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THE
GRAND
EMPIRE
OF KRATH |
The Grand Empire of Krath was one of the greatest and most powerful civilizations in Nybelmar. As early as the 33rd century b.S. it was already the predominant authority on the continent’s western half. The Krathrians’ moment of glory in late 19th century b.S. epitomized the heights of human creativity, might, and artistry. At the pinnacle of its expansion in the 18th century b.S., it included the Peninsula of Shár, the Plains of Zhun, the Zhunith Desert, and parts of Banderran territory. The Empire of Krath is also often referred to as the "Grand Empire of Earth" or in variations the "Great/Grand Krathrian Empire", "Grand Krath" or the "Krath Empire".
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The Grand Empire was an utter conglomeration of tribes, most of which were
conquered by the Krathaszhar in their momentous history of war and conquest.
The only exceptions to this were the Krean
(who voluntarily joined the Empire and retained an autonomous status under
Krath) and the Orihirim (who were - at best - loosely autonomous considering no
one knew about their exact location). Before Emperor Asaen’s reign ethnic
margins were still quite apparent.
Through its all-embracing trade web, the Empire's influence reached even the
continent’s most secluded coasts. Krath culture, roughly three thousand years
after its fall, permeates some western states even today. The subtle
reverberations of its former power can still be felt in the great city-states
of the Zhunite Plains.
Location. The Grand
Empire of Earth occupied the south-western quarter of
Nybelmar. It reached from the Mountains of Maneth in the south to the Isser
River to the northwest, stretching diagonally northeast from there all the way
up to the River Rissernus. Krath had its northernmost border with the
mountainous regions east of the Inner Sea of Nybelmar.
In the northeast, the River Rissernus and a great line of fortifications
extending to the Benderrath Ranges separated the Empire from the
Chyrakisth orcs and the various
nomadic tribes living in the Vaenath Steppes. Through the vassal state of
Benderrath, Krath territory made contact with the insurmountable Zharkanions in
the east. Officially, the south-eastern border was the
Kingdom of Anis-Anpagan, but if
truth be told it was nothing more than a scorching desert both kingdoms
declared their own yet never had mastery over. The huge block of mountains
north of the southernmost Peninsula of Shár and the ranges in northern Zhun,
known jointly as “the Forefinger of Earth/Krath” as well as the eastern banks
of the meandering Iser split imperial territory from Orcal.
The Iser River further screened the Empire from the strange kingdoms of the
Nermarem Plains.
Description. The
Grand Kingdom of Krath comprised the following locations:
The
Peninsula of Shár
The Peninsula of Shár, aptly called the “Seed Garden
of Krath”, was possibly the most densely populated region of the known world.
The spectacular diversity of life on the peninsula humbled even the greatest of
gods before the majesty of the High Goddess, Ankriss. If Lillivear researchers
were right, the rainforests here contained more species of wildlife and flora
than twice the rest of the continent combined. But perhaps more awe-inspiring
to the socio-political scholar was the incredible cultural diversity of the
civilizations. Nowhere else have nations differed so vastly in such limited
territory: as a popular saying goes, the Earth Peninsula had life enough to
fill three continents[1].
As the cradle of so many civilizations, the Earth Peninsula was perhaps also
the chest of worms that brought the Empire’s demise. This diversity, so
wondrous and constructive elsewhere, prevented Krath from ever anchoring its
roots on solid, unified ground. The mere magnitude of difference between the
lifestyles, beliefs and perspectives of the tribes birthed so many riots and
domestic trouble that a Grand-Karoth of the time had to have “two of his
vigilant eyes, a troubled mind and an ever-conspiring hand turned eternally to
the Peninsula, leaving only a crippled, sickly hand to dig blindly around the
soil of the World.” (Emperor Dearan Asaen)[2]
There is great truth behind this understatement: three fourths of the army had
to be constantly engaged in keeping the lid on the mainland, at times barely
maintaining the peace let alone order and stability. With only a quarter of the
Empire’s power employed to secure the trade routes, suppress and control
neighbouring threats, Krath’s great achievements and conquests become
allthemore outstanding.
