The Royal Republic of Argivia
Pantheon: Xellnic
Ruler: King Philemon VIII
Capital: Argive
Other Cities: Rivani, Sident, Berrhoea, Castoria, Veles, Scupti, Epirubella
Language: Xellnic, Prythax
Flag/Emblem: Pointed Sun emerging from a Rectangle
Coinage: Xellnic Standards
Important Personas: Crown Prince Phyrrus
Alliances: All verbal agreements rarely embraced.
Hostilities: Strained trade relations with Emron/Ispatlia. Accused of harboring bandits and ne'er do wells on the Marakeikan border.
Open Warfare/Skirmishing: Open warfare with Milosic Humanoid Tribes
Intrigues: Sherriff Orson of the Shire of Illyria
Demi-Humans: Dwarves, Gnomes, Gnome Titans (House Smaragdi), scattered groups of elves along the coast.
Magickal Devices: Horn of Blasting, Club of Herakles, Silversnake Spear
Mountains: Mount Limpo and Draknor Range help protect the country's long border with Milosic.
Thumbnail Sketch:
A thumbnail-sized sketch of Argivia is a good representation of the hypocrisy and outright lies of the other travel guides. Known to the rich and powerful as a temperate vacation spot known for their peddlers and tinkerers of minor Magicks, the history of the land is far more than normal Ras-Prythax scholars provide their students. Unlike it's warm, near exotic partner Danaan to its south, Argivia is far from the Elderian archipelago, able to have a moderate coastline with fantastic beaches, but most of the land is hills and mountains, albeit with little to no snowfall.
Prior to the foundation of the First Ferasean Empire, the land of Argivia was populated with artificers. This guild of craftsmen harness magicks into a wide variety of extraordinary and rather mundane creation. Tales tell of even the most common folk owning devices, and extensive trade with the Barthey, Parthia, Khemmet, and even the "barbarians" to the north.
I have yet to attach a name to this realm, but at some point, there was a great cataclysm and all peoples and memories were wiped away.
With the expansion of Argivians into their wilderness, has come the discovery of many of these magical relics. Some have incredible powers, and are now under the protection of the Royal Vault of Argivia. Others are as pedestrian as magical rocks to keep your hands warm during mountain hiking, or even a continual light spell cast on a torch, with a device to turn it "off." Humans historically have excavated sites above ground, while gnomes and a handful of dwarves have dug in sites that are obviously exhausted mines.
Argivia is also a direct influencer of the modern empire of Ras-Prythax. In a valley in northern Argivia is the River Wultha also known as "Prythax" in Xellnic. This river valley was part of "King" Liufreied's claims in 846 to form a new incarnation of the Ferasean Empire, and the initial term "Ras-Prythax" simply means "All the way to Prythax." Over the years, the land claims have ebbed away, so known common school children have no idea how their Kingdom got their name. Part of Argivian, or Argivian culturally influenced.
Government: I'm used to religious governors taking over Ras-Prythax or military commanders ordered by the highest ruler to regain control. Argivian transfer of power is much less manipulative... at least from the start.
Their Senate is very akin to a council of nobles, where the power of the noble create the powers of the king, emperors, or krugrafs. Instead of nobles, Argivia picks men of status, landowners, mercantile leaders to meet at the capital of Argive. The wisest and bravest of the realms arrive to vote on all sorts of initiatives. Royal Treasury funding, public works, roads, bridges, everything is thoroughly debated before being subject to a vote.
Argivian governors for each territory are appointed by the King. They are to be neither military nor divine, nor heavily mercantile. Upon appointment, they are approved by a vote of the Senate. for 5 year terms. The Senate can be rife with situational bribery. The Senators in general are not outwardly corrupt, however, if interests attempt to woo a Senator with bribery on a topic they have no interest in, the official will be happy to take payment and not go through with the appropriate vote.
During the War with the Master (1135), a group of Ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary travelled the continent, wooing the favor and alliance of nations to Barthey's plight. After pleading their case to no avail in Danaan, they visited Argivia. Hearing of the bribability of the Senators, the Ambassadors immediately went forth with gifts and profitable conversation.
Using little of the accustomed tact and focus expected, only three of the Senators voted for the war effort.
Directly from the journal of General Zorin Redrock, "We'll cheer when these imbeciles (edited) are crushed by the Master!"
King Philemon VIII isn't a true sovereign of the realm, more so a hereditary administrator, subject to the whims and bribes of the Senate.
Economy: Its beautiful hills and mountains, and clean beaches are a perfect location for the rich and noble to go on holidays. Beyond artifact "mining" Argivia has modest outputs of iron, coal, silver, lead, antimony, pitch, gold, chromium, and salt production
Places of Note:
- Ruins of Burrok - Gnomish mining community near Pelister - possible connection to the Darkworld cultures of Illithids and Drow. Might be another reason the races of Milosic don't venture over the mountains (by going underneath them.) Destroyed in 1023
- Ruins of Pelister - Destroyed in 1023. wracked by earthquakes, very volatile. Still above ground archeology, but the gnomes and dwarves have left the underground region for multiple reasons.
- Tower of Zhojenica in Epirubella
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| The Tower of Zhojenica in Epirubella |
Religion: Being adjacent to Barthey, Akana is considered the Royal religion, but the Senate allows the worship of many gods throughout the land. There has been a reliance on the Anteimperium (Aftokrotories) Xellnic gods from the Aftokrotories Ages, worshipped even before the Artificers came to power.
Mentions of Argivia in the Blog
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