Graran Directorate

Confederation of city-states.

"Reports reveal that Grara is not a unified nation like Bral. It is a loose coalition of small counties bound by a treaty. The treaty seems to dictate rules for trade and military presence between the different counties. Perhaps a few could be persuaded to join Bral but the incentive would have to be great.
The country as a whole is massive and they have access to lots of resources. Stone, lumber, and even metal are readily available for the people. There is a large amount of arable land that is made possible by a large infrastructural project that transports water around the country.
They have a large population and a sizable standing army. As well as fortified positions along our shared border from past aggression. The fortifications themselves have been weakened by time but not enough to be considered an opening."
-Report to the Emperor of Bral

Structure

Grara is a federation of city-states. There is no central authority and most of the city-states are controlled by a single noble.

Assets

While there is no central authority that controls the assets of Grara, each city-state commits a number of soldier and resources to the defense of the nation.

History

Grara was founded in year 34 of the Time of Rebuilding by the leaders of 18 small autonomous regions with the signing of the Charter of Lands and Trade which guarenteed certain trading rights and settled land disputes between the members. These 18 regions saw an increase in prosperity brought about by the charter. Eventually, other nearby regions signed on to the charter and Grara grew.
In the summer of 157RB, one of the member states attacked one of their neighbors. This was unexpected and infuriated other member states. The first addition to the charter occured after the event. Each state was only allowed to have a limited number of soldiers, this number was the same for every state, making offensive strikes almost useless. This was enforced by having representatives of each leader regularily inspect their neighbors military force and imposing fines for breaking the rules. A second addition was added to the charter to handle the threat of Bral. Now, the states closest to hostile territories were allowed to have larger standing armies and required other states to provide soldiers and resources to secure the border.

Foreign Relations

Grara has strong trade relations with Zinato, minimal relations with the [Steppe Dwellers], and a complicated history with Bral.
Trade relations with Zinato go back to before the signing of the Charter of Lands and Trade. During this time the states closest to Zinato traded grain for furs and lumber.
The [Steppe Dwellers] are largely a nomadic people and only interact with Grara during certain times of the year. There are no hostilities in the region and cross marriages are recorded.
Grara has been both a good trading partner and a formidable opponent to Bral both before and after the Charter of Lands and Trade was created. Some Emperors sought to conquer territory held by Grara but find themselves severely outnumbered. Others were interested in cultures outside of Bral and sought trade of goods and ideas.

Agriculture & Industry

Grara is a large nation and different areas have different specialties. These are used to supplement each other through trade. Some areas produce stone and metals while others produce large amounts of grain. The Great Unseen River of Grara is responsible for the nation's ability to produce such a large amount of food.

Trade & Transport

"As long as somebody needs something from somewhere else, in Grara, there is a merchant to take it to them."
-Common saying

Merchants are a common sight in Grara. They can be found in every town and village and on every road. Each city-state has some of it's own laws governing trade and it is the job of a merchant to know, understand, and work around those laws while still turning a profit. Certain trade regulations are dictated by the Charter of Lands and Trade such as the maximum tax on grain.
Grara is known for the road system is has. Most of the roads began as the paths of travelling merchants. Primary trade lanes and travel routes are kept in good condition, though fees can be charged for their use. Secondary roads and roads to smaller towns and villages are not always in good condition and often become bumpy and overgrown.
Horses are the most popular method of transport in Grara. Most ketzlat in the nation are owned by the Feathermen.

Education

In Grara education is uncommon. Laborers often have had no formal education outside of their craft. Merchants learn by apprenticing younger people who wish to become merchants. Only the nobility are able to recieve education.

Stub Article

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Old Article

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In-Progress Article

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Founding Date

34RB

Type

Political, Federation

Demonym

Graran

Power Structure

Federation

Currency

There is no official currency in Grara, each city-state, and sometimes organization, has the ability to produce it's own currency. The value of each currency differs by region and how trusted the currency is. The most common currency found throughout the nation is the laborer's coin.

Legislative Body

The Charter of Lands and Trade was established by the leaders of 18 city-states. Other city-states would join later with the most recent being in 43EX. The leader of each city-state is allowed to propose changes or additions to the original charter but there have only been two additions in the entire history of the nation.

Judicial Body

Each county is in charge of it's own laws and law enforcement. This leads to a large amount of varience in what is a crime and what punishment should be between the different city-states.

Subsidiary Organizations

• Mercantile Authority

Related Ranks & Titles

• Merchant Logistician

Controlled Territories

• Cliffside

Related Ethnicities

• [Graran Ethnicity 1]