Andric Hegemony

The glorious and most noble Andric Empire has ruled quite a few millennia and is at the end of a cultural high. Trade prospers, new technology and scientific studies are published every month. The nobility eats and drinks the most exquisite foods and wines. But also the common people could live a good life, for they have access to the arenas, food is plenty and labour is paid-well. The citizens of the empire value innovation in every field, they are very progressive and egalitarian people. As a result of that, every citizen, if willing, has the ability to study in one of the many public schools. The current ruling emperor has no heir, and there is rumour that he is terribly ill. So people fear that his rule is over and leaves the state in chaos. Many members of the Senate are secretly plotting to take over the throne. The good andric citizens love their bath houses and in every city there has been one built, they also tend to use Aquäducts to transport water of large distances just so they can have water for bath houses in the most remote regions. Besides their progressive beliefs they also are superstitious and every hamlet has a shrine devoted to the saints and the emperor. Many citizens believe their emperor as a divine being.
Historians believe that the first men of the empire fled from the far south continent called Terra Maledictus, but there are little to none documents that confirm this. Expeditions to these far lands never returned home and so government officials decided to not fund any expeditions in these lands anymore. There is an old almost abandoned tradition, from those who still believe in the legend, where they send a boat with goods over the sea to Terra Maledictus to honour those who were left behind. The only evidence of the myth is, is a document of the first Phoenix Empress Macara stating that she wasn't born in any Andric City nor anywhere else on this continent. The only people to ever return from the accursed continent were Saint Lucreatia and Saint Kain. One particular Book Saint Kain has written about Terra Maledictus - The Manifesta Maledictus - has been lost through the ages. Right now they have the best equipped army on this continent. The reason for that are the magically enhanced forges in Ruhn and the access to the biggest ore reserves in the known world, which are located north of Ruhn in Griffon Shire. As a result of that they managed to equip every soldier with magical infused equipment. The Empire's main religion is represented by the Order Stromus Solare, which holds a lot of power in the population. Another thing many believe is that the bloodline of the emperor himself is blessed by a mighty phoenix.
Like every other human dominated nation, the Andric Empire looks down upon the half-elves. Many citizens view the Ara'Tashi (half-elves) as inferior, criminals and as uneducated scumbags. After millenia of slavery the Ara'Tashi have freed themselves offcially from the shackles of slavery but in many cases they are still treated as slaves and used as scapegoats for disasters. They are denied full citizenship and are not allowed to join the police force, the imperial army or any other government institution. Their reputation for being thugs and criminals is fed by the fact that many Ara'Tashi have joined gangs and crime organisations since no one else hires them.
Andric Citizens tend to have good relations with the halflings, which keep the trade network running. Most halflings have claimed citizenship in the andric empire and are seen as sign of prospering trade and wealth. The Dwarves of Lóng Huǒ respect the strength of the empire and even though they have been to war and fought for territory they have been trading partners with the andric empire ever since. The dwarven population in the empire is a minority and some are travelling craftsmen who want to learn new crafts and others are sent as an envoy, ambassadors or as servants of aforementioned. Citizens of the Midden Reik always have been viewed suspiciously as they haven been the mortal enemy of the empire, only in desperate times have they allied like in the great Tjarn migrations, when the Tjarns try to settle in new territory.
The nations threatening the andric supremacy would be the Empire of Lóng Huǒ, the dwarven empire located in the mountains of the Thorny Peaks, who have grown as a economic and military power but yet still are reluctant to act against the Andric Hegemony. The Midden Reik used to be a greater threat to the empire before the great war, but now they are still rebuilding their infrastructure and have become a minor threat. Still they are not to be underestimated, their knights and soldiers are the best caster known to mankind. The Hegemony of Skanwatre keeps a low profile on their operations but they haven’t been global players for a long time and don’t seem to have plans for expansions and they are not direct neighbours of the Andric Empire. Most concerning problems are inner political squabbles between the most influential parties of the Andric Empire. The Senate was created by the current emperor to secure the Empire's leadership in case he dies without an appointed heir. Most Senate members are corrupt to the very core and the andric citizens prefer a supreme ruler, who will guide them through rough times. If the emperor dies and the senate fails to establish dominance in the population, this might be the end of the Andric Empire. The stakes are high for this ancient empire and all citizens must act cautious and quickly if they want their Empire to succeed.

Naming Traditions

Family names

• Prefix: Al, Ab, Acc, Alb, Be, Bal, Bell, Cae, Can, Cil, Deci, Dig, Fau, Fav, Fla, Fest, Fulv, Furi, Val, Luc
• Suffix: Us, Ius, Eius, Nas, Vius, Ilis, Cius, Rius, Dius. Mius, Tius. Pius, Idius, Res, Retia

Culture

Major language groups and dialects

Andric - Common

Shared customary codes and values

Hug upon meetings

Common Etiquette rules

You have to help people who have a higher social rank

Art & Architecture

The andric empire loves to built large and many buildings have collumns carrying huge domes. They often use sandstone or white coloured bricks and red shindles for their buildings. Public Buildings are often built with gardens and open-air courtyards to enjoy the outside, many mansions of the nobles follow this example. While middle class housing contains gardens, like lower class buildings, they are much more compact and by far not as lavishly built. Andric citiziens love every kind of art but they love mosaics for wall and floor decoractions, almost every house has one and some even have beautiful mosaic portrays on the outside walls. Their art often symbolizes great engineers, scientists and generals. A picture of past and present emperors can be a dead give away for the politicial orientation of a citiziens and if they are content with the current rule, such a picture would of course hang in a central position for one to see.

Foods & Cuisine

While there are regional differences the Andric citiziens love Seafood. At the west and south coast people eat a lot more crab and shrimps with exotic spices and in the east and north people flavour their fish with various herbs. One would think their national dish would be about fish too, but it is roasted duck with pears, marinaded in herbs.

Common Taboos

It is important for an andric citiziens to save their face and so public outbursts of emotions like wrath or sorrow, is seen as a sign of weakness.

Ideals

Beauty Ideals

Something the andric citiziens value in terms of beauty is well-groomed appearance. Men usually have short beards are no beards at all, while women have short hair and I some cases even shaved. Another thing all value is how many different textiles are weaved into the clothing, it is considered a sign of wealth and properity.

Relationship Ideals

It is important for most andric citiziens that their partner decides is working on new projects or studies as they value education as the highest good to achieve. Even in the lower classes an andric citiziens should use their ressources for a new innovation. Most andric citiziens marry a partner fitting their social status, but it is not unheard of that some marry into higher classes. It is just uncommon for the different classes to meet each other.

Major organizations

Government Instituion:

• Imperial Army
• Senate
• Custodes Sacrea Sancti 

Crime Organisations:

• Post Mortem 
• Lux Fortuna 
• Syndikat Nox

Religious Organisations

• Stromus Solare 
• Vera Iustitia

Related Organizations

• Post Mortem
• Stromus Solare
• Syndikat Nox