin authorities, wanting to put the matter to rest, opened his grave and did not find his body. They prosecuted Shen's followers, accusing them of stealing the body, and put most of them to death. To this day whether Shen Luoyang really was resurrected remains a point of contention: the Lazei Church accepts the version of the Qhin authorities while the few followers of the Shenist faith - who practice their religion in secret to avoid persecution - claim that Shen Luoyang really did rise from the dead. Despite the persecution of the faith by the imperial authorities, Shenism still retains followers in some rural communities among poor peasants attracted to its message of social equality.

Social Information:

Qhin society is still largely agrarian, with most inhabitants being peasants toiling the land. While in recent decades - as a result of government-mandated land redistribution - the countryside is dominated by small peasant families instead of big landowners, life in rural areas is still hard and many of them lack modern infrastructure. Major agricultural products include tea, sugarcane, cotton, rice, and hemp. The imperial government maintains special tea plantations that produce more than forty varieties of tribute tea for the Imperial Court. Only the very tip of tender tea leaves are picked, processed, and pressed into tea cakes, embossed with a dragon pattern, known as "dragon tea cakes".

Despite the agrarian character of the Empire, there are many bustling urban areas. Those urban centers have traditionally been the production centers for silk-based products (Qhin silk is famous for its quality) and some of the finest porcelains in the world. In some of those coastal cities, foreigners have established their presence in certain districts, bringing modern goods and technology. The upper class of those urban areas - often engaged in commerce and working closely with Westerners - seek to emulate Western fashions. On the other side of the spectrum are scholar-officials. Long considered community leaders and highly respected for their literary skills, they view themselves as guardians Qhin traditions. Scholar-officials have traditionally been recruited by the government through Imperial Examinations, where they are tested on their knowledge of classic Qhin texts (including poetry, philosophical treatises, and historical volumes). While in the distant past the scholar-bureaucrats sometimes clashed with Lazei priests (who were seeking to expand their influence in government at the expense of the secular scholar-officials), nowadays they are largely allies as both groups oppose rapid Westernization fearful of the damage it might cause to traditional Qhin values and culture.

Qhin has traditionally been a highly patriarchal culture. Women are considered inferior to men and must obey their husbands (or male relatives, if they are not married). Women can help in the workplace (especially in rural areas where women help in farming), but they cannot own property or be independent professionals. Their primary role is to serve their husband and raise their children and grandchildren. Women who marry are considered to be part of their husband's family, and henceforth it is the responsibility of the husband's family to take care of them (especially if the husband dies). This patriarchal culture has been challenged though in urban areas by an upper class influenced by Western ideals, and those upper-class women have been pushing for modernization of the legal code to bring about greater equality.

Family is important in Qhin society. The eldest male Qhin of a family is considered the patriarch of the family and is responsible for all decision-making. The younger members of the family are expected to be obedient and follow the wishes of the patriarch. When a patriarch dies, his belongings are equally inherited by all male children. As this fracturing is unsustainable in the long term, especially for poorer households, the sons usually remain together as one household. As such, most Qhin households are comprised of multiple related families living together. Families belonging to the same lineage are known as Clans.

Poetry, literature, painting, and calligraphy are highly respected in Qhin culture. Being an educated scholar is valued more than being physically strong, and those who wish to elevate themselves socially are expected to pick up at least one of these crafts. Qhin has a rich cultural history, with countless works of art, and even many Westerners are awed by the Qhin culture. Even though cultural pursuits are valued more highly than martial ones, the Qhin people have developed native martial arts. The genesis of Qhin martial arts is attributed to the need for self-defense, hunting techniques, and military training. There are hundreds of different styles, utilizing both hand-to-hand combat and weapons, such as swords, spears, and wooden poles. Often martial styles mimic the movements and attacks of animals - such as tiger style, crane style, snake style, and etch.

Military Information:

The Liang military in recent decades has undergone significant reforms. While it is still technologically behind the West, the government has managed put an end to widespread corruption and incompetence. The Liang land forces are divided into two groups:

The New Standing Army - 220,000 men-at-arms - is the standing army of the central government. While nominally under the direct command of the Emperor, in practice it is headed by the Chief of General Staff (who also holds the rank of Generalissimo).

The New Regional Armies - 340,000 men-at-arms - are armies under the command of provincial governors. The troops are organized into regiments of local villagers who have familial and local ties to each other, making them more effective.

Whereas in the past officers would come from the class of scholar-bureaucrats or the nobility, nowadays many of the officers are trained in military academies, following the Western practice, thus professionalizing the officer corps. Those new officers were tested in the field of battle, proving their worth over their older counterparts by successfully crushing the Xing Guo Revolt (1868 - 1874). Their experiences from this war have made them far more competent compared to older officers who had only seen minor actions against peasant revolts.

Despite the professionalization of the officer corps and attempts at modernization of the army as a whole, the Liang military is still technologically behind the West, meaning that the Empire is still vulnerable. There has also been increased rivalry between the officer corps - who want further modernization - and many of the scholar-officials of the civilian government who subscribe to nativist ideals, creating a dangerous potential for military-civil conflict.

The Liang Navy is comprised of a few ironclad warships and a small number of frigates. The navy is small in size, underfunded compared to the military, and is mainly tasked with protecting naval trade. It is manned by about 18,000 sailors.

History:

Prehistory

Qhin was first settled by humans over ten thousand years ago who arrived 'from the North-East' across a 'land-bridge' which may have stretched from Boreana to Osia during the last Ice Age. Around -3100, the first bronze age societies began to emerge in the subcontinent. Those first societies were small, tribal polities centered around a single settlement. They were dominated by a caste of priests, who would make use of divination and inquire spirits for guidance.

As centuries passed, some of those tribal polities subsumed others. This led to the emergence of the first tribal kingdoms. Those kingdoms were heavily decentralized though, with client princes ruling semi-autonomous realms in the periphery and simply offering annual tribute to their king. Those princes could possess clients of their own. This resulted in a power-structure where local power was more important than the central leadership. This type of polity has been described as a 'solar polity', referencing the gravitational pull the sun exerts over the planets. Those polities of the Qhin subcontinent would engage in constant warfare, leading to an era known as the 'Warring States Period'.

Warring States

Around -700, the use of iron became widespread in Qhin. Centuries of constant warfare between the tribal kingdoms of Qhin had led to increased centralization, as rulers at the center would demand an ever greater percentage of men and goods from the periphery and would impose stricter control over the client princes. With the introduction of iron, this process was sped up considerably. The old way of war - dominated by a numerically small number of aristocrats and their companions - gave way to conscription for mass infantry armies. It also led to total war. In the past, kingdoms would be content to defeat their enemies in a battle or two, loot a bit, and then return back with their trophies. In this age, though, armies would commit mass massacres to deprive their rivals of necessary manpower and would fight for the annexation of entire realms instead of simply seeking loot or martial glory.

The constant conflict and the need for innovative social and political models led to the development of many philosophical doctrines, later known as the Hundred Schools of Thought. The thoughts and ideas discussed and refined during this period profoundly influenced lifestyles and social consciousness not only in Qhin, but also in neighboring countries as well. The intellectual society of this era was characterized by itinerant scholars, who were often employed by various kings as advisers on the methods of government, war, and diplomacy. This period also saw advancements in mathematics. Bamboo slips would be used to assemble a decimal multiplication table, that was used to multiply numbers (any whole or half-integer) up to 99.5.

The kingdom which would best exemplify the 'Warring States' era revolution was Zhang. Chancellor Li Yueh (-564 - -532) would introduce radical reforms, influenced by the ideology of 'Virtuousness' (a school of thought advocating for a highly centralized state that would ensure all subjects would behave in a virtuous manner). He deposed the client princes in the periphery and replaced them with centrally-appointed governors. He confiscated and redistributed the land of the land aristocracy to peasant families. He would introduce a culture of meritocracy in government, by appointing people who proved themselves in public examinations instead of reserving high offices only for those with noble blood. Although those reforms were controversial during Li Yueh's lifetime (and led to his assassination), they ensured that Zhang gained an advantage over the other warring states.

Zhang and Yi Dynasties

King Zhang Yuwei (-261 - -225) of the Zhang Kingdom was the man who first unified the entirety of the subcontinent of Qhin under a single dominion. A ruthless man, he came to the throne after leading a coup against his own father, whom he executed along with all his brothers to ensure they wouldn't pose a threat to his throne. He employed a centralized style of leadership, relying on a small circle of loyal advisors. In a series of wars that would last almost two decades, he would conquer the other Qhin kingdoms. Those wars became renowned for their brutality: Zhang armies would massacre entire towns, slaughter the entire enemy nobility, and burn down libraries and schools. In -244, Zhang Yuwei was proclaimed the 'August Emperor of the Zhang Empire, Supreme Ruler of All Under Heaven'.

The First Emperor purged any remaining aristocrats from the kingdoms he had conquered. He also purged their scholars and texts. He forbade the use of regional dialects and instead imposed a standardized system of language that is dominant in Qhin to this day: by eliminating both the regional nobility and regional languages in favor of centrally-appointed governors and a common language, he hoped to eradicate loyalties to the old kingdoms and instead mold the newly-conquered populations into loyal subjects of his empire. The Emperor also imposed extremely cruel and harsh punishments for crimes, fully embracing the ideology of 'Virtuousness'.

Such a tyrannical regime could be maintained only through the sheer force of will of Zhang Yuwei. When he died in -225, his incompetent son was unable to exert the same kind of power over the realm. Soon enough, regional revolts broke out against Zhang tyranny. One of the rebels was Yi Hong. A colonel in the Zhang army, he had been sent to attack a rebel encampment. His troops were ambushed, though, and he failed to accomplish his objective. Knowing that failure meant execution in the harsh Zhang legal code, Yi Hong decided to revolt instead to save his skin. Over the next few years, Yi Hong would attract a growing number of men and emerge as one of the most powerful warlords.

In -201, Yi Hong entered the imperial capital, deposed the last Zhang Emperor, and became ruler of all Qhin. The Emperor of the new Yi Dynasty showed his difference from his tyrannical predecessors by choosing to spare the last Zhang Emperor, granting him an honorific title and a generous pension. He would also revise the strict legal code, taking a more humanistic approach. Yi Hong had been influenced by philosopher Kung Zhing (-501 - -461). A scholar of the 'Warring States' period, he founded the 'Goodness School'. Whereas the advocates of the 'Virtuousness School' believed a harsh, centralized state was necessary to impose virtuousness among the populace, the 'Goodness School' proclaimed that people were by nature good and that the duty of the ruler was to act as a loving father who would ensure peace and prosperity for his subjects.

Between -201 and 202 CA, Qhin witnessed a golden age. Under the patronage of Yi Emperors, arts flourished: calligraphy, painting, architecture, and classical music. The process of civil service examinations was expanded, promoting a culture of meritocracy and competence in contrast to most states which were dominated by nobles regardless of their individual merits. Yi armies would expand the Qhin world, absorbing vast amounts of land to the north and south of the Qhin heartland. The natives of those lands would assimilate into Qhin culture and become loyal subjects. The economy flourished, with high levels of urbanization and monetization of the economy. Science and technology saw significant advances, including the process of papermaking, the nautical steering ship rudder, the use of negative numbers in mathematics, the raised-relief map, the hydraulic-powered armillary sphere for astronomy, and a seismometer employing an inverted pendulum that could be used to discern the cardinal direction of distant earthquakes.

Five Kingdoms Era

In 202, Emperor Yi Liang was overthrown in a bloody coup by his brother, Yi Kang. The new Emperor was a bloodthirsty tyrant. He would execute officials for flimsy reasons, extract extremely high taxes on the populace, rape the wives and daughters of even high-ranking officials, and organize lavish celebrations in his palace. Uninterested in state affairs, he would increasingly rely on Chief Eunuch Gong Guiying to rule the empire. Guiying was notoriously corrupt and cruel, interested in personal enrichment rather than the welfare of the population. Peasant revolts soon engulfed the countryside, exacerbated by a period of earthquakes which came to be seen as an omen from the Heavens that the Emperor had lost the favor of the Spirits.

Gong Guiying, unable to deal with the revolts, authorized provincial governors to conscript their own armies and put down the rebellions. Once the rebellions had been crushed, though, this coalition of warlords led by Yue Ge turned on the eunuch. The armies marched to the capital, killed Gong Guiying, and looted the Imperial Palace. Emperor Yi Kang was killed in the process, leaving a power vacuum. Yue Ge installed a puppet emperor, but his former allies turned on him, refusing to accept the legitimacy of this emperor.

One of those warlords was Cao Ping, a governor of one of the northern provinces. He declared Yue Ge a tyrant and amassed a new coalition of warlords against him. The decisive battle took place in 217, with Yue Ge's army defeated. Yue Ge was himself killed on the field of battle, and the puppet emperor was captured by Cao Ping. Cao Ping was proclaimed Chancellor of the Yi Empire, but his former allies refused to accept his rule and turned against him the same way they had turned against Yue Ge before.

The four most prominent opponents of Cao Ping were:
Fan Meng, Governor of one of the southern provinces
Yan Shuren, an army captain of Cao Ping who became a warlord on his own right
Yi Zeng, a scion of the imperial dynasty with dreams of overthrowing Cao Ping and restoring the supremacy of the Imperial Throne
Guo Jing, Governor of one of the western provinces

Cao Ping amassed an army of over 300,000 and marched against his four opponents, who formed a temporary alliance to stop him. Teng Hong, an advisor to Yi Zeng whose name is considered synonymous with genius in Qhin culture, devised a brilliant plan which defeated Cao Ping's army. Cao Ping was, however, able to stop his enemies from exploiting his defeat and the situation stabilized by 225. Cao Ping forced the puppet emperor under his control to resign and assumed the throne as Emperor of the Cao Dynasty. The other four rulers proclaimed themselves Emperors as well. The era of the Five Kingdoms had officially begun. It lasted until 478.

This period of Qhin history has been romanticized in the Han Dynasty era novel Romance of the Five Kingdoms (1522), perhaps the most popular novel in Qhin. Yi Zeng is presented as a virtuous, heroic man with noble ambitions who wants to bring peace to the country, Teng Hong as a divine genius whose strategies are unbeatable and brilliant inventions save the day, and Cao Ping as a cruel, bloodthirsty tyrant. Many Qhin proverbs in use to this day are derived from the novel.

During the Five Kingdoms period, Qhin was consumed by constant warfare, shifting alliances, and technological growth as the kingdoms viciously competed for supremacy. It was also the era during which the 'Lazei Dogma' was introduced. A dualistic religion, it grew increasingly popular among the masses - because its dogma of an evil materialistic world and the promise of a better spiritual world resonated at a time of constant warfare - and eventually even nobles converted to this new religion.

Qhin Dynasty

In 461, Qhin Jiahao was appointed Chancellor of the Cao Dynasty. An ambitious military genius, over the new few years he subdued the other four kingdoms and unified Qhin under the Cao Dynasty. In 478, though, he overthrew Emperor Cao Ming and proclaimed the Qhin Dynasty, with himself as Emperor. The Qhin Dynasty would last until 1121, and was so important that the subcontinent of Qhin took its name from this dynasty and its inhabitants are called Qhin. The Qhin Dynasty can be divided into roughly three periods. The first period lasted from 478 to 891, and it is considered the High Qhin or Classical Qhin era. During this time period, the empire flourished both economically and culturally. With peace and stability restored, the population grew extensively and urban centers prospered. Taxation became even more efficient and the bureaucracy was expanded, allowing the central government to have a far greater reach compared to other governments of this time period. The Qhin administration completed 1,088 large irrigation projects across the country. An official bureau was established for the effective management of these types of projects. Peasants were encouraged with ownership incentives and tax waivers to bring over two million hectares of extra farming land into production. The Qhin armies expanded the empire, defeating 'barbarian' peoples and assimilating their lands into Qhin.

This was also a golden era for Qhin poetry. Poetry was largely written in the capital or in one of the courts of the imperial princes. It could also be written in banquets at inns or private homes. It was a mode of social discourse for the elite and winners in poetry contests could receive prizes. Ornament and indirect suggestion were preferred to simplicity and explicit statement. Calligraphy, painting, and elaborate architecture also reached their peak during this period. In terms of religion, it was during this period that the Lazei religion became the official religion of the empire (with an imperial decree in 621). The priests of the Lazei Church became increasingly prominent in public life.

The next period (891 - 1005) is known as the Middle Qhin period. It was marked by the An Yanli (891 - 897) revolt which shook the empire to its core. An Yanli was a Governor of one of the western provinces of the empire. When he was framed for corruption and ordered to return to the capital, he instead chose the path of revolt. A combination of incompetence among imperial officers and corruption and infighting among Qhin high officials gave An Yanli the time to mobilize a substantial military force. Over the next few years, a bloody drawn-out war took place until An Yanli could be defeated and executed.

During the revolt, the imperial government had been forced to give broad autonomy to provincial governors, allowing them to conscript their own private armies. So, when An Yanli had been defeated, restoration of the centralized rule of the previous period became impossible. As many scholars had been massacred during the revolt and many centers of learning had been burned down, the empire increasingly turned to the Lazei priesthood for matters of administration. Lazei priests would become judicial officers in their parishes and come to exert a far greater influence than before. Religious art also grew at the expense of secular art. It was also during this period that the Shenist religious cult emerged.

The final period of the Qhin Dynasty (1005 - 1121) is known as the Era of Qhin Restoration. As the scars of the war healed and the economy grew, the empire became once again prosperous. A succession of highly industrious emperors - with the aid of competent advisors - allowed the central government to reimpose control over the provinces, successfully putting down revolts by ambitious governors. Secular learning flourished once more and scholar-officials became again prominent, though the Lazei priesthood would retain its tight grip over the judicial system.

The final decades of the dynasty, though, were marked by increasing corruption and incompetence at the top. Once again, the provincial governors managed to gain power at the expense of the central government. Still, it seemed that the dynasty would manage to survive like it always did. Alas, it was not to be so. In 1121, during a banquet in the Imperial Palace where the Emperor and all the prominent princes had gathered, a fire broke out. There is still debate if the fire was an accident or planned by some faction of the Court, but it led to the death of the House of Qhin. Chancellor Wen Xuegang, with the excuse of the lack of a legitimate emperor, assumed the throne himself and proclaimed the Wen Dynasty.

Northern and Southern Dynasties

Emperor Wen Xuegang (1121 - 1145) immediately faced opposition from provincial governors who declared his rule as illegitimate. Some even publicly accused him of being behind the Great Fire of 1121. Emperor Wen engaged in years of warfare against those governors, but although he managed to secure control of Northern Qhin, he failed to conquer the South. Instead, in Southern Qhin, Governor Du Shi declared the Du Dynasty with himself as Emperor.

From 1135 to 1368, Qhin was divided between the Northern and Southern dynasties. The two imperial dynasties diverged politically: the Wen Dynasty granted extensive autonomy to provincial governors and relied on the Lazei priesthood at the expense of scholar-officials, but the Du Dynasty imposed strict centralization and relied on secular scholar-officials. The two dynasties would engage in alternating periods of brutal warfare and peaceful coexistence. During this period, both dynasties saw an expansion of the population. Social life became vibrant, as citizens gathered to view and trade precious artworks, the populace intermingled at public festivals and private clubs, and cities had lively entertainment quarters. The spread of literature and knowledge was enhanced by the rapid expansion of woodblock printing. In the Du Dynasty, an official bureau of medicine was established for the compilation and correction of medical publications. Several national medical surveys were conducted and a medicine factory was constructed.

In 1361, General Han Yating overthrew the Du Emperor and proclaimed the Han Dynasty in the South. The highly-competent emperor purged the imperial government of corrupt and cruel officials, earning popular support and turning the Han bureaucracy into a well-oiled machine. In 1367, he launched an invasion of the north. He defeated the Wen armies - and slew the Wen Emperor in single combat - and in 1368 reunified all of Qhin under a single dynasty.

Han Dynasty

The Han Dynasty (1368 - 1648) was a golden era for the Qhin. The Emperors were highly competent, with Han Xinya (1421 - 1448) considered the greatest emperor of the dynasty. An austere workaholic man, he rejected luxuries and entertainment. "I can rest when I die," he would say. He reduced the overall tax burden and cut back on government waste. He would lead Han armies to victories against barbarians and expand the borders of the Qhin world. Most importantly, Xinya was willing to listen to advisers and wasn't afraid to admit when he had been wrong.

The economy flourished during the Han Dynasty. A unified tax system and efficient trade routes helped to create a large, unified internal market. As inter-regional trade and travel became ever more common, guild halls dedicated to facilitating commerce (huiguan) gained prominence around the urban landscape, and the state had to deal with them when assessing taxes, requisitioning goods, and setting standard workers' wages and prices on goods. As a result of this commercialization, mid-sized cities began popping up to direct the flow of domestic, commercial trade. Aside from normal currency, the Han government also issued paper-printed money known as Jiaozi. For the printing of paper money, the Han court established several government-run factories in major cities.

But the prosperity and glory of the Han Dynasty were not to last. A series of earthquakes, droughts, epidemics, and famines in the 1620s caused massive peasant revolts. The empire also faced the same problems that had plagued past dynasties: corruption and incompetence at the top, and an inability to impose central control over provincial governors. In the 1630s, the dynasty collapsed into a patchwork of independent warlord states fighting each other in an endless brutal war.

Early Liang Dynasty

Liang Ruoyang was one such warlord. He came from humble origins, initially being a mere foot soldier at the service of a minor warlord. He rose through the ranks thanks to his bravery and cunning, and eventually deposed his old master. A warlord in his own right, he distinguished himself through his fairness and generosity. Whereas other warlords would impose crippling taxation upon the population and act as bandits, Ruoyang would impose modest taxes, live an austere lifestyle, enforce law and order, and reward generously his advisors and soldiers. This led many scholars and soldiers to flock to his side. Ruoyang further empowered his position through public displays of piety towards the Lazei Church, earning the support of many Lazei priests.

By the 1640s, Ruoyang had become the most prominent warlord and by 1648 he had managed to unify all of Qhin under his rule. He proclaimed the Liang Dynasty. With peace restored, the Emperor moved on to enact a radical reformist agenda. He appointed a young scholar, Geng Lim, as Chancellor. Lim enacted a broad land redistributing program to give farms to tenants and landless peasants, much to the dismay of many large landowners. Regional revolts in the 1650s were crushed by the Liang military, allowing the reform to go ahead. Lim undertook the first population census since the collapse of the Han Dynasty. The 1656 census gave an accurate picture of the population of the Empire and allowed a revision of the tax assessment to make taxation fairer. A monopoly on salt, iron, and liquor was established, roads, canals, and bridges were either updated or constructed and a series of granaries were built in the provinces to allow steady supply in times of natural disasters. When Ruoyang died in 1661, he left behind a prosperous realm.

