Empire of Joudan

As one of the Old World’s first and largest nations, the Empire of Joudan proudly stands tall over the smaller nations that surround it. Its territory extends over numerous biomes, primarily vast plains, rolling hills, and rugged mountains, and borders the Kingdom of Esconti and Alqawa. Under the leadership of the immortal Emperor Joudan, the mythical man hailed as the Ambassador of Heaven and Stars, the Empire’s three kingdoms of Hoshikuni, Xingguo, and Byeol Nala are kept in balance and bound together by a common goal: prosperity.
While the people of Joudan are very diverse, they all share similar cultural traits that bring them together. One particularly binding trait is the significance of the collective over the individual, as it is a common belief that the needs of a group will always outweigh the needs of a single person. Unity and social conformity are thus critical concepts practiced all throughout the Empire of Joudan, as being unable to fit in equates to being unable to function at all in society. This even extends to the huge cultural stigma against outright lying, for even criminals know better than to tell a deliberate falsehood and have their word be labelled as worthless. Duplicity is still commonly practiced though, as it is easy understate, omit information, or be intentionally vague while still being technically truthful. Other key cultural values include respect for the elderly, adherence to hierarchical authority, and accepting that one's work is also one's life.
The capital of the Empire of Joudan is Hyon, which is located between all three kingdoms by lake Shuijing Hu and the river Housekikawa. In the center of this metropolis is the Heavenly Terrace, the home of the Imperial Family itself. Each of the three kingdoms has their own separate capital, with Saikyo for Hoshikuni, Nanjing for Xinggou, and Baegyeong for Byeol Nala.

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Structure

Sitting upon the Empire of Joudan's exalted throne is none other than Emperor Joudan himself, the godlike ruler of the entire Joudan Empire. As the Ambassador of Heaven and Stars, he oversees the three kingdoms of Hoshikuni, Xingguo, and Byeol Nala and ensures internal harmony and prosperity within the empire. His word is law, and no mortal man may question his authority. He is said to answer only to his superiors in the Celestial Bureaucracy, the rulers of Heaven itself.
Directly beneath him are the Imperials, the sons and daughters of Emperor Joudan. Blessed with immortality and sacred might, Imperials wield such tremendous cultural authority within the Empire of Joudan that their word is nearly as strong as the Emperor's. Only the Emperor can command them, and their demands can only be overturned by their father or one of their own. Despite their regal privilege, they lack the ability to pass laws outside their own spheres of influence.
Of similar status to the Imperials are the Starbound Kings, the monarchs of the three kingdoms inside the Empire of Joudan. Each one of them governs their domain with supreme authority, supervised only by the Emperor. Even the mighty Imperials must follow the local laws set by a Starbound King.
Beneath the Imperials and Starbound Kings, all other citizens fit into a strict hierarchy, the structure of which depends on the kingdom they live in.

