History of Allech-Atreus

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The History of Allech-Atreus can be divided into several different periods. Each of these periods ends with some form of interregnum or period of warfare.

The tapestry of Imperial history is rich and diverse. Much of it has been lost in the vagaries of conflict, but much survives. History plays an important part in the Imperial identity.

The Old Empire

The Old Empire period is divided into several different sub-periods: the Pre-Karlevite, the Karlevite, and the Post-Karlevite or "Republican."

Pre-Karlevite

The Pre-Karlevite is defined as the history that ocurred before the reign of Emperor Karl IV. Not much is known about this period, but mostly involves when the Empire was a part of the region of SimRTK. However, the rulers soon left the area and settled in the 00000 Land of Nod, under the rule of the foreign master Ubumedu. Emperor Karl IV ascended to the throne and began reviving the Empire and bringing it strength.

Karlevite

The Karlevite period when Karl IV took the throne. The Old Empire reached its height in the middle of his reign, with the nation being the largest in the region with the untimely demise of Ubumedu's hegemony. Conflict with other powers, notably Elgarve, Blackledge, AG333 and Dark Zion, resulted in a massive buildup and eventually sparked the Nodic Wars. Powers shifted, Elgarve was elmininated, and finally Blackledge gained the upper hand with an alliance of puppet nations and AG's support. The Empire was defeated along with Dark Zion.

At this poin in the war, a prototype weapon was activated, which resulted in the strange disappearance of thousand of Imperial citizens, soldiers, technology, and several cities. What remained of the Royal Family was captured, the remanants of the Empire were defeated and turned into a Federal Republic. The Emperor dispappeared, and the Karlevite period ended.

Post-Karlevite (Republican)

The Republican period resulted in the Empire shifting to several different regions, finally ending in Ultima Thule, which in a strange turn of events was ruled again by Ubumedu. This period was short-lived, as Ubumedu's poor leadership and unreliability resulted in a coup. For a time, the Empire was the head of a multi-regional Empire with the gubernatorial assistance of former enemies Blackledge and AG, but the Old Empire was expended and eventually disappeared, along with the Imperial Federation.

The "Great Event"

The Nodic Wars ended when Allech-Atreus and Dark Zion were defeated, and activated experimental weapons. Through means that still remain a mystery, the survivors of the war were tranported to an alternate dimension, spread across hundreds of planets, and forced to create new lives for themselves. Called the "Great Event," it signaled the destruction of the old order and the beginning of the Dark Times.

Currently, scientists do not know what caused the Great Event, as most records were either destroyed or lost over the years. Fragments of the Old Empire, predating the Great Event, are still found, and there is an incredible drive on the part of the scientific community to recover these "Artifacts Archaic," as they shed light on a forgotten period of history.

Pre-Imperium

While the Post-Karlevite Empire declined, Imperial history continued elsewhere. The thousands of citizens that had disappeared in the Nodic Wars had been transported to worlds far from anywhere known. The population had been stretched across a vast galaxy, and forced to rebuild their lives. This period, known as "The Dark Times," was fileld with hardship and a general decline in culture. Local ethnicities and loyalties emerged, and language developed along the lines left behind from Old Earth. Within generations, new identities had been created, and people had mostly forgotten their history.

Tombs and settlements are still found in remote places on planets, signifying ancient towns inhabited during the Dark Times. Several tombs known to date from around the Great Event have been discovered on Mycena, and a cave system filled with Artifacts Archaic was recently excavated on Ordinarius.

Minor Empires

Minor empires and galactic kingdoms sprung up, mostly short-lived. The earliest recorded nation of this sort was the Gishan Empire, which was founded by refugees from Shaddat in Far Reach, fleeing Beldani warlords, and settling the planet Gish as their capital. Their sphere of influence included most of modern Atraxia, parts of Abdus, Danaae, and Osmana. They clashed with a confederacy of planetary warlords operating from what is now Abdus, and were eventually defeated by the command of the lord of Kaltus IX. Many planets still bear Gishan names, and ruins are prevalent on Gish.

Some scientists contend that the culture on Danbus IV, which is considered the oldest inhabited planet in the Empire, had an empire that predated that of Gish, but this has yet to be proven.

