The Ur-Kingdom
The Ur-Kingdom is the administrative and cultural center of the Empire of the Galactic Nucleus and the Spiral Arms.
The central admin circuit encompasses the Holy Capital planet Norfodl and the twin cities upon its surface, Korslaw and Ormir, where rests the White Palace its shoulders against the foot of Majora’s Spear.
The galactic southern admin circuit includes the systems Farragut, Chiopx, Gronendorff-Elmenstall and Chorus & Song, and also includes the administrative deep-void access gateway to the Austropophic Road.
The galactic western admin circuit includes the First Colony Opiioris (no relation to the Burgher house of the same name), and the duchies of Deferon, Polonex, Penderghast, and the orbital planes above the world Donner.
The galactic eastern circuit is dominated by empty space, containing only one star system: The duchy Longdark.
The galactic northern admin circuit includes the worlds Praxis Metataxis, the Veil, Barnard’s World and Sheobh. It also encompasses the administrative deep-void access gateway to the Flourishing Road.
The Ur-Kingdom serves as the Empire’s seat of power. Upon the planet Norfodl, the Emperor sits on the Shielded Throne. While today relegated to matters of Empire, the Emperor historically also administered the day-to-day affairs of the Ur-Kingdom. The Emperor’s full address includes the title ‘Ur-King of Korslaw and Ormir’ for this reason. However, as the Empire grew along the spoke roads, it soon became clear to the Clerisy and the Burghership that there was a danger of over-burdening the office of the Emperor severely. During the reign of Empress Kaladan Udhain, it was decreed that henceforth, the Emperor’s heir would reign the Ur-Kingdom instead, as the Lieutenant Prince or Princess of Korslaw and Ormir.
During the reign of Emperor Crantz of Arcus, called The Infertile by cryptonic historians, the title of Lieutenant Prince was eternally bestowed on the Burgher family Korslaw, who owned much of the city named after them. The first Lieutenant Prince of Korslaw and Ormir chosen in this way was the Bannerlord Eron Korslaw. His reign, marked by extreme zeal in rooting out the undesirable elements of higher society, earned him the moniker ‘The Mouser.’
The 34th Lieutenant Princess of Korslaw and Ormir was Vanessa Korslaw. She, who attended the public Udhar Academy of Physical and Cryptonic Sciences, petitioned Emperor Gallistan of Arcus to support and sponsor the construction of Korslaw’s World Spine, the magnificent elevator that touches the void. The vain Emperor agreed and committed funds to this endeavor to the dismay of much of his Burghership and the imperial Chamberlain. The Princess oversaw the construction and caused its cost to balloon much beyond what had been projected. The Burghership saw in it naught but frivolity prohibited strictly by the Discipline. Voices within the Clerisy came to a fever pitch shortly before completion of the project, calling for the immediate removal of the Princess Vanessa from her office, and of her head from her shoulders. She was executed for the frivolous waste of imperial funds in her 46th Ete of life. Cryptonic records of the event captured her words: “I brought Majora’s marvelous light to the twin cities! Kill me, for all I care! I will join the Mother at her side!” Emperor Gallistan had found some enjoyment in the Princess’ defiant attitude and sought to honor her by finishing what she started. The World Spine’s construction was completed not much later and the elevator has since become one of the Empire’s grandest marvels. A cosmic irony has proven to be the annual savings report where, Ete after Ete, countless Chamberlains have had to admit that the World Spine has reduced Norfodl’s shipping infrastructure costs by an order of magnitude. With Vanessa’s vision fulfilled and her execution posthumously judged injust, she was honored once again, during the reign of Emperor Efrit of Arcus, with a golden statue in her likeness, upon the grand square of the Lumbarium.
During the reign of Emperor Ixion of Arcus, much of the Ur-Kingdom’s administrative power was distributed among Burghers of the twin cities. Ixion faced the immense and tragic circumstances of the Great Plague and, in its aftermath, a depressive period that lasted almost a century. During this, the Emperor was known to walk the streets of many places, unafraid to greet his subjects face to face. One crypton describes Ixion suddenly appearing in a tavern on a world near the edge of the Kingdom. He sat beside the patrons, who coughed and sneezed and prayed to the Mother for good health. He talked with them and heeded their concerns. Action was needed, all over the Empire. Quicker access to higher quality medicine, a greater abundance of healers and researchers and hands-on aid work. Ixion met with scholars from the Udhar Academies all over the realm and in planning sessions that took weeks at a time, he forged the Great Reform. This included the formation of a new ressort: The Imperial Board of Medicine would take responsibility for medical research and distribution of it across the Empire. A new adjunct to the Imperial Legionnaire Corps, called the Provisional Aid Distribution Agency, was put in place to train aid workers and use Legionnaire resources to transport them where they needed to be. Ixion met with diplomats of the Baran Alkhana and for the first time in countless eons, the Nuclear Emperor met person-to-person with the Alkhan of the Baranian nation, Almad Dhest. Together, they connected their institutions along stellar roads and combined efforts. Borders were temporarily dissolved and for ten remarkable Etes, the two nations of the galaxy were as one. As part of these reforms, Ixion also reduced the responsibilities of the Lieutenant Prince of Korslaw and Ormir. He saw that it was better to have the Ur-Kingdom reigned by those who fill its sprawl. Many of its worlds were given quasi-independence, still firmly in the imperial grasp but free to make budgetary and infrastructure decisions for themselves while benefiting from the Empire’s new institutions. Local Dukes, Counts, and Barons reigned over their respective realms but to maintain a presence in the capital, many of them turned to an envoy system. Each ruler sent an envoy to Korslaw to represent their interests at the royal court. Now, the Lieutenant Prince only serves a ceremonial role and charges himself with the upkeep of morale within the twin cities through festivities and celebrations. The current Lieutenant Prince of Korslaw and Ormir is Teril Korslaw. He is known to be a showman and singer and performs often, to the delight of all who witness his Mother-blessed voice.