Guede
A Makuubi city-state centered around the lower river Baratre, Guede was once the doorway to Agbith from the Mekub. Today, Agbith is dead and the river leads to the dragon's jaws, but Guede persists. The ultimate destination of many Thaner exiles, Guede is somewhat pejoratively called the supply depot of the Agbithan Crusade. Having exchanged a bustling mineral trade for becoming a transition point for crusaders and their equipment, Guede remains a particularly cosmopolitan place, inhabited not just by Makuubi from all over the shores of the Mekub and Thaner exiles but also Runberi, Karida, and mercenaries passing through from many corners of the world.
Built around the port city of Guede at the mouth of the Baratre river, the city-state encompasses the riverine plains south of the valley. Currently led by Prince Nyack Oni Beyin, Guede is a somewhat typical Makuubi city in having a hereditary prince that is nevertheless barely more powerful than the most prominent aristocrats and merchants in the area. Guede has been an important ally of the Agbithan Crusade since it was founded, and much of the funding for the crusade comes through Guede.
Structure
Though led by prince Nyack, in practice the authority of the ruler of the city-state frays in places, as large parts of the Guede itself are directly owned and taxed by other aristocratic families, and the rural areas within the country answer first to their chiefs and only then to the authorities in Guede. Consequently, Guede itself is broken up into districts under the control of various houses, duplicating functions such as security and taxation in each. The ports and their rights are particularly valuable real-estate, as control over parts of the docks allows the lord to tax incoming trade.
As a result, what is a princedom in name is a committee in truth, as while Nyack may be the largest individual power in the city, he is dwarfed by the sum of the others. Though disagreeing on many things, the city does tend to present a united front when it comes to dealing with the Guedean periphery and with Agbith.
Demography and Population
Though a fairly small area, the riverbanks of the lower Baratre are rich and fertile, and villages and farmsteads dot the land. Guede itself is a city of ten thousand, and many times that number live outside its walls. Though mostly local Makuubi, the city of Guede itself is home to many exiles and travelers. The transient population is significant, as almost anyone arriving to join the crusade must go through Guede to get there.
Most Guedeans worship Marse, the sun-god of the Makuubi people. A minority worship Nuwa, and many of the Thaner exiles continue to adhere to The Legend.
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