Empire of the Sun
Legends say, that long ago, during the Era of Myths, on the large continent of Senwe, in one of the many human kingdoms, a young lord had a dream. The dream showed him a god of fire, who promised power and knowledge and the young lord accepted the offer.
The god became known as the Sun God and the young lord's name was Augustine, the First High Exarch.
Structure
The Empire has three main ruling bodies - The Church of the Sun, The House of Lords and the Circle of War.
The religious body of the Empire is the Church of the Sun. Its members include priests and priestesses and the inquisitors and their hunters.
The Council of Exarchs stands at the head of the Church. The absolute ruler of the Empire, the High Exarch, is chosen from and by its members.
Under the Council are the different high priests and priestesses, their role is to manage the local churches and monasteries and to be the religious authority in their region.
Under them are the priests and priestesses, who make the bulk of the church members. Their role is to perform a large variaty of jobs in service to the Church. From administrative work, to scribe work and many other jobs.
At the bottom of the Church hierarchy are the initiates. When a child with strong magical potential is found, it's adopted by the church, where it will start its training and indoctronation. Until the child finishes its training it's known as initiates. After it shows sufficiant skill, they will be sent to join the priesthood or the inquisition, depending on their talents.
The inquisition is the strong arm of the Church. Its role is to enforce the will of the Council of Exarchs. Its members act as agents, spies, hunters and punishers for the Church.
When an initiate shows promise in fields like combat and stealth, they are promoted to inquisitors. Priests and priestesses that show promise after their initiation can also be promoted to inquisitors. As members of the Inquisition, they will carry more authority than even high ranking lords and generals and can give orders to any member of the Empire, except the Exarchs. The inquisitor's usual job is to identify and supress rebel groups and to hunt demon worshipers, those that follow gods other than the Sun God or use magic other than Sun magic.
Under the direct command of the inquisitors are the hunters. Those that want to serve the Church, but dont have the magical talent needed to become an initiate, can join as hunters for the Church and help the inquisitors in their missions.
The original members of the House of Lords, were the kings and queens of the human kingdoms of Senwe. After unifying them, the First Exarch alowed them to keep their administrative roles.
The body that manages the Empire's military is the Circle of War. Its member are the Field Marshals and Grand Admirals of the Empire. Under them are the many officer ranks in the army and navy. In war they lead the Empire's forces in the field and in peace they act as law enforcers, deeling with bandits and criminals.
The Church of the Sun
The religious body of the Empire is the Church of the Sun. Its members include priests and priestesses and the inquisitors and their hunters.
The Council of Exarchs stands at the head of the Church. The absolute ruler of the Empire, the High Exarch, is chosen from and by its members.
Under the Council are the different high priests and priestesses, their role is to manage the local churches and monasteries and to be the religious authority in their region.
Under them are the priests and priestesses, who make the bulk of the church members. Their role is to perform a large variaty of jobs in service to the Church. From administrative work, to scribe work and many other jobs.
At the bottom of the Church hierarchy are the initiates. When a child with strong magical potential is found, it's adopted by the church, where it will start its training and indoctronation. Until the child finishes its training it's known as initiates. After it shows sufficiant skill, they will be sent to join the priesthood or the inquisition, depending on their talents.
Inquisition
The inquisition is the strong arm of the Church. Its role is to enforce the will of the Council of Exarchs. Its members act as agents, spies, hunters and punishers for the Church.
When an initiate shows promise in fields like combat and stealth, they are promoted to inquisitors. Priests and priestesses that show promise after their initiation can also be promoted to inquisitors. As members of the Inquisition, they will carry more authority than even high ranking lords and generals and can give orders to any member of the Empire, except the Exarchs. The inquisitor's usual job is to identify and supress rebel groups and to hunt demon worshipers, those that follow gods other than the Sun God or use magic other than Sun magic.
Under the direct command of the inquisitors are the hunters. Those that want to serve the Church, but dont have the magical talent needed to become an initiate, can join as hunters for the Church and help the inquisitors in their missions.
House of Lords
The administrative body of the Empire is the House of Lords. Made up from every High Lord, its job is to manage the Empire's economy and trade. They do this with the help of a complex web of nobles and lords, that rule over the many settlements in the Empire. The House of Lords is also the law making body in the Empire, but the Church can always overule a law they dont like.The original members of the House of Lords, were the kings and queens of the human kingdoms of Senwe. After unifying them, the First Exarch alowed them to keep their administrative roles.
Circle of War
The body that manages the Empire's military is the Circle of War. Its member are the Field Marshals and Grand Admirals of the Empire. Under them are the many officer ranks in the army and navy. In war they lead the Empire's forces in the field and in peace they act as law enforcers, deeling with bandits and criminals.
Public Agenda
Religion
As a theocratic empire, religion plays a vital role in the Empire's politics.It teaches that there is no other god, but the Sun God and that every other being calling it self god is just a demon who wants to consume the souls of the believers.
The only blesses magic is that of the Sun God, other kinds of magic are viewed as demonic and its practicioners are hunted by the Inquisition. Even the use of Sun magic is restricted only to the members of the Church of the Sun. Unless you are a member of the priesthood or the Inquisition, using Sun magic is deemed blasphemy and you will be hunted by the Inquisition.
Every day, every members of the settlement is expected to attend a morning prayer, thanking the Sun God for banishing the dark night.
Of course, it's unlikely that the Sun God has any control over the coming of the new day, but rituals like these are useful for controling the population.
The official reason for all the invasions, launched by the Empire, is to spread the dominion of the Sun God. But many scholars believe that is just an excuse for pillaging the resourses of the other continents and creating more mana crystals.
The followers of the Church of the Sun believe that if they die in service to their god, their soul will join him in a land of endless summer, while the unbelievers will lose their souls to the void.
History
Early days
After recieving the blessing of the Sun God, Augustine used his natural charisma and skill, as well as his new found powers, to quickly take control over his kingdom, establishing the first theocraty on the continent, a kingdom governed by religious zeal.
Over the next decades, with the help of the mana crystals, a gift from his god, Augustine managed to unite all humans on his continents in one great empire. He became the First High Exarch and called his empire The Empire of the Sun, in honor of his god.
Expansion
Before reaching the end of his days, the First High Exarch managed to exterminate all troll and goblin kingdoms on the continent and to organise the Empire in the way it is ruled to this day.
Only several days after claiming the continent of Senwe for the Empire, Augustine died from old age, peacefully in his sleep. The Council of Exarchs renamed the continent August, in honor of the Empire's founder and elected a new High Exarch from their members.
Supported by its enormous resources, the Empire of the Sun started to launch invasions and claimed many other continents for the Sun God. Starting with the Invasion of Odun.
Today
After centuries of expansion, the Empire nears its limits. For more than a century no new invasions were launched, the armies and resources of the Empire stretched tin, trying to hold to all the continents under its rule.
The ruling bodies of the Empire, unchanged since the founding, stagnate and fill with corruption.
Only its massive size and the powers of the mana crystals keep the Empire from collapsing.
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