Leithanien/Branches

## Government

In the past, the **Kaisers** of Leithanien were elected by the **Kurfürsten**, an electoral college composing of Leithanian princes and noblemen, which make it appear to be an elective monarchy. The newly selected Kaisers/Kaiserins will rule the country from the head Spire, and in turn, their power must bring benefits to the Kurfürsten. But following the Witch King's rule which abused the Kurfürsten's power, the current regime installs a somewhat authoritarian rule to supervise movements of his surviving loyalists through their secret polices.

Leithanien's aristocrats, especially the Kurfürsten, are known for their arrogance and abuse of power. They could even levy every law enforcement personnel from several settlements just to provide security for a wedding party. These nobles are very proud of their bloodlines and, often times, they could conduct conspiracies against each other. They are also divided into numerous factions struggling for power, which worsens the situation since the era of the Witch King's loyalists who likes to underestimate the Kurfürsten.

Beneath the Kurfürsten are various royal ranks ranging from **Herzöge** (dukes), **Grafen** (counts), and **Barone** (barons) in the royal house, to **Lehnsmann** (lords) and the lowest **Schultz** (mayors) as district administrators.

### Military

In terms of military, Leithanien is spearheaded by the Spire Casters through their extraordinary Arts. There is also the **Empresses' Voices** who act as royal guards for the current Empresses.

Along with them, there are various Leithanian knights orders such as the **Künsteritter** and the **Gesatzswächter**.

### Law enforcement

The **Gendarmeries** act as Leithanien's law enforcement agency answering the call of the nobels and the mayors.

## Factions

### Witch King's Remnants

The **Witch King's Remnants** are those who are still loyal to the Witch King long after his death with some even worshipping him as a divine/supreme being. Primarily based in rural Leithanien and carrying out his dark legacy, the Remnants use any means necessary to undermine the Twin Empresses' legitimacy, including conducting inhumane experiments such as using Infected as "test subjects," searching for any of his remaining descendants to continue his bloodline, and even attempting to find ways to "resurrect" him. To this day, the Remnants remain the greatest threat of Leithanien along with the power struggle among the Kurfürsten.

The Remnants hail from many backgrounds, from being the Spires' attendants (including Spire Casters), chroniclers, and even musicians for the Leithanian national orchestral ensemble. Regardless, all of them make use of twisted, often gruesome Arts once used by the Witch King himself, one of which includes controlling the Originium shards within an Infected, turning them into living Arts Units with the side effect of driving them into a berserk state.

#### Notable

* Unnamed Elafian narrator of Leithanien: Ember

## Notes

1. ↑ "Arts Knights" in German
2. ↑ "Guardians of Order" in German

## References

2. ↑ Carnelian's Archive files
3. ↑ I Have Gazed
4. ↑ Mizuki & Caerula Arbor: Final Bastion
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Recollection
6. ↑ Ebenholz's Archive files