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Noco19

Little Creole
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Nov 20, 2011
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Hello and welcome to Rise and Fall of Civilizations II. It has been in the works since Storm’s game ended, and it's thanks to him that we are able to run this next incarnation.

The game is a re-start of the Rise and Fall of Civilizations game that Storm ran earlier this summer and as was stated in the previous game, it bears some similarities to the late Frymonmon’s World in Revolution. While WiR has been great at giving the players a chance to experience a specific period in history, RaFoC focuses more on the entirety of human progress, from sticks and stones to battling for the moon.

This is where Rise and Fall of Civilizations comes in. Unlike map games, players will send orders to Ekon (Ranger900) or I and we will write the updates so that there is a cohesive story. But unlike WiR we will cover a significant amount of time in every update and will rely a lot less on stats and a lot more on IC posts and updates. We hope to make the game flow as smoothly, if not moreso than the original Rise and Fall.

The game is very much a sandbox, but we will keep to at least mild historical plausibility. Most importantly this means that many cultures, countries, empires will rise and fall. It’s in the name after all. We do not think any modern state (except maybe China) can trace its origins directly back to a culture in 2,000 BC. When your culture or country declines or gets wiped out just pick a new one and keep going. We hope that you guys approach the game with the goal of making a cool story rather than “winning” with your country.

We understand that this kind of game may not be everyone’s cup of tea. We am trying to be upfront about what the game is and is not. If you think you are interested in joining read the rules and sign up section.

Rules

Each player will play a culture or country, depending on the level of development and similarity. For example, one player could play the Greek city-states or the Algonquin Native American tribes, though each one encompasses multiple polities. As the game progresses most or all of these will transition into being proper states.

Players will send us (who you send to will be assigned later) two orders per update. Since updates will cover a large period of time these should be pretty general. Going with the Greek city-state example it could be something along “develop a democratic tradition” or “focus on philosophy and natural sciences,” while a French player in the 17th century may send an order “expand aggressively, fighting wars against smaller neighbors.” On occasion we may do a mini-update in between regular ones if we think the events warrant it, but this is unlikely except for major events (though it may become more likely as time goes on an civilizations start to butt heads)

Participation is mandatory – everyone must post at least one IC per turn. As shown in the previous game it is not too much to ask to have the players write some commentary on what is happening in their country. These posts are an important part of how we make a story and are helpful to us in writing the alt-history. Sending orders is also mandatory – given the pace the game will progress at leaving a culture/country unattended for a turn or two is not an option.

When (not if) your culture/country declines or is wiped out you will have the option to pick another one or start a new one. So the players who are currently in the game keep playing unless they do not want to. If someone leaves the game then I will take on new players who can pick an existing culture/country or start a new one.

Sign up

The starting date is 2,000 BC. To sign up you need to fill out a template of the culture/country you want to play. We will be picking 18 (9 maximum for each GM) of the most interesting, diverse, and appealing sign ups and we will start the game. Those who are not picked right away will have a chance to sub in if a player drops out, and their countries may appear as NPCs in the game anyways.

Template:

Culture/country name

Location: [be specific and include the color you want it to be on the map]

People and Society: [structure of the society, religion, and how it functions]

Government: [brief description of who is in charge]

Economy: [the basis of the people’s livelihoods]

Military: [if there is anything resembling one]

Example:

Norte Chico

Location: Coastal regions of the Supe Valley.

People and Society: Religion consists of a diverse pantheon of gods. There are a number of large built-up urban centers. Music and dance are prominent.

Government: Numerous theocratic chiefdoms.

Economy: Agriculture depends heavily on irrigation due to arid conditions. Textiles are woven by hand.

Military: No organized military.

Here is a map of our World in 2,000 BC for inspiration. You are not at all limited to societies that existed OTL, but some plausibility is required. There will not be a flourishing agricultural culture in Alaska or in the middle of the Sahara.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dd/World_2000_BC.svg


IRC Channel

Link: Coldfront
Channel: #WiR_Main
Instructions:
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2) Choose the Flash app or the Java app.
3) Create a screen name; it’s recommended that you use your forum name, if available.
4) Close the #coldfront channel that opens automatically.
5) In the command box, type “/join #WiR_Main” without the quotation marks.
6) You’re in the chat! Welcome!
 
The Wasayut People

Location:Lower Mississippi River Valley

People and Society: Among the Wasayut people all members of the tribe are relatively equal, however there are some who are better off than others just not by much. The Wasayut's follow a strict religion consisting of animal sacrifice to their pantheon of gods who they believe control their fates. They also present offerings to their ancestors who they believe protect them from the evils of the world.

Government: The Wasayut people are ruled in a rather unique way, all male members of the tribe are allowed to vote on the general governing of the tribe. However there are two "leaders" of the tribe who have a bigger say than the rest. There is the Tribal Father who is responsible for managing the hunts and leading the warbands in times of conflict and there is the Tribal Mother who is responsible for religious ceremonies and match making between the men and women of the tribe.

Economy: The Wasayut people are primarily hunters and gatherers however recently some have taken to farming beans and corn in small villages along the Mississippi river. There is limited trade and without a currency all things work on a barter system.

Military: No organized military. However each tribes men do fight from time to time in tribal wars over things like hunting grounds, women or religion
 
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The Sabaeans
Location: Southwestern tip of the Arabian Peninsula

People and Society: Partly settled, nomadic Southern Semitic people. Practice Semitic polytheism, with their own distinctive deities, of whom the sun goddess Shams and the moon god Ilmaqah are most important. The priests and the tribal elders form an upper class of the tribes, while various artisans and merchants in the few settlements come after them.

Government: Tribal communities led by a tribal chief/elder, who usually also has religious importance, most prominently also acting as a priest of some deity.

Economy: Agriculture in the few settled areas, nomadic lifestyle in the outlying areas, spice trade.

Military: No military. War and raiding bands can be assembled if needed, but usually the tribes co-exist peacefully.
 
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The Roxarus Civilization

Location: Coast of Anatolia

3QmVLUw.jpg

People and Society:

The Roxarus are divided into two type of people the city dwelling and the tribal roxarus. The city dwelling Roxarus society was center around religion and the sea, mainly fishing and farming outlaying areas. Religion was very very important for the people of Roxarus as such all cities (4 in 2000 BC) were ruled by a priest class whom at the same time had vassal tribes and clans through what could be call "sphere of influences".

