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by Sao Nova Europa » Sun Jan 15, 2023 6:04 am
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Lunatic Goofballs wrote:I'm a third party voter. Trust me when I say this: Not even a lifetime supply of tacos could convince me to vote for either Hillary or Trump. I suspect I'm not the only third party voter who feels that way. I cost Hillary nothing. I cost Trump nothing. If I didn't vote for third party, I would have written in 'Batman'.
If you try to blame me, I will laugh in your face. I'm glad she lost. I got half my wish. :)
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Sao Nova Europa wrote:Polity Name: Liang Dynasty
Secondary/Informal Names:
Central Kingdom
Heavenly Empire
Qhin
Flag(s):
(Image)
Population: 160,000,000
Territory Claim:
(Image)
Government Structure: Absolute Monarchy
The Emperor (Huáng Dì) is the supreme leader of the Empire and the 'Favored of Azura'. In traditional Qhin political thought, the Emperor of a Qhin realm is the head of the civilized world and all must submit before him. Other rulers are considered inferior to the Qhin Emperor, and those who refuse to pay tribute to the Emperor are labeled barbarians. In practice, this political thought has been abandoned as impractical due to Western technological superiority.
The Imperial Household is staffed entirely by eunuchs and servant ladies. The number of concubines is in the hundreds while the number of eunuchs and servant ladies in the thousands. The Imperial Household is a large, complex bureaucracy of its own, a miniature government of sorts handling the women and offspring of the Emperor. Concubines are chosen both in merits of political expediency and of beauty. They are trained by eunuchs to adhere to a strict protocol.
The women of the Imperial Household are ranked in accordance to their virtues, beauty and the favor of the Emperor:1. Empress (皇后; huáng hòu)
As the rank of his mother affects a prince’s chances of being named Crown Prince, it isn’t uncommon for women in the Imperial Household to fight for influence and the favor of the Emperor.
2. Consort (夫人; fū rén)
3. Beauty (美人; měi rén)
4. Virtuous Lady (良人; liáng rén)
5. Lady of Talents (才人; cái rén)
6. Lady (七子; qī zi)
7. Senior Palace Woman (長使; zhǎng shǐ)
8. Junior Palace Woman (少使; shǎo shǐ)
As a result of the reforms of Emperor Zuefeng (1867 - 1880), a modern cabinet system has been established. The head of government is a Chancellor who leads the Imperial Cabinet:
Ministry of Diplomacy, responsible for foreign relations of the empire and the maintenance of embassies.
Ministry of Personnel, in charge of appointments, promotions & demotions of officials, and the granting of honorific titles.
Ministry of Taxation, in charge of collecting taxes and gathering census data.
Ministry of Treasury, in charge of drafting the state budget and handling state revenues.
Ministry of Public Works, in charge of government construction programs and maintenance of infrastructure.
Ministry of Agricultural Affairs, in charge of handling farmers' and rural affairs.
Ministry of War, in charge of appointments, promotion & demotion of military officers, maintenance of military installations and equipment, and supply of the New Standing Army.
Ministry of Justice, in charge of the judicial and penal process. Due to the use of the Lazei priests in the administration of justice on the local level, this Minister is appointed upon the recommendation of the Supreme Patriarch of the Church.
Ministry of Palace, responsible for the upkeep of the imperial household, staffing the palace with eunuchs, and the maintenance of palace protocol.
Many ceremonial offices, some of them dating back centuries, have been abolished as a result of the reform and the government has become slimmer. The civil service is still staffed by scholar-bureaucrats who earn their office by successfully passing Imperial Examinations. The maximum tenure in office is twelve years, but every three years officials are evaluated and can be promoted or demoted.
On the local level, the Empire is organized into:
Provinces, administered by a governor (xunfu)
Prefectures, administered by a prefect (zhīfu)
Counties, administered by a magistrate (xiànzhang)
There are in total twenty-five provinces in the Empire. As a result of reforms in the last few decades, provincial Governors have greater fiscal autonomy than before and are also allowed to maintain a regional military force under their direct command (New Regional Armies). While this has limited somewhat the reach of the central government, it has also allowed for better governance as local officials are better informed of local conditions than the bureaucrats in the Imperial Capital. Governors, Prefects, and Magistrates have a maximum tenure of twelve years in office.
Religious Information:
The official religion of the Liang Dynasty is the 'Lazei Dogma', a dualistic religion describing the struggle between a good, spiritual world of light, and an evil, material world of darkness. According to Lazei cosmology, there are two deities who are in constant struggle. Azura, God of Light, and Ahruman, God of Darkness. Azura created the spiritual world, the realm of everlasting serenity and virtuousness, and humans in his image. Ahruman created the material world, with suffering, greed, evil, illness, and death, to deliberately torture humans and feed off their immorality to become more powerful. Humans initially resided in the spiritual world alongside Azura but Ahruman led them astray with false promises and now humans reside in the material world.
The battle between the two Gods takes place inside every human person: a human can follow the path of spirituality and accomplish enlightenment - freeing themselves from the suffering of the material world and returning to the spiritual world - or can follow the path of immorality, strengthening Ahruman and damning themselves to the fiery pits of Hell. According to Lazei theology, the fiery nightmare of Hell was created after the Revolt of Mani. Mani was a Warrior Spirit created by Azura in his eternal war against Ahruman. The God of Darkness though seduced Mani with promises of power and the Spirit revolted against Azura. Mani was defeated but Azura spared him, instead choosing to cast him down to a nightmarish realm where he would punish the humans who - through their immorality - strengthened Ahruman in their mortal lifetime.
The path to spirituality - and salvation - is a difficult one. It requires daily prayers and abstaining from immorality (greed, lust, gluttony, wickedness, jealousy, etch). Although persons can pray on their own, usually adherents of the Lazei religion pray together in a local Church with other practitioners and hear sermons on the importance of virtuousness by Lazei priests.
Lazei priests play an important role in Qhin society, acting as judicial officers on the local level and prosecuting citizens according to religious laws. Their influence among the populace and their role as spiritual leaders also make them a force that cannot be ignored by the government. The Lazei Church is a highly-organized religious organization, led by a Supreme Patriarch and a Synod of Twelve High-Priests: all of them are appointed by the Emperor, whose authority on religious matters is accepted by the Church. Below them are Bishops, who head the church of a parish. Presbyters assist Bishops in their duties and form the bulk of the Lazei clergy. The Elect are monks who live in monastic communities isolated from the secular world, seeking enlightenment. The Elect are forbidden to consume alcohol and meat.
Although the Lazei religion is dominant, older Qhin religions and philosophies have survived. The philosophy of 'Goodness' founded by philosopher Kung Zhing (-501 - -461) is highly influential in Qhin society. It posits that men are by nature good, teachable, improvable, and perfectible through personal and communal endeavors. This philosophy highly values social harmony and places a great deal of importance on family, with parents expected to act as benevolent guarding and children showing filial piety towards their elders. Society is viewed as one big family, with citizens showing filial piety and loyalty towards their ruler, who in turn is expected to promote peace, prosperity, and good governance. The 'Goodness School' of thought remains prominent and has been embraced by the Lazei Church.
The teachings of philosopher Su Xiuying (-683 - -617), known as Suism, are also popular. Suists believe that they can achieve enlightenment by severing themselves completely free from worldly interests and passionate desires until release from all activity was attained. The important principles of Suist philosophy are inaction, simplicity, and living in harmony with nature. Suists believe in the law of the unity of two opposite forces - yin and yang - and that if someone tried too hard to attain a certain want, the law of reverted effort would start to operate and, as a result, the effect would be the exact opposite of that desired. Suism has to a certain extent been embraced by the Lazei Church, as the Suist way of achieving enlightenment mirrors Lazei beliefs about enlightenment and returning to the spiritual world.
Qhin citizens also venerate spirits, both spirits of nature and the spirits of their ancestors. The spirits of nature were considered in the distant past Gods in their own right, but since the Lazei Church became dominant, they have become subservient entities of either Azura or Ahruman. The veneration of the spirits of the ancestors is an old practice of the Qhin people. Qhin are expected to honor their ancestors through prayers, installing ancestral tablets at a household altar commemorating each ancestor, burning incense before the altar daily, and offering favorite foods, beverages, and spirit money bi-monthly and on special occasions.
