Abaddon

Introduction
The Azardom of Abaddon is a nation located in the west of Eldham, in the south-west of Elastra. Its independence was initially declared on the 1st of November 2021, but was officially recognized on the 14th of November 2021.

Preface
The following story is a recollection of events that happened on the Sirius Universe Minecraft server, told through the lens of I, the at the time Emperor of Abaddon with help from my at the time citizens, in a more story-like fashion. Do forgive incoherences, as these events took place months before I started writing. In any case, enjoy the story.

Chapter 1: Decadent Malabrad
Decadence, corruption, and cut-throat political schemes were the norm among Malabradi society. A once prosperous trade kingdom situated on the Eastern end of the continent of Sirius, it was now rife with poverty and inequality, as the lower classes struggled to feed themselves as the child-emperor, Safiya I, remained idle on her throne as her crippled kingdom eroded more and more as time went by. Two distinct ethnicities lived in this Kingdom: the Malabradis, who represented the middle and upper-class of the society, generally occupied roles as merchants, lawyers, and nobles, whilst Abaddonians lived generally as peasants and hunters in the mountains. The latter was actually the original native population, whilst the former had occupied these lands for nearly 300 years, nearly unopposed by their new technologically inferior serfs. In time however, the Abadonnians, forced to go further into the mountains, began to stumble upon old ruins of a civilization far greater than what their overlords had ever built. Thinking this was proof of an ancient Abadonnian civilization, they began building their identity around it, adopting what they thought were their old customs, traditions, writing, religion, etc. Revitalised, Abaddonians realized their true purpose: reclaiming their land and their birthright from this intruder. One man was ready to lead them in their revolutionary fervor, and this man’s name was Apollyon.

Chapter 2: Regicide
As the days went by, unrest in the streets of New Alhuriya grew more and more as Apollyon and his revolutionary circle, known only at the time by the codename of “The Conspiracy '' composed of notable figures such as Eevee, Geten and Primarius, were planning their next and final move. As the day came closer and closer, caches of weapons were buried throughout the nation for the coming revolution. A plan was laid: a large crowd would be assembled in front of the royal palace, and an ultimatum would be given to the Empress asking for her resignation and the end of her dynasty. To many’s surprise, she accepted. However, a warning was given: from the north would come an invading force in the form of one of her allies to try and “impose order”. The crowd, enveloped by rage, decided to storm the palace despite the wishes of its leaders for it to stay calm. They brought the former Empress to the town square and executed her. As her blood spilled out on the streets of her capital, the crowd cheered on and Apollyon was terrified. Even more disturbing, they started chanting his name, followed by “Emperor”. A plebiscite was then organised, and the decision was unanimous: Apollyon would be sworn Emperor, though the day of his coronation was never decided.

Nevertheless, as the sun fell on the Kingdom of Malabrad, the full moon arose from the dark abyss of the night to shine on a new banner: one of black, red and white with its infamous pentagram.

Chapter 3: First Troubles
Though the coup had gone unexpectedly smoothly despite the murder of the young Empress, keeping the apparatus of state from falling was a different matter, as well as making sure the ordinary Malabradi population wasn’t targetted by extremists.

One of the first moves of the new government was to build a new capital farther inland, onto a plateau in the Abadonnian heartland, named Karub.

The second problem was that of rule: should the Emperor be a figurehead or a monarch with powers? This question was brought forth by Eevee, one of the last members of the Nizen, the species that was discovered to have inhabited the ruins found by the Abadonnians. In the end this conflict was resolved: Apollyon would have absolute powers, as long as he kept the country taxless for its citizens whilst keeping tariffs for foreign trade, and finally making Eevee the state “Corporate”, a role that would ensure the state’s (and especially Eevee’s) monopoly on trade within and outside the nation.