His successor, Emperor Taizong (1661 - 1698), oversaw the construction of the Heavenly City between 1663 and 1678. He also established the Secret Memorandums, allowing direct communication between him and local officials without the court or ministries getting in the way. This allowed for greater imperial oversight of the public administration. He lowered taxation and the economy expanded. Literature, painting and music flourished. Emperor Jiajing (1698 – 1711) commissioned the Siku Quanshu, an encyclopedia that compiled more than 3000 Qhin works of literature. He also oversaw the closing of Qhin from the outer world, to protect the realm from heresy and barbarism. This policy of isolationism was a result of a stricter interpretation of Lazei religion by the priesthood, who feared the introduction of new dogmas could shake the Church.

Emperor Kangxi (1711 - 1752) was perhaps the greatest emperor of the Liang Dynasty. A military genius, he personally led Liang armies to conquer the Western Deserts, subduing the nomadic inhabitants of those desolate - but strategically important - lands. He expanded the system of Secret Memorandums, which brought frank and detailed reports on local conditions directly to the throne without being intercepted by the bureaucracy, and created a small Grand Council of personal advisors that was independent of the Imperial Court. He oversaw a period of prosperity and economic growth. When he died, the Liang Dynasty was one of the strongest empires in the world.

Late Liang Dynasty

During the reign of Emperor Chao (1752 - 1797), this prosperity continued but corruption festered in the Imperial Court. Especially egregious was the example of Mao Liuxian, a eunuch who amassed a true fortune thanks to the skimming of public funds and bribes. When Emperor Jiaqing (1797 - 1830) took control of the government, he prosecuted Liuxian. The eunuch was charged with corruption and abuse of power, stripped of his titles, had his property confiscated, and ordered to commit suicide. But the damage Liuxian had done was widespread; the treasury was empty and social discontent high. Large-scale peasant rebellions (1801 – 1806) rebellions shook the empire and showed its weakness.

In order to restore sound finances, confidence in the dynasty, and centralized control, Jiaqing appointed a reformist scholar named Liu Yijun as Chancellor. Liu Yijun reformed the tax system, instituting new taxes on rich merchants and big landowners. He enacted a broad land redistributing program, and put down revolts by big landowners. He used this new stream of revenue to invest in public infrastructure. He also moved to prosecute highly corrupt officials. He also reformed the military of the dynasty. The standing army of the empire had declined in numbers and efficiency. Instead of attempting to bolster the standing army - which would require exorbitant amounts of funds - Liu Yijun abolished many of its regiments and instead formalized the regional armies that had been raised by provincial governors to put down the peasant revolts. Those armies, which recruited troops from local villagers who had familial and local ties to each other, were far more efficient. The resources spared from this reform allowed increased pay for both officers and soldiers, leading subsequently to increased discipline.

Emperor Tongzhi (1830 - 1867) utilized this 'New Army' to crush separatist tendencies in the imperial periphery, especially the volatile western desert region. His reign was marked, however, by increased tensions with Western powers. Initially, under the influence of the Lazei Church, Tongzhi had attempted to maintain Liang's isolationism but his military weakness forced him to compromise. He established the new 'Office for Barbarian Affairs', the first professional Qhin diplomatic corps. He would grant the right to Western companies to construct rail networks in Qhin. This was highly unpopular, and Tongzhi faced backlash from both officials, the Church, and the populace, but managed to suppress revolts and impose his will.

Emperor Zuefeng (1867 - 1880) had to deal with an officialdom and population unwilling to embrace the much-needed reforms required. He faced the Xing Guo Revolt (1868 - 1874). A bloody war that led to the death of millions, it began when priest Xing Guo and fanatics of the Lazei Church declared Emperor Zuefeng to be the incarnation of Ahruman and thus an evil demon that needed to be deposed. Xing Guo drew substantial support from parts of the populace that were deeply opposed to Qhin's increasing Westernization. It took years for the revolt to be crushed and almost bankrupted the empire.

Having managed to crush the revolt, however, Zuefeng had a relatively free hand to proceed with some important reforms. He established the first foreign-language schools in Qhin. In 1876, the first machine factory was established, and in 1878 coal mines were opened. The first modern arsenals were also established in Qhin. He also issued decrees establishing the first modern university, building the first native Qhin railroad (instead of one constructed by Western powers), and establishing a modern cabinet and a system of budgets similar to that of Western governments.

In 1880, the young twenty-three years old Emperor Xuanfeng ascended the Imperial Throne. He must now continue down the reformist path of his father, but at the same time deal with rising discontent against foreigners. Managing to find the delicate balance between reformism and nativism will determine the fate of the Liang Dynasty.

RP Reference/Links/Sample:

Chinese Palace Drama

[Restored Sumeru]

Could I be Umm'hara?

[Imperialisium]

Could I be Umm'hara?

Umm’hara is one of the continents. It’s not a nation.

[Kleindeutchsland]

I think I might make a large ancient empire based in the Sahal Desert that depends on gold and spice trad, like the ancient Mali kingdom.

[Segmentia]

WiP
Polity Name: The Empire of Sedna
Secondary/Informal Names: The Steel Hegemony, The Empire
Population: 185 million, not counting Khmor
Territory Claim: https://i.imgur.com/gJUrStz.jpg
Government Structure: Absolute Monarchy, with subordinate organizations.

At the top of Imperial Society is the Emperor or Empress, also referred to as the Imperial Sovereign.Serving the Sovereign directly are various bodies of varying authority. Chief among these is the Privy Council, composed of the most powerful and influential members of the Empire, be their Dukes, Lord-Generals and Admirals, wealthy industrialists, and the intellectual elite. They advise the Sovereign on matters of great importance, both foreign and domestic.

Adjacent and slightly below the Privy Council is the Council of Territories, which contains the Lords, Administrators, and Representatives of the colonies, territories, and Administrative Districts from across the far-flung Empire. Generally the position holders themselves can not attend the Sovereign directly due to their duties, and act through delegates.

Beside the Privy Council and Council of Territories, is the House or Lords and Burghers, wherein nobles and (sometimes) elected citizens sit to help assemble and propose laws of the realm to the Sovereign. The House holds no actual power over the Sovereign, but the Sovereign is generally advised to take the proposals and words of the House seriously, to keep them appeased if nothing else.

Most cities, towns, and villages will have its own smaller version of the House, either composed of just Burghers, or the local nobility and notable citizens. They act as the connection between the Sovereign and their peoples.

The common people themselves also have the right of redress, where they may seek an audience with Burghers, nobles, or even the Sovereign themselves, though these matters tend to be handled by bureaucrats or other representatives.

Religious Information: The Empire is fairly religious, and though it was once polytheistic with a decently large pantheon, over the last several centuries the pantheon has shrunk to nearly monotheistic worship of Aneria, the old Goddess of the Stars, Seas, and Trade, though her domain has much expanded. The other handful of gods and goddesses still worshiped tend to only be so in the less developed and foreign regions of the Empire.

Though not technically enforced throughout the Empire, with several colonial regions still holding to their own religions, it is encouraged by the government, and a ground-level requirement of service in Government is the bare minimum attendance of services once a month, when possible. Some regions with more troublesome religions are forcefully converted.

Social Information: A generally free society, though with not much social climbing to be had. As home of the Industrial Revolution, there has been explosive growth of cities as people flock to work in the factories that seem to spring up every day. The average citizen's wealth has slowly but steadily increased, though those in the cities have had declining standards of living thanks to cramped, polluted cities.

The major cities of the Empire have also become fairly more cosmopolitan as the promise of wealth and employment has drawn immigrants of all races and cultures to the Empire's heartlands, both from its colonies and territories and from foreign nations. The most notable racial minority is Dwarves, followed by Greenskins, and recently an uptick in Faerie immigration.
Elven immigrants are exceptionally rare, with even the largest cosmopolitan cities able to count the number of elves in the double digits, and generally the low double digits. Kobolds are also fairly rare, but more numerous then the elves, the resilient Kobolds finding many profitable opportunities in the industries to tempt immigration. There has been a noted uptick in Styr immigration to the Empire in recent years as well.

The humans of the heartland are historically a professional, dour, and maritime people, which has lent itself to the staggering rise of Sedna to its position as the preeminent human nation on the planet, and perhaps its greatest empire.

The Trade Companies: Perhaps more than any other nation, Sedna is a behemoth in the field of international trade. Although there are dozens, or perhaps even hundreds of registered Trade Companies headquartered in Sedna, there are a few that stand out.

The Al-Khair Trading Company: Not the oldest of the Trading companies, but by far the largest trading company in the world, and perhaps the largest corporation. It dominates trade exports from Al-Khair to Askara, and especially Khmor. Founded in the last years of the 1500s by a group of middling bankers in the capital city of Tyrne, it would rapidly become prosperous from its imports from Al-Khair and the surrounding region. It was able to do so thanks to treaties it had in place with the Al-Khair kingdom of Yema.

The Al-Khair Trading Company would undergo a change in leadership in the 1750s, as the Royal Family of Yema, who had likewise become increasingly wealthy from its partnership, took out several large loans and bought out a majority of the company's shares, placing themselves in control of the company.

While the kingdom of Yema was officially dissolved and absorbed into the Empire since than, the company has only increased is profits and influence under the guidance of the Lethu family, especially with its aggressive in-road making in Khmor, which it has steadily wrested influence and control from over the petty princedoms that generally dominate the region. It enters the new decade under the control of Duchess Josephine Lethu, who also serves on the Imperial Privy Council.

Out of all the Trading Companies it maintains the largest force under arms, including four Army Standard Regiments of Infantry, two of artillery, and two of light cavalry, not including the more numerous non-Army Standard and native regiments it employs in Khmor. As well it supports nearly forty warships in four squadrons. These tend to be older ships, and generally only armed to fight off raiders and protect its trade ships and stations.

The Eldeirnari Trading Company: The youngest and smallest of the trading companies, the ETC is noted for having been granted exclusive trade contracts with the Eldeirnari Dominion (There is some debate if this was granted by the Imperial Family or the Elven Kingdom of Valataine, either way the Trading Company is very close lipped about the matter), so far as Sednan trade companies are concerned. With this they have been able to firmly establish themselves on the Imperial and global market for Elven fine crafts and artistry.

The Ummhara Trading Company: The oldest of the still existing Trading Companies, the UTC is more of a continuation and combination of a handful of previous business ventures that operated on exporting and importing goods to Ummhara. While its fortunes have dwindled in the last century or so, it is by no means defunct, and more than anything it has a legacy of longevity and professionalism to call upon.



Military Information: As the most industrial nation on the planet, Sedna has a formidable, advanced, and professional military.

The Imperial Navy: The largest and most formidable navy on the planet, leading naval engineering and design into a new era with the launching of the Dreadnought-class of ships in 1871, which has revolutionized naval warfare and design. The Empire maintains multiple squadrons and fleets.

6 Dreadnoughts
-4 Dreadnought-class battleships
6x Twin Tyrne Heavy Armaments BL 12 Inch MkVI guns | 18x Single QF-BL 6 inch guns | 12x Single QF-BL 3 inch guns | 12x Single QF-BL 2 inch guns in sponsons on the superstructure of the ship | 6x 18 inch torpedo tubes

-2 Conqueror-class Dreadnoughts
4x Twin THA BL 14 Inch MkII guns in superfiring turrets | 2x Twin BL 12 inch MkVI guns | 12x Single QF-BL 6 inch guns | 16x Single QF-BL 4 inch guns | 12x Single QF-BL 2 inch guns in sponsons on the hull and superstructure | 6x 18 inch torpedo tubes

12 Pre-dreadnought battleships still in service, with two others modified into training ships, and another 8 turned into tender/depot ships
-2 Thunderer-class battleships
2x twin 17.7 inch muzzle-loading Mk1 guns | 4x Single 10 inch QF-BL guns | 12x single 8 inch QF-BL guns in sponsons in the hull | 8x Single 3 inch QF-BL guns

-4 Royal Sovereign-class battleships
2x twin BL 12 inch MkV guns | 8x Single QF-BL 8 inch guns | 12x Single QF-BL 4 inch guns in hull sponsons | 6x 18 inch torpedo tubes

-6 Impetuous class battleships
2x twin BL 10 inch MkVI guns | 8x single QF-BL 6 inch guns in hull sponsons | 16x single QF-BL 3 inch guns in hull sponsons | 4x 14 inch torpedo tubes

-15 Armored Cruisers

-67 Protected Cruisers

-23 Unprotected Cruisers

-12 Courier Frigates (Lightly armed and armored ships built for speed to deliver sensitive and confidential documents across the Empire. They are potentially the fastest ships ever put to sea)

-9 Breastwork Coastal Monitors

-And dozens upon dozens of miscellaneous ships from Depot ships, training ships, and collier/supply ships


The Navy also has access to the Marine Corps, which generally guards ships, ports, and other naval stations, can raid coasts, and has a few larger regiments with access to light and medium field guns, and Gatling guns.

The Imperial Army: Like the navy, is a professional force with modern equipment. It is generally smaller than the navy, with a maintend strength of just 200,000 soldiers and officers, though it is entirely professional. There are stockpiles and means of rapidly expanding the army in the event of a major war.


His Majesty's Aerial Service: The newest of the military services, the Aerial Service deals with airships. While airships are poor for general military purposes, they are useful for observation and other miscellaneous tasks. As such the Aerial Service is generally attached to either the Navy or Army command structure.

The Empire also has several secondary military formations that it can call upon to serve, they are as follows;

House Guards: Major nobles with the wealth and income to support their own House Guard generally do. The House Guards are a mish-mash of professionalism, standards, and equipment, each being different from the other. However, for House Guards to receive a stipend from the government towards their upkeep, they must maintain basic standards, allowing them to be integrated into the regular Army rather seamlessly for the most part.

Company Regiments: Trading companies are numerous in the Empire, and most will hire men to protect their ships or land based operations. The largest of these companies may well have entire regiments of men. Chief among these is the Al-Khair Trading Company, which supports many Army Standard regiments of infantry, cavalry, and even some proper modern artillery.

Between the House Guards and Company Regiments, there are roughly an additional forty thousand soldiers of wildly varying standards.

Non-humans are allowed to serve in all branches of the military, but generally cannot become officers. Women are disallowed to serve in the military for the most part, the only real exception to these are women or non-humans wealthy enough to form their own regiments thus earning themselves a colonelcy by default or serving in more lax House Guards or Trading Company forces.


History: The history of Sedna and the Empire itself can be traced back to antiquity, and the city-state of Tyrne. It is recorded that one of the ancient scions of the modern day House Lividivus-Rosewood, Arktheleon Lividivus the Dragon Slayer would embark on a decades long mission to rid the islands of what is today Sedna of dragons. Judging by the numerous skulls and other bones of dragons on display at the Imperial Palace that have been passed down the generations, it is presumed he succeeded in this mission. For several hundred years Tyrne would dominate the home island of Sedna in an early empire of alliance and domination, though this empire would eventually crumble with the islands reverting back to the control of various city-states and larger national entities.

As the ages went on Tyrne would grow into a genuine metropolis thanks to the wealth generated by its trade and development as a center of culture, learning, and economy. Its influence and control would expand gradually to neighboring cities and petty lordships. However it wasn’t until the renaissance that the idea of a united Sedna, as a single national entity, would begin to arise. With Tyrne as the dominant force on the home island, its royal family would embark on two centuries worth of expansion across the entirety of Sedna, both through conquest and peaceful integration via treaty and marriage.

Some of the more notable histories being the conquest of Eldon and its Isles, on the west coast of Sedna, who put up such fierce and determined, if limited, resistance that they were able to join the forming Empire with rather favorable terms. It was this war that made the leaders of Tyrne pursue a peaceful integration of the even heartier and more numerous clans of the Felan Highlands of the north. By 1650 the island of Sedna and many of its surrounding isles would be united.

The now united Sedna would then turn its attention abroad, expanding trade and its own reach at exceptional speed. In 1703 its Imperial House would inherit the lands of Alinia on the Continent, and with the merging of the Alinia Royal House with the Imperial one, it would form the Imperial House of Lividivus-Rosewood, and the lands would likewise be united, though there were concerns that Alinia would become a weakness to the Empire thanks to the lands being on the continent, where enemies could not be kept at bay by the power of the Sednan Navy.

The Industrial Revolution began in Sedna and kickstarted an era of industrial, economic, and population growth that has yet to subside, though it has slumped every now and then. It also kickstarted an era of increased colonization and Empire building that is still going strong to this day.

RP Reference/Links/Sample:


History:
RP Reference/Links/Sample:

[Sao Nova Europa]

I have completed my application. I might add some minor things in history once other apps have been completed and in consultation with those players, but I'm pleased with it currently.

[Great Confederacy of Commonwealth States]

Interesting…

[Tracian Empire]

Polity Name: The Sublime Abode of Achysia, სუბლიმე დიმორა დელლ'აჩისია (Sublime Dimora dell'Achisia), also known as the Realms and Lands of the Sublime Abode of Achysia or the Realms and Lands of the Exalted Radiant Crown.
Secondary/Informal Names: The Achysian Empire, the Realm of the Elder Sun, the Abode of the Sun and Serpent, the Radiant Crown
Flag(s):

Population: 88,000,000?
Territory Claim: Ideally something along these lines, though I am more than open to discussing it in the Discord server
Government Structure: Bureaucratic absolute composite monarchy
The Sublime Abode of Achysia is a personal union of various crowns under a single ruler, the Emperor and King, His Sublime Majesty, the King of Kings, in the Sun and By Its Will Emperor and Autocrat of Achysia, Apostolic King of Hyelodon, King of the Islands and Mainland of the Ocean Sea, King of the Worlds Beyond the Seas, Great Warden of the Internal Sea, Exalted Duke of Zathyria, Prince-Palatine of Regaldum, Prince of the Aylirian League, Forever Sublime and Serene, the Savior, the Faithful and the Blessed, Viceroy and First Servant of the Divine Rule on Earth, Defender of the Faiths, Commander of the Hosts of the Sun Throne, Great Custodian of the Holy City of Vathora, Servant and Blessed of the Haliarch, Refuge of the World, Light of the Morning Star and the Evening Star, Guardian of the Holy Flames, Grand Master of the Holy Order of the Eternal Serpent, Grand Master of the Holy Order of the Imperishable Flame, Grand Master of the Order of the Golden Dragon, Grand Master of the Knights of the Morning Star.

The Emperor, the Lord of Kings, regardless of his many titles, is considered to be divine in rule, and the living law, with all authority in the state emanating from him. His orders are absolute, limited only by the freedoms that he himself has granted to his realms and subjects. The state is united solely in the person of the monarch and in its armies, for otherwise the realms which form Achysia each have their own laws and governing bodies. The attempts to balance the freedoms of each realm with the necessities of imperial rule have led to the development of the bureaucratic Imperial Court, which serves as the de facto governing body of the empire. Led by the Magister of All Offices, the chief advisor of the Emperor, it is composed of ministers known as either Imperial Magisters or Imperial Counts, Each of these ministers is in charge of the departments, known as the Secretariates.

• The Secretariat of the Rays, led by the Magister of the Rays, responsible with the Imperial Post, Archive and functions as a de facto foreign minister
• The Secretariat of the Generality, led by the Magister of the Generality, responsible with taxation and revenue
• The Secretariat of the Treasury, led by the Count of the Treasury, responsible with managing the imperial treasury and the minting of coins
• The Secretariat of the Waters and the Paths, led by the Count of the Waters and the Paths, responsible with aqueducts and infrastructure
• The Secretariat of the Estates, led by the Magister of the Estates, responsible with imperial estates
• The Secretariat of the Flames, led by the Count of the Fires, responsible with the military
• The Secretariat of the Beyond, led by the Count of the Beyond, responsible with colonial affairs
• The Secretariat of the Fires, led by the Magister of the Fires, responsible with religious ceremonies
• The Secretariat of the Scales, led by the Count of the Scales, responsible with justice
• The Secretariat of the Fields, led by the Magister of the Fields, responsible with agriculture

Separate from these titles, all important officials are known as Counts, with the title originally meaning companion (of the Emperor), with five classes. All those who hold such a title are automatically members of the aristocratic order, but the title is not hereditary, nor is it considered to be an aristocratic title by itself.

While the bureaucracy exists to help the Emperor rule, the practical application of imperial rule in the realms is found in the Polysynods. Each realm has a Synod, a council, generally formed by aristocrats, in some, chosen by their respective Diets, in others, appointed by the Emperor himself. Each of these councils has specific attributions and in practice, either rule instead of the Emperor or ensure the application of his decrees. Notable among those is the Synod of Vathora, which represents the council of the imperial capital and is most often called upon to advise the Emperor, leading to it be it being known as the Imperial Synod.

Important realms which form the Abode are the Apostolic Kingdom of Hyelodon, the Exalted Duchy of Zathyria, the Princely Palatinate of Regaldum and the Principalities of the Aylirian League, while Yalrial and Vayerohin are Imperial Free Cities and are under the protection of the Emperor. The authorities of each realm cooperate with the respective Synod in governing their lands, raising the taxes for the monarchy, bring issues to the attention of the Emperor, and so on, but the Synods exist above or alongside the traditional power structures. The Kingdom of Hyelodon, as an example, is generally led by the Apostolic Diet, a parliament formed by the important land-owning hereditary noble families, while the Exalted Duchy of Zathyria has a Grand and a Minor Council respectively, with the former being elected from among those men who have the right to vote, and the latter being appointed by the Emperor from his position as the Exalted Duke.

Although efforts to streamline this have been made, the Synods and the Secretariats, and the Synods and the local authorities over clash due to their overlapping responsibilities, and with the exception of foreign affairs and the military, each state retains its own policies. Hyelodon, dominated by the landed aristocracy, has been lagging behind industrially, but is considered to be one of the continent's largest agricultural producers.

Political parties, or groups similar to them, do exist, even if they only have relevance in those realms which have parliaments, like Hyelodon and Zathyria. The most important of such groups is the Achysian Resurrection League, a nationalist and reformist group with support among certain parts of the nobility, the richer parts of the bourgeoisie and the younger officers, which supports a radical reformation of the state under a centralized semi-constitutional monarchy. They believe that Achysia's potential and the Emperor's powers are limited by the feudalistic remains of ages past, and that a unified country led by the Emperor and an Imperial Diet would be much more able to deal with the various issues that the Abode is facing. The Crown Protection Corps is a radical offshoot of the Resurrection League which advocates for the immediate suspension of all rights and charters and the centralization under an absolute monarchy and a military regime, and it has its supporters in the Aulic War Synod. The Democratic Constitutional Party is traditionally the oldest such force, and it has its centers in the Imperial Free Cities of Yalrial and Vayerohin, with great support among the bourgeoisie. It advocates for the reformation of the Abode into a federal, constitutional parliamentary monarchy. The Central Association is currently the largest force in the Diet of Hyelodon, and it represents the interests of the landed aristocracy of the realm, supporting the status-quo.

