[hider=Updated Political Map]Northern Purple Country: Otnemarcas [img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v662/Darkspleen/2c509267-70b0-4d83-a396-4d61fd30d46cedited.png[/img][/hider] [b]Realm Name:[/b] The Otnemarcasan Empire [b]Official Name:[/b] The Unified Kingdoms and Lands of the Imperial Crown of Otnemarcas [b]Other Names:[/b] Otnemarcas, The Northern Empire, the Northern Tiger [img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v662/Darkspleen/OtnemarcasEmpireFlag.jpg[/img] [hider=NATIONAL][b]Capital:[/b] Eger (Temporary Capital), Kyugyu (Historic Capital) Government Type: Feudal Empire [hider=Government Details]The Otnemarcasan Empire has a seemingly confusing government structure with numerous regional nuances that further compound matters. Power within the empire is split between three entities, the imperial family, the priestesses of Ithicism, and the joutei. The relationship and competition between these three entities defines domestic and foreign politics for the empire and helps prevent it from aggressively expanding at the cost of its neighbors. The joutei, commonly known as the “provincial lords” to foreigners, actually possess more power than both the priestesses and imperial family combined, however they are not a single cohesive faction and actually spend more time competing with each other than the imperial family. The priestesses and imperial family tend to have aligning interests in keeping the joutei in check, thus ally themselves towards that end. The basic political unit in Otnemarcas is the province, which is defined as a specific geographic region consisting of no more than 3,000 square kilometers. These provinces are semi-autonomous countries with their own lords called joutei, criminal courts, currencies, armies, systems of weights and balances, tariffs, and bureaucratic systems. Typically the provincial capital is the only city, and may be little more than a town at which the regional seat of power resides, within a province, but some rich provinces are known to have several cities. Administrative zones within the provinces, known as prefectures, are commonly maintained by musha loyal to the joutei, however it is not unheard of for members of the provincial bureaucracy to hold lordship over a prefecture instead. The actual borders of the various provinces are an organic, constantly changing thing as the joutei fight wars or negotiate with each other. Expansion of a joutei’s holdings usually comes at the expense of other joutei; however, wars with foreign countries commonly start with a collection of joutei on the border of the Empire wishing to extend their holdings outwards. By imperial law a province cannot exceed 3,000 square kilometers. To get around this joutei who conquer more than is allowed will give lordship of new lands to family members or friends. This is how the clans were formed. A clan is an informal political unit, consisting of several provinces, within the empire. Usually the majority of the members of a clan are blood relatives, but there is no ironclad rule stating this to be a must. Provinces within clans tend to have similar laws, systems of weights and balances, currencies, and respect the rulings of courts from other provinces in the clan. Clans can range in size and power vastly, but the territorial size of the average clan tends to range from 7,000 to 25,000 square kilometers. More often than not it is the clans that are initiating hostilities with each other or foreign countries, however in the case of interactions with foreign countries clans tend to form coalitions with each other. The Otnemarcasan Empire is made up of four countries, two of which are largely considered to be false political units. Old Otnemarcas and Acitha were real, independent countries that existed before the formation of the Otnemarcasan Empire. The kingdoms of Kunland and Siphonia were concepts constructed after large sections of their modern day territories had been conquered by Otnemarcas. These two kingdoms were formed for several reasons: the first being that it helped conceptualize the Kunlander and Siphonese ethnic groups as whole entities to be used in discussions; the second reason was that it gave the Otnemarcasan Empire an excuse to finish the conquest of the Kunlander and Siphonese peoples so that it could complete the kingdoms of Kunland and Siphonia. The crown of Kunland and Siphonia serve only ceremonial purposes and are usually held by the Emperor, however the Emperor does grant the crown of these kingdoms to joutei from time to time, giving them huge amounts of prestige and winning their support in the process. The holdings of the imperial family amount to the combined might of the larger clans in the Empire, meaning it has substantial power and influence, but nowhere near absolute control. By itself the imperial family couldn't hope to keep the clans in check; however, the interests of the imperial family and priestesses of Ithicism align in many aspects, both view the joutei as natural enemies. The joutei would like nothing more than to break the power of the priestesses and make them subordinate to them. To prevent this from happening the priestesses ally with the imperial family, granting the Emperor the power he needs to keep the joutei in check in exchange for possessing certain rights and large degrees of influence in policy making. Inheritance of the imperial throne within the Empire is an interesting thing. The throne does not always immediately fall to the eldest son of the emperor. There are many things that play into succession. For starters full-blooded Otnemarcasan men are the primary candidates for succession. Currying favor with the emperor is also of great importance. Relations with the Arch-priestess and powerful clans, as well as the empress dowager, is also a consideration. If no heir has been picked when the emperor passes away the empress dowager chooses the next heir and, if he is too young, acts as his regent until he comes of age. This tends to launch Otnemarcas into a turbulent decade or two. At the death of the emperor the Otnemarcasan Empire is greatly destabilized as joutei and clans scramble to shift the balance of power. The wars fought during this time are commonly referred to as the joutei succession wars, although the scale of these conflicts tends to take place at the clan level rather than the provincial level. The joutei succession wars last until the new emperor gains enough power to force the clans to stop or a foreign invasion forces the clans to band together, at least temporarily. This can take as little as a year or as long as decades to take place depending on the new emperor’s age and personality. Once the joutei succession wars are brought to an end each joutei gives a daughter or close relative to the emperor to act as a consort in his harem as a sign of loyalty and submission. In theory each concubine is supposed to be beautiful and well educated regardless of how the joutei providing the concubines feel about the emperor; however, more often than not politics play a major role in the characteristics of the emperor’s concubines. Joutei who are supportive of the emperor, or perhaps see him as easily manipulated or powerful, provide beautiful and intelligent concubines; meanwhile joutei who are hostile towards the emperor or interpret him as weak will provide concubines of lower value.