Beelzenia

Beelzenia, traditionally called the Beelzenian Empire or the Red Country, was a state in the Bolganio continent's Evillious region. Growing into the largest imperial power after the Magic Kingdom Levianta's destruction, it slowly lost momentum and broke apart over the centuries, becoming overshadowed by the growing Kingdom of Lucifenia.

Early History
Following the destruction of the Magic Kingdom Levianta, the Beelzenian Empire became the largest imperial power in Evillious, known as the "country born under the new moon", through a policy of military expansionism. During their campaigns, the Empire invaded the fractured Tasan Empire and eventually conquered both sides of the empire. The imperial family then appointed the Gastolle Dukes to reign over the territory.

Afterwards, the Empire began focusing on maintaining its vast territories, ceasing its wars with other countries. Despite this policy of garnering alliances or neutral relationships, barbarians from the Eastern region became a recurring problem as well as minor revolts within Beelzenia itself. In EC 131, riots broke out at Retasan but were quelled due to the assistance of Elluka Clockworker.

Venomania Event
To strengthen ties with the Kingdom of Marlon, the Empire married its second prince, Martius Beelzenia, to Marlon's princess, Yufina Marlon, and allowed their son to become part of the Marlon Royal Family. Following the death of the reigning monarch, Martius assumed the throne, effectively making Marlon a dominion of Beelzenia. In EC 136, the Empire grew concerned when a growing number of women vanished within the Asmodean region. The dilemma became an international incident after both Queen Yufina and Princess Maylis had also disappeared and the Empire hired Elluka to assist in the investigation.

After the perpetrator, Duke Sateriasis Venomania, was killed by Kachess Crim in EC 137, the Empire began a manhunt to arrest the Count for murdering one of the Five Dukes. In EC 139, Kachess staged a coup on the Marlon government and, with the support of the nobles, successfully overthrew King Martius. Later, the Beelzenian royal family began to criticize the appointed Donald Dukes and got into a quarrel with its head, Burglar Donald. As a result, the Asmodean territory began to campaign for and later win its independence in EC 212, separating from Beelzenia and forming its own nation. During the civil conflict, Duke Gastolle was killed.

Conchita Disappearance
Following the death of Duke Gastolle, the Retasan territory was divided into east and west portions; as a result, Marquis Toitapea Conchita was appointed a Duke and given reign over the eastern half, renamed the Conchita Territory by Duke Tosuite Conchita. Due to the constant food shortages plaguing Beelzenia, Banica Conchita traveled to foreign countries in January of EC 316.

Upon her return, she introduced many new cuisines to the nation and helped alleviate the shortage. At some point, Marlon entered a war with its neighboring Lioness and Beelzenia supported its ally. In the years following EC 323, sightings of monsters across the Conchita territory began to appear; around the same time, the Empire lost contact with Duke Banica and Empress Juno deployed the Beelzenian military towards her mansion around EC 325.

In response, an undead horde swarmed across the territory, causing civil unrest, and the individual towns broke down into their own governments to defend against the threat. In June of that year, rumors spread throughout the Empire that Banica had resorted to cannibalism. In response, Empress Juno hired Elluka Clockworker to help investigate the situation. In July, the apostate castle was raided and found mysteriously empty. Determining Conchita had fled, the Empire ended Elluka's investigation.

Decline
After the Dead Soldiers were defeated and order restored to the territory, Beelzenia entered a prolonged war with Asmodean. Lasting for decades, Beelzenia became exhausted from its military campaigns and agreed to a ceasfire, bringing an end to the conflict by EC 399. Afterwards, the D'Autriche duke of the Lucifenia region campaigned for independence throughout his territory. That same year, EC 399, Beelzenia's northwestern territory declared independence from the empire, creating the Kingdom of Lucifenia. As time progressed, Beelzenia continued to decline.

In EC 475, the Kingdom of Lucifenia invaded the weakened Beelzenia. As the war dragged on, the empire lost much of its territory. In EC 490, the Gula plague exploded in its southern territories and suffered another invasion from Lucifenia. With the plague killing King Arth in EC 491, the Kingdom made peace with the Beelzenian Empire and ended the fighting. As a result of the epidemic, many graveyards were constructed to bury the infected dead.

In EC 501, the Empire accepted the Lucifenian Resistance into their borders after their defeat at Retasan Fortress. Following the Kingdom of Marlon's order to release the fugitives into their custody, the empire refused and incorporated the soldiers into the Beelzenian Imperial army. Four years later, Beelzenia was invaded by Marlon from their annexed Lucifenian territory. Soon after, the army retaliated and managed to capture Retasan from the Marlon forces.