Interestingly enough each city Followed a different main god of their own from the other cities with asssociate lower gods.As such tribes were usually associated with their main god. The tribes were ruled then by war chiefs and strong men. Tribal society was center on Raiding and agriculture.

There were many gods in the pantheon of the Roxarus, including a grand "main" Pantheon of over thirty gods. Most gods were related to nature and natural occurrences.

The Roxarus society like many others put men above woman as, men fought and had the priest positions meanwhile woman, had children and worked in the home. One thing the Roxarus were adamant on was having as many children as possible and its likely polygamy was the norm. The children were usually considered their fathers as such were linked through the father and not the mother family.

Government: The government of the roxarus is divided by the Priestly rules cities meanwhile the tribes are rules by elected chiefs. Usually some sort of competition of strength and bravery was done to elect the next chiefs after the previous died. In the cities meanwhile a council of the most important priest ruled.

Economy:The people of the Roxarus civilization had settled by 2000 BC into a farming civilization whom depended heavily on the rivers of their area. Agriculture was not complex but provides most of the food and the rest came from raiding neighboring areas and fishing (especially for the cities). raiding and fighting was common between the tribes associated with a different city as well against neighboring lands for land to work.

Military: No established military. The Roxarus cities themselves have no military instead the associate tribes defended and fought for their cities, the most loyal tribes living in the lands near it and the best lands. Usually the tribes would form raiding parties against rivals, enemies and neighboring lands specially in the poorer yet populated border tribes.
 
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Kingdom of Edrasa

Location: Northern Levant (region of Syria, roughly) [Red]

People and Society: The Kingdom of Edrasa is centered on the city of Edrasa, a coastal Meditterean city and the hub for the entire civilization. The Edrasan people are an industrious and hardworking folk, and as a result their settlements are home to numerous works of craftsmanship and construction, from temples and palaces to military fortifications and irrigation systems. The bulk of the kingdom’s development, however, is located in the city of Edrasa itself. The Edrasan religion consists of a diverse pantheon of deities; in addition, the people of Edrasa also believe that their kings ascend to godhood upon their deaths, adding another degree of legitimacy to their rule. Social festivals, music, and rituals are central to the religion, with worship and adoration of the gods being of the utmost importance. Slavery is common throughout the kingdom, with slaves mostly being of either Edrasan stock or people of neighboring cultures.

Government: The government of Edrasa is a monarchy under the rule of a king who holds absolute power, and who is considered favored by the gods by his subjects. The central administration of the kingdom is located in the king’s palace in the city of Edrasa itself, and is conducted by bureaucrats overseen by the king and his family (including, but not limited to, the queen and the crown prince). The queen often shares the running of state affairs with the king, while the crown prince and his siblings each oversee a different aspect of governance. While the administration of the city of Edrasa is highly organized and efficient, nation-wide administration is less effective the further inland one goes. As a result, the majority of the king’s control is felt along the coast of the kingdom, and in settlements closer to the capital. In areas where the king's influence is lacking, the clergy of the Edrasan faith or some particularly powerful noble family often fills the void.

Economy: Agriculture, and mainly pastoral agriculture at that, is the primary sector of the Edrasan economy. The economy of the kingdom overseen directly by the palace, although more influential families hold a greater degree of financial independence. Large herds of cattle are common indicators of wealth – of course, the king himself possesses the largest herd. Another major sector of Edrasan economy is trade, with its main exports being timber from the nearby mountains and textiles. Hand-crafted decorations and tools are also a notable export, due to the culture of industry and innovation within the kingdom.

Military: The Edrasans possess an organized military that answers directly to the king, and is primarily used to enforce his laws and assert his dominance within the borders of the kingdom, and also to protect the kingdom from external threats. The weaponry of the typical Edrasan soldier is crafted from bronze, and usually includes a spear, shield, sometimes a short sword, and bronze armor. Joining the military is considered a great and noble act in Edrasan culture, and many men find any appeal in military service. The Edrasan military is often used in punitive campaigns against weaker, disunited Levantine city-states to assert the supremacy of the kingdom in the region.
 
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Culture : Vorenn (Blood red)

Location: (Poland)
People and Society: A bunch of nomadic tribes in the middle and east of our Poland, these tribesmen live off the land with their horses. They worship their ancestors and a ancestor of ancestors named Argarn, the creator of their people. All men and woman descend from him and his sister Fela, and those leading the tribes are considered to be of the most direct male descend from the Father of All Argarn.

Government: Each tribe is lead by a tribal leader which is a inherited position (The leader can trace back his ancestors the furthest). The men generally hunt while the women generally guard the camp and raise the kids. Kids learn to ride from a young age and spend a large part of their live on it.

Economy: Vereni sustain themselves by hunting on horses and gathering, as well from herding their horses. They travel far and wide on the isles and trade with a lot of other tribes.

Military: Tribal horse warriors using leather armor and bronze spears​
 
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Vernacki Tribes

Location: Baltic Coast. Blue.

People and Society: The Vernacki are semi-nomadic tribes that travel primarily by boat around the Baltic Sea. The place of man is to hunt, command the boats, and fight when needed, while the role of women is to bear children and plant and harvest crops. This division of roles leads most men to become followers of Uganimu, god of change, while most women become followers of Jalevuni, god of Stability. Breeding is accomplished through marriage pacts, that last only as long as the tribe is in one location. Male children from the pact stay with the father, while female children stay with the mother. When the father marries a new woman, she is expected to raise his children, and while the father is unmarried his children will be raised by childless women.

Government: There is no central government between the many tribes, but each tribe is ruled by 2 chieftains, one for leading the tribe to new lands and one for leading the tribe when it remains static. The nomad chieftain is also the head priest of Uganimu, god of change, for the tribe, while the settled chieftain is the head priest of Jalevuni, god of stability. Sometimes the chieftains works together to make their tribe prosperous, but more often they compete for control of the tribe, with fights between supporters of the two being common.

Religion: There are two gods to the Vernacki- Uganimu, god of change, and Jalevuni, god of stability. They believe the universe began with Uganimu creating the elements of fire, air, water, and earth, but there was only flux until Jalevuni arranged the elements to create the world as it is today. Then Uganimu created animals that fought each other for territory, but they would die out from starvation, until Jalevuni created plants for them to eat without a fight. Man emerged when Uganimu, jealous of the grand trees Jalevuni had, created creatures from water and sand with hands to work wood and change it to honor him. Jalevuni changed them once they entered his domain though, and rather than merely destroy his trees, they built weapons, boats, and later buildings out of them.

