Emberam Dynasty

Emberam, also known as the Ember Empire and Land of Wealth, is a nation encompassing almost the entirety of the southern portion of Luxam from east to west until meeting the borders of the Grand Duchy of Haria, Kingdom of Aptongia, and Suasu Desert to the north and Botsvikia to the west. It wasn't 'discovered' or known of by the peoples of the other continents until late in the Age of Arcana when a Lasmerian tradeship crashed on the shores of Luxam. After connections were established, Emberam quickly became one of the most powerful nations on the world of Xaekla and easily the most powerful on its continent of Luxam.

As of 2234 p.c.d., Emberam is a primary trader between the warring nations of Kilvaria and Lasmeria, remaining a neutral party to the territory dispute but still profiting greatly as it is a main supplier of various fruits, vegitables, grains, and materials for crafting weapons and armors to the two nations. Despite the Empress' and Zhenzhu Yiqi's effort to keep the Dynasty as a neutral party each side has even the country and ultimatum in the hopes they will join their side in the battle, securing their victory.

## Emberam Dynasty

On the left is the seal used on Emberam Dynasty flags, on the right is the coat of arms that decorates armor and shields.

## General Information

### Legislature

Zhenzhu Yiqi (pearl chairs or pearl room)

### Military

Emberam Watch* Knights of Lao
* Knights of Yiqi

## Societal Information

### Ancestries

* Ameixikai
* Elves
* Dwarves
* Tharcs (orcs)
* Humans

### Currency

Yingbi* er (coin of 2)
* wu (coin of 5)
* shi (coin of 10)
* ershi (coin of 20)

## Government and Legislature

When the Dynasty was first established it was simply a hereditary monarchy passed down from mother to daughter. But over the years the people of the nation wanted more say in what direction their country went in, so the Zhenzhu Yiqi or Pearl Chairs were established. Originally the Pearl Chairs were open for anyone from the lowest farmhand to the merchant nobility, but after the Coup perpetrated by the Xu family the chairs were placed in the hands a few select families that Empress Lian Lao, the current empress' three times great grandmother, knew she could trust.

### Positions

* Empress - the primary ruler of the Dynasty, advised by the Zhenzhu Yiqi, but within full power to make all decisions from enacting or repealing laws (even those established by the Zhenzhu Yiqi) to waging war though she typically appreciates the advice the Pearl Chairs can offer.
* Head of Council - the main councilmember running the council as well as being in charge of commerce with other nations.
* Zhenzhu Yiqi councilmember - given the title of Yihui, councilmembers have the power to establish and repeal laws, imprision individuals, and vote on other such topics of importance like waging war.

### The Lao Court

The personal court of the Empress to be used as she wishes with positions as simple as royal tailor to more complex like that of the Jiandie (or royal spymaster).

## Nobility

The nobility of Emberam is composed of those whose family holds a chair on the Zhenzhu Yiqi as well as affluent merchant families and other families which hold a large amount of the nations wealth. There was a biannual party at the beginning of galtal and dneb where the aristocratic families of the Dynasty would gather at Lao Lian Palace to meet and see the empress and her family to discuss achivenments over the previous months. Aristocrats of the Dynasty swore alligiance to the crown on the Pearl of Na Lao, the Founder of the Dynasty. Nobles payed a weighty price based on their annual income to the crown to work towards public schooling, repair of buildings and roads, and to be used to finace the Emberam Watch.

### Titles of Nobility by Rank

1. Empress
2. Prince/Princess (wangzi/gongshu)
3. Yihui
4. Emperor (huangdihou)
5. Count/Countess (bojue)
6. Baron/Baroness (nanjue)
7. Aristocrat
8. Knight (qishi)

## Geography

Despite it's commercial logging the rainforest of Fanmao that the nation encompasses has remain lush and prosperous, primarily due to the use of druidic magics and dedicated sections of the forest used for logging. Largerscale farming is primarily done in circular patches of cleared out woodland in what are known as Zhuangjia (or crop) towers which are circular towers in sets of 3-5 standing at 5 stories tall with walls made of glass and a domed glass ceiling. Farmers in smaller towns will grow crops on tiered shelves a little outside the town and typically beside a river if avaliable.

