A Decade on Kerak [Medieval Fantasy | OOC | Open]

by **Remnants of Exilvania** » Sun Sep 01, 2024 9:33 am

A Decade on Kerak
IC - Political Map - Climate/Physical Map - Discord
OP: Remnants of Exilvania
Co-OP: Tracian Empire

We write the year 1290 of the new Valian Calendar and the known world of Kerak stands on the brink of a turbulent decade. In the north the continent of Laurentia, home to many realms great and small, stands on the brink of war as tensions run high. The Elder Races have recovered from the conflicts of old and the human realms, once fragmented and primitive, have once again banded together to carve out their rightful place in this world. In the south, on the known portion of the continent of Gondwana, fearsome orcs and other beastly races continue their often violent migration northwards as the Hize Desert continues to expand, bringing chaos to the coastal realms.

Yet beyond the machinations of the mortals, the cosmos promises further complications. Winters have gradually lengthened in recent years, with a set of particularly harsh ones expected to hit northern Laurentia within the decade, bringing with it a resurgence of black mages. At the same time, astrologists have predicted the occurence of multiple celestial constellations of significant power in the coming years, much to the joy of long forgotten cultists and diviners. And along the fault lines of the tectonic plates, demons eagerly await their chance to inherit the world they were born beneath.

Will the mortal realms tear each other apart until one victor emerges? Will a second Convergence unleash a new horror upon Kerak? Or will demonkind destroy the surface world? Only the Gods of Quill and Ink can tell.

Welcome to A Decade on Kerak, my first attempt at an original RP. I must admit to having been starved for a nice medieval fantasy nation RP for quite some time and finally decided to roll up my sleeves, jump the hurdle and do it myself. In this RP you will be creating a realm or organisation of some sort and if demand exists even just a singular character to navigate the known world of Kerak towards your own goals, whichever those may be. I'd note that the lore has been intentionally kept vague so as to provide some framework while leaving the sandbox as open as possible for new ideas so do not be afraid to come up with new ones. Though I can't guarantee that I will accept them. On top of that it'd be great if you could follow the rules laid out here:

General Rules for IC and OOC Behaviour

1. The word of the OP is law in this thread. If I tell you something, you listen. I'll make it clear when what I say is up for discussion and when. And no, I will not claim to be objective, though most of the time I will try to be.
2. The word of the Co-OP is just as much law in this thread as mine is. Except that I can overrule it.
3. Naturally, all of NS' rules apply here too.
4. Utilise the OOC or a potential future Discord to chat with each other out of character. The IC is for RP posts.
5. Do not godmod, metagame, powergame or engage in any other fishy behaviour.
6. Flaming, trolling or harassment between players or visitors to the thread will not be tolerated.
7. You are only permitted to post in the IC if you have an accepted application.
8. Posts on at least a weekly basis would be appreciated. Posts should have a minimum size of 2-3 paragraphs. Should posts be shorter because they are for example part of an interaction, consider doing a collab maybe via Google Doc and then posting it when it is complete.
9. If you are interested in a specific spot on the map, please put up a WIP application with at least the territory and name lines filled out. After accepting, I will consider that territory reserved for the next 72 hours. Requesting an extension will grant you an additional 48 hours. One final extension is granted only for an at least half completed application and will last an additional 48 hours. If you have not completed your app by that time, the territory will be up for grabs by anyone. A number of people who helped me get this off the ground will have spots reserved from the onset of the game for 24 hours during which they may put up the formal reservation.

Application Rules

1. Fill the application out completely please.
2. The established lore is not comprehensive so do feel free to add to it in your app. Do note however that when you add something and there may exist differeing interpretations of it, that you will be asked to expand on it and explain it. Also, keep in mind that while the lore is not comprehensive and can be added to, your additions should not contradict it.
3. This is a medieval fantasy setting. Fantasy so some of the usual constraints of medieval realism are revoked so we can all have more fun. Medieval so no, we are not going to be bringing advanced technology to style on most others. Aside from the usual fantasy fare, try to remain roughly in the 13th century.
4. Large and powerful entities will be permitted. This doesn't mean that I will let a continent-spanning Empire of demigods fly. Don't take my desire to fill the map up and get everyone some neighbours as permission to just completely take off with your power fantasy.
5. Try to pre-establish some relations and history with your fellow players. This isn't mandatory but it helps make the world feel more interconnected and vibrant and gets you all talking to each other.
6. When you write your histories, give me at least the years of major events for your nations. I am going to try to put a comprehensive timeline up later.

Lore

So, magic in this world functions a little different from how it usually goes. For starters, magic here is a form of 'radiation' emitted by the cores of celestial objects (planets, stars, etc.). To harness this magical 'radiation', one must possess a specific mutation, which may be more or less common depending on the race but can generally be considered rare. However, merely having said mutation does not a magician make as it only ensures one's ability to actually interact with said magical radiation. And trying to just interact with it on instinct is a good way to gain a permanent home 6 feet under. No, magic still requires intensive study and training in order to properly use and likely a lifelong commitment to truly master.

Magic can be roughly categorised into 4 specific categories.

Terrestrial Magic
This describes the magic radiated from the core of Kerak itself. However, due to the planet's crust acting not too dissimilar from a Chernobyl sarcophagus, very little of it actually arrives on the surface, with most of it being passively absorbed on the way there. However, due to that, some magic is present within all objects and particularly lifeforms on Kerak, something that various magic practitioners have taken full advantage off to found various schools, among them:
Shamanism
Shamanism describes a wide variety of magical practices focused on communion with Kerak and its lifeforms. Be it with the elements or the trees and animals. It is an often very ritualistic style of magic and quite weak, as it relies on dialogue between the caster and those he wishes to influence, with said influence being limited simply by the low degree of magic present and usable.
Blood Magic
Blood Magic is not unlike Shamanism in that it too relies on the magic infused into Kerak's lifeforms. However, where Shamanistic Practices focus on dialogue and consent, blood magic is usually characterised by the forceful extraction of the magic from lifeforms, usually leaving them dead or crippled in some way and is as such considered a forbidden magical art by many civilisations. It is however one of the easiest ways to gain Terrestrial Magic for use and rewards its users with relatively high magical power for use.
Infernal Magic
Infernal Magic is a school of magic pioneered by the Demons. However, it has been pioneered with the specific environment of the Underworld in mind and is practically not useable on the surface of Kerak due to the relative lack of Terrestrial Magic there. Infernal Magic is very powerful and highly volatile, which is why its more intermediate or advanced spells and incantations are usually only in use by those of good standing among demonkind. Infernal Magic could be cast with extensive blood sacrifices as fuel of Terrestrial Magic or through cracks in Kerak's mantle bringing hot, magic infused lava to the surface to allow for some limited time to use it until said source dries up or is no longer radiant.
Solar Magic
This describes magic radiated from the Sun itself. Compared to most other magic, it is present in relative abundance, fairly easy to use though quite difficult to master. It is generally well received among civilisations, the schools deriving from it being most often focused on the positive aspects of magic. It should be noted that Solar Magic is at its strongest during the day and as such particularly during the summer, when the days are longest.
White Magic
White Magic is one of the most common magic schools on Kerak and derives itself from Solar Magic. Its incantations are usual focused towards healing, purifying, restoring, wards and the like, though there are also various lethal uses. Due to its relative ease of learning and its positive aspects for society, it is highly respected, though it has a steep learning curve when it comes to combat uses.
Angelic Magic
Angelic Magic is a school of magic pioneered by Angels, extraterrestrial beings that call the Sun their home. Much like Infernal Magic, it too was created with the specific environment of the Sun in mind and is practically not useable on the surface of Kerak due to the Solar Magic arriving there being not strong enough to fuel this magic for long. Angelic Magic is also very powerful and highly volatile, which is why its more intermediate or advanced incantations are usually only in use by those of good standing among angelkind. Angelic Magic could be cast during a Solar Flare for a somewhat extended amount of time.
Lunar Magic
This describes a type of Solar Magic which has been changed, corrupted in a way, through its interaction with the Moon orbiting Kerak. As such it is generally considered to be strongest at night and thus during winter, when the nights are longest. However, unlike Solar Magic, Lunar Magic is fairly difficult to get a proper hold of and moreso to master and is said to have a poor effects on the psyche of its wielders, though that may be due to it being primarily associated with more negative aspects of magic.
Black Magic
Black Magic is a school of magic utilising Lunar Magic and likely distilled down into its most accessible form, making it reasonably difficult to learn and exceedingly hard to master. It is generally not looked upon kindly as it covers various negative aspects of magic such as curses, hexes, necromancy and the like though is often not discounted by even the most pure of heart as it is significantly easier to utilise in combat than White Magic.
Astral Magic
This is a catch-all term describing various magics derived from other Celestial bodies that are neither Kerak, nor the Sun, nor its Moon. Due to the significant distances involved as well as in some cases various planetary crusts, very little of the Astral Radiation arrives on Kerak's surface, making Astral Magic one of the weakest forms of Magic one could use on the planet. However, when specific constellations occur within the Solar System or beyond, Astral Magic may receive a surge in radiation, making it significantly more viable for a limited amount of time. Most often Astral Magic is in use with various deluded cults wishing to use it to open gateways to other worlds.
Divination
Divination is the most common school of magic derived from Astral Magic, focusing on communion with entities from other planets, seeing beyond the fabric of time and space. It is often used for prophecy and foresight in various means yet is also often unreliably and its users tend to find themselves influenced or in league with malicious entities far beyond their understanding.

On Kerak there exist 5 primary races. Primary does not mean that they are the most numerous or individually most powerful but merely those who are or have been most influential on Kerak during its long history. You are more than welcome to make your own though keep in mind that as OP I will need to accept them.

Humans
Who doesn't know them, the Children of Man? Coming in as many varieties as one could think of and being most likely one of the most populous races of Kerak. Their people rarely excel at anything yet have nonetheless through a mixture of rapid procreation, luck and a stubborn will and ability to bounce back come to populate large parts of Laurentia and Gondwana. Man thrives in environments hot and cold, humid and arid. Man's ability to harness magic is average, limited only by their short lifespan of rarely more than 100 years. The frequency of magical mutation is low but not unreasonably so. Honestly, there is not much to tell. Humans are humans.
Dwarves
Ah, the Dwarves, the Firstborn or so they claim, the children of Iron and Stone. Deep within the intestines of the earth and upon its very bones they have built their kingdoms and once claimed for themselves to be the rulers of Kerak. Millennia have passed since then yet the Dwarves remain stout as ever. They are a hardy people, smaller in stature than Men yet wider in build, packed with muscle, fat and hair. Outside of their underground kingdoms, they are rarely found in more arid or humid areas, their bodies not taking to such environments well. They possess great skill in craftsmanship and their strength and experience in the deeps makes them excellent miners. Much like stone they are unshakeable in their beliefs, in their friendships and the like, yet if one were to garner their ire, they are like a rock rolling down a mountain, easy to enrage and quick to land mighty blows against you. Their work in the depths of the planet's crust has also left them more exposed to Terrestrial Radiation than most other races, with their bodies adapting to it, albeit in a different way than expected, with the Dwarves becoming less likely to develop the mutations necessary to interact with magic, though not impossible. Their lifespans rarely go beyond 500 years.
Orcs
The Orcs, Scourge of the South, a race claiming to be just as old as the Dwarves, though the two of them only recently came into contact again with the orcish migrations. Originating from central Gondwana, the Orcs were the chief race forced to migrate northwards into the civilised realms of northern Gondwana and Laurentia due to the expansion of the Hize Desert. As such many of them are living a nomadic lifestyle at the moment, seeking places to settle down or simply to continue moving, though there are also some settled kingdoms of them, found on both continents. They are a tall race, their men and women built like trucks, able to match Dwarven strength while enjoying the perks of a much taller body. The frequency of magical mutation is averagely rare with them, perhaps slightly lower than it is with humans. They rarely live for more than 250 years.
Elves
The Elves, Visitors from a foreign World. Approximately 2500~ years ago, an Astral Constellation led to the opening of a portal to another world upon Kerak, the Convergence. A portal from which the Elves sprang forth, invading Kerak and toppling the Dwarven World Order, a fact that has led to long lasting enmity between the two races. When the constellation shifted and the portal collapsed, many of the Elves remained trapped upon Kerak and founded their own civilisation. However, the long term exposure to Kerak's magical radiation and its difference from their home planet led to lasting changes among them, most notably the collapse of their lifespans from what had once been seemingly infinite to what was now a mere 1500 years maximum with an average of 1000. Some among the Elves were less pleased with this development and the way of how to handle it led to a split among the race. Those who accepted this change became more commonly known as the High Elves while those who railed against it and went ahead to do something about it would be called the Dark Elves. Generally both Elven Races are tall in build, have a certain ethereal, otherworldly beauty to them, are highly skilled and fast. Having come from a planet with significantly stronger magical radiation, they are much more attuned to magic and the frequency of mutation among them is significantly higher than even among humans. However, they are faced with a birth rate so low it seeks its equal upon Kerak. The Dark Elves differ primarily culturally from the High Elves yet biologically they differ too in that they utilise blood magic to change their bodies and extend their lifespans, botched recreations of that ritual by humans later leading to the first Vampires.
Demons
The Demons, the Legions of the Underworld itself and the most likely candidates for the true natives and firstborn of Kerak. Legend has it that they used to populate the surface as an ancient and advanced civilisation yet grew so proud that they challenged the gods themselves, for which they were banished deep into the planet, where molten rock abounds and the radiation of Terrestrial Magic is so strong, it would kill almost any lifeform on Kerak. Whether that is true remains unknown but what is known is that Demons are so well adapted to high terrestrial Magic radiation that they can barely live without it, keeping them trapped in the Underworld. However, they yearn still for the wonders of the surface world and whenever a volcano breaks out or a fault line spews out hot, irradiated lava, Demons are rarely far from it, seeking to reclaim the surface for their own or simply to visit. Deep in their underground realm, they still retain many of the Sins that supposedly got them banished there in the first place and their view of the lesser races on the surface is not great. They are a varied people but most often they are excessively strong with practically unlimited lifespans and powerful magical arts, if they can supply the mana. They are rarely found on the surface as to sustain them would require plenty of blood sacrifices, though some smaller realms around volcanoes may still exist.

Age of Myth (10.000-5.500 Before Valian)
An ancient era when the Gods themselves still walked Kerak. The Demons, Dwarves and Orcs come to be during this era, as did a vast multitude of beasts and creatures many of which would haunt the world for millennia to come. Very little is known for certain about this era as there are no verifiable records of it, only tales and legends without substance to them and there is no living creature upon Kerak that is willing to talk about this era, so the nature of the Gods remains one of pure speculation. What is known is that a major conflict must have broken out that saw the end of that era , the banishment of the Demons, the Departure of the Gods and the coming of Man, which marks the beginning of the next age.
Age of Stone (5.500-1.200 Before Valian)
An age of peace following the Age of Myth, during which the Dwarves spread their dominion across all of known Kerak, with the Orcs settling deep in the south on Gondwana, where the Dwarves dared not go due to the weather. Man would slowly spread as well and gain in numbers, but be forced to recognise the Dwarves as their Overlords. Despite smaller feuds between Dwarven Kingdoms, Mannish Revolts and Orcish Raids, this period is generally considered the first Golden Age of the Mortal Races.
Age of Convergence (1.200-500 Before Valian)
This Age is marked by the Convergence, the astral constellation that opened the gateway for the Elven Invasion. While the gateway itself was open for nary a year, it changed the landscape of Kerak drastically as the Dwarves and Elves clashed over dominion of the planet. Even with the gateway closing behind them, the Elves kept up the fight for centuries still, partially in hopes of reopening it, partially out of fear of what might happen if they did not win decisively. At the end both races were exhausted and an uneasy peace was formed, both of them trying to lick the wounds of their long war and establish themselves once more. This marked the end of Dwarven Overlordship of Man too, with many independent and fully sovereign mannish realms arising in that era, often supported in their struggle for independence by the Elves or promised their indepence by the Dwarves if they just fought for them.
Age of Man (500 Before Valian-500 After Valian)
The Age of Man was marked by a power vacuum left by the Dwarves and Elves after much of their fighting strength had been spent. It led to the rise of Man, free from the shackles of the Elder races and invaders and the creation of the first Mannish Empire, the Boruvian Empire, which would come to stretch across vast parts of Laurentia and even some of Gondwana. A highly civilised and well organised realm, its reign is considered the second Golden Age of the Mortal Races and brought many of the techniques and amenities the Elder Races had been harbouring for themselves into human hands. Valian, one of the most influential Emperors as far as the arts and sciences are concerned, decreed the creation of a new calendar, from which the New Valian Calendar sprang forth which was adopted by most humans in the known world. Alas, every Empire must come to an end and the Boruvian Empire eventually collapsed under its own weight, between cultists in its midst, Dwarven and Elven agitators and the beginnings of the orcish migrations, it was unable to last.
Age of Darkness (500-1200 After Valian)
The Age of Darkness describes the era following the fall of the Boruvian Empire. Marked by migrating hordes of orcs, Boruvian Warlords wrestling each other for control, marginalised groups seeking their independence, Elves and Dwarves carving their pieces out of the Boruvian Corpse and all manner of creatures of darkness once kept at bay by the Empire's centralised army now plaguing the lands. It was a time of uncertainty and great tragedy yet also one of immense heroism and great hope, of great monsters and dastardly villains facing off against shining heroes and angelic beings. The hardships suffered saw many of the human realms band together again, whether by choice or by force, to form greater nations that would better resist the depredations of Kerak.
Age of Strife (1200+ After Valian)
The End of the Age of Darkness saw Kerak's many realms emerge from a brutal time into one of uneasy peace. Unforgotten were the crimes and wars of the Age of Darkness. Unused were the vast warmachines created to fend off the creatures and enemies within and without. The people had peace...yet their leaders were poised for war once more. Save for some limited conflicts, that peace has lasted for 90 years...yet with the Elder Races recuperated from the Convergence War and Man remaining armed and ready one must wonder...how long will it last?

Realm Application

Code: Select all: [align=center][b][u][size=150]Realm Application[/size][/u] (Please make sure to have read the full OP before filling this out.) (Please fill out everything as requested. (Please delete everything within rounded brackets once you are done.)[/b][/align] [hr][/hr][b]Basic Details[/b][hr][/hr] [b]Realm Name:[/b] (What is your realm officially called?) [b]Short Name:[/b] (Shorter, less official names that may be in use in regular conversation or among enemies) [b]National Symbol(s):[/b] (Is there any specific heraldry associated with your realm at large? Any Lidless Eyes of Sauron or Imperial Eagles?) [b]Territory:[/b] (Where is your realm located? I would prefer you used quick sketches made with MS Paint on the supplied base maps but if necessary, descriptions will suffice) [b]Capital:[/b] (What is the name of your capital and where is it located? Feel free to make a bit of an X-marks-the-spot on your territory claim) [hr][/hr][b]Political Details[/b][hr][/hr] [b]Realm Type:[/b] (Are you a Kingdom? An Empire? A wandering Horde? A Theocracy? A Magocracy? A Republic? Some anarchic shithole?) [b]Ruler:[/b] (Name and title of the person that is de jure or de facto leading your realm) [b]Ruler Description:[/b] (Since this is medieval fantasy and the importance and power of the rulers tends to increase drastically, a small description at least may be in order. No, we are not talking about a physical description unless your leader turns out to be a Titan under whose feet the ground quakes, but rather personality, relationships, skills, etc.) [b]Government Description:[/b] (Explain how your nation is run, if there are any notable persons running the gears of your governing machine, any internal political forces?) [b]Goals:[/b] (Any particular goals your nation or just your rulers may be following? Immortality? Summoning Cthulhu? Revenge? Shiny, gleamy coin?) [b]Diplomatic Relations:[/b] (Alliances? Pacts of Non-aggression? Marriages? Vassals? Warm or cold relations? Rivals? Bitter enemies? This section can be left empty but it would be appreciated if other apps and players were looked at and talked to to perhaps try and fill this a little) [hr][/hr][b]Population Details[/b][hr][/hr] [b]Population:[/b] (How many 'people' actually live within the borders of your realm. For simplicity we will only consider broadly sapient life forms that do or can contribute to your realm in the short or mid term) [b]Population Description:[/b] (What sort of races can be found among your population? What are these races like? Any cultural oddities you want to tell us about?) [b]Religion:[/b] Here you give us the name of the religion you follow and how it is treated in your realm's society. You can peek at what other players do and, within reason, copy their religion much like irl religions often existed far beyond ethnic or 'national' borders. If you are doing something new or original however, some form of description of how it works and what it believes would be good) [hr][/hr][b]Strategic Details[/b][hr][/hr] [b]Military Description:[/b] (Tell us about your military. How is it organised? Does it have a standing force and what is it like? Any particularly cool commanders or the like? Any specialties? How many forces can it muster for a campaign?) [b]Magic Description:[/b] (Tell us about Magic in your realm. Are there any schools that are followed in particular? Did you create any new schools you'd wish to explain to us? Are mages free or forced into some church or adopted by nobility or or or? Are there any local specialties or the like?) [b]Economic Description:[/b] (Tell us about your economy. Are you a great trading power? Are there any particular goods that are produced or sourced from your realm? Any particularly important hotspots of economic activity?) [hr][/hr][b]Fluff Details[/b][hr][/hr] [b]History:[/b] (Quite self explanatory. Really just tell us about the history of your realm. When or how was it founded? Anything that happened in or to it across the ages?)

