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Victoria is the dominant power in the Core, with unmatched military strength and economic influence. The empire seeks expansion, protection of aristocratic interests, and dominance over other nations and frontier regions, where it extracts resources while offering minimal support, sparking discontent.
Victoria's origins lie in a fertile central valley settled by a Draco tribe and allies. The prosperous tribal confederation the Dracos led fractured over how to address crises, splitting the Draco clan into "Royalists," who established the Kingdom of Victoria, and "Conservatives," who left for Tara. The peaceful split is credited with founding Victoria's tradition of negotiation. Victoria later declared a united "Victorian Empire" with a sister Kingdom of Tara; misunderstanding and failed negotiations led to a civil war, after which Tara became a puppet state under King Gaeil. Later, an Aslan branch of the Sargonian Padishah household settled in Victoria, then revolted, forcing the Dracos to sign a treaty making Victoria co-ruled by dragons and lions.
After a golden age of prosperity, Victoria joined Leithanien and Ursus against Gaul in the War of the Four Nations, winning at the Battle of the Four Emperors—where the Duke of Wellington's flanking maneuver proved decisive—and seizing Lower Gaul. In 1072, Emperor Henry Alistair Victoria was publicly executed under suspicious circumstances, leaving the throne vacant for over twenty years. Eight Grand Dukes now struggle for power, Tara's independence movement grows, and the empire shows signs of decline.
Victoria is a constitutional monarchy governed by the Emperor and Parliament. Its complex feudal aristocracy comprises hereditary major aristocrats (Dukes through Barons) and contractual minor aristocrats. Londinium, the capital, has severed all outside contact. Frederick III's reforms created a professional army, including the Tempest Platoon and the elite Steam Knights. The first nation to industrialize, Victoria leads in machinery and finance but lags in electronics. Its population is roughly 40 million, with infected individuals typically isolated or detained. The author notes that attested history of Tara differs from the Victorian account presented here, and that Taran culture and the Tengae language were largely lost, though revival efforts are underway amid growing social division.
Victoria is the dominant power in the Core, wielding unmatched military strength and economic influence. Focused on expansion, she seeks an international order protecting her aristocracy's interests, securing political dominance by asserting influence over other nations and exploiting frontier regions for resources. The nobility has amassed tremendous power through imperial expansion while the royal family's strength has gradually declined.
In a fertile central Terra valley, a Draco tribe and allies settled, creating one of Terra's first permanent settlements. Migrants fused knowledge and culture with natives, accelerating agriculture and animal husbandry and producing a prosperous semi-nomadic tribal confederation led by the Draco clan. But the loosely organized confederation of self-governing communities struggled to unite, and catastrophes inflicted heavy losses because the Dracos acted more as instructors than rulers. This divided the Draco elite into "Royalists," who wanted an aristocratic structure like Sargon's, and "Conservatives," who favored flexible means. The factions peacefully parted ways—unusual for an era when tribal disagreements typically led to violent conquest. Many historians link this to Victoria's tradition of negotiation. The Royalists founded the Kingdom of Victoria; the Conservatives moved to "Tara."
Victoria later declared a sister Kingdom of Tara under a shared bloodline, uniting both as the Victorian Empire, with the Emperor holding both royal titles. Records suggest the Tarans could not grasp these arrangements. Taran tribes' crude, threatening negotiations with envoys were interpreted as a declaration of war, sparking a possibly avoidable civil war. Victoria won, granting the Taran Draco ruler the title King Gaeil; Tara became a puppet state the Taran people nonetheless embraced for centuries.
During the height of Draco influence, a branch of the Aslan Padishah household left Sargon—where the Shahanshah suppressed non-succession-line nobles—and swore fealty to Victoria. After quietly absorbing scattered kin, the Aslans revolted, and a palace coup and brief civil war followed. The unprepared Dracos and King Gaeil buckled; the Dracos signed a treaty recognizing the Aslans as part of the royal family, making Victoria co-ruled by dragons and lions. The resulting power vacuum gave nobles more autonomy; commoners, noticing increased local autonomy and improved quality of life, viewed the transfer as wise and progressive.
Victoria then entered a golden age: modern farms and factories, a growing financial sector, and scientific academies, alongside frontier expansion that heightened border tensions. In 1029, Gaul declared war on Leithanien, beginning the War of the Four Nations. After observing, Frederick III joined Victoria, Leithanien, and Ursus in coalition. In October 1031, the "Battle of the Four Emperors"—with all four monarchs present—ended in allied victory and Gaul's fall. At its start, Corsica I's early Gaulish offensive gained the upper hand until the Duke of Wellington, "the Iron Duke," outflanked the Gaulish forces, cutting off reinforcements and supplies; the outnumbered Gauls were overwhelmed. Wellington, hailed as the war's hero, earned the title "The Empire's Death Knell." Victoria seized Lower Gaul's resources, technology, and political assets, laying the foundation for dominance.
But in 1072, King Alistair was deposed and executed, destabilizing the political system. The throne remains vacant while noble factions struggle openly.
Geographically, Victoria's terrain descends from northeastern plateaus through central valleys to southwestern hills and plains. Her moist oceanic climate, mild and humid year-round, owes to her southern coast along the Crasdine Sea; seasonal differences are more pronounced in the north. She borders Iberia, Leithanien, Kazimierz, and Ursus, with Columbia beyond the Kjerag range, and holds scattered frontier zones and exclaves. Frontier policies focus on resource extraction with minimal support, sparking discontent—notably the Columbian Revolutionary War and the Autonomous County of Eureka joining Rim Billiton after the Cage Incident.
Victoria is a constitutional monarchy governed jointly by Emperor and Parliament. In theory the Emperor holds expansive executive, legislative, judicial, and military powers, owns all land granted to aristocrats as fiefdoms, and heads Parliament, whose aristocratic MPs check his power. The monarch's title is "King of Victoria, Tara, and Lower Gaul, Emperor of All Victoria." The royal house is complex: Dracos theoretically remain royal though long unseen; few Aslans hold royal claims or throne claims. Henry Alistair Victoria's 1072 execution by hanging remains a great unsolved mystery; investigators have mysteriously disappeared.
