Pompeii

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Pompeii (庞贝)
Alias(es)	Pompey Empire; Pompey
Affiliation	Church of Holy Light, which became Pompeii’s state religion after the Church of the Ice Goddess was outlawed 227
Occupation/Role	Northern sovereign nation and major continental power
Status	Active; its armies suffered a major defeat in Stuart and later faced an advancing Undead threat 340
First Appearance	Mentioned as the Pompey Empire 2

Background / History

Pompeii was built on the ruins of Utopia, the country established by the rebel Nero. Its population preserved a distinct identity from the nations descended from the ancient human empire, particularly Stuart and San Jose. Pompeii’s military organization, politics, customs, bloodlines, and regional culture all developed differently from those of its neighbors 108 234.

The nation’s northern climate is harsh, with severe winters and poor agricultural conditions. Its difficult environment helped produce a fierce, martial culture, but limited the resources available for national development. Pompeii’s cold climate also encouraged the spread of the Church of the Ice Goddess, especially in the north 71 257 440.

During King Sagre’s reign, Pompeii’s national strength grew rapidly. Sagre also recruited powerful demi-human races and granted them citizenship, making Pompeii unusually tolerant of demi-humans by human standards 75 102. Liaola, a highly intelligent goblin sage, eventually handled much of the nation’s daily governance while Sagre focused on cultivation 125.

Pompeii later became divided between reformists who favored the Church of Holy Light and conservatives who supported the Church of the Ice Goddess. The division influenced both court politics and military leadership, with General Pinto emerging as one of the conservative faction’s most prominent figures 71 173.

National Character and Society

Pompeii is widely associated with fierce martial customs and admiration for powerful warriors. Its citizens traditionally favor people who can display strength and decisiveness during moments of crisis 257 267.

Despite its harsh reputation, Pompeii has a long-standing policy of accepting demi-human citizens. Half-Orcs are common within the country, and elite demi-human warriors are not considered unusual 75 246.

Pompeii’s culture is distinct from the wealthier and more commercially oriented San Jose. Its people generally view San Jose’s customs with suspicion, while San Jose regards Pompeii as a nation of violent bandits. The two countries’ mutual hostility has persisted for centuries 70 257.

Government and Politics

Royal Rule

Pompeii is ruled by King Sagre. He is regarded as a capable monarch whose reign saw rapid national growth, though powerful generals and nobles possess considerable influence 102 107.

Liaola effectively served as Pompeii’s governor without holding an official title. His management of domestic affairs allowed Sagre to devote himself to Battle Aura cultivation 125.

Political Factions

Pompeii traditionally contained two major factions:

• Reformists — Supported closer ties with the Church of Holy Light.
• Conservatives — Supported the Church of the Ice Goddess and opposed excessive involvement with the papacy.

General Pinto was one of the conservative faction’s leading figures 71 173.

The reformists ultimately prevailed. Pompeii outlawed the Church of the Ice Goddess, destroyed its churches, expelled its clergy, and recognized the Church of Holy Light as the state religion 227.

Military

Legion System

A Pompeii Legion contains approximately 30,000–40,000 soldiers and is equipped to conduct small-scale operations independently. This allows Pompeii to mobilize large forces quickly, though the system also makes it easier for generals to accumulate independent power 107.

Pompeii’s military tradition is linked to its origins as the successor of Nero’s rebel state. Its large-legion structure is considered particularly suitable for rebels who must defeat stronger forces through concentrated combat power 108.

Elite Forces

Pompeii possesses several powerful military formations and elite combat units:

• Dragon Knights — Considered humanity’s ultimate battlefield combat units. Pompeii once held a four-to-three advantage over Stuart, which later widened after a Stuartian Dragon Knight died 116.
• Swift Falcon Knights — Aerial cavalry used for scouting and battlefield control. Pompeii deployed two Dragon Knights and thirty Swift Falcon Knights during the approach to Winter City 146.
• Deep Blue Swordsmen — Elite guards equipped with the rare Ink-colored Reis Deep Blue Magic Sword. Pompeii possessed fewer than 900 such weapons after a millennium of production 124.
• Ice and Snow Priests — Clergy of the Church of the Ice Goddess who historically supported Pompeii’s armies before the church was outlawed 107 227.

Military Magic and Siege Warfare

Pompeii has mature military doctrines for integrating magic into large-scale warfare. Its mage corps uses Resonance Casting, allowing multiple mages to distribute the burden of powerful spells and shorten casting time 147.

Pompeii’s siege forces employ:

• Enhanced trebuchets and stone projectiles
• Large-scale fire magic
• Coordinated mage formations
• Siege towers and assault infantry
• Fire-enhancing mixtures containing alcohol and Phlogiston 147 153

The same methods can become dangerous when enemy spells interfere with unstable projectiles. During the Winter City campaign, Resonance Casting and enhanced ammunition caused catastrophic explosions that damaged both attackers and defenders 147 153.

Economy and Resources

Pompeii’s cold climate makes agriculture vulnerable. During one diplomatic crisis, the Bordeaux Great Plain was expected to produce only half its normal harvest, leaving the country unable to comfortably support another war 261.

The country’s power is tied to valuable resources, including a Magic Crystal Mine on its disputed border with Stuart. Control of the mine contributed directly to the outbreak of war between the two nations 99 108.

Pompeii also maintains a strong military-industrial tradition. Its large-scale military organization depends on standardized equipment, armories, mages, priests, and specialized elite units 33 107.

