Stahlheimian Empire

A major power, Stahlheim is both centrally located and crucially involved in world politics. It has seen technological advances at much swifter paces than other countries and abundant resources of valuable minerals ensure an excess of wealth. Though previously a loose collection of individual Kingdoms and states, a great conqueror known as Aldhard the Great formed the Empire of Stahlheim and united them all, with Highreach being the most recent acquisition. It has a storied military history and, up until recently, was considered unbeatable in war. For a long time the steel-clad stormtroopers of Stahlheim were the bane of the world, and recent advances in technology have seen them field large quantities of cannoneers and arquebusiers. A recent conflict with the Kingdom of Almeron ended in an embarrassing defeat, leading to concessions of former Almeronian land as well as imperial territories. Stahlheimian pride has been greatly wounded by this, a far worse penalty than any recoverable loss. The current Emperor is Albrecht II.

Geography
Stahlheim is bordered by four countries: Almeron to the west, the Varesian Confederation to the south, and the Verilius Imperium and the Kretingan Order to the east. The north of their country is particularly mountainous, but past that is a coastline that while difficult to reach has proven vital to establishing maritime trade. Most of the Stahlheimian terrain can be characterized as mountainous, with only the lands near the capital having flat land and arable soil. They have mountains rife with valuable metals such as gold and iron. Stahlheimian winters are harsh and rarely short, but after so many years the natives are accustomed to its harshness. Most towns and villages are built along the Leben, a river that spans the length of most of the country and branches out in several places. It is vital to life there, both the main source of drinking water and a way to easily move supplies short distances.

Economy
The Stahlheimian economy is heavily reliant upon the valuable minerals and mining economy prevalent in the country. With little arable land to develop food, trade of iron, gold, silver and other metals are a necessity to keep the burgeoning empire well fed and growing. Well built and well guarded roads are a requirement, for a majority of trade with other nations comes over land. Most fruits are exceedingly rare and considered foods of the higher class, while the lower classes rely on imported grains and hunted game. Whereas the backbones of lower classes in other Kingdoms come from farmers, in Stahlheim they are miners. Hard working, strong men and women who dig deep into the mountains to retrieve the precious metals that make the Empire so wealthy and it’s troops so well protected. The abundance of metals and natural deposits of coal have seen Stahlheim rapidly advance as a technological power, contributing both to military and economic might.

Religion
The Empire of Stahlheim strictly follows the Church of Ignis, and actively puts down the practice of other religions. There is little paganism within the Empire’s borders save for Highreach, both the most independent and recent province added to Stahlheim. Many within Highreach still uphold to the worship of their gryphon deities, especially among the lower classes. The nobility of Highreach have long resisted the forced conversion of these pagans, and it has resulted in tension between the two parties. The Empire has only one knightly order dedicated to Ignis, known as the Order of Saint Aldhard. As the singular entity for knights seeking to serve Stahlheim while also proving their dedication to Ignis, it boasts a body of steadfast zealots. They have proven the biggest opponent of continued inaction against Highreach paganism and actively fought against the Kretingan Order.

Culture
The people of Stahlheim are considered efficient and hardworking, living in a land where the highest noble will work in the mines if he believes it to be in the best interest of his people. Ever since Aldhard the Great's reign there has been a blooming national pride and collective identity, and there is a sense of devotion to the emperor that is spoken against only by a small minority. Though there is class disparity for the most part there is little complaint. The miners work long hours and perform backbreaking labor, but in return are paid and are free to gorge upon imported foods that are at a discount to them. Any who dislikes their life can sign up to serve either in their lord’s forced or under the nation’s standing army. It is a life with a risk of death, but it pays well, affords respect, and provides some upward mobility that keeps the people happy. Though Stahlheimians are certainly proud of their nation, few would consider them haughty. They would likely be well liked if not for their imposing ways, seeking to gain more lands and bring more foreigners under the Empire’s reign regardless of sovereignty.

Politics
Stahlheim in it’s current form is one that did not exist some two hundred years ago. Prior to that, the lands the Empire encompasses now were hundreds of individual kingdoms and baronies, loosely held together by a series of convoluted treaties that barely kept them as a country. Highreach was separated from the group all together, and no significant territory had been gained in decades. Then, the legendary Aldhard the Great began his rule over the small kingdom of Stahlheim. He immediately set about uniting the warring kingdoms and baronies, and through treaty or warfare brought them all to heel. In his lifetime he conquered every last independent land save Highreach, which only joined after a vicious war brought about an amenable treaty. Ever since, Stahlheim has been unified under a single ruling Emperor who has near absolute power. He is held in check only by the Imperial Body, a yearly gathering of nobility that rules on past and future laws. They alone hold the power to elect a candidate for Emperor, as well as remove one. Only through a completely unanimous vote can they remove an Emperor lawfully from power, though such a thing has never happened. The Emperor holds great importance in Stahlheimian politics, and determines the course of the entire country more often than not.

