Achesia

Realm of Achesia Third Empire of Ackesia 痛みの領域 Troisième Empire d'Achesia
Flag COA of Achesia
Motto: Break Not Bend
Achesia as it sits in Anaia
Achesia and it's capitals.
Capital	Imperium (Monarchy) Fawnnorth (Secular)
Largest	Fawnnorth
Official language and national language	Ackari Common
Ethnic groups	79% Achesian 8% Aurdite 3% Sub-Achesian Groups 9% Other
Religion	Achari Grecian
Demonym(s)	Achesian
Government	Absolute Monarchy
• Ackular	Julian Requient the IV
• Protominister of the Five	Rodolf Requeint
Legislature	Senate
Formation
• The Kingdom of Ackesia	10 B.C.
• The Empire of Man	954 A.D.
• The Empire of Achesia	1294 A.D.
• The Realm of Achesia	1894 A.D.
Area
•	18,095,582 km2 (6,986,743 sq mi)
Population
• Estimate	923,723,000
• Density	51.1/km2 (132.3/sq mi)
GDP (PPP)	estimate
• Total	$20.321 Trillion
• Per capita	$22,000
HDI	0.68817 medium
Currency	Mag (₥)
Date format	dd/mm/yyyy (AD)
Driving side	right
Calling code	+8
ISO 3166 code	ACH

The Realm of Achesia commonly called Achesia, is a Monarchy in the region of Northern Herspera. It includes the Achesian mainland located on the continent of Narland, the Achesian' Faccade Islands that separate the Norcean and Aralas oceans, and the Peninsula of the Reach on the continent of Anaia. It is bordered on the north by the Norocean, on the south by Aurus, by the east by Hersprea. Achesia is the largest nation by area in Septentria. Achesia comprises of eight divisions.

The Realm of Achesia as an absolute Monarchy with a partial constitution that allows for the election of government figures. Its government capital city is Fawnnorth an important global city and financial center with an urban population of 13,208,00. The Monarchy's seat is Imperium. Achesia is the combination of eight different Achari speaking Kingdoms that at one time were each sovereign nations with both Aurusian and Meridian heritage. It wasn't until the 12th century that the prominent family of the then much smaller Realm of Achesia, the House of Requeint began to combine each of the Archari nations into one, thus forming the much larger Realm of Achesia.

Achesia is steeped in a devoted heritage to the monarchal leader the Ackular and the religion of the Achari Grecian. Much of the culture and heritage that Achesians holds is from that of the original Achesian people that resided in what is now the Realm, before the Meridian people migrated to the continent. It is renowned for its well persevered historical sites from the high middle ages and its numerous monuments to the monarchy. Its population is a religious and liyal one, being only half a century removed from complete feudal lifestyle. The recent advent of the Achesian Concord has given the Achesian people new political freedoms that some have taken more time getting used to than others. Achesia is known economically as a powerhouse with its exports centered in its massive weapons industry, manufacturing industry, and Information Technology.

Achesia is a semi-developed country and ranks as the largest by nominal GDP in the region and eleventh largest by purchasing power parity in 2015. While its urban areas are known as some of the most stunning cities in the world, much of the countryside is left undeveloped and what some would say, from another time. Achesia's extensive mineral and energy resources (the largest reserves in the region) have made it one of the largest producers of oil and natural gas regionally. Achesia is the region's biggest exporter of major arms in 2010-14, according to international data.

Etymology

The 1894 Achesian Concord declared the new formation of the third Realm of Achesia which would herald new economic and political freedoms for the people of Achesia. The word Achesia comes from the name of the aboriginal people that resided in what is now the Realm. The Achesian people were an oriental race that held deep sense of honor and sacred belief in their heritage. When large amounts of Meridian people migrated to the Achesian's lands some of them interbred with the Achesian people and their cultures mixed forming what is the Achesia we see today.

The standard way to refer to a citizen of Achesia is as a "Achesian."

