The Nation of Aetveris

### Summary

From the West of the Incandelth Peninsula to the borders of the former Ghostlands lies a nation that has seen a rapid expansion in growth since its establishment in the year 56IA. Holding the ambitious goal of unifying the entirety of the continent under one banner, the march of its armies has met with few obstacles as day by day its reach grows. Much to the hope or dismay of the general populace.

### History

Beginning with the subtle overtaking of the City of Setrent from beneath the veil of Alzhak Reger’s martial law, the expansion of territories began in earnest at the behest of the Republic’s former General, Cormick Thale. Galvanizing the populace with promises of retaking Etera from monsters, stoking the greed of the merchant guilds with promises of reestablishing old trade routes, and affirming the loyalty of the men under his command, Thale pushed his forces out in a grand operation of reconquest that continues to this day.

Now over a decade later, Aetveris growth is matched only by its insatiable drive to encompass what remains of the Eteran continent. However, with new forces rising to at last challenge this seemingly uninterrupted expansion, and with growing pains now becoming more and more apparent, it remains to be seen whether the Crown can keep the pace of its earlier years.

### Government and Succession

The government of Aetveris is that of a Monarchy, with the ruler maintaining the title of King. While the ruler of Aetveris maintains absolute control over the country, and there is a strong emphasis on centralization, there is the expectation that many of the monarch’s responsibilities should be delegated to lesser officials and the nobility.

The officials, most predominantly known as ‘Seneschals’ act in a variety of different capacities concurrent to the responsibility delegated to them. (ex. The Seneschal of the Coin might oversee the development and prosperity of the nation).

The current positions are:

***The Seneschal of the Throne*:** The primary advisor for the Crown.

***The Seneschal of the Plow***: Oversees the general acquisition and management of labor.

***The Seneschal of the Coin***: Oversees trade and the economy.

***The Seneschal of the Law***: Oversees the legal system.

***The Seneschal of the Sword***: Oversees the military.

***The Seneschal of the Book***: Oversees the education of the nation.

It is common practice that the Seneschal be appointed from the region best exemplifying the trait in which they were selected, both for quality assurance, and in order to guarantee some degree of loyalty from the separate regions.

Succession of the Crown of Aetveris is through a patriarchal inheritance through the male line, and as such can only be claimed by a male heir. In the event that no male heir is found, the Seneschals meet to appoint by majority vote who will sit upon the throne.

### Infrastructure

Despite being relatively new in the grand scheme of things, the lack of coordinated resistance against Aetveris’ expansion allowed for the focusing of infrastructural development. From the repairing and establishment of the old Verk roads, to the construction and development of new towns, garrisons, and small cities, the culling of calamities and abominations has allowed for industry and the population to finally develop in lands thought unsustainable for mortal life.

One of the most impressive structural works has, of course, come from the multitude of Sparkholders that were hired to rebuild the aforementioned Verk roads. This, along with the multitude of garrisons stationed along it, has created a safe traveling network for merchants, military personnel, and citizens alike, where one can travel the breadth of Western Etera without fear of being accosted on the road by either bandit or beast.

Given the grand scale of the network itself and how it interconnects with most if not all of the towns and cities in the West, it has been called ‘The Crown Roads.’

## Population

Given the rapid expansion of Aetveris over the years, as well as the desire of individuals outside the nation to seek safety within it, the population is roughly about 344,000. This population number is divided between various races, with Humans making up a majority.

## Military

While not as large or as grand as other nations, the military of Aetveris makes up for size with experience. Primarily composed of veterans from Fort Ragathiel and former soldiers of Alzhak Reger, the regimental organization of Aetveris’ forces is that of a professional army through and through, with highly trained officers making expert use of the nation’s limited resources and mastering the affair of logistics with precision and purpose.

Furthermore, given Etera’s extensive exposure to nigh-apocalyptic events and foes, those who have been able to survive have been hardened and forged to be exceptional in the face of unrelenting odds. As such, each soldier is a force unto himself, and if the propaganda is to be believed, capable of outlasting and outclassing the combatants of other nations.

Though this is likely exaggerated to some extent, what isn’t is the propensity for Etera to have the greatest emergence of Sparkholders in the world. A fact that Aetveris has begun taking full advantage of in many of its programs and operations.

As of the year 70IA, the total number of active military personnel in Aetveris is estimated to be about 61,750.

