The Jade Star
05-07-2007, 19:17
Official Name: Pichqatisuyu (The Five States)
Short/Common: The Inca Empire/Incan Empire
Chief Language: Quechua, and a recently adopted Latin alphabet.
Government: Divinly sanctioned autoarchy, with a dash of buerocracy and theocracy.
Ruler: Sapa Inca Tuluntangul, the Thunderbow
The Sapa Inca is the absolute authority on everything, but since communication can take some time, the Empire is divided into five states, each headed by an independant Inca, who is more or less subject to the central authority in Cusco.
Each state is in turn divided into four provinces, which are divided up into sections of 1,000,000 people, with each million-person section divided into 500,000-person sections and so on and so forth down to units of 50, with each 'unit' being headed by a government official, usually a native on the local levels.
Population/Demographics:
35,000 Inca
~18,000,000 various subject people
~5,000,000 under 'indirect rule' (IE: We say we own them, but they dont really care on account of living in a marsh somewhere in Brazil 10,000 miles from everywhere.)
Religions:
Most of the population is multi-religious, subscribing to a local faith and the so-called 'Imperial Faith,' which venerates the Sapa Inca as a god.
Custom dictates the local religious idols are kept in the Great Temple at Cusco, for the de facto reason that few tribes are willing to revolt if the Inca will instantly destroy their gods.
As the Son of the Sun, the Sapa Inca is venerated and sacrifices are made to him. Although the Inca have ceased the practice of child sacrifice, occasionally, in times of great need, the Sapa Inca's High Priest will be 'sent to the gods' to ask for help. The prefered method of execution is decapitation, as this allows a clear path for the spirit to exit the body.
Animal sacrifice is still common, and there are tales of various warrior cults within the army that practice sacrifice and even cannibalism of the enemy.
Culture:
Varies widely, the Inca themselves constitute a tiny portion of the Empire as a whole, however, their cunning and, when required, brutal govorning tactics ensure that rebellions are unlikely. In addition to the 'holy hostages' the Inca often take the sons of local leaders hostage and 'adopt' them into Inca society, giving them formal Incan schooling, military training and so forth, ensuring that the present govonor (who usually retains his post after a conquest) is loyal, and that his successor is even more so.
Tribes which are rebellions often find themselves forcibly relocated to the Peruvian desert or some other unpleasant place, or dispersed and mixed in with more passive tribes. This system, along with the Incan armies renowned effectiveness in battle, generally keep the Empire in line.
Roughly %30 of the Inca population consists of 'uncivilized' tribes of a nomadic or semi-nomadic nature, these are generally kept track of via an attached Incan government official.
The remainder are either integrated into Incan culture or in the process of being integrated. Typically, the Inca will leave the native culture in place and gradually introduce their own architecture, religion, pottery, and so on. This 'polite' takeover typically reduces instances of rebellion.
Military:
Standing military strength: ~200,000 men
Wartime military strength: ~600,000 men
The entire male Incan population is constantly on active military service, giving the Empire a steady core of some ~15,000 soldiers, excluding, of course, various beurocrats, the elderly and so on.
The rest of the military is composed of militia-like soldiers recruited from local popualtions, generally using local weapons and equipment, with local training. Thus the composition, training, equipment and moral of the Incan army varies greatly.
The Inca Military is remarkably responsive and flexible, thanks to the famous Inca Road system and its messengers. There are some thousands of miles of road in the Empire, and at each mile point a runner is stationed. These men are trained practically from birth to do one job and do it well, carrying messages and packages to the next post along the line.
Thus it is possible for a message to arrive from the borders of the Empire to Cusco in a matter of days, rather than weeks or months as one might expect. It is also what makes it possible for the Sapa Inca to dine on fresh fish daily should he so choose.
The Inca military is a relative newcomer to the concept of gunpowder weapons. They have few, but their soldiers are exceptionally well drilled in their use, and those few they have produced are of exceptional quality, thanks to the Inca skill with metalwork, having transfered well to iron and other hard metals.
The Incan bronze cannons in particular are somewhat famous for their reliability (IE: They almost never explode), accuracy and ease of maintenance.
Military equipment typically consists of:
Inca soldiers:
Bronze armour and helmets
A bronze halberd or spear
A bronze shordword or axe/club OR a matchlock musket
'Auxiliaries':
Wooden or cloth armour
Stone or bronze spears, axes, clubs, etc.
Cotton slings
Bolas
Hardwood swords/staves
Bows and arrows/blowpipes (occasionally poisoned)
The Incan navy is somewhat small, consisting of only a few large ships, and several 'gunboats' designed to patrol their inland waterways and keep the locals in line.
3 Ships of the Line
(1 90 gun, 2 75 gun)
5 Frigates or frigate-like vessels, whatever is in use at present
28 gunboats
A whole lot of small craft, lightly armed or not armed at all.
Resources and Trade Goods:
The Inca Empire is rich in precious metals and gemstones, as well as rare hardwoods, coal, food and various animals not found on other continients.