Organisation Application

Code: Select all: [align=center][b][u][size=150]Organisation Application[/size][/u] (Please make sure to have read the full OP before filling this out.) (Please fill out everything as requested. (Please delete everything within rounded brackets once you are done.)[/b][/align] [hr][/hr][b]Basic Details[/b][hr][/hr] [b]Organisation Name:[/b] (What is your organisation officially called?) [b]Short Name:[/b] (Shorter, less official names that may be in use in regular conversation or among enemies) [b]Organisation Symbol(s):[/b] (Is there any specific heraldry associated with your organisation at large? Any Lidless Eyes of Sauron or Imperial Eagles?) [b]Reach:][/b] (Where does your organisation operate? How far does its influence reach? This can be left blank as it may heavily depend on the consent of other players and how your concept works out with theirs) [b]Headquarters:[/b] (Where is your headquarters located at the start of the RP? A cross somewhere on the map will suffice. This section can be left blank till you have negotiated it with other players) [b]Membership:[/b] (Pretty self explanatory, how many members does your organisation have?) [hr][/hr][b]Organisational Details Details[/b][hr][/hr] [b]Organisation Type:[/b] (Are you a Guild? An evil Cult? A Mercenary Company? A Pirate Fleet?) [b]Leader:[/b] (Name and potentially title of the person that is de jure or de facto leading your organisation) [b]Leader Description:[/b] (Since this is medieval fantasy and the importance and power of the leaders tends to increase drastically, a small description at least may be in order. No, we are not talking about a physical description unless your leader turns out to be a Titan under whose feet the ground quakes, but rather personality, relationships, skills, etc.) [b]Organisation Description:[/b] (Explain how your organisation is run, any notable persons or posts within it, just...welll...pretty straightforward how it is organised. It's hierarchy and the likes) [b]Goals:[/b] (Any particular goals your organisation or just your leaders may be following? Immortality? Summoning Cthulhu? Revenge? Shiny, gleamy coin?) [b]Reputation:[/b] (Are you a publically known and well respected organisation? Or a band of wanted criminals? Do you have any particular ties with certain realms or organisations?) [hr][/hr][b]Fluff Details[/b][hr][/hr] [b]History:[/b] (Quite self explanatory. Really just tell us about the history of your organisation. When or how was it founded? Anything that happened in or to it across the ages?)

by **Remnants of Exilvania** » Sun Sep 01, 2024 9:34 am

Reserved

by **Remnants of Exilvania** » Sun Sep 01, 2024 9:35 am

Accepted Realms
Kingdom of En'Akkunat - Reference - Faal Lot Himdah
High Principality of Eitel-ha-Fihanhus - Reference - Arlye Austros
Most Serene Republic of Solomanta - Reference- Naval Monte
Celestial Empire Qhin - Reference - Sao Nova Europa
Empire of Cheongryeo - Reference - Intermountain States
Kingdom of Vocran - Reference - Theyra
Vaulkar Concordat - Reference - Pragia
Tuatha Na Sar'Arthiel Si Elle - Reference - Imperialisium
Dún Meascéibhe - Reference - Khasinkonia
Sublime Abode of Achysia - Reference - Tracian Empire
Dominion of Eizeburgk - Reference - Remnants of Exilvania
The Kingdom of Thennar - Reference - Woodstovia
The Nemesis Imperium - Reference - Aekaria
The Western Alliance - Reference - Saxonir

Accepted Organisations
Order of the Black Reach - Reference - Thai Sweet Billy
Golden Sons Mercenary Company - Reference - Drakonica
Holy Order of Solaris Templars - Reference - Behe Cae
Western Free Companies - Reference - Saxonir

In Progress Sheets

by **Remnants of Exilvania** » Sun Sep 01, 2024 9:37 am

Realm Application

Basic Details

Realm Name: The Dominion of Eizeburgk
Short Name: Winter Dominion, White Kingdom, Eizeburgk Witchdom
National Symbol(s): The 6 pointed Snowflake.
Territory: Right here
Capital: Eizeburgk, a remote fortress with one singular, towering spire of ice at its center, within which the Queen dwells. Few mortals come here, fewer still stay for more than a day. The ice of the tower itself is ancient and magical, from a time before most of the mortal races, fashioned into its current shape by the power of the Queen and said to be hard as iron.

Political Details

Realm Type: Stratocratic Autocracy
Ruler:Queen Lyndis Zaffelizen, White Witch of Winter, Sovereign of the Northern Pole, Ruler of the Glaciers, Mother of Giants, Lady of the Frozen Heart, White Queen
Ruler Description: Zimni Mraz, a name she picked only after accepting the Dwarves under her dominion, is an ancient being on Laurentia, likely one of its eldest. Rumoured to have come from another world, much like the Elves, her unnatural and cold beauty has not diminished over the millennia of her life. She is considered one of the most powerful known users of Black Magic upon the known world and has mastered blood magic and astral magics to a high degree. She is rather frigid in her demeanor and known as a cruel and oppressive lord from the north that sometimes even takes the field of battle.
Government Description: The dominion of the North is fully ruled by one woman and one woman alone. Queen Zimni reigns without equal or even an advisory government apparatus to assist her in the making of and execution of her decisions. Nay, the Queen alone makes large decisions and either sends for those who are to execute them or sends her handmaidens to act as envoys and enforcers.

Yet the Queen and the Frostborne she surrounds herself with are far removed from the everyday lives and rule of the people she claims dominion over. The vast majority of these are dwarves, the lost Clans which migrated north during the Age of Convergence. They have, in service of their Queen, built a stratocracy to execute their own desires of vengeance while fulfilling the goals of their Queen. Their vast holds in the northern mountains are ruled by Governour-Generals, prominent warlords, all of which are coordinated by the Eizebart Marshal, a practically hereditary office held by the senior members of Clan Eizebart for generations. The holds themselves however are governoured almost independently of each other, enforcing control around their surrounding areas through a sufficiently dwarven and rather anal system of bureacracy, taxation and waystations.

The hardy giants of the north mostly live independently of the Dwarven stratocracy, living in small groups or on their own in castles they themselves built upon the high rocks. Due to the small size of their society, they do not really have much in the way of rulers or the like, instead recognising the Dominion of the White Queen and answering the call to arms but otherwise mostly living on their own.

The men, many of which have found themselves under the iron fist of the Dwarves due to relatively recent conquests, are rarely more organised than having a village elder or a clan head that manages their villages. Most often these villages are subject to the rule of Dwarven Captains commanding nearby military camps.
Goals: To cover Laurentia in a new Ice Age, to get their revenge on the Vaulkar, to complete the Frozen Mirror
Diplomatic Relations: The White Dominion has a long standing hostile relationship with the Vaulkar Concordat in particular. While the White Queen herself feels only marginally more hatred for them than anyone else due to their focus on pyromancy, many of the Dwarves are eager to drive the Dragonlords from the Mountains they occupy and peace is not even anywhere close to on their mind. The Winter Realm and the Vaulkar Concordat have been in a lengthy, low intensity conflict in the north that has seen the border pushed gradually south- and westward.

Diplomatic relations with most other realms are...frosty. Elven realms in particular are not regarded all that highly while dwarven realms are seen in a somewhat better light. Nonetheless, the Eizeburgk Witchdom does maintain basic diplomatic relations with nearby realms.

Population Details

Population: 19 million
Population Description: The vast majority (80%) of the population living under the frozen fist of the White Queen are Dwarves, more specifically former Dwarves of the Thurmakohm Mountains which made the treck here millennia ago. They populate the mountain holds, they pay the taxes, contribute the most to the military and to the economy. Among their society, military service and prowess is valued highly and members who distinguished themselves in combat and war are well regarded and often elevated to high positions among their society whereas civilians are often looked down on and spat on as leeches hiding behind the brave warriors expanding the dominion.

Giants make up an incredibly small part of the population yet still contribute highly to the dominion, offering their services both militarily and economically. They are enormous humanoids, standing at 25 feet tall on average and living to a ripe age of 150 years on average. Their intelligence is of approximately human level and they are surprising adapt at using their hands and fingers for various crafts. While tales of magic-casting giants do exist, the rarity of the mutation paired with their extremely low population generally means that giant mages are beyond rare.

The Frostborne are the highest strata of society within the dominion. They are the retinue of the White Queen herself and only rarely leave her side in significant numbers. Yet the Frostborne are not...they are not quite normal but all in good time. The Frostborne can generally be divided into two camps. The Snow Maidens, handmaidens of the Queeen, and the Ice Guard, the royal guard of the Queen. The two groups have only two things in common. One, they are immortal and two, they were not always Frostborne. The Frostborne are in fact recruited, most often from the enemies of the Queen which is why prisoners are usually brought to Eizeburgk. Women who catch her interest have the great honour of becoming her Snow Maidens whereas all the others whom she does not turn into ice statues become Ice Guards.

To become Frostborne, a person must usually undergo a ritual during which their heart is staked with a magical piece of ice, enchanted by the Queen. Legend says that it freezes the blood in their veins, turning their skin pallid and white alongside their hair, their eyes equally turning a light blue with a soft magical glow to it. They are entirely immune to the cold of the north and do not age any longer. Snow Maidens also generally develop the ability to use magic from this ritual. Yet the greatest changes and differences between the two groups lies in what the ritual does to their minds. While Amnesia is a shared trait among both, the Snow Maidens mimick their Queen in behaviour, turning cold and frigid, downright cruel with hatred for the warmth of the summer and the living. The Ice Guards on the other hand...turn into little more than automatons for their Queen and her Maidens. There is no more soul or personality behind those glowing blue eyes, only duty and obedience.

Lastly there are the humans, many of whom have only recently come under the rule of the Witch. They are...the lowest of the low in their society. They possess little to no rights, are not really recruited into the military or generally regarded poorly. They eke out their lives on the edge of the Dominion's society, hopeful to not be mistreated too much by the Dwarven Warmachine while remaining in largely primitive small settlements.
Religion: While originally following the Elmastrian Faith, the religion of the northern Dwarves has found itself perverted over time. Ancestor Worship changed and Morval was dethroned as the chief deity, finding himself cast aside by the snake he himself had supposedly slain. The dwarves of the Dominion believe that the head of said snake, after having been severed by Elmastron, survived and crawled north where it would take the guise of the White Witch. Her blood had become their own. Her breath their breath. The spark of Elmastron as it cut through her scales become their life. And like their birthmother she watched out for them. As such the northern dwarves worship Lyndis as the snake Nakeik and their true chief god rather than Morval, this specific heresy branding itself Nakeikism.

Strategic Details

Military Description: The sole consistent, standing force of the Dominion is the Ice Guard, the royal guard of the Queen that garrisons Eizeburgk and protects life and home of the Queen. Their numbers are rather small but word is that they are unaffected by the cold and do not tire, sleep or eat like mortals do. They bear heavy armour of excellent dwarven steel and magical ice and are highly disciplined and coordinated, making for a dangerous foe on any battlefield. Their weapons cause frostbite wherever they bite and tear into flesh.

Meanwhile the vast majority of the Dominion's military consists of dwarven war hosts which are raised for the occasion of a new campaign. Said hosts can reach an impressive size, the bulk of their forces made up of heavily armoured dwarves, bearing with them tower shields, maces, axes and ice picks or helbards and spears. These are often backed up with dwarven crossbowmen in chainmail shirts and powerful siege crossbows. As is common for dwarves, their hosts are often accompanied by a relatively large number of highly effective siege engines, catapults, ballistae and other artillery with which they douse the battlefields in ice and steel. Between these heavy formations, the dwarven short legs and the siege engines, this makes northern hosts rather slow, their advance often being likened to that of a glacier.

However, the Dwarves do have faster options to assist them. Tamed and trained ice wolves assist them as trackers and skirmishers and polar bears are often armoured and placed before chariots to provide the dwarves with at least some mobile units to break through.To top it off, giants often join the dwarven warhosts, these enormous humanoids often being clad in lamellar shirts and bearing enormous weapons with them. Lastly, the dwarves rely on large mammoths to act as draft animals for their warmachines though also at times as heavy breakthrough units or mobile firing platforms, with dwarves placed in wooden seats atop them and equipped with crossbows.

On the seas, the Dwarves are...not particularly seaworthy, thus not generally utilising any ships. Bar one. Through magic and foul sorcery and no small amount of dwarven crafts, the dwarves have come into the possession of large icebergs in the northern seas. They have built tunnels into them, carved towers and walls out of the ice, placed weapons upong them and created armouries deep inside them. Now these fearsome fortresses patrol the northern seas, their sighting almost always a sign of bad things to come.
Magic Description: Magic in the Winter Dominion is rarely used. Largely on account of most of the Dwarves never developing the mutation necessary for it and the Giants being too few in numbers. Those few dwarves who are capable of magic are either users of white magic, healers and priests focused on mending the wounds of the warriors, or some shamans who commune with the animals that the Dwarves force into combat. The humans under the dominion of Winter rarely find good teachers for those among them capable of manipulating magic and as such rarely develop beyond being minor spellcasters. And if they get more, they are usually tracked down by a hitsquad of Dwarves or the Frostborne.

Most magic use is concentrated within the very small ranks of the Snow Maidens, which prove to be excellent casters of black magic with a certain winter bend to it, their spells most often focusing around manipulating the elements and temperatures and the weather itself. They bring about snow and ice, glaciers and statues, they enchant weapons with runes of terrible frost power and so on and so forth. They themselves are the result of magic, a dark ritual in which a shard of ice, infused with magic, is staked into their hearts, causing the women to transform into the cold yet beautiful handmaidens of the Queen.

The Queen on the other hand is...the pinnacle of the Snow Maidens. Her command of their particular cryomantic brand of black magic is far greater than any of theirs to the point that her appearance on any field of battle is considered an extremely ill omen. She is also an excellent user of blood magic and Astral Magic, despite its low power. Curiously enough, within Eizeburgk, she has a great mirror made of Astral Ice, said to have been made from asteroid shards of her homeworld that impacted this world. With this great mirror she gazes far and wide, divining the paths of the future, the vague dangers and opportunities ahead....yet it is rumoured that it is not the true purpose of the mirror and that it is moreso a portal in the making...one that would open a gateway to her world if the light of the right constellation shone upon it. Yet the mirror remains incomplete and the Snow Maidens and a small legion of spies continue to scour the world for more shards to complete the mirror.
Economic Description: The Winter Dominion's economy is...varied. The dwarven cities carve deep into the mountains, drilling their mines ever deeper for more coal, more iron, more precious metals to fuel their warmachine with. Said warmachine never rests and the foundries of the dwarven cities ring with the sound of hammers and the hiss of molten metal as they continue to craft vast stores of weapons, tools, armours and the like deep beneath their mountains. Some of these wares tend to find their way south, onto the markets where they can often fetch great prices, dwarven metalcraft remaining of the highest quality. Yet they also find great deals of gemstones and the like, which they trade abroad, often through the black market. They also maintain large mushroom farms deep beneath and raise fish in underground lakes, though those do not remotely cover their need for food.

Vast forests and tundras dominate the subpolar regions of the Winter Dominion. Here dwarven logging companies have made their home, stripping the land of its vegetation to provide construction material and fuel for their great cities. Dwarven trappers also prowl these northern territories, catching big game and bringing it back for domestication in the warhosts or for its meat to feed its people. The heavy furs are used to make clothing though many of the furs and pelts are also sold in great quantities to nations to the south. Alongside mammoth ivory and so on and so forth.

Humans often do little more than some fishing and hunting and some crafts to maintain their small communities.

Fluff Details

History: In the Age of Stone, deep in the Thurmakohm, was the Kingdom of Eitherz Thur, one of the pre-eminent Dwarven Realms of the age. It's halls were vast, its reach far and its armies powerful. They maintained good relations with their dwarven neighbours to the south, east and west and were known as good, generous overlords of the humans that lived at the feet of their mountains, teaching them how to work metal or farm properly. In short, the Kingdom of Eitherz Thur was likely one of the best places to be prior to the Convergence. Curiously, deep into the Age of Stone closer towards its end, in the far north east of Laurentia, a group of human cultists dabbling in Astral Magics, summoned their goddess when the constellations lined up. Little is known of what happened there but...none of the cultists survived their ritual and from that day onward, the weather in the far north of Laurentia grew colder.

When the Convergence hit, the dwarves of Eitherz Thur were quick to join their brethren in western Laurentia on the frontlines. Their expertly arrayed warhosts clashed with the Elven Invaders time and again, yet dwarves found themselves outmaneuvred by the dragons the Elves brought as well as the powerful magics they unleashed. After decades of fighting, they were forced back into their impregnable holds by the Elven General Vaulkar. They were prepared for a lenghty siege, confident that they could bleed Vaulkar dry until none of his army remained to keep up the slaughter. Yet their confidence faltered when the ground beneath their feet was shaken and burst, when the lower halls filled with molten rock and demons, when the heat and steam boiled those in the upper floors alive. It was nearly genocide, with the kingdom being crippled with that one act. Those few in power who remained hastily concluded an armistice with Vaulkar. They would yield their halls. Their arms. Their valuables. And in return be granted safe passage to simply leave.

What followed was an event often called the March of the Hundred-Thousand. The bedraggled survivors of Eitherz Thur marched eastwards. Slow, with little food and no weapons, not used to such a nomadic lifestyle, they were easy pickings for human rebels or Elven raiders. Or even just hungry animals, Diseases wracked their ranks and their provisions ran out more than once on their ceaseless treck in search of a new home. The survivors eventually made it far north, their final destination for deep snow and cold winds slowed their progress to a crawl. They would have all perished there had not a downright angelic figure showed itself to them. A woman, neither human nor elf nor dwarf, of a cold beauty and seemingly entirely unbothered by the cold showed herself to them and bade them answer her what they did here. They explained it to her and she seemed to sympathise with their plight, though detractors would later claim that she merely saw a useful tool for the future. She offered them a pact. For their eternal servitude, she would allow them to live in these cold lands...and let them have their vengeance on Vaulkar. The dwarves were hesitant to accept this deal. Strange deals made with beautiful women in blizzards were afterall no way for a people to orient their life after. But Torsten Eizebart, head of Clan Eizebart and one of the most influential dwarves stepped forward and agreed to the conditions, entering the pact.

Throughout the rest of the Age of Convergence and practically the entire Age of Man, the dwarves would dig deep into the mountains of the north. Their numbers would slowly grow, as would their holds as their grip on the north would grow tighter. During this time there were still many detractors, many who would speak out against the Queen. Either because she was suspicious or because she had not yet granted them their revenge againt Vaulkar. Few of these spoke for long and many would find themselves again as icy statues in Eizeburgk, their faces forever locked in grimaces of terror. They had not the strength yet for the wars their Queen envisioned. But they were building it slowly, creating the society that would be able to wage the wars their Queen needed.

When the Age of Darkness rolled around, it did so with what could be considered a small ice age. The glaciers in the north grew, heavy snowfall blanketed much of northern Laurentia...and for the first time in millennia, the dwarves of the north went to war again. Warhosts would drive across many of the nomadic human peoples of the northwest of the continent, subjugating them with ease before finally crashing against the first tendrils of the Empire of the End which put a stop to the winter campaigns for a time. Still, skirmishing across the southern frontier would continue as the dwarves would continue to probe the Empire's borders, eventually leading to a construction of fortifications, outposts and watchtowers from the Dawn Elves and Hobgoblins, keeping the forces of winter out for the time being. Yet perhaps if a new series of harsh winters would come, they might come knocking again in forces.

Later during th Age of Darkness, the Queen set her sights o nthe west. A new warmachine was released. The great ice ships crossed the gulf and landed with them hosts of dwarves, leading to the first meeting with the Vaulkar Concordat. Fighting would be brutal, dragonflame against frost-hardened steel, with many dwarves perishing. Yet like a glacier, the dwarven tide proved unstoppable and they toppled the Vaulkarite Houses of the northwest and occupied the mountains. Over the following centuries, the dwarves would continue their advance every winter. Sometimes only advancing as far as a new village, sometimes a new town. They had grown cautious after meeting the dragons again and now rarely fought without well prepared hosts, equipped with siege engines to try and attack the winged beasts and their riders. Slowly they managed to extend their dominion that way, along the Elgahrahm Mountains or the Frostspikes. They were unable to claim the mountains themselves, the Houses of the Dragonlords putting up a stubborn resistance...yet with their iceships they could threaten the entire coast and threaten it they did, taking large parts of it.

by **Faal Lot Himdah** » Sun Sep 01, 2024 9:39 am

Realm Application

Basic Details

Realm Name: The Kingdom of En’Akkunat
Short Name: En’Akkunat
National Symbol(s): A stylized 8 pointed star with a blackened clenched fist in the middle
Territory: The majority of the eastern coast of Gondwana
Capital: Nimri’Karna

Political Details Details

Realm Type: Kingdom with some Theocratic and Magocratic elements
Ruler: Sorcerer-King Hazeru-Dagan (Elven name is Rhothomir)
Ruler Description: Rhothomir is a tall Horned Elf, with four notable horns. He is a direct descendant of Chaethyrian. Upon his coronation, he took on the Royal name of Hazeru-Dagan. He is a devout follower of Czagamanu, practitioner of Black Magic, Blood Magic and Astral Magic. With his focus on magic, do not mistake him for a feeble wizard, as he is also a highly skilled warrior, and schemer. After all, to be the Sorcerer-King, you must be able to stand against all contenders, from both beyond and within.

Government Description: Officially, the very pinnacle of power in the Kingdom, the Sorcerer-King reigns. Unofficially there are rumours that there is a power above that of the Sorcerer-King pullingthe strings form the shadiws; some say in whispered rumours that above the Sorcerer-King is a secret cabal of undying sorcerers, while others say it is the spirit if Chaethyrian. The position of Sorcerer-King is held for life, and holds supreme political and religious power, as even the High Priests are at his command. When a Sorcerer-King passes, the Sorcerer-Princes will fight for the position. These battles are rarely large-scale, more political intrigue, duels and backroom dealings. As such, killing one's opponent is not always necessary. The Sorcerer-Prince that comes out victorious is crowned the Sorcerer-King.

Sorcerer-Princes are just below the Sorcerer-King, but equal to the High Priests in political power. The Sorcerer-Princes are the nobility that tend to rule over one of the Great Cities (excluding Nimri’Karna) and its surrounding area. However, with the conquests of regions beyond En'Akkunat, Sorcerer-Princes have risen to rule over parts of these conquered territories. These Sorcerer-Princes are often referred to as Outland Sorcerer-Princes by the Sorcerer-Princes of the Heartland. Despite being on the same political level, these Outland Sorcerer-Princes tend to be seen as lesser than the Heartland Sorcerer-Princes. Like with the Sorcerer-King, when a Sorcerer-Prince dies, the title is not immediately passed to their first born, instead, the nobles underneath the Sorcerer-Prince fight for the position.

