Fothonian Empire
Standing tall amongst the world, the great and First City, Fothonia, is the jewel of the great Fothonian Empire. The Empire has stood for millennia, founded by some of the original human settlers who apparently sought to capture the glory of their gods, who had sent them down into the world to guide the lesser creatures of it to greatness, to lead and to conquer. The image of Fothonia being the founding place and heart of humanity is ingrained into the mind of every citizen from a young age, and it is no wonder they call it 'The Father of Cities'.
It is believed that there were once other, competing successor states, each claiming to have the right vision of what it was the gods desired. What these civilizations, such as the Reapians, Harsdani and Jarakka may have believed is lost to common knowledge; their cities razed, their people destroyed, their culture annihilated. The memories of those peoples and their histories are recorded in the Ermine Codex, a great tome that is held within the Tyrian Keep, seat of the Blood Imperial. No others know of them.
Thanks to the Fothonian legions growing larger and larger, along with the birth of great generals and warriors, they soon became masters of the Northern Reaches, and now their eyes turn south, as their naval influence grows along with their ambition.
Structure
At the head of Fothonia is the Blood Imperial, or the ruling family of the Empire. This is currently the House of Numorian, with the Imperator himself being Quintus Numorian. Below them are the nobility of the Empire, referred to by Fothonians as Nobilis. There are many houses of varying rank throughout the Empire, and the ranks are in the following order, usually also equivalent to the amount of land that Nobilis holds.
Succession of titles can vary between houses, but generally it is expected that sons will inherit before daughters, as leadership is viewed as a primarily masculine trait. However, rarely is there controversy if a daughter must succeed. Instead, it is viewed as a test from the gods, to see if the daughter can maintain her position and remain a true woman.
| Rank | Description |
|---|---|
| Imperator | Ruler of the Empire |
| Magnus Dux Ducissa | Grand Duke or Prince |
| Archidux Ducissa | Archduke |
| Dux Ducissa | Duke |
| Princeps Principessa | Prince/Princess, also for any scions of a house without official title that hold a rank of Dux or higher. |
| Prorex Proregina | Viceroy |
| Comes Comitissa | Count or Earl |
| Vicecomes Vicecomitissa | Viscount |
| Baron Baronissa | Baron |
| Eques | Knight Equivalent |
| Nobilis | Used for any scion of a house holding a rank below Dux, or given to those outside of Nobilis houses so they may sit in the Senate. |
The Senate
All Nobilis are permitted to, and if holding a title, required to, have a seat within the Senate.This body controls various aspects of government that is considered below the typical rulings of the Imperator, so that they may rule unimpeded. However, there is one time that the common citizen of Fothonia, should they be recognised as a fully voting citizen by serving in the Legions, are permitted to weigh in on the structure of power. This is the Great Assembly, where every citizen is able to vote either for an individual Senator or for a Party within the senate. If an individual wins, they are Senate Speaker, but a party may appoint from amongst themselves if they win. The Senate Speaker is a lifetime appointment, and upon their death, another Great Assembly is called. Very few Speakers ever have the chance to reach old age, whether through assassination, sickness, battle or accidents, though it is unclear how many of those deaths attributed to other causes have always been arranged. Due to this, parties and factions within the Senate constantly rise and fall, coming together for the purpose of the Assembly and sometimes splitting apart right after. Those who did not win the Great Assembly are considered the ‘Shadow Senate’. These individuals must wear black, hooded robes to the Senate Gatherings, marking them as being subservient to the victors. The winners can not only make a great deal of decisions without the senate vote (though many important ones still require it) but have direct access to the Imperator, and any agreed upon requests sent to them are brought forward by the victors in the form they see fit. This effectively cuts off the Shadow Senate from the Imperator’s requests. The intrigue, political squabbling and scheming that takes place within the senate is byzantine in its complexity; very few can clearly see what is going on, and there have been many master manipulators and schemers who have held the position of Speaker, rarely an individual of honour and grace. Those few that were are lauded throughout history, and it is not uncommon to hear nostalgic pining for individuals of their ilk again.Laws and Justice
Akin to many other places, Fothonia has laws against the violation of property, bodily harm, the taking of a life or in any way violating the rights of another Fothonian citizen. Where it differs from other civilisations is in its way of enforcing these laws and the methods of punishment when they are broken. The most common face of the law is that of the Vigilax; hooded and masked professional police officers. They were originally formed to stop the fighting of the political gangs that form around senate parties, and while they still carry out this duty, they also act as watchmen, investigators and emergency services, trained in the basic application of Fothonian medicine as well as firefighting. Men and women of the Vigilax are commanded by a single Praetor, or judge, chosen from the Praetor Council and the only identified member of the organisation. Being trained to fight like Legionaries, they have a rank structure as well.- Vigilax - This rank is the common officer.
