Berytusian Empire
The Berytusian Empire, also known simply as the Imperion, is a sovereign state in south eastern Eirene and northwestern Midesia which has historically ruled the Inner Sea Region. It was founded in 41 IB by Iban Acacias, the successor to the Emunite prophet Acacius, and functioned as both a religious and political entity centered in the capital of Berytus. During Iban Acacias' reign (41–90 IB), the Berytusian Empire conquered the entire Matre Sea region, stretching from Aethelcar to Mides at its peak in 88 IB. After Iban Acacias, the realm was stabilized during the reign of his adoptive son Acacian (90–141 IB).
Afterwards, the military power of the empire declined, especially during the Gyron dynasty (266–290), and by 300 most of the western realms were functionally independent, part of the empire in name only. After the rise of the Empire of Sin and subsequent Tolimanic Apocalypses in 467, the western half of the empire became de jure independent, and Imperial Emuna was greatly weakened in Eirene. By the 500s, the formal allegiance of the Elders of the various Sedes to the Berytusian Empire was challenged, and in 535 Emperor Lysander IV formally renounced power over Presbyters outside the empire. The final end of Imperial power over the west came with the Enetoi Schism, finalized in 716, when the Imperial Elders elected a rival Metropolitan to the incumbent Boutros II, who had fled to Enetoi. After this time the Imperial Metropolitan was widely ignored, and the western Haugrkirk Metropolitan enjoyed fuller authority. From 731 to 840 the Elvish vassal Kingdom of Tuundet waged the Amellion Revolt against the empire unsuccessfully. The partially Elvish Handrin dynasty rose to power in 766, and revitalized the Imperial government, clearing out corruption, destroying the power of the Imperial Bureau, and reconquering Abrisom from the Empire of Mides. The Handrin continue to rule Berytus, and continued to preside over a largely stable and prosperous regime. The Emperor Ayen made peace with the Haugrkirk in 863, with the western Metropolitan renouncing claims to the Sedes of Berytus and the Empire granting freedom of worship to Haugrkirk adherents.
About 75% of the population of the empire are human, with about 20% elves (including both ancient elvish realms of Tuundet and Amellion Abrisom), 4% Zwergin, and 1% others. About 89% of the population (of all species) are adherents of the Imperial See, with about 5% belonging to the Haugrkirk Emuna (of these about 95% belong to the Amellion Particular Kirk), with the remaining 6% of the population belonging to other faiths (most significantly Monism in southern Abrisom).
The cultural influence of the Berytusian Empire has been felt across the Matre Sea region, most prominently the spread of the Berytusian faith of Emuna. Other influences are the Imperial Calendar (the sole calendar used on the Matre) the Imperial language (which remains the sole language of learning and trade), and the Legionary military structure (a holdover from the old Imperial garrisons). Most countries have at least one unit whose origin lies with the Berytusian Army, and many of these function as honor guards or elite shock troops.
Today the Empire is limited geographically to the Inner Sea region, maintaining only two of its former Erienean provinces: Berytusia and Pelagasia. The Elvish Kingdom of Tuundet is also a vassal of the Imperion, located in the Pelagasian Peninsula. Across the Inner Sea in northern Midesia, the Imperion controls Abrisom, divided between the provinces of Abrisom and Amellion Abrisom. In Libica the Imperion retains only the province of Surt.
It is governed as an aristocratic bureaucracy and has vacillated between bureaucracy and autocratic rule by the emperors. The powerful Imperial Bureau has centralized control over the appointment of all civil officials, a power held since the mid 200s. The Imperial Service Examination is considered the most rigorous test in the world. The currency is the Tallent, and the most used language is Imperial, a high dialect of Middle Berytusian.
The Beornic races live in relative harmony in the Imperion, though significant social discrimination still exists against elves, driven originally by the Amellion Revolt. The Handrin dynasty and other urban aristocratic families of partial Amellion descent take great care to avoid associations with the elves, those with blue eyes wearing contact lenses or colored glasses to obscure their eye color. One particular noble house remains unashamedly Amellion: House Iolathi, whose founder Lord Iolath was the first elvish ruler to convert to Emuna during the time of Acacius. House Iolathi has enjoyed privileged status in the Imperion, and avoided any loss of prestige even during the Amellion Revolt. They have conducted the practice of exclusively intra-clan marriage since about 500 IB, a practice adopted from neighboring Mides.
"Heliand Meta Hemon" ("Heliand with us")
Berytusian Empire
Imperion Berytusion
Founding Date
41 IB
Type
Geopolitical, Empire
Alternative Names
The Imperion, the Orient, the East, Berytus, Berytusia
Demonym
Berytusian
Leader Title
Head of State
Government System
Monarchy, Absolute
Power Structure
Transnational government
Economic System
Market economy
Currency
The Tallent
Legislative Body
The Municipal Senate consists of the hereditary nobility of "Urban Berytus" (the metropolis itself), and has the official power to legislate over the province of Berytus itself. In reality the Emperor has the power to amend, repeal, and block all of the Senate's acts, and the Senate itself has not even pro forma power over any other province.
Judicial Body
The Imperial Bureau, which consists of all aspects of the legal and bureaucratic apparatus of the Imperion, includes all judges, who are appointed by the Emperor (in reality by the Chief Jurist of the Imperion). The courts are organized into districts, to which all cases are brought first, except in the city of Berytus where the Municipal Court prevails. Appeals are brought before the provincial courts, but generally rejected. After the provincial courts appeals are made to the Municipal Senate, and thereafter to the Emperor personally as the judge of last resort.
Official State Religion
Subsidiary Organizations
Official Languages
Related Ranks & Titles
Neighboring Nations
Manufactured Items
Notable Members
| Type | Sovereign Autocratic Empire |
| Emperor | Mikhael Füco |
| Religion | Imperial See (89%) Haugrkirk Emuna (5%) Other (6%) |
| Language | Imperial Berytusian |
| Population | 59.7 million |
| Demography | 75% human 20% Amellion 4% Zwergin 1% other |
| Founded | 41 IB by Iban Acacias |
| Preceeded by | Acacius' Berytus |
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