Albion

Overview

"You will find no sorcery in Albion, no incantations whispered into the wind, no divine miracles granted by the gods. We build our future with blood and toil, not superstition."
— Commander Elias Hargrove, addressing foreign emissaries

The Dominion of Albion, known colloquially as London, stands as the pinnacle of industry and military discipline in Antares. While other nations wield magic and tradition, Albion’s strength lies in unyielding pragmatism and technological ingenuity. Towering edifices of steel and glass dominate its skyline, while airships swarms between its crevices. Albion's industry thunders.

History

Origins and Emergence

"They came—haggard, wounded, desperate. We thought them beggars, vagrants. A mistake."
— Archmage Elarion Sampo, Council of Elders

The origins of Albion remain an enigma even to this day. The elves, meticulous in their record-keeping, were the first to document their arrival. A monumental stone gateway—silent for untold centuries—suddenly came to life. The great statue that stood as its sentinel stirred, its hollow eyes glowing as the doors groaned open.

What emerged was no invading army, no celestial emissary, but a bedraggled mass of humans, draped in rags and bearing wounds of unknown origin. They called themselves British, and while their bodies bore the scars of hardship, their minds harboured knowledge beyond comprehension. Even in those early days, when they built their first ramshackle settlements in the shadow of elven spires, there was something different about them.

They did not wield magic. They had no ties to the gods. Yet their hands shaped metal into weapons unseen, their minds conjured machines that defied nature’s order. And where others took centuries to build a nation, they accomplished it within a single lifetime.

Rising Tensions with the Elves

"We granted them shelter, and they repaid us with fire. We should have rid them out while we had the chance."
— High Lord Nithenoel Vanhatalo, last ruler of the Tähdenvalta Empire

At first, the elves welcomed the Londoners, offering them land and protection. Yet what began as an act of benevolence soon soured into resentment. Cities rose where forests once stood. Machines churned where rivers once flowed. The British expanded ceaselessly, unconcerned with the sacred lands they claimed.

And then came the demands.

The elves, wary of Albion’s growing power, sought to control it. They insisted on oversight, demanded the secrets of London’s industry be shared. When their petitions were denied, they turned to coercion—kidnappings, sabotage, even slavery.

The final breaking point came when an elven warband raided an Albion outpost, seizing dozens of its people. The retaliation was swift and merciless. It was the first time Antares witnessed the full fury of Albion’s industry—and it would not be the last.

The Great Split

"Magic was their greatest power… until the day we burned their gods to ash."
— Captain Avery Harcourt, Albion Engineer Corps

The war that followed—the Great Split—was unlike any before it. Albion’s armies, devoid of magic, faced the full might of the elven hosts, creatures of fey and nature wielding forces beyond mortal reckoning. By all logic, Albion should have crumbled.

But war is not waged with logic. It is waged with fire and iron.

The elves fought with spells and summoned beasts. Albion answered with artillery and machines of war. The forests, once their greatest weapon, were set ablaze. Their enchanted warriors fell to bullets faster than they could weave their incantations.

And then, the unthinkable happened. The Yggdrasil, the heart of elven dominion, fell. Whether by bombardment or some final act of defiance, none can say for certain. What is known is this—when the sacred tree was reduced to cinders, so too was the elves' supremacy.

Their age had ended. Albion’s had begun.

Society

"Other nations dream of glory. We dream of survival."
— Citizen’s Handbook, Albion Civil Authority

Albion is a nation unlike any other. It is a society built not on dreams, but on necessity. Where others revel in stories of heroes and legends, Albion remembers only war. Its people are not bound by grand ideals but by duty—to the state, to the collective, to survival itself.

For two hundred years, Albion has known no peace. The world beyond its borders is hostile, and so Albion endures. From the moment a child can walk, they are taught discipline. They are taught that duty is not a choice, but an expectation. Albion must survive, no matter the cost.

Government Structure

"We do not serve kings, nor do we bow to gods. We serve Albion. That is enough."
— Marshal Edric Vaughn, Ministry of Order

Albion is a borderline stratocracy, though its governance is more complex. Every citizen, regardless of birth or status, is bound by a period of service to the state—be it through military, civil, or industrial labour. Governance is not a privilege but a responsibility, shared among those who have earned the right to lead.

While it may appear rigid, Albion’s inclusivity is born not from virtue, but necessity. The state has no patience for petty divisions—only competence matters. Those who serve, regardless of origin, become part of Albion.

For in Albion, there are no lords, no chosen bloodlines.

There is only the Dominion.