- Decanus - This rank commands teams of Vigilax.
- Tesserarius - This rank commands multiple teams of Vigilax.
- Centurion - This rank commands all Vigilax within a quarter or district.
- Tribune - This rank commands all Vigilax within a city or region.
- Praetor - The head of all Vigilax in the Empire.
Culture
To Fothonia, men and women are different aspects of the same whole, much the same as the gods they worship are all aspects of Tiran. It is considered important that men and women have distinct and important roles within the Empire, and this is true for all citizens with the exceptions of the Nobilis; they have proven themselves closer to the whole of the gods, and therefore, are not subject to these gender roles at all.
To be a man in Fothonia, he must strive to be dutiful, to be caring, and responsible and to see his family as something given to him as a gift by the gods. He must speak proudly and often, to be gregarious with friends and to be fierce with enemies. A man who is taciturn, who is introverted or who does not seek to have a family of his own is considered odd. If he is irresponsible, callous or shirks his duty to others, he is seen as not a man at all, to be lesser.
To be a woman in Fothonia, she must strive to be stoic, independent and aloof, like the goddess Johanna. She must see her husband and children as a gift and to hold potential suitors to as high a standard as possible, as once they are married, she is to be his partner forever. She must hold herself in high regard, only speak when she means it, be strongly quiet with friends and deadly towards enemies. A woman who is quick to speak, particularly extroverted or who is overly affectionate is considered odd. If she is quick to marry without thought, indifferent toward her children or is unable to think for herself, she is not considered a woman at all, but lesser.
Both men and women may serve in the legions, but it is considered odd for women to be given high rank, as charisma and leadership are viewed as primarily masculine traits. In much the same vein, women are often the only ones who attain high rank in the priesthood, and while it is still possible for a man to climb the ranks of spirituality, having an Archon rather than an Archonessa as head of the faith would be seen as scandalous, perhaps even blasphemous by some.
Art and Entertainment
Fothonia has a great deal of art that is not only enjoyed by its own people, but abroad. Fothonian art is considered highly valuable, and tends towards the portrayal of the human form. Most often, paintings and mosaics will feature notable figures or simply those who the artist wishes to honour, for whatever reason that may be. It is not uncommon to find artists accompanying Legions, whether to find inspiration or to use individuals from the Legion itself as models. The highest form of art in Fothonia is sculpture, and it is highly prized. If one can have their form captured in a sculpture, then it is a great honour and prestige not only to them, but their kin and to those who associate with them. It is not uncommon for the first decision of a Speaker to be commissioning a sculpture of themselves. The epicentre of entertainment in Fothonia is the colosseum, not only in the capital city itself but in other cities where they have built similar structures, though they pale in comparison to the Grand Colosseum of Fothonia. Within the colosseums, there are various events such as chariot and horse races, tests of strength and skill, and great puzzles that are designed to test the wit of volunteer, freedmen competitors. Even some Nobilis take part in these games. However, the true spectacle of the colosseums, and what has the greatest audience, are the gladiators. As opposed to the other competitors in different games, every gladiator in Fothonia is a slave, usually a fighting warrior captured during battle. It is seen as a method by which they can redeem themselves in the eyes of the gods for fighting against the sons of Fothonia, and every gladiator who perishes in the arena is given full burial rites and becomes a citizen in death. This also means that should they have a partner or children, they will also gain citizenship for their sacrifice. Gladiators fight in various deadly games; some are against animals and great beasts, some are against other gladiators. There have even been games where teams of gladiators fight against each other in arenas filled with a great many traps, puzzles and extra weapons, in order to make said games more exciting. The greatest game of all, however, are the Grand Tournaments. Every year, over the course of a month, various tournaments are held for many different gladiators, who are randomly drawn into each tournament, named for a different god, and randomly drawn to opponents to form a tournament bracket. Gladiators will fight in varying, sometimes extreme games. There have been times where each must fight with flaming weapons, no weapons at all and surrounded by traps, or even fighting as captains on small boats in a flooded colosseum. For the winner though, is the grandest prize; to be a full citizen of Fothonia in life, rather than just in death. Upon becoming the Grand Champion, the winner is granted all the rights of a full citizen, even being able to vote, and their name is enshrined into a permanent record of all previous champions. Generally, the champion is highly honoured and something of a celebrity, quickly gaining a lot of money and attention from gladiatorial fans. Though they may keep their original name, most are also given a Fothonian name to recognise their status.Demography and Population
To Fothonia, humanity is the greatest gift that the gods have given to Alatoria, and this means that human purity is of great importance to the empire, not just in blood, but in belief, thought and action. It is believed that humanity is a concept as much as it is a race, a form that is closer to godhood and that will one day envelop Alatoria, allowing it to become much like the realm of the gods above and the people of it to become like deities themselves.
