Sotem

Sotem, officially the Sotem Empire, is a nation located on the northeastern side of the Suwê Mountains.

The subjects of the empire pride themselves on their military strength; seeking expansion, they are known for being haughty and taking up space.

Although they are at war with the Anyisyow Republic in bith the south and north east of the country, they wish to avoid armed conflict with Chintun in order to preserve the lands they plan to soon possess.

Tensions in the north with the tribes of Ûkêch come mainly from the Sotem-i expatriates feeling superior and more civilized than the natives of these lands. This feeling is exacerbated by the increasingly strict measures regarding the tribes' pilgrimages.

Government

Despite being an elective monarchy, meaning the ruler is elected and does not inherit the throne by birthright, the emperor of Sotem has never been chosen by the entire population. Many emperors have been approved by the general public for military or diplomatic victories, but what is less known is that the pretendants are placed on strategic points to reap the glory of common soldiers, which are then forced to keep the truth secret - or robbed of the ability to say anything.

Surrounding the emperor, six nobles families representing the six territories of the empire use various strategies to secure one of their descendants on the throne. Corruption and betrayal are commonplace, although it's paradoxally agreed amongst the families not to involve the emperor in these schemes.

Symbolically, the emperor is represented by a crow, which also serves as a way to determine the duration of reign. A newly chosen emperor is entrusted with a crow which has just fledged, and their reign typically ends when the crow dies, which makes most reigns an average of around 20 years long.

Fashion

Social class is very important in this society which functions by rewarding those who work hard. Thus, fashion and etiquette are very strict and diligently followed. More than specific garnments being exclusive to specific classes, it's colour which is tightly codified.

White, for example, is the exclusive privilege of the emperor, who are not expected to dirty themselves or falter as they represent hope for all of society. The white kept pure and clean shows their skill and potential for ruling peacefully, their resistance to corruption and their important role that cannot be endossed by anyone, as white is difficult to remain spotless.

In stark contrast, red and black are more accessible to common folk, as well as less demanding to appear spotless. That is not to say they don't occasionally wear other colors, or brighter ones; it's common for weddings to feature a lot of vibrant colors - at the exception of pure white, of course - as well as during military parades.

Wealthier classes benefit from a wider range of colours than commonners, not only can they pair more vibrant red with golden fabrics, jewelry and accessories, they are also permitted to wear a white-beige color which brings them closer to imperial power. Other colours that are very often found include blue, both dark and light or vivid, green as well as purple.

Regardless of class, trousers are greatly appreciated for their freedom of movement and they are often worn with tunics. Even women enjoy their freedom, although married couples are unspokenly expected to refrain from wearing trousers with short tunics to too many social events, at the risk of appearing as a teaser, or worse, a cheater.