Post by Zoilus on Jan 26, 2018 18:02:07 GMT
The Seven Cities, officially the Holy League of Shahriyar
Seat: Traditionally Pherai, but the cities technically all hold equal standing.
Sigil: All fall under the Falcon-And-Eye.
Motto: Last of the True, the chosen of the World.
Reigning Lord: His Divine Glory, Arthavan Arrhidaeus VII, the Mouth of Heaven, Marshal of the Faithful, First of the Magi, and Holder of the Eternal Regency.
Modifiers and Point Allocation:
Army 3 (-1), Navy 4 (-1), Logistics 2 (+3), Economy 6 (+1), Castle 3 (-1), Espionage 5 (+2), Loyalty 2 (+2)
“The Chosen of the Falcon” Loyalty +2
“Ancient Ties” Espionage +2, Economy +1
“Long Peace” -1 Army, -1 Navy, -1 Castle
History: The genesis of the Seven Cities began before even Arturas’s invasion of the First Empire of Ettin. Drawn by the exotic goods on the other side of their sea (amber, pelts, etc.), small communities of Ettin merchants established trading posts there in the waning years of the empire. These settlements were more successful than anticipated, and given the full support of the reigning emperors. They grew, cooperating with the local barbarian tribes for protection and easier access to the goods that were making them wealthy, but as the first city walls were being erected around Pherai, disaster struck: Arturas.
Ettin was thrown into chaos, but the Seven Cities were far away from the heart of the empire, and became a refuge for those quick and wealthy enough to make such a far escape. Merchants, nobles and especially priests fled to the Seven Cities, with the even the High Priest of the Empire arriving a few weeks after Arturas’s capture of the old capital. While the emperors of Ettin formally surrendered, the exiled aristocracy and established merchants of the Seven Cities refused to submit, declaring in perpetuity the sovereign and independent League of Shahriyar, to hold fast until Ettin could be restored. Arturas had other concerns than these renegades, and let the orphaned cities be.
The early years would be the hardest. The cities of the League were half-finished, its merchants no longer had the same rights or contacts throughout the great imperial trade routes, and they all lacked the protection and patronage of the old empire. It was the High Priest who seized the initiative here, beginning by gathering the leaders of the local barbarian tribes. At that first gathering he made his grand bargain: protect the cities, and the merchants would sell whatever goods were brought to them, with the chiefs receiving a more than fair portion of the proceeds. Additionally, the high priest was able to begin the long process of converting the tribes to the worship of the gods of Ettin.
In the centuries ahead, the relationship between the cities and their tribal partners became incredibly lucrative for both sides, especially after the discovery of gem mines in the local mountains. The great chiefs and their heirs converted one by one, and the cities became not only their source of wealth, but holy places to be defended. The cities grew, and their influence as traders spread across the oceans, and even managed to convert a few realms lying outside the Empire of Trevast. Indeed, it managed to spread back inside too, making contacts in the Merov Ettinlands and discretely supplying the dynasty with some of its most decadent pleasures.
It was the collapse of the Trevast that opened a whole new world to the Seven Cities, though. Their influence over the lesser states exploded, and there was talk of beginning the process of restoring Old Ettin, until the Merov remnants began knitting their realm back together. Despite the furious application of soft power, the Cities were unable to stop the Meruvid resurgence, and now find themselves at a desperate crossroad.
Politics: The politics of the Cities are complex, in a word. Officially, the priestly nobility rule each city, under the authority of the local Magi. The Seven Magi form the ruling council of the Cities and their subject territories, and are led by the Arthavan, the First of the Magi. The Arthavan is elected from the ranks of the Magi to head the council, oversee the capital at Pherai, and to direct foreign policy and trade, along with military affairs. However, the Arthavan’s power depends on the level of support he or she receives from the remaining six Magi.
The merchants are also very important. Under the magi, they form city councils that direct the day to day affairs of the city and maintain their economies, which is only interfered with on the directive of the Arthavan. The merchants maintain massive trade networks throughout the Bay of Izhen and beyond, and are infamous as the known world’s chief purveyors of slaves.
The influence of the barbarian chiefs is not to be discounted, though. They maintain the right to representatives in the Arthavan’s court and in each of the Seven Cities, and keeping their approval is paramount to any Magi or Arthavan that wants to maintain any credible amount of power. The defense of the cities is largely in their hands: if they do not approve of how things are being run, they will make it known.
Surrounding the cities are great slums of the barbarians, immigrants and exiles, and these are ruled over by specially titled ‘Protectors.’ These are members of the chiefly families selected to defend the City proper, and keep the slums as orderly as possible. Each city has a variable number of protectors, but one thing remains constant: their competition among each other for the favor of the Magi, for better and more permanent sinecures. The slums have become a hotbed of organized crime and corruption under the Protectors, but so long as they keep the roads to the Cities clear, the Magi will have other things to worry about.
Religion: The Arthavans and Magi claim to be the legitimate continuation of the religion of the First Empire of Ettin, but centuries of isolation and barbarian influence have warped what was before. The old pantheon of Ettin gods is maintained, under the Great Eye of the Lord of Heaven and his household. However, the sky god of the local barbarians became irrevocably associated with the Lord, and became His second aspect: the great Falcon. A number of other barbarian deities also, slowly, joined the pantheon in this way. Also worshipped is the river goddess Tayd, where Ettin and civilization was born, but who is now held captive by the spawn of Artis. Another deity joined the pantheon too: Arturas, the Great Demon and Swallower of Civilization. He is considered the embodiment of all that is evil in the world, and all that must be overcome to restore a just, natural order.
