Parnak (Empire)

The **Empire of Parnak** is an independent nation on the central southern coast of the continent of E'yané. It is historically the cradle of humanity, where humans came together to serve alongside the nation of Tulamera against the Dragon Tyrants.

## History

### Vazriel civilization: Prehistoric Parnak

Before the first organized civilization of men came to be, tribes of nomadic humans were looked over by the elves of the nation of Tulamera. Each tribe believed they came to be in different ways and some had texts from ancestors describing how it was they came from paradise or from some great cataclysm before their father’s father’s lifetime. The tribes worshiped “gods” who were little more than more powerful creatures who would take mankind as slaves. Each “god” would make their people fight against other tribes.

These warring tribes spread across the lands of the elves until a strong leader began gathering the tribes of men together and destroying the “gods” of the tribes. This man was known as Mawort Omeus and he claimed to be the son of the sun. Many tribes merged with his tribe and those that did not either fled from the lands (to be known as “The Lost Tribes”) or died under the strength of Mawort’s tribe.

Realizing this “super-tribe” would fight for land, the elves of Tulamera gave Mawort the Prisawen peninsula, known by the elves to be the cradle of mankind and a fitting seat of power for the first true nation of men. It was there the city of Prisawel was raised, the rule of Mawort Omeus begins, and the people known as the Ayatan are born.

### Ancient Parnak and the Golden Age

As Ayatia, the name of ancient Parnak, rose in power and brought the peoples of the Vazriel tribes in the region into their society, new cities were raised up for man. The elves, having been weakened by the War of The Sword and Serpent, retreated to modern day Varhuine province, allowing the Ayatan people to control all of what is known today as Parnak province. They were a prosperous people and lived in peace for some time. The traditions of the Ayatan fighting arts began during this golden age, but were the result of the upcoming dark times. It was also during this time that slavery was abolished from their society as it was taught by the elves that no man should be bond and made not free to make his own way in life.

### Parnan Dark Ages

The King of Ayatia, Odan Omeusah, was a horrible king who felt many of the cities outside of the Prisawel region were growing much stronger than his own, so he commanded that the first born son of the strongest houses be given to him as wards. Those that opposed the king in the order fought back against the king. There were those who remained loyal and fought those who were not. The lands of Parnak became a war-torn place where peasants were forced to live in fear of slaughter, rape, and robbery. The House of Omeus ended this tumultuous period ruling over the center of the province and had three city-states that rose up to contest them. These houses were House Albicoris to the West, House Eversol to the northeast, and House Mareschal to the east.

Parnak is an Empire built up of smaller city-states and is governed by nobility. The Emperor rules from the capital city of Prisawel. Beneath the Emperor are six kingdoms. Beneath those kings are dukes who rule over regional duchies. Beneath those dukes are earls, who act as the king’s military might and serve the ruling house directly. Sitting at the same nobility class level as earls are margraves, who are nobles who act as Emperor-appointed vizier houses to the kingdoms and their lesser noble houses. Beneath margraves are counts, who report directly to earls but collect taxes from lower houses and pay their taxes directly to the margraves. Barons, baronets, and lords serve as ruling nobility for baronies, baronets, and towns respectively. Any of these nobles are assigned to keep and enforce the Emperor’s laws and ensure the king’s will is done. They may also appoint a person as a knight, a title granted to nobility and non-nobility alike to allow them the right to own land and raise a militia in a time of need.

The province of Parnak is also home to several dwarf holds that are ruled by Dwarven Kings whose people are entitled to all the protections and rights of the Empire but are not considered citizens unless they are knighted. Each Dwarven King has been knighted.

There are four high imperial houses which are the high houses of the elves. They are granted certain rights above even the kings of Parnak. They may sit in on any meeting of nobility unannounced, any object or person is subject to their whims or requests, and to kill a member of the high house is regarded as a treasonous act against the Empire. Besides these four houses, elves do operate in enclaves in the province and are considered separate from the laws of Parnan citizens.

Finally, in the center of the province is an island called Seosaidh. A society of dragons rules this place and they are known as the Council of Wyrms. They govern dragonkind from the isle and are allied with the Empire, but they are separate from it. To many folk in Parnak province, Seosaidh is called the Seventh Kingdom or the Kingdom of the Serpents.

## Government

The six kingdoms of Parnak are known by the following names:

* ***Aigen***. The Kingdom of the Bull. Aigen makes up the center of Parnak and has formed a unique structure to its rulership.
* ***Bicovaria***. The Kingdom of the Cat. Bicovaria is often considered to be the direct link of the Elvish people to old Tulamera.
* ***Netin***. The Kingdom of the Fox.
* ***Rastegar***. The Kingdom of the Bear.
* ***Sorrowgate***. The Kingdom of the Owl.
* ***Stormloft***. The Kingdom of the Eagle.

## Trade

### Coins of Parnak

Coins in Parnak are minted in each of the Kingdoms of the Empire in Royal Mints or in the mint of Prisawel. Older coins exist that were minted for the nation of Tulamera and the Vazriel's commonwealth tribes.

Coins are referred to by the following names:

* ***Imperial.*** The Imperial is a coin made of pure platinum and is stamped on one face with the face of a ruling Emperor of Parnak and on the other face with the Tower of Prisawel. Coins are minted only in Prisawel and are marked with a secret maker’s mark and the date of issuance. Forgery of these coins is considered treason against the Emperor.
* ***Guilder.*** Guilders are gold coins minted by the kings of Parnak. They each have their own merchant guilds who set the worth of such coins and the prices for items in their respective kingdoms. These coins are marked with the house symbol of the king from whence they were minted and the face of the king who ruled when they were issued.
* ***Stater.*** The stater coin is the main coin used by the margrave to take taxes from earls. The coin is always considered half a guilder and as half of everything offered to the king must also be offered up to the Emperor, so it is that this coin is marked with famous margraves of old. It is made of electrum.
* ***Draker.*** The draker is the silver coin used across the province and is marked on one side with the symbol of Saland on one side and a famous hero or person from history. As these coins are typically issued by lords and barons, the faces they display can vary widely.
* ***Penny.*** A penny is a copper piece that is the currency of the common folk. The house icon of House Omeas is on one side and the crown of the Empire on the other. These are minted out of the capital along with the Imperial. Because of this, sometimes a copper coin is minted with the face of the Emperor and the markings of an Imperial instead of that of the penny. These are called “Imperial Pennies” and are worth a bit to collectors.

## Nobility

The Empire of Parnak's ruling houses each

#### Kingly Houses

 **Albicoris** **Eversol** **Mallack** **Naleshan** **Ragnelle** **Orenston**
#### Duchies

 **Adalbert** **Alcarde** **Berwick** **Caristus** **Endimon** **Espenon** **Estriton** **Griswold** **Kemp** **Ko'ove** **Latimer** **Montulais** **Oltan** **Orens** **Otomus** **Parthalan** **Rozdial** **Toranor** **Vondrayons**
#### Earldoms

 **Bozhidar** **Falkenrath** **Feherbairn** **Gallad** **Gwenhael** **Sagan** **Thaithose**
#### Counties

 **Ankenbrandt** **Bartley** **Stormseye** **Leoroth** **Meredith**
#### Elvish Royal Houses

 **Asbuital** **Aumnisma** **Berature** **Medramic**