Cheliax (CHEL-ee-ax)
Infernal Cheliax remains one of the most powerful nations militarily in the Inner Sea region. Its control of the Arch of Aroden, the passage between the Inner Sea and the Arcadian Ocean, also gives it a vital role in much of the region's trade. Nevertheless, as important as the nation may be today, it pales in comparison to its former Imperial glory. Today, in the eyes of most external observers, Cheliax's government (to a greater extent) and its people (to a lesser) suffer due to their devotion to diabolism, the worship of devils. The tyrannical government brought on by the adherence to these beliefs prevent it from truly achieving its full potential. Internal observers, however, including the new nobility of Cheliax, firmly believe that Asmodeus and Hell serve Cheliax and assist in maintaining the power necessary for Cheliax to assume its rightful role among the leading nations of the region.
Culture
Cheliax is celebrated for its wine, opera, and magnificent architecture. However, it is equally infamous for the presence of devils on its streets and the mercilessness of its laws. Under Thrune rule, the impoverished suffer brutal oppression, with crimes resulting in excruciating public punishments and executions. Slavery is a prevalent and harshly enforced practice, devoid of the legal protections that once existed during Aroden's era. Chelish culture places a high value on excellence in almost any endeavor, and its nobles are in constant competition to elevate their status. As a result, Cheliax perceives itself as a more meritocratic society compared to many others on Golarion. Ambitious individuals of low birth can readily find patrons willing to support their careers in exchange for profit or recognition. Over time, they may even secure titles through marriage or bribery.
The Hellknights also provide opportunities for rapid advancement to those who prove themselves through dedicated service. However, Cheliax's "meritocracy" has a dark side. Those unfortunate enough to lack the qualities it prizes are treated as utterly worthless, stripped of even basic dignity and consideration. Additionally, this "meritocracy" only applies to its human residents, as Cheliax's non-human residents are almost universally looked-down upon.
Nobility
House Thrune may currently be the most powerful of the noble houses, but it is certainly not the only one. Some of these other noble houses have existed for centuries, while others were commoners raised after the civil war in payment for their loyalty to House Thrune. Most of the oldest houses survived the civil war, although those who aligned themselves with the diabolists early in the war have claimed the greatest prestige and wealth. Whatever can be said about the new nobility's morality, they objectively rule more effectively than the old nobility did before the war. Chelish nobility are arranged in a strict hierarchy of three broad categories (dukes, counts, and barons), each with their own subcategories, for a sum of nine ranks modeled after the nine levels of Hell; the Majestrix and her family are above this order. Most members of the nobility continue making pacts with various devils in exchange for incredible temporal power. Those who do not espouse diabolism keep it to themselves, as any talk against the methods of the current regime can lead to the complete eradication of an entire bloodline.History
Historical revisionism
What is and isn't a historical fact is a slippery thing in modern Cheliax, especially when it deals with events that occurred before the ascendance of House Thrune, the noble family that made diabolism the state religion. Cheliax's current rulers understand history's power to inspire, and therefore have actively worked to eradicate any mention of the nation's non-infernal past. They have even done this to former allies, and more than a few noble families who have fallen from favor with Queen Abrogail II have found themselves excised from official records. Because of this near-constant historical revisionism, a new state-sanctioned history is printed and disseminated to the nation's universities and libraries every three months. The now outdated, older copies of these books are collected by the Hellknight Order of the Rack and burned on so called clarity pyres, and heavy penalties are imposed on any organization that fails to offer up its previously assigned volumes. The new histories invariably have large gaps and omissions, sometimes to the point of making them unreadable. Despite this, records survive that have escaped the Imperial Ministry of Historical Accuracy's frequent revisions. These publications can fetch a high price on the black market, providing one can find a buyer who is not a paid informant for the Ministry.Founding
Cheliax was founded as the westernmost frontier prefecture of the Taldan Empire in 3007 AR. It remained a part of the Taldan Empire for more than a thousand years until neighboring Qadira launched a massive invasion of Taldor in 4079 AR that destabilized the entire country and caused its rulers to relocate the majority of its military eastward toward the front. Aspex the Even-Tongued, the Taldan governor of Cheliax, knew that Taldor could not fight a massive war on two fronts thousands of miles from each other and declared independence in 4081 AR. Knowing Taldor would remain focused on its titanic struggle with Qadira, King Aspex of the new nation of Cheliax incorporated the Taldan territories of Galt and Isger by force and Andoran and the winged men of Devil's Perch by diplomacy in what became known as the Even-Tongued Conquest. Due to its size, military power, and boundless ambition, Cheliax would continue to dominate Avistan for the next 600 years.Expansion
