Beaglia

**Beaglia**, also known as the **Beaglian Empire** (Corsican: Imperu di Beaglia) was the collective domain ruled by Emperor Beagle de Caine and his successors after the Corsican Revolution of 1380, the Campaign of 1383, and other conquests undertaken by Beagle's forces. Beaglian history is widely considered to have begun with the Defenestration of King Albert IV on November 14, 1380; this incident involved Reginald Vetinarvi and two Corsican peasants assassinating King Albert IV of Corsica by throwing him out of a bedroom window in the Ajaccio Palace. As time went on, Beaglian control spread throughout the world, with the whole of modern-day Europe, parts of Canada, Australia, and the United States, and other places being brought under Beagle's reign. Beagle was succeeded by his son, Emperor Callum. Beaglia continued to rule into the Renaissance, but after Beagle's abdication in 1437, its control over the world gradually began to lessen. The Beaglian Empire came to an end somewhere in the 1680s after the disappearance of the unmarried and heirless Emperor Edmond, who was mainly known for his extreme gluttony.

## History

#### Beagle's early life

Emperor Beagle was born to Roland de Caine, Lord of Oslo and Bucharest, and his wife, Alcina, in 1362; he was their only child. The Caine family's earliest ancestor is said to be angelic, and this heritage gives the males of the family certain powers, such as flying and telekinesis. As a result, Beagle inherited these powers and quickly learned how to use them to his advantage. Despite being set to inherit control of two powerful European cities, Beagle was dissatisfied and disillusioned by what he thought of as a meager inheritance. At the age of 18, Lord Beagle, along with his close friend Lucel Condor and a troop of 350 Norwegian soldiers, boarded a large vessel, known as the Marlingford, and set sail for the Mediterranean Sea.

#### Voyage of the Marlingford

The initial stages of the voyage went well. However, according to what is thought by modern historians to be Beagle's personal journal, the ship began to run out of supplies sometime around the fourth week. Gripped by starvation, somewhere around 200 of the soldiers died on the way. In a last-ditch attempt to save himself, his friend, and his crew, legend says that Beagle fashioned a fishing pole out of spare planks and extra sail rope. Using the final rations of the Marlingford as bait, it is said that Beagle miraculously caught a fish half the size of the vessel itself. This fish was able to sustain the remaining soldiers for five days. The crew of the Marlingford began to fear that starvation would take them again, but the day after the last of the fish was consumed, the boat crash-landed on the shores of Corsica's capital city, Ajaccio.

#### Corsican Revolution of 1380

*Main article: Corsican Revolution of 1380*

After some repairs, the Marlingford was docked in the harbor of Ajaccio. Beagle and Lucel used it as their base of operations in their endeavor to usurp the island of Corsica. They would not have to wait long; in August 1380, many rumors began to spread that the King of Corsica, Albert IV, had been having multiple affairs behind his wife's back. This enraged the majority-Catholic population of Corsica, even reaching the attention of the Bishop of Ajaccio. Corsican citizens began to hold regular protests outside the Ajaccio Palace, Albert's home; after things turned violent, the King deployed the Royal Corsican Militia to police the streets of Ajaccio. On October 17, Beagle delivered a speech in the Ajaccio town square, which won many Corsicans over to his cause. After an assassination attempt on the King where Beagle's name was mentioned by one of the assailants, Beagle and Condor were arrested on October 29. On November 6, they were freed from prison by Reginald Vetinarvi, who had assassinated the Captain of the Militia days prior. After a battle in the courtyard of the Ajaccio Palace, Albert IV was finally assassinated by Vetinarvi and two other men when he was thrown from the window of his bedroom. This event, now known as the Defenestration of King Albert IV, is considered to mark the beginning of Beaglian history. On December 24, 1380, Beagle was crowned King of Corsica, Oslo, and Bucharest at the Ajaccio Cathedral.

#### Marriage to Irene Aarre

Shortly after his coronation, Irene Aarre began making advances towards Beagle in an attempt to spark an alliance between the houses of Dor and Caine. The pair were married on June 1, 1381, at the Ajaccio Cathedral. Their marriage would end in disaster, however, as it was revealed that Irene had been having an affair with Lucel Condor, who by then had become Head of the Advisors' Council. Condor and Aarre were exiled from Corsica and subsequent Beaglian lands until 1412. Irene's betrayal would lead Beagle to go into a mental spiral, culminating in a drinking binge which resulted in him being found unconscious on the floor of his bedroom; it is estimated that he was there for three days before a guard found him. As a result of these incidents, Beagle was committed to the Ajaccio Sanitarium for a year. Reginald Vetinarvi replaced Lucel as Head of the Advisors' Council, and he was the de facto ruler of Corsica while Beagle was institutionalized.