The High Priests of the Great Temples are politically on the same level as Sorcerer-Princes. As such, while they can advise the Sorcerer-Princes, they can not order them around and vice versa. This separation of church and state prevents either from growing too powerful, and thus becoming a threat to the Sorcerer-King.

Below the Sorcerer-Princes and the High Priests are the Priesthood, and Lower Nobility. The Priesthood are holy men and women in service to one of the Nine. Within the Priesthood there are three sublevels; Cleric, Priest, and Prelate. Clerics are the lowest in the Priesthood, and are expected to assist those of higher ranks in the operation of temples or travel the land to fulfill the requests of their superiors. Priests are the middle rank of the Priesthood. Priests are the head of temples, and thus responsible for the operation of their own temple. Finally, there are the Prelates. Prelates are responsible for overseeing a set territory given to them by the High Priest. If there are not enough temples or territories, Priests and Prelates are expected to aid in the service and operation of their respective Great Temple.

The Lower Nobility comprises two sublevels; the High Lordships and the Low Lordships. The High Lordships are comparable to a Count. They rule from a lesser city and hold domain over the territory surrounding that city. Under them are the Low Lordships. These Low Lords and Low Ladies are responsible for the administration of the domain of their High Lord/Lady, and this are the lowest rank of landed nobility in the Kingdom. It is worth noting that the ranks of the Lower Nobility tend to be the most diverse of the noble ranks, as above the Lower Nobility it tends to only be Horned Elves.

Below the Lower Nobility are the Sorcerers, and the Unlanded Nobility. The Sorcerers are divided into three sublevels, the Sorcerer-Apprentice, the Sorcerer-Adept and the Sorcerer-Master. The Sorcerer-Apprentice is the lowest rank of Sorcerer. Anyone could potentially become a Sorcerer-Apprentice as long as they possess magical ability, and have caught the attention of a Sorcerer-Master. They are still learning and young. They learn from and thus serve a Sorcerer-Master, who tends to be the Sorcerer-Master who takes an interest in them. The Sorcerer-Apprentice can only rank up to a Sorcerer-Adapt once their Sorcerer-Master deems them ready. As a Sorcerer-Adept they are expected to serve the members of nobility to build up experience.

Eventually they may get the opportunity to be tested by a Triad of Masters in order to be named a Sorcerer-Master. The Triad of Masters is composed of three Sorcerer-Masters who agree to test the Sorcerer-Adept in question. Once a Sorcerer-Master, they can serve at the behest of a Sorcerer-Prince, the Sorcerer-King or even be made landed nobility. As such, the position of a Sorcerer-Master politically tends to be the same as the Lower Nobility as Sorcerer-Masters tend to take Lower Nobility titles.

The Unlanded Nobility enjoys a similar level, if not slightly lower, of political power as the other two sublevels of Sorcerer. The Unlanded Nobility consists of prominent warriors, community leaders, judges, administrators, tax collectors, powerful merchants who achieve noble status with their wealth and the personal retinues of higher ranked nobility. They serve at the behest of their landed superiors.

Acolytes are individuals who turn to the temples to join their ranks. They are the young and inexperienced who seek to dedicate themselves to the service of the gods. They are taught at temples and even the Great Temples by Clerics. Once they are ready, they are tested and if they pass their Cleric testing they become clerics. Acolytes are seen to be slightly lower than the Unlanded Nobility.

Under the Unlanded Nobility and Acolytes are the skilled workers; merchants, artisans and soldiery. The soldiery tends to be held in slightly higher regard than the merchants and artisans, but ultimately all three enjoy the same level of political power.

Under the skill workers are the peasantry. These are the people who work the land of their own will. They are compensated by their superiors, and do have some level of mobility, as they can become skilled workers or Acolytes. If they have magical potential, then if they are lucky they could also become Sorcerers.

Finally, at the bottom of the Kingdom's political-societal structure are the slaves. However, even among the slaves there is a level of stratification. Freshly captured slaves are seen as the lowest of the low, followed by natural born foreign slaves and then by natural born local slaves. By natural born, it is referencing that they are born to slaves, and thus not captured. Of course, the stratification of slaves is subject to exceptions based on the preference of those wishing to obtain them.

Goals: The ultimate goal of the Kingdom since Chaethyrian’s reign has been to reopen a gateway to the Elven home. Current goal for the Kingdom is to expand its power on the world stage, secure greater wealth and so on. Rhothomir’s goals are to maintain power and expand his power, perhaps even conquer death itself.
Diplomatic Relations:

Population Details

Population: Approximately 18 million; 6% Horned Elves, 16% Beast Blessed, 28% Orc, 46% Human, 4% Other
Population Description:
At the top of En’Akkunat society are the Horned Elves. The Horned Elves are a subrace of elves that are descendants of the followers of Chaethyrian. Due to Chaethyrian’s dealings with the gods of the Gansigarza, specifically with Czagamanu, he and his followers were marked and changed. While still tall and slender, with great magical potential, the Horned Elves tend to have a one or two sets of prominent horns on their heads. Their skin has also changed to a more dark bronze colour, and tend to no longer have light coloured hair (there are exceptions). Their eyes have been changed as well, with he sclera of their eyes turning black, while the cornea tends to range from golden to dark brown (again, there are exceptions).

Below the Horned Elves are the Beast Blessed. The Beast Blessed are descendants of the seven Tribes of En’Akkunat that allied with Chaethyrian. According to tradition, the leaders and greatest warriors of these tribes were granted power directly from Chaethyrian. A power that allowed them to call upon the power of one of seven great beasts found in En’Akkunat. Due to their nature, the Beast Blessed have two forms that they are able to shift between at will; a human form with small features hinting to the beast within, and a bestial form where they take on more bestial aspects which enhance their physical capabilities and become no longer recognizable as human. The Beast Blessed are as follows;

The Jakali Tribe was granted the power of the Jackal, and would become known as the Kug’Jakali. In their human form they possess enhanced smell, enhanced hearing and slightly sharper canine teeth than normal. Their bestial form resembles that of a humanoid jackal, about the same size as their human form.
The Bere Tribe was granted the power of the Bull, and would become known as the Kug’Bere. In their human form they tend to be more muscular, possess incredible strength and have more body hair growth than normal. Their bestial form resembles that of a humanoid bull, and is considerably larger than their human form (up to 10 feet tall).
The Anibesa Tribe was granted the power of the Lion, and would become known as the Kug’Anibesa. In their human form they tend to have sharp canines, possess superior strength, and are able to see at night. Their bestial form resembles that of a humanoid lion, and is slightly taller than their human form (about 7 to 8 feet tall).
The Ayajibo Tribe was granted the power of the Hyena, and would become known as the Kug’Ayajibo. In their human form they tend to have enhanced smell, incredibly sharp teeth and slightly larger than normal mouths. Their bestial form resembles that of a humanoid hyena, about the same size as their human form.
The Amora Tribe was granted the power of the Vulture, and would become known as the Kug’Amora. In their human form they tend to have no hair on their head, an enhanced sense of smell, and superior agility. Their bestial form resembles that of a humanoid vulture, about the same size as their human form.
The Azo Tribe was granted the power of the Crocodile, and would become known as the Kug’Azo. In their human form they tend to have tougher skin, a great ability to hold their breaths, and greater strength. Their bestial form resembles that of a humanoid crocodile, and is considerably larger than their human form (8 to 9 feet tall).
The Ibabi Tribe was granted the power of the Serpent, and would become known as the Kug’Ibabi. In their human form they tend to have serpentine eyes, incredible flexibility and a keen sense for vibrations. Their bestial form resembles that of a humanoid serpent, and while the body remains the same size, the tail in this form makes them larger than their human form (up to 10 feet long, 6 to 7 feet tall).

Under the Beast Blessed are the Humans of En’Akkunat and the Orcs. The humans of En’Akkunat are olive to bronze skinned humans, with dark hair and dark eyes.

Under the Humans of En’Akkunat and the Orcs are the Humans of Masan. The Humans of Masan appear almost identical to the Humans of En’Akkunat, however their skin tends to be lighter in tone (more on the olive side than the bronze side).

Finally, at the bottom of En’Akkunat society are the slaves. Individuals from beyond the Kingdom, either captured or bought and then brought to the Kingdom to serve or be used as sacrifices. Humans, elves, dwarves, pretty much any one not originating from the races or Tribes of En’Akkunat can be taken as slaves.

Religion: The Gansigarza is the primary faith of the Kingdom of En'Akkunat, and was brought into prominence in the region by Nakhtu-Dagan/Chaethyrian. It is a polytheistic religion with a focus on nine primary deities, which make up the core pantheon, also known simply as the Nine. Other lesser deities do exist, but are greatly overshadowed by the core pantheon. Each of the Nine have their own Great Temple, massive Ziggurats built in different cities within En’Akkunat, and have their own unique worship. The core pantheon is composed of the following deities;

Czagamanu; The God of Ambition, Domination, Undeath and Curses. Also known as; He of the Endless Ambitions, The Decaying Tyrant, and the Undying God. He is the chief deity of the Ganisgarza, and thus the most important deity to the people of En’Akkunat. According to legend, he is the source of Nakhtu-Dagan/Chaethyrian’s great power, and is the reason that all the elven followers of Chaethyrian became the Horned Elves. His fickle favour is only attracted by great ambitions and displays of dominance over others. This often leads to infighting amongst his followers, which he looks upon favorably. He demands great sacrifices from his followers, and his Great Temple in Nimri’Karna is the site of many mass sacrifices of mortal beings. However, if his demands are satisfied, and his favour maintained, one can potentially gain access to his boundless power and command over undeath. His most prominent worshippers are the political elite of the Kingdom of En’Akkunat.
Eashu; Goddess of the Moon, Stars, Memories and Scholarship. Also known as; the Lady of the Astral Expanse, the Queen of the What-Was, and the Mistress of Scrolls. She is seen as the second most important deity among the Nine, and is said to be the sister-wife of Czagamanu. Eashu is a much kinder deity than her husband, but still has her demands of her followers. While she does not refuse the sacrifice of mortal life to her, what she expects of her followers is an endless pursuit of knowledge. Her most devout followers have been known to sacrifice their own memories to please her and gain her favour. Her Great Temple is located in Sibyl’Deshra, and is the home of the largest library in En’Akkunat, with a collection of historical texts, magical tomes, maps and so on. This collection is maintained and protected by the Moon Maidens. Her most prominent worshippers beyond the Moon Maidens, are scholars and sorcerers.
Ereshkek; God of Shadows, Secrets, Schemes, and Thieves. Also known as; the Under Broker, the Lord of Secrets and the King of the Unseen. He is said to be the son of Czagamanu and Eashu, and the third most important deity of the Nine. Mortal sacrifices made to him are appreciated, along with the sacrifice of wealth. From his most loyal worshippers, he demands their service. He demands of his most devout to scheme in his name, and to collect secrets for his divine ears. His Great Temple is located in the city of Neveh’Tisir. Thieves see him as their patron, and tend to be among his most prominent worshippers. From these thieves who worship him, he demands a share of their loot. Beyond thieves, his prominent worshippers include spies and assassins in service to the Kingdom.
Nargul; God of Bloodlust, Murder, War and Terror. Also known as; The God-Butcher, Flesh-Render, and the Lord of Terror. He is said to be the brother of Czagamanu, and the fourth most important deity of the Nine. He cares only for blood shed in his name. Mortal sacrifices, murder, those killed in war, all these sate his hunger. As such, it is no surprise that his most prominent worshippers are warriors, murderers, assassins and torturers. His Great Temple is located in the city of Abylo’Bedju.
Vahsut; God of Pain, Competition, Renewal and Valour. Also known as; The Lord of Struggles, the Healing Blade, and the Unbroken. He is the fifth most important deity of the Nine, and is perhaps the only deity among the Nine that could be considered “good”. He is the son of Nargul and Anuki. He despises the sacrifice of mortal lives to him, instead demanding his followers give him their service and their own pain. The service he demands is service to others, to heal and protect. To strive for greater things than oneself, and push themselves to their own limits. He is the patron of healers, athletes, and those who dedicate themselves to self improvement. There are many warriors that also follow Vahsut. Beyond those mentioned, he also has a strong following among the beggars, the sick and the slave population of En’Akkunat. His Great Temple can be found in the city of Emin’Khmarna.
Se'Nagal; Goddess of Madness, Creativity, Craftsmanship and Trickery. Also known as; the Laughing Goddess, the Chaos Child and the Lady of the Will-Be. She stands as the sixth most important deity of the Nine. According to legend; she is either the daughter of Hashta and is fathered by both Czagamanu and Nargul; or she is the mother of Czagamanu, Eashu, Nargul and Hashta. Mortal sacrifices given as part of a performance, or displayed with an artistic vision greatly pleases her. The breaking of one's own sanity in furtherance of creativity or innovation are her favourite sacrifices. Her Great Temple is in the city of Ukish’Memphen. Her most prominent worshippers are artists, artisans, and the Star-Brass Soultects.
Hashta; Goddess of Desire, Wine, Lust and Excess. Also known as; the Red Lady, The Queen of Endless Desires, and the Temptress. She is the sister to Czagamanu, Eashu and Nargul, and is seen as the seventh most important deity of the Nine. Her demands of her followers are more carnal than those of the other deities of the Nine. She will accept the sacrifice of mortal lives, but she far more enjoys when her followers succumb to their more primal urges. Debauchery is her wine, and she finds it good. The most prominent of her followers are the prostitutes, winemakers, those who operate various types of dens of iniquity (drugs, alcohol, brothels, etc). Her Great Temple is located in the city of Karka’Naqad.
Anuki; Goddess of Fate, Life and Death. Also known as; the Lady of the Ledger, the Witch of All Fates, and the Mother of the Eternal Cycle. According to tradition; she, along with her daughter Oshku, are the only members of the Nine not related to Czagamanu. She is the mother of Vahsut. Anuki is the eighth most important deity of the Nine, and is seen as a neutral force. She is life and death, destruction and creation, the fate of all things. Those who worship her do not sacrifice mortal life to appease her, as there is no appeasing a fundamental force of reality. Instead, they offer to serve her whims. Her most prominent followers are the Servants of the Ledger, a religious order responsible for granting last rites to those who have passed, as well as aiding in the birth of new life. They do not act to prolong life or prevent death. The most devout of the Servants of the Ledger are also rumoured to be able to glimpse at fate, and thus can serve as oracles. Her Great Temple is located in Babis‘Ahur, where it also serves as the largest necropolis in the Kingdom.
Oshku; Goddess of the Wilds, Fertility, Sky and Storms. Also known as; the Mother of Beasts, the Bringer of Rains, and the Mistress of Lightning. According to tradition; Oshku is the daughter of Anuki and an unknown father, and thus is the only deity of the Nine with no relation to the rest beyond her mother and half-brother. Like her mother, she is seen as a neutral force. However, unlike her mother, she is a force that can be negotiated with. Her followers believe that offering sacrifices of mortal lives, beasts and even crops can be used to curry her favour. Hunters seek her favour for a good hunt. Farmers seek her favour for good crops and bountiful harvests. Sailors seek her favour for calm seas and clear skies. And those who travel over the deserts seek her favour for clear skies and safe passage. Her Great Temple is located in Kisho’Maada.

Beyond the Nine of Gansigarza, there are three other faiths of note. The first is the faith of the orcs. While the orcs have been welcomed into the Kingdom, they have for the most part refused to convert to Gansigarza, instead keeping their own traditional beliefs. Seeing as they do not interfere with the Kingdom, they have been allowed to keep these beliefs.

Among the humans of En’Akkunat, in the more rural villages, there are pockets of the pre-Gansigarza faith of the Tribes of En’Akkunat remaining, Izherism. Izherism is the belief in a single deity, Izher, who was said to have created En’Akkunat, and was its original caretaker. Humanity was granted the right to live in En’Akkunat due to a pact with Izher, where as long as they respected the land, they would live in prosperity under Izher’s protection.

The third minor faith in the Kingdom is Masani Spiritualism. The Tribes of Masan are a recent conquest, and as such, not much time has passed to turn them away from their ancestral spirits. The Tribes of Masan believe the world is full of spirits, including those of their ancestors. By appeasing the spirits, they are granted rain, food, and so on.

Strategic Details

Military Description:
In times of peace, the military of En’Akkunat is nothing really special. It is a standard professional military, both on land and on sea. Composed purely of volunteers, paid and trained by the crown, to maintain order within the Kingdom and respond to external threats. Leadership of this professional military is primarily given to local nobility, with a preference to those who demonstrate talent and dedicate themselves to the practice of war.

In times of war, the true nature of the En’Akkunati military is revealed. The professional army remains, with an increase in their pay, and the military swells in size with new recruits, both willing and unwilling in the form of levies. Nobility is also expected to provide aid in times of war, in the form of funds, manpower and leadership. All is as expected, and not necessarily what the Kingdom of En’Akkunat’s military is most known for.

What the En’Akkunati military is most known for is its use of magic within the military. They do as most other states do, using magic to supplement their forces, gain tactical advantages, target specific enemy leaders with powerful curses and so on. However, unlike most other states, the En’Akkunati Sorcerers raise the dead, summon forth hordes of undead and undead monstrosities to bolster their forces and overwhelm the enemy.

Beyond the use of undead hordes in their military, the En’Akkunati military can also call upon the Star-Brass Constructs. Created by Star-Brass Soultects primarily to be used in defensive war, they can and have been used offensively. While inactive they stand as nothing more than statues, often in the form of great monsters or great heroes of the Kingdom.

In both times of peace and times of war, the Kingdom is home to a large number of raiders. Many of them are third parties who use the Kingdom as a base of operation, to sail or ride out from to strike at neighbouring powers to fill their own coffers or the coffers of those who hire them. Of course, during times of war, the Sorcerer-King is not beyond convincing these raiders to aid the Kingdom directly through either the carrot or the stick.

In regards to mercenaries, the Kingdom is not above employing them in either times of peace or war.

Will go into more detail on unit composition and details as needed.

Magic Description: Magic has been important to the Kingdom since its founding. After all, there is a reason their leader is called the Sorcerer-King. Magic helped found the Kingdom, and continues to serve a vital role in the protection and the growing power of the Kingdom. The three primary schools of magic used within the Kingdom are Black Magic, Blood Magic and Astral Magic. All three are widely practiced, however the most important for the history of the Kingdom is Black Magic. Specifically necromancy and curses.

Necromancy has been long seen as the pinnacle of magic for the Sorcerers of En’Akkunat, as with it, Chaethyrian supposedly conquered death itself. The use of undead to bolster the Kingdom’s military might is a well established practice. So much so that the Kingdom mummifies their greatest warriors and leaders, along with using magic to delay the decomposition of bodies, so that once they are raised they are more structurally sound and thus more effective in combat.

Sorcerers in En’Akkunat are also known for the creation of Soul Jars. Magical canopic jars that are used to trap the souls of the deceased, created through Blood Magic, so that it may potentially be used to bring them back to life, or as a power source for yet another creation of a sect of Sorcerers of En’Akkunat, known as the Star-Brass Soultects. Star-Brass Soultects specialize in using Black Magic and Astral Magic primarily, along with some Blood Magic, to create magical constructs out of primarily brass. Using the souls of the deceased as a power source, these Star-Brass Constructs are powerful warmachines fielded by the Kingdom to strengthen their military force.

The very structures of the Kingdom are even designed to assist in the practice of magic. The ziggurat temples, noble palaces, and great obelisks that are found across the Kingdom are all designed to enhance the flow of the planets radiation upwards and the magical radiation of the heavens downwards, thus empowering the magic used by the Sorcerers of En’Akkunat.

Finally, because of the importance of magic, anyone born with magical ability if discovered has the chance of becoming nobility. If they aren’t killed during their training, or even before training.

Economic Description: The Calagros Mountains provide the Kingdom with a steady supply of precious metals and gemstones, along with plenty of harder metals. The Ne-Khun River provides bountiful game and large swaths of fertile land for crops. As such, the Kingdom has little need to trade with other powers in order to feed her people or arm her warriors. That said, the Kingdom is more than willing to engage in trade with other powers, trading goods such as excess foodstuffs and finely crafted jewelry, for dyes, silk and other goods unobtainable within the borders of the Kingdom. However, the most important goods the Kingdom seeks are “fallen stars”, also known as meteorites. They seek them to harness the latent astral magic within them, to build magical items or for powerful spells.

There is one other good that is quite important for the Kingdom. Slaves. The Kingdom is a powerful player within the slave trade, with the largest slave market on Gondwana being found in the Kingdom’s capital of Nimri’Karna.

While the Kingdom is willing to engage in trade with other powers, it is just as willing to raid them. There is a long history of the raiders from the Kingdom striking at neighboring powers, taking their people as slaves and their goods for their superiors back in the Kingdom. Not all raiders act with the approval of the Sorcerer-King, and if a raider is found acting against the will of the Sorcerer-King, they are put to death or enslaved themselves as punishment.

Of the great cities of En’Akkunat, there are three cities that can be seen as vital to the economy of the Kingdom. The first being the capital, Nimri’Karna. Nimri’Karna hosts the largest slave market on Gondwana and is the seat of power for the Sorcerer-King. That said, it is perhaps the least important of the three economic centres in the Kingdom. The second economic centre of the Kingdom is the city of Neveh’Tisir. It is here that the Great Port of Neveh’Tisir is found, and thus this city serves as the point of entry for the majority of overseas merchants. It is also here that the majority of commerce occurs, thus making Neveh’Tisir either the most vital or second most vital economic centre, depending on who you ask. The final economic centre is the city of Ukish’Memphen, and according to the artisans is the heart of commerce within the Kingdom. Sometimes referred to as the City of Crafts, it is here where the vast majority of artisans create goods that are then sold in Neveh’Tisir, including the fine jewelry of En’Akkunat.

Fluff Details

History: The Kingdom of En’Akkanut is a powerful nation on the eastern coast of the continent of Gondwana, centred around a small region of the same name, En’Akkanut. The heart of the kingdom is the Ne-Khun River, which runs from the centre of the region to the sea in the east. Its tributaries run across the land from the surrounding Calagros Mountains, bringing life to En’Akkanut. A paradise at the edge of a sprawling desert, protected by the sea and mountains, a land that many would covet.

