Jubilex
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Posts: 7
(10/9/02 6:18 pm)
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The Lunar Empire
Much of what the Moagari know of the Lunar Empire comes from the Lunars themselves during the time of the occupation. Therefore certain facts about the vast Empire of the Crescent Moon vary depending on who one asks.
The current Emperor, Kqaliel II -Divine Progeny of Luna, Overlord of the Saksimm, Hand of Jazul Kal Vana, The One Chosen - ascended to the Ivory Throne through the direct intervention of Luna herself. He was lifted from his bed by the Chariot of Moonlight and delivered to the Honus Udra, the Great Temple of Luna in Thargomindah. The moment his silken sandals touched the polished flagstones of the temple the current Emperor, his brother Ataqel, burned to a pile of ashes which was then carried away by the wind. There are persistant rumors, however, that Kqaliel had his brother poisoned, stabbed and dumped in a pile of offal to be devoured by rot grubs.
The strength of the Lunar Empire resides in three branches of government, their Three Columns: the Legions, the People, and Luna.
The Legions are organized into divisions of three thousand men (they are exclusively humans), and make no allowances for foreign or inhuman auxilliaries. Each Legion is commanded by a Field General, and each General answers to the Lord Marshall of the Empire. The men of these legions are intensely trained and fanatically loyal professional soldiers. They are generally xenophobic and treat any non-Imperials as barbaric scum. This attitude is encouraged by the Lord Marshall.
The typical legionnaire carries an oblong wooden shield, a broad bladed sword, and a light crossbow. Trained extensively in their use, each cohort of the legion can act as both front line unit and fire support. The crossbow was invented in the Lunar Empire, in fact, as was the technological height of body armor in the present day: chainmail. Legionnaires typically wear a long hauberk of mail with hardened pieces of boiled leather on their shins and forearms. Their heads are covered in a simple cap of hammered plate.
The People are the second Column of the Empire and they are largely unrepresented in government. Although the Emperor maintains a collegium of scholars and advisors to keep him informed of issues that may affect the citizens and occupied peoples of the Empire, the common man of the Lunar Empire trusts in the divine nature of the Emperor to protect him and rule with a benevolant hand.
Finally, Luna stands as the third Column. Faith in the Moon Goddess is absolute in the Empire, and she suffers the presence of no other Gods. Her priests maintain a connection with both the divine power of the Goddess and the arcane magic that is conjured from the Outer Worlds. The Emperor himself is the head of the Lunar Church, although he often has no supernatural power of his own.
On the frontiers of the Empire the Lunar cult is far from dominant. The occupied lands often maintain a host of their own Gods and react violently to the imposition of the Empire's monotheism. Wise magistrates learn to leave the local Gods to the locals, while painting a different picture for the distant Emperor. At least, that is what the magistrate of Moagara did.
The people of the Lunar Empire are a diverse bunch, and the Legions regularly draft promising candidates from the occupied territories into the service despite their xenophobia. However, the core of the Empire and those people that hold all the most important political positions are of the same racial stock. They are humans with an ancient lineage, tall and noble in appearance, skin of a deep brown (one might say black), and are generally both superb atheletes and avid scholars. Their language is complex, but resists the fracturing influence of dialectal erosion. They believe they are destined to rule the world and their entire culture is based on the demonstration of that belief.
Edited by: Jubilex at: 12/11/02 11:50:00 am
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