History

Long before the rise of the three major powers, the various kingdoms of the Old World struggled for survival among themselves. Countless lives were sacrificed in wars waged to further noble schemes and plots, and kingdoms close to prosperity always faced some cataclysmic event that shattered hard work of generations before them.
In -523, a prolonged conflict known as the Great Strife Under the Stars evolved from the Hoshikuni-Xingguo conflict of -531 to -523 when the Kingdom of Byeol Nala broke off from the Kingdom of Xingguo and established its own sovereign kingdom with the help of the Kingdom of Hoshikuni. However, alliances would shift hands numerous times throughout the years, with foreign powers being dragged in and out of the conflict to the point where even dark powers were good comrades so long as they provided even the slightest advantage. The Great Strife lasted for over sixty-five years, shredding the three kingdoms until their peoples only understood the wars as a struggle for survival.
The three kingdoms all sought the end of the war, but could not trust in mortals to deliver them from themselves. The shamans and priests of the kingdoms looked to the stars for portents and prophecies that would bring salvation, and in the starry heavens they all found the same answer: they would find victory by claiming the lake Shuijing Hu on the day of the solar eclipse of -458. Eager to claim foretold victory, the three kingdoms sent their forces to battle for Shuijing Hu, each with commands to take the lake or die trying.
On the day of the Final Battle for Shuijing Hu, the armies of the three kingdoms gathered before the lake to slaughter each other. The weather was stormy, and the shamans and priests worried that they would not see anything other than darkness during the eclipse. However, when the Sun was blotted out by the Moon, the storm instantly disappeared in favor of clear skies as a new star shone above the lake. Spreading far and wide with perfect clarity at the center of the star was the voice of a man calling himself Joudan, announcing that he was the ambassador of the stars chosen by the celestial bureaucracy to single-handedly end the Great Strife and lead all gathered around Shuijing Hu to prosperity. The kings and generals would not accept such an audacious claim, ordering that the self-proclaimed emissary be struck down. However, every single soldier was then stunned by glorious light that shone from Joudan, and the kings and generals who had opposed him were consumed in brilliant sacred flames until nothing remained.
The Final Battle for Shuijing Hu came to be known as the Reception of Joudan, for the armies gathered by the lake all bowed before their new Emperor as he established the Empire of Joudan. In the coming years, he instigated the Great Purification from -458 to -371, where all the dark powers and their collaborators were purged from the three kingdoms by decree of Emperor Joudan. During and following that time, major reforms to the kingdoms brought them all in line with each other, and peace between the three kingdoms was established.

Demography and Population

The population of Joudan is primarily human, with several distinct ethnicities inhabiting the provinces. There are also a multitude of demi-human races with animalistic features, such as catfolk, kitsune, and tengu. They are collectively referred to as “War Beasts,” and most of the humans give them a measure of deference and avoidance. Planetouched, especially Aasimar, are typically honored in Joudan for their rare connection to the planes and considered “blessed.” However, because of this notion, the Imperial Throne puts heavy expectations on planetouched races to come into imperial service. Most Joudan-native planetouched cannot refuse when presented the opportunity, lest they wish to defy the will of the Emperor.

Territories

Hoshikuni

Primarily dominated by timeless forests and mystical mountains, Hoshikuni is a sacred place of harmony. Long before the first king rose to power in -766, the people of Hoshikuni revered nature, praying to the natural spirits for safety and prosperity. These reverent traditions still hold, for the practice of ancient worship continues and respect for the natural world has never faded. However, with the advent of the Kingdom of Hoshikuni, it's became famous for a far more potent trait: their zealous passion and honor. The various clans within the kingdom galvanized when the era of warring states came about, mixing with native culture to create the famous Way of the Warrior, an intense code of honor by which the clans lived by. Although few people outside the warrior and noble class strictly adhere to the Way of the Warrior, its base tenets of loyalty, diligence, and respect resonate strongly within the general populace. These three qualities make the Kingdom of Hoshikuni both fearsome and amicable, for the same fervor that drives their people to uphold honor also drives them to be polite to all. Ironically, despite placing such heavy emphasis on passion, the Hoshijin are particularly keen about regulating emotions, especially when it comes to interacting with people. Politeness is a policy, and formalities are everything.
As their culture demands respect be paid to everyone, Hoshijin are generally perceived as kind and stiff by the other kingdoms and foreigners alike. As they value saving face over saving time, Hoshijin are notoriously hard to get an honest opinion of character out of, as they tend not to speak what's on their minds. However, they spare no effort to leave subtle signs of approval or disapproval, whether through implied commentary, body language, or even choices of gifts, clothes, or locations. In general, they tend to disapprove of people who grievously offend their lifestyle and show genuine respect towards people who cling to some code of honor, whether it is a religious oath, a knightly vow, or even a mock version of their own code of honor.

