Cosmopolitan Empire

The **Cosmopolitan Empire** (Cospolin: **Ubuk'os Kospolitas**; Zulu: **Umbuso waseKospolin**; also known as **Cospolia**, **Kospolia**, or **Ikhaya**) was a galactic nation created by rebellions against the Earth Union's weakening authority over the western side of the Milky Way Galaxy.

Its capitals are Ikhaya (Zulu: "home"), Maravil (Spanish: "wonder"), and Aschoryo (Bengali: "astonishment"), all of which are located along the western side of the Galaxy.

Its national day is isiLimela Day (or Pleiades Day, Independence Day), on August 9.

## Flag and symbols

The flag of the Cosmopolitan Empire is pink and purple, with a C-like emblem at its left. Pink symbolises the Cospolins' love of art and their location in the Galaxy (western sides), purple symbolises their capability as a spacefaring civilisation, and the emblem represents independence and freedom.

Another symbol of the Cospolin Empire is the Inkosi-khanyezi: Errai (Gamma Cephei), the "King's Star". When it replaced Polaris in the 4th millennium, many revolutionaries used this star to represent themselves replacing the Earth Union as the next galactic power, including the eager Cospolins and certain Vetarbroitar kingdoms.

## History

The Cosmopolitan Empire was founded in 3072, when its founding colonies revolted against the Earth Union's suppression of their cultures and its exorbitant taxes. Its capital, Ikhaya, was a university world that was turned against the Earth Union's rule by a faction of revolutionaries and artists that bypassed its censorship. Although they were invaded by the Seventh Reich and the Northern Collective, they repelled the two armies and built their own empire to keep them and the Unionites off.

Centuries later, their leaders became more rigid, fuelled by their victories over the Earth Union and several other competing empires. They forced their colonies to practice only the Cospolin culture as "the only proper culture that ends oppression" as they fought back against the massacres of the demon-worshipping Ninth Reich. Their policies (such as a prohibition on the use of futhark letters, which were wrongly associated with the Ninth Reich) led to the Thorn Revolt and the secession of the galactic north, where hundreds of Neo-Norse states were set up. These same states also successfully defended themselves against the depredations of the decaying Ninth Reich and the fascist Laadrian Empire.

During the time of the Thorn Rebellion, the High Council of the Cospolin Empire sent fleets to aid the Great Shields in their crusades to punish the Earth Union.

The Cosmopolitans also sent fleets to defend Earth when the Sol System was besieged by the Farsiders, who sought to destroy the planet Earth to punish the Earth Union and the planet's inhabitants for various historical crimes committed by their ancestors.

A new threat to their freedom has appeared in the form of the computerised Galaxials, the result of a hedonist colony of theirs at the galactic northwest.

## Government

The Cospolin Empire started off as a republic whose leaders were elected by the citizens, but it placed "Empire" as a part of their country's name to stop its enemies from attacking it. It later became an oligarchy.

Fascism is completely banned in the Cospolin Empire as a terrorist threat.

The Cospolin Empire also has several client states scattered in the Galactic south, mostly rebels that defected to its protection. Among them include the colonists who live at the Pleiades star cluster, who reorganised their colonies as the Republic of isiLimela.

## Economy

Initially, the Cospolin Empire allowed private businesses to be set up, while providing support and free public services to help the poorer people of the Empire to get out of poverty.

In its later years, it developed a more socialist economy.

## Demographics

The majority of its people belong to the Cospolin race: a group of people with African, Indian, and Latino descent. They have brown skin and curly hair.

## Culture

Cospolin culture seems like a mingling of several cultures on Earth: American, African American, Mexican, Bengali, Nigerian, Hindustani, Zulu, Xhosa, and British (including the cultures of several immigrant communities in London). This mixture was the result of several communities on its founding planet, Ikhaya, frequently interacting and having mixed relationships to the extent that most of its people are no longer distinct from each other.

Cospolin art looks like a mixture of Art Deco with Zulu and Bengali influences.

Artificial hair colour genes were a popular trend during the 32nd century, resulting in communities of artists who are born with unusual hair colours (such as white, green, and pink). Some Cospolins like to keep their hair long and curled, without needing any straighteners to disrupt their appearance.

Nearly all Cospolins consider themselves as Black people, due to their descent from Africans and out of sympathy for their fellow Earthlings and brethren across the Galaxy. Some Cospolins consider themselves a different race because they have other ancestries, and because they want to disassociate themselves from Earth and its destructive history.

### Calendar

The Cospolin calendar -- which was derived from the Gregorian calendar -- begins its new year on August, and uses Zulu names for the months.

The Cospolin New Year festival is known as uNcwaba, when people wear green and purple to honour the nation's successful independence from the Earth Union.

* August - uNcwaba
* September - uMandulo
* October - uMfumfu
* November - uLwezi
* December - uZibandlela
* January - uMasingana
* February - uNhlolanja
* (March in the homeworld - uNdasa)
* March - uMbaso
* April - uNgulazibuya
* May - uNhlaba
* June - uNhlangula
* July - uMaquba

## Society

Cospolin society is tolerant of other cultures and the existence of religion.

