Chrystemis
The Empire of Chrystemis stretches north from Vielasyn, with the mountains of Vale of the Children marking a natural border between Erzlygion and Klaes. To the south, the Laiuphos Cliff of Phasyneum and the Ynopherys Desert mark the Empire's border with Tyrinthius, where the rainforests begin.
History
Chrystemis, born under the reign of the Nocturne Skies , stands as a unified empire, forged in the shadow of a tormented history. Before the advent of unity, the kingdoms of Oeviom, Sympruosia, Ynopherys, Erzlygion, Vielasyn, Phasyneum and Mosyne were torn apart in an endless war, a feud lasting more than five millennia and a large number of empires and civilisations disappeared. They obey today to the Imperial Dynasty of the Eliavitis from Oeviom. These kingdoms were the heirs of the ancient tribes that Adam, our venerated father had left behind in his sacred quest for the Egg of Wonder .
Each of Adam's descendants, scattered across the farthest reaches of Chrystemis, built a throne on blood and pride, claiming to be the bearer of the purest lineage. Time transformed these tribes into rival powers, each royal family asserting its divine legitimacy and vying for the honour of completing the sacred quest. Finding the Egg meant restoring God's grace and inscribing one's name at the top of celestial memories. And so the war of the lineages became the war of the humans themselves, until the Nocturne Skies imposed a Chosen One, Peors who broke the chains of chaos.
Fondation
Peors, the last son of a line related to the illustrious Eliavitis of Oeviom, was chosen by God for a transcendent mission during the reign of the Nocturne Skies. Placed at an early age within the Church of Light, he began his apprenticeship as an Aura Reader, a sacred role that enabled him to decipher the divine traces displayed in the Sky. It was during a night of prayer under the gaze of the Night Sun that Peors experienced Divine Transcendence . God, in his immeasurable light, revealed to him a forgotten truth: Adam's descendants had gone astray, their pride having led them astray from the sacred quest. It was time to restore unity and faith by bringing the scattered tribes together under a single banner. Invested with this heavenly vision, Peors became a messenger of divine will. Travelling through the torn kingdoms, he stepped in between the conflicts, calling for reconciliation. He appeared before the great royal families to pass on the word of God. Some inclined their ears and accepted his wisdom, while others, blinded by their own ambition, rejected him with violence. But Peors, the bearer of divine grace, persisted in his mission, sowing the first seeds of the empire of Chrystemis.
Peors, enlightened by the Transcendence, prophesied a grandiose event : a celestial storm would tear through the darkness of skies, a divine irrevocable transformation. From this storm would emerge a canopy of light, a firmament that he named The Hair of Deus, in homage to the luminous threads that would adorn the heavens like a divine crown.
He declared that the tribes of Adam, long scattered and at war, would at last find unity. The torn bloodlines would bow and come together in a single, brotherly empire, a divine promise of peace and renewed faith. Peors described this vision as the ultimate proof of God's mercy, a call to transcend rivalries and embrace a common destiny blessed by eternal light.
The Imperial Dynasty of the Eliavitis, born of a lesser branch of Adam’s clans, traces its lineage to a younger son of the patriarch himself and his Eva, Ruys. Rising from obscurity, the Eliavitis ascended through the prophetic blessings of Peors, whose revelations and divine favor propelled them to prominence. Their ascent culminated in the overthrow of the once-mighty Solmiriath, extinguishing the ancient line that had ruled over Oeviom for centuries. The blood of the Solmiriath endures within the Eliavitis line, as the Evas of the Solmiriath were spared the blade, bound instead into alliances through marriage.
These unions wove the legacy of the fallen house into the veins of their conquerors, cementing the Eliavitis' dominion over the Oeviom's throne, a dynasty rooted in usurpation and sanctified by lineage. Whispers of Solmiriath’s forgotten glories linger in the shadows of Oeviom’s courts, a reminder that victory is never without its ghosts.