[/hider] Currency: Various greatly depending on the region, however the "Otnemarcasan imperial crown", commonly shortened to just imperial crown, is the most widely accepted currency. Usually imperial crowns are referred to by the type of precious metals in them: gold imperial crowns or silver imperial crowns for example. -Population: ~16 Million -Realm Size: 92 [b]Unique Trait #1:[/b] [u]Land of the Gods:[/u] [i]”The deities live in the Earth and the Heavens; they permeate Otnemarcas in its entirety.”[/i] Let none doubt that the Ithicist deities are quite real and powerful. Priestesses and chosen individuals regularly communicate with the deities on some level or another and receive their blessings. The blessings of an Ithicist deity is certainly not something to scoff at as anyone who is a chosen champion of a deity will surely become a legendary hero. The Ithicist deities are also known to grant inspiration to individuals and even protection in the form of summoned animals or spirits or even direct intervention on rare occasions. In short the Ithicist deities are a meddlesome bunch need the simplest of excuses to interfere in the affairs of mortals. [b]Unique Trait #2:[/b] [u]Protection of the Gods:[/u] [i]”I pity you, for my gods protect me while yours are content to watch you die.”[/i] Otnemarcas is second to none when it comes to the production and design of armor and other protective garments. Special rituals performed by priestesses can be used to imbue armor with the blessing of an Ithicist deity, granting an even higher level of protection. Paper armor, although weak to fire and water, can be as strong as steel, even without the blessings of a deity, and yet is only a fraction of the weight. Even more amazing is a fabric known as “steel silk” which, depending on the quality and blessing involved, can be even stronger than steel and provide protection against blunt or crushing damage. [b]Unique Flaw #1:[/b] [u]The Sibytte Wars:[/u] [i]"Toleration is the worst thing imaginable."[/i] The Sibytte Wars is a series of wars that have been fought between primarily the Sibyttes and orthodox Ithicist for over one hundred years. These wars have been all consuming, resulting in those within the Otnemarcasan Empire paying little heed to what is occurring beyond their borders. So long as the wars continue neither faction can afford to send more than a fraction of their forces outside of the country. Worse yet its possible that one of the factions may actually help an invader should the right conditions be met. (Practical Effects: No more than 1/10 of Otnemarcas' fighting force can be sent beyond its borders.) [b]Unique Flaw #2:[/b] [u]Worship over Technology:[/u] [i]”Do not be so proud of your technological terrors. The ability to throw a metal sphere great distances is insignificant next to the power of the Ithicist gods.”[/i] Due to religious values, wars, or simple pride Otnemarcas is a step or two behind the other countries when it comes to technology. Even the most primitive of firearms and cannons have yet to be discovered in Otnemarcas.[/hider] [hider=GEOGRAPHICAL][b]Geographical Flaw:[/b] [u]Winters of Moudora’s Wrath:[/u] [i]”If Moudora, the one being in this universe who could force an end to Ahimatsu and Irochi’s conflict to end, desires us to cease our fighting, then we can do little but do as he wishes.”[/i] Winters in Otnemarcas are typically harsher than anywhere else in the world. Many natives believe that the winters are the deity Moudora exerting his will on the natives, trying to make the conflicts in the region come to an end. This belief isn’t held without good cause: the winters are so harsh that wars simply cannot be continued until the spring. The snow and cold guarantee death to any who underestimate the extent of Moudora’s wrath. - Internal-Realm Map: (A zoomed in map of your controlled blocks and major cities/castles/locations within it. PLEASE NOTE: My map key zones are more like 'general guidelines' than a straitjacket. There are many different types of 'temperate' or 'desert' landscapes, for example, so please build on the general outline I gave w/ specifics. Make your region your own.) -Major Cities: -Major Castles: -Buildings of Interest: -Geographic Features of Interest:[/hider] [hider=RACIAL][b]Majority Race:[/b] Humans [b]Majority Race Appearance:[/b] Depends on the Ethnicity[hider=Otnemarcasn Ethnic Group][b][u]Otnemarcasan[/u][/b] [b]Core Values[/b] Otnemarcasan culture places five values above all else: loyalty, hierarchy, self-discipline, cooperation, and social conformity. Loyalty, often but not always bundled together with obedience, is considered the most important value in Otnemarcasan culture. This sense of loyalty is to one's family, town, country, and ethnicity in increasing order. In some respects Otnemarcasans view loyalty to the lord of their province to be more important than that of the emperor. The sense of hierarchy is important to Otnemarcasans. The common belief is that a person is born into the role they were meant to play, thus those born into wealth and power are inherently superior to those who weren't and thus the concept of social mobility is largely foreign to Otnemarcasans. Self-discipline is revered because it is necessary for someone to be maintain their loyalty and place in society. The Otnemarcasan value of self-discipline also includes hard work and responsibility. Those who don't show self-discipline are often ostracized in Otnemarcasan society. The Otnemarcasan value of cooperation is one rooted in necessity due to Otnemarcas's environment. Competition is often avoided when possible. Social conformity is interesting in that Otnemarcasans actually have a high degree of respect for those who are truly and sincerely individualistic, although they believe such people are truly rare entities limited to the elite of society. [b]Art[/b] Sculptures in Otnemarcasan culture focuses on portraying the gods of the Ithicist faith. These statues tend to be slightly larger than human-sized, although many households have 'half-sized' statues of choice deities in their homes. Almost all households have a statue of Ahimatsu, the deity of their region, and Narai. These household statues are often wooden when in lower class households and marble in upper class households. Traditional Otnemarcasan dance is distinguished by the dancers wearing voluminous clothing and dancing in a slowly and methodically fashion. Women commonly use fans of varying sizes to enhance their dance. Most of the time Otnemarcasan