Urahra
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Posts posted by Urahra
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OOC:
This is a private in-character diary. Please do not metagame the contents of this post. I've been writing character diaries for a long time now. I do it for fun and to keep track of what's been going on in RP. Took a long hiatus from Tanith's diary, but now it's back and better than ever!
Why?
Because I've got a shiny new website to host it on! I'm told that the old diary posts were laggy because they had to load so many images at once. Well, worry no more, friends! The diary is now hosted off-site on a cool little website donated by my lovely friend @Wholesome_Thomas.
Who is Tanith?
Tanith is a 550+ year old Orenian dark elf. She witnessed the founding of the Holy Orenian Empire under Exalted Godfrey - and she's been here ever since (aside from a brief 30-year stint abroad in Haense). She currently works as a scholar, curator, and historian for the Northern Geographical Society. Her diary records her adventures as she travels Almaris, fights against corrupt government systems, practices the arcane arts, and raises her beloved family.
Read Tanith's Diary - Volume 5
Previous volumes are also hosted on the website! Cool!
Content Warnings Include:
Violence, domestic abuse, miscarriage, slavery, child death, fantasy racism, alcoholism, suicide, character death, NPC death, and torture. Tanith has a very cheerful and happy life as I'm sure you can tell.
10 -
TIL that halflings evolved from pigs.
1 -
39 minutes ago, monkeypoacher said:
now imagine doing this w/ a continent where the 4 descendant races have already lived
get in loser we're going to Anthos
GET IN LOSER, WE'RE GOING TO AEGIS
FULL CIRCLE BABBEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEYYYYYYY
1 -
Solution to the Aeldin problem:
Next map, we're going to Aeldin, babeeeeeyyyy.
Then you destroy it with the apocalypse du jour and done-zo!
10 -
Imo it boils down to consent.
I spawned in 10 generations of NPCs on the family tree to justify my recent character Yuliya being descended from my old character Lorina.
But that's different from someone I don't know spawning Aeldinic NPCs off Lorina. The Aeldinic NPCs were created without my knowledge or consent - and used my character as a pawn in some clout-chasing game so they could claim to be descended from Ex. Sigismund. If someone asked me if they could be a Lorina descendant, I might've said yes. The issue is they didn't ask me.
Aeldinic NPCs are fine if created with consent, but it's rude to just start adding fake characters to the tree just for your own clout
2 -
My issue with it has been people spawning entire new lineages off of old characters who did not reproduce.
For example -
Tiberius Blackmont died in a huge public event at age 15 called the Red Banquet. He was murdered by his brother Lucius so Lucius could get control of the house. Yet, somehow on the old familyecho, 15-year-old Tiberius had a wife and five children. All before age fifteen! WEIRD.
In addition, someone spawned a whole Aeldinic lineage off my character Lorina. Without my OOC consent, mind you. They didn't even get the name of her son right, even though it was written in her diary which was freely accessible on the forum. They gave her a son named Wilhelm when her son's name was Andrik. It became a bit complicated when I returned and wanted to play a descendant of Lorina.
There's a difference between fabricating things IC, knowing it's a lie. And fabricating things OOC (without other players' consent) and treating it as though just because it's on the family tree, that makes it canon and real on the server.
6 -
A BRIEF SUMMARY OF JOHANNIAN HISTORY
Written and Researched
by
Tanith Vursur
Edited and Published
by
The Northern Geographical Society
for use in their museum.
Johannian History [You Are Here]
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Volume 1 - John I & the Horen Restoration
Volume 2 - John II & the Anarchy
Volume 3 - The Golden Decade, the Year of Four Emperors, & the Destruction of Johannesburg
Volume 4 - Peter II & The End of the Johannian Era
VOLUME 1 -
JOHN I & THE HOREN RESTORATION
The Duke's War of 1518-1521 had left Oren devastated and fractured. The vast majority of Adrian nobles had been executed, with the survivors on the run as exiles. King Olivier de Savoie passed away in 1523, leaving former Archchancellor Guy de Bar to succeed him on the throne. Nobles and peasants alike looked to the future with trepidation. No one could guess what shape the future would take - and opinions were divided on the fate of the kingdom.
Several factions throughout the war-torn kingdom had their doubts as to Guy de Bar's rulership. Most notable among King Guy's detractors were the Church of the Canon, House Chivay, House Staunton, House Bracchus, and House de Sola.
The Church critiqued King Guy's slow response to the Owynist heresy gaining traction in the Province of Redmark, as well as his unwillingness to relinquish his heretical and adulterous son Sergius into Church custody.
The Chivays and de Solas had deep political and philosophical disagreements with the Savoyard state, finding it too passive, isolationist, and regressive for their liking. They resented how Savoyard policy had lead to such a severe fracturing of the human race and desired to create a new, united Holy Orenian Empire.
The Orenian nobility also had their own criticisms of King Guy. King Olivier had blood ties to Emperor Tobias I - the most recent monarch of the Holy Orenian Empire before its collapse. They were, in fact, cousins. However, King Guy had no such relations and no real claim of kinship with any former monarch. King Guy had also slighted several minor noble houses, such as the Stauntons, by promising them rewards for their loyalty in the Duke's War and then failing to make good on those promises. King Guy had a reputation for being manipulative and two-faced both toward allies and enemies, which made many nobles wary of his reign.
Finally, there were the remnants of House Horen - descendants of Emperor Exalted Godfrey. The Horens had long been away from power. Throughout the Schism and the Duke's War, the family had made several attempts toward a coup. House Horen notably allied itself with Storm King Maric Varodyr during the Schism War and briefly seized control of Petrus before being ousted by King Andrik Vydra. Charles Henry Horen, the grandson of Orian I, had been sent into exile abroad in Aeldin. Eventually, he returned to the court of Oren under King Andrik. However, King Andrik forced him to join a monastery to nullify his claim to the crown and prevent him from making any overtures toward rebellion. This would not stop Charles Henry, however, as he began to sew the seeds of discord in the Church and push for his son, John Frederick Horen, to sit on the throne as the rightful Emperor.
These four factions - lead by Bishop Edmond de Montfort, Charles Henry Horen (as Brother Polycarp), Helton Chivay, Titus de Sola, Percival Staunton, and Publius Bracchus - conspired together to mastermind the Polycarp Plot. On the 10th of the Grand Harvest, 1526, two Bishops - Iosif and Renauld - entered the Praha Palace and requested an audience with King Guy. They murdered the King by stabbing him repeatedly in the palace gardens.
The Savoyard faction found themselves at a loss for how to react to this development. On the one hand, King Guy had been wildly popular among his supporters and they demanded restitution for his slaughter. At the same time, they found themselves unable to meaningfully resist the efforts of the Horen Restoration. They had just completed a long and costly civil war that left them without sufficient funds or soldiers. They could not possibly hope to endure another. John Frederick smoothed the issue over by parleying with Prince Gereon de Savoie, Olivier's younger brother. After three days of negotiation, they signed the Treaty of Metz - ending Savoyard rule and installing John Frederick as the new Holy Orenian Emperor.
Emperor John I had much work to do in order to consolidate his power and maintain his hold on the throne. His father, Charles Henry Horen, had made many promises which John I was now bound to keep.
First among them was the promise to grant the Stautons a duchy. John I elevated Percival Stauton to ducal status, granting him the Duchy of Courland (formerly the Duchy of Vanaheim, ruled by Duke Jace Evans-Bracchus under King Guy). The new Emperor also further placated the Savoyard faction by selecting several prominent Savoyards for his cabinet. Among his closest confidantes were the Savoyards Augustus d'Amaury and Publius Bracchus. However, many Savoyards still heavily resented John I for the murder of King Guy as well as what they believed to be the unfair and unjust execution of Sergius de Bar. The tension would eventually come to a boil in 1546 with the Taxman's Conspiracy, a planned insurrection by militant Savoyards seeking revenge for King Guy.
John I also brought the Adrian rebels back into the fold by granting them clemency at the recommendation of his Archchancellor Publius Bracchus.
In addition, he began a reconstruction project to restore the capital of Felsen, which had been devastated by the Duke's War, and annexed the Elven port town of Aerochnor (renaming it to Erochland).
Yet no matter what he did, John I remained a controversial and contentious emperor - not only for the bloody coup which brought him to power but also for his unforgiving, haughty, and brutal personal character. His home life was fraught with various flavors of unpleasantness. In 1535, he divorced his wife - Empress Adelheid of Istria - after learning of her many extramarital affairs. Their union was, by all accounts, cold and loveless. Some historians now believe that reports of her affairs were greatly exaggerated, however, and that the real source of their divorce was Empress Adelheid's constant meddling in politics. Empress Adelheid often interferred with the governance of her relatives' duchies, namely Lorraine and Istria. Following the divorce, John I sent her to the Abbey of St. Julia where she became a nun. John I also struggled with his eldest son, John Sigismund, who suffered from a variety of mental deficiencies due to ingesting quicksilver as a child.
The most defining event of John I's reign was, beyond a doubt, the Eighteen Years' War against the Kingdom of Urguan.
John I's initial diplomatic relations with Urguan had been cordial. Grand King Uldar Irongut assisted John I and the Church of the Canon in apprehending the wayward Sister Lorina Carrion of Vekaro. Sister Lorina, formerly an Imperial Princess and the Matron Superior of the Order of St. Julia, had eloped to Urguan with her lover, Duke Jace Evans-Bracchus of Vanaheim. She did this to protest the Church's involvement in King Guy de Bar's murder, as well as John I's gift of Vanaheim (her lover's duchy) to the Stauntons. With King Uldar's help, she was captured along with Jace and returned to Church custody. Thus began a friendly correspondence and rapport between King Uldar and Emperor John I.
King Ulgar's friendship with John I drew criticism from his courtiers, however, who viewed Oren with mistrust and hostility. Uldar was often maligned as a puppet of the Orenian state. Eventually, King Uldar was deposed by anti-Oren powers, who installed Midgor Irongut on the throne in his place.
The Eighteen Years' War began when the newly-crowned Midgor Ireheart amassed an army of dwarves and Dunamis bandits and marched his company to Felsen. He demanded that Emperor John I renounce his crown and split up the Empire - or else Urguan would conquer it as they had in the years following Exalted Godfrey's death. John I refused and so King Midgor declared war.
King Midgor began battering Felsen and its surrounding provinces with repeated raids, decimating the population and halting reconstruction efforts. When King Midgor was poisoned in 1534, John I hoped that the new King Rhewen Frostbeard would be more amenable to peace. However, King Rhewen was determined to continue with his predecessor's anti-Oren hostilities. In response, John I sought alliances with the Kingdom of Vandoria, the Principalities of Sutica and Laureh'lin, and the Warnation of Krugmar.
In 1536, John I made use of the Orenian colony Erochland to stage a surprise attack on Urguan. The Imperial army claimed victory at the Battle of White Mountain, the inaugural battle of the war. They followed it up with a second victory in 1537, seizing the Dwarven capital of Rhewengrad. The annexed portion of the Dwarven kingdom was dubbed the Province of Cascadia.
The dwarves retreated to Khro'Nogaak, one of their last remaining strongholds, in the Valley of Flowers. John I and his allies laid siege to the fortress in 1538, but were met with strong resistance. The Imperial army was routed back to Cascadia, where they regrouped and planned another assault. John I amassed a fleet of frigates with which he hoped to invade Urguan by sea.
The Imperial fleet clashed with the dwarves at the Battle of Cape Bronson, off the coast of the Nordling island of Avar. After securing victory against the dwarves, the Imperial army established a siege camp on the island. Throughout 1542, the Imperial forces drove the remaining dwarves out of Avar and annexed it fully by the end of the year.
Avar proved to be an ideal staging ground for further Imperial assaults. Sailing from Avar, the Imperial navy laid siege to the dwarven coastal fortress of Kal'Ordholm. The dwarves, however, rallied and repelled the siege, causing massive Imperial casualties and decimating the fleet.
John I could not bear the humiliation of defeat. It seemed that an invasion of Urguan would not yield the results he'd hoped. Instead, he decided to focus his efforts on the Dunland, home of the Dunamis bandits. The Taxman's Conspiracy, helmed by disgruntled Savoyard loyalists, came to fruition following the loss at Kal'Ordhom. While the Savoyard rebels did not succeed in assassinating the Emperor, their refusal to pay tax had withdrawn crucial financial support for the war effort. As a result, the Imperial forces suffered a crushing defeat at the 1547 Siege of Fort Dunamis. It was at this ill-fated battle that Emperor John I met his end. John I was shot and thrown from his warhorse while attempting to retreat and drowned in the Eroch River.
The rulership of Oren then fell into the hands of John I's eldest son, John Sigismund (who took the regal name of John II). John II initially enjoyed great success in his reign. Shortly after John I's death, the Nordling residents of Avar (called the Rurikids) rebelled against the Empire with dwarven support behind them. John II put them down at the 1547 Battle of Seahelm. After the victory, John II entered into peace negotiations with Grand King Rhewen Frostbeard. In the Treaty of West Avar, the dwarves agreed to cede Cascadia and Avar over to Oren - thus bringing an end to the Eighteen Years' War.
VOLUME 2 -
JOHN II & THE ANARCHY
However, John II's wild eccentricity, mental instability, and neurological degeneration swiftly impacted his leadership ability. Many regarded John II as the polar opposite of his father in terms of temperament. John II had a carefree air about him - meek, trusting, inelegant, and prone to political gaffes and blunders. He cared very little for the affairs of the state, which allowed his more powerful vassals to run roughshod over him. Due to his neurological degeneration and frequent seizures, he often hallucinated objects moving when they were not. His many quirks (including an irrational phobia of fruit - pineapples and pomegranates in particular) made him an object of mockery and scorn throughout the Empire. John II was also prone to fits of violence, as seen when he drowned former Archchancellor Publius Bracchus in the palace pond.
John II's reign was largely characterized by a period known as The Anarchy - a collective name for three distinct political uprisings between 1556 and 1570. The events that made up the Anarchy included the Third Rurikid Uprising, the Riga War, and the Krajian Rebellion.
The Nordling natives of Avar resented their status as vassals to the Holy Orenian Empire, along with the humiliation they suffered at the Battle of Seahelm. Tensions had grown between the Nordling residents and Imperial settlers migrating to the island. The settlers viewed the Nordlings as barbarians, whereas the Nordlings despised Oren's attempts at colonization as wrongful and illegal. Eventually, Thomas Ruric - the son of Sven Ruric, Lord of Seahelm - traveled to Felsen to demand Avarite autonomy. John II refused, which lead to Lord Ruric expelling or killing all Imperial settlers from the city of Seahelm. John II summarily declared war on the island of Avar.
Imperial settlers fled to the western half of Avar, where they established a stronghold. Thomas Ruric began raiding and plundering West Avar in an attempt to drive the Imperials out. John II responded by amassing his naval fleet at the Imperial city of Riga. The two forces clashed at the Battle of Dogger Bay, which resulted in a defeat for Thomas Ruric and his Nordling warships. The Imperial army pushed forth toward Seahelm and claimed the city in 1558. Sven Ruric and his armies fled south - and John II opted not to pursue them.
