The Great Game

The politics of Old Ras have always been byzantine to say the least, and in many ways the developments that followed it throughout the centuries were more an accidental result of this political infighting rather than a great plan that was being fulfilled over generations.

Politics in Old Ras were to its elite a business both messy and beautiful, so they called it the Great Game, the Grand Dance, or simply the Web, and in its madness it was as much fighting for power as it was a dance or song or simply a game. Though a childish view, and the very mindset that lead to the erosion of their power, one could not deny the kernel of truth in their words, and so it has become a common phrase among the common folk and thus survived into the modern era.

But before one can speak of the many great events that shaped the nation one should should at the very least see how the government of the empire looks today, from its top to its bottom.

A constitutional monarchy with a federated power structure, the constitution of Old Ras is both flexible and uncodified, divided among several documents and written traditions, and vests power within five different branches of government(also known as courts) with the monarch as the head of government.

The Legislative Court is the unicameral legislature otherwise known as the Chosen Council. Composed of 3000 elected officials lead by the Prōtoproedros, it is a vast and almost unruly thing, further complicated by the ban on political parties, as each person is meant to be elected on their own merits, this both being a result of and further leading to the proliferation of byzantine alliances within the state. The many states of the Empire are each allotted a set amount of representatives within the Council depending on population, with a small percentage of the seats(between 2-3%) being held automatically by the heads of the states that make up the nation, or other figures of "great importance".

The Court of the Executive is the executive branch lead by the council of ministers and Grand Logothete or Chancellor, the former of which are determined by the Chosen Council whereas the latter is determined usually by several election cycles. Within this system, but also technically a part of is the Grand Administration, or Great Bureaucracy, treated as semi-independent by law and charged with managing and training the many bureaucrats that make up the vast bureaucratic machine that runs the nation. Headed by the Wuzurg framadār who leads the Grand Secretariat composed of a Secretary to accompany each minister, the Wuzurg framadār is, effectively, the co-head of the branch to the Grand Logothete. The main purpose of the ministers and their subordinates is to execute the law, whereas the bureaucrats under the Grand Secretariat manage and organize the bureaucrats involved, but not their training and preparation, all for the sake of interdepartmental communication.

The Judiciary Court is the judicial branch deriving authority from several different judicial traditions and is represented by two main bodies, the Universal Judges, the Rasian equivalent to a Supreme court, headed by the Judge of Judges and a council of "Universal judges" and the Rasian constitutional court, the Court of Adjudicators, or Arbiters of the Word of Law, which is a separate body much younger in age and charged with constitutional law only.

The Court of Examination is charged with maintaining and validating the qualifications of civil servants. Not only is it in charge of ensuring the quality training of the bureaucrats that maintain the government, they are also charged with the training of the higher offices in the Executive Court, preparing and providing an introduction to the appointed officials that may not have the necessary education to perform their duty, and in some cases declaring them unfit for office in the form of a complaint to the final Court. Preparation of bureaucrats is a key tenet of the government, and the Court of Examination is there to, at least nominally, ensure their quality in all matters.

The Court of Auditors is the final of the five Courts of Ras, with the sole purpose of monitoring the other Courts and ensuring both their quality and adherence to the law. Headed by the Grand Censor, the Censors or Auditors formed as an amalgamation of several systems of supervision and are to be distinguished from Bureaucrat Censors from the Executive Court, which are charged with taking the census.

The head of the government is the current head of the House of Samo, bearing the title of Emperor/Empress and its equivalents in the local languages. While de jure the monarch has many powers, de facto the position is mostly a ceremonial one, as part of a "compromise" as it is called, between the ruler and the people. The Emperor may call upon special powers similar to that of the Court heads, but to do so would be to walk a thin line towards autocracy and an almost certain overthrow of the government. The monarch is meant to preside over the meetings of the Chosen Council, though this role is almost entirely ceremonial, and the Prōtoproedros is the one who truly presides over the proceedings.

The Factions of the Great Game

Having seen the way the Rasian government is organised, one must look upon one other thing that defines political life in Old Ras, and that is the factions that have formed in the nation over the ages. As time passed, some have risen while others have fallen and in this case one must look to the factions currently present after the civil war, the ones that survived, failed and thrived as a result of it.

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The Old Guard

Representing the current political majority in the Chosen Council and led by Prōtoproedros Dragutin, the Old Guard is the only faction to have been literally birthed after the end of the civil war. For it was the civil war that saw one of the worst political purges in the history of the nation, leading to the death of a large majority of the political elite in the Chosen Council, chief among them the Imperial House of Samo. This thrust many a relic into the spotlight, as formerly retired politicians were pulled from retirement in the interim or saw re-election despite their mandates having passed, by special dispensation no less. They are defenders of the status quo and fierce at that. The one purpose members of this faction have agreed to is that never again shall brother kill brother in the Empire. To this end they act as a moderate conservatives, cooling the passions of the other factions and working towards restoring stability and integrity to the nation. The only aggressive act they have not openly condemned is the reclamation of Tyrsennia, for they know that this would surely doom their careers. None the less they urge caution in all actions, which leads to conflict with the more flamboyant factions, as well as the monarch in some cases, who is a proponent of more radical reforms in favour of the people, though thus far he has defended them at every step, separating personal feelings from politics, and from this alliance the sole thread that keeps the Empire whole hangs. The Prōtoproedros is as conservative as they come, having served as proedros in the Council before(a position bellow his current one, and in his case the proedros of Haemia, the greater province of the eastern of the two mainland peninsulas). He is not only fiercely stoic towards those who oppose him, but towards his own faction as well, never taking sides in inter-factional conflicts beyond when things get too out of hand. The status quo is his byword, and he does all he can to defend it.

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The Militarists

For all intents and purposes the militarists should have disappeared after the civil war, as it was the militarist generals that begat the entire conflict with their infighting and attempted overthrow of the government, but by the actions of one man this faction retains what influence it can, representing the war hawks of the empire, its main goal is to both increase the power and strength of the military and its branches within the empire, and by those means to ensure the dominance of the Empire in the world stage, but foremost above all else, to crush the barbarians to the north and to start the idealised "Third Restoration". Lead by Hanno, the Grand Dux of the Hearth Navy that is charged with the central sea, it is his decision to support the Loyalists during the civil war while maintaining command over the navy that lead to not only the blocking of Vaherian attempts at sea dominance, but the control that eventually allowed the land forces to win a victory over the factions of the civil war. Refusing to be promoted to the position of head of the entire Imperial Armada, he deftly placed a loyal supporter, thus allowing him some mobility within the political scene so as to avoid being labelled another militarist grasping for power. A great example of arrogance and the Rasian superiority complex, Admiral Hanno is none the less viewed as a war hero, and one of the Saviours of the Empire, and for now his faction fights for prominence on the political stage, to restore their former influence and prestige.

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The Magi and Bearded Ones

Despite the onset of modernism, religion has remained an important part of the Rasian identity, and with the full support of the temples towards the Loyalists during the civil war, as well as the deft moves of the now deceased High Priestess Ninsun, the priesthoods have placed themselves in a position that allows them to not only be seen as the protectors of the nation and its heritage, but supporters of the rule of law and the people, mainly due to the fact that they did not make use of their dominance during the Civil War to take control of the government(though many believe this was more due to pragmatism than desires). The Priesthoods fight for their own prominence and to ensure government support for their civil projects. Their neutrality has spared them the ire of the Old Guard and thus lead to a live and let live attitude, something they are making full use of to ensure a golden age dawns for religion within the empire. Composed of once bitter enemies, namely the Priests of the Creator and the Priests of the Tetrad, modernity had enforced upon them a position where they ally for their own good, all for the sake of survival, and together these two groups, certainly the most influential religiously, lead the other priesthoods that form the faction. Currently they are lead by Utu, High Priest of the Sun and brother to Ninsun, who herself was High Priestess of the Moon. As time marches forward and people fail to recall who kept the nation together in their time of great need, they battle for prominence within a world that increasingly forgets them.

