Levissian Empire

The largest and most powerful political force on Vestalt. Devoted to the god Deus, they expand their reach across the landmass, ‘uniting’ the continent for better or worse. They offer great protection against the unstable magics and dark forces that hide in the shadows, however this defense comes at the cost of a restrictive regime that is unapologetic to those that believe in other faiths or have other ideas of how the world should look.

## City of Sunlight

The Empire rules from atop a soaring obelisk of stone that protrudes from Vestalt's eastern coast. Atop this pinnacle of rock sits Solaire**,** the Gleaming City. Beneath the Blinding Bridge, which connects Solaire to the Wardenfields, hangs an immense shanty town has been constructed by the lower-class of the Empire, eking out a living quite literally below their superiors. This settlement, dangerous and unstable, is referred to as Underbridge.

## Races

The Empire's aristocratic houses primarily consist of Elves and Humans. However, the Empire’s expansion is vast, and almost every race can be found in some corner of it's borders.

## Religion

The Levissian Empire is firmly founded upon the belief that Deus, god of flame, protects their people as long as they follow His teachings and work to make the world in line with His vision. This has led to countless sites of holy worship dedicated to Him and His children.

There is no room in the Empire for any other worship; those that seek to pray to 'false gods' are quickly found out and struck down.

## Against the Arcane

A primary pillar of the Empire is their distrust and condemnation of magic. It is currently illegal to practice any sort of arcane knowledge in the Empire, due to the belief that no mortal soul can control that much power.

These beliefs are not unfounded; there have been many cases in the past where rogue mages have wrought great destruction upon innocents, such as the Tragedy that occurred 100 years ago.

Since this event, magic became a criminal offense in the Empire, and punishments such as the removal of hands or tongues or, often, death, have resulted in a mass exodus of magic users from the Empire.

Those that wish to stay, however, live in constant fear of the blessed knights of the Empire, whom are trained for combat against mages, blessed with anti-magic armor and depowering abilities.

Margrave Warwicke, current Regent Lord and acting High King of the Levissian Empire, gave a speech on the eve of the hundredth anniversary of the Tragedy, imploring the citizens of the Empire to consider their stance on magic and understand the continued work to subdue and ban all arcane practice within the Empire. Some of the important points brought up include:

**Saving Innocent Lives:** Hundreds of arcane slaughters have occurred over the years, as well as rogue magi conducting illegal and dangerous experiments with unwilling participants. The easiest example of the destruction wrought by the arcane is the Tragedy.

**Controlling the Chaos:** Unstable magicks lead to an unstable society. The Law of Deus should be the only form of justice, not in the hands of vigilante mages who ‘know better’.

**Protecting the Youth:** Young apprentices often damage themselves or others, and many become addicted to the power and must be put down. These talented, youthful minds could contribute so much to the Empire, but are squandered on false ideals and lusts.

**Those of Ill Intent:** Even if mages have positive intentions, they can be abused and blackmailed into working for criminals, foreign threats and other enemies of the Empire.

This hatred and fear extends to the 'blood-abominations' known as Witchbreed, supernaturally-enhanced individuals who are deemed to pose a threat to the Empire's stability. Lynch-mobs and hunting parties are common when a witchbreed surfaces, and thus any who live within the Empire do so in fear, hiding their powers and attempting to pass as 'clean-blood'.

## The Royal Family

The DuLeviss line follows a very strict familial structure, a line of succession dictating the roles each member must fulfill in their lifetime.

The Monarch's first-born is destined to be lead the Ashen Templars, currently led by Grand Marshall Jeanne, who proudly defends the Empire and oversees the training of the Cercle de Verre.

The second-born is raised to rule when their sire passes on. The current Monarch of the Empire is High King Theorick. However, there are rumours that he is absent from the throne, and thus charge has been thrust upon his advisor, Margrave Warwicke. Rousseau’s heirs are the Blade-Prince Édouard and the Crown-Prince Dhavinaud.

Any subsequent children (a rare occurence for the family, who typically only raise two children) are made to devote their lives to Deus. The High King's younger brother, Archbishop Ghislain, followed such a path, and thus has earnt the highest position within the church.

Due to their elven nature, the members of this family live for centuries, and thus the throne rarely changes occupant.

## Aristocratic Houses

The Empire would not exist without its numerous aristocratic Houses, each of which has roots that run far into the foundation years of the nation, when they still inhabited Deivieux. Each House serves particular functions, be that trade, military strength, church obligations or otherwise. Many rule over the towns in the Wardenfields, and are responsible for the maintenance of these settlements as well as the collection of tithes. Some examples of the Houses include:

**House Manteau-** Strong ties to the Everlasting Embers, the Empire’s secret service organization.

**House Lyon-** Strong ties to both the military and the church, which in turn leads to their support of the Cercle de Verre.

**House Courvoisier-** One of the oldest and most revered houses, with many members pledging their lives to the Church of Deus. The current patron of the house is Archbishop Ghislain, as he married the Duchess of the House, Duchess Patrice, but she passed away. This house has strong ties to both the throne and the church.

## Currency

The Levissian coins are referred to by a shortened version of their nation of minting; thusly called ‘leves’. They are made of white-gold, and are stamped with the visage of the current reigning monarch of the Empire on one side, and the sun emblem of Deus on the other.

## Cuisine

The grain from the Wardenfields has led to the rise in pastries, with many different breads and sweets becoming popular in the empire.

## Fashion

Fashion for nobility in the empire follows the rule of **Rococo** - Levissian for 'florid or excessively elaborate'.

Women of the Empire typically adhere to a particular silhouette. Panniers, or wide hoops worn under the skirt that extend sideways, and are a staple.  Extremely wide panniers are worn to formal occasions, while smaller ones are worn in everyday settings. Waists are tightly constricted by corsets, providing contrasts to the wide skirts. Plunging necklines have also become common. Skirts usually open at the front, displaying an underskirt or petticoat.

Men generally wear a coat, waistcoat, and breeches. The waistcoat is the most decorative piece, usually lavishly embroidered or displaying patterned fabrics. Lace *jabots* are worn tied around the neck. Breeches usually stop at the knee, with white stockings worn underneath and heeled shoes, which usually have large square buckles. Coats are worn close to the body and open showcase the elaborate waistcoats.

## Art

The Empire's greatest artistic exports are ballet and opera. The natural ability and dedication of body and mind required to excel in these forms is highly regarded by Levissian nobles, and thus they have become remarkably popular, with people travelling from across Vestalt to witness them.

The most prestigious ballet academy is the **Academy of the Wilting Rose**, where many young nobles learn discipline and strength from the teachings of Catherine Giry, the most respected and feared instructor in the Empire. There are whispers amongst the common folk that the Academy has strong ties to the Everlasting Embers, but there has never been any official record of such a relationship.