The Beskus Empire

Comprising almost exclusively humans, all other races are either demonised as vile enemies of state, treated as slaves or grudgingly accepted as lesser partners.   The human realm on Apias, the Beskus Empire is land of temperate woods to the north, icy tundra to the south flanked by vast mountain ranges to its east and west. It is a nation ruled by an iron fist set against the notion of international cooperation and racial mixing, with any inhuman races living there either being enslaved or being on the run from the law.   The emperor and his privy council are centred in Elderscar, a large city of massive edifices of awe inspiring might.   The nation, from its nobles in Elderscar to its common folk toiling in the cities Tinley, Timberbreach or Gatle, value is placed on a strict legal and moral code revolving around 3 core pillars: Education, Family and Relgion.

Education and the Military

Imperial Tutors are present in nearly every Beskan settlement, they are responsible for the tuition of mathematics, literacy, history, racial purity and discipline. They are also responsible for preparing those youngest members of society for their place in the military.   Every man and woman is required under law to serve in in the military for a minimum of two years, though many willingly serve for longer. The military is the largest single employer in Beskus, from boots on the ground to researchers of new deadly weapons of war. Those who are not physically able to fight may contribute items of equal worth, usually focusing on a craft or the use of magic where applicable. Those who are too incompetent even for that are quietly shunned, pushed to one side in society and usually overlooked for any positions of responsibility.

Family and Sexuality

Family is viewed as all important, from the most senior government position down to lowly farmers, one's family determines much about each and every individual. The family is viewed not in terms of love, something of low priority in the Empire, but rather in terms of utility - how much value can, and has, been provided to the Empire and the greater good.   A family unit, therefore, is a married man and woman and their children, and the value of the members of the family is determined in a combination of what those in earlier generations have done before and what the individual in question has done. Individuals do have opportunities to succeed in Beskus, provided they wholeheartedly commit to the Empire's ideals.   Marriages, as a general rule, are contracts and alliances between families. The primary goal is to bear children, with extramarital activities overlooked provided no children result. Those children born outside of the family unit are often hidden or, if this does not succeed cast down, taken from their parents and put into the service of the state, often with brutal and short lives.

Religion

While The Dual Pantheon is acknowledged in Beskus, one god in particular is seen as the prime deity, The Father.   Religion is seen as secondary, a tool for the leaders of Beskus to control the masses. Any religion practised must be under the auspices and control of the state and their teachings must reflect that.   As a result, Paltores are vetted by members of the Cleansing Inquisition to ensure their understanding and loyalty to the state's ideology rather than anything else. Those who dissent from this view are quietly removed from office and made to attend mandatory reeducation, from which many do not return.   The teachings of the Father, in Beskus, therefore are unlike teachings elsewhere on the continent, with an emphasis being placed on human superiority, justifying the keeping of slaves, and the importance of a strict legal structure, a reason to support the Inquisition in their work.

Politics and Leadership

The Empire is led by a sole military dictator, Emperor Ferdinand II Sforza, who rules with an iron fist from his palace in Elderscar.   The Emperor is advised by a ruling council of eight individuals, often representing some of the greatest houses of the state:

Role	Responsibilities	Current Holder
Emperor's Hand	Second only to the Emperor. Stands in when Emperor absent.	Prince Armin Sforza
Warmaster	Supreme command of the Empire's Armies.	Lord Woldemar Hetz
Fleetmaster	Supreme command of the Empire's Navies.	Erich Nagelberg
Coinmaster	Responsible for tax revenue and overseeing governance.	Lady Natascha Dawnspire
Grand Paltore	Spiritual advisor and record keeper.	Paltore Sigismund Klemm
Knight Commander	Head of Cleansing Order (An Arm of the Cleansing Inquisition) Responsible for inquisition activities outside the empire.	Sir Sebastian Mucke
Grand Inquisitor	Head of the Cleansing Inquisition Responsible for overseeing the Inquisition's overall goals and plans for the future.	Lord Lothar Dahlke
Unquestioned Officer	Head of the The Inner Eye (An Arm of the Cleansing Inquisition) Responsible for keeping the minds of the people pure.	Lady Elsbeth Seashine

All significant decisions are made by this group of individuals, with their subordinates doing their best to carry out their will.

The Cleansing Inquisition and Diplomatic Relations

The Cleansing Inquisition is an organisation that seeks to broadcast the idea of human purity across the continent. They act, both internally and externally, to quell anti-human sentiment.   Their clandestine activities could involve finding a rogue Paltore and bringing him to heel, or burning a halfling village in The Ospana Confederacy because their presence offended the ranking officers.   Whatever the mission, these individuals are taught to act with cruel and brutal efficiency. Massacres are common. What is less common, and has been happening increasingly in recent years, is kidnappings. Nobody knows exactly what happens to those non-human individuals taken into the Beskus Empire, but many believe the best they can hope for is slavery and a quick death. Many suspect, however, that this is very far from the truth.   As a result of the merciless xenophobia of the Beskus Empire, it does not perform well on a diplomatic stage (nor does its emperor want it to). The only nations with which it has any sort of contact are Ozrag, whose ideologies are not wholly dissimilar and The Gleaming Wing Trading Company, as even humans have need of some goods from outside the empire.

Other Interesting Facts About The Beskus Empire

• Many buildings in Elderscar are internally heated thanks to the elegantly designed hypocaust system, the heat pumped from deep underground.
• Women in The Beskus Empire are largely treated in the same way. While the nation is xenophobic and hateful towards other races, it does not discriminate on the grounds of gender.
• It is not unknown for people of Beskus to engage in sexual relationships with other races. These individuals, if it is found out, are publicly executed in their hometown, and their family's assets seized. With no assets these families are forced to flee and live out the rest of their lives in exile and fear of the wrath of the Inquisition. Any children of this union are hunted down and terminated with impunity.