Arrakanium

Forged from iron and blood, the highly militaristic empire formed only 45 years ago, when the King in Arrakan defeated the numerically superior Ulthian League, formed out of the many city-states, duchies, kingdoms, and states that were the result of the collapse of the Ulthian Empire, 500 years ago. While serving as the Kortiran Commandus, the leader of the League, the President of Isorios along with the northern states feared the growing power of Arrakan. This occurred as they had begun their military reforms which gave Arrakan an 'army of the people', rather than the small, professional armies of the other nations. Isorios brought its concerns to Ulthia, and with a majority of the other Ulthian League states they attacked Arrakan, but lost due to the incredible scale of Arrakan's army.

The Empire of Arrakanium formed after Arrakan forced the surrender of the Ulthian League, and annexed most of their territories. They maintain a faux union with the last remaining cities and baronies of the Ulthian League under the legal name of "The Imperial State of Arrakan and the Ulthian League". Their capital is maintained in Arrak, though there have been talks of moving it to Ulthia to strengthen their claim as the only rightful heir to The Ulthian Empire.

## **Government**

House Alder has ruled Arrakanium since its inception. Formerly Kings of Arrakan they now claim the title of Imperator, as heirs to the glory of ancient Ulthia. Three Adler’s have sat the throne since the war with the League. Imperator Nicolaus ‘the Old’, Imperator Karolus ‘the Dull’ and now Imperator Nicolaus II. Nicolaus II is an enterprising man, with dreams of restoring ancient Ulthian and pushing the bounds of Arrakanium even farther than they've already been pushed. He looks in particular to the border with Varenth, seeing a strong potential rival in need of removal.

The government of the Imperator is a strange mix of the Imperial glory of the old empire of Ulthia, and the enlightened ideals of absolutism. The government is divided into two branches, the Imperator and the Imperial diet. Though the Empire is headed by the all powerful and absolute Imperator, the Imperial Diet has a large voice in the affairs of state. Built from the rich and landed gentry, who own much of countries land, each family sends one representative, a family member to present their interests. In some cases the Imperial Diet has wielded much power, but ever since the founding of the Empire of Arrkanium the Imperial Diet is all but ceremonial.

The Legates remain separate from the needs and wants of the Imperial Diet, who are the true rulers of the state at a local level. The Legates are military governors who oversee the provinces, ruling them with orders from the Imperator, as the old empire of Ulthia did in days of old. Overseeing the Legates, is the Grand Chamberlain, who is appointed by the Imperator. The Grand Chamberlain then, in turn, appoints the Legates.

The Arrakanian Military is a modern marvel of engineering and discipline. Ever since the reforms of King Fredrick of Arrakan, the armed forces has been the bane of foes and the boon of allies in the wars of the Ulthian League. The army and navy are led by the Imperial High Command, with a Grand Marshall and Grand Admiral who oversee their subordinates.

The Arrkanian Army and Navy, though fierce in battle, fight with honor and distinction and without surrender. Theirs is a noble way of war, though it must not be mistaken for weakness. The war machine of Arrakanium will not stop nor rest until their foes have been defeated.

### The Imperial High Command as of 1744

* Imperator Nicolaus II Alder
	+ Grand Marshal Hans von Recht
		- General Berthold Eichman of the Legio I Arrakana
		- General Ulrich Albertsen of the Legio II Ulthia
		- General Konrad Kepler of the Legio III Isoria
	+ Grand Admiral Arnold Fuhren
		- Captain-General Harald Koehler of the Imperial Expeditionary Force
		- General Lars von Recht of the Imperial Fleet
	+ Grand Chamberlain Johann Munzen
		- Legate Otto Albrecht of Arrakan
		- Legate Edwin Becker of Ulthia
		- Legate Ludwig Hepner of Isorios
		- Legate Christoff Wagner of Ainabla
		- Legate Rudolph Bechtold of Drevlya
		- Legate Alexander Kotler of Nephian
		- Legate Bruno Fleischmann of Stolmarch

## **Religion**

Devonian Elarianism is the official state religion of Arrakanium and other religions are permitted, but closely watched. The Valerian Church in particular is heavily monitored.

## **Timeline**

* **1241 AE:** With the collapse of the Ulthian Empire, Arrakan declares itself as an independent Kingdom under the Alder dynasty.
* **1281 AE:** Arrakan joins the newly formed Ulthian League.
* **1696 AE:** The Ulthian League declares war on the then Kingdom of Arrakan in an attempt to curb Arrakan’s growing military power. Isorios, the traditional rival of Arrakan, leads the war effort.
* **1698 AE:** Arrakan reigns victorious in the war against the League, annexing large tracts of land and declaring a new empire legally known as the Imperial State of Arrakan and the Ulthian League, but commonly referred to as the Empire of Arrakanium. The King Nicolaus Alder declares himself Imperator in the style of the old Ulthian Empire.
* **1700 AE:** The Imperator begins a series of sweeping military and administrative reforms, reaffirming the Imperial Diet, as well as restoring the old Imperial Legate System
* **1703 AE:** The Junkers are given the lands, incomes and titles of the former nobility of the Ulthian League.
* **1712 AE:** Nicolaus I dies at the age of 83, with the official cause of death being listed as a heart attack, although some within the Empire suspect poison. Nicolaus’ only remaining son Karolus is declared Imperator. Karolus proves to be a less adept ruler than his father, ultimately allowing the High Command to rule for him while spending his time drinking and whoring in Ulthia. This year also marks the Nico Incident, when two battalions of Arrakanian Infantrymen and a battalion of Lancers marched on the small border town of Nico in the Ulthian League. When a group of Dorminian Regulars attempted to defend the town they were killed in the short skirmish that ensued after an Arrakanian Cavalry charge. An airship from Dorminia eventually arrived to take the town back, bring the two powers to the brink of war. Luckily Victor Paulus, a Legate at the time, managed to negotiate the annexation of the town without any bloodshed, although it remains a sticking point between the two nations to this day.
* **1724 AE:** Karolus dies of an overdose in Ulthia at the age of 30. Without a son to inherit, the title of Imperator is left to his young cousin Nicolaus II. Fourteen at the time of inheriting, Grand Chamberlain Victor Paulus is put in place as a regent.
* **1728 AE:** The regency is ended and Nicolaus’ first act as Imperator is to have Paulus arrested and hanged on charges of treason, raising up a Legate named Johann Munzen to fill the position of Grand Chamberlain.
* **1744:** Nicolaus II celebrates his twentieth year as Imperator.