The Empire comprises three kingdoms—Victoria, Tara, and Lower Gaul—divided into crownlands, duchies, marquessates, and viscountcies, then counties and baronies. Victoria claims Lower Gaul entirely, giving her the strongest claim should Gaul reunite, causing tensions with Leithanien and Ursus. Administratively, counties contain nomadic "cities" and permanent "villages" or "towns," overseen by regional councils. Parliament, stemming from the negotiation tradition, values restraint and opposes extremism. The Emperor is Speaker; committees formulate policy, and corresponding ministries execute it. Regional councils mirror Parliament but include minor aristocrats and influential commoners. The constitution, a framework of historical documents and legal precedents, is interpreted by fiefdom lords within its bounds. Parliament is supreme legislature and court, with Permanent Judges; the Royal Police report directly to the royal house.
Londinium, the political, financial, and cultural capital, is by far the largest city, each plate larger than most medium nomadic cities. Victorians call it the "center of Terra." However, it severed all outside contact several years ago; attempts to communicate have failed, and visitors are turned away by soldiers.
Aristocrats, granted land and titles at the Empire's founding, form a cornerstone of society; all landowners ultimately serve the Emperor. Major Aristocrats hold hereditary titles and land; Minor Aristocrats hold mostly non-hereditary honorary titles under contracts. The five major tiers: Dukes (closest advisors controlling most territory), Marquesses (border and exclave military duties, kept from power centers), Earls (Ducal vassals governing counties and managing Barons and knights banneret), Viscounts (county governors, a title existing only in Lower Gaul), and Barons (lowest, controlling villages, city plots, or small counties). Knights, typical minor aristocrats, provide military service for annual stipends.
Frederick III, finding the old aristocracy-centered army inadequate, established a modern professional army under Emperor and Parliament, which proved itself in the War of the Four Nations: disciplined professional soldiers, academy systems, conscription, advanced equipment, and flexible junior officers. The elite Tempest Platoon, from the former Exemplars, carries out Parliament-ordered special operations. The Steam Knights remain the most powerful and loyal unit; their armor is the apex of Victorian military technology, and their numbers have never surpassed fifty.
With the throne vacant, eight Grand Dukes—Wellington, Caster, Windermere, Normandy, Gododdin, Abercorn, Fife, and Ashworth—have risen, with Wellington, Caster, and Windermere most influential; their conflicts are understood as ambition for the throne, since an outsider claiming royal status would set a dangerous precedent. Aristocrats still maintain private militias, some with advanced equipment like high-speed warships.
Victoria, the first nation to industrialize, leads in nomadic cities, motor vehicles, and military hardware, with mechanized agriculture and mining and Terra's most comprehensive financial industry—banking, insurance, trusts, securities—born of contracts from her vibrant trade. However, reliance on traditional machinery has caused neglect of electronics, where she lags. Her population is roughly 40 million, over half in nomadic cities; most see citizenship as mere paper, though educated minorities hold fervent Victorian identity. Traditional classes were aristocrats, commoners, and sages, the latter largely replaced by modern education—though the organization "King's Wand" carries on the sages' legacy helping those in need. Victorian society, confident and restrained, centers on knowledge and science; art flourishes alongside, as with the motion picture industry. Industrialization has exacerbated Oripathy: the infected are isolated or detained, harboring them is a serious crime, and recent experimental labor policies pay far-below-standard wages.
Widely held opinion calls Victoria Terra's strongest nation, but the author disagrees after thirty years of change. Clinging to "advanced" infrastructure, she has ossified: struggling to mass-produce high-precision electronics; her aristocracy-bureaucracy less efficient than the Yanese civil service; military reforms less comprehensive than Ursus's; financial instruments applied more efficiently in Columbia and Kazimierz. Victoria is standing still as others gain ground. With the throne vacant over two decades, the Empire retains great-power status on inertia; ambitious Dukes clash, Tarans raise ancient banners seeking justice, borders destabilize, Gaul disputes escalate, the economy stalls, and Londinium's flag question lies unanswered. Is this passing clouds or a setting sun? Time will tell.
On Tara: "Tara" (Teamharc/Teamhair in Tengae) originally meant a meeting place for ancient nomads, now a region of fluid boundaries in southern Victoria. Taran civilization began with Sargonian expansion; around 100 BTC, nomadic Draco families from Victoria took it over, establishing an independent Kingdom of Tara. It is commonly believed the kingdoms merged to resist the Nightzmora Khagan, with the Tara king ceding "Rí Tuatha" to the Victorian monarch and receiving "Rí na Gaeil"—not, as often believed, a personal name. The two ruled together until the 9th century, when the Dracos abdicated and Aslans replaced them; King Gaeil's bloodline then died out and governance fell to the Grand Dukes. Since the War of the Four Nations, Tara has been ruled by the Duke of Wellington. The author cautions that this history differs from the Tara section's version and recommends critical scrutiny of both.
Much Taran history is lost—oral transmission and deliberate destruction of documents—so most knowledge comes from Londinium scholars; only stories like "Máighréad the Exquisite" and "Labhréathach the Exiled" are reconstructed. Modern Tara has stagnated: northern Grand Dukes underinvested, Originium industry drained resources and people, wages and services fall below average while goods cost more, and communication is one-sided. By the 1070s–1080s, more Tarans advocated independence, though polls suggest such pushes remain limited; Victoria cannot ignore the issue.
Tengae ("Taran"/"Gaeilic"), from the Draco word for "tongue," uses verb-subject-object structure retaining Classical Sargonian patterns. Written in Victorian script since recorded history, its dozens of dialects are lost; Victorians in Tara were once encouraged to abandon it for Victorian and Gaulish, and written Tengae ceased between the 8th and 9th centuries. Independence-movement scholars, writers, and poets have revived it with solid results—but emigrants from 1096–1098 report growing hostility between Tengae and Victorian-only speakers, a possible broader social division.
