Empire of Naset
The first and longest lasting empire mortalkind has ever seen, the Empire of Naset's rule over Eastern Sett has been uncontested since the onset of the Calamity. Long ago during these days when gods walked amongst mortals, the ruler of this great land passed on leaving his two sons to rule in his stead as these gods slowly turned against one another. The first brother was a wizened scholar who sought for an arcane progression away from the Primaris deities, while the younger was a devout worshipper of Celestor with a natural talent for magical practices. As the war between gods raged, the older brother betrayed his younger kin, blinded by the machinations and promises of a whispering voice in the back of his head. This Whispered One sought to crumble the city under his legions of undead followers, and managed to ascend to godhood with the aid of the older brother. Becoming a pawn within his puppeteers game, the brother led his master's army against the city laying a siege against it that last two months.
In the name of Arkhan the empire would fall if not for divine intervention out of its peoples reach, as most of the gods were fighting across Riven against the rest of the Betrayer Gods, unknowing of Arkhan's ascension. When all hope seemed lost, a single light emerged from the palace that stood in the center of the city, and up rose the deceased brother alongside constructs made of sand and divine energy. For another month the rightful heir to Naset would stand against the hordes of skeletal legionnaires, defending his people alongside his divine soldiers. Even against the divine strength of a god he stood damaged, but unbroken, long enough for the Dawn Father and the Raven Queen and save the population of Naset; leading this desert into a new age of prosperity despite the wishes of the Great Usurper.
The Emperor of Naset, now an ascended warrior as old as the Citadel of Naset itself approaches his fifth millennium atop his throne and his iron will has not wavered with age. A tall, powerful, nigh-immortal ruler, the Emperor rewards loyalty and swiftly punishes insolence and failure. His blinding focus on the good of his empire and the legacy it holds on the world overshadows miniscule aspects of Nasetan society. Rebellion against his word is quelled with swift force as technological and arcane advancement within the empire's borders slows to a halt. His inability to age may have left his body in tact over the thousands of years he's ruled, but his mind lays stuck in the past despite his hopes to protect the citizens of his empire from danger.
Standing firm within the center of the city, held in place by arcane trammels and towers, an orb of godly light as big as a castle oversees the golden city known as the Sun Soul. Fashioned under the guidance of the God King himself, the great Sun Soul brought the favor of divine, celestial powers to Naset. Once it was complete, it is said the waters of life flowed through the canyons surrounding the city, bringing life to the desert. For eons, the sun worshippers of Naset have owed their society's prosperity to the incredible power of the sun. Thanks to the prodigious orb of light that hovered above the capital city, ancient Nasetans could wield raw celestial magic to make their land more bountiful. This magic came to even be used by the elite guards and soldiers within its walls known as the Sai Guard, who with powerful conjurations known as sand soldiers can act as both city guardsman and operate as foreign soldiers for their nation. The Sun Soul was the center of all empire culture; it permeated every aspect, from religion to icons to dress and so on.
The primary objective of the Empire is to seek out and recover the discarded fingers of the Hand and Eye of Arkhan scattered across Naset. Not only does each finger in the wrong hands bring the eventual rebirth of the dead god closer, the destruction of this artifact would finally bring an end to the remnants of his legions scattered across the sands - including the Emperor's brother. Desperate to find these dangerous artifacts, the empire will do nearly anything to keep them away from the wrong hands. However, these artifacts are protected by dangerous creations of the god of necromancy and thus are too dangerous to hire any adventurer off the street to claim them. The high captain of the Sai Guard has hired an old friend and hero of the empire's mercenary organization, the Roses of the Sai, to find these appendages discreetly to not garner unwanted attention. Now however, the empire is preparing to send their own troops to find these after months of no success in an effort to claim them before the enemies of the throne do.
