Post by Dread Gnat on Jun 14, 2012 20:18:47 GMT -5
The Basics:
The Amalgamation is the largest nation in the world. They have the biggest army, the most people, but also, unfortunately, the most problems.
The Amalgamation conquered till it could no longer expand. On its western border is the Celestine Empire, a pantheonistic nation that is almost as powerful as they are. To the southeast is the nadine empire which doesnt have close to the same number of men, but they use dark magics and the mountains to create a near impenetrable defense. To the east are the coatl, who have burning hatred for the amalgamation, and off the coast to the north are the vicaul who are pillaging raiders.
As if these territorial disputes were bad enough, there are also huge bandit problems, frequent rebellions, a huge power struggle between the church and nobility, and many other problems. In short, their power, though considerable, is always stretched thin.
The amalgamation is a theocracy led by their church. The peasantry are worked hard, but promised protection and salvation. And though few would call the Amalgamation evil, many would call them eager for war, and religiously blinded.
***
Spreading across most of the eastern expanse, the Amalgamation is the largest, and arguably the strongest of all the nations. It is driven by religious fervor, and they see their conquest as a divine mandate.
The Amalgamation, as its name implies is made up of many different peoples and cultures that have all been conquered by their empire. Those conquered by the Amalgamation are taken and taught the ways of the Church of Chorus. They either convert, or they die. The captured people’s culture is erased, and their literature is burnt. They are also often moved from their indigenous homeland, and placed in another location within the Amalgamation.
Though the Amalgamation has the largest Army, they have enemies on every border, and always seem to be quelling internal strife within its boundaries. The Amalgamation’s army also isn’t as well outfitted or disciplined as one might assume. Their front line is made up of newly conquered people and less desirable citizens. The following lines of forces include the Amalgamation’s more veteran soldiers, and will almost always have some of their elite Inquisitors on the battlefield.
For a nation as rife with internal struggle as the Amalgamation, the Inquisitors serve several roles. The first is to spread the mandates of the Church. The next is to seek out heresy and threats to the nation and destroy it. The third is to maintain order. All inquisitors are skilled in the arts of torture, and are chosen and indoctrinated since their youth.
Though the inquisitors do an exceedingly good job at maintaining order through fear, there has always been a tension between the ruling nobility, and the theocracy. No one is above the church, and therefore the inquisition will take no pause at executing heretical nobles. But it is (at least in theory) the nobles’ place to rule the lands and actually run the nation. Therefore, even the Kings of the Amalgamation must be ordained by the church, and their heirs granted the church’s blessing before they can ascend to lead their nation.
Caught in the crossfire between dissenting nobles, fanatical priests, lost history, and a swarm of enemy nations surrounding them, are the people. The citizens of the Amalgamation by and large have been victimized their entire life. They hold few privileges, and are heavily taxed. Though life is considerably better for them in the Amalgamation than as say a slave in Breach, or to live in the Nadine Empire, the life they live is still filled with hardship.
The average Amalgamation citizen is also less educated than the average citizen of other nations. This is due to the strict censorship imposed by the church. Some ... misinformation, is also taught as though it were fact in regard to their enemy nations. Many citizens in the Amalgamations believe the soldiers of the Empire to be demons, or the Coatl to feast on human flesh. The Church even paints the chaste maidens of the Celestine Empire as foul seductresses that exist to lure away men’s souls. The peasants are kept ignorant for many reasons; however, the most apparent seems to be control.
One prominent group of rebels that sprung up in recent times is the ‘Churchwood Brotherhood’ which is a glorified band of thieves that dwell in ‘Churchwood’ a large forest in the Central Expanse. Other citizens cope through ale, as the Amalgamation has some of the better ales and spirits.
The Amalgamation is the largest nation in the world. They have the biggest army, the most people, but also, unfortunately, the most problems.
The Amalgamation conquered till it could no longer expand. On its western border is the Celestine Empire, a pantheonistic nation that is almost as powerful as they are. To the southeast is the nadine empire which doesnt have close to the same number of men, but they use dark magics and the mountains to create a near impenetrable defense. To the east are the coatl, who have burning hatred for the amalgamation, and off the coast to the north are the vicaul who are pillaging raiders.
As if these territorial disputes were bad enough, there are also huge bandit problems, frequent rebellions, a huge power struggle between the church and nobility, and many other problems. In short, their power, though considerable, is always stretched thin.
The amalgamation is a theocracy led by their church. The peasantry are worked hard, but promised protection and salvation. And though few would call the Amalgamation evil, many would call them eager for war, and religiously blinded.
***
Spreading across most of the eastern expanse, the Amalgamation is the largest, and arguably the strongest of all the nations. It is driven by religious fervor, and they see their conquest as a divine mandate.
The Amalgamation, as its name implies is made up of many different peoples and cultures that have all been conquered by their empire. Those conquered by the Amalgamation are taken and taught the ways of the Church of Chorus. They either convert, or they die. The captured people’s culture is erased, and their literature is burnt. They are also often moved from their indigenous homeland, and placed in another location within the Amalgamation.
Though the Amalgamation has the largest Army, they have enemies on every border, and always seem to be quelling internal strife within its boundaries. The Amalgamation’s army also isn’t as well outfitted or disciplined as one might assume. Their front line is made up of newly conquered people and less desirable citizens. The following lines of forces include the Amalgamation’s more veteran soldiers, and will almost always have some of their elite Inquisitors on the battlefield.
For a nation as rife with internal struggle as the Amalgamation, the Inquisitors serve several roles. The first is to spread the mandates of the Church. The next is to seek out heresy and threats to the nation and destroy it. The third is to maintain order. All inquisitors are skilled in the arts of torture, and are chosen and indoctrinated since their youth.
Though the inquisitors do an exceedingly good job at maintaining order through fear, there has always been a tension between the ruling nobility, and the theocracy. No one is above the church, and therefore the inquisition will take no pause at executing heretical nobles. But it is (at least in theory) the nobles’ place to rule the lands and actually run the nation. Therefore, even the Kings of the Amalgamation must be ordained by the church, and their heirs granted the church’s blessing before they can ascend to lead their nation.
Caught in the crossfire between dissenting nobles, fanatical priests, lost history, and a swarm of enemy nations surrounding them, are the people. The citizens of the Amalgamation by and large have been victimized their entire life. They hold few privileges, and are heavily taxed. Though life is considerably better for them in the Amalgamation than as say a slave in Breach, or to live in the Nadine Empire, the life they live is still filled with hardship.
The average Amalgamation citizen is also less educated than the average citizen of other nations. This is due to the strict censorship imposed by the church. Some ... misinformation, is also taught as though it were fact in regard to their enemy nations. Many citizens in the Amalgamations believe the soldiers of the Empire to be demons, or the Coatl to feast on human flesh. The Church even paints the chaste maidens of the Celestine Empire as foul seductresses that exist to lure away men’s souls. The peasants are kept ignorant for many reasons; however, the most apparent seems to be control.
One prominent group of rebels that sprung up in recent times is the ‘Churchwood Brotherhood’ which is a glorified band of thieves that dwell in ‘Churchwood’ a large forest in the Central Expanse. Other citizens cope through ale, as the Amalgamation has some of the better ales and spirits.