Ronkan Empire

Overview

Official Name: The Ronkan Empire

Capital: Ronka

Major Cities: Arcadis, Talorin

Official Language(s): Ronkan

Government: Republic

• Emperor: Jeremiah Salvitor
• Head of Senate: Einkil Rumnaheim

Date Founded: Lisyllan 17th, -28 CY

Date Dissolved: Alexi 2nd, -1 CY

Summary

Formed in -28 CY by common reckoning, the Ronkan Empire was formed by a ragtag group of humans, gnomes, and dwarves; later, it would also consist of the orcs of southern Sarteri. When founded, it consisted of a single city, Ronka, where the various races had gathered to discuss the founding of the Empire; once established, all the known dwarven cities joined the Empire, as did several of the southernmost human cities.

As it expanded, so, too, did their technological innovations expand. Eventually, in -22 CY, an enterprising young technologist by the name of Roywyn Folkor would invent a contraption known as a 'walker. These immense spring-based machines were what gave the Empire such technological might; with such power, the Ronkan Empire proceeded to destroy the Woodland League, and in -19 CY the Ronkan Empire extended from what was once the far northern border of the League to the extreme edge of the mountains in the south. The only portion of land they did not control on the whole of Sarteri was Wayverith, which consisted of nothing more than the Lost and was of no interest to the Ronkans.

In -2 CY, experiments with an idea known as "magitech" were given the go-ahead in the northern-most city of Arcadis. The resulting detonation levelled the entire northern region, and this explosion would trigger a mass exodus from Sarteri, thus beginning what is known as the First Age.

The remaining cities of the Empire attempted to maintain some semblance of order, but failed due to lack of communication. The remnants of the Empire slowly became simple city-states with no connection to each other; the region that the Ronkan Empire once occupied became the home of the Ronkan City-States.

Political Structure

The whole of the Ronkan Empire was ruled by an Emperor. While the charter that established the Empire provided for guidelines of choosing a new emperor, the original emperor, Jeremiah Salvitor would remain emperor from the empire's inception until its demise. The emperor served as the leading figurehead of the government.

However, the emperor was not given absolute power. Those who formed the empire knew that some of their issues with the Woodland League had stemmed from the fact that that nation had only one governing body; ergo, those who founded the Ronkan Empire decided to put two into place. Each city incorporated into the Empire was allowed to send two senators to Ronka; the city of Ronka itself was allowed one senator, who became the head of the senate. The senators served as both as a legislative and judiciary for the empire. At its peak, the Ronkan Senate consisted of 27 members, including the head.

Laws

The Ronkan Empire had few strict laws. Druids were specifically outlawed, as were any others who practiced the arts of Nature.

Males who reached the age of adulthood were required to serve in the Ronkan military for a minimum of two years, though this law was abolished in -17 CY after the war with the Woodland League was over, given that the senate believed that war was no longer a threat nor necessary.

However, the Ronkan Empire did strictly enforce what laws it did have; the senators of each city established a Guild of Judges in each city, a police force that usually did not exceed a twentieth of the city's population. The Guild of Judges also served as an individual city's judiciary, establishing laws that were seen as necessary, with the senators given final say in any new laws established.

The practice of Magic was specifically allowed, though under heavy supervision of the Judges. While the Ronkan senate believed that magic should be allowed, it did recognize that it could do great damage.

Education

The Ronkan Empire was the first government to institute a national educational system; all children were to be enrolled in a city's educational system for no less than four years, during which time they were taught the basics of mathematics, politics, and technology. Later, after the defeat of the Woodland League, these schools also taught history, though heavily slanted against the Woodland League.

Children who showed particular promise were enrolled for an additional two years, where they were taught more advanced topics; however, given that the Ronkans were not terribly advanced technologically, such education was usually theoretical in nature, and often the students were ahead of many experts in their field by the time they finished their advanced schooling.