Xeraph
17-11-2005, 00:46
The camera panned across the crowd in Imperial Square, and zoomed in on the reporter.
" Good evening, everyone. This is Terry McSherry for XNN News coming to you from just outside the Royal Palace in Imperial Square, Xeraphia.
We're here tonight to hear Prince Vlad, Regent of the Grey Phoenix, deliver a State Of The Empire Address, the first in quite a while.
We do not know exactly what what the Prince is going to report. There has been so much happening throughout the Empire in the past six months that he could be speaking on just about anything.
There are rumors about some of the subject-nations asking for independance, which happened once before, about 125 years ago.
We also anticipate some statement about the Xeraphian Space League, and the areas of settlement."
There was a rising tide of cheers and clapping coming from the onlookers, and he turned toward the podium. " Apparently, the Prince has arrived on the dais, and is ready to deliver his address."
The camera panned from the reporter to the staging area where the Regent of The Grey Phoenix, Prince Vlad, was making his way towards the podium.
As he faced the people, a thundering ovation greeted him, and went on for several minutes. He and his nation, a long-time loyal supporter of the Emperor, were wildly popular with the citizens of the Kingdom of Xeraph and the Empire.
The Prince stepped back for a moment to ask his aide a question, then held his hands up for silence.
" My friends, I come to you tonight in the name of our Emperor, who sends his greetings. It is my intention tonight to give you a full report on the state of the Empire. I'd like to begin with our space colonies."
" As you may know, Xeraph has settled the greater part of both the Taiuun Expanse in the Constellation Tau Ceti, and the Typhon Expanse, in the Constellation Siriuus. Of the 2,000-odd habitable planets in the two constellations, we have inhabited approximately 14 in Tau Ceti, and 18 in Siriuus. Our Orbital Fleet has grown from 6 vessals to more than 140 vessals, including medical, exploratory, scientific, and military ships."
" King Ricala of the Kingdom of Auralinia continues as Lord Director of the Xeraphian Space League. Under his direction, the League has come in contact with seven different species of extra-terrestrials."
" One of the subject-nations of the Empire, the Borderlands of Dark Visions, has requested relocation to the Typhon Expanse. As you may recall, Dark Visions is populated by aliens from several planets. Our Emperor was the first to allow aliens to be a formal part of a human Empire. He is expected to approve the relocation of Dark Visions."
" You have heard rumors of some of our subject-nations expressing interest in becoming independant nations. The precedent for this was set about 130 years ago, when the Emperor, then King, granted independence to 68 nations of the Fledgling empire, leaving eight to re-form the demographics of the Empire."
" In fact, the nations of The Grey Legions and The Black Katanas have asked the Emperor to relocate their entire national presence to the Typhon Expanse. They would no longer be a formal part of the Empire, but the close ties would remain."
" The Emperor has granted their request. Duke Avan Astran of the Grey Legions, and Lord Ghengiz of The Black Katanas will depart for their new homes in approximately one month."
" This means a realignment of the remaining nations within the Empire."
The Prince paused for a moment, looked quickly over his shoulder, and stifled a grin.
" The Emperor has decided that the nations of The White-Robed Monks and Vhammpyr are to become provinces of the Kingdom of Xeraph, reliquishing their national status. The Community of Monks is populated by less than 15,000 people, and Vhammpyr is, and has been for over 3,000 years, home to just 712 inhabitants. "
"This will leave the region of The Mercenary Lands with two nations, Xeraph and The Grey Phoenix, and the region of The Zhurazi Archipegalo with two nations, The Black Shadows and Auralinia. The combined populations of these four nations brings the Empire to a total of some 11 billion people."
Vlad glanced over his shoulder again, due to some sort of commotion behind the backdrop. As he looked, the curtain of the backdrop parted, and the Emperor of the Empire of Xeraph strode past the startled Royal Guard and took up a spot alongside the Prince.
The roar from the people was deafening. Ovation after ovation washed over Alaric and Vlad. They both tried to quiet the crowd, but the people would not be denied.
Emperor Alaric Tan'it was wildly popular. He had carved this empire out of a brutal jungle, and brought it to prominence in just 167 years. What was to become the Kingdom of Xeraph was just a howling wasteland of demon-infested swamps and tribes of semi-human Wolfen who preyed on anything that moved.
After he subdued the better part of what he dubbed Xeraph, there was peace for a short while. Then, the Kothian Empire struck without warning. They almost suceeded in defeating the Xeraphians and their allies, Verboten Luftewaffe and the Crossman Imperium.
The Kothians also almost suceeded in wiping out one of Alaric's most able allies......the Vampires of Xeraph.