dances are related to the worship of Ithicist gods, thus are done mostly by priestesses or the common people during festivals. In more recent years some dancers have taken to a more "stimulating" style of dance that serves a more earthly purpose, although these newer dances are largely looked down on by society and usually only witnessed in red light districts. [b]Etiquette[/b] Otnemarcasan etiquette can be a convoluted beast at times and changes greatly depending on the relative social status of those involved. At the heart of the matter, however, is the importance of being polite and showing respect. Bowing is quite possibly the single most widely known piece of Otnemarcasan etiquette. Taught at a young age, the type of bow two individuals give to each other can show a great deal about their relationship. There are four kinds of bows: informal, formal, respectful, and most respectful. Informal, formal, and respectful bows are performed with the back straight and the hands at the sides for men or clasped in the lap for women, and with the eyes down. Bows originate at the waist. Generally, the longer and deeper the bow, the stronger the emotion and the respect expressed. Informal bows are often a simple tilt of the head forward or bow at the waist of about fifteen degrees. A formal bow is done at thirty degrees. Respectful bows are even deeper. Most restful bows are down from a kneeling position, with hands in a "V", pointing away from the bower, and a bow from the waist with an end result of the bower's head either coming close to or resting upon the backs of the hands. Harmony is key in Otnemarcasan culture and this is portrayed in their language. Otnemarcasans make use of polite language, even to their enemies or rivals. This does not always extend to the tone used when speaking, however. [b]Clothing[/b] Otnemarcasans wear a style of cloths called hanfu which have four broad styles, informal, semi-formal, formal, and court. While early examples of hanfu were gender neutral, more modern versions contain more garments with men wearing trousers and women wearing skirts. Women’s styles are designed in a way that the clothing accentuates their natural curves. The clothing worn by the upper classes tends to be made out of imported silk or domestic wool, with the lower classes making their clothing out of cotton. Informal wear is typically made up of two layers. The first layer is a white undergarment called a Zhongyi. Over that is worn a top garment with a separate skirt or trousers collectively called a ruqun. Sometimes an overcoat called a zhoashan is worn over the ruqun. Semi-formal wear is the same as informal except with the inclusion of a long open fronted coat called a zhaoshan. Semi-formal wear is most commonly worn when entertaining guests or visiting another’s home. Formal and court wear are reserved for the upper classes, the priestesses, musha, joutei, imperial bureaucracy, and imperial family. Formal wear is typically long, dark clothing made of silk. Court dress is a style that can have as many as eight layers of clothing. [b][u]Sumugan[/u][/b] Sumugans are beige skinned people who live in northern Otnemarcas. They speak Sumugan, which is widely considered to be an archaic dialect of Otnemarcasan that has blended with Kunlander. Sumugans mostly live off of hunting and trade the pelts with southerners for needed supplies. They are well known for their tattoos around their mouths and forearms which would be applied when they came of age. Traditional Sumugan clothing is similar to Otnemarcasan clothing, with some differences. The major differences are that both men and women wear trousers and that the sleeves are tight and narrow, as opposed to traditional Otnemarcasan styles that have long and loose sleeves. [b][u]Kaditun[/u][/b] Kadituns are people of mixed Otnemarcasan-Acithan heritage who lean slightly more culturally towards Otnemarcasan. They typically look identical to an Otnemarcasan, but may have blue eyes and/or blonde hair instead. They are distinct from Otnemarcasans in that they have many of the same folk dances as Acithans and have a much higher emphasis on male-female equality than any other ethnicity in the Otnemarcasan ethnic group. Many kadituns prefer Acithan clothing over Otnemarcasan clothing. [b][u]Abossum[/u][/b] Abossums are descendents of Otnemarcasans who speak the lowland dialects. In most ways they are similar to Otnemarcasans, however they have a large cultural emphasis on freedom. Many of their historic heroes fought and died for freedom in one form or another. [b][u]Cuthoan[/u][/b] Cuthoans are the native inhabitants of central Otnemarcas who speak a distinct language with three separate dialects. Racially they are closer to Siphonese than Otnemarcasan, however culturally they are closest to Kaditu. Traditionally Cuthoans are a nomadic people, although they have largely settled down over the past century. Cuthoans have a history rich with music and are noted for their experiments in blending music found not only in all corners of the Otnemarcasan Empire, but also beyond.[/hider][hider=Acithan Ethnic Group][b][u]Acithan[/u][/b] [b]Core Values[/b] Acithan culture emphasizes energy, hard work, and empathy. To them the end result often times isn't as important as the journey or experience that caused it. Acithans are energetic people who seem to constantly need to be doing something. Coupled with a huge emphasis on hard work, this energy makes Acithans some of the most industrious people around. They are an open minded people who feel it is more important to understand how others think than simply be able to deal with surface issues of others. [b]Art[/b] Acithans have a rich tradition of literature, music, and dance. Much of Acithan music is traditional folk music, performed throughout the countryside by famous Acithan composers. Acithan music tends to have a strong dactylic rhythm. Thousands of pieces of masterfully written literature has been written in Acithan. Many of Acitha's more prominent literary works are ancient epics written to teach moral lessons. Sadly these works are barely known outside of Acitha as most have never been converted to another language. Dances in Acitha can be divided into two broad categories: folk dances and formal dances. Acithans take part in folk dances on a regular basis as they serve as an important social and entertainment purpose. Most folk dances are intended to be done by dozens of individuals at once and have few rules or guidelines. The Autumn dance, for instance, is a dance where men form a large circle and jump around. Typically the Autumn dance is male only, but inviting a woman to the circle is acceptable and a common means of asking for her hand in marriage. Tavern dances, on the other hand, are large scale partner dances that are done by all members of the community over the age of eight, where dancing partners are frequently switched throughout the dance. Tavern dances last until either