Post by james on Aug 2, 2015 1:37:11 GMT
DISCLAIMER: This is just a rough draft so people can have some clue of what the Akkadian Imperium is about. I've only just now started to write things so a lot more detail will come in the nearby future, this is just so there is info about the faction.
Flag and a couple of banners.
The History.
"Times come and go, memories fade, scrolls are lost, books go missing and word of mouth is unreliable. How does one document the start of something so grand? Of an existence that has been around for longer than any of us can remember, of course as with every nation it has it's secret and the origins of this people is one kept well hidden. With that said a couple of facts pour out and by gathering the scraps something can be made, rough outlines that tell us what may have been the origins but nothing concrete. I can only theorize and for that you will have to forgive me."
It is said there was a great hero in the past, a man of humble beginnings that fought bravely against an unknown menace. He rallied his nation despite of being no rank, when the ones in power cowered in their castles he alone took up sword and shield and the tales said that from his back came enormous, feathered wings. His sword burned with the wrath of the heavens and his shield blinded with the light of the gods. Under his leadership the Akkadians prevailed and soon their blood thirst was turned to the royalty that had left them for dead. With strength and trust coming from their new found messiah the higher seats were quickly replaced by a only ruler. One that would guide this nation as leader of church and government, one that would later become a god in his time of death and his descendants the beings of godhood until this empire crumbled.
The current emperor is the mighty Balthazar, one of the most powerful psionic beings in existence as well as being an incredible paladin. He is benevolent and kind yet just and rightful when needed. Since becoming the ruler many changes have been made, many of the more extreme laws having being brought down, especially those related to religion.
The Government.
Although there are many entities with power in the Imperium, the last word is always given by the Emperor and it is always the final nail in the coffin. He's opinion is unquestionable and many would even call it heresy to do so. With that said not everything is decided by the Emperor as he is often busy, for that reason only crucial decisions are usually brought to be decided by the Emperor but that does not mean things are done without the knowing of Balthazar. For every one of the meetings held across the galaxy an envoy is sent to watch and relay that information back to the Emperor. They are called the Emperor's Reflection and they are chosen from a young age to serve this role, for that reason they receive rigorous training shifted in the direction of loyalty and as they often wield very important information, there are none more loyal or fanatical in the Imperium, it is basically impossible to get info out of them.
The Lords are the ones that deal with diplomacy, foreign exchange, territory administrating. They are nominated after a long carrier in either military or church or as reward for a grand feat. They are given "control" over a specific region in which they watch over as the regents, effectively acting as a king in behalf of the Emperor, they are among the most influential and powerful people of the Imperium.
The Church acts as another branch of administration, taking care of spreading the faith and keeping the believers they already have. They deal with heavy propaganda and big campaigns across multiple worlds. Their active role in the community makes it so they are ever present in their life, they hold events and charities in cities always renewing people's faith in the God-Emperor. Not all is kind in the church, they are also tasked with dealing with conspirators and those that preach beliefs different than their own, although across the years some small tolerance has been given to other faiths as the empire grew too big to simply purge all of them with that said, open worship of other deities is not allowed and much less public shrines of other religions. To those that disobey or would try to conspire against the holiness of The God-Emperor the Church's agents will be there to make sure they do not do it for long.
The Military is the biggest branch of the Imperium. There are many divisions and each has a specific duty with specialized soldiers that do that task, military service is not obligatory but it is greatly encouraged to the point where a very big percentage of the populace choose the military career for it is the way to serve their Emperor and please their god, to gain honor and status.
There is only one ruler. The God-Emperor, that person is always the heir of the previous Emperor. Be it male or female although generally the male firstborn is who takes the throne, siblings being offered positions of great power and still worshiped as godly beings by the church. It is an effective theocracy. Along with the God-Emperor there are those that carry out his will, the Lords. They are to enforce the law in their respective territories and act as senators in a manner. Akkadia palces a big emphasis on their armies. It is not just another branch of the government, it is a way of life. Akkadia still follows the medieval code of honor and chivalry and their culture reflects it.
The Law Enforcement.
