Imperial

The Imperials have a wide range of physical traits due to their widespread presence across Asobria. Skin tones can range from pale to olive, influenced by the specific regions they or their ancestors inhabited. Hair colors can be any shade of browns, blacks, or chestnuts, and lighter shades can be found throughout their people as well. Their people take pride in maintaining a groomed, well-maintained appearance, both in nobility and in the common folk. They favor all manner of practical yet elegant clothing, with many incorporating symbols or other denotations of allegiance or status. Many have sharp eyes with a confident gaze, an embodiment of their ambition and pragmatism.

Thanks to its institutionalization, Imperials are well-versed in Magic and even have an innate connection to it, albeit minor. They are familiar with the basics of spellcasting, and have a natural talent of recognizing when magical influence may be present.

The rise of the Imperial people can be traced back to the fertile river valleys of central Impatria, where early settlers found a bountiful land where city-states could flourish. Over many centuries, their people spread throughout a majority of the continent, and many ancient kingdoms rose and fell throughout these lands. It was the eventual leadership of the great Acolytius that finally united their people, forming the foundation of what would later become the Holy Empire of Acolytius. Since this point, the Imperial people have endured the Empire's ages of prosperity, hardship, and growth to serve as an example of order to the people of Asobria.

The Imperial people are driven by ambition, and they value personal achievement and collective progress above all else. This mindset leads to a highly competitive spirit that fuels advancement in every field, from science and technology to art, philosophy, and arcane studies. While there is an emphasis on discipline and duty in their culture, an even greater weight is put on individual excellence, encouraging personal aspirations and providing opportunities for them to form.

A cornerstone of the Imperial identity is the self-imposed burden to bring advancement, order, and enlightenment to the world. This belief fuels the expansionist policies of the Empire and is immortalized in the nation's motto: At Gloratia Omnusum ("For the Glory of All").

Magic is viewed as a versatile and powerful tool in Imperial culture, and a mastery of the Arcane Arts is viewed as an aspect of power. Magic is a way for the average person to harness the power of the natural world, and it is thus highly institutionalized. The College of the Arcane on the island of Maginia is the largest of these institutions, drawing in students and scholars from all across Asobria. Magic and its institutions are regulated by the High Archmage of the Imperial High Council, encouraging further research, determining what methods of Magic may be unsafe, and finding ways to utilize such a powerful resource for the Empire's best interests.

The Imperials have undeniably left a noticeable mark on the world, and the Empire's influence extends far beyond its expansive borders. From the adoption of the Common language as a trade tongue to the proliferation of their Magic institutionalization, their presence is visible across the known world. Their unrelenting drive to bring order and enlightenment to the world has led to undeniable good, but it has brought its consequences. Some Imperials view their own culture as superior, seeing their neighbors as "barbaric" unless they adopt Imperial customs. While their people are skilled diplomats, their expansionist goals have led to a complex history of alliances, rivalries, and conflict. There is no doubt, however, that they are one of the most formidable forces across the realm.