Palladion

**Palladion**, officially the **Empire of Palladion**, is a nation largely at the center of Hermetica's known continent. It is named after the Palladion Desert, which covers nearly 60% of Palladion's landmass. Palladion is bordered by nearly every major nation on the known continent, making it a central power in most of Hermetica's affairs. Palladion is often at conflict at one part of its borders, particularly in the West. The empire owes its survival to shrewd diplomats, mountain borders, and a large and dangerous desert.

Palladion's Earthen analogue is Persia (particularly in the East) and the Byzantine Empire (particularly in the West).

## Geography

Palladion is bordered by Nike and Cuivacossa to the North, Mercuria, Cadmia, and Aurus to the East, Plata to the South, and Calcinaia, Alkaliye, and the Western League to the West. It contains the Euxine sea, Qazvin sea, and the Palladion Gulf neatly within its borders. It also connects to the Makran sea, Internum Sea, and the lakes Argos Major and Argos Minor.

## Government and Politics

Palladion is an Absolute Monarchy, and the monarch is titled Shahanshah ("King of Kings"). The title is hereditary, passed down to the oldest child of the Shahanshah and their chief partner. If the main partner bore no children, it would go to the oldest child of any of the Shahanshah's other consorts. If the Shahanshah has no children or grandchildren, the title will go to the nearest kin.

However, much of Palladion's governance is split into two geopolitical spheres, the 'West Palladion' and 'East Palladion', due to the sheer size of the empire and the ever-growing differences between the cultures of its West and East. The governors of West and East Palladion are titled Shah ("King"), and are elected/nominated by local aristocracy but ultimately appointed by the Shahansha. A new Shah is elected after the previous Shah's death or abdication of office (whether voluntarily or not).

### **West Palladion**

Western Palladion is comprised of all land West of the Qazvin Sea, including the Palladian Gulf. It shares its Northern border with Nike, a Southern border with Plata, and its West border with Alkaliye, Calcinaia, and the Western League.

West Palladion is more militarized than the East, due to chronic warfare along many of its borders. Recently, the West Shah crafted a trade and military alliance with Calcinaia so it may serve as a buffer state between itself, Alkaliye, and the West League.

The capital of West Palladion is Marmara, at the extreme West end of the Palladian Gulf.

### **East Palladion**

Eastern Palladion is comprised of all land East of the Qazvin Sea, including the Makran Sea to the South. It shares a Northern border with Cuivacossa, and mountainous borders with Cadmia and Mercuria. Aurus, a sovereign kingdom descended from Palladion merchants, serves as a buffer state between Palladion and the other great empires of Cadmia and Mercuria.

The East Shah is a famous patron of the arts and collector of magic items, and infamously a husband to many artists, singers, and dancers. The capital of East Palladion is Bandar Beheshti, a coastal fishing city and primary harbour.

## Economy

Despite being mostly covered in desert, Palladion still has access to a wonderful cornucopia of resources. The desert itself hides precious stones and metals underneath its sands, in particular coal (which is often sold to alchemists to transmute into diamonds) and gold. There are many seas in and around Palladion rich with fish. Palladion is also the second-largest exporter of saffron.

In West Palladion, olives and pistachios are also harvested and traded.

There is a shortage of lumber for ships, however. Most buildings in Palladion are built from mud brick or stone.

Palladion's main trading partners are Calcinaia and Plata in the West, and with Cadmia and Mercuria in the East. The East trade is especially important to Palladion, but it is difficult to access the other two empires on land. The main Eastern trade route, the Road of Silk, goes through Aurus. Aurus is a former Palladion trading hub, made sovereign thanks to its enormous economic and geopolitical power.

## Demographics

Palladion houses many races. Humans and Elves make up for the majority of the population, but goblins, gnomes, orcs, and giants are a sizeable minority. Dwarves and Dragonborn are rare, except near the Northern borders in the mountains.

The official language of Palladion is Common. Translators are common and paid well however, as there is a high demand for documentation in different languages.

## Culture

### **Elves in Palladion**

There are two major types of Elves: Desert Elves and Grassland Elves (i.e. your typical elf). Desert Elves, far more common in East Palladion, were once nomads and shepherds. Both male and female Desert Elves wear head scarves when in public or in the presence of human or elven members of the opposite sex.

Desert Elves and Humans share many cultural practices in Palladion, and have lived beside one another for so long that racial distinction between them has long been ignored. In fact, Desert Elves and humans will see more in common with one another than Grassland elves.

Grassland Elves are largely immigrants from the Western states, but have settled in Palladion for many generations. Though they are not legally treated as second-class citizens, the ruling Desert Elves and humans tend to find friction with them. Grassland Elves are less likely to be religious compared to Desert Elves and come from a more varied background than shepherds and nomads, leaving them to be varied and considered 'unpredictable' to Desert Elves.

### **Religion**

Palladion reveres Mithras as the creator deity of Hermetica. Many holy sites throughout Palladion claim that Mithras himself performed a miracle there. Palladion has several sects of religion, more than any other state due to its sheer size. Palladion itself has no official religious sect, further propagating a free-spirited expression of Mithras' teachings and values.

### **Magic**

Palladion is one of the leading nations in alchemy, with several universities dedicated to the practice. Most universities will study other arcane arts and accredit mages from all over the world. It is common practice for a wizard, sorcerer, or other practitioner of arcana to study under a tutor. To be recognized as a magus in Palladion, you must pass an alchemist's exam.

The University of Abraxus is one of the most prestigious research academies in Hermetica. Its most famous alum is Rhazes.