A heresy of the Lazei Church - which is deemed illegal and prosecuted by imperial authorities - is the 'Shenist Cult', named after Shen Luoyang (901 - 933). The son of poor illiterate farmers in the Qhin Dynasty, Shen Luoyang became a popular preacher in his early twenties. Even though he was illiterate with no formal education, his sermons matched in their eloquence the greatest priests of the Lazei Church, and so he managed to gather many followers. He preached non-violence, forgiveness, charity, compassion, and social equality - challenging the social status quo and the norms of the 'Goodness' school of thought. Initially, the authorities deemed him to be an eccentric practitioner of the Lazei faith, but Shen Luoyang became even more controversial when he claimed to be the Son of Azura, born on terra to bring salvation to humanity from their suffering in this materialistic world. Under pressure from the Church, the Qhin authorities arrested Shen Luoyang and tortured him to get him to admit that he was a heretic. Shen Luoyang did not budge, and so he was executed by public beheading, his last words asking Azura to forgive his executioners. He was only thirty-two years old. According to his fervent followers, a month after he had been buried, he rose from the dead and visited them before ascending to the spiritual world. The Qhin authorities, wanting to put the matter to rest, opened his grave and did not find his body. They prosecuted Shen's followers, accusing them of stealing the body, and put most of them to death. To this day whether Shen Luoyang really was resurrected remains a point of contention: the Lazei Church accepts the version of the Qhin authorities while the few followers of the Shenist faith - who practice their religion in secret to avoid persecution - claim that Shen Luoyang really did rise from the dead. Despite the persecution of the faith by the imperial authorities, Shenism still retains followers in some rural communities among poor peasants attracted to its message of social equality.
Social Information:
Qhin society is still largely agrarian, with most inhabitants being peasants toiling the land. While in recent decades - as a result of government-mandated land redistribution - the countryside is dominated by small peasant families instead of big landowners, life in rural areas is still hard and many of them lack modern infrastructure. Major agricultural products include tea, sugarcane, cotton, rice, and hemp. The imperial government maintains special tea plantations that produce more than forty varieties of tribute tea for the Imperial Court. Only the very tip of tender tea leaves are picked, processed, and pressed into tea cakes, embossed with a dragon pattern, known as "dragon tea cakes".
Despite the agrarian character of the Empire, there are many bustling urban areas. Those urban centers have traditionally been the production centers for silk-based products (Qhin silk is famous for its quality) and some of the finest porcelains in the world. In some of those coastal cities, foreigners have established their presence in certain districts, bringing modern goods and technology. The upper class of those urban areas - often engaged in commerce and working closely with Westerners - seek to emulate Western fashions. On the other side of the spectrum are scholar-officials. Long considered community leaders and highly respected for their literary skills, they view themselves as guardians Qhin traditions. Scholar-officials have traditionally been recruited by the government through Imperial Examinations, where they are tested on their knowledge of classic Qhin texts (including poetry, philosophical treatises, and historical volumes). While in the distant past the scholar-bureaucrats sometimes clashed with Lazei priests (who were seeking to expand their influence in government at the expense of the secular scholar-officials), nowadays they are largely allies as both groups oppose rapid Westernization fearful of the damage it might cause to traditional Qhin values and culture.
Qhin has traditionally been a highly patriarchal culture. Women are considered inferior to men and must obey their husbands (or male relatives, if they are not married). Women can help in the workplace (especially in rural areas where women help in farming), but they cannot own property or be independent professionals. Their primary role is to serve their husband and raise their children and grandchildren. Women who marry are considered to be part of their husband's family, and henceforth it is the responsibility of the husband's family to take care of them (especially if the husband dies). This patriarchal culture has been challenged though in urban areas by an upper class influenced by Western ideals, and those upper-class women have been pushing for modernization of the legal code to bring about greater equality.
Family is important in Qhin society. The eldest male Qhin of a family is considered the patriarch of the family and is responsible for all decision-making. The younger members of the family are expected to be obedient and follow the wishes of the patriarch. When a patriarch dies, his belongings are equally inherited by all male children. As this fracturing is unsustainable in the long term, especially for poorer households, the sons usually remain together as one household. As such, most Qhin households are comprised of multiple related families living together. Families belonging to the same lineage are known as Clans.
Poetry, literature, painting, and calligraphy are highly respected in Qhin culture. Being an educated scholar is valued more than being physically strong, and those who wish to elevate themselves socially are expected to pick up at least one of these crafts. Qhin has a rich cultural history, with countless works of art, and even many Westerners are awed by the Qhin culture. Even though cultural pursuits are valued more highly than martial ones, the Qhin people have developed native martial arts. The genesis of Qhin martial arts is attributed to the need for self-defense, hunting techniques, and military training. There are hundreds of different styles, utilizing both hand-to-hand combat and weapons, such as swords, spears, and wooden poles. Often martial styles mimic the movements and attacks of animals - such as tiger style, crane style, snake style, and etch.
Military Information:
The Liang military in recent decades has undergone significant reforms. While it is still technologically behind the West, the government has managed put an end to widespread corruption and incompetence. The Liang land forces are divided into two groups:
The New Standing Army - 220,000 men-at-arms - is the standing army of the central government. While nominally under the direct command of the Emperor, in practice it is headed by the Chief of General Staff (who also holds the rank of Generalissimo).
The New Regional Armies - 340,000 men-at-arms - are armies under the command of provincial governors. The troops are organized into regiments of local villagers who have familial and local ties to each other, making them more effective.
Whereas in the past officers would come from the class of scholar-bureaucrats or the nobility, nowadays many of the officers are trained in military academies, following the Western practice, thus professionalizing the officer corps. Those new officers were tested in the field of battle, proving their worth over their older counterparts by successfully crushing the Xing Guo Revolt (1868 - 1874). Their experiences from this war have made them far more competent compared to older officers who had only seen minor actions against peasant revolts.
Despite the professionalization of the officer corps and attempts at modernization of the army as a whole, the Liang military is still technologically behind the West, meaning that the Empire is still vulnerable. There has also been increased rivalry between the officer corps - who want further modernization - and many of the scholar-officials of the civilian government who subscribe to nativist ideals, creating a dangerous potential for military-civil conflict.
The Liang Navy is comprised of a few ironclad warships and a small number of frigates. The navy is small in size, underfunded compared to the military, and is mainly tasked with protecting naval trade. It is manned by about 18,000 sailors.
History:Prehistory
Qhin was first settled by humans over ten thousand years ago who arrived 'from the North-East' across a 'land-bridge' which may have stretched from Boreana to Osia during the last Ice Age. Around -3100, the first bronze age societies began to emerge in the subcontinent. Those first societies were small, tribal polities centered around a single settlement. They were dominated by a caste of priests, who would make use of divination and inquire spirits for guidance.
As centuries passed, some of those tribal polities subsumed others. This led to the emergence of the first tribal kingdoms. Those kingdoms were heavily decentralized though, with client princes ruling semi-autonomous realms in the periphery and simply offering annual tribute to their king. Those princes could possess clients of their own. This resulted in a power-structure where local power was more important than the central leadership. This type of polity has been described as a 'solar polity', referencing the gravitational pull the sun exerts over the planets. Those polities of the Qhin subcontinent would engage in constant warfare, leading to an era known as the 'Warring States Period'.Warring States
Around -700, the use of iron became widespread in Qhin. Centuries of constant warfare between the tribal kingdoms of Qhin had led to increased centralization, as rulers at the center would demand an ever greater percentage of men and goods from the periphery and would impose stricter control over the client princes. With the introduction of iron, this process was sped up considerably. The old way of war - dominated by a numerically small number of aristocrats and their companions - gave way to conscription for mass infantry armies. It also led to total war. In the past, kingdoms would be content to defeat their enemies in a battle or two, loot a bit, and then return back with their trophies. In this age, though, armies would commit mass massacres to deprive their rivals of necessary manpower and would fight for the annexation of entire realms instead of simply seeking loot or martial glory.
The constant conflict and the need for innovative social and political models led to the development of many philosophical doctrines, later known as the Hundred Schools of Thought. The thoughts and ideas discussed and refined during this period profoundly influenced lifestyles and social consciousness not only in Qhin, but also in neighboring countries as well. The intellectual society of this era was characterized by itinerant scholars, who were often employed by various kings as advisers on the methods of government, war, and diplomacy. This period also saw advancements in mathematics. Bamboo slips would be used to assemble a decimal multiplication table, that was used to multiply numbers (any whole or half-integer) up to 99.5.