### Ranks in the Military

After Fort Ragathiel’s absorption into the larger nation of Aetveris, it was decided that the ranking structure should remain generally the same to not only promote unity, but to also not lead to general confusion, as the first soldiers of Aetveris were at once of Fort Ragathiel origin.

Usually these ranks are divided into various divisions and corps throughout the structure of the military, with each individual placed into a squad or corps that best exemplifies their skillset. Healers and those magically-inclined in the life-based arts may find themselves as combat medics or positioned in encampments prior to battle, while those with more destructive capabilities might find themselves as providing fire-support or engaging in the frontlines.

Therefore, the ranks that are depicted here are the general designations and ranks one might find in the armed forces of Aetveris.

**Seneschal of the Sword**: A rank typically held by the King unless times demand otherwise, the Seneschal of the Sword is seen as the high commander of Aetveris’ forces across the land, and holds sway on matters of grand strategy. There has only ever been one Seneschal of the Sword at any one time.

**Knight-Commander**: Interconnected with the faith of the General of Vengeance, the Knight-Commander was a rank held by the leader of Fort Ragathiel’s forces. Nowadays, the Knight-Commander rank is provided with grace to those who act in matters of specific coordination and strategy that the otherwise occupied Seneschal cannot, and it is the Knight-Commander who holds command over the various Knight-Captains scattered throughout the realm. There has only ever been one Knight-Commander at any one time.

**Knight-Captain**: A rank associated with those who see to it that specific provinces of the realm are organized and its defenses cared for, Knight-Captains are best described as regional governors on military matters and are typically in charge of upholding the defense and training regimes of these individual provinces. They are given accompanying Knight-Lieutenants to aid in the delegation of these duties. Usually there are only ever three to five Knight-Captains, though this number may shift in times of war.

**Knight-Lieutenant**: Subordinates to the Knight-Captains, these Knight-Lieutenants answer directly to their associated captains and are given oversight on specific engagements in military campaigns, or the designation of training regimes during peacetimes. It is these individuals that are expected to take part in battles, specifically in the coordination of smaller operations. There are usually two Knight-Lieutenants to a Knight-Captain, and as such their number may vary.

**Knight-Sergeant**: Beneath the rank of Knight-Lieutenants, those soldiers of this rank are designated with the ability to lead squads of Knights and Knight-Corporals into the heat of combat and are as responsible for them as a Sergeant would be for their own squad. In military campaigns they are likewise responsible for gathering general squads of lesser ranks together for the Knight-Lieutenants.

**Knight-Corporals**: Much the same as with Corporals, Knight-Corporals are placed into squads of other Knights and assist his or her assigned Knight-Sergeant in matters of organization and direction among other things.

**Knight**: A strange rank in the overall Aetveran hierarchy, Knights represent the boundary between a commissioned officer and an enlisted individual. Granted arguably more freedoms than their lower-ranked counterparts, Knights are nonetheless usually organized in a similar manner as Ensigns, directed into squads of other Knights to emphasize a direction of veteranship and unity.

**Sergeant:** The general leaders of squads, Sergeants take command of a squad of Corporals and Ensigns and are in charge of keeping them both in line and properly directed.

**Corporal:** The second lowest rank in the Aetveran military, Corporals assist their Sergeants in the direction of the squads and in the general organization of the squad's supplies and armaments.

**Ensign:** The lowest rank in the Aetveran military, the Ensign is the classic 'private' that adheres to Corporals and Sergeants directly. Typically Ensigns are assigned to a squad within the first weeks of enlistment.

## Technology

Through a series of deals and collective bargains between Etera and the Setlaar corporations, as well as the establishment of the Institute of Eteran Technological Advancement (IETA), the overall technological development of Aetveris has seen a drastic uptick over the years. Distinguishing itself from its geographic neighbor to the Southwest, Aetveris has seen to a revitalized use of Magitek, or the amalgamation of science and the arcane in order to create balanced works that do not heavily rely on either aspect.

Previously utilized en masse by the Verk Empire during the reign of Emperor Darien Maddox Verk, the resurgence in this still developing branch of discovery has seen more and more use amongst Aetveris’ military in its excursions to acquire more territory on the continent.

