The Efran Empire
"Efra gave birth to the empire. Efra was the culmination of Owyn and Selma's desire for peace. Therefore, Efraheim works toward the goals of Owyn and Selma."
- Central teaching of Efran theology
History
The Efran Empire's history can be clearly divided into three eras: the Anteimperium Years of the Empire, the Founding Years of the Empire, and the Modern Era.The Anteimperium describes the period prior to Efra's ascendency to the throne in 33 ME. Prior to this historic event, the land of the empire had two great powers: warring tribes of humans in the western portion and the united elves to the east. These groups rarely mixed: the elves content to never leave their domain and the humans much too busy fighting each other. This time reached its conclusion as Efra began to subdue rival tribes through war and marriage.
The Founding Years of the Empire holds the times when the empire found itself gaining its legs as a world power. During this time, Efra creates the Council of Princes. She also annexes the lands of the elves through her questionable adoption of Adrie Amakir, the then ten year old queen of the Nodeli Elves, in this era. The era also describes those periods where the empire expanded its power through the clearing out of dragons once rampant, the exiling of the few tribes of orcs that side of the Reiberg Mountains, and the subsequent war with a united army of orcs under Salim the Wise in 390 ME.
The Modern Era describes an Efran Empire that rarely sees war. The Founding Years held tales of knights traveling the empire in the name of the Imperial Family and the gods of the empire. The Modern Era now believes in the power of merchants, mages, and politicians. However, this does not mean that it is completely removed from war. The most recent event would be the Broken Isles Conflict of 635 when the Empire showed the raiders to the north that they would no longer suffer their goods being stolen.
Government
The Efran Empire is ruled by two primary groups: The Imperial Family (often called The Blood of Efra) and the Council of Princes.The Imperial Family is the public face of the government, especially the Empress. This group can claim kinship with Efra, the original empress. They are expected to lead the empire in military campaigns, react to emergencies, and to serve as dignitaries to foreign nations.
The Council of Princes serves as the bureaucracy of the empire. The council also advises the Imperial Family when they wish for such advice. Each member of the council runs the government of a portion of the empire. The election to this body varies by state. Annually, the council will physically meet. With the increase of magic, this meeting has become more ceremonial than practical because these princes often contact each other through magical means. The state that elects these representatives are known as Princely Cities, due to their ability to elect a High Prince. These cities are as follows:
- Adoterp: princes are chosen by blood. Held by the family of Ado, one of Efra's four husbands.
- Bildungstadt: princes are chosen by the city's university's faculty. The High Prince of Bildungstadt also serves as the head administrator of that city's university.
- Ethelbur: princes are chosen by a body of the city's holders of capital. This system was modeled after the government of Karnus to the north.
- Gotthaus: princes are chosen by the city's priesthood. As leader of the nation's spiritual realm, the High Prince of Gotthaus is the chief priest of Owyn and Selma (known as the High Mother or Father).
- Karhaven: princes are chosen by blood. Held by the family of Kar, one of Efra's four husbands.
- Milborg: princes are elected to this position by the empress. Due to its being the center of the nation's military, the High Prince of Milborg also serves as the military leader of the empire. Usually, it is traditional for the empress's husband or firstborn son to take this role.
- Oakshome: princes are elected by the city's populace.
- Vanbruck: princes are chosen by blood. Held by the family of Van, one of Efra's four husbands.
Peoples
The Efran Empire has a majority human population. These being the descendants of the warring tribes from the Anteimperium Years.There are a great deal of elves in the empire as well, descended from the fallen Nodeli Empire of the Anteimperium. These elves will often live in the cities, shoulder to shoulder with humans. This has given rise to a small half-elf population within the empire. Some small elven settlements, dating to the Anteimperium can also be found in sleepy corners of the empire. There is a small portion of elves that live within the Nechtvald as well, hostile to imperial interference.
Tieflings also make up a small portion of the population of the empire. Most of these descend from the ancient Teufel Tribe of the Anteimperium. While most know the history of their fiendish heritage, the centuries of years in between events has led to most letting prejudices against this group go.
As a powerful empire, Efraheim has seen its fair share of refugees and immigrants. These include the relatively welcome halflings from the Grasslands and elves of Karnus to the north. Barcan humans commonly travel to Efraheim on business, some deciding to make their home in the colder nation. Many Efrans may be less pleased about what they would see as unsavory refugees as well. These include the goblins and hobgoblins hailing from Oikon and orcs of the Frozen Wastes.
Religion
Two faiths dominate Efran culture: elven and human.Elves of the Nodeli tribes primarily worship the goddess Sehanine Moonbow. They recognize Corellon as their creator, but believe that Sehanine has a particular interest in their tribe. They often depict her as Corellon's wife or as a virgin huntress. For this reason, most elves of Efraheim use night imagery in their religious symbolism: the moon in all its phases and stars. Sehanine's clergy are matriarchal, allowing only women to serve as priestesses. Men may only attain the rank of acolyte. Finally, this faith bears no interest in conversion. The elven pantheon only watches over elves.
