Gilros ("The Empire")

**Overview:**

The empire of Gilros is the largest power in Anrich (the Southern Continent), and controls the fertile Gatlir Plains at the continent’s heart. The people of Gilros are of the race known as Aran humans. The Aran species were once elves, but were exiled from the elven lands of Ae’nor after they were found using sacred Light magic for evil. All memories of their previous lives were removed, and they were cast out into the land known as the Bena Forest, or Carilas. Over time the Arans built kingdoms in their new environment during a time period known as the Ordering of the Arans. The reaches of Aran civilization were expanded and more and more nations arose over time. Much later, the Gatlir Plains were discovered to the west of the Bena Forest. Its lands provided soil richer than any in the Forest, and soon the Aran people began to settle this new region in the event called the Great Migration. They moved ever westward, establishing more kingdoms in their wake, and soon the entirety of the Plains were settled. By this point, there was nowhere left for further expansion of Aran civilization. To the south lay the hostile elves, to the north was a snowy wasteland, and to the west were endless mountains. Tensions arose between kingdoms, and war became inevitable. Finally, it began in the Bena Forest in the form of the so-called Forest Wars, and thus the period of time known as the Great Conflict had started. There were about five separate wars that occurred, culminating in an attempted conquest of Carilas by the newly formed Kantoran Empire. After this, it was only ten years before finally the nations of the Plains began to fight in the Plain Wars. The Conflict continued for the next twenty years before the kingdom of Galtrias, with the aid of Pyras, finally gained the upper hand in the war, and eventually the rest agreed to peace. After the war, Galtrias had created the empire of Gilros, and the kingdoms of the Gatlir Plains became provinces of this new union. Afterwards, there was much unrest in the new nation. One of the bigger problems was that the King of Galtrias had become very unpopular, often blamed for causing the war to begin with. A new ruler was chosen, and under their great leadership the new empire began to rebuild itself in an age of recovery and progress. During that time of relative respite, heralds from the snowy northern lands of Tyraan requested aid from the people of Gilros in a war against the Dhunnar - savage goat-human hybrids that had become riled and attacked the peaceful Tyr people. Gilros was still in a state of disrepair and instability, but their armies were mostly intact. They would help the Tyr only if the Tyr would help them rebuild their broken lands. The two civilizations came to an agreement, and soon both peoples worked together to push the creatures back in the war known as the Dhunnar War. Tyraan helped repair the broken lands of Gatliras, and the two nations became close allies. Though the rule of Gilros was passed on to a weaker leader, the future still looked bright. Eventually contact was made with another continent during the rule of Gilros’ third Emperor. Some of this land’s civilizations turned out to be built up by people that had fled across the sea from Gilros during the Conflict, and had somehow lost all memory of their old home when they reached their new land. Peace was maintained between the two continents, and trade flourished. However, as of recently, peace is threatened once again. Monsters known as the Chara have begun invading the lands of Gilros from the north, and the Dhunnar have begun attacking Tyr settlements for a second time. With some aid from their new allies from across the sea, they have begun attempts to exterminate the new threat before it can spread any farther.

**Government**

At the beginning of Gilros, much of rural Gilros was in chaos in poverty, and many local governments openly dissented the union. The structure created at that time was with the Emperor at the forefront, making most of the larger decisions, the Council of Gilros in an adversary role, and the Kings of Gilros - the rulers of the old conquered kingdoms - essentially maintaining the same role as before, but now answering to the higher authority.

Today, the organization of Gilros is still extremely varied across the many lands under its dominion, but there are some groups that consistently remain at its forefront. Gilros is ruled by its Emperor, who has a great amount of authority over all decisions over the land. Their power is balanced by the Council of Gilros, which chooses each new Emperor after the previous’ death or resignation and holds an equal amount of power and can vote against the Emperor’s choices. Each member of the Council is chosen by existing members of the Council and the Emperor. This system would seem like a prime recipe for instability, tyranny and abuse of power, but a combination of well-meaning and uncorrupt members consistently choosing more equally righteous individuals over the years has somehow managed to hold the system together for centuries. Often, the luck of this is considered almost unfathomable, but this has been so for decades nonetheless. Other groups in power below the Council and lesser powers under the Council’s control are the houses and guilds throughout the land. The Kings of Gilros and their houses, ruling over each of the provinces, have positions appointed hereditarily and are maintained by the government. However, the rule of “sub-provinces” and the authority of lesser houses are managed by the King houses. Various organizations and guilds hold a decent amount of power within the Imperial government. They often have representatives that speak on lower councils and influence the law in their own ways. An example of this power being utilized is the ECL’s permittance to use the Halls of History, a large structure in the government complex in Gatliral, Gilros’ capital.

