Bichaklar Sehri
In the southern region of the Jagged Sea on the western coast sit the lands of Bichaklar Sehri, a unique city with a strong martial tradition. Much of the city is built in the valley between two large cliffs, through which a large river flows. Portions of the city are built into the cliffside, and only warriors who possess the Mark and receive the city's training are able to reach these dizzying heights. The city's martial tradition is second to none, and it produces the finest warriors the world has ever seen, though this comes at the expense of a deep culture and peaceful society.
Bichaklan military training begins at seven and lasts until the trainee is twenty-one, at which point they join the military proper for thirty years. Training can be fatal, though the death tolls are greatly exaggerated byh other city-states. It does produce exceptional warriors however; washouts who don't die become freepersons, but not citizens, and their children have a chance to erase this stain on the family legacy. Only those who die in battle or childbirth are permitted to have names on their graves in Bichaklar Sehri.
Demographics
25,000 Bichaklan Citizens
200,000 Bichaklan freepersons
300,000 slaves
Government
Two monarchs from two different families rule the city-state, with a council of elders drawn from other prominent families to assist them. The elders may overrule the monarchs if they do so unanimously (which rarely happens), and the monarchs themselves divide their duties by the wheel of the year, with one monarch in charge during the summer and the other during the winter. The monarch not currently in charge leads the armies, often taking them to the field.
Defences
Only two legions worth of soldiers guard the city, though if reserves and retirees were called into service another three legions could form. These soldiers and three dozen warmachines are all the city has, but they're all the city has needed thus far.
Industry & Trade
Bichaklar Sehri trades very little, preferring to be self-sufficient as much as possible. Olives and olive oil are the exception, as Bichaklan olives are renowned throughout the Jagged Sea.
Bichaklan industry is war, with mining and farming for the warriors first and foremost. Though some might consider it gauche, Bichaklans are not above declaring small wars against neighbors for resources they desperately need.
Infrastructure
Infrastructure is minimal, but effective. Public baths are common and the roads are kept clear of bandits.
Guilds and Factions
The Kilich Iblisleri are warriors born with the Mark, trained in combat beyond what any other mortal could hope to accomplish. They use magic sparingly but in sufficient amounts to defend against projectiles and whatnot; most warriors train in warmachines and also in how to toughen and accelerate their bodies. These warriors are capable of facing a hundred mortal men and often appear at the vanguard of any attacking force.
Gorunmez Goz act as a secret police, and recruit strictly those born with an internal Mark. Given training in unarmed combat and divination, many of these spies operate as craftspeople in the city and listen in on their fellows for signs of revolt, quashing it when they're able. When the warriors of the city ritually declare war on the slaves, the Gorunmez Goz leave small signs on their doors as a warning not to harass them.
History
Four hundred years ago, the city began as one more martially inclined but not nearly to the extent it is today. Battles and even wars were common between the city-states, and the neighboring city of Liman entered into a dispute and sent soldiers to meet Bichaklar Sehri on the field. Bichaklar Sehri's forces easily defeated Liman's, and pressed on to the walls where they easily overwhelmed the meager forces who remained. At that point, Bichaklar Sehri did something unprecedented in the recent history of the Jagged Sea, and conquered their neighbor. Hitherto, no city-state had been completely subjugated, with the few total conquests resolved by accepting tribute and slaves. Bichaklar Sehri enslaved the whole of the Liman people.
Insurrection followed for years afterward, and the new slaves outnumbered their masters considerably. The great queen Kurtapasu changed Bichaklar Sehri law and society forever, after taking the position of her father when he was killed by a slave uprising. Her laws set the standard for Bichaklan children who would be selected for training, and mandated that all Bichaklan citizens would begin military training at the age of seven.
The training wasn't initially as rough as the current manifestation, but evolved to that level over time. Though wild stories circulate the world, Bichaklan training is prestigious and attracts applications from wealthy families in other city-states with connections to Bichaklar Sehri.
Unlike other city-states, Bichaklar Sehri hasn't sent out colonies, focusing instead on maintaining control over its enslaved populace. Despite the fact that most of Bichaklan valor to date has been spent putting down revolutions, on every occasion that they've engaged other city-states, their armies have either won decisive victories or were dramatically outnumbered, and in the latter case they always exacted a more devastating toll from their foes. On two occasions the Republic has attempted to invade the Jagged Sea from the southwest, and on both occasions the Bichaklans crushed the invading legions. Despite the dearth of artistic innovation, Bichaklan officers are extremely creative, and have developed strategies and tactics that have kept the phalanx formation relevant for centuries.
Architecture
Wood and stucco walls are the norm for most buildings, and plain tiles adorn the roofs. Liman retains a stone wall for defense, though the city has not grown since its capture. Bichaklar Sehri has no walls, but only a fool would dare to bring a force into the heart of Bichaklan territory.
The city proper is flanked by sheer cliffs, with rooms and residences hacked out of these walls and accessible only to those with the Mark. Because of this there are few of these residences, but they extend out of the city, providing the first line of defense against any army foolish enough to challenge Bichaklan might.
Geography
A large canyon wends its way down from then mountains, nestling Bichaklar Sehri in between as the Tiamat River cuts through the city and out into the fields beyond. The lands around the city-state are gently rolling hills set to growing staples of the warriors' diet.
Natural Resources
Mines further down the canyon provide the city with sufficient iron resources for their needs, and the river floods regularly, ensuring excellent farming. Bichaklans worry about exploiting the fish around Liman, since it would give their slaves too much freedom, and lumber in this region is scarce. Bichaklar Sehri produces warriors, their steel, and their food.
One item of note is the Bichaklan olive. Ancient groves dot the land, and the olive harvest is significant enough to warrant a holiday. It's one of Bichaklar Sehri's few exports.
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