Kingdom of Artorias

Kingdom of Artorias Reino das Artorias (Lusivelian)
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: "Mãe Lua, Abençoe os seus Filhos com sua Graça" "Mother Moon, Bestow Your Grace Upon Your Children"
Anthem: A Marcha Real
Artorias and its surroundings
Capital	Castelágua
Largest city	Ravinabarrense
Official languages	Lusivelian Arkanian Imperial Bracian
Other languages	Ikelian Lusikelian Mutese Vulgar Bracian Ornutic Languages Olpan Corrotillan Tendarese Dialects Linhuese Anglese
Ethnic groups (1800 After Tarnaken)	32.2% Lusivelian 15.4% Ikelian 13.6% Mutese 10.1% Mixed 6% Olpa 5.3% Tendarese 4.1% Ornuto-Dargol 2.8% Xiahouese 2.5% Corrotillans 2% Corsew 1.3% Anglese 4.7% Other Ethnicities
Religion (1800 After Tarnaken)	51 % Birdinism (Official) 10.8% Marseanism 9.3% Sasianism 5.1% Mutese Pantheon 4.1% Dorekai 3.9% Demonish Sects 3.5% Irreligion 2.6% Olpa Pantheon 2.1% Gongfuism 2% Velantism 5.6% Other Religions
Demonym(s)	Artorian
Government	Federal theocratic parliamentary monarchy
• Divine Queen	Ricardina das Artorias
• Minister-President	Tarcísio Amorim
• Grand-Matriarch	Teodórica Lanejo
• Fortifex Maximus	Triumtur Maoiz
Legislature	Royal Parliament
• Upper house	The Senate
• Lower house	Legislative Assembly
Independence from the Bracian Empire
• Independence	12 August 892 A.T.
• Foundation of the Artorian Crown	5 January 943 A.T.
• Miracle of Peixinhos	4 May 1320 A.T.
• Revolution of Ravinabarrense	27 June 1689 A.T.
Area
• Total	7,530,200 km2 (2,907,400 sq mi)
Population
• 1800 A.T. census	174,293,000
GDP (nominal)	1800 A.T. estimate
• Total	$ 4.123 trillion
• Per capita	$23,658
Gini (1800 A.T.)	49 high
HDI (1800 A.T.)	0.842 very high
Currency	Artorian Crown (CA$) (ARC)
Time zone	UTC +6 to UTC +10
Date format	dd-mm-yyyy (CE)
Driving side	right
Calling code	+231
Internet TLD	.art

The Kingdom of Artorias, also known as Artorias, Terra Artoriana, or Artorian Crown, is a semi-constitutional monarchy in the western half of the continent of Echia. Its origins can be traced back to the region of Avugia, in the adjacencies of the contemporary city of Ravinabarrense. It was supposedly founded by Tarnaken, the legendary founder of the Artorik dynasty and the Celestial Kingdom (Palanal Kailenate in Ikelian). The Celestial Kingdom was the predecessor of the Artorian Crown. Tarnaken, the prophet-king and mage, united the five nations of Avugia and led the Ikelians against incursions from the Hao Dynasty and the Ornuto-Dargolian hordes, both of which were coming from beyond the Neskorotas Mountains, located to the east. After killing the Dargolian king Altan Batbayar, Tarnaken consolidated power over the rest of the Ikelian tribes and attempted the crossing of the Ilates River, although he died shortly after crossing it. The Celestial Kingdom was divided between Tarnaken's son Ertis and Tarnaken's protegée Materago, and a civil war ensured. The conflict ended with no clear winner - Ertis and his successors came to rule the western part of Artorias, while Materago and his descendants were isolated to the eastern mountains.