Short/Common: The Inca Empire/Incan Empire
Chief Language: Quechua, and a recently adopted Latin alphabet.
Government: Divinly sanctioned autoarchy, with a dash of buerocracy and theocracy.
Ruler: Sapa Inca Tuluntangul, the Thunderbow
The Sapa Inca is the absolute authority on everything, but since communication can take some time, the Empire is divided into five states, each headed by an independant Inca, who is more or less subject to the central authority in Cusco.
Each state is in turn divided into four provinces, which are divided up into sections of 1,000,000 people, with each million-person section divided into 500,000-person sections and so on and so forth down to units of 50, with each 'unit' being headed by a government official, usually a native on the local levels.
Population/Demographics:
35,000 Inca
~18,000,000 various subject people
~5,000,000 under 'indirect rule' (IE: We say we own them, but they dont really care on account of living in a marsh somewhere in Brazil 10,000 miles from everywhere.)
Religions:
Most of the population is multi-religious, subscribing to a local faith and the so-called 'Imperial Faith,' which venerates the Sapa Inca as a god.
Custom dictates the local religious idols are kept in the Great Temple at Cusco, for the de facto reason that few tribes are willing to revolt if the Inca will instantly destroy their gods.
As the Son of the Sun, the Sapa Inca is venerated and sacrifices are made to him. Although the Inca have ceased the practice of child sacrifice, occasionally, in times of great need, the Sapa Inca's High Priest will be 'sent to the gods' to ask for help. The prefered method of execution is decapitation, as this allows a clear path for the spirit to exit the body.
Animal sacrifice is still common, and there are tales of various warrior cults within the army that practice sacrifice and even cannibalism of the enemy.
Culture:
Varies widely, the Inca themselves constitute a tiny portion of the Empire as a whole, however, their cunning and, when required, brutal govorning tactics ensure that rebellions are unlikely. In addition to the 'holy hostages' the Inca often take the sons of local leaders hostage and 'adopt' them into Inca society, giving them formal Incan schooling, military training and so forth, ensuring that the present govonor (who usually retains his post after a conquest) is loyal, and that his successor is even more so.
Tribes which are rebellions often find themselves forcibly relocated to the Peruvian desert or some other unpleasant place, or dispersed and mixed in with more passive tribes. This system, along with the Incan armies renowned effectiveness in battle, generally keep the Empire in line.
Roughly %30 of the Inca population consists of 'uncivilized' tribes of a nomadic or semi-nomadic nature, these are generally kept track of via an attached Incan government official.
The remainder are either integrated into Incan culture or in the process of being integrated. Typically, the Inca will leave the native culture in place and gradually introduce their own architecture, religion, pottery, and so on. This 'polite' takeover typically reduces instances of rebellion.
Military:
Standing military strength: ~200,000 men
Wartime military strength: ~600,000 men
The entire male Incan population is constantly on active military service, giving the Empire a steady core of some ~15,000 soldiers, excluding, of course, various beurocrats, the elderly and so on.
The rest of the military is composed of militia-like soldiers recruited from local popualtions, generally using local weapons and equipment, with local training. Thus the composition, training, equipment and moral of the Incan army varies greatly.
The Inca Military is remarkably responsive and flexible, thanks to the famous Inca Road system and its messengers. There are some thousands of miles of road in the Empire, and at each mile point a runner is stationed. These men are trained practically from birth to do one job and do it well, carrying messages and packages to the next post along the line.
Thus it is possible for a message to arrive from the borders of the Empire to Cusco in a matter of days, rather than weeks or months as one might expect. It is also what makes it possible for the Sapa Inca to dine on fresh fish daily should he so choose.
The Inca military is a relative newcomer to the concept of gunpowder weapons. They have few, but their soldiers are exceptionally well drilled in their use, and those few they have produced are of exceptional quality, thanks to the Inca skill with metalwork, having transfered well to iron and other hard metals.
The Incan bronze cannons in particular are somewhat famous for their reliability (IE: They almost never explode), accuracy and ease of maintenance.
Military equipment typically consists of:
Inca soldiers:
Bronze armour and helmets
A bronze halberd or spear
A bronze shordword or axe/club OR a matchlock musket
'Auxiliaries':
Wooden or cloth armour
Stone or bronze spears, axes, clubs, etc.
Cotton slings
Bolas
Hardwood swords/staves
Bows and arrows/blowpipes (occasionally poisoned)
The Incan navy is somewhat small, consisting of only a few large ships, and several 'gunboats' designed to patrol their inland waterways and keep the locals in line.
3 Ships of the Line
(1 90 gun, 2 75 gun)
5 Frigates or frigate-like vessels, whatever is in use at present
28 gunboats
A whole lot of small craft, lightly armed or not armed at all.
Resources and Trade Goods:
The Inca Empire is rich in precious metals and gemstones, as well as rare hardwoods, coal, food and various animals not found on other continients.