Oren would see little rest following the Rurikid Uprising. One year later, more conflict erupted in the Staunton duchy of Courland (formerly Vanaheim). The residents of Courland reviled Duke Andrew Stauton (the grandson of Percival, who assisted with the Polycarp Plot) for his despotic rule, his lack of charisma, his blundering diplomacy, and his poor handling of his estates. His brother, Alexander Staunton, allied with Lord Britannus Vanir and raised an army against Andrew in hopes of taking the ducal coronet by force. He promised Lord Britannus the Barony of Kraken's Watch in exchange for his support. Yet Andrew surprised them both when he abruptly committed suicide. As such, the title of Duke passed to Alexander.
At first, the Vanirs and Stauntons appeared to co-exist peacefully. However, two years later, Duke Alexander marched his army toward Kraken's Watch and captured the castle in a surprise siege, forcing Lord Britannus to flee south to the court of Duke John of Carnatia. Civil conflict quickly broke out between the Duchy of Courland and the newly-formed Carnatian League - composed of Duke John of Carnatia, Lord Fiske Vanir, Sir Petyr Barbanov, Lord Britannus of Kraken's Watch, and others. Emperor John II blundered into an enormous political gaffe when he gave his consent to the conflict and allowed the two factions to war. Six years of bloody civil warfare ensued in the north, culminating in the violent sack of the city of Riga and the ousting of Duke Alexander from power.
The Courlanders were, naturally, infuriated by their loss and humiliation. They refused to admit defeat, instead allying themselves with bandits from the Dreadlands and Krajian cossacks. Emperor John II involved himself in the war once more at that point, roundly condemning the Courlanders for their alliance with the Dreadlands. He interceded to end the war and granted victory to the Carnatian League.
Duke Alexander reacted by immediately seceding from the Empire. He crowned himself King of Courland and declared his duchy to be an independent nation-state. The Hetmanate of Krajia followed suit, forming the Kingdom of Ruska. Together, they founded the Vailorian Assembly of Southern Axis Powers - a coalition of nation-states defined by their opposition to Oren. Multiple states threw their lot in with Courland, including the Dreadlands, Urguan, Krugmar, and Haelun'or. Each of these nations hated and feared Oren, viewing the Empire as an existential threat to their sovereignty. The Axis Powers had one singular goal - to dismantle and destroy the Holy Orenian Empire once and for all.
Eleven years of war ensued. John II continued to mishandle the conflict, showing a shocking lack of concern for the war that threatened to tear the world apart. He delegated most tasks to his ministers and his son, Prince John Owyn. Calls for John II's abdication mounted - ultimately forcing him to step down in the year 1575. He retired to the countryside alongside some of his closest companions, including his mistress Maude of Copper Court.
That left his eldest son, the newly-crowned Emperor John III, to finish the job his father and grandfather had started. While John I and John II both suffered their own failings, they set the stage for a renewed Empire and a united Oren - something that the world had not seen since the fall of Emperor Tobias I in 1480.
VOLUME 3 -
THE GOLDEN DECADE,
THE YEAR OF FOUR EMPERORS, &
THE DESTRUCTION OF JOHANNESBURG
Prince John Owyn had already cut his teeth as a ruler by the time he ascended to the office of Emperor. As Emperor John II grew older and more insane, he shifted more and more responsibility onto the shoulders of his teenaged firstborn son. Emperor John II shocked the nation when he named John Owyn Prince-Regent of Oren at only seventeen years of age. It had become evident to everyone in Oren and abroad that the aging and insane Emperor needed to step down, especially if his teenage son could do a better job.
John II finally and fully stepped down in 1568 - leaving Oren in the care of his son. By the time of his coronation at age nineteen, John III was more than ready to rule in earnest. In spite of his young age, he had been functioning as head of state for two years already at that point.
As a new Emperor, John III immediately set out to clean up the messes his father left behind. Oren was still caught in the grips of the Anarchy. John II had failed to quell the Axis Powers in the north. It thus fell to John III to bring a decisive end to all the various conflicts and rebellions plaguing Oren.
Shortly after assuming control of the Empire, John III signed a treaty with the Silver State of Haelun'or in 1568. The High Elves, like many of Oren's nonhuman vassals at that point, had entered into open rebellion against the Empire. They had allied with Courland in an attempt to unseat the Emperor and win independence. However, John III met with Sohaer Kelthran Iyathir and successfully brought the High Elves back under Oren's wing - ending High Elven participation in the Axis War.
A few years later in 1575, John III negotiated the Treaty of the Northern Union - signed by Grand King Drynn Ireheart of Urguan and High Prince Artimec Caerme'onn of the Dominion of Malin. For the first time since John I's early reign, Oren had a friendship with the Dwarves. The signatories of the treaty would belong to an intergovernmental military alliance known as the Northern Union - maintaining a state of total non-aggression and peaceable diplomatic relations with one another. The Treaty ended Dwarven participation in the Rebellion on the side of Courland and the other Axis Powers. Dwarven electoral politics would eventually prove to be the downfall of this Union when the Dwarves elected a more anti-Oren king after John III's death. However, while it lasted, the Northern Union would prove critical for ending the Axis War and quelling the rebellion in Courland.
One year later in 1576, Oren would declare victory over the Axis Powers of Courland, Ruska, and the Dreadlands. All members of House Staunton summarily faced either execution or exile. Oren also annexed the Dreadlands and John III installed Prince Charles Henry as its governor. Imperial settlers in the Dreadlands faced hostility from roaming orcish warbands in the region, however - a small taste of future hostilities set to erupt between Oren and the orcs.
With the Axis Powers squashed at last, John III could set about putting his own house in order. 1576 marks the beginning of what historians call "The Golden Decade" - a period of stability, wealth, and peace for the Empire both internally and externally. The Empire had long been fractured and at odds with itself. John III saw the need for centralization and reform. Nobles and their levies presented a unique problem for the Empire - one which wouldn't be fully solved until the Petrine reforms under Peter III hundreds of years later. Rather than outlawing private noble levies, John III stressed the importance of joining the national armed forces. Service was not mandatory but highly encouraged. He also installed bureaucracies such as the Foreign Service to better manage the Empire's international relations. He also completed the construction of a new Imperial capital, Johannesburg. The city was renowned across the world for its spectacular beauty and architectural splendor.
During this period, the Duchy of Haense saw exponential growth and popularity. The Duke of Haense, Petyr Sigmarovic Barbanov, had distinguished himself in the Riga War and enjoyed a close personal friendship with Emperor John III. Support had begun to build for Haense to become a kingdom, although many of John III's advisers opposed it. In 1578, John III made the decision to crown Petyr Sigmarovic as the first king of Haense. Haense became a vassal state under the Holy Orenian Empire.
John III proved to be very adept at handling his non-human vassals. He did what many emperors prior had failed to do - which was foster strong and supportive ties with the elven populations of Oren. He had a good relationship with both his elven vassal states, the Dominion of Malin and the Silver State of Haelun'or. Under his administration, elves began to embrace Imperial culture and ideals on an unprecedented scale. Unfortunately, it was this relationship that would push Oren once again into war.
Anti-orcish sentiment had taken root throughout the Empire and its vassals. Orcish warbands had taken to harassing settlers in the Dreadlands. In addition, the orcs had taken to terrorizing the Mali'ame in the Dominion of Malin, often capturing elven citizens and taking them as slaves. Many also blamed the Orcish shamans for releasing a plague daemon that caused mass loss of life in the final years of the Vailorian age.
Prince Tristan Tresery of the Mali'ame (a descendant of the White Rose elf Leric Tresery, curiously) came to John III and begged him to put an end to the Orcish problem bedeviling the Wood Elves. John III penned a personal letter to the Rex of Krugmar - Malgunuz’Raguk - and demanded reparations for the damage done to the Orenian people. Rex Malgunuz’Raguk immediately refused - kicking off the conflict that historians would later call 'The War of Orcish Submission.'
The war began in 1579 with the Battle of Atlay. Orenian forces, along with their allies among the elves and dwarves, scored a crushing victory against the Rex's minuscule army. The orcs retreated to their capital of San'Kharak where they awaited an eventual siege.
During this time, Vorgo'Yar - a tribal chieftain among the orcs - issued a rulership challenge (also known as a Rex Klomp) to the incumbent Rex Malgunuz’Raguk and unseated him. As the new Rex, Vorgo'Yar made the wise decision to evacuate San'Kharak. He hoped that his retreat would preserve the orcish race and prevent a wholesale genocide.
When the Imperial forces arrived at San'Kharak, they found the city nearly abandoned and captured it with minimal resistance. John III annexed the lands of Krugmar and declared the War Uzg to be fully, irrevocably, and totally dissolved. Orcish survivors were permitted to apply for residency in the Empire, where they would live in strongholds mandated by the state. If they refused, they would face swift execution. The War of Orcish Submission officially ended in 1580.
However, peace would only last for a scant two years. The High Elves of Haelun'or had begun pushing for independence from Oren. The High Elves resented Oren's close ties with the Mali'ame. The Wood Elves and the High Elves had long been at odds with one another over matters of racial purity, culture, and use of the arcane. Wood elven druids had often critiqued the Mali'aheral use of voidal magic, while high elves saw the more earthy and naturalistic mali'ame as a corrupting influence to their culture of knowledge and purity. Their status as vassals under the Holy Orenian Empire caused them to chafe against each other more than ever before.
The High Elves also disliked the favoritism they perceived from John III toward the wood elves. Among the rulers of the wood elves was Prince Tristan Tresery. Tristan was the son of Leric Tresery, a famous Orenian elf who had fought with the medieval Order of the White Rose. Tristan's deep ties to Orenian history gave him an advantage at court and a place among John III's companions, a fact which drew the particular ire of the Mali'aheral.
Due to these myriad tensions, a group of High Elven Nationalists and Separatists (called 'The Vigil') began to gain influence in Haelun'or. In 1582, the Vigil grew bold enough to attempt a coup - murdering the Sohaer Kelthran Iyathir and several members of his cabinet. The Haelun'or Loyalist Militia, lead by Parion Tahn'thill, struck back and drove the Vigil out of the city. Parion declared himself Sohaer and instituted emergency powers to help secure the state.
The news of these events troubled John III, who issued his 1582 Act of Governance some months later. He ordered the Silver State to dismantle their self-government and submit to an 'Uthir' (or 'King') chosen by the Emperor. John III installed Orsino Acal'elor as the Uthir - a decision that deeply upset the high elven nationalist faction. The choice to install Orsino Acal'elor proved to be a major factor in John III's ultimate downfall.
John Augustus - John III's eldest son and the Prince of Alstion - had long been gathering support for a coup against his father. John III's advisers resented the Emperor's choice to elevate Haense to the status of a kingdom. Prince John Augustus saw opportunity amid the High Elven unrest. He met privately with leaders of the Vigil and promised them independence should they assist him in assassinating his father.
In 1585, the Vigil staged a successful assassination against Emperor John III. Vigil agents posed as diplomatic envoys from Haelun'or and lured John III into a private meeting, where they attacked him with knives and slew him. They framed Orsino Acal'elor for the plot, removing him from power in Haelun'or. The unfortunate High Elven Uthir faced imprisonment, torture, and ultimately execution at the hands of the Vigil and the new Emperor John Augustus (under the regal name John VI). The assassination, which occurred in early 1585, kicked off what would later be called 'The Year of Four Emperors' - a brief but tumultuous and violent period in the middle Johannian era.
John Augustus - who took the regal name of John IV - faced immediate mistrust from his father's supporters and civil servants, as well as from his vassals and the members of his court. The unusually expedient arrest, torture, and execution of Orsino Acal'elor drew heavy suspicion. It was well known that John III installed Acal'elor to act as a loyalist Imperial puppet, so it struck many as unlikely for Acal'elor to have turned coat as John IV implied. Haense also distrusted John IV. Haense and its subjects had naturally been great supporters of John III since he granted them their kingdom status. The bizarre circumstances of his death left them unsettled. That tension would swiftly erupt into violence.
Shortly after assuming the throne, John IV approached King Andrew II of Haense for a diplomatic meeting. The new emperor sought an engagement with the Haeseni king's sister, Princess Julia Barbanov. Unfortunately for John IV, King Andrew II was a man of volatile tempers. He already disliked John IV for unsavory comments made against Princess Julia. The growing suspicion directed toward John IV didn't ease matters either. Their diplomatic meeting took an unexpected turn when Andrew II, along with his retainer Brynden Vanir, attacked and killed Emperor John IV.
John IV died without heirs, so he was succeeded by his younger brother Robert Henry (who took the regal name Robert II). Desperate to avoid a fractured Empire and civil war, Robert II attempted to parlay with Haense. He offered a generous pardon to all involved in the murder of his brother. King Andrew II rebuffed all offers of forgiveness from the Emperor. Terrified by the prospect of war and grieving the loss of family members, Robert II abdicated the throne and committed himself to the Church as a monk. He was only fifteen years old at the time.
The crown then passed to Philip Frederick (Philip I), the youngest son of Emperor John III. Philip was only fourteen years old at the time of his coronation. Despite his age, Philip I had a stubborn, vengeful, and intransigent nature much like his great-grandfather John I. Seeking revenge for the death of his older brother, Philip I declared war on the rebellious Kingdom of Haense. Historians would later dub this incident 'The Deep Cold Uprising'.
Andrew II responded by obstructing or destroying all land routes into or out of Haense - turtling up in preparation for war. This was a fatal miscalculation on the king's part. Haense rapidly began to suffer due to food shortages. The northern kingdom could not produce enough food in the inhospitable Greyspine Mountains to support its populace. The Haeseni noble houses rapidly began turning against their king.
Philip I dealt the final blow in early 1586, when he issued The Olive Branch Petition. The Petition offered amnesty to all Haeseni nobles who denounced their king. It also granted refuge in Oren to all Haeseni civilians seeking to flee the conflict. However, any who remained in rebellion would be targets for war and annihilation. Calls mounted for Andrew II to abdicate, which he ultimately did in 1586. Andrew II attempted to flee abroad, but he didn't make it far. Orenian forces martialed to hunt him down, capture him, and execute him. Haense then peacefully rejoined the Empire under its new monarch, King Marius I. And so the 'Year of Four Emperors' drew to a close.
Philip I would face further international conflict, however. Orenian intelligence soon discovered that Grand King Torvin Grandaxe had been pushing Andrew II to rebel and even offered military aid - an act in flagrant violation of the Treaty of the Northern Union. The dwarves had taken in vast numbers of Orcish refugees following the War of Orcish Submission, which caused anti-Oren sentiment to spread among the Urguani population. The Emperor penned a letter to King Torvin asking for an explanation but received only silence in return. The lack of communication ultimately forced Philip I's hand. His stubborn nature wouldn't allow him to let the Dwarves' betrayal go unpunished.
