[OOC] Vassals to an empty throne

[Brithwyr]

I'm noticing a severe lack of theocracies in this RP. If no one has any objections, perhaps I can be of assistance.

[Milkman]

I'm noticing a severe lack of theocracies in this RP. If no one has any objections, perhaps I can be of assistance.

@Brithwyr

There is still room on the map so yeah, You're free to join and post your sheet :)

[Milkman]

@Milkman The responsibilities of foreign relations was handled through an appointee of the Gardinâ, which was usually only done on a need-be basis. Typically, this would be a merchant from the same tribe or clan as the designated tribe responsible for tribute toward the Arkronian crown, or if this message was extremely important, a tribal chieftain. If Arkron requested diplomatic action from Yuravia, a courier could be dispatched to a Tênuar who in turn would call for the meeting of a Gardinâ.

Also, the death of Aurielin is less THE BETRAYAL! and more The Betrayal^{[Citation Needed]}. While everyone were all clearly aware that the cause of Aurielin's death was via poisoning, it remains to be known how this was done, by whom, or for what reason. It's more of a great mystery with multiple theories than something that is clear-cut. Because of this, there is a much greater emphasis in Yuravian Historiography on the aftermath and fallout of her death than her death itself.

@Yam I Am

Great, thanks for clarification. Yuravia is accepted :)

[datadogie]

I am back! And at long last, here it is:

Dominion of Epha

Dominion of Epha

Brief Description

Epha is the territory on the northern, snowy plains and mountains of Mycoria. The original inhabitants quickly laid claim to the territory, taking the dangerous areas for themselves safe in the knowledge that there wouldn’t be a lot of reason for their claim to be revoked. The Ephan people dislike the notion of being a vassal for they believe in freedom and independence, and believe in working toward supporting the Dominion of Epha as a whole.

The side your nation was on during the 3th rebellion

Epha was, and consistently has been, with the rebels.

Population/races

Epha’s most dominant race are Humans, however Epha has welcomed anyone and everyone within its borders, resulting in a mix of races and species. For the most part, Humans still rule the aristocracy.

Culture/society

Those who reside within the Dominion of Epha are hardened people. They do not believe that a person can be useless, only that they are being useless, and strive to give everyone an opportunity to prove themselves. Those who are willing to contribute are rewarded with higher positions, with choice as to how they wish to help the Dominion as a whole, and have opportunities going forward to explore their own ventures. Those who are not willing, who leech off the Dominion’s resources, are thus placed into a position where they contribute by force, which in almost all cases ends up being dumb labour. It’s often rumoured that the Dominion of Epha has no prisons, for criminals will often be made to ‘farm the snow’, a task that they will inevitably fail, though that rumour is false.

Rebellion is in the blood of Ephan citizens. They won’t stand for something that is unfair, or that they believe is not fair. This goes for the extreme lower-class citizens and poor of Epha; sometimes they will try to stand up against the Dominion, and be promptly put back in their place by Epha’s military. Within Epha, internal rebellions are often to make a point rather than to try and overthrow Epha’s government - often people just want more rights, and they are sometimes even granted these rights. They all understand that Epha is their chance for independence, and don’t want to lose that by overthrowing their own government, more-so just attempting to overthrow their local townships. Guards can often be hard-pressed in these times to crush any attempts at rebelling, and if one does start, to hold out until reinforcements can be pressed in.

Religion

Any Ephan citizen is permitted to practise any religion that they wish, however the government has laws in place that they require citizens to abide by. The religion that citizens practise must not involve the practise of harming anyone unless that person permits themselves to be harmed for religious practise; such permission is handled by the signing of paper documents, which are stored by the town’s guards in case such an issue arises. Additionally, any religion that is practised by an Ephan citizen should not drain on the Dominion’s resources to practise. Some citizens get around this requirement by purchasing what they need from foreign traders, or by gathering natural materials themselves if that is possible.

History

There are many stories about the creation of the Dominion and the claiming of Epha, the snow lands. The one that is most often told, and is the truth, is that the Dominion sought to get away from everyone else, and were originally a people who were sick of the constant threat of losing what they had gained, either by taxation or the threat of their land being overtaken by those strong enough to do so. This contempt grew until the founders of the Dominion had a following, who marched their way into Epha, making a formal claim on the lands and the mountains that surrounded them; some of their more adventurous followers expanded out to the islands, which were then added to their claims. The Dominion expanded where nobody else wanted to, or weren’t willing to. Even the mountains were not safe from the Euphan expansion, their rocky cliffs offering shelter from the bellowing, freezing winds.

The truth was, while ancient cartographers had mapped out the land, they had thought the climate too harsh to truly explore. The Dominion only placed a few of it’s settlements on the land to brave the snowstorms and cold, the majority of its cities rested in cracks in the land; ravines and craters within the snow, where they had some defence from the cold winds. The capital city of Epha, Eos, was built within a grand ravine, with bridges and buildings stretching across its length. The territory was not just dangerous due to the weather however, as various animals, all carnivorous, large and starving, added to the overland danger. These animals were soon to be made a delicacy, as their meat was flavoursome, and their sparity in the continent meant they could place a hefty price on their export. As these dangerous beasts only resided in their home of snowy Epha, the Dominion felt safe with that income, and thus banned the outsourcing of any Ephan creatures, only their remains.