In the court of the Magi.
Sigil: All fall under the Falcon-And-Eye.
Motto: Last of the True, the chosen of the World.
Reigning Lord: His Divine Glory, Arthavan Arrhidaeus VII, the Mouth of Heaven, Marshal of the Faithful, First of the Magi, and Holder of the Eternal Regency.
Modifiers and Point Allocation:
Army 3 (-1), Navy 4 (-1), Logistics 2 (+3), Economy 6 (+1), Castle 3 (-1), Espionage 5 (+2), Loyalty 2 (+2)
“The Chosen of the Falcon” Loyalty +2
“Ancient Ties” Espionage +2, Economy +1
“Long Peace” -1 Army, -1 Navy, -1 Castle
History: The genesis of the Seven Cities began before even Arturas’s invasion of the First Empire of Ettin. Drawn by the exotic goods on the other side of their sea (amber, pelts, etc.), small communities of Ettin merchants established trading posts there in the waning years of the empire. These settlements were more successful than anticipated, and given the full support of the reigning emperors. They grew, cooperating with the local barbarian tribes for protection and easier access to the goods that were making them wealthy, but as the first city walls were being erected around Pherai, disaster struck: Arturas.
Ettin was thrown into chaos, but the Seven Cities were far away from the heart of the empire, and became a refuge for those quick and wealthy enough to make such a far escape. Merchants, nobles and especially priests fled to the Seven Cities, with the even the High Priest of the Empire arriving a few weeks after Arturas’s capture of the old capital. While the emperors of Ettin formally surrendered, the exiled aristocracy and established merchants of the Seven Cities refused to submit, declaring in perpetuity the sovereign and independent League of Shahriyar, to hold fast until Ettin could be restored. Arturas had other concerns than these renegades, and let the orphaned cities be.
The early years would be the hardest. The cities of the League were half-finished, its merchants no longer had the same rights or contacts throughout the great imperial trade routes, and they all lacked the protection and patronage of the old empire. It was the High Priest who seized the initiative here, beginning by gathering the leaders of the local barbarian tribes. At that first gathering he made his grand bargain: protect the cities, and the merchants would sell whatever goods were brought to them, with the chiefs receiving a more than fair portion of the proceeds. Additionally, the high priest was able to begin the long process of converting the tribes to the worship of the gods of Ettin.
In the centuries ahead, the relationship between the cities and their tribal partners became incredibly lucrative for both sides, especially after the discovery of gem mines in the local mountains. The great chiefs and their heirs converted one by one, and the cities became not only their source of wealth, but holy places to be defended. The cities grew, and their influence as traders spread across the oceans, and even managed to convert a few realms lying outside the Empire of Trevast. Indeed, it managed to spread back inside too, making contacts in the Merov Ettinlands and discretely supplying the dynasty with some of its most decadent pleasures.
It was the collapse of the Trevast that opened a whole new world to the Seven Cities, though. Their influence over the lesser states exploded, and there was talk of beginning the process of restoring Old Ettin, until the Merov remnants began knitting their realm back together. Despite the furious application of soft power, the Cities were unable to stop the Meruvid resurgence, and now find themselves at a desperate crossroad.
Politics: The politics of the Cities are complex, in a word. Officially, the priestly nobility rule each city, under the authority of the local Magi. The Seven Magi form the ruling council of the Cities and their subject territories, and are led by the Arthavan, the First of the Magi. The Arthavan is elected from the ranks of the Magi to head the council, oversee the capital at Pherai, and to direct foreign policy and trade, along with military affairs. However, the Arthavan’s power depends on the level of support he or she receives from the remaining six Magi.
The merchants are also very important. Under the magi, they form city councils that direct the day to day affairs of the city and maintain their economies, which is only interfered with on the directive of the Arthavan. The merchants maintain massive trade networks throughout the Bay of Izhen and beyond, and are infamous as the known world’s chief purveyors of slaves.
The influence of the barbarian chiefs is not to be discounted, though. They maintain the right to representatives in the Arthavan’s court and in each of the Seven Cities, and keeping their approval is paramount to any Magi or Arthavan that wants to maintain any credible amount of power. The defense of the cities is largely in their hands: if they do not approve of how things are being run, they will make it known.
Surrounding the cities are great slums of the barbarians, immigrants and exiles, and these are ruled over by specially titled ‘Protectors.’ These are members of the chiefly families selected to defend the City proper, and keep the slums as orderly as possible. Each city has a variable number of protectors, but one thing remains constant: their competition among each other for the favor of the Magi, for better and more permanent sinecures. The slums have become a hotbed of organized crime and corruption under the Protectors, but so long as they keep the roads to the Cities clear, the Magi will have other things to worry about.
Religion: The Arthavans and Magi claim to be the legitimate continuation of the religion of the First Empire of Ettin, but centuries of isolation and barbarian influence have warped what was before. The old pantheon of Ettin gods is maintained, under the Great Eye of the Lord of Heaven and his household. However, the sky god of the local barbarians became irrevocably associated with the Lord, and became His second aspect: the great Falcon. A number of other barbarian deities also, slowly, joined the pantheon in this way. Also worshipped is the river goddess Tayd, where Ettin and civilization was born, but who is now held captive by the spawn of Artis. Another deity joined the pantheon too: Arturas, the Great Demon and Swallower of Civilization. He is considered the embodiment of all that is evil in the world, and all that must be overcome to restore a just, natural order.
In the court of the Magi.