Editing Alia:Geography



=Overview=
The northern isles compromise two large isles, and several smaller
ones surrounded by a warm sea, on the more southern large isle is the
capital city of the Republic, Nolton.
  
To the south of the republic, on the main continent are the lands of
the Empire of Rhode.  Rhode's capitol city is Bernast along the Dannik
river that runs through Rhode.

South of Rhode is the Shadow Wood, inhabited by the wood elves.

South of the Shadow Wood are lands comprising of desert, savanna and
jungle.

To the west of the Republic of the Isles are the coasts of Prolia
inhabited by sea faring humans/half orcs who alternatively fish, raid
other coastal villiges or pirate the seas.

Inland from Prolia are the mountains formerly ruled by a great dwarven
and gnomish civilization that fell hundreds of years ago.  Now
inhabited and ruled by giants and called Estvald.
            
Between Estvald and Rhode are the hilly lands of the Rock Gnomes,

== Demographics ==

Demographics presented in this section are loosely based on [http://www.io.com/~sjohn/demog.htm |Medieval Demographics Made Easy]

==Overview Map of Alia ==
[[Image:Alia region half.jpg]]

=Republic of the Isles=

The northern isles compromise two large isles, and several smaller ones surrounded by a warm sea.

The islands are:

* Wellsland (pop. 4 million), the more southern large isle has the capital city of the Republic, [[Alia:Nolton|Nolton]], the major ship building industry of the Republic is the City of Farifax, and the Dwarven city of [[Alia:Cragmore|Cragmore]].
* Rhime (pop. 2 million), the large island to the north of Wellsland.  Cities include [[Alia:Lannish]], [[Alia:Narrowford|Narrowford]].
* Khole (pop. 200 thousand), a small island west of Wellsland, and east of Prolia.
* Darkshore (pop. 200 thousand), a small island east of Wellsland.
* Icehold (pop. 100 thousand), a medium size island to the northwest, off the coast of the northern forest.

==Map of the Republic of the Isles==

[[Image:Republic.jpg]]

==Government==
The humans of the Republic are seafaring masters and are skilled at
naval combat as well as coastal raiding.  This from long years of
fighting off pirates from Prolia.  (Some say
from an infusion of Prolian blood from all the raiding as
well.)  The Republic's official religion is the Order of Man.
The Emperor is a hereditary figure-head.  The actual rulership comes
from the house of lords where each founding nation's noble families
meet in Nolton for 2 months in the summer to pass laws and discuss
national policy and by a group of ministers elected from within those
lords to administer the country.  There are currently 15 ministerial
posts, including a Prime Minister, a Minister of Defense, a Minister
of Justice, and several others.  These ministers are the true
rulership of the empire.

==Adventure in the Republic==
The republic is the home of oldest known human civilization.  It is
90% settled with few only a few remaining dangerous areas.  There is
no appreciable Monstrous Humanoid presence on the main islands of the
republic.  Adventures, tend to be driven by civilized peoples.  Common 
conflicts include: 

* insane or criminal villains
* political machinations
* ancient crypts and tombs.

===Famous Locations===

* The Harrow Wood is an enchanted forest inhabited by all manner of the fey.
* Mistraven Swamp is an evil place inhabited by a large coven of Hags.

===Major Cities===

* [[Alia:Nolton]]
* [[Alia:Cragmore|Mount Cragmore]] (Dwarves)

===Dragons===

There are five dragon fiefdoms in the Republic.

In Wellsland:

* Fringle the Green, has a fiefdom with 22 Dragons on the western side of the Harrowood. 
* Krestag the Bronze, has a fiefdom of 12 on the easternmost coast of Wellsland.

In Rhime:

* The Brood, is a fiefdom of 8 Black Dragons who collectively claim the lands surrounding the port town of Narrowford.

In Icehold:

* Sharvakan the white, holds a fiefdom of 12 dragons on the northern coast.

In the straight between Wellsland and Rhime.

* Othleigh the Red, and his entourage of 6, claim the entire island of Freidmore.

