Empire of Theruk
Geography
The Empire of Theruk is named for the Sea that it is centered around - The Sea of Theruk. It is a small, strategically important sea. The Empire's reach extends across fertile coasts, dense forests and jungle, and borderlands rife with conflict.
Natural Boundaries
To the Northwest is the Cordillera Nur-Sharat - a towering mountain range home to Dwoegar and Goliath. In the shadows of the mountains lies The Jungle of Shadows - a land whispered to be cursed and haunted.
South of the Cordillera the Empire's claimed lands end at the edge of the Jungle of Shulat, where civilization is sparse.
The southern border includes many cities along the southern edge of the Sea of Theruk - but the Sultanates of the deserts beyond prevent the Empire's expansion south.
To the north, the Empire expands up the coast to encompass the southern cities of the Peninsula of Divithar, beyond which the Empire wishes to continue to grow.
Major Settlements
The capital of the Empire is the city of Harruk, which sits safely in the Bay of Conquests, protected by the Empire's powerful navy.
Most of the other major cities lie along the coast of the Sea of Theruk, though there are a few further inland.
Notable as well is the famed Temple of Ersakel, a monumental temple dedicated to the Netherime figurehead of the Empire which the king claims to be a descendant of.
Government
Theruk is ruled by King Uzharek the Everbound, who claims to be a direct descendent of Ersakel. In the Empire, he is regarded as the living embodiment of Eraskel's will, and his word carries religious weight beyond mere moral authority. Despite this, his rule is not absolute; he must contend with the under-kings, the imperial bureaucracy, and the ambitions of the noble families. With exhaustion weighing on the empire and its armies stretched thin, his control is constantly tested.
The under-kings are hereditary rulers of the Empire's provinces - descended from noble houses that sword fealty to Uzharek's dynasty centuries ago. They are chosen from among their lineages and bound by law to the imperial throne. In return, they are granted extensive autonomy within their lands, so long as their tribute and levies remain constant.
However, with the empire's strength waning, some under-kings see an opportunity to consolidate power or break away entirely, testing the limits of imperial control.
The empire is also full of Bureaucracy - The Ministry of Gold oversees trade and tribute collection. Trade routes are strictly controlled and guilds must remain in favor with the crown.
The Ministry of Arcane Affairs ensures that only sanctioned magic is practiced, especially among nobility. Any unsanctioned sorcery is met with swift punishment, as the Empire seeks to resolve the issue before the Order of the Circle gets involved.
Law enforcement and taxation is managed by provincial governance - backed by military presence when necessary - though with the empire's military stretched thin at its borders, the quality of city guards has fallen.
Culture
In Theruk, the ability to use magic is not just a skill - its proof of one's worthiness to rule, command, or ascend in society. Those who can cast spells are seen as closer to the Empyreals and the rightful leader's of the empire.
Those with magical abilities are granted greater legal rights - often exempt from minor laws or punishments. They can challenge lower-born officials, demand preferential treatment, and claim sacred or arcane relics. Clerics of Ersakel are treated with even more defference, respected even above mundane nobility. King Uzharek himself, a cleric and descendant of Ersakel, is considered the highest mortal authority, and his decrees are seen as sacred law.
Often, only magic users may serve in key government positions, and they are often preferred as military commanders.
The practices are so ingrained that noble families often arrange marriages between bloodlines hoping for heirs with strong magical potential.
The empire also demands absolute fealty from its people. While its lands are vast and diverse, the monarchy has worked for centuries to erase regional differences, tribal identities, and separatist ideas. The empire views fractured identities as a threat, and thus enforces imperial culture upon all it conquers.
Any lands under imperial rule are expected to adhere to the Common language and Therukian naming conventions. The Temple of Eraskel acts as the spiritual heart of the empire, and all regions must recognize its authority. Locally popular Netherime and other religious practicies are either absorbed into the Iimperial pantheon or declared as heresy, forcing populations to convert.
Festivals, mourning practices, and even marriage traditions are restructured to align with imperial customs.
Finally, in Theruk, clothing is not just fashion - its a symbol which communicates your status, profession, and divine favor. While these guidelines are not absolute, they are quite commonly followed:
High Nobility tends to wear fine velvets, brocades, and silks embroidered with gold. Typically, long flowing robes with wide sleeves, often lined with arcane runes or divine scripture embroideries. The king wears a diadem of gold, while provincial and city rulers wear jeweled circlets.
The priesthood of Ersakel prefers deep blue and silver robes, also embroidered with scripture or celestial symbols. They will typically wear a veil or cowl to symbolize their devotion and humility. Clerics wear glowing blue pendants of enchanted lapis lazuli to mark their connection to the Netherime, while all priests carry prayer scrolls fastened to their belts.
Mages tend to wear long robes with high collars in crimson, gold, or dark blue. Many wear half-cloaks that mark their membership of an Order in the Order of the Circle. Mage-officials also wear elaborate signet rings, enchanted to prove their rank and station. They are rarely seen without their staves - which serve as symbols of office and practical tools.
Standard soldiers wear layered tunics over chainmail, with sleveless tabards displaying the Imperial Insignia. Officers and elite warriors wear half-cloaks dyed crimson.
Bureaucrats, scholars, and civil servants wear modest but well-tailored wool, linen, and silk - favoring dark greens, blacks, and grays. High ranking bureaucrats may wear layered robes with wide belts, fastened with bronze sigils of office.
Structure
King
Under-king
P
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