The World of Dran | Feel of the World | History | Inhabitants of Dran | Larger Universe | Magic
Game Notes | Personalities | Science and Technology | Society of Dran | Spirit World | Home
This page is divided into the following sections:
Click on the section names to return to the top of the page.
In general the society of Dran is very reactionary and conservative, accepting new ideas only with reluctance. It also, in general, accepts the way things are now so that attempts to change the world are met with indifference at best and active hostility at worst. In the Undying Empire society is very militarised, and there is a great deal of competition as everyone who can strives to better themselves. The majority of society nonetheless agrees on its overall goals and is harmonious in its agreement on the ultimate Destiny of the Empire, and well as in its xenophobia regarding the wicked and immoral ways of those not of the Empire.
There is no concept of democracy in Dran, nor any concept of equality among people. All the nations of Dran are monarchies or some other form of authoritarian, totalitarian state. This is considered to be the natural order of things.
All nations are essentially feudal in nature, with no form of society more advanced than this having developed on Dran. The countryside is the most feudal area, with more social mobility in the towns and cities. People of all classes are tied to the land (the lowest the most and the highest the least), and are generally unable to move to a new area without explicit permission from those above them. The only exception to this is in joining the Black Fist - recruiting 'caravans' travel the countryside from time to time gathering volunteers. Levies into the military are also used when necessary, as is press ganging.
There is some feudalism in the cities too, mainly among free servants and in unskilled, poor, but free factory labour. Mining is another area where the feudal system applies. Everywhere there are families which have been tied to the same land or factory for millennia, and who have lived in the same tenements for that time, too.
In general the system is set up so that, although people my hate their immediate lord, they do not feel the same hate for the Undying Lord...
It is largely accepted that people of different races are roughly equivalent, but that people of different social class are not. Those of higher social class are intrinsically superior to those of lower class. Women are considered somewhat inferior to men. However, the Undying Empire does not discriminate against them on the direct order of the Undying Lord, as it is accepted that exceptional women can be superior to men, just as second-rate men can be inferior to women.
However, the Undying Empire does not discriminate on grounds of class, race, gender or any other criterion. This non-sexism, non-racism, and unconcern about the social class and sexual orientation of those serving the Empire is all on the long-standing direct and explicit orders of the Undying Lord. They arise from the fact that, as far as he is concerned, the Empire cannot waste any talent, regardless of from where it originates. There are numerous tales from before this policy was instituted in which women (or members of other discriminated-against groups) tried to join the Empire, were spurned, and so went on to become its enemies instead, causing major problems for it. This policy instead allows them to become assets to the Empire.
Women - like everyone else - are allowed into the government, colleges of magic and military, if they can prove themselves. It is harder for them than for men, but do-able. And those women who do go into the service of the Undying Lord are often more skilled and motivated than their male counterparts, and thus often rise higher than them.
There are, on average, some twenty-five percent of women in the various professions. There are more mages (about a third) and fewer soldiers than this (about a tenth). Among the lower classes a fairly high percentage of women work in factories, markets, and so on, but this is not exactly professional labour
Women go veiled by social convention. Those who do not are considered to be either loose women or warriors. Confusion between thee two groups can cause problems from time to time.
There is some limited social mobility in the Undying Empire, arising mainly from service in the military. It is also possible to rise up the social ladder following the acquisition of large amounts of money, though in this case one will tend to be considered one of the 'nouveau riche' by the more established members of the social class the person has risen into.
Within the Church of Cthon marriage is only allowed at the New Moon, when the influence of the Moon-Twins is least, and that of Cthon greatest.
Signet rings are used to identify people and their professions. These are issued officially, and it is a capital crime to forge them or use them falsely without official permission.
There is a code duello in the Undying Empire, which works to different levels by the mutual agreement of those involved (to first blood, death and so on). It only applies between people of roughly equal social level. The challenger is the one who chooses the weapons, the venue and so on.
There is a long tradition in the Undying Empire of small groups being sent on missions with a great deal of freedom of action, but with them also taking the consequences of their failure. This has developed because such groups have come to seen as very effective. [This is a pretext for bringing together a party of player characters.]
Mainly because of the presence of vampires, there is a great deal of night life and many night markets in the major cities of the Undying Empire.
