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,
Republic of the Isles
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
- Mount Cragmore (Dwarves)
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 YN402).
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.
See Empire of Rhode for more info.
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.
Population breakdown by class is as follows:
- 0.1% high noblity - ranking land owners with taxation rights
- 0.9% "low" nobility - knights or noble merchants and traders
- 4% commoner merchants and traders
- 5% serving class
- 5% skilled labourers - artists, and skilled crafters (smiths, coopers, brewers, sculptors, etc.)
- 65% free common labourers - farmers, and light unskilled labour
- 20% slaves - heavy and/or dangerous labour
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 heavey 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. The are fishermen, and coastal raiders as well as farmers and swineherds.
The pirate island city of Letgar lies off the coast of Prolia.
See Prolia for more info.
