Silver Empire

-Overview-The Silver Empire (in the imperial tongue, Imperium Argentum) is one of the oldest known states in the Airship Pirates Universe. For generations, the Empire had the largest population of any nation in the world, and is well known for its metropolitan capital, Verace. The Empire is not so much a unified continuation of a single administration, as in the case of most nations (such as the Kingdom of Lanier) but rather a cultural ideal which promotes the existence of a strong, orderly, and efficient government and shrewd mercantile class. Over the last two centuries, the Empire has fought in multiple global conflicts, most notably the The War of Acquisition, the Trade War, the War of Redemption, and the Wars of the Alliances.

-History-

-Founding-

The Empire first began its existence as a group of innovative merchants who emerged from the native people living along the Ventis Gulf and the Sunkschiff Isle. These peoples, though isolationist, maintained close relations with the surrounding city-states on which their trade depended on. However, longstanding cultural traditions impeded the path of technological progress, allowing for the surrounding regions to view the Ventis Peoples as primitive.

The original engineers, tradesmen, and scholars who departed their homes to create a new nation were known as the Veraecians, Settling at the strait between the Sunkschiff Isle and the western coast of the Ventis Gulf, they founded what would, over the years, become known as Verace, the Silver City,

The Veraecians quickly found themselves gaining power and influence over their neighbors, and within one generation had found themselves a place as the seat of Ventis Gulf commerce. Their mercantile republic, once streamlined and efficient, no longer could manage the relatively large influx of trade that swarmed the wooden docks of Verace. Thus a new administration was formed, designed on Imperial precepts unlike any the world had previously seen. A new law code, privileging the merchant class, was drafted, and the first true "Silver Empire" was born.

-Early Conquests-

The new administration of the Empire abandoned the original disdain for warfare and set about militarizing the nation, inviting engineers and soldiers from across the continent to venture to the early war academies to design massive war machines in the name of the empire. Only a few of these designs remain in existence, being almost exclusively maintained at the Schola Militum Imperialis in Verace. These pre-aerial designs depended on constant maintenance from a crew of skilled engineers, but were innovative enough to see through with the conquest of the entire Ventis Gulf and the surrounding regions. The largest, and most aggressive of the city-states was the Jarldom of Sunkschiff, maintaining their fierce independence until finally, the Jarl submitted to the Imperial Legions. Citizenship to the Empire was granted to all who willingly accepted the Imperial armies into their lands through hegemony, and a new culture was welded together. Finally the Imperials had established an Empire.

-Life in the early Empire-

After the aforementioned conquests, the Empire halted its expansion and allowed their society to develop. The ancient language, previously declining in the face of the southern tongue, once again became commonplace in administrative documents and among the common people. Many of the surrounding cities modernized, but still remained small, hiving off excess citizens to new, undeveloped locations along the Gulf, founding small trading posts and administrative centers, Many of the colonies continued in this pattern, with the notable exception of Sunkschiff, which sought to regain its population after the massacre from Imperial forces.

Much of the early groundwork of modern Verace was founded, with the first bridges and avenues being cobbled down, awaiting further expansion. The Forum, originally the site of the first settlement, was cleared out, and plans were drafted for massive Administrative buildings, such as the Imperial Curia and the grand universities. Trade flourished, and with it the arts saw a new golden age expressing the ideal form; strong, steadfast tacticians and engineers among wise, prudent women. The Aquila (eagle) was adopted as the symbol of Imperial Might, and its likeness was found everywhere within the Empire. Banners of red and white were commonplace in homes and public buildings, and the popularity of Imperial citizenship grew exponentially.

Religions, being diverse and mystical, were less appreciated than in the societies of the tribal ancestors of the Imperials, but a pantheon was adopted, thought to keep the Empire in good fortune.

Politically, the early Empire was technically an aristocratic republic, with an increasingly archaic tradition of republican values held within a senate of elites. Over time, this aristocratic system would start privileging their own over the needs of the realm, preempting the civil disorder to follow.

-Decline of the First Empire and Rise of Drekken the Great-

Around 75 BED, the Empire began a period of civil turbulence after a number of ineffective leaders had rendered the administration inert and trade had begun to decrease. Riots erupted over government corruption, and many fires cleared out the ancient city-states which had for so long been the anchors of Imperial Culture. The First Age of Darkness, too, had taken its toll on the empire, after the strict demands of sentries had been repealed, and traders required guards to oversee transactions.