Finally, traditional art and archaeology have gained noble patronage, advancing the field. After the War of the Four Nations, Victoria inherited much Gaulish research; excavations in Lower Gaul uncovered the "Design Manuscript of the Moving Castle," signed by "King Charles," identified as "Charles the Mad," ancient king of a forgotten Gaulish polity and skilled architect and Originium Arts user who drained his nation building a grand palace before being overthrown or conquered. The manuscript revealed a mobile fortress: a lightweight, hollow, caged upper castle of Originium-enhanced materials atop a track-based mobile platform, pulled by an engine powered purely by Originium—unlike Victorian steam technology—which would have expelled unfiltered Originium waste. No pieces were ever excavated; scholars debate whether it was never completed, moved elsewhere, or destroyed during construction. Historians mostly believe the concept inspired nomadic city technology, sharing common lineage with the Seven Cities' Federation's first modern nomadic city; engineers counter the design would fail modern criteria and no other manuscript copies exist, so nomadic cities likely stem from separate innovations. All, however, admire the idea: an enormous engine roaring day and night, pulling a mystical castle toward a land untouched by Catastrophe.
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"In my first lesson of the Comprehensive History of Terra, I encouraged students to discuss their understanding of the different countries on Terra, sparking a lively exchange of opinions. They passionately debated whether Sargon was too corrupt, Gaul too arrogant, Leithanien too reserved, Iberia too utilitarian, Ursus too barbaric, or Yan too discerning..." An Aslan student suddenly asked, "What about Victoria? What is Victoria like?" Fortunately, I had my answer ready: "Victoria is the starting point of our journey."
Victoria, the dominant power in the Core, wields unmatched military strength and economic influence. Her vast territory borders multiple Core nations, frontier zones, and exclaves.
Focused on expansion, the Victorian Empire seeks to establish an international order that protects her aristocracy's interests and secures political dominance by asserting her influence over other nations and exploiting frontier regions for resources. The Victorian nobility has amassed tremendous power and wealth through years of imperial expansion and hegemony, while the strength of the royal family has gradually declined.
Victorian Pound banknote issued by the Bank of Victoria. I was involved throughout the entire process of designing and reviewing this set of banknotes—my efforts are imprinted on each and every one of them.
There is a valley in central Terra with abundant fresh water and arable land. Leading several other tribes, one Draco tribe decided to make this incredibly fertile area their new home. The valley then became one of the first places in Terra where people established permanent settlements. Its exceptional natural resources and relatively stable environment continued to attract migrants from across Terra over the centuries. The fusion of knowledge and culture between the natives and the migrants accelerated the development of agricultural and animal husbandry, leading to the rise of a prosperous, semi-nomadic tribal confederation. The powerful Draco clan became the leaders and protectors of this confederation.
As the valley's social structure solidified, challenges emerged. The loosely organized tribal confederation, made up of self-governing communities with starkly different backgrounds, struggled to unite. Due to lack of coordinated aid, catastrophes inflicted heavy losses on the tribes. This phenomenon stemmed from the fact that the Dracos acted more as instructors than rulers, leaving the tribes disorganized in times of crisis.
These problems divided the elite Draco clan into two factions: One faction, known as the "Royalists", believed that the Dracos should solidify their rule by establishing an aristocratic structure similar to Sargon's. The other faction, the "Conservatives", advocated for maintaining the existing social structure and addressing issues through more flexible means. The growing rift between the two factions eventually led them to peacefully go their separate ways. This was quite unique for that era, as in most regions, internal tribal disagreements typically led to violent conquests.
Many historians believe this peaceful resolution is directly responsible for Victoria's tradition of handling major affairs through negotiation. The Royalists declared the valley "the Kingdom of Victoria", and the Dracos a royal family. The Conservatives led several allied tribes away from the valley to a region known as "Tara", where they continued their semi-nomadic lifestyle.
Some time later, the Victorian royal family declared that, as the rulers of Tara shared the same bloodline with them, they should form a sister kingdom, "the Kingdom of Tara". These Royalists also declared that these two kingdoms must be united as "the Victorian Empire". Thus, "King of Victoria" and "King of Tara" were both now titles of the Emperor of Victoria.
Records appear to indicate that the Dracos of Tara and the tribes under their rule could not understand the difference between a kingdom and an empire, nor did they realize what their Victorian kin were planning. Several Taran tribes attempted to negotiate with Victorian envoys, but they had no experience in diplomacy; their crude language and violent threats were interpreted by the Victorian royal family as a declaration of war.
Thus, a civil war, which might otherwise had been avoidable, broke out. After years of conflict, the Victorians emerged victorious. The end of the war saw the Victorian Empire granting a title to the Draco ruler of Tara: King Gaeil. From then on, the Victorians were fully in control of the nobility structure they had created. The Kingdom of Tara was clearly a puppet state under Victoria, but the Taran people embraced it for centuries to come.
The nomadic Tarans did not understand why they should kneel simply because the one standing before them had donned a crown. It wasn't until later that they understood—the crown was merely a symbol of power.
After the establishment of the Empire of Victoria, she gradually stabilized her rule and became a powerful force in central Terra. During the height of Draco influence, a branch of the Aslan Padishah household left Sargon, swearing fealty to Victoria. At the time, it wasn't uncommon for nobles to switch allegiances between monarchies. The Dracos saw the Aslan arrival as yet another sign of Victoria's expanding influence, and they welcomed them warmly.
However, the Aslan Padishah had their own motives. At that time, the Sargonian Emperor (known there as the Shahanshah, the King of Kings) had been suppressing Aslan nobles who were not in the direct line of succession to solidify his reign. These scattered nobles were struggling to seek a way to unite and increase their collective power. They eventually turned their focus away from Sargon and set their sights on Victoria. After quietly absorbing most of their scattered kin, the Aslans in Victoria rose in revolt. What followed was a palace coup and a brief civil war. The Victorian royal family, unprepared for the Aslans' well-planned maneuver, quickly buckled. Similarly, King Gaeil could not stop the Aslans from taking over the court. The Dracos eventually swallowed their pride and signed a treaty recognizing the Aslans as part of the royal family, making Victoria a nation co-ruled by dragons and lions.