The Snow Elven Princedom of Fenn and the remnants of Krugmar allied with Urguan to form the Anti-Oren Coalition, which is what gave the war its name. The Coalition War began in 1580 with the Battle of Mount Gorgon, a decisive Imperial victory. Following the victory, the Imperial army prepared to push forward into Red Pass - a narrow gorge leading into the Urguani heartland.
The year 1592 dawned and civil unrest erupted in Johannesburg - threatening to halt the progress of the war. Duke Jon Renault de Savoie had begun to grow restless. He and the rest of the Savoyards still harbored resentment toward the Johannians for the assassination of King Guy de Bar. They attempted a repeat of the Taxman's Conspiracy - refusing to pay any tax to support the war. When Philip I called them in to mediate the dispute, they attempted to assassinate him. Philip I fought off the assassins. In his stubbornness, he refused to forgive or pardon the Savoyards - putting the majority of the Savoyard nobility to the sword. Philip I confiscated their duchy and granted it to his newborn second son, Peter Sigismund. His obstinancy and inflexibility cost him dearly, for he had executed many of his best military officers. In retaliation for the mass slaughter, the remaining Savoyards burned down their capital city of Mardon and sunk it into the swamp before fleeing to Ostwick.
To make matters worse, the Stauntons had resurfaced in the Duchy of Lorraine. Tobias Staunton, a descendant of the exiled Courlanders, had returned with revenge on his mind. He secured a fortress in the Duchy of Ostwick, where he had begun rallying an army. The Savoyard forces joined him in Ostwick after their failed revolution. By now, public opinion had turned firmly against Philip I. His obdurate and blunt personality had won him far more enemies than friends. Deprived of funds and their best commanders, the Imperial Army suffered a devastating loss at the 1593 Battle of the Gorge. It was the first Imperial defeat on the battlefield in over fifty years. The Archduke of Lorraine, John Louis d'Amaury, signed on to Tobias Staunton's rebellion after the loss. Imperial soldiers on the front began to defect en masse to fight alongside the dwarves. As for the dwarves, they had pledged to help Tobias Staunton in the effort to dethrone Philip I.
More military failures followed after the Battle of the Gorge. The Imperial Army was routed back to Johannesburg, pursued by the combined armies of the Stauntons, the Savoyards, and the Dwarves. The Imperial Wood Elven loyalists abandoned the Empire, afraid to draw the rebels' attention to their forest. Haelun'or took advantage of the dismal situation to declare independence at last. Prince Philip - the Emperor's cousin and regent of Mardon - cut a deal with the Stauntons to help dethrone the Emperor in exchange for Mardon's independence. Haense and the Westerlands had likewise declared independence. Philip I looked around and found himself utterly without allies - with the Staunton-led Coalition army beating down the gates of Johannesburg.
Cornered and with nowhere left to go, Philip I assessed his options. His obstinacy would not allow him to surrender. Yet he liked the idea of a hostile Courlandic takeover even less. He turned to a device invented for him by loyalist High Elven scientists. The device was a Thanhium bomb. Thanhium was a blue crystalline substance discovered to contain potent amounts of raw mana. In 1595, Philip I made the decision that if he couldn't be Emperor - no one would be. He ordered the evacuation of all civilians in Johannesburg. Then, in a devastating and controversial move, he ignited the Thanhium bomb and completely destroyed the Imperial capital of Johannesburg - killing everyone left inside and also himself.
Johannesburg and the lands surrounding it were rendered entirely uninhabitable - a toxic wasteland lethal to any who dared go near it. Historians' interpretations of Philip I's choice to detonate the Thanhium bomb are mixed. Some Imperial history scholars view the detonation as an honorable act of self-sacrifice. By his acts, Philip I denied Tobias Staunton his much-coveted Courlandic empire and preserved Oren for the future. Many critics, however, condemn the loss of life and untold environmental contamination caused by the explosion. However, nearly all agree that the destruction of Johannesburg truly was the ultimate manifestation of Philip I's fatal flaw - his stubbornness and unwillingness to compromise even until the point of death.
VOLUME 4 -
PETER II & THE END OF THE JOHANNIAN ERA
Oren fractured in the wake of the Johannesburg explosion. Haense, the Westerlands, Lotharingia, and Mardon had all declared their independence. Each was now in competition to become the dominant human power on the continent of Axios.
While the destruction of Johannesburg caused untold chaos, historians would later come to regard it as a wise (if controversial) strategic move from Philip I. Tobias Staunton made a fatal error by promising all of his allies independence. Without Johannesburg, he had nowhere to settle. Neither Haense, nor Mardon, nor Lorraine-Savoy (now called the Kingdom of Lotharingia) wanted to play host to him. They all valued their independence and didn't want the traitorous and ambitious Staunton in their lands. Without Johannesburg, Tobias Staunton's Kingdom of Courland had no capital. The explosion had also decimated his army.
Scrambling and desperate, Tobias Staunton retreated to his strongholds on the jungle island of Asul. There, he established Aleksandria, which was to be the seat of power in his kingdom. Most human refugees from Johannesburg regarded Courland with suspicion or outright hatred, however, and refused to settle there. The Stauntons were also notable for attempting to create a Canonist schism, where they removed Exalted Godfrey and Exalted Sigismund from the roster of prophets. Canonism was officially outlawed in their kingdom, which deterred avowed Canonists from settling there. The great majority of Canonist Heartlander civilians fled for Lotharingia, which - for a time - became the new seat of human power. Many surviving members of the Imperial military opted for Mardon or the Westerlands instead, though, as they had more martial cultures.
The five years immediately in the wake of the Johannesburg Explosion was marked by chaos, international tension, and mass resettlement. The newly-established human kingdoms' relationships to one another were not yet firmly established. Inevitably, the tension and uncertain relationships quickly coalesced into conflict.
In 1603, Courland sent Prince Meric Staunton (the king's nephew) on a diplomatic mission to Haense. The prince slighted a member of Haense's Privy Council, which turned into a violent and ultimately fatal confrontation. Hostilities continued to escalate when Haeseni soldiers abducted Princess Annabelle of Courland and held her hostage in St. Karlsburg. Courland tried to bargain for her release, but their envoys' bodies were returned beheaded. At last, King Tobias had no choice but to send soldiers to free his niece. Violence continued to proliferate as diplomatic envoys from both sides were slain. In 1602, King Marius I issued an ultimatum to King Tobias. Either cease with Courland's raids on Haeseni land - or face war.
The Great Northern War began in earnest. In 1603, Courland scored a victory at the Battle of Elba Forest and prepared to march on Vasiland. After several minor skirmishes, the Courlandic army reached Vasiland and laid siege to the fortress. It was taken in a mere three days. With Vasiland fallen, no barriers stood between Courland and the Haeseni interior. Haense's capital of St. Karlsburg suffered repeated raids and pillaging. Eventually, in 1604, King Marius I surrendered and ceded all House Barbanov lands to the Staunton King. The House of Barbanov fled from Haense in exile, forced to resettle in Mardon and the Westerlands. With the conquest of Haense, Courland became known as the preeminent human power on Axios.
King Tobias, high off the thrill of conquest, then turned his attentions to Mardon. Mardon stood as the last holdout of the Johannian Horens. After confiscating Mardon from the Savoyards, Prince Philip (the regent for Philip I's infant son Peter Sigismund) had rebuilt the city in its former location - a fetid swamp. Emperor Philip I's three sons had taken refuge in Mardon following the destruction of Johannesburg. King Tobias wanted to complete his revenge against the Johannians and fully exterminate the Imperial line. Courland began its march on Mardon in 1604 and won a victory against the Mardonic army at the Battle of Blackwater. However, King Tobias's failing health prevented him from waging further war. He signed a peace treaty with Mardon in 1605 and retired back to Aleksandria, where he died in 1608. His son, Joseph Alexander Staunton (Joseph I), succeeded him.
Lotharingia, the kingdom of the Savoyards, was not without its trials and tribulations too. In 1604 - while Courland was making war on Haense and Mardon - Lotharingia faced a coup which historians now call 'The Pruvian Affair.' John d'Amaury (aka: John I of Lotharingia) had perished in 1597 and left the crown to his son, Lothar Augustus (Lothar I). Lothar I was only ten at the time of his coronation and his mother, Imperial Princess Charlotte of Alstion, ruled alongside him as queen-regent. The Baroness of Ostwick, Anna Sophia Pruvia, invited the young king to dinner in her barony where one of her councilors slit the young king's throat. Princess Charlotte heard of the slaying secondhand and promptly went insane with grief, becoming catatonic and unreponsive. The murder struck her especially hard since she and Anna Pruvia were purportedly best of friends prior. She was shipped off to relatives in Aeldin, where she would remain for the rest of her life.
With the royals dispatched, Anna Pruvia declared herself Queen of Lotharingia - despite the fact that she had no blood relation to the d'Amaury family whatsoever. The very next day, the d'Amaury loyalists began to rally around King Lothar I's brother, Prince Philip Owyn. Robert Ashford d'Anjou, the Count of Cleves, was a loyalist to the crown. He tricked Anna Pruvia by meeting her in Mardon with a cadre of 500 men and pretending to declare fealty. Then, behind the usurper queen's back, he covertly had his men open the gates of Mardon for the loyalist armies of Philip Owyn. The loyalist army proceeded to slaughter the entire Pruvian family.
Unfortunately, Prince Philip Owyn was killed by assassination before he could be properly crowned. The crown fell to his cousin, Odo d'Amaury and later to his cousin Hughes.
Meanwhile, Courland struggled to maintain its hold over the Haeseni territories. In 1609, King Joseph I of Courland married Princess Marie Therese d'Amaury of Lotharingia - securing an alliance between the two kingdoms. Joseph I feared the rebellious rumblings coming from Haense. In 1611, violence broke out in Haense when House Ruthern killed the Count of Istria and annexed his lands. Joseph I attempted to mediate the situation but he feared upsetting House Ruthern, who were major players in the turbulent Haeseni regions. House Ruthern refused all attempts at mediation, however, and fighting broke out in the Royal Palace of Curonburg. The brawl resulted in the death of a young Ruthern Count, which only exacerbated the situation.
Joseph I attempted to reign House Ruthern in by sending soldiers to the Haeseni Duchy of Akovia. He also called on Lotharingia for martial support. In a shocking betrayal, however, King Hughes d'Amaury sent his army to back the Ruthern rebels. Courland suffered a devastating loss at the Second Battle of the Rothswood, losing nearly a quarter of his army. The conflict officially ended in 1612 when King Joseph I returned Haense to the Barbanov family. The Kingdom of Haense was thusly re-established under King Stephen Barbanov. To establish an alliance, Joseph I gave his sister Princess Elizabeth-Maria to King Stephen as a bride. Joseph I would succumb to illness and die four years later in 1616.
Around the same time, in 1614, Prince John Godwin (the firstborn son of Emperor Philip I) made an attempt to re-establish the Holy Orenian Empire. He convinced the Kingdom of the Westerlands and Lotharingia to join him - though his efforts were met with muted enthusiasm. The Westerlands and Lotharingia joined Oren more out of necessity than any true loyalty. The Kingdom of the Westerlands had been fighting an impossible war against a constantly growing Undead threat and direly needed Oren's martial support. Lotharingia faced a battery of assaults from House Romstun, a sect of half-human, half-dark elven bandits. The Romstun force decimated the Lotharingian army and flayed King Hughes alive. The Lotharingian refugees, desperate for help, threw themselves on John V's mercy. John V married Princess Claude of Lotharingia - twin sister of King Hughes - to secure the relationship between Oren and Lotharingia (which was later downgraded back to the Archduchy of Lorraine).
John V was tasked with ending the conflict between the Archduchy of Lorraine and House Romstun. Lorraine wanted revenge for their flayed King Hughes and the Romstuns wanted to keep what land they had gained during the conflict (which was more than half of Lorraine's lands). When John V assumed the throne, he attempted to impose a truce on humanity - declaring all ongoing conflicts null and void. To appease the Romstuns, he agreed to pardon their crimes and raise them to vassal status. They were given full control over the lands they'd claimed from Lorraine. In addition, Peter Sigismund - John V's brother - would marry Zoey Romstun. This arrangment hardly pleased Lorraine, but they had been so weakened by the constant battery of the Romstuns that they had little course but to accept.
In Courland, Queen Charlotte succeeded her brother Joseph as monarch. Her only two acts were to reinstate Canonism as the official state religion - and then to dissolve Courland entirely. She married a member of House d'Amaury, securing her loyalty to the reformed Empire. Her lands were annexed into Oren as the Principality of Evreux - much to the discontent of the Stauntons' vassals. House de Savin and House de Castro - two former vassals of Courland - refused to swear fealty to Oren. In 1617, they staged a coup in the Courlandic capital of Aleksandria, but were foiled by Evreuxian and Imperial forces. This incident kicked off the Santegian Rebellion of 1617 - 1619.
The Santegian rebels - House de Savin and House de Castro - swiftly secured alliances with the Grand Kingdom of Urguan, the Kingdom of Norland, and the War Nation of Krugmar. Together, they formed the Second Axionite Coalition Army. Coalition forces clashed with the Imperial Army at Castell and claimed victory. They then prepared to lay siege to the Imperial-controlled city of Trier. A six-month-long siege ensued. Emperor John V lost his life in 1619 when the Santegian forces breached Trier and stormed the city.
The death of John V hailed the surprise return of Robert Henry (formerly Emperor Robert II). John V's only son had died young of consumption, leaving him with no heirs and a void on the throne. Enter the now forty-nine-year-old Robert Henry of Marna. As our readers will recall, Robert Henry was the middle son of Emperor John III. He became Emperor at age 15 following his brother's brutal murder at the hands of King Andrew II of Haense. When Robert failed to negotiate peace with Andrew II, he abdicated and resigned himself to a monastery. Now, thirty-four years later, he re-emerged and seized the title of Lord Protector of Oren. Unfortunately, his reign would be cut short by a vicious coup - orchestrated by King Stephen I of Haense, House Romstun, and his own nephew Peter Sigismund.
The coup left but one legitimate heir to the throne of Oren - Peter Sigismund, the son of Emperor Philip I. Peter Sigismund ascended to the throne in 1619, taking the regal name of Peter II. Historians widely regard Peter II as one of the worst Emperors ever to sit on the throne of Oren. Called 'the Beast of Mardon', Emperor Peter II is remembered primarily for his apathy and cruelty toward his citizens, his incompetence in government, and his carnal perversions. It was his mismanagement of the Empire that lead ultimately to the Pertinaxi takeover in 1638.
Peter II became Emperor at the tail end of the Santegian Rebellion. House de Savin and House de Castro remained in revolt, having sucessfully conquered the city of Trier. Among Peter II's first acts as Emperor was to apologize to the rebellious counties and allow them their independence. Houses de Savin and de Castro thusly left Oren to form the Kingdom of Santegia. Peter II's first act set the tone for his reign. He would be a monarch quite unlike his father, Philip I, who had blown up Johannesburg rather than let a rebel faction take it.