Called 'The enforcers' they are a specialized branch of the military trained to deal with day-to-day crimes. Most units are equipped with heavy riot style gear at all times for one must be ready for anything, at anytime. Their jurisdiction lies from petty crimes all the way to treason in which the Inquisitors come in play, people of strong psionic capabilities that act as interrogators with their lie seeing abilities gained through rigorous training.
The enforcers carry a shield and melee weapon for close range combat and protection as well as a high-tech crossbow looking gun. Unless necessary a target is always to be taken prisoner and not killed. As one can always redeem oneself.
The Culture.
To an Akkadian his word and honor is everything. Each act of bravery, kindness and humbleness one does is a step closer to becoming an eternal knight, the utmost reward for the services he has done for the God-Emperor. The very essence of his being is implanted into a living suit of armor in a process called 'the ascension' in which he would then serve his God in both the present and after life. For this reason they are a very battle oriented people, arenas are common place through out their cities as well as bouts and even political affairs of small significance can be solved with a duel. The first structure built in every Akkadian city is a throne, at the feet of this throne a shield and sword for they believe if any crisis happens all they have to do is pray and from that throne their god shall take the sword and shield and aid them face their trials. Usually the closer to the throne the city gets more religious and mystical it's appearance, taking on the blue hue of the psionic and arcane forces. Inquisitors and Seers become frequent, ever present and ever vigilant. The further away from this religious, mystic hub the more and more industrial the city becomes, in a stark contrast the blue is replaced by the washed out grey of metal as they begin to look more steam punk in origin. It is not rare to see "golems" big machines with humanoid shape being put at work. No position is shunned in Akkadian for as great as a warrior is, he could not fight without the blacksmith but positions in the military or church are without doubt the way for someone to climb the social status ladder.
(Ascension process)
The Religion.
The order of the phoenix.
There are three important figures in the Imperium religion the sun which represents home, warmth, life, passion and among other things that falls into that category. The phoenix, their protector and the being that grants them power. And lastly, the God-Emperor which is the embodiment of strength, bravery, fearlessness, authority and chivalry.
The sun is their reach and all that the light touches their domain, even with science as advanced as it is giving us so much insight into things, Akkadians still adamantly believe in their lore, the various stars spread across the galaxy being the eggs of the mighty Phoenix. It is believed the legendary creature resides within the flaming orb in the Akkadian main solar system where their home world is present. The light provided by the flames of the creature grant them the possibility of life for nothing can prevail in absolute darkness.
The phoenix is the most important imagery in the Order's mythos, it is believe the mythical beast is what grants them divine power and by wielding fire it's flames are channeled to the user which is one of the biggest reasons as to why there are so many adept pyromancers and mages across the Imperium, the most fanatic and skillful often create perpetual wings of fire or light to represent their devotion to the being. This was the magical creature that gave their first Emperor the strength to banish their enemies and gave him immortality, each new God-Emperor only being a new vessel for the same being for his essence is forever but the mortal body it resides within is not. The stars are it's nest, each one carrying a fragment of the Phoenix. The one sun in their home Solar system being where the great beast rests while the many others that span the galaxy it's eggs. The flag of the Akkadian nation itself being a reference to the Phoenix, a majestic eagle with it's wings spread across an yellow background.
The Emperor is the godly embodiment of all a person should thrive to be, brave, chivalrous, powerful, fearless. The symbol of utmost authority and strength, a pinnacle of what an Akkadian should be. He is the general and commander, the Emperor that represents the might of the phoenix in a mortal vessel. Functionally immortal, once a body expires a new host is choosen to represent this, usually the descended of the previous God-Emperor.
Life and resurrection also playing a big part, one of the biggest gifts granted by the bird was existence. Life. For that reason one should do the most of it, no matter what try to enjoy your life to the fullest even if your days are numbered, this splendid present should not be wasted. A great feat is often said to earn the person a chance at rebirth and a guaranteed place among the warm embrace of the Phoenix upon core, continuing on as a star or living inside the core of the Solarius, the star of the Akkadian star. To achieve this deed is also another reason many join the military in search of glory or to serve the Emperor and be allowed a place in his eternal knights so they can guide them to the heaven's gate once their duty is over.
