[OOC] Dulce et Decorum Est - A WWI Inspired Nation Roleplay (Stalled out, we have a new thread for the reboot) (Page 2)

Name of Nation: The Kratorian Imperium, The First Civilization, The Kingdom of Kingdoms, The Realm of the Gods

Imperial Monarchy - Since it's inception, the Imperium has been ruled by the royal dynasty of House Xanderos, whose progenitor, Aelyx the Great, won the right to rule over the great Kratorian city-states through guile, diplomacy, and strength of arms. All the other demigods bent the knee to him, and he became the first High King of Kratoria. His firstborn son came into the throne after him and then his eldest granddaughter, every succeeding monarch ruling for decades or even centuries due to the divine Semideum blood that flowed in their veins. For most of Kratoria's history, the Imperator of the Imperium had retained great authority, though the manner of this power differed greatly. Most Imperators delegated great lands and honors to the Primarchs but a few reigned supreme over the Imperium, curtailing the rights of the high nobility greatly. In recent generations, as Kratoria's Empire waned in size, the Imperator was forced to make concessions to other governmental bodies as balances against the Crown or risk losing the throne entirely. 

The Imperial Senate holds many powers of its own, at least on paper. The ability for the Senate to enforce them often relies on the support of the high nobility, the Imperial Council, and the Imperator themselves in acquiescing to their requests. The Senate is made of two chambers, the House of Lords and the House of Citizens. In the House of Freeholders, every sitting master of a fiefdom is allowed to send a representative to speak for them, usually a younger child, sibling, or cousin if they do not live close to the capital themselves. The members of the House of Citizens are elected by the people of the territory they represent but are almost always made up of veterans, guildsmen, philosophers, clerics, poets, champions, scholars, and their like. Many of whom are lesser nobility themselves. The Speaker of the Senate is the body's representative on the Imperial Council and is chosen by the Senators from their own ranks, and is often accounted one of the most influential officials in the Imperium. 

Though the Imperator and all the lords beneath him retain the privilege to pass judgement, many of them delegate their authority to magistrates to act on their behalf when judging both civil disputes and criminal offenses within their domains, though often for the most serious of occasions they will sit in judgement themselves. Only in the age of Visenya I, Aelyx's granddaughter, was there a uniform code of law across the realm and even then there are many local customs and laws not under the Imperium's purview. As such, every lord of a territory is expected to either act as a magistrate or empower one themselves to decide matters according to the peculiarities of their local codes. Their rulings can be overturned if an appeal to a higher magistrate is accepted, and the highest judicial authority in the land besides the Imperator themselves is their Chief Magistrate who must often mediate disputes between the great lords of the realm and hears civil petitions from those who live directly in the High King's domains. 

The Imperator may rule, but often a monarch leaves much of the day to day matters of ruling to the Imperial High Council. Besides the Speaker of the Senate, the Hierarch, the Grand Sage, and the Archmagus, there are many other advisors and officials that the High King or Queen appoints to sit on the Council. These include the Lord Justiciar, who tends to issues regarding the law; the Lord Treasurer, who handles financial dealings; the Lord Marshall, who advises the monarch on military operations; and the Lord Vizier, who is the Imperator's right hand in all matters and the Prime Minister of Imperium. Each of the Monarch's advisors have ministers running various ministries beneath them such as education, agriculture, infrastructure, and all other issues of concern to the throne. The Imperator may often appoint non-titled advisors to sit on the Council as well, oftentimes their royal consort or heir. A position on the council offers both great prestige and power and many lords and ladies vie for a spot at their royal liege's side. 

Though the Imperator may reign over Kratoria as a whole, he does not rule most of his realm directly, and the vast majority of the Imperium is governed in a feudal manner. Beneath the Imperial Dynasty are the Thirteen Great Houses, run by Primarchs who trace their descent to the thirteen most powerful deities of the Kratorian Pantheon. They swear fealty directly to the throne. Every Primarch has a variety of Archons sworn to them, who also claim blood from among the many gods of their faith. Every Archon has his own vassal lords and those lords have their own bannermen and so forth, the purity and strength of the bloodine determining one's position on the feudal ladder until one reaches landed knights, who either have very little Semideum blood or none at all. The governance of the Imperial territories varies. In most countryside fiefs, the lord rules over his serfs with much authority. But in many of the Imperium's settlements, especially the former city-states of old, the citizens of these great cities often have voting privileges while the reigning lord retains certain powers. A few Imperial citizens even live in clan structures, with their chieftain acting as a petty lord. Once Imperial rule was consolidated in Old and New Kratoria, the Imperator took hold of a few choice provinces but left the vast majority of the conquered land to draw up for the Primarchs and their vassals. In the Age of Conquest, a nation that submitted was allowed to retain autonomy and self-governance while paying homage and tribute to the Imperator while a conquered people often had a Lord Governor installed to rule for the Imperator. Those days are past and the Lord Governor of the Imperial Raj has long since become a Primarch, the only Primarch to originate from the East and not the West.

A great many races are part of the Imperium's domain, especially in the heartlands it spread out of, from fair nymphs to swift centaurs and mighty cyclopes. Like the Semideum, it is believed that the Old Gods created these races with their own blood. The early Archons of Old Kratoria were quick to make their brethren bend the knee, and these races came to serve the Semideum well in both war and peace. The nonhumans of Old Kratoria are treated just as well as human subjects and are overwhelmingly loyal to their lords and the Imperium. These loyal armies were a great boon to the Semideum as they spread across the largely wild frontiers of what would come to be New Kratoria, and helped bring other races into the fold. Normal humans make up a slight majority of the Imperium's subjects, with around six out of every ten Imperials being a human. The humans of Kratoria come in all the varieties of humanity due to long millennia of immigration, voluntarily or otherwise. After millennia of beneficial co-existence and Imperial rule, the great majority of the Imperium's citizens of all races live in amity with strong loyalty to the throne. The Imperium is among the most populous nations in the world thanks to its size and wealth. 

