Yelanids
The Yelanid Alliance is a federation located in the Jafasiv desert south of Nova Aera. Its inhabitants, primarily humans, elves, half-elves, and lizardfolk, mostly live in a few large cities in the oases and riverbanks of the desert.
Structure
The Mahaan Neta of the Yelanid dynasty is the nominal ruler of the realm; the federation itself is comprised by the Eternal League, which is the designation of the ruling League, and twelve other Leagues, who are dynastically ruled by the Exodus Lineages. These Leagues are responsible for their own tax collection, infrastucture, and land development, whilst all Leagues pay tribute to the Eternal League so that the army of the Yelanids, the Commandery of the Tigrala, is upkept. Normal taxes are collected in a substantial portion of goods, of which the League then distributes amongst the population and engages in domestic and foreign trade. Tribute taxes are collected in dinars and are paid to fund the aforementioned Commandery.
The Thirteen Leagues
These Leagues resemble tribal clans in how they are run, feudal states in how they function, and maritime republics in economic competition. The system of dynastic zones of strategic control dates back to the original settlement of the desert; and consequently, each League has been defined by its ruling Lineage and its main production output. Every League, aside from the ruling Eternal League, is also named in accordance with its predominant local economy. Normally however, the people who come from the Leagues either identify with the ruling Lineage or their own clan.The thirteen Leagues, and its ruling Exodus Lineage, are the:
- Eternal League: Yelanid Lineage,
- Grain League: Habaajid Lineage,
- Fish League: Machsamid Lineage,
- Sugar League: Alcheenid Lineage,
- Spice League: Tablaarid Lineage,
- Cocoa League: Wacek Lineage,
- Tea League: Shayid Lineage,
- Fruit League: Iridemor Lineage,
- Gold League: Dhabasomid Lineage,
- Silver League: Helexina Lineage,
- Iron League: Lohadid Lineage,
- Copper League: Underbeard Lineage, and
- Gemstone League: Dizakkoaxl Lineage.
History
The Yelanid Alliance was founded by a dissident faction, the Wheel of Dawn, made up of expansionists and explorers of the middling years of Nova Aera. It was a staple of the city-state's policy to not undertake any territorial expansion, as to not provoke nearby kingdoms, something the Wheel of Dawn was fiercely opposed to; however, the only remotely unsettled arable land near Nova Aera was the vast Jafasiv desert, and the idea of settling there was not desirable to most. After many unproductive years of trying to influence the foreign policy of Nova Aera, by political interference and bribery, the group faced an internal crisis, as some of its supporters were losing faith in its chances of success.
However, a charismatic investor and geographer, Yelan, head of a minor merchant family, convinced the organisation that settling the desert was not only the sole option they had, but that it would also be highly profitable: his short expeditions had uncovered many rich mineral deposits and land suitable for plantations. He struck a deal with a dozenfold of the richest families, and it was agreed that in exchange for Yelan becoming the leader of the new nation, each family would control a somewhat autonomous of it, or a League. The Wheel of Dawn broke all relations with their city-state and began to settle the oases of the desert, and branded their new nation the Confederation of the Leagues.
After around 150 years, in 2431 AM, the Confederation of the Leagues faced an invasion carried out by an enemy lost to history. The nation had no standing army and Ashdra, descendant of Yelan and ruler of the Confederation, desperately gathered a coalition of all able men and women from the Leagues to repel the invading army, who had set up a coastal beachhead in the southwestern part of the Confederation. Records say that before battle, Ashdra dedicated a prayer to Gozreh, hoping for some manner of divine intervention: and it is said that as he prepared the order of battle to his lieutenants, a sandstorm swept in from the dunes, blinding his entire army, just as a massive wave originating from a rift torn in the center of the nation crashed down on the enemy beachhead. This was a rift into the elemental plane of Water, which has been spewing out mineral-rich and fertile waters to the Yelanid farms ever since.
When the sandstorm had finally relented, Ashdra commanded a small force of scouts down to the landing to observe the damage; only a singular battle standard, firmly secured in the sand, and depicting a black eagle, remained, whilst an archipelago of broken masts and shattered hulls could be seen rising from on the now-sunset horizon. Having won the eternal gratitude from the Leagues for repelling an insurmountable force, Ashdra successfully reformed the government of the Confederation, and ensured a powerful dynastic rule by creating a permanent army. With the power of the Leagues reduced, the Yelanid Alliance was formed.
Demography and Population
Most inhabitants of the Yelanid Alliance are humans directly descended from the original settlers from Nova Aera, though elves and lizardfolk are also counted amongst the traditional inheritors of the Jafasiv desert. The Leagues themselves are controlled by various dynasties, commonly called the Lineages, and seven of these, in addition to the Yelanid Lineage, are human; three are Elven; and two Lizardfolk.
Languages
A regional language, Mavari, is spoken in the Alliance as a result of deliberate action and relative isolation. It was originally created, over centuries, to function as the administrative language of the internal bureaucracy, and it linguistically resembles Common, with vocabulary and syntax reminiscent of both Elven and Lizard. Nowadays most educated citizens speak it, whilst the ancestral tongues remain in secondary usage. Additionally, a creole language called Aadhafranki (Mavari for "Half-Frankonian") is spoken by the merchant class as a result of historic intermingling, due to trade, between Mavari and Frankonian.
The Wheel remains Unbroken!
Maps
-
Yelanids
The flag of the Alliance.
Founding Date
2431 AM
Type
Political, Federation
Capital
Demonym
Yelanid
Head of State
Government System
Monarchy, Constitutional
Power Structure
Federation
Economic System
Palace economy
Currency
Copper, Silver, Gold, and Platinum Dinars
Official Languages
Neighboring Nations
