Editing WS:Ambria (section)

==LIFE IN AMBRIA==

Ambria is a classical (if somewhat idealized) feudal society. The lower class is composed primarily of tenant farmers who work on farmlands owned by their lord. Free farmers (i.e. those who own their land), most merchants, artisans, and the military make up the middle class. The upper class is composed of wealthy landowners (most of whom are of noble birth) and the most successful merchants. The peasants pay fealty to a local noble (a Lord, Earl, or Count), who in turn pays fealty to high noble (a Baron or Duke). While Ambria's ruler merely holds the title of Lord Regent, he actually enjoys all the powers of a King, and all of the high nobles owe their loyalty to him (since the days of General Caebial, the tradition of avoiding noble titles has lapsed somewhat, and many refer to the Lord Regent as the King , and government property is known as royal property.

Peasants in the lowlands make their living primarily through farming, except for fishermen along the coast of Stormshaven Bay. Farmers are rarer in the eastern hills. Most folk there are occupied primarily with raising animals. Autumn sees a great deal of travel along the royal highways, as the herders head west to sell their fattened animals to farmers, and farmers head east to sell their harvests to the highlanders.

Taxes are collected regularly, and this causes some grumbling, but most of the peasantry is happy with its lot. The only exception to this rule is the land around Trell, where the peasants regularly challenge the authority of the area's high noble, Duke Whympul. Whympul is a weak ruler, and is not well-liked even among the aristocracy. Twice at year, at tax-collection time, the Lord Regent needs to send several companies of soldiers to that province to put down tax revolts. It is possible that in the future, the area may try to break off from Ambria entirely.

Life in Ambria's cities is more fast-paced than in the countryside. Goods are plentiful in city markets (even in Trell), and folk from the Ambrian countryside crowd the cities, looking to spend what little money they have for good clothes, fine tools, and other such items that are less available in the rural areas. Crime is also more common in the cities; Strongwall in particular is known for its pickpockets.

Law in Ambria is not very formal. Most disputes are settled by common law, with justice being dispensed by the local lord or his appointed judge. Punishments for a crime vary from region to region depending on local custom and the disposition of the lord or judge, although there are three killing offenses: murder, treason, and horse thievery. Lesser punishments can range from a night in the pillory to lifetime imprisonment. As a final note, in Ambria, unlike any other nation in the Western Shores, slavery is illegal. Any slaves brought onto Ambrian soil are immediately set free by the local authorities. Some rural villages are composed almost entirely of former slaves from Daria, Irolo, and Zylistan.

Ambrian religion is semi-nordic. It resembles the medieval Catholic Church in feel and structure, but heroes are elevated to the status of saints, or even lesser gods. The Chief Ambrian God is known as Odin the Allfather. He is in turn served by several dozen lesser gods, all known as the Aesir.

The Ambrian Church is very much like the medieval Christian church, and preaches the virtues of prayer, charity, humility, and forgiveness (sadly, it also resembles the medieval Christian Church in that not all of its priests practice what they preach!). Priests are revered in Ambria more than in any other land (with the exception of Zylistan). All but the most lowly priests practice magic to some extent.

Magic is generally not accepted in Ambria, and the common folk are often suspicious of magicians. In the cities, the practice of magic is more accepted, and also more common. Ambria still produces fewer talented magicians than Irolo, Weyrcliff, and Zylistan, however. Many attribute this to the country's proximity to Sorcerer's Spire, although no link has been proven.