The Rashkhāné Empire
With spears forged in fiery truth, ignorance is driven from the world
Structure
At the top is of couse the King of Kings, or shāhanshāh. This is the emperor of the nation, and through him justice flows down onto all of its subjects. He is surronded by 12 companions, his personal retinue of guards and trusted advisors inspired by Rashin and his 12 paladins. Under the shāhanshāh are the shāhs or kings of the cities that make up the nations most populous areas. Under them are hordes of burrecrats, scholars, and politicans that keep the empire running as smooth as it can, and for being such a young nation its system of bureacracy is surprisngly robust.
Culture
The people of Rashkhāné are diverse in their faces, ways, and beliefs. They come from a land that welcomes more than it drives away, and its culture has turned into a whirlwind of ideas and beliefs combining into great cities. Though there are many diffrent peoples in the empire, all are united and call themselves Rashkin, united in the eternal struggle of justice over cruelty. The king does not rule because he is strong, but because he is just. Justice flows down from the king into all of the land. Justice is something the gods gave to mortals, but it is not something they enforce, for that is up to mortals to do for themselves, to prove themselves able to be just and wise. It is for this reason that one must not be ignorant, but instead enlightened, for is it not so that ignorance is born in darkness? What better to drive out ignorance and decit than with fire, the burning embodiment of light and truth. Fire heals, fire warms, and fire protects from the dark. Fire can harm yes, but when tempered and controled, it is a boon more than hazard. Braziers can be seen everywhere in Rashkin cities, and some armors even incorperate braziers upon the helms and carapaces, not too disismilar to the Flame and its church in Nilush. However one would be ignorant to think that the old Rashkin faith is some offshoot of The Flame. It is not, and is its own entirely seperate belief, for it does not reject the existance of other gods like the Flame does. In fact, it acknowledges that other gods watch the lands, and that all gods are in an eternal struggle between good and evil. While they influence this struggle in the heavens, it falls to us that are mortal to influence the world with the deeds we do. If we do good, the world is made better, and more rich in beauty that way.
Rashkhāné culture reflects this, with good deeds and intentions being praised and encouraged. Schools teach all the young about right and wrong, and how even the smallest of actions can make the world better. However while one might think the land to be beautiful and perfect, it is oh so far from that. Simply asking for people to do good is not the same as doing good. It is oh so easy to fall to lesser, more baser desires hidden deep in ones heart, and the land is still full of countless monsters and roaming tribes of savage marauders seeking to despoil the land and its people just because they think themselves mighty. The land breeds tough souls, and tragedy and loss are sadly common in the empire. However one must not lose hope from one loss, and so many stubbornly continue forward in the face of adversity.
The people of Rashkhāné are great architects, building vast palaces and necropolises to honor the heroes and kings of past years. Some believe this may be because of dwarves helping teach the Rashkin, but no real evidence exists to support this claim. Regardless, the cities are beautiful works of art, standing tall amongst seas of spare green and sands. Relics of civilizations long past dot the land, and the young nation is ever intrested in finding and exploring said relics. Thus, adventuers not opposed to diving into seemingly labirynthine and nigh endless dungeons can expect to be well rewarded for such expiditons. This thirst for adventure rubs off on the citizens, and many are curious and inquisitve of nature as they live their lives or even travel out and explore the wider world.
History
In those ancient days, lands were young and nations were born. However even the youngest of nations can raise into incredible heights, and carry aloft the torch of civilization. However the land that now is claimed by the Rashkhāné Empire is as old as the stars themselves. In truth the first signs of mortal life upon the lands goes back to the fall of the Ishtar Empire, and the great migration of the mortal races. While the old land bridge helped facilitate the movement of some tribes into the southern continenet of Carall, while most either stopped at Zakkar or went further into where the Tajir now reside, some tribes found it difficult to establish themselves from the surronding tribes. Conflict was not uncommon for any tribe, and so eventually the people now calling themselves the Rashkin inhabbited the eastern most area of Carall, upon the great border of Zakkar. In truth most of its history ends there, as aside from the great sinking of the land bridge between Carall and Nilush, the land remained as scatterted tribes and feuding city states of warlods fighting to carve their name into the land. While the Tajir Sultanate would at times seek to expand into the land, in the end the effort wasnt worth the cost in both flesh and coin. So the lands remained quiet, at least for the outside world.
However, all it takes to give birth to a dream is a single spark, a single great act done by great heroes. The land had become almost barren, and food barely grew if at all. The land was scarred and dead, but even in this dead land life still survived. The warlords of the land were tyrants all, many worshipping great demons and dining on the decadent spoils of war and those they ravaged and raided. However, in this dark time of ignorance and barbarism, a stranger began to walk the land. This stranger was known only as The Wandering King, for he hailed from a tribe long since dead, the ruler of long dead souls. He saw and witnessed all, speaking not a word as he walked the wasteland, until one day encountering the son of a tyrannical warlord on a trip where this young man was hunting and skinning local peasents. He was told to bend knee and head, for he should obey the ones who know better then he. The Wandering King slew the son and his party, letting only one survivor escape, with the heads of the party hanging from his neck. The Wandering King would cry out to the heavens procliaming his name now to be Roshin, and said that if any god be truly good, to come down and speak to him face to face.
