The World

The Empire

The Empire is all that many of its citizens know. Bordered by seas to the West and south, the Northern tribes and to the East the Free Baronies, most of the Empire looks inward to the capital if they look beyond their local town at all. Only  a relative few adventurous or mercantile folk cross over from or to foreign lands.

The centre of the Empire is called the regulated territories. This large area has a closely connected political system and laws are uniformly enforced. Roads and river docks are maintained by the state to a consistently high standard. Citizens in these areas have the right to appeal sentences and even verdicts right up to the high courts in the capital although the process is costly and may require connections. Consumers also have the right to make complaints for unfair or dishonest trade and although responses will vary they will usually be taken seriously. Officials will be reluctant to engage in corruption as penalites are real.

There are no “free communites” in the regulated territories. In the less central parts of the empire, halfling, gnomish, dwarven and elven citizens may live in general communities but will usually have ties to self governing areas that are technically under Empire law but effectively prosecute their own laws. Such halfling hamlets or wood elf villages range between being open to outsiders to being reclusive and aloof. There are no significant half-orc or tiefling (or non PHB race) communities in the Empire. Of all these races the dwarves are the most integrated with the human dominant population.

Religion is a hot issue in the Empire with an official Imperial religion operating alongside multiple local folk religions. There is an edict of tolerance across the Empire which guarantees religious freedom but there are grumbles that high office is unofficially restricted to adherents of the Imperial religion. In the outer regions conflict with Imperial oversight can take on a religious aspect. Local temples have to play a fine balancing act of not appearing to appease the Empire too much for their more zealous members’ tastes while never openly opposing Imperial law and authority. 

One exception to the practice of religious freedom is an outright ban on Necromancy. While technically summoning demons or practicing as a Warlock are not necromancy both will be lumped in with necromancy by many folk, including some soldiers and judges. Warlocks in the Empire tend to hide the source of their power if it even suggests a connection with either the infernal or undead.

A neat way of summing up the Empire is that it is all about peace and prosperity. Hence innovation, free travel and diversity of opinion are generally celebrated. Even idle chat that might endanger peace and prosperity can get you into trouble though. The Empire is more than willing to suspend freedoms to avert even the smallest possibility of civil strife. Calling another religion false is a big no-no for this reason as is publicly criticising the Empire itself.

The Northern Tribes

The Empire recently ended a war with the Northern Tribes. It was supposed to be an easy grab of territory, propaganda even suggested the Northern Tribes would welcome Imperial governance, but six decades on hasn’t moved the border. The largely nomadic tribes co-ordianted a taxing mobile front against Imperial defensive positions. Horses were a big advantage for the north because while the Empire uses horses for work it has no tradition of cavalry warfare. Most northern human tribesman ride from childhood. (Think of Friesan horses for the type ridden).

Almost all non-humans in the areas of the Northern Tribes live in free communities under their own laws. This includes Dwarves, Gnomes, Wood Elves and some halflngs . Unlike the Empire there are also scattered Orc, Kobold and Goblin communities living in relative peace. Because population is a lot sparser and the land is wilder there are many more wild and roaming monsters. As you head north the land becomes inhospitable and fishing and hunting, with some gathering, completely replace farming for sustenance. 

Note: that the Empire has a current ban on personal flying vehicles. This is a consequence of the war. There is hope among flying enthusiasts that this law will be changed now that peace is declared and in big cities this will be a topic of discussion. The North on the other hand has little interest in flying through its frequent blizzards and storms.

The Empires ban on necromancy is in stark contrast to the Northern tribes embrace of this art. For Northerners it is no more evil than any other form of magic. Most tribes will have either a priest, sorceror or wizard who specialises in necromancy. Warlocks will also operate openly in the north.

Tribes tend to have their own morality and how prisoners are treated including slavery can vary wildly from tribe to tribe. Some might even cut up captives for magical ingredients. Others will consider themselves obligated to look after prisoners and see them returned to safety. Tribe membership is often fluid too and not an extension of kinship as marriage is usually to someone in another tribe. While predominantly human a tribe might adopt a member of another race including half-orcs and rarely goblins. Tribes tend to make major decisions such as choosing a leader collectively. Laws are grounded in custom and tradition rather than an individuals will or majority opinion. Some tribes will have a balance of authorities such as a “crone” or seer who stands apart from the leadership. 

The Free Baronies

The Free Baronies are a collection of city states who control the lands around them up to a certain range depending on their military might and who collectively control the eastern part of the continent from North to South. Beyond the range of any current Barony there may be wealthy farmers who support peasants and may have aspirations of being a Baron themselves or be a degree along making that transition. 

The Northern Baronies are more militaristic and their towns more defensive than the Southern Baronies. All significant Baronies have a treaty to unite in the face of outside aggression which deters the Empire from any invasion. The Baronies are also united in their feudal culture even if it is sometimes based on recent and self-declared or even blatantly forged titles of nobility.  Barons head powerful families that completely control local wealth and they generally consider this obligates them to honourably maintain the livelihood of their serfs and vassals. The principle of “noblesse oblige” adhered to is different to Imperial citizenship in that peasants in the "Free" Baronies don’t have to worry about either poverty or wealth. 

It is less accurate to say that a Baron sets the laws with their property than it is to say the law is everyone does what the Baron wants. If a Baron wants their head scientist to invent a flying machine they can direct them to. Larger towns and cities will have documented policies to follow but there is no appeal to an independent judiciary. Personal favour with a Baron can matter more than any previous policy.

Trade with the Empire is mutually beneficial and offers another disincentive to conflict.

The Southern Coast and beyond

With an endless ocean to the West and the only route to the Eastern coast through the Free Baronies, the Southern Coast is the Empires access to the rest of the world. This area has also been starved of Imperial attention while the war in the north raged. 

Piracy and smuggling has flourished along parts of the coast. Local seditious talk is not unusual as not everyone feels a great loyalty to the Empire. More ancient identities nurtured by folk religions as well as foreign subterfuge make seemingly sleepy seaside towns hotbeds of intrigue and politics. 

With peace in the North the Empire is turning its attention to “cleaning up” the South, particularly in ensuring it stamps out the rumoured trade in slaves. Establishing a greater Imperial military presence in coastal cities is already underway.

Overseas the Azuz empire is a distrusted diplomatic rival. Tieflings in the Empire will have a tie to Azuz either as agents, merchants or refugees. There is no likelihood of direct war but attempts to tilt independent islands between the countries in either nations favour are common. Other than these rumours unless an Imperial citizen is a dedicated scholar they will know very little about Azuz. A Northerner probably wont even know of its existence.