THE KINGDOM OF ARDES
His Royal Majesty, Konrad III of House Karovid
[Leadership: 8 | Charisma: 4 | Martial: 1]
Year 865 of the 14th Age
The sun rises, and so a new day is born! People now awaken to the sounds of *****, heading off to the fields to plow and till, or to work in a cities’ numerous institutions. Nary a conflict in sight, no war, no banditry, no fuckery; life was good, and it was mostly thanks to Konrad’s prudent attitude. A rare King in this day and age of strife and war, Konrad in his youth was so deeply affected by the squalor a minority of his subjects were trapped within, that a great part of his life came to dominated by his various reforms to improve the quality of life. Workcamps gave rise to labour, and from the fruits of this, the economy was stimulated. Farms were maintained carefully, implementing a system of crop rotation to ensure there wouldn't be a shortage.
His nobility (Schlacta) had been effectively stripped of much of their power by Konrad’s ancestors, resulting in a system of governance in which bureaucracy and centralization dominated the realm. The Crown would go on to dominating many of the estates throughout the Kingdom, corralling the remaining nobility in various pockets of land. In his wisdom, however, Konrad ensured the rights and privileges of the last few remnants of his nobility, so not to upset their camp. Granting special concessions for their undying loyalty.
Within his bureaucracy, Konrad implemented a system of core pillars, pawns on his board that would uphold his authority throughout the ever expansive systems of governance. Having a keen eye for talent, he would see the marriage of his younger brother and heir presumptive to the Duchess of Piez, securing the last bastion of potential dissidence to his rule. The Duchess herself proved adept in the arts of politics, and now represents the King in the Office of Interior Affairs.
It was within the Royal Army of Ardes that much of the political power lay. Having been a militant nation since its birth during the collapse of the Atemic Empire, Ardes has long since cultivated a culture of martial prowess. Families, no matter their station, are expected to send at least one offspring to bring glory and honor to their name. But much to the distress of the Ardesian Command, Konrad had neglected many aspects of the military during most of his reign thus far. In his quest for peaceful expansion, much of the armies had been disbanded, maintaining only the bare minimum. But with pressure mounting within its ranks, Ardes will no doubt once again see an explosive rate of growth, with its borders far expanding past its de facto claims.
But for now, the King’s Peace reigns supreme, and his people reap the benefits.
Religion within Ardes is a convoluted topic of discussion. Ardesians have always been self determined, formulating their own ways of life and doctrines, rather than adhering to supposedly holy tenets, ever since their original rebellion against the Atemic Empire. Collectivism has had its hold on Ardesian communities for centuries now, with there being little room for individualistic mannerisms, from which a common goal was born for all to abide by, the greater good for all Ardesians. The promised neverland, where there is no pain to experience, a realm in which all Ardesians live in peace, the utopia on the horizon, an existence which must be taken by force. It is derived from this mindset that Ardesians are naturally tenacious, communal, and diligent in their activities, echoing out the motto of;
One People, One Country, One King
Magic, similar to Religion, plays little part in the grand scheme of Ardesian life. Having been internalized as just a simple presence not needing much attention, the manifesting and controlling of the elements have been regulated to a small cadre of those dedicated enough to delve fully into the arcane arts. To further explain, it is universally understood that the Elements (the purest form of life) are simply a way of life that affects every single inhabitant of the land and by simply existing to the best of their capabilities, they pay homage to the four pillars of the earth. It is also believed that after one’s death, their soul departs their bodies and is transferred to the River of Life, a great constellation that can be seen at night, resulting in the open air cremation of the deceased, in hopes that their soul may be carried away with their ashes.
Magic Spells
T2 Spell
Lighting Arc - Manifested forth from the tips of one's fingers, Ardesian mages are capable of drawing forth energy from their surroundings, utilizing their bodies as conductors as they condense raw and tumultuous power into a force capable of being dispelled towards enemies.
Can penetrate multiple targets, and explodes when meeting solid contact. Long range.