Humans of Efraheim worship their own unique pantheon, tied to the gods of Owyn and Selma. The gods of Efraheim consist of Owyn and Selma, their children, and the mysterious god Duer. The legend goes that Owyn, Selma, and Duer did not create the world, but perfect it. They escaped to Welk after having escaped from a war-torn plane. After having arrived, Owyn and Selma populated the earth with their children, the first set being the rest of the Efran pantheon. The relaxed ruling of the realm by the gods caused mankind to forget who they were, and fight amongst each other. Owyn and Selma created the first empress, Efra, to unite their wayward children and bring peace to the realm. The Efran religion excludes no one from its ranks. Elves, half-elves, halflings, dragonborn, and other groups of all kinds have found homes in the Efran faith.
Cuisine
The Efrans eat a hearty cuisine. Like all societies, much of one's eating habits depend upon the economic status of the person.Those of the lower classes will have a diet based upon the food that they harvest from fields given to them by nobility. Stewed turnips and pea soup sit upon tables throughout the empire. Holidays may allow for meats such as bacon to be mixed into beans or other vegetables. Crepes filled with fruits may often be grabbed before going out to toil in the fields.
Wealthier Efrans will often eat cold meats with mustard for breakfast. Roast beef or pork serve as common foods for nicer occasions. Of course, the wealthier classes appreciate the meals of the lower classes as well, but they are not hindered by economics from eating meats.
The Efran Pantheon
The gods of the Efran faith include...- Owyn and Selma, the Lovers. These gods are known as the creators of mankind. The two serve as the co-deities of love, fertility, and the earth. As the parent gods, the majority of Efraheim worships them primarily. The head of their church serves as the head of all the faiths in empire. Their symbols is an oak leaf. (Life, Order, and Peace domains)
- Duer, the Knowing. This god aided Owyn and Selma in their escape from their original home plane. He serves as the patron of magic. His devotees consist mainly of wizards in the empire. His symbol is an open hand. (Arcana and Knowledge domains)
- Divone, the Moon Guide. The daughter of Owyn and Selma. Morwyn is her twin. She is the goddess of the afterlife, night, and darkness. She often guides those who die into their next realm. Her symbol is a full moon. (Death, Grave, and Twilight domains)
- Broc, the Lord of Victory. The son of Owyn and Selma. He is the god of war, victory, and wealth. Most of Broc's worshippers consist of soldiers and some especially cutthroat merchants who see business as war. His symbol is an upturned sword. (Forge and War domains)
- Aodh, the Levin Kin. The son of Owyn and Selma. He is the god of weather, the sea, and entertainment. Sailors, bards, criminals, and performers often worship Aodh. He is an ambivalent god who is known to have inherited his parents' lack of attention to his people. One only needs to be entertaining to be in his graces. His symbol is a thundercloud. (Tempest and Trickery domains)
- Lavina, the Meddler. Daughter of Duer and Divone. She inherited her father's gift for magic. She is the goddess of spontaneous magic. While Duer demands practice and study for his gift, Lavina is known to grant her powers on a whim and at random. Depending on their lives, sorcerers often worship or curse Lavina for her gifts. Her symbols is a rain drop. (Arcana and Trickery domains)
- Morwyn, the Sun Warden. The daughter of Owyn and Selma. Divone is her twin. She serves as goddess of the day, longevity, and the law. Judges, paladins, magistrates, and other government officials make up her laity. Her symbol is a bright sun. (Light and Order domains)
Fiendish Cults of Efraheim
While the Efran pantheon and Sehanine Moonbow would seem to dominate the religious lives of the Empire's citizens, that does not mean other faiths do not exist. Whispers of a group known as the Network haunt the populace of Efraheim. The Network, a loose collection diabolical cults that worship demons of the Abyss that promises freedom and joy through anarchy. Most believe this group has died out. It was said their symbol was a ruined tower. The Teufel also once worshiped Asmodeus and other archdevils of the hells. This faith served as the gateway to advanced magics that the underdeveloped tribes of the Anteimperium Era could only dream of. Much of the Empire's understandings of magic are based in old Teufel writings. Even though Efra destroyed the Teufel tribe, many tieflings and some others may still turn to the Hells for faith.
Type
Geopolitical, Empire
The Nodeli Empire
Empress Efra quickly filled the power vacuum created by the weakening Nodeli Empire. While the elves still had Adrie Amakir as their queen, all knew that this girl would not be able to stand up to the united tribes of humanity that had grown.Efra found the elves so weak due to centuries of in-fighting. Amakir was the last scion of a distant relation to the previous dynasty of the Nodeli. Many elven historians argue over why exactly their empire became so fractured. Some argue it was due to rapid expansion outside of the Nechtvald. Others claim it was due to xenophobic tendencies, claiming that the elves would have stood a chance against the humans if they had better relations with Karnan elves and dwarves of the Reiberg Mountains. Either way, Queen Adrie Amakir had no choice but to sign the treaty that Empress Efra placed before her. Many Nodeli elves believe they are dual citizens with two empresses (Amakir and the human Efran however, that empire dies when Amakir dies. Efra's treaty demanded that Amakir never marry or birth an heir.
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