By 4137 AR, ongoing friction between Absalom and Cheliax over control of trade in the Inner Sea region led Prince Haliad I of Cheliax to lay siege on Absalom. Although the siege was unsuccessful, Cheliax was left the major naval power in the Inner Sea and gained control of both sides of the Arch of Aroden. In 4138 AR, Cheliax also established a new colony on the western coast of Garund, naming it Sargava. Chelish expansion to the north continued when King Haliad III launched the Everwar in 4305 AR. Over the following century, and spanning the reigns of five Chelish monarchs, the empire conquered or annexed lands in what are now Molthune, Nirmathas, Isger, parts of the Hold of Belkzen, Nidal, and Varisia. The Everwar came to a close in 4410 AR when Cheliax renounced all hopes for further territorial expansion in Varisia and Belkzen. During this expansionist period, Cheliax installed a foreign ruling class in its newfound territories, and the descendants of these people still hold positions of power today, even if Cheliax withdrew its control some time ago. Even though the Everwar had come to a close, Cheliax's ambitions continued unabated within its homeland and colonies, supported in part by the Starfall Doctrine. This prophecy stated that the god Aroden would reappear in Cheliax in 4606 AR and lead humanity to a new Age of Glory with Cheliax at the helm. Bolstered by what it perceived to be a direct endorsement by Aroden, Cheliax became the dominant cultural force in Avistan, a position it held for centuries. In anticipation of Aroden's return, Cheliax went to extraordinary lengths in the last decades of the Age of Enthronement to position itself for this destiny. The first Hellknight order, the Order of the Rack, was founded in 4576 AR in the capital of Westcrown. In 4605 AR, King Gaspodar himself began the preparations for the reappearance of the god.Chelish Civil War
In 4606 AR, Cheliax's patron deity Aroden died, and so did its centuries-long dominance of the Inner Sea region. Robbed of his divine mandate by the revocation of the Starfall Doctrine, King Gaspodar lost control of the empire as fractious noble houses challenged the crown and each other for dominance. The first to do so was House Thrune, which rekindled a feud over land in 4608 AR with a rival family whose name has since been erased from history by the Chelish government. Cheliax descended into three decades of civil war, as the various noble houses fought for supremacy. Molthune took the opportunity to declare independence in 4632 AR. The Chelish Civil War was a fractious and destructive endeavor. Brother turned against brother, with small tyrants rising to power, promising shelter from the increasingly worsening conditions. These leaders quickly were brought down by others seeking power, or were eradicated by the many diseases that accompany such drawn-out anarchy. As the years stretched into decades, the people of Cheliax became more and more desperate, looking for any possible solution to their national nightmare. The golden dream of Imperial Cheliax long since forgotten, they increasingly turned to darker methods to quell the fighting and restore order. It was one of these darker methods that finally brought a resolution to the fighting, but one that came at a very steep cost. With no clear victor to the war after decades of terrible fighting, Abrogail of House Thrune signed a pact with the powers of Hell, placing herself and her family under their control. In return she received a number of devils to bolster her forces, and others to assist her as advisors. With their help, along with allied shadowcallers from Nidal, she brought the Chelish heartland under her control, which gave her a certain amount of legitimacy. Baron Grallus of the Chelish colony of Sargava backed House Davian in the war, but Davian's ambitions were shattered by House Thrune at the Battle of a Hundred Kings. Held near the city of Corentyn in 4639 AR, that defeat of House Davian was the climactic battle of the war, signaling the doom of all who opposed House Thrune.Epilogues of the civil war
Even though the people did not particularly like being under the rule of devil-worshipers, they prefered it over the anarchy of civil war. Within a year, House Thrune had defeated all other comers and Queen Abrogail I was crowned in 4640 AR. Thrune had not forgotten the betrayal of Baron Grallus, and sent a fleet to enact revenge on Sargava in 4643 AR. Expecting the attack but unable to produce a large-enough fleet to defend himself, Grallus hired the Shackles Pirates to patrol the waters north of Sargava. His gamble worked and the pirates sunk the Chelish fleet in Desperation Bay. A second Chelish fleet sent in 4660 AR fared little better and Sargava managed to hang on to its fragile independence.A new order
With order restored throughout the land, the new ruling class of the land began to consolidate and reinforce its power and control over a widespread empire still reeling from decades of war. Their first command was to establish diabolism and the worship of Asmodeus as the official state religion. They then moved the capital from Westcrown to the inland port of Egorian and demanded renewed fealty from Cheliax's outlying provinces. Unable to stomach being ruled by blasphemous devil-idolators, the people of Andoran and Galt rebelled, each seeking their own destiny. Galt declared independence in 4667 AR, but quickly devolved into score-settling by short-lived governing coalitions in the Red Revolution, while Andoran steered a more stable path beginning in 4669 AR. The crown let these provinces secede, content to focus on the more profitable colonies of Sargava in Garund and Anchor's End in Arcadia.Succession turmoil
