Grasalia: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 06:38, 29 June 2020

Official Name	Republic of Grasalia
Capital	Adved
Government	Republic
Population	2,613,000
Dominant Race	human
Dominant Culture	Luari
Dominant religion	Faith of Nesra
Flag

The Republic of Grasalia emerged out of a civil war in the year 242 BV as the successor to the Kingdom of Bawang that had fallen apart.

It is a cold northern realm, with average temperatures around 3°C in most parts of the country, so while summers are mild with long days, winters are cold and have equally long nights. In the forests, conifers are more common than deciduous trees, especially at the higher altitudes of central and south-east Grasalia.

The realm is also home to the Luari culture which has its home here and extends just a little beyond its borders, especially into the northern Vericum provinces that used to be part of the Kingdom of Bawang, then early Grasalia, but joined the Empire upon or shortly after its founding.

Grasalia borders two elven realms - Oujda in the west and Afarwaha in the east, one dwarven realm - Ebronland, and two human realms - Vericum and Njombia. Relations with all of them are peaceful today, though the peace with Oujda is an uneasy one. This was not always the case, and especially Njombia and Grasalia have a long history of warfare, as did Durcoria and Kinmaa, the two pre-Vericum realms that joined the Empire. With the more recent Vericum, however, Grasalia has had peace for over half a century now.

Politically, Grasalia is a republic. Each of its 37 major provinces sends one or more senators into the senate in the capital, Adved. Eight small provinces send one senator each, fifteen provinces send two senators, six provinces three senators and the eight large provinces each send four senators. One senator also represents all of the smallest provinces which have no individual seats, those like Gringia or Haflorland with its few scattered villages. This senate of 89 representatives fills all roles of government. It discusses and passes laws, controls the military and trade guilds - which in Grasalia are not independent entities - and oversees the tax collection and treasury.

Senators are elected for life or until they are withdrawn by a vote of no confidence. New senators are elected locally whenever a replacement is needed, so there are no regular or realm-wide elections. The senators are chosen by an assembly of village chiefs, trade guild elders and other leaders. In the larger provinces, each region holds its own assembly for one senator. So Breidland, for example, with its four senators holds four assemblies - one in Lengenno, one in the northern parts and one each in the south-east and south-west.

Population

The vast majority of people in Grasalia have light skin and brown or blonde hair. Muscular bodies are the norm, with the Luari favoritism towards strength infusing even those whose professions require little physical excercise to complement it with sports.

The sometimes harsh climate does take its toll - mortality is higher in Grasalia than in many other realms, and life expectancy lower.

Villages tend to be smaller in Grasalia than in more southern realms, a consequence of the less fertile land. They also are more distant from each other, as the forests inbetween are needed as hunting grounds.

Grasalia is the only human realm where men and women are equals by law.

Economy

Trade is a major backbone of the economy in Grasalia, with many villages and smaller towns specializing in crafts and even agricultural products. A set of villages where one is producing primarily grains, one focussing on livestock and a third on vegetables and fruits is a fairly common occurance in the realm, with countless variations on the theme. The same is true, and even more so, for crafts. Carpenters, masons, smiths, tailors supplying not one village but three or four is pretty typical. Mills, especially, are often shared among several villages, and - except within the Orcs - located in a convenient spot between the villages they cover. Small trading posts and markets often appear around those mills as well.

Aside from that, Grasalia has a fairly standard feudal economy with agriculture being the main supply in the southern parts and hunting and fishing a major producer along the northern coast where the weather is more harsh and cold.

The realm also has trade relations with its neighbours, but no typical or especially large export product.

Guilds within Grasalia are not independent entities founded by the mutual interest of craftsmen, but government entities run as part of the realm administration. They represent the interests of the guild members upwards, towards the senate, and downwards they ensure that the laws passed by the senate are properly implemented. They also provide other common services of guilds, such as taking care of guild members' widows, regulating prices and quality, etc.

One more curiosity of Grasalia is its coins. Coins minted in Grasalia are minted with a hole in the center and are often carried on coin strings instead of in coin purses. A leather string of the right size is used to string up all coins of similar denominations and knotted to both close the loop (preventing coins from falling off) and securing it to a belt. Wealthier people also use thin metal chains for the same purpose, which are much more difficult to cut by cutpurses. It is common to wear multiple coin strings, and coins are typically sorted. For example, one string may contain the 1s and 3s, with the 1s accessible from one end and the 3s from the other end of the string. Another string holds the 10s and 30s in the same manner, and a third the silver coins.

History

This page is still incomplete and missing content or details that are planned, but have not been added yet.

Foreign Relations

Grasalia has a long-standing peace with its eastern neighbour, the elven realm of Afarwaha, and there is not only active trade all along the border, but also a mixing of populations, with many elves settling in human lands and vice versa.