Mardon, Peter II's duchy and his seat of power, was in dismal shape at the time of his coronation. After apologizing to Santegia, he turned his aims toward building a new capital. For this purpose, he selected a parcel of land slightly southwest of the Johannesburg exclusion zone (that is, the uninhabitable area of land surrounding the Thanhium-tainted ruins of Johannesburg). Construction of Adelburg, the new capital, finished in 1622.
Only after the city's construction did it become apparent that House Romstun could not be controlled by the Empire. They displayed open and vicious enmity toward the other imperial vassals, especially Lorraine. Violent squabbles often erupted in the streets of Adelburg between the members of House Romstun and other Imperial officials. Peter II refused to do anything to stop them. Rather, he simply looked the other way while the Romstuns (lead by his own wife, Empress Zoey) wantonly injured, kidnapped, tortured, and killed his subjects.
Eventually, however, the Romstun's abuses reached their breaking point. In the year 1622, there was an incident where a member of the Adelburg Guard killed a Romstun in self defense. In retaliation, House Romstun (again, lead by the Empress herself) kidnapped Duke Philip Owyn - Emperor Peter II's own brother - along with the Constable David Adler. The Romstuns tortured them both to death and flayed them.
In response to this, Peter II put his Empress Zoey Romstun to death and issued arrest warrants for all members of House Romstun. Yet he did not anticipate how this would affect his capital. The city erupted into open warfare on the streets. Whole districts of Adelburg came under Romstun control and civilians were slaughtered en masse. Peter II had no choice but to flee his own capital. Luckily, though, House Romstun was so widely despised across the entire world that even many of Oren's historical enemies rose to fight them. Norland and Urguan both pledged to fight on the side of Oren to retake the capital. The combined Orenian, Norlandic, and Urguani forces succeeded in driving the Romstuns out of Oren. The remnants of House Romstun went into exile and hiding. Urguan's assistance in "Prince Philip's War" (as it was later called) laid the groundwork for Oren's later participation in the War of the Beards. In 1623, Peter II became a member of the National Axios Treaty Organization along with Urguan, the Dominion of Malin, Santegia, the Dark Elven Warhawkes, and the Princedom of Veris.
After the removal of House Romstun, Oren settled back into a state of relative peace for the next seven years. Peter II's mishandling of the Romstuns had wounded him in the eyes of the Orenian public. He reclused himself inside his palace, ignoring the words of his advisors and spending greater time amongst his many mistresses. He remarried, taking Duchess Elizabeth Christine de Morvelyn as his second wife. He fathered five children with Elizabeth - and an additional three more with his mistress, Aloisa d'Amaury. He also kept many elven women among his mistresses, which drew the ire of the Canonist Church for his open and wanton miscegenation.
In 1631, international conflict once again reared its ugly head - this time in the land of the dwarves. The Frostbeard Clan and their allies (Blackaxe, Goldhand, Silvervein) rebelled against Grand King Frerir Irongrinder and declared themselves an independent Dwarven kingdom - the Kingdom of Kal'Uzrah. Peter II's advisors cautioned him against joining the conflict between Urguan and Kal'Uzrah. Whatever side that Oren joined in the war, anti-Oren Coalition forces would no-doubt join the opposite side. Peter II unfortunately ignored the advice. He cast his lot with the Urguani loyalists. In response - Norland, Santegia, Krugmar, and the Warhawkes all immediately joined the cause of Kal'Uzrah.
The War of the Beards lasted from 1631 until 1636 and featured two major battles. In 1634, the Urguani forces fought with Kal'Uzrah's armies at the Battle of Jornheim Fields. Kal'Uzrah's forces crushed the opposing army and secured a resounding victory. They then marched onward to Fort Kovakirr and laid siege to it. The Coalition army utilized revolutionary flight technology to easily soar past the siege defenses and take control of the fortress. The loss left both Oren and Urguan crippled - ultimately forcing Urguan to surrender in 1635.
Peter II's incompetence and apathy had left Oren in a dismal state - and nobles throughout the Empire began calling for his abdication. In 1636, Peter II caved to the mounting pressure and stepped down from the throne. The crown passed to his son - the eleven-year-old Prince John Maximillian. As to Peter II's ultimate and final fate, historians are divided. Some claim that Peter II abandoned his family entirely following his abdication and fled abroad to Aeldin with his mistresses. Others state that he committed suicide by leaping from a palace window to his death.
Peter II's reign is used - even now - as an example of what not to do. He routinely trusted the wrong people and took the wrong advice. His first act was to humble himself before the Santegian Rebels, making Oren look weak in the face of its enemies. Peter II believed that he could manage House Romstun, despite their long history of violence and bloodshed, and tacitly allowed them to run roughshod over his vassals without reproach. He entered the War of the Beards on the side of Urguan - against the word of his advisors - which caused all of Oren's enemies to join Kal'Uzrah. In every decision, he showed his incompetence and unwillingness to listen to sound advice.
His personal conduct wasn't much better. He entertained multiple mistresses and fathered several bastard children. While he is neither the first nor the only Emperor to have extramartial affairs, it is made doubly shameful by his negligence, apathy, and incompetence in the realm of government.
By the end of his reign, the people of Oren reviled him so much that they welcomed the Pertinaxi conquerors. The Savoyard faction sought revenge for Guy de Bar decades and decades after his slaughter. However, few - if any - desired retribution for the Adelburg Coup that ended the Johannian Era. The Johannian era had been barely clinging to life since the destruction of Johannesburg. Peter II's abysmal reign was simply the final nail in the coffin.
15 -
The Providence Post
1st of the Godfrey's Triumph, 1825
Published by the Imperial Ministry of Civil Affairs
“IN LIBRIS LIBERTAS” | “IN BOOKS THERE IS FREEDOM”
TOP STORIES
Norland - At Last - Brought To Heel!
The Treaty of Providence Signed!
As readers may recall from our last edition, we promised the Imperial Government was hard at work securing a peace that included a commensurate cost on the Kingdom of Norland for their aggression - and the Imperial Government has once again delivered! Imperial coffers are expected to swell to the tune of 40,000 minas, which we expect the Council of State and the Imperial Diet will wisely budget for investment into our great Empire. What fascinating new projects can you expect in your area of the Empire? In addition, we can expect the Kingdom of Norland to shrink in size and territory in order to pay for their transgressions, further reducing the threat to our municipalities such as the beautiful and vibrant New Esbec.
The brilliant battlefield leadership of Major Iskander Basrid and the overall campaign strategy set by General Garrett Darkwood deserve special recognition; They gave the Imperial Government and his Imperial Majesty, forever August and Holy, Emperor John VIII the tools needed to secure this righteous peace at the table of negotiation. Was there ever a doubt that through our faith in GOD and the Emperor that this conflict could go any other way?
We thank the Church of Canon, and the Holy Father, for lending their prayers to Imperial success. The Ministry of Civil Affairs encourages all citizens to not ponder if or when the next conflict will come, but instead to do your part to ensure you remain resilient and ready to rapidly mobilize and serve your Emperor whenever he calls. Always ready and never surprised, the Ministry of Civil Affairs is doing its part - are you doing yours? God Save the Emperor!
Treaty of Vortice Signed!
On the 13th of Harren's Folly, 1824, His Imperial Majesty John VIII signed an official treaty with Vivian Maelstrom, Queen of the Unified Dominion of Vortice. The treaty recognizes the Unified Dominion of Vortice (formerly the nation of Talon's Port) as a sovereign entity entitled to its own self-governance. With the treaty's signing, the Holy Orenian Empire hereby promises not to interfere with the independent governing of Vortice. In exchange, the Unified Dominion of Vortice will promise not to provide military or financial aid to entities hostile toward the Holy Orenian Empire - such as Norland or the Warnation of Krugmar. Citizens of both states will be able to travel freely between them.
We at the Providence Post would like to offer our respects to Her Royal Majesty, Queen Vivian of Vortice, and wish her God's blessing in governing her state. We look forward to improved relations with our friends in West Almaris. With luck, Vortice's warm feelings toward Oren shall spread to their neighbors in Krugmar and Elvenesse.
FEATURED STORY:
A Chat in the Church
Interview with High Pontiff Tylos I
Five years ago, a horrific tragedy befell the Church of the Canon. High Pontiff Jude II was slain at the hands of unknown assailants. Investigation into the identity of his killers remains ongoing even to this day. The Church was forced to act quickly and regroup in the wake of Jude II's awful murder. The faithful could not go without a leader for long. So the cardinals gathered for their election and chose Cardinal Alfred Barclay, Bishop of Leumont, for the papal seat. Upon his crowning, the cardinal took the pontifical name of Tylos I.
But who is Tylos I? And what are his future plans for the Church? To outsiders, the Church of the Canon can sometimes seem like an inscrutable organization. Misunderstandings and misconceptions abound about the Church, its goals, and its mission. We here at the Providence Post see ourselves not only as journalists, but also educators. So it is our aim to demystify these subjects and help the public better understand the organizations and people that guide their lives.
Providence Post Reporter Anthony Bentarus had the opportunity to sit down with His Holiness, High Pontiff Tylos I, for an interview* in Providence's splendorous Basilica of the Ascent of the Exalted Godfrey.
Q: If you would be so kind, Your Holiness, would you introduce yourself to our readers and, perhaps, tell them a bit about yourself?
A: “My name is Alfred, coming from the house of Barclay. At the moment, I serve as the High Pontiff of the Canon Church, which is now well known information. I am also a veteran of several wars, fighting near the front lines of many battles in my youth. My clerical work has enlightened me in every way possible - which you might likely notice from my, well, quick advancements through the church ranks.”
Q: What made a military man decide to change careers and become a priest?
A: "“You see, my grandfather - Venerated Anton Barclay - served as the Archbishop of Jorenus and as a member of the College of Cardinals. He made many achievements throughout his life, the most important being the removal of the Lendian (Sigismundic Canonism) heresy.
Throughout my teenage years, my family largely instructed me in martial combat - though in my free time, I loved to learn about Canonism from my grandfather. He and I would read the Holy Scrolls together and have deep liturgical discussions. When the Scyfling War occured in the Kingdom of Haense, he instructed me thoroughly on how I ought to deal with pagans.
Something told me inside of my head to give clerical garments a try. It turned out to be a good decision! You see where I am and who I am now. My grandfather used to say that GOD always found some way to bless me, even for my wrong doings. It was because of his work and guidance that I devoted my life to only our Lord.
Though, to be honest, I only started learning the Canon Law in depth after I was ordained."
Q: Tell us, if it's not too personal, Your Holiness, about your own relationship with GOD.
A: "Ah, I am glad that you asked me this. Yesterday, my kind family prepared a gathering, a party in Wilheburg Keep in Reinmar, to celebrate me becoming the new Holy Father. Though, something shocking happened near the end of the party...
We went to the chapel near the Keep, so that we could pray in peace. As I began the sermon, a hazy human figure appeared at the door - that figure being my son, Blessed Nicolas Barclay, who was slain in The Red Diet of Karosgrad. For me, it was a pure miracle to see my son again. I have thanked GOD numerous times for what He did yesterday...
For me, my relationship with GOD is a deeply personal one as I am privileged to regularly witness His miracles, both great and small. The connection between GOD and a person only becomes stronger with constant prayer and the devotion of our lives to Him. GOD may test us, but it is only for the betterment of ourselves."
Q: What are your plans for the future of the Church? Is there anything you would particularly like to do during your tenure?
A: "During my tenure, I want to remind all of our Canonist Princes that we should not harm or insult our Canonist brothers abroad in any way possible. Also, it is my plan to bring more faithful into the church ranks, rewrite some of the documents which need it, and also to try and condemn cooperation with infidels, pagans, etcetera."
Q: What would you say are the biggest obstacles standing in the way of the Church right now?
A: "The reckless decisions of our Canonist Princes, as well as low interest in the Church. But I have no doubt these obstacles will be removed in due time."
Q: How do you plan to remove them?
A: "Possibly in some of my upcoming Golden Bulls or through letters, but I always prefer one on one meetings to correspondence on paper."
Q: What would you say is the best way for a layperson to show their support for the Church?
A: “When I see the people, our faithful laity, in the big crowds inside the churches -- my heart becomes warmer, for they all do the right and pious deeds which every person should do.”
Q: What would you say to the people out there who are thinking of pursuing a career in the priesthood - but maybe aren't sold on it yet?
A: “Being a priest is wonderful work - GOD's work - and I recommend it if you feel the call in your heart as I did. If you feel that you are ready to leave behind all the luxurious things which life has to offer and devote yourself only to GOD, consider seeking your local bishop in order to start your first lessons. If your heart calls you toward service unto God - just go for it! GOD wants only the best for you."
*Responses have been lightly edited for length and clarity.
ARTS & CULTURE
The Temptation of St. Julia to Debut at the La Fleur Theater
The La Fleur Production Company will debut their new play, The Temptation of St. Julia, this coming month of Tobias's Bounty. Written and directed by Anthony Bentarus and based on the Holy Scroll of Gospel, the play follows the figure of St. Julia of Paradisus as she struggles against the machinations of the daemon Iblees. The show's debut coincides with the 53rd Anniversary of the La Fleur Production Company's founding in 1772.
The La Fleur Production Company has consistently staged shows of great historical, religious, and cultural merit. We at the Ministry of Civil Affairs praise their contributions to Oren's vibrant artistic culture and eagerly await the company's next production.
Trissingham Renovations - Ballet & Art Studios Opened!
The Trissingham Palace - a manorial estate situated adjacent to the Augustine Palace - has unfortunately stood empty and unused for many a year. Its closed shutters, locked doors, and overgrown gardens proved to be an eyesore for many palace guests. The question on everyone's mind - at least until recently - was what to do with the unused space.
Luckily, Lady Maisie d'Arkent and Lady Natalia Kovachev have devised a new and innovative use for the Trissingham. The two courtly ladies raised money to renovate the space, transforming it into a studio for Providence's artists. The fifth tea room has been gutted and replaced with a ballet studio, which will offer classes to the young ladies of Providence who wish to pursue careers in dance. A second unused room has been altered to create a painting studio, full of light with a beautiful view of the expansive Augustine gardens.
We hope that all of Providence's up and coming artists will make good use of the new spaces.
Legendary Journalist Ebs Telrunya Publishes Statistical Analysis of Imperial History
The High Elven journalist Ebs Telrunya began his career in the Anthosian Age, where he provided incisive reporting on the constantly-evolving international politics of the time. We here at the Providence Post are happy to report that Mr. Telrunya is back in form with his most recent publication - a thorough statistical analysis of Orenian history. He provides a refreshingly positive perspective on the Empire and its sociopolitical history, an attitude not often seen from non-citizens.
We thank Mr. Telrunya for his thorough and impartial analysis of Imperial History and hope to see him more active in Oren in the future. The Providence Post - as well as other news outlets throughout Almaris - owe Mr. Telrunya a debt for being one of the first pioneers in the realm of journalism. Many of Mr. Telrunya's early papers remain a part of the Imperial Archives and serve as critical historical documents for understanding the Anthosian era.
