Dragaeran Empire
From the Lyorn Records of the Dragaeran Empire
The Dragaeran Empire is the largest political entity on the planet sometimes referred to as Dragaera.
The Empire's main purpose is to ease trade among its parts, protect safety of the roads, and administer the feudal society that in turn nurtures it.
The Empire's nature is tied in with its 17 Houses, who rotate dominance and the Emperorship over the years as dictated by the Cycle, which is in turn watched over by the gods. The causal relationships between the Gods, the Cycle, and the politics of the Empire appear to work in all directions simultaneously.
The Empire is covered by the Enclouding.
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[edit] History
The Empire was originally founded by Kieron the Conquerer, and Zerika the First was the first empress.
The Empire disintegrated after Adron's Disaster, which turned its capital Dragaera City into the Lesser Sea of Chaos and began the Interregnum, which lasted for 247 years.
It was restored by Zerika the Fourth when she recovered the Imperial Orb from the Paths of the Dead, then defeated the political ambitions of "The Pretender", Kâna during the Battle of Adrilankha.
[edit] Organizational Structure
The Empire is ruled by the Emperor or Empress with the help of The Court, which includes the Warlord, the Prime Minister, various other ministries (including Finance, and a Minister of the Houses) the Court Wizard and the Imperial Discreet.
Important persons within the Empire are also given various titles, signifying rank or status. Titles are sometimes (but not always) associated with feudal land holdings. Landed titles signify not only privilege, but also responsibility; both to the Teckla inhabitants of their fief, and to the well-being and protection of the Empire.
The Empire is broken down into several major duchies. (Exactly how many is unclear, we know the names of quite a few, but there are likely to be many more. Possibly more than seventeen.) There are also at least a few principalities, though these have never been named.
[edit] Known Duchies of Dragaera
- Arylle
- Blackbirdriver
- Eastmanswatch
- Fautonswell
- Kâna
- Highland Reef
- Hampers
- Luatha
- Needle-at-the-Top
- Southmoor
- Two Rivers
Note: Since the names of these duchies is taken from a variety of different historical time periods, it's possible that some may exist by different names, or even that more than one of the aforementioned names might refer to the same geographical location.
Duchies are divided into Counties, which are further divided into Baronies, and then Baronetcies. It is unclear whether there are Shires, or similar smaller subdivisions by any other name.
The Pre-Interregnum capital city of Dragaera City existed outside of any of the duchies, and was presumably situated on land controlled directly by the Emperor or Empress. It is unclear if Adrilankha is a part of any duchy, although it was at least nominally inside the County of Whitecrest at the beginning of the reign of Zerika the Fourth.
[edit] Civil Defense
The Empress is guarded by the Imperial Guard (named after the position of the cycle, such as Phoenix Guard or Athyra Guard), which has a division that acts as a police force within the capital city of Adrilankha.
Civil crimes are typically punished with fines, imprisonment in the Imperial Prisons, or with the death penalty on the Executioner's Star.
The Empire is defended from external threats by an Imperial Army and Navy, which are commanded by the Warlord. It is also defended sorcerously by the Imperial Orb.
The Empire is not currently expansionist, though there are two nations (Elde Island and Greenaere) easily reached across naval boundaries that occasionally either trade or war with it.
[edit] Geographical Boundaries
Geographically, it dominates the major continent of the known world. It is bordered on the east by the Eastern Kingdoms, and on the south and west by the sea. To the north are the Forever Plains, the Paths of the Dead, and the Greater Sea of Chaos.
The interior consists of a wide variety of landscapes, from the grasslands of the Pushta, to the jungles of Southmoor, and further, from the mountainous regions of Kanefthali to the arid Suntra desert.
See also: Dramatis Loci
For more information, including a great deal of informed speculation, see Bryan Newell's Unofficial Map of Dragaera for a detailed look at the specifics of Dragaeran Geography.
