The Inleyan Empire
At first it was nothing but a backwater fishing hamlet, who's king resided on a large hill. Then decades of plenty for the Inleyans and famine for their neighbors sparked war. While Inley was not the aggressor in this conflict it did pursue and continue it, until they had taken over and subsumed their neighbor. This sparked the fires of conquest within Inley. In the next 1700 years Inley would spread out and consume all it laid it's eyes upon. Yet within the empire its people are happy and peaceable.
Structure
The Emperor (Gaius Caligaris Inley) stands at the top of the political hierarchy, beneath him are the kings and queens. Their sovereignty is in title only granting them only control over a small fiefdom, and the ability to take control of their neighbors land if they do not have any heirs. Then there are the lords who control their individual fiefdoms and very little else. Certain people can have more power in the system based off of their unique position: for example the General of the Van Sehn legion is technically only a lord but speaks directly to and for the emperor. As such this general is listened to and given similar deference as a king or the emperor.
Culture
The culture of Inley is diverse, as it has conquered many races and peoples. The Inleyan empire allowed each group it conquered to maintain its own culture and even many of their own laws. With the exception that they had to incorporate certain Inleyan laws, such as the Inleyan code of civil engagement, the lord's head law, opening of public schools and libraries. This also created a culture within Inley where most of its citizens believe that they are better off a part of Inley then they are not.
Public Agenda
To its citizens: To spread the peace, prosperity, and advancement of Inley to all of the world.
To its lords and Kings: The endless accruement of resources and power.
To the Emperor: Both of the above.
To the outside world: To take over the world.
Assets
There are very few resources that Inley solely possess that others do not but those resources are of exponential importance. Dragon leather sold by the true dragon citizens of Inley while still rare even in Inley can be immensely useful as it provides its wearer with the same elemental resistances of that of a dragon. Gunpowder was initially developed in Inley by the forge for use in cannons and various small arms. Though gunpowder can be found throughout the world Inley is its foremost manufacturer. Firearms like with gunpowder were developed first in Inley, the most dreaded of which is their Tiberius model tanks. A virtually unstoppable hulking mass of iron and fire equipped with a Ironbeard model cannon and the finest steam engine yet designed.
Then there is Consortium Steel, it's magical resistances make it a valuable resource. Though it's extreme rarity means that acquire a large supply of it is virtually impossible. This is without stating the unique troops that make up the emperor's fingers, including The Forge mentioned briefly above. Old Ironsides is a massive golem of iron and magic items added steadily over decades and centuries of improvement transforming it into a weapon capable of rivaling some gods. The Nightdaughters are a group of spies and assassins who are feared throughout Inley and the world for their great skill. The Tribe was initially a goblin tribe of great skill and renown when taming beasts, over time others joined this tribe causing it to grow and refining it's techniques.
They brought in druidic and ranger magic allowing for not just the taming but the outright control of beasts. Including the great and terrible tarrasque which they have bound to their service. Then at last there is the Van Sehn legion the greatest military unit to have ever stepped onto a battlefield. To all Hobgoblins war is their art of choice, but to the Van Sehn to act in war is to breathe. If anything war is more important and vital to a Van Sehn than their breath, they constantly strive towards perfection of war. Through constant training both mentally and physically they have refined their skills to a limit no other army has yet reached.
History
Inley began as a small fishing village which steadily rose in power and population into a small kingdom. This kingdom after a few decades acquired the services of some knights mostly as heads of it's meager military. Near the borders of this kingdom a group of bandits claimed an abandoned military fortress and outfitted it for themselves. Eventually the knights of the kingdom were dispatched to rid the lands of these brigands. Of the knights dispatched one stood out; Servius Inley or The Rabbit. Servius had been nicknamed the Rabbit for being exceptionally quick, even in heavy armor he could easily beat most men in footraces. During the battle he was covered in pitch but was able to avoid being set on fire.
This pitch clung to his armor making most of it appear black. Near the end of the battle the bandits attempted to retreat but Servius chased them down. As a result of this battle his nickname was changed to the Black Rabbit and his status was further elevated. Years later a roving band of raiders invaded the kingdom. The king, his knights, and the meager army sought out to capture or destroy the raiders. The small size of the raider's army made it so that if the conflict was all but ended after this battle. During the battle the king was almost slain when a small raider party snuck around to the back flank of the army.
