Holy Karmithian Empire

Nexus of the Known World

Also called the HKE, the Holy Karmithian Empire is a giant country that is the successor to the classical Karmithian Empire, and it dominates southern Kainded. Holy Karmithian Empire: Its adjective is Neuvo Karmithian and its demonym is Karmithian. The HKE also owes a huge cultural debt to Aarchonia, having actively co-opted so much of its religion, mythology, philosophy, and governmental systems.
The HKE’s southern coast is along the Arlyndor Sea and the Soloscene Sea, and its western coast is along the inland, freshwater Fern Maer Sea. Modern Kehmd, Marlak, Archonia, and West Karmithia are not part of the HKE, but they still fall into its economic sphere of influence. Because of its size, it covers multiple climate zones, from steppe in its northeast, to continental, to temperate below that, down to chaparral along its southern coasts.

The HKE is a successful, city-state-based nation of great antiquity and high stability. The upper ranks of society, especially the ruling class, are noted for upheaval, infighting, and labrynthine court politics because a stable form of succession has never been successfully adopted. This empire has a high population level, and its advanced technology level is Renaissance. This is a literate culture, and most citizens can read.

Technology & Resources

The HKE is already in its industrial revolution, and it’s a huge producer of marble and olive oil, as well as more specialized automatons and pigment/paint production. It is a slave-based society, and it imports unfree workers from throughout the known world.

Heraldry & Flags

While the HKE does not have a tradition of heraldry for its great houses, the country itself flies a flag with a double-headed eagle, or Gules, a cross between four crosslets or inscribed in an annulet each and between four crosslets each, all or. The HKE did not have a feudal period, so it has no form of knighthood. Instead, its history is a direct continuation of the classical period.

Language

Neuvo Karmithian is the common tongue spoken throughout the Holy Karmithian Empire, and West Karmithia, and it is a simplified form of Old Karmithian with massive borrowing from Aarchonian. Its confusing tenses and part of its vocabulary have been trimmed down, and it is relatively easy to learn.

Money

HKE has a multi-metal currency system, with gold, silver, bronze, and copper coins. 1 gold Imperial = 20 silver Nobles, 1 silver = 20 bronze, and 1 bronze = 12 copper

Appearance

HKE Citizens can look like anyone, from a wide range of cultural and national backgrounds. People come to the HKE from all over the Known World, constantly refreshing the population, and citizenship is relatively easy to come by. Outdated ideas of their appearance paints them as average height, light to bronzed skin colored, with black hair and dark eyes, and arched noses and heavy-lidded eyes. Despite their diversity, they all learn prize physical fitness and cleanliness, so they are usually slim and presentable. The people of the HKE are very self-superior to the rest of the world, and they are a sophisticated, cosmopolitan, pan-cultural people. They consider themselves to be part on of an unbroken continuation of the classical period, and the only truly advanced society in the world.

Fashion

People of the HKE prefer loose, unfitted clothing, especially tunics, togas, and robes, and they like sandals but dislike closed footwear. Indeed, HKE citizens make fun of pants. They keep their skin well-oiled, and like to arrange their naturally curly hair in ringlets.

High Class Fashion

The color choice and decorations are heavily influenced by older cultures to the far east, but red, white, and gold are especially popular. Luxury goods, silk vestments, and excessive jewelry are the standard they strive for. Floor length robes with long sleeves are the de facto uniform for this class.

Art & Architecture

Representative art is highly developed, and the HKE has an abundance of portraiture, landscape and animal paintings and statuary. Formalized religious iconography is held in greater esteem, however, and this employs standardized forms and techniques. Veneration of iconic art has a strong religious element. Religious architecture is based on enormous domes placed on top of square structures, and pendentives arches are used for interior support. HKE high status buildings are extensively decorated and detailed and glittering mosaics. Their structures are known for efficient light and ventilation.

Cuisine

In the HKE, two meals a day are standard, with a light breakfast and more lavish main meal. Meat is only available for high class and wealthy citizens. Their cooks are master at making a wide variety of sauces. Milk, cheese, and eggs are widely used, as a great deal of sea food. They also employ assorted grapes, oil, garlic, vinegar, leeks, oregano, celery, and honey.

Mathematics

For numerals, they used the Aarchonian system with I, V, X, etc. They do not have a numeral for 0 and are unsure of its application. For computation, the HKE uses a sexagesimal, also known as base-60 Mathematics or sexagenary.

Calendar

The HKE uses the Old Karmithian calendar, with some variations. It begins with the HKE notional creation of the world, which they reckon to be year 6062 in the Aorlis year of 1245. The HKE year begins early on the 1st Woodmonth, the ninth month of the former Aorlisian calendar year. Unlike the Old Karmithian calendar, the HKE does not recognize kalends, nones, and ides. Indeed, the month merely begins with day I, and runs to the end in numeric order. The Months are named after the planets they ascribe to them:

Karron
Sylvaen
Aurleos
Sylvaen II
Salearr
Aurleos II
Amorella
Karon II
Rheon
Amorella II
Uulimar
Rheon II

Days of the Week

Weekdays are named I through V, then Preparation Day, then Sabbat

Daily Timekeeping

In the HKE the day is divided into two 12-hour cycles fixed by the rising and setting of Salearr. This is relative timekeeping, because the length of hours expands and contracts throughout the year.