[hider=Regnum of Imasicia] [img]https://i.imgur.com/jFZmsja.png[/img] [b]Name of Nation[/b]: Imasicia [b]Capital[/b]: Mirgamas [b]Population[/b]: 30m (18m human, 12m orc) [b]Species[/b]: Human and Varacci (Orkh) [b][u]Notable Individuals[/u][/b] Rex - Sumtagus Bogudus Leggiato di Cohorta Varacca - Mario di Aggiapo Serene Doge di Confoderatto di Varacci - Lucca di Sendimenti Serene Doge di Nazziono di Varacci - Amara di Molobenini Duces Factionis Unitalis - Inumedigus Guba and Gugurta Dux Factionis Optimates - Tingitus Gauda Archmagus Collegii Magici - Arbatus Sifax [hider=Culture and Religion] The human culture revolves largely around the family. Everyone, even the commoner, kept a long list of ancestors and relatives, and apply to their own names a name denoting familiarity. The oldest male of the family is considered the arbiter to all matters within the family, and women suffer marginalization, such as restrictions from the army, higher positions in government, and the collegium of magic. A woman's collegium has been established, but has yet to be subsidized by the government. Beyond the family, the humans look to the city. The cities are considered glamorous and desirable, and many rural commoners would pay regular visits from their quaint homes to the bustle of urban life, almost as if a pilgrimage to imperial society. Cities are built around the forum, from which news is distributed and tribute collected. It is common for two cities to be rivals with one another, and this competition is in some parts encouraged by social and cultural norms. Furthermore, orcs flock to the cities, mostly from the inner isles, where they wish to escape the harsh persecution on behalf of the human-dominated higher society, or in the hopes of joining the legendary Cohorta Varacca. Orcish society, meanwhile, does not for the most part respect family. The common orc treats their villages like family, and would commonly refer to elders as "uncle" or "aunt", youngsters as "nephew" and "niece", and their peers as "cousin". Visitors from other villages, however, do not receive this warm treatment, and are addressed by the more formal "signor". Strangely, both human and orcish societies are rather strictly monogamous. Orcs find it more difficult to distinguish between male and female, and thus don't place the same restrictions humans do on gender roles. Outside of their villages, the orcs find identity within their islands. Most islands, instead of housing a single sprawling city, keep many small orcish villages. Each island is ruled by a "doge", and the doges are assembled into the "Confoderatto di Varacci", whose leader is chosen by the vote of the doges to represent all the orcs in the human capital at Mirgamas. Lately, whispers of discontent have been circulating the outer islands, as well as in the rural arid portions of the mainland. Both of these factions would have the separation of humans and orcs, but keep themselves under wraps. The vast majority of the army, as well as the current majority of the higher governmental positions, fostered by the watchful eye of the king, support unity. However, if the rumors are true, sentiments are changing, and the kingdom may find a rebellion on their hands. The religion in Imasicia has two major roots. The first comes from the pre-imperial faith of the Imasicians, an animistic faith which kept and appeased many spirits of the natural world. They believed that spirits lived within great bodies of "untouched land", including forests, deserts, lakes, oceans, and plains. When a living creature dares step foot within these lands without the permission of the spirits, they are cursed. Thus, it is said that the worshippers must declare contracts with the spirits, most commonly in the forms of ritual sacrifice. In exchange for these sacrifices, the worshippers may take the resources given by the spirits, such as wood, water, and land. Because little effort was given by the Imperium to convert its far-flung populace, the imperial faith did not take hold in the Imasician populace. The other source comes from the traditional faith of the orcs. Unlike the humans, the orcs looked to the sky for their spirits, believing them to reside within the stars, the clouds, and the sun. Indeed, the early orcs were much more eager to exploit the land than their human counterparts. The sun was especially important to orc worship, and orcish scholars have suggested that at one time the sun was regarded as less a spirit and more a god. The orcs also keep heavy faith in prophecies and blessed bloodlines, and believe that a time will come when a great leader shall be descended from the sun to unify the people. Orcish faith syncretized incredibly well with the human faith during the