Salvainian Empire

Salvainian Empire

Formal Name	Empire of the House of Salvain, Sovereign of the Adoros Valley, Overlord of the Thalassite Polis, Sovereign of Kurannia and King of Wynland, Most Humble Servant, Chosen and Most Favored of Kozart.
Capital	Salvainia
Head of State	Emperor Haslan Salvain
Government Type	Hybrid Administrative & Feudal Empire
Cultures	~17 millions Adoric Thalassite, ~6 millions Thalassite, ~3 millions South Silnarian, 4 millions+ Wyndish Mentian, ~2.5 million [Kurannian]
Religions	Silnarian (State & Majority), ~15% Qinism, ~5% Alism, ~2% Zism
Population Density	High
Population	~32 million

The Salvainian Empire is a direct successor of the South Silnarian Empire, centered on the fertile and rich Adoros Valley with its (nominal) control extending to the nearby Wynland Basin, Kurannian Highlands and the various Thalassite Polis of the Northeast. It was established by Haslan Salvain (Birth Name Arslan Farzin), a Siuian adventurer & mercenary whom overthrew the South Silnarian Empire and usurped / succeeded it (depending on who you asks). The Empire is heavily populated and one of the richest, most prosperous state left in the wake of the collapse of the Greater Silnarian Empire, with relatively great internal stability.

History

The Salvainian Empire's history is tightly intertwined with that of the South Silnarian Empire and that of the Silnarian before them. The Silnarian Empire conquered most of the areas occupied by the Salvainian Empire in present day over 7 centuries ago.

During the preceding Silnarian Empire's rule, particularly during the reign of the Emperor Aedan of Silnaria, the Adoros Valley - center of the Silnarian Empire, underwent a process of rapid Silnarinization, encouraged by both the bureaucratic requirements of Silnarian language learning, influx of Silnarian migrants and oppression of native Thalassite elements. Eventually, the Adoric Thalassite diverged linguistically from their cousins living in the Polis to the east - speaking a variation of Silnarian with a heavy Thalassite substratum - although they write in the Thalassite Alphabet (Read: Greek) instead of the Silnarian alphabet.

End of the South Silnarian Empire

During the end of the South Silnarian Empire, it underwent a series of destabilizing civil war. The Prime Minister Treoiteas, whom have the backing of the Mentian Empire at the time and was backing the infant Emperor Béinfhí, against his aunt Stiall. Amongst the mercenary in the Prime Minister's employ was Arslan Farzin - a Siuian Mercenary whom led a group of approximately Siuian Cataphracts and archers in service of Prime Minister. In the ensuing conflict, Stiall was overthrown. However, when the Mentian withdrew financial support for the rebellion, the imperial treasury found itself short on payments for the many mercenaries it has hired - though later history (certainly biased and written by authors sponsored by Haslan Salvain himself) states this is due to extravagant spending of the Treoiteas. As a result, mercenaries led by Arslan Farzin would coup the Emperor and after a brief period of intensive infighting, Farzin's faction would emerge victorious and crowned their leader the Emperor in year 961 PS.

Recent History

The next forty years of Salvainia's history would be spent suppressing various rebellions - many brutally as many Silnaris and locals remained loyal to the South Silnarian cause, and some Thalassite Polis were grasping at a chance to regain their independence.

After the Empire regained a measure of stability and recovered full control over the full extent of the territories of the Empire, it would appears the Emperor Haslan Salvain has taken a a benevolent, or a passive approach to ruling, sluggishly responding to the initiative of powerful regional nobles attempting to expand the empire, while focusing on poetry, recreation, public games and cultural festivals and whatever interested him (Like women) at the moment. By no mean is Haslan Salvain considered a hedonistic and bad ruler, but for now, the Emperor seems content with the extent of his Empire and do just enough work to keep himself securely in power. Many consider the Salvainian Empire to be in a golden age.