Power Structure
Developing into a massive imperial power, the Beelzenian Empire developed into an autocracy, ruled by the emperor who held absolute power. Below the emperor were his heirs, the princes and princesses who were assigned jurisdiction over the empire's affairs and were tasked with helping to manage the enormous nation.

Below them were the Five Dukes, powerful lords who managed the militaries and economies of their individual province. Below the dukes were the marquises and then the earls, aristocrats charged with ruling the emperor's and duke's territories in his or her stead.

Beneath each earl were the barons, who controlled small areas of territory and acted as the aides to the higher ranks of nobility, some serving the Beelzenian Royal Family. Each position within the government was subject to a hereditary line-of-succession with the firstborn male usually inheriting the position and title; in cases where no legitimate heir existed, the closest female heir was selected instead.

Military
The Beelzenian Imperial army was divided between each province, commanded by the province's duke. Because of this, the dukes had an enormous amount of freedom within their territory and were able to enforce the empire's laws and improve its military as they saw fit. However, the system's level of freedom gave the military more loyalty to the province's leader rather than the emperor, with some nobles able to act on their own and even rebel against the empire without a military court martial or insurrection.

The military's strength and dominance in Evillious slowly dwindled over time, downsizing until the military could barely protect the nation's shrunken borders, forced to incorporate foreigners into their ranks. The imperial uniform consisted of red, layered armor over a tunic.

Economy
The Beelzenian Empire adopted the feudal system, with peasants of an earl's territory required to farm the fields for the nation's agriculture. In exchange, it is assumed the peasants were given a moderate fee or permitted to live on the land they worked and take a small portion of the harvest. The city of Rockbane grew into a wine orchard after the creation of Blood Grave, with the legendary wine being developed and sold as a high-quality drink throughout all of Evillious from the city. The Empire did not have a large fishing industry, partially because the New Moon Sea was impossible to fish, theorized to be because it was infertile. While part of the Beelzenian Empire, Asmodean had been a cornerstone of trade for the Empire with it's neighbors.

Society and Culture
Beelzenian society was largely divided and segregated between its social classes and even its regions. Because of its massive size, areas within its borders were left to the devices of the dukes, leading to a strong social identity between provinces rather than the empire as a whole. Over time, these social divides lead to the empire's fragmentation, with Asmodean and later Lucifenia breaking off and establishing their own nations.

Beelzenians were characteristically identified by having red or brown hair and similarly colored eyes. However, because the empire encompassed such a large area, it was composed of many different races and ethnicities and was largely tolerant of them, showing no apparent signs of discrimination. After the Lucifenian Expansion War, relations between the Empire and the Kingdom of Lucifenia soured and the nations were constantly in tenuous harmony. Although regarded as the "Red Country", Beelzenia's moniker wasn't due to its population's indigenous race.

At first, the empire was uneducated in culinary affairs, lacking a diversity in their meals and food. With the expeditions of Banica Conchita, the Beelzenian diet greatly expanded and her actions were a huge contribution to influence their food culture, developing the famed Blood Grave with the help of the farmers. Similarly, tales of Banica's rumored cannibalism and mysterious disappearance made her an item of folklore and legend, creating the story of the Vampiress Vanika Conchita, the "Evil Food Eater". As part of the legend, first recorded by author Sanan Noi, Vanika reanimated the dead to be her servants and would wither and die if she did not drink human blood for three days.

As a whole, Beelzenian nobles favored the western clothing designs already present in Evillious, though its eastern territory of Asmodean was more aligned with fashion from the East. After allying itself with Marlon in the 2nd century EC, several aspects of Marlon culture began to enter Beelzenian society including Marlon fashion, which became stylish during the era. Levin was the main religion practiced in Beelzenia, with graveyards constructed due to its practices across the region, and churches existing as far as its Lucifenia region. However, because of its association with demon worship, the Behemo sect wasn't tolerated within the nation. Each of the Five Dukes could bestow a title of nobility based upon their family name to a commoner, recognizing them for their actions or place within the province.

Geography and Climate
Beelzenia was a southern region of Evillious, located directly below Lucifenia and Asmodean. At its height, the empire controlled two-thirds of the Evillious region, encompassing a diverse field of landscapes from Asmodean's deserts and mountains to Lucifenia's fields and grasslands.

