Arbus Arkad

Arbus Arkad is the youngest nation among the World Powers, just over two hundred years old. Arbus was founded during the aftermath of the Western Expedition organized by the once wealthy sovereigns of the Inland Belt. Once settlers reached the land that became Arbus, they simply settled down and never returned to the Belt. This time period is the topic of much speculation, and no historian can say with absolute certainty how Arbus Arkad attained independance and power as quickly as it did. A popular theory is that the settlers discovered abandoned technology, possibly of an extra-planar origin, which enabled them to construct the first cities and towns of the fledgling nation with unnatural speed and quickly refine a multitude of high-grade materials with which to continue to expand.

Government

Arbus Arkad has the world's only working system of Guilds, which are charged with regulating the quality and production of many of the nation's crafted goods. Additionally, several houses of aristocratic heritage (dating back to times before the Western Expedition) preside as dignitaries over the country's trading companies, universities, and institutes of medical and military research. One-hundred and sixty such prestigeous individuals form the country's Council of Hierarchs, a pseudo-democratic body of governance tasked with writing and interpreting Arbus' laws as well as matters of foreign relation. As frequently as once a week, or else as necessity dictates, the Hierarchs gather in the capital of Arkadia to debate and vote upon the matters of the day. It is understood and allowed that Hierarchs, being men of high society (be it members of the Church, university president, or high-profile aristocrat), cannot attend every meeting of Council. For this reason, a system of proxy is in place, which allows any Hierarch to entrust his vote (as well as the votes of any who have made him their proxy) to any other Hierarch whom he trusts. To prevent Hierarchs who have been entrusted with more votes than others from dominating the council floor, power of proxy is handled in private and is generally known to be in effect only between the two Hierarchs concerned.

Military

Arbus Arkad has the world's largest standing military force in terms of sheer manpower. Technologically, they are also ahead of the curve. Each member of a standard Arbus Arkad infantry squad is equipped with his choice of crossbow or musket as well as fifty rounds of ammunition, steel chain-linked armor, convex reinforced hide helmts, reinforced waterproofed leather boots, and an oil-burning lantern. In each squad of twelve one demolitions specialist is entrusted with ten Alchemical Fire-Grenades, four AX-11 "Blastpatch" Mines, a double-length heavy canvas tent, and a full set of cookware.

Arbus' true claim to military fame is her navy. At present day, the Arkadian navy has four thousand destroyer class vessels in service, as well as seven hundred supply cruisers and another two thousand combat frigates. Also in service, Arbus Arkad has three "super-destroyer" class ships. At any given time, two stay docked at Pellican Bay, Arbus' primary military port, while one guards the seas northeast of the Inland Belt as a piracy deterrent. Each super-destroyer is a total of sixteen hundred and fifty feet long and crewed by 3,200 military personell at any given time.

Relgious Background

Ultimately a spawn of the Inland Belt, the founders of Arbus were from a wide spectrum of religious origins. Today the nation's largest church is by far the Church of Pelor, but many religious missions still exist without experiencing any particular discrimination throughout the country. In general, even the stranger world religions are allowed to practice openly so long as their clergy also has things to offer to the world of medical knowledge, which is often the case.