Arkos
Among the world's major powers, the Arkos kingdom is an ancient monarchy dating back over six centuries and a bastion of the arts and craftsmanship. However, it is also a unitary state with absolute power wielded by the king/queen and a very rigid economic hierarchy preventing upwards mobility for the average citizen. The kingdom wields considerable influence on the Treaty of Passaran, and is the long-standing enemy of the Cyanni.
Structure
Unlike many of its neighbors, Arkos has a very simplistic (and in some eyes primitive) system of government: the ruler, king or queen, possesses ultimate and uncompromising authority over the populace of the kingdom. They have few legal limitations to their power and even these limitations are only as strong as they are obeyed.
Assets
While the country itself has a relatively small economy for its size, much of its wealth is available to the government due to numerous nationalized industries and high taxes. As a result, the kingdom's annual income from taxes and other revenue sources is currently nearly 32 million Commons. Expeditures vary greatly by year, depending on the current head of state, but the largest costs are usually used for public works, funding artisan projects, and providing for the military.
History
The first precursors to the modern Arkosi state date back approximately 2600 years before the Treaty of Passaran, though far from their current location. Archeological evidence indicates that these birdfolk once inhabited the eastern coast of Alvana, hundreds of horizons away. Not much is known about these civilizations, besides some of the relics they created and the stories passed down for centuries, but it is believed that the city-states and empires in the region were very artistic and xenophobic (Which may be justified, given the constant predation they faced from Altowood).
This changed approximately 743 BT. For unknown reasons, the largest and most influential kingdom in the region inexplicably collapsed, setting off a cascading destabilization in the states immediately surrounding it. Bloody civil unrest uprooted the existing power structures of their society and civilians fled major population centers en-masse. Though it is not clear what promped this exodus, thousands (perhaps hundreds of thousands) of Arkosi precursors began to migrate westward.
Most of this period immediately following the migration is shrouded in mystery; the only traces of it are in artifacts left behind and in myths warped after centuries of retellings. Over the course of about a century, Arkosi refugees gradually moved across the continent. They would settle in a location, sometimes for over a decade or more in hopes of establishing a permanent home, only for unlucky circumstances or external threats to prompt them to continue their migration. This continued for almost 90 years. Over time, the Arkosi people got closer and closer to their current homeland, though even to this day there are pockets of offshoot Arkosi cultures scattered throughout the continent.
At some point in 623 BT, the Arkosi refugees eventually stumbled upon the Andaras River Valley and the birdfolk that lived there, the Cyanni. In this period the Cyanni were in the middle of a golden age; flourishing societies, growing economies, and peaceful relations between the various city-states. At first the two nationalities had an amicable relationship. The Cyanni may have even voluntarily gifted territory for the Arkosi refugees to settle.
However, things quickly spiralled out of control. The Arkosi peoples were determined to grow and finally bring an end to their exodus, while the Cyanni were skeptical of the newcomer's intentions and their obsession with rebuilding a long-gone society. Ideological and religious differences also quickly exasperbated tensions: Cyanni culture at the time emphasized mercantilism, civic duty, and citizen governance, while the Arkosi looked down on commerce, valued artisan nobility, and believed in more rigid social hierarchies.
After some time, as more and more refugees began pouring into the region, these tensions escalated to armed conflict. Though the Cyanni had established cities and superior soldiers, they were quickly driven off the continent by sheer numbers and failures to adequately coordinate a military response. Ever since this invasion, the Cyanni have been relegated to the island Cya and tensions between the two nations have been extreme.
Since this conflict, the Arkosi people have settled down and grown in the territory they now view as their own, and power eventually concentrated under a single king as the modern nation of Arkos was formed. The new government rapidly gained legitimacy and power based on a few simple promises: one, to focus on rebuilding their cultural identity through the arts (a fairly innocuous goal), and two, to invade the Cyan islands and put an end to Cyanni power in the region. However, neither of these promises were really fulfilled due to frivolous spending by the generations of monarchs that followed. Eventually the kingdom's military power was completely eclipsed by rising empires to their east. A series of invasions and annexations effectively ended their hopes of ever retaliating against the Cyanni.
The Arkosi people, now under occupation by foreigners or trapped in the few remaining cities still controlled by the Arkos kingdom, may have never anticipated how much the events in their country would impact the world. Only a few years before the signing of the treaty, a massive drought and famine struck the region. In this uncertain climate a spree of horrifying criminal acts now called The Culling struck Arkos, followed by a number of nearby nations. This event directly led to the creation of the Treaty of Passaran, for which Arkos became a signing member.
