When the first settlers arrived in what would become the Teokratiyan empire, they likely could not even dream of what their first small settlement would become. Now host to several hundred thousand members, Teokratiya's capital of Illichvia hosts one of the most incredible sights in the world: The Citadel. Made from marble and with four spiral minarets, which are gilded, Illichvia is the home of the Bishop-King Petoyr IV, as well as the rest of the clergy that makes up the ruling class of Teokratiya.

Government:

The Holy Teokratiyan Empire has a simple form of governance. The Bishop-King is ruler over the Church and the Crown, having been given divine right to rule. Below him is the Grand Bishop, who is elected up from the senate of cardinals and is a rank below the king. His duty is to ensure that the king, even in his infinite wisdom, is kept in check, and that the cardinals always have a voice that is almost as powerful as the king. Should the king do something the wider church and kingdom disagree with, it is the High Bishop who has the rather dangerous job of dissuading him from that course of action, and it is a thankless job- many a king that has turned tyrant has executed the Grand Bishop for his so called 'heresies.'

Thankfully, the current king, Bishop-King Petoyr, is, whilst a stern and more militaristic than many would like, a king who has listened to his cardinals. These cardinals are a group of highly important clergy, elected up from the church, and agreed upon by the king, who act as his advisers. Whilst they have no particular field of expertise themselves, they can call upon a vast amount of worldly experience, many of them having risen all the way from the ranks of a common preacher over a long life.

Any decrees handed out by the king, once they are vetted by the Grand Bishop and cardinals, are then handed down to the knights, who rule over large swathes of farmland. As most of the population of the empire lives rurally, this means that whilst the king might have the most power, the practical day to day power lies with the knights. Although it would be theoretically possible for said knights to form a parliament of sorts, the one time that this was attempted, it plunged the nascent empire into a long and bloody civil war. By the end of it, no parliament was formed, and since then, nobody has wished to risk another such period of conflict.

Finally, below the knights, are the common preachers. Each village and hamlet has temple, and these temples, beyond being the spiritual heart of these settlements, are also where some of the only literate (and magical) members of society live. Anyone with any signs of magical ability is trained to be a clergyman (or woman, His judgement is fair on those who work for Him,) and they ensure that the village follows the rulings of the kingdom as closely as is possible.

Economy:
Teokratiya is an empire based on agriculture and mining, in that order. Farmland dominates what is tilled, and what is not tilled is mined. From salt flats to huge iron deposits, the bountiful resources that an empire the size of Teokratiya holds are being used to their absolute fullest. Craftsmanship in the empire is simple, preferring form over function, and whilst artisans are few and far between, Teokratiya boasts some of the best blacksmiths and shipwrights in the world, and they need to be. Huge merchant fleets haul drugs and steel alike to across Albion, supported by the navy and the military wherever they go.

Religion:
Obviously, being the theocracy that it is, The Holy Teokratiyan Empire has a rather large religion, and has a dedicated secret police- the Teokratiyan Inquisiton, that works on making sure that His light is followed.

Teokratiya follows a simple religion. There is one God, who has no name. He was the light who gave mankind intelligence over beasts, culture and artisanship. He gave mankind magic, and for that, mankind must be eternally grateful towards Him. Worship of Him involves prayers, festivals and feasts, with the most important one being the Solstice Festival, which occurs once each year in the Teokratiyan calendar, on the longest day of the year. This, despite its grandiosity, is a quiet festival, and involves much praying, and is counted as a day when nobody works. Since the harvest has yet to start, this is an easy thing to make time for.

Outside of this, each family is obliged to go to the temples twice each week- one at the ebb of the week, exactly three days after the holy day of Karok, and once on the 'flow,' of the week, during the holy day.

To Teokratiyans, magic is a holy thing, granted by Him in order to allow humanity to prosper. Because of this, magic is an important, if slightly downplayed part of Teokratiyan religion. Those with magical aptitude make up the substancial clergy, and the more powerful and adept one is in manipulating magic, the heigher up the ranks of clergy one will find him or herself in. To Teokratiyans, magic is magic.

