Marble, City States of

Location: Middle Kingdoms.
Alignment: Lawful Neutral
Knowledge Geography Middle Kingdoms.
(DC 10) Marble is one of the most stable nations of the North. While not a large land, its rich in resources and tradition. Instead Marble is run by the Council, known as the Twenty Chairs, represented by a member from each of the 6 cities of Marble, a member from each major guild and temple, and the heads of each Martial Order. The Council of Twenty rotates through the six cities on a yearly basis. Marble is famous for its the uniqueness of its six cities, its Mage's Guild, and its colorful and highly effective military orders.
Each Martial Order has its beginnings in an order of knights (a term used loosely) which arose from the defensive militaries each city developed to keep itself safe. Overtime, each of these orders specialized and create a rich tradition of martial prowess. Each City and order grew under the pressure of the competition between city states. These military orders have evolved into complicated institutions supported by the state that are part miliary force, part social club, and part College. While they continue to churn out highly skilled soldiers, they also spend a lot of time and resources on pomp and ceremonies and celebrating themselves and their traditions.
Early on in the history of the City States of Marble, several fledgling Mage's Guild banded together. After an initially period of success and growth, the Guild with the simple moniker of the Arcane Order, spread to all the cities. Part of Marble's success has been due to its close cooperation with this Guild. The positive impact of the Arcane Order has been in several areas. First, Marble has integrated arcane spellcasting into its military, including its Martial Orders, to a high degree. The economy of the City States benefits from integration of arcane magic, for example consider industries of permanent light manufacturing or ice creation and delivery. The Arcane Order has long been a trusted sources of information and wisdom for the ruling class of Marble. Marble has benefit from being proactive with threats and issues that the magics of the Arcane Order have brought to their attention.
The Cities of Marble
Corbin, City of Flowers; Corbin is one of the six City States of Marble. Its an interior city known as an agricultural center and is home of the Order of the White Rose. There is a permanent enchantment that radiates for about ten miles outward from the center of the city. The enchantment slowly fades as the distance increases. The enchantment enhances plants and has two benefits. First, plants bloom at four times the normal right and maintain their flowers far longer. The plants in Corbin are almost always flowering. The locals take advantage of this and every square inch of the city is covered in flowers. Corbin is one of the most colorful and good smelling places on Aertrea. It has a yearly Festival of Blossoms that celebrates their traditions. The second benefit is more tangible. Crops in the 10 mile radius are extremely productive. This area produces extremely fine specimen of vegetables and grains. Corbin is also home to a group of highly skilled glass makers, perfume makers, and is famous for its food.
The Order of the White Rose is based in Corbin. The Order stresses a mobile fighting style and makes use of light weapons. The skirmishers of the order are a deadly force. Festival of Blossoms: A yearly celebration every spring brings people from across the nation and from further away. The most famous aspect of this holiday is, with the help of the Arcane Order, it rains flowers from a clear sky for dawn to dusk.
Koltic, City of Towers; The hilltop city of Koltic is known for its multitude of tall towers and its terraced streets and multilevel neighborhoods. The City sits on three hills and is surrounded by a high wall on all sides. As the furthest inland city of Marble, it is the most heavily fortified. The hills are known as Soldiers Hill, Merchants Hill and Farmers Hill (from highest to lowest). In Koltic, the higher your residence, the more wealthy and prosperous you are.
The lingering elven enchantment in Koltic is subtle and was undiscovered for centuries. The magic enhances wood and stone structures, making them resistant to age, more sturdy, and more flexible. This has allowed the buildings of Koltic to reach heights that would be unsafe in other areas. It also enhances the defensive structures that surround the city (although in truth the city spills out beyond the wall for almost a mile).
Koltic is home of the Order of the Staunch Shield. This order is known for its defensive style of fighting. Its heavy infantry is renown across the land.

