Nesarian Empire

Note: This country is in a fantastical and geographically different version of Earth - while it falls under the realm of alternate history it also falls under the realm of fantasy.The Nesarian Empire (/nɛsɑːriən/ Empire; Nesarian: Nesarianae Regatuxinos /nɛsɑːriænaɪ rɛgætuːksinɒs/), also referred to as The Empire, is a sovereign state on the border between Eastern Europe and Asia. It borders the Russian Federation to the north and west, and Kazakhstan to the east. The Nesarian Empire covers an area of approximately 650,000 km2 (250,966 sq. mi.) and has a diverse climate. As of the 2017 Census, the population of the Nesarian Empire is 80 million. The Nesarian Empire is commonly confused with Nesaria, a country within the Empire. The Nesarian Empire is highly racially, culturally and religiously diverse. The Nesarian Empire is the oldest surviving state in the world, having existed for 2076 years (with a brief Soviet occupation from 1946-48).

The Nesarian Empire is a federal constitutional monarchy, with eight constituent countries; Nesaria, Estemoria, Avamoria, Elavita (often incorrectly translated as Elfland), Draconia, Osdarth and Indissia. Within Indissia is also Qaateen which has high internal support for becoming a separate entity within the Empire. The constituent countries have a large degree of autonomy, having their own constitution, government and (in most cases) state religion.

At its greatest extent in 1915, the Nesarian Empire was the third largest empire in history and the second largest contemporary empire. The Nesarian Empire was dissolved with the Treaty of Aemea in 1919 following its defeat in the First World War, until Emperor Adrion I overthrew the then-ruling Emperor Faltas V in a popular revolution in 1930, instituting a monarcho-fascist state which reclaimed much of the old empire before being defeated again in 1946 in the Second World War, being annexed by the Soviet Union. In 1948 Emperor Adrion I declared open rebellion, and by 1956 the Soviet Union had recognised the Nesarian Empire's independence. The fascist system fell following the "Bloodless Revolution" in 1980.

The Nesarian Empire has a diverse, high-income economy based primarily upon the production and service sectors. It has a strong and growing tourism industry, mainly due to its natural beauty and the prevalence of well-preserved historical buildings.

The Nesarian Empire is a member of the United Nations, Council of Europe, Interpol, World Trade Organisation and the Eastern Pact. It is not a member of the European Union or NATO. The Nesarian Empire is recognised as a great power as well as a regional power. The Nesarian Empire has tested nuclear weapons in the past but no longer stockpiles them.

Etymology
The Nesarian Empire initially encompassed just the country of Nesaria when it was founded and named, but as it expanded in the 1st century AD the name lost its nationalist meaning of "Empire of the Nesarians" and changed to "the Empire the Nesarians made".

Some scholars have suggested that "Regatuxinos" is better translated as "Union", as the Nesarian concept of an empire is essentially a union of states come together for the greater good as opposed to the European concept of one state conquering others.

Within the Nesarian Empire there is a significant movement to change the name of the state, with the top two candidates being the United Empire and the Imperial Union. This is mainly supported by non-Nesarians.

Constituent Countries
In English, the names of the constituent countries are largely derived from the Nesarian names for these countries. The list below shows the English name of the country as the first word and the native name of the country as the second word. This list also includes Qaateen, which is not a constituent country but is still a semi-autonomous nation within the Empire.
 * Nesaria - Nesaria
 * Estemoria - Estekhaga
 * Avamoria - Avamoria
 * Elfland / Elavita - Elavita
 * Draconia - Drakoneka
 * Osdarth - Osdatho
 * Indissia - Alya-Indis
 * Qaateen - Qaateen

Name in Other Languages
Add the name of the Nesarian Empire in a real or fictional language here!
 * French: Empire Nesarinais
 * German: Nesarisches Reich
 * Greek: Nesarikí Aftokratoría
 * Spanish: Imperio Nesarianés
 * Russian: Nesariskaya Imperiya

Geography
The Nesarian Empire has highly diverse geography which greatly differs from country to country. The unnatural and bizzare nature of its terrain and climate is thought to be due to magic, which otherwise died out in the 11th century AD.

Nesaria
Nesaria is sunken into what is thought to be an extremely large dried-up lake, walled off by sheer cliffs (known as the Great Cliffs) an average of 219 metres (718.5 feet) tall. The shadows these cast significantly shorten the day in Nesaria, especially closer to the cliffs. The terrain is generally flat, interspersed with steep mountain ranges, although in the north-eastern corner (in Cortathshire, or Cortathivon) it is hilly. Nesaria is separated into north and south segments by the Mortian Mountains and Lake Jerumtine. The north is generally more urbanised, having the capital of Capitalia which houses just under half of the country's population. Nesaria has a temperate climate comparable to England with mild summers and winters.