The Akronian arrival was something that the Dominion despised; They were a united people in their objective, to be free from outside rule. They stood against Akron from within their cold, natural fortress. It was perhaps one of the hardest locations for Akron to subject under their rule; the mountains surrounding Epha were difficult for Akron troops to surpass, and the Terrelistle Pass in the southwest was a natural chokepoint where Akronian troops were lost. Once, Akronian troops managed to push through the Terrelistle Pass, however were forced to fall back; by then, troops were dying of the cold alone. With most of their defensive efforts focused on the west, the Dominion of Epha left their eastern side open. Arkronian scouts reported about the ill defences in the east, and troops were pushed through the Milcaster pass in the northeast. Once the Arkronians established themselves within Epha territory, it was just a matter of time before they subjected the rest of Epha under their rule (though most definitely was not easy, as Ephans still fought until the last village was taken, and traversing the icy waters to Epha’s islands was a whole task on it’s own).

Relations between the Dominion of Epha and the Kingdom of Arkron was akin to a dog on a collar trying to constantly break free of it’s leash - perhaps the only saving grace that prevented a complete Arkron ruling was that Epha was straight to the point of what it wanted; as much independence as possible. To completely rule Epha would require Akron troops to fill the territory and bear the cold within. The Dominion sought positive relations vassals who had similar opinions of their ruler, while despising those who loyally followed Arkron’s directives. There was constant attempts to tighten the collar on Epha, to add on some chains, however that constantly failed. The Dominion joined every rebellion, and some could argue that their relation to Arkron was some of the beginning sparks of hope. In each rebellion, they strove to drive Arkron’s rule away from Epha, but as every one failed, they were yet again forced to bow down to Arkron. They would scream, they would shout, but at the very least, they bowed down because they had to.

With the passing of King Amon-Mar IV, and the current state of Rakon-Da, hope again rises within the Dominion. There are whispers in the street that another rebellion might be in the works with no ruling party to stop them, whereas others claim that a new ruler might be another chance to rightfully claim independence once more.

Government

The Dominion of Epha is ruled by an Aristocracy, who must gather whenever they wish to make major laws. The Aristocracy also has a singular Monarch, who is a descendant of the original leader of the settlers that made their home in Epha. The monarch has the power to make major law changes on their own, as well as overturn the decisions made by the Aristocracy, however wisely uses the former ability infrequently and the latter much less so. As the founding family has currently consistently remained in rule as monarchs without fault, they had not made any plans as to any contingencies if they suddenly are unfit to rule, an example being the death of a monarch without children to become the new monarch. Both the Monarch and the Aristocracy are required to train in fighting and military strategy. Though originally referred to as the Aristocrats and the King or Queen, this trend and the Dominion’s constant involvement in rebellions has changed the titles of the Aristocracts to ‘High Paladins’, and the monarch to the ‘High Sentinel’, which became lawful titles by the vote of the Aristocracy after the second rebellion, in spite of using traditional titles and was not overturned by the monarch at the time in an effort to remain in public support and at least let the Ephan citizens know that their leaders still appreciated them.

Economy

The Dominion of Epha’s main income as a nation comes from its exotic exports, such as meat from the various animals that inhabit Epha’s snow, as well as the untapped natural resources beneath the ice, which provide a steady supply of gems and other items that can be used for decoration. Internally, the Dominion of Epha does operate a wage-labour economy, with employers paying its workers for the work that they do.

Military

The Dominion of Epha holds a strong military, and their hulking forms can easily be identified on any battlefield; It is said that their warriors may very well be half-giants. Ephan warriors start by wearing furred clothing from head to toe to protect themselves from the Ephan cold, and the thickness of the pelts acts as armour itself. However, even then, their warriors are fitted for armour of steel. The heaviness of the equipment means that only the strongest of Ephans are on the frontline, with their lighter companions often being the bearers of equipment and supplies. These front-of-the-line warriors are known as beast-knights, for the fur that is visible under the metallic plates. There is a joke that the Ephan military has no idea what the word ‘light’ means. Many Ephan troops will bear an animal skull on their shoulders, each individual warrior’s testament to their own strength. Many hunters can also be utilised as a militia if a supplement to the main troops are required, for they are skilled with both their bows and their spears. Each warrior has to pledge their loyalty to snow of Epha and the government of Epha; allegiance to the Kingdom of Arkron is purposefully left out of the pledging in an act of spite against those they are a vassal to. Individual towns of Epha all contribute to the Dominion of Epha’s military with their own beast-knights and foot soldiers.

If there is one major flaw in the Dominion of Epha’s military, it is the heaviness of it’s troops. Whilst this contributes well in battle, long-distance travelling cannot be done on foot. It relies on carriages and convoys to ferry it’s troops to their destination, so that the troops are not already fatigued upon arrival. Epha’s military also lacks a high number of cavalry, as Epha is too cold to maintain a large number of horses save those necessary for carriages, and so can often struggle with mobile threats.

Territory:

Factions:

This will be filled out in Roleplay, as these factions develop.

Characters:

This will be developed during the RP, and may act more as a list than anything.