From another perspective, Victoria's tradition of "resolving things through negotiation" had always limited the ruler's authority. The Draco-Aslan treaty created a brief period of power vacuum, which gave nobles across Victoria more autonomy. Most of the common people in Victoria were unaware of the drastic changes taking place behind the heavy palace doors. However, after the Dracos ceded some of their power to the Aslans, many commoners noticed an increase in local autonomy and an improvement in their quality of life, which led them to view this transfer of power as a wise and forward-thinking move, reflecting Victoria's commitment to progress.
The Draco King did not understand why this strange man could force him from the throne with just a flick of his sword. It wasn't until later that the King understood—the sword was merely a manifestation of power.
After the civil war, the Victorian Empire entered her golden age. A stable society ushered in a period of economic prosperity: a remarkable number of modern farms and factories emerged, significantly boosting the employment rate; the financial sector grew rapidly; academies full of elites made steady advancements in science and technology. Naturally, under such circumstances, the nobility set their sights on expansion, with exploration teams and armies of pioneers establishing frontier zones and exclaves far from home. All these actions heightened tensions with neighboring countries and led to frequent border skirmishes.
In 1029, Gaul declared war on Leithanien, beginning what would later be known as the War of the Four Nations. After a year of observation, Frederick III, seeing that Gaul had little chance of winning, finally decided to join the conflict. Victoria, Leithanien, and Ursus formed a coalition and launched a brutal offensive against Gaul. In October 1031, a decisive battle broke out between Gaul and the other three nations. This battle, known as the "Battle of the Four Emperors" due to the presence of all four monarchs on the battlefield, ultimately ended in victory for the allied forces, leading to the fall of the Empire of Gaul. Following the war, Victoria seized the prosperous region of Lower Gaul, acquiring vast resources, technology, and political assets. This laid the foundation for its dominance in a new era.
However, Victoria's strength was short lived. Just forty years later, in 1072, King Alistair was deposed and executed, destabilizing Victoria's entire political system. The throne remains vacant, and powerful noble factions struggle in open hostility with one another. Fortunately, Victoria still appears strong enough to endure until the resolution of the ongoing political chaos, or perhaps until the arrival of the next era.
The Empire of Victoria is located in central Terra. Her terrain transitions from plateaus and highlands in the northeast, through central valleys, to hills and plains in the southwest, with the land gradually descending from the mountains to the sea. Victoria has a moist, oceanic climate due to her extensive southern coast along the Crasdine Sea. The weather is mild and humid year-round, with small temperature variations and evenly distributed rainfall. Generally, seasonal differences are more pronounced in the north than in the south.
Victoria borders Iberia to the south, Leithanien to the east, and Kazimierz and Ursus to the north. To the west, across the Kjerag mountain range, lies Columbia. Victoria lies at the geographic center of both Terra and the nations of the Core. In addition, Victoria maintains numerous frontier zones and exclaves scattered across Terra, always ready to extend her influence to even more distant territories.
Victoria applies different policies to each of its frontier territories, focusing on extracting resources, while offering only minimal support. This approach has sparked discontent and protests along the frontier, the most notable instances being the Columbian Revolutionary War and the Autonomous County of Eureka joining Rim Billiton (which occurred after the Cage Incident). The frontier territories have brought Victoria immense wealth and resources, but perhaps it is now time for Victoria to adjust its approach to these regions.
At the commencement of the Battle of the Four Emperors, Corsica I commanded the Gaulish legions to launch an early offensive, briefly gaining the upper hand in the conflict. The Duke of Wellington, known as "the Iron Duke", stepped forward to respond. He boldly maneuvered his fleet to outflank the Gaulish forces, cutting them off from their reinforcements and severing their supply lines. This decisive move shifted the tide of the battle. Outnumbered and undersupplied, the Gaulish forces were eventually overwhelmed by the coalition's superior firepower.
Following the battle, the Duke of Wellington was hailed as the undisputed hero of the war; he earned a new title—"The Empire's Death Knell". His success in battle cemented his esteemed position among Victoria's nobility.
The "Iron Duke" is much older now, but the other Grand Dukes hold him in even higher regard, and none dare cross him.
In the eyes of most, the Emperor is the symbol of Victoria's pride and power. He, and his brilliant crown, represent Victoria's unquestioned authority. However, in reality, the Emperor of Victoria is not as powerful as most people imagine. Victoria is a "constitutional monarchy", meaning the nation is governed jointly by the Emperor and Parliament.
In theory, the Emperor is Victoria's head of state and chief administrator, with expansive executive, legislative, judicial, and military powers. The Emperor owns all of Victoria's land, which he grants to aristocrats as fiefdoms. In return for the right to collect income from these lands, the aristocrats are responsible for protecting and governing them on the Emperor's behalf. At the same time, the Emperor serves as the Head of Parliament, a governmental organ made up of major aristocrats. These Members of Parliament (MPs) govern Victoria in tandem with the Emperor, directly influencing his decisions. In so doing, the Parliament serves as a powerful check on the Emperor's power, preventing him from acting unilaterally against Victoria's best interests.
This enlightened political system has long been considered one of Victoria's strengths. Since 1072, the throne has been vacant for more than twenty years. During this period, Victoria's institutions have faced many challenges, but the empire has continued to function—perhaps a testament to the system's resilience.
The title of the Victorian monarch is "King of Victoria, Tara, and Lower Gaul, Emperor of All Victoria". After the monarch is crowned, he retains any other noble titles he holds personally.
The Victorian royal house is rather complex. Theoretically, members of the Draco family are still considered part of the royal house, even though they have long since disappeared from public view. As for the Aslans, they possess a complicated lineage, with only a handful of family members eligible to claim royal kinship. Even fewer Aslan members hold actual claims to the throne.