As for the Semideum themselves, in ages past they were indisputably the most powerful race to walk the Earth. They claimed descent from the Old Gods themselves, and their claims were hard to deny. The most powerful of them could shatter castle gates with one mighty blow and lay waste to a hundred men by themselves. They were effectively immortal, and fell only if killed, which was no mean feat. Many of them wielded terrible magic abilities. The first-tier Semideum had the most pure blood ties to their divine ancestors, and they were careful to marry within themselves to keep their bloodlines strong. It was rare for there to be more than several hundred of these pureborn at any one time. But while they married each other, the Semideum had the appetites of men and often lay with mortals. Thus were born Semideum of lesser blood purity. Semideum of the second-tier were not as strong or swift but still much more powerful than any normal human, with strength, endurance, speed, and senses beyond normal limits. They typically number in the low thousands and lived centuries. Semideum of the third-tier were the weakest, but still had physical abilities beyond a mortal. There are also the most numerous with many thousands being officially recognized as such. 

Humanoid Semideum often interbreed with the nonhuman races and still do, and it is unknown just how many minotaurs, harpies, gorgons, or nymphs can truthfully boast of a Semideum in their bloodline. The same goes for normal humans, for many accomplished personages will claim to be a Semideum by birth and use their achievements as proof of their status as a third-tier. Today second and third-tier Semideum are as prominent as they had been in ages past, but the pureborn have for the most part stayed out of the public eye. Many say that with the disappearance of magic, their own physical and magical powers had waned greatly though they retain their supernatural beauty and longevity and are still much more powerful than their lower-tier brethren. Second-tier Semideum are still superhuman but have also weakened while third-tier Semideum are now as naturally strong and swift as mortals at absolute peak fitness. In modern days, some Semideum remain generally powerful while others train to specialize in certain skills. And there are Semideum who still retain naturally advanced cognitive abilities and intelligence.

For an empire as large and diverse as it is, there cannot be said to be one single overriding culture for Kratoria, even among those who hail from the old city-states. Every city and every race in the Imperium has its own unique customs, traditions, and beliefs. But there are a few traits that knit the Imperial citizens together, from the lowest serf to royalty. 

There are many gods worshipped in Old and New Kratoria, some from the Kratorian pantheon and others held sacred by conquered peoples. Some citizens of the Empire pray to spirits, others to their ancestors, and even a few are said to venerate old, dark gods that are closer to monster than deity. But Kratoria is a universally spiritual nation, and religion is a fact of life. The nation is filled with shrines and monuments to hundreds of gods and deities, many erected in the dawn of civilization. When the Kratorians subjugated New Kratoria, they burned no temples and pulled down no idols, and for that they came to be loved. All faiths are tolerated, and one can even hate the gods. Denying their existence is the only heresy, for to deny the gods is to deny the Semideum. In all things the gods are consulted and prayed to, and proper rites for births, marriages, and funerals are essential to Kratorians. 

Besides the Senate, one of the largest balancing powers against the High King is the Chantry of the Kratorian Pantheon. There are hundreds of gods in the Pantheon and all of them are represented by sects of varying sizes and are made up of all manner of godsworn, from humble traveling clerics who minister to countryside hamlets to ministerial clerics who preach at grand temples to the holy brothers and sisters of monastic orders to the Prophets who speak for their patron god on the mortal plane. Prophets are appointed to represent their order in the Conclave. The Conclave appoints the Hierarch, who is meant to have a voice for all of the gods. The upper leadership of the Chantry is dominated by the Semideum and the Chantry holds enormous cultural influence. 

The Chantry is ensured various rights and protections under the law, with its wealth exempt from taxation and nobles even make a game of outdoing each other in donation to the Chantry. Any newly crowned Imperator must have been baptized and blessed by the Hierarch lest they risk looking illegitimate, and the Imperator can encourage enormous social change with their words. Only the Hierarch and the other members of the Conclave are allowed to serve as mediums for a supplicant to the Oracles, who are said to receive visions directly from the gods. The Hierarch is always ensured a seat on the Imperial Council. In the Age of Conquest, the proselytizing of the Clerics helped spread the Pantheon's reach to all the lands that the Imperium touched in war and trade. They are by no means a majority outside of the Imperium, but the Grand Cleric speaks to millions of followers world wide still and followers of the Pantheon outnumber all other faiths in the Imperium. 

Besides the gods, citizens of Old and New Kratoria give much renown to art, sports, intellect, and the beauty of the natural world. Large marketplaces and training grounds are ubiquitous in Kratorian cities, but so are universities, libraries, sporting fields, hospitals, amphitheaters, museums, menageries, and massive gardens depending on who the city's patron is. The styles and traditions of culture vary but the national pride in Kratoria's ancient works remains strong throughout the Imperium. Nearly all of the constructions considered to be Wonders of the World stand in the Imperium's domain. Statues, monuments, and grand towers, some dating back to the age of city-states are a common sight. Kratorian cities are marvels of classical architecture and engineering. Elegant skyscrapers rise in the Imperium, all of them painstakingly planned to the smallest detail and constructed to be both beautiful and functional. Alongside the new construction, marble buildings of ancient districts and buildings from every era of history remain. All the major city have at least one distinctive monument by which to boast to all the others. In Minervaros, there is a great library that has stood since the dawn of civilization. In Heliopolis, the Solarium, the first of its kind, draws in tourists by the hundreds of thousands. And in Mercumes, the Ivory Baazar, the largest open-air marketplace in the world, has been open for more than two thousand years. 