In the Age of Myth, En’Akkanut was supposedly a garden for the gods, protected by them as a safe haven for life. Demons tried in vain to take it, only to be pushed back with ease by the gods who watched over the region. When the gods left, humanity would then attempt to establish itself in the region.

In the Age of Stone, dwarves claimed dominance in the Calagros Mountains, and the land of En’Akkanut would constantly find itself between the overlordship of the dwarves, and orcish tribes who wished to claim the bounty of En’Akkanut for themselves. Even when the dwarves and orcs attention was elsewhere, there was near constant conflict between the human Tribes of En’Akkanut

In the Age of Convergence, En’Akkanut would remain overlooked for the majority of the age. As the Tribes of En’Akkanut continued to fight amongst themselves and the orcs retreated further south, the dwarves of Calagros found themselves fighting newly arrived elves for control north of the Calagros Mountains. It was during this age that a “star” fell in En’Akkanut, and En’Akkanut got the attention of a powerful elven sorcerer, Chaethyrian.

Chaethyrian and his forces would eventually conquer En’Akkanut and force the dwarves from the Calagros Mountains. He would conquer the region, and establish the city of Nimri’Karna before being named the First Sorcerer-King of En’Akkanut. Of course, he succeeded in his conquests with some help. Chaethyrian would find allies among seven of the numerous Tribes of En’Akkanut, who would come to call him Nakhtu-Dagan. According to En’Akkanut legend, Chaethyrian would also have the aid of a power from beyond the veil, a power that was supposedly responsible for turning his followers into the Horned Elves that claim dominion over En’Akkunat today.

In the Age of Man, the Kingdom of En’Akkunat would expand its dominion over the Calagros Mountains, claiming the abandoned wealth of the mountains for the Kingdom. This wealth would aid the Kingdom of En’Akkunat and Chaethyrian to resist the encroachment of the Boruvian Empire. As the Empire invaded, they were met with the might of the Kingdom. The Empire’s army was greeted by a mortal army supported by powerful dark magics, plus an army of undead risen by Chaethyrian. The Kingdom of En’Akkunat repelled the Empire. Even after Chaethyrian’s death, the Empire never truly attempted to invade the Kingdom, as rumors claimed that Chaethyrian never truly died, instead stating that he had conquered death itself.

In the Age of Darkness, as the Empire collapsed and orcs moved north, the Kingdom of En’Akkunat would look to the south. While others saw the migrations of the orcs as a threat, the Kingdom saw an opportunity. They could use the desperation of the orcs to strengthen their own position. And so, the Kingdom expanded its reach south, bringing large swaths of desert to the south under its control. All while bringing a number of orcish tribes under their dominion, opening trade with other tribes, and even assisting their migrations to the north. It is also during this time that the Kingdom starts to support raiders who travel north to bring more wealth and power to En’Akkunat.

Now, in the Age of Strife, the Kingdom of En’Akkunat continues to support raiders. During the early years of this age, the Kingdom’s armies crossed the Calagros Mountains and conquered the lands of the Masani, a collection of human and orc nomadic tribes that lived between the lusher north of Gondwana and the Calagros Mountains, a land with no major rivers or settlements. A land only referred to as Masan.

by **Sao Nova Europa** » Sun Sep 01, 2024 9:52 am

Reserving this area

Planning on making a Chinese-inspired human realm

by **Remnants of Exilvania** » Sun Sep 01, 2024 9:55 am

Sao Nova Europa wrote:Reserving this area

Appreciate you coming on board but please read Rule 9.

The name doesn't have to be final, just something I can put in the roster.

by **Sao Nova Europa** » Sun Sep 01, 2024 9:57 am

Realm Application

Basic Details

Realm Name: Celestial Empire of Qhin
Short Name: Qhin
National Symbol(s):

Territory: Qhin Realm
Capital: Xiangyang

The capital of the Celestial Empire is Xiangyang, an ancient city that was founded in 101 AV by one of the Yi Emperors. With the collapse of the Yi Dynasty it lost its importance and declined. It became the capital of the Qhin realm again in 491 AV, and since then its population has grown exponentially. It is one of the largest cities in the world, with over a million inhabitants. The Qhin Emperor resides in the Imperial Palace, which is actually a city inside the city, where thousands of courtiers, servants, concubines, and imperial relatives reside. The Imperial Palace is closed off from the rest of Xiangyang by gigantic red walls. It is guarded by the Palatine Regiment, a crack body of 10,000 elite infantrymen led by the Paladin of Light.

Political Details Details

Realm Type: Bureaucratic Empire
Ruler: Celestial Emperor Qhin Wangli

Ruler Description:

Aged just twenty-seven years old, Emperor Wangli is still inexperienced in politics. This has allowed the eunuch Grand Chancellor Mao Vang to dominate the government and become the de facto ruler of the empire. Wangli, though is earnest, honest, kind, generous, and good-natured. He understands that he needs to take charge of the realm in order to take care of his subjects, and is working behind the scenes to both learn the arts of politics and to undermine the Grand Chancellor. The latter is easy as the Chancellor has made many enemies in the Imperial Court, and it is a matter of time before they move. But Wangli must be careful, lest he exchanges one puppet master for another.

Government Description:

The Celestial Emperor (Huang Di) who sits on the Dragon Throne 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, the empire maintains relations with other realms, even if domestically those realms are labeled as 'barbaric'.

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)
2. Consort (夫人)
3. Beauty (美人)
4. Virtuous Lady (良人)
5. Lady of Talents (才人)
6. Lady (七子)
7. Senior Palace Woman (長使)
8. Junior Palace Woman (少使)

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.

The Emperor rules with the aid of the Grand Chancellor. The Grand Chancellor is always a eunuch, a precautionary measure to prevent the domination of the office by powerful political dynasties. The Grand Chancellor heads the Six Departments and Six Ministries.

The Six Departments are:

The Secretariat, responsible for drafting policies.
The Chancellery, responsible for reviewing policies.
The Department of State Affairs, responsible for implementing policies.
The Department of Palace, responsible for the upkeep of the imperial household.
The Department of Books, responsible for maintaining the Imperial Library.
The Department of Service, responsible for staffing the palace with eunuchs.

The Six Ministries are:

Ministry of Personnel, in charge of appointments, promotions & demotions of officials, and the granting of honorific titles.
Ministry of Rites, in charge of state ceremonies & rituals and the maintenance of palace protocol.
Ministry of Revenue, in charge of collecting taxes, handling state revenues, and gathering census data.
Ministry of War, in charge of appointments, promotion & demotion of military officers, maintenance of military installations and equipment, supply of the military, and leadership in times of war.
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, the Minister of Justice is appointed upon the recommendation of the Supreme Patriarch of the Church.
Ministry of Works, in charge of government construction programs and maintenance of infrastructure.

The Office of Barbarian Affairs is an independent agency responsible for diplomacy.

Below the Ministries are the Bureaus, government departments staffed by bureaucrats chosen per their rank in the Imperial Examinations. The scholar-officials dominate thus the bureaucracy. 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.
Prefectures, administered by a Prefect.
Counties, administered by a Magistrate.

Governors, Prefects, and Magistrates have a maximum tenure of twelve years in office. Just like their counterparts in the central government, they are selected through public examinations. Lazei Bishops have been vested with judicial authority in their parishes and enforce the law - both civil and religious. The Ministry of Justice oversees their work, but in practice the Ministry is controlled by the Church and so the Supreme Patriarch is the ultimate judicial authority. This also limits the duties of the civil local authorities to extracting taxes and enforcing order.

Goals: Enforce regional supremacy, keep Orcs out, grow the economy
Diplomatic Relations:

Diplomatic relations are handled by the Office of Barbarian Affairs. Despite the arrogance of the Qhin (who believe they are the only civilized people) and the demeaning name of the Office, the bureau is staffed by experienced diplomats who work hard to maintain peace and trade with neighboring realms, with the exception of the Orc tribes that are viewed as illiterate looters. On the other hand, the presence of foreign merchants is restricted to certain port cities (which handle international trade) and entry into the mainland is hard for foreigners to obtain.

Population Details

Population: 25,000,000
Population Description:

The population is almost entirely human. The Qhin realm has an extremely high population density, thanks to extensive irrigation projects and the development of farming techniques. This has allowed the empire to maintain a fairly high population. Although there are many urban centers in the empire, including the capital of Xiangyang, Qhin society is still largely agrarian, with most inhabitants being peasants toiling the land. The countryside is dominated by small peasant families instead of big landowners thanks to imperial legislation aiming to protect the independence of peasants.

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. Coastal cities flourish thanks to international trade, and a merchant class has emerged in those cities. Merchants tend to be outward-looking and risk-takers. 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 and are traditionalists. 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).

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 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).

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. 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.

Religion:

The official religion of the Qhin 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 that are in constant struggle: Azura, the God of Light, and Ahruman, the 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. There is also a holy book, the 'Book of Light' that is the foundational text of the Lazei religion, and Lazei priests read excepts from it to the believers.

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 makes 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 BV - 461 BV) 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 guardians 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 (583 BV - 517 BV), 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 is 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.

Strategic Details

Military Description:

Military authority is subordinate to civil authority in the Qhin Empire. The Minister of War is the head of the imperial military. He appoints scholar-bureaucrats to head military divisions:

Generalissimo to head military forces in a Province.
General to head military forces in a Prefecture.
Duke to head military forces in a County.

The ‘Red Standard Army’ is comprised of about 50,000 soldiers. Most are infantrymen or archers, though about 10,000 are horsemen. They are the standing army of the empire. Their wages are paid by the central government and their weapons are handed to them by the Ministry of War.

The 'Guard Battalions', numbering 300,000 men, are hereditary soldiers stationed in the provinces. They are granted military farms (tun tian) and are supposed to be self-sufficient, living off the land and maintaining their own weapons. Their main objective is to defend provinces and act as a policing force too, undertaking operations against bandits and rebels. They are less well-equipped and disciplined than the soldiers of the standing army.

The Palatine Regiment is an elite force of 10,000 infantrymen responsible for protecting the Imperial Palace. They are led by the Paladin of Light, a eunuch military officer (to ensure that they cannot take the throne).

Magic Description:

The Imperial Inquisition is a body of Lazei priests responsible for finding individuals who possess the mutation necessary to use magic, ideally ones who are young. Those who refuse to join the Imperial Circle of Mages are executed on the spot as they are considered too dangerous to be left alive, and the use of sorcery by non-certified mages is punishable with death. Trainees in the Circle of Mages are instructed in both Lazei theology (to ensure they do not misuse their powers) and the art of magic. Trainees learn Solar Magic and Terrestial Magic. Convicted criminals are handed over to the Circle of Mages to be used for Blood Magic - unlike in other cultures, blood magic is not considered taboo in Qhin.

Once trainees reach a certain level of mastery over magic, they become officially Imperial Sorcerers. They are used for a number of purposes. Some are sent to resolve disputes or to oversee how Lazei Bishops administer justice. Others are handed over by the Church to the Dragon Throne, serving directly the Emperor as bodyguards and spies. And yet others are sent to the military to aid in times of conflict - those that perform well in their military service are promoted to Battlemages and are handed over to the Ministry of War.

Economic Description:

The lifeline of the Qhin realm is the Yellow River that washes over in the Grand Ocean. Multiple irrigation projects have been undertaken to bring the water of the river to nearby regions, opening up acres of land for cultivation. The Qhin realm is mostly agrarian, and most land is held by independent peasant families. They cultivate rice, wheat, and barley. Animal husbandry is also widespread, with cows, pigs, and chickens being maintained (while most peasant families also own oxes to help with farming). In the mountains, tea is grown and it is an extremely popular drink.

While the empire is mostly agrarian, there are multiple urban centers. Most of them have been constructed along the Yellow River or on the coast. A vast road network connects those cities. As inter-regional trade and travel have become more common due to this road network, guild halls dedicated to facilitating commerce (huiguan) have gained prominence around the urban landscape. In coastal areas, there is a class of merchants who own galleys and engage in overseas trade. This is somewhat of a one-sided affair though, since foreign merchants are not allowed free access along the entire empire but rather are restricted to specified quarters in specific coastal cities. The main Qhin exports are high-quality silk and porcelain.

The state has imposed a monopoly on the production of salt, iron, and liquor. The Qhin tax system is characterized by two primary forms of taxation: the land tax and the head tax. The land tax is the main source of revenue. It is assessed based on the size and quality of the land, with different rates applied depending on the fertility and productivity of the land. The head tax is a per capita tax that all adult males are required to pay. The Ministry of Revenue maintains extremely detailed census records, and the Qhin government has a better knowledge of its subjects than most other states thanks to the massive bureaucracy dedicated to census-keeping. The central government mints (gold and silver) coins but it also issues paper money, and paper money is commonly used in commercial exchanges (at least domestically).

The Qhin Empire is one of the wealthiest realms in the world, and it is often marveled at by foreigners. Its wealth though has made it the target of Orcish raids and necessitates the maintenance of a large military force.

Fluff Details

History:

DAWN OF MAN

Little is known about when exactly Man first settled in what is now the Qhin Empire, but by around 1000 BV the region was home to multiple human realms under the overlordship of Dwarves. Those realms were decentralized polities. The King, who resided in the central part of the realm, maintained control over the core territories directly under his command. However, the outlying areas were governed by client princes - local lords or sub-kings - who pledged fealty to the central authority but retained significant autonomy.

WARRING KINGDOMS

Those decentralized kingdoms were able to acquire their independence from the Dwarves at around 600 BV, as the Dwarves had been left too exhausted from the war with the Elves to exert control over the human kingdoms of the area. The end of Dwarven dominance actually caused instability in the region, as there was no one left to enforce peace and the kingdoms would start fighting each other in unending, brutal wars for dominance over northern Gondwana. This era - between around 600 BV and 244 BV - became known as the "Warring Kingdoms" era.

The constant state of warfare led to significant military and technological advancements. The introduction of ironworking around this time revolutionized Qhin warfare. Iron weapons and tools were far superior to their bronze counterparts, allowing for stronger and more effective armaments. In addition, the development of draft armies - comprising peasant conscripts and professional soldiers - allowed for larger and more disciplined military forces. As a result, battles grew in scale and ferocity, and the need for better organization and more centralized control became apparent.

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 that would best exemplify the increased centralization of the era was Zhang. Chancellor Li Yueh (364 BV - 332 BV) 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 virtuously). He deposed the client lords and sub-kings in the periphery and replaced them with centrally appointed governors. He confiscated and redistributed the land of the landed aristocracy to peasant families. He introduced 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 BV - 225 BV) of the Zhang Kingdom was the man who first unified the entirety 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 BV, 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 BV, 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 BV, 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 BV - 461 BV). 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 BV and 202 AV, 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. The natives of the conquered lands would assimilate into Qhin culture and become loyal subjects. During this time period, the Yi Dynasty fought a series of inconclusive wars with the Boruvian Empire. Boruvian armies landed on northern Gondwana, and Yi armies moved to repel them. They succeeded but an attempted Yi landing on the Boruvian homeland failed. The two sides would fight small-scale naval conflicts in the next decades, but neither side would be able to prevail. The Yi 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 AV, 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 AV, 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 in 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 was stabilized by 225 AV. 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 AV.

This period of Qhin history has been romanticized in the novel Romance of the Five Kingdoms (1001 AV), 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 his 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 AV, Qhin Jiahao was appointed Chancellor of the Cao Dynasty. An ambitious military genius, over the next few years he subdued the other four kingdoms and unified Qhin under the Cao Dynasty. In 478 AV, though, he overthrew Emperor Cao Ming and proclaimed the Qhin Dynasty, with himself as Emperor. The Qhin Dynasty has been so influential and long-lasting that the region under its control and its inhabitants are now called Qhin.

The history of the Qhin Dynasty can be divided into roughly three periods. The first period lasted from 478 AV to 891 AV, and it is considered the High Qhin or Classical Qhin era. During this 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 period. The Qhin administration completed 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 empire also successfully dealt with the Orc tribes, who during this period began their migration northwards. Emperor Qhin Kangxi conscripted tens of thousands of peasants, sending them to work on the border, constructing a Great Wall to defend the Qhin lands from the Orc tribes. This Great Wall is one of the greatest feats of human engineering and took decades to complete.

This was also a golden era for Qhin poetry. Poetry was largely written in the capital or one of the courts of the imperial princes. It would 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 AV). The priests of the Lazei Church became increasingly prominent in public life.

The next period (891 AV - 1005 AV) is known as the Middle Qhin period. It was marked by the An Yanli (891 AV - 897 AV) revolt which shook the empire to its core. An Yanli was a Governor of one of the northern 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.

The current period of the Qhin Dynasty (1005 AV onwards) 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 current Emperor is Qhin Wangli. He ascended to the Dragon Throne in 1287 AV, after his father died in a hunting accident. Aged just twenty-seven years old, he is still inexperienced in affairs of the state. The Grand Chancellor Mao Vang has taken advantage of this to assert his political dominance, but his political supremacy is about to be challenged by a number of ambitious courtiers. The Celestial Empire also faces Orcish raids. Whether Wangli can maintain domestic peace and retain the empire's dominant role in the region remains to be seen.

by **Remnants of Exilvania** » Sun Sep 01, 2024 9:58 am

Sao Nova Europa wrote:WIP app

Realm Application
(Please make sure to have read the full OP before filling this out.)
(Please fill out everything as requested.
(Please delete everything within rounded brackets once you are done.)

Basic Details

Realm Name: Celestial Empire of Qhin
Short Name: Qhin
National Symbol(s): (Is there any specific heraldry associated with your realm at large? Any Lidless Eyes of Sauron or Imperial Eagles?)
Territory:] Claims
Capital: (What is the name of your capital and where is it located? Feel free to make a bit of an X-marks-the-spot on your territory claim)
Political Details Details

Realm Type: (Are you a Kingdom? An Empire? A wandering Horde? A Theocracy? A Magocracy? A Republic? Some anarchic shithole?)
Ruler: (Name and title of the person that is de jure or de facto leading your realm)
Ruler Description: (Since this is medieval fantasy and the importance and power of the rulers tends to increase drastically, a small description at least may be in order. No, we are not talking about a physical description unless your leader turns out to be a Titan under whose feet the ground quakes, but rather personality, relationships, skills, etc.)
Government Description: (Explain how your nation is run, if there are any notable persons running the gears of your governing machine, any internal political forces?)
Goals: (Any particular goals your nation or just your rulers may be following? Immortality? Summoning Cthulhu? Revenge? Shiny, gleamy coin?)
Diplomatic Relations: (Alliances? Pacts of Non-aggression? Marriages? Vassals? Warm or cold relations? Rivals? Bitter enemies? This section can be left empty but it would be appreciated if other apps and players were looked at and talked to to perhaps try and fill this a little)
Population Details

Population: (How many 'people' actually live within the borders of your realm. For simplicity we will only consider broadly sapient life forms that do or can contribute to your realm in the short or mid term)
Population Description: (What sort of races can be found among your population? What are these races like? Any cultural oddities you want to tell us about?)
Religion: Here you give us the name of the religion you follow and how it is treated in your realm's society. You can peek at what other players do and, within reason, copy their religion much like irl religions often existed far beyond ethnic or 'national' borders. If you are doing something new or original however, some form of description of how it works and what it believes would be good)
Strategic Details

Military Description: (Tell us about your military. How is it organised? Does it have a standing force and what is it like? Any particularly cool commanders or the like? Any specialties? How many forces can it muster for a campaign?)
Magic Description: (Tell us about Magic in your realm. Are there any schools that are followed in particular? Did you create any new schools you'd wish to explain to us? Are mages free or forced into some church or adopted by nobility or or or? Are there any local specialties or the like?)
Economic Description: (Tell us about your economy. Are you a great trading power? Are there any particular goods that are produced or sourced from your realm? Any particularly important hotspots of economic activity?)
Fluff Details

History: (Quite self explanatory. Really just tell us about the history of your realm. When or how was it founded? Anything that happened in or to it across the ages?)

Thanks Sao. Will add you to the map and roster!

by **Faal Lot Himdah** » Sun Sep 01, 2024 10:07 am

Sao Nova Europa wrote:WIP app

Realm Application
(Please make sure to have read the full OP before filling this out.)
(Please fill out everything as requested.
(Please delete everything within rounded brackets once you are done.)

Basic Details

Realm Name: Celestial Empire of Qhin
Short Name: Qhin

Well, hello ~~target~~ neighbour

by **Remnants of Exilvania** » Sun Sep 01, 2024 10:17 am

Faal Lot Himdah wrote:
Sao Nova Europa wrote:WIP app

Realm Application
(Please make sure to have read the full OP before filling this out.)
(Please fill out everything as requested.
(Please delete everything within rounded brackets once you are done.)

Basic Details

Realm Name: Celestial Empire of Qhin
Short Name: Qhin

Well, hello ~~target~~ neighbour

You've got a nice little dot of territory between you, whoever rules that must be sweating a great deal xD

by **Sao Nova Europa** » Sun Sep 01, 2024 10:18 am

Hi

BTW, Remnants of Exilvania, is my WIP history good so far? Simply want to see if it fits with already established backstory before I continue working on the app.

by **Naval Monte** » Sun Sep 01, 2024 10:28 am

Realm Application

Basic Details

Realm Name: The Most Serene Republic of Solomanta

Short Name: The Academy, Scholomance

National Symbol: The dragons of Scholomance

Territory: Purple Peninsula on the map

Capital: Scholomance is its own capital and is located at the coast of the northern coast of the Peninsula..

Political Details Details

Realm Type: Scholomance is both a university and city state.

Ruler: Chancellor/Headmaster Nicholas Van Hohenheim, also known as Hohenheim of Light.

Ruler Description: Nicholas Van Hohenheim is a powerful user of white magic and noted scholar of angelic magic. An accomplished teacher and master of the mystic arts, while he has shown the pedigree and merit to warrant his position some raised doubt that do to his affiliation with solar magic that he would remove courses pertaining to more traditionally seen darker magics, however such concerns have slowly faded as the current headmaster which to keep the intended course. However he does wish to show a more positive image of the academy to combat concerns of the schools willing embrace of the dark arts.