T1 Spell
Air Burst - Able to control the very winds themselves - a power usually thought to be too wild and chaotic to even think of doing so - Ardesian mages are capable of redirecting the will of nature to their own accord. Drawing forth on such a widely available aspect of nature, mages condense the air into the palm of their hands, releasing it in bursts of explosive energy towards their targets, capable of knocking away projectiles and knocking aside opponents even if not directly struck.
Short Range Martial Arts.
ACTIONS
Upon the mouth of the Arles, from which the Fortress of Neuhof looms high above, garrisoned soldiers in the region stumble upon a peculiar sight. Somehow undisturbed after all this time, the ruins of a battlefield has come to the attention of the Fortress’ Castellan, who promptly organizes a search party to decipher whatever lore the site may hold. [Investigating Battlefield Point of Interest]
As convoys of merchant vessels depart from the Bay of Arles to newfound destinations, seeking wealth to bring back home; it has come to the attention of the various Free Cities of Ardes need to overhaul their rudimentary trading practises. Thus warranting the centralization of the flow of commerce, leading to the founding of several warehouses, customs houses, and coin exchanges banking throughout the Kingdom. [Constructing three Trade Depots in the Cities of Lazly, Waldorf, and Krnov, 30,000g]
Furthermore; with the increase of population, and the expansion of territory past the Ardenwald, large swaths of land are made clear of any obstructions. Agriculture, husbandry, and the like, sprout up throughout the Kingdom, laying the foundations for new sources of food production. [Constructing two farms, 10,000g]
In a land torn asunder by conflicts and other cataclysms, like minded individuals must look to each other for a common sense of security and prosperity. Therefore resulting in the need to send diplomats to the Kingdoms of Kastovia and Krolestwo. At first, they speak only of pleasantries and other political affairs in the region, but slowly they do build up rapport, attempting to convince the various courts and leaders of their nations to commit their nation in an alliance.
And finally, upon the turning of his 78th winter, His Majesty Konrad, as he usually does during this time of year, sends another letter to the Elyic Chapter on his border, promising continued peace, and non-aggression.
MILITARY
10 Military, 5 Loyalty
Manpower; 15,000
Ardasikarmee
2 (1000) Regiments of the Red Banners, T3 Regular
5 (2500) Regiments of Medium Infantry, T3 Regular
2 (1000) Regiments of Medium Cavalry, T3 Regular
1 (500) Regiment of Archers, T3 Regular
Garrisoned
The Fortress of Neuhof: 300 Medium Infantry, 150 Archers.
The Castle of Pravda: 200 Medium Infantry, 100 Archers.
Capital, Pravid: 300 Medium Infantry, 150 Archers.
Lazly: 300 Medium Infantry, 150 Archers.
Waldorf: 300 Medium Infantry, 150 Archers.
Krnov: 300 Medium Infantry, 150 Archers.
Total: 2700 Medium Infantry, 850 Archers
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ECONOMY
Base Income:
10,000
Population: 10,000,000
20,000
Capital: Pravid
3,000
Ardesian Free Cities:
9,000
Total: 42,000
Upkeep
Ardasikarmee: 2500 Originally
2000, with 20% cheaper upkeep
Final Budget: 40,000
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Food Supplies
Food Nodes: 9
90 units of food available
Farms: 56
56 units of food produced
Consumption: 10,000,000 | 4 Cities
56 units of food consumed
34 units of food left to exploit
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RESEARCH
6 Tech
Passive Research Slot 1: Heavy Infantry
Passive Research Slot 2: Heavy Cavalry
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TRADE
1 Kingdom of Kastovia. 2 League of Pérasma. 3 Kingdom of Krolestwo. 4 Samalstraza. 5 Khrav (proposed). 6 Ishikawa Shogunate. 7 Elyic Chapter of East Ater (proposed). 8 The Imperial Electors of Orev (proposed). 9 Antramar (proposed). 10 Pachaqui Kingdom