Religious Information: Achysia is religiously tolerant, with the only faiths being forbidden being those that would pose a threat to the imperial system a rule. Generally speaking, the state does not intervene in the religious affairs of its subjects, but the type of unofficial pressure made on people to convert varies based on where they live. Existing faiths are however required to pray for the Emperor, or to the Emperor, depending on whether the deification of rulers works for them. The main faith is the traditional human faith of southern Boreana, often known simply as the Faith, a polytheistic and highly ceremonial and ritualistic religion. Many deities are worshiped, and traditionally, foreign deities are brought under the umbrella of an already existing deity through a process of interpretation. The people consider that their lives, their well-being, and through extension also the well-being of the state depends on their faith, piety, and on the relations between mortals and gods. An accord, or divine peace, must be maintained through the correct rituals The most important deity for Achysia is the Sun, who is worshiped as Zalyal, the Exalted Sun, the God of the Sun, of Fire, and of Wisdom. The Emperor rules as his Viceroy on Earth, and maintains the Holy Flames, fire temples spread throughout the country by a specialized order of priestesses known as the Maidens of the Flames, and a religious entity known as the Haliarchy, led by the head-priest, the Haliarch. Other important deities are Maylia, the Goddess of the Dawn, of Life of Birth and Creation, the Herald of the Beginning, Aylal, the Lady-Most-Kind, the Goddess of the Twilight, of Death and of Decay, the Herald of the End, Zyraxes, the God of the Night, of Darkness, of Emptiness, Foolishness, Protector of Not-Being, Yaylia, She-of-the-Fire-Moon, the Goddess of the Moon, of the Hearth, of Home, Truth, and Family, and Herad, the Weaver of Golden Lies, Goddess of Trade, Trickery, Cunning and Exploration, of Strangers, of Far Away Lands, the Wealth Spreader.

Other important religions in Achysia include the Path of Orphia, who is considered to be an Augur and a Prophet by many, the worship of Aneria, the old Goddess of the Stars, Seas, and Trade, who is considered to be an aspect of Herad or a sister of Herad and Yaylia, and the Al-Zoroaste faith, that is often not practiced independently of the Faith. Faiths of the non-human minorities, like the Eltheirya or the Kammoreiya are present, mostly in the homes of their adherents, but the past few Emperors have been notable for sponsoring the opening of temples of other faiths in order to promote tolerance.

Social Information: Traditionally, the Abode has been a society of contrasts. Foreigners, both of humans and of other races, facing persecution abroad were welcomed in the cities of Achysia, where the xerayos, agreements between the Emperor and the cities, protected their rights, their culture, and their religion. While strongly focused on tradition, and almost divinizing its monarchs, Achysia has been historically known for adopting the cultural influences of others, which has always been its greatest strength. It was when this diversity was limited, in the past century and a half, because of the fear of revolt, that the Empire has also been dealt its greatest defeats. Despite that, Achysia continues to be relatively diverse, with an identity not focused on race, or nationality, but rather an old fashioned understanding of subservience to the Emperor - all his subjects are Achysians. Historical minorities of Dwarves, Elves and Faeries have been increasing as of late due to the developing industrialization of the cities, and Achysia also attracts human immigrants from other parts of the continent, particularly as the Abode is trying to deal with its own weaknesses by attracting foreign ideas.
At the same time however, the Abode has a strict social hierarchy. Commoners, Burghers, and Nobles alike are organized in ranks with specific requirements. Serfdom has never caught on in a country whose military backbone was formed on the communities of free peasants serving the monarch directly, and slavery, mostly relegated to the cities, was banned only a century ago. Social climbing, while difficult, is not unheard of, particularly through the military, which can grant aristocratic titles to good officers. The aristocracy, also, is not limited to humans - with the Achysian aristocracy, and the Imperial Family in particular, having a history of favoring Elven blood.

Military Information: The Imperial Hosts of Achysia, also known as the Imperial and Royal Hosts, are directly under the command of the Emperor, with a long and glorious tradition. Despite that, the past century has been one filled with defeats and with slow reforms. With great sacrifices, forced by the threat of collapse that once seemed to threaten the empire, the Hosts are being forcefully brought into the modern age, but the defeats of years past still stain their banners. Traditionally divided into two forces, now the Empire has three divisions in its organization.
First is the Host of the Lands, also known as the Imperial and Royal Army. The Emperor, from his position as Master of all Hosts, often delegates his military authority to an officer known as the Prefect of the Soldiers in the Presence, often compared to a foreign field marshal. Names aside, the reforms of the last few decades have attempted to maintain the traditions of the imperial forces but to bring them on par with those of its continental rivals. The Aulic War Circle is a permanent body that functions as a general staff, studying war and attempting to develop a new class of officers, and while the titles of those officers remain those of old, with generals being known as Prefects of the Soldiers, colonels as Military Counts, lieutenant colones as Military Dukes, great progress has been made in shedding the marks of feudalism and old bureaucracy, the influence of the aristocrats being replaced with the rise of meritocratic officers. The Ring of Command is part of the War Circle, and is formed by the highest ranking officers who advise the Emperor on military matters.
In terms of equipment, the Abode can match its rivals but is still not quite at the forefront of military development. Fanaticism can not overwhelm technology, a lesson that was learned with a field of defeat and dead bodies against enemy needle guns decades ago, but the Host still promotes its traditions, both military and religious, as a way to strengthen the espirit de corps and to promote bravery. Priests serve alongside regiments, often with holy icons, and each regiment can trace its lineage through the centuries. Recruitment is directly managed by the central government, with the exception of some areas, like the Free Imperial Cities, which manage their own requirement but must meet the quotas. Efforts have also been made to deal with the issue posed by the various dialects spoken throughout the Empire, with the imposition of the so called "Military Achysian" as the language of training and of officers.
The Host of the Seas, is the naval force of the empire. Historically, it has been quite up to the par with its rivals, precisely because it wasn't the focus of the Abode like the army was. Based in the Exalted Duchy of Zathyria, the main coastal region of the Empire, it was seen as the place for younger princes, second born sons of nobles, people who could not expect their lives to come through inheritance, but who had to forge out their own paths. Smaller in size that that of its rivals, and with a pretty small colonial empire to protect, the Host of the Seas never a proper world power, but it was strong enough to defend Achysia's interests and it managed to win the few necessary victories to ensure the end of the war which humbled its armies. With great efforts, the navy has maintained a spot in the naval arms race, developing pre-dreadnoughts, but has been thrown into chaos by the Sednian introduction of the Dreadnought and is scrambling to catch up.
The Host of the Heavens, is, despite its somewhat ceremonious name, the air force of the Abode, and like for many other nations, the newest service. It is, despite its youth, an independent service, a fact owned to it being headed by the Archduke, the heir to the throne, and it is mostly focused on airships and on balloons, with attempts being made to develop a system of scouting and information that would allow the empire to quickly communicate with its colonies and to quickly respond to attacks.
A few more forces exist outside of the general structure. The Circle of the Watch is the imperial guard unit, controlled directly by the Emperor and an elite military unit at the same time. The Messengers of Serenity, also known as the Magister's Men, or officially, the Circle of Serenity, under the Magister of Serenity, are the secret police of the Empire. They work both as an internal intelligence service, keeping track of rebels and extremists, as a foreign intelligence service, and they also control the Varyintai, a small military force that is used a gendarmerie in the main cities, and as scouts in times of war.
History:

• 700-600 BCE - the coastlines of southern Boreana are generally occupied by city states which trade throughout the sea and attempt to set up colonies in Ummhara. The rise of Yhyria, the strongest of these city-states, a militaristic land and naval power, leads to the creation of the League of the Serpent, an alliance of city-states created to oppose it. In the War of the Broken Dragon, the League of the Serpent eventually subdued Yhyria and became the strongest polity in southern Boreana.
• 600-300 BCE - the League of the Serpent expands throughout the southern continent and northern Ummhara, fighting costly wars against the native powers. More and more is delegated away from the Courts, the assemblies of citizens, to military rulers, known as Archons. The power of these military rulers scares the Courts, and an attempted coup d'etat is stopped in a short civil war, leading to the establishment of the Council of the Exalted, a body of 10 secret members, who ruled country while wearing masks. They were secretly chosen once every two years by a mechanism known as the Elector.
• 300-200 BCE - The Council of the Exalted becomes more and more oppressive in their rule. Kaeron, a popular nobleman and general, is declared an enemy of the state by the Council after he defeats a coalition of northern tribes, in turn he invades the League with his forces, portraying his conflict as a righteous rebellion against corrupted authority. The civil war weakens the country, and begins the War of the Two Coins, in which the League was invaded from the north and the south at the same time. Kaeron abandons the civil war and leads his forces against the invaders, and dies in the Battle of Orthyal, having saved the country. He is deified by the Faith, and his cause is continued by his two children, Daeron and Zyrial. Brother and sister, and twins, they make use of a prophecy which apparently foretold the rise of a pair of monarchs, and eventually defeat the forces of the council. They proclaim the beginning of the Orthyalian Empire, and marry, becoming the first of the deified pair of siblings to rule over the Empire.
• 200 BCE - 300 CE - the Empire continues to expand as it aggressively switched to a theocratic monarchy. Monarchs, belong solely to the ruling house of the Kaeronids, attempted to generally follow the example set by their founds, and married brothers to sisters in pairs, or cousins if not possible, attempting to both keep their divine blood pure and to have a pair of siblings or cousins ruling as monarchs. Power however began to slip from the monarchs to a caste of priests known as the Custodians, who were often related by blood to the Kaeronids but were outside of the main family. This however generally restricted intrigue and power plays to the capital itself, while the provinces of the empire were administered by pairs of civilian and military governors. The Orthyalian Peace ruled throughout the territories controlled by the empire, as the military strength of the empire grew ever more.
• 300 CE - 450 CE - Corruption began to eat away at the Custodians, while the Kaeronids, with centuries of inbreeding, began to show signs of medical issues, and more pressingly, of insanity. The fortunes of the empire rapidly declined, as the pressure along its borders grew stronger. Civil wars, unheard of during the previous centuries, and large rebellions, weakened the centralized hold that the capital had. Some of the old city-states of the League rebelled and became independent. In 400 CE, the Blight, swept through the Empire and killed almost 40% of its population. The capital was particularly hardly hit, and the line of the Kaeronids was severed. Three religious preachers and prophets, later to be known as the Three Augurs, had foretold that a disaster would hit the Empire if the incest and the false deification of the Kaeronids would not cease. The last of these Augurs survived the Plague and began a reformation within the Faith. The Custodians were killed and most of the capital burned down in a popular uprising, and centralized rule broke, bringing with it the end of the Empire. Zeryon, a military commander in what is today Achysia, proclaimed his independence and earned the support of the last of these Augurs, helping create the Haliarchy, the ruling body of this reformed Faith, in his capital of Vathora. The Centuries of Blood and Ash begin.
• 450-650 - Successor states and barbarian kingdoms end their fight over the remains of the empire, as the remnant in Achysia, led by the dynasty of Zeryon, with the support of the Faith, become the dominant power. In the War of the Rising Flame, Theyron the Great unifies most of the remnants of the empire and proclaims its recreation. His death however emboldens those who opposed him, and his son, Raythol, a lot more aggressive and less diplomatic, finds it difficult to oppose them and also causes unrest among his own nobility. He loses the decisive Battle of the Werdian Fields and dies during the subsequent withdrawal, hit by an arrow shot by either his enemies or his guards.
• 650-850 - The wars continue, with neither Achysia or its enemies able to achieve dominance. In 850, in the Meeting of the Golden Fields, the Achysian monarch and his main rivals come to an agreement, creating the Apostolic Orthyalian Covenant. The crown of its emperor was meant to circle among the leading monarchs through the generations, and an Imperial Council and Diet were formed.
• 850-1480 - the Holy Covenant continues to evolve and expand. Instead of the crown changing hands, the Emperor becomes an elected position, with the descendants of the monarchs in the Meeting of the Golden Fields becoming Holy Electors. The crown however mostly goes to the dynasty of Achysia, which retains considerable influence. Marrying into the other houses, cadet branches of the Zeryonids eventually come to control a lot of the Holy Electorates, essentially retaining the crown. However, in exchange for this, the Achysian monarchs were forced to grant more and more freedoms to the individual realms.
• 1480-1700 - with the beginning of colonialism, the Holy Covenant is involved begins to fight for the position of regional hegemon, heavily fighting against Hesperia and also attempting to enforce its rule in northern Ummhara, with mixed success. Initially unable to do much against Hesperia, the collapse of the Hesperian economy gives the Covenant the upper hand as it attempts to expand around what they call the Internal Sea. Later on, the Covenant attempts to fight against the rising power of Lecha.
• 1700-1866 - presumably some more big wars, and a continental one that leads to the Imperial Consolidation Decree and the eventual collapse of the Holy Covenant, reorganized into the Achysian Abode and its composite monarchy. Some modernization and some attempts at colonization, with the Covenant and later the Abode being large supporters of a continental, Borean system of diplomacy and balance of powers. Failure of this system and the rise of Sednan power and colonialism brings Achysia closer to the Tetrarchy. Industrialization begins in the proper age, but evolves slower than in other continental powers due to the opposition of the aristocracy and low government intervention.
• 1866-1872 - Succession crisis in Hesperia leads to a war between Hesperia and Sedna on one side, and the Tetrarchy and Achysia on the other. The Tetrarchy and Achysia invade Hesperia and mostly occupy it, while also dealing a few important blows to Sedna and occupying most of its continental domains. Navally however, the Sednan navy destroys the Achysian force, while the occupation of Hesperia becomes costly in both money and blood due to local opposition. A daring Sednan campaign occupies the two islands south of Achysia and lands a force in Achysia proper, the Achysian forces are greatly defeated in the twin battles of Lyodon and Jyahsar. Achysia calls for an armistice, and withdraws its forces out of Hesperia but refuses to concede. Sedna wins a few battles against the Tetrarchy, and Mercia threatens with intervention, while the Achysians and the Tetrarchy rally their forces. Unwilling to continue what had so far been the bloodiest war on the continent, the sides agree to peace. Achysia loses its two islands.
• 1872-present - the continental war was a great blow to Achysian prestige, as the ease with which Sedna was able to invade and to threaten the imperial capital itself overshadowed the earlier victories. A great program of military reform is organized with great sacrifices, including the adoption of new weapons, uniforms, and the creation of more military academies in order to increase the level and skill of officers, while the role of the aristocracy is limited. The state finally gets involved with the industrial development, pursuing great public works of factory development and infrastructure. Some reforms are conceded to those who call for further democratic developments, but no big political or administrative reform is organized. The current Emperor, Vaeron V, is considering the organization of a Extraordinary Imperial Delegation to discuss such reforms.
  
  

RP Reference/Links/Sample: Here

[Lunas Legion]

Polity Name: The Tetrarchy of Lecha, Aparia, Gronen and Roura and the Subordinate Domains, Vassals and Protectorates Thereof
Secondary/Informal Names: The Union of Four Crowns, The Tetrarchy Union
Flag(s): Here.
Population: 85,000,000 (loosely based off Imperial Russia)
Territory Claim: As per map in discord, full thing.
Government Structure: Federal Constitutional Monarchy

The Tetrarch (as the Monarch of Lecha, Aparia, Gronen and Roura is commonly known when acting not as ruler of any specific one) rules a union of four kingdoms, Lecha, Aparia, Gronen and Roura. As King of each of these kingdoms, they hold immense but not completely unrestricted power over mttters of rule and law; they are however restricted in matters of taxation by the Parliament of each kingdom, which holds the sole power to levy and collect taxes upon lands not directly owned by the monarch, and the Parliaments use this power to influence the decisions of the Tetrarch. The Parliaments are elected, but have wealth requirements to vote, and the electoral boundaries have not changed in several centuries allowing for the development of numerous rotten boroughs throughout the four kingdoms.

In addition there are a large number of sub-national entities of varying sizes and degrees of autonomy as dictated by ancient charters and contracts, primarily related to the raising of men for war and minimum levels of taxes contributed to the monarchy and/or parliaments. These are primarily various counties, duchies, margravates, grand duchies and princedoms, ruled by hereditary nobility, or free cities, typically ruled by democratically-elected mayors.

Around the Tetrarch exists a byzantine array of governmental offices and positions, often in duplicate for each of the kingdoms they rule as they are filled by members of the Parliaments, in addition to the members of their own royal household who often have overlapping and conflicting mandates with the governmental offices held.

Religious Information: Religiously, the Tetrarchy's population follows the Path of Orphia, a religious philosophy set down centuries ago by the martyred preacher Orphia. The Path of Orphia preaches that through following the Acts of Orphia, one may follow the path of Orphia and thereby obtain a place for their soul in the Eternal City rather than being consigned to oblivion. In addition to Orphia, five others, known as Pathwalkers, are venerated as having shown variants of the original path of Orphia that focus on specific virtues such as charity, humility, valor, justice or self-sacrifice. The faith is noted for being religiously tolerant, as belief in the path is not a prerequisite for following the path. Monasteries of those that choose to isolate themselves to pursue the Path exist, but many high-ranking members of the Path's priesthood, who are supposed to guide others along the path, own considerable land holdings compariable to members of the middle nobility.

Social Information: The Tetrarchy is considered to be rather backwards by the standards of Boreana; the majority of the population remain peasant serfs, and although cities have been growing and industrialising, this remains an extremely slow process. Peasant revolts are not unknown, although they are not common as the nobility of the Tetrarchy retain their own private armies to suppress such revolts. Nominally, all citizens of the Tetrarchy, including serfs, are entitled to some legal protections, but in reality most serfs are unable to access the courts to enforce these protections when they are violated. The populace of the Tetrarchy is almost entirely human, with the notable exception of the dwarven-majority realms of the mountainous west.

The nobility, who wield most of the power in the realm by making up the members of the national Parliaments, remain extremely suspicious of new-fangled inventions, fearing the upset to the established social order that they sit atop and as such attempt to carefully control the spread of new technologies.

Military Information: The Army of the Tetrarchy, formally the Union of Arms, is not a centralised force. Rather, it is a force formed in wartime from the joining of the four national armies of Lecha, Aparia, Gronen and Roura and the private armies of the Tetrarch and the other nobility, all of whom are expected to provide a force of trained and armed men at a set size who they are expected to command in battle alongside the professional armies of the kingdoms. Technologically, the army is considered backwards, if extremely numerous, and the fleet of the Tetrarchy is not worth mentioning due to its small coastline and the focus on the army.

Even with its recent defeat in war, the Army of the Tetrarchy has been slow to reform. Fundamentally, it is a force structured mainly for internal repression, internal political balancing and coup-proofing, not one designed to fight peer conflicts as recent history has showed. Each of the four national armies has, largely independently of the others, undertaken some degrees of reform and restructuring, primarily the introduction of paid comissions for officers instead of the highest-ranked aristocrat being in charge, although these paid commissions largely still tend to be aristocrats.

History: The history of the Tetrarchy of Lecha, Aparia, Gronen and Roura begins with the four eponymous kingdoms of Lecha, Aparia, Gronen and Roura. The four kingdoms were the largest powers in inland Boreana, alongside a slew of smaller states that often shifted in allegiance between one or another of the four main kingdoms, from Lecha in the north through Aparia, Gronen and Roura north to south. The four kingdoms formed from approx. 850 to 1000, but the limits of the administrative capacity of feudal government largely prevented them from absorbing many of the smaller states that became protectorates or allies to their larger neighbours.

Around the 1500s, through a relatively minor succession struggle against Lechan nobility the King of Aparia inherited the throne of Lecha, consolidating the two kingdoms. Such a shift in the balance of power of inland Boreana led to an uneasy alliance forming between a coalition of smaller states, Gronen and Roura, who disputed the Lechan Succession on behalf of the now-exiled claimant. The War of the Lechan Succession would last for two decades, eventually ending with a negotiated piece that established that Lecha's Sejm would continue to exist and would in all aspects except its King be independent of Aparia. Over the 1600s, the various smaller states were mostly absorbed by either the Dual Kingdom of Lecha and Aparia or Gronen and Roura. One of the last independent states, the Free City of Kazimir, after the death of its Lord-Protector was promised to the Dual Kingdom of Lecha and Aparia in his will, as the Lord-Protector was without heirs. This was bitterly disputed by both the merchant-nobility of the city and Gronen, and in 1667 the War of Kazimir broke out, ending a decade and a year later in 1678 with Gronen decisively defeated on the field of battle, Kazimir occupied and the army of the Dual Kingdom at the borders of Roura, which was promptly invaded. The King of Roura was defeated and surrendered on terms of abdicating solely his royal titles, but retained much of his lands in the former kingdom.

In 1689 the Tetrarchy of Lecha, Aparia, Gronen and Roura was declared, with the same liberties given to Lecha given to the kingdoms of Gronen and Roura. The inland nature of the Tetrarchy, along with its preservation of practices since abolished in other parts of Boreana such as a continuation of the autonomous powers of the nobility and serfdom meant it was very slow to modernise, only ever doing so reluctantly and at a glacial pace. Even the great Continental War, which saw the Tetrarchy fight alongside Achysia against a coalition of other powers saw its armies shattered and humbled provoked only the most reluctant reforms from the Tetrarchy which valued its internal stability over all else, including external threats which it believed could never conquer the whole of its vast country.

It now enters the 1880s a massive behemoth of an empire, a dinosaur of a state. Old, creaking, but so vast perhaps its own immobility and weight will hold it together yet.

RP Reference/Links/Sample: I believe you know of me.

[Union Princes]

Polity Name: The Empire of Hesperia
Secondary/Informal Names: Hesperia
Flag(s):

Population: 100 million
Territory Claim:
Government Structure: Constitutional Monarchy under Enlightened Despotism

Unlike other modern constitutions, the Zayas Constitution of 1444 was founded on the principle that national sovereignty rested on the person of the Emperor by virtue of divinity and loyalty to the people and land. However, laws of inheritance and succession were listed on a different document entirely and kept a private affair within the royal dynasty. Some of the powers of the Imperial Throne include

• Article 2 gave the Emperor the unalienable right to suspend or ignore provisions in the Constitution in its entirety
• Article 5 declares that the Emperor is the sole authority of military leadership. All military personnel swears direct allegiance to the Emperor, not the General Estates nor the Chancellor.
• Article 9 confirms that the Emperor’s commands (including Imperial Ordinance, Edicts, Rescripts, etc.) had no legal force within themselves, but required the signature of a "Minister of State" ie, any member of the Estates General or cabinet. Though these "Ministers of State" were appointed by (and could be dismissed by), the Emperor alone, and not by the Chancellor or the Parliament.

The Estates General is a bicameral house divided by the Lord Estates, represented by the nobility and aristocrats, and the Common Estate, represented by non-nobility such as the clergy, bourgeoise, and peasants. The Lord Estates operates as the upper house of the Parliament and is a hereditary position by law while the Common Estate is the lower house whose membership is drawn from national elections. The upper and lower house as a whole is responsible for the drafting and discussion of national laws.

Religious Information: Religiously conservative under a polytheistic pantheon through the millennium most, if not all, of the worship centered around one god, Oramor, a deity representing Money, Love, and Warfare. The names of the other gods forgotten by many save for theologians and historians. It is not hyperbole to say that Hesperians worship both Gold and God. Within the Cult of Oramor, the Inquisition serves as the church's private investigators, looking into cases of supernatural phenomenon and preventing the witch-crazed mass hysteria. Within the Inquisition are the Exorcists, who serve as the organization's paramilitary wing, armed with weapons and equipment to combat the supernatural and cryptic threats.

