Draecovia
The Black Empire
"From generations of war to eternal peace the black Eagle endured,
And though our home remains lost, a glimmer of hope's assured.
For she carries the torch of righteousness, a duty most austere,
And her stone-etched rally-cry forever goes 'order is attained by fear.' "
From Rahnen's Renewal, a defining poem in Draecovia's collective memory.
The secretive Empire of Draecovia was only first encountered by Scaelorian seafarers in 3701 AM, in an event known as the Sundering. It is a highly martial society where order and merit are defining aspects.
Structure
The Empire of Draecovia is a massive unitary state with an even more complex and labyrinthine administration. It spans the continent of Caedira and is governed by the Permanent Administration, which is led by the Viceroy, its effective head of state; nevertheless, they rule the seven Governorates in the name of the Emperor of Draecovia.
There are seven core institutions of the Empire. These are:
- the Imperial Parliament,
- the Administration,
- the High Judicature,
- the August Council of State,
- the Great Cabinet,
- the Central Regulatorum, and
- the Continental High Authority.
The legislative branch of Draecovia is composed of the Great Cabinet and the bicameral Imperial Parliament, consisting of the Imperial Senate and Civil Assembly. Senators are selected by sortition and serve for two years whilst the Assembly is proportionally elected by popular mandate every four years. The Great Cabinet is the common body of all Imperial Ministers of the Crown, and they work closely with the Imperial Parliament, providing expertise and advice to lawmakers. Legislation must be drafted by the Imperial Parliament in concert with the Great Cabinet, and thereafter undergo a deliberative process which either ends with the Administration implementing the law, or rejecting it, in which case it may be scrapped or amended. Viceregal legislative proposals are subjected to an Opinion by the Imperial Parliament, which the Administration is required to hear. The High Judicature of the Empire interprets new legislation as to ascertain their legality with constitutional law.
Executive power is maintained by the Imperial Administration, formally known as the Permanent Administration of the High Imperial State of Caedira. It is led by the Viceroy, or Vicereine, of Caedira, currently a title held by Karl Exarken. This individual has the right of ministerial and judicial appointment and may reject laws proposed by the Imperial Parliament and Great Cabinet. However, this authority is practically always exercised with the general approval of the August Council of State, which includes:
- the supreme military officers of the Imperial Army, Imperial Navy, Imperial Marine, Imperial Airborne Corps, and the Imperial Guard;
- the seven Governors-General;
- the holders of the five Great Offices of the Empire, which are a. the Archchancellor,
b. the Minister for the Civil Service,
c. the Minister of Order,
d. the Minister-General of Defence, and
e. the First Consul of the Admiralty.
Oversight of the budget and investigation of corruption, fraud, and misdemeanours by public servants is managed by the Continental High Authority. It is nominally an institution under the Imperial Administration, though it carries out its investigations with full independence. Its jurisdiction encompasses both the secular and religious administrative arms of the imperial government.
The authority to mint coinage and handle moneylending is the monopolistic domain of the Central Regulatorum, which is based in Kaervynia, the capital province of Serenaria-Neua. The Regulatorum ensures the uniformity of the Draecovian monetary unit, the floren, which is minted in silver and gold, with lesser and greater values for both types, for small- and large-scale transactions. The obverse of the floren bears its value and the monogram of the Emperor, and the reverse displays the Imperial Eagle, the Ader, alongside the inscription Keiserium amissen var Draekovien, usually shortened to KAVD, one of the traditional mantras of Draecovia. It roughly means (for) the lost Empire of Draecovia.
This system of government is maintained by a rigid and large bureaucracy which draws its servants from all classes of society and is ultimately enforced by the standing military of Draecovia, the Imperial Expeditionary Forces. The Expeditionary Forces are led by the Supreme Military Commands, the tarheenkommandos, professional bodies made up of career officers. They answer to the Minister-General of Defence and the Viceroy.