Despite the iron-fisted rule of House Thrune, Cheliax was not without its own political turmoil in the years that followed. This was particularly true when it came to the process of who succeeded to the nation's throne. After 32 years of rule, Queen Abrogail I was murdered by her own son in 4672 AR, who crowned himself Antoninus I soon thereafter. Antoninus' reign lasted only two years, as he died from incorrectly prepared safu'u fish in 4674 AR, and was succeed by his cousin, Terthule Thrune. Terthule managed to last a bit longer than Antoninus, but disappeared mysteriously in 4682 AR after only eight years on the throne. Upon his death, Terthule's niece Carellia was crowned as queen. Much like her predecessors, Carellia's rule was brief and marked by tragedy, and she drowned under mysterious circumstances in 4696 AR. Her death was not investigated by her cousin and heir Infrexus.Demography and Population
Three-quarters of Cheliax's human population are ethnic Chelaxians, with Taldans and Kellids the most populous minorities (the latter clustered in Cheliax's northern reaches). The pale-skinned Chelaxians believe themselves superior to all other peoples. Their compact with great devils gives them power beyond measure, and no other nation of the Inner Sea can compete with their summoners and warlocks when it comes to trafficking with dark forces. These devils require payment for their service, often offered up in the form of tender flesh and boiled blood. Most of Cheliax's inhabitants have become used to their repressive government with its infernal ties, seeing it as the price they had to pay to be rescued from the anarchy of civil war. Those who actively support the government tend to receive the greatest chances at wealth and social advancement, while those unable or unwilling to contribute to the hellish regime reap no such rewards or are even the targets of recrimination and ridicule.
Gnomes
Most gnomes in Cheliax live in the town of Brastlewark and enjoy a relatively peaceful existence in comparison to other minority peoples. Many gnomes are architects and engineers and the best of these provide innovative designs and inventions for the Chelish government. The community is left mostly unmolested as a result.Halflings
Nearly all halflings who live in Cheliax are slaves. Known pejoratively as slips, they are treated quite poorly by the general population.Strix
The strix are a race of winged humanoids native to the Devil's Perch, a dangerous and inhospitable region of western Cheliax's Menador Mountains. Due to past conflicts with their lowland neighbors, the strix refuse to have anything to do with the untrustworthy humans. The strix have inspired many grisly rumors among the Chelish, who vilify and fear them.Tieflings
Tieflings enjoy an unusual status in Cheliax, often seen as subordinate to humans. They are rarely seen in public, and appear mainly as unusual slaves or involved in criminal enterprises. The majority of tieflings in Cheliax are devil-spawn, and many within the Chelaxian government view them as completely expendable, using the most flimsy of pretexts to force them into slavery and sell them to any nation willing to buy them.Territories
Geography
Imperial Cheliax covers a large part of southwestern Avistan and, although currently less than half its former size, it is still one of the largest countries in the Inner Sea region. Beyond the Menador Mountains in the north it is bordered by the former provinces of Nidal and Molthune. To the East it is bordered with Isger, and Andoran across the Aspodell Mountains. The Inner Sea lies to the south, across which is Rahadoum on the continent of Garund. To the west lies the Arcadian Ocean. The current capital, Egorian, rests near the center of the nation on the banks of Lake Sorrow. North of the lake stands the Barrowood, and the River Adivian flows south from the lake, past Westpool and East Rikkan, into Gemcrown Bay past Westcrown. Cheliax maintains a foothold in Garund as well, holding the southern end of the Arch of Aroden (the province of Kharijite) and thus controlling access to the Inner Sea. It's most distant holding is Anchor's End in far-off Arcadia. Cheliax is divided into five regions or archduchies, each of which is subdivided into duchies, which further split into counties, which then can be separated into baronies, however, not every grouping can be divided into a smaller grouping. For instance, several very small counties do not divide into even smaller baronies. The six archduchies are fixed; there can never be more or less, as there can never be more than six archdukes, and are as follows:Archduchy of Hellcoast
The hills of Devil's Perch and the settlement of Pezzack are the home of the strix, a race of winged humanoids. These fliers protect their homeland diligently although more from a dislike of any foreign rule as much as distaste for the current House of Thrune and its organized devil worship.
Archduchy of Menador
The Menador Mountains are the religious homeland of Cheliax. It is also the home to scores of Hellknights prepared for a life of unending servitude by the unforgiving nature of the land they inhabit.
