Chapter 1 - An Empire Divided
The year is 2666, and all that remains of the United States is ruins and rumors. Sometime in the distant past, something happened and ended the world as we knew it and from its ashes rose a new one, struggling to reclaim its past glories. This is the story of the Golden State, a shining example of equality and learning in an otherwise dark and cruel world.
The Empire of California was founded in 2421 by Elton “the Lawgiver” Yudkow, a genius politician and religious leader, who’s writings are the basis of Ceticism, the Empire’s official religion. Made up of five kingdoms, the Empire stretches from Cascadia to Baja and is a paragon of enlightenment and philosophy.
Unfortunately, the current Emperor is a fool. Under Elton IV, the five kingdoms of California have left the direct control of the Emperor, and instead the once great Empire of California is more of a loose confederation of like-minded rulers who pay lip service to the weak Elton IV, who is confined to his palace in Sacramento, penning numerous religious texts and philosophical treaties.
To the north is the Kingdom of Jefferson, led by King Stanford I. A lazy man, he would much rather socialize and administer his realm that fight to expand the influence of the Emperor, who desperately wants to reclaim the lost Cascadian lands once ruled by California.
The coast is controlled by Gran Francisco, which is ruled by King Cullen I, who is a kind and shy man, who is somewhat skeptical of the Emperor’s supposed divinity. Made rich by coastal trade, Gran Francisco is secure in its place within the Empire.
To the south of Gran Francisco is the Kingdom of Socal, supposedly ruled over by King Ronald I, but really ruled by the rich merchant families of Los Angeles; a proud, honest man, King Ronald I desperately wants to assert his power over the Los Angeles families, but must first deal with the Imamite heresy that threatens to tear his kingdom apart.
The most distant kingdom of California is Baja; ruled over by the would-be conqueror King Gastón I, it is not a particularly rich land, but it produces some of the finest soldiers, as they must constantly defend themselves from raiders and the murderous Mexican kingdoms. If he had his way, King Gastón I would be ruling a united California from Sacramento.
While not one of the five recognized kingdoms of California, the tribal kingdom of Death Valley, under High Chief Nolan I, have recently converted to Ceticism, in an effort to gain allies against the Mormons of Deseret. His efforts have paid off, as Socal and Jefferson have pledged to protect them from the Children of Zion.
Finally, there is the Kingdom of the Valley, ruled over by King Pollock I, a cruel and proud man, who is still known for his skill and ability in running his realm, so much so that the Emperor has appointed him his Governatus (the Emperor’s right hand man, who administers the Imperial Court and bureaucracy) of California. Known for his schemes, King Pollock I soon began chipping away at the Emperor’s remaining power, weakening the Emperor and claiming the power for himself; as a result, the two are bitter rivals, constantly carrying out court intrigues to tip the balance of power in their favor.
In July of 2666, King Pollock I leaves his castle to return to Sacramento to carry out his duties as Governatus, leaving his half-brother, Prefect Graham of the Central Valley, to administer the Valley. A capable ruler in his own right, Prefect Graham manages to greatly increase the bureaucratic efficiency of the kingdom, partly through the removal of several redundant laws, partly by transferring vassalage of a minor noble from King Pollock I to himself.
King Pollock I arrives in Sacramento, only to be barred from entering his offices in the Imperial Palace and he soon finds out why: Emperor Elton IV, in a fit of insanity, has declared war on the Valley, with the express purpose of removing him from the throne.
Apparently, the Emperor is convinced that all of California will rise up against his Governatus; instead, only a small group of dissatisfied peasants rise up, only to be swiftly crushed by Valley troops.
While his generals plan the war against the Emperor, King Pollock I works to convince the other Kings of California that the Emperor is not well and that he should have more control of the Imperial Court. This is not a hard sell, as Emperor Elton IV is actually quite insane.
As he prepares for war, King Pollock I’s wife informs him that she is pregnant; King Pollock I resolves to finish his feud with the Emperor as quickly as possible, so that he may be with Kyra during her pregnancy.
Word of California’s internal struggles reaches the Mormons and their President declares a new age for their people: the age of great holy wars against the heathens of the West.
Battle is joined just outside of Sacramento, with victory going to the Valley; King Pollock I’s troops manage to capture a nephew of the Emperor during the battle, a young man named Reuben. The king takes custody of him and returns with him to Tuolumne to negotiate peace with Emperor Elton IV.
He returns just in time to witness the birth of his daughter, who he names after his wife.
While working on a peace deal to present the Emperor, King Pollock I catches his half-brother skulking around the castle. Intrigued, he follows him, only to find him whispering with a shadowy figure about their plans for subordinating the Valley to the Emperor. King Pollock I makes a quick retreat, shaken by the fact his brother would plot against him. Still, with the war still ongoing, he can’t spare the troops to arrest his brother and his co-conspirators. He returns his focus to the war, but he continues to look over his shoulder, waiting for the other shoe to drop.
Skirmishes continue between Imperial and Valleyan forces, but it is quickly becoming apparent that the Emperor has no hope of winning against the superior Valleyan troops.
In February of 2668, King Pollock I’s daughter Skylar comes of age, and is quickly betrothed to Prince Stanford of Jefferson. The hope is to foster stronger ties between the two kingdoms, for King Pollock I’s eventual bid for the Imperial Throne.
When word reaches the Emperor of the marital alliance between the Valley and Jefferson, he loses his will to fight, and peace is declared not long after in March of that year. King Pollock I marches into Sacramento at the head of the Valleyan army and immediately starts distributing grain to the citizens, winning their admiration and love, which only further weakens Imperial authority.
King Pollock I returns home for good, having secured his place as the power behind the Imperial Throne. His son, Prince Thao, is shaping up to be a worthy heir, much to the king’s relief. He puts plans into motion to name the prince as the next Governatus of California.
For the first time, King Pollock I is content with his life. So, of course, terrible news reaches him: King Ronald I of Socal has been overthrown by an Imamite, backed by the trading families of Los Angeles. To make matters worse, the Mormons have declared a great holy Expedition to reclaim Socal, which has driven the Imam Zakariyya II to seek the support of Emperor Elton IV; in exchange for his vassalage and blessing to rule, the Emperor calls upon all the Kings of California to defend Socal from the Mormons.
Suddenly, King Pollock I’s position looks much less secure than it did just a few weeks ago.