==People of the Republic==

===Nobility===

Nobility is a long tradition of the Republic.  The histories of human civilazation of the lands of Prolia began with the first kingdom of humans on the southernmost isle of the Republic (Wellsland).  The nobility of today is mostly a thing of tradition and has been replaced by the reality of a modern government.

Political reality of The Republic:

* It has an independant judiciary.
* The Rule of Law is paramount.
* A standing army reports to the Minister of Defense and to the House of Parliament.
* Noble titles are mostly irrelevent.  Either a family is a peer of the realm, and thus it has a hereditary post in parliament, or it doesn't.  Power comes from wealth and from political influence.
* The Order of Man, while being the official religion of the Republic is seen as separate from the rule of the country.  Golanist philosophy is still very much a part of the Republic's moral fibre, so although Humanity is seen as the rightful rulers and higher in the hierarchy of reincarnation, the "lesser races" are not mistreated.
* The republic has close ties with the Dwarves of Cragmore, the Wood Elves of Shadow Wood, the Gnomes of Green Hill and is seen by demi-humans of the Empire of Rhode as a safe haven.
* Elves and Half-elves are accepted in the Republic.  There are some noble half-elves, which by law have all the rights of nobles, but who may not occupy a seat in the House of Lords (Proclamation of the House of Lords and the Will of Emporer Ralph VII, Bill 34, Summer Session   402 OY).

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=Empire of Rhode=

The Empire of Rhode rules all the plains drained by the Dannick and Red rivers, right up to the edge of the Shadow Wood to the south, Mount Silverpeak to the East and Estvald and the hills of Greenhill to the west.

[[Image:Alia_rhode.jpg]]

The empire of Rhode is, in fact warring on two fronts, with the Republic of the Isles 
in the north and with the elves of the Shadow Wood forest in the south. The economic and military might of Rhode is great, due to the large amount of fertile land, the temperate weather and good supply of natural resources, bolstered by Rhode's use of slave labour. They appear to be doing well in both wars.

==Population of Rhode==

Rhode is an Imperial Monarchy. Lands are divided into duchies, counties, marches and baronnys and ruled and administered by their hereditary nobility. All pay tribute to the Emporer and to their Duke, both in taxes and troops.  The system of government is entirely based on the feudal system.  The empire has no single standing army, but rather each noble, by his oath of fealty must equip and train men, and send them to serve the Emporer or Duke in his wars.

All land is owned by the nobility, by law. Most land and businnesses are also administered by hirelings of the noble families but there are a small number of commoners who rent from the nobility and run their own operations. Being low-born is a great impediment in the southern kingdoms.

The Empire of Rhode has a total population of 18 million.
 
Population breakdown by class is as follows:

* 0.1% high noblity - ranking land owners with taxation rights (18k)
* 0.9% "low" nobility - knights or noble merchants and traders (162k)
* 4% commoner merchants (200k), traders(70k) and clergy (450k). 
* 5% serving class (900k)
* 5% skilled labourers - artists (100k) and skilled crafters (800k): smiths, coopers, brewers, sculptors, etc.)
* 65% free common labourers - farmers, and light unskilled labour (11.7 million)
* 20% slaves - heavy and/or dangerous labour (3.6 million)

===Armed Forces===

About 1/4 of low nobility are combatant knights (40k).  These 
have regional affiliations and rarely more than 1/2 of a 
region's knights are called to the field.  Typically, knights 
compose up to 10% of an army the rest are composed of militia 
drafted from the peasantry.

A region's knight-defenders will consist of 1 knight per 400 
population and 1/4 of the population might be called upon to 
defend a town or city.

A region's army sent to battle would be half the number knights 
plus as many as 1 in 20 of the population of commoners.

Slaves are rarely if ever used in combat.

===The Royalty of the Empire===

Rhode has a single emporer and number of princes.  The emporer 
appoints those princes in his favor to rule the non-hereditary 
posts of the six Duchies of Rhode.  Other princes are granted 
titles at the Emporer's pleasure.

===Sovereign Nobility===

Peers are the true nobility of Rhode.   Counts, Marquis and Barons 
are all titled, hereditary ranks, with full taxation rights over 
their land, and bound by an oath of fealty to their Prince and to 
their Emporer.  Each is responsible for equiping and training a 
certain number of footmen, and for providing mounted knights to 
be sent to war at the Emporer's or their Duke's word.

