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Qenar
QenarMost rule is by the military. The marshal (currently Daziros Rahen; see People) at Tenu sets national policy and also governs that canton. The other cantons are ruled by their respective commandants. Within the military, command-rank is given for tactical or administrative aptitude, not necessarily weaponskill. (Training, however, is carried about by weaponmasters or drillmasters. Think of them roughly as "sergeants.") In all cases, other factions form behind-the-scenes (well, shall we say less explicit) powers, generally known as consortia. These are *not* guilds, though they perform some of the same functions: organization, settings standards, collective bargaining power. Often they are organized by family, *especially* in the case of the merchant and farming classes. The closest thing to nobility are the merchant families...though alliance is not strictly by bloodties (fostering is common), and economic success is the best criterion of power. The lawkeepers are the magistrates, assisted by the wraiths. In general they are independent of other political forces in Qenar; the wraiths have an excellent record at dispatching the corrupt. The other powers in Qenar are unfond of the magistrates, who think nothing of trampling over...understandings, but thoughts of displacing them are quieted when a wraith makes an appearance in the area. The legal system is only vaguely codified, but relies on tradition, precedent, and a magistrate's on-the-spot judgement. Use of loopholes is considered a minor crime in itself, since magistrates are trained to interpret intent rather than exact wording. (This has a lot of holes in it, of course...but it's the ideal they aspire to.) If it helps you, think of Qenar as a heavily distorted, somewhat easternized and idealized version of the Swiss Confederacy. :-) For those who are confused, local tradition is to name the major city in a canton/province after the canton/province. This holds in Qenar, Avrezin, and to some extent, Bereshen. Possibly in some of the western lands as well. Chedraqis signals the difference through inflection. Since I don't want to confuse players through use of unnecessary linguistic details :-) I will specify thus: canton Tannaj vs. city Tannaj; province Moruhan vs. city Moruhan.
AvrezinIn her past, Avrezin was known as the Seven Cities--six under one, the warlord at Rekke by the River. In that past, Avrezin was a theocracy, and the warlord a mage-priest. The regents of the other cities were appointed by the warlord; the noble houses vied for power while striving to stay beneath the priests' scrutiny. Then came the reign of the mad priest Zasev, in an era where abuses and corruption were increasingly apparent. (Before--they existed, but weren't openly accepted.) There was a schism in the priesthood between those who upheld the old traditions, despite their flaws, and those who sought the new. In time these became known as the Old Sects and the Splinter Sects (the latter being split into many different variants). One city, Avre, revolted against Zasev. Zasev summoned the general of his armies, Lady Dakirev, and traveled with her to the city. And as she watched, he called magefire to burn down the city--known thenceforth as Avre the Ravaged, never rebuilt. Dakirev disavowed Zasev and led a rebellion that resulted in Zasev's execution in the River Ezin, the Drowning. For a few years more Avrezin was united under the Lady General's rule. But malcontents assassinated Dakirev, and since then, Avrezin has been a collection of six city-states, five owing nominal loyalty to the warlord at Rekke. In practice, the warlord has as much power as he or she can wrench away from the unwilling regents. Religion lost most of its pull after the Drowning, though the various sects occasionally make bids for power. The powers-behind-the-scenes of late are the noble houses and the rising bourgeoisie. NOTE: Modern Ezinen society dates everything from the Drowning--it's what defines their existence, even though records of those troubled years are scant and suspected of bias. If it helps, think of Avrezin as a heavily distorted version of the fragmented German princedoms, or perhaps the Italian city-states of the Renaissance (after which the "nation" was loosely patterned).
BereshenThe Bereshi have little in the way of a central government due to poor communications. The land is subject to flooding and impassability. One of the few national institutions involves road-building and maintenance, in fact, though ships along the coast (Bereshen's north border is a shoreline, consisting of ports through which they trade with the Summersea islanders) are the preferred mode of travel whenever possible. Rafts and boats are also common in local travel. The other reason is that the marshlands encourage disease and peril-in-general. Many a foreigner has asked a Bereshi why they don't drain the land. The typical Bereshi response is curiosity: why should they? If a child survives his first several years, he'll be immune to a good many ills. Life in Bereshen centers around the collegia, whose teachers focus on the sciences, medicine and pharmacology in particular. Bereshi magic also has a heavy emphasis on healing. The other main influence is trade--Bereshi medicines are valued throughout the known world, and islander ships carry Bereshi goods everywhere the islanders go. Society-wise, Bereshen is the most similar to the Summersea islands. Trickery and double-dealing is common, EXCEPT among their physicians. However, a written agreement is inviolate, and they are considerate of guests. Among traders, poisoning--incapacitating but not fatal (especially since pharmacologists focus on antidotes)--is a common means of intimidation.
The DiresandsI'd have a better name, except the desert is home to no vast empire, but to many different clans. Though Tiesh is the most commonly spoken language (and functions as a lingua franca), there are many tongues in the desert. Alliances among the clans are ever-changing. The largest ones in the north are obsessed with retaking Harava--City of Tears, once ruled by Clan Aharaz (now called the Lost Clan). The Aharaz voluntarily joined Qenar rather than submit to the rule of a rising clan lord some 200 years ago, and since then they have been regarded as traitors by many desert folk. (To this day Harava remains the most independent and contrary of Qenar's cantons. Tenu's standing policy is to let them go their own way except in times of crisis.) Government--varies. There are unwritten laws held in common by all the clans (lest they be subject to bloodfeud and extermination and/or assimilation by all takers) regulating the use of oases, a few war conventions, trade, and guest-right.
SorevvSorevv was once Avrezin's closest ally and neighbor, despite being separated from Avrezin by treacherous land. They have in common worship of the Firebird (a sun-god of justice), and the tongue spoken in Sorevv is closely related to Chedraqis (think: German and Afrikaans). But unlike Avrezin, Sorevv is theocratic--ruled by a powerful temple. Most uses of magic are restricted to the priests (which was mostly true of Avrezin before the Drowning). Civilian lords govern the church districts and wrestle with the local priests (magisters/magistrae) for control of resources. NOTE: I realize this is sketchy. It's intended to be. I'm not making anything else up unless I have to.
The Ashen LandsThose of the western lands consider the Ashen Lands lawless. They're only partly correct: "laws" among the nomads and wanderers who survive in that shadowed place are idiosyncratic, depending on a despot's whim; but they are also geared toward survival. (The uncompromisingly despotic are early to die...and be replaced.) |