#### Campaign of 1383, alliance with Vexurith, and marriage to Emelie

Beagle was released from the Ajaccio Sanitarium in late 1382; shortly after his release, he ordered his army to begin conquering other lands near Corsica, in a two-year mission that became known as the Campaign of 1383. Modern historians believe that Beagle's institutionalization caused something in his mind to change, as he suddenly became intensely focused on conquest. Around this time, he entered into an alliance with the Elder Paracausal Vexurith. With Vexurith's help, the Beaglian army conquered the entire Iberian Peninsula, the whole of modern-day Italy, and parts of North Africa. After this campaign, Beagle changed his title from King to Emperor. During the campaign, Beagle married his second wife, Emelie, a mysterious noblewoman he met at a tournament. Once again, Beagle's marriage would be cut short by tragic circumstances.

#### The Banishment of Sekris

While the alliance with Vexurith had brought many benefits to Beagle's flourishing empire, it had also attracted the attention of a more powerful Elder Paracausal. This Elder Paracausal was an infernal being known as Sekris. In 1385, Sekris began his attack in the mountains of Corsica, where he was met by forces from the Beaglian military; this battle brought the Campaign of 1383 to its end. Sekris would prove to be too strong for their ranks, and eventually made his way to Ajaccio. Sekris would arrive at the palace and initiate an epic battle with Emperor Beagle, in which Beagle's true form was unveiled to the public for the first time. While Beagle suffered a lot of damage in the battle, he was eventually able to banish Sekris back to the infernal realm using a portal. Sekris would stay there for 26 years, before re-emerging in 1411. Sometime during the battle, Emelie, and her unborn child, vanished. Her body was never recovered, but she was given a ceremonial funeral at the Ajaccio Cathedral on January 4, 1386.

#### Five Years' War and marriage to Mathilda

Soon after the Banishment of Sekris, the Beaglian military began to resume their previously-interrupted conquests. As they moved into modern-day Ukraine, however, they were met with resistance from the surprisingly strong Elven population. The Beaglian forces, led by the Emperor himself, would ally with forces sent from Great Britain, led by then-Princess Mathilda. This would lead to the Five Years' War. It was during this conflict that Beagle met the woman who would become his third wife, the aforementioned Mathilda. The war came to an end in in 1396. Immediately after returning to Corsica, Beagle and Mathilda were wedded at the Ajaccio Cathedral. Queen Mathilda's marriage gave the Emperor control of Great Britain and its conquered territories, which included parts of Europe and North America. Through further conquest, Beaglia would manage to take control of the entirety of modern-day Canada and the United States, as well as a part of Australia known as New South Corsica (today New South Wales).

#### The Death of Sekris

Shortly after their wedding, Mathilda bore Beagle two children, providing him with the heirs he so desired. First came Prince Callum in 1396, followed by Princess Octina in 1397. Sometime after the birth of the first two children, the Imperial Family adopted Yuma, an orphan from an unknown country. To strengthen the Empire against future attacks from Sekris, the title of Patron Paracausal changed hands from Vexurith to Primus Oberon. In 1411, Sekris would re-emerge, waging war on the Emperor himself through very personal means. He inflicted a miscarriage on the Empress, which strengthened Beagle's resolve to defeat him. In their final battle, it was revealed to Beagle that Mathilda's life would be necessary to stop the attacks. Reluctantly, Mathilda surrendered herself. However, just as Sekris was about to perform the sacrifice, he had a sudden change of heart. Before he disappeared, he bestowed upon Beagle the Spear of Mortality, a powerful weapon with the ability to kill Paracausals. After this, Sekris faded into an unknown void, never to be seen again. It is said that the Spear of Mortality is still somewhere in the city of Ajaccio, hidden away from the world until another ruler powerful enough to wield it comes along.

#### Abdication, retirement, and death

In 1437, at the age of 75, Beagle abdicated the throne, leaving it to his then 41-year-old eldest son, Callum. With this abdication, the Elven Treaty of 1412 came into effect, which ensured the creation of an Elven-human state in modern-day Ukraine ruled both by Beaglia and the local Elven governments. Beagle and Mathilda settled into retirement in various residences around the world. In 1470 at the age of 108, Beagle passed away at Warne Manor in New South Corsica. His body was transported back to Ajaccio on the Marlingford, the very same vessel that brought him and Lucel to the city 90 years prior. Legends say that despite the long journey, Beagle's body showed few signs of decay. Before landing in Ajaccio, the casket stopped in Oslo and Bucharest, displayed in each city for five days. On April 1, the ship reached its final destination; Beagle's body lay in state at the Ajaccio Cathedral, visited by hundreds of thousands of people from around the empire. On April 12, he was given a funeral at the Cathedral and buried. Many witnesses to the burial reported seeing visions of Beagle's angelic form rising to the heavens.