pre-conquest and early conquest, and both cultures would pay similar dues to spirits of both earth and sky. However, differences in the practice are beginning to arise due to the racial tensions. The Cohorta Varacca keep strange cultural practices, suspicious to both human and orc. The Cohorta is an orcish society, living in cultural enclaves within large cities across the mainland. They have also been granted tracts of land by the king, and thus could be argued are the largest and most powerful village of all orc-kind. They are a cross between a village and a military order, and the two methods of entry are to be born into it, or to join. Every single orc, regardless of how they entered, are trained to a razor-sharp discipline to fight and die for the king. Any dissent or weakness is brutally put down at the point of a sword. What makes the Cohorta so strange is their odd interpretation of religion. The Cohorta believe that the Sumtagus family is the saoshyant figure of the prophecies, and therefore revere him alongside the sun. Thus, they engage in selective breeding practices, choosing for straight backs, height, and hairlessness, in the efforts of inheriting human-like characteristics, in the hopes of emulating the Sumtagus king. A Cohorta orc, unlike a native orc, is nearly the height of a human, just about straight-backed, and only grows hair where it would be common for a human to. Therefore, they are regarded with revulsion by their native cousins. The Imasician humans keep two names, a family name followed by a personal name. The imperial citizens were said to have kept three names, but Imasician culture dropped the first name even before the empire fell. However, it is customary for scholars and magi to style themselves with a "G." preceding their names, as an homage to the traditional style. Orcs, meanwhile, are more nuanced about their naming conventions. Common orcs are raised by the community, and care little about parentage or family. Thus, they keep two names, both of which are given. Orcish nobility, on the other hand, do keep to families, and keep two names, a given name followed by a family name, denoting the island over which their families hold power. Orcs raised to a scion of a noble family often abandon their second given name in favor of their doge's family name. [/hider] [hider=History] 6,000 years ago: The earliest form of Imasician civilization organizes into tribes and petty kingdoms, war with each other is common. The early civilization is beneath the notice of human powers. 5,000 years ago: Powerful family, possibly mythical, whose name is lost to history, unites the tribes into a single confederation, declares himself king, and establishes contact with its more established neighbors. Quickly replaced by a second ruling family. 4,700-4,500: Contact is established between the distant yet rising Imperium Hominum and the nascent Kingdom of Imasicia, centralization practices of the Imperium are adopted by the kingdom. Serious trade is established between the Imperium and Imasicia. 4,500-4,000: A series of subjugation wars occur between the Imperium and Imasicia. In most cases, the Imperium doesn't directly step in, but rather encourages rebellions in discontent nobles and commoners, who rise up against their masters and pledge themselves to the Imperium. 4,000-3,700: A series of unstable successions, in no small part supported by the Imperium, lead to weak central power, and as the kingdom begins to collapse, the king swears his allegiance to the Imperium in order to preserve his control. Imasicia becomes a client state. 3,700-3,300: Imasicia becomes aware of the Old Empire to its southwest. The first forum is built in the capital village of Comorriga. Imperial culture rushes into Imasicia. 3,300-3,100: War breaks out between the Imperium and the Old Empire. Imasicia raises its banners in support of the Imperium. Imasician patois comes into common use, and imperial writing is adopted. 3,100-2,900: Old Empire temporarily subjugates the kingdom of Imasicia. Imasicia rebels. The imperial legio style of warfare is harmonized with the existing method. Imasicia proves itself incredibly capable in combat, and throws off Old Empire rule. New family rises up to declare themselves king. 2,700-2500: Imasicia once again officially kneels to imperial rule, after an interregnum period of unstable succession and a power struggle. New family rises up to declare themselves king. First collegium of magic is opened in Comorriga. It accepts both sexes, but later restricts women. 