all the dancers or musicians tire, whichever comes first. Formal dances are typically reserved to the upper classes and are usually weapon dances of some form. These dances commonly share similarities to theater performances as they are used to tell stories of the past. [b]Domestic Dogs[/b] All Acithan boys, and some girls, are expected to be given a dog of their own when they come of age. Commonly these dogs are shepherd dogs of one kind or another, although having a different breed can be a status symbol. Acithans typically use how an individual treats their dog as a gauge for how good of a person they are. Dogs, in Acithan culture, have become a symbol for many things, especially loyalty. Many of the greatest epics written by an Acithan make use of a dog as a symbol of loyalty, man’s relationship to nature, and even of the gods in some instances. [b][u]Leucian[/u][/b] Leucians are descendents of the people who formed semi-nomadic democratic communities in northern Acitha. Leucians are well known for being skilled horsemen and have historically been the most outspoken voices for democratic reforms in Acitha. Almost all Leucians have some Otnemarcasan blood flowing through their veins, but are mostly of Acithan descent. [b][u]Corthitun[/u][/b] A rapidly growing ethnicity in Acitha, Corthituns are Acithans who have adopted significant portions of the Otnemarcasan culture. Corthituns retain most of the core values of the Acithan culture, as well as their views of dogs and traditional dances. Most Corthituns speak Otnemarcasan as their primary language, although many can also speak Acithan as well. Their garments consist of the traditional Otnemarcasan hanfu and they have adopted much of the Otnemarcasans’ view of etiquette.[/hider][hider=Kunlander Ethnic Group][b][u]Kunlander[/u][/b] [b]Core Values[/b] At the core of the Kunlander culture is family life, directness, and competition. Kunlanders feel that family is the most important thing in life and commonly live in large complexes with their extended families. Parents usually teach their children their profession early on in life, resulting in a fairly rigid society. Kunlanders are very competitive, disliking to be one-upped by anyone else, especially at work. This doesn't always mean they are hard working, only that they want to do better than their peers. Kunlanders also feel that anything worth conveying to another is worth doing so directly. They dislike hedging around a subject or hiding what they mean behind words with double meaning, a reason why their language has few words with dual meanings. They also often live by the motto "mean what you say." [b]Architecture[/b] Kunlanders have constructed some of the greatest architectural wonders of the land. They take great pride in this. Massive statues from ancient and modern times dot the Kunland landscape; their purpose is largely unknown, although it is commonly believed they serve a religious purpose. [b][u]Ynlait[/u][/b] The Ynlait people are a group of Kunlander people who have some cultural differences. Their music is sung without instruments. They commonly perform chain dances, where people link their arms together and sing a song while skipping around in a long chain. Racially Ynlait people are Kunlander, however a majority of them are considered more beautiful than the average Kunlander and are well known for being a fair haired and skinned people. [b][u]Otlander[/u][/b] Otlanders are people of mixed Otnemarcasan-Kunlander descent. In most cases they are physically indistinguishable from a full blooded Otnemarcasan, however sometimes an Otlander is born with blue eyes or blonde hair. Like Kunlanders they are very competitive and focus on their family life; however, due to their close interactions with Otnemarcasans they commonly adopt Otnemarcasan views on etiquette, honor, and loyalty. They are devout Ithicists and have been known to react incredibly violently towards the “heathens” who don’t follow Ithicist ways and the “heretics” who see Ahimatsu as Irochi’s equal. They are also incredibly loyal followers of the deity Furumi. Like Acithans, they endeavor to give their children canine companions, however their canine companions are wolfdogs that were bred for war and work. While most Otlanders wear traditional Kunlander clothing, some have begun to adopt the Otnemarcasan hanfu.[/hider][hider=Siphonese Ethnic Group][b][u]Siphonese[/u][/b] [b]Core Values[/b] The Siphonese feel that acceptance of others, equality under the law, and systematic thought are the foundation for any truly good society. Logic stands above all else for them; historically Siphonese diplomats and politicians have attempted to use logical arguments over appeals to emotions to convince others to share their viewpoints. [b]Philosophy[/b] Philosophy has played a huge role in Siphonese culture throughout the centuries as philosophers strived to find common ground between various religions. More recent philosophers have tried to link mathematics to philosophy, forming a new pseudo-science. [b]Art[/b] Siphonese paintings tend to be abstract with anti-naturalistic characteristics. These paintings commonly depict icons of various deities of other cultures. Siphonese literature is focused more on the translation and interpretation of works from other cultures and less on the creation of new works. The same is true, to a lesser extend, about music and dances. Most “original” works of art that come from the Siphonese are actually hybrids formed from other cultures. [b][u]Astraean[/u][/b] A xenophobic offshoot of the Siphonese ethnicity, Astraeans are of mixed Kunlander-Siphonese descent. Unlike most Siphonese, Astraeas are not known for their acceptance of others and strongly believe in a caste system. They are also known as being exceptionally warlike, having waged war on their neighbors for centuries before being conquered by others. Like the Otlanders Astraeans are fiercely pious Ithicists and have been known to attack others for the slightest of perceived blasphemies. [b][u]Clysian[/u][/b] Clysians are a broad group of Siphonese who either are of mixed Otnemarcasan-Siphonese descent or a Siphonese who speaks the Otnemarcasan language. Clysians have adopted many Otnemarcasan traits, such as etiquette involving bowing and self-discipline, as well as their clothing. Their art is widely influenced by both Otnemarcasan and Siphonese art styles. Clysians tend to have brown or black hair and brown eyes.