The Hesan Empire rose from the rugged eastern mountains of Skybride, where a constellation of disciplined kingdoms—bound by a shared tongue and ancestral customs—unified under the banner of imperial law. What began as a pact of mutual defense and trade evolved into a centralized regime governed by the Emperor’s court, whose authority is considered near-divine. The empire’s strength lies in its rigid hierarchy: nobles serve as stewards of vast vassal regions, sworn to uphold imperial doctrine, while the peasantry labors under a system that prizes obedience above all. From childhood, citizens are sorted by class and trained accordingly—noble children endure grueling education in history, rhetoric, and military command, while commoners are taught trades and loyalty. The death penalty is common, and honor duels among nobles are not only permitted but celebrated as a means of resolving disputes without disrupting the imperial order.
Hesan culture venerates duty, austerity, and discipline, with an almost spiritual reverence for structure. Bureaucrats are trained with the same rigor as soldiers, and both are expected to serve the empire with unwavering precision. Efficiency is not merely a virtue—it is a moral imperative. The empire’s architecture reflects this ethos: stone cities built in geometric harmony, roads that run straight as arrows, and fortresses that double as administrative hubs. Even art and music are regulated, favoring themes of loyalty, sacrifice, and imperial glory. To defy the system is not just rebellion—it is heresy.
Though many gods are worshiped across Hesan’s provinces, religion is subordinate to the state. Temples are permitted, but their influence is tightly controlled. Fealty to the Emperor is taught as a sacred act—an offering to the future of the realm. Imperial doctrine holds that the empire itself is the divine vessel through which civilization is preserved.
Despite its unity, Hesan is not monolithic. The northern provinces are stoic and insular, shaped by harsh winters and scarce resources. Their people value endurance and view expansionist ambition with suspicion, preferring to fortify what they already hold. In contrast, the southern provinces are wealthier and more cosmopolitan, with ornate courts and a taste for luxury—though still bound by imperial law. Tensions between these regions simmer beneath the surface, manifesting in subtle rivalries, policy disputes, and cultural disdain. Yet both north and south remain loyal to the empire’s core: a belief that order is sacred, and that the Emperor’s will is the axis upon which the world must turn.