The Celestial Kingdom was reunited by Miggvelo during the Bracian invasion of Echia. Miggvelo was a foreigner - he was not an Ikelian but a Lusivelian. A fierce and brave leader, he organised an uprising against the Bracian Empire. Miggvelo soon became a revered figure and was treated as the second prophet-king of the Ikelians. Miggvelo prevented the Bracians from crossing the Ilates River, which led to him becoming an advisor to Ikelian king Tirtur. The king died under suspicious circumstances, and Miggvelo was appointed as king of Artorias. He soon gathered support to fight against the remnants of the Celestial Kingdom, and with ease, the Ikelians were reunited. When Miggvelo died, the crown was passed to his daughter Ilka. Since then, many years have passed, and Artorias has only experienced continuous growth.

The country is one of the largest in the continent of Echia, being comparable only to the Yue Empire and the Yamato Empire. Due to its place right in the middle of the Merchants' Road, Artorias has been nicknamed "the land where the west meets the east." Its geographical position is considered a blessing for the Crown: the mountains to the east defend Artorias from Xiahouese expansion; its access to the Pontic Sea, the Veterian Sea, and the Pearl Ocean grants unlimited possibilities for trade and expansion, and being a country in the Merchant Road brings enormous riches, as well as knowledge, cultural exchange, and access to goods that once were hard to obtain.

Artorias' government is a semi-constitutional monarchy. The queen, Ricardina das Artorias, has authority over matters of state, legal disputes, and even religious authority. The only sector of society that does not have to deal with royal interference is the Magisterium, the organization of sorcerers and magi. The Magisterium has full authority over magic, although Ricardina is a Theologian in the Hierarchy of Magi, a position at the top of the Magisterium's ladder. As a result, Ricardina remains very influential in the Magisterium.

The Royal Parliament, a parliamentary body, does exist. Every two years the Parliament meet to discuss policies and advise the queen in her rule over the large land that is Artorias. The Parliament also can be called at any moment if the monarch wishes so.

Etymology

The origin of the word Artorias is Ikelian. It comes from the Ikelian word Artos, which means "sunny".

The standard way to refer to someone or something from Artorias is as an "Artorian".

History

The White Moon (Luna Albila in Ikelian, Lua Branca in Lusivelian) is the symbol of Artorias, being not only the ethnic symbol of Artorians, but also the religious symbol of the Moonites. Moonism is the official religion professed by the Artorian Crown. Moonism was the religion founded by Tarnaken, the first prophet-king of the Artorians. Inspired by Xiahouese schools of thought, he blended the foreign concepts with Ikelian reality and folklore, leading to the creation of a new religion. Persecuted at first, Tarnaken had to leave his tribe due to his speeches and promotion of disorder, both of which threatened the rule of Chief Nakrato. As an outcast, Tarnaken lived in seclusion until the age of 45, when he was approached by one of Nakrato's enemies - Darato, the tribe's leading generals. He asked Tarnaken to be his advisor in the civil war against Nakrato's tyranny. Tarnaken promptly accepted and returned to the plains of Sakate. In the battle, Darato defeated Nakrato, but he was seriously injured. In his deathbed and without heirs, Darato indicated Tarnaken as his successor.

At the moment Darato took his last breath, thunder tore the sky apart, and the overcast night sky revealed a shining white moon. According to legend, the Moon had a face and spoke to everyone present in Darato's room, saying that she "would not have mercy on those who try to defy Tarnaken." The moon ended by saying "The Truth may be harsh, but trying to hide it will be harsher". Tarnaken told everyone to believe the moon. "Once the first raindrop falls, the traitor standing quiet in this room will betray the moon" spoke the prophet-king.

In the end, it was Anokanis, one of Darato's protegés, the traitor. Once Tarnaken saw the first raindrops falling from the sky, Tarnaken asked a favor for every single man and woman in the room. Anokanis, the fourth man to serve Tarnaken, was tasked to gather an apple and serve it for Tarnaken. Once Anokanis returned, Tarnaken demanded Anokanis to eat half of the apple. Turns out the apple was poisoned, and the pivotal fact, however, was that Tarnaken surprised everyone when he asked the traitor to eat both halves of the apple. A few seconds later, Anokanis fell to the ground, poisoned - the blade which he used to cut the apple was poisoned with potent venom, however, only one side of the blade was poisoned. As such, when he cut the apple, only one side of the fruit was really poisoned. Anokanis' intention was to serve Tarnaken's with the poisoned half and eat the unpoisoned half as proof that the problem was not the apple.

