Gharshana

Structure

The Shahdom of Gharshana has formed its organization around a centralized executive power in the form of the Shah. Always a member of a long line of Leonin monarchs, the Shah holds an absolute authority over the city-state. The Shah employs assistance in the form of the Council of Vicars, five hand-picked advisors to the monarch who serve as a guiding hand to keep him focused on aid in his duties. The Vicars also work to help raise the heir of the Shah to prepare him for his inevitable duty to one day lead the nation.
The Shah of course does not simply lead the nation alone. The City of Jade is broken into six districts, each of which is overseen by an Ashah, a lesser ruler who reports directly to the Shah. They are given a good deal of authority over their district of the city, by any conflicts between districts or issues involving more than a single district require the personal intervention of the Shah.

Culture

Gharshana's culture is one of devotion and enthusiasm. People dedicate their entire lives in service to ideals greater than themselves, and strive above all to serve those they see as their betters, be it the Ashahs, the Shah, or the Gods themselves. The city has a very strong religious presence, especially for the city's patron deity Aldayne, and his clergy hold a significant influence over local politics of the city's Temple District. Gharshana's people are all united in this common belief that one should serve a greater purpose before they serve themselves, and it is this idealistic and selfless culture that has allowed Gharshana to bloom into a vibrant city from the harsh jungles of Tharandari.
While this pillar of the city's culture unifies it's people, stark divides still exist among the Leonayne and Tharandari people who call the city home. The Leonayne people, who migrated south from the Leonayne Forest, hold ideals of honor and bravery in high regard. The Tharandari people, native to the southern jungles, are much more studious and cautious. This leads to tension between the two groups, but they have learned to live together all the same. Some Leonayne people accuse the Tharandari of being cowardly or devious, while some Tharandari people proclaim the Leonayne to be thoughtless brutes. The mingling of the two cultures has been a slow process, but time has helped to slowly bridge this divide and allow for common cause between the peoples. The tension between the two cultures if far from gone, but things are getting better, little by little.

Assets

Though the harsh climate of the Tharandari Jungles lacks many traditional resources, and the dense ruins bordering the city of Gharshana makes finding land for vast cultivation difficult, the city-state is far from lacking in natural resources. Dense orchards of plentiful jungle fruits litter the city, and the animals that dwell within the jungle provide vast quantities of exotic and much desired meat. While large farm plots traditional to most other nations are not feasible within Gharshana, many smaller farm plots have been built upon rooftops and within the city's parks.
Where luxuries are concerned, the greatest resource Gharshana has to trade is jade. The resource is extremely rare in most other parts of the world, but the Tharandari mines are plentiful of the coveted mineral. Often found alongside jade are gemstones, such as rubies, diamonds, and emeralds. Having such resources in abundance, it is no wonder that Gharshana is home to the finest gemcutters and jewelcrafters in the world. These are not the only luxuries Gharshana has, but when people think of the city-state, they think of jade.
Gharshana has few villages and settlements outside the city, and those that do exist are small mining, farming, and hunting outposts. This small scope has allowed Gharshana to survive without a proper formalized military. The city's guards are commanded by the Council of Vicars, allowing them to be moved across the city where needed without interference from the Ashahs. Then, there are the Lion Guard, a small but elite fighting force commanded personally by the Shah. They mainly serve as guardians of the Shah's palace and enforcers of his will, but have been called in the past to fight external threats.

History

The City-State of Gharshana is one of the younger city's to mark the map of Eyria, though it is not without it's history. Originating as a particularly large trading outpost of the Tharandari people, the city came under invasion when the Leonayne tribes of the north migrated south in their efforts to carve out a new home for themselves. Finding the outpost and the vast series of ruins it had been built beside, the High Chief of the Leonayne tribes decided this would be his new seat of power. Declaring himself Shah, he adopted the Tharandari peoples Council of Vicars system as advisors rather than governors, and got to work creating his new nation.
The ruins of the long-forgotten city so close to Gharshana was a boon for construction, as worked stone from the ruins was repurposed for many new constructions within the city. As it began to expand it suffered it's own series of problems, but none that couldn't be resolved through the leadership of the Shah. One of the Shah's many decrees was to freely integrate and welcome the Tharandari people he had conquered into his nation as citizens with equal rights. While many still resented this new ruler, preferring to live in jungle villages away from the city, many more came to accept his rule.
Shahs, like the years, have come and gone for Gharshana. All throughout it's time the city has worked tirelessly to grow and expand into a proper nation amidst the jungle. There are many challenges ahead of the city-state if it wishes to see itself continue to prosper, but the enthusiasm of it's people leads nothing to be desired.

Type

Geopolitical, City-state

Alternative Names

The City of Jade

Government System

Monarchy, Absolute

Power Structure

Unitary state

Economic System

Palace economy