roseembolism (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
roseembolism) wrote2009-05-12 07:21 am
roseembolism) wrote2009-05-12 07:21 am
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UTGM: The Great Empires
This is a very rough draft about three of the most powerful political systems in the world of Under The Green Moon, one that's subject to massive revision Real Soon Now. For a start, I'm not happy with the names of the empires; for a second, I want to do some tinkering with the empires to make them resemble less historical kingdoms. For a start, having one of them select its leader through a contest of both learning and magic ability might be interesting.
THE EMPIRES
The three largest empires of the current world are dominated by Daemons, partially through an accident of geography and history, partially because of their superior use of magic in warfare. There are other powers though, and any number of city-states, kingdoms, tribes, and other powers. The world is far from dominated by the big three empires.
Citizens of the empires, especially the noble and well educated, tend to be forward looking, seeing themselves as the heirs of the greatest empire of the past and the epitome of civilization. They have a sense of destiny. Education and knowledge are highly respected.
The ideal imperial citizen is urbane, sophisticated, well educated and fashionable. They are as deft with wit and poetry as they are with swordplay and magic. Equipped with a strong knowledge of his place in hierarchy and society, they are confident, deferential to his superiors and gracious to his inferiors.
This is the ideal and stereotype of course, oftentimes used as an excuse for thinly veiled arrogance. And of course the way these ideals will be approached will vary wildly; a tenant farmer in the First Empire will respond to things differently than a younger son of a noble family in the Holy Republic. There is also some variation according to breed, but not as much as one might think; a Feralis for example who exhibits the right decorum and attitudes may well be more accepted than a "Barbarian" daemon who never had the benefits of civilization.
Claiming direct descent and legitimacy from the Lifemaker empire, the Old Empire dates it's formation back over 2300 years. Of course during that time the Empire has grown and shrunk and grown again, has had multiple civil wars, and split into several warring states three times, only to rejoin again. But it still claims continuity of empire. Currently the empire is in a period of conflict; it is under pressure by the Young Empire and other border nations, and several provinces are nearly independent in all but name. It is still however one of the most powerful and sophisticated polities in existence, and its inhabitants are generally convinced that these times of trouble are but temporary disturbances.
.The Empire is managed by five, largely Daemon dominated Great Houses, which are a combination of clans, corporations, and governmental bureaucracy. The Houses originally were each responsible for one major activity of the Empire (food production, metal scavenging and working, transportation, medical, etc.), but over time the responsibilities of the houses have greatly overlapped, leading to a great deal of inter-house competition. Each of the Great houses also is in charge of part of the military forces of the Empire, though they are expected to coordinate with each other. The Great Houses in select the Guiding Circle, that determines overall empire policy, and in turn the Council selects the Emperor, who is limited in power- he acts as much as a chairman and dispute mediator as ruler.
Competition for advancement is intense both inside and between the Great Houses, and there are many alliances, fraternities, orders, brotherhoods and secret societies constantly jostling for power. There are only three major levels of rank in the Great Houses however. The Inner Houses, are the higher nobility, with great power and influence, and the ability to select the Guiding Council. The Outer Houses are something of a middle management and artisan class, with some influence, most of which is indirect. Finally, the Unhoused are all those of the empire who are not part of the Empire, though citizens of it. It is possible (though difficult) to advance from one social level to the next via the patronage or great service, along with the approval of an Inner House; it is also possible, through misfortune or losing badly in politics, to be lowered in status. It is almost unheard of to advance or fall two levels, and for a House to lose it's standing is a great disgrace.
Common Characteristics: Traditional, pragmatic, introspective
Formed 900 years ago from a group of breakaway clans and portions of the legendary "Lost Houses", the Young Empire has had a rivalry with the Old Empire from almost the time of its founding. From nearly being extinguished at birth, it has grown to be a major threat to the Old Empire. Currently it is going through a period of expansion, having liberated a subject kingdom from the Old Empire, though integrating it has proven more difficult than anticipated.
The House system of the Young Empire long ago broke down, and now the empire is ruled by a group of noble houses that select an Emperor. The houses are unconcerned with directly managing wealth producing industries, being more interested in land, military affairs and jockeying for influence.
The actual running of the Empire though, from tax collection to the judiciary to the management of industry is taken care of by an extensive bureaucracy. Entry into and advancement in the bureaucracy is based both on social position and merit, which tends to counteract the family ties of the Houses. There is a constant back-and-forth playing of sides against each other, as the houses will play the bureaucracy against each other, while the bureaucracy itself will play houses against each other.