The Black Rabbit as he was well known by this time stepped forward and defended his king, blocking an arrow that would have hit the king's neck. He and the other knights dispatched the raiders and eventually went on to win the battle. For saving the king Servius was betrothed to the king's daughter defacto making him the next in line for the throne. When two years later the king was killed by a boar during a hunting trip, Servius was made king. The royal line's name was changed Inley and the kingdom's name also became changed to Inley. For the next 200 years the line persisted and the kingdom grew, later during this time period frost and insects destroyed many harvests causing a famine on the eastern side of the continent.
Though Inley did not suffer from this famine as much as it's neighbor though the crops were destroyed Inley still had a very prominent and healthy fishing industry, as such they substituted wheat for more fish. After about ten years of repeated famine Inley's neighbors decided to raid and try and capture Inley, for the purposes of survival. Inley during this time had actually grown and developed still a small but still much larger military. Eventually Inley was able to repel the invaders from their land, the king of Inley look at his neighbors and realized how weak they currently were and decided to invade. After their militaries had been weakened by the failed invasion each kingdom fell relatively quick. The king declared himself emperor and delineated the captured territories to each of his nobles, though this became only the beginning.
Now have a taste for conquest and acquisition the first emperor decide to continue capturing territory. Steadily this ballooned into the Inleyan empire though in the 1700 years since then Inleyan tactics and laws have changed to better suit the whims and wishes of the emperor. The first coming in the year 27 A.I. (After Inley) when looking to take territory controlled by several orcish tribes who outnumbered and were capable of outfighting the Inleyans the emperor saw fit to create a new branch of the military; The Forge. The Forge's sole purpose is to work and create technical advancements for the purpose of warfare. The forge was able to develop a new steel composition that held better as armor and stayed sharper longer as weapons. It took several more years before the orcs were subjugated but the weapons and armor created by The Forge were instrumental in this.
The Forge has continued being a stable member of the Inleyan military and became the first of what would become known as the Emperor's Fingers. Years later the next of this group would enter the fold, the next being the Nightdaughters. How they came into the fold of Inley is unknown. Many don't even believe they exist, they are supposedly a group of women who can be beyond invisible. Somehow being undetectable by virtually every means including See Invisibility, Detect Magic, and Scrying. This seems outlandish and even some of the highest echelons are skeptical of their existence and those who do believe they exist have no idea of how they work. Of what little is known about them is that they apparently joined Inley in the year 79 A.I. and have been the emperor's spies and assassins ever since.
The next to join was Old Ironsides, the greatest single weapon in Inley's arsenal. Old Ironsides age is unknown but he is several thousand at least, he was uncovered in an ancient and long dessicated fortress. By then he had already been modified wearing a Belt of Storm Giant Strength and Horseshoes of a Zephyr. This modification showed that he was unique amongst iron golems and further modification could be enacted. So they did Inley repeatedly modified and improved Old Ironsides until he became a near indestructible juggernaut wielding god level strength and and a flail that boasted more power then many mages. He was also eventually gifted a giant tank fitted with a cannon capable of launching his flail and himself, if he held on to it when it was launched.
The tribe eventually joined the fold descending partially from the Unexplored North, though they had long since incorporated other races, tribes, and families the group still called themselves the Tribe. The unique brand of magic the tribe used which mixed various magics including goblin shamanistic, druidic, and ranger magics allowed them to control or at least tame virtually every non sentient creature to have ever lived. The exceptions being beasts of extreme power and ferocity but then the Tribe would be able to kill them with great efficiency. They became unique amongst the Emperor's Finger in that they volunteered to become members of Inley. They believed that they could not survive against Inley even with their great menagerie of beasts. So they decided it is better to be the devil's right hand then in his way and joined becoming the fourth member of the Emperor's Finger.
The final member of the Emperor's finger began as one of their greatest enemies, though Inley would have won eventually due to sheer numbers. The Van Sehn Legion of Hobgoblins held dominion over an area far east into the continent, and Inley expanded right into their territory. A clash proved inevitable yet despite Inley's massive armies, technological advancements, fearsome beasts, and monstrous construct; the Van Sehns held out and even beat them a few times. This so impressed the Emperor that he struck a deal with the legion that they would work with Inley instead of against it and the throne would might be theirs one day. The Van Sehns being ardent worshippers of Maglubiyet pondered this, by divine mandate they were meant to conquer the world for their god. Eventually they accepted as if they one day claimed the throne then they would defacto have conquered all that Inley had and be in command of a large and nigh unstoppable army.