In addition to this threat, a confederate nation to the empire known as the Levantine Dynasty has successfully succeeded the lower edge of empire settlements. A cold war has erupted between the two has been boiling for the past ten decades after a civil war between the two factions, and the Emperor stands waiting for any act of war to justify a full scale assault against the traitors. While many settlements close to the center of the empire don't see a problem with a neighboring nation as, for the most part, the Dynasty seems friendly with their traders and merchants, the Emperor does not see things the same way. In order to preserve the empire's legacy as the greatest nation on Riven, a threat to his people as great as this must be quelled in grand fashion.
Goals
Relationships
With tensions rising between the empire and the dynasty, war is almost inevitable between the two factions. The Emperor, maddened with age, views these confederates as a threat to Nasetan society and seeks to forcibly subjugate them back into the empire, or crush those who oppose. Waiting at the wings for the first sign of justifiable war, the Sai Guard stands ready for a full scale invasion into Levantine territory at the guard captain Rashem's command. Besides their neighbors to the South, the empire stands on good terms with the Calgaerus Alliance, Chroma Concordat, floating city of Providence, and fractured provinces of Kano. However these good terms does not mean societal advancement within the empire's borders. The usage of the skyports and arcane gates found in Providence has yet to be adopted by the empire, and their relations with the nations of Typhon is nothing more than defensive treaties and trade agreements. While not unfriendly with their reptilian neighbors to the West, the empire does not condone their use of slavery and thus doesn't conduct business with them on a regular basis. Lastly, they empire also has a few trade agreements and treaties with the Ashguard Imperium. This relationship has proven tenuous however, as Ashguard soldiers and citizens have been settling within the port city of Jrunaris unwelcomed, leading to conflict between the citizens of the port and their newfound guests.Culture
Naset is a place that has a thriving culture that embodies every corner of the Sai. The people of Naset have been emperors and warriors, slaves and scholars, enduring beneath the glare of the desert sun and their practices and beliefs reflect that. Nasetan's hold long standing traditions and legacy above all else, not too dissimilar from the Emperor that leads them. They focus on the preservation of where they came from, and thus whether families within the empire be descendants of the royal court long ago, nomads from the dunes, or migrants from across the mountains, their previous values are respected in tandem with empire culture. Because of this, for the most part, nasetan citizens have varied traditions and occupations within their households. Some may be scholars from Shuala that have melded elemental magic inwards with their divine practices, others may be tomb raiders whose royal libraries they have access to grants them insight into the dungeons they delve, and others may be a nomad whose clans they crushed long ago have been twisted into the stories they tell at empire oasis'. Regardless, an imperial through their knowledge of the sands, their strong family bonds, and sheer determination will ensure that history will not forget them.
Demography and Population
Laws
Laws of the Nasetan Empire
As judged by the eyes of local lawmasters, appointed hands of that lawmaster, or even the Emperor himself, and criminals discovered and / or convicted of crimes within local halls of judgement throughout the empire are subject to punishments befitting the crime. All fines and punishments for crimes against a Sai Guard member or noble are doubled. All fines and punishments regarding crimes against an imperial official are tripled.
- Theft: 2-5 days incarceration and a fine equal to the worth stolen.
- Ownership of another intelligent humanoid creature: 12-20 months incarceration and a fine of 1,500 gp.
- Trespassing: 5 days incarceration and / or a fine of 150 gp
- Damage to private property: 5-20 days incarceration and a repossession of property equal to the amount owed.
- Damage to Empire property: 15-50 days incarceration and a fine of twice the worth of property destroyed.
- Kidnapping: 60 days incarceration and / or a fine of 800 gp.
- Worship of Betrayer Gods: 150 days incarceration, or encasement (petrification at the hands of the Emperor).
- Assault with intent to injure: 30 days incarceration and a fine of 200 gp.
- Assault with intent to kill: 250 days incarceration and / or a fine of 1,500 gp, or encasement.
- Murder: 5-15 years incarceration and / or a fine of 5,000 gp, or encasement.
- Treason: encasement, or execution.
Basic Information
Type
Geopolitical, Empire
Capital
Alternative Names
Naseten Empire
Training Level
Elite
Veterancy Level
Experienced
Demonym
Nasetan, Imperial
Leader
Government System
Monarchy, Absolute
Location
Controlled Territories
Neighboring Nations
