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« on: May 04, 2019, 05:04:32 PM »
Name: The Serene Kingdom of Aredal
Ruler: His Majesty, King Darya behr Daryan de Kernpak
Regent: His Majesty, Crown Prince Varzar behr Darya de Kernpak (Heir Apparent)
Capital City: Lixil Toppan
Demonym: Aredese/Aredese
Sacred Sites:
The Eternal Flame. Tauredalia's only open-air worship area. The exact nature of the original site us under debate, but it is currently home to two reliquaries: Lureus' Torch and the Eternal Flame. The shrine itself is shaped in two intersecting ovals and the black and white tile spirals from the center of one circle to the other. While many ceremonies may take place during the day, the site is more actively used at night for rituals, casual stargazing, and religious astrology. While it is unknown what precipitated this change in worship, the tradition had become established by 1750.
Lureus' Torch is enclosed in a glass centered in the north spiral. The relic appears to have been made from pewter and rubies, garnets, and yellow sapphires were embedded along the handle. The torch's existence itself is controversial: most religious scholars agree that the story of Archangel Lureus gifting fire to humanity is metaphorical, but the priests of the Eternal Flame insist on a literal interpretation and claim that after Lureus' travels through Tauredalia, she rested in Exione where she entrusted the splendid torch to its priests.
The Eternal Flame, located on the south spiral, is named after the site rather than the other way around. However, there is archaeological evidence that a structure existed on the site centuries ago and geological surveys indicate that a natural gas pocket might have existed, leading to the possibility of an ancient Eternal Flame; this would explain the purpose of the south spiral as it sat empty for generations. If there was a prior Eternal Flame, it was destroyed along with the original temple, which has been rebuilt from a basic foundation many times over the years due to natural disasters and civil wars. The modern Eternal Flame was built in 1884 to commemorate the unity of the Daalish kingdoms and it was upgraded in 2000 from a burning wood fireplace to a gas mechanism.
The Meridia Aquifers. Despite its modern lushness, the stony Meridian terrain has been historically dry and natural aquifers made passage across the plain easier. As time passed, settlements began to spring up alongside these aquifers. It is likely that proto-Aredese worshiped local water deities at each freshwater source and over time they were assimilated into the mythology of Archangel Adite. The aquifers number eighteen and range from lake-sized to small springs, but each have their own tradition to pay respect to Archangel Adite and to pray for her continued blessing of the area.
Overview: Aredal is a borderline desert nation: its precipitation levels technically define it as such, but is landscape is not as hostile as one would suggest and hardy vegetation is plentiful. Regardless, living in Aredal is a difficult endeavor and the apparent lack of natural resources protected the kingdom from invasions in its early history. However, the stony plains hid oil reserves and a large gold deposit and fortunately, the discovery of both coincided with the Industrial Revolution, enabling Aredal to rapidly progress.
Prince Edborh behr Beros de Kernpak encouraged his father, King Beros behr Ehlo, to invest their newfound wealth into upgrading their flagging army and their defenses before investing in their infrastructure or any other issue. With the influx of capital going directly into defense, Aredal's neighbors saw it as a precursor to invasion and hastily prepared their own armies. To prevent war through misunderstanding, Princess Sorallia behrna Igmes diplomatically approached their neighbors Virazueth and Xull to propose permanent alliances. This evolved into a decade-long negotiations that culminated in the first iteration of a united Tauredalia; relations were cemented with Princess Sorallia's sister marrying a Verazulan prince while she married the Xullese heir. Princess Sorallia continued her work until she was able to convince Jortor and Peris to join the Daalish alliance as well. After a transition period of one year, Peris was allowed to take the reins as the first Daalish monarch for a period of four years before the regular ten-year rotations began.
It was later quietly revealed that the Aredese military was not as formidable as it appeared, and would have only been able effectively operate within its own borders, but by then the Daalish alliance was happily solidified.
Aredal's economic growth has slowed down in recent decades and years of unchecked spending have fostered rumors that the Aredese bubble may finally burst. While government economists are laboring to prevent further decline, it remains to be seen how effective new policies will be.
Name: The Grand Duchy of Jortor
Ruler: Grand Duke Jaffaasi behr Imassi de Kiwa
Capital City: Guapalor
Demonym: Jortorian/Jortorans
Sacred Site:
The Enclave of the Uesis Mysteries. One of several disputed sites vying for the same honor: where Archangel Uesis first taught humanity. As proof of their claim, the enclave has enshrined the original tablet on which Makak was first recorded: an incomplete version of the Raz Treatise (the first medical text). While technically on display, it is encased within an ark and shrouded from view behind a tapestry depicting Archangel Uesis' lessons. In front of the tapestry, two more versions of the text are displayed within a glass case: a papyrus copy and allegedly the first codex, which is open to its most famous illumination. However, the enclave received its name from the mysteries its cult still practices and this temple is considered an important pilgrimage to many.
