Achaean Empire
The Achaean Empire - often referred to simply as "the Empire," or less commonly as Imperia or the Imperium (the latter referring more specifically to its government) - is the most powerful nation west of the Jagged Edge, spanning the entirety of the lands known as Achaea, and beyond. Throughout its long history, its marching legions have trampled weaker nations and then rebuilt them in the Achaean image. Ruled by a single Emperor from the capital city of Coronaria, the Empire's borders stretch from the Southern deserts to the mountains of Northrim.
Contents
History
The Golden Age
The history of the Achaean Empire begins in the so-called Golden Age or Age of Heroes - the time of the revered heroes of Achaean culture, such as Akhilles and Herakles, when the world was full of demigods and monsters. The name 'Achaeans' comes from these tales, which are surrounded by myth and legend, long glorified as the true dawn of the Achaean culture, though the Empire itself did not truly arise until thousands of years later.
The Fourth Age: The Age of Bronze
The Imperial calendar begins here, at 1 AI (Anno Imperiorum), when the First Alliance was formed between the feuding city-states of Achaea. Led by Templaria, they united their armies to fight the rising threat posed by the Empire of Parsanshar to the south.
The Red War (130-200): Rivalries between Templaria and the Red City of Pyropolis resulted in the dissolution of the First Alliance. Pyropolis, the Red City, declared war on Templaria, starting a civil war known as the Red War. Eventually, the Red City and her allies achieved victory over the Templarian Alliance.
Around 30 years later, with Pyropolis and Templaria still relatively weak from the war, the city-state of Coria to the north took advantage. King Exar I of Coria sent his highly-disciplined Legions to unite all of Achaea under his rule.
Xandros the Conqueror
In 236 AI, King Exar I was assassinated, and his son Xandros took the throne at a young age. He declared himself Emperor of Achaea, creating the First Achaean Empire. He quickly led his armies to conquer Parsanshar to the south, then moved on to take Kemhet as well. He became known as Xandros the Conqueror.
But in 275, Xandros died of illness while on campaign. With no clear heir, his ruling council took control. The Empire soon fell apart. Xandros's army lost control of Parsanshar, allowing the twisted cult of Zharduvar to seize power there. Meanwhile, one of Xandros's generals, Basileus, declared himself Pharaoh of Kemhet, beginning the Basilean Dynasty there.
The Reign of Ildrius, the Mage Emperor
In the years following the Mage Wars, the people of the Achaean Empire grew suspicious of the Mage Advisors appointed to kings and other rulers. Many of these magi were foreigners from the new lands to the South, and they had gained increasing influence since the death of Xandros, who put great stock in their wisdom.
Fearing persecution, a cult of magi known only as The Hidden - possibly related to the Zharduvar - suddenly enacted a secret plan to overthrow the kings they had sworn to advise. Many Imperial nobles were killed or imprisoned.
The mages even overthrew the current Emperor, the weak and ineffective Valens II. He was slain by his own advisor, Archmage Ildrius, who then declared himself Emperor and trapped Valens's soul in a soulstone on his new crown. For thirty years, the Mage-Emperor Ildrius ruled Achaea with an iron grip, enslaving and experimenting upon his own subjects - the regular people of the Empire - with the help of his powerful Mage Lords.
In 333 AI, Ildrius was finally slain by Sir Durand du Vide, and rulership of the Empire passed to the Imperial Senate. They declared Durand the First Inquisitor, founding the Imperial Inquisition to hunt down the remaining Mage Lords and destroy them.
The Achaean Republic
For nearly five hundred years, from 333 to 870 AI, Achaea was ruled by the Senate and the Consuls, who swore that no Emperor would ever rise again to take control. At first, there was peace, but eventually the Senate became corrupt and weak, and turmoil began to rise throughout the Empire.
Much territory was lost, and in 866, the Senate sent General Albus Exarion to cross the Ilfarius River and destroy the Nordling tribes of the Northwestern Kingdom. He proved to be a military genius unlike the Empire had seen since the days of Xandros, and soon the only remaining Northwestern tribes were the Frost Ravens, the Forsaken, and a few tribes on the islands off the coast.
The Second Achaean Empire
In 870, General Exarion's ambitions grew too great, and the Senate relieved him of command. But he had no intention of giving up his position, and so he marched on Coria itself with his Legions. The Republic stood no chance against him, and he soon declared himself Emperor, founding the Second Achaean Empire.