For Kratorians, honor is incredibly important. It is a reality that Kratorian nobles lie and scheme as much as any other class of ruling people. But to be publicly known as being dishonorable is akin to being socially exiled, as proper courtesy, protocol, and etiquette are held highly. Cultural norms vary, but all Kratorians recognize the notions of guest right, blood oaths, and honor duels, such concepts as these were formed out of necessity in the blood-letting of the era of city-states and still hold immense sway in Kratorian society. To break the code of guest right, to violate a sacred oath, or to tarnish the integrity of a trial by combat are crimes that are to be met with painful death, only defilement of a holy site or kinslaying are more grievous. 

And indeed, family is sacrosanct to Kratorian citizens. Loyalty to blood is one of their highest values, another necessity from the bloody pre-Imperial age. This familial loyalty is also used to teach young Kratorians the importance of duty. Glory is important, but Kratorians must also serve their duty to their families, their lords, their gods, and their country. Betraying their duty and by extension their honor and the honor of those around them simply for the sake of advancement is seen to be incredibly shameful. A man without honor can hardly said to be a man at all. This societal commitment to honor, duty, and family is perhaps one of the biggest factors that has kept the Semideum nobility in power for millennia and the serfs happy with their subservience to them. 

Despite the strong ethics and traditions of the Kratorians, Imperial citizens enjoy a great many personal liberties. Besides their religious liberties, the right to assembly, free speech, the free press, and several other protections were enshrined in the Imperial constitution over the years, motivated in large part by Kratoria's celebrated philosophers. Women are usually considered equal to men in legal rights and protections in most things, and equal primogeniture is practiced in matters of inheritance. As long as a Kratorian does their duty, abide by the King's peace and rule, and obey the law what they do in their private lives is usually considered private. Homosexual relationships are tolerated by the Chantry, though marriage can only be between a man and a woman and aristocrats are expected to marry in order to pass on their family legacy despite whatever proclivities they may have. It is common for a noble, both male and female, to have consorts outside of marriage and the children of these affairs are often raised in comfort and provided with education though they cannot inherit as long as trueborn heirs live. Many commoners often consider it an honor to bear a noble's child, and marrying a noble bastard is often an effective way to rise in Kratorian society.  

This libertine attitude to sexuality is most apparent in the nobility, though the majority of Imperial citizens have a similar mentality. Inter-species relationships are far from rare, and the average peasant will see a homosexual man or woman as slightly eccentric at worst. Several notables and luminaries of Kratoria are known to openly keep harems filled with exotic concubines from all over the world. Polygamous marriage is also not unknown in Kratoria among the highborn of the Imperium. A nobleman's first marriage is usually arranged for political reasons but he can also take on more than one wife if it pleases him, though these are almost always nobles as well and the children of the first wife will have priority in inheritance over secondary wives. Women cannot marry more than one man. However it is possible for a woman to take another consort and bear trueborn children, should her husband be infertile. Her husbands kinsman may then lay with her, and the children will be adopted by the couple as the family's heirs. A woman who reigns over a holding as a lady who is infertile may also have her husband lay with a kinswoman to the same result. Understandably, these customs can lead to succession crises, which can be peaceably resolved by the Senate or the King's decree. 

Out of all the various guilds, fellowships, and orders that play a role in the complex politics of the Kratorian Imperium, the Brotherhood of Magi is the oldest and most rooted in Kratorian tradition. It was the Magi who stood at the side of the first Kratorian kings and assisted them in all things, in the days when the Semideum had the strength of the gods and when magic was a powerful force in the world. The Magi often were Semideum themselves, masters of a wide variety of subjects due to their immortality and incredibly potent in ability due to their blood. The Magi were priests, scholars, scientists, artists, warriors, philosophers, and assassins in addition to being Sorcerers. Before the Imperial bureaucracy and the Chantry, it was the Magi who formed the backbone of society in the Old Kratorian city-states. Kratorian magic developed an almost infinite amount of schools, disciplines, and styles. Magi could see into the future, speak to the dead, enter the world of dreams, heal with a touch, curse with a look, and all manner of other gifts. 

Becoming a Magi meant attaining an apprenticeship under a recognized Mage of at least Adept status. They would study the magical arts and many scholarly ones, even combat. Once they became a full-fledged Mage, they would have the recognized status as a user of arcane forces and the ability to vote in the Order's proceedings. Adepts could reach Veteran status once they became even more accomplished in their school, but at the top of the hierarchy are the Masters and Mistresses of the Mage Council, who are the most powerful sorcerers in the Brotherhood. The Archmagus is the most powerful of the Council, and is considered the Sorcerer Supreme of Kratoria and by extension, the world. For though native Imperials made up the majority of the Order, it was quite common for practitioners from around the world to journey to the Imperium to study under a Kratorian mage, and add to the already rich magical traditions with their unique practices. It was the Archmagus who was the most influential and powerful of Aelyx the Great's advisers, and since then the Archmagus has sat on the High Council to this very day. The Brotherhood's main duties were to shepherd the development of civilization and protect the mortal world from the dangers of black magic. 