The domains of Uganimu are the sea, sky, and fire, while the sole domain of Jalevuni is land. The Vernacki who follow Uganimu believe he gives favor to those who do not stay in one place long, and travel over his domain of the sea to reach new lands. The Vernacki who follow Jalevuni believe that he gives favor to those who remain in one place and create buildings to rule an area consistently. Followers of each god also build totems adorned with animals and plants to honor their gods, with totems to Uganimu being constantly reworked and destroyed to symbolize change, while totems to Jalevuni are finished and kept by their followers, though sometimes totems from either god will be traded to other tribes. Followers of Uganimu trade since it creates change, while followers of Jalevuni trade because trade creates ties between tribes and that leads to stability. This and other reasons leads some to note that stability and change are not mutually exclusive domains and not opposed, but most Vernacki are too combative to notice.

Most followers of Uganimu are men, while most followers of Jalevuni are women, combined with the higher position of men means change is the primary goal of the Vernacki tribes. The theoretical equality of the Chieftains is diminished by the Chief of Uganimu having the backing of the men who know how to use weapons. Conversely women have comparatively high standing, since the large numbers of women devoted to Jalevuni means his chieftain is often actually a Chieftess. Men who become chieftains of Jalevuni are often mocked for following a woman's god and given even less respect than Chiefesses, who at least follow "the natural order" as seen by most Vernacki- that men are of Uganimu and women are of Jalevuni.

Economy: Most of the efforts of the Vernacki are devoted to securing food or conducting worship, with very limited sense of personal property, reserved for the Chieftains and their main followers. When one tribe meets another tribe, and the initial meeting doesn't end in conflict, the tribes can exchange small items, such as beads and handheld totems, in a barter system.

Military: While the Vernacki have no devoted military, most men are trained as hunters or fishermen, and have enough experience with weapons that they easily settle into the role of raiders when they encounter other people and conflict occurs. Battles between the Vernacki can scarcely be called such, as most end whenever the first man falls and his side flees in fear, allowing the victors to carry away the women, boats, and totems of the defeated. Usually the men of the defeated tribe will return during the looting and drive off the distracted victors from taking too much. The Vernacki use no armour and rely on simple stone spears for raiding and hunting.
 
The Eridanii

Location: Northern Italy [Cream]

People and Society: A number of tribes situated along the Erdan River [the Po River in TTL], the Eridanii are a rough and hardy people with a deep religious feeling imbued in them through their common claim of descent through Bodencus, the God-King of the Eridanii, and his claimed father, Erdan the All-father.

Government: The Tribes of the Eridanii are led by a number of Kings, each of them claiming descent from Bodencus: the legendary demigod King of legend who is reported to have been the offspring of the Great God Erdan and one of the first humans. Alongside this of course comes a strong religious aspect promoted by the King and his priests, who encourage open worship of the aforementioned, his ancestor Bodencus and the All-father, Erdan.

Economy: The Eridanii are both divided and united by the claims of their Kings: although they are in truth rival to the coveted rule over all the Eridanii people, this familial bond created by such claims also allows trade to generally flow between the tribes, with the exception of war time situations when pillaging becomes the norm. Otherwise, the Eridanii take pleasure in raiding whatever neighboring tribes they come across whilst also delighting in growing their crops along the great river from which Erdan rose.

Military: All of the tribes have a number of their strongest and fittest young men pressed into service for their respective Kings, each spending most of their childhood in a military-hunter upbringing and raised to have devotion for their people and zealousness for their God, Erdan, and his chosen son, Bodencus.
 
Nexus

Location: Crete, Cyprus, Rhodos, Peloponnese(Light blue)

People and Society: People either live in small villages or in the urban cities that are more or less growing. They believe in no gods. They believe in man (yes, only men) as the ones who design their own fate; they don't want any deities to control them. Therefore they have many statues that pictures their leaders and there are several cults, based around great people. Living or dead. There are however a lot of philosophies where two are the most popular. The Xel'Negi centers itself upon hard work, the individual, the pleasure of life and that you get in return on how hard you work. Then we have its "opponent" called the Pon'Hundious which centers itself upon social networks, the society as a whole and the weak in the social structure (Poor men, slaves, women etc.). They are also the main "factions" in the Council (basically government-organ). However there are countless philosophies that ranges from various subjects. There is a loose class structure in the society: There is the top called Nagans (the ones with many riches/generals/admirals/leading politicians), then the Porl (middle-class like, politicians/artisans/Merchants/rich city-dwellers), then the Kolp (Low-class like, the workers/farmers/city-dwellers/soldiers/sailors/poor people). Then we have the bottom which is called Uirp (no-class, women/slaves/non-citizens.) Any male slave can buy his way to freedom if he works hard enough and earn enough money.

Government: Merchant republic kinda. The Nex-Invoyli is the leader of the nation and 'Nex-Invoyli' means leader or Grand-Councillor. He is advised by the Contris (council) that can also veto his decisions. The Nex-Invoyli reigns for life, but is chosen by Contris. There have however been several episodes of Nex-Invoyli trying to coronate himself and make it hereditary. Such attempts has always failed and the Nex-Invoyli executed or exiled from political life.

Economy: The state itself is rich on trading goods such as jewelry and fine textiles. However they don't really have enough food to sustain their own population and depends on trading with the inland tribes and states that have surplus.

Military: The state has a small but effective fighting force that mainly handles revolts and trade troubles. They do however have a big and strong navy that they use to protect their coasts. They are not much for warring other nations and must more prefer to trade with them and involve them into their trade "league" more or less annexing them.
 
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The City of Qussa
Location:

2UdG3TV.png

People and Society:
Most of the poor working population resides outside of the city. Outsiders are estimated at being around 62% of the population. Most of the outsiders undertake activities such as farming and shepherding in order to be able to provide food for the residents of the walled city of Qussa. The city is mostly home to multiple merchants that sail up and down the rivers, as well as the upper classes; the priesthood and the nobility. The nobility is mostly based around wealth and the armies each noble can muster. Nobility is hereditary, but dynasties are rare; the nobility is always changing due to the unstable nature of the economy and the political climate inside the city.