The Ranks of the Nobility in the Undying Empire are, in descending order:
Below baronets are Squires. These are non-nobles, who rule a local area within a noble's domain, and answer to the noble for it.
The nobility is divided into a number of Houses, based on bloodlines. Some noble families are at least as ancient as the Undying Lord, and are descended from the clans who inhabited the lands of Umbra when he was still a human being. The major Houses are as follows:
Although there are some regional blocs within the nobility, in general they co-operate in their dealings with the other factions in the Empire (mages, vampires, the church and the military). There is extensive intermarrying between the noble Houses, with marriages normally arranged for political and/or economic reasons rather than being love matches.
Noble families are granted their property by the Undying Lord, and hold it on his sufferance. In most cases this property consists of lands and titles, with their holdings centred on a Manor. Beyond this they are absolute rulers of their lands, and can impose local laws and taxation as long as they do not contradict the Undying Lord's extensive set of laws. Locally taxed money can be used as the noble sees fit. Nobles are entirely at liberty to call in outside investigators, inquisitors, soldiers and so on as they require. However, to do so is usually seen as a sign of failure.
Most noble families also have townhouses within the city of Umbra and within the other major cities of the Empire. These are effectively small walled estates, with a complex of buildings, gardens and the like. Many are sufficiently old that they were built in the countryside when the city was small, and over time the city has grown out around them. Some have been rebuilt again and again as fashions in buildings have changed; in others the buildings are millennia old. Many noble families have families of servants and slaves who have been in service to them for hundreds or thousands of years. In a very few families, for various political reasons, servants and masters have changed place one or more times over the millennia
Masked balls with masks in styles not unlike the Venetian style of the real world are quite common among the upper classes. Some of the religious festivals of the Empire are also masked, such as the Accession Day festival.
The military of the Empire is known as the Black Fist. It is divided into a number of Orders, each effectively an army in its own right. The oldest of these are descended from the warriors of the clans who formed the basis of the original Undying Empire. The others have been formed in the time since then. Each Order has its own strengths and weaknesses, but all are formidable fighting forces. All Orders have units deployed to places all over the Empire.
The Black Fist is led by an ancient and highly powerful vampire and mage (an Artisan), well over ten thousand years old, known only as the Warmaster.
All members of the military sport facial tattooing; the exact nature of this varies with legion and rank, but is all of a style not unlike that of the Maori of the real world. The more complex the tattoos the higher the rank of the person.
As with the rest of the Undying Empire, the Black Fist does not discriminate on grounds of race, sex or social class. Those from the nobility are more likely to join the Black Fist as officers (though not all do, usually by family tradition), but anyone can work their way up from the ranks if they have the talent and drive.
There is a certain amount of press-ganging into the Black Fist, though this is frowned upon. However, this is not usually very necessary other than in areas away from the centre of the Empire as the military is often the only way the very poor can hope to escape their situation and rise in society. Those who join the Black Fist serve for a minimum of fifteen years.
All members of the Black Fist get a bonus (usually of money, but sometimes of property or something else) upon leaving. This depends on rank and length of service.
The Black Fist uses Victorian-style uniforms, usually of black. Swords are worn by officers as a matter of course.
The ranks of the military are, in descending order:
The Military Orders of the Undying Empire include:
The vampire Orders occasionally recruit the best of the best from other orders to serve the Empire in eternity.
In addition to the Orders there are a number of Legions within the Black Fist. These are also essentially armies, but unlike the Orders each entire legion is relatively small and travels and fights together. Most of them have grown out of mercenary companies made permanent parts of the Black Fist. Legions include:
Although the Undying Empire has a strong industrial base, it also has professional guilds, some of them very old, with a complex hierarchy of seniority and precedence. The organisations controlling the skilled professions practised throughout the Empire, they were originally trade guilds, controlling the practise of skilled crafts but have, over time, expanded their remit to become the organisations controlling most civilian professions (such as Train Driving). They are at the centre of all professional organisations and make it very difficult for those outside them to gain access to materials or knowledge, or sell into certain markets. Unskilled labourers either work for a Guild, or for industry generally.
