Seris Empire
If there is any nation that inspired respect, admiration as well as fear in the lands of Karia is the Seris Empire. Perhaps the greatest state of the continent as well as the most populated. From their majestic capital of Sakouramish, the seris emperors ruled their powerful realm. Their armies ensured the protection of the frontiers of the Empire and also ensuring the independence of the tributaries of the Empire from foreign aggresion while a improved system of government officials were in charge of the taxes, deliver justice, controlling agriculture and the rivers floods etc.
Nowadays, the Empire is experiencing its first symptoms of decline. The military class seems to have have become the shadow behind the Lion throne. Emperor Mithradates II is old but still respected by its subjects and the military. Since the reign of Emperor Asurlan V, the old centralized imperial goverment have become in reality a feudal state, with distant members of the Imperial family controling their provinces as their own realms, having their own armies and raising their own taxes!. Only the sacred figure of the Emperor and the power that he still has over his subjects prevents these lords of fighting between them. The Emperor has tried all this time in keep peace and have the lords happy and obedient. But who knows what will happen when the Emperor is no more !.
All of this means that the Emperor of Seria doesn't have the manpower and resources that it had in the past, but despite all this problems, the Empire of the Seris is the strongest and hegemonic power in the region, and no one in the continent is in a position to challenge it. The Empire still has a network of vassal states and tributaries which send tribute every year in order to establish their own goverments legitimacy and to be protected from foreign intervention with the protection of the Imperial armies.
The marriage of the emperor with one of the daughters of the Blatian king of Cloudia has granted a long peace and friendly relations with the Blatians of Cloudia. But now that a new power is arising in the city of Blati, ready to unify all the Blatians, perhaps its time to reconsider the strategy of the Empire towards the Blatian realms on the other side of the strait.
Structure
Seris Emperor by Callyxtus
The Empire goverment could be explained in the shape of a pyramid. On the top is the Emperor, who is the Chief of the Goverment and the supreme commander of the armed forces as well as the religious embodiment of the nation, as decendant of the Goddess of Fire, Pyria. During the previous Arshakid and Yuutakid dynasties the Emperor held, in theory, absolute power. This was the case for the Emperors who were very powerful, wise and loved by the people. They were surrounded also by wise and skillful bureaucrats who made the Imperial administration run smoothly.
According to Seris political ideology and philosophy, despite their unlimited power, the Emperors had to govern the land as benevolent rulers, looking for the prosperity of the country and its people. For that, they didn't also have to rule wisely but also perform the mandatory religious rituals in order to ensure the gods's blessing and protection.
- Ministry of Finances: Controls the taxation across the Empire, control the Mints and have a registry of the gifts and tributes gave by other states.
- Ministry of Personnel: It is in charge of appointments, merit ratings, promotions, and demotions of officials, as well as granting of honorific titles
- Ministry of War: it advices the Emperor in matters of Warfare and also is in charge of the appointments, promotions and demotions of military officers, the maintenance of military installations, equipment and weapons, as well as the courier system.
- Ministry of Science and Magic: It is in charge of the Imperial Libraries and the Magic schools across the country.
- Ministry of Rites and Foreign affairs: In charge of state ceremonies, rituals and sacrifices as well as the reception of envoys and the tribute from tributary states. It was also in charge of the Imperial examinations
- Ministry of Justice: It is in charge of judicial and penal processes.
- Ministry of Public Works: in charge of government construction projects, hiring of artisans and laborers for temporary service, manufacturing government equipment, the maintenance of roads and canals, standardisation of weights and measures, and the gathering of resources from the countryside
Culture
The seris believe their Empire is the center of the World. And geographically speaking it is almost correct. They consider themselves the most civilized nation on Yeia. They believed their Emperor is appointed directly by the gods for rulling the world in their name. The seris only recognize as fellow civilized nations the Blatian Empire and the Kingdom of Cloudia, (the Ikarian successor states), the Oronai Kingdoms, their tributaries, the Desert Peoples, the Kingdom of Adhel and all the Elven realms in Yeia. The rest are all considered barbarians and the Empire doesn't care too much about them.
The Seris are a very pious people. They believe that their Empire's might cames for the Gods being pleased with them. Seris religion, derived from the religion of the The proto-Davidovian peoples, focused heavily on pleased the Gods in order to them to grant prosperity to the realm. This is why the Emperor's role as mediator with the Gods is so important, as it is his duty to perform the most sacred rituals in order to gain their favour and not anger them.
