Sarnja

Terrain & Geography

The Sarnjinian territory stretches from the capital city of Sarnja to the southern reaches of Sardhoff. It is marked on its western border by a low mountain range and the edge of the Bahstwood. It is a gentle, hilly country marked by forests and fields.
Sarnja boasts the best roads of any of the "civilized" regions on the northern continent, and even those that are not paved are wide enough to drive a wagon down.

Cities & Landmarks

Like most city-states on the northern continent, the entire region is called after the name of its capital city.
The white-walled city of Sarnja is built with five layered rings, each more fortified than the last. Built largely of limestone, the city is known for its strange "sparkle" in the late hours of the day when the sunlight slants over its low, brown-tiled rooves. Each concentric ring serves a societal purpose, with members of the City Guard diligently filtering those who have access to the inner-most rings.
Aside from the capital city, small villages where travelers might find an inn to sleep and traders might sell their wares can be found dotting the countryside along Sarnja's many paved roads.

Weather & Climate

Insulated by mountains and hills, Sarnja boasts a mild climate and a long growing season. Summers are long and moderate, and there is rarely more than a light dusting of snow during the winter.

Resources

Sarnjinian limestone is harvested from valleys between the larger hill groups. The rare metal used to make Sarnjinian currency (Thal) is harvested from mines embedded in the mountains that surround the capital; all Thalate mines are owned by the Crown. Sarnja lacks an abundance of trees, so lumber is a rare and expensive commodity. Instead, most fires burn dung or coal imported from Sardhoff.

Agriculture

Agriculture is vibrant in Sarnja, and most plants and produce are grown on hillside terraces. Fruits and berries for wine-making are grown in the southern parts of the region, while in the north grains and vegetables are more common. A variety of nuts are cultivated in the few wooded areas. Regardless of the crop, portions of each harvest are sent to the capital city in exchange for an influx of Thal, which ensures the economies of rural areas continue to flourish.

Hunting & Wild Game

There is very little game in Sarnja, aside from that which wanders from the Bahstwood or the forests of Sardhoff. Goats can be found among the lower ridges of the western mountains, but they're viscious, difficult to hunt, and their meat is known to be stringy and pungent. Instead, the primary source of meat in Sarnja is the Goakehn – a large, four-legged bird that is used for hauling, egg-laying, and meat, depending upon the breed.

Culture

Societal Structure

Sarnjinian society is structured in a series of rigid layers, often illustrated with a drawing of the human body bearing a crown, a sword, and a scythe. Though movement between the layers is possible, it's relatively uncommon, as most children take up the work their parents did when they reach adulthood.

Crown

The Crown is the ruling class, limited to a single family. Reign is passed from parent to eldest child born after the corronation. At no time may children born before the corronation ascend to the throne, regardless of their parentage. In the event there are no children, the monarch's eldest sibling is crowned, after which all noble houses flock to Sarnja to pledge their allegience to the new King or Queen.
While this system is intended to ensure the new ruler has the support of the noble houses, it often results in a dangerous period for newly-crowned rulers who have not yet established heirs. Killing off a ruling family may be difficult, but assassinating a single ruler who has no children is a far easier task, and well within the capabilities of those with means and access.

Head

The noble houses of Sarnja began as elected officials from towns and villages throughout the region. Over time, their access to the Crown and ability to influence policy allowed them to acquire great wealth, which they used to better their positions and secure even more wealth and power.
Royal diplomats and advisors also fall into this class, as do the Keeper of the Treasury and tax collectors, who are handsomely paid in an effort to stave off corruption, though it's debatable how effective this is.
Children born into this class are sent to formal schools where they're taught reading, writing, basic mathematics, and a variety of art and language skills intended to refine their taste and manners. The more artistic a person is, the more refined they are considered, and the great noble families are all renouned for their skill in the fine arts (though how much of this is genuine skill and how much is a result of yes-manning is a matter of speculation).

Heart

Artists and artisans are considered just below the nobility in Sarnja. Painters and sculptors fall into this category, as do actors, singers, alchemists, and those who do fine or detailed work. For example: a blacksmith would not be considered among this tier, but a jeweler would. Citizens of this class are often provided with a general education in their youth, though most of their education is conducted during their apprenticeships, which are negotiated by their parents, generally through social connection or trading favors.
It is considered distasteful to buy an apprenticeship, though deals are said to be conducted in secret from by those of great skill and little money in times of need.

Hands

Those who work with their hands fall into this class, including tradesmen, farmers, soldiers, and guards, as well as many types of skilled household staff (such as cooks and butlers). Within this tier, military and guard forces might establish further segregation to delineate rank and status. Parents are expected to teach children born to this class what they need to know. While no formal education is provided by the state, it is not unheard of for prosperous and enterprising individuals to negotiate contracted "warding" for their children among the higher classes. This practice is not frowned upon, as those without exposure to the arts are not expected to understand the coarsness of exchanging money for knowledge.
Warding ensures the family will feed, house, clothe, and educate the child while their parents make scheduled payments. Should the parents fail to make their payments on time, the contracted debt may fall to the child to pay. Children in this situation are known as "ward-breakers", and are considered among the lowest tier of society (see also: Slavery & Prostitution below).