The Vampires at the time were distributed in five different nations, according to their particular tribe. The Kothites eradicated four of the Vampire nations by thermonuclear holocaust. The remaining nation, Vhammpyr, survived with just 712 of the 'hominis nocturnis' lodged in the inhospitable mountains of the Terah Range.
The King ordered a retaliatory strike on the Kothites, on a scale seldom seen. Fully 126 ICBMs were launched at the Kothite Empire, all but completely eradicating it. There were small areas of resistence, but the war was soon over. Now came the rebuilding.
He did so quickly. The Kingdom became the Empire, and rose to become one of the premier Empires in the world.
Now he stood, massive arms folded across his chest, gazing out at his people. He was draped in a cloak made from the hide of the Black Lion of Xeraph, a huge creature Alaric had killed with his bare hands. The Lion was fully 5 feet tall at the shoulder, and almost twelve feet long, weighing in at over 1800 pounds.
He was garbed in his usual attire. A black leather tunic over which hung a shirt of gun-metal-grey chainmail. His black heavy canvas trousers were tucked into a pair of the finest goat-skin boots. On his head was the simple iron crown, festooned with the single ruby he had wrested from the Wolfen warlord in the Citadel of The Wolf, plunging his poniard through the eye and into the Wolfen's brain.
His long black hair hung past his shoulders, his short chin-beard jutting along with his chin, his steel-blue eyes scanning the crowd.
And as usual, he was armed to the teeth. His matching Katanas criss-crossed his back in their scabbards, his battle knife hanging on his left hip, his Glock 9mm pistol on his right. He wasn't carrying his AK-47AII, but you could be sure it wasn't more than a few seconds from his grasp.
He suddenly pounded his massive fist on the podium, and less than ten seconds later, all were quiet.
" My friends, it gives me a great deal of satisfaction and joy to see you all tonight. The Empire is at the pinnacle of it's power. We are presently at peace. The threat of the possible war with Guffingford and friends has apparently fizzled out. No one has heard from them in quite a while. So, let us enjoy the peace as long as we can."
"I am hereby today declaring a season of Festival, to last a full two weeks, throughout the land. You are all free to enjoy what you want, when you want, for as long as you want. The storehouses are open..........enjoy!"
The crowd again went wild. The sound faded a bit as the camera again focussed on the reporter.
" Well, folks, there you have it. The Emperor himself showed up tonight and addressed the Nation, declaring a Season of Festival. The Emperor is alive and well....all's right with the world."
" This is terry McSherry for XNN News. Goodnight...."
" Good evening, everyone. This is Terry McSherry for XNN News coming to you from just outside the Royal Palace in Imperial Square, Xeraphia.
We're here tonight to hear Prince Vlad, Regent of the Grey Phoenix, deliver a State Of The Empire Address, the first in quite a while.
We do not know exactly what what the Prince is going to report. There has been so much happening throughout the Empire in the past six months that he could be speaking on just about anything.
There are rumors about some of the subject-nations asking for independance, which happened once before, about 125 years ago.
We also anticipate some statement about the Xeraphian Space League, and the areas of settlement."
There was a rising tide of cheers and clapping coming from the onlookers, and he turned toward the podium. " Apparently, the Prince has arrived on the dais, and is ready to deliver his address."
The camera panned from the reporter to the staging area where the Regent of The Grey Phoenix, Prince Vlad, was making his way towards the podium.
As he faced the people, a thundering ovation greeted him, and went on for several minutes. He and his nation, a long-time loyal supporter of the Emperor, were wildly popular with the citizens of the Kingdom of Xeraph and the Empire.
The Prince stepped back for a moment to ask his aide a question, then held his hands up for silence.
" My friends, I come to you tonight in the name of our Emperor, who sends his greetings. It is my intention tonight to give you a full report on the state of the Empire. I'd like to begin with our space colonies."
" As you may know, Xeraph has settled the greater part of both the Taiuun Expanse in the Constellation Tau Ceti, and the Typhon Expanse, in the Constellation Siriuus. Of the 2,000-odd habitable planets in the two constellations, we have inhabited approximately 14 in Tau Ceti, and 18 in Siriuus. Our Orbital Fleet has grown from 6 vessals to more than 140 vessals, including medical, exploratory, scientific, and military ships."
" King Ricala of the Kingdom of Auralinia continues as Lord Director of the Xeraphian Space League. Under his direction, the League has come in contact with seven different species of extra-terrestrials."
" One of the subject-nations of the Empire, the Borderlands of Dark Visions, has requested relocation to the Typhon Expanse. As you may recall, Dark Visions is populated by aliens from several planets. Our Emperor was the first to allow aliens to be a formal part of a human Empire. He is expected to approve the relocation of Dark Visions."