Geography:
The vast percentage of the population lives in the southern parts of Teokratiya, in the warmer parts of the Empire. In the north, vast forests and harsh tundera make excellent labour camps for convicted criminals, but the more mild southern plains, still cold, but warm enough for a growing season that allows for crops to be properly grown. The exception is the capital, the most northern of the three great cities, deliberately situated around the great mountain of Brezjeck. The only other main cities within the country are located on the coast, and are tradig cities primarily.

Population: 5,000,000

Demographics:

Teokratiya is a human nation first and foremost, and any demihumans that do live there are minorities. There are few true distinct minority group in Teokratiyans, as most are decendants of the original colonists, Teokratiyans ethnically being pale, and generally having light hair and dark eyes. Linguistically, they speak and write their own language, Rossian, with few speaking languages from neighbouring states or Zialony.

The largest minority group are the Zialony population within Teokratiya, although most are well intergrated and cause little trouble. The true industrial unrest comes from the Duzjek peoples, who are of a different religion to the rest of the country, and cause trouble whenever the inquisition isn't on the warpath.

Notable Locations

Illichivia: The capital of Teokratiya. The largest city, and the most northern of the three main cities, it is an overwhelmingly busy place. The Citadel- home of the church and royalty in equal measures, takes up the center of the city, and the only magical academy, as well as the base of the inquisiton is located in Illichivia.

St Grezchev: Like most settlements, this city is a coastal port. Stretching around it is masses of opium farms, and it is also the base of the navy within the country, making it a very prosporous place indeed. The Iron Docks are the main attraction within St Grezchev, where boats of all shapes and sizes fron across the world find themselves moored. There is even the occasional commonwealth cutter.

Personalities of Note

Confessor Gregori Hažchev: Some men are brutal. Others are pious. Others are just, some are corrupt, and some are a thousand other things. Hažchev is none of these. He is a young, magically gifted individual who recently passed his twenty-second name day and has never killed a man. He is nervous, but eager, however expects that the current calm of the inquisition shall last. Unfortunately for him, the Inquisition has begun to hear rumours, and a purge is fast approaching.

Lady Anastasia Vellas: Between Velikorussia and Zialony, there has always been a tense, terse friendship. The amount of espionage and shady trade deals, back ally assassinations, publicly flaunted marriages and other skullduggery, both quietly hidden and throw out for the whole world to see, is legion, but publicly, the two countries have ambivalent, yet at the same time amicable, relationships. Lady Vellas, minor noble and consort to Mikhail Tjeck, is but another example of the so-called 'cultural flow' between the two. However, she is actually a Zialony countess from an extinct line of nobles and has been using her position as a spy for her home government. Her piety is less than perfect however, and with a purge fast approaching, she must be careful not to reveal too much in the times that are coming.

Bishop-King Petyor IV & Queen Jurgita: Stern. Militaristic. Uncompromising. Such is the nature of King Petyor. He is the man that dragged the country, kicking and screaming, through the civil war, and is the one that managed to bring the fire of gunpowder to the inquisition. Bar the Lord-Confessor himself, he is the single strongest spellcaster in the realm, and can trace his lineage to the very first settlers. His wife, Jurgita, is another example of a stern leader. One of the heirs of an otherwise minor noble family, she caught the attention of the king some years before he was actually king. When his betrothed died, she made moves to become the queen, and succeeded.

The Lord-Confessor: His name is unknown to all but a few. His face is guised in darkness. His guns are merciless. The Lord-Confessor is not only the head of the shadowy Inquisition, but one of the great generals in Teokratiya. He is not a man to be trifled with.

Institutions:

The church is obviously the largest non-military institution in Teokratiya, without a doubt, and the structure of it is detailed above, in the appropriate section. However, it is important to note that the church controls one incredibly powerful body that is distinct from itself.