A young general, statesman, and political philosopher, known to the modern world as Drekken the Great, led a popular movement to reform the aging Imperial customs and join a globalizing world despite the Empire's emphasis on isolationism. His popularity among the decaying legions and the merchants allowed him to muster large forces which ultimately capitulated the Empire. Upon the fall of Verace in 15 BED, his forces (stationed at what is now the Verace Airworks) marched into the center of the city, among crumbling brick facades, and thrust his sword into the soil at the center of the forum, declaring a new age for the Silver Empire and the world. A triumphal arch (the Arcus Drekenii) was built over that spot, and commemorates the founding of the Second Empire.

After Drekken's assumption the remnants of the archaic government of the First Empire were exiled from the Imperial provinces, resulting in a long exodus through the Verace Pass, into the unforgiving wastes and south to the Ignis Jungle along the Rage Sea, where they came to inhabit an ancient trading post. This collection of Imperials maintained their ancient tongue and established the city-state of Janportus.

-The Second Empire-

Drekken immediately went about sending large envoys to the notable powers of the day, offering lucrative trade agreements with any who would accept his diplomats. Verace immediately found itself, once again, as the center of world trade, and the wealth of the region allowed for massive fields to be managed around the city, constantly feeding the Imperial populace and the world at large.

The Empire, under Drekken, actively supported the four heroes who ventured to the den of the Ender Dragon, and maintained positive relations with the Archer, Lanner, gifting her a suit of armor and many other gifts now found at the Royal Palace at Aerie-on-the-Isle. This early alliance was one of the major factors contributing to the rise of the Kingdom of Lanier centuries later.

One of the consequences of Drekken's purge was an increasing use of the increasingly common Southern language, today simply known as Common. While this distanced the Empire from its roots, it allowed for the fledgling global economy existent after the First Age of Darkness to rely on a common language. The empire morphed slowly into a de-facto autocracy, with successive 'Drekkenii' (kings) of various importance. By around 500 AED, however, the authority of the emperor and the imperial court had been effectively undermined by the rising influence of the Cappalii, a group of merchants whose collective wealth was greater than the rest of the Empire's combined. Seeing the emperor as an obstacle to further profits, the Cappalii led a successful coup against the throne, replacing the domus Drekkenii, the Imperial Palace, with the Curia building, which still stands today. The Capals also instituted the Board of Regulators, which prevented the Cappalii from overtly attacking each other. Over the next 250 years, the Cappalii (eventually abbreviated to Capal) would reshape the Empire into the state known today.

-The Third Empire-

While the Board of Capals searched for ways to increase their wealth, they put forth immense effort into their individual engineering divisions, each Capal seeking to gain a competitive advantage over the others. The greatest of these technical victories was the development of the first Airships by 515 AED. Initially constructed only of light wood and balloons for lifting gas, these early Airships were used to immensely advance the reach of the Imperial economy, which now could regularly trade with Janportus and the fledgling Kingdom of Lanier. Unfortunately, the invention of the Airship also resulted in the military reach of the Kingdom growing great enough to challenge the Empire directly, even if the Empire had a much greater population. In the first large scale airborne conflict between the Empire and Lanier around 560 AED, the Kingdom was able to leverage its superior geographic position from Aerie to force the Imperials from their ill-defended colony at Philanellus, which had required the Imperials to supply their forces from behind the Katskyll Mountains. The subsequent occupation of Philanellus (renamed Fillanel) allowed Lanier to effectively secure political control south of the Katskyll Mountains for another 200 years.

The loss of Fillanel was a major shock to both the Capals and the citizens of the Third Empire. For as long as the Imperial culture had existed, their population size, in conjunction with their wealth and culture, had made the Imperials consider themselves the bastion of civilization. The defeat in the Katskyll War would come to wound the Imperial psyche so severely that the Empire, which had slowly expanded over the prior thousand years, was forced to stop its cycle of conquest and set its borders by the Katskyll range in the south and west, the Eastern Argean in the east, and the Stovak Ocean in the north. These borders still roughly outline the Imperial heartland.

By 740 AED, the Capals had grown resentful of the limitations on Imperial conquest, and so began planning to weaken the Kingdom of Lanier. By this time King George was on the throne in Aerie, and his inattention to Imperial plotting allowed Capal Dives to fund the rebellion which deposed the Duke of Fillanel on 7 Nethmon, 740 AED. The subsequent political chaos in the Kingdom allowed Dives and his protege, Crassus, to gain an enormous amount of leverage over the King, including the immigration of many of Janportus' Imperial population, fleeing the occupation from Lanier. Crassus also obtained the plans for the first torpedo airskiffs, which allowed the Empire to gain a decisive lead in carrier operations.