The Plains of Zhun
Great white waves washed against the dignified cliffs of the eastern shore and
softened in their intensity as they brushed the beaches taking cover in the
azure bays resting between cities of the southern coast, perhaps emasculated by
the activity in the colossal harbours.
Great settlements brimming with life and commerce lined the coast, hungry
seagulls circling above the waterfront. Trade met the lively
waters of the Zyloth Sea in the busy
docks of these majestic cities. Before the Year of Darkness, these piers were
among the west’s most eventful centres of sea-trade, between the political
instability of the Zhunite cities
and the twisted perils of the Zyloth Sea only a small portion of the merchants
that set sail from Anpagan shores
actually reached the – relative – safety of these harbours.
The piers along the shoreline were used to transport large quantities of food
(mostly grain) and other essential goods from Nybelmarasa and Zhun further
south to the peninsula.
The animated Zyloth Sea making the plains’ border with wave embroidery gave way
to endless fields stretching all the way to the distant horizon behind the
towns. A mesmerizing sense of order and efficiency exuded from the fields, all
precisely packed and parcelled into convenient sections. Not a single breath
was wasted to idleness; it is said that when a farmer lifted his head from his
work or wiped sweat off his forehead to catch the cool afternoon breeze
stirring amongst the golden rows, no matter where he was, saw Three
Priestesses: The stern gaze of the Overseer always bellowing – even in her
silence – further instructions, the reassuring smile of the Grower behind her,
and the tireless – and at times lost – scribbling of the Observer.
Mills and patches of sunflowers would
begin to dot the almost monotonous expanse of irrigated fields, the autumn
harvest matching the sands of the seashore in hue and abundance. Wherever the
hand of civilization did not reach to sow its crops, verdant pastures and
temperate hills, covered in mantles of wildflowers and daisies in springtime,
rushed forth to fill the landscape. Maquis growth sheathed the soil far and
wide. Everywhere, everywhere in the wilderness was swathed by forests of
fruit-bearing olive trees.
The gradual rise of the terrain to the north heralded the dark heights of the
Imperial Mines nestled in the breadth of the great Dragon’s Back Mountains. A
perpetual drone resonated in the cliffs, carried away by the
wind, howling as it spiralled down from
the snow-capped peaks to the valley floor.
Nybelmarasa (Naezshan
Zhunith)
Beware: Naezshan Zhunith, the “Desert of Zhun” in the
High Tongue of Aca-Santerra, was not always a
desert! Until the Breaking (see history), the grassy lowlands of Nybelmarasa[3]
as it was then called were perhaps the most fertile and versatile in the
Empire. These scenic plains irrigated by so many meandering rivers, with the
bright rays of a Zhunite
sun sparkling off their
waters, supported not only almost every
crop known to the Krathaszar but primed the largest husbandry sector of the
vast empire, flocks after flocks grazing on its lush pastures.
Nybelmarasa, as the only region not caged in by mountain ranges, served as
Krath’s portal to foreign lands, hence the epithet “The
Grand Gate”. There is also a less romantic story for how the expression
came about: When the Empire expanded towards the
north from Zhun, Nybelmarasa became the “Gate” through which the Krathamar
expelled the tribal black orcs and
human nomads to arid wastelands of
Orcal and Vaenath respectively. The open plains were
the ideal place to station and manoeuvre the Empire’s
gargantuan army. Hundreds of outposts dotted Krath’s new borders, protecting
them not only from Orcristh attacks
in the west but the reckless assaults of
Chyrakisth warbands and
barbarian raids to the east; mighty citadels watched
over his hidden treasures.
The most important land trade routes of the West once converged here. The Great
Asaen Roads[4],
the safest and by far the best tended highways in the Empire, had been built to
facilitate this colossal passage of commerce. “The Courtyard of
Nybelmar” saw the zenith of Krath architecture
during the reign of Emperor Dearan Asaen. Even today, a lonely traveller
trekking through Naezshan Zhunith, the barren desert which was once the
breathtaking Nybelmarasa, may see the remnants of this august architecture:
ruins of an ancient fantasy, which have like the ghosts of the ancient
civilization withstood the passage of time unharmed but forgotten.