The Guilds have strong controls over the knowledge of their profession, as well as their own secrets and rules. Their members generally progress, over their careers, from apprentice (who is bound to a master, usually for a fixed term of seven years) to craftsman, journeyman (who is normally be self-employed, but cannot employ others, and who often travels to other places to learn from other masters, helping disseminate knowledge within the Guild), and eventually to widely-recognised master and grandmaster (this is very similar to the organisational structure of the Colleges of Magic). They hold a monopoly on their profession in the places in which they operate and are responsible for the regulation of their professions, controlling wages and labour conditions. All Guilds within the Empire fall under the control of the Master of Industry. [See Wikipedia on Livery Companies for a list of possible trade guilds.]
The Empire itself has a stake in all major businesses.
There are some travelling circuses which wander Dran, wintering over at specific places, and following sanctioned routes. Their members are Licensed Vagrants. Some include freak shows, quack doctors, animal shows and mages cast out from the Colleges for some reason. Obviously the people who make up these circuses pick up news and information as they travel, though most are also very tight-lipped to outsiders.
Wandering trade fairs follow similar routes to the circuses, providing various services to those isolated in the countryside. They too are Licensed Vagrants, and include various trades as well as real and quack doctors. These trade fairs exist because the road can be a dangerous place for a lone traveller - especially around the fringes of woodlands where things lurk. However, there are a very few lone tinkers and the like who are sufficiently skilled, or brave, or foolish, to travel alone. Again, these people pick up news and information as they travel but are again very tight-lipped to outsiders.
Labour in the Undying Empire is generally organised as it was in post-World War II Japan of the real world. That is, the working class, although still almost at the bottom of society, is further divided between the more and less privileged, which helps to control the cost and mobility of labour. The more privileged workers are those with a lifetime, permanent job, a status that is only obtainable after a years-long probationary period. Below them are different categories of temporary employee, who do not have long-term job security and who receive lower rates of pay. In some places more than half the workers are temporary. This pool of temporary workers gives industry the flexibility to dismiss employees during hard times while retaining a skilled and loyal core of permanent workers.
Taken together having these two classes of worker nurtures loyalty to the employer in the employee. Because permanent status is earned, lifetime workers have a previous record of conformism, while temporary workers behave themselves in the hope of earning permanent job security. This all helps to make the workers submit to the needs of management. Within the lifetime system, wages vary according to length of service, starting at a low level, peaking as workers reach their forties and then falling as their productivity drops with age. The potential labour militancy of younger workers is defused by the promise of job security and a predictably rising salary while older workers get a declining salary at a time when they are unlikely to change jobs.
[All of the above is dereived from T. E. Vadney, 'The World Since 1945', 2nd Edition, pages 365-366]
Slavery exists across Dran. All slaves are identifiable by a branded slave mark high on the right cheek; the veils of slave women are specifically tailored to expose this. Initially (in the slave market) these marks are very simple; once they are purchased the new owner usually adds their own mark to it to identify the slave as theirs, and sometimes to identify their role, too.
Slaves have no rights. Their owners have property rights over them, and can claim recompense if someone else damages the slave.
Slaves come from the conquests of the Empire, from certain debtors, from certain criminals, and from the children of slaves; these form the majority of new slaves. There is also a certain amount of kidnapping into slavery, though this is, technically, illegal.
Slaves kow-tow to their superiors, knocking their head on the floor.
There is a Master of Slaves in the Palace of Shadows, and in most noble houses, whose job it is to ensure that all slaves in a given location are both gainfully employed and disciplined as required.
It is possible for slaves to gain their freedom, but this requires an awesome act from the slave; thus it is very rare. Sometimes slaves are freed posthumously, so that they can be buried free. This is usually done as a reward for a lifetime of good service.
Slaves are not allowed to be armed, or even to carry arms, without written permission from the authorities. This basically excludes them from carrying weapons anywhere other than in a gladiatorial environment, or if they are members of Legion Nadir.
The slaves of someone who dies can either be given on to their heirs, or sacrificed by the College of Masons and their lives used to power warding magics about their owners' tomb.
Cthon is indifferent to its worshippers and only requires to be fed with sacrifices. In return, only the dark Lord receives power from it. If a person obeys Cthon's laws and so forth in life they will not be punished after death but simply find oblivion. If they do not, they will be punished, and forever, in a stick- rather than a carrot-based approach to the afterlife.