Brims, City of Arches (and sometimes called City of Canals), is a coastal City of Marble. Its known for a series of canals connecting leading from its harbor deep into the city. Half the city uses the canals instead of roads. The enchantment of the city has a number of aspects. The water of the canals and harbor is magically cleanse, being clear and clean sea water no matter how much waste is washed into them. Furthermore, the mouth of the harbor is enchanted to help the city defend itself against attacks from the sea. The jagged rocks on the side of the harbor mouth are said to shift magically to block the harbor mouth and tear into the hulls of enemy shifts. Its been so long since this has happened, some believe its just a story. The legend has it that the harbor closes itself when the first drop of blood from a defender who holds the city in his heart, touches the sea. Having nothing to do with the age-old magic of Brims, the city is also famous for its arches. These arches serve as both decorations and also as bridges, allowing foot and wagon traffic to cross the canals. The arches/bridges are often named.
Brims is home to the City State's navy, which includes troops from all over the nation. Its also a center for trade. As such, its the most worldly and cosmopolitian of the City states. Its home to a large fishing fleet.
Brims is home to the Order of the Golden Gryphon. The Golden Gyphon are famous for their versatile medium infantry. Armed with crossbows, spears, and shield and sword, they are home on the seas, in the mountains, and on flat ground. The Gryphons are also known for the arcane artillerist, specialist mages and siege breakers.
Landra, City of Vineyards Landra, City of Vineyards or City of Wines is one of the inland cities of Marble. Located in a region of dry hills, it possesses a magical aura that makes the surrounding area extremely well suited for growing grapes. It is said the grapes and the wine they produce are the greatest in world. They are said to be incredible complex in flavor and only get better with age. Making wine in Landra and selling it in far off lands is an extremely lucrative business.
Landra is home of the Order of the Silver Serpent. The Silver Serpent is famous for its use of stealth and trickery. It produces scouts (and some say assassins) that serve with all the other Orders. The Silver Serpent also possesses flying cavalry, as pegasi and hippogriffs can be seen flying in formation over Landra. The Silver Serpent is the most secretive order in Marble.
Wence, City of Orchards; home of the Order of the Adamantine Fist- fruit trees provide fruit twice as often, grow fast, excellent fruit. Wence, City of Orchards, sits at the meeting of two slow moving rivers and is surrounded by rolling hills and the orchards that give the city its name. The enchantment of the city makes them extremely productive, providing two or three harvests every year. The city if famous for its pies and its horses. Wence is home of the Order of the Adamantine Fist. The Order's speciality is heavy cavalry and heavy infantry with offensive punch. The surrounding lands include many horse farms and fields of grain.
Tarain, City of Fountains; home of the Order of the Last Arrow- water bursts from the ground, large amounts of irrigation, Tarain, city of Fountains is near located a few miles up a shallow river not far from the coast. The magic of the city is pretty unique. The ground under the city is webbed with underground water and any pipe driven or hole dug into the ground brings forth a rush of crystal clear water. This leads to most buildings in the city not having a foundation. But more importantly it provides enough water to irrigate the surrounding area out to fifteen miles away. This allows Tarain to produce a great deal of grain. Tarain is known for its breads and beer. Its also known for its fountains, which are naturally fed by the underground waters. There are said to be almost a hundred of them spread about the city.
Tarain is home to the Order of the Last Arrow. This order specializes in archery.
Other Important small cities/towns and regions:

• Castlebell: Named for the pre-Marble castle at the site, whose primary tower has a rounded sloped sides that resemble a bell. One of the larger, non-enchanted cities in Marble, its the trade center and port for Tarain.
• Freeman's Wharf: one of the oldest harbors on the Northern Shore, Freeman's has a large fishing fleet. Shielded by Smuggler's Island, its also the most sheltered and easily defended harbors in Marble. The fortifications and the extensive catacombs under them predate Marble my a large (if unknown origin).
• Winterden: Once a tradepost and fort for those braving the wilds of the North. Agreements with the elves of Tranquility have caused many trappers, hunters, and lumbermen to go elsewhere for their livelihood, although many risk doing so illegally. Winterden has developed something of an "outlaw" reputation.
• New Hollow: A relatively new medium town in the eastern hills, its a central point for the burgeoning mining operations there. While the hills are not pour out riches, they contain profitable stone quarries, copper mines, and iron mines.
• Wolf Bay: the largest port on the Western Ocean, Wolf Bay is an important fishing and shipping port. It has been a key port in trade to the North, specifically Arcadia and Cirdonia. It also has a sizable naval presence. The surrounding lands have a rocky and sandy soil making farming more difficult. The area does boosts good grazing for herds of goats and sheep as well as olive trees.