History

Princess Tulera of Leben'on

Beginning as early as 10 B.C. the Requient family, which was steeped in both aboriginal Aurusian culture and Meridian culture, has been at the center of Achesian history, first coming to power over the much smaller Kingdom of Achesia after the Joining War, a civil war over the last of the Leben'on Dynasty’s Princesses, and the end of the struggle between both Meridian and aboriginal Aurusian cultures. Partially a religious conflict between members of the Meridian faith known as the Binodes and the mixed Meridian/Aboriginal Aurusian peoples practicing the Archari Cult. The Ackular left behind his unwed daughter to sit on the throne, thus causing a rift between the most powerful families behind the throne, each vying to have their son marry the Princess. Fifteen years of conflict passed and multiple Ackulars coming and going on the throne in Imperium, each marrying the Princess. Finally the first Requient Ackular, Julian the First, took the crown for his own establishing the longest dynasty in history, and ending hundreds of years of cultural strife and finalizing the new Achesian culture. It was a blend of the honor bound culture of the aboriginal Achesians and the culture of the migrant Meridians.

After a unstable century of conflict with several of its neighbors the Kingdom of Achesia began its war with the Avondales of the Kingdom of the Avonhold to the north. This conflict lasted for five years and the death of two Ackular's on the field of battle. After a prolonged and detracted siege of the Avonfort the House of Avondale submitted to the Kingdom of Achesia and became their vassal.

A large period of history began when the Ackular covered the majority of the continent of Evora began to branch out into the region of Septentria and colonize many different lands within the continent of Aurus. The foremost of these being the sun colonies which were located on the south eastern coast of Aurus. The ethnic population of those colonies since their inception were very hostile to what they saw as occupiers of their native land. This led to several bloody wars in the colonies until finally a massive break away of colonies in 1932 happened where 67% of the colonies and Aurus declared independence from Achesia. This led to a short lived war of secession which ended up in the eventual withdraw of the Achesian military. Most recently Achesia lost its last remaining colonies in Aurus with the exception of Lang'sun which it declared an independent city state protectorate.

Recent history for the Realm of Achesia includes a small conflict in the Sellenland where the Achesian military was called in on the side of the Kingdom of Aemen to quell civil uprising caused by Wankan ethnic population within the region.

Demographics

Population

Acheisa is a nation of deep national heritage. Many of its population are very loyal to their national identity but with ensuing generations this has lessened since the fall of the feudal realm. Society and culture is mainly centered around the family which are on average around six persons in size. These families are patriarchy in nature with the man being at the head of the household. However, the matron within the household is highly respected and often revered highly by almost all within the family. Typically family units live together within a homestead, making populations within individual family properties rather large and clan like.

A huge part of Achesian culture that stems from the aboriginal Achesians is the honor code in which all still live buy. This is largely a Militaristic code of honor in which a sense of face is often defended through combat. Ritualistic suicide is often part of this honor code when a man has lost face, however this practice is no longer as popular in the eyes of society as it once was, creating a modern stigma of honor killings/deaths that have paved the way for some cultural reforms.

Ancestor worship is also an important part of Achesian family culture as one's family past is highly regarded in their social standing. Often shrines of various sizes appear on family lands where families often visit to pay their respects to their past. Family members are typically buried on family grounds, but for the less fortunate in society who do not own land this is often hard. The richest often have grand spectacles for their shrines where statues and glyphs adorn the walls and grounds.

Culture

Values within Achesia center around education, which is a recent trend since the Concord and education being available to the masses and not just the aristocracy. Many families fund community schools that they send their children to make them of higher quality than the local government can provide. This is something that most provinces ruling over Achesia have embraced and have created programs much similar to a 401k where local governments match the communities contributions into their schools. Families often save large amounts of money to send their children to secondary education as well to give their children a better start on life than they had. Many of the older generation have some reservations about this, preferring to keep their families centralized observing an agrarian form of life like is tradition for much of Achesia.