### Emperor Callum (reigned 1437-1477)

Callum was born in 1396 to Emperor Beagle and his wife, Mathilda. He came to power in 1437 when his father abdicated the Imperial throne; Callum was 41 years old at the time. With Callum's accession to the throne, the Elven Treaty of 1412 took effect. This treaty established the Ural Territory, an Elven-human state that was ruled both by the House of Caine and the descendants of Queen Msunda, who signed the original treaty on behalf of the Dominion. As a result of this treaty, Callum was wedded to Msunda's daughter in order to produce an dynasty who would rule the Territory.

### Emperor William (reigned 1477-1515)

William was 35 years old when he came to the throne, succeeding his father, Callum, at the time of his death. One of his most infamous acts as Emperor was the abolition of the Imperial Cricket Cup in 1480. Also in 1480, William presided over the centennial anniversary of the Defenestration of King Albert IV, which marked the beginning of Beaglian history. Under William's rule, Beaglia lost some of its territory in North Africa, which had been conquered by Beagle in the Campaign of 1383. William established a trading route by sea with the Dragon Empire in the east; some of the goods passing along this route included fish, rice, and silk. However, the route was rather unconventional due to the long distance between the Dragon Empire (which spanned modern-day China, Korea, and Japan) and Beaglian epicenters such as the Mediterranean region. William married Empress Charlotte in 1478, who hailed from France; multiple sources allege that the wedding ceremony was the most expensive in Beaglian history to date, costing more than all three of Beagle's ceremonies combined. The couple had four children together; Raimondo (born in 1480, eldest son), Timoteo (born in 1482), Carlos (born in 1484), and finally a daughter named Charlotte (born in 1487), after her mother. William died on December 30, 1515.

### Emperor Raimondo "the Decadent" (reigned 1515-1525)

Raimondo was born in 1480 to Emperor William and Empress Charlotte. Like his father, Raimondo came to the throne at the age of 35 after William's passing in 1515. Ten years earlier, in 1505, Raimondo was wedded to the woman who would eventually become Empress Clarisa. They had one child, Sebastian, who was born in 1506. From a young age, Raimondo showed little interest in royal affairs and the business of running an empire; in his teenage years, he became known for throwing massive parties in the castle with his friends; these parties would enrage his father, William. The young prince's partying habit earned him the nickname "Raimondo the Decadent." Under Raimondo's rule, the last Beaglian territories in North Africa were lost; in addition to this, the Elven consul of the Ural Territory, Queen Enemri, pulled out of the Elven Treaty of 1412 after Raimondo attempted to seduce her. After this event, Beaglian power was reduced to Europe, North America, parts of Oceania, and New South Corsica. In 1525, during another diplomatic mission to the former Ural Territory, which was now being disputed over by many factions, Raimondo was assassinated by a mercenary of Queen Enemri.

### Emperor Sebastian (reigned 1525-1579)

Sebastian de Caine was born in 1506, and was the second-longest-reigning Emperor in Beaglian history, behind Beagle himself by three years. This long reign was due in part to the fact that he was crowned at the age of 19, after his father's unexpected assassination in the Ural Territory. He married a woman named Celine, who gave him three sons. Their first, Pierre, was born in 1535; their second, Antonio, was born in 1537, and their third, Louis, was born in 1542. The first two sons both perished after an incident in 1565 involving a poisoned potato;

modern-day historians suspect that their youngest brother may have been the mastermind behind their death. Whatever the case, the demise of the elder brothers left Louis as the sole heir to the Beaglian throne, which he took in 1580 after his father Sebastian's death.