Government Description: Scholomance is not just an academy of magic, nor just a city state by the quests of a mighty desert. Scholomance is both the university and city state. The headmaster/mistress of the academy, by extension, becomes the leader of the city. The power the Chancellor wields, while considerable, is limited by a charter made for when the city was made around Scholomance back when it was just a place of learning. Much of the power is invested into a council composed of senior academicians and talented magicians. This grand council is composed of many bodies made to deal with different functions and some bodies even have members of the city's guilds incorporated into it. However the one body that is said to act as the head is one known informally as the Pentarchy; a collab of five individuals with four in charge of different facilities related to the four main sources of magic and one dealing with secular matters related to Scholomance.

Goals: The goals of the scholars and arcanists of Scholomance is to explore magic in all of its facets and to discover all potential uses for all life. To this end they are willing to explore even magics considered dark and taboo to most people as they believe that no form of magic is inherently evil, just the men who use it for evil means.

Diplomatic Relations:

Population Details

Population: 300,000 (while Scholomance is known for its students and scholars of magic one should be reminded that most who work at the less academic work are not magicians themselves and most in the city are not magicians themselves either).

Population Description: Scholomance has a high human population as many who visit the city for trade, who wish to attend the academy of magic, all come from places that have high human populations. These humans reflect the mult-cultural status of the city as folks native to the deserts can be found on the streets along with people who come from northern states. The city hosting an academy for magic of all kinds has also caused a large influx of elves to appear, both the High Elves and their darker kin due to the willingness to teach students who pass certain requirements specific forms of magic such as blood magic. The peninsula having a dormant volcano, with it being the source behind the geothermal activities for the various hot springs, geysers, and mud pools being present has caused some demons to form within the nation and in the academy there is a demon teaching theory on Infernal Magic.

The history of these demons was them being dreadful enemies of the people of Scholomance as they and people willing to offer tribute to them being a recurring threat. However the mages would eventually construct a seal that would make the volcano become dormant. This would cause the few demons who were not driven off the surface to become trapped. An ancient pact was forged that the demons will not be put to death and exist within the land, in exchange for their service. Most of these demons serve the academy but a few prestigious guilds sometimes get permission from the Solomari to utilize the demons for their own use.

Orcs have grown to be a significant presence in the city due to their great migration. Some orcs use the city as a waystation in their travels up north, and others choose to stay in the city even though most lack the capabilities to learn magic. Most dwarves seen are either visitors or hired hands to perform commission work as the desert climate of the city is intolerable for most dwarves.

Religion: Scholomance is a location that sees not only many caravan and merchant ships going and leaving from its lands and shores, but students from across different realms. Thus the city is a multi-cultural, cosmopolitan location, and as such numerous religions exist within the city with the authorities taking a lax stance on religious beliefs. Infact one can say they are unusually tolerant of many beliefs so long as one doesn't use their beliefs to interfere with the academy's work and threaten the lives of members within it.

Strategic Details

Military Description: The city guard acts as both law enforcement and military personnel in Scholomance. The main duty of the guard is to protect the city from threats; whether they be man or monster. The guard is a volunteer force but mercenaries can be bought to supplement their numbers. The naval branch is the largest one and used to patrol their waters and trade lanes from pirates and sea monsters that would threaten merchant ships. Within the ranks of the guard include mages of different sorts. Most often these mages are practitioners of white and black magic, however a few attempts have been made to use divination and blood magic for warfare.

Magic Description: Scholomance is famous for being a center of learning for arcane sciences. There are no rules banning any forms of magic but one isn't allowed to freely learn all forms of magic. Only those accepted as students to the Academy and have proven years of curriculum and accumulated enough academic merit can allow one to practice specific fields of magic that are more regulated and restricted to prevent abuse of those magics from questionable individuals or students who are not yet ready for the dangerous powers they will use. This is notable as the Academy is one of the few realms to not only allow for studies of black and infernal magic, but even the enigmatic Astral magic and the often malign and loathed blood magic.

Economic Description: Maritime trading is the main source from which Scholomance generate money but also gain both luxurious items and necessities such as certain foods not commonly found in Gondwana and more importantly new manuscripts for their libraries and schools. A main source of exports from Scholomance includes books on different subjects, spices, incense, parts from animals native to Gondwana, gemstones and metals. The city is also part of a land route that brings nomadic tribes and trading caravans from across Gondwana. Making Scholomance an economic hot spot in the desert continent.

Fluff Details

History:

Dawn of Man

The formation of Scholomance can trace its roots back to the age of man. As the great Boruvian Empire was close to achieving the zenith of its power many universities and schools of magic were springing up in influential cities. These centers of learning for both the natural and supernatural laws would attract the brightest minds from across the realms. As these powerful institutions grew more would be made once they have reached the limits of how much students they can take and the maximum size they can be extended. Yet, the limitation of size was not the only thing that would push certain minds to travel down South to construct the school that would one day become Scholomance.

Throughout the empire certain forms of magic were outright banned to be taught. These restrictions, often ranging from actual concerns to laws fueled by religious fervor, would cause certain mages to practice these forbidden arts in secret. However while they gain new perspective and knowledge from their secret studies the results would never see the light of day as doing so would often mean death for the user. These secret practitioners of the dark arts would also conduct their experiments in secret in fear of being turned over.

Scholomance's future founders all started as lone dark magicians practicing in secret until a chance meeting between them and other magicians caused them to realize how many among their ranks actually dabble with forbidden magic. These mages would form close correspondences and even a secret guild to share and aid with each other's work. In these correspondence a plan would gradually form that would lead to the foundation to construct a new school in which they can teach and use the forms of magic that many struggle to use within Imperial realms.

These mages would search throughout the realms in hopes to find a site of power to construct their new school for all magical arts and in their search a Peninsula off the West coast of Gondawa was discovered to contain not only a land enriched with magical power but have a volcano with many geothermal hot spots surrounding it that can allow a peak to the fiery underworld from which demonic beings and infernal magic can be studied. This land, once nameless , would eventually in the future be named Solomanta, and the future school built on it Scholomance. Thus these founders would become the first Solomonari.

What made the land even more desirable was the fact it had communities already thriving. Not only were small rural villages present, but large towns with function harbors, shops, and more. The future Solomonari would convince the local lords to support their effort to construct the school. The large campus grounds would be built close to the largest and most wealthy city on the shore-line of Solomanta.

The construction would see an injection of the city’s economy as more workers pour in to construct the facility and even extend the city’s border to incorporate the campus lands, as well as absorb several villages and small towns the local lords always wanted. This city would see an influx of future students who found trouble enrolling in existing schools and at first the school behaved much like all others as the study of darker magics was a secret only a few knew.

But this secret wouldn't last long.

Age of Darkness

The fall of the old empire did not leave Scholomance unscathed. Many wealthy patrons and students came from the North and the fall of the empire meant the school saw a massive reduction in terms of students and wealth. However a far more pressing issue presented itself on physical dangers that lurked within Gondawa itself.

The migration of the orcish tribes would cause breakaway warbands to raid human settlements. They would at times reach the borders of Solomanta but would always be pushed back. Worse was that a local warlord who many began to call the “Desert King” would emerge.

The Desert King’s army would push more of the orcs out of Gondawa and into the North. He was once hailed as a hero but over time his brutality and conquest would cause many to see him as a monster.

Many refugees fled to Solomanta to avoid the ramage of the orcs and of the desert king. This chaos would cause the mages to close the gates of the school in response but the true horror of this age had not yet made itself known.

For it was in this age of darkness and chaos that the volcano finally awakened.

From its fiery caldara smoke blacken the sky, ash and brimstone ran down, and the earth itself trembled and shook. But the worse to come was the fact the boundary between the surface and the underworld was finally breached, allowing for an incursion of demons to pour into the lands.

The rampage of the demons would be a threat that not even the Desert King can ignore and his forces and those of the local lords would be forced to put aside their differences to combat a shared enemy. Yet both armies were not enough to push back the burning legion. It was here that the fate of Scholomance was changed forever.

In the crusade to push back the legions of inferno the magus of the Scholomance have finally decided to not only aid the armies fighting against the burning legion, but to reveal the dark arts they have been practicing in secret for quite some time. When the mages joined in there was jubilation as their white magic proved to be a powerful asset to heal many injured soldiers and form barriers against the demonic horde. However the open usage of darker powers would cause issues.

Some lords' disgust would be so great that they would try to use their armies against the mages. But these actions would create an opening the demons would exploit. This would cause an uneasy truce to form.

The mages of Scholomance and the various armies would fight for years in a war against the demonic legions until eventually a plan was devised to create a seal to trap the demons back into the underworld. However to do so would require not only many different magical arts to work in concert with each other and a push towards the volcano itself, but for the seal to be activated and to be recharged a blood sacrifice was required.

The risks and dark deed was accepted by all and the final battle against the demons was waged. During the war many noble lineages were slain and even the Desert King fell in the conflict. A surprise attack from an orcish warband proved to be a vital moment as they caused the demonic lines to break and allow for the forces of man to push the demons back to the fiery gate from whence they came. The mages would finally enact the ceremony to seal the mouth and make the volcano become dormant once more.

However a few demons were left behind. The leaders of the mages would form a pact with these demons, making them work for the mages in exchange for them not being driven off the land and perishing in the desert. This deal would be one the demons would accept.

This victory would cause many to lessen the suspicion and fear they have felt towards the mages. However for others trust was never made for while many heroes were found in the academy, a few students and professors would be remembered in history and folklore as villains and monsters, both for their actions in the war and after.

Yet for the school, this was seen as the beginning of a gold age.

Age of Strife

With the desert king dead his armies scattered apart in the desert, becoming smaller bands of marauders and raiders. Still a threat to many but no longer the scourge that can drive back entire armies of orcs to the North or conquer large swaths of land and claim many cities as their own.

With the death of many local lords, especially the lord who held on to the city the school was close to, the mages were given the charter of the land and were allowed to do as they pleased as a reward for their service. The mages would use their magic and newly acquired demons to aid with the reconstruction of not only their own city but many other communities ravaged by the Burning Legion.

This reconstruction is reinforced by the city reestablishing old maritime trade routes and becoming a hot spot for trading caravans from the desert as many heard of the tales of the mages of Scholomance. More important for them is the enrollment of new students. Many people from Gondawa have heard their stories and some wish to become like the mages despite the dark reputation they have for many due to their open practice on taboo magics.

In these times of strife and fear the academy and city has found peace. Many wish to maintain the peace for as long as possible. Yet in secret plans are being made to construct necessary defenses should the day come that a foreign power would seek to conquer or destroy them.

by **Arlye Austros** » Sun Sep 01, 2024 10:46 am

Realm Application

Basic Details

Realm Name: High Principality of Eitel-ha-Fihanhus
Short Name: Eitelahus
National Symbol(s): The people and polities of the area have varied specific heraldry throughout different points in history, but the Keilhom, the mark of the first strike on the stone, is usually the hallmark of the Eitelennic authority. The signet can be described as a rhombic silhouette, stretched vertically, surrounded by four outward cracks. The lower crack always splits into two.
In its current incarnation as the High Principality presents the Keilhom in black over a dark blue field.
Territory:] The territory of the High Principality extends from its seat, in the Eitelennic rivers, southwards through the Fihan Lands, and between the sea to the west and the Itkedäk river to the east.
https://imgur.com/a/FjVxnYM
Capital: Eitelahus’s capital sits underneath the eastern side of the Gaafakhur mountain, the largest peak of the Eitelennic Range. Gaafakuhr is a large underground complex with various entrances at nearby valleys, and connected to a number of small surface settlements above it. A road leads to the Itkedäk river, which then connects to the southern domains.
https://imgur.com/a/l7qDJts

Political Details Details

Realm Type: Monarchy: The High Principality claims descent one of the ancient Dwarven kingdoms before the Boruvian Empire. As such, much of their legitimacy rests on their ability to uphold that legacy.
Ruler: Raghatta of the Ilevahom Clan.
Ruler Description: Raghatta is a powerful dwarven prince that has held the throne of Eitelhus for over seven decades, inherited from three generations prior. Raghatta is, like his predecessors, a power-projecting figure, prone to assert his authority through gestures, show of force and sometimes mere, unsolicited presence. Raghatta often travels to the abodes of nobles and vassals he considers rebellious, and implies potential violence through subtlety and hinting.
A male dwarf of two-hundred and thirty-five years of age, Raghatta has sired a number of sons, securing his line, and wed three wives to ensure political alliances with other dwarven princes in the western Eitels. His control over Mannish vassals to the south varies from rough and stern to reasonable, allowing trade and settlements to vassals that do not require his constant, imposing presence.
Government Description: The High Principality of Eitel-ha-Fihanhus is run by the Ilerhavom Clan since its victory in a civil war some generations before. However, this position is sustained by a system of powerful nobles ruling over their mountains and adjacent valleys and hills. These nobles are much like an oligarchic aristocracy, with interests and operations throughout the ranges and its various fiefdoms, leading to tensions between these on a somewhat regular basis.
Day-to-day decisions are made by these princes, however, the way the economy is organized and the defensive capabilities are disposed of is set by a Privy Council that meets regularly at Gaafakuhr, usually made by the most prominent of these dwarves and the High Prince himself or a member of his family.
Mannish affairs are usually overwatched by Deputees of the Prince, who keep local lords and commonfolk notables in check, tending to their needs, extracting tribute and making decisions when simple, private or communal choices are not enough or conflictive for Men. Some of the Mannish nobles that have sworn allegiance to Raghatta are allowed more freedom, and have marital relationships with some dwarven lords of the mountains, so not all of Raghatta’s control depends on sheer military presence, as a dwarven influence and political grip of these areas has been rarely challenged for over two-hundred years.
Goals: The Ilevahom Clan competes with various groups within the High Principality, despite its time at the head of the entity. Internal stability through alliances and shows of force within will be a primary objective.
An interest in establishing strong control of coastal settlements is also present, and both investment and military presence will be the key to this. Elven presences in the area are to be avoided at all cost, and eradicated if already established.
Magic-wise, members of the dynasty are trying to tap into different types of schools. Two particular groups exist: Those who wish to establish a strong grip on Infernal Magic, given some underground cracks that look like promising paths to that energy source, and those that wish to delve into Lunar Magic, usually by studying its energies in the summits.
Finally, territorial goals of the High Principality are somewhat fluid, but to their greatest extent, they seek to reach even south of the Strait, by reestablishing their feeble, maybe once-held control of on some cities on the northern tip of Gondwana. https://imgur.com/a/Gli0Kd7

Diplomatic Relations: the High Principality tends to be fairly isolationist, an donly holds alliances if they mean some sort of control. As such, a part of their dominance of the southern tip of the continent falls upon some alliances with junior human partners. They do hold some commercial ties to humans in the northern Qhin territory.

Population Details

Population: ~8.000.000. About 40% are dwarves.
Population Description: Dwarves are the common inhabitants of the northern ranges, usually living off the minerals and their crafts. Well-to-do dwarves live underground, in or around large fortresses. A distinct group of dwarves, dubbed “blinkers”, live in more humble conditions on the surface, and populate the villages that dot the valleys and crags of the Eitelennic Range. They are as any regular dwarf, but tend to have larger, greasy brows. Trade between these is common, though, and many “blinkers” live underground, keeping contact with their upper kin and easing up business.
A richer group of the “blinker” dwarves take up residence in the hills to the south and even among the humans farther down or in the shores.
Humans tend to populate the southern regions of the High Principality’s land. Men make up the near complete population of the southern shores and their presence is still mayoral in the hill regions south of the ranges. However, the quality of living of those northern Men is worse, as they tend to live in serfdom of dwarven nobles or landowners, usually of the “blinker” kind. Very few men live in the ranges themselves, working in the underground fortresses of nobles and common dwarves for a varying pay.
Religion: Eitel-ha-Finanhus’s religion might be a mix of various traditions of nearby dwarven communities and human-influenced folk tales. According to the Book of Karvalis, the old deity Morval fought a primordial snake named “Naahkeiko” or “Nakeik”, which hid un the endless waters of the world. Morval, disarmed by an eternity of conflict, reached under the water and took out a large boulder named “Elmastron”, and used it to back the snake down. It cut the snake in two and cracked even into the earth, shattering it and spreading a spark of life into the rock itself. Large sparks escaped into the sky and formed stars, and others ignited the sun and the moon. The blood and bone of the snake mixed with the earth, giving birth to plants and animals. Eventually, the sparks of like and the last breath of the snake found their way into a new form, creating dwarves.
Elmastrian traditions believe that the Elmastron didn’t land on a physical place, but rather in some fluid ideal location, a “perfect state” that gave birth to dwarves, and that the crack formed on the earth, called “Keilhom”, is the place all dwarves should try to reach, whether physically, which is ultimately futile, but worthwhile, or spiritually.
Elmastrian beliefs take several forms of ancestor worship, all of them under the creator god Morval, and believe in a dual nature to life, with the Breath of Nakeik as the engine of life itself and the Spark of Elmastron as the origin of higher understanding, magic and the possibility of life itself. No living being, or even lifeless object, is possible without a measure of either of them.
There is no unifying organization of the religion, and old families usually control local practices by claiming descent of ancient heroes linked to the creation in one way or another.
Mannish subjects practice a form of the Elmastrian religion, with localized cults emphasizing on human heroes, sometimes more or less antagonistic to dwarven control, and ofttimes replacing dwarves as the original race with humans, though usually as the result of the conflict between two god-like beings.

Strategic Details

Military Description: Although noble families in the mountains have a fair amount of autonomy, the Ilerhavom Clam has been characterized by stripping them off from their right to muster and control armies. Generalship is usually given to these nobles, but the logistical needs, training and even raising of these troops falls to the direct control of the High Prince.
Eitelahus’s defense relies on a strong infantry core, made of melee warriors in heavy armor, as it is usual with dwarves. These warriors are organized in “columns” under three captains sharing command of two to four hundred soldiers. Columns can consist of heavy warriors, pikemen, crossbowmen or an assortment of all, though usually these mixed units are human-made and lighter in nature.
Falhdonic shiprwights, human and dwarven, keep a small navy in service, with up to thirty-seven warships in patrol missions throughout the Strait.
Magic Description:
Eitelahus counts with a number of magic associations mostly in the northern Range. These tend to gravitate towards terrestrial magic. Shamanist practices that commune with elements such as rock and snow are abundant, especially in the northern skirts of the Range. Underground groups in the fortresses within the mountains often focus on communing with rock and fire. Though a number of these societies also delve into Infernal Magic to bypass some requirements and limitations of Shamanism.
Hillside groups tend to gravitate towards Solar Magic, using it to protect their settlements, usually leaving that task to a local Magemaster. Blinkers, dwarves living on the valleys and tops of the mountains, however, use Lunar Magic, which they harness for various purposes such as hunting prey.
Humans in the shores and southern flatlands practice Solar Magic as well.
A small group of nobles on the eastern ends of the Range practice Astral and Lunar Magic, and usually clash in political rivalry with Infernal magic users.
Economic Description: though primarily a mining economy, Eitelahus’s activities are fairly diversified. Trade through its territory and with the nearby northern tribes provide a steady income in short-range exchanges of the refined materials and tools that they produce. The craftsmen of Gaafakuhr and the masters of Karvala often compete in the making of quality weapons, armor and other enchanted or exceedingly qualified tools and trinkets, selling some of their masterworks for fortunes to the nobles. Their products, however, find way into a widers network of trade that relies on human-run ports on the river and the shores.
As such, Eitelennic crafts reach the northern shores of Gondwana and port cities along the southern shores of the northern continent. Humans, on their part, engage in agriculture and limited mining activities in the hills and plains of the south, providing a source of food that, alongside the blinkers’ game and hunting efforts, feed the underground fortresses of the dwarves.
Other products that are internally traded include ale, leather, minor jewelry, timber, animals and brick.

Fluff Details

Names to nearby and local regions: (These are only from the Eitelhus’s perspective)

-Woldmyrske Strait: Directly south of the Peninsula, east of the Qhin’s northeastern shore.
-Gulf of Uzhinda: Body of water west of the peninsula and north of the Qhin’s northeastern shore.

Will add more and a decent map as the need arises.