However the Brotherhood's influence waned over the course of the Imperium's history. The Brotherhood was the progenitor of many organizations and associations in Kratoria, but the rise of the Chantry sapped much of the religious influence the Magi had over Kratorian citizens. Furthermore there was a great influx of non-magical members in organizations such as the different universities and the Alchemist's Guild as the Imperium's needs expanded with their domains. Their connections were vast, but their omnipresent hold over Kratorian society slowly disappeared as lords and ladies saw the counsel of sages and clerics as less expensive and fraught with hidden conditions than the service of a Mage. Scandals and infighting regarding the Broterhood further damaged them. 

But it was the gradual disappearance of magic that was the ensurer of the Magi's decline, and the Brotherhood has never recovered to its original might and power. However, the sheer amount of political connections that the Magi have engineered made them indispensable to the monarchy in order to maintain power and alliances and they retain a presence in both the royal court and the households of great lords to this day. For the most part, their powers have largely disappeared but Mages are often still consulted on matters of prophecy or to produce love potions and charms along with other minor magical feats. Some have entered entertainment and produced successful careers out of it, with one of the world's biggest carnivals being run by a Mage. Sorcerers are often hired to perform exorcisms as well and a few still continue their ancient duty of hunting predatory vampires, demons, nercomancers, and blood mages, for their combat abilities with their staves and other weapons are still the stuff of legend. Mage Artificers are still highly renowned for being able to use magic in creation of objects, and Semidean blades which only certain members of the Brotherhood know how to make are still prized by Kratorian nobles for their supernatural sharpness, durability, and balance. 

Darker rumors regarding the Brotherhood have circulated in taverns and market squares. It is whispered that the Assassin's Guild and the Imperial Inquisition often make use of arcane agents for missions, or that several members of the Brotherhood have secretly turned to black magic in order to retain and gain power. One of the widest reported is that members of the Council have formed a secret society within the already mysterious Brotherhood called the Venatori, and that their ranks include many of the most powerful members of Kratorian society, all to mysterious and probably nefarious ends. Despite the weakened reputation of the Magi in Kratoria, the belief in magic still remains strong in the Imperium and soldiers will often carve symbols into their weapons or seek protective charms before going to war while average citizens practice a variety of old customs from eras when magic was common and powerful. Many believe that magic is not dead in the world, rather it is dormant and awaiting a reawakening.

Kratorian civilization is closely tied with that of the world, having been a party to every major era of history. Kratoria's origin is shrouded in myth and legend, but it is widely believed that it was the gods who first blessed Kratorian tribesmen with fire, and then later taught them how to tame the beasts of the land and work the fields, blessing their creations and chosen peoples with many natural riches and gifts. And it was said that years later, thousands of years ago, that the King of the Gods first laid with a mortal woman and bore the first demigod, the first Semideum. This Firstborn half-blood founded House Jovia, the oldest of the Semidean dynasties, and quickly carved out his own kingdom from the Kratorian heartlands and raised the first city-state. 

The other gods quickly followed suit, planting their divine seed in as many fields as they could and many fiefdoms would rise in Old Kratoria in the generations that followed. The wars that they waged were innumerable but after a long era of struggle, three great houses would prove the strongest. The Kratorian city-states were pioneers in many ways, and Kratorian influence and culture soon made itself known all over the world as explorers and then traders went forth and shared song, art, and commerce with the peoples around them. The city-states began to spread, founding colonies in the lands around them with the Semideum bringing the mortal races under their rule. More houses and divine bloodlines would rise and enter legend, and all the while the Mages had a hand in it all. 

And so Kratoria was powerful but fractured when one man was born who would change the world. His family was mighty in its own right but were not kings, though he did share blood with the Sky King and the Sea King. The youth could count the Black Lion and the Princeslayer among his forebears and was tutored by the famous Philosopher-Mage Merlanus. Even then, he was noted to be a charismatic, brave, talented, intelligent, driven, but also enigmatic youth. His name was Aelyx, and he would be one of the greatest heroes Kratoria would ever know, changing the course of history with his vision and brilliance. His father was killed in a conspiracy involving both the Sky and Sea king, who believed he had designs and ambitions to become a king himself and upset the balance of power. Aelyx swore revenge and raised a host, took a sorcerer to wife and seeking the aid of spirits of the earth, air, fire, and water as well as other withdrawn, mysterious, and ancient entities. 

The wars were long and bloody but in the end Aelyx triumphed and declared himself the first High King and Imperator of Kratoria. The Dead King held out the longest, but soon bent the knee alongside the heirs of those that had killed Aelyx's father whom Aelyx had slew in combat. Aelyx now presided over the largest kingdom the world had known at that time and the first empire of its kind. He would drive even farther east, never losing a battle and gaining more and more land. Eventually, the wars ended for Aelyx after he took a wound from a poisoned blade after his last battle against the Black Empire. He lingered for some time but would then die, and his funeral was attended by millions. The Chantry would declare Aelyx to be a deity in his own right and the astrologers would enshrine him as a constellation for his magnificent contributions. It would be his heirs who would secure the Xanderos dynasty, further his conquests, and bring Kratorian culture to the zenith of its influence. It would be Kratoria who designated the calendar, who spread massive road networks all over the continent, and motivated all manner of movements in art and drama among countless other achievements. All because of Aelyx's initial grand vision. 

Perhaps the greatest enemy the Imperium ever faced was the Black Empire, ruled by a dark lord who used black magic and who made a pact with the Old Ones. The Empire had ruled most of the world with an iron fist and was infamous for its cruelty, brutality, and unrelenting hunger for more. By comparison, Kratoria looked like quite the benign force. The Empire had made inroads into Kratorian territory, and it was a commander in one of their advance armies who had dealt Aelyx the poisonous blow that killed him. Their armies were just as vast as Kratoria's and their leaders also had great power, on par with the Semideum themselves. The Imperium saw the Black Empire not only as rivals, but as an existential threat to their society. The Empire had ground many proud civilizations into oblivion and enslaved many other peoples to hellish conditions, trying to erase their culture and religion and everything that made them a people. Kratoria could not brook this and so Kratoria gathered every ally they could and used every weapon they could get their hands on before going to war. 