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The Venerable Blues and Greens

Claiming a connection to ancient parties of yore, the Venerable Blues and Greens are quite different from the groups they claim to revive. They are the agrarians and environmentalists, standing to defend what they feel has given the Empire power above all others, the fields and waters that nourish it. Balancing carefully between constant industrial expansion and maintenance of their green policy, they are a relatively young party, having formed before the Civil War but only coming to their own after its conclusion. Some of their more radical ideas about still providing jobs despite the need for rampant mechanization and their stance on the environment in opposition to the large oil industry has lead to them being sidelined, yet as the nomarchs of Tmry and the politicians of Ur-Nelam, the de facto capital, lead by the Nomarch of the Ivory Walls Nome, Tawadros, they are by no means a group that should be sidelined. Representing the regions, both urban and rural, that heavily rely on agriculture and have a large following of pro-green folk, their relevance and power only grows as the issue of global warming becomes more prominent.

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The Mizdakites

Representing the many different socialists within the Empire, the Mizdakites take their name from a proto socialist offshoot of the Cult of the Flame that flourished during the early middle ages before being violently stamped out and erased by an Emperor. The mainstream socialists call themselves Zedrushites after the actual founder of the religion(whereas the movement is named after the most famous prophet and martyr of the religion). They've changed since their inception several centuries prior and now represent social democracy, advocating for increased socialism. The other major block is the Muškēnu, effectively of almost identical but representing the interests of the trade unions first and foremost. They take their name from an old name representing the commoners and indigent in the heartlands. The two radical and lesser versions of these are CAOR(Communist Association of Old Ras) and SAOR(Syndicalist Association of Old Ras), though both have become almost entirely irrelevant in the current political climate. The former two have made gains however, as socialism in Old Ras was never as reviled as in many other places, and now as politics in the empire move about to perhaps finally allow them to dominate the political stage. The Mizdakites have no true leader, instead divided between the leading councils of the Zedrushites and the Muškēnu.

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The Outer Ring

Headed by High King Magnus of Norwend, the Outer Ring represents the combined interests of Norwend, Estwend, Tawanti and Matupa, the smaller states, in the face of the mainland and the stronger prefectures of Vitelia, Josyon and Haemia. They formed during the civil war as a result of the actions of High King Magnus, not only to defend the interests of the states from outside interference, but from the worst possible outcome of the civil war. Magnus sees outside nations as a poor replacement for the Empire, not out of loyalty and zeal so much as out of the non-interference policy of the Empire, as well as the dominance the smaller states have achieved in certain fields(such as the mining industry). This faction exists as a block of the minority states and exists to defend their interests within the Empire and further their power and influence. When they vote, they vote in the hopes of allocating more of the budget their way and towards expanding their operations, both at home and abroad.

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The Porphyrogenites

Representing the major and minor nobility of the Empire, the majority of the 2-3% Chosen Council seats are held by the major nobility, heads of state to the minor states within the empire such as the kings of the cities of Sur and Sidun or the King of Hayese. These heads of state have long since lost their political power and relevance and now they fight for the preservation of their privileges and ceremonies. Strong supporters of the Old Guard(For what is more traditional than nobility?) The few major nobles and many minor nobles advocate for funding of the arts and humanities, and especially for the preservation of culture(That it so happens they usually live in and get income from cultural monuments like palaces is quite plainly their main motive), relying more on their celebrity status and the support of the people to achieve their goal, ironically becoming the faction most reliant on democracy within the Empire, as their main allies remain the local councils and assemblies for whom they are the heads of state. Though lacking a leader, the noble kings of Sur and Sidun represent the greatest voices within the faction, with the noble dynasties of Hayese and Kartasa being among the more popular groups. The Regent of Josyon is arguably the most powerful, albeit not most popular, figure among them.

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The Populares

The faction espousing liberalism, and especially prevalent within the circles of Haemia and Vitelia, the Populares espouse the establishment of greater rights for the people. They are divided into three groups. The Agorans argue for free market philosophy and generally support capitalism whereas the Agitators support complete civil equality and the defense of univeral rights both home and abroad. The Old Populares represent the faction members that espouse both philosophies and tread the thin line between the two. The Agorans and Agitators formed as a result of a split within the Old Populares in the 20th century, but as time passed a steady truce formed within the three groups, and while still standing by their personal beliefs, they work together towards a common goal, though one difficulty does arise as each group gravitates individually towards the other factions, threatening to tear the faction apart. Lack of a unified leadership also means there is no single leader to the groups, but in the current climate they see increased dominance and popularity. Socialism and liberalism are not new ideas to Rasians and it is looking increasingly like they will become the third horse in the race between the Old Guard and the Mizdakites.

The issue of Succession

Throughout Rasian history the one thing that bound them to their nation above all others was the Imperial dynasty. From the earliest days up to modernity, monarchy has been a defining characteristic to the country, and now after so much war and bloodshed, this very thing may be among the final things holding back the collapse of the Empire. The last scion of Samo's line is a symbol, not just of days long gone, but of the people's unity. The sole survivor of the Massacre of the House of Samo, kept as leverage and now liberated and placed upon the throne, the great question tied to the Emperor is, what happens if and when he dies? The current incumbent's frail health brings about many worries about whether or not he even has enough time, or the will, to produce an heir, despite being so young.

A consequence of the neutrality policy of the Imperial House, which prevented marriage with almost all nobility so as to both prevent a single faction gaining power by marriage and thus antagonizing the others, this very same policy, only rescinded in the 20th century, has greatly decreased the ability of the imperial family to find an heir to the throne.

Should the Emperor die before an apparent heir appears, it is becoming increasingly clear that a Fourth Great Synod will be triggered, a gathering of the "people of the land", though most likely a very different one from its predecessors with the onset of democracy, as a part of this Synod the nations leaders will have to decide who, if anyone, will sit upon the Throne of Stars.

While many currently find the notion of a republic ridiculous, it is becoming increasingly possible as time without an heir passes, for are the Five courts not the true rulers of the nation already? And yet so long as the Emperor lives, it remains in the eyes of the majority an impossible choice, not least of all because many do not think a republic could hold the nation together, though could that be simply because they can not imagine it as a choice?

Although the situation seems dire, one would be remiss to think that the throne is without claimants of varying legitimacy, people who believe they can become the thread that holds the people together in these trying times.

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The Neo-Sosan Dynasty

The lands of the empire were never truly unified until the arrival of the House of Samo, which finally managed to mend the East-West cultural divide, and yet the House of Sosan, the previous dynasty to sit on the throne, came the closest to achieving this goal, but in the failure of their final ruler, the Nameless Emperor, they saw the end of all they had achieved. The younger House of Sosan is descended from a cadet branch that survived the overthrow of the dynasty and found itself enthroned as the rulers of Fersan in the east, once a heartland province of the Empire before it grew towards the west. One of the Eight Noble houses of Ayram, its members claim the right of succession by way of descent from the old rulers of the empire, yet the stain of the last of their line to sit upon the throne remains, a constant shame.

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The Most Loyal House of Bagra

The dynasty of Hayese and Kartasa, the House of Bagra is most likely the top contender for the throne, so much so that some influential figures are pushing for the Emperor to name them his successors should he die without an heir. Their claim is based upon legal precedent, three previous members of their household were co-emperors during a minority of an emperor. Once before the Union of Thrones and twice after the current Rasian empire was born, and so twice during the reign of the House of Samo. In both cases the house of Bagra saw a rise in influence, yet it failed to attain the throne, thus gaining prestige and legitimacy while also not threatening the ruling house of Samo, the cadet branches that currently rule the two realms thus have perhaps the most reasonable claim to the throne, further bolstered by their popularity in the region.