Legs

The bottom rungs of Sarnjinian society is comprised of those whose lack of skills and ability relegate them to positions of delivery or trade. Messengers fall into this category, as do transient farm workers, household servants, and those who transport goods (those who make goods would never transport their wares themselves – doing so is considered beneath them).

Gender Roles

Gender within Sarnjinian society is neither a benefit nor a hinderance. It's generally considered if someone can do a certain type of work, that they are qualified for the job. Historians believe this is the result of influence by the nobles and royalty with fewer progeny, who have needed to pass their titles and crowns to children of either gender. Descrimination against the Monarch would never be tolerated, so it's considered that Kings and Queens are capable of ruling equally well, which has trickled down over time throughout the rest of society.
Clothing for both men and women of nobility are generally robe- or tunic-like garments layered for both weather and fashion. Those in the lower classes generally wear thicker fabrics with less decoration and more muted colours, while the nobility prize thin, gauzy fabrics in bright colours woven or embroidered to create tapestry-like scenes.

Slavery

Slavery does not exist formally in Sarnja, though parents who ward their children with the upper classes then fail to pay their debts may find their children conscribed into service without pay for the duration of their contracts, which never seem to be paid in full. Children born to "ward-breakers" are generally unable to find funds or education to break out of the bottom tiers of society, though they are not expected to work for the warding family for free once they reach adulthood.

Prostitution

Prostitution is one of the only professions in Sarnja that spans multiple societal rungs. Common street-walkers fall among the lowest classes, while a widowed spouse of a craftsman who entertains their clients in a clean home in a good neighbourhood would be considered a tradesman in their own right. Some exceptionally skilled and well-educated courtesans are even considered artisans themselves; they move through the upper eschelons of society comfortably, and are even invited to social events among their peers.

Faith

Like many cultures on the Northern continent, religion is not a part of daily life for most people in Sarnja. There are small pockets in rural areas of those who practice a form of nature-focused spirituality, and even a few who still recognize and pay tribute to the old gods, but for most citizens – especially those in the city and larger towns – faith is simply not a part of their every-day life. Some even go so far as to challenge the existence of the gods; doing so is generally considered an exercise of the mind and is more often than not met with enthusiastic debate, rather than anger.

Military & Defense

Sarnja has no army to speak of, though the city guard is as robust as it is corrupt. It's often said the only thing more dangerous on the streets of Sarnja than the thieves and assassins are the City Watch.

Trade

Sarnja is one of very few kingdoms that has a developed currency that is used by all tiers of society. Developed in the second century, the Thal is made of maleable, brittle metal that is minted with an indented cross so that they can be snapped into halves or quarters more easily. Thal used to pay taxes are weighed against a set of carefully-carved stones, which are stored in the Sarnjinian Treasury. Manipulating the weight of Thal is akin to stealing from the Crown, the penalty for which is death.

National Trade

Trade between towns and villages in Sarnja is uncommon. Goods that cannot be found in the more distant settlements are sure to be found at the market within the city, where merchants from the city and surrounding towns sell their goods. Because most tradesmen and artisans consider the selling of goods beneath them, they hire Marketmen to transport and sell their goods at the city market. These Marketmen are paid a portion of their daily sales, so competition within the market is fierce, and prices are generally better than anywhere else on the continent.

International Trade

International trade with other regions is a private affair, and generally only the nobility and royalty have the funds or connections to secure such deals. In general, the further away an item was procured, the more prestigious it is considered to be; because of this, international trade has greatly influenced fashion in the Sarnjinian court. Courtiers import linens from Morrdovach, silks from the Ajima Steppe, feathers from The Shattered Isles, and glass beads from as far as the southern continent.

Alliances & Rivalries

Sarnja is considered a peaceful nation. Though there are some rivalries among the noble families, this in-fighting does not generally impact their neighbours.
Sarnjinians consider themselves to be the cultural center of the civilized world. Those outside of Sarnja are often viewed as backward and provincial, taking longer to adopt new trends in fashion and art, and being more concerned and involved with the menial tasks of everyday life, rather than pursuit of fine living and art.

Regional History

Sarnja and its regional territories were once a series of towns inter-connected by a network of well-trod footpaths. Over time, alliances formed between these settlements, and they began to march against one another. Sarnja among the oldest of the established kingdoms on the Northern continent (only Kierastahd is older), and noble families pride themselves on being able to trace their linage back to Sarnja's original town leaders.

Rulers

Sarnja is currently ruled by Queen Aleid, who was crowned after the death of her aging father and the assassination of her older brother.