Marquis have sovereign power over a march or border city.
Counts have soveriegn power over large county or city.
Barons have soveriegn powers over smaller baronies.

These landed nobles are named after the counties, marches, 
cities and baronies they rule.  A nobles word are as law to 
all commoners, and to all lower or equal ranked nobles in 
their domain.  Visiting nobles are usually treated with respect, 
but may be banished from the domain by the right of the ruling 
lord.

===Knights===

====Landed Knights====

Knights (form of address Sir or Madam) are a non-hereditary rank granted to an 
individual in exchange for service and fealty.  The spouse of a Knight has no 
noble rank. Knights are typically the younger sons or daughters of titled 
nobility or baronets, or of knights.  The rank of knight is granted to an 
individual cavalryman or spellcaster in exchange for military service.  
They are nobility by law, and have the right to bear arms or magical devices, 
to wear a white belt to identify them as nobles, to own land.  The grantor 
of the knighthood will give the knight 1000gp, and a portion of his land as 
well as 50% of the revenue from such land.  The knight is expected to 
provide all of his martial equipment, weapons, a mount, armor and or 
magical equipment and supplies as well is to build and or maintain a 
hall or manor.  Experienced knights usually have a small retinue of 
retainers and cohorts as well.

====Landless Knights====

Some knights are not granted a fief by their liege lords, but rather are paid a 
salary for thier service.  This is the usual case when a noble has an obligation to provide more mounted troops for the Empire, but has no land to provide. Such salaries are usually 50 gold pieces per year of service as well as accomodation during times of peace.  Such landless knights rarely have a retinue, but must still pay for their own equipment and maintenance and they are held in low regard by other knights.

====Holy Orders====

The Church of Man, has the right in the Empire of Rhode to knight it's own mounted warriors, in service to god and the emporer.  These are called the Knights of Man.  Such knights have the right to bear arms and magic, have the duty to answer both to the Church and to the Emporer, and are granted the rank of Knight by the Empire, but never have land granted to them.  They are funded by either their family, or by a wealthy sponsor.

(There is no prestige class, or class requirement to becoming a Knight of Man.)

===Clergy===

Lower ranks of clergy have a social rank somewhat equivalent to landless knights, with higher ranking bishops, having a social status equivalent to a Landed Noble.  The clergy are basically immune to the laws of the land but are subject to the laws of the Church of Man and internal discipline.

===Commoners===

Most commoners are farmers, either bonded or free.  Established farmers are typically 
free and have hereditary access to pastures and fields owned by their liege.  When 
the hereditary land is not enough to support a family, younger men will bond 
themselves to a new (usually uncleared) fief.  The knight will pay for travel to 
the new land and support his new bonded peasants while the land is cleared and 
planted, in exchange for bonded service.  Farmers may pay off this bond, but 
usualy only do so after many years.

===Slaves===

Slavery of non-human races is legal in the south. Humanoids like Orcs and Goblins are considered too foul to enslave and are always killed. The most common slaves are 
half-orcs and halflings. Half-orcs have been subjugated by the Church and have been 
taught that there rightful place in the hierarchy of life is as slaves to humans. 
Halflings are mostly Golanites and are pacifists, and as such they are easy to 
capture and are model slaves, although their small size makes them unsuitable for 
heavy work. Gnomes are also quite common although they are seen as more troublesome 
than halflings and just as unsuitable for heavy labour in addition their mastry of 
illusion has led to several slave breakouts. Dwarves are prized for their 
craftmanship, but are known to be troublesome slaves. They are regarded as worth 
it and are always well guarded. Some wood elves have been taken as slaves. So far, 
little gain has come of it, many wood-elves dying in their attempts to escape, 
sometimes taking some of their slave masters with them. 

Citizens of Rhode and the families of Citizens are exempt from slavery.  Citizenship 
is aquired by birth and is held by most humans, high elves and half elves who reside 
in Rhode.  Citizenship is revoked for criminals, and several years to life enslavement 
is a common punishment for crimes.  Children of human slaves, born in Rhode are 
commonly granted citizenship upon their 16th birthday.