High Sentinel Agustus Eyail - High Sentinel

Name: Agustus Eyail
Gender: Male
Age: 36
Role within the Dominion: High Sentinel

High Paladin Anya Galloway

Name: Anya Galloway
Gender: Female
Age: 44
Role within the Dominion: High Paladin

High Paladin Nylah Harlenton

Name: Nylah Harlenton
Gender: Female
Age: 23
Role within the Dominion: High Paladin

High Paladin Charles McArthur

Name: Charles McArthur
Gender: Male
Age: 28
Role within the Dominion: High Paladin

[Milkman]

I am back! And at long last, here it is:

Dominion of Epha

Dominion of Epha

Brief Description

Epha is the territory on the northern, snowy plains and mountains of Mycoria. The original inhabitants quickly laid claim to the territory, taking the dangerous areas for themselves safe in the knowledge that there wouldn’t be a lot of reason for their claim to be revoked. The Ephan people dislike the notion of being a vassal for they believe in freedom and independence, and believe in working toward supporting the Dominion of Epha as a whole.

The side your nation was on during the 3th rebellion

Epha was, and consistently has been, with the rebels.

Population/races

Epha’s most dominant race are Humans, however Epha has welcomed anyone and everyone within its borders, resulting in a mix of races and species. For the most part, Humans still rule the aristocracy.

Culture/society

Those who reside within the Dominion of Epha are hardened people. They do not believe that a person can be useless, only that they are being useless, and strive to give everyone an opportunity to prove themselves. Those who are willing to contribute are rewarded with higher positions, with choice as to how they wish to help the Dominion as a whole, and have opportunities going forward to explore their own ventures. Those who are not willing, who leech off the Dominion’s resources, are thus placed into a position where they contribute by force, which in almost all cases ends up being dumb labour. It’s often rumoured that the Dominion of Epha has no prisons, for criminals will often be made to ‘farm the snow’, a task that they will inevitably fail, though that rumour is false.

Rebellion is in the blood of Ephan citizens. They won’t stand for something that is unfair, or that they believe is not fair. This goes for the extreme lower-class citizens and poor of Epha; sometimes they will try to stand up against the Dominion, and be promptly put back in their place by Epha’s military. Within Epha, internal rebellions are often to make a point rather than to try and overthrow Epha’s government - often people just want more rights, and they are sometimes even granted these rights. They all understand that Epha is their chance for independence, and don’t want to lose that by overthrowing their own government, more-so just attempting to overthrow their local townships. Guards can often be hard-pressed in these times to crush any attempts at rebelling, and if one does start, to hold out until reinforcements can be pressed in.

Religion

Any Ephan citizen is permitted to practise any religion that they wish, however the government has laws in place that they require citizens to abide by. The religion that citizens practise must not involve the practise of harming anyone unless that person permits themselves to be harmed for religious practise; such permission is handled by the signing of paper documents, which are stored by the town’s guards in case such an issue arises. Additionally, any religion that is practised by an Ephan citizen should not drain on the Dominion’s resources to practise. Some citizens get around this requirement by purchasing what they need from foreign traders, or by gathering natural materials themselves if that is possible.

History

There are many stories about the creation of the Dominion and the claiming of Epha, the snow lands. The one that is most often told, and is the truth, is that the Dominion sought to get away from everyone else, and were originally a people who were sick of the constant threat of losing what they had gained, either by taxation or the threat of their land being overtaken by those strong enough to do so. This contempt grew until the founders of the Dominion had a following, who marched their way into Epha, making a formal claim on the lands and the mountains that surrounded them; some of their more adventurous followers expanded out to the islands, which were then added to their claims. The Dominion expanded where nobody else wanted to, or weren’t willing to. Even the mountains were not safe from the Euphan expansion, their rocky cliffs offering shelter from the bellowing, freezing winds.

The truth was, while ancient cartographers had mapped out the land, they had thought the climate too harsh to truly explore. The Dominion only placed a few of it’s settlements on the land to brave the snowstorms and cold, the majority of its cities rested in cracks in the land; ravines and craters within the snow, where they had some defence from the cold winds. The capital city of Epha, Eos, was built within a grand ravine, with bridges and buildings stretching across its length. The territory was not just dangerous due to the weather however, as various animals, all carnivorous, large and starving, added to the overland danger. These animals were soon to be made a delicacy, as their meat was flavoursome, and their sparity in the continent meant they could place a hefty price on their export. As these dangerous beasts only resided in their home of snowy Epha, the Dominion felt safe with that income, and thus banned the outsourcing of any Ephan creatures, only their remains.

The Akronian arrival was something that the Dominion despised; They were a united people in their objective, to be free from outside rule. They stood against Akron from within their cold, natural fortress. It was perhaps one of the hardest locations for Akron to subject under their rule; the mountains surrounding Epha were difficult for Akron troops to surpass, and the Terrelistle Pass in the southwest was a natural chokepoint where Akronian troops were lost. Once, Akronian troops managed to push through the Terrelistle Pass, however were forced to fall back; by then, troops were dying of the cold alone. With most of their defensive efforts focused on the west, the Dominion of Epha left their eastern side open. Arkronian scouts reported about the ill defences in the east, and troops were pushed through the Milcaster pass in the northeast. Once the Arkronians established themselves within Epha territory, it was just a matter of time before they subjected the rest of Epha under their rule (though most definitely was not easy, as Ephans still fought until the last village was taken, and traversing the icy waters to Epha’s islands was a whole task on it’s own).