The kingdom which would best exemplify the 'Warring States' era revolution was Zhang. Chancellor Li Yueh (-564 - -532) would introduce radical reforms, influenced by the ideology of 'Virtuousness' (a school of thought advocating for a highly centralized state that would ensure all subjects would behave in a virtuous manner). He deposed the client princes in the periphery and replaced them with centrally-appointed governors. He confiscated and redistributed the land of the land aristocracy to peasant families. He would introduce a culture of meritocracy in government, by appointing people who proved themselves in public examinations instead of reserving high offices only for those with noble blood. Although those reforms were controversial during Li Yueh's lifetime (and led to his assassination), they ensured that Zhang gained an advantage over the other warring states.Zhang and Yi Dynasties
King Zhang Yuwei (-261 - -225) of the Zhang Kingdom was the man who first unified the entirety of the subcontinent of Qhin under a single dominion. A ruthless man, he came to the throne after leading a coup against his own father, whom he executed along with all his brothers to ensure they wouldn't pose a threat to his throne. He employed a centralized style of leadership, relying on a small circle of loyal advisors. In a series of wars that would last almost two decades, he would conquer the other Qhin kingdoms. Those wars became renowned for their brutality: Zhang armies would massacre entire towns, slaughter the entire enemy nobility, and burn down libraries and schools. In -244, Zhang Yuwei was proclaimed the 'August Emperor of the Zhang Empire, Supreme Ruler of All Under Heaven'.
The First Emperor purged any remaining aristocrats from the kingdoms he had conquered. He also purged their scholars and texts. He forbade the use of regional dialects and instead imposed a standardized system of language that is dominant in Qhin to this day: by eliminating both the regional nobility and regional languages in favor of centrally-appointed governors and a common language, he hoped to eradicate loyalties to the old kingdoms and instead mold the newly-conquered populations into loyal subjects of his empire. The Emperor also imposed extremely cruel and harsh punishments for crimes, fully embracing the ideology of 'Virtuousness'.
Such a tyrannical regime could be maintained only through the sheer force of will of Zhang Yuwei. When he died in -225, his incompetent son was unable to exert the same kind of power over the realm. Soon enough, regional revolts broke out against Zhang tyranny. One of the rebels was Yi Hong. A colonel in the Zhang army, he had been sent to attack a rebel encampment. His troops were ambushed, though, and he failed to accomplish his objective. Knowing that failure meant execution in the harsh Zhang legal code, Yi Hong decided to revolt instead to save his skin. Over the next few years, Yi Hong would attract a growing number of men and emerge as one of the most powerful warlords.
In -201, Yi Hong entered the imperial capital, deposed the last Zhang Emperor, and became ruler of all Qhin. The Emperor of the new Yi Dynasty showed his difference from his tyrannical predecessors by choosing to spare the last Zhang Emperor, granting him an honorific title and a generous pension. He would also revise the strict legal code, taking a more humanistic approach. Yi Hong had been influenced by philosopher Kung Zhing (-501 - -461). A scholar of the 'Warring States' period, he founded the 'Goodness School'. Whereas the advocates of the 'Virtuousness School' believed a harsh, centralized state was necessary to impose virtuousness among the populace, the 'Goodness School' proclaimed that people were by nature good and that the duty of the ruler was to act as a loving father who would ensure peace and prosperity for his subjects.
Between -201 and 202 CA, Qhin witnessed a golden age. Under the patronage of Yi Emperors, arts flourished: calligraphy, painting, architecture, and classical music. The process of civil service examinations was expanded, promoting a culture of meritocracy and competence in contrast to most states which were dominated by nobles regardless of their individual merits. Yi armies would expand the Qhin world, absorbing vast amounts of land to the north and south of the Qhin heartland. The natives of those lands would assimilate into Qhin culture and become loyal subjects. The economy flourished, with high levels of urbanization and monetization of the economy. Science and technology saw significant advances, including the process of papermaking, the nautical steering ship rudder, the use of negative numbers in mathematics, the raised-relief map, the hydraulic-powered armillary sphere for astronomy, and a seismometer employing an inverted pendulum that could be used to discern the cardinal direction of distant earthquakes.Five Kingdoms Era
In 202, Emperor Yi Liang was overthrown in a bloody coup by his brother, Yi Kang. The new Emperor was a bloodthirsty tyrant. He would execute officials for flimsy reasons, extract extremely high taxes on the populace, rape the wives and daughters of even high-ranking officials, and organize lavish celebrations in his palace. Uninterested in state affairs, he would increasingly rely on Chief Eunuch Gong Guiying to rule the empire. Guiying was notoriously corrupt and cruel, interested in personal enrichment rather than the welfare of the population. Peasant revolts soon engulfed the countryside, exacerbated by a period of earthquakes which came to be seen as an omen from the Heavens that the Emperor had lost the favor of the Spirits.
Gong Guiying, unable to deal with the revolts, authorized provincial governors to conscript their own armies and put down the rebellions. Once the rebellions had been crushed, though, this coalition of warlords led by Yue Ge turned on the eunuch. The armies marched to the capital, killed Gong Guiying, and looted the Imperial Palace. Emperor Yi Kang was killed in the process, leaving a power vacuum. Yue Ge installed a puppet emperor, but his former allies turned on him, refusing to accept the legitimacy of this emperor.
One of those warlords was Cao Ping, a governor of one of the northern provinces. He declared Yue Ge a tyrant and amassed a new coalition of warlords against him. The decisive battle took place in 217, with Yue Ge's army defeated. Yue Ge was himself killed on the field of battle, and the puppet emperor was captured by Cao Ping. Cao Ping was proclaimed Chancellor of the Yi Empire, but his former allies refused to accept his rule and turned against him the same way they had turned against Yue Ge before.
The four most prominent opponents of Cao Ping were:
Fan Meng, Governor of one of the southern provinces
Yan Shuren, an army captain of Cao Ping who became a warlord on his own right
Yi Zeng, a scion of the imperial dynasty with dreams of overthrowing Cao Ping and restoring the supremacy of the Imperial Throne
Guo Jing, Governor of one of the western provinces
Cao Ping amassed an army of over 300,000 and marched against his four opponents, who formed a temporary alliance to stop him. Teng Hong, an advisor to Yi Zeng whose name is considered synonymous with genius in Qhin culture, devised a brilliant plan which defeated Cao Ping's army. Cao Ping was, however, able to stop his enemies from exploiting his defeat and the situation stabilized by 225. Cao Ping forced the puppet emperor under his control to resign and assumed the throne as Emperor of the Cao Dynasty. The other four rulers proclaimed themselves Emperors as well. The era of the Five Kingdoms had officially begun. It lasted until 478.
This period of Qhin history has been romanticized in the Han Dynasty era novel Romance of the Five Kingdoms (1522), perhaps the most popular novel in Qhin. Yi Zeng is presented as a virtuous, heroic man with noble ambitions who wants to bring peace to the country, Teng Hong as a divine genius whose strategies are unbeatable and brilliant inventions save the day, and Cao Ping as a cruel, bloodthirsty tyrant. Many Qhin proverbs in use to this day are derived from the novel.
During the Five Kingdoms period, Qhin was consumed by constant warfare, shifting alliances, and technological growth as the kingdoms viciously competed for supremacy. It was also the era during which the 'Lazei Dogma' was introduced. A dualistic religion, it grew increasingly popular among the masses - because its dogma of an evil materialistic world and the promise of a better spiritual world resonated at a time of constant warfare - and eventually even nobles converted to this new religion.Qhin Dynasty
In 461, Qhin Jiahao was appointed Chancellor of the Cao Dynasty. An ambitious military genius, over the new few years he subdued the other four kingdoms and unified Qhin under the Cao Dynasty. In 478, though, he overthrew Emperor Cao Ming and proclaimed the Qhin Dynasty, with himself as Emperor. The Qhin Dynasty would last until 1121, and was so important that the subcontinent of Qhin took its name from this dynasty and its inhabitants are called Qhin. The Qhin Dynasty can be divided into roughly three periods. The first period lasted from 478 to 891, and it is considered the High Qhin or Classical Qhin era. During this time period, the empire flourished both economically and culturally. With peace and stability restored, the population grew extensively and urban centers prospered. Taxation became even more efficient and the bureaucracy was expanded, allowing the central government to have a far greater reach compared to other governments of this time period. The Qhin administration completed 1,088 large irrigation projects across the country. An official bureau was established for the effective management of these types of projects. Peasants were encouraged with ownership incentives and tax waivers to bring over two million hectares of extra farming land into production. The Qhin armies expanded the empire, defeating 'barbarian' peoples and assimilating their lands into Qhin.
