Editing Nobledark Imperium Member States (section)

== Ultramar ==

During the relatively short-lived golden age of the Great Crusade, the Republic of Ultramar counted approximately 500 worlds within its borders — the height of the Republic's achievements at the time. Whilst many of these were mere provincial outposts and nothing more than seeds of potential, they were nevertheless indicative of a thriving and growing civilization.

When the Expeditionary forces of the Imperium first made it to the borders of those hardy survivors of Old Night, Ultramar was considered a grand and distinguished nation in its own right — exceptionally so by the standards of the time. Yet with a little over two hundred worlds to count as its territory — many of which being in states of destitution or disrepair — the Republic would ultimately amount to far less than it would eventually become. Nevertheless, for all their faded glory, the people of Ultramar were not without their grandeur nor their pride. Thus, when the diplomats and ambassadors of the Imperium offered them sanctuary within its aegis, they were somewhat hesitant. And why would they not be? They had survived for thousands of years alone, at the other end of the galaxy to the long forgotten homeworld, surrounded by barbarians and monsters; to be a mere vassal would be a dishonour to their heritage and their birthright. Though the negotiations were long and arduous, the negotiations eventually reached mutually favourable terms and the inclusion of Ultramar as a Survivor Civilization was eventually achieved.

In the days of the Great Crusade, Ultramar prospered like it had not done since before the Age of Strife, when it was a part of the Great and Bountiful Empire. With fresh trade and the pressure of barbarian invasion removed, Ultramar retook its old colony worlds and regained the ground it had lost.

But for all that the realm itself prospered in this time, the internal structures of Ultramar's governance began to be questioned. Many of the new border world powers, having grown rich and strong on Imperial trade, challenged the right of Macragge to rule all undisputedly. As time went on this dissatisfaction did not abate, and the rift between the Provincial Powers and the old money Throneworld only deepened.

Into this descended Prince Gaufrid Fouché, grandson of the Primarch Roboute Guilliman, son of King Gunthar Fouché, and (approximately, as the line of succession was in dispute at the time) eighth in line to the Throne of Franj. Gaufrid was under orders from Primarch Guilliman to set up contingencies for the unthinkable possibility of the Imperium failing, culminating in Gaurfrid laying the groundwork for the Imperium Secundus. Ultramar was distant enough from Old Earth to probably be unaffected by anything that could destroy the Imperium's capital, but civilized and prosperous enough to be a viable seed from which civilisation could regrow. Although Gaufrid had no actual direct authority within the Realm of Ultramar itself, he did have considerable territory and resources invested in him by the Imperium — through which an ever increasing majority of Ultamar's trade passed through. Peddling this influence to the provincials and the nobility of Macragge, he set forth propositions and proposals that would turn the elective monarchy of Ultramar into a fairer and more representative system: one planet one vote, with an overall leader elected for times of dire emergency. Macragge agreed to this to retain some power against the increasing might of its rival Calth, Calth agreed to it as recognition that they were not Macragge's mere subordinate was all they ever wanted, the provincial worlds agreed because it gave them a voice in the realm's decision-making, and they all agreed to it because any refusals would see a great decline in trade and a hardening of the borders with the rest of the Imperium. Was this entirely fair? Probably not — but many things are less so.

With the long-term threat of eventual civil war nullified, Gaufrid Fouché continued his ambitions by marrying the head of one of Ultramar's major internal trading companies — mostly a political decision, though he was good friends with her — to further his influence, and set about the meticulous and tedious task of reforming the disparate militaries of Ultramar's various planets and nation-states into a more cohesive whole. That said, Gaufrid's task was not entirely limited to matters of military — his hand could be found in almost every aspect of Ultramar's day-to-day proceedings. Under his influence the Realm grew richer and stronger than it had ever done before and, many would argue, since.

Then The Beast came, and all that planning seemed so very insignificant compared to such reckless barbarity.

Ultramar was, by great fortune, not as damaged as perhaps it could have been in the War of the Beast — Guilliman's choice for an Imperium Secundus proving to have been correct in that regard. This is not to say that Ultramar suffered no consequence from The Beast's feral warmongering, merely that Gaufrid's tireless efforts resulted in an armed and armoured Ultramar that had never been more prepared. But Ultramar's people still died, and worlds still burned.

The path of rebuilding took a long, long time. Many splinters and off-shoots of The Beast's WAAAGH! were scattered about the Realm's space, and stranded, corrupt Eldar raiders filtered through to the eastern fringe when The Beast was cast down. Yet Ultramar held the line, and in the face of its enemies endured as the Fortress of the Galactic East. 

Gaufrid took the name of Guilliman over Fouché to emphasize his authority — a name that his descendants would hold for the rest of Imperial history. Gaufrid Guilliman never saw the completion of his efforts to rebuild Ultramar, as he was a rare example of rejuvenant rejection and had adverse reactions to the procedures. He fell to the ravages of time at the tender age of 156.

After the Breaking of the Legions, the plans for an Imperium Secundus were acknowledged to be a very well-made contingency to a very real possibility, thus yet more steps were taken to secure its success. To that effect, the core chapter of the XIII Legion would be gifted to Ultramar as a means of safeguarding any such nascent second Imperium. That chapter would thereafter take upon the title of Ultramarines.

As of the dying of the Dark Millenium, the Realm of Ultramar spans nearly 300 developed, sophisticated, and cultured worlds, retaining its status as the grandest and strongest — if not necessarily the numerically largest — of the Survivor Civilizations. As Acting Chapter Master Titus puts forth his reform plans before the Senate, the upheaval that has resulted from this age of uncertainty threatens to come crashing down upon Ultramar and all who dwell within. Ultramar will either finally fall to its enemies, or it will be reborn stronger than ever to meet the oncoming storm.