The Shayador Empire
Edane, the largest continent in the world is unique in several different ways, but probably the most obvious to the denizens of Unorrea is that, unlike almost any other continent in the world Edane is one contiguous geopolitical domain. But it didn't start that way.
Structure
The Shayador Government is built around three branches of order: 1) The Central government, ruled by the Emperor and balanced by the senate (a group of representatives elected by the people. One senator per province). 2) The Military, which enforces the rule of the central government as well as serves as a provisional peacekeeping force in conquered territories. And 3) The Provincial Government, consisting of a Governor appointed by the Emperor himself with the assistance of a State Secretary appointed by the Senate to advise the Governor on Imperial Law and order. In conquered provinces, the original monarchy are allowed to maintain their status, but only rule their province in a ceremonial capacity; although it is not unheard of for the Emperor to choose a local leader as the Provincial Governor if one has proven loyalty to the empire and earned the favor of the Emperor.
Assets
The Shayador Empire controls the entire continent of Edane. Being one of the most diverse landscapes in Unorrea, the Shayador Empire has managed to become the wealthiest nation in the world, commanding several hundred mines, withholding taxes and revenue from over 15 different conquered provinces, at least thirty ports of a decent size, a ridiculously sized trade fleet and the largest and most well organized military in the world. It goes without saying (but Imma say it anyway) that the Shayador Empire is the most powerful nation in the world and one would be mistaken to imply otherwise. This does not preclude nationalism, the people of Aldir, for example, are very proud of their nation, but not a one of them would even think to claim that their nation was, mightier than that of the Empire.
History
Around 90 AW, with Maferath having withdrawn from the world and the Fefieran Empire in collapse, the world was free to grown and progress of its own accord. And it was during this year during the Age of War, that the beginnings of the greatest nation in Unorrea would happen.
To this day, there is some speculation about Avatar Shayador's legitimate position as an Avatar of Creation, however during what would come to be called Dengregar's Folly there was no doubt that the Forces of Creation were on Avatar Shayador's side. The conflict lasted a total of six days, with Dengregar's forces suffers illness, poor weather and desertion in its march leading up to the Bantire capital. During their one and only battle of the campaign, Dengregar's forces were decimated and turned back in a complete route. Three days later Shayador marched across the borders of Lurch and lad siege to their capital. Historians claim that during this assault Shayador wielded the power of time itself. Whether that was true or not, the results were undeniable: without an army to defend it, the Kingdom of Lurch fell in less than a week. The Shayador Empire had claimed its first province.
King Dengregar was executed for blasphemy, but his son and heir was permitted to swear loyalty to the newly formed Shayador Empire and was appointed the first Tribune of the Lurch Provincial Government. A legion of soldier was left behind to maintain order in the province for two years before the province was allowed ot rule itself in full.
The Coming of Shayador
In the north eastern regions of Edane was the ancient kingdom of Bantire. Bantire was a small kingdom, controlling very little territory at the edges of what would become the Imperial Peaks. It was valued for controlling some of the most lucrative mines in the continent. The Previous Year, in 89 AW, King Vizmar of Bantire had died of dysentery without an heir and the kingdom of Bantire had gone into an Interregnum with each of the kingdom's neighbors trying to take control of the small nations for its wealth. The Interregnum would end in disappointment for the various nations vying for control when a man named Shayador emerged at the head of a religious army, claiming to be the Avatar of Ibus. Shayador and his Army of Light took control of the shambles of the Bantire government in the name of The Tome of Solun and reorganized it as the Republic of Creation. The people of Edane have always been respectful of the Forces of Creation given the continents claims as being the birthplace of mortality. As such, when Avatar Shayador claimed to be an Avatar of Creation the neighboring kingdoms threatening Bantire backed down for fear of a public uprising.The Dawn of an Empire
Twenty years of peace went by for the Republic of Creation under the rule of Shayador, but its transformation to the Shayador Empire was on the Horizon. Born more out of reaction to a threat than anything else the Shayador Empire began when King Degnregar of the kingdom of Lurch, Bantire's neighbor directly to the south, announced to the various realms of Edane that he had discovered evidence that Avatar Shayador had lied about his position as an Avatar of Creation and slighted the Forces in doing so. in direct response to this "discovery" King Dengregar proclaimed a holy war on the Republic of Creation and crossed the borders of the small republic with his entire army.To this day, there is some speculation about Avatar Shayador's legitimate position as an Avatar of Creation, however during what would come to be called Dengregar's Folly there was no doubt that the Forces of Creation were on Avatar Shayador's side. The conflict lasted a total of six days, with Dengregar's forces suffers illness, poor weather and desertion in its march leading up to the Bantire capital. During their one and only battle of the campaign, Dengregar's forces were decimated and turned back in a complete route. Three days later Shayador marched across the borders of Lurch and lad siege to their capital. Historians claim that during this assault Shayador wielded the power of time itself. Whether that was true or not, the results were undeniable: without an army to defend it, the Kingdom of Lurch fell in less than a week. The Shayador Empire had claimed its first province.