In 886, supporters of the Republic in the Senate assassinated Exarion, but his adopted ward quickly seized power, declaring himself Exarion II and purging the Empire of all Republic supporters, executing his father's killers. Seeking to prove himself as capable as his predecessor, Exarion II sent General Elius Aquilus, the Black Eagle, to march past Coldstone Wall and conquer Northrim. He seized control of Rimegard and declared the Imperial Kingdom of Northrim.
In 977, Emperor Antares I took the throne and converted to the increasingly popular Cult of Astra, adding Astra to the Imperial pantheon of gods and placing her star on the Imperial crown. He also ordered the Inquisition to stop killing mages and start capturing them alive, to study for a way to control or even cure them. He ordered the construction of a new fortress-prison for magi, Karak du Vide.
In 1073, a young knight and his comrades-in-arms overthrew the weak and corrupt Emperor Severus IV. This knight declared himself Emperor Doraius I, and his retinue became the Paladins, whom he gifted control of the mighty Stormcliff Keep. Doraius declared it his intention to bring law and order and peace to all the world by spreading the light of Astra and the Empire as far as possible.
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The first age of which reasonably accurate historical records still exist. At this time, Achaea was composed of many feuding city-states and small kingdoms. This period of history is dominated by the Red War, when two major alliances of city-states fought for supremacy in Achaea, led by the cities of Templaria and Lakedaemon, the Red City. The Red Army won the war, and might have been the founders of the Empire had not King Exar I of Coria swept down from the north with his mighty legions and stolen their chance.
The history of the Empire founded by Exar and his son can be found in the Achaean Empire article. (This is the history of the Empire of Coronaria only - for earlier Achaean history, see Achaea) The modern Empire was created when King Exar I of the city-state of Coria began his campaign of conquest. Together with his son Xandros, he led his legions against the other city states of Achaea, which were weakened after years of civil war. King Exar was assassinated only five years after they achieved victory, so his son Xandros became the first Emperor of Achaea at the age of 21. Coria was renamed Coronaria in honor of its new position as the Imperial capital.
Sweeping southward, Xandros conquered the great, ancient empires of Parsanshar and Kemhet as well, but he never lived long enough to secure his reign over these territories. He died of a poisoned wound while fighitng his way across the Great Waste in an attempt to reach the untouchable East. Parsanshar reestablished itself within a year, though Xandros's general who took control of Kemhet kept his power by adopting the customs of the local population and calling himself Pharaoh. His dynasty has ruled there ever since, independent of the Achaean Empire.
Xandros was followed by a series of Emperors with short but relatively peaceful reigns. This was a sort of golden age for the Empire, as it worked to strengthen its armies and secure its borders. In year 250 of the Imperial Calendar, the leader of the cult of magi called the Hidden murdered the last of these good emperors and became the much-hated Mage-Emperor Ildrius. His reign of terror instilled a great hatred of magic in the people of Achaea. In 269, he was slain by Sir Durand du Vide, who then crowned one of his allies Emperor Severus I and went on to create the Inquisition.
For centuries after this, the Empire continued to grow in strength even through great adversity. At one point after the reign of a particularly mad Emperor, it was a Republic, until another Emperor established himself. Through all of this, it continued to grow and expand.
The Empire failed to push much farther southward, but its northern border pressed farther and farther into Northrim. For a while it seemed to end with the establishment the Northwestern Kingdom, its capital at Illikon. The conquest was stopped because of the disastrous Battle of Blackforest, in which three legions led by Emperor Valorus II were crushed by an alliance of Northrim tribes as they marched through the great forests of Northrim. The Emperor was killed, and the leader of the tribes, Kundaric the Terrible, had his skull hollowed out and made into a golden drinking goblet. This effectively terrified the Achaeans, who ceased their attempts and conquest and instead began heavily fortifying the border with Northrim, hoping to simply keep the barbarians out.
This 'permanent' border did not last long, since in 1068, General Elius Skiera began an ambitious campaign into Northrim and siezed control of one of the major settlements of the Great Bear Tribe, Rimegard. The Emperor then gave him the pretentious title of "King of Northrim," hoping he would finally break the "barbarians" and end their raids on Imperial settlements. Elius failed to make further progress, however, and his successories had their hands full simply defending Rimegard and the surrounding territory.
