Diasminion

History

In the earliest known history of the country, some 6000 years ago, nine tribal groups, known as Clans, each existed as separate entities and lived in different areas. These Clans had very little contact with one another until they began to eventually spread. For generations, the Clans did little more than establish some basic trade with others in their regions.

Over time, however, each Clan began to see the benefits of working more closely together. Every one, while gifted in some way, seemed to lack in another. The Pantagruel built the sturdiest houses, simple and frequently ugly affairs that would stand up to the storms that knocked the others' down. However, this Clan ran into trouble each winter as its food stocks ran low through poor planning and weak skill at hunting and tracking. The gentle Decameron, while easily able to provide for themselves what they needed and possessed of advanced knowledge of healing, lived in ramshackle abodes that left them at the mercy of inclement weather and theives. The Angemal could easily force their neighbors to give to them whatever they might wish for, but understood little of sanitation or medicine. Many of the Clan's members died of illness or injury at a young age. Eventually, the Clans began to form small communities in which they started working together to provide services.

This led to the rise of a Feudal Era, in which a few Empirian Kings controlled all the land in the country, which was parceled out in fiefdoms. Conflict began to rise between the Clans, eventually culminating in the "Feast of the Wolves"- a bloody Angemal rebellion that plunged the country into chaos. In the aftermath of the desperate coup, a man came forth bearing the name of Qa Haran. He was known as the "Clanless One", for he claimed to be from none of the nine that made up all the people of the continent. There is still much speculation as to his origin.

Qa Haran proved to be a charismatic leader. He gathered many followers, the inner circle even adopting their own mode of dress. It was Qa Haran who laid the groundwork for modern Diasminion, creating the Orders and setting out the system by which the country was governed. The years after the Final Treaty was signed by the heads of each Clan came to be known as the "Years of the Union". It is thought that Qa Haran had further plans for the nation, but his life came to an abrupt end in the Year of the Union 2, when he was poisoned by one of his inner circle.

The Legend of Diasminion states that Qa Haran will return to his people in a time of trouble and division, to unite the Clans once more- not only for the sake of the nation, but this time for the sake of the world.

Government

Diasminion is an empire, as has but two main branches of government- the Emperor and the Senate. The country is not a democracy; Senators are elected solely by Clan Empirian, and only an Empirian may become a Senator. The Senate is responsible for drafting new laws and revising old ones. After a law is passed in the Senate, it moves to the Emperor, who has the power to either veto or instate the law. The Emperor may also request that a law be created by the Senate.

The government takes no chances with its citizens- all TV, radio, movies, books, newspapers, art and other media are controlled by the Propaganda Corps, a government agency. Every single occupant of the country carries an ID card which contains biological and residential information. This card is constantly swiped through checkpoints as people go about their daily business, allowing the government to know the exact location of any person at any point. Even visitors are issued temporary tourist IDs. These IDs must be swiped to gain access to public transportation, residences, office buildings, even to enter or leave cities.

Technology

Diasminians enjoy most of the modern comforts we've come to associate with life on earth, with a few exceptions. Air travel has never been developed anywhere on QianRa- in fact, it hasn't even been attempted. For some reason, in the minds of the people of this world, flight is just not something man should even aspire to. There are computers, but those are used solely for work-related purposes and never for "fun" (except by a few Sabians). There's a primitive form of internet, but it is used primarily by the military and law enforcement for passing information. There are telephones, but only the military has access to anything resembling a "cell phone" (not really the same at all; no flight= no satellites). These are more like glorified cordless phones. In terms of medicine, Diasminians have advanced to great levels, but only the Upper Clans reap the benefits. Most citizens are lucky enough to reside near a Decameron Outpost, though some are forced to rely on the help of whichever Decameron happens to wander through their area.

Clans

The nine Clans that make up Diasminian society are rigidly divided. Each provides a particular service to the country, and no one may work outside the boundaries of his or her Clan's alotted careers. Clans are not permitted to intermarry or interbreed, though due to a variety of unspoken practices, mixed-Clan unions do occur. The government has adopted a policy of carefully "disposing" of any mixed-Clan offspring, thus protecting the sanctity of Clan bloodlines.

Every Clan is divided into Houses, which are controlled by the Clans themselves. Each Clan has its own way of overseeing the distribution of Houses and its own guidelines for behavior.