Strut Your Stuff!
Lady Milena and Lady Mary Debut New Courtly Fashions at Fashion Show
Frequent readers of the Providence Post will remember us reporting on the newly-updated fashion standards of the Imperial Court. This coming of Tobias's Bounty, 1824, Lady Mary of Carrington and Lady Milena of Dobrov will be holding a fashion contest to exhibit examples of the new courtly standard. The event is sure to draw a handsome showing from many of Oren's finest ateliers and clothiers. May their work serve as inspiration to fashionable dressers throughout Oren!
Summer Festivities at the Providence Docks
With the summer season well underway, many Imperial citizens are looking to enjoy warm-weather festivities on the waterfront. This coming month of Tobias's Bounty, Lady Diana d'Azor will be holding a seaside summer event for the enjoyment of Providence's teenagers and young adults.
Activities will include swimming, diving, a regatta, a drinking contest, and a beach limbo competition. Food and drinks of highest quality will be furnished by the supremely talented chefs of the Augustine. A nominal fee of 5 minas will be required to participate in the events and take part in the picnic.
We at the Ministry of Civil Affairs heartily encourage all of Oren's subjects to celebrate in the wake of the war and enjoy all the fun and festivities that peacetime has to offer.
POLITICS
The Imperial Chancellery Issues A Statement on the MRA
On the 12th of Harren's Folly, 1824, Vice-Chancellor Sir Keaghan Armas published a statement regarding the terrorist organization known as the MRA (or "Mercatorii Republican Armies"). The Mercatorii Republican Armies have begun targeting the Unified Dominion of Vortice, a new ally of the Holy Orenian Empire. Sir Armas wrote that "the D’Azor Ministry condemns all actions performed by the terrorist group known as the MRA. They are to be branded outlaws, arrested on sight within His Imperial Majesty’s realm and brought to justice. There is no place for violent extremists in the Holy Orenian Empire."
The MRA has been responsible for many violent incidents in Oren and in the city of Providence - including several acts of arson. Their modus operandi involves parking suspicious vehicles loaded with explosives near important government buildings. They claimed responsibility for the devastating 1809 fire in the House of Commons, which caused the death of President George Galbraith.
We would like to remind all our readers to be safe and cautious when out and about in the city. Report all suspicious persons or vehicles to the Ministry of Justice. We will not allow these cowardly extremists to terrorize us into submission.
ISA Soldiers Receive Bonuses for Wartime Valor
On the 13th of Sun's Smile, 1824, the Azor Ministry authorized a monetary reward for the ISA soldiers who fought on the front lines of the Tenth Nordling War. Our faithful soldiers, who risked life and limb to defend Oren from the Norlandic horde, will receive five times their usual salary for the period of one year. We at the Ministry of Civil Affairs salute our valiant frontline warriors and welcome them back home to Oren with great enthusiasm. We hope that they'll use their well-earned bonuses to enjoy peacetime relaxation with their friends and families.
24th Diet Dismissed - Election Season Begins!
Election season has once again begun in the Holy Orenian Empire. His Imperial Majesty, John VIII, dismissed the 24th Imperial Diet - which means that the representative seats are once again open for worthy candidates. Six seats are up for grabs in the Providence District, three for the Right Bank District, two for the Northern District, and one for the Greater Alpine District. Competition is already fierce with no candidates in any district running unopposed.
We encourage the people of Oren to evaluate each candidate in their district thoroughly and make a wise, informed choice as to who ought to sit on the Diet. While we at the Providence Post cannot make specific recommendations for particular candidates, we will make this statement. The 24th Diet - recently dismissed - was an unusually inactive one. They met only a few times and passed no laws during their time in the House.
While this was likely due to uncertainty caused by the war, we are hoping to see greater enthusiasm and activity from the 25th Diet. Voters should take note of what candidates show real vigor in wanting to change Oren for the better. Our Diet should represent the will of the people and not play host to sleepy seat-warmers who express no real opinions on the future of our Empire.
BUSINESS & LOCAL HAPPENINGS
Ministry of Civil Affairs Immigration Office Now Hiring!
Faithful readers of the Providence Post will recall us reporting on Deputy Director Minuvas Melphestaus's efforts to bolster immigration into Oren. The Deputy Director began a formal program to help new arrivals adjust to life in Oren - by placing them in adequate housing and finding reputable jobs. Mr. Melphestaus is now hiring Immigration Officers to further streamline this process. Salaries start at 10 minas per annum.
If you are a patriot who wants to aid new citizens, we highly encourage you to apply for these positions. We at the Providence Post believe that immigrants are a necessary and vital component of the Orenian populace. After all, immigrants such as Archchancellor Simon Basrid and other Rhenyari helped to shape our modern Empire demonstrably for the better. Our immigration officers could very well be the first point of contact for the next great Orenian patriot.
Missing! Coraline Irena D'Arkent
A Missing Persons flyer was recently posted throughout Oren, detailing the disappearance of Lady Coraline Irena d'Arkent. She was last seen on the 5th of Owyn's Flame, 1823, and has been missing for a period of two years at time of writing. Friends and family took notice of her absence when, for a period of several days, she was not witnessed at her usual daily activities in the palace gardens. (She was noted to have a great fondness for flowers and horticulture.) Lady Coraline was, by the flyer's description, a homebody who rarely left the Augustine, so her absence was pronounced and unusual. The flyer describes a young woman in deep mourning at the time of her disappearance - thin, wan, and clad in black to lament the loss of her lover.
Lady Coraline's friends and family are offering impressive sums for any information that might lead to her whereabouts. They will present a gift of 5000 Imperial Marks to anyone who brings Lady Coraline home alive and unharmed. We sincerely hope for the young lady's safe return. If anyone has recently seen Lady Coraline, please bring that information to the Ministry of Justice post haste.
Did You Know?
Orenian History Fun Facts
Horen had three sons, from which the races of humanity are said to originate. Adunians are descendants of Harren, King of Idun. The Raevir and modern Haeseni people are descendants of Joren, King of Edel. Heartlanders are the descendants of Godwin, King of Aaun (the ancient predecessor to the Holy Orenian Empire).
Providence Post Staff Credits
Director of the Ministry of Civil Affairs - HIH Princess Josephine Augusta, Duchess of Sunholdt
Deputy Director - Minuvas Melphestaus
Providence Post Editor-in-Chief - Anthony Bentarus
Contributions? Corrections? Please contact Mr. Anthony Bentarus at the Ministry of Civil Affairs.
Editor's Note: This Saint's Week's edition of the Providence Post has been released early due to Mr. Bentarus's participation in the upcoming play at the La Fleur Theater. The Providence Post will return to its regularly scheduled release date of Sun's Smile next Saint's Week.
4 -
-
Anthony Bentarus, the Editor-in-Chief of the Providence Post, rolls his eyes at the debut of yet another gossip rag.
"Don't these people have anything better to do with their time? Why not report on real news? Important happenings in the world?" He asks himself.
"Rumor mongering isn't a good look for anyone. Ironically, if she asked me for a job, I might even hire her... Teach her how to do some real reporting."
0 -
I NEED THE PEACH BLOSSOM KIMONO LIKE I NEED AIR
Hads#7587 please :)
0 -
The La Fleur Production Company
Proudly Presents...
A NEW Canonist Drama Based On The Scroll of Gospel!
Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the La Fleur Production Company!
Written and Directed by
Anthony Bentarus
ONE NIGHT ONLY at the LA FLEUR THEATER in PROVIDENCE!
STARRING...
CECELIA BEAULIEU
as
JULIA
The Wife of Horen & the Mother of Mankind
ANTHONY BENTARUS
as
HOREN
The Exalted Prophet
GEOFF TURGON
as
SAUL
The Envious Interloper
and...
LUCY VALENTINE
as
IBLEES
The Denier Made Mortal Flesh!
Join us at the La Fleur Theater on
10th of Tobias's Bounty, 1825
((Saturday, June 19th, at 5pm EST))
Admission is FREE!
Directions:
Upon entering Providence, take an immediate left.
Once you reach the bank and Bastille Boutique, take a right.
Proceed straight.
The Theater will be on your left. Look for a large yellow building.
14 -
Anthony Bentarus, the Editor-in-Chief of The Providence Post, smiles in approval as the Sutican newspaper is delivered to his desk!
"I hope to see robust journalism just like this from all the nations of the world someday!"
1 -
- Popular Post
- Popular Post
There’s a game I like to play.
It’s called “What if this happened to a newbie?”
And when I play this game, here’s what I do. I look at a situation that occurred on the server or here on LordOfTheCraft.net - and I imagine it from the perspective of a brand new player who just got accepted. This person has no experience with LOTC and no idea of the server culture. They are a wide-eyed innocent. A blank slate. A tabula rasa, so to speak.
Now, imagine this newbie ends up in Oren. They really like Oren! Maybe they’re a fan of Steampunk and they dig the Victorian aesthetic. Maybe they’re big into Brian McClellan’s Powder Mage trilogy. Maybe they’re a colonial history buff. Maybe they just think the extensive IC history is cool.
This is a thought experiment, so imagine it. Set aside your personal feelings about Oren.
This newbie innocently wonders - “Why doesn’t Oren have guns?” Because guns are a staple of Steampunk RP. Fantasy settings like World of Warcraft and Warhammer have guns. Dungeons & Dragons has a whole Artificer class based around magic guns. And Minecraft already has a crossbow that you, the newbie, imagine could be roleplayed as a musket! What a cool idea! You wonder why no one has thought of this yet.
So you, an enthusiastic newb, write up what you feel is good and fair lore. You post it, excited to see the reaction, and...
160 replies in under two hours. Most of them are hateful, unconstructive, belittling, excessively rude, and - at worst - verbally abusive. The thread is locked in less than eight hours. You set off a land mine without knowing it.
How do you feel?
Here’s how I would feel. I would feel humiliated and devastated. I would immediately quit the server and never look back. I would never forget how the entire server dragged me across hot coals because I had the audacity to write about my idea and post it to the forums. Thank goodness Hanrahan is an oldie with a skin as thick as leather because what happened yesterday might be traumatizing to anyone else.
LOTC has a reputation among the MCRP community. And that reputation is not a good one. This community’s reputation is one of toxicity, cruelty, and intolerance because of incidents like this.
I like LOTC. I came back because of fond memories and old friendships. And I will tell you that it’s a damn sight better than some servers. But, guys, this behavior is not good.
it’s not kind.
it’s not accepting.
it’s not supportive.
you can disagree with something and still show a ******* ounce of human decency and courtesy and kindness to the person on the other side of the screen.
this isn’t a debate about guns because I do not care whether or not we get guns in mineman. There are other fantasy RP servers that have muskets in their lore (shocking, I know!) and I can go play there if I’m desperate for gun RP.
This is about how we are treating one another and how we show respect for other peoples’ ideas and contributions. If someone is brave enough to put themselves out there and offer their idea up for criticism, you should show them enough kindness to critique thoughtfully and supportively even if you don’t like the idea.
what happened yesterday? That ain’t it, chief.
Awright, thanks for coming to my TED talk. Please direct all flames and hateful comments to the reply box below.
40 -
would love to see some real good-faith critique rather than just a wave of "no's
5 -
Name: Lucretia (no surname)
Gender: Female
Race: High Elf
Birthday: 5th of The Amber Cold, 1745
Nationality: Wanderer (Formerly Haelun'orian)
Profession: Trumpeter and Aspiring Voidal MageHeight: 5'7"
Weight: 133lbs
Build: A typical elven build - tall and lean with long limbs.
Eyes: Blue
Skintone: Peachy
Hair: Blonde, usually braided to keep it out of the way. She has the THICKEST eyebrows.Clothing: Lucretia's personal style tends to be rather tomboyish. She prefers clothes in which she can comfortably travel from place to place. Sturdy boots and trousers. She has some flairs of personal style in her choice of jewelry and blouses, though.
Overall Demeanor
Lucretia is a young elf and that comes across in her disaffected, often exasperated demeanor. She's tired of everyone and everything in the same way a huffy teenager might be. She considers herself a rebel and an agent of chaos, but has no productive channel through which to direct her rebellion. She wants to be free to do as she pleases, yet she finds herself directionless. True freedom means making your own choices and deciding what you want to do for yourself, but Lucretia has yet to truly decide.
Lucretia has one passion in her life - and that is music. From a young age, her parents fostered her as a musical savant. Yet Lucretia grew tired of playing music in the expected and traditional way. Instead, she wanted to make music her own way. Her goal is to find ways to innovate her sound using air evocation and illusion magic... if only she can find someone to teach her.
Strengths
Independent
Lucretia isn't one to rely on others a great deal. She's able to make her way in the world on her own, without much need for outside assistance. She's a fairly skilled traveler and tends to pick up odd jobs wherever she happens to be that particular day.Innovative
Lucretia has an aversion to doing things the expected way. She's a dyed-in-the-wool hipster who grew up in the stifling social culture of Haelun'or and longs to break free of the High Elven paradigms. She's a classically trained musician but wants to improve her art in new ways.Passionate about her Craft
Lucretia lives for her music. She's always on the hunt for new inspiration and new sounds to incorporate into her art. Part of her desire to travel the world stems from her desire to learn new and different ways of making music.Weaknesses
Flippant & Disaffected
Lucretia doesn't have much respect for authority or for propriety. She tends not to take things seriously, not to be respectful to authority figures, and relies on jokes or sarcasm to navigate uncomfortable social situations. This can sometimes land her in hot water when she doesn't show the proper deference to certain authority figures.Wooden
Lucretia has exactly one facial expression and it's 'tired.' She constantly gives off the impression that she is bored, exasperated, and - in general - exhausted with the world's bullshit. She has trouble sincerely expressing her emotions and would rather do anything than talk about how she feels.Gadfly
Lucretia gets pleasure out of annoying people. She will not hesitate to follow someone around and blow her trumpet at them until they're furious and red in the face. She limits herself to only bothering people whom she feels really deserve it, though.Likes
♪ Music
♪ Her Trumpet
♪ Voidal Magic
♪ Travel
♪ Meeting new people
♪ Annoying new people
♪ Street Performance
♪ Art
♪ Freedom
♪ Movement
♪ HumorDislikes
Fuddy-Duddies and Sticks-in-the-Mud ♪
Authority Figures ♪
Repressive rules ♪
Unfair Restrictions ♪
Too many expectations ♪
Being told 'no.' ♪
Philistines who don't appreciate a trumpet being blared outside their window at 8 am. ♪
"Good" Manners ♪
High Society Events such as balls or banquets. ♪
Uncomfortable clothing ♪Feeling Directionless♪Not knowing what she's meant to do with her life.♪
Coming Soon!
Lucretia Art
Spoiler5 -
Anthony frowns at the two Orenian women cruelly mocking the poor man’s flyer.
