Mentian Empire

Mentian Empire

Formal Name	Empire of Mentia
Capital	Kyneburh
Head of State	Emperor Waltram II Draungo
Government Type	Decentralized Feudal Monarchy
Cultures	~90%+ Menti
Religions	98% Qinism
Population Density	High
Population	30 - 32 millions

The Mentian Empire is a massive Empire spanning across most of the land inhabited by the Menti people in Northwest Ramul Ta. It was founded in the year 754 by Ädel‌hidh Draungo, a Menti noble and veteran general of the Silnarian Empire that declared independence and was crowned to defend the Menti from invading beastkins. Since then, the Empire has been ruled by the Draungo dynasty and gradually expanded to reach its modern territorial extent.

In 1014, the Mentian Empire received a crippling blow in the form of nearly simultaneous Anushken invasion and civil conflicts over the succession to the throne, in what will be known as the Year of Three Hausting - where three separate Emperors, all of them sons of Waltram I, were elected as Emperor by nobles in the Middle, South and West of Mentia. Nearly 37 years of intermittent civil war continued afterwards, until a great peasant rebellion and Siuian invasion led to the death of Dim Draungo, and the Upper Mentian contestant - Galschen Draungo, were assassinated under order of his own vassal Duke Aulay of Caer Lifo conspiring to exit the war and establishes his own independent domain.

With the death of the other two pretenders to the throne, Waltram II became the only legitimate Emperor and the Mentian Empire is united once more - much diminished in power and devastated by nearly two generations of continuous warfare. The Empire is united, but less than a tenth of the Empire could be considered to be under the effective administration of the Emperor. Part of Northern Mentia beyond the Pynann Mountains are still lost to the Kadrushian, and the Kadhoki secured their independence by diplomacy. The Emperor's position is weak, and the Empire's effectively divided into multiple autonomous domains, kingdoms, and even peasant republics.

Government

The Mentian Empire was at one point, a centralized Empire, but that has all but collapsed in the last century. Only Kynelend, Steradel and part of Hulgalend (Imperial Hulgalend), seized from the southern pretender during the civil war are under direct administration. The remaining part of the Empire are administrated by autonomous Duchies, Peasant Republics and Free Cities, and even a singular Kingdom - the Kingdom of Iarlend.

Locations / Subpolities

Imperial Demesne

The Imperial Demesne are land administrated directly by the Imperial House, and includes the traditional heartland of Kynelend, the North Mentian heartland of Steradel, and part of Hulgalend disconnected from the rest of the Imperial Demesne.

• Kynelend - Lit. King Land, also known as Siobona (Lower Ebona). Ruled by Waltram II. Under administration of a Steward.
  • Kyneburh - A large city located along the banks of river. It is the traditional capital of the Mentian Empire - and Middle Mentia as a whole. The city has however, certainly seen better days, with a large amount of its suburbs abandoned or sparsely populated, as Mentia’s population moved away from urban center to rural land in the face of constant warfare, instability, and the cut off of tax transfer from the rest of the Empire
• Steradel - Lit. Valley of (River) Stera
  • Strathstera - A small city located along river Stera, one of the heart of what was known as North Mentia, the city was recently reconquered and is devastated. Name means Valley of Stera, likely of Ombu or Silnarian origin. Its economy is slowly recovering with restored trade ties with the EBona River Valley. Culturally, it is considered to be in the Middle Mentian sphere.
• Imperial Hulgalend
  • Part of Hulgalend seized directly from the pretender Dim Draungo during South Mentia's collapse, the Imperial part of Hulgalend is much smaller than the royal part - and overwhelmingly more poor and of less strategic valley, and are mostly stretches of ruralized land with no significant resources.
• Westlend - Lit. Empty Lands
  • Keitmarc - A small city located in the open plains of Westlend- a duchy named for its empty ground. The city is the center of livestock and horse trade, and with intermittent warfare in the south, have seen the city prosper as good breeding stock

Northern Duchies

The northern duchies are constituent duchies that have stayed loyal to the Middle Mentian throne during the civil war, and are generally speaking, loyal supporters of the Waltram II's reign. They are part of the rich core of the Mentian Empire in the north - the lower Ebona river valley.