Xingguo

Much like the myriad plateaus, forests, rivers, and deserts inside it, Xingguo is a vast and diverse land. With historical records reaching as far back as -1200, the Kingdom of Xingguo is a truly ancient state that predates all nations of the current era. Though the terrain never changes, numerous shifts of power have kept the kingdom in a constant state of evolution even after Emperor Joudan brought the peace to the three kingdoms. Stemming from times of prolonged turmoil, Xingren seek places and people to put faith in. They have thus developed a strong familial tradition, for family members are the most trustworthy people of all. Beyond familial ties, they have adapted by developing a meritocratic society, where personal talent and social status are paramount to success. Men and woman who fail to show financial stability will never marry or find personal success in life, so materialistic habits and displays of wealth are critical to proving success in life. To this end, Xingren will go so far as to even reject gifts from others if they are not well-off, for it is customary to give a gift of equal value in return when receiving a present, and being unable to do so not only looks bad for the gifted, but for the gifter who imposed such shame on the gifted.
Xingguo has a variety of cultures within itself, and thus its people are generally tolerant of the other kingdoms in the Empire of Joudan. Beyond the Empire of Joudan, Xingren generally have mixed feelings about foreigners: curiosity regarding how they live, fear from the bad things they've heard, and shock for how irreverent they can be at times. Meanwhile, others view Xingren in similarly mixed light, with citizens of the Empire of Joudan seeing quick, businesslike folk and foreigners seeing quick-tongued pragmatists. However, regardless of nationality, they will always pay respect to the elderly and keep in mind the relative socioeconomic status of the families of those they speak to.

Byeol Nala

At only a fraction of the size of the two other kingdoms, Byeol Nala makes up for a lack of quantity with an excess of quality. Formed in -523 when a Xingguo general decided that being king of a small kingdom was better than being lord over a large city, Byeol Nala has fought for its right to exist from the very start. Limited resources and high expectations demanded by the Great Strife cemented a high-performance culture; a small and viciously competitive kingdom of perfectionists. Although common Joudan values such as tradition, family, and respect are still important, there is the additional expectation that all citizens compete with one another. Any opportunity to succeed should be taken, and any improvement that can be made should be made. Even permanent changes, such as transmutation magic for reshaping the face to be more beautiful, are likened to the same level of improvement as studying for hours to become smarter. However, unlike Hoshikuni or Xingguo, there aren't as many social limitations on emotion; Byeol are usually much more expressive than Hoshijin and Xingren, willing to laugh, cry, and yell in even public places.
Because they can be expressive and competitive, Byeol are often considered arrogant and brazen by Hoshijin and Xingren. They return the shade by looking upon Hoshijin as quiet and indirect and Xingren as shifty and greedy. Their standards are even higher for foreigners beyond the Empire of Joudan, whom they all collectively look down upon as lacking the drive to do what it takes to succeed. However, once their friendship is earned, they are the quickest of the three kingdom's peoples to make friends, as they are not a reclusive people. Notably, Byeol have a general distaste for Hoshijin that has carried over for centuries since the Great Strife, as the latter extorted the former for generations both before and after Joudan arrived.

Religion

Although the Emperor is worshiped as a god by the citizens of the Empire of Joudan, there are no restrictions on worship towards actual gods, with shrines and temples existing for all of them—even for evil gods, which are tolerated and revered under the belief that they will curse those who do not pay them respects. The most popular gods in the Empire of Joudan are Esther and Zelseris, who are referred to by numerous different names throughout the kingdoms. The definition of a "god" is relatively loose in the Empire of Joudan, with even powerful rural spirits and the Imperials counting as gods worthy of building shrines for.

Agriculture & Industry

Rice is the primary crop of the Empire of Joudan; rice fields exist in all three kingdoms, serving as the bread baskets of the empire. Barley and millet also play an important agricultural role, as do root vegetables.
As one of the world's three Major Powers, the Empire of Joudan is economically self-sufficient, and its markets tend to cater to its own people. What one of the three kingdoms lacks, another has in surplus. The empire does not want for most raw materials, giving it an edge above the resource-starved Kingdom of Esconti. It also has a huge supply of labor readily available, a problem that is growing within Alqawa. However, the Kingdom of Esconti has a higher standard of living due to widespread access to arcane magic there, and Alqawa's Grand Archive initiative enables it to make use of newfound information quickly. Thus, when the Empire of Joudan does trade with Minor Powers, it tends to export resources and import magical items.

DM
Ian

Founding Date

-458

Type

Geopolitical, Empire

Demonym

Joudan

Government System

Monarchy, Absolute

Power Structure

Transnational government

Economic System

Traditional