Government

The Empire's government and internal politics can be described as consisting of two entities within the Empire. A centralized, bureaucratized core centered around the Adoros Delta, and then the Empire's feudal "periphery", defined by personal relation with the Emperor, fealty to the Emperor, and contracts tying them and the center together.

Central Government

The central government of Salvainia consists of many ministries and the Imperial Army (by the far largest official expenses account of the Emperor). Significant ministries and organizations in the government includes:

Imperial Council

The Imperial Council sits as a non-legislative body with twelve well-paid members, who are nominally advisors to the Emperor. It has no formal power, but in practice, most of the seats are occupied by powerful nobles and stakeholders within the Empire, and the council itself serves as a way for the nobles to "advise" the emperor and presents their opinions at all time on various affairs affecting the Emperor. Many of the person sitting on the Imperial Council also hold a parallel important position.

The Chancellery

The Chancellery is the most powerful singular office - headed by the Chancellor who is considered the most powerful official in the government. The Chancellor himself is responsible for affairs between the Empire and foreign states - and has control of the Empire's diplomatic agents, and also with its various internal entities and noble. Historically, the Chancellor is never a powerful regional noble itself but someone elevated from the regional bureaucracy, to ensure their loyalty to the Emperor.

Ministry of War

The Ministry of War is responsible for the administration of the Imperial Army - which consists of perhaps a quarter of all the armed forces that the Empire can theoretically muster - the rest are under control of regional nobles and polis, and cannot be raised at will by the Emperor. Mages and Bureaucrats, alongside promoted officers of the regular Imperial Army works to distribute weapons, coordinate weapon orders, study foreign wars and administer the various things needed to keep Salvainia's army functional.

Ministry of Revenue

The Ministry of Revenue is responsible for collecting all the revenues needed for the Empire's bureaucratic machine to keep functioning. It dispatches agents to collect yearly taxes from the various nobles and polis of the Empire, and is also responsible for land taxes, grain taxes and tariffs in the Adoros Delta itself. It has a small but dedicated armed police forces of perhaps 10,000 members that mostly operates inside the Adoros Delta, acting as a deterrent against smugglers and would be tax evader in the Emperor's own personal domain.

Ministry of Works

The Ministry of Work is responsible for infrastructural work - again mostly centered on the center of Adoros Delta - as infrastructure work elsewhere is generally the responsibilities of the regional nobles or polis. Chief important work includes periodic dredging to ensure that key navigation channels remain open, and construction and maintenance of the hundreds of irrigation canals and waterwork needed to keep Adoros Delta as one of the most agriculturally productive regions.

Important Figures & Interest Groups

House Salvain - The Imperial House

Prominent Figures: Emperor Haslan Salvain , Duke Cioras of Eoforia, Crown Princess Farideh Haslan

The ruling house of Salvainia. Since he conquered his Empire, the Emperor himself has produced numerous offspring, many of whom are now adults and able to inherit - with some of them even having grandchildren of his own. Indeed, the Emperor has already seen many of his own descendents pass away before him in his century long reign.

Many of the conquests are ruled by the same old Noble lineage or independent polis from a century ago - and Haslan don't seems too intent to attempt shaking things up too violently to put more of his own house in control of the country.

The Emperor is primarily interested in keeping power to himself, but his own descendants - especially those without significant landholding, see differently, with many a Salvain adventuring domestically and internationally in an attempt to distinguish themselves from the mass of the increasingly bloated Salvain house.

Other prominent figures of the House of Salvain includes:

• Crown Princess Farideh Haslan - the appointed successor to the Emperor, whom was Haslan's fourth children by his wife and Empress Consort Parisa. Remarked to be intelligent and highly proficient in magic, Haslan chose her over his other elder children as heir due to her proving to be the most intelligent and martially powerful of his children, exceeding his expectations. This of course, doesn't sit well with her still alive and existing elder brothers and some of the younger child - especially those born before the turn of the millenium...
• Duke Cioras of Eoforia - In a move that most definitely could not cause any succession crisis later on in the Empire, Cioras, the second son of the Emperor, whom in terms of seniority sits above the actual Crown Princess Farideh, was appointed as the Duke of Eoforia - one of the closest duchy to the Capital of the Adoros Delta. The Duke was granted the land in hope that it would secure him a powerbase for later succession and teach him how to administrate the Empire - the previous owner was a local noble whose rule were ended after a failed rebellion against the Emperor. Cioras was the favored and presumed Crown Prince as the first son, and until Farideh reached adulthood and Haslan Salvain declared her the heir presumptive. While Cioras and Farideh were known to be close, whether this hold true after the inheritance was changed remains to be seen...

Known Children of Haslan Salvain:

• 1st Son: Dareos
• 2nd Son: Cioras
• 3rd Son: Armain
• 4th Daughter: Farideh
• 10+ Other Unnamed Sons and Daughters born between 961 - 1000
• 10+ Other Unnamed Sons and Daughters born between 1000 - present day
• Roshin Arslan (Likely between 21st - 25th Daughter, Haslan didn't keep good track). (1015 - 1050) Wife of Adelmar Draungo (1005 - 1050), killed in the Battle of Cardell Castle alongside her husband.

The Gravenrouths - Archduke of Wynland

The Gravenrouths has been here before the Salvains, and have ruled the Wynland basin for centuries or dominated it - some say even before the Silnarian arrived. They have the support of the local Wyndish - whom are mostly bilingual and speak both Silnarian and Wyndish Mentian and the local nobles, and are fiercely protective of their independence, and some says have an aura of superiority on them that believes themselves superior to non-wine-drinking Mentians to the west and the Adoric to the east.

They holds the highly defensible and fertile Wynland Basin as their domain and also control lucrative trade with the Arzidan holds in their territories, enabling to build up an independent powerbase. Though nominally loyal to the Empire they maintain their own large professional army and retains most of their tax revenue (About 90%) for themselves.

The Gravenrouth is headed by Archduke Ludwig von Gravenrouth.

(To be expanded when relevant for plots)

Thalassite Polis

The Thalassite Polis on the eastern and northeastern coasts of Salvainia - separated by mountain ranges from the Adoros river valley, retains most of their original culture - this includes the practice of not having a hereditary ruler amongst them - many of them retain the old city-states structure of some kind of democracy or oligarchy and a citizenship system. The polis are very proud of this fact - and will do what they must to retain their own internal autonomy and ancient rights of self-governance.

The Polis all have individual contracts with the Emperor that stipulates how much tribute they are meant to pay on a yearly basis, and what they contribute to the Empire's defense - internal warfares are also theoretically prohibited but not strictly enforced (unless it escalates to a level that the Emperor cannot ignores). Most of the tribute are specific regional produces that the Emperor wants, alongside with stipulation of silver or whatever can be paid in kind - like iron or steel. Some other city also provides a portion of their fleet or experienced sailors, and yet other pay a fixed portion of their income as substitute for the above. Around 20% of the polis's income are paid to the central treasury in various forms, while others are retained by them.

For the most part the Polis are quite content with this arrangement - indeed, despite the proximity of the fellow Thalassite state of Megali Karkisias, the polis seems even more wary of the Great King of Karkisias, afraid that if they defected to a ruler that claims the same heritage as them - the other Great King will proceed to use this excuse to reduce their autonomy like he did for his own city. The Polis would not stand for tyranny, and so they stay loyal to the Emperor of the House of Salvain.

Kurannian Nobility

The Kurannian Highland is mostly ruled by a singular noble family - although their domain is vast, it is also mostly infertile and marginal land suitable mostly for pasturage. They provides a lot of the Emperor's finest horses as a result and a disproportional amount of livestocks - indeed the rest of the Empire is so densely cultivated half of the Empire's meat cattles are likely raised in Kurannia.

The noble house in charge of Kurannia will be elaborated on by a GM when it is plot relevant.

Duchy of Capellia

The Duchy of Capellia is one of the most powerful regional Duchy, having control of prime pasture land and renown for their cavalry...and independence.