There is little love between the Clans of Diasminion, each one scorning the others. Though they've been able to exist in relative peace for over 2000 years, their relationships are uneasy at best. The unbreakable hierarchy in which they live has bred both pride and oppression. It is nearly unheard of for people of separate Clans to fraternize with one another, and in some cases it is strictly forbidden.

For more information on the Clans, see the section devoted to them.

Religion

The country of Diasminion has a single religion, its practices and teachings overseen by Clan Night's Herald. It is a polytheistic faith, one in which the gods rarely intercede on behalf of mortals. In fact, it is a widely held view that humans and all other transient beings exist only to entertain the gods that created them. Most gods and goddesses are believed to exist on the Plane of Elysium, though a few, such as Erishkegal and Thenos of the Crossroads have other primary places of residence.

The main tenet of Diasminian faith is acceptance- to be content with one's lot and feel no need to beg the gods for help or change. Only after one has become able to take his or her life for what it is can a person truly understand the will of the capricious gods. A soul is reborn many times throughout history, the purpose of each lifetime to overcome obstacles and learn particular lessons with the hope of getting closer to "Holy Death"- the end of the Cycle of death and rebirth with the soul being accepted into Elysium.

However, a soul may not necessary end its Cycle in Elysium. There is another Plane, overseen by the goddess Erishkegal, known as Pandemonium. This Plane also accepts souls at the end of their Cycles, but for reasons very unlike those that lead to Holy Death. The souls in Pandemonium face an eternity of punishment for Cycles lived out repeatedly without change or learning, always to the detriment of fellow human beings. After a person's death, his or her soul will face an Assessment, in which it is decided what type of lessons they need to move forward. If at the time of Assessment, the soul is found to be utterly helpless, it is condemned to Pandemonium for eternity.

In the Diasminian Cycle, souls may be reborn as humans only, though they may become any gender or race. People are believed to retain both spiritual and physical characteristics of former lives to some degree. A soul may recieve teaching and wait to be reborn for many years. Reincarnation is never instantaneous.

It is widely believed that only Night's Herald can achieve Holy Death, though there is no evidence that this is the case.

The Nine Planes

There are Nine Planes of existence in the world of Diasminion. Each serves its own purpose and every one is quite different from the rest. The Planes are divided into 3 subcategories- The Spiritual Planes, The Elemental Planes and The Corporeal Planes.

The Spiritual Planes consist of Elysium, Pandemonium, and the Universal Plane. The Universal Plane is the one upon which all things may exist, including beings from any of the eight others. It is the Plane upon which all the planets are found and upon which humans are born. QianRa is part of this Plane.

Elysium is the heavenly Plane of the gods, and the home of souls who have completed their Cycle in Holy Death. Visually, it resembles the Universal Plane, but its residents have no physical form. Pandemonium is similar in makeup to Elysium, save for the bodies of its residents, which can be touched, smelled, etc, much like the bodies of the humans on the Universal Plane. Pandemonium consists of Nine Levels and Nine Gates, each one unique. To reach the innermost Level is said to be nearly impossible unless one has been condemned there. While Wandering Souls may move about with relative freedom, the condemned are restricted to their assigned Level and may not move. Pandemonium also boasts demi-gods, powerful beings that have the ability to cross onto all Levels and can effect life on the Universal Plane. Some demi-gods are condemned human souls that have pledged to serve Erishkegal in their state of permanent death.

The Elemental Planes are Terra, Pyra, Fel and Aq. Each of these Planes is devoted to a single Element. While it is unusual for human souls to fnd their way onto these Planes, creatures that reside on the Elemental Planes frequently visit the Universal Plane. Though they generally go unnoticed on QianRa, there are some people who can communicate with these visitors. Elementals are intelligent beings with unique cultures. Human souls on the Elemental Planes will adopt physical forms that are identical to the natural residents, allowing them to travel at will. A human body could not exist on any of these Planes, as most lack oxygen and are comprised of land that would be hostile to human people.

The Corporeal Planes are the glue which hold all Planes and everything in the Universe in place. These Planes are a profound mystery, as a visit by any human soul results in insanity. It is rumored that one of the two consists solely of time, the other of distance. Though frequently pondered by humans, these places are unable to be understood. It is argued by some theologians that the Crossroads are part of these Planes, though this has not been proven. Some believe that the Crossroads exist without existing at all, a paradox. Still others argue that the Crossroads are not a physical place, but one that exists within each sentient being. It is most likely that the question of the true nature of the Crossroads will never be answered.