Relationships

• Nero and Utopia — Pompeii was founded on the ruins of Utopia, the country established by Nero, and retains a political and cultural connection to his legacy 108 234.
• Stuart — Long-standing rival and repeated wartime opponent. Their conflict escalated over the disputed Magic Crystal Mine and later produced the Winter City campaign 99 141 146.
• San Jose — Southern rival with a history of border conflict and deep cultural hostility toward Pompeii. San Jose repeatedly sought to prevent Pompeii from becoming too powerful 70 257 264 266.
• Church of Holy Light — Initially an external religious influence that mediated Pompeii’s wars; it later became Pompeii’s official state religion 107 227.
• Church of the Ice Goddess — Historically influential in northern Pompeii and closely associated with the conservative faction. It was later outlawed and expelled from the country 71 107 227.
• High Mountain Keep — A Pompeian pioneering territory whose conflict with Hendra’s forces helped trigger war with Stuart. It later participated in Pompeii’s campaigns and diplomatic missions 84 99 146 256.
• King Sagre — King of Pompeii and a major supporter of demi-human citizenship and closer ties with the Church of Holy Light 75 102.
• Liaola — Goblin sage and de facto governor who managed Pompeii’s affairs while Sagre concentrated on cultivation 125.
• Richard — Lord of High Mountain Keep. His conflict with Stuart forces made him important to Pompeii’s war effort and later diplomacy 84 99 107 256.
• General Pinto — Prominent conservative leader and commander of the Pompeii Expeditionary Force during the Winter City campaign 154 173.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Origins and Political Identity

Pompeii’s origins as the successor to Utopia establish its opposition to Stuart and San Jose. Its military culture and political institutions are presented as legacies of Nero’s rebellion rather than continuations of the ancient human empire 108 234.

Conflict with Stuart

After Hendra’s forces attacked groups connected to High Mountain Keep, Pompeii and Stuart exchanged conflicting accounts of the incident. Stuart portrayed High Mountain Keep as an aggressive threat, while Pompeian accounts described the conflict as a defensive response 84 99.

The Church of Holy Light intervened before open war, extending the peace for another month. Pompeii’s lack of support from the Church of the Ice Goddess complicated its military preparations 107.

Winter City Campaign

Pompeii’s expeditionary force rapidly occupied much of Stuart territory before advancing on Winter City. Its army possessed numerical superiority, stronger aerial cavalry, powerful mage formations, and multiple elite units 141 146.

The siege initially appeared decisive. Pompeii’s trebuchets, mages, fireballs, and infantry overwhelmed the outer defenses, but Sidorov’s preparations and deceptive tactics reversed the local balance of power 147 148 151.

After repeated assaults, Pompeii suffered heavy losses among its soldiers and mages. The campaign continued for a month without victory, and the expeditionary force ultimately retreated 153 154 174.

Religious Reorganization

After the Church of the Ice Goddess was declared illegal, Pompeii expelled its clergy and made the Church of Holy Light the state religion. The change represented the victory of the reformist faction over the conservative faction 227.

Diplomatic Crisis and Territorial Expansion

Pompeii participated in negotiations involving Stuart, San Jose, and the Church of Holy Light after the Undead crisis in Winter City. Stuart’s King Beruni unexpectedly offered Pompeii extensive territory, including valuable mines, potentially allowing Pompeii to absorb two and a half provinces and become the strongest human nation 266.

San Jose opposed the proposal because a greatly strengthened Pompeii would threaten its own position. The negotiations descended into verbal conflict, diplomatic provocation, and challenges to duels 264 267.

Undead War

Pompeii later suffered a complete military rout in Stuart. The Undead advanced toward Pompeii, and the country began requesting aid and preparing for a wider defensive war 340.

The crisis temporarily encouraged cooperation among nations that normally opposed Pompeii. San Jose and other powers prepared to send reinforcements, while Pompeii’s army reorganized after its retreat 366 396.

In Allen City, Richard used supplies obtained from the Pompeii Church to shatter an Undead offensive. The event also revealed that the former Patriarch of the Church of the Ice Goddess, Sebastian, had survived the church’s expulsion 373.

Notable Institutions and Symbols

• Pompeii Legions — Large, independently deployable military formations of roughly 30,000–40,000 soldiers 107.
• Deep Blue Swordsmen — Elite guards carrying the rare Ink-colored Reis Deep Blue Magic Sword 124.
• Church of Holy Light — Pompeii’s state religion after the reformist faction’s victory 227.
• Church of the Ice Goddess — Formerly a major northern religious institution; later outlawed 71 227.
• “Gods Protect Pompeii” — A military anthem sung since the nation’s founding 148.
• Spring Festival — Pompeii’s major annual holiday, marking the departure of the Winter God and arrival of the Spring God 256.

Trivia

• Pompeii’s military system is unusually large compared with Stuart’s smaller legions, making it faster to mobilize for sudden wars 107.
• Pompeii is unusually tolerant of demi-humans and has granted citizenship to powerful nonhuman races 75.
• Its people traditionally admire strong, decisive warriors, contributing to Richard’s growing popularity during the Stuart campaign 141 267.
• Pompeii’s national identity is repeatedly contrasted with San Jose’s commercial culture and Stuart’s religious and political traditions 108 257.
• Despite its military strength, Pompeii’s Winter City campaign demonstrated that superior numbers and magic could be neutralized by preparation, deception, and defensive terrain 148 151.