Social Information: Hesperians have never been too popular on the continent of Boreana: the men have a reputation for being covetous, violent, and lustful; the women are stereotyped as promiscuous and ignoble. The few positive portrayals in foreign media had them seen as passionate charmers, always witty and clever, and good-looking. Yet, if there was one grain of truth, it's that Hesperians are deeply religious and with strong martial traditions. Their communities and cities are the home of many of the most historical and gorgeous cathedrals, churches, and shrines while priests are common sights among the soldiery, passing battle prayers and blessings before each battle. Of course, because of their conservative worldview, "cosmopolitan" is not the right word when describing Hesperian cities while inhabitants remain wary and skeptical of foreigners which is ironic since there is a notable portion of the population is of mixed descent from the adventuring conquistadors and the various wives they brought back from their expeditions.

One of the notable tenants of Hesperian culture is the practice of polygyny. A recent reform was pushed by Emperor Janus I who wanted his 12 concubines to be recognized as his legal wives, making their children just as legitimate. His justification was derived from the canon lore of Oramor married to every goddess in the pantheon. While there is no official limit to how many wives a single man can have, the burden of organizing a wedding filled with festivities to honor Oramor, small quiet weddings are dull affairs in his eyes, meant that monogamous relationships remained widespread to save costs. As such, multiple spouses are widely seen as a status of wealth and prestige among the upper bourgeoisie and nobility. During the Era of Colonization, as overseas expeditions were defined by profit rather than military conquests, the conquistadors ended up outdoing many of the aristocrats. While the noblemen had on average between 3 to 8 wives, the conquistadors had spouses ranging in the double digits, brought over from the new continents they had explored and charted. Captain Herman Cortez reached mythic status when he came home as the richest conquistador in Hesperian history, with 33 females spouses from four different continents as proof of his terrific charm and service to Oramor.

Outside of marriage duties and good fortune, Oramor also demands prayers for battle from his worshippers; a boy does not become a man until he takes up the sword and fights. An outsider would be hard-pressed not to find a family patriarch that didn't have some previous experience in military service or a home without a gun hidden in a closet or under the bed.

The Industrial Revolution has taken Hesperia by storm as many cities formed throughout the empire, causing the population to boom. The circumstances had to lead to many social reforms to increase urban sanitation and education for the inhabitants as well as a growing consciousness for worker's rights and feminism.

Hesperian cuisine is made with mustard seeds, red oil venom, and death peppers. Reportedly, it burns twice as bad coming out as it does going in. As for dessert, the discovery and introduction of cocoa beans have led to the proliferation of chocolate culture in the empire. A tourist would be hard-pressed to find chocolate more sweeter, more delicate, and more experimental than anywhere else in the world. A candy made for the experience rather than mundane consumption.

Military Information: While currently not the most ideal military in the world, the army and navy of Herspenia are one of the oldest militaries in the world and remain the home of many military innovations that shaped warfare, even if those days are centuries long past. Despite the centuries-long decline in prestige and wealth, Herpsenia still maintains strong maritime traditions and martial prowess. What it lacks in quality, due to the brain drain of the nation's more talented officers, the army and navy make up for in quantity.

It currently boasts the largest volunteer army in the world, capable of mustering enlistees in the millions, while the navy ensures its status as a regional power. A Hesperian soldier looks no different from his conquistador ancestors 300 years ago save for a modern rifle and lack of greeves and gauntlets due to conservative views still clinging to traditional armor breastplates and helmets. The economic downturn had prevented the nation from taking full advantage of its martial potential. Currently, the army reforms have placed an emphasis on the bayonet and aggressive offensives.

• 2 Pre-Dreadnoughts
• 6 Armored Crusiers
• 8 Cruisers
• 30 Destroyers
• 18 Frigates

History: Modern-day nation-state was formed with the union of the Kingdom of Polemistis, Karpacia, Diota, and Callaeci in 1440 by the marriage of their respective monarchs, Queen Pyrrha, Queen Felicia, and Queen Irene to King Fernando II Zaya, who then proclaimed himself Emperor of Hesperia after conquering the kingdom Andalus. Twin princesses Mavia and Arwa Thunayan, the daughters and remaining heirs of the slain Sultan Faisal IV, were soon wed to Emperor Ferdnando II to strengthen his claim over the Andalus throne. The Union of the Five Crowns ended 700 years of Discordia in Hesperia, ushering in a new era of peace and stability unprecedented for its time. Though the royal polygamous marriage shook the Oramorite Church to its core, despite having absolute authority in supplanting every other religion in Hesperia, Fernados' son, Janus I, had far more of a silver tongue that allowed him to normalize polygyny among religious and secular circles finally.

Since unification, Hesperia grew in wealth and power following the discovery of the Eastern Hemisphere and the New World. The Conquistadores became the most iconic image of the Hesperian Golden Age as their expeditions drew in an unimaginable quantity of gold, silver, and platinum. These riches saw enabled the throne to fund numerous grand passion projects, building new monuments and artworks to legitimize Emperor Ferdinand's leadership and more importantly, combine the various peoples into one cultural identity. Whether by banning certain practices or syncretizing other customs, Emperor Ferdinand and his descendants were unrelenting in the pursuit of molding their empire into their image. The population boomed, new infrastructure was built and expanded, and for some time, Hesperia's wealth was the source of envy from other nations.

Unfortunately, the golden age did not last: Hesperia had acclimated so much gold and silver from the Conquistadors that inflation imploded the economy and set it on a century-long economic decline. With it came a decline in prestige as well as the great powers no longer feared nor respected the empire. To exacerbate the issue, an outbreak of the Black Death killed the entire royal family in 1750, throwing the succession into a crisis. Many claimants came forward from the various noble families but after much deliberation, the General Estates compromised on a solution that favored neither party in hopes of preventing a civil war. In the place of the Zaya dynasty, an Achysian noble was invited to form a new ruling dynasty. His legitimacy came from being a fifth cousin of the Zaya family.

Unfortunately for the new Emperor Carponio I Zeryos-Zaya and his descendants, the Zeryos-Zaya dynasty will be largely associated with stagnation and decay. His inheritance was rather untimely and much of the family's efforts were spent on fixing a sinking boat before they drown in it. After a hundred years of delaying the inevitable, Emperor Battista I abdicated the throne in 1866 as he chose the path to becoming a monk and rejecting the palace life. This unexpected turn of events threw the empire into another succession crisis as the General Estates chose to crown Prince Lawrence of Sedna as the new emperor. A choice that was not without consequences as Hesperia's neighbors, the Tetrarchy and Achysia, invaded and occupied the country. A tremendous humiliation for sure but it was a victory that soon turned pyrrhic. Although the army was decisively defeated in several battles, the remnants, together with vengeful civilians and militia, regrouped and launched a massive guerrilla campaign that made the occupation a massive drain of valuable money, soldiers, and equipment from the Coalition forces.

The withdrawal of Coalition forces was a sign of victory for the Hesperians but the damage was done. The Sednan dynasty in the Decade of Three Emperors oversaw a massive reconstruction effort to revitalize the dying empire. In some areas, recovery was faster than expected and in others, slower than was hoped but with Emperor Reginald I Lividivus on the throne, there may be a new era for peace and prosperity.
RP Reference/Links/Sample: https://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=514539

[Ovstylap]

Polity Name: The Kingdom of Holmstadt

Secondary/Informal Names: Holmstadt, the Northern Kingdom, The Land of Black and White.

Flag and Territory Claim: https://imgur.com/gallery/ZEVjvSU

Population: 55.5 million of all races.
47.3 million in the Homeland. 8.2 million in the colonies.
In the Homeland are 44 million humans, 3.1 million Dwarves, and the remainder a mixture of other races, predominantly Satyrs and Fairies.
In the colonies are over 5.95 million humans, 550k Kobolds, 480k Fairies, 470k Satyrs, 390k Greenskins, 355k Dwarves, and very small minorities of others.

Government Structure:
The Kingdom of Holmstadt is a Constitutional Monarchy with autocratic leanings, with Konungr Torgeir Arneson the monarch. The monarchs of Holmstadt rule by decree, but such decrees must be approved by the Kongeligt Råd, or Royal Council. The Ruling Council consists of the Ministers of State appointed by the Government, three royally-appointed advisors, three advisors appointed by the National Guilds, a representative of the National Labour Union, and a representative of the faith.

National Politics:
There is a unicameral House of Delegates with 410 of the 480 seats being voted for by Party List Weighted Representation. Men and women may vote, provided that they register every five years, with this typically costing the equivalent of three months wages for an unskilled labourer, as well as the cost of party membership to be able to vote for a party, and be direct tax-payers, which rules out a majority of the population. Voting at the national level is only for parties, which select their own Delegates. Of the remaining 70 seats, 10 are assigned to the National Guilds, 10 to the National Labour Union, 10 to the Church, and 40 to the Colonial Delegates- which are typically appointed via less democratic means. These 70 seats align themselves with parties according to the Delegate’s choice, with different rules and expectations depending on the background of their appointment. This has to occur between four and twelve weeks before the election, which delegates having to resign and another stood up if they change their minds on alignment.

180 seats must be secured to form a government, but more are required if there is an Opposition Coalition within 5 seats of the government size. If a majority is 255 seats or more is achieved, the Royal Council gains the right to veto a Royal veto.

This Parliament is currently heavily contested, as the Grand Coalition has recently broken, and there are major calls for a re-election, not due to occur for another three years, occurring. The coalition originally consisted of the Tillidsmand Parti (TP, Steward Party), Kongelig Parti (KP, Royal Party), and Det Konservative Parti i Holmstadt (DKPH, Conservative Party of Holmstadt), and Store Kejserlige Parti i Holmstadt (SKPH, Grand Imperial Party of Holmstadt).
However, the leader of the Tillidsmand Parti recently resigned in the wake of a scandal, and several members defected, leading to a leadership vacuum at the annual conference, whereby a rebellious proposal to dissolve the party ended up being passed, leading to more defections and resignations. In turn, the Royal Party left the Coalition, refusing to have the king associated with these scandals, leaving the Grand Coalition without a majority.

The Opposition Coalition includes the Frihedspartiet (FP, Party of Liberties), Den Pacifistiske Blok (DPB, The Pacifist Bloc), and the Landbofesten (LB, The Rural Party). Other Opposition Parties include the Nationalpartiet (NP, Nationalist Party), Det Liberale Parti i Holmstadt (DLPH, The Liberal Party of Holmstadt), Det Socialistiske Arbejderparti (DSAP, The Socialist Worker’s Party), and a number of minor and independent parties.

Current breakdown:
Government: 159 Seats (DKPH- 107 Seats, SKPH- 52 seats)
Former Coalition Parties: 104 Seats: TP- 49 Seats (of which 21 are now vacant), KP- 55 Seats
Opposition Coalition: 154 Seats (FP- 112 Seats, DPB- 24 Seats, LB- 18 Seats
Other Opposition Parties: DLPH- 32 Seats, DSAP- 13 Seats, NP- 2 Seats, Independents and Minor Parties: 9 Seats

The Parties

Political parties are a relatively recent phenomenon, with the first two forming in 1853, and a raft of newer parties forming in 1870.
Det Konservative Parti i Holmstadt (DKPH, Conservative Party of Holmstadt): Founded in 1853, the Conservative Party of Holmstadt finds some considerable backing from the nobility, senior officers, and domestic merchants, as well as a plethora of those who are in patronage networks with their supporters, or benefit from the protectionist policies advocated by the party. They favour a balanced budget, protectionist trade policy, and a primarily defensive posture, they also favour giving the colonies more autonomy in order to reduce their administration costs.

Det Liberale Parti i Holmstadt (DLPH, The Liberal Party of Holmstadt): Founded in 1853, the Liberal Party is more representative of the upper middle classes, as well as exporters and capitalists who seek foreign markets and cheap foreign goods. The Liberal Party has deep connections with the various colonial ventures, in order to bolster access to these. It favors government support of shipping and the navy, as well as free trade, and making the most out of the colonies, and as such favours a larger government and less defensive policy compared to the Conservative Party.

Kongelig Parti (KP, Royal Party): Founded in 1857, with support from various pro-monarchist elements in society, KP has long been quite an anti-democratic party, aiming to give more power to the Royal Council, and ultimately, back to the monarchy, in the belief that in the long run, party politics will lead to a divided society more focused on political differences than national unity. As such, they have surged in popularity in recent years.

Tillidsmand Parti (TP, Steward Party): Founded in 1865 from a number of independents and defectors, the Steward Party began to raise concerns such as long term food security, and the increasing amount of pollution, especially after outbreaks of Water Sickness in 1860, 1862, and 1863-4. The Steward Party favours a slower, more controlled system of urbanisation and industrialization, and advocates a mixed trade policy, protecting some industries whilst opening up others. It is overall quite moderate, and veers towards advocating a defensive policy. It has recently been racked by scandal and defection, and it some say it won't survive to the 1885 elections.

Frihedspartiet (FP, Party of Liberties): Founded in 1871, FP emerged from a major electoral defeat for the Liberal Party causing defections, and has harnessed great support amongst new members of the electorate- controversially arguing for reductions on the barriers to voting, and advocating increased rights and liberties for people- reading, the middle classes, as they become more and more prosperous. It essentially argues otherwise for similar economic policies to the Liberal Party.

Den Pacifistiske Blok (DPB, The Pacifist Bloc): Founded in 1872, this party has taken many by surprise, as it advocates for a much closer alignment with the Empire of Sedna, including a customs union and a defensive military alliance, and the dismantling of the coastal forts which are close to it. It ultimately argues for a major reduction in military expenditure, and a subsequent tax relief, as well as an expansion of the welfare state, and argues for a heavily peaceful approach, believing that economic integration, and no more war, is the most important thing for a better future.

Landbofesten (LB, The Rural Party): Founded in 1872 also, the Rural Party has primarily been a very focused party, primarily arguing for reduced voting restrictions for the peasantry, and extra votes for rural landowners, saying that their interests are greatly underrepresented due to the influence of the cities, yet these cities depend on the coal and the food from the rural areas. Rich landowners, and members of the nobility, as well as the burghers of some coal towns, have been known to give people grants in order to vote for the rural party. It favours protection of Holmstadt's argriculture, and is relatively pro-military due to its ties to the nobility, though is anti-conscription for the peasantry and coal miners.

Det Socialistiske Arbejderparti (DSAP, The Socialist Worker’s Party): Founded officially in 1876, after various smaller parties failed in the 1875 elections, DSAP merges a number of parties with extensive ties to trade and labour unions. Often, these raise funds in order to give grants to trusted members to vote when they can't otherwise afford this. DSAP has been building connections in the military amongst the enlisted ranks, and draws upon the support of many smaller businesses which struggle in the face of much larger conglomerates and foreign traders. It is thus a strange mixture of pro-civil liberties, pro-voting reform, wants a larger government, but is staunchly against the current government, despite having some ideological overlap.

Nationalpartiet (NP, Nationalist Party): Founded in 1878, and gaining two seats in the 1880 election, Nationalist Party is the youngest significant party (in terms of influence). Many members come from defectors, and exiles from other parties. It is staunchly anti-democratic, and relies on street politics to a significant extent. Where-ever the dissatisfied are, and whatever they are dissatisfied with, the Nationalist Party attempts to get them on side. They blame a combination of greed, selfishness, divisive party politics, decadence, a loss of moral values, and incompetency to be leading to a situation which will lead to national decline, and the loss of future wars and the colonies. They argue, in impolite terms, that power should be in the hands of a civil service loyal to a king with a backbone, and that government needs to confiscate a great amount of wealth from those who have stolen it from the nation. Ironically, despite some of the anti-capitalist leanings they share with the Socialist Party, since the Socialist Party is the other major street party expressing distress with the status quo, yet want to resolve this through greater democratization, their members increasingly clash.

Influential factions, bodies, and organizations which are of note in effecting domestic politics include:

De Nationale Laug- The National Guilds: These represent the capitalist, corporate, and business interests of the moneyed classes, and often have a significant influence over the interests of the urban middle classes. Major guilds include the Steelworkers, Coal Mining, Shipbuilding, Armaments, Grain, Carpentry, Gold, Bankers, Insurance, and Railway Guilds.

Den Nasjonale Fagforeningen- The National Labour Union: Created in the wake of the 1867-1870 years of unrest, this body in theory represents the working classes, but is more a means of preventing violent disturbance or economic damage, though it does advocate for better working conditions.

Kirken- The Church: At once the church argues for better and more equitable distribution of wealth, social justice, and the upholding of the rights of the people at large, but also condemns and criticises their vices, their greed, and their focus on worldly matters. The Church is particularly popular amongst the nobility, and the lower middle classes, but is often seen as a false ally by the impoverished, or as an inconvenience by the capitalist classes.

Militæret- The Military: Heavily influenced by the ideology of nationalism, and often leaning towards more protectionist and pro-colonial measures, the military resents the amount of democratic control over it, and is quite pro-monarchy, especially amongst the more senior ranks. It tends to push for a more independence-focused strategy.

Det Kongelige Universitet i Vesterhus- The Royal University of Vesterhus: A centre of both innovation, brilliant ideas, and dangerous ones, the Royal University of Vesterhus is renowned as being the only place in Holmstadt where speech is truly free, and advocates of everything can be found. They run frequent debates, and to be given a platform here is seen as a mark of legitimacy.

Adelen- The Nobility: Though the nobility has very little in terms of political power, they have a great amount of social currency, and often, economic power through their systems of patronage and owning of scarce arable land, and as such, tend to make sure what they do have, isn’t taken from them, and that their own personal missions, interests, and passions are pursued.

Embetsverket- The Civil Service: The professional civil servants, bureacrats, and state workers have their interests often aligned with the middle classes, stability, and long term economic growth with accompanying higher state revenues. Without their support, no policy will achieve its aims.

***
Område Politics- Regional politics, and local politics, are much more individual than party based, and have varying levels of democracy, typically never being less democratic than at the national level.

Religious Information: The Holmstadt Kirken, or Church of Holmstadt, is relatively unique in that it is more of a moral code which enables a peaceful and ordered society, and minimises social friction, with a limited theology other than this very teaching of right or wrong. There is a belief that there is an afterlife, where one’s actions influence how long it might be, and how good, before eventually that too peters out, unless one has lived very well, and thus might be born again. It is believed that in the afterlife, you can offer spiritual support to people, and even forgive them, and so it is common that good people of the community, as well as loved ones, are revered in death, with some even exonerated as Saints to be looked up to. It is believed that Saints have been granted an eternity in the afterlife, whilst the Blessed are those given another chance to live again.

Children are believed to be reborn if they die before puberty, or before they are brought into the world. Overall, the values and way of life the church encourages are:
Being dutiful, loyal, honest, kind, forgiving, compassionate, responsible, wise, moderate, and patient. It is against the vices of greed, idleness, lust, drunkenness, irresponsibility, ingratitude, cruelty, and arrogance.

The church at the national level has some political representation, with a representative at the Royal Council, and ten seats in the Parliament. It is organised into cantons, which are essentially areas of responsibility for local church officials, known as Canton Stewards. Individual churches have members, elders, and pastors. These churches have parishes, where they serve the local community.

Socioeconomic Information:

Polar Climate: For many centuries have the people of Holmstadt endured a cold climate, with arctic conditions often descending. This effects many things, but has meant that living with plenty was not often experienced by most of the people, and that both food and fuel have taken up most of the concerns of most people.
Culturally: There is a significant culture of generosity and hospitality, and likewise, gratitude and gift-giving.
Socially: Due to many experiences of shortages, there is quite a tendency towards authoritarian methods of organisation and keeping order.
Economically: As the land can be unreliable for food, or the weather can be reliable, food is often brought from the sea, and there it is common to store food for the long term.
Military Information:

Compassionate, peaceful faith: The church has gained some official political influence during the gradual shift away from absolutism. It is seen as a bastion of gradual reform and adjustment to the status quo, whether politically or economically, as it rarely advocates severe changes, but instead encourages responsibility from individuals, families, and in local areas; to act in an upright and fair manner.
Culturally: Many people are involved with the faith, but without much theological consideration, it is more about living a moral, amicable, ordered life.
Socially: The ruling and most powerful have been able to sometimes suppress dissent since they can criticise how people attempt to bring about changes, rather than address their concerns.
Economically: The church provides a localised system of welfare, and also contributes towards health and education. This alleviates some of the necessity for the state to do this, but also exacerbates regional inequalities, as a poorer parish can provide less for those in the parish who are not as well off.

Historic tradition of keeping the peace, and upholding order: The nature of Holmstadt means that many people have primarily been concerned by everyday needs, but urbanisation and industrialisation have placed this under tension. This means that when violence does come about, it either leads to a major backlash, or significant changes, as seen with the unrest of 1867-1870.
Culturally: The new creation of political parties, increases in civil liberties, and the rise of unions mean that people are using these as outlets, rather than remaining silent, but frictions are also being exposed.
Socially: There is a risk that these new ways of airing grievances, are undermining social cohesion, and this also has the effect of making those with nationalistic sentiment, less democratic, undermining patriotism at large.
Economically: If riots, looting, and disorder occurs, there is a very strong backlash, as this is rare, and hard to afford.

Relatively limited number of urban centres: Much of Holmstadt is sparsely inhabited, with cities and towns predominantly along the coast, or at junctions of rivers, roads, railroads, or by coal deposits- several towns have arisen predominantly due to newly established coalmines.
Culturally: The coastal towns and cities are the centres of commerce and exchange, and the spread of ideas. There are many jobs here, or at least people think so, and so they are expanding considerably.
Socially: As the towns grow, problems of squalor, pollution, petty crime, disease, and vice rise, and inequalities grow.
Economically: Most of the tax revenue comes in from the ports, or the towns where resources are extracted, and as such, the rural areas tend to be left more to do their own thing.

Economic Points:
Staple foods, crops, and livestock: Wheat, Barley, Potatoes, Spinach, Kale, Collard Greens, Turnips, Parsnips, Carrots, Onions, Beets (including Sugarbeets), goats, hardy sheep, mountain ponies.
Resources produced and available for export: Fur, Lumber, Coal, Coke, Charcoal, Sulfur, Salt, Seafood, Ink, Products from Seals and Whales
Resources produced for domestic use: Copper, Gold, Iron
Resources produced in the Colonies: Sugarcane, Rum, Tea, Coffee, Gold, White Leaf Tabac, Tobacco.
Import Demands: Flour, Grain, Luxury Goods, Cloth, Paper, Clothing, Wine, Tea, Coffee, Liquor, Tropical Fruits

Notable Economic Points:
Coffee is prohibited for domestic consumption due to a law passed in 1805 following the death of Prince Jon Williamsen, who’s heart stopped working after he drank a lot, and his father was distraught.
Opium and Cannabis are illegal as of the laws of 1831 and 1837.

Military Organisation

Overview
De Kongelige Væbnede Styrker i Holmstadt, or the Royal Armed Forces of Holmstadt, are divided between the following:
1) Den Kongelige Flåde af Holmstadt, or the Royal Fleet of Holmstadt;
2) Den Kongelige Hær af Holmstadt, or the Royal Army of Holmstadt;
3) De Koloniale Selvforsvarsstyrker, or Colonial Self Defence Forces.