In 1072, Henry Alistair Victoria, Emperor of Victoria, was executed by hanging, leaving the throne vacant, as it remains to this day. While the execution itself was public, the circumstances surrounding it were highly suspicious. It is one of the greatest unsolved mysteries of the modern era. Victorians and foreigners alike have speculated endlessly, but no one has produced even a lick of reliable evidence. Many who attempted to investigate have mysteriously disappeared without a trace.
All the land of the Victorian Empire belongs to the crown, and this land is managed by the nobles through a complex feudal system. This system has existed for over a thousand years and has been revised multiple times throughout history to adapt to changing needs. I shall provide a brief overview of the system here. Readers interested in the topic may visit their local libraries for further investigation.
The Victorian Empire is composed of three legally recognized kingdoms: the Kingdom of Victoria, the Kingdom of Tara, and the Kingdom of Lower Gaul. These kingdoms are further divided into crownlands, duchies, marquessates, and viscountcies. Below the duchies are counties, and below the counties are baronies.
Victoria claims that her Emperor rules the entire Kingdom of Lower Gaul. Assuming this is accurate, Victoria controls a larger portion of Gaul than any other
country—control of Upper Gaul is divided among several nations. As a result, if Gaul were to be united under a single nation, Victoria would have the strongest claim. This has led to ongoing tensions with Leithanien and Ursus.
Administratively, Victoria is divided into several counties, with nomadic cities referred to as "cities" and permanent settlements as "villages" or "towns". The size of these counties varies, and sometimes a fully functional nomadic city is designated as its own county. The daily operations of these administrative divisions are overseen by regional councils of varying levels.
The Victorian Parliament stems from her aforementioned tradition of resolution through negotiation, as well as her culture. Victoria values restraint and opposes political extremism, even if that means navigating a time-consuming and complex decision-making process to avoid any potential risk.
The Emperor is the Speaker of Parliament, while major aristocrats serve as MPs. Some particularly influential aristocrats often send permanent representatives to Parliament, attending in person only the most important votes.
Parliament is organized into committees focused on specific domains, with legislative and administrative powers. Each of these committees appoints executives and staff to form a corresponding government ministry. For example, the Victorian Health Committee and the Victorian Ministry of Health both deal with public health. The parliamentary committees formulate policy and strategy, while the government ministries handle execution and administration.
The structure of regional councils, including those at the county level and below, mirrors that of Parliament. However, regional councils include not only local major aristocrats, but also minor ones and influential commoners.
Victoria has a comprehensive, well-structured constitution. It serves as the foundation for all of her other laws. Over its long history, the Victorian Constitution has been continuously amended and expanded. It is not a simple, standalone text, rather a robust governing framework composed of numerous historical documents and legal precedents. Since Victoria is a vast empire, the major aristocrats in charge of each fiefdom reserve the right to interpret the law within their own territories, provided their interpretations do not violate the constitution.
The Victorian Parliament is the supreme legislative and judicial body in Victoria. In Parliament, legal matters are handled by the Permanent Judges. Victoria's chief law enforcement agency is the Royal Police of Victoria, which reports directly to the royal house.
When the Empire of Victoria was founded, the Emperor granted land, power, and corresponding titles to influential individuals with shared interests to ensure their loyalty and service. These individuals formed a dominant social class we now know as the aristocrats. Over time, the privileges and obligations of the
Londinium is the political, financial, and cultural capital of the Victorian Empire, as well as her most prosperous and technologically advanced city. Geographically, Londinium is by far the largest city in the Empire; each of its plates is larger than most medium-sized nomadic cities and has a distinct function, covering everything from industrial production to agricultural cultivation. The Victorians proudly claim that Londinium is the "center of Terra", and in many ways, this is true. However, Londinium severed all contact with the outside several years ago. All attempts to communicate with Londinium, technological or otherwise, have failed, and those brave enough to venture to the city have been politely turned away by the soldiers stationed at its perimeter.
No matter who they turn away, the walls of Londinium may well stand firm forever.
aristocrats were formalized in law, making the aristocracy a cornerstone of Victorian society.
A unique feature of Victoria's aristocratic system is that all landowners ulti-mately serve the Emperor. Even those who are vassals of other aristocrats are, by law, still vassals of the Emperor, ensuring the Emperor's direct control over all Victorian land.
The Victorian aristocrats are divided into two categories: Major Aristocrats and Minor Aristocrats. Major aristocrats are members of the traditional noble class. They hold land and privilege, and their titles are hereditary, with their entire house enjoying noble status. Traditionally, MPs are drawn exclusively from major aristocrats. Minor aristocrats, who emerged later, receive titles more as an honorary distinction. They do not own land. Instead, they enter into contractual agreements with their feudal lords for various forms of compensation. Most minor aristocrat titles are personal and cannot be inherited.
Currently, the major aristocrats are divided into five levels, each with distinct rights and responsibilities:
Dukes—The highest-ranking and most powerful nobles, and the Emperor's closest advisors. They hold significant military and political power, effectively controlling most of Victoria's territory.
Marquesses—Nobles with military duties, typically in charge of border fortresses or exclave territories. Their primary responsibility is defending Victoria's land from external threat. Their roles were designed to keep them away from power centers, limiting their political influence.
Earls—Vassals of the Dukes, they usually govern multiple small counties or one large county. They are responsible for managing minor aristocrats like Barons and knights banneret.
Viscounts—Governors of counties. This title was adopted from the Gaulish system following Victoria's annexation of Lower Gaul and exists only in that region.
Barons—The lowest tier of major aristocrats, Vassals to the Earls. They typically control several villages or several plots of land in nomadic cities, or perhaps some small counties.
The minor aristocrats emerged after the major aristocrat system had been established. Unlike major aristocrats, minor aristocrats do not receive land from their lords. Instead, they sign contracts with their feudal lords that specify the services they provide and the compensation they receive. Most minor aristocrat titles are non-hereditary, with only a few exceptions, such as Barons. Victorian knights are a typical example of minor aristocrats: they provide military service to their lieges, who in return pay them an annual stipend. Their titles are for life, but are not hereditary.