The third and final issue was the most precarious one, which would mark the beginning of Abaddon’s recognition on the world stage. Malabrad’s former allies, unsure of what to make of the coup, had decided to invite Abaddon’s Emperor to decide on their destiny. As Apollyon entered their headquarters, he held a speech in front of the other nations’ leaders. Long and eloquent, it far exceeded what the kings, presidents and prime ministers of the other countries expected from what they initially thought was some uneducated peasant from the mountainous wastelands of the east. By the end of it, the alliance, known as the Polar Federation, decided to leave Abaddon alone for the time being, though Apollyon refused the invitation to have his nation reenter it.

By the end of the first two weeks, the dust had settled, and Abaddon was ready to enter an age of prosperity.

Chapter 4: the Empire of Abaddon
As the capital was being built, a system of checks and balances was decided upon to ensure an efficient yet un-tyrannical government. The people could vote on a council, who’s size was proportional to the country’s population, and with a majority vote they could veto the Emperor’s decisions, and with a unanimous vote, they could force the Emperor to resign. However, the Emperor could choose his successor. During Apollyon’s reign however, the council was never called upon to vote on anything, as no one ever stood against his decisions.

A religion was also in its nascent stages. An open-air temple was built using blackstone, with gold in the ground marking a pentagram. A certain mutated rat with the capacity for speech was its priest, as he gave sermons in the form of squeals and coughs, which the listeners could interpret in any way they wanted.

A religious order had also decided to establish itself on the northern border of Abaddon with Asteria: the Slavonists. These immigrant knights from Korszad had been exiled by their nation because of a monetary dispute unrelated to their religion. Abaddon welcomed them with open arms, as long they would always remain part of the nation and never declare independence. This would later prove to be a grave mistake.

As the nation’s coffers grew, so did the population. The Emperor thus had a meeting with his closest advisors, and a resolution was agreed upon: Abaddon was going to expand its borders, though they disagreed how. Apollyon wished to bring Abaddon’s neighbours under his control through the means of influence, first puppetting them peacefully then integrating them. Geten however, Abaddon’s High Marshall, had a different idea: he wanted to conquer them through means of force.

Chapter 5: Expansionism
Their first target was Bograia, a kingdom ruled by a mad child-king, not unlike what had been seen in Malabrad. They had initially asked for an alliance with Abaddon during its first stages, a proposal that was declined due to the lack of knowledge of Bograia by Abaddon’s leadership. This was seen as an act of aggression by their king, which led to him crying out to the rest of the continent for help, though thankfully no one took him seriously.

A plan was thus laid out: actually threaten Bograia, and have them puppeted by Sheng, one of Abaddon’s allies. Then, the role of overlord would be given to Abaddon, who would then slowly begin to integrate them by sending excess population to their under settled lands to influence their politics in favour of Abaddon.

The plan initially worked, though Yankia became overlord instead. And instead of giving Abaddon the status of overlord, they would annex all of Bograia’s lands except its capital. After tense (and honestly funnily idiotic spurs of rage from Bograia’s king), Abaddon was actually able to annex all of Bograia, though it was agreed they could leave after 2 months under Abaddon, though they later tried to shorten it to 1 month, which was never accepted.

After this satisfying conclusion, Abaddon set its eyes on Nankaido, a state which had established itself between Abaddon and Larnwick. An agreement was quickly met: Nankaido would voluntarily become a puppet state of Abaddon, and the latter would step in to mediate the conflicts between its new vassal and Larnwick.

These events were the subject of multiple celebrations, hosted by famous bartender Primarius, whose bar had become famous throughout the region for holding festivities, and whose wine, the “Poggerino” had become a great commercial success throughout the region.

Chapter 6: The Slavonist Revolt
Victory after victory, the Emperor grew weary. For three weeks, he was unfortunately ridden with sickness and was unable to get out of his bed (I was on holiday without my computer). This proved to be the ultimate opportunity for the Slavonists, who sent an ultimatum to Geten, the designated Imperial Regent, demanding independence from Abaddon. This was highly unexpected, as the Slavonists had proved loyal throughout their time in Abaddon. It was unthinkable at first, but Abaddon had to prepare for its first real war. Plans were drawn, spies were dispatched, and allies were contacted. The latter was going to be Abaddon’s downfall: all of their allies backstabbed them and joined the side of the Slavonists. The Empire was alone in this. They secretly summoned conscripts, dubbed “The Shadow Army”, to bolster their numbers, and Eevee was used as a spy in the opposing camp, posing as a successor to Apollyon after the war would end.