The First Empire

Pre-Dynastic

Powers emerged, local warlords who ruled planets and small systems. The regions of that time are mostly the same as they are now, with Abdus, Valtenhayn, and the Core Worlds forming the central parts of the Empire. Incursions from other galactic states resulted in a rich history. The first incursion into what is now the Empire was the Gishans, Shaddati refugees fleeing the Beldani Combine. They wreaked havoc in their arival, displacing the Danbians and taking control of their area. At the height of their power, they extended hegemony over Danaae and the pre-Valtens. However, they were soon defeated by an alliance of warlods in the Abdian corridor, led by the Lord of Kaltus IV. That alliance never grew in strength, however, and were pushed aside by the planets of the Core Worlds. The other regions have a long history, but theirs will be discussed elsewhere.

The Core Worlds were comprised of Bizan Tan, Khaylamnis, Zumak, Bogaz, Istan, Kum, and Canak. Ruled by vicious warlords, the Khaylamnis established itself as the preeminent power. The Archduke forced tribute from the others, and gained subservience from the Valtens. Abdus paid tribute, as did the Southern Artaxians. The last Archduke, Jugunda Sivarik, subjugated the Bizan and passed the duchy to his son, Askar. Askar proclaimed himself King, and defeated the Lhakars of Canak.

Sivariki

Askar gained control over the other Core Worlds, and levied a massive army and fleet. Invading Atraxia, he subjugated the Tangol-Gishans, and then gained control of the warlike Danaae when he sacked Mycena. His armies turned on Abdus and forced the Grand Duke to surrender when he blockaded Abdus IV. Advancing into the Wild Space (now Kolthurnia), he seized Ghazayn (now Kolthurnia) and then seized the Valtenhayn Confederacy. Artax fell, and Greater Daxcia was taken.

Returning to Khaylamnis, he journeyed to Bizan Tan, which had been devastated by previous war. Proclaiming himself the Great Emperor, he inaugurated Bizan Tan as his capital, which would be called Imperia Prime. Askar claimed to be the descendant of the legandary Emperor Karliv. He turned Kum, Canak, and Zumak into the fortress worlds of Canakkale, Kumkale, and Zumakkale, and fortified Istan and Bogaz into the gateworlds of Bogaz Khoy and Istan Khoy.

Dynastic

The First Empire had begun, ruled by the Sivarik line. Askar's progeny ruled for a long time, until the line was extinguished through impotency, retardation, and simple incompetence. The Core Worlds were torn apart while various court families fought for supremacy, and at long last the Lakariks, descendants of the Lhakars, gained the upper hand and forced the other families to submit. The Lakarik Emperor gave them fiefs to ensure support, and the great families were born. The Umsanks, Daragaks, Kwuuntaktariks, and Wendankwans all began as court nobles.

The outer Imperial infrastructure, put together by the Sivariks, remained intact during the War of Succession. The Lakariks simply picked up where the Sivariks left off. Their reign saw the Empire reach the height of its culture and development, but just as the Sivariks before, they degenerated and finally collapsed. The ensuing conflict was not a repeat of the first War of Succession, however, and the First Empire totally collapsed.

Interregnum - the ValtenHayn/Abdus Wars

After the fall of the First Empire, the Grand Duchy of Abdus and the Confederacy of Valtenhayn competed for supremacy in the power vacuum. Though a confederacy, Valtenhayn was ruled by a powerful aristocratic family that was aneirched through its control of Artaxian trade concessions. Abdus was made strong by controlling the Beldani trade routes out of Balagos. Eventaully the two powers came into direct conflict, and a powerful Valtenhayn fleet attacked Abdus IV and forced the Grand Duke to flee. The "Abdian Attempt" as it became known resulted in the decline of Abdus IV as the capitol of the Grand Duchy, and with a deep hatred of Valtens by the Abdians.

The Grand Duke relocated to Abdus III, and marshalled his forces. Calling his allies in Atrax and levying the forces of the Intermediate Systems, he passed through the Core Worlds and attacked Valtenhayn himself. The attack was devastating, and resulted in the complete obliteration of all life on the planet. Thankfully, several million people had managed to escape the planet along with records, monuments, and other important items. The horrific attack crushed Valten hegemony, and they ceased to have any importance in the region.