History: Dwarven presence in the eastern shore of the Gulf of Uzhinda has been attested for thousands of years. By the time men came into the peninsula they came to call “Fahldon” (meaning garden), the dwarves had established settlements in the mountains and the hills south of them. Humans tended to settle along the Itkedäk River in the east and a steady migration occurred during the middle and later stages of the Age of Stone, as dwarven kingdoms consolidated and used Men as mercenaries.
This changes altogether with the arrival of the elves and the Age of Convergence. A pair of elven leaders, only known as “Faahldari” by men, led the humans in rebellion against dwarves. This only galvanized the dwarven kingdoms into coming together against men and elves. For over two-hundred years, the Garelkhi Clan of the eastern Eitels led an all-out campaign of purges and counterattacks on the elves and their Mannish allies, consolidating their power in the meantime.
Although their campaign was brutal, the Garelkhi didn’t manage to keep control over the Fahldon peninsula, dubbed “Fihan” by the dwarves. Mannish kingdoms and independent dukedoms were established south of the Eitels, leaving the dwarves with a meager power base that became the undoing of the Garelkhi. The final decades of the Age of Convergence were marred by the downfall of the Clan and the rise of several Princelings to power under many peaks and valleys. At this time, the cult of Morval gained prominence in Karvala.
Elven presence in Fahldon, however, was wiped out after the Prince of Gaafakuhr, Haara II, carried out an extermination campaign along the Itkedäk. Human settlements in the upper valley were wiped out, and not an elf lived or remained after Haara’s army reached the southern estuary.
Dwarven resistance to the Boruvan Empire was futile, and the last kingdom was annexed in 299 b.V. During this time, Dwarven politics evolved into one of appeasement and gaining whatever political space they could within the empire. Haara III, grandson of Haara II, was appointed Grand Magistrate of the region in 215 b.V., and from that position catapulted the Maltiid Clan to supremacy, gaining formal overlordship in 201 b.V.
The Maltiid Clan fell in 6 b.V., replaced in the following year by the Ulfiik Clan. The Ulfiiks were swiftly replaced by an offshoot of the ruling Prince of Fergadon, Myrsky, who overtook their seat in Karvala and established the First Kingdom of Eitelhus as a vassal state to the Empire. Despite this, Myrsky engaged in an active policy of undermining the Empire, funding and motivating rebellions far from his territory to scatter imperial forces. His son, Avanto, continued this policy, and in 151 a.V. oversaw an all-out rebellion on Imperial authority.
Although Avanto’s rebellion was squashed, him and his family being purged by the Empire, by 169 a new clan, the Itkusah, reformed the Principality and united the dwarves in the region. Imperial authority was completely severed in 301 a.V., following a century of crisis and two more rebellions led by the Itkusah, themselves becoming the first fully independent rulers of the Eitels in many centuries. The country was reconquered in 346 a.V., but Daankaiho, third of the dynasty, retook it in 360 a.V.
The Itkusah High Princes initiated a campaign of conquest throughout Fahldon, subjugating the remaining humans and reducing their status under a new dwarven overlordship. Following Daankaiho, his son Dahjelka enslaved several humans in the southern plains, relocating them to the hills to work nearer dwarven control. This effectively stopped the migration of humans from the east, finally separating their culture from their homeland in the eastern domains.
Itkusah policies led to increased tensions, brewing several human rebellions in the next decades and forcing the Clans to topple the Itkusah in 560 a.V. For a century, the Principalities were disjointed, only acting under a general sense of commonality, but not really coordinating. Many different experiments were made, ranging from republic projects with integration of humans, to human led royalty in the south, to far-flung extermination campaigns against them. In 700 a.V. a Mannish king called Yuvon the Gleaming initiated a massive revolt on the dwarves, shattering their control over the southern half of Fahldon. Yuvon himself was captured by a legion of Gaafakuhr, and was promptly tried and sentenced to death in a public display of cruelty. This led to some dwarves to question their approach to Men, and initiating a new idea of coexistence.
As a response to the crisis the Prince of Gaafahkur, Kestlehna, was elected to lead another campaign in the south, one that engaged in all kind of excesses. However, it failed to keep control, and Kestlehna was captured and killed in a manner similar to Yuvon. This led to a power shift to the west and the control of this loose alliance to the Clovkorhus Clan of Karvala. He was influenced by nobles willing to engage in friendlier diplomacy with Men, and so initiated a different path towards pacifying Fahldon. Peace treaties and alliences were carved through the next few generations of Princes, all following the ideas that the Clovkorhus had put forward, and while the world burnt in the Age of Darkness, Fahldon saw through its second half a general, peaceful flux between Human self-rule and Dwarven political dominance.
Finally, in 998 a.V., the Princes of the Range granted Evghibus of Karvala the formal High Princedom of Eitel, while the Human Kings Adus, Okrevak and Queen Ahmulzah swore support and friendship for his protection, establishing the Principality of Eitel-ha-Fihanhus as a dual alliance of Dwarves and Men. Control over Fahldon fluctuated still, and these kings and their children continued to push their own power against their neighbors.
Evghibus ruled the High Principality in this changing dynamic for fifty years. Human-dwarves relations changed, with the power of the three monarchs split and in many case absorbed by dwarven nobility, more and more in control of administration. In time, humans were vastly displaced form the hills in the middle of the Peninsula, and surface-dwelling dwarves appeared atop the Eitels to replace some of the food income that had been supplies by those migrating south.
Following Evhibus’s death, his son Ahebus was unable to prove his legal birthrights, a sign of an increasingly powerful nobility. As a result, they elected Niitumah of Gaafahkur ot be high Prince. A civil war ensued, and while many men supported Ahebus, the power of the fortress of Gaafahkur was enough to dissuade many from even taking part. The ranges were divided between the western Karvalan Region and Eastern Gaafhus region for several years. However, Niitumah was finally victorious and took the High Principality. His policy was mainly a continuation of Evghibus’s, however, only curbing the administrative power of the nobility in whatever possible way.
Since then, the Ilevahom Clan has kept control of the High Principality and restored the alliances with the many Mannish tribes and nobles in the south, establishing a Deputee of the Prince to mediate and keep any idea of splitting out in check. The Ilevahom legitimacy stems from their victory and election, their allegued ties to unifying heroes of the past (which isn’t that special to begin with) and the management of progress, authority and promises of outwards expansion, used to keep various factions in check.

by **Remnants of Exilvania** » Sun Sep 01, 2024 10:46 am

Sao Nova Europa wrote:Hi

BTW, Remnants of Exilvania, is my WIP history good so far? Simply want to see if it fits with already established backstory before I continue working on the app.

As far as established backstory goes, it fits. I'd note that humans didn't become independent with a snap of the finger precisely when the Dwarf-Elf Wars ended but rather they already slowly did so before, during the war. That aside, you are building a wall to protect against migrating orcs at least a few centuries before the orcs start mass migrating.

by **Sao Nova Europa** » Sun Sep 01, 2024 10:50 am

Remnants of Exilvania wrote:
Sao Nova Europa wrote:Hi

BTW, Remnants of Exilvania, is my WIP history good so far? Simply want to see if it fits with already established backstory before I continue working on the app.

As far as established backstory goes, it fits. I'd note that humans didn't become independent with a snap of the finger precisely when the Dwarf-Elf Wars ended but rather they already slowly did so before, during the war. That aside, you are building a wall to protect against migrating orcs at least a few centuries before the orcs start mass migrating.

Alright. Will be making necessary changes in my history. Thanks.

by **Intermountain States** » Sun Sep 01, 2024 11:02 am

Korean country in the far east, Chinese country in the middle...

by **Tracian Empire** » Sun Sep 01, 2024 11:05 am

Realm Application

Basic Details

Realm Name: Sublime Abode of Achysia (აჩისიის ამაღლებული სავანე)
Short Name: Achysia (აჩისია)
National Symbol(s):

Elder Sun
Flower of the Sixteen Gods
The Elder Sun and the Eternal Serpent - Emblem of Achysia combining the Elder Sun with the Eternal Serpent. When used by the Imperial Hosts, it is sometimes encircled with the motto of "Laugh at death with ease. Such has always been the way of warriors."
Banner of the Abode - the usual banner of Achysia, a vexilium banner, with the Elder Sun and the Flower of the Sixteen on the banner itself, and the Elder Sun and the Eternal Serpent on the spear-tip
Naval Banner - A simple banner, depicting just the Elder Sun and the Flower of the Sixteen, usually employed as a naval banner
Small coat of arms of the Abode, usually used by the Emperor himself

Territory: The larger peninsula in Thyrian purple here
Capital: Vathora

Political Details

Realm Type: Divine absolute monarchy under a symbolic theocracy and with a strong bureaucratic element
Ruler: His Sublime Majesty, Vaeros of the blood of Kaeron, in the Sixteen and the One and by Their Will Emperor and Autocrat of the Achysian Abode, Sovereign Lord of the Exalted House of Kaeron, Viceroy of the Sixteen Gods in the Earthly Realm, Defender of the One, True, Ecumenical Faith, Commander of the Hosts of the Faith, Son of the Gods Above and of the Gods Below, Forever Sublime and Serene, the Savior, the Faithful and the Blessed, Great Custodian of the Holy Cities of Arnes and Vathora, Servant and Blessed of the Haliarch, Refuge of the World, Light of the Morning Star and the Evening Star, Guardian of the Sixteen Holy Flames, Preserver of the Eternal Serpent, 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, King of Kings, Ruling Over Those Who Rule
Ruler Description: Describing the Emperor of the Elder Sun, the Heir of the Golden Lineage, is no easy task. Just like the Sun itself changes over the course of the day, so does the Emperor himself, changing for each of the roles that he must perform as the Refuge of the World. Each role comes with its own mask - and much like the Boruvians of old, the role and its representation through the mask are more important than the person underneath. For his subjects, Vaeros is a living god, the descendant of a family of gods which can trace its lineage directly to the Goddess of the Dawn and the God of the Sun. He represents all the best attributes of the Gods, and is a wise and fair ruler, strong and honorable. Filled with vigor and hope like the Rising Son, guarding his domains with light like the High Sun of the Noon, and reminding people that a new day will come as the Setting Sun.

Of course, beneath the mask, the situation can often be different. As the first-born son of his father, Vaeros was prepared to reign and to rule from his earliest years - but no amount of preparation can be enough for such a gargantuan task. Climbing onto the Sun Throne at a young age, and wearing the heavy Radiant Crown, Vaeros is nevertheless still just a young man, one that has to deal with the death of his parents and the burden of reigning. While wearing the imperial masks, he is quiet, but charming and convincing when he speaks with the authority of the divine lineage, gaining the absolute loyalty of his subjects with a simple word or gesture. Without the mask, he is somewhat insecure and withdrawn, melancholic perhaps even, much more content with reading old scrolls or playing the harp. With the mask, he is the living wisdom of the gods, without it, he is an intelligent young man, but one still perhaps unprepared for the harshness of the world. With the mask, he is as powerful as the Sun itself, a great mage, the greatest mage - without it, he is still an excellent mage, his blood giving him strength and having trained since he was young, but he is still not old enough to challenge the experience of many of the ancient mages on this mortal realm. With the mask, he is an unquestionable ruler, his reign forever guarded, but without it, he knows that the endless scheming of his family means that he is never truly safe, and he has become a proficient plotter and schemer in spite of his young age. While masked, he and his wife are the earthly representation of the Sun and the Dawn, but without them, they are a young man and a young woman, brother and sister, who hate and despite each other and the roles they have been forced into due to the tradition of their blood.
Government Description: The Emperor of the Achysians is the elect of the Gods, crowned by the Gods and guarded by the Gods. He is above all other earthly rulers, over which he reigns as a paterfamilias - the father of the family. The realm that he rules over, that is, the Achysian Abode, is not like the other kingdoms and realms, a temporary phenomenon, but the earthly reflection of the Heavens Above, a realm foreseen in the plans of the Gods and that is destined to last until the Final Judgement. The Emperor is the incarnation of the law - the living law, and all his words are sacred edicts, to be applied immediately as if they would have been proclaimed by the Gods themselves. Any who sits upon the Sun Throne, wearing the Radiant Crown, needs to be of divine blood, of the lineage of Kaeron, the son of Azaral and Azen, who gave up his place among the Gods in order to save the mortal world. In theory, the first born child of a reigning Emperor, regardless of their gender, is the one to inherit the Radiant Crown, but in practice, there have been situations where a ruling monarch crowns one of their children as co-emperor in order to secure their succession. There have also been instances of assassinations and intrigues in the history of the dynasty. In order to maintain their divine blood pure, the House of Kaeron often practices incestuous marriages, usually brother and sister, but there have been occasions in which princes and princesses of Achysia have been married to foreign royalty.

The Emperor rules and reigns alone, and the powers of all the offices in the realm and in the Faith are subsidiary to and derived from his. In order to administer his domains, the Abode makes use of a centralized and hierarchic system of bureaucracy. The center of this system is represented by the Imperial Court, which is customarily divided into the Inner and the Outer Court. The Inner Court is represented by the Grand Council of Princes and Officials, which functions as an advisory body for the Emperor, usually formed by princes and princesses of the divine lineage, mages of the Imperial Schools, retired officials and other figures of wisdom. The Outer Court is the central point of the bureaucracy, and is the actual government, through the body known as the Grand Magistery. The Grand Magister. also known as the Magister of All Offices, is the Abode's first minister, chosen directly by the Emperor, and he oversees the Eight Magisteries, the actual ministries of the Empire. Each of them is head by a Magister, forming respectively the Magister of Personnel, the Magister of Clerics, the Magister of Revenue, the Magister of Works, the Magister of Ceremonies, the Magister of the Course, the Magister of War and the Magister of the Estates. Each Magistery is a highly centralized office, with each Magister being assisted by two Secretaries and various other officials.

The Abode itself is divided into various provinces, known as dioceses. Each diocese has its own, provincial government, which is head by a Vicar, another scholar-official. Dioceses are usually grouped into larger entities known as prefectures, with head by a Prefect who reports to the Emperor directly. All land in the empire belongs to the Emperor due to his divine lineage and appointment, and some of these lands are offered to various other people as part of arrangement between the Radiant Crown and its subjects. The aristocracy, or the patrician class, receive their estates and their positions directly from the Emperor and usually work for the government or for the military, being as such part of the scholar-officials or of the military aristocracy. The nobles have the obligation to guard the peace and prosperity of their respective regions - as the wealthy landowners are required to pay taxes directly to the Emperor and also have to pay the mutual guarantee tax - paying off the tax debts of their poorer neighbors or of those neighbors who are doing their military service and are unable to pay. The class system of the nobility is strict and very well organized, each noble position has three classes and the position of a family within a class depends on their heritage, service, and riches. Each rank is equal to a particular class. The Magnificent Ones have the titles of Duke First Class, Duke Second Class, and Duke Third Class, the Illustrious Ones have the titles of Count First Class, Count Second Class, and Count Third Class, and the Admirable Ones have the titles of Viscount First Class, Viscount Second Class and Viscount Third Class, and the Most Notable Ones have the titles of Knight First Class, Knight Second Class, and Knight Third Class. The backbone of the Abode is however not represented by the aristocracy, but by the free landowners. The free peasants and organized into villages and towns, own their land through the mercy of the Emperor and pay their taxes to the provincial government. In times of war, each village and town is required to arm and feed a certain number of soldiers based on their lands and riches. The military estates are similar in most manners to the peasant estates, but are specifically formed by military families which have received lands as part of their service - they are exempt from most taxes but must consistently provide soldiers for the Imperial Hosts, usually one or two sons for each family.

Goals: The restoration of the Boruvian Empire, the destruction of "barbarian" realms, spreading the true Ecumenical Faith
Diplomatic Relations:

Great enemy of the Abode during the Wars of the Southern Star, the Kingdom of En'Akkunat has retained tense relations with Achysia due to the presence of the Achysians in Godwana in the former Boruvian province of Valentia, and due to the common raids and counter-raids often occurring on the seas between them. There are also those who say that the Sorcerer-Kings wish to claim the fallen star which formed the kindling of the Eternal Flame for themselves.

Population Details

Population: 25,000,000
Population Description: The Abode's population is mainly human, but it does contain high numbers of elves, dwarves, and even small communities of orcs. Traditionally, the Achysians have valued loyalty to the throne and to the faith as much more important factors of consideration than one's race or ethnicity, which has its origins in the actions of Kaeron himself and of his immediate successors, who gathered many human and non-human followers in their quest to stop the fall of the Boruvian Empire and later to form and protect the Abode. To this very day, the realm accept refugees of all races - as long as they are willing to swear fealty to the Emperor and to the Gods. But this is of course, a double-edged blade, for those who are not followers of the Faith are prosecuted within the Empire's territories.

Non-human minorities are as previously described divided into those which are integrated and not counted separately - major cities like Vathora have populations of Elves and Dwarves which have been assimilated culturally to a certain degree. There are also are groupings of Elves and Dwarves which have been assimilated as military settlers in the provinces,or traditional Dwarven clans in the northern mountains which have pledged their fealty to the Golden Lineage. Other non-human races, which are not formally recognized as part of the Five Races, like theriantropes, humans with animal elements, and halflings, have had less luck historically, since they have been considered by many, including by the Faith of the Sixteen, to be humans which have been afflicted with divine curses due to the sins of their ancestors, and as such, throughout history, many have been used as slaves or servants. Their situation has improved in recent years but their social rights remain perilous, and few are recognized as citizens, with most of them living in major cities and serving the aristocracy.

Magical beings are a little more difficult to keep track of. Dragons have been domesticated since before the foundation of the Abode, but there are still some wild dragons in the northern mountains which are generally left alone. Spirits and fairies also exist, but their position and integration mostly depended historically on their willingness to follow the teachings of the Faith. Those which accepted it have been generally left alone - nymphs and dryads have been integrated into the worship of Azema, the Abundant One, the Goddess of the Earth, mermaids and mermen have sometimes been used in the worship of Vatan, and so on.

During the Age of Darkness, Achysia was a notable place of refuge for many of the mortals and magical beings which were fleeing from creatures of darkness or from Orkish raids, accepting all as long as they swore fealty. As such, besides from large groups of humans which are descendant from refugees from other parts of the former Boruvian Empire or even from outside of it, the Abode is also the home of various groups of satyrs, sphinxes, one-eyed Arimaspi, Cynocephaly and Elephantines, hekatoncheires, skolopendra, and for nereids and sirens, some giants, Pterippi, gryphons and unicorns.

Religion: Faith of the Sixteen. An adaptation of this. The Faith of the Sixteen, also known as Vayonism after its third and most major prophet, Vayon the Forteller, is the belief in a divine concept which is the beginning and the end, something beyond being, a principle that is beyond the understanding of the mortal mind and soul - the Divine. The Divine, also known as the One, has created the world through its Emanations, and the first of the Emanations are the Sixteen Gods, divine manifestations of his aspects, omnipotent and omni-existing as themselves. The Sixteen Gods are traditionally divded into the Gods Above and the Gods Below based on their position in the Eight Heavens or the Eight Hells.

Strategic Details

Military Description:
The Abode maintains a strong military tradition which claims lineage from the armies of the Boruvian Empire, and which is directly descended from the armies of Kaeron the Savior which carved up the realm of Achysia during the Age of Darkness, defeating unworthy warlords and savage invaders in order to preserve the light of imperial rule.

The Achysian military is known as the Imperial Hosts (იმპერიული მასპინძლები), or sometimes as the Imperial Banners. The Hosts are under the direct command of the Emperor, but in practice the command is often granted to an experienced military officer, usually with the title of Martial Magister of All Hosts. The Martial Magister of All Hosts is usually assisted by three other officials, which are exemplifying the basic division in the imperial forces - the Martial Magister of the Hosts of the Land, the Martial Magister of the Hosts of the Sea and the Martial Magister of the Hosts of the Skies.

The former is the official in charge of the Imperial Hosts of the Lands, the armies of the Abode. Known alternatively as hostmen or bannermen, the soldiers of Achysia are some of the best in the known world, famous for their discipline, like the Boruvian armies of old. The Achysians make use of a simple system to prop up their armies, which is built around a core of professional troops, known as the High Hosts or as the Hosts-in-the-Presence. Led by the Martial Magister in-the-Presence, they are, as the name implies, stationed in the presence of the Emperor -so in the imperial capital of Vathora. They are maintained on a permanent basis, and are paid directly from the Emperor's treasury - and they serve as loyal soldiers to protect the capital from enemies and rebels alike. Throughout their long service, the High Hosts have developed their own traditions and lineages as units, something that has been encouraged by the divine lineage in order to strengthen their combat abilities. Examples of such regiments are the Host of the Sentinels, who have been traditionally guarding Vathora's walls, the Host of the Wardens, the guardians of the imperial prisons, the Host of the Immortals, formed by a lineage of Elves who are said to have pledged their fealty to Kaeron and his descendants, and who are well known for their archery and magic skills, the Host of the Rapids, which is mainly formed by centaurs and mercenary rider-archers from the east, and the Host of the Flames, specialized in wielding the Boruvian fire through spells or syphon-throwers. All soldiers of the High Hosts, regardless of their unit, are expected to be completely loyal to the Emperor, to the Abode, and to the divine lineage - and in turn, this has led to certain rules and tradition, like their wearing of enchanted silver masks which cover their faces and hides their identity, leaving them only with their position as soldiers of the Hosts.

The Low Hosts or the Hosts-in-the-Distance, are the forces that are gathered in times of war from the dioceses. Each diocese of the Abode is essentially paralleled by a military district, known as an archonate. Each archonate is headed by an Archon, who leads all military matters in the province and cooperates with the civilian administration headed by the Vicar. The Low Hosts draw their soldiers from among the men of the province - and most of these are those who own a duty to the Emperor and have to perform their military service, either children of the aristocracy or men from military families who receive land free from rent from the Abode in exchange for their service. In times of war, each estate, town, village, or monastery is required to provide a certain number of men, armed and equipped, but mass conscription is rare. Much like the Hosts-in-the-Presence, each archon maintains a certain number of troops standing and at his disposal in the provincial capital, but unlike the High Hosts, the soldiers themselves are not professional or in permanent service. Instead, soldiers are usually rotated. Each man within the province who owes a duty to the military will spend half a year or a year in the standing forces of the archon, being paid for it, while his neighbors at home are obliged by the law to ensure that his family and lands are taken care of. Once this part of his service his over, the man will return to his town or village, and another neighbor will take his place, until eventually in a few years, it will be his turn again. Men are rotated in such a way that the standing forces usually have an equal number of experienced soldiers and newcomers. That is not to say that men are simply left to rot, working on their fields from years, only to then forget how to use a spear. Every year, usually either in the spring, after the fields have been planted, or in autumn, after the harvest, military officers are sent from the provincial capital to each town and village and estate to organize a week of training, with the men taking up arms and exercising as a unit. Such times are also filled with contests of strength, agility, or archery, with prizes paid for either by the Emperor himself or by the vicar of each diocese. In times of war then, the hosts of each diocese are gathered up under their archon and join the High Hosts to war. If the enemy invades, then the Low Hosts are usually tasked with delaying them until the reinforcements from the praesental forces can arrive.

The third part of the Hosts of the Land is essentially a separate part of the Low Hosts, one that is organized in the border provinces of the Abode. Known as the seers, they are units drawn up from the men living alongside the borders, and who fight as irregular soldiers and as recon units, sometimes in the defense, other times leading raids into enemy lands. If the enemy attacks, they are meant to cause them as much trouble as possible and to alert the Abode, and they usually also serve as guides from the High or the Low Hosts which come to fight the enemy. In the offensive, they act as the tip of the Achysian spearhead, reconnoitering and sabotaging. They lie somewhere in between the professional forces of the High Hosts and the gathered up soldiers of the Low Hosts, as they are paid by the Emperor and are trained well, but they usually also work on the land and live as farmers, partially as a second job and partially to better hide and disperse among the civilian population of the borderlands.

The Hosts of the Land, regardless of their specific unit of type, all fight in broadly similar ways. The Hosts exist in a relation of interdependence with the Empire's mages. A mage can kill many enemies all at once, but even the stronger mage can die if poked repeatedly with a rusty sword. The Hosts, subdivided into circles and rings, work in close cooperation with the mages, which are assigned to each unit. The infantry is essentially meant to protect the mages. Hostmen wear mail or scale armour, helmets, with or without masks depending on one's unit, and large, wide ovoid shields, which are essential for the infantry formation. Bows are not only used by archers, since every foot soldier is expected to have and use either a composite recurved bow, short javelins, or throwing darts, which are usually used to fire on the enemy before the clash. While in direct combat, the infantry makes use of shield walls and of their primary weapon - thrusting spears. If needed, the soldiers also make use of swords, usually straight and long. Besides from protecting the mages, the infantry is usually used to keep the enemy formation in place while the cavalry charges. In more ways than one the primary arm of the hosts, the Achysian cavalry is mainly of the heavy type, completely armored units known as cataphracts.

