Alger

Alger is a barbaric nation that stands on the ruins of a once-respectable civilization. Where once the streets were adorned with canvases and sculpture, now they are painted with blood and pounded by spears. Where once the sounds of singing could be heard, now there is the endless rage of chanting, screaming, pounding, cheering for death and injury. Reason has been trampled by base instinct, and the blood-stained sand bears testimony.
— The journal of Philo Amata

Structure

Alger is led by a rykegos (head general), who is responsible for making strategic decisions, vetoing legislature, and deciding who gets placed in other positions of power. The rykegos maintains his position until he's defeated in combat or until he dies, whichever comes first. The rykegos usually has a collection of advisors around him, some of whom may be part of the legislative body. When Teraco took legal ownership of Alger, the acting rykegos agreed to allow two Teraki advisors to join the council, and the Algeran council has had two Teraki on it ever since. Alger has one legislator per city (6). These are required to live in their respective city, but come together in Assedan to draw up laws every quarter. Each Algeran city also has its own court and judge, but courts aren't called into play often. Many Algerans prefer to settle disputes through combat, though if one party wants to take the case to court they override a trial by combat and stand before the judge.

Culture

At the time of its founding, Alger was a home of artists. Paintings and sculpture were seen everywhere, and Algerans attained a high level of craft. Algeran architecture still reflects this bygone era. After the Mordon invasion that split Alger, the Osanarans kept this emphasis on art while Alger moved in a new direction inspired by the desolating strength of Mordon. Nowadays, colosseum fights have replaced art exhibitions and smithing guilds have replaced painting guilds. Alger has an all-encompassing emphasis on physical strength and lack of emotion, which leads to many detrimental beliefs and practices.

Territories

Alger's lands are only about 2/3rds of what they used to be since Osanar split off. They now hold the middle area between the coast and the western side of Kersir, while Osanar holds the coast and the ruins of the fallen kingdom lay nestled in the northwestern corner of Kersir.

Military

Alger has four levels of military command: The Satra are the highest level, presiding over the ten thousands.
Next are the Weer, over the thousands.
Third are the Lisar, over the hundreds.
And last are the Meiram, over tens.
Common Algeran weapons include shortswords, crossbows, spears, and jambiyas. Most Algeran metalwork is done with fotacha, a reddish metal with similar durability to steel. When going to battle—or in some arena shows--Algeran warriors drive chariots.

Religion

Algerans believe in a pantheon of gods, ruled by the god of war: Elphion. He is said to have taken over the pantheon after exiling the goddess Ethrymia, who had previously ruled. The minor gods are Hatix, god of sand; Viteyr, god of the sun; Kuznir, god of cunning; Ekrena, goddess of evil; and Tehlios, god of death. While Elphion and his oath-brother Kuznir are the most esteemed gods, Tehlios is well-respected in his own way as many Algerans fall in combat. Ekrena is seen by most Algerans as more of a demoness than a goddess, but there are a tiny few who worship her as a deity; these often fall in with The Ayan. Though Ethrymia (goddess of beauty, passion, and lust) is seen as a disgraced goddess, there are those who still honor her. Some Ethrymians cling to Alger's old ways and values, while others simply believe that passion is a crucial element of battle and glory.

Foreign Relations

Alger's relations with Eilis are tenuous at best since Alger's shift in culture and Eilis's acquisition of magic. Eilis's theocracy sees Alger's apostasy as standing in direct opposition to their own value of religion, and Alger sees Eilis's dependence on religion as weakness. They also dispute over territory on a regular basis, especially the Mytia Oasis which stands right on their mutual border. Though Osanar has split off from Alger and maintained pieces of a culture that Alger now finds frivolous, they nevertheless have a neutral relationship. Alger depends on Osanar's healers to keep its warriors healthy, and it offers some protection to Osanar in return; posting in a coastal Osanaran city is one of the most desirable options for an Algeran warrior who wants to sit back and relax. It's not uncommon for Algeran warriors posted in Osanar to marry Osanarans. Though Old Alger and Rasell would have gotten along quite well given their similar values, current Alger pays Rasell little mind except as a potential target for invasion due to its wealth.

Education

Algeran education differs by class, but one thing that all Algeran schooling has in common is training in the use of at least one weapon. Most Algeran children receive a weapon of their own by the time they've turned eight, and training in this weapon and other common Algeran weapons begins around the same age. It is expected that every Algeran be able to hold their own in a fight by the time they're ten, or twelve at the oldest. Those who cannot are viewed as inferior.

Type

Geopolitical, Country

Capital

Assedan

Demonym

Algeran

Leader Title

Rykegos

Government System

Meritocracy

Power Structure

Dependent territory