To be expanded on.

Regional Magnates

Various powerful regional magnates and nobles control the rest of the Adoros River Valley, each pursuing their own interests.

To be expanded

Geography & Locations

The Salvainian Empire can be split into various mega regions. This list divides it culturally.

Adoric Land

Adoro Delta

Population: Approximately 5 million

The most densely populated part of Salvainian Empire and Adoria - the wider region of the Adoros river valley. Adoro Delta has always been the heart of commerce and political power. Adoros Delta receives abundant rainfall thanks to its position - and the river widens into a wide delta, creating some of the most intensively farmed land in this part of Ramul Ta.

The Delta also grows an extraordinary amount of rice - introduced here by Emperor Haslan who wished to make the best use of the river’s abundant water supply and strengthen his own position. It is agriculturally productive.

Although the province consists of no more than 15% of the Empire’s population, it is responsible for over half of the revenue collected by the Imperial treasury - over a third of the crop yields within the Delta are taxed relatively efficiently in kind by the Empire, but the fertile land leaves more than enough for the farmers to prosper. In addition, consumption taxes and tariffs are collected at Salvainia, Caliston and Olatu by the Emperor’s agents on numerous articles such as wines, brandies, salt, cotton and wool etc. which contribute to funding the Imperial army.

Over half of the Imperial army are located in this region.

It is home to five significant named city on the map:

• Salvainia - World City (400,000) - One of the biggest city in the world, this city was formerly called Áedánpolis - named after the fiery Silnarian Emperor who conquered Adoria and crushed numerous rebellion, in even more ancient time, it was likely called Adoropolis - and was the most powerful of the Thalassite state - a regional hegemon who contended with numerous other Thalassite city-states for dominion. It is located slightly upriver from the Adoro River split, away from the marshland that has mostly been cleared in the previous centuries for intensive farming. The city gained increasing importance in the Silnarian years - and grew massively when the South Silnarian Empire split off. Thanks to Haslan literally cultivating his power and tax transfer, the city has gained outsized importance. A mixture of Silnarian, Thalassite, Adoric and Siuian buildings can be seen here, and it is one of the most diverse and cosmopolitan cities of this age.
• Caliston - Major City (100,000) - A major port city located at the eastern edge of the Adoros delta. It is known for its beautiful beach and numerous lighthouses. It is also famous for its seafood. Its name likely meant “Most Beautiful”.
• Limainé - Major City (40,000) - A city located around the lake of the same name, likely named Limanea in its original Thlassite form. This city is a center of commerce.
• Crisopolis - Major City (50,000) - A major city located at the edge of the provincial border. Its name likely used to mean Chrysopolis. This city has contended with modern day Salvainia as the capital of the South Silnarian Empire - being located slightly upriver at the confluence of numerous other rivers.
• Olatu - Major City (20,000) - Known as the other port city of Adoro Delta, this city is home to a significant shipbuilding industry. The name is likely of another language origin (Read: Basque).

Elatiria

Population: Approximately 1.5 million

A border province of Salvainia. Despite its proximity to the capital, most of the province retains a considerable amount of autonomy. It is well-populated, like the Adoro Delta, and is centered around the regional capital of Elatirioch.

It is home to the following significant city:

• Elatirioch - Major City (50,000) Known as the City of Fir, this city is located in the middle of the Elatiria province on the head of navigation of Erychos river.

Eoforia

Population: Approximately 1 million

A duchy close to the capital itself, centered around the great city of Eofori. This is an unremarkable Duchy except for the fact it is held by the cRown Princes.

Capellia

Population: 1 million

Capellia - which was named after the horses inside and is home to two Arzidan Holds of Ar-Kar and Naharkar. The two Arzidan holds create a cluster of intensely cultivated land and towns alongside the land trade route needed to reach the head of navigation of the Areachtos and Erasmios river. The regional capital is Hippokrene - or Horse Spring.