For this reason, while the ancestors of Elves Dwarves, Orcs and Darkbloods are considered little more than simplistic creatures who should be pitied, and are not allowed within Fothonia as anything other than slaves, those races who have come about from the presence of humans are considered closer to godliness. While they are not automatically enslaved, they are often pushed aside into their own districts, separated from the general population. While a human who comes to Fothonia may be given citizenship through a simple petition, one of ‘mixed blood’ must serve two tours within the Imperial Legions before they become a full citizen.
Once these two tours are completed, the individual is considered a Fothonian, and may travel anywhere within the city and even be eligible for the higher ranks of society. Originally, Orcs were an exception, hemmed into Orctown, but as time has passed, no signs of the scourge has appeared within Fothonia, which many claim shows that it can be cured through fealty to the true gods. Despite this freedom, many return to their own home districts to aid their fellows and stay with those they know, and this has resulted in the various racial quarters of the city, where people of that descent can be most commonly found.
These rules do mostly not apply to Nobilis; however, for any non-human child born to a Nobilis, they retain their title until adulthood, upon which they must serve their two tours in the Legions to regain it.
Slavery
Slavery is deeply tied into much of Fothonia. A great deal of the hardest and most menial labour is carried out by slaves, and those same slaves may be taken at any time to act as house servants, companionship, or as gladiatorial competitors who will fight and die for the entertainment of the Empire’s citizens. Slaves are not specifically of a certain race or creed other than not being a native Fothonian - those who approach Fothonia in order to become a citizen willingly may not be taken as a slave, as foreigners in general have protections under the law. However, this does not apply to those targeted by either official Imperial operations or by Nobilis-led slave raids into varying areas of the world. There are also a great deal of slaves who are sold to Fothonia from other nations, though usually this is done by individual traders, especially in Cyrhan, where such an act would be punishable by death. Though slaves are usually portrayed as having done great wrong to end up where they are, whether that is directly opposing Fothonia’s imperialism over their lands or choosing to live elsewhere in opposition, slavery itself is reasoned by many Fothonians to be a form of redemption. While all gods are aspects of Tiran, some have turned from him, and if more of their followers are part of Fothonia, willingly or not, then it will eventually bring their god back into the fold. From many slaves’ perspective, this is adding insult to injury; not only will they be a captive slave to Fothonia, but soon, their god will be, too. The lowest among all, however, are those who are born to slaves. Any child who is born to a slave and a freeman is considered a freeman, and is able to live a normal life; however, any that is born to two slaves after they have become slaves that were not explicitly ordered to have a child is in fact, not considered human. They are not a person, and therefore, not worthy of even the protections of property. All children born this way are to be handed over to the state, where they are sent to live in the Dark Districts, so called for the lack of torches they are provided in the night leaving them pitch-black except for the light of the moons. They are given the worst jobs and roles in society and are marked to indicate what they are. It has been said that there have been individuals slowly disappearing from the Dark Districts, but it seems few Fothonian citizens care for those they regard as not even having souls.Military
The Fothonian Legions are both professional army and personal forces of the nobility simultaneously. Each Legion is named and has its own heraldry and colours, and is commanded by a specific Nobilis family, with only a member of that house being able to be named Legate and therefore commander of that Legion. All other senior officer positions must be inhabited by Nobilis, and this is usually a highly political affair, either a method of sealing alliances, marriages, turning an individual against their own house or political party by currying favour, or even uplifting a commoner to Nobilis status, usually in order to have another political operator at one’s disposal. For a commoner, however, there is an advantage to serving in a legion; after serving two tours, each two years long, a citizen is considered to have served Fothonia properly and has gained the right to vote along with full citizenship, whether born in Fothonia or not.
