Senpet

[Jewel]

Discovering and settling in lands almost untouched by Shilah's Wrath the Senpet were long undisputed as the most powerful empire in the known world. Though recent contact with the Yodotai may yet cause that title to be challenged the Senpet have been, and remain, one of the most important factions to interact within the Sands. The Senpet are known for a great arrogance in their people and their empire. Strangely enough scholars point to this as the reason that the Senpet are not a conquering people. They see no need in taking over lesser peoples or seizing lands that give nothing the bounty of their own does not provide. This arrogance, however, does not share the xenophobia or isolationism of the Rokugani and the Senpet have had no issue trading or interacting with other peoples and empires. To protect their great empire from any perceived jealousy the Senpet, despite their disinterest in conquest, have a great and highly skilled military that is well known throughout the Sands for its prowess.

Like many of the other empires in the known world the Senpet practice a rigid caste system decided by birth with little movement between castes.

Royals: The Pharaoh and their family are the only members of this caste. They are unmatched in rights and can do as they will within the empire.

Nobles: Below the Pharaoh and their family are others of noble blood. They own the lands of the empire and thus reap the great wealth harvested by the working classes. This wealth then goes into their personal pursuits whether that is leisure, politics, scholarly work, or the military.

Clergy: In some ways the priests of the Ten Thousand Gods are even more powerful than the nobles as they pass along the will of the divine and all must, in theory, follow this will. That said it takes a brave or well connected priest to speak out against a noble and, even then, some who do tend to find themselves facing fatal accidents rather swiftly. Despite this power the lives of the clergy are often quite limited as their devotion is supposed to be solely to the Ten Thousand and not to worldly power or pleasures. Those who stray too far quickly find themselves faced with punishments either from other clergy or from the Gods themselves.

Merchants & Farmers: The largest caste are those who work to enrich and sustain the Senpet empire with the greatest in number being the farmers. While technically the same caste merchants have greater freedom due to the nature of their duty. While farmers are tied to the lands which they work for the nobles above them merchants travel the empire and the Sands and, as long as they properly report and pay their taxes, are free to travel and do as they wish.

Slaves: The lowest caste within the empire and rarely seen as people at all. They are property and are called upon to do the harshest of labors from mining to construction. Most slaves are born to other slaves though those who violate the borders of the Senpet without permission, or are foolish enough to start conflict with them, will find their survivors relegated to this role as well.

Theology: The Senpet, almost invariably, worship the Ten Thousand Gods and those rare exceptions are very careful to never voice their beliefs, or lack thereof, within the borders of the empire. While the Senpet acknowledge the Sun and Moon as the creators of everything they do not worship them feeling that their crimes against humanity are too great for such praise. Though not all of the Ten Thousand are benevolent they are all worshiped in the hope to placate the malevolent and earn the boons of the benevolent. These rituals often involve blood sacrifice and many slaves and prisoners find their lives ended this way. While all cultures have beliefs about death and the afterlife none currently known hold such a level of focus as do the Senpet. The proper rituals to see the soul to the next life, the preparation of bodies after death, the destruction (and creation) of ghuls all add to the importance of the clergy within the Senpet empire.


Though seen as equals within their castes the empire of the Senpet is divided up into regions that give rise to some slight cultural differences.

Kishan
A fierce and strong people the Kishan Senpet dwell in the lands west of the Great Eye and have protected those borders for centuries. While the more numerous Thebans still make up the bulk of the Senpet army many of the most renowned warriors hail from this region.

Libral
The Libral Senpet live in northeastern High Steppes a wild region very different from either the fertile heartland of the empire or its southern sandy wastes. This rugged hillscape gives rise to a hardy, stubborn people - but a people no less loyal to the empire.

Pent
These semi-nomadic people dwell in the southern lands of the Senpet - those regions consumed by Shilah's Wrath. Their proximity to Medinaat al-Salaam makes them the most frequent visitors to the Jewel and, in turn, the most worldly of the Senpet.

Theban
The people of the heartland they are the richest and most powerful of the Senpet and count the royal family among their number. As such they are often seen, especially by themselves, as the more cultured and educated of the Senpet people. Due to the wealth and fertility of their lands they make up the majority of the Senpet.

Faction: Any. Given the devoutness of the Senpet The Cult of Ruhmal holds the fewest Senpet adherents of any faction - mainly a handful among the Pent.

Schools & Paths:
Senpet Legionnaire
Senpet Charioteer
Senpet Sahir
Senpet Marksmen
Senpet Assessor
Senpet Architect
Path: Ghul Destroyer
Path: Ghul Hunter
Path: Brothers of the Black Shield
Path: Priest of the 10, 000
Advanced School: Avatar of the Ten Thousand

Advantages & Disadvantages:
Blackmail
Servant: Craftsman (2 less)
Blessing of Bahadur
Wary

Driven
Obligation