The Holy Arbia Empire
Ruling over the Arbian Expanse and dividing northern Virasia from southern Virasia is the great Holy Arbia Empire.
History
Long ago before the Empire was formed there was a nation ruled by powerful mages and other magic users. Drunk on their own power they practically enslaved those unable to use magic. Villages starved. Children grew up homeless and without parents. Those who fought the nobles and royalty or even publically thought ill of them were tortured and killed in town squares. It was truly a dismal time. That is until three saints arrived. A Saint of fire, a Saint of the coast and a Saint of Thunder. Together these three saints rallied the people of the land and led them towards war against their oppressors. After a long hard-fought war the three saints fought and defeated the Mage King of the land and freed the people. Unfortunately, the saints had suffered serious wounds from their battle with the Mage King and would soon pass away. When they did the leader of their followers unmasked himself, for back then those that followed the three saints always wore masks to ward against divination magic, and established a church to honor and worship the three saints that freed the people. Without a person or group to govern the people of the land, the Church proclaimed that it would care for the people and the land just like the three saints would have wanted. Thus the Holy Arbia Empire was born.
Since its founding, the Empire has always had a strong disdain towards magic. While primarily this is targeted towards arcane or natural magic, those that use divine magic are looked upon as a necessary evil. In fact, very few members of the church that leads the empire are actually capable of magic, preferring steel and wood.
Military
The Holy Arbia has a massive military but much like the Saints they worship, there are three main branches. The largest and best known is the Arms of the Saint. The Arms serves as the bulk of their forces and also as the manual laborers for the Empire. When not fighting a crusade or training they work on infrastructure, clear out monster dens, and rebuild run-down towns and city districts. Members of the Arms receive free housing if they want it, pays reduced taxes and allowed to attend masses performed by high priests. Above the Arms are the Saint Disciples, an order of individuals believed to be chosen by the Three Saints and gifted with great power or intellect. These individuals often serve as generals leading the Arms, protectors of major cities and agents of the Holy Empire. Though the smallest part of the empire's military they are similar to celebrities and often treated as heroes and symbols of the Empire. Whenever a Saint Disciple dies while an active member they have a statue dedicated to them placed in the main temple in Ardas. In addition to receiving the best the Empire has to offer, Saint Disciples often receive a number of members from the Arm as servants, bodyguards, and assistants. The last branch of the empire's military is the Saint's Inquisition better known simply as the Inquisition. Incredibly secretive, all members of the Inquisition wear blank masks to protect their identity. The Inquisition serves as the police force, the information network, prison wardens, and hunt and deal with magic users within the empire. No one truly knows how many members are in the Inquisition since they never gather in large numbers however they are believed to be larger than the Saint Disciples but smaller than the Arms.
Type
Geopolitical, Empire
Capital
Alternative Names
The Holy Empire, The Empire
Government System
Theocracy
Currency
The Holy Empire uses a coin system like the majority of the known world, though, over the centuries their slang names for the coins have become the most common way to call them by.
Platinium coins are called Saints
Gold coins are called Priests
Silver Coins are called Prayers
Copper Coins are called Beggars
Platinium coins are called Saints
Gold coins are called Priests
Silver Coins are called Prayers
Copper Coins are called Beggars
Legislative Body
All laws and rules are created by the head of the Church of the Three Saints and approved by the council of high priests
Official State Religion
Parent Organization
Location
Official Languages
Controlled Territories
Neighboring Nations
Comments