#### Corsican Vampire Inquisition (1530-1532)

In 1530, Sebastian would experience the first crisis of his reign as the citizens of Ajaccio began to revolt against Reginald Vetinarvi, who had served as the Lord Patrician of the Beaglian Empire since 1382. With this 148-year reign outliving every single Emperor to date in Beaglian history (and he had already looked like an old man when he assumed the office), the citizens of Beaglia began to suspect him of devilish supernatural characteristics, such as vampirism. Tensions escalated when the reigning Bishop of Ajaccio published a formal letter recommending an investigation into the Lord Patrician's seemingly immortal state. On February 2, 1531, a Spanish nobleman known as Mateo Zoltán, along with other noblemen from the Mediterranean area and a few peasants from Ajaccio established the Council of Inquisitors Regarding Vampiric Activity in Corsica, more colloquially known as the Inquisitors. The Inquisitors soon began to distribute flyers explaining their suspicions of Lord Vetinarvi. By October of that year, citizens of Corsica, Sardinia, Greece, and Italy began to protest regularly, demanding Vetinarvi's resignation as Lord Patrician of the Empire. On January 5th, 1532, a multitude of citizens, led by Zoltán himself, entered the Lord Patrician's Tower and seized the suspected vampire. Hearing of this incident, Emperor Sebastian deployed forces from the Imperial Military, dispersing the riots; a few casualties were recorded, but Vetinarvi seemed to survive the incident unscathed.

##### Resignation of Lord Vetinarvi

On January 15th, Vetinarvi composed a harsh letter of resignation to the Emperor; this meant that for the first time in history, the office of Lord Patrician changed hands, passing to then-Deputy Patrician Hadwin Palmer, in accordance with the line of succession established with the title. The contents of the aforementioned letter are as follows:

*To His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Sebastian de Caine*

*My duty necessitates that I address you by your proper title, but I do so very reluctantly. In the years that I have served as Lord Patrician of Beaglia, I have seen every Emperor come and go, some good and some bad. You, Sebastian, would fall into the latter category. For as many flaws as your predecessors may have, they have always provided me with a reasonable degree of safety and security, even your lecherous drunkard of a father. However, that tradition of security seemed to end with you. For ten days ago, I was assaulted by the very same citizens that I claim authority over. Being a supreme authority to me, I would think that you would have some sort of control over them, but apparently not. If you were wise, you would have stationed hundreds of soldiers outside of my tower; on the contrary, those soldiers only came to my aid after the attack had begun, a very shameful display. Fortunately, I am unharmed due to personal characteristics which would not be wise to discuss in the current climate. On the topic of such climate, I must admit that I no longer feel safe in Corsica. Therefore, I must resign the office of Lord Patrician. If my Deputy, Hadwin Palmer, should read this, let it be known that I think you are a bumbling fool who will no doubt bring weakness and destruction upon this Empire. Perhaps, however, you will impress me. Sebastian, you have made an enemy of the House of Vetinarvi. Be very careful in your next moves.*

*Signed Reginald Vitosus Vetinarvi, FORMERLY Lord Patrician of the Empire of Beaglia*

#### Reign of Hadwin Palmer as Lord Patrician

Hadwin Palmer was a British nobleman who had become a friend of the Emperor. He was called to occupy the office of Deputy Patrician after the previous holder, Cristiano Marchesi, was assassinated in the streets by a patient who escaped from the Ajaccio Sanitarium. Vetinarvi's suspicions of Palmer being a "bumbling fool" were confirmed in 1547 when Palmer arbitrarily began a campaign against the native populations of North America. The strength of the natives was greatly underestimated, and as a result, Beaglian control over North America was limited to parts of the East Coast, undoing the conquests undertook by Emperor Beagle. Palmer would continue to show his incompetence, and on September 14th, 1555, he was fired by Emperor Sebastian. In an example of this aforementioned incompetence, Palmer neglected to appoint a Deputy Patrician, whether out of forgetfulness or stubbornness. As a result, the Beaglian government was thrown into chaos after Palmer's dismissal from office.

#### Beaglian Governmental Crisis (1555-1556)

When Sebastian de Caine dismissed Hadwin Palmer from office in 1555, perhaps he was ignorant of the ripple effect this would have on the Beaglian parliament. The Empire was thrown into instability, both financially and in terms of conquered territories. This state of instability was a weakness exploited by the Native Americans, who managed to drive Beaglian forces out of North America altogether, avenging their conquest by Emperor Beagle and their conflict with Hadwin Palmer. With this, Beaglian control was limited to Europe, New South Corsica, and various other islands around Australia. Meanwhile, financial losses and inflation caused by the lack of a Lord Patrician necessitated the raising of taxes, which made Beaglian citizens dissatisfied with their government. On December 29, 1555, Sebastian was notified of the loss of North American control. In response, he appointed local nobleman Ottavio Necci as the Lord Patrician of the Empire. Necci arrived to a messy governmental situation, which he was tasked with fixing. By March, the stress of this task had obliterated the Patrician's mental state, and he was committed to the Ajaccio Sanitarium. Thinking quickly, Sebastian appointed the Frenchman Marcel Giroux as Necci's replacement on April 2. By November, Giroux was able to heal the financial situation in the Empire, and he is known throughout the annals of history by the moniker "Savior of the Imperial Government."