Relations between the Dominion of Epha and the Kingdom of Arkron was akin to a dog on a collar trying to constantly break free of it’s leash - perhaps the only saving grace that prevented a complete Arkron ruling was that Epha was straight to the point of what it wanted; as much independence as possible. To completely rule Epha would require Akron troops to fill the territory and bear the cold within. The Dominion sought positive relations vassals who had similar opinions of their ruler, while despising those who loyally followed Arkron’s directives. There was constant attempts to tighten the collar on Epha, to add on some chains, however that constantly failed. The Dominion joined every rebellion, and some could argue that their relation to Arkron was some of the beginning sparks of hope. In each rebellion, they strove to drive Arkron’s rule away from Epha, but as every one failed, they were yet again forced to bow down to Arkron. They would scream, they would shout, but at the very least, they bowed down because they had to.

With the passing of King Amon-Mar IV, and the current state of Rakon-Da, hope again rises within the Dominion. There are whispers in the street that another rebellion might be in the works with no ruling party to stop them, whereas others claim that a new ruler might be another chance to rightfully claim independence once more.

Government

The Dominion of Epha is ruled by an Aristocracy, who must gather whenever they wish to make major laws. The Aristocracy also has a singular Monarch, who is a descendant of the original leader of the settlers that made their home in Epha. The monarch has the power to make major law changes on their own, as well as overturn the decisions made by the Aristocracy, however wisely uses the former ability infrequently and the latter much less so. As the founding family has currently consistently remained in rule as monarchs without fault, they had not made any plans as to any contingencies if they suddenly are unfit to rule, an example being the death of a monarch without children to become the new monarch. Both the Monarch and the Aristocracy are required to train in fighting and military strategy. Though originally referred to as the Aristocrats and the King or Queen, this trend and the Dominion’s constant involvement in rebellions has changed the titles of the Aristocracts to ‘High Paladins’, and the monarch to the ‘High Sentinel’, which became lawful titles by the vote of the Aristocracy after the second rebellion, in spite of using traditional titles and was not overturned by the monarch at the time in an effort to remain in public support and at least let the Ephan citizens know that their leaders still appreciated them.

Economy

The Dominion of Epha’s main income as a nation comes from its exotic exports, such as meat from the various animals that inhabit Epha’s snow, as well as the untapped natural resources beneath the ice, which provide a steady supply of gems and other items that can be used for decoration. Internally, the Dominion of Epha does operate a wage-labour economy, with employers paying its workers for the work that they do.

Military

The Dominion of Epha holds a strong military, and their hulking forms can easily be identified on any battlefield; It is said that their warriors may very well be half-giants. Ephan warriors start by wearing furred clothing from head to toe to protect themselves from the Ephan cold, and the thickness of the pelts acts as armour itself. However, even then, their warriors are fitted for armour of steel. The heaviness of the equipment means that only the strongest of Ephans are on the frontline, with their lighter companions often being the bearers of equipment and supplies. These front-of-the-line warriors are known as beast-knights, for the fur that is visible under the metallic plates. There is a joke that the Ephan military has no idea what the word ‘light’ means. Many Ephan troops will bear an animal skull on their shoulders, each individual warrior’s testament to their own strength. Many hunters can also be utilised as a militia if a supplement to the main troops are required, for they are skilled with both their bows and their spears. Each warrior has to pledge their loyalty to snow of Epha and the government of Epha; allegiance to the Kingdom of Arkron is purposefully left out of the pledging in an act of spite against those they are a vassal to. Individual towns of Epha all contribute to the Dominion of Epha’s military with their own beast-knights and foot soldiers.

If there is one major flaw in the Dominion of Epha’s military, it is the heaviness of it’s troops. Whilst this contributes well in battle, long-distance travelling cannot be done on foot. It relies on carriages and convoys to ferry it’s troops to their destination, so that the troops are not already fatigued upon arrival. Epha’s military also lacks a high number of cavalry, as Epha is too cold to maintain a large number of horses save those necessary for carriages, and so can often struggle with mobile threats.

Territory:

Factions:

This will be filled out in Roleplay, as these factions develop.

Characters:

This will be developed during the RP, and may act more as a list than anything.

High Sentinel Agustus Eyail - High Sentinel

Name: Agustus Eyail
Gender: Male
Age: 36
Role within the Dominion: High Sentinel

High Paladin Anya Galloway

Name: Anya Galloway
Gender: Female
Age: 44
Role within the Dominion: High Paladin

High Paladin Nylah Harlenton

Name: Nylah Harlenton
Gender: Female
Age: 23
Role within the Dominion: High Paladin

High Paladin Charles McArthur

Name: Charles McArthur
Gender: Male
Age: 28
Role within the Dominion: High Paladin

@datadogie

Looks good. The Dominion of Epha is accepted

[datadogie]

<Snipped quote by datadogie>

Looks good. The Dominion of Epha is accepted

@Milkman

Awesome, thank you!

[Trinais]

Initial Application...