In the past, Victoria's military was centered around the aristocracy. The army consisted of the King's personal guard, forces commanded by local vassals, and militias and mercenaries conscripted during wartime. However, this traditional structure gradually became unable to meet Victoria's increasing military needs over time.
Frederick III, one of Victoria's most famous rulers, came up with a solution.
With the throne vacant, struggles among the Victorian nobility have intensified dramat-ically. Years of court intrigue and intermittent armed skirmishes have seen eight Dukes (later to be known as the "Eight Grand Dukes") rise above the fray, gaining control over significant territory within Victoria. They are the Duke of Wellington, the Duke of Caster, the Duke of Windermere, the Duke of Normandy, the Duke of Gododdin, the Duke of Abercorn, the Duke of Fife, and the Duke of Ashworth. Among them, Duke Wellington, Duke Caster, and Duke Windermere hold the greatest influence. While none of the dukes have explicitly declared their inten-tions, it is widely understood that their conflicts are driven by an ambition for the throne. After all, if an outsider were to claim royal status, it would set a dangerous precedent, fueling the ambitions of future challengers.
Upon his ascension to the throne, he quickly recognized that the existing army was ill-suited to the rapidly changing international landscape. After overcoming a series of political obstacles and consolidating his power, Frederick III initiated a comprehensive reform of the military, establishing a modern, professional army directly commanded by the Emperor and Parliament.
This newly formed Victorian Army immediately demonstrated its competence during the War of the Four Nations. At its core was a highly disciplined, standing army composed of professional soldiers and supported by an extensive military academy system, a conscription policy, and the most advanced weaponry and equipment. Thanks to a well-developed junior officer system, the Victorian Army was highly flexible and mobile, capable of executing both complex, large-scale maneuvers and smaller, specialized operations.
The new army's elite shock troops became known as the Tempest Platoon, a unit which emerged from the former Exemplars. This unit is tasked with carrying out special operations ordered by Parliament. Every Tempest is handpicked from the best performing Victorian soldiers, forming a marvelously storied unit. Their feats in battle, though many, are sometimes exaggerated. Civilians are often starstruck when they encounter a Tempest on the street.
Frederick III's military modernization even extended to Victoria's most historic, prestigious unit — the Steam Knights. To this day, the Steam Knights remain the most powerful, capable, and loyal fighting men in the Victorian armed forces, a very symbol of Victorian military might. Only those who are physically strong, mentally sharp, resilient, and highly skilled in combat can qualify to become Steam Knights. Their armor is the apex of Victorian military technology, offering impenetrable defense, powerful propulsion, and an integrated weapon system. It dramatically enhances the wearer's combat effectiveness in every aspect. Only a powerful nation like Victoria could sustain such an elite force, given the time-consuming recruitment process and the immense cost and complexity of producing their armor. Remarkably, the number of active Steam Knights has never once in Victorian history surpassed fifty. Steam Knights are widely respected and feared; they are the idols of Victoria's youth, and the nightmare of her enemies.
To this day, Victoria's major aristocrats still maintain their own private militias. These forces are organized under the old military system and are mostly composed of minor aristocrats and commoners. The most powerful aristocrats possess advanced military equipment, such as high-speed warships.
■ Every soldier of Victoria is a guardian of the nation's prosperity and stability.
Victoria was the first nation on Terra to industrialize. Today, she is blessed with a developed, diverse industrial economy, with the most advanced technology in nomadic cities, motor vehicles, and military hardware. Victoria's agriculture, animal husbandry, forestry, and mining industries have also been mechanized at scale—a highly mechanized society indeed. However, this reliance on traditional machinery has led to a new problem: in recent years, Victoria has neglected the emerging field of electronics, causing her to lag behind other nations in this area.
Victoria's vibrant economy and thriving domestic trade gave rise to a variety of commercial contracts and agreements, which formed the framework for the
Average Lowest Long-Term Annual Interest Rate of Victoria's Commercial Banks
7.00% 6.00% 5.00% 4.00% 3.00% 2.00% 1.00% 0 1010 1020 1030 1040 1050 1060 1070 1080 1090 (YEAR) War of the Four Nations
■ Victoria's economy has remained remarkably stable over the past century, except for a brief period during the War of the Four Nations.
modern corporate system we know today. This continued economic growth has made Victoria home to Terra's most comprehensive financial industry, with fully established sectors such as banking, insurance, trusts, and securities.
The current population of the Victorian Empire is approximately 40 million, more than half of which lives in nomadic cities. For most Victorians, their citizen-ship is simply a piece of paper. Only a small minority of highly-educated citizens develop a sense of identity as Victorians, which, in most cases, is a strong, fervent one.
There are three main traditional Victorian social classes: the aristocrats, the commoners, and the sages. The aristocrats includes all five tiers of major aristo-crats, who qualify to serve as MPs, as well as the minor ones such as the knights and gentry. Commoners include all ordinary citizens and farmers, while "sages" refers to those who, since ancient times, have used their vast wisdom to guide other citizens and facilitate industrial/agricultural production. Following the dawn of the Crystal Age, however, the role of the sages as a class has largely been replaced by the modern education system. The term "sage" is no longer widely used.
In the modern period, where even the word "sage" is fading away, a small organiza-tion of young people has caught my attention. They are bold, combative, reckless, and arro-gant, yet their mission is to carry on the legacy of the ancient sages, using their knowledge and skills to help those in need. What's more, they have actually succeeded a few times! The name of this organization is "King's Wand", a term that in ancient times referred to the sages who advised the Kings. Perhaps they will prove that there is still a place for the sages in modern society.
Overall, Victorian society remains both confident and restrained. Victorians believe strongly in rationality and morality. The pursuit of knowledge is the central theme of Victorian social life, with science being a favorite topic of casual conversation. Based on scientific principles, Victoria establishes her well-rounded primary and higher education systems. Victorian art has also flourished in this environment. The people often discuss science and art together; many aim to explore new possibilities in art through the scientific method. In fact, this is exactly how the Victorians developed the motion picture industry.
