Hoelscher Empire

Hoelscher Empire (ヘルシャー) or simply known as the "Empire" was a relatively new country in Tortus that lay in the east of the Heiligh Kingdom, and sandwiched between them was the independent merchant republic, Fuhren.

Layout
The core of the capital had an organized layout with unadorned buildings lining the streets at regular intervals. As the city continued to grow, however, houses and buildings had cropped up haphazardly, leaving the outer fringes a disorganized maze. As a result, the streets were a jumbled mess. Numerous back alleys and side streets mixed together and connected with the main thoroughfares in unique and confusing ways. The entire city appeared like a sized-up version of Horaud with open-air stalls littered the streets.

The empire also held the largest arena in the continent, and tournaments of all kinds were held multiple times a year.

Ideology
The Hoelscher Empire was a strength-based meritocratic autocracy, where its philosophy was to use any means at their disposal to further their own goal. That doctorate lead them to have a very profitable slave trade. The empire was very popular among adventurers and mercenaries because they could make a name for themselves with their strength and skills. As a result of this mindset, the Emperor's successor was determined through a right of combat.

Although the empire's citizens were not as devout followers of the Holy Church as some of the other nations, they shared its philosophy of beastmen being inferior to humans, and even went beyond that by frequently using them as slaves (which was frowned upon by the Holy Church).

History
The Hoelscher Empire was founded by a famous mercenary group that was instrumental in humanity winning the last great war against the demons 300 years before the heroes of Earth were summoned to Tortus.

At some point in time, the empire's first ruler discovered the scythe Artifact "Egxess" at the bottom of Urdea Lake in Ur, and has been in possession of the Imperial Family ever since.

After the demons had acquired Ancient Magic from one of the Great Labyrinths, they attacked the empire, as well as the Heiligh Kingdom and the beastmen nation Verbergen, with an army of monsters under their control. The attack devastated the empire and forced its people to take more drastic actions in order to restore the capital after the attack. They raided the Sea of Trees by burning much of it and captured many of the beastmen to be used as slave labor for their reconstruction efforts. They even captured members of the Haulia Tribe, including its leader Cam, but were rescued by Hajime Nagumo.

The Haulia Tribe retaliated against the empire by infiltrating the palace during the engagement party of Prince Baius D. Hoelscher and Princess Liliana S. B. Heiligh. The Haulia killed many of the guests, as well as Prince Baius, until they managed to convince Emperor Gahard D. Hoelscher to end the practice of enslaving beastmen in the empire. They also forced him and his family to wear cursed necklaces that would kill them if he broke his vow or if they tried to remove them. This event became known as the “The Haulia Rebellion” and “The Crimson Ball”.

Known Locations

 * Imperial Palace
 * Arena
 * Adventurer's Guild

Notable People
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Imperial Family

 * Gahard D. Hoelscher (Emperor)
 * Amandora (Mistress)
 * Baius D. Hoelscher (Crown Prince; Deceased)
 * Trek D. Hoelscher (Second Prince; Deceased)
 * Tracy D. Hoelscher (First Princess)
 * Handler D. Hoelscher (Third Prince)
 * Miara D. Hoelscher (Second Princess)
 * Ariel D. Hoelscher (Third Princess)
 * Raymond D. Hoelscher (Crown Prince's son)

Knights

 * Grid Half (Imperial Guard’s Third Squad Captain; Deceased)

Others
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 * Johan (Prison Guard)
 * Dibel (Originally Nedil; Former Prison Guard)
 * Logue (imperial Magic Caster)
 * Ted (Imperial Magic Caster)
 * Vesta (Noble; Deceased)

Trivia

 * Hoelscher is an English language surname derivative, primarily used in the United States. Its origins are from the North German "Hölscher", the occupational name for a maker of clogs (wooden shoes), which in turn comes from the Middle Low German "holsche" (prefix holt- meaning "wood"; suffix -scho meaning "shoe"; with the agent noun suffix "-er"). The name is strongly associated with in Germany, although it is also associated with the Netherlands. Bearers of the name almost universally descend from individuals originally from the Paderborn region of Westphalia or the Netherlands.