World Garden Empire

Super Power

No other nation has come as close as the mighty World Garden to achieving power like Old Dratarian. In terms of size and economic power, the World Garden could potentially give the ancient civilization a run for its money, quite literally. Despite likely having less military power than many of the other world powers, Imperial Drakes are the commonly used currency across multiple continents. The Order of Aristea, Cremmevia, Karadi, and Andros utilize the Imperial Drake, and Her Majesty's face is stamped in gold in every one of her opponent's treasuries. In terms of influencing the cultures of the world, none can call themselves the World Garden's better. They plant their influence across Thelekar, and the flowers that grow become one of the many provinces of the Empire. So far, the World Garden is divided amongst four major provinces: Imperia Rose, Imperia Viola, Imperia Hellia, and Imperia Poppea. However, Hellia and Poppea are competitors, and only the one that proves most successful will remain an independent province. For now, however, they are independent of one another and compete for resources and trade routes with the Ardina Compact.   Given its size, each province has its own Governor. They all, however, answer to the Silver Palace, and whoever sits upon the Ivy Throne. Her Majesty Empress Alessandra Urelia Rosa IV, Child of the Divine, Queen of Flowers, Lady of the Silver Palace, Keeper of the God Eye, Empress of the World, Our Holy Caretaker currently sits upon the throne, and has for longer than anyone guessed she would. Despite being half-elven, she has reached 173 years of age, and looks as young as she did when she first put on her crown. While some amongst the lower nobility and merchant houses may whisper about the need for a change in leadership, the Elder Council has never even threatened to put to a vote ending her reign. Much like the Elder Council, many of the common folk of the empire would not see a new ruler either. It is commonplace to see a portrait of Alessandra upon the hearth of a small, two room home, or a place for her on small home altars. To see a bastard daughter who had the deck stacked against her rise above all her trials and tribulations and come out the other side on top is the perfect demonstration of the Imperial Dream, that anyone can become anyone in the empire. With enough hard work, even a farmhand from the colonies could build a palace around them, just like their Empress.   

The Provinces

Imperia Viola is the most dangerous of the Imperial Provinces, bordering on the Reta Woodlands on 3 sides. It has expanded little beyond the thick stone walls of the city, and it repels incursions from nature itself every other day. The native treants have sworn to never allow them entry further into the continent, and whatever the treants decide becomes reality within the ever changing and evolving Forest. Due to their only trade partners being the Highland cities to the north west, Viola has become the defacto training camp for the Imperial Navy and Legion. When a young soldier signs up to join one of the World Garden's many provinces, they are sent to Viola to train alongside veteran soldiers and battle back the encroaching forests. The Marble Bay is very deep, once a leviathan spawning ground according to the Highland Orcs, and it allows them to use the Viola ports as a massive shipyard.   Imperia Hellia is the most successful of the three colonies, by far. Thanks to a blossoming relationship with the Ardina Compact, not a day goes by that gold isn't flowing through its ports. If you purchase dragonpowder anyone other than a Karadian merchant, you're buying powder that has passed through Hellia's port. Fine cloth, crates upon crates of salt, rare minerals and gems, the wealth of Ardina is available right in the New Odesus market.   Imperia Poppea is another story, however. The colonist party that landed on the western shores of Ibar were forced to carve a city into the jagged cliffs. Ibar proved far too dangerous for any construction thanks to its needle forests, and just north of Ibar was The Grey Wastes. New Bloom was built upon the only available land hospitable to life, and the governor of Poppea has made due. Trade with the Ibarans, while not as fruitful as with the jungle cities in Hellia, is enough to fund his efforts. The rare alchemical reagents within Ibar, as well as the populations incredible knack for building vehicles, has given the Empress enough reason to allow him to continue his efforts. The governor has carved multiple airship factories into the jagged spires of stone making up his island, improving upon the imperial designs every day thanks to hired Ibaran mechanics. His crowning achievement currently flies as the Imperial Airforce's flagship, the Golden Dragon. It is capable of launching smaller airships into battle, and repairing those airships should they become damaged, all without landing or refueling.   Despite the power afforded by the colonies, the World Garden would be nothing without Imperia Rosa. As the center of imperial influence, and really the center of the world, it is the hub of global trade. Ships travelling along eastern Arith will undoubtedly stop in Saltwatch to resupply, while the world's greatest healers traveling to Turrim stop in Bloom to offer their services to the sick. Scholars headed to research the infection in Tarrastov bring with them years of knowledge to share with the Imperial Text, the longest recorded historical document on the planet. The Dratarian city of Septen is a sight to behold, rivaling even the mighty Voletaria in beauty. The clothing to come from Redhawk is envied throughout the world, as are the gems mined and cut in Fortis. The bovitaur clans of Hogar have sworn fealty to Her Majesty, bringing their incredible might to her army. The World Garden is reaping the power it has sewn for centuries, and while its army might not be as large as Aristea's or Draica's, it is of the highest quality.  

The Imperial Legion

In the Fifth Age, most armies are made up of a number of smaller forces that have all sworn loyalty to a singular leader; this is most exemplified by the armies of the Order of Aristea, all flying the banners of different houses and kingdoms, yet all answering the call of the King of Voletaria when war time comes. The Imperial Legion, however, is a central force that spans multiple continents with unified purpose and unified training. Ever legionnaire knows exactly how the soldiers to their left and right are trained, and can trust they will act as one, cohesive unit. This comradery is enhanced by a culture of military excellency when they return home, where they will often find they can skip lines for public transit, enjoy discounted goods and services, and have a community of veteran legionnaires waiting for them. This sense of brotherhood and support from the people they are protecting has led to the Imperial Legion thriving, despite its relatively smaller population. This force of will and strict training can allow an imperial phalanx of ten men fight like a hundred more, holding the line against forces many times their size.    It is often said that the Legion has never lost a fight, and it may very well be true. This is not through some sort of divine intervention or through their exceptional training, however. It is instead a result of Imperial thinking and strategy. Generals will rarely engage in a battle they are unsure of winning, choosing to lose territory or resources over losing their own men. Places and objects matter little outside of major cities, but even in the case of such large townships, generals have been known to sue for peace when their odds aren't better than 50/50. General Caius Hadrin once ceded Arx Lapis to a Girdellan remnant army, despite knowing it would not gain him any fame or glory. He did this knowing the fractured Girdellans would eat themselves alive without a common enemy in the legion, and he was proven right just a year later, when scouts reported infighting within the gates of the castle. He retook the city within an hour of arriving.    This strategic concept of simply abandoning castles and cities to retake them later has influenced the way smaller towns are built. Empire-spanning roads are built and maintained like veins throughout the countryside, allowing carts easy traveling conditions. In the Fifth Age, all but the largest buildings in the outlier settlements are able to become mobile, propelled by beasts of burden, or even magic for the wealthy. When word reaches a magistrate of an impending bandit threat, the population will simply pick up their towns and ride a number of miles up the road to the next town, keeping the people safe while giving the Legion more time to prepare for the coming battle.

Imperium Invictum

Founding Date
391 Third Age
Capital
Alternative Names
Flower Empire, The Imperium
Predecessor Organization
Demonym
Imperials
Government System
Corporatocracy
Economic System
Market economy
Official State Religion
Subsidiary Organizations
Controlled Territories
Related Ethnicities

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