#### Death of the Eldest Heirs (1565)

On June 16, 1565, the two eldest sons of Emperor Sebastian, Pierre and Antonio, suddenly fell ill. Over the next three days, their conditions would begin to worsen; Pierre died on June 20, and Antonio died a day later. The Beaglian Empire was seized by mourning at this sudden incident, and a massive investigation commenced to find the cause of the brothers' deaths. Doctors seemed to come to the conclusion that their deaths were caused by poisoning, specifically that of two potatoes served to each brother at dinner. Suspicion arose within the court of Ajaccio that Prince Louis was the culprit behind the poisoning, as he had suddenly become very paranoid, contrary to his usual nature. Whether or not Louis was the assassin, two facts remained: Louis had become the sole heir to the Beaglian throne (perhaps this was his motivation), and even if he did poison the brothers, his high status would not permit him to be executed, for it would mean the end of the House of Caine. A joint funeral for the deceased princes was held on July 3rd at the Ajaccio Cathedral.

#### Later life of Emperor Sebastian

Empress Celine died in 1566; many have hypothesized that she died of a broken heart caused by the deaths of her two eldest sons. After her death, Sebastian became very withdrawn, and he often would neglect his royal duties. This mental instability would lead to Sebastian's descent into alcoholism. He became infamous for this habit up to his death in 1579; he lived to be 73 years old. At the time of his death, Prince Louis took the Beaglian throne.

### Emperor Louis (reigned 1579-1612)

Louis de Caine was born in 1542; he was the youngest son of Emperor Sebastian and his wife, Empress Celine. Louis had two brothers; Pierre and Antonio, whose tragic deaths took place in 1565 by an apparent poisoning. As a child, Louis was quite outgoing, an extrovert with many acquaintances; however, after the deaths of his brothers, historical writings allege that the prince suddenly became very paranoid, reacting in an intensely nervous manner to even the simplest of questions. Due to this dramatic change, suspicion arose throughout the Empire that Louis was the one who poisoned the two princes, perhaps motivated by power; however, even if this is true, his newfound status as heir to the Beaglian throne prevented him from being executed, as it would mean the end of the House of Caine and the possible collapse of the Beaglian Empire. In 1571, at the age of 29, Louis was wed to a Russian noblewoman known as Natalia; she bore him two children, both sons. First came Prince Léon in 1574, followed by Prince Philippe in 1578. One year after Philippe's birth, his father would take the throne at the age of 37 when Emperor Sebastian passed away. Louis was seated on the Beaglian throne for 33 years; his reign was rather unremarkable, as it mainly consisted of maintaining the status quo in Beaglia's territories, now limited to just Europe and a section of Australia known as New South Corsica. Louis died in 1612 at the age of 70; this would lead to his son, Léon, taking the throne.

### Emperor Léon (reigned 1612-1647)

Léon de Caine was born in 1574 to Emperor Louis and his wife, Empress Natalia. Léon was the penultimate Emperor in Beaglian history, and this status has earned him the nickname "The Herald of Beaglia's Demise." In 1610, Léon married a British noblewoman named Priscilla; she bore him one child, the infamous Edmond, in 1614.

#### Abolition of the office of Lord Patrician

In 1630, Léon, noticing that the spread of Beaglian control was considerably smaller than it had been throughout the ages (and, unbeknownst to him at the time, was about to get much smaller), abolished the office of Lord Patrician, a position dating back all the way to early Beaglian history in the 1380s. With this decision, many other offices of the Imperial Government were also abolished. While the Emperor was always the supreme authority in Beaglia, the various governmental offices under his control took much of the work of ruling from his shoulders, instead delegating that work to the aforementioned offices, who were trusted to carry out his general will to the utmost detail. The decision made by Léon to shrink the government meant that the Emperor himself would be a lot busier; Léon would come to regret this decision as the events of the next seven years unfolded.

