Main Page           Midian Contents

The Byzant Empire

 

 

 

            The Byzant Empire is made up of many different peoples, cultures, and languages.  The nation’s long history of expansionism and lack of desire to ‘civilise’ its conquered people, has made it a cosmopolitan society. 

 

            The official language of the Byzant Empire is, obviously, Byzant.  All official proclamations are in that language.  However, there is no effort made to require that the Empire's citizenry speak that language; many can only read it at a reduced level [literacy and journeyman level of speaking are all that is required to read official statements].  Indeed, the Emperor himself knows all of the common languages of his Empire. 

 

            ‘Subjected’ people are generally allowed to govern themselves.  The Emperor makes no attempt to force his native culture on another.  Indeed, one of his core beliefs is that if a way of living is truly superior, then you need not force it upon ‘unenlightened’ others.  Needles to say, Byzant conquers more territory through politics, than by war.  Each province maintains its own laws, raises its own taxes, and is even allowed to man its own armies.  Generally, only those provinces that are near the nation’s borders maintain a standing army, hiring mercenaries when necessary.  The core of the nation—and its northern shore—is peaceful places.  Those provinces near the borders may see the occasional skirmish. 

 

            Since the Emperor imposes few laws, other than those needed to keep peace, each province may vary greatly from its neighbours.  There are city-states, baronies, socialist societies, religious groups, and many other forms of government that make up the various provinces.  Basically, as long as the province sends in its share of taxes—and causes no trouble for anyone else—they may rule themselves as they see fit. 

 

            While not as rampantly anti-sexist as their Formourian neighbours to the north, the Bizzannites do have a unique twist on equality.  Men tend to be the more dominant sex (such subtleties as the throne being passed on to the eldest son rather than the eldest child); but women are widely held to be the more intelligent gender.  However, there is less of a cultural emphasis on native intelligence than on education and natural (read:  'physical') ability.  The wealthy and educated Bizzannites have even more of an advantage in this nation than their peers in other lands. 

 

            The bezant is king in the Empire.  Gold is truly its lifeblood.  This is the standard that unites all of the varied peoples together.  Byzant is known as a mercantile nation, and may be the wealthiest when measured in gross national product. 

 

            Unlike its northern neighbour, Formour, the Empire does allow slavery.  Many cultures within the Empire do not condone that practice, but—as it is said—one can buy anything in Byzant if one has enough gold.  This does hold true for buying people.  The slavery issue has been a sticky point in otherwise quite friendly diplomatic relations between Byzant and Formour.  Byzant does recognize its citizens’ rights on this to some extent.  While an individual may sell himself into slavery for a time—or even for life—his offspring are considered free.  No citizen may be forced into slavery; those who are foreign however…

 

            All forms of individuals may be found in the Empire.  It is not uncommon to see a Dwarf haggling with a Hobgoblin merchant over the price of some bauble.  The Empire even has two of its own resident Hobgoblin tribes.  Any sentient citizen (read:  tax-paying) is subjected to the same laws as any other.  Byzant is the only nation amongst the known realms that has laws specifically aimed to prevent—and punish—hate crimes. 

 

            Some intrepid individuals in the Byzant Empire have begun using mechanical and magical methods for communication; i.e. telephones and telepaths. 

 

 

 

Currency

 

Silver Points:  1/2 Pence, 1/160^th of a Bezant; tiny dot of a coin

Pence:  bronze; 1/10^th of a Silver Penny, 1/80^th of a Bezant

Silver Pennies:  1/2 Ducat, 1/8^th of a Bezant; coin of the lower caste

Ducats:  silver; 1/4^th Bezant; quite common

Hyperions:  gold; 1/2 Bezant; traded one-for-one for Formourian Gold Guilder

Bezants:  gold; bears the Emperor’s seal as the gold standard of the Empire

Double-Eagles:  gold; 30 bezants equal one Double-Eagle

 

One Bezant equals:  160 Silver Points

                                    80 Pence

                                    8 Silver Pennies

                                    4 Ducats

                                    2 Hyperions

                                    or 1/30^th of a Double-Eagle

 

            The Emperor keeps the price of gold fixed by decree at 100 Bezants per pound, and the price of silver at 100 Ducats per pound.  The metal weights of all other coins are based on these values except for the Pence, which are 200 per pound (the price per pound for bronze depends on the value of the component metals.