This, is the Inquisition. The Inquisition is not part of the church, but is a seperate entity althogether, albeit an extremley religious one. The Inquisition is lead by a Lord Confessor- a mage of extreme proficiency, and the Inquisition itself is an incredibly wealthy organisation. Almost every high-ranking is a are lord and bring crude firearms to conflicts, although all are at least capable spellcasters as well.

There are two more powerful organisation within Teokratiya:

The Merchant's Guild, who ensure that trade within Teokratiya never dries up. Every carriage, boat, bale of hay or crate of opium or slab of salted meat has been catalouged and valued by the Guild. Not that this effects much, other than the accuracy of the taxes that the kingdom can levy.

Military:

Organisation: The knights, and their small cadres (each knight has about 100-500 fellow fully trained soldiers that follow them into battle,) are full time, profesional soldiers. Militiamen, who train during the summer months when the fields need neither sowing or reaping, fill the rest.

The Teokratiyan army follow two tactics: 'Overwhelming Wave,' a battle style that involves mass charges by heavy and light infantry, with shock cavalry support to smash through enemy lines, then wheel around and encircle the rest of the forces, when attacking.

Their defensive tactics, 'Scorched Earth,' uses the vast amount of uninhabited ground in Teokratiya as a barricade to enemy forces. The army will fall back in an ordered fashion, destroying anything and everything they pass. When the enemy are deep within Teokratiyan territory, they can simply advance upon the often needlessly worn out forces, and decicively wipe them out.

The type of equipment varies upon if one is part of a Knight Cadre, a militiaman, or a Confessor. Knights typically wear full plate armour, and act as shock cavalry as well as elite heavy infantry, militiamen act as the mainstay medium and light infantry, composed of vast groups of pikemen and crossbowmen, as well as the increasingly common new 'line infantry' formations, and Confessors act as distuptors and light infantry, using firearms and swift skirmishing tactics, as well as being the main magical forces at Teokratiya's army.

Troop Total: The total amount of knights and the small bands of soldiers that follow them to war is small, however in times of war, around 100,000 men and women can call themselves members of the Teokratiyan forces. This doesn't include those who work as guards for towns and villages, the partisan forces that can be raised, or the Inquisition's confessors, who often march to war alongside the army.

Army: Around 80,000 men make up the army.

Navy: Around 20,000 men make up the navy, however navymen are highly trained and the Teokratiyan navy has excellent quality, modern boats.

Other: (Such as siege equipment, internal security, important mercenaries, spies, etc.)

Other:
Line Infantry: Out of the king's own pocket, comes the Line Infantry. Financed at rather high costs, they are the best of the militiamen, who are given muskets and drilled to march and fight in formation. Many a tide of battle has been changed by the cry of 'present! Fire!'

Demonym: Dusmaijik
Description: The Dusmaiji Empire is an union of ethnic tribes brought together by the conquest of the warlord Mubarum who lead his own tribe, the Chizu, against the others that occupied the Dusmai Desert and the encompassing lands. As strength was always highly valued by the Dusmai peoples, Mubarum's conquest was respected and honored by those who failed to defeat him and the Dusmaiji Empire was born. The tribes who submitted to the Empire were allowed to retain their lands while those who did not were exterminated. When established, the Dusmaiji Empire was intended to be a civilization "for those who roots were truly of the Dusmai Desert," as per the words of Emperor Mubarum I himself. While in the present it is unknown what exactly he meant by having roots truly of the Dusmai Desert, his great grandson Mubarum IV declared that this statement meant that the Dusmaiji Empire was only for the humans of the Dusmai Desert and thus began the marginalization of its other races such as the centaurs and more so the sand elves who always had a past of persecution by the human tribes. Even in the present non-humans (in addition to foreigners) are not allowed to own property within the Dusmaiji Empire though the Emperor can grant this privilege to those who earn his favor.