Archduchy of the Heartlands
The Whisperwood, the Barrowood and the Central Plains are the heart of Cheliax.
Archduchy of Sirmium
The Aspodell Mountains and the River Keld form a natural eastern border to Cheliax.
Archduchy of Longmarch
The Inner Sea forms the southern border of Cheliax and port cities built upon bluffs dot the coast.
Archduchy of Ravounel
Military
In addition to the Hellknights who handle dissension within the Empire, Cheliax also boasts one of the largest military organizations in the Inner Sea region. Along with humanoid troops, they continue to use bound devils as well.
Religion
Cheliax has had a long history as a religious nation going back hundreds of years. The goddess Iomedae, the chivalrous goddess of crusaders, was born in Cheliax, and her righteous faith continues to hold strong in the region, despite recent events that have heightened the longstanding tension between her church and that of Asmodeus. In the middle of the 5th millennium AR, the church of Aroden, humanity's patron deity, moved its headquarters from decadent Taldor to then Chelish capital of Westcrown. This was done in response to an ancient Azlanti prophecy known as the Starfall Doctrine that predicted Aroden's return in 4606 AR. Aroden's unexplained death voided the prophecy and plunged the nation into a decades-long civil war.
Worship of Asmodeus & diabolism
The rise of Asmodeus worship since the beginning of the Thrune Ascendancy has hardly been surprising. Every Chelaxian pays at least lip service to the Prince of Darkness, even though numerous older gods such as Abadar and Erastil remain popular among the common folk, and nearly every house contains at least one shrine or red pentagram honoring the devil-god. Cheliax is also one of the few nations where the other archdevils are worshiped in any large number, although their cultists always stand in the shadow of the much larger and more powerful church of Asmodeus. Even those Chelaxians who are not interested in personally serving the Prince of Hell or one of his subordinates, often believe that Hell provides a model for how mortal society should be structured, a philosophy known as diabolism.
Worship of other powers
Cheliax does not openly tolerate worship of Achaekek due to the church's support of piracy along the western coast of Garund, but the assassin of the gods still has several hidden shrines devoted to him within Cheliax.
Foreign Relations
Cheliax, with its infernal connections, remains a wealthy, influential, and well-armed nation. House Thrune's rule not only governs its own land but also profoundly impacts the destinies of nations beyond its borders. Isger, Nidal, and the newly independent Ravounel maintain particularly close and complex ties.
Isger
After enduring years of bitter warfare following centuries of exploitative near-colonial rule, Isger remains a subservient vassal to Cheliax. Its government is tightly controlled, with limited autonomy to shape its destiny.Nidal
Nidal positions itself as an ally to Cheliax, albeit with a vastly different perspective from Isger's. Rather than viewing itself as a vassal, Nidal sees its role as that of a trusted advisor to a like-minded friend.Laws
Domestic policy
Governmental policy within Cheliax is focused upon maintaining order and quelling dissent. This is in direct response to the 30 years of internecine warfare and chaos that preceded the Thrune Ascendancy, as well as the absolute order inherent in the support of Hell. There is a great deal of physical peace and order which allows the lives of ordinary citizens to proceed normally, but it carries a high moral price. Cheliax is far from the abomination of twisted evil imagined by many outsiders, but it does not allow room for any dissent. Nationalistic feelings run deep and are practically required to avoid suspicion. Ambition causes normal citizens to turn in those that they suspect as traitors to Imperial Cheliax, for the perceived promise of wealth and advancement. Organized secular and religious forces such as the Hellknights and the Inquisitors further strive to quell any organized dissent.Chelish laws
The laws of Cheliax are based upon the Asmodean Disciplines, which also serves as the primary religious text for the Church of Asmodeus. These laws are expansive and intrusive, and attempt to regulate nearly every element of a citizen's public and private life. Because of this, many of them are not enforced, and may not even be enforceable, but they nevertheless serve the purpose of the government by allowing the prompt removal of undesirable elements of society under some perceived or interpreted infraction, or as incentive for citizens to spy on one another.Trade & Transport
Cheliax boasts a robust economy fueled by global trade, offering diverse goods like wines, olive oils, artworks, and imported products, including slaves. Its luxury trade is especially esteemed throughout the continent.
Type
Geopolitical, Country
Capital
Demonym
Chelaxians
Leader
Executive Body
Since the Thrune Ascendancy of 4640 AR, Cheliax has been ruled by House Thrune along with a new configuration of noble houses made up of those willing to follow the philosophy of diabolism. Much of the power of House Thrune was gained through the initial bargain struck between Abrogail Thrune and the rulers of Hell, although rumors abound that additional pacts have been made since that time in the quest for still greater power.
Controlled Territories
Notable Members
Comments