Zau'ber Empire

Ymir found herself crouching behind a parapet, notching her bow as she heard the barking of orders in a language that she didn't understand. Damn Imperial hounds. Her fingers gripped at her weapon as she moved to peak her head over the stone. They had been fighting for close to three hours. Since dawn. The mail of the soldiers below glinted in the mid-morning light, and Ymir had to squint to glance over the rank and file of the battalion. It was after a minute's time that her gaze settled on the robed figure behind the rows of soldiers. Slight and fleet footed, the individual passed over the rank and file of their men, walking on air as easily as one might on sand. They were graceful, where the men they commanded were not. Even out in the open, up in the air, unprotected and unarmored, they stood with a stern calm that Ymir knew that she would never be able to muster. She raised her bow. There was a moment of silence. A moment of stillness. Ymir watched as the elf traced the etching in the air. Ymir let her arrow fly. The mage pointed toward the tower of Drackon Fort. The air itself seemed to light with the fury of the sun itself as Ymir felt herself thrown back. She thudded against the far wall of the courtyard, and all around her were the screams of men. Dying. Burning. Ah. So the Empire had send some of their mages after all. So, the fight would be settled by noon.

Structure

Led by the Upper House of the imperial Senate, the Arcane Congress. The Emperor symbolically heads the Congress, and reserves the right to grant anyone within it. Seats of the Congress are split between the major elven families and chosen senior mages of the Weisen, a state-sponsored branch that trains and houses the majority of the Empire's mages and arcane scholars. The seats divided between these two factions are presently 60 to 40, respectively, with the Weisen constantly pushing for newer blood to take abdicated seats of the noble faction. The House faction, however, often rebuffs such attempts, as the seats are technically inheritable.

Public Agenda

The High Elves that lead the Empire learned of hardness and mortality under the sting of the Giants' whips, and against the blades of the Giants' enemies. The Giants stole their power, their fire, the immortality they had bowed to the Gods in order to keep. Thus, they learned a lesson of ruthlessness, and refused to ever bend to another's will again. The only way to ensure such a thing, they reasoned was pro-activity. The Empire has had an agenda of expansion and unification since the start of the Empire. They strike with precision and are willing to utilize magic to crush those that oppose them before counterattacks can be mounted. As such they are often at odds with their surrounding nations. They have recently undergone a period of slight reform, offering their previous allies in the Long War, Cador and Florin, Non-Aggression Pacts. That has not stopped their Imperial ambitions from butting heads with both of said nations on the territories of the New World

Assets

The Imperial Treasury is contained in Edelstein, and holds multiple forms of currency, gems, and other physical assets that amount to well over 10 million gold pieces (gp). The empire also commandeers any castle or fort that their armies and mages manage to take, though often redistributes such holdings as militaristic prizes or rewards for generals and other citizens of repute. Their troops' numbers are one of the largest in the area, and are generally well-armed and supplied unless in foreign territories. While well supplied, the battalions tend to be incredibly spread out, given the Empire's expanse. This set-back is often overcome by most of the upper echelons being mages of relative experience and power.

History

The history of the High Elves has been one of defeat and magic. Originally of the exiled Shee, the High Elves were initially called the Eladrin, and were native to the Feywilds. There, they lived in peace, until the Giants entered the Dreamworld. The Giants ripped the Eladrin away from their home, enslaving them and taking them to the plane of Orbem. For countless centuries, the Eladrin then fought both for and against their Giant masters. Once the giants were defeated, however, the fey found that they no longer were capable of returning back to their planer home of old. They had been stripped of their Fire, and had become the Elves. The Elves then split along philosophical lines. There were those that were hardened by their times of servitude. Who had been tempered in battle, and believed that the only way to ensure that past events never repeat was via a path of conflict and war. They turned from their softer brotheren, and established an nation founded in the belief that they would never again submit to an outside force. The leader of the nation, the Dreamer, the lone elven mage still capable of returning to the Feywild in their dreams, established the Arcane Congress. Each of the heads of the elven families that allied with them were granted a seat on the Arcane Congress. Thus, the Zau'ber Empire was born. Since its creation, the Empire has wrought wars upon its neighbors in an attempt to control their future courses of action . Many have fallen under the wrath of arcane fire and lightening. As such, many of the surrounding human lands, halfling shires, and even the Enclaves of the Wood Elves have submitted to the Empire's rule. After each war has ended, however, the Zau'berians establish efficient legal systems, means of transportation, and forms of aid relief come to the newly claimed citizens. As a whole, non-elven, non-mage civilians are treated nominally well. In more recent times, however, especially after the results of the Long War, the Zau'berians have started dealing in the slave trades that crept along the lengths of their borders. These slaves are typically only of races not of the Tree, generally goblinoid, but it has led to increased tensions between the High Elves and their Wood Elven counterparts. These tensions have only mounted with the discovery of the New World and the influx of non-Tree Races.

