Digrain
Once a republic of sea elves, Digrain crowned the Incarnate of War (IOW1) emperor after he led their army in its conquest of the coast west of the Digrain peninsula. His ~700-year reign was prosperous and saw the empire's steady expansion over the mountains and across the seam of the world. Historically the greatest naval power of the north, the empire maintains a substantial fleet and broad trading routes. While the initial half-century under IOW1's successor and son, the Incarnate of War II (IOWII), was much the same, the IOWII would prove much less successful at his father's craft. After conflict with Numaria escalated into The Great Plains War, Digrain would lose all of its territory to the south of the Rimespan Mountains. While the half-a-century-long conflict has seen some stagnation, those behind The Immortal Bulwark wonder if their leader can get them out of this conflict intact.
The Emperor: Digrain could be called a constitutional monarchy. IOW1’s deal with the republic gave him complete command of the military, but no power to tax or conscript the nobility (who own almost all of the land), and protected the powers of major city mayors. Due to IOW1’s immense wealth and personal popularity with the populace, this was never a problem for him. But, as IOW2 has little power to tax either noble or urban wealth he is feeling the strain.
The Military: Directly commanded by the emperor, the Digranian Army now has a reputation for ineptitude after a series of defeats by Numaria. Pushed back to the mountains (not the army's specialty) the strain is showing. The nobility has always been exempt from the draft, and IOW2 is struggling to recruit for his flailing army. While the navy has suffered somewhat, and despite the Brown Water Navy's almost total destruction, it remains dominant in the north.
The Supreme Court: Founded at the start of the empire, judges serve for life and rule on interpretations of imperial law. The chief justice is the longest-serving judge - this used to be IOW1, but IOW2, while still a member, is outranked by the elvish arch-druid Isoroku Yamamoto.
The Cities: Governed by mayors, some mayoralties are inherited or selected by a council, but most are elected every decade. The emperor has little power over urban education, law enforcement, taxation, or culture within cities.
The House of Commons: Made of 100 tribunes elected only by non-land owners. Their session can be dissolved by the emperor, and he has an unlimited veto on their laws, but they are completely sacrosanct persons: any violence against them is punishable by death.
The Gendarmes: Serve as law enforcement related to magic and anything higher level, plus they’re in charge of natural security in the city, port administration, and the gates.
The Police: Serve as basic law enforcement.
The Nobility: Owning most of the conquered land, they fund their lifestyle on the peninsula by owning shipbuilding and trading concerns. The noble houses have served as the officer class of the Digrain Military since its inception.
The Plebs: Free but without much land, most plebs live on the coasts or in cities. Military service, fishing, and sailing are the most prosperous occupations. The other trades are secondary choices, but most live prosperous lives. They have little power, but not none, and presently the emperor is very unpopular due to his disastrous defeat and the mounting war dead. Some plebs are extremely wealthy, and in the city, nobility comes with few special privileges.
The Serfs: Bound to the land, serfs are forbidden from moving and owe just enough labor to allow themselves to survive with subsistence farming. Serfs are typically elves but some are non-elves. Their children are also born into serfdom, and serfs make up a substantial minority of the empire (~25% serfs, 60% plebs, 15% nobles). There used to be nearly three times as many serfs, but many were killed during a revolt. Their status is now contentious, especially among the descendants of freed serfs. Under IOW1 serfs were given rights to vote for a portion of the House of Commons, but after Digrain lost productive farmland south of the mountains in The Great Plains War, thus dislocating many now discontent serfs who had to then relocate north, IOW2 revoked those rights and removed the seats from the House. As far as medieval empires go, Digrain is a pretty good one. Serfs aren’t free, but do have substantive rights and never starve in times of peace.
Non-Elves: Permitted to remain in cities as somewhat indefinite guests, foreigners can be kicked out of urban centers at any time at the request of an elvish pleb or noble. While they may pass through the countryside, they may not remain anywhere unless bound to a noble citizen as a serf. Foreign elves, typically from Chean but regardless of origin, are honored guests and cannot be kicked out on the whim of any random citizen.
Governing Structure & Populace
The Emperor: Digrain could be called a constitutional monarchy. IOW1’s deal with the republic gave him complete command of the military, but no power to tax or conscript the nobility (who own almost all of the land), and protected the powers of major city mayors. Due to IOW1’s immense wealth and personal popularity with the populace, this was never a problem for him. But, as IOW2 has little power to tax either noble or urban wealth he is feeling the strain.
The Military: Directly commanded by the emperor, the Digranian Army now has a reputation for ineptitude after a series of defeats by Numaria. Pushed back to the mountains (not the army's specialty) the strain is showing. The nobility has always been exempt from the draft, and IOW2 is struggling to recruit for his flailing army. While the navy has suffered somewhat, and despite the Brown Water Navy's almost total destruction, it remains dominant in the north.