• Treyes - Lit. Triple.
  • Ebonaforda - A middle sized city located along the banks of Ebona river, at the confluence of all of its major tributary, known as a center of the pottery industry and trade. One of the most strategically important Middle Mentian city.
• Seothanlend - Lit. Strong (Beer) Land. Name originated from the allegedly strong spirits that Silnarian consumed, called Strong Beer early on.
  • Seothanburh - A middle sized city located on the lower reach of the Dirqal river inside Mentian territory. This is a prime trading center where Silnarian goods are sold and bought, and plenty of ships make a temporary stop here on their way toward the north sea.
• Machar - Lit. Empty Fields (Of likely Silnarian origin) - A large, flatland duchy on the right bank of the Ebona river
  • Berworth - A small city located on a raised mound in the plains of Machar, named after Barley of Value.

Kingdom of Iarlend

The Kingdom of Iarlend was founded by King Ivar Aulay, formerly just the Duke of Caer Lifo under the Mentian pretender Galschen Draungo. It can be considered a successor state to Upper Mentia, and would've likely secured its independence if it wasn't for it losing the support of the former Upper Mentian capital of Hennaforda and the Duchy of Tassabhan, both of which chose to take advantage of the chaos to secure an autonomous status directly underneath the new Emperor. It is by far the most powerful subpolity within the Mentian Empire, and acts as if it is practically independent.

The Kingdom consists of the entire western hinterland of the Mentian Empire, plus the economic heartland of Heahlynnlend.

• Caer Lifo - Lit. City of Spilling Forward Consisting of land in the northwest recently reconquered from the beastkin.
  • Caer Lifo - A small sized city. Capital of the same name as the province, the city truly has seen better days, with part of it having been burnt down and looted, and most of its inhabitants now in a shrinked core inside the city wall.
• Heahlynnlend - Lit. High Lake Land. The economical heart of Upper North Mentia.
  • Aberardtir - City of High Land. The core city of Heahlynnlend. The city's slave trade was shut down after the recent emanicipation war and the expulsion and resettlement of beastkins, and its economy is recovering from a devastating siege, assisted by the fertile agricultural land around it.
• Lennmearc - Lit. Lake March. A poor marchland duchy as the population of Northern Mentia is concentrated on the other side of the mountains or to the east.
  • Lynndun - A fortress masquerading as a city - formerly part of the frontier against beastkins from the north before Mentian pushed north to settle even further north. The city is run down and its fortifications dismantled. It was recently reconquered and being reconstructed as a new fortification against northern incursion - even though Kingdom of Iarlend maintains a friendly relation with Kadrush now.
• Royal Hulgalend - The lion's share of the Hulgalend duchy that consists of the upper reach of the Radea River, alongside borderlands taken from the Siuian Empire. This is the province with the most potential in the Kingdom of Iarlend - thanks to access to sea trade and trade with the Ombuian Empire. It was also one of the epicenter of the Great Peasants War and subject to pillaging from the Siuian and rebels, and is accordingly, heavily devastated.

Peasant Republics

Formed after the Great Peasant War of 1051, the peasant republics consists of about a third of the Empire's territory and population. Most of them were carved out of the former South Mentian territory - but one of them, the Republic of Westlend, were carved from Middle Mentian territory.

• Republic of Westlend - Lit. Empty Lands. A Republic centered around the former Duchy of Westlend and the only one from the cultural north of Mentia instead of the south
  • Keitmarc - A small city located in the open plains of Westlend - a duchy named for its empty ground. The city is the center of livestock and horse trade. The city has prospered thanks to the trade in war horses induced by recent wars.
• Peasant Republic of Winstra & Swithra - The twin republic of Winstra & Swithra consists of two republics named after the left and right bank of the Radea river. Though nominally independent from eachother, they are both led by Florian Bauer, a war hero who led a ragtag force of peasants to multiple victories against the Siuian during their invasion.
• Republic of Deaslend - Deislend consists of the fertile lower reach of the Derwic and Radea river, and more arid and marginal land located to the south - where the famed Mentian red-maned horse are bred.
  • Heimslow - Small-sized city. (Lit. Winter Palace). The city used to be a favorite resort to escape harsh winter in the north while avoiding the swamps of Kadho.
• Republic of Tameria (Lit. Forest Land) A province established from forested, nominally not too useful land in the east which were promptly cut down and turned into farm. But it still hold the largest intact forest reserves in South Mentia. It benefits economically from being close to Kadho and being a mid point between Raudalend and Kadho.
  • Tamerc - A small-sized city, (Lit. Lumber Market).