Estemoria
Estemoria is predominantly grassy steppe, with large but mostly shallow rolling hills. Most of the population concentrated in three major cities. The western portion of the country is generally more fertile than the east; the west is predominantly farmland whereas the east, which has little arable land, is predominantly used for rearing sheep and horses. Estemoria has a temperate climate comparable to northern France, although it does have strong winds, and it is drier in the east.

Avamoria
Avamoria is predomiantly flat grassland with several patches of thick forest (the largest being the Avamorian Forest). Avamoria has a high number of rivers and streams, which combined with the fertile soil makes the land excellent for agriculture. Aside from the eponymous capital city of Avamoria, the country of Avamoria is mostly rural. Avamoria has a warm temperate climate comparable to southern France.

Elavita
Elavita is spread out across an archipelago consisting of eight major islands, approximately 40 smaller islands and approximately 120 very small uninhabited islands. The major islands are urbanised, with little green space, especially on the largest island of Elviae which is heavily urbanised. Elavita has a warm temperate climate comparable to northern Italy, although it constantly has cool sea winds.

Draconia
WIP

Osdarth
Osdarth is comprised of "Osdarth proper", a flat expanse of land surrounded by tall mountains, as well as the "Osdarthian territories" which are the coastline of the Osdarthian Sea that borders Osdarth proper. Osdarth is the most heavily urbanised and densely populated country in the Empire, with the majority of Osdarth proper taken up by the capital city of Osdarth that houses 20,000,000 inhabitants. Osdarth proper has a warm temperate climate comparable to central Italy. The eastern territories (which border Estemoria) are mainly made up of farmland and have a temperate climate comparable to northern France. The northern territories (which border Qaateen in Indissia) are dry savanna and have a hot climate comparable to northern Australia, mainly used for herding.

Indissia and Qaateen
WIP

Environmental Pollution
The Nesarian Empire has very low levels of air and water pollution due to the strongly environmentalist mindset of the Imperial Government, influenced by the environmentalist Elvetan faith. The Imperial Government has stated numerous times that they are "fully prepared" to compromise economic growth in favour of environmental protection. Nevertheless, far less regulated environmental pollution from other countries is damaging the environment of the Nesarian Empire, especially in the two inland seas (the Osdarthian Sea and Lake Jerumtine in Nesaria) which have warmed, theatening species endemic to the area.

History
It is unclear when the territory of the Nesarian Empire was first settled by its native inhabitants. Estimates for the arrival of modern Humans vary wildly (the earliest estimate being 70,000BC and the latest being 40,000 BC), however it is widely thought that the populations of other intelligent species (Elves, Orcs and Dragons) are truly native to the region, never migrating from elsewhere.

Kingdom
The Eshérian Invasion of Nesaria happened approximately during 1500-800 BC, in which the Eshérian Elves migrated to Nesaria after the total destruction of their homeland following the catastrophic end of the "Age of Titans" (20,000-1500 BC). The Eshérians attempted to teach their civilisation to the native Nesarian population before settling in what is now known as Eshér in the eastern marshes of Nesaria. Their most successful "student" was Capitalia, which declared itself a kingdom in 600 BC under King Mathdusias I. The Kingdom of Capitalia slowly grew to become the most powerful state in the region, achieving absolute hegemony after defeating the Mortian Orcs in 422 BC, attacking their populations in a deliberate attempt to wipe them out, which the Nesarian Empire formally recognised as genocide in 1972. The royal line rapidly failed after this achievement, resulting in the creation of the Republic of Nesaria, which was known for its corruption and inefficiency. Emperor Mathdusias IV claimed descent from the royal line and began a civil war to take the throne in 60 BC, achieving victory in 58 BC after defeating a simultaneous Dragon invasion (which caused the collapse of the Dragon Empire). The Nesarian Empire was declared the same year.

Early Empire
Upon the death of Emperor Mathdusias IV in 17 BC, the Nesarian Empire immediately shattered, as the Emperor's young sickly son (Emperor Athdus I) was thought unfit to rule and others with a claim to the throne took up arms. This resulted in Nesaria being split between the Kingdom of Capitalia (which also claimed to be the Nesarian Empire), the Kingdom of the North (whose aim quickly turned from taking the throne to winning independence) and the Kingdom of the South. In 77 AD, Emperor Athdus III defeated both claimants and re-unified the Nesarian Empire. Emperor Athdus III finished the construction of the Great Ramp (which had been interrupted by the civil war) which allowed him to lead Nesarian troops over the Great Cliffs for the first time. He embarked on several wars of conquest, integrating Estemoria and Osdarth into the Empire within a few short years, eventually marrying an Estemorian. His invasion of Indissia was interrupted by the arrival of the Xaenis, genocidal hive-minded beasts that some suggest were aliens. Emperor Athdus III succeeded in unifying the known world (which at the time consisted of the modern territory of the Nesarian Empire) in a coalition against the Xaenis, defeating and annihilating them by 111 AD, after which most of the coalition members agreed to swear fealty to Athdus. After this period of extreme devastation, the Empire was at peace for over 1300 years, interrupted by the Time of Troubles from 941 to 960 that saw large-scale civil war and plague.