Benderrath
Surprisingly little is known about the Benderrath highlands in
Santharia, despite their proximity to the
Anis-Anpagan Dominion, one of the main contacts of the
Compendium in
Nybelmar. An expedition to discover these fascinating steppes is underway;
volunteer scholars, artists and – unavoidably – adventurers may sign up with
the Compendium at the Great Hall of
the New-Santhalan
Library.
People. Abstract. The Grand Empire was an utter conglomeration of tribes, most of which were conquered by the Krathaszhar in their long and momentous history of war and conquest. The only exceptions to this were the Krean (who voluntarily joined the Earth League and retained an autonomous status under Krath) and the Orihirim (who were at best loosely autonomous considering no-one knew the exact location of their country). Except in the truly ‘imperial’ metropolises, ethnic margins were still quite apparent before Grand-Karoth Dearan Asaen’s reign. The great emperor sought to strengthen the fusion between the populace; through rigorous intermarriage and merged settlement policies he significantly altered the demograhical landscape.
| 1. The Krathaszar | 5. The Qualaris |
| 2. The Krean | 6. The Evalaris |
| 3. The Zhunite | 7. The Sharosar |
| 4. The Orihirim | 8. The Viaquis |
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People of the Great Empire of Krath: An Aesteran lady on her way to a midnight soiree and a Lillivear priestess. Note the wings on the priestess' back – an artistic indication of her vocation. All pictures drawn by Sheil. |
The
Krean
What is now known as the Krean men was
actually an elusive mixture of two tribes, the Aestera and the Lillivear,
distinct but complementary to each other like the ocean is to the
earth. The
Krean were possessed of an undying
passion for learning and progress. It was perhaps this yearning which acted as
the impetus of these miraculously long-lived
humans. The members of this tribe were passionate adherents of meritocracy;
no public role was cast in immovable stone or preset by gender.
From keeping the rainforests under control to creating celestial flower gardens,
from creating the most spectacular paintings in Krath to crafting devious plots
at the imperial court, the Krean
were the artists, mages, diplomats and gardeners of
the Empire. From dance to music, from poetry and prose to sculpture, all art
forms flourished in the breathtaking cities of these patrons of creativity.
Nonetheless, the Krean
had a tense relationship with the rest of the Empire.
A great fear that the splendour of their realm and the prosperity of the
Krean people
would be ravaged if the gates to their socio-economically advanced society were
opened loomed over the state. This set strict immigrant regulations in motion
throughout the Twin Realm, preventing the Krath’amar from taking permanent
residence except in a few handpicked cities. Correspondingly, the Krath’amar (“People
of Krath”) harboured a mild bitterness against the inaccessible
Krean civilization.
The awe and deep gratitude they had for the marvels and continued assistance of
the Krean and
the great self-sacrifice of their priestesses could not entirely compensate this
resentment.
[Back]
The Zhunite
The Zhunite men are a very lively
and loquacious people, renowned for their amiability and hospitality towards
even ultimate strangers. They have fair complexions tending towards brownish
nuances (possible due to their continued exposure to the strong
Zhunite
sun).
As the only remaining tribe of the once-glorious Krathrian Empire, the
Zhunite inhabit an essential trade
node between the west and east of Nybelmar, conducted
through the many harbours lining the
Zhunite coast. Trade is thus a central occupation of this tribe.
Zhunite olive oil, pottery and wine
are highly sought-after items. Zhun produces great philosophers and orators.
[Back]
The Orihirim
The only mundane importance of this isolated tribe to the Earth Empire was that
an Orihirim adviser was present with the Grand-Karoth every hour of the day.