While the inhabitants of Dusmaiji vary in culture and language, collectivism is an almost universally upheld value and it is the rope that binds its different peoples together. Citizens are expected to put the good of the empire first, the good of their tribe second, and their own personal good last. To prioritize oneself is an act akin to treason and those who are found doing so are ostracized. Surnames are not used by Dusmaijik humans. Instead, they are distinguished by their community first and their parentage second. For instance, a man named Kuza of the Shali tribe would refer to himself as Kuza of the Shali. Should he come across another of his name and tribe he would refer to himself as Kuza, son of his father and mother's name. In Dusmaiji gender roles vary between tribes though the imperial dynasty has a strictly male line of succession. Therefore, is not rare to find women in positions of high esteem.

Government: The Empire is an absolute monarchy with the head of state being the emperor whose word is regarded as law. There is a feudal system in place in which tribes are able to hold and control their own territories but must supply the Empire with whatever is demanded whenever they are asked to do so. There exists a meritocracy, the Chamber of Masteries, which the Emperor can control but cannot directly assign members as its positions must be earned.





Economy: Due to its sporadic droughts and an extensive dry season, Dusmaiji's growing seasons are not as long as those of more fertile lands and there are only certain times within the year that substantial amount of crops can be farmed. Agriculture is far from the most profitable industry for Dusmaiji but they do manage to produce the minimum amount of food to survive. Whenever farming cannot be relied on meat from animals is resorted to as the primary means of nourishing the population. Therefore, additional crops are a major import of the Empire and are highly sought after.

The Dusmaiji economy places more emphasis on manufacturing. The premier export of Dusmaiji is silk and its production has led to a booming industry that has brought a population influx from rural areas to the cities. Boasting decent iron deposits, Dusmaiji is also a big arms dealer and sells affordable weapons and armor to other nations with higher quality options available if demanded. Art, while deemed not as important as the previously denoted sources of revenue, has also been a chief export for the Empire with its sculptures being highly coveted by collectors due to the unique black and purple coloration of Dusmaijik marble.

Religion: There are a plethora of animist faiths that exist within the Empire but there is only one official religion supported by the crown. Foreign religions are frowned upon but are allowed to be privately practiced.


Geography:
Savannas, jungles, and desert. The Dusmai Desert, for which the empire is named, comprises roughly 55% of the nation's land.

Population: 10,200,000
Demographics: The different races and ethnicities of Dusmaiji all speak their own language. Given the sheer amount of them within the Empire, there are well over a hundred different languages spoken across its borders. To 'simplify' communication across cultural lines, a common tongue known as Dusmaijik Tradespeak has been invented. As its name may suggest it was popularized by traders. Apart from Dusmaijik Tradespeak, the Chizu language is the most common ethnic language spoken within Dusmaiji. With a population of approximately 1,326,000 the Chizu tribe is the single largest ethnic group within Dusmaiji and its culture is regarded as dominant among all others.






Notable Locations:
There are three cities of note.



Personalities of Note:








Institutions:

• Enchanters' Guild: An order which specializes in the study and development of magically enhanced items for the benefit of Dusmaiji society.
• Sky Watchers: The astronomy guild who, as their name suggests, are responsible for watching the sky for signs and identifying constellations and other celestial bodies.
• Nokora College of Spellcraft: A prestigious school of sorcery that attracts students from all over. Nokora is difficult to both get and stay into as underachieving students are regularly dropped to make room for other applicants. As Nokora's establishment was funded by the Empire it, like most other magic schools, swears its students and staff to the military. Out of all the magic schools within Dusmaiji, Nokora is said to contribute the highest quality mages.
• Owakaya: A massive temple situated in the holy city of Kiakala and one of the marvels of the Dusmaiji Empire. It is believed to have been constructed long before the conquest of Mubarum and still stands as the headquarters of the Arafito faith and its hierarchy. Those on pilgramage seek out the Owakaya to read scriptures that can only be found within its library.
• Tontu: An order of warrior monks who strictly adhere to Arafito. The Tontu are an independent peacekeeping force who mediate any conflicts that may arise between Dusmaiji's ethnic groups. They are only permitted to act within its borders and cannot take part in conflicts on foreign soil. Any Arafitan is allowed to join the Tontu regardless of origin granted they complete the necessary training.