The Duchy is home to many of the best horses of the Empire and also supply a significant amount of iron and steel goods, and have some well-maintained forests to the west.

Other Provinces / Duchies

The other provinces / duchies altogether holds about 12.5 million souls in them and consists of the rest of the fertile Adoros Valley. Until it is plot relevant, they will only be named and not have any more lore expanded on.

Thalassite Land

• Erania (Lit. Peaceful, from Eirene) - ~1.5 million
  • Erania consists of a hilly peninsula jutting out from the Thessil mountains and coastal plains between. The Thessil mountains is short enough to not create a significant rain shadow, but a significant amount of moisture falls on the eastern side of the mountains. Erania - due to its proximity to Adoria, has historically been one of the most heavily populated region.
  • Hieroskome (Lit. Holy Village) - Major City (60k+), the center of trade of the Erania region, located at the head of Hieros River. One of the most powerful Thalassite City who commands a large fleet. It sits on fertile and flat, cultivable land, and controls a silver mine upstream that provides significant revenue. It is also a naval power with an outsized fleet of over a hundred ships of 50 men or above.
  • Astragal - Minor City (10k+), the secondary city of Erania, subordinate to Hieroskome
• Nepholia - ~Pop 200,000
  • Nepholia is a small mountain valley centered around a small city of the same name, which has been divided into an independent city-state ruled by an oligarchy free from the interference of others
  • Nephelokos (Likely means Cloudy) - Town (5k) - Administrative Center
• Thessila - ~1 million
  • Thessila is another stretch of coastal plains east of Thessil Mountains.
  • Argyropan (Lit. Silver City) - Minor City (20k) - Silver and Iron processing center of Thessila, from the mines in the mountain nearby
  • Callichoros (Lit. Beautiful Dance) - Major City (40k) - Major commercial center of Thessila
• Doxia - ~600,000
  • Doxia is a stretch of coastal plain centered around Doxipolis. In ancient times, it was known for its martial prowess.
  • Doxipolis (City of Glory) - Minor City (10k) - Once a powerful state commanding a significant army that dominated the other state, it has fallen into relative decline after leading a rebellion against Salvainian rule in the year of 998 and being sacked and burned down.
  • Phytalos (City of Plant?) - Minor City (20k) - Phytalos has eclipsed Doxipolis as the main city of Doxia, despite being located south and not near any river.
• Megali Heilia - ~500,000
  • Megali Heilia - Or Great Land of the Sun - whose name likely originated from a corruption of Helios into Heilic mountains only to be backadopted into Thalassite as a provincial name. One of the most mountainous provinces of Salvainia, with many narrow stretches of inhabitable, mountainous coast and even more mountainous farms. Central authority here is almost non-existent and there’s almost always several upstart pirate lords in the region, often cooperating with Karkisian pirates. Rebels are known to flee into Heilia in failed uprisings against Silnarian and now Salvainian rule.
  • Myrmexis (Ant City) - Minor City (10k) - Provincial capital of Heilia region
  • Telmessis (Place of Harvest) - Town (5k)
  • Oreithyia (Cold Mountain Winds?) - Town (5k)
  • Pyrgathos (Location of Tower) - Minor City (10k) - A city in the northwest of Heilia, famous for the Tower of Philosophy, which is a tower constructed around 200 BS in Classical style as a place for philosophers to dwell and think, away from the pollution of civilization, wine and people of other genders.
• Heliomarica - ~1 million
  • Heliomarica - Or Sun Sea (land), named after the eponynomous city of Heliomara, is the center of population of northern Thalassia.
  • Heliomara (Sun Sea City) - Major City (50k) - Provincial capital of Heliomarica, the city is the second strongest naval power amongst the Thalassite
• Petrocoria - ~400,000
  • Petrocoria - Or the land of the stone-hearted (city), consists of the western part of the North Thalassian Plains, which is less populated than the part centered around Heliomarica.
  • Petrocoria - Minor City (20k) - A provincial capital that has historically joined together with Heliomara and other smaller polis together in the Heliomarican League
• Marta Siog - ~200,000
  • Marta Siog - Or the Elven March, is relatively sparsely populated marshland. The land could probably support much more population were it to be extensively drained and cultivated - just like the Lymian land to its northwest. But its status as a frequent battleground has left it underdeveloped with no major city of note.