Religion

Ancestor shrine outside village in central Achesia.

Religion in Acheisa is held in high regards within society. Achaeans practice Achari Grecian which is the monotheistic worship of the God of Summer (He is also known by the Dread Lord, The Lazy One, and the Defender). The focus of the religion is sacredness of the family and of the people of Achesia. The purity of Achesian blood is important in Achari Gregian. This is partially why foreigners are unliked and distrusted in Achesia as they are seen as defilers of Achesian purity.

In the history of Achari Gregian there has been little divine interaction besides the great purge which occurred when the Achari Gregian champion with the aid of the God of Summer drove out the god of the underworld: Silva from the land in ancient times. It is widely believed Dread Lord speaks to the Ackular in his fortress tower in Imperium. There he appears to them in dream form giving those blurry hints as to what he has intended for them. As such the Ackular is the leader of the Achari Gregian faith.

The afterlife in Achari Gregian is one that is sought after by many. It is a joyous place where the dead can reunite with their ancestors or loved ones and live on for eternity. To reach the afterlife however one must be a true servant of the God of Summer and not wane in the face of other influences.

The supernatural in Achesia is greatly feared and respected. To that end it is very rare to find "magic" users in Acheisa outside of the clergy of Achari Gregian. Most people leave anything considered remotely magic at the door and do not play in what they do not understand. Spirits are also respected within Acheisan society. It is a belief that all settlements or villages are home to a spirit which guards them from harm. Many make sacrifices to the spirits of their villages.

Worship is primarily an individual ritual that happens on a personal basis involving incense and meditation. Many travel or make pilgrimages to shrines of the Summer God throughout the Realm. Many villages have village shrines for its inhabitants. There are many holidays in the Achesian culture, most like King's day are to celebrate important Achesian figures including heroes, martyrs, and clergy. Other holidays are meant to celebrate harvest, new moons, or the changing of the seasons.

Obelisks often are central to Achari religious tradition and shrines.

The commandments and teachings of the Summer God are passed down orally by the Clergy of Achari Gregian. While some written text exists it is only kept in the vaults of Pactguard. Praetors travel around Achesia teaching the word of the summer god to the people. Mortals are said to be the children of the God of Summer and thus he looks down on them with love from his fortress in heaven. To represent our path to the afterlife the symbol of the labyrinth is often seen in Achesian culture. The dragon also is often seeing as it is the harbinger of death in Achari Gregian.

The deadly sins of Achari Gregian are: cowardice, lust, recklessness, and dishonesty. While the high virtues are: responsibility, thoughtfulness, honesty, humility, strength, diligence, and piety.

Geography

Topographical Map of Achesia

The total area of the The Realm of Achesia massive. The country occupies the major part of the Continent of Anaia and includes the islands of Faccade, the northeastern peninsula of The Reach and smaller surrounding islands. It lies between the Norocean and the Aralas Ocean. 45% of Achesia is forested, 21% used for pastures and 34% cultivated for agriculture.

Most of the country consists of Taigia terrain, with mountainous terrain in the central portion of the nation; including the Requinmount Mountains of the central ridge, the Reachments of the Reach, Stepmoores of the Faccade Islands. The main rivers and estuaries are the Fawnnoth, Plood, and Avonflow. Achesia's highest mountain is Mt. Julian.

The Realm of Achesia has a temperate climate, with plentiful rainfall all year round. The temperature varies with the seasons seldom dropping below −11 °C (12 °F) or rising above 35 °C (95 °F). The prevailing wind is from the north-east and bears frequent spells of mild and wet weather from the Aralas Ocean, although the eastern parts are mostly sheltered from this wind since the majority of the rain falls over the eastern regions the western parts are therefore the driest. Sirius currents, warmed by the Hot Stream, bring mild winters; especially in the east where winters are wet and even more so over high ground. Summers are warmest in the south-west of Achesia, being closest to the Herseprea mainland, and coolest in the north. Heavy snowfall can occur in winter and early spring on high ground, and occasionally settles to great depth away from the hills.

