Very much a work in progress. I mostly just wanted to get my idea on (electronic) paper and solidify my region claim. Give a down payment, as Zlatan put it. [hider=S'laaeth] [center][h3]Kingdom of S'laaeth[/h3] [img]http://i.imgur.com/8HalKfz.png[/img][/center] [b]Oshmar Region:[/b] 1. [b]Name of Region:[/b] S'laaeth [i](slay-eth)[/i]. [b]Name of City:[/b] Astieth. [u][b]Visual Description of City[/b][/u] [img]http://i.imgur.com/SbdDOmu.jpg[/img] [i]Astieth's south-eastern edge, seen from the sea. The sands of the S'laa desert are visible behind the tower on the far right.[/i] Astieth is a Goliath city, built along the south-western coasts of S'laaeth and curving around its border with the sea like a snake slithering through the sand. The city is constructed alongside a natural harbour: the sands of S'laaeth give way near Astieth to form a rocky outcrop, its sea-facing edges absent for a stretch just long enough to make Astieth the perfect port, and too short as to make landings in Astieth's surroundings a realistic possibility. A land dedicated to sea, Astieth is a city centred around its harbours, with numerous massive shipyards and open-air markets dominating the city's main coastline. Most of the buildings in Astieth are simple ones, made of a mixture of materials and in architectural styles as varied as all of the foreign nations of the West with which the S'laa trade. The combination of various architectural styles resulted in a fusion that gave rise to a distinctly S'laa style, which most of Astieth's larger, more noteworthy buildings are built in. S'laa architecture displays mastery in the balance of light and dark, articulation, and utilization of features of nature. [b]City Population:[/b] A hair higher than 5,000,000. Of these, perhaps four and a half million are S'laa, and the rest either foreign immigrants or their descendants; Astieth's trade connections to the free nations of the west force it to be considerably less homogeneous than Oshmar's other large cities. [b]City's Defences:[/b] It would be wrong to say that Astieth is an undefended city. More correctly, it is a city defended primarily by the Gods themselves: land its first wall and the sea its primary fortification. Any invading armies from outside of S'laaeth would have to march through the entire length of the S'laa desert to reach Astieth, or, even more foolishly, attempt a naval invasion. This second prospect is the only one accounted for by the S'laa; it is defended against not only by stone, however, but by carefully crafted and well-manned wood. Astieth is home to what is arguably Oshmar's largest and strongest navy, and an attempted landing of men anywhere in the city's proximity would be tantamount to a mouse attacking a snake den. [b]City's Food Stores:[/b] Astieth's large population and isolated location make it dependent on foreign imports for almost the entirety of its food demand. Without constant resupply, the city could starve within a matter of a few weeks. Resupply is made considerably more reliable, however, by Astieth's connection to (and dominance over) the sea. If the sea is Astieth's, Astieth prospers. If the sea is lost, Astieth starves. [b]City's Garrison Capacity:[/b] At absolute maximum capacity, approximately a quarter of a million. [b]City's Main Industries:[/b] Absolutely everything that there is to be traded is traded in Astieth. The city holds virtually no restrictions on what can be bought or sold, exported or imported, and is more than happy to take a slice of any kind of pie under the sun. This, combined with steady demand for exotic goods and favourable geographical position, has made Astieth one of Oshmar's centres of trade with the west. As for production, Astieth's main contribution to the world economy is in fine metalwork. Astieth is home to many of the world's greatest goldsmiths, gemcutters and engravers, both S'laa and of foreign blood. Additionally, thanks to its lax commodity restrictions, Astieth is also known for the training of slaves, and manufacturing of various substances and compounds which might, outside S'laaeth, be considered illicit. [b]City's Government:[/b] Absolute Monarchy, under the control of the reigning Kaklet dynasty. The Kaklets consider themselves benevolent rulers, and possess considerable loyalty from the people despite their regime's lack of transparency. It is understood by all S'laa that the function of the state is to preserve order, and not much else. To this end, the government and its agents throughout S'laaeth remain largely unseen until disruption arises. At this point, though, they are lethal. Though S'laaeth is lax in what actions are considered criminal, it is extremely harsh in how criminal actions are punished. [b]List of Towns:[/b] Astieth is S'laaeth's only settlement of economic note, although there exist other points of interest throughout S'laa which hold military or religious significance. [b]TBA FROM HERE DOWNWARD[/b] [h3][center]Race[/center][/h3] [b]Race Name:[/b] [b]Race Leader:[/b] Name, rank/title [b]Race Leader Physical Description:[/b] [b]Race Leader Significant Traits:[/b] This is for when your race leader is a special being. For example, if you had a nation of wasp-like drones, your leader may be the Queen who upon dying, would render the rest of her kind mindless. [b]Race Physical Description:[/b] [list]- Male Appearances: : (If applicable) - Female Appearances: (If applicable)[/list] [b]Use of Magic:[/b] (Not required, if your race does not use it, then remove this section. Describe what your race does with it and how widespread it is amongst the population. [b]Life Span:[/b] How long do they live for on average? [list] [*] Male Lifespan: (If applicable) [*] Female Lifespan: (If applicable) [/list] [b]Reproduction Rate:[/b] Are they like rabbits? Or are they like the rare Snow Leopard? Describe how quickly their population is able to replicate. Include how long it takes for them to reach “adulthood” in Earth years. I.e, a human would be16-18 years of age to be considered an adult. [b]Society:[/b] What kind of society do they operate? [b]History:[/b] Can be brief, or long. The more the better. I've left a lot of Oshmar's history vague, to allow for some creative licence. [b]Religion:[/b] Describe the type of Gods/God your people worship. [b]Significant Racial Traits:[/b] List here anything you feel should be mentioned. For example, if your race cannot swim, or if they require a certain diet to thrive. [b]Seafaring Capabilities:[/b] Is your race experienced at sea? Do they use ships, or do they swim? [b]Other Information:[/b] Anything that has been missed, and you feel needs a mention. [h3][center]Military[/center][/h3] [b]Types of Soldiers:[/b] List and describe the common types of soldiers used by your city-state. An example would be something like this: [list] [*][b]Berserkers:[/b] Berserkers are drawn from the primitive tribes dwelling on the city's outskirts. They are a ferocious bunch, with deep beliefs in ancient warrior customs. Typically they wear no armour, and run into battle naked, however their flesh is covered in coloured war markings from head to toe. They use large swords and axes, and hurl themselves at their victims in a rage. [/list] [b]Call to Arms Capacity:[/b] If your nation was to declare a state of emergency, calling up every able bodied individual capable of serving in the ranks, how many soldiers would you expect to have access to? When deciding this figure, remember that someone has to remain at home to plough the fields, fire the forges and run things whilst they are away. [b]Battle Doctrine:[/b] How do your armies fight? Give us a short introduction to your nation's combat tactics. [b]Naval Presence:[/b] How many warships does your nation possess? And what are their functions? Example: [list][*]39 Galleys, armed with balistas and capable of carrying a hundred men. They form the navy's core in battle. [*]92 skiffs, lightly armed but quick. Used for harrying manouvers and to screen the advance of the galleys.[/list] [/hider]