Chapter 60.2: True to His Words and The Mighty Empire of Elms-Arkanus (2)
Year 0003, I-III Month: The Imperium22
---
Equality Above All Else
Although there are tiered classes of people in the regional capital city of Arkanus, they are, in essence, one and the same. No discrimination is tolerated within these walls, for the citizens have collectively experienced tyranny and oppression in their past. The scars of history bind them in solidarity, creating a society where merit and contribution are valued above all else.
The outermost tier of the city is considered the lower tier solely due to its affordability, given its proximity to the outer city walls. The constant patrols and the occasional roars of their dragoon units wyverns overhead remind residents of their relative position in the grand metropolis. Yet make no mistake—the people dwelling in this outermost tier enjoy wealth that would make outsiders from beyond the capital region envious. Even the humblest dwelling in Arkanus boasts amenities that provincial nobles would covet.
The standard of living implemented in the Regional Capital City of Arkanus represents the pinnacle of Emperor Janus's vision—a testament to what can be achieved when a society prioritizes the collective welfare of its citizens. Crystal-clear water flows through aqueducts of polished stone, arcane lamps illuminate cobblestone streets at night, and public gardens burst with colorful flora cultivated by the Empire's finest horticulturists.
---
The Grand Orders of the Imperial Army
The Elmisians and Arkanians have long shown profound respect for their military orders, which form the backbone of the Empire's might. These orders can be broken into several distinct hierarchies, each serving a crucial role in the Empire's defense and expansion:
**The Order of the Imperial Royal Guard**
These elite warriors safeguard the Emperor and his house in the innermost sanctum. They undergo combat training of a higher caliber than those of the Regular Imperial Army, answering solely to the Emperor's commands. Their distinctive crimson and gold armor marks them as the chosen defenders of the Imperial bloodline. One million strong, they are handpicked from the most loyal families across the Empire.
**The Order of the Elite Imperial Royal Army**
They form the foremost spear that accompanies the Emperor when he marches to battle. These soldiers endure the most rigorous training regimens, occasionally receiving personal instruction from Emperor Janus himself in the ancient combat arts. Their discipline is unmatched, their loyalty absolute. One hundred thousand strong, they represent the pinnacle of martial prowess in the known world.
**The Order of the Regular Imperial Army**
Under the command of the 20 Great Ducal Houses, these soldiers receive standardized basic and advanced combat training. The only distinction lies in their chain of command—they answer to the Dukes, who in turn fall under the direct command of their Emperor. Twenty million strong, they form the bulk of the Empire's ground forces, their blue-and-silver uniforms a common sight throughout the realm, and their right arm guards bare the emblem of the house they serve while the left side belongs to the Emperor's house.
**The Order of the Regular Elite Imperial Army**
Direct subordinates of the Great Ducal Houses, they share the same foundation as the Regular Imperial Army but receive additional specialized training unique to the houses they serve. Two million strong, futher divided equally a hundred thousand each, they serve as the personal forces of the Great Houses Specializing in different forms of combat unique to the house that they serve.
**The Order of the Army Support Groups**
These units fall under the directives of the main strike forces, maintaining a 2:1 ratio. Comprising engineers, quartermasters, medics, and artisans, blacksmiths, weaponsmiths armor malers and every other support function that is needed to maintain the army in the field. They ensure the fighting forces remain well-supplied, oiled and operational at any given notice. At 46.2 million strong, they represent the unseen but essential foundation of the Empire's military might.
The entirety of the Army stands at 69,300,000 strong—a force unmatched even in the known world.
---
The Grand Orders of the Imperial Navy
**The Order of the Imperial Royal Navy**
Guardian of the seas, this naval force protects the continent from external threats. Their banner, a golden water dragon upon azure waves, instills both fear and respect across the oceans.
° The navy maintains 21,000 grand vessels of war that roam the high seas. Each measures 500 feet long, 50 feet wide, and 30 feet high, capable of carrying 1,500 soldiers/marines and 500 support personnel alongside 210 sailors who operate the complex systems of sails, ballistas, and arcane engines that power these leviathans.
° Additionally, 50,000 smaller vessels patrol the coasts and rivers of the entire continent of Arkanus. At 200 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 20 feet high, each requires 120 sailors to operate and can transport up to 300 soldiers/marines and 200 support personnel. Together, these naval personnel number 10.41 million.
**The Order of the Imperial Royal Marine Expeditionary Force**
The navy's equivalent to a land army, these specialized troops that excel in amphibious assaults, capable of establishing beachheads under the most challenging conditions. 127.8 million strong, both reserve forces with 115.02 million (90%) men and women and active duty personnel of both men and women at 12.78 million (10%).
Reshuffling from active duty to reserve force every in every 2 years of active service, to train in the high seas, the rivers and every water way the Empire owns. Reserve troops are either chosen as combat ready force at 15% capacity or allowed to have different professions when not in active duty or in combat ready reserve.
