Name of state: The Great Kingdom of Demestris
Location: West Plains
Military: Strong; 13,000 foot soldiers (archers and swordsmen) and 2000 heavy cavalry split evenly between the Five Armies; 4000 reserve troops; Military is approximately 70% Human, 22% Elf, 8% Redguard
To describe the armies, I will be using TCM's system that can be found
here.
There are FIVE armies in the active armed forces of Demestris.
This is ONE army:
250 Very Heavy Infantry - Efficient Training
1,000 Heavy Infantry - Standard Training
1,250 Archers - Standard Training
500 Heavy Melee Cavalry - Standard Training
General and Bodyguard - 50 Very Heavy Melee Cavalry - Specialised Training
Very Heavy Infantry - Sword, tower shield, full helm, chain mail tunic, greaves, vambraces.
Heavy Infantry - Sword, shield (hoplon, aspis, thureos), 3/4 helm, chain mail tunic.
Archers - Sword, bow + arrows, half helm, chain mail shirt.
Heavy Melee Cavalry - Cavalry sword, spear, aspis shield, 3/4 helm, chain mail tunic.
General and Bodyguard - Cavalry sword, spear, aspis shield, 3/4 helm, chain mail tunic, greaves, vambraces.
A half helm is basically a bike helmet or maybe something a bit fuller. A 3/4 helm is like a legionary helmet that still leaves some or most of the face open. A full helm encloses the entire head like a Corinthian helmet.
The abundant reserves of food from the plains allowed for a high population as well as being used to trade for various metals, weapons, and armour. Furthermore, Demestris is the only known country besides Norogoth to have horses (the plains, see) and has a great deal more cavalrymen than their neighbour (2000 vs whatever they have).
All soldiers must serve 3 years before reaching Second Rank. Consecutive ranks require 5 years per rank plus a vouch from someone of that rank.
There are five armies in total. Two of these belong to the Great King himself and the other three are split between his Generals. When a General dies his replacement is chosen by the other two generals with approval from the Great King.
The First Army is the one the Great King takes when he leaves the city. The Second Army almost always stays inside the city and acts as, police, prison guards, and slave guards.
The Third, Fourth, and Fifth are under the command of the Generals and primarily patrol the borders and kill mutants.
The Third Army is led by the human General Michael.
The Fourth Army is led by the redguard General Goku, son of Great Queen Hermione, brother of Prince-Father Leonidas, and Uncle of Great King Augustus.
The Fifth army is led by the elf General Cacame.
Tradition of the Fifth Army dictates that it always be led by an Elf. The Elf General gains the titular name of 'Cacame', named after the protagonist of the novel 'Elf King of the Dwarves' which became a worldwide best seller before war broke out. The Fifth Army carries a near-intact copy - the only copy, in Demestris - of the book.
Absolute Monarchy/Republic; Current ruler: Great King Augustus
The Great Kingdom of Demestris is ruled by the Great King. The Great King has absolute authority over EVERYTHING within Demestris. He or she can do whatever they want. The Great King chooses from amongst his children to be the next Great King. Succession of the throne occurs immediately on the death of the Great King, or if the Great King abdicates. All citizens must recognise the Great King as the highest authority on everything within the borders of Demestris, before any other men or deities.
Under him is the Senate, made up of 48 senators, corresponding to each district of Demestris. They supervise taxes, great public works, and a whole other bunch of civil stuff. A representative of the Great King sits on the council to report back and to serve as a tie-breaker. Each senator also selects a high magistrate for their district. Each Senator is elected for 4 years.
The people of each district chooses three councilmen to rule the district. These councilmen also elect a magistrate for general law stuff but they themselves are present for more important cases (rape, murder, etc.) but all greater crimes (treason, espionage, rebellion) is deferred to the district's high magistrate. Council elections are held yearly. To be eligible for senatorial service the councilman must have served a year as a councilman. Any citizen of the district can run for the senate so long as they have served on the council in the last 8 years. Applicants are represented by a numbered ball. The balls are placed in a small barrel and the barrel is shaken. A ball is then picked and the councilman whose number corresponds with the picked ball is the senator. Tie-breaking with chance-based methods is common in Demestris.
68% Humans, 30% Elves, 2% Redguards
Laws: Strict
Punishments include (from least to most severe) up to a few days in prison without food, a few months/years in prison, temporary slavery, permanent slavery, and execution.
When one is condemned to permanent slavery, their back and forehead is branded with the symbol of infinity. When it is a temporary one, they are branded with the year they begin as slaves and the year they end. These brands are smaller than the infinity ones and they do not go on the slaves' foreheads.
Execution is typically reserved for the absolute worst offenders of the law, rebels, and those who abuse positions of power. Executions are public. The condemned is taken on top of a platform where the public is informed of their crimes and they subsequently have their throats cut. Their bodies are then carted off far outside of the city where they are buried in a mass grave. The whole process is done in a quick and timely manner without fanfare. No muss - no fuss.
Heavily restricted, but free in private.
Places of worship are ILLEGAL. Clergy is ILLEGAL. Public spreading of religion (missionaries, preachers, etc. but not conversational explanation of the religion) is ILLEGAL. Private worship is otherwise entirely allowed so long as the law is followed first. These laws are for the purpose of preventing a religious uprising against the Great King, who is supposed to be the absolute highest being within Demestris.
Philosophy does not count as religion. However they would be punished in the same way as if they were spreading religion if the philosophies go against the authority of the Great King; the punishment being 6 months imprisonment. Any other philosophies are fine within reason.