#### German Revolution of 1633

In the 1630s, the Beaglian status quo would gradually begin to shatter; territories from all over Europe began to express their fatigue and disillusionment with the Empire that had controlled them for two-and-a-half centuries. In 1633, the growing anti-Beaglian movement was granted a public face in the form of German nobleman Günther Schmidt. Schmidt was an apt negotiator and an equally brilliant military tactician; and this military skill would be on full display when on September 14th, 1633, Schmidt led an army to the Beaglian embassy in Munich. As the army made their way through the sparsely-guarded stronghold of imperial power, they proceeded straight for the office of the governor of Germany, Mason Clarke. Clarke, surrounded and unable to fight back, was easily assassinated by the mob that had stormed into the governmental building. After Clarke's body had been disposed of, the mob bestowed Günther Schmidt with the title "Emperor of the German People." When the Beaglian Emperor, Léon, heard of these events, he immediately deployed four-fifths of the imperial army into Germany, hoping to regain control of the land. Léon, however, underestimated the fighting skill of Schmidt's militia, coupled with the fact that a large number of untrained German peasants had made their way into Munich to defend against the coming invasion. While the majority of the peasants were slaughtered, the effort in decimating their numbers had induced great exhaustion on the Beaglian forces; as a result, they were not at full strength when the army led by Schmidt began its attack. After suffering a huge number of casualties, the imperial army decided to cut its losses and retreat to Corsica. Léon was forced to acknowledge the loss of Beaglia's territory in Germany, but not before executing a large number of high-ranking military officials, including the Grand General, Tommaso Consoli. Günther Schmidt, meanwhile, continued to amass forces, some of them even defecting from the Beaglian army in pursuit of an ideal of freedom. Schmidt's army, after becoming large enough, would move into Denmark, Poland, Austria, Romania, and eventually Scandinavia, deposing their governors much in the same manner as Mason Clarke. By 1635, Beaglian control only extended to Italy, France, the Iberian Peninsula, Greece, Sardinia, Corsica, and various Oceanic territories, including New South Corsica in modern-day Australia.

#### Treaty of Marseille, 1637

In 1636, inspired by the actions of Günther Schmidt, another militia began to take shape in France and the Iberian Peninsula, led by French nobleman Pascal Cousineau. Emperor Léon, sensing a similar movement beginning to grow, unified the territories of France, Spain, and Portugal under one governor. This governor was a close friend of the Emperor, Eusebio Volta, who he had known since adolescence. In addition to this territorial unification, large numbers of Beaglian soldiers were sent into Volta's domain, and a police force was established to quell revolution. However, these actions only increased the unrest among citizens, who often would attack members of the police force in groups of 10 or more. These attacks would lead to a significant portion of the force resigning; despite the weapons they had been granted, the peasants would more often than not dominate simply by numbers in these assaults. Citizens who took part in these assaults were more often than not executed publicly; while their deaths were meant to be an example, the executed were usually revered as martyrs among the anti-Beaglian revolutionaries. On February 7, 1637, Eusebio Volta was assassinated when one of his own personal guards slit his throat with a dagger. This event is considered a turning point in Beaglian history, as it kicked off the period known as the Downfall of Beaglia. Beginning around February 8, celebratory riots would commence in various cities in the former domain of Eusebio Volta. It is estimated that thousands of buildings throughout France, Spain, and Portugal were razed to the ground by their own citizens. Pascal Cousineau's militia, now a considerable size due to its efficiency with training peasants in the arts of combat, began to go after the Beaglian military, engaging in a series of skirmishes around Volta's former domain. On February 25, Emperor Léon issued a statement to the Empire, calling for an end to the bloodshed and violence. Pascal Cousineau issued a response on February 27, which can be read below:

*Your "Majesty,"*

*Your empire is one of corruption, and it has oppressed our lands for far too long. The violence will not end until you give us, your subjects, what we want: freedom from your tyrannical order.*

*-* Statement from Pascal Cousineau, February 27

The fighting continued for two more weeks; Cousineau's army continued to grow in numbers, while the Beaglian army took many major hits. Finally, on March 13, the new Grand General, Stefano Palazzo, was killed in battle. Emperor Léon saw this as a sign of defeat, and sent a letter to Pascal Cousineau proposing a peace treaty. Cousineau, unwavering in his commitment to the cause of freedom from Beaglian control, sent a simple response:

*Give us back our land.*

- Response from Pascal Cousineau to Emperor Léon de Caine, March 1637

Finally, the Emperor relented. Unwilling to lose any more men in this war, Léon agreed to meet Cousineau in Marseille, France, at Cousineau's palace. It was there that the two powers signed the Treaty of Marseille, an agreement with simple terms. Cousineau's army would cease to fight against the Beaglian Empire, if Léon agreed to release France, Spain, and Portugal from Beaglian control. The document was signed on April 12, 1637.

#### Later life

Léon lived for ten more years after the signing of the Treaty of Marseille; he died in 1647, survived by his only child and heir, Edmond. At the time of Léon's death, Beaglian control only extended to Italy, Greece, Sardinia, Corsica, and the various Oceanic territories. However, shortly after the Treaty of Marseille was signed, Beaglian control over the Oceanic territories was slowly starting to be undermined by the Vetinarvi family.