Those who have been to the Grand-Karoth’s court attested that this mysterious
“Vizier of Light” possessed an influence over the Emperor unparalleled even by
his Grand-Vizier. Everything else we know about the Orihirim stems from Emperor
Dearan’s[6] account of the time he spent amidst the “light
humans”. With all respect due to his
distinguished person, we would also like to suggest if we cannot explicitly
state that he may have cleverly utilized these tales of the Orihirim
socio-political utopia as justification (and ruse?) for his world-shattering
revolutions. Many Santharian scholars treat the
Orihirim, often called “the light humans”
(alluding to “light elves”), as only a myth.
This cynical attitude was perhaps fuelled by the intriguing fact that no one
seemed to know the whereabouts of the tribe. No one (other than the Emperors
themselves perhaps) has ever seen what they look like; even the Divan’s White
Advisors always hid their identity under long, flowing hooded-robes.[7] Further
accounts tell us of how a white mist always swathed the ground the Light
Vizier’s feet touched and how sometimes a celestial luminosity surrounded his
figure.[8] The Orihirim were also believed to possess a perception and empathy
beyond mortal facilities, endowing Orihirim mages with legendary powers.
[Back]
The Qualaris, Evalaris,
Sharosar and Viaquis
Information
concerning these four tribes is not currently available to the
Compendium. Researchers interested in
this noble quest for knowledge may apply for a meagrely paid post at the grand
and glorious Library of New-Santhala. All
applications must be placed during office hours. The
Compendium is not liable for any
mishap that might occur during fieldwork. Proposed expeditions and the results
of all research must first be discussed at the Researcher’s Tower for
Nybelmar in the West Wing of the
Great Compendium.
[Back]
Organization. The
Krath Kingdom rested upon the principle of the absolute authority of the
monarch. The key function of the Karoth (the Krath Emperor) was to grant justice
in the land. The autocracy of the Karoth hinged on his personal commitment to
justice. The justice represented by the Krathrian ruler was a distributive
justice, concerned more in fairness and just allocation of public resources than
justice in a particular instant. It was his duty to personally shelter his
people from the excesses of government and local officials. For the Krathrians
it flowed from here that a Karoth could only achieve parity and justice in the
state if he had absolute power. For if he was not an absolute ruler on his own,
he would be reliant on other power levers (hence subject to their whims and
corruption). The Krath’amar, then, viewed absolute authority, or autocracy, as
being in service of building a just administration rather than elevating the
Karoth above the law.
Grand Krath had a ruling class comprised of court officials, military officers,
trade representatives, and priestesses. Wealth and rank wasn’t something one
automatically inherited, rather they had to be earned. Positions in the ruling
class (even nobility) were perceived as titles at the mercy of the Grand-Karoth.
Townspeople, villagers and farmers constituted the lower class. This segregation
did not depend on one’s religion; basically all who were not part of the ruling
class belonged to the class of ordinary citizens. Military service was a key to
advancement in the hierarchy.
Government. Note:
The traditional structure of Imperial government and courts is described below.
This entry does not account for the tremendous changes fathered by Emperor
Dearan Salador Asaen. Neither does this entry specify the fundamental
transformation in the empire’s construction known as the Asaen Reforms (aka the
Dearan Revolution). We believe these indicate a structure so drastically
different than what is characteristically Krathrian that they could not
satisfactorily be explained in an entry that deals mainly with the Classical Age
of the Grand Krath Empire.
Abstract. Theoretically the Grand Karoth was the
state: He possessed absolute power and was believed to be involved in every
decision of the government. The administration of the Grand Empire of Krath
revolved around its Grand-Karoth (the Emperor) and an established bureaucracy
drawn from his inner circles. This officialdom in turn controlled local
governments. Thus, in reality the Empire was run by a vast bureaucracy, which
was controlled by an unbending and sophisticated code. Appointments to
government positions were not arbitrary; although they followed strict rules,
the last word on any post was still the Karoth’s.
| 1. The Grand-Karoth | 5. Political Elite |
| 2. The Grand Vizier | 6. Economic Elite |
| 3. Administrative Elite | 7. Religious Elite |
| 4. Military Elite | |
The Grand-Karoth: Administrative Role
Everything representing the state issued from the hands of the Emperor himself
(or by the Grand Vizier acting in his name).