Archduchy of Wynland

Population: Approximately ~4 millions

The Wyndish land of Salvainian Empire is all under control of the Archduchy of Wynland, which consists of the Wynland basin, mostly inhabited by the Wyndish - a wine-drinking and cultivating, often bilingual group of Mentian. The defensible basin maintain trade ties with East Mentia but is economically mostly integrated to the rest of the Adoros River valley - which it has easy trade access to.

The Duchy as a whole is also a center of mass produced armaments, armor and tools - as it has easy access to ores in the mountains surrounding it alongside both unfinished products and craftsmen from the dozens of bigger and smaller Arzidan Holds dotting the mountains nearby. In terms of per capita wealth, it is likely the second richest province after Adoro Delta itself and also the second most important province economically.

Significant Cities include:

• Rebenburg - Major City (120,000) - Vine Castle, the capital of the Archduchy of Wynland, one of the most flourishing center of arts and high education in the Mentian cultural sphere. The Archdukes of Wynland have endeavored to distinguish themselves from both the Salvainian Court and Draungos to maintain its identity - and have encouraged Mentian arts and philosopher to prosper here. The city's home to an unusually high amount of Mentian exiles and dissidents of all sorts.
• Nebelberg - Minor City, meaning Fog Mountain
• Zweiwasser - Minor City, meaning Two Waters
• Sonnenblick - Minor City, meaning Sun View
• Hochlandhafen - Town, meaning Highland Harbor, an important trading post for animals coming in from the highland of Kurannia.
• Felsental - Minor City, meaning Rocky Valley, a center of metallurgical trade alongside the rest of the Meros river valley.
• Idu-Ash & Idu-Kar: Two dwarven holds supported by a periphery of farming villages that trade metals and finished products to the rest of Wynland. Like most dwarven holds these are technically part of the Arzidan Empire and does not pay (direct) taxes to the Archduke.

Duchy of Kurannia

Population: Approximately ~2.5 millions

The sparsely populated Kurannian Highland is lcoated to the north of the Salvainian Empire. It is elevated above the rest of the Empire, and most of its land are mostly suitable for pasturage - with only narrow strips of land alongside river suitable for farming. Most of its people are semi-sedentary and make a living herding animals - although the region has experienced significant population growth thanks to the introduction of potatoes. Kurannia is administrated by a singular Duchy that incorporates the vast majority of its highlands.

Most of its river are navigable for most of its length - although only with smaller river boats and barges. This facilitates a degree of connection and trade.

Even though Kurannia is divided into the Ereshmarduk Watershed and the Abzum Watershed - they are both administrated under the same Duvhy. People would often distinguish the two parts of Kurannia as North and South Kurannia, one with closer ties to the north, and the others with closer tie to the Wyndish.

Significant Settlements include:

• Tallum - Minor City (30,000) - The most populated city of the Duchy of Kurannia, situated on the lowland on the river of Ereshmarduk, right after the river descends from the highland. The most important city economically of the Duchy.
• Kisharru - Minor City (20,000) - This centrally located city is the Capital of the Duchy of Kurannia and controls most of the trade that flows through the duchy to the north
• Sadirum - Minor City (8,000) - This trade town control the part of Kurannia that flows toward the south

Military

The military of the Salvainian Empire consists of a well-trained, funded core controlled by the House of Salvain itself alongside the much more numerous soldieries of the regional powers.

The Imperial Army

The Imperial Army fights in a way that is not too dissimilar to the preceding Silnarian Empire with some influences from the Siuian - although both preceding Empires make heavy uses of archers and cataphracts.