Government

Tower of Ascendancy, Seat of the Ackular in Imperium.

The government of the Realm of Achesia is centered around the monarch who is both Head of State and Head of government. The Ackular delegates much of the management of the government to a cabinet of five ministers known as the The Five Pillars that are headed by the Protominister, an elected chief executive chosen by popular election for six year terms. The Protominister acts on the Ackualr's behalf to control the government in the name of the people, but still ultimately answers to the monarch for his decisions. The Senate is elected by the people to serve 2 year terms to represent their interests with the Ackular.

Royal Succession

Succession in the Realm of Achesia is determined by descent, sex, legitimacy, and religion. Under the Achesian Concord, the Crown is inherited by a sovereign's children or by a childless sovereign's nearest collateral line. The heir apparent to the throne is typically announced upon the current monarch's crowning, should there be a legitimate heir. Such an heir is titled the Crown Prince, or Princess should there be no male in line.

The Role of the Ackular

Royal Pendant

For centuries Achesia had existed as a monarchy ruled by the Ackular who held absolute power. Since the Achesian Concord some rights have been given to the people and the government reformed with some democratically elected portions such as the office of the Protominister and the body of the Senate. While ultimately the Ackular holds final power over decisions of state, the monarchy has observed restraint in recent history towards allowing elected officials to make decisions that were deemed as little consequence to the objectives of the crown.

Mainly the Ackular has the power to veto any legislation or decision by any party lower than them, power to make treaties with other nations, power over the economy and currency, and power over trade. The High Command of the military also reports directly to the Ackular. The Ackular makes almost all decisions that involves the Achesian people, he controls matters they deem to be of great importance to the state and oversee all that happens within the nation. The Ackular serves for life and upon his death the next male member of the House of Requient takes his place.

The Role of the Protominister

The Chief Executive of the Realm (titled, Protominister) is the administrative head of the Achesian government. He is elected by popular vote by the people of Achesia every six years and can serve only 1 term.

The Protominister has many duties with regards to being "acting" head of the government: Approval or Veto of Legislation from the Senate, Power to sign international treaties, issuing executive orders, accountability of national corporations, creator of government budgets, appointment of 4 senators, administration of the many provinces, and head of the 5 Pillars.

Branches of Governance

The government itself is broken into 4 different branches, each headed by the Ackular.

The Five Pillars

First branch is that of the official administration which is known as the Five Pillars. It consists of the 5 Ministries lead by the Pillars (Ministers) and the Protominister: Ministry of Interior and Statecraft, Ministry of Industry Trade & Transportation, Ministry of Education & Health, Ministry of Treasury, Ministry of Culture and Integrity. These ministers are appointed by the Senate and approved by the Ackular who also may overturn the Senate's recommendation and appoint whom he pleases.

The Senate

See Image Description for Details

Secondly the government consists of the Senate, a collection of Senators that represent each part of Achesia. The Senate assembles itself in Fawnnorth, they give advisement and suggestions to the Ackular so that he may hear representation of each people group within his realm. The Senate of the Realm is made up of 2 Senators from every 50,000 of population in Achesia. These are divided up into various constituencies that are decided upon via census. These Senators serve four year terms and can serve up to four terms. The Senate is responsible for ratifying laws, judging charges of public officials, confirming appointments to many offices within the Realm, approving government contracts, appointing ambassadors, maintaining the military, vetting tax changes prior to their approval by the executive and monarch, approving trade deals with foreign nations, and to regulate commerce.