While these improvements in technology have largely been a boon only enjoyed by the military, this is not to say that the public at large has not come to benefit from it in their day to day lives. How the populace has utilized these advancements however, is not like their Setlaar neighbors to the Southwest. A pragmatic people as a result of their violent environment, Aetverans have largely used this in the expansion of agriculture, blacksmithing, and other laborious tasks in order to leave more free time available in the day.

As such, while the average Aetveran probably has a concept as to the 'creature comfort' devices often employed by a Setlaar or Vrozian, he or she would most likely see little use for their implementation in Aetveran society.

## Territories

The areas claimed by the new nation run from the Capital City of Setrent up towards the Incandelth Peninsula, along the Laniden Archipelago, and then eastward until its meets the edge of the Ghostlands. At present the city-states of Grey Hollow, Port Doom, Dun Holvar, and Babel have eluded being absorbed into the conglomerate, though how long this will last is anyone’s guess.

One of the most notable claims to Aetveris has been the capturing of the Tower of Blood, one of the great mega-structures of mysterious origin. While the interior has yet to be properly secured, the outside has been tightly regulated and is regularly patrolled by the military.

## Society and Culture

Almost in backlash to the chaos that Etera has had to suffer from for many years, Aetveris’ culture is that of rigid order and stout obedience with a heavy emphasis on militaristic advancement. While civilian pursuits are not necessarily shamed, the praise and consistent barrage of how much opportunity the military offers have created a public expectation that a person of age will seek advancement in Aetveris’ society through the battlefields the nation engages with before moving on to other pursuits.

It is perhaps because of this focus upon military service and honor that dueling has yet to be a punishable offense in Aetveran society. While obviously frowned upon by some individuals as barbaric, duelists in Aetveris have so far been allowed the courtesy of organizing duels of honor so long as a neutral third-party is given oversight and each duelist brings along a ‘second’ to help oversee the affair.

Otherwise, the society of Aetveris places great significance on unity. Perhaps because of the drive to see the continent of Etera unified under its banners, Aetverans are exceptionally welcoming of foreigners regardless of differences, so long as they contribute to the society as a whole. While seen by many as open-minded, this has led to criticism that despite taking in almost everyone, the society ultimately places value only on those who are able to donate to its success.

## Religion

Despite not having any state-sponsored religion, because of the influences of Fort Ragathiel upon its development, many in the military of Aetveris hold the General of Vengeance as their patron. As the current King of Etera was said to have been chosen by the Empyreal Lord to be the nation’s ruler, this belief has only spread further and further into the public zeitgeist.

Other figures that hold a particular place of renown would be the fellow Mystery Cultists such as the Black Butterfly and Cernunnos, as well as the Dwarven Allfather, Torag. The former out of respect, and the latter because of the influences of the Dwarven undercity of Dun Holvar.

The Gods of Chronus remain a contentious topic for many worshippers, and while none have truly gained a foothold in Aetveris, The Lady of Mithral has seen an uptick in followers in recent years, not only because of the influence of the Steelworks Corporation, but because some take a certain amount of pride in the fact that an Eteran was the first to ascend to divinity in this newest pantheon. Ignoring the fact that she spent many of her final days as a mortal in the Setlaar States.

This amount of acceptance is not reserved for every deity however, as the government of Aetveris has made it a point to prohibit the worship of cosmologically Evil deities. The exception to this has most curiously been the Archfiend, Asmodeus, who maintains a stout following in the territories of Grey Hollow. The result, people say, of a deal made between the Crown and the Duchy many years before Aetveris’ official founding.

## Aetveran Holidays

**Angel Day**: Celebrated on the 31st of Desnus, this holiday exalts the Empyreal Lords and typically involves grand feasts, the dressing up as angels, and the burning of devilish effigies. Soldiers in the Aetveran military are given special attention during this day with lighter duties, and many more enjoying the day in leisure.

**Liberation Hour**: Honored on the 10th of Pharast at the 10th hour, it celebrates the fall of the Verk Empire and the end of its tyranny over the realm. Usually such celebrations are either held with loud jubilation and feasting, or quiet honorings of the fallen and lost.

**Equitis Finis:** (“Horseman’s End”): Remembered on the 23rd of Arodus, this day honors the fallen that were lost in the conflict with the Four Horseman, the Ghostland’s Crusade, and the battles with the Fifth Horseman. Typically celebrators engage in silent vigils during the day, before hours of feasting and glee are found during the night, with games involving the dismounting of horseman effigies being very popular.