There are those who say that the Empire's borders have grown too large, and that the fate of the unified government of Achaea is standing on the edge of a knife. Its resources are constantly strained, for its northern and southern borders must be protected from enemy armies, its southwestern border from monsters and Amazons, its eastern border from the Chaos Races, its shores from pirates and raiders, and of course it must keep its ever-growing population fed and under control. Rebellions are common, and though usually put down easily, they cost the Empire dearly each time.
Geography
Achaea is divided into several major regions, each ruled by a semi-sovereign government that answers to the Emperor.
The Kingdom of Northrim - The newest kingdom of the Empire, actually comprising only a small section of Northrim north of Coldstone Wall. See the article about its capital, Rimegard.
The Northwestern Kingdom - The second newest kingdom of the Empire, just south of Coldstone Wall. It is a wild land, dominated by the Plains of Illikon, many thick forests, and mountains to the north and east. This makes it a prime source of raw materials. For more information, see the article about its capital, Illikon.
The Riverlands - The kingdom south of Illikon's realm, ruled over by the city of Deltalund. Its territory stretches along the river, and much of it is covered in marshlands. Smaller cities include Stonebridge, Woodshadow Village, and the Moor.
The Blackrock Foothills - A small region east of the Riverlands, governed from Pluton Hold. Named for its many black stones, since it rests at the feet of Vulcan's Forge, an enormous volcano in the Jagged Edge. This region has the largest dwarf population in Achaea.
The Golden Kingdom - The breadbasket of the Empire, this region takes its name from its many rich farmlands and their golden fields. It is goverened by the city of Caltha, where the Grand Championship of the gladiator games is held every year. The second largest city is the Crossroads.
The Heartland - Seat of the Imperial government, a large region dominated by the Imperial capital of Coronaria and, across the farmlands to the south, the venerable Red City of Lakedaemon. Also includes Stormcliff Keep.
Old Achaea - Sometimes called the Silver Shore, this region is considered by some to be the birthplace of Achaean culture. It is ruled by the grand city of Templaria, and also includes Olympia.
The Straits - Sometimes called the Free Coast, since its capital, ???, is a republic rather than a monarchy. An extremely wealthy trade hub often full of exotic people, giving it a reputation of sin and lawlessness that is only partially deserved.
The Southern Empire - The southernmost region of Achaea, governed by the unbreakable City of Justice, ???.
(this part of the article is under construction)
Areas Outside Imperial Dominion
The Empire does not govern quite all of Achaea. These regions lie outside of its control.
The Southwestern Wilds - A peninsula jutting out of the Achaean southwest, this untamed land is ruled by beastfolk and Amazons. For more information, see the article Southwestern Wilds.
The Black March - The part of the Jagged Edge that lies east of Achaea is sometimes called the Black March. It is ruled by the Chaos Races from their monstrous city of Dhuum.
Noble Titles
Emperor/Empress
The sovereign ruler of all the Empire, who leads from the capital city of Coronaria, advised by his council of Senators and Delegates from the kingdoms under his rule. He answers to no one but himself, and is traditionally regarded as divinely blessed by the gods, not to be touched... though many Emperors have not enjoyed this level of respect. His personal retinue of knights are the Paladins, who act as his representatives in the field when he cannot be present. They are meant to be obeyed at all times.
Senator
The Senate is an ancient institution within the Capital City of the Empire, its seats usually held by stuffy, high-born patricians still set in the old traditional ways. Once proud and intellectual, the Senate has waned in power and glroy, and is now only a shell of its former self. Although Senators are usually wealthy and accorded a large degree of ceremonial respect, many now consider it merely a plaything of the patricians in the Capital. The Senate is rarely called into session by the Emperor anymore, and the Delegates of the Kings hold greater sway.
King/Queen
The most powerful title one can hold below Emperor. Practically independent, each King or Queen answers only to the Emperor himself. Rules a Kingdom, which is divided into Duchies or Dukedoms. A King or Queen's seat of power is usually a large, well-fortified capital city.
Duke/Duchess
Subordinate to a King, in charge a Duchy or Dukedom, which is further divided into Counties. Usually rules from a castle in a large city.