However, the truth hit hard: Abaddon was going to lose, and Karub was going to fall. The enemy’s numbers were simply far too great. The sun would fall on the Empire.

Chapter 7: Exodus
Their armies were at the gates. Karub’s guardians fought bravely, but they were no match for the combined continental forces. As a last ditch effort to save his population, Apollyon used ancient Nizen magic to open a void portal and get them out of there. Waiting to be the last one to leave, he saw Geten stand beside him, also waiting.

Apollyon looked him in the eyes, and understood what he was about to do.

“I…”

“It’s fine. You knew I was going to stay behind. You were a good Emperor, but an even better friend. So long, brother.”

They hugged, though Apollyon’s health had greatly deteriorated. Before leaving, he looked back and saw Geten brandish his sword, alone, ready to make his last stand as Abaddon’s greatest warrior against the invasion force. Apollyon left a note behind him for the city’s new occupants, targeted at all the allies who had betrayed him. He entered the portal.

Later, the note was found by one of the soldiers, and given to Grandmaster SquishyUmbreon, the leader of the Slavonists. It simply read:"“To win without risk, is to triumph without glory.”"

Chapter 1: Legacy of Sirius
200 years… that was the amount of time Abaddon was stuck in the interspatial void, between dimensions, searching for the other end of the wormhole their Emperor had opened for them. Their humiliating defeat at the hands of the Slavonists had left their population scarred, and with the death or disappearance of every prominent member of the Revolution, a power vacuum had been left in the Abaddonian leadership. Apollyon I had died shortly after entering the portal, Geten was presumed dead after a last stand against the coalition, Eevee was left behind, and Primarius had disappeared.

This left Abaddon with two options as it tread the eternal blackness. Implode in anarchy as Abaddonians, Noxivians and Malabradis fight amongst themselves, or reorganise around a new leadership. The system that came out of it was a tense one, that worked nonetheless: a new kingdom that worked around three noble houses.

House Baal, a house formed around decisiveness, leadership and strategy, adopted the symbol of the ram, inspired by the symbol of the first Empire. They birth the best strategists, leaders and diplomats.

House Vassago, formed around wisdom, knowledge, curiosity and respect, keep the records of Abaddon’s history, but also that of the world around them as they explore it more and more. They are known for having the best cartographers and scholars, and use the owl as their symbol. They also birth merchants.

The final house is that of House Zagan. A house of spies, they are masters of deceit and manipulation. Their symbol is naturally that of a snake biting its own tail, used as a cautionary tale to their members who’s lies go too far and go full circle against them.

Chapter 2: Arrival in Aristios
As the portal shut behind the diminished numbers of Abaddon, they found themselves in an unfamiliar land. The cold and forested plateau of Old Karub now a distant memory, they instead found themselves in an arid savannah bordering a vast, beautiful glittering ocean.

They quickly learned that they were not alone in this world, however, as an old abandoned fort was found on the peninsula they then decided to inhabit for the time being. As trade ships were noticed dotting the horizon, a scouting party was organised to find the leader of the local area. It turned out that that person was none other than His Majesty of the Empire of Aristios, Emperor Otto Olea. As talks began, it became clear that a mutual understanding was established between the Emperor of Aristios and the head of House Baal, Apollyon II. It was agreed upon that the remnants of Abaddon would be allowed to build a city in the same place they first landed, as long as they agreed to stay under imperial jurisdiction.

As time went by, the old fort was repurposed into a settlement, with its walls helping in keeping the wild animals of the savannah out. It would be later called New Karub, in reminiscence of the old empire’s capital. Once correctly established, Abaddon would proceed to explore the politics of Aristios, as Apollyon II would begin to rise through the ranks of the political system, all the while corresponding personally with the Emperor of the land. A bond was shared between them, as they shared the same views on leadership. The then-young head of House Baal, Apollyon II, was happy to be recognised by his superior for his hard work on his town. Things were finally looking up for Abaddon: after years of struggle for survival in the void, they were finally able to settle and find a place to call home. For the first time in 200 years, they could finally see a sunrise once again.

