Littroan Empire

The Littroan Empire was one of the most prosperous polities on Peraith, and a center of trade and culture. However, it was the site of the first uprisings of the homunculi, and today the human population has all but vanished.

Geography
Littros, the primate city and capital of the Littroan Empire, lies on the western side of the Scar, a mountain ridge standing disconnected from the Nebligo range in the midst of Peraith's sloping central shelf. A large lake has formed west of the Scar, fed by natural rivers, commonly known as the Scar-Lake. While most of the empire's wealth was concentrated in Littros, its political power also extended out hundreds of kilometers onto the central plains, supported by a network of paved roads and canals.

History
Situated between a vast lake that connected watersheds from much of central Peraith and a mountain range rich with gold and gems, the Littroan Empire rapidly became the dominant regional power through a combination of economic pressure and hired mercenaries. However, Littros itself never grew to become an extremely populous city, largely due to the geographical constraints imposed by the Scar and its attendant lakes and rivers.

When homunculi were invented, the empire immediately began purchasing them in vast quantities. This lead to a boom in construction and a huge increase in the quality of live of the average Littroan citizen. In addition to legions of human-scale homunculi workers and servants, they also commissioned three giant homunculi, the largest ever built.

When the homunculi rebellion began, the city of Littros had no chance to resist. Though there was little bloodshed, they were so outnumbered and overpowered that the population quickly evacuated, establishing a government-in-exile in the heartland of nearby Sinthwl. The homunculi soon repurposed the city into a fortress, one which now accommodates freed homunculi from all over Peraith.

Government
In many ways, the Littroan Empire resembled a bronze-age despotic empire from Earth. The ruler inherited their power, backing it up with immense displays of wealth and power. While they did not directly venerate their emperors--as the Alchemists' Order forbids such religiosity--they did hold them in a high cultural position, believing them to have "earned" their place by some innate quality.

Beneath the emperor was a small army of functionaries, attendants, and administrators who ensured the smooth running of imperial business. A primary concern for these attendants was the maintenance of the imperial transport networks and fortifications, which have now fallen into disrepair.

Architecture
Littroan architecture was intended to be a show of economic and physical power. It adopted monolithic forms, often carved of fine black and red granite and inlaid with complex filigree. There was an aesthetic tendency to focus on right angles and divisions of said angles, as well as symmetry in building layouts.