[/hider][/hider] [hider=RELIGION & MAGIC] [b]State Religion:[/b] Sibytte Justinianism [b]Religious Information[/b] [hider=Sibytte Justinianism]Sibytte Justinianism is a heresy of Justinianism, although it could also be considered a heresy of Ithicism that sprang up within the Otnemarcasan Empire roughly 150 years ago. A Siphonese priestess known only as Sibyl sought to merge the relatively new religion of Justinianism with the comparatively ancient rituals and beliefs of the empire's native religion, Ithicism. Thus Sibytte Justinianism was born; its followers became known as Sibyttes. Like orthodox Ithicist, Sibyttes believe that both Justinian and the Ithicist deities exist and are in fact gods. The most prominent split between the two groups is the power and importance of Justinian himself. Sibyttes maintain that Justinian is the creator of all other deities, who are naturally subordinate to him. Sibyttes still worship the Ithicist deities as well, however they believe that Ithicist holy symbols, relics, and temples are sacrilegious against Justinian and seek to destroy them whenever possible.[hider=Subdenominations][b]“True” Sibyttism:[/b] Sibyttism as it was made by the priestess Sibyl almost 150 years ago, True Sibyttism maintains that Justinian was a human who somehow rose to divinity and slayed Yuwan (who was an aspect of Irochi), thus taking all of Irochi’s divinity and becoming the lord of all the gods. True Sibyttes maintain that Justinian gained godhood without the aid of any sort of deity and that he is the deity of humanity first and foremost. [b]South Orthodox Sibyttism:[/b] South Orthodox Sibyttism maintains that Justinian and Ahimatsu are in fact one and the same being. Justinian is simply the way Ahimatsu is perceived by people outside of Otnemarcas, or perhaps more specifically Ahimatsu is how Otnemarcasans have historically perceived Justinian. South Orthodox Sibyttes do not believe that Irochi and Yuwan are one and the same, instead maintaining that Irochi is in fact a loyal subject of Justinian; Irochi’s throne on the moon was stolen by Yuwan millennium ago and was shattered more recently when the pair battled Yuwan to retrieve his rightful place. [b]North Orthodox Sibyttism:[/b] Similar to south orthodox Sibyttism in how it believes Ahimatsu and Justinian are one in the same being, north orthodox sibyttes believe that Yuwan and Irochi are also one in the same. [b]Acithan Sibyttism:[/b] Acithan sibyttes believe that Ahimatsu gave birth to a half human son named Justinian. Justinian eventually ascended into godhood, defeating Irochi and ending the long celestial war between him and Ahimatsu. Justinian then took his place as king of the gods. Most, but not all, Acithan Sibyttes believe Irochi and Yuwan are simply different aspects of the same deity.[/hider][/hider][hider=Ithicism]Icithism is a religious belief that states that there are many deities, or spirits, that represent almost every object and idea in the world. There is a deity for everything from war to a specific river to ethnic groups. The religion itself is ancient, dating back to before the founding of Otnemarcas, and is saturated with traditions and rituals. An interesting aspect of the Ithicist faith is the belief that a country's ruler is a living god that is the representation of the country. This causes many Ithicists to be wary and unsure of republics and other similar governments as they tend to change their leaders often through non-heredity methods of succession. Ithicism itself is widely viewed as being a heresy of the Red Pantheon that has integrated beliefs and values from Dryadism. Women maintain strict control over Ithicist institutions as this is their only source of power within the Otnemarcasan Empire. They were able to gain this power due to a few reasons: the primary two being that the majority of those capable of using Ithicist magic just so happened to be women and that most of the priests of the faith were forced into wars, leaving only women to oversee religious institutes for long periods of time. Another important fact regarding women in Ithicism is that, unlike many other religions, Ithicism stresses the importance of women; childbirth is viewed of as a holy ritual and many of the deities are female. Historically priests and priestesses have hailed from noble and musha families, but it isn’t unheard of for a peasant to become a priest or priestess; this is one of the few examples of social mobility in Otnemarcas. Senior priestesses, specifically those who have obtained the rank of chuui priestess or higher, are not allowed to speak to any man besides their husband. This practice originated as a political maneuver by the joutei to limit the growing power of Ithicist priestesses; the joutei argued that the priestesses were spiritually married to the deities and that even talking to a man would be a sign of disloyalty. The priestesses countered by citing that childbirth was a holy ritual, thus not being able to marry would be a sign of impurity, thus any man that they spoke to should be obligated to marry them. Their counter worked, granting Ithicist priestesses a powerful political tool. Chuui priestesses now had the power to force any man in their community to marry them, regardless of that man’s social or marital status, excluding those from nobility. Taibu and kihou priestesses could compel even a joutei to marry them. In the case of kihou priestesses, along with the Arch-priestess, they could cause an international incident by attempting to force someone from another country to marry them; while rare, these incidents almost always resulted in war. One very interesting aspect of Ithicism is how tolerant it is of other religions, primarily because its belief system states that the very act of following those faiths creates its god, even if said god is considered to be a minor one. Having said that Ithicists still believe that all of the traditions and rituals of Ithicism should be upheld when in an Ithicist state and they are very intolerant when outsiders fail to perform at least the base rituals of their religion. Overall Ithicists feel that others have the right to practice their own religion, however those religions should be subordinate to Ithicism. According to Ithicism all living things have two souls, an earthly and heavenly soul. The earthly soul contains all the knowledge, skills, and experiences of a living being. It is a representation of all that a living thing has done and experienced over the course of its life. The heavenly soul, on the other hand, contains a being’s personality. Heavenly souls are not limited to mortal beings. When a being is born it is blessed with a heavenly soul and over the course of its lifetime create and nurture its own earthly soul. At death the earthly soul is sacrificed so that the heavenly soul can ascend to the Celestial River, where all heavenly souls reside when not in use. Deities pull their heavenly souls from the Celestial River, same as mortal beings, thus Ithicists believe that eventually any living being will reincarnate as a deity themselves and that their mortal lives are intended to ensure their heavenly souls, and by extension personalities, are matured when this occurs. While Ithicism has a myriad of deities, there are some entities within the region that are considered to be major deities. Along with the major deities are the heavenly animals, animals that, while not deities themselves, are believed to