Zira Imperium
The Zira Imperium is a powerful and expansionist civilisation that is built around a powerful ruling class and a strong military. Their current focus is the conquest of the people and lands to the north and east of their empire, having successfully subdued all known settlements to their south.
The Imperium began as the nation-state of Parakis, a harsh land that was once home to many formidable predators. This bred into them a mentality of 'survival favours those with power', and a strong preference for conquest over diplomacy. When neighbouring settlements were discovered, their armies were often preparing to march when their counterparts were starting to prepare their first diplomatic envoys.
Ziran military tactics are not particularly inventive or efficient, but their standing army is relatively large and their immediate move to aggression has successfully caught many of their targets off-guard. It was successful first against the Vailiarti, then the Yerendi and most recently the Morians.
Their current military campaign is proving more difficult. They moved to invade Deim shortly after making first contact but the Deim has proven to have many allies they can call to their aid. As a result, the Imperium now finds itself fighting across both its northern and eastern fronts.
Geography
The empire is divided up into several administrative partitions, with each partition consisting of a central city and several satellite settlements that are typically near important local resources. There are five administrative partitions within the Imperium:
- The Parakis Administrative Partition is the capital of the Imperium, and the recipient of many of the spoils of empire.
- The Korzin Administrative Partition is the northernmost partition and the main front of their war with kingdoms north of them.
- The Torvoso Administrative Partition is the industrial heart of the Imperium and is responsible for producing the majority of the weapons, armour and other goods used by the military.
- The Niraven Administrative Partition is mineral-rich and responsible for mining many of the raw materials used elsewhere in the Imperium.
- The Akavel Administrative Partition is the southernmost partition and is a relative backwater. It provides timber and some ore but is often the place where the empire assigns its dregs or sends people as a form of political punishment.
Society
Imperium society is mostly organised along two dimensions, guild/military affiliation and caste. There are three castes in the Imperium, with higher castes granting access to positions with more power, influence and social standing.
The Exim form the top caste within the Imperium. While being born to at least one Exim parent is a requirement, on its own it is not sufficient, an eligible individual must also pass a series of trials and tests upon reaching adulthood before they are officially recognised as Exim.
The Ziram is the middle caste, with all ethnic Zirians being recognised as members of this caste. The Subrim is the lowest caste, and is comprised mostly of the various conquered peoples who reside within the Imperium.Industrial activities within the Imperium are coordinated through several guilds, each responsible for a particular craft or type of industrial activity. These guilds are responsible for training their members as well as coordinating the delivery of needed supplies and infrastructure.
Whilst these guilds are technically subservient to the Exim and to the needs of the military under the laws of the Imperium, they are frequently unruly and more than happy to push back for the sake of their own membership. Each guild chooses its own leadership, and while the Exim have tried to influence those appointments, their efforts are rarely effective.
The lowest caste in the Imperium is the Subrim, which consists mostly of the various conquered peoples that still call the Imperium home. Residing in shanty towns and hovels, they get the dirtiest and most dangerous jobs across the Imperium.
Military
The Imperium maintains a large military, with most members signing up for life (with older individuals eventually being rotated into training and administrative posts once they are past their physical prime). High ranking officers are exclusively drawn from the Exim, who are supported by a corps of staff officers who are drawn from other castes (and are typically responsible for most of the real work).
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