The Dread Empire
Current Month: Julwar 2nd: 209, The Fifth Age
Despite being one of the few places to have not fled to refuge during the events of the Second Fall, The Dread Empire survived and thrived, gaining control of the entirety of the Alantrian continent, while casting its gaze beyond to distant lands.
The Shin Empire, or as it's known outside its borders as the "Dread Empire", is not a successor state like many nations in The Fifth Age, but a direct continuation of the Shin Empire from before The Second Fall. Having conquered much but not all of the Alantrian continent in the The Fourth Age Age, they faced the Sundered alone during the end of the era.
It is unknown how, for Alantrians do not discuss it, but the empire managed to fend off the Sunderedtide at great cost. Still, they emerged into the Fifth Age better then most, with an even larger surviving population than the New Melentine Empire and the Refugean survivors combined. They took advantage of the situation, and proceeded to occupy and conquer the entire continent, along with the northern subcontinents of @Nyppon and Syrba.
Like caterpillars on a tree, they then quickly marched on the surrounding islands to the west, hoping to continue the rapid pace of conquest. However, their ancient foe had also survived and stood in their way... the Indus. Though they suffered far worse then the Shin during the apocalypse, the Indi have always been proud warriors, and stunted the conquests of the Shin, at least for a time.
Slowly but surely over the past centuries, the Dread Empire has proceeded westward, conquering island after island, until to this day, they are on the doorsteps of the Indus itself. it is only a matter of time before the great Indi fall, and the Dread Empire can expand into Midway and beyond.
The rule of Shin is provided by a Heavenly Empress or Emperor who has absolute power. He or she reigns from the Jade Throne at the Court of the Celestial Dragons, located in the Imperial City of Seng Cheng; the throne itself is a wonderous item, inspiring awe and wonder of the person who sits on it.
Below the Emperor and those of his immediate family is the Eunuchs, the upper noble class of the Empire. To become one of such station, you must forsake family and title and willingly be castrated, so that your mind may pursue the prosperity of the realm. Together they form the Tàijiàn Huì, the Council of Eunuchs, that acts like a parliament to the Emperor.
Under them is the Gāoguì, the nobles of the Empire. The elite guard around the throne is provided by The Deathwatch Guards , while the Ti- hunt traitors and spies and act as a secret police.
The Dread Empire has a rigid class structure. At the highest level are the Eunuchs. Below them are the Gāoguì nobles, and below them the free men and women. Lower still are slaves. There are a number of sub-classes within these groups.
The interactions of members of different classes are extremely regimented. For instance, it is forbidden to look someone of a higher class directly in the eye. Also, someone of high rank will generally not speak to someone of significantly lower rank; instead they will communicate with the inferior by using a slave to relay their message.
The Shin do not worship The Mandate, instead they worship a mysterious religion called the Faith in the Heavenly Sovereign, or the Tiānzhǔ. Not much is known about this mysterious religion, except that it centers around the belief that the emperor is divine, and his power rivals that of the western gods.
Slavery has a long history in the Dread Empire. Slaves are known as Núlì, or "property." The majority have menial jobs as maids, cooks, etc. However, not all slaves hold low rank in Shin society. Those that hold powerful positions as servants to the Eunuchs or the Empress make up a subclass of slaves called Gāo Nú, and are considered to have higher rank than free men and women.
Mages are also considered slaves, called Chongwu. Many of them belong to the Emperor himself, with the Emperor being the single largest holder of Chongwu in the empire. Due to their association with magic, they are considered to rank even below common house slaves, and akin to animals.
The Shin produce all the various currencies in vast amounts, the copper coin being a Tong, a silver coin a Yin, electrum being Jin, gold being Jinzi, and platinum being Bo, they also produce Gromril coins called Fùyǒu.
The Dread Empire has a large military called the Ever Victorious Army, or the Joshogun, responsible for keeping control of the nation, preventing rebellion, seeking out traitors, and conquering new territory. It is called so because though they do lose battles, they have never lost a battle against the same opponent twice.
The Ever Victorious Army also employed a vast array of cold-blooded war beasts that haven't been seen anywhere else in the world, with the exception of Zulucan; massive reptilian beats of war are often deployed before the main formations, unless strategy calls for a different approach.
A division within the Shin military, The Deathwatch Guards, are perhaps the most honored and valued of the imperial Gāo nú. They are charged with the protection of the Imperial family.
They are easily recognized by both their dark green tasseled spears and dark green lacquered shields. The green on their armor is so dark that it is easily mistaken for black by those unfamiliar. These fearsome warriors are known for their willingness to kill or die, as necessary, to protect the Imperial family. Sometimes a segment of the Deathwatch Guards is loaned, as an honor, to other nobles.
The most elite members of the Deathwatch Guards are never loaned, and are responsible for the life of the Emperor himself and his immediate family. Some members of the Deathwatch Guards are Vanir and are not Gāo nú. These Vanir are more somber than their relatives across the ocean, and carry large battle axes taller than most men.