The city of Qussa has a patriarchal structure based around a strong family unit. Each man can take multiple wives, and often the amount of (pretty) wives a man has indicates his position in society. Daughters of nobles are often used to secure alliances with others. The religion of the state has multiple priests that can also marry, although they tend to stick to a maximum of three wives. Sons of priests and the nobility often enter the military. It is customary for sons of rich families to move out early with a parting gift from their families. The amount of competition between young nobles in the city leads to frequent brawls and fights. The age of 16 is the customary age of adulthood.


The religion of the city revolves around sun worship.

Government:
The cities primary ruler has a title that could be roughly translated into "First Prince". The "Princes" are a collection of non-hereditary nobles who sit on a ruling council under the guide of the First Prince. The council had much power upon the cities foundation two centuries back, but has now lost most of its power and is more of a honorary position. The First Prince is elected in a secret ballot of the other seven, making it a very small election. In order to become a Prince needs to meet the following conditions:
1) Have at least three wives
2) Have at least three sons
3) Have at least one son in the army. It does not specify what time frame or his service type, so many sons of the aspiring Princes simply join for a month or so and then leave as soon as their fathers become or fail to become a Prince.
4) Be able to outbid all other candidates. Each Prince will provide enormous amounts of funds. If you lose, your funds are not returned to you but go "for the welfare of the city" meaning into the other Princes pockets. The auction is a "blind" auction, which leads to exorbitant sums being thrown in to make sure money is not lost.



The government is weak and largely ineffective. The city has huge autonomy and tax collection is very flawed, with tax rackets operating. Many nobles bribe the tax collectors in exchange for them stating that the noble could not pay his tax. Due to the weak nature of the government, rarely is any punishment issues. If a noble actually is unable to pay taxes and cannot pay the bribes, the tax rackets will punish him severely.


With such small revenue streams, the government hardly operates. The walls and roads of the city are largely maintained by nobles in exchanges for privileges and titles from the First Prince. Most of the tax money that is collected ends up being pocketed by either the small cadre of magistrates or one of the princes, making Princehood a very lucrative position.

The populace outside the city is also only controlled via tax rackets. In order to exert influence the First Prince will also sometimes use his personal troops to tour the small country and make every village elder, priest and man swear him loyalty before the Sun. The populace outside the city is ruled much more harshly than that inside. The law code is basically "Whatever a noble wishes is true", and nobles often have citizens killed or punished for very trivial laws that they made up on the spot. There have been many uprisings but if there is one thing the Qussian nobles do well it is certainly ganging up together on the less privileged.

In order to be formally a "noble" (the actual title is "Shepherd of the Sun") and not just a rich commoner, one must bribe the high priesthood and at least 4 of the Princes into accepting him as a "devout and good man". This will be followed up with an expensive ceremony during which he is given the official ring of nobility. Falsifying the rings is strictly punished with elaborate torture devices. Once a noble a man is allowed to hire his own personal army which is sworn to defend Qussa in the case of war.

Economy:

The state relies mostly on an economy of bartering and simple trade. Merchants will sail food into the city from different regions and in return receive manufactured goods or precious stones from noble ran tax rackets and other shady operations. The economy of the regions is fairly strong, but currently hugely mismanaged and restricted by the extremely greedy nobility. Trade up and down the multiple rivers brings a lot of profits to the city.

Due to the nature of the state, famines are an often sight among the underprivileged. Many of the people within the city although technically "free men" are essentially engaged in wage slavery, where the "wages" are token amounts of food given for labor around the city and outside of it. Some of the more skilled artisans, such as boat makers, blacksmiths, armourers and jewellers are in loosely defined contracts with the nobles, where the nobles offer protection to them in exchange for parts of their profits. The merchants operating up and down the river are free to do their trade, although the harsh reality is that most of the small ports and markets in the city are ran entirely by nobles. This means that merchants are forced into paying nobles for the use of their marketplaces. There is hardly any law outside of the city, so setting up a new marketplace will likely mean that noble armies burn it down and kill everyone present. Although it can cause problems sometimes, normally this type of trade is fairly stable. The nobles are as reliant on the merchants as the merchants on the nobles, so they live in general harmony.

The First Princes largest power is the ability to declare any marketplace or port within the city property of the City. This will lead to the nobles there losing their profits. This is a way for the First Prince to exert his influence over the economy. If a particular part of the city is in either open rebellion or does not listen to his will, he will take over a marketplace and forbid all food imports through that particular marketplace. This is very rarely done, but the threat of this law helps the Prince keep both nobles and the populace in check.


Military:
Most of the military forces within and outside of the cities are sworn to the nobility, but the Princes have their own personal armies that work in a coalition to exert their will. Due to the shaky nature of this arrangement, coups are commonplace and many civil wars rock the city of Qussa. It is highly prestigious for a commoner to serve for the First Prince as they see it as doing the will of the Sun. This means that whereas his armies are small, the First Prince can rely on more reinforcements and volunteers during conflicts than the nobility, which helps maintain power in most circumstances.

There is no military training or standard military doctrine. Each soldier is tasked with bringing his own weapons and provide his own clothing. Most soldiers are paid in generous (compared to standard) amounts of food, sometimes even precious metals. The average of a service man is young; around 18. Usually most soldiers quit the military at an older age of around 25. Soldiers will often have one or two wives attached to them, with the commanders having plentiful harems. A soldier is no longer obligated to serve in the army once he has either a child or owns land or a large enough boat. Any citizen between the ages of 17 and 35 who is not married, has no children and no wealth is obligated to serve in the army should any of the nobles desire to press him into their service.

The religion has a few warriors of the faith, most of whom are experienced soldiers past the age of 25. These soldiers work for no pay but instead to fulfill their religious obligation to the Sun. In order to keep the army of the faith in check, no more than 500 warriors may serve within it at any time.

Large armies are enlisted by the tax rackets. The tax rackets are not formally allowed to own armies, but their power and multiple bribes and input into the treasury makes the nobles and Princes turn a blind eye. Tax rackets offer very lucrative positions as they pay in both food and precious metals. The tax rackets accept only the most capable of soldiers to act as "collectors" and will often provide equipment. The tax racket armies are roughly half the size of the armies of the Combined Princes. If the Princes deem the army of the rackets too large, their contracts will be terminated should the tax racket refuse to comply. This will often lead to fighting between the nobility and the tax rackets. Each tax racket is usually tied to a noble, meaning the fighting can (and does) get awfully complicated.