It is commonly acknowledges that the Young Empire is the leader in technology and mundane sciences, and it presses that advantage as much as it can. It is the most aggressively expansionist of the empires, and is fielding multiple exploration and trade fleets.
Characteristics: Aggressive, practical,
The Charter Republics, also known as the Holy Republics is a loose coalition formed from a bunch of independent kingdoms and city-states, held together by political alliances and a common religion. The youngest of the empires, it was formed less than 400 years ago, and is still integrating smaller polities into it by alliance and conquest.
The empire is feudalistic, and the individual provinces are largely responsible for their internal affairs. They, range in size from barely larger than a city and its farmland, to the size of a small nation, and their wealth and mundane influence varies accordingly. However, even the smallest polity jealously guards the charter that gives it a vote in the Great Assembly. It is rumored that the charters themselves are more than just agreements, that they are artifacts of magic themselves, and they are responsible for the binding together of the Republic.
The Great Assembly itself elects the Emperor, who has limited power, though the last few emperors have been attempting to consolidate and centralize power. This is difficult, because more than the other nations there is a wide diversity of cultures within the Charter Republics; many of the component states have customs that are archaic, iconoclastic, or downright strange.
Real cohesion between the nations is promoted by the Thousand Gods church; the series of temples is independent of any nation, is responsible for training nobles in both book learning and magic, leading to great influence among the nobility. In addition, the priesthood is regarded as independent and dependable diplomats, messengers and adjudicators.
The third major faction are the Imperial Knights, a semi-independent group of warrior adepts that act as a combination of police, spy corps, and diplomats; they claim a formal allegience to the Republic as a whole, but is commonly thought that they do the Emperor's bidding in knitting the Republic closer together. They are the subject of any number of romantic or heroic songs, stories and poems, and it is rumored that the most senior of the knights can actually suspend or pull the charter of a province.
THE EMPIRES
The three largest empires of the current world are dominated by Daemons, partially through an accident of geography and history, partially because of their superior use of magic in warfare. There are other powers though, and any number of city-states, kingdoms, tribes, and other powers. The world is far from dominated by the big three empires.
Citizens of the empires, especially the noble and well educated, tend to be forward looking, seeing themselves as the heirs of the greatest empire of the past and the epitome of civilization. They have a sense of destiny. Education and knowledge are highly respected.
The ideal imperial citizen is urbane, sophisticated, well educated and fashionable. They are as deft with wit and poetry as they are with swordplay and magic. Equipped with a strong knowledge of his place in hierarchy and society, they are confident, deferential to his superiors and gracious to his inferiors.
This is the ideal and stereotype of course, oftentimes used as an excuse for thinly veiled arrogance. And of course the way these ideals will be approached will vary wildly; a tenant farmer in the First Empire will respond to things differently than a younger son of a noble family in the Holy Republic. There is also some variation according to breed, but not as much as one might think; a Feralis for example who exhibits the right decorum and attitudes may well be more accepted than a "Barbarian" daemon who never had the benefits of civilization.
Claiming direct descent and legitimacy from the Lifemaker empire, the Old Empire dates it's formation back over 2300 years. Of course during that time the Empire has grown and shrunk and grown again, has had multiple civil wars, and split into several warring states three times, only to rejoin again. But it still claims continuity of empire. Currently the empire is in a period of conflict; it is under pressure by the Young Empire and other border nations, and several provinces are nearly independent in all but name. It is still however one of the most powerful and sophisticated polities in existence, and its inhabitants are generally convinced that these times of trouble are but temporary disturbances.
.The Empire is managed by five, largely Daemon dominated Great Houses, which are a combination of clans, corporations, and governmental bureaucracy. The Houses originally were each responsible for one major activity of the Empire (food production, metal scavenging and working, transportation, medical, etc.), but over time the responsibilities of the houses have greatly overlapped, leading to a great deal of inter-house competition. Each of the Great houses also is in charge of part of the military forces of the Empire, though they are expected to coordinate with each other. The Great Houses in select the Guiding Circle, that determines overall empire policy, and in turn the Council selects the Emperor, who is limited in power- he acts as much as a chairman and dispute mediator as ruler.
Competition for advancement is intense both inside and between the Great Houses, and there are many alliances, fraternities, orders, brotherhoods and secret societies constantly jostling for power. There are only three major levels of rank in the Great Houses however. The Inner Houses, are the higher nobility, with great power and influence, and the ability to select the Guiding Council. The Outer Houses are something of a middle management and artisan class, with some influence, most of which is indirect. Finally, the Unhoused are all those of the empire who are not part of the Empire, though citizens of it. It is possible (though difficult) to advance from one social level to the next via the patronage or great service, along with the approval of an Inner House; it is also possible, through misfortune or losing badly in politics, to be lowered in status. It is almost unheard of to advance or fall two levels, and for a House to lose it's standing is a great disgrace.