In the post treaty world Arkos suddenly found themselves as a major power in a region rapidly heading towards a new era: the era of nation-states. The great empires of the past rapidly receded into obscurity, and Arkos alongside the Cyanni benefitted immensely from this power vaccumn. However, even though it had been centuries since their last conflict and they were now allies in the same defensive pact, things began to escalate between these two old foes. Over time they made allies, drew battle lines, and built up militaries. This eventually escalated into the Cyanni War.
After the war, Arkos was left devastated. As one of the principle combatants in the war, they faced the full force of the devastation. Even though they were now one of the most influential members of the reformed treaty, it took a long time for them to rebuild their kingdom to its former glory and gain actual power. However, they recieved a second blow to their power with the formation of the Jasani. The creation of this new country that opposed the treaty, and the failure of the major treaty nations to stop it, has begun to erode much of the foreign influence that Arkos had. On the world stage they may be in decline once again. That said, for now they do remain a fairly important nation.
Demography and Population
The population of Arkos is mostly urban, lower-class, and devoutly religious. As an economy and culture the nation is currently in transition between late-stage feudalism and primitive capitalism, encouraged by outside pressures to help the Treaty sphere compete with Jasani. Most wealth is controlled by landed nobility and a small upper-middle class, which mostly consists of skilled artisans and craftsmen. The majority of the Arkosi population is concentrated near the eastern border of the country and inland, along major overland routes between eastern Alvana and the Costavi Peninsula.
As a relatively xenophobic culture, particularly directed against larger races of Avani and far-east ethnicities, most of the population consists of Paridus (56%), Sparalus (20%), and Hirundine (19%), with the remaining 4% other small-size races and 1% being other races.
Territories
Arkos territory stretches across the easternmost section of the Costavi Peninsula, including control over 8 major cities: Arkos (City), Arodome, Flandas, Nitook, Versalli, Andersfield, Vigilance, and Belltown.
Military
Compared to many of its neighbors Arkos has a large military; the second largest in the world, in fact (behind only the Jasani). However, in comparison to the other major powers it is also poorly equipped and untrained for actual organized warfare. Most of the nation's brightest military minds, tactics, and techniques were stripped away during the Cyanni War, and this has been exacerbated by a focus on enforcing domestic authority rather than repelling external threats. Depending on the ruler, the military has even been used as a glorified police force to violently enforce their (sometimes irrational) decrees.
Foreign Relations
Arkos, as one of the more significant powers in the Treaty of Passaran, has its foriegn relations intertwined with the events unfolding around the Jasani empire and its sphere of influence. They have a very sour relationship with the Jasani, as well as the countries willing to bow to their influence. The Arkosi generally look down upon the kingdoms that have friendly relations with the empire, belittling them for perceived weakness.
They also have an ancient fued with the Cyanni, which goes back over a thousand years to when the original Cyanni inhabitants of the Flanders River Valley were driven out by the original Arkosi people. These two nations regularly fight minor border skirmishes to sate their bloodlust.
Lia sekira (All look to us)
Founding Date
19th of 7th lunas, 311 BT
Type
Geopolitical, Country
Capital
Alternative Names
Arka (Cyanni for invader)
Demonym
Arkosi
Government System
Monarchy, Absolute
Power Structure
Unitary state
Economic System
Mixed economy
Currency
The Common, a base-eight currency system used by much of the world
Legislative Body
none
Judicial Body
The king/queen
Subsidiary Organizations
Location
Official Languages
Controlled Territories
Deteriorating Relationship
Due to the Arkosi Kingdom's interconnectedness with the Treaty of Passaran, tensions between it and the Jasani are high.
Undeclared War
The Arkosi and Cyanni have a long and rocky history going back nearly 1000 years, from when the original Cyanni inhabitants of the Andaras River Valley were driven out by eastern invaders. Since that time these two peoples have maintained a constant grudge: at one point the Cyanni considered a crusade to their homeland on the table, while Arkosi planned numerous amphibious assaults (they never gained a strong enough navy). Their local rivalry even sparked the world-shattering Cyanni War. Even to this day, long after most countries swore off fighting their fellow Avani, these two nations regularly fight minor border skirmishes to sate their bloodlust.
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