Ardenian Empire

Why do we even bother saying its full name when we can just call it The Empire? It's not like there are any other ones just lying around. Next thing you'll be saying "Windrule Sun", or "Windrule Ocean".

The only country to have officially claimed the title of an empire, and for good reason. For most of Old World's history, the continent of Ordonia was largely (and forcibly) united under one banner. That is, for most of history recorded by Ardenian historians - as few records of other origins have been found and/or officially published. Although much of its power and control have been lost to this date, the Ardenian Empire is still considered to be one of two great powers in the Old World - stuck in an endless clash against the Kingdom of Eire.

Structure

The court of Ardenian Empire is embroiled in a constant struggle for power among three groups: the emperor, the nobility and the military. Every emperor in history finds pride in tracking lineage all the way to the dynasty's founder, no matter how distant it is. The nobility, predominantly of Kosari origin, controls most of the empire's wealth. The army is still largely drawn from the Hummishpopulation and often dictates its will from position of power. As a result, the exact structure of the Ardenian Empire differs depending on which faction is in power.
Past century saw a major shift in the power balance. Before that, the decadent emperors were reduced to mere figureheads while nobles and generals installed and removed them like puppets. After the disastrous start to wars between the Ardenian Empire and the Kingdom of Eire , the military influence was severely reduced with emperor benefiting the most. Many nobles start to wonder whether the restoration will stop at that, or if the council of major noble families is going to be the next target of imperial loyalists.

Culture

The official culture of the Ardenian Empire is dictated by those ruling it, making it a mix of Kosari and Hummish cultures who make up the majority of the empire's population. However, most doctrines are rarely enforced and act mainly as means of gaining political support among the population and as part of court intrigues. The one notable exception would be the Church of Three Prophets, the empire's official religion. Based on the radical stance against all things magic brought by the Kosaris, its clerics are known to have little tolerance to heretics - especially open unbelievers.

History

When speaking of the Ardenian Empire's history, most people tend to actually speak of the Kosari history. Most of Kosari people believe themselves to be firstcomers to the Grand Sand Sea in particular, Ordonia in general and the Old World overall. Their armies was what built the Ardenian Empire and spread its influence across the continent, forming the new nation's nobility for centuries to come. Their culture and religion helped shape the empire into what it is today.
Though on the outside the Ardenian Empire has always an unstoppable colossus, its court was rarely if ever stable. Powerful Kosari nobles fought for the imperial throne; the Hummish generals fought for control over the emperors and at times ruled in their name. Empire grew weaker and weaker, shaken by constant revolts and secessions. At on point the Ardenian Empire was actually split into three different parts, each ruled by their own emperor.

You can trust our court to only notice things decades after they actually happened.

The discovery of the New World and a massive drive towards the colonies, known as The Third Wave of Colonisation, has drastically reduced the empire's might. It saw the rise of a new contender, the Kingdom of Eire, who had relied extensively on the riches of the New World and on gunpowder weapons brought from there. The calls for reformation, which were already present before, became more common and vocal. The Ardenian Empire has been reborn, abandoning its ancient ways and rapidly modernising in a renewed bid for the world's dominion.

Demography and Population

Although the Ardenian Empire is vast, much of it is sparsely populated. Constant civil wars destroyed many communities, while many lands are not arable enough given the harsh empire-wide taxes. To this day, the most populated region is the empire's heart and Kosari homelands - the Grand Sand Sea. People of all ethnicities can be found within the empire's borders, but majority of its population consists of Kosaris and Hummish.

Controlled Territories

• Grand Sand Sea
• Misty Falls
• Ordonia