Aristolia
"Behold Aristolia, mankind's legacy to all of Ardras, crossroads of the world and known to all those who travel it."
Structure
The theocratic merchantocracy of Aristolia is administered and operated through the Church of Helios who works in tandem with the Merchant's Guild to ensure that the empire of Aristolia stays in order. These roles are split between the church and the guild and are as follows:
Trade Prince - One of five figures who oversees each of the five central cities of Aristolia. They maintain each city and cooperate with one another through trade and commerce. These representatives are voted in by the Merchant's Guild every four years in a convention held within the city of Mandas.
Archdeacon - A clergyman of the Church of Helios who leads the masses in worship of the church, they orchestrate and mediate the people of Aristolia in instructing them how to live a good and prosperous life through living by the tenets of the church. They are on the payroll of the Merchant's Guild to keep themselves seperate from the donations and tithes donated by the populace.
Guild Dean - The officiated head of each Merchant's Guild hall, in addition to their duties they report directly to the local trade prince, keeping them up to date with any significant changes within the expected trade routes. They work with the Church of Helios to arrange protection for important merchants and goods.
Prowas Knights - Paladin knights who make up part of The Helosguard who work at the order of the Church of Helios, they are tasked with ensuring that the roads and settlements of Ardras are kept safe. They are deployed in military conflicts as elite units.
Dominuos Knights - Paladin knights from The Helosguard who maintain order within the cities. They are the elite units responsible for protecting the citizenry and nobility and operate by the order of the Merchan'ts Guild.
Merchant Deacons - These Merchant Guild representatives work under the Guild Deans to maintain local trade, collect taxes, and operate the administrative duties of Aristolia.
Couriers - The messengers of the guild and church who operate to carry messages between members of the two organizations and to citizens that they need to get ahold of. Sometimes these couriers may be accompanied by thugs in case the recipient needs to be convinced of anything.
Culture
Aristolia is a land of craftsmen and artisans from a variety of backgrounds and ethnicities, from the metallurgists who filligree metal to create unique artifacts to the artisan carpenters of the southwestern forests, it is well known that Aristolians are good with their hands. This expert dexterity is reflected in the many trades and arts exported by these people. A good work ethic and ambition is the fuel needed for a successful endeavor, no matter what the course of action is.
Aristolians are very curious and love to travel, often finding themselves in foreign lands in search of adventure and fame. Their curiousity is often undercut by their ignorance of other cultures' more obscure details and traditions, earning them the ire of most other conservative figures of other cultures. Aristolians enjoy the imports of many other empires, and will explore new styles and rituals from the lands they travel. They are happy to spend the plentiful coin that hangs from their pockets on various goods and imports.
Society runs smoothly under the guidance of the Church of Helios which allows the populace of Aristolia to focus on self-improvement and pursuing goals like crafting or artistry. Personal pride in one's hard work is taken very seriously, particularly if one has raised their social status through their own determination and grit. Rag's to riches stories are exceptionally popular in their literature. The cities of Aristolia are excpetionally beautiful; the Trade Princes commission sculptors, artists, and architects to create grand works of art which decorate them.
Public Agenda
Aristolia is a prosperous empire which wants to share that prosperity with the world. As a pacifist nation, warfare is not wanted, however the immense power of The Helosguard backs the nation if war ever became an inevitability.
Assets
History
Aristolia was founded in the ashes of the Empire of Blackhearth after the conclusion of the the War of Black Hearts after the competing powers of Litthos and the Empire of Blackhearth were forced to sign a peace treaty written up by diplomats from the kingdom of Hadanguard.
The war had only come to an end after the emperor was defeated in single-combat by an unknown hero. The emperors daughter of twelve years of age had succeeded to the throne and easily complied to Hadanguard's orders. Under this edict, the kingdoms of Aristolia and Lithos would officially come to be. The empire would struggle for some time to recover from the devastating toll of the war. After two centuries of strife, Aristolia would have its chance as an ally to Hadanguard in a new uprising occuring within the kingdom of Lithos which was also having trouble adapting to the new laws and customs laid out in the treaty written up by the diplomatic nation.