The Great Kingdom of Demestris was founded by Great King Jonathan who united a great deal of people of the West Plains under his banner. From his seat of power, he founded the Demestris Library where a relatively great deal of fictional and historical texts were gathered. Practical texts were also found and housed within but these were much rarer. Texts on advanced technology were rarer still. With his kingdom secure and moderately autonomous, Jonathan spent a great deal of time within the library reading of the people of ages past and the fantastic stories they created. He named his children after his favourite characters and historical figures, beginning the tradition of Great Kings naming their children after famous leaders, generals, heroes, figures, and warriors - fictional or real. It was also from these texts that he named the Great Kingdom: after Demeter - the Greek goddess of agriculture - for the rich lands of the plains. What Demestris was called before has been a matter of debate between modern scholars. Even the current and previous Great King don't know.
Great King Jonathan also enforced the use of the metric system in all things and use of the Imperial system (known as the 'old' system by Demestrians) died out early in Queen Hermione's reign.
Great King Jonathan's first son and first child, Great King Alexander, instituted the restrictions on religion so as to increase the power of the throne and to prevent the threat of zealotry (at least in regards to persons OTHER than himself). He also created the first class system used by Demestris. The lowest was the Peasant class who tilled the fields outside the city. Above them were the Plebeians; basically anyone who resided in the city. These were the artisans and the craftsmen and the builders and the merchants. Finally, there were the Patricians: those with relation to the first Great King, and their spouses. Aside from being provided with nicer houses and being closer to the centre of the city there wasn't a great deal of difference between them and the Plebs. He also built a wall to separate the Royal Palace from the rest of the city. It wasn't very big though; it was only the height of about one and a half people.
Great King Alexander's second child and first daughter, Great Queen Hermione, was the one who founded the Senate and expanded the bureaucracy in response to an increase in population growth. It was also she that instituted the system of the Generals and the distribution of Demestris' armies. She added another class to the class system above the patricians: the Senators. They had even nicer houses than the Patricians and could ask for some of the guilds to provide them with whatever they wanted; this was typically limited to food, clothes, and other basic amenities. Senators had to leave once their term had expired however.
A picture book about the Romans was found late during Great King Alexander's reign in relatively good condition with only a few pages damaged beyond comprehension. Great Queen Hermione cited the book as being the inspiration behind her idea of the Demestrian Senate and the Generals.
Great Queen Hermione's second son and third child, Great King Leonidas, further expanded the bureaucracy in regards to law and instituted the system of magistrates and high magistrates. He was also responsible for the rearmament of the military with improved equipment and began the Demestris Horse Breeding Program.
Great King Leonidas' only son and only child, Great King Augustus (the current Great King), has not done a great deal of note yet besides fortifying the outer wall but he has only reigned for a couple of years so that is to be expected. His father, Great King Leonidas - now just Prince-Father Leonidas - lives peacefully outside the city after he retired and left the throne to his son.
Demestris foreign policy used to be isolationist but recent actions taken by the Great King have moved it up to a standard policy.
The Demestris Library is a huge 3-story library with a basement. It is two thirds the size of the palace and houses most of Demestris' literature. It is the most popular communal gathering place for the entire city. It serves as a school where paid and volunteer teachers educate children, adults, and basically anyone who shows up. It's also the primary centre for theological, philosophical, scientific, and scholarly discussion.
Demestris Library is open to all Demestrian citizens where they are allowed to read (but not borrow) books until near sunset. Texts on advanced technology - being so rare - and actual pieces of old technology are kept in a sealed off section of the library. Only the Great King is allowed inside.
A dress code of light, non-concealing clothes is enforced. This is to prevent theft by hiding them in jackets, jumpers, cloaks, and the like. Those who do not conform to the dress code are not allowed in.
The library has a good amount of guards protecting it and its contents. These guards are all from the Second Army. Theft is punishable by 5 years enslavement or 8 years imprisonment. Accidental loss or destruction, or selling and buying of stolen books incurs a punishment of 10 years slavery. Outright book burning is grounds for on-site execution.
Foreigners are allowed into the Great Library so long as they donate a single text. They must follow all the library rules and have a library guard with them at all times.
The library is located in the Patrician district.
Demestris has next to nothing in the way of modern weaponry, relying on metal armour, swords, spears, shields, bows, and horses instead. This has a great deal to do with the lack of pre-ware relics, advanced science texts relevant to the area, and the total absence of scientists.
Incentive for political mobility is better housing for the person in question and their family, status, and more food. Incentive for joining the military is the same but a pension is thrown in if they reach Third Rank and serve for a further 2 years after they reach it. The retirees are automatically put on reserve and can be called up during times of war.
The only ones allowed to carry arms in the city of Demestris are the First and Second armies. Permission to carry arms is given by the Great King, Senators, high magistrates, and Demestrian diplomats. The punishment for bringing weapons into the city without permission is one month slavery for every weapon.
Demestris is known by some as being the only city-state without ANY scientists. As such, most pre-war technologies used by other cities are unavailable to Demestris. Masonry, agriculture, animal husbandry, textiles, and food preservation are the most advanced technologies available to Demestris. All weapons and armour have been imported from other cities being that foundries and factories are non-existent in Demestris.
Population: ~150,000 citizens, ~200 permanent slaves, ~300 temporary slaves(included in the citizen count)
Production of cotton and other plants related to clothes-making is rather advanced but only on a medium-scale level. Clothes are rather important in Demestrian culture and as such there is a high level of skill in the area.
The Demestris Library is the second most important cultural icon of Demestris, somewhat closely behind the Great King himself.
As a compliment to the cotton industry, sheep herding is the most abundant livestock in Demestris at ~5000 heads. Horses are second at ~4000 including military horses (the number is only so high because of the efforts made by Great King Leonidas), chickens at ~2000, oxen at ~1200, and cows and pigs at ~200 each.