Achesian Hegemonic Guard

Main article: Achesian Hegemonic Guard

The third branch is the military known as the Hegemonic Guard. This branch of the government is completely separate from the administration and answers to the Ackular and/or his heir alone. The commanders of the Hegemonic Guard report to the Ackular or the senior member of the Requient Dynasty for all orders and complete their will to the letter. The supreme commander controls the branches of the military in their day to day operations and gives the monarch a brief daily, if not more. The Protominister does not enter the chain of command for the military.

The Ackari Cult

Thirdly exists the Achari Cult which for which the Achkular is the religious head, the official Cult controls all matters that pertain to religion within the Realm as well as the doctrine of the greater Achari community. They often are the cultural arm of the government and enforce standards throughout the nation and enact moral laws and regulations.

Foreign Relations and the Military

Main articles: Foreign Relations of Achesia and Achesian Hegemonic Guard

The Sun Dial, Headquarters of the Hegemonic Guard

The Realm of Achesia holds a unique place within the realm of Septentria politics as one of the major super powers. With the largest population and GDP it also spends an incredible amount of money and resources on diplomatic efforts. Focused on ensuring its exports and trade lines are maintained, the Achesian model of diplomatic effort is largely neutral and non-interventionist in nature. Typically hiding behind the scenes and using more divisive measures to accomplish it's objectives on the international stage. However, when necessary Achesian foreign policy has been known to enact direct pressure, be it economic or militarily to meet the needs of the situation.

The Hegemonic Guard is a well-organized collection of warriors from all backgrounds and levels of training collectively fighting for the glory of Achesia. Though it is mainly comprised of personnel from the Resolutes (ancient military caste) it also consists of other volunteers from all walks of life. Exclusion of other castes within the military ended many years ago allowing others to join. The tradition however of those from the Resolute caste making up the bulk of the military still stands. A more recent addition to the armed forces is various Private Military Companies that fight under contract for the Hegemonic Guard.

Achesian Aerial Guard MAS.84 airdropping supplies over Aurde.

The Hegemonic Guard is broken down into four branches each with its own specialty and area of responsibility. The Terrestrial Guard is the main body of the Hegemonic Guard, it is the ground pounding land force that carries Achesia into battle. The Aerial Guard is the Air arm of the Hegemonic Guard which is responsible for the skies over Achesia, all aircraft, and space. The Hegemonic Navy is the sea power within the Hegemonic Guard and controls the inter-coastal waterways, shipping lanes, force projection, sea logistics, and sea born aircraft.

With the recent change to a more neutral stance and less intervention doctrine within the Hegemonic Guard, the prevalence of private military contractors has skyrocketed in recent years. Warriors and warrior leaders who feel that the action they seek is not found within the Hegemonic Guard have formed many different PMCs that fight for hire by the many other nations of Septentria and the world. PMCs such as Gold Fellow's Brigade, Rainer Solutions dominate this field in many different sectors.

Economy

The Realm is a more conservative nation when it comes to the world scale. This is mostly due it's historical isolation from the rest of the world. Since the Achesian Concord of 1966 it has slowly entered the world markets and Achesian goods are being exported with great demand. Achesian resources as well have been found aboard to include one of its chief exports, military hardware.

Infrastructure

Personal transportation is dominated by automobiles, which operates on a system of 2,908,454 miles of roads.

Trains however are the primary means of getting between cities within Achesia as they are cheap and affordable for the average subject of the Realm. Massive railway network was developed in the early 70s to support both commerce and the military. Other public modes of transportation especially within the larger cities include buses and rail cars that transport commuters to and from their place of work.

While there are several nationalized air lines within Achesia there are also many different corporate airlines that operate throughout the land. Airports themselves fall under the Ministry of Transportation.

Energy

Achesia uses a high amount of energy per capita. About 25% of Achesia's electricity comes from nuclear power plants, with uranium mined in Uyayagerc. Other electricity sources are from vast natural gas and coal reserves. Most of Achesia's transportation sector uses petroleum. Most of Achesia' energy is nationalized but some companies are allowed to operate smaller operations for unique needs of the nation.