Later Empire
In 1461 the long peace was interrupted by Empress Hanatea I starting the Mongol War, defeating an alliance of Mongol successor states. This marked the start of a long period of slow but continuous expansion across Central Asia, as well as numerous interventions in the Balkans and Anatolia designed to weaken their increasingly bitter rival of the Ottoman Empire, resulting in the creation of an independent Greek state in the 17th century which had reclaimed Constantinople by the 18th century. This period also saw an intense rivalry with Russia develop. In the 18th century the Nesarian Empire completed their conquest of Persia (modern-day Iran), and by the turn of the 19th century they were bordering British India, Russia, the Ottoman Empire, and Qing China. After Russia was weakened by the Napoleonic Wars, Emperor Jakras I (who was then very young) attacked them in the Great Russo-Nesarian War which lasted from 1815-25, resulting in a decisive Nesarian victory, with Russia ceding all their territory east of the Urals to the Nesarian Empire.

Nesarian Civil War
From 1830-40 the Nesarian Empire was embroiled in the Nesarian Civil War, in which a coalition of anti-monarchist factions known as the Republicans attacked the Imperial Government, known as the Loyalists. Many separatist factions also used the chaos to attempt to break free, and Qing China also used the opportunity to retake several pieces of land the Nesarian Empire had previously taken. The Nesarian Civil War was one of the most devastating civil wars in history, resulting in 11.25 million deaths, or approximately 20% of the population, which exceeded the death toll of the Napoleonic Wars. The Imperial Government managed to regain control of the country in 1840, accepting the formal surrender of the Republican leaders, although two further separatist revolts in Estemoria and Iran would take place later in the century. The Nesarian Empire was deeply weakened by the war and did not expand again until the 20th century.

First World War
The Nesarian Empire aligned itself with the Central Powers against Russia and Britain, joining the First World War as soon as Germany did. The combined attacks of Germany and the Nesarian Empire defeated Russia by 1916, devastating their country which led to communist revolution a year later. The Nesarian Empire made significant gains in India before being decisively defeated at the Battle of Bahawalpur in 1917, which began the so-called "Nesarian Death March", a near-constant retreat northwards where the Imperial Army was constantly harrassed by enemy soldiers and suffered from a lack of supplies. The Nesarian Empire surrendered shortly after the Germans in 1918. The Treaty of Aemea in 1919 did not place especially harsh reparations on the country like what happened with Germany, but did entirely dismantle the Empire, freeing all the nations within and giving back the Russian territories, reducing it to just the territory of Nesaria.

Second World War
Emperor Faltas V, who ruled the country at the time, was blamed for the defeat. His brother, Emperor Adrion I, took power in the "March on Capiton" in 1930, and searched for solutions to the country's problems, which he found in fascism. Taking inspiration chiefly from British Fascism, Adrion created "Nesarian Fascism", a uniquely Nesarian and explicitly monarchist form of fascism. Emperor Adrion I quickly reversed the economic hardship that had hit following the Great Depression and began the "Imperial Rebirth", a process of openly violating the Treaty of Aemea by integrating the ex-Empire states back into the Empire, most of which were happy to see the return of the Emperor.

Emperor Adrion I joined the German Reich in their invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941, prompting the Soviet government to begin a campaign of mass slaughter and enslavement of the Nesarian population within their borders. The Nesarian Empire initially made gains, especially in British India, but what has been described as "brutal efficiency with no regard for human suffering" from both the Soviet Union and British India stopped their advance, and the arrival of American forces in 1942 led to the beginning of a retreat. The Imperial troops began to lose morale, seeing it as a repeat of what happened in the First World War, speeding up the retreat, leading to the eventual surrender of the Nesarian Empire in 1946. The Empire was once again dismantled and this time fully annexed by the Soviet Union. Emperor Adrion I was removed from his position but allowed to live in relative comfort due to his honourable surrender.

War of Independence
In 1948, Emperor Adrion I proclaimed open rebellion against the Soviet Union, rallying the Imperial population behind him to attack the widely unpopular communist government, reportedly saying "I got us into this mess and now I will get us out of it" (although this quote has never been confirmed). The Nesarian Empire received heavy support from the west, although Emperor Adrion I refused all aid from the USA - which still arrived anyway, labelled as British and French aid. With the death of Stalin in 1956, and the Soviets unable to break through the Nesarian lines, the USSR recognised the independence of the Nesarian Empire in June, and the modern boundaries of the Empire were agreed.