Overview: The smallest kingdom in the confederacy is technically a grand duchy. Nestled between two mountain ranges, Jortor's independence was always precarious as it technically controlled Segdon Pass. However, its neighbors Taurn Ken and Peris often vied for control of the pass and its mines, so Jortor was an unwilling province throughout most of its history. Bids for independence were frequent, but its small population could not adequately fortify the pass against invasion and most periods as a grand duchy were purchased by proceeds from the mines rather than won.
Fortunately, Jortor was a province of Taurn Ken when it became a constitutional monarchy and it petitioned the new Cabinet for its own freedom - along with a massive "goodwill" payment. Jortorian diplomats were able to secure not only their freedom, but also a military pact in which Taurn Ken promised to protect Jortor from invasion. A decade later, Peris made a similar promise and though Jortor was stuck sending tributes to its neighbors, it was freed from fear of invasion. By 1327, Jortor had built up its defenses enough that it could hold off its neighbors and slowly negotiated to phase out its tributes through additional diplomacy and royal marriages.
The Jortorian economy is based primarily on tourism, especially during the winter ski season. its summers tend to be wet, which has allowed Jortor to develop a good agricultural industry. Culturally, Jortorians tend to be the friendliest Daalenes, a trait ingrained over the centuries of uncertainty as a province, and are generous even to strangers.
Name: The Principality of Kith Serak
Ruler: Prince Hadur behr Iius
Capital City: Mira Lampei
Demonym: Seraki/Serakis
Sacred Site:
The Cathedral of Many Faces. Construction was started in 1545, but it was not completed until 1701. The original idea behind the Cathedral was to honor the Great Dreamer by creating a palace of stained glass windows with his/her incarnations. However, the design was modified several times over its construction and the Cathedral became the pinnacle of architecture for the eighteenth century. Its stain glass windows attempt to reflect the enormousness of the Great Dreamer with a landscape of animals, people, and the natural wonders of Tauredalia. The cathedral also displays statues of each djinn ever mentioned in Daalish history and these vary in height, age, and detail.
Overview: Like many of the kingdoms, Kith Serak started as a city-state whose power grew over the centuries until it absorbed its neighbors. It is a hilly country with mild weather and plentiful resources, which granted the country an advantage in ancient times. For several centuries, Kith Serak was an empire that ruled over fifty percent of modern-day Tauredalia, but its zenith quickly passed. A plague followed by a prolonged drought in 1067 destroyed the country's food reserves. As famine reached critical levels, Kith Serak was unable to hold onto its outer territories, which either ceded to become their own countries or were conquered by neighbors. The decline continued over the years until the kingdom, now reduced to a principality, reached its present size.
The Serakis have never forgotten their glory as conquerors and harbor bitterness about their loss. They reluctantly admit outsiders, even fellow Daalenes, and initially resisted modernization efforts. It wasn't until 1960 that Prince Edar behr Hadur made significant attempts to catch up to the rest of the outside world.
Kith Serak is unique in that it is the only country whose royal dynasty does not have a surname. This is due to the ancient custom of adopting heirs when a biological one was unavailable. These days, all heirs are biological children of the current monarch, but the tradition still stands and the royal family is only identified as the son/daughter of the prince.
Name: The Angelic Kingdom of Liinaw
Ruler: King Athtiaa behr Ueyr de Vallmuman
Capital City: Tarjuaq
Demonym: Liinawan/Liinawans
Sacred Site:
The Sanctum of Feminine Devotion. It is an oddity because it is dedicated to Archdemon Ehzotl in a nation that decries demons, but its existence is tolerated because the temple emphasizes that a woman's place is in the home. Its rituals are kept secret - for women's eyes only - and celebrates femininity, including childbirth and motherhood. As such, it is an attractive pilgrimage for pregnant women or women looking to become pregnant. The Sanctum is also the only place where men have no power in Liinaw and several women have opted to become priestesses rather than return to their families.