They wear distinctive sea-green armor adorned with silver wave patterns and the emblem of the Water Dragon Queen in their chests.
**The Order of the Imperial Royal Navy and Marine Expeditionary Support Group**
This combined force provides logistical support to naval and marine operations, numbering 56.8 million support personnel serving at least 3 marines/sailors per support personnel.
They are operating at a reduced capacity of 10% maximum active duty support personnel during peace time and during war time they are at least expected to be at 50% capacity in the first few months of the war. Where as, personnel in the reserve force are allowed to exercise their proffessions in the Empire.
The entirety of both the navy and marine forces, including support groups, stands at 184.6 strong—a maritime power without equal.
---
The Specialized Orders Outside the Traditional Military Structure
**The Order of the Imperial Royal Magic Division**
This separate entity falls directly under the Emperor's command rather than the military hierarchy. Comprising of mages proficient in combat magical arts, they serve as both battlefield magical support units and strategic assets. Their commanding general in times of war is the Grand Advisor and Elder Solomon Brand Elmsvale from the House of Elms, whose wisdom spans centuries. Though relatively small at 210,000 members, each mage represents the equivalent of a conventional battalion in combat potential. Their tower in Aethelgard, with its ever-shifting crystalline architecture, serves as both a monument to arcane knowledge and a warning against those who would threaten the peace of the Empire.
**The Order of the Emperor's Dragoon Company**
This highly specialized group consists of wyvern riders soaring above the battlefields, with Emperor Janus himself mounted upon Chronusfyre Solumbra, a true-born royal heir the Dragon Prince whose black, red and golden scales shimmer like polished gems in the sunlight. Numbering just 2,500 riders, including the Emperor, they represent an unparalleled aerial force. The bond between rider and mount transcends mere military utility. Janus inspired by the stories of the Dragon King created this specialized aerial unit, although it is of mere semblance of what once was true dragon riders and not mere wyverns riders. Nevertheless it is a sacred covenant dating back to the earliest days of the old Arkanian Empire.
---
Respect to Duty and Sacrifice
When these soldiers patrol the streets, citizens erupt in cheers, recognizing that their peace and prosperity depend upon the vigilance of these guardians.
The current lifestyle enjoyed throughout the capital was built upon the sacrifices of countless soldiers who fought for the very freedoms now taken for with much gratitude.
A profound respect and orderly conduct permeates society. None of these soldiers abuse their authority; those who serve the Empire conduct themselves with dignity and respect toward all citizens. In return, they receive admiration and gratitude wherever they march. The mutual respect between civilian and military forms the cornerstone of Imperial stability.
The regional capital city boasts a population of 2 billion citizens, with ample space for future expansion. Throughout this massive metropolis—an empire within a city—the Regional Capital of Aethelgard spans an astonishing 41 million square kilometers. Within its boundaries, breathtaking natural scenery and pristine wilderness areas have been deliberately preserved for future generations, creating a harmonious balance between urban development and the natural beauty of the world.
---
Within the Confines of the Empires Reach
While vices for entertainment remain permitted within the capital grounds, those involving human exploitation, abuse, drugs or murder are scorned and strictly prohibited. Other indulgences are tolerated for their entertainment value, albeit under heavy regulation within Aethelgard's boundaries.
Beyond the capital's influence, however, cultural practices vary considerably. The Empire's laws aren't yet universally accepted throughout its territories, as conquered subjects and allied kingdoms maintain their own customs.
Nevertheless, Imperial values gradually spread to vassal cities and towns, with even autonomous allies beginning to emulate the Arkanian governance.
In the recently conquered the former League of Fresco Kingdoms, outlawed practices continue, particularly in the aftermath of its fall. Though these kingdoms now answer to Imperial governance, their distance from Aethelgard makes immediate implementation of capital laws impossible. Analysts within the Imperial court estimate it may require centuries before prohibited practices are fully eradicated from the western central and even the eastern subcontinent.
Before the fall of the last Frescan bastion, Emperor Janus decreed that all who had tormented, enslaved, or slaughtered the people of Elms should face execution. His reasoning was pragmatic—to eliminate future discontent and vengeance. Yet opportunistic elements, like the shadowy Corvus underworld network, exploited gaps in its current enforcement.
Those spared from the Emperor's justice, particularly those not directly under Imperial command, found themselves secretly trafficked in black markets or forced into slave labor throughout distant regions of the empire. Donna, a former citizen of the Fresco League, and Andy, an Arkanian from an allied kingdom in the Central North, represent just two of countless victims caught in this illicit trade.
Many kingdoms under Imperial rule haven't openly opposed human slavery, though they refrain from publicly endorsing it. Allied kingdoms and some vassal states continue these practices within their sovereign domains, albeit discreetly, fearing Imperial repercussions should their tacit support become known. The tension between regional autonomy and Imperial values remains one of the greatest challenges to Emperor Janus's vision of a unified continent under enlightened rule.