Against the threat of Lithosian invasion, the emperor of Aristolia, one Emperor Nefaros would acquire the means to immortality and led his armies on a destructive course towards Lithos, resulting in one of the bloodiest conflicts in Ardras's history. The mages of Hadanguard attempted to stop the mad emperor, but were quickly overwhelmed, causing The Hadanguard to be forced to retreat into the Oversol Highlands.
It was thanks to the actions of the legendary heros, Arushala Ivorcoat, Vicarys Bloodheart, and Vallar Redheart that the immortal emperors ambitions were thwarted, but the resulting bloodshed of the war left Aristolia a broken nation once more.
Aristolia would be brought back to prosperity once again thanks to Arushala after the founding of the city of Mandas which was declared the new capital. Arushala would convince the members of The Hadanguard who aided him in his battle to join him at his side as The Helosguard, causing a schism in the esteemed and ancient order of warriors. With the Helosguard at his side, Arushala would grow and perfect Mandas into the perfect utopian society open to members of all races, ethicities, and creeds.
Demography and Population
Aristolia was born out of the Empire of Blackhearth and it's ambitions for global dominance, because of this the empire of Aristolia covers an expansive amount of land. The many varieties of Human are most common here. However, under the egalitarian leadership of Arushala Ivorcoat the borders of Aristolia have been opened to all peoples, and so many races come and go through these lands.
Primarily Aristolia is comprised of Humans from the following ethnicities:
Arrisdrian - 33%
Other assorted races - 16%
Crystander - 14%
Meinongian - 12%
Arrborian - 11%
Ozzarian - 7%
Hadanguardian - 7%
Territories
Aristolia is a vast landscape that spans several historical kingdoms, in the west, hills and mountains hide amongst forests and lakes. The ancient borders of Hadanguard blend into the grand central plains which stretch for hundreds of miles into the arid savannahs and deserts of the east. The Meino'ng Jungle encompasses the vast eastern half of the empire, wrapping ancient ruins in tangled vines and ferocious river waters.
Aristolia currently controls the following regions:
Time Worn Plains
Lizard's March
Quietknife Forest
Mageguard Cliffs
Quaintwood Forest
Ozzara Lakes
Oversol Highlands
Daggerwood Forest
Malo'o Savannah
Crystcrown Desert
Mt. Oka'uhane
Swamp of Forgotten Dreams
Meino'ng Jungle
La'Taos Coast
Mandas Sea
Military
The military forces are led by The Helosguard and are comprised of a mixture of citizen-soldiers, mercenaries, and proud family lines of many different races who believe in the egalitarian ways of Mandas.
Each of the Helosguard's 21 Arrgras Knights are assigned a unit of soldiers and are given a variety of tasks and duties such as city watch, guard duty, road patrol, merchant bodyguards, and many others. Above each Arrgras Knight is their Arrchangras General, a superiorly skilled military tactician who commands each unit.
Technological Level
During the Era of Twilight, Aristolia has made great advances in their understanding of magic, its properties, and its uses. Thanks to the great mind of Arushala Ivorcoat they have become a world leader in developing magitek, a method of creating machines by assembling together pistons, gears, and other engineering pieces and inscribing instructions into the material to change its properties and function. Several guild halls in Aristolia are dedicated entirely to this craft.
Historically Aristolia has been noted for its incredible intellectuals and master craftsmen, as they tend be a very logic minded people.
Religion
The Church of Helios owns and maintains a large cathedral in each of the main cities of Aristolia, from here they lead the populace in the moral path they wish to take on in life. They preach a gospel of equal opportunity between those with money and influence and the destitute populace with the ability to serve. While there is no animosity between the church and other religions, much of the priesthood tends to explain away the existence of other culture's gods as famed merchants of Helios, who are allegedly followers of the church who gained so much fame that they were deified by the church.
Foreign Relations
Aristolia leads the world as a superpower and maintains a powerful hold on international trade. After several centuries of failed warfare, Lithos has become something of a puppet state with a member of the Merchant's Guild sitting on the Viridian Throne. Though they have a legitimate lineage to the throne and so the population is in a tense unrest.
The Drylands and Aristolia seem to have an unspoken pact which keeps Aristolian representatives out of matters in the barren badlands, not that there are many resources that the merchants of the empire see much interest anyway. To the east, the Oceos'lo'kai peoples pirate and raid Aristolian vessels as they resist the gradual changes that Aristolia's influence brings to their culture.
