Rividia or The Rividian Empire, is centred on the capital of Dawns Arch, and ruled by Emperors. They are descended from the folk of the Western Kingdoms. They worship a Pantheon of gods that cover all aspects of their culture. They are very devout to their Gods and extremely superstitious. The religion of the One God cannot find a foothold in this land and often finds itself chased off as a false religion. It is called by Rividians as “The False God”.
Rividia is the most powerful economic and military force in the Western Kingdoms, despite setbacks and territorial losses, especially during the recent wars in the Unholy Land. Rividia is recovering and is now the pre-eminent power in the Western Kingdoms.
Rividia is also the home of the largest enclave of Undying “The Spire” and is the greatest library in existence, academics from all around the globe travel here – a nervous agreement between the Rividians and its “guests” see the Rividian people the most learned of all the Western Kingdoms. Sanitation, Arc-lights and Firearms whilst not common are regularly seen in the hands of the Rividian peoples.
Much of Rividia is broken down into districts called Holds, it is such a massive place that to manage it as a single domain would be all but impossible. The Archdukes run their domains in the name of the Emperor meeting out law in accordance with policy and dictates from the Emperor. Each Archduke is responsible for raising an army and is required to send a percentage of that army as well as their eldest child to serve in the Empires campaigns and to acts as guardians for the Empire as a whole.
However the downside to this dilution of power causes rivalry between the numerous Archdukes and other nobles within the borders of the Empire. Constantly do the Archdukes seek to raise their position and personal status, this has led to a significant number of skirmishes between the Archdukes. And many families have risen and fallen over the centuries.
The current Emperor is often prone to setting one against another in a perverse game of politics.
Rividia is currently fighting wars on numerous fronts.
The Unholy Lands – when the Mhors almost defeated the Legonari in the Lands of Kainen and began to threaten the southern borders, the Emperor sent his Army to the Unholy Lands to try an eliminate the threat.
Ost Reivers – due to the lack of resources constantly expand and raid their neighbours. Of late Rividia has been losing ground to these invaders. Although Rividia has one of the finest armies it struggles to cope with the ferocity and tenacity of the Ostland Reivers that attacks.
The Tilian Empire – an uneasy truce exists between these two Empires, both massive and powerful with highly trained forces they differ significantly over their religious beliefs. Frequently retaliation from the Tilian Empire erupts along the borders as Missionaries are slain for attempting to corrupt the ways of the Eastern Kingdom.
The Byzantine style influences all the architecture, art and music of Rividia as do the spices from the Wastes influence their food.
Slavery is not uncommon in Rividia and falls under two types. Indentured Slaves who enter slavery for a period of time in exchange for financial or other benefit and Forced labour for criminals, prisoners of war and even though outlawed forced enslavement.
Human traits and Fashions
Averaging 5’2” to 6’0” in height and weighing between 100 and 250lbs on average. Skin colour is dark and tanned; hair ranges from Blond to Brown to Black. Eye colour usually ranges from Blue to Brown. Men are found in equal numbers to women and apart from child birth, men and women can be found in any role.
Clothing is usually loose and layered but can be very ornate and lavish, colours tend to be light and fairly bright. Woman often wear hair scarves to defend against the sun.
Masks are worn frequently during social gatherings and by those that wish anonymity or even a disguise to undergo their activities. Mask are normally light in construction and styled in a more theatrical manner often depicting gods/goddesses and animals.
Men tend to wear their hair short or even shaved and often sport beards; women have long hair, normally tied into a braid or left loose.
Tattooing is not uncommon, for males it tends to be thick and heavy typically in black however with women it tends to be of fine designs. Piercing is very common for both sexes.
The humans of Rividia are racially no different from typical Westerners.
Racial Diversity, humans make up the bulk of the population but all the others appear quite frequently especially in the cities. Even the occasional Dyrvysh from the Waste appears.
Dawns Arch is a massive city holding the single largest temple in existence, The Basilica. It is the centre of the Pantheon Religion and pilgrims from all over the world travel here. To walk from one side of Dawns Arch to the other will take at least an hour due to its twisting streets and dense population. It is also home to a massive harbour that sits at the base of the cliffs that the rest of the city sits atop.
Many towers and domes, broad avenues and cloistered gardens make this an eclectic collection of building but all adhere to the Byzantine style.
Alexandros is reputed to be the greatest repository of knowledge in the Western Kingdoms. Its vast halls are the home to books, scrolls and maps that have been gathered by the Ecclesiae over the centuries.
Delphys lies in eastern of Rividia and is home to many scholars and also the headquarters of the Tilian Navy. It is reputed to be the oldest human city in the Western Kingdoms.
Hoplites are the citizen-soldiers of Rividian Holds who are primarily armed with spears and shields. Hoplite soldiers utilize the phalanx formation in order to be effective in war with fewer soldiers. The hoplites are primarily represented by free citizens—propertied farmers and artisans—who are able to afford their distinctive bronze armour suit and weapons (estimated at a third to a half of its able-bodied adult male population). Hoplites are not all professional soldiers and often lack sufficient military training. Although some Holds do maintain small elite professional units, hoplite soldiers are relied on heavily to make up the bulk of Rividian armies. Hoplite are distinctive with their Corinthian Helmet and Aspis shield.