**Foreign Policy**

Right after Gilros’ formation in 528 D.A., Gatliras remained a very war-torn and politically unstable landscape. Though much of Carilas was still struggling after their own war, many still didn’t see movement west as something worth risking when considering Gatliras’ destroyed economies and infrastructure and prominent banditry. Most would just try to immigrate to Tathir or even risk smuggling themselves into Kantor. Really, the only people regularly crossing Gilros’ borders were Kantoran, Tathiran and Vendiran merchants sponsored by respective governments along with Bacohan and Brandiran traders. Contact with settlers in the Lavia Anos Mountains was next to none, and the only things really known about the northern lands of Tyaal came from stories from the elusive Synsiis tribe, who after returning by the end of the Central War fled back across the Chevos Athai once again due to the threat of Gillin Tarramere’s uprising in Ithinvas.

Over the next few years, Eryin Fandil’s leadership brought the empire into a moderately less broken state, rebuilding roads, implementing Fen Ulvdan methods to encourage trade along the northern Barrier River, re-solidifying internal diplomatic relationships, nudging public perceptions in a more positive direction and improving communication cross-nation. During this time, more Carilasan war refugees, primarily from the central nations, began to flee into Invalor and, to a slightly lesser extent, Hecess. The way through the Kya Pass became more well-known, the developments beyond it catching the attention of Gilros’ government. However, the most relevant event in regards to external affairs at that time was the plea for military aid by the northern Tyr people.

At first, the Tyr were simply regarded as the primitive but friendly peoples in the northern lands, and due to the difficulty in reaching their lands and the undesirable conditions beyond the Chevos Athai, contact and between the two and knowledge of each other was rather limited. The only reason these messengers from the Guulyl tribe were allowed an audience with the Empress was for curiosity’s sake rather than any real sympathy or belief in its urgency. However, when she agreed to come with them northwards along the Torcil and saw the events transpiring between the many unified clans of Tyraan and the alien Dhunnar, her perceptions changed along with the other diplomats on the journey. They also recognized the strength and resolve of the Tyr, and thus Eryin agreed to the request for military aid in exchange for resources and labor. Gilros lent about fifteen-thousand soldiers to fend off the Dhunnar savages alongside the Tyr clans led by Soranii Byaal, and though the war that followed took a great toll on the aiding troops, unused to cold weather and fighting larger beasts as opposed to other humans, victory was claimed by the Arans and Tyr.

In the aftermath, many Tyr clans had been reduced in numbers greatly or killed off entirely. That fact, combined with exposure to the more developed southern lands, brought reformation in the society of Foraal, helped greatly by the Arans. Meanwhile, many Tyr were sent south to aid all around the nation to aid in labor. Often, the outsiders were treated with respect by the Arans, and thus there was very little racism against the people they once thought uncivilized barbarians as the friendly nature of the Tyr became known to them. Most Tyr were also biologically stronger generally speaking, but also unused to the hotter conditions of Gatliras, and thus were often given more breaks in working environments. Over time, communities of Aran natives and Tyr immigrants created varied but balanced systems in their society.

In the meantime, the west had been growing in development. The people there had formed a sort of union they called Lorith, made up of three main states. Gilros dealt with this new political entity peacefully, and officially recognized this new country as well as established a mutually beneficial trade alliance between them. As a result of these new diplomatic relationships, the Kya Pass was built up further and a little later, the city of Brevetar came to become Pyras provinces’ new capital. Then, Empress Fandil disappeared, and the rule of Beles Holdrac began.

Holdrac was an infamously paranoid Emperor, and under his leadership international immigration and emigration became much trickier. While relations with Tyraan remained largely the same, there was a gradual increase in border security over the time of his rule between Lorith and Brevetar, and most notably, the eastern side of Gilros became almost completely shut off. Prior to this, Carilasan refugees had been coming to the Empire in droves during the latter era of the Golden Age of the Plains. Holdrac saw these immigrants in a negative light, seeing them as only trouble for the nation. He believed leaving the borders open would lead to increased banditry, foreigners taking the jobs of native citizens, and greater populations that he simply couldn’t deal with if it got too out of hand. Thus the Cut and the Matina were barred, and this sent a wave of discontent throughout the east.

After Holdrac’s somewhat tumultuous rule, Vinnis Parapen took his place. During this time, as well as throughout the previous rule, a steady stream of people filtered through the western mountains into Lorith. As trade between the two countries increased, the spread of ideas increased as well. Over time, the growing Lorithan religion known as the Faith of Light became known in the Gray Plains, and soon the Faith gained some Gilrosan followers.

**Military**

At the very beginning of Gilros’ creation, it was clear that nationalism would be the reigning factor in maintaining division in the land. Armies were still intact, but varied, decentralized, and messy seemingly beyond repair - and it was likely that soldiers would refuse to cooperate with those they once fought against. Thus, upon gathering troops from the loyal leaders of the old kingdoms, Fandil made sure to organize lower ranks by nationality, but form a more diverse higher command. Taking the three-Marshal system of her homeland, she assigned three Generals to command the Army of Gilros - Iras Forthorn of Lagge, Heliscar Palinth of Balshas, and Trectala Bergenplav of Acatal, with Wilsham Daln of Vadden in charge of the river fleets.