Overview: In 1884, Liinaw became the last nation to join the confederacy, and this choice was made primarily out of desperation. Liinaw had just suffered its third year of famine and its treasury was running low. The dry landscape makes arable land scarce and unfortunately, over-farming and poor water management has led to what is considered irreversible desertification. Liinaw's only saving grace is its vast oil reserves, but it is still the poorest kingdom in the confederacy.
The religious population supports the Angelic ideals of order and has created a strict hierarchy whose details even rank order members of a family. Over the centuries, this has led to women being considered second-class citizens and though the restrictions on women have eased over the twentieth century, women still experience the lowest equality rates of the confederacy. While women are considered equal in law, a remnant of the old patriarchy requires that a woman's father or male guardian declare her a legal entity when she reaches the age of majority, and this status can be postponed or denied entirely. Polygamy is also practiced here and though women are allowed to protest additional marriages, they rarely take advantage of this right out of fear of reprisal.
Name: The Kingdom of Peris
Ruler: King Zemus behr Bihar de Tazliiah
Capital City: Ip Locht
Demonym: Perisian/Perisans
Sacred Sites:
The Sanctum of Unity. Built upon the foundations of an older monastery after Priestess Degtia behrna Reion de Tarrir experienced a revelation: the Archangels and Archdemons were the same entities who appeared in different forms and periods to push humanity toward civilization. These pairings do not necessarily coincide with gender: Lureus is also Dhinir, Adite became Seremis, Lidmus is Rhuteus, and Uesis is Ehzotl. This cult began to grow in popularity after the vision of Saint Ceemis and it has become a pilgrimage site. The original cell and bed of Priestess Degtia remains intact and a new, larger church was built around it.
The Djinn Catacombs. Home of the Garden Cult (named after the plane on which the djinn supposedly reside) and the Transmutation Mysteries. The secretive cult to which this site belongs rarely speaks to outsiders and does not tolerate trespassing in its tiny chapel in the city of Razzon. The chapel sits at the entrance to a labyrinth of tunnels, but very little is otherwise known about the site. The cult believes that the djinn are actually humans who ascended to a higher plane of existence and the Transmutation Mysteries will allow adherents to follow in their footsteps.
The Chapel of Night. Built to house the legendary Loctarian Crystal: it is allegedly a crystallized dream of the August Sleeper and proves his/her existence. Wars have been fought over its possession and the Chapel of Night is the artifact's latest home. This is the most extravagant building in Tauredalia and though entry is heavily restricted, it is still an important pilgrimage site. Many followers only see the outer sanctum.
Overview: Peris is a bit of an anomaly within the kingdoms as it practices matrilineal inheritance. However, this does not translate into matriarchy; rather men maintain the power, though Perisan women enjoy greater rights than most Daalene kingdoms. It is a uterine primogeniture, one of the few in existence, and a family's property is often protected through the practice of polygyny. Additional spouses are usually not for sexual purposes; instead, it is to secure family property by marrying sisters, aunts, or even a man's own mother. This also means that a man typically treats his sisters' children better than his own biological children as the former are more likely to inherit from him.
The countryside is flat, but it becomes hilly toward the Jortorian border. With many rivers at its disposal, Peris focused on hydro power to support its industrialization. Unfortunately, this has led to the poisoning of the water supply and while environmental protections have been put in place, it may take decades for the rivers to clear up. As such, it is experiencing a minor water crisis and currently has a contract with Jortor to import potable water.
Name: Taurn Ken
Head of State: King Galveron behr Aran de Kostran
Head of Government: Prime Minister Aione behrna Foaoisa de Thorran
Capital City: Dairiki
Demonym: Taurn Kish/Taurnes
Sacred Sites:
The Fountain of Verona Square. Its initial claim to fame was secular: it was a gilded fountain commissioned by King Dildir behr Dagesis de Kostran, an extravagant sovereign whose lavish tastes and failed military campaigns put Taurn Ken heavily into debt. The fountain was placed in Verona Square and it was forbidden to be touched by peasants - an obscene gesture of both wealth and stature. However, less than a generation later, it also became the site of a supposed miracle: the vision of Ceemus, Saint of the Balance, a complex figure who inspired the Articles of Equality. In the years since, the Fountain of Verona has become a pilgrimage site.
Pinnacle Tower. One of several disputed sites vying for the same honor: where Archangel Uesis first taught humanity. At the center of the site is a boulder where Archangel Uesis supposedly stood as delivered his first lectures. The tower, which has a dirt floor, was built around the boulder. Scriptures are carved along the spiral staircase that winds around the shell of the tower. The idea is that visitors will become enlightened as they journey toward the heavens.