This was also a golden era for Qhin poetry. Poetry was largely written in the capital or in one of the courts of the imperial princes. It could also be written in banquets at inns or private homes. It was a mode of social discourse for the elite and winners in poetry contests could receive prizes. Ornament and indirect suggestion were preferred to simplicity and explicit statement. Calligraphy, painting, and elaborate architecture also reached their peak during this period. In terms of religion, it was during this period that the Lazei religion became the official religion of the empire (with an imperial decree in 621). The priests of the Lazei Church became increasingly prominent in public life.
The next period (891 - 1005) is known as the Middle Qhin period. It was marked by the An Yanli (891 - 897) revolt which shook the empire to its core. An Yanli was a Governor of one of the western provinces of the empire. When he was framed for corruption and ordered to return to the capital, he instead chose the path of revolt. A combination of incompetence among imperial officers and corruption and infighting among Qhin high officials gave An Yanli the time to mobilize a substantial military force. Over the next few years, a bloody drawn-out war took place until An Yanli could be defeated and executed.
During the revolt, the imperial government had been forced to give broad autonomy to provincial governors, allowing them to conscript their own private armies. So, when An Yanli had been defeated, restoration of the centralized rule of the previous period became impossible. As many scholars had been massacred during the revolt and many centers of learning had been burned down, the empire increasingly turned to the Lazei priesthood for matters of administration. Lazei priests would become judicial officers in their parishes and come to exert a far greater influence than before. Religious art also grew at the expense of secular art. It was also during this period that the Shenist religious cult emerged.
The final period of the Qhin Dynasty (1005 - 1121) is known as the Era of Qhin Restoration. As the scars of the war healed and the economy grew, the empire became once again prosperous. A succession of highly industrious emperors - with the aid of competent advisors - allowed the central government to reimpose control over the provinces, successfully putting down revolts by ambitious governors. Secular learning flourished once more and scholar-officials became again prominent, though the Lazei priesthood would retain its tight grip over the judicial system.
The final decades of the dynasty, though, were marked by increasing corruption and incompetence at the top. Once again, the provincial governors managed to gain power at the expense of the central government. Still, it seemed that the dynasty would manage to survive like it always did. Alas, it was not to be so. In 1121, during a banquet in the Imperial Palace where the Emperor and all the prominent princes had gathered, a fire broke out. There is still debate if the fire was an accident or planned by some faction of the Court, but it led to the death of the House of Qhin. Chancellor Wen Xuegang, with the excuse of the lack of a legitimate emperor, assumed the throne himself and proclaimed the Wen Dynasty.Northern and Southern Dynasties
Emperor Wen Xuegang (1121 - 1145) immediately faced opposition from provincial governors who declared his rule as illegitimate. Some even publicly accused him of being behind the Great Fire of 1121. Emperor Wen engaged in years of warfare against those governors, but although he managed to secure control of Northern Qhin, he failed to conquer the South. Instead, in Southern Qhin, Governor Du Shi declared the Du Dynasty with himself as Emperor.
From 1135 to 1368, Qhin was divided between the Northern and Southern dynasties. The two imperial dynasties diverged politically: the Wen Dynasty granted extensive autonomy to provincial governors and relied on the Lazei priesthood at the expense of scholar-officials, but the Du Dynasty imposed strict centralization and relied on secular scholar-officials. The two dynasties would engage in alternating periods of brutal warfare and peaceful coexistence. During this period, both dynasties saw an expansion of the population. Social life became vibrant, as citizens gathered to view and trade precious artworks, the populace intermingled at public festivals and private clubs, and cities had lively entertainment quarters. The spread of literature and knowledge was enhanced by the rapid expansion of woodblock printing. In the Du Dynasty, an official bureau of medicine was established for the compilation and correction of medical publications. Several national medical surveys were conducted and a medicine factory was constructed.
In 1361, General Han Yating overthrew the Du Emperor and proclaimed the Han Dynasty in the South. The highly-competent emperor purged the imperial government of corrupt and cruel officials, earning popular support and turning the Han bureaucracy into a well-oiled machine. In 1367, he launched an invasion of the north. He defeated the Wen armies - and slew the Wen Emperor in single combat - and in 1368 reunified all of Qhin under a single dynasty.Han Dynasty
The Han Dynasty (1368 - 1648) was a golden era for the Qhin. The Emperors were highly competent, with Han Xinya (1421 - 1448) considered the greatest emperor of the dynasty. An austere workaholic man, he rejected luxuries and entertainment. "I can rest when I die," he would say. He reduced the overall tax burden and cut back on government waste. He would lead Han armies to victories against barbarians and expand the borders of the Qhin world. Most importantly, Xinya was willing to listen to advisers and wasn't afraid to admit when he had been wrong.
The economy flourished during the Han Dynasty. A unified tax system and efficient trade routes helped to create a large, unified internal market. As inter-regional trade and travel became ever more common, guild halls dedicated to facilitating commerce (huiguan) gained prominence around the urban landscape, and the state had to deal with them when assessing taxes, requisitioning goods, and setting standard workers' wages and prices on goods. As a result of this commercialization, mid-sized cities began popping up to direct the flow of domestic, commercial trade. Aside from normal currency, the Han government also issued paper-printed money known as Jiaozi. For the printing of paper money, the Han court established several government-run factories in major cities.
But the prosperity and glory of the Han Dynasty were not to last. A series of earthquakes, droughts, epidemics, and famines in the 1620s caused massive peasant revolts. The empire also faced the same problems that had plagued past dynasties: corruption and incompetence at the top, and an inability to impose central control over provincial governors. In the 1630s, the dynasty collapsed into a patchwork of independent warlord states fighting each other in an endless brutal war.Early Liang Dynasty
Liang Ruoyang was one such warlord. He came from humble origins, initially being a mere foot soldier at the service of a minor warlord. He rose through the ranks thanks to his bravery and cunning, and eventually deposed his old master. A warlord in his own right, he distinguished himself through his fairness and generosity. Whereas other warlords would impose crippling taxation upon the population and act as bandits, Ruoyang would impose modest taxes, live an austere lifestyle, enforce law and order, and reward generously his advisors and soldiers. This led many scholars and soldiers to flock to his side. Ruoyang further empowered his position through public displays of piety towards the Lazei Church, earning the support of many Lazei priests.
By the 1640s, Ruoyang had become the most prominent warlord and by 1648 he had managed to unify all of Qhin under his rule. He proclaimed the Liang Dynasty. With peace restored, the Emperor moved on to enact a radical reformist agenda. He appointed a young scholar, Geng Lim, as Chancellor. Lim enacted a broad land redistributing program to give farms to tenants and landless peasants, much to the dismay of many large landowners. Regional revolts in the 1650s were crushed by the Liang military, allowing the reform to go ahead. Lim undertook the first population census since the collapse of the Han Dynasty. The 1656 census gave an accurate picture of the population of the Empire and allowed a revision of the tax assessment to make taxation fairer. A monopoly on salt, iron, and liquor was established, roads, canals, and bridges were either updated or constructed and a series of granaries were built in the provinces to allow steady supply in times of natural disasters. When Ruoyang died in 1661, he left behind a prosperous realm.
His successor, Emperor Taizong (1661 - 1698), oversaw the construction of the Heavenly City between 1663 and 1678. He also established the Secret Memorandums, allowing direct communication between him and local officials without the court or ministries getting in the way. This allowed for greater imperial oversight of the public administration. He lowered taxation and the economy expanded. Literature, painting and music flourished. Emperor Jiajing (1698 – 1711) commissioned the Siku Quanshu, an encyclopedia that compiled more than 3000 Qhin works of literature. He also oversaw the closing of Qhin from the outer world, to protect the realm from heresy and barbarism. This policy of isolationism was a result of a stricter interpretation of Lazei religion by the priesthood, who feared the introduction of new dogmas could shake the Church.