Slaves comprise about 20% of the population of Rhode, and are responsible for 
about one third of all labour.  By tradition and law, slaves are not used for 
agriculture.  Typical jobs done by slaves include unskilled 
labour in foundries and other heavy industry, mining, and
construction.  Slave operations often use a mix of slaves and skilled labourers, 
for example, in construction of a keep, slaves will be used for heavy labour 
of lifting stones into place, while stone masons will do the stone cutting and 
supervision.

Racial breakdown of slaves are: 10% Foreign Humans, 10% Criminal Human, 
50% Half Orc, 20% Halfling, 5% Dwarf, 3% Gnome, 2% Elf.

=Prolia=

Prolia is a loose association of humans and half orcs that pay 
tribute to the Giants of Estvald.  They are fishermen and 
coastal raiders as well as farmers and swineherds.

Prolia was once a unified knigdom.  There are ruins of guard towers
along the border to the northern forest, where once Prolian soldiers
kept the goblinoid raids from the north out of the country.  

Prolia as a country is in a bad shape.  The unified rulership of the past 
has degenrated into a collection of independant towns with very little 
co-operation between them.  Prolia is threatened by conquest from 
the south from Rhode, and by tribes of Hobgoblins to the north, 
all the while paying crippling tribute to the capracious hill 
giants of Estvald.  The northern-most towns are on the verge 
of collapse.  Each town and village struggles to survive to 
feed itself and to satisfy the Hill Giants.

Prolia exists mostly because the giants are uninterested in the
flatlands near the coast and like the tribute without having to
administer the area.  Prolia is in danger of being overrun by
the goblinoids of the northern forest, who would like better 
access to the southlands, but lack the organization to mass in 
numbers sufficient to take all of Prolia and who also do not 
wish to upset the giants.  Rumors of a great hobgoblin leader 
who has been dealing with the giants for the right to take 
prolia persist, but so far only the northernmost town of Prolia, 
Prauld, has fallen, the goblins did not stay to occupy the area, 
but retreated to the forest.

[[Image:Prolia_cmp.jpg]]

==The People of Prolia==

===Society===

There are three classes of people in Prolia.  The nobility which are the Jarls and the families of the Jarls.  The regular citizens of Prolia who do the bulk of the labour. There are also a small number of slaves.  Slavery is accepted and practial in Prolia.  Criminals are typically slain or put into slavery.  Captured enemies or people captured in coastal raiding are also made to be slaves.  Males slaves are castrated, (human, half orc, or elvish) females are often taken as wives.  Children from these mixed unions of slaves are integrated into Prolian society.  Because of this practise, there are no second generation slaves in Prolia, and their numbers are quite small.

===Law===

In times past there was a King, and the King's Law put restraints on the powers of the Jarls. In present times, Jarls are the rulers of all they see.  Their word is law and all justice comes from the judgement of the Jarl.  Where two Jarls meet there is either diplomacy or there is war.

===Race===

Humans and Half-Orcs are the most common races of Prolia, although there are small numbers of half elves and elves, some full blooded Orcs, and a very small number of half ogres and half giants.  Race has no bearing on social status within Prolia, although family history is very important.  Usually only the paternal line is considered.  Being the son of a Jarl is prestigious whereas being the son of the Jarl's sister has little meaning.

===Warriors and Heroes===

Prolia does not have a standing army or a tradition of knighthood, however it does have a tradition of heroic warriors and users of magic, and has great respect for those who take up the sword or the staff.  The Jarls of the towns follow a warrior tradition where their children are trained in the arts of war.  The Jarls friends and companions during their younger years are accepted as their sworn protectors, heros and fellow armsmen.  The number of sworn warriors that a Jarl has is usually around 50 men.

Life is hard in Prolia, and in rural areas, about 1 in 40 of the population are capable warriors or have class levels in a heroic class.  These are free men who fight for themselves, for their villages or for glory. A call to arms by a Jarl or a renowned hero may gather between 10 and 80 percent of the region's population of warrior-heroes and between 0 and 10% of commoners.

