The Lioce empire

This is an ancient religion which came out of the liocerean continent.
It's followers believe there is only one true god, Ikrevala, and all the other gods are demons, luring people to their dooms. The Lioce government which formed from this source of faith and strength used it to the full, spreading the holy doctrine Ikrevala to the broken and battered of other nations on the continent. Making soldiers feel they were doing righteous deeds for their god in exchange for a place by his side. It also offered plenty of excuses for going above the law, or making new ones.
Using this religion, and their growing military power, the newly formed Lioce empire nearly brought all of Vona under its dominion. Many islands fell to the might of Lioce, and once their people were broken, they were forced by the zealots of Ikrevala to convert. It was an brutal system of domination.
Eventually though, as time went on, and the modern day grew ever closer, the rulers of Lioce were finding that what they had helped create would one day overthrow them. efficient as it was. Zealots surrounded them, in the streets, in their palaces and in their homes. One false move and the zealots would tear the empire from them.
At this point in time there were 2 great nations in the world, Rezakia and Lioce. Both had been warring with other countries, conquering lands and growing armies for the inevitable final war. Rezakia had a master crafted navy, and their continent had riches unimaginable.
The tensions finally snapped in Lioce, and a short civil war broke out. It lasted for 7 days, but was the bloodiest of any war Lioce had brought to another country. It was a true miracle that it stopped on the seventh day. The high priestess of Ikrevala, respected by both sides of the war, stopped a bloody battle before it happened, sacrificing herself in front of millions of soldiers and zealot warriors. A truce was brokered between the zealots and the soldiers. Many zealots left the Lioce continent, moving to the Ikrevia and Arlerik isles. Meanwhile the now weakened and demoralised Lioce military prepared to go to war with Rezakia.
The civil war had a powerful effect on the empire, striking doubt into many citizens. Maybe the great, unbeatable empire was soon to fall? Faith was robbed of many, in their country and their religion, and grew into desperation as the war with Rezakia drew on. The day finally came when the great empire crumbled, the war was lost. And all that Lioce had conquered was free again, an empire became a fractured few countries, Scarred by what Ikrevala and Lioce had done to them.

Disbandment

The Empire lost a war and crumbled, fracturing into a few separate countries.

DISBANDED/DISSOLVED

Type

Geopolitical, Empire

Demonym

Lioceran

Government System

Monarchy, Theocratic

Economic System

Mixed economy

Currency

Tal - the official currency of the empire which is still around today. During Imperial times it was a small coin, with the amount it was worth on one side and the Ikrevala seal on the other. The seal glowed a feint dark red, said to be the blood of Ikrevala himself. In actuality it was a small amount of Lerios. It losts it's illumination after a few years.
Tal's were introduced by the Priests of Ikrevala as a sort of defence against Leromirs. Who were seen as inhuman. (although the Priests themselves were Leromirs) Knowledge of Lera was kept from the public, and any Leromirs found were to be either executed or submitted to the Priests to become special zealot warriors. But that's a whole other story.

Legislative Body

The High Priestess holds council with the emperor, and if they both agree on a new law then it becomes legitimate. Most people who disobey the law are executed or enslaved by the Zealots.

Judicial Body

There are 2 Judicial bodies that uphold the law, Zealots and guardsmen. Zealots will enslave those who disobey the law, and if they lack faith the criminals will be either executed or beaten until they have nothing BUT faith.
The gaurdsmen on the other hand have a more traditional and rational approach. If you steal a loaf of bread you might only spend a few nights in jail, or get a finger cut off. The guardsmen have many punishments, and it's usually their captain that decides them. Many Guardsmen were corrupt as well, so if the person you stole from really wants to see you get punished they could just pay the guard captain to do so. A pilfered loaf of bread might just get your arms chopped off.
Not many people broke the law in Lioce, it was more the conquered, outer states where you could get away with it more often.

Neighboring Nations

• Ikrevia