Emperor Kangxi (1711 - 1752) was perhaps the greatest emperor of the Liang Dynasty. A military genius, he personally led Liang armies to conquer the Western Deserts, subduing the nomadic inhabitants of those desolate - but strategically important - lands. He expanded the system of Secret Memorandums, which brought frank and detailed reports on local conditions directly to the throne without being intercepted by the bureaucracy, and created a small Grand Council of personal advisors that was independent of the Imperial Court. He oversaw a period of prosperity and economic growth. When he died, the Liang Dynasty was one of the strongest empires in the world.Late Liang Dynasty
During the reign of Emperor Chao (1752 - 1797), this prosperity continued but corruption festered in the Imperial Court. Especially egregious was the example of Mao Liuxian, a eunuch who amassed a true fortune thanks to the skimming of public funds and bribes. When Emperor Jiaqing (1797 - 1830) took control of the government, he prosecuted Liuxian. The eunuch was charged with corruption and abuse of power, stripped of his titles, had his property confiscated, and ordered to commit suicide. But the damage Liuxian had done was widespread; the treasury was empty and social discontent high. Large-scale peasant rebellions (1801 – 1806) rebellions shook the empire and showed its weakness.
In order to restore sound finances, confidence in the dynasty, and centralized control, Jiaqing appointed a reformist scholar named Liu Yijun as Chancellor. Liu Yijun reformed the tax system, instituting new taxes on rich merchants and big landowners. He enacted a broad land redistributing program, and put down revolts by big landowners. He used this new stream of revenue to invest in public infrastructure. He also moved to prosecute highly corrupt officials. He also reformed the military of the dynasty. The standing army of the empire had declined in numbers and efficiency. Instead of attempting to bolster the standing army - which would require exorbitant amounts of funds - Liu Yijun abolished many of its regiments and instead formalized the regional armies that had been raised by provincial governors to put down the peasant revolts. Those armies, which recruited troops from local villagers who had familial and local ties to each other, were far more efficient. The resources spared from this reform allowed increased pay for both officers and soldiers, leading subsequently to increased discipline.
Emperor Tongzhi (1830 - 1867) utilized this 'New Army' to crush separatist tendencies in the imperial periphery, especially the volatile western desert region. His reign was marked, however, by increased tensions with Western powers. Initially, under the influence of the Lazei Church, Tongzhi had attempted to maintain Liang's isolationism but his military weakness forced him to compromise. He established the new 'Office for Barbarian Affairs', the first professional Qhin diplomatic corps. He would grant the right to Western companies to construct rail networks in Qhin. This was highly unpopular, and Tongzhi faced backlash from both officials, the Church, and the populace, but managed to suppress revolts and impose his will.
Emperor Zuefeng (1867 - 1880) had to deal with an officialdom and population unwilling to embrace the much-needed reforms required. He faced the Xing Guo Revolt (1868 - 1874). A bloody war that led to the death of millions, it began when priest Xing Guo and fanatics of the Lazei Church declared Emperor Zuefeng to be the incarnation of Ahruman and thus an evil demon that needed to be deposed. Xing Guo drew substantial support from parts of the populace that were deeply opposed to Qhin's increasing Westernization. It took years for the revolt to be crushed and almost bankrupted the empire.
Having managed to crush the revolt, however, Zuefeng had a relatively free hand to proceed with some important reforms. He established the first foreign-language schools in Qhin. In 1876, the first machine factory was established, and in 1878 coal mines were opened. The first modern arsenals were also established in Qhin. He also issued decrees establishing the first modern university, building the first native Qhin railroad (instead of one constructed by Western powers), and establishing a modern cabinet and a system of budgets similar to that of Western governments.
In 1880, the young twenty-three years old Emperor Xuanfeng ascended the Imperial Throne. He must now continue down the reformist path of his father, but at the same time deal with rising discontent against foreigners. Managing to find the delicate balance between reformism and nativism will determine the fate of the Liang Dynasty.
RP Reference/Links/Sample:
Chinese Palace Drama
by Imperialisium » Thu Jan 19, 2023 7:56 pm
Lunas Legion wrote:Polity Name: The Tetrarchy of Lecha, Aparia, Gronen and Roura and the Subordinate Domains, Vassals and Protectorates Thereof
Secondary/Informal Names: The Union of Four Crowns, The Tetrarchy Union
Flag(s): Here.
Population: 85,000,000 (loosely based off Imperial Russia)
Territory Claim: As per map in discord, full thing.
Government Structure: Federal Constitutional Monarchy
The Tetrarch (as the Monarch of Lecha, Aparia, Gronen and Roura is commonly known when acting not as ruler of any specific one) rules a union of four kingdoms, Lecha, Aparia, Gronen and Roura. As King of each of these kingdoms, they hold immense but not completely unrestricted power over mttters of rule and law; they are however restricted in matters of taxation by the Parliament of each kingdom, which holds the sole power to levy and collect taxes upon lands not directly owned by the monarch, and the Parliaments use this power to influence the decisions of the Tetrarch. The Parliaments are elected, but have wealth requirements to vote, and the electoral boundaries have not changed in several centuries allowing for the development of numerous rotten boroughs throughout the four kingdoms.
In addition there are a large number of sub-national entities of varying sizes and degrees of autonomy as dictated by ancient charters and contracts, primarily related to the raising of men for war and minimum levels of taxes contributed to the monarchy and/or parliaments. These are primarily various counties, duchies, margravates, grand duchies and princedoms, ruled by hereditary nobility, or free cities, typically ruled by democratically-elected mayors.
Around the Tetrarch exists a byzantine array of governmental offices and positions, often in duplicate for each of the kingdoms they rule as they are filled by members of the Parliaments, in addition to the members of their own royal household who often have overlapping and conflicting mandates with the governmental offices held.
Religious Information: Religiously, the Tetrarchy's population follows the Path of Orphia, a religious philosophy set down centuries ago by the martyred preacher Orphia. The Path of Orphia preaches that through following the Acts of Orphia, one may follow the path of Orphia and thereby obtain a place for their soul in the Eternal City rather than being consigned to oblivion. In addition to Orphia, five others, known as Pathwalkers, are venerated as having shown variants of the original path of Orphia that focus on specific virtues such as charity, humility, valor, justice or self-sacrifice. The faith is noted for being religiously tolerant, as belief in the path is not a prerequisite for following the path. Monasteries of those that choose to isolate themselves to pursue the Path exist, but many high-ranking members of the Path's priesthood, who are supposed to guide others along the path, own considerable land holdings compariable to members of the middle nobility.
Social Information: The Tetrarchy is considered to be rather backwards by the standards of Boreana; the majority of the population remain peasant serfs, and although cities have been growing and industrialising, this remains an extremely slow process. Peasant revolts are not unknown, although they are not common as the nobility of the Tetrarchy retain their own private armies to suppress such revolts. Nominally, all citizens of the Tetrarchy, including serfs, are entitled to some legal protections, but in reality most serfs are unable to access the courts to enforce these protections when they are violated. The populace of the Tetrarchy is almost entirely human, with the notable exception of the dwarven-majority realms of the mountainous west.
The nobility, who wield most of the power in the realm by making up the members of the national Parliaments, remain extremely suspicious of new-fangled inventions, fearing the upset to the established social order that they sit atop and as such attempt to carefully control the spread of new technologies.
Military Information: The Army of the Tetrarchy, formally the Union of Arms, is not a centralised force. Rather, it is a force formed in wartime from the joining of the four national armies of Lecha, Aparia, Gronen and Roura and the private armies of the Tetrarch and the other nobility, all of whom are expected to provide a force of trained and armed men at a set size who they are expected to command in battle alongside the professional armies of the kingdoms. Technologically, the army is considered backwards, if extremely numerous, and the fleet of the Tetrarchy is not worth mentioning due to its small coastline and the focus on the army.
Even with its recent defeat in war, the Army of the Tetrarchy has been slow to reform. Fundamentally, it is a force structured mainly for internal repression, internal political balancing and coup-proofing, not one designed to fight peer conflicts as recent history has showed. Each of the four national armies has, largely independently of the others, undertaken some degrees of reform and restructuring, primarily the introduction of paid comissions for officers instead of the highest-ranked aristocrat being in charge, although these paid commissions largely still tend to be aristocrats.
History: The history of the Tetrarchy of Lecha, Aparia, Gronen and Roura begins with the four eponymous kingdoms of Lecha, Aparia, Gronen and Roura. The four kingdoms were the largest powers in inland Boreana, alongside a slew of smaller states that often shifted in allegiance between one or another of the four main kingdoms, from Lecha in the north through Aparia, Gronen and Roura north to south. The four kingdoms formed from approx. 850 to 1000, but the limits of the administrative capacity of feudal government largely prevented them from absorbing many of the smaller states that became protectorates or allies to their larger neighbours.