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The Aegire Oligarchy

Flag: [To Be Found]

A vestigial nation of survivors from an ancient empire decimated by the Akronites' homeland, the Aegiri are a nation consumed by wealth, posterity, and legacy. Their ships keep the trade lanes free of pirates and corsairs. The Aegiri neighbors question their loyalty and commitment. The Aegiri and Akronites both know that they are merely patient- but the Akronites seem to have forgotten this fact.

The Aegiri did not raise forces to fight for the Rebels, but the Thassite Faction paid for food, weapons, and the material needs of the Third Rebellion.

Population/Races

The Aegire are primarily descended from human tribes, but also have a number of Sea-Folk in their coastal cities. Sea-Folk are descended from the old Empire of Thassa, having fled a destructive war against the ancestors of the Akron to found the Oligarchy. Sea-Folk are often green or blue skinned, possess webbed feet and hands. Though it is a common misconception that they can breathe underwater, this is false- a sea-folk can hold their breath underwater for roughly an hour before suffocating.

Humans within the Aegire nation are bronze-skinned, hardy folks who have traditionally lived in the isle's hills and small forests. While they were originally an insular, xenophobic people, their conquest by the Sea-Folk and the ensuing generations of living side-by-side with them has created a more-or-less intermingled society, separated only by the biological needs of their aquatic neighbors for sea water.

Culture/Society:

The Aegiri occupy a precarious position within the struggle for the throne. The banking houses of Aegire are independent mercantile ventures and are the lifeblood of the isle. The ships entering and leaving the harbors of Aegire find safe ports and provisions, money-changers, and buyers and sellers of goods. A man with a little coin and a lot of patience can make a fortune in a few years if he is careful. Money is a central part of Aegiri society, but it is not the central part.

Within Aegire, each citizen strives toward a Nyleos, a concept brought from the old Empire. A rough translation is "What survives me", though this misses the sense of obligation associated with the Nyleos. The man who makes a fortune on the docks has an obligation to leave a legacy that survives him and his family- a public park, a shrine to the Sea. Most common folk are content to have something as simple as an addition to their home or a family garden for the Nyleos. Though if it is within the means of the person to do more, it is expected that they should.

Humans within the Isle originally held a closed off, xenophobic clan-based society. For generations, the Isle was a haven for piracy and runaway slaves, while the differing clans fought one another for supremacy. Today, humans have integrated into the Isle and while they do not hold the same wealth and status as the Sea Lords, they wield their power in other ways. By their nature, they can live longer in the island's center and thus hold a monopoly on land ownership. Likewise, they provide most of the levies when the Sea Lords call the Isle to arms in the face of the prior Rebellions. Most have adopted the concept of Nyleos from their neighbors, but unlike their neighbors, the human clans do not feel a deep hunger for revenge against the Crown like the Thassites.

Religion

The Aegiri worship the Sea as a dual deity, one of generous bounty and destructive wrath. Most towns have open air shrines where practitioners will offer gifts Her, while larger temples in the city are constructed for sailors to offer libations and Nyleos gifts in the event they do not return from their voyages.

History of the Waves WIP

While the Kingdom of Akron was an offshoot of the great Overseas realms establishing its dominance, the Aegire isle was established by cousins to the sea-realm of Thassa. The sea-folk colonists fled a war of devastating proportions between Thassa and Akron's overseas realms, settling themselves in the hills and plains of Aegire. They brought with them their maritime skills, a hardy constitution, financial wisdom, but also a wariness for direct conflict. While Akron was re-establishing itself over its neighbors, Aegire subjugated the local human tribes and absorbed them into a new mercantile state.

When Aegire and Akron were finally "reunited", there was little debate among the merchant houses- they quickly subjugated themselves, offered tributes of gold and silver, and pledged their support to the new throne if only their new lords would abandon the wars of their homelands. Akron, newly established and in need of both funds and legitimacy, accepted the coin and signed a pact of friendship. Even after the conquest of the mainland, Akron relied upon the Aegiri to keep commerce flowing- tribute and trade flowed west, bribes and edicts flowed east.

The rebel nations of the continent often look upon the Aegire as cowards for refusing to take to the fields of battle in the Rebellions, but the Aegire are more evenly split in their support than would appear to outsiders. The Aegiri were already almost exterminated by the Akron's ancestors and barely escaped that fate. In the Second Rebellion, they called their levies to war on behalf of the Crown, but did not sail from the isle, arguing that they were at risk of invasion from the Yurevians. Rumors have been recorded in history books that this was a ruse to buy the Rebellion more time, avoiding an attack from the south- it succeeded, though the Second Rebellion failed.

During the Third Rebellion, the Sea Lords were split between Neutrals and Thassites- those who supported a war of revenge against the Crown. Individual Thassite Houses provided arms, food and in some cases, transport to the Rebel factions. The Neutrals called the armies to muster once again to defend the homeland on behalf of the Crown, but the Thassites decided to try and seize command of the isle by force. A coup against the First Lord was launched as the island was hit by a typhoon. In the confusion of the storm, the First Lord escaped death, though her staff was murdered by coral knives. A purge was soon conducted of the Thassites, setting back their plans for revenge by an entire generation, bringing calm to the Aegiri and placating the throne while the Third Rebellion was crushed.