be loved by the deities and collectively create major deities of their own. [b]Ahimatsu[/b] Sometimes referred to as the “Great Goddess Who Shines in the Sky”, Ahimatsu is the deity of the Sun and commonly revered as one of the two primary deities of Ithicism. It is said that Ahimatsu stole souls from the Celestial River to create humanity, in the process earning the ire of Irochi. Because of this Ithicists view her as the mother of humanity; it is also said that she had a child with the first emperor of Otnemarcas, thus all emperors from that point on shared some of her divinity. Ahimatsu’s flames burn away ignorance and earthly impurity, impurity caused by a lack of “wholeness”. A rash is an example of earthly impurity, so long as it doesn’t cover the entire body. Radical interpretations of earthly impurity can lead to the conclusion that people of mixed race are impure. In moderation her flames are gentle, soothing, but in excess they can burn everything away. Ahimatsu is known to take the appearance of a beautiful, young woman of Acithan ethnicity wearing traditional Otnemarcasan clothing. She is also known to appear nude, covered only by flames, with her hair aglow as if it burned from within, although this version of her appearance is not a particularly widespread inside Old Otnemarcas. [b]Irochi[/b] The deity of water and guardian of the Celestial River, Irochi is the second primary deity of Ithicism. Irochi holds many other titles, such as “Lord of all Serpents”, the “Lunar God”, and the “Guardian of Souls” and many consider him to be the equal to Ahimatsu, if not superior to her. Irochi is considered to be a generally benevolent deity, however he is known to have a temper with no equal that manifests itself in the form of flashfloods, hurricanes, and severe thunder storms. Orthodox Ithicism tends to state that Yuwan is a different aspect of Irochi, simply viewed from a different perspective, or that the two are entirely separate and independent beings. Several heresies, found primarily in Siphonia, state that Irochi is actually a servant of Yuwan. While Ahimatsu busies herself with earthly purity, Irochi concerns himself with cleansing living beings of their heavenly impurities, those being anything that prevents their heavenly souls from maturing or might stop them from returning to the Celestial River. Water is used to wash away these impurities, but too much can also cause great harm. It has long been known that the moon affects tides, causing it to be the physical representation of Irochi. Legend has it that after Ahimatsu stole the first souls from the Celestial River Irochi launched himself at her in rage. The two deities fought for eight years, during which hurricanes and severe droughts ravaged the land, before the two deities went their separate ways, never crossing each other in the sky except to occasionally fight one another. Irochi is considered a deity of war, because he nurtures war dancers so that they may fight alongside him against Ahimatsu after their deaths. Irochi is one of the few deities in Ithicism that has a single appearance widely accepted by all practitioners. He is a ten headed snake so massive he could swallow cities whole. His scales are of various hues of blue that form an intricate pattern that, at a distance, causes his body to appear to be made of water. [b]Icha[/b] While commonly worshipped as the deity of war, Icha is actually only the patron of the musha, the warrior class in the Otnemarcasan Empire. He is said to have been an Acithan warrior whose prowess in battle was so great that even the deities feared him. Legend has it that Icha tricked Ahimatsu’s older brother, Shisouno, into giving him all of his powers so that he could slay Irochi for Ahimatsu. Instead of slaying Irochi, Icha instead executed Shisouno, retaining his powers for himself. Legend also has it that he is the one who provided the knowledge needed to produce steel silk. [b]Narai[/b] The patron of foxes, Narai is the deity of cunning, rice, fertility, industry, armorsmiths, merchants, and espionage. Roughly half of the shrines in Old Otnemarcas are dedicated to Narai, with many of these shrines also having subsections open to the worship of other deities. Foxes are viewed as the messengers of Narai, thus it is considered good luck to provide them rice and water should one be encountered. Women in Otnemarcas commonly pray for Narai to grant them children. Narai is also commonly petitioned for good health, with many miracles being attributed to the appearance of a fox. Interestingly Narai was worshipped as seven distinct deities until a few hundred years ago. Legend has it that Ahimatsu had seven children; each child took domain over cunning, rice, fertility, industry, swordsmithing, merchants, espionage, and the last being the second emperor of Otnemarcas. Together the seven divine children fought against Irochi with their mother, but each one suffered severe wounds. In order to save her children, Ahimatsu fused them into one being. Narai has many physical depictions that can change greatly depending on the region. The single most common depiction is that of a young woman with hair the color of whatever species of fox is in the region. Other variations have her with the ears and tail of a fox. Others yet have her as a human sized fox that stands upright like a human or a massive golden fox the size of a horse. [b]Furumi[/b] A major deity in Acitha and Kunland, Furumi is the patron of wolves and deity of agriculture, grain, loyalty, cooperation, and guardianship. Furumi is also commonly worshipped as a deity of war. The farmers of Acitha and Kunland commonly beseech Furumi to command wolves to defend their crops from wild boars and deer. Mythology places Furumi as the only son of Irochi to survive any conflict with Ahimatsu and her children. Furumi is even said to have saved Irochi numerous times. It is said that Furumi’s loyalty is so great that even after thousands of years he continues to keep vigil, on the lookout for any plot the cunning Narai may have come up with. The Kunlanders believe that they originated from Furumi, who fathered them so that they could join the conflict against Ahimatsu. [b]Moudora[/b] The patron of tigers, Moudora is said to be the only deity capable of forcing Ahimatsu and Irochi to cease their fighting for any amount of time. Moudora is said to be the lord of all animals and the deity of physical prowess, sympathy, the seasons, and a guardian against evil. The winters and springs come and go as he pleases and he uses this to blackmail Ahimatsu and Irochi when he feels the need. Many Ithicists hang paper tigers over their beds, thus granting Moudora a vessel with which he can protect them from evil spirits. Many musha and war priestesses in the Otnemarcasan Empire worship Moudora as a deity of war. It is with good cause that excellent warriors and generals are referred to as tiger warriors and tiger generals within Otnemarcas.