Around the 1500s, through a relatively minor succession struggle against Lechan nobility the King of Aparia inherited the throne of Lecha, consolidating the two kingdoms. Such a shift in the balance of power of inland Boreana led to an uneasy alliance forming between a coalition of smaller states, Gronen and Roura, who disputed the Lechan Succession on behalf of the now-exiled claimant. The War of the Lechan Succession would last for two decades, eventually ending with a negotiated piece that established that Lecha's Sejm would continue to exist and would in all aspects except its King be independent of Aparia. Over the 1600s, the various smaller states were mostly absorbed by either the Dual Kingdom of Lecha and Aparia or Gronen and Roura. One of the last independent states, the Free City of Kazimir, after the death of its Lord-Protector was promised to the Dual Kingdom of Lecha and Aparia in his will, as the Lord-Protector was without heirs. This was bitterly disputed by both the merchant-nobility of the city and Gronen, and in 1667 the War of Kazimir broke out, ending a decade and a year later in 1678 with Gronen decisively defeated on the field of battle, Kazimir occupied and the army of the Dual Kingdom at the borders of Roura, which was promptly invaded. The King of Roura was defeated and surrendered on terms of abdicating solely his royal titles, but retained much of his lands in the former kingdom.
In 1689 the Tetrarchy of Lecha, Aparia, Gronen and Roura was declared, with the same liberties given to Lecha given to the kingdoms of Gronen and Roura. The inland nature of the Tetrarchy, along with its preservation of practices since abolished in other parts of Boreana such as a continuation of the autonomous powers of the nobility and serfdom meant it was very slow to modernise, only ever doing so reluctantly and at a glacial pace. Even the great Continental War, which saw the Tetrarchy fight alongside Achysia against a coalition of other powers saw its armies shattered and humbled provoked only the most reluctant reforms from the Tetrarchy which valued its internal stability over all else, including external threats which it believed could never conquer the whole of its vast country.
It now enters the 1880s a massive behemoth of an empire, a dinosaur of a state. Old, creaking, but so vast perhaps its own immobility and weight will hold it together yet.
RP Reference/Links/Sample: I believe you know of me.
by Imperialisium » Fri Jan 20, 2023 1:04 pm
Tracian Empire wrote:Polity Name: The Sublime Abode of Achysia, შაყირმე ⴀკჰყსმადრა (Saïryme Akhysmadra), also known as the Realms and Lands of the Sublime Abode of Achysia or the Realms and Lands of the Exalted Radiant Crown.
Secondary/Informal Names: The Achysian Empire, the Realm of the Elder Sun, the Abode of the Sun and Serpent, the Radiant Crown
Flag(s):(Image)(Image)(Image)(Image)(Image)
Population: 78,000,000
Territory Claim: Ideally something along these lines, though I am more than open to discussing it in the Discord server
Government Structure: Bureaucratic absolute composite monarchy
The Sublime Abode of Achysia is a personal union of various crowns under a single ruler, the Emperor and King, His Sublime Majesty, the King of Kings, in the Sun and By Its Will Emperor and Autocrat of Achysia, Apostolic King of Hyelodon, King of the Islands and Mainland of the Ocean Sea, King of the Worlds Beyond the Seas, Great Warden of the Internal Sea, Exalted Duke of Zathyria, Prince-Palatine of Regaldum, Prince of the Aylirian League, Forever Sublime and Serene, the Savior, the Faithful and the Blessed, Viceroy and First Servant of the Divine Rule on Earth, Defender of the Faiths, Commander of the Hosts of the Sun Throne, Great Custodian of the Holy City of Vathora, Servant and Blessed of the Haliarch, Refuge of the World, Light of the Morning Star and the Evening Star, Guardian of the Holy Flames, Grand Master of the Holy Order of the Eternal Serpent, Grand Master of the Holy Order of the Imperishable Flame, Grand Master of the Order of the Golden Dragon, Grand Master of the Knights of the Morning Star.
The Emperor, the Lord of Kings, regardless of his many titles, is considered to be divine in rule, and the living law, with all authority in the state emanating from him. His orders are absolute, limited only by the freedoms that he himself has granted to his realms and subjects. The state is united solely in the person of the monarch and in its armies, for otherwise the realms which form Achysia each have their own laws and governing bodies. The attempts to balance the freedoms of each realm with the necessities of imperial rule have led to the development of the bureaucratic Imperial Court, which serves as the de facto governing body of the empire. Led by the Magister of All Offices, the chief advisor of the Emperor, it is composed of ministers known as either Imperial Magisters or Imperial Counts, Each of these ministers is in charge of the departments, known as the Secretariates.Separate from these titles, all important officials are known as Counts, with the title originally meaning companion (of the Emperor), with five classes. All those who hold such a title are automatically members of the aristocratic order, but the title is not hereditary, nor is it considered to be an aristocratic title by itself.
- The Secretariat of the Rays, led by the Magister of the Rays, responsible with the Imperial Post, Archive and functions as a de facto foreign minister
- The Secretariat of the Generality, led by the Magister of the Generality, responsible with taxation and revenue
- The Secretariat of the Treasury, led by the Count of the Treasury, responsible with managing the imperial treasury and the minting of coins
- The Secretariat of the Waters and the Paths, led by the Count of the Waters and the Paths, responsible with aqueducts and infrastructure
- The Secretariat of the Estates, led by the Magister of the Estates, responsible with imperial estates
- The Secretariat of the Flames, led by the Count of the Fires, responsible with the military
- The Secretariat of the Beyond, led by the Count of the Beyond, responsible with colonial affairs
- The Secretariat of the Fires, led by the Magister of the Fires, responsible with religious ceremonies
- The Secretariat of the Scales, led by the Count of the Scales, responsible with justice
- The Secretariat of the Fields, led by the Magister of the Fields, responsible with agriculture
While the bureaucracy exists to help the Emperor rule, the practical application of imperial rule in the realms is found in the Polysynods. Each realm has a Synod, a council, generally formed by aristocrats, in some, chosen by their respective Diets, in others, appointed by the Emperor himself. Each of these councils has specific attributions and in practice, either rule instead of the Emperor or ensure the application of his decrees. Notable among those is the Synod of Vathora, which represents the council of the imperial capital and is most often called upon to advise the Emperor, leading to it be it being known as the Imperial Synod.
Important realms which form the Abode are the Apostolic Kingdom of Hyelodon, the Exalted Duchy of Zathyria, the Princely Palatinate of Regaldum and the Principalities of the Aylirian League, while Yalrial and Vayerohin are Imperial Free Cities and are under the protection of the Emperor. The authorities of each realm cooperate with the respective Synod in governing their lands, raising the taxes for the monarchy, bring issues to the attention of the Emperor, and so on, but the Synods exist above or alongside the traditional power structures. The Kingdom of Hyelodon, as an example, is generally led by the Apostolic Diet, a parliament formed by the important land-owning hereditary noble families, while the Exalted Duchy of Zathyria has a Grand and a Minor Council respectively, with the former being elected from among those men who have the right to vote, and the latter being appointed by the Emperor from his position as the Exalted Duke.
Although efforts to streamline this have been made, the Synods and the Secretariats, and the Synods and the local authorities over clash due to their overlapping responsibilities, and with the exception of foreign affairs and the military, each state retains its own policies. Hyelodon, dominated by the landed aristocracy, has been lagging behind industrially, but is considered to be one of the continent's largest agricultural producers.
Political parties, or groups similar to them, do exist, even if they only have relevance in those realms which have parliaments, like Hyelodon and Zathyria. The most important of such groups is the Achysian Resurrection League, a nationalist and reformist group with support among certain parts of the nobility, the richer parts of the bourgeoisie and the younger officers, which supports a radical reformation of the state under a centralized semi-constitutional monarchy. They believe that Achysia's potential and the Emperor's powers are limited by the feudalistic remains of ages past, and that a unified country led by the Emperor and an Imperial Diet would be much more able to deal with the various issues that the Abode is facing. The Crown Protection Corps is a radical offshoot of the Resurrection League which advocates for the immediate suspension of all rights and charters and the centralization under an absolute monarchy and a military regime, and it has its supporters in the Aulic War Synod. The Democratic Constitutional Party is traditionally the oldest such force, and it has its centers in the Imperial Free Cities of Yalrial and Vayerohin, with great support among the bourgeoisie. It advocates for the reformation of the Abode into a federal, constitutional parliamentary monarchy. The Central Association is currently the largest force in the Diet of Hyelodon, and it represents the interests of the landed aristocracy of the realm, supporting the status-quo.
