UNAPPROVED [centre][b]Order of the Sacred Martyrs.[/b] [img]http://i.imgur.com/uchIstF.png[/img] [b]Militant religious order.[/b][/centre] [centre][b][u]NATIONAL[/u][/b][/centre] [b]Capital:[/b] Bailiwick [b]Government Type:[/b] Theocratic Order [b]Currency:[/b] Bartering but coins are accepted. [b]Population:[/b] Approx. 25,000 [b]Unique Trait #1:[/b] [i]Legacy of Beylik:[/i] The Orders members, due to their reverence of Beylik and his Martyrs, do not fear death in battle as they believe it will bring them straight to the Above. Their tactics in battle, despite risky and suicidal, can result in incredible victories but also devastating losses. [b]Unique Trait #2:[/b] (Created by me) [b]Unique Flaw #1:[/b] [i]Poor crop yield:[/i] The poor soils on the plateau and the wastelands beyond mean that famines and food shortages are becoming more and more common. This has led to an increase in raiding and a bad diet among the Oymak people. [b]Unique Flaw #2:[/b] (Created by me) [centre][b][u]GEOGRAPHICAL[/u][/b][/centre] [b]World-Realm Map:[/b] TBA [b]Major Cities:[/b] Bailiwick is the only notable town under Martyr control. [b]Major Forts:[/b] Bailiwick, Sengdak, Nemruk. [b]Buildings of Interest:[/b] -[i]Fort of Bailiwick[/i] A large fort in the centre of the town of Bailiwick that houses a majority of the Order and protects the town from raids. [b]Geographic Features of Interest:[/b] [b]Oymak Plateau:[/b] Deep within the wastes of Azoth, the Plateau is an isolated part of the world inhabited by dark skinned Oymak tribes, who are mainly sedentary animal herders. Due to its high elevation, the plateau occasionally receives rain and small pools of water are cut into the rocky exterior. Most of the plateau is sandy or rocky but green patches do exist and it is these areas that are the most sought after. Soil is poor on the plateau, so potatoes or root vegetables are the most common foods, followed by goats milk and other delicacies. [centre][u][b]RACIAL[/b][/u][/centre] [b]Majority Race:[/b] Oymaks [b]Description of Race:[/b] Oymaks are a sub-group of humans who live on the Oymak Plateau, deep within the wastes. They are of an olive or occasionally swarthy complexion, with light green/brown eyes and darker shades or blonde curls. Oymaks stand around five and a half feet and typically live in clan structures on the Oymak Plateau. [b]Minority Races:[/b] Non-humans (unless they are slaves or merchants) are not tolerated within the borders of the Order, as they are believed to have weak or evil ancestors. [centre][u][b]NATIONAL DRAMATIS PERSONAE[/b][/u][/centre] [b]Grand Aghas:[/b] Osman [b]Grand Boluk:[/b] Rumme [b]Grand Seljiq:[/b] Kermun [b]Persons of interest:[/b] -Sokullo, a boluk tasked with mapping the known world outside of the plateau with his entourage. -Murat, a seljiq within the frontier fort of Al-Dehn. [centre][u][b]CULTURAL[/b][/u][/centre] [b]History:[/b] The Order of the Sacred Martyrs, commonly known as the Martyrs or the Martydom, is a militant religious order that was founded hundreds of years ago, shortly after the death of the semi-mythical hero Beylik and his revered Sacred Martyrs. The Order was founded by the sons and brothers of the 200 Sacred Martyrs, who died in battle with Beylik against an unknown force far outside the plateau. It is centred around the fortified town of Bailiwick on the edge of the Oymak Plateau, said to be the homeland of Beylik himself and various exclaves dot the Plateau and beyond. Beylik was said to be a prophet who lived hundreds of years ago. According to the stories, with the help of powerful beings known as his "ancestors of the Above", he united the Oymak under his rule and founded the short-lived Oymak Empire, which spread into the deserts and wastelands surrounding the Plateau. The worship of ones ancestors became widespread on the plateau following the Empire founding but was never a centralised religion. Beylik's armies rushed across the wastes, conquering settlements and fighting many battles. It's said that Beylik's ancestors led a group of men known as the Sacred Martyrs, who were the strongest unit in Beylik's army. During a great battle with the demons of the wastes, Beylik was said to have realised that it was to be his last battle and on the advice of his ancestors, led a suicidal death charge against his adversaries with the Sacred Martyrs. The battle was not lost, however, as it was said that his ancestors and the rest of his army, inspired by his heroism, fought harder and won. The ancestors, after the battle was won, lifted his body and the bodies of the Sacred Martyrs to heaven and were never seen again. Upon Beylik's death, the empire split and rapidly fell back to the plateau, where it fractured into the pre-imperial system of tribes. The Order was founded in Beyliks homeland of Bailiwick with the intention of joining him and his Sacred Martyrs in the Above. Over the years, the Order has fluctuated in size as clans rise and fall and has built imposing forts across the plateau. Oymak men are often encouraged to join the Order and honour their ancestors