King Dengregar was executed for blasphemy, but his son and heir was permitted to swear loyalty to the newly formed Shayador Empire and was appointed the first Tribune of the Lurch Provincial Government. A legion of soldier was left behind to maintain order in the province for two years before the province was allowed ot rule itself in full.
The Jihad of Shayador
Within a few months of the conquering of Lurch, Avatar Shayador claimed to have been blessed with a visitation from Solun himself who had commanded Shayador to wage a holy war on the kingdoms of Edane and unite it's hedonistic people under one banner devoted to the Forces of Creation. Over the next 144 years one kingdom of Edane fell after the other until the Shayador Empire controlled the entirety of Edane from the Imperial Peaks in the north to the Mountains of Creation in south and the capital city of Bantire was renamed the Luminara, The Platinum City of Light. Avatar Shayador passed away less than 50 years before his saw his empire complete, but even now, centuries later, the empire still bears his name.Demography and Population
Population: Approximately 26 million
Provinces: Imperial Province, Lurch, Badora, Vrorin, Reburg, Gagethen, Troveviel, Patis, Nudour, Vraeteron, Pivelan, Phista, Nezalyra, Bales, Aucirid and Bevaryn
Major Cities: Pont Maris (Pivelan), Valtor (Nezalyra), Kananton (Imperial Province), Corvalis (Badora), Luminar, The Platinum City of Light (Imperial Province), Tordoruk (Bales), Zand (Patis) and New Shayador (Vraeteron)
Points of Interest: The Imperial Palace (Luminar), the University of Cidon (Valtor), The Imperial College of the Arts (Corvalis), The Naval Academy of Pont Maris (Pont Maris), the Garden of Numera Imperial Forest (Imperial Province) the Infinite Tower of Corvalis (Corvalis) and The Wyvern Roost of Bevaryn (Bevaryn)
Provinces: Imperial Province, Lurch, Badora, Vrorin, Reburg, Gagethen, Troveviel, Patis, Nudour, Vraeteron, Pivelan, Phista, Nezalyra, Bales, Aucirid and Bevaryn
Major Cities: Pont Maris (Pivelan), Valtor (Nezalyra), Kananton (Imperial Province), Corvalis (Badora), Luminar, The Platinum City of Light (Imperial Province), Tordoruk (Bales), Zand (Patis) and New Shayador (Vraeteron)
Points of Interest: The Imperial Palace (Luminar), the University of Cidon (Valtor), The Imperial College of the Arts (Corvalis), The Naval Academy of Pont Maris (Pont Maris), the Garden of Numera Imperial Forest (Imperial Province) the Infinite Tower of Corvalis (Corvalis) and The Wyvern Roost of Bevaryn (Bevaryn)
Territories
The Shayador Empire claims all of the continent of Edane as its territory. The empire consists of 15 different provinces that used to be autonomous kingdoms but were assimilated into imperial control almost 1,000 year ago.
