Bairek
History
The Great State of Bairek was founded in the 187BU by the union of the Grand Duchy of Tulu, the Free City of Bairok, the Kingdom of North Bairek and the Kingdom of South Bairek. All three states had close ties and tense relations. They did however share a common religion and language. They had all been united at various points in their histories and people moved across their borders readily. As the kingdoms to the west and east became stronger, larger and more unified, the three Baireki states became more and more interdependent, first forming a trading and defence partnership and then creating founding the Supreme Council of Bairek to act as the ultimate authority throughout the three kingdoms.
The region had been unified in the past. In 842BU, King Marnador I conquered much of modern Bairek which had fallen into chaos following the fall of the Amalorian Empire. The United Kingdom collapsed in between 621BU and 559BU. In 621BU, the brothers Kings Arnavar and Rastinor split the kingdom in a civil war which ended in a stalemate with North Bairek ruled by Arnavar and South Bairek ruled by Rastinor. Since 603BU, the two Kings had agreed that the Grand Duchy of Tulu, the ancient capital of Bairek, should be ruled as a neutral territory and so it was given to Grand Duke Misrad, a nephew of the brothers and son of their older sister.
Most significantly, in 559BU, the largest and wealthiest city in the region, Bairok (the namesake of the two kingdoms), declared itself an independent 'Free City' with the military power to back this claim.
Until the union of 187BU, this four state system persisted in the region, with tensions steadily deescalating and with a growing interdependence between the states which increasingly relied on one another for military support and resources.
The expansion of the Empire of Nangkap has greatly aided Baireki unity; more than ever, the importance of working together against their common foe is apparent to the powerful of Bairek.
Demography and Population
The country is dominated by Espirion. Much of its population live in small farming, fishing or mining towns.
There are large populations of foreign Espirion people, especially in border areas. As Polyarchism becomes more and more dominant in Nangkap, members of religious minoritied are increasingly migrating to the more religiously diverse Bairek.
The country also has a considerable population of semi-nomadic Tamijhiin people (some scholars estimate at least 100,000). The Tamijhiin clans participate little in the Baireki economy.
Many of the non-Espirion people of Bairek are enslaved Tamijhiin or Haravi. Slavery is fully legal in Bairek and most wealthy citizens own slaves. Non-Espirion are widely seen as second-class citizens by the ruling majority.
The three largest cities of Bairek, Mazarat, Tuluekaan and Bairok, each have a population over 80,000, with Bairok the largest of the three. There is no good census of the rest of the population but it is estimated to be around 1.5 million. Bairek is therefore sparsely populated.
Territories
The Great State of Bairek stretches from the Vantus Strait in the north to the dry steppe in the south.
The north of the state, around the city of Mazarat is densely forested and famous for its abundance of red trees. The centre of the state is mixed woods and meadows in the the north and rockier and drier landscapes toward the south. The far south is mostly temperate, though dry, grasslands. There are mountains in the central west and south-west and the coast is rocky but fertile, especially where the major rivers open into wide estuarine plateaus.
Bairek borders Mirjiin and Tosek to the west, Cyiros and the Tam Gon wilderness to the south and Nangkap to the east.
Religion
Bairek has a considerable degree of religious diversity. Much of this diversity is the result of the compatibility of native Baireki Ancestor Worship with other faiths. Around 60% of the population adhere singly to the traditions of Baireki Ancestor Worship. There is also a growing Polyarchist contingent, especially in the south due to imigration from Nangkap.
In the west, there are limited communities of followers of the Mirjiini Pantheon also. The Tamijhiin communities mostly adhere to their own spiritual tradition. In Bairek city, there are communities of Istirites and followers of the Cyirosi Pantheon who are also found in the south as well as some followers of the Pa'ete/Gi'kh'eni Patheons.
Although a small movement at present, the fastest growing religious group is the Cult of Irhaz, an Espirion ethno-religious movement centred on the belief that the Espirion were created separately from the rest of the world and are the superior race.
Foreign Relations
Bairek is at war with Nangkap and has non-agression pacts with its western neighbours Mirjiin and Tosek. Bairek has relatively neutral relations with Cyiros in the south.
Agriculture & Industry
Bairek, being so large and varied, has a great variety of agricultural productivity. Vegetables are farmed throughout the state with fruit grown mostly in the north and root vegetables mostly in the south. The east coast has especially abundant fruit and nut trees. Animal agriculture is more dominant in the south while fishing is an important industry in the coastal areas. There is limited mining in the west, although the mountains of Bairek lack the abundant ores found in Tosek or Cyiros.
Much of the wealth of Bairek is focussed at its port cities, Mazarat and Bairok, where trading is loosely regulated and plentiful.
Founding Date
187BU
Type
Geopolitical, Country
Alternative Names
Baireka, Barreks
Demonym
Baireki, Bairek
Government System
Monarchy, Constitutional
Power Structure
Feudal state
Currency
Baireki currency was standardised in 23AU in line with the system used in Bairok City which is the economic hub of the state. The system using three coins: the golden Vads which can be divided into 144 silver Mars which can in turn be divided into 144 steel Luts. There are also half- and quarter-Luts coins. One Luts can buy a loaf of bread in the capital, Tuluekaan, while one Vads is can buy a small house outside the major cities.
The system is complicated by the regional coinage that still exists in many places though, for example the northern bronze Riv worth 36 Luts.
Legislative Body
Bairek was unified by the founding of the Supreme Council. The Council is comprised of the Lord Mayor of Bairok City, the King of South Bairek, the King of North Bairek and the Grand Duke of Tulu as well as a number of other lords. The council elects judges to the Supreme Court of the Land and produces legislation. It also appoints two co-marshals of the Baireki army who are the commanders-in-chief of the country's military but must always act by consensus.
The Supreme Council meets in Tuluekaan primarily. The Grand Duke of Tulu chairs the sessions of the council as per its codified constitution.
The four constituent states of Bairek still have limited independence. Although they must submit to the Supreme Council, each region has it's own ruler and council which have executive, legislative and military power locally.
Bairok City is led by its Lord Mayor and his Council of Honour; North Bairek is led by its King, his Royal Court and Council of State; the Duchy of Tulu is led by its Grand Duke and also by its Council of Heralds and Parliament; South Bairek is headed by a King as well as a Parliament.
Subsidiary Organizations
Related Ranks & Titles
Neighboring Nations
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