The Valten Exodites kumped from planet to planet to escape the Abdians, who searched for them. Entering the Wild Space, they settled on the planet Gordax, before jumping again to the planets of Novus and Hapus, which was renamed Neuvalten in nostalgia. The Valten traditions persisted and evolved, and soon Novus was under Valten dominion.


The Kolthurnian Empire

The regional powers held sway for several hundred years, ebbing and flowing in power. The Wild Space was unified under the reign of Kolthur Keltan, who gave his name to the planet Szindae. His empire was collectively called "Kolthurnia," after the central planet of that name. For years, the Kolthurnians expanded, taking control of lesser states and systems. The County of Bandan, comprised of Balaban, Korriban, Nuzban, Kaban, and Bildan, was conquered, as was the Danzi Federation of Maldon IX, X, XI, and XII. Finally they seized Novus and forced the Valten Exodites to submit.

The King of Kolthurnia then set his sights elsewhere. Turning south, he made plans to seize Soricca, considered the gateway to the civilized worlds. However, he died before the plans could be completed, and two generations passed. His grandson made good on his grandfather's dreams, and took over Soricca a month into his reign.

His campaign in the outer Core was quick. The Kolthurnian armies seized the planets of Gindan, Lufashan, and Bildan, as well as an as-yet-insignificant planet named Vanda Khal. Soon, however, his armies marched triumphant into Galakia, on the edge of the Inner Core. The King sieged Khaylamnis, and was proclaimed Archduke, a title not held since Jugunda Sivarik. The Kolthurnian juggernaut continued, and within a short time his fleet was in orbit around Imperia Prime itself. The former capital planet had become a democracy after the fall of the Lakariks, and the whole of the populace voted to accept King Gurray Keltan as the Emperor of the Galaxy. Their actions began the Wars of Empire.

Second Empire

The Kolthurnians were defeated by an alliance of the Osmanans, Atraxians, and Abdians, forcing Gurray Keltan to abdicated. Their victory was short-lived, however, as the Novans, Valten exodites who had survived the devastation of their homeworld, grew in power and took advantage of the weakened allies. Seizing control of Kolturnian fleets and production, the leading family on Novus consolidated their power and seized control of key worlds. 15 years after the war was over, the Novans launched an attack and took control of Artaxia and Kolthurnia, defeated Abdus, and finally seized control of the entire galaxy.

The patriarch of the Novan families took the name Valten and declared himself Emperor Itanda I of the Valten Dynasty, inaugurating the Second Empire.

Third Empire

The Valten line ruled for many years, and culminated in the reign of the Jeddawan Emperor. However, he left no heirs or relatives of close blood to assume the throne, and the court collapsed into bickering and fighting. The Keltan family, which had befriended the Valtens during their conquest, took advantage of the situation and seized control, using their fleets toensure loyalty. King Urick Keltan declared himself Emperor Itanda XI of the Keltan Dynasty, and inagurated the Third Empire.

Alastar Dynasty

The Empire reached it's highest classical point during the Third Empire, expanding to massive proportions and reaching it's current borders. The government was highly secretive, with tax money funding mysterious products. The Emperor was all-powerful, and the Fleet was nearly invincible. However, the strength of the Keltans diminished, and the line was finally overthrown by Retemala Alastar, a Lord Admiral in the Fleet. He drew thousands to his cause, claiming that the Keltans were corrupt and debased, and that the time was now for the Empire to be renewed.

The Keltan Emperor, Walanda XII, was a cowardly man and lef thte fighting to his commanders, who slowly lost control of the war. The Emperor eventually committed suicide, and Retemala Alastar seized Imperia Prime and declared himself Emperor of the Alastar Dynasty. AS soon as he did so, however, his fortunes changed and his movement began to fall apart. He attempted to generate staying power by reforming the law codes of the Empire, creating the Alastar Law Code, but before he could complete his work he died of plague, and his son, Khoomsai, took the throne

Khoomsai was widely despised, and only exacerbated the situation. What good will he had left he squandered, and eventually lost control of the Core Worlds and turned to a game of hide and seek with the factions loyal to the Third Empire. His forces diminished, until he was finally killed in an explosion. His young son, Ortembares, took the throne at age 7, but had no capacity to rule. The Alastar forces were finally cornered on Vordoshaddat in Vardacia, and defeated. Ortembares and his family managed to escape into Longyear, and eluded capture. They were not heard from for a thousand years.

