Celestial Empire of Zealtranesia
| Celestial Empire of Zealtranesia | ||||||||||||||||
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| Population and Economy | ||||||||||||||||
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History
Recorded Zealtranesian history only goes back to the beginnings of Alfar colonization, where the fractal Zealtans were rapidly subjugated by the expansionist Alfar Empire. The Zealtans were nothing if not a patient people, and they welcomed their new overlords not with open arms, but with open minds, quick to absorb the theories of governance, the technologies of weapon fabrication, and the arcane lore that the Alfar brought with them, yet always biding their time, awaiting the moment in which Zealtranesia would be free again.
That day came approximately five hundred years ago, when the Alfar governor returned to Mu with his honour guard on the summons of his lord, leaving the province under the governance of his most trusted local subordinate with orders to 'keep things going till I get back'. He never returned, of course, for the recall order was a fake, and he and his soldiers died in an unfortunate shipwreck, the first ever action by the Hashshashin in over four thousand years. They crowned the acting governor Emperor, reinstated the original names of Zealtranesia and the Zealtans, and gathered the nation's brightest scholars to hammer out a system of governance, one that still remains today.
The period afterward was relatively peaceful, for no Zealtan wished a repeat of the chaotic, pre-Alfar days. United under a single Emperor, and through a shared faith, thus began an age of prosperity that Zealtranesia had never before experienced. The lush countryside of the Tranesian plains was the breadbasket of the Empire, while the Zealsia hills housed the Adamantium mines and the Shuijing Node, feeding the armament artificers in the cities of Yücheng and Shuijingcheng with the resources they needed to produce arms and armour fit for any Alfar.
The Necromantic War brought an end to the peace, though not the prosperity of the Celestial Empire. As any Pliuni will tell you, war is good for business. Quality arms and armour were in high demand, and the Empire cheerfully sold them to anyone who could pay, mainly through Pliuni and Babel traders. While the Necromancers made several incursions into Celestial territory, indeed, controlling a large portion of the Tranesian plains for the majority of the war, Zealtan cavalry made advances on the Zealsia hills impossible through constant harassment of enemy supply lines and rear areas. While casualties suffered on the whole were relatively light, the entirety of the Combat Mages' Guild was wiped out in an ill-planned attempts at driving the Necromancer forces out of Celestial territory. Fortunately, the war ended soon after, and the Empire withdrew from the international scene to lick its wounds.
Racial Information
Race: Beastfolk (Celerity, Stealthy, Badass) 20
Zealtans are outwardly similar to the majority of the beastfolk who populate the plains of south-east Lemuria. They are humanoid, with large, pointed ears that protrude from the tops or upper sides of their heads, and a single tail. The main difference between Zealtans and their cousins is that of physical ability. Zealtans are considerably faster and more agile, and are more adept at camouflage and quiet movement.
The Throne, the Prime Mininster, the Bureaucracy and Politics
The Government of the Celestial Empire is rather simple. The Emperor/Empress appoints a new Prime Minister whenever the old one resigns or expires. He/she is also in charge of ensuring the PM and the Civil Service are free of corruption, with the assistance of the Hashshashin Guild, which is under the direct command of the Throne. The Prime Minister is the head of government, and draws his Cabinet of Ministers from the highest ranking Civil Servants of each Ministry. The PM is also the Commander-in-Chief of the Army, though strict limits are placed on the power the PM has over military deployment. Extended military deployment, changes to the legislature and the appointment of the judiciary are done through the People's Congress, which is made up of the highest ranking Civil Servant of each Provincial Constituency, as well as the highest ranking Civil Servant of each Statutory Board(autonomous Government agencies with specific tasks that report directly to the different Ministries). The Ministries, Statutory Boards and Provincial Councils handle the day-to-day running of the country, and have separate and distinct tasks, responsibilities and powers.
Religion, Education and the Civil Service Examination
While the freedom of religion is protected in the Imperial Charter, Neo-Soreism is the dominant religion in Zealtranesia. It is the only religion that enjoys official Government backing, and is actively taught in the compulsory education system. Neo-Soreism combines ancestral worship and belief in spirits and reincarnation with the concept of social stratification. The Imperial Throne is at the top, followed by the Scholars, Civil Servants, Mages and Generals forming the aristocracy, and finally the Peasants, Artisans, Merchants and Soldiers forming the working class.
All children are required to complete a minimum of six years of formal education. These first six years primarily involves basic education in arithmetic, languages, science, martial arts and heavily focuses on indoctrination in the concepts of Neo-Soreism. After which they are required to take the most basic level of the Imperial Civil Service Examination, which primarily focuses on ensuring that the students are properly indoctrinated in Neo-Soreism. The bulk of the Empire's low level Civil Servants are drawn from those who pass the Examination. For those who score particularly well, or for those who can afford it, further levels of education are available in scholarly subjects such as the sciences, or for those aspiring to join the Service, courses in Public Policy and Administration, as well as entrances to the Mages' Guild and the Army's Officers' School. Those who fail the examination have the option of subsidized vocational schooling, though most return to their homes to learn their trades from their families.