The wars lasted centuries, consuming many heroes and leaders and whole armies. Kratoria and the Black Empire fought tooth and nail back and forth, with the Imperium winning and losing and winning again in a violent and vicious cycle that consumed not one or two, but five Imperial monarchs. The casualties among soldiers were in the millions and the number of dead civilians on both sides were even higher. Eventually however it would be Aelyx's great-great-grandson Aegon I who would break the Black Empire. Many that were freed from the Empire's yoke would then swear fealty or friendship to the Imperium. And after the Empire's fall, the Imperium faced no significant resistance to their further imperial conquest. The breaking of the Empire was so integral to the Imperium's fortunes that High King Aegon declared the day of the Black Empire's destruction the beginning of a new era. His brother Prince Aemon was honored the same way their forebear was for his valorous action and death in battle, as it was he who threw himself on the Dark Lord's blade to save Aegon and slew the tyrant with his own sword. With his dying breath, the Dark Lord is said to have cursed the Imperium, saying that if the Imperium ever lost in war, the Imperium would lose its dominion of the world and Semideum would lose their power. 

From then on Kratoria enjoyed almost undisputed hegemony of the known world. The empire stretched from west to east coast and from north to south, with almost the entirety of the globe falling under Kratoria's rule or control in some manner whether it be fealty or homage or a one-sided alliance. For over a thousand years Kratorian literature, art, money, and faith spread around the world while the Imperium built universities, temples, monuments, and public works all over the continent. All the roads lead to Kratoria and all the people of the world came to speak the common tongue as at least a second language and knew who the Kratorian pantheon were. It was a golden age for Kratoria and the Imperium, with many masterworks of philosophy, art, and science being produced as the Semideum became rulers of all they surveyed. 

The beginning of the end of the colonial era came when Kratoria set its sights on Etresna. They sent forth a Herald to extract homage from the enlightened realm and he was murdered, in an act that infuriated Kratoria as it had never been seen before. A massive army was formed and Etresna was invaded as it had never seen before. Millions died on both sides in a war that dragged on for over a decade and ended when the Imperator was slain right before the Imperial army could sack the capital city. One of the commanders threw wildfire into the city while an assassin opened the enemy ruler's throat. In the ensuing chaos, the Imperial army withdrew from the field. They had lost a great part of their strength to attrition and battles and that had ripples throughout the Imperium's territories. 

Strength had been drained from the frontier provinces in order to keep prosecuting the war against Etresna, and taxes had been raised across the empire, drawing much discontent and weakening the Imperium's position greatly. Furthermore, the Uruks had been disillusioned by the Semideum's loss in battle. But the current Imperator wanted to keep warring against Etresna and the protracted fighting in the lowlands would continue for generations. Rebellions began to rage across the colonies as the Imperium continued to extract taxes and levies to fight Etresna. This vicious cycle continued when the Imperium had to clamp down on these rebellions, fighting rebellious colonists and Etresna at the same time. The Semideum began arguing among themselves when before their strength had been in their unity against enemies. The Imperator's brother by another wife of their father began making a play for the throne, gathering support as the Lord Marshall Kovax led the Uruks in rebellion. The Imperium was split in different factions and directions as the clerics, universities, and Mages took sides as well as the Houses. A plague that began to ravage the colonies and spread among both subjects and soldiers only added to the strain as more and more became disillusioned with the Imperium, and many declared that the Emperor's curse had now doomed Kratoria. 

The turmoil would last for centuries but by the end of it, the Imperium had lost hold of half of the imperial territories as provinces broke away and the Semideum had less and less will to hold onto them. All the while they kept warring with Etresna while assassinations and terror plots were committed by both nations. The Kratorians had been beaten by Etresna, an event that started a long chain of events that made the Imperium a shadow of its former self. The unification of Rotteburg, the loss of the Imperium's preeminent scientist to assassination, and the Mad Queen's tyrannical rule further hurt Kratoria. The Mad Queen, had been overthrown by her own daughter in order to preserve the Xanderos dynasty and the Kratorian state, and the new Imperatrix abandoned the Imperium's colonial design, opting instead to consolidate the Imperium's rule in the territories they did hold. The Peacemaker, as she is known, negotiated the alliance with the Uruks, the peace with Etresna, and stopped the loss of more territories setting the present Kratorian borders. 

The Semideum retreated from the public, their powers and magic long diminished from what they had been and the Imperium focused inward. The Peacemaker died peacefully and her son Aelyx V, the Young Dragon, has been crowned in her place, with her grandson Aemon being named Crown Prince. Under the Peacemaker, the Imperium had enjoyed great peace, calm, and an artistic revolution. But many of the younger Imperials wish to make their mark on history as their ancestors have done and have been called the restless generation, with many hiring themselves out as adventurers and warriors for other countries, while others still brood on their enemies Rotteburg and Etresna. Observing the turmoil in the continent, there are those who believe that the Titan has designs on the world and intends to thrust Kratoria back into glory.