Fourth Empire

The power vacany was filled by Werjal Keltan, Grand Admiral of the Fleet. He crowned himself Emperor Hashal Kumra VI of the Second Keltan Line, and declared the Fourth Empire. His line reigned for years until the bloodline shifted. Members of the Valten family, which had ruled the Empire before the Alastar revolt had intermarried with the Keltan Imperial Family to the point where the ruling line was indistiguishable. The opportunity came when the Emperor died without any sons, and the Keltan males were of insufficient blood to take the throne. The Valtens returned to the throne, and simply declared that the Dynasty had shifted to the Second Valten Line.

Eventually, however, the Valten Emperors became incompetent and distant from the government. Powerful members of the Court, hoping to preserve the boundaries of the Empire, sought a way to prevent another war of succession. Noble members of the Imperial Court banded together and "convinced" Emperor Shaidar Valten to abdicate the throne and give power to the Court.

The families, in a group nicknamed the "Court Regency" ruled the Empire for a total of one year before realizing that they could not hold the union together. Agreeing to find another way, the leading families, led by Mian Sahar Odura Kwuuntaktarik and Emshir Allech, proposed to divide the Empire into two independent kingdoms.

Court Regency

The Patriarch of the Kwuuntaktarik family, Mian Sahar Odura, commanded vast monetary resources and wielded the prestige afforded to the ancient families of the Sivarik court. Seeking to reform the Imperial system and give more power to the individual regions, he went to the gifted orator Emshir Allech, the marquis of the house of Allech, and convinced him to support reform.

The leaders of the Court at this time were focused on maintaining their power, and when Allech made his speech before the assembled nobles, the Valten, Keltan, Pendankr, and Umsank client nobles quickly refused to support any reform of the system. Forced to regroup, Allech went to the smaller regional lords to try and gain support for reform of the system, and with Kwuuntaktarik support brought many to their side. The powerful oligarchs once again put a stop to the attempts, and Emshir Allech became convinced that the Imperial system was untenable.

With the support of Mian Sahar Odura and Resham Shar, the Patriarch of the Wendankwans, Emshir Allech emerged as the leader of a growing group of nobles seeking the division of the Empire and the removal of administrative power from the Court at Imperia Prime. Pooling the monetary support of the old banking families, Allech attracted big regional houses who would benefit from the end of centralized control. The Orn Grand Dukes of Abdus joined the cause, as did the Osmanan Sultan. Allech once again went before the court and successfully outmaneuvered the old guard.

The Empire was formally divided into two administrative kingdoms, and centralized control was removed from the Court. The regional powers, in addition to the residual rights they had recieved on the death of the last Emperor, recieved powers of fiat and sovereignty. The leader of the administrative kingdom would have limited sovereignty, but would still be paramount leader.

The Court voted to name Emshir Allech as the head of one of the kingdoms, creating him the King of Allech. The Court, however, rejected Mian Sahar Odura as King, fearing his family would seek to end the reforms, and instead named a mid-rank noble, the Marquess Atreus, as the new King of Atreus.

Allech and Atreus

The decision was made to divide the Empire. The Court argued over who should rule the factions, and it was agreed that the Allech family should rule Artaxia, Longyear, Vardacia, Daxia, and Osmana. Kolthurnia, Abdus, the League of Independent Systems, Kazamal, and Atraxia were ceded to the noble House of Atreus. The Core Worlds became an independent central system, developing into an interstellar trade and business hub. Emshir Allech became King Jugunda of Allech, and the Atreus were ruled by the politically adept King Porus.

Three generations of rulers controlled the divided empire, rebuilding the infrastructure and the power of the regions. It was in this era that the regional powers began entrenched and legitimized as a means to control and administer them. The era of the divided empire ended when King Laprit Allech was wed to Queen Irinia Atreus, and unified the Empire once more.