Other notable incidents within Inley would include the death and conquest of the tarrasque, the dragon invasion, and the giant revolution. Each deserving of elaboration which they will receive though within their own section.
Demography and Population
Inley is home to virtually every fantasy race available (in DnD 5e) with the exception of Kenku and Tabaxi. The population densities of these races varies from region to region. The approximate total population of Inleyan Citizens is 253 million.
Territories
Inley has assimilated and colonized most of its home continent with the exception of three territories. These being the Steel Consortium, the Unconquered South, and the Unexplored North.
Military
Each Lord possess their own guard and potentially their own military. There is also the official Inleyan army which has a more defined power structure within it and is not bound to a particular lord. Then there are a number of mercenary companies whose purpose is to fight for lord's willing to pay them, though then generally work as security for a lord's holdings in lands other than his own. Then there are the Emperor's Fingers, military organizations that answer directly to the emperor. While members of these organizations often hold a military rank they don't often work with the general military.
Technological Level
The technological and scientific evolution of the empire has been greatly affected by the presence and use of magic. An example would be that multiple of the tanks utilized by the forge while using steam engines do not utilize coal instead using embers from the elemental plane of fire. These embers can't be extinguished by normal means and are capable of burning hotter than most coal though this does sacrifice a certain degree of control. As for a general technological level while not ubiquitous cannons are still somewhat common. The most advanced technology is found with the Emperor's finger: The Forge, who have developed multiple steam engines, rifling for guns, and is developing early aircraft. As a branch of the military many of their technological advancements don't see use outside of battle though they do get slowly disseminated out.
Religion
The empire allowed its conquered territories to continue their individual religious practices and customs. They also allowed for the worship of non-god like entities; for example within the capital there is a temple devoted to the demon prince Graz'zt. Granted there are laws governing the practice of religion, most notably those pertaining to human sacrifice. Which while legal has a number of requirements it must meet before it can move forward.
Foreign Relations
The Inleyan empire is currently engaged in a long standing war with the territory known as the Unconquered south. The
Agriculture & Industry
Certain areas of Inley are able to function as an agricultural power while others more Industrial. As Inley didn't see fit to change too much whenever it conquered an area; places that focused on farming remained as such.
Trade & Transport
Trade within the empire is all to common and often easy.There are multiple trade routes spanning throughout the empire from dozens of land routes to the North-west passage. Trade agreements are generally made amongst the lords usually as a means of barter for the resources they do not possess. For example an Industrial lord may give their neighboring lord a hefty discount on processed goods in order for the same though with foodstuffs.
Education
The empire requires that within a certain population threshold one library and one school are to be constructed. The curriculum of the school is fairly loose though the standard curriculum is learning the language Common, basic math, and the history of Inley. Attendance at these schools is considered semi mandatory for children between the ages of 5 and 12.
Infrastructure
This varies between areas and lords for example the capital has an advanced aqueduct and sewage system, while many small town generally possess a small number of wells.
No fox can catch the Black Rabbit.
Founding Date
O
Type
Geopolitical, Empire
Alternative Names
The Empire, The empire of Inley, The Black Empire, The Rabbit's Empire, The Rabbit's Burrow
Training Level
Professional
Veterancy Level
Decorated/Honored
Demonym
Inleyans
Leader
Leader Title
Head of State
Head of Government
Government System
Monarchy, Absolute
Power Structure
Feudal state
Economic System
Palace economy
Currency
Coinage of various metals imprinted with the face of the current emperor. In descending order of value Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze, Copper.
Major Exports
Inley often exports it's more valuable resources due to the difficulty of normally going between the continents. Namely consortium steel, ice, and gunpowder consortium steel being the only one exclusive to the empire; whilst the other two are merely produced or harvested in much greater quantities within Inley than outside of it.
Major Imports
Not much is Imported into Inley aside from adamantium and Selt spice. Adamantium is more prevalent within a certain area of the divided continent. While selt spice is very rare on the Divided continent and can't be acquired at all in Inley.
Legislative Body
The emperor holds the primary ability to create laws, though the lords/ladies and kings/queens of various lands can also create laws so long as they don't contradict laws put down by the emperor.
Judicial Body
The presiding lord is considered the highest authority in a given area with appointed guards who carry out the application of laws and when necessary trials.
Location
Related Ranks & Titles
Controlled Territories
Neighboring Nations
Organization Vehicles
Notable Members
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