 
Ohlone
Location: San Francisco Bay area and Sacramento River Delta (Yellow)

People and Society: Decentralized tribes with no single leader; each is ruled by a council of the five eldest people in the tribe, whether men or women. The tribes are connected by a common set of myths revolving around the four main gods of dawn, day, dusk and night, as well as intermarriage and trade. Each tribe controls its own territory, which it uses to produce food. There are a few settlements along the coast that revolve around fishing and gathering shells that are seen as valuable, while those who live inland are nomadic hunter-gatherers.

Government: All Ohlone tribes are ruled by a Council of Elders. How exactly the Council is decided and who may sit on it varies from tribe to tribe, but the most common composition is the five eldest members of the tribe. A few coastal tribes have a "Council" composed only of the most elder man and woman, while some other tribes have every man and woman over the age of fourteen sit on the Council. Most tribes view the five-seat Elder council as "traditional". Despite this, however, extra seats may be rewarded to individuals that the Council recognizes as honorable or important to the tribe. Each tribe has its own unique mark, similar to a coat of arms, that is etched into trees, rocks and other landmarks at the places where the territories of two tribes meet so everyone knows whose lands are whose. Generally, tribes respect the territory of other tribes, and malicious tresspassers are dealt with jointly by the council of each tribe affected. Mostly, though, tribes peacefully coexist and traders may pass from territory to territory.

Economy: The inland Ohlone tribes are mainly nomadic hunter-gatherers, though due to the mild climate in which they live they usually travel over fairly small areas. On the coast, many tribes live in villages where the fishing is especially good. These fishing villages make reed canoes that can travel up and down the coast to meet with other tribes and villages to trade food, seashells and other valuables.

Military: Having a standing military is not normal among the Ohlone tribes, as there is a strong culture of respect for the lands of other tribes; one is not to take what belongs to others without giving something equal back in return. Disputes between tribes, when they do occur, are usually resolved by ritualized single combat between the strongest man in each tribe. The loser is killed, but all-out war is averted. Despite that, most Ohlone men are skilled with spears and slings used for hunting, and if pressed a tribe could marshal a band of warriors fairly efficiently, although they might be less effective against tribes with a dedicated warrior class.
 
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The Devonic Tribes

Location: ( https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d3/South_West_England_in_England.svg ) - Red

People and Society: The peoples of the Devonic tribes live in as they say, about 25 different tribes. These tribes widely vary in how they run, from being led by a clan chieftain to being run by an assortment of the strongest tribesman. Most of these tribes are located around rivers or streams where tin can be acquired as well as clay. The civilization itself has a strong tie to pottery as a result of being located near these bodies of water with the large amounts of clay available to use. Generally Tin is what drives the Devonic people as it is required for the production of Bronze. Gods can also vary between tribes as one tribe could acknowledge a God of Metalworking but another could instead acknowledge a God of Bronze. These small differences cause little tension between tribes as not one tribe is quite like another.

Government: Tribal Governments are a wide variety of different ideas and concepts, some Tribes aspire to make every man have a say in the Tribe, others not so much. Only a few Tribes recognize that women are on the same grounds men and deserve the same rights. These tribes however are located closer to Cornwall farther away from more centralized and autocratic tribes farther east.

Economy: All Devonic Tribes run on Tin, in order to make Bronze with small scale farming occurring along settlements located at Tin deposits. Pottery is normally traded as a sort of currency in addition to a storage device. The worth of the Pottery generally is based on how decorated it is. Trading is also another common activity as tribes who are not located near a river or steam have to trade other goods such as food or wood. These Tribes are generally a lot weaker compared to those who have access to Tin.

Military: There is no central military as the Tribes are not united and have different military systems. Some Tribes force men into service with their "army" normally using bronze weapons and armor. With opposite thoughts other Tribes do not force men into service but rather request volunteers in times of war. Skirmishes are also a common occurrence over streams or rivers between Tribes but generally it is solved through an agreement or a "Battle of Champions" sending the best man of each Tribe in a fight to the death.
 
Xia Dynasty

Location: Henan Province, China, hugging the Huang He river - Amber Yellow
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People and Society: Religion consists a pantheon of gods with the emperor among them. There are a number of chiefs who run the villages and tribes around the major cites but the cites are ruled by relatives of the emperor. Farming is a major and considered Honorable duty and there is almost always a surplus, which as caused the population to grow quite large.

Government: Numerous small tribal leaders that pay tribute to the emperor and major governors of the cities in the nation.

Economy: Agriculture is heavily relied upon and most men are farmers. Bronze as well as textiles are also made but not to the extent as farming.

Military: There is no central military, instead the the emporer calls upon the chiefs to raise a local levy and gather for the campaign.​
 
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The Millareans (Kingdom of Millara)

Location: Southeast Spain

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People and Society: The structure of Millarean society is agrarian in nature with a heavily stratified culture. The ideals of "nobility" and "peasantry" are appearing in a way, but are always changing and shifting. Unlike other stratified cultures where an individual will usually never rise in status, Millareans all have an equal opportunity for both wealth or ruin, but a collection of large clans tend to never leave the upper classes. Marriage between the classes is taboo but not unheard of, and a bride who marries a rich man usually raises her own family to noble status as well. The center of Millarean society is the city of Millara. Millara is built on hill that is surrounded by semiarid, but still fertile, plains and hills. Millara itself is made up of three walls, made of mud bricks with an outer casing of clay, decreasing in size and increasing in elevation on the hills. Outside of the walls are where the farmers and miners (copper, tin and clay) live. They tend to live in small clusters of 10-50 houses, each housing a family and in some circumstances, a spouse's family. The major staple crop is wheat, but beans and peas would be grown, too. Farmers usually sustained cows and pigs, but many hunted deer and boars with bows and javelins to supplement meat intake. The houses are usually rectangular in shape and are about the size of a modern-day garage. It has a first floor that served as the kitchen, dining room, and a "workspace", where stitching and crafts would be done. Cooking would be done in an outdoor fire pit, but would be moved inside and preserved with salt and herbs. The attic of the house would be the sleeping quarters of the family or families. Bed were usually piles of reeds with a pelt as a blanket, but richer farmers could afford a "mattress", wool and straw packed in a pelt jacket. Within the first wall, which as well has the largest distance between the next wall, is home to the craftsmen and artisans. Mainly potters, smiths, bakers, low-level merchants, masons, and woodworkers. Their houses are roughly the same as those who live out of the walls, but are more densely packed together. Nevertheless, first-wall-dwellers tend to maintain small vegetable gardens and animals like chickens and pigs. Within the second wall is where the nobility live. The nobles are usually Ceannosaiqs, a sort of primitive army officer, bureaucrats, or higher-level merchants. Many more strategically ally with the first wall dwellers so that they can be supplied with their crafts, which they then barter or sell to the lower classes. A noble's house is two stories tall and have about the combined size of about a one-story modern-day house. Within the third wall is the "sanctum". The Sanctum is where the Comunsileah, or "Council of Towns", gathers for meetings. It is also where the populace of Millara would go to in the case of an attack.