## Laws and Legal System

Divided into provinces, the legal system is one of the aspects of Aetveran society that is not as centralized as in other aspects. While there is a uniform legal code that those appointed are required to abide by, the leniency these officials are given in deciding cases is often quite extensive and are sometimes impacted by the cultural norms and societal expectations of the province in which the court is located.

Referred to as ‘Reeves,’ these officials are appointed by the Seneschal of the Law, who in turn appoint lower judges of the law referred to as ‘Bailies.’ Normally, these lesser officers of the court are found in towns and smaller villages where the potential for petty crime is more common, while Reeves are typically located within the larger cities throughout Aetveris, keener to handle higher profile crimes and those that have gone on appeal.

The following is an assortment of the crimes found in the Crown’s Legal Codex. It should be noted that given the new structure of the legal system itself, some villages and holdfasts still hold to some fragment of what passed as a legal system, and as such there may be a number of ‘unspoken’ laws on the record:

**Abuse of the Beast**: The mistreatment, torture, and or grotesque killing of an animal (magical or otherwise) that moves beyond the bounds of mortal dignity. Typically, the punishment for those found guilty of this crime vary greatly depending on the kind of horror inflicted upon the victimized creature, and can range from a hefty fine to the ironic punishment of polymorphic existence for a period ranging from weeks to a year.

**Abduction**: The unlawful moving of a person’s form, either by mundane, magical, or technological means in connection with a nefarious purpose. The punishment for this crime is usually a hefty fine followed by imprisonment.

**Assault**: The intentional crafting, beyond the use of mere words, of a reasonable apprehension of bodily, mental, or spiritual harm in the mind of a sentient mortal victim. Typically the punishment for assault relies strictly on the severity of the crime, and can range from fines to imprisonment.

**Battery**: The unlawful application of force upon a sentient mortal that results in either bodily, mental, or spiritual harm upon his or her person, or in an offensive touching. Varies in punishment from fines to imprisonment.

**Burglary**: The unconsented entering (either by mundane or magical means) of a sentient mortal’s abode or property with the intent to commit a theft therein. Typically punished by imprisonment and a fine or lashes depending on the circumstances of the crime (whether property was damaged or someone was harmed, etcetera).

**Cannibalism**: The consumption of the flesh of a sentient mortal, whether for the purposes of satiation, jubilation, or malice. The sentence for those convicted of cannibalism is death. In some smaller towns, such is done by the feeding of the convicted to a pack of wild dogs. Perhaps because of Etera's long history of suffering and starvation because of the multitude of wars, Reeves and Bailies are likelier (though not guaranteed) to pardon those who were proven to have committed this crime out of desperation.

**Death of the Spark**: The intentional and unlawful slaying of a Sparkholder by mundane or magical means. Given the durability of Sparkholders, this violation applies different penalties depending on whether the individual in question returns to life or not. Should the Sparkholder return to life by the conclusion of the trial, then the penalty is reduced to a large fine and imprisonment. Should the Sparkholder be deceased by the conclusion of the trial, then the penalties are that which would be applied in the event of a Murder.

**Endangerment:** Conduct that is wrongful, reckless, or wanton, and is likely to produce death or grievous bodily harm to another sentient mortal creature. Usually attached to other crimes and is typically punished with imprisonment or a large fine depending on the grievance.

**Murder**: The intentional and unlawful slaying of a sentient mortal by mundane or magical means. The sentence for murder, more often than not, involves the death of the accused by means which vary depending on the severity of the murder(s), with particularly gruesome murders carrying more brutal executions. In the case of a Sparkholder being the murderer, the sentence is adjusted to fit with the nigh-immortal status of these beings (see Smothering the Flame).

**Necromancy:** The act of raising, manipulating, or violating the deceased corpse of another through magical means. This might also extend to the manipulation of souls in the case of creating ghosts or other phantasmal entities. Because of Etera's history with undead this particular crime is looked down upon with special hatred. Both the attempt to perform Necromancy and the successful act of performing Necromancy are treated in much the same way in the territories of Aetveris, in that the Necromancer in question (if found to be guilty) is sentenced to death.

**Parva Mors** (“Petty Death”): The intentional and unlawful slaying of a sentient outsider by mundane or magical means that results in the temporary death of the outsider. Usually reserved for the slaying of an Eidolon or summoned companion. Penalties are usually a fine paid directly to the owner of the summoned creature in question.

