The Empire of Yhagon

[The Empire of Yhagon]

Notes on pronunciation
The word Yhagon translates to ‘people like us’. Their language is strangle combination of forgotten languages and it is continually influenced by other cultures. It does however, have few sounds. It is important to note that the ‘g’ and the ‘k’ are very similar and often the two letters are used interchangeably. The sound is somewhat of a combination of the two.
‘Y’ is often written as ‘yh’ to indicate a slight diphthong like sound. ‘Yha’ would sound like a soft, quick ‘eeya’
There is a special symbol for the letter ‘s’ that look like a circle broken with a line. Yhagon religion and magical practices often use the sounds of the letter ‘s’ through hisses and sighs for important rites and spelss. Due to this, the sound is rarely used outside of those contexts and is actually difficult for many Yhagon to pronounce. The letter ‘s’ in common words represents the sound ‘sh’.
All vowels are of their pure sounds. A like the sound in ‘father’. E like the sound in ‘bet’. I like the sound in ‘neat’. O like the sound in ‘boat’. U like the sound in ‘tooth’. ]

Currency: The Sod backed by silver. The coins have been traditionally made out of pure silver, however the percentage has decreased over the years to 50% and, quite recently to 5%. A paper variant of the Sod also used for larger sums. Historically it has contained a silver thread, but this practice did not last long. International deals are mostly done through Calir, magically crafted documents.

Government System: Yhagon relies on an emperor, or a Seguna (shortened to Sga.) who holds a high amount of status and power. Their rule is not absolute. The emperor is only half of the government system but it is an important part of Yhagon culture. The emperor is chosen through a detailed and lengthy ceremonial process. The process is mostly magical. Thousands of candidates undergo rituals that test their endurance. Their bodies are flooded with magical energies that are thought to observe and judge the contents of a person’s character and health. In the end, up to 10 candidates remain and a vote is held to determine the next emperor. The chosen emperor is vitalized with a secret spell and the then serves as a religious leader of the people. The particular spell causes a profound change in the person, most notably it increases their lifespan. The effect varies. Many emperors live to be 140 or so. Sga. Chilu had lived to the record age of 195. The emperor rules for life. Their life can willing be forfeited at their choosing through magical means. This is also a way to resign from their position.  Many believe that every emperor decides this moment at their coronation, however these, along with other fantastical rumors of the sinu (emperor’s magic) are simply tall tales.

The other half of Yhagon politics is represented by a court. The court, or Gana, is divided into two parties. Angol and Ingol: technology workers and magic workers. The Gana consists of 16 representatives. Traditionally 8 would come from either party, however there have been times where the numbers may be 9-7, 10-6, even 11-5 is not all that uncommon. 13-3 was the most extreme according to Yhagon records and it has only happened once. The representatives are chosen every 8 years and 4 representatives may return for a second term. The Gana are responsible for handling most economic decisions, welfare, and land usage. They also advise the emperor on rights issues and work with the emperor in foreign affairs.
The rights of the people have usually been rather unimpeded. The education system places value on creativity and exploration. The culture tends towards materialism and utilitarian. A strong sense of nationalism exists perpetuating that people contribute to the ideals of the nation. A common phrase is Da kono, meaning for the good or for everyone.

National Symbols: Yhagon are fond of dualities and lines are one of their favorite symbols. When partnered with the circle a system is complete. They view many things as an expression of form and force, the receiver and the releaser. Magic and technology are one of these dualities though their roles often switch. Sometimes magic is a receptacle for technology and sometimes it is the reverse. The mighty Sea Serpent is an elegant creature of great power representing force. Another symbol is the full moon, connected to the ocean, a receiver of energy. The national flower is lavender, supposedly an absolute favorite of the first emperor.

There is no state religion for Yhagon. Many people practice several religions and do not stick to one specific idea. The most universal is the study of magic. Everyone is educated in the knowledge of magic forces and Yhagon people are taught to respect and fear those forces for it is believed that only very skilled, intelligent and gifted people should directly manipulate them lest something be struck out of balance. Ancestor worship is prevalent in Yhagon society. It is believed that the deceased are a part of the magical energy and they use their power to help influence and protect the world. In fact a person who has passed into this other realm is believed to hold much more power than they did in life, so when a great person dies it often invokes a celebration as their strong spirit enters the ether to help guide and protect the living.
The Yhagon people are fond of numbers and material goods. Their scientists tend towards the mechanical and as a result Yhagon often produces very skilled mathematicians and good physicists. They are skilled in producing machinery, transportation and ballistic equipment. Due to their love of the sea they are very gifted at naval travel. Magic and technology are often used interchangeably or to augment the other. Things created with magic work smoothly and efficiently, yet if something happens to throw it out of balance the system will collapse on itself.  Technology avoids this pitfall yet requires a bit more energy from fuel, or electricity. Take for example a ship. If built with Yhagon technology, it requires an outside energy to fuel it yet it is more durable. If it built with magic it is a self-contained system capable of moving and operating without needing external stimulate. Yet if, a rune were out of place or destroyed, or even if a mast were to have a sudden tear in it, the whole spell would be broken and the contraption would be more akin to a ship-shaped rock.

The Yhagon people tend to be creative and desire to travel or experience new things. They are receptive to new cultures and ideas that are not directly opposed to their way of life. They are not overly militaristic and prefer to trade ideas and goods. However, the Yhagon people lean towards expansionism and tend to step on toes of others. Many do not see fault in occupying land that they simply feel belongs to them.