Outside of the Millara area, life is relatively similar to the standards outside the walls of Millara, with people living in villages usually numbering 30-250 individuals. There are as well small towns with roughly 500 people living in and around them on average. They have a one wall, with the farmers living around the wall, and the nobles living within. Settlements are connected by primitive "roads", little more than a trail of trampled foliage from travelers, as many nearby villages meet to trade. Women have some rights on the personal level, but have no representation in government.

Millarean religion is composed of the Tridéut, made up of three gods, Spadthairla, the "Father who sees", Maqtirarema, the "Mother of the Fields", and Maflispart, the "Son of the Spear". Spadthairla is the chief god of the Tridéut, he is a large, one-eyed man clothed in a cloak made of the stars. Therefore, it is believed by the Millareans that Spadthairla literally watches them from the sky. It is believed that his eye has seen everything, the past, present, and future, and the fate of every individual being on the planet, and makes sure to cause "coincidences" so that the glorious plan of the world can be achieved. Maqtirarema is the wife of Spadthairla and allows the world to be luscious. She is depicted as a beautiful (to denote fertility) woman dressed in a green dress, usually made of plants or the like. She blesses the fields and people of both genders with fertility, but is known to be capable of disasters. Natural disasters are usually concluded as Maqtirarema being displeased. Maflispart is the son of Spadthairla and Maqtirarema and is the god of hunting and war. He is depicted as a traditional Millarean soldier, most notably wielding a double edged sword, representing how war both hurts them and yourself. Being in his favor guarantees a successful hunt or surviving the next battle.

Government: Millarean government could be called a semi-democratic oligarchic monarchy. The Millareans are ruled by a monarch from any of the major clans, and the ruling family flip-flops frequently. The king is the head of the Comunsileah, and is worth two votes instead of one. All of the walled towns with at least 500 denizens elect a Comsiqleor, who represents the town in the Comunsileah. While the Comsiqleor is meant to represent the interests of his town, many look after their own families or personal goals rather than their town's. As of now, there are 18 Comsiqleors, for a total of 19, including the king.

Economy: Roughly 2/3 of Millareans are either farmers or craftsmen. The other third are mainly Ceannosaiqs or merchants. The actual economy is a barter system, but common methods of payment are pelts or copper.

Military: There is no standing army, but all male citizens are expected to be able to be levied and must maintain weaponry and adequate shields and armor (armor is usually just the clothes on their backs). There is always one resident Ceannosaiq per settlement, who marshals and rallies the settlement's soldiers.
 
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Haybaren Civilisation
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Location: Located on Southern Pakistan Coast. [GOLD]


People and Society: The Haybaren are an agriculture focused society, using their knowledge of the currents and waters along the coast to hunt fish and other sea food. They will trade the excess food to other cultures and tribes. This had let them to become some of the wealthiest members of the sub-continent. Their culture is very focused on wealth and the ability to bring in the most fish. Captains of vessels and the traders who work with them hold the most power. The Haybaren have used their wealth as much as a defence as a weapon. Should one nation or tribe wage war with them, they will not be traded with, mercenaries and other tribes will be called and the enemy wiped out, their lands added to the Heybaren. The City Haybar is the core of this culture. Towns and villages exist beyond the city, but rely on it for defence. The Haybaren are not biased in worship. Most families, farmers or merchants have individual spirits or deities that give them good luck or help. A person would leave a sacrifice on a alter for these beings to gain their help. Slave sacrifice is not uncommon, but it is the value of the item to the man, that a sacrifice is considered worthy. A man giving up the last of his animals on an alter, will be seen as more worthy than a rich man sacrificing a dozen slaves. Out of the many gods that are worshipped, six of them are the most widely worshipped.


Nubar, The God of Lions

Nubar was once a man, who was made into a Lion. As a boy he fended off the Great Sea Snakes of the Devil’s Sea, outsmarted the Sand Demons of the Mountains and led his people to victory against the Jungle people. He established the City of Haybar on the site of his final battle against his Father, the Conqueror of the Sun. It is said on his death bed that a golden light descended from the heavens and he was given the form a Great Lion, who forever watches over his people.

Nubar is worshipped by warriors and corsairs before battle. It is believed that if his gaze shines upon you, you will strike with the strength of a lion and doge with agility of one as he lends you his speed and strength. Most citizens of the City of Haybar will pay some sort of due to the Patron of the City, regardless of their position in this society. Most will touch their forehead with two fingers from their left hand when they wish for his help. Because of this left handed people are considered good luck and will often increase chances for marriage.


Jylkin, The Goddess of Knowledge

Jylkin was once a slave woman from a faraway land. Separated from her people she travelled the lands with nothing but her instincts and knowledge to survive. During this journey she outwitted Tigers, Snakes and men. Tricked a King into handing her all his possessions and saved the lives on an entire city from flood. Her journey is not fully known, but her final destination was the city of Haybar. There she met the Nubar, the God of Lions and together they created the city of Haybar. It is said that during this time both of them were able to trick to the God Risht into turning her into a god.

Jylkin is considered the Patron of Lost Souls, Scholars and Women. Women are not equal to men in the Haybaren society, but they are allowed to earn money and own property. A woman may chose her own husband as did Jylkin, but the father may not provide a dower if he does not approve and may disown her.


Lu, The Mother of the Sea

Lu is considered one of the oldest of the gods and unlike most is considered the child of gods, as opposed to a person who became a deity. It is said that in the early days of the world, the Night and Sun met. They fell in love and gave birth to Lu. The Haybaren believe that the Night is a great Ocean that is held back by the sky and one day they will sail in the Night again. Lu the daughter of the Night fell to the Earth, tricked by the God Risht. She was unable to return to the Night and together the Night and Lu wept and covered the whole world in sea, in the hopes she would float to the top. The God Trak, Lord of the Earth would not let her drown him in her sorrow. So he seduced her and convinced her to stay. Now the Sea and the Land live in harmony, but not all marriages are peaceful. When the seas churn and storms smash against the coast or consume ships, it is because she is in a foul mood.


