Pelagasia
Pelagasia, sometimes called Imperial Pelagasia to distinguish the political entity from the geographic one, is a directly-ruled province of the Berytusian Empire, and one of its two Eirenean provinces. Pelagasia is bordered to the north by the Imperial vassals Rommark and Tuundet, and to the east by the Berytus District. Its southern border is the Inner Sea, and to the west lies the Sea of Apannina.
The province has produced more Imperial dynasties than any other, and the presence of so many elves helps account for the abnormally high proportion of elvish blood in the Handrin dynasty. Its capital city Salon is the second largest in the Imperion, and has been a center of culture and learning since the Age of Amellion.
Demography and Population
Pelagasia is the second oldest of the Imperial Provinces, having been founded in 44 IB by edict of Iban Acacias. Between 731 and 803 Pelagasia annexed Tuundet, the inciting incident of the Amellion Revolt. The population of Pelagasia is primarily human, most being the descendants of Old Pelagasian inhabitants of the regions from before Emuna. Some later immigrants from Berytus live in the region, mostly in Salon and Atenoi. A small number of Elves and Alif live in the area, and most Pelagasians have at least some Amellion ancestry. In the Kingdom of Tündet across the Tuundet Mountains the population is exclusively elvish, with a handful of humans working primarily in technical or military roles. Overall, the humans of Pelagasia are primarily agricultural, producing either grain, pomegranates, or Elfskiss. They generally have a laid-back attitude about work, except when they own their own farms. The Pelagasian love of leisure is well known, and the cause of many jokes in other provinces of the Empire about the stereotypical "lazy Pelagasian". Conversely the Pelagasian Legion of the Imperial Army is considered among the best disciplined and most decorated units. Slavery is legal within the Empire, though it is generally of a quite limited sort. The number of slaves is quite small and most slaves are employed as skilled tradesmen: surgeons, scribes, and cooks are the most common professions for slaves. About 6/10 slaves in Pelagasia are elves, the descendants of slaves captured during the Amellion Revolt (731–840). The remainder are usually human Rusks and Sylvanians captured during the periodic wars with the Empire.
Territories
Pelagasia consists of the entire Pelagasian Peninsula, less the Kingdom of Tuundet.
Military
Defense of the province is primarily conducted by the Pelagasian Legion of the Berytusian Army, formed in 49 IB and in continuous service to the present. The Legion is 30,000 men strong, and usually equipped with light armor and large shields and short swords. This facilitates the "Turtle formation" practiced by the Imperial army, wherein the shields of each company are interlinked to produce a sturdy defense. The legion is spread across the province, with detachments of about 1000 men in most major cities, and a full contingent of 15,000 troops in Fort St. Iban, located in northern Pelagasia, some twenty minutes march from Salon.
Religion
Almost invariably Pelagasians belong to the state-established Imperial See, though many Amellions belong to the Amellion Particular Kirk, which is in communion with the Haugrkirk Emuna. Emuna on the whole is absolutely universal, and even language reflect this, with many common idioms being allusions to Emunite stories.
Agriculture & Industry
Primary economic output of the province is from agriculture, with it growing some 20% of the world's entire supply of Elfskiss, and about 5% of the world's total grain output. Rye rather than wheat is the primary cereal grain. Almost 95% of the population works in agriculture or trade in agriculture.
Trade & Transport
The province is connected internally by a network of roads built by the Imperion, with the major road being the Pelagasian Way, a highway dating back to before Emuna. Today the Pelagasian Way is a seven lane major road, traversing the entire east coast of the province, from Anetoi to Salon. The largest ports are in Salon and Anetoi, with more than 100,000 Tallents worth of trade conducted in each port daily. Under the Great Accord of Ayen-Petris, the Theorepublic of Enetoi is permitted free access to the port of Anetoi, which has led to a flourishing cultural exchange between the two cities, whose similar names have led to them being termed "twin cities".
Education
Most of the population is literate (at least on a basic level), with instruction primarily carried out by the parishes of the Imperial See. Children learn to read, write, and count between the ages of 7-10 typically. Literacy is used on a daily basis to facilitate trade and religion. Beyond this basic understanding, most are uneducated, and most have never read even a single book. The situation differs greatly for the upper classes, who are schooled from birth in the classics and philosophies of the ancients. The sole academy of prestige is the Academy of Salon, which has operated for thousands of years, and produced the world's greatest poets, scholars, and theologians.
Pelagasia
Founding Date
44 IB
Type
Geopolitical, Province
Capital
Demonym
Pelagasian
Head of State
Head of Government
Government System
Dictatorship
Power Structure
Unitary state
Economic System
Market economy
Major Exports
The primary export of Pelagasia is Elfskiss, which accounts for over 70% of the economic prosperity of the province. In terms of volume, 500,000 tonnes of rye are produced yearly, of which about half is exported, particularly to Enetoi, which requires foreign grain to sustain its hyper-urbanized population. Approximately 5000 tonnes of Elfskiss are produced yearly.
Major Imports
Despite its agricultural wealth, Pelagasia lacks in domestic artisan goods like furniture and more complicated machinery. About 3/4 of these are imported from other provinces of the empire, while a fourth come from outside. Although rosehip wine is produced in great volumes domestically (and used for the Flesh fo God), imported blackberry wine is considered more desirable, and imported in quantities great enough that it is cheaper domestically.
Official State Religion
Parent Organization
Official Languages
| Type | Directly Ruled Province |
| Country | Berytusian Empire |
| Capital | Salon |
| Governor | |
| Language | Imperial |
| Religion | Imperial See (state religion) |
| Population | 78% human, 11% Elvish, 1% Zwergin |
| Created | 44 IB |
| Preceeded by | Kingdom of Pelagasia |
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