Military
The Imperial Military is easily the most important asset in the Shayador Empire. So important, in fact, that the military itself played (and still plays) a major part in the political theater of the Shayador Empire. It is broken down into three different branches which are provided more detail below, but those branched are: The Imperial Army, The Imperial Armada and the Wyvern Corps.
The Legion is broken down into several distinct units:
Therefore the fighting strength of a full Legion was 5,240 Legionaries with a number of officers and non-combat personnel such as chaplains and surgeons bringing the number up to the official number of 6,000.
The basic designation of the 10 cohorts is the same throughout all the Legions. They are arranged in battle so that the strongest and weakest units would be mixed throughout the formation maximizing the morale and effectiveness of the Legion. They were designated as follows:
Commanders of the Legion The overall Legionary Commander was called a Legionary Legate, who usually had served as a Tribune at some point and was a position appointed by the Emperor. In provinces were only one legion is present the Legate serves as the Provincial Governor. In cases where the Province had more than one legion stationed within, each legion had a Legate and the various legions were under direct command of the Provincial Governor.
The Second in command of a Legion was the Tribune. Traditionally this position was appointed by the Emperor, although its appointment could be delegated to the Senate when necessary. Although generally younger than some of the other commanding officers of the Legion, the Tribune was still respected by all as the general second in command.
The Camp Prefect was generally a long serving veteran who had been promoted through the ranks of the centurions and was overall, 3rd in command of the legion.
Each legion is assigned five Legionary Knights who are, in most cases, career officers that served many of the important administrative task for the legion. However they also served in a tactical command position during an engagement.
Finally the lowest of the higher ranks was the First Spear, who is the Centurion in charge of the first cohort and the senior most of the entire legion's centurions.
The Imperial Army
The Imperial Army consisted of three main groups: The Legions, consisting of the main fighting force and active duty soldiers of the Empire; the Auxiliary Infantry, consisting of the army reserve and the Praetorian Guard, a religious fighting force of elite Paladin's who serve under the direct command of the Emperor.The Legions
At any given time the Empire has 120,000 active duty military personnel. This unit is broken down into 20 different Legions stationed throughout the provinces of the empire who's main duty is to man and protect the borders of the imperial provinces.The Legion is broken down into several distinct units:
- A Tent Group - Consisting of 8 Legionaries (the common rank and file trooper of the Imperial Army)
- A Century - Consisting of 10 Tent Groups, lead by a single middle rank officer called a Centurion
- A Cohort - Consisting of 6 Centuries. NOTE: The first cohort of every legion is actually double strength, consisting of 5 Centuries of 160 men each, not including officers
- The Legion - A standard legions consists of 10 Cohorts, the first being double strength as listed above, as well as an attachment of a 120 man cavalry unit
Therefore the fighting strength of a full Legion was 5,240 Legionaries with a number of officers and non-combat personnel such as chaplains and surgeons bringing the number up to the official number of 6,000.
The basic designation of the 10 cohorts is the same throughout all the Legions. They are arranged in battle so that the strongest and weakest units would be mixed throughout the formation maximizing the morale and effectiveness of the Legion. They were designated as follows:
- Cohort I: Was made up of the elite troops. Its direct commander was the First Spear, the highest ranking and most respected of all the Centurions.
- Cohort II: Consisted of some of the weaker or newest troops.
- Cohort III: No special designation for this unit.
- Cohort IV: Another of the four weak cohorts.
- Cohort V: Again, no special designation.
- Cohort VI: Made up of "The Finest of the Young Men".
- Cohort VII: One of the four weak cohorts and a likely place to find trainees and raw recruits.
- Cohort VIII: Contained "The Selected Troops".
- Cohort IX: One of the four weak cohorts and a likely place to find trainees and raw recruits.
- Cohort X: Made up of "The Good Troops".
Commanders of the Legion The overall Legionary Commander was called a Legionary Legate, who usually had served as a Tribune at some point and was a position appointed by the Emperor. In provinces were only one legion is present the Legate serves as the Provincial Governor. In cases where the Province had more than one legion stationed within, each legion had a Legate and the various legions were under direct command of the Provincial Governor.
