Rathmore Empire

Description

The Rathmore Empire is a monarchy that has ruled over a majority of the continent of Myr since early in the Upheaval period. The empire is controlled by the Rathmore royal family, currently presided over by King Colton Rathmore. The empire is seen as tyrannical by many other nations, including The Commonwealth, which occupies the nations not under the empire's control, which is inhabited by the Vesperkin that were treated harshly by the Rathmore royal family when they took power because their family views Vesperkin as just "inferior Humans", seeing nothing unique about them. The Rathmore Empire has been encroaching on The Commonwealth's territories as long as they have existed and have taken control away from them several cities which were important to the Vesperkin people, including the city of Luxandra.

The Rathmore Empire is unique in Aellorah, being the only country to outlaw magic entirely. This was done as a means to control the population and keep the influence of the Sorcerer's Cabal out of the politics of the empire. And thanks to a Wellspring anomaly, they have the means to enforce the ban, as the Rathmore Empire has sole control over Mt. Valgar, under which the only known deposits of Eskite are found. This prized metal is the basis for much of the empire's military might. Although it makes them formidable to every spellcasters, such as those within the Sorcerer's Cabal, even Eskite cannot protect the empire if they were to ever cross the Dwarves of Reshyk. They have maintained good trade relations with Reshyk for this reason, and desipte the magic ban, politicians and the influential figures of the empire are known to possess enchanted items.

The Rathmore Empire's military, known as the Myrmidons, are equipped with equipment constructed from Eskite, mostly in the form of bucklers, that allow them to absorb magic. But their might lies not just in their protection from magic, but their elite training regimen and way of life. Myrmidons begin their training at 5 years old and they become fully inducted into the military at age 19. Their training can be brutal, as they are quickly required to train using real weapons rather than training weapons. As a result, many are killed at an early age if they are not good enough. Children who are seen as weak or cowardly by their peers may be hazed or even murdered by the other children. The mortality rate of this training program is roughly 60%. To allow the Myrmidons to persist, the Rathmore Empire has instituted several laws that The Commonwealth has condemned as barbaric and horrifying.

1. Every woman must marry and produce at least 5 children.
2. Homosexuality is only permitted as long as each citizen marries the opposite sex and produces the requisite number of children.
3. Each family must give their three eldest male children to the Myrmidons. If they die, the younger two will be taken in their place.
4. Refusal to give children to the Myrmidons is punishable by death.
5. Those who do not marry by age 30 must either leave the Empire's lands or be executed.

These laws have caused much discourse in the public, but because most children will end up being given to the Myrmidons, the only citizens left to fight the regime are older Humans who have either aged out of the Myrmidons at age 35, or who proved themselves more valuable as a tradesman. Additionally, since the children are taken from their parents so young, they are brainwashed into believing in the Rathmore regime, and happily crush dissidents. Crafters have the right to select one child to give immunity to from being forced to join the Myrmidons to apprentice them except in times of active war. Most jobs outside of tradesmen selected by their parents or the Myrmidons are performed by women or Letheni slaves.

The Rathmore Empire still practices slavery, the only country remaining that still does so. However, they refuse to enslave their own people (if you do not consider the Myrmidon organization to be slavery), and choose to breed and enslave a Letheni population that lives within their territory. There is an underground group known as The Sylvan Path which fights to free captive Letheni to smuggle them out of the Rathmore Empire to The Commonwealth. This group was created as a joint effort between The Commonwealth and the Sorcerer's Cabal. The Letheni slaves are used for manual labor jobs, such as wood cutting, stone masonry, textiles, and farming.