This RP is rated M for graphic content and adult themes
OF DEADLY DESIGN
In the Radiant Empire, nothing is sacred. She is the epitome of debauchery, mired in immorality, Mistress to Gluttony and Fornication. Outlanders look upon her overindulgence with envy and fear masked by disgust, resenting the Empire’s obscene wealth while cowering at its terrible power. Its heart, Ardeshir, seat of the Emperor, is steeped in a vast game of intrigue, its spies and assassins constantly at work in the shadows to carry out the will of the greatest nation the world has ever known.
But it is not the Emperor who holds power here; Emperor Vesperus II is but a puppet, the face of authority. In the Radiant Empire, it is the Senate that moves the pieces, keeping careful control with unseen hands, eliminating threats as they arise. Wheels are turning behind closed doors, intricate schemes coming to fruition, and there may be none who hold the strength to withstand the plots that the Senate has wrought.
The Radiant Empire commands nearly half of the continent of Ushriya, dominating the northwestern region of the land. Its progression eastward was halted only by the stretch of nigh impassible mountains, and it left the icy north to the neighboring kingdom Alaisdair and the sweltering south to Nuallan and the Desert of Ash.
The Empire is a powerhouse, easily the wealthiest, most diverse, and most influential part of the continent. Its capital city, Ardeshir, lies on the southwestern coast and is awing in its extravagance; that awe, however, is tempered by both fear and disgust for the power it commands and the level of its moral decay.
It is a temperate climate, temperatures rarely reaching into the extremes. It is a rich land, its geography ranging from expansive forests to verdant plains and stoic mountains. Produce and game of all shapes and sizes grows in and stalks the lush landscape while the mountain chains yield bountiful minerals and ore. The Radiant Empire imports whatever its lands lack through extensive sea trade; ports abound throughout the coast, bringing in goods from Alaisdair and Nuallan.
Spoiler: The City of Ardeshir
Ardeshir is a sprawling, split city built alongside the sea. Most of the city resides on the eastern peninsula, with the Port District in the northeastern quadrant and the Merchant District in the southeastern quadrant. The land gradually ascends as one travels westward into the city; closest to the trade districts are the quaint homes of commoners--the largest district--separated from the much smaller Noble District by a wall with several gates, limiting traffic that may disturb the sensibilities of the nobles residing there. Here is where vibrant gardens with marble fountains and smoothly paved roads can be enjoyed, where the air is clean and fragrant and unmarred by the stench of sewage and rotting garbage. Each grandiose estate is private and gated, constantly competing with its neighbor in its extravagance, with trained hounds and stern, armed men set to guard properties from the common rabble.
A large bay separates even the spectacular Noble District from the most prestigious and grandiose of abodes, a breathtaking place known as the Golden District, home of only the most wealthy and powerful of the Empire's nobles and the seat of royalty. An island is perched in the midst of the bay, accessible by a white stone bridge that arcs to its southeastern quadrant from the Noble District, and is the only means by which to reach the Golden District on foot. It is held above the ocean waves by a pillar of rock that may appear treacherous but that has stood firm against the elements for centuries or more. There are no homes on the island, only merchants with goods too rich and exotic to waste on the commoners or the riffraff in the Port District. The only customers here are of Ardeshir's extensive nobility, or the occasional dreamers who come to view and not to buy.
On the western side of the island is another beautiful bridge connecting to the lowest sections of the Golden District. Here, the land rises more steeply--though not uncomfortably so--and no matter the elevation, every home is a mansion, each one opulent and awing in its own way. At the top of the District, at the peak of the cliff, is the Imperial Palace, visible from every street in the whole of the city, a stunning example of power and luxury and perfect beauty. It is there the Emperor and his household live, there that the Senate meet, there that the whole of Empire is ruled from.
IMPORTANT PEOPLE
Spoiler: The Senate
The Senate consists of seven powerful, influential, and wealthy individuals, all bearing extensive spy networks to tap into for information. They are a council of shared power, all checking and balancing the others and none getting a leg up or consolidating more power than their peers. Six act as the body and are known as the Conclave, and one as the head. The head, or Overseer, is an advisor and observer who may share his or her insight into the matters brought up for discussion among the Conclave, but otherwise makes no decisions except in the event of a stalemate or during a topic of particular import, such as when disciplinary action must be taken against one of the members of the Conclave. On the uncommon occasion when the latter becomes necessary, it is the Overseer who makes the final decision and the Conclave--minus the offending member--who acts in an advisory capacity.
These seven hail from the most prestigious noble families, all with their fingers in various different pies; financial endeavors, import and export, slavery, foreign intelligence--all this and more are headed and overseen by the various members of the Senate and each is responsible for grooming their chosen heir who will eventually take their place.
Furthermore, because the relationship between the Senate and the Emperor is delicate, ever-changing from heir to heir, infighting and violence between the Senate’s members is strictly forbidden and swiftly dealt with. Its survival as the reigning power in the Empire depends on its ability to operate smoothly and decisively, and to maintain a level of integrity and order between its members. The ambitions of one must not threaten the fulfillment of their ultimate goal.
Maintaining this balance becomes especially difficult when a situation arises that can tip the scales within the Conclave. For instance, decisions must often be made that affect one member’s business (e.g. slavery, export, etc.) positively but another’s negatively, causing dispute. In such cases, care must be taken that the decision reached by the majority is both understood and implemented without attempts at sabotage by the minority, particularly those most negatively affected. The offended member(s) typically knows better than to make such foolish attempts, however, as it can cost them their position or, worse, their life. In the past, the iron fist of the Senate has gone so far as to cripple a displeasing member’s entire noble family in order to mete out punishment and restore balance within the Conclave, filling the empty seat with either the offending member’s chosen heir or a promising member within another noble family. The latter takes time and tutelage, however, and is therefore reserved as a last resort.
The Senate makes extensive use of its spy and assassin network. Information, after all, is power, and there is plenty to be gained both within the Empire’s borders and without.
Last edited by ☆Catwoman☆; 06-21-2019 at 07:11 PM.
[M] Of Deadly Design - OOC (Storm & ☆Catwoman☆)
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