Post by Harkovast on Dec 8, 2017 0:04:35 GMT
The Ivos rule a powerful empire to the south of Vellastrom.
Their society is sophisticated and industrious, with huge stone cities connected by well maintained systems of roads and aqueducts and defended by legions of highly professional soldiers. The greatest of all these cities is the capital Ivo, which is a marvel of stone, heated by thermal springs.
The Ivos consider the military the most vital institution of their nation, and are militant and aggressive in their dealings with other countries.
The Ivos value strength and a rational attitude, unclouded by emotion. They have a great underlying fear that their nation will become weak and decadent and fall prey to a stronger, bolder people.
They are a stern and serious race, instilled with a great sense of patriotism. They view their Empire as a beacon of civilisation, divinely appointed by the Gods.
Their Empire also contains the Panvos people, who are given citizenship in the Empire. The Ivos often look down on the Panvos as rustic and backward, but the two peoples generally have good relations.
Recreation
The Ivos pride themselves on their practicality, so entertainment has to be seen to have some practical function.
Since the Ivos fear becoming weak and soft, their entertainment is generally violent in nature, so the populace can be reminded of the strength of their people. Since they view war as the greatest expression of a nations strength, combat and mock battles are central to their entertainment.
Amphitheatres appear all across their empire, in which gladiatorial battles, animal fights, public executions and chariot races take place. Killing of prisoners or fights between slaves draw the smaller crowds. Professional competitors are considered a nobler example and can become near legendary amongst the Ivos. Not all fights are to the death, but the threat of death and injury is essential to the entertainment.
Chariot races are often the most dangerous sports for competitors, as they are conducted at break neck speeds with nothing to protect a rider who is thrown or crashes.
The competitors are viewed with admiration by the Ivos, a noble embodiment of their ideals.
Government
The ruler of the Ivos is the Emperor, who holds the title of Caesar.
They are not hereditary, but are elected by the senate.
The senate is in turn elected by wealthy land owning men from noble families.
The senators hold their positions for fixed terms of six years, but an emperor rules for life once appointed.
The Ivos consider the Senate to be guided by divine will to make this decision and the Emperor to be semi-divine being.
Ivos respect military experience in their leaders, and having led successful campaigns is essential for anyone hoping to earn election to high office.
Several senate seats are set aside for Panvos, though no Panvos has ever been elected to Emperor.
The senate are all male and the Emperor is always a man.
Magic
The Ivos utilise magic mainly for civil purposes rather than military ones.
They skilled in using magic to create stone structures and buildings, allowing them to build their vast cities and defences. With their hands they can shape stone and raise up buildings from the ground in a fraction of the time it would take other races.
Ivos also utilise magic in the creation of their weapons and tools, forging them both very quickly and to extremely high quality.
These powers allow them to support the industry and expansion of their mighty nation.
Warfare
The Ivos military is extremely professional, well equipped, numerous and beloved by the people. The Imperial Legions are the symbol of Empires strength and glory.
Their primary force is heavily armoured infantry that fight in tight formations behind their large shields. Their warriors are instilled with tremendous discipline and the legionnaires can perform complex manoeuvres even in the confusion of pitched battle.
These are supported by powerful ballista that can hurl projectiles at enemies with great accuracy over vast distances.
Cavalry is seen as a supporting tool, mainly for scouting or harassing weakened enemies.
They are also supported by Panvos auxiliary forces.
Ivos view war as an essential expression of the strength and power of their nation, and have been in conflict with one or more of their neighbours for much of their history.
The Ivos military use their magic and highly disciplined labour to construct strong defences to guard the territory they capture.
Only Ivos men can serve in the military.
Religion
The Ivos worship a large and complicated pantheon, known as the gods of Shaldemos. According to doctrine, Shaldemos is a mountain that floats in the sky on which the gods live in a fortress of gleaming, polished stone. Long ago the gods granted magic to mortal peoples after great Ivos champions in ages past proved themselves worthy. The gods created the city of Ivo to honour the Ivos for their great strength and courage. Ivos gods can be fickle and not always just, and a great deal of politicking is believed to take place between the various deities. Each of their fourteen gods corresponds to one of the magical elements .
The all male Ivos priesthood venerate all of the gods, though some temples are dedicated to honouring a particular god.
The fourteen gods of Shaldemos are as follows:
Korvetor- god of death. The Owner of Life, the Collector of All Debts and King of the Gods. Despite being the ruler of the gods and the most powerful of them, he is not the most widely worshipped. His priests take care of Ivos funeral rites.