Other Noteworthy Sites in Marble:

• Smuggler's Island: named for the small collection of rickety buildings and piers that were once the base for smugglers in the area. Now regularly patrolled, no one lives here except the sea birds (or do they?)

Martial Orders of Marble (DC 15) Each is still based in one of the six main cities, the old Duchies, and maintain extensive fortifications and training facilities. Marble then, instead of a single army, has six small but highly trained and competitive military forces. This is also one of the reasons the Kingdom has never had much in the way of expansionary tendencies, for while it could smash the armies of most nations twice its size, the traditional form of its Orders makes an occupational force less viable. In any joint venture, the chain of command is extremely complicated to an outsider, but usually well understood by actual members of the Orders. In general, the Orders are an excellent defensive force, quick, powerful, and versatile. They also operate well in small groups.
(DC 15) Each Order has its own unique system of ranks, promotion and honors. These are steeped in tradition and quite complicated. All six incorporate the use of magics (mostly arcane but there is a tradition of divine magic users as well) in someway or another. The Orders train its students in a wide variety of disciplines involving all forms of combat and magic use.

Daily Life (DC 12) Daily life in Marble is similar to many of the wealthier nations of the north. The majority of people are either farmers, craftsmen, or merchants. A large supply of spell casters has eased the life of many of the common folk, making resources easier to acquire, transportation faster, and disasters easier to overcome (droughts, disease, vermin). It’s traditional for the eldest child (for the orders take both men and women) of any family to give his life to service in the order of his city (or the nearest city). Younger children will often serve in the orders for a few years but then return home to inherit the family livelihood. The Orders are paid for by what many would find as excessive taxation of the people. But the people have long since grown accustomed of this and take great pride in both the effectiveness and the pomp and ceremony of their military. While it occasionally makes things hard on them, they take great pride in their sacrifice to pay for such. The Orders do what they can to make money, serving as mercenaries in certain circumstances.
(DC 10) Names in Marble are usually a personal name, a family name, and then an indication of Order membership if any. For example, “Kirkden Blackwheel, First Cavalry Charger, Order of the Adamantine Fist".
(DC 12) Persons of Marble are very bound to tradition, rank, and family. There is a deep respect given to such ideals as honesty, loyalty, and obedience. Marblians tend towards seriousness. While they are not disloyal to the Confederacy of City States, most Marblians identify themselves as being from their city.
Within Marble, travel is not uncommon. Most average citizens have been to more than one of the major cities. Trade is an important part of life in Marble. Goods move easily from territory to territory. The common folk in Marble generally have a good life and possess more materials goods then in many other nations. Families with above average incomes, such as merchants and artisans will often own a few magical household items to make life even easier.
Marblians are more less religious than most other Northern Kingdoms. While the Gods play an important part of their lives, its but one facet of their culture. Most in Marble venerate multiple Gods including the Gods of Light and the Gods of Leaf and Loam. Those in certain professions may emphasis one deity over all others, fisherman and Mare or farmers and Yondalla. Priests and clerics hold positions of respect in Mable. They are spiritual advisors, dispensers of wisdom, and provide divine magics to those in need. In return, the people of Marble uphold the Gods traditions, pay small tithes, and celebrate important holy days and ceremonies. Each of the martial orders have a small group of clerics who preside over military services and provide battlefield healing. They are mostly followers of Tyr and Pelor.