The Seris are also fans of Theatre, specially commedy and representations of their heroic sagas. They also are passionate about their national sport, which is played mounted in horses and it consists on hitting a ball with an stick and put it in a box in the ground. The Seris called it Yükpil (Horseball), and in Blatian its name is called Tsikon, because it was borrowed from the Seris.
by Callyxtus
The Seris as most of the davidovian peoples see interracial marriage between elves and humans with good eyes and the offpring fruit of those unions have suffers no discrimination and most of them are even awarded the highest court titles. The Elves too have no problems as they are seen as rightful citizens of the Empire. A reasonable percentage of them live live in villages and cities among humans engaging in trade and other activities, and they are the majority of the population in the southernmost provinces of the Empire.
History
Seria has a very rich history of almost 4000 years. From the arrival of the davidovian peoples to the current dynasty. At the beginning the seris people weren't unified, they lived, first in little settlements, usually hill forts, and they were predominantly an agrarian people, cultivating rice and wheat, which were the basis of their diet. They also expanded by conquering and absorbing their inmediate neighbours using technologies unknown to the indigenous peoples as war charriots and bronze weapons. 600 years after the crossing of the Suris Straight we have the first evidences of the Seris language associated with divination, temple accounting, religious rituals... etc .
Around the 20th century BP we have the appearance of the first city-states and kingdoms. The fighting between them will last until the 7th century BP when king Arsakes I unified all the Seris states, establishing the Seris Empire.
Since its foundation the Seris Empire have had 3 dynasties (without taking in consideration the brief Mervadid dynasty founded in the South of the country by the Yunyun nomads) and it has expanded and contracted over the centuries. Firsly annexing the elven territories in the South and then creating a network of tributary states that lasted until nowadays. During the first two dynasties we also found what the Seris know as their Classical Literature with works about philosphy, theatre, history, poetry or sagas telling the stories of the gods and the heroes. Many of these works have become very popular worldwide and have influenced other civilizations.
Flags of the 3 Seris Imperial dynasties: Arshakids (left) Sittakids (right) and Yuutakids (bottom) by Callyxtus
The History of the Seris Empire has been also a history of relations with their neighbours. From the most powerful ( for example the Ikarian Empire and its succesors to the West or the Farai Nomads and the Dark Elves to the East). Sometimes Seria was at war with them ( for example the Seris- Ikarian War in the early 3th century AP or the campaigns of Asurlan I in the East from 251 to 264 AP) or had peaceful relations or even alliances with these neighbours, influencing them and even being influenced by their culture, with new technologies, (like the use of iron), and new artistic, philosophical or religious ideas.
Although it started as a new hope for Imperial Stability, the new Yüttakid dynasty has become very unstable and one example of it is the fact that the centralization of the government has almost collapsed, due to the pressure of the provincial lords and the increasing power of the military faction in the state politics. Although Emperor Mithradates II has saved the Empire from dissaster and civil strife, tensions between different government factions still exist and the shadow of another civil war after the death of the monarch is a possibility.
You can learn more about the History of the Seris people, with its most famous historical events, clicking in the link below.
Demography
Most of the Seris population are farmers, but a substantial part of the citizens of the Empire live in cities. Some of them are among the most populated in the world.
The society is divided in 6 classes. On the top is the Emperor and the Imperial family, next are the nobles and priests, then the warrior class or Namru, in Seris, then the Merchants and burocrats, then the artisans, craftsmen, blacksmiths and finally the farmers. .
Seris citizens could be of three races, humans, half elves and elves. The humans are mostly descendants of the davidovian peoples that crossed the straight of Suris and mixed with the natives. The Elves, originated from the south of the country, were annexed and assimilated in the first century AP during the Sitakid dynasty. Although all of them are fluent in the seris language in private and among them they spoke the Elvish language. At finally the half elves are, of course, the result of the interracial unions between elves and humans. They inherit both the kindness, intelligence and good sight of their elven relatives and the bravery, audacity, empathy and adaptability of their human forefathers. Bacause the elves are very powelful magic creatures, they are of course very powerful and as their elven relatives they can perform the sacrest and most powerfull magic, unknown to the rest of the humans.
Since the beginning of the Yüttakid dynasty the Namru had become very powerfull. Originated as a distinct class during the later centuries of the previous dynasty they power increased when they help Yüttak VIII become Emperor. Together with the merchants they are the only class that can become nobles. And much of the provincial nobility comes from the Namru class, and the proffesional core of their armies is formed exclusively by Namru soldiers. They have many rights, they can carry swords in public as the nobles do. They have reserved places in the theatres, they can't be hurt by any other class below them and, most importantly, they don't pay taxes. Their main weapons are the bow, the spear and the sword. Most of them formed part of the cavalry but nowadays many of them have decided to fight on foot.
Religion
- Abbina (Abbon Shabai for the Blatians): King of the Gods and god of wisdom, charity and justice
- Alara: Goddess of hunting, wisdom and magic.