Tarnaken's tribe was based on the plains of Sakate, the lowest point of the valley of Avugia, a rather mountainous region. It provided no defense advantages against invaders and raiders. Tarnaken quickly developed a reputation for the accurate prophecies and previsions of what would happen in a matter of months. He also was fairly capable of foretelling the weather, and assisting farmers in their jobs. When Tarnaken was 48, his tribe was attacked by raiders coming from the Neskorotas Mountains. In the bloody battle that ensued, the raiders were defeated thanks to what Moonites call "celestial intervention". Tarnaken was angered and motivated by his commanders, the prophet-chief decided to embark on a campaign to pacify the Avugia Valley.

On a campaign that lasted four years, many tribes were subjugated by Tarnaken. Most tribes had popular support for the prophet, and their own tribesmen overthrew their chiefs. Some tribes, however, resisted Tarnaken's efforts. As such, they were invaded. One of those tribes was the one that attempted to raid Tarnaken's tribe. After the Highlander Ikelian tribes were unified, Tarnaken focused his energies on rooting out the previous religious beliefs of the Ikelians. Ikelitism, the Ikelian pagan religion, was gruesome and primitive, incompatible with the intellectual-minded Moonite thought. Tarnaken sought to develop Ikelian society as a means to making it survive the hostile world that surrounded it. Through the concept of "healthy mind in a healthy body", Ikelians needed to be as strong as a bear and as wise as an owl in order to survive. It is important to note that, due to this thought, both animals are sacred in Moonite tradition.

Tales of a prophet-chief spread like fire in the surrounding areas. As time flew by, Tarnaken peacefully conquered several tribes, with their chiefs converting to Moonism and swearing loyalty to Tarnaken. Chiefs that refused were often attacked by Tarnaken's soldiers, although refusals were uncommon. While Tarnaken was forming a powerful tribal kingdom by uniting Lowland Ikelians and Highland Ikelians, the Hao Empire, led by Emperor Jiang, was organizing a massive military campaign. Jiang had two objectives in mind: defeat Tarnaken and expand into the Western half of Echia. The prophet-king was not only a religious danger to Jiang, since both rulers were considered divinities, but also because Jiang considered Tarnaken as a nuisance to the Merchant's road, which was hampering trade routes.

In the 61st year of the Tarnakian Era, Jiang's soldiers crossed the Neskorotos Mountain Range. Once Tarnaken heard the news about a Xiahouese expedition that was pillaging Ikelian tribes and persecuting the priesthood, he immediately gathered troops from all tribes and headed towards the Mountains. Tarnaken met Jiang's forces near Rokanura (present-day Rocha Ruiva), where the Battle of the Stormy Night took place. Despite facing overwhelming odds, the 30,000 men-force led by Tarnaken defeated the massive Xiahouese army, whose force is estimated to had been 70,000 to 110,000 men. Jiang's right-hand and most experienced general, Zhelan-Fang, was killed in the battle, a severe blow to the Xiahouese morale. Completely oblivious of the surroundings, most of the remnants of the Xiahouese expedition were captured or killed when retreating to their home. It is estimated that almost 30,000 Xiahouese men were enslaved by Tarnaken, while only 15,000 returned home. The rest went missing or were killed.

