The August Republic of Stereos
The cradle of civilization is cracking at the seams. Nothing is as it was before. It's all falling apart, the streets are overgrown, the byways are silent. Oppression and poverty fill the land, yet nothing seems to change; the people swear up and down they're happy, like a story repeated by a grandfather, over and and over, but gradually slower, and quieter, losing itself to time. The cradle of civilization is cracking.
Structure
The structure of Stereos is strange. There is no central government, rather instead a collection of cities joined together under ecumenical priestly councils that determine law for the individual cities inside the nation. The councils are appointed by specific councils within councils, leading to an ever-widening circle of theocratic bureaucracy.
Public Agenda
The public agenda of Stereos is simple. The goal of the nation is to protect and extend the influence of the Priesthood of the 5 Holy Ideals, the only way for balance to save the world, the only way for the world to be safe, the only way for the world to be perfect, in its ideal balance.
Assets
Every city and town has its own militia force, beholding to the ruling council of that city, acting independently of the other cities states, each city is its own independent political/religious entity. The assets of these cities vary by city, large cities being better equipped than others. Coastal cities may have a navy. This means that their military strength is dodgy.
Demography and Population
The populace is essentially human, few other species can settle in the nation because of their intense ethnocentrism and isolationist attitude towards the outside world. Their religious system favors humans as the ideal above all other humanoid creatures and thus does not allow a country where many different races can prosper.
Population is family urban, because of the structure of government, small villages and towns, outside of large country estates for the priesthood are very rare, as the amount of clerical investment needed to start a town is rather high.
Territories
The territory of Stereos is mostly mountainous. These mountains range from low and temperate, to very, very tall, one so tall in fact in that it is rumored that the gods sometimes descend to its top and hold court with mortals. This territory is small as they are trapped between their more powerful countries and the sea. These were the first places held by humans in the new world. They are currently being held only by the power of their priestly authority.
Military
The military of Stereos is very weak, as it is entirely city-based rather than a national force. Some cities are well-equipped, some even have navies, but most don't.
Technological Level
The scientific and philosophical mind is very high, in keeping with their culture, but technology is very low and rare.
Religion
Religion is the end-all, be-all of Sterii life. The good of the temple is the good of the nation, the good of the nation is the good of the temple, the finding of balance is the foundation of life, the foundation of life is the foundation of government. Religion is the art of all things coming together and government is a part of all things, as a result, all other religions are banned, practicing another religion could have one banished or executed. Banishment is reserved for private worship of proselytizing whereas the active administration or spread of religious materials, or fulfilling the clerical duties of another religion could result in public execution.
Foreign Relations
Generally very, very poor. Their isolated and openly hostile to foreign cultures. Their worst relationship is with Jahlbar which has been carrying on since the ancient days because of their fractured religious sensabilities and constant conflict over their border region. They generally have a poor relationship with Mariel as well, but tend to get along alright with the Veitenlanders, but this relationship is hardly friendly.
Agriculture & Industry
Agriculture is centered around plants that do well with altitude, such as olives and grapes. Grain and meat are relatively expensive, not overwhelmingly so, but still, compared to most of the countries around them, is on the pricey side, so much so that the government is in charge of distributing grain inside cities. It is very difficult to find any large, flat land for farming.
Industry is hard, weaving, tile making, and industrial scale dying operations are fairly common, but these are rarely more than city-wide or regionally powerful entities. The struggling national economy has heightened this concern even higher. Goods and services are expensive and money is scarce as outside trade is heavily regulated.
Trade & Transport
Transport by water is well advanced, the Sterii are good traders and trade their own products with pride, but view all others, save of Elven and Dwarven make as inferior to their own and often reject foreign goods in favor of their own creations or straight-up cash.
Transport by land is dangerous. Bandits are common because of the poor economy and the roads are in terrible shape, especially high in the mountains and relationships between cities is often broken.
Education
Education is a massive part of life. All children receive an excellent, classical education. The classics are read, histories are discussed, rhetoric is learned, reason is found. Both male and female children are brought up in the classical roll for many hours each day by first educated house-slaves and then, eventually masters. Then they enter society at 13. Even after that they may enter the university to go until they are 18 to become doctors, lawyers, generals, and priests.
Infrastructure
The infrastructure of the nation is crumbling. The roads are in terrible shape, almost all the operational aqueducts are broken and leaky, the sewer systems in many larger or poorer cities is in awful shape, the ports are moldering, and the mountain passes are growing wilder by the day, and few cities have enough money to fix it.
From the Earth Unto the Sky
Founding Date
Unknown: Each city has its own founding date
Type
Geopolitical, Republic
Alternative Names
The Cities of the Gods
Demonym
Sterii
Government System
Theocracy
Power Structure
Confederation
Economic System
Traditional
Major Exports
Sterii tiles and dyes are highly valued and pricey around the world, but the state controls the exporting market and only allows a small amount out to keep the value high and the tax cap higher.
Major Imports
Imports are very strictly regulated by the priests and foreign shipments must be hand-inspected by a highly trained team of investigators. Smuggling is a high-capital offense to be dealt with immediately.
Legislative Body
The legislative body of Stereos are its priestly councils, these councils also appoint special militias to carrying out these laws, other than that there is no special body for either judiciary or legislative practice. It alone is in the hands of the self-made priestly councils.
Judicial Body
See above.
Official State Religion
Neighboring Nations
Related Ethnicities
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