Legegio is in a world-building mood. I've already done some things for Rodoria, but I've tried to steer away from treading on people's toes. The Far West, though... that's a different story. Welcome, weary traveller, to a bastion of humanity, far from Rodoria... [hr] [img]https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/58/Byzantine_imperial_flag%2C_14th_century%2C_square.svg/170px-Byzantine_imperial_flag%2C_14th_century%2C_square.svg.png[/img][img]https://i.imgur.com/TUFDFRu.png[/img] Far to the west of the lands of Rodoria, beyond even the lands of the Qetemak Steppe, and beyond the Yawning Gorge, stands a proud bastion of man, a beacon of civilisation amongst the warring savage empires of the Far West. This is Thessaleia, an old and mighty empire ruled by the iron fist of the Thessaleian Emperors from the great and sumptuous Méga Palátion, located within the heart of the eponymous capital city, Thessaleia. Thessaleian banners fly over all manners of lands and climates, from the snow-covered mountains of the Lefká Óri in the south and the harsh, jagged spikes of the Odontotá Vouná in the east, to the forests and humid jungled areas which mark the western borders between the Synoriakoús Archontes and the wild and untamed lands of the Eireannach Contaetha - but its heartland is the fertile, arable region around the capital city, now criss-crossed with canals and irrigation projects drawing from the mighty Rivers Archos and Basileis. The Empire is split into various administrative regions for ease and efficiency of rule. The largest, and arguably most important, wealthy and influential, is of course the area surrounding the capital city, known officially as the Mitropolitikí Periochí, or the 'Metropolitan Region'. Then, expanding outward, are firstly the Themes, the lands of the Thessaleian nobility, and the vast majority of the realm's composition. There are eighteen Themes, each with their own provincial seat, ruled by a noble handpicked by the Emperor in a system of viceroyalty - known as the strategos (for men) or strategissa (for women). To further clarify, though the nobility oft have their own hereditary positions and seats of power, upon the death of the strategos/gissa of a Theme, the Imperial court in Thessaleia will be informed, and a selection of candidates placed forward for the Emperor's own consideration. It is often the case that the prospective candidates will be summoned to the Imperial Palace along with the message that a strategos has passed away, so that not only can the Emperor inspect the new candidates for the role of strategos personally, but it also prevents the possibility of a coup d'etat by various rival candidates, each wishing to cement their place upon the provincial throne before the agents of the Emperor are aware of the situation. It is not without precedent, however, for such a coup to occur, and when it does, the Empire in serious danger of civil war, particularly when it is a large and powerful Theme that has undergone such a 'crisis of succession' as Thessaleian historians have termed them - as a failure to act upon the Emperor's part may give rise to such crises of succession in other Themes, and the subsequent collapse of imperial authority. When such events do arise, the Emperor, almost without exception, calls his men to arms, and open war is made upon the usurper, usually with relatively little bloodshed due to the usurper's authority having been fatally undermined by his most treasonous act. It is also not without precedent that a particularly merciful (or perhaps bankrupt) Emperor has nevertheless allowed such a strategos to maintain their position, although such actions are likely accompanied with staggering costs in gold, which would beggar even the greatest merchants of the coasts. Beyond the great Themes of the nobility, and particularly common in the west, are the Synoriakoús Archontes, or the Border Lords or Princes. The Border Princes are more minor, lesser nobles, but arguably command as great a military and national responsibility as any Strategos of a Theme - for it is their responsibility to defend (and sometimes expand) the borders of the Empire. Particular note should be given to the Western Border Princes, who are locked in a seemingly-endless struggle with the Eireannach of the Contaetha on their borders - such a struggle is greatly imbalanced, for the Eireannach consistently suffer defeat after defeat at the hands of the technologically-superior and much better disciplined Tagmata of the Empire, but the Western Border Princes nevertheless remain on the defensive, as for the most part they are reluctant to expand into the wilds of the eastern Eireannach - though for financial and economic reasons than cowardice. The wilds of the Contaetha are just that - wild, untamed, and economically backward. The monetary and human cost of colonising these lands are beyond the capabilities of even the most powerful Border Prince, and only the imperial household could possibly maintain a colonisation expedition into the