Structure

Marble is ruled by its Council of Twenty Chairs: 6 seats Patrizio/Patrizia of each City State: Wence Seat, Tarain Seat, Landra Seat, Brims Seat, Koltic Seat, Corbin Seat. 6 seats Merchant Guilds: Smith Seat, Fisherman Seat, Trader Seat, Farmer Seat, Labor Seat, Artisan Seat) 6 seats Martial Order: Arrow Seat, Gryphon Seat, Fist Seat, Shield Seat, Serpent Seat, Rose Seat, 2 Seats: Arcane Seat, Temple Seat
Each City State is ruled by its own, smaller council. The head of each City is called the Patrizio. He or she is assisted by Lesser Chairs- the make up of the lesser chairs varies by the City, but generally is similar to the main council of Marble. They are a collection of local military, business, and spiritual leaders.
Each of the Martial Orders has a different structure. The leader of each is referred to as a Castellan. They generally have a Cadet-Corporeal-Sergeant-Captain-Commander hierarchy. Each order has its own list of titles.
Each City state has its own law enforcement institution, usually referred to as the Watch or the Guard. They work in conjunction with a small system of courts often connected with a temple of Tyr. Laws in Marble are relatively common sense. There is set of archaic and complicated laws surrounding death or injuries received in a formal duel. There remains a pretty standard bias in Marble's legal system to those of higher wealth or status (but is far less unfair than in other states).

Public Agenda

Marble is very attuned to the safety of its borders. It works closely with the Kingdom of Timbal, Ustavia, the High Houses of Elves, and the Holds of Moradin to slow the spread of chaos that has enveloped much of the Northern Continent. Two centuries ago they were also amassing naval strength to ward off possible aggression from the Senpat Empire, but this looks less likely.
Marble is more delicate with its problem-solving than Timbal, who prefers to send a mass of heavily armored cavalry against a threat. It now allows units from its martial orders to be highered out around the world as mercenaries (this serves to gather information and allow for more clandestine intervention).
Locally, Marble seeks to expand trade avenues and fight corruption.

Assets

Marble is a rich nation. It has one of the highest standards of living for the common folk. It produces a wide variety of products. It does need to important resources from outside its borders include raw metals and grains.

History

Pre-History: The six cities-states of Marble were apparently once elven cities during the Golden Age of Empires. There is considerable research that suggests that these cities were joint human-elven settlements, but that they had the origin as elven cities designed as meeting and mingling spots for elves to mix with humans and other races. Evidence further points to these settlements having been part of the elven empire known as the Lotarwa Aldare Phaya (The Great Soul of the Forest Garden). See Nine Empires of the Golden Age. There are some vague mentions of settlements known as the Mel'loniri-Annah (Peace Gifts to Friends) that match the location and timeframe. However there apparently ten of them? It is theorized that these places were instilled with age-spanning magics and built to cement friendship between the Elven Empire and their human allies of the area. Nothing is known about the time from their initial establishment and their destruction.
It is presumed that these settlements were destroyed in the civil war that ravaged the Aldare Phaya. Historians and those that have seen the ruins found under these cities or upon which became the foundations for current buildings note the presence of ancient elven writing and symbology. They also note that the unique magics of each settlement has been described as "likely elven nature in origin" by experts that have investigated them.
Early History The earliest records of Marble exist from a time well after the establishment of human settlements on these sites. It is theorized that early human settlers in the area found these sights were naturally well suited for settlement. They already contained stone foundations and structures, were in superior locations, and contained permanent benign magics. This, they were ideal spots to rebuild civilization in the area. The few remaining accounts of this time suggest that humans in the area were nomadic bands of hunters with a few permanent walled settlements on the coast that subsisted mainly by fishing. As these settlements grew, groups of people move inland in search of farmland and resources, eventually founding what would become the six cities of Marble.
Early records from the six cities is spotty at best. They struggled with the usual growing pains. The North was a hostile land filled with tribes, monsters, and raiders. Settlements rose and fell, but those in the six previously elven sites had a few distinct advantages that allowed them survive and eventually thrive. Some ancient tapestries show some skirmishes between the fledgling City States, but large scale conflict appears to have been avoided.
As the City States solidified their territories and trade and diplomacy between the states became more formal. Two outside enemies provided the impetus for the Cities to become more serious allies. The first was threats to the North and the second was in the South. The area was frequently attacked by pirates and raiders from the Jeweled Cities region. They hugged the coast and looked to strike quick and make off with goods and slaves before much of a resistance could be mounted. Overtime, these raiders began to strike further and further inland, looking to catch inhabitants unaware. These raiders were said to be extremely violent, killing and burning indiscriminately. To the North, there were human, orc, and goblin tribes that flowed south into the region (and into what would become Timbal) seeking easy pickings. In time, the threat to the North became the spies and raiders of the City of Tsar.
To combat these threats, the Cities began to work more and more closely together. Overtime, a Council came into existence that convened periodically to coordinate defenses, handle dispute, and encourage trade. Following the Battle of the Black Tide, when Timbal and Marble and its elven and dwarven allies turned back an the Army of the Black Duke out of Tsar, the Council decided to it was time to cement is overall leadership of all six cities. City States were, and remain, an Oligarchy. The Council of Twenty Chairs control its membership, and while they are generally fair and evenhanded, they are also loath to turn over their considerable power.
Recent History Following the implementation of the Confederacy, Marble has experienced centuries of peace and prosperity.

