The Shimmering Land of Kemet
Structure
Kemet is ruled over by a pharaoh, or god-king as it translates into Common, whose will is considered divine law; pharaoh are chosen of the gods, their representatives on Terra, or so the Kemetic believe. Beneath the pharaoh is the vizier, who is in charge of the bureaucratic and logistical affairs of the kingdom, and beneath them the council of overseers.
The council of overseers includes:
The General of Armies - responsible for overseeing the country’s land defenses
The General of Navies - responsible for overseeing the country’s sea defenses
The General of Aeronautics - responsible for overseeing the country’s air defenses
The Overseer of Regions - responsible for overseeing the country’s 20 nomes, or regions, each of which is ruled over by a nomarch and dedicated to one of the gods
The Overseer of Trade - responsible for directing commerce, including the various craft and trade guilds
The Overseer of Coin - responsible for maintaining the royal treasury and accounts
The Overseer of Shadows - responsible for the country’s espionage affairs
The Overseer of Archives - responsible for maintaining the country’s vast records, as well as the country’s education system
The Overseer of Law - responsible for the country’s judicial system
The Overseer of Magic - responsible for the country’s magical education system and temples
The Overseer of Eletechnology - the newest edition to the council of overseers; responsible for integrating advancements in eletech into society
The pharaoh’s consort is traditionally known as ta hemet nesu (the king’s spouse), although the title of malak, malaka, or malaki may be used with their given name as an honorific. They are in charge of the social aspects of the court, which is composed of the overseers and their families, as well as the nomarchs, who are considered the only nobility the country has. The current pharaoh, Ka-Mat-Ef Menkaure bek Reseph, King of Day and Night, Beloved of Sun and Sky, He Who Endures, is known to be a good, wise ruler, but his health has been failing in recent years. His vizier, a young man by the name of Har-Mena Mahad bek Piouer, has been working to keep things running in the pharaoh’s stead, and so far, the country has been stable. Of the king’s five children, his eldest son, Nakht-Am-Asis Bakennifi bek Menkaure, is favored to take the throne upon his father’s death.
The pharaoh’s consort is traditionally known as ta hemet nesu (the king’s spouse), although the title of malak, malaka, or malaki may be used with their given name as an honorific. They are in charge of the social aspects of the court, which is composed of the overseers and their families, as well as the nomarchs, who are considered the only nobility the country has. The current pharaoh, Ka-Mat-Ef Menkaure bek Reseph, King of Day and Night, Beloved of Sun and Sky, He Who Endures, is known to be a good, wise ruler, but his health has been failing in recent years. His vizier, a young man by the name of Har-Mena Mahad bek Piouer, has been working to keep things running in the pharaoh’s stead, and so far, the country has been stable. Of the king’s five children, his eldest son, Nakht-Am-Asis Bakennifi bek Menkaure, is favored to take the throne upon his father’s death.