2,500-2100: Mad King Bacchus rises to power. He declares autonomy from the Imperium, and raises the Imasician army to invade the Old Empire. He manages to capture a few border towns, but without the support of the Imperium, his army is shattered in an attempt to invade the heartlands. Comorriga is burned to the ground, as well as other cities. Imasician society regresses to warring tribes, nominally in service to the Imperium. 2043-1701: The Imperium Hominum declines and collapses. Warring tribes migrate eastwards, eventually unified by the Sumtaga family. Finally lands along the eastern coasts. 1701-1605: New city is built, Mirgamas, in the style of the Imperium. The collegium is reopened after a long period of cultural regression. Imasicia reestablishes itself as a centralized state. Imasicia begins trade contact with the local populations, the Varacci. 1605-1493 (1605-1562) (1556-1498) A series of wars waged between the Kingdom of Imasicia and the orcish doges brings the islands under the control of Imasicia. The inner islands fall first, they having organized raids against the mainland, as was common between the orcish islands. Imasicia retaliates, subjugating the inner islands. The remaining orcish doges assemble into the First Confoderatto di Varacci. The Confoderatto attempts an invasion to retake the inner islands. They are successful at first, but they quickly fall to infighting. Imasicia returns, and defeats the Confoderatto at the Battle of Sendimenti. Guido di Sendimenti, realizing his island would be destroyed should he fight for the Confoderatto, swears loyalty to Imasicia. The First Confoderatto is destroyed. The Second Confoderatto assembles swiftly, in response to hostile actions by Imasicia for portions of the outer islands. The Second Confoderatto is far more unified and organized, and repels the Imasician attacks for a while. Imasicia adopts orcish tactics, and assembles the Cohorta Varacca and the Marino system. Both are successful in countering orcish efforts. The outer islands are subjugated. [/hider] [hider=Economy] In the age of the old kingdom, Imasicia primarily bartered in wheat. Only the upper class even saw gold, which was most often traded for land by the nobility in bullion form. The Imperium's dominion, however, changed the function of Imasicia's feeble economic system forever. They introduced the coin, which was adapted into the Imasician solidus, as well as the trade guild. The king continues to emulate the fallen Imperium's model of economy, with a centralized tax plan and an emergency bread dole reserve. [/hider] [hider=Military] Army: The army of Imasicia is, like much of its culture, a rich blend of pre-imperial and imperial policies, to form one of the most formidable armies on the continent. It is often said in folk rumors that the human side of the kingdom is descended entirely from imperial warriors, having retreated too far from the borders after a defeat. This rumor is both a source of pride and of determination in its human participants, and while largely debunked by historians, continues to serve as a powerful motivator for the land forces. The core of the foot army consists of heavily armored legionarii, dressed in much the same armor as they would have during the imperial age. Segmented bands of metal, along with massive shields and spathae, make them already impressive, but it is the iron discipline within its ranks that truly sets it apart from any enemy it faces. Only veterans may don the armor, and the weak are not taken lightly. Supporting the legiones are the new recruits, relegated to skirmishing until they have had the honor of serving in battle. These forces are used to scout and harass the enemy force before being met with the legio proper, and are thus less well equipped. They are protected with a more modern development, the chain mail, and given a small round shield to defend themselves with, as well as a shorter sword. However, their primary purpose is slung around their backs, a quiver of javelins to throw into enemy lines. Unlike the foot soldiers, which may be levied from all ranks of society, cavalry is restricted to those either of high birth or have served within the government. It is customary for lowborn government officials to be granted a horse by the king, which they would use in battle. The horsemen fielded by Imasicia are not heavy, but are no less tough. Even the young nobles are quickly informed of the importance of discipline, as harshly as is necessary. The horsemen are armored in gambeson and armed with both arrows and spathae, and thus serve diverse roles as harassment, flanking, and pursuit. The pride of the Imasician cavalry, however, are the king's personal guard, elite archers on elephants chosen from the best marksmen in the kingdom. The elephants themselves are trained to charge into closed ranks, crushing them and allowing for the legiones to enter the gap. Orcs are common in the army, though rarely