Zealtranesian Armed Forces
Military: 26,910/ 27,000 G (108) Signature Training: Ninja Bullshit (5)
Army of Heavenly Peace
Scout Company: 85G 50M (135G Equiv) / 5G 5M
Men-at-arms: 50G / 5G
Crossbow: 10G
Sidesword: 15G
Barrier Skirmisher Jacket: 10G 50M / 5M
Pikemen Company: 90G 40A 50M (180G Equiv) / 5G 5M
Men-at-arms: 50G / 5G
Adamantium Pikes: 15G 15A
Elven Plated Mail: 25G 25A 50M / 5M
Skirmisher Company: 130G 60A 60M (250G Equiv) / 7G 6M
Men-at-arms: 50G / 5G
Adamantium Halberds: 35G 35A
Hand Leadcasters: 20G 10M / 2G 1M
Elven Plated Mail: 25G 25A 50M / 5M
Scout Cavalry Company: 95G 20A 60M 16Be (335G Equiv) / 23G 6M
Men-at-arms: 50G / 5G
Adamantium Casted Hand Leadcaster: 20G 20A 10M / 2G 1M
Sidesword: 15G
Barrier Skirmisher Jacket: 10G 50M / 5M
Exotic Cavalry (Celerity, Stealthy): 16Be / 16G
Dragoon Company: 115G 40A 105M 8Be (340G Equiv) / 15G 16M
Men-at-arms: 50G / 5G
Adamantium Casted Leadcaster firing Explodium Shot: 40G 40A 55M / 2G 11M
Sidesword: 15G
Barrier Skirmisher Jacket: 10G 50M / 5M
Common Cavalry (Celerity): 8Be / 8G
Cuirassier Company: 145G 95A 60M 16Be (460G Equiv) / 23G 6M
Men-at-arms: 50G / 5G
Adamantium casted Hand Leadcaster: 20G 20A 10M / 2G 1M
Adamantium Longsword: 50G 50A
Elven Plated Mail: 25G 25A 50M / 5M
Exotic Cavalry (Celerity, Armour): 16Be / 16G
Horse Artillery Batteries: 85G 75A 100M 8Be (340 G Equiv) / 13G 25M
Light Artillery Carriage: 10G
Common Cavalry (Celerity): 8Be / 8G
Adamantium Casted Giant Leadcaster firing Explodium Shot: 75G 75A 100M / 5G 25M
Mark IV Strider Company: 205G 355A 400M (960G Equiv) / 15G 50M
Knightstrider: 50G 200A 250M / 25M 10G
Adamantium Casted Giant Leadcaster firing Explodium Shot: 75G 75A 100M / 5G 25M
Adamantium Giant Sword: 80G 80A
Buffer Armour: 50M
Infantry Brigade:
1 Scout Company
1 Scout Cavalry Company
4 Pike Companies
2 Skirmisher Companies
4 Dragoon Companies
1 Mark IV Strider Company
Cost: 4010 Gold Equiv / 137G 157M
Cavalry Brigade:
2 Scout Cavalry Companies
4 Dragoon Companies
4 Cuirassier Companies
2 Horse Artillery Batteries
Cost: 4550 Gold Equiv / 224G 150M
2 Infantry Brigades, 3 Cavalry Brigades: 21670 Gold Equiv / 946G 764M
Hashshashin Guild
Hashshashin: 290G 10A 210M 16Be 20Bk (770G Equiv) / 32/24G 20M
Knights: 200G / 16/8G
Sorcerous Alfar Longbow: 30G 60M / 5M
Long Lightsword: 50G 100M / 10M
Alfar Skirmisher Jacket: 10G 10A 50M / 5M
Exotic Cavalry (Celerity, Stealth): 16Be / 16G
Noble Magic: 20Bk
3 Hashshashin Cells: 2310 Gold Equiv, 96/72G 60M Upkeep
Combat Mages' Guild
Archmage: 100Bk 250M (750G Equiv) / 10G 40M
Master: 30Bk 150M (300G Equiv) / 10G 20M
Adept: 5Bk 50M (75G Equiv) / 3G 6M
2 Archmages: 1500G / 20G 80M
2 Masters: 600G / 20G 40M
10 Adepts: 750G / 30G 60M
50 Exotic Cavalry (Celerity, Stealth): 80G / 8G
Combat Mages' Guild: 2930G / 88G 180M
Notable Regions:
6 Countrysides: 60
2 Hills (1 w/ Mana Seep): 25
2 Wastes: 2
2 Cities: 100
Water Node: 50
2 Stockades: 20
1 Adamantium Mine: 10
Zealsia Hills:
Hills
Shuijingcheng (City)
Water Node
Mana Seep
Hills
Liangcheng (City)
Adamantium Mine
Tranesian Plains:
Countryside x6
The Badlands
Wastes
Stockades
Wastes
Stockades