Victoria's high level of industrialization has exacerbated her Oripathy problem. In most parts of Victoria, infected individuals are typically isolated or detained in areas controlled by civil authorities. Harboring infected individuals is considered
A welfare report on Infected workers at a Victo-rian factory. The workers themselves haven't the slightest clue what the "health management subsidy" listed on the report means. They can only tell me that one name frequently appearing on the report belongs to a man who passed away long ago.
a serious crime. In recent years, some aristocrats have experimented with new policies for handling the Infected, allowing them to work as laborers in certain facilities. However, the wages they receive are far below standard.
There is a widely held opinion that in terms of overall national strength, Victoria is the most powerful country on Terra. Thirty years ago, I might have agreed with this sentiment, but times have changed and power dynamics are shifting.
Victoria once proudly claimed to be the most advanced nation in each and every aspect. However, by clinging to her current "advanced" infrastructure, she has ossified and fallen behind in some certain sectors. Take Victorian mechanics and electronics for example. At the dawn of the Crystal Age, Victorian machine science developed faster than that of any other nation. However, Victoria's ensuing reliance on her existing machinery very nearly led to her missing the rise of electronics. To this day, Victoria still struggles to mass-produce high-precision electronic components. This phenomenon is not unique to science. The complex web of Victorian aristocracy, bureaucracy, and parliamentarians is far less efficient than the Yanese civil service. Victoria's military reforms were less comprehensive than those of Ursus, limiting the military's overall scale and flexibility. Meanwhile, the financial instruments first invented in Victoria have been applied and developed far more efficiently in places like Columbia and Kazimierz. Simply put, Victoria has forgotten that the tide of progress pushes all forward together. She may remain basking in her glory, but Victoria is standing still as other nations gain ground.
The current state of Victoria is not promising either. This Empire, whose throne has remained vacant for over two decades, has managed to retain her great power status on inertia alone. However, the pressure that has accumulated over these two decades weighs heavily on every Victorian. The headless crown is like a beacon in the dark, luring ambitious Dukes into conflict with one another. After all, if the red dragon's Londinium could accept a lion king, then the throne surely is open to all. Meanwhile, old disputes are resurfacing. The Tarans raise their ancient banners, seeking justice for all they have suffered. In recent years, many Victorians living abroad have felt abandoned by the state, same as the Tarans. Victoria's borders are no longer stable; territorial disputes over Gaul are escalating, and tensions with neighboring countries are rising.
To make matters worse, as we enter this new century, the Empire's economic engine is stalling, and the question of whose flag flies over Londinium lies unanswered. Never before has the Victorian Empire faced such extensive and profound challenges. As the once-glorious Victoria now shows signs of decline, one must wonder, is she merely obscured by a few dark clouds, or is the sun finally setting on the Empire? Only time will tell. Let us hope that if and when change comes, each and every soul is ready.
The grand stage of Victoria has welcomed all manner of drama, and the dazzling era of the Lion King, which lasted over a century, ended more than twenty years ago. Yet Victoria endures. She will forever stand, witnessing every rise and fall, just as she has throughout history.
"When you seek tomorrow, you will find yesterday."
—Old Taran Proverb
The risk of a rift between Victoria and the new Taran regime is a contentious and evolving issue. Some scholars argue that it is inevitable; others disagree. In the interests of accuracy, I choose to express my thoughts on the subject with caution, and let the future incarnation of mine document and assess "modern Tara".
Further, attentive readers may notice significant differences between the history of Tara presented here and the content in Victoria. For Victorian readers, this version may seem closer to the Tara they are familiar with. I recommend that readers approach both versions with equal critical scrutiny.
"You are planting a feather in the ground, imagining it growing into a fowlbeast."
—Séamus Williams, Taran Poet
In the Victorian language, "Tara" (referred to as "Teamharc" or "Teamhair" in Tengae) was originally a word used by ancient nomads to refer to a meeting place. Today, it typically refers to a geographical region in the south of Victoria, with fluid boundaries that shift as the nomadic cities march along their routes.
It is generally accepted that Taran civilization began with the Sargonian expansion. We also know that around the year 100 Before the Terran Calendar (BTC), Tara was taken over by nomadic Draco families from Victoria, who spoke Tengae. By the time Kharanduu Khagan rode across the land and into the sands, these Victorians had already established an independent state—the Kingdom of Tara.
It is commonly believed that the Kingdoms of Victoria and Tara merged in order to resist the Nightzmora Khagan, forming what later became the Victorian Empire. The King of Tara ceded the title of "Rí Tuatha" (King) to the Victorian monarch, who in return bestowed him the title of "Rí na Gaeil" (King Gaeil). These days, the title "Gaeil" is often believed to be the King's personal name. This is incorrect. These two kings ruled Tara together until the 9th century, when the Dracos abdicated the throne and the Aslans replaced them. King Gaeil's bloodline then died out, and governance of Tara's political affairs fell to the Grand Dukes, as it remains today. After the War of the Four Nations, Tara has been ruled by the Duke of Wellington to this day.
Unfortunately, much of Taran history and culture has been lost, partly because it was passed down orally and not written, and partly due to the deliberate destruction of written documentation. Most of what we now know about Tara was discovered by scholars working at universities and museums in Londinium. Evidence of King Gaeil's lineage is fragmented and scattered. Only a few recognized stories, such as those of "Máighréad the Exquisite" and "Labhréathach the Exiled", have been reconstructed from folk tales and archeological digs. We have not uncovered any artifacts corresponding to any of the other kings in Tara's oral history.
Modern Tara has long been stagnant. The other northern Grand Dukes before the Duke of Wellington were reluctant to invest resources in Tara, likely because cultural differences and practical challenges made governing the region difficult. Meanwhile, the rapid growth of the northern Originium industry has drained the region's natural resources and population. Victorians living in Tara receive wages and public services far below the national average, yet they often pay higher prices for industrial goods. Moreover, the communication between Tara and other parts of Victoria tends to be one-sided and inefficient. By the 1070s and 1080s, an increasing number of Tarans were advocating for independence from Victoria as a means of improving their harsh living conditions. Although public opinion polls suggest that pushes for Taran independence remain infrequent and limited in scope, history shows that such movements have precedents on Terra, and Victoria cannot afford to ignore the issue.