The Royal Fleet of Holmstadt currently possesses:
1 Protected Cruiser launched in 1869, Skib af den Kongelige Flåde Bestemt (Ship of the Royal Fleet Determined)
2 Scout Cruisers, launched in 1877 and 1879, SKFs Hurtig and Snu (Swift and Cunning)
7 Unprotected Cruisers, 1881 (Mod- Courage), 1880 (Tapper- Valiant), 1878 (Rasende- Furious), 1871 (Præcis- Precise), 1870 (Modig- Stalwart), 1868 (Spærreild- Bombardment), and 1867 (Rejesende- Traveller) and 1860, (Opdager- Discoverer).
Several frigates of various ages, and around three dozen smaller or auxiliary vessels are also owned.

A Naval Academy, School of Gunnery, Two Arsenals, a Drydock, and four Forts are also owned. A total of 24000 Officers and Sailors are owned, as well as some 8500 other personnel, mostly in shipbuilding and procurement, are also employed.

The Royal Army of Holmstadt consists of:
3 Regiments of two battalions, of Konungrs Musketerer, or King's Musketeers, which are primarily for organisational purposes, as they operate in companies, in addition to the Krone Battalion (Crown Battalion). 4670.
18 Regiments of the Guard. 2 are Artillery, 5 Cavalry, 11 Infantry. 27,000.
7 Regiments of Frontiersmen. 10,200.
8 Regiments of Borderers. 8800.
9 Regiments of 3 Battalions. 2 Cuirassier Regiments, 3 of Lancers, 3 of Dragoons, 2 of Hussars. 9900.
41 Regiments the Line, each of 2 Line Battalions, 1 Reserve, and 1 Depot. 98,400
4 Battalions of Rocket Artillery. 2000.
8 Independent Logistic Regiments, of which 3 have 3 Battalions, the rest 2, and a further 5 independent battalions. 16200.
2 Armoured trains. 800.
3 Siege Trains. 5000.
15 Independent Fortress Battalions. 9750.
7 Independent Medical Battalions. 4130.
2 Military Hospices, 4 Hospitals, 3 Convalescent, and 5 Retirement Homes. 3000.

The following are other military institutions run by the Army. 1500.
Det Kongelige Militærakademiet Binderhus (1747, The Royal Military Academy Binderhus)
Skolen for Skydning og Rifler (1809, The School for Marksmanship and Rifles);
Den Kongelige Skole til Perfektion af Brugen af Kanoner (1689, the Royal School for the Perfection of the Use of Cannon);
Konungrs eget Akademi for Militær Arkitektur (1715, the Kings Own Academy for Military Architecture);
Det Kongelige Akademi for Krigshistorie, Studier og Fremtidsudsigter (1837, The Royal Academy for War History, Study, and Prospects);
and Kongelige Grunde til Forberedelse af Krigsheste (1743, the Royal Grounds for the Preparation of Warhorses)

There are a total of 201,350 personnel.

Konungrs Musketerer or King's Musketeers, were founded by decree of Konungr Christoffer I, in 1653, originally as bodyguards and agents of the crown, but overtime, they have gradually expanded to their present strength of seven battalions. Typically, they are based and act as companies, as the ultimate executors of the Konungr's will. They are the most loyal, and steadfast of persons, and often are entrusted with various important or secretive tasks. A Musketeer is often recruited from the Guard, or by recommendation by various officers, nobles, or fellow musketeers. Often, candidates failing officer selection, often due to academic reasons, are offered the chance at training to become Musketerer. Indeed, many who serve as couriers, guards to ambassadors and dignitaries, or other servants of the state, or who act as agents of the state and crown, are indeed of the Konungrs Musketerer.

Each battalion consists of five line companies of 93 enlisted and 7 officers. Each battalion also has four further detachments of 2 officers and 18 other ranks, for Musketerer training, specialist training, armoury, and supply, as well as a further headquarters detachment of 12 officers and 28 other ranks, making a battalion have a strength of 55 officers and 565 other ranks, a total of 620 men, which is a higher proportion of officers than seen in most units. There are thus 385 officers and 3,955 other ranks, in addition to the various additional regimental units and wider parts of the Musketeers, adding an additional 34 officers and 296 other ranks. This makes a total of 419 officers, and 4251 men, for a total of 4670 Musketeers.

The Guard The Holmstadt Guard consists of 18 regiments, of which there are two artillery, five cavalry, and eleven infantry regiments. They are organised in the 1878 style, akin to the rest of the Army, though the Artillery and Infantry regiments have a higher number of gatling guns than is commonly seen, and there are additional supporting elements. The cavalry regiments consist of two regiments of cuirassiers, one of lancers, one of dragoons, and one of hussars.

To be a Guardsman, one must have an unblemished military record, though exceptions are granted, references and recommendations, and have served either for five years, or at least one campaign season with major contact, or two seasons without. Often, the finest elements of annual recruits and conscripts are highlighted for possible guard training, and typically end up being arranged in the oldest of the Line Regiments or respective units, often in their own companies or detachments, ready to meet the criteria for joining the Guard.

Frontiersmen and Borderers
These troops tend to be either light infantry or light cavalry respectively, and have their primary use in border security, raids, operations outside of open battle, skirmishing, and the like. Their equipment, uniform, and organisation, are much more diverse than the Regular Army.

The Martinsen rifle, designed by Ebbe Martinsen (1833-) was adopted in 1868 as the new service rifle of Holmstadt's forces, and all regular units have either been equipped with the model 1868, or the bolt-action modification known as the Martinsen-Bach, or Embach as it is colloquially called, with was adopted in 1875. It fires a 11x59mm cartridge, with a muzzle velocity of 470m/s.

Mass 4.2 kg (9.3 lb)
3.6 kg (7.9 lb) (cavalry)
3.2 kg (7.1 lb) (Artillery)
Length 1,310 mm (52 in)
1,175 mm (46.3 in) (cavalry)
995 mm (39.2 in) (Artillery)
Barrel length 795 mm (31.3 in)
680 mm (27 in) (cavalry)
490 mm (19 in) (Artillery)

De Koloniale Selvforsvarsstyrker, or Colonial Self Defence Forces.
These forces are controlled by the respective colonies, and typically include a cavalry half-battalion, an infantry regiment, a fortress battalion, and a handful of vessels. In total they number around 35000 men, in addition to any additional local or auxiliary forces that can be raised.

This is for app acceptance, I am happy to expand on things or add new bits following discussions with others if necessary


5000BCE- Humans begin to move slowly into the areas now comprising Holmstadt from the South-West, but only in small numbers, as the climate cools.
3000BCE- Human settlements of a handful of families now exist as people begin to settle, primarily in hunting-based communities.
1000BCE- Agriculture begins to take hold, travelling from the South and South-West
500BCE- A mixture of types of human inhabitation occur- there are semi-nomadic groups, hunter-gatherers, permanent agricultural settlements. Seal-hunting and other forms still sustain many settlements.
300BCE- The language of Holmi (pronounced Whole-My), sees its writing proliferate
200BCE- The technology of boat-building increases in pace, as trade and expansion grow
50BCE- By now, the vast majority of people in the area use iron instead of other tools
200- Population growth accelerates during a warming period, as well as the spread of agricultural techniques, and access to iron.
450- Several settlements exist primarily by raiding others to sustain themselves.
589- The first raids along the coast of what is now Sedna occur.
600-953- A period of raids, wars, and political consolidation, as jarls rise and fall. Finally, as a dominant polity from Sedna defeats a great invasion, a period of civil war begins.
1100- The great infighting has led into a dark age, and it is only be 1100CE that peace begins to rise.
1200- The heartland of Holmstadt is united under a decentralised realm led by a Konungr.
1250-72- The Anarchy.
1273-1278- The Consolidation
1279-1357- Gradual expansionism north and north-east, occupying new islands and the like.
1459- A majority of what is now Holmstadt is now owned under a single ruler.
1524- The first of many colonies is established.
1600-1604- A series of short and decisive wars against neighbouring powers, bar Sedna.
1500-1770- A period of economic expansion, continued expansion into cooler climes, and gradual colonisation.

The Rittermann Expeditions, courtesy of OP:
1818-1821CE: The Rittermann Expeditions into Arctorea. The Holmstadter explorer Heinrich von Rittermann carries out an expedition into Arctorea in 1818 and returns the same year with success in mapping up to the 'Western Bite,' which is a large set of fjords that now correspond to the North-Eastern terminus of Holmstadt territory. This is followed by a second expedition due north which leaves and returns in 1819 with success in mapping out a five hundred and eighty-three kilometer route into Arctorea. But notes it is just 'The Endless White.' A third expedition, this time more heavily financed, is launched in 1820 to North-by-North-West and reportedly, on the return of the Expedition, reports about a possible artificial structure over seven hundred kilometers North of where Boreana ends and Arctorea begins. Supposedly, some members of the expedition ventured 'inside' but never returned and the details of Rittermann's journal are sparse. With harsher weather setting in and a need to head back South. The fourth expedition, with a fifth already planned, was to traverse the coast and round the 'Western Bite' is viable. The expedition heads out, like the previous ones, in March and is due to return in late December. Their route mirrored by a pair of Holmstadt ships carrying extra supplies following along. Here, it was reported that the Western Bite had been rounded and the Expedition heading along a gradual bend in the coast till they reached a second, smaller, 'Eastern Bite'. But a harsh fog blew up and obscured the land which forced the ships to break for open water or risk running aground or become damaged in ice-flows. When the fog cleared the ships moved up the coast in the expected route Rittermann was to take, with periodic forays by boat teams, but all they found was doused firepits every days worth of travel until on the fourth day they found circles of objects sticking out from the snow. To the sailors horror it was the bodies of the expedition.

They had been buried as to be planted upside down, de-clothed, with their muskets, harpoons, and poles for sleighs, and so forth shoved into their rectal cavities like makeshift grave markers. The camp itself was located nearby and seemed to have been deliberately abandoned in a hurry. But no evidence of who attacked them and why was learned. The sailors tried to recover the bodies but a since of unease and feeling of being watched had settled over the men and so they abandoned their efforts and returned to their vessels which swiftly departed back to Holmestadt.

1789-the Present, approved by Sedna

1789-1828 is something of a golden generation, with advances in education, flourishing of culture, and touches of industrialisation and increases in food production. 1833 sees however a brutal polar storm in May, which leaves great frosts, and cripples the harvests of that year.
In 1834 swine flu comes through the country, and great amounts of livestock are killed. 1835 sees temperatures plummet again, leading to increases in coal mining, and reduced harvests. This leaves limited seed grain for 1836, and there is a greater focus on food imports and growing potatoes. It's a hard farming couple of years, when in 1839 potato blight spreads. 1833-1842 is thus a very hard decade, leading to all sorts of social issues, rises in food prices, emigration to the colonies and Sedna.

In 1845 there is an economic crisis, and though the colonies are maintained, they have to have less government support, and Sednan business interests start investing, by which I mean buying up, companies.
In 1848, resistance to budget cuts and the like sees a mutiny, and military support for the growing constitutional movement. Unrest spreads, and in 1849 the Konungr, refusing to step down, takes his own life for the good of the country. A constitution which had been drafted in 1846, is amended, and rapidly passed by the new king. 1850, Holmstadt becomes a Constitutional Monarchy, with increasing economic reliance on Sedna.

Gradual recovery, growth of economy, coal production increases, and in 1863-4 major loans are taken out from various Sednan interests, and the government, and a defensive alliance is signed.

In 1866 when the war begins, even though it's offensive, Sedna has ambitious plans and calls for aid and offers extensions/annullments of the loans, and Holmstadt enters the war. To enable Sednan expeditions, Holmstadt increasingly takes on the burden of the land war, but is pushed out of Sednan mainland territories.

A period of unrest between 1868-1870 is followed by a counter-attach seeing Holmstadt forces prepared to launch an offensive to regain Sednan territories, but this is ultimately unecessary and only sees a limited start before negotations are included. Significant military reorganization and reform occurs, as well as economic recovery, and a closer formalisation of ties with Sedna.

RP Sample

"Get your filthy hands off of me you f-" the man's shouts and cries were suddenly silenced as the man attempting to rob him suddenly let go and fell, limp, to the ground. For a few seconds his body moved slightly, before he gradually began to regain control of himself, and slowly attempted to get to his feet. By that time, there was a man wearing a slightly dirty white uniform, with KSOMPO displayed on the dark stab-proof vest the man wore. Kingfisher Security Officer for the Maintenance of Public Order. The man had a myriad of equipment with him. He wore a tactical belt, which one might almost consider a shooter's belt, if they were familiar with such from their conscription time in the Sud Afrikan military. Attached were a holster with a sidearm, a taser, a first aid kit, and a number of other items. A baton hung from his belt too. He turned a small dial on part of his vest, and magnetically attached the CPT08, or Chemical Pacification Tool, Model 2108, made in KICKK's Perth Manufactory Complex, to himself. He assisted the previously limp man to his feet, and placed a firm hand on his shoulder.

"You were tranquilised in order to prevent further harm coming to either of you, and I have reason to believe that you were caught in an act of armed robbery. The near-victim picked up the shank that had fallen to the side as the attacker, now looking fearfully at the ground by the KSOMPO's feet, and handed it to the officer. A Sud Afrikan policeman who had been alerted to the incident by a communications device the KSOMPO had used helpfully arrived within a few moments, having used an electric squad car to come along. He took the shank, and placed it into an evidence bag, and handed the KSOMPO another set of plasticuffs as he took hold of the arrested man. The KSOMPO used his body camera to take a quick interview with the victim, and then wished him a good day before continuing with his patrol. The white uniform reflected the intense heat, but he was still sweating due to the weight of the equipment he carried. He had opted not to go for some of the heavier kit some of his colleagues carried, but also didn't go for what he called the 'soft touch' loadout which the occaisonal new Australian personnel often used with their focus on 'community relations,' that was until they saw how messed up things could get in East Africa.

That said, things were seeming to get better. Food remained, as always, a consistent problem, but now there were the forces in place to isolate violent disturbances to order, and Kingfisher Security had been taking less and less casualties. It was strange- on the one hand it was good for the people of East Africa that there was now an organised system of governance in place, and he and his colleagues had more hopeful, successful days, but at the same time, he wasn't getting that same rush of adrenaline one got, suppressing a riot here, breaking an organised criminal ring there, intercepting a drugs boat over there, or running down violent criminals through the slums of any number of urban sprawls which had once been distinct towns and locations. Still, at some point the conscripts would have to go home he thought, so at least the income should remain steady.

Like a number of his other KSOMPO colleagues, he wondered what the actual payment from Sud Afrika to KICKK would be, and was looking forward to his bonus later this month.

[Benuty]

[Great Confederacy of Commonwealth States]

A work in progress still, but also a claim.

Polity Name: The Kingdom of the Ja'aNari
Secondary/Informal Names: Ja'aNari, Djanari (simplified), Dizili (exonym), Cis-Amorenia (exonym)
Flag(s): The Ja'aNari don't use a flag for the combined polity, through it is often represented by the colour white.
Population:
Territorial Claim:

General Description: The Kingdom of the Ja'aNari reaches from its southern shores on the Indyc Sea, through the arid hills of its coastline, past the subtropical savannah, up to the banks of the Ahmohr river, which forms its northern border. The people here live different lives according to different customs, but are united by a shared cultural and social heritage, strengthened by economic bonds. The cultural ties of these people bind them together closer than ethnicity or race, which much to the astonishment of Borean scholars and travelers, is not a primary line along which the population is divided. Satyr, dwarves, greenskins and humans, both recent immigrants and those with histories going back centuries, live side by side across the kingdom.

Most well known to foreign travelers are the great garden cities of the coast, which still provide shelter to travelers attempting to navigate the monsoonswept Indyc waters. Fertilised by satyrwood, these cities provide their own food through a massive system of rooftop farms, irrigated through a complex system of aquaduct-fed canals. Unlike the arid hills surrounding them, these cities are cool and there is water to spare. Providing water, along with protecting the trade routes to the north which provides satyrwood, is the main charge of the kings of the southern cities, the Ja'aNari. These population centres are the economic hubs of the region and therefor project power deep into the interior.

The connection between the far jungle and the interior is formed by a web of semi-navigable rivers, hilly trails guarded and cared for by the hilldwarves, and the great human and greenskin caravans. The inland road is rocky and dangerous, requiring skilled and trained guides in order not to get lost. The further north you go, the denser the plant life becomes, and the more dangerous animals there are. For those who want to travel beyond the jungle edge, a greenskin guide is essential, for they know better than anyone the fauna and how not to anger the animal spirits. The hills and savannah are interspersed with settlements of varying sizes, the largest being waystations along the rivers, sometimes smaller versions of the southern garden cities but noy as great.

In the far north, the bordes does not so much stop as fade away. Allied greenskin tribes, clans, dukes and warlords rule over the second wonder of this kingdom: the multi-storey cities of the greenskins. Rope bridges link homes built against trees, inside trees, on the forest floor and in the canopy, all connected to the towering Black Oaks that form the lifeblood of these communities. The greenskins are skilled multilevel agroforesters, a practice for which they use satyrwood, the excess of which they export south in exchange for finished and exported goods from the city. It is known that the greenskin trade routes reach far into the jungle itself, to the fabled jungle pyramids where their gods are supposed to live, but that is where the communality of the Ja'aNari ends: only greenskins are able to treck those dangerous paths, and they do not bring along outsiders, mostly to protect those outsiders. The goods they bring back from inside the jungle, however, are prized trade goods and found nowhere else in the world.
Government Structure: The Ja'aNari have various different systems of governance weaving through one another; sometimes working parallel, other times working in opposition. The most ostentatious display of power is held by the kings of the Ja'aNari cities. These women are the pinnacles of wealth within their cities and have grown over time into keepers of the peace, meaning their task is to uphold the laws. They are not free to make these laws, however. The Ja'aNari are governed by the Elder Laws, a divine set of codes which were laid down with the foundation of each city, and which are slightly different for each city. These Elder Laws are interpreted by a sect of judicial monks especially trained for the purpose from a very young age. It is the duty of the kings to ensure the Laws are upheld within their realm and reach. Should they lose that authority, it is a symbol that they have lost divine providence and must be replaced, oftentimes with the help of outside monarchs. Inside the cities, the power of the kings is further curtailed, both by the queen (who can be either male or female) and the City Court, which is headed by the queen. The city court represents the various interests from within the city and is invariably controlled by the merchant class. Outside the walls of the city, however, the king holds absolute sway, as does her responsibility. Here, the caravans provide a dual purpose; they transport goods and people across the rugged interior, but every caravan is accompanied by law-giving monks, who speak justice wherever they go. Communities in the interior can wait for weeks or sometimes months for a judging monk to visit and solve their legal disputes.

The relationship with the greenskins is more complex, and governed by a set of treaties which set out the relationship between a given city and a greenskin representative, oftentimes a chieftain or warlord. Because multiple of these warlords can live in the same city, and a warlord can also control multiple cities, the network of treaties is ever-changing. This is where the centralisation of the kingdom began, when King Ghadara took upon herself the mantle of King-Chancellor, making treaties with the greenskins on behalf of the other cities. Unbeknownst to them, this gave the king unchecked economic power, which she used to wrest political control over the other cities. While not perfect, and still relying on the local nobility, the King-Chancellor remains a peacekeeper among realms; both an authority and a responsibility. The King-Chancellor is a primus-inter-pares too, and a diplomat between kings, as well as between kings and queens, lending her a moral weight as well.
Religious Information: There is no organisation within the Ja'aNari that can be classified as an organised religion. While religious beliefs differ among cities and groups, the people of Ja'aNari generally believe in a single all-encompassing but apersonal presence, a divinity that cannot be anthropomorphised. This divinity has a personal relationship with every being, and changes 'personality' according to the individual needs of its adherants. The being is omnipresent with people, but it is not all-knowing nor is it all-powerful and its attempts to aid people is limited. It exists within the world, not outside of it, but it is fundamentally benevolent and kind, and equally loving of all its children. Worship happens through private contemplation, and there exist no real temples to this religion. Its 'priests' are those who try to be earthly agents of the divinity through helping others and through aid, seeking to fully understand not only the people they seek to help but also the world around them. Priesthood is not gatekept, and many poets, artists, writers, scientists and doctors count themselves as priests, although they know that everyone knows their part of the divinity better than anyone else could. Those who think they understand the divinity better than others gather in secluded, and often violent, cults that seek political power in order to shape the world according to the 'will of the divinity', though their views have little purchase in broader society. In the absence of organised religion, monastic societies have risen around more secular interests, such as wine making, law, and other professions, which have a semi-religious devotion to their craft rather than a diety.
Social Information: WiP
Military Information: Warfare differs throughout the kingdom. The southern cities are mostly naval powers, with the rough terrain of the hilly coast providing little resources for marching armies to consume. Warfare here has evolved into a largely bloodless affair of manouvre, with land armies developing intricate martial dances in order to prove to the enemy that they are better-trained and more numerous. Full-on battles are rare, as the walled cities are not easily conquered, and even when conquered might lose all their value through devestation since they are reliant on their intricate aquaducts for agriculture. So, wars are fought over other matters, such as honour, small territorial disputes or legal disputes, for which commanders would not risk their armies in combat, especially since there are other cities that would take advantage of them. Even nowadays, with armies equipped with muzzle-loaded rifles, the fight is not so much about firepower as it is about careful showing of bayonet drill and professional musketry, as well as cavalry shows. While these 'battles' do happen, actual combat deaths are often relegated to small skirmishes.

Much different is the style of the hill people. The caravans and Elephantines (greenskin caravans consisting of an elephant heard with riders) are defended by men and women trained with personal firearms. These firearms are made from foreign gun parts, sometimes bought but oftentimes captured. Dwarven crafters, known for their skill through experience since they suffer less from ageing, attach these parts to self-made barrels and stocks, and transform them into heavily personalised pieces of art that focus on accuracy and skill rather than mass of fire. No two of these crafted rifles are alike, and each has different characteristics. These jezails are handed from parent to child, and every nomad worth their salt has a weapon like it, with which they train regularly. It is the fear of these hill nomads, rather than the fear of the city armies, that dissuades many would-be invaders, since the cities are practically worthless without the caravans and their inland trade routes. And the nomads would rather die than serve a master not of their own choosing.