Contaetha, which even the most vigorous Emperors have been loath to do, for they have been more concerned with the monsters of the mountains and pirates that raid from the seas, than bands of barbaroi from the west. Perhaps unexpectedly, given the attitude the Contaetha have towards the Thessaleians, the Eireannach nevertheless comprise a considerable portion of the population of the Western Border Princes' lands. Migrations of Eireannach displaced from their homes by war, plague, natural disaster or simple overpopulation have crossed the fortified lines of the Border Princes on more than one occasion, and there has been a degree of multiculturalism that has developed as a result. The Eireannach are seen as curiosities, and also powerful warriors, by the Thessaleians, whilst the Eireannach often find themselves enjoying a quality of life far beyond that available in the Contaetha, particularly in the military. Indeed, it is not uncommon to find several battalions of Eireannach fighters within Tagmata stationed in the Western Border Princes, fighting their barbarian kin alongside the men of the Empire. And yet currently, all is not well within the Empire. Athanasios IV, of the House of Tzimiskes, Emperor of Thessaleia for the past twenty-two years, has taken ill with a mysterious malady that has almost permanently confined him to the Imperial Palace, and, on occasion, to his bed for days at a time. Debate has beset the imperial physicians regarding the nature of this malady - are they cancerous growths, sucking the life from his body, or is it something else? Regardless, this impasse has led to the stagnation of imperial government, not least due to the machinations of Athanasios' sons, Athanasios the Younger, and Theodosios, both of whom are vying for the ever-coveted position of Kaisarios, or imperial heir-designate. And yet, waiting in the wings, is the ambitious, talented daughter of Athanasios, Stratonike, who has secretly plotted with several members of the imperial household, as well as several of the most powerful strategoi, to seize the throne for herself. Empresses have been few and far between for Thessaleia - the last was Zoe II over two hundred years ago - but their rules have generally been noted as golden ages for the Empire... perhaps now is the time for another Empress. [hider=Gazetteer of the Administrative Divisions of the Thessaleian Empire] [hider=Tin Mitropolitikí Periochí: The Metropolitan Region] Though the Mitropolitikí Periochí is smaller than most of the Themes that make up the majority of the Empire's lands, there is no doubt as to where the monetary, military and political heartland of the Empire is. The Mitropolitikí Periochí's capital city is the Imperial capital of Thessaleia, a city of over half a million inhabitants, which sits astride the mighty River Archos, and is well-defended by rings of thick reinforced walls, with towers bristling with scorpions, ballistae and arrow-loops to allow the multitudes of crossbowmen within to pepper the enemy with bolts before they even reach the walls. Thessaleia is garrisoned by both the Tagmata ton Basileion - the Imperial Regiments - which number anywhere between thirty to fifty thousand men, and make up the Emperor's personal retinue of soldiers and the core of the Thessaleian Legions when they march to war, and also the Thessaleian City Guard, which are equal in number to the Tagmata ton Basileion, although lack the heavy equipment and truly awe-inspiring discipline exhibited by the Imperial Regiments. Thessaleia is comparatively well-ordered for a city of such size - city districts are clearly laid out and well demarcated, and district government is given over to councils of aldermen, officials appointed by the burgesses of the city to enact law and order and regulate trade. Until relatively recently, however, Thessaleia was also quite an unhealthy city to live in, as much of the hygienic infrastructure had been allowed to decay over the years, until the reign of Ioannes XI some eighty years ago. Ioannes XI constructed both two grand new aqueducts and, in response to several city fires, ordered that the construction of buildings should be regulated by city engineers and comprise as little flammable or combustible material as possible - as a result, much of the new construction within the city has replaced tile and timber with brick and limestone. Thessaleia is divided into several districts. The centre of the city is known as the Vasilikía Periféreia, or Royal District, and in it can be found the monolithic buildings and fortifications that make up what is known only as the 'Great Palace', or Méga Palátion. The Great Palace has been the home of Thessaleian emperors and their families for over five hundred years, Outside the mighty walls of Thessaleia lie several smaller towns and villages dotted about the intensively-farmed countryside, each controlled by a very minor baron or even town mayor who owe their allegiance to the Emperor and the Emperor alone. [/hider] [/hider] This is still a Work in Progress.