Culture
A Society of Death
Kemetic myth holds that, upon death, a person’s spirit must travel to the Gray Halls of Nicodemus to be judged worthy of entering the afterlife. Here, the deceased must hear both their sins and virtues listed out, the crimes they have committed and the good they have accomplished during their time on Terra. Nicodemus and his judges, typically believed to be selected from Kemet’s greatest and wisest rulers and scholars, will listen to the tally, after which Nicodemus will weigh the deceased’s heart against one of his mother Kelesta’s dragon scales. If the scale is heavier, the soul is deemed worthy of entering their chosen paradise as an akh, the Kemetic term for the blessed dead. If the heart is heavier, however, the person’s soul is fed to Tanith, the Devourer, for a time equal to the weight of their guilt, until they may be reborn on Terra to try again. The Kemetic believe that to ensure a soul’s survival in the afterlife, the soul must have a vessel to return to. This, for the common folk, results in family or village shrines where representations of the departed -- traditionally in the form of small stone statues -- reside. For the wealthy, however, this means undergoing the process of mummification by temple priests, a 21-day ritual in which the body is embalmed ceremonially. Wealthy and noble clans often have family tombs, some dating back centuries if not longer, in which the family’s mummies are stored. Grave goods, such as food and clothing for the deceased, are often buried with the body, and are a popular trade item. Because of the sacredness of burial, grave robbing is considered an especially heinous crime. However, despite death’s hold on the Kemetic culture, they are not a somber people by nature. Entertainment in all its forms is highly valued, especially music and dance; bathhouses, gaming halls, and brothels are also popular. Tankiria, which roughly translates to ‘masquerade’ in Common, is a popular form of theater in which performers dress in exaggerated, colorful costumes and makeup, often of another gender, and perform burlesque-style variety shows. Kemet has a rich artistic side, and public buildings are often used as space for murals by community painters. Celebrations and festivals are frequent -- the people of Kemet will take any excuse to have a party.Longevity
Kemet has been a kingdom for a very, very long time; its roots lie thousands of years before the current day. White the land has grown and modernized over the long centuries since its formation, many of its traditions have stayed the same. As such, Kemet has one of the most expansive collections of written records of anywhere on Terra, and being a scribe or historian is seen as a highly noble profession. Libraries are common and considered a valuable public resource. Because of Kemet’s long history, reciting one’s genealogy is a mark of honor and pride; the further back a line can be traced, the more noble the person. It is not uncommon for the average Kemetian to be able to recite their lineage seven, ten, even fifteen generations back. The current royal bloodline was founded in 835 by Pharaoh Akmonhetep I, and has been unbroken -- the crown has passed diagonally, in some cases, but the family has ruled unbroken for nearly a millennia. Genealogy centers, like libraries, are considered a public resource.Separated by Fate
Kemetic myth tells that the gods shaped mortals from sand and water. Kelesta, in her grief over imprisoning Morwen, smashed the clay figures apart, but Peitho took the broken pieces, smoothing the edges so the pieces would fit back together snugly. To the Kemetic people, this has translated to a belief that every person on Terra has a perfect match to the cracks in their soul -- their mihari, or One (the closest approximation of the word into Common; although it is implied to be a singular individual, multiple mihari for one person do happen on occasion). Although typically romantic in nature, there are a good number of platonic mihari as well. Most individuals are not expected to find their mihari in their lifetime Mihari are extremely rare -- maybe one person in five or ten thousand will find their match in their lifetime. Kemetians believe that mihari can happen between any race, gender, age, or class. It is a bond deeper than marriage, and indeed it is possible to be wed to one individual and mihari with another. To claim someone as mihari is to claim that their life means more to you than anything else on Terra. In the mythic age, it was considered blasphemous to kill a mihari, for in doing so, two lives were destroyed instead of one. Some of Kemet’s deepest and most ancient laws are based around the concept, but have been forgotten over the centuries as mihari became more and more rare. Miharu, mihari bonding ceremonies, are celebrated with more joy than even weddings, and a wedding that is also a miharu is considered especially blessed. The miharu dates back to the nation’s ancient past, when alchemists perfected a concoction that would react when a pair of mihari formalized their bond. The hands and forearms of both partners are painted with half of a pattern, to which the other has the matching half. The paint -- mithril for one partner and orichalcum for the other -- reacts to the touch of the miharis’ hands, reacting in a flash of magic to complete the pattern on both individuals. This will only happen if the pairing is true, however, and mihari are so rare that the formula for creating the paint has been nearly lost.Culturlal Norms