Further inland are the greenskin warparties. They are known for riding the large Phantaurs, elephants as high as buildings with large howdahs on their backs. These form the centre of any greenskin army in these parts, and they are supplemented by mobile riders on various animals, including wolves, hyenas and, rarely, big cats. They use old lever-action rifles traded either from the cities or from the trade routes scattered throughout the jungle, giving them access to weapons once sold half a continent away. If necessary, they will retreat into the forest, where they are known for vicious guerilla warfare using both traps, knowledge of the train and local flora and fauna to destroy invaders. Because of the culturally mixed nature of the kingdom, these forms of combat inform one another, and are in constant cultural conversation.
History:

It is generally agreed among scholars of the Ja'aNari that the first permanent settlements in what would later become Ja'aNari, which was then just one part of the Indyc coast, belonged to the Dwarves, though Satyrs already inhabited the lands for centuries before. The Satyrs were pastoral nomads, living with large heards of buffalo with which they felt a certain kinship. Back then, the hills were still green and verdant due to monsoon rainfall, which would later deminish through the axial tilt of the planet. These neolithic Dwarven cities were constructed without the use of metal tools, but some of the masonry they put up still stands to this day, mainly through craftful use of joints and seams. These semi-permanent towns provided shelter for the dwarves during the winter months, while during the summer they would go out and gather food into huge hilltop granaries, from which they would again survive during the winter. These cities were later subjugated during the Satyr bronze age, when out of seemingly nowhere a large Satyr empire rose up with knowledge of bronze. The Satyr Queens-of-Queens would rule for fifteen dynasties, after which they were supplanted by the Dwarven bronze age. For about four hundred years, Dwarven and Satyr dynasties would supplant each other, then one ruling, then another, until the Dwarves ruled solidly for five hundred years through a form of elective monarchy, which proved stable. This age of stability was ended when the great Dwarven capital at Agnur was captured and sacked by greenskin chariot princes, bringing with them the knowledge of how to produce iron weapons. This started first the Indyc dark age, as the singular unifying empire desintegrated into fractured empires each vying for power, but which would later transform into the Age of Gold and Iron, when these states become mutually dependent and recognised each other's worth.

This age of Gold and Iron only ended when the climate changed and the grassy hills became semi-deserts. This not only led to a collapse of empires but led to large refugee streams to the coast, which for a moment led to a unified state again before it collapsed due to resource shortages, leading to the age of city-states. This is the fabled age of the greenskin corsairs, of the artisan kings, the Great Earthquakes and the Tyrants of Masoor, who turned their enemies into statues by dipping them in gold. Around the 300s to 500s CE, trade routes opened between the northern jungles and these cities, and made it possible for them to feed large populations again, which led to a period of relative peace again, albeit disunited.

This changed in the 1400s and 1500s CE, when the entire Indyc coast was incorporated into the Human Empire; a large power from Al-Khair which set out to subjugate all the known world. This introduced humanity into the mix for the first time, but since the satyrs, dwarves and greenskins had already lived together for millenia, their arrival was not at first viewed with suspicion. This soon changed when their armies of pikemen arrived; although the cities had known gunpowder, their weapons were rudamentary, and their naval cannons could do little against a land-borne invasion. The Human Empire, in various iterations, would dominate the Indyc coast until 1724 CE, when it broke apart into civil war and the satyr general Arthrong liberated the lands. He tried to create an Indyc empire, but he was killed in his sleep by his bodyguards and the region divided into various factions again, trying to discover how to govern their own lands again free from foreign oppression. This was helped by the fact that, especially towards the end, the Human Empire was using local royalty to govern their far-flung provinces, which just had to reassert their sovereignty.

[OPEN FOR COLLABORATION]

[Imperialisium]

Looks good so far!

[Great Confederacy of Commonwealth States]

I added more history, but I am slowly arriving at the part where I need the collaboration of others to know what was going on, since the world is becoming more and more interconnected.

[Imperialisium]

Polity Name: Liang Dynasty
Secondary/Informal Names:

Central Kingdom
Heavenly Empire
Qhin

Flag(s):

(Image)

Population: 160,000,000
Territory Claim:

(Image)

Government Structure: Absolute Monarchy

The Emperor (Huáng Dì) is the supreme leader of the Empire and the 'Favored of Azura'. In traditional Qhin political thought, the Emperor of a Qhin realm is the head of the civilized world and all must submit before him. Other rulers are considered inferior to the Qhin Emperor, and those who refuse to pay tribute to the Emperor are labeled barbarians. In practice, this political thought has been abandoned as impractical due to Western technological superiority.

The Imperial Household is staffed entirely by eunuchs and servant ladies. The number of concubines is in the hundreds while the number of eunuchs and servant ladies in the thousands. The Imperial Household is a large, complex bureaucracy of its own, a miniature government of sorts handling the women and offspring of the Emperor. Concubines are chosen both in merits of political expediency and of beauty. They are trained by eunuchs to adhere to a strict protocol.

The women of the Imperial Household are ranked in accordance to their virtues, beauty and the favor of the Emperor:

1. Empress (皇后; huáng hòu)
2. Consort (夫人; fū rén)
3. Beauty (美人; měi rén)
4. Virtuous Lady (良人; liáng rén)
5. Lady of Talents (才人; cái rén)
6. Lady (七子; qī zi)
7. Senior Palace Woman (長使; zhǎng shǐ)
8. Junior Palace Woman (少使; shǎo shǐ)

As the rank of his mother affects a prince’s chances of being named Crown Prince, it isn’t uncommon for women in the Imperial Household to fight for influence and the favor of the Emperor.

As a result of the reforms of Emperor Zuefeng (1867 - 1880), a modern cabinet system has been established. The head of government is a Chancellor who leads the Imperial Cabinet:

Ministry of Diplomacy, responsible for foreign relations of the empire and the maintenance of embassies.
Ministry of Personnel, in charge of appointments, promotions & demotions of officials, and the granting of honorific titles.
Ministry of Taxation, in charge of collecting taxes and gathering census data.
Ministry of Treasury, in charge of drafting the state budget and handling state revenues.
Ministry of Public Works, in charge of government construction programs and maintenance of infrastructure.
Ministry of Agricultural Affairs, in charge of handling farmers' and rural affairs.
Ministry of War, in charge of appointments, promotion & demotion of military officers, maintenance of military installations and equipment, and supply of the New Standing Army.
Ministry of Justice, in charge of the judicial and penal process. Due to the use of the Lazei priests in the administration of justice on the local level, this Minister is appointed upon the recommendation of the Supreme Patriarch of the Church.
Ministry of Palace, responsible for the upkeep of the imperial household, staffing the palace with eunuchs, and the maintenance of palace protocol.

Many ceremonial offices, some of them dating back centuries, have been abolished as a result of the reform and the government has become slimmer. The civil service is still staffed by scholar-bureaucrats who earn their office by successfully passing Imperial Examinations. The maximum tenure in office is twelve years, but every three years officials are evaluated and can be promoted or demoted.

On the local level, the Empire is organized into:

Provinces, administered by a governor (xunfu)
Prefectures, administered by a prefect (zhīfu)
Counties, administered by a magistrate (xiànzhang)

There are in total twenty-five provinces in the Empire. As a result of reforms in the last few decades, provincial Governors have greater fiscal autonomy than before and are also allowed to maintain a regional military force under their direct command (New Regional Armies). While this has limited somewhat the reach of the central government, it has also allowed for better governance as local officials are better informed of local conditions than the bureaucrats in the Imperial Capital. Governors, Prefects, and Magistrates have a maximum tenure of twelve years in office.

Religious Information:

The official religion of the Liang Dynasty is the 'Lazei Dogma', a dualistic religion describing the struggle between a good, spiritual world of light, and an evil, material world of darkness. According to Lazei cosmology, there are two deities who are in constant struggle. Azura, God of Light, and Ahruman, God of Darkness. Azura created the spiritual world, the realm of everlasting serenity and virtuousness, and humans in his image. Ahruman created the material world, with suffering, greed, evil, illness, and death, to deliberately torture humans and feed off their immorality to become more powerful. Humans initially resided in the spiritual world alongside Azura but Ahruman led them astray with false promises and now humans reside in the material world.

The battle between the two Gods takes place inside every human person: a human can follow the path of spirituality and accomplish enlightenment - freeing themselves from the suffering of the material world and returning to the spiritual world - or can follow the path of immorality, strengthening Ahruman and damning themselves to the fiery pits of Hell. According to Lazei theology, the fiery nightmare of Hell was created after the Revolt of Mani. Mani was a Warrior Spirit created by Azura in his eternal war against Ahruman. The God of Darkness though seduced Mani with promises of power and the Spirit revolted against Azura. Mani was defeated but Azura spared him, instead choosing to cast him down to a nightmarish realm where he would punish the humans who - through their immorality - strengthened Ahruman in their mortal lifetime.

The path to spirituality - and salvation - is a difficult one. It requires daily prayers and abstaining from immorality (greed, lust, gluttony, wickedness, jealousy, etch). Although persons can pray on their own, usually adherents of the Lazei religion pray together in a local Church with other practitioners and hear sermons on the importance of virtuousness by Lazei priests.

Lazei priests play an important role in Qhin society, acting as judicial officers on the local level and prosecuting citizens according to religious laws. Their influence among the populace and their role as spiritual leaders also make them a force that cannot be ignored by the government. The Lazei Church is a highly-organized religious organization, led by a Supreme Patriarch and a Synod of Twelve High-Priests: all of them are appointed by the Emperor, whose authority on religious matters is accepted by the Church. Below them are Bishops, who head the church of a parish. Presbyters assist Bishops in their duties and form the bulk of the Lazei clergy. The Elect are monks who live in monastic communities isolated from the secular world, seeking enlightenment. The Elect are forbidden to consume alcohol and meat.

Although the Lazei religion is dominant, older Qhin religions and philosophies have survived. The philosophy of 'Goodness' founded by philosopher Kung Zhing (-501 - -461) is highly influential in Qhin society. It posits that men are by nature good, teachable, improvable, and perfectible through personal and communal endeavors. This philosophy highly values social harmony and places a great deal of importance on family, with parents expected to act as benevolent guarding and children showing filial piety towards their elders. Society is viewed as one big family, with citizens showing filial piety and loyalty towards their ruler, who in turn is expected to promote peace, prosperity, and good governance. The 'Goodness School' of thought remains prominent and has been embraced by the Lazei Church.

The teachings of philosopher Su Xiuying (-683 - -617), known as Suism, are also popular. Suists believe that they can achieve enlightenment by severing themselves completely free from worldly interests and passionate desires until release from all activity was attained. The important principles of Suist philosophy are inaction, simplicity, and living in harmony with nature. Suists believe in the law of the unity of two opposite forces - yin and yang - and that if someone tried too hard to attain a certain want, the law of reverted effort would start to operate and, as a result, the effect would be the exact opposite of that desired. Suism has to a certain extent been embraced by the Lazei Church, as the Suist way of achieving enlightenment mirrors Lazei beliefs about enlightenment and returning to the spiritual world.

Qhin citizens also venerate spirits, both spirits of nature and the spirits of their ancestors. The spirits of nature were considered in the distant past Gods in their own right, but since the Lazei Church became dominant, they have become subservient entities of either Azura or Ahruman. The veneration of the spirits of the ancestors is an old practice of the Qhin people. Qhin are expected to honor their ancestors through prayers, installing ancestral tablets at a household altar commemorating each ancestor, burning incense before the altar daily, and offering favorite foods, beverages, and spirit money bi-monthly and on special occasions.

A heresy of the Lazei Church - which is deemed illegal and prosecuted by imperial authorities - is the 'Shenist Cult', named after Shen Luoyang (901 - 933). The son of poor illiterate farmers in the Qhin Dynasty, Shen Luoyang became a popular preacher in his early twenties. Even though he was illiterate with no formal education, his sermons matched in their eloquence the greatest priests of the Lazei Church, and so he managed to gather many followers. He preached non-violence, forgiveness, charity, compassion, and social equality - challenging the social status quo and the norms of the 'Goodness' school of thought. Initially, the authorities deemed him to be an eccentric practitioner of the Lazei faith, but Shen Luoyang became even more controversial when he claimed to be the Son of Azura, born on terra to bring salvation to humanity from their suffering in this materialistic world. Under pressure from the Church, the Qhin authorities arrested Shen Luoyang and tortured him to get him to admit that he was a heretic. Shen Luoyang did not budge, and so he was executed by public beheading, his last words asking Azura to forgive his executioners. He was only thirty-two years old. According to his fervent followers, a month after he had been buried, he rose from the dead and visited them before ascending to the spiritual world. The Qhin authorities, wanting to put the matter to rest, opened his grave and did not find his body. They prosecuted Shen's followers, accusing them of stealing the body, and put most of them to death. To this day whether Shen Luoyang really was resurrected remains a point of contention: the Lazei Church accepts the version of the Qhin authorities while the few followers of the Shenist faith - who practice their religion in secret to avoid persecution - claim that Shen Luoyang really did rise from the dead. Despite the persecution of the faith by the imperial authorities, Shenism still retains followers in some rural communities among poor peasants attracted to its message of social equality.

Social Information:

Qhin society is still largely agrarian, with most inhabitants being peasants toiling the land. While in recent decades - as a result of government-mandated land redistribution - the countryside is dominated by small peasant families instead of big landowners, life in rural areas is still hard and many of them lack modern infrastructure. Major agricultural products include tea, sugarcane, cotton, rice, and hemp. The imperial government maintains special tea plantations that produce more than forty varieties of tribute tea for the Imperial Court. Only the very tip of tender tea leaves are picked, processed, and pressed into tea cakes, embossed with a dragon pattern, known as "dragon tea cakes".

Despite the agrarian character of the Empire, there are many bustling urban areas. Those urban centers have traditionally been the production centers for silk-based products (Qhin silk is famous for its quality) and some of the finest porcelains in the world. In some of those coastal cities, foreigners have established their presence in certain districts, bringing modern goods and technology. The upper class of those urban areas - often engaged in commerce and working closely with Westerners - seek to emulate Western fashions. On the other side of the spectrum are scholar-officials. Long considered community leaders and highly respected for their literary skills, they view themselves as guardians Qhin traditions. Scholar-officials have traditionally been recruited by the government through Imperial Examinations, where they are tested on their knowledge of classic Qhin texts (including poetry, philosophical treatises, and historical volumes). While in the distant past the scholar-bureaucrats sometimes clashed with Lazei priests (who were seeking to expand their influence in government at the expense of the secular scholar-officials), nowadays they are largely allies as both groups oppose rapid Westernization fearful of the damage it might cause to traditional Qhin values and culture.

Qhin has traditionally been a highly patriarchal culture. Women are considered inferior to men and must obey their husbands (or male relatives, if they are not married). Women can help in the workplace (especially in rural areas where women help in farming), but they cannot own property or be independent professionals. Their primary role is to serve their husband and raise their children and grandchildren. Women who marry are considered to be part of their husband's family, and henceforth it is the responsibility of the husband's family to take care of them (especially if the husband dies). This patriarchal culture has been challenged though in urban areas by an upper class influenced by Western ideals, and those upper-class women have been pushing for modernization of the legal code to bring about greater equality.

Family is important in Qhin society. The eldest male Qhin of a family is considered the patriarch of the family and is responsible for all decision-making. The younger members of the family are expected to be obedient and follow the wishes of the patriarch. When a patriarch dies, his belongings are equally inherited by all male children. As this fracturing is unsustainable in the long term, especially for poorer households, the sons usually remain together as one household. As such, most Qhin households are comprised of multiple related families living together. Families belonging to the same lineage are known as Clans.

Poetry, literature, painting, and calligraphy are highly respected in Qhin culture. Being an educated scholar is valued more than being physically strong, and those who wish to elevate themselves socially are expected to pick up at least one of these crafts. Qhin has a rich cultural history, with countless works of art, and even many Westerners are awed by the Qhin culture. Even though cultural pursuits are valued more highly than martial ones, the Qhin people have developed native martial arts. The genesis of Qhin martial arts is attributed to the need for self-defense, hunting techniques, and military training. There are hundreds of different styles, utilizing both hand-to-hand combat and weapons, such as swords, spears, and wooden poles. Often martial styles mimic the movements and attacks of animals - such as tiger style, crane style, snake style, and etch.

Military Information:

The Liang military in recent decades has undergone significant reforms. While it is still technologically behind the West, the government has managed put an end to widespread corruption and incompetence. The Liang land forces are divided into two groups:

The New Standing Army - 220,000 men-at-arms - is the standing army of the central government. While nominally under the direct command of the Emperor, in practice it is headed by the Chief of General Staff (who also holds the rank of Generalissimo).

The New Regional Armies - 340,000 men-at-arms - are armies under the command of provincial governors. The troops are organized into regiments of local villagers who have familial and local ties to each other, making them more effective.

Whereas in the past officers would come from the class of scholar-bureaucrats or the nobility, nowadays many of the officers are trained in military academies, following the Western practice, thus professionalizing the officer corps. Those new officers were tested in the field of battle, proving their worth over their older counterparts by successfully crushing the Xing Guo Revolt (1868 - 1874). Their experiences from this war have made them far more competent compared to older officers who had only seen minor actions against peasant revolts.

Despite the professionalization of the officer corps and attempts at modernization of the army as a whole, the Liang military is still technologically behind the West, meaning that the Empire is still vulnerable. There has also been increased rivalry between the officer corps - who want further modernization - and many of the scholar-officials of the civilian government who subscribe to nativist ideals, creating a dangerous potential for military-civil conflict.

The Liang Navy is comprised of a few ironclad warships and a small number of frigates. The navy is small in size, underfunded compared to the military, and is mainly tasked with protecting naval trade. It is manned by about 18,000 sailors.

History:

Prehistory

Qhin was first settled by humans over ten thousand years ago who arrived 'from the North-East' across a 'land-bridge' which may have stretched from Boreana to Osia during the last Ice Age. Around -3100, the first bronze age societies began to emerge in the subcontinent. Those first societies were small, tribal polities centered around a single settlement. They were dominated by a caste of priests, who would make use of divination and inquire spirits for guidance.

As centuries passed, some of those tribal polities subsumed others. This led to the emergence of the first tribal kingdoms. Those kingdoms were heavily decentralized though, with client princes ruling semi-autonomous realms in the periphery and simply offering annual tribute to their king. Those princes could possess clients of their own. This resulted in a power-structure where local power was more important than the central leadership. This type of polity has been described as a 'solar polity', referencing the gravitational pull the sun exerts over the planets. Those polities of the Qhin subcontinent would engage in constant warfare, leading to an era known as the 'Warring States Period'.

Warring States

Around -700, the use of iron became widespread in Qhin. Centuries of constant warfare between the tribal kingdoms of Qhin had led to increased centralization, as rulers at the center would demand an ever greater percentage of men and goods from the periphery and would impose stricter control over the client princes. With the introduction of iron, this process was sped up considerably. The old way of war - dominated by a numerically small number of aristocrats and their companions - gave way to conscription for mass infantry armies. It also led to total war. In the past, kingdoms would be content to defeat their enemies in a battle or two, loot a bit, and then return back with their trophies. In this age, though, armies would commit mass massacres to deprive their rivals of necessary manpower and would fight for the annexation of entire realms instead of simply seeking loot or martial glory.

The constant conflict and the need for innovative social and political models led to the development of many philosophical doctrines, later known as the Hundred Schools of Thought. The thoughts and ideas discussed and refined during this period profoundly influenced lifestyles and social consciousness not only in Qhin, but also in neighboring countries as well. The intellectual society of this era was characterized by itinerant scholars, who were often employed by various kings as advisers on the methods of government, war, and diplomacy. This period also saw advancements in mathematics. Bamboo slips would be used to assemble a decimal multiplication table, that was used to multiply numbers (any whole or half-integer) up to 99.5.

The kingdom which would best exemplify the 'Warring States' era revolution was Zhang. Chancellor Li Yueh (-564 - -532) would introduce radical reforms, influenced by the ideology of 'Virtuousness' (a school of thought advocating for a highly centralized state that would ensure all subjects would behave in a virtuous manner). He deposed the client princes in the periphery and replaced them with centrally-appointed governors. He confiscated and redistributed the land of the land aristocracy to peasant families. He would introduce a culture of meritocracy in government, by appointing people who proved themselves in public examinations instead of reserving high offices only for those with noble blood. Although those reforms were controversial during Li Yueh's lifetime (and led to his assassination), they ensured that Zhang gained an advantage over the other warring states.

Zhang and Yi Dynasties

King Zhang Yuwei (-261 - -225) of the Zhang Kingdom was the man who first unified the entirety of the subcontinent of Qhin under a single dominion. A ruthless man, he came to the throne after leading a coup against his own father, whom he executed along with all his brothers to ensure they wouldn't pose a threat to his throne. He employed a centralized style of leadership, relying on a small circle of loyal advisors. In a series of wars that would last almost two decades, he would conquer the other Qhin kingdoms. Those wars became renowned for their brutality: Zhang armies would massacre entire towns, slaughter the entire enemy nobility, and burn down libraries and schools. In -244, Zhang Yuwei was proclaimed the 'August Emperor of the Zhang Empire, Supreme Ruler of All Under Heaven'.

The First Emperor purged any remaining aristocrats from the kingdoms he had conquered. He also purged their scholars and texts. He forbade the use of regional dialects and instead imposed a standardized system of language that is dominant in Qhin to this day: by eliminating both the regional nobility and regional languages in favor of centrally-appointed governors and a common language, he hoped to eradicate loyalties to the old kingdoms and instead mold the newly-conquered populations into loyal subjects of his empire. The Emperor also imposed extremely cruel and harsh punishments for crimes, fully embracing the ideology of 'Virtuousness'.

Such a tyrannical regime could be maintained only through the sheer force of will of Zhang Yuwei. When he died in -225, his incompetent son was unable to exert the same kind of power over the realm. Soon enough, regional revolts broke out against Zhang tyranny. One of the rebels was Yi Hong. A colonel in the Zhang army, he had been sent to attack a rebel encampment. His troops were ambushed, though, and he failed to accomplish his objective. Knowing that failure meant execution in the harsh Zhang legal code, Yi Hong decided to revolt instead to save his skin. Over the next few years, Yi Hong would attract a growing number of men and emerge as one of the most powerful warlords.

In -201, Yi Hong entered the imperial capital, deposed the last Zhang Emperor, and became ruler of all Qhin. The Emperor of the new Yi Dynasty showed his difference from his tyrannical predecessors by choosing to spare the last Zhang Emperor, granting him an honorific title and a generous pension. He would also revise the strict legal code, taking a more humanistic approach. Yi Hong had been influenced by philosopher Kung Zhing (-501 - -461). A scholar of the 'Warring States' period, he founded the 'Goodness School'. Whereas the advocates of the 'Virtuousness School' believed a harsh, centralized state was necessary to impose virtuousness among the populace, the 'Goodness School' proclaimed that people were by nature good and that the duty of the ruler was to act as a loving father who would ensure peace and prosperity for his subjects.

Between -201 and 202 CA, Qhin witnessed a golden age. Under the patronage of Yi Emperors, arts flourished: calligraphy, painting, architecture, and classical music. The process of civil service examinations was expanded, promoting a culture of meritocracy and competence in contrast to most states which were dominated by nobles regardless of their individual merits. Yi armies would expand the Qhin world, absorbing vast amounts of land to the north and south of the Qhin heartland. The natives of those lands would assimilate into Qhin culture and become loyal subjects. The economy flourished, with high levels of urbanization and monetization of the economy. Science and technology saw significant advances, including the process of papermaking, the nautical steering ship rudder, the use of negative numbers in mathematics, the raised-relief map, the hydraulic-powered armillary sphere for astronomy, and a seismometer employing an inverted pendulum that could be used to discern the cardinal direction of distant earthquakes.