Common Characteristics: Traditional, pragmatic, introspective
Formed 900 years ago from a group of breakaway clans and portions of the legendary "Lost Houses", the Young Empire has had a rivalry with the Old Empire from almost the time of its founding. From nearly being extinguished at birth, it has grown to be a major threat to the Old Empire. Currently it is going through a period of expansion, having liberated a subject kingdom from the Old Empire, though integrating it has proven more difficult than anticipated.
The House system of the Young Empire long ago broke down, and now the empire is ruled by a group of noble houses that select an Emperor. The houses are unconcerned with directly managing wealth producing industries, being more interested in land, military affairs and jockeying for influence.
The actual running of the Empire though, from tax collection to the judiciary to the management of industry is taken care of by an extensive bureaucracy. Entry into and advancement in the bureaucracy is based both on social position and merit, which tends to counteract the family ties of the Houses. There is a constant back-and-forth playing of sides against each other, as the houses will play the bureaucracy against each other, while the bureaucracy itself will play houses against each other.
It is commonly acknowledges that the Young Empire is the leader in technology and mundane sciences, and it presses that advantage as much as it can. It is the most aggressively expansionist of the empires, and is fielding multiple exploration and trade fleets.
Characteristics: Aggressive, practical,
The Charter Republics, also known as the Holy Republics is a loose coalition formed from a bunch of independent kingdoms and city-states, held together by political alliances and a common religion. The youngest of the empires, it was formed less than 400 years ago, and is still integrating smaller polities into it by alliance and conquest.
The empire is feudalistic, and the individual provinces are largely responsible for their internal affairs. They, range in size from barely larger than a city and its farmland, to the size of a small nation, and their wealth and mundane influence varies accordingly. However, even the smallest polity jealously guards the charter that gives it a vote in the Great Assembly. It is rumored that the charters themselves are more than just agreements, that they are artifacts of magic themselves, and they are responsible for the binding together of the Republic.
The Great Assembly itself elects the Emperor, who has limited power, though the last few emperors have been attempting to consolidate and centralize power. This is difficult, because more than the other nations there is a wide diversity of cultures within the Charter Republics; many of the component states have customs that are archaic, iconoclastic, or downright strange.
Real cohesion between the nations is promoted by the Thousand Gods church; the series of temples is independent of any nation, is responsible for training nobles in both book learning and magic, leading to great influence among the nobility. In addition, the priesthood is regarded as independent and dependable diplomats, messengers and adjudicators.
The third major faction are the Imperial Knights, a semi-independent group of warrior adepts that act as a combination of police, spy corps, and diplomats; they claim a formal allegience to the Republic as a whole, but is commonly thought that they do the Emperor's bidding in knitting the Republic closer together. They are the subject of any number of romantic or heroic songs, stories and poems, and it is rumored that the most senior of the knights can actually suspend or pull the charter of a province.
no subject
no subject
I rather like the idea of having guns that don't use gunpowder. Using compressed air would also make field artillery impossible and automatic weapons considerably more difficult and less deadly, both of which are features that fit the setting quite well. Then again, I've always been a fan of Andre Norton's Witchworld with dart guns, swords, and chainmail.
no subject
Materials technology is a mixed bag, because aside from ceramics, there's two sources of post-Renaissance level of materials technology:
1) finding ancient caches, or mining ancient landfills, with all the hazards that may entail.
2)Organically grown materials: there are plants that can grow carbon fibers, diamonds, even secret minerals from seawater. They are non-mobile, finicky to take care of, and well, strategic resources. There's never enough of them.
no subject
Gunpowder is a technology that has been lost and rediscovered a couple times, much like heavier-than-air flight. In the current era it hasn't been reinvented yet. given that the discovery of gunpowder was more or less an accident, I think that's pretty reasonable.
Thee are no visible utilty fogs, much as I loved the Centauri Knights setting. Same goes for anti-gunpowder bacteria.
And to be honest, the basic root of UTGM was a sword-and-sorcery setting, and to my mind, guns don't quite fit. There are "artifact" weapons that are better than guns, but that's a different story.
no subject
no subject
In one or two cases the knowledge may have been suppressed, but for the most part I see it mostly being a case of a superior item coming along, relegating it to a chemical curiosity for a thousand years or more, and then have the majority of the population go away. In some cases a more guildlike attitude toward knowledge may help.
Finally, I tend to think the major Empires are a little lax on some elements of chemistry in general, since they have other areas to focus on.