There are no restrictions as to who can serve; men and women, humans and non-humans are all considered equal in the Legion, at least in theory. In reality, women are rarely seen in senior officer roles, and men are rarely seen in the role of Praefectus, for instance.
Fothonian Legions can differ in size and composition of individual units, but are usually broken down as follows.
A Legion, numbered around six thousand men, has 10 Cohorts that make it up. It is commanded by a Legate.
A Cohort, of around 600 men, is made up of 6 centuries. It is commanded by a Tribune.
A Century is composed of 100 Legionaries, differing in makeup and role between each. It is commanded by a Centurion.
Though this is a rather simplistic breakdown of how a Legion operates, individual Legions may differ in unit composition and tactics. Fothonian Legions are not permitted to exceed 6000 Legionaries, though auxiliaries and other supporting roles do not contribute to this number. Any Legion found to be in excess of this number can cause potential reproach upon the Nobilis who lead them, though in practice many Legions do practice this and use intentional obfuscation tactics to mislead investigators.
An individual Legionary is expected to pay for his own equipment, and if they cannot afford it, it is taken from their regular pay that they would normally receive. They are provided with rations, bedding and what they need for survival and comfort from the coffers of the Empire, however, and this makes the Legion a genuine career choice for many thinking about citizenship or generally desiring a better lot in life, which is exactly what the Empire wishes to encourage, swelling their military numbers greatly.
Recruitment into the legion is a simple process for the actual recruits brought in as large groups and generally kept together when formed into a century, but highly complicated behind the scenes. There is often political infighting over who will get new recruits, and while in theory any legion less than 5,000 Legionaries strong is meant to be prioritised, political realities often get in the way of this fact. Just because the recruits may be from the land a Nobilis family owns does not guarantee they can be used for that family’s legions, though this is a strong argument that often does result in exactly that. However, no Nobilis family can exceed three Legions’ worth of strength, with the exception of the Blood Imperial. Though there have been instances before of families training entire armies in secret, these “Shadow Legions” are a rarity nowadays. Most Nobilis simply train a large household guard, who happen to be of a bloated size, but receive better training and equipment than the Legions in most cases.
The ranks of the Legions rarely differ in name or in their position except in special circumstances, and are listed below.
Officers
Imperial Legate: Only able to come from the Blood Imperial due to their large number of Legions, an Imperial Legate is a commander of multiple legions, organising and coordinating them according to the Empire’s wishes. They are also often of great political power, and will assume the role of governor over an occupied territory until its new rulers are decided. Legate: The commander of a Legion, this is always a member of the Nobilis family the legion is sworn to, and is often also a senior member of that house. They also directly command the auxiliary and support roles, who sit outside the typical structure. Prorex Tribune: The highest ranked amongst the Tribunes, this is usually a young man from the Nobilis house that does not command a Cohort himself and acts as second in command of the legion, in training to take on the Legate role should he die in battle or be unavailable. Tribune: The Tribunes are the commanders of the Cohorts, with individual rank depending on which Cohort they actually command. The Tribune of the First Cohort is the highest ranked, while the Tribune of the Tenth is considered the lowest. These individuals must all be Nobilis, and if a non-Nobilis is promoted by desire or necessity, they must be uplifted to it along with their family, to at least the rank of Eques. Praefectus: The Praefectus is the highest rank that women are commonly seen in, and functions similar to a warrant officer and drill sergeant. Generally they are a longtime veteran, serving at least 20 years in the Legions, and must have served as commander of a First Century. They are third in command of the Legion should the Legate and Prorex Tribune die, at least until the new command structure can be decided. They are also in charge of the Legion’s training, but can take command of any unit who loses their officer in battle. It is rare to see a male Praefectus, as it is believed to be the role that exemplifies the idealistic character traits of women. Junior Tribune: Usually reserved for Tribunes in training who will later go on to command Cohorts of other Legions, these younger officers serve in more of a senior administrative role in practice. This is usually also the preferred rank for the Non-Nobilis