Sacrifices to Cthon are Aztec-style blood sacrifices carried out at his temples. These are large black stone Aztec-style pyramids with a Grecian-style temple on the top. Enemies are the usual sacrifices, but criminals and a few highly honoured volunteers are also sacrificed. Public shrines to Cthon exist everywhere. These are usually black obelisks of some kind where people often have sacrifices of animals and so on conducted to help their own fortunes.
The Church of Cthon has a rigid hierarchy with decisions generally made at a regional level within policy set from Umbra. The holy writings may only by read by those above a certain level within the church hierarchy. High-ranking nobles often have honorary rank within the church for this purpose. Everyone else has to take things on faith...
The Church is zealous in its desire to convert all of Dran to the worship of Cthon, and does not discriminate on grounds of race, sex or social class, by explicit order of the Undying Lord. The priesthood of Cthon forms the extensive bureaucracy that runs the Empire, with departments and nobles competing against one another for power and influence.
The Theopath is head of the theological part of the Church of Cthon, consisting of scholars, temple preachers and clerical magic users. The ranks in the theological part of the Church are as follows:
The subordinates of the Theopath perform all officially-recognised marriages in the Empire.
The Pontifex is the head of the bureaucratic part of the Church, and supplies the Magisters who administer pacified conquests after the departure of their Viceroy. The ranks of the bureaucratic part of the Church are as follows:
The Lord High Inquisitor, the Inquisition and the Lords of Justice are all also part of the Church and fall under the authority of the Pontifex.
There are, of course, true religious monasteries and nunneries of Cthon, under the Theopath. As they are part of the Church there are of course monasteries of the spies, the assassins and other such groups who fall within the remit of the Pontifex. There are also monasteries which are really dumping grounds for unwanted nobles - those who are mad, disfigured, politically undesirable and so on; again these fall under the Pontifex.
In Imperial funeral rites the body laid in a crypt under the earth until the flesh has rotted away (returned to Cthon), following which the bones are placed in catacombs. The souls of the dead return to the Spirit World, or (rarely) go to Cthon. Because of the association of the Spirit World with the Moon-Twins, their colour silver (or, for the poor, grey) is the colour of mourning in the Undying Empire.
Every family has its own crypt, often under their own house. The very poor usually have to make do with a communal crypt, of which there are a great many, especially under the older settlements of the Empire. Some Manors and palaces have vast labyrinthine crypts for the bones of the rulers and their servants, with the oldest being nearest the surface.
In the Lunar Empire the bodies of the dead are exposed on public platforms for their flesh to be eaten by birds, which are considered to be the messengers of the Moon-Twins. When the corpse has been entirely stripped of flesh, the bones are taken and stacked with others in outdoor ossuaries, cylindrical structures open to the sky so that they can bathe forever in the light of the Moon-Twins.
All death-platforms and ossuaries are the property of the community; hiding the dead as it is done in the Undying Empire is considered to be highly unnatural.
Death is considered a mixed blessing in the Lunar Empire. On one hand it is loss, but on the other the spirit of the dead person has returned to the Moon-Twins.
Uniforms are widely used among those who serve the Undying Lord. Favoured colours for them include black, ruby red, midnight blue and purple. Some of the more common uniforms include:
This consists of a red field with a solid black circle in the centre. The circle represents Cthon, Dran, and the inevitable victory of Cthon over all those who oppose it. The red field represents the blood and lives of those who support it, and those who oppose it.
Alcohol is widely drunk across Dran. Wines, beers and spirits all exist, in a wide variety of qualities and types.
There are also a variety of drugs, legal and illegal, most derived from herbs and plants from different parts of Dran. Tobacco exists. It is only grown in Karthan and Inmyal, and shipped to the rest of the Empire from there. It is normally smoked as cigars or cigarettes, though clay pipes are also used.
Low-class taverns are found everywhere. A selection of these in Umbra include:
There are theatres and music halls all over the Undying Empire. Everything which is performed is vetted by the Church of Cthon, by way of the Order of the Eye. Entertainments divide into lower class music hall, upper class romance, and music and morality plays at all levels, plus bands and the like in inns and taverns. The type of music differs with social class. There is very little new material, but there is a huge amount of old material from throughout the long history of the Undying Empire.
