Imperial

Legacy

The primary people of the Seven Cities, the Citizens of the Empire, Imperials are the survivors of the Bleak Journey, who stuck together and forged a path that in turned forged them into a tight knit group that still retain many of their long-held traditions and habits that came about as being part of that horrible, bitter road.

There is no typical Imperial. Many Imperials have a dash of other heritage, revealing hints of elf, orc, or other lineages. These are often many generations back.

They have widely varying tastes, morals, and customs in the many different lands where they have settled. When they settle, though, they stay: they build cities to last for the ages, and great kingdoms that can persist for long centuries. An individual Imperial might have a relatively short life span, but an Imperial Realm or culture preserves traditions with origins far beyond the reach of any single Imperial’s memory.

Although some Imperials can be xenophobic, in general their societies are inclusive, and they are proud of that. There is a centuries long belief in the equity and equality of all people, and that is all but burned into the families.

Where a single elf or dwarf might take on the responsibility of guarding a special location or a powerful secret, Imperials founded sacred orders and institutions for such purposes. While dwarf clans and Therian elders pass on the ancient traditions to each new generation, Imperial temples, governments, libraries, and codes of law fix their traditions in the bedrock of history. Imperials dream of immortality, but (except for those few who seek undeath or divine ascension to escape death’s clutches) they achieve it by ensuring that they will be remembered when they are gone.

By and large, Imperials are not welcomed and not trusted in Hyboria, and given how Imperials see therians, it has some merit. Therians do have the history of being marauding bands of savage and feral creatures during the long march, and Imperials are unlikely to let anyone, let alone themselves, forget that.

Tradition

Common among Imperials is a strong faith, belief, and core commitment to the ideas of Equality, Equity, and Enlightenment. These are traditional things taught for as long as records have been around, giving us a glimpse into the earliest eras of history that even then, was an aspect of importance.

These traits were reinforced during the God’s War – for the people were fighting against a force and Powers that sought to disrupt those, to deny them. In the early years of the First Empire, when it was just Akadia and Sibola, there was much effort done to bring a focus back to these three traditions.

The years since the New Empire have not seen such a restoration among the nobility, even as their power was consolidated, but it has seen it grow ever stronger among the common people in all the lands.

Kinship

Imperial families are difficult to describe because of the fracturing, but there are still some common things that are known among all of them.

Imperials have complicated relationships with their families. Usually they live in extended families, led by a grandparent or the eldest of a group of siblings – but they have some incredible variety beyond that that varies according to the Homeland they come from.

Imperials all trace heritage ultimately from the Grand Houses that moved into the hardest part of the Long Walk, following the Schism that ultimately led to the difference between Imperials and Dakoans. Those grand Houses have split and reshaped many aspects, but they are still the authorities and forces that shape the Empire and drive the Seven Cities forward.

Imperials trave through Family, Kin, Kith, and House.

Perspective

Imperials see themselves as the most adaptable and ambitious people among the common Heritages.

They live fully in the present — making them well suited to the adventuring life — but also plan for the future, striving to leave a lasting legacy. Individually and as a group, Imperials are adaptable opportunists, and they stay alert to changing political and social dynamics.

Imperials who seek adventure are the most daring and ambitious members of a daring and ambitious people. They seek to earn glory in the eyes of their fellows by amassing power, wealth, and fame. More than other people, Imperials champion causes over territories or groups.

Stigmas

If there was anything that Imperials do experience stigma about it is their apparent absolute certainty that they are the people who do things right. Even as they will acknowledge that the Empire itself is more a fiction than a reality, they have a firm belief that they are the civilized people, their work is the most advanced, and their lives are the best.

Appearance

Imperials are tall, strong boned, long of limb, and sturdy peoples who trend towards the heavier side of things. They have square features, almond shaped eyes, large ears, aquiline noses, high cheekbones, type 3 or 4 hair for the most part (though it can be any of them), and are considered the normal, the typical, the everyday. Imperials generally think highly of themselves in comparison to others, and this feeds down into much of the way that they interact among themselves – including the divisions of the realms.

Some folks stand out, with lighter hair or redder hair, brightly colored eyes, and perhaps even paler complexions. While there are always people who will comment on this, for the most part people ae less concerned about the differences between themselves and other imperials, and more about the differences between themselves and other peoples.

Qualities

Imperials are the most common type of Human, found in every Homeland and in every place, save a few that can be counted on a single hand with fingers left over.

Special

Imperials are the default, the expected, the presumed. This gives them Advantage to any roll when negotiating, bargaining, or trying to get their way among other Imperials. They also have a better relationship with Enforcers.

Trait

Imperials are not put off by “ordinary challenges”. After all, their forebears survived the worst that could happen.

You start every day with a new inspiration point.

Talent

Imperials gain 1 additional proficiency slot.

Tell

Imperials are distrusted when outnumbered by groups of semihumans, demihumans, and humanoids. They have disadvantage when negotiating with anyone other than Imperials.

Notes