Count/Countess
Subordinate to a Duke, in charge of a County, which is sometimes further divided into Baronies. Usually rules from a small city or town, or a freestanding castle. Sometimes called an Earl (from the Northrim word Jarl) in northern parts of the Empire.
Baron
Subordinate to a Count, in charge of a Barony. Usually rules from a small city or town.
Knight
A fighting nobleman who typically owns a manor on an estate. For more information, see the Knights section under Military Organization below.
Military Organization
King Exar I was able to conquer all of Achaea not only because it was weak from civil war, but because of the discipline of his armies. Coria was nestled at the foothills of the great Jagged Edge mountains, and may have once been a dwarven settlement. Whether this is true or not, the Imperial legions, with their strict discipline and heavily-armored infantry forming its impenetrable line of tower shields, were clearly based on the model of the dwarven army.
The Legions
The official, professional military forces of the Empire are the Legions. Each one is composed of several thousand troops and operates from a Legionary Fort. These are scattered throughout the Empire and along the frontier. Where a Legionary Fort is constructed, a city usually springs up before long, composed of the Legion's families and those who wish to profit off the troops. Most major cities within the Empire contain a Legionary Fort or have one located nearby. In the fort, the legionary soldiers are drilled regularly to ensure strict discipline and maximum efficiency. Hard workers, they are also the builders of much of the Empire: they construct their own forts, maintain the Imperial roads, and dig trenches with palisade walls every time they set up camp. A legion is a fighting force to be reckoned with, and without them the Empire would fall.
There are currently twenty-one legions operating in the Empire, though more may be raised if needed. They range from the Legio Prima, the First Legion, stationed within the Imperial Capital; to the Legio XXI Apri, the Legion of the Boar, stationed in Rimegard. Each legion has its own emblem and colors, and usually its own fortress. For a list of the different legions, see the Imperial Legions article.
Legionary Ranks
Legatus - The General. Leader of an individual legion. Every legion has a Legatus, usually a nobleman. Their armor is usualy highly decorated with personal embellishments and a large crest.
Centurion - Leader of a century, or about 100 men. Six centuries working together forms a cohort, which is then led by the most senior centurion. Marked by a side-to-side crest atop the helmet.
Lieutenant - Minor officers under the centurion who help him relay orders or perform other tasks for him. They have a front-to-back crest atop their helmets.
Legionary Roles
Each unit of a legion may serve one of several roles...
Hoplites
In ancient times, the phalanx of hoplites served as the heavy infantry, but gradually their armor began to grow lighter in weight, and havier suits of armor were introduced for the main line infantry. The hoplites now serve the role of Light Infantry. They usually are positioned on the wings of an army wheir their maneuverability can be used to great advantage. They also serve as skirmishers, scouting the area ahead and weakening the enemy with missile fire before falling back behind the main line. They wear relatively little armor, but always carry a shield, one or more spears, and a small sword or dagger.
Legionaries
The backbone of every legion is its heavy infantry. Wearers of the most standardized armor in the Empire, each legionary is equipped with a tower shield, a spear, and a gladius. In battle, they form a nearly impregnable shield wall and press upon the enemy, carving at them with their swords and spears like a meat grinder, led by their centurion, who makes sure that none of them break rank.
Cavalry
Not all legions have a cavalry unit attached. Each cavalry unit might be Light Cavalry (sometiems referred to by their ancient name, Prodromoi), who serve as scouts and ranged skirmishers; or Heavy Cavalry (Cataphracti or Kataphractoi), who wear full armor and charge in to break enemy lines directly. They have largely been replaced in recent times by Knights, who rose from among their ranks as the Ordo Equester.
Sagittarii
Light cavalry or light infantry units which specialize in archery are called Sagittarii (singluar Sagittarium). Archers are used to weaken the enemy at range until the heavy cavalry and/or infantry can advance. They never serve as the main fighting force of a legion.
Knights and Local Armies
Knights
A special case within the Imperial military and nobility are the knights. They arose from the heavy cavalry of the Legions, which was often composed of nobles who owned their own horses and armor. This class of low nobility came to be known as the Ordo Equester, and later merely the Knights. They would lead the armies in battle and take newly-conquered lands for their own. They developed the practice of heraldry to identify knightly families and orders easily on the battlefield. They also developed a code of conduct called Chivalry, in which knights are held up to rigorous standards of moral conduct, but also are valued above all other soldiers. Militiamen and Legionaries are seen as expendable, but Knights, being noblemen, are more valuable. In wars between kingdoms, knights are usually captured instead of killed, so that they may be ransomed back to their home kingdom or family.
