Alaj
Where technology and magic collide
Centuries ago, Alaj was a great kingdom of learning. Wedged between the opposing forces of Linakra and Nefrale, we learned to balance magic and technology and sought new innovation through the merger of these two forces. The long-standing motto of our capital, "knowledge and water," has been a reminder of this history. But an outsider visiting Alaj in this era would discover that the leaders of the mountain and desert provinces resent their lack of water. What used to be unity through opposing forces has brought us nothing but destruction and grief. And in such a time, the greatest act of patriotism is that which stands against the nobility which has led us astray.
--Editor's Note
Yuturuno Lumo
The Sun Register
Yuturuno Lumo
The Sun Register
Structure
Alaj has traditionally been divided into three provinces--the desert province in the west, the mountain province in the east, and the river province in the middle, where the capital is. Though the king rules over the country as a whole, the desert province and mountain province are usually run by nobility in good standing, and rarely come in conflict with the king. Since the War of Three Brothers, however, control of the (puppet) kingship has passed back and forth between the nobility of Alaj. The three provinces have broken into ten smaller provinces, over which the lesser nobles squabble, attempting to get greater control of the country as a whole. Each province now acts as its own singular state, even though they are technically still united as a single country.
Public Agenda
Alaj has traditionally upheld knowledge and the progression of technology as its greatest pursuit. In this time of civil war, however, such pursuits have been mostly abandoned.
Assets
In the past, Alaj has been on the forefront of merging magic with technology, and the nation has often been the first to employ certain new technologies, such as advancements in river boats. They were also also the first country to light homes entirely with magical lights, rather than candles. There are also numerous stones and minerals found in the mountain region, and they are a large exporter of silk.
History
For centuries, Alaj was ruled by a king, and the royal line passed from father to son. In 1853, the then king of Alaj had three sons. He had a falling out with his second son, whom he put in charge of the desert province. As the desert province has the fewest natural resources, this was a punishment for the second son, but the people of the desert province grew to like their charismatic leader. The third son was put in charge of the mountain province, small in land, but rich in natural resources, while the eldest remained in charge of the river province and the capital, as he was expected to take the throne.
In 1865, the old king died, and the eldest son took the throne of Alaj. Neither of this brothers, however, was content, and both thought that they would make better kings than their older brother. Thus, rather than accepting their new ruler, they fought against their brother, who poured his energy into defending himself from the other provinces. This is known as The War of Three Brothers.
Over the next ten years, the three brothers fought against each other, wearing each other down. As their forces grew weaker, lesser nobles broke away, fragmenting the three provinces into ten. At the end of the war, the younger brothers had been defeated, and the oldest had died on the field of battle, leaving his teenage son to take control of the country. The boy, however, had not the age, experience, or might with which to effectively run a country, and carried out edicts according to the wisdom of his general. This was not enough to fully unite the squabbling nobles of what was not ten provinces. Rather, they each began to vie for the power to advice the unprepared king.
Currently, the kingship in Alaj still passes from father to son, but the power behind the throne shifts as the nobles continue to fight over territory. Though these battles can and do occur in physical form--with nobility sending people to take over cities and expand their territory, they just as frequently happen through alliances, marriages, and treaties.
Demography and Population
Alaj is a relatively homogeneous area. Over 90% of the population is human, and most of them are Cugbo speaking, though there is a small contingent of Huxoth people in the desert province.
Military
Most of the provinces in Alaj have small military forces which can technically be summoned by the king, but in its current state of warring politics, these forces remain loyal to the province leaders, and without a large enough contingent in the capital to keep the others in line, the king has little control over this.
Technological Level
Historically, Alaj has been at the cutting edge of technological advancements, which they used to their advantage by being leveraging their knowledge for better trade deals with their neighbors. In the last century, however, Saas, and even Nefrale have crept ahead of the no-longer united nation.
Religion
Danos is the state religion of Alaj. It is the religion of the king and all nobility. There are several different sects, but all are valid. Rules regarding whether someone must follow Danos and/or which sect they must follow differ from province to province. Though it is an official religion, the king has traditionally allowed province leaders to moderate the religious practice within their region. Some provinces hold fast to the law, while others allow followers of alternate religions to receive an exemption from the law for a small fee. As a result, people rarely discuss religion outside of their worship groups, except for the two provinces where religious freedom is allowed.
Foreign Relations
Though Alaj has establish trade with other countries, where convenient, it has always tended to keep itself isolated. The nation has been wary about sharing technology with others, and only does so when it knows it can get something in return. It is enemies with its eastern neighbor, Linakra, and wary allies with its western neighbor, Nefrale. It tends to avoid its southern neighbors, which are also in frequent states of internal conflict. Alaj's best relationship is with Saas, in the north, which has a shared interest in technological advancement. In its current state, however, Alaj has neglected most foreign communications.
Agriculture & Industry
Alaj is first and foremost known for the development of new technology. However, they also mine several different stones and minerals in the mountain province, and the river province is well-known for its silk production.
Trade & Transport
Alaj has three heavily regulated transport stations, one in each province, though a handful of nobles have been able to build private transport stations, after paying heavy fees to the king. This limits trade in and out of the country, and they are mostly used to transport silk and minerals which are produced and mined within the country. Trade with bordering countries also occurs via roads, but the most common method of trade in Alaj is still up the Weeping River to the nations in the north.
Education
Education, like religion, has traditionally been the responsibility of the province leaders, with some basic guidelines coming from the king. As a result, schools vary widely throughout the nation, especially in the wake of the province divisions. On the whole, education is highly valued in the nation. In the capital, school is compulsory. Though it is not in most other provinces, it is usually highly encouraged. Most children in these provinces do attend school, though some of these schools are rural schoolhouses with few resources. In the two provinces run by religious groups, students are encouraged to attend school through programs which pay for books and transportation, as well as care programs for very young children.
Infrastructure
Before the War of Three Brothers, Alaj was one of the fastest developing nations on Nideon. It was one of the first nations to build factories to mass produce goods (primarily in the desert region) and made top-of-the-line means of transportation for both land and water travel. Since the War, however, progress has halted in many provinces, where nobility is more concerned with other problems, and roads and buildings have fallen into disrepair. Again, the areas where this is seen least are the capital, and the two religious regions.
Knowledge and Water
Type
Geopolitical, Country
Demonym
Alajan
Government System
Monarchy, Absolute
Power Structure
Feudal state
Economic System
Mixed economy
Currency
Koceci
Major Exports
silk, metals
Major Imports
fruit, cotton, wool
Location
Official Languages
Notable Members
Comments