- Theyr (Tyr for the Blatians): Goddess of the Earth, of agriculture, women and children, wife of Abbina
- Sek : Goddess of the Moon
- Sal: Goddess of the Sun, volcanoes and thunder
- Sylion: god of the rivers, seas and lakes.
- Khair: God of death, evil and caves
- Mithra: God of war and fire. son of Abbina and Theyr.
- Goydyn: Goddess of beauty, arts and music. Daughter of Abbina and the elf maiden Beledyn.
- Filin: God of artisans, blacksmiths.
- Ber: Goddess of fortune.
- Vipsa: goddess of the house.
Abina ( Seris version of Abbon Shabai) by Callyxtus
Seris Emperors are also deified and thus worshiped after death across the country.
The other "state religion" is Yemuism, a relatively new faith (founded in the second century AP by a philosopher and wizard, Yemu) which believes that the Gods have granted all of us the power to use magic for good. The only thing we have to do is to focuse, meditate, practice and study in order to master it. This belief is very popular among commoners and certain groups of priests, to the point that Yemu has acquired "semi divine" status among the Seris.
If we talk about religious practices, the seris, like all the davidovian peoples, practice the ritual of libation in order to please the gods. For it they pour a drink on an altar or spot. It can be done with many substances (wine, beer, milk, honey or water). In ancient times Seris also performed animal sacrifices, but now this tradition seems to have been abandoned.
Economy
Silver and gold, as well as precious stones can be found in great quantities specially in the north which are used to produce the finest jewels in the world,coveted by all Yeia's nobility . The north was also rich in copper and, in the regions bordering Lashel, tin, which allowed the Seris to be one of the main producers of bronze for centuries before the introduction of iron technology.
Silk is also produced in vast quantities and its quality is only matched by the one produced by the Blatians. This product is one of the main exports of the country, as it monopolizes almost the entire silk market in the continent of Karia.
Trade also plays an important part in Seris economy. Seria's main ports are Meydatom in the North, the closest to the Imperial capital, Sakouramish, Kabrizveh in the far south, close to the The Pillars of Toshia and Musttuki in the Interior Sea. Merchants from over the world visit these ports to sell their goods or to buy the precious Seris silk and jewels .
Army and defense
The Empire's eastern borders with the nomads is protected by a series of fortifications called the Thousand Fortresses while each province has its own castle where the province lord lives and rule his domains. During the Arhakid and Yuutakid dynasties the Imperial armies consisted mostly of professional soldiers, paid and loyal to the State and the Emperor. But with the rise of the Namru as the warrior class the empire's armies became decentralized (aside of the frontier ones and the armies located in territories directly under the control of the Emperor).
The bulk of the army is split between the Army of the East, that protects Seria's borders with the Farai Khaganate and the Army of the South, in charge or protecting Seria's Southern provinces from incursions or invasions from the Kingdom of the Dark Elves.
One voice and one will
Founding Date
-659
Type
Geopolitical, Empire
Capital
Alternative Names
Empire of the Seris, Seriushkashor, Kussine
Demonym
Seris
Leader
Leader Title
Head of State
Government System
Monarchy, Absolute
Power Structure
Feudal state
Economic System
Traditional
Currency
The official currency of the Empire is the Bon, which its a common currency across the commercial routes that lead to Sakouramish.
Subsidiary Organizations
Official Languages
Related Traditions
Related Ranks & Titles
Related Professions
Controlled Territories
Neighboring Nations
Related Items
Notable Members
Related Ethnicities
Swift, a little Seris "enclave"
Situated between Lashel and the Realm of the Desert peoples, on one of the main routes of the "Amber road" . In reality Swift is the Lashelian and Desert people's name for the region. For the Seris this region is the known as the Protectorate of the East, a militarized province of the Empire.
Here is where many mercenary veterans from the Imperial armies were settled and underwent a process of adoption of the Seris culture and language. The population of the area is a mixture of these "serisized" populations, ethnic seris (mostly bureucrats, military officers and merchants) as well as peoples from nearby countries like Lashelians, Menarites, Blatian merchants from the Republic of Valia and Sun and Desert elves.
This territory was, after the reforms of Asurlan's great grandson, Arkwi I, the only territory of the Seris Empire were slave trading was allowed.
After the collapse of the Sittakid dynasty in the late 5th century AP, the territory of the Protectorate of the East began to shrink and in the last century the Protectore has even become cut from the Seris mainland (although there are rumours at the Seris court that points towards a possible seris expedition to reconnect mainland Seria with Swift again.
by Azgaar
Amazing, love the refreshing of this article! Also congrats on the hundred followers!! Well deserved :D