Despite their being nobility, it would be foolish to consider knights pampered and soft. At a very young age, those nobles (or sometimes simply wealthy individuals hoping to become nobles) looking to become knights must go to a castle and serve under a lord as a servant-boy or page. During this time, they are trained in loyalty and the basics of combat, until at age fourteen they may become a squire. Squires train personally under a knight, sometimes even riding into battle with him. Later, if deemed worthy, they may dubbed a knight themselves by a knight or other nobility. Sometimes those who did not undergo such training from a young age, such as members of the Legionary Cavalry, may be dubbed a knight for deeds of great loyalty or heroism. Most knights either live with their lord in the castle or are granted an estate and a manor of their own.
A group of knights may fight as a cavalry or an infantry unit, but most often cavalry. When fighting together, the highest-ranking noble present is assigned the role of Knight-Captain, or else they are led by a local lord or king.
Royal Armies
A few kings choose to train professional armies of their own, outside of the Imperial Legions. These are sometimes called Royal Armies or Home Armies. They wear the colors of their kingdom and answer to the King rather than directly to the Emperor as the Legions are supposed to do. Usually limited in size so as not to cause suspicion from the Emperor, they are nonetheless a sign of a King's desire for indepedence.
Royal armies have different ranks than the legions. They are usually led by a knight or other noble, but occasionally an experienced commoner may take the role. He is then given the rank of Marshal. Leaders of individual units are called Captains, assisted by their Lieutenants.
Militia
More common than professional Royal Armies are militia. Drafted from the ranks of young men within a nobleman's domain, they are usually poorly trained and equipped. Still, they are used quite frequently, especially when a Legion cannot become involved in a battle for one reason or another. They answer to their local lord rather than a legionary commander under the Emperor, and they are usually commanded on the field by knights, or captains from royal armies or mercenary companies.
Mercenaries
Increasingly common within the Empire as its borders grow, mercenary bands are hired by some lords in leiu of Royal Armies, Militias, or Legions - perhaps because these options have been used up, will not suffice, or refuse to perform a particular job. Some mercenary companies have thus become quite large and powerful in their own right, operating out of their own fortresses independent of any other leader. Others are independent warriors who may answer a call for hired blades when they find one.
Mercenary companies are especially common in southwestern Achaea, where they are contacted to fight feudal battles between local lords, since the Legion refuses to get involved.
Most navies answer to a local king or duke instead of directly to the Emperor. Each ship is commanded by a Captain, and together several ships may be led by an Admiral. Although ships may be equipped with catapults or ballistae on board, most naval warfare is still fought by ramming and/or boarding the enemy vessels. Thus, ships serve mostly as transports. They may have their own crew of marines on board trained specifically for naval warfare, or they may carry other troops with their own commanders.
The Issue of Leadership
Leadership is a fragile thing in the Imperial military. As the reader has seen, there is no overall command structure. The legions, local militaries, mercenary companies, etc., all have their own command structures that may not precisely coincide. These are some of the major issues that plague Imperial leadership:
The Issue of Experience - A more experienced field commander, especially one from the Legions, may expect to take charge, the way that a senior centurion commands a cohort. But when working with local lords or knights, they may refuse to bow to his commands, mostly due to...
The Issue of Blood - Nobility hate to take orders from somone of "lower" birth. If a local lord, even one as low-ranked as a Baron, suddenly decides he would like to join in a war, he may expect to be given leadership due to his title, even if he has no military experience.
The Issue of Rank - Officers of the Emperor, like Legionary Legati or even one of the Emperor's own Paladins (who are supposed to be obeyed at all times), may have trouble controlling local armies. This is again mostly due to the issue of blood; a King does not like to take orders from anyone, even a Paladin, despite the risk of being declared a traitor to the Empire. The same issues arise with leaders of knightly orders like the Knights Templar.
These problems have never been resolved, and sometimes a dispute over leadership of an Imperial army in a crisis may still come to blows.