There is organised crime in the cities of the Empire, but no thieves' guild or any such thing. However, there are such things as 'thieves codes' and the like in some of the major cities, commonly agreed sets of behaviour that regulate the actions and attitudes of criminals there; these vary from city to city. There are local beggar brotherhoods.
The law varies with where and who one is, and always has exceptions for political and other reasons. Though this is, of course, implicit rather than explicit.
The law is in the style of real world Ancient Egypt. Few crimes have punishments more severe than a public beating, but one has to confess to ones crimes at borders and if questioned by the authorities, and lying at such time is a capital crime. Lying to officials at any time is another. Crimes with more severe punishments are divided into different categories, with differing punishments:
| Crimes | Examples | Penalties |
|---|---|---|
| Against the Church and State |
|
|
| Against People |
|
Depends on the perpetrator and victim; crimes within the lower classes will be punished with just a beating. More severe punishments are reserved for crimes committed by a member of a lower class against someone of a higher class.
|
| Against Property |
|
|
| Against Morality |
|
|
| Against Commerce |
|
Crimes such as libel and slander are usually dealt with on the duelling field.
Most criminals who are found guilty by the Inquisition or the Lords of Justice are enslaved. This then allows anything to be done to them as they are now property. They may then be sacrificed, used in forced labour or whatever else is considered necessary. If the perpetrator is of such importance that they cannot be killed they are (when possible) punished in a 'poetic justice' manner. For example, rapists who assault those of equal or higher social standing may be turned into beautiful and sometimes mute girls and sold off as whores.
The Inspectors of Cruelty are a branch of the Inquisition who ensure that punishments are both correct, and carried out correctly.
The Undying Empire has strict rules regarding the carrying of weapons. For the vast majority of the population, possession of weapons is entirely illegal, although the punishment for this is a beating, as with most other crimes. There are exceptions to this in particularly wild or dangerous corners of the Empire.
The carrying of concealed weapons is a more serious crime, punished by the amputation of sufficient digits to make the offender unable to use the weapon they were found with.
These two things together have led to the development of a number of unarmed fighting styles by different elements of the population of the Empire. These are also illegal in many places, and are also considered to be concealed weapons. The punishment for possession of this knowledge can be the maiming or amputation of a limb or limbs, making the person unable to use their martial skills, or blinding, which has much the same effect.
The nobility and officers of the Black Fist are allowed to carry weapons at all times, and common soldiers much of the time. Nobles and officers may be required to peace-bind their weapons at times, when in the presence of their superiors, should they wish it to be so (which can, of course, be construed as a sign of cowardice on their part).
All weapons are permitted, un-peace bound, in the presence of the Undying Emperor. This is because he is sufficiently powerful that weapons are an irrelevance to him.
| 1 Austral | (of black iron; about 2" across) | ||||
| = 12 Chetrun | (of gold; about 1" across) | ||||
| = 240 Forint | (of copper; about 1" across) | ||||
| = 3840 Chal | (of brass; about 1/2" across) | ||||
| = 30720 Lat | (of tin; about 1/4" across) |
One Forint is enough for one day's subsistence at the very poorest level.
To convert between different coins use the following table:
| Austral | Chetrun | Forint | Chal | Lat | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1/12 | 1/240 | 1/3840 | 1/30720 | Austral | black iron |
| 12 | 1 | 1/20 | 1/320 | 1/2560 | Chetrun | gold |
| 240 | 20 | 1 | 1/16 | 1/128 | Forint | copper |
| 3840 | 320 | 16 | 1 | 1/8 | Chal | brass |
| 30720 | 2560 | 128 | 8 | 1 | Lat | tin |
Read down the table then across. That is, 1 Austral is 240 Forint; 1 Chal is 1/16 of a Forint, and so on.
There any number of secret societies within the Undying Empire, working for any number of ends. Some examples are:
The World of Dran | Feel of the World | History | Inhabitants of Dran | Larger Universe | Magic
Game Notes | Personalities | Science and Technology | Society of Dran | Spirit World | Home
Back to the Servants of the Empire Home Page.
 |
Copyright © Tony Jones, 2007.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 License. |