Religious Information: Achysia is religiously tolerant, with the only faiths being forbidden being those that would pose a threat to the imperial system a rule. Generally speaking, the state does not intervene in the religious affairs of its subjects, but the type of unofficial pressure made on people to convert varies based on where they live. Existing faiths are however required to pray for the Emperor, or to the Emperor, depending on whether the deification of rulers works for them. The main faith is the traditional human faith of southern Boreana, often known simply as the Faith, a polytheistic and highly ceremonial and ritualistic religion. Many deities are worshiped, and traditionally, foreign deities are brought under the umbrella of an already existing deity through a process of interpretation. The people consider that their lives, their well-being, and through extension also the well-being of the state depends on their faith, piety, and on the relations between mortals and gods. An accord, or divine peace, must be maintained through the correct rituals The most important deity for Achysia is the Sun, who is worshiped as Zalyal, the Exalted Sun, the God of the Sun, of Fire, and of Wisdom. The Emperor rules as his Viceroy on Earth, and maintains the Holy Flames, fire temples spread throughout the country by a specialized order of priestesses known as the Maidens of the Flames, and a religious entity known as the Haliarchy, led by the head-priest, the Haliarch. Other important deities are Maylia, the Goddess of the Dawn, of Life of Birth and Creation, the Herald of the Beginning, Aylal, the Lady-Most-Kind, the Goddess of the Twilight, of Death and of Decay, the Herald of the End, Zyraxes, the God of the Night, of Darkness, of Emptiness, Foolishness, Protector of Not-Being, Yaylia, She-of-the-Fire-Moon, the Goddess of the Moon, of the Hearth, of Home, Truth, and Family, and Herad, the Weaver of Golden Lies, Goddess of Trade, Trickery, Cunning and Exploration, of Strangers, of Far Away Lands, the Wealth Spreader.
Other important religions in Achysia include the Path of Orphia, who is considered to be an Augur and a Prophet by many, the worship of Aneria, the old Goddess of the Stars, Seas, and Trade, who is considered to be an aspect of Herad or a sister of Herad and Yaylia, and the Al-Zoroaste faith, that is often not practiced independently of the Faith. Faiths of the non-human minorities, like the Eltheirya or the Kammoreiya are present, mostly in the homes of their adherents, but the past few Emperors have been notable for sponsoring the opening of temples of other faiths in order to promote tolerance.
Social Information: Traditionally, the Abode has been a society of contrasts. Foreigners, both of humans and of other races, facing persecution abroad were welcomed in the cities of Achysia, where the xerayos, agreements between the Emperor and the cities, protected their rights, their culture, and their religion. While strongly focused on tradition, and almost divinizing its monarchs, Achysia has been historically known for adopting the cultural influences of others, which has always been its greatest strength. It was when this diversity was limited, in the past century and a half, because of the fear of revolt, that the Empire has also been dealt its greatest defeats. Despite that, Achysia continues to be relatively diverse, with an identity not focused on race, or nationality, but rather an old fashioned understanding of subservience to the Emperor - all his subjects are Achysians. Historical minorities of Dwarves, Elves and Faeries have been increasing as of late due to the developing industrialization of the cities, and Achysia also attracts human immigrants from other parts of the continent, particularly as the Abode is trying to deal with its own weaknesses by attracting foreign ideas.
At the same time however, the Abode has a strict social hierarchy. Commoners, Burghers, and Nobles alike are organized in ranks with specific requirements. Serfdom has never caught on in a country whose military backbone was formed on the communities of free peasants serving the monarch directly, and slavery, mostly relegated to the cities, was banned only a century ago. Social climbing, while difficult, is not unheard of, particularly through the military, which can grant aristocratic titles to good officers. The aristocracy, also, is not limited to humans - with the Achysian aristocracy, and the Imperial Family in particular, having a history of favoring Elven blood.
Military Information: The Imperial Hosts of Achysia, also known as the Imperial and Royal Hosts, are directly under the command of the Emperor, with a long and glorious tradition. Despite that, the past century has been one filled with defeats and with slow reforms. With great sacrifices, forced by the threat of collapse that once seemed to threaten the empire, the Hosts are being forcefully brought into the modern age, but the defeats of years past still stain their banners. Traditionally divided into two forces, now the Empire has three divisions in its organization.
First is the Host of the Lands, also known as the Imperial and Royal Army. The Emperor, from his position as Master of all Hosts, often delegates his military authority to an officer known as the Prefect of the Soldiers in the Presence, often compared to a foreign field marshal. Names aside, the reforms of the last few decades have attempted to maintain the traditions of the imperial forces but to bring them on par with those of its continental rivals. The Aulic War Circle is a permanent body that functions as a general staff, studying war and attempting to develop a new class of officers, and while the titles of those officers remain those of old, with generals being known as Prefects of the Soldiers, colonels as Military Counts, lieutenant colones as Military Dukes, great progress has been made in shedding the marks of feudalism and old bureaucracy, the influence of the aristocrats being replaced with the rise of meritocratic officers. The Ring of Command is part of the War Circle, and is formed by the highest ranking officers who advise the Emperor on military matters.
In terms of equipment, the Abode can match its rivals but is still not quite at the forefront of military development. Fanaticism can not overwhelm technology, a lesson that was learned with a field of defeat and dead bodies against enemy needle guns decades ago, but the Host still promotes its traditions, both military and religious, as a way to strengthen the espirit de corps and to promote bravery. Priests serve alongside regiments, often with holy icons, and each regiment can trace its lineage through the centuries. Recruitment is directly managed by the central government, with the exception of some areas, like the Free Imperial Cities, which manage their own requirement but must meet the quotas. Efforts have also been made to deal with the issue posed by the various dialects spoken throughout the Empire, with the imposition of the so called "Military Achysian" as the language of training and of officers.
The Host of the Seas, is the naval force of the empire. Historically, it has been quite up to the par with its rivals, precisely because it wasn't the focus of the Abode like the army was. Based in the Exalted Duchy of Zathyria, the main coastal region of the Empire, it was seen as the place for younger princes, second born sons of nobles, people who could not expect their lives to come through inheritance, but who had to forge out their own paths. Smaller in size that that of its rivals, and with a pretty small colonial empire to protect, the Host of the Seas never a proper world power, but it was strong enough to defend Achysia's interests and it managed to win the few necessary victories to ensure the end of the war which humbled its armies. With great efforts, the navy has maintained a spot in the naval arms race, developing pre-dreadnoughts, but has been thrown into chaos by the Sednian introduction of the Dreadnought and is scrambling to catch up.
The Host of the Heavens, is, despite its somewhat ceremonious name, the air force of the Abode, and like for many other nations, the newest service. It is, despite its youth, an independent service, a fact owned to it being headed by the Archduke, the heir to the throne, and it is mostly focused on airships and on balloons, with attempts being made to develop a system of scouting and information that would allow the empire to quickly communicate with its colonies and to quickly respond to attacks.
A few more forces exist outside of the general structure. The Circle of the Watch is the imperial guard unit, controlled directly by the Emperor and an elite military unit at the same time. The Messengers of Serenity, also known as the Magister's Men, or officially, the Circle of Serenity, under the Magister of Serenity, are the secret police of the Empire. They work both as an internal intelligence service, keeping track of rebels and extremists, as a foreign intelligence service, and they also control the Varyintai, a small military force that is used a gendarmerie in the main cities, and as scouts in times of war.
History:
- 700-600 BCE - the coastlines of southern Boreana are generally occupied by city states which trade throughout the sea and attempt to set up colonies in Ummhara. The rise of Yhyria, the strongest of these city-states, a militaristic land and naval power, leads to the creation of the League of the Serpent, an alliance of city-states created to oppose it. In the War of the Broken Dragon, the League of the Serpent eventually subdued Yhyria and became the strongest polity in southern Boreana.
