Sarveki History and Politics

The Sarvek Empire was established hundreds of years ago, by a man named Carthos Sarvek. He waged a unifying war across the plains of the western continent until he stood at the head of a baby Empire. He spent the last years of his life ensuring his work would not be undone. He rebuilt cities, ensuring schools and temples were included in reclamation efforts everywhere. He forced his people to band together and help one another as they repelled raiding barbarians year after year.

The last years of his rule were a time of growth and safety for most of his lands, marred only by one attempt by his oldest son to overthrow his rule. The coup failed, the son was cast into darkness, and life went on.

Carthos formed a brotherhood of monks to protect him and help spread his teachings to all his people. When Carthos died, his second son assumed the crown and continued his father’s work, securing the foundations within his borders before reaching out to conquer more of the continent. He officially named the brotherhood the "Serene" and charged them with the task of maintaining safe sanctuaries of faith across the empire. With the blessing of the new Emperor, the Serene named Carthos as the one true Prophet, the only god of all true Sarvekis. The living Emperor gained demi-god status in the eyes of his people, and the new country continued as Carthos had intended, for a time.

Eight generations later, the political landscape had deteriorated nearly to the breaking point. Many factors contributed to the social entropy. Years of war on multiple fronts had eroded the morale of the common people and the military. Trevor and Ralin, the sixth and seventh Emperors, were weak men, who welcomed the power of their positions but avoided the responsibility that came with it. During their impotent reigns, Noble Houses – families with blood relation to the Crown – were given more responsibility to defend and govern their own lands, and many House Fathers welcomed the responsibility because they understood that power came with it. While the Emperor indulged his every fancy within his private chambers, Houses waged mini wars on each other in bids for more land and resources they needed to maintain their larger campaigns against the Strogans and Drake Riders that threatened all borders.

The Serene also grew in power, influence, and prestige, as the broken populace turned to their spiritual leaders for solace in the dark times. As their members learned to commune with the Prophet and channel his power to form healing and protective blessings, the people relied on them and trusted them more with each passing year. As the Serene grew in number, they split into multiple disciplines and created their own internal structure, naming one man to lead them. This leader, called the Sentinel, became the Voice of the Emperor when the true Emperor couldn’t be bothered to appear in person to make degrees and judgments. Perhaps it was coincidence, but in those years, through the Sentinel, both Emperors made many decrees that benefited the Serene.

Percy Sarvek was the eighth emperor, and he had more of Carthos in him than all of the previous Emperors combined, but by the time he inherited the Crown, some damage could not be undone. The old ways could not be brought back. The Serene had too much power to be curtailed. The Noble Houses wielded too much clout to be returned to nothing.

Percy saw a new order had to be formed before all fell to ruin. He started with the Serene. In one night, the Sentinel, every Archon, and most of the Elder Mentors disappeared. The public was told all of them had been called to the Prophet’s Table to help him wage a war in the other world. When they were replaced with men loyal only to Percy, no one questioned it.

The Emperor then turned his attention to the Noble Houses and his military. He approached the House Fathers diplomatically at first, partially out of a sincere desire to compromise without shedding blood, but also to give him time to determine loyalties and to gather forces, should the diplomacy fail.

When the discussions erupted into outright violence, Percy personally killed the Fathers of Houses Vinar, Seran, and Pilus in mortal combat before the melee was broken by the Imperial guards. Fathers Rutherford and Gershon were imprisoned. Percy lost his left hand in the battle. The Serene could have blessed him and restored his flesh, but he declined the gift, saying it was his penance to pay for failing to find a peaceful solution.

Percy issued a decree, demanding all Noble Houses stand down. Enraged at the deaths of their Fathers, Houses Vinar, Seran, and Pilus launched a revolution. Had they banded together instead of acting separately, they very well may have won, but acting individually, they had no chance. Within six months, every man, woman, child and animal of all three Houses had been utterly destroyed. No mercy was granted to anyone. The Houses ceased to be. Merely uttering their names earned ten lashes. As the dust settled and the blood dried, the remaining Houses fell in line.

The Emperor allowed them to retain their self-governing powers and the right to form their own military forces, but he required them to send troops to serve him, and he forbade them to fight one another under any circumstances. He devised the annual House Games to give them all a fair and relatively painless chance to advance their stature and power. He also began the custom of awarding Houses who distinguished themselves with service to the Crown, whether it was through war or cultural development. He created the a position called the "Hand of the Emperor" to lead all Imperial forces, and he rewrote the Imperial judicial laws to include the four sources of Sarveki strength: the People, the Crown, the Serene, and the Military.

Percy was the first Emperor in history to cede territory to the Strogans, a perceived failure that won him few supporters, but even that failing served a purpose. He used the land to buy peace with their bloodthirsty neighbor, which in turn bought the Empire time to heal and regain its strength. Percy ruled in peace for the remainder of his days. When he died, the Empire was strong once again, and his system worked well enough to survive unchanged down through history to the current day.

In current times, the Sarveki Empire dominates the western two-thirds of Dae Arinon, from the Frozen North to the Gulf of Stylon, from the Crimson sea in the east to the Mirrored Mountains in the west. The Strogan beast clans hold all land west of the Mirrored Mountains, and the Drake Riders live unchallenged on Dragon Island to the east.

The Sarvekis have warred with both cultures for centuries, with few years of peace in between. At this time, an official truce has been declared with the beast clans. The borders are watched very closely by both sides, but limited trade is permitted between the two countries. Many powerful people on both sides of the mountains want the peace to fail, because war is profitable, but thus far the truce has held.

No truce exists with the Drake Riders. The Sarveki navy remains in the Crimson sea, trying to thwart the pirates that prey on trading lanes and then escape to sanctuary on Dragon Island. They also watch for the great flat war galleys the Riders use to cross the sea when they decide to raid the Empire’s east coast. No one ever says “If the Riders attack.” It’s only a question of when.

The Noble Houses comply with the Imperial Peace Decree issued by Percy Sarvek. There has been no open conflict since the decree was made centuries ago, but they still battle each other in secret, using wrathnar to strike with impunity.

In theory, the Emperor rules the entire country, with the Sentinel acting as his Voice, and the Hand of the Emperor acting as his… well, as his hands. The Noble Houses are supposed to have no effect on Imperial policy or actions.

Reality is somewhat more complicated, as House allegiances commonly overflow into the ranks of the Serene and the military. The result is an ever-changing and incredibly intricate web of political power plays where knowledge and favors are the only currency that matter. Kalin, the current Emperor, is adept at assessing his subjects’ true loyalties and ensuring his key leaders have his best interests in mind. The only exception is James Casteel, the current Sentinel, who was appointed by his predecessor according to their custom. Kalin did not want it to happen, but he was a prince at the time and couldn’t convince his father to intervene. He has few worries however, because his truest and oldest friend serves as his Hands. As long as Alexi Keirnan controls the military, the Emperor has no need to worry.