" You have heard rumors of some of our subject-nations expressing interest in becoming independant nations. The precedent for this was set about 130 years ago, when the Emperor, then King, granted independence to 68 nations of the Fledgling empire, leaving eight to re-form the demographics of the Empire."
" In fact, the nations of The Grey Legions and The Black Katanas have asked the Emperor to relocate their entire national presence to the Typhon Expanse. They would no longer be a formal part of the Empire, but the close ties would remain."
" The Emperor has granted their request. Duke Avan Astran of the Grey Legions, and Lord Ghengiz of The Black Katanas will depart for their new homes in approximately one month."
" This means a realignment of the remaining nations within the Empire."
The Prince paused for a moment, looked quickly over his shoulder, and stifled a grin.
" The Emperor has decided that the nations of The White-Robed Monks and Vhammpyr are to become provinces of the Kingdom of Xeraph, reliquishing their national status. The Community of Monks is populated by less than 15,000 people, and Vhammpyr is, and has been for over 3,000 years, home to just 712 inhabitants. "
"This will leave the region of The Mercenary Lands with two nations, Xeraph and The Grey Phoenix, and the region of The Zhurazi Archipegalo with two nations, The Black Shadows and Auralinia. The combined populations of these four nations brings the Empire to a total of some 11 billion people."
Vlad glanced over his shoulder again, due to some sort of commotion behind the backdrop. As he looked, the curtain of the backdrop parted, and the Emperor of the Empire of Xeraph strode past the startled Royal Guard and took up a spot alongside the Prince.
The roar from the people was deafening. Ovation after ovation washed over Alaric and Vlad. They both tried to quiet the crowd, but the people would not be denied.
Emperor Alaric Tan'it was wildly popular. He had carved this empire out of a brutal jungle, and brought it to prominence in just 167 years. What was to become the Kingdom of Xeraph was just a howling wasteland of demon-infested swamps and tribes of semi-human Wolfen who preyed on anything that moved.
After he subdued the better part of what he dubbed Xeraph, there was peace for a short while. Then, the Kothian Empire struck without warning. They almost suceeded in defeating the Xeraphians and their allies, Verboten Luftewaffe and the Crossman Imperium.
The Kothians also almost suceeded in wiping out one of Alaric's most able allies......the Vampires of Xeraph.
The Vampires at the time were distributed in five different nations, according to their particular tribe. The Kothites eradicated four of the Vampire nations by thermonuclear holocaust. The remaining nation, Vhammpyr, survived with just 712 of the 'hominis nocturnis' lodged in the inhospitable mountains of the Terah Range.
The King ordered a retaliatory strike on the Kothites, on a scale seldom seen. Fully 126 ICBMs were launched at the Kothite Empire, all but completely eradicating it. There were small areas of resistence, but the war was soon over. Now came the rebuilding.
He did so quickly. The Kingdom became the Empire, and rose to become one of the premier Empires in the world.
Now he stood, massive arms folded across his chest, gazing out at his people. He was draped in a cloak made from the hide of the Black Lion of Xeraph, a huge creature Alaric had killed with his bare hands. The Lion was fully 5 feet tall at the shoulder, and almost twelve feet long, weighing in at over 1800 pounds.
He was garbed in his usual attire. A black leather tunic over which hung a shirt of gun-metal-grey chainmail. His black heavy canvas trousers were tucked into a pair of the finest goat-skin boots. On his head was the simple iron crown, festooned with the single ruby he had wrested from the Wolfen warlord in the Citadel of The Wolf, plunging his poniard through the eye and into the Wolfen's brain.
His long black hair hung past his shoulders, his short chin-beard jutting along with his chin, his steel-blue eyes scanning the crowd.
And as usual, he was armed to the teeth. His matching Katanas criss-crossed his back in their scabbards, his battle knife hanging on his left hip, his Glock 9mm pistol on his right. He wasn't carrying his AK-47AII, but you could be sure it wasn't more than a few seconds from his grasp.
He suddenly pounded his massive fist on the podium, and less than ten seconds later, all were quiet.
" My friends, it gives me a great deal of satisfaction and joy to see you all tonight. The Empire is at the pinnacle of it's power. We are presently at peace. The threat of the possible war with Guffingford and friends has apparently fizzled out. No one has heard from them in quite a while. So, let us enjoy the peace as long as we can."
"I am hereby today declaring a season of Festival, to last a full two weeks, throughout the land. You are all free to enjoy what you want, when you want, for as long as you want. The storehouses are open..........enjoy!"
The crowd again went wild. The sound faded a bit as the camera again focussed on the reporter.
" Well, folks, there you have it. The Emperor himself showed up tonight and addressed the Nation, declaring a Season of Festival. The Emperor is alive and well....all's right with the world."
" This is terry McSherry for XNN News. Goodnight...."