But peace, as history shows, doesn’t last forever.

Chapter 3: The Fallen Eagle
As Aristios had begun to democratize, a system of parties was put into place. Seeing it as a chance to rise through the ranks, Apollyon II took this opportunity to join the Nationalist Party and win the provincial elections for governor of Olameronia, against the influential local governor.

Only a day before the elections were to take place, whilst enjoying dinner with the Emperor and a few of his close friends in his palace, Apollyon II witnessed something highly unexpected happen. A messenger stormed into the banquet room, bearing grave news. A coup had been launched against Emperor Otto by his own chief of the Army, Inverse. The banquet was then promptly concluded, and Apollyon II came back to his city which was still in construction. Even he had received a letter to join the coup, which he refused as he was unwilling to betray someone who had guided him through the ways of this new world.

As days went by, Apollyon II quickly realised how few of the Aristian population remained loyal to the Emperor, as even his allies outside the Empire were unwilling to support him. He quickly realised why: despite Otto’s calm demeanour when corresponding with House Baal’s head, he was quick to anger and abrasive when handling negotiations with the opposing side. It was then decided: Abaddon would declare independence as a neutral state, and would not pick a side. As expected, the Commonwealth of Aristios, the Empire’s counterpart, ended up gaining the upper hand politically and was able to get the Emperor to abdicate.

The first few days under the Commonwealth remained some of the darkest, as the last loyalists were rounded up and given show-trials, only to be sent to prison. Disgusted by this, Apollyon II made a last ditch effort to get rid of this unknown entity bordering them at every corner. A letter was sent to every governor he suspected weren’t fond of the Commonwealth, and tried to get them all to revolt and declare independence at once. Turned out Otto had beaten him to it, and a counter-revolution of sorts was in the works… one which Apollyon II had to lead, as Otto’s reputation as international pariah had discredited him greatly. Once the “United Provinces of Aristios” had been proclaimed, a huge wave of uncertainty washed over the leaders of the different provinces, especially Andriano Blacktower, the mayor of New Arebor who had become a good friend of Apollyon’s. The two shared a bond, as they both seeked independence for their peoples who weren’t native to Aristios. Just as one fought for Abaddon, the other fought for his nation of Vento.

Just as the beginning of the civil war was entirely unexpected, so was its conclusion. After a secret meeting behind locked doors between Otto and Inverse, an agreement was reached: the UAP and the Commonwealth would merge back into a new Grand Republic of Aristios, a decision which shocked not only the everyone in Aristios, but the onlooking international scene also. Though the reality of the situation was: Otto had betrayed his loyalists in favour of keeping a position of power in the new government which was predominantly ruled by the Commonwealth’s leadership. As for Abaddon, its status as an independent nation became disputed by the Grand Republic until it became sufficiently stabilised for it to address the problem.

As the sun set on the Grand Empire of Aristios, Abaddon’s future remained uncertain…

Chapter 4: Rise of the Black Star
As if being disputed by their former friends, Abaddon's situation also grew unstable from the inside. Reinhardt von Zagan, the head of his house and murderer of Apollyon's father, started questioning his Azar's authority more and more as independence kept on being postponed due to Aristios' bureaucracy and instability at the time. This growing resentment towards the powerless Azar made the House of Zagan and even a member of House Baal to put forward an ultimatum against their own leader: either send an ultimatum for war against Aristios yourself, or risk a coup d'état.

What was initially an already tense situation in of itself, Apollyon found himself under even more duress as both the outside world and half of his own kingdom posed a threat to him. Having no reliable and trustworthy allies to turn himself towards, he pondered many sleepless nights on what to do, until a forsaken final solution came to him: he would consult the dead through the use of forbidden magic. Worse yet, he wouldn't invoke just any dead, he would summon the soul of his ancestor, Apollyon I, in hopes of finding a way to maneuver out of this precarious position thanks to his ancient wisdom. Sadly, the ritual went terribly wrong and instead resulted in Apollyon II having to share his body with the tortured soul of his 200 year old ancestor.

