Common knowledge

[AnchorSteam]

ETHIOPIAN GOVERNMENT-
At the Highest (and most inaccessible) level is the dual-leadersip of the Emperor in Addis Ababa and the Pantocrator (leaders of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church) at Debora Dhalmo. Whatever factionalism is at work in the Government is concealed from foreign eyes by several layers of secrecy and isolation.
Fortunately there is a mechanism in place for dealing with the outside word, primarily the offices of Raz "von" Sidoma... a man who's Grandfather was a Teutonic mercenary who married and settled here half a century ago. Von Sidoma has studied in several foreign Universities and served in the embassies of half a dozen more. Outgoing and popular, this is the go-to man for everyone dealing with the Empire in both military and geo-political matters.

("Raz" the word for both General and Admiral here)

Raz Tanafari commands the Navy and is also well-traveled. He is known to have a forceful personality, best illutrated by an incident from when he was 19 years old and found himself leading a lifeboat full of survivors 42 years ago. The boat washed ashore on the east side of the South Island of New Zealand. The boat was holed on landing at there were no settlements, and neither of the men out-ranking him had any ideas about what to do. Young Tanafari lead the survivors on a trek across the island to the west side, organized the construction of another boat, and navigated the journey to Australia without the lose of a single life... all in the middle of local winter-time.

To outsiders, the Army will appear to be composed mainly of rumors. Hundreds of thousands of trained Soldiers stand ready to serve the Emperor, nearly half of whom are said to be armed with rifles. None wear boots, and all can march at least 40 miles per day. There are whispers that the army is advised by a Mongol Prince, but the same sources will tell of surprise visits from a Pantocrator that can apparently walk across rainbows when it suits him to do so.