Shotelis- goddess of life. The Lantern Bearer. A symbol of hope and a carer for the sick She is viewed as a good natured but often gullible being. She is Korvetor's sister.
Nylana- goddess of air. The Guardian of the Heavens. A brave warrior goddess who stands guard over Shaldemos. She is Bol's sister.
Bol- god of stone. The Mountain Lord. The mightiest and bravest of the gods. He is the most widely worshipped of the Ivos deities and is considered the patron of their race. He is the brother of Nylana.
Lungoss- god of darkness. The End of All Things. A blind god who serves at the right hand of Korvetor as his agent, destroying his enemies and those who displease the king of the Gods. Because he is blind, Lungoss cannot see his victims and so feels no sympathy for them. Depicted as a fearsome agent of destruction. To blaspheme against the gods is to risk Lungoss being unleashed!
Kaslus- goddess of light. Well of the Universe. At the left hand of Korvetor is Kaslus, the Spirit of Creation. When Korvetor requires something to be brought into being, he summons Kaslus. She is depicted as a strange being, unconcerned with mortal affairs and with seemingly no purpose or goals of her own. The only time she takes any very affirmative action is when Korvetor commands it. She is the sister to Lungoss and is his opposite in all ways. He is blind but driven by purpose, she is all seeing but disinterested.
Yalang- goddess of fire. The Emblazoned Warrior. A fierce, warrior god, who rushes recklessly into danger, ready to battle any evil doers. She is the sister of Mogodo.
Mogodo- god of ice. The Blizzard Warrior. A god known for his great strength and toughness, and his resoluteness in battle.
Jatal- god of thunder. The Lord Above the Clouds. An arrogant god, known for his great vanity. He is brother of Ishgal.
Ishgal- goddess of water. The Wave Rider. A happy, carefree goddess. Often depicted as unreliable and forgetful. Ivos priests bless ships in the name of Ishgal to ensure her protection. She is the sister of Jatal.
Tahpesh-goddess of metal. The Sword Mistress. A stern and serious warrior goddess. Ivos soldiers and metal workers will often pray to her for assistance.
Xino- God of mind. The Librarian of Time. Xino is often depicted as isolating himself and suffering from various delusions and fits of madness. This is said to be because the extent of his knowledge is too great for even a god's mind to contain. He is brother to Tahpesh.
Hureston- God of nature. The Feral Hunter. Rarely seen on Mount Shaldemos, he is usually out hunting and fighting and has no time for the ritual and formality of the other gods. The Ivos see him as an important reminder to not allow themselves to become too enamoured with civilisation and lose their fighting instincts.
Epsil- goddess of technology. The Smith of the Gods. Epsil is the great artisan of the gods, always toiling at her anvil to produce weapons and wondrous inventions. The other gods regularly call on her to create something for them. She is commonly invoked by Ivos artisans to bless their work. She is the sister of Hureston.
Social Issues
Ivos society is highly patriarchal. Men hold all the power and the father is considered the absolute head of the family. To shame or embarrass ones father is an intolerable humiliation for an Ivos, and even adult Ivos are often reluctant to disobey an instruction from their father.
Ivos women have very little say in society and are considered entirely subordinate to men. Both within house holds and in public life they have few rights compared to the men. Men are viewed as being logical and strong willed, while women are seen as emotional and foolish.
Since Ivos consider men the stronger sex, they consider love between two men to be not only acceptable but often superior to the love between a man and a woman. Men reach decisions for logical reasons, so if two of them love each other that love must be superior since there is no silly woman detracting from it. Though taking a wife is essential for having children and continuing the family, the love between men is widely celebrated in Ivos art and poetry and is generally viewed as more romantic and beautiful. It is very common for soldiers in the Ivos army to have male lovers amongst their comrades in arms.
Though women can take female lovers, this is generally considered unimportant and is paid little attention in their culture.
Ivos are generally accepting of half castes and consider relationships with non-Ivos to be acceptable.
The Ivos Empire is one of the main centres for the slave trade in Vellastrom, with huge numbers of slaves being employed in many roles, from house servants to heavy labourers.
While slaves have some basic rights and legal protections, these are limited and they are ultimately considered less than full people.
Slaves are both Ivos and captives from other races taken in war. Ivos are also willing to buy slaves from other nations, typically the Zadakine or Brorg-Dao.