- 600-300 BCE - the League of the Serpent expands throughout the southern continent and northern Ummhara, fighting costly wars against the native powers. More and more is delegated away from the Courts, the assemblies of citizens, to military rulers, known as Archons. The power of these military rulers scares the Courts, and an attempted coup d'etat is stopped in a short civil war, leading to the establishment of the Council of the Exalted, a body of 10 secret members, who ruled country while wearing masks. They were secretly chosen once every two years by a mechanism known as the Elector.
- 300-200 BCE - The Council of the Exalted becomes more and more oppressive in their rule. Kaeron, a popular nobleman and general, is declared an enemy of the state by the Council after he defeats a coalition of northern tribes, in turn he invades the League with his forces, portraying his conflict as a righteous rebellion against corrupted authority. The civil war weakens the country, and begins the War of the Two Coins, in which the League was invaded from the north and the south at the same time. Kaeron abandons the civil war and leads his forces against the invaders, and dies in the Battle of Orthyal, having saved the country. He is deified by the Faith, and his cause is continued by his two children, Daeron and Zyrial. Brother and sister, and twins, they make use of a prophecy which apparently foretold the rise of a pair of monarchs, and eventually defeat the forces of the council. They proclaim the beginning of the Orthyalian Empire, and marry, becoming the first of the deified pair of siblings to rule over the Empire.
- 200 BCE - 300 CE - the Empire continues to expand as it aggressively switched to a theocratic monarchy. Monarchs, belong solely to the ruling house of the Kaeronids, attempted to generally follow the example set by their founds, and married brothers to sisters in pairs, or cousins if not possible, attempting to both keep their divine blood pure and to have a pair of siblings or cousins ruling as monarchs. Power however began to slip from the monarchs to a caste of priests known as the Custodians, who were often related by blood to the Kaeronids but were outside of the main family. This however generally restricted intrigue and power plays to the capital itself, while the provinces of the empire were administered by pairs of civilian and military governors. The Orthyalian Peace ruled throughout the territories controlled by the empire, as the military strength of the empire grew ever more.
- 300 CE - 450 CE - Corruption began to eat away at the Custodians, while the Kaeronids, with centuries of inbreeding, began to show signs of medical issues, and more pressingly, of insanity. The fortunes of the empire rapidly declined, as the pressure along its borders grew stronger. Civil wars, unheard of during the previous centuries, and large rebellions, weakened the centralized hold that the capital had. Some of the old city-states of the League rebelled and became independent. In 400 CE, the Blight, swept through the Empire and killed almost 40% of its population. The capital was particularly hardly hit, and the line of the Kaeronids was severed. Three religious preachers and prophets, later to be known as the Three Augurs, had foretold that a disaster would hit the Empire if the incest and the false deification of the Kaeronids would not cease. The last of these Augurs survived the Plague and began a reformation within the Faith. The Custodians were killed and most of the capital burned down in a popular uprising, and centralized rule broke, bringing with it the end of the Empire. Zeryon, a military commander in what is today Achysia, proclaimed his independence and earned the support of the last of these Augurs, helping create the Haliarchy, the ruling body of this reformed Faith, in his capital of Vathora. The Centuries of Blood and Ash begin.
- 450-650 - Successor states and barbarian kingdoms end their fight over the remains of the empire, as the remnant in Achysia, led by the dynasty of Zeryon, with the support of the Faith, become the dominant power. In the War of the Rising Flame, Theyron the Great unifies most of the remnants of the empire and proclaims its recreation. His death however emboldens those who opposed him, and his son, Raythol, a lot more aggressive and less diplomatic, finds it difficult to oppose them and also causes unrest among his own nobility. He loses the decisive Battle of the Werdian Fields and dies during the subsequent withdrawal, hit by an arrow shot by either his enemies or his guards.
- 650-850 - The wars continue, with neither Achysia or its enemies able to achieve dominance. In 850, in the Meeting of the Golden Fields, the Achysian monarch and his main rivals come to an agreement, creating the Apostolic Orthyalian Covenant. The crown of its emperor was meant to circle among the leading monarchs through the generations, and an Imperial Council and Diet were formed.
- 850-1480 - the Holy Covenant continues to evolve and expand. Instead of the crown changing hands, the Emperor becomes an elected position, with the descendants of the monarchs in the Meeting of the Golden Fields becoming Holy Electors. The crown however mostly goes to the dynasty of Achysia, which retains considerable influence. Marrying into the other houses, cadet branches of the Zeryonids eventually come to control a lot of the Holy Electorates, essentially retaining the crown. However, in exchange for this, the Achysian monarchs were forced to grant more and more freedoms to the individual realms.
- 1480-1700 - with the beginning of colonialism, the Holy Covenant is involved begins to fight for the position of regional hegemon, heavily fighting against Hesperia and also attempting to enforce its rule in northern Ummhara, with mixed success. Initially unable to do much against Hesperia, the collapse of the Hesperian economy gives the Covenant the upper hand as it attempts to expand around what they call the Internal Sea. Later on, the Covenant attempts to fight against the rising power of Lecha.
- 1700-1866 - presumably some more big wars, and a continental one that leads to the Imperial Consolidation Decree and the eventual collapse of the Holy Covenant, reorganized into the Achysian Abode and its composite monarchy. Some modernization and some attempts at colonization, with the Covenant and later the Abode being large supporters of a continental, Borean system of diplomacy and balance of powers. Failure of this system and the rise of Sednan power and colonialism brings Achysia closer to the Tetrarchy. Industrialization begins in the proper age, but evolves slower than in other continental powers due to the opposition of the aristocracy and low government intervention.
- 1866-1872 - Succession crisis in Hesperia leads to a war between Hesperia and Sedna on one side, and the Tetrarchy and Achysia on the other. The Tetrarchy and Achysia invade Hesperia and mostly occupy it, while also dealing a few important blows to Sedna and occupying most of its continental domains. Navally however, the Sednan navy destroys the Achysian force, while the occupation of Hesperia becomes costly in both money and blood due to local opposition. A daring Sednan campaign occupies the two islands south of Achysia and lands a force in Achysia proper, the Achysian forces are greatly defeated in the twin battles of Lyodon and Jyahsar. Achysia calls for an armistice, and withdraws its forces out of Hesperia but refuses to concede. Sedna wins a few battles against the Tetrarchy, and Mercia threatens with intervention, while the Achysians and the Tetrarchy rally their forces. Unwilling to continue what had so far been the bloodiest war on the continent, the sides agree to peace. Achysia loses its two islands.
- 1872-present - the continental war was a great blow to Achysian prestige, as the ease with which Sedna was able to invade and to threaten the imperial capital itself overshadowed the earlier victories. A great program of military reform is organized with great sacrifices, including the adoption of new weapons, uniforms, and the creation of more military academies in order to increase the level and skill of officers, while the role of the aristocracy is limited. The state finally gets involved with the industrial development, pursuing great public works of factory development and infrastructure. Some reforms are conceded to those who call for further democratic developments, but no big political or administrative reform is organized. The current Emperor, Vaeron V, is considering the organization of a Extraordinary Imperial Delegation to discuss such reforms.
RP Reference/Links/Sample: Here
by Arvenia » Sat Jan 21, 2023 7:51 am
by Tracian Empire » Sat Jan 21, 2023 8:19 am
Arvenia wrote:Hasn't a UK-like country been created yet?
by Arvenia » Sat Jan 21, 2023 8:22 am
by Tracian Empire » Sat Jan 21, 2023 8:38 am
by Arvenia » Sat Jan 21, 2023 8:42 am
Tracian Empire wrote:Arvenia wrote:I really wanted to be this roleplay's United Kingdom. Which country should I then model my country after?
Also, Sedna might just be the UK mixed with the Imperium.
I don't know how much inspiration it takes from the Imperium, but it is playing the role of the British Empire.
I'm not sure really. In Boreana, the main human continent, the Tetrarchy is a combination of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and Imperial Russia, Achysia is a more Oriental Austria-Hungary, Holmstadt is sort of Scandinavian and Mercia is vaguely inspired by the US, while Hesperia is generally inspired by Spain.
On different continents, Qhin is well, China inspired, Cheongryeo is Korea-inspired. Benuty's nation is mostly India inspired I think, and GCCS's claim is also more Oriental inspired.
So it depends on what you want. There is a little space left in Boreana, while Ummhara is mostly free. Khmor, which was meant to be sort of an East India Company is currently an NPC since Union Princes changed his claim, and I believe it could still be claimed, though you'd have to discuss that with the OP and with Sedna's player.
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