The officialdom was monitored through a vast, complex and elaborate spy network,
which would report back to the central bureaucracy. It is an uncontested fact
that the intelligence gathering system of the Krath Empire was the best in
Nybelmar well until the Year of Darkness.
Periodically the Grand-Karoth was expected to tour local governments in disguise
to ensure that magistrates and public servants were operating fairly.
Traditionally, perhaps the residue of the Krar’s nomadic heritage, the
parliament of the Empire was not fixed in any one city – not even in their
august capital. The Travelling Congress, as the imperial assembly was called,
periodically met the Grand Karoth on his tour across the Empire. Although in
theory the Emperor could call the meetings anywhere in the Empire depending on
his present location, in practice there were nine established cities, known as
the Council Seats, where the assembly would congregate.
[Back]
The Grand Vizier
Because the Emperor spent so much of his time away from the capitol travelling
and inspecting the lands, the Grand Vizier as head of the Divan oversaw all the
executive functions of the government. [Back]
Administrative Elite
The ministries and departments in addition to being an important part of Krath
bureaucracy and administration also supplied the viziers with whatever
information they required. [Back]
Military Elite
For each military corps a Commander of State who had the administrative power
existed. Under him was someone who had the ceremonial command of the corps.
There was also a corps under the command of the Swordmaster; of these, those
taught in foreign etiquette and language (mainly Orcristh or Nermaren) served as
the Prohibitors, guards for foreign ambassadors. (For more information the
Military section should be consulted.)
[Back]
Political Elite
The viziers formed the core of the nobles; yet in political theory even they
were only servants of the Grand-Karoth. The most powerful of these were the
viziers of the Imperial Divan, a council led by the Grand Vizier where viziers
gathered to debate the politics of the empire. The Divan consisted of nine
viziers, four of whom served as Viziers of the Dome, the most important figures
after the Grand Vizier. The Emperor could also summon additional participants
depending on the subject. The Divan also operated as an advisory panel whose
opinion was communicated to the Emperor by his Grand-Vizier. Although the
Grand-Karoth by and large took his viziers’ counsel in consideration he was not
bound to obey the Divan. A Divan could also be assembled if the Emperor had
something important to inform his viziers of (such as a coming war) who then
carried out his orders.
Another significant division of the Grand-Karoth’s court was the clergy,
Priestesses of Ankriss who occupied a special status in the imperial hierarchy.
The Temple’s approval was called upon to endorse and sanctify decisions as being
according to the Goddess’ will. [Back]
Economic Elite
Since the financial system turned around production, economic power centred on
those who held the strings of the agricultural sector and the trade networks.
Land was chartered out to the officialdom as salary to farm. The highest ranking
bureaucrats controlled the most territory and were thus among the richest
individuals in the Empire.
The Krean virtually ran the trade in
Krath, in command of almost all of the key routes and operations. Thus, although
they were not appointed to government posts, the
Krean still wielded considerable power
within the imperial hierarchy. [Back]
Religious Elite
The Krean High Goddess of
Earth, Ankriss, was the patron deity of
the Krath Empire, and the High Temple Her official representative. The High
Priestess always came from Lillivear (one of the two tribes of the
Krean) ranks – so had most of the inner
circles of the Temple. It is surprising indeed to see how women in this highly
male-oriented society could rise to positions of such uncanny influence.
In the vacuum that resulted after Emperor Dearan Asaen’s disappearance a new
sect formed and in the centuries thereafter rose to ghastly power – up to
becoming the Empire’s official sect during the Year of Darkness. No female
ministers were allowed within their ranks. The clerics of this sect, upon
discovering that intimidating throngs of people was as pleasurable as bringing
them to tears in piety, twisted the tenets into threats of retribution,
sacrament and damnation until they no longer resembled the teachings of love and
benevolence they in reality were. One brash priest even went as far as to
declare that the supreme deity of earth
was male, accusing the High Temple of emasculating the divine and degrading His
name. [Back]
Politics. The
politics of the Empire were shaped in a triangle around the Grand-Karoth. At the
edges of this triangle were the court bureaucrats, who had the support of
fief-holders; the High Temple of Ankriss, the “Voice of the Krean” in the
Empire; and the military, who, as is the case with most armed men, was for the
most part accountable only to itself.