The Supreme Court: Founded at the start of the empire, judges serve for life and rule on interpretations of imperial law. The chief justice is the longest-serving judge - this used to be IOW1, but IOW2, while still a member, is outranked by the elvish arch-druid Isoroku Yamamoto.
The Cities: Governed by mayors, some mayoralties are inherited or selected by a council, but most are elected every decade. The emperor has little power over urban education, law enforcement, taxation, or culture within cities.
The House of Commons: Made of 100 tribunes elected only by non-land owners. Their session can be dissolved by the emperor, and he has an unlimited veto on their laws, but they are completely sacrosanct persons: any violence against them is punishable by death.
The Gendarmes: Serve as law enforcement related to magic and anything higher level, plus they’re in charge of natural security in the city, port administration, and the gates.
The Police: Serve as basic law enforcement.
The Nobility: Owning most of the conquered land, they fund their lifestyle on the peninsula by owning shipbuilding and trading concerns. The noble houses have served as the officer class of the Digrain Military since its inception.
The Plebs: Free but without much land, most plebs live on the coasts or in cities. Military service, fishing, and sailing are the most prosperous occupations. The other trades are secondary choices, but most live prosperous lives. They have little power, but not none, and presently the emperor is very unpopular due to his disastrous defeat and the mounting war dead. Some plebs are extremely wealthy, and in the city, nobility comes with few special privileges.
The Serfs: Bound to the land, serfs are forbidden from moving and owe just enough labor to allow themselves to survive with subsistence farming. Serfs are typically elves but some are non-elves. Their children are also born into serfdom, and serfs make up a substantial minority of the empire (~25% serfs, 60% plebs, 15% nobles). There used to be nearly three times as many serfs, but many were killed during a revolt. Their status is now contentious, especially among the descendants of freed serfs. Under IOW1 serfs were given rights to vote for a portion of the House of Commons, but after Digrain lost productive farmland south of the mountains in The Great Plains War, thus dislocating many now discontent serfs who had to then relocate north, IOW2 revoked those rights and removed the seats from the House. As far as medieval empires go, Digrain is a pretty good one. Serfs aren’t free, but do have substantive rights and never starve in times of peace.
Non-Elves: Permitted to remain in cities as somewhat indefinite guests, foreigners can be kicked out of urban centers at any time at the request of an elvish pleb or noble. While they may pass through the countryside, they may not remain anywhere unless bound to a noble citizen as a serf. Foreign elves, typically from Chean but regardless of origin, are honored guests and cannot be kicked out on the whim of any random citizen.
Key Geography
Incarnin: The capital of Digrain, it is a sprawling port city with the wealth of two elvish generations of conquest and is kept immaculately clean and policed.
The Immortal Bulwark: IOW1’s pet project, it’s a series of castles and walls that stretch across the beginning of the Digrain peninsula. He framed its construction as a project of national defense and pride, and boy did the people agree. The empire would fight to the last man, woman, and child defending it. Enchanted to shit, of course, it extends underground and the basement levels can all be flooded.
Key Figures
All Supreme Court JusticesIsoroku Yamamoto: An elvish archdruid, he was born a peasant without a trace of dragon blood. IOW1 appointed him to the Supreme Court in the early days of the empire and he now serves as Chief Justice. A war hero in his youth, he has not taken the field in a generation, despises the current emperor as much as he adored his father, and intends to see IOW3 crowned. IOW2 would eat him alive if he could but well… bad politics. Plus Isoroku is a badass spellcaster. The Slip in the Night: Formally Digran commandos, they’re really Isoroku’s personal adventuring party. The roster shifts over the years, except for high-level members exclusively loyal to Isoroku. They’ve killed dragons, taken castles, and sometimes serve as the red team in the military’s war games. Widemouth: An ancient dragon turtle who lives in the seam, he was IOW1’s most powerful draconic ally. He’s allied with IOW2 as well and doesn’t mind waiting until a good time to fight. He has time. It’s not like Numeria bothers him much; the army is terrified of him, he’s probably 1,000x larger than Porseria, and he always liked her grandmother. Widemouth has not heard a court case in a generation but is technically the second most senior. Hajime Sugiyama: A half-dragon widely rumored to be the son of IOW1’s brother (since deceased), he is presently the Marshall General of the Bulwark, the empire’s best general. Hajime is center-right in the Digrain context. Yukio Mishima: The most famous bard in Digran. The most beautiful elf alive, a huge fascist (we should be PROUD to freeze to death for our emperor), and the biggest fucking idiot. Despised by the military and loved by the nobility, he aspires to start an illustrious noble line through his children: Aika, a wizard, and her brother Sora, a promising alchemist (now deceased). Renho Murata: Serves as the head of the House of Commons. A highly capable if not illustrious wizard, she’s careful and keeps her mouth shut. Would gleefully do a coup if she thought it would work.
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