Cheliax

Cheliax 

Infernal Cheliax remains one of the most powerful nations militarily in the Inner Sea region. Its control of the Arch of Aroden, the passage between the Inner Sea and the Arcadian Ocean, also gives it a vital role in much of the region's trade. Nevertheless, as important as the nation may be today, it pales in comparison to its former Imperial glories. Today, in the eyes of most external observers in other parts of the Inner Sea, Cheliax suffers from extreme diabolism and a tyranny which prevent it from truly achieving its full potential. Internal observers, including the new nobility of Cheliax, firmly believe that Asmodeus and Hell serve Cheliax and assist in maintaining the power necessary for Cheliax to assume its rightful role among the leading nations of the Inner Sea.

Structure

Since the Thrune Ascendancy of 1640 AR, Cheliax has been ruled by House Thrune along with a new configuration of noble houses made up of those willing to follow the philosophy of Diabolism. Much of the power of House Thrune was gained through the initial bargain struck between Abrogail Thrune and the rulers of Hell, although rumors abound that additional pacts have been made since that time in the quest for still greater power. Currently Queen Abrogail II, the great-granddaughter of Abrogail I, rules Cheliax with the aid and support of Gorthoklek, her pit fiend advisor.

Abrogail II

Her Infernal Majestrix, Queen Abrogail of the Twice-Damned House of Thrune rules as absolute monarch in her nation. Her word carries the full weight of law, and is as inescapable as any devil's contract, even if she frequently changes her mind and has her former edicts and laws erased from the books of Chelish history. She maintains control of the nation's complex bureaucracy of titled nobles through fear and the hope of earning the queen's favor.

Noble houses

House Thrune may currently be the most powerful of the noble houses, but it is certainly not the only one. Some of these other noble houses have existed for centuries, while others were commoners raised after the civil war in payment for their loyalty to the House of Thrune. Most of the oldest houses survived the civil war, although those who aligned themselves with the diabolists early in the war have claimed the greatest prestige and wealth. Whatever can be said about the new nobility's morality, they objectively rule more effectively than the old nobility did before the war. Chelish nobility are arranged in a strict hierarchy of three broad categories (dukes, counts, and barons), each with their own subcategories, for a sum of nine ranks modelled after the nine levels of Hell; the Majestrix and her family are above this order.

Most members of the nobility continue making pacts with various devils in exchange for incredible temporal power. Those who do not espouse diabolism keep it to themselves, as any talk against the methods of the current regime can lead to the complete eradication of an entire bloodline.

Government policy

Governmental policy within Cheliax is focused upon maintaining order and quelling dissent. This is in direct response to the 30 years of internecine warfare and chaos that preceded the Thrune Ascendancy, as well as the absolute order inherent in the support of Hell. There is a great deal of physical peace and order which allows the lives of ordinary citizens to proceed normally, but it carries a high moral price. Cheliax is far from the abomination of twisted evil imagined by many outsiders, but it does not allow room for any dissent. Nationalistic feelings run deep and are practically required to avoid suspicion. Ambition causes normal citizens to turn in those that they suspect as traitors to Imperial Cheliax, for the perceived promise of wealth and advancement. Organized secular and religious forces such as the Hellknights and the Inquisitors further strive to quell any organized dissent.

Chelish laws

The laws of Cheliax are based upon the Asmodean Disciplines, which also serve as the primary religious text for the Church of Asmodeus. These laws are expansive and intrusive, and attempt to regulate nearly every element of a citizen's public and private life. Because of this, many of them are not enforced, and may not even be enforceable, but they nevertheless serve the purpose of the government by allowing the prompt removal of undesirable elements of society under some perceived or interpreted infraction, or as incentive for citizens to spy on one another.

Military

In addition to the Hellknights who handle dissension within the Empire, Cheliax also boasts one of the largest military organizations in the Inner Sea region. Along with humanoid troops, they continue to use bound devils as well.

History

History in infernal Cheliax is a slippery thing, especially if it deals with events that occurred before the ascendance of House Thrune. Cheliax's current rulers understand history's power to inspire, and therefore have actively worked to eradicate any mention of the nation's imperial past. They have even done this to former allies, and more than a few noble families have found themselves excised from official records after offending the Queen. Every three months a new state-sanctioned history is printed and disseminated to the nation's universities and libraries. The now outdated, older copies of these books are collected by the Hellknight Order of the Rack and burned on so called clarity pyres, and heavy penalties are imposed on any organization that fails to offer up its previously assigned volumes. The new histories invariably have large gaps and omissions, sometimes to the point of making them unreadable. Despite this, records survive that have escaped the Imperial Ministry of Historical Accuracy's frequent revisions. These publications can fetch a high price on the black market, providing one can find a buyer who is not a paid informant for the Ministry.