In order to hold its ground against the other two players, the palace
bureaucracy had to please the land-“owners”, often fighting for their rights or
intervening in the courts on their behalf, which wasn’t all too difficult to
imagine considering these were the largest fief-holders themselves.
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In addition to the fact that the crushing majority of the Temple comprised of
female Lillivear priestesses, the religious vertex had much to lose by
frustrating the Twin Kingdom (the Krean
realm). Although the High Temple of Ankriss was the second largest landowner
(term properly used this time) after the imperial family – mostly through the
charities they ran and the private territories bequeathed on them every time a
controversial government decision needed the Goddess’ sanction, their resources
were not inexhaustible. The prosperous
Krean country was its chief benefactor and in order to survive in a male
dominated world and neutralize the conspiracies against them, they needed all
the funds they could get.
The High Temple could be a powerful ally and an arch force to be reckoned with,
one not even the military wanted to confront squarely in the face. To begin
with, they had the fief-holders on a tight leash, and thus the bureaucrats.
Krath probably kept extremely detailed accounts of its fiefs and all the
production going on in the Empire. In order to guarantee parity in the reports
and prevent corruption, the officials in charge of these land-registers were not
given any land to farm but instead received their salary in cash. As both
Krean, whom Krath did not lease
imperial land to work, and female, whom the Krathaszar did not regard capable of
managing estates anyway, the priestesses were the ideal candidates for
monitoring the commerce and production. And since the Empire already depended on
the magic of the priestesses to promote growth
cycles, enhance cultivation and heal diseased plants, these Observers would not
look out of place, working along with their Grower sisters in the fields. To
make sure that the Growers put all their hearts to the work, they received
remuneration as a fraction of the net profit of the fiefs they supported. For
the fiefs whose profits were directly transferred to the treasury, Krath also
had Overseers from the High Temple to supervise and ensure efficiency in the
production. Hence one usually found the High Priestess siding with the Emperor
(or the other way around to be more truthful). In return for his protection and
continued generosity, the Temple would make sure that his bureaucrats would not
turn on him – at least not without dire financial consequences.
The military, other than using itself as leverage by threats of alliance with
one of the sides, principally supported contenders to the throne. There were two
reasons for this: The imbursement made to the elite forces at every coronation
being the first and by far the most common and the unfortunate fact that the
presiding emperor needed to buy off the attack to save himself. This
untrustworthiness of the military might have been the motive behind composing
the main body of the army from soldiers raised by fief-holders, levelling the
possible treachery of one against the other. The unreliability of the army was
also a contributing factor to the alliances between the Grand-Karoths and the
High Priestess, the High Temple providing priestesses to secure the palace when
the Emperor’s army turned against himself.
Another key point to appreciate is that the competence of a Karoth was measured
by his personal commitment to justice, amount of gold in the treasury and the
land conquered in his reign. That might help explain the seemingly illogical
ascension of an utterly incompetent emperor every few hundred years followed by
that of a highly aggressive Karoth; to avert disillusionment in the populace
every time Krath approached its natural boundaries land had to be lost and a
scapegoat made so the territories could be re-conquered and the glory of the
reign “re-claimed”. Excluding the Asaen Era constant expansion was a requisite
for the smooth running of the system. Not only did the people need to be
continually reminded of the majesty of their emperor, but new fiefs had to be
opened to accommodate the ever-increasing population of the peninsula.
Economy. The economic
system depended on production, agriculture and husbandry forming the heart of
Krath economy. Naturally, the system revolved around the administration of land.