Demography and Population

Marble contains human (90%), elven (2%), dwarf (3%), and halfling (5%) populations.

Territories

Marble takes up the Southwest corner of the Northern Continent. It includes its six City States. Each City controls a relatively large swathe of territory that includes many smaller communities and a few smaller cities.

Military

Marble has a small army who guards its borders and responds to threats. The army is made up of members of the Martial Orders who either volunteer or are assigned duty. As such, it is a small but diverse and powerful force. It can draw on the combined force of its martial orders when necessary.
Marble's navy is actually larger than its army. The general opinion of the Marblian Navy is low amongst the people, as it lacks the prestige and pomp of the Martial Orders. Its made up of volunteers, generally working class individuals or foreigners looking for an opportunity to improve their station in life. The navy is well funded and is supported by the Arcane Order and the Temple of Mare. It guards the coast line and battles pirates and other ocean threats. It prefers small, fast ships. The effectiveness of its marines is a less well known military strength.

Religion

Religion is an important aspect of life in Marble but it is relatively compartmentalized. Religion is less a factor in politics than in other northern kingdoms. Most citizens in Marble revere several of the Gods of Light or the Gods of Leaf and Loam. They generally observe holy days and many of their usual ceremonies for special occasions. There is competition for citizen participation in more common worship. Those in certain lifestyles/professions are far more likely to follow a single deity (farmers and Yondalla, sailors and Mare).
The local faiths are allowed a single seat on the Council of Twenty Chairs.

Foreign Relations

Marble is on good terms with Timbal. They have both military and economic treatises. They are primary trade partners.
Marble is on good terms with High Houses of Darkwood Green, although interactions are few and generally just diplomatic. Some of the martial orders are, individually, on good terms with the elves.
Marble is on good terms with the Holds of Moradin. They are active trade partners and have several trade agreements. Marble will occasionally send military units to the Holds to train.
Marble is on average terms with Ustavia. Marble regularly sends military units to support Ustavia. There is some trade.
Marble is on average terms with the Jeweled Cities- there is a large amount of ocean borne trade.
Marble is on poor terms with the Senpat Empire- Senpat traders are not allowed into Marble's harbors, but trade does take place through third parties.
Marble has no official relations with the Arcadian Empire or Shai River Valley Empire but there are some who brave the distances for trade.

Agriculture & Industry

There is significant agriculture and industry in Marble. It produces large amounts of common goods, for use and trade, and a decent amount of more expensive or luxury goods. Each region of the nation has its own products.

Divine Origins

(DC 12) Religion is interwoven with the Martial Orders and life in general in Marble. Tyr and Bahamut are the most common but Pelor, Yondalla, Azuth, and Madriel have their following as well. Behind closed doors both Mask and Asmodeus also have their followers. The various orders have many clerics, paladins, favored souls and the various prestige classes from these deities as important part of their operations.
FIX THIS

Currency

Gold Coins- "Chairs"- as they have an image of one of the council chairs. Silver Coins- "Cities"- as they have an image of one of the cities skylines. Copper Coins- "Bits"-

Legislative Body

Each of the individual seat holders of the Council of Twenty Chairs has its own group it represents.