### Emperor Edmond (crowned in 1647, disappeared in the 1680s)

Edmond de Caine was born to Emperor Léon and his wife, Priscilla, in 1614. He took the Beaglian throne in 1647 after Léon's death. Not many details are known about him, as records of Beaglian history began to decline in quality after the signing of the Treaty of Marseille. However, there are a few pieces of information about Beaglia's last emperor. Edmond never married, nor did he have any known children. Many accounts from court nobles of the Ajaccio Palace claim that Edmond was a glutton; a portrait from an unknown artist shows that he suffered from obesity and male pattern baldness. Records kept by the Vetinarvi family state that in 1665, the Emperor took out a loan from their banking offices in Rome. It is also known that Edmond ordered the destruction of the Lord Patrician's Tower in 1683, which by then had become quite dilapidated due to 53 years of abandonment. Sometime during the second half of the 1680s, Edmond was allegedly invited to a party at Warne Manor in New South Corsica by the Vetinarvi family. He was never seen in Corsica or Europe again after this invitation. Much speculation has arisen about his mysterious disappearance, but modern historians have come to the consensus that Edmond's disappearance may have been an act of revenge from the Vetinarvis, perhaps related to the aforementioned loan in 1665. Since there was no heir to succeed Edmond, the House of Caine ceased to rule the remaining Beaglian territories; and so, one of the greatest empires in world history was not conquered by a greater leader, defeated in a grand war. Instead, Beaglia went out with a whimper as its heirless Emperor disappeared off the face of the Earth. Edmond's body was never recovered, whatever may have happened to it.

## Government

### Emperor

The supreme authority in Beaglia was the Emperor, a position that remained constant throughout all of the Empire's history. Any and all levels of government below the Emperor were tasked with carrying out his will to the utmost degree; he was the most important figure in Beaglian society, and any desires of his took priority over laws made by governors of individual territories. Beaglia had eight Emperors in its history, and the position was traditionally occupied by the eldest son of the line of Beagle de Caine. One exception to this was made in the case of Emperor Louis, youngest son of Emperor Sebastian; Louis's two brothers died as a result of an incident involving poisoned potatoes; some have said that this incident may have been a power grab by Louis himself. The final Emperor in Beaglian history was the heirless Edmond, who disappeared in the 1680s.

### Lord Patrician

The Lord Patrician was second-in-command to the Emperor, trusted to oversee the operations of the entire government. The office of Lord Patrician superseded the position "Head of the Advisors' Council," which was established by Beagle de Caine after his conquest of Corsica. Lucel Condor was the first man to hold the office, but he was quickly removed due to his exile brought on by his affair with Irene Aarre, Beagle's first wife. Reginald Vetinarvi was the man to replace Condor; after Beagle's institutionalization in the Ajaccio Sanitarium, he became the de facto ruler of Corsica for a year. Upon Beagle's return and the Campaign of 1383, the position of Lord Patrician was established to oversee the governmental activities of the Empire; in conjunction with this new position, the Lord Patrician's Tower was also constructed, to give the second-in-command a residence close to the Ajaccio Palace. Vetinarvi was the longest-reigning Lord Patrician; he is responsible for the creation of the Clerks and Interns, two mysterious groups that usually acted as assistants, but at times also acted as assassins. Vetinarvi was replaced by the notoriously incompetent Hadwin Palmer in 1532 after resigning due to the Corsican Vampire Inquisition. The office of Lord Patrician was abolished in 1630 by Emperor Léon, and the Tower was demolished in 1683 on the orders of Emperor Edmond.

#### Deputy Patrician

The Deputy Patrician was second-in-command to the Lord Patrician, third-in-command to the Emperor. This position could be appointed by the Lord Patrician, but if the Emperor had a candidate he thought to be more suitable, his opinion would always override any others. The first Deputy Patrician in history was also one of the most notable, Lucel Condor. Condor, after his exile was removed by Emperor Beagle in 1412, was appointed to the position in a gesture of forgiveness from the ex-husband of Irene Aarre.

### Advisors' Council

The Advisors' Council was a selection of nobles that were thought by either the Emperor, the Lord Patrician, or the Deputy Patrician to be extremely trustworthy. Appointment to the Advisors' Council was considered a great honor, even though the position did not technically come with any real power. The main purpose of the Advisors' Council is found in its name, to provide advice to the three highest men in the governmental system. Sometimes that advice was heeded, sometimes not. Notable appointees to the Council were Vic Lyons and Lord Ramiel of Feronia, both invested with the position by Emperor Beagle de Caine.