For much of its history, Kratoria was one of the dominant economic powerhouse of the world, especially during the Age of Conquest. Its' supreme role in world trade has somewhat lessened in recent generations, particularly with the loss of complete control over the Golden Road on the main continent, but Kratoria remains a robust center of trade and commerce. Kratoria's central position between several large nations and its access to the sea on both east and west make it a bustling hub of seafaring trade, and the renovation of the Grand Canal to a modern construction is expected to greatly expedite the process of travel from east to west and make Kratoria even larger profits. The Marble Bank in the city of Hermatia is the first and oldest institution of its kind in the world and still draws in customers from around the globe, and is renowned for its discretion making it quite popular with the Kratorian aristocracy and luminaries from other nations as well. Furthermore, the ancient trade guilds of Kratoria have continued in operation for millennia and maintain strong presences in a great many markets and industries. The robust road and rail infrastructure that the Imperium designed for its domain greatly expedite trade and travel within the vast nation as well. 

The economy of Kratoria is quite diverse thanks to the eclectic business interests of the Primarchs and the guilds, and many Primarchs and Archons have great wealth in stocks, but agriculture is a particularly large sector in Kratoria. Wheat is one of Kratoria's largest exports but olive oil, wine, and other luxury produce are highly sought after in markets around the planet in addition to exotic spices from the eastern provinces and high-quality meat and other animal products such as leather and fur from Kratorian manors. Kratorian cuisine is a favorite of wealthy patrons the world over. Pottery, glassware, metalwork, fine silks, and a wide variety of other handicrafts made by Kratorian artisans are highly prized for their elegance, beauty, and skill of craftsmanship and fetch high prices on the market. Charms and trinkets forged by Mages, that are reputed to have magical abilities, are also popular and quite expensive even if they seem to have little or no effect at all. 

Kratoria's abundant natural resources are a great contributor to Kratoria's economy, particularly in minerals, metals, and precious gems. Diamonds, gold, marble, and other riches of the earth are prized greatly by the Semideum who hoard most of what is extracted for their own purposes, but the surplus is sold at incredibly healthy profits. Lumber and the bounty of the sea are great moneymakers as well, but the use of Kratoria's earthly riches for profit is held greatly in check by the High King and the Primarchs on the advice of the Chantry, the Brotherhood, and most universities and druid circles, who fear the wanton destruction of the environment would bring ruin to the Imperium both in the mortal world and in the spiritual sense. As such, Kratoria could export much more than it does at the moment, but does not out of caution. 

Due to Kratoria's many monuments and extensive patronship of the arts, entertainment, and sports the Imperium enjoys a robust tourist industry with wealthy tourists seeking wonder and excitement in Kratoria. The exotic but hospitable climate and great natural beauty is another attracting factor. Kratorian entertainment and culture, particularly in literature and music, is omnipresent in most of the world. However like all magnificent things, there is a darker side to Kratoria's splendor. The pharmaceutical industry and weaponsmithing trade are great in Kratoria, with the Imperium shipping reliable weapons and powerful drugs to customers around the world in great volume. Kratorian sages have long recognized the debilitating effects of cocaine, opium, and heroin and likewise the Imperium has prohibited their sale within its domains, but members of the Alchemist Guild make enormous profits from their sale to citizens of other nations. 

The Thieve's Guild is one of the richest organizations in Kratoria because it supplies cocaine and heroin to the aristocracy for their amusement, Semideum being much protected from the effects of these drugs compared to normal mortals, and has a large cut of the Alchemists' drug trade. The Thieve's Guild have their hands in many underworld sectors, with some even claiming that they still capture citizens of foreign nations for sale as slaves in places such as Redcliffe. The Guild itself is less of a united organization as a collective of underworld families who sometimes unite for a common goal, but it is whispered that the most powerful of these bosses is a kinsman of the Lord of Crossroads himself and that he has an understanding with both the Primarchs and the High King to keep the underworld in check.

In days past, the Imperium was hailed as a center of both learning and scientific brilliance. To be certain, Kratorian scientists and sages are still renowned for knowledge in astronomy, alchemy, biology, and a wide range of scholarly subjects. But they are no longer at the forefront of technological invention and use as they used to be, partly due to the unfortunate death of the renowned Pallasi scientist and inventor known as Delotas, but also because of the Chantry discouraging overly widespread adoption of fossil fuels. While factories do exist in Kratoria and produce efficiently, they are strategically placed away from major cities and nature preserves in order to minimize pollution and most railroads in Kratoria still run on steam while operational cars largely use biofuels. The major exception are planes and ships, where Kratoria seeks to keep a military edge. 

In fact while most sectors of Kratoria remain traditional, it is in the cities and the military where modernization can be most seen. Electricity flows in the major cities where taller and taller skyscrapers are erected, and Kratorian military research seeks to keep up military developments in other nations. However, Semideum machinists and scientists, most of them steeped in tradition and older ways of thinking, have a disadvantage next to the innovation of shorter-lived peoples such as the Etremaden or the people of Redcliffe. This widespread conservatism is the reason why the military still uses mostly tried and true technologies such as bolt-action and research into semi-automatic rifles is slow to provide results. However, Kratoria's economic partnership with Redcliffe has resulted in many Redcliffe scientists coming to the Imperium to share their knowledge with students and many younger scholars study abroad in Redcliffe, Tushienia, and other nations in order to diversify their education. The Kratorian military also uses input from Redcliffe for the manufacturing of equipment and imports equipment from Tushienia and other nations in order to study and reverse-engineer them. At the moment Kratoria may be behind in the technology race, but the High King is resolved to catch up to their competitors and future generations of Kratorian scientists are proving quite promising.