Military
The Stahlheimian military has a proud tradition of decisive victory, and until recently was considered indomitable in a pitched battle. The sheer availability of iron and coal within Stahlheimian lands has resulted in rapid industrialization and an abundance of quality equipment for imperial soldiers. All troops save for the lowest levies are clad in armor, a luxury afforded to few at most in other countries. This high quality armor and weaponry serves Stahlheimian soldiers well, and even when going against more skilled soldiers they have an advantage. They were also one of the first nations to adopt the use of gunpowder, taking cannons and handgunners with their armies in order to support their large bodies of heavy infantry. Among foot-soldiers, halberdiers and pikemen are far more common than swordsmen, attributed to the nature of the rocky terrain and the advantage such soldiers hold in defensive battles. There are, however, units of soldiers of wielding zweihanders who serve to ruin enemy pike formations in battle. Though the horses who live in the mountainous lands of Stahlheim are not numerous, they are tough and sure-footed. This translates to nearly a third of Stahlheimian knights fighting from foot, though the rest have hardy companions that will not easily give up on them and can make it over terrain more easily. Two famed Stahlheimian units are the Steel Brigade and the Emperor's Fist, both renowned for their bravery and success on the battlefield.

Many units throughout Stahlheimian existed to fight the undead, though after its unification and subsequent shift into an Empire, this duty was given to the Torchbearers.

History
The Stahlheimian Empire as it is known has existed only for a little over two hundred years, previously being a motley, convoluted arrangement of individual kingdoms and states that shared the same blood but none of the same banners. Prior to these kingdoms and city-states Stahlheim existed as a vital part of the Verilius Imperium, providing vast natural resources and auxiliary troops to fight in far off wars. The people of Stahlheim were always vicious in their resistance, however, and were some of the first to effectively rise up together once the Imperium showed signs of weakness. After it was driven from their lands, a lack of unity and ability to decide upon a singular leader saw the Stahlheimians split into countless factions. For hundreds of years it remained as such, larger kingdoms conquering smaller ones before being put into check by even larger kingdoms. Foreign intervention was common and there was no national identity of any sort.

Then came Aldhard the Great, the leader of the Kingdom of Stahlheim(then only a small province) and a visionary. Through his phenomenal speaking skill and brilliant military strategy he slowly brought every individual kingdom to heel. He convinced dissenters to join him or face the blades of his supporters, and though he faced resistance with every new acquisition of land more rushed to follow him. He conquered the entirety of the modern Empire save for Highreach, attacking the province many times but finding no purchase. He would die without doing so, but before his death proclaimed the lands to be a part of the Stahlheimian Empire. He put together a legislative body that both elected and held the power to remove the Emperor, as well as developed a sense of common infrastructure and currency. His revolutionary changes took place over a 60 year long reign, one that is considered the most profitable and beloved in the region's history. Not long after his death there was a great burden upon the next Emperor and a heavy push to bring Highreach into the Empire. Only after a long, unsuccessful war and an exceedingly generous treaty did this become so. The union was not perfect, but it was well celebrated as seeing Aldhard's unification through to the end.

The Empire's motto, 'Through Unity, Victory', was developed by Aldhard and has since proven vital to the Imperial national identity.

Recent Events
There has been much turmoil in Stahlheim in the past few years. During the climax of the Six Years' War against the neighboring Almeron, a mighty host led by Emperor Albrecht II himself was shattered in pitched battle. This shocking and humiliating defeat was a turning point in the war, and soon the Almeronian King set terms that had to be accepted to avoid the possibility of complete defeat. Though they were relatively generous, Stahlheimian lands with Almeronian majorities were annexed and reparations in the form of gold are still being paid to this day. The loss of the war shocked the world, for such an advanced and well equipped army should not have been defeated, especially not so easily. This shook much of the country’s faith in their Emperor, and he has recently taken to searching for whatever small victories available to him to make Stahlheim as respected as it once was.

The ever independent province of Highreach was hit hard by the war, as their contribution of troops, coin, and gryphons put a large burden upon their economy and their promised rewards were taken away by the war's outcome. As such, the nobility and Archduke of Highreach threatened secession in direct defiance of the Emperor, and they did so with the near universal support of the common people and soldiery. In response, the Emperor raised several armies and declared any attempt to secede from Stahlheim was treason and would be met with fitting punishment. The Archduke, Manfred Reinhardt, was then declared King of the sovereign nation of Highreach, leading to the Stahlheimian Civil War. This has greatly threatened the Empire's place at the top of the world's major powers, and the Emperor is actively fighting what is steadily turning into a decline.