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The House of Arvand

Twice was the founder of the House of Arvand appointed the head of the armies of the Empire, the second time he took the final step to overthrowing the Emperor during the Time of Obscurity. His descendants successfully defeated and banished, it took until the end of the 19th century for them to be welcomed back, ending the long standing feud between them and the House of Samo. Now they stand to claim the right of succession, for unlike the other houses, they can claim to actually be descended from Emperors who properly ruled after the establishment of the House of Samo. Members of this house are supporters of the militarist faction and foster great favour in certain circles, despite not being the heads of any state within the empire.

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The House of Tingzi

A corruption of their original name(the Celestial house of Xia of the Tang), this Josyon dynasty has what is most likely the strangest claim to the throne. Claiming descent from an Imperial House of Josyon, they gave shelter to the brother of the Nameless Emperor, the disputed Emperor Piroz IV and his son, the later Narsiyeh I, who later on took the Imperial surname of Tsi and married into the imperial house of Tsi, thus essentially putting the blood of the house of Sosan into the Imperial dynasty of Josyon. This branch(the latter Xia) would survive the conquest of the nomadic hordes and the establishment of their empire, setting up in Tang province and even marrying into the house of Ulus that overthrew the Tsi before them. They claim themselves to be the only dynasty that has blood from the wider empire, rather than the other three major claimants that all hail mainly from the heartland provinces. In addition to that, they are hereditary members of the House of Regents of Josyon, something that certainly gives them the most influence out of all the other dynasties, not just to claim the succession, but Josyon itself should the Empire crumble.

The Great Reform and the birth of the modern administrative divisions and code of law of the Rasian Empire

As one may have noticed upon reading on politics within Old Ras, to say that they are complicated is an understatement. This too is the case when it comes to the administrative divisions of the empire. An amalgamation of different deals and levels of autonomy within the empire, the nation was legally speaking, a complete and utter quagmire before the reorganizations of the 19th century. While previous emperors had enacted administrative reforms before, they had always been within certain boundaries, be they geographic, cultural or political, all for the sake of maintaining the delicate political balance within its makeup, as any major reform would risk political upheaval.

This would all change with the advent of the 19th century however. The decline of the nobility and the ascension of the priesthoods in the previous century, as well as the political upheaval prior, saw the slow but steady establishment of a middle class that now found itself ripe and ready to dethrone the priesthoods after a century of them attempting to replace the nobility left them dominant, but weakened.

This would all culminate in the Great Reform, a series of laws and acts that finally cemented the Rasian state politically. The Chosen Council was officially sanctioned as the legislature and the Three Courts(that would later be replaced by the Five Courts) were established. The system of titles saw a complete overhaul that lead to the titles, both ceremonial and official, the Code of Law was overhauled and saw the restitution of older laws previously not in use, and the administrative divisions were properly defined.

This monumental task was assigned to the Council of the Penitent, a collection of great minds of the era. Prominent lawyers, philosophers, theologians, sociologists, historians, philologists, geographers and many others were gathered from the disparate parts of the empire, all for the purpose of reviewing the laws, customs and makeup of the empire. The Council of the Penitent is, in the eyes of the learned, considered the greatest achievement of the time by Rasian emperors. Many decades and three emperors later, the Council's job was complete in the latter half of the 19th century, the Rasian landscape was changed forever into what it is now.

From now on a division belonged to a specific group, no matter the local name, and each division was clearly defined within the law, belonging to a specific definition that would be widely used within all legal documents next to the local name. The Revised Code of Law was no less impressive. The medieval Dualistic Code was completely revised, and at long last the laws of the states away from the mainland, such as within Vitelia, Josyon or the minor states, previously acting and developing separately within their respective jurisdictions, were included into the code. The traditions of the local people were gathered into the new Code where appropriate, the decades not just being dedicated to debating but also gathering the necessary data to have an effective reform.

This legal code, though obviously revised, has remained as such up until the 21st century, drawing upon the legal traditions of the disparate parts of the empire to create a system wholly unique to the Empire, something no single part could have ever made on its own. The only major revision of the laws came in the 20th century, with the Reform of the Five Courts, when the Court of Examination and Court of Auditors were established. The most important books of the new code make up the constitution of Old Ras, though a proper codified constitution was never established.

The administrative divisions themselves were finally simplified, and both taxation and administration saw a rise in efficiency not seen since the Dualistic Reform. At long last the purpose and function of each piece of the empire was known. These divisions were:

1 ) The prefectures - The largest administrative divisions, the prefectures were based purely on geography and meant to group the provinces into larger units which would allow for greater organization and more efficient administration. While the provinces are relied on for tax collection and drafting, it is the prefectures that serve as the most important administrative unit, organizing infrastructure, funds and many other such things between the states of the empire. A contentious topic since its inception, perhaps the most difficult reform to push through during the time of the Council of Penitents was this one, as many of the states and cities fought fiercely for their autonomy. In total twenty prefectures were made and this number has remained up to the modern era. The prefectures all elect a prefect, some of them even have a "head of state". As they are far smaller in number than the many provinces, they shall be listed anon:

       I) Biritum - the most important prefecture, as it houses the exalted city of Ur-Nelam.
       II) Sitania - northwest of Biritum, it houses the majority of the themes.
       III) Kinan - south of Sitania and west of Biritum, the financial center.
       IV) Tmry - south of Kinan, it hugs the western border until reaching Setia.
       V) Setia - south of Tmry, west of Habashtum.
       VI) Rekmia - stretches south from Biritum until reaching Habashtum.
       VII) Habashtum - southernmost mainland province, stretching south of Rekmia and Setia
       VIII) Kivkas - north of Biritum, northeast of Sitania, it bridges them to the eastern mainland.
       IX) Aiyrania - the most populated prefecture, it lies to the east of Kivkas.
       X) Haftab - east of Aiyrania, south of Abavagania.
       XI) Abavgania - north of Haftab, east of Aiyrania, south of Bakhlo.
       XII) Bakhlo - northernmost state of the mainland.
       XIII) Haemia - peninsula closest to the mainland.
       XIV) Vitelia - peninsula to the west of Haemia.
       XV) Ifri - southwest of Vitelia, last of the three separate prefectures in the inner sea.
       XVI) Pridenia - prefecture covering the group of three islands.
       XVII) Josyon - easternmost prefecture.
       XVIII) Tawanti - westernmost prefecture.
       XIX) Norwend - northernmost prefecture, also only prefecture that's also a province.
       XX) Matupa - southernmost prefecture.

2 ) The provinces - Certainly the most important division, the provinces, or "states" are the most basic division of the empire. All sections of the empire in their many different names and systems only saw uniformity once they were defined as states. This was especially important in the mainland, where, with the exception of the region of Kinan, the majority of states were run as themes, satrapies, nomes or shahrdars. Beyond that in Josyon there were the prefectures, which would later become the subprefectures, as well as the many different kingdoms, princedoms, city states and other such provinces that made up the empire. The provinces provide the representatives for the Chosen Council based on their population, all men are drafted on a province wide basis and the province is the main unit used for tax collection. For these reasons the province is the most important administrative division, and it is the untangling of this quagmire that lead to several generations working on the Council of Penitents.

3 ) Exalted cities - A very special division created during the reform, the exalted cities division put the wealthiest and most important cities under a special administrative division, granting them very specific rights and privileges that make them a separate entity from the provinces. These are the cities of the Hexarchy, the twin cities of Sur and Sidun, the easternmost mainland exalted city of Kilaki, the Three Capitals of Josyon, Symbe in Matupa, Yicapan in Tawanti, Thousand Pillars and The Gathering in Aiyrania, and finally Ur-Nelam, the de facto capital. This not only lead to their enrichment, but to their "exaltation" as was the intent. These were already the most important places in the empire, and now they found themselves under a tighter grip than ever before.

4 ) Hallowed Capital - Denoting the area of Old Ras City and its surroundings, the capital has even more restricting laws in place than the Exalted Cities, and even more privileges in turn. Lacking in people and resources, this addition denotes the 19th century origin of the reform, as well as the hand the House of Samo played in enacting it.

5 ) District - The level bellow provinces, a province is usually divided into several districts though depending on the province that need not be the case, especially if they are city states or small enough so as to not require such a division. A district contains subdistricts and municipalities.