Present day

The empire runs on the backs of fiends now, a perfect machine of hellfire and blood, where morality surrenders to the needs of law and order. It's easy to curse Cheliax as a nation of devil-lovers, but few can argue with the results of their fiend-binding craft. House Thrune, the greatest of its diabolic noble families, has brought the empire under control once more. Cheliax rises like a dark star, as strong as ever, despite the losses of Galt and Andoran to rebellious forces.

Asmodeus proves as powerful a divine patron as the Light ever did, shepherding his people toward glory and dominance of the Inner Sea. His plans reach eons into the future, and the minor setbacks of yesterday are all factored into the cost of doing a devil's business. The Chelish always plan for a long campaign, and never trifle over today's skirmishes. In the end, all will burn in hellfire. It is only a matter of time and calculated conquest.

Demography and Population

Three-quarters of Cheliax's human population are ethnic Chelaxians, with Taldans and Kellids the most populous minorities (the latter clustered in Cheliax's northern reaches). The pale-skinned Chelaxians believe themselves superior to all other peoples. Their compact with great devils gives them power beyond measure, and no other nation of the Inner Sea can compete with their summoners and warlocks when it comes to trafficking with dark forces. These devils require payment for their service, often offered up in the form of tender flesh and boiled blood. Slaves are an important resource of the Chelish as are artifacts of ancient power whose secrets are revealed to them by their timeless patrons. Most of Cheliax's inhabitants have become used to their repressive government with its infernal ties, seeing it as the price they had to pay to be rescued from the anarchy of civil war. Those who actively support the government tend to receive the greatest chances at wealth and social advancement, while those unable or unwilling to contribute to the hellish regime reap no such rewards or are even the targets of recrimination and ridicule. 

Gnomes

Most gnomes in Cheliax live in the town of Brastlewark and enjoy a relatively peaceful existence in comparison to other minority races. Many gnomes are architects and engineers and the best of these provide innovative designs and inventions for the Chelish government. The community is left mostly unmolested as a result.

Halflings

Nearly all halflings who live in Cheliax are slaves. Known pejoratively as slips, they are treated quite poorly by the general population.

Strix

The strix are a race of winged humanoids native to the Devil's Perch, a dangerous and inhospitable region of western Cheliax's Menador Mountains. Due to past conflicts with their lowland neighbours, the strix refuse to have anything to do with the untrustworthy humans. The strix have inspired many grisly rumors among the Chelish, who vilify and fear them.

Tieflings

Tieflings enjoy an unusual status in Cheliax, often seen as subordinate to humans. They are rarely seen in public, and appear mainly as unusual slaves or involved in criminal enterprises.

Territories

Imperial Cheliax covers a large part of southwestern Avistan and, although currently less than half its former size, it is still one of the largest countries in the Inner Sea region. Beyond the Mendador Mountains in the north, it is bordered by the former provinces of Nidal and Molthune. To the East it is bordered with Isger, and Andoran across the Aspodell Mountains. The Inner Sea lies to the south, across which is Rahadoum on the continent of Garund. To the west lies the Arcadian Ocean.

Cheliax is divided into six regions or archduchies, each of which is subdivided into duchies, which further split into counties, which then can be separated into baronies. Not every grouping can be divided into a smaller grouping. For instance, several very small counties do not divide into even smaller baronies. The six archduchies are fixed; there can never be more or less, as there can never be more than six archdukes, and are as follows:

Archduchy of Hellcoast: The hills of Devil's Perch and the settlement of Pezzack are the home of the strix, a race of winged humanoids. These fliers protect their homeland diligently although more from a dislike of any foreign rule as much as distaste for the current House of Thrune and its organized devil worship.

Archduchy of Ravounel: The Ravounel Forest, the North Plains and the settlement of Kintargo in the northwest are the least insular areas of Cheliax and therefore subject to the most outside influence and contact.

Archduchy of Menador: The Menador Mountains are the religious homeland of Cheliax. It is also the home to scores of Hellknights prepared for a life of unending servitude by the unforgiving nature of the land they inhabit.

Archduchy of the Heartlands: The Whisperwood, the Barrowood and the Central Plains are the heart of Cheliax.

Archduchy of Sirmium: The Aspodell Mountains and the River Keld form a natural eastern border to Cheliax.

Archduchy of Longmarch: The Inner Sea forms the southern border of Cheliax and port cities built upon bluffs dot the coast.

The current capital, Egorian, rests near the centre of the nation on the banks of Lake Sorrow. North of the lake stands the Barrowood, and the River Adivian flows south from the lake, past Westpool and East Rikkan, into Gemcrown Bay past Westcrown. Cheliax maintains a foothold in Garund as well, holding the southern end of the Arch of Aroden (the province of Kharijite) and thus controlling access to the Inner Sea. It's most distant holding is Anchor's End in far-off Arcadia.