Family
Family is considered incredibly important to the Kemetic people, not just in being able to trace one’s bloodline. The typical Kemetic family is large, and grandparents, siblings, and their children all often live in communal houses or within walking distance in the same village or town. Children are raised not just by their parents, but by whatever extended family members happen to be around. Family, however, is not just considered to be one’s blood relations, but family of choice as well. The Kemetic government has adoption forms not just for children, but for adopting adults into families as well, and another form for legally recognizing individuals not related by blood as family units, even without marriage. Adoption is common, and adopted family members are loved and cherished just as dearly as blood.Hierarchy
Kemetic culture is both highly stratified and strangely egalitarian. Socially, one is expected to stay within their own caste. Farmers and laborers make up the lowest caste, followed by artisans and crafters, and then scholars, scribes, and bureaucrats, collectively known as the ‘white kilt class”, alluding to the traditional garments worn by such workers. Priests and magi are held in particular esteem, falling just behind the nomarchs. However, despite this social separation, all Kemetians are viewed as equal before the gods and the law. Every individual, no matter their race, gender, or class, has the right to petition before the courts, vote, hold property, make contracts, and marry.Order and Chaos
The Kemetic people believe strongly in the concept of ma’at, or Kelesta’s divine justice and order. Ma’at keeps the world turning properly, and governs not only life but the afterlife as well; it is the divine harmony that keeps the world in balance. As such, the Kemetic people put much stock into order and morality. On the other hand, they are, as a people, completely obsessed with games of chance. Senet, a chess-like game involving random dice rolls, is extremely popular, as are other dice games and knucklebones. Card games like poker are less common, but does have an enthusiastic fan base. Gambling is a legal and very popular form of nightlife, and most temples to Steyfano have a small gambling hall attached, which brings in money for temple services.Magic and Technology
Magic, known in Kemetic as heka, is an important part of Kemetic society and faith. Innate ability with heka is seen as a blessing from the gods, but favored too are those who dedicate their time to learning to bend heka to their will. Many temples, not just ones to deities of magic, employ arcane casters rather than only divine ones. Those with heka tend to hold positions of more social status, such as scribe or bureaucrat. Although elemental technology is relatively common and there is no social stigma against using it, many Kemetians tend to stick with tried and true methods of doing things -- why fix what isn’t broken?Naming Conventions
Kemetic names are structured as [Titulary Name] + [Given Name] + be + [Parent’s Given Name]A proper Kemetic woman’s name could therefore be structured as Mub-Ara-Kat Anouke beka Khufu
Holidays
Wepet-Renpet Festival - January 1stThe Wepet-Renpet Festival celebrates the new year. It is a joyous occasion that marks the resurrection of Wesir Nicodemus and his ascension to the throne, celebrating the rejuvenation of the land and the king. The festival lasts for three nights and involves feasting, dancing, and the reciting of the tale of Sephira and Nicodemus Nehebkau Festival - March 20th
The goddess Elowyn’s birthday was said to be the spring solstice, and the Nehebkau Festival celebrates her ascension to godhood. The graves of departed loved ones are decorated with flowers and small gifts for them to enjoy in the afterlife. Young unmarried women will often wear white gowns with dyed red marks over the heart to emulate the goddess. Sokar Festival - July 15th
The Aur River finishes its flood in the midst of summer, and planting season can begin in earnest. The Sokar Festival is held at the start of planting, asking Lucetius, Rhodena, and Fodla for their blessings for a fertile harvest. Taewid Festival - December 30th
Also called the Feast of Atonement, the Taewid Festival is a day to ask those a person has wronged during the year for their forgiveness. This can be as simple as “I was rude to you in the market one day” or “I forgot to have your favorite tea on hand when you came to visit”, or as grievous as theft or injury. The wronged will name some price that would call the debt square; again, this can be as simple as a recipe for a favorite cookie or as grand as a prized stallion or a lot of land. However, it is an unspoken rule that the price should be just and fair. Wag Festival - October 31st
The Wag Festival honors the death of Nicodemus at the hands of Eosphorus. It is a solemn affair, and lamentations are often sung. Prayers for the departed are written on pieces of papyrus or paper and made into small boats, which are floated across the Aur River to the lands of the setting sun, where the Underworld is said to rest. In addition to these festivals, every deity has a feast day at some point during the year, on which people will decorate the temples with offerings to the god. Traditional foods associated with the deity are eaten, songs sung in their praise, and their blessings asked for in the areas of their purview.