6 ) Subdistricts - Levels bellow districts, all the areas that lack a major city.

7 ) Municipalities - Treated separately from the districts and subdistricts, municipalities encompass the greater jurisdictions of urban areas, that is, cities.

8 ) Cities - The lesser jurisdiction of cities, within a municipality's jurisdiction. Only covers the urban area of a city.

9 ) Rustag kleisoura - several villages within a subdistrict or municipalities, the name is kept over from the old Dualistic Lawcode.

10 ) Villages - the smallest administrative division, in every sense of the word.

The crossroads of the Empire

The first among the prefectures, Biritum has always been a part of Rasian history. Inhabited since the dawn of civilization and sitting at the crossroads of the mainland, separating East and West, North and South, up until the middle ages it was one of the most hotly contested regions, local states rising and falling within it. At times they birthed empires and at times they fell as quickly as they rose. This is as much their tale as it is the tale of the Rasian empire, which, in its current form claims descent from the oldest states of the land, though the current government has a greater continuity with the first empire of Ayirania. Never the less, one can not deny the simple fact that Biritum is, for all accounts and purposes, the heart of the empire. It houses Hallowed Ur-Nelam, the capital by compromise. Biritum in turn is treated as "primus inter pares", first among the prefectures, equal yet deserving of respect, something not even Ur-Nelam could claim to have achieved.

Geographically speaking, Biritum is the land around and between the Swift and the Copper, the two great rivers that have defined the history of this region from the dawn of man. With headwaters starting all the way in Sitania and Kivkas, these two rivers together are the drainage system of all the lands around Biritum proper. Starting from their sources, they move south before making a sharp turn northeast, merging and draining into the Ayiri Sea. Many wetlands and marshes form as a result of their massive drainage systems, and it is the taming of the two rivers that is still considered the greatest achievement ever committed in Biritum, a labour of their people.

In accordance with its name the Swift is far more wild, and so roads tend to follow the Copper, and infrastructure reflects this accordingly, though with the advent of modern technology the canals connecting the two rivers have only become more and more advanced, and while the main road follows the Copper, this does not mean the Swift is ignored, for the simple reason that it cannot be, as it separates Biritum from Sitania, Kivkas and the eastern mainland. While dam projects have been constantly hotly debated, the campaigns of the venerable Blues and Greens, as well as the priesthoods, against it have thus far prevented this, much as they have for the Great River in Tmry.

The rivers make Biritum one of the great breadbaskets of the empire, and so agriculture is extremely developed in the region, though it has seen much damage due to the effects of the civil war, yet to say that this would write off the potential of the Birthplace of Empires is to foolishly assume that wounds do not heal. Biritum and Tmry remain, for all intents and purposes, the two most important assets of the empire, and this is where half of Biritum's influence derives from. This agriculture is supplemented by nomadic and semi-nomadic pastoralists, subsidised groups that move their herds from about the land, keeping them along the rivers during summer and moving them to the fringe of the desert in the wet winter season. And though usually mocked, with research into fighting desertification ongoing, these "archaic" folk suddenly find themselves to be of much greater interest than before. All of this has lead to a greater presence of politicians that are members of the Venerable Blues and Greens, agrarians and environmentalists who see the two rivers as one of the greatest gifts to the Empire and its citizens.

Cultural significance makes up the other half of the power of Biritum. A seat of many empires, and at many times the place that housed the capital of the Rasian empire, Biritum has been fought over since man first walked the land, from the first cities down to the two empires whose union would eventually create Old Ras. It is the great seat of the Priesthoods, and houses three of the four sacred cities of the Tetrad, the four most important gods of the empire currently. Ur-Nelam was a city built from the ashes of a city long since gone, meant to replace the capital after the overthrow of the Nameless Emperor, and generations of influence have been poured into it for the express of making it a true capital. During the Dual Period it became co-capital next to The Great City, the capital of the empire which unified with the Rasian one to form the current state under the House of Samo. This is why the second faction to have great popularity and influence in the city are the Magi, the pagan majority half of the faction of the nation's priests, with Ur-Nelam's old co-capital being the seat of the Bearded Ones in turn.

But above all else, Biritum finds itself envied. Tmry envies it, for does the Great River not provide more than the Swift and Copper ever could? Kinan envies it, for how long shall its wealth be ignored in favour of ones who dominated them for so long? Haemia envies it too, for as it languishes, its counterpart prospers, and did it too not remain loyal to Samo's line? That is the great curse of this land. For as long as people have lived, they have sought it, sought to have it, sought to supplant it, sought to surpass it. Such is the curse of crossroads in the empire. Something both jealous Haemia and Kinan should be well aware of, being that it is their curse as much as Biritum's. Yet the regionalism quieted down after the civil war ended, and for now all seems to be at peace. The embers of conflict have died down, perhaps for longer than before. But what happens next depends on Fortune, ever the fickle mistress, whose favour is lost as quickly as it is gained. This is fine with Biritum's folk though. Since the time of the first cities they've survived, and they'll survive this pinprick of eternity as well.

The Imperial Regalia of Ras

In Old Ras, it is said, that the nobility were so fervent in spreading their influence that they now rival the commoners in population, and were one to confiscate all the crown jewels of each noble house, one would be capable of resolving any economic issues in Ras for several decades. A hyperbolic jest, clearly, though not one without a kernel of truth. Though many nobles fell on hard times, after the melting down or unauthorised sale of jewels was made illegal, families found themselves destitute and yet with a small fortune in their possession. And if they perish? The state will nobly take it upon themselves to protect the legacy of the noble house, for posterity of course.

A sign of wealth, prestige and legitimacy, the regalia and jewels of the noble families are now more than ever fulfilling their intended role. Whereas before one could perhaps successfully say that they represent the divine mandate of the ruling family, with modernity the truth becomes clear for all to see. They are meant to dazzle and impress. A show for the people and something to attract not only their purses in this modern age, but their approval. Yet one must remember, gold attracts envy and a sense of injustice with it wherever it goes, it is the vice of the noble metals.

Among these many relics, it makes sense that the Imperial Regalia are held in the highest esteem, yet when one examines them one would more inclined to call the House of Samo scavengers and trash collectors than a noble house of the highest esteem. Cobbled together from the many parts of the empire, the Imperial Regalia, unlike so many of its kind, was never wholly meant for this dynasty. Only one item in the regalia, arguably the oldest, was ever a hereditary relic of this house from before their ascension. The regalia themselves are divided into Major and Minor, for even cobbled together as they are, the ones from the founding of the empire are kept separate from the ones added on later. Yet in each piece one can find a remnant of their rule, the policies they've made, and the politics that defined them.

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Spear of the Firstking

The oldest piece of the imperial regalia, the spear is claimed to be from the reign of Samo the Firstking himself, and thus hailing from as far back as Late Antiquity. A bronze spear by now covered in a lair of patina, it is the only piece of the regalia belonging to the line of Samo from before their ascension.

According to myth their crown was of stars gifted by the Creator and their throne was a humble seat near the Steps of Creation. As such the only surviving piece, if the others existed at all and weren't allegory, is the spear attributed to the first king of their line, a humble herder who used his spear to fend off a devil like no other, unifying the tribes afterwards and fending off all foreign threats before passing away.

It is the only piece of the regalia that isn't used in the public coronation ceremony. Instead, the ruler goes into the inner altar of the Chapel of Samo, dug into the face of the mountain guarding Old Ras City, and makes an oath in the language of his ancestor, an oath of blood and fate.

Yet one would perhaps do well to take a more realistic approach. It is an old sharp stick, the only thing a poor family like theirs could even afford to have as a relic, destitute as they were that they couldn't even afford the simplest of crowns, and now they cling to piety as an excuse. But the spear has power as a symbol, for the Cult of the Firstking is strong in northern Haemia, and they did gain what their dynasty calls "the greatest of thrones". To them the power of their sharp stick is all but justified. Maybe that is enough?