Five Kingdoms Era

In 202, Emperor Yi Liang was overthrown in a bloody coup by his brother, Yi Kang. The new Emperor was a bloodthirsty tyrant. He would execute officials for flimsy reasons, extract extremely high taxes on the populace, rape the wives and daughters of even high-ranking officials, and organize lavish celebrations in his palace. Uninterested in state affairs, he would increasingly rely on Chief Eunuch Gong Guiying to rule the empire. Guiying was notoriously corrupt and cruel, interested in personal enrichment rather than the welfare of the population. Peasant revolts soon engulfed the countryside, exacerbated by a period of earthquakes which came to be seen as an omen from the Heavens that the Emperor had lost the favor of the Spirits.

Gong Guiying, unable to deal with the revolts, authorized provincial governors to conscript their own armies and put down the rebellions. Once the rebellions had been crushed, though, this coalition of warlords led by Yue Ge turned on the eunuch. The armies marched to the capital, killed Gong Guiying, and looted the Imperial Palace. Emperor Yi Kang was killed in the process, leaving a power vacuum. Yue Ge installed a puppet emperor, but his former allies turned on him, refusing to accept the legitimacy of this emperor.

One of those warlords was Cao Ping, a governor of one of the northern provinces. He declared Yue Ge a tyrant and amassed a new coalition of warlords against him. The decisive battle took place in 217, with Yue Ge's army defeated. Yue Ge was himself killed on the field of battle, and the puppet emperor was captured by Cao Ping. Cao Ping was proclaimed Chancellor of the Yi Empire, but his former allies refused to accept his rule and turned against him the same way they had turned against Yue Ge before.

The four most prominent opponents of Cao Ping were:
Fan Meng, Governor of one of the southern provinces
Yan Shuren, an army captain of Cao Ping who became a warlord on his own right
Yi Zeng, a scion of the imperial dynasty with dreams of overthrowing Cao Ping and restoring the supremacy of the Imperial Throne
Guo Jing, Governor of one of the western provinces

Cao Ping amassed an army of over 300,000 and marched against his four opponents, who formed a temporary alliance to stop him. Teng Hong, an advisor to Yi Zeng whose name is considered synonymous with genius in Qhin culture, devised a brilliant plan which defeated Cao Ping's army. Cao Ping was, however, able to stop his enemies from exploiting his defeat and the situation stabilized by 225. Cao Ping forced the puppet emperor under his control to resign and assumed the throne as Emperor of the Cao Dynasty. The other four rulers proclaimed themselves Emperors as well. The era of the Five Kingdoms had officially begun. It lasted until 478.

This period of Qhin history has been romanticized in the Han Dynasty era novel Romance of the Five Kingdoms (1522), perhaps the most popular novel in Qhin. Yi Zeng is presented as a virtuous, heroic man with noble ambitions who wants to bring peace to the country, Teng Hong as a divine genius whose strategies are unbeatable and brilliant inventions save the day, and Cao Ping as a cruel, bloodthirsty tyrant. Many Qhin proverbs in use to this day are derived from the novel.

During the Five Kingdoms period, Qhin was consumed by constant warfare, shifting alliances, and technological growth as the kingdoms viciously competed for supremacy. It was also the era during which the 'Lazei Dogma' was introduced. A dualistic religion, it grew increasingly popular among the masses - because its dogma of an evil materialistic world and the promise of a better spiritual world resonated at a time of constant warfare - and eventually even nobles converted to this new religion.

Qhin Dynasty

In 461, Qhin Jiahao was appointed Chancellor of the Cao Dynasty. An ambitious military genius, over the new few years he subdued the other four kingdoms and unified Qhin under the Cao Dynasty. In 478, though, he overthrew Emperor Cao Ming and proclaimed the Qhin Dynasty, with himself as Emperor. The Qhin Dynasty would last until 1121, and was so important that the subcontinent of Qhin took its name from this dynasty and its inhabitants are called Qhin. The Qhin Dynasty can be divided into roughly three periods. The first period lasted from 478 to 891, and it is considered the High Qhin or Classical Qhin era. During this time period, the empire flourished both economically and culturally. With peace and stability restored, the population grew extensively and urban centers prospered. Taxation became even more efficient and the bureaucracy was expanded, allowing the central government to have a far greater reach compared to other governments of this time period. The Qhin administration completed 1,088 large irrigation projects across the country. An official bureau was established for the effective management of these types of projects. Peasants were encouraged with ownership incentives and tax waivers to bring over two million hectares of extra farming land into production. The Qhin armies expanded the empire, defeating 'barbarian' peoples and assimilating their lands into Qhin.

This was also a golden era for Qhin poetry. Poetry was largely written in the capital or in one of the courts of the imperial princes. It could also be written in banquets at inns or private homes. It was a mode of social discourse for the elite and winners in poetry contests could receive prizes. Ornament and indirect suggestion were preferred to simplicity and explicit statement. Calligraphy, painting, and elaborate architecture also reached their peak during this period. In terms of religion, it was during this period that the Lazei religion became the official religion of the empire (with an imperial decree in 621). The priests of the Lazei Church became increasingly prominent in public life.

The next period (891 - 1005) is known as the Middle Qhin period. It was marked by the An Yanli (891 - 897) revolt which shook the empire to its core. An Yanli was a Governor of one of the western provinces of the empire. When he was framed for corruption and ordered to return to the capital, he instead chose the path of revolt. A combination of incompetence among imperial officers and corruption and infighting among Qhin high officials gave An Yanli the time to mobilize a substantial military force. Over the next few years, a bloody drawn-out war took place until An Yanli could be defeated and executed.

During the revolt, the imperial government had been forced to give broad autonomy to provincial governors, allowing them to conscript their own private armies. So, when An Yanli had been defeated, restoration of the centralized rule of the previous period became impossible. As many scholars had been massacred during the revolt and many centers of learning had been burned down, the empire increasingly turned to the Lazei priesthood for matters of administration. Lazei priests would become judicial officers in their parishes and come to exert a far greater influence than before. Religious art also grew at the expense of secular art. It was also during this period that the Shenist religious cult emerged.

The final period of the Qhin Dynasty (1005 - 1121) is known as the Era of Qhin Restoration. As the scars of the war healed and the economy grew, the empire became once again prosperous. A succession of highly industrious emperors - with the aid of competent advisors - allowed the central government to reimpose control over the provinces, successfully putting down revolts by ambitious governors. Secular learning flourished once more and scholar-officials became again prominent, though the Lazei priesthood would retain its tight grip over the judicial system.

The final decades of the dynasty, though, were marked by increasing corruption and incompetence at the top. Once again, the provincial governors managed to gain power at the expense of the central government. Still, it seemed that the dynasty would manage to survive like it always did. Alas, it was not to be so. In 1121, during a banquet in the Imperial Palace where the Emperor and all the prominent princes had gathered, a fire broke out. There is still debate if the fire was an accident or planned by some faction of the Court, but it led to the death of the House of Qhin. Chancellor Wen Xuegang, with the excuse of the lack of a legitimate emperor, assumed the throne himself and proclaimed the Wen Dynasty.

Northern and Southern Dynasties

Emperor Wen Xuegang (1121 - 1145) immediately faced opposition from provincial governors who declared his rule as illegitimate. Some even publicly accused him of being behind the Great Fire of 1121. Emperor Wen engaged in years of warfare against those governors, but although he managed to secure control of Northern Qhin, he failed to conquer the South. Instead, in Southern Qhin, Governor Du Shi declared the Du Dynasty with himself as Emperor.

From 1135 to 1368, Qhin was divided between the Northern and Southern dynasties. The two imperial dynasties diverged politically: the Wen Dynasty granted extensive autonomy to provincial governors and relied on the Lazei priesthood at the expense of scholar-officials, but the Du Dynasty imposed strict centralization and relied on secular scholar-officials. The two dynasties would engage in alternating periods of brutal warfare and peaceful coexistence. During this period, both dynasties saw an expansion of the population. Social life became vibrant, as citizens gathered to view and trade precious artworks, the populace intermingled at public festivals and private clubs, and cities had lively entertainment quarters. The spread of literature and knowledge was enhanced by the rapid expansion of woodblock printing. In the Du Dynasty, an official bureau of medicine was established for the compilation and correction of medical publications. Several national medical surveys were conducted and a medicine factory was constructed.

In 1361, General Han Yating overthrew the Du Emperor and proclaimed the Han Dynasty in the South. The highly-competent emperor purged the imperial government of corrupt and cruel officials, earning popular support and turning the Han bureaucracy into a well-oiled machine. In 1367, he launched an invasion of the north. He defeated the Wen armies - and slew the Wen Emperor in single combat - and in 1368 reunified all of Qhin under a single dynasty.

Han Dynasty

The Han Dynasty (1368 - 1648) was a golden era for the Qhin. The Emperors were highly competent, with Han Xinya (1421 - 1448) considered the greatest emperor of the dynasty. An austere workaholic man, he rejected luxuries and entertainment. "I can rest when I die," he would say. He reduced the overall tax burden and cut back on government waste. He would lead Han armies to victories against barbarians and expand the borders of the Qhin world. Most importantly, Xinya was willing to listen to advisers and wasn't afraid to admit when he had been wrong.

The economy flourished during the Han Dynasty. A unified tax system and efficient trade routes helped to create a large, unified internal market. As inter-regional trade and travel became ever more common, guild halls dedicated to facilitating commerce (huiguan) gained prominence around the urban landscape, and the state had to deal with them when assessing taxes, requisitioning goods, and setting standard workers' wages and prices on goods. As a result of this commercialization, mid-sized cities began popping up to direct the flow of domestic, commercial trade. Aside from normal currency, the Han government also issued paper-printed money known as Jiaozi. For the printing of paper money, the Han court established several government-run factories in major cities.

But the prosperity and glory of the Han Dynasty were not to last. A series of earthquakes, droughts, epidemics, and famines in the 1620s caused massive peasant revolts. The empire also faced the same problems that had plagued past dynasties: corruption and incompetence at the top, and an inability to impose central control over provincial governors. In the 1630s, the dynasty collapsed into a patchwork of independent warlord states fighting each other in an endless brutal war.

Early Liang Dynasty

Liang Ruoyang was one such warlord. He came from humble origins, initially being a mere foot soldier at the service of a minor warlord. He rose through the ranks thanks to his bravery and cunning, and eventually deposed his old master. A warlord in his own right, he distinguished himself through his fairness and generosity. Whereas other warlords would impose crippling taxation upon the population and act as bandits, Ruoyang would impose modest taxes, live an austere lifestyle, enforce law and order, and reward generously his advisors and soldiers. This led many scholars and soldiers to flock to his side. Ruoyang further empowered his position through public displays of piety towards the Lazei Church, earning the support of many Lazei priests.

By the 1640s, Ruoyang had become the most prominent warlord and by 1648 he had managed to unify all of Qhin under his rule. He proclaimed the Liang Dynasty. With peace restored, the Emperor moved on to enact a radical reformist agenda. He appointed a young scholar, Geng Lim, as Chancellor. Lim enacted a broad land redistributing program to give farms to tenants and landless peasants, much to the dismay of many large landowners. Regional revolts in the 1650s were crushed by the Liang military, allowing the reform to go ahead. Lim undertook the first population census since the collapse of the Han Dynasty. The 1656 census gave an accurate picture of the population of the Empire and allowed a revision of the tax assessment to make taxation fairer. A monopoly on salt, iron, and liquor was established, roads, canals, and bridges were either updated or constructed and a series of granaries were built in the provinces to allow steady supply in times of natural disasters. When Ruoyang died in 1661, he left behind a prosperous realm.

His successor, Emperor Taizong (1661 - 1698), oversaw the construction of the Heavenly City between 1663 and 1678. He also established the Secret Memorandums, allowing direct communication between him and local officials without the court or ministries getting in the way. This allowed for greater imperial oversight of the public administration. He lowered taxation and the economy expanded. Literature, painting and music flourished. Emperor Jiajing (1698 – 1711) commissioned the Siku Quanshu, an encyclopedia that compiled more than 3000 Qhin works of literature. He also oversaw the closing of Qhin from the outer world, to protect the realm from heresy and barbarism. This policy of isolationism was a result of a stricter interpretation of Lazei religion by the priesthood, who feared the introduction of new dogmas could shake the Church.

Emperor Kangxi (1711 - 1752) was perhaps the greatest emperor of the Liang Dynasty. A military genius, he personally led Liang armies to conquer the Western Deserts, subduing the nomadic inhabitants of those desolate - but strategically important - lands. He expanded the system of Secret Memorandums, which brought frank and detailed reports on local conditions directly to the throne without being intercepted by the bureaucracy, and created a small Grand Council of personal advisors that was independent of the Imperial Court. He oversaw a period of prosperity and economic growth. When he died, the Liang Dynasty was one of the strongest empires in the world.

Late Liang Dynasty

During the reign of Emperor Chao (1752 - 1797), this prosperity continued but corruption festered in the Imperial Court. Especially egregious was the example of Mao Liuxian, a eunuch who amassed a true fortune thanks to the skimming of public funds and bribes. When Emperor Jiaqing (1797 - 1830) took control of the government, he prosecuted Liuxian. The eunuch was charged with corruption and abuse of power, stripped of his titles, had his property confiscated, and ordered to commit suicide. But the damage Liuxian had done was widespread; the treasury was empty and social discontent high. Large-scale peasant rebellions (1801 – 1806) rebellions shook the empire and showed its weakness.

In order to restore sound finances, confidence in the dynasty, and centralized control, Jiaqing appointed a reformist scholar named Liu Yijun as Chancellor. Liu Yijun reformed the tax system, instituting new taxes on rich merchants and big landowners. He enacted a broad land redistributing program, and put down revolts by big landowners. He used this new stream of revenue to invest in public infrastructure. He also moved to prosecute highly corrupt officials. He also reformed the military of the dynasty. The standing army of the empire had declined in numbers and efficiency. Instead of attempting to bolster the standing army - which would require exorbitant amounts of funds - Liu Yijun abolished many of its regiments and instead formalized the regional armies that had been raised by provincial governors to put down the peasant revolts. Those armies, which recruited troops from local villagers who had familial and local ties to each other, were far more efficient. The resources spared from this reform allowed increased pay for both officers and soldiers, leading subsequently to increased discipline.

Emperor Tongzhi (1830 - 1867) utilized this 'New Army' to crush separatist tendencies in the imperial periphery, especially the volatile western desert region. His reign was marked, however, by increased tensions with Western powers. Initially, under the influence of the Lazei Church, Tongzhi had attempted to maintain Liang's isolationism but his military weakness forced him to compromise. He established the new 'Office for Barbarian Affairs', the first professional Qhin diplomatic corps. He would grant the right to Western companies to construct rail networks in Qhin. This was highly unpopular, and Tongzhi faced backlash from both officials, the Church, and the populace, but managed to suppress revolts and impose his will.

Emperor Zuefeng (1867 - 1880) had to deal with an officialdom and population unwilling to embrace the much-needed reforms required. He faced the Xing Guo Revolt (1868 - 1874). A bloody war that led to the death of millions, it began when priest Xing Guo and fanatics of the Lazei Church declared Emperor Zuefeng to be the incarnation of Ahruman and thus an evil demon that needed to be deposed. Xing Guo drew substantial support from parts of the populace that were deeply opposed to Qhin's increasing Westernization. It took years for the revolt to be crushed and almost bankrupted the empire.

Having managed to crush the revolt, however, Zuefeng had a relatively free hand to proceed with some important reforms. He established the first foreign-language schools in Qhin. In 1876, the first machine factory was established, and in 1878 coal mines were opened. The first modern arsenals were also established in Qhin. He also issued decrees establishing the first modern university, building the first native Qhin railroad (instead of one constructed by Western powers), and establishing a modern cabinet and a system of budgets similar to that of Western governments.

In 1880, the young twenty-three years old Emperor Xuanfeng ascended the Imperial Throne. He must now continue down the reformist path of his father, but at the same time deal with rising discontent against foreigners. Managing to find the delicate balance between reformism and nativism will determine the fate of the Liang Dynasty.

RP Reference/Links/Sample:

Chinese Palace Drama

Accepted

[Imperialisium]

Polity Name: The Tetrarchy of Lecha, Aparia, Gronen and Roura and the Subordinate Domains, Vassals and Protectorates Thereof
Secondary/Informal Names: The Union of Four Crowns, The Tetrarchy Union
Flag(s): Here.
Population: 85,000,000 (loosely based off Imperial Russia)
Territory Claim: As per map in discord, full thing.
Government Structure: Federal Constitutional Monarchy

The Tetrarch (as the Monarch of Lecha, Aparia, Gronen and Roura is commonly known when acting not as ruler of any specific one) rules a union of four kingdoms, Lecha, Aparia, Gronen and Roura. As King of each of these kingdoms, they hold immense but not completely unrestricted power over mttters of rule and law; they are however restricted in matters of taxation by the Parliament of each kingdom, which holds the sole power to levy and collect taxes upon lands not directly owned by the monarch, and the Parliaments use this power to influence the decisions of the Tetrarch. The Parliaments are elected, but have wealth requirements to vote, and the electoral boundaries have not changed in several centuries allowing for the development of numerous rotten boroughs throughout the four kingdoms.

In addition there are a large number of sub-national entities of varying sizes and degrees of autonomy as dictated by ancient charters and contracts, primarily related to the raising of men for war and minimum levels of taxes contributed to the monarchy and/or parliaments. These are primarily various counties, duchies, margravates, grand duchies and princedoms, ruled by hereditary nobility, or free cities, typically ruled by democratically-elected mayors.

Around the Tetrarch exists a byzantine array of governmental offices and positions, often in duplicate for each of the kingdoms they rule as they are filled by members of the Parliaments, in addition to the members of their own royal household who often have overlapping and conflicting mandates with the governmental offices held.

Religious Information: Religiously, the Tetrarchy's population follows the Path of Orphia, a religious philosophy set down centuries ago by the martyred preacher Orphia. The Path of Orphia preaches that through following the Acts of Orphia, one may follow the path of Orphia and thereby obtain a place for their soul in the Eternal City rather than being consigned to oblivion. In addition to Orphia, five others, known as Pathwalkers, are venerated as having shown variants of the original path of Orphia that focus on specific virtues such as charity, humility, valor, justice or self-sacrifice. The faith is noted for being religiously tolerant, as belief in the path is not a prerequisite for following the path. Monasteries of those that choose to isolate themselves to pursue the Path exist, but many high-ranking members of the Path's priesthood, who are supposed to guide others along the path, own considerable land holdings compariable to members of the middle nobility.

Social Information: The Tetrarchy is considered to be rather backwards by the standards of Boreana; the majority of the population remain peasant serfs, and although cities have been growing and industrialising, this remains an extremely slow process. Peasant revolts are not unknown, although they are not common as the nobility of the Tetrarchy retain their own private armies to suppress such revolts. Nominally, all citizens of the Tetrarchy, including serfs, are entitled to some legal protections, but in reality most serfs are unable to access the courts to enforce these protections when they are violated. The populace of the Tetrarchy is almost entirely human, with the notable exception of the dwarven-majority realms of the mountainous west.

The nobility, who wield most of the power in the realm by making up the members of the national Parliaments, remain extremely suspicious of new-fangled inventions, fearing the upset to the established social order that they sit atop and as such attempt to carefully control the spread of new technologies.

Military Information: The Army of the Tetrarchy, formally the Union of Arms, is not a centralised force. Rather, it is a force formed in wartime from the joining of the four national armies of Lecha, Aparia, Gronen and Roura and the private armies of the Tetrarch and the other nobility, all of whom are expected to provide a force of trained and armed men at a set size who they are expected to command in battle alongside the professional armies of the kingdoms. Technologically, the army is considered backwards, if extremely numerous, and the fleet of the Tetrarchy is not worth mentioning due to its small coastline and the focus on the army.

Even with its recent defeat in war, the Army of the Tetrarchy has been slow to reform. Fundamentally, it is a force structured mainly for internal repression, internal political balancing and coup-proofing, not one designed to fight peer conflicts as recent history has showed. Each of the four national armies has, largely independently of the others, undertaken some degrees of reform and restructuring, primarily the introduction of paid comissions for officers instead of the highest-ranked aristocrat being in charge, although these paid commissions largely still tend to be aristocrats.

History: The history of the Tetrarchy of Lecha, Aparia, Gronen and Roura begins with the four eponymous kingdoms of Lecha, Aparia, Gronen and Roura. The four kingdoms were the largest powers in inland Boreana, alongside a slew of smaller states that often shifted in allegiance between one or another of the four main kingdoms, from Lecha in the north through Aparia, Gronen and Roura north to south. The four kingdoms formed from approx. 850 to 1000, but the limits of the administrative capacity of feudal government largely prevented them from absorbing many of the smaller states that became protectorates or allies to their larger neighbours.

Around the 1500s, through a relatively minor succession struggle against Lechan nobility the King of Aparia inherited the throne of Lecha, consolidating the two kingdoms. Such a shift in the balance of power of inland Boreana led to an uneasy alliance forming between a coalition of smaller states, Gronen and Roura, who disputed the Lechan Succession on behalf of the now-exiled claimant. The War of the Lechan Succession would last for two decades, eventually ending with a negotiated piece that established that Lecha's Sejm would continue to exist and would in all aspects except its King be independent of Aparia. Over the 1600s, the various smaller states were mostly absorbed by either the Dual Kingdom of Lecha and Aparia or Gronen and Roura. One of the last independent states, the Free City of Kazimir, after the death of its Lord-Protector was promised to the Dual Kingdom of Lecha and Aparia in his will, as the Lord-Protector was without heirs. This was bitterly disputed by both the merchant-nobility of the city and Gronen, and in 1667 the War of Kazimir broke out, ending a decade and a year later in 1678 with Gronen decisively defeated on the field of battle, Kazimir occupied and the army of the Dual Kingdom at the borders of Roura, which was promptly invaded. The King of Roura was defeated and surrendered on terms of abdicating solely his royal titles, but retained much of his lands in the former kingdom.

In 1689 the Tetrarchy of Lecha, Aparia, Gronen and Roura was declared, with the same liberties given to Lecha given to the kingdoms of Gronen and Roura. The inland nature of the Tetrarchy, along with its preservation of practices since abolished in other parts of Boreana such as a continuation of the autonomous powers of the nobility and serfdom meant it was very slow to modernise, only ever doing so reluctantly and at a glacial pace. Even the great Continental War, which saw the Tetrarchy fight alongside Achysia against a coalition of other powers saw its armies shattered and humbled provoked only the most reluctant reforms from the Tetrarchy which valued its internal stability over all else, including external threats which it believed could never conquer the whole of its vast country.

It now enters the 1880s a massive behemoth of an empire, a dinosaur of a state. Old, creaking, but so vast perhaps its own immobility and weight will hold it together yet.

RP Reference/Links/Sample: I believe you know of me.