To the west the Windspur mountians divide a quarter of the Dynasty and provide a large amount of the Nations gold, iron, and zinc reserves though it is said to be running dry. To the mountains west is the Valley of Heros which acts as the primary memorial/graveyard for honored soldiers of the Dynasty's ranks.

## Trade

### Yingbi Coins

Once officially established, the Emberam Dynasty began minting its own coins from the city of Sodoy. Yingbi coins are stamped with the Dynasty seal on the front and the royal family's seal on the back. Older coins not minted by the Dynasty still existed and exist though they are not a formal currancy of the Dynasty and must transferred into Yingbi.

Yingbi were referred to by the following names:

* Er (coin of 2): made of copper.
* Wu (coin of 5): made of zinc.
* Shi (coin of 10): made of iron.
* Ershi (coin of 20): made of nickel.

## Military

### Emberam Watch

The primary unit of the Dynasty military is called the Emberam Watch, and they perform the functions of both a regular army and that of city guards (at least for cities of a larger size). Their current strength is at least 700,000, divided as follows: 255,000 divided among the cities under the Dynasty's protection, 15,600 in the capital itself, 370,000 dedicated to protecting national monuments, treasures, and buildings, 30,800 tasked with patroling the Yasil Road that travels through the Dynasty and connects all the major nations capitals, and 30,000 at outposts along the border with Suasu Desert. the Watch consists primarily of voluntary soldiers that have undergone at least a year of training before being deployed and chose to join the military for any number of reasons. Allies and subjected peoples of western-lying tharcish, thagre, and goblinoid communities also provide supplimental forces in addition to the primarily elvish provinces of Quihuajumia and Tjarholtbo which have a sort of seperation from the rest of the Dynasty through their own politcal structures.

#### Characteristic Armor/Uniforms

Soldiers from the Dynasty wear splintmail chestplate made from rounded steel plates woven onto thin leather, the shoulder pauldrons are form fitted to cup the shoulder then protrude outwards into sharpened points, bracers and greaves were constructed in the same way as the chestplate with attached studdedleather elbow and knee pads. Boots were of studded leather, matching the elbow and kneepads, they stopped just below the knee. the helmet was also studded leather. Underneath all this armor a soldier would wear a red longsleeve doublet with black hosen. Their armor was designed to be easy to move in while still being protective of ones vital organs.

### Knights of Lao

The dedicate knights in service of protecting the Lao family. There are roughly 200 Lao knights divided as such: 30 which guard the crown emperess, 20 which guard the royal emperor, 50 which guard the 5 children of the empress, 20 which guard the previous emperor, and 50 that patrol Lao Lian Palace and its surrounding gardens.

#### Characteristic Armor/Uniforms

The Knights of Lao wear a longsleeve black doublet connected with black hosen under darksteel plate armor lined with gold and with a golden recreation of the royal family crest on the shoulders and chestpiece. The armor itself has shoulder pauldrons that curve outward into single sharp points, and the tips of the fingers come to razorsharp points. The helmet has horns that curve upwards like that of a bulls, with the faceplate crafted in the image of an oni; tusk protuding from the upper and lower lips of a wide mouth and eye slits under a thick brow ridge. Generals of the Knights of Lao (a measly number of just 10) have the tips of their horns and tusks decorated with gold in addition to a golden outline around their eye slit and a star beneath the royal family's seal on each shoulder. Each shoulder pauldron has red tassles.

### Knights of Yiqi

Knights dedicated to the protection of those who hold a pearl chair. For each councilmember they have a knight unit of 6-12 who will surround the councilmember in a circular formation when traveling in public or will march besides their carriage. It's estimated their are 100 Knights of Yiqi divided between protecting the councilmembers, their close family, and their estates.

#### Characteristic Armor/Uniforms

The Knights of Yiqi wear a longsleeve black doublet connected with black hosen under steel plate armor. On each shoulder and the chest of the plate mail is the colored crest of the Dynasty. The armor is otherwise similar to that of the Knights of Lao though without the sharpedges, oni faceplate, and curved horns; in their place is simple rounded edges with ridged designs and a perfectly smooth faceplate with simple eye slits. Generals of the Knights are disguished by their armors crests being in gold rather than color and a star beneath the crests on each shoulder in addition to a plume red protuding from their helmet like a ponytail. Each shoulder pauldron has red tassles.