He sighs to himself and then looks to the flyer with a sympathetic smile. “Me too, friend. I’m looking for love too,” he said. “May all the aenguls of Heaven guide us both on our path to find the perfect mate.”
He kicks a can dejectedly as he walks off.
2 -
I knew that color-coding my characters would pay off some day!
1 -
HOT DAMN
Those are such cheap prices for the level of quality.
hold on and let me go see if I can fit it into my budget. You draw adorable men!
0 -
someday I will give into temptation and play a spicy halfling maiden.
someday.
3 -
((Love you too, Lith lmao))
3 -
"Aw," Anthony Bentarus chuckles. "He thinks he's people"
5 -
A BRIEF SUMMARY OF MODERN IMPERIAL HISTORY
Written by
Tanith Vursur
Commissioned and Edited by
The Northern Geographic Society
For Use In Their Museum
Modern Imperial History [You are Here]
Author's Note:
Readers who are educated in Orenian history and scholarship will notice that some major incidents - such as the Sutican War and the Rubern War - have been left out of the text. Any omissions you may come across are intentional. Not for the purposes of censorship, but merely because the author finds it difficult to sum up several hundred years' worth of history in a few pithy volumes. Omissions and elisions must unfortunately be made as a matter of course. It is not that the NGS believes these events are unimportant or not worth writing about. It is that we have limited space in our museums and endeavor to provide a general overview of history rather than a deep-dive into every subject. We apologize for any offense our omissions might elicit and ask for your forgiveness and understanding as we undertake the monumental task of summarizing 400 years worth of Orenian history.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Volume 1 - The Pertinaxi Regime
Volume 2 - The War of Two Emperors
Volume 3 - Peter III & The Oren Restoration
Volume 4 - Anne I & Joseph II
Volume 5 - John VIII & Modern Oren
VOLUME 1 -
THE PERTINAXI REGIME
The story of the Pertinaxi Regime begins not in Arcas, but on the continent of Atlas. Our tale begins in the year 1634 of the First Age. The War of the Beards - also known as the Fourth Frostbeard Rebellion - had just concluded in Urugan. The Holy Orenian Empire had allied itself with the loyalists during the war. Together with Urguan, they clashed against the rebel Kingdoms of Kaz'Ulrah, Norland, Santegia, and the Warnation of Krugmar. In 1635, the Kaz'Ulrah rebels conquered at the Battle of Jornheim Fields - leading to Urugan's surrender one year later in 1635.
The end of the war did not mean the end of hostilities, however. The Kingdom of Norland - an ally of the Frostbeards - declared war on Oren shortly after the dwarven fighting concluded. They sought revenge for the Sack of Seahelm that took place during the war. Emperor Peter II's actions during the war earned him heavy criticism from the nobility. The War of the Beards had decimated Oren's influence and left them with no allies aside from Haense. The nobility was dissatisfaction with his performance - and he faced calls for resignation. In 1636, he abdicated his throne in favor of his young, eleven-year-old son John VI.
Emperor John VI's reign did not last long, however. He died a mere two years later during the infamous 1638 Coup of Aldersburg. Canonius Horen (later Emperor Aurelius I) stormed the throne room with his allies Ser Leitsieg and Arpad Ivanovich, along with a few hundred guards. They beheaded the child-Emperor and Canonius declared himself Emperor. This was the beginning of the Pertinaxi regime. House Horen-Pertinax proceeded to slaughter the remaining supporters of John VI en masse to secure their hold on power.
Shortly afterward, Emperor Aurelius I dissolved the Empire and declared himself King of Renatus. His actions brought about an end to the conflict with Norland. King Jory I of Norland met with Aurelius in secret, where he swore fealty to the Renatian crown. The former Empire thus split into three parts - Renatus, Marna, and Haense.
The three nations - along with the independent kingdoms of Norland, Curon, and Santegia - lived in relative stability until 1652. Frederick II, the King of Marna, abdicated his throne. Aurelius annexed the Kingdom of Marna, uniting it with Renatus and creating the Crown of Renatus-Marna. Fearing the possibility of a Renatian conquest, the remaining kingdoms quickly banded together to form the Czena Confederation in 1653. The Czena Confederation and the Crown of Renatus-Marna clashed in several small-scale conflicts between 1653 and 1656 before the alliance collapsed. The Kingdom of Curon turned coat and sided unexpectedly with Renatus-Marna, while the Kingdom of Santegia declared neutrality. Haense suddenly found itself facing Renatus-Marna alone. Haense swiftly allied itself with Haelun'or and Norland - kicking off the First Atlas Coalition War in 1657.
Constant conflict shaped the Pertinaxi regime into a highly authoritarian and militaristic force. They claimed victory in the First Atlas Coalition War (which ended in 1663) and later vassalized Haense at the end of the Second Atlas Coalition War (ending in 1678). With Haense, Curon, Santegia, Norland, and Courland united under the Renatian banner, Emperor Aurelius I formalized this union as the Empire of Man in 1678.
The Empire of Man saw a return to feudalism and knightly chivalry - traditions that had largely waned since the reign of Exalted Godfrey. The Empire of Man swiftly and brutally crushed all opposition, even within its own borders, and dispatched any perceived threats to human supremacy. Aurelius I abdicated the throne in 1694, shortly before the Descendants' migration to the continent of Arcas.
Aurelius I's grandson, Emperor Augustus I, ruled for 13 years between 1694 and 1707. An appropriate number, perhaps, due to the controversy that dogged him. While his reign was largely uneventful, he rocked the Empire when he confessed to an extramarital affair with his own sister. His two children, Duke Paul Franz of Adria and his sister Valera, were not the children of Ratibor Carrion. Instead, they were created out of wedlock in a liaison between Augustus I and his sister Alexandria. Following his confession, he abdicated the throne in favor of his son, Antonius I - who would rule as the last Emperor of Man.
The scandal surrounding Augustus I and his sexual relationship with his sister widened the growing divide between the Crownlands and the Duchy of Adria. Adria became a hotbed of activity for rebels and anti-Imperialists. A scuffle erupted between an Imperial retinue and some Adrian citizens. The Adrians demanded a trial for the instigator of the scuffle - Imperial Prince Yuriy Horen - which was denied by the crown. Protests and riots erupted in Adria as a result. Adria eventually split from the Empire and placed itself under the protection of Haense.
Antonius I invited the dissatisfied Adrian officials to his throne room to discuss peace. When they arrived, Antonius I had his Dragon Knights seal the doors and murder every last Adrian within. After the slaughter, he and his men marched for the Golden City of Ves - which they proceeded to raze to the ground. The infamous Sacking of Ves became a major catalyst for the War of Two Emperors, which ignited in the year 1715.
VOLUME 2 -
THE WAR OF TWO EMPERORS
The War of Two Emperors, which began in 1715 and concluded in 1721, remains one of the defining martial conflicts of the Arcan Era. This immense conflict brought about the final dissolution of Antonius I's Empire of Man. The War of Two Emperors had a massive cultural and sociopolitical impact on humanity and on Arcas as a continent. Oren went through a great cultural and social upheaval following the war, which only served to deepen the divide between the Empire and Haense. Without the war, it's unlikely we would have seen Haeseni independence achieved later in the Arcan era.
The War of Two Emperors began with the Sacking of Ves in 1715. Tensions between Renatus and the Duchy of Adria had begun to boil over. Adria had become a hotbed of activity for critics of the Empire. The City of Ves had also begun tentative experiments with representative democracy. An Imperial Prince by the name of Yuriy Horen ventured to the City of Ves in 1715, where he instigated a scuffle that ended with the death of some locals. Protests and riots erupted in Ves, calling for the Prince to stand trial for his crimes. Antonius I invited the lords of Adria to visit his palace in order to discuss the emerging situation. However, it was a trap. Upon the Adrians' arrival, Antonius I ordered his Dragon Knights to seal the throne room and murder every Adrian inside. Following the mass slaughter, Antonius I and his Knights marched to Ves, where they burned the city to the ground.
The Sacking of Ves was met with shock and horror. Joseph Leopold Marna gathered the remaining Patricians of Ves for a secret meeting with King Marius II of Haense. Together, they issued the Nenzing Proclamation in 1715 - boldly declaring that 'THE PERTINAXI REIGN OF TERROR ENDS TODAY!'
Joseph Marna issued several demands toward the Pertinaxi Regime. Among other things, he demanded that the Horen line be declared extinct; that the House of Pertinax had unjustly usurped the throne and must step down; that he, Joseph, was the rightful Emperor of Oren; and that all Dragon Knights and accomplices stand trial. He famously proclaimed the Rights of Man, which were unalienable and issued to all full-blooded men and women.
-THE RIGHT TO LIFE, so no man will ever be taken to the Skies so soon.
-THE RIGHT TO LIBERTY, so no man will ever be bonded by the shackles of slavery.
-THE RIGHT TO TRIAL, so no man will ever be wrongly accused when not charged by a trial of their peers.
Antonius I was not prepared for the Adrian retaliation. Though cruel and a tyrant, he was not prepared to engage in a full-scale civil war. He succumbed to cowardice and abdicated his throne after the Nenzing Proclamation. He issued an Edict titled 'A Return to Dust' in which he dissolved the Empire of Man and passed the crown to his cousin, Godfrey III. Godfrey III reversed Antonius I's decision to dissolve the Empire and reformed it nigh-immediately as the Empire of Renatus.
While this confusion was occurring, High Pontiff Everard V of the Canonist Church crowned Joseph Marna as Holy Oren Emperor. The Pontiff also immediately excommunicated all of House Pertinax and declared them anathema in the Pontifical Proclamation of Excommunication, Denunciation, and Affirmation of 1715.
The conflict began in earnest with the Battle of Upper Rodenbourg in 1716. Initially, the tides of war favored the Orenians. However, their luck would swiftly change course. The Renatians routed Orenian forces and drove them back, earning repeated victories at the Siege of Curonia and the Battle of the Rivers. They lost again in 1718 at the Second Battle of Leuven. Oren suffered another major setback when they lost the King of Haense, Marius II, to an assassination.
The repeated losses caused Oren to hemorrhage allies. Following their monarch's demise, Haense ended their alliance with Oren and attempted to sue for peace. Renatus refused to relent. The Princedom of Fenn, which was allied with Oren, backed out shortly afterward. The Golden City of Ves, the seat of Adrian power, sued for separate peace terms with Renatus, which were granted.
Haeseni forces met with the Renatian army at the 1719 Battle of Silversea, which they painfully lost. The Haeseni forces attempted to rally at the Battle of Koengswald, but suffered a second resounding defeat. The Haenseni people endured a third humiliation when their Regent, Prince Georg Stannimar, was captured and executed by Dragon Knights.
Nearly every armed conflict during the War ended in a decisive Renatian victory. Joseph I, despite his ideals, proved to be a failure at holding his Empire together. He went missing in 1718 and was declared deceased in 1728.
The War of Two Emperors ended in 1721 with the Treaty of Reza, which vassalized the Kingdom of Haense under the Empire of Renatus. Following the conclusion of the war, Godfrey III called a meeting dubbed “The Council of Founders." In this meeting, he decided that the Empire of Renatus would be disbanded and its lands reincorporated into the Kingdom of Cascadia. Haense, Curonia, and Cascadia would be thusly be reunited into the new Holy Orenian Empire. In 1721, Godfrey III was coronated as Holy Oren Emperor.
He ruled for a scant 3 years as Holy Orenian Emperor before abdicating his titles and going on pilgrimage to the continent of Aeldin.
VOLUME 3 -
PETER III & the OREN RESTORATION
After the War of Two Emperors, it became clear to all of humanity that reforms were in order. Haense, Adria, Cascadia, and Curonia had all suffered immeasurably during the bloody, seven-year-long conflict and the preceding 84-year-reign of House Pertinax. The civil war had left humanity beaten, bloodied, and disillusioned.
Emperor Godfrey III abdicated the throne in 1724 and passed the crown to his younger brother, John Achilles. John assumed the throne in 1725, becoming Emperor John VII (coronated by High Pontiff Daniel VI). He was a mere ten years old at the time of his coronation. Called 'the Unable' and 'the Weak-Minded', John VII faced heavy criticism for his repeated mishandling of civil conflicts in the wake of the War. The 10-year-old Emperor cracked under the pressure from everyone around him. In a seeming fit of madness, he suddenly declared the Empire to be a democracy - disbanding all old primogeniture laws and implementing a new general elective succession law. Shortly after, he abdicated the throne and disappeared entirely from the public eye.
Following John VII's abdication, High Pontiff Daniel VI interceded to try and stabilize the Empire. Several pretenders - notably Adrian Sarkozic and Charles Alstion - had begun vying for the throne. Daniel VI personally selected Alexander Stephen, the nephew of Joseph I, to become the next Holy Oren Emperor. The Pontiff (along with a young Simon Basrid) had personally overseen Alexander's education and prepared him for the possibility of rulership. In the Election of 1725, Daniel VI convinced the many opposing parties to accept the young Emperor (only 14 years old at the time). Daniel VI coronated his protege in 1725, ushering in the reign of Emperor Alexander II.
Daniel VI's dreams would be crushed, however. Alexander II ruled for a mere 6 years before his untimely death in 1725. Alexander II was a meek, weak-willed, chubby young man with poor health. He perished at the age of twenty from a combination of bad diet and lover's pox. After his death, he was declared illegitimate - a bastard born from the extramarital liaisons of his mother Cesarina "the Vile" of Marna.
The Empire had endured two failed child-Emperors, neither of whom managed to bring stability to the state. After Alexander II's demise, the vassal states of Oren met to determine the fate of the nation. Lines of succession had become irreversibly tangled due to the war. Adrian Sarkozic - who had previously competed against Charles Alstion for the crown - took advantage of the uncertain situation to empower himself. He proposed placing Oren under a Lord Protector until such time as a proper successor could be found. In 1731, he became Lord Protector of Oren, acting simultaneously as head of state and government during the time of unrest and interregnum.
Lord Protector Adrian represented a unique shift in the balance of political power. He was the son of Joseph Sarkozic, who had reigned as Duke of Adria during the War of Two Emperors. His wife, Mariya Barbanov, was the daughter of the deceased King Marius II of Haense (who ruled Haense during the War of Two Emperors). His protectorship over Oren represented a movement away from Pertinaxi rulership. Adria had lost the war against the Pertinaxi, but Adrian - through the use of statesmanship and subtle manipulation - had managed to secure a bloodless victory for his fallen kinsmen.
Adrian served as Lord Protector for six years, until 1737. He might have held onto power longer, had he not contracted the symptoms of a deadly disease. The Lord Protector swiftly realized that he needed to appoint a rightful Emperor and swiftly, lest the Empire fall back into disarray. A bizarre young prince in the city of Ves caught his attention. Antony Sigismundic was the son of Antonius I - the last Emperor of Man. Through a strange quirk of fate, the young Antony Sigismundic had ended up living in Ves following his father's sack of the city. As a result, the prince grew up with Adrian sympathies and carried a deeply-held shame toward his Pertinaxi roots. So great was the shame that Antony Sigismundic hid away within a tower and wore an iron mask over his face.