Approximately four years later, the Ornutic nomads of the south began expanding towards the region of Meconana. The highlands provided a natural defense against the hostile south, but ever since the Xiahouese began marching westwards, the nomads were evicted off their lands. They began looking to the north and successfully managed to defeat some Mutese tribes - although the Moonite Kingdom stood in their way. After the city of Nasugarorso was razed by the nomads, the Moonites organized an expedition against the nomads. Khatir Hazareshli, leader of the Hazar Tribe, was the first targeted by Tarnaken. After three months of an intense chase in the vicinities of the Ilates River, the nomads were captured following a storm that forced them to fight in the mud. Khatir was brutally executed, and so were the rest of the nomads. Following Khatir's defeat, Tarnaken went after Altan Batbayar, the Dargolian king who was creating a massive nomad empire in the region of the Black Valley.

Upon hearing the news that Tarnaken was after him, Batbayar divided his forces into two groups: a small army that would be sent to the north, towards the Avugia Valley; and the remainder of the army, which would camp near Avugia and set up a trap for Tarnaken. The small army quickly reached the Moonite capital, ravaging it - the garrison was not capable of dealing with horse archers. Tarnaken and his army were lagging behind, still having to cross the mountainous terrain of Meconana when the capital was sacked. Two months later, Tarnaken's army was attacked by the nomads, led by Batbayar himself.

When it came to numbers, forces were even. The nomads, however, were much more prepared to fight. Nonetheless, in the Miracle of Korvisem (present-day Curvisim), Batbayar was killed in the first minutes of battle, an event that destroyed the capability of the Dargolians. Without a clear leader, the Dargolians were utterly defeated and the realm immediately fell into civil war.

It was a pyrrhic victory. The nomads were defeated and they would take a long time to recover, but so would the Moonite Kingdom. The destruction of the Avugia valley forced the prophet-king to take extreme measures. The most known of those measures would be the Expansion to the West, in which the Ikelian tribes migrated to the west in search of fertile lands and safer locations. The migration would last for several decades, outliving Tarnaken himself. After twelve years of migration, Tarnaken organized an expedition to cross the Ilates River - which the Ikelians considered to be one of the borders of the world. The expedition took place in the modern city of Ilharta, and despite the expedition's success, Tarnaken would die five days later. It is unknown which disease killed the prophet-king, but it is thought to have been a fever.

Following Tarnaken's sudden death, Tarnaken's son Ertis was designated as the successor of the Celestial Kingdom. Yet, a small faction of Tarnaken's followers was discontent with the decision and allied themselves with Materago, Tarnaken's protegée and best friend. Civil war ensued, and due to the devastating war and later events (such as the destruction of the Materago's Scrolls during the Velturian Conquest of the Celestial Kingdom), there is almost no register of the war events and casualties. In the end, after approximately ten years of war, the war ended with the death of Ertis, who was succeeded by his son Aterato. The young king decided to retreat from the low fields of Bardochia into the snowy mountains of Teuxe, thus ending the conflict. Materago had run out of steam and saw no advantage in conquering the cold wastelands of the Neskorotos.

Materago and his four successors ruled the Western Celestial Kingdom for 230 years, before the invasion of the Lusivelians. The Lusivelians were a migratory tribe from the continent of Veteria, which is located to the West of Echia. Approximately a thousand years before the Bracian invasion of Echia, the Lusivelians sailed from the Marinnar Peninsula all the way to the western coast of Echia. The Lusivelians made profit from fishing and commerce, and at an unknown date, the port of Penachal was founded. Penachal would become the strongest city-state in the region - it had a natural port and was in a strategic position, well-defended from invasions. Soon, it began to expand outward the Galinas Hills, conquering tribes and subjugating other city-states. After hearing tales about immense riches in the West, Ikelian king Gartino launched an expedition, seeking to discover the so-called Fresh Coast.

The expedition was not a success - in fact, it can be described as a terrible failure. Not only did the siege of Penachal fail and the Ikelians lost many men, but the failed campaign attracted attention from the Lusivelians. Every summer, Ikelians would raid Lusivelian settlements, while in the spring the Lusivelians launched attacks against the Ikelian tribes. The perpetual state of war only came to an end with the ascension of king Veltur I, the ruler of the city-state of Eigres. After defeating the Ikelian king Theuceo in 290 After Tarnaken (A.T.), Veltur saw the opportunity to annex neighboring Lusivelian city-states. After embarking on a five-year campaign of conquest against his fellow Lusivelians, Veltur founded the Kingdom of Velturia.