Government

The people of Aegire are ruled by the merchant princes, though none claims royal blood. The true titles are Thalassocrats- literally Sea-Emperors, but to the common folk, the vulgar title flows better. Most are simply the heads of the great Merchant Houses within the isle.

Economy
The Aegire are supreme shipwrights and craftsmen of luxury goods. Sea-folk tend work in the ever busy dockyards, or making works of art from the glassworks or the coral-shaper houses. Pearl divers and underwater mines provide extravagant jewelry to royalty across the mainland. Humans on the isle are common laborers, soldiers, and farmers. Any ship docking in the Isle will be able to buy fresh fruits, olives, cheese, salted meat, and fresh wine and water to complete its journey.

Military

The Aegiri have a standing force of several thousand Mariners, most of whom are at sea conducting patrols against pirates. Some even maintain small garrisons in the coastal regions of the other "nations" under the Akron Throne. The Sea-Lords have called their levies to war during each rebellion, but never sailed out to fight rebel or loyalist forces- the first two conflicts saw only a mass of conscripted farmers hastily gathered. After a series of reforms in the wake of the rebellion's failure, citizen levies are now expected to arrive on the field with the capability of fighting with pike and crossbow. The Third Rebellion saw less of a rabble and more of a battle-line formed, but never deployed.

The Aegiri fleet does not possess the numbers to dominate the continent, but it remains a potent threat toward the disruption of shipping and commerce for the entire continent. A blockade of the east sea lane could cripple the ability of the loyalists to project power in the east, or block a rapid invasion of the west from rebel forces. Using this threat would bring the unmitigated hatred of half the realm upon the Aegiri and so it is a threat that is only whispered of in the halls of power, never spoken aloud.

Territory

The Aegire Isle is the new homeland of the Thalassocracy. The lower banks and shorelines in the west are full of marshes and wetlands, while the east coast is dotted with coral reefs that are equal parts beautiful and dangerous- many ships lie at the bottom of the sea after falling off course.

Though not official territory, many "embassy markets" can be found in ports along the south coast, representing the interests of the Merchant Houses of the the Sea Lords, and providing ports for the Marines- many will escort the trade ships of their home ports to and from the Isle in exchange for a negotiable fee- "insurance" against the hazardous reefs and pirates that infest the southern waters.

Factions: The Sea Lords are currently split into two factions:

- The Neutrals see themselves as arbiters of prosperity and stability on the continent. Conflict has broken out three times already and each Rebellion was more deadly and disruptive than the last. The Neutrals believe that if goods cross borders, then armies will not. Things like oaths, power politics, and border disputes will be resolved in the halls of rulers so long as the realm is stable.

- The Thassites have not forgotten that the seed of the Akron throne was watered in the blood of their ancestors. They view their Nyleos to be a world without the bloody Akronites to continue their oppression of the world. From their shores, they seek to remake the true Thalassocracy from a gilded market into a dominion over the waves. It was they who funneled money, arms, and supplies to the rebels in the Third Uprising- though they attempted to launch a coup against the First Lord of the Waves Agnamakias and seize control of the army. This was unsuccessful and resulted in a purge of leadership to placate the Akronites.

Characters:

- First Lord Dekatia, ruler of the Combined Houses.
- Faction: Uncommitted
- First Lord Dekatia Jura, head of the Jura Merchant House, rose to prominence by re-establishing trade with Yuravia, one of the longest and most profitable routes open to the the Isle. Most concerning to outside politics, Dekatia has not openly professed her allegiance to the Neutral houses of Tyre, Phenax, and Iretis- the traditional power block of the Neutrals. A spate of bad luck as seen their power wane, while the Thassite houses of Hetos, Ketaphos, and Kelema have recovered from the purges in the wake of the Third Rebellion.

[Blandina]

@Trinais That sounds very interesting. I have to wonder how protective of their trade they are? Would the recent rise in trading and diplomacy from Skekaria upset them, given that they both operate in the southern seas? Sorry if I'm getting ahead of myself haha, I'm just curious as to how the different countries percieve each other prior to our starting.

[Trinais]

@Blandina I think they initially started out as a big-brother, little-brother relationship. I'm going for kind of a Carthage-lite with a Greek flavoring here. Aegire probably established themselves along the Skekari ports and kept them free of piracy, but as the clans unified and leaned toward Crown loyalty, the anti-crown Aegiri faction started to withdraw their support. Skekari is unified by then and steps in to fill the void. The Neutrals (pro-Crown) are cool with it.

[Blandina]

@Trinais That sounds good to me, the Skekari west coast has trade coming down from the mountains, so it would make sense for foreign merchants to have set up shop pre-unification. If the neutral faction is cool with it I guess that would mean in general they've got fairly amicable relations. I like the Carthage-esque thing you've got going. I feel like the Skekarii court, or at least the queen, would be focusing a good bit of their diplomatic efforts towards Aegire, given their previous relations. I guess how that works out will be determined eventually haha.

[Milkman]

@Trinais Looks good so far. i've a couple of points. The Sea-folk are colonist from another continent, right? That is pefectly fine. Could you add that to the race/population description?

Could you eleborate a bit more on the dynamics between the human polulation and the sea-folk? Are the sea-folk like the upper class and hold the most political and economic power while the humans are more of an underclass that have less to say in political affairs?