Antony Sigismundic married his cousin, Lorena of Augustin, to help solidify his claim to the throne. They married in 1734 and produced a daughter by the name of Anne Augusta. At age 14, Anne Augusta was betrothed to Adrian's son, Joseph Clement. The arrangement gave the young family an ironclad claim to the throne. While Adrian Sarkozic would never hold the title of Emperor, his son would someday sit upon the throne. Upon his passing in 1737, Adrian scripted his will in the Instrument of Coronation, a letter declaring that Antony Sigismundic was the true and rightful heir to the throne of Oren. Upon his coronation, Antony Sigismundic took the regal name Peter III. He was age 33 when he assumed rulership of Oren - a stark contrast to the two child-Emperors who came before him.
Having grown up in Ves, Peter III had adopted an Adrian attitude toward modernization and reform. He embraced the Josephite ideals laid out in the Nenzing Proclamation - the Right to Life, the Right to Liberty, and the Right to Trial. Along with his Archchancellor, the Rhenyari Simon Basrid, he embarked on what Basrid would refer to as a 'grand experiment' in democratic representation. While Oren would retain its monarchy under Peter III, it would no longer be a tyrannical dictatorship where the common folk had no say in what happened to them. Peter III established a Senate, which would later evolve into a House of Lords and a House of Commons. While the House of Lords earned their titles through primogeniture, members of the Commons were elected by majority vote. Political parties representing different ideologies began to form and campaign for election. This was the first instance of true democracy within Oren. Laws would be written and drafted by the Commons, where they would be reviewed and passed by majority vote. While the Emperor retained control of the military and veto power over all new laws, he could no longer make unilateral declarations that affected the lives of millions. While the Pertinaxi had a Senate, their House of Lords was twice as large and Aurelius I vetoed nearly every bill - which rendered their Senate as little more than political theater for the common folk.
Peter III also restored the Canonist Church to a place of prominence in the Empire. The War of the Two Emperors had driven a wedge between Oren and the Canonist Church, due to the Church's perceived betrayals. The Canonist Church had supported Joseph I and not Godfrey III. Peter III welcomed the Church back with open arms.One of Peter III's biggest changes was to abolish all the trappings of feudalism. The Battlements Act of 1759 outlawed the construction of castles and other military fortresses. Nobles were no longer allowed to appoint vassals or to build up private armies in the form of chivalric knightly orders. The Imperial State Army (or ISA) became the only legal military force within Oren's borders. Historically, independent knightly orders had long presented a threat to Imperial stability. Very little prevented noblemen from breaking their oaths of fealty and rising up against their Emperors - or declaring independence and splitting off from the Empire. By squashing the feudal system, Peter III made great strides toward securing Imperial stability. His actions paid off with a 40-year-long reign - the longest in Orenian history since Exalted Godfrey. Knighthoods remained an honor gifted by the Crown. However, the title of 'Sir' or 'Dame' was given to individuals who achieved great things in the realm of culture or the sciences in addition to for feats on the field of battle.
Cultural and aesthetic changes came alongside the sociopolitical and governmental reforms. The capital city of Helena went through a long period of restoration and reconstruction. At the beginning of Peter III's reign, Helena was a medieval-era city of mostly stone bricks, torches, and dirt roads. The Pertinaxi culture was largely militaristic and utilitarian with little regard for art or learning. By the end of Peter III's reign, it had developed into a modern city with paved streets, sophisticated indoor plumbing and running water, gas lights, a trans-Imperial railway system, libraries, laboratories, theaters, museums, universities, modern hospitals, and multi-story townhouses.
New fashion trends emerged, helmed by the Baroness of Carrington, Mary Phillipa d'Arkent. Powdered wigs emerged as a new trend, along with elaborated and decorated hats. Men began to wear tall stockings and knee-length breeches, along with embroidered waistcoats and jackets. Cravats and heeled shoes became highly fashionable. Women also began to wear trousers more often - usually for sporting events such as riding or croquet, but sometimes just as casual wear.
Peter III's reign marked an increase in women and nonhuman's rights, something which would have been unheard of under the Pertinaxi dominion. Women and nonhumans frequently served in the military and held public office. Female and elven candidates ran for the House of Commons - and often won. Women such as Mary Phillipa d'Arkent (and, later, her daughters Alexandria and Mary Lucille) ran successful businesses and earned huge amounts of independent wealth. Peter III's daughter, Anne Augusta, also became a much-beloved symbol of Orenian womanhood. Peter III also granted a large parcel of land (called 'The Pale') for Orenian elves to build their own city, which they dubbed Tor Eldar.
While these changes to the Holy Oren Empire were well received by many, there was an equal and just as fervent amount of backlash.
VOLUME 4 -
ANNE I & JOSEPH II
Empress Anne I and Emperor Joseph II made history as the first equally empowered co-monarchs of Oren. Never before in Oren's history had an Empress enjoyed the same executive powers as her spouse. However, despite the fact that they were technically co-rulers, it is better to examine their tenures as two distinct periods rather than one long combined reign. Joseph II was sickly and bedridden for the duration of Anne's reign - and took the throne as the sole Emperor after her death when he recovered.
Imperial Princess Anne Augusta was born in 1734 as the first daughter of Antonius Sigismund Horen and his wife, Lorena of Augustin. Two years after her birth, her father would ascend to the throne of Oren, taking the regal name of Emperor Peter III.
At age fourteen, Anne was betrothed to Joseph Clement de Sarkozy. Joseph was the firstborn son of Lord Protector Adrian Sarkozic and his wife, Princess Mariya Angelika of Reza. Adrian Sarkozic had imperial ambitions of his own and came very close to sitting upon the throne of Oren. A sudden illness waylaid his plans, however. Before his death, he hurriedly arranged the marriage between his son Joseph Clement and Anne - thus ensuring a member of his bloodline would occupy the throne in the future. The betrothal sealed Anne's fate. She was, as of that moment, her father's Heir Presumptive - the first instance of a female Heir Presumptive in all of Orenian history.
As such, Anne's education became a matter of critical importance to the state. She was placed under the tutorship of Archchancellor Simon Basrid. His teaching instilled in the young princess a deep and abiding patriotism - a passion and enduring love for the state she would later come to rule. As a young child, Anne committed herself to only ever wearing the color red in honor of Helena, the capital city and her beloved 'Ruby of Man'. She wore white on her wedding day and black at the funeral of her father, but otherwise never donned any color except shades of red. Throughout her life, she would cite Basrid as a monumental influence on her political and cultural ideology. She especially came to love the ISA and all they represented, serving in the military for a period alongside the common folk for the Empire.
Anne Augusta naturally had her doubts about whether or not she would actually become Empress-Regnant. As a young adult, she assumed that her mother would inevitably produce a son who would take the title of Heir Apparent for himself. Yet Empress Lorena would only have one more child - another daughter - before she suddenly passed away in 1767. Anne was 32 years old.
With the realization that she would, without a doubt, become Empress - Anne experienced a wave of anxiety and insomnia. Her personal diary entries and letters described persistent nightmares of past Pertinaxi Emperors laughing at her and mocking her from the Void. Regardless, Anne assumed a stalwart and noble bearing when facing the public. Her countenance stoic and grim, shoulders squared to bear the burden which would soon be placed on her.
Her father, Emperor Peter III, passed away from throat cancer on the 14th of Sun's Smile, 1784. One year later, on the 12th of Godfrey's Triumph, 1785, Imperial Princess Anne Augusta was coronated and took the regal name of Anne I. She was coronated in a dual ceremony alongside her husband, Joseph Clement, who took the regal name of Joseph II.
Empress Anne I immediately found herself in a dismal political situation. Joseph II had been struck by a bout of poor health, which rendered him bed-ridden and wheelchair-bound. He could not often summon the strength to govern - or even to leave his bedroom at the palace. Anne would be forced to govern more or less by herself.
On top of dealing with her spouse's illness, Anne I would need to reckon with the 'Northern Question' - that is, the relationship between the vassal state of Haense and the larger Empire. As any who had studied Orenian history know, there have always been deep cultural and sociopolitical differences between Heartlanders and Highlanders. The Heartlander-Highlander divide had been the central conflict of the Duke's War - and tensions persisted even into Anne I's reign. The traditionalist Kingdom of Haense had long scorned their southern cousins in Helena, making mock of the cultural revolution that had occurred under Peter III. The Queen of Haense even went so far as to ban the wearing of powdered wigs in her court.Tax issues were also a matter of contention between Haense and Helena. The Empire levied heavy taxes against Haense, totaling tens of thousands of minas. The laborers and landowners of Haense felt unfairly treated and exploited by the tax, which resulted in riots throughout the northern kingdom. They did not feel they benefitted from the heavy tax, which largely went toward funding the Imperial State Army (ISA). Haense had its own army - the Haeseni Royal Army (HRA) - and did not feel they should be required to pay the ISA's wages.
Anne I's father, Peter III, had further exacerbated tensions by romantically pursuing the widowed Queen Maya. Rumor had it that the aging Emperor was obsessed with the beautiful, young, Raevir widow. When Queen Maya fell to a Ruberni assassin, Peter III reportedly stormed her bedroom and attempted to confiscate her corpse. When Maya's son, King Sigismund II, refused to allow Peter III to take the corpse, Peter III responded by setting Maya's bedroom ablaze with the corpse still in it. This was considered a grievous insult and an overstepping of bounds by the Haeseni people.
In short, Anne I was forced to contend with an irate Haense on the verge of rebellion. If she did not handle the situation delicately, the Empire might very well be torn asunder by civil war.
To make matters worse, an existential and apocalyptic threat had descended upon the continent of Arcas. In 1776, a meteor had fallen from the sky and crashed into the island of Korvassa in the south. The meteor's impact had ripped open a scar in the fabric of reality, allowing unspeakable monsters known only as the 'Inferi' to pour out. By the time of Anne I's coronation, the Inferi had already taken over much of Korvassa and were threatening to cross the channel into mainland Arcas. If the Inferi were allowed to proliferate onto the mainland, it would no doubt spell the end for not only Oren - but all of Descendant life.
Anne I would describe ruling over Oren in her personal documents as 'sailing alone'. She often likened her personal struggles to sailing metaphors - calling herself a rowboat lost at sea. Without Joseph II at her side, she would need to right the listing vessel called 'Oren' by herself and save it from capsizing entirely.
Shortly after her coronation, Anne I issues the 1786 Edict of Separation. It was her first official act as Empress. The Edict officially removed Haense as a vassal of the Holy Orenian Empire, granting the northern kingdom full independence and recognizing King Sigismund II as its head of state. The Edict, which took on a surprisingly personal tone, expressed Anne's regret that the special relationship between Oren and Haense had deteriorated so much. Nevertheless, she wished them well. Immediately following the Edict of Separation, King Sigismund II and Empress Anne I signed the Treaty of Helena, solidifying an alliance between their two nations. For the duration of her reign, Heartlanders and Highlanders would remain allies. With the Northern Question settled, Anne I would turn her attention toward the growing problem of the Inferi.
In 1777, several nations along the southern coast of Arcas had joined the Firewatch Alliance, an organization meant to combat the onslaught of the Inferi. Members of the Firewatch Alliance included the Warnation of Krugmar, the Druidic Grove, the Sultanate of Korvassa, the Trade-Kingdom of Sutica, the Kingdom of Haense, and the Kingdom of Urguan. The Firewatch Alliance had stood as a bulwark against the ongoing threat. Oren had, at first, been reluctant to join the Alliance's efforts - as many of its members included Oren's historical enemies. It soon became clear, however, that only a united Descendant effort could hope to contain the Inferi.
In 1791, Empress Anne I hosted a summit in Helena to discuss how to manage the threat. She invited all members of the Firewatch Alliance to attend. The summit represented a turning point in the war against the Inferi. Little by little, the combined forces of Oren and the Firewatch Alliance began to drive back the Inferi and reclaim lost territory on the island of Korvassa. Anne I herself took to the battlefield alongside her beloved ISA soldiers, personally fighting and killing many Inferi at age 56.
In 1796, the Inferi made one last-ditch effort to eliminate the descendant races. They sent their most powerful sorcerors to conjure natural disasters in each of the descendant capitals. Helena was struck by a massive earthquake, which caused lava to spew out of the earth and light the city ablaze. Anne I, who had loved Helena with all her heart, was devastated. The sight of her beloved city in flames struck her temporarily catatonic. If not for the quick thinking of her son, Prince Peter Maximilian, Anne I would not have been able to escape the ruins of Helena. The citizens of Oren migrated en masse to the Eye of Man, a fortress along the coast, where they prepared for the worst case scenario - evacuation from Arcas.
Anne I's grief in the wake of the devastation was profound. Nevertheless, her leadership philosophy centered around the idea that she had to set her personal feelings aside for the good of the nation. Her ethos was one of service to the Empire - of abandoning her individuality and standing as a symbol for the people. Therefore, she had to steel herself and be strong. From the Eye of Man, she received reports that ISA scouts had discovered a safe landmass many thousands of miles distant. Almaris, it was called, and it would be the future of the Empire. Anne I lead the people as they embarked on a mass migration from the continent of Arcas to the new land of Almaris.
In Almaris, she oversaw the construction of the new Imperial capital - Providence. 'To Providence' had long been a motto of the Empire. At long last, they had arrived. Her husband Joseph II's health began to improve following the migration and he was no longer bound to a wheelchair. After completing the construction of the new capital, however, Anne I's health took a turn for the worse. Her palace physicians discovered a cancerous anomaly in her breasts which - if left untreated - threatened to kill her. Anne I both refused treatment and refused to issue a statement to the Empire about her health. Rather, she opted to let the illness claim her. During the Tuvmas season of the year 1800, Anne I perished in her bedroom.
Anne I was never a woman prone to frivolity. Her last words to the Empire was simple ones --
"20th of Horen's Calling, 1800.
It is my hope that the people of the empire do not blame themselves for the matter of my death. My silent killer was not caused by the stress of ruling, or the fear of the future, but the hatred of myself; the hatred of who I was, and who I could never be. Over the course of my life, I’ve come to love Oren more deeply than anything else, and… simply, I only wished to say goodbye.”
Joseph II, then age sixty-nine, continued to rule over Oren as its sole monarch. The state of his health had improved greatly following the move to Almaris. In temperament, Joseph II was notably more passive and complacent than his wife - preferring solitude and books to warfare and the shouts of military men. While Anne I was called 'The Undaunted', Joseph II got the (subjectively) lesser moniker of 'The Erudite'. He disliked socializing at court and dealing with the people. The Orenian citizens regarded Joseph II as distant and unapproachable. In personal conversation, he could often come across as selfish, self-pitying, prone to bouts of melancholy, and inconsiderate toward the feelings of others. Anne I had been far more apt at dealing with the populace. Indeed, these flaws of Joseph II's would set the tone for the challenges of his reign.
