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The Hassockian Empire sat at the western edge of the Middle Sea. Its currency unit was the piaster. After centuries of ruling a large region of the Nekemte Peninsula, the Empire began to weaken in a series of wars which saw the loss of territories including Shqiperi.

Prince Halim Eddin, nephew of the Hassockian Atabeg, was offered the crown of the independent Shqiperi. While he hesitated, for fear of angering his uncle, his near-lookalike Otto of Schlepsig took up on the offer in his place, and reigned fairly competently for five days.

During the War of the Kingdoms, the Empire joined forces with Schlepsig and the Dual Monarchy. The war caused the loss of many more colonies. In the fallout from losing the war, the ruling family was overthrown, and a man named Kemal was installed as atabeg.

Known cities[]

Vyzance was the capital of the Empire.
Edirne, which guarded the way to Vyzance, was heavily fortified against intruders.
Adapzari was a hellhole of a town, where Otto of Schlepsig was stationed when he joined a Hassocki foreign legion. The Green Panther was located there.

Literary comment[]

The Hassockian Empire is based on the Ottoman Empire. A hassock is a type of footstool which Europeans and North America began calling an ottoman, after its country of invention, in the 18th century.

Vyzance is named for Byzantium, the former name for the Imperial capital Constantinople aka Istanbul.

Edirne shares the name of its Ottoman analog, which preceded Constantinople as the capital.

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