Kingdoms
At the heart of Chrystemis lies Oeviom, the sovereign kingdom where the imperial family originated. The arts of music and poetry are greatly esteemed there. The people gather, dressed in their finest clothes, around a theatre performance where spirits rise and ponder philosophical dramas. The lands are sunny and delight the noblest of exquisite wines. It is in Oeviom that the imperial currency is minted.
Sympruosia basks in the sunshine, its naval fleet standing majestically in its waters. Its economy is built on its maritime trade, which has developed thanks to Sympruosia's greatest cartographers. Its fields yield abundant crops, and its fishermen adorn themselves with pearl necklaces. The Aenigma Sea holds no secrets for those born on these shores.
The Ynopherys desert is dangerous territory for those who are not native to it. Divided into several semi-nomadic tribes whose merchants excel in the arts of trade and craftsmanship, its inhabitants perpetuate their history through oral tradition. Travelling by camel, they stop at oases until they reach the capital city of Chrystemis, where they can sell their finest treasures : tableware, jewellery, daggers, protective amulets... Everything has a price.
Although Mosyne is somewhat gloomy, it manages to stand out thanks to its medical universities and the care they provide. A pioneer in this field, its great advances are due to professors who did not hesitate to break the taboo surrounding surgery in order to satisfy their thirst for knowledge. Plants are also studied there, both for concocting elixirs and poisons. Above all, Mosyne's reputation is due to its prostheses capable of replacing lost limbs...
Phasyneum, the western kingdom and former rival empire, dominates the other vassal kingdoms in the sciences. Indeed, mathematics, arithmetic, geometry, algebra and astronomy hold no secrets for its great scholars. With its unique expertise in metallurgy, Phasyneum has established itself as the empire's largest weapons manufacturer. Moehric, the Chosen One and great inventor of the Chromatic Garden, was originally from Phasyneum.
Erzyglion is a kingdom in the East, bordering the end of Bellyem's lands, enclosed between mountain ranges. Set apart from the world, it nevertheless stands out for its fortifications, bridges and titanic architecture. Drawing on blocks of rock from the mines, Erzyglion's engineers have built numerous palaces overlooking the valleys. Furthermore, the use of water mills and irrigation systems allows for autonomy in these remote lands.
Vielasyn, named after its titular Eva, is a former ally of the sister kingdoms of Klaes. Its terrain is flat and has no natural barriers, unfortunately facilitating enemy invasions. To ensure their survival, the descendants of Eva Vielasyn rallied to the Empire to enjoy its protection, but in return their traditions were gradually crushed. Over the last few centuries, the alliance of sister kingdoms has repeatedly launched assaults to reconquer what they have lost.
Slavery
The glory of Chrystemis, the greatest empire ever to exist on Bellyem, condemns the Chayatiem to be enslaved under the weight of their condition. Despised and exploited since the era of Eucleides during the reign of Scarlet Skies, these anthropomorphic beings serve humans at the cost of their blood. Exploited in the fields and mines, homes and even brothels, their bodies and strength are put to the test until they die of exhaustion. All the most beautiful palaces of the Empire were built on the graves of their people. And when these poor damned souls are no longer seen as useful to their masters, they end up being eaten by them to recoup their cost.
The Empire's economy was largely built on the slave trade, thanks to the enslavers who raised them and sold them at a good price in dedicated markets. Paradoxically, the Church of Light justified enslavement as an act of purification, a path to redemption for a people deemed impious. Praise is often sung for the Empire's prosperity and its splendour in the world. Its dazzling power blinds even the most greedy, to the point that they forget that every beginning inevitably leads to an end...
Entry for WorldEmber 2024
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Chrystemis is a truly captivating organization! The intricate blend of mysticism and structure makes them feel both enigmatic and powerful. I love how their goals and influence are woven into the world, creating endless possibilities for stories and intrigue.
There will be more details about it in the future !