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The Sword of Khesrau

There was no greater Sosan Emperor than Khesrau V, Hero King and Restorer of the World's Order. A lofty title, but this Aiyranian Emperor brought his nation from the brink of ruin, restoring it and expanding it to borders that hadn't been seen since the times of the god kings of old. As much a national hero to Aiyrania as Samo is to his folk, Khesrau is a historical figure, unlike his counterpart, and definitely one that has achieved greatness, though you'd do best to not say so when in Northern Haemia.

When the first Emperor of the House of Samo was crowned, they had gathered three pieces of regalia, each with the intent of solidifying their legitimacy. Having just bested the Nameless Emperor, the last regnant member of the Sosan dynasty, it only made sense to take the blade of their much vaunted ancestor and to use it as the symbol of their right to rule in the eyes of the eastern mainland. Aiyrania was even then one of the most heavily populated regions, and where nobles could not be cowed, all other methods had to be used.

Unlike the spear, the blade itself is in excellent shape, for it is forged of Damascus Steel, with a gold bejeweled handle and sheath. Above all else it is a symbol of the immense wealth of the dynasty, though it is said that the blade was forged before Khesrau's reconquest. If this is true one would not be wrong for calling him a fool, as to waste so much money on a single blade is surely folly. Yet one must remember that this isn't the only blade found from this period. Perhaps one should more assume that is meant to point to the military reforms of the Sosanian army that would see to its rebirth.

Either way, the blade of immortal Khesrau is still a poignant reminder of how, despite the supposed equality of the prefectures, some are more equal than others, and Aiyrania's perhaps more equal than even those.

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The Imperial Scepter and Globe

Once, long ago, a great empire stretched in the inner sea, from the far west and Vitelia to Tmry and Kinan. Yet this mighty behemoth, like so many before it, fractured and fell, even going to far as to lose their mighty capital. Confined to Haemia, Sitania, Kinan and Tmry, they were eventually confined only to their capital and the southern lands of Haemia. Yet fortune is fickle, and just as quickly as it turned against them, it turned in their favour, though whether to finish them off or to grant them new life, is still a matter of intense debate.

By the end of the war with the Nameless Emperor, the land was stripped and ravaged. The mighty Sosan Empire lay bare and the great juggernaut that nearly ended them so long ago languished. It is by the alliance of the House of Samo to the priesthoods of the empire, and the marriage of the sole daughter of the last Emperor in Haemia, that their house unified two great empires into one, all under what had, at the time been, a petty regional house. It is a great miracle then that collapse did not follow, but one must remember the decades long campaign waged to pacify the newly minted empire, as well as the many steps taken to secure legitimacy.

Claiming the Imperial Orb and scepter was one such thing. Marrying a daughter born in the purple secured a claim for the firstborn of the first Emperor, yet a much clearer display of their authority was taking the symbols of divine rule in the empire.

Made of gold and carved with intricate details, the scepter represents the authority of the Emperor as judge, for while both empires were famous warriors, it is the legal code of the Emperors of Haemia that was peerless in its quality, and rightly so their administration. The orb conversely represented the world, for these emperors were rulers of all, no matter their state of loyalty or opinion. As clear a display of wealth as Khesrau's sword, the additional meaning was clear. The old laws would be respected and cultivated. Tradition would not be cut off it. For all states involved, this wasn't an end, but a continuation. The validity of these statements however, shall be left over to the reader to decide.

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The Imperial Crown

The original regalia only consisted of four pieces, and the Imperial Crown was the youngest of the four relics, for it was only made for the purpose of crowning the first Emperor of Samo's line. For indeed, while he quashed the many rebellions and usurpers to the throne during the nascent days of the unified empire, he was merely a Prince, not even a king as his forefathers once were. Even his wife was, at the time, of higher station, for she had succeeded her father in his post as empress in Haemia. To take either crown for his own before the time was right would have lead to yet more rebellion, and so in compromise, a new crown was made, for a new empire.

Forged from electrum as a simple band of metal inlaid with images of the history of the union, the diadem is made of three pieces, for it was added to twice until the modern period. Once after Josyon joined the empire, and again after Habashtum was married into the empire. Each band had more images carved into it, displaying the many different parts of the Empire, all as equals, all valued the same by their ruler. Despite these additions the diadem itself is still relatively small in size and mass, and issues of vandalizing a priceless cultural relic not once, but twice, aside, maintenance has made it so only the most discerning of eyes can notice the difference in age, or indeed in the quality of the work done.

The fact that the Prince couldn't even be crowned with his consort shows just how tenuous the position of the young empire was, and just how herculean the effort of unification was. Conversely in the making of the diadem one can see that, despite holding by traditions, as seen by the three pieces of regalia kept over from previous dynasties, a new crown wasn't just a compromise with two different realms who held animosity for one another, it was meant to show the power of the one who bore it to the nobles and commoners a like. A display that the realm was unified, no matter their dissent. How effective this was however, is another issue entirely, and one could say the later reforms were far more effective in achieving this than any piece of metal worn on the head ever could be.

To be a symbol

Heavy is the head as they say, and right now, never has this been more true within Old Ras. Distrust and dissension consume and envelop the state of mind of many. For what makes the empire real if the generals could so easily undo it? What was a process of decades to them seemed but a moment and a clue to the weakness of the nation, and folk who are afraid can rarely be reasoned with. And who can fault them their worries? For the incompetence of the government lead to this, and now it is this same entity that must undo what it has done, lest it all come crashing down.

This is why the monarch has become so important. The last scion of the House of Samo is the greatest unifying thread of the nation, and should he die, the empire may not be capable of surviving the fallout of it all. It is the monarch's support of the democratically elected majority and promise to not use his powers to intervene that ensures peace within the empire, and provides the legitimacy that the Courts require to execute their will. And even were he to use his powers, what would that lead to? People rarely accept losing the freedoms and privileges they have. It is a balancing act, at the center of which sits the throne and crown, definite reminders that no matter what, they are one nation united above all else.

Descending from several different traditions, the monarch is many different things at once, unified into a single symbol by centuries of syncretism and careful political maneuvering. This mixture of different symbols makes the ruler, in a way, whatever they are required to be for each people. Yet above all else they are meant to create a common Rasian identity, something that took just as many centuries to cultivate and create.

In the far West the monarch is the Sun and Moon personified, a dualistic deity formed from the union of the female moon and male sun, of both genders and a perfect union of the two. They are the child of the Weeping Storm god who made civilisation and brought about peace and ward of the Great Serpent, protector of the world.

In the South they are the high priest of the great creator god, who wields absolute authority over the earth and all the joys and sorrows in it. It is not their place to interfere with the good order of things, but to pray for the people and beesech the Great One on their behalf, a promise of the goodness of the people.

In the distant East they are the Child of Heaven, a living representative of the order of the land and the Great Mandate that unites the people and ensures peace and the patronage of the Heavenly Bureaucracy. They must be the ultimate example, lest men turn corrupt, and the Mandate be lost, inviting disaster "as it did for his father".

In the cold North he is the regent of Fjall in Norwend, the one who Died and Shall Rise Again, ward of the Sun and Moon who keep the sky turning until the return of the great god at the end of times. It is his promise to keep the folk safe from harm, and never to let their stories be lost, and his position as regent lost with them. In Pridenia he is the Horned Son of the Three Mothers, brother to the Twin Suns, who Wards the Lands from the ravages of War and Keeps the High King safe.

In Vitelia and Haemia, he is the the High Priest of the Many Gods and the Regent of the Creator. To the polytheists he is the highest representative before the heavens, keeper of the Great Peace the gods hold, and he must both appease them and guide the people towards proper action. As the Creator's Regent he is the ruler of all Creation in the mortal realm, the highest authority above all folk and their petty claims, a sign of the Creator's favour to his people and guide in righteous behaviour. He is much the same in Habashtum for their branch of the Creator Cult, albeit with a greater focus on his blood heritage to the old kings who rule the land by divine right.

