Julaspium

Julaspium Coat of Arms

One: Geography

Julaspium is a large fief without any landmarks like rivers, mountains, or coastline. It’s lands are the rolling plains and hills which are so common in the Kurathene empire. There is a minor river, flowing from the capitol Soreign to the river Nomad in the east. It is called the Koeron, which is the name the wemics from the SE plains gave the river. It means lazy/slow/old water in wemic.The far north of Julaspium is quite cold, and not inhabited. With clever tactics and with much digging and building, Julaspium has recently dug tunnels and trenches under the soil, (a bit resembling a bunker), using special-built arbalests to fire balls of fire to the enemy from their safe position. It also makes it difficult for the enemy to estimate the numbers of the Julaspii, which are very low. (see: military).

Two: Economy and Resources

Julaspium is very rich and has many resources, and it uses these resources to make high-quality products to sell to others. The name of the city Soreign stands for high-quality and trust, although most of the products are made outside Soreign itself. There are little to no taxes on trade and economics, and no rules also. The noble families control the entire economic system except the agrarian sector, because it is forbidden to possess farmland as a noble. There isn’t much farmland anyway, but its yields are very high. Farmers are not the lowly peasants you see elsewhere, but are quite rich because most have different operations at the same time, i.e. wheat, cows and corn. The lowliest of the common folk are now the miners. Nobles are allowed to possess luxury farms, like wine farms and such.

The Economy is the most important factor for everything in Julaspium, but it tends to focus on labor that does not require manpower, but technology and resources.

Three: Military

The Army of Julaspium has severed any ties with the old Imperial military, and has introduced completely new and original training methods, uniforms and ranks. This makes the Julaspium army somewhat unpredictable for the less-informed enemy. There are two sections of the army: Common Troops and Noble Troops. The division is about 40% Commoner and 60% Noble, for a small army of about 80.000 troops.

Common Ranks

• Pikeman
• Archer
• Sergeant

Noble Ranks

• Knight-Esquire
• Knight
• Knight-Lieutenant
• Knight-Commander

Four: Demography

One of Julaspium’s most striking features is the lack of population. Plagues and wars reduced the peasant population greatly, disturbing the relation between the peasant population and the number of patricians. Before, it was 10% nobles 90% peasants, now it is more like 30% nobles 70% peasants. This means there are more rich people in percentiles, and thus Julaspium is quite rich. Although this lack of population causes some trouble with military affairs, the citizens and the government are quite happy with it, because there is more money for everyone so the wealth level rises. Immigration to Julaspium is neigh-impossible; you only make a chance by being adopted by a noble family, or being invited by the army. (Many of the brilliant generals Julaspium had were in fact from the seven cities or other fiefs, but went to Julaspium tempted by the gold offers)

All current nobles date after the Revolution, and almost all were merchants in Kuras, Kalion or Julaspium. They were made nobility in Julaspium after the defeat in the war, when the new government was replaced by one that resembled the old system more. All those rich merchants brought lots of new money to Julaspium which was mostly invested in building the country again.

Julaspium is very tolerant towards other races except dwarves, whom are looked upon with suspicion. Elves are liked, and people see Halflings as weird little humans. Half-Elves or humans with some elven blood are common, as the elves are masters in many crafts the Julaspii perpetrate, and thus the Julaspii seek out elves to teach them. However, any race that starts becoming a problem, seems to be fanatic or nationalistic, or causes trouble, can expect the army to take action. Last time this happened, when a couple of Nanshi elves came to recruit elves living in Julaspium for the nanshi army, all elves in involved were found guilty of treason. (see: Politics)

Five: Politics

Julaspium is ruled by the Chancellor, wielding absolute power. The laws are strict and can only be changed by the Chancellor. The others wielding power because of the law are two Dukes, who have neither military nor much economic power, but simply coordinate a piece of land for the Chancellor. This means, that they build and keep the infrastructure, and they oversee all the farming. Although they lawfully don’t have much power, in reality these dukes are often the head of the most powerful noble families, who control the rest of the economy. (Anything not farming or infrastructure related falls under ‘rest’, and yes, that is most of the economy) These families resemble the Ziabatzu in japan in the middle of the 20th century, or the Medici family in Milan in the renaissance, or the mafia today. It is not that they have the god-given right to rule, no they are just clever merchants who have such an influence on the daily life in Julaspium that they have some political power.(and they became nobles after the Revolution ended)

That political power is the Council of Cities. This name is just a cover up; because it isn’t true that all cities in Julaspium have one seat in that council. No, it is more a council of all noble families of Julaspium and is an advisory organ. In reality the Chancellor almost always listens to their advice on economical things. They rarely gather however, and the Chancellor gets advised by specific families who have much interest (the most) in the area the Chancellor has a decision to make. For example, if He is making a decision to start digging another Mithril mine, he gets advised by the head of the noble family who owns the most Mithril mines and smiths.

There is one form of punishment in Julaspium, and that is the death penalty. That is because there is very little criminality in general, because there everyone is quite wealthy. However, assassination and murder are common among the noble families, but the judging system is incredibly bureaucratic. It takes at least one week (RL) for a case to come for the court, and even then it is unlikely that one is being found guilty, because the noble family he belongs to had the time to assassinate all witnesses. As special case is made for when you are caught on scene by a member of the army.(Julaspian army serves as guard and police too, except in the cities where there is a citizen militia – any citizen who belongs to the militia has the same rights as an army member when enforcing laws in his home town.) You are guilty instantly, and must undergo the punishment as soon as possible in front of one other army member, a noble, a peasant, and a foreigner (from another fief). All the gold you possess is taken and will be added to the state’s coffers, along with one of your possessions. If you are being returned to life, you have to serve in the army for a month (RL), to get your money and item back, after permission from your commander during that month.

This might seem a bit harsh, but there isn’t much criminality, and all assassinations are being done by highly skilled and trained assassins.

Six: Religion

The common folk of Julaspium is very pragmatic: they follow and pray to whichever god suits them at the moment. They rarely follow or pray to Greater Gods, instead following a lot of the lesser ones. Farmers generally worship Berryn during spring, Yeraiah during summer, Hurine during Autumn, and Toran, Mikon or Dagath during winter. The deity of other commoners depends on their profession.

Nobles worship other deities, and that differs much by family. Each family reveres Senath, Hurine and Toran in some way. The different gods are, in short per family: Boreas worships Valok, Thrardoldich mostly Toran, Eloras either Dra'Nar or Pelar, Merenasi mixed, Nordryn mostly Hurine, Llargos Clangeddin or Fegall (NO Gorethar), Cattone mixed.