Theocracy of Nampyeon

Nampyeon is a theocracy located in northern Frasfu. It's one of the oldest countries in the world, and its foundation over five centuries ago established the beginning of the current era in most calendars.
It's the most culturally influential country, as its religion has found its way to most areas of the world. It also shines in its military, used to keep its southern enemies in check and to aid its allies when necessary.
The Council of Gods rules the country from Hawong and is made up of the Seven Avatars, each embodying one of the seven Pyeonic gods. The everyday life of the country, however, is managed by the seven Houses of Light, each dedicated to the service of a specific Avatar.

History

Nampyeon's official history is divided into four periods. Each period, especially the Expansion and the Enlightment, can be subdivided into further periods. What follows is only a rough overview:

Revelation

0 - 52 EG

Nampyeon was officially founded in the year 0 EG when the gods revealed themselves to the First Avatars. History says that the various countries that existed before Nampyeon saw the Truth and united under a single rule.

Expansion

52 - 250 EG

After uniting the country, the Council of Gods founded the Order of the Faithful Knights. Their mission was to spread the Truth of the Gods to everyone in the whole world. The Knights, heavily armed and highly trained, defended the Truth with their lives.

Darkening

251 EG

The Faithful Knights deserted and betrayed the Council of Gods. Three Avatars were killed and many Knights died in the battle that followed, and those who survived were forever remembered as traitors. No clear reason has been given for this betrayal other than "possession by a dark force".

Age of Light

252 EG - Present

With the country cleansed of traitors to the Gods, the Council of Gods decided to stop their aggressive religious expansion outside their borders. While Pyeonic priests can still be found pretty much everywhere, the last centuries have seen few armies marching from Hawong.

While there's truth in the official history, I haven't been able to prove all claims in the official records. The Darkening is, in fact, the darkest era —an order made up of hundreds of people doesn't just decide to betray their country without a good reason.
— From Min-aniara Laita's travel journal.

Politics

The Pyeonic Pantheon, represented by the Seven Avatars of the Council of Gods is the highest political authority in the country. Through their respective Houses of Light, each of the Avatars is in charge of a specific task. For example, the Avatar of War manages the army while the Avatar of Civilization controls the judicial system.
Most Avatars rarely involve themselves in these tasks unless an emergency arises. In normal circumstances, the high priest of each House is in charge of the daily management tasks.
Nampyeon is divided into several regions led by seven archdeacons, one from each House, and they take turns on the leadership of their region. The archdeacons function like regional high priests but don't have the power to make any decisions without approval from their superiors. These regions make administrative actions easier, but don't have any degree of independence from the capital.
A person can be appointed to a rank by their superiors. High priests are appointed by their Avatar, deacons are appointed by their high priest, and so on. Generally, they are chosen from a lower rank, but there have been instances where people with no rank joined the hierarchy in the higher ranks.

Diplomacy

Nampyeon has a strong alliance with its biggest neighbor, the Empire of Yeoheung, and still keeps a friendly relationship with the Empire of Kutarinmaa, as they used to share the eastern border. Due to this alliance, Nampyeon helps Kutarinmaa with resources for its war against the Grand Duchy of Nyirnia, a historical enemy of Nampyeon.

Diplomatic relations

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People in Nampyeon

These are the most common sapient species in Nampyeon:
Jongyan: 65% — Libellon: 10% — Csillun: 10% — Others: 15%

Culture

Nampyeon's culture is strongly tied to the Seven Faiths, and its influence over the rest of Frasfu is undeniable —even channelers divide their abilities into seven distinct ones. This makes faith one of the most important values a citizen can have.

Gender roles

Pyeonic culture has two traditional genders. However, although they take physical differences into account, they give more importance to one's capability. If someone is good at a certain activity, that means that they were born for that purpose —and so they must pursue it regardless of gender.

The cold climate of the country has contributed immensely to the cultural values of Nampyeon. Discipline permeates the Pyeonic society, as only with discipline can a group of people resist extreme weather conditions. One of the core beliefs in the Seven Faiths is that everyone is born for a specific purpose —and it's every citizen's sacred duty to find it and fulfill it.
Another important value in Pyeonic culture is the sense of community. They tend to see their fellow citizens as siblings, as long as they behave properly according to the other cultural values. This often results in xenophobic, supremacist, and even isolationist views.

Once I saw through their xenophobia, I quickly realized how interesting this culture is. For example, the totalitarian theocratic government surprisingly has a high rate of approval by the population. And while their gods might not be as real as they think, they inspire Pyeonics to treat everyone like family. And even if they are useless to them, their breath-taking works of art are worth of mention too.
— From Min-aniara Laita's travel journal.