To Ifri and Kinan they are Moonchild, son of the Great Goddess of war and love, heir to the Storm Lord, by whose presence and blood prosperity reigns, whose death signals upheaval and whose birth bears felicity. By their sacrifice the realm prospers and by his spilled blood the fields bear fruit.

In Tmry they are the God of Life in Death and the King of Black and Red. As the God of Life in Death they are the God of the Dead and the representation of the Cycle. As the King of Black and Red they are his son who creates and his brother who destroys, ruler of the River and the Desert in equal measure and the upholder of the Divine Order.

In Biritum and the surrounding lands he is Amar, the divine calf and child of the Star that Was and manifestation of his power before the great Tetrad. They hold authority over the Sidereals, great and small, and their presence holds back wickedness and cruelty, as it did for the Smallest Star before them.

In the Eastern Mainland they are the Guardian of the Flame, who watches over the world until Those Who bring Benefit restore it to its rightful place and restore order to the land, banishing evil and renovating the world into what it was truly meant to be.

Many more roles and interpretations exist, though these are the most prevalent ones for their regions and much intermixing occurs, a natural thing as opposed to the manner in which culture was worked with to shape the appearance of Samo's House.

But what are these in this modern day and age if not relics? The majority of Samo's Line followed the Creator, and yet they follow these representations most fervently no matter the ruler. One must remember their line came from nothing, and all the effort that was put into making them what they are today. As time passes people are not so fervent as to call them living gods, and yet modernity can not wash away the past with a flicker, and so too is the line still viewed favourably by the people.

In the end the most important thing wasn't being seen as divinity, but being able to relate to your ruler and your neighbours. For if divinity was all that mattered, they would have made a single myth which they would have enforced with great zeal, as some folk have. And yet it was a concentrated effort of the Imperial line to connect to the many groups, to truly make the Rasian identity and its tie to Samo's line a real, tangible thing. Perhaps it is the ability of the monarch to unite the nation that best shows how effective this was, and how powerful those ancient traditions can still be.

Perhaps the greatest achievement of Samo's line was not their palaces, their titles, their divinity or the wealth they achieved. It is that they made a single identity out of many. The herdsmen came from the dirt and left behind a supraethnicity. For the Rasian state is what is at stake, and not the identity. The people have lost faith in the government, but not in the traditions that tie them to each other. If the government proves successful in showing the stability of the nation, the people will regain hope, and the Rasian nation and state will once again be whole. But even if not, what the dynasty made, no one can unmake.

The other Occupation

“Lament, my brother, lament our parting,
You from I, and I from You, for I go far away.
I will go far, to the far White Seaside,
I’ll join the comites, young comes amidst the comites.

Then I’ll take the kingly sabre and kingly arms,
then I’ll go as far as Oldtown, Oldtown in the land of pagans,
then I’ll cross the Black Waters, the vast Black Waters,
and I’ll fight the Stutterers, and the Stutterers who once were kin.

Lament, weep as we lament when the Sun warms us,
when the Sun warms you think it from the Creator,
and know that it is mine, it is my pale face,
and know that it is mine, it is my pale face.

When the Wind blows think it from the Creator,
and then say that is mine, that is my meek soul.
When the dew comes with the morn think it from the Creator,
and then say those are mine, those are my meagre tears.”
- "Lament, my brother", traditional folk song in northern Haemia singing of the liberation of Laritia(modified).

Most people forget more was lost to the Vaherian invasion than rich Tyrsennia and the rest of Pecenum. The White Sealands, as the rough translation goes, are the northwestern lands of Haemia, occupied by the Vaherians just the same during the civil war, yet so often forgotten, poor a region as it is. For most of its relevance hails from its connection to northern Vitelia, already long since occupied, and the northern sea between the peninsulae. Mountainous and hilly, and still retaining some of the pagan population from before the old settlement of Samo's folk, it was never at the forefront of Rasian politics.

Nevertheless its people are proud, more proud than most would dare to be, and loyal to Samo's line without fault, which makes them a greater threat to the ones who occupied the land than even the wealthy folk of the south. For they are their own factions with their ambitions, ever a part of the swirling dance that is the Great Game, shifting and twisting as it suits them. But the folk of the White Sealands? They are a traditional folk, divided between the highlanders and the sealanders and even further divided into a clan structure. Traditional in their loyalty and stubborn in their resistance. They have no support but that which the capital provides them, as it provides for most of northern Haemia.

This means they have no qualms about rebelling against the Vaherians much more openly than the Tyrsennians. The Creator monasteries in the region lead weekly processions to "face the evil"(it takes little imagination to see what the evil is when the processions always end at the local Vaherian government seat), prayers and psalms of thousands occupying the streets, constantly, yet refraining from all violence. A strange paradox that the Creator priests are both the cause of the protests and the sole reason for the cities not being consumed in riots and open revolt, in a way acting as a pacifier for the region but still displaying their displeasure.

Others still have taken to other acts of rebellion, sabotage and vandalism are rampant, and for each punishment that inevitably comes yet more retaliation comes in turn. A bloody cycle the obstinate folk seem all too eager to perpetuate. Supplies go missing, communication breaks down, infrastructure falters and factories cease to work due to "catastrophic failures" both real and imagined.

Yet for some even this is not enough, on both sides of the border. These zealous denizens of northern Haemia join the comites, that is to say the Committee for the Liberation of Kinfolk. An old organization from as far back as the 19th century when Laritia fell to the Vaherians, it has gained new prominence with the latest addition to the imperium of Esdragon. Corrupted from the word for committee, it has taken on a more mythical term, comites, or companions as in the Old Empire, folk of the rank of count and the most trusted guards of the empire. They are the most mysterious form of resistance, as they ought to be considering the skill of the Vaherian secret police and their lack of discernment when it comes to rooting out enemies of the state. Gathering weapons caches and organizing resistance cells while working to gather public support on the other side of the border, the comes are an organisation the Rasian empire can do nothing about, for to in any way denounce them is to threaten the fragile stability of the empire, as in the eyes of the people, they're freedom fighters, the sole group still fighting to liberate the innocent folk of the occupied lands, the only ones still fighting the "Stutterers"(rough translation of local name for Vaherians, etymologically it appears to them the Vaherians sounded like stutterers, hence the name).

Samo's House too had to remain quiet, now even more so, for the comites remain among the few stable pillars of support they have in this turbulent time. Though a minor faction, and nowhere near as influential as the major ones, they remain important as they are still influential in the workings of the Old Guard's agreement with the Emperor. It appears they too refrain from going too far in their acts against the Vaherians, at least to some extent, preventing outright revolts at the urging of the Old Guard until the time is right. All the same, they won't wait forever, and the more time passes the more they wonder whether or not they should rise up to liberate their brethren, not just in the occupied territory but beyond as well, foolish ambition though it may be. Idealism was sadly never something that understood the laws of reality, and with each passing month this idealism shines brighter, until at long last they decide to ignore the Old Guard and start the liberation of their erstwhile kin.

The eldest grudge

Long and storied is the history of Rasian opposition to Vaheria, but perhaps there is no greater proof as to its potency than the first, and some would say most egregious offence committed on behalf of the northern empire. For neither Tyrsennia and Pecenum, nor the White shores of Haemia are the first place to have been occupied by what many in Ras would call the barbarian invaders. That particular dishonour falls squarely in the lap of western Ifri, a full half of the old prefecture.

While it has faded into obscurity with the onset of modern times, Ifri, the Rasian term for the whole continent the prefecture is a part of, was in olden days the seat of many an empire, and was once one of the great granaries of the inner sea, quite an achievement for a place of rock and desert. The local population, the Imazani, have defined much of the place's history, along with colonists from Kinan and later on people of the Old Vitelian Empire, both forces that have irrevocably changed the local landscape.