Overview: By 1250, the extravagance of the nobility had become intolerable. While King Dildir survived his reign relatively untouched, his son King Mathos was less fortunate. Mounting debts forced King Mathos to heavily tax the nobility, who in turn recouped their losses from the peasants. The peasants essentially became slaves and with another war on the horizon over the valuable Balorian mines, something had to be done.
Historians differ on the exact events as Saint Ceemus has been alternatively described as a non-aligned djinn or a human leader of the rebellion. Regardless, a coalition of peasants and lesser nobility stormed the palace and forced King Mathos to sign the Articles of Equality, which officially began Taurn Ken's status as a constitutional monarchy. However, this was a rocky beginning and it took several decades before the people of Taurn Ken were able to effectively rule themselves.
Despite its strategic importance, Taurn Ken had to fight to be admitted to the confederacy. It was feared that their ideals (constitutional monarchy) might spread to the other kingdoms and the Cabinet signed an agreement wherein it promised that neither the Cabinet nor the monarch would attempt to pass any legislation that would shift Tauredalia toward becoming a constitutional monarchy without the explicit consent of all eight monarchs.
Taurn Ken is the richest country within the kingdoms, a feat that is sometimes credited to the equality of men and women in the workforce. Its large economy was a potent combination of agriculture and diversified manufacturing, but throughout the fifties, sixties, and seventies, the Cabinet invested in the service, entertainment, and technology industries.
Name: The Monarchy of Verazueth
Ruler: Queen Aikaterina behrna Zarath de Ostraar
Capital City: Heiryl
Demonym: Verazulan/Verazulans
Sacred Sites:
The Bright Peak. It is said that this site is where the demons first descended. It began as an open temple with statues of the demons' likenesses, but over the years stones were carved from the mountain and carted from miles away to construct a protective structure. As the stones were precisely cut and no mortar was used, it is said that Archangel Lidmus blessed the site as well.
The Church of Meditation. When each monarch takes the throne, he or she will choose a patron djinn for his or her rule, and this choice usually reflects goals for the monarchs. The patron djinn is usually Archdemon Rhuteus, but Queen Aikaterina has chosen Archdemon Dhinir to reflect the difficulties of women in Tauredalia. The Church is located in the capital and its decor changes with each monarch. There is a private inner sanctum for the royal family's use.
Overview: Verazueth is the only absolute primogeniture in the confederacy. The origin of this tradition dates back to a succession crisis in 1543 when a plague swept through the country, sickening nearly a third of the population. Even the royal family was not safe as the queen and all four princes died. As only his daughters - Princesses Shyoria and Kirami - survived, King Anos took it as a sign from the demons that the monarchy had become stagnant. He declared that his eldest daughter would become queen upon his death with the stipulation that she must take the name Queen Shyoria behrna Anos de Dhehrin rather than the traditional style of using her mother's name. This was to ensure that her lineage was not questioned and all royalty uses son/daughter of the monarch rather than the traditional "son of father" or "daughter of mother".
This event was also the origin of choosing a patron djinn for each ruler as King Anos prayed to Archangel Adite to cleanse the kingdom of its disease.
Verazueth is a forested country with mountains to the east, which gives it a pleasant, mild climate. Its economy was based on mining and timber, but it has slowly shifted its focus to tourism and has left much of the replanted forest untouched. It is well-known for its woodworking and the government has given subsidies to encourage a return to traditional crafts to boost tourism growth.
Name: The Kingdom of Xull
Ruler: King Huri behr Naeus de Manach
Capital City: Wor Nova
Demonym: Xullese/Xullese
Sacred Site:
The White Oak. The origins of this site are many, as are the entities associated with it. The tree is likely the oldest organism in Tauredalia and may predate Mazzorya entirely. Regardless, the tree is seen as having divine power and has been elevated to a deity of its own.
Overview: Xull is an openly emotional nation and it is normal to see not only displays of affection, but public airing of anger, jealousy, and other negative emotions. It is believed that once these emotions are expressed, they can no longer control you. As such, demons are venerated as beings that helped humanity explore and defeat their emotions. That isn't to say that grudges aren't held, but they are less likely to take root with a Xullese citizen.
A large portion of Xull is forest and the climate is mild. Its economy is primarily based on agriculture and its exports are beer, truffles, and flour. Polygamy is commonly practiced, but all parties to a marriage must consent, and it isn't unusual to see a family unit comprised of several husbands and wives; the corollary to this is that most polygamous marriages are still men with many wives, though women are allowed to have multiple spouses.
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