**Robbery** (Theft by Force): The unlawful taking of a sentient mortal’s personal belongings or property by force or threat of force. Typically punished by imprisonment and lashes depending on the severity of the crime.

**Theft**: The unlawful taking of a sentient mortal’s personal belongings or property. Typically punished by imprisonment and a fine equivalent or greater to the property that was taken.

**Treason**: Whoever, owing allegiance to Aetveris, adheres to its enemies and offers them succor either within its territories or beyond, is guilty of this crime. The punishment for those convicted is death, or in the case of a Sparkholder an arguably more gruesome fate (see Smothering the Flame).

**Trespassing**: The unconsented and unlawful entry of a sentient mortal’s property by means physical, magical, or technological. This may be done by the offender’s own person, by an extension of the offender’s will (such as by Astral Projection), or by an entity under the offender’s control. Punishment varies from fines to imprisonment.

**Ultima Mors** (“Final Death”): The intentional and unlawful slaying of a sentient outsider by mundane or magical means that results in the permanent death of the outsider. The penalties for this varies most distinctly as to what cosmological alignment the outsider was at the time of its death, with good-aligned outsiders carrying heavier penalties than might be found in the case of an evil-aligned outsider.

**Violation**: The committing of unconsented sexual intercourse (either by organ or item) upon a sentient mortal, whether by forces physical, magical, or technological, or when the victim is bereft of the senses (such as being unconscious). Such a crime is usually punished by an extended period of imprisonment, or more likely death. In the case of a Sparkholder, much like with Murder or Treason, a worse fate might await (see Smothering the Flame).

### Smothering the Flame

The prevalence of Sparkholders in society is a double-edged sword. On one hand, these extraordinary individuals have provided the backdrop for some of the greatest advancements in the rising nation, with technological developments, military organization, and other such endeavors finding better success in these individuals’ hands than what might have been found in others.

Yet on the other side there is the looming threat of ominous reprisal from creatures that cannot properly ‘die.’ What worry is the threat of execution, when one might rise from the grave in but the span of a few days?

Therefore it has fallen to some of the most depraved yet ingenious minds to conjure up an appropriate punishment for those Sparkholders that choose the path of desolation and depravity. Only referred to as ‘Smothering the Flame,’ it is rumored to be a macabre and profane punishment for those Sparkholders found guilty of the worst crimes imaginable, and is likewise said to be the only way to properly end them as a threat.

How such a new nation could have possibly stumbled upon such a thing is unknown, and many remain skeptical that it even exists, for none have supposedly ever been sentenced to it, nor heard of anyone who knows how to perform the process. Yet the punishment remains, supposedly written down somewhere in the Crown’s Legal Codex.

## Factions and Relations

**The Knights of the Realm**: The elite and somewhat unknown organization inside of Aetveris’ military, the Realm Knights or The Knights of the Realm are the best of the best and are meant to be the answer to the exceptionally dangerous entities that often plague the world of Chronus.

**IETA** (Institute of Eteran Technological Advancement): Positioned in Setrent, IETA stands as the center for technological development in the growing nation of Aetveris. Directed by Dr. Cecil Howvalen and a number of other specialists in the fields of science and the arcane, the Institute has been the cause of much of the uncovering and improvements of Magitek.

**OSRA** (Observation, Security, and Regulation Agency): Previously Empyreal Raven Solutions or ERS, OSRA serves as an intelligence gathering agency for Aetveris. With the ever-resourceful Seona Echosong at its head, they not only use their advanced technology to monitor the continent and the world at large, but to watch for threats that cannot be killed, and contain them. OSRA is a regular point of contention among Aetveris officials due to their internal policy of acting first and asking later. However, it cannot be denied that their actions and technology are ever in the interests of Aetveris.

**Azure Acolytes**: An enigmatic group of arcane warriors and scholars, the presence of this aloof order has naturally sparked some amount of tension amongst officials in Aetveris as they do not hold any overt loyalty to the nation itself. At present however their general aiding of the populace and securing of territories for the Crown have been seen as a boon, albeit one that comes with an acceptable amount of caution.

Riftstalkers: Because of prior agreements between the Crown and the Riftstalkers, the realmwalking organization is seen in a positive light by authorities, and with their aid the control of unstable conjunctions between realities have been lessened to a certain extent on the continent of Etera.