After losing much of its territories over the years, the ailing empire was comprised of only the areas immediately around the Imperial City, keeping outposts along its borders with Lucifenia to protect what remained and stretching to its limits southward at its ocean. From it's eastern sea, the moon could be seen just above its horizon, earning it its alias as "the country born under the new moon". Beelzenia has a warmer climate when compared to Marlon.

Imperial City
The second capital city of Beelzenia, near its eastern sea. Sometime after the Venomania Event, the capital was moved from Rockbane and the Imperial City was established as the new capital. Its most important location had been the Beelzenian Royal Palace.

Royal Palace
The residence of the Beelzenian Royal Family. It is assumed to have originally been in Rockbane was but was moved to the Imperial City. It functioned as the center of political power in the Beelzenian Empire.

Rockbane
The original capital of Beelzenia prior to being moved to the Imperial City to its west. It would have a thriving wine business, with vast grapevine fields, and many liquor stores on its city streets. Chief among its products would be Blood Grave. From its north-east gate, one could travel directly to the Imperial City. It was the first city to be attacked by Marlon's undead soldiers. The Lavolle Mountains lie directly west of the city.

Langley Troops Garrison
The station for the Langley Troops based in an abandoned village north-west of Rockbane. The former village chief's home was used as the garrison's headquarters. Retasan was stationed west of the base and Gumillia's home was located near the garrison.

Retasan
A star-shaped fortress city located west of Rockbane. It became one of the major cities of Beelzenia. During the Lucifenian Expansion War, King Arth had spearheaded an assault and eventually captured the city, marking it as the new border between the Kingdom and the Empire. It was later recaptured from Marlon in EC 505. The Lavolle Mountains lie directly west of the city.'' Main Article: Retasan''

Grabia
A a rural farming region located east of the Imperial City and the Conchita estate. Parts of it were ruled by the Conchita and Oruhari family dukes of the Five Dukes. On its southern and eastern shore was the New Moon Sea. It was famous for its tomato-eating competition.

Conchita Territory
A territory ruled by the Conchita family Dukes, formerly the eastern half of the Retasan territory in the Beelzenian Empire. The territory was west of Grabia and east of the Tasan territory. Its most important locations were the Conchita Mansion, the town of Gasto.

Conchita Mansion
The abode of the Conchita family, located atop a mountain in a city south of Rockbane. Following the disappearance of Banica Conchita, the mansion, like the city, was abandoned and fell into disarray, becoming an old ruin by the 6th century EC.

New Moon Sea
An ocean within the Grabia region along Beelzenia's southern and eastern shores. It was inadequate for fishing with a vivid and clear water. It was speculated to have lacked the fertility to support an underwater ecosystem. It was famed for its white-walled city in the coastal area.

Beelzenias Region
Territory in the Beelzenian Empire that was ruled by the Beelzenian royal family directly, initially spanning from Rockbane to the Babul Desert. The region was north of the Conchita territory.

Retasan Territory
The territory of the Beelzenian Empire incorporated from the Re Tasan state and renamed. It was later divided into halves and incorporated into different territories of the empire, becoming lost over time in successive conflicts. Its most important location was Retasan Fortress.

Lucifenia
The north-western territory of the Beelzenian Empire during its height. It was ruled by one of the Five Dukes. Much of the territory was lost in EC 399 with the foundation of the Kingdom of Lucifenia. During the Lucifenian Expansion War more of the area was conquered by the growing kingdom, shrinking the Empire's borders to the area between Rockbane and Retasan.

'' Main Article: Lucifenia''

Asmodean
The north-eastern territory of the Beelzenian Empire during its height. It was ruled by the Venomania family duke of the Five Dukes. Because of its geographic location, it was a center of trade in the Empire. It was also an important from a tactical standpoint, with all the Empire's wars with other countries having Asmodean as the battleground. The territory was lost after Asmodean won its independence in EC 212.

'' Main Article: Asmodean''

Conceptualization and Origin

 * The Beelzenian Empire is inspired by the real world Roman Empire; several of the events in Beelzenia's history mirror the Roman Empire's decline and subsequent invasions by foreign nations.
 * One of the Five Dukes, Banica Conchita, shares characteristics with Vlad the Impaler of Romania; Romania was annexed as part of the Roman Empire at the turn of the second century AD.
 * Its history and culture also shares influences with the real world country of Spain.
 * Its name is based on Beelzebub, the patron demon of Gluttony.

Curiosities

 * Beelzenia's characteristic presence of cemeteries along with its connection to Gluttony and Banica Conchita reference the Master of the Graveyard.