The Northern Fleet was part of the Cuprien Empire military; from 222 onwards, it was also an autonomous state.

Imperial Military

Queen Lue organised her fleets in the northeast - whose area of operations was initially Netache and the Northern Ocean, as well as parts of the Baovuldian Sound - into a single force with a central headquarters, initially based in Royal but soon after in Port Astra.

The Northern Fleet was uniquely autonomous, and one of the largest armed formations in Cuprien.

Autonomous State

Under the weak Ferse Tsempre (r. 221), the Northern Fleet became essentially autonomous. Its military command became a state administration, and it controlled some territory; this was some actual land on Bao-Mou, Netache, and in the Forgotten Islands, as well as several dependent port cities (called Fleet Cities) which the Fleet used as bases, and protectorates even so far as Litchy (for instance Tyroch, in Litchian Vivi).

The Commissioned Asshole Scandal. Even in the Fleet's first years, it was possible for wealthy individuals to "purchase" commissions: in essence, acquire officer titles through corruption (and sometimes official payments). This became relatively large-scale by 250, when officers in general had a lot of autonomy, and some individuals paid to be added to the rolls without actually fulfilling any obligations, getting tax breaks and an officer's salary while continuing to lead private lives. This was not sustainable and caused a lot of disruptions, until finally the crisis culminated in wide publications about the corruption and outcry for change, leading to massive disciplinary reforms and reassertion of central control in 266 and 267.

A key case was Daphne Unniez, who lived on an island resort with several servants, officially as a commissioned officer with soldiers all receiving regular pay. She also lost three men under mysterious circumstances, one in 259 OW, and two more in 264. A court case was opened against her, and initial evidence laid out, but the matter was settled before it came to an official trial, and the only consequences were Daphne's dismissal from the officer corps. She continued to be active in Fleet politics as a private entrepreneur.

Disbandment. The Northern Fleet lost its statehood and its existence as a military formation in 335 OW, when Admiral Tuiz surrendered to Korpeon of Tillent. The military side ceased to exist; ships formerly part of the Fleet were split up among different Grand Armies and no longer enjoyed a separate chain of command. As for the territory, it was split up into different unrelated prefectures.

There were some efforts to restore the Northern Fleet on Bao-Mou; it only continued in an altered form based in Netache.

Heraldry

The initial design for the Northern Fleet flag, derived directly from the Cuprien state flag, was introduced around 114 OW; it was intentionally similar, and was at first used only on ceremonial flag stands alongside the state flag as a kind of divisional emblem. With time, however, the custom became to fly the state flag on the prow of the ship when in port, and the fleet flag on the rear at all times.

The Northern Fleet adopted a new design for itself in 202 OW, slightly changing the change of its sigil (abbreviated for the Surin Common "Flotta Nordan"). Officially, the intent was to more clearly identify Northern Fleet ships at sea (by adopting horizontal stripes rather than a unicolor field), but this was also a statement for the fleet's growing identity as a state apart.

The simple abbreviated sigil was used much more often than the entire flag.

114-202 OW

202-335 OW