### Governors

Beaglia's control over multiple parts of the world necessitated ambassadors to be appointed in each of its various territories. Conquered territories, while retaining a great part of their national identity, were still ruled by Governors, representatives of the Imperial state who were appointed by the Emperor himself. Governors oversaw the operation of the various districts that made up Beaglian territory; Emperors could establish as many districts as they wanted, but a Governor had to be appointed to each one. Some Governors ruled entire countries, while others just controlled city-states. A Governor could appoint as many subordinate officers as he saw fit to carry out his orders and will, but ultimately, all parts of the Imperial government had to yield to the Emperor on any matter.

## Culture

### Religion

The span of Beaglia encompassed a vast number of different cultures; as a result, various different religions came to prominence in Beaglian realms.

#### Worship of Elder Paracausals

During the reign of Emperor Beagle, the Empire adopted two Patron Paracausals; the first of them was Vexurith, the second was Primus Oberon. Worship of these creatures became quite popular in the Empire, although such worship was never declared to be official state religion. Many modern historians posit that Beagle's refusal to declare such a thing was partly caused by the Bishop of Ajaccio, one of the few men the Emperor feared during his earthly life. The cult of Vexurith first gained popularity in Corsica and neighboring lands around 1384; many historic writings allege that it was rather Pagan-esque, with heavy emphasis on nature. Numerous sources have claimed that lightning and water were held by believers, termed "Vexurians," to be symbols of the Elder Paracausal's influence. As the title of Patron Paracausal shifted to Primus Oberon, his worship would also intensify. Many temples to the Elder Paracausal were constructed throughout the Empire, but they would function less as places of worship and more as gymnasiums. Oberon was a symbol of strength in battle, and so his devotees would commit themselves to improving their physical fitness, that they may perform well in battle, should they be called upon by the Emperor. Another cult that flourished in the Beaglian Empire during the Elder Paracausal era was that of Sekris. Sekris-worship was mainly propagated by those who held anti-Imperial sentiment. Thus, they looked to Sekris with hope, a hope that the Empire would be defeated. Sekris-worship mainly consisted of grotesque sacrifices, where animals such as goats and pigs would be offered up; in rare cases, however, human sacrifice was also performed. After Sekris surrendered to Beagle, his cult rapidly dwindled.

#### Catholicism

While the Beaglian Empire maintained a reasonable degree of separation of church and state, Catholicism still had a very powerful influence in many territories of the Empire, especially those in Europe. The Bishop of Ajaccio grew to become a very powerful figure due to his close proximity to the center of Beaglian power, but to this day, it is still largely unknown exactly how much influence he maintained. The reigning Bishop of Ajaccio was one of the first prominent figures to raise alarm regarding King Albert IV's allegations of infidelity; the same man, along with the Bishops of Bucharest and Oslo, crowned Beagle as the new King on December 24, 1380 in the Ajaccio Cathedral. The Cathedral would soon become the default location for important Beaglian ceremonies; it hosted all three of Emperor Beagle's weddings, as well as the funeral of his second wife, Emelie. In 1470, the Cathedral would also serve as the venue for Beagle's funeral. In addition to these, every Emperor throughout Beaglian history was crowned at the Cathedral, and it would continue to host the majority of Imperial funerals and weddings.

### Sport

Sport played a large role in Beaglian culture, especially during the reign of its first Emperor. Beagle was well-known for his fondness of sport, particularly fighting tournaments and cricket.

#### Fighting tournaments

Many disciplines of combat were practiced throughout the Empire; the majority of its European territories preferred the traditional joust, but in territories closer to the capital, tournaments were similar to gladiatorial conquests in the ancient Roman Empire. Beaglia's first Emperor and namesake was an advocate for the pursuit of such activities, and in 1412 established a department of the government to oversee them. This department was known as the Imperial Combat Commission, comprising a number of nobles who were tasked with the responsibility of organizing the tournaments as well as gathering participants. For a while, tournaments attended by the Emperor were mostly held at a military camp in the Corsican town of Feronia; after refurbishments were made to the Imperial Cricket Ground in 1414, it then became the venue for the majority of these events.

#### Cricket

Emperor Beagle was introduced to the game of cricket by English noblemen who were acquaintances of his wife's family; in 1401, he declared cricket to be the imperial game of Beaglia and ordered the construction of a cricket ground. The aforementioned construction was completed in 1405, upon which Beagle proclaimed the first edition of the Imperial Cricket Cup. Only four teams participated in the first event; the final was won by Great Britain, who defeated the Netherlands in a final that lasted for three days. The competition would continue to be held every two years, except for 1411 over safety concerns due to the ongoing war with the Elder Paracausal Sekris; the final edition was held in 1479, upon which Emperor William abolished it. Beaglian cricket rules were similar to modern Test rules; however, differences included the lack of a time limit and the playing of just one innings instead of two.