The Second in command of a Legion was the Tribune. Traditionally this position was appointed by the Emperor, although its appointment could be delegated to the Senate when necessary. Although generally younger than some of the other commanding officers of the Legion, the Tribune was still respected by all as the general second in command.
The Camp Prefect was generally a long serving veteran who had been promoted through the ranks of the centurions and was overall, 3rd in command of the legion.
Each legion is assigned five Legionary Knights who are, in most cases, career officers that served many of the important administrative task for the legion. However they also served in a tactical command position during an engagement.
Finally the lowest of the higher ranks was the First Spear, who is the Centurion in charge of the first cohort and the senior most of the entire legion's centurions.
The Auxiliary Infantry
The Auxiliary infantry consisted of 60,000 men broken down into 10 reserve legions of 6,000 troops. The Auxiliary Infantry is organized and functions almost exactly the same way as the Legions do. The main differences are that the Auxiliary infantry is considered a reserve army and therefore does not actively man the borders of the Imperial Provinces and do not function in the same political capacity as the Legions do. Furthermore, if the Empire every again engaged in a territory war outside of the Empire's borders, the Auxiliary Infantry would assumed the Legions' duties while the Legions were away fighting on foreign territory.The Praetorian Guard
The Praetorian Guard are an elite force of Paladins chosen from the Order of the Paladin's of the The Church of Creation within the Empire. The Praetorian Guard is commanded by a Praetorian Prefect instead of a Legionary Legate, but is otherwise organized like a Legion. Their Primary responsibility is defending the Emperor and are therefore stationed in Luminar unless the Emperor has cause to go elsewhere, in which case he is accompanied by at least the first Cohort of the Guard.The Wyvern Corps
Head quartered in roofless fortress high up in the Imperial Peaks in the Province of Bevaryn is the Wyvern Corps, the Empire's singular aerial combat regiment. Lead by the Corps Centurion, the Corps consists of 480 Wyverns and their riders. The Corps is broken down much like a single cohort in a legion, however the nomenclature is different. Instead of tent groups its squadrons, instead of centuries its combat wings and instead of a single cohort it is a single flight. The Corps serves as the Empire's rapid response shock troops as the riders are elite soldiers both on ground and in the air and are highly specialized in combat behind enemy lines in small units, with squadrons being further broken up at times into smaller attack groups of three to five riders.The Imperial Armada
The Imperial navy consists priamrily of war galley propelled by both sail and oar. Year to date the Empire possess approximately 2,000 of these vessels with an additional 500 Tall Ships purchased from the Equikoran Land Bridge for deep sea engagements. Two of these tall ships are reserved for the Praetorian Guard and, like that legion, under the direct command of the Emperor.Civic Duty
It is central to the culture of Imperial Edane that defense of one's nations is the responsibility of the people and not that of its government. As a result of this belief, every Imperial citizen is required t serve in the military for a minimum of 3 years within one year of their 18th birthday. Any citizen caught avoiding or dodging this duty is executed as a traitor to the Empire...it is not done all that often.Religion
With the founder of the Empire having claimed his whole life to be an Avatar of Creation it makes sense then that religion plays a very important part of the Shayador Empire. The Emperor himself is said to be chosen of Solun. And the Emperor's heir will not take the throne should the Clergy reject his appointment to Emperor. This has never happened before, and the Clergy's approval of the Emperor is more political tradition than any actual religious significance. Still though, it is an honored and respected tradition and a potential Emperor would be wise to pay his reverence to it.
Agriculture & Industry
The Shayador empire is an agrarian power who's vast concern is feeding it's millions of citizens and legions that are supporting it. Agriculture and trade dominate Imperial economic fortunes, only supplemented by small scale industrial production.
Trade & Transport
Shayador provinces trade much among themselves, but trade extends beyond the provinces as well as far as North Equikora and the Land Bridge.