Accepted

[Imperialisium]

Polity Name: The Sublime Abode of Achysia, შაყირმე ⴀკჰყსმადრა (Saïryme Akhysmadra), also known as the Realms and Lands of the Sublime Abode of Achysia or the Realms and Lands of the Exalted Radiant Crown.
Secondary/Informal Names: The Achysian Empire, the Realm of the Elder Sun, the Abode of the Sun and Serpent, the Radiant Crown
Flag(s):

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Population: 78,000,000
Territory Claim: Ideally something along these lines, though I am more than open to discussing it in the Discord server
Government Structure: Bureaucratic absolute composite monarchy
The Sublime Abode of Achysia is a personal union of various crowns under a single ruler, the Emperor and King, His Sublime Majesty, the King of Kings, in the Sun and By Its Will Emperor and Autocrat of Achysia, Apostolic King of Hyelodon, King of the Islands and Mainland of the Ocean Sea, King of the Worlds Beyond the Seas, Great Warden of the Internal Sea, Exalted Duke of Zathyria, Prince-Palatine of Regaldum, Prince of the Aylirian League, Forever Sublime and Serene, the Savior, the Faithful and the Blessed, Viceroy and First Servant of the Divine Rule on Earth, Defender of the Faiths, Commander of the Hosts of the Sun Throne, Great Custodian of the Holy City of Vathora, Servant and Blessed of the Haliarch, Refuge of the World, Light of the Morning Star and the Evening Star, Guardian of the Holy Flames, Grand Master of the Holy Order of the Eternal Serpent, Grand Master of the Holy Order of the Imperishable Flame, Grand Master of the Order of the Golden Dragon, Grand Master of the Knights of the Morning Star.

The Emperor, the Lord of Kings, regardless of his many titles, is considered to be divine in rule, and the living law, with all authority in the state emanating from him. His orders are absolute, limited only by the freedoms that he himself has granted to his realms and subjects. The state is united solely in the person of the monarch and in its armies, for otherwise the realms which form Achysia each have their own laws and governing bodies. The attempts to balance the freedoms of each realm with the necessities of imperial rule have led to the development of the bureaucratic Imperial Court, which serves as the de facto governing body of the empire. Led by the Magister of All Offices, the chief advisor of the Emperor, it is composed of ministers known as either Imperial Magisters or Imperial Counts, Each of these ministers is in charge of the departments, known as the Secretariates.

• The Secretariat of the Rays, led by the Magister of the Rays, responsible with the Imperial Post, Archive and functions as a de facto foreign minister
• The Secretariat of the Generality, led by the Magister of the Generality, responsible with taxation and revenue
• The Secretariat of the Treasury, led by the Count of the Treasury, responsible with managing the imperial treasury and the minting of coins
• The Secretariat of the Waters and the Paths, led by the Count of the Waters and the Paths, responsible with aqueducts and infrastructure
• The Secretariat of the Estates, led by the Magister of the Estates, responsible with imperial estates
• The Secretariat of the Flames, led by the Count of the Fires, responsible with the military
• The Secretariat of the Beyond, led by the Count of the Beyond, responsible with colonial affairs
• The Secretariat of the Fires, led by the Magister of the Fires, responsible with religious ceremonies
• The Secretariat of the Scales, led by the Count of the Scales, responsible with justice
• The Secretariat of the Fields, led by the Magister of the Fields, responsible with agriculture

Separate from these titles, all important officials are known as Counts, with the title originally meaning companion (of the Emperor), with five classes. All those who hold such a title are automatically members of the aristocratic order, but the title is not hereditary, nor is it considered to be an aristocratic title by itself.

While the bureaucracy exists to help the Emperor rule, the practical application of imperial rule in the realms is found in the Polysynods. Each realm has a Synod, a council, generally formed by aristocrats, in some, chosen by their respective Diets, in others, appointed by the Emperor himself. Each of these councils has specific attributions and in practice, either rule instead of the Emperor or ensure the application of his decrees. Notable among those is the Synod of Vathora, which represents the council of the imperial capital and is most often called upon to advise the Emperor, leading to it be it being known as the Imperial Synod.

Important realms which form the Abode are the Apostolic Kingdom of Hyelodon, the Exalted Duchy of Zathyria, the Princely Palatinate of Regaldum and the Principalities of the Aylirian League, while Yalrial and Vayerohin are Imperial Free Cities and are under the protection of the Emperor. The authorities of each realm cooperate with the respective Synod in governing their lands, raising the taxes for the monarchy, bring issues to the attention of the Emperor, and so on, but the Synods exist above or alongside the traditional power structures. The Kingdom of Hyelodon, as an example, is generally led by the Apostolic Diet, a parliament formed by the important land-owning hereditary noble families, while the Exalted Duchy of Zathyria has a Grand and a Minor Council respectively, with the former being elected from among those men who have the right to vote, and the latter being appointed by the Emperor from his position as the Exalted Duke.

Although efforts to streamline this have been made, the Synods and the Secretariats, and the Synods and the local authorities over clash due to their overlapping responsibilities, and with the exception of foreign affairs and the military, each state retains its own policies. Hyelodon, dominated by the landed aristocracy, has been lagging behind industrially, but is considered to be one of the continent's largest agricultural producers.

Political parties, or groups similar to them, do exist, even if they only have relevance in those realms which have parliaments, like Hyelodon and Zathyria. The most important of such groups is the Achysian Resurrection League, a nationalist and reformist group with support among certain parts of the nobility, the richer parts of the bourgeoisie and the younger officers, which supports a radical reformation of the state under a centralized semi-constitutional monarchy. They believe that Achysia's potential and the Emperor's powers are limited by the feudalistic remains of ages past, and that a unified country led by the Emperor and an Imperial Diet would be much more able to deal with the various issues that the Abode is facing. The Crown Protection Corps is a radical offshoot of the Resurrection League which advocates for the immediate suspension of all rights and charters and the centralization under an absolute monarchy and a military regime, and it has its supporters in the Aulic War Synod. The Democratic Constitutional Party is traditionally the oldest such force, and it has its centers in the Imperial Free Cities of Yalrial and Vayerohin, with great support among the bourgeoisie. It advocates for the reformation of the Abode into a federal, constitutional parliamentary monarchy. The Central Association is currently the largest force in the Diet of Hyelodon, and it represents the interests of the landed aristocracy of the realm, supporting the status-quo.

Religious Information: Achysia is religiously tolerant, with the only faiths being forbidden being those that would pose a threat to the imperial system a rule. Generally speaking, the state does not intervene in the religious affairs of its subjects, but the type of unofficial pressure made on people to convert varies based on where they live. Existing faiths are however required to pray for the Emperor, or to the Emperor, depending on whether the deification of rulers works for them. The main faith is the traditional human faith of southern Boreana, often known simply as the Faith, a polytheistic and highly ceremonial and ritualistic religion. Many deities are worshiped, and traditionally, foreign deities are brought under the umbrella of an already existing deity through a process of interpretation. The people consider that their lives, their well-being, and through extension also the well-being of the state depends on their faith, piety, and on the relations between mortals and gods. An accord, or divine peace, must be maintained through the correct rituals The most important deity for Achysia is the Sun, who is worshiped as Zalyal, the Exalted Sun, the God of the Sun, of Fire, and of Wisdom. The Emperor rules as his Viceroy on Earth, and maintains the Holy Flames, fire temples spread throughout the country by a specialized order of priestesses known as the Maidens of the Flames, and a religious entity known as the Haliarchy, led by the head-priest, the Haliarch. Other important deities are Maylia, the Goddess of the Dawn, of Life of Birth and Creation, the Herald of the Beginning, Aylal, the Lady-Most-Kind, the Goddess of the Twilight, of Death and of Decay, the Herald of the End, Zyraxes, the God of the Night, of Darkness, of Emptiness, Foolishness, Protector of Not-Being, Yaylia, She-of-the-Fire-Moon, the Goddess of the Moon, of the Hearth, of Home, Truth, and Family, and Herad, the Weaver of Golden Lies, Goddess of Trade, Trickery, Cunning and Exploration, of Strangers, of Far Away Lands, the Wealth Spreader.

Other important religions in Achysia include the Path of Orphia, who is considered to be an Augur and a Prophet by many, the worship of Aneria, the old Goddess of the Stars, Seas, and Trade, who is considered to be an aspect of Herad or a sister of Herad and Yaylia, and the Al-Zoroaste faith, that is often not practiced independently of the Faith. Faiths of the non-human minorities, like the Eltheirya or the Kammoreiya are present, mostly in the homes of their adherents, but the past few Emperors have been notable for sponsoring the opening of temples of other faiths in order to promote tolerance.

Social Information: Traditionally, the Abode has been a society of contrasts. Foreigners, both of humans and of other races, facing persecution abroad were welcomed in the cities of Achysia, where the xerayos, agreements between the Emperor and the cities, protected their rights, their culture, and their religion. While strongly focused on tradition, and almost divinizing its monarchs, Achysia has been historically known for adopting the cultural influences of others, which has always been its greatest strength. It was when this diversity was limited, in the past century and a half, because of the fear of revolt, that the Empire has also been dealt its greatest defeats. Despite that, Achysia continues to be relatively diverse, with an identity not focused on race, or nationality, but rather an old fashioned understanding of subservience to the Emperor - all his subjects are Achysians. Historical minorities of Dwarves, Elves and Faeries have been increasing as of late due to the developing industrialization of the cities, and Achysia also attracts human immigrants from other parts of the continent, particularly as the Abode is trying to deal with its own weaknesses by attracting foreign ideas.
At the same time however, the Abode has a strict social hierarchy. Commoners, Burghers, and Nobles alike are organized in ranks with specific requirements. Serfdom has never caught on in a country whose military backbone was formed on the communities of free peasants serving the monarch directly, and slavery, mostly relegated to the cities, was banned only a century ago. Social climbing, while difficult, is not unheard of, particularly through the military, which can grant aristocratic titles to good officers. The aristocracy, also, is not limited to humans - with the Achysian aristocracy, and the Imperial Family in particular, having a history of favoring Elven blood.

Military Information: The Imperial Hosts of Achysia, also known as the Imperial and Royal Hosts, are directly under the command of the Emperor, with a long and glorious tradition. Despite that, the past century has been one filled with defeats and with slow reforms. With great sacrifices, forced by the threat of collapse that once seemed to threaten the empire, the Hosts are being forcefully brought into the modern age, but the defeats of years past still stain their banners. Traditionally divided into two forces, now the Empire has three divisions in its organization.
First is the Host of the Lands, also known as the Imperial and Royal Army. The Emperor, from his position as Master of all Hosts, often delegates his military authority to an officer known as the Prefect of the Soldiers in the Presence, often compared to a foreign field marshal. Names aside, the reforms of the last few decades have attempted to maintain the traditions of the imperial forces but to bring them on par with those of its continental rivals. The Aulic War Circle is a permanent body that functions as a general staff, studying war and attempting to develop a new class of officers, and while the titles of those officers remain those of old, with generals being known as Prefects of the Soldiers, colonels as Military Counts, lieutenant colones as Military Dukes, great progress has been made in shedding the marks of feudalism and old bureaucracy, the influence of the aristocrats being replaced with the rise of meritocratic officers. The Ring of Command is part of the War Circle, and is formed by the highest ranking officers who advise the Emperor on military matters.
In terms of equipment, the Abode can match its rivals but is still not quite at the forefront of military development. Fanaticism can not overwhelm technology, a lesson that was learned with a field of defeat and dead bodies against enemy needle guns decades ago, but the Host still promotes its traditions, both military and religious, as a way to strengthen the espirit de corps and to promote bravery. Priests serve alongside regiments, often with holy icons, and each regiment can trace its lineage through the centuries. Recruitment is directly managed by the central government, with the exception of some areas, like the Free Imperial Cities, which manage their own requirement but must meet the quotas. Efforts have also been made to deal with the issue posed by the various dialects spoken throughout the Empire, with the imposition of the so called "Military Achysian" as the language of training and of officers.
The Host of the Seas, is the naval force of the empire. Historically, it has been quite up to the par with its rivals, precisely because it wasn't the focus of the Abode like the army was. Based in the Exalted Duchy of Zathyria, the main coastal region of the Empire, it was seen as the place for younger princes, second born sons of nobles, people who could not expect their lives to come through inheritance, but who had to forge out their own paths. Smaller in size that that of its rivals, and with a pretty small colonial empire to protect, the Host of the Seas never a proper world power, but it was strong enough to defend Achysia's interests and it managed to win the few necessary victories to ensure the end of the war which humbled its armies. With great efforts, the navy has maintained a spot in the naval arms race, developing pre-dreadnoughts, but has been thrown into chaos by the Sednian introduction of the Dreadnought and is scrambling to catch up.
The Host of the Heavens, is, despite its somewhat ceremonious name, the air force of the Abode, and like for many other nations, the newest service. It is, despite its youth, an independent service, a fact owned to it being headed by the Archduke, the heir to the throne, and it is mostly focused on airships and on balloons, with attempts being made to develop a system of scouting and information that would allow the empire to quickly communicate with its colonies and to quickly respond to attacks.
A few more forces exist outside of the general structure. The Circle of the Watch is the imperial guard unit, controlled directly by the Emperor and an elite military unit at the same time. The Messengers of Serenity, also known as the Magister's Men, or officially, the Circle of Serenity, under the Magister of Serenity, are the secret police of the Empire. They work both as an internal intelligence service, keeping track of rebels and extremists, as a foreign intelligence service, and they also control the Varyintai, a small military force that is used a gendarmerie in the main cities, and as scouts in times of war.
History:

• 700-600 BCE - the coastlines of southern Boreana are generally occupied by city states which trade throughout the sea and attempt to set up colonies in Ummhara. The rise of Yhyria, the strongest of these city-states, a militaristic land and naval power, leads to the creation of the League of the Serpent, an alliance of city-states created to oppose it. In the War of the Broken Dragon, the League of the Serpent eventually subdued Yhyria and became the strongest polity in southern Boreana.
• 600-300 BCE - the League of the Serpent expands throughout the southern continent and northern Ummhara, fighting costly wars against the native powers. More and more is delegated away from the Courts, the assemblies of citizens, to military rulers, known as Archons. The power of these military rulers scares the Courts, and an attempted coup d'etat is stopped in a short civil war, leading to the establishment of the Council of the Exalted, a body of 10 secret members, who ruled country while wearing masks. They were secretly chosen once every two years by a mechanism known as the Elector.
• 300-200 BCE - The Council of the Exalted becomes more and more oppressive in their rule. Kaeron, a popular nobleman and general, is declared an enemy of the state by the Council after he defeats a coalition of northern tribes, in turn he invades the League with his forces, portraying his conflict as a righteous rebellion against corrupted authority. The civil war weakens the country, and begins the War of the Two Coins, in which the League was invaded from the north and the south at the same time. Kaeron abandons the civil war and leads his forces against the invaders, and dies in the Battle of Orthyal, having saved the country. He is deified by the Faith, and his cause is continued by his two children, Daeron and Zyrial. Brother and sister, and twins, they make use of a prophecy which apparently foretold the rise of a pair of monarchs, and eventually defeat the forces of the council. They proclaim the beginning of the Orthyalian Empire, and marry, becoming the first of the deified pair of siblings to rule over the Empire.
• 200 BCE - 300 CE - the Empire continues to expand as it aggressively switched to a theocratic monarchy. Monarchs, belong solely to the ruling house of the Kaeronids, attempted to generally follow the example set by their founds, and married brothers to sisters in pairs, or cousins if not possible, attempting to both keep their divine blood pure and to have a pair of siblings or cousins ruling as monarchs. Power however began to slip from the monarchs to a caste of priests known as the Custodians, who were often related by blood to the Kaeronids but were outside of the main family. This however generally restricted intrigue and power plays to the capital itself, while the provinces of the empire were administered by pairs of civilian and military governors. The Orthyalian Peace ruled throughout the territories controlled by the empire, as the military strength of the empire grew ever more.
• 300 CE - 450 CE - Corruption began to eat away at the Custodians, while the Kaeronids, with centuries of inbreeding, began to show signs of medical issues, and more pressingly, of insanity. The fortunes of the empire rapidly declined, as the pressure along its borders grew stronger. Civil wars, unheard of during the previous centuries, and large rebellions, weakened the centralized hold that the capital had. Some of the old city-states of the League rebelled and became independent. In 400 CE, the Blight, swept through the Empire and killed almost 40% of its population. The capital was particularly hardly hit, and the line of the Kaeronids was severed. Three religious preachers and prophets, later to be known as the Three Augurs, had foretold that a disaster would hit the Empire if the incest and the false deification of the Kaeronids would not cease. The last of these Augurs survived the Plague and began a reformation within the Faith. The Custodians were killed and most of the capital burned down in a popular uprising, and centralized rule broke, bringing with it the end of the Empire. Zeryon, a military commander in what is today Achysia, proclaimed his independence and earned the support of the last of these Augurs, helping create the Haliarchy, the ruling body of this reformed Faith, in his capital of Vathora. The Centuries of Blood and Ash begin.
• 450-650 - Successor states and barbarian kingdoms end their fight over the remains of the empire, as the remnant in Achysia, led by the dynasty of Zeryon, with the support of the Faith, become the dominant power. In the War of the Rising Flame, Theyron the Great unifies most of the remnants of the empire and proclaims its recreation. His death however emboldens those who opposed him, and his son, Raythol, a lot more aggressive and less diplomatic, finds it difficult to oppose them and also causes unrest among his own nobility. He loses the decisive Battle of the Werdian Fields and dies during the subsequent withdrawal, hit by an arrow shot by either his enemies or his guards.
• 650-850 - The wars continue, with neither Achysia or its enemies able to achieve dominance. In 850, in the Meeting of the Golden Fields, the Achysian monarch and his main rivals come to an agreement, creating the Apostolic Orthyalian Covenant. The crown of its emperor was meant to circle among the leading monarchs through the generations, and an Imperial Council and Diet were formed.
• 850-1480 - the Holy Covenant continues to evolve and expand. Instead of the crown changing hands, the Emperor becomes an elected position, with the descendants of the monarchs in the Meeting of the Golden Fields becoming Holy Electors. The crown however mostly goes to the dynasty of Achysia, which retains considerable influence. Marrying into the other houses, cadet branches of the Zeryonids eventually come to control a lot of the Holy Electorates, essentially retaining the crown. However, in exchange for this, the Achysian monarchs were forced to grant more and more freedoms to the individual realms.
• 1480-1700 - with the beginning of colonialism, the Holy Covenant is involved begins to fight for the position of regional hegemon, heavily fighting against Hesperia and also attempting to enforce its rule in northern Ummhara, with mixed success. Initially unable to do much against Hesperia, the collapse of the Hesperian economy gives the Covenant the upper hand as it attempts to expand around what they call the Internal Sea. Later on, the Covenant attempts to fight against the rising power of Lecha.
• 1700-1866 - presumably some more big wars, and a continental one that leads to the Imperial Consolidation Decree and the eventual collapse of the Holy Covenant, reorganized into the Achysian Abode and its composite monarchy. Some modernization and some attempts at colonization, with the Covenant and later the Abode being large supporters of a continental, Borean system of diplomacy and balance of powers. Failure of this system and the rise of Sednan power and colonialism brings Achysia closer to the Tetrarchy. Industrialization begins in the proper age, but evolves slower than in other continental powers due to the opposition of the aristocracy and low government intervention.
• 1866-1872 - Succession crisis in Hesperia leads to a war between Hesperia and Sedna on one side, and the Tetrarchy and Achysia on the other. The Tetrarchy and Achysia invade Hesperia and mostly occupy it, while also dealing a few important blows to Sedna and occupying most of its continental domains. Navally however, the Sednan navy destroys the Achysian force, while the occupation of Hesperia becomes costly in both money and blood due to local opposition. A daring Sednan campaign occupies the two islands south of Achysia and lands a force in Achysia proper, the Achysian forces are greatly defeated in the twin battles of Lyodon and Jyahsar. Achysia calls for an armistice, and withdraws its forces out of Hesperia but refuses to concede. Sedna wins a few battles against the Tetrarchy, and Mercia threatens with intervention, while the Achysians and the Tetrarchy rally their forces. Unwilling to continue what had so far been the bloodiest war on the continent, the sides agree to peace. Achysia loses its two islands.
• 1872-present - the continental war was a great blow to Achysian prestige, as the ease with which Sedna was able to invade and to threaten the imperial capital itself overshadowed the earlier victories. A great program of military reform is organized with great sacrifices, including the adoption of new weapons, uniforms, and the creation of more military academies in order to increase the level and skill of officers, while the role of the aristocracy is limited. The state finally gets involved with the industrial development, pursuing great public works of factory development and infrastructure. Some reforms are conceded to those who call for further democratic developments, but no big political or administrative reform is organized. The current Emperor, Vaeron V, is considering the organization of a Extraordinary Imperial Delegation to discuss such reforms.
  
  

RP Reference/Links/Sample: Here

Accepted

[Arvenia]

Hasn't a UK-like country been created yet?

[Tracian Empire]

Hasn't a UK-like country been created yet?

Sedna is, I believe, generally playing that role.

[Arvenia]

Hasn't a UK-like country been created yet?

Sedna is, I believe, generally playing that role.

I really wanted to be this roleplay's United Kingdom. Which country should I then model my country after?

Also, Sedna might just be the UK mixed with the Imperium.

[Tracian Empire]

Sedna is, I believe, generally playing that role.

I really wanted to be this roleplay's United Kingdom. Which country should I then model my country after?

Also, Sedna might just be the UK mixed with the Imperium.

I don't know how much inspiration it takes from the Imperium, but it is playing the role of the British Empire.

I'm not sure really. In Boreana, the main human continent, the Tetrarchy is a combination of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and Imperial Russia, Achysia is a more Oriental Austria-Hungary, Holmstadt is sort of Scandinavian and Mercia is vaguely inspired by the US, while Hesperia is generally inspired by Spain.


On different continents, Qhin is well, China inspired, Cheongryeo is Korea-inspired. Benuty's nation is mostly India inspired I think, and GCCS's claim is also more Oriental inspired.

So it depends on what you want. There is a little space left in Boreana, while Ummhara is mostly free. Khmor, which was meant to be sort of an East India Company is currently an NPC since Union Princes changed his claim, and I believe it could still be claimed, though you'd have to discuss that with the OP and with Sedna's player.

[Arvenia]

I really wanted to be this roleplay's United Kingdom. Which country should I then model my country after?

Also, Sedna might just be the UK mixed with the Imperium.

I don't know how much inspiration it takes from the Imperium, but it is playing the role of the British Empire.

I'm not sure really. In Boreana, the main human continent, the Tetrarchy is a combination of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and Imperial Russia, Achysia is a more Oriental Austria-Hungary, Holmstadt is sort of Scandinavian and Mercia is vaguely inspired by the US, while Hesperia is generally inspired by Spain.


On different continents, Qhin is well, China inspired, Cheongryeo is Korea-inspired. Benuty's nation is mostly India inspired I think, and GCCS's claim is also more Oriental inspired.

So it depends on what you want. There is a little space left in Boreana, while Ummhara is mostly free. Khmor, which was meant to be sort of an East India Company is currently an NPC since Union Princes changed his claim, and I believe it could still be claimed, though you'd have to discuss that with the OP and with Sedna's player.

Holmstadt is pretty much Norwegian. I might go for a country that is either French, Italian, Swedish or Japanese.