The Imperial Army was once the largest, mightiest military force on the planet, drawn from citizens of both the Imperium and the colonies; a force that shook the earth as it marched. It is still a doughty force with highly-trained and professional soldiers, but is only a fraction of its previous size. However, Kratorians have always had a strong martial tradition ever since the era of the city-state and whatever shortcomings the Imperial army may have in manpower compared to other large armies, it more than makes up for in training, professionalism, experience, and valor. The Imperial Army is an all-volunteer force and employs men and women of all species, with military bases strategically placed all over the Empire, but with particular presence at the borders with Rotteburg in the South and the Commonwealth in the North. The Imperial Army Officers are mainly aristocrats who have all received extensive military education, starting with study of military history in childhood. Imperial High Command is famous for having contingency plans for practically every military scenario and the war colleges in Pallas and Draxi are well-known for their comprehensive and effective education. For Kratorians, war is an honorable and exciting pursuit, and commoners in particular see accomplishment in the military as an attractive prospect due to opportunities for social advancement and material success while nobles join for glory and the chance to rise in the ranks, as well as duty to their gods, country, and Imperator. Oathbreakers and deserters are held in the highest scorn in Kratoria, while warriors are celebrated and bring great honor to their families, so it is no wonder that the Army is held in such esteem. 

The Imperator remains the Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Army, and high lords and even royalty can be placed in positions of command in times of war, but the day-to-day operations of the Army fall under the auspices of the Lord Marshall, who is a member of the High Council and the field commander for all imperial army operations. The following is a simplification of the Imperial rank structure. The army divisions are each overseen by a General, whom the Lord Marshall appoints. The armies are further divided into legions, run by an Imperial Legate and are the main unit for military operations. The Legions are subdivided into regiments, run by colonels; then battalions commanded by majors; cohorts led by captains; and centuries which are overseen by Centurions. The most junior officers, lieutenants, run platoons which can be divided into squads under sergeants and lances run by corporals. At the bottom is the trooper, the average man-at-arms of the army and Kratorians still have a habit of calling infantry pikemen as opposed to riflemen or infantrymen. Receiving an officer's commission in the Imperial army means being a knight and so a lieutenant is known as a Knight-Lieutenant, then a Knight-Centurion, a Knight-Captain and so on, with the insignia of their unit including both the official arms as well as that of their knightly officer. Many who are already knights receive commissions while others are anointed once their training is complete. NCOs who are promoted to officers are also knighted. In some units, all the soldiers are knights and are commanded by the most senior of them.

The average soldier's kit includes a woolen service tunic with their unit's arms and knightly commander's arms sewn as well as rank into the fabric, with an outer combat webbing to distribute the weight of all their equipment such as ammunition, canteen, and the entrenching tool along with other miscellaneous gear. Standard footwear consists of black leather jackboots while the uniform itself varies in color depending on the terrain the soldier is expected to fight in; though the typical dress uniform's colors also vary depending on whom the commander is. Soldiers can pay to have a uniform tailored to their exact specifications for greater comfort and mobility in the field. A steel helmet is also standard kit and designed to help protect from shrapnel and blunt force and prominently displays the Imperial arms upon it. The standard service rifle is a bolt-action repeating rifle known for its accuracy, reliability, and stopping power. Troopers are known to customize their rifles by engraving personal markings, such as arcane signs for protection. Bayonets are used extensively but short swords and daggers are also standard equipment for soldiers who are thoroughly trained in their use as well as unarmed combat such as boxing, wrestling, and other fighting styles making a Kratorian a dangerous foe in both long and close range. Shotguns are issued to troops expected to fight in closer quarters while marksmen use longer-range bolt-action rifles. For infantry of other species or special units, the equipment varies depending on their needs and specialties, such as those of the Varangian Regiment using axes in place of shortswords. 

Officers carry pistols, which range from revolvers to semi-automatics and are often family heirlooms, in addition to their rifles. And in lieu of a shortsword, knightly officers carry longswords, which are also often brought with them from their families. Promoted NCOs are given a standard-issue revolver and longsword. Their uniforms also often include a leather longcoat tailored to them with individual dyed colors depending on their preferences which, coupled with light metallic plating also contoured to their bodies is often evocative of the classic plate and cloak of the old Kratorian knights, a conscious design choice that also offers them greater protection in battle while also looking both formidable and stylish. Occasionally, prominent officers whether by rank or family may have a Semidean steel blade, spell-forged and supernaturally sharp, durable, and light. In ages past, horses were a must for an officer, but the role of cavalry has diminished steadily with the advancement of warfare technology though cavalry units still exist and have still seen action and served with distinction. A wide variety of other specialized units exist throughout the army structure from artillery regiments to sappers and special forces, all of them almost too numerous to list. Special legions such as the Heretics, the Janissaries, the Dauntless, and the Golden Legion all have their unique traditions and roles.

Besides the Imperial Army however, martial tradition can be seen almost everywhere in Kratoria. There are many knightly orders not directly associated with the Crown, such as the Knights Hospitaller and Templar, who serve the Chantry as well as more secular orders. In every city, the City Watch are not just policemen but trained soldiers, hospitals serve both civilians and soldiers, and every able-bodied Kratorian is expected to have undergone basic combat training and military history as part of their education and continue drilling in civilian life once they became of age. As such, while they are a volunteer force, if the Imperial Army enacted conscription they could get their hands on droves of armed men and women to fill out their forces. Not that they would necessarily need to, as if a war threatened the Imperium, volunteers would appear by the thousands and thousands. Soldiers who finish out their terms of service are placed on the reserves for as long as they remain able-bodied. As such, Imperial officers often joke that while the official reserves are around 100,000 the true amount of reservists they can call on number in the millions.  