[/hider] [b]Religion Demographics:[/b] Roughly eight percent of the total population of the empire are Sibyette Justinians, however the joutei and musha, who form the warrior class of the empire, are split in half between Sibyette Justinian and Ithicist meaning that both sides have roughly the same power. -Holy Relics In Possession: -Holy Sites Under Control: [b]Magical Schools and Curriculum:[/b] All magic within the Otnemarcasan Empire originates from the many Ithicist deities and spirits, hence it is commonly referred to as “Ithicist magic” despite the fact that Sibyttes can employ it as well. Ithicist magic, in short, revolves around summoning these deities and spirits to perform a task. This can be anything from causing rain to summoning a spirit to fight alongside the summoner. Ithicist magic can essentially be divided into three separate categories: action-oriented, task-oriented, and possession. Action-oriented Ithicist magic is simple. The user requests just one thing from the summoned being such as making it rain or throw a ball of fire at an enemy. The summoned being performs one task and then leaves; usually it isn’t even detected by other beings and only the after effects of its action is noticeable. Task-oriented is a more advanced form of Ithicist magic. It revolves around summoning a deity or spirit to perform a task. These tasks can range from helping the summoner in a fight to rigging a gambling game. In short, whereas action-oriented magic does only one specific thing, task-oriented summoning is more open ended. The final and most advanced form of Ithicist magic is possession magic. In possession magic the summoner has an Ithicist deity or spirit possess their body or that of an object, imbuing them with superhuman strength, agility, endurance, and other traits. Sometimes the summoner can even use some of the deity’s or spirit’s magic if they are strong enough. In some cases possession magic is permanent, the spirit or deity is trapped inside a person or object either by will or forcefully, but in most instances it is temporary. Possession magic is very difficult and has many risks. If the user doesn’t have enough willpower the possessing spirit can take over their body or simply refuse to possess them. In other instances the powers contained by a spirit or deity is too much for the summoner’s body and mind to handle. In many cases the summoner’s body will undergo physical changes when possessed by a powerful entity, the longer the period of possession the more pronounced the changes are.[/hider] [hider=MILITARY]Total Military Size: ~130,000 [b]Military Details[/b] Foot soldiers: Typically foot soldiers are poorly trained and poorly equipped. Common equipment includes armor made out of paper scales that is surprisingly strong, capable of protection nearing that of metal armor, and a spear. More elite soldiers, or those belonging to a wealth joutei, might have superior armor and use polearms such as a gundou, naginata, and nagamaki. Other types of foot soldiers can be expected to use ranged weapons such as crossbows or longbows. Kataphracts: Seen primarily in Acitha and Siphonia, kataphracts are light or medium missile cavalry. These soldiers are usually outfitted with steel silk armor, a composite bow, and a dao or mace. Astride their Astraean horses, kataphracts are fast and agile, thus making useful scouts and skirmishers. Musha: The real muscle of the Otnemarcasan army, musha are lower nobility warriors. Astride their large and heavily armored Janlan horses, musha form the empire’s heavy cavalry. Although not exactly fast, the horses used by the musha are quite powerful and have remarkable endurance. Musha typically wear high quality steel silk with metal plates on the chest and forearms for additional protection. They prefer to use spears and falcatas, but will also gundaos, daos, tetsubos, and axes when the situation calls for it. Although they are typically viewed only as heavy cavalry, musha are also quite skilled fighters when dismounted. War maidens: War maidens are professional female soldiers found throughout the Otnemarcasan Empire. Many of these women originated from musha families and sent to the Ithicist priestesshood to become war dancers, failing for one reason or another. Despite their failure they are still some of the best soldiers in the empire, many of them as skilled or more skilled than the musha. War maidens typically have steel silk armor of good or high quality and can be proficient in a variety of weapons. Most war maidens pick a specific weapon to specialize in. Naginatas are the most common type of weapon used by war maidens, but daos, jians, spears, tonfa, katanas, and kukris are also fairly common. War dancers: The most elite warriors found in the Otnemarcasan Empire, war dancers are a blend of warrior and priestess. In terms of martial arts they tend to equal a war maiden or musha, but there is an element to them that makes them so much more than a “mere” warrior. War dancers dedicate themselves to a deity of war and that deity rewards them for their dedication by blessing them. Their fights are dances, rituals, dedicated to the worship of their deity; through these dances they are able to employ Ithicist magic, the most noteworthy being possession magic which allows them to fight with even greater strength, speed, and agility than their bodies could naturally achieve. Perhaps even more astounding than this is the ritual one must undertake to become a war dancer. This ritual involves offering up one’s eyes to the deity. The deity takes the war dancer’s eyes, but leaves her with the “eyes of a deity” instead that allows her to see far more than normal human eyes ever could. These “eyes of a deity” is a form of possession magic itself, meaning only the most mentally strong can even hope of becoming a war dancer. Tiger Maiden/Dancer: WIP[/hider] [hider=NATIONAL DRAMATIS PERSONAE]Head of State/Monarch: [hider=Emperor Lii][img]http://fc00.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2011/009/1/5/empire__the_old_emperor_by_mamonna-d36szli.jpg[/img]WIP[/hider] [b]Head of the Ithicist Faction[/b] [hider=King Severin Shen of Kunland][img]http://fc00.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2014/084/5/5/king_zhou_of_shang_by_hiliuyun-d7bk920.jpg[/img]WIP[/hider] [b]Ruling Dynasty:[/b] Severin Family [b]Religious Head (Ithicist):[/b] [hider=Arch-priestess Xiuying][img]http://fc01.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2014/054/2/c/bride_by_sansaxix-d77p7rc.png[/img]WIP[/hider] [b]Persons of interest:[/b] Princess Severin Suyin Princess Severin Fuyumi Princess Severin Meirong [hider=Tsukiumi][img]http://fc02.