In total, the Imperial Army could field between around 60,000 - 80,000 men, organized into the following formations:

• Heliocavaleir (Lit. Riders / Cavalry of the Sun): The elite imperial guard of the Haslan Empire, hired from a mixture of the best Kirigic, Siuian, Silnarian (Anyone but native) riders. They are trained in mounted archery, shock combat with lance, alongside fire magic - though not every member of the Helio Guards. They numbers around 3,000 combatant and are split into lances of 10 men each, company of a hundred men, and a section of the left, center and right. They fight in battle with a distinctive battle banner - carrying the Sigma Alpha flag typical of the Imperial army, alongside with the image of the sun.
• Lion Guards: The second group of elite guards of the Haslan Empire, these are recruited from amongst local Adorites and other "martial races" (Often beastkins) foreigners, and form an elite infantry core. They numbers around 2,000 men on paper, and are trained to fight on foot, with axe and shields, and is renown for their skirmishing techniques and the heavy weight of the axes they throw. They are known to court spellblades amongst the rank - not unlike the Heliocavaleir. Their battle banner consists of an Alpha Sigma pictogram alongside that of a lion, one of the symbol of the House of Salvain.
• Regular Army: The Regular Army is split into ten regular armies, each fielding between 5,000 - 8,000 men, which is a mixture of trained infantries trained to fight with spears, halberds and bow, alongside supporting light and heavy cavalries and mages. Their battle banners often consists of an Alpha Sigma pictogram, alongside that of Ionic numbers and or drawing indicating which of the regular army they belongs to. Most of the regular army is recruited locally from the Delta or from parts of the land, and is often named after the regions they come from:
  • The Adoros Delta itself supports four regular armies, and the remaining armies are drawn from the rest of the Empire, with Wyndish contributing one, Kurannia one, and the Polis of the Northeast contributing two, and the rest of the River Valley contributing two.
  • The Imperial Treasury pays for the regular maintenance of the army and it is a true standing army.

The Imperial Army are well known for their battle banner that indicates their personal allegiance to the House of Salvain. The Alpha Sigma Flag - consisting of the Thalassite (Greek) characters of Alpha and Sigma is used as one of the battle flag they uses, alongside drawing of portraits of the Emperor, Lions, Suns or other symbols.

Wyndish Forces

The Wyndish regional military maintained by the Archduchy of Wynland is indeed powerful and not to be underestimated. Unlike their Adoric cousins they do not like to engage in skirmishing combat - though they have also adopted the idea of incorporating lightning and fire mage in a shock charge. Wyndish Army - like most of Mentia, is based on a powerful cavalry knightly core making a charge supported by infantries consisting of halberdiers, spearman and shielded infantry, supported by an abundance of crossbowmen.

There's no regional archery traditions in Wynland.

Should the Archduke will it, he can likely field a significant armed forces.

To be elaborated. (I.e. is Wyndish force feudal like or centralized?)

Kurannian Forces

Kurannian forces generally field very few infantries - as the semi-sedentary people of Kurannia and its rugged but flat land favors unconventional warfares with a mixture of heavy and light cavalries. Kurannian are experienced in the usage of composite bows and renown horse archers - and unlike Adoric or Silnarian, the tradition of Mounted Archery is native to the Kurannian and does not need to be maintained with exorbitant government expenses.

Adoric Forces

Adoric forces are a mixture of infantries and knights generally backed up by regional nobles.

Thalassite Forces

Thalassite forces are known for their superiority in sea - and being in control of most of the Empire's shoreline, they provides the vast majority of the Empire's skilled sailors, marines and ships - although most of it is not directly controlled by the Imperial house but instead under control of the various Polis of the coast.

Their infantry forces are acceptable - the way of the hoplites has gone out of fashion over one thousand and five hundred years ago - instead they relies on a trained professional core of city infantry alongside militias to fight on land, and their cavalrymen are at best, considered acceptable - and never one of the strong suit of their army. However their mages are considered rather fine - as their culture encourages philosophy and education which feeds into good magic education.