Sevicia

Flag

Sevicia at its greatest extent, 247 A.S.

Sevicia, officially the **Empire of Sevicia,** or **Sevician Empire**, and known informally as the **Redshirt Empire**, is a sovereign nation that encompasses the majority of the Truyean landmass to the east. It extends from Morosea and Lowtown in the east to Fort August and Candar in the west, and comprises one of three great nations on Truyea, with Erenna to its west and Duscador to its southwest. Sevicia is comprised of the main Sevician landmass and three island vassal kingdoms - Lish, to the northwest, and Esta and Maerowyn to the southeast.

Founded in the immediate of aftermath of the Separation of the Realms in the year 0, Sevicia is the longest-standing continuous nation state on the continent, having survived in one form or another for more than 700 years. Sevicia is comprised of a majority ethnic Sevicians, though it contains significant Jastian, Laeanese, Estan, and Itrusic populations, among others.

Sevicia is a constitutional monarchy ruled by an Imperator, who rules for life, and governed by the Senate of Sevicia, who elect each Imperator through a series of democratic votes.

## Demographics

With a population somewhere in the region of 100 million total, Sevicia is the most populous nation on the continent by some distance. Its size and diversity mean it has been marked with a historic of in-fighting, civil wars, and ethnic tensions. Morosea, the capital of Imperial Sevicia, is one of the world's most easternmost cities, and perhaps the most well known, with a population upwards of five million in its immediate area. The primary language spoken in the Empire is Sevician, though local languages such as Itrusic and Laeanese are also somewhat common, especially in concentrated areas around the western cape. The Sevician Empire reached its peak in 218, extending as far westward as the Twin Cities, and Sevicia enjoyed its golden age in the fourth century. Notorious for its history of civil conflicts, an oft-repeated saying both inside and outside the Empire is, 'Always divided,' a play on Sevicia's official words.

## Currency

The official currency of Sevicia is the Sevician *rex**,* separated into three denominations:

* Gold *rex*, equal to eight silver *raex,* or 128 copper raex*.* A small round coin, often printed with the head of the current Imperator, or the golden eagle sigil, on the obverse. Its name is derived from the Old Tamerian for "heavenly."
* Silver *rex*, equal to sixteen copper raex.
* Copper *star*, the smallest denomination.

The Sevician rex is the most commonly traded currency in Truyea, ahead of the Erenneese *plaryl* and the Duscadorian *dram.* Despite its appearance, the Sevician gold rex is actually made of a fool's gold alloy, similar in consistency to copper, making their actual material value less than that of a silver rex. Sevicia officially accepts paper transactions, and paper transactions are common in cities like Morosea and Maenaea.

## Government

Sevicia is a constitutional monarchy, ruled by an Imperator and governed by the Sevician Senate, comprised of 360 senators. A senator must be of Sevician birth and must be at least 21 years of age at the time of appointment. Every two years, on the 2nd day of Tullena I, the 36 least popular senators, by vote, are replaced in office. Until the year 451 A.S, Sevician rule was hereditary, with the title of Imperator usually being passed from parent to eldest child. The Constitutional Crisis of 451 occurred when for the time in Sevician history the Senate made the decision to pressure the deeply unpopular Imperator Eidrimanex out of office, and is to date the only crisis of its kind in Sevician history. Eidrimanex was forced into suicide by members of his personal guard after a sixteen-month civil crisis, which thus began the Year of Five.

The following year, in 453, a vote was passed restricting the office of Imperator to appointment by Senate vote only. Sevician Imperators rule for life and successors are chosen by a vote posed by all 360 members of the Senate. The current Imperator is Marek Kyos, the 62nd in Sevicia's history, in his sixth year of reign. The Imperator holds the power of veto over motions posed by the Senate, and all motions proposed by the Imperator must be passed by a majority vote before they are enacted into law.