History
The Shin Empire, or as it's known outside its borders as the "Dread Empire", is not a successor state like many nations in The Fifth Age, but a direct continuation of the Shin Empire from before The Second Fall. Having conquered much but not all of the Alantrian continent in the The Fourth Age Age, they faced the Sundered alone during the end of the era.
It is unknown how, for Alantrians do not discuss it, but the empire managed to fend off the Sunderedtide at great cost. Still, they emerged into the Fifth Age better then most, with an even larger surviving population than the New Melentine Empire and the Refugean survivors combined. They took advantage of the situation, and proceeded to occupy and conquer the entire continent, along with the northern subcontinents of @Nyppon and Syrba.
Like caterpillars on a tree, they then quickly marched on the surrounding islands to the west, hoping to continue the rapid pace of conquest. However, their ancient foe had also survived and stood in their way... the Indus. Though they suffered far worse then the Shin during the apocalypse, the Indi have always been proud warriors, and stunted the conquests of the Shin, at least for a time.
Slowly but surely over the past centuries, the Dread Empire has proceeded westward, conquering island after island, until to this day, they are on the doorsteps of the Indus itself. it is only a matter of time before the great Indi fall, and the Dread Empire can expand into Midway and beyond.
Government
The rule of Shin is provided by a Heavenly Empress or Emperor who has absolute power. He or she reigns from the Jade Throne at the Court of the Celestial Dragons, located in the Imperial City of Seng Cheng; the throne itself is a wonderous item, inspiring awe and wonder of the person who sits on it.
Below the Emperor and those of his immediate family is the Eunuchs, the upper noble class of the Empire. To become one of such station, you must forsake family and title and willingly be castrated, so that your mind may pursue the prosperity of the realm. Together they form the Tàijiàn Huì, the Council of Eunuchs, that acts like a parliament to the Emperor.
Under them is the Gāoguì, the nobles of the Empire. The elite guard around the throne is provided by The Deathwatch Guards , while the Ti- hunt traitors and spies and act as a secret police.
Culture
The Dread Empire has a rigid class structure. At the highest level are the Eunuchs. Below them are the Gāoguì nobles, and below them the free men and women. Lower still are slaves. There are a number of sub-classes within these groups.
The interactions of members of different classes are extremely regimented. For instance, it is forbidden to look someone of a higher class directly in the eye. Also, someone of high rank will generally not speak to someone of significantly lower rank; instead they will communicate with the inferior by using a slave to relay their message.
Religion
The Shin do not worship The Mandate, instead they worship a mysterious religion called the Faith in the Heavenly Sovereign, or the Tiānzhǔ. Not much is known about this mysterious religion, except that it centers around the belief that the emperor is divine, and his power rivals that of the western gods.
Slavery
Slavery has a long history in the Dread Empire. Slaves are known as Núlì, or "property." The majority have menial jobs as maids, cooks, etc. However, not all slaves hold low rank in Shin society. Those that hold powerful positions as servants to the Eunuchs or the Empress make up a subclass of slaves called Gāo Nú, and are considered to have higher rank than free men and women.
Mages are also considered slaves, called Chongwu. Many of them belong to the Emperor himself, with the Emperor being the single largest holder of Chongwu in the empire. Due to their association with magic, they are considered to rank even below common house slaves, and akin to animals.
Currency
The Shin produce all the various currencies in vast amounts, the copper coin being a Tong, a silver coin a Yin, electrum being Jin, gold being Jinzi, and platinum being Bo, they also produce Gromril coins called Fùyǒu.
Military
The Dread Empire has a large military called the Ever Victorious Army, or the Joshogun, responsible for keeping control of the nation, preventing rebellion, seeking out traitors, and conquering new territory. It is called so because though they do lose battles, they have never lost a battle against the same opponent twice.
The Ever Victorious Army also employed a vast array of cold-blooded war beasts that haven't been seen anywhere else in the world, with the exception of Zulucan; massive reptilian beats of war are often deployed before the main formations, unless strategy calls for a different approach.
Deathwatch Guard
A division within the Shin military, The Deathwatch Guards, are perhaps the most honored and valued of the imperial Gāo nú. They are charged with the protection of the Imperial family.
They are easily recognized by both their dark green tasseled spears and dark green lacquered shields. The green on their armor is so dark that it is easily mistaken for black by those unfamiliar. These fearsome warriors are known for their willingness to kill or die, as necessary, to protect the Imperial family. Sometimes a segment of the Deathwatch Guards is loaned, as an honor, to other nobles.
The most elite members of the Deathwatch Guards are never loaned, and are responsible for the life of the Emperor himself and his immediate family. Some members of the Deathwatch Guards are Vanir and are not Gāo nú. These Vanir are more somber than their relatives across the ocean, and carry large battle axes taller than most men.Tenno Heika Kanzai (Ten Thousand Years)
Founding Date
12th century Third Age
Type
Geopolitical, Empire
Capital
Alternative Names
The Shin Empire
Demonym
Shin
Leader Title
Currency
- Tong (copper)
- Yin (silver)
- Jinzi (gold)
- Bo (platinum)
- Fùyǒu (gromril)
Official State Religion
Location
Official Languages
Controlled Territories
Neighboring Nations
Comments