Demography and Population

Dominant: Human Minority: High Elves, Goblinoids Enclaves: Wood Elves, Hobbits Groups: Dwarves, Half Elves Individuals: Teiflings, gnomes, Dragonborn The humans tend to be found throughout the Empire. They act as merchants, craftsmen, soldier, and farmers to the elven aristocracy. Elves tend to be found more in the cosmopolitan areas, prefering to center themselves in areas of power. The exceptions to this are certain enclaves of Wood Elves, that tend to settle in forested areas when not traveling. Goblins are found throughout the empire, acting as slaves and menial labor. Hobbits, like the Wood Elves, tend to be found in larger groupings, normally in the shires and valleys that their ancestors had settled long ago. Dwarves and half-elves are scarcer, though they are occasionally found in the larger cities of the empire. Dwarves tend to act as merchants. The Half-elves are a growing population, though currently they are still few in number. They also tend to be more spread out, generally staying with their human parent, unless found to be a mage. Teiflings are a hushed subject among the Empire. Their presence is viewed negatively by the Church, to the point of prosecution. Officially, the Arcane Congress does nothing regarding such matters, though some speak of the schools taking in such students, especially those with innate magical abilities.

Military

The majority of the Imperial army are humans, with limited means of promotion unless they show exempary skill in battle or show power in matters of the arcane. The Empire’s continued standing army and expansionary policies also means that most human men are expected to serve at least three years as infantry. Even so, many men and women often take to the military as a means for a pay, stability, and career. As such, Zau’ber tends to have one of the largest standing armies in the general area. Zau’ber is also one of the few nations with a standing mage army. Their mages are state sponsored and examined, and are often conscripted into some form of military or governmental service after their training. Those that entire the military often act as squadron leaders, information carriers, scouts, or Flightmasters. While the Zau'berian military might is acknowledged, the mages are what most nations truly fear.

Foreign Relations

The Empire’s expansionist policies often lead to soured negotiations between it and its neighbors, much to diplomatic stress. It has crossed swords with multipe different entities, both at home and abroad. Many of the human Kingdoms and surrounding ruling elites have fought with the Empire at least once during thier history, typically leading to territorial loses, During the Long War, however, the Empire allied itself with the nations of Florin and Cador, creating the Allied side against the goblin attackers. Since winning the Long War, the Empire has extended a Pact of Non-Agression to its former allies, sending both trade imports and diplomats to the two other Kingdoms in a nominal attempt to keep the relative peace. While there was some disquiet regarding the overthrow of the Ashmore House of Cador, the Arcane Congress continued diplomatic relations with the island nation during the reign of Richard I. While the homefront has been relatively quiet in terms of warfare, the Empire has made their intent with colonizing the New World quite clear. As such, they have come into repeated conflicts with even Cadorian and Florinan exploratory forces. Despite the continued skirmishes and fights, the Empire continues to communicate with Cador, Keefan, and Florin and the other nations.

Trade & Transport

The rocky terrain of the original Imperial lands meant that initially, travel was both perilous and incredibly important for the elves. As such, as the Empire began to grow, the elves placed a great deal of time and labor into building roads to better connect their cities and ports. In present day, many of these roads are still used be traders and travelers alike. They also allow for the quickened mobilizations of troops from forts and settlements.

Education

Education is a topic of great importance in the Empire. While many are provided a rudimentary education, oftentimes it is only the noble or merchant classes that are granted lengthened schooling. The main exception to this are children born with magical potential. These children are granted an education, regardless of what their parents' station is. These youths are then trained in the arts of the arcane, and are be placed through many mental and physical examinations. Those that score well are then placed in positions of import within the government and military. The Weisen sect of the Arcane Congress is often chosen from these pupils, with it being the main entry of non-nobles and non-elves into governmental and judicial branches of the Empire.

"Remember Our Fire, Stand Tall."

Type

Geopolitical, Empire

Capital

Edelstein

Alternative Names

The Empire

Demonym

Zau'berian

Head of State

The Dreamer, the Emperor of the Empire

Government System

Monarchy, Elective

Power Structure

Unitary state

Economic System

Mixed economy

Currency

Zau'berian gold, silver, and copper coins are minted at the start of every year, and act as the official currency of the Empire.

Major Exports

Wine, olives, oils, spell-scrolls, and leather-works.

Legislative Body

The Imperial Senate is split into an upper and lower house. The Upper House, the Arcane Congress, tends to create and enact most all of the official laws of the Empire. The Arcane Congress is led by the Dreamer themselves, though no one has actually seen the Dreamer in quite some time. The Lower House of the Imperial Senate is a vestigial and inefficient branch of the government, established to help deal with local complaints from the more newly established territories and other outlying regions. The Lower House technically has the ability to appeal laws to the Arcane Congress's approval, though such actions are often ignored or negated.

Judicial Body

The Courts of Law, in partnership with the Justicars and officers of the Courts of Maal

Official State Religion

The Great Church

Deities