Military:

• Organization: Magic schools such as Nokora pledge their students and faculty to the empire's military as payment for the land they were granted to construct their campuses. This the closest to a standing army that the Empire possesses as the remainder of the forces are levied from tribes or recruited as mercenaries. The Eminent of War raises the levies whenever he is instructed to do so by the Emperor. Tribe Heads who contribute troops usually lead them in battle while operating under the Eminent of War's direct command. Mercenaries who are hired into the forces either remain under their own leaders if they are recruited as a company or sorted into the ranks of a tribe head if they aren't. Overall, the army of the Empire is commanded by the Eminent of War at the Emperor's orders. While the Emperor is the ultimate authority, The Eminent of War is trusted because of his merit and is allowed to interpret orders from the Emperor in a way that he feels will most likely result in success for the Empire.
  
  The Dusmaiji navy is organized differently from the army. As most Dusmaiji tribes specialize in unmounted land combat, there are less who are skilled in sailing and thus the navy is required to be more structured than the army to produce the best possible fleet. Unlike the army there is a clear rank division that exists within the Dusmaiji navy with the Eminent of the Sea at the top. Just like the Eminent of War he answers the Emperor and no one else. Having control of the entire Dusmaiji fleet, it is up to the Eminent of the Sea to guide it not only according to the Emperor's orders but in a way that will keep its casualties to a minimal as finding talent for the navy is harder. Besides commanding the navy the Eminent of Sea is also responsible for deciding the composition of the navy such as the amount of ships, the types of ships, and how crews are organized.
• Troop Total: 20,000 mages from various magic schools are always available. A maximum force of 153,000 (1.5% of population) can be attained through levying.
• Army: A maximum of 113,000 soldiers.
  
  Dusmaiji Infantrymen [+]

  
  
  
  Dusmaiji Skirmishers [+]

  
  
  
  Dusmaiji Riflemen [+]

  
  
  
  Dusmaiji Battlemage [+]

  
• Navy: A maximum of 40,000 personnel.
  
  Ranks and Hierarchy [+]

  
  
  • Grand Whale Lord - held by the Eminent of the Sea
  • Senior Whale Lord
  • Whale Lord
  • Under Whale Lord
  • Shark Knight
  • Sworntail
  • Commander
  • Lieutenant

  
  Beneath lieutenant, all other naval personnel are unranked and considered equal in standing as peons. They are derogatorily referred to as "snooks" by ranked personnel.
• Other:
  
  Non-human Troops [+]

  The rights of non-humans within Dusmaiji are restricted and there is little room for them to progress up the social ladder. However, the Dusmaijik military is rather non-discriminatory in comparison to its social structure. Non-humans, while they usually never achieve remarkably high rank, are respected to some degree when they join the Dusmaijik military and are supplied stable residences as payment for their services. This has prompted a considerable amount of them to enlist. However, there are many non-humans who are forcibly drafted nto the Dusmaiji military via levying. These non-humans are usually offered to the Empire by the tribe head that presides over the land which they inhabit as a tactic to conserve their own men, non-humans typically being seen as expendable by the tribe heads when levies are called.
  
  Notable Non-human units
  TBA.
  
  
  Mercenaries [+]

  What cannot be levied is made up for in the hiring of mercenaries, many of whom are foreign. While they are only as loyal as the amount of coin they are paid allows them to be, the Empire makes sure to hire those who are of commendable quality to supplement its forces. Mercenary companies which greatly satisfy the Empire are placed under extended contracts which secure their loyalty.
  