serve as legionarii. Most often, orcs fight in their traditional manner, as shock troops and surprise units. Orcish armor is not provided by the state, but often given by their local villages, and consists often of a traditional orcish spada da lato, thick gambeson cloth, and a parma shield. The orcs of the Cohorta Varacca are said to fly into a fierce rage in battle, taking extreme delight in the blood spilled and cleaving with reckless abandon through an opposing force. Indeed, many orcs are taken in, so much that the discrimination so prevalent in many circles of human culture are just about nonexistent in the army. Navy: The navy of Imasicia is not quite as impressive as its army. The Imasician navy is largely reserve, with few standing military staff consisting mostly of scouts and patrols. The vast majority of the navy is drawn from the orcish populations of the islands, oftentimes hardy sailors and fishers who may quickly put down their regular duties and take to the sea in service to the crown. The backbone of their forces call themselves "marini", and orcs tend to take pride in their service. Humans do participate in the navy as well, but usually as coastal guard for the mainland provinces. Unlike the army, the navy is very strongly steeped in prejudice, and it is common for ships of one race to forbid the fielding of the other on their deck. The ships fielded by the navy tend to be repurposed fishers and transport barges, and thus are unable to travel far outside the Varacci archipelago. [/hider] [hider=Traits] Imperial Heritage: Alongside many human cultures of the continent, the Imasician humans are descended from a great empire of antiquity, once having had the ambition to unite the entire human peoples under its banner. While the empire, along with its name, has been lost to the passage of time, its spirit lives on very strongly within its people. The humans still speak a patois of the imperial language and the pre-imperial language, and its subjects are still expected to speak both fluently. Imperial ideas of organization, warfare, culture present themselves as aspects of modern Imasician life. Finally, the throne of Imasicia still keeps a secret ambition towards its neighbors, in the dream of one day bringing those banners from the dead and once again spreading across all humankind. Two Worlds: The society of Imasicia is divided sharply down the line between land and sea, between human and orc. Once one leaves the temperate coasts of the Imasicia mainland and travels to the island, one might as well have entered an entirely new world. Gone are the mighty and imposing cities of boxy sandstone, away are the sweeping deserts and grasslands, dotted with trees. In its place are inviting near-tropical islands, with swaying palms, nestled around red-roofed villas and palazzi. The change is so drastic that anecdotes from natives claim to feel a change within themselves as they pass an invisible line dividing the mainland from the islands. It is commonly held by the mainlanders that the humans who live on the islands act more orcish than human, and the reverse opinion is held by the orcs of their mainlanders. Culture of Vengeance: While the humans and the orc cultures differ on many matters, there is one on which both agree. Vengeance is both tangible and exchangeable. It is widely thought by historians that the idea of vengeance being such a tangible force comes from the age of the early kings in Imasicia, going back before the imperial annexation. The pre-imperial religious practices of both cultures placed heavy emphasis on like returning to like, and encouraged for its adherents to make it so. Thus, both human and orcish peoples are perfectly capable of carrying grudges their entire lives, as well as inheriting and passing on their own from ancestors to descendants. In fact, centuries after the Imasician conquest of the orcish islands, many still do harbor resentment against the modern-day king within the far islands. [/hider] [hider=Relations] Surabhumi: Sworn enemies Sanghara: Sworn enemies Arcana: Friendly but wary Drakon: Brotherly and protective Allemagne: Sworn enemies Imperator Iulianus: Brotherly, with disagreements Kipchak: Circumstantial allies by treaty Akumori: Circumstantial allies by treaty [/hider] [hider=Rolls] Land Area: 12 Land Fertility: 10 Development: 15 (-2) Land Power: 20 Naval Power: 9 (-8) Economy: 8 (+4) Magical Reserves: 10 (+5) Magical Sophistication: 20 (+6) [/hider] [hider=Trees] Army [img]http://i.imgur.com/KLsEeFM.png[/img] Navy [img]https://i.imgur.com/TL0LkrM.png[/img] Development [img]https://i.imgur.com/fwYNkiI.png[/img] Economy [img]https://i.imgur.com/O7Mcaa6.png[/img] Magic [img]https://i.imgur.com/ayY6M8p.png[/img] [/hider] [/hider]