Would an independent Tara choose to restore its monarchy or establish a new, modern state? How would she fulfill the people's hope to revive their culture and improve their lives? These are the inquiries that pique my curiosity the most, and I believe that they are issues society ought to regard with greater concern.
"Broken Taran is better than fluent Victorian."
—New Taran Proverb
Today, Tengae is commonly referred to as "Taran" or "Gaeilic", and its etymology can be traced back to the original Draco word for "tongue". Although Tengae and Victorian both originated from the same mother language, they have very different grammar systems. Tengae's basic "verb-subject-object" sentence structure is a regional anomaly, clearly retaining many Classical Sargonian grammar patterns.
Since the beginning of recorded history, Tengae has used the Victorian script. The ancient, nomadic Taran people developed a rich spoken language with a diverse phonetic system. There were once dozens of dialects, though all have now been lost. During the early reign of King Gaeil, Victorians in Tara were encouraged to abandon the use of Tengae and adopt the more widely spoken Victorian and Gaulish tongues.
Written records in Tengae ceased between the 8th and 9th centuries. By the turn of this century, there were essentially no remaining Victorians who could speak the Tengae we know from historical texts. Only a few Tengae words survive in the Victorian dialect spoken in Tara. However, with the rise of the independence movement, local scholars, writers, and poets have begun putting more efforts into reviving the language, and they have achieved some solid results. As mentioned, there is a long oral tradition in Tara, by which stories are passed down through the generations. Today, these tales are all told in Victorian. Perhaps some day, we may once again hear them in their original Tengae. Only time will tell.
However, with the revival of Tengae, a new phenomenon has emerged: People who left Tara between 1096 and 1098 report growing hostility between Tengae (Taran) speakers and their neighbors who speak only Victorian. What started as a political difference between separatists and the government may now be developing into a broader social division in Tara. If this is indeed the case, it is a cause for concern for any potential future Taran government, as well as the people living in the region.
Recently, traditional art and archaeology have gained popularity in Victoria, especially among the nobility, who are keen to showcase their interest in art and history. This trend has brought steady funding to research in these fields, with museums, universities, and the Royal Academy of Sciences becoming favored institutions for sponsorship and collaboration. Naturally, the noble names often appear in project acknowledgments. Objectively, this wave of sponsorship is beneficial, as it has significantly advanced the field of archaeology.
After the War of the Four Nations and the fall of Gaul, much of Gaulish historical research was inherited by Victoria and Leithanien. However, the chaotic administrative handover severely hindered progress in Gaul's archaeological research. Thanks to generous financial support, Victorian archaeologists were finally able to conduct large-scale excavations in Lower Gaul, leading to remarkable discoveries and sparking a major debate on the history of nomadic cities.
One of the most important archeological findings in Lower Gaul is the "Design Manuscript of the Moving Castle", now housed in the Royal Museum of Victoria. This manuscript, originally untitled, bears the signature of a mysterious figure referred to as "King Charles". To uncover the origins of "King Charles", scholars scoured historical texts and finally found a reference to a Gaulish figure known as "Charles the Mad". According to existing records, Charles was king of a small, now-forgotten polity in ancient Gaul. He was indifferent to power and governance, but an exceptionally skilled architect and user of Originium Arts.
During his reign, he launched a massive construction project to build a grand palace, forcing his people into labor and draining the nation's resources. He hired experts at skyrocketing prices from across Terra to work on the project. Eventually, he was either overthrown by the angry masses, or his weakened kingdom was conquered by a neighboring nation—the truth remains obscure. In any case, "Charles the Mad" and his palace vanished from history. Historians believe that there was a reason for this vagueness in the historical accounts of this period, and they eventually unveiled the secret in that very manuscript.
The project was not merely a palace, but a mobile fortress that moved via some sort of traction system. Thus, scholars have dubbed it the "Moving Castle". The castle had two main parts: the main structure, and the traction device.
The main structure itself was also split into two layers: the upper castle, and the lower mobile platform. The upper castle level used Originium-enhanced materials to minimize weight while maintaining functionality; many of its parts were designed to be hollow. The entire structure resembled a delicate, yet lightweight cage. The lower section consisted of a massive, track-based mobile platform.
The traction mechanism itself represented a bold attempt at utilizing Originium. Unlike later Victorian steam technology, which used Originium as fuel and water vapor as a power source, the manuscript's author designed an engine powered purely by Originium. The system, and its auxiliary devices, only required a constant supply of Originium fuel to remain operational. Of course, the drawbacks of such a system are obvious. It would have expelled a large amount of unfiltered Originium waste, resulting in severe pollution.
No actual pieces of the Moving Castle have ever been excavated, which has led to much speculation among scholars. Some argue that the castle was never completed.
Others counter that if that were true, there would have been remnants of the construction near where the manuscript was found. Thus, they argue, the castle must have been moved to an as-yet-undiscovered location. Still others believe the project was likely destroyed during construction due to some unforeseen issue(s).
The debate over the relationship between the Moving Castle and modern nomadic cities has now entered a new phase.
Most historians agree that the concept of the Moving Castle likely inspired the development of nomadic city technology. While there is no direct evidence to suggest that the designers of the Seven Cities' Federation, who built the first modern nomadic city, borrowed from King Charles's manuscript, the two concepts are thought to share a common lineage.
Most engineers, on the other hand, argue that by today's standards, the design of Charles the Mad would not meet even the most basic criteria, and that such a massive project would not have been possible with the materials available at the time. Furthermore, no other copies of the manuscript have ever been found, making it unlikely that this design directly influenced later invention. Thus, modern nomadic cities likely stem from other, separate innovations.
Despite differing opinions on the practicality of the Moving Castle, there is unanimous admiration for the idea itself.
At some point in history, someone in Lower Gaul dreamed up this grand vision: an enormous engine, roaring day and night, spewing black smoke, pulling a mystical castle toward a distant land untouched by Catastrophe.