Military
Kemet’s military strength lies in its expansive navy. The country has expansive coastlines along the Sea of Ruin and the Phaedric Sea, and the mighty Aur -- the Black River -- flows through the east side of the kingdom, giving a direct route to the Sea of Ruin. Kemetic sailors are renowned for their battle prowess and marine skills. Kemetic vessels are always on the lookout for pirates, which frequently attack vessels in the Sea of Ruin. There is also a smaller, but still impressive army. Kemet’s aeronautica is new and still in its experimental phases; sky ships are mostly used for supporting naval vessels.
Religion
No deities are forbidden from being worshiped in Kemet, although certain acts are illegal -- you can worship Tanith all you like, but don’t sacrifice a sentient person in her name, for example. Some deities are more popular than others, of course, but the people of Kemet are incredibly tolerant of various religious beliefs.
Kemetic depictions of the gods are curious, in that they often depict a particular deity with the head of an animal on a human body. The gods are almost always named with any of a number of titulary names used when addressing the gods.
Akmon - Most often called Akmon-Ra (Akmon, the Sun), Akmon is worshiped more as the embodiment of the sun than any of his other aspects, although he is said to protect the line of pharaohs. He is often depicted as having the head of an eagle, carrying the sun between his hands
Athesne - As patron of scribes and historians, Athesne, called Seshat Athesne (Athesne, Lady of the Scribes), is highly revered within Kemet. Often depicted with the head of an ibis, Athesne is said to keep all records in her house, dating back to the invention of writing, which is her creation.
Barasios - Anpu Barasios (Barasios, Master of Secrets) is considered to be one of the judges of the dead. He is responsible for listing the deceased’s crimes during their judgment in the afterlife, and arguing their guilt. He is often depicted with the head of a jackal.
Caelus - Known most commonly as Reshep Caelus (Caelus, Terrible Defender), Caelus is shown with the head of a gazelle. Although he is favored by soldiers, he is also invoked as the protector of children and the disabled.
Elowyn - Like Barasios, Nebet-Het Elowyn (Elowyn, Lady of the Temple) participates in the weighing of the heart, but she lists the deceased’s triumphs rather than their failings. She is highly revered among the Kemetians for her death and rebirth, and is held as an exemplar of what it means to lead a virtuous life. She is, unlike the other members of the pantheon, never depicted with an animal’s head
Eosphorus - Sutekh Eosphorus (Eosphorus, Lord of the Red Lands) is responsible for Nicodemus’s death on Kelesta’s orders. This led to Kallias’s grudge against him and their constant antagonism in the years leading up to the kidnapping of Elowyn. However, due to the part he played in Elowyn’s resurrection, he is seen as a tragic hero figure. He is shown with the head of a sethai, a Kemetic desert wild dog.
Eriu - Eriu is depicted as especially fearsome in Kemetic myth, far more so than her Europan counterparts. Sekhmet Eriu (Eriu, Eye of the Sun) is seen as the wrath of the pharaoh. In one Kemetic myth, the other gods had to tempt the lion-headed goddess with meat and beer to calm her from a rampage.
Fodla - Het-Hert Fodla (Fodla, Mother of the House) is extremely venerated by the Kemetic people. Most homes have an altar to Fodla somewhere on the premises. She is always depicted with the horns of a cow, even in her human form. She is said to greet the departed and welcome them to the Gray Halls.
Gorath - In Kemetic myth, it is Khonsu Gorath (Gorath, the Traveler) who is most closely associated with the moon, rather than Sephira. The waxing and waning of the moon is said to indicate which mood the mad deity is in, mania or melancholy. They are often depicted with the head of a baboon, although they sometimes have the head of an eagle in mockery of Akmon.
Kallias - Heru Kallias (Kallias, the Falcon or Kallias, the Distant One) is typically shown with the head of his namesake bird, although he is also often shown as a child. He is said to be the protector of the crown prince. One myth holds that Eosphorus tried to kill Kallias several times during the young god’s childhood, with Kallias escaping by his wits each time.