She is often worshipped by women as a Goddess of Fertility and by sailors as the Moth of the Sea. Her blessing will grant a woman many children and sailors calm passage through the oceans. A sacrifice of flowers and wine will gain you her blessing.


Government: Republic. Seats within the Senate are given to the wealthiest members of Haybar City. Together they decide the political decisions of the Republic as a whole. Outside of the senate are smaller bodies that make up the political factions of the republish, each vying to place a member in a senate seat. An election comes at the death of a Senator. It is not uncommon for assassination to play a large part in the political movements of the Republic. In times of War one person from the Republic is assigned total power over the Republic. This can be any individual with the Republic as long as the senate vote that person in. Should the senate be unable to reach a decision on a matter, a Speaker will be elected who will have final say over the matter and only that matter.


Economy: The economy of the Haybaren is primarily a trade one. The Haybaren catch an abundance of fish due to owning a large fishing fleet. Each ship is required to pay a tax or supply a portion of their catch to the Republic upon arriving. The rest is sold to neighbouring tribes or nations.


Military: The closest the Haybaren have to a standing army is the Haybar City Guard. The City Guard are a well-trained, well-equipped, but small group of warriors that guards the city and surrounding areas. They are loyal to the senate and police the city. Other than the City Guard each faction within the city will have an assortment of mercenaries or warriors to guard their assets. In times of war the Haybaren will usually strike a deal with one or two of the tribes to attack their enemy.

The Haybaren have a large Navy. As most of the richest individuals in Haybar have reached that wealth through ownership of a ship, most recognise the importance of protecting that asset. It is a point of pride among captains to have the most well armoured and well equipped ship. In times of war the Haybar will either buy or force all Captains into service.
 
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Traikosian Civilization

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Location: Sicily and Calabria (capital of Traikos located in modern day Palermo)

People and Society: Traikosian society is centered on its strong aristocracy. Citizens are expected to serve and respect the nobles. Nobles and commoners alike follow a polytheistic religion; due to the presence of a volcano, the main god is the god of fire.

Government: Traikos' government is a mixture of monarchy and oligarchy, where among the noble families a king is elected whenever the previous king dies. The heir is typically elected before the current king dies so as to prevent an interregnum. In the event that the nobles are unable to choose an heir when the king dies, then the most senior of the current ruling family is chosen as the next king. The nobles are notorious for feuding with each other over who shall be elected the next king. Kings can be from the same noble family multiple times, but not immediately after the family's king dies (ie. Family A's King rules, Family A's King dies, Family A cannot have a king from their family until another family has a king). This rule is of course circumvented by the rule concerning the inability to choose an heir.

Economy: Traikos is an agrarian society with a significant emphasis on trade.

Military: Nobles who are equipped bronze weapons, armor, and horses, and peasant levies that are given at most a bronze weapon (usually a spear) and helmet.
 
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Meveon Civilization

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Light Pink denotes Meveon Kingdom, Dark Pink denotes Meveon Vassals

People and Culture:

The oldest evidence of inhabitants on the island of Naxon refers to a preceramic Neolithic farming community that dates to 7,000 BC, or as some scholars have suggested, to centuries preceding that approximation. The neolitihic population dwelt in open villages; fishermen's huts were constructed on the shoreline, while the fertile Mesara Plain was littered with farming properties, primarily used for agricultural settlements or husbandry. The unusual mountain rage, which proved habitable for agrarian development and defensible from possible raiders, was central to this Neolithic society. Rainfall from the escalated heights met at river springs, and created an ample source of water that would later develop into early irrigation centers. Throughout the 4th millenium BC, megalithic structures were eructed around the Naxon water banks and sources, indicating that the population explosion was centralizing a disparate group around key aquatic channels. Needless to say, as more and more Neolithic communities shifted towards the moisture of central Naxon, nomadic Naxons broke off from their "rainfall dependence" and shifted their necessities to the certain bodies of water. This demographic shift helped propagate a culture with deep spiritual connections to the water - a religious connection that would advance from animistic sentiments to organized ecclesiastes.

In the early 2nd millenium BC, the Bronze Age was introduced to Naxon. Preceding this social alteration, several localities, beginning in the late 3rd millennium BC, developed into centers of commerce and handwork. These commercial centers were areas of exchange for the exterior farm and fishing communities. The development of these marketplaces enabled an upper class to develop and practice leadership activities. These new men of wealth exerted their influence over the nucleus of the bartering economy through the exploitation of their own property's fertile produce. It is likely that the original hierarchies of the local elites were replaced by monarchist power structures - an essential necessity as the commerce towns yearned for organization rather than familial competition. In the South of the island, a powerful Naxonian family helped to develop a small village on the coastline into a commercial powerhouse. This village began the growth of the southern cities, unusually large hubs that served as both a marketplace arena and a residential centre. The city of Meveon was allegedly constructed by a group of fifty agrarian families, with the aid of Niampha, the Goddess of the River. Because the city could boast proximity to the coast and the river sources, Meveon quickly became the most notable of the southern cities.

