Phoenix Empire

The Phoenix Empire was originally a small split from the Valyrian Empire formed by a few scattered exiled nobles and their households. Their proximity to the Valyrian Empire stunted their growth until the Doom destroyed Valyria, and the Phoenix Empire grew into a powerhouse in its own right; working its way out of its parent's very long shadow.

## Valyrian Heritage

The Phoenix Empire is a child of Valyria. Several noble houses trace their bloodline back to the dragonlords. Most notably, House Nach'Nakara, who has existed since the very early days of the empire, having originally formed out of House Tarkanan when they were exiled.

Although the two share many similarities, due to many of Phoenix Empire's founding fathers being exiles or criminals from Valyria, the Phoenix Empire is notability more authoritarian and deviant than the former Valyrian Empire. It has a higher population of slaves, no formal punishment of crimes, a highly restrictive class system, and a much steeper power slope.

## Noble Houses

Deep cultural and political rifts run through the ruling class of the Empire. Noble houses are less about families and more legal constructs, strictly organised by a hierarchy.

Not all houses are alike in power, and there are only five houses in the Phoenix Empire oathbound to no one but the Emperor themselves, and each claiming a right to the throne should it ever fall vacant. All other houses are beholden to one of these five and thus are not entirely free to decide their own fates.

The only nobles not belonging to a House are the Imperial Nobles, sworn directly to the Emperor. With no family to offer political power, these nobles are generally considered irrelevant.

### Major Houses

* House Nach'Nakara
* House Ai'Tarr
* House T'Garun
* House Cor'swane
* House Sia'Dar

### Minor Houses

* House Shi'Ard
* House Y'Ptalini
* House N'Bathar
* House E'Minatu
* House Na'Yla

## Laws & Government

Government within the Phoenix empire is not based on any written laws. As the empire is an absolute monarchy, the word of the governing body is law at any given time. However, there is a set of historical traditions that are treated as all but laws by everyone.

Social structure within the empire follows a strict hierarchy. A noble within his or her domain rules absolute over everyone in it and is only accountable to their liege lord. A special case is the Emperor, who has no liege lord and holds total power over the entire empire itself. A noble belongs to a house, and if ever one of their authority is threatened, this house will support them.

Slaves are the lowest in the hierarchy and are owned directly by a noble or a commoner. They cannot hold any property or titles or their own, and thus has no domain nor power over anyone.

Commoners have no more legal protection against nobles than slaves do, however, as they do not belong to any particular person or place, they can move freely. Many commoners are affiliated with a guild, and most nobles will think twice about angering a guild whose services they might depend upon one day.

The punishment, and whether there is one at all, is highly dependent on the location and people involved, since the judge is always the noble they're accountable to, and their decision would be the only one required.

Under certain circumstances, affiliation with the church or a particular house bestows protections and exceptions from historical circumstances.

For members of the church:

* Temple Nahkhiir - The Heart of the Phoenix - are never culpable of adultery or harmful negligence.
* Temple Sionna - The Claw of the Phoenix - are never culpable for trespassing, assault, or murder
* Temple Geier - The Wings of the Phoenix - are never culpable for trespassing, theft, or espionage.

Within individual houses, sometimes their strong beliefs and traditions cause them not to consider particular actions to be crimes.

* Any Nach’Nakara may freely attack or harm the Nach’Nakara one step ahead of them in power or line of succession.
* Those of Ai'Tarr will never be prosecuted internally for theft, fraud, and espionage against other houses.
* Those of House T'Garun are never culpable for adultery
* A House Cor'swane woman cannot prosecute her father or husband.
* A House House Sia’Dar man is not considered guilty in any circumstance, his mother or wife will be prosecuted instead.
* If a noble has an oath-bound sword-brother, the sword-brother can take any punishment upon themselves instead.