Kelesta - Kelesta, or Ma’at Kelesta (Kelesta, Divine Justice) is the embodiment of the Kemetic concept of structure, hierarchy, and one’s place in the universe. She is most often depicted not as a person, but as a balanced set of scales. When she is shown in mortal form, it is always as a dragonborn with one scale missing
Loreali - Shown most commonly with the head of a hippopotamus, Taweret Loreali (Loreali, Mistress of Pure Water) is revered not only as a healer, but the protector of pregnant women. She is commonly shown pregnant herself, or with a nursing child at her breast.
Lucetius - The Aur River floods annually, turning its shoreline into rich, fertile soil. This link with water and fertility is why Hapi Lucetius (Lucetius, Lord of the River) is almost always shown with large, full breasts on an otherwise male form. He is also often depicted with the head of a carp. He is highly worshiped by farmers.
Morwen - Ka-Kekui Morwen (Morwen, the Unyielding Darkness) is not revered as much as placated. Sacrifices are made to the slumbering dragon in hopes that he stays asleep for a longer time. It is said that Nicodemus’s punishment for the most heinous of crimes is to send the offenders’ souls to Morwen. He is always depicted as a dragon, never in mortal form
Nicodemus - In Kemetic myth, Wesir Nicodemus (Nicodemus, Lord of Silence) was not simply banished from the heavens, but chopped into pieces by Eosphorus’s axe and scattered to Terra. Put back together by Sephira, he now rules over the afterlife as an undead pharaoh. He is the guardian of both the living and the dead, for all shall come to him eventually. He is most often shown in traditional king’s garb, green-skinned and occasionally with the head of an ostrich.
Peitho - Cat-headed Bastet Peitho (Peitho, Lady of the Perfume Jar) is the patroness of tankiria shows. Mihari are considered especially sacred to her, and there are several myths about her interfering when a pair of mihari are in danger.
Rhemnys - Ptah Rhemnys (Rhemnys, Lord of Architects) is said to be the deity who took Morwen and Kelesta’s designs and turned them into reality. He is also believed to be the one who sculpted the different races of mortality from different kinds of sand. He is often depicted with the head of a bull.
Rhodena - The Kemetic belief is that Terra itself is formed from the body of Tatenen Rhodena (Rhodena, the Exalted Earth). They are always depicted as a’mail, often with the head of a ram. They are heavily worshiped along with Lucetius as bringers of life and nourishment.
Sephira - Sephira is the most widely revered goddess among the pantheon in Kemet. Known as Rusat Sephira (Sephira, Lady of the Throne), she is thought to be the wife of the pharaoh. She is particularly revered for her cleverness, endurance, and loyalty to her husband Nicodemus. She is mostly shown in mortal form, although sometimes with the head of a bat.
Steyfano - Mehen Steyfano (Steyfano, the Coiled One) has a smaller but extremely dedicated following within Kemet due to his position as patron of gambling. Shown with the head of a serpent, Steyfano’s favor is also supposed to protect from snake bites.
Tanith - Ammit Tanith (Tanith, Devourer of the Dead) holds a special place in Kemetic myth. Shown with the head of a crocodile, it is to her that guilty souls are fed if they fail to pass the weighing of the hearts.
Type
Geopolitical, Country
Capital
Demonym
Kemetian
Head of State
Government System
Monarchy, Absolute
Major Exports
Kemet’s main exports are in textiles, and is in fact renowned for its cotton, linen, and wool fabrics. Kemet also exports a good deal of agricultural products, chiefly grains, beans, fruit (dates and figs in particular), seafood, and livestock (mainly goats and sheep). The nation has many gold mines, leading to its raw trade as well as its use in Kemetic jewelry, which is renowned for its unique geometric patterns and shapes. Kemetic glassware is also highly valuable.