Once the above is made a bit more clear then the nation is accepted. If you can't find a picture for your flag a description will work as well.

[gowia]

The Saa’kaleed Abiat (Absolute WIP)

The Saa’kaleed Abiat

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Description: Deep within the great Leed desert there is only desolation. An unforgiving expanse of shifting dunes stretch away for miles and create an inhospitable atmosphere that has seen the downfall of the best and worst intentioned. Bones, dried from epochs under the sun and in the sand, litter the wastes. Clinging to the shores of oases that litter the desert is civilisation, however. Cities, towns, and villages of pale stone rise from the ground and harbour the Saa’kaleed, or ‘People of the Leed’, as they toil under the beating sun. Disparate tribes and clans united under the banner of a single warlord, the Rea-Abi. These zones of life are fewer and farther between than the more temperate climates of other regions, but the Saa’kaleed still enjoy a vibrant and fulfilling life on the banks of water.

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Allegiance: Rebellion

Population/Races: The Saa’kaleed are a rather rangey lizardfolk. Their long limbs and lithe physique has evolved to withstand the worst summers the Leed desert has ever known and as such they often lack the physical prowess of other races. In this stead they have become rather nimble and dexterous peoples, relying on basic mechanics and devices to make up for a lack of strength. They range in colouration, most being a between a pale yellow to a burnt umber, though many also have a mix of tones. Though they walk bipedally, the Saa’kaleed lean forwards, capable of running on all fours if necessary and have the remaining vestigial claws and teeth from an origin as carnivorous reptiles.

The Saa’kaleed are a concentrated folk. With large areas of desert unable to support life they have been forced to congregate around the myriad of freshwater that springs out from the ground. Farming is employed in makeshift paddies and hunting is closely monitored on even local leadership levels as too much might mean starvation the following year. Despite all this, they still eer on the lower end of the populations of Mycoria, and for their size are respectively possibly the smallest. They are distrustful of other races, putting controls in place to limit the movement of others in their settlements, but maintain a steady and tolerant policy of acceptance.

Culture/Society: The family unit is the most important construct in Saa'kaleed life. Everything operates in clan and family based entities, with rules and laws based on customs followed by ancestors. On a national level there is no written codex of laws, instead there is a great quantity of previous rulings which are considered before making the decision; precedent is key. On a more local level this still plays out, but with lack of the same resources rulings much more often take modern family politicking into account. Because of this there is also a great weight placed on social conformity, not to any set rules, to societal norms and behaviour that can be traced back through different ages. Ones "Taa'g", or prestige, is measured in the view of others.

There is no sense of superiority to the Saa'kaleed, rather they fear foreign change. New customs and practises threaten the foundation of how they view and construct their society. This is why they are resistant to reform that is not slow and why laws have been put in place to control the movements of other races. Passes and permits must be obtained to stay longer than a day in certain towns and cities. New people, be they foreign or domestic, find a polite if cool reception in new places. Until trust that one can conform is earned, they are an outsider.

Religion: Ancestor worship is the only officially followed religion within the Abiat. The past is guidance for the future and the most venerated exist in annals. Each family will have dedicated a shrine to the most notable of their line, with regular public holidays honouring the dead of certain occasions. Worship often takes the form of burned incenses and spices as a form of votive offering, as well as the dedication of pottery and other fine house ware. In the more wealthy families these offerings can range wildly upwards in value. All is done in hope that the spirits of those ancestors will gleam guidance onto the living and help them achieve greater Taa'g. Every family's ancients are important, and there is no aim to enforce worship of other lineages onto the less notable families.

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History: It is said that before Mycoria there was time, and before time there was nothing, and before nothing there was sand. The Leed is the ancient birthplace of the Saa'kaleed and, according to some scholars, the waters found in the Leed the spawning pit for all life in Mycoria. Nomadic peoples, clinging to the waters, had a dream from which they spread and forged great tribes and villages across the islands. Only, not all the people did propagate themselves so widely. Creatures, scaly to the touch and only just bipedal, emerged from amongst the blistering dunes, lizards capable of dominating their enviroment constructed homes and travelled amongst the desert sands. Conflict was endemic, rivalry over the life giving waters and the sustenance giving crops meant survival was paramount and there was only so much room for so many people. People crossed the immeasurable desert and expanded the breadth of the Abiat. The Fatherhood. Children, as all were to great wisdom, found habitat amongst the scorching sands and slowly but surely the Saa'kaleed emerged as a recognisable race in their own right. Not just overgrown newts, they were a people.

Even so, this did not help when the Arkronians came. Men from across the great seas arrived and laid siege to the desert, crushing resistance and demanding obedience. Wars of attrition were fought but the people of the sand could never find the humility to join hands and expel the invader. The Leed, they said, was unconquerable. But only they forgot that the people within the Leed are not. In time, the tribes were subjugated and put under imperial control. A new order was established, a new facade that would please bureaucrats in the capital of the subjugator. Every tribe and clan was accounted for and all pushed under the new organs of the Leed Dominion, a client state of the Arkronians. It was an entity rejected by the Saa'kaleed, though disorganised as they were the invasion had led to one thought on the mind. Greater unity. Strength in numbers. No longer being weak. By the Century of Chaos it was a totally different time.

