Westland Empire

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Heaven Above. Haven Below.

This content takes place in the Haven setting of Imagindarium's Creation.

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Index / Lexica / Timeline

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"Silver Eternal!"-Westland Empire call to arms.

Description

Template:!KingdomThe Westland Empire, also known as the Empire of the West, the Empire of the Westernlands, and the Empire of Bariquel, is an empire of fifteen united provinces that collectively hold dominion over nearly the entirety of Haven's western continent, Bariquel, and numerous outlying island colonies. Founded in 777 YM following the end of the First Great Western War, the Westland Empire has served as the foremost power in the entire world for over two thousand years, and one of the eldest still standing, as the analogs of world history are directed by the respective actions of its rulers. It administrates its feudal control over its vast territory through fifteen provincial powers, with an Emperor or Empress acting as a near supreme ruler.

Before the Westland Empire's rise to power, the Bariquel continent was ruled by numerous disparate kingdoms, all bounded together through racial bonds. During this time, known to future generations as the Age of Divide, for over seven hundred years the West was engaged in a constant struggle between the five civilized racial groups, all combatants in a never-ending war. Throughout this time, countless atrocities were committed by each of the racial kingdoms to those who did not belong to their form, including slavery, and mass genocides. It was not until' Aylliana Ravenborne, and her Warden of the West, together with the Free Peoples of the West did wage war against the powers of Bariquel, and forged the virgin Westland Empire through the blood of the old.

While the Westland Empire's realm of power has fluctuated throughout the millennia, at its height, the Westland Empire's domain of power spanned across the entire continent of Bariquel, and small colonial territories within the eastern continent of Rahmiel, and the southern continent of Pathiel, as well as numerous island kingdoms across the Superior, Austral and Sundering Seas. However at present, all mentioned territories not apart of the Bariquel continent have succeeded from the Westland Empire and have become independent powers. However, that by no means suggests its influence over foreign powers has become stagnate in the modern age, as all the known world remains playing catch-up to the West.

For over a thousand years, the Westland Empire had remained the civilized world's sole superpower, unopposed by any comparable political entity, as its vast control of land, men, and resources were unmatched by all the known world combined. However, their seat of world power would be challenged by powers across the sea to the eastern continent of Rahmiel, home to numerous different independent kingdoms. The collective Eastern kingdoms would eventually unite as one in a paramilitary alliance known as the Eastern Union in the year 2,000 YM. Combined, the Eastern Union would nearly match the Westland Empire's power in military, economy, and culture, leading to centuries of hostility between the two continents.

In the year 2,830 YM, these hostilities between West and East would reach their ultimate breaking point, as nearly the whole of the civilized world became embroiled in a conflict known as the Alls-Rule War once the Eastern Union declared all-out war against the Westland Empire following numerous border skirmishes between outlying island colonies, as well as countless political acts of sabotage committed against them. During the Alls-Rule War, the Eastern Union began to unite itself and gathered allies from foreign shores to aid them in the battle against the West, while the Westland Empire did the same. The Western and Eastern powers would do battle with one another on both of their native continents, killing millions in destructive conflicts. At the war's end, much of the Known World would remain in total ruins, with the West losing much of its power and extent, and ultimately become overtaken by the East, with the Union holding a slim, but notable lead over the Empire.

Government

Empress of the West

The Westland Empire's monarch, the Empress and or Emperor of the West, is widely regarded as the single most powerful person on the whole of the planet. Any wish or whim the bearer of the Silver Crown has within them will be enacted with almost total impunity. Despite the power which they hold, the tenure of an emperor is oftentimes cut shorter than one would expect, due to many factors such as being ejected from the throne by the High Council, dying from the stress of a whole continent and its collective peoples placed upon their shoulders, assassinations, or simply wishing to abdicate power to their successor. Despite defaulting as a hereditary monarchy, the most one bloodline that has held power is those of the Spiritcrown line, who has had five of their kin sit on the Silver Throne.

Holding near total control and authority over the Empire, all provincial powers and their protectorates must swear absolute fealty to the Empress, less they be branded as traitors to the Empire and deposed. The Empress can choose to grant favors, titles, privileges, or even lands to both loyal and disloyal subjects alike, often the latter being granted land to be used as concessions for trade between them and the Crown. Despite this however, she has been known to exercise her royal prerogative by punishing any who dare defy her commands. This could take the form of an entire, currently disloyal province being stripped of the right to trade with other provinces, or being denied the use of roads which lead to places where trade is conducted.

High Council

Despite the near-absolute power and authority the Empress or Emperor of the West holds over the people of the Westland Empire, they are beholden to the power above them known as the Imperial Code of the West, a constitution governing the extent to which the acting monarch can exert their authority over the continent. How this is ensured is through an organization known as the High Council, an organization established in the year 1,074 YM following the death of Emperor Galthur Goldstone. Established by his successor, Empress Lumia Whitemoon, the newly crowned Empress founded the High Council to ensure that an Imperial monarch could never again overreach their power over the continent. Ever since the High Council has served as the arbiters of those who can remain in power, should they show cause to violate the higher code all must follow in the West Their power allows them to so decide that the current reigning royal family can be ejected from the throne by the High Council if they commit enough infractions against the established laws of the Imperial Constitution, replacing it with a new bloodline upon the nearest line of succession.