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2015/042/d/c/the_purple_rose_by_sansaxix-d8hn2l2.png[/img]WIP[/hider] Priestess Kau Rong Kau Ling Lord Shan Liko - Sibytte Joutei for the Badassery plot :P[/hider] [hider=CULTURAL][hider=Social Classes][b]Slaves[/b] Residing at the bottom of Otnemarcasan society, slaves form a rather small percentage of the empire’s total population. Slavery in Otnemarcas differs greatly from the chattel slavery that may be found elsewhere with the major differences being that one cannot be born into a slave and slaves can not only have families, but also own property and wealth of their own. There are instances of slaves ascending to highly prestige ranks: it is not unheard of for a joutei to install one of his slaves as the lord of a recently acquired province and one of the imperial ministers is actually the emperor’s slave. Having said that most slaves live in horrid conditions and die young. The vast majority of slaves in Otnemarcas are made up of war prisoners and criminals, although it is not unheard of for parents to sell their children into slavery or for someone to be kidnapped and forced into slavery. [b]Indentured Servants and Peasants[/b] Forming the vast majority of Otnemarcas’s population, indentured servants and peasants are largely uneducated and underappreciated components of society. The concept of citizenship and nationality is largely foreign to these people, who spend the vast majority of their time trying to grow enough food to pay their taxes and still eat. Very rarely do peasants speak a language other than there native, although indentured servants may be exposed to enough of another language to be able to speak in it, albeit in a very broken fashion. There is little division of labor between men and women at this level of society, causing there to be little difference in equality. [b]Artisans[/b] The skilled workforce within the Otnemarcasan Empire, artisans provide the goods and services necessary for a healthy economy. Mostly situated in larger cities, artisans tend to speak only their native languages, although there is a growing trend for them to know at least Otnemarcasan or Acithan as well. Artisans can be split into two general groups: masters, who owned businesses, and apprentices, who worked for the masters. This portion of society is where the division of labor begins to come into play. While there are a significant number of women artisans, most of them apply their skills at “womanly” tasks such as tailoring and fewer still are masters. [b]Hacos[/b] Peasant soldiers who have proven themselves in battle or musha who have found themselves disgraced, the hacos are mercenaries hailing from all across the Otnemarcasan Empire. The hacos are similar to artisans in that they provide a specific service to others, but that is where the similarity ends. Being a hacos is typically viewed as more prestigious than being an artisan; however, hacos tend to have far less local influence as they are nomadic in nature. They have little to no connections with local lords and are willing to take jobs from basically everyone anywhere. The hacos are almost exclusively men, although there are some female hacos, and even a few pure female hacos companies. [b]Merchants[/b] A growing class of people in Otnemarcasan society, the merchants have rapidly grown to be a driving force behind domestic and foreign trade. These members of society are well educated, can read and write, and can speak at least Otnemarcasan and Acithan. They can also typically speak either Kunlander or Siphonese as well as several foreign languages. Merchants are very wealthy, but tend to lack direct influence on any political system and are largely looked down upon by the nobility. The gender divide is very severe, with few women being merchants; the few female merchants tend to operate on a very small scale, relying on relationships with small villages to conduct business. [b]Priestesses[/b] Made up exclusively of women, priestesses maintain a monopoly on religious control in Otnemarcas. As a rule of thumb the priestesses are the only group of women in the empire who have political power of any kind. The power and influence of a single priestess can vary greatly: some such as shrine priestesses are considered subordinate to the joutei or musha while the arch-priestess’s power can rival that of the emperor. Priestesses usually know how to speak all the major languages in the empire, as well as some from beyond the empire, and can read and write. In the past priestesses came from joutei or musha families, however in more recent times they have recruited from other classes of society, allowing their numbers to increase greatly. [b]Musha[/b] Members of the lower nobility, the musha are warriors and prefecture governors who are largely subordinate to the joutei, although they technically are joutei themselves. In the past musha were specifically defined as mounted warriors; however, over time this definition changed to specify them as heavy cavalry that carried falcatas made out of Acithan steel. Musha families tend to be large, with the entire family participating in the governing of a prefecture. Women are commonly used as bargaining chips during negotiations with other musha or joutei, however they are also commonly sent off to train to be priestesses or serve as the servants of high ranking priestesses or joutei. From a young age both men and women are taught martial skills; the women are taught martial skills for a variety of reasons ranging from hopes of them being war dancers to the idea that a mother who has some martial abilities can pass said abilities on to her children. [b]Joutei[/b] Literally meaning “lord”, the word joutei commonly refers to provincial lords and their families, although the musha are also technically joutei. Joutei hold immense power within the empire and with that power comes great wealth and prestige. They are known to look down on the lower classes, especially the merchants, who are seen as “wannabe joutei”. Women in joutei families exist only to be married off to other joutei families, or foreign nobles. Some joutei may choose to educate their daughters to enhance their value, but for the most part they remain uneducated beyond knowing several languages and being able to read and write. Male joutei, on the other hand, are very well educated and are used to being at the top of society, expecting the merchants, artisans, and peasants to grovel at their feet. [b]Royal Families[/b] The royal families are a bit of an oddity in Otnemarcas as there is only one that exists in a permanent basis, the royal family of Acitha. Other royal families can come into being as the emperor awards the title of king of either Kunland or Siphonia to a joutei. Usually this title does not pass on to the king’s son and is instead returned to the emperor once the king dies. [b]Imperial Family[/b] Resting at the top of Otnemarcasan society, the imperial family consists of the emperor, all of his children, his concubines, and any other close relatives that work in the imperial court.[/hider] History: (please include the reaction of your nation to the outbreak of the Dream Plague) -List of Historical Grievances -Relations -Cultural Notes[/hider]