The need by the forces of the Abode to fight against unholy forces and undead has also led to certain developments. The weapons are usually blessed by mage-priests before the battle, and for those who can afford it, particularly for the High Hosts, are made to contain a certain percentage of holy silver within their metal composition. Holy water, holy miracle-making icons and other such holy magical elements are often used in battle to support the forces, and of course, smaller rings from the Host of the Flames are trained so as to integrate with normal units in times of war, being able to use their handheld syphons to throw fire against the enemy hordes.

The Hosts of the Sea are a bit more centralized in scope. They are led by the Martial Magister of the Hosts of the Sea, and are formed around the Imperial Fleet, also known as the Fleet-Host-in-the-Presence, based of course, in the capital. Much larger in proportion compared to the other naval forces, the Imperial Fleet is the main power of the Abode at sea. The Imperial Fleet is led by the Martial Magister of the Fleet-Host-in-the-Presence, but this office has been often associated with the noble title of Archduke of the Seas, which isn't inherited but is rather bestowed upon each successive Martial Magister of the Fleet-Host-in-the-Presence. The Imperial Fleet is in turn supported by the Prefectural Fleets, which are regional formations used strictly for defense from raiding, each commanded by a Duke of the Seas. The final part is represented by the Archonal Fleets, since each coastal diocese/archonate is meant to also have a small naval force to be used strictly for anti-raiding and anti-piracy measures.

Finally, the Hosts of the Skies, despite their title aren't hosts per se, but are rather smaller units, attached to the Hosts of the Land or the Hosts of the Sea, made up by dragon and gryphon riders. A considerable contingent is tied to the High Hosts in the Presence, being deployed for the direct protection of the imperial capital, while the smaller units in the provinces are generally only used for harassment or reconnaissance purposes.

Several other units also exist outside of this basic system. The most important of them is perhaps formed by the Custodians of the Golden Line (ოქროს ხაზის მცველები), which are the direct guards of the Emperor and of the Imperial Family. Recruits in the ranks of the Custodians are always highly tested and trained since they are supposed to be even more powerful than the hostmen of the High Hosts themselves. Service in the ranks of the Custodians implies pledging one's life to the Emperor and to his lineage, and service is usually for life - or until the body of a custodian no longer allows them to perform their duties. Religious fanaticism and unquestionable loyalty just as important as their martial or magical abilities. Custodians are recruited both from inside the Abode and from the outside its realms. The Custodians serve as the personal bodyguards of the Emperor and of the other members of the imperial family, they guard the imperial palaces, and in times of war, serve as the personal unit of the Emperor, to be used only in the most important moments of battle. It is also believed by some that at least some of the Custodians are angels, but that is difficult to confirm or to deny since much like some of the units of the High Hosts, the Custodians all use masks as part of their standard attire, hiding their faces.

Magic Description: Magic is inherently tied to the existence of the Abode - as it is the divine and magical abilities of the Golden Lineage of Kaeron which led to Achysia's formation and survival. As its flag might imply, the most used form of magic is that of Solar Magic, in particular white magic and in even more detail the portions of it that are best suited to combat and to fighting demons or other creatures of darkness. Since Solar Magic derives from the Sun, and the Sun is one of the major deities of the Achysian pantheon, more specifically, Azen, the Achysians consider their magic to be divine in nature, and as such, most of the schools of magic taught within Achysia is known as divine magic, or theurgy.

All magic in Achysia is regulated by the Faith of the Sixteen, and as such, there are only two types of mages that are accepted within the abode. The first type is that of the mages which are directly serving under the Faith, and they form the majority of mages, particularly among mortal mages. Since the organization of mages is under the authority of the Haliarchy, the organization in question is known as the Haliarchic Schools, and the mages that are part of it are known as Scholarians. One does not need to be a priest serving the Sixteen in order to be a mage of the Schools, but most often this is the case. The Schools themselves are organized based on the Sixteen and on their divine domains - the strongest and the largest are of course the schools directly focused on Solar Magic - the Schools of Azen and of Azaral. Other schools do also exist, but they're much smaller and are generally focused on research. The School of Valal studies dark and lunar magic under the watchful eye of the Faith's Judgment, but mostly in order to understand it in order to better allow the Abode to fight against its wielders.

In tight connection with the Schools there is also the Magistery for the Protection of Exaltation, formed by the secret agents and reconnaissance service of the Abode. The members of the Magistery for the Protection of Exaltation are usually known as the Messengers, due to their strong cooperation with the Magistery of the Course and the imperial messenger service, which often serves as one of their covers.

Mages which are not affiliated with the Schools are allowed to practice their magic, as their skills are more important to the Abode than their direct obedience - but they are most often supervised by the Faith's Judgment in order to ensure that they do not delve into forbidden topics. The Faith's Judgement also acts as the primary organization which hunts renegade mages.

The ability of Achysia to fight against demons and creatures of darkness, as limited as it might be by the mortal status of its subjects, is crystalized into the Order of the Holy Scriptures. Generally formed by knight-mages, although they also accept non-mages into their ranks, the Scriptures exist to protect the Abode and to hunt all and any creatures of darkness which might attack Achysia - from demons, to Dark Elves or vampires.

Mages are generally highly sought after, in particular due to their limited numbers when compared to the general population, and the Abode and Achysia do tend to put a lot of effort into their recruitment.

Of great importance for the Abode as a whole but in particular for its magic is the Eternal Flame, which burns at the center of its capital of Vathora. The Faith claims that it was a gift from Azen for his son, Kaeron, while scholars claim that it is a meteorite which flew close to the Sun and was hit by a solar flare, propelled towards its eventual fall on Earth. Regardless of its origin, it is, besides from its religious status, a source of Solar Magic.
Economic Description:
The Abode retains control over what were historically some of the richest provinces of the Boruvian Empire. With its northern border guarded by the Alikian Mountains, and the rest of its borders being with the sea, Achysia stood as a citadel during the Age of Darkness, and despite a constant military effort at its borders, remained mostly safe during the course of this disastrous period. The economy is, from most points of view, subservient to the state, as the imperial government maintains direct control over the most important industries, and interferes extensively in the others, including through price controls and through the annual grants of wheat to the subjects in the capital. Gold, metal, minerals and precious stones are mined directly in the Abode's mountains, from the Alikian Mountains to the north, or in one of the other three mountain ranges controlled by Achysia - the smaller Dekhian Mountains to the northwest, the Ilyosian Mountains in the center, between the coast with the capital Vathora and the Kathoni Lake, and the Rodalhon Mountains to the southeast. The Achysian coins, known as lari, are well known among the other human realms for their stability in value. Production within the Abode is directed by the state, this includes weapons and armour - this might not match the level of craftsmanship of the dwarves but comes near to it. It is however particularly in more artistic fields that the Achysians are known - from jewelry, especially in gold, to religious items and in particular to their painting and holy icons. Clothing is also an important export of the Achysians, alongside silk and other textiles.

Slavery exists within Achysia but it wouldn't necessarily qualify as a trade. Most types of slavery employed by the Empire are very specialized, due to the belief that slavery goes against the natural rights of the races. Most of those pressed into slavery are non-humans or foreigners, since subjects of the Emperor have legal protections for their freedom. Most slaves are in fact servants, either for the aristocracy in the cities or for the landed estates in the rural areas - theriantropes in particular are such an example, although giants or orks are also sometimes pressed into slavery either for agricultural purposes or as bodyguards. Similar to that, dishonored knights or foreign captured warriors are sometimes forced to become slave knights in the service of the state. The Imperial Court also uses slaves, although legally they are not identified as such on account of them being the direct propriety of the Emperor - most such slaves are servants or eunuch officials.

Trade is still a developing field - at many times throughout history, the region of today's Achysia was an important center of trade, as it lies at the congruence of two seas and two continents. Hostiles between states, the war against pirates and other creatures of darkness and other such factors have limited the expansion of trade, but it exists nonetheless. Textiles and silk are often the most important export of the state, while agricultural products are its biggest import. While agriculture in and of itself is an important field of the Achysian economy and is well developed with the presence of so many free farmers, the practice of the state to grant free wheat and bread to its subjects in different periods of the year are well above what the lands of Achysia could provide.

The core of the Achysian state and economy is of course, the Queen of Cities, Vathora. Nestled on the coast, between the mountains and the sea, the capital is fervently defended and is the economic, religious, and political center of the state.

Fluff Details

History:

The beginnings of the Abode lie in the collapse of the Boruvian Empire, and the beginning of the Age of Darkness. As the empire fractured, left without an Emperor, beset on all sides by cultists, Elves, Orks and traitors, various warlords took powers in their provinces - some, claiming the imperial title, others claiming to continue their respective governorships, others nothing more than petty warlords. The territory of present day Achysia was one of the richest provinces of the Boruvians, but unfortunately, it came under the control of a particularly violent and tyrannical ruler, a former mage of the Boruvian Court who had become a cultist himself, and who to this day is known solely as the Moon-Lord in Achysia, his name long erased from history. Whether he was a demon, a human, or an Elf is also lost to history, for reasons that would soon become apparent. His rule brought darkness and suffering to Achysia, as he treated his subjects as nothing more than his playthings, as he ignored the plight of his people in the race for ever grander magical rituals. In this time of darkness and hopelessness, the people prayed - and the Gods answered. Kaeron, the son of Azaral, the Goddess of the Dawn, and of Azen, the God of the Sun, decided to answer to the plight of the people. He gave up his divine seat in the Heavens, and came to the mortal world to fight and to protect the mortals. So the Scriptures say.

Regardless of the truth, Kaeron's incredible powers and divinity were unquestionable. He quickly gathered followers and formed an army, humans, elves, dwarves, halflings, magical creatures - all gathered under a banner of purpure and solar brilliance. Kaeron himself with his magic and strength fought at the head of his hosts, with his three angelic bodyguards at his side. After a short but brutal war, he besieged Vathora, and during the battle, his powers brought down a falling star that destroyed the evil tower of the Moon-Lord, and kindled what is to this day known as the Eternal Flame. During the battle, Kaeron single-handedly killed the Moon-Lord, and after his victory, he married his daughter, and was proclaimed by the patricians, people, and soldiers as Emperor. But instead of simply reviving the Boruvian title, through his divinity, he declared the creation of a new empire to rise from the ashes of Boruvia, one to reunite all mortal-kind and to protect it from the forces of darkness. The Abode of Achysia.

The Age of Darkness continued as an age of war, as the Abode, now protected by the Eternal Flame and by Kaeron, became a preferred target of all manner of evil forces, but managed to survive relatively unscathed, even if this was only because of the continued sacrifice of its hostmen and mages. Mortals from all around the known world, fleeing, seeking refuge, eventually found it in the Abode, which accepted them with the sole condition of pledging their loyalty to Kaeron and on praying to the Faith. Eventually however, Kaeron disappeared. The version preached by the faith proclaims that while he retained his divinity, his body had inevitably become part of the material world, and as such, it aged. Eventually, in order to avoid a mere death, Kaeron sacrificed his divine soul by infusing it into the Eternal Flame, in order to help with the protection of his subjects for all time. He was followed as Emperor by his descendants, the sons and daughters of himself and of the daughter of the Moon-Lord, that would become known as the Golden Lineage. Their blood divine, their bodies part human, Kaeron's descendants ruled over the Abode for generations. In order to continue their divinity, and to protect their blood, not for selfish reasons but due to their desire to maintain their hold over the magic and abilities that they inherited, Kaeron's successors had to keep their bloodline pure, marrying brother to sister, aunt to nephew, and sometimes even son to mother. These dark acts had their effects, corrupting their morality and increasing their lust for power, leading sometimes to members of the lineage killing each other - but it was a sacrifice that had to be done in order to keep the Abode safe. Many of Kaeron's successors, willing to reach the heights of the glory of their ancestors, began grand campaigns of reconquest, intending to reclaim the lands of the Boruvian Empire that once was. Mayron the Valiant led the reconquest of the former Boruvian Province of Valentia in Godwana, and his son, Gheros the Reckless, led the infamous decade-long war with En’Akkunat that ended in the complete destruction of the invading Achysian force and the death of the Emperor himself.

Other Emperors fought wars closer to home in Laurentia. Alongside other Boruvian remnants, the Achysians heavily opposed the emergence and rise of the Vaulkar Concordat, but their ability to fight the Burning Throne was limited by a darker presence closer to home - the almost never-ending conflict in the Alikian Mountains against the Dún Meascéibhe. And even further to the north, the rise of the halfling empire of Arvenum, which could have been an ally, decided to claim a false inheritance to the Empire, and like a pale shadow of the legions of old, they fought against the thinly-stretched Achysian hosts, eventually making gains towards the coast.

The beginning of the 13th century has brought with it a relative period of peace, but no one knows for how long this will be.

by **Sao Nova Europa** » Sun Sep 01, 2024 11:06 am

Intermountain States wrote:Korean country in the far east, Chinese country in the middle...

We can have interactions through sea. Or maybe they developed independently lmao

BTW, for the population part of my app, is 30 million alright or would I need to reduce it? Almost entirely humans racially. Asking because I'm unsure of demographics in this setting.

by **Remnants of Exilvania** » Sun Sep 01, 2024 11:07 am

Tracian Empire wrote:
Realm Application

Basic Details

Realm Name: Sublime Abode of Achysia (აჩისიის ამაღლებული სავანე)
Short Name: Achysia
National Symbol(s): (Is there any specific heraldry associated with your realm at large? Any Lidless Eyes of Sauron or Imperial Eagles?)
Territory: The larger peninsula in Thyrian purple here
Capital: Vathora

Political Details Details

Realm Type: (Are you a Kingdom? An Empire? A wandering Horde? A Theocracy? A Magocracy? A Republic? Some anarchic shithole?)
Ruler: (Name and title of the person that is de jure or de facto leading your realm)
Ruler Description: (Since this is medieval fantasy and the importance and power of the rulers tends to increase drastically, a small description at least may be in order. No, we are not talking about a physical description unless your leader turns out to be a Titan under whose feet the ground quakes, but rather personality, relationships, skills, etc.)
Government Description: (Explain how your nation is run, if there are any notable persons running the gears of your governing machine, any internal political forces?)
Goals: (Any particular goals your nation or just your rulers may be following? Immortality? Summoning Cthulhu? Revenge? Shiny, gleamy coin?)
Diplomatic Relations: (Alliances? Pacts of Non-aggression? Marriages? Vassals? Warm or cold relations? Rivals? Bitter enemies? This section can be left empty but it would be appreciated if other apps and players were looked at and talked to to perhaps try and fill this a little)

Population Details

Population: (How many 'people' actually live within the borders of your realm. For simplicity we will only consider broadly sapient life forms that do or can contribute to your realm in the short or mid term)
Population Description: (What sort of races can be found among your population? What are these races like? Any cultural oddities you want to tell us about?)
Religion: Here you give us the name of the religion you follow and how it is treated in your realm's society. You can peek at what other players do and, within reason, copy their religion much like irl religions often existed far beyond ethnic or 'national' borders. If you are doing something new or original however, some form of description of how it works and what it believes would be good)

Strategic Details

Military Description: (Tell us about your military. How is it organised? Does it have a standing force and what is it like? Any particularly cool commanders or the like? Any specialties? How many forces can it muster for a campaign?)
Magic Description: (Tell us about Magic in your realm. Are there any schools that are followed in particular? Did you create any new schools you'd wish to explain to us? Are mages free or forced into some church or adopted by nobility or or or? Are there any local specialties or the like?)
Economic Description: (Tell us about your economy. Are you a great trading power? Are there any particular goods that are produced or sourced from your realm? Any particularly important hotspots of economic activity?)

Fluff Details

History: (Quite self explanatory. Really just tell us about the history of your realm. When or how was it founded? Anything that happened in or to it across the ages?)

Alright, noted, adding you

by **Intermountain States** » Sun Sep 01, 2024 11:07 am

Realm Application

Basic Details

Realm Name: Empire of Cheongryeo (대청려국; 大淸麗國)
Short Name: Daecheongryeo (대청려; 大淸麗), Cheongryeo (청려; 淸麗)
National Symbol(s): Marine Dragon (Cheongryeo), Three Legged Crow (Fuso)
Territory: Dark blue in the Eastern region
Capital: Gaegyeong

Political Details Details

Realm Type: Imperial Monarchy.
Ruler: Emperor Sun II from the Imperial House of Onju Park the Dragon King by the Mandate of Heaven, Sovereign of all Cheongryeo and Fuso, Regent of Heaven, and Protector of the Realm and its People.
Ruler Description: Sun II is a trained warrior who was adept with white magic, having his start as Commander of the Emperor's Bodyguards. However, he cares very little about ruling over the country and leaves administrative duties to the Three Departments and the Six Ministries. In fact, he never really wanted to be the Dragon King but just happened to be chosen by his father, the late Emperor Biryu, out of him being the oldest, capable military leader, and someone who can rally the people behind him (his younger brothers, Prince Won and Hyo were said to exhibit half of what Sun has; Won was said to be a capable strategist and is devoted to the Church but is seen as too cold and serious to inspire love, Hyo the youngest is seen as a beautiful prince who is beloved by the public due to his generous donations to various public projects but has little in administrative experience). It's just so happens that Emperor Sun II chosen the most capable men to lead the government in his stead while he indulges himself by hosting tournaments and hunting. Occasionally, he would do his due diligence as the High King but only for public appearances and for laying down reforms aimed at relieving the public, it's the only kingly duties he cares about.
Government Description: The Emperor rules for life and all emperors of Cheongryeo claim descendants from the ancestral throne of the first Holy King Taejo Dangun. The powers of Cheongryeo monarchs have changed throughout centuries, with some being absolute monarchs while others leaving power to royal and imperial ministers. It should be noted that although the official title of Cheongryeo sovereigns includes the word "King" (Wang), the title of King is often used in conjecture with the title of "Emperor" (Hwangje) as part of the full title being Grand/Supreme King (Taewang) or Dragon King (Yongwang). Prior to the establishment of the Cheonju Church as the country's state religion, monarchs would claim divine ancestry and would include the style "Son of Heaven" (Cheonja) according to the doctrines of the old religion of Daejonggyo. As the terms "Heavenly Sovereign," "Heavenly King," and "Son of Heaven" would imply deification of a mortal, such titles became taboo for early rulers after the establishment of the Church. Rulers would instead adopt secular titles of Grand King/Greatest King and "Regent of Heaven" (Cheon Seopjung) as the most supreme title equivalent to the titles of Emperor/Heavenly Sovereign and Son of Heaven. Some monarchs would posthumously be elevated to "Holy King" (Seongwang) if their reigns were seen as being in line with the Church.

Cheongryeo utilizes the Three Department and the Six Ministries. The Three Departments are three top-level administrative structures made up of the Central Secretariat, the Chancellery, and the Department of State Affairs. The Central Secretariat is reponsible for drafting policies, the Chancellery (made up of the Chief Chancellor, the Chancellor of the Left, and the Chancellor of the Right) is responsible for reviewing policies as well as advising the Emperor, and the Department of State Affairs is responsible for implementing policies. The Six Ministries are under the authorities of the Department of State Affairs is also responsible for drafting policy, the Chancellery, responsible for reviewing policy and advising the emperor, and the Department of State Affairs, responsible for implementing policy. The Six Ministries were direct administrative organs of the state under the authority of the Department of State Affairs. The Six Ministries deal with the works of Civil Appointments, Rites, War, Justice, Public Works, and Finances. Each Ministry is head by a Minister and is assisted by two Vice-Ministers. The Emperor commands absolute loyalty from his officials and subjects, but officials are expected to try to guide the Emperor to the right path if the latter was mistaken and Kings are usually sensitive to public opinions.

The bureaucratic element of the government is dominated by scholars who enter service in the government through the civil service exam. All officials are expected to have passed a series of literary and psychological tests that determine their ability to serve the empire. Theoretically, anyone, excluding women, can take the civil service exams but only the wealthy have the money to afford preparations for the exams. However, seeing a lowborn take and pass the exams are not uncommon and are often celebrated in stories.
Goals: Maintain an internal balance of power between the aristocracy, the Church and its many orders, and the central military in an effort for greater centralization. Ensure a balance of power in the region while dominating maritime trade.
Diplomatic Relations: The Ministry of Rites handles foreign relations with other countries. The Realm tends to favor diplomacy and trade first when engaging in foreign relations with other countries but national relations with different entities may vary depending on historical relations. The Bureau of Barbarian Affairs is an agency within the Ministry of Rites that keeps a record of neighboring countries based on encounters made by diplomats, merchants, or military officers and would review and recommend how the Empire engages with the foreign countries.

Population Details

Population: 17.4 million
Population Description: Cheongryeo has three major human ethnic groups. The Saram people is the one of the major ethnic groups in Cheongryeo, with most noble clans being able to trace their lineage back to the original colonists of Cheongryeo. The Haenam people is the oldest ethnic group in Cheongryeo, being native to the peninsula for centuries long before the Saram people arrived. Both ethnic groups have integrated with each other for centuries and it is less likely for most people of Cheongryeo to be purely of Saram or Haenam descent. The Nara people is focused largely in the southwestern islands and make up the majority in the Kingdom of Fuso, an autonomous kingdom that nominally pays tribute to Cheongryeo. The Nara people colonized the area after the arrival of the Saram people and have built up complex structures that have unified into the Kingdom of Fuso and have successfully resisted efforts by the southern kingdoms of Majin and Kaelim and later the Empire of Cheongryeo for assimilation for centuries.