History
Little is known of Draecovia's foundation; its rise as the hegemon of Caedira serves as the functional beginning of its history. The continent of Caedira is understood to have been inhabited by a dozen-fold kingdoms of various races though these were all successively shattered during a string of wars called the Great Conquest in Draecovian historiography. A gradual process of assimilation followed, as the victorious Draecovians began stamping out all traces of the former inhabitants' government and customs in order to implement a continental order of common law and administration. The High State of Caedira was proclaimed in the newly-established capital of Adergaard by Markon Hautberg, the first viceroy. Slavery was outlawed, the landed nobility was deprived of its legal privileges and abolished, and the primacy of imperial government affirmed by enforced centralisation. National conscription, mandatory schooling, and the introduction of a state philosophy became chief instruments in this process.
Territories
The Empire of Draecovia encompasses the continent of Caedira. Its principal administrative division is called a Governorate, and these are super-regions led by an appointed Governor-General. Each Governorate comprehends around 15 provinces each. They are:
- Serenaria-Neua, the capital governorate, located in the centre of the continent,
- Keltayn, situated south-west of Serenaria-Neua,
- Hautmark, named after the first viceroy of Caedira and situated east of Keltayn,
- Taevia, westernly bordering the centre,
- Kalraden, easternly bordering the centre,
- Forweltan, located directly north of the capital governorate, and
- Jaeltoria, the most remote governorate, situated on a peninsula that springs from Forweltus' northern point, and thus the only one to not directly border Serenaria-Neua.
Military
All military forces in Draecovia are under the supervision of the Great General Staff. The Imperial government funds and maintains the Imperial Army as well as the Imperial Navy, the Imperial Marine, the Imperial Airborne Corps, and the Imperial Guard. Consequently, every enlisted soldier has uniform equipment, with differences depending on role and veterancy. The core of the Imperial forces is the armoured infantry, who are equipped with distinct mass-produced munitions-grade armour, the blackish grakel-platte, and large board shields, the turmskuten. However, Draecovian military doctrine is defined by maneuver, force concentration, and intimidation, and as such there are a myriad of specialised troops embedded within the armies, such as shock infantry, medics, scouts, demi-lancers, halberdiers, sappers, and riflemen. As a result of technological innovation, instantaneous long-distance communication has been made possible, and is a mainstay of both the civil and military landscapes of Draecovian society.
The Imperial Navy, in concert with the Imperial Marine, patrol the sea routes of the continent and conduct operations against would-be trespassers, enforcing the Prime Directive of the Admiralty. Like the Army, the Navy employs red and black as its primary colours: the red sails are adorned with visage of the Ader. The Navy is equipped with similar equipment to the Army and Guard, albeit wearing light breastplates over white-and-red striped gambesons as well as visually striking beaked burgonets, with the Marine sporting heavy-duty armour with a black-and-blue colour scheme. Additionally, the Navy is central to the Draecovian supply network, which allows it to keep its numerous divisions amply equipped and operational.
The Imperial Guard are garrisoned alongside regular forces from the Imperial Army in border regions and around central government buildings, such as the ministries and provincial seats of government. Their main task is to uphold the imperial state and thus serve as territorial Draecovia's first and last line of defence.
The armies and fleets are stationed in permanent camps and bases around the continent wherein conscripts are trained before they join the regular ranks of the military. The Imperial Military Police is tasked with policing the service branches.
Order is attained by Fear.
The full Imperial Flag of Draecovia.
Founding Date
Unknown
Type
Geopolitical, Empire
Capital
Demonym
Draecovian, Imperial
Head of State
Head of Government
Government System
Meritocracy
Power Structure
Unitary state
Economic System
Mixed economy
Currency
Imperial floren
Legislative Body
Imperial Parliament
Judicial Body
High Judicature
Executive Body
Imperial Administration
Subsidiary Organizations
Official Languages
Controlled Territories
Notable Members