In the north, the ever-vigilant Fervor and its Archons maintain a strictly regulated flow of trade, carefully curating what comes in and out of the empire's borders.
Agriculture & Industry
Aristolia owns a massive amount of land and makes use of the many resources at its disposal. Farms dot the vast plains in the central regions and amongst the hills and trees while the forests provide many herbs, fruits, and plenty of lumber. The many different artisans and craftsmen of Ardras have turned the natural resources of the world into a booming econmic explosion.
Trade & Transport
Aristolia connects the rest of the world to each other through its many trade routes and guarded roadways and is considered the lead superpower that has gradually begun to amass complete control over trade and commerce throughout Ardras.
Education
Aristolia operates on a apprentice system of mercantile development. Children are encouraged to apprentice themselves to a craftsman, artisan, clergyman, or any of the other various roles played throughout Aristolia. The many guilds that exist and operate within Aristolia are a great way for a fledging student to become practiced at whatever craft they want to pursue. Those who wish to study magic can do so through the Mage's Guild, but advanced schooling is always done through foreign exchange student programs with Lithos.
Infrastructure
Trade throughout the borders of Aristolia are maintained and regulated by the Merchant's Guild, while the Church of Helios maintains and orchestrates The Helosguard in commanding the different arms of the empire's military to ensure that societal order is maintained.
Communications between the members of the Merchant's Guild provide the network necessary for the trade princes to keep in contact and relay important information about the well-being of each city and its surrounding villages and minor settlements. When this system is in crisis, the trade princes each keep a personal menagerie of messenger birds to carry info through the air.
Show spoiler
Each of the major cities in Aristolia function on their own in accordance to their ruling trade prince, each of them utilize their own system to keep their city in working order, so long as they can continue contributing to the city of Mandas and Aristolia's ambitions.Only in emergencies do the trade princes and highest elites of the church use the teleportation circles hidden deep within the villas of each trade prince. These teleportation circles are an experimental new form of magic developed by Arushala Ivorcoat and is to be utilized only at his command.
Prosperity and goodwill to all.
Aristolia is Ardras's largest empire, spanning from mountainous forests in the west to its humid eastern coasts. Much trade flows through here.
Founding Date
9240
Type
Geopolitical, Theocracy
Capital
Predecessor Organizations
Demonym
Aristolian
Leader
Leader Title
Head of State
Head of Government
Government System
Corporatocracy
Power Structure
Transnational government
Economic System
Palace economy
Currency
Gold Piece | Silver Piece | Copper Piece
Major Exports
Toys, horses, furs, leather, lumber, cattle, pork, chicken, tobacco, coal, perfumes, spices, incense
Major Imports
Tropical fruits, pearls, chocolate, jade, luxury oils, cinnamon, cloves, artifacts, gold, stone, dyes, wools, veal, mutton
Legislative Body
Judicial Body
Executive Body
Merchant's Guild
Official State Religion
Subsidiary Organizations
Location
Official Languages
Controlled Territories
- Crystcrown Desert
- Daggerwood Forest
- Deepwood Village
- Heror'est
- La'Taos Coast
- Lizard's March
- Magefall Village
- Mageguard Cliffs
- Malo'o Savannah
- Mandas
- Marblemarch
- Mt. Oka'uhane
- Nuramite Village
- Oversol Highlands
- Ozzara Lakes
- Quaintwood Forest
- Quietknife Forest
- Redrook
- Roguesport
- Time Worn Plains
- Treespring Village
Neighboring Nations
Notable Members
Related Ethnicities
Non-Aggression Pact
Fervor and Aristolia trade, but under strict and vigilantely observed watch of the Fervorian officials in charge of customs and goods exchange.
Peace
Lithos is held in check by the powers of the Merchants Guild and the Church of Helios which hold several corrupt agreements between Lithosian nobles and Aristolian merchants.
Friendly
The crumbling state of Oceos'lo'kai has a hard time managing its rebellious maritime population, who seek out to plunder Aristolian vessels. While the governing bodies of Oceos'lo'kai seek diplomacy, her people seek retribution in other ways.
Non-Aggression Pact
The Drylands are largely considered as a badlands with little economic gain, it maintains its sovereignty through bribery and merchantocracy.