The intended effect remained, however as Apollyon took back control of the situation almost instantly: by using Reinhardt's attachment towards his daughter Doki against him ,and getting her to renounce him as her father by revealing his obvious manipulative behaviour towards her. Reinhardt, feeling devastated, renounced his place as Head of House Zagan and died from his age-related problems shortly after. Then, he proceeded to pretend that he had sent the ultimatum to the new emperor of Artistios, Inverse, in order to calm down his rowdy population, which worked. After that was set and done, he patiently built up his nation's international ties for when it would get finally recognised. That day came on the 14th of November, two weeks after Abaddon's initial declaration of independence, when the Aristii senate voted in favour of their independence.

Though the Black Star rose once more and New Karub was buzzing with festivites, much work still needed to be done.

Physical Description
The Abaddonians are a race of humanoids, with pale skin, eyes varying from turquoise, to shamrock, to amber and even to amethyst. Their hair's colour is universally jet black, with its colour turning into a more silvery colour as they age, their average life expectancy reaching a maximum of around 120 years. Their hair styles can vary a lot, however, as their hair's composition may be very different from person to person: long, short, ondulated, frizzy, etc. Due to their cultural teachings, their bodies are almost universally chiseled as a show of power and physical discipline.

Pre-Exodus
Abaddonian clothing during the pre-exous era was mainly catered towards one thing: keeping the individual warm in the cold mountainous climate of Old Karub. Thus, the usage of animals' furs was the norm, with different animals representing social status, particularly if it had been used in a ritual sacrifice. However, this didn't prevent embroidering from being used for different decorations on clothing, with it often depicting ancient stories or epics that the wearer particularly liked. This meant that no one's piece clothing was the same, as each stylist had their own style of designing these.

Post-Exodus
After the Exodus, clothing had to adapt to the new climate: furs were swapped for linnen, cloth or even silk for the highest classes, and more loose clothing such as togas, cape shawls, saris and many more helped with revealing their more chiseled bodies. In terms of colours, however, a problem was found: black could barely be used as a colouration for clothing as Eldham's coal couldn't be utilised for dyes, though could still be harvested from squids in albeit much lower quantities and thus for higher prices. This made for an interesting development: as one were to rise in social status, their clothing's colour would generally go from white, to gray, to dark grey, and finally completely black as shown by the Azar's clothing. Embroidering wasn't given up, however the styles shifted towards more generally ornamental decorations. Different outlines in ones clothing can also show their profession or belonging to a certain group of people.

The Black Star
The Black Star is the national symbol of Abaddon, represented in its flag since the times of the old Empire. Its meaning is multi-facetted and its origins ancient and shrouded in mystery. The most commonly accepted meaning for it is that the star's consituent 'spikes' each represent something that caracterises the Abaddonian people, with the ring being the strength of the identity itself and the pentagon in the center representing the Abaddonian people. The spikes, listed clockwise, represent: the stubborness of the Abaddonian people in the face of extinction, their martial expertise, their cunning, their intellectual class and esotericism, and finally the quality of Abaddonian leaders throughout the ages. As said before, the origin of the symbol remains mysterious, though it has been theorised that it's the logographic evolution of a more ancient and complex drawing, that was eventually simplified into today's pentagram because of pre-existing symmetry in the consituent parts of said drawing, and for ease of representation.

The Tchayas
The Tchayas are animals deemed sacred in Abaddonian culture because of their deep-rooted meaning and their subsequent adoption as symbols during the Three Houses Period. The Tchayas are: the Ram, used as a symbol by House Baal and represents stubbornness, deciseveness, strength and pride, the Owl, used as a symbol by House Vassago, represents wisdom, intelligence and esotericism, and the Snake, which represents deceit, cunning and intrigue.