Cheongryeo has three social classes: gwijok, joongryu, and sangmin. The gwijok class is the aristocracy of Cheongryeo made up of highly educated civil servants, high ranking military officials, scholar officials, and members of the Cheonju clergy. Most are landowners and enjoy special privileges such as exemption from taxations. Efforts by the Imperial government to tax the members of the gwijok have often been met with opposition from the powerful aristocracy. The joongyru class is the middle class, making up petty bureaucrats, scientists, interpreters, mid-ranking military officers, and other skilled workers serving as administrative support for the government. Although not part of the aristocracy, they enjoy better social standings than the sangmin with their own special privileges. The sangmin class is the commoner class, consisting of peasants, heavy laborers, fishermen, metalworkers, farmers, shoemakers, some craftsmen, merchants, etc. They make up the majority of the population and are burdened with military drafts and are subjected to most of the country's taxations. Few own lands and many work as tenant farmers for the upper class.

That being said, anyone from the nobility to the commoners to even the poorest of society can supposedly address their grievances to local and national governments. Cheongryeo society is still relatively patriarchal as only men are allowed to take the civil and military service exams for high government positions and with women generally expecting to subservient to the males in the family. That being said, women do enjoy some legal rights of their own such as being to inherent property or to remarry as a widow. Women also play a large role in the Cheonju Church as priestesses, nuns, missionaries, teachers, religious sisters, scientists, community organizers, hospital administrators, nurses, etc. A large number of saints venerated by the church are women and the Church places great values on family and motherhood.

All levels of Cheongryeo society enjoy many forms of recreation and leisurely activities. Calligraphy, poetry, and literature are written in the Cheongryeogul script. Leisure is enjoyed by all strata of society, from painting to theatre, from hunting to reading. Many forms of traditional martial arts were also practiced, some being indigenous forms while others being influenced from neighboring countries.
Religion:
Cheonjugyo - The Religion of the Heavenly Lord
The Cheonju Church is the largest religion in terms of membership and enjoys a rich history in Cheongryeo for centuries as the state religion of the country. It is monotheistic with the belief that the Heavenly Lord (Haneunim or Hwanin) is the sole ruler of the universe with no equal. While the religion does acknowledge the existence of many spirits akin to angels or mortals who ascended to sainthood, these aren't deities but holy individuals who serve God in Heaven. Likewise, there is no God of the Underworld but merely archdemons who could only mimic the powers of Hwanin and his servants of heaven and would try and lead the living astray towards damnation. It is believed that the first son of Man, Dangun, would return to the world with an army of angels and heavenly dragons to lead the virtuous and the faithful against all of the world's evil and foster a new, eternal age over the world. Thus, when the Cheonju Church replaced the Daejong religion, all historical sovereigns were downgraded from God-Kings to various secular titles to prevent posthumous deification. Only the first record king, Dangun, is still given God-King status and a trinity is established between the Father Hwanin, the Ruler Dangun, and the Teacher Cheongun; all representing the God of Heaven. The Haneunim is the ultimate principle of good and justice. However, the term "Haneul" represents not just the sky but also the whole universe and divinity can be found in all living and nonliving things. The faith also places emphasis on embracing the seven virtues of heaven to attain enlightenment. The Cheonju Church has its own religious hierarchies, including its own Patriarchs, High Priestesses, and bishops. The Imperial Priestess is a position attained by priestesses of the Church who have been assigned to serve as a spiritual advisor to the Emperor. The Patriarch is the supreme leader of the Church, attained by a member of the clergy who's been elected by a college of his peers.

Daejonggyo - Great Ancestral Religion
The Daejong Church is among the oldest lasting religions of Cheongryeo but a relic of the past. The faith proclaims that the Sky God, Haneunim is separated into three coequal, coeternal, consubstantial divine persons. God the Father is the one based in heaven who created the universe. God the Teacher is the mentor of universal nature and morality for the universe to follow. God the Ruler is the king of all creation. It is believed that Haneunim is found in a particularly holy mortal who would rule the nation as the God-King, but his descendants would soon lose the blood of the heavens as generations pass. The Heavens would show if a royal family lost divine blood through natural disasters and revolts, thus paving the way for another progenitor to take the place to rule as the next God-King and the cycle continues forth. Every royal and imperial dynasties have claimed descendants from the first God-King Dangun. It is believed that the Daejonggyo faith was first used by Hae Mosu to justify overthrowing King Wang Bu in Baedal during the Baedal Period, claiming that the Holy Royal Family of the Yongju Wang lost its divine blood. Aspects of the religion would be secularized into the political philosophy of the Mandate of Heaven by humanists of more contemporary dynasties as heavenly favors were more preferred to than divine ancestry, especially since records of royal lineages of ancient unified kingdoms prior to the Four Kingdoms period are rare. That being said, many successive dynasties would attempt to continue the tradition of an unbroken royal lineage by marrying off the male heir of the throne to a princess of the prior dynasty. Even Taejo Hae Mosu set the tradition by marrying his successor, Hae Geum to Princess Wang Yu-ri, the daughter of Wang Bu. Although the religion is no longer embraced by the imperial government, it still has a lasting legacy in the country, including observance by the imperial government in the form of ancestral rites of past rulers along with the aforementioned practice of continuing the royal and imperial bloodline by successive dynasties, in essence creating a royal family lasting for hundreds, if not thousands of years.

Mugyo - Cheongryeo Shamanism
Mugyo is a polytheist folk religion promoting belief in a range of deities and ancestral spirits. It is an indigenous religion thought to be around in ancient humans before civilization took hold with creation stories and legends. The folk religion was quite common in rural villages and tribal areas and has no centralized religious hierarchies. It was seen as a low-class, superstitious religion of rural and uneducated peasants by the government for much of its existence, due to its association with the native Haenam people. However, the religion is appreciated by scholars as representing and preserving primordial Cheongryeo traditions and legends.

Jindo - Fuso animism
Jindo is a polytheistic and animistic religion that is dominant in the island Kingdom of Fuso. It revolves around supernatural entities called the kami, which inhabit all things. Jindo is host to a large diverse pantheon with Ōhirume (Great Lady of the Sun) being its chief deity. The religion of Jindo is seen as one of the central cultures of Fuso and is practiced by the Nara people in Fuso and mainland Cheongryeo. A few Jindo shrines have been set up in mainland Cheongryeo, largely in Nara communities.

Strategic Details

Military Description: The military of Cheongryeo is tasked to the defense of the Empire against any and all threats, both domestic and foreign. The Imperial Army is organized into five armies, four of which are tasked with defending a portion of the border and the central Army assigned to defending the Imperial Capital. The Imperial Army operates on both a professional regular army and a mandatory reserve force with the ability to call up more when such situations call for them through conscription, albeit only in emergency situations as the regular military and reserve force is seen as being more than adequate in handling any and all threats. Women have the opportunity to volunteer for military service as long as they meet physical, technical, and/or magical requirements. Each provinces maintain a minimal regular military force in order for the general public to carry on with their lives; only mobilizing large portions of the populations when necessary. The Imperial Navy is responsible for protecting the seas of the Cheongryeo and patrol the waters against any maritime raiders to foster international trade. Admirals would come from coastal regions and are expected to be heavily experienced in traversing the seas. The wealthiest members of the military can afford full suits of steel plate armor while those with some money could get their hands on brigandine, lamellar, chainmail, or a combination of armor types; thus most of the Central Army tend to be the most heavily protected. As most conscripts came from the commoner class, many could only afford just a helmet and/or a cuirass for protecting vital areas. Most conscripts would wear hardened leather armor that provided some protection at a cheaper cost if they couldn't afford a full suit of brigandine armor or at least a brigandine vest.

The country is host to many religious military orders that would provide various services such as charity, scientific research, or healthcare while fighting for the Church and the Realm. Many are adept mages that utilize white magic for various usage and combine their education and devotion to the faith with martial usage. The largest and the most centralized of the order is the Bultae Order, which has a presence all throughout the Realm and is backed by the Church.

The domestication of dragons, imugi (sea serpents related to dragons), phoenixes (bonghwangs), kirin (dragon horse also deemed to be related to dragons), three legged crows (samjoko), and gye-lryong (cockatrice) also exist for military usage, recorded to have been used by central authorities during the latter years of the Baedal period. Dragons are known for their intelligence (their intelligence has been compared to that of elephants) and newly graduated dragon riders would form strong bonds with either sea and fire dragons as soon as they're partnered with the dragon hatchlings. The domestication of all of these creatures play important roles in military, diplomatic, and agricultural use.

Militias known as the Righteous Army have appeared several times throughout the history of Cheongryeo when the national armies were in need of assistance against foreign invaders throughout history. Peasants, scholars, former government officials, religious monks, merchants, anyone regardless of background made up such militias.
Magic Description: Magic is tied to the Church as the Church is responsible for the creation of many mage academies with the study of magic being widespread across the four categories, although some categories are more preferred and better funded than others. Those who deal with the dark arts of magic, such as blood and black magic, are those who have mastered the fields of magic and have underwent strenuous background checks and trials to ensure that they wouldn't be corrupted by the studies of dark magic, their implementation of such dark magic reserved for the rare moments in history with countermeasures put in place to subdue or eliminate in case they go rogue.
Economic Description: Agriculture remains a major industry in Cheongryeo. The peninsula is also known for its silk and porcelain production throughout the known world and it is something valued by many merchants. Outside of agriculture, commerce is also an important source of income for the country as Cheongryeo continued its healthy trade relations with the world, especially with maritime trade. Mining also plays a role in economy due to the abundance of natural resources in northern Cheongryeo ripe for exploitation by both state run and private companies. Iron, salt, gold, silver, and other minerals have been mined throughout the Realm. The mun is the currency of Cheongryeo backed by silver. Major production are brocades, jewelries, ginseng, silk, and porcelain.

Fluff Details

History:
Creation Myth and the Baedal Period
The Holy Kingdom of Baedal was the first centralized state in mainland Cheongryeo and was considered to have territories of both the Cheongryeoan peninsula and the Taebong Island. Creation mythology stated that eons ago, the God of Heaven and Creation, Haneunim (or Hwanin) created the first man in his image to rule over the flora and fauna as man's domain in a lost ancient city of Sinsi. The first man was given the name of Cheongun (Heavenly Prince) who ruled over the animals of Sinsi. One day, a bear visited Cheongun and asked to be made human. Cheongun gave the bear 20 cloves of garlic and a bundle of mugwort and ordered the bear to stay out of the sunlight for 100 days and eat nothing but the garlic and the mugwort. The bear lived in a cave and struggled to live off of the plants, almost abandoning the wish to become human. However, the bear persisted and 21 days after the assignment, Cheongun rewarded the bear by transforming it into a beautiful human woman, giving her the name Ungnyeo. Ungnyeo was grateful and made offerings to Cheongun and the Lord of Heaven. However, she fell under depression and prayed for a companion and a child. Moved by her prayers, Cheongun took her as his wife and Ungnyeo gave birth to Dangun. Later on, more animals would ask to becomes and the human population would grow from animals that passed the test to become humans. Dangun would soon leave Sinsi towards east with thousands of his humans followers and form the Holy Kingdom of Baedal, whom reign lasted for over a thousand years and which all emperors of Baedal claimed divine ancestry from.

It is believed that the Holy Kingdom of Baedal was formed by a merger of multiple city-states and tribal confederacies with a dominant priestly class through both peaceful and violent means during the Age of Convergence, likely formed by human colonists traveling eastward. The ancient land of Sinsi was thought to have been the home land of humans and are lost to time. While contemporary historians are unsure of the validity of the Dangun, prominent aristocratic houses such as the Yonju Wang clan and the Gija Yi clan claim descendance. It is believed that Dangun may have been a real ruler who claimed divine ancestry and whose name became an imperial title for many successors to use, hence the longevity of the name Dangun in records.

The Holy Kingdom of Baedal was said to have lasted for thousands of years, flourishing through the Age of Man and surviving through the Age of Strife. Records of early Baedal are sparse but later Baedal records compiled by famed Onjo Park Dynasty era historian Kim Shik-bu wrote that the country was ruled by three dynasties after Dangun: the Yonju Wang clan whom claim descendants from Dangun, the Onjo Hae clan whom reign was started by Hae Mosu's overthrow of Wang Bu, and the Soseon Jung Clan whom reign was started after the marriage of Prince-Consort Jung Min-ho to Queen Hae Yulha. According to Kim Shik-bu in his history book, the Records of the Four Kingdoms, the Yonju Wang clan had 18 emperors, the Onjo Hae clan ruled with 9 emperors, and the Soseon Jung clan ended the dynasty with 13 emperors. Overtime, Baedal would lose some of its holdings to rebellions especially in the south with independent kingdoms and tribal confederacies popping up, only nominally paying tribute to Baedal. Records noted multiple major wars involving Northern Baedal, the last war severely weakened Northern Baedal and the kingdom was dissolved and split into multiple petty kingdoms.

Proto-Four Kingdoms Period

The proto-four kingdoms period refers to the history between the fall of the Holy Kingdom of Baedal and the development of the four kingdoms of Guri, Majin, Tammora, and Kaelim from being made up of multiple petty kingdoms and tribal confederacies into full fledged
states. This was also during the time when the Nara people migrated to Busang island from what is now the Empire at the End and formed multiple entities there.

Four Kingdoms Period

The Four Kingdoms period oversaw the growth and maturation of four kingdoms in the mainland peninsula of Cheongryeo. Guri, dominated the northern half while Majin, Tammora, and Kaelim controlled the southern half. The southwestern island was held by the Kingdom of Fuso/Busang, largely made up of Nara colonists as they themselves consolidated into a single polity, nominally paying tributes to the western kingdom of Majin. The Four Kingdoms period is marked by constant warfare, trade, and an exchange of customs and ideals. Domination of the Four Kingdoms would switch between Majin and Guri at first, the latter claiming to be the successor state to Baedal since its formation However, the relatively stable kingdoms were forged across Cheongryeo, their territories fluctuated over time and no kingdom remained dominant for long.

The customs, laws, and clothes of the four kingdoms are generally identical. Contemporary records also suggest that the languages between the four kingdoms are mutually intelligible enough for someone from one kingdom to be able to translate for someone from another. The four kingdoms all have their own respective religions ranging from monotheism to polytheism but Guri maintained an imperial cult of their emperors having divine ancestry ranging back from the Baedal Dynasty. That would become the basis of the state religion of Daejongism that would spread to the southern states, replacing their local polytheistic shaman religions and tying their rulers with relations to the ancient Baedal rulers. For less than two centuries, Guri would maintain a loosely unified Cheongryeo with all kingdoms paying tribute to Guri. However, Guri would enter a long period of decline after its golden age.

By the late Four Kingdoms Period, Kaelim under King Park Beop-min of the Onju Park clan had expanded greatly, taking advantage of Guri's decline. Although domestication of dragons have existed for centuries prior during the Holy Kingdom period, Kaelim had the most amount of dragons and had early on, subjugated Tammora into its rule. Kaelim would ally with outside neighbors to apply pressure onto Guri from the north while battling the western neighbor of Majin, eventually conquering the western kingdom. With Majin conquered, Kaelim would fight Guri in an effort to unify the peninsula. Although Guri was heavily weakened, it would resist against Kaelim's dragon army for many years, eventually being conquered when Emperor Hae Bojang surrendered to Kaelim forces in the eastern capital of Doseong. Only Fuso remains as an independent entity, resisting efforts by the mainland for it to join their kingdom for decades.

Unified Cheongryeo

The unification of mainland Cheongryeo lead to the formation of the Empire of Cheongryeo by Emperor Park Chang-ho. Efforts were made to assimilate the new subjects by letting the former royal families rule their domains as viceroys and dukes. Hae Bojang, the former King of Guri, was given the title of Grand Warden of Guri and Emperor Chang-ho would marry off his son, the future Emperor Park Yul to Hae Bojang's daughter, Lady Hae Sa-pyeong. The Kaelim aristocracy also framed themselves not as conquerors but as unifiers. Emperor Taejo Park Chang-ho even declared that the nation's title was to be called the Empire of Great Cheongryeo (대청려국) instead of the expected Empire of Great Kaelim (대계림국) as he is not the Emperor of Kaelim and its conquered territories but the Emperor of a unified realm of Cheongryeo. The imperial family even moved from the southeastern city of Andong (the capital of Kaelim) to the middle of Cheongryeo in the coastal city of Gaegyeong in Guri as the new capital city. The realm would be ruled by the Imperial House of Onju Park since unification and the country experienced relative peace and prosperity, its major threats being against hostile north tribes and pirates raiding from the Kingdom of Fuso. Although fortifications were constructed by Guri against the Dark elves during the many wars between Guri and the Dark Elves, Emperor Park Chang-ho would order constructions of a great wall across the northern mountains in efforts to keep any hostile entities north of the wall out. The force manning the great wall, the Iron Army (Cheolgigun), would be famous for its apolitical stance, concerned only with the defense of the northern border and had refused to intervene in any internal conflicts within Cheongryeo even to this day. War between the Cheongryeo and Fuso would last for thirty years as the Imperial army had trouble invading and conquering the large island. Eventually, negotiated settlements between the Empire and Fuso would lead to Fuso eventually becoming a tributary state of Cheongryeo. The ruling family of Fuso, the Mizuho clan, is allowed to keep their titles as Kings and Queens of Fuso and the local aristocracies enjoyed many rights and privileges that the lords in the mainland do not.

Early Onju Park dynasty experienced a golden age of art and culture, as evidenced by the Hwangnyongsa, Seokguram, and the Bell of Emperor Byeongdeok. The maritime prowess of the former Majin continued under the Onju Park dynasty and dominated the seas of the Sunrise Ocean and played the role of middlemen in maritime trades. Cheongryeo was a prosperous and wealthy country, and its metropolitan capital of Gaegyeong was among one of the largest cities in the classical world.

The Jin Hwon Rebellion originally started off with a succession crisis after the death of the elderly Emperor Park Yeonwoo who died childless during his reign. Normally, the next in line would be the closest male relative and Emperor Yeonwoo had a younger brother, Prince Pung. However, Prince Pung had also passed away not long after the death of his brother and sired a son, Prince Il. The royal succession was moved towards Yeonwoo's nephew, Prince Il. However, challenges erupted with the uprising of Jin Hwon, a local magistrate in the Tammora region who claimed to be a bastard son of the late Emperor Yeonwoo during his youth. General Yi Ui-min who was originally sent to subdue the pretenders, suddenly drew his lot with the rebels. Fighting would be fierce in Tammora as loyalist and rebel forces clashed with each other for three years. The rebellions would eventually be crushed, solidifying the ascension of Emperor Il.

Emperor Il ordered the construction of numerous public works projects to improve quality of living such as public bath houses and aqueducts all throughout the country. Emperor Il also banned the practice of incest during his reign, blaming incest of the excess of immoral rulers. He was succeeded by his firstborn son, Prince Mu. Emperor Mu was interested in the teachings of the sage philosopher Shin Nakyang, the founder of the Cheonju faith, and four years within his reign, convened a council of Nakyang's disciples and uncovered followers of the underground church in order to officiate the religion in the form of the Cheonju Church. Overtime, the Cheonju Church would gain acceptance by the public and would replace the Daejonggyo as the state religion in 984 AV. During that time, Emperor Mu would deny having any deification and referred to himself as the Regent of Heaven (Cheon Seopjung) instead of the usual title of "Son of Heaven," something all succeeding rulers would follow suit. He would also use the title of Grand King or Dragon King instead of Heavenly Sovereign as part of the un-deification of the Dragon King. After Emperor Mu's passing in 1001 AV, he was given the posthumous title of Holy Emperor (Seonje).

Emperor Il's line of rulers would be noted by a series of religious emperors who ruled according to the Cheonju texts. The role and wealth of the Cheonju church also grew exponentially thanks to patronage of the Imperial Court. Cheongryeo was a highly cultural state, and invented the metal movable type printing press. Cheongryeo experienced a golden age that lasted a century, during which compilation of historical records and legends such as the Saguk Yuksa and the Saguk Sagi were completed. There were great developments in printing and publishing, promoting learning and dispersing knowledge on philosophy, literature, religion, and science; by 1100, there were 12 universities that produced famous scholars and scientists sponsored by the Imperial Court and the Cheonju Church.

Although gunpowder based weapons were manufactured and incorporated into the military prior, the 13th century saw greater focus on the development of gunpowder in the national military, even establishing a military office for the purpose of developing more effective use of gunpowder, creating bombs, fire arrows, and firelances to supplement the dragons. By the year of 1290 of the Valian calendar, Cheongryeo is ruled by Emperor Sun II, who ascended the throne in 1276. His reign has been marked as generally peaceful with internal reforms being passed aimed at helping the public. However, the Emperor had taken liking to the life of opulence and his government of capable administrators have been taken over by yesmen and greedy officials, despite that a few trustworthy and competent officials still held down the line. As of now, Cheongryeo was ruled by 28 sovereigns since unification. Only time will tell how his reign will last as cracks begin to show with dissatisfaction from the warrior class along with conflicts between the Chief Chancellor Go Seung-ryeong and the Empress Consort Jang Chaeryeong.

by **Faal Lot Himdah** » Sun Sep 01, 2024 12:35 pm

Just wondering, am I the only Player "Evil" state right now?

by **Remnants of Exilvania** » Sun Sep 01, 2024 12:49 pm

Faal Lot Himdah wrote:Just wondering, am I the only Player "Evil" state right now?

Nay! For as am I!

If you count me as the OP with a proper app (soon) on the other end of the known world as a player "evil" state.

by **Faal Lot Himdah** » Sun Sep 01, 2024 1:02 pm

Remnants of Exilvania wrote:
Faal Lot Himdah wrote:Just wondering, am I the only Player "Evil" state right now?

Nay! For as am I!

If you count me as the OP with a proper app (soon) on the other end of the known world as a player "evil" state.

Your OP, doesn't count as player for the classification. Sorry, don't make the rules

by **Remnants of Exilvania** » Sun Sep 01, 2024 1:05 pm

Faal Lot Himdah wrote:
Remnants of Exilvania wrote:Nay! For as am I!

If you count me as the OP with a proper app (soon) on the other end of the known world as a player "evil" state.

Your OP, doesn't count as player for the classification. Sorry, don't make the rules

If Imp getsher WIP up then you could likely classify hers as evil then.

A Decade on Kerak [Medieval Fantasy | OOC | Open]

A Decade on Kerak [Medieval Fantasy | OOC | Open]

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