Dragon Empreror/Empress

Dragon Emperor/Empress

This title is one of the, if not the, most prestigious titles any mortal can hold throughout all of Zlotkar. For thousands of years Zhun has stood as a powerhouse of the world, truly without equal for much of their history. This empire has faced more hardships then any, and ultimately, it stands defiant to the testament of time, and throughout their history, there has always been one figure at the head of their realm; The Emperor, or Empress.   In the past, before the Second Jirgun Invasion some five centuries ago, The Imperial Family still rode dragons. In our modern time however, they have lost this perk of their title. Now instead, they are simply revered for their ancient lineage as well as near divine-like status as imperial rulers of Zhun.   The ruler of Zhun has always been of the realms namesake's dynasty, that being the Zhun Dynasty. The family name is synonymous with the imperial mandate and title of the realms ruler. This family has ruled for at least two thousand years, tracing their lineage directly back to the legendary first Dragon Emperor, Zhun Yi'Long, whose tale is recounted in the song "The Birth of Zhun".   The imperail ruler's responsibilities are as many as they wish them to be. Some rulers of Zhun decide to take an active role in as much of it's governance as they can, whereas others prefer to neglect or delegate their duties. What is true, is that these imperial rulers can usually be found within The Imperial Court.   In the past, the rulers of Zhun were predominatly male, but with the Fall of Dragons that changed, as the empire was forced to accept an empress, or face a civil war. Then, when that empress did great work to recover from the Second Jirgun Invasion, being a very beloved and famous empress, it became accepted that no matter the gender, the eldest child should always become the next Dragon Emperor/Empress. This also led to Zhun as a whole becoming totally equal in the sense of gender, to the point that their distrust of female rulers in the past is looked down upon and seen as foolish.   The current Emperor of Zhun goes by the name of Zhun Jian, with Zhun of course being his surname according to Zhunese naming traditions.