Given the population of the region of about 330 thousand, there are about 8200 warrior-heroes, and during a time of conflict Prolia could muster 6500 of them and as many as 33000 commoners.  Given the current political situation in the country and the lack of instracture to support and feed such and army, it is unlikely that Prolia could actually put together such a force or if it did, feed them form more than a few days.

==The Five Towns==

There are five major towns which comprise Prolia.

===Prauld===

Prauld was a lumber and fishing town before it fell to goblinoid 
raids recently.  The survivors of the attacks have retreated 
south and have set up a refugee camp a days travel inland 
from its nearest neighbor, Beryl.  The townsfolk of Prauld 
have not been welcomed Beryl.  

The town leader, Jarl Jorgen, was felled in battle defending 
the town, and is currently dying in a sick bed in the camp.  
Jorgen's son, Giordi, is the de-facto leader of the Prauld 
refugees.  He's a bit of a hothead, but the Prauld citizens, 
so far have managed to support themselves without conflict 
with Beryl by hunting to the far north.

===Beryl===

Beryl is led by Jarl Hastel.  Beryl factions have those who 
think they should use the Prauld refugees to defend the city 
from the hobgoblins, those who think they should leave the 
Prauld refugees to themselves, and those who think they 
should join with Prauld to attack the hobgoblins.  Jarl 
Hastel is in the last faction, but does not have support 
from key powers in the city.  In particular his brother 
Hagel, is a long time pirate raider, who thinks the 
misfortune of Beryl's enemies is to the betterment of Beryl.

Beryl is primarily a fishing village, with some income from coastal 
raiding, and herding of goats and pigs.

===Derros===

Derros is a mining town.  The ground is too poor for any 
appreciable farming or herding, the coast near Derros 
is to rough for a proper port for fishing.  Iron mined 
here is smelted into bars, plates and ingots at the 
foundry and then shipped by wagon to shinar.  The 
primary focus of the town is the production refining 
and transport of ore, and is seen by many as an 
extension of the town of Shinar.

Derros is led by two Jarls.  Jarl Marrum claims responsibility 
for the northern half of the town and the iron mines.  
Jarl Ioda claims the southern half of the town, the foundry 
and for the transportation of iron.  

===Shinar===

Shinar is the largest town of Prolia, with a population 
in excess of ten thousand.  Shinar is primarily a fishing 
town, with some light agriculture and light manufacturing.  
Most weapons, armor and tools made in Prolia are from 
Shinar.  They have good relations with all the other 
towns of Prolia.  Shinar's Jarl Yutsen, is a keen 
businessman with a reputation for coming out ahead 
in all his dealings.

===Belrane===

Belrane is the southernmost toewn of Prolia.  Primarily 
farmers and herders.  The town of belrane is the least 
defensible town of Prolia, with many farmsteads spread out 
a fair distance away from the city walls.  Belrane does 
send out regular patrols to scout the countryside for 
incursions from the south.  Jarl Wellus, is paranoid 
about invasion from the Rhode, even though there are 
many miles of wilderness between Belrane and the nearest 
Rhode outpost.

==Letgar==

The pirate island city of [[Alia:Letgar|Letgar]] lies off the coast of Prolia.  Letgar is not part of prolia proper, does not participate in the politics of the mainland, but was once part of the prolian kingdom.

==Yuri's Doom==

The ruined city of Jarlsberg was once the southernmost city of Prolia, and the longer ago was the capital.  The (single) Jarl ruled the country from this ancient location.  Prolia now has six Jarls each ruling a small portion of Prolia and each having a claim on the throne.  Yuir's Doom is the swamp that was created in 515 OY, by Yuri in defense of Prolia against Rhodes' invasion and is still a major impediment in the Empire's conquest of the area.

==Tribute to Estvald==

The hills above Estvald are inhabited by Hill Giants and by Ogres who claim 
tribute from all the towns.  Each fall, a band of Hill Giants and Ogres will 
come down from the hills to the gates of each town and demand payment of 
tribute.  The giants take the tribute and name their demands for tribute 
of the following fall.  Typical demands include forged weapons, food and 
spirits, and gold or treasure.  Failure to meet the demands brings about 
an immediate attack on the town.

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