Joseph II was more involved in bureaucracy and politics than his wife. Over the course of his solo reign, he issued many Edicts reforming and altering the functions of government. Among them - The 1807 Edict of Rosemoor concerning impeachment powers and the 1808 Edict of Sunholdt which tied the ranks of the Imperial peerage to a designated body of land. He also made further amendments to Anne I's 1787 Edict of Pompourelia, which reformed the Imperial Cabinet and Diet. In 1808, he issued the Imperial Charter for the Corporation of the Bank of Oren - establishing an official Orenian bank for the first time in many decades.
In the year 1809, Joseph II ran into some minor social scandal when he intervened in the marriage of his granddaughter, Her Imperial Highness Josephine Augusta. Princess Josephine Augusta had long expressed a desire to remain unmarried and devote herself to scholarship. Joseph II refused to grant her desire and instead decreed that she would have to marry Peter Alexander d'Arkent, the Duke of Sunholdt. Unfortunately, Duke Peter Alexander had already proposed marriage to one Margaux Renée Helvets. The whole sordid affair involved Joseph II nullifying one loving engagement and forcing the participants into a marriage neither wanted. While this incident might seem minor on its face, it became a contributing factor in the later Sedanite Rebellion that rocked the latter half of Joseph II's reign.
Two years later, Joseph II issued the Proclamation of 1811 in which he confiscated the Sedan Manor from Lord Louis de Joannes. The Proclamation alleged that Louis de Joannis had been recruiting for an unsanctioned and private military in flagrant violation of the law. Joseph II had ordered de Joannes to disband his private army and cease all future activity, but de Joannes refused. Following the Proclamation, Imperial State Army Soldiers were ordered to arrest all members of House de Joannes on sight.
One month later, the ISA arrested Caius de Joannes - the son of Louis - in Providence. Infuriated, House de Joannes sympathizers stormed Providence and demanded Caius's immediate release. A skirmish ensued and the Sedanites failed to rescue Caius. In response to the outburst of violence, Joseph II declared that all residents of Sedan and their allies were traitors to Oren. Joseph II also issued a proclamation forming the Imperial Committee for Public Safety - a police force for Providence to help protect the citizens against outbreaks of violence.
Louis de Joannes declared Sedan's independence a few months later on the 13th of Harren's Folly, 1811. They listed their grievances against Joseph II, which included what they believed to be micromanagement of his courtiers' affairs. Nobles were no longer allowed to build castles or appoint vassals. They were no longer allowed to have personal levies at their disposal. They were no longer allowed to select a spouse without the explicit permission of the Emperor (referencing the earlier scandal involving Princess Josephine Augusta). Louis de Joannes resented the Emperor's interference in the lives of his subjects and the Sedanite Rebellion took a hard stance against it. Several nobles defected to Sedan, including Baron Robert Helvets as well as members of House Hartcold and House Bishop.
After two humiliating defeats at the Battle of Southbridge and the Battle of Robert's Folly, however, it became clear that the rebellion would not hold water. Louis de Joannes and his supporters evacuated Sedan, torching the manor to the ground, and fled north to the Kingdom of Haense. Archchancellor Franz Sarkozy published a missive declaring victory over the Sedanite rebels in 1813.
Joseph II passed away one year later in 1814 at the age of eighty-three. He reigned for fourteen years without his Empress. His final letter was addressed to his son, John Charles, and contained advice on how to govern the Empire. He finished the letter simply:
"Your father made no vain boasts. He pretended to no great conquest. The constitution was upheld, and no great calamity befell the Empire."
With his father's passing, John Charles ascended to the throne of Oren and took the regal name John VIII.
VOLUME 5 -JOHN VIII & MODERN OREN
After reading these myriad volumes about Orenian history, our patrons are no doubt left with the following question: what is Oren like in the modern day? As of this writing, we are in the seventh year of Emperor John VIII's reign - the year 1822 I.S.T. Who is our current Emperor and what was his upbringing like? How will he guide Oren into the future? These are questions for which there are no answers - at least not yet. Yet we can examine the new Emperor's roots and try to divine, based on his character, what sort of Oren he will foster underneath him.
John Charles Novellen was born in 1757, the eldest son of Empress Anne I and Emperor Joseph II. Friends would describe his character as mild-mannered and genial. John Charles was easy-going and pleasant to friends and strangers alike, rarely without a smile and a polite word. As a youth of twenty, he enlisted in the Imperial State Army and rose to the rank of Lieutenant in the 2nd Brigade. As a soldier, he participated in the Sutican War, the Inferi War, and the Sedanite Rebellion prior to becoming Emperor. He had a somewhat distant relationship with his parents, which is unfortunately quite ordinary for royal children. Busy Emperors and Empresses rarely have time for family. Yet John Charles found a surrogate fatherly figure in Sir Jahan Basrid, the governor of the palace at the time.
Two major controversies have dogged Emperor John VIII so far. The first concerns his contentious divorce with Lady Wilhelmina Beatrix Helvets. He married the Lady Helvets in the spring of 1780, at the Church of the Ascenscion in Helena, Oren. The wedding ceremony was lavish and included a military procession as well as a royal ball following the nuptials rites. John Charles was twenty three years old and Wilhelmina Beatrix was nineteen. They had not courted prior to their engagement and John Charles admitted to friends that he did not know his new wife well at all.
He and Wilhelmina were married for a total of thirty four years and yet never produced any children. Rumors abounded about the reason behind the couple's infertility. Some alleged that one of them had to be sterile - either John Charles or Wilhelmina. Some of the more pernicious rumors implied that John Charles was, in fact, homosexual and had a male lover among the soldiers of the ISA. However, these rumors ended up holding no water. Both Wilhelmina and John Charles had extramarital affairs which resulted in illegitimate children. It seems more likely that the John Charles and his wife simply did not like each other.
High Pontiff Jude II annulled their marriage in the year 1814, shortly before Joseph II's death. The Writ of Annulment revealed some details about their marriage. "Each spouse has come to the conclusion that they cannot continue," wrote the Pontiff, "We hereby declare the union of His Imperial Highness, John Charles, and Her Imperial Highness, Wilhelmina Beatrix, void, annulled on the grounds of their marriage being an unconsummated one and too, severe impairment of this union, characterized by separation, distrust, and other such factors spanning many years which have created an air of struggle amidst this bond of over thirty."
After the annulment was finalized, the newly-crowned John VII made an announcement to his courtiers. He planned to take a holy oath of celibacy and father no more children. As such, his younger brother - Prince Phillip Augustus, the Duke of Crestfall - would serve as his Heir Apparent and rule after his death. As for Wilhelmina Beatrix, she disappeared from the public eye and presumably eloped with one of her lovers.
At the end of the Sedanite rebellion in 1813, John Charles found himself courting controversy once again. In 1815, two years after the Sedanite surrender, a Sedan sympathizer by the name of Tiberius John Hartcold fell into Imperial custody. John VIII opted to make a spectable of the man's execution. Tiberius John Hartcold was set up on a pillory in front of the Augustine Palace and had a powdered wig nailed onto his head. The nails perforated Hartcold's skull, piercing his brain and causing him to die of internal bleeding and trauma.
The incident, which occurred in front of a crowd, drew both gasps of horror and shouts of excitement. While some members of the crowd supported the Emperor's actions, many others saw the execution as unusual, brutal, and excessively cruel. Sir Henry Penton, a songwriter and poet, published his paper 'Condemnations of an Immoral Execution and Heinous Torture in Providence' in 1815, roundly condemning the act and saying it was unrepresentative of the democratic and equitable Oren he had come to love. The act certainly showed a different side of John VIII to the populace that they hadn't seen before.
Fears of war had also begun to mount as John VIII's reign progressed into its fifth year. While the Empire had existed in relative peace since the migration to Almaris, that peace was fragile. The newly-independent Haense had allied itself with the Kingdom of Norland, forming a coalition of states known as the Iron Accord. The Grand Kingdom of Urguan and the Silver State of Haelun'or joined in their alliance. The Iron Accord left many Orenians feeling unsettled. Oren shared a border with three of these nations - Urguan, Haelun'or, and Haense. The Empire suddenly found itself boxed in on every side by enemies and some feared Oren would soon be facing a three-front war.
Tensions finally boiled over in 1818. On the 13th of Godfrey's Triumph, King Sven II of Norland declared war on the Holy Orenian Empire. They ennumerated their grievances against the Orenian State, which included the alleged unjust assault of a Nordling man at the hands of the Orenian Ministry of Justice. They also accused Oren of espionage within Norlandic borders, as well as a refusal to discuss or negotiate the problems. Oren regarded these allegations as unfounded and dubious at best. Regardless, war had finally arrived. Shortly after Norland's declaration of war, the Kingdom of Urguan declared war on Oren as well. Luckily, Haense and Haelun'or both withdrew from the Iron Accord, meaning that Oren would not be facing an attack from all sides.
John VIII penned his 'Imperial Response to the Tenth Nordling War' on the 13th of Tobias's Bounty. He finished the missive with this weighty statement:
"Let this be the final Nordling War."
It had become clear to all involved that this was not merely a petty squabble between nations. Norland, Oren, and Urguan were fighting for their very right to exist. Norland and Urguan sought the destruction of Oren. John VIII responded by declaring his intent to "march into the Nordling chieftain’s capital, and we will extinguish that cultic idol at which they worship. We will douse their burning bush with the holy waters of Gamesh." In other words, this would be a war that would end in annihilation for either one state or the other.
As of this writing, the war rages on. The Imperial State Army claimed victory last year in the Battle of Outer Arentania. Another battle looms on the horizon.
So the question remains - what will Oren look like in the future under John VIII and his successors?
We can safely presume that John VIII will be another wartime emperor like his grandfather, Peter III. Many have remarked on John VIII's resemblance, physically, to his grandfather. John VIII's military background hints at the heart of a soldier beneath his silk coats, powdered wigs, and fine gloves. He evidently does not cringe away from violence and warfare.
Whether or not John VIII will make good on his promise to end Norland once and for all remains to be seen, but few can doubt that the Emperor, thus far, is holding his own. The ISA has already claimed five victories against Norland on the field of battle - though Norland is close behind with four. The ultimate outcome of the war, however, is still up in the air.
John VIII's reign so far has been plagued with conflicts both foreign and domestic. He saw the conclusion of the Sedanite rebellion and jumped nigh immediately into a war with Norland. How will Emperor John VIII rule during times of peace? Will we achieve peace during his reign? Only time will tell.
27 -
Dear Celestine,
How are you? We recently received a letter from Mr. Deveral about the expedition. He mentioned something about Swamp Demons, which I found very troubling. Tell me, are you all right? No shambling creatures have dragged you off into the muck, have they? We miss you sorely and I would be much grieved if some horrid monster carried you away before I got the chance to see you again!
Everything over here is fine. We threw a big opening Gala for the Providence museum lately and it went very well for us! The people of Providence are greatly enthused by their new museum and library. We also auctioned off a (platonic, of course) date with you...
Oh, Cellie... An elf man bought you for three gumballs.
Don't feel discouraged, though! They auctioned off a date with me as well. What was my price? One mina! How embarrassing... Ah, well. I shouldn't be too offended. After all, we're both old ladies now. Hardly the spring chickens we used to be!
We've hired a new girl to oversee security at the Providence Museum. Her name is Miss Catherine Bentarus. She keeps mentioning a ghost in one of the closed-off exhibit halls. Should I be worried? I'm glad I bought that aurum dagger all those years ago... I've been spending a lot of time setting up exhibits in that particular hall, but I haven't seen the ghost yet. My, how spooky!
We all miss you. Eliza, Quentin, and the baby are doing beautifully. Emma Rose is growing up healthy. Quentin is straightening up into a good man too. He's become quite the prominent citizen of Luciensburg. Marriage had a positive affect on him, I think. Otto is well, no changes there. He's been keeping busy.
Ah, I wish I had more news - but it's mostly business as usual. That's a good thing, isn't it? No news is good news, so they say.
Please hurry home. I'm so excited to put our Attenlund exhibition together for the museum! I hope you've brought me lots of interesting souvenirs!
Sincerely,
Your Friend,
3
THE LA FLEUR MASQUERADE & FUNDRAISER - Skin Auction Included!
in The Kingdom of Oren
Posted
You are cordially invited to...
The LA FLEUR PRODUCTION COMPANY
MASQUERADE & FUNDRAISER
The La Fleur Production Company cordially invites you (yes, you specifically!) to attend the La Fleur Masquerade fundraiser, to be held this coming month of Sun's Smile in the Augustine Palace ball room.
For over 50 years, the La Fleur Production Company has dazzled Oren with theatrical spectacles like no other. Fundraisers such as this one will enable us to keep providing entertainment to the Orenian public free of charge.
The evening's itinerary will include:
❈ An auction in which we will sell some of the most iconic costumes from our past theatrical productions.
❈ Raffle to win one of our classic costumes from our costume closet.
❈ An 'impersonator' contest in which our attendees may show off their best costumes and impersonations of beloved Orenian celebrities and historical figures. (ie. Simon Basrid, Empress Anne I, etc.) 100 mina prize for the most convincing impersonation!
❈ Improvisation, acting, and storytelling games to be held in the side rooms off the ballroom.
The event will take place on...
9th of Sun's Smile, 1826
((SUNDAY, JUNE 27th, 5PM EST))
Raffle Costumes
((heads not included))
The Orphan Lord
Worn by Sir Simon Basrid playing Augustus Flay in the 1772 production Lorin + Augustus
The Marchioness of Blackmont
Worn by HIH Princess Elizabeth Anne Novellen playing Lorin Chivay in the 1772 production Lorin + Augustus
Costumes for Auction
((heads not included))
The Elven Princess
Worn by the Rt. Honorable Countess Elizaveta Carrion playing Princess Sarai in the 1807 production The Courtship of Sarai
The Mother of Humanity
Worn by Cecelia Beaulieu playing St. Julia of Paradisius in the 1825 production The Temptation of St. Julia
The Prophet's Bride
Worn by Agnes de Falstaff playing Helaine de Sarkozy in the 1819 production Lorin + Siegmund
The Entrepreneur
Worn by Quentin Brae playing Aloysius Brook in the 1810 production Moral Character
The Bastard Emperor
Worn by Aleksandr var Ruthern playing St. Tuvya in the 1800 production Golden Son
The One-Eyed Crow
Worn by Corwin von Alstreim playing Exalted Sigismund in the 1800 production Golden Son
To Enter The Raffle -
Fill out the following form and purchase a ticket (10 minas). Submit all payments to Anthony Bentarus ((Urahra)) before or during the ball.
Name:
IGN:
Which skin?
To Bid on the Auction -
Fill out the following form. Bidding will be closed by the end of the ball (6:30 pm EST) on Sunday. Payment must be received by Anthony Bentarus ((Urahra)) before the outfit is delivered.
Starting bid for all costumes is 50 minas.
IGN:
Skin:
Bid (minimum 10 mina increase):
Discord is Hads#7587 if you need to reach out to me.