Private weapon ownership is endemic to Kratoria because of this martial reality, contributing to the fact that Kratoria has never been successfully invaded. In an invasion, every farmer would contribute to the national defense and every alchemist would be helping plant explosives while hunters performed reconnaissance for the military. Private weapons extend far beyond the average civilian however. One of the primary reasons for the decline of the Imperial Army's size has been the great amount of fighting men and women who now march in a lord's levy compared to the Imperial army. In days past, the Imperator could command forces from the noble levies but in these days of greater political parity, the Primarchs maintain stout private armies for their own purposes, all of them just as professional and well-armed as the Imperial army with special units of their own. In times of immense need, the Primarchs will contribute to the Imperial forces, but courting their support is of the utmost importance to the Imperator. The other major private force are the Reavers, who have been a sellsword company in operation for millennia and often hire themselves out to private corporations for a number of various duties, and their Lord Commander has been of Semideum descent since the first. It is said they often have dealing with the Thieve's Guild. But nobles are known to hire them on occasion even the Crown, and though they cannot match a true standing army in size, their lack of scruples coupled with cold professionalism and skill makes them a valuable asset.

The Imperial Navy was once the power of the seas both in the east and west, but it has been overshadowed by the Cethosi navy due to the general retreat of Kratoria from the world stage. However the Imperial Navy remains a formidable force that keeps on the bleeding edge of competition due to both expert shipwrights and design input from Redcliffe. The Imperial Navy has a Western and Eastern command and ensures the protection of commerce to and from the Imperium's ports. The Navy even has a few dreadnoughts, one of which serves as the Imperator's own flagship, and is the largest and grandest vessel in the Home Fleet. The Empire's naval defenses are likewise extensive and hardened positions such as bunkers and coastal artillery batteries are ubiquitous along Kratoria's shores. The Imperial Navy itself is kept modern, but many older vessels still lie at berth, still seaworthy and ready to be pressed back into service if needed. Additionally, the Imperium maintains the right to commander civilian vessels if the need calls for it, and there are many in Kratoria due to the number of ports and the massive amounts of coastline. The Merchant Marine also serve as an auxiliary force to the Navy in times of war and the Imperium has been known to issue letters of marque to private vessels to serve as Imperial Corsairs, who are often used to harass supply lines in war or hunt pirates. The Primarchs have extensive commercial fleets, with some such as the Sealord buying old military models from the Imperium and even using surplus materials from shipyards to build warships of their own. The Imperial Marines are a professional and well-trained force that are well-prepared for amphibious assault though they are not as large as the Cethosi Corps, and their numbers are largely drawn from the Sealord's Mermarines, who are still maintained as a force.

The Imperial Air Service is young but large and many in Imperial High Command have grand designs for it. Kratoria was the first major continental power to embrace the airplane for military use in reconnaissance and scouting and likewise have one of larger air fleets on the continent. Redcliffe scientists had extensive input in the design process and after reverse-engineering, Kratorian machinists were able to produce a magnificent airforce. Despite its limited military role, the air service is dominated by Kratorian nobility, who are greatly drawn by the appeal of taking to the sky in flight. Due to their superior physical skills, Semideum pilots are incredibly adept in quick maneuvers that most cannot match them in and Kratorian planes are renowned for their maneuverability. Reports of Etremaden forays into combat with airplanes has motivated a similar development in Kratoria, with Redcliffe scientists helping Kratorians experiment with the use of machineguns or bombs with planes. Kratorian commanders involved in the air service dream of turning it into an airborne cavalry, a rebirth of the Semideum knight for the modern age but in the air and not on the ground. The Imperator himself is an enthusiastic aviator, as well as most of the royal family who all have their own private aircraft as well as a royal Zeppelin which is a vessel of great splendor and the flagship of a small fleet of zeppelins. The Primarchs are also greatly interested in the air, with many using zeppelins for commercial flights and with private fleets of their own, though they do not match the Imperial Army's in number. At the moment, the Air Service is a branch of the Imperial Army, but has great prestige due to the Imperator's youngest son being named the Wing Commander of the Air Service.

Kratorian Imperium
16 - Territory - Your nation, whether by overseas territory or land at home, has an above average amount of territory. A decent portion of the globe heeds your beck and call. 
7 (+3) - Tech - Your nation is still antiquated, but modernization is about to begin or in its beginning stages.
12 (+1) - Army Size - Your army is well- sized, and is maintained year-round. 
16 (+1) - Economy - Your economy is well-off, and a majority of what needs to be funded is.
15 - Production - Your nation is doing well for itself, with excellent production in both farming and manufacturing and good resource exploitation. 
16 - Navy Size - Your navy is decently sized, with a large merchant train and a large military portion. 
16 - Airforce Size - You have a decent amount of biplanes. 
10 - Mobilization Ability - It takes two months to mobilize

Summerfield 
5 - Territory - 5 Provinces
4 - Political Stability - This nation is somewhat stable.
6 - Nationalism - This nation is ashamed of its culture and is completely subservient to your nation.

Winterwood
5 - Territory - 5 Provinces
5 - Political Stability - This nation is peaceful and stable.
3 - Nationalism - This nation is somewhat nationalist, and is fiercely independent.

The Shadowland
6 - Territory - 7 Provinces
4 - Political Stability - This nation is somewhat stable.
1 - Nationalism - This nation is highly nationalist, and actively ejects foreign puppeteers from its borders.
[OOC] Dulce et Decorum Est - A WWI Inspired Nation Roleplay (Stalled out, we have a new thread for the reboot) Page 2

Yurnero

MrDidact The Watcher on the Wall

Antediluvixen Foxgirl Dystopia Creator

WrongEndoftheRainbow

Antediluvixen Foxgirl Dystopia Creator