The Velturian Age, as it became known, was one of prosperity and internal peace. External peace, not so much, as the Mutese tribes of the Profund South began expanding into Olpese territory. The Olpese began fleeing into Lusivelian territory, forcing Lusivelian authorities to take action against the Mutese. After allying with Olpese Chief Barija, the Velturians managed to stop the Mutese invasions. The campaign, however, was long and arduous, leaving Velturia weaker and susceptible to foreign invasions.

The Bracian Empire rivaled the Lusivelians for the control of the routes of the Merchants' Road. In 370 A.T. the Bracians invaded Velturia, conquering it in a matter of three years. The bloody campaign ended with the complete destruction of most Lusivelian towns and the enslavement of most of the Velturian population. Following their triumph over the Lusivelians, the Bracians kept expanding into Echia, conquering the Olpa tribes by 410 A.T. and reaching the Southern Beaches by 430 A.T.

Somewhen circa 410 A.T., a Lusivelian man named Miggvelo was born. Born to a slave woman and an unknown father, the teenager killed his owner after seeing the man abusing Miggvelo's mother. Miggvelo was sentenced to death, but he claimed that "he wouldn't be killed because the executor would fight by my side". On the day of his execution, the executor - also a slave - refused to kill Miggvelo. The slaves revolted, and under the leadership of Miggvelo, they took over the town hall of Gloriosus (modern-day Glória), expelling the Bracian administration.

Government

The Kingdom of Artorias is a federal semi-constitutional monarchy under a parliamentary and theocratic government. The country is divided into multiple "Vassal States" (Estados Vassalos) such as baronies, duchies, archduchies, counties, principalities, etc. The capital is based in the city of Castelágua, although the largest city is Ravinabarrense. The country adopts a bureaucratic model similar to that of the Yue Empire, however, it contains theocratic characteristics, thus Artorias is categorized as a "theo-bureaucratic state". Some peculiar characteristics of the theo-bureaucratic model include of exclusion of unbelievers from the upper echelons of the civil service, the presence and influence of the clergy in the higher positions of the bureaucratic system, and the fact that the penal code is based upon the guiding principles of the Birdinist Faith, the "Doze Cânones". The Civil Service is split between believers and unbelievers of the Birdinist Faith.

The formal structure of the Artorian government is centered on the Divine Queen (or Divine King, if the ruler happens to be a male), who de jure has no limits on her powers, but is de facto limited by her ministers. The government is also linked to the Magisterium and the Birdinist Church, both of which act as autonomous ministries. The monarch is also the nominal head of the Birdnist Church, although most functions are exercised by the Grand-Patriarch (or Grand-Matriarch). The Grand-Patriarch is appointed by the Divine Queen, although the appointment must be approved by a simple majority of the ministers.

Each of the fifteen ministries has two ministers; one appointed by the Divine Queen and the other elected by the Royal Parliament. The ministries are static, as they cannot be dissolved, merged, or created. Only the Royal Parliament can dissolve or create new ministries. However, the Divine Queen can dismiss ministers at her will, as long as the dismissed minister was appointed by her and not by the Royal Parliament.

The Royal Parliament meets every two years to discuss matters of state. The Divine Queen can summon or dissolve the parliament at will, though. Members of the Senate are appointed by the Divine Queen and the Vassal States. Members of the Legislative Assembly are elected through direct elections.

Suffrage in the Kingdom of Artorias is severely limited by law. Only those who profess the Birdinist Faith can take part in elections. All men and women older than 21 can vote and be elected in elections, although they must pay a monthly tax to the Birdinist Church (the Décimo, or Tenth). Voters and candidates also must either own property or have a yearly income higher than CA$35,000 per year (approximately $21,000).