  Within the Dusmaiji military's rankings contracted mercenary companies retain their own hierarchy with their leaders being held in the same regard as tribe heads meaning they answer directly to the Eminent of War. Non-contracted companies or independent mercenaries are placed under the command of a tribe head to supplement their personal forces.
  
  Contracted Mercenary Companies
  TBA.

Strengths:

• Natural Born Fighters: The Dusmaiji infantry is renowned across Albion as tribes begin training their young to fight from the moment they are able to walk. Warriors are taught that retreat is dishonorable and that giving their lives for their nation and brethern is the best way to serve it. A one-on-one fight against a Dusmaiji pikeman will prove exceedingly difficult and a group are likely to overpower foreign troops that are not well prepared to face them.
• Elephant's Fortitude: With the Eminent of Architecture being an exceptionally qualified designer and planner, Dusmaiji structures are resilient and require additional effort to destroy.
• Heat Resistance: As Dusmaiji is a tropical country with the much of its land being desert, its natives are accustomed to high temperatures and dry weather. When fighting under such conditions Dusmaiji troops take longer than normal to succumb to the elements.

Weaknesses:

• Dangerous Wilderness: The Dusmai Desert is already tough enough to cross on its own and much of the jungles are shrouded in mystery. Though travelers must brave these untamed environments to make it to their destination it is highly probable they won't survive. Feral man-eating beasts lurk within Dusmaiji's jungles and roam its savannas while unrelenting, spontaneous sandstorms sweep through the Dusmai Desert. Travelng Dusmaiji without capable protection is suicidal. Trade and communication by land take significantly longer than they would if such obstacles were not present. Uninterrupted travel can only occur during certain periods.
• Ethnic Tension: Dusmaiji is multicultural which has added to its beauty. However, this has come at a price. Its human tribes are far from harmonious. If two tribes are allied then the third is surely a foe. Add the marginalized non-humans into the mix and feuds tend to erupt. While violence among Dusmaijik tribes is forbidden they have found other ways to spite their rivals. Internal political intrigue is detrimental to Dusmaiji's unity as just about any and everyone is seeking the next step up, even if they have to stab their neighbor in the back to progress.

Other:

Basic Demographics & Government Info
Population:
10,200,000
Territory Size:
3. Your nation is smaller than average but there's still plenty of territory to work with. While the lack of endless farmland might prove an issue, you do at least enjoy the benefits of relatively small and easily defended borders.
Technology:
4. Adequate modernization, you manage to keep pace with the rest of Albion.
Prevalence of Magic:
4. You have decent amount of magic users with a number of schools ready to teach them.
Government Type:
4. Your nation is ruled by one great emperor with functionally unlimited power. Beneath him is a large bureaucracy, but under this imperial system there is a meritocracy. Your magistrates and administrators have been tested and found competent; therefore, they earned their position unlike some noble that simply inherited it from his father.
Political Stability:
3. There's some mild urban unrest with criminal gangs and corruption, but nothing threatening to overthrow your country.

Economy

Overall Wealth:
6. Opulence and obscene wealth define your nation. Your streets might not be paved with gold, but great monuments, beautiful works of art, and a large variety of public works stand testament to your economic power. Your government of course has the funds to do almost whatever it wants.
Urbanization:
4. Your nation is decently urbanized with the fair balance of towns and rural areas
Agriculture:
4. Your nation has its farmlands, but you aren't blessed with particularly fertile land nor regular rainfall. As such, seasonal famines are a common thing.
Notable Resources:
Silk, iron, marble

Military
Military Structure:
4. A school of battlemages, but little else to serve as a standing army. Levies and mercenaries both utilized during times of war to create an army of average size.
Military Focus
7. Focus on lines of pikemen along with missile troops.
Navy:
5. Decently powerful navy with enough ships and sailors to fight as much you'd like
Military Leadership
3. Generals are pretty competent; however, they are corrupt and play at politics
Military Reputation
3. Many call your forces valorous; others say that they are brave to the point of stupidity.