Capal Crassus, however, had arranged for the acquisition of one of the most potent weapons yet developed - the White Missile. The Empire had held territory since the Katskyll War which the Kingdom claimed as its own, and, using the growing tension as leverage, Crassus convinced the Capals to cede the territory to Lanier in exchange for the Missile. Unfortunately, en route to Verace the Missile was captured by Robert Bellamy and his band of Pirates, leaving Crassus and the Empire shortchanged. Seeking repayment, the Empire ambushed and firebombed the Lanierian shipyards at Emerald Bay on 7 Decimon, 752 AED, starting the War of Acquisition.

The War of Acquisition would become the decisive blow to the Silver Empire, which in desperation had effectively granted Capal Crassus autocratic power. Crassus' takeover culminated with the execution of the High Regulators on 30 Nethmon, 755 AED. Although Crassus had overseen many early victories (even touring the captured South Haven on 4 Secamon, 755 AED), the tides of war slowly turned against the Empire, first with the loss of South Haven by Septemon, 755, and again with the destruction of the Eastern Fleet at the Battle of the Ventis Gulf on 28 Persumon, 756 AED. By 13 Nethmon of the same year, Verace had been occupied by the forces of the Old Alliance, with Crassus deposed by his own lieutenants.

Post-War, Verace became a political powder keg, with the Imperial insistence of cultural superiority reacting to foreign occupation similarly to pouring water on an extremely hot pan. Guerrilla resistance movements popped up, and had gained significant influence in Verace in the year between the collapse of the Third Empire and the ascension of the Dragon Egg. The arrival of the Second Age of Darkness and the withdrawal of Lanier from Imperial lands on 13 Katamon, 757 AED resulted in the complete collapse of the Imperial economy. Verace itself became infested with the 'biologics' (colloquially known as zombies), and became an ultimately inhospitable place. Enormous famine and poverty decimated the population, with the remaining Capals being forced to pick up the pieces. Led by Capal Anthony 'Crow' Corvus, the remnants of the old Imperial government went East, renaming themselves 'The Last of the Imperium'.

- Interregnum -

By 1 Septemon, 759 AED, Capal Crow had reestablished the majority of the remaining Imperial forces in a Directorate at the formerly Lanierian outpost of Stovak. During this time, the base of Crow's economy came from the lucrative route of trading iron from Stovak to Aerie-on-the-Isle, and bringing Quartz back to Stovak. So valuable was this trade route that Stovak quickly became a cornerstone of the fledgling economy. Crow's policies, however, would generate significant tension. In the aftermath of the War of Acquisition, many Imperials (including some who had collaborated with the Lanierians) fled to an island (Loravium) at the base of the Rage Sea. After conquering the local Meridian tribes, they built a new state, the Destrian Empire, with a flourishing capital at Lorave. Capal Crow, desperate to consolidate the remaining Imperial forces, demanded that the Destrians return to their homeland and aid in the restoration of the Empire. The Destrians refused. Additionally, Crow attempted to place taxes on merchants coming to Verace, hoping to generate enough revenue to finance the ambition reconquest of Verace. By 16 Primon, 760 AED, the aggression of Capal Crow had prompted the wrath of Robert Bellamy once again, who launched an ambush on the carrier S.E.V. Portus, under the command of Director Gaius Spedius Imperius. The attack effectively rendered the L.O.T.I.'s finances insolvent, and put the Capals at a severe disadvantage in the Trade War.

- Trade War and Fourth Empire -

While Crow and the remaining Capals attempted an attack on South Haven on 21 Primon, it was clear Crow was losing favor at home. Along with Director Spedius, Director Essendor, who had become a major financier of Crow's government, decided that the Trade War risked destroying any hope the Imperials had of restoring their capital. Negotiating with First Lord Devawn of Lanier, the two directors obtained assurance that their coup would be supported by both domestic and foreign actors alike, and after assuming control of the Jarl's estate in Stovak, the two announced a ceasefire. On 1 Secamon, 760, the (new) Treaty of Aerie was signed, condemning the actions of Capal Crow and the 'Imperium Vetus' (old empire), and announcing the creation of the Imperium Argentum, now led by High Capal Essendor. Lanier agreed to formally return control of Stovak to the Empire in exchange for an alliance and a vow that the new government would avoid outward aggression. After the construction of a new constitution, Essendor (along with now-Capal Spedius and Capal Latios) ruled as a triumvirate.