Rather than resist the crown, the Saa'kaleed took no part in actions and did little to support it either. Instead resistance and revolt swept the land. Crippling the support of the government and, in the most trying times of the Second Rebellion, forcing through great changes. The leadership, a Viceroy from the Kingdom of Arkron, was toppled and executed publicly. In their place a new leader stood, a father, an Abi. The Rea-Abi formed the Abiat out of the divided peoples and promised them a new lease of life under leadership by their own kind for their own kind. Rhetoric that swiftly died. Clan and family rivalry returned swiftly, though many agreements to the benefit of the Arkronians meant that the state was left mostly in peace. People still toiled under the burden of being subjects and resistance sentiment burned perpetually in the recesses of the desert.

When the Third Rebellion occurred the Saa'kaleed Abiat was one of the first to support it. People wanted blood and they wanted freedom, there was no ground to be given. Basa Cataphracts, Basa archers, and tribesman from across the Abiat went in support, until the disgusting betrayal of the Vulpin people. A slight to this day still unforgiven. Since that day they have been quiet and contemplative, the Abiat loathe to speak up on continental matters, except to challenge for their rightful territorial claims that appear to be infringed daily. Perhaps, very soon, they will emerge from the desert storm again.

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Government: The Saa’kaleed Abiat is a Tribal Despotism, with a single ‘Great Father’ or Rea-Abi acting as de facto head of government. The Rea-Abi ascends following a transition period where the great tribes come together to choose a new leader. This process sometimes takes the form of an election when the choice is simple, but this is not standardised and civil war has broken out over disagreements before. All that matters is at the end of a transition, a single individual has been chosen. The leader is normally the head of one of the great tribes, but it is not unheard of relations of a previous Rea-Abi to be chosen even if their family is no longer so influential. The Rea-Abi is responsible for guiding the Abiat forwards, protecting the people, and enriching the nation.

Local autonomy is maintained for the most part, with tribes governing themselves mostly and passing tribute up to the central government. Their own leadership varies from local kingship to elder councils and even shaman theocracy.

Economy: The Saa'kaleed indulge in all manner of goods that do not thrive outside of a hotter climate. Whilst expanses of desert are mostly empty, regions around the oases and the coast thrive with agricultural productivity. Different grains and fruits like wheat, dates, barley, and figs provide food and an income being sold abroad. Greater wealth arises from the more unique treasures of the enviroment, spices like saffron and mustard are produced for the tables of the powerful and - with nascent state involvement - exported.

The nation livelihood is tenuous, however. Drought and poor harvests can have serious implications for the meagre funds of the Abi and, in dire times, result in great famine if proper precaution is not taken. Mining operations have begun in the north, but the mountains yield relatively little and certainly no great outpouring of wealth is expected from that quarter.

Military: The Saa'kaleed are a people of tribal conflict. Patrimony and blood alliances define the mustering of men, even if the basic framework of a national standard for the army has been rolled out. Each community is expected to keep a certain number of soldiers under arms at peace or involved in limited conflicts based on their population, doubling as a policing force. In the past whole communities have been levied into conflict however; man, woman, and even child in the defence of the Leed from incursions by foolish invaders who thought they could conquer the desert. It is this grim determination and culture of resistance that makes the Saa'kaleed such capable fighters, but also resistant to the most modern reforms.

For the most part nimble and agile Basa Riders are employed, archers and lancers riding atop large quadrupedal lizards that find work across the economy and home when not at war. Though companies of footmen and archers very often follow, unable to afford the maintenance of such a beast. Whilst siege equipment is well practised, with an effective mind for engineering, little is actually kept in the state itself. Wood being so precious, it has always served better to fell trees when raiding others rather than carry things such as siege trains. This is also why there is a severe lacking of a truly effective navy, limited as they are to a handful of outdated galleys for protecting the most vital ports.

Territory: The extent of the Abiat borders (As I would like them to be)

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Factions: To be worked out in RP.

Characters: To be outlined in first post and expanded in RP.

My plan so far here! Still a WIP. Will attempt to finish it tonight after work.

[Blandina]

@gowia Oh boy another neighbor! Howdy! Your flag design is really nice, for me at least it really conveys a sort of desert-y feel.

[gowia]

@Blandina Thank you! I spent just long enough on it not to immediately hate it xD

But for sure I definitely wanted to try a tribal desert people, its a culture/enviroment I never really explore in these sorts of things and I like the different kind of narrative I've got to usual even in just writing the nation up.

[datadogie]

@gowia, looks good so far! Snow is still better than desert, though. ;D

[Yam I Am]

Allegiance: Rebellion

gowia

Oh yeah, Rebel Gang roll up

In all seriousness though...I would imagine Skekaria's position of being sandwiched between two Rebellious powers to be understandably nerve-wracking.

[Milkman]

Would you guys like to have a discord server?

[Yam I Am]

@Milkman IMO it'd help; I'm usually a lot more active over Discord than I am here

[Milkman]

Made a discord server for ooc chatting and stuff. I prefer to have all the IC happening on the forum :)

[DELETED32084]

@Milkmanif the IC moves to Discord, I’m out. So good call.