Other Princes

• Duchy of Eorlend - Duchy of. (Lit. Horse Land). A duchy consisting of the northeastern reach of the Dudosh river, which is more forested than the southwest. Home to a lumber and forestry industry, and is famous for the nuts exported and nuts oil. And horses. During the civil war, it was the only one of the southern duchies to survive the peasant rebellion. Its Duke declared loyalty to the Upper Mentian - but fell in line once the Upper Mentian claimant - Galschen Draungo, was assassinated.
  • Eormerc - A small-sized city. (Lit. Horse Market). Known for its nut-pressing industry and horse trading.
• Duchy of Thormark - The Duchy of Thormark is under the rule of Agatha Draungo - a relative of the current Emperor - to be exact, the daughter of his uncle. The Duchy acts independently during the civil war and
  • Raudazlend - Duchy of. (Lit. Red Land), which consists of most of Eastern Mentia, is the administrative and traditional capital of Eastern Mentia, in spite of being a smaller and slightly less hospitable province, consisting of the entire valley of the eastern mountains, running along a north-south line. Like the rest of Eastern Mentia, canals and waterwork cut through the mountain valley in which most people live.
    • Hochberg - Mountain Fortress, a small-sized city built during the age of Adelhidh to support an eastern garrison against possible invasions. Now it is one of the commercial center of the east, a processing center for Raudazlend's vast mineral wealth.
  • Thormark - Duchy of. (Lit. East March). Thormark is the trade and population center of East Mentia, consisting of its most hospitable and arable valley.
    • Stalaburh - (Lit. Fort of Gold) The provincial capital. A medium-sized city. The city, like the rest of the cities in East Mentia, is under the direct rule of the duke - left in the hand of a governor - which just so happens to be his son. The administration here is bureaucratic, centralized and relatively efficient and just. The city is situated on both bank of the Rian river, a tributary of the Ebona river. The city is prosperous and a center of bustling metal and art industry, and is also an entrepot for Loran goods coming from the north.

Important Figures

Waltram II Draungo, Male, Water Macen, 67, Emperor of Middle Mentia

The Emperor of Middle Mentia, who crowned himself at a young age when his younger brother did so. He is the second son of Waltram I, and was the favored heir after the oldest heir was disinherited. Waltram II was noted as the tallest of the siblings - standing 6’3, though of a lithe build. He displayed interests in scholarly matters and study at a young age, and was sent off to be educated in Ulnoor by his father - in hope Waltram would grow up to be an able administrator, during his time in Silnaria he was known to have become quite sociable - and made many friends amongst the natives - most important of which were that of the Clan Unn brothers - Crutar and Miart, who were known to have housed the future Emperor. It is likely that the Empress Innei Aesilnari have met him at some point - but the relationship between them is unknown.

By the time he hit age 23 - he received news that his eldest brother was disinherited and was recalled to become the rightful heir. He would be given governorship of Shaslandi and the crownland of North Mentia - a powerful position that gave him plenty of opportunity to enrich himself and ingratiate him with the future bureaucrats that would support the rule of a powerful Mentian Emperor.

Waltram II would visit Silnaria two years later, and meet his adulthood friend Saorise Unn - a Silnari from the prominent Unn family who ruled Southern Silnaria. The two allegedly fell in love and married each other, though no doubt politics were very important in deciding this marriage.

Waltram II have three issues - one son and two daughters, all of whom are adults.

When his younger brother, Galschen, utilized his status as a war hero and his stronger (at the time) army to declare himself pretender, Waltram II quickly followed and declared himself Emperor. Whereas the Silnari Imperial House is neutral on this, Clan Unn gave its full support to Waltram II and considered Waltram II - with whom they have a good relationship.