It would be a mistake to describe the Krathrian structure as feudal: Though the
allotment of land vaguely resembled a feudal organization, the Krath system
supported a number of resourceful differences, one of which was the unique tax
system. At the risk of oversimplification: Although the ownership (‘property
rights’) of the land belonged to the state, it was ‘leased’ out to the populace
to farm. The management of these small holdings was of course subject to several
regulations. For instance, if someone left their territory untended for three
years in a row, either the land was taken back or he was put through severe
monetary punishment. State officers instead of receiving wages were given arable
fields (in proportion to their rank) to work and make profit from. Similarly,
the government, instead of taxing its officials, asked them to raise one rider
(and his family) for every set proportion of the revenue they earned from that
plot of land. The state also owned its own arable territories whose income was
directly transferred to the treasury. Throughout the Empire’s long history,
trade remained an indispensable sector. In relation to agricultural products
Krath was a self-sufficient country.
Production. As
Krath was primarily an agricultural society, due weight must be given to the
procedures of land administration; the original and vastly efficient system
merits some detail in its explanation:
If one is to engage in a broad and sweeping generalization and persist in
identifying the Empire as a feudal society, the first thing one must note is
that fiefs were ‘rented out’ upon condition of military service. Since the state
alone held the property rights of the land, it is no surprise that the
land-based aristocracy so characteristic of feudal systems never existed in
Grand Krath. Perhaps due to this absence of an unregimented nobility and
individual ownership, many of the traditional flaws and failings of feudality
were avoided: Farming was not seen as the occupation of an inferior class,
villagers were not subject to degrading and erratic treatment, although the
Karoth’s word was law the citizens knew the general borders of their rights, and
taxing did not operate on a cruel and whimsical basis but was subject to
rational rules and regulations.
Although in excess of 25 types were recorded during the 19th century b.S., for
the purposes of this overview it would be safe to classify the land into three
main categories: Private, state-owned and foundation territory:
Private Territory
Private territories were the pieces of land where property rights belong to the
cultivators. Land owners could sell, transfer or bequeath their territory as
they willed.
State-owned Territory
The property rights of the lands classified under the second category belonged
to the state. The farming and cultivation of these were left to several classes
of individuals under the direction of the state.
Foundation Territory
The revenue
of foundation territories was conferred on charities and philanthropic
activities like the building of public kitchens, sanatoriums, schools,
institutes of arcane sciences and places of worship. The state did not tax land
falling under this class.
Military. As the
entire system of Grand Krath depended on constant expansion to sustain itself,
the military was at the forefronts of the imperial landscape. Extending the line
of reasoning, is it any wonder that the Krath Empire had one of the strongest
land-armies on
Nybelmar
before the Year of Darkness?
To give a very broad-spectrum impression of the martial structure: Grand Krath
had a full time army of paid, professional soldiers virtually since it entered
the stage of Nybelmarian history, but the main bulk
of its military force (especially its light cavalry and heavy infantry) came
from its fiefs (see the Agricultural System under Production for a general idea,
and consult the Military section for
particulars).
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Although a very successful initiative for a potent naval force was inaugurated
in Grand-Karoth Dearan’s reign, the lead was not pursued by his successors.
Expanding on what we can tell from the sketches in the possession of the
Anpagan Dominion, the legendary
emperor had an armada of unique Krathrian design. The fleet was exclusively
tailored to suit to the needs of the Empire: the main body of the navy comprised
of heavily armoured transports for the land forces and sleeker vessels which
could swiftly glide between enemy ships to take as many down as possible before
their forces disembarked). Historians now believe that this magnificient armada
was left to decay in the ignorance of battling
Zhunite city-states after the empire
collapsed.
Very odd for an earth-based empire, the
first and as far as we know the only aerial
forces in Nybelmar were created in the same period
[9]. As could be expected, his successors did
not share the same keenness for an airborne
army. Approaching the subject with the deep-rooted prejudice and suspicion
towards anything to do with the skies, the later Karoths abandoned his long-term
plans of raising aerial scout, archer and
siege units to give Krath the upper-hand in scenarios ppreviously thought
unviable. But out of their profound respect for his person (and a widespread
superstition that the Emperor would return from the dead to put the gravest
curse in history upon whatever short-sighted creature destroyed his invention)
none of the successors could wholly disband the troops. In the end the once
great innovation was reduced to a parody, used only to bring the emperors
refreshments over the battlefield.