Hair -- especially their natural curly hair -- is an important part of Cospolin culture, as it symbolises the freedom and beauty of the individual. Any insults related to one's hair are considered strongly offensive in the Cospolin language(s).

Another important aspect in Cospolin culture is technology and advancement, as its founding people wanted to study and innovate beyond the Unionite authorities' limits. The two popular deities in Cospolin religion, uNgungi and Ukhulukhulwana, reflect the Cospolin love of technology.

Meat-related dishes (such as roast beef (not eaten by Hindus), fish, *cecina* and *cabrito*) are popular within the Cospolin realms. This contrasts against the enforced vegetarianism in many Unionite regiments.

Unlike the Earth Union where people who reach a certain age must be put to sleep and cut into food, Cospolins are permitted to live as long as they can. When a Cospolin dies, their body is buried in a funeral hosted by their relatives and loved ones.

While the Galaxials went as far as remove any physical trace of distinction (aside from rank), the Cospolins accepted any form of distinction -- including the transgender and nonbinary people and the like, who enjoy more freedoms under Cospolin society than under Unionite rule.

Like the Vetarbroitar to the Galactic north, every Cospolin is taught the worst parts of Earth's history as a prelude to the Cospolin's improvements and to instruct them not to repeat the Earthlings' atrocities. However, they are taught not to hate Earthlings, but to pity them as misguided.

Zulu is treated with great respect as the empire's classical language.

### Twice-born

Upon reaching old age, every citizen is directed towards the nearest clinic, where the doctors feed them some chemicals that make their bodies more vibrant and energetic. For ten days, a different chemical is fed, which reverts the elderly user until they end up becoming a teenager, to be counted as a "twice-born" (uzukabili): in some cases, weaker people instead end up as babies. The "twice-born" is then sent to be adopted by a family, who raises them as their child until adulthood.

When the "twice-born" reaches old age, he or she cannot have their age reverted, so they are to pass away. The "twice-born" treatment cannot be applied to people who have committed serious crimes, such as terrorism, child abuse, cruelty, or extreme violence.

## Religion

The national religion of the Cospolin civilisation is the High Pantheon, also known as the Indlela Phezulu ("High Path") or "the Indlela", which venerates the gods of the traditional Zulu religion. Splendid domed temples of marble and precious stones were built to honour their gods, causing others to depict it as a "state church", "The Indlela Church".

Two of the most popular deities in the Cospolin Pantheon are uNgungi, the Great Smith (god of blacksmiths and technology); and Ukhulukhulwana, the Ascendant Teacher (god of civilisation and law).

The Cospolins believe that the Amatongo are the spiritual guides and guardians of every soul. Warriors who were killed in battle also ascend into Amatongo, who guide the living.

Other religions in the Cosmopolitan Empire include Vodun (standardised to the Haitian form), Catholicism, Islam, and Hinduism. Vodun is popular among many Cospolins, as it is considered less restrictive than the Indlela. In the eastern fringes of the Empire, where many Vetarbroitar subjects dwell, the Asatru religion is practiced. Most Cospolin Vetarbroitar venerate Thor or Tyr as their equivalents for uNgungi and Ukhulukhulwana.

Around 20% of the Cospolin civilisation's people are atheists, and they mostly live at its southern parts, near the former territories of the Earth Union.

## Diplomacy

### Allies

* Some Veterbroitar states
* Republic of Shoshan
	+ The Republic of Shoshan is a Jewish nation located to the northeast of the Cosmopolitan Empire. It is well-known for their love of stained glass, architecture, and poetry. It is also known for its harsh policies against its enemies, such as when it waged war against the Germolid Cabal and several supercorporations, liberating several enslaved planets.
	+ It was also attacked by several fleets of Nazis, who viewed the Shoshanians as "monsters who only think of domination". Other enemies of Shoshan include the Earth Union (who were angered by their refusal to submit to their rule), the Farsiders, and later the Galaxials (who raided the outlying worlds of Shoshan).

### Enemies

* Earth Union
* Farsiders
* Galaxials

## Trivia:

* Sample: For example, a Cospolin marries a Unionite and have children. Their eldest son, Uluthando, will be a Cospolin with green hair and quick healing; his sister Ulwazi is also a Cospolin with black hair and better eyesight; and the younger daughter Amahle will be a Unionite who can control lightning.
	+ The same passage translated in Zulu, a classical language in Cosplin realms: *Isibonelo, uKospolin ushada no-Yunyonite futhi abe nezingane. Indodana yabo endala, Uluthando, uzoba yiKospolin enoboya obuluhlaza nokuphulukiswa okusheshayo; udadewabo uLwazi naye uyiKospolin enezinwele ezimnyama futhi onamehlo angcono; futhi indodakazi encane u-Amahle uzoba yi-Yunyonite engalawula umbani.*