The High Capals ruled not as kings, but as diplomatic heads of state appointed from the Board of Capals by plebiscite. High Capalship was originally elected for a term of 4 months, which was later extended to 8 months and later still to 12 months. The list of High Capals are as follows: Several significant events occurred during the reign of the High Capals. The Imperium Argentum found itself locked in a series of skirmishes with Crow's government, which had established itself as the State of Kerkida in the Wyrmtail Mountains, far north of Stovak. Crow still claimed rightful leadership of the Empire, and frequently launched raiding attacks into the Ventis Gulf to impede the efforts of the High Capals. As the Imperium drew closer to liberating the city, Crow attacked Stovak, starting the brief War of Ascension (12 Tiamon, 761 - 18 Kiafamon, 761), in which Crow and the Kerkidians attempted thrice to take Stovak, Finally, having been repelled, the Kerkidians agreed to the Treaty of Stovak, which guaranteed the Kerkidians access to the Silver City and the right to claim ancestry from the Third Silver Empire, but confirmed the Imperium as the legitimate successor state and Fourth Silver Empire. High Capal Spedius also presided over the Reclamation of Verace after four years of desolation on 20 Septemon, 761, known thereafter as Reclamation Day.
 * Essendor: 1 Secamon, 760 - 17 Persumon, 760
 * Latios: 18 Persumon, 760 - 21 Kiafamon, 760
 * Essendor: 22 Kiafamon, 760 - 21 Secamon, 761
 * Spedius: 22 Secamon, 761 - 30 Persumon, 762
 * Latios: 1 Tiamon, 762 - 30 Secamon, 763
 * Spedius: 1 Katamon, 763 - 6 Decimon, 763
 * Interregnum - 6 Decimon, 763 - 4 Primon, 764
 * Emilia: 4 Primon, 764 - 3 Septemon, 764
 * Elias: 4 Septemon, 764 - 15 Heromon, 765
 * Aquilus: 16 Heromon, 765 - 19 Septemon, 766
 * Lucenious: 20 Septemon, 766 - 27 Heromon, 767
 * Alphus: 28 Heromon, 767 - 12 Heromon, 769
 * Interregnum - 12 Heromon 769 - 2 Secamon, 770
 * Aterus: 2 Secamon, 770 - 6 Decimon, 770
 * Senarii (as Imperator) - 7 Decimon, 770 - 14 Secamon, 772

- The First War of Alliances -

The Imperium enjoyed two years of triumph before the High Capals became drunk with victory. In their hubris, the Imperium lost sight of its initially defensive military aims. On 4 Heromon, 763, a pair of Imperial gunships arrived off the coast of Elyra, the capital of the Serene Republic of Elyra. The gunships, commanded by Capal Latios, demanded payment of 3 million senarii for the SRE's attack on two Imperial Directors, who had been trading in the Southern Argean. The Elyrans refused, sparking the first War of Alliances (4 Heromon, 763 - 6 Decimon, 763 AED). Although a short war, the War of Alliances was the first global war the world had seen since the War of Acquisition, which had ended 7 years prior. The War of Alliances (WOA I) split the nations of the world along two broad lines; the South Haven Submersible Fleet and the Kingdom of Lanier attacked the Imperium in defense of Elyra, reforming the legendary Old Alliance. In total, the O.A. nations included the SHSF, the Kingdom of Lanier, the Serene Republic of Elyra, the Kerkidian State, and the Destrian Empire. The Imperium responded through the creation of the Imperial League (better known as the Western Coalition) comprised of the Imperium Argentum, the Tackt State (Modern Kofearia), the Republic of Aveline, The Kingdom of Iridium, and (until their separate peace) the Devorian Loravian Republic (DLR). The bulk of the fighting occurred in and arround the Ventis Gulf, which saw endless destruction of roads, bridges, and the indiscriminate destruction of Imperial villages. The Old Alliance armies were able to force their way into Stovak (the home of the renovated Imperial Classis Argea) on 8 Septemon, 763 and the subsequent capture of Sunkschiff by 13 Septemon of the same year. As the forces of the Old Alliance surrounded Verace for the second time. As the prospect of Imperial collapse once again loomed, High Capal Spedius, nearing the end of his second High Capalship, lost touch with reality and in his megalomania declared himself the reincarnation of Capal Crassus. At the request of the board, Spedius abdicated from the High Capalship and fled to Auralis, his ancestral home. There his body was discovered, ostensibly a result of suicide. Capal Aquila, acting as interim High Capal, immediately called for an Armistice, which was granted, effectively ending the first War of Alliances. In the aftermath of the war, while most crimes were attributed to the bloodthirsty Spedius, Capal Latios was also sentenced to death after a military tribunal held by the Old Alliance, chaired by the aging First Lord of Lanier, Devawn. Thus the first generation of leaders of the Fourth Empire met their end.

-Interwar Years -

-WOA II-

-Elias/Alphus - Attempted Coup -

-Military Junta under Aterus/Senarii -

-Treaty of Imperial Union-

-WOA III-

-Imperatrix Arxe-

[In Progress, contact Spedius for more information.]