Rasian rule in the area was only secured with the loyalty of the Imazani, masters of the desert and the most dangerous threat to anyone settling the coast, for it can be rather difficult to fight against one who is guarded by the fierceness of the desert. Yet just the same these tribes had an influence of their own, for theirs were the caravans that crossed the great desert and ferried goods from oasis to oasis. The natives of the land have thus always been a factor in the area, as the majority population to the land, the many minorities that settled it could only prosper with their approval.

It is these people that are the reason for why Ras owns half of their prefecture still, that is to say why Vaheria failed to conquer it in its entirety. For the war started when Vaheria, demanding extraterritoriality after the arrest of their citizens in the 19th century, invaded, and soundly defeated the Hearth Fleet with the use of more modern technology such as steamboats. Quickly pushing into Ifri proper, it is only by the grit and determination of the local tribes, rallied together in defense by an alliance of their leaders with the exarch, that total disaster was averted, and the Vaherian invasion was halted at the halfway point. The war eventually slowed, and turned to armistice, neither government willing to accept the demands of the other but both forced into accepting the fait accompli of the current situation.

This was the true beginning of the hatred between the two nations, and Vaheria has never successfully managed to truly pacify their overseas territory, or to culturally make it compliant as they have other regions such as Rilentia. For both nations it remains the third and final front of their eternal conflict, albeit one of least importance, as it has neither the resources or the significance of Haemia and Vitelia. But Ifri has one thing above both of those, and that is the zeal with which its people fight for their freedom.

Where Vitelians peacefully protest and congregate and Haemians secretly sabotage while waiting for the right time to strike, western Ifri is an unstable place, marred by constant bloody revolts against the ruling government which in turn replies with equally bloody reprisals, in some cases instigating famines to further pacify the region, and thus in turn strengthening even more the resolve of the local civilians. The Kinani of the region rebel by more peaceful means, yet they are a small minority, and the Imazani still wage their holy war against the savage invaders and their great tyranny, aided even further by the smuggling of goods across the difficult to police desert border. The arrival of missionaries who initiate bloody conversions there earn even bloodier reprisals than government crackdowns, for the "Vaherian crusade", as it is called, is probably the most hated by the local population, many of whom either follow their native pantheon interspersed with that of the Kinani, or the Creator worship that is interspersed throughout the inner sea.

And so the Imazani remember, as they have always remembered. To them it is the oldest grudge, one that still needs a reckoning, and the politics of the prefecture are as always guided by an extreme hostility to Vaherian society and everything they represent. It is little wonder then that they remained along with Kinan the only other place where the militarists stayed loyal to the empire during the civil war, housing the Hearth fleet in preparation for a defense against a possible Vaherian offensive. Politically little has changed after the end of the civil war, if anything they now find new allies in the resurgent movements of Vitelia and Haemia, all revanchist and seeking to reclaim what is rightfully theirs.

Making the world go around

No nation comes unscathed from civil conflict, and the same is true for the Rasian empire. People died in needless conflicts and the only result was the net loss of territory and population, and that is without even mentioning the results this had on the economy. And what results they were, and how plentiful in number, that one can most assuredly look upon a once thriving market and weep.

Lives were lost in the war and this lead to job saturation. One could perhaps say that unemployment decreased as a silver lining in an entirely horrible situation, but even then the jobs that need filling found themselves vacant, leaving the point moot. The flow of goods into and out of the nation ceased almost entirely, and were it not for the loyalty of the navy during the conflict much of the mainland most likely would have experienced a far greater economic shock. This all without even mentioning the damages to infrastructure, both vital and auxiliary.

So the empire faces quite the hurdle, yet not an insurmountable one. Projects to revitalise the economy and restore the healthy market began almost as soon as the war ended. The unified government, in a nonpartisan move, and most certainly one intended to foster further unity after the civil war, began talks between all the different representatives and politicians in the nation, the Ocheia Conferences(The Ocheia Conferences for the fostering of Unity within the nation and Revitalisation of the economy).

The Conferences themselves lasted weeks, bringing about the worry that perhaps no proper consensus could be reached, that perhaps there was no hope even after the civil war ended. A worry that was thankfully allayed with their conclusion, if after a long wait. The representatives emerged with a unified response, a compromise of the many different factions within the empire, the equally creatively named Ocheia Agreements, a set of policies and assurances that put forward the plan for rebuilding the nation, one that in theory would achieve, at the very least, the most important goals put forth by the factions and hopefully resolve the economic issues present.

The Old Guard were the ones who fostered these meetings, and the only ones to have walked out having achieved all of their goals(yet one must remember that their goals amounted to achieving a consensus and maintaining unity, while preventing anything that would too abruptly disturb the status quo). With the presence of the other branches of government, they acted as mediators and mainly attempted to acquire exactly what they got, an agreement that wasn't truly the triumph of any side but was rather a compromise everyone could accept, if not celebrate.

The militarists probably had the least to do with these agreements, as beyond actually supporting heavy industry and subsidies for the military they didn't truly have a place. In the end they found themselves sidelined completely, for while the Vaherian occupations have secured what money they have in the budget, they find themselves incapable of securing much more from the budget, as the majority of it has gone towards the "Great Rejuvenation".

The representatives of the Venerable Blues and Greens walked in with two primary goals in mind, to provide greater support for agriculture while preventing mechanisation from going too far and ensuring that the decisions made are not too damaging towards the environment. They came out with half a victory at least. Many of their environmental regulations were indeed accepted, if begrudgingly on behalf of the other factions, and they've managed to secure greater agricultural subsidies and programs towards employment, but alas on the mechanisation front they failed to make any grounds.

The Mizdakites found themselves securing a relatively strong foothold, and yet also having their advantage pulled out from under them by the Old Guard. Already secure politically, as worker's rights and the like were something that was guaranteed within Old Ras, their main goal was to show themselves as a decisive faction, something it became increasingly clear the Old Guard achieved. Were it not for the extensive public works program they had put forth, the momentum they had built up would have been completely lost. This massive program was not only meant to further alleviate the issue of employment, but to provide a simple solution for rebuilding the infrastructure and industry of the empire, mobilising the people so as to bring the economy back into gear, something that appears to have at the very least taken effect thus far. All in all they have neither gained nor lost ground in the Great Game, but perhaps their great victory was their prevention of privatisation of state assets.

The Outer Ring found themselves holding the spotlight within the Conferences. These places, far removed as they were from the civil conflict that engulfed the mainland, and both politically and economically unified in a single powerful bloc, found themselves holding much of the capital that was evacuated from the mainland during the conflict, and as such, much of the economic power necessary to rebuild. They secured for themselves and their companies not only a greater position and role in the mainland, but also a much greater chunk of investment and the budget than ever before. The savvy policy of High King Magnus and the other Outer states has ensured for them a level of prominence that hasn't been achieved since the Accession of Josyon, and as a result many of the businesses based in the periphery now profit as a result.

Last, but certainly not least, are the Populares, a group aligned more to economic liberalism and very much a fringe group in that regard within the empire. Their main goal was to bring to greater attention the benefits of their philosophy and to provide opportunities for representatives of the free market, i.e. the major companies and conglomerates, to prove them right. This was achieved, but only to an extent, with special dispensations and privileges being granted to big business in the hopes that it would reinvigorate the market from the top down concurrently with the public works and small business and agriculture subsidies that would reinvigorate it from the bottom up. They found an unlikely ally in the businesses of the non-mainland states, who achieved much prominence as a result of the efforts of their state representatives, but in turn they found their old base of support among the conglomerates and businesses of the mainland slightly eroded as a result. As usual they campaigned for privatisation but failed to make any traction in that regard, and found themselves neither defeated nor victorious, just cautiously optimistic of what the future held.

The Ocheia Agreements were put into motion almost a full year before Old Ras ceased being diplomatically quiet, and while the full effects are yet to be seen, the relative stabilisation of the market has already pointed towards a greater plan as with the end of the mandated year of silence, efforts to invest in foreign markets and use them to further aid in revitalisation have ramped up extensively. It appears that the mandate of the Conferences isn't just a restoration of the old economic stability, but a bringing about of a greater Rasian prominence within the international markets of the world.