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The Tree Divines of Naxon
As the dominant force in Naxon's southern region, the monarchial rule in Meveon greatly benefited from a rather unusual religious uniformity across the island. This rare religious constancy is attributed to Telvax - a minor King from the west of Naxon - who adopted elements from the rural animistic beliefs to construct a temple to a trinity of divines. This religious adaptation became widely popular in Telvax's demesne, and eventually became the religious norm across Naxon as Kings and Nobles constructed religious palaces to the entertained appetite of their people. The Kings of Meveon, through conflict and intrigue, declared themselves "Patrons of the Trinity," claiming religious exclusivity as the mortal appointees of Niampha (the Goddess of the River), Aquadam (the God of the Sea), and Raifan (the Child-God of Rainfall.) Through commercial exploits, the increasingly powerful Meveon monarchy constructed dozens of altars and temples to their Trinity. But the standardization of religion also angered many traditional rural families; these ancient families had committed themselves to the animistic trinity and devoted their livelihood to a strict moral code that connected nature and mortality. It is believed, through one way or another, that the Naxon religion assimilated that moral code into the standardized Meveon religious practices, absorbing the old animistic traditions into a new structured model. A lengthy code of morality and practice evolved into the epicenter of the Naxon Trinity - these laws became known as the famous Dignus, the heuristic traditions of the Trinity's believers.
Government:
The "City" of Meveon, since its mysterious establishment, has been ruled by a Monarch from among the aristocratic brood. Although by convention, the Monarchy is hereditary, few families have been able to retain power for sustained periods as internal strife ensures frequent usurpers and fallen Rex(s). The Monarch is advised by a host of retinues, although, like many other Naxon rulers, his power is limited to the extent of his contained bureaucracy. Unable to efficiently affect economic factors (or simply unwilling to interfere), the King of Meveon concentrates his ambition on expansion and contention with nearby towns, and sometimes, the powerful Northern cities. Nonetheless, the King enjoys the riches of the some of the world's earliest and most expansive Palaces - the result of successful conquest and fertile exchanges. These vast properties ensure that the King is revered by the wealthy farmers and traditional families, both of which can stir trouble for his rule.
Economy:
The undoubted occupation of the populace across Naxon is farming and husbandry - subsistence professions which rule supreme over all other concerns. Although early towns and small regal cities are scattered across the southern coastline, the residential populace lives in near isolation amid the fertile mountains, many of them unaware of their urban administrators. More prominently, villages alongside the river banks and coastline provide food through the abundance of fish and seasonal floods. What little is not consumed is carted to the local village or town for barter with the wealthy families, often boasting opulent items for sale and purchase. Nonetheless, few can afford these commercial exchanges with their petty surplus crop and simply reside peacefully in blissful ignorance.
Military:
The villages and towns of Naxos are incredibly belligerent, despite near cultural and religious uniformity across the island (excluding the many dialects that have arisen in the isolated farmlands.) Local farmers and urban residents comprise the bulk of any Naxon army, which is composed almost entirely of heavily armored infantry and light skirmish troops. During the rarer conflicts that force greater measures for the preservation of a Kingdom - farmers from the outskirts of the territories may be called to serve, although these distant farmers may not even know for whom they serve or for what cause. Aside from these martial reservations, there is no standing retinue, rather, a collective of subjects that are called forth into action when conflict arises.
 
The Corazian City Societies
(name is derived from the historical name of the first city to be excavated)


Location: Located in a large chunk of Canaan (Blueish-Green)


People and Society:

Class structure: Corazian society is very, very structured. The structure permeates in all parts of society. Although there is some potential for social advancement, mainly based on military accomplishments, some historians have classified Corazian as a caste based structure, but most do not use that term. At the very bottom there is slave labor in the fields. It is worth noting that Slavery in Corazia was hereditary. These laborers are often criminals, or descendants of criminals, along with prisoners of war from enemies that fell rather weakly. Above that are slaves “lucky enough” to serve in the city. These made up the bulk of the urban population and would do whatever was required, from washing clothes to serving food. They would also serve as much of the labor for any economic activity that required a large number of workers. Slaves were also not part of the military as they were not trusted to serve their masters faithfully in battle. These would often backfire as wars often took a large chunk of the free population into battle, along with anyone rich or competent, and many a city has suffered slave revolts. Above that were the non-slave poor. There were two types, the rural and urban poor. The rural were lower in the society and often had small huts and spent their days tending the fields for the rural Aristocracy. The urban poor often spent their days doing what ever they could to put food on the table for that night or had no homes and lived on the street. Unlike slaves, the poor were often forced to join the military forces, and made up the bulk of the armies, and were the second largest part of the total urban population. Above that were rural landowners. They typically owned smaller portions of land than the rural Aristocracy, but still lived comfortable lives. Next there was the merchants and craftsman. They lived in the cities and formed the heart of the economy of Corazia. Then their was the Rural Aristocracy. These families often could draw their lineage back to merchant or craftsman families that had performed extraordinary feats in war and had been granted land by the city government. At least this is what written records seem to suggest. Finally there was the urban Aristocracy. These families had great military histories and were the political heart of the cities. They lead the armies and sat in the councils.

Women: Women definitely were considered inferior to men. Still though, they had more opportunities than many of other women of this time. In the lower tiers of society women had to assist their families and often did similar roles to men, allowing them a greater deal of freedom in day to day activities. In the upper-classes, women had a much more structured and less free life, but as the men were often out at war, women often served as the economic managers of the house, taking care of day to day needs.

Religion: Corazians were polytheistic with a large pantheon of gods. The gods were depicted as fickle and prone to destruction. While there was the typical food and storm gods, all the gods were often violent, and they demanded sacrifices of blood, either by war or ritual sacrifice. Ritualistic sacrifices were often slaves, but some nobles, for increased favor, would sacrifice less useful members of their families, often second or third daughters.


Government: While the cities have a mix of governments, almost all the cities have some form of monarchy or Oligarchy. Most monarchies have their start as some family of nobles that seized control of the city by military means. Some are said to have saved cities from destruction at the nick of time. While the degree of lawful power of the Kings depended on a city, real power was always held by the nobles who had a large degree of autonomy. Most cities were ruled by a Council made up of their best generals, always nobles. These Councils were fluid with many a noble losing their position during the next war to a rising commander. Out side of the city, and in their lands, the city government had little practical control over the rural people. Authority came from the local Noble.

Prominent Cities, listed in order of relative power:
Corazia: Oligarchy
Atriasia: Oligarchy, a long time ago the city fell to a slave revolt. The city has long sense restored all the old style of institutions, but their is technically no slaves
Tortania: Monarchy guided by Council
Gorgtia: Monarchy
Dovicaria: Monarchy
Novicartia: Often switched government types
Dislatia: Oligarchy

Economy: The Corazian economies are based off of trade both with each other and neighboring societies. It is worth note that due to their rather frequent wars, the Corazian cities often see huge economic swings both through time, and regionally due to the relative shifting power of the cities. This is just another addition of the chaotic lives of the people of the region. There's also a large agricultural sector that supplies the cities with the food they need to sustain themselves and wage their wars.


Military: Corazian military was one of the more advanced of its time, with chariots, While it did not have a standing army persay, most nobles, and definitely kings, maintained a standing force to deter rivals from trying to kill them with force. When war came the army was made up of conscripts from the urban and rural poor, with nobles serving as officers. Women were not allowed to serve. Often wars were short with a large pitched battle in the middle of some cities lands after months of maneuvering, followed by a failed attempt to take the rival city. Often some small tribute was demanded of the city that had lost the battle, and some land was occasionally exchanged.
 
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