Post-War Period
Fascist rule continued in the Empire until the "Bloodless Revolution" in 1980, which supporters of Nesarian Fascism adamantly claim was an American plot and did not reflect the will of the people. The modern decentralised form of government was agreed the same year, and Emperor Adrion I died in 1981. Although his ideological stance was controversial, he was almost universally mourned within the Empire (and many other countries), as he was generally regarded as an excellent, honourable Emperor who saved the Empire, not marred by the same dark legacy of war crimes and ethnic cleansing as many other fascist regimes.

Economy
The Nesarian Empire has a market economy which is regulated to different degrees within each constituent country. Its economy is primarily based on the production sector (which makes up 25% of the economy) and the service sector (which makes up 63% of the economy). The Empire has a strong and growing tourism industry, primarily in the constituent countries of Nesaria, Osdarth and Draconia.

Healthcare
The Imperial Government has maintained a state-run health service serving all the constituent countries since 1932, introduced by Emperor Adrion I. The quality of the Imperial Health Service (Regateros Dico Alecae (RDA) in Nesarian) is ranked by the World Health Organisation as slightly above the European average, although financial difficulties have led to a steady decline in quality since 2015. The Imperial Health Service has also been accused of prioritising the Elvic countries (Nesaria, Avamoria and Elavita) over others, and as such there have been numerous propositions to dissolve the Imperial Health Service and let the constituent countries run their own health services.

The legality of abortion differs within the constituent countries, however all are required to meet the "minimum" set by the Imperial Government. Abortion is legal only in the cases of rape, if the child will be severely disabled or if the birth would kill the mother. Abortion is illegal past 14 weeks of pregnancy. An unlawful abortion is classified as murder, with both the mother and the individual performing the abortion being sentenced to life in prison or death (depending on the constituent country) as murderers. This stance is supported by the majority of the population, but there is a growing movement to loosen the laws surrounding abortion, especially regarding the penalty for an unlawful abortion. Some constituent countries have much stricter abortion laws, with Indissia banning it in all cases unless the mother's life is threatened.

Crime
Crime statistics differ between the constituent countries but the average Empire-wide crime rate is below the European average, with violent crime (defined by the Imperial Government as murder, attempted murder, assault and rape) being well below average. Most violent crime originates from the illegal drugs trade, which is heavily (and, according to some, brutally) suppressed not only by the police force but also occasionally the armed forces and the infamous fascist and national socialist terrorist group known as "The Judges" whose self-proclaimed mission is to kill every drug dealer.

Although the police force is generally supported by the population, it has been accused of moral bias. An often-cited example is the "March for Equality" event when a large left-wing feminist, pro-LGBT and pro-abortion protest in the capital was violently dispersed by the police force (supported by counter-protestors) which resulted in hundreds of injuries and numerous deaths.

Military
The Imperial Armed Forces consists of the Imperial Army, Imperial Navy and Imperial Air Force. The forces are managed by the Imperial Military Council and the commander-in-chief is the Emperor. The Imperial Armed Forces are renowned for their strict discipline and training, being one of the few armed forces that continues to use flogging as punishment for severe military crimes.

The Imperial Armed Forces practices conscription. Each able-bodied male citizen must serve two two-year terms in the military or pay increased taxes. Married male non-citizens can also gain citizenship for themselves and their family by serving for eight years in the Imperial Army or Imperial Navy.

As of 2018, the Imperial Armed Forces are on active duty in Syria to support the Syrian government under President Bashar Al-Assad against anti-government rebels.

The Nesarian Empire has conducted three nuclear tests (in 1961, 1963 and 1964) but openly declared that they were destroying their stockpile in 1976. The reigning Emperor at the time, Emperor Adrion I, stated that "it is fundamentally immoral to destroy so many souls" - the Elvetan religion believes that the utter destruction of the body also destroys the soul, leaving them unable to pass into heaven or hell.

Uniforms
The main colour scheme of Imperial uniforms is purple with white and gold trim, except for Elavita which earned its own uniform in the early 1700s, which is black with white and purple trim. The cavalry typically have more diverse uniforms than the infantry, with the more prestigious regiments being dressed in white, salmon and yellow.

Culture
The Nesarian Empire is made up of many different cultures, although they do all share some similarities and to a great extent the Empire is influenced by the Elvic cultures, which make up the majority of the population (including the Nesarians). The Elvic cultures, although developing separately to all other European cultures, share similarities with Italian, British and (to a limited extent) Greek cultures.