Sevician government is centralised in the capital city of Morosea, on the easternmost coast. Cities, towns, villages, hamlets, and other habitable collectives are split into administrative districts overseen by a *polos* (pl. *polex*). Polex are chosen by votes that are held in public spaces, to serve a term of two years consecutively, with no term limit. The combined districts are then overseen by a governor, who is elected to a term of five years. Each of Sevicia's nine regions is administered by a Protector, assigned by the Senate or directly by the ruling Imperator. Protectors must be of Sevician birth (including its constituent three kingdoms), must be no younger than 23, may be male or female, and must be a member of the Senate at the time of appointment, disregarding exceptional circumstances. In the event of a crisis in which the Imperator is unable to assume his or her role, supreme authority over the Sevician state is handed to the Grand Chancellor, until such a date that the Senate votes on a successive Imperator.

The three kingdoms that fall under Sevician governmental rule but are not part of the contiguous landmass - Esta, Maerowyn, and Lish - are considered semi-autonomous regions, with their own forms of government and own central councils.

## Geography

Sevician climate is mostly mild and temperate, with the most extreme conditions coming in the deep south and around the various mountain ranges, like the Lothor Mountains to the north and the Gaetan Mountains in the west. Rainfall is general all year round, with Tullena being the wettest season and Mandera the dryest and hottest. Sevician croplands are abundant and the soil is extremely fertile, especially in the eastern marshlands around Ida and the plains of Vinarrin and Austaea. Cities like Morosea on the eastern coast and Enerin to the west provide important trade hubs for foreign travel, as does Otesia in the deep south, known for its high levels of year-long precipitation and its constant harbour traffic. Sevicia uses the Tamerian calendar - a twelve-month year with three seasons, Tullena, Mandera, and Saturna.

Sevicia is split into nine vaguely geographical regions, each administered by a Protector. These are, clockwise from Morosea: the Easterlands, the Marshlands, the Southlands, the Lowlands, Great Meadows, Lothor, the Cape, the Northlands, and the Heartlands. The demonyms for their inhabitants are, respectively: Easterlanders, Marshlanders, Southlanders, Lowlanders, Meadowlanders, Lothorians, Sealanders, Northlanders, and Heartlanders. The Easterlands is considered the economic capital of Sevicia, while the Lowlands is the military, and both the Cape and the Heartlands are commonly called the cultural capitals. In addition to the nine regions of the mainland, Sevicia includes three semi-autonomous island kingdoms: Lish, to the northwest, and Esta and Maerowyn to the southeast of the continent proper.

## Military

*See the main article on the Imperial Sevician army for more.*

Since its founding Sevicia has prided itself on its military prowess. In times of peace there is no mandatory military conscription, though soldiery as a profession is considered of a high standing in Sevician culture and soldiers are paid very well for their service, much better than their civilian counterparts. Volunteers are trained for a minimum of nine months in peacetime and two weeks in times of war, before being drafted into an *ilos* (pl. *ilex*). An ilos is a regiment of 20 men who live, train, and march together on the move. Of the 20, a *numinos* (pl. *numinex*) is appointed as the head of each ilos. A numinos may take an assistant, and is in charge of looking after the ilos' supplies and rations. Numinex are considered enlisted ranksmen (not officers) and are therefore not eligible for the Orders of the High Command.

Ilex are organised into multiples of 25, for a total of 500 enlisted personnel, to form a *rotos* (pl. *rotex*), known also as a battalion. Each battalion is headed by a *siacos* (pl. *siacex*), or a battalion commander, to whom the 25 numinex must report. A siacos is the lowest possible rank recognised as an officer, which entitles them to a state stipend and eligibility for Orders of the High Command. A legion, the largest active unit in the Imperial Sevician army, is comprised of ten battalions, for a total of 5000 men. A legion is usually headed by a commissioned officer, such as a major or general, but have occasionally been led in times of peace by an appointed siacos, or similarly lower-ranked officer.

## Religion

Sevicia has no state religion, but almost all Sevicians practice religion and more than two thirds of Sevician citizens worship the five Old Gods in some form or another. Religious holidays are observed on the 13th-16th of Mandera III and the 19th of Saturna II. The first nine days of Saturna I each year are dedicated to the Sowing, a near two-week long celebration of the beginning of the harvest season. In total, there are 41 days of official ceremony each calendar year.

## See also

List of Imperators of Sevicia

Morosea, the capital of Sevicia

Duscador

Erenna