It is said the demons and devils came first, promising him glory and power in exchange for promises and deals. He rebuked them, for they were black of heart and vile of mask. The Flame came second, and though he showed his burning brilliance, he was rebuked. The Flame was fire yes, but only its wrath and rage, and none of its beauty and temperance. A fire left wild is devestating, but a fire with control is tempered and wise. Many gods upon gods came, but they were all rebuked until finally, the Golden Lion Ramos flew down from the sun and bowed its head to Roshin. "Hail great leader, the king with no kingdom, I of the sun have long since seen the pain of those of vile heart, and yet i was unable to find any truly worthy. You, however, have finally come, a stranger focused on saving the land and ridding it of evil men. I do not ask for you to bow, for i bow to you, and only ask you allow me and my children to bless you." the great Ramos spoke. Roshin was pleased by the humbleness of a god, and accepted, and Ramos told Roshin to seek out 12 warriors, paladins of great virture and strength of arms. They were noble, but all had their own devils to fight, and with guidance would make for his retinue of brave comrades. So began the journey of Roshin seeking out the paladins, them being: Arman, Mehrdad, Fazel, Soheil, Zakaria, Nima, Taghi, Sahand, Hesam, Zahra, Roya, and Darya.
The stories of their discovery and redemption are so vast as to encompass entire walls of temples, but in the end, Roshin and his 12 paladins would begin uniting the land under one rule. They brought about not tyranny, but progress and justice, and the birth of proper civilization that served not the betters, but the citizens within it. Thus it was in the year 3280EC, the last bastion of tyranny was toupled down, and the Empire of Rashkhāné was born. Roshin was perhaps the greatest, and most humble ruler in history, and his charity was vast. He is famous for caring for his people, and even allowing all gods and faiths to be worshipped in his land, save for demon worship of course. Rashkhāné became a haven for religious freedom, though the patron gods of the land (Ramos and his children) were of course venerated highly. However, it is unforunate that Roshin would pass from this world in the year 3300, and his 12 paladins would bear his body into the temple of Ramos, where it is said a beautiful bridge across a lake heralded him to the world beyond. Roshin's son ascended to the throne, and though Roshin was now gone, his spirt and ideals pathed the way forward. Now Rashkhāné stands a prosperous but young nation, a burning beacon of civilization upon the eastern most area of Carall. It has since weathered the storms of countless raids and hordes of beasts and marauders, and yet it remains unbroken. For not even the worst of nature can smother the fire of turth, and ignorance will be drowned and slain to make way for the enligthend and the merciful. They will spread enlghtenment and righteousness and culture from spears formed in truth, driving back deciet, idocy, and ignorance. Long live Rashkhāné.
Demography and Population
Owing to its diverse nature, one can find countless peoples and races living and wandering the city streets. The Leonin and other less seen races have found special homes here, after having been left wandering for so long. The Ishari people as well have made Rashkhāné lands their home as well, being one of the first foriegn faiths Roshin not only welcomed into the kingdom, but helped save them from Zakkaran slaver raids and celebrated their new found freindship.
Military
The Rashkhāné Empire maintains a standing army, vast and mighty in its standing. Its most famous regiment of course being the unit known simply as "The Immortals". They are the nations most premire elite fighting force, being made up of fanatically loyal and zealous warriors of the land, all taking examples of the original 12 paladins in their styles of combat. They are so strong that it is said they are immortal, for when one dies they are replaced soon after, and take up the same armor and duty of the fallen. Thus it is that the unit has, in spirt, never lost any of its warriors. Some rumors also abound of them being semi mythical, or demi-god like beings but the inner workings of their warrior brotherhood is kept secret from any outside their brotherhood. The 12 paladins standing beside the King of Kings are primarily previous members of the immortals, leaving the brotherhood once they ascend to be in the precense of the emperor.
Religion
All faiths are welcome in the land, however the patron gods of the Rashkhāné empire are as follows:
- Ramos, the Sun Lion, a beast like god who resides in the sun, and watches over the empire, blessing it to withstand even the cruelest of trials. He is god of light, civilization, culture, and justice
- Tevdis, Creatore God of Sky and Wind, for he carved the mountains with his mighty breath
- Conas, God of Fertility, Love, Prosperity, and Rivers, said to be a god of all and no forms, beautiful asthey are awe-striking
- Inir, God of War, truth, and courage. It is Inir who blessess each warrior before they march off to battle, and he stands and defends the truly faithful of his charges. He is also seen as the patron saint of Adventuerers.
Foreign Relations
Though Rashkhāné is one of the youngest political powers in the world, it has since become an economically wealthy nation, helped by its close proximity to Tajir. This has helped it establish itself amongst the wider world, and gain respect from other nations. With Tajir their relationship is complicated, as they have been trade partners as much as they have fought one another. With wider Nilush they are still young and relationships are still blooming. Ashenfeld has become some of the most adament trade partners, though since the beggining of the civil war in Ashenfeld, trade deals have become complicated. With Zakkar however, Rashkhāné know only hate and war, for Zakkar is about as polar of an opposite to Rashkhāné as one can get. They have regurarly raided Rashkin coastlines and enslaved countless souls, and so they must be resisted upon all fronts.
"Burn away Ignorance!"
Founding Date
3280EC
Type
Geopolitical, Empire
Capital
Demonym
Rashkin. Rashkinian, Rashnian
Power Structure
Feudal state
Neighboring Nations