The Core Worlds, which had functioned independently for many years, were under the control of the old houses of the Imperial Court. Naturally, they opposed any unification of the two kingdoms, as it would mean their control over the ancient capital region would be threatened. However, the marriage went on. King Laprit, without declaring his intentions, "politely requested" the Court Families to turn Imperia Prime over to the new house of Allech-Atreus. The Court, under the sway of the Umsank noble Lord Seed, initially refused. Laprit responded by declaring that he would be taking a holiday on the ancient capital planet, and assembled a massive fleet to serve as his bodyguard.

The Court caved and accepted Laprit Allech-Atreus into the ancient Imperial Palace. After remaining in the city for a whole month while the nation held its breath, he entered the Chamber of Supreme Divinity and ascended to the Golden Dragon Throne, proclaiming himself Emperor Allech-Atreus I.

The Great Star Empire of Allech-Atreus

When Laprit Allech married Irinia Atreus, the Empire was unified as the Empire of Allech-Atreus, ruled by the House of Allech-Atreus, the Allech-Atreus Dynasty. Many reforms took place, and the Empire became what it is today, the Great Star Empire of Allech-Atreus.

Under Allech-Atreus I, the failing infrastructure of the galaxy went through a massive revitalization and repair. The Emperor commissioned private enterprises to build the new Imperial military, and reestablished the Chamber of Regents as a tool to control the regional powers. The Emperor also ordered projects to repair and renovate the Imperial buildings on Imperia Prime and Vanda Khal, which had been disused.

When Allech-Atreus I took the throne, he found that the old Court had degenerated into a squabbling mass of degenerate aristocrats. The Court, which had originally negotiated the division of the Empire, had remained in existenceas a traditional organ, with no political power. The once-noble houses of the Court were largely focused on their own fortunes and lives, and strange quasi-political power struggles defined the Court's function. The Emperor's first order of business was to disband the old Court and assemble his own government, along his own lines. His first act was the promulgate the Noble Code of Government, by which the old families- The Lakariks, Wendankwans, Pendankrs, Yuroshas, Kraenii and other families- were turned out of government for a period of 100 years. Some of these families supplied powerful and intelligent officials for the Emperors new government, after the hundred-year period, but for the most part the had to make their living in the private sector, where they remain as powerful banking and commerce clans.

The Emperor worked with his old officials to create a new system. The ancient Star Chamber was recreated as a council of six advisors, Privy Councillors who would advise the Emperor. The Chamber of Regents was reestablished to keep the regional leaders involved in the government, and a gubernatorial system was introduced for each planet in the Empire. Many of these bodies are still in existence today, although they bear only marginal resemblance to their ancestors.

One of the most important reforms of Allech-Atreus I was the Amnesty Declaration, which offered forgiveness to those who had opposed or committed rebellion against the Empire in exchange for their service in building the new state. Millions of families blacklisted and exiled for their roles were invited back into the State, the most famous being the Alastars, who had hidden in Longyear since the defeat of Ortembares at Vorodanshaddat. This served to legitimize the Empire in the eyes of progressives, and served to reinforce the more conservative aspects by restoring several old familie to their former positions.

Reign of the Allech-Atreus

The Emperors succeeding Allech-Atreus I continued the development of the Empire, by further entrenching and codifying the ancient practices that had been in use during the reigns of the Valten and Keltan lines. Art, architecture, and literature flourished during the reigns of Allech-Atreus III and VII respectively, while the military arts gained prominence under Allech-Atreus IV, X, and XI. One of the most important developments was the expansion of the Imperial University and development of the Imperial Library on Bibliotecos by Allech-Atreus VII and his son Allech-Atreus VIII.

Social unrest gathered under Allech-Atreus XI and came to a head under Allech-Atreus XII, but thanks to the political maneuvering of the Chamber and the Throne, problems relating to taxes, voting, and personal freedoms were answered. Under Allech-Atreus XV, the Empire reached its peak, and in the reign of Allech-Atreus XVI began to decline, though only slightly. In recent months the Emperor has become ill, and has named his son, Crown Prince Mammaran of Allech-Atreus, as the Prince Regent of the Empire. An impetuous and foolhardy man, it remains to be seen what will happen to the Empire.