__________________
Footnotes.
[1] Could this be why
perhaps the Krean called it the “Orchard
of Pomegranates”? A legendary Krath emperor, Dearan Salador Asaen, had once
claimed that “No man, however he be blessed with vigour or time, may ever record
or appreciate the glorious beauty of this Garden in its full splendour” (his
challenge causing of course a surge of scholars from the eastern nations).
[Back]
[2] Emperor Dearan Salador Asaen’s
one failed attempt was to permanently move the beating heart of the Empire to
Nybelmarasa, which very nearly cost him (quite more than) his life. Quite an
anomaly resulted in the autumn of his reign: the formal capitol back in the
rainforests while the Empire was ruled in every aspect from an unofficial
capitol in where he called the “true and open heart” of the Krath lands.
[Back]
[3] Lit. “Courtyard of
Nybelmar”, from
"Nybelmar"
and “Arásá” ("courtyard"
in Krath’melarian). When this vast territory was first conquered, the Krathrians
referred to the feral plains as “Krath-Armasa”, the “backyard of Krath”. In time
it became known as “Krath-Arasa”, “the Courtyard of Krath”. The change to the
audacious “Nybelmarasa” is attributed to Emperor Asaen, signifying the
importance he placed in the area. The word
"Nybelmar"
itself means “Land of Glory” in ancient Krean from the
roots “Nybel” ("landmass" or
"continent") and “Mar” ("glory").
Since “Nybel” (or the more formal “Nybelath”) is also
a synonym for "splendour",
“Nybelmarasa” can also be translated as “The Courtyard of Glory”.
[Back]
[4] Sometimes also called “the
Boulevards of Nybelmarasa” or more expressively, “Boulevards of the Courtyard of
Nybelmar”. [Back]
[5] Grand-Karoth Dearan, despite
being a Krean (who were traditionally
contemptuous of the ruling tribe), was possibly the emperor the Krathaszar in
their long history favoured (and supported) most – notwithstanding his
world-shattering innovations and radically unorthodox character. He devoted an
entire life to building strong ties of citizenship and understanding (not
tolerance) between the many tribes of the Empire with a specific vision of
bringing the Krathaszar and the Zhunites
to their deserved place of respect. [Back]
[6] He was the only outsider ever
allowed into their mysterious realm in the six thousand years of history.
[Back]
[7] Some fanciful historians have
even speculated that the White Advisors might actually
have been the same person as there seemed to be something very similar in the
way each moved and spoke. However the
Compendium would like to dismiss these far-fetched theories, asserting once
again the need to separate myth from knowledge empirically ascertainable. Indeed
there seems to be something quite suspicious in the fact that the White Advisors
have all been very consistent in disappearing as breath into the
wind after the funeral of the Karoth they
had watched over for so many years until the next coronation. We as rational
Santharian scholars, led not by a religious hangover
but the light of logic, would like to suggest that the Orihirim White Advisor,
whoever he (she?) might be, makes great and careful use of this chaotic
interlude to change with his successor.
[Back]
[8] Surely these can be nothing more than the work of a
fanciful imagination spirited by the excitement of being in the presence of
Nybelmar’s strongest persona (refers to the
Grand-Karoth of the Great Empire of Earth not his fantasized Vizier of Light).
[Back]
[9] Initially, Emperor Asaen, then the Lord Appraiser of Zhun,
had only finding a faster and more secure means of communication between the
separated regions of the Empire in his contemplation. It was a general in his
army, Lord Celeres, (also rumoured to be a loyal confidant of the Grand-Karoth)
who suggested that flying creatures could also be trained as military units. The
Grand-Karoth immediately saw the prodigious value of
aerial units: Although grudgingly, he had
to admit that Krath would never beat a nation with such a deep-seated naval
heritage like Anis-Anpagan as a
sea-power. Instead Grand-Karoth Asaen shifted the playing ground when realized
he could not win by the rules. [Back]
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