Industrialisation of the Rasian Empire during the Great Reform

Perhaps the most important result of the Great Reform that was begun in the second half of the 19th century, the industrialisation of the Empire was what had secured stability and ensured a prevention of the repeat of first Raso-Vaherian War, the very thing that led to its implementation. The defeat of the once considered unbeatable navy, the at the time representation of the citizenry and middle class of the empire, coupled with the subsequent decline of the nobility and the temporary ascension of the priesthoods, gave the citizens and the middle class the opportunity they so sought to finally rise above the classes they had been forced to play third fiddle to.

Seeing as how industrialisation had only begun in the late 1860s and early 1870s, Ras found itself lagging quite a bit behind it's neighbours, and far more importantly, lacking in a skilled force of engineers that would allow the initiation of that section of the Great Reform. For this purpose, the empire first went to the nations which had successfully gone through the laborious process in the hopes of gaining support.

Though these were indeed not, the first steps in the beginning of Rasian industrialisation. The first steps were started by either private citizens or smaller realms capable of exerting enough wealth to begin such steps on their own. The first proper railway in Ras was the Sur-Sidon railway, a small track connecting the two most important cities of Kinan, and funded from the royal purses of its two ruling houses. The second was the Imperial railway, an even more modest track connecting Old Ras city to Orlovska Stratovica, later being expanded to move south towards Pribovo and Dimzen. In addition, a greater expansion of mining operations, especially within Sitania and Haemia had begun, an attempt to use the mineral wealth of the land to the benefit of the empire, especially in dealing with foreigners. Utterly dwarfed by the projects that were to follow, these were, nevertheless, the first tentative steps of a nation on its way to modernity.

Their closest friend, the kingdom of Helidara under Ava Vescall, the birthplace of the railroad and a nation faced with the difficulty of connecting two extremely different environments separated by a vast desert expanse was the first to be approached by the imperial emissaries. Providing support directly under the orders of their pharaoh, a team of engineers lead by Gwafa Tokan and Izîl Messmerret had been dispatched to the capital and placed directly under the supervision of the Wuzurg framadār and Grand Logothete. Helidara's experience with building over barren rocky terrain as well as along the western half of the Great River allowed for the quick development of the Rasian railway system along the line of Tmry-Kinan, as well as the standardisation of the railway gauge according to Helidaran standards. This would culminate in Ifri's capital of Khardasht being connected via railway to Tmry through the Helidaran transit system, as well as a much later connection to southern Helidara by way of an extension of the Tmry line through Setia and Habashtum along the Great River. In addition, the engineers from Helidara helped with the most important first step of Rasian industrialisation, the mechanisation of agriculture, at least within Tmry proper, allowing for greater output of wheat and cotton and leading to a great population boon. The independent engineering team of Ras would later on implement a revised version of this in Biritum, as well as within Ifri and Vitelia, unleashing the potential of Rasian agriculture.

The second team of foreign engineers were private contractors from the kingdom of Xelha, far to the west. Xelha, having been embroiled in military conflict rather recently found itself in the process of constructing a great railway system across their frozen and hilly expanse of a nation. In addition it found itself in a slight power conflict between the nobility and the king, Mikasa. While Mikasa himself was unwilling to send aid, believing Xelha's engineers were far too valuable and busy with helping their own nation, a deal with the noble house Oz lead to them using their influence to leverage a special grant allowing a team under Rana Snow and Tai Oz to leave the country. Private contractors employed in the capital, the Xelhan team was especially useful in setting up railways in the north, through cold, mountainous and marshy terrain respectively. They also proved useful in the application of modern agricultural techniques for crops that were used to much colder climates, as well as the extension of the railway to the far off provinces in Norwend and Prydenia, colder and wetter in clime. This innovation allowed for a greater connection along the islands and northern, mountainous terrain of Haemia. With the extension of the Imperial Railway to Polis, the greatest city in Haemia, the great prefecture found itself more connected than ever, and the later expansion of the railway into Sitania would finally lead to the connection of the mainland to the "Imperial Prefecture".

The third and final team of foreign experts, and the last piece of the puzzle as it were, found itself hailing from the western republic of Soh Jin. Lead by Kriruazo Okhih, Khuvigi Arovi and Onuraz Trezri, private contractors from a corporation with close ties to the government, they were offered to the emissaries of Ras in order to further strengthen ties with, what was at the time, the main Rasian trading partner in the west. Hailing from a jungle nation that found itself much closer to a temperate climate, they still proved invaluable in building railways across the most humid and wet provinces, as well as through the thickest of forest expanses. This allowed for the expansion of the miniscule infrastructure of Tawanti into a proper and modern system of roads and railroads. In addition, and far more importantly from an economic perspective, the system of overseas plantations boomed with the introduction of foreign aid from Soh Jin. Cocoa, coffee, sugar and tobacco among others, became far more widespread, leading to the great Commodity Boon of the 19th century.

After many years, and the implementation of the first steps that allowed the beginning of a boom in agriculture and population, the by now trained and independent Rasian team, brought up by a mixture of local talent and foreign support, began to not only work on government projects, but to subsidize a great deal of private ones which were only capable of truly flourishing with a mixture of government support and the profits of the ensuing economic boom.

While machine tools and chemical industry were slow to develop within the empire, the previously archaic methods for glass and paper making found themselves replaced by far more efficient ones that lead to, on one hand, the end of these industries in the cities that practiced them since the middle ages, to the later booming of the service industries within these same cities, whose prominence allowed them to sidestep the issue of losing their most important source of income. Southern Vitelia and Aiyrania especially prospered as a result, followed quickly by Josyon. The great cities of the land found themselves no longer surrounded by the countryside, rather consuming it in their expansion.

Mining especially found itself developing greatly in this period, from the first steps mentioned above to the second great competitor with agriculture over the output of luxury goods. The revising of the medieval Mining Codes of the great mining cities was followed by expansion of facilities, beginning in northern and northeastern Haemia and eastern Sitania, as mentioned above, but later expanding along the line from Haemia, across Sitania, through Kivkas and onto Aiyrania's western mountains. Lacking mostly in gold and silver, which had been dug up from these places long ago, until the advancement of mining that allowed for digging deeper bellow the earth, more common metals found themselves stepping into the market, metals which were exactly what was needed to feed the growing industry of the nation as well as all foreign nations that sought these resources. Precious metals and gemstone mining was mostly confined to Josyon and Tawanti, where jade in the former and jade and silver in the latter fed the commodity industry of Ras, leading to laws that forbade the export of these goods to foreign nations. Only with the mining boom of Setia and Habashtum, which revealed great deposits of precious metals, did these strict regulations loosen, and the expansion of the Tmry railway southward had begun. Yet the greatest mining boom was the last to come, for it was bound to Matupa, the southernmost prefecture. Unimaginably large deposits of gold and precious gemstones, especially diamonds, had lead to this previously neglected province receiving the full attention of the empire, which by now had, at least in the most important regions, industrialised. Matupa became the most infrastructurally dense region and the birth of its middle class at long last brought about the flourishing of their prefecture. No longer derisively called "The southern fishport", Matupa came to be known as "The golden prefecture".

From this development one can see the two main pillars of an early industrial Rasian Empire. Wheat and luxuries. One fed the growing empire, and was exported to the hungry world, whereas the other is what lead to the growth of the middle class, the Commodity Boom and the Gold Rush providing the impetus for the further expansion of light and heavy industry. Despite all of this the agrarian factions within the government still remained a force to be reckoned with, and to this day Biritum and Tmry pull much of their weight thanks to the bounteous gift of their rivers. Within Ras a new idea formed as a result. That it need not be ashamed of the agrarian roots that defined much of its most important prefectures, that it should instead venerate the craft of the farmer, and work with him rather than against him for the prosperity of the nation. With that final movement the industrialisation of Ras became something that was truly theirs. The amalgamation of foreign and dispirate talents used to improve upon their traditions, rather than to replace them completely.