who are being uplifted, so they may learn before commanding. If a Nobilis is brought into this rank, it will usually be just as they become an adult, so they may have the best start to a military career. Centurions: The rank-and-file officers who are often the true career soldiers of the Legions, Centurions command the Centuries, with individual rank depending on which Century of the Cohort they command. The 1st Centurion is the highest ranked, with the 6th Centurion being the lowest. This is the highest set of ranks a non-Nobilis can hold. Auspex: Technically considered separate from the typical Legion rank structure, and certainly not contributing towards their overall numbers, the Auspex or ‘Battle Priest’ will usually follow the direction of the century they are a part of, but is not required to. While most are female, this is the most common place to see male members of the priesthood, as only lower ranks are sent to accompany the military.Lower Ranks
Optio: Appointed by a Centurion from within their own unit, an Optio asks as second in command over the Century, and is usually either an experienced veteran or someone else that the Centurion can trust. Tesserarius: Third in command of a Century and considered assistant to the Optio, the Tesserarius also acts as administrative officer over the Century, including overseeing equipment and watchmen. Decanus: Equivalent to a Sergeant, the Decanus leads a group of ten, eight legionnaires and two non-combatants, whether these are medics or other auxiliary staff. For Cavalry, this is referred to as a Decurion.Current Legions
House of Numorian, The Blood Imperial Scions of Bellator: Often portrayed as the Premier Legion of the Empire, the Scions of Bellator are the primary force of the Blood Imperial house. They are the only legion permitted to wear the colours of the rainbow, representing Tiran. Often, they wear silver masks with their helmets, designed to look like the faces of Emperors since passed. Imperial Scars: Adorned in the purple of House Numorian, the Imperial Scars are known for being a rite of passage amongst the house. They are often led by younger members of the family, not least because they tend to get the most dangerous assignments out of the Blood Imperial Legions. Chimeras: With an odd unit composition, the Chimeras are known for having a strange mixing of all kinds of forces in places where one would not expect. Their unusual composition can make them appear weak, where in fact they are incredibly unpredictable. Flaming Ravens: Taking their heraldry from the God, Abyss of the sea, this legion of primarily naval forces and marines is specialised in flaming weaponry and projectiles, designed to try and set enemy ships ablaze. Their fire, however, can be as much a danger to themselves.Religion
For Fothonians, the gods and religion are paramount to life. The Fothonian religious belief is that all gods of their pantheon, and all gods worshipped everywhere, are not only themselves independent beings, but also aspects of a single greater being named Tiran. Tiran is humanity; it is the primordial force of all creation and being. When Fothonians worship gods, they worship Tiran. With every action they take, they glorify Tiran, their true and eternal parent. Tiran is father and mother, warrior and caregiver. This is why those who come to Fothonia as freemen can continue worshipping their own gods - all gods do exist, but some have exiled themselves, denying their true nature as an aspect of Tiran. Should their followers return, then so too will their god be reunited with their true brothers and sisters. Tiran is associated with the rainbow, being all colours at once and yet not a single one simultaneously.
Upon birth, a Fothonian baby is brought to a priestess or priest, who will examine the child and seem to divine their future character. They will then declare which god is the patron of this child, and who they must always pay extra credence to. Though this may simply seem to be a spiritual exercise, this will have a great impact on the child’s future and what is expected of them. Someone serving in a legion born under the Goddess of War will be expected to train particularly hard or display natural talent for it, while one under the patronage of the God of Creation would be expected to maintain his weapons and armour particularly well, to have a role in logistics, or fulfill a similar stereotype. Those who become Fothonian citizens later in life will also have their patronage divined upon being granted citizenship.
A Fothonian can worship any god that they please, whether from the original Fothonian pantheon or a foreign god, as they all are one within Tiran. It is believed that some of these gods may have been adapted from the other successor cities, which is why their names seem quite inconsistent.
Type
Geopolitical, Empire
Capital
Demonym
Fothonian
Government System
Monarchy, Absolute
Power Structure
Feudal state
Official State Religion
Parent Organization
Related Ethnicities
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