The Number Twelve

The number twelve occurs repeatedly in the Truest King's structure of the Broken Kingdom. The exact reason why is unknown, with theories ranging that it is a symptom of the madness that surely affects all Immortals or that it is simply a thematic gimmick that was a matter of taste. 
=== Formal Uses of Twelve ===
Twelve is used as a marking point for many achievements in the Broken Kingdom. Pointedly it is the number of times a deed must be repeated to earn the higher honors of the kingdom. It is also the length of the Council of Royals, the number of kingdoms, and is used in the structure of the kingdom itself and its defensive structures. Each Kingdom has twelve towns for each city, twelve villages for each town. This means that in the entirety of the kingdom there are 12 Royal Fortresses, 144 High Castles, and 1728 Low Keeps. 
== Crazy Thoughts About Twelve ==
=== Era's of Expansion ===
Those who have theorize the formula will continue say this means the next expansion of the kingdom should have 12 Royal Citadels in the capitals, 144 Baronic Fortresses in the cities, 1728 High Castles, and 20,736 Low Keeps. The theory maintains the third expansion of the kingdom will mark the golden era of the land, as further expansion beyond that will only be able to be accomplished through long wars with other major nations. Some theorists maintain that this is part of the long term strategy of the Truest King; that through slow growth, pulsing expansion, and centuries of indoctrination for each newly occupied area that he will someday become the ultimate power of the world. Skeptics point out that the Broken Kingdom's current population leaves the current area the occupied mostly wilderness, so that in the unlikely event there is any further expansion it would be millennia away; an unlikely timetable even for an Immortal to plan on.
=== The Number of Power ===
There is a small cult of individuals who live in the wilderness highlands of the Broken Kingdom who have developed a heretical addition to the standard Religion of the Truest King. This addition includes the granting of magical prowess in the form of visions, hexes, and spiritual journeys all through the power of the number twelve. Typical ceremonies for the cult include the chanting of multiples and exponents of twelve until hallucination or unconsciousness strike, as the chanting continues until count is lost at which point it is started over again. No water or food aside from "sacred" teas can be consumed during this time. This cult considers polydactylism a sacred blessing and has been known to abduct babies and children sporting the deformity. Aside form these abductions the cult is widely regarded as harmless fools who have over indulged in wild mushrooms, poppy plants, and smoking plants. Generally having reverted to prehistoric living styles the cultists avoid contact with modernized People of Stone. The only major conflicts occur when the cult attempts to move into the sacred caves of antiquity which litter the region... the caves being protected and preserved for the paintings and history they contain. 
=== Cosmic Eras of Reality ===
Some scholars claim that the Immortals possess knowledge forbidden mere men about the fate of the world and the birth of it. These scholars accept the divinity of the Truest King and look for meaning in what he does as the Gods' Pact (their name for the Undying Council) keeps the Truest from speaking plainly of what he knows. This theory dictates that there are twelve cosmic eras, each denoted by the rotation of the King's Crown constellation in the sky. These eras, referred to as Ages are said to come every 12,000 years and make their complete cycle every 144,000 years. The prophesies of this theory claim that each Age transition is denoted by an incredible event. The First Age was marked by the emergence and rise of abhumans on Soi. The Second Age started with the sentience of all breeds of man and the beginning of cave-painting to demonstrate it. The Third and current age began with the revelation of the Immortals. This theory claims the next age will begin in roughly 9,800 years with the suggested hallmark being an evolution of the Immortals into even more otherworldly beings based on the power they achieve during this age. This is used as an explanation of the megalomania of some of the Immortals. Other sections of the theory claim that eventually the immortals will reach the power to eliminate each other, and the start of the 10th age will be marked by the emergence of a single Immortal as ultimate victor. The 11th age shall be marked by the Immortal withdrawing from humanity to ascend fully into godhood. The coming of the 12th age shall be the hailed by the destruction of the mortal world with but a remnant of a remnant remaining on Soi and all traces of the development of the world being wiped away by the One True Immortal to prepare the cycles to being anew at the end of the 12th Cycle, which will beget the coming of the First Age again. 
=== The Immortals Are Aliens ===
Some of the more outlandish skepticism of the Immortals, particularly those worshiped as gods points to the neighboring planets and stars as the source of these undying rulers. Theorists who buy into this theory note that the 12th planet is named for the Truest King and tie the many occurrences of the number as deliberate hints made by the King to that planet being his homeland. 
=== The Asymptomatic Madman ===
Some outside of the kingdom theorize that the occurrence of the number twelve is indicative of a mild insanity suffered by the Truest King. Further evidence is usually justified in his choice to keep his Kingdom free of the "advancements" and "progress" of other nations, his choice to be worshiped as a god-king, and the delusion that he can tell lies from the truth. Not all madness is dancing in moonbeams and sucking on horseshoes they caution, that surely anyone who eternally wants to play god and knightly hero must surely be disturbed, out of touch with reality, or at the brink of something much worse. Naturally this only occurs outside the kingdom, generally by the foreign born, as anyone speaking such thoughts in the Kingdom are quick to find themselves bloodied by their audience if not outright killed. 
== In Other Cultures ==
=== Mamutok ===
"12 is the natural number following 11 and preceding 13. The product of the first three factorials, twelve is a superior highly composite number, divisible by 2, 3, 4, and 6." -Theory, Extended Edition
Twelve has its own short chapter in the extended edition of the holy book Theory, as do all natural numbers up to 100 and numbers of mathematical significance beyond that. The Mamutok do not regard the number twelve to hold any more importance than other numbers except when relevant to the problem at hand.
Category:Broken Kingdom