by becoming Boruk (knights) and dying in battle. The Order seeks to expand out into the wastes and has been known to raid trade routes for resources not found in their own lands. Despite the only "civilised" state on the Plateau, it is still seen as a barbaric organisation by outsiders and religious fanatics by the Oymak clans. [b]List of Historical Grievances:[/b] [b]Relations:[/b] The Order does not participate in international politics, due to their isolated spot in the world but the Order is known to raid trade routes and occasionally join mercenary bands, leading to a somewhat negative reputation among the so-called civilised races. [b]Cultural Notes:[/b] The Oymak are an extremely xenophobic race, due to their position on the isolated plateau. People who look or talk differently are said to be demons in disguise and treated with suspicion. The Oymak are not within a unified state and the plateau is inhabited by hundreds of bickering tribes. Orders such as the Sacred Martyrs are an exception to this, as tribal loyalties are surrendered in exchange for a feudal-like system. Oymak mercenaries outside of the plateau are famed for their bravery and suicidal ("heroic") tactics, due to their almost fanatical beliefs in the Above, an afterlife that can only be entered by the most heroic of Oymak. There is not a written Oymak script and Oymak documents are written in [noble lingua franca]. Oymak's outside of the Order live in sedentary clan societies but feudal hybrids occasionally pop-up across the plateau. Women are generally left at home but some have been known to give their life in battle and join their ancestors in the Above. Oymak society is built around their religion and the frequent wars fought between clans. They believe that the more powerful someones ancestors were, the more respect they deserve. However, as Oymak's do not have surnames, they are identified by their clan name or the area they reside in, leading to false claims by some. It is a great crime to lie about your ancestors and can be punishable by death in some areas. Within the Order, ones clan or ancestry is often irrelevant, as the Order believes themselves to be the descendants of Beylik and the Great Martyrs. Slavery is practised but usually only by those who can afford to. [u][b]RELIGION, MAGIC and ARCHEO-TECH[/b][/u] [b]State Religion:[/b] Martyrdom [b]Religious Information:[/b] Martyrdom is a form of ancestor or hero worship, which believes those who live lives worthy of their ancestors will be admitted into the Above. Those who live lives unworthy of the Above are forced to wander Azoth for all eternity. The definition of "worthy" is open to interpretation but it is generally accepted that those who honour their ancestors through suicidal heroic acts are accepted into the Above. Famous martyrs, such as Beylik, are prayed to in small shrines or temples and have achieved almost god-like status among some tribes. The religion is unorganised and can be incorporated into neighbouring religions with ease. Due to conquests by Beylik centuries ago, the religion is widespread across the tribes of the Oymak but is rarely found outside of the plateau. Holy sites and artifacts are practically lost to time, as Beylik himself was a nomad who died leading a suicidal charge into the midst of battle. This does not stop the Order having an interest in discovering and preserving relics of the time. There is only no holy book and the religion is generally spread by word-to-mouth. However, memoirs of Martyrs are popular among those who can read [lingua franca]. As is within Oymak culture, foreigners are viewed with suspicion and other religions, despite existing on the plateau, are viewed with hostility. Magic is viewed with fear within communities and powerful users of magics or ancient technologies have been known to intimidate weaker clans for their own gain. [b]Religion Demographics:[/b] Nearly entirely Martyrist apart from a few slaves or merchants within Bailiwick. [b]Magical Information:[/b] Magic is an unknown and terrifying concept to most of the order but some ambitious members wish to harness it for themselves to use in battle. There is some debate as to whether magic use in battle is a cheating way to the Above and whether or not their ancestors used magic in battle. [b]Archeo-Tech:[/b] The Order possesses some relics from the time of Beylik, including a curved sword said to have been used by him throughout his life. Unknown to them, these few relics are actually rare pieces of old technology that, despite probably being used by Beylik, are not touched and instead locked away deep inside the Fort of Bailiwick. [u][b]MILITARY[/b][/u] [b]Total Military Size:[/b] 800 Boruk (knights), with up to 1,000 religious fanatics serving as their foot-soldiers. [b]Military Details:[/b] The boruk, who live in forts across the plateau, are known to recruit local, fanatical Oymak men as foot-soldiers. Selijiqs, who act as spiritual advisers to the Boruk, are an extremely militarised group of priests within the Order and participate in battle alongside warriors.