Education
Avatar Shayador founded the empire on the principles of strong duty to ones nation, and that a strong nation was an educated nation. Along with their martial duty, each citizen is required to attend some form of formal schooling whether that be one of the many scholarly colleges, and vocational schools or a magical academy. If they are not financially able to do so (which less than 15% of the Empire qualify as such) they are sent to a vocational school with their tuition fees being loaned by the Empire, and upon graduation their wages are garnished until the loan is paid back. Citizens who are required to take this route do not get to choose which vocational school they attend
With the vast and seemingly endless fortunes of the Empire backing the government, life in the Empire is often comfortable, but as a result the citizens have become extremely nationalized and xenophobic to outsiders. Immigration to the Empire is largely non-existent and, while visitors are welcome, they are rarely invited to stay for long periods of time. That said, the Empire is home to many of Unorrea’s finest colleges chiefest among them being the University of Cidon in the holy city, where thousands of students pay outrageous sums to travel from the various nations of the world to study. A certificate of graduation from the University of Cidon is ubiquitously accepted as paramount to any other school’s degree in the world.
Infrastructure
The Central Government has funded the Imperial Expedition Corps to explore and map the entirety of the continent, a massive undertaking to say the least. Still, while a few remote corners exist, the Imperial Expedition Core has made sure that more than 88% of the land area of Edane has been explored, not including the portion of the Mountains of Creation that fall within the Empire’s borders. This makes Edane the most well explored continent in the world and by far the safest to travel across.
Furthermore, in and effort to appease their imperial neighbors and hopefully prolong if not completely avoid an imperial take over of their lands, the dwarves of the Mountains of Creation and the Imperial Peaks have been uncharacteristically liberal with sharing their machines with the empire. As a result, the Empire has three trains propelled by magnetic rails that run from Luminar down the eastern coast of Edane, across the heartland to the province of Badora and along the southern roots of the Imperial Peaks all the way to the western coast. In addition to this, they have secured several dozen dwarven airships kept aloft by captured air elementals and propelled by magical engines producing jet-like propulsion.
Furthermore, in and effort to appease their imperial neighbors and hopefully prolong if not completely avoid an imperial take over of their lands, the dwarves of the Mountains of Creation and the Imperial Peaks have been uncharacteristically liberal with sharing their machines with the empire. As a result, the Empire has three trains propelled by magnetic rails that run from Luminar down the eastern coast of Edane, across the heartland to the province of Badora and along the southern roots of the Imperial Peaks all the way to the western coast. In addition to this, they have secured several dozen dwarven airships kept aloft by captured air elementals and propelled by magical engines producing jet-like propulsion.
Founding Date
18th of Zutos, 90 AW (Republic of Creation)
10th of Nira, 110 AW (The Fall of Lurch)
7th of Aqris, 254 AW (The Conquering of Edane)
10th of Nira, 110 AW (The Fall of Lurch)
7th of Aqris, 254 AW (The Conquering of Edane)
Type
Geopolitical, Empire
Capital
Alternative Names
Imperial Edane
Demonym
Edanians
Head of State
Government System
Oligarchy
Economic System
Market economy
Currency
The The Shayador Empire uses The Imperial Gold Standar system as is primary monetary system. Called a Gold Denari, imperial coin is the one legal tender accepted anywhere in the world.
Major Exports
The Primary commodity is grain. Also traded are olive oil, various foodstuffs, garum (fish sauce), ore and manufactured metal objects, fibers and textiles, timber, pottery, glassware, marble, papyrus, spices and materia medica, ivory, pearls, and gemstones.
Major Imports
The Empire imports a whole variety of materials: beef, corn, glassware, iron, lead, leather, marble, olive oil, perfumes, purple dye, silk, silver, spices, timber, tin and wine.
Legislative Body
The Shayador Emperor assisted by two Imperial Consuls elected by the Imperial Senate.
Judicial Body
Interpretation of the law depends on your province, if you are in the imperial province (the former kindgom of Bantire) then interpretation of the law is done by the Imperial Senate. In the provinces, law is interpreted by the Provincial Tribune and the State Secretary. In all cases the law is carried out by the Imperial Legion.
Official State Religion
Location
Controlled Territories
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