Visavan Empire (visɑʋɑŋ)
The Visavan Empire - or Kingdom of Celestial Radiance in their own words - is one of the two most advanced - in terms of culture, technology and magic - nations in the world. Visava's economy is based on the ideal of free enterprise, with a large working class (Nɘgɘraka) renting arable land from private landlords (Nɘka) to raise food for sale, or working small-scale industry to produce goods and luxuries.
In other ways, it is less enlightened. The majority of Visavan citizens are humanic, with the Imperial Family being comprised entirely of aasimar. Humans born into the Imperial Family are traditionally drowned in secret and burned ritually to ensure that the line retains its ascended status, while non-aasimar Touched are fostered out anonymously. Additionally, Visavan cities are plagued by an underclass of beastkin (Jɘnɘvara). The most visible of these, the kuri-lan and wolfskin, are usually found employed in low-grade labour employment, owned as slaves, or working for the criminal underworld. The sibrani and alshan however, hold an exalted status as pets and companions for the wealthy. They are exclusive and expensive slaves (Gulɘɱa), well-trained, well-groomed and carefully bred to ensure the perfect racial characteristics. One of the richest families in the capital made their fortune breeding champion and grand champion fox kin.
Further cementing its power as one of the foremost economies and military powers in the world, Visava is home to the Alchemical Institute, one of the greatest seats of learning and power in the world with a history dating back almost to the founding of the empire itself. Because of the Institute, Visava has been relatively slow to accept the societal changes wrought by the advent of Elven magic, and it is common for Visavans to look down on those trained in that school even more than they look down on qi users and spellsingers, whom they consider barbarians and fools at best.
As of S1007, the newly elected Celestial Radiance Jarpreet has bucked this trend. Fifteen years old, she was chosen by a Council who believed her bookish nature and dislike for conflict would make her easy to control. They were mistaken, and under her guidance the Empire is perhaps less stable than it was under her predecessor, but it is slowly moving towards a more equality and education focused nation.
Structure
The Empire's leadership is hierarchical and, to outsiders, convoluted.
At the local level, villages are governed by the nearest town. Towns are run by a council of the ten richest Nɘka, who elect a governor to lead the council. Between fifteen and twenty governors then answer to a regional magistrate, who is elected from and by the town governors. There are fifty regional magistrates, who answer to the council of peers in the Imperial City.
The Council of Peers are